The effectiveness of radiotherapy in preventing disease recurrence after breast cancer surgery

Background and objectivesThe locoregional management of breast cancer has a critical impact on prognosis. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of radiotherapy against the deleterious effect of positive surgical margins on disease outcomes.MethodsRetrospective, single-center study enrolled 721 breast cancer patients with a median follow-up of approximately 64.50 months (3.67–247.40). Analyses were performed considering the end of adjuvant therapy, except endocrine therapy. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression were performed to obtain the predictive value of treatments.ResultsThe minimally adequate radiotherapy (≥45 cGy) was associated with improved outcomes in breast cancer patients compared to inadequate radiotherapy (<45 cGy/no) by controlling locoregional relapses and distant metastasis. In patients with positive surgical margins (n = 53), radiotherapy was associated with an approximate decrease of 90% in locoregional relapse risk [adjusted HR: 0.108 (0.012–0.932), p = 0.043]. Radiotherapy did not alter the adverse effect of positive surgical margins, especially in patients with a higher risk of poorly differentiated tumors (n = 146), presence of lymphovascular invasion (n = 163), and triple-negative subtype (n = 113). Notwithstanding, radiotherapy was associated with respective decreases of distant metastasis risk of 75.2% [adjusted HR: 0.248 (0.081–0.762), p = 0.015] and 67.8% [adjusted HR: 0.322 (0.101–1.029), p = 0.056] in patients with triple-negative tumors or with lymphovascular invasion.ConclusionAdequate radiotherapy is associated with better outcomes in breast cancer. Despite improving locoregional relapse-free survival, radiotherapy does not ablate positive surgical margins, a factor of poorer prognosis that prevails mainly in patients with factors of higher relapse risk.     

Care of Seniors with Breast Cancer – Treatment Received and Refining Decision Making

AimsTreatment decisions for older patients with breast cancer are complex and evidence is largely extrapolated from younger populations. Frailty and comorbidity need to be considered. We studied the baseline characteristics and treatment decisions in older patients in Christchurch with breast cancer and assessed survival outcomes and prognostic/discriminatory performance of several tools.Materials and methodsWe searched the Canterbury Breast Cancer Registry and identified patients aged 70 years or older at diagnosis with invasive, non-metastatic breast cancer between 1 June 2009 and 30 June 2015. We retrieved demographics, treatment and outcome information. Overall survival and breast cancer-specific survival were estimated. Tools analysing performance status and comorbidity were assessed for their prognostic and discriminatory power.ResultsIn total, 440 patients were identified. Primary surgery was carried out for 362 patients (82.3%): breast-conserving surgery in 114 (of whom 88.6% received radiation therapy); mastectomy in 248 (of whom 24.6% received radiation). Hormone therapy was given for 265 (71.1%) patients with oestrogen receptor-positive cancers. Two hundred and seventy-four (62.3%) patients received full standard treatment, which was associated with significantly improved 5-year survival and 5-year breast cancer-specific survival. The median estimated overall survival was 8.2 years (95% confidence interval 7.3–9.1 years). Of those who died, 71.3% of deaths were due to causes other than breast cancer or unknown causes. The comorbidity-adjusted life expectancy (CALE) showed partial prognostic accuracy. CALE, Charlson and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group tools all showed discriminatory value.ConclusionIn this population-based series of older patients with breast cancer, showing high levels of primary and adjuvant treatment, patients were more likely to die of causes other than breast cancer. Performance status and comorbidity tools showed prognostic and discriminatory potential in this population supporting their use in treatment decision making. CALE showed the most potential to improve treatment decisions but requires validation in this population to improve prognostic accuracy.     

Assessment of the uterine dose in digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis

IntroductionDigital Mammography (DM-2D) and more recently Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT), are two of the most effective imaging modalities for breast cancer detection, often used in screening programmes. It may happen that exams using these two imaging modalities are inadvertently performed to pregnant women. The objective of this study is to assess the dose in the uterus due to DM-2D and DBT exams, according to two main irradiation scenarios: in the 1st scenario the exposure parameters were pre-selected directly by the imaging system, while in the 2nd scenario, the maximum exposure parameters were chosen.MethodsThe mammography equipment used was a Siemens Mammomat Inspiration. A physical anthropomorphic phantom, PMMA plates (simulating a breast thickness of 6 cm) and thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) were used to measure entrance air kerma values on the phantom's breast and abdomen in order to successively estimate the mean glandular dose (MGD) and the dose in the uterus. For the two irradiation scenarios chosen, two-breast imaging modalities were selected: 1) DBT in Cranio-Caudal (CC) view (with 28 kV and 160 mAs as exposure parameters), 2) DBT and DM in Medio Lateral-Oblique (MLO) and CC views (with 34 kV and 250 mAs as exposure parameters).ResultsIn the 1st scenario, the TLD measurements did not detect significant dose values in the abdomen whereas the MGD estimated using the D.R. Dance model was in close agreement with data available in the literature. In the 2nd scenario, there was no significant difference in MGD estimation between the different views, whereas the air kerma values in the abdomen (in DBT mode, CC and MLO) were 0.049 mGy and 0.004 mGy respectively. In CC DM-2D mode the abdomen air kerma value was 0.026 mGy, with no significant detected value in MLO view.ConclusionsFor the dose in the uterus, the obtained values seem to indicate that DM-2D and DBT examinations inadvertently performed during pregnancy do not pose a significant radiological risk, even considering the case of overexposure in both breasts.Implications for practiceThe accurate knowledge of the doses in DM-2D and DBT will contribute to raise the awareness among medical practitioners involved in breast imaging empowering them to provide accurate information about dose levels in the uterus, improving their radiation risk communication skills and consequently helping to reduce the anxiety of pregnant women undergoing this type of examinations.     

