Preoperative chemotherapy for operable breast cancer improves surgical outcomes in the community hospital setting

Can Radiologic Tumor Size Following Neoadjuvant Therapy Reliably Guide Tissue Resection in Breast Conserving Surgery in Patients with Invasive Breast Cancer?

Optimum tissue resection volume for patients with invasive breast cancer undergoing breast conserving surgery following neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) is not known. We compared positive margin and in-breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) between 2 groups that were created based on radiologic tumor size (RTS (cm³)) at diagnosis, RTS post-NAT, and volume of tissue resected (VTL): Pre-NAT group, patients with VTL closer to RTS at diagnosis, and post-NAT group, patients with VTL closer to post-NAT RTS. 82 patients with 84 breast cancers treated with NAT between 2007 and 2017 who had pre- and post-NAT imaging were identified from a prospectively maintained database. RTS at diagnosis, RTS post-NAT, and VTL were determined. Clinical and treatment characteristics, IBTR, and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared between pre-NAT (n = 51) and post-NAT (n = 33) groups. Compared to post-NAT patients, pre-NAT patients had smaller RTS at presentation (9.2 vs. 33.5 cm³, P < .001) and post-NAT (1.2 vs. 8.2 cm³, P = .024). At median follow-up of 4 years, there were no differences between groups in pathologic tumor size, positive margin rate, adjuvant therapy, IBTR, or DFS. Resection volumes that matched RTS on post-NAT imaging were not associated with increased positive margins or IBTR. It may be appropriate to use post-NAT imaging to guide lumpectomy volume.

Evaluating the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on surgical outcomes after breast conserving surgery

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) increases breast-conserving surgery (BCS) rates with comparable locoregional control and survival outcomes to adjuvant therapy. More women are receiving NAC and achieving pathologic complete responses (pCR). This study sought to evaluate the effect of NAC on surgical outcomes after the adoption of a "no-ink-on-tumor" margin policy in patients undergoing primary BCS (PBSC).

METHODS

An IRB approved database was queried for women undergoing BCS for invasive breast cancer after March 2014. We compared patients who underwent NAC followed by BCS versus PBCS. Demographic, tumor, treatment, and outcome variables were compared using both univariate and multivariable analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 162 patients were evaluated. NAC patients had significantly lower re-excision rates (0% NAC vs. 9% PBCS, p = .03), margin positivity (0% NAC vs. 5% PBCS, p = .01), and greater patient satisfaction with breast cosmesis (97 NAC vs. 77 PBCS, p = .01). On multivariable analysis, NAC was not an independent predictor of lower final resection volume, total complications, or greater satisfaction with breasts when controlling for age and T category at diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

NAC followed by BCS may offer less margin positivity, lower re-excision rates, and greater patient satisfaction when compared to a contemporary PBCS cohort in the "no-ink-on-tumor" era.

Intraoperative ultrasonography-guided surgery: An effective modality for breast conservation after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy

Margin status is one of the significant prognostic factors for recurrence in breast-conserving surgery (BCS). The issue that merits consideration for oncologic safety and cost-effectiveness about the modalities to assure clear margins at initial surgical intervention remains controversial after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). The presented study aimed to assess the impact of intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS)-guided surgery on accurate localization of tumor site, adequacy of excision with clear margins, and healthy tissue sacrifice in BCS after NAC. Patients who had IOUS-guided BCS ater NAC were reviewed. No patient had preoperative localization with wire or radiotracer. Intraoperative real-time sonographic localization, sonographic margin assessment during resection, macroscopic and sonographic examination of specimen, and cavity shavings (CS) were done as the standard procedure. No frozen assessment was performed. One hundred ninety-four patients were included, in which 42.5% had pCR. IOUS-guided surgery accomplished successful localization of the targeted lesions in all patients. Per protocol, all inked margins on CS specimens were reported to be tumor-free in permanent histopathology. No re-excision or mastectomy was required. For a setting without CS, the negative predictive value (NPV) of IOUS rate was 96%. IOUS was found to over and underestimate tumor response to NAC both in 2% of patients. IOUS-guided surgery seems to be an efficient modality to perform adequate BCS after NAC with no additional localization method. Especially, when CS is integrated as a standard to BCS, IOUS seems to provide safe surgery for patients with no false negativity and a high rate of NPV.

Paradigm shift in the local treatment of breast cancer: mastectomy to breast conservation surgery

There have been fundamental changes in the approach to breast cancer management over the last century but the primary objective of achieving oncological safety remains unchanged. This evolution is highlighted with a summary of the key evidences in support of the oncological safety of breast conserving surgery (BCS) in early breast cancer (EBC) management. We will also discuss the increasingly pivotal role that neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) may play, in the local treatment of EBC and locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) and the long-term surgical and oncological outcomes.

Tumor Resection Margin Definitions in Breast-Conserving Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Current Literature

Worldwide, various guidelines recommend what constitutes an adequate margin of excision for invasive breast cancer or for ductal carcinoma-in-situ (DCIS). We evaluated the use of different tumor resection margin guidelines and investigated their impact on positive margin rates (PMR) and reoperation rates (RR). Thirteen guidelines reporting on the extent of a positive margin were reviewed along with 31 studies, published between 2011 and 2016, reporting on a well-defined PMR. Studies were categorized according to the margin definition. Pooled PMR and RR were determined with random-effect models. For invasive breast cancer, most guidelines recommend a positive margin of tumor on ink. However, definitions of reported positive margins in the clinic vary from more than focally positive to the presence of tumor cells within 3 to 5 mm from the resection surface. Within the studies analyzed (59,979 patients), pooled PMRs for invasive breast cancer ranged from 9% to 36% and pooled RRs from 77% to 99%. For DCIS, guidelines vary between no DCIS on the resection surface to DCIS cells found within a distance of 2 mm from the resection edge. Pooled PMRs for DCIS varied from 4% to 23% (840 patients). Given the differences in tumor margin definition between countries worldwide, quality control data expressed as PMR or RR should be interpreted with caution. Furthermore, the overall definition for positive resection margins for both invasive disease and DCIS seems to have become more liberal.

