Related Articles

Background

Combined chemo- and radiotherapy are established in breast cancer treatment. Chemotherapy is recommended prior to radiotherapy but decisive data on the optimal sequence are rare. This retrospective analysis aimed to assess the role of sequencing in patients after mastectomy because of advanced locoregional disease.

Methods

A total of 212 eligible patients had a stage III breast cancer and had adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy after mastectomy and axillary dissection between 1996 and 2004. According to concerted multi-modality treatment strategies 86 patients were treated sequentially (chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy) (SEQgroup), 70 patients had a sandwich treatment (SW-group) and 56 patients had simultaneous chemoradiation (SIM-group) during that time period. Radiotherapy comprised the thoracic wall and/or regional lymph nodes. The total dose was 45–50.4 Gray. As simultaneous chemoradiation CMF was given in 95.4% of patients while in sequential or sandwich application in 86% and 87.1% of patients an anthracycline-based chemotherapy was given.

Results

Concerning the parameters nodal involvement, lymphovascular invasion, extracapsular spread and extension of the irradiated region the three treatment groups were significantly imbalanced. The other parameters, e.g. age, pathological tumor stage, grading and receptor status were homogeneously distributed. Looking on those two groups with an equally effective chemotherapy (EC, FEC), the SEQ- and SW-group, the sole imbalance was the extension of LVI (57.1 vs. 25.6%, p < 0.0001).

5-year overall- and disease free survival were 53.2%/56%, 38.1%/32% and 64.2%/50%, for the sequential, sandwich and simultaneous regime, respectively, which differed significantly in the univariate analysis (p = 0.04 and p = 0.03, log-rank test). Also the 5-year locoregional or distant recurrence free survival showed no significant differences according to the sequence of chemo- and radiotherapy. In the multivariate analyses the sequence had no independent impact on overall survival (p = 0.2) or disease free survival (p = 0.4). The toxicity, whether acute nor late, showed no significant differences in the three groups. The grade III/IV acute side effects were 3.6%, 0% and 3.5% for the SIM-, SW- and SEQ-group. By tendency the SIM regime had more late side effects.

Conclusion

No clear advantage can be stated for any radio- and chemotherapy sequence in breast cancer therapy so far. This could be confirmed in our retrospective analysis in high-risk patients after mastectomy. The sequential approach is recommended according to current guidelines considering a lower toxicity.

Background

The optimal sequencing of chemotherapy and radiotherapy after breast surgery was largely studied but remains controversial. Concurrent chemo-radiotherapy is a valuable method for adjuvant treatment of breast cancer which is under ongoing research program in our hospital. We are evaluating the feasibility of the concomitant use of chemotherapy retrospectively.

Methods

Two hundred forty four women having breast cancer were investigated in a retrospective study. All patients were either treated by radical surgery or breast conservative surgery. The study compares two adjuvant treatments associating concomitant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In the first group (group A) the patients were treated by chemotherapy and radiotherapy in concomitant way using anthracycline (n = 110). In the second group (group B) the patients were treated by chemotherapy and radiotherapy in concomitant way using CMF treatment (n = 134). Chemotherapy was administered in six cycles, one each 3 weeks. Radiotherapy delivered a radiation dose of 50 Gy on the whole breast (or on the external wall) and/or on the lymphatic region. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the rates of disease free survival, loco-regional recurrence-free survival and overall survival. The Pearson Khi2 test was used to analyse the homogeneity between the two groups. The log-rank test was used to evaluate the differences between the two groups A and B.

Results

After 76.4 months median follow-up (65.3 months mean follow up), only one patient relapsed to loco-regional breast cancer when the treatment was based on anthracycline. However, 8 patients relapsed to loco-regional breast cancer when the treatment was based on CMF. In the anthracycline group, the disease free survival after 5 years, was 80.4% compared to 76.4% in the CMF group (Log-rank test: p = 0.136). The overall survival after 5 years was 82.5% and 81.1% in the anthracycline and CMF groups respectively (Log-rank test: p = 0.428). The loco-regional free survival at 5 years was equal to 98.6% in group A and 94% in group B (Log-rank test: p = 0,033). The rate of grade II and grade III anaemia was 13.9% and 6.7% in anthracycline group and CMF group respectively (Khi2-test: p = 0.009). The rate of grade II and grade III skin dermatitis toxicity was 4.5% in the group A and 0% in the group B (Khi2-test: p = 0.013).

