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Objective: To report the demographic data and clinical outcomes of non-small-cell lung cancer patients exposed to erlotinib in any line of treatment. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of non-small-cell lung cancer patients from a reference general hospital and a private oncology clinic, who received erlotinib from 2005 to 2011. Statistical analysis was performed and we evaluated demographic data and response to treatment, by correlating the results of this first cohort published in Brazil with results of current literature. Results: A total of 44 patients were included; 65.9% were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, and 63.6% had metastatic disease. The mean age was 63.3 years. The median follow-up was 47.9 months. Epidermal growth factor receptor mutation screening was performed in 22.7% of patients (n=10), with mutation present in 30% of patients. The median overall survival was 46.3 months, and there was a higher probability of survival at 60 months for females compared to males (29.4% versus 15.8%; p=0.042). The other variables did not present significant statistical difference. Conclusion: We collected the largest cohort of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer who have used erlotinib in Brazil to date, and demonstrated that outcomes of patients treated at our clinic during the study period were consistent with the results of current literature in similar patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the prognosis estimated by standard prognostic criteria versus the prognosis estimated by the Oncotype DX. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 22 patients with positive estrogen receptor, early-stage breast cancer who had an Oncotype DX recurrence score available. Results: Kappa value between Oncotype DX and standard prognostic criteria was: Adjuvant! (K = 0.091), Adjuvant! (Transbig) (K = 0.182) and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (K = 0.091). The Fisher's exact test did not show correlation between Oncotype and standard prognostic criteria. Conclusion: Standard prognostic criteria showed no correlation with Oncotype DX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the overall survival of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and evaluate factors that impact prognosis in a private cancer center. Methods: Data from the Hospital Cancer Registry at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein were retrospectively collected. The patients enrolled had metastatic cancer at diagnosis or earlier staging and subsequent recurrence. Cases of neuroendocrine tumors were excluded. Results: A total of 65 patients were evaluated, including 63 with adenocarcinoma. The median overall survival for patients in all stages was 20.7 months (95%CI: 15.6-25.7), while the overall survival of metastatic disease was 13.3 months. Among the 33 cases with stage IV cancer, there was no evidence of a statistically significant association between median survival and CA19-9 dosage (p=0.212), tumor location (p=0.482), first treatment performed (p=0.337), lymphovascular invasion (p=0.286), and age (p=0.152). However, the number of lines of chemotherapy was significantly associated with survival (log-rank p=0.013), with an estimated median survival of 10.2 months for patients who received up to two lines of treatment and 23.5 months for those receiving more than two lines of chemotherapy. Conclusion: The survival of patients treated was longer than that reported in the literature. The only statistically significant factor related to increased survival was higher number of lines of chemotherapy received. We believe that the higher socioeconomic status of patients surveyed in this study, as well as their greater access to treatment options, may have influenced their overall survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]