Abstract No 122: Impact of Genetic Mutations on Response and Time to Progression After Radioembolization of Breast Cancer Liver Metastasis
For patients with breast cancer liver metastases, genetic profiling may be the key for individualizing treatment plans and improving patient outcomes, according to a new study.
Daana Bajnauth
“Breast cancer patients who develop metastases in the liver face a challenging prognosis, with treatment options often being palliative rather than curative,” said Daana Bajnauth, a medical student at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine and author of Impact of Genetic Mutations on Response and Time to Progression After Radioembolization of Breast Cancer Liver Metastasis, one of the SIR 2025 Featured Abstracts.
According to Bajnauth, while radioembolization is a valuable treatment option for patients with liver-dominant disease, its effectiveness can vary widely. “This makes it critical to provide clinicians and patients with better tools to predict treatment response,” she said.
Bajnauth, working with co-authors Amy R. Deipolyi, MD, PhD, FSIR; Frank Annie, PhD; and Yolanda Bryce, MD, set out to understand the impact of genetic mutations on the response rate and time to progression following radioembolization.
“We aimed to explore whether specific genetic mutations influence treatment outcomes, which could potentially guide personalized therapeutic strategies,” Bajnauth said.
The retrospective, single-institution study included 110 female patients with biopsy-proven breast cancer liver metastases who underwent Y-90 radioembolization. Patients received genomic profiling via the MSK-IMPACT platform, and treatment responses were categorized to assess the correlation between genetic mutations and outcomes, like response rate and time to progression.
The study's findings revealed significant associations between specific genetic mutations and clinical outcomes. The overall median survival for the patient cohort was 32.8 months. Notably, patients with the ERBB2 mutation showed the longest median survival at 70.2 months, while those with the RAD21 mutation had the shortest at 25.5 months. In terms of treatment response, KDM5C and CBFB mutations were associated with the highest response rates (100%), whereas the H3C13 mutation showed the lowest response rate (0.01%). For patients who initially responded to therapy, the median time to progression was 32.8 months, with the H3F3B mutation linked to the longest time to progression (105 months) and the RUNX1 mutation to the shortest (1.4 months).
This study is the first to analyze such a comprehensive set of genetic mutations and correlate them with response rates and time to progression following radioembolization.
“By identifying mutations linked to better outcomes, we can potentially predict which patients are more likely to benefit from this therapy,” said Bajnauth. “This would not only spare patients from undergoing an unnecessary procedure but also allow them to focus their time on alternative treatments better suited to their disease profile.”
Ultimately, Bajnath believes their findings could help clinicians make more informed, personalized treatment decisions for managing breast cancer liver metastases.
The findings also open the door to countless future research opportunities, Bajnauth said. While this study provides a strong baseline and widespread analysis, future investigations could focus on genetic mutations, their mechanism and potentially how they combine with other biomarkers, she said. A main goal could be identifying the most clinically significant mutations to understand how they influence the efficacy of radioembolization.
“I hope our work serves as a foundation for future studies exploring the critical role genetic mutations play in guiding treatment decisions,” Bajnauth said. “Our research emphasizes a patient-centered approach, striving to provide patients with the best possible outcomes by improving survival rates and enhancing their quality of life.”
Bajnauth will present her findings at SIR 2025 on Monday, March 31, at 3 p.m. during the Interventional Oncology – Y90 2 session.
