Search

Background: Although the routine use of treatment plans and summaries (TPSs) has been recommended to improve the quality of cancer care, limited data exist about their impact on quality, including patient satisfaction and coordination of care.Methods: Patients received TPSs as part of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Breast Cancer Registry (BCR) pilot program of 20 community oncology practices. Participants were surveyed 2 to 4 weeks after receiving a TPS to evaluate their perceptions of the document. Patients who were receiving chemotherapy received the TPS as separate plan and summary documents (at the start and the end of treatment) and could complete 2 surveys. Others received a single integrated TPS. Eligible survey participants had stage 0 through III breast cancer and were enrolled in the BCR.Results: Of 292 consented patients, 174 (60%) completed at least 1 survey. Of 157 patients who recalled receiving a TPS, 148 (94%) believed that the documents improved patient-physician communication, and 128 (82%) believed that they improved communication between physicians; 113 (72%) said the documents increased their peace of mind, whereas 2 (1%) had less peace of mind. Of 152 patients (97%) who still had their documents, 147 (97%) said they were useful, and 94 (62%) had given or planned to give the documents to another physician. All 63 patients who were surveyed after receiving a summary recommended that practices continue to provide TPSs to patients.Conclusions: Participants in this study expressed high satisfaction with TPSs. Additional research is needed to study the broad-scale implementation of the BCR and to evaluate the impact of routine use of TPSs on the quality of care delivered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objectives of this study were to examine the patterns of use for adjuvant therapy and the changes in surgical practice for patients with early stage breast cancer and to describe how recent large clinical trial results impacted the patterns of care at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC).Methods: The study included 5486 women who were diagnosed with stage I through IIIA breast cancer between 1997 and 2004 and received their treatment at MDACC. A chi-square trend test and multivariate logistic regression model were used to assess changes in treatment patterns over time.Results: Among lymph node-positive patients, the use of anthracycline plus taxane chemotherapy increased from 17% in 1997 to 81% in 2004 (P < .001). Meanwhile, the use of anthracyclines without taxanes dropped from 76% to 20% (P < .001) between 1997 and 2000. For postmenopausal patients who received endocrine therapy, the use of tamoxifen was replaced increasingly by the use of aromatase inhibitors (from 100% on tamoxifen in 1997 to 14% in 2004; P < .001). The percentage of women who underwent initial sentinel lymph node biopsy increased significantly during the period from 1997 to 2004 (from 1.8% to 69.7%, respectively, among patients who underwent mastectomy; and from 18.1% to 87.1%, respectively, among patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery; P < .001).Conclusions: The results from this study suggested that key findings from adjuvant therapy and surgical procedures from large clinical trials often prompt immediate changes in the patient care practices of research hospitals like MDACC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Some evidence suggests that women with pregnancy-associated breast cancers (PABC) have a worse outcome compared with historical controls. However, young age is a worse prognostic factor independently, and women with PABC tend to be young. The purpose of the current study was to compare locoregional recurrence (LRR), distant metastases (DM), and overall survival (OS) in young patients with PABC and non-PABC.Methods: Data for 668 breast cancers in 652 patients agedResults: The median follow-up for all living patients was 114 months. Patients who developed PABC had more advanced T classification, N classification, and stage group (all P<.04) compared with patients with non-PABC. Patients with PABC had no statistically significant differences in 10-year rates of LRR (23.4% vs 19.2%; P=.47), DM (45.1% vs 38.9%; P=.40), or OS (64.6% vs 64.8%; P=.60) compared with patients with non-PABC. For those patients who developed breast cancer during pregnancy, any treatment intervention during pregnancy provided a trend toward improved OS compared with delaying evaluation and treatment until after delivery (78.7% vs 44.7%; P=.068).Conclusions: Young patients with PABC had no statistically significant differences in LRR, DM, or OS compared with those with non-PABC; however, pregnancy contributed to a delay in breast cancer diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment. Primary care and reproductive physicians should be aggressive in the workup of breast symptoms in the pregnant population to expedite diagnosis and allow multidisciplinary treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA evidence in sexual assault cases have proven increasingly difficult to obtain and analyse due to increased condom use. With more interest in alternatives to DNA evidence, prophylactic lubricants, spermicides and residues may be interesting prospects. Current interest in the analysis of prophylactic residues focuses on the evaluation and identification of lubricants and constituents, primarily through gas chromatography or Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Though cost-effective methods, extensive sample preparation and destructive modes of analysis remain an area for improvement. As a result, the focus has since shifted to ambient ionization methods that offer adequate sensitivity and reduced sample preparation. The Liquid Microjunction Surface Sampling Probe (LMJSSP) is a versatile ambient ionization source that employs a probe that supports a continuously flushing droplet that extracts analytes when placed in contact with a surface. The analytes are aspirated into the mass spectrometer with a Venturi pressure. In this work we use the LMJSSP to analyse the trace transfer of condom lubricant to different types of fabric (cotton, cotton-spandex, and denim). Furthermore, we examine the sensitivity and storage conditions for the direct analysis method on different swab types (cotton, silicone, and foam). Additionally, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Maximally Collapsing Metric Learning (MCML) are utilized for visualization of differentiability of commercially available condom brands including Durex™ and Trojan™, and product subtypes. The results present an interesting multi-disciplinary approach of using a direct liquid extraction ambient ionization technique and machine learning to improve the overall workflow for the analysis of lubricants, swabs and fabrics. Machine learning algorithms were able to differentiate between inherent differences of Durex™ and Trojan™ condoms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Richard David Oleschuk reports equipment, drugs, or supplies was provided by AB SCIEX LLC., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Intraoperative assessment of surgical margins is important for reducing the rate of revisions in breast conserving surgery for palpable malignant tumors. The hypothesis was that metabolomics methods, based on mass spectrometry, could find patterns of relative abundances of molecules that distinguish clusters of benign tissue and cancer in surgical resections., Methods: Excisions from 8 patients were used to acquire 112,317 mass spectrometry signals by desorption electrospray ionization. A process of nonnegative matrix factorization and graph decomposition produced clusters that were approximated as affine spaces. Each signal's distance to the affine space of a cluster was used to visualize the clustering., Results: The distance maps were superior to binary clustering in identifying cancer regions. They were particularly effective at finding cancer regions that were discontinuously distributed within benign tissue., Conclusions: Desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, which has been shown to be useful intraoperatively, can acquire signals that distinguish malignant from benign breast tissue in surgically excised tumors. The method may be suitable for real-time surgical decisions based on cancer margins.

