Outcome analysis of patients with well-differentiated oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

The prognosis of well-differentiated oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is better than less-well-differentiated neoplasms. The aim of this retrospective study was to identify prognostic factors in patients with well-differentiated OSCC. The 5-year outcomes of 467 patients with well-differentiated OSCC who underwent radical surgery and neck dissection were analyzed. In the entire cohort, the presence of pathological node metastases (pN+ vs. pN0) was an independent predictor of 5-year outcomes. In pN0 patients, tumor depth (?8 mm) was the only independently prognostic factor for 5-year survival rates on multivariable analysis (disease-free survival [DFS], P = 0.001, hazard ratio [HR] = 2.634, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.496–4.636; disease-specific survival [DSS], P < 0.001, HR = 6.794, 95% CI = 2.364–19.525). In pN+ patients, level IV/V neck nodal metastases (DFS, P < 0.001, HR = 47.483, 95% CI = 8.942–252.122; DSS, P < 0.001, HR = 14.301, 95% CI = 5.337–38.323), and ?3 positive nodes (DFS, P = 0.037, HR = 2.107, 95% CI = 1.047–4.242; DSS, P = 0.044, HR = 2.093, 95% CI = 1.020–4.295) were independently associated with 5-year outcomes. Our results suggest that a tailored treatment approach in well-differentiated OSCC patients should take into account the presence of either pN0 or pN+ disease.     

Site of primary tumor has a prognostic role in operable breast cancer: the international breast cancer study group experience.

PURPOSE: Cancer presenting at the medial site of the breast may have a worse prognosis compared with tumors located in external quadrants. For medial tumors, axillary lymph node staging may not accurately reflect the metastatic potential of the disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eight-thousand four-hundred twenty-two patients randomly assigned to International Breast Cancer Study Group clinical trials between 1978 and 1999 were classified as medial site (1,622; 19%) or lateral, central, and other sites (6,800; 81%). Median follow-up was 11 years. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was observed for patients with medial tumors versus those with nonmedial tumors in disease-free survival (DFS; 10-year DFS, 46% v 48%; HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.18; P = .01) and overall survival (10-year OS 59% v 61%; HR, 1.09; 1.01 to 1.19; P = .04). This difference increased after adjustment for other prognostic factors (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.32 for DFS; and HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.35 for OS; both P = .0001). The risk of relapse for patients with medial presentation was largest for the node-negative cohort and for patients with tumors larger than 2 cm. In the subgroup of 2,931 patients with negative axillary lymph nodes, 10-year DFS was 61% v 67%, and OS was 73% v 80% for medial versus nonmedial sites, respectively (HR 1.33; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.54; P = .0001 for DFS; and HR 1.40; 95% CI, 1.17 to 1.67; P = .0003 for OS). CONCLUSION: Tumor site has a significant prognostic utility, especially for axillary lymph node-negative disease, that should be considered in therapeutic algorithms. New staging procedures such as biopsy of the sentinel internal mammary nodes or novel imaging methods should be further studied in patients with medial tumors.     

Prognostic role of the extent of peritumoral vascular invasion in operable breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The clinical relevance of the degree of peritumoral vascular invasion (PVI) in patients with no or limited involvement of the axillary nodes is unknown. Materials and methods: 2606 consecutive patients with pT1-3, pN0 (1586)-1a (1020) and M0, operated and counseled for medical therapy from 1/2000 to 12/2002, were prospectively classified according to the degree of PVI: absent (2017, 77.4%), focal (368, 14.1%), moderate (51, 2.0%) and extensive (170, 6.5%). RESULTS: Patients with extensive PVI were more likely to be younger, to have larger tumors, high tumor grade, axillary-positive nodes, high Ki-67 expression and HER2/neu over-expression compared with patients having less PVI (P for trend, <0.0001). In patients with node-negative disease a statistically significant difference in disease-free survival (DFS), risk of distant metastases and overall survival (OS) was observed at the multivariate analysis for extensive PVI versus no PVI (hazard ratios: 2.11, 95% CI, 1.02 to 4.34, P = 0.04 for DFS; 4.51, 95% CI, 1.96 to 10.4, P< 0.001 for distant metastases; 3.55, 95% CI, 1.24 to 10.1, P = 0.02 for OS). CONCLUSIONS: The extent of vascular invasion should be considered in the therapeutic algorithm in order to properly select targeted adjuvant treatment.     

