Early start of adjuvant chemotherapy may improve treatment outcome for premenopausal breast cancer patients with tumors not expressing estrogen receptors. The International Breast Cancer Study Group

Intraoperative radiotherapy combined with spinal stabilization surgery-a novel treatment strategy for spinal metastases based on a first single-center experiences

INTRODUCTION

Current treatment of spinal metastases (SM) aims on preserving spinal stability, neurological status, and functional status as well as achieving local control. It consists of spinal surgery followed by radiotherapy and/or systemic treatment. Adjuvant therapy usually starts with a delay of a few weeks to prevent wound healing issues. Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) has previously been successfully applied during brain tumor, breast and colorectal carcinoma surgery but not in SM, including unstable one, to date. In our case series, we describe the feasibility, morbidity and mortality of a novel treatment protocol for SM combining stabilization surgery with IORT.

METHODS

Single center case series on patients with SM. Single session stabilization by navigated open or percutaneous procedure using a carbon screw-rod system followed by concurrent 50 kV photon-IORT (ZEISS Intrabeam). The IORT probe is placed via a guide canula using navigation, positioning is controlled by IOCT or 3D-fluroscopy enabling RT isodose planning in the OR.

RESULTS

15 (8 female) patients (71 ± 10y) received this treatment between 07/22 and 09/23. Median Spinal Neoplastic Instability Score was 8 [7-10] IQR. Most metastasis were located in the thoracic (n = 11, 73.3%) and the rest in the lumbar (n = 4, 26.7%) spine. 9 (60%) patients received open, 5 (33%) percutaneous stabilization and 1 (7%) decompression only. Mean length of surgery was 157 ± 45 min. Eleven patients had 8 and 3 had 4 screws placed. In 2 patients radiotherapy was not completed due to bending of the guide canula with consecutive abortion of IORT. All other patients received 8 Gy isodoses at mdn. 1.5 cm [1.1-1.9, IQR] depth during 2-6 min. The patients had Epidural Spinal Cord Compression score 1a-3. Seven patients (46.7%) experienced adverse events including 2 surgical site infection (one 65 days after surgery).

CONCLUSION

50 kV photon IORT for SM and consecutive unstable spine needing surgical intervention is safe and feasible and can be a promising technique in selected cases.

Temporal Variation of Treatment Patterns and Survival Outcomes of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Patients: A Real-World Experience From 2000 to 2014

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have reported a higher prevalence of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in US Hispanic/Latina populations. However, survival outcomes and treatment approaches over time in Latin American females are scarcely reported. We aimed to evaluate the temporal variation in treatment patterns and overall survival (OS) outcomes of females with TNBC according to cancer stage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study on 1840 females from 2000 to 2014. Patients were classified in 3 calendar periods (2000-2004, 2005-2009, and 2010-2014). The Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable regression analyses were employed.

RESULTS

Stage III cancer was identified in half of the population. Five-year OS estimates for cancer stages I, II, and IV remained unchanged across all calendar periods. However, we found worsening 5-year OS estimates in stage III females (49% in 2000-2004 and 31% in 2010-2014; P < .001). Despite increased uptake of overall use of neoadjuvant therapy in stage III females, the time from diagnosis to treatment initiation (P = .013) and time to complete the planned cycles (P < .001) increased over time. Fifty-sex percent of stage IV patients were untreated. Females aged ≥70 years were less likely to receive treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Survival estimates were lower than those reported in high-income countries. Most females were diagnosed with advanced disease, and the OS for stage III females worsened over time. Our outcomes show difficulties in delivering timely neoadjuvant therapy in an overwhelmed healthcare system. Public health authorities should improve screening practices, develop regional clinical guidelines, and expand trial enrollment.

The impact of neoadjuvant systemic treatment on postoperative complications in breast cancer surgery

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST) on postoperative complications and the beginning of adjuvant treatment.

METHODS

This study includes data from a prospectively maintained database including patients with breast cancer (BC) stage I-IV with or without NST undergoing breast cancer surgery between January 2010 and September 2021.

RESULTS

Out of 517 enrolled patients, 77 received NST, 440 had primary breast surgery. After NST patients underwent surgery after a meantime of 34 days (26.5-40 days). No statistical significance could be found comparing the complication grading according to the Clavien Dindo classification. The complications were most frequently rated as grade 3b. There were no complications with grade 4 or higher. When differentiating into short and long-term, the overall rate of short-term complications was 20.3% with no significant difference between the two groups (20.8% vs. 20.2%). Regarding long-term complications, there was more impairment of shoulder mobility (26.0% vs. 9.5%, p ≤ 0.001) and chronic pain (42.9% vs. 28.6%, p ≤ 0.016) for patients with NST. The beginning of the administration of the adjuvant treatment was comparable in both groups (46.3 days vs. 50.5 days).

CONCLUSION

In our cohort, complications between both groups were comparable according to Clavien Dindo. This study shows that NST has no negative impact on postoperative short-term complications and most importantly did not lead to a delay of the beginning of adjuvant treatment. Therefore, NST can be safely admitted, even when followed by extensive breast reconstruction surgery.

Does the breast reconstruction method have an impact on time delay to adjuvant chemotherapy – A comparison between autologous and expander/implant breast reconstruction

Introduction

This study aims to analyze whether autologous breast reconstruction as compared to expander/implant reconstruction has a higher risk of postoperative wound healing problems (WHPs) and thus potentially delays chemotherapy start.

Methods

Between January 2012 and December 2019, a total of 64 women with NSME/SSME and autologous (Group1, n = 33) or expander/implant reconstruction (Group2, n = 31) and adjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled in this study conducted at Innsbruck Medical University Hospital. Immediate postoperative WHPs in each group were compared, and the time from operation to initiation of chemotherapy was analyzed. If the start of chemotherapy was postponed for more than six weeks postoperatively due to WHP, it was defined as delayed. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS and Fisher's exact test.

Results

More postoperative WHP occurred in Group 1 than in Group 2 (51.6% vs. 9.7%, p < 0.001). Due to WHP, chemotherapy start was delayed for more than six weeks postoperatively in 30.3% of Group 1 patients and 3.2% of Group 2 patients. Only small differences in age (Group 1: 47±1 vs. Group 2: 46±2 years) and BMI (Group 1: 24.3 ± 0.6 vs. Group 2: 23.3 ± 0.7 kg/m²) were found.

Conclusion

Our study shows a far smaller risk for postoperative WHP and delay of chemotherapy start in the expander/implant group in comparison with the autologous group. In some selected patients with high urgency for adjuvant chemotherapy, a bridging operation by means of expander reconstruction prior to chemotherapy could be an oncologically safe pathway.

Survival and Time to Initiation of Adjuvant Chemotherapy Among Breast Cancer Patients in Uruguay

Introduction

Increases in disease-free survival and overall survival (OS) with the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in early breast cancer (BC) are widely known; however, the optimal time to initiate treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy remains controversial.

Objective

To evaluate the time elapsed between surgery and the initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy and its possible impact on OS in patients diagnosed with BC stages I–III.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective study included 112 patients diagnosed with BC stages I–III who received adjuvant chemotherapy at the Mastology Unit of the Hospital de Clínicas in Uruguay from 2009 to 2019. OS was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals.

Results

No statistically significant association was found between the time from surgery to the initiation of chemotherapy and the described variables. OS was worse for patients initiating chemotherapy more than 90 days after breast surgery (n = 19) (HR 7.63; p = 0.004) and between 61 and 90 days after surgery (n = 46) (HR 4.58; p = 0.040) compared to those who started before 30 days (n = 23). Controlling by type of surgery and stage, the prognosis of patients who started chemotherapy between 61 and 90 days after surgery was similar to that of patients who underwent chemotherapy within the first 30 days, controlling for surgery (HR 4.10; p = 0.056) and controlling for stage (HR 3.76; p = 0.075). Prognosis was worse for patients with stage III disease (p = 0.022) who underwent a mastectomy and/or axillary lymph node dissection (p = 0.025).

Conclusion

Patients who started chemotherapy more than 90 days following surgery and those with stage III disease or underwent mastectomy and/or axillary lymph node dissection who initiated it between 61 and 90 days had a worse OS. Multiple factors are involved in the time between surgery and the initiation of chemotherapy, and further studies are needed to evaluate which of these factors influence the delay of chemotherapy in order to design strategies to avoid such delays and their negative impact on survival.