Bone is the most common site of metastasis for breast cancer. Bone metastasis significantly affects both quality of life and survival of the breast cancer patient. Clinically, complications secondary to bone metastasis include pain, pathologic fractures, spinal cord compression, and hypercalcemia of malignancy. Because bone metastasis is extremely common in patients with metastatic breast cancer, clinical management of bone metastases is an important and challenging aspect of treatment in the metastatic setting.The skeleton is a metabolically active organ system that undergoes continuous remodeling throughout life. A delicate balance of the bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts in the dynamic microenvironment of the skeleton maintains normal bone remodeling and integrity. The presence of metastatic lesions in bone disrupts the normal bone microenvironment and upsets the fine balance between the key components. The changes in the bone microenvironment then create a vicious cycle that further promotes bone destruction and tumor progression.Various therapeutic options are available for bone metastases of breast cancer. Treatment can be tailored for each patient and, often requires multiple therapeutic interventions. Commonly used modalities include local therapies such as surgery, radiation therapy and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) together with systemic therapies such as endocrine therapy, chemotherapy, monoclonal antibody-based therapy, bone-enhancing therapy and radioisotope therapy. Despite the use of various therapeutic modalities, bone metastases eventually become resistant to therapy, and disease progresses.In this chapter, we describe the clinical picture and biological mechanism of bone metastases in breast cancer. We also discuss known risk factors as well as detection and assessment of bone metastases. We present therapeutic options for bone metastasis using a multidisciplinary approach. Further, we describe future directions for bone metastasis management, focusing on novel bone-specific targeted therapies.

Purpose: A majority of women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) receive breast-conserving surgery (BCS) but then face a risk of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) which can be either recurrence of DCIS or invasive breast cancer. We developed a score to provide individualized information about IBTR risk to guide treatment decisions., Methods: Data from 2762 patients treated with BCS for DCIS at centers within the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) were used to identify statistically significant non-treatment-related predictors for 5-year IBTR. Factors most associated with IBTR were estrogen-receptor status of the DCIS, presence of comedo necrosis, and patient age at diagnosis. These three parameters were used to create a point-based risk score. Discrimination of this score was assessed in a separate DCIS population of 301 women (100 with IBTR and 200 without) from Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC)., Results: Using NCCN data, the 5-year likelihood of IBTR without adjuvant therapy was 9% (95% CI 5-12%), 23% (95% CI 13-32%), and 51% (95% CI 26-75%) in the low, intermediate, and high-risk groups, respectively. Addition of the risk score to a model including only treatment improved the C-statistic from 0.69 to 0.74 (improvement of 0.05). Cross-validation of the score resulted in a C-statistic of 0.76. The score had a c-statistic of 0.67 using the KPNC data, revealing that it discriminated well., Conclusions: This simple, no-cost risk score may be used by patients and physicians to facilitate preference-based decision-making about DCIS management informed by a more accurate understanding of risks.

Purpose To update, in collaboration with Cancer Care Ontario (CCO), key recommendations of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guideline on the role of bone-modifying agents (BMAs) in metastatic breast cancer. This focused update addressed the new data on intervals between dosing and the role of BMAs in control of bone pain. Methods A joint ASCO-CCO Update Committee conducted targeted systematic literature reviews to identify relevant studies. Results The Update Committee reviewed three phase III noninferiority trials of dosing intervals, one systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of de-escalation of BMAs, and two randomized trials of BMAs in control of pain secondary to bone metastases. Recommendations Patients with breast cancer who have evidence of bone metastases should be treated with BMAs. Options include denosumab, 120 mg subcutaneously, every 4 weeks; pamidronate, 90 mg intravenously, every 3 to 4 weeks; or zoledronic acid, 4 mg intravenously every 12 weeks or every 3 to 4 weeks. The analgesic effects of BMAs are modest, and they should not be used alone for bone pain. The Update Committee recommends that the current standard of care for supportive care and pain management-analgesia, adjunct therapies, radiotherapy, surgery, systemic anticancer therapy, and referral to supportive care and pain management-be applied. Evidence is insufficient to support the use of one BMA over another. Additional information is available at www.asco.org/breast-cancer-guidelines and www.asco.org/guidelineswiki .

Purpose: Young women are at increased risk for developing more aggressive subtypes of breast cancer. Although previous studies have shown a higher risk of breast cancer recurrence and death among young women with early-stage breast cancer, they have not adequately addressed the role of tumor subtype in outcomes., Methods: We examined data from women with newly diagnosed stage I to III breast cancer presenting to one of eight National Comprehensive Cancer Network centers between January 2000 and December 2007. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the relationship between age and breast cancer-specific survival., Results: A total of 17,575 women with stage I to III breast cancer were eligible for analysis, among whom 1,916 were ≤ 40 years of age at diagnosis. Median follow-up time was 6.4 years. In a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model controlling for sociodemographic, disease, and treatment characteristics, women ≤ 40 years of age at diagnosis had greater breast cancer mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.4; 95% CI, 1.2 to 1.7). In stratified analyses, age ≤ 40 years was associated with statistically significant increases in risk of breast cancer death among women with luminal A (HR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.4 to 3.2) and luminal B (HR 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.9) tumors, with borderline significance among women with triple-negative tumors (HR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0 to 1.8) but not among those with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 subtypes (HR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.8 to 1.9). In an additional model controlling for detection method, young age was associated with significantly increased risk of breast cancer death only among women with luminal A tumors., Conclusion: The effect of age on survival of women with early breast cancer seems to vary by breast cancer subtype. Young age seems to be particularly prognostic in women with luminal breast cancers., (© 2016 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.)

