Optimal adjuvant hormone therapy in postmenopausal women with hormone-sensitive mammary carcinoma: tamoxifen and the aromatase inhibitors anastrozole, exemestane and letrozole

Postmenopausal patients with hormone-sensitive breast cancer may be eligible for adjuvant hormone therapy. - For years, tamoxifen was the treatment of choice. - However, the side effects associated with tamoxifen, such as endometrial cancer and thromboembolic disorders, and the search for more effective agents have led to the introduction of new hormonal therapies. - The results of randomised trials with the third-generation aromatase inhibitors anastrozole, exemestane and letrozole demonstrate improved efficacy compared to tamoxifen. - Using aromatase inhibitors, the disease-free survival is prolonged and recent data from some studies also show a benefit in overall survival. - Aromatase inhibitors are associated with specific side effects consisting of osteoporosis/increased incidence of fractures and myalgia/arthralgia.     

Postmenopausal estrogen use and invasive versus in situ breast cancer risk

To examine the effect of cancer histopathology on the relationship between estrogen-replacement therapy (ERT) use and breast cancer risk, we performed a case-control study of 109 postmenopausal women 45 years or older with in situ or invasive breast cancer matched to 545 controls. When in situ and invasive tumors were combined, the overall odds ratio (OR) describing the association between ERT use and breast cancer risk was not statistically significantly elevated (adjusted OR = 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.89–2.47). When the analyses were confined to women with invasive disease, risk estimates were uniformly higher (adjusted OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.00–3.45). In contrast, the overall estimate for the relationship between ERT use and in situ breast cancer was close to 1 (adjusted OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.42–2.77). The positive association between ERT use and invasive breast cancer we observed, and the lack of association in women with in situ disease, may represent a distinct biological difference or may be related to the small sample size of our study.     

早期乳腺癌保乳手术治疗68例临床分析

目的:探讨早期乳腺癌保乳手术的临床疗效,为普及早期乳腺癌保乳手术和综合治疗提供参考。方法:回顾性分析2005年1月～2008年7月完成的早期乳腺癌保乳手术68例。手术方式为肿瘤区段切除加腋窝淋巴结清扫。术后综合治疗。结果:68例患者至今存活,随访时间4～42个月,仅5例局部复发。结论:早期乳腺癌保乳手术疗效满意,可进行临床推广。     

早期乳腺癌保乳治疗40例临床分析

目的探讨早期乳腺癌保乳综合治疗的临床疗效,总结治疗经验。方法回顾性分析2007年1月～2011年1月,40例行保乳手术治疗早期乳腺癌患者的相关资料,对肿瘤采取保乳根治术,术后辅以化疗、放疗、内分泌治疗及生物学治疗。结果所有患者随访17～65个月,无局部复发及远处转移。乳房美容评定标准进行评价,符合优良标准39例（97.5%）,符合差标准1例（2.5%）。结论早期乳腺癌保乳综合治疗创伤小、疗效确切、形体改变小、能提高生存质量,值得进一步临床开展及推广。     

前哨淋巴结活检在早期浸润性乳腺癌保乳手术中的应用价值

目的分析前哨淋巴结活检术(SLNB)对早期浸润性乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结转移的诊断效能及其在保乳手术中的应用价值。方法回顾性分析2012年7月-2015年5月该院收治的217例早期浸润性乳腺癌患者的临床资料,均行SLNB和保乳手术治疗,以术后病理为金标准分析SLNB对腋窝淋巴结转移的诊断效能。同时,根据患者意愿将前哨淋巴结(SLN)阴性者分为两组,清扫腋窝淋巴结者为对照组,未清扫者为观察组,对比其手术情况、术后转归及生存质量。结果 SLNB诊断腋窝淋巴结转移的灵敏度、特异度、漏诊率、误诊率和准确度分别为92.1%、100.0%、7.9%、0、94.4%。观察组手术时间短,术中出血量和术后引流量少,拔管时间早,与对照组相比差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。观察组并发症发生率低于对照组(P<0.05);复发率、转移率及死亡率比较,差异均无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。治疗前,两组患者的欧洲癌症研究与治疗组织生存质量问卷(EORTC QLQ-C30)和欧洲生命质量协作组乳腺癌专用生命质量量表(QLQ-BR23)评分比较,差异均无统计学意义(均P>0.05);治疗后,观察组功能和症状评分低于对照组,总生存质量评分高于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。结论SLNB对早期浸润性乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结转移的诊断效能较高,用以指导保乳手术可降低术后并发症,提高患者的生存质量,具有较好的应用价值。     

