Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40635453›Full record

ArticleCancer research and treatment2026

Impact of High Lymph Node Burden on Brain Metastases in Patients Who Achieved Pathological Complete Response after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer.

Seung Ah Lee, Ki Jo Kim, Do Youn Woen, Su Min Lee, Kawon Oh, Cho Eun Lee, Woong Ki Park, Ji Won Yoo, Dong Seung Shin, Jai Min Ryu and 10 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer research and treatment, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Seung Ah LeeDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Ki Jo KimDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Do Youn WoenDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Su Min LeeDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kawon OhDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Cho Eun LeeDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Woong Ki ParkDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Ji Won YooDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Dong Seung ShinDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jai Min RyuDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Se Kyung LeeDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Byung Joo ChaeDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jonghan YuDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Seok Won KimDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Seok Jin NamDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Ji-Yeon KimDivision of Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Yeon Hee ParkDivision of Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Eun Young KoDepartment of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Eun Sook KoDepartment of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jeong Eon LeeDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jeongeon.lee@samsung.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study aims to investigate the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and predictors of brain metastases in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive advanced breast cancer patients who achieved pathological complete response (pCR) following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). This research seeks to inform surveillance strategies and optimize management for high-risk subgroups. MATERIALS AND

methodsA retrospective analysis of 1,757 patients (2008-2022) classified them into pCR (n=914) and non-pCR (n=843) groups post-NAC. Collected data included demographics, clinical features, and metastasis parameters. Survival outcomes and brain metastasis predictors were assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves, Cox models, and logistic regression.

resultsAmong pCR patients, brain metastases accounted for 54.2% of distant metastases, significantly affecting overall survival (p < 0.001). Median distant metastasis-free survival was shorter for brain metastases (13.4 months) compared to extracranial metastases (31.1 months) in the pCR group (p=0.005). Positive supraclavicular node (SCN) fine needle aspiration (FNA) and clinical N3 (cN3) category were the strongest predictors of brain metastases (SCN FNA: odds ratio [OR], 12.9; p < 0.001; cN3: OR, 12.1; p < 0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that positive SCN FNA and cN3 category were strong predictors of reduced distant metastasis-free survival (SCN FNA: hazard ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 3.6; p < 0.001; cN3: hazard ratio, 11.3; 95% CI, 4.9 to 33.0; p < 0.001).

conclusionThis study highlights the challenges of brain metastases in HER2-positive pCR patients, emphasizing the need for tailored therapeutic strategies and enhanced surveillance. High lymph node burden prior to NAC is a significant factor in risk assessment. Therefore, it may be advisable to recommend post-surgery surveillance for high-risk patients.

Indexed as

Brain NeoplasmsBreast NeoplasmsErb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine KinasesLymph NodesNeoadjuvant TherapyAdultAgedFemaleHumansLymphatic MetastasisMiddle AgedPathologic Complete ResponsePrognosisRetrospective StudiesERBB2 protein, humanErb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine KinasesBrain metastasisComplete responseHER2-positive breast cancerNeoadjuvant therapy

Identifiers

PMID40635453
PMCPMC13382567

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.