Characterization of circulating tumor cells in early breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Background and Aims:

The aim of this study was to characterize circulating tumor cells (CTCs) during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in early and locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) patients. Using ultrasound, tumor volume measurement was compared with the presence and the molecular nature of CTCs over multiple time intervals corresponding to treatment periods.

Methods:

A total of 20 patients diagnosed with breast cancer (BC) of different histotypes were monitored during the NACT period and in the follow-up period (~5 years). Peripheral blood for CTCs (n = 115) was taken prior to NACT, after two to three chemotherapy cycles, after the completion of NACT (before surgery) and at some time points during adjuvant therapy. CTCs were enriched using a size-based filtration method (MetaCell®) capturing viable cells, which enabled vital fluorescence microscopy. A set of tumor-associated (TA) genes and chemoresistance-associated (CA) genes was analyzed by qPCR in the enriched CTC fractions.

Results:

The analysis of tumor volume reduction after administration of anthracyclines (AC) and taxanes (TAX) during NACT showed that AC therapy was responsive in 60% (12/20) of tumors, whereas TAX therapy was responsive in 30% (6/20; n.s.). After NACT, CTCs were still present in 70.5% (12/17) of patients (responders versus non-responders, 61.5% versus 100%; not significant).

In triple-negative BC (TNBC) patients (n = 8), tumor volume reduction was observed in 75% cases. CTCs were significantly reduced in 42.9% of all HER2-negative BC patients. In HER2+ tumors, CTC reduction was reported in 16.6% only. Relapses were also more prevalent in the HER2-positive patient group (28.5 versus 66.6%).

During NACT, the presence of CTCs (three tests for each patient) identified patients with relapses and indicated significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) rates (p = 0.03). Differentiation between progressive disease and non-progressive disease was obtained when the occurrence of excessive expression for CA genes in CTCs was compared (p = 0.024). Absence of tumor volume reduction was also significantly indicative for progressive disease (p = 0.0224).

Disseminated CTCs in HER2-negative tumors expressed HER2 in 29% of samples collected during the overall follow-up period (16/55), and in 32% of samples during the follow-up of NACT (10/31). The change accounted for 78.5% of HER2-negative patients (11/14) in total, and 63.6% of the conversion cases occurred during NACT (7/11). For the remaining four patients (36.3%), conversion to HER2+ CTCs occurred later during adjuvant therapy. We believe there is the possibility of preventing further progression by identifying less responsive tumors during NACT using CTC monitoring, which could also be used effectively during adjuvant therapy.

Impact of timing of adjuvant chemothapy for early breast cancer: the Royal Marsden Hospital experience

BACKGROUND

The optimal time to deliver adjuvant chemotherapy has not been defined.

METHODS

A retrospective study of consecutive patients receiving adjuvant anthracycline and/or taxane 1993-2010. Primary endpoint included 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) in patients commencing chemotherapy <31 versus ≥31 days after surgery. Secondary endpoints included 5-year overall survival (OS) and sub-group analysis by receptor status.

RESULTS

We identified 2003 eligible patients: 1102 commenced chemotherapy <31 days and 901 ≥31 days after surgery. After a median follow-up of 115 months, there was no difference in 5-year DFS rate with chemotherapy <31 compared to ≥31 days after surgery in the overall population (81 versus 82% hazard ratio (HR) 1.15, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.92-1.43, p = 0.230). The 5-year OS rate was similar in patients who received chemotherapy <31 or ≥31 days after surgery (90 versus 91%, (HR 1.21, 95% CI 0.89-1.64, p = 0.228). For 250 patients with triple-negative breast cancer OS was significantly worse in patients who received chemotherapy ≥31 versus <31 days (HR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.11-4.30, p = 0.02).

DISCUSSION

Although adjuvant chemotherapy ≥31 days after surgery did not affect DFS or OS in the whole study population, in TN patients, chemotherapy ≥31 days after surgery significantly reduced 5-year OS; therefore, delays beyond 30 days in this sub-group should be avoided.

Optimal timing of surgery following breast cancer neoadjuvant chemotherapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Administration of chemotherapy before breast surgery has the potential to reduce the risk of distant recurrence by targeting micrometastasis as well as allowing a more minimalistic approach to surgical intervention. We performed a systematic review to determine the optimum timing of surgery post breast cancer neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).

METHODS

The primary outcome was to determine whether the timing of surgery post NACT impacted overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). We compared patient outcomes between those who had surgery within 8 weeks of completion of NACT to those that had surgery after 8 weeks. An outcome comparison between <4 weeks and 4-8 weeks was also performed. Secondary outcome included complete pathological response (pCR) post NACT. A meta-analysis was performed using the Mantel-Haenszel method.

RESULTS

Five studies, including 8794 patients were eligible for inclusion. Patients that had surgery within 8 weeks of completion of NACT had a statistically significant improved OS(OR 0.47, 95% c. i 0.34-0.65) and DFS(OR 0.71 (95% c. i 0.52-0.98, P = 0.04). There were no survival advantages associated with having surgery less than 4 weeks post completion of NACT (OR 0.78, 95% c. i 0.46-1.33, P = 0.37). There was no difference in pCR rate between those that had surgery <4 weeks and 4-8 weeks (OR 1.01, 95% c. i 0.80-1.28, P = 0.93).

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis shows that the optimum timing of surgery post completion of NACT is 4-8 weeks as it is associated with increased OS and DFS.

Racial Disparities in Time to Treatment Initiation and Outcomes for Early Stage Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Although cure rates for early stage anal squamous cell cancer (ASCC) are overall high, there may be racial disparities in receipt of treatment and outcome precluding favorable outcomes across all patient demographics. Therefore, the authors aimed to assess the time to treatment initiation and overall survival (OS) in Black and White patients receiving definitive chemoradiation for early stage ASCC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The authors identified patients diagnosed with early stage (stage I-II) ASCC and treated with chemoradiation diagnosed between 2004 and 2016 in the National Cancer Database. Clinical and treatment variables were compared by race using the χ test, and OS assessed through Cox regression with 1:1 nearest neighbor propensity score matching.

RESULTS

Among 9331 patients, 90.6% were White. Black patients had longer median time to treatment initiation as compared with White patients (47 vs. 36 d, P<0.001), and on multivariable analysis, the Black race was associated with higher odds of >6 weeks of time to treatment initiation (hazard ratio, 1.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.53-2.08; P<0.001). Furthermore, Black patients had worse OS (5-year survival 71% vs. 77%; P<0.001), which persisted after propensity score matching (P=0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

Black patients had a longer time to treatment initiation and worse OS as compared with White patients with early stage ASCC treated with chemoradiation. Further research is needed to better elucidate the etiologies of these disparities.

Impact of the Delayed Initiation of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in the Outcome of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Adjuvant chemotherapy decreases the recurrence risk and improves survival rates; however, it is unclear whether a delayed initiation is associated with adverse outcomes, especially in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). In this study, we evaluated the influence of the time to start adjuvant chemotherapy (TTC) in the outcomes of TNBC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 15 years of data from patients with TNBC who received adjuvant chemotherapy at the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (Lima, Peru). TTC was categorized into 4 groups: ≤ 30, 31 to 60, 61 to 90, and ≥ 91 days. We evaluated overall survival (OS) and distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS). Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify prognostic factors.

RESULTS

In total, 687 patients were included. The mean age at diagnosis was 49.1 years (SD, 11.8 years), and most (62.6%) patients had pathologic stage T2. The median TTC was 48.1 days (SD, 27.4 days); 189 (27.5%) received chemotherapy ≤ 30 days; 329 (47.9%), between 31 and 60 days; 115 (16.7%), between 61 and 90 days; and 54 (7.9%) in ≥ 90 days. In the multivariate analysis, a TTC between 31 and 60 days (hazard ratio [HR], 1.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-2.72), 61 and 90 days (HR, 2.38; 95%CI, 1.43-3.97), and ≥ 91 days (HR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.32-4.55) was associated with an increased mortality in contrast with a TTC < 30 days. Although a TTC between 31 and 60 days, 61 and 90 days, and ≥ 91 days was associated with an increased risk of DRFS (HR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.24-2.79; HR, 2.34, 95% CI, 1.42-3.867; and HR, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.78-5.61, respectively).