Trastuzumab in early stage breast cancer: a cost-effectiveness analysis for Belgium

OBJECTIVES: Although trastuzumab is traditionally used in metastatic breast cancer treatment, studies reported on the efficacy and safety of trastuzumab in adjuvant setting for the treatment of early stage breast cancer in HER2+ tumors. We estimated the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of reimbursing trastuzumab in this indication from a payer's perspective. METHODS: We constructed a health economic model. Long-term consequences of preventing patients to progress to metastatic breast cancer and side effects such as congestive heart failure were taken into account. Uncertainty was handled applying probabilistic modeling and through probabilistic sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: In the HERA scenario, applying an arbitrary threshold of euro30000 per life-year gained, early stage breast cancer treatment with trastuzumab is cost-effective for 9 out of 15 analyzed subgroups (according to age and stage). In contrast, treatment according to the FinHer scenario is cost-effective in 14 subgroups. Furthermore, the FinHer regimen is most of the times cost saving with an average incremental cost of euro668, euro-1045, and euro-6869 for respectively stages I, II and III breast cancer patients whereas the HERA regimen is never cost saving due to the higher initial treatment costs. CONCLUSIONS: The model shows better cost-effectiveness for the 9-week initial treatment (FinHer) compared to no trastuzumab treatment than for the 1-year post-chemotherapy treatment (HERA). Both from a medical and an economic point of view, the 9-week initial treatment regimen with trastuzumab shows promising results and justifies the initiation of a large comparative trial with a 1-year regimen.     

Prone breast forward intensity-modulated radiotherapy for Asian women with early left breast cancer: factors for cardiac sparing and clinical outcomes

Since December 2009, after breast-conserving surgery for Stage 0–I cancer of the left breast, 21 women with relatively pendulous breasts underwent computed tomography prone and supine simulations. The adjuvant radiotherapy was 50 Gy in 25 fractions to the left breast alone. Four plans—conventional wedged tangents and forward intensity-modulated radiotherapy (fIMRT) in supine and prone positions—were generated. fIMRT generated better homogeneity in both positions. Prone position centralized the breast tissue by gravity and also shortened the breast width which led to better conformity in both planning techniques. Prone fIMRT significantly reduced doses to left lung, Level I and Level II axilla. The mean cardiac doses did not differ between positions. Among the four plans, prone fIMRT produced the best target dosimetry and normal organ sparing. In subgroup analysis, patients with absolute breast depth > 7 cm in the prone position or breast depth difference > 3 cm between positions had significant cardiac sparing with prone fIMRT. Sixteen patients with significant cardiac sparing in prone position were treated using prone fIMRT and the others using supine fIMRT. All patients received a supine electron tumor bed boost of 10 Gy in 5 fractions. No patients developed Grade 2 or worse acute or late toxicities. There was no difference in the number of segments or beams, monitor units, treatment time, or positioning reproducibility between prone and supine positions. At a median follow-up time of 26.8 months, no locoregional or distant recurrence or death was noted.     

来曲唑和克罗米酚对PCOS的促排卵及妊娠结局的比较研究

目的:比较来曲唑和克罗米酚对PCOS的促排卵及妊娠结局,旨在寻找一种新的促排卵药物。方法:拟行促排卵治疗的多囊卵巢综合征(PCOS)患者66例,分为来曲唑组20例和克罗米酚组46例。来曲唑组(LE)从月经第3～7天给与LE5.0mg/d口服,第7天加用尿促性腺激素(HMG)至HCG日;克罗米酚组(CC)从第5～9天给与CC100mg/d口服,第6天加用HMG至HCG日。于HCG日观察≥14mm卵泡数、≥16mm卵泡数、子宫内膜厚度、形态和血清E2、LH、T水平以及排卵后第7天血清E2、P水平。记录妊娠率、流产例数、异位妊娠例数和OHSS发生例数。结果:尽管HCG日LE组E2水平显著性的低于CC组(P(0.01),但是子宫内膜的厚度和形态两组无差异。然而CC组中有13例患者HCG日子宫内膜厚度(7.0mm,LE组中无1例。与CC组相比,HCG日LE组≥14mm数明显减少(P(0.05),且无1例卵巢过度刺激综合征(OHSS)的发生。LE组妊娠率和继续妊娠率都高于CC组,但无统计学意义。结论:LE有类似CC的促排卵作用及相似的妊娠率。     