Conclusion

From the 5 years retrospective investigation we showed similar disease free survival and overall survival in the two concurrent chemo-radiotherapy treatments based on anthracycline and CMF. However in the loco-regional breast cancer the treatment based on anthracycline was significantly better than that of the treatment based on CMF. There was more haematological and skin dermatitis toxicity in the anthracycline group.

Triethylene thiophosphoramide (Thio-TEPA) as an adjuvant to radical mastectomy for the treatment of carcinoma of the breast has been shown to be effective in reducing tumour recurrences. In many centres radiotherapy is considered valuable in breast cancer treatment, and in the minds of many there has existed the question of the safety of giving triethylene thiophosphoramide, a radiomimetic drug, at the time of surgery to the patient destined to receive post-operative radiotherapy. Fears had been expressed that the additive effects of triethylene thiophosphoramide and radiotherapy would result in serious complications and preclude the use of this valuable drug.

A total of 70 patients with breast cancer were treated by radical mastectomy and administration of triethylene thiophosphoramide. Most patients received postoperative radiotherapy. Results of this study showed that the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy with triethylene thiophosphoramide need not be withheld and that the drug may be administered with safety to the patient with breast carcinoma for whom radical mastectomy and postoperative radiotherapy are planned.

Two hundred patients with node positive stage II breast cancer were randomised to four groups after radical mastectomy and axillary evacuation: (1) Postoperative radiotherapy, (2) Adjuvant chemotherapy with eight courses of CAFt (cyclophosphamide 500 mg m-2 + doxorubicin 40 mg/m-2 + ftorafur 20 mg kg-1 orally day 1-14) every fourth week, (3) Postoperative radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy and (4) postoperative radiation, adjuvant chemotherapy and tamoxifen 40 mg daily for 2 years. Thirty-two per cent of the patients discontinued treatment due to GI-toxicity, while 26% required dose reductions due to leukopenia. Radiation pneumonitis was more frequent after the combination of postoperative radiotherapy with chemotherapy. There was a better relapse-free survival in the groups receiving chemotherapy compared to radiotherapy alone (P = 0.05), which was highly significant in a multivariate Cox analysis (P = 0.004). No significant survival differences were seen. Tamoxifen had no clear overall effect but there were better relapse-free (P = 0.04) and overall (P = 0.004) survival with tamoxifen in estrogen receptor positive patients, while estrogen receptor negative patients had a somewhat poorer survival (P = 0.07) after tamoxifen. Local control was better (NS) after the combination (93%) radiotherapy and chemotherapy compared to either treatment alone (76% with radiotherapy and 74% with chemotherapy at 5 years).

ABSTRACT

Background and purpose: Radiotherapy in breast cancer patients is limited by lung tissue tolerance. Two complications involving the lung are known: radiation pneumonitis (RP) and radiation fibrosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the pattern of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in patients with RP after radiotherapy for breast cancer in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.

Material and methods: Sixty-five female patients (mean age 58.3 yrs) with RP after radiotherapy for breast cancer were included in the study. The majority of patients had previous breast surgery (mastectomy or lumpectomy and axillary dissection) and received doses of radiations of 45-50Gy. All patients had adjuvant chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, and epirubicin or methotrexate.

Results: All patients had an infiltrate or consolidation on chest radiography confined to the upper lobe of the irradiated lung, as marker of RP. Based on the presence or absence of symptoms, we divided the patients in 2 groups: 49 patients (75.4%) with symptomatic RP (fever, cough, dyspnea, chest pain and fatigue) and 16 patients (24.6%) without any symptom. Symptomatic RP patients had a BAL with significant increase in total cells (18.0±12.2 x106 cells•100mL-1) when compared to BAL in asymptomatic patients (11.9±6.2 x106 cells•100mL-1), p=0.01. Lymphocytosis in BAL was significantly increased in symptomatic group, compared with asymptomatic one (35.4±18.7% vs. 26.1±14.3%, p=0.045), with predominance of T lymphocytes (CD3). It was also a predominance of CD4 lymphocytes in all patients, but the CD4/CD8 ratio was inside normal range in the majority of cases. Five patients had clinical features of bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) secondary to irradiation with increased percentages of lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, and mast cells in BAL and one patient without history of atopic disease had a percentage of 40% eosinophils. Only a mild reduction in diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide was seen in both groups on pulmonary function tests. The lung volumes were normal in all patients.

Conclusions: Lymphocytic alveolitis was the marker of radiation pneumonitis in all patients. The degree of the inflammatory reaction of the lungs was correlated with the presence of symptoms. The lymphocytic alveolitis consisted mainly of T lymphocytes, with a predominance of CD4 subset in both groups, but the CD4/CD8 ratio remained mostly into normal range.

