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Bierbaum M, Arnolda G, Braithwaite J, Rapport F. Clinician attitudes towards cancer treatment guidelines in Australia. BMC Res Notes 2023; 16:80. [PMID: 37194072 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-023-06356-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) are designed to guide treatment decisions, yet adherence rates vary widely. To characterise perceived barriers and facilitators to cancer treatment CPG adherence in Australia, and estimate the frequency of previous qualitative research findings, a survey was distributed to Australian oncologists. RESULTS The sample is described and validated guideline attitude scores reported for different groups. Differences in mean CPG attitude scores across clinician subgroups and associations between frequency of CPG use and clinician characteristics were calculated; with 48 respondents there was limited statistical power to find differences. Younger oncologists (< 50 years) and clinicians participating in three or more Multidisciplinary Team Meetings were more likely to routinely or occasionally use CPGs. Perceived barriers and facilitators were identified. Thematic analysis was conducted on open-text responses. Results were integrated with previous interview findings and presented in a thematic, conceptual matrix. Most barriers and facilitators identified earlier were corroborated by survey results, with minor discordance. Identified barriers and facilitators require further exploration within a larger sample to assess their perceived impact on cancer treatment CPG adherence in Australia, as well as to inform future CPG implementation strategies. This research was Human Research Ethics Committee approved (2019/ETH11722 and 52019568810127, ID:5688).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Bierbaum
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW, 2113, Australia.
| | - Gaston Arnolda
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW, 2113, Australia
| | - Jeffrey Braithwaite
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW, 2113, Australia
| | - Frances Rapport
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW, 2113, Australia
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Huang S, Yang Q, Zheng X, Chow KM, Wu J, Zhu J. Predictors of surgery choices in women with early-stage breast cancer in China: a retrospective study. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:23. [PMID: 36609281 PMCID: PMC9825016 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-10510-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The breast-conserving surgery and reconstruction rate in China is relatively low when compared with those in Western countries. Moreover, predictors of surgical choices for women with breast cancer in China have not yet been explored. This study aims to explore differences in the surgical choices of women with different demographic and clinical characteristics and the predictors that influence surgical choices of women with early-stage breast cancer. METHODS This retrospective study included women with early-stage (0-II) breast cancer who underwent surgeries at one of two Xiamen University-affiliated hospitals between 2009 and 2017. Using medical records, eleven variables were collected: the woman's age, year of diagnosis, hospital, marital status, payment method, cancer stage, presence of positive axillary lymph node, histology, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and the type(s) of surgery they chose. Binary logistic regression was used to analyse predictors of surgical choice. RESULTS A total of 1,787 cases were included in this study. Of the total number of women with breast cancer, 61.3% underwent mastectomy without breast reconstruction, 26.4% underwent mastectomy with breast reconstruction, and the remaining 12.2% chose breast-conserving surgery. Women with different demographic and clinical characteristics underwent different types of surgery. Cancer stage, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and the choice of hospital were found to be predictors of breast-conserving surgery. Meanwhile, age, year of diagnosis, payment method, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and the choice of hospital were found to be predictors of reconstruction after mastectomy in women with early-stage breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS In China, surgical choices for women with breast cancer have diversified. Healthcare workers should understand the surgical preferences of women of different ages. For early detection of breast cancer, knowledge of breast self-examination and breast cancer screening should be provided. Adequate information about the safety of reconstruction and advocacy for medical insurance coverage of reconstruction should be offer. Breast surgeons need specialised training and standardising protocols towards different types of breast surgery. These actions will help women make better, well-informed decisions about their breast surgeries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Huang
- grid.12955.3a0000 0001 2264 7233Department of Nursing, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P.R. China
| | - Qingmo Yang
- grid.12955.3a0000 0001 2264 7233Department of Breast Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P.R. China
| | - Xujuan Zheng
- grid.263488.30000 0001 0472 9649School of Nursing, Health Science Centre, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province P.R. China
| | - Ka Ming Chow
- grid.10784.3a0000 0004 1937 0482The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P.R. China
| | - Junhua Wu
- grid.12955.3a0000 0001 2264 7233Department of Nursing, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P.R. China
| | - Jiemin Zhu
- grid.12955.3a0000 0001 2264 7233Department of Nursing, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P.R. China
