ABSTRACT

Background: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-low status has recently gained attention because of the potential therapeutic benefts of antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) in breast cancer patients. We aimed to investigate the concordance of HER2 status between core needle biopsy (CNB) and subsequent surgical resection specimens focusing on the HER2-low status.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in 1,387 patients with invasive breast cancer whose HER2 status was evaluated in both CNB and surgical resection specimens. The discordance rates between CNB and surgical resection specimens and the clinicopathological features associated with HER2 status discordance were analyzed.

Results: The overall concordance rates of HER2 status between CNB and surgical resection specimens were 99.0% (κ=0.925) for two-group classifcation (negative vs. positive) and 78.5% (κ=0.587) for three-group classifcation (zero vs. low vs. positive). The largest discordance occurred in CNB-HER2-zero cases with 42.8% of them reclassifed as HER2-low in surgical resection. HER2 discordance was associated with lower histologic grade, tumor multiplicity, and luminal A subtype. In multivariate analysis, tumor multiplicity and estrogen receptor (ER) positivity were independent predictive factors for HER2-zero to low conversion.

Conclusions: Incorporation of HER2-low category in HER2 status interpretation reduces the concordance rate between CNB and surgical resection specimens. Tumor multiplicity and ER positivity are predictive factors for conversion from HER2- zero to HER2-low status. Therefore, HER2 status should be re-evaluated in resection specimens when considering ADCs in tumors exhibiting multiplicity and ER positivity.

Keywords: Breast cancer · HER2-low · Core needle biopsy · Concordance