ecancermedicalscience

Research

Evaluating Ki-67 and PR as prognostic indicators in CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment for metastatic breast cancer

12 Aug 2025
María Florencia Illia, Giuliana Colucci, Angeles Ballester, Mariana Eiben, Fernando Paesani, Francisco Von Stecher, Máximo de la Vega, Florencia Perazzo, Pablo Mandó

Background: The treatment of choice as the first line for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who are hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2-negative (HER2-) is the combination of endocrine therapy (ET) with cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i). Identifying prognostic or predictive factors of response could have important clinical implications. This study analysed the prognostic value of Ki-67 and progesterone receptor (PR) expression on progression-free survival (PFS) in this population.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients with HR+/HER2- MBC, who had received first-line treatment with CDK4/6i combined with ET. For the PFS analysis, the log-rank test was used and for the multivariate analysis, a Cox regression analysis was performed.

Results: A total of 155 patients were analysed. Patients with PR values <20% showed a trend in univariate analysis towards shorter PFS, with a median of 20.7 months compared to those with a value ≥20%, with a median PFS of 33.0 months (p = 0.090). The Ki-67 value showed no statistically significant association with PFS. The prognostic role of PR was confirmed in the multivariate analysis with an HR of 0.59 (95% CI 0.36–0.98, p = 0.041) in patients with PR >20%.

Conclusion: Patients with PR values <20% tended to have shorter PFS, unlike the Ki-67 value, which did not demonstrate an impact on PFS. This suggests a prognostic value of PR expression levels in this scenario.

Related Articles

Sasongko Hadi Priyono, Winardi Budiwinata, Budianto Tedjowitono, Effendy, Muhamad Daffa Ibnurasy Pratama
Manas Dubey, Partha Sarathi Roy, Ankur Bhattacharyya, Kakoli Medhi, Rajdeep Bose, Munlima Hazarika, Pompi Daimari Buragohain, Zaveri Mohinta, Anupam Sarma
Joseph Daniels, Letlhogonolo Ernity Mosadi, Andrew Yaw Nyantakyi, Edwina Ayaaba Ayabilah, Judith Naa Odey Tackie, Kofi Adesi Kyei
Naciri Meryem, Aouzah Fatima Ezzahra, El Ghanmi Adil, Ghazi Bouchra Fichtali Karima Sqalli Houssaini Mohammed, Kouhen Fadila