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Bierbaum M, Rapport F, Arnolda G, Delaney GP, Liauw W, Olver I, Braithwaite J. Clinical practice guideline adherence in oncology: A qualitative study of insights from clinicians in Australia. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0279116. [PMID: 36525435 PMCID: PMC9757567 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The burden of cancer is large in Australia, and rates of cancer Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) adherence is suboptimal across various cancers. METHODS The objective of this study is to characterise clinician-perceived barriers and facilitators to cancer CPG adherence in Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from 33 oncology-focused clinicians (surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and haematologists). Clinicians were recruited in 2019 and 2020 through purposive and snowball sampling from 7 hospitals across Sydney, Australia, and interviewed either face-to-face in hospitals or by phone. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim, and qualitative thematic analysis of the interview data was undertaken. Human research ethics committee approval and governance approval was granted (2019/ETH11722, #52019568810127). RESULTS Five broad themes and subthemes of key barriers and facilitators to cancer treatment CPG adherence were identified: Theme 1: CPG content; Theme 2: Individual clinician and patient factors; Theme 3: Access to, awareness of and availability of CPGs; Theme 4: Organisational and cultural factors; and Theme 5: Development and implementation factors. The most frequently reported barriers to adherence were CPGs not catering for patient complexities, being slow to be updated, patient treatment preferences, geographical challenges for patients who travel large distances to access cancer services and limited funding of CPG recommended drugs. The most frequently reported facilitators to adherence were easy accessibility, peer review, multidisciplinary engagement or MDT attendance, and transparent CPG development by trusted, multidisciplinary experts. CPGs provide a reassuring framework for clinicians to check their treatment plans against. Clinicians want cancer CPGs to be frequently updated utilising a wiki-like process, and easily accessible online via a comprehensive database, coordinated by a well-trusted development body. CONCLUSION Future implementation strategies of cancer CPGs in Australia should be tailored to consider these context-specific barriers and facilitators, taking into account both the content of CPGs and the communication of that content. The establishment of a centralised, comprehensive, online database, with living wiki-style cancer CPGs, coordinated by a well-funded development body, along with incorporation of recommendations into point-of-care decision support would potentially address many of the issues identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Bierbaum
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Frances Rapport
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Gaston Arnolda
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Research Excellence in Implementation Science in Oncology, Sydney, Australia
| | - Geoff P. Delaney
- Centre for Research Excellence in Implementation Science in Oncology, Sydney, Australia
- SWSLHD Cancer Services, Liverpool, Australia
| | - Winston Liauw
- Centre for Research Excellence in Implementation Science in Oncology, Sydney, Australia
- SESLHD Cancer Service, Kogarah, Australia
| | - Ian Olver
- School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Jeffrey Braithwaite
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Research Excellence in Implementation Science in Oncology, Sydney, Australia
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Merie R, Shafiq J, Soon PS, Delaney GP. Surgical and radiotherapy patterns of care in the management of breast cancer in NSW and ACT Australia. J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol 2021; 66:442-454. [PMID: 34851031 DOI: 10.1111/1754-9485.13357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study aims to report on the surgical and radiotherapy patterns of breast cancer care in New South Wales (NSW) and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in Australia, to identify factors that impact on utilisation of evidence-based treatment and to report on the overall survival (OS) rate and the influencing factors on OS. METHODS Cancer registry data linked to hospital records for all patients with breast cancer diagnosis in NSW and ACT between 2009 and 2014 were used to calculate rates of breast conserving surgery (BCS), mastectomy, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and radiotherapy. Multivariate analysis used to identify factors that led to variations in care. 5-year OS was calculated and cox regression model assessed factors that influenced survival. RESULTS Data for 30,337 patients were analysed. BCS and mastectomy rates were 64% and 36%, respectively. The SLNB, ALND and ALND after SLNB rates were 61.5%, 32.1% and 6.4%, respectively. Radiotherapy was utilised in 63%. Younger age, socio-economic disadvantage, longer distance to a radiotherapy facility and overseas place of birth were factors that predicted for increased rates of mastectomy and ALND. Radiotherapy was more likely to be utilised in later years of diagnosis, patients between 40-69 years old, and those who lived in major cities and closer to a radiotherapy facility. 5-year OS was 80.5%. Older patients, the socioeconomically disadvantaged and those advanced tumours had worse survival. CONCLUSION Variations in breast cancer care continue to exist in certain patient groups that we identified. Targeted strategic planning and further research to identify other drivers of existing disparities remain a priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roya Merie
- Liverpool Cancer Therapy Centre, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia.,South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jesmin Shafiq
- South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Collaboration for Cancer Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Patsy S Soon
- South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Department of Surgery, Bankstown Hospital, Bankstown, New South Wales, Australia.,Medical Oncology Group, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia.,BreastScreen South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Geoff P Delaney
- Liverpool Cancer Therapy Centre, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia.,South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Collaboration for Cancer Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
