Patients Undergoing Breast Conservation Therapy Research Articles

Abstract PO3-20-05: Phase II Study of Genomically Guided Radiation Dose Personalization in the Management of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Abstract Background: Our group has previously developed the radiosensitivity index (RSI) using a multigene expression model that is directly proportional to tumor radioresistance (high RSI = increased radioresistance). RSI has been previously validated in two datasets of patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). In this study, we will run a selective dose personalization study in TNBC patients undergoing breast conservation therapy (BCT). Based on patients RSI scores, they will either receive a radiation therapy (RT) boost of 10 Gy to the tumor cavity or not. Given our data in two independent datasets, the current study will reveal the feasibility and benefit of selective genomic dose personalization in TNBC following BCT. Trial Design: The study is designed as a prospective, nonrandomized, phase II trial of genomically guided RT in the management of TNBC undergoing BCT. Patients will be allocated to one of two groups based on their RSI determination from fresh frozen tissue collected by biopsy or at the time of BCT. These groups will be Group A, RSI optimized whole breast radiotherapy alone or with a 10 Gy boost or Group B, RSI not optimized whole breast radiotherapy with a boost of 10 Gy to tumor cavity. Patients will receive standard of care chemotherapy, neoadjuvant or adjuvant. Eligibility: TNBC patients undergoing BCT. Specific Aims: To determine the three-year local control following genomically guided dose personalization in the management of TNBC following BCT. Secondary objectives include determination of overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), and quality of life (QOL) following genomically guided dose personalization. Statistical Methods: The primary hypothesis is the three-year local control rates differ for groups A and B, against the null hypothesis that the two rates are identical. Patients will allocate approximately 78% in group A and 22% in group B and local control rates are expected to be 96% and 75%, respectively. Assuming 80% power and 10% type I error for a log-rank test, 86 patients are needed. An interim analysis will be completed when 4 disease progression events are observed. There will be approximately 43 patients at the time of interim analysis. Patient Accrual: This study is open with 1 patient enrolled at the time of submission. A total of 86 patients will be enrolled. Contact Information: Kamran A. Ahmed MD, Moffitt Cancer Center, email: kamran.ahmed@moffitt.org, Clinical trial information: NCT05115474. Funding: Moffitt and Morton Plant Mease Foundations. Citation Format: Kamran Ahmed, Iman Washington, Matthew Mills, Michelle DeJesus, Youngchul Kim, Ronica Nanda, Javier Torres-Roca, Steven Eschrich, Janis De La Iglesia, John Puskas, Marilin Rosa, Jason Wilson, Paula Lundgren, Negar Golesorkhi, Nazanin Khakpour, Susan Hoover, Marie Lee, John Kiluk, Melissa Mallory, Christine Laronga, Laura Kruper, Brian Czerniecki, Roberto Diaz. Phase II Study of Genomically Guided Radiation Dose Personalization in the Management of Triple Negative Breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-20-05.

The Impact of Oncoplastic Reduction on Initiation of Adjuvant Radiation and Need for Reexcision: A Database Evaluation.

Partial breast reconstruction with oncoplastic reduction can provide breast cancer patients with improved aesthetic outcomes after breast conservation therapy. This study evaluates the implications of simultaneous oncoplastic reduction with lumpectomy on complication rates, time to adjuvant radiation therapy, and rates of margin reexcision compared with lumpectomy alone. The Clinformatics Data Mart Database is a national deidentified commercial claims data warehouse. From 2003 to 2020, adult female patients were queried to identify patients with a breast cancer diagnosis with International Classification of Disease codes. Among those, current procedural terminology codes were used to identify those who underwent lumpectomy alone versus lumpectomy with oncoplastic reduction. Patient demographics, complications, adjuvant oncologic therapies, and need for reexcision were recorded. Patients not continuously enrolled for at least 6 months before and after the index procedure were excluded. Multivariable regression and χ 2 tests were used for statistical analysis. Of 53,165 patients meeting criteria (mean age, 61.4 ± 11.6 years), 1552 (2.9%) underwent oncoplastic reduction. Diagnoses of most nonsurgical complications (seroma, wound dehiscence, postoperative infection, fat necrosis, tissue necrosis, and nonspecified complications of surgical care) were significantly higher in the oncoplastic reduction group, as were rates of some surgical complications (hematoma, seroma, and tissue debridement). However, undergoing oncoplastic reduction did not impact time to adjuvant radiation ( P = 0.194) and protected against positive margins requiring repeat lumpectomy or completion mastectomy ( P < 0.001). In patients undergoing breast conservation therapy, simultaneous oncoplastic reduction decreased occurrence of positive margins and did not impact time to adjuvant radiation therapy despite increased rates of surgical and nonsurgical complications.

