Assessment of surgical treatment in elderly patients with breast cancer

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: The incidence of breast cancer increases with advancing age and in clinical practice approximately 50% of new cases occur in women over the age of 65 years. Although breast cancer in elderly patients presents more favorable biological characteristics than similar-stage cancer in younger women, disease control still remains uncertain and is becoming a major health problem. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1984 and 2006, 133 patients aged over 65 with operable breast cancer underwent surgical treatment. Patients with ductal or lobular carcinoma in situ, bilateral breast cancer or a previous malignancy were excluded. The mean age was 72.8 years (range, 66-89). Breast-conserving surgery was performed in patients with early breast cancer (T1, T2 < 2.5 cm), while most patients with advanced tumors (T2 >2.5 cm, T3, T4) were treated by modified radical mastectomy. RESULTS: The pathological stage was I in 44, IIA in 54, IIB in 18, IIIA in 10 and IIIB in 7 patients. Postoperative complications occurred in 13 patients (9%); there were no postoperative deaths. Eighty-nine patients underwent adjuvant therapy (chemotherapy, hormonal therapy). After a median follow-up of 96 months (range, 5-266), disease progression was observed in 21 patients (15.8%). The overall mortality from breast cancer was 11%, whereas the cancer-unrelated mortality was 9%. CONCLUSION: There is no evidence that breast cancer has a more favorable prognosis in the elderly and surgical procedures should be carried out as has been established in younger women. At present, elderly patients are much less likely to be entered into randomized clinical trials and are often undertreated. However, in the absence of serious comorbid disease, they are able to withstand standard multimodal treatment options as well as do younger patients.     

Symmetrization reduction mammaplasty combined with sentinel node biopsy in patients operated for contralateral breast cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Occult invasive cancer found in reduction mammaplasty specimen in the contralateral breast in breast cancer patients requires axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) to assess the lymph node status. Routine Sentinel node (SN) biopsy in these patients may avoid secondary ALND when an occult cancer is found and the SN is negative in the permanent histological examination. METHODS: One hundred sixty-nine breast cancer patients underwent contralateral reduction mammaplasty for symmetrization and with SN biopsy of the non-cancer breast. SN mapping was done using a vital blue dye alone (n = 136) or in combination with a radiocolloid (n = 33). RESULTS: A mean number of 1.4 SNs (range 1-3 SNs) was identified in 158 of 169 patients (identification rate 93.5%). One of 158 patients revealed a positive SN but no tumor was found in the reduction mammaplasty/mastectomy specimen, whereas the SN was negative in 157 patients. Histological examination of the 169 reduction mammaplasty specimen revealed 5 occult invasive cancers and 4 patients with high grade DCIS but due to a negative SN biopsy the patients were spared a secondary ALND. CONCLUSION: The small number of patients with occult contralateral cancers may not warrant routine SN mapping in patients scheduled for contralateral reduction mammaplasty.     

Alprazolam for patients with psychotic symptoms or autonomic imbalance symptoms after breast cancer surgery

Effectiveness of alprazolam in daily dosages of 0.8-1.2 mg was studied in 28 patients who showed psychotic symptoms or autonomic imbalance symptoms after operation for breast cancer. Psychotic symptoms included depression, anxiety, tension, and restlessness, and symptoms of autonomic imbalance included sleep disorder, anorexia, and pains. All of these symptoms were improved at high ratios by alprazolam. The drug was very useful in 16 cases (57.1%), useful in 11 cases (39.3%), and slightly useful in one case (3.6%). The only adverse reaction reported was unsteady gait in one case.     

不同年龄段乳腺癌患者的临床病理特点

目的找出不同年龄段之间乳腺癌患者的临床病理生物学特点,为临床乳腺癌患者个体化治疗提供更多的理论基础。方法回顾性分析总结2001～2008年入住本院并经病理证实且有手术指征的1131例乳腺癌患者的临床病理资料,根据患者年龄分成青年患者、中年患者和老年患者3个组。对3个不同年龄段乳腺癌患者的临床病理生物学指标进行比较分析。统计分析采用卡方检验或秩和检验(Kruskal-WallisH检验)。结果病灶大小和Ki67在3组间存在微弱的统计学意义上的差异(P=0.047,P=0.048)。淋巴结转移、雌激素受体(ER)、孕激素受体(PR)、人表皮生长因子受体2(HER-2)、上皮细胞钙黏蛋白(E-cadherin)、多重耐药基因1(MDR1)、DNA拓扑异构酶Ⅱ(TOPO-Ⅱ)以及组织学类型的分布在3组间差异均有统计学意义(P0.050)。老年患者病灶最大,发生其他组织学类型癌的比例最高,并且ER、PR和E-cadherin的阳性率也最高。青年组发生淋巴结转移的比例最高,HER-2、Ki67、TOPO-Ⅱ以及MDR1的阳性率最高。结论老年乳腺癌的生物学行为最好,青年乳腺癌的生物学行为最差。青年乳腺癌淋巴结转移的风险高。     