基于网络药理学和分子对接探讨益肾健骨方治疗绝经后乳腺癌患者骨质疏松的机制及实验验证＊

目的 运用网络药理学和分子对接的方法研究益肾健骨方治疗绝经后乳腺癌骨质疏松症的作用机制。方法 通过中药系统药理数据库和分析平台（TCMSP）和中医综合数据库（TCMID）获取益肾健骨方的活性成分和靶点，以口服生物利用度（OB）≥30%和类药性（DL）≥0.18为阈值进行潜在活性成分筛选。通过药物靶标数据库（TTD）、药物数据库（DrugBank）、疾病相关的基因与突变位点数据库（DisGenet）数据库收集疾病靶点，筛选出与益肾健骨方的交集靶点。运用Cytoscape3.7.2构建疾病-化合物-靶点网络，蛋白相互作用网络（PPI）。采用Metascape进行基因本体（GO）功能富集分析和京都基因与基因百科全书（KEGG）通路富集分析，通过分子对接将关键靶点和潜在靶点与活性成分的相互作用进行验证。结果 益肾健骨方中共筛选到药代动力学较好的活性成分β-谷甾醇、谷甾醇、豆甾醇、槲皮苷、山柰酚等113种，得到GO富集条目（P<0.05）1048条，KEGG通路富集得到84条信号通路（P<0.05）。分子对接结果显示槲皮苷与核心靶点和潜在靶点结合稳定，涉及肿瘤通路、人乳头瘤病毒感染通路、PI3K-Akt信号通路等。大鼠体内实验验证益肾健骨方可以增加骨小梁密度及骨组织胶原溶剂比，改善大鼠骨质疏松状态。结论 益肾健骨方可能通过多靶点、多通路治疗乳腺癌绝经后骨质疏松症。     

乳腺癌患者的流行病学特点及中医证型分布的临床研究

目的：从流行病学特点及中医辨证分型分布探索预防和治疗乳腺癌的新思路。方法：通过回顾性调查分析,收集457例乳腺癌住院患者的流行病学基本信息、病理类型和中医辨证分型等情况,分析乳腺癌患者流行病学特点,以及病理类型与中医证型相关性。结果：纳入病例均为女性,≥45周岁的患者358例(78.34%)；产次>1次的患者274例(59.96%),引流产次>1次的患者324例(70.90%)；有吸烟史的患者30例(6.56%),有饮酒史的患者19例(4.16%)；无家族肿瘤疾病史的患者415例(90.81%)。病理类型中浸润性癌(303例)占比最大,中医证型中肝郁痰凝证(246例)、冲任失调证(128例)例数较多。病理类型与中医证型相关性结果显示早期浸润癌与肝郁痰凝证呈正相关(P<0.05),浸润性癌与肝郁痰凝证、冲任失调证呈正相关(P<0.05)。结论:乳腺癌患者中医证型多为肝郁痰凝证、冲任失调证,早期浸润癌与肝郁痰凝证,浸润性癌与肝郁痰凝证、冲任失调证具有明显相关性,该结果为中医“治未病”理论预防和治疗乳腺癌提供了新思路与新方法。     