CONCLUSION

A delaying in TTC ≥ 30 days was associated with poorer outcomes. Our data suggest that several efforts should be conducted to avoid a delayed TTC in patients with TNBC.

Deep learning-enabled breast cancer hormonal receptor status determination from base-level H&E stains

For newly diagnosed breast cancer, estrogen receptor status (ERS) is a key molecular marker used for prognosis and treatment decisions. During clinical management, ERS is determined by pathologists from immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of biopsied tissue for the targeted receptor, which highlights the presence of cellular surface antigens. This is an expensive, time-consuming process which introduces discordance in results due to variability in IHC preparation and pathologist subjectivity. In contrast, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining—which highlights cellular morphology—is quick, less expensive, and less variable in preparation. Here we show that machine learning can determine molecular marker status, as assessed by hormone receptors, directly from cellular morphology. We develop a multiple instance learning-based deep neural network that determines ERS from H&E-stained whole slide images (WSI). Our algorithm—trained strictly with WSI-level annotations—is accurate on a varied, multi-country dataset of 3,474 patients, achieving an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.92 for sensitivity and specificity. Our approach has the potential to augment clinicians’ capabilities in cancer prognosis and theragnosis by harnessing biological signals imperceptible to the human eye.

Determination of estrogen receptor status (ERS) in breast cancer tissue requires immunohistochemistry, which is sensitive to the vagaries of sample processing and the subjectivity of pathologists. Here the authors present a deep learning model that determines ERS from H&E stained tissue, which could improve oncology decisions in under-resourced settings.

Antibiotic prophylaxis in breast cancer surgery. A randomized controlled trial

Purpose

To assess the effect of antibiotic prophylaxis on surgical site infection (SSI) rates in women undergoing breast cancer surgery in two tertiary hospitals in Brazil.

Methods

This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial. A total of 124 women without independent risk factors for SSI were randomly assigned to receive either cefazolin (antibiotic group, n = 62) or placebo (control group, n = 62) as preoperative prophylaxis. After surgery, all surgical wounds were examined once a week, for four weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions and classifications for SSI.

Results

Baseline characteristics were homogeneous between the two groups. Only one patient in the antibiotic group developed SSI, which was classified as superficial incisional. The overall SSI rate was low, with no significant difference between groups.

Conclusion

Antibiotic prophylaxis had no significant effect on reducing SSI rates in women without independent risk factors for SSI undergoing breast cancer surgery.

Optimal time interval from surgery to adjuvant chemotherapy in gastric cancer

The effect of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for resected gastric cancer is well established; however, delays in treatment and its impact on clinical outcomes have not yet been determined. The current study analyzed the survival rates based on time interval (TI) between surgery and AC administration to evaluate a potential association between the two variables. Patients diagnosed with stage II–III gastric adenocarcinoma between 2009 and 2016 at the Kyung Hee University Hospital were included. Patients' data including demographics, TNM stage, types of AC, and TI retrospectively collected from surgery to the start of AC. Patients were dichotomized based on the TI, which was predetermined at 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 weeks. Median disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed according to TI. In total, 172 patients were identified. The median follow-up duration was 40.8 (3–109) months. The median TI was 4.1 (2.1-9.8) weeks. DFS in patients with TI ≥4 weeks (n=106, 61.6%) was significantly lower compared with patients with TI <4 weeks (n=66, 38.4%), with a median DFS of TI < vs. ≥4 weeks of 8.1 vs. 6.0 years [hazard ratio (HR)=1.80, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.067-3.045, P=0.0277]. OS was also significantly reduced in patients with TI ≥4 weeks, favoring TI <4 weeks [median OS of TI < vs. ≥4 weeks: Not reached (NR) vs. 7.0 years, HR=2.15, 95% CI: 1.173-3.939, P=0.0133]. Other predetermined TIs were not associated with survival outcomes. The current study demonstrated that AC within 4 weeks of surgery should be recommended for gastric cancer, and delays of >4 weeks may be detrimental to patients' survival.

Breast Cancer Health Disparities in Hispanics/Latinas

Purpose of the review

Breast cancer incidence and mortality rates are lower in some Hispanic/Latino subpopulations compared to Non-Hispanic White women. However, studies suggest that the risk of breast cancer-specific mortality is higher in US Hispanics/Latinas. In this review we summarized current knowledge on factors associated with breast cancer incidence and risk of mortality in women of Hispanic/Latino origin.

Recent findings

Associative studies have proposed a multiplicity of factors likely contributing to differences in breast cancer incidence and survival between population groups, including socioeconomic/sociodemographic factors, lifestyle choices as well as access to and quality of care. Reports of association between global genetic ancestry overall as well as subtype-specific breast cancer risk among Hispanic/Latinas suggest that incidence and subtype distribution could result from differential exposure to environmental and lifestyle related factors correlated with genetic ancestry as well as germline genetic variation.

Summary

Hispanic/Latino in the United States have been largely underrepresented in cancer research. It is important to implement inclusive programs that facilitate the access of this population to health services and that also include education programs for the community on the importance of screening. In addition, it is important to continue promoting the inclusion of Hispanics/Latinos in genomic studies that allow understanding the biological behavior of this disease in the context of all human genetic diversity.

Impact of Delayed Neoadjuvant Systemic Chemotherapy on Overall Survival Among Patients with Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Delays in the initiation of therapy among patients with early stage breast cancer (BC) can negatively affect outcomes. Patients treated with neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy (NSC) usually display tumors with high-risk features. Considering these high-risk characteristics and the evidence supporting adverse outcomes associated with delays in adjuvant chemotherapy initiation, we sought to determine whether a delay in NSC initiation is associated with overall survival (OS).

METHODS

We identified patients diagnosed between January 1995 and December 2015 with invasive primary BC (stage I-III) who received NSC at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Patients were categorized according to their time from BC diagnosis to NSC (in days) into three subgroups: 0-30, 31-60, and ≥61 days. Primary endpoint was OS. Descriptive statistics and Cox's proportional hazard models were used.

RESULTS

A total of 5,137 patients were included. Median follow-up was 6.5 years. The 5-year OS estimates according to time to NSC were 87%, 85%, and 83% in patients who received NSC within 0-30, 31-60, and ≥61 days after diagnosis, respectively (p = .006). In multivariable analysis, compared with time to NSC of 0-30 days, delayed NSC ≥61 days was associated with an increased risk of death (31-60 days: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.05 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.92-1.19]; ≥61 days, HR = 1.28 [95% CI 1.06-1.54]). In stratified analyses, the association between delay in NSC initiation and increased risk of death was statistically significant for patients with stage I and II BC (31-60 days: HR = 1.22 [95% CI 1.02-1.47]; ≥61 days, HR = 1.41 [95% CI 1.07-1.86]) and among patients with HER2-positive tumors ( ≥61 days, HR = 1.86 [95% CI 1.21-2.86]).

CONCLUSION

A delay in NSC initiation of more than 61 days after BC diagnosis was associated with an increased risk of death. Early initiation of NSC should be a priority; multidisciplinary teams must focus on coordination of care and patient-centered, timely treatment planning and delivery.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The results of this study showed that a delay in neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy initiation of more than 61 days after breast cancer diagnosis is associated with an increased risk of death; therefore, efforts must focus on early initiation of therapy, which should be a priority. Multidisciplinary teams must enhance coordination of care and patient-centered, timely treatment planning and delivery.