Importance: The long-term effect of axillary pathologic complete response (pCR) on survival among women with breast cancer treated with primary systemic chemotherapy (PST) is unknown., Objective: To assess the long-term effect of axillary pCR on relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in women with breast cancer with cytologically confirmed axillary lymph node metastases treated with PST., Design, Setting, and Participants: We retrospectively analyzed the effect of axillary pCR on 10-year OS and RFS among all women who received a diagnosis of breast cancer stages II to III with cytologically confirmed axillary metastases between 1989 and 2007 who received PST at a large US comprehensive cancer center. Women were stratified by post-PST axillary status, and survival outcomes were estimated and compared according to response in the breast and axilla., Main Outcomes and Measures: Outcomes of interest were RFS and OS., Results: Of 1600 women treated, median (range) age at diagnisis was 49 (21-86) years. A total of 454 (28.4%) achieved axillary pCR. These patients were more likely to have human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive and triple-negative disease (P < .001), pCR in the breast (P < .001), high-grade tumors (P < .001), and lower clinical and pathologic T stage (P = .002). Ten-year OS rates were 84% (95% CI, 79%-88%) and 57% (95% CI, 54%-61%) (P < .001) and 10-year RFS rates 79% (95% CI, 74%-83%) and 50% (95% CI, 46%-53%) (P < .001) for patients with axillary pCR and residual axillary disease, respectively. For patients with axillary pCR, 10-year OS rates were 90% (95% CI, 84%-94%) for those with breast pCR and 72% (95% CI, 61%-80%) for those with residual breast disease (P < .001). For patients with residual axillary disease, 10-year OS rates were 66% (95% CI, 56%-74%) for patients with and 56% (95% CI, 52%-60%) for patients without breast pCR (P = .02). Of patients receiving HER2-targeted therapy for HER2-positive disease, 67.1% (100 of 149) achieved axillary pCR; 10-year OS rates were 92% (95% CI, 84%-96%) and 57% (95% CI, 20%-82%) (P = .003) and 10-year RFS rates 89% (95% CI, 81%-94%) and 44% (95% CI, 18%-68%) (P < .001) for those with axillary pCR and residual axillary disease, respectively., Conclusions and Relevance: Axillary pCR was associated with improved 10-year OS and RFS. Patients with axillary and breast pCR after PST had superior long-term survival outcomes. Patients undergoing HER2-targeted therapy for HER2-positive disease had high rates of axillary pCR, and those with axillary pCR had excellent 10-year OS.

Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) provides equivalent survival outcomes to unilateral mastectomy. There is no survival advantage to bilateral mastectomy in average risk breast cancer. Among a cohort of breast cancer patients expected to be candidates for BCS, we examined choice of surgery and factors associated with it. A prospective cohort study of unilateral clinical Stage I breast cancer patients treated at National Comprehensive Cancer Network centers from 2000 to 2009 was performed. The proportion of patients who initially underwent mastectomy versus BCS and time to definitive surgery and chemotherapy were examined. Of 10,249 patients, 23 % underwent mastectomy as an initial surgery. No decline in the use of mastectomy as initial surgery was found. There was significant institutional variation, with rates of initial mastectomy ranging from 14 to 30 % (adjusted odds ratio: 0.42-1.38). Tumor characteristics were associated with surgical option, but with small absolute differences. Of those who received initial mastectomy, 22 % had bilateral mastectomy, with an increase over time (2000:13 % vs. 2009:30 %) and substantial institutional variation (11-34 %). Women treated with initial mastectomy had longer median times from diagnosis to complete definitive surgery (6 vs. 4 weeks) and to start of adjuvant chemotherapy (12 vs. 11 weeks). Among Stage I breast cancer, the overall use of mastectomy did not change significantly over 10 years; however, an increasing proportion of women with unilateral cancer had bilateral mastectomy, and there was wide variation in type of surgery by institution. Further studies to assess reasons for the observed wide variation are warranted.

Purpose: To evaluate change in size vs computed tomography (CT) density of hepatic metastases in breast cancer patients before and after cytotoxic chemotherapy or targeted therapy., Methods: A database search in a single institution identified 48 breast cancer patients who had hepatic metastases treated with either cytotoxic chemotherapy alone or targeted therapy alone, and who had contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) scans of the abdomen at baseline and within 4 months of initiation of therapy in the past 10 years. Two radiologists retrospectively evaluated CT scans and identified up to 2 index lesions in each patient. The size (centimeters) of each lesion was measured according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria, and CT density (Hounsfield units) was measured by drawing a region of interest around the margin of the entire lesion. The percent change in sum of lesion size and mean CT density on pre- and post-treatment scans was computed for each patient; results were compared within each treatment group., Results: Thirty-nine patients with 68 lesions received cytotoxic chemotherapy only; 9 patients with 15 lesions received targeted therapy only. The mean percent changes in sum of lesion size and mean CT density were statistically significant within the cytotoxic chemotherapy group before and after treatment, but not significant in the targeted therapy group. The patients in the targeted therapy group tend to have better 2-year survival. The patients who survived at 2 years tend to have more decrease in tumour size in the cytotoxic chemotherapy group., Conclusion: Cytotoxic chemotherapy produced significant mean percent decrease in tumour size and mean CT density of hepatic metastases from breast cancer before and after treatment, whereas targeted therapy did not. Nonetheless, there is a trend that the patients in the targeted therapy group had better 2-year survival rate. This suggests that RECIST is potentially inadequate in evaluating tumour response in breast cancer liver metastases treated with targeted therapy alone, calling for an alternative marker for response evaluation in this subset of patients., (Copyright © 2015 Canadian Association of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between race/ethnicity and breast cancer-specific survival according to subtype and explore mediating factors., Patients and Methods: Participants were women presenting with stage I to III breast cancer between January 2000 and December 2007 at National Comprehensive Cancer Network centers with survival follow-up through December 2009. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to compare breast cancer-specific survival among Asians (n = 533), Hispanics (n = 1,122), and blacks (n = 1,345) with that among whites (n = 14,268), overall and stratified by subtype (luminal A like, luminal B like, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 type, and triple negative). Model estimates were used to derive mediation proportion and 95% CI for selected risk factors., Results: In multivariable adjusted models, overall, blacks had 21% higher risk of breast cancer-specific death (hazard ratio [HR], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.45). For estrogen receptor-positive tumors, black and white survival differences were greatest within 2 years of diagnosis (years 0 to 2: HR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.34 to 5.24; year 2 to end of follow-up: HR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.12 to 2.00). Blacks were 76% and 56% more likely to die as a result of luminal A-like and luminal B-like tumors, respectively. No disparities were observed for triple-negative or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-type tumors. Asians and Hispanics were less likely to die as a result of breast cancer compared with whites (Asians: HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.37 to 0.85; Hispanics: HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.58 to 0.95). For blacks, tumor characteristics and stage at diagnosis were significant disparity mediators. Body mass index was an important mediator for blacks and Asians., Conclusion: Racial disparities in breast cancer survival vary by tumor subtype. Interventions are needed to reduce disparities, particularly in the first 2 years after diagnosis among black women with estrogen receptor-positive tumors., (© 2015 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.)

