Suboptimal use of ovarian function suppression in very young women with early breast cancer: a real-world data study.

PURPOSE: The incidence of breast cancer in young women (BCYW) has increased in recent decades. Malignant disease in this subset is characterized by its aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Ovarian function suppression (OFS) in these patients improves survival especially in hormone receptor-positive (HR +) cases. The Regan Composite Risk (RCR) is a prognostic tool to identify high-risk HR + BC candidates for OFS. Our study sought to characterize a Chilean cohort of early HR + BCYW assessing the use of OFS and its related prognosis and the utility of RCR in our patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective population cohort study that included ≤ 35-year-old early HR + /human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 -negative (HER2-) BC patients treated between 2001 and 2021. Analysis included clinical-pathological characteristics, treatment strategies, and survival. Also, we evaluated the association between RCR and survival. RESULTS: A total of 143 patients were included into our study, representing 2.9% of all early BC cases in our registry. Median age was 31 years old (range: 19-35). Most patients (93%) received endocrine therapy (ET). Of these, 18% received OFS. No survival differences were observed among treatment strategies. Median RCR score for patients treated with CT plus ET was significantly higher vs. ET alone (2.95 vs. 1.91; p = 0.0001). Conversely, patients treated with tamoxifen alone had significantly lower RCR scores vs. OFS (2.72 vs. 3.14; p = 0.04). Higher RCR scores were associated with poorer overall survival. CONCLUSION: Less than 20% of very young women with early HR + /HER2-BC in our cohort received OFS, in most cases, this involved surgical oophorectomy. RCR score was higher in patients that underwent CT and OFS and was associated with survival, regardless of treatment. We confirm the RCR score as a valuable prognostic tool to identify high-risk BC patients who could benefit from OFS.

Latin American Challenges and Recommendations for Poly Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose Polymerase Inhibitor Treatment in Metastatic Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer: An Expert Overview.

In Latin America, prostate cancer is the third most common cancer overall and the most common in men, with the highest mortality rate of all cancers. In 2022, there were approximately 22,985 new prostate cancer cases and 61,056 deaths from prostate cancer in the region. Patients with metastatic disease that is resistant to cure by castration now have multiple therapeutic options, including poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors. These treatment advances present new challenges, such as developing monitoring protocols for early detection of disease progression to castration resistance. The Americas Health Foundation organized a 3-day meeting with 8 regional oncologists and pathologists to create a paper on metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer diagnosis and therapy, including the new poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors. The panel examined metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in Latin America and recommended ways to improve patient care using published literature and their expertise. Gene mutations play an important role in prostate cancer development. Precision medicine innovations highlight the importance of genotyping DNA variants and tumor biomarkers for targeted treatment. Access to appropriate genetic testing is difficult, medications are available but expensive, and there is a lack of infrastructure and regulatory frameworks that prevent patients from benefiting from innovative therapies. The panel recommends developing a population database and biobank and creating tumor tissue collection, processing, and storage facilities. Multi-stakeholder collaboration is needed to integrate the information gathered, train staff, select target populations, improve patient accessibility, and reduce the cost burden of drugs, genetic counselors, and cancer geneticists in Latin America. Collaboration is essential among healthcare professionals, policymakers, patient advocacy groups, pharmaceutical companies, and international organizations to address these challenges and needs in Latin America.

Moderate hypofractionated radiotherapy to the prostate bed with or without pelvic lymph nodes: a prospective trial.

