Recurrence In Breast Cancer Patients Research Articles

Abstract P3-05-06: Prognostic impact of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related liver fibrosis on postoperative long-term outcomes of breast cancer

Abstract Background: Obesity, the modern ‘epidemic’, has shared correlation with fatty liver disease and breast cancer. However, previous studies on the relation between fatty liver and breast cancer have shown conflicting results on the impact of fatty liver on the survival and recurrence of breast cancer patients. And there was no attempt to find out the effect of liver fibrosis, which is the consequence of fatty liver disease, on female breast cancer patients. So we attempted to investigate the prognostic value of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH)-related liver fibrosis in patients with breast cancer undergoing surgery, using noninvasive tools like liver-to-spleen attenuation(L/S) ratio and Fibrosis-4(FIB-4) score, respectively. Methods: A total of 933 patients diagnosed with primary invasive breast cancer and receiving surgery at the university-affiliated referral center between April 2006 and December 2019 were included. After excluding patients who had significant alcohol consumption and hepatitis viral infection,838 patients were divided into two groups according to the L/S ratio of 1 measured by the preoperative low-dose computed tomography: 91 patients(10.9%) with a L/S ratio< 1 vs 747 patients(89.1%) with a L/S ratio≥1. They were also divided into two groups based on the FIB-4 score of 2.67: 804 patients (95.9%) with a FIB-4 score< 2.67 vs 34 patients (4.1%) with a FIB-4 score≥2.67. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and the 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Patients with NAFLD were older, had higher BMI, and had a higher proportion of mastectomy and hyper-transaminasemia. They showed worse overall, disease-free, and regional recurrence-free survivals compared to those without NAFLD (p=0.008, 0.043, and 0.017, respectively), but no significant differences in local recurrence-free, systemic recurrence-free, and contralateral breast cancer-free survivals. The survival outcome of breast cancer did not show any relationship with NASH-related liver fibrosis (overall survival; p=0.061, disease-free survival; p=0.557). NAFLD was a significant risk factor for mortality in multivariable analysis (HR, 2.077; 95% CI, 1.052–4.102; p=0.035). After stratifying for subtypes of breast cancer, the L/S ratio remained a significant predictor of overall, disease-free, local recurrence-free, and regional recurrence-free survivals in only the hormone receptor-positive/HER2−negative subtype (p=0.007, 0.005, 0.009, and < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: NAFLD is significantly associated with decreased overall survival, disease-free survival and increased regional recurrence in patients with breast cancer especially the hormone receptor-positive/HER2−negative subtype. NASH-related fibrosis was not associated with survival. Therefore, NAFLD should be assessed in the preoperative setting for predicting long-term prognoses of breast cancer patients Citation Format: Hyunsu Yeoh, Siwon Jang, Jong-Ho Cheun, Jin Ah Kwon, Myoung Seok Lee, Bumjo Oh, In Sil Choi, Sohee Oh, Jongjin Kim, Jeong Hwan Park, Won Kim, Ki-Tae Hwang. Prognostic impact of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related liver fibrosis on postoperative long-term outcomes of breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-05-06.

Perfectionism, intolerance of uncertainty and coping in relation to fear of cancer recurrence in breast cancer patients.

Improved medical treatment has led to an increased cohort of cancer survivors. The prevalence of emotional problems in this group is high, with fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) being among the most prevalent and distressing conditions. In order to gain more insight in the psychological mechanisms playing a role in levels of FCR, this study examined the relationship between perfectionism and FCR in breast cancer patients, as well as the mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and coping in this relationship. In order to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms related to the experience of FCR in breast cancer patients, the purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between perfectionism and FCR, with IU and coping strategies as possible mediating factors. Validated Dutch versions of the FCR Inventory, the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale and the Utrechtse Coping List were filled out by 146 breast cancer patients, at least one year after (finishing) medical treatment. Correlation analyses were conducted to administer the associations between FCR, perfectionism, IU, coping and demographic/medical variables. PROCESS was used to examine mediation mechanisms. A significant correlation was found between perfectionism and FCR (r=0.19, p=0.024). IU was found to mediate the relationship between perfectionism and FCR. In contrast, coping style did not emerge as a significant mediating factor. This study shows that intolerance of uncertainty mediates the relationship between perfectionism and FCR. Psychological interventions targeting FCR may benefit from incorporating specific modules on dealing with uncertainty. Future research is necessary to further increase understanding of the mechanisms that play a role in FCR, in order to optimize and personalize psychological treatment for cancer patients with this type of emotional distress.