123. The Impact of Oncoplastic Reduction on Initiation of Adjuvant Radiation and Need for Re-excision: A Database Evaluation

Purpose: Partial breast reconstruction with oncoplastic reduction can provide breast cancer patients with improved aesthetic outcomes following breast conservation therapy. This study evaluates the implications of simultaneous oncoplastic reduction with lumpectomy on complication rates, time to adjuvant radiation therapy, and rates of margin re-excision compared to lumpectomy alone. Methods: The Clinformatics® Data Mart Database is a national deidentified commercial claims data warehouse. From 2003-2020, adult female patients were queried with International Classification of Disease (ICD-9 and ICD-10) codes to identify patients with a breast cancer diagnosis. Among those, common procedural terminology (CPT) codes were used to identify those who underwent lumpectomy alone versus lumpectomy with oncoplastic reduction. Patient demographics, complications, adjuvant oncologic therapies, and need for re-excision were recorded. Patients who were not continuously enrolled for at least six months before and after the index procedure were excluded. Chi squared and multivariable regression tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: Of 53,165 patients meeting criteria (mean age 61.4 ± 11.6 years), 1,552 (2.9%) underwent oncoplastic reduction. Diagnoses of most non-surgical complications (seroma, wound dehiscence, postoperative infection, fat necrosis, tissue necrosis, and non-specified complications of surgical care) were significantly higher in the oncoplastic reduction group, as were rates of some complications requiring surgical intervention (hematoma, seroma, and tissue debridement). However, undergoing oncoplastic reduction did not have an impact on time to adjuvant radiation (p=0.187) and protected against positive margins requiring repeat lumpectomy or completion mastectomy (p less than 0.001). Conclusion: In patients undergoing breast conservation therapy, simultaneous oncoplastic reduction decreased occurrence of positive margins and did not impact time to adjuvant radiation therapy, despite increased rates of surgical and non-surgical complications.

A comparison of timely completion of hypofractionated and traditional adjuvant radiation therapy in early-stage breast cancer: Evidence of impact on reducing racial and socioeconomic disparities

BackgroundTimely completion of adjuvant radiation after breast conservation therapy is associated with decreased mortality and increased disease-free survival. Few data exist comparing timely completion between hypofractionated radiation and traditional radiation at a national level or across racial and socioeconomic cohorts. MethodsA retrospective review of the National Cancer Database (2012–2016) on patients undergoing breast conservation therapy for early-stage breast cancer, specifically T1 or T2, N0, M0 patients, was performed. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to compare timely completion of hypofractionated radiation (within 5 weeks of initiation) and traditional radiation (within 7 weeks) across patient, tumor, and facility characteristics. ResultsIn total, 210,816 patients met criteria, with 59.4% receiving traditional radiation (n = 125,140) and 40.6% receiving hypofractionated radiation (n = 85,676). Overall, 82.8% of patients achieved timely completion of radiation. Among hypofractionated radiation patients, 94.5% of patients achieved timely completion, whereas only 74.8% of traditional radiation patients achieved timely completion (P < .0001). Regarding race/ethnicity, all groups benefited substantially in timely completion of hypofractionated radiation over traditional radiation. However, both treatment cohorts demonstrated that Black (odds ratio (hypofractionated radiation) = 0.842, odds ratio (traditional radiation) = 0.821) and Hispanic (odds ratio (hypofractionated radiation) = 0.917, odds ratio (traditional radiation) = 0.907) patients had lower odds of timely completion compared to White patients (P < .0001). Lower high school graduation rate, median income for patients’ ZIP code, and Medicaid were also associated with lower odds of timely completion for both hypofractionated radiation and traditional radiation (both P < .0001). ConclusionTimely completion of radiation therapy in breast conservation therapy is greater for patients receiving hypofractionated radiation than traditional radiation across racial and socioeconomic cohorts. Disparities in timely completion were substantially reduced with hypofractionated radiation utilization. However, there are treatment disparities across racial and socioeconomic cohorts that persist in both treatment groups.