Background: Hypofractionated radiotherapy in the treatment of prostate cancer has been widely studied. However, in the postoperative setting it has been less explored. The objective of this prospective study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of hypofractionated radiotherapy in postoperative prostate cancer. Materials and methods: A prospective study was designed to include patients with prostate cancer with an indication of postoperative radiotherapy as adjuvant or salvage. A hypofractionated radiotherapy scheme of 51 Gy in 17 fractions was performed with the possibility of treating the pelvis at a dose of 36 Gy in 12 fractions sequentially. Safety was evaluated based on acute and late toxicity [according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) scale and Common Terminology Criteria Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.03], International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) over time, and quality of life. Results: From August 2020 to June 2022, 31 patients completed treatment and were included in this report. 35.5% of patients received elective treatment of the pelvic nodal areas. Most patients reported minimal or low acute toxicity, with an acute gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) grade 3 or greater toxicity of 3.2% and 0%, respectively. The evolution in time of the IPSS remained without significant differences (p = 0.42). With the exception of a significant improvement in the domains of hormonal and sexual symptoms of the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) questionnaire, the rest of the domains [EPIC, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Core quality of life questionnaire (C-30) and Prostate Cancer module (PR-25)] were maintained without significant differences over time. With a follow-up of 15.4 months, late GI and GU grade 2 toxicity was reported greater than 0% and 9.6%, respectively. Conclusions: Hypofractionated radiotherapy in postoperative prostate cancer appears to be safe with low reports of relevant acute or late toxicity. Further follow-up is required to confirm these results. Trial registration: The protocol was approved by the accredited Medical Ethical Committee of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. All participants accepted and wrote informed consent.

Clinical characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes in Chilean triple negative breast cancer patients: a real-world study.

BACKGROUND: Latin American (LA) studies on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and their characteristics are scarce. This forces physicians to make clinical decisions based on data obtained from studies that include non-Hispanic patients. Our study sought to obtain local epidemiological data, including risk factors and clinical outcomes from a Chilean BC registry. METHODS: This was a retrospective population-cohort study that included patients treated at a community hospital (mid-low income) or an academic private center (high income), in the 2010-2021 period. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors associated with survival. RESULTS: 647 out of 5,806 BC patients (11.1%) were TNBC. These patients were younger (p = 0.0001) and displayed lower rates of screening-detected cases (p = 0.0001) compared to non-TNBC counterparts. Among TNBC patients, lower income (i. e., receiving treatment at a community hospital) was associated with poorer overall survival (HR: 1.53; p = 0.0001) and poorer BC specific survival (HR: 1.29; p = 0.004). Other risk factors showed no significant differences between TNBC and non-TNBC. As expected, 5-year OS was significantly shorter on TNBC versus non-TNBC patients (p = 0.00001). In our multivariate analyses TNBC subtype (HR: 2.30), locally advanced stage (HR: 7.04 for stage III), lower income (HR: 1.64), or non-screening detected BC (HR: 1.32) were associated with poorer OS. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest LA cohort of TNBC patients. Interestingly, the proportion of TNBC among Chileans was smaller compared to similar studies within LA. As expected, TNBC patients had poorer survival and higher risk for early recurrence versus non-TNBC. Other relevant findings include a higher proportion of premenopausal patients among TNBC. Also, mid/low-income patients that received medical attention at a community hospital displayed lower survival versus private health center counterparts.

Access disparities and underutilization of germline genetic testing in Chilean breast cancer patients.

PURPOSE: Latin American reports on genetic cancer risk assessments are scarce. In Chile, current breast cancer (BC) guidelines do not define strategies for germline genetic testing. Our study sought to quantify the disparities in access to genetic testing in Chilean BC patients, according to international standards and their clinical characteristics to explore improvement strategies. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of invasive BC databases including patients treated in a Public Hospital (PH) and in an Academic Private Center (AC) in Santiago, Chile between 2012 and 2021. RESULTS: Of 5438 BC patients, 3955 had enough data for National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) categorization. From these, 1911 (48.3%) fulfilled NCCN criteria for germline testing, of whom, 300 were tested for germline mutations and 268 with multigene panels. A total of 65 pathogenic variants were found in this subset. As expected, BRCA1/2 mutations were the most frequent (17.7%). Access to genetic testing was higher in AC versus PH (19.6% vs. 10.3%, p = 0.0001). Other variables associated with germline genetic testing were BC diagnosis after 2018, being 45 years old or younger at diagnosis, BC family history (FH), FH of ovarian cancer, non-metastatic disease, and triple-negative subtype. CONCLUSION: In our cohort, 15% of BC patients who met NCCN criteria for germline testing were effectively tested. This percentage was even lower at the PH. Current recommendations encourage universal genetic testing for BC patients; however, our findings suggest that Chile is far from reaching such a goal and national guidelines in this regard are urgently needed. To our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind in Chile and Latin America.

