Oncotype Dx Score, HER2 Low Expression, and Clinical Outcomes in Early-Stage Breast Cancer: A National Cancer Database Analysis

Background: The interaction between HER2-low expression, oncotype recurrence score (RS), and their influence on the prognosis of HR+/HER2- breast cancer (BC) is not very well studied. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with resectable HER2-low and HER2-zero BC from the National Cancer Database. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the association of RS with the clinical outcomes in HR+/HER2- BC was analyzed as an exploratory endpoint. Results: The distribution of RS was comparable between HER2-low and HER2-zero groups; however, the RSs of HER2-low tumors were more likely to be 16-25. Women with HER2-low tumors had longer 5-year OS than women with HER2-zero tumors in the HR-negative (84.3% vs. 83.9%; p < 0.001, HR: 0.87 (0.84-0.90), p < 0.001) but not in the HR-positive group (94.0% vs. 94.0%; p = 0.38, HR: 0.97 (0.95-0.99), p = 0.01). The survival advantage was observed in patients who received adjuvant/neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p-interaction (chemo vs. no chemo) < 0.001). Among those who received adjuvant chemotherapy in the group with higher RSs (26-100), those with HER2-low BC had higher 5-year OS than HER2-zero BC. Conclusions: Resectable HER2-low BC had a better prognosis than HER2-zero BC. Among those who received adjuvant chemotherapy in the higher oncotype RS group, those with HER2-low tumors had better survival.

Automated summary

This study examined the interaction between HER2-low expression, oncotype recurrence score (RS), and prognosis in HR+/HER2- breast cancer. The results showed that HER2-low tumors had higher RS distribution and better 5-year overall survival compared to HER2-zero tumors, especially in HR-negative patients and those who received adjuvant chemotherapy.