A Pilot Study to Quantify Breast Lymphedema for Patients Undergoing Breast Conserving Therapy (BCT) for Breast Cancer

<h3>Purpose/Objective(s)</h3> Upper extremity lymphedema after axillary lymph node dissection and radiation for breast cancer has been well described and studied. As modern treatment techniques have reduced the incidence of arm lymphedema, breast lymphedema has emerged as a common result of BCT and is associated with poor wound healing, infection and impact on quality of life. Because there is no established tool for its evaluation and quantification, we explored the feasibility of using ultrasound to measure breast lymphedema objectively. We evaluated whether this measure correlated with clinical assessment, treatment factors, and patient-reported outcomes. <h3>Materials/Methods</h3> We enrolled 30 women with malignant breast cancer treated with breast conserving surgery, sentinel lymph node biopsy, and breast radiation. Another 10 women with benign disease who had not undergone BCT were sampled as controls. Ultrasound measurements of dermal thickness were performed on the treated breast and untreated breast at the 6:00 position. Post-treatment assessments included physical exam and quality of life DASH questionnaire. We quantified breast lymphedema as the dermal thickness of the affected breast minus the dermal thickness of the unaffected breast. Breast lymphedema was considered present if dermal thickness difference was above the highest-observed value in the benign patients. <h3>Results</h3> Mean age (± SD) was SD 59 ± 13 in the malignant group and 46.4 ± 17 in the benign group and groups were similar with regard to body mass index. Mean dermal thickness difference was higher in the malignant group compared with the benign group (1.03 mm and 0 mm, respectively). Seventy percent of patients in the malignant group met our definition of breast lymphedema (n = 21) and were more likely to report impact on quality of life pertaining to sexual activity (24% vs 11%), breast sensation (52% vs 16%), sleep quality (33% vs 21%) and confidence (24% vs 5%) than patients without breast lymphedema. Extent of axillary surgery was associated with a 1.29 mm increase in difference in dermal thickness for patients with > = 4 nodes removed (95% CI: -0.22, 2.80). The volume of breast tissue radiated was also positively associated, with every 100cc increase in breast volume radiated associated with a 0.17mm greater dermal thickness difference (95% CI: 0.04, 0.30mm). However, there was no association with percent of breast tissue receiving > 105% of prescribed dose (95% CI: -0.07, 0.01), hypofractionation vs. standard fractionation (95% CI: -1.2, 0.68) or total radiation dose (95% CI: -0.5, 1.2). <h3>Conclusion</h3> Breast lymphedema is an impactful sequela of breast cancer treatment but remains understudied with no standard measurement tools. Our pilot study demonstrates that ultrasound is a promising tool for the characterization of breast lymphedema and may improve our understanding of patient and modifiable treatment risk factors.