Hypofractionation as a solution to radiotherapy access in latin america: expert perspective.

Background: Limited radiation therapy resources have resulted in an interest in developing time and cost-saving innovations to expand access to cancer treatment, in Latin America. Therefore, hypofractionated radiotherapy (HRT) is a possible solution, as this modality delivers radiation over a shorter period of time. Materials and methods: A selected panel of Latin American (LA) experts in fields related to HRT were provided with a series of relevant questions to address, prior to the multi-day conference. Within this meeting, each narrative was discussed and edited, through numerous rounds of discussion, until agreement was achieved. Results: The challenges identified in increasing the adoption of HRT in LA include a lack of national and regional clinical practice guidelines and cancer registries; a lack of qualified human resources and personnel education; high up-front costs of equipment; disparate resource distribution and scarce HRT research. An analysis for these overarching challenges was developed and answered with recommendations. Conclusion: Extending the adoption of HRT in LA can provide a path forward to increase access to radiotherapy and overcome the shortage of equipment. HRT has the potential to improve population health outcomes and patient centered care, while offering comparable local control, toxicity, palliation, and late effects for multiple indications, when compared to conventional RT. Concerted efforts from all involved stakeholders are needed to overcome the barriers in adopting this strategy in LA countries. The recommendations presented in this article can serve as a plan of action for HRT adoption in other countries in a similar situation.

Screen-detected breast cancer is associated with better prognosis and survival compared to self-detected/symptomatic cases in a Chilean cohort of female patients.

PURPOSE: The implementation of national breast cancer (BC) screening programs in Latin America has been rather inconsistent. Instead, most countries have opted for "opportunistic" mammogram screenings on the population at risk. Our study assessed and compared epidemiological, clinical factors, and survival rates associated with BC detected by screening (SDBC) or self-detected/symptomatic (non-SDBC) in Chilean female patients. METHODS: Registry-based cohort study that included non-metastatic BC (stage I/II/III) patients diagnosed between 1993 and 2020, from a public hospital (PH) and a private university cancer center (PC). Epidemiological and clinical data were obtained from medical records. RESULTS: A total of 4559 patients were included. Most patients (55%; n = 2507) came from PH and were diagnosed by signs/symptoms (non-SDBC; n = 3132, 68.6%); these patients displayed poorer overall (OS) and invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) compared to SDBC. Importantly, the proportion of stage I and "luminal" BC (HR + /HER2 -) were significantly higher in SDBC vs. non-SDBC. Finally, using a stage/subset-stratified age/insurance-adjusted model, we found that non-SDBC cases are at a higher risk of death (HR:1.75; p < 0.001). In contrast, patients with PC health insurance have a lower risk of death (HR: 0.60; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We confirm previous studies that report better prognosis/survival on SDBC patients. This is probably due to a higher proportion of stage I and luminal-A cases versus non-SDBC. In turn, the survival benefit observed in patients with PC health insurance might be attributed to a larger proportion of SDBC. Our data support the implementation of a systematic BC screening program in Chile to improve patient prognosis and survival rates.

