Supraclavicular Node Metastasis Research Articles

Neoadjuvant therapy combined with surgery is superior to chemoradiotherapy in esophageal squamous cell cancer patients with resectable supraclavicular lymph node metastasis: a propensity score-matched analysis.

BackgroundMultiple clinical trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy in esophageal cancer but exhibited mixed results, indicating that the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy remains controversial in the treatment of esophageal cancer. Our study was conducted to investigate the value of neoadjuvant therapy in patients with esophageal cancer with supraclavicular lymph node metastases.MethodsWe retrospectively enrolled 231 patients who had resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with supraclavicular lymph node metastases from June 2008 to November 2018. All patients were divided into three groups: the neoadjuvant therapy combined with surgery (Neo + S) group, the radical chemoradiotherapy (CRT) group, and the single radiotherapy (RT) group. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to exclude the impact of potential interferences. Kaplan-Meier analysis, the log-rank test, and competitive risk model analysis were used to assess the efficacy of different therapeutic methods.ResultsPatients in the Neo + S group had a better 3-year survival rate (72.0% vs. 35.8%; P=0.005), progression-free survival (PFS) (24 vs. 14 months; P<0.0001), and lower 3-year tumor-specific mortality risk (25.1% vs. 53.7%; P=0.005) than those in the CRT group. Furthermore, patients in the CRT group had a better 3-year survival (30.1% vs. 18.6%; P=0.012) and lower 3-year tumor-specific mortality risk (57.9% vs. 76.8%; P=0.011) than those in the RT group. Additionally, the supraclavicular lymph node metastasis rate was higher than the mediastinal lymph node metastasis rate in patients with upper esophageal cancer compared to middle and lower esophageal cancerConclusionsNeoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with surgery showed better efficacy than radical CRT in patients who had resectable ESCC with supraclavicular lymph nodes metastasis. Supraclavicular lymph nodes are more likely to be regional lymph nodes for upper and middle esophageal cancer.

Association of supraclavicular node metastasis with survival in node positive esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated using definitive chemoradiation

Association of supraclavicular node metastasis with survival in node positive esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated using definitive chemoradiation

Combined Therapy Can Improve the Outcomes of Breast Cancer with Isolated Supraclavicular Lymph Node Involvement.

PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of systemic combined with local therapies in isolated metachronous ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node metastasis (mISLM) breast cancer patients.Patients and MethodsWe reviewed the data of mISLM patients admitted by Breast Disease Center of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, from January 2009 to July 2019. Ninety-nine patients were included and were divided into two groups: the systemic group, which referred to patients who received only systemic therapy, and the combined group, which referred to patients who received systemic therapy plus local therapy (including neck radiotherapy (RT) and/or supraclavicular lymph node dissection surgery). In the combined group, patients were further divided into systemic therapy plus: 1) neck RT, 2) supraclavicular lymph node dissection surgery, and 3) neck RT and supraclavicular lymph node dissection surgery.ResultsThe median duration of follow-up was 36 months. The median PFS was 15 months, and the median OS was 35 months. Local control rates of 1 year, 2 years and 3 years were 92.9%, 86.9% and 84.8%, respectively. The combined group (n=56) had a significantly better PFS (P<0.001) and OS (P=0.001) than the systemic group (n=43). Compared with Group B (n=13) and Group C (n=14), Group A (n=29) had a significantly better PFS (P=0.007). Higher dose and conventional dose showed no significant differences regarding the local control rate (P=1.000), PFS (P=0.787) or OS (P=0.690) in the patients who received RT. In multivariate analysis, pN3 stage and combined therapy (systemic therapy plus local therapy) for mISLM affected PFS (P<0.001 and P=0.002, respectively). Neck RT was an independent parameter affecting OS (P=0.002).ConclusionIn breast cancer patients with mISLM, systemic therapy combined with local therapy could improve PFS and OS. Based on systemic therapy, RT had a better effect on survival than surgery. However, more aggressive methods, such as systemic therapy combined with both RT and surgery or a higher dose of RT, may not be associated with improved PFS or OS in these patients.