Background: Among patients with stage I breast cancer, there is significant uncertainty concerning the optimal threshold at which to consider chemotherapy, and when considered, there is controversy regarding whether to consider non-intensive versus intensive regimens. The authors examined the types and costs of adjuvant chemotherapy received among patients with stage I breast cancer., Methods: The current study was a prospective cohort study including patients with stage I breast cancer who were treated at a National Comprehensive Cancer Network center from 2000 through 2009. Stage was defined according to the version of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Manual applicable at the time of diagnosis. Stratifying by human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), the authors examined the percentage of patients receiving intensive versus non-intensive chemotherapy regimens and the factors associated with type of chemotherapy administered using multivariable logistic regression. Costs of the most common regimens were estimated., Results: Of 8907 patients, 33% received adjuvant chemotherapy. Among those individuals, there was an increase in the use of intensive chemotherapy within the last decade, from 31% in 2000 through 2005 to 63% in 2008 through 2009 (including an increase in the use of the combination of docetaxel, carboplatin, and trastuzumab) among patients with HER2-positive disease and from 15% in 2000 through 2005 to 41% in 2008 through 2009 among patients with HER2-negative disease (32% of patients with hormone receptor-positive and 59% of patients with triple-negative disease). Among patients treated with non-intensive regimens, there was an increase in the use of the combination of docetaxel and cyclophosphamide noted, with a decrease in the use of the doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide combination. The choice of regimen varied significantly by institution. The major drivers of cost variation were the incorporation of biologics (eg, trastuzumab) and growth factors, with significant variation even within non-intensive and intensive regimens., Conclusions: Over time, there was an increase in use of intensive regimens among Stage I breast cancer, with striking institutional and cost variations., (© 2015 American Cancer Society.)

Background: Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and aggressive presentation of breast cancer. Bone is a common metastatic site in breast cancer, and bone-only metastatic disease is clinically considered to have a better prognosis than visceral metastasis. However, bone-only metastasis in IBC (bone-only IBC) has not been compared with bone-only metastasis in non-IBC (bone-only non-IBC) in terms of clinical features and outcome. Because of the intrinsically aggressive nature of IBC, we hypothesized that bone-only IBC has a poorer prognosis than does bone-only non-IBC., Patients and Methods: We retrospectively identified patients with stage III primary diagnosed breast cancer who, between January 1997 and December 2012, had a first recurrence located only in the bone. Among the 197 patients that we defined as a study cohort, 50 patients had IBC and 147 patients had non-IBC. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) from the date of recurrence were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and patient characteristic groups were compared using the log-rank test., Results: OS did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (P = .2467), but a shorter PFS was seen in patients with bone-only IBC than in patients with bone-only non-IBC (P = .0357). Among patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive disease, a much shorter PFS was seen in bone-only IBC than in bone-only non-IBC (P = .0159)., Conclusion: Bone-only IBC has a poorer prognosis than does bone-only non-IBC, particularly in those with ER-positive tumors. We might need to consider more aggressive intervention (e.g., chemotherapy) for IBC patients with ER-positive bone-only metastatic disease., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Outcomes for early-stage breast cancer have improved. First-generation adjuvant chemotherapy trials reported a 0.27% 8-year cumulative incidence of myelodysplastic syndrome/acute myelogenous leukemia. Incomplete ascertainment and follow-up may have underestimated subsequent risk of treatment-associated marrow neoplasm (MN)., Patients and Methods: We examined the MN frequency in 20,063 patients with stage I to III breast cancer treated at US academic centers between 1998 and 2007. Time-to-event analyses were censored at first date of new cancer event, last contact date, or death and considered competing risks. Cumulative incidence, hazard ratios (HRs), and comparisons with Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results estimates were obtained. Marrow cytogenetics data were reviewed., Results: Fifty patients developed MN (myeloid, n = 42; lymphoid, n = 8) after breast cancer (median follow-up, 5.1 years). Patients who developed MN had similar breast cancer stage distribution, race, and chemotherapy exposure but were older compared with patients who did not develop MN (median age, 59.1 v 53.9 years, respectively; P = .03). Two thirds of patients had complex MN cytogenetics. Risk of MN was significantly increased after surgery plus chemotherapy (HR, 6.8; 95% CI, 1.3 to 36.1) or after all modalities (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation; HR, 7.6; 95% CI, 1.6 to 35.8), compared with no treatment with chemotherapy. MN rates per 1,000 person-years were 0.16 (surgery), 0.43 (plus radiation), 0.46 (plus chemotherapy), and 0.54 (all three modalities). Cumulative incidence of MN doubled between years 5 and 10 (0.24% to 0.48%); 9% of patients were alive at 10 years., Conclusion: In this large early-stage breast cancer cohort, MN risk after radiation and/or adjuvant chemotherapy was low but higher than previously described. Risk continued to increase beyond 5 years. Individual risk of MN must be balanced against the absolute survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy., (© 2014 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.)