Impact of lobular carcinoma in situ on local recurrence in breast cancer treated with breast conservation therapy: a systematic review and meta‐analysis

Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is a known risk factor for breast cancer of unclear significance when detected in association with invasive carcinoma. This meta-analysis aims to determine the impact of LCIS on local recurrence risk for individuals with breast cancer treated with breast conservation therapy to help guide appropriate management strategies. We identified relevant studies from five electronic databases. Studies were deemed suitable for inclusion where they compared patients with invasive breast cancer and concurrent LCIS to those with breast cancer alone, all patients underwent breast conservation therapy (lumpectomy with adjuvant radiation therapy) and local recurrence was evaluated. Recurrence data were pooled by use of a random-effects model. From 1488 citations screened by our search, nine studies were deemed suitable for inclusion. These studies comprised 990 cases and 12 870 controls. Median follow-up time was 104 months. There was a significantly increased risk of overall local recurrence of breast cancer for individuals with LCIS in association with breast cancer following breast conservation therapy (pooled odds ratio (pOR) 1.73; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10-2.71; P=0.018). The risk of local recurrence was not significantly increased at 5 years (pOR 1.00; 95% CI 0.49-2.04; P=0.995) and 10 years (pOR 1.52; 95% CI 0.72-3.23; P=0.275). Individuals with LCIS in association with invasive breast cancer have an increased risk of local recurrence following breast conservation therapy. This supports consideration of increased medical surveillance and exploration of further risk reduction strategies for such patients.

Combined Photothermal and Ionizing Radiation Sensitization of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Using Triangular Silver Nanoparticles.

BackgroundIonizing radiation (IR) is commonly used in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) treatment regimens. However, off-target toxicity affecting normal tissue and grueling treatment regimens remain major limitations. Hyperthermia is one of the greatest IR sensitizers, but only if heat is administered simultaneously or immediately prior to ionizing radiation. Difficulty in co-localizing ionizing radiation (IR) in rapid succession with hyperthermia, and confining treatment to the tumor have hindered widespread clinical adoption of combined thermoradiation treatment. Metal nanoparticle-based approaches to IR sensitization and photothermal heat generation may aid in overcoming these issues and improve treatment specificity.MethodsWe assessed the potential to selectively treat MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells without affecting non-malignant MCF-10A breast cells using a multimodal approach based upon combined photothermal therapy, IR sensitization, and specific cytotoxicity using triangular silver nanoparticles (TAgNPs) with peak absorbance in the near-infrared light (NIR) spectrum.ResultsWe found that TAgNP-mediated photothermal therapy and radiosensitization offer a high degree of specificity for treatment of TNBC without affecting non-malignant mammary epithelial cells.DiscussionIf given at a high enough dose, IR, heat, or TAgNPs alone could be sufficient for tumor treatment. However, when the dose of one or all of these modalities increases, off-target effects also increase. The challenge lies in identifying the minimal doses of each individual treatment such that when combined they provide maximum selectivity for treatment of TNBC cells with minimum off-target effects on non-malignant breast cells. Our results provide proof of concept that this combination is highly selective for TNBC cells while sparing non-malignant mammary epithelial cells. This treatment would be particularly important for patients undergoing breast conservation therapy and for treatment of invasive tumor margins near the periphery where each individual treatment might be at a sub-therapeutic level.