Role of endocrine responsiveness and adjuvant therapy in very young women (below 35 years) with operable breast cancer and node negative disease.

BACKGROUND: There is limited knowledge about prognosis, and treatment effects in young women with node-negative disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We evaluated biological features, treatment recommendations and prognosis for 841 premenopausal patients with pT1-3, pN0 and M0, operated from 1997 to 2001. RESULTS: Patients below 35 years (101, 12%) were more likely to have tumors > 2 cm (35.6% versus 24.2%, P = 0.002), grade 3 (48.5% versus 31.9%, P = 0.009) and with elevated Ki-67 expression (62.4% versus 50.7%, P = 0.002). At the multivariate analysis a statistically significant difference in disease-free survival (DFS, HR 4.44; 95% CI 2.53 to 7.78, P < 0.0001), risk of distant metastases (DDFS) (HR 3.23; 95% CI 1.32 to 7.94, P = 0.011) and overall survival (OS) (HR 2.89; 95% CI 1.06 to 7.87, P = 0.038) was observed for younger versus older patients and in the subgroup with endocrine responsive tumors (DFS, HR 5.17, 95% CI 2.72-9.83, P = < 0.0001; DDFS, 3.76, 95% CI 1.33-10.6, P = 0.013; OS, 4.71, 95% CI 1.09-20.4, P = 0.039 ). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with less young, very young patients with endocrine responsive and node-negative breast cancer have a worse prognosis. Tailored treatments should be explored in this cohort of patients.     

Relevant impact of central pathology review on nodal classification in individual breast cancer patients

BackgroundIn the MIRROR study, pN0(i + ) and pN1mi were associated with reduced 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) compared with pN0. Nodal status (N-status) was assessed after central pathology review and restaging according to the sixth AJCC classification. We addressed the impact of pathology review.Patients and methodsEarly favorable primary breast cancer patients, classified pN0, pN0(i + ), or pN1(mi) by local pathologists after sentinel node procedure, were included. We assessed the impact of pathology review on N-status (n = 2842) and 5-year DFS for those without adjuvant therapy (n = 1712).ResultsIn all, 22% of the 1082 original pN0 patients was upstaged. Of the 623 original pN0(i + ) patients, 1% was downstaged, 26% was upstaged. Of 1137 patients staged pN1mi, 15% was downstaged, 11% upstaged. Originally, 5-year DFS was 85% for pN0, 74% for pN0(i + ), and 73% for pN1mi; HR 1.70 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.27–2.27] and HR 1.57 (95% CI 1.16–2.13), respectively, compared with pN0. By review staging, 5-year DFS was 86% for pN0, 77% for pN0(i + ), 77% for pN1mi, and 74% for pN1 + .ConclusionPathology review changed the N-classification in 24%, mainly upstaging, with potentially clinical relevance for individual patients. The association of isolated tumor cells and micrometastases with outcome remained unchanged. Quality control should include nodal breast cancer staging.     

Minimal axillary lymph node involvement in breast cancer has different prognostic implications according to the staging procedure

It is still controversial whether the identification of micrometastases and isolated tumor cells in the axillary lymph nodes of patients with breast cancer has any prognostic value. We evaluated the prognostic role of isolated tumor cells and micrometastases in the axillary lymph nodes in 3,158 consecutive patients pT1-2 pN0-N1mi (with a single involved lymph node) and M0, referred to the Division of Medical Oncology after surgery performed at the European Institute of Oncology from April 1997 to December 2002. Median follow-up was 6.3 years (range 0.1–11 years). Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) were performed in 2,087 and 1,071 patients, respectively. A worse metastasis-free survival was observed for patients with micrometastatic disease compared to node-negative patients, if staged with ALND (log-rank P < .0001; HR: 3.17; 95% CI 1.72–5.83 at multivariate analysis), but not for patients who underwent SLNB (log-rank P = 0.36). The presence of a single micrometastatic lymph node is associated with a higher risk of distant recurrence as compared to node-negative disease only for patients undergoing ALND for staging purposes. Treatment recommendations for systemic therapy should not take into account the presence of a single micrometastatic lymph node identified during complete serial sectioning of sentinel node(s).     