Evaluation of Serum Fructosamine as Diagnostic Marker of Postoperative Recurrence in the Patients with Breast Cancer.

A series of laboratory parameters were screened to identify the proper serum markers that could be used to predict breast cancer recurrence at an early stage. A case-control retrospective study on 224 patients without postoperative recurrence and 43 patients with postoperative recurrence of breast cancer was performed. The edgeR software package was used to identify the test indicators expressed differently between the two groups. Univariate analysis was used to screen for diagnostic marker that could predict postoperative recurrence of breast cancer. In addition, the differential test indicators at different time points from surgery to recurrence were collected in patients with postoperative recurrence of breast cancer as a verification database. We screened out three test indicators (TBA, GSP, and URBC) for differential expression, which were all expressed downregulated in the postoperative recurrence group of breast cancer. Univariate analysis suggested that only the difference in GSP levels between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of GSP was 0.662, while the area under the curve of GSP+AFP+CEA+CA125+CA153+age was increased to 0.828. In addition, serum GSP levels were significantly reduced after recurrence compared with before recurrence in breast cancer patients (P < 0.01). In summary, GSP could be used for early diagnosis of breast cancer recurrence after surgery, and the predicted value of combining GSP, tumor markers, and age was better than that of individual indicators.

Axillary recurrence after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a retrospective study

Introduction: The justification for this study emerged from the need to evaluate the performance of axillary lymphadenectomy in patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Axillary lymph node dissection is an invasive and potentially morbid procedure designed to achieve complete remission of breast cancer and prevent unnecessary radical surgery. With the omission of the axillary lymphadenectomy, surgical complications are avoided including lymphedema, stress is decreased, and the quality of life improves in these patients. This study aimed to evaluate axillary recurrence in breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy after the omission of radical axillary lymph node dissection in patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted with ten patients from a clinic specializing in cancer diagnosis and treatment in Teresina (PI), Brazil, diagnosed with breast cancer from January 1998 to February 2021. These patients had positive sentinel lymph nodes and did not undergo axillary node dissection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Results: The median patient age at diagnosis was 52 years. All of them had clinical axillary involvement and received neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen with doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and paclitaxel. In addition, they all received adjuvant radiotherapy in the postoperative period and the mean number of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) removed was two. At a median follow-up of 39.5 months, there was no axillary recurrence and 90% of the patients were alive. Conclusions: At a median follow-up of 39.5 months none of the patients presented axillary recurrence.

Active Drainage versus Passive Drainage after Modified Radical Mastectomy in Patients with Breast Carcinoma: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Introduction: Postoperative seroma formation is a common complication following Modified Radical Mastectomy (MRM), with an incidence ranging from 15-60%. There is a hypothesis that the negative pressure created by the suction drain used in MRM opens the damaged capillaries, preventing them from spontaneously closing and thereby increasing postoperative secretions. Aim: To compare active suction drains with passive drains in MRM in terms of postoperative outcomes. Materials and Methods: A randomised controlled trial with two arms, consisting of 15 patients in each arm, was conducted from November 2018 to March 2020 at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi. Patients diagnosed with localised breast carcinoma and scheduled for MRM were invited to participate. Pregnant females, patients with metastatic disease, those lost to follow-up, recurrent breast cancer patients, and those taking anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents were excluded from the study. The outcomes measured were drain output and duration of hospital stay, and postoperative morbidity, including flap necrosis, surgical site infection, seroma, and volume of seroma aspiration. The data acquired was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. Quantitative variables were compared using the Independent t-test and Mann-Whitney test as appropriate. Nominal categorical data was compared using the Chi-square or Fisher’s-exact test as appropriate. Results: Drain output was higher in the active group than in the passive group, but there was no significant difference in the average daily drain output and the average total output (652 mL versus 540 mL), except for the first two postoperative days. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of hospital stay (6.67 days and 6.27 days), duration of drains in situ (6.67 days and 6.27 days), flap necrosis (13.3% vs. 13.3%), seroma formation (26.67% vs. 20%), and surgical site infection (26.67% vs. 20%). Conclusion: The use of suction in drains during MRM surgery is not compulsory and can save costs in resourcepoor settings. However, larger sample size studies with multicentre participation should be undertaken before making any recommendations.

