Clinical outcomes of ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast treated with partial mastectomy without adjuvant radiotherapy

PURPOSE

Some recent trials suggest that postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) may be safely omitted after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for some patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). In this study, we reviewed clinical outcomes of patients with DCIS treated with partial mastectomy (PM) without adjuvant RT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Medical records of 28 patients (29 breasts) with DCIS who were treated with PM, but without RT, between April 1991 and December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Based on established criteria (2.0 cm or less in size and no comedonecrosis), 18 patients were treated without RT after PM. Seven patients (8 breasts) who did not receive RT due to refusal were also included in this study. Three other patients were excluded because data concerning comedonecrosis were not available.

RESULTS

For the 25 patients included in this study, the mean age of the 18 patients who met the criteria was 47.9±6.2 years, and 47.6±12.7 years for the 7 patients who did not. The mean sizes of the primary tumors were 0.6±0.4 cm and 0.9±0.3 cm, respectively, in these two groups. Among these 25 patients (26 breasts) treated without RT, we observed no ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence or mortality within a mean follow-up of 84 months.

CONCLUSION

Based on this small number of cases, patients with DCIS, who were selected for tumor size less than 2 cm and absence of comedonecrosis, may be treated successfully with BCS; adjuvant RT may be omitted.

Randomized Phase III Study of Surgery Alone or Surgery Plus Preoperative Cisplatin and Gemcitabine in Stages IB to IIIA Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose

This study aimed to determine whether three preoperative cycles of gemcitabine plus cisplatin followed by radical surgery provides a reduction in the risk of progression compared with surgery alone in patients with stages IB to IIIA non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients and Methods

Patients with chemotherapy-naive NSCLC (stages IB, II, or IIIA) were randomly assigned to receive either three cycles of gemcitabine 1,250 mg/m2days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks plus cisplatin 75 mg/m2day 1 every 3 weeks followed by surgery, or surgery alone. Randomization was stratified by center and disease stage (IB/IIA v IIB/IIIA). The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

The study was prematurely closed after the random assignment of 270 patients: 129 to chemotherapy plus surgery and 141 to surgery alone. Median age was 61.8 years and 83.3% were male. Slightly more patients in the surgery alone arm had disease stage IB/IIA (55.3% v 48.8%). The chemotherapy response rate was 35.4%. The hazard ratios for PFS and overall survival were 0.70 (95% CI, 0.50 to 0.97; P = .003) and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.43 to 0.92; P = .02), respectively, both in favor of chemotherapy plus surgery. A statistically significant impact of preoperative chemotherapy on outcomes was observed in the stage IIB/IIIA subgroup (3-year PFS rate: 36.1% v 55.4%; P = .002). The most common grade 3 or 4 chemotherapy-related adverse events were neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. No treatment-by-histology interaction effect was apparent.

Conclusion

Although the study was terminated early, preoperative gemcitabine plus cisplatin followed by radical surgery improved survival in patients with clinical stage IIB/IIIA NSCLC.

The impact of surgery on ductal carcinoma in situ outcomes: the use of mastectomy

Mastectomy has been the historical mainstay of treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), but over time, there have been significant changes in its use for preinvasive breast cancer. Although there was an early reduction in mastectomy rates for DCIS with the introduction of breast-conserving surgery, in some groups, the rates of both mastectomy and contralateral mastectomy for DCIS have increased in recent years. Due to advances in breast cancer screening as well as improvements in breast reconstruction, mastectomy will continue to be an important and acceptable treatment option. Recurrence is rare following mastectomy for DCIS. Nevertheless, there remains a need to follow patients for in-breast, nodal, or contralateral breast events, which can occur long after the index DCIS has been treated. Since up to 70% of women with newly diagnosed DCIS have disease that can be managed with breast-conserving surgery, patient counseling is imperative to ensure the best use of this option for DCIS, given that mastectomy does not significantly impact survival in this setting.

Local excision alone without irradiation for ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast: a trial of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group

PURPOSE

To determine the risk of ipsilateral breast events in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) treated with local excision without irradiation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with either low- or intermediate-grade DCIS measuring 2.5 cm or smaller, or high-grade DCIS measuring 1 cm or smaller who had microscopic margin widths of 3 mm or wider and no residual calcifications on postoperative mammograms were eligible for a prospective trial conducted from 1997 to 2002 by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group and North Central Cancer Treatment Group. Patients entered in 2000 and later could take tamoxifen if they wished. Median age at last surgery for the entire population was 60 years (range, 28 to 88 years), and median tumor sizes in the two strata were 6 mm and 5 mm, respectively.

RESULTS

With a median follow-up of 6.2 years, the 5-year rate of ipsilateral breast events in the 565 eligible patients in the low/intermediate grade stratum was 6.1% (95% CI, 4.1% to 8.2%). With a median follow-up of 6.7 years, this incidence for the 105 eligible patients in the high-grade stratum was 15.3% (95% CI, 8.2% to 22.5%).

CONCLUSION

Rigorously evaluated and selected patients with low- to intermediate-grade DCIS with margins 3 mm or wider had an acceptably low rate of ipsilateral breast events at 5 years after excision without irradiation. Patients with high-grade lesions had a much higher rate, suggesting that excision alone is inadequate treatment. Further follow-up is necessary to document long-term results.