Outcomes and utilization of postmastectomy radiotherapy for T3N0 breast cancers

BackgroundThe role of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) for women with pT3N0M0 breast cancer is controversial. We sought to determine the benefit of PMRT in this cohort using the National Cancer Database (NCDB).MethodsWe analyzed women with pT3N0M0 breast cancer who received mastectomy with or without PMRT between 2004 and 2012. We excluded men, women ≤18 years, neoadjuvant or unknown radiation or chemotherapy status, unknown estrogen or progesterone receptor status, unknown surgical margin status, histology other than invasive ductal or lobular carcinoma, and if death occurred <3 months after diagnosis. A total of 4291 patients was included for analysis. Chi-squared analysis was used to compare patient characteristics. Univariate (UVA) and multivariate (MVA) Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to identify factors associated with survival. Propensity score matching was performed to address confounding variables. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier and shared frailty models.ResultsOf the 4291 women analyzed, 2030 (47%) received PMRT. On MVA, PMRT (HR 0.72, p < 0.001), chemotherapy (HR 0.51, p < 0.001), and hormone therapy (HR 0.63, p < 0.001) were associated with improved overall survival (OS). After propensity score matching, a matched cohort of 2800 women was analyzed. At 5 years, OS was 83.7% and 79.8% with and without PMRT, respectively (p < 0.001). This difference in OS benefit increased with time. At 10 years, OS was 67.4% and 59.2% with and without PMRT, respectively.ConclusionsPMRT was associated with improved OS in women with pT3N0M0 breast cancer, which strongly suggests PMRT may provide a survival advantage and should be considered.     

Prolonged clinical benefit from the maintenance hormone therapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer

ObjectiveWe investigated the efficacy of maintenance hormone therapy (MHT), which was given to hormone positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients in non-progression status to the previous chemotherapy.MethodsThis study retrospectively analyzed 76 MBC patients who had been treated with MHT from 2006 to 2010 at a single institute.ResultsFor the 76 patients reviewed, the median progression free survival (PFS) to MHT was 14.4 months (95% CI, 11.6–17.3). Prolonged PFS was associated with less previous palliative chemotherapy, fewer metastatic sites, and the absence of visceral metastasis in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that only the number of previous palliative chemotherapy (HR 1.73, 95% CI, 1.00–2.98; P = 0.04) remained as a significant variable. MHT was generally well tolerated.ConclusionsMHT showed considerable efficacy and tolerability in this study. Further randomized prospective study is warranted.     

Low muscle attenuation is a prognostic factor for survival in metastatic breast cancer patients treated with first line palliative chemotherapy

BackgroundLow muscle mass (LMM) and low muscle attenuation (LMA) reflect low muscle quantity and low muscle quality, respectively. Both are associated with a poor outcome in several types of solid malignancies. This study determined the association of skeletal muscle measures with overall survival (OS) and time to next treatment (TNT).Patients and methodsA skeletal muscle index (SMI) in cm²/m² and muscle attenuation (MA) in Hounsfield units (HU) were measured using abdominal CT-images of 166 patients before start of first-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer. Low muscle mass (SMI <41 cm²/m²), sarcopenic obesity (LMM and BMI ≥30 kg/m²) and low muscle attenuation (MA <41 HU and BMI <25 kg/m2 or MA <33 HU and BMI ≥25 kg/m2) were related to OS and TNT.ResultsThe prevalence of LMM, sarcopenic obesity and LMA were 66.9%, 7.2% and 59.6% respectively. LMM and sarcopenic obesity showed no significant association with OS and TNT, whereas LMA was associated with both lower OS (HR 2.04, 95% CI 1.34–3.12, p = 0.001) and shorter TNT (HR 1.72, 95% CI 1.14–2.62, p = 0.010). Patients with LMA had a median OS and TNT of 15 and 8 months respectively, compared to 23 and 10 months in patients with normal MA.ConclusionLMA is a prognostic factor for OS and TNT in metastatic breast cancer patients receiving first-line palliative chemotherapy, whereas LMM and sarcopenic obesity are not. Further research is needed to establish what impact LMA should have in daily clinical practice.     

