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Background: Multiple studies have suggested that resection of the primary tumor improves survival in patients with stage IV breast cancer, yet in the era of targeted therapy, the relation between surgery and tumor molecular subtype is unknown. The objective of the current study was to identify subsets of patients who may benefit from primary tumor treatment and assess the frequency of local disease progression.Methods: Patients presenting with stage IV breast cancer and intact primary tumors (n = 186) were identified from a prospectively maintained clinical database (2000-2004) and clinical data were abstracted (grading determined according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system).Results: Surgery was performed in 69 (37%) patients: 34 (49%) patients with unknown metastatic disease at the time of surgery, 15 (22%) patients for local control, 14 (20%) patients for palliation, and in 6 (9%) patients to obtain tissue. Surgical patients were more likely to be HER-2/neu negative (P = .001), and to have smaller tumors (P = .05) and solitary metastasis (P <.001). Local therapy included axillary lymph node clearance in 33 (48%) patients and postoperative radiotherapy in 9 (13%) patients. The median survival was 35 months. Cox regression analysis identified estrogen receptor (ER) positivity (hazard ratio [HR], 0.47; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.29-0.76), progesterone receptor (PR) positivity (HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.36-0.90), and HER-2/neu amplification (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.34-0.77) as being predictive of improved survival. There was a trend toward improved survival with surgery (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.47-1.06). On exploratory analyses, surgery was found to be associated with improved survival in patients with ER/PR positive or HER-2/neu-amplified disease (P = .004). No survival benefit was observed in patients with triple-negative disease.Conclusions: Although a trend toward improved survival with surgery was observed, it was noted most strongly in patients with ER/PR positive and/or HER-2/neu-amplified disease. This suggests that the impact of local control is greatest in the presence of effective targeted therapy, and supports the need for further study to define patient subsets that will benefit most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine intervals between surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation in patients treated with mastectomy with immediate expander-implant reconstruction, and to evaluate locoregional and distant control and overall survival in these patients. Methods and Materials: Between May 1996 and March 2004, 104 patients with Stage II–III breast cancer were routinely treated at our institution under the following algorithm: (1) definitive mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection and immediate tissue expander placement, (2) tissue expansion during chemotherapy, (3) exchange of tissue expander for permanent implant, (4) radiation. Patient, disease, and treatment characteristics and clinical outcomes were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Median age was 45 years. Twenty-six percent of patients were Stage II and 74% Stage III. All received adjuvant chemotherapy. Estrogen receptor staining was positive in 77%, and 78% received hormone therapy. Radiation was delivered to the chest wall with daily 0.5-cm bolus and to the supraclavicular fossa. Median dose was 5040 cGy. Median interval from surgery to chemotherapy was 5 weeks, from completion of chemotherapy to exchange 4 weeks, and from exchange to radiation 4 weeks. Median interval from completion of chemotherapy to start of radiation was 8 weeks. Median follow-up was 64 months from date of mastectomy. The 5-year rate for locoregional disease control was 100%, for distant metastasis-free survival 90%, and for overall survival 96%. Conclusions: Mastectomy with immediate expander-implant reconstruction, adjuvant chemotherapy, and radiation results in a median interval of 8 weeks from completion of chemotherapy to initiation of radiation and seems to be associated with acceptable 5-year locoregional control, distant metastasis-free survival, and overall survival. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We developed and evaluated the Digital Platform for Exercise (DPEx): a decentralized, patient-centric approach designed to enhance all aspects of clinical investigation of exercise therapy. DPEx integrated provision of a treadmill with telemedicine and remote biospecimen collection permitting all study procedures to be conducted in patient's homes. Linked health biodevices enabled high-resolution monitoring of lifestyle and physiological response. Here we describe the rationale and development of DPEx as well as feasibility evaluation in three different cohorts of patients with cancer: a phase 0a development study among three women with post-treatment primary breast cancer; a phase 0b proof-of-concept trial of neoadjuvant exercise therapy in 13 patients with untreated solid tumors; and a phase 1a level-finding trial of neoadjuvant exercise therapy in 53 men with localized prostate cancer. Collectively, our study demonstrates the utility of a fully digital, decentralized approach to conduct clinical trials of exercise therapy in a clinical population., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To identify distinct trajectories of physical health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older women over the first two years following breast cancer diagnosis, and to examine characteristics associated with trajectory group membership., Methods: A secondary analysis of a longitudinal study of women diagnosed with stage I-III breast cancer who completed surveys within eight months of diagnosis and six, twelve, and eighteen months later that focuses on a subset of women aged ≥ 65 years (N = 145).Physical HRQoL was assessed using the Physical Component Score (PCS) of the SF-36 Health Survey. Finite mixture modeling identified distinct PCS trajectories. Multivariable logistic regression identified variables predictive of low PCS group membership., Results: Two distinct patterns of PCS trajectories were identified. The majority (58%) of women had PCS above the age-based SF-36 population norms and improved slightly over time. However, 42% of women had low PCS that remained low over time. In multivariable analyses, older age, difficulty paying for basics, greater number of medical comorbidities, and higher body mass index were associated with low PCS group membership. Cancer treatment and psychosocial variables were not significantly associated., Conclusion: A large subgroup of older women reported very low PCS that did not improve over time. Older age, obesity, multiple comorbidities, and lower socioeconomic status may be risk factors for poorer PCS in women with breast cancer. Incorporating routine comprehensive geriatric assessments that screen for these factors may help providers identify older women at risk for poorer physical HRQoL post breast cancer treatment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: We examined longitudinal trends and factors associated with insomnia over 3 years in a cohort of young breast cancer patients., Methods: Women with stage I-III breast cancer at ≤ 45 years were recruited at five institutions from New York, Texas, and North Carolina, within 8 months of diagnosis (n = 836). Participants completed questionnaires every 6 months for 3 years. Linear mixed-effects models were used to examine insomnia over time, using the Women's Health Initiative Insomnia Rating Scale (WHIIRS). We evaluated the relations of insomnia with demographic (age, race, education, income, employment, marital status), clinical (cancer stage, histologic grade, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, surgery, tumor size, body mass index, hot flashes), and social/behavioral variables (smoking status, social support, physical activity, depressive symptoms)., Results: At baseline, 57% of participants met or exceeded the cut-off for clinical insomnia (WHIIRS score ≥ 9). Insomnia symptoms were most prevalent at baseline (p < 0.0001), but decreased significantly throughout follow-up (p < 0.001). However, 42% of participants still experienced insomnia symptoms 3 years after diagnosis. In multivariable models, older age (p = 0.02), hot flashes (p < 0.0001), and depressive symptoms (p < 0.0001) remained significantly associated with insomnia over time., Conclusions: Insomnia symptoms were most frequent closer to breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, but persisted for some women who were older and those reporting higher hot flashes and depressive symptoms. Survivorship care should include assessing insomnia symptoms, particularly during and immediately after primary treatment. Implementing early interventions for sleep problems may benefit young breast cancer survivors and improve their quality of life., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Importance: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a common complication of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) but can also develop after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Several models have been developed to predict the risk of disease development before and after surgery; however, these models have shortcomings that include the omission of race, inclusion of variables that are not readily available to patients, low sensitivity or specificity, and lack of risk assessment for patients treated with SLNB., Objective: To create simple and accurate prediction models for BCRL that can be used to estimate preoperative or postoperative risk., Design, Setting, and Participants: In this prognostic study, women with breast cancer who underwent ALND or SLNB from 1999 to 2020 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the Mayo Clinic were included. Data were analyzed from September to December 2022., Main Outcomes and Measures: Diagnosis of lymphedema based on measurements. Two predictive models were formulated via logistic regression: a preoperative model (model 1) and a postoperative model (model 2). Model 1 was externally validated using a cohort of 34 438 patients with an International Classification of Diseases diagnosis of breast cancer., Results: Of 1882 included patients, all were female, and the mean (SD) age was 55.6 (12.2) years; 80 patients (4.3%) were Asian, 190 (10.1%) were Black, 1558 (82.8%) were White, and 54 (2.9%) were another race (including American Indian and Alaska Native, other race, patient refused to disclose, or unknown). A total of 218 patients (11.6%) were diagnosed with BCRL at a mean (SD) follow-up of 3.9 (1.8) years. The BCRL rate was significantly higher among Black women (42 of 190 [22.1%]) compared with all other races (Asian, 10 of 80 [12.5%]; White, 158 of 1558 [10.1%]; other race, 8 of 54 [14.8%]; P < .001). Model 1 included age, weight, height, race, ALND/SLNB status, any radiation therapy, and any chemotherapy. Model 2 included age, weight, race, ALND/SLNB status, any chemotherapy, and patient-reported arm swelling. Accuracy was 73.0% for model 1 (sensitivity, 76.6%; specificity, 72.5%; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.78; 95% CI, 0.75-0.81) at a cutoff of 0.18, and accuracy was 81.1% for model 2 (sensitivity, 78.0%; specificity, 81.5%; AUC, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.83-0.88) at a cutoff of 0.10. Both models demonstrated high AUCs on external (model 1: 0.75; 95% CI, 0.74-0.76) or internal (model 2: 0.82; 95% CI, 0.79-0.85) validation., Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, preoperative and postoperative prediction models for BCRL were highly accurate and clinically relevant tools comprised of accessible inputs and underscored the effects of racial differences on BCRL risk. The preoperative model identified high-risk patients who require close monitoring or preventative measures. The postoperative model can be used for screening of high-risk patients, thus decreasing the need for frequent clinic visits and arm volume measurements.

