Acute Breast Pain Research Articles

Does the Use of BioZorb® Result in Smaller Breast Seroma Volume?

To evaluate the impact of BioZorb®, a 3D-bioabsorbable marker, on the tumor-bed boost volume and dosimetric parameters in adaptive boost planning for breast cancer. Records were reviewed for 51 breast-cancer patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant whole-breast irradiation between January 2017 and October 2018. Changes in lumpectomy boost volume (LBV), doses to organs at risk, toxicity and cosmesis were compared between patients with and without BioZorb® Chi-square test and paired and independent t-tests were used for comparisons of variables. Median follow-up was 35.5 months. Mean LBV on initial CT (LBV1; 32.2 vs. 33.8 cc, p=0.74) and on boost computed tomography (CT) (LBV2; 25.3 vs. 24.8 cc, p=0.87) were similar with and without BioZorb® The mean decrease from LBV1 to LBV2 was 9.0 cc and 6.8 cc with and without BioZorb®, respectively (p=0.42). LBV1 was significantly positively correlated with a 20% reduction in LBV (p=0.02). Mean heart and lung doses on adaptive boost planning CT were slightly lower compared to initial planning CT in both groups. Acute breast pain was reported in 18/51 patients, 9 of whom had BioZorb® (p=0.24). Grade-2 pain was reported in 5/51 patients, 3 of whom had BioZorb® (p=0.11). Excellent or good cosmesis was reported in 36/41 patients. Fair cosmesis was reported in 5/41 patients, of whom 2 had BioZorb® (p=0.64). BioZorb® placement does not impact the tumor-bed boost volume nor the variation of seroma volume within the period of treatment. More data and longer follow-up are needed to identify a measurable clinical impact of BioZorb® placement.

The Impact of Chemotherapy on Toxic Effects and Cosmetic Outcome in Patients Receiving Whole Breast Irradiation: An Analysis Within a Statewide Quality Consortium

We investigated whether the use of chemotherapy before whole breast irradiation (WBI) using either conventional fractionation (CWBI) or hypofractionation (HWBI) is associated with increased toxic effects or worse cosmetic outcome compared with WBI alone. We identified 6754 patients who received WBI alone (without a third field covering the superior axillary and supraclavicular nodal regions) with data prospectively collected in a statewide consortium. We reported rates of 4 toxic effects: physician-reported acute moist desquamation, patient-reported acute moderate/severe breast pain, a composite acute toxic effect measure (including moist desquamation and either patient- or physician-reported moderate/significant breast pain), and physician-reported impaired cosmetic outcome at 1 year after WBI. Successive multivariable models were constructed to estimate the effect of chemotherapy on these outcomes. Rates of moist desquamation, patient-reported pain, composite acute toxic effects, and impaired cosmetic outcome were 23%, 34%, 42%, and 10% for 2859 patients receiving CWBI and 13%, 28%, 31%, and 11% for 3895 patients receiving HWBI. Receipt of chemotherapy before CWBI was not associated with higher rates of patient-reported pain, composite acute toxic effects, or impaired cosmetic outcome compared with CWBI without chemotherapy but was associated with more moist desquamation (odds ratio, 1.32 [1.07-1.63]; P=.01). Receipt of chemotherapy before HWBI was not associated with higher rates of any of the 4 toxic effects compared with HWBI alone. In this cohort, use of chemotherapy before WBI was generally well tolerated. CWBI with chemotherapy but not HWBI with chemotherapy was associated with higher rates of moist desquamation. Rates of acute breast pain and impaired cosmetic outcome at 1 year were comparable in patients receiving chemotherapy before either CWBI or HWBI. These data support the use of HWBI after chemotherapy.

Abstract 2559: An analysis of patient-reported outcomes of radiation dermatitis in a multiracial/ethnic breast cancer population

Abstract More than half of cancer patients are treated with radiotherapy (RT), and many patients will develop acute radiation dermatitis (ARD) or skin reactions at some point during their treatment. In breast cancer, RT is a common adjuvant treatment and acute RT-induced dermatitis or skin reactions is a frequent side effect. Most acute RT-induced skin reactions resolve after several weeks, but some side effects persist and can cause serious complications. RD is reported by either the radiation oncologist or the patient and previous studies reported that there are disagreements between clinician-reported outcomes (CROs) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs). We have previously reported skin toxicity results using the National Cancer Institute's Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). The current study focused on PROs of ARD symptoms that most frequently affect breast cancer patients and the degree that treatment impacted their normal daily activities. We evaluate the quality of life questionnaire administered on the last day of RT to 516 breast cancer patients receiving RT. Participants were asked to rate ARD-related symptoms on a 5-point Likert scale (0=Not bothered at all to 4=Very much). The symptoms measured were breast tenderness, pain, itching, warmth to touch, swelling, hyperpigmentation, blistering, thickening of the skin, hardness of breast, flaking, slow healing wounds, and erythema. Patients were also asked to rate the extent to which their treatment disrupted their normal daily activities on a 10-point Likert scale (0=Not all to 10=A lot). Hyperpigmentation was the most commonly reported symptom, with 25% of patients being highly bothered by the symptom. Erythema followed as the second most commonly reported symptom. Of the total 516 patients, 320 (77%) reported some form of disruption to their normal daily activities due to treatment. A number of the patient reported ARD-related symptoms differ by race/ethnicity, age, obesity, smoking history, and tumor stage. The results from a recent systematic review and meta-analysis, CROs and PROs of breast RD showed strong concordance. However, investigators concluded that clinicians reported significantly more acute edema, less acute breast pain, and less chronic breast shrinkage than patients. Considering the increasing combined application of CROs and PROs in clinical trials, our future research will highlight a critical issue regarding the accuracy of symptom reporting and subsequent management provided to patients. We will identify strategies to standardize items using a single tool to accurately and precisely estimate ARD from both the clinician and patient. Given the negative impact of ARD on patients' quality of life, further studies of ARD symptomology from both a patient and clinician standpoint are necessary to improve ARD management. Citation Format: Laura G. Acosta, Cristiane Takita, Jean L. Wright, Isildinha M. Reis, George R. Yang, Jennifer J. Hu. An analysis of patient-reported outcomes of radiation dermatitis in a multiracial/ethnic breast cancer population [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 2559.