Prognostic implications of lobular breast cancer histology: New insights from a single hospital cross-sectional study and SEER data

BackgroundInvasive lobular breast cancer (ILC) is generally believed to have an increased risk for late relapse compared to invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC). However, the study most often referred to is a chemotherapy trial that mainly included node positive patients. We hypothesize that nodal status may influence the hazard of relapse since time of diagnosis differently in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and ILC.MethodsPrimary operable breast cancer patients from our institution diagnosed between 2000 and 2009 were studied. Multivariable analysis and subgroup analyses were performed to assess whether ILC carries a different prognosis compared to IDC. SEER data were used for external validation.ResultsIn lymph node negative patients, ILC carries a better prognosis regarding distant metastasis free interval (DMFI) (HR 3.242 (1.380–7.614), p = 0.0069) with a trend towards improved breast cancer specific survival (BCSS), over the entire study frame (UZ Leuven data). In lymph node positive patients, both DMFI (HR 0.466 (0.309–0.703), p = 0.0003) and BCSS (HR 0.441 (0.247–0.788), p = 0.0057) are significantly worse for ILC, especially after longer follow-up (>4–5 years) (UZ Leuven data). Similar results were found in the SEER cohort. Results remained identical when excluding screen detected cases (data not shown).ConclusionThe prognostic impact of lobular histology not only depends on time since diagnosis but also on nodal status. The general believe that ILC have compromised late-term outcome compared to IDC seems untrue for the majority ( = node negative) of ILCs.     

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in Chinese patients with large operable breast cancer (≥4 cm): A decade's experience from a single institution

BackgroundPerforming sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with large operable breast cancer is still controversial. Our aim is to find whether or not performing SLNB is feasible and safety in Chinese patients with large operable breast cancer.MethodsWe reviewed the data of patients in our center from 2003 to 2015, a series of 267 patients with large operable breast cancer (≥4 cm) who underwent SLNB were examined. All selected patients recieved preoperative axillary evaluation.ResultsThe successful rate for localizing SLNs was 96.3% (257 of 267). 31.1% (78 of 257) patients were found to have positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLN). The median follow-up was 52 months. 2.2% (4 of 179) SLN-negative patients developed axillary recurrence (AR) as first event. The 5-year axillary recurrence free survival in SLN-negative patients was 96.9% (95%CI, 93.8%–100%). Patients with suspicious nodes on ultrasonography (US) (P = 0.16) and undergoing breast conserving therapy (BCT) (P = 0.057) had a higher trend to be associated with AR. The 5-year recurrence free survival (RFS) was 86.1% (95%CI, 80.8%–93.0%) in SLN-negative patients and 76.3% (95%CI, 68.1%–90.1%) in SLN-positive patients (P = 0.246).ConclusionsSLNB is feasible and safety in patients with large operable breast cancer who underwent preoperative axillary evaluation.     

Biological and clinical significance of loss of heterozygosity at the INPP4B gene locus in Japanese breast cancer

PurposeINPP4B is considered to function as a putative tumor suppressor through its inhibitory function of Akt. In various malignant tumors, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the chromosomal region containing INPP4B and lower expression of INPP4B has been reported. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of the INPP4B LOH and its association with the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in breast cancer of Japanese women.MethodsThe allelic alteration at the INPP4B and PTEN gene loci was analyzed in 277 invasive primary breast carcinomas. The relationships between INPP4B LOH and the clinicopathological features were investigated.ResultsAmong the 238 informative cases for the evaluation, LOH at the INPP4B gene locus was observed in 43 tumors (18.1%). INPP4B LOH was significantly correlated with ER and PR negativity (p = 0.0009 and p = 0.0029, respectively), higher nuclear grade (p < 0.0001), higher Ki67 labeling index (p = 0.0006), triple-negative (TN) subtype (p = 0.0005) and PTEN LOH (p < 0.0001). INPP4B LOH was significantly associated with poorer prognosis, in terms of the relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). According to the multivariate analyses, INPP4B LOH was not independently associated with the prognosis.ConclusionThe incidence of INPP4B LOH was significantly higher in the TN subtype and positively correlated with PTEN LOH. INPP4B LOH was associated with more aggressive and proliferative phenotype. INPP4B LOH was also associated with poorer prognosis.     