Purpose: Breast-conserving therapy (BCT) is the preferred treatment for unifocal breast cancer (BC). The oncologic safety of BCT for multiple ipsilateral breast cancer (MIBC) has not been demonstrated in a prospective study. ACOSOG Z11102 (Alliance) is a phase II, single-arm, prospective trial designed to evaluate oncologic outcomes in patients undergoing BCT for MIBC., Patients and Methods: Women age 40 years and older with two to three foci of biopsy-proven cN0-1 BC were eligible. Patients underwent lumpectomies with negative margins followed by whole breast radiation with boost to all lumpectomy beds. The primary end point was cumulative incidence of local recurrence (LR) at 5 years with an a priori rate of clinical acceptability of <8%., Results: Among 270 women enrolled between November 2012 and August 2016, there were 204 eligible patients who underwent protocol-directed BCT. The median age was 61 years (range, 40-87 years). At a median follow-up of 66.4 months (range, 1.3-90.6 months), six patients developed LR for an estimated 5-year cumulative incidence of LR of 3.1% (95% CI, 1.3 to 6.4). Patient age, number of sites of preoperative biopsy-proven BC, estrogen receptor status and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status, and pathologic T and N categories were not associated with LR risk. Exploratory analysis showed that the 5-year LR rate in patients without preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; n = 15) was 22.6% compared with 1.7% in patients with a preoperative MRI (n = 189; P = .002)., Conclusion: The Z11102 clinical trial demonstrates that breast-conserving surgery with adjuvant radiation that includes lumpectomy site boosts yields an acceptably low 5-year LR rate for MIBC. This evidence supports BCT as a reasonable surgical option for women with two to three ipsilateral foci, particularly among patients with disease evaluated with preoperative breast MRI.