基于生物信息学筛选早发性乳腺癌差异表达基因

目的筛选并分析与早发性乳腺癌发生、发展相关的靶基因。 方法(1)在美国国立生物技术信息中心的公共基因芯片数据库(GEO)中检索早发性乳腺癌样本及非早发性乳腺癌样本相关基因芯片数据。对上述数据使用GEO2R、R4.1.2及Venn软件筛选出相关差异表达基因(DEGs)，并运用在线分析工具(Web Gestalt)对DEGs，进行相关功能和信号通路富集分析。(2)同时，通过String在线数据库构建DEGs编码的蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用(PPI)网络，并利用Cytohubba插件对该网络中的基因进行评分，筛选出枢纽基因。将枢纽基因导入Kaplan-Meier生存分析工具(Kaplan-Meier Plotter)，评估枢纽基因在早发性乳腺癌的预后价值。(3)将肿瘤基因组图谱(TCGA)数据库中的肿瘤组织以年龄为标准进行分组，分析枢纽基因在各年龄组中的表达，并与正常组织中的表达进行比较，对得到的枢纽基因进行验证。DEGs表达量的多组间比较使用Kruskal-Wallis H检验，使用Bonferroni法进行两两比较。 结果(1)筛选出编号为GSE89116、GSE109169、GSE36295的基因芯片数据集，共得到80个差异表达基因，其中上调差异表达基因17个，下调差异表达基因63个。富集分析显示：DEGs主要富集在脂质代谢和氧化还原过程以及PPAR信号通路、AMPK信号通路上。(2)在PPI中发现主要的关键基因为PPARG、ADIPOQ、LIPE、PCK1、PDK4、ACACB、PLIN1、CAV1、CD36、ANGPTL4。ACACB、ADIPOQ、CAV1、LIPE、PLIN1、PPARG基因的低表达与乳腺癌患者的不良OS相关(HR＝0.69、0.84、0.76、0.88、0.78、0.82；95%CI：0.59~0.80、0.76~0.93、0.67~0.83、0.79~0.97、0.70~0.86、0.73~0.90；P均<0.050)。(3)ACACB、ADIPOQ、LIPE、PLIN1、CAV1及PPARG这6个与预后相关的基因在正常组织中的表达量均远高于各年龄组肿瘤组织中的表达量(χ²＝104.03、179.57、161.85、189.87、118.56、103.62，P均<0.001)，早发性乳腺癌组(21~40岁)的LIPE、PLIN1表达量低于41~60岁、61~80岁年龄组，差异具有统计学意义(LIPE: Z＝21.07、23.12, P均<0.050; PLIN1：Z＝16.89、18.76, P均<0.050)。 结论早发性乳腺癌与非早发性乳腺癌存在差异基因表达谱，LIPE、PLIN1可能是早发性乳腺癌发生、发展的关键基因。     

Are We Overtreating Patients With T1a HER2+ Breast Cancer? An Analysis of the National Cancer Database

IntroductionThe potential benefit of systemic therapy in patients with T1a HER2+ cancers is not well understood, and no consensus guidelines exist. We sought to investigate practice patterns of chemotherapy use in this population.MethodsFrom the National Cancer Database (2013-2018), we identified female patients with HER2+ cancers staged as cT1aN0 or pT1aN0 and stratified by receipt of chemotherapy. Using univariate and multivariable analyses we assessed the clinicopathologic features associated with the receipt of chemotherapy. We also compared rates of overall survival (OS).ResultsOf 5176 women with cT1aN0 HER2+ cancers, 88 (2%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Younger age and hormone-receptor (HR) negative tumors were factors independently associated with receipt of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (all P < .001). Of 11,688 women with pT1aN0 HER2+ cancers, 5,588 (48%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. Rates of use increased over the analysis period from 39% in 2013 to 53% in 2018 (P < .001). Factors independently associated with receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy included younger age, having a poorly differentiated tumor, exhibiting lymphovascular invasion, undergoing adjuvant radiation (all P < .001). There were no differences in OS when comparing those who did and did not receive chemotherapy in either group.ConclusionsThe use of chemotherapy in patients with HER2+ T1a cancers is increasing over time and is, as expected, more common among patients with unfavorable clinicopathologic features. Since no prognostic algorithm currently exists, more prospective data is needed to understand which of these patients may derive benefit from systemic therapy and which may safely avoid the morbidity of chemotherapy.     

Exclusion of Patients With Brain Metastases in Published Phase III Clinical Trials for Advanced Breast Cancer

Metastatic HER2-positive (HER2+) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) confer a 30% or higher risk of developing brain metastases (BrM), but BrM is typically an exclusion criteria for clinical trials, which limits the generalizability of trial results to these patients. We therefore analysed trends in the enrollment of patients with BrM, as well as the use of outcomes specific to the central nervous system (CNS), in phase III clinical trials evaluating systemic therapy for patients with advanced HER2+ and/or TNBC. Notably, 10 of the 34 trials (29%, 95% confidence interval = 15.1%-47.5%) evaluated CNS-specific outcomes and trials that completely excluded patients with BrM were significantly less likely to meet their primary endpoint (n = 6/17, 35%) than those that permitted conditional enrollment (n = 13/15, 87%) (P = .005), suggesting that enrollment of patients with BrM is not detrimental to trial success.