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Receipt of radiotherapy after mastectomy in women with breast cancer: Population‐based cohort study in New Zealand. Asia Pac J Clin Oncol 2020; 16:e99-e107. [DOI: 10.1111/ajco.13101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Lefeuvre D, Le Bihan-Benjamin C, Pauporté I, Medioni J, Bousquet PJ. French Medico-Administrative Data to Identify the Care Pathways of Women With Breast Cancer. Clin Breast Cancer 2017; 17:e191-e197. [PMID: 28237608 DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2017.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Revised: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Study of the care pathways is an important topic for care planning, as well as to observe guidelines application. This study aimed to describe care pathways and the period of time between treatments of women with breast cancer (BC), at a population level. MATERIALS AND METHODS Women with in situ, local and regional BC who were hospitalized and newly treated in 2012 were included and followed for 1 year. Care pathways were described, focusing on surgery (partial mastectomy [PM], total mastectomy [TM]), chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The periods of time between treatments were measured and compared with the guidelines. RESULTS The study involved 52,128 women. The most common care pathways among the 2845 women with in situ BC were PM-radiotherapy (46.7%) and TM (28.5%). Among the 41,470 women with local BC, they were: PM-radiotherapy (44.8%) or PM-chemotherapy-radiotherapy (16.0%). The 7813 women with regional BC had similar care pathways, although chemotherapy was given more frequently (73%). The periods of time between surgery and chemotherapy were in accordance with the guidelines for 98% of the women; those between surgery and radiotherapy were affected by adjuvant chemotherapy. Finally, the time between chemotherapy and radiotherapy was longer than recommended for 40% of the women. CONCLUSION The French medicoadministrative databases allow the study, at a national population level, of the care pathways and periods of time between treatments of women with BC according to the stage of the disease. They were close to the guidelines, although an improvement is highly necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Lefeuvre
- Observation, Survey and Assessment Department, Institut National du Cancer, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
| | | | - Iris Pauporté
- Clinical Trial Department, Institut National du Cancer, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Jacques Medioni
- Paris Descartes University, Paris, France; Medical Oncology Department, Georges Pompidou European Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Philippe-Jean Bousquet
- Observation, Survey and Assessment Department, Institut National du Cancer, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
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Decision Making in Lung Cancer – How Applicable are the Guidelines? Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) 2015; 27:125-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clon.2014.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Accepted: 10/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Delaney G, Barton M. Evidence-based Estimates of the Demand for Radiotherapy. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) 2015; 27:70-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clon.2014.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Holleczek B, Brenner H. Provision of breast cancer care and survival in Germany - results from a population-based high resolution study from Saarland. BMC Cancer 2014; 14:757. [PMID: 25304931 PMCID: PMC4213502 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-14-757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies on the implementation of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) and particularly its effect on breast cancer (BRC) survival on a population-level are scant. This population-based high resolution study from Germany aims at providing data on the usage of BRC treatment, the extent of adherence to CPG and, as a novelty, survival of BRC patients according to major recommended treatment options. METHODS Data from the Saarland Cancer Registry including women diagnosed with invasive BRC without distant metastasis and followed up between 2000 and 2009 were used. Provision of cancer care according to major treatment options is presented by age, clinical subtypes of BRC, and over time. Conventional and modeled period analysis was used to derive estimates of most up-to-date 5-year relative survival (RS) and the effect of non-adherence to CPG on relative excess risk of death (RER). RESULTS The study revealed increasing guideline adherence, with high levels already seen for local treatment (e.g. 67% of the BRC patients in 2008/09 received breast conserving surgery), and substantial progress since the millennium change with regard to sentinel node dissection (SND) and adjuvant systemic treatments (e.g. SND and chemotherapy provided to 62% of all patients and 79% of the patients with nodal positive or hormone receptor negative BRC in 2008/09, respectively). It further demonstrated increased cancer related mortality among patients without guideline compliant cancer treatment (e.g. patients with nodal positive and hormone receptor negative BRC who were not treated with chemotherapy had a 5-year RS of 29% (RER: 2.89, 95% CI: 1.46-5.71) compared to 54% for patients obtaining chemotherapy). CONCLUSIONS This study provides data on the implementation of CPG in a highly developed European country and extends available population-based survival data of BRC patients and may provide evidence of increased cancer related excess mortality, if BRC patients do not receive guideline compatible treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Holleczek
- />Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- />Saarland Cancer Registry, Präsident Baltz-Straße 5, 66119 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Hermann Brenner
