Deodorant pad for ulcerated breast cancer: safety and efficacy.

OBJECTIVES: APOLLO study, 'efficacy and safety of the deodorAnt Pad against Odour and uLceration for LOcally advanced breast cancer', aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of wearing a deodorant pad in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) with an ulceration. METHODS: Komagome Pads were previously developed by Juntendo University and Kao Corporation. In test A, a conventional pad consisting of gauze, a commercially available diaper, pad, etc and the Komagome Pad were compared over 3 days to assess their efficacy and possible improvements for short-term use. In test B, the Komagome Pad was used continuously for 1 month to evaluate its safety during long-term use. RESULTS: This study included 14 patients in test A and nine in test B. In odour evaluation using sensory testing in test A, nine patients reported more significant efficacy in odour suppression with the Komagome Pad. The odour intensity of the Komagome Pad was lower on the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The group with a high level of exudation reported significantly higher satisfaction with the Komagome Pad. In test B, no adverse events were observed. CONCLUSIONS: A new deodorant pad for LABC demonstrated high safety and deodorant efficacy.

Mechanisms of sensitivity and resistance to CDK4/CDK6 inhibitors in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer treatment.

Cell cycle dysregulation is a hallmark of cancer that promotes eccessive cell division. Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) are key molecules in the G1-to-S phase cell cycle transition and are crucial for the onset, survival, and progression of breast cancer (BC). Small-molecule CDK4/CDK6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) block phosphorylation of tumor suppressor Rb and thus restrain susceptible BC cells in G1 phase. Three CDK4/6i are approved for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced/metastatic hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) BC in combination with endocrine therapy (ET). Though this has improved the clinical outcomes for survival of BC patients, there is no established standard next-line treatment to tackle drug resistance. Recent studies suggest that CDK4/6i can modulate other distinct effects in both BC and breast stromal compartments, which may provide new insights into aspects of their clinical activity. This review describes the biochemistry of the CDK4/6-Rb-E2F pathway in HR+ BC, then discusses how CDK4/6i can trigger other effects in BC/breast stromal compartments, and finally outlines the mechanisms of CDK4/6i resistance that have emerged in recent preclinical studies and clinical cohorts, emphasizing the impact of these findings on novel therapeutic opportunities in BC.

Impact of immediate breast reconstruction on perioperative therapy: insights from a Japanese Nationwide Registry.

BACKGROUND: Immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) is a common oncoplastic procedure used in breast cancer surgery. This study aims to investigate compliance with prosthetic breast reconstruction guidelines and its impact on perioperative treatment. METHODS: We reviewed data from the National Clinical Database-Breast Cancer Registry between January 2019 and December 2020. We compared perioperative treatment implementation between the IBR and non-IBR groups by subtype matching for age, menopausal status, T stage, N stage, and histology. RESULTS: A total of 8,860 patients with breast cancer who underwent IBR (6,075 breast prostheses, 2,492 autologous tissues, and 293 others) were identified. The compliance rate with the guidelines for prosthetic breast reconstruction was 97.7%. After matching, chemotherapy for luminal A-like diseases was significantly less frequent in the IBR group than in the non-IBR group (16.3% vs 20.5%, p < 0.001), and radiotherapy was less frequent in luminal A-like and HER2-positive patients (7.2% vs 9.0%, p = 0.010 and 7.1% vs 11.4%, p = 0.005, respectively). Among the 1-3 node-positive cases, fewer patients with prosthetic IBR received radiotherapy than those without IBR (15.7% vs 26.4%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Prosthetic breast reconstruction was performed with strict adherence to the Japanese guidelines. The implementation rates of chemotherapy and radiotherapy were lower in the specific IBR group than those in the non-IBR group. Therefore, large-scale, long-term follow-up data are required.

Long-term outcomes of neoadjuvant trastuzumab emtansine + pertuzumab (T-DM1 + P) and docetaxel + carboplatin + trastuzumab + pertuzumab (TCbHP) for HER2-positive primary breast cancer: results of the randomized phase 2 JBCRG20 study (Neo-peaks).