Multimodal assessment of acute cardiac toxicity induced by thoracic radiotherapy in cancer patients. Study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Today, cancer ranks as one of the leading causes of death. Despite the large number of novel available therapies, radiotherapy (RT) remains as the most effective non-surgical method to cure cancer patients. In fact, approximately 50% of all cancer patients receive some type of RT and among these 60% receive RT-treatment with a curative intent. However, as occurs with any other oncological therapy, RT treated patients may experience toxicity side effects that range from moderate to severe. Among these, cardiotoxicity represents a significant threat for premature death. Current methods evaluate cardiotoxic damage based on volumetric changes in the Left Ventricle Ejected Fraction (LVEF). Indeed, a 10% drop in LVEF is commonly used as indicator of cardiotoxicity. More recently, a number of novel techniques have been developed that significantly improve specificity and sensitivity of heart's volumetric changes and early detection of cardiotoxicity even in asymptomatic patients. Among these, the Strain by Speckle Tracking (SST) is a technique based on echocardiographic analysis that accurately evaluates myocardial deformation during the cardiac cycle (ventricular and atrial function). Studies also suggest that Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a high-resolution technique that enables a better visualization of acute cardiac damage. METHODOLOGY: This protocol will evaluate changes in SST and MRI in cancer patients that received thoracic RT. Concomitantly, we will assess changes in serum biomarkers of cardiac damage in these patients, including: high-sensitivity cardiac Troponin-T (hscTnT), N-Terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NTproBNP) and Circulating Endothelial Cells (CECs), a marker of endothelial dysfunction and vascular damage. DISCUSSION: The presented protocol is to our knowledge the first to prospectively and with a multimodal approach, study serological and image biomarkers off early cardiac damage due to radiotherapy. With a practical clinical approach we will seek early changes that could potentially be in the future be linked to clinical mayor events with consequences for cancer survivors.

Radiotherapy for cervical cancer: Chilean consensus of the Society of Radiation Oncology.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a public health problem in Latin America. Radiotherapy plays a fundamental role both as definitive or adjuvant treatment. There are important intra and inter-country differences regarding access and availability of radiotherapy facilities in this region. The aim of a study was to standardize the basic clinical and technical criteria for the radiation treatment of patients with CC in Chile and provide a guide for Latin American Radiation Oncologists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one expert radiation oncologists from the Chilean Radiation Oncology Society made a consensus using the Delphi methodology. RESULTS: There was a high degree of agreement for each of the recommendations. Those with the lowest percentage were related to the definition of the conformal 3D technique as the standard for definitive external radiotherapy (81%) and the criteria for extended nodal irradiation (85%). CONCLUSIONS: These recommendations present an updated guide for radiotherapy treatment of patients with cervical cancer for Latin America. Those should be implemented according to local resources of each institution.

Survival rates of advanced estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer. Analysis of 211 cases.

BACKGROUND: About 80% of breast cancer (BC) cases express estrogen receptor (ER), which has been correlated with good prognosis and response to estrogen deprivation Aim: To characterize ER positive advanced BC (ABC) patients treated at our institution assessing the impact of clinical pre-sentation (stage IV, de novo disease at diagnosis versus systemic recurrence) and BC subtype on survival rates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated 211 ER+ advanced BC (ABC) patients, treated between 1997 and 2017. RESULTS: The median overall survival (OS) was 37 months. Median OS for the period 1997/2006 and 2007/2017 were 33 and 42 months, respectively (p = 0.47). Luminal A, ABC stage IV disease at diagnosis displayed better OS rates than Luminal B stage IV tumors (100 and 32 months respectively, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical presentation (stage IV vs. systemic recurrence) and tumor subtype are key determinants of OS in ABC.

Dietary Interventions for Cancer Prevention: An Update to ACS International Guidelines.

Cancer, the second leading cause of death worldwide, demands the identification of modifiable risk factors to optimize its prevention. Diet has emerged as a pivotal focus in current research efforts. This literature review aims to enhance the ACS guidelines on diet and cancer by integrating the latest findings and addressing unresolved questions. The methodology involved an advanced PubMed search with specific filters relevant to the research topic. Topics covered include time-restricted diet, diet quality, acid load, counseling, exercise and diet combination, Mediterranean diet, vegetarian and pescetarian diets, weight loss, dairy consumption, coffee and tea, iron, carbohydrates, meat, fruits and vegetables, heavy metals, micronutrients, and phytoestrogens. The review highlights the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in reducing cancer risk. Adherence to overnight fasting or carbohydrate consumption may contribute to cancer prevention, but excessive fasting may harm patients' quality of life. A vegetarian/pescetarian diet is associated with lower risks of general and colorectal cancer compared to a carnivorous diet. High heme and total iron intake are linked to increased lung cancer risk, while phytoestrogen intake is associated with reduced risk. Coffee and tea have a neutral impact on cancer risk. Finally, the roles of several preventive micronutrients and carcinogenic heavy metals are discussed.

