Table 2 Definition of classification systems and distribution of the enrolled cases

NSABP

pCR

5

No histological evidence of invasive tumour cells

pINV

84

Histological evidence of invasive disease of any extent

Miller-Payne

G1

10

Some alteration to individual malignant cells but no reduction in overall numbers as compared with the pre-treatment biopsy

G2

20

A minor loss of invasive tumour cells but overall cellularity still high (<30%)

G3

40

A moderate reduction of in tumour cells up to an estimated 90% loss (30-90%)

G4

14

A marked disappearance of invasive tumour cells such that only small clusters of widely dispersed cells could be detected (>90%)

G5

5

No invasive tumours, i.e., only in situ disease or tumour stroma remained

Sataloff

TA

20

Total or near total therapeutic effect

TB

30

Subjectively greater than 50 % therapeutic effect but less total and near total

TC

29

Less than 50% therapeutic effect, but effect event

TD

10

No therapeutic effect

EWGBSP

TR1a

4

No residual tumour

TR1b

1

No residual invasive tumour but presence of residual in situ carcinoma

TR2a

14

Minimal residual invasive tumour (<10%)

TR2b

31

Therapeutic effect with residual invasive tumour (10-50%)

TR2c

29

Therapeutic effect but >50% residual invasive tumour

TR3

10

No pathologic response

CPS-EG

0

0

Point assignments

1

2

Clinical stage

Pathologic stage

Tumour marker

2

19

I; IIA = 0

0; I = 0

ER negative =1

G3⁴ =1

3

17

IIB; IIIA = 1

IIA/B; IIIA/B = 1

4

12

IIIB; IIIC = 2

IIIC = 2

5

5

6

0