早期乳腺癌患者预后因素分析

目的：研究T1～T2、 0～3枚阳性淋巴结乳腺癌患者肿瘤复发和生存的预后因素。方法： 回顾分析天津医科大学附属肿瘤医院收治的540例乳腺癌患者资料。进行单因素变量分析及Cox回归分析肿瘤复发和生存的预后因素。结果： >20%阳性腋窝淋巴结率是影响肿瘤局部复发的预后因素 （HR=12.816, P<0.001）; >20%阳性淋巴结率和浸润性导管癌是影响肿瘤远处转移的预后因素 （HR=11.088, P<0.001; HR=0.390, P=0.018）; 1～3枚阳性淋巴结和>20%阳性淋巴结数是显著影响10年总生存率的预后因素 （HR=2.110, P=0.001; HR=10.244, P<0.001）, 二者也是影响10年无瘤生存率的预后因素 （HR=1.634, P=0.004; HR=7.339, P<0.001）。结论： 腋窝淋巴结有无转移是影响10年局部复发, 远处转移, 总生存率和无瘤生存率的重要的预后因素。原发肿瘤组织病理是显著影响10年肿瘤远处转移的预后因素。     

Impact de l’atteinte du ganglion sentinelle sur la stratégie thérapeutique des cancers du sein

The status of the axillary lymph nodes is the most important prognostic factor in breast cancer. Positive sentinel lymph node may be divided into two categories: metastatic, that is, pN1, and minimal lymph node involvement, that is, pN1mi and pN0i+. Postoperative management of pN1 patients following SNB (sentinel node biopsy) is same as pN1 patients following axillary lymph node dissection, whereas postoperative management of pN1mi and pN0i+ patients is still debated, with a trend to do a complementary axillary lymph node dissection because of the risk of positive-non-SNB. This risk is evaluated approximately 1015% (reclassifying in pN1) and can modify irradiation fields and adjuvant systemic therapy. Recent papers concerning the prognosis of these patients are published since 2008. The size of node metastasis seems to be correlated with 5-year distant free metastasis survival as well as the 10-year overall survival and has been described as a decisive factor for adjuvant systemic therapy. Analysis of lymphatic dissemination remains necessary in the management of breast cancer, and analysis of minimal lymph node involvement gives the surgeons an opportunity to play a role in optimizing the postoperative treatment and the prognosis of our patients.     

Association between pathologic response in metastatic lymph nodes after preoperative chemoradiotherapy and risk of distant metastases in rectal cancer: An analysis of outcomes in a randomized trial

PURPOSE: To compare 5 x 5 Gy preoperative radiotherapy with immediate surgery vs. preoperative chemoradiotherapy (50.4 Gy, 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin) with delayed surgery in a randomized trial for cT3-T4 low-lying rectal cancer. Despite the downstaging effect of chemoradiotherapy, similar long-term outcomes were observed in both groups. METHODS: The Cox model was used to evaluate the prognostic value of ypTN ("yp" denotes that pathologic classification was performed after initial multimodality therapy) categories and the surgical margin status in 291 patients. RESULTS: Disease-free survival (DFS) (hazard ratio [HR] 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73-1.51), distant metastases (HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.77-1.78), and local control (HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 0.74-2.84) were similar in both arms. The ypN status was the only independent prognostic factor for DFS (p < 0.001). An interaction (p = 0.016) between N stage and the assigned treatment was demonstrated. For ypN-negative patients, DFS was similar in both arms (HR, 0.83, 95% CI, 0.47-1.48); however, for ypN-positive patients, DFS was worse in the chemoradiotherapy arm (HR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.07-2.77). The 4-year (median follow-up) DFS rate in N-positive patients was 51% in the 5 x 5-Gy arm vs. 25% in the chemoradiotherapy arm. The corresponding 4-year rates for the incidence of local recurrence and distant metastases were 14% vs. 27% (HR, 1.95; 95% CI, 0.78-4.86) and 38% vs. 68% (HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.21-3.48). CONCLUSION: N-positive disease after chemoradiotherapy indicates radiochemoresistance. N-positive disease after 5 x 5 Gy RT includes both radiosensitive and radioresistant tumors, because the interval between radiotherapy and surgery was too short for radiosensitive cancer to undergo necrosis. Thus, the greater risk of distant metastases recorded in the chemoradiotherapy arm suggests that radiochemoresistance of nodal metastases from rectal cancer is associated with a high potential for developing distant metastases.     