PURPOSE: The randomized phase 2 Neo-peaks study examined usefulness of neoadjuvant trastuzumab emtansine + pertuzumab (T-DM1 + P) following docetaxel + carboplatin + trastuzumab + pertuzumab (TCbHP) as compared with the standard TCbHP regimen. We previously reported that pCR rate after neoadjuvant therapy tended to be higher with TCbHP followed by T-DM1 + P. We conducted an exploratory analysis of prognosis 5 years after surgery. METHODS: Neoadjuvant treatment with TCbHP (6 cycles; group A), TCbHP (4 cycles) followed by T-DM1 + P (4 cycles; group B), and T-DM1 + P (4 cycles; group C, + 2 cycles in responders) were compared. Group C non-responders after 4 cycles were switched to an anthracycline-based regimen. We evaluated 5-year disease-free survival (DFS), distant DFS (DDFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Data from 203 patients (50, 52, and 101 in groups A-C, respectively) were analyzed. No significant intergroup differences were found for DFS, DDFS, or OS. The 5-year DFS rates (95% CI) were 91.8% (79.6-96.8%), 92.3% (80.8-97.0%), and 88.0% (79.9-93.0%) in groups A-C, respectively. TCbHP followed by T-DM1 + P and T-DM1 + P with response-guided addition of anthracycline therapy resulted in similar long-term prognosis to that of TCbHP. CONCLUSIONS: In patients who achieved pCR after neoadjuvant therapy with T-DM1 + P, omission of adjuvant anthracycline may be considered, whereas treatment should be adjusted for non-pCR patients with residual disease. T-DM1 + P with response-guided treatment adjustment may be useful for minimizing toxicity. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER AND DATE OF REGISTRATION: UMIN-CTR, UMIN000014649, prospectively registered July 25, 2014. Some of the study results were presented as a Mini Oral session at the ESMO Breast Cancer 2023 (Berlin, Germany, 11-13 May 2023).

Comparison of osteoanabolic agents (teriparatide and romosozumab) with bisphosphonates in prevention of subsequent vertebral fractures in patients treated for osteoporotic vertebral fracture for 12 months: An observational cohort study.

Introduction: Domino osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) is as a subsequent fracture that develops within 3 months before the initial OVF heals. There is limited evidence regarding the efficacy of osteoanabolic agents on its treatment. This study evaluated the effects of bisphosphonates and anabolic agents teriparatide and romosozumab on subsequent domino OVF. Methods: This was post hoc analysis of a prospective, multicenter, observational study conducted across 8 hospitals, enrolling 144 patients with conservatively treated OVF, grouped into patients receiving bisphosphonate (BP, n = 55), teriparatide (TPTD, n = 62), and romosozumab (Romo, n = 27). The primary outcome was the incidence of subsequent OVF at 3 and 12 months, whereas the secondary outcomes included the incidence of pseudoarthrosis and progression of vertebral collapse (VC). Pseudoarthrosis was classified as stable or unstable based on vertebral instability. Results: The use of osteoanabolic agents did not reduce the incidence of subsequent OVF at 3 and 12 months. There were no significant differences in the background data or type of conservative treatment among the three groups. However, the TPTD and Romo groups had significantly lower rates of unstable pseudarthrosis (p = 0.03). Additionally, there were no significant differences in VC progression between groups, but it tended to be higher in the BP group than the TPTD and Romo group (p = 0.07). Conclusion: Osteoanabolic agents were beneficial in reducing unstable pseudoarthrosis, but were not more effective than bisphosphonates in the development of subsequent domino OVF. A more comprehensive approach to the treatment of osteoporosis is needed to prevent domino OVFs.

Quantitative analysis of the effect of docetaxel-induced edema on quality of life in patients with breast cancer and related factors: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Systemic edema is an adverse effect of docetaxel chemotherapy and causes distress to patients, including those receiving this agent for breast cancer. However, its characteristics and factors related to its effect on quality of life (QoL) have not been adequately investigated. In this study, we assessed systemic edema quantitatively, explored related factors, and evaluated QoL in patients receiving docetaxel for breast cancer. METHODS: The study had a prospective cohort design and included 37 patients with no known history of swelling who were treated with docetaxel between September 2019 and April 2022. Patients were examined at the start, middle, and end of their course of treatment and 1 and 2 months later. Body water content, body mass, fat mass, and muscle mass were quantified using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Systemic edema was evaluated with reference to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. The timing of development of systemic edema at any anatomical site that was grade 2 or worse was recorded. QoL was assessed using the Quality of Life-Anti Cancer Drug scale. Nutrition was evaluated using the Brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify related factors. QoL was also compared between patients with edema and those without edema. RESULTS: Systemic edema developed in 67% of the study participants and was most prevalent at the end of treatment. Body fat mass (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.802, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.651-0.988, p = 0.038), disease stage (aOR 3.279, 95% CI 0.493-21.793, p = 0.219), and history of alcohol consumption (aOR 0.141, 95% CI 0.013-1.521, p = 0.106) were identified as risk factors for docetaxel-induced edema. Participants who developed systemic edema experienced more physical, vital, and emotional distress 1 month after treatment than those who did not. There was no association between systemic edema and nutrition. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic edema may develop after treatment with docetaxel and increase distress in patients with a high body fat mass. Patients at risk of systemic edema should be informed in advance about the potential frequency, location, and timing of its onset and encouraged to self-manage this condition.

