Abstract

Perineural invasion (PNI) is a pathologic finding observed across a spectrum of solid tumors, typically with adverse prognostic implications. Little is known about how the presence of PNI influences locoregional recurrence (LRR) among breast cancers. We evaluated the association between PNI and LRR among an unselected, broadly representative cohort of breast cancer patients, and among a propensity-score matched cohort. We ascertained breast cancer patients seen at our institution from 2008 to 2019 for whom PNI status and salient clinicopathologic features were available. Fine-Gray regression models were constructed to evaluate the association between PNI and LRR, accounting for age, tumor size, nodal involvement, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER2 status, histologic tumor grade, presence of lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and receipt of chemotherapy and/or radiation. Analyses were then refined by comparing PNI-positive patients to a PNI-negative cohort defined by propensity score matching. Among 8864 invasive breast cancers, 1384 (15.6%) were noted to harbor PNI. At a median follow-up of 6.3 years, 428 locoregional recurrence events were observed yielding a 7-year LRR of 7.1% (95% CI 5.5–9.1) for those with PNI and 4.7% (95% CI 4.2–5.3; p = 0.01) for those without. On univariate analysis throughout the entire cohort, presence of PNI was significantly associated with an increased risk of LRR (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.08–1.78, p < 0.01). Accounting for differences in salient clinicopathologic and treatment parameters by multivariable Fine-Gray regression modeling, the association between PNI and LRR was potentiated (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.2–2.07, p = 0.001). We further conducted propensity score matching to balance clinicopathologic parameters and treatments between the two groups (PNI vs not), again showing a similar significant association between PNI and LRR (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.03–2.08, p = 0.034). PNI is significantly associated with LRR following the definitive treatment of invasive breast cancer. The excess risk conferred by PNI is similar in magnitude to that observed with LVI, or by ER/PR negativity. Breast cancer prognostication and therapeutic decision-making should consider the presence of PNI among other salient risk factors. Larger studies among more uniform breast cancer presentations may elucidate the extent to which these findings apply across breast cancer subtypes and stages.

Highlights

  • Perineural invasion (PNI) is a pathologic finding observed across a spectrum of solid tumors, typically with adverse prognostic implications

  • These analyses demonstrate that PNI represents a significant risk factor associated with locoregional recurrence (LRR) following the definitive treatment of invasive breast cancer

  • This association was observed on both univariate and multivariate analyses of the overall unselected cohort, and on analyses following propensity score matching, with an excess risk of LRR attributable to PNI approximating 40–60%

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Summary

Introduction

Perineural invasion (PNI) is a pathologic finding observed across a spectrum of solid tumors, typically with adverse prognostic implications. We evaluated the association between PNI and LRR among an unselected, broadly representative cohort of breast cancer patients, and among a propensity-score matched cohort. Accounting for differences in salient clinicopathologic and treatment parameters by multivariable Fine-Gray regression modeling, the association between PNI and LRR was potentiated (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.2–2.07, p = 0.001). PNI is significantly associated with LRR following the definitive treatment of invasive breast cancer. Perineural invasion (PNI) is a well-described pathologic finding seen among various malignancies, including those of the ­breast[8]. For the purposes of this study, PNI was defined as invasion of tumor cells into any of the perineural compartments—a definition that is used routinely in clinical pathology practice. We identified breast cancer patients with broadly-defined PNI in an effort to evaluate locoregional outcomes in comparison to unselected and matched cohorts. We sought to determine the extent to which this pathologic finding is associated with breast cancer recurrence, potentially affording an opportunity for risk-adapted treatment

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