Effect and Toxicity of Bilateral Supraclavicular Lymph Node Irradiation on Stage III Lower Thoracic Esophageal Cancer After Radical Surgery

Surgery is the most important treatment for patients with lower thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (LTEC). Treatment failures, especially loco-regional recurrence involving mediastinal, abdominal, and supraclavicular lymph nodes area, are common after radical esophagectomy. Post-operative radiotherapy (PORT) has been demonstrated to benefit patients with stage III disease. However, whether bilateral supraclavicular lymph node radiotherapy should be included in the clinical target volume (CTV) remains unclear for those patients with lower thoracic esophageal cancer. So, we aim to explore whether PORT including the bilateral supraclavicular region can reduce the recurrence of supraclavicular lymph node, prolong overall survival and control distant metastasis in patients with stage III LTEC. We retrospectively analyzed 79 patients with stage III LTEC who had undergone radical surgery and PORT between 2010 and 2014. Among these patients, 51 patients received PORT which CTV excluding the bilateral supraclavicular lymph node region (Group A), and the remaining 28 patients received PORT which CTV including the supraclavicular region (Group B). Clinical outcomes (including local control, survival time, side-effects and prognostic factors) were analyzed with SPSS 25.0. Follow-up to August 2016, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year supraclavicular lymph nodes metastasis rates were 15.7%, 41.2%, 45.1% in Group A, 10.7%, 10.7%, 10.7% in Group B. The median overall survival (OS) of Group A and Group B were 25 and 24.5 months respectively. Univariate and multivariate analysis indicated that radiotherapy to the supraclavicular region decreased supraclavicular lymph node recurrence (p = 0.007/0.016, respectively) but did not prolong OS (p = 0.273/0.324) or control distant metastasis (p = 0.760/0.804). Our data also indicated that PORT including the supraclavicular region was not associated with the increase of radiotherapy-related complications (all p > 0.05). PORT including the bilateral supraclavicular region can reduce the recurrence of supraclavicular lymph node in patients with stage III LTEC without increase of treatment-related toxicities. However, PORT including bilateral supraclavicular region failed to prolong OS or control distant metastasis. Further prospective studies are warranted.

Comprehensive registry of esophageal cancer in Japan, 2013

BackgroundEsophageal cancer is the eighth most common cause of cancer mortality in Japan. More than 11,000 people had died from esophageal cancer in 2018. The Japan Esophageal Society has collected the data on patients' characteristics, performed treatment, and outcomes annually.MethodsWe analyzed the data of patients who had first visited the participating hospitals in 2013. In 2019, the data collection method was changed from an electronic submission to a web-based data collection using the National Clinical Database (NCD). Japanese Classification of Esophageal Cancer 10th by the Japan Esophageal Society (JES) and UICC TNM Classification 7th were used for cancer stagingResultsA total of 8019 cases were registered from 334 institutions in Japan. Squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma accounted for 87.8% and 6.3%, respectively. The 5-year survival rates of patients treated using endoscopic resection, concurrent chemoradiotherapy, radiotherapy alone, or esophagectomy were 88.3%, 32.4%, 24.4%, and 59.3%, respectively. Esophagectomy was performed in 4910 cases. The operative and the hospital mortality rates were 0.77% and 1.98%, respectively. The survival curves showed a good discriminatory ability both in the clinical and pathologic stages by the JES system. The 5-year survival rate of patients with pStage IV in the UICC classification that included patients with supraclavicular node metastasis was better than that of patients with pStage IVb in JES classification.ConclusionWe hope this report contributes to improving all aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer in Japan.

167 Poster - Retrospective analysis of survival of breast cancer patients with ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node metastasis

Background: At present, there is no specific guidance for the treatment of ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node metastasis patients. Regional surgeryis not a part of conventional radical mastectomy for breast cancer, and the value of regional surgery is controversial. This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients with ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node metastasis, and evaluated the efficacy of supraclavicular lymph node dissection plus radiotherapy and radiotherapy alone in the treatment of breast cancer with ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node metastasis.

Comparison between surgery plus radiotherapy and radiotherapy alone in treating breast cancer patients with ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node metastasis.

Ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node metastasis (ISLM) with breast cancer patients has always been a hard problem for breast surgery. It is generally believed that radiotherapy can benefit the survival of patients, but whether local surgical resection is needed or not is controversial. The study aims to compare the efficacy between supraclavicular lymph node (SLN) dissection combined with radiotherapy and radiotherapy alone in the treatment of breast cancer with ISLM. A retrospective analysis was performed using 122 cases of breast cancer with ISLM but without distant metastasis. Among them, 14 cases were eliminated due to insufficient data. The 108 remaining cases were divided into 2 groups based on different treatment proposals for metastatic SLNs. The groups were dissection plus radiotherapy (surgery group), and simple radiotherapy (radiotherapy group). For the 108 patients, the overall 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 30.6% and 67.8%, respectively. In the surgery group, distant metastases occurred in 41 patients, and the 5-year DFS was 34.3%; in the radiotherapy group, 18 patients had distant metastases, and the 5-year DFS was 26.1%; the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). In the surgery group, 11 patients died, and the 5-year OS rate was 67.9%; in the radiotherapy group, 6 patients died, and the 5-year OS rate was 67.5%; the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The dissection of SLN combined with radiotherapy and radiotherapy alone had similar effects on the survival rates in breast cancer patients with ISLM. The local control in the surgery group was better than that in the radiotherapy group. The status of estrogen receptors (ER) and the number of axillary lymph node metastases were independent influencing factors of DFS. The ER status is an independent factor affecting the OS rate of patients.

Adenocarcinoma originating from long-segment Barrett's esophagus over 15\xa0cm: a series of 3 cases

BackgroundBarrett's esophagus (BE) is characterized by presence of columnar epithelium in the lower esophageal mucosa, which originally comprises stratified squamous epithelium. Gastroesophageal reflux disease causes BE and BE adenocarcinoma (BEAC); further, the incidence of BEAC is increasing, especially in developed countries. Long-segment BE (LSBE) has a particularly high carcinogenic potential and necessitates treatment, surveillance, and prevention.Case presentationHerein, we report three cases of BEAC originating from LSBE larger than 15 cm. All three patients underwent surgery for the diagnosis of BEAC. A 66-year-old man with advanced esophageal cancer underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and subsequent subtotal esophagectomy. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with lymph node metastasis (pT3 pN3 pM0 pStage III based on the Union for International Cancer Control TNM Classification 8th edition). Two years after the operation, the patient was diagnosed with recurrence around the celiac artery and underwent chemotherapy. An 83-year-old woman with advanced esophageal cancer underwent subtotal esophagectomy. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma with supraclavicular lymph node metastasis (pT3 pN3 pM1 pStage IV). Two months after the operation, the patient was diagnosed with recurrence in the neck lymph nodes and underwent chemotherapy; however, she died. A 66-year-old man with early-stage esophageal cancer underwent subtotal esophagectomy. A superficial early cancerous lesion was seen over BE. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma without lymph node metastasis (pT1a pN0 pM0 pStage 0). The patient was found to be alive and recurrence-free 3 months after the operation.ConclusionsBEAC might show good prognosis if detected and treated early. Extremely LSBE is associated with a high incidence of BEAC; therefore, early detection and treatment with close surveillance is essential.

Treatment Patterns and Outcomes of Women with Breast Cancer and Supraclavicular Nodal Metastases

In 2002, breast cancer patients with supraclavicular nodal metastases (cN3c) were downstaged from AJCC stage IV to IIIc, prompting management with locoregional treatment. We sought to estimate the impact of multimodal therapy on overall survival (OS) in a contemporary cohort of cN3c patients. Women ≥ 18years with cT1-T4c/cN3c invasive breast cancer who underwent systemic therapy were identified from the 2004-2016 National Cancer Database. We compared three patient cohorts: (a) cN3c + multimodal therapy (systemic therapy, surgery, and radiation); (b) cN3c + non-standard therapy; and, (c) cM1. Logistic regression identified factors associated with receipt of multimodal therapy and Kaplan-Meier was used to estimate unadjusted OS. The Cox proportional hazards model estimated effects of diagnosis and treatment on OS after adjustment. Overall, 1827 (3.7%) patients with cN3c disease and 46,919 (96.3%) cM1 patients were identified. Of cN3c patients, 74.5% (n = 1362) received multimodal therapy and 25.5% (n = 465) received non-standard therapy; receipt of multimodal therapy was associated with improved 5-year OS (multimodal: 59% vs. M1: 28% vs. non-standard: 28%, log-rank p < 0.001). Adjusting for covariates, non-standard therapy was associated with an increased risk of death compared with receipt of multimodal therapy (HR 2.20, 95% CI 1.71-2.83, p < 0.001). Private insurance was the only patient characteristic associated with a greater likelihood of receiving multimodal therapy (OR 2.81; 95% CI, 1.64-4.82; p < 0.001). Women with cN3c breast cancer who received multimodal therapy demonstrated improved overall survival when compared with patients undergoing non-standard therapy and those with metastatic (M1) disease. Although selection bias may contribute to worse overall survival among cN3c patients undergoing non-standard therapy, national guidelines should encourage locoregional treatment in carefully selected patients.