Quality-Adjusted Survival in Patients with Recurrence of Breast Cancer Diagnosed by Asymptomatic or Symptomatic Opportunities.

After radical surgery for breast cancer, screening to diagnose recurrence in asymptomatic patients is not recommended. We retrospectively evaluated quality-adjusted survival. Included were fifty-seven recurrent breast cancer patients who died. Survival was partitioned into 3 health states by two different definitions: definition a) time with toxicities due to chemotherapy before progression (TOX1), time from the diagnosis of recurrence to progression without toxicities (TWiST1), and time from progression to death (REL1); definition b) time from the diagnosis of recurrence to death with toxicities (TOX2), without toxicities or hospitalization (TWiST2), and with hospitalization (REL2). Q-TWiST was calculated by multiplying the time in each health state by its utility (uTOX, uTWiST, and uREL). In threshold analyses, uTOX and uREL ranged from 0.0 to 1.0 whereas uTWiST was maintained at 1.0. We compared the patients with (n=32) and without (n=25) symptoms at the time of the diagnosis of recurrence. There was no difference in overall survival after primary surgery, although survival after the diagnosis of recurrence was significantly longer in the asymptomatic patients (p<0.01). Q-TWiST1 and Q-TWiST2 from the diagnosis of recurrence in the asymptomatic patients were significantly longer. Q-TWiST2 from primary surgery in the asymptomatic patients was significantly longer with some combinations of higher uTOX2 and lower uREL2. In conclusion, the asymptomatic detection of recurrence was associated with significantly longer quality-adjusted survival in comparison to symptomatic detection with some combinations of uTOX2 and uREL2. A prospective evaluation would clarify adequate follow-up methods after radical surgery for breast cancer.

Investigation of Factors Influencing the Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Breast Cancer Patients Using Structural Equation Modeling: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study aimed to investigate the fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in breast cancer patients and develop a structural equation model of influencing factors to help formulate clinical intervention strategies. A convenience sample of 325 patients was surveyed using a general and disease-related data questionnaire, which combined the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form, Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale, Perceived Social Support Scale, and Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire. The total score of FCR in breast cancer patients was 35.06 ± 10.83, and 53.8% of patients reached the clinical level. The structural equation model demonstrated that illness uncertainty had a direct positive impact on FCR (β = 0.275, p < 0.05), and it could have an indirect impact through social support and resignation coping methods (β = 0.254, p < 0.05). The fear of cancer recurrence in breast cancer patients needs further understanding. Medical staff can reduce or buffer FCR in breast cancer patients by strengthening positive influences, such as social support, or weakening negative influences, such as illness uncertainty and resignation coping.

Evaluation of the CNC® prosthetic system in recurrent breast cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced alopecia: a pilot study

BackgroundChemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA), although generally reversible, is felt as extremely distressing by patients with breast cancer. A certified medical device (Capelli Naturali a Contatto®—CNC®) was produced to provide patients with a personalized scalp prosthesis, reproducing the patient’s original hair, resistant to any type of everyday or sporting activity, and hairdressing.AimsThe present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the CNC® device on the patient’s perception of their body image, psychological wellbeing, satisfaction, strengths and weakness of the CNC® device.MethodA pilot study was carried out on 21 patients affected by CIA due to recurrent breast cancer. A mixed quantitative/qualitative method was used, including administering a questionnaire and a focus group.ResultsBased on the Body Image Scale, body image perception improved after 3 and 6 months using the device in the 20 patients who answered the questionnaire. No significant change over time emerged for the six dimensions investigated by the Italian version of the Psychological Well-Being Scale. The thematic analysis of the focus groups showed six themes: definition of the prosthetic device, acceptance of the proposal, experience with the conventional wig, strengths, weaknesses, economic issues.ConclusionCompared to the previous experience of CIA and the standard wig, the use of the CNC® device improved everyday life and may be proposed to women undergoing chemotherapy and expecting alopecia to prevent discomfort, social embarrassment, and compromised body image.