Patient-Reported Outcomes following Breast Conservation Therapy and Barriers to Referral for Partial Breast Reconstruction.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the self-reported aesthetic outcome of breast conservation therapy in a generalized sample of patients, and to describe potential barriers to referral for partial breast reconstruction. Consecutive breast conservation therapy patients completing radiotherapy over a 1-year period at a regional cancer center were identified. Eligible patients were contacted by means of mail/e-mail and invited to participate. Participants completed the BREAST-Q breast conservation therapy module along with a questionnaire examining feelings about breast reconstruction. Multiple regression analysis was performed using the satisfaction with breasts scale as the dependent variable. Surveys were completed by 185 of 592 eligible participants (response rate, 31.3 percent; mean age, 61 years) an average of 38 months after lumpectomy. The mean score for the BREAST-Q satisfaction with breasts scale was 59 of 100. Younger age (p = 0.038), lumpectomy reexcision (p = 0.018), and lumpectomy at a nonacademic center (p = 0.026) were significantly associated with lower satisfaction. Bra size, months from lumpectomy, and tumor quadrant/size were not significantly associated with satisfaction (p > 0.05). The most common statements regarding reconstruction were "I don't feel the need for it" (60.0 percent), "I don't like the thought of having breast implants" (22.7 percent), and "I don't want any more surgeon/doctor visits" (22.2 percent). Before lumpectomy, only 1.6 percent had a consultation for reconstruction, and only 22.7 percent were aware of this option. If offered, 33.1 percent of patients would have attended this consultation. There is an unmet demand for partial breast reconstruction, with an opportunity to advocate and increase awareness on behalf of patients undergoing breast conservation therapy.

The Patient's Perspective on Breast Radiation Therapy: Initial Fears and Expectations Versus Reality

Breast radiation therapy is associated with misconceptions and fears among patients. Although the efficacy and toxicity of breast radiation has been extensively studied, little is known regarding patient’s perspective on their treatment experience. Patients treated with radiation therapy (RT) from 2012-2016 who were without recurrence and had ≥6 months of follow-up were surveyed. The survey evaluated original fears, and how short- and long-term toxicities compared to initial expectations by asking if the actual experience was as expected, worse, or better than expected. Patients were also asked about how their pre-treatment beliefs about RT compared to the actual experience. The response rate was 65% (327/502). The median age was 59 years and the stage distribution was 18% stage 0, 38% stage I, 34% stage II, and 9% stage III. Eighty-two percent of patients underwent breast conservation therapy, 13% underwent axillary dissection, 37% received chemotherapy, and 70% received adjuvant endocrine therapy. Radiation treatments were as follows: 42% standard whole-breast RT, 28% hypofractionated whole-breast RT, 22% regional nodal RT, 6% partial breast RT and 2% chest wall RT. The most feared treatment at time of diagnosis was: 55% chemotherapy, 36% surgery, 7% RT and 5% endocrine therapy. Sixty-eight percent of patients endorsed that they initially had little to no knowledge about RT; however, 47% reported that they had heard or read frightening stories about RT. The most commonly ranked top fear about RT was damage to internal organs (40%), skin burning (24%), and being radioactive (7%). Regarding short-term side effects, 75%, 61%, and 78% reported pain, skin changes, and fatigue, respectively, to be less than or as expected. Eighty-three percent of the patients reported overall short-term side effects to be better than or as expected. Regarding long-term effects, 85% reported appearance changes to be better than or as expected. Seventy-nine percent, 73%, and 70% of patients found long-term breast pain, breast size changes, and breast textural changes, respectively, to be less than or as expected. Eighty-four percent reported overall long-term side effects to be better than or as expected. Very few patients agreed that the negative stories they initially heard (2%) and read (3%) about RT were actually true. Ninety percent of respondents agreed that their RT experience was less scary than expected. 89% agreed with the statement that RT is not as “bad as they say it is” and 90% agreed with the statement “If future patients knew the real truth about RT, they would be less scared about treatment.” There is significant misinformation and fear about breast radiation therapy. However, patients’ experiences are overwhelmingly superior to initial expectations, and the majority of patients agree that their initial negative impressions about breast RT were unfounded. These data can play a critical role in counseling future patients and providers on breast radiation therapy.

Margin Proximity Correlates with Local Recurrence After Mastectomy for Patients Not Receiving Adjuvant Radiotherapy.

