Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41514466›Full record

ArticleBreast cancer research : BCR2026

Plasma extracellular vesicles reflect response and prognosis in patients with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant treatment.

Karin Ekström, Nazia Riaz, Karolina Larsson, Afrodite Nemeth, Rossella Crescitelli, Barbro Linderholm, Roger Olofsson Bagge

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Article in Breast cancer research : BCR, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Karin EkströmDepartment of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. karin.ekstrom@surgery.gu.se.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7808-4572
Nazia RiazDepartment of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Karolina LarssonDepartment of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Afrodite NemethFaculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary.
Rossella CrescitelliDepartment of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Barbro LinderholmDepartment of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Roger Olofsson BaggeDepartment of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging as non-invasive biomarkers in cancer, but their role in monitoring the response to neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST) in patients with breast cancer remains unclear. This study aimed to assess whether EV concentration and surface marker profiles in plasma reflect treatment response and clinical outcome in patients with early-stage breast cancer receiving NST.

methodsPlasma samples were collected from 59 patients with luminal B-like, HER2-positive, or triple-negative breast cancer before and after NST. EVs were isolated by size exclusion chromatography and characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis, electron microscopy, Western blotting, and MACSPlex surface marker profiling. Paired samples were available for 29 patients, allowing longitudinal analysis.

resultsPatients who achieved pathological complete response (pCR) had significantly lower baseline EV concentrations than those with residual disease. Post-treatment EV levels were also lower in patients who remained free from distant metastasis and had improved breast cancer-specific survival. EV surface marker profiling revealed that CD69, CD29, and CD49e were reduced after NST, whereas CD44 was increased. Notably, EpCAM levels increased specifically in non-PCR patients, suggesting persistent tumor-derived EV release, whereas SSEA-4 levels increased only in patients who achieved pCR. Although EV concentrations and markers differed by subtype and outcome, changes in EV levels following NST were not independently predictive of prognosis.

conclusionsThese findings support the potential of plasma-derived EVs as dynamic biomarkers of treatment response, and suggest possible prognostic relevance in breast cancer. Validation in larger, independent cohorts is needed to assess their clinical applicability.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorBreast NeoplasmsExtracellular VesiclesAdultAgedFemaleHumansMiddle AgedNeoadjuvant TherapyNeoplasm StagingPathologic Complete ResponsePrognosisTreatment OutcomeBiomarkers, TumorBiomarkersBreast cancerExosomesExtracellular vesiclesLiquid biopsyNeoadjuvant systemic treatment

Identifiers

PMID41514466
PMCPMC12849309

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.