Hypercalcemia affected in metastatic breast cancer patients without bone metastasis: report of three cases

BackgroundSince humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM) in breast cancer patients without bone metastasis is rare, the clinical features of this condition are not fully understood.Case presentationDuring the recent 12 years, 3602 patients were diagnosed with breast cancer in our institution, and only three patients developed HHM without bone metastasis. They were all recurrent breast cancer patients with visceral metastases including the lung and the liver. It took no more than 2 months since symptomatic onset to hospitalization because of hypercalcemia. The maximum serum calcium concentrations were 15.0 mg/dL or higher. All patients had symptoms related to hypercalcemia. Treatment of hypercalcemia including hydration, calcitonin, bisphosphonate, and diuretics was initially effective in the three patients. However, two of three cases were eventually fatal because of unsuccessful treatment of breast cancer.ConclusionsThe common features of HHM without bone metastasis in breast cancer patients include acute onset, severe symptomatic hypercalcemia, and presence of visceral metastasis. Treatment of hypercalcemia decreased serum calcium level in a short period, while successful treatment of breast cancer was essential for a long-term management of HHM. This report provides a consideration to help elucidate the pathophysiology and medical care of breast cancer patients with HHM without bone metastasis.

Prolylcarboxypeptidase promotes IGF1R/HER3 signaling and is a potential target to improve endocrine therapy response in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer

ABSTRACT Prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP) is a lysosomal serine protease that cleaves peptide substrates when the penultimate amino acid is proline. Previous studies have linked PRCP to blood-pressure and appetite control through its ability to cleave peptide substrates such as angiotensin II and α-MSH. A potential role for PRCP in cancer has to date not been widely appreciated. Endocrine therapy resistance in breast cancer is an enduring clinical problem mediated in part by aberrant receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling. We previously found PRCP overexpression promoted 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT) resistance in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer cells. Currently, we tested the potential association between PRCP with breast cancer patient outcome and RTK signaling, and tumor responsiveness to endocrine therapy. We found high PRCP protein levels in ER+ breast tumors associates with worse outcome and earlier recurrence in breast cancer patients, including patients treated with TAM. We found a PRCP specific inhibitor (PRCPi) enhanced the response of ER+ PDX tumors and MCF7 tumors to endoxifen, an active metabolite of TAM in mice. We found PRCP increased IGF1R/HER3 signaling and AKT activation in ER+ breast cancer cells that was blocked by PRCPi. Thus, PRCP is an adverse prognostic marker in breast cancer and a potential target to improve endocrine therapy in ER+ breast cancers.

194 (PB-107) Poster - Retrospective thorough analysis of regional lymph node recurrence in breast cancer patients (REASON Trial)

Background: De-escalation of axillary surgery reduces morbidities without altering survival. Despite of a relatively high rate of residual disease in the axilla after sentinel lymph node (SLN) procedure, the risk of regional lymph node recurrence (RLNR)is very low, due probably to adjuvant radiotherapy and systemic treatments. The characteristics of the small percentage of patients with RLNR are not well known. We performed a retrospective thorough analysis of patients with RLNR.

Patterns of breast cancer second recurrences in patients after mastectomy.

Little is known about second recurrences in breast cancer patients, especially in patients with mastectomy. We aimed to determine the risk factors, prevalence and patterns of second recurrence in mastectomy patients after first recurrence. Stage I-III breast cancer patients treated at a tertiary institution from 1st September 2005 to 31st October 2017 and developed first and second recurrences after mastectomy were retrospectively reviewed. We excluded patients with bilateral cancers and patients who were lost to follow-up. The demographics, pathological and recurrence data were collected from a prospectively maintained database and analysed. Of the 1619 mastectomy patients, 214 (13.2%) patients developed recurrences at a mean 39.9months from primary cancer diagnosis. 23, 8 and 183 had isolated chest wall recurrences (CWR), regional and systemic metastases, respectively. Excluding 2 CWR patients without surgery, second recurrences occurred in 3/21 (14.3%) and 3/8 (37.5%) in patients with CWR and regional metastasis at 27.7months (range: 5-42) and 32months (range: 18-40), respectively. In both groups, systemic metastasis as second recurrence occurred within 2years after first recurrence, whilst locoregional second recurrences occurred later. No risk factors for second recurrence were identified. In patients with mastectomy, second recurrences occurred in 20.7% of patients with treated locoregional first recurrence, with no risk factors identified. Systemic metastases manifesting as second recurrence occurred in the first 2years after first recurrence. Continued clinical surveillance and restaging patients in the first 2years after first locoregional recurrence may enable early prognostication and treatment with the newer metastatic drugs.