Introduction: Acute postoperative pain affects time to opioid cessation and quality of life, and is associated with chronic pain. Effective screening tools are needed to identify patients at increased risk of experiencing more severe acute postoperative pain, and who may benefit from multimodal analgesia and early pain management referral. In this study, we develop a nomogram to preoperatively identify patients at high risk of moderate-severe pain following mastectomy., Methods: Demographic, psychosocial, and clinical variables were retrospectively assessed in 1195 consecutive patients who underwent mastectomy from January 2019 to December 2020 and had pain scores available from a post-discharge questionnaire. We examined pain severity on postoperative days 1-5, with moderate-severe pain as the outcome of interest. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify variables associated with moderate-severe pain in a training cohort of 956 patients. The final model was determined using the Akaike information criterion. A nomogram was constructed using this model, which also included a priori selected clinically relevant variables. Internal validation was performed in the remaining cohort of 239 patients., Results: In the training cohort, 297 patients reported no-mild pain and 659 reported moderate-severe pain. High body mass index (p = 0.042), preoperative Distress Thermometer score ≥4 (p = 0.012), and bilateral surgery (p = 0.003) predicted moderate-severe pain. The resulting nomogram accurately predicted moderate-severe pain in the validation cohort (AUC =  0.735)., Conclusions: This nomogram incorporates eight preoperative variables to provide a risk estimate of acute moderate-severe pain following mastectomy. Preoperative risk stratification can identify patients who may benefit from individually tailored perioperative pain management strategies and early postoperative interventions to treat pain and assist with opioid tapering., (© 2022. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Importance: Prospective trials have demonstrated sentinel lymph node (SLN) false-negative rates of less than 10% when 3 or more SLNs are retrieved in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer rendered clinically node-negative with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). However, rates of nodal recurrence in such patients treated with SLN biopsy (SLNB) alone are unknown because axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) was performed in all patients, limiting adoption of this approach., Objective: To evaluate nodal recurrence rates in a consecutive cohort of patients with clinically node-positive (cN1) breast cancer receiving NAC, followed by a negative SLNB using a standardized technique, and no further axillary surgery., Design, Setting, and Participants: From November 2013 to February 2019, a cohort of consecutively identified patients with cT1 to cT3 biopsy-proven N1 breast cancer rendered cN0 by NAC underwent SLNB with dual tracer mapping and omission of ALND if 3 or more SLNs were identified and all were pathologically negative. Metastatic nodes were not routinely clipped, and localization of clipped nodes was not performed. The study was performed in a single tertiary cancer center., Intervention: Omission of ALND in patients with cN1 breast cancer after NAC if 3 or more SLNs were pathologically negative., Main Outcome and Measures: The primary outcome was the rate of nodal recurrence among patients with cN1 breast cancer treated with SLNB alone after NAC., Results: Of 610 patients with cN1 breast cancer treated with NAC, 555 (91%) converted to cN0 and underwent SLNB; 234 (42%) had 3 or more negative SLNs and had SLNB alone. The median (IQR) age of these 234 patients was 49 (40-58) years; median tumor size was 3 cm; 144 (62%) were ERBB2 (formerly HER2)-positive, and 43 (18%) were triple negative. Most (212 [91%]) received doxorubicin-based NAC; 205 (88%) received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT), and 164 (70%) also received nodal RT. At a median follow-up of 40 months, there was 1 axillary nodal recurrence synchronous with local recurrence in a patient who refused RT. Among patients who received RT (n = 205), there were no nodal recurrences., Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study found that in patients with cN1 disease rendered cN0 with NAC, with 3 or more negative SLNs with SLNB alone, nodal recurrence rates were low, without routine nodal clipping. These findings potentially support omitting ALND in such patients.

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are increasingly used in ambulatory breast surgery. The risk of hematoma associated with intraoperative ketorolac is low, but whether concomitant routine discharge with NSAIDs increases the risk of hematoma is unclear., Methods: We retrospectively identified patients who underwent lumpectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), and compared the 30-day risk of hematoma between patients discharged with opioids (opioid period: January 2018-August 2018) and patients discharged with NSAIDs with or without opioids (NSAID period: January 2019-April 2020). The association between study period and hematoma risk was assessed using multivariable models. Covariates included intraoperative ketorolac, home aspirin, and race/ethnicity. During the NSAID period, a survey was used to assess analgesic consumption on postoperative days 1-5., Results: In total, 2724 patients were identified: 858 (31%) in the opioid period and 1866 (69%) in the NSAID period. In the NSAID period, 867 (46%) received NSAIDs and opioids, and 999 (54%) received NSAIDs only. Receipt of intraoperative ketorolac was higher in the NSAID period (78 vs. 64%, P < 0.001). The risks of any hematoma (4.1 vs. 3.6%, P = 0.6) and reoperation for bleeding (0.5 vs. 0.6%, P = 0.8) were similar between groups. Study period was not associated with hematoma risk (odds ratio 0.87, 95% confidence interval 0.56-1.35, P = 0.5). Among survey respondents (41%), nonopioid analgesic consumption did not increase after opioids were removed from the discharge regimen (median, 6 pills/group, P = 0.06)., Conclusions: NSAIDs are associated with a low risk of hematoma after lumpectomy and SLNB, and should be prescribed instead of opioids, unless contraindicated., (© 2021. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Recent studies suggest that Th2 cells play a key role in the pathology of secondary lymphedema by elaborating cytokines such as IL4 and IL13. The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of QBX258, a monoclonal IL4/IL13 neutralizing antibody, in women with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). We enrolled nine women with unilateral stage I/II BCRL and treated them once monthly with intravenous infusions of QBX258 for 4 months. We measured limb volumes, bioimpedance, and skin tonometry, and analyzed the quality of life (QOL) using a validated lymphedema questionnaire (Upper Limb Lymphedema 27, ULL-27) before treatment, immediately after treatment, and 4 months following treatment withdrawal. We also obtained 5 mm skin biopsies from the normal and lymphedematous limbs before and after treatment. Treatment was well-tolerated; however, one patient with a history of cellulitis developed cellulitis during the trial and was excluded from further analysis. We found no differences in limb volumes or bioimpedance measurements after drug treatment. However, QBX258 treatment improved skin stiffness ( p < 0.001) and improved QOL measurements (Physical p < 0.05, Social p = 0.01). These improvements returned to baseline after treatment withdrawal. Histologically, treatment decreased epidermal thickness, the number of proliferating keratinocytes, type III collagen deposition, infiltration of mast cells, and the expression of Th2-inducing cytokines in the lymphedematous skin. Our limited study suggests that immunotherapy against Th2 cytokines may improve skin changes and QOL of women with BCRL. This treatment appears to be less effective for decreasing limb volumes; however, additional studies are needed.