Calorie Restriction and Time-Restricted Feeding: Effective Interventions in Overweight or Obese Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy Treatment with Curative Intent for Cancer.

This study assesses the feasibility of calorie restriction (CR) and time-restricted feeding (TRF) in overweight and obese cancer patients who realized little to no physical activity undergoing curative radiotherapy, structured as a prospective, interventional, non-randomized open-label clinical trial. Of the 27 participants initially enrolled, 21 patients with breast cancer were selected for analysis. The participants self-selected into two dietary interventions: TRF, comprising a sugar and saturated fat-free diet calibrated to individual energy needs consumed within an 8 h eating window followed by a 16 h fast, or CR, involving a 25% reduction in total caloric intake from energy expenditure distributed across 4 meals and 1 snack with 55% carbohydrates, 15% protein, and 30% fats, excluding sugars and saturated fats. The primary goal was to evaluate the feasibility of these diets in the specific patient group. The results indicate that both interventions are effective and statistically significant for weight loss and reducing one's waist circumference, with TRF showing a potentially stronger impact and better adherence. Changes in the LDL, HDL, total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and insulin were not statistically significant.

High linoleic acid levels in red blood cells predict a poor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2-positive breast cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: Polyunsaturated fatty acids are categorized as ω-3 or ⍵-6. Previous studies demonstrate that breast cancers display a high expression of fatty acid synthase and high fatty acid levels. Our study sought to determine if changes in plasma or red blood cell membrane fatty acid levels were associated with the response to preoperative (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy in non-metastatic breast cancer patients. METHODS: Our prospective study assessed fatty acid levels in plasma and red blood cell membrane. Response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy was evaluated by the presence or absence of pathologic complete response and/or residual cancer burden. RESULTS: A total of 28 patients were included. First, patients who achieved pathologic complete response had significantly higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio versus no pathologic complete response (P = 0.003). Second, total red blood cell membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids were higher in the absence of pathologic complete response (P = 0.0028). Third, total red blood cell membrane ⍵-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids were also higher in no pathologic complete response (P < 0.01). Among ⍵-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, red blood cell membrane linoleic acid was higher in the absence of pathologic complete response (P < 0.01). Notably, plasma polyunsaturated fatty acid, ⍵-6, and linoleic acid levels did not have significant differences. A multivariate analysis confirmed red blood cell membrane linoleic acid was associated with no pathologic complete response; this was further confirmed by receiver operating characteristic analysis (specificity = 92.3%, sensitivity = 76.9%, and area under the curve = 0.855). CONCLUSIONS: Pending further validation, red blood cell membrane linoleic acid might serve as a predictor biomarker of poorer response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in non-metastatic human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2-positive breast cancer. Measuring fatty acids in red blood cell membrane could offer a convenient, minimally invasive strategy to identifying patients more likely to respond or those with chemoresistance.