Prolonged Time to Adjuvant Chemotherapy Initiation Was Associated with Worse Disease Outcome in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Patients

The optimal time to adjuvant chemotherapy (TTC) for breast cancer (BC) patients remains uncertain. Herein, we aim to evaluate the association between TTC and prognosis among different subtypes in modern era of adjuvant chemotherapy. BC patients receiving operation and adjuvant chemotherapy between January 2009 and December 2015 were included. Enrolled patients were categorized into TTC ≤4 weeks and >4 weeks groups. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared according to TTC and analyzed among different BC molecular subtypes. A total of 2611 patients were included. Elder age (P = 0.005), more comorbidities (P <0.001), breast-conserving surgery (P = 0.001), non-invasive ductal carcinoma (P = 0.012), and HER2-positivity (P <0.001) were associated with prolonged TTC. Among whole BC population, no significant difference was observed between two TTC groups in terms of RFS (P = 0.225) or OS (P = 0.355). However, for triple negative (TNBC) patients, TTC >4 weeks was independently related with worse RFS (5-year RFS 81.9% vs 89.3%; HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.09 to 3.27; P = 0.024) and OS (5-year OS 84.0% vs 94.0%; HR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.30 to 4.76; P = 0.006) compared with those TTC ≤4 weeks. Prolonged TTC >4 weeks after BC surgery was not associated with worse survival outcomes in the whole BC patients. However, TTC >4 weeks may increase risk of relapse or death in TNBC patients, which deserves further clinical evaluation.

Timing of adjuvant chemotherapy and overall survival following radical cystectomy

BACKGROUND

We investigated the relationship between timing of adjuvant chemotherapy on overall survival following radical cystectomy.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the National Cancer Data Base for patients with newly diagnosed pT2-T4, N0, M0 urothelial cell carcinoma who received no treatment prior to radical cystectomy. Patients who received no adjuvant chemotherapy or who received adjuvant chemotherapy more than 45 days after radical cystectomy were propensity matched to patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy within 45 days of radical cystectomy. Selection bias was assessed by comparing the length of stay, readmission rate, and surgical approach between groups. Median survival was calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated from a multivariable Cox regression model to examine factors affecting overall survival.

RESULTS

From 2004 to 2014, 284 patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer met inclusion criteria. Patients receiving chemotherapy within 45 days had the best 5-year overall survival (47.0%, 95%CI: 40.6%-53.2%) compared to those receiving chemotherapy after 45 days (37.5%, 95%CI: 31.4%-43.7%). Chemotherapy after 45 days and no adjuvant chemotherapy were significant predictors of worse overall survival compared to chemotherapy within 45 days (1.27, 1.02-1.59, P = 0.033 and 1.41, 1.12-1.78, P = 0.003). Receiving no adjuvant chemotherapy was not significantly different than chemotherapy after 45 days (1.11, 0.89-1.38, P = 0.348). Significant predictors of poorer overall survival were female sex (1.37, 1.04-1.81, P = 0.028), Medicare (1.37, 1.06-1.76, P = 0.016), pT3 stage (1.79, 1.35-2.38, P < 0.001), and pT4 stage (3.00, 2.20-4.01, P < 0.001). Significantly more patients with length of stay ≤7 days following RC received chemotherapy within 45 days (53.2%) compared to those who received adjuvant chemotherapy after 45 days after RC (44.0%) or no adjuvant chemotherapy (43.0%; P = 0.0369).

CONCLUSIONS

Initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy within 45 days of radical cystectomy for patients with pT2-4 bladder cancer was associated with an overall survival benefit compared to patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy after 45 days or no adjuvant chemotherapy.

Effect of Surgery Type on Time to Adjuvant Chemotherapy and Impact of Delay on Breast Cancer Survival: A National Cancer Database Analysis

BACKGROUND

Timeliness of care is emerging as a quality indicator for breast cancer care. We sought to evaluate the impact of surgical treatment type on time to adjuvant chemotherapy and impact of treatment delay on survival.

METHODS

Patients with stage I-III breast cancer treated with both surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy from 2010 to 2014 were identified from the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Delay in treatment was defined as > 120 days from diagnosis to chemotherapy. Multivariable analysis was performed to assess factors associated with delay in treatment and the effect of treatment delay on overall survival.

RESULTS

Of 172,043 patients identified, 89.5% initiated chemotherapy within 120 days of diagnosis. Median time from diagnosis to surgery was shorter in patients undergoing breast conservation (25 days) than mastectomy (29 days, p < 0.001) and within mastectomy patients was shorter for mastectomy without reconstruction (26 versus 35 days, p < 0.001). Time from diagnosis to surgery showed larger differences between surgical groups than time from surgery to chemotherapy. On multivariable analysis of mastectomy patients, reconstruction remained significantly associated with delay to chemotherapy [odds ratio (OR) 1.7, p < 0.001]. For all patients regardless of type of surgery, after adjusting for patient, clinical, and treatment factors, delay of > 120 days from diagnosis to chemotherapy was associated with worse overall survival [hazard ratio (HR) 1.29, p < 0.001].

CONCLUSIONS

Initiation of chemotherapy greater than 120 days after diagnosis was associated with poorer overall survival. Time interval from diagnosis to surgery had the greatest impact on time from diagnosis to chemotherapy, with reconstruction resulting in the greatest delay.

Impact of Concurrent Radiotherapy on Chemotherapy Total Dose and Dose Intensity in Patients with Early Breast Cancer

Aims and background

A retrospective analysis was conducted to evaluate the tolerability as well as the impact of concurrent adjuvant CMF chemotherapy and radiation therapy on total CMF dose and dose intensity.

Methods

The medical records of 59 patients who had received conservative or radical surgery for breast cancer were analyzed. All patients had been assigned to 6 cycles of “1,8 CMF” adjuvant chemotherapy and concomitant radiation therapy. Total drug dose and dose intensity were calculated. Toxicity was recorded scored according to WHO criteria.

Results

A total of 355 cycles was administered. Fifty of 59 patients received at least 85% of the programmed chemotherapy total dose, the median value being 100% (range, 42-100). The median relative dose intensity was 0.97 (range, 0.42-1.01). Forty-four of 59 (75%) patients experienced grade 3-4 neutropenia (20 febrile neutropenia) and 29 (49%) required G-CSF support.

Conclusions

This retrospective analysis showed that it is possible to give concurrent CMF and breast radiation while ensuring adequate chemotherapy total doses and dose intensities to most patients. However, G-CSF support is required in a significant proportion of patients.

Does time to adjuvant chemotherapy (TTC) affect outcomes in patients with triple-negative breast cancer?

PURPOSE

A recent study reported that time to adjuvant chemotherapy (TTC) > 30 days was significantly associated with worse OS and DFS in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Earlier studies, however, found that worse outcomes were associated with TTC > 60 days or > 90 days. As the trend for mastectomy with reconstruction continues to rise, TTC of < 30 days is often not feasible due to wound-healing issues in some of these patients. To elucidate the impact of TTC, we sought to evaluate the clinical outcomes associated with TTC in a contemporary cohort treated for TNBC at a single institution.

METHODS

A single-institution database was queried to identify nonmetastatic TNBC patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy from 2009 to 2018. TTC was defined as interval between date of surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy start date. Median TTC was used to divide our cohort into four quartiles; ≤ 31, 32-42, 43-56,  and > 56 days. Logrank, Kaplan-Meier, and inverse probability weighting (IPW) tests were used to analyze disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

The mean TTC of our study cohort (n = 724) was 48 days (median TTC = 42 days). Black race, mastectomy without adjuvant radiation, and mastectomy with immediate reconstruction were associated with delayed TTC (all p-values < 0.01). In multivariate IPW analysis, TTC > 56 (n = 173) days did not impact DFS or OS compared to TTC ≤ 31 (n = 198) days (p = 0.27 and p = 0.21, respectively). Similar results were seen during subgroup analysis for groups identified as higher risk for delayed TTC.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrated that TTC was not significant or significantly associated with DFS or OS in patient receiving chemotherapy for operable TNBC. Our results were reassuring for patients electing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, who may experience a longer TTC.

