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Retention of the nipple-areola complex with nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) techniques provides a more natural cosmetic result than procedures that sacrifice the nipple. While the oncologic safety of NSM is established by several studies, there is little long-term data on outcomes in BRCA mutation carriers with breast cancer.BRCA1/2 mutation carriers who underwent NSM and immediate reconstruction from 2008 to 2019 were reviewed and patients with breast cancer on biopsy or final pathology were included. Patient demographics and tumor characteristics, as well as treatment, recurrence, and survival data were collected.A total of 114 therapeutic NSM were performed in 105 BRCA mutation carriers (56 BRCA1, 47 BRCA2, and two women with both mutations). Median age was 45 years. Cancers were 18% stage 0, 52% stage I, 27% stage II, and 3% stage III. Mean invasive tumor size was 1.6 cm and 33 (35%) invasive tumors were triple negative. There were five (4.4%) positive nipple margins on final pathology; all underwent nipple excision. Most patients (80, 76%) received systemic therapy: 65 (62%) received chemotherapy and 48 (46%) received endocrine therapy. At 70 months median follow-up (range 15-150 months), no patient had developed a recurrence in the retained nipple-areola complex or at the site of a nipple excised for a positive margin. The rate of locoregional recurrence outside the nipple was 2.6%, and the rate of distant recurrence was 3.8%. Overall survival was 96%.NSM is a safe option for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers who undergo mastectomy for breast cancer.

Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) is now routinely offered to BRCA mutation carriers for risk reduction. We assessed the rates of ipsilateral cancer events after prophylactic and therapeutic NSM in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers undergoing NSM from October 2007 to June 2019 were identified in a single-institution prospective database, with variants of unknown significance being excluded. Patient, tumor, and outcomes data were collected. Follow-up analysis was by cumulative breast-years (total years of follow-up of each breast) and woman-years (total years of follow-up of each woman). Overall, 307 BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers (160 BRCA1, mean age 41.4 years [range 21–65]; and 147 BRCA2, mean age 43.8 years [range 23–65]) underwent 607 NSMs, with a median follow-up of 42 months (range 1–143). 388 bilateral prophylactic NSMs had 744 cumulative woman-years of follow-up, with no new cancers seen (< 0.0013 new cancers per woman-years); 251 BRCA1 prophylactic NSMs had 1034 cumulative breast-years of follow-up, with no new ipsilateral cancers seen (< 0.0010 per breast-year); 66 BRCA1 therapeutic NSMs had 328 cumulative breast-years of follow-up, with one ipsilateral cancer recurrence not directly involving the nipple or areola (0.0030 per breast-year); 237 BRCA2 prophylactic NSMs had 926 cumulative breast-years of follow-up, with no new ipsilateral cancers seen (< 0.0011 per breast-year); and 53 BRCA2 therapeutic NSMs had 239 cumulative breast-years of follow-up, with two ipsilateral recurrent cancers, neither of which directly involved the nipple or areola (0.0084 per breast-year). The risk of new ipsilateral breast cancers is extremely low after NSM in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. NSM is an effective risk-reducing strategy for BRCA gene mutations.

Purpose During the COVID-19 pandemic, most breast surgery for benign and malignant conditions has been postponed, creating a backlog of patients who will need surgery. A fair and transparent system for assessing the risk of further delaying surgery for individual patients to prioritize surgical scheduling is needed. Methods Factors related to risk of delaying surgery for breast patients were identified. Scores were assigned to each factor, with higher scores indicating a greater risk from delaying surgery. REDCap and Microsoft Excel tools were designed to track and score delayed patients. Results Published data and multidisciplinary clinical judgement were used to assign risk scores based on patient and tumor factors, length of delay, and tumor response to preoperative therapy. Patients completing neoadjuvant chemotherapy were assigned the highest scores as their options for delaying surgery are most limited. Among patients receiving neoadjuvant endocrine therapy or no medical therapy, higher scores were assigned for low-estrogen receptor or high-genomic risk scores, higher grade, larger tumors, younger age and longer delay. High priority scores were assigned for progression during preoperative therapy. Low scores were assigned for re-excisions, atypical lesions and other benign indications. There was good agreement of the tool’s ranking of sample patients with rankings by experienced clinicians. The tool generates risk-stratified patient lists by surgeon or institution to facilitate assignment of surgery dates. Conclusions This tool generates a clinically consistent, risk-stratified priority list of breast surgical procedures delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This systematic approach may facilitate surgical scheduling as conditions normalize.