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy versus radical prostatectomy in patients with localized prostate cancer: long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this work was to assess the overall survival, cause-specific survival and biochemical failure-free survival of a contemporary cohort of patients with localized prostate cancer (PCa) treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or radical prostatectomy (RP). METHODS: We did a retrospective cohort study of our institution's registry of patients undergoing either IMRT or RP between January 1999 and March 2010, and assessed Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), age at diagnosis, Gleason score, and digital rectal examination. Two groups were separated according to RP or IMRT treatment and these groups were in turn divided into risk groups according to the D'Amico classification. Overall survival (OS), cause-specific survival (CSS), mortality from other causes (MOC), and biochemical disease-free survival (BDFS) were assessed. RESULTS: Twelve-hundred patients were included: 993 in the RP group and 207 in the IMRT group.The IMRT group had older age, PSA at diagnosis and a significantly higher percentage of cancer on the needle biopsy (p <0.001). Of the 207 patients who underwent IMRT, 54% presented comorbidities. Median follow-up was 91.7 months for the RP group and 76 months for the IMRT group. The OS at 5 and 7 was 96.2, and 93.7 for the RP group respectively and 88.4, and 83.1 for the IMRT group respectively (p <0.001). There were no significant differences in the CSS in relation to treatment received among the low- and high-risk groups, while in the intermediate-risk group, patients who underwent to RP had a higher CSS than patients who underwent IMRT (99.6% vs 94.1%, p=0.003). The IMRT group had a significantly better BDFS than the RP group (86.4% vs. 74.3%, respectively, p=0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated with RP were significantly younger and had a better prognosis than patients treated using IMRT, and according to our results, RP had better outcomes in terms of OS while IMRT had greater MOC. Treatment modality did not affect the CSS.

Dosimetric Evaluation of Cardiac Structures on Left Breast Cancer Radiotherapy: Impact of Movement, Dose Calculation Algorithm and Treatment Technique.

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed and leading cause of cancer-related deaths among females. The treatment of breast cancer with radiotherapy, albeit effective, has been shown to be toxic to the heart, resulting in an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease and associated fatalities. Methods: In this study, we evaluated the impact of respiratory movement, treatment plans and dose calculation algorithm on the dose delivered to the heart and its substructures during left breast radiotherapy over a cohort of 10 patients. We did this through three image sets, four different treatment plans and the employment of three algorithms on the same treatment plan. The dose parameters were then employed to estimate the impact on the 9-year excess cumulative risk for acute cardiac events by applying the model proposed by Darby. Results: The left ventricle was the structure most irradiated. Due to the lack of four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT), we used a set of images called phase-average CT that correspond to the average of the images from the respiratory cycle (exhale, exhale 50%, inhale, inhale 50%). When considering these images, nearly 10% of the heart received more than 5 Gy and doses were on average 27% higher when compared to free breathing images. Deep inspiration breath-hold plans reduced cardiac dose for nine out of 10 patients and reduced mean heart dose in about 50% when compared to reference plans. We also found that the implementation of deep inspiration breath-hold would reduce the relative lifetime risk of ischemic heart disease to 10%, in comparison to 21% from the reference plan. Conclusion: Our findings illustrate the importance of a more accurate determination of the dose and its consideration in cardiologists' consultation, a factor often overlooked during clinical examination. They also motivate the evaluation of the dose to the heart substructures to derive new heart dose constraints, and a more mindful and individualized clinical practice depending on the treatment employed.

Barriers for research activities in residency programs: A mix-methods study.

Introduction: Research activities have a positive impact on the performance of residents. However, information on research conducted by residents from developing countries is scarce. Our study sought to identify the barriers and facilitators for developing research in medical residency programs in a Latin-American faculty of medicine. Methods: A mixed methodology study design was carried out. We used a grounded theory approach for the qualitative phase, collecting data through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with faculty and residents. For the quantitative phase, surveys were administered to residents and teachers. We used factor analysis and scree plot (validity), Cronbach's alpha, and Intraclass correlation coefficient (reliability) to evaluate the surveys' psychometric properties. Results: Focus groups involving ten faculty members and 15 residents were conducted, and the following domains were identified: a) facilitators for resident participation, b) barriers, c) strategies for introducing research into the curriculum, d) arguments supporting research activities throughout medical residency, and e) profile of research-motivated residents. Both residents and faculty members identified a lack of protected time and adequate mentoring as the major barriers. A gender gap was found related to international publications (34% vs. 66% women/men); women perceived that research activities 'compete with other activities' (OR: 2.04, 95% CI 1.03 to 4.07). Conclusions: Research is highly valued by both residents and faculty members at a Latin-American university with a strong academic output. Major barriers to promoting research in this context include lack of protected time and effective mentoring, and gender gaps. Strategies proposed to improve research within medical residency programs include: establishing an interdisciplinary mentoring program between residents and researchers, promoting elective rotations, and rewarding proposals that consider gender equity.