Introduction: The incidence of breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy is expected to increase as more women delay childbearing in the United States. Treatment of cancer in pregnant women requires prudent judgment to balance the benefit to the cancer patient and the risks to the fetus. Prospective data on the outcomes of children exposed to chemotherapy in utero are limited for the breast cancer population., Methods: Between 1992 and 2010, 81 pregnant patients with breast cancer were treated in a single-arm, institutional review board-approved study with 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FAC) in the adjuvant or neoadjuvant setting. Labor and delivery records were reviewed for each patient and neonate. In addition, the parents or guardians were surveyed regarding the health outcomes of the children exposed to chemotherapy in utero., Results: In total, 78% of the women (or next of kin) answered a follow-up survey. At a median age of 7 years, most of the children exposed to chemotherapy in utero were growing normally without any significant exposure-related toxicity or health problems. Three children were born with congenital abnormalities: one each with Down syndrome, ureteral reflux or clubfoot. The rate of congenital abnormalities in the cohort was similar to the national average of 3%., Conclusions: During the second and third trimesters, pregnant women with breast cancer can be treated with FAC safely without concerns for serious complications or short-term health concerns for their offspring who are exposed to chemotherapy in utero. Continued long-term follow-up of the children in this cohort is required., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00510367. Other Study ID numbers: ID01-193, NCI-2012-01578. Registration date: 31 July 2007.

Background: Women with premenopausal breast cancer may face treatment-related infertility and have a higher likelihood of a BRCA mutation, which may affect their attitudes toward future childbearing., Methods: Premenopausal women were invited to participate in a questionnaire study administered before and after BRCA genetic testing. We used the Impact of Event Scale (IES) to evaluate the pre- and post-testing impact of cancer or carrying a BRCA mutation on attitudes toward future childbearing. The likelihood of pursuing prenatal diagnosis (PND) or preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) was also assessed in this setting. Univariate analyses determined factors contributing to attitudes toward future childbearing and likelihood of PND or PGD., Results: One hundred forty-eight pretesting and 114 post-testing questionnaires were completed. Women with a personal history of breast cancer had less change in IES than those with no history of breast cancer (p = .003). The 18 BRCA-positive women had a greater change in IES than the BRCA-negative women (p = .005). After testing, 31% and 24% of women would use PND and PGD, respectively. BRCA results did not significantly affect attitudes toward PND/PGD., Conclusion: BRCA results and history of breast cancer affect the psychological impact on future childbearing. Intentions to undergo PND or PGD do not appear to change after disclosure of BRCA results. Additional counseling for patients who have undergone BRCA testing may be warranted to educate patients about available fertility preservation options., (©AlphaMed Press.)

Purpose: Treatment decisions for patients with T1a,bN0M0 breast cancer are challenging. We studied the time trends in use of adjuvant chemotherapy and survival outcomes among these patients., Patients and Methods: This was a prospective cohort study within the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Database that included 4,113 women with T1a,bN0M0 breast cancer treated between 2000 and 2009. Tumors were grouped by size (T1a, T1b), biologic subtype defined by hormone receptor (HR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, and receipt of chemotherapy with or without trastuzumab., Results: Median follow-up time was 5.5 years. Eight percent of patients with HR-positive/HER2-negative tumors were treated with chemotherapy. Fifty-two percent of those with HER2-positive or HR-negative/HER2-negative breast cancers received chemotherapy, with an increase over the last decade. Survival outcomes diverged by subtype and size, but the 5-year distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) did not exceed 10% in any subgroup. The 5-year DRFS for patients with T1a tumors untreated with chemotherapy ranged from 93% to 98% (n = 49 to 972), and for patients with T1b tumors, it ranged from 90% to 96% (n = 17 to 2,005). Patients with HR-positive/HER2-negative disease had the best DRFS estimates, and patients with HR-negative/HER2-negative tumors had the lowest. In this observational, nonrandomized cohort study, the 5-year DRFS for treated patients with T1a tumors was 100% for all subgroups (n = 12 to 33), and for patients with T1b tumors, it ranged from 94% to 96% (n = 88 to 241)., Conclusion: Women with T1a,b tumors have an excellent prognosis without chemotherapy. Size and tumor subtype may identify patients in whom the rate of recurrence justifies consideration of chemotherapy. These patients represent an optimal group for evaluating less toxic adjuvant regimens to maintain efficacy while minimizing short- and long-term risks., (© 2014 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.)

Purpose: For patients with breast cancer (BC), the optimal time to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy (TTC) after definitive surgery is unknown. We evaluated the association between TTC and survival according to breast cancer subtype and stage at diagnosis., Patients and Methods: Women diagnosed with BC stages I to III between 1997 and 2011 who received adjuvant chemotherapy at our institution were included. Patients were categorized into three groups according to TTC: ≤ 30, 31 to 60, and ≥ 61 days. Survival outcomes were estimated and compared according to TTC and by BC subtype., Results: Among the 6,827 patients included, the 5-year overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS), and distant RFS (DRFS) estimates were similar for the different TTC categories. Initiation of chemotherapy ≥ 61 days after surgery was associated with adverse outcomes among patients with stage II (DRFS: hazard ratio [HR], 1.20; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.43) and stage III (OS: HR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.26 to 2.46; RFS: HR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.76; and DRFS: HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.80) BC. Patients with triple-negative BC (TNBC) tumors and those with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) -positive tumors treated with trastuzumab who started chemotherapy ≥ 61 days after surgery had worse survival (HR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.09 to 2.18 and HR, 3.09; 95% CI, 1.49 to 6.39, respectively) compared with those who initiated treatment in the first 30 days after surgery., Conclusion: TTC influenced survival outcomes in the overall study cohort. This finding was particularly meaningful for patients with stage III BC, TNBC, and trastuzumab-treated HER2-positive tumors who experienced worse outcomes when chemotherapy was delayed. Our findings suggest that early initiation of chemotherapy should be granted for patients in these high-risk groups.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the major causes of chronic liver disease, and more than 880,000 people are estimated to be infected with HCV in Japan. Little information is available on the outcomes of HCV during chemotherapy for solid tumors, and the impact of HCV infection on toxicity of chemotherapy is unknown., Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective survey of 1,110 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between January 2006 and March 2011 at our institution. All patients had been screened for hepatitis C serology at diagnosis of breast cancer. We retrospectively investigated the change in HCV load and the toxicities of chemotherapy, based on review of their medical records., Results: 23 patients were identified as having a positive test for anti-HCV antibodies. Ten of these patients received chemotherapy. Their median age was 66 years. No patient had decompensated liver disease at baseline. Eight patients received cytotoxic agents with or without trastuzumab, and two patients received trastuzumab alone. Four of eight patients who received cytotoxic chemotherapy developed febrile neutropenia and one developed transaminases elevation. Serum HCV-ribonucleic acid (RNA) level before and after chemotherapy was evaluated in six patients. Median serum HCV-RNA level at baseline and after chemotherapy was 6.5 and 6.7 logIU/ml, respectively., Conclusion: Chemotherapy for breast cancer patients with HCV infection is feasible, and viral load doesn't change during the chemotherapy.