The after mapping of the axilla: radiotherapy or surgery (AMAROS) trial concluded that for patients with cT1-2 N0 breast cancer and one or two positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs), axillary radiotherapy (AxRT) provides equivalent locoregional control and a lower incidence of lymphedema compared with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). The study prospectively assessed how often ALND could be replaced by AxRT in a consecutive cohort of patients undergoing mastectomy for cT1-2 N0 breast cancer. In November 2015, our multidisciplinary group agreed to omit routine intraoperative SLN evaluation for cT1-2 N0 patients undergoing upfront mastectomy and potentially eligible for postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT), including those 60 years of age or younger and those older than 60 years with high-risk features. Patients with one or two positive SLNs on final pathology were reviewed to determine whether PMRT including the full axilla was an appropriate alternative to ALND. From November 2015 to December 2016, 154 patients met the study criteria, and 114 (74%) formed the final study cohort. Intraoperative SLN evaluation was omitted for 76 patients (67%). Of these patients, 20 (26%) had one or two positive SLNs, and 14 of these patients received PMRT + AxRT as an alternative to ALND. Three patients returned for ALND, and three patients were observed. On univariate analysis, tumor size, LVI, number of positive lymph nodes, and receipt of chemotherapy were associated with receipt of PMRT. For the majority of patients with one or two positive SLNs, ALND was avoided in favor of PMRT + AxRT. With appropriate multidisciplinary strategies, intraoperative evaluation of the SLN and immediate ALND can be avoided for patients meeting the AMAROS criteria and eligible for PMRT.

Though systemic therapy has been the standard treatment for patients with de novo metastatic breast cancer, a large number of retrospective studies demonstrate that resection of the primary tumor is associated with improved survival. Here, we review the potential rationale for resection, available retrospective and prospective data, and challenges in applying these data in clinical practice. Results from prospective trials to date are limited. The only published randomized controlled trial concluded that locoregional therapy for the primary tumor did not result in improved overall survival and was associated with shorter distant progression-free survival. Recommendations regarding the potential survival advantage of locoregional therapy cannot be firmly made until additional results from prospective trials are available. Systemic therapy remains first-line treatment, and surgical resection of the primary tumor should only be considered for select patients after a full discussion of the limitations of the current data.

Knowledge related to genetic susceptibility in breast cancer, in particular the identification of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, has greatly enhanced the accuracy of breast cancer prediction for the subset of individuals with heritable disorders. Genetic testing for hereditary syndromes can aid in early detection and prevent cancer through screening, surgical prophylaxis, and chemoprevention. Genetic risk prediction can improve survival when combined with early detection and targeted therapy. Unfortunately, most patients who carry a genetic mutation for hereditary breast cancer are not tested (Drohan et al. Ann Surg Oncol. 2012;19(6):1732–7). Failure to notify mutation carriers prior to developing cancer robs them of the opportunity to utilize preventive strategies, direct surgical management, select systemic therapy, manage other at-risk organs, determine a follow-up approach, and manage recurrent disease.

Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) followed by radiotherapy (RT) with or without endocrine therapy (ET) is a standard treatment option for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). We sought to investigate national patterns in the use of adjuvant therapy after BCS for hormone receptor (HR)-positive DCIS over time. Using data from the National Cancer Data Base, we identified patients diagnosed with DCIS and treated with BCS between 2004 and 2013. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of adjuvant therapy use controlling for clinicopathologic demographic and facility-level characteristics. We identified 66,079 patients who underwent BCS for DCIS. Overall, 21% received no adjuvant treatment, 71% received RT, 48% received ET, and 38% received the combination therapy. In adjusted analyses among the patients with HR-positive DCIS (n = 50,147), the administration of RT decreased (odds ratio [OR] 0.86, 95% CI 0.77–0.97), while the use of ET increased (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.4–1.6) in 2013 compared to 2004. Young patients, elderly patients, positive margin status, and Medicare insurance were associated with lower use of both RT and ET. We observed both clinicopathologic and geographic variation in the use of adjuvant therapies. In the lowest risk subgroup, the use of RT decreased from 57% in 2004 to 48% in 2013 (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.45–0.89). Our study suggests a shift in patterns of care for DCIS that is impacted by both clinicopathologic and demographic factors, with the use of RT decreasing and the use of ET increasing in HR-positive DCIS patients. Current trials are designed to address the possible over-treatment of low-risk DCIS.