Elevated Platelet Count Predicts Poor Prognosis in Breast Cancer Patients with Supraclavicular Lymph Node Metastasis.

BackgroundMore and more studies show that platelets are closely related to the occurrence and development of tumors. This study aims to explore the predictive value of peripheral blood platelet count on the prognosis of breast cancer patients with ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node (ISLN) metastasis.MethodsEighty-five breast cancer patients with ISLN metastasis in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University were collected retrospectively in this study. Chi-square test was used to analyze the correlation between clinical pathological data and platelet count. DFS rate was estimated by K-M curve and Log Rank test was performed. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression were used to determine the prognostic value of platelets. Time-dependent Cox regression was used to further analyze the correlation between peripheral blood platelets and prognosis to determine the stability of the results.ResultsThe pathological complete response rate of ISLN after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) was 51.8%. Platelet count was correlated with PR status of breast cancer at first visit (P=0.01). After a median follow-up of 30 months, multivariate Cox analysis showed that high platelet count (HR=3.18, 95% CI=1.13–8.93, P=0.028), premenopausal status (HR=0.40, 95% CI=0.17–0.97, P=0.043), and ISLN pathological failure (HR=0.25 95%, CI=0.10–0.62, P<0.01) were associated with poor prognosis. K-M curve analysis showed that the prognosis of patients with a high platelet count was worse than that of patients with low platelet count (HR=5.32, 95% CI=2.41–11.75, P<0.01). To further verify the stability of this result, multivariate time-dependent Cox model also suggested that higher platelet level was related to poor prognosis (HR=1.009, 95% CI=1.003–1.016, P<0.01). Meanwhile, menopausal status (HR=0.32, 95% CI=0.14–0.76, P=0.01) and sPCR (HR=0.29, 95% CI=0.12–0.70, P=0.01) were also independent predictors of DFS.ConclusionPlatelets have important predictive value for the prognosis of breast cancer patients with ISLN metastasis, which indicates that platelet count can be used to distinguish high-risk patients so as to obtain clinical benefits.

Left Supraclavicular Lymph Node Metastasis from Ovarian Cancer Associated with Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma, a Confusing Pathology-Essential Role of Functional Imaging

The revolution of imaging in medicine leads to new standards of care, mostly in specialties like oncology, neurology, or endocrinology. We present a review of the literature and a case report of a 62-year-old patient initially treated for a benign gynecologic pathology and followed-up for 7 years clinically, with serologic and with multiple imaging techniques. There is an actual growing use of highly sensitive functional imaging methods, like fluoro-deoxy-glucose (F18-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the evaluation of oncologic pathologies, staging, follow-up, and therapy response monitoring. This is the first case report described in the literature presenting the association of thyroid papillary microcarcinoma (MPTC) and supraclavicular metastasis of ovarian cancer. The study aims to underline the necessity of a complex and careful evaluation of each oncologic patient, due to the unexpected clinical presentation and rare association of diseases, sometimes leading to confusing management.

Clinical significance and prognosis of supraclavicular lymph node metastasis in patients with thoracic esophageal cancer.

