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Background Philadelphia chromosome negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), including essential thrombocythemia, polycythemia vera, and myelofibrosis, have severe function‐limiting symptom burden that is experienced by the majority of patients. Previous studies have suggested that depression may be present in over a quarter of MPN patients, but to date no studies have evaluated the relationship between depression and other variables such as symptoms. Methods A 70‐item internet based survey regarding fatigue and mood symptoms was developed by a multidisciplinary team of MPN investigators, patients and patient advocates including Patient Health Questionnaire and the Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Symptom Assessment Form was completed by over 1300 patients with MPN diagnosis. Results There were 309 respondents (23%) with PHQ‐2 scores ≥ 3. In this analysis, we found worse systemic symptom burden in individuals reporting depressive symptoms. Conclusion This analysis suggests the importance of depression in contributing to as well as confounding symptomatology in MPN patients, and suggests that this critical variable should also be addressed by clinicians and researchers alike when comprehensively assessing symptom burden etiologies., A survey of over 1300 patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms revealed 23% reported depressive symptoms and these symptoms were associated worse systemic symptom burden.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to assess the impact of trastuzumab on locoregional failure. METHODS: The analysis included 2763 patients with HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer who were randomly assigned to adjuvant doxorubicin (A), cyclophosphamide (C), paclitaxel (T) and trastuzumab (H) (arm A, AC→T [n = 922]; arm B, AC→T→H [n = 988]; arm C, AC→T+H→H [n = 853]). Radiotherapy was given after AC→T concurrently with H. Radiotherapy was given after lumpectomy (L) or after mastectomy (M) with ≥4 positive lymph nodes but was optional for 1 to 3 positive lymph nodes. Locoregional failures at 10 years (LFR10) as first events were compared using competing risk analysis. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 13.0 years. The first site of failure was local-only in 96 cases, locoregional in 16 cases, regional in 32 cases, and not specified in 2 cases; LFR10 was 4.8% (95% CI 4.1%–5.7%). LFR10 was 5.5% (95% CI 4.3%–7.2%), 4.9% (95% CI 3.7%–6.4%), and 2.8% (95% CI 1.9%–4.1%) in arms A, B, and C (B vs A: hazard ratio [HR] 0.91, P = .62; C vs A: HR 0.72, P = .12). For estrogen receptor–positive patients, LFR10 was 3.7% (95% CI 2.8%–4.8%) and for estrogen receptor–negative patients, it was 6.1% (95% CI 5.0%–7.4%; HR 0.61, P = .004). Local treatment included L+RT (n = 1044 [38%]), M+RT (n = 1025 [37%]), and M (n = 694 [25%]). LFR10 was 6.% (95% CI 5.0%–7.8%), 3.0% (95% CI 2.1%–4.3%), and 5.5% (95% CI 4.0%–7.4%) for L+RT, M+RT, and M, respectively (M+RT vs L+RT: HR 0.43, P < .001; M vs L+RT: HR 0.88, P = .57). For 1 to 3 positive lymph nodes, LFR10 was 6.5% (95% CI 4.8%–8.9%), 4.1% (95% CI 2.4%–7.0%), and 4.3% (95% CI 2.9%–6.5%) in L+RT, M+RT, and M, respectively (M vs L+RT: HR 0.68, P = .14; M vs M+RT: HR 1.2, P = .6). CONCLUSION: Low 10-year LFRs were seen regardless of trastuzumab use. Differences in local therapy in patients with 1 to 3 positive lymph nodes did not appear to improve local control. Local therapy studies for HER2+ and other tumor characteristics are important as the role of local therapies continues to evolve.

BACKGROUND Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) including polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia, and myelofibrosis, are faced with oppressive symptom profiles that compromise daily functioning and quality of life. Among these symptoms, sexuality-related symptoms have emerged as particularly prominent and largely unaddressed. In the current study, the authors evaluated how sexuality symptoms from MPN relate to other patient characteristics, disease features, treatments, and symptoms. METHODS A total of 1971 patients with MPN (827 with essential thrombocythemia, 682 with polycythemia vera, 456 with myelofibrosis, and 6 classified as other) were prospectively evaluated and patient responses to the Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Symptom Assessment Form (MPN-SAF) and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC-QLQ C30) were collected, along with information regarding individual disease characteristics and laboratory data. Sexuality scores were compared with an age-matched, healthy control population. RESULTS Overall, patients with MPN were found to have greater sexual dysfunction compared with the healthy population (MPN-SAF score of 3.6 vs 2.0; P 65 years and in those with cytopenias and transfusion requirements, and those receiving certain therapies such as immunomodulators or steroids. Conclusions The results of the current study identify the topic of sexuality as a prominent issue for the MPN population, and this area would appear to benefit from additional investigation and management. Cancer 2016. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

