Sacituzumab govitecan: breakthrough targeted therapy for triple-negative breast cancer

Introduction: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subtype associated with an increased risk of recurrence and cancer-related death. Unlike hormone receptor-positive or HER2-positive breast cancers, there are limited targeted therapies available to treat TNBC and cytotoxic chemotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment. Sacituzumab govitecan (IMMU-132) is an antibody-drug conjugate targeting Trop-2 expressing cells and selectively delivering SN-38, an active metabolite of irinotecan.

Areas covered: This review covers the mechanism of action, safety and efficacy of sacituzumab govitecan in patients with previously treated, metastatic TNBC. Additionally, efficacy data in other epithelial malignancies is included based on a PubMed search for ‘sacituzumab govitecan’ and ‘clinical trial’.

Expert opinion: Sacituzumab govitecan has promising anti-cancer activity in patients with metastatic TNBC previously treated with at least two prior lines of systemic therapy based on a single arm Phase I/II clinical trial. A confirmatory Phase III randomized clinical trial is ongoing. Sacituzumab govitecan has a manageable side effect profile, with the most common adverse events being nausea, neutropenia, and diarrhea. The activity of sacituzumab govitecan likely extends beyond TNBC with promising early efficacy data in many other epithelial cancers, including hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.     

PAHs and PM2.5 emissions and female breast cancer incidence in metro Atlanta and rural Georgia

Environmental chemical exposure could be an important etiologic factor for geographic differences in breast cancer incidence. In this study, we examined emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and PM_2.5 in relation to breast cancer incidence in metro Atlanta and rural Georgia by analyzing data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program and the Environmental Protection Agency. The results showed that metro Atlanta had a significantly higher age-adjusted annual incidence rate of female breast cancer than rural Georgia (132.6 vs. 113.7 per 100,000) for 1992–2011. Emissions of both PAHs [adjusted β = 0.568 (95 % CI: 0.209, 0.927); p = 0.004] and PM_2.5 [adjusted β = 2.964 (95 % CI: 0.468, 5.459); p = 0.023] were significantly associated with breast cancer incidence in metro Atlanta area. This study suggests that ambient air pollution, especially PAHs and PM_2.5, could have a significant impact on the increased incidence of female breast cancer in urban areas.     

Risk communication in a patient decision aid for radiotherapy in breast cancer: How to deal with uncertainty?

Background and aimPatient decision aids for oncological treatment options, provide information on the effect on recurrence rates and/or survival benefit, and on side-effects and/or burden of different treatment options. However, often uncertainty exists around the probability estimates for recurrence/survival and side-effects which is too relevant to be ignored. Evidence is lacking on the best way to communicate these uncertainties. The aim of this study is to develop a method to incorporate uncertainties in a patient decision aid for breast cancer patients to support their decision on radiotherapy.MethodsFirstly, qualitative interviews were held with patients and health care professionals. Secondly, in the development phase, thinking aloud sessions were organized with four patients and 12 health care professionals, individual and group-wise.ResultsConsensus was reached on a pictograph illustrating the whole range of uncertainty for local recurrence risks, in combination with textual explanation that a more exact personalized risk would be given by their own physician. The pictograph consisted of 100 female icons in a 10 x 10 array. Icons with a stepwise gradient color indicated the uncertainty margin. The prevalence and severity of possible side-effects were explained using verbal labels.ConclusionsWe developed a novel way of visualizing uncertainties in recurrence rates in a patient decision aid. The effect of this way of communicating risk uncertainty is currently being tested in the BRASA study (NCT03375801).     

