Table 3. Characteristics and outcome of the surgery.

Characteristics and outcome		n (%)
Type of surgery: 43 cases underwent surgery following exemestane administration
	Conservative surgery	24 of 43 (55.8)	24 of 54 (44.8)
	Mastectomy	19 of 43 (44.2)	19 of 54 (35.2)
Pathologic response
Response	Local	Response	Axilla
CR G5	1	CR D	1
PR G3+G4	23	CR D	2
		PR C	9
		No response B	3
		Not performed	9
No Response G1+G2	19	PR C	2
		No response B	8
		Not performed	9

CR=complete response; PR=partial response.

Pathologic response assessment according Miller and Payne classification (Walker et al, 1999).

G5: absence of residual infiltrating tumour cells.

G4: marked disappearance of invasive tumour cells; only small clusters of widely dispersed cells could be detected.

G3: considerable reduction in tumour cells.

G2: mild loss of invasive tumour cells, but overall cellularity still high.

G1: no reduction in overall numbers as compared with pre-treatment biopsy.

B: lymph node positive with malignant cells.

C: lymph node still positive, but with evidence of some regression.

D: lymph node without metastases, previously were positive.

In a total of 18 patients, axilla lymphadenectomy was not performed (decision of the surgical team or of the patient).