Factors predictive of distant metastases in patients with breast cancer who have a pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: To identify clinicopathological factors predictive of distant metastasis in patients who had a pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC). METHODS: Retrospective review of 226 patients at our institution identified as having a pCR was performed. Clinical stage at diagnosis was I (2%), II (36%), IIIA (27%), IIIB (23%), and IIIC (12%). Eleven percent of all patients were inflammatory breast cancers (IBC). Ninety-five percent received anthracycline-based chemotherapy; 42% also received taxane-based therapy. The relationship of distant metastasis with clinicopathologic factors was evaluated, and Cox regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of development of distant metastasis. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 63 months. There were 31 distant metastases. Ten-year distant metastasis-free rate was 82%. Multivariate Cox regression analysis using combined stage revealed that clinical stages IIIB, IIIC, and IBC (hazard ratio [HR], 4.24; 95% CI, 1.96 to 9.18; P < .0001), identification of < or = 10 lymph nodes (HR, 2.94; 95% CI, 1.40 to 6.15; P = .004), and premenopausal status (HR, 3.08; 95% CI, 1.25 to 7.59; P = .015) predicted for distant metastasis. Freedom from distant metastasis at 10 years was 97% for no factors, 88% for one factor, 77% for two factors, and 31% for three factors (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: A small percentage of breast cancer patients with pCR experience recurrence. We identified factors that independently predicted for distant metastasis development. Our data suggest that premenopausal patients with advanced local disease and suboptimal axillary node evaluation may be candidates for clinical trials to determine whether more aggressive or investigational adjuvant therapy will be of benefit.     

Prognostic and Predictive Factors of Early Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE To identify risk factors for relapse and death in patients with T1 to T2 breast cancer with 0-3 positive axillary lymph nodes.METHODS The case files of 540 breast cancer patients with T1-T2 tumors with 0-3 positive nodes were reviewed retrospectively. Ten-year locoregional recurrence (LRR), distant recurrence (DR), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of the patients were analyzed. Univariate statistical analysis and Cox proportional hazards models were carried out with SPSS so ware v.16.0.RESULTS The median follow-up of all the patients was 7.2 years. On multivariate analysis, > 20% positive axillary nodes was the only variable that influenced LRR adversely (hazard ratio[HR], 12.816; 95% confidence interval, 4.657-35.266, P < 0.001); > 20% positive axillary nodes and ductal carcinoma were variables that influenced DR adversely (HR, 11.088, 95% confidence interval, 3.807-32.297, P < 0.001; HR, 0.390, 95% confidence interval, 0.179-0.851, P = 0.018); 1-3 positive axillary nodes and > 20% positive axillary nodes were the only variables that had negative e. ect on 10-year OS (HR, 2.110, 95% confi dence interval, 1.364-3.264, P = 0.001; HR, 10.244, 95% confidence interval, 3.497-30.011, P < 0.001) and they were also adverse prognostic variables on 10-year DFS (HR, 1.634, 95% confidence interval, 1.171-2.279, P = 0.004; HR, 7.339, 95% confi dence interval,2.906-18.530, P < 0.001).CONCLUSION Axillary lymph nodal status is the only risk factor with a signifi cant impact on 10-year LRR, DR, OS and DFS.Patients with T1-T2 breast cancer with 0-3 positive lymph nodes have the LRR and DR of over 10 years, and the OS and DFS of less than 10 years, compared to patients with negative lymph nodes.Histology in primary tumors is a signifi cant prognostic factor for the 10-year DR.     