Background: Although ketorolac is an effective adjunct for managing pain in the perioperative period, it is associated with a risk of postoperative bleeding. This study retrospectively investigated the association between ketorolac use and both reoperation and postoperative opioid use among mastectomy patients., Methods: The study identified all women undergoing mastectomy (unilaterally or bilaterally) at our ambulatory surgery cancer center from January 2016 to June 2019. The primary outcome was reoperation for bleeding on postoperative day 0 or 1, and the secondary outcome was postoperative opioid use. The association between ketorolac and outcomes was assessed using multivariable regression models. The covariates were age, body mass index, breast reconstruction, bilateral surgery, peripheral nerve block, and preoperative antiplatelet and/or anticoagulation medication., Results: A cohort of 3469 women were identified. Ketorolac was given to 1549 (45%) of the women, with 922 women (60%) receiving 30 mg and 627 women (40%) receiving 15 mg. The overall reoperation rate for bleeding was 3.1% (1.8% without ketorolac vs 4.8% with ketorolac). In the multivariable analysis, ketorolac was associated with a higher risk of reoperation [odds ratio (OR) 2.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.60-3.70; P < 0.0001]. Ketorolac also was associated with a lower proportion of patients receiving any postoperative narcotic within 24 h (15 mg: OR 0.73; 95% CI 0.57-0.94; P = 0.014 vs 30 mg: OR 0.52; 95% CI 0.42-0.66; P < 0.0001)., Conclusions: Ketorolac use decreased postoperative opioid use, but this benefit was outweighed by the increased risk of bleeding requiring reoperation. This finding led to a change in practice at the authors' center, with ketorolac no longer administered in the perioperative care of the mastectomy patient., (© 2021. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Purpose: Local recurrence after treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is more common than after mastectomy, but it is unclear if patterns of invasive recurrence vary by initial surgical therapy. Among patients with invasive recurrence after treatment for DCIS, we compared patterns of first recurrence between those originally treated with BCS vs. mastectomy., Methods: From 2000 to 2016, women with an invasive recurrence occurring ≥ 6 months after initial treatment for DCIS were retrospectively identified. Clinicopathologic features and adjuvant treatment of the initial DCIS, as well as characteristics of first invasive recurrences, were compared between patients who had undergone BCS vs. mastectomy., Results: 452 patients with an invasive recurrence after surgery for DCIS were identified: 367 patients (81%) had initially undergone BCS and 85 patients (19%) mastectomy. Patients originally treated with mastectomy were younger and were more likely to have had high grade, necrosis, and multifocal or multicentric DCIS (p < 0.001) compared with the BCS group. A higher proportion of invasive recurrences were local after BCS (93%; 343/367), whereas 88% (75/85) of recurrences after mastectomy were regional or distant (p < 0.001). The median time to first invasive recurrence was not different between surgical groups (BCS: 6.4 years vs. mastectomy: 5.5 years; p = 0.12)., Conclusions: Among women who experienced a first invasive recurrence after treatment for DCIS, those who had originally undergone mastectomy more commonly presented with advanced disease compared to those treated with BCS, likely related to the absence of the breast and the higher risk profile of their initial DCIS.

Background: Opioid analgesics are overprescribed after surgery. In August 2018, the authors replaced routine discharge opioid prescription with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for patients who had a lumpectomy or excisional biopsy (lump/ex). This study compared patient-reported post-discharge pain scores for patients treated before and after the change in routine discharge medication., Methods: Patients were categorized based on treatment before and after a change in discharge medication as follows: study period 1 (routine opioids), study period 2 (routine NSAID). Pain severity was assessed with an electronic survey on postoperative days (PODs) 1 to 5. Multivariable generalized estimating equations tested the association between pain severity and discharge in the first versus the second study period., Results: Lump/ex was performed for 1606 patients between December 2017 and June 2019. Of these patients, 789 (49%) reported pain scores and were analyzed (328 in study period 1, 461 in study period 2). Opioid prescription at discharge decreased from 96% in period 1 to 14% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11-18%) in period 2. Only 1% of the patients discharged with NSAID were later prescribed an opioid. The maximum reported pain score on any POD for all the patients was severe for 30 patients (3.8%), moderate for 217 patients (28%), mild for 430 patients (54%), and none for 112 patients (14%). The estimated risk for moderate or greater pain on POD 1 was 36% for period 1 and 34% for period 2. The proportion of patients reporting moderate or greater pain was nonsignificantly lower for the patients treated in period 2 (odds ratio [OR], 0.91; 95% CI 0.67-1.22; P = 0.5)., Conclusions: For patients undergoing lump/ex, a clinically meaningful difference in reported post-discharge pain scores can be excluded with a change to routine NSAID at discharge. Patients undergoing lump/ex should not be routinely discharged with opioids.

Purpose: Upgrade rates of conventional ADH are reported at 10-30%; however, rates for ADH bordering on DCIS (ADH-BD) are largely unknown. We examined the upgrade rate of ADH-BD and core needle biopsy (CNB) features associated with upgrade. Surgical management in patients with concurrent ipsilateral breast cancer (BC) was also examined., Methods: From 2000 to 2018, women with CNB diagnosis of ADH-BD were prospectively identified. Women with pure ADH-BD and concurrent ipsilateral ADH-BD/BC were analyzed separately, and upgrade rates were calculated. CNB features associated with upgrade and type of surgery were examined in women with pure ADH-BD; CNB features and concurrent pathology associated with upgrade were examined in women with ipsilateral BC., Results: 108/236 (46%) patients with pure ADH-BD on CNB had DCIS (40%) or invasive carcinoma (6%) on surgical excision. DCIS or invasive carcinoma was more frequently found on excision of a mass that yielded ADH-BD on biopsy than excision of calcifications (65% vs 38%; p < 0.001). The breast conservation success rate was high (80%) in patients who upgraded, despite a high re-excision rate of 46%. The upgrade rate of ADH-BD in women with concurrent ipsilateral BC was 41%. Most women (94%) with ADH-BD in the same quadrant as the BC were candidates for breast conserving surgery, with a success rate of 89%., Conclusion: The upgrade rate for pure ADH-BD is significantly higher than that reported for women with conventional ADH, especially in women with a mass on imaging. The upgrade rate of concurrent ipsilateral ADH-BD and BC is similarly high. Excision with a margin of normal tissue and specimen inking should be routine to minimize the need for re-excision.