Patient delay in women presenting with advanced breast cancer: an Iranian study

INTRODUCTION: Due to the lack of systematic screening programmes for early detection of breast cancer in Iran and the predominance of advanced cases, we aimed to study the extent and determinants of patient delay in women with advanced breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this 1-year cross-sectional study, all consecutive women with advanced breast cancer (stages IIb, III or IV) who initially presented to a university hospital were studied. RESULTS: Sixty-eight percent (136/200) of cases had delayed their first visit by >1 month and 42.5% by >3 months. The median patient delay was 12 weeks. Delay was associated with: older age, being married, lower income, less education, place of residence (small cities), negative family history of breast cancer, belief in the fatality of breast cancer, lack of access to health care services, lack of knowledge of breast cancer symptoms, and denying the importance of breast self-examination. The main reasons given for the delay were: lack of knowledge regarding the necessity of such a visit, fear, negligence, lack of access to physicians, and poverty. DISCUSSION: In contrast to some other studies, this study found that married women and those with a negative family history of breast cancer waited longer than others before seeking care. Public education initiatives focused on encouraging women (especially high-risk groups such as older women, married women, and those living in small cities or villages) to see a doctor promptly for evaluation of breast symptoms can decrease delay and improve patient outcome.     

Investing in early detection versus intensive treatment for breast cancer: a study of the Israeli public priorities

Objective  Public opinion has become one of the main inputs in setting priorities, rationing and allocating health resources. The present study focuses on the priorities of the Israeli public in allocating marginal breast cancer funds between early detection in the healthy majority of the population and intensive treatment of the sick minority in need.
Design  A sample of 2030 individuals representing the Israeli Jewish urban population aged 45–75 was interviewed in 1993/4. A full sit-down interview collected information on several health related issues.
Results  Sixty-one per cent chose to direct the funds to early detection efforts and 35% chose to direct the funds to treating the sick. Four per cent of the population could not decide. Higher education and better health are related to choosing early detection; religious observance is related to choosing the treatment option; and men and older persons tend, more than women and younger respondents, to be undecided.
Conclusions  Whilst the majority of the population tend to follow a cost-effectiveness rationale in the marginal use of breast cancer funds, for more than a third of the population efficiency is not thus important, and they adhere to entitlement based upon a need-equity principle in allocating health resources.     

2002～2005年上海市社区肝癌高危人群筛检成本效果分析

[目的]评估2002~2005年上海市社区肝癌高危人群筛检的效果,从卫生经济学方面探讨经济有效的筛检方法。[方法]对上海市健康档案和医院门诊对象中符合肝癌高危人群标准并愿意参加的3 280例对象进行“AFP+B超”筛检。运用项目成本测算方法计算筛检的成本,以发生肝癌例数和早中期肝癌例数作为效果指标进行成本效果分析。[结果]社区肝癌高危人群筛检的总成本为4 025 544.00元。高危人群的随访筛检次均成本为411.80元。去除间接成本部分,次均直接成本为21.80元,次均自付直接成本为15.00元。发现1例肝癌和早中期(Ⅰ期和Ⅱ期)肝癌患者的总成本分别为575 077.71元和1 006 386.00元。[结论]以10万人社区为假设,每人每年增加0.24元专项肿瘤筛查经费就能有效地发现早中期肝癌患者。     

Differences in treatment and survival among African-American and Caucasian women with early stage operable breast cancer

Objective. To examine racial disparities associated with breast cancer treatment and survival in elderly patients with early stage operable breast cancer.

Methods. We studied 23,110 women with node-positive and 31,572 women with node-negative tumor who were aged ≥65 with stages I, II, or IIIA breast cancer in 1991–2002 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked data. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the odds of receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation after breast conserving surgery (BCS) for blacks compared to whites. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to determine the risk of mortality in blacks compared to whites, stratified by types of treatment.

Results. Black women with node-positive and node-negative tumors were 25% (odds ratio = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.65–0.87) and 17% (0.83, 0.70–0.99) less likely to receive chemotherapy than white women, after adjusting for patient and tumor characteristics. This relation was not attenuated and remained statistically significant even after adjustment for socioeconomic status. In women with node-negative tumor who did not receive chemotherapy, black women were significantly more likely to die than white women (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.04–1.24) after adjusting for patient and tumor characteristics, and comorbidity; and (1.11, 1.01–1.22) after additionally adjusting for socioeconomic status.

Conclusions. There were racial disparities between black and white women in receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy following BCS. Higher risk of mortality in black compared to white women was found only in those receiving no chemotherapy. Future studies should explore the root causes of racial disparities beyond treatment factors.     

