Elderly Breast Cancer Patients Research Articles

Chronological age or biological age: What drives the choice of adjuvant treatment in elderly breast cancer patients?

Ma and colleagues reported in their study on 12,004 elderly patients published on Breast J. 2020, that adjuvant chemotherapy was not associated with overall survival. Given the toxicities associated with systemic treatments, caution recommendation or omission of chemotherapy may be considered in elderly patient selection especially when comorbidities are present. We agree with authors final conclusions but we want to highlight that to define the adjuvant therapy in BC elderly patients several factors need to be taken into account. One of the main issues is the lack of universal and unique guidelines to define elderly patients. In clinical practice it can be very difficult to estimate the benefit/risk ratio in elderly patients because chemotherapy-induced toxicity is worse than in younger individuals. For these reasons, beyond comorbidities, the choice of adjuvant therapy for elderly patients must also be based both on chronological and biological age. Moreover, the multidisciplinary team for the elderly patient evaluation should include both the geriatrician and the molecular biologist.

Breast surgical oncology in elderly and unfit patients: a systematic review

Breast cancer treatment in elderly women remains a complex issue due to pre-existing comorbidities, therapy-related toxicities, and the lack of evidence-based data in this population, leading to both overtreatment and undertreatment. The aim was to investigate the literature on breast surgical oncology in the older woman as a major therapeutic challenge: the 86 more consistent articles amongst 1440 potential citations according to PRISMA guidelines were retained. Studies demonstrated that despite low-grade tumor types, lower incidence of axillary lymph node involvement, ER+ disease, and less aggressive tumor biology, elderly breast cancer patients often receive less than the standard-of-care when compared to their younger counterparts. The surgery omission in elderlies and the preference for the primary endocrine treatment is associated with worse survival, especially in patients aged 80 years or over - a cohort with no specific recommendations concerning breast and axillary surgical procedures. On the other hand, a higher mastectomy rate is still considered the standard treatment in older women with higher T2:T1 tumor ratio and greater difficulties to attend radiotherapy due to severe comorbidities. Surgical de-escalation procedures even in an-ambulatory setting are recognized as a feasible option in these patients to prevent or palliate breast or chest wall symptoms. Benefits and disadvantages from surgery only or coupled with adjuvant therapies for elderly women were analyzed in literature, outlining a growing need for a proper geriatric assessment and short-stay surgical programs which are feasible today owing to the availability of less invasive approaches.

Is the oncotype DX test useful in elderly breast cancer patients: a subgroup analysis of real-life Italian PONDx study.

The 21-gene Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score® test, (Genomic Health, Redwood City CA) has not been formally evaluated in an older cohort with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer (BC) in term of physicians' treatment decisions. We determine the utility of Recurrence Score® (RS) result on adjuvant therapy prescription in elderly patients with resected early BC. PONDx was a multicenter, prospective, observational study, and which investigated the real-life use of the Oncotype DX® test by physicians treating early BC patients in clinical practice. Data from the elderly extracted from 1724 BC patients who underwent Oncotype DX testing were available from 27 reference centers located in 6 regions of Italy (Lombardia, Lazio, Emilia Romagna, Campania, Abruzzo, and Marche). A total of 230 patients (13% of the total population) aged > 70years were analyzed. The study primarily evaluated the impact of the Oncotype DX test on adjuvant treatment decisions. Physicians chosen chemotherapy plus endocrine therapy in 36% of elderly patients and 46% of those 50-70years before the Oncotype DX test. After knowing the RS data, these rates fell to 23 and 33% (38 and 28% relative reduction, respectively). 21-gene test may be helpful even in a relatively low-risk group as elderly patients and may avoid the toxicity of adjuvant chemotherapy in a significant amount. If the Oncotype DX test is currently adopted on a large scale among the elderly and may impact the general prognosis of elderly BC patients, it is challenging and still unproven.

Obesity in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Patients: It Is Time to Improve Actions for a Healthier Lifestyle. The Results of a Comparison Between Two Italian Regions With Different "Presumed" Lifestyles.