Detection of disseminated tumor cells in locally advanced breast cancer patients before primary systemic therapy

AimTo assess the prevalence and prognostic power of disseminated tumor cells (DTC) in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) before primary systemic therapy (PST).Materials and methodsLABC patients attending our Breast Unit were studied between 2002 and 2012, all of them being considered for PST. To determine the presence of DTC, posterior iliac crest aspirates were obtained and marrow samples were processed by gradient separation with Ficoll (Lymphoprep^®) and immunohistochemical staining using the antiCK A45-B/B3 (EPIMET) antibody. Clinicopathologic variables were recorded before and after PST to assess response. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were determined after follow-up. The presence of DTC as a predictor of response to PST and as a prognostic tool for OS and DSF was evaluated.ResultsDTC were observed in 26% of 47 patients included in the study. PST consisted of chemotherapy in 94% and hormone therapy in 6%. Breast-conserving therapy was attained in 33%. Mean follow-up was 68 months. Complete clinical response (CR) after PST was seen in 26%, disease recurrence in 38%, and cancer-related death in 8%; tumor size and negative estrogen receptors were significant predictors of CR and mastectomy was associated with DFS. Persistent axillary disease after PST and previous recurrence were predictive of OS. DTC were detected more often in patients who did not achieve CR and those who presented recurrence. DTC detection was a significant prognostic factor for a worse OS (OR = 7.62; CI95%: 1.46–39.61; p = 0.009) and a decreased survival time (62 versus 82 months, p = 0.004).ConclusionPresence of DTC before PST was found in a significant number of patients with LABC. DTC were found to be a significant prognostic factor for cancer-related death. DTC could be a surrogate predictor of response to PST and also of disease recurrence in LABC patients.     

Oncoplastic breast conservation surgery is oncologically safe when compared to wide local excision and mastectomy

BackgroundSupport for the oncological safety of oncoplastic breast conservation surgery (OBCS) is mostly based on evidence comparing recurrence rates after OBCS to wide local excision (WLE). However, OBCS is often indicated for larger cancers and oncological results should also be compared to patients treated with mastectomy. In this study we compared recurrence and survival following OBCS, mastectomy and WLE.MethodsPatients treated with OBCS between 2009 and 2012 were identified from a prospectively maintained database. For comparison, consecutive patients treated with WLE or mastectomy with or without immediate reconstruction (Ms ± IR) over the same time period were identified. Histological variables of patients were compared using Fisher Exact or Chi squared tests, and recurrence and survival were compared using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression survival analysis.Results980 patients' data were analysed (OBCS: n = 104; WLE: n = 558; Ms ± IR: n = 318). Tumour size, grade, nodal status, ER, and PR expression of patients treated with OBCS were all significantly more adverse compared with patients treated with WLE (p < 0.001). These histological variables were similar in patients treated with Ms ± IR and OBCS. 5-year local recurrence rates were similar in all three groups (WLE: 3.4 per cent, OBCS: 2 per cent, Ms ± IR: 2.6 per cent; log rank = 0.973), while distant recurrence rates were higher after Ms ± IR and OBCS (Ms ± IR:13.1 per cent, OBCS:7.5 per cent, WLE:3.3 per cent; log rank: p < 0.001).ConclusionOBCS is oncologically safe in patients even when histological results are similar to patients treated with Ms ± IR.     

Smoking and FGFR2 rs2981582 variant independently modulate male breast cancer survival: A population-based study in Tuscany,Italy

AimMale breast cancer (MBC) is a rare disease and recommendations for its clinical management are often extrapolated from those for female breast cancer, even if breast cancer (BC) has different characteristics in the two sexes. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of several individual characteristics including clinico-pathological, lifestyle and genetic factors on overall survival (OS) of a relatively large and well characterized population-based series of 166 MBCs enrolled in Tuscany.MethodsWe genotyped MBC cases at BRCA1/2 genes and at 9 candidate BC susceptibility SNPs. Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Cox regression, adjusted for several individual characteristics were used. To reduce a possible selection bias related to the interval between diagnosis and enrolment of MBC cases into the study, we used the date of blood donation as the date of the start of observation for survival analysis.ResultsOnly smoking habits had a significant effect on OS at 10 years (for current smokers, HR: 3.34; 95% CI 1.45–7.68; p = 0.004), while lymph node status fell short of reaching statistical significance (for pN positive, HR: 2.07; 95% CI 0.93–4.55; p = 0.07). In the same multivariate analysis we found a significantly higher OS in cases with FGFR2 rs2981582 variant in the dominant transmission model (HR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.13–0.62; p = 0.028). A sensitivity analysis with left truncation showed similar results.ConclusionsOur results may contribute to shed light on factors influencing MBC survival suggesting an important role for cigarette smoking and FGFR2 rs2981582 variant, and provide clues for better patient management.     