Although most studies proved that thoracic esophageal cancer surgery with supraclavicular lymph nodes (SCLNs) metastasis could benefit, less than 30% of the 5-year survival rate remained controversy on its surgical treatment. In this study, we aimed to analyze the prognosis of SCLNs on the different segments of thoracic esophageal cancer, which will supply a reference for the treatment of this disease. Retrospectively collected the clinical data of 163 patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cancer (ESCC) and compared the effects of SCLNs on prognosis in different segments. Patients with SCLNs metastasis had a worse prognosis than the negative group (P<0.001). In the upper thoracic group, there was no significant difference in OS between SCLNs positive group and negative group (P=0.077); however, in the middle and lower thoracic group, SCLNs positive group had a worse prognosis than the negative group (P<0.001) and lymph nodes positive in other sites (except for SCLNs) (P=0.039). Multivariate analysis found that SCLNs metastasis was an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of ESCC in the middle and lower thoracic segments (P=0.007). For patients with upper thoracic ESCC, SCLNs appear to be regional nodes. For the middle and lower thoracic ESCC, SCLNs should be defined as distant metastasis, and neoadjuvant therapy first may be an available therapy.

VOLTAGE-B study: Nivolumab monotherapy and subsequent curative surgery following preoperative chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC) without previous radiotherapy.

100 Background: Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by curative resection in patients (pts) with local recurrence after radical surgery for primary rectal cancer is the preferred strategy if radiotherapy (RT) was not previously performed. In VOLTAGE-A study, nivolumab plus surgery following CRT showed a promising pathologic complete response (pCR) rate of 30% in pts with microsatellite-stable (MSS) advanced primary rectal cancer. The treatment sequence was prospectively investigated in pts with Locally Recurrent Rectal Cancer (LRRC) in VOLTAGE-B. Methods: Pts with pelvic LRRC without previous RT were included. Five cycles of nivolumab (240 mg q2 weeks) plus curative surgery following CRT (50.4 Gy with capecitabine 1,650 mg/m2) were performed. The pCR rate using AJCC tumor regression grading and curative resection rate were key endpoints. Planned sample size in VOLTAGE-B was set 10 pts in an exploratory manner. Results: From May to Oct 2018, 10 pts were included. Median age was 65 and 8 were male. Curative resection was performed in nine pts with MSS. One had a newly diagnosed supraclavicular lymph node metastasis before surgery. As one pt with AJCC grade 0, seven with grade 2, and one with grade 3, were observed, pCR rate was 10%. As of cut-off date of Apr 2019, three pts showing recurrence out of the nine pts were observed. Nivolumab-related adverse events (AEs) were only one pt with grade 1 hyperthyroidism and one with grade 1 erythema. Grade 3/4 surgery-related AEs were observed in six pts, including two pts with ileus and two with pelvic infections. No treatment-related deaths were observed. Conclusions: The pCR rate of 10% with acceptable toxicity was shown in MSS LRRC pts treated with nivolumab plus curative surgery following CRT. Translational research exploring better predictors of efficacies of study treatment are ongoing. Clinical trial information: NCT02948348.

Integration the biologic factors into the staging of breast cancer patients with ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node metastasis.

Purpose: To investigate the accuracy and the discriminatory performance in the prognostic prediction in breast cancer (BC) patients with ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node (ISLN) metastasis using the between the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 7th and 8th edition staging system.Methods: Female patients diagnosed as BC were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database between 2010 and 2014. Chi-squared test, Kaplan-Meier method, Cox proportional hazard analysis, and the receiver operating characteristics were used to conduct statistical analysis.Results: We included 1097 BC patients with ISLN metastasis (N3c disease), including 29.4% (n=322) and 70.6% (n=775) of patients with non-metastatic and metastatic stage at diagnosis, respectively. In non-metastatic stage patients, 64.9% of the patients categorized as having stage IIIC disease in the 7th edition AJCC staging system were downstaged to stage IIIA or IIIB according to the 8th AJCC staging criteria. The AJCC 8th edition staging system had better discriminatory prognostic value than the 7th AJCC staging (area under the curve: 0.586 vs. 0.577, P=0.0006), with a 5-year breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) rate of 71.3%, 62.2%, 45.2% and 39.1% in stage IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, and IV cohorts, respectively (P<0.0001). The multivariate prognostic analysis revealed that the AJCC 8th edition staging system was an independent prognostic factor for BCSS, while no statistical difference in BCSS was found between the 8th AJCC stage IIIC and IV patients (P=0.188).Conclusion: The AJCC 8th edition pathological prognostic staging showed a better discriminatory prognostic value in ISLN-metastasized breast cancer patients. An additional clarification strategy in stage IIIC disease based on the 8th AJCC staging should be developed to differentiate patients who are curable with multimodality therapy and patients who have less benefit from curative treatment.

