Perinatal outcomes of women with gestational breast cancer in Australia and New Zealand: A prospective population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the epidemiology, clinical management, and outcomes of women with gestational breast cancer (GBC). METHODS: A population-based prospective cohort study was conducted in Australia and New Zealand between 2013 and 2014 using the Australasian Maternity Outcomes Surveillance System (AMOSS). Women who gave birth with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer during pregnancy were included. Data were collected on demographic and pregnancy factors, GBC diagnosis, obstetric and cancer management, and perinatal outcomes. The main outcome measures were preterm birth, maternal complications, breastfeeding, and death. RESULTS: Forty women with GBC (incidence 7.5/100 000 women giving birth) gave birth to 40 live-born babies. Thirty-three (82.5%) women had breast symptoms at diagnosis. Of 27 women diagnosed before 30 weeks' gestation, 85% had breast surgery and 67% had systemic therapy during pregnancy. In contrast, all 13 women diagnosed from 30 weeks had their cancer management delayed until postdelivery. There were 17 preterm deliveries; 15 were planned. Postpartum complications included the following: hemorrhage (n = 4), laparotomy (n = 1), and thrombocytopenia (n = 1). There was one late maternal death. Eighteen (45.0%) women initiated breastfeeding, including 12 of 23 women who had antenatal breast surgery. There were no perinatal deaths or congenital malformations, but 42.5% of babies were preterm, and 32.5% were admitted for higher-level neonatal care. CONCLUSIONS: Gestational breast cancer diagnosed before 30 weeks' gestation was associated with surgical and systemic cancer care during pregnancy and planned preterm birth. In contrast, cancer treatment was deferred to postdelivery for women diagnosed from 30 weeks, reflecting the complexity of managing expectant mothers with GBC in multidisciplinary care settings.

Risk of emergency hospitalisation and survival outcomes following adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer in New South Wales, Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To examine risk of emergency hospital admission and survival following adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer. METHODS: Linked data from New South Wales population-based and clinical cancer registries (2008-2012), hospital admissions, official death records and pharmaceutical benefit claims. Women aged ≥18 years receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage operable breast cancer in NSW public hospitals were included. Odds ratios (OR) for emergency hospitalisation within 6 months following chemotherapy initiation were estimated using logistic regression and survival using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards methods. RESULTS: A total of 3,950 women were included and 30.6% were hospitalised. The most common principal diagnosis at admission was neutropenia (30.8%). Women receiving docetaxel/carboplatin/trastuzumab (TCH) and docetaxel/cyclophosphamide (TC) were the most frequently hospitalised. After adjustment for demographic and clinical factors, the increased risk of hospitalisation for TCH and TC remained compared with doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide 3-weekly (OR 1.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-2.37 and OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.17-1.85 respectively). Five-year overall survival was similar for women who were (92.2%, 95% CI 90.7-93.8) and were not hospitalised (93.1%, 95% CI 92.1-94.1). CONCLUSION: Emergency hospitalisations following chemotherapy for early breast cancer were relatively common, especially following docetaxel-containing protocols. Further examination of reasons for admission is needed to inform actions to improve patient safety.

Quality and impact of eviQ Cancer Treatments Online (www.eviq.org.au): the medical oncologist's perspective.

INTRODUCTION: eviQ Cancer Treatments Online is a free, web-based resource providing access to over 600 evidence-based treatment protocols in medical oncology, radiation oncology, hematology and cancer genetics. With over 60 000 registrants from 148 countries, eviQ is widely used by cancer clinicians globally. The aim of this study was to examine the perceived quality of eviQ by Australian medical oncologists, the impact it had on their knowledge and practice, and the effect it had on their patients. METHODS: A web-based survey was administered to members of the Medical Oncology Group of Australia by email. Two reminders emails were sent to encourage participation. RESULTS: Of the 97 respondents (15%), all but one, were practicing in Australia, with varying years of oncology experience (<2 years: 25%, 2-10 years: 36%, >10 years: 39%). eviQ was most frequently used as a source for providing patient information sheets on chemotherapy side effects, with 57% of respondents using eviQ for this purpose. Other uses included accessing side effect information (27%), checking drug doses (26%) and guiding dose adjustments (22%). The majority of respondents rated eviQ as current, accurate and relevant with over 90% agreeing that eviQ was of a high quality. Most of the respondents reported that they provided better care with enhanced patient experiences as a result of using eviQ. CONCLUSIONS: eviQ was highly regarded by Australian medical oncologists who responded to our survey. The results suggested that usage of eviQ had a positive impact on individual knowledge, practice and promoted better patient-centered care.

