The utility of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and Her-2/neu status to predict survival in patients undergoing hepatic resection for breast cancer metastases

Background Hepatic metastases from breast cancer signal a dismal prognosis, with a median survival of 9.5 months. Methods Twenty breast cancer patients with liver metastases underwent hepatic resection, biopsy, or ablation between 1995 and 2004. Hormone receptor status and Her-2/neu expression of primary and metastatic tumors were correlated with overall survival. Results At a mean follow-up of 39 months after hepatic resection, median survival was 32 months. Patients undergoing anatomic resection with or without ablation lived significantly longer than those undergoing more limited resections (46 vs. 25 months, P = .016). Survival was significantly greater in patients with estrogen receptor (ER)–positive primary (P = .02) and metastatic (P < .004) tumors, Her-2/neu–positive metastases (P = .02), ≤2 hepatic metastases (P < .002), and age >50 years at metastasectomy (P = .02). Conclusions The ER status of the primary tumor and ER and Her-2/neu status of hepatic metastases, in addition to other clinical factors, may help select patients who would benefit from hepatic metastasectomy.