Objective

To define the optimal treatment for women with stage III or locally advanced breast cancer (LABC).

Evidence

Systematic review of English-language literature retrieved from MEDLINE (1984 to June 2002) and CANCERLIT (1983 to June 2002). A nonsystematic review of the literature was continued through December 2003.

Recommendations

· The management of LABC requires a combined modality treatment approach involving surgery, radiotherapy and systemic therapy.

Systemic therapy: chemotherapy

Operable tumours

· Patients with operable stage IIIA disease should be offered chemotherapy. They should receive adjuvant chemotherapy following surgery, or primary chemotherapy followed by locoregional management.

· Chemotherapy should contain an anthracycline. Acceptable regimens are 6 cycles of FAC, CAF, CEF or FEC. Taxanes are under intense investigation.

Inoperable tumours

· Patients with stage IIIB or IIIC disease, including those with inflammatory breast cancer and those with isolated ipsilateral internal mammary or supraclavicular lymph-node involvement, should be treated with primary anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

· Acceptable chemotherapy regimens are FAC, CAF, CEF or FEC. Taxanes are under intense investigation.

· Patients with stage IIIB or IIIC disease who respond to primary chemotherapy should be treated until the response plateaus or to a maximum of 6 cycles (minimum 4 cycles). Patients with stage IIIB disease should then undergo definitive surgery and irradiation. The locoregional management of patients with stage IIIC disease who respond to chemotherapy should be individualized. In patients with stage IIIB or IIIC disease who achieve maximum response with fewer than 6 cycles, further adjuvant chemotherapy can be given following surgery and irradiation. Patients whose tumours do not respond to primary chemotherapy can be treated with taxane chemotherapy or can proceed directly to irradiation followed by modified radical mastectomy, if feasible.

Systemic therapy: hormonal therapy

Operable and inoperable tumours

· Tamoxifen for 5 years should be recommended to pre- and postmenopausal women whose tumours are hormone responsive.

Locoregional management

Operable tumours

· Patients with stage IIIA disease should receive both modified radical mastectomy (MRM) and locoregional radiotherapy if feasible. They may be managed with MRM followed by chemotherapy and locoregional radiotherapy, or chemotherapy first followed by MRM and locoregional radiotherapy. Breast-conserving surgery is currently not a standard approach.

· Locoregional radiotherapy should be delivered to the chest wall and to the supraclavicular and axillary nodes. The role of internal mammary irradiation is unclear.

Inoperable tumours

· Patients with stage IIIB disease who respond to chemotherapy should receive surgery plus locoregional radiotherapy.

· The locoregional management of patients with stage IIIC disease who respond to chemotherapy is unclear and should be individualized.

· Patients whose disease remains inoperable following chemotherapy should receive locoregional radiotherapy with subsequent surgery, if feasible.

Validation

The authors' original text was revised by members of the Steering Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Care and Treatment of Breast Cancer. Subsequently, feedback was provided by 9 oncologists from across Canada. The final document was approved by the steering committee.

Sponsor

The Steering Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Care and Treatment of Breast Cancer was convened by Health Canada.

Completion date

December 2003.

Background

Breast cancer incidence in India is on rise. We report epidemiological, clinical and survival patterns of breast cancer patients from community perspective.

Methods

All breast cancer patients treated at this hospital from July 2000 to July 2005 were included. All had cytological or histological confirmation of breast cancer. TNM guidelines for staging and Immunohistochemistry to assess the receptor status were used. Either lumpectomy with axillary lymph node dissection or Modified radical mastectomy (MRM) was done for operable breast cancer, followed by 6 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with FAC or CMF regimens to patients with pT >1 cm or lymph node positive or estrogen receptor negative and radiotherapy to patients after breast conservation surgery, pT size > 5 cm, 4 or more positive nodes and stage IIIB disease. Patients with positive Estrogen receptor or Progesterone receptor were advised Tamoxifene 20 mg per day for 3 years. Descriptive analysis was performed. Independent T test and Chi-square test were used. Overall survival time was computed by Kaplan – Meier method.