Breast-conserving surgery following neoadjuvant therapy-a systematic review on surgical outcomes

Purpose

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is increasingly used in breast cancer treatment. One of the main goals of NACT is to reduce the extent of local surgery of the breast and axilla. The aim of this study was to determine surgical outcomes for patients receiving breast-conserving therapy (BCT) after NACT, including margin status plus secondary surgeries, excision volumes, and cosmetic outcomes.

Methods

A systematic review was performed in accordance with PRISMA principles. Pubmed, MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies investigating the results of BCT following NACT. The main study outcomes were margin status, additional local therapies, excision volumes, and cosmetic outcomes. Non-comparative studies on NACT were also included. Exclusion criteria were studies with less than 25 patients, and studies excluding secondary mastectomy patients.

Findings

Of the 1219 studies screened, 26 studies were deemed eligible for analysis, including data from 5379 patients treated with NACT and 10,110 patients treated without NACT. Included studies showed wide ranges of tumor-involved margins (2–39.8%), secondary surgeries (0–45.4%), and excision volumes (43.2–268 cm³) or specimen weight (26.4–233 g) after NACT. Most studies were retrospective, with a high heterogeneity and a high risk of bias. Cosmetic outcomes after NACT were reported in two single-center cohort studies. Both studies showed acceptable cosmetic outcomes.

Interpretation

There is currently insufficient evidence to suggest that NACT improves surgical outcomes of BCT. It is imperative that clinical trials include patient outcome measures in order to allow monitoring and meaningful comparison of treatment outcomes in breast cancer.

Primary Systemic Treatment in the Management of Operable Breast Cancer: Best Surgical Approach for Diagnosis, Biological Evaluation, and Research

Despite the ever-changing breast surgeon's technical role, the surgeon forms an indispensible link between imaging, diagnostics, pathology, and the medical oncologist. Biomarkers of prognosis, prediction of response, and resistance to treatments, including imaging, tissue and circulating markers apply to the primary diagnostic and treatment settings as well as scenarios which include disease recurrence, both in the early and advanced settings. Whether it is via the diagnostic clinic referred by the primary care physician or via a breast screening service, primary early breast cancer is referred for initial treatment and/or diagnosis and currently remains the domain of the surgical oncologist. The surgeon is privileged by this unique "window of opportunity" to consider the biological aspects of the diagnosis and guide the patient appropriately toward initial therapy, only one of which is primary surgery. Options of neoadjuvant endocrine, cytotoxic, or targeted therapy as either standard of care or else in the clinical trial context should be considered to optimize treatment in all patients.

Factors which affect the use of lumpectomy and mastectomy in an underinsured, safety net hospital population

BACKGROUND

This study was performed to evaluate variables that affect the use of mastectomy and lumpectomy in an underinsured population.

METHODS

A retrospective review of all patients who underwent breast cancer operations from July 2001 to February 2011 at a safety net hospital was performed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify variables, which were associated with the type of operation.

RESULTS

Of the 412 patients, 81% of the patients were underinsured or uninsured. Most patients (58%) presented with clinical stage 2A/B disease. Mastectomy was performed in 37% of patients and lumpectomy in 63%. In multivariate analysis, clinical tumor size (P = .035) and pathologic stage (P = .003) remained associated with mastectomy, while use of preoperative chemotherapy (P = .004) and type of surgeon (P = .001) was associated with lumpectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients underwent lumpectomy despite later stage at presentation. Preoperative chemotherapy was associated with increased likelihood of lumpectomy.

Factors which affect use of breast conservation and mastectomy in an underinsured Hispanic population

BACKGROUND

Despite no difference in overall survival between breast conservation and mastectomy, significant variation exists between institutions and within populations. Less data exists about racial and ethnic minority populations. The current study was performed to evaluate variables that affect use of breast conservation and mastectomy in an underinsured Hispanic population.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of all patients who self-identified as of Hispanic ethnicity and underwent breast cancer operations from July 2001 to February 2011 at a safety net hospital. Sociodemographic, clinical, and treatment variables were evaluated. All patients with documented contraindications to breast conservation were excluded. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were performed to identify variables which were associated with type of operation.

RESULTS

The average age of the 219 patients included was 50 years. Most of the patients (93%) were insured with Medicaid or uninsured and 59% presented with clinical stage 2A/B cancers. Mastectomy was performed in 33% of patients and 67% had breast conservation. In adjusted multivariate analysis higher pathologic stage (p=0.01) and English speakers (p=0.03) were associated with mastectomy. By contrast, higher BMI (p=0.03) and use of preoperative chemotherapy (p=0.01) were associated with breast conservation.

CONCLUSIONS

In this underinsured Hispanic population, patients with higher pathologic stage and English speaking patients were more likely to undergo mastectomy. Patients who underwent preoperative chemotherapy and who had higher BMI were more likely to undergo breast conservation.