乳腺癌X线表现分析

目的分析乳腺癌典型及不典型X线征象,提高对乳腺癌不典型X线表现的认识。方法对61例经手术病理证实的乳腺癌资料进行回顾性分析。结果61例乳腺癌主要X线征象:肿块39例;微小钙化30例;不伴肿块及微小钙化的乳腺局部结构紊乱4例、星芒征3例、非对称性密度增高3例。结论肿块及微小钙化是乳腺癌最主要、最直接的X线征象,但部分乳腺癌X线上缺乏上述2种表现,单纯以结构紊乱、非对称性密度增高或星芒征为主要表现。提高对此类乳腺癌不典型X线表现的认识,有利于防止误、漏诊。     

Eating to beat breast cancer: Potential role for soy supplements

Background: The study reviews the anticancer properties of naturalisoflavones which occur in especially high concentration in soybeans. Itconsiders the suitability of soybean products for clinical trials aiming toreduce the progression of breast cancer.Methods: Evidence is reviewed that plant isoflavones such asgenistein show cytostatic activity against human mammary cancer cell linesin vitro and can also suppress carcinogen-induced mammary cancer inyoung and mature rats.Results: Plant isoflavones are converted in the bowel to compoundswith potential antioestrogenic and antioxidative properties. These compoundsshow cytostatic activity for both oestrogen receptor-positive and negativehuman mammary cancer cell lines, and also inhibit growth and progress of therat mammary cancer model. The high content of soybean products in the diet ofAsian women has been postulated as one reason for their relatively low breastcancer incidence.Conclusion: Preclinical studies suggest that soybean products begiven priority for clinical trials in breast cancer protection. A pilot studycould test soy protein supplements as long-term adjuvant dietary treatmentafter primary surgery for early breast cancer, looking for a decrease in therisk of recurrence or of second primary tumours.     

Aesthetic refinements in prophylactic mastectomy with immediate reconstruction

Immediate reconstruction of more than 1000 breasts was performed on high-risk patients on whom a prophylactic mastectomy was done. The mastectomy removes as much breast tissue as possible while leaving sufficient skin, and possibly the nipple-areola complex, to enable immediate reconstruction. The creation of symmetrical, well-balanced muscle pockets for the implant is the most important factor in producing satisfactory results in these cases.     

47例原发性乳腺癌多药耐药MDR1基因表达及其临床意义

[目的]探讨原发性乳腺癌多药耐药MDR1基因的表达及其临床意义.[方法]采用荧光定量RT-PCR法检测47例乳腺癌组织及15例正常对照(包括5例乳腺纤维腺瘤、10例癌旁组织)MDR1基因的表达.[结果]乳腺癌MDR1基因表达阳性率为46.8%,与病人年龄、肿瘤大小、淋巴结转移与否、ER、PR状况、绝经与否无关.对照组中无MDR1基因表达.[结论]乳腺癌MDR1基因的表达可作为乳腺癌化疗耐药的评价指标,能否作为判断预后的独立指标尚需进一步研究.     

218例乳腺癌术后十年随访观察

对218例女性乳癌术后进行了十年以上的随访观察。随访率为95.87％。术后总的十年生存率为54.87％。Ⅰ期为85.71％,Ⅱ期为53.09％。Ⅲ期为30.76％。阐明了术后疗效与妊娠哺乳,肿瘤部位,肿瘤大小,临床期别,淋巴结转移情况及病理类型有明显关系。讨论了手术方式对术后的影响,提示扩大根治术对Ⅰ、Ⅱ期乳癌并无明显优越性。     

绝经前后T1期乳腺癌患者临床特征的分析

目的:分析T1期(肿瘤直径<2cm)原发性乳腺癌女性患者绝经前后在肿瘤大小、病理分类、淋巴结转移率和数目。方法:常规病理检验以及应用免疫组化、HE法分别测定绝经前乳腺癌患者和绝经后乳腺癌患者者的ER、PR。结果:两组患者在肿瘤大小上无明显差异,但绝经前乳腺癌患者浸润导管癌的百分比为 84. 7%,绝经后乳腺癌患者的浸润导管癌百分比为 62. 2%,经χ2 检验,P<0. 01。两组淋巴结转移率分别为 39. 3%和 25. 5%,经χ2 检验,P<0. 01。两组ER和PR阳性伴淋巴结转移的比例经χ2 检验,P<0. 05。结论:绝经前乳腺癌患者和绝经后乳腺癌患者在病理分类、淋巴结转移率及数目、ER、PR阳性伴淋巴结转移上有显著性差异。对于T1原发性乳腺癌患者不论有无淋巴结转移,均应行癌肿切除伴Ⅰ、Ⅱ级淋巴结清扫。