Subclinical myocardial damage after anthracycline chemotherapy in Japanese patients with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Data on the incidence, timing, and severity of myocardial damage after anthracycline-based chemotherapy (AC) in Japanese patients with breast cancer are limited. METHOD: We evaluated cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) in Japanese women with breast cancer (n = 51) after the first AC according to the definitions of the 2022 European Society of Cardiology onco-cardiology guideline, including assessment of high-sensitivity troponin I (TnI) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels. RESULTS: CTRCD was detected in 67 % of the patients (3.9 %, 7.8 %, 9.8 %, 43 %, 37 %, 22 %, 20 %, and 9.8 % of patients at 1 week and 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 months post-AC, respectively) without significant left ventricular ejection fraction reduction (<50 %) and heart failure. Elevated TnI levels (>26 pg/mL) were found in 43 % of patients, and elevated BNP levels (≥35 pg/mL) were observed in 22 % of patients during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately two-thirds of the Japanese patients in this study experienced CTRCD, which was frequently observed at 3 or 6 months post-AC. However, all patients with CTRCD were diagnosed with mild asymptomatic CTRCD. Although, these patients were diagnosed with mild asymptomatic CTRCD, careful long-term follow-up will be required.

Trastuzumab deruxtecan for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-low advanced or metastatic breast cancer: recommendations from the Japanese Breast Cancer Society Clinical Practice Guidelines.

The Japanese Breast Cancer Society Clinical Practice Guidelines are published as timely guidance on clinical issues in breast cancer treatment in Japan. In the recent edition of these guidelines, we addressed a new clinical question 34 (CQ 34, systemic treatment part) "Is trastuzumab deruxtecan recommended for patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-low breast cancer?" and a new future research question 7 (FRQ 7, pathological diagnosis part) "How is HER2-low breast cancer diagnosed for the indication of trastuzumab deruxtecan?". These questions address use of trastuzumab deruxtecan in patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-low breast cancer who have previously received chemotherapy for metastatic disease. The strengths of evidence and recommendation were determined through a quantitative and qualitative systematic review using multiple outcomes, including efficacy and safety. We conclude that trastuzumab deruxtecan is recommended for this patient population (strength of recommendation: 1; strength of evidence: moderate; CQ34) and that HER2-low expression for the indication of trastuzumab deruxtecan should be diagnosed using companion diagnostics based on appropriate criteria (FRQ7).

Remarkable remission of symptomatic dermatomyositis after curative breast cancer surgery.

Dermatomyositis (DM) is an autoimmune disease that causes proximal muscle weakness in the extremities leading to severe immobility and dysphagia. Approximately 20% of patients with DM are positive for anti-TIF-1γ antibody and frequently accompanied by malignant tumors. Although DM remission after tumor resection has been reported, the indications for surgery in patients with severe DM are unknown. Herein, we report a case of a 79-year-old Japanese woman who presented with breast cancer and anti-TIF-1γ antibody-positive DM. She became bedridden shortly after DM onset. Although pulsed steroid therapy, intravenous immunoglobulin, tacrolimus, and endocrine therapy with fulvestrant did not improve her symptoms, tumor resection with axillary lymph node dissection resulted in complete remission of the DM after 8 months. Immunohistochemistry revealed high expression of TIF-1γ in cancer cells, both in the primary tumor and axillary lymph nodes. Since the serum levels of anti-TIF-1γ antibody decreased after the surgery, the existence of breast cancer with TIF-1γ expression may have contributed to the worsening of DM. The present case suggests that curative surgery should be considered as a treatment option even if the patient has severe symptoms, such as immobility and dysphagia. Careful discussions with patients and multidisciplinary collaboration are essential to make surgery feasible, particularly for those with severe symptomatic DM.

