Management and treatment of triple-negative breast cancer patients from the NEMESI study. An Italian experience

Aims: Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) lack expression of oestrogen, progesterone, and Human Epidermal Growth Factor 2 receptors. The NEMESI study described current Italian treatment practices in patients with operable, early-stage breast cancer (EBC). Patients and methods: Retrospective, observational study involving 63 Italian oncology centres. Eligible patients were aged ≥18 years with EBC (stage I-II) who had undergone surgery, received ≥1 cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy and/or adjuvant hormonal therapy and attended an oncology centre between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2008. This subanalysis focused on patients with TNBC. Variables evaluated included: demographic data/clinical characteristics; tumour characteristics; adjuvant therapy; compliance to chemotherapy. Continuous variables were summarised using descriptive statistics. Results: Of 1894 patients in the NEMESI study, 185 patients (9.8%) had TNBC. At diagnosis, 98 patients were aged 50-70 years and 114 were post-menopausal. Tumours were subcategorised as pT1mic/pT1a/pT1b/pT1c in 108 patients and pT2/pT3/pT4b in 77 patients. Mean tumour size was 2.1 cm, tumours were highly undifferentiated in 144 patients and 128 patients were pNO. 179 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy; anthracyclines with or without taxanes were commonly used. 145 patients received radiotherapy. Conclusions: Adherence of Italian clinical practice to International Guidelines in the management of early-stage TNBC is satisfactory.