Skip to main content

Table 2 Subgroup analyses of various factors related to achieving pathologic complete response

From: Meta-analysis on the association between pathologic complete response and triple-negative breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Category

Number of studies (references)

Summary estimate odds ratio (95% CI)

Heterogeneity, I2(%)

pCR rate (95% CI)

TNBC (%)

Heterogeneity, I2(%)

non-TNBC (%)

Heterogeneity, I2(%)

Cycles of NAC

       

<4 cycles

2 [13, 25]

5.27 (2.57, 10.79)

0

19.6 (13.5, 27.6)

0

4.6 (2.7, 7.8)

0

4 cycles

6 [15, 21, 28, 33, 34, 45]

3.51 (2.21, 5.57)

0

29.2 (23.0, 26.3)

41.4

15.0 (11.8, 18.8)

35.1

6 cycles

3 [17, 27, 30]

3.10 (1.84, 5.22)

35

27.6 (20.3, 36.3)

0

11.0 (8.2, 14.7)

41.3

>6 cycles

3 [8, 26, 29]

2.77 (1.66, 4.61)

41

36.8 (28.8, 45.6)

33.8

17.8 (13.4, 23.3)

0

Types of NAC regimen

      

Anthracycline-based

19 [1, 8, 9, 12–14, 16–18, 25–34]

3.19 (2.63, 3.88)

7

26.8 (24.1, 29.6)

39.8

12.1 (10.8, 13.5)

43.2

Taxane-containing

10 [8, 13, 18, 19, 21, 25, 26, 29],[33, 45]

3.29 (2.41, 4.48)

0

30.5 (25.9, 35.5)

38.2

14.9 (12.6, 17.5)

44.8

Platinum-containing

4 [17, 19, 21, 45]

3.10 (1.59, 6.03)

0

44.2 (30.8, 58.5)

31.1

21.3 (16.3, 27.3)

43.6

Gemcitabine-containing

2 [15, 31]

3.49 (1.42, 8.57)

0

44.5 (29.3, 60.8)

0

18.8 (11.2, 29.8)

30.2

The number of drug in NAC

      

Two kinds of drugs

9 [13, 15, 19, 21, 25, 27, 32, 33],[45]

3.89 (2.75, 5.49)

0

28.7 (23.8, 34.2)

36.3

12.9 (10.7, 15.5)

46.1

Three kinds of drugs

4 [14, 17, 26, 34]

2.39 (1.77, 3.23)

16

22.5 (18.8, 26.5)

19.8

11.2 (9.5, 13.3)

43.6

Four kinds of drugs

4 [8, 9, 29, 31]

4.83 (2.80, 8.35)

0

45.7 (35.8, 55.9)

0

15.5 (11.4, 20.6)

0

Total treatment duration of NAC

      

<12 weeks

2 [13, 25]

5.27 (2.57, 10.79)

0

19.6 (13.5, 27.6)

35.4

4.6 (2.7, 7.8)

0

12 weeks

7 [14, 15, 21, 28, 30, 33, 34]

3.42 (2.34, 4.99)

0

24.9 (20.5, 29.9)

42

13.3 (10.7, 16.3)

42.6

16 weeks

2 [19, 45]

2.88 (1.27, 6.56)

0

44.2 (28.4, 61.3)

41.4

24.8 (17.7, 33.7)

46.7

>16 weeks

6 [8, 17, 24, 26, 27, 29]

3.47 (2.80, 4.30)

7

37.6 (34.0, 41.2)

25.8

14.7 (12.9, 16.6)

38

NAC schedules

       

Conventional chemotherapy

8 [13–15, 17, 21, 25, 27, 45]

4.40 (3.02, 6.42)

0

24.1 (19.8, 29.0)

35.6

9.7 (7.7, 12.1)

44.5

Sequential chemotherapy

4 [8, 26, 29, 31]

2.96 (1.85, 4.72)

20

37.4 (30.0, 45.5)

22.5

17.2 (13.2, 22.1)

0

  1. CI, confidence interval; NAC, neoadjuvant chemotherapy; pCR, pathologic complete response; TNBC, triple-negative breast cancer.