Survival trends and patient characteristics between 2004 and 2016 for breast cancer in Japan based on the National Clinical Database-Breast Cancer Registry.

This is a prognostic report by the Japanese Breast Cancer Society on breast cancer extracted from the National Clinical Database-Breast Cancer Registry of Japan. Here, we present a summary of 457,878 breast cancer cases registered between 2004 and 2016. The median follow-up duration was 5.6 years. The median age at the start of treatment was 59 years (5-95%: 38-82 years) and increased from 57 years between 2004 and 2008 to 60 years between 2013 and 2016. The proportion of patients with Stage 0-II disease increased from 74.5% to 78.3%. The number of cases with estrogen and progesterone receptor positivity increased from 74.8% to 77.9% and 60.5% to 68.1%, respectively. Regarding (neo-)adjuvant chemotherapy, the taxane (T) or taxane-cyclophosphamide (C) regimen increased by 2.4% to 8.2%, but the (fluorouracil (F)) adriamycin (A)-C-T/(F) epirubicin (E)C-T and (F)AC/(F)EC regimens decreased by 18.6% to 15.2% and 13.5% to 5.0%, respectively. Regarding (neo-)adjuvant anti-human epidermal growth factor-2 (HER2)-targeted therapy, the use of trastuzumab increased from 4.6% to 10.5%. The rate of sentinel lymph node biopsy increased from 37.1% to 60.7%, while that of axillary dissection decreased from 54.5% to 22.6%. Improvements in disease-free and overall survival were observed in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, but there was no apparent trend in patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, or triple-negative breast cancers.

Non-surgical ablation for breast cancer: an emerging therapeutic option.

Non-surgical ablation is emerging as an alternative local therapy option for patients with early-stage breast cancer and encompasses two main types of percutaneous therapeutic procedures: radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation. Both techniques involve obliteration of a spherical lesion and feasibility studies have shown that complete tumour ablation is achievable with good or excellent cosmetic results. Although few clinical studies have directly compared non-surgical ablation with conventional surgical resection, observational studies indicate that clinical outcomes are favourable with acceptable rates of local control and no detriment to long-term survival. There remain outstanding issues with these percutaneous ablative techniques that require resolution before they could be incorporated into routine clinical practice. Hence, a consensus meeting was convened to discuss the challenges of non-surgical ablation and clarify indications for its use alongside clinical management pathways. In this Policy Review we will address some of the broader biological aspects of non-surgical ablation, including immune-modulatory effects and potential novel applications for the future.

Patient-Reported Outcomes in OlympiA: A Phase III, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Adjuvant Olaparib in gBRCA1/2 Mutations and High-Risk Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Negative Early Breast Cancer.

PURPOSE: The OlympiA randomized phase III trial compared 1 year of olaparib (OL) or placebo (PL) as adjuvant therapy in patients with germline BRCA1/2, high-risk human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative early breast cancer after completing (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy ([N]ACT), surgery, and radiotherapy. The patient-reported outcome primary hypothesis was that OL-treated patients may experience greater fatigue during treatment. METHODS: Data were collected before random assignment, and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. The primary end point was fatigue, measured with the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue scale. Secondary end points, assessed with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, Core 30 item, included nausea and vomiting (NV), diarrhea, and multiple functional domains. Scores were compared between treatment groups using mixed model for repeated measures. Two-sided P values <.05 were statistically significant for the primary end point. All secondary end points were descriptive. RESULTS: One thousand five hundred and thirty-eight patients (NACT: 746, ACT: 792) contributed to the analysis. Fatigue severity was statistically significantly greater for OL versus PL, but not clinically meaningfully different by prespecified criteria (≥3 points) at 6 months (diff OL v PL: NACT: -1.3 [95% CI, -2.4 to -0.2]; P = .022; ACT: -1.3 [95% CI, -2.3 to -0.2]; P = .017) and 12 months (NACT: -1.6 [95% CI, -2.8 to -0.3]; P = .017; ACT: -1.3 [95% CI, -2.4 to -0.2]; P = .025). There were no significant differences in fatigue severity between treatment groups at 18 and 24 months. NV severity was worse in patients treated with OL compared with PL at 6 months (NACT: 6.0 [95% CI, 4.1 to 8.0]; ACT: 5.3 [95% CI, 3.4 to 7.2]) and 12 months (NACT: 6.4 [95% CI, 4.4 to 8.3]; ACT: 4.5 [95% CI, 2.8 to 6.1]). During treatment, there were some clinically meaningful differences between groups for other symptoms but not for function subscales or global health status. CONCLUSION: Treatment-emergent symptoms from OL were limited, generally resolving after treatment ended. OL- and PL-treated patients had similar functional scores, slowly improving during the 24 months after (N)ACT and there was no clinically meaningful persistence of fatigue severity in OL-treated patients.