Survival from breast, colon, lung, ovarian and rectal cancer by geographical remoteness in New South Wales, Australia, 2000-2008.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to compare survival from breast, colon, lung, ovarian and rectal cancer by geographical remoteness in New South Wales (NSW). DESIGN: Retrospective population-wide registry study. SETTING: NSW, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 107 060 NSW residents, who were diagnosed with any of the five cancers between 01 January 2000 and 31 December 2008. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Kaplan-Meier survival curves and proportional hazards regression were used to compare survival by geographical remoteness of residence at diagnosis, controlling for gender, age and extent of disease at diagnosis. Remoteness was classified using standard definitions: major city, inner regional (InnReg), outer regional (OutReg) and remote (including very remote). RESULTS: Significant differences in survival (likelihood of death) were identified in all five cancers: breast (adjusted hazard ratio(HR) = 1.22 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.001-1.48) in regionalised and HR = 1.30 (1.02-1.64) in metastatic disease for OutReg areas); colon (HR = 1.14 (1.01-1.29) for OutReg areas in metastatic disease); lung (HR range = 1.08-1.35 (1.01-1.48) for most non-metropolitan areas in all stages of disease excepting regionalised); ovarian (HR = 1.32 (1.06-1.65) for OutReg areas in metastatic disease, HR = 1.40 (1.04-1.90) for InnReg areas and HR = 1.68 (1.02-2.77) for OutReg areas in unknown stage of disease) and rectal (HR = 1.37 (1.05-1.78) for OutReg areas in localised and HR = 1.14 (1.002-1.30) for InnReg areas in regionalised disease). Where significant differences were found, major cities tended to show the best survival, whereas OutReg areas tended to show the worst. Although no definitive interpretation could be made regarding remote areas due to small patient numbers, their survival appeared relatively favourable. CONCLUSIONS: Reasons that contribute to the differences observed and the disparate results between cancer types need to be further explored in order to facilitate targeted solutions in reducing survival inequality between NSW regions.

Health-related quality of life 14 years after preoperative short-term radiotherapy and total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: report of a multicenter randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative short-term radiotherapy (PRT) in combination with total mesorectal excision (TME) has shown to improve local control in rectal cancer treatment, however without a survival benefit and at the cost of increased morbidity. The current study investigates the long-term health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients 14 years after treatment in the Dutch TME trial. METHODS: In the TME trial (1996-1999) 1530 Dutch patients with rectal cancer were treated with TME and randomly assigned to PRT (5 × 5 Gy). In 2012 HRQL was evaluated in surviving patients (n=606) using a questionnaire combining EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ-CR29 and additional questions. FINDINGS: Results were obtained from 478 patients (82%), with a median follow up of 14 years. PRT+TME patients without stoma reported more faecal leakage and higher stool frequency, resulting in increased need of pads. Furthermore, irradiated males reported more erection problems. However, radiotherapy did not have negative effects on overall functioning. Compared with Dutch population, patients in both treatment arms reported a small decrease in overall functioning and males reported less sexual activity, interest and enjoyment and more erection difficulties. Irradiated females reported more vaginal dryness and more pain at intercourse compared with Dutch population. INTERPRETATION: Long-term HRQL evaluation shows that treatment-related symptoms are still present 14 years after treatment for rectal cancer. Radiotherapy increased bowel dysfunction in patients without stoma. Compared with the Dutch population, both groups reported increased sexual dysfunction. Despite these treatment-related symptoms, there was no difference in overall functioning and global health between TME and PRT+TME.

Questionnaire to aid priority and outcomes assessment in gallstone disease.

BACKGROUND: Limited health resources necessitate prioritization for access to elective cholecystectomy in New Zealand. We aimed to develop and validate a patient questionnaire for determining the effect of gallstone disease on quality of life (QOL) and evaluate its potential role in appraising prioritization and outcomes from surgery. METHODS: The Otago gallstones condition-specific questionnaire (CSQ) was designed based on review of published reports, structural equation modelling, input from experts and patient feedback. Fifty-four patients with symptomatic gallstone disease completed the CSQ including a single question asking about global condition impact, along with other QOL measures: the Gallstone Impact Checklist and the Short Form-36 Health Survey. Validity and reliability of the CSQ were assessed using standard psychometric criteria and patient acceptance was explored in a semistructured interview. Patients' priority status for surgery was determined by two participating surgeons and resulting scores were correlated with the QOL measures. RESULTS: Average CSQ completion time was 2.7 (range 1-5) min and patients found its content concise and comprehensive. Validity was supported through high correlations with the Gallstone Impact Checklist (r = 0.74), the global condition impact (r = 0.69) and related dimensions of the Short Form-36 Health Survey. CSQ questions showed satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.94) and reproducibility (ICC = 0.93, where ICC is intraclass coefficient). Of all the QOL measures, the CSQ was the most clinically relevant, showing the strongest relationship with surgeon-rated priority (r = 0.62). CONCLUSION: Evidence is provided to support the validity of the CSQ for assessing the effect of gallstone disease on QOL. The CSQ could be particularly valuable in aiding priority decisions surgeons make and may be useful in tracking subsequent outcomes.