BACKGROUND Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) experience a high persistence, prevalence, and severity of fatigue. There is currently only limited information regarding factors that contribute to fatigue in patients with MPNs. METHODS A 70-item, Internet-based survey regarding fatigue was developed by MPN investigators and patients/advocates and hosted by the Mayo Clinic Survey Research Center. RESULTS Fatigue was found to be prevalent and severe among international survey respondents (1788 respondents). Higher body mass index (P 2 on the Patient Health Questionnaire, indicating a high probability of depression. Higher Brief Fatigue Inventory score, Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Total Symptom Score, and individual symptom items were all associated with a higher likelihood of depressive symptoms (P

Background A Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSKCC) nomogram predicts disease specific survival (DSS) for gastric adenocarcinoma. The goal of this study is to use a cancer registry to compare nomogram predicted survival with actual survival in the general population. Methods All patients undergoing surgery for gastric adenocarcinoma from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (1988–2012) were studied. Results 6954 patients were identified. Majority of cancers were in the antrum (30.2%), and had intestinal histology (73.7%). Median follow-up was 8.2 years. Five year DSS for nomogram risk groups (0–25%, 26–50%, 51–75%, and 76–100%) was 23%, 48%, 57%, and 81% respectively. Actual DSS was 7–15% lower than nomogram predicted DSS. Relative to patients in the 76–100% 5-year DSS risk group, patients in the 0–25%, 26–50%, and 51–75% groups had significantly higher risks of death with hazard ratios of 6.84 (95%CI 6.12–7.65), 3.30 (95%CI 2.83–3.86), and 2.64 (95%CI 2.30–3.03), respectively (all P

To evaluate the impact of a patient-centered symposium as an educational intervention on a broad population of cancer patients. We developed a comprehensive patient symposium. Through voluntary questionnaires, we studied the impact of this cancer symposium on quality of life, cancer-specific knowledge, and symptom management among cancer patients. Symposium attendees were provided surveys prior to and 3 months following the educational intervention. Surveys included (1) EORTC-QLQ-C30; (2) disease understanding tool developed for this conference; (3) validated disease-specific questionnaires. Changes over time were assessed using McNemar's tests and paired t-tests for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. A total of 158 attendees completed the pre-convention survey. Most respondents reported at least "quite a bit" of understanding regarding treatment options, screening modalities, symptomatology, and cancer-related side effects. Attendees endorsed the least understanding of disease-related stress, risk factors, fatigue management, and legal issues related to disease/treatment. At 3 months, there was improvement in understanding (12 of 14 areas of self-reported knowledge especially regarding nutrition, and stress/fatigue management). However, no significant change was seen in QLQ-C30 functioning, fatigue, pain, or insomnia. A patient symposium, as an educational intervention improves a solid knowledge base amongst attendees regarding their disease, increases knowledge in symptom management, but may be insufficient to impact QoL as a single intervention.

BACKGROUND Increased soluble human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (sHER2) is an indicator of a poor prognosis in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. In this study, the authors evaluated levels of sHER2 during treatment and at the time of disease recurrence in the adjuvant North Central Cancer Treatment Group N9831 clinical trial. METHODS The objectives were to describe sHER2 levels during treatment and at the time of recurrence in patients who were randomized to treatment arms A (standard chemotherapy), B (standard chemotherapy with sequential trastuzumab), and C (standard chemotherapy with concurrent trastuzumab). Baseline samples were available from 2318 patients, serial samples were available from 105 patients, and recurrence samples were available from 124 patients. The cutoff sHER2 value for the assay was 15 ng/mL. Statistical methods included repeated measures linear models, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, and Cox regression models. RESULTS There were differences between groups in terms of age, menopausal status, and hormone receptor status. Within treatment arms A, B, and C, patients who had baseline sHER2 levels ≥15 ng/mL had worse disease-free survival than patients who had baseline sHER2 levels