Prognostic value of lymph node ratio in node-positive breast cancer in Egyptian patients

BackgroundBreast cancer in Egypt is the most common cancer among women and is the leading cause of cancer mortality. Traditionally, axillary lymph node involvement is considered among the most important prognostic factors in breast cancer. Nonetheless, accumulating evidence suggests that axillary lymph node ratio should be considered as an alternative to classical pN classification.Materials and methodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of patients with operable node-positive breast cancer, to investigate the prognostic significance of axillary lymph node ratio.ResultsFive-hundred patients were considered eligible for the analysis. Median follow-up was 35 months (95% CI 32–37 months), the median disease-free survival (DFS) was 49 months (95% CI, 46.4–52.2 months). The classification of patients based on pN staging system failed to prognosticate DFS in the multivariate analysis. Conversely, grade 3 tumors, and the intermediate (>0.20 to ⩽0.65) and high (>0.65) LNR were the only variables that were independently associated with adverse DFS. The overall survival (OS) in this series was 69 months (95% CI 60–77).ConclusionThe analysis of outcome of patients with early breast cancer in Egypt identified the adverse prognostic effects of high tumor grade, ER negativity and intermediate and high LNR on DFS. If the utility of the LNR is validated in other studies, it may replace the use of absolute number of axillary lymph nodes.     

Prognostic implication of metastasis limited to segmental (level 13) and/or subsegmental (level 14) lymph nodes in patients with surgically resected nonsmall cell lung carcinoma and pathologic N1 lymph node status

BACKGROUND:

In patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) who have with pathologic N1 (pN1) lymph node status, the prognostic significance of segmental lymph node (level 13) metastasis and/or subsegmental lymph node (level 14) metastasis is unknown.

METHODS:

Lymph node metastasis patterns were analyzed in 230 patients with NSCLC who had pN1 status. Clinical outcomes were examined for 230 patients with pN1 status and 700 patients with pN0 status. The pN1 group was stratified into 4 subgroups according to the highest level of lymph node involvement.

RESULTS:

The 5‐year disease‐free survival (5DFS) rates for pN1 and pN0 patients were 50.1% and 90.5%, respectively. The highest level of lymph node involvement was a significant prognostic indicator; the 5DFS rates for patients with pN1 status who had level 13/14, lobar (level 12), interlobar (level 11), and hilar (level 10) lymph node metastasis were 69.4%, 46.4%, 46.7%, and 37%, respectively. Patient outcomes were significantly worse for those with pN1 status who had only level 13/14 lymph node metastasis than for patients with pN0 status (P = .0034), and outcomes were significantly worse for patients with pN1 status who had level 11/12 lymph node metastasis than for patients who had only level 13/14 lymph node metastasis (P = .021). The median number of level 13/14 lymph nodes examined was 3 (range, 0‐22 level 13/14 lymph nodes), and metastases to these lymph nodes were detected in 61% of patients who had pN1 status. A single lymph node pN1 disease, single‐level pN1 status, and squamous cell carcinoma histopathology also were indicators of a better patient outcome.

CONCLUSIONS:

The current results indicated that the highest level of lymph node involvement may be used to stratify the outcome of patients who have NSCLC with pN1 status. Patients with pN1 status who had only level 13/14 lymph node metastasis had an intermediate 5DFS rate between that of patients with pN0 status and other patients with pN1 status. Routine examination of level 13/14 lymph nodes is important for accurate pathologic staging and for the predicting clinical outcome of patients with NSCLC. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.     

Axillary lymph node nanometastases are prognostic factors for disease-free survival and metastatic relapse in breast cancer patients.