2020 Annual Report of National Clinical Database-Breast Cancer Registry: 10-year mortality of elderly breast cancer patients in Japan.

The Japanese Breast Cancer Society initiated the breast cancer registry in 1975, which transitioned to the National Clinical Database-Breast Cancer Registry in 2012. This annual report presents data from 2020 and analyzes the ten-year mortality rates for those aged 65 and older. We analyzed data from 93,784 breast cancer (BC) cases registered in 2020 and assessed 10-year mortality rates for 36,279 elderly patients diagnosed between 2008 and 2012. In 2020, 99.4% of BC cases were females with a median age of 61. Most (65%) were diagnosed at early stages (Stage 0 or I). Breast-conserving surgery rates varied with stages: 58.5% at cStage I, 30.8% at cStage II, and 13.1% at cStage III. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was done in 73.6% of cases, followed by radiotherapy in 70% of those post-conserving surgery and chemotherapy in 21.1% post-surgery. Pathology showed that 63.4% had tumors under 2.0 cm, 11.7% had pTis tumors, and 77.3% had no axillary lymph node metastasis. ER positivity was seen in 75.1%, HER2 in 14.3%, and 30% had a Ki67 positivity rate above 30%. Across all stages and subtypes, there was a trend where the 10-year mortality rates increased for individuals older than 65 years. In Stage I, many deaths were not directly linked to BC and, for those with HER2-type and triple-negative BC, breast cancer-related deaths increased with age. Within Stage II, patients older than 70 years with luminal-type BC often experienced deaths not directly linked to BC, whereas patients below 80 years with HER2-type and triple-negative BC, likely had breast cancer-related deaths. In Stage III, breast cancer-related deaths were more common, particularly in HER2 and triple-negative BC. Our prognostic analysis underscores distinct mortality patterns by stage, subtype, and age in elderly BC patients. It highlights the importance of personalized treatment strategies, considering subtype-specific aggressiveness, age-related factors, and comorbidities.

Diagnostic delays in breast cancer among young women: An emphasis on healthcare providers.

Despite advances in breast cancer care, breast cancer in young women (BCYW) faces unique challenges, diagnostic delays, and limited awareness in many countries. Here, we discuss the challenges and consequences associated with the delayed diagnosis of BCYW. The consequences of delayed diagnosis in young women - which generally varies among developed, developing, or underdeveloped countries - are severe due to a faster breast tumor growth rate than tumors in older women, also contributing to advanced cancer stages and poorer outcomes. Though there are many underlying reasons for diagnostic delays due to age, the article delves explicitly deep into the diagnostic delay of BCYW, focusing on healthcare providers, potential contributing factors, its consequences, and the urgent need to start minimizing such incidences. The article suggests several strategies to address these issues, including increasing awareness, developing educational programs for healthcare providers to identify signs and symptoms in young women, developing clear diagnostic guidelines, and improving screening strategies.