Results

Of 1488 cancer patients, 122 (8.2%) had breast cancer. Of 122 patients, 96.7% had invasive breast carcinoma and 3.3% had sarcoma. 94% came from the rural and semi urban areas. Premenopausal women were 27%. The median age was 50 years. Stage I-6.8%, II-45.8%, III-22%, IV-6.8%, Bilateral breast cancer – 2.5%. The mean pT size was 3.9 cm. ER and PR were positive in 31.6% and 28.1% respectively. MRM was done in 93.8%, while 6.3% patients underwent breast conservation surgery. The mean of the lymph nodes dissected were 3. CMF and FAC regimens were used in 48.8% and 51.2% of patients respectively. FAC group were younger than the CMF group (43.6 yr vs. 54 yrs, P = 0.000). Toxicities were more in FAC than CMF group, alopecia (100% vs. 26.2%), grade2 or more emesis (31.8% vs. 9.2%), grade2 or more fatigue (40.9% vs.19%), anemia (43.1% vs. 16.6%). Median Survival for the cohort was 50.8 months. ER positive patients had better median survival (P = 0.05).

Conclusion

MRM was the most frequent surgical option. CMF and FAC showed equivalent survival. FAC chemotherapy was more toxic than CMF. ER positive tumors have superior survival. Overall 3 year survival was 70 percent

One hundred and seventy-eight patients with non metastatic inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) have been treated at the Centre H. Becquerel. Median follow up is 67 months (6-178). Every patient received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (mean number of cycles = 4; range: 2-8), followed by a loco regional treatment (radiotherapy = XRT or modified radical mastectomy = S), followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. During this period, the types of chemotherapy and locoregional treatment have been the following: Study I: 64 patients treated with CMF or AVCF and XRT; Study II: 83 patients, treated with either AVCF, FAC or VAC followed by S (n = 38) or XRT (n = 22) in case of complete or partial response, or followed by XRT (23) in case of initial supraclavicular lymph node involvement or lack of response after chemotherapy; Study III: 31 patients treated with FEC-HD + Estrogenic recruitment followed by S and XRT after adjuvant chemotherapy, except seven patients who received XRT (refusal of surgery). Although objective response rates (= 56.2, 73.5 and 93.5% for study I, II and III respectively) are statistically better in the 3rd study, this does not translate in dramatically different disease free survival (median = 16.7, 19 and 22.2 months respectively for study I, II and III) or overall survival (median = 25, 45.7 and 32.6 months respectively for study I, II and III). Analysis of subset of patients without supra clavicular lymph node involvement where neoadjuvant chemotherapy obtained at least a 50% response reveals a median disease free survival and median overall survival of respectively 38.3 and 60.1 months for patients who underwent S vs 19 and 38.3 months for those who received XRT (P = 0.15). These studies suggest that surgery has no deleterious effect on outcome of IBC. Advantage on disease free survival or overall survival from intensive chemotherapy in IBC remains to be proven with appropriate randomised trials.

Summary

Background

The aim of this study was to explore the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and prognostic factors of dermatosis associated with malignant breast tumors.

Case Reports

The clinical data of 4 breast cancer patients, 3 with dermatomyositis and 1 with acquired ichthyosis, were analyzed retrospectively. The 4 patients were >50 years of age, and the malignant breast tumors appeared within 5 years of the diagnosis of dermatosis. Two of the 3 breast cancer patients with dermatomyositis received a modified radical mastectomy, and because they could not afford systemic chemotherapy after surgery, only received endocrine therapy. The third patient received a simple mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection but died of respiratory failure 2 months after the operation. The patient with acquired ichthyosis and malignant breast tumor received modified radical mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and endocrine therapy; no complications were observed in the postoperative period. During the 9–15 months of follow-up after the surgery, the 3 patients remained in good condition with improvement of the dermatosis symptoms and no cancer relapse.

Conclusions

Malignant breast tumor screening is indicated in women with dermatomyositis or acquired ichthyosis, especially in those aged >50 years.

Most breast cancer recurrences occur in the surgical scars or within other quadrants of the same breast. Isolated tumour recurrence occurring in the nipple after breast-conserving surgery and radiotherapy is extremely unusual. The reason for this is unknown, but is speculated to be due to involved surgical margins or an occult involvement of the nipple–areolar complex in a breast cancer of the same breast. We present a case of a 44-year-old Indian woman who had recurrent tumour over her right nipple after an ipsilateral breast-conserving surgery that was followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. There was no typical malignancy features from the mammogram. However, histopathological study confirmed a malignant growth that infiltrated into the dermis and the underneath breast tissue. Completion mastectomy was then performed and the patient was later treated with Taxane-based chemotherapy. Nipple recurrence after breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy may be confused with other nipple conditions such as Paget’s disease of the breast. Comprehensive assessments, which include mammogram and biopsy, have proved that such recurrence do occur, as presented in this case. This warrants a specific management strategy.