Introducción: Las actividades de investigación tienen un impacto positivo en el rendimiento de los médicos residentes. Falta información sobre investigaciones desarrolladas por residentes de países en vías de desarrollo. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar las barreras y facilitadores para la investigación en programas de residencia en una Facultad de Medicina de América Latina. Métodos: Se llevó a cabo un diseño de estudio de metodología mixta. Utilizamos un enfoque de teoría fundamentada para la fase cualitativa, recopilando los datos a través de entrevistas semiestructuradas y grupos focales con profesores y residentes. Para la fase cuantitativa, se administraron encuestas a residentes y profesores. Para evaluar las propiedades psicométricas de las encuestas utilizamos análisis factorial y scree plot (validez); alfa de Cronbach y coeficiente de Correlación Intraclase (confiabilidad). Resultados: Se realizaron grupos focales que incluyeron diez profesores y quince residentes, y se identificaron los siguientes dominios: a) facilitadores para la participación de los residentes, b) barreras, c) estrategias para introducir la investigación en el currículo, d) argumentos que respaldan las actividades de investigación durante la residencia, y e) perfil de los residentes motivados en la investigación. Tanto los residentes como el profesorado identificaron la falta de tiempo protegido y la ausencia de tutoría adecuada como las principales barreras. Se encontró una brecha de género relacionada con las publicaciones internacionales (34% vs 66% mujeres/hombres), las mujeres percibieron que las actividades de investigación 'compiten con otras actividades' (OR: 2.04, IC 95% 1.03 a 4.07). Conclusiones: Los residentes y profesores de una universidad latinoamericana de alta productividad valoran mucho la investigación. La presencia de brecha de género, la falta de tiempo protegido y de tutorías destacan como las principales barreras. Las estrategias propuestas para mejorar la investigación dentro de los programas de residencia son: establecer un programa de tutoría interdisciplinario entre residentes e investigadores; promover las rotaciones electivas; y premiar propuestas que consideren la equidad de género.

Upper-Limb Disability and the Severity of Lymphedema Reduce the Quality of Life of Patients with Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema.

Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is characterized by arm swelling, pain, and discomfort, reducing the quality of life (QoL) of affected individuals. BRCL is caused via the blockage or disruption of the lymphatic vessels following cancer treatments, leading to an accumulation of fluid in the affected arm. While current BCRL rehabilitation treatments seek to reduce arm swelling, our study aimed to examine the impact of both the magnitude of lymphedema (ΔVolume) and arm disability on three dimensions of QoL: social, physical, and psychological. Using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire (DASH) and the Upper Limb Lymphedema 27 questionnaire (ULL) in a group of 30 patients, we found that the magnitude of lymphedema (ΔVolume) was associated with the social dimension of QoL (r = 0.37, p = 0.041), but not with other dimensions. On the other hand, arm disability was associated with all evaluated dimensions of QoL (social, physical, and psychological: p < 0.001, p = 0.019, and p = 0.050 (borderline), respectively). These findings suggest that BCRL rehabilitation strategies should not only aim to reduce the magnitude of lymphedema but should also seek to improve or preserve arm functionality to enhance the QoL of BCRL patients.

Palbociclib in advanced stage hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: real-world data from a Chilean multicentre registry.

Background: The addition of cyclin-dependent kinases inhibitors (CDKi) to endocrine therapy (ET) as the first- or second line treatment improves progression-free and overall survival (OS) in hormone receptor-positive, HER2 negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced stage breast cancer (ABC). Our study compared survival rates and prognostic factors in Chilean patients that used palbociclib as first or subsequent (≥second) lines of treatment in a real-world setting. Methods: Our retrospective population-cohort study included HR+/HER2- ABC patients. We calculated 5-year OS and performed a multivariate analysis to determine prognostic factors. Results: A total of 106 patients were included. Median age was 49 years (19-86), 28.3% (30) had de novo stage IV disease; 63% received palbociclib with ET as first line, 54% of them with aromatase inhibitor over fulvestrant. Median OS for the entire cohort was 99 months and 5-year OS was 69%. Patients that received first line palbociclib had a 5-year OS of 89% versus 43% for ET monotherapy or ≥second line palbociclib (p = 0.0062). Multivariate analysis showed that the year at diagnosis and CDKi timing (first line versus ≥second line) were significantly associated with OS. Conclusion: Our real-world data show that first-line CDKi + ET provides a statistically significant benefit in OS versus ≥second line in HR+/HER2- ABC patients.