Menopausal-type symptoms in young breast cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND: There has been little previous information available about menopausal-type symptoms in very young breast cancer survivors. METHODS: In collaboration with the Young Survival Coalition, we conducted an Internet-based survey of women with a history of breast cancer diagnosed at age 40 years or younger using items derived from the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial symptom checklist. RESULTS: A total of 371 respondents were eligible for analysis. Mean age at diagnosis was 32.8 years and mean age at follow-up 36.2 years; 89% of women received chemotherapy, 49% tamoxifen, 15% ovarian suppression, 4% aromatase inhibitors. At the time of survey, 37% were taking tamoxifen and 9% ovarian suppression. Excluding women on ovarian suppression, 77% of women were premenopausal at follow-up. Many women reported bothersome menopausal-type symptoms. In particular, 46% of women reported hot flashes and 39% reported dyspareunia. In a linear regression model of symptom scores, current ovarian suppression, postmenopausal status, baseline anxiety before the diagnosis, pregnancy after the diagnosis, prior chemotherapy, and lower perceived financial status were associated with more bothersome symptoms. CONCLUSION: A substantial number of young breast cancer survivors experience bothersome menopausal symptoms. While the women who responded to our survey may represent a select group of survivors, these findings may have important implications for treatment decision making and long-term quality of life of young women with breast cancer.     

Management of menopausal symptoms in patients with breast cancer: an evidence-based approach

Increasing numbers of women have menopausal symptoms after treatment for breast cancer. These symptoms can result directly from cancer treatments (such as oophorectomy, ovarian suppression, chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure, and antioestrogens), as a spontaneous event, or after discontinuation of hormone-replacement therapy. The onset of menopausal symptoms after treatment for breast cancer can have a long-lasting effect on quality of life, body image, sexual function, and self esteem. Hormone-replacement therapy that contains oestrogen is the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms in healthy women. However, evidence from one randomised controlled trial suggests that use of hormone replacement therapy after breast cancer raises the risk of recurrence and of new primary breast cancer. As the incidence of breast cancer increases and survival continues to improve, the number of women with menopausal symptoms will probably rise. Safe and effective non-hormonal treatments for severe menopausal symptoms after breast cancer are urgently needed. Few studies have addressed the management of menopausal symptoms after breast cancer, and the quality of studies is generally poor. Progestagens, and selective inhibitors of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake seem to offer reasonable symptom palliation, but the long-term effectiveness and safety of these preparations is not known. We propose that the management of menopausal symptoms in patients with a history of cancer requires a patient-centred, but multidisciplinary, approach.     

Factors associated with breast structure in breast cancer patients.

The breast duct patterns and radiographic density, or dysplasia, of 104 breast cancer patients in Hawaii were examined by mammography. The proportions of the four types of breast structure were analyzed for possible relation with age, menopausal state, height, weight, and race. Multiple regression analysis indicated that menopausal state appears to be more important than age per se for the general change in breast structure. Low body weight, but not race, is associated with prominent duct patterns and dysplasia.     

Pharmacologic management of nonpain symptoms in surgical patients.

Palliative care patients present with multiple symptoms other than pain and cachexia. Asthenia, delirium, dyspnea, and chronic nausea and constipation cause significant distress to patients and families and frequently coexist in the same patient. A careful assessment frequently identifies reversible causes. When none are identified or there is no improvement, symptomatic pharmacologic interventions are available. The success rate is variable, and it is very high for symptoms such as chronic nausea or constipation and less effective for symptoms such as asthenia and delirium. More research on the mechanism and treatment of these symptoms is needed.     

Experience with opposite breast biopsy in patients with operable breast cancer.