Timing of Adjuvant Chemotherapy and Survival in Colorectal, Gastric, and Pancreatic Cancer. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

(1) Background: The optimal timing of adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) in gastrointestinal malignancies is still a matter of debate. For colorectal cancer, it is recommended to start post-operative treatment within eight weeks. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical effects of starting adjuvant CT within or after 6–8 weeks post-surgery in colorectal, gastric, and pancreatic cancer. (2) Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched in December 2018. Publications comparing the outcomes of patients treated with adjuvant CT administered before (early) or after (delayed) 6–8 weeks post-surgery for colorectal, gastric, and pancreatic cancer were identified. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). (3) Results: Out of 8752 publications identified, 34 comparative studies assessing a total of 141,853 patients were included. Meta-analysis indicated a statistically significant increased risk of death with delayed CT (>6–8 weeks post-surgery) in colorectal cancer (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21–1.33; p <0.001). Similarly, for gastric cancer, delaying adjuvant CT was associated with inferior overall survival (HR = 1.2, 95% CI 1.04–1.38; p = 0.01). Conversely, the benefit of earlier CT was not evident in pancreatic cancer (HR = 1, 95% CI 1–1.01; p = 0.37). Conclusions: Starting adjuvant CT within 6–8 weeks post-surgery is associated with a significant survival benefit for colorectal and gastric cancer, but not for pancreatic cancer.

Factors associated with treatment delay in women with primary breast cancer who were referred to reproductive specialists

Purpose

Cancer treatment delay due to fertility preservation procedures is a barrier for patients with breast cancer who wish to preserve their fertility. This study aimed to describe the associations between fertility preservation and treatment delay in patients with breast cancer with reproductive concerns and assess the factors related to treatment delay.

Methods

Patients with primary breast cancer who visited the reproductive unit at our institution before cancer treatment between 2007 and 2015 were enrolled. The treatment delay cut-off was defined as follows: time to chemotherapy (TTC) >8 weeks for patients intending to receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy, TTC >12 weeks for patients intending to receive adjuvant chemotherapy, time to endocrine therapy (TTE) >12 weeks for patients intending to receive endocrine therapy without radiation therapy and TTE >20 weeks for patients intending to receive endocrine therapy after radiation therapy. Multivariable models were constructed to examine the factors of treatment delay.

Results

Overall, 212 patients met the inclusion criteria. Using the defined cut-offs, treatment delay was noted in 18% of the patients. Endocrine therapy was related to treatment delay (OR 4.49, 95% CI 1.02 to 19.7; p=0.05), but fertility preservation by artificial reproductive treatment (ART) was not. Pregnancy and delivery following treatment for breast cancer were achieved in 18 (19%) and 15 (16%) patients who underwent fertility preservation with ART.

Conclusion

Fertility preservation with ART was not associated with treatment delay in patients with breast cancer who were referred to reproductive specialists before cancer treatment.

Prognostic Influence of the Time Interval between Surgery and Chemotherapy in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

The influence of time to chemotherapy (TTC) on recurrence and survival among epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients still remains unknown. This single center retrospective cohort study was conducted on 489 EOC patients who underwent surgery followed by taxane- plus platinum-based chemotherapy in the Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University between 2011 and 2015. The Multivariate cox proportional regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) after adjustment for potential confounders. The median follow-up duration was 2.97 years (inter-quartile range from 2.11 to 4.13 years). The recurrence and mortality rate of the all patients was 50.9% (249/489) and 43.6% (213/489), respectively. Having comorbidity, residual disease, ascites, and advanced FIGO stage (III-IV) was associated worse PFS and OS of EOC patients. Compared to TTC less than 14 days, delayed TTC (more than 28 days) was associated with a worse PFS (HR=1.36; 95%CI: 0.96-1.92) and OS (HR=1.38; 95%CI: 0.95-2.00). Notably, in EOC patients with advanced stage, delayed TTC (more than 28 days) was associated with worse PFS (HR=1.51; 95%CI: 1.02-2.24) and OS (HR=1.53; 95%CI: 1.01-2.32) when comparing to TTC less than 14 days. In conclusion, delayed TTC was associated with higher rates of EOC recurrence and survival among these patients with advanced stage. The findings of the present study may provide evidence for gynecologist as well as these ovarian cancer patients to make further decision for the treatment.

The effect of delayed adjuvant chemotherapy on relapse of triple-negative breast cancer

Background

For triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), the optimal time from surgery to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy is controversial. We investigated the influence of time to adjuvant chemotherapy on outcome in TNBC patients.

Methods

Female patients with stage I-IIIa operable TNBC between 2006 and 2008 in our institutions were included. A total of 331 patients were divided into 3 groups according to the time to adjuvant chemotherapy: ≤30, 31-60, and >60 days. Relapse free survival (RFS) were calculated and compared.

Results

Prolonged delay of initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy (≤30 versus >60 days) significantly decreased the RFS in our TNBC cohort [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 2.39; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.13-5.07, P=0.02]. While a moderate delay (≤30 versus 31-60 days) did not significantly influence RFS in all TNBC patients, it did compromise survival in lymph node positive patients (P=0.04).

Conclusions

Longer delay of adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with worse survival in TNBC patients. Early initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy should be considered, especially for relatively high risk node positive TNBCs.

Time to treatment and survival in triple negative breast cancer patients receiving trimodality treatment in the United States

BACKGROUND

Time from diagnosis to treatment for breast cancer patients has been linked to outcomes. Our goal was to assess the relationship between survival, time to first treatment (TFT), and time to treatment completion (TTC) in Stage I-III triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) receiving trimodality therapy (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation).

METHODS

National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for TNBC patients diagnosed with Stage I-III disease from 2010 to 2011 who received all treatments (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation) within 18 months of diagnosis. Multivariate analysis controlled for age, stage, operation, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), and comorbidities.

RESULTS

17,717 women were included. Most had early stage disease (34.1% Stage 1; 48.2% Stage 2) treated with lumpectomy (69.2%) and adjuvant chemotherapy (63.3%). During follow-up (2.8 ± 1.1 years), mortality was 11.4%. TFT was 34.8 days for NAC and 35.6 days for surgery. Multivariate analysis demonstrated no mortality difference when considering TFT in 30 day (p = 0.43) or 6 week (p = 0.91) intervals. When separating into NAC or surgery first, there remained no mortality difference when considering TFT in 30 day (NAC p = 0.96, surgery p = 0.26) or 6 week (NAC p = 0.91, surgery p = 0.91) intervals. Overall, TTC was 9.0 ± 1.8 months. When dividing patients into tertiles by TTC, multivariate analysis demonstrated no survival difference between groups (p = 0.9). There was also no mortality difference for each 30 day increased TTC (p = 0.40).

CONCLUSIONS

In Stage I-III TNBC patients receiving trimodality therapy, TFT (NAC or surgery) and TTC do not impact short-term survival if TTC is <18 months.

Influence of delayed initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy on breast cancer survival is subtype-dependent

Purpose

The optimal time from surgery to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy of breast cancer is still controversial. We investigated the influence of time to adjuvant chemotherapy on survival outcomes according to breast cancer subtype.

Results

Longer delay of initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy (≤4 weeks versus >8 weeks)) significantly decreased the DFS (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] of 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-2.90) and OS (adjusted HR of 2.02; 95% CI, 1.10-3.71). However, a moderate delay (≤4 weeks versus 4-8 weeks) did not significantly influence the survival. We further investigated the effect of time to adjuvant chemotherapy (≤8 versus >8 weeks) on survival according to subtypes. Patients with luminal-A tumors who received delayed chemotherapy had no increased risk of recurrence (HR of 1.15; 95% CI, 0.54-2.43). In contrast, patients with luminal-B, triple-negative, or trastuzumab-untreated HER2-positive tumors would have decreased DFS because of delayed chemotherapy, with HR of 1.93 (95% CI, 1.10-3.34), 2.55 (95% CI, 1.25-5.18), and 2.41 (95% CI, 1.36-4.26), respectively.

Methods

Operable women with stage I-IIIa breast cancer between 2003 and 2006 in our institution were included. 1,408 patients were divided into 3 groups according to the time to adjuvant chemotherapy: ≤4 weeks, 4-8 weeks, and >8 weeks. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated.

Conclusion

Longer delay of adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with worse survival and early initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy should be performed for patients with aggressive tumor subtypes.

Effect of Early Adjuvant Chemotherapy on Survival of Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients: a Propensity Score-matched Analysis

Purpose

Generally, adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) should be initiated as soon as possible after surgery to eradicate microscopic cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of early AC on the survival of stage II/III gastric cancer patients.

