Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42288057›Full record

ArticleBreast (Edinburgh, Scotland)2026

Association between antibiotic use and pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer: a multicentre retrospective cohort study.

M Zalabardo, I Fernández, A Girona, Á González, J Blanco, Ó Campos, A Sánchez-Muñoz, J L Onieva, J M Jerez, J Pascual and 12 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Breast (Edinburgh, Scotland), 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

22 authors.

M ZalabardoDepartment of Medicine, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain; Department of Medical Oncology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain; B-01 Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain. Electronic address: m.zalabardo@uma.es.
I FernándezDepartment of Medical Oncology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain.
A GironaDepartment of Medical Oncology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain.
Á GonzálezDepartment of Medical Oncology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain.
J BlancoB-01 Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain.
Ó CamposB-01 Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain.
A Sánchez-MuñozDepartment of Medicine, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain; Department of Medical Oncology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain; B-01 Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain.
J L OnievaB-01 Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain; Applied Bioinformatics Unit, Center for Research and Advanced Cancer Therapies (CITAC), Málaga, Spain.
J M JerezB-01 Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain; Department of Languages and Computer Science, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
J PascualDepartment of Medical Oncology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain; B-01 Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Center in Oncology (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain.
M J BermejoDepartment of Medical Oncology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain; B-01 Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain.
B JiménezDepartment of Medical Oncology, Regional University Hospital of Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
A MárquezDepartment of Medical Oncology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain.
B I PajaresDepartment of Medical Oncology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain.
M DomínguezDepartment of Medical Oncology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain; B-01 Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain.
A Godoy-OrtizDepartment of Medical Oncology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain; B-01 Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Center in Oncology (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain.
T DíazDepartment of Medical Oncology, Regional University Hospital of Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
I ZarcosDepartment of Medical Oncology, Costa del Sol University Hospital, Marbella, Spain.
F CarabantesDepartment of Medical Oncology, Regional University Hospital of Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
E VillarDepartment of Medical Oncology, Regional University Hospital of Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
N RibellesDepartment of Medical Oncology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain; B-01 Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain.
E AlbaDepartment of Medicine, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain; Department of Medical Oncology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain; B-01 Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Center in Oncology (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAntibiotics (ATBs) are frequently prescribed during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for localized breast cancer, but their impact on pathologic response is uncertain. PATIENTS AND

methodsWe conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study of women treated with NACT between January 2009 and January 2024 at three university hospitals in Spain. ATB exposure was ≥1 systemic course within 30 days before NACT or during NACT until surgery. Pathologic response was assessed using the Residual Cancer Burden (RCB) index; endpoints were optimal response (RCB-0/I) and pathologic complete response (pCR; RCB-0). Associations were examined using multivariable logistic regression adjusting for clinical, pathologic, and treatment factors, including relative dose intensity (RDI) and ECOG performance status.

resultsAmong 1316 patients, 516 (39.2%) received antibiotics. RCB-0/I was less frequent in exposed vs unexposed patients (36.4% vs 48.6%; P < 0.001); RDI ≥85% was maintained in 83.9% of exposed patients. After adjustment, ATB exposure was associated with lower odds of RCB-0/I (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.43-0.72; P < 0.001). In subtype-stratified models, ATB exposure was associated with lower odds of RCB-0/I across luminal, HER2-positive, and triple-negative disease (adjusted OR range, 0.54-0.56; P < 0.05), without significant ATB × subtype interaction. ATB exposure was associated with lower pCR odds (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.57-0.98; P = 0.03), despite nonsignificant unadjusted rates (27.7% vs 32.4%; P = 0.08).

conclusionsAntibiotic exposure shortly before or during NACT was associated with a reduced likelihood of achieving RCB-0/I and pCR after accounting for treatment delivery. These findings support antibiotic stewardship, reinforce that clinically indicated antibiotics remain essential, and require prospective validation.

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsBreast NeoplasmsNeoadjuvant TherapyAdultAgedChemotherapy, AdjuvantFemaleHumansMiddle AgedNeoplasm, ResidualPathologic Complete ResponseRetrospective StudiesSpainAnti-Bacterial AgentsAntibiotic exposureBreast cancerNeoadjuvant chemotherapyPathologic responseResidual cancer burden

Identifiers

PMID42288057
PMCPMC13280407

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