Correlation between clinical response according to WHO criteria and pathological response according to Chevallier and Sataloff in inflammatory breast cancer (IBC)

11033 Introduction: IBC has a very poor prognosis ; the first treatment is first primary chemotherapy, followed by surgery and radiotherapy. It has been shown that patients experiencing a complete pathological response haved a longer survival . The pathological response has thus to be carefully assessed. Material and Methods: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine whether there islook for a correlation between clinical response with (WHO criteria) and pathological response using Chevallier’s and Sataloff’s classifications. 56 successive patients received an anthracycline- based chemotherapy regimen for IBC before surgery; for all of these patients a pathological analysis had beenwas performed before chemotherapytreatment and after surgery. Alll the specimens werehave been reviewed by the same pathologist. Results: There is a very good correlation between the 2 pathological classifications fAmong the 56 patients, there were 3 complete clinical responses, which were also pathological complete responses according to both classifications.or the complete responders only. In all the other cases, no correlation wascould be found between the 3 classifications . It was particularly striking for all the 41 patients tumours classified grade 3 according to Chevallier who could be classified clinically (with WHO) or pathologically (with Sataloff) in either of the 4 groups from complete responseders to progressive disease . Overall , in this our series , 3 patients according to Chevallier and 11 according to Sataloff were complete pathological responders. Discussion: The lack of correlation between clinical and pathological classifications could be explained , at least in part, by the fibrosis often observed after primary chemotherapy. The differences observed between the 2 pathological classifications highlight the fact that there is no standard and that further research is neede in that perspective. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.