These NCCN Guidelines Insights highlight the important updates specific to the management of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in the 2013 version of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for Breast Cancer. These include new first-line and subsequent therapy options for patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

Background: In our previous study, new MD Anderson (MDA) bone tumor response criteria (based on computed tomography [CT], plain radiography [XR], and skeletal scintigraphy [SS]) predicted progression-free survival (PFS) better than did World Health Organization (WHO) bone tumor response criteria (plain radiography [XR] and SS) among patients with breast cancer and bone-only metastases. In this pilot study, we tested whether MDA criteria could reveal bone metastasis response earlier than WHO criteria in patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer with osseous and measurable nonosseous metastases., Methods: We prospectively analyzed bone metastasis response using each imaging modality and set of bone response criteria to distinguish progressive disease (PD) from non-PD and their association with PFS and overall survival (OS). We also compared the response of osseous metastases assessed by both criteria with the response of nonosseous measurable lesions., Results: The median follow-up period was 26.7 months (range, 6.1-53.3 months) in 29 patients. PFS rates differed at 6 months based on the classification of PD or non-PD using either set of criteria (MDA, P = .002; WHO, P = .014), but these rates, as well as OS, did not differ at 3 months. Response in osseous metastases by either set of criteria did not correlate with the response in nonosseous metastases., Conclusion: MDA and WHO criteria predicted PFS of patients with osseous metastases at 6 months but not at an earlier time point. We plan a well-powered study to determine the role of MDA criteria in predicting bone tumor response by incorporating 18-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F) positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)/CT to see if findings using this modality are earlier than those with WHO criteria., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: High-quality care must be not only appropriate but also timely. We assessed time to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer as well as factors associated with delay to help identify targets for future efforts to reduce unnecessary delays., Methods: Using data from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Outcomes Database, we assessed the time from pathological diagnosis to initiation of chemotherapy (TTC) among 6622 women with stage I to stage III breast cancer diagnosed from 2003 through 2009 and treated with adjuvant chemotherapy in nine NCCN centers. Multivariable models were constructed to examine factors associated with TTC. All statistical tests were two-sided., Results: Mean TTC was 12.0 weeks overall and increased over the study period. A number of factors were associated with a longer TTC. The largest effects were associated with therapeutic factors, including immediate postmastectomy reconstruction (2.7 weeks; P < .001), re-excision (2.1 weeks; P < .001), and use of the 21-gene reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assay (2.2 weeks; P < .001). In comparison with white women, a longer TTC was observed among black (1.5 weeks; P < .001) and Hispanic (0.8 weeks; P < .001) women. For black women, the observed disparity was greater among women who transferred their care to the NCCN center after diagnosis (P (interaction) = .008) and among women with Medicare vs commercial insurance (P (interaction) < .001)., Conclusions: Most observed variation in TTC was related to use of appropriate therapeutic interventions. This suggests the importance of targeted efforts to minimize potentially preventable causes of delay, including inefficient transfers in care or prolonged appointment wait times.

Background: The purpose of this analysis was to compare disease-free survival (DFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) between pregnant and nonpregnant patients with breast cancer., Methods: From 1989 to 2009, 75 women were treated with chemotherapy during pregnancy. Each pregnant case was matched on age and cancer stage to two nonpregnant patients with breast cancer (controls). Fisher's exact test, the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used., Results: Median follow-up time for patients who were alive at the end of follow-up (n = 159) was 4.20 years (range: 0.28-19.94 years). DFS at 5 years was 72% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 58.3%-82.1%) for pregnant patients and 57% (95% CI: 46.7%-65.8%) for controls (p = .0115). Five-year PFS was 70% (95% CI: 56.8%-80.3%) for pregnant patients and 59% (95% CI: 49.1%-67.5%) for controls (p = .0252). Five-year OS was 77% (95% CI: 63.9%-86.4%) for pregnant patients and 71% (95% CI: 61.1%-78.3%) for controls (p = .0461). Hazard ratio estimates favored improved survival for pregnant patients in univariate analyses and multivariate analyses, controlling for age, year of diagnosis, stage, and tumor grade., Conclusions: For patients who received chemotherapy during pregnancy, survival was comparable to-if not better than-that of nonpregnant women. Pregnant patients with breast cancer should receive appropriate local and systemic therapy for breast cancer.

Background: The number of women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is increasing. Although many eventually develop a second breast cancer (SBC), little is known about the characteristics of SBCs. The authors described the characteristics of SBC and examined associations between the pathologic features of SBC and index DCIS cases., Methods: Women were identified in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Outcomes Database who were diagnosed with DCIS from 1997 to 2008 and underwent lumpectomy and who subsequently developed SBC (including DCIS or invasive disease that occurred in the ipsilateral or contralateral breast). The Fisher exact test and the Spearman test were used to examine associations between the pathologic characteristics of SBC and index DCIS cases., Results: Among 2636 women who underwent lumpectomy for DCIS, 150 (5.7%) experienced an SBC after a median of 55.5 months of follow-up. Of these 150 women, 105 (70%) received adjuvant radiotherapy, and 50 (33.3%) received tamoxifen for their index DCIS. SBCs were ipsilateral in 54.7% of women and invasive in 50.7% of women. Among the index DCIS cases, 60.6% were estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, and 54% were high grade, whereas 77.5% of SBCs were ER-positive, and 48.2% were high grade. Tumor grade (P = .003) and ER status (P = .02) were associated significantly between index DCIS and SBC, whereas tumor size was not (P = .87)., Conclusions: After breast conservation for DCIS, SBC in either breast exhibited pathologic characteristics similar to the index DCIS, suggesting that women with DCIS may be at risk for developing subsequent breast cancers of a similar phenotype., (Copyright © 2012 American Cancer Society.)