Although considerable evidence exists regarding margin status and reexcision for patients undergoing breast conservation therapy, few data address the impact of a close margin for patients undergoing mastectomy without postmastectomy radiotherapy. This retrospective review identified 1147 patients who underwent 1206 mastectomies with negative final margins for breast cancer from 2006 to 2010. Margin distance was analyzed as a continuous variable and dichotomized variable ((≤2 vs >2mm). Patients undergoing adjuvant radiation therapy were excluded from the study. Uni- and multivariable analyses were used to assess the association of reexcision, proximity of the final margin, adjuvant therapy, and other clinical and pathologic factors with local recurrence (LR). In 158 mastectomies (13.1%), a reexcision was performed for a close (n=90) or positive (n=68) margin. All but one were identified intraoperatively using frozen section analysis. The reexcision rates for skin- and nipple-sparing mastectomy (SSM/NSM) were higher than for simple mastectomy (SM) (19.8 vs 9.3%; p<0.001). The overall 5-year risk for an LR was 3.8%. The risk was 3.1% for a margin greater than 2mm and 11.2% for a margin of 2mm or smaller. In the multivariable model, proximity of the final margin measured as a continuous variable was found to be a significant risk factor for LR (p=0.009), whereas adjuvant endocrine therapy was found to be protective (p=0.03). Intraoperative reexcision was not significant in the multivariable model (p=0.23). For patients undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer, a wider final margin correlated with a reduced risk for LR. The rates for LR were similar between SSM/NSM and SM despite higher rates of intraoperative reexcision for SSM/NSM.

Initial experience of using the BREAST-Q as an outcome measure for patients undergoing Breast Conserving Therapy (BCT) and its correlation with panel assessment

Initial experience of using the BREAST-Q as an outcome measure for patients undergoing Breast Conserving Therapy (BCT) and its correlation with panel assessment

Impact of margin status and re-excision on local control in patients undergoing breast-conservation therapy for ductal carcinoma in situ.

57 Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of final surgical margin (SM) status, SM width, and re-excision on outcomes in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) undergoing breast conservation therapy (BCT). Methods: The study population consisted of women diagnosed with DCIS undergoing BCT between 1989-2014. All women received adjuvant whole breast radiation plus a boost. The primary endpoint was local control (LC) defined as an ipsilateral breast failure. A negative SM was defined as &gt; 2 mm, close SM was defined as &gt; 0 to &lt; 2 mm, and a positive SM was defined as tumor at the inked SM. Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine predictors of outcomes on multivariate analysis (MVA). Actuarial incidence of LC was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: A total of 498 patients were included. The median age was 58 (range 30-91) and the median follow-up was 8.3 years (3 months-27 years). A total of 400 patients had a final negative SM, 87 had a close SM, and 11 had a positive SM. A total of 172 patients received adjuvant hormonal therapy, 265 patients required at least one re-excision. Patients with positive or close SMs were more likely to receive a radiation dose &gt; 60 Gy (p &lt; 0.001) and undergo re-excision (p &lt; 0.01). The 10-year LC rates were not significantly different between patients with a negative (93.5%), close (91.8%), or positive (100%) SM (p = 0.57). There was no difference in 10-year LC rates according to a SM width of 0-1 mm (100%), &gt; 1 to 2 mm (88.5%), or &gt; 2 mm (93.5%) (p = 0.85). On univariate analysis, there was no significant difference in LC when comparing negative versus close or positive (p = 1.0) SMs. There was no difference in LC in patients undergoing re-excision for initial close or positive SMs (p = 0.55). On MVA, after controlling for age, dose, hormonal therapy, comedo subtype, and grade, there were no factors associated with LC. Conclusions: This large single-institution experience demonstrates that risks of local failure remain poorly characterized. Re-excision and whole breast radiation plus boost resulted in excellent LC for women with DCIS. Our data suggests that trials aimed at personalized de-intensified local therapy are warranted.

Changes in brachytherapy-based APBI patient selection immediately before and after publication of the ASTRO consensus statement.