COX2 expression plays a role in spinal cord injury-induced neuropathic pain.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Elucidating the mechanism of neuropathic pain (NeP) is crucial as it can result in motor dysfunction and negatively impact quality of life in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Although it has been reported that cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) is involved in NeP in rat models of peripheral nerve injury and that COX2 inhibitors can alleviate NeP, these mechanisms after SCI have not been fully investigated. PURPOSE: The purpose is to investigate whether the thoracic SCI affects the expression of mRNAs for COX1 and COX2 in the lumbar spinal cord, and the effect of COX2 inhibitor on its behavior. STUDY DESIGN: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats underwent thoracic (T10) spinal cord contusion injury using an Infinite Horizon (IH) impactor device. SCI rats received COX2 inhibitors (50 µg/day) on days 5 and 6 after SCI. METHODS: Male SD rats underwent T10 laminectomy under mixed anesthesia, and IH impactors were applied to the same site to create a rat SCI model. Rats that underwent only laminectomy were designated as sham. Lumbar spinal cord at the L4-5 level was harvested at 3, 5, 7, 14, and 28 days after SCI, and COX2 and COX1 were quantified by reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR). COX2 expression, expression site, and expression time were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization histochemistry (ISHH) at the same time points. The expression site and time of COX2 expression were also examined at the same time point by ISHH. On 5th and 6th day after SCI, saline and COX2 inhibitor (50 µg/day) were administered into the subarachnoid space as a single dose, and the two groups were compared in terms of mechanical withdrawal latency using the dynamic plantar esthesiometer, which is an automated von Frey-type system. RESULTS: COX2 was significantly increased at 5 and 7 days after SCI, but no significant difference in COX1 was observed after SCI by RT-PCR. ISHH targeting COX2 showed clear expression of COX2 in spinal cord vascular endothelial cells at 5 and 7 days after SCI. COX2 expression was almost abolished at day 14 and 28. Behavioral experiments showed that pain was significantly improved from day 2 after COX2 inhibitor administration compared to the saline group, with improvement up to day 14 after SCI, but no significant difference was observed after day 21. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that thoracic SCI increased COX2 in vascular endothelial cells in the lumbar spinal cord and that the administration of COX2 inhibitor significantly alleviated mechanical hypersensitivity of the hind-paw following the thoracic SCI. Therefore, endothelial cell derived COX2 in the lumbar spinal cord may be involved in the induction of neuropathic pain in the SCI model rats. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The findings in the present study regarding the induction of endothelial COX2 and the effect of its inhibitor on the mechanical hypersensitivity suggest that endothelial cell-derived COX2 is one of the focuses for the treatment for neuropathic pain in the acute phase of SCI.

Time-series blood cytokine profiles correlate with treatment responses in triple-negative breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most heterogeneous breast cancer subtype. Partly due to its heterogeneity, it is currently challenging to stratify TNBC patients and predict treatment outcomes. METHODS: In this study, we examined blood cytokine profiles of TNBC patients throughout treatments (pre-treatment, during chemotherapy, pre-surgery, and 1 year after the surgery in a total of 294 samples). We analyzed the obtained cytokine datasets using weighted correlation network analyses, protein-protein interaction analyses, and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: We identified five cytokines that correlate with good clinical outcomes: interleukin (IL)-1α, TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), Stem Cell Factor (SCF), Chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5 also known as RANTES), and IL-16. The expression of these cytokines was decreased during chemotherapy and then restored after the treatment. Importantly, patients with good clinical outcomes had constitutively high expression of these cytokines during treatments. Protein-protein interaction analyses implicated that these five cytokines promote an immune response. Logistic regression analyses revealed that IL-1α and TRAIL expression levels at pre-treatment could predict treatment outcomes in our cohort. CONCLUSION: We concluded that time-series cytokine profiles in breast cancer patients may be useful for understanding immune cell activity during treatment and for predicting treatment outcomes, supporting precision medicine. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study has been registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry ( http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index-j.htm ) with the unique trial number UMIN000023162. The association Japan Breast Cancer Research Group trial number is JBCRG-22. The clinical outcome of the JBCRG-22 study was published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment on 25 March 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-021-06184-w .

Association of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Absolute Lymphocyte Count With Clinical Outcomes in Advanced Breast Cancer in the MONARCH 2 Trial.

BACKGROUND: Established prognostic factors for treatment response to cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 inhibitors are currently lacking. We aimed to investigate the relationship of pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) to abemaciclib outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a post hoc analysis of data from MONARCH 2, a phase III study of abemaciclib or placebo plus fulvestrant in hormone-receptor positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer that progressed on endocrine therapy. Patients were divided into high and low categories based on baseline NLR (cutoff: 2.5) and ALC (cutoff: 1.5 × 109/L). The association of baseline NLR and ALC with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was explored using Cox models and Kaplan-Meier estimates. Tumor response and safety were also examined. RESULTS: NLR and ALC data were available for 645 patients (abemaciclib: N = 426; placebo: N = 219). Low-baseline NLR or high-baseline ALC was consistently associated with positive PFS and OS trends; low-baseline NLR subgroups also showed trends for better response. The abemaciclib treatment effect against placebo was observed regardless of baseline NLR or ALC. Univariate analyses showed baseline NLR and ALC were prognostic of PFS and OS. Baseline NLR remained significant in the multivariate model (P < .0001). No unexpected differences in safety were observed by baseline NLR or ALC. CONCLUSION: Baseline NLR was independently prognostic of PFS and OS. Low-baseline NLR was associated with numerically better efficacy outcomes, but the benefit of adding abemaciclib to fulvestrant was similar irrespective of baseline NLR status.