Background: Diagnoses of multiple ipsilateral breast cancer (MIBC) are increasing. Historically, the primary treatment for MIBC has been mastectomy due to concerns about in-breast recurrence risk and poor cosmetic outcome. The Alliance Z11102 study prospectively assessed cosmetic outcomes in women with MIBC treated with breast-conserving therapy (BCT)., Patients and Methods: Z11102 was a multicenter trial enrolling women with two or three separate sites of biopsy-proven malignancy separated by ≥ 2 cm within the same breast. Cosmetic outcome was a planned secondary endpoint. Data were collected with a four-point cosmesis survey (1 = excellent, 4 = poor) and the BREAST-Q (scored 0-100). All patients undergoing successful breast-conserving therapy were treated with whole-breast radiation. Associations were assessed with Chi square or Fisher's exact tests as appropriate., Results: Cosmetic outcome data for 216 eligible women who completed therapy are included in this analysis. Of the 136 patients who completed the survey 2 years postoperatively, 70.6% (N = 96) felt the result was good or excellent, while 3.7% (N = 5) felt the result was poor. We found no significant differences in patient-reported cosmetic outcomes when stratifying by patient age, number of lesions (two or three), number of incisions, number of lumpectomies, or size of largest area of disease. Mean satisfaction score on the BREAST-Q was 77.2 at 6 months following whole-breast radiation and 73.7 at 3 years following surgery., Conclusions: BCT performed for MIBC results in good or excellent cosmesis for the majority of women. From a cosmetic perspective, BCT is a valid surgical approach to women with MIBC., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01556243.

Background: Whether routinely prescribed opioids are necessary for pain control after discharge among lumpectomy/sentinel node biopsy (Lump/SLNB) patients is unclear. We hypothesize that Lump/SLNB patients could be discharged without opioids, with a failure rate < 10%. This study prospectively examines outcomes after changing standard discharge prescription from an opioid/non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to NSAID/acetaminophen., Patients and Methods: Standard discharge pain medication orders included opioids in the first 3-month study period and were changed to NSAID/acetaminophen in the second 3-month period. Patient-reported medication consumption and pain scores were collected by post-discharge survey. Frequency of discharge with opioid, NSAID/acetaminophen failure rate, opioid use, and pain scores were examined., Results: From May to October 2019, 663 patients had Lump/SLNB: 371 in the opioid study period and 292 in the NSAID period. In the opioid period, 92% (342/371) of patients were prescribed an opioid at discharge; of 142 patients who documented opioid use on the survey, 86 (61%) used zero tablets. Among 56 (39%) patients who used opioids, the median number taken by POD 5 was 4. After the change to NSAID/acetaminophen, rates of opioid prescription decreased to 14% (41/292). The NSAID/acetaminophen failure rate was 2% (5/251). Among survey respondents, there was no significant difference in the maximum reported pain scores (POD 1-5) between the opioid period and the NSAID period (p = 0.7)., Conclusions: In Lump/SLNB patients, a change to default discharge with NSAID/acetaminophen resulted in a 78% absolute reduction in opioid prescription, with a failure rate of 2% and no difference in patient-reported pain scores. Most Lump/SLNB patients can be discharged with NSAID/acetaminophen.

Purpose of Review: Standard options for the treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) include breast-conserving surgery (BCS) alone; BCS with radiotherapy or endocrine therapy, or both; and mastectomy. Survival is excellent with all options, but rates of local recurrence (LR) vary, as do quality-of-life measures. Here we discuss treatment outcomes, risk factors for LR, and tools for risk estimation., Recent Findings: After BCS, radiotherapy reduces the risk of LR by half, and endocrine therapy reduces the risk by a third. Young age, inadequate margins, and greater volume of disease are associated with higher risk of LR after BCS, while young age, high grade, and microinvasion are associated with higher risk of locoregional recurrence after mastectomy. Clinical tools, including the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) DCIS nomogram, provide LR risk estimates after BCS that appear more accurate than current genomic assays. The safety of active surveillance for seemingly low-risk patients remains uncertain., Summary: Estimation of LR risk, utilizing a multitude of clinicopathologic and treatment factors, can help a woman balance that risk with her values and priorities, and allow her to choose the optimal treatment option for her., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest Anita Mamtani and Kimberly Van Zee declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this manuscript.

Background: The prevalence and correlates of job and insurance problems were examined among a cohort of young U.S. breast cancer survivors during the first 18-months following diagnosis., Methods: Participants were 708 women diagnosed at ≤45 years with stage I-III breast cancer. 90% were non-Hispanic white, 76% were married/partnered and 67% had ≥4-year college degree. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression examined the associations between demographic, lifestyle and clinical factors with job and insurance problems., Results: 18-months after diagnosis, 56% of participants worked full-time, 16% part-time, 18% were homemakers and/or students, 4.5% were unemployed, and 2.4% were disabled. The majority (86%) had private insurance. Job-related problems were reported by 40% of women, and included believing they could not change jobs for fear of losing health insurance (35.0%), being fired (2.3%), and being demoted, denied promotion or denied wage increases (7.8%). Greater job-related problems were associated with being overweight vs. under/normal weight (p = 0.006), income <$50,000/per year (p = 0.01), and working full-time vs. part-time (p = 0.003). Insurance problems were reported by 27% of women, and included being denied health insurance (2.6%), health insurance increases (4.3%), being denied health benefit payments (14.8%) or denied life insurance (11.4%). Insurance problems were associated with being under/normal weight vs. obese (p = 0.01), not being on hormone therapy (p < 0.001), and a tumor size > 5 cm vs. < 2 cm (p = 0.01)., Conclusions: Young survivors experienced significant job- and insurance-related issues following diagnosis. To the extent possible, work and insurance concerns should be addressed prior to treatment to inform work expectations and avoid unnecessary insurance difficulties.

Background: In the ACOSOG (American College of Surgeons Oncology Group) Z0011 trial and the AMAROS (After Mapping of the Axilla: Radiotherapy or Surgery?) trial, matted nodes with gross extracapsular extension (ECE), a risk factor for locoregional recurrence, were an indication for axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), but the effect of microscopic ECE (mECE) in the sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) on recurrence was not examined., Methods: Between 2010 and 2017, 811 patients with cT1-2N0 breast cancer and SLN metastasis were prospectively managed according to Z0011 criteria, with ALND for those with more than two positive SLNs or gross ECE. Management of mECE was not specified. In this study, we compare outcomes of patients with one to two positive SLNs with and without mECE, treated with SLN biopsy alone (n = 685)., Results: Median patient age was 58 years, and median tumor size was 1.7 cm. mECE was identified in 210 (31%) patients. Patients with mECE were older, had larger tumors, and were more likely to be hormone receptor positive and HER2 negative, have two positive SLNs, and receive nodal radiation. At a median follow-up of 41 months, no isolated axillary failures were observed. There were 11 nodal recurrences; two supraclavicular ± axillary, four synchronous with breast, and five with distant failure. The five-year rate of any nodal recurrence was 1.6% and did not differ by mECE (2.3% vs. 1.3%; p = 0.84). No differences were observed in local (p = 0.08) or distant (p = 0.31) recurrence rates by mECE status., Conclusions: In Z0011-eligible patients, nodal recurrence rates in patients with mECE are low after treatment with SLN biopsy alone, even in the absence of routine nodal radiation. The presence of mECE should not be considered a routine indication for ALND.