Materials and Methods

Four hundred sixty patients who received AC (S-1 or XELOX) for pathologic stage II/III gastric cancer at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between January 2008 and December 2014 were included. Patients were divided into 2 groups: early AC administration (within 4 weeks) and late AC administration (more than 4 weeks). Patients in the early AC group (n=174) were matched 1:1 with patients in the late AC group (n=174) by propensity scoring to adjust for clinical differences. Three-year relapse-free survival (RFS) was evaluated according to the timing of AC.

Results

Three-year RFS was 98.1% in stage IIA (n=109), 85.0% in stage IIB (n=83), 87.4% in stage IIIA (n=96), 83.5% in stage IIIB (n=91), and 62.5% in stage IIIC (n=81). After propensity score matching, RFS was similar between early and late AC groups (hazard ratio [HR],1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62–1.74; P=0.889). Pathologic stage and histological type were independent prognostic factors of RFS (HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.06–3.96; P=0.033 and HR, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.42–4.80; P=0.002, respectively).

Conclusions

Early initiation of AC within 4 weeks does not affect survival rates in stage II/III gastric cancer.

Inhibition of ERα/ERK/P62 cascades induces "autophagic switch" in the estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells exposed to gemcitabine

Several clinical trials revealed that estrogen receptor (ER) status had relevance to the response of mammary malignancy to chemotherapy. Autophagy has emerged as an important cellular mechanism of tumor cells in response to anticancer therapy. The aim of this study is to investigate whether gemcitabine induces autophagy, and more importantly, whether such autophagy is functional relevant to the therapeutic effects of gemcitabine in breast cancer cells in relation to the ER status. In our study, autophagy was induced both in ER⁺ MCF-7 and ER⁻ MDA-MB-231 cells by gemcitabine markedly, while the autophagy plays distinct roles – cytoprotective in ER⁻ MDA-MB-231 and cytotoxic in ER+ MCF-7 cells. Gemcitabine treatment leads to the activation of ERα-ERK-P62 signal pathway in MCF-7 cells which may augment the autophagic degradation, thus results in the excessive activation of autophagy and irreversible autophagic cell death eventually. Inhibition of ERα-ERK-P62 cascades in MCF-7 cells by small interfering RNA or PD98059 impairs the autophagic degradation, and leads to “autophagic switch” – from cytotoxic autophagy to cytoprotection. Moreover, stable overexpression of ERα in the ER⁻ BCap37 breast cancer cell line enhances the gemcitabine-induced autophagy flux and switches the autophagic cytoprotection in ER⁻ BCap37 to cytotoxicity effect in ER⁺ BCap37 cells. Our study firstly demonstrated that ER status influences gemcitabine efficacy via modulating the autophagy in breast cancer cells.

Survival and time to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy among breast cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The relationship between survival and time to the start of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) among breast cancer patients is unclear. In order to illustrate the effect of delaying the initiation of AC on survival we have undertaken a systematic review and meta-analysis.

We identified 12 available studies in the meta-analysis including 15 independent analytical groups. This meta-analysis showed that a 4-week delay before AC was associated with a significantly worse overall survival (OS)(HR=1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08–1.19) and disease free survival (DFS)(HR=1.14; 95%CI, 1.05–1.24). Two studies categorized patients into hormone receptor-positive, ERBB2-positive, and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients according to the clinicopathological features of breast cancer. The HRs for OS between waiting time (WT) ≤30 days and 31–60 days in the subgroups were extracted and analyzed. The analysis demonstrated that a WT of 31–60 days was related to worse OS among patients with TNBC (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.08–1.48), but had no significant effect on OS among those with hormone receptor-positive (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.89–1.15) or ERBB2-postive (HR, 0.95; 95%CI, 0.79–1.14) tumors.

In this meta-analysis of the eligible literatures reviewing the time to AC, a longer waiting time to adjuvant chemotherapy may lead to worse survival in breast cancer patients, especially in TNBC patients.

Long-term results of early adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy for high-risk, early stage uterine cervical cancer patients after radical hysterectomy

Background

The aim of the present study was to investigate the long-term survival outcomes and toxicities associated with our experienced early administration of adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).

Methods

Ninety-eight patients with pelvic lymph node metastasis, positive resection margin, and/or parametrial invasion who received adjuvant CCRT between 1995 and 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. The first cycle of platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy was initiated within 2–3 weeks after surgery (median, 12 days) and continued every 4 weeks for a total of 4 cycles. Adjuvant radiotherapy was performed during the second and third cycles of chemotherapy.

Results

After a median follow-up period of 119 months for survivors, 13 patients (13.3%) experienced recurrence and 11 patients died of cancer during the follow-up period. The 5-year recurrence-free survival and cancer specific survival rates were 87.6% and 90.6%, respectively. Ninety-four patients (95.9%) received ≥3 cycles of chemotherapy. Total radiation dose of ≥45 Gy was delivered in 91 patients (92.9%). Grade 3–4 hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicities developed in 37 (37.8%) and 14 (14.3%) patients during CCRT, respectively.

Conclusion

The present study confirmed the long-term safety and encouraging survival outcomes of early administration of adjuvant CCRT, suggesting the benefits of early time to initiation of adjuvant treatments.

Risk factors for delay of adjuvant chemotherapy in non-metastatic breast cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis involving 186982 patients

Purpose

Delay performance of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) after surgery has been presented to affect survival of breast cancer patients adversely, but the risk factors for delay in initiation remain controversial. Therefore, we conducted this systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis aiming at identifying the risk factors for delay of adjuvant chemotherapy (DAC) in non-metastatic breast cancer patients.

Methods

The search was performed on PubMed, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Database from inception up to July 2016. DAC was defined as receiving AC beyond 8-week after surgery. Data were combined and analyzed using random-effects model or fixed-effects model for risk factors considered by at least 3 studies. Heterogeneity was analyzed with meta-regression analysis of year of publication and sample size. Publication bias was studied with Egger’s test.

Results

A total of 12 observational studies including 186982 non-metastatic breast cancer patients were eligible and 12 risk factors were analyzed. Combined results demonstrated that black race (vs white; OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01–1.39), rural residents (vs urban; OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.27–2.03) and receiving mastectomy (vs breast conserving surgery; OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.00–1.83) were significantly associated with DAC, while married patients (vs single; OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.38–0.89) was less likely to have a delay in initiation. No significant impact from year of publication or sample size on the heterogeneity across studies was found, and no potential publication bias existed among the included studies.

Conclusions

Risk factors associated with DAC included black race, rural residents, receiving mastectomy and single status. Identifying of these risk factors could further help decisions making in clinical practice.

Timing of Breast Cancer Surgery-How Much Does It Matter?

Timing of surgical resection after breast cancer diagnosis is dependent on a variety of factors. Lengthy delays may lead to progression; however, the impact of modest delays is less clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of surgical timing on outcomes, including disease-free survival (DFS) and nodal status (NS). The cancer registry from one academic cancer hospital was retrospectively reviewed. Time from initial biopsy to surgical resection was calculated for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and stage 1 and 2 invasive carcinomas. Early (0-21 days), intermediate (22-42 days), and late (43-63 days) surgery groups were evaluated for differences in NS and DFS for each cancer stage separately. A total of 3,932 patients were identified for analysis. There were no differences in DFS noted for DCIS. For stage 1, early surgery (ES) was associated with worse DFS compared to intermediate surgery (IS) (p = 0.025). There were no significant differences between ES and late surgery (LS) (p = 0.700) or IS and LS (p = 0.065). In stage II cancers, there was a significant difference in DFS in ES compared to IS (p < 0.001) and LS (p = 0.009). There was no significant difference between IS and LS (p = 0.478). Patients were more likely to undergo immediate reconstruction (p < 0.0001 for all stages) in later time-to-surgery groups, while patients in earlier groups were more likely to undergo breast conserving surgery. There was also no significant difference in NS at time of surgery in clinical stage 1 (p = 0.321) or stage 2 disease (p = 0.571). Delays of up to 60 days were not associated with worse outcomes. This study should reassure patients and surgeons that modest delays do not adversely affect breast cancer outcomes. This allows patients time to consider treatment and reconstruction options.

Impact on Survival on Interval between Surgery and Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Completely Resected Stage IB-IIIA Lung Cancer

Background and Objectives

Complete surgical resection is recommended for early stage lung cancer, and adjuvant chemotherapy is given for stage IB to IIIA disease. No studies have examined the best timing to administer chemotherapy after surgery in lung cancer. This study was to investigate the optimal timing of adjuvant chemotherapy after surgical resection.