Liver toxicity of chemotherapy and targeted therapy for breast cancer patients with hepatitis virus infection

BackgroundChemotherapy has greatly improved the prognosis of breast cancer patients. However, it may also result in undesirable side effects such as hepatitis virus reactivation. Little information is available on the liver toxicity of chemotherapy and targeted therapy for breast cancer patients with hepatitis virus (HBV/HCV) infection.MethodsWe performed a retrospective survey of 835 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between January 2010 and December 2015 at our institution. All patients had been screened for HBV/HCV infection at the time of breast cancer diagnosis. We retrospectively investigated the toxicity of chemotherapy and the changes in HBV/HCV load based on a medical record review.Results52 patients with positive anti-HBV antibody test and 21 patients with positive anti-HCV antibody tests received chemotherapy. 762 patients without HBV and HCV infection served as the control group. The morbidity of liver toxicity and disruptions in chemotherapy attributable to liver toxicity were not significantly different among control group, HBV group and HCV groups (27.7% vs 34.6% vs 42.9%, P = 0.189 and 5.0% vs 9.6% vs 9.5%, P = 0.173, respectively). No patients presented with HBV/HCV reactivation.ConclusionBreast cancer patients with HCV can be treated with chemotherapy and targeted therapy with trastuzumab. Breast cancer patients with HBV who accept antiviral therapy can be treated with chemotherapy and targeted therapy with trastuzumab and patients can benefit from prophylactic antiviral therapy before chemotherapy. However, a multidisciplinary cooperation and closely monitoring liver function during the course of chemotherapy may benefit patients.     

Effects of locoregional radiotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer

ObjectivesThis study aims to assess the clinical outcomes of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who underwent local radiation therapy (RT) for the primary site.Material and methodsBetween 2005 and 2013, we retrospectively evaluated patients with MBC who received breast or chest wall RT with or without regional lymph node irradiation.Results2761 patients with breast cancer were treated with RT. Of them, 125 women with stage IV breast carcinoma were included. The median follow-up was 15 months (ranging from 3.8 to 168 months), when 54.7% of the patients had died; local progression was observed in 22.8% of the patients. The mean overall survival (OS) and local progression free survival (LoPFS) were 23.4 ± 2.4 months and 45.1 ± 2.9 months, respectively. Three- and five-year overall survival rates were, respectively, 21.2% and 13.3%. Local progression free survival was the same, 67.3%, at three and five years, respectively. Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) (p = 0.015), number of metastatic sites (p = 0.031), RT dose (p = 0.0001) and hormone therapy (p = 0.0001) were confirmed as independent significant variables correlated with OS. The variables that were independently correlated with LoPFS were the number of previous chemotherapy lines (p = 0.038) and RT dose (p = 0.0001).ConclusionRT of the primary site in patients with MBC is well tolerated. The factors that presented positive impact on survival were good KPS, low disease burden (1–3 metastatic sites), and the use of hormone therapy.     

Intraoperative assessment of sentinel lymph node by one-step nucleic acid amplification in breast cancer patients after neoadjuvant treatment reduces the need for a second surgery for axillary lymph node dissection

PurposeSentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has been shown to be both accurate and feasible for women who receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Intraoperative assessment of SLN by frozen sections can produce false negative results. The aim of this study was to compare two different techniques of intraoperative assessment of SLN in breast cancer patients treated with NAC: frozen section (FS) and molecular assay (OSNA).MethodsA multicenter cohort of 320 consecutive breast cancer patients treated with NAC between 2010 and 2014 was analyzed. FS was performed intraoperatively in 166 patients (H&E cohort) and OSNA in 154 patients (OSNA cohort).ResultsA mean of 2.15 SLNs by FS and 1.22 SLNs by OSNA was assessed (p = 0.03). SLN metastasis was found in 44 patients (26.5%) by FS and in 48 (31.2%) by OSNA (p = 0.4). There was no statistical significance in rates of macrometastasis (75%), micrometastasis (20.5%) or ITCs (4.5%) when assessed by FS compared to OSNA (52.3%, 36.3% and 11.4%, respectively) (p = 0.06). There were 10 patients in the H&E cohort with positive-SLN in the definitive pathology assessment with negative intraoperative FS. When OSNA and definitive pathology were compared, there were no differences in rates of macrometastasis (61.1%), micrometastasis (33.3%) nor ITCs (5.6%) (p = 0.5). Fifty-four patients in the H&E cohort and 44 in the OSNA cohort had ALND after positive-SLNs. ALND was performed in a second surgery in 10 patients (18.5%) in the H&E cohort for intraoperative FS false negative results, 90% being micrometastasis. 42 out of 44 patients (95.5%) in the OSNA cohort had an ALND in the same surgery (p = 0.03).ConclusionsOSNA assay detects SLNs metastases as accurately as conventional pathology in the NAC setting. Intraoperative definitive assessment of the SLN by OSNA reduces the need for a second surgery for ALND in 18.5% of breast cancer patients with a positive-SLN after NAC.     

Clinical significance of fatty liver disease induced by tamoxifen and toremifene in breast cancer patients

Background and AimThe aim of this study was to identify the effect of selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Asian women.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated fatty liver development and/or serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevation during SERM treatment in 1061 women who were diagnosed and treated with breast cancer in 2005 at Asan Medical Center.Results45 of 618 SERM-treated patients with normal ALT at baseline experienced ALT elevation during SERM treatment. Among the 112 SERM-treated patients who underwent liver imaging test, fatty liver was observed in 47 and both fatty liver and ALT elevation developed in 16 of 102 SERM-treated patients with normal baseline ALT. The cumulative rates of ALT elevation (10.7 vs. 4.3%; P = 0.002), fatty liver (48.5 vs. 20.9%; P < 0.001), and both fatty liver and ALT elevation (17.7 vs. 7.1%; P = 0.02) at 60 months were significantly higher in the SERM group than non-SERM group. By multivariate analysis, SERM treatment increased the risk of ALT elevation (hazard ratio [HR], 2.20; P = 0.01), fatty liver development (HR, 3.59; P < 0.001), and both fatty liver and ALT elevation (HR, 4.98; P = 0.01). After discontinuation of SERM, elevated serum ALT normalized in 39 (92.9%) and there were no instances of liver-related death or progression to liver cirrhosis in patients who experienced fatty liver or ALT elevation.ConclusionsAlthough SERM treatment is significantly associated with NAFLD in Asian women, considering the tolerability and reversibility of NAFLD induced by SERM, it can be continued with liver function monitoring in relevant patients.     

Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy in an Asian population: A single institution review

BackgroundContralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) removes the non-diseased breast in women who have unilateral breast cancer. This reduces the incidence of contralateral breast cancer, and potentially improves survival in high risk patients. Such surgical risk-reduction strategy is increasingly being adopted in the United States, despite a decreasing incidence of contralateral breast cancer. The use of CPM in an Asian population is yet unknown. We present the first Asian report on CPM rates and trends in Singapore, the country with the highest incidence of breast cancer in Asia.MethodsA retrospective review of all patients who had breast cancer surgery from 2001 to 2010 at the largest healthcare system in Singapore was performed. Patient demographics and tumour characteristics were analysed with regards to type of surgery performed. Factors associated with CPM were identified.ResultsFrom 2001 to 2010, a total of 5130 patients underwent oncological breast surgery. A decreasing trend of mastectomies (82.7%–70.8%), an upward trend of breast conserving surgery (BCS) (17.3%–29.2%) and an increasing trend in CPM (0.46%–1.25%) is observed. Patients who opted for CPM are likely to be younger (48.4 ± 9.4 years), married (60%), parous (56.7%), with no family history of breast/ovarian cancer (66.7%), and diagnosed at an earlier stage. The rate of synchronous occult breast malignancy was found to be 10% (n = 30), and these were in patients who were of a low cancer-risk profile.ConclusionsThis retrospective study reflects an increasing incidence of breast cancer in Singapore, with a decrease in mastectomies, and an increase in BCS and CPM rates, similar to Western data. Similar to Western populations, the Asian woman who opts for CPM is likely to be young and have an earlier stage of breast cancer. In contrast, the Asian woman is likely to have no family history of breast or ovarian cancers. Commonly cited reasons for increased CPM rates such as the increased availability of genetic counselling and pre-operative MRI evaluation, along with wide use of reconstruction, do not feature as dominant factors in our population, suggesting that the Asian patients may have different considerations when electing for CPM.     