BackgroundAdult body fatness is a convincing risk factor for postmenopausal breast cancer. With the aim to compare the different breast cancer (BC) features in Northern and Southern Italy, we investigated the relationship between BMI and BC characteristic in two groups of patients referred in the Modena and Lecce breast units.Materials and MethodsA retrospective analysis of a continuous series of BC patients referred to the Città di Lecce Hospital and the Modena Cancer Center, from January 2019 to December 2020 was performed. We identified four groups of BMI at BC diagnosis: underweight, BMI <18.5 kg/m2; normal weight, BMI ≥ 18.5–24.9 kg/m2; overweight, BMI ≥ 25.0–29.9 kg/m2; obese, BMI ≥30.0 kg/m2. BC characteristics and clinical outcomes were analyzed by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Mann-Whitney U test; categorical data were compared using Pearson’s chi-square test, and dicotomic data were compared by odds ratio.ResultsNine hundred seventy-seven BC patients were included in the analysis. Overall, 470 were from Modena and 507 from Lecce. No differences were observed in the mean age of BC patients of Modena (61,42) and Lecce (62,08). No statistical differences between the two populations were shown in terms of tumor characteristics and pathological stage. Conversely, a statistical difference of BMI between the BC patients coming from Modena and Lecce (25.87 and 27.81, respectively; p = 0.000001) was found. BC patients diagnosed in Lecce at age ≥70 years had higher median BMI compared with the ones from Modena (p = 0.000002). The increased BMI in this aged population was also associated to larger tumor size (p = 0.040).ConclusionThe rate of overweight and obesity was higher in BC women living in Southern Italy, despite the presumed nutrition according to the so-called Mediterranean type dietary pattern. Unexpectedly, an increased BMI rate and a relationship with larger tumor size were found in Southern BC patients aged ≥70 years. Our findings strongly support the need for promoting a healthier lifestyle model in Italy, with the aim of reducing the rate of the obesity and, consequently, the increased risk of BC.

Association between rs61764370, rs9266, and rs140080026 polymorphisms of the KRAS gene and breast cancer risk in a Mexican population.

Polymorphisms of the KRAS gene have been shown to be associated with cancer. However, their association with breast cancer (BC) has been inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency with which the rs61764370, rs9266, and rs140080026 polymorphisms of the KRAS gene are associated with BC in patients of the Mexican population. The rs61764370 A>C or T>G and rs140080026 A>G polymorphisms were determined by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and the rs9266 A>G polymorphism was determined by DNA sequencing of healthy Mexican subjects and BC patients. We observed that 78% of BC patients are overweight and/or obese, 57% have metastatic lymph nodes, 64% have luminal A/B cancer subtypes, and 61% have stage III-IV cancer. The rs61764370 polymorphism was associated with BC susceptibility when the BC patients and the control group were compared for the AC genotype (p = 0.020), AC vs. AA genotypes (heterozygous model: p = 0.016), AC/CC genotype (dominant model: p = 0.002), and the C allele (p = 0.007). The AC/CC genotype (p = 0.018; rs61764370) and AG/GG genotype (p = 0.005; rs9266) were associated with age in BC patients ≥50 years old. The AC/CC (rs61764370) and AG/GG (rs9266) genotypes were classified by molecular subtype, TNM stage, miscarriage, lymph node metastasis, ductal type, and Ki-67. These classifications were also associated with BC patients, indicating that these factors may significantly contribute to BC risk. The AAA (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.43-0.98, p = 0.039) and CAA (OR 3.25, 95% CI 1.13-9.36, p = 0.021) haplotypes were also associated with BC susceptibility. In addition, 94 polymorphisms were identified on the 3'UTR of the KRAS gene GRCh 38/hg3 (25,209,490-25,209,122) in BC (n = 112) and control (n = 113) samples. However, 92 of these polymorphisms have only expressed the major allele (wild-type allele). The rs61764370 polymorphism in the KRAS gene was associated with BC susceptibility in the Mexican population. The dominant model of the rs61764370 and rs9266 polymorphisms (classified by molecular subtype, miscarriage, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, and Ki-67) could significantly contribute to BC risk in patients ≥50 years. The CAA haplotype could significantly contribute to BC risk in the Mexican population analyzed.