Background

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is the most aggressive form of primary breast carcinoma and is associated with a dismal outcome despite the availability of multi-modality treatment options.

Patients and methods

This is a prospective case control study comparing two groups of newly diagnosed patients; the first with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and the second with locally advanced non inflammatory breast cancer (LABC). In both groups MIB1, ER, PR, Her2neu were assessed. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy consisted of four cycles of FEC100 followed by modified radical mastectomy according to clinical response, postoperative chemotherapy with two courses of the same regimen followed by radiotherapy. Tamoxifen 20 mg po daily for 5 years in ER and/or PR positive tumours, starting after the completion of radiotherapy. Primary end points were a) comparison of MIB-1 score in both groups, b) comparison of clinical and pathological responses in both groups. Secondary endpoints were comparison of progression free survival and overall survival.

Results

From a total of 42 patients, 21 were stage III B (T4d, N0-2 M0) IBC and 21 were stage III B (T4a-c, N0-2, M0) LABC. Patients in the age range from 28 to 68 were included and followed from November 2007 until February 2010 with a median follow-up period of 22.5 months. Toxicity of both arms, mainly haematologic, nausea and vomiting, was in general acceptable with no treatment-related deaths. Of the patients with IBC 81.3% had a high MIB-1 score as compared with 43.8% of patients with LABC (P-value = 0.028). Objective clinical response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in the IBC arm was 57.1% (4.8% complete response (CR)) as compared with 81% (9.5% CR) in LABC (P-value = 0.09). Overall pathological response (complete pathological response (pCR)+partial pathological response (pPR)) was 35.3% in the IBC arm compared with 40% in LABC arm (P-value = 0.618). One year, 2 year and median progression free survival (PFS) were 55.87%, 37.71% and 21.7 months, respectively in the IBC arm compared with 85.71%, 66.67% in LABC (median PFS was not reached) (P-value = 0.072). One and 2 year overall survival (OS) were 69.82% and 51.20%, respectively in the IBC arm compared with 95.24% and 95.24% in LABC arm (P-value = 0.0038).

Conclusions

IBC should be considered as a separate entity. A high MIB-1 score is a potential molecular marker for IBC.

After breast-conserving treatment, the occurrence of ipsilateral breast tumor relapse raises the concern regarding whether it may represent two distinct types of lesion that it is important to define, a true recurrence (TR) or a new primary tumor (NPT). TR and NPT have different natural histories, prognosis, and in turn different implications for therapeutic management. We report the case of a 35-year-old woman who developed a breast invasive ductal carcinoma, which after receiving breast-conserving treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy, developed four years after an inflammatory carcinoma in the same breast, with different expression of immunohistochemical markers than the first breast cancer. The patient was treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy that allowed the realization of a radical mastectomy with a complete pathological response. We describe the diagnostic and therapeutic approach of ipsilateral breast tumor relapses, along with a review of existing literature.

Psychological symptoms were assessed over two years in a randomised trial of three forms of treatment given to women after mastectomy for stage II breast cancer. The treatments were: three weeks' radiotherapy; one year's adjuvant chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil; and radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy. Analysis of the results on an intention to treat basis showed no substantial differences in depression or anxiety among groups at one, three, or six months after the operation. At 13 months, however, patients who had been allocated chemotherapy had significantly more symptoms, especially depression, than control patients treated with radiotherapy alone. Conditioned reflex nausea and vomiting increased considerably during the second six months of chemotherapy and persisted for up to a year afterwards. The psychological morbidity of adjuvant chemotherapy could be substantially reduced if courses of treatment were restricted to about six months.

Breast surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormonotherapy, and targeted agents are all being used together concomitantly or sequentially with the aim to achieve local and distant control and improve survival in breast cancer patients. With this goal being reached more and more often nowadays, quality of life emerges as another issue of pivotal importance. Existing data on the maximum acceptable delay of radiotherapy when given as sole adjuvant treatment after surgery and the optimal sequence of all these modalities with respect to each other are reviewed.

The adjuvant setting of early breast cancer treatment is an evolving field where different modalities must be combined to improve outcomes; moreover, quality of life of breast cancer survivors emerges as a new important parameter to consider, thus implying a better understanding of toxicities of these modalities. We have conducted a review focusing on the latest literature of the past 3 years, trying to evaluate the existing data on the maximum acceptable delay of radiotherapy when given as sole adjuvant treatment after surgery and the optimal sequence of all these modalities with respect to each other. It becomes evident radiotherapy should be given as soon as possible and within a time frame of 6–20 weeks. Chemotherapy is given before radiotherapy and hormone therapy. However, radiotherapy should be started within 7 months after surgery in these cases. Hormone therapy with tamoxifen might be given safely concomitantly or sequentially with radiotherapy although solid data are still lacking. The concurrent administration of letrozole and radiotherapy seems to be safe, whereas data on trastuzumab can imply only that it is safe to use concurrently with radiotherapy. Randomized comparisons of hormone therapy and trastuzumab administration with radiotherapy need to be performed.