Methods

Data collected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between January, 2004 and December, 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with stage IB to IIIA lung cancer underwent complete surgical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy were included. A total of 1522 patients were included. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to the interval between surgery and chemotherapy: group 1, < 30 days; group 2, 30–45 days; group 3, 46–60 days; group 4 > 60 days. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to identify prognostic factors for overall survival.

Results

The numbers of patients in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 153, 161, 290, and 818, respectively. The 5-year survival rate was 41% in group 1, 48% in group 2, 50% in group 3, and 35% in group 4 (p<0.001). The median survival time was 44.50 months in group 1, 59.53 months in group 2, 67.33 months in group 3 and 36.33 months in group 4 (p<0.001) Survival rate is the poorest when chemotherapy is delayed beyond 60 days after surgical resection Multivariate analysis also indicated the interval between surgery and first course of chemotherapy more than 60 days after surgery was an independent risk factor for survival.

Conclusions

Timing of chemotherapy after surgery is associated with poorer survival in lung cancer patients.

Impact of time to surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in operable breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND

The optimal time interval between the end of neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) and breast surgery is still unclear. It is not known if a delay in surgery might influence the benefit of primary chemotherapy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between time to surgery (TTS) and survival outcomes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

According to TTS, women with diagnosis of BC treated with NST were divided into two cohorts: group A = 21 days or fewer and group B = longer than 21 days. OS and RFS were estimated and compared according to TTS and known prognostic factors.

RESULTS

A total of 319 patients were included in the study: 61 in group A and 258 in group B. Median TTS was 34 days. No association between clinical stage, nuclear grade, type of chemotherapy, type of surgery and TTS was detected. OS and RFS were significantly worse for group B compared with group A, with a hazard ratio of 3.1 (95% CI, 1.1-8.6 p = 0.03) and 3.1 (95% CI, 1.3-7.1 p = 0.008) respectively. Multivariate analysis confirmed that TTS was an independent prognostic factor in term of OS (p = 0.03) and RFS (p = 0.01). Even in the subgroup of patients with pCR, TTS continued to be an independent prognostic factor for both OS and RFS (p = 0.05 and p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

TTS after NST seems to influence survival outcomes. BC patients underwent surgery within 21 days experienced maximal benefit from previous treatment: this advantage is consistent and maintained over time.

The association between timing of initiation of adjuvant therapy and the survival of early stage ovarian cancer patients - An analysis of NRG Oncology/Gynecologic Oncology Group trials

OBJECTIVES

To determine the association between timing of adjuvant therapy initiation and survival of early stage ovarian cancer patients.

METHODS

Data were obtained from women who underwent primary surgical staging followed by adjuvant therapy from two Gynecologic Oncology Group trials (protocols # 95 and 157). Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for covariates were used for analyses.

RESULTS

Of 497 stage I-II epithelial ovarian cancer patients, the median time between surgery and initiation of adjuvant therapy was 23days (25th-75th%: 12-33days). The time interval from surgery to initiation of adjuvant therapy was categorized into three groups: <2weeks, 2-4weeks, and >4weeks. The corresponding 5-year recurrence-free survival rates were 72.8%, 73.9%, and 79.5% (p=0.62). The 5-year overall survival rates were 79.4%, 81.9%, and 82.8%, respectively (p=0.51; p=0.33 - global test). As compared to <2weeks, the hazard ratio for recurrence-free survival was 0.90 (95%CI=0.59-1.37) for 2-4weeks and 0.72 (95%CI=0.46-1.13) for >4weeks. Age, stage, grade, and cytology were important prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Timing of adjuvant therapy initiation was not associated with survival in early stage epithelial ovarian cancer patients.

Access to Care in Vermont: Factors Linked With Time to Chemotherapy for Women With Breast Cancer-A Retrospective Cohort Study

PURPOSE

In the rural United States, there are multiple potential barriers to the timely initiation of chemotherapy. The goal of this study was to identify factors associated with delays in the time from initial diagnosis to first systemic therapy (TTC) among women with breast cancer in Vermont.

METHODS

Using data from the Vermont Cancer Registry, we explored TTC for 702 female Vermont residents diagnosed with stage I to III breast cancer between 2006 and 2010 who received adjuvant chemotherapy. Multivariable linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between TTC and patient, tumor, treatment, and geographic variables.

RESULTS

Mean TTC was 10.2 weeks. Longer drive time (P < .001), more invasive surgery (P = .01), and breast reconstruction (P < .001) were each associated with longer TTC. Each additional 15 minutes of drive time was associated with a 0.34-week (95% CI, 0.22 to 0.46 weeks) increase in TTC. Participants age younger than 65 years whose primary payer was Medicare (n = 27) had significantly longer average TTC, by 2.37 weeks (P = .001), compared with those with private or military insurance. There was also substantial variation in TTC across hospitals (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Most female patients with stage I to III breast cancer in Vermont are receiving adjuvant chemotherapy within the National Comprehensive Cancer Network-recommended timeframe; however, improvements remain needed for certain subgroups. Novel approaches for women with long drive times need to be developed and evaluated in the community. Variation in TTC by hospital, even after adjusting for patient, tumor, and treatment factors, also suggests opportunities for process improvement.

Effects of state-level medicaid policies and patient characteristics on time to breast cancer surgery among medicaid beneficiaries

Medicaid beneficiaries with cancer are less likely to receive timely and high-quality care. This study examined whether differences in state-level Medicaid policies affect delays in time to surgery (TTS) among women diagnosed with breast cancer. Using 2006-2008 Medicaid data, we identified women aged 18-64 enrolled in Medicaid diagnosed with breast cancer. Analyses examined associations of state-specific Medicaid surgery reimbursements, Medicaid eligibility recertification period (annually vs. shorter) and required patient copayment on time from breast cancer diagnosis to receipt of breast surgery. Patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy were excluded. Separate multivariable regression analyses controlling for patient demographic characteristics and clustering by state were performed for breast conserving surgery (BCS), inpatient mastectomy, and outpatient mastectomy. The study included 7542 Medicaid beneficiaries with breast cancer: 3272 received BCS, 2156 outpatient mastectomy, and 2115 inpatient mastectomy. Higher Medicaid reimbursements for BCS were associated with decreased time from diagnosis to surgery. A 12-month (vs. <12 month) Medicaid eligibility recertification period was associated with decreased TTS for BCS and outpatient mastectomy. Black Medicaid beneficiaries (compared with non-Hispanic White beneficiaries) were more likely to experience delays for all three types of surgery, while Hispanic beneficiaries were more likely to experience delays only for outpatient mastectomy. State-level Medicaid policies and patient characteristics can affect receipt of timely surgery among Medicaid beneficiaries with breast cancer. As delays in surgery can increase morbidity and mortality, changes to state Medicaid policies and health system programs are needed to improve access to care for this vulnerable population.

Defining the optimal timing of adjuvant therapy for resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma: A statewide cancer registry analysis

BACKGROUND

Long-term results of the ESPAC-3 trial suggest that while completing adjuvant therapy (AT) is necessary after resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), early initiation (within 8 weeks) may not be associated with improved overall survival (OS). The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the OS impact of early versus late AT in a statewide analysis.

METHODS

Patients with stages I-III PDAC in the Kentucky Cancer Registry (KCR) from 2004 to 2013, were evaluated. Those undergoing pancreatectomy were stratified into two groups ("early," <8 weeks, vs. "late," 8-16 weeks).

RESULTS

Of 2,221 diagnosed patients with stages I-III, 831 (37.4%) underwent pancreatectomy upfront. Of these, only 420 (50.5%) received AT. Initiation date of AT was not associated with OS (median OS: early, 20.2 vs. late, 19.0 months, P = 0.97). On multivariate analysis, factors that affected OS included stage (II, HR-1.82, P = 0.017; III, HR-3.77, P < 0.001), node positivity (HR-1.51, P = 0.004), poorly/undifferentiated grade (HR-1.34; P = 0.011), but not AT initiation date.