BACKGROUND Data suggest that weight, and specifically body mass index (BMI), plays a role in breast cancer development and outcome. The authors hypothesized that there would be a correlation between BMI and clinical outcome in patients with early stage, human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer enrolled in the N9831 adjuvant trial. METHODS Patients were grouped according to baseline BMI as follows: normal (BMI

Background and Objectives Many breast cancer patients undergoing completion axillary lymph node dissection (CALND) for sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastases have no further disease. Predicting patients at high risk of non-sentinel lymph node (NSLN) metastasis may help guide effective utilization of CALND. Methods SLN+ breast cancer patients undergoing frozen section (FS) analysis at a single institution (2004–2010) were studied retrospectively. Factors associated with NSLN metastases were identified. Results Two-hundred forty SLN+ patients were identified. The incidence of NSLN metastases was 45% in FS(+) patients undergoing CALND, compared to 10% of FS(−) patients following CALND (P

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm that is characterized by a series of consequences from the clonal disease.1 Included among the consequences of MF are the development of ineffective hematopoiesis (and thus potentially anemia and other cytopenias), leukoerythroblastosis, splenomegaly through perhaps a variety of mechanisms including (but not limited to) ineffective hematopoiesis and splenic sequestration of immature myeloid cells, significant constitutional symptoms (night sweats, fevers, weight loss), pruritus, risk of blastic transformation, and premature death.2 We have previously demonstrated that the symptomatic burden among patients with MF is significant both from directly observable effects of disease (ie, from anemia and/or splenomegaly) and by self-reported outcomes from MF patients for less quantifiable symptoms such as fatigue, night sweats, and pruritus.3 We have also reported that the prevalence of these symptoms is relatively uniform across the 3 main subtypes of MF (namely, primary MF, post-polycythemia vera MF [post-PV MF], and post-essential thrombocythemia MF [post-ET MF]).4 In addition, the presence of significant constitutional symptoms is not only bothersome for the individual patient, but has been found to be prognostically detrimental and is included as an adverse prognostic factor in the International Working Group for Myelofibrosis Research and Treatment prognostic score for MF.5 Historically, therapies for MF have been largely palliative, with very limited ability to significantly impact the symptomatic burden of patients afflicted with the disease. However, the discovery of the JAK2-V617F mutation in 20056 (and subsequent discovery of related myeloproliferative neoplasm-associated mutations7,8) has ushered in an era of targeted therapeutic approaches for MF including JAK inhibitors,9 which down-modulate the dysregulated activity of JAKs that is characteristic in the myeloproliferative neoplasms. Initial results of these targeted trials demonstrated a profound ability of these medications to decrease MF-associated splenomegaly and symptoms.10,11 The difficulty was that no current instrument of patient-reported outcomes adequately and concisely assessed the spectrum of MF-associated symptoms. Therefore, we developed, and validated in a single time point validation study, the Myelofibrosis Symptom Assessment Form.4 This instrument captured the spectrum of MF-associated constitutional symptoms (fatigue, night sweats, fevers, pruritus, weight loss) and splenomegaly-associated symptoms (abdominal pain, early satiety, mechanical effects from the spleen). This prior validation of the Myelofibrosis Symptom Assessment Form used a series of established instruments of patient-reported outcomes to validate the questions and results obtained from the Myelofibrosis Symptom Assessment Form. In addition, a separate question is asked relating to an overall assessment of quality of life. We sought to evaluate the use of the Myelofibrosis Symptom Assessment Form for measurement of baseline symptoms and sensitivity to detect changes when used serially in clinical trials. Therefore, we used the Myelofibrosis Symptom Assessment Form in serial administrations in conjunction with the largest phase 2 trial ever conducted for that disorder, the open label phase 2 trial of the selective JAK1 and JAK2 inhibitor INCB018424 (Trial 251).10

Treatment options for women with newly diagnosed breast cancer include breast conservation therapy and mastectomy with or without reconstruction, which provide equivalent cancer outcomes in properly selected patients. Although multiple studies have evaluated breast surgery quality-of-life outcomes, the data are inconsistent. This factor is important to consider when counseling patients and defining surgical quality measures.