Purpose

Suboptimal care among minority and low-income patients may explain poorer survival. There is little information describing patterns of health care in Medicaid-insured women with breast cancer in the United States. Using a previously created and validated database linking Medicaid claims and state-wide tumor registry data, we describe patterns of breast cancer care within a low-income population.

Methods

Sample characteristics were described by frequencies and means. Logistic regressions were used to determine predictors of type of surgery, use of radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery (BCS), and use of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Results

The sample consisted of 974 women. The dataset included only white (58%) and black (42%) women. Sixty-seven percent were treated with mastectomy; 43% received adjuvant chemotherapy; and 67% of women receiving BCS received adjuvant radiation. In multivariate analysis, predictors of BCS were young age, black race, and smaller tumor size. Furthermore, there was a trend toward more black than white women with tumors 4 cm or larger having BCS (18% v 8%; P = .06). Race was not related to use of adjuvant radiation therapy after BCS or to use of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Conclusion

In this group of patients with breast cancer enrolled in Medicaid, black women were more likely than white women to have BCS. Race was not associated with adjuvant radiation therapy or chemotherapy use. Factors affecting the quality of care delivered to low-income and minority patients are complex, and better care lies in exploring areas that need improvement.

Primary angiosarcomas of the breast are rare malignancy that account for fewer than 0.04% of all malignant breast tumors. The prognosis is poor. Surgery is the first line of treatment for angiosarcoma. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been tried, but their efficacy remains controversial. Here we present the case of a 47-year-old woman with a palpable left breast mass that was diagnosed as a primary angiosarcoma. The patient underwent modified radical mastectomy with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Postoperatively, eighteen months later, the angiosarcoma recurred. The patient returned complaining of dyspnea and hemoptysis and was found to have a large pleural effusion. She developed a gradual onset of thrombocytopenia that persisted despite platelet transfusions. Finally, the patient died of respiratory failure secondary to pulmonary hemorrhage.

Background

Immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy and delayed breast reconstruction with post-supplementary treatment are the two types of breast reconstruction currently performed when treating breast cancer. Post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) not only reduces local recurrence but also improves overall survival. However, the complications and survival rates associated with PMRT need to be clear when determining the timing of breast reconstruction. Accordingly, we investigated the optimal timing of breast reconstruction by observing patients who underwent mastectomy followed by PMRT, based on their overall health and aesthetic satisfaction.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 21 patients who underwent breast reconstruction with PMRT between November 2004 and November 2010. We collected data regarding the various methods of mastectomy, and the modality of adjuvant therapy, such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and radiotherapy. Telephone interviews were conducted to study the general and aesthetic satisfaction.

Results

Patients who received PMRT after breast reconstruction showed a greater complication rate than those undergoing breast reconstruction after PMRT (P=0.02). Aesthetic satisfaction was significantly higher in the groups undergoing breast reconstruction after PMRT (P=0.03). Patients who underwent breast reconstruction before PMRT developed complications more frequently, but they expressed greater aesthetic satisfaction with the treatment.

Conclusions

It is recommended that the complication rates and aesthetic satisfaction after breast reconstruction be carefully considered when determining the optimal timing for radiotherapy.

In the largest controlled clinical study so far undertaken on the management of early cancer of the breast in women the results of a radical regimen (simple mastectomy and radiotherapy) were compared with those of a conservative policy (simple mastectomy alone). The study included enough patients (2268) to ensure that small but significant differences between the two treatments would emerge. With a five-year follow-up there was no evidence that routine postoperative radiotherapy was harmful or that it conferred further benefit as regards survival or distant recurrence. Radiotherapy did, however, reduce the incidence of local recurrence. Neither form of treatment can counter occult disease far from the breast that is present at the time of initial treatment, which probably accounts for the high death rate from breast cancer, but the results of the study would support the view that conservative primary treatment and subsequent adjuvant chemotherapy may be the treatment of choice in future.

Purpose

Radiation-induced dermatitis is a common side effect of breast irradiation, with hypofractionation being a well-known risk factor. In the context of the widespread adoption of hypofractionated breast radiotherapy, we evaluated the effect of hypofractionated radiotherapy on the incidence of skin toxicity in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy.