Background: Locoregional recurrence (LRR) after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is increased in young women. We examined the impact of age on LRR and distant disease after mastectomy for DCIS ± microinvasion., Methods: We identified consecutive patients with DCIS ± microinvasion treated with mastectomy from 1995 to 2017. LRR was defined as recurrence at the ipsilateral chest wall or regional nodes., Results: Overall, 3121 cases were identified, of which 421 (13.5%) had DCIS + microinvasion. Median age was 49 years and median follow-up was 6.4 years; 821 were followed for 10 or more years. Thirty-four LRRs were observed: 33 (97%) were invasive, and 23 (68%) were in the chest wall alone. Cumulative 10-year LRR incidence was 1.4%. Age < 50 years, high grade, and DCIS + microinvasion were associated with LRR (p ≤ 0.001); however, margin status was not (p = 0.14). Adjusting for grade and DCIS + microinvasion, age < 50 years (hazard ratio [HR] 14.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.5-61.5; p < 0.001) was associated with LRR. Compared with women ≥ 50 years of age, women age < 40 years had the highest risk (HR 27.0, 95% CI 6.0-121), and women age 40-49 years had intermediate risk (HR 11.8, 95% CI 2.8-50.5). The cumulative 10-year LRR incidence was 4.2% for women < 40 years of age, 2.0% for women 40-49 years of age, and 0.2% for women ≥ 50 years of age. Women age < 40 years had a 10-year distant disease rate of 1.6% versus women age 40-49 years (0.7%) and women age ≥ 50 years (0.7%) (log-rank p = 0.051). Grade, DCIS + microinvasion, and margins were unassociated with distant disease., Conclusions: LRR after mastectomy for DCIS ± microinvasion is uncommon, but is more frequent among women < 50 years of age, particularly in those < 40 years of age. The 10-year LRR rate in this youngest group remains low at 4.2%. Young age is an independent risk factor for LRR after BCS or mastectomy.

Background: Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is a risk factor for breast cancer, but the effect of LCIS found in association with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is unknown. In this study, we compared contralateral breast cancer (CBC) and ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) rates among women with DCIS with or without synchronous ipsilateral LCIS treated with breast-conserving surgery (BCS)., Methods: DCIS patients undergoing BCS from 2000 to 2011 with a contralateral breast at risk were stratified by the presence or absence of synchronous ipsilateral LCIS with the index DCIS (DCIS + LCIS vs. DCIS). Those with contralateral, bilateral, or prior ipsilateral LCIS were excluded. Associations of patient, tumor, and treatment factors with CBC and IBTR were evaluated., Results: Of 1888 patients identified, 1475 (78%) had DCIS and 413 (22%) had DCIS + LCIS. At median follow-up of 7.2 (range 0-17) years, 307 patients had a subsequent first breast event; 207 IBTR and 100 CBC. The 10-year cumulative incidence of IBTR was similar in both groups: 15.0% vs. 14.2% (log-rank, p = 0.8) for DCIS + LCIS vs. DCIS, respectively. The 10-year cumulative incidence of CBC was greater in the DCIS + LCIS group: 10.9% vs. 6.1% for DCIS (log-rank, p < 0.001). After adjustment for other factors, CBC risk remained higher in DCIS + LCIS compared with DCIS (hazard ratio 2.06, 95% confidence interval 1.36-3.11, p = 0.001); there was no significant difference in IBTR risk., Conclusions: Compared with DCIS alone, DCIS + LCIS is associated with similar IBTR risk but double the risk of CBC. This finding should inform treatment decisions, in particular regarding endocrine therapy for risk reduction.

Background: A ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) Nomogram integrating 10 clinicopathologic/treatment factors and a Refined DCIS Score (RDS) that incorporates a genomic assay and three clinicopathologic factors (Oncotype DX DCIS Score) are available to estimate DCIS 10-year local recurrence risk (LRR). This study compared these estimates., Methods: Patients 50 years of age or older with DCIS size 2.5 cm or smaller and a genomic assay available were identified. An RDS within 1-2% of the range of Nomogram LRR estimates obtained by assuming use and non-use of endocrine therapy (Nomogram ± ET) was defined as concordant. Assuming a 10-year risk threshold of 10% for recommending radiation, Nomogram ± ET and RDS estimates were compared, and threshold concordance was determined., Results: For 54 (92%) of 59 patients, the RDS and Nomogram ± ET LRR estimates were concordant. For the remaining 5 (8%) of the 59 patients, the RDS LRR estimates were lower than the Nomogram + ET estimates, with an absolute difference of 3-8%, and thus were discordant. For these five patients, the RDS estimates of 10-year LRR were lower than 10% (range 5-8%) and the Nomogram + ET estimates were 10% or higher (range 11-14%). These five patients with both discordant and threshold-discordant estimates all had close margins (≤ 2 mm)., Conclusions: Among 92% of women 50 years of age or older with DCIS size 2.5 cm or smaller, free-of-charge online Nomogram 10-year LRR estimates were concordant with those obtained using the commercially available RDS (> $4600). Among the 8% with discordant risk estimates, the RDS appeared to underestimate the LRR and may lead to inappropriate omission of radiotherapy. Unless other data show a clinically significant advantage of the RDS (Oncotype DX DCIS Score), the study data suggest that for women 50 years of age or older with DCIS size 2.5 cm or smaller, its use is not warranted.