Evaluation of Adjuvant Radiation and Endocrine Therapy in Elderly Patients with Early-Stage Breast Cancer

<h3>Purpose/Objective(s)</h3> Several prospective trials demonstrated the feasibility of the omission of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) among elderly breast cancer patients without worsening overall mortality. However, 50-70% of patients could not finish the full course of adjuvant ET, and select elderly patients may be at risk for undertreatment and tumor recurrences. This study compares the survival outcome of various adjuvant therapies in elderly patients with breast cancer. <h3>Materials/Methods</h3> The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for female patients above 65 years old, diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, pT1-2N0 (tumor size up to 3 cm) breast cancer who underwent BCS followed by either adjuvant RT, ET, or both. Primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), evaluated by Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox multivariable analysis. Propensity score matching was used to address selection bias. <h3>Results</h3> A total of 16494 patients with a median age of 69 (interquartile range [IQR] 67-73) were analyzed, including 814, 1425, and 14255 patients treated with RT, ET, or both, respectively. On Cox multivariable analysis, ET alone was not associated with improved survival outcome (hazards ratio [HR] 1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.73-1.38, <i>P</i> = 1.00) compared to RT alone. However, RT combined with ET was associated with improved OS (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.45-0.76, <i>P</i> < 0.001) compared to RT alone. When propensity score matching was performed, 424 and 683 pairs were matched for RT vs ET alone and RT vs RT and ET. All patient and tumor characteristics were well balanced. There was no difference in OS between RT and ET alone (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.60-1.65, <i>P</i> = 0.97), while RT combined with ET was associated with improved OS (HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.34-0.86, <i>P</i> = 0.009). <h3>Conclusion</h3> RT alone may be considered as an alternative option in elderly patients who decline or may not tolerate ET, while RT combined with ET may be preferred for select elderly patients.

376 Management of Breast Cancer in elderly patients

Abstract Aim To evaluate the care and outcomes for women with breast cancer over the age of 70 and to compare our performance at AUH against the national outcomes. Method Using the online database at AUH we gathered the following data: age, TNM status, surgical management, histology, adjuvant treatment (radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy) and reasons for alterations in planned therapy. Results We audited 176 patients between 2018 and 2019. Age varied between 70 and 95 years old. 10 patients suffered from DCIS, 152 from invasive breast cancer and 14 from de novo metastatic breast cancer. 40% of patients with DCIS with underwent WLE, 40% underwent mastectomy and 20% were not offered an operation as they were unfit. Invasive breast cancer accounted for the majority of cases. 86% were ER/PR positive and 12.2% were Her-2 positive. 35.7% underwent mastectomy, 64.4% underwent WLE and 0.8% VAB excision. 51.7% had Sentinel node biopsy, 15.3% underwent axillary clearance and 1.7 % had axillary sampling. 7.9% of patients presented with metastatic disease. 2.6% of those patients had palliative radiotherapy. Primary endocrine therapy was commenced on 21.1% of patients. Factors that lead to PET were that 47% of patients were unfit for an operation, 20.6% refused surgical intervention, 11.7% had concurrent aggressive malignancy and 8.8% were inoperable. Conclusions Overall, successful results were achieved for this group of patients compared to the national outcomes. 99.4% of patients in our centre had triple assessment prior to MDT. Further review of functional status and service outcomes will be required to be audited.

Conservative treatment of early hormone-dependent breast cancer in elderly patients (65 years and older)

Background.Standard treatment for hormone-dependent operable breast cancer includes surgery, hormone therapy (HT), and radiation therapy and chemotherapy (when necessary). Some elderly patients do not undergo surgery because of the high risk or refuse to be operated on. In such case, the only possible option is conservative treatment with hormones (± radiotherapy).Objective:to compare progression-free survival, local relapse-free survival, and metastasis-free survival between elderly patients with hormone-dependent breast cancer receiving different treatments (surgery + HT vs HT alone).Materials and methods.This study included 60 patients with stage I–II hormone-dependent breast cancer aged 65 years and older. Thirty patients in the experimental group received HT only, while 30 patients in the control group received surgery + adjuvant HT. All patients were treated at Saint Petersburg Clinical Oncology Dispensary. Patients were followed up for 3 years.Results.During 3 years of the study, three women from the experimental group (10 %) were found to have local tumor growth despite treatment. Three patients in the control group (10 %) also had disease progression, but it was associated with the development of bone metastases.Conclusion.The conservative approach to treatment of early hormone-dependent breast cancer in elderly patients is a possible option in routine clinical practice; however, it requires the analysis of indications and identification of patients who will benefit from this approach.