In July 2009, American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) released a consensus statement (CS) to guide patient selection for accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI). The goal of this study was to examine how practice patterns changed following the guideline's release. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was queried from 2008 to 2010 for females aged ≥20 years receiving breast conservation via brachytherapy. Among the APBI cohort, characteristics and CS grouping ("suitable," "cautionary," or "unsuitable") of patients receiving APBI in the 18 months before (January 2008 to June 2009) and after (July 2009 to December 2010) guideline publication were analyzed. A total of 87,528 patients undergoing breast conservation therapy were identified. Of this, 4,253 patients (4.9%) received brachytherapy-based APBI. Limiting the analysis to patients not missing data that would affect their CS classification rendered 3,828 patients. The proportion of breast conservation patients receiving brachytherapy-based APBI before and after CS release remained the same (4.9% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.36). Among patients receiving brachytherapy-based APBI, the unsuitable category decreased (15.8 vs. 11.1%, p < 0.01), whereas the suitable category increased (37.7% vs. 42.1%, p = 0.03), and the cautionary category was stable (46.5% vs. 46.7% p = 0.90) after guideline publication. Joinpoint regression analysis failed to reveal that the changes in practice patterns corresponded with the CS publication date. The period before and after publication of the ASTRO CS was associated with a decrease in "unsuitable" patients and an increase in "suitable" patients being treated with brachytherapy-based APBI. This trend began before guideline release and thus cannot be definitively attributed to the ASTRO CS.

Identification of Molecular Markers of Radiation-Induced Toxicity in Patients Undergoing Breast Conserving Therapy

Improvements in therapeutic management of breast cancer are not distributed evenly across socioeconomic groups. African American women with breast cancer have greater risk of recurrence, shorter overall survival, and survival after relapse, worse toxicity, and worse cosmetic outcome when compared to White women. In the hope of explaining some of these differences and with the fact that protein expression may differ by race and ethnicity, we investigated changes in plasma protein and metabolite expression as a result of radiation in a longitudinal study of women treated with adjuvant whole breast radiation therapy.

Re-excision Rates and Local Recurrence in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Breast Conserving Therapy

Re-excision Rates and Local Recurrence in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Breast Conserving Therapy

Re-excision Rates and Local Recurrence in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Breast Conserving Therapy.

Background: Controversy continues over the impact of re-excision (RE) on local recurrence (LR) in patients with invasive breast cancer. Patients and Methods: We investigated factors which could effect RE rates in patients undergoing breast-conserving or oncoplastic surgery. Between 2000 and 2003, 489 patients with stage pT1-pT2 or pN0/1 tumors were evaluated. 74 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Patients were categorized into 3 groups: no RE (n = 25), RE during primary surgery (n = 28), and RE performed during secondary or even tertiary procedure (n = 21). All tumor slides were re-evaluated by a pathologist specializing in breast cancer. Results: Mean follow-up was 70 months with an overall LR rate of 4.1 %. Binary logistic regression revealed no tumor-specific risk factors for RE. There was no LR in the group of patients who did not have RE. There was one case of LR in the group of patients who had RE during primary surgery. Two cases of LR were observed in the group of patients who had two or more surgical procedures. Conclusion: New risk factors for increased RE rates were not observed, reflecting the inconsistent data on risk factors for RE. However, breast cancers should be excised in a single procedure and oncoplastic procedures should be considered.

Intraoperative frozen section analysis of margins in breast conserving surgery significantly decreases reoperative rates: one-year experience at an ambulatory surgical center.

Intraoperative frozen section (FS) margin evaluation is not common practice for patients undergoing breast conservation therapy (BCT), but offers a significant reduction in reoperation. In this study, a technique to allow for more effective freezing of breast tissue was developed to perform FS evaluation of lumpectomy margins (FSM) for all patients undergoing BCT at an ambulatory surgery center. FS evaluation of sentinel lymph node biopsy specimens was performed concurrently. One hundred eighty-one study and 188 control patients, with and without FS evaluation, were compared. Reexcision was reduced 34% (from 48.9% to 14.9%) and reoperation was reduced 36% (from 55.3% to 19.3%) with FS evaluation. Most of the decrease in reoperative rate was because of a decrease in the need for margin reexcision. The number of patients requiring 1, 2, or 3 operations to complete therapy was 84, 92, and 12, respectively, in the control group, and 146, 33, and 2, respectively, in the study group. Lobular subtype, multifocal disease, and larger tumor size (≥2 cm) were significantly associated with failure of FSM to prevent reoperation, but reoperation rates were still significantly decreased in this subgroup of patients (from 75.5% to 43.8%) with FSM. This study highlights an innovative yet simple and adaptable FS approach that resulted in a nearly 3-fold reduction in reoperation for patients undergoing BCT.