Trends in endocrine therapy prescription and survival in patients with non-metastatic hormone receptor positive breast cancer treated with endocrine therapy: A population based-study

PurposeTo identify prognostic factors of invasive–disease free survival (iDFS) in women with non-metastatic hormone receptor positive (HR+) breast cancer (BC) in daily routine practice.MethodsWe performed a retrospective study using data from the Côte d’Or breast and gynecological cancer registry in France. All women diagnosed with primary invasive non-metastatic HR + BC from 1998 to 2015 and treated by endocrine therapy (ET) were included. Women with bilateral tumors or who received ET for either metastasis or relapse were excluded. We performed adjusted survival analysis and Cox regression to identify prognostic factors of iDFS.ResultsA total of 3976 women were included. Age at diagnosis, ET class, SBR grade, treatment, stage and comorbidity were independently associated with iDFS. Women who had neither surgery nor radiotherapy had the highest risk of recurrence (HR = 3.75, 95%CI [2.65–5.32], p < 0.0001). Receiving aromatase inhibitors (AI) was associated with a lower risk of recurrence (HR = 0.70, 95%CI [0.54–0.90], p = 0.055) compared to tamoxifen. Compared to women with no comorbidities, women with 1 or 2 comorbidities were more likely to receive AI (OR = 1.63, 95%CI [1.22–2.17], p = 0.0009).ConclusionsComorbidities, age at diagnosis and previous treatment were associated with iDFS in non-metastatic HR + BC patients. This study also showed that women who received tamoxifen for their cancer experienced worse iDFS compared to women treated with AI.     

Role of FDG-PET/CT in evaluating surgical outcomes of operable breast cancer – Usefulness for malignant grade of triple-negative breast cancer

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) for speculating the malignant level and prognostic value of operable breast cancers.MethodsOf 578 consecutive patients with primary invasive breast cancer who underwent curative surgery between 2005 and 2010, 311 patients (53.8%) who received FDG-PET/CT before initial therapy were examined.ResultsReceiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis showed the cutoff value of the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV_max) to predict cancer recurrence was 3.8 in all patients and 8.6 in patients with the triple-negative subtype, respectively. In all patients, 3-year DFS rates were 98.8% for patients with a tumor of SUV_max ≤ 3.8 and 91.6% for patients with a tumor of SUV_max > 3.8 (p < 0.001). High value of SUV_max was significantly associated with large tumor size (p < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.040), high nuclear grade (p < 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.032), negative hormone receptor status (p < 0.001), and positive HER2 status (p = 0.014). Based on the results of multivariate Cox analysis in all patients, high SUV_max (p = 0.001) and negative hormone receptor status (p = 0.005) were significantly associated with poor prognosis. In patients with triple-negative subtype, 3-year DFS rates were 90.9% for patients with a tumor of SUV_max ≤ 8.6 and 42.9% for patients with a tumor of SUV_max > 8.6 (p = 0.002), and high SUV_max was the only significant independent prognostic factor (p = 0.047).ConclusionFDG-PET/CT is useful for predicting malignant behavior and prognosis in patients with operable breast cancer, especially the triple-negative subtype.     

Trends in surgery and survival for T1-T2 male breast cancer: A study from the National Cancer Database

BackgroundDespite evidence that early-stage male breast cancer (MBC) can be treated the same as in females, we hypothesized that men undergo more extensive surgery.MethodsPatients with clinical T1-2 breast cancer were identified in the National Cancer Database 2004–2016. Trends in surgery type and overall survival were compared between sexes.ResultsOf 9,782 males and 1,078,105 females, most were cN0 with AJCC stage I/II disease. Unilateral mastectomy was most common in men (67.1% vs. 24.1%, p < 0.001) and partial mastectomy in women (64.7% vs. 26.4%, p < 0.001), with no significant change over time. Over 1/3 of men received ALND in 2016. While overall survival was superior in females (HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.73–0.94, p = 0.003), partial mastectomy was associated with a 42% reduction in mortality risk for males (HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.4–0.8, p = 0.003).ConclusionsDe-escalation of surgery could be considered for MBC to improve survival and align with current standards of care.     