Background: Malignant/borderline phyllodes tumors (PTs) are rare, and little is known about their long-term prognosis. This study sought to evaluate recurrence rates and identify factors associated with local and distant failure., Methods: From 1957 to 2017, we identified 124 patients with 125 PTs (86 malignant and 39 borderline). Recurrence rates and survival were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and correlated with clinicopathologic factors using the log-rank test., Results: The median age of the patients was 44 years, and the median tumor size was 5 cm. Breast-conserving surgery was performed for 57% of the patients. At a median follow-up of 7.1 years, 14 patients experienced a locoregional recurrence (LRR), with a 10-year cumulative LRR incidence of 12%. On univariable analysis, age younger than 40 years (p = 0.02) and close/positive margins (p = 0.001) were associated with increased risk of LRR. Seven patients developed distant disease, all occurring in malignant PTs. The 10-year distant recurrence-free survival was 94%. Uniformly poor pathologic features consisting of marked stromal cellularity, stromal overgrowth, infiltrative borders, and 10 or more mitoses per 10 high-power fields (hpf) were identified in 25 PTs (20%), and all distant recurrences occurred in this group. For the patients who did not have uniformly poor features, the 10-year disease-specific survival was 100%, and the overall survival was 94% compared with 66% and 57%, respectively, among those with poor features., Conclusion: Malignant/borderline PTs without uniformly poor histologic features have an excellent prognosis after surgical resection, with a 10-year disease-specific survival of 100%. The presence of uniformly poor pathologic features predicts a poor prognosis. Efforts should be directed toward new treatment approaches for these tumors.

Background: Historically, multiple ipsilateral breast cancer (MIBC) has been a contraindication to breast-conserving therapy (BCT). We report the feasibility of BCT in MIBC from the ACOSOG Z11102 trial [Alliance], a single arm noninferiority trial of BCT for women with two or three sites of malignancy in the ipsilateral breast., Methods: Women who enrolled preoperatively in ACOSOG Z11102 were evaluated for conversion to mastectomy and need for reoperation to obtain negative margins. Characteristics of women who successfully underwent BCT and those who converted to mastectomy were compared. Factors were examined for association with the need for margin reexcision., Results: Of 198 patients enrolled preoperatively, 190 (96%) had 2 foci of disease. Median size of the largest tumor focus was 1.5 (range 0.1-7.0) cm; 49 patients (24.8%) had positive nodes. There were 14 women who underwent mastectomy due to positive margins, resulting in a conversion to mastectomy rate of 7.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.9-10.6%). Of 184 patients who successfully completed BCT, 134 completed this in a single operation. Multivariable logistic regression analysis did not identify any factors significantly associated with conversion to mastectomy or need for margin reexcision., Conclusions: Breast conservation is feasible in MIBC with 67.6% of patients achieving a margin-negative excision in a single operation and 7.1% of patients requiring conversion to mastectomy due to positive margins. No characteristic was identified that significantly altered the risk of conversion to mastectomy or need for reexcision. CLINICALTRIALS., Gov Identifier: NCT01556243.

Purpose: Approximately 20% of breast cancer survivors develop breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), and current therapies are limited. We compared acupuncture (AC) to usual care wait-list control (WL) for treatment of persistent BCRL., Methods: Women with moderate BCRL lasting greater than six months were randomized to AC or WL. AC included twice weekly manual acupuncture over six weeks. We evaluated the difference in circumference and bioimpedance between affected and unaffected arms. Responders were defined as having a decrease in arm circumference difference greater than 30% from baseline. We used analysis of covariance for circumference and bioimpedance measurements and Fisher's exact to determine the proportion of responders., Results: Among 82 patients, 73 (89%) were evaluable for the primary endpoint (36 in AC, 37 in WL). 79 (96%) patients received lymphedema treatment before enrolling in our study; 67 (82%) underwent ongoing treatment during the trial. We found no significant difference between groups for arm circumference difference (0.38 cm greater reduction in AC vs. WL, 95% CI - 0.12 to 0.89, p = 0.14) or bioimpedance difference (1.06 greater reduction in AC vs. WL, 95% CI - 5.72 to 7.85, p = 0.8). There was also no difference in the proportion of responders: 17% AC versus 11% WL (6% difference, 95% CI - 10 to 22%, p = 0.5). No severe adverse events were reported., Conclusions: Our acupuncture protocol appeared to be safe and well tolerated. However, it did not significantly reduce BCRL in pretreated patients receiving concurrent lymphedema treatment. This regimen does not improve upon conventional lymphedema treatment for breast cancer survivors with persistent BCRL.

Purpose: Although quality of life (QoL) improves over time for most breast cancer survivors (BCS), BCS may show different patterns of QoL. This study sought to identify distinct QoL trajectories among BCS and to examine characteristics associated with trajectory group membership., Methods: BCS (N = 653) completed baseline assessments within 8 months of diagnosis. QoL was assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) at baseline and 6, 12, and 18 months later. Finite mixture modeling was used to determine QoL trajectories of the trial outcome index (TOI; a composite of physical well-being, functional well-being, and breast cancer-specific subscales) and emotional and social/family well-being subscales. Chi-square tests and F tests were used to examine group differences in demographic, cancer-related, and psychosocial variables., Results: Unique trajectories were identified for all three subscales. Within each subscale, the majority of BCS had consistently medium or high QoL. The TOI analysis revealed only stable or improving groups, but the emotional and social/family subscales had groups that were stable, improved, or declined. Across all subscales, women in "consistently high" groups had the most favorable psychosocial characteristics. For the TOI and emotional subscales, psychosocial variables also differed significantly between women who started similarly but had differing trajectories., Conclusions: The majority of BCS report good QoL as they transition from treatment to survivorship. However, some women have persistently low QoL in each domain and some experience declines in emotional and/or social/family well-being. Psychosocial variables are consistently associated with improving and/or declining trajectories of physical/functional and emotional well-being.

