Predicting breast cancer response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy based on tumor vascular features in needle biopsies

• DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.126518
• Publication Date: 2019-03-05T17:04:41Z
• Authors: Terisse A. Brocato; Ursa Brown-Glaberman; Zhihui Wang; Reed G. Selwyn; Colin M. Wilson; Edward F. Wyckoff; Lesley C. Lomo; Jennifer L. Saline; Anupama Hooda-Nehra; Renata Pasqualini; Wadih Arap; C. Jeffrey Brinker; Vittorio Cristini
• Keywords: Histology; Neoadjuvant Therapy

In clinical breast cancer intervention, selection of the optimal treatment protocol based on predictive biomarkers remains an elusive goal. Here, we present a modeling tool to predict likelihood response neoadjuvant chemotherapy using patient-specific tumor vasculature biomarkers. A semiautomated analysis was implemented and performed 3990 histological images from 48 patients, with 10–208 analyzed for each patient. We applied histology-based mathematical model 30 resected primary tumors then evaluated cohort 18 patients undergoing chemotherapy, collecting pre- posttreatment pathology specimens MRI data. found that core biopsy samples can be used acceptable accuracy determine parameters representative whole tissue region. Analysis histology obtained measurements, specifically diffusion distance divided by radius drug-delivering blood vessel (L/rb) volume fraction (BVF), provides statistically significant separation obtaining pathologic complete (pCR) those who do not. With this model, it is feasible evaluate in manner, thereby allowing precision approach treatment.