Effect of pathologic stages on postmastectomy radiation therapy in breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy and total mastectomy: A Cancer Database Analysis

PurposeTo use pathologic indicators to determine which patients benefit from postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) for breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and total mastectomy (TM).Patients and methodsWe enrolled 4236 patients with breast invasive ductal carcinoma who received NACT followed by TM. Cox regression analysis was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and confidence intervals; independent predictors were controlled for or stratified in the analysis.ResultsAfter multivariate Cox regression analyses, the adjusted HRs derived for PMRT for all-cause mortality were 0.65 (0.52–0.81, P < 0.0001) and 0.58 (0.47–0.71, P < 0.0001) in postchemotherapy pathologic tumor stages T2–4 (ypT3–4) and postchemotherapy pathologic nodal stages N2–3 (ypN2–3), respectively. Moreover, adjusted HRs derived for PMRT with all-cause mortality were 0.51 (0.38–0.69, P < 0.0001), 0.60 (0.40–0.88, P = 0.0096), and 0.64 (0.48–0.86, P = 0.0024) in pathological stages IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC, respectively. Additionally, the PMRT group showed significant locoregional control irrespective of the pathologic response, even ypT0, ypN0, or pathological complete response (pCR), compared with the No-PMRT group. The multivariate analysis showed no statistical differences between the PMRT and No-PMRT groups for distant metastasis-free survival in any pathologic response of ypT0–4, ypN0–3, and pathologic American Joint Committee on Cancer stages pCR to IIIC.ConclusionFor patients with breast cancer ypT3–4, ypN2–3, or pathologic stages IIIA–IIIC receiving NACT and TM, benefit from PMRT if it is associated with OS benefits, regardless of the clinical stage of the disease. Compared with No-PMRT, PMRT improved locoregional recurrence-free survival, even pCR, in patients with breast cancer receiving NACT and TM.     

Surgeon bias in sentinel lymph node dissection: Do tumor characteristics influence decision making?

BackgroundDetermining sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in breast cancer staging involves subjective interpretation by the surgeon. We hypothesized patient and tumor characteristics influence number of SLNs harvested.MethodsA single-institution, prospectively collected database was queried for breast cancer patients undergoing SLN surgery (2002–2013) and mean SLN counts were compared.ResultsThere were 2394 SLN biopsies. Mean number of SLNs per patient for the entire cohort was 2.6. Mean number of SLNs removed was greater for patients ≤50 years (2.9 versus 2.6; p < 0.0001). Fewer SLNs were removed with tumors ≤1 cm (2.5 versus 2.6; p = 0.002). Patients with grades 2 or 3 tumors had more SLNs removed than grade 1 (2.6 versus 2.5; p = 0.03). Receipt of neoadjuvant therapy was associated with more SLNs removed (3.0 versus 2.6; p = 0.005).ConclusionNumber of SLNs removed varies based on risk factors for SLN metastasis or false-negative SLN biopsy.     

Patient-reported outcomes measured by BREAST-Q after implant-based breast reconstruction: A cross-sectional controlled study in Brazilian patients

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to assess patient-reported outcomes of breast reconstruction with implants, using the BREAST-Q, in the late postoperative period.Materials and methodsA total of 114 women previously operated due to breast cancer, in the late postoperative period (range 6–24 months) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, and were allocated to either the mastectomy group (MG, n = 57) or reconstruction group (RG, n = 57). Patients in MG and RG, respectively, completed the Brazilian versions of Mastectomy and Reconstruction Modules of the BREAST-Q.ResultsThe mean age of patients was 46.6 and 44.3 years in MG and RG, respectively. All patients underwent chemotherapy and 6% and 11% of patients underwent radiotherapy in MG and RG, respectively. Patients in the RG reported higher satisfaction with surgical outcome (P < 0.0001). However, no significant between-group differences were found in physical and sexual well-being, or satisfaction with the plastic surgeon, medical team, and office staff.ConclusionBreast reconstruction with implants increased patient satisfaction with the surgical outcome, but did not influence patients' physical and sexual well-being or their satisfaction with the treatment received.