Background: The current study was conducted to examine the association between ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) and the timing of radiotherapy (RT) in women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) undergoing breast-conserving surgery (BCS)., Methods: Women with DCIS who were treated with BCS and RT from 1980 through 2010 were identified from a prospectively maintained database. IBTR rates, measured from the time of RT completion, were compared between those who initiated RT ≤8 weeks, >8 to 12 weeks, and >12 weeks after the completion of surgery. The association between RT timing and IBTR was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier and log-rank analyses; Cox modeling was used for multivariable analysis., Results: A total of 1323 women met the inclusion criteria. The median follow-up was 6.6 years, with 311 patients followed for ≥10 years. A total of 126 IBTR events occurred. Patients were categorized by RT timing: 806 patients (61%) with timing of ≤8 weeks, 386 patients (29%) with timing of >8 to 12 weeks, and 131 patients (10%) with timing >12 weeks. The 5-year and 10-year IBTR rates were 5.8% and 13.0%, respectively, for RT starting ≤8 weeks after surgery; 3.8% and 7.6%, respectively, for RT starting >8 to 12 weeks after surgery; and 8.8% and 23.0%, respectively, for an RT delay >12 weeks after surgery (P = .004). On multivariable analysis, menopause (hazard ratio [HR], 0.54; P = .0009) and endocrine therapy (HR, 0.45; P = .002) were found to be protective against IBTR, whereas a delay in RT >12 weeks compared with ≤8 weeks was associated with a higher risk of IBTR (HR, 1.92; P = .014). There was no difference in IBTR noted between RT initiation at ≤8 weeks and initiation at >8 to 12 weeks after BCS (P = .3)., Conclusions: A delay in RT >12 weeks is associated with a significantly higher risk of IBTR in women undergoing BCS for DCIS. Efforts should be made to avoid delays in starting RT to minimize the risk of disease recurrence. Cancer 2018;124:46-54. © 2017 American Cancer Society., (© 2017 American Cancer Society.)

Background: In the setting where determining extent of residual disease is key for surgical planning after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), we evaluate the reliability of MRI in predicting pathologic complete response (pCR) of the breast primary and axillary nodes after NAC., Study Design: Patients who had MRI before and after NAC between June 2014 and August 2015 were identified in a prospective database after IRB approval. Post-NAC MRI of the breast and axillary nodes was correlated with residual disease on final pathology. Pathologic complete response was defined as absence of invasive and in situ disease., Results: We analyzed 129 breast cancers. Median patient age was 50.8 years (range 27.2 to 80.6 years). Tumors were human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 amplified in 52 of 129 (40%), estrogen receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative in 45 of 129 (35%), and triple negative in 32 of 129 (25%), with respective pCR rates of 50%, 9%, and 31%. Median tumor size pre- and post-NAC MRI were 4.1 cm and 1.45 cm, respectively. Magnetic resonance imaging had a positive predictive value of 63.4% (26 of 41) and negative predictive value of 84.1% (74 of 88) for in-breast pCR. Axillary nodes were abnormal on pre-NAC MRI in 97 patients; 65 had biopsy-confirmed metastases. The nodes normalized on post-NAC MRI in 33 of 65 (51%); axillary pCR was present in 22 of 33 (67%). In 32 patients with proven nodal metastases and abnormal nodes on post-NAC MRI, 11 achieved axillary pCR. In 32 patients with normal nodes on pre- and post-NAC MRI, 6 (19%) had metastasis on final pathology., Conclusions: Radiologic complete response by MRI does not predict pCR with adequate accuracy to replace pathologic evaluation of the breast tumor and axillary nodes., (Copyright © 2017 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Overdiagnosis and overtreatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) are concerns, especially for women with low-volume, screen-detected DCIS. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes for such patients., Methods: Women who had minimal-volume DCIS (mDCIS, defined as DCIS diagnosed by core biopsy but with no residual disease on the surgical excision) treated with breast-conserving surgery from 1990 to 2011 were identified. Ipsilateral and contralateral breast events (IBE and CBE) were compared by competing-risk (CR) analysis. Kaplan-Meier (KM) estimates and log-rank tests were used to evaluate covariates., Results: The study identified 290 cases of mDCIS. The median age of the patients was 53 years. Radiation therapy (RT) was performed for 27.6% and endocrine therapy for 16.2% of the patients. The median follow-up period was 6.8 years. Overall, the IBE rates were 4.3% at 5 years and 12.3% at 10 years. Among the women not receiving RT, the 5- and 10-year IBE rates (5.4 and 14.5%) were higher than the CBE rates (1.8 and 2.7%). Among those receiving RT, the IBE rates (1.5 and 6.0%) were lower than the CBE rates (4.1 and 15.6%). The women receiving RT trended toward significantly lower IBE rates (p = 0.07). Age, grade, and endocrine therapy were not significantly associated with IBE risk., Conclusions: Among the patients with mDCIS who did not receive RT, the IBE risk was substantially higher than the CBE risk, demonstrating that even DCIS of very low volume is associated with clinically relevant disease. The finding that the IBE risk was greater than the CBE risk supports current strategies that treat DCIS as a precursor rather than a risk marker. Women with mDCIS are not at negligible risk for IBE in the absence of adjuvant therapy.

Background: Studies assessing outcomes in occult breast cancer have often included women treated before the routine use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study examined outcomes for patients presenting with axillary adenopathy and no primary breast tumor detectable by MRI or other imaging methods., Methods: All patients with axillary nodal metastases consistent with breast carcinoma and no breast primary tumor detectable by physical exam, mammography, or MRI treated between 1 January 1996 and 30 June 2011 were identified from an institutional database. Data were collected on local, regional, and distant recurrences., Results: For the study, 38 patients were identified. Modified radical mastectomy (MRM) was performed for 13 of the patients, whereas 25 of the patients underwent axillary dissection (ALND) and whole-breast radiotherapy (WBRT). Most of the women had pathologic N1 disease [median number of positive nodes, 2 (MRM cohort) and 3 (ALND + WBRT cohort); p = 0.38]. All the patients received chemotherapy, and 30 (79%) of the 38 patients received an anthracycline and taxane. Regional nodal radiation was used for 60% of those with ALND + WBRT and for all 46% of the MRM patients who received chest wall radiotherapy. During a median follow-up period of 7 years, there were no nodal recurrences. Two patients treated with ALND + WBRT had in-breast recurrences, whereas none in the MRM group experienced a local recurrence. The proportion that experienced distant disease was similar between the MRM cohort (1 of 13) and the ALND + WBRT cohort (2 of 25)., Conclusion: Breast cancer presenting as axillary adenopathy with no detectable primary tumor is rare. Breast conservation with WBRT is a viable option for patients with a diagnosis of occult breast cancer and a negative preoperative MRI.