Prospective Longitudinal Study of Radiation-induced Cutaneous Toxicity in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Breast Conserving Therapy

We prospectively evaluated risk factors for persistent radiation-induced skin thickening (ST) in women with breast cancer undergoing lumpectomy with or without chemotherapy (CTX) prior to whole breast radiation (RT). We assessed the potential role of patient and tumor characteristics, treatment history including CTX, and inflammatory mediators.

Evaluation of the MD Anderson Prognostic Index for Local-Regional Recurrence After Breast Conserving Therapy in Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

We previously developed a prognostic index for assessing local-regional recurrence (LRR) risk in patients undergoing breast conservation therapy (BCT) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The prognostic index assigns a point for each of the following variables: clinical N2/N3 disease, lymphovascular invasion, residual pathologic tumor size >2 cm, and multifocal residual disease on pathology. The current study was undertaken to evaluate this prognostic index in an independent cohort. We identified 551 patients treated from 2001 to 2005 with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, mastectomy or BCT, and radiation. These patients were not used in the original development of the prognostic index. Outcomes were stratified by prognostic index. The 5-year LRR-free survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences were compared using the log-rank test. For patients undergoing BCT, the 5-year LRR-free survival rates were 92, 92, 84, and 69% when the prognostic index was 0 (n = 91), 1 (n = 82), 2 (n = 38), or 3-4 (n = 13) (P = 0.01). The 5-year LRR-free survival rates were similar between patients undergoing mastectomy or BCT when the prognostic index score was 0, 1, or 2. When the prognostic index score was 3-4, the 5-year LRR-free survival was significantly lower for patients treated with BCT compared with mastectomy (69 vs. 93%, P = 0.007). The previously developed prognostic index was successful in stratifying patients with respect to LRR in an independent cohort undergoing BCT after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The prognostic index can be used to identify patients at high risk for LRR who may be considered for more extensive surgery or enrollment into clinical trials evaluating novel strategies for local-regional control.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy's Role in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC) facilitates breast conservation in women with large tumors, which are common in our inner city breast clinic. We performed this review of our NC breast cancer experience, which includes a disproportionate number of triple negative patients. Patients treated with NC were divided into two groups based on their tumor's receptor status. Patients with tumors negative for estrogen, progesterone, and HER2-neu were considered triple negative (TN) and patients with positive staining for any of these receptors were considered nontriple negative (NTN). Response to NC was considered a complete response (CR) if no residual tumor was detected at surgery, partial response (PR) if the height and width was reduced by at least 50 per cent, and no response (NR) for anything less than a PR. Differences were assessed by χ(2) analysis and Student's t test. We identified 30 patients treated with NC (11 TN and 19 NTN). Twenty-one patients (70%) were African American (11/11 TN and 10/19 NTN; P = 0.01). Age (46.8 ± 6.0 years TN vs 49.5 ± 11.7 years NTN), response rates (18% NR, 55% PR, and 27% CR TN; 37% NR, 42% PR, and 21% CR NTN), and node positivity (64% TN vs 74% NTN) were statistically similar. Two TN (20%) and seven (41%) NTN patients underwent breast conservation therapy. Our results demonstrate the association of African American race and TN breast cancer. TN cancers respond similarly to NC when compared with NTN, allowing for tumor downstaging and possible breast conservation surgery.