Patient-reported outcomes in high-risk HR+ /HER2- early breast cancer patients treated with endocrine therapy with or without palbociclib within the randomized PENELOPEB study.

BACKGROUND: The PENELOPEB trial investigating efficacy and safety of additional 1-year post-neoadjuvant palbociclib to standard endocrine therapy (ET) high-risk hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) early breast cancer patients failed to improve invasive disease-free survival (iDFS). This analysis compared patient-reported outcomes (PROs) between treatment groups. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients received 13 cycles of palbociclib 125 mg/day (n = 631) or placebo (n = 619) orally for 3 out of 4 weeks + ET. European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), its breast cancer (BR23) and fatigue (FA13) modules, mood questionnaire GAD7 and European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) instruments were used for the assessment of quality of life (QoL). Repeated-measures mixed-effects models were used to evaluate differences in PRO, changes of PRO over time, and treatment-by-time interactions. RESULTS: 924 of 1250 patients (73.9%) completed baseline and at least one post-baseline questionnaire of all PRO instruments. General health status (GHS)/QoL based on EORTC QLQ-C30 was high in both arms (mean [SD]: palbociclib 70.1 [19.3], placebo 71.4 [18.8]) and was slightly higher in the placebo arm (LeastSquare mean difference: 0.82, p < 0.001). Higher fatigue was reported in the palbociclib arm (mean [SD]: 30.3 [23.8] vs. placebo 28.3 [22.7]; p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed among FA13 physical, cognitive, and emotional fatigue subscales. CONCLUSION: Patient-reported global QoL and fatigue did not substantially change in both treatment arms. Slight differences in GHS, physical functioning, and fatigue favored the placebo arm statistically without achieving clinically meaningful thresholds.

Medical care costs according to the stage and subtype of breast cancer in a municipal setting: a case study of Hachioji City, Japan.

BACKGROUND: It is important to assess whether the early detection of breast cancer affects medical care costs. However, research remains scant on the actual medical care costs associated with breast cancer treatment in Japan. This study aimed to determine the medical care costs of breast cancer treatment based on its stage using national health insurance claims data. METHODS: This was an observational study including patients with breast cancer who had undergone breast cancer treatment, as defined by the disease name and related treatment codes. Between August 2013 and June 2016, patients who underwent surgical treatment without axillary lymph node dissection and other radical treatment were classified as the curable group, while those who underwent palliative treatment were classified as the non-curable group. Patients were further stratified by subtype. The total and treatment-specific medical care costs for the five years were calculated using the national health insurance claims data of Hachioji City between August 2013 and May 2021. RESULTS: The mean total medical care costs for the curable and non-curable groups for the 5 years were JPY 3958 thousand (standard deviation 2664) and JPY 8289 thousand (8482), respectively. The mean medical care costs for specific breast cancer treatment for the curable and non-curable groups were JPY 1142 (728) thousand and JPY 3651 thousand (5337), respectively. Further, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 + , Hormone + patients had the highest mean cost over the 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the early detection of breast cancer may reduce medical care costs at the patient level.

Annual report of the Japanese Breast Cancer Registry for 2019.

This is an annual report by the Japanese Breast Cancer Society regarding the clinical data on breast cancer extracted from the National Clinical Database-Breast Cancer Registry (NCD-BCR) of Japan. Here, we present an updated summary of 98,300 breast cancer cases registered in 2019. The median age at cancer diagnosis was 61 years (interquartile range 49-72 years), and 30.6% of the breast cancer patients were premenopausal. Of the 93,840 patients without distant metastases, 14,118 (15.0%) and 42,047 (44.8%) were diagnosed with stage 0 and I disease, respectively. Breast-conserving surgery was performed in 42,080 (44.8%) patients. Regarding axillary procedures, 62,677 (66.8%) and 7371 (7.9%) patients underwent sentinel node biopsy and axillary node dissection after biopsy, respectively. Whole breast irradiation was administered to 29,795 (70.8%) of the 42,080 patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery. Chest wall irradiation was administered to 5524 (11.1%) of the 49,637 patients who underwent mastectomy. Of the 6912 clinically lymph node-negative patients who received preoperative therapy, 5250 (76.0%) and 427 (6.2%) underwent sentinel node biopsy and axillary node dissection after biopsy, respectively; however, 602 (8.7%) patients initially underwent axillary node dissection without biopsy.