Oncofertility Knowledge and Communication: Comparison Between Medical and Surgical Oncologists and Breast Cancer Patients in Academic Chinese Centers.

Background: As cancer has become a major public health issue in China, fertility preservation remains limited despite the wide application of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) throughout the country.Objective: This study aimed to identify gaps in knowledge and communication as well as referrals in the previous year regarding oncofertility among medical and surgical oncologists and breast cancer patients (BCPs) in Chinese academic settings to target areas of needed improvement.Materials and Methods: A WeChat online questionnaire was designed, distributed, and compared between medical and surgical oncology specialists and reproductive age BCPs in academic teaching settings in Shanghai.Results: Sixty-one medical and surgical oncologists and 125 BCPs responded to the survey. 63.3% of oncologists were familiar with the term “oncofertility” compared to 25.6% of BCPs (p < 0.001). Oncologists were more likely to correctly know the costs associated with treatment (59.0 vs. 32.0%, p < 0.001); patient did not have to be married to undergo oncofertility treatment (50.8 vs. 24.8%, p < 0.001). Both oncologists and BCPs were similarly unlikely to know when patients could utilize cryopreserved tissue in the future (37.7 vs. 22.2%, p = 0.056). While oncologists reported they discussed all oncofertility options (41.0%) and offered psychological counseling (98.4%), significantly fewer BCPs reported receiving information on all options and offered counseling (3.2%, p < 0.001 and 85.6%, p < 0.01). Knowledge of oncofertility was the most important predictor for providing and receiving counseling from oncologists [OR = 6.44 (95% CI = 1.59–26.1, p = 0.009] and BCPs (OR = 3.73 95% CI: = 1.36–10.2, p = 0.011). Overall, 57.4% of oncologists referred <10 patients and none referred more than 25 patients in the past year.Conclusion: Data suggests a significant knowledge gap and ineffective communication/comprehension exists between academic Chinese oncologists and BCPs. Continued education and raised awareness are needed to optimize utilization of oncofertility services in China.

Tumor Size Measurements with Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in Elderly Breast Cancer Patients: A Comparison of Breast MRI with Mammography and Ultrasound

Background: With a rapid increase in the aging population around the world, there has been a surge in the number of elderly breast cancer patients. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is commonly used in preoperative assessments for elderly patients. However, there has been no consensus on the accuracy of tumor size measurements by MRI. Objectives: To compare the accuracy of MRI versus conventional imaging methods, namely, mammography (MG) and ultrasound (US), in tumor size measurements in elderly patients and to determine the predictors of measurement accuracy. Patients and Methods: This study was conducted on 134 patients, aged 50 years or above (137 breasts with invasive cancer). The tumor size and T stage were assessed using MG, US, and MRI, and the results were compared with pathological findings. The tumor size differences between the imaging and pathological findings were classified as ≤ 0.5 cm or &gt; 0.5 cm. Differences in tumor size and T stage were analyzed based on age group (≥ 60 years vs. &lt; 60 years), using chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and Cohen’s kappa coefficient. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were also measured. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the predictors that influenced tumor size differences. Results: Tumor size differences ≤ 0.5 cm, T-stage agreement, and diagnostic performance for T stages ≥ 2 were higher in the elderly group compared to the younger group on MRI. The T-stage agreement with the histopathological results was higher on MRI compared to conventional imaging methods. For diagnosis of T stages ≥ 2, MRI showed the highest sensitivity, while US showed the highest specificity. The calcification type, dense breasts, and histological grade 3 were predictors of tumor size differences &gt; 0.5 cm. Conclusion: The accuracy of tumor size measurements on MRI was higher in elderly patients aged ≥ 60 years. The diagnostic accuracy further increased in elderly patients with non-dense breasts and mass-type lesions. In T-stage analysis, MRI showed the highest sensitivity, while US showed the highest specificity.