Prognostic importance of the outcomes of updating staging system in patients with stage II breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Staging plays an important role in treatment planning. In the staging system published by AJCC in 2002, micrometastasis, the total number of metastatic lymph nodes, internal mammarian and supraclavicular lymph node metastases, and level III (apical) lymph node metastases were incorporated to the staging system. These modifications are likely to cause upstaging and changes in treatment plans, precisely in patients previously considered as stage II. This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of update in staging system in terms of mortality and morbidity. The records of 150 patients who underwent surgery for stage II breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed. The patients who were accepted as stage II according to the previous staging systems and planned to be treated accordingly were re-evaluated according to the newly updated staging system. Patients with and without stage change were compared in terms of mortality, local and systemic recurrence, and disease-free survival. We found that 41 (27.3%) of the patients who were accepted as stage II according to the previous staging systems had been upstaged in the new staging system. The relationship between stage migration and tumor diameter was statistically significant. Thirty-one patients (20.7%) had recurrence during follow-up. We found that most of the patients with recurrence (77.4%) had stage migration. There was a statistically significant relationship between apical lymph node involvement and recurrence. Updates in staging system of breast cancer cause stage migration in a significant proportion of patients with stage II breast cancer and are likely to lead to a change in treatment plans in some patients. Stage migration also has an impact on prognosis. In fact, recurrence is more common in patients with stage migration.

Feasibility of photobiomodulation therapy for the prevention of radiodermatitis: a single-institution pilot study.

Acute radiodermatitis is one of the major complications when radiation therapy (RT) is delivered to the head and neck region in cases of head and neck cancers or lung cancers with supraclavicular lymph node metastasis. In these cases, high dose of RT is generally used so that acute radiodermatitis is observed in more than 90% of patients, and it negatively affects patients' quality of life. In this pilot study, we evaluated the clinical feasibility of photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy before conducting a randomized trial based on the hypothesis that PBM therapy may reduce the severity of radiodermatitis in participants receiving 60Gy or higher dose. Patients who were to receive 60Gy or higher dose in the neck were included in the study. Thirty-three patients received PBM therapy three times a week during RT. The severity of radiodermatitis was evaluated by two dermatologists and a radiation oncologist using the modified Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). Patients were followed up until a week after RT. In all patients, 90.6% of planned PBM schedule was completed. There was no significant side effect of PBM therapy. Thirteen (39%) patients showed wet desquamation (CTCAE grade 2b or higher). Only three (9%) of them showed grade 3 toxicity, which is a favorable result compared with previous studies. This pilot study showed that PBM therapy is safe and feasible in the clinic, and it might reduce the severity of radiodermatitis. A randomized trial should be warranted to prove the efficacy of PBM therapy.

Surgery of the Primary Tumor Offers Survival Benefits of Breast Cancer with Synchronous Ipsilateral Supraclavicular Lymph Node Metastasis

BackgroundControversy exists around the locoregional management of the primary tumor for breast cancer associated with synchronous ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node metastasis (sISLM) due to the rarity of the disease and limited available data. This study aimed to compare outcomes of patients in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database with sISLM who underwent surgical resection and radiation of the primary tumor with those who did not.MethodsThis population-based retrospective study included breast cancer patients with sISLM without distant metastases from 2004 to 2016 in the SEER database. In this study, patients had been stratified by operative management, and propensity score matching (PSM) had been successfully applied.ResultsA total of 1172 breast cancer patients with sISLM were included in the study: 863 (73.6%) of patients underwent the primary tumor resection, and 309 (26.4%) patients did not undergo surgery. The median survival time in the surgery group was longer compared to the nonsurgery group in the overall cohort and the PSM cohort. We concluded that the primary tumor resection was associated with improved survival. Subgroup analysis further demonstrated that local surgery was not inferior to radical surgery.ConclusionFor selected breast cancer patients with sISLM, surgery is a promising local intervention which may improve the survival.