Genetic testing for individuals with familial or hereditary risk for breast cancer is essential to improving prevention and survival. Identifying unaffected BRCA1/2 mutation carriers before they develop breast cancer can reduce their risk and increase survival through increased intensity and frequency of screening, prophylactic surgery, and use of chemopreventive agents. Although the tools for genetic testing have been available for the past 20 years, nearly 95% of unaffected BRCA carriers remain unaware of their risk. The barriers to genetic screening are multiple. To identify patients for genetic testing, the clinician must first take the family history; analyze it using hereditary risk models, guidelines, or intuition; refer the patient for genetic testing; and most important, ensure that the patient follows through. With each of these steps, a certain proportion of patients is lost. Mary-Claire King , the human geneticist who discovered the BRCA mutation, once stated that “to identify a woman as a carrier only after she develops cancer is a failure of cancer prevention.” We can do better.

Thyroid cancer is common, yet the sequence of alterations that promote tumor formation are incompletely understood. Here, we describe a novel model of thyroid carcinoma in zebrafish that reveals temporal changes due to BRAFV600E. Through the use of real-time in vivo imaging, we observe disruption in thyroid follicle structure that occurs early in thyroid development. Combinatorial treatment using BRAF and MEK inhibitors reversed the developmental effects induced by BRAFV600E. Adult zebrafish expressing BRAFV600E in thyrocytes developed invasive carcinoma. We identified a gene expression signature from zebrafish thyroid cancer that is predictive of disease-free survival in patients with papillary thyroid cancer. Gene expression studies nominated TWIST2 as a key effector downstream of BRAF. Using CRISPR/Cas9 to genetically inactivate a TWIST2 orthologue, we suppressed the effects of BRAFV600E and restored thyroid morphology and hormone synthesis. These data suggest that expression of TWIST2 plays a role in an early step of BRAFV600E-mediated transformation.

The mechanism by which HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-RT) discriminates between the correct and incorrect nucleotide is not clearly understood. Chemically modified nucleotides containing 1-aminonaphthalene-5-sulfonate (ANS) attached to their gamma-phosphate were synthesized and used to probe nucleotide selection by this error prone polymerase. Primer extension reactions provide direct evidence that the polymerase is able to incorporate the gamma-modified nucleotides. Forward mutation assays reveal a 6-fold reduction in the mutational frequency with the modified nucleotides, and specific base substitutions are dramatically reduced or eliminated. Molecular modeling illustrates potential interactions between critical residues within the polymerase active site and the modified nucleotides. Our data demonstrate that the fidelity of reverse transcriptase is improved using modified nucleotides, and we suggest that specific modifications to the gamma-phosphate may be useful in designing new antiviral therapeutics or, more generally, as a tool for defining the structural role that the polymerase active site has on nucleotide selectivity.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative B-type Raf kinase Val600Glu mutation, or BRAF(V600E), analysis has been proposed as a tool to guide initial surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules. This study sought to determine if cytologic markers of malignancy are associated with the BRAF(V600E) mutation and if preoperative BRAF(V600E) testing would alter the initial management of patients with indeterminate nodules. METHODS: Patients who underwent surgery for a thyroid nodule between 2003 and 2012 at a tertiary care center were prospectively enrolled. Stored nodule samples were retrospectively genotyped for the BRAF(V600E) mutation. BRAF(V600E) status, demographics, cytologic and histopathologic findings, and choice of initial surgery were examined. RESULTS: A total of 960 patients were enrolled, of which 310 (32%) had an indeterminate nodule. The BRAF(V600E) mutation was identified in 13 patients (4%), 12 of whom had either cytologic atypia or were Bethesda category V. Three percent of Bethesda category III or IV nodules that were malignant harbored the mutation compared with 42% of Bethesda category V malignancies. Nuclear grooves (P = .030), pseudoinclusions (P < .001), and oval nuclei (P = .022) were all more common among BRAF(V600E) mutants. The sensitivities of using BRAF testing alone, cytologic atypia/Bethesda category V classification, or both, were 15%, 73%, and 76%, respectively. Twelve of the 13 BRAF(V600E) mutants had total thyroidectomies initially due to worrisome cytologic features, and therefore the initial management of only one patient would have been altered if BRAF(V600E) testing had been performed preoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative mutation screening for BRAF(V600E) does not meaningfully improve risk stratification and is unlikely to alter the initial management of patients with indeterminate nodules. Cancer 2013. © 2012 American Cancer Society.