PURPOSE: Early breast cancer presents with a remarkable heterogeneity of outcomes. Undetected, microscopic lymph node tumor deposits may account for a significant fraction of this prognostic diversity. Thus, we systematically evaluated the presence of lymph node tumor cell deposits相似文献   

Outcomes of a population-based series of early breast cancer patients with micrometastases and isolated tumour cells in axillary lymph nodes

BackgroundAxillary lymph node staging is traditionally important to provide prognostic information to guide further treatment. However, the relevance of isolated tumour cells (ITC) or micrometastases in axillary nodes and the need for adjuvant treatment remain uncertain.Patients and methodsData from 18 370 patients with pT1–2 breast cancer with pN0, pN0i+ or pN1mi were analysed. The primary end point was 5-year disease-free survival (locoregional recurrence, distant metastases or contralateral breast cancer).ResultsFive-year disease-free survival was 89.9% [95% confidence interval 89.5% to 90.4%]; and did not differ significantly between groups. After adjusting for prognostic factors (including treatment), patients with ITC had a comparable risk (hazard ratio = 1.12) as patients with node-negative disease, while patients with micrometastases had a 38% higher risk of recurrence.Conclusion(s)Patients with ITC and node-negative breast cancer appear to have similar prognosis, and those with micrometastases have a 38% higher risk of tumour recurrence. However, considering that disease-free survival is already high, we are reluctant to advise chemotherapy in all patients with ITC or micrometastases. In future, genomic tumour characteristics might predict the propensity of dissemination from the primary cancer better than the status of the axillary lymph nodes.     

Sentinel node micrometastases in breast cancer do not affect prognosis: a population-based study

Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) for axillary staging in breast cancer allows the application of more extensive pathologic examination techniques. Micrometastases are being detected more often, however, coinciding with stage migration. Besides assessing the prognostic relevance of micrometastases and the need for administering adjuvant systemic and regional therapies, there still seems to be room for improvement. In a population-based analysis, we compared survival of patients with sentinel node micrometastases with those with node-negative and node-positive disease in the era after introduction of SNB. Data from the population-based Eindhoven Cancer Registry were used on all (n = 6803) women who underwent SNB for invasive breast cancer in the Southeast Region of The Netherlands in the period 1996–2006. In 451 patients (6.6%) a sentinel node micrometastasis (pN1mi) was detected and in 126 patients (1.9%) isolated tumor cells (pN0(i+)). Micrometastases or isolated tumor cells in the SNB did not convey any significant survival difference compared with node-negative disease. After adjustment for age, pT, and grade, still no survival difference emerged pN1mi: [HR 0.9 (95% CI, 0.6–1.3)] and pN0(i+): [HR 0.4 (95% CI, 0.14–1.3)] and neither was the case after additional adjustment for adjuvant systemic therapy. Our practice-based study showed that the presence of sentinel node micrometastases in breast cancer patients has hardly any impact on breast cancer overall survival during the first years after diagnosis.     

Invasive lobular breast cancer: subtypes and outcome

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is the most common "special type" of breast cancer. Although conflicting literature data are available on the outcome of ILC, recently reported data indicate that ILC carries a poorer prognosis if compared to invasive ductal carcinomas. We evaluated clinical and biological features of 981 consecutive patients with pT1-3, pN1-3 M0 ILC. Median follow-up was 7.4 years for survival. A total of 541 patients were classified as classic (55.8%), 146 alveolar (14.9%), 145 mixed non-classic (14.8%), 104 solid (10.6%), and 38 trabecular (3.9%). A statistically significant difference in the outcome was observed at multivariate analysis for patients with solid (HR 2.44, 95% CI 1.39-4.29 for OS; HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.29-2.88 for DFS) and mixed non-classic (HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.12-3.53 for OS) versus patients with classical ILC. A statistically significant difference in the risk of distant metastases was observed at multivariate analysis for patients with Luminal B (HR 2.56, 95% CI 1.38-4.76), HER2 positive (HR 7.80, 95% CI 1.55-39.3), and triple negative (HR 7.61, 95% CI 2.63-22.1) subtypes versus patients with Luminal A ILC. Age ≥70 years, tumor size and degree of nodal involvement were additional independent predictors of reduced overall survival. The outcome of ILC significantly correlated with histological and immunohistochemically defined molecular subtypes. New tailored strategies should be explored in these subgroups of patients with poor outcome.     