One hundred and nine patients with unilateral breast carcinoma and no palpable abnormality of the contralateral breast were evaluated by opposite breast biopsy. Our patient population yielded four noninfiltrating carcinomas, and one infiltrating carcinoma for an incidence of 4.5%. The one infiltrating cancer was suspected on a preoperative mammogram. We have discontinued the routine use of the opposite breast biopsy as a diagnostic tool in patients with unilateral breast cancer, in patients with no palpable abnormality and a normal mammogram.     

乳腺癌术后骨转移回顾性分析

目的 分析乳腺癌术后骨转移的临床特征.方法 对407例原发乳腺癌术后发生骨转移的情况进行回顾性分析.结果 50例患者术后发生骨转移.这50例患者中,术后30个月内发生骨转移的病例占54.0%,5年内骨转移发生率为76.0%,发病年龄≤50岁的占60%.病理类型以浸润性导管癌为主的占82.0%.骨转移部位最多发生在脊柱,以胸椎、腰椎为主.其次是骨盆、肋骨、胸骨、颅骨、下肢骨.乳腺癌术后是否出现骨转移在年龄、腋淋巴结转移、孕激素受体(PR)、癌基因CerbB2表达方面无统计学差异(P＞0.05).但在肿瘤病理类型及雌激素受体(ER)表达方面的差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论 乳腺癌术后30个月内为骨转移高发期,骨转移部位以脊柱及骨盆、肋骨、胸骨多见.乳腺癌术后发生骨转移与年龄、腋淋巴结转移、PR、CerbB2表达方面无关,与肿瘤病理类型、ER有关.     

Pain and other symptoms after different treatment modalities of breast cancer

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyse the risk factorsthat predispose women to chronic symptoms related to the treatmentof breast cancer. Patients and methods: A questionnaire wassent to 569 women who had undergone modified radical mastectomieswith axillary evacuation (MRM) or breast resection with axillaryevacuation (BCT). Results: Pain, paraesthesias and strange sensationswere reported by half of the patients. The chronic pain slightlyaffected the daily lives of about 50% of the patients and moderatelyor more the daily lives of about 25% of the patients. Pain wasreported significantly more often after BCT than after MRM bothin the breast scar (BS) and in the ipsilateral arm (IA). Thepatients with chronic pain were significantly younger and hadlarger primary tumours. Postoperative complications increasedthe incidence of chronic pain in the LA. The highest incidenceof pain in the IA was reported by patients who had had bothradio- and chemotherapy. The fact that the incidence of pain(IA) had a significant correlation with the incidence of paraesthesias,oedema, strange sensations and muscle weakness may be an indicationof nerve injury. Conclusions: Chronic pain was more common afterbreast-conserving surgery than after radical surgery. Surgicalcomplications and postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapyincreased the risk of chronic pain and other symptoms. Modificationsin the treatment protocol and preclusion of postoperative complicationsmay be necessary in order to minimize chronic treatment-relatedsymptoms. breast cancer, breast surgsery, chronic pain, quality of life, radiotherapy     

The role of radiotherapy in the surgical treatment of patients with breast cancer

The 5- and 10-year results of treatment of 1,377 breast cancer patients were analysed with reference to the type of surgical procedure. On the basis of the similarity of the end results, similar rates of recurrence incidence and distant metastases and the absence of metastasis in the subclavicular area after Patey's operation coupled with radiotherapy, a high effectiveness of the latter treatment was established. It contributed to a radicality comparable to that of a radical mastectomy.     

Approach to menopausal symptoms in women with breast cancer

Opinion statement Hot flashes represent one of the most bothersome complaints in breast cancer survivors. In the last two decades, studies investigated several agents and natural compounds to treat these symptoms. Hormones such as estrogens and progestins remain the most beneficial treatment. However, many physicians and patients are reluctant to use these therapies because of the controversy regarding the hormonal effects on tumor growth and progression. Unfortunately, most natural and nonconventional remedies that have been scientifically investigated appear disappointing. Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors and other agents that seem to work in similar ways have been investigated over the last few years in Phase II and III trials. Mature results from two prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trials reveal that selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors are well tolerated, reduce hot flashes by 50%–60%, and improve sleep and libido. Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors should be considered as a first-line nonhormonal pharmacologic therapy for women with menopausal symptoms.