Pancytopenia due to massive bone marrow carcinomatosis after radiotherapy for locally advanced breast cancer.

Pancytopenia is a rare complication among patients with breast cancer. Here, we report a case of pancytopenia due to massive bone marrow carcinomatosis (BMC) developed after local radiotherapy following to mastectomy. A 48-year-old woman with locally advanced breast cancer underwent mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection. During adjuvant chemotherapy, rapidly growing supraclavicular lymph node metastasis was noted, so chemotherapy was discontinued and local radiotherapy was performed. There was no myelosuppression or systemic metastases prior to radiotherapy, but 2 weeks after the completion of radiotherapy, complete blood counts showed pancytopenia, and chest CT scans revealed multiple bone metastasis. A bone marrow biopsy was performed and massive BMC was diagnosed. Despite the best supportive care, her disease progressed rapidly and she died 2months after radiotherapy. Locally advanced breast cancer that is resistant to chemotherapy is at risk of early fatal BMC and should be carefully monitored.

Predictive factors and prognostic value of pathologic complete response of ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph nodes in breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Breast cancer with ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node metastasis is one of the indicators of poor prognosis. Patients who attain pathologic complete response in breast and axillary sites have improved survival and are highest in aggressive HR-HER2- and HER2-positive tumor subtypes. However, there is no study on the related factors and prognostic value of supraclavicular pathologic complete response in breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The aim of our work was to investigate the factors and prognostic significance of pathologic complete response of ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node metastasis in breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A total of 214 patients with breast cancer who had primary ISLN metastasis, receiving NAC and subsequent ISLN dissection, were retrospectively and consecutively reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using χ2 test and the logistic regression model, and the prognosis was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curve. All patients included were women who were 26-74 years old. The rate of supraclavicular pathologic complete response (pCR) was 53.7%. Multivariate analysis showed that the expression of Ki67, breast pCR, and axillary pCR were independent predictors of supraclavicular pCR (P<0.05). After a median follow-up of 16.2 months, the risk of recurrence and metastasis in patients with supraclavicular pCR was half reduced compared to that of the non-pCR group (HR 0.51, 95% CI, 0.32-0.80, P<0.01), mainly manifested in HR-HER2- and HER2-positive disease. The expression level of Ki67, breast pCR, and axillary pCR were independent predictors of supraclavicular pCR. Supraclavicular pCR was an independent predictor of disease-free survival (DFS). Surgical removal of supraclavicular lymph nodes can accurately evaluate the rate of supraclavicular pCR, which is of great significance for patient prognosis.

Ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of metastases in nonpalpable supraclavicular lymph nodes in lung cancer patients

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Background and objectives: To assess frequency and signifi- cance of enlarged nonpalpable supraclavicular lymph nodes with routine ultrasound (US) evaluation and US-guided fine- needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) for the diagnosis and staging of patients with lung cancer.&#x0D; Materials and methods: 106 consecutive patients with lung cancer and nonpalpable supraclavicular lymph nodes were evaluated with cervical US for the presence of pathological lymph nodes. FNAB was performed in patients with nodes with short-axis &gt; 5 mm, rounded shape and missing echogenic hilum.&#x0D; Results: 27 (25.5%) patients had enlarged supraclavicular lymph nodes on US. Fourteen patients (13.2%) had cytologically proven lymph node involvement. Supraclavicular lymph node metastasis was more frequent in patients with medi- astinal invasion (p = 0.0001) and patients with enlarged lymph nodes on upper paratracheal stations on thorax CT (p = 0.0001). No relation was found between supraclavicular lymph node involvement and T stage (p = 0.27), distant metastasis (p = 0.50) or histological type (p = 0.80). Three patients were upstaged from IIIA to IIIB status. US-guided FNAB was the only diagnostic method in 2 patients.&#x0D; Conclusion: US-guided FNAB is a simple and safe procedure which can document N3 stage of disease in lung cancer patients. Thereby more invasive and expensive diagnostic procedures can be avoided in selected lung cancer patients.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;