Abstract 799: Reduced diversity of HLA class II alleles may contribute to the early manifestation of breast cancer in BRCA1 mutation carriers

Abstract Female carriers of germline BRCA1 mutation almost inevitably develop breast cancer (BC). However, the age of BRCA1-associated cancer onset varies widely. We hypothesize that age-related penetrance of BRCA1 mutations may depend on the inherited variability in the host immune system. We utilized high-throughput HLA-typing to describe 10 classical HLA class I/II loci for 90 young (&amp;lt;38 y.o.) and 73 elderly (&amp;gt;57 y.o.) BRCA1-mutated BC patients. 39% of young females were homozygous for two or more HLA-II loci; this was significantly higher than in the “elderly” cohort [OR = 3.23; p = 0.002]. In contrast, women who harboured identical alleles at HLA-B locus (class I) had increased chances to stay tumour-free to their older ages [OR = 3.02; p = 0.077]. Allele HLA-DBR1*11:03/04 was overtly overrepresented in elderly BRCA1-driven BC [11% vs. 3%, p = 0.006]. The frequencies of HLA-DRB1*01:01 and HLA-DQB1*05 were significantly higher in group of “young” patients [p = 0.020 and p = 0.011, correspondently]. The tumour immunogenicity was analyzed in early-onset and late-onset BC patients through the evaluation of the intratumoral density of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (TILs) with anti-CD8 IHC staining. 5/10 carcinomas arisen in young BRCA1-carriers were classified as a “hot” phenotype with a high density of TILs across the tumour. Inversely, the BC developed in “elderly” women was characterized by the reduced levels of TILs. Conclusions: 1) the limited repertoire of HLA peptides caused by the homozygosity for HLA II loci may increase susceptibility to BC in BRCA1-carriers and manifest by early disease onset; 2) tumours from “elderly” BRCA1-associated patients have reduced levels of lymphocytic infiltration compared to “young” patients. The research is supported by RSF grant #19-15-00207 Citation Format: Ekaterina ShKuligina, Alexandr A. Romanko, Tatjana Jankevic, Aleksandr S. Martianov, Tatyana N. Sokolova, Alexandr O. Ivantsov, Evgeny N. Imyanitov. Reduced diversity of HLA class II alleles may contribute to the early manifestation of breast cancer in BRCA1 mutation carriers [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 799.

The impact of sociodemographic factors on the utilization of radiation therapy in breast cancer patients in Estonia: a register-based study

BackgroundRadiation therapy is an important part of multimodal breast cancer treatment. The aim was to examine the impact of sociodemographic factors on radiation therapy use in breast cancer (BC) patients in Estonia, linking cancer registry data to administrative databases.MethodsEstonian Cancer Registry provided data on women diagnosed with BC in Estonia in 2007–2018, including TNM stage at diagnosis. Use of radiation therapy within 12 months of diagnosis was determined from Estonian Health Insurance Funds claims, and sociodemographic characteristics from population registry. Receipt of radiation therapy was evaluated over time and by clinical and sociodemographic factors. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to calculate univariate and multivariate prevalence rate ratios (PRR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for receipt of radiation therapy among stage I–III BC patients age < 70 years who underwent primary surgery.ResultsOverall, of 8637 women included in the study, 4310 (50 %) received radiation therapy within 12 months of diagnosis. This proportion increased from 39 to 58 % from 2007 to 2009 to 2016–2018 (p < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that compared to women with stage I BC, those with more advanced stage were less likely to receive radiation therapy. Receipt of radiation therapy increased significantly over time and was nearly 40 % higher in 2016–2018 than in 2007–2009. Use of radiation therapy was significantly lower for women with the lowest level of education compared to those with a university degree (PRR 0.88, 95 % CI 0.80–0.97), and for divorced/widowed women (PRR 0.95, 95 % CI 0.91–0.99) and single women (PRR 0.92, 95 % CI 0.86–0.99), compared to married women. Age at diagnosis, nationality and place of residence were not associated with receipt of radiation therapy.ConclusionsThe study showed considerable increase in the use of radiation therapy in Estonia over the study period, which is in line with increases in available equipment. The lack of geographic variations suggests equal access to therapy for patients living in remote regions. However, educational level and marital status were significantly associated with receipt of radiation therapy, highlighting the importance of psychosocial support in ensuring equal access to care.