食管、贲门癌切除术后早期肠内营养的应用

目的：探讨食管、贲门癌术后早期肠内营养的可行性、安全性和临床效果，并与常规补液作一比较。方法：42例食管、贲门癌病人术后第1天随机分为肠内营养（EN组，n=24)和普通输液（对照组，n=18)两组，并分别在营养支持前后各测定一次体重、肝肾功能、血糖、电解质、血清蛋白、血红蛋白、免疫球蛋白，临床观察生命体征、胃肠道功能恢复情况及各种不良反应。结果：两组病例在观察期间无死亡、无严重并发症，肝肾功能无明显变化。EN组血清白蛋白、前白蛋白和转铁蛋白水平营养支持后明显升高（P＜0．01），体重下降减慢。同时EN组肛门恢复排气时间较对照组显著缩短。结论：食管、贲门癌术后早期肠内营养支持安全、可行，在改善机体营养状态方面有显著作用，并可促进和维护胃肠道功能，且费用较低。     

Significance of boost radiotherapy in early invasive ductal breast cancer with ductal carcinoma in situ component under negative surgical margins

We hypothesize that there is a risk of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) in surgical margin-free invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) in the presence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) component affecting surgical margins in early stage. From 1990 to 2014, 343 patients with IDC in which the DCIS component constitute have received radiotherapy (RT) following breast-conserving surgery (BCS). All patients received whole breast irradiation with a prescribed dose of 50 Gy in 20 fractions (four times a week). This one-arm cohort with boost RT (253 patients) was compared for IBTR with a non-cohort group receiving no boost RT because of freedom from positive margins (90 patients). Median observation months were 98 (boost group) vs 119 (no boost group), respectively. The 15-year local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) rates were 98.5% and 85.6% in the boost and no boost groups, respectively (Cox proportional hazards model univariate analysis; p = 0.013, HR 0.13). Similarly, for other background factors, there was a significant difference in the LRFS between age groups. The 15-year LRFS rate was 91.8% in patients aged 45 years or younger and 94.6% in patients older than 46 years (p = 0.031, HR 0.21), respectively. Only these two factors were independently significant in Cox proportional hazards model multivariate analysis. IBTR risk in margin-free IDC with DCIS component was independently decreased by boost RT in the cohort setting. Tumor size, extensive intraductal component (EIC), boost dose, the presence of lymph node (LN) metastasis and hormonal therapy were not IBTR risk factors in this study.     

An economic analysis of human papillomavirus triage for the management of women with atypical and abnormal Pap smear results in Germany

We developed decision-analytic models to determine the cost effectiveness of incorporating human papillomavirus (HPV) testing into the management of atypical and abnormal Pap smear results in Germany. The models compare three management strategies: (1) repeat Pap smear, (2) triage with HPV DNA testing, or (3) immediate treatment. The primary outcome measure is incremental cost per case of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2+ detected and treated. The models take the perspective of the German health system. For patients with initial PapIIw, III, and IIId results, incremental cost effectiveness ratios for HPV triage versus repeat Pap smears are €2,232, €815, and €487 per additional case of CIN2+ detected and treated. In addition, the number of cases of CIN2+ detected and treated in a hypothetical population of 1,000 women increases from 17 to 35, 61 to 130, and 157 to 332 for each population, respectively. For patients with initial PapIII and IIId results, immediate treatment of 1,000 patients detects only four and 11 additional cases of CIN2+ versus HPV triage at incremental cost effectiveness ratios of €39,684 and €10,716 per case, respectively. For each of the populations evaluated, HPV triage is the most cost-effective management strategy versus either repeat Pap smear or immediate treatment.     

Factors associated with breast cancer screening behaviors in a sample of Jamaican women in 2013

ABSTRACT

In this study authors aimed to investigate the barriers to participation of a sample of Jamaican women in mammography screening. The data were obtained from a previous survey that was conducted in Jamaica from June to August 2013 in the four parishes (Hanover, St. James, Trelawny, and Westmoreland) served by the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA). WRHA served four hospitals, five non-randomized health centers, and five sites of community events. The sample consisted of women ranging in age between 35 and 83 years, with the mean age of 50.2 (SD = 10.6). The authors used a logistic regression to determine the extent to which variables were associated with breast cancer screening. The level of significace was 0.1 for the bivariate and multivariable analysis. The main factors associated with the lack of breast cancer screening among the women were: being less than 50 years old, single, never thought about breast cancer screening, in need of childcare, and having more than three children. We identified significant barriers to participation in mammography screening experienced by a sample of Jamaican women. Our results suggest that it is necessary to increase the awareness of the importance of breast screening importance among the women who may never have thought about mammography.