CONCLUSIONS

In this statewide analysis, there was no difference in OS between early and late AT initiation for resected PDAC. The ideal window for AT initiation remains unknown as tumor biology continues to trump regimens from the past decade. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:451-455. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of sentinel lymph node biopsy after previous breast surgery for breast cancer: GATA study

AIM

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy was recently recommended after prior breast tumour surgery and lymphadenectomy is not the gold standard anymore for nodal staging after a lesion's removal. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the good practices of use of SLN biopsy in this context.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From 2006 to 2012, 138 patients having undergone a surgical biopsy without prior diagnosis of an invasive carcinoma with a definitive histological analysis in favour of this diagnosis were included in a prospective observational multicentric study. Each patient had a nodal staging following SLN biopsy with subsequent systematic lymphadenectomy.

RESULTS

The detection rate of SLN was 85.5%. The average number of SLNs found was 1.9. The relative detection failure risk rate was multiplied by 4 in the event of an interval of less than 36 days between the SLN biopsy and the previous breast surgery, and by 9 in the event of using a single-tracer detection method. The false negative rate was 6.25%. The prevalence of metastatic axillary node involvement was 11.6%. In 69% of cases only the SLN was metastatic. The post-operative seroma rate was 19.5%.

CONCLUSION

Previous conservative breast tumour surgery does not affect the accuracy of the SLN biopsy. A sufficient interval of greater than 36 days between the two operations could allow to improve the SLN detection rate, although further studies are needed to validate this statement.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT00293865.

Delay in initiation of adjuvant trastuzumab therapy leads to decreased overall survival and relapse-free survival in patients with HER2-positive non-metastatic breast cancer

Trastuzumab reduces the risk of relapse in women with HER2-positive non-metastatic breast cancer, but little information exists on the timing of trastuzumab initiation. The study investigated the impact of delaying the initiation of adjuvant trastuzumab therapy for >6 months after the breast cancer diagnosis on time to relapse, overall survival (OS), and relapse-free survival (RFS) among patients with non-metastatic breast cancer. Adult women with non-metastatic breast cancer who initiated trastuzumab adjuvant therapy without receiving any neoadjuvant therapy were selected from the US Department of Defense health claims database from 01/2003 to 12/2012. Two study cohorts were defined based on the time from breast cancer diagnosis to trastuzumab initiation: >6 months and ≤6 months. The impact of delaying trastuzumab initiation on time to relapse, OS, and RFS was estimated using Cox regression models adjusted for potential confounders. Of 2749 women in the study sample, 79.9 % initiated adjuvant trastuzumab within ≤6 months of diagnosis and 20.1 % initiated adjuvant trastuzumab >6 months after diagnosis. After adjusting for confounders, patients who initiated trastuzumab >6 months after the breast cancer diagnosis had a higher risk of relapse, death, or relapse/death than those who initiated trastuzumab within ≤6 months of diagnosis (hazard ratios [95 % CIs]: 1.51 [1.22-1.87], 1.54 [1.12-2.12], and 1.43 [1.16-1.75]; respectively). The results of this population-based study suggest that delays of >6 months in the initiation of trastuzumab among HER2-positive non-metastatic breast cancer patients are associated with a higher risk of relapse and shorter OS and RFS.

Delayed Initiation of Adjuvant Chemotherapy Among Patients With Breast Cancer

IMPORTANCE

Adjuvant chemotherapy improves outcomes of patients with breast cancer. However, the optimal timing of chemotherapy initiation is unknown. Delayed administration can decrease the benefit of cytotoxic systemic therapies.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the determinants in delayed chemotherapy initiation and to determine the relationship between time to chemotherapy (TTC) and outcome according to breast cancer subtype. We hypothesized that prolonged TTC would be associated with adverse outcomes.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

In an observational, population-based investigation using data from the California Cancer Registry, we studied a total of 24 843 patients with stage I to III invasive breast cancer diagnosed between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2010, and treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. Data analysis was performed between August 2014 and August 2015.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Time to chemotherapy was defined as the number of days between surgery and the first dose of chemotherapy, and delayed TTC was defined as 91 or more days from surgery to the first dose of adjuvant chemotherapy. We evaluated overall survival and breast cancer-specific survival. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models were used.

RESULTS

In all, 24 843 patients were included. Median age at diagnosis was 53 years, and median was TTC was 46 days. Factors associated with delays in TTC included low socioeconomic status, breast reconstruction, nonprivate insurance, and Hispanic ethnicity or non-Hispanic black race. Compared with patients receiving chemotherapy within 31 days from surgery, there was no evidence of adverse outcomes among those with TTC of 31 to 60 or 60 to 90 days. Patients treated 91 or more days from surgery experienced worse overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 1.34; 95% CI, 1.15-1.57) and worse breast cancer-specific survival (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.05-1.53). In a subgroup analysis according to subtype, longer TTC caused patients with triple-negative breast cancer to have worse overall survival (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.17-2.00) and worse breast cancer-specific survival (HR, 1.53; 95% CI 1.17-2.07).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

For patients with breast cancer, adverse outcomes are associated with delaying initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy 91 or more days. Delayed TTC was particularly detrimental among patients with triple-negative breast cancer. The determinants of delays in chemotherapy initiation appeared to be sociodemographic, and clinicians should provide timelier care to all patients.

The effect of immediate breast reconstruction on the timing of adjuvant chemotherapy: a systematic review

Adjuvant chemotherapy is often needed to achieve adequate breast cancer control. The increasing popularity of immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) raises concerns that this procedure may delay the time to adjuvant chemotherapy (TTC), which may negatively impact oncological outcome. The current systematic review aims to investigate this effect. During October 2014, a systematic search for clinical studies was performed in six databases with keywords related to breast reconstruction and chemotherapy. Eligible studies met the following inclusion criteria: (1) research population consisted of women receiving therapeutic mastectomy, (2) comparison of IBR with mastectomy only groups, (3) TTC was clearly presented and mentioned as outcome measure, and (4) original studies only (e.g., cohort study, randomized controlled trial, case-control). Fourteen studies were included, representing 5270 patients who had received adjuvant chemotherapy, of whom 1942 had undergone IBR and 3328 mastectomy only. One study found a significantly shorter mean TTC of 12.6 days after IBR, four studies found a significant delay after IBR averaging 6.6-16.8 days, seven studies found no significant difference in TTC between IBR and mastectomy only, and two studies did not perform statistical analyses for comparison. In studies that measured TTC from surgery, mean TTC varied from 29 to 61 days for IBR and from 21 to 60 days for mastectomy only. This systematic review of the current literature showed that IBR does not necessarily delay the start of adjuvant chemotherapy to a clinically relevant extent, suggesting that in general IBR is a valid option for non-metastatic breast cancer patients.

Time to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with rapidly proliferating early breast cancer

AIM

To evaluate the optimal time interval from definitive surgery to commencing chemotherapy in early breast cancer (EBC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The relationship between time to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy (TTC), calculated in weeks, and disease-free (DFS) or overall survival (OS), was assessed in 921 EBC patients with rapidly proliferating tumours (thymidine labelling index >3% or G3 or Ki67 >20%), randomised in a phase III clinical trial (NCT01031030) to receive chemotherapy with or without anthracyclines (epirubicin→cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil (CMF) versus CMF→epirubicin versus CMF). DFS, OS and 95% confidence intervals (95% confidence interval (CI)) were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate Cox analysis was performed in relation with nodal involvement, oestrogen receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, Ki67 value, type of adjuvant chemotherapy, menopausal status and tumour size.

RESULTS

At a median follow-up of 105 months (range 2-188), a prolonged TTC resulted in a significant increase in the risk of relapse: hazard ratio (HR) 1.15 (95% CI 1.02-1.30, p=0.019). Using a backward elimination procedure, TTC, tumour size and nodal involvement remained significantly associated with DFS. A time-dependent receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was subsequently utilised to evaluate the best cut-off for TTC, identifying 7 weeks as the best threshold for longer OS (p=0.043): 8-year OS 88% (95% CI 85-90) for patients with a TTC <7 weeks and 78% (95% CI 68-87) for the other group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results confirm that a shorter TTC may reduce relapses and possibly also improve clinical outcome in patients with highly proliferating EBC.