Clinical N3 is an independent risk factor of recurrence for breast cancer patients achieving pathological complete response and near-pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

BackgroundAlthough achieving pathological complete response (pCR) and near-pathological complete response (near-pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer predicts a better outcome, some patients still experience recurrence. The aim of our study was to investigate the predictive factors of recurrence in the pCR and near-pCR population.MethodsWe reviewed 1,209 breast cancer patients treated with NAC between January 2010 and April 2021 in the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CHCAMS). A total of 292 patients achieving pCR and near-pCR were included in our analysis. pCR was defined as ypT0N0/ypTisN0. Near-pCR was defined as ypT1mi/1a/1bN0 or ypT0/isN1mi. Clinical features and follow-up information were collected. Survival and predictive factors of recurrence were analyzed.ResultsOf the 292 patients, 173 were pCR and 119 were near-pCR. The median age was 46 years (range, 23–75 years). The predominant tumor subtypes were human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer (49.0%) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (30.8%). The median duration of follow-up was 53 months (range, 9–138 months). A total of 25 (8.6%) patients developed recurrence, with 9 (5.2%) in the pCR group and 16 (13.4%) in the near-pCR group. The vast majority of recurrence occurred within 36 months from onset of NAC. The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate of patients achieving pCR was significantly higher than that of patients achieving near-pCR (94.6% vs. 85.6%, p = 0.008). However, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate between the two cohorts had no statistical difference (94.3% vs. 89.6%, p = 0.304). Clinical N3 (cN3) before NAC was an independent risk factor of recurrence in patients who achieved pCR (p = 0.003) and near-pCR (p = 0.036). Tumor size before NAC, subtypes of breast cancer, and chemotherapy regimens showed no significant association with RFS both for patients who achieved pCR and for those who achieved near-pCR (p > 0.05).ConclusionscN3 before NAC was an independent risk factor of recurrence in patients who achieved pCR and near-pCR. It is worthwhile to closely monitor patients with cN3, especially in the first 3 years.

Does the Timing of Eribulin Treatment for Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer Matter? Evidence from a Real-World Setting

Background: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness and safety of eribulin used as an early-line (EL, i.e., first-/second-line) versus late-line (LL, i.e., third-line and beyond) chemotherapy for recurrent advanced or metastatic breast cancer (A/MBC) patients. Methods: This study conducted a retrospective observation of A/MBC patients initiating eribulin between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2019, using medical database at a university-affiliated teaching hospital in Taiwan. Patients were assigned into either the EL or LL group based on the timing of respective eribulin treatments and were observed for at least 6 months up to December 2019 for progression-free survival (PFS), time to treatment failure (TTF), overall survival (OS), disease response, and occurrence of adverse events. The Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard regression survival analyses were performed. Results: Of 127 patients, 23.6% (n = 30) and 76.4% (n = 97) were assigned to the EL and LL groups, respectively, between which no difference in patient characteristics was noted. Median PFS and TTF were 6.5 months and 5.0 months for the EL and 4.2 months and 3.4 months for the LL, respectively. Median OS could not be estimated in the EL group and was 20.5 months in the LL group. Eribulin as an EL treatment was the only factor associated with longer TTF and OS, whereas the number of metastatic sites was additionally associated with PFS in the multivariate analysis. No complete response was reported in either group, but a partial response was obtained in 6.7% in the EL group and 3.1% in the LL group. The common adverse events between two groups were similar, including leukopenia (80.0%), neutropenia (76.7%), and anemia (60.0%). Conclusions: The eribulin used as an EL of chemotherapy was effective for A/MBC patients with known toxicities in this study, while eribulin as the LL chemotherapy showed consistent results with previous reports.

Long-Term Cancer Recurrence Rates following Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy: A 10-Year Follow-Up Study.

Despite the increased use of nipple-sparing mastectomies, there are limited data examining long-term cancer recurrence rates in these patients. The objective of this study was to analyze breast cancer recurrence in patients who underwent therapeutic nipple-sparing mastectomy with a median of 10 years of follow-up. All patients undergoing nipple-sparing mastectomy at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed temporally to obtain a median of 10 years of follow-up. Patient demographic factors, mastectomy specimen pathologic findings, and oncologic outcomes were analyzed. Univariate analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for locoregional recurrence. One hundred twenty-six therapeutic nipple-sparing mastectomies were performed on 120 patients. The most frequently observed tumor histology included invasive ductal carcinoma (48.4 percent) and ductal carcinoma in situ (38.1 percent). Mean tumor size was 1.62 cm. Multifocal or multicentric disease and lymphovascular invasion were present in 31.0 percent and 10.3 percent of nipple-sparing mastectomy specimens, respectively. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was performed in 84.9 percent of nipple-sparing mastectomies, and 17.8 percent were positive. The rate of positive frozen subareolar biopsy was 7.3 percent ( n = 82) and that of permanent subareolar pathology was 9.5 percent ( n = 126). The most frequently observed pathologic tumor stages were stage I (44.6 percent) and stage 0 (33.9 percent). The incidence of recurrent disease was 3.17 percent per mastectomy and 3.33 percent per patient. On univariate analysis, no demographic, operative, or tumor-specific variables were independent risk factors for locoregional recurrence. Overall recurrence rates are low in patients undergoing nipple-sparing mastectomy at a median follow-up of 10-years. Close surveillance should remain a goal for patients and their providers to promptly identify potential recurrence. Risk, III.

