1. ¹Department of Medical Oncology, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1M 7BE, UK
2. ²Department of Histopathology, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1M 7BE, UK
3. ³Department of Surgery, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1M 7BE, UK
4. ⁴Department of Radiology, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1M 7BE, UK

Correspondence: Dr M Bhattacharyya, E-mail: mbhattacharyya@doctors.org.uk

Received 30 July 2007; Revised 26 November 2007; Accepted 27 November 2007; Published online 22 January 2008.

Abstract

Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to monitor the response of patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer with the aim of undergoing breast-conserving surgery (BCS). Patients were prospectively recruited to undergo MRI as well as conventional methods of clinical examination, mammography (MM) and ultrasonography (USS) and response was assessed by each of these methods. Thirty-two patients with primary breast cancer were recruited. Magnetic resonance imaging correlation with histopathological size (r=0.71) was superior to USS (r=0.65) and to MM where tumour size was not measurable following chemotherapy in 71% of patients. Magnetic resonance imaging had 87.5% sensitivity (95% CI=68–97%) and 50% specificity (95% CI=16–84%) for a PPV (positive predictive value) of 99.8% and NPV (negative predictive value) of 80% for the detection of residual invasive cancer. Magnetic resonance imaging displayed 80% sensitivity (95% CI=28.4–99.5%) and 89% specificity (95% CI=71–98%) to detect pathological pCR in the breast. Eighty-four per cent of recruited patients were identified as potentially suitable candidates for BCS following chemotherapy and of those choosing to accept BCS, breast conservation was achieved in 90.5%, or 65.6% of all patients. Of those who proceeded to BCS, 9.5% required a re-do mastectomy because of positive margins; however, no residual tumour was found on histological examination of mastectomy specimens. Magnetic resonance imaging appears to be superior to conventional methods for assessing pathological response and the low rate of re-operation for positive margins indicates a valuable role in aiding the decision to undergo BCS or mastectomy.