Prognostic value of lymph node ratio in poor prognosis node‐positive breast cancer patients in Saudi Arabia

Aim: Women in Saudi Arabia develop breast cancer at a young age with high prevalence of poor prognostic features. Because of such features, it is necessary to examine prognostic factors in this population. One such factor is the prognostic role of lymph node ratio (LNR). Methods: We performed retrospective analyses of patients with invasive non‐metastatic breast cancer who underwent axillary lymph node dissection and had one or more positive axillary lymph nodes. Results: Two hundred and seventeen patients were considered eligible for the analysis. The median age was 46 years. At a median follow‐up of 39.8 months, the median disease‐free survival (DFS) was 67.3 months (95% CI, 50.4 to 84.3 months). Neither the classification of patients based on positive lymph node (pN) staging system, nor the absolute number of pN prognosticated DFS. Conversely, age ≤ 35 years at diagnosis, grade 3 tumors and the intermediate (>0.20 to ≤0.65) and high (>0.65) LNR categories were the only variables that were independently associated with adverse DFS. Using these variables in a prognostic model allowed the classification of patients into three distinctive risk strata. The overall survival (OS) in this series was 92.5 months (95% CI, 92.1–92.6). Only ER negative tumor adversely influenced OS. Conclusion: Analysis of survival outcome of mostly young patients with early breast cancer identified adverse prognostic variables affecting DFS. If the utility of the derived model including LNR is proven in a larger patient population, it may replace the use of absolute number of positive axillary lymph nodes.     

Randomized, controlled trial of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil versus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and fluorouracil with and without tamoxifen for high-risk, node-negative breast cancer: treatment results of Intergroup Protocol INT-0102.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the efficacy of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil (CMF) versus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and fluorouracil (CAF) in node-negative breast cancer patients with and without tamoxifen (TAM), overall and by hormone receptor (HR) status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Node-negative patients identified by tumor size (> 2 cm), negative HR, or high S-phase fraction (n = 2,690) were randomly assigned to CMF, CAF, CMF + TAM (CMFT), or CAF + TAM (CAFT). Cox regression evaluated overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) for CAF versus CMF and TAM versus no TAM separately. Two-sided CIs and one-sided P values for planned comparisons were calculated. RESULTS: Ten-year estimates indicated that CAF was not significantly better than CMF (P = .13) for the primary outcome of DFS (77% v 75%; HR = 1.09; 95% CI, 0.94 to 1.27). CAF had slightly better OS than CMF (85% v 82%, HR = 1.19 for CMF v CAF; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.43); values were statistically significant in the planned one-sided test (P = .03). Toxicity was greater with CAF and did not increase with TAM. Overall, TAM had no benefit (DFS, P = .16; OS, P = .37), but the TAM effect differed by HR groups. For HR-positive patients, TAM was beneficial (DFS, HR = 1.32 for no TAM v TAM; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.61; P = .003; OS, HR = 1.26; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.61; P = .03), but not for HR-negative patients (DFS, HR = 0.81 for no TAM v TAM; 95% CI, 0.64 to 1.03; OS, HR = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.60 to 1.05). CONCLUSION: CAF did not improve DFS compared with CMF; there was a slight effect on OS. Given greater toxicity, we cannot conclude CAF to be superior to CMF. TAM is effective in HR-positive disease, but not in HR-negative disease.     

Clinical implications of axillary sentinel lymph node 'micrometastases' in breast cancer.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine, from a series of cases, the frequency and prognostic factors of invasion of non-sentinel lymph nodes when the axillary sentinel lymph node contains a metastasis < or =2 mm, and thereby select a population in which completion axillary dissection could be omitted. METHODS: Between July 1996 and July 2003, 62 patients, which axillary sentinel lymph node contained a metastasis < or =2 mm had an evaluation of the axillary non-sentinel lymph nodes. Eleven patients had also an evaluation of internal mammary lymph nodes. RESULTS: Eleven patients had axillary non-sentinel lymph node invasion: six by metastases < or =2 mm and five by macrometastases. When internal mammary lymph nodes were also concerned, nodal invasion apart from the axillary sentinel lymph node was seen in 14 patients. Vascular lymphatic invasion was the only factor, statistically significant, linked to non-sentinel lymph node invasion (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Whatever the size or method of histological detection (pN1mi or pN0(i+)), the presence of a metastasis < or =2 mm in the axillary sentinel lymph node leads us to carry out completion axillary dissection to optimize staging and loco-regional control of the disease.