Multidisciplinary Management of Breast Cancer and Role of the Patient Navigator.

Modern breast cancer treatment is multidisciplinary. Comprehensive breast centers are uniquely positioned to treat patients in a multidisciplinary fashion, providing timely diagnoses, state-of-the-art treatment options, and survivorship care. Important ancillary services can improve patients' emotional, financial, physical, and sexual distress. Patient navigators are the link between these provided services and the patient.

Does Breast Cancer Subtype Impact Margin Status in Patients Undergoing Partial Mastectomy?

BACKGROUND: Molecular subtype in invasive breast cancer guides systemic therapy. It is unknown whether molecular subtype should also be considered to tailor surgical therapy. The present investigation was designed to evaluate whether breast cancer subtype impacted surgical margins in patients with invasive breast cancer stage I through III undergoing breast-conserving therapy. METHODS: Data from 2 randomized trials evaluating cavity shave margins (CSM) on margin status in patients undergoing partial mastectomy (PM) were used for this analysis. Patients were included if invasive carcinoma was present in the PM specimen and data for all 3 receptors (ER, PR, and HER2) were known. Patients were classified as luminal if they were ER and/or PR positive; HER2 enriched if they were ER and PR negative but HER2 positive; and TN if they were negative for all 3 receptors. The impact of subtype on the margin status was evaluated at completion of standard PM, prior to randomization to CSM versus no CSM. Non-parametric statistical analyses were performed using SPSS Version 26. RESULTS: Molecular subtype was significantly correlated with race (P = .011), palpability (P = .007), and grade (P < .001). Subtype did not correlate with Hispanic ethnicity (P = .760) or lymphovascular invasion (P = .756). In this cohort, the overall positive margin rate was 33.7%. This did not vary based on molecular subtype (positive margin rate 33.7% for patients with luminal tumors vs 36.4% for those with TN tumors, P = .425). DISCUSSION: Molecular subtype does not predict margin status. Therefore, molecular subtype should not, independent of other factors, influence surgical decision-making.

Are we choosing wisely? Drivers of preoperative MRI use in breast cancer patients.

INTRODUCTION: Factors contributing to the use of preoperative MRI remain poorly understood. METHODS: Data from a randomized controlled trial of stage 0-3 breast cancer patients undergoing breast conserving surgery between 2016 and 2018 were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 396 patients in this trial, 32.6% had a preoperative MRI. Patient age, race, ethnicity, tumor histology, and use of neoadjuvant therapy were significant predictors of MRI use. On multivariate analysis, younger patients with invasive lobular tumors were more likely to have a preoperative MRI. Rates also varied significantly by individual surgeon (p < 0.001); in particular, female surgeons (39.9% vs. 24.0% for male surgeons, p = 0.001) and those in community practice (58.9% vs. 14.2% for academic, p < 0.001) were more likely to order preoperative MRI. Rates declined over the two years of the study, particularly among female surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative MRI varies with patient age and tumor histology; however, there remains variability by individual surgeon.

Resection of Cavity Shave Margins in Stage 0-III Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Breast Conserving Surgery: A Prospective Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Single-center studies have demonstrated that resection of cavity shave margins (CSM) halves the rate of positive margins and re-excision in breast cancer patients undergoing partial mastectomy (PM). We sought to determine if these findings were externally generalizable across practice settings. METHODS: In this multicenter randomized controlled trial occurring in 9 centers across the United States, stage 0-III breast cancer patients undergoing PM were randomly assigned to either have resection of CSM ("shave" group) or not ("no shave" group). Randomization occurred intraoperatively, after the surgeon had completed their standard PM. Primary outcome measures were positive margin and re-excision rates. RESULTS: Between July 28, 2016 and April 13, 2018, 400 patients were enrolled in this trial. Four patients (2 in each arm) did not meet inclusion criteria after randomization, leaving 396 patients for analysis: 196 in the "shave" group and 200 to the "no shave" group. Median patient age was 65 years (range; 29-94). Groups were well matched at baseline for demographic and clinicopathologic factors. Prior to randomization, positive margin rates were similar in the "shave" and "no shave" groups (76/196 (38.8%) vs. 72/200 (36.0%), respectively, P = 0.604). After randomization, those in the "shave" group were significantly less likely than those in the "no shave" group to have positive margins (19/196 (9.7%) vs. 72/200 (36.0%), P < 0.001), and to require re-excision or mastectomy for margin clearance (17/196 (8.7%) vs. 47/200 (23.5%), P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Resection of CSM significantly reduces positive margin and re-excision rates in patients undergoing PM.

The effect of hyaluronan hydrogel on fat graft survival.

BACKGROUND: Autologous fat transplantation is a common technique for soft tissue augmentation in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery; however, the degree of fat graft take can be unpredictable. Hyaluronan has been shown to be a promising cell carrier in adipose tissue engineering. OBJECTIVES: The authors investigate the effect of a hyaluronan hydrogel on fat graft survival, angiogenesis, and volume maintenance in a rat model. METHODS: Fat was harvested from the groins of 27 rats, processed, and injected beneath the animals' dorsums to form 2 grafts: 1 containing fat alone and 1 containing fat and hyaluronan hydrogel in a 1:1 mix (fat-HA). The grafts were scanned in vivo under high-resolution computed tomography at baseline and prior to euthanasia at 4, 12, and 20 weeks to measure total fat-HA graft volume as well as the volume of the fat component alone. Histological studies were performed after sacrifice to evaluate fat necrosis and blood vessel density. RESULTS: All grafts were clinically viable. Overall, fat necrosis was significantly reduced in the fat-HA grafts compared with the grafts containing fat alone (P < .001). This difference was most profound at 4 weeks (P = .008) but did not reach statistical significance at 12 and 20 weeks. At 12 weeks, blood vessel density in the fat-HA grafts was significantly greater than in the grafts containing fat alone (P = .016), but this did not reach statistical significance at 4 or 20 weeks. At 20 weeks, the fat component of the fat-HA graft had significantly less volume loss than the fat-alone graft (P = .008). CONCLUSIONS: When mixed with fat, hyaluronan hydrogel can improve early fat graft survival and may enhance vascularity and prolong volume maintenance.

Methods of assessment of cortical plasticity in patients following amputation, replantation, and composite tissue allograft transplantation.

The brain is always adapting to new inputs from the environment. New noninvasive techniques are available to scrupulously study cortical plasticity. Several studies have proven that these modifications of neural pathways occur because of denervation from injury such as amputation. Changes that occur rapidly are likely because of unmasking of established synapses that are latent, whereas changes that occur over long periods of time are more likely because of establishment of new neural connections. Cortical reorganization that occurs from traumatic amputation has been shown to be reversible with replantation and transplantation. With the new field of composite tissue transplantation, such as hand or face, it is critical to be aware of these changes to choose potential patients and to modify their rehabilitation, on the basis of our understanding of the cortical reorganization that occurs over time.