Self-reported pain in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant radiotherapy.

Breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy (RT) commonly report pain, contributing to physical and emotional distress, and potentially resulting in poor quality of life. This study prospectively identified trends and risk factors in patient-reported pain associated with breast irradiation using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and a study-specific Skin Symptom Assessment (SSA). Before RT and once per week during RT, patients completed the ESAS and SSA. Upon RT completion, patients were contacted via telephone to complete both assessments weekly for 6weeks, and a final assessment was conducted 1-3months post-RT. Only data from patients who had completed both assessments before, at least once during, and at least once after RT were included in our analysis. A total of 426 patients provided data for the analysis. Overall acute pain increased significantly at week 1-2 (p < 0.0001), week 5 (p = 0.0011), and at 1-3months (p < 0.0001) post-RT compared with baseline, and acute breast pain increased significantly at week 1 (p < 0.001) and week 2 (p = 0.0002) post-RT compared with baseline. Previous chemotherapy (adjuvant or neoadjuvant) in mastectomy patients was associated with increased overall pain compared with mastectomy patients without previous chemotherapy (p = 0.017). Younger patients (40-49 or 50-59years of age) reported more overall pain (p = 0.0001, p = 0.038) and breast pain (p = 0.0003, p = 0.0038) compared with patients ≥ 60years of age. Patient-reported pain associated with breast irradiation peaked 1week after RT completion. Our findings provide support for closer monitoring of acute pain associated with breast RT in younger patients.

Multi-centre technical evaluation of the radiation-induced lymphocyte apoptosis assay as a predictive test for radiotherapy toxicity

Predicting which patients will develop adverse reactions to radiotherapy is important for personalised treatment. Prediction will require an algorithm or nomogram combining clinical and biological data. The radiation-induced lymphocyte apoptosis (RILA) assay is the leading candidate as a biological predictor of radiotherapy toxicity. In this study we tested the potential of the assay for standardisation and use in multiple testing laboratories.The assay was standardised and reproducibility determined using samples from healthy volunteers assayed concurrently in three laboratories in Leicester (UK), Mannheim (Germany) and Montpellier (France). RILA assays were performed on samples taken prior to radiotherapy from 1319 cancer patients enrolled in the REQUITE project at multiple centres. The patients were being treated for breast (n = 753), prostate (n = 506) or lung (n = 60) cancer.Inter-laboratory comparisons identified several factors affecting results: storage time, incubation periods and type of foetal calf serum. Following standardisation, there was no significant difference in results between the centres. Significant differences were seen in RILA scores between cancer types (prostate > breast > lung), by smoking status (non-smokers > smokers) and co-morbidity with rheumatoid arthritis (arthritics > non-arthritics).An analysis of acute radiotherapy toxicity showed as expected that RILA assay does not predict most end-points, but unexpectedly did predict acute breast pain. This result may elucidate the mechanism by which the RILA assay predicts late radiotherapy toxicity.The work shows clinical trials involving multiple laboratory measurement of the RILA assay are feasible and the need to account for tumour type and other variables when applying to predictive models.

Acute breast pain after intake of Curcuma comosa Roxb rhizome

Sir, the use of medical plant for promotion of female reproductive health is rooted believed in Southeast Asia. In Thailand, Curcuma comosa (C. comosa) Roxb rhizome is widely used believing that it can promote good menstruation cycle and strong uterus. Here, the authors report a case of 50 – year old female patient presenting with complaint of acute breast pain after intake of C. comosa Roxb rhizome. This patient is a health female and has normal pelvic examination result from annual checkup. The patient notes that she intook C. comosa Roxb rhizome aiming at strengthening her uterus. However, 3 days after intake, she felt severe breast pain and visit to the physician. On breast examination, there is no mass and mammography shows no abnormality. This case is suggested to cease use of C. comosa Roxb rhizome and the clinical problem relieves within 1 week. In fact, C. comosa Roxb rhizome is confirmed for its estrogenic property. The composition within this plant acts as strong agonist to estrogen receptor[1]. It is an important phytoestrogen that can induce breast or reproductive problem in one who intake it.

Phantom phenomena in mastectomized patients and their relation to chronic and acute pre-mastectomy pain

Chronic and acute pre-mastectomy pain as well as prevalence and characteristics of phantom phenomena following mastectomy were investigated by interview in a sample of 39 women who had undergone unilateral breast amputation. Twenty of 39 participants reported phantom sensations in the breast. Nine of the participants with phantom sensations experienced phantom pain and 11 non-painful phantom sensations. Although some features of phantom breast phenomena appear to be similar to characteristics of phantom phenomena in limb amputees, phantom breast phenomena seem to differ in a variety of ways such as time of onset or localization. This difference may be explained by the absence of kinesthesis and the small representation of the human breast. Seven of the 39 participants experienced chronic and six acute breast pain prior to the amputation. The amount of chronic pre-mastectomy breast pain weighted by the amount of involved tissue was significantly higher among participants with non-painful phantom sensations, compared to women with painful phantoms and those without phantom phenomena.