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with breast cancer treated from 2004 to 2006 at a single institution. Patients undergoing lumpectomy with or without adjuvant chemotherapy followed by hypofractionated radiotherapy consisting of 42.4 Gy in 16 fractions were included in the study. Using cosmetic and skin toxicity scales, all patients were evaluated weekly during treatment and at scheduled follow-up visits with the radiation oncologist.

Results

During the study period, 162 patients underwent radiotherapy, and 30% of those (n = 48) received chemotherapy. Radiotherapy boost to the tumour bed was more common in the chemotherapy group [n = 20 (42%)] than in the radiotherapy-alone group [n = 30 (26%)]. We observed no statistically significant difference between the groups with regard to acute skin toxicity of grade 3 or higher (2.1% in the chemotherapy group vs. 4.4% in the radiation-alone group, p = 0.67) or of grades 1–2 toxicity (62.5% vs. 51.7% respectively, p = 0.23). There was also no significant difference in late grade 3 or higher skin toxicity between the groups (2.1% vs. 0% respectively, p = 0.30) or in grades 1–2 toxicity (20.8% vs. 25.5% respectively, p = 0.69). Similarly, excellent or good cosmetic result scores were similar in both groups (p = 0.80)

Conclusions

In our single-institution review, we observed no adverse effects of chemotherapy in combination with hypofractionated whole-breast irradiation. Further investigations are necessary to better elucidate the effects of chemotherapy on skin toxicity in the context of hypofractionated irradiation.

Background

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is the standard care for locally advanced breast cancer. Our study aimed at evaluating the feasibility of breast conversation surgery (BCS) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Patients and methods

Forty five patients had stage IIB (except those with T2N1 disease) and stage IIIA were selected to 3 cycles taxane-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patient who had tumours ≤5 cm underwent a tentative BCS while patients who had tumour size >5 cm underwent radical surgery. Negative margin is essential for BCS. Adjuvant chemotherapy and 3-D radiotherapy ± hormonal treatment were given to all patients.

Results

Thirty four patients had BCS. Response to chemotherapy was the only statistically significant factor which influences the BCS. Incidence of local recurrence was 5.9% for patients who had BCS at a median follow up 24 months.

Conclusion

Breast conservation is feasible in selected cases of locally advanced, non metastatic cancer breast. We recommend that patients who have tumour size ≤4 cm after chemotherapy are the best candidates for BCS.

Introduction:

The role of adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer is well established, as are its indications. Likewise, the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced breast cancer is well established. The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in operable breast cancer has only recently become of interest to researchers.

Patients and methods:

This study included 34 cases of operable breast cancer that were given four cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the form of FEC100 then subjected to surgery. The surgery done was either breast conserving surgery or modified radical mastectomy. All patients completed the treatment regimen and no patients were excluded from the study. All surgical specimens were studied pathologically for chemotherapy effect.

Results:

An overall objective response was observed in 70.6% of the patients. Seven patients (20.6%) experienced a clinical complete response (cCR), 17 patients (50.0%) had partial response, nine patients (26.5%) had no change of their disease and only one patient had disease progression. Of the seven patients who had a cCR, only four patients (11.8%) had pathologic complete response (pCR), while pCR for the whole group was 14.7%(5/34). Tumour size of more than 2 cm was observed in 28 patients (82.4%) at time of presentation, while tumour size of 2 cm or less was seen in six patients (17.6%) only. After completion of the course of chemotherapy, 23 patients (67.6%) were observed to have tumours of 2 cm or less that allowed for less extensive resections. Twenty-three patients underwent breast conservative surgery (67.6%) while modified radical mastectomy was performed in 11 patients (32.4%).

Conclusion:

The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in operable breast cancer in this study was associated with tumour and axillary downstaging, which increased the proportion of cases undergoing breast conservation, with acceptable side effects and reasonable cost. During the limited follow-up time of this study no loco regional recurrences were recorded and one distant treatment failure was recorded. Its impact if any on overall or disease-free survival was not addressed in this study. Larger multi-centre randomized studies with a long follow-up are needed to compare the overall and disease-free survival benefit of this treatment modality, especially in different subtypes stratified by pathological response.

Purpose

This study evaluated the treatment results and the necessity to irradiate the supraclavicular lymph node (SCN) region in pathological N0-N1 (pN0-N1) patients with locally advanced breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by surgery and radiotherapy (RT).