Sociodemographic and clinicopathologic features of elderly breast cancer patients in Brazil: A sub-analysis of AMAZONA III study (GBCAM 0115).

e12603 Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common invasive cancer diagnosed in women worldwide. The risk of developing BC increases with age. Studies have shown that approximately up to half of BC cases occur in patients aged 65 years and older. To better understand and characterize elderly patients with BC in Brazil, we performed a sub analysis of AMAZONA III study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02663973). Methods: The AMAZONA III study (GBCAM 0115) is a prospective cohort study that included 2,950 women with newly diagnosed invasive BC from January 2016 to March 2018 in 23 Brazilian sites. For this sub analysis, only BC patients aged 65 years and older were included. To compare sociodemographic and clinicopathologic features we classify patients into two groups: cohort 65 to 75 years of age and cohort 75 years and older. Qualitative variables were described by absolute and relative frequencies and compared with Chi-square test. Results: Of 2,950 BC patients from AMAZONA IIII study, 602 (20.8%) were ≥ 65 years-old and were included in this sub analysis. Most patients (93.1%) had ECOG performance status 0-1, 63.4% were white. In terms of educational level, 68.6% had reported completing primary school or less. At diagnosis, 23.7% of patients had clinical stage (CS) I, 41.9% had CS II, 28.2% had CS III, and 6.2% had CS IV disease. The majority of BC were detected by symptoms and only 34.2% were detected by screening. Regarding pathological characteristics, half of cases were grade 2, 58.7% were hormone receptor positive, 25% were HER-2 positive, and 16.0% were triple negative. When evaluated by subgroup, patients from cohort 75 years and older were more frequently diagnosed at advanced clinical stages and had worse ECOG performance status at diagnosis. There was no statistically significant difference in molecular subtype, tumor grade, and mode of BC detection (Table). Conclusions: Elderly patients commonly had BC detected by symptoms. Patients from cohort 75 years and older are diagnosed more frequently with advanced disease and worse performance status than patients from cohort 65 to 75 years. Strategies to improve BC screening and educational programs among elderly patients are warranted to guarantee accessibility to early BC diagnosis.[Table: see text]

P171. ER negative breast cancer in the elderly

Introduction: Management of hormone receptor-insensitive breast cancer in elderly patients is challenging. NABCOP noticed late diagnosis/undertreatment as the main reasons for poor outcome. The 2020 NABCOP report shows 95% and 83% respectively of ER-negative patients between 70-79 and 80+ years underwent surgery, whereas only 30% received adjuvant chemotherapy. The report also shows better 12-month survival in ER-negative patients receiving chemotherapy. In this study, we evaluate the management and outcome of ER-negative cancers in the NABCOP age group.

O79: THE ROLE OF SENTINEL LYMPH NODE BIOPSY IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS OVER THE AGE OF 80 – HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