Oncological safety of reconstruction with autologous fat grafting in breast cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

To evaluate the oncological safety of autologous fat grafting and its effect on disease-free survival and local recurrence in breast cancer patients with autologous fat grafting (AFG) reconstruction. A literature search was performed using the Pubmed, Medline, Web of Science, and Cochrane libraries from January 2011 to March 2020, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, to identify all relevant studies involving the application of autologous fat grafting in breast cancer reconstruction procedures. The primary outcome of the meta-analysis was a difference in incidence rates of locoregional recurrence and disease-free survival (DFS) between patients who had autologous fat grafting and controls. A total of 11 studies were included. Eight studies reported local-regional recurrences (LRR) and five studies reported disease-free survival (DFS) in 5,886 patients. Our meta-analysis of all included studies about survival outcomes showed AFG was not associated with increased LRR and DFS. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) (95% CIs) for LRR and DFS were 1.26 (0.90-1.76) and 1.27 (0.96-1.69), respectively. According to the published literature, autologous fat grafting did not result in an increased rate of LRR and DFS in patients with breast cancer. Autologous fat grafting can, therefore, be performed safely in breast reconstruction after breast cancer.

Psychological factors associated with clinical fear of cancer recurrence in breast cancer patients in the early survivorship period.

Clinical fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is highly prevalent among breast cancer patients and appears early in the disease trajectory. A better understanding of psychological factors associated with clinical FCR is essential to guide screening and intervention development. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the contribution of attentional bias, intrusive thoughts, metacognitive beliefs, intolerance of uncertainty, thought suppression, and worry to clinical FCR in breast cancer patients in the early survivorship period. Seventy-four patients treated for non-metastatic breast cancer were enrolled at the end of their treatment. The FCR Inventory-Short Form (FCRI-SF) was used to discriminate between the patients with clinical versus nonclinical FCR. Attentional bias to negative and positive cancer-related and non-cancer-related emotional words was assessed with a dot-probe task. Words were presented for 17, 500, and 1500ms. Intrusive thoughts and thought suppression were assessed with the White Bear Suppression Inventory, metacognitive beliefs with the Metacognitions Questionnaire-30, intolerance of uncertainty with the Intolerance of Uncertainty Inventory-Part A, and worry with the Penn State Worry Questionnaire. According to univariate analyses, the patients with clinical FCR (FCRI-SF ≥13) significantly differed from those with nonclinical FCR in terms of intrusive thoughts (p=0.002), metacognitive beliefs (p=0.029), intolerance of uncertainty (p&lt;0.001), and worry (p&lt;0.001). Intolerance of uncertainty (odds ratio, OR=1.06; p=0.040) and worry (OR=1.09; p=0.013) remained in the final logistic regression models. All the patients showed vigilance to cancer-related words, whether with negative or positive valence, at automatic stages of processing (17ms). Intolerance of uncertainty and worry were the two psychological factors contributing directly to clinical FCR in our cross-sectional study. In addition, attentional bias did not differentiate breast cancer patients with clinical versus nonclinical FCR. Treatment approaches for clinical FCR in early survivorship care may need to integrate uncertainty and worry management intervention strategies.