Methods

Between 1996 and 2008, 184 patients with initial tumor size >5 cm or clinically positive lymph nodes were treated with NAC followed by surgery and RT. Among these patients, we retrospectively reviewed 98 patients with pN0-N1. Mastectomy was performed in 55%. The pathological lymph node stage was N0 in 49% and N1 in 51%. All patients received adjuvant RT to chest wall or breast and 56 patients (57%) also received RT to the SCN region (SCNRT).

Results

At 5 years, locoregional recurrence (LRR)-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival rates were 93%, 83%, 81%, and 91%, respectively. In pN0 patients, LRR was 7% in SCNRT- group and 5% in SCNRT+ group. In pN1 patients, LRR was 7% in SCNRT- group and 6% in SCNRT+ group. There was no significant difference of LRR, regardless of SCNRT. However, in pN1 patients, there were more patients with poor prognostic factors in the SCNRT+ group compared to SCNRT- group. These factors might be associated with worse DFS in the SCNRT+ group, even though RT was administered to the SCN region.

Conclusion

Our study showed the similar LRR, regardless of SCNRT in pN0-pN1 breast cancer patients after NAC followed by surgery. Prospective randomized trial is called for to validate the role of SCNRT.

Although much has been learned about the complication of fatigue during breast cancer treatment, the possibility that there are differences across treatment modalities in breast cancer patients’ experience of fatigue has not yet been established. In this study, fatigue was assessed in 134 women receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy or radiotherapy only for early stage breast cancer. Comparisons of fatigue during initial treatment indicated that women who received chemotherapy reported greater fatigue severity and disruptiveness than women receiving radiotherapy. Women not pre-treated with chemotherapy experienced increased fatigue over the course of radiotherapy. Results confirmed predictions that fatigue in women with early stage breast cancer differs as a function of the type of treatment and sequencing of treatment. Findings indicating increases in fatigue during radiotherapy only among women not pretreated with chemotherapy suggest a response shift, or a change in internal standards, in women’s perceptions of fatigue as a function of prior chemotherapy treatment.

Background

For years, the treatment for invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) has been mastectomy secondary to the lack of studies investigating the efficacy of breast conservation therapy on patients afflicted with ILC and due to the lack of long-term follow up investigating locoregional recurrence in this patient population. In this article we report the clinical course of a patient diagnosed with ILC.

Case report

We describe the case of a 50-year-old woman with stage IIB (T2N1M0) ER/PR positive right breast ILC who underwent a right modified radical mastectomy, postoperative chemotherapy, a prophylactic left simple mastectomy with bilateral breast reconstruction and tamoxifen. Approximately 12 years later, she presented with a deflated breast implant and recurrent breast cancer with metastatic spread. She received palliative radiotherapy then palliative chemotherapy. Unfortunately, she succumbed to the cancer less than a year after being diagnosed with metastatic disease.

Conclusions

This may be the first case report of a ruptured breast implant presenting at the same time as the diagnosis of recurrent breast cancer.

Purpose

Although chemoradiotherapy plus resection is considered standard treatment for operable rectal carcinoma, the optimal time to administer this therapy is not clear. The NSABP R-03 (National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project R-03) trial compared neoadjuvant versus adjuvant chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced rectal carcinoma.

Patients and Methods

Patients with clinical T3 or T4 or node-positive rectal cancer were randomly assigned to preoperative or postoperative chemoradiotherapy. Chemotherapy consisted of fluorouracil and leucovorin with 45 Gy in 25 fractions with a 5.40-Gy boost within the original margins of treatment. In the preoperative group, surgery was performed within 8 weeks after completion of radiotherapy. In the postoperative group, chemotherapy began after recovery from surgery but no later than 4 weeks after surgery. The primary end points were disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results

From August 1993 to June 1999, 267 patients were randomly assigned to NSABP R-03. The intended sample size was 900 patients. Excluding 11 ineligible and two eligible patients without follow-up data, the analysis used data on 123 patients randomly assigned to preoperative and 131 to postoperative chemoradiotherapy. Surviving patients were observed for a median of 8.4 years. The 5-year DFS for preoperative patients was 64.7% v 53.4% for postoperative patients (P = .011). The 5-year OS for preoperative patients was 74.5% v 65.6% for postoperative patients (P = .065). A complete pathologic response was achieved in 15% of preoperative patients. No preoperative patient with a complete pathologic response has had a recurrence.

Conclusion

Preoperative chemoradiotherapy, compared with postoperative chemoradiotherapy, significantly improved DFS and showed a trend toward improved OS.