Abstract Introduction Recent studies have suggested that sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) can be omitted in newly diagnosed elderly breast cancer (BC) patients as it may not influence decisions regarding further therapeutic intervention. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of SLNB on further surgical intervention as well as adjuvant treatments in patients over the age of 80. Method A retrospective study was performed involving all BC patients over the age of 80 diagnosed between 2008 and 2017 who underwent SLNB as part of their initial surgery. Patient/tumour characteristics and adjuvant treatments were recorded. Result 127 patients underwent SLNB in the study period. The median age was 82 (Range: 80-95). 91/127 (71.6%) had ductal pathology, median tumour grade was 2, and oestrogen receptor positivity was seen in 89% of patients. The median number of sentinel nodes removed was 2 (Range: 1-6). 45 patients (35.4%) had a positive sentinel node (median positive nodes = 1). Of the 45 patients, 11 proceeded to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) (11/127; 8.6%). The median number of nodes excised during ALND was 14 (Range:7-25) and 6 patients (6/11) had further positive nodes. 9% of patients with a positive node received adjuvant chemotherapy, 87% received adjuvant radiotherapy and 79% received hormonal therapy. Conclusion Although SLNB positivity is still used in the elderly patients, only a few patients (&amp;lt;10%) proceed to ALND or receive adjuvant chemotherapy. Hence performing a SLNB should be carefully considered when treating patients over the age of 80 Take-home message The use of SLNB in elderly patients needs to be considered in node negative patients

Endocrine therapy with accelerated Partial breast irradiatiOn or exclusive ultra-accelerated Partial breast irradiation for women aged ≥ 60 years with Early-stage breast cancer (EPOPE): The rationale for a GEC-ESTRO randomized phase III-controlled trial

PurposeBreast cancer in the elderly has become a public health concern; there is a need to re-design its treatment with a view to de-escalation. Our paper sets out the rationale for a phase 3 randomized trial to evaluate less burdensome adjuvant procedures that remain effective and efficient. Materials and methodsFor low-risk breast cancer in the elderly, adjuvant treatment has been adjusted in order to make it more suitable and efficient. Hypofractionated radiation therapy based on accelerated or non-accelerated regimens as well as accelerated and ultra-accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) protocols were reviewed. Withdrawal of radiation (RT) or endocrine therapies (ET) from the adjuvant procedure were also investigated. Based on molecular and APBI classifications, inclusion criteria were discussed. ResultsPhase 3 randomized trials which compared standard vs. accelerated/non-accelerated hypofractionated regimens confirmed that the latter were non-inferior in terms of local control. Similarly, except for intraoperative-based techniques, APBI achieved non-inferior local control rates compared to whole breast irradiation for low-risk breast cancer. In phase 2 prospective trials using ultra APBI, encouraging results were observed regarding oncological outcome and toxicity profile. In phase 3 trials, adjuvant ET without RT significantly increased the rate of local relapse with no impact on overall survival while RT alone proved effective. Elderly patients aged 60 or more with low-risk, luminal A breast cancer were chosen as the target population in a phase 3 randomized trial comparing APBI + 5-year ET vs. uAPBI (16 Gy 1f) alone. ConclusionTo investigate de-escalation adjuvant treatment for elderly breast cancer patients, we have defined a road map for testing more convenient strategies. This EPOPE phase 3 randomized trial is supported by the GEC-ESTRO breast cancer working group.

Construction and Comparison of ceRNA Regulatory Network for Different Age Female Breast Cancer.

Studies have shown the difference appearing among the prognosis of patients in different age groups. However, the molecular mechanism implicated in this disparity have not been elaborated. In this study, expression profiles of female breast cancer (BRCA) associated mRNAs, lncRNAs and miRNAs were downloaded from the TCGA database. The sample were manually classified into three groups according to their age at initial pathological diagnosis: young (age ≤ 39 years), elderly (age ≥ 65 years), and intermediate (age 40–64 years). lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was respectively constructed for different age BRCA. Then, the biological functions of differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) in ceRNA network were further investigated by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. Finally, survival analysis was used to identify prognostic biomarkers for different age BRCA patients. We identified 13 RNAs, 38 RNAs and 40 RNAs specific to patients aged ≤ 39 years, aged 40–64 years, and aged ≥ 65 years, respectively. Furthermore, the unique pathways were mainly enriched in cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction in patients aged 40–64 years, and were mainly enriched in TGF-beta signaling pathway in patients aged ≥ 65 years. According to the survival analysis, AGAP11, has-mir-301b, and OSR1 were respectively functioned as prognostic biomarkers in young, intermediate, and elderly group. In summary, our study identified the differences in the ceRNA regulatory networks and provides an effective bioinformatics basis for further understanding of the pathogenesis and predicting outcomes for different age BRCA.

