Triple-negative and HER2-positive breast cancers found by mammography screening show excellent prognosis

Abstract

Purpose: Our purpose was to explore the prognosis of aggressive breast cancers of the HER2 oncogene amplification (HER2 +) and triple-negative (TN) subtypes detected by screening, as well as the prognosis of interval cancers (clinically due to symptoms between screening rounds) and cancers in screening nonparticipants. Methods: The study population comprised of 823 breast cancers in women aged 50–69 years from 2006–2014. Of these, 572 were found by screening mammography (69%), 170 were diagnosed between the screening rounds (21%), and 81 were diagnosed in women who did not participate in the screening program (10%). Results: The majority of all HER2 + (59%) and TN cancers (57%) in this age group were detected by screening. Screen-detected HER2 + tumors were small (median 12 mm), and node-negative (84%). During a median follow-up of eight years, the distant disease-free survival of screen-detected HER2 + and TN cancers was better than that of interval and nonparticipant cancers (age-adjusted HR = 0.16, 95% CI 0.03–0.81 and HR = 0.09, 95% CI 0.01–0.79, respectively). In nonparticipants, the distant disease-free survival of these cancers was worse than in participants (age-adjusted HR = 2.52, 95% CI 0.63–10.11 and HR = 5.30, 95% 1.16–24.29, respectively). Conclusion: In the 50–69 age group, the majority of HER2 + and TN cancers can be found by a quality assured population-based mammography screening. Despite their generally aggressive behavior, after a median follow-up of 8 years, distant disease-free survival was over 90% of these cancers detected by screening. The worst prognosis of these cancers was in women who did not participate in screening.