The Association With Recurrence in Breast Cancer Patients According to the Preoperative Blood Composition Ratio and Postoperative Pathological Results

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the correlation between various clinical results, including recurrence in patients with breast cancer, and preoperative blood composition ratio and postoperative pathological results.Methods: A total of 444 patients who underwent surgery were included, and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and postoperative pathological results were classified into postoperative cancer stages to confirm the association with various clinical results, including recurrence.Results: The median age of the patients was 51 years. The stages were divided into 1, 2, 3, and 4. Additionally, stages 1 and 2 comprised one group and stages 3 and 4 comprised another group. The cut-off values of the NLR, PLR, and MLR were confirmed to be 1.43, 158.84, and 0.21, respectively. It was noted that the association with recurrence was higher in the group with hormone receptor negative (p&lt;0.001), higher stage (p&lt;0.001), and underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p&lt;0.001). In the association with blood composition ratio and recurrence, survival was high in the PLR group with a high cut-off value (p=0.004). There was no significant relationship in the NLR and MLR groups. In the disease-free survival and overall-survival curves, only the PLR group showed a significant association of 0.003 and 0.001, respectively. The NLR and MLR groups did not show any significant result.Conclusion: No significant association with recurrence and mortality was confirmed in the NLR and MLR groups. However, the preoperative blood test in the high PLR group showed recurrence and mortality rate were high.

The risk of recurrence of breast cancer in the presence of deletion polymorphism of the GSTT1 and GSTM1 genes

Objective: The aim of the study was to establish the relationship between the effectiveness of chemotherapy (CMT) in case of breast cancer and the risk of recurrence with polymorphism of glutathione-S-transferase (GSTT1, GSTM1) genes.Methods: The study involved 132 women having breast cancer diagnosed, aged 23 to 79 years (average age 48 ± 13 years). They received chemotherapy treatment (neoadjuvant (NACMT), adjuvant (ACMT)). The detection of deletion (null) genotypes GSTM1 and GSTT1 was carried out using multiplex PCR followed by analysis of the melting curves of the reaction products.Results: Statistically significant connection between the presence of a null genotype GSTM1-0 and a reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence in patients having stage III BC (RR = 0.721; 95% CI: 0.524-0.992, p = 0.034). At the same time, the precense of GSTT1-0 genotype didn't have statistically significant effect on the risk of recurrence (RR = 0.543; 95% CI: 0.274– 1.077, p = 0.015). However, the tendency of the prevalence of GSTT1 0/0 among patients without recurrnece of breast cancer persisted.Conclusions: The lack of activity of the GSTT1 or GSTM1 enzymes in carriers of null genotypes can lead to a decrease in detoxification capacity and, accordingly, to a longer circulation of active metabolites of medicine and reactive oxygen species. It prolongs the time of exposure of chemotherapy drugs on tumor cells. The functionally active enzymes may increase the risk of breast cancer recurrence due to rapid elimination of drugs.

Breast cancer recurrence and survival rates in patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery under non-mechanically ventilated anesthesia.

Recurrence after primary treatment is an important obstacle to the curing of primary breast cancer. Less-immunosuppressive anesthetic techniques, such as local anesthesia with lidocaine, intravenous anesthesia (IVA) with propofol, and/or sedation with midazolam under spontaneous breathing may reduce breast cancer recurrence compared with standard general anesthesia techniques such as IVA and inhalation anesthesia with opioids under mechanical ventilation. The aim of this study was to analyze the factors involved in breast cancer recurrence in patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery (BCS) under non-mechanically ventilated anesthesia. The study included 491 consecutive patients with stages 0-III breast cancer who underwent BCS/axillary lymph-node management with local anesthesia and IVA and/or sedation under non-mechanical ventilation between May 2008 and September 2021. Survival and recurrence were assessed by retrospective cohort analysis. The median follow-up period was 2565 days (range, 28-4834 days). The overall and breast cancer-specific survival rates were 92.9% and 95.6%, respectively. Twenty-one deaths, of which 11 were breast cancer-related, occurred. Disease recurred in 29 (5.9%) patients, of whom 15 patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and 14 patients received adjuvant therapy (chemotherapy in 12 cases). The surgical procedure performed, but not other clinicopathological factors [recurrence site, P stage, tumor subtype, and disease-free interval (DFI)], differed between the NAC and adjuvant therapy groups. The DFI tended to be shorter in the NAC group than in the adjuvant therapy group. The pathological therapeutic effect grade after NAC was 1 in 12 patients and ≥2 in 3 patients. More than 50% (15/29) of patients with recurrence who underwent BCS were given NAC, but most patients did not respond to it. Similarly, adjuvant chemotherapy may not have contributed to the eradication of residual tumor cells after BCS. To reduce breast cancer recurrence in patients undergoing BCS, treatment strategies, especially for patients who do not respond to NAC or adjuvant chemotherapy, need to be developed. Non-mechanical ventilation anesthesia may also affect the incidence of breast cancer recurrence.