We examined differences in time to diagnosis by race/ethnicity, the relationship between time to diagnosis and stage, and the extent to which it explains differences in stage at diagnosis across racial/ethnic groups. Our analytic sample includes 21,427 non-Hispanic White (White), Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black (Black) and non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander (Asian) women diagnosed with stage I to IV breast cancer between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2007 at one of eight National Comprehensive Cancer Network centers. We measured time from initial abnormal mammogram or symptom to breast cancer diagnosis. Stage was classified using AJCC criteria. Initial sign of breast cancer modified the association between race/ethnicity and time to diagnosis. Among symptomatic women, median time to diagnosis ranged from 36 days among Whites to 53.6 for Blacks. Among women with abnormal mammograms, median time to diagnosis ranged from 21 days among Whites to 29 for Blacks. Blacks had the highest proportion (26 %) of Stage III or IV tumors. After accounting for time to diagnosis, the observed increased risk of stage III/IV breast cancer was reduced from 40 to 28 % among Hispanics and from 113 to 100 % among Blacks, but estimates remained statistically significant. We were unable to fully account for the higher proportion of late-stage tumors among Blacks. Blacks and Hispanics experienced longer time to diagnosis than Whites, and Blacks were more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage tumors. Longer time to diagnosis did not fully explain differences in stage between racial/ethnicity groups.

Background: The objective of this study was to describe clinicopathologic features, patterns of recurrence, and survival according to breast cancer subtype with a focus on triple-negative tumors., Methods: In total, 15,204 women were evaluated who presented to National Comprehensive Cancer Network centers with stage I through III breast cancer between January 2000 and December 2006. Tumors were classified as positive for estrogen receptor (ER) and/or progesterone receptor (PR) (hormone receptor [HR]-positive) and negative for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2); positive for HER2 and any ER or PR status (HER2-positive); or negative for ER, PR, and HER2 (triple-negative)., Results: Subtype distribution was triple-negative in 17% of women (n = 2569), HER2-positive in 17% of women (n = 2602), and HR-positive/HER2-negative in 66% of women (n = 10,033). The triple-negative subtype was more frequent in African Americans compared with Caucasians (adjusted odds ratio, 1.98; P < .0001). Premenopausal women, but not postmenopausal women, with high body mass index had an increased likelihood of having the triple-negative subtype (P = .02). Women with triple-negative cancers were less likely to present on the basis of an abnormal screening mammogram (29% vs 48%; P < .0001) and were more likely to present with higher tumor classification, but they were less likely to have lymph node involvement. Relative to HR-positive/HER2-negative tumors, triple-negative tumors were associated with a greater risk of brain or lung metastases; and women with triple-negative tumors had worse breast cancer-specific and overall survival, even after adjusting for age, disease stage, race, tumor grade, and receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy (overall survival: adjusted hazard ratio, 2.72; 95% confidence interval, 2.39-3.10; P < .0001). The difference in the risk of death by subtype was most dramatic within the first 2 years after diagnosis (overall survival for 0-2 years: OR, 6.10; 95% confidence interval, 4.81-7.74)., Conclusions: Triple-negative tumors were associated with unique risk factors and worse outcomes compared with HR-positive/HER2-negative tumors., (Copyright © 2012 American Cancer Society.)

Introduction: In gene expression experiments, hormone receptor (HR)-positive/human epidermal growth factor-2 (HER2)-positive tumors generally cluster within the luminal B subset; whereas HR-negative/HER2-positive tumors reside in the HER2-enriched subset. We investigated whether the clinical behavior of HER2-positive tumors differs by HR status., Methods: We evaluated 3,394 patients who presented to National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) centers with stage I to III HER2-positive breast cancer between 2000 and 2007. Tumors were grouped as HR-positive/HER2-positive (HR+/HER2+) or HR-negative/HER2-positive (HR-/HER2+). Chi-square, logistic regression and Cox hazard proportional regression were used to compare groups., Results: Median follow-up was four years. Patients with HR-/HER2+ tumors (n = 1,379, 41% of total) were more likely than those with HR+/HER-2+ disease (n = 2,015, 59% of total) to present with high histologic grade and higher stages (P <0.001). Recurrences were recorded for 458 patients. HR-/HER2+ patients were less likely to experience first recurrence in bone (univariate Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.53, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.34 to 0.82, P = 0.005) and more likely to recur in brain (univariate OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.05 to 2.93, P = 0.033). A lower risk of recurrence in bone persisted after adjusting for age, stage and adjuvant trastuzumab therapy (OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.34 to 0.83, P = 0.005) and when first and subsequent sites of recurrence were both considered (multivariable OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.37 to 0.80, P = 0.002)., Conclusions: Presenting features, patterns of recurrence and survival of HER2-positive breast cancer differed by HR status. These differences should be further explored and integrated in the design of clinical trials.

These NCCN Guidelines Insights highlight the important updates/changes specific to the management of metastatic breast cancer in the 2012 version of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for Breast Cancer. These changes/updates include the issue of retesting of biomarkers (estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) on recurrent disease, new information regarding first-line combination endocrine therapy for metastatic disease, a new section on monitoring of patients with metastatic disease, and new information on endocrine therapy combined with an mTOR inhibitor as a subsequent therapeutic option.

Background: Bisphosphonates have been used successfully in the treatment of hypercalcemia and to reduce skeletal complications of bone metastasis, but have not been shown to prevent bone metastasis or to prolong survival time in metastatic breast cancer patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with bone-only breast cancer metastasis differed based on whether patients received zoledronic acid, pamidronate, or no bisphosphonate upon diagnosis of their metastases., Patients and Methods: We retrospectively identified 314 patients diagnosed with bone-only metastasis at the time of initial staging or who developed bone metastasis as the first recurrence site during follow-up from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2008, at The MD Anderson Cancer Center. Univariate and multivariate Cox hazards models were used to assess the effects of each treatment on PFS and OS., Results: Patients who had more than 1 bone metastasis and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 2 and 3 were more likely to receive zoledronic acid in this analysis. Compared with no bisphosphonate use, the use of zoledronic acid was not significantly associated with longer PFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.72, P = .058 in univariate analysis, and HR = 0.80, P = .235 in multivariate analysis) nor with longer OS (HR = 1.04, P = .863 in univariate analysis and HR = 1.34, P = .192 in multivariate analysis)., Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that for patients with bone-only metastases, zoledronic acid did not prolong PFS or OS. In patients with bone-only metastasis, we could not demonstrate antitumor effects of zoledronic acid., (Copyright © 2011 American Cancer Society.)

