Molecular Subtype Predicts Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer

In a prospective cohort study of 32 women with primary invasive breast cancer with a measurable lesion, we obtained a tumor specimen by high speed core biopsy before and after 4 cycles of NAC with epirubicine 90mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 600mg/m2 every 3 weeks, followed by 4 cycles of docetaxel 100mg/m2. Total RNA was extracted from tumor specimens and the whole transcriptome was quantified with Agilent’s 44K single color microarray interrogating 41000 unique human genes. Tumor lesions were ultrasonographically measured to assess response using Sinn criteria. Genes significant different and significant changing during chemotherapy accompanying and predicting response were searched. Whole genome expression of breast cancer tissues were measured before and after four cycles neoadjuvant chemotherapy