Oncological Benefit versus Cardiovascular Risk in Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Modern Radiotherapy.

Radiotherapy (RT) is an essential part of breast cancer (BC) treatments. Unfortunately, heart exposure to radiation can also impair the long-term survival of patients. Our study aimed to quantify the oncological benefit and the cardiovascular (CV) risk associated with modern RT in a real-world cohort of BC patients. Our descriptive study enrolled BC patients who received adjuvant RT. Ten-year overall survival (OS) was estimated using Predict® version 2.1 (National Health Service, London, UK). The basal risk of CV events was estimated using the American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) CV score. Treatment volumes and mean cardiac doses were obtained from RT treatment plan records. The increased risk of CV events due to RT was estimated using a model proposed by Darby. The risk of acute myocardial infarction or stroke mortality was estimated using HeartScore® (European Society of Cardiology, Brussels, Belgium). A total of 256 BC patients were included in the study. The average age of patients was 57 years old (range: 25-91); 49.6% had left BC. The mean cardiac dose was 166 cGy (interquartile range (IQR) 94-273); the estimated hazard ratio (HR) for CV disease was HR 1.12 (confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.24). The estimated baseline 10-year CV risk was 5.6% (0.2 to 51.2); CV risk increased by 0.9% (range 0.02-35.47%) after RT. The absolute risk of 10-year mortality from CV disease was 2.5% (0.1-9); RT was associated with an estimated 4.9% survival benefit (3.73-6.07) against BC death and a 0.23% (0.17-0.29) estimated increase in CV mortality. Modern RT decreased 10-year BC mortality by 4% but increased CV mortality by 0.2% in this cohort. Our findings encourage the implementation of personalized adjuvant RT treatments that balance risks and benefits to improve long-term BC patient survival.

Pathological complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, but not the addition of carboplatin, is associated with improved survival in Chilean triple negative breast cancer patients: a report of real world data.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer death for Chilean women. About 11% of cases are triple-negative (TN) BC. These are characterised by poor prognosis, higher risk of early recurrence and visceral dissemination versus other BC subtypes. Current standard treatment for early-stage non-metastatic TNBC patients consists of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by surgery and radiotherapy. Pathological complete response (pCR) to NACT is associated with an increase in survival rates. In general, NACT and adjuvant regimens involve similar cytotoxic drugs. Recent studies have postulated that the use of platinum compounds in TNBC would increase response rates. However, their effects on patient survival remain uncertain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrieved and analysed medical records from a total of 156 Chilean stage I-III TNBC female patients that received NACT and compared survival rates using carboplatin (Cb)-containing versus non-Cb-containing regimens at two health cancer centres. RESULTS: Median age was 51 years (range: 24-81); 13.5% (n = 21) received Cb-containing regimens, 80.1% (n = 125) received sequential anthracyclines plus taxanes; 29.5% (n = 46) of the total group achieved pCR, 28% for the standard treatment and 35% (n = 8) for the Cb-containing group (p = 0.59). We confirmed pCR was associated with prolonged overall survival, invasive and distant disease-free survival (Log-rank p = 0.0236). But the addition of Cb was not associated with differences in survival measures (Log-rank p = 0.5216). CONCLUSIONS: To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first report on real-world data in the Chilean population assessing the effect of Cb-containing NACT in TNBC. The authors' results suggest no survival benefit by the addition of Cb to standard NACT. However, we confirm an increase in survival associated to pCR regardless of treatment.