- />Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- />German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Sinding C, Warren R, Fitzpatrick-Lewis D, Sussman J. Research in cancer care disparities in countries with universal healthcare: mapping the field and its conceptual contours. Support Care Cancer 2014; 22:3101-20. [PMID: 25120008 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-014-2348-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2014] [Accepted: 06/29/2014] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The paper reviews published studies focused on disparities in receipt of cancer treatments and supportive care services in countries where cancer care is free at the point of access. We map these studies in terms of the equity stratifiers they examined, the countries in which they took place, and the care settings and cancer populations they investigated. Based on this map, we reflect on patterns of scholarly attention to equity and disparity in cancer care. We then consider conceptual challenges and opportunities in the field, including how treatment disparities are defined, how equity stratifiers are defined and conceptualized and how disparities are explained, with special attention to the challenge of psychosocial explanations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Sinding
- School of Social Work & Department of Health, Aging and Society, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada,
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Skandarajah AR, Bruce Mann G. Selective use of whole breast radiotherapy after breast conserving surgery for invasive breast cancer and DCIS. Surgeon 2013; 11:278-85. [PMID: 23632044 DOI: 10.1016/j.surge.2013.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2012] [Revised: 03/08/2013] [Accepted: 03/14/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Radiotherapy following breast conservation is routine in the treatment of invasive breast cancer and is commonly used in ductal carcinoma in situ to decrease local recurrence. However, adjuvant breast radiotherapy has significant short and longer-term side effects and consumes substantial health care resources. We aimed to review the randomised controlled trials and attempted to identify clinico-pathological factors and molecular markers associated with the risk of local recurrence. METHODS A literature search using the Medline and Ovid databases between 1965 and 2011 was conducted using the terms 'breast conservation' and radiotherapy, and radiotherapy and DCIS. Only papers with randomised clinical trials published in English in adult were included. Only Level 2 evidence and above was included. RESULTS Three meta-analyses and 17 randomised controlled trials have been published in invasive disease and one meta-analysis and four randomised controlled trials for DCIS. Overall, adjuvant radiotherapy provides a 15.7% decrease in local recurrence and 3.8% decrease in 15-year risk of breast cancer death. The key clinico-pathological factors, which enable stratification into high, intermediate or low risk groups include age, oestrogen receptor positivity, use of tamoxifen and extent of surgery. Absolute reductions in 15-year risk of breast cancer death in these three prediction categories are 7.8%, 1.1%, and 0.1% respectively Adjuvant radiotherapy provides a 60% risk reduction in local recurrence in DCIS with no impact on distal metastases or overall survival. Size, pathological subtype and margins are major risk factors for local recurrence in DCIS. CONCLUSIONS Adjuvant radiotherapy consistently decreases local recurrence across all subtypes of invasive and in-situ disease. While it has a survival advantage in those with invasive disease, this is not seen with DCIS and is minimal in invasive disease where the risk of local recurrence is low. This group includes women over 70 with node negative, ER positive tumours<2 cm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita R Skandarajah
- Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3050, Australia; The Breast Service, The Royal Melbourne and Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville 3052, Australia.
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Moser EC, Vrieling C. Accelerated partial breast irradiation: the need for well-defined patient selection criteria, improved volume definitions, close follow-up and discussion of salvage treatment. Breast 2012; 21:707-15. [PMID: 23127279 DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2012.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2012] [Revised: 08/17/2012] [Accepted: 09/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast-conserving therapy, including whole breast irradiation, has become a well-established alternative to mastectomy in early-stage breast cancer patients, with similar survival rates and better cosmetic outcome. However, many women are still treated with mastectomy, due to logistical issues related to the long course of radiotherapy (RT). To reduce mastectomy rates and/or omission of RT after breast-conserving surgery, shorter, hypofractionated RT treatments have been introduced. More recently, the necessity of routinely treating the entire breast in all patients has been questioned, leading to the development of partial breast radiotherapy. With accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) these two approaches have been combined: the tumor bed with a 1-2 cm margin is irradiated either intra-operatively (single fraction) or postoperatively over 5-15 days. Different techniques have been developed, including interstitial brachytherapy, intra-cavity brachytherapy, intra-operative radiotherapy and external beam radiotherapy. These techniques are being evaluated in several ongoing phase III studies. Since its introduction, APBI has been the subject of continuous debate. ASTRO and GEC-ESTRO have published guidelines for patient selection for APBI, and strongly recommend that APBI be carried out within ongoing clinical trials. Recently, the patient selection criteria for APBI have also been up for debate, following the publication of results from different groups that do/do not confirm a difference in recurrence risk among the ASTRO defined risk groups. This paper reviews the different APBI techniques, current recommendations for patient selection, available clinical data and ongoing clinical trials. A case report is included to illustrate the need for careful follow-up of patients treated with APBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth C Moser
- Breast Unit/Department of Radiotherapy, Champalimaud Cancer Centre, Lisbon, Portugal.
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