Background: Bone metastases cause morbidity and mortality in multiple malignancies. In addition to portending a dire prognosis, bone metastases cause bone pain, fractures, hypercalcemia, spinal cord compression, and other nerve compression syndromes. Improved understanding of the mechanisms that predispose tumor metastases to bone is needed to improve patients' therapeutic options, maintain their quality of life, and improve their survival., Methods: This review discusses selected preclinical and clinical data regarding bone metastasis development and cytokine/molecular interactions predisposing to bone metastases formation. Potential interventions for reducing bone metastases are also described., Results: Biologic mechanisms resulting in metastases of tumor cells to bone are being studied. Among these are the RANKL pathway, osteoclast activation via cytokines (produced by tumor cell and cells in the bone microenvironment), interactions with transient and stromal cells in the bone microenvironment, and molecules such as PTHrP and endothelin-1. These molecules offer important opportunities for targeted interventions to decrease bone metastases-associated morbidity., Conclusions: Knowledge of the pathophysiology of bone and cancer is developing rapidly. Relationships among cancer cells, bone-derived cells, and cytokines provide opportunities for the development of new interventions. Therapy targeting osteoclast/osteoblast interactions has proven benefit for patients with bone metastases.

Background: Young women with breast cancer are more likely to present with more advanced disease and are more likely to die as a result of breast cancer than their older counterparts. We sought to examine the relationship among young age (≤40 years), the likelihood of a delay in diagnosis, and stage., Methods: We examined data from women with newly diagnosed stage I-IV breast cancer presenting to one of eight National Comprehensive Cancer Network centers in January 2000 to December 2007. Delay in diagnosis was defined as time from initial sign or symptom to breast cancer diagnosis >60 days., Results: Among 21,818 women with breast cancer eligible for analysis, 2,445 were aged ≤40 years at diagnosis. Young women were not more likely to have a delay in diagnosis >60 days (odds ratio [OR], 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98-1.19) after adjustment for type of initial sign or symptom. Young women were only modestly more likely to present with higher stage disease after a similar adjustment (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.07-1.31). Women presenting with symptomatic disease, more common in younger women, were more likely to have a delay in diagnosis (OR, 3.31; 95% CI, 3.08-3.56) and higher stage (OR, 4.31; 95% CI 4.05-4.58)., Conclusion: Young age is not an independent predictor of delay in diagnosis of breast cancer and only modestly is associated with higher stage disease. Presenting with symptoms of breast cancer predicts delay and higher stage at diagnosis.

Disparities in the receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy for early stage breast cancer is an important factor influencing mortality. We investigated whether greater body mass index (BMI) decreases receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy among women with operable breast cancer. In the NCCN breast cancer outcomes database, we identified women aged ≤ 70 with newly diagnosed stage I, II, or III breast cancer between 1997 and 2007, for whom use of adjuvant chemotherapy was classified as either standard-of-care or discretionary based on their clinical characteristics. Body mass index was assessed in categories (<18.5 kg/m(2) [underweight], 18.5 to <25 kg/m(2) [normal], 25 to <30 kg/m(2) [overweight], 30-39 kg/m(2) [obese], ≥ 40 kg/m(2) [extreme obese]). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between BMI and receipt of chemotherapy in each classification group. 9,527 women were eligible for the study; 40% normal weight or less; 31% overweight; 24% obese; and 5% extremely obese. In multivariable analysis, there was no significant association between BMI and receipt of chemotherapy in either classification group. Among women for whom chemotherapy would be considered standard-of-care, older age (P < 0.001), comorbidity (P < 0.001), and non-Hispanic black ethnicity (P = 0.002) were associated with a lower likelihood of receipt of chemotherapy; however, the effect of ethnicity was not modified by obesity. Among women treated for operable breast cancer in the NCCN centers, BMI had no impact on receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy and did not modify the lower likelihood of chemotherapy among non-Hispanic black patients. Further investigation is needed into other factors that contribute to patient disparities in the receipt of chemotherapy in major academic centers.

Aim: This article evaluates the risk of recurrence for patients who have small node-negative breast cancer by age and tumor subtype., Methods: One thousand twelve patients with a T1a,bN0 breast cancer diagnosed between 1990 and 2002 who did not receive chemotherapy or trastuzumab were included. Patients and tumor characteristics were compared using the χ(2) or Wilcoxon's rank sum tests. Survival outcomes were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank statistic. Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine association of breast cancer subtypes and age at diagnosis with other covariates., Results: Median age was 51.5 years. There were 771 hormone receptor (HR)-positive, 98 HER2-positive, and 143 triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC). Six hundred ninety-three patients were > 50 years, and 33 patients were ≤ 35 years. For 5-year survival estimates, there were 118 deaths and overall survival was 94.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 93.2%, 96.1%). After adjusting for breast cancer subtype and other tumor characteristics, patients ≤ 35 had 2.51 (95% CI = 1.21-5.22) times greater risk of worse recurrence-free survival (RFS), and 2.60 (95% CI = 1.05-6.46) times greater risk of worse distant RFS (DRFS) compared to patients > 50 years old. Compared to patients with HR-positive disease, patients with HER2-positive breast cancer had 4.98 (95% CI = 2.91-8.53) times the risk of worse RFS and 4.70 (95% CI = 2.51-8.79) times greater risk of worse DRFS, and patients with TNBC had 2.71 (95% CI = 1.59-4.59) times greater risk of worse RFS and 2.08 (95% CI = 1.04-4.17) times greater risk of worse DRFS., Conclusions: In this cohort, patients with T1a,bN0 breast cancer, young age and breast cancer subtype were significantly associated with RFS and DRFS., (Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.)