SA 10.1 - Management of breast cancer in elderly patients

SA 10.1 - Management of breast cancer in elderly patients

Evaluating and Balancing the Risk of Breast Cancer-Specific Death and Other Cause-Specific Death in Elderly Breast Cancer Patients.

Purpose: The dilemma of undertreatment and overtreatment of elderly breast cancer patients is common. This study aimed to investigate clinicopathological features, treatment modalities, and survival in women diagnosed with breast cancer at age 70 years or over, and to assist clinicians in developing individualized treatment plans by balancing the risks of breast cancer-specific death (BCSD) and other cause-specific death (OCSD).Methods: This retrospective study included 420 women who were diagnosed with pathologically confirmed invasive breast cancer at age 70 years or older from January 2008 to December 2015 at Peking University People's Hospital (PKUPH). We collected baseline health status, tumor characteristics, treatment choices, and outcomes and created nomograms for clinicians to estimate individualized BCSD and OCSD risk directly.Results: During a median follow-up of 71.5 months (range 2 to 144 months) in patients with stage I–III tumors, breast cancer specific survival (BCSS) was 92.4% (376/407) and overall survival (OS) was 78.1% (318/407). There were 89 deaths, and 65.2% (58/89) were non-breast cancer related. Upon multivariate analysis by Cox regression model, tumor size, positive lymph nodes, Ki-67, and surgery were independent predictors of BCSS, and comorbidities, positive lymph nodes, Ki-67, surgery, and endocrine therapy were independent predictors of OS. Propensity score weighted (PSW) was applied to analyze therapeutic efficacy, and there was BCSS and OS benefit with surgery (both p < 0.001), BCSS benefit with chemotherapy (p = 0.029), BCSS and OS benefit with endocrine therapy (p = 0.006 and 0.004), and neither BCSS nor OS benefit with radiotherapy (RT) (p = 0.348 and 0.289). Competing-risk nomograms were developed to estimate cumulative mortality probabilities for BCSD and OCSD for individual patients according to clinicopathologic characteristics and treatments. The calibration curves displayed exceptionally, with C-indexes 0.714 for BCSD and 0.717 for OCSD.Conclusions: Older patients had greater risk of dying from non-breast cancer causes. Surgery, chemotherapy, and endocrine therapy were associated with improved survival. Competing risk nomograms allowed individual assessment of BCSD and OCSD, based on clinicopathological characteristics and treatment options, and can be used as a tool to help in choosing appropriate treatment strategies.This study was approved by the Peking University People's Hospital Research Ethics Board on September 4, 2018.

Treatment patterns and outcomes in older women with early breast cancer: a population-based cohort study in China

BackgroundDespite the proportion of elderly breast cancer patients has been consistently increasing, the optimal treatment modalities for this population have not been well explored. We summarized the treatment outcomes of these patients in our hospital.MethodsOlder patients with early breast cancer were identified from the Breast Cancer Information Management System at West China Hospital, Sichuan University (2000–2019). We compared tumor characteristics and treatment outcomes between the older group (65–74 years old) and the elderly group (≥75 years old). The Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis were conducted to determine significant prognostic factors.ResultsIn total, 1094 patients were included. The median follow-up time for this cohort was 59 months. The majority of patients underwent surgery and benefited from surgical treatment. Elderly group patients were less likely to receive adjuvant chemotherapy or postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) compared to the older group. However, adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with improved overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR] 0.521, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.284–0.955, P = 0.035). Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with grade III disease best benefited from adjuvant chemotherapy. PMRT offered a significant improvement in local disease control, but not in OS. Furthermore, endocrine therapy improved the OS of HR-positive patients (HR 0.440, 95%CI 0.261–0.741, P = 0.002), especially for cases aged 65–74 years. Also, receipt of trastuzumab in HER2-positive patients was associated with better OS (HR 0.168, 95%CI 0.029–0.958, P = 0.045).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, endocrine and targeted therapy are associated with improved OS in older breast cancer patients. Moreover, clinicopathological characteristics should be comprehensively considered when making treatment decisions for these patients.