Post-Mastectomy Patients in an Urban Safety-Net Hospital: How Do Safety-Net Hospital Breast Reconstruction Rates Compare to National Breast Reconstruction Rates?

BACKGROUND: Breast reconstruction (BR) has documented psychological benefits following mastectomy. Yet, racial/ethnic minority groups have lower reported rates of BR. We sought to evaluate the rate, type, and outcome of BR in a racially and ethnically diverse population within a safety-net hospital system. METHODS: All patients who underwent mastectomy between October 2015 and July 2019 at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center were retrospectively examined. Rates and type of BR were analyzed according to patient characteristics (race/ethnicity, age, and body mass index), smoking status, cancer stage, and presence of diabetes mellitus. Breast reconstruction outcomes were also assessed. RESULTS: Of the 259 patients that underwent mastectomy, 87 (33.6%) received BR. Immediate BR was performed in 79 (30.5%) patients and delayed BR in 8 (3.1%). Of the 79 patients with immediate BR, 58 (73.4%) received implant-based BR and 21 (26.5%) autologous tissue. The BR failure rate was 10%, all implant-based. Increasing age and smoking negatively impacted BR rates. Black (P =.331) and Hispanic (P =.132) ethnicity were not independent predictors of decreased breast reconstruction. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the rate, type, and quality of BR in this integrated safety-net hospital within a diverse population are comparable to national rates. When made available, historically underrepresented minority patients of Black and Hispanic ethnicity utilize BR.

A Microcosm of Disparities in Breast Cancer: Comparison Between a Private Hospital and a Safety-Net County Hospital Within Los Angeles County.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer survival is improving due to early detection and treatment advances. However, racial/ethnic differences in tumor biology, stage, and mortality remain. The objective of this study was to analyze presumed disparities at a local level. METHODS: Breast cancer patients at a county hospital and private hospital from 2010 to 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic, clinical, pathologic, and surgical data were collected. Comparisons were made between hospital cohorts and between racial/ethnic groups from both hospitals combined. RESULTS: 754 patients were included (322 from county hospital and 432 from private hospital). All patients were female. The median age was 54 years at county hospital and 60 years at private hospital (P < .0001). Racial/ethnic minorities comprised 85% of county hospital patients vs. 12% of private hospital patients (P < .0001). County hospital patients had a higher grade, clinical/pathologic stage, HER2-positive rate, and mastectomy rate. Compared to other racial/ethnic groups, non-Hispanic white women were more likely to have lower grade and ER-positive tumors. Hispanic/Latina women were younger and were more likely to have HER2-positive tumors. Both Hispanic/Latina and non-Hispanic black women presented at higher clinical stages and were more likely to undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy and mastectomy. DISCUSSION: At county hospital compared to private hospital, the proportion of racial/ethnic minorities was higher, and patients presented at younger ages with more aggressive tumors and more advanced disease. The racial/ethnic disparities that were identified locally are largely consistent with those identified in national database studies. These marked differences at hospitals within a diverse city highlight the need for further research into the disparities.

Patients With Invasive Breast Cancer Who Refuse Treatment: An Analysis of Associated Factors and Impact on Survival.

BACKGROUND: Completion of surgical resection and adjuvant/neoadjuvant treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, and endocrine therapy) is necessary to achieve optimal outcomes in invasive breast cancer. The objective of this study was to determine the characteristics of patients refusing treatment and to analyze the impact of refusal on survival. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of invasive breast cancer cases diagnosed 2004-2016 was performed utilizing the National Cancer Database. RESULTS: Of 2 058 568 cases comprising the study cohort, .6% refused recommended surgery, 14.1% refused chemotherapy, 5.5% refused radiation, and 6.3% refused endocrine therapy. Patients refusing therapy were older and more likely uninsured; they did not live farther from the treating hospital. Racial disparities were also associated with refusal. Surgery refusal had the highest hazard ratio for mortality (2.7; 95% CI: 2.5-3.0, P < .001) compared to chemotherapy (1.3; 95% CI: 1.3-1.4, P < .001), radiation (1.8; 95% CI: 1.7-1.9, P < .001), and endocrine therapy (1.5; 95% CI: 1.4-1.6, P < .001) independent of race, insurance, receptor status, and stage. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates significant associations with refusal of breast cancer treatment and quantifies the impact on mortality, which may help to identify at-risk groups for whom interventions could prevent increases in mortality associated with declining treatment.

Lipomatous Soft Tissue Masses: Challenging the Paradigm of Routine Preoperative Biopsy.

BACKGROUND: Lipomatous masses are the most common soft tissue tumors. While the majority are benign lipomas, it is important to identify those masses that are malignant prior to excision. Current guidelines recommend core needle biopsy (CNB) for all lipomatous masses larger than 3-5 cm. The objective of this study was to determine if routine preoperative CNB based on mass size is necessary, or if radiographic features can guide the need for CNB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent excision of extremity or truncal lipomatous masses at a single institution from October 2014 to July 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. By protocol, preoperative imaging was routinely obtained for all masses larger than 5 cm. High-risk radiographic features (intramuscular location, septations, nonfat nodules, heterogeneity, and ill-defined margins) and surgical pathology were evaluated to determine patients most likely to benefit from preoperative CNB. RESULTS: Of 178 patients, 2 (1.1%) had malignant tumors on surgical pathology. All masses smaller than 5 cm were benign and, if imaging was obtained, had two or fewer high-risk radiographic features. Both of the patients with malignant tumors had masses larger than 5 cm, preoperative imaging that showed at least four high-risk radiographic features, and underwent CNB prior to excision. CONCLUSIONS: The overall rate of malignancy is very low. The results of this study suggest that lipomatous masses smaller than 5 cm without concerning clinical characteristics do not require preoperative imaging or CNB. Conversely, lipomatous masses larger than 5 cm should undergo routine MRI with subsequent CNB if multiple high-risk radiographic features are present.

A survey of robotic surgery training curricula in general surgery residency programs: How close are we to a standardized curriculum?

BACKGROUND: Robotic surgery is increasingly adopted into surgical practice, but it remains unclear what level of robotic training general surgery residents receive. The purpose of our study was to assess the variation in robotic surgery training amongst general surgery residency programs in the United States. METHODS: A web-based survey was sent to 277 general surgery residency programs to determine characteristics of resident experience and training in robotic surgery. RESULTS: A total of 114 (41%) programs responded. 92% (n = 105) have residents participating in robotic surgeries; 68%(n = 71) of which have a robotics curriculum, 44%(n = 46) track residents' robotic experience, and 55%(n = 58) offer formal recognition of training completion. Responses from university-affiliated (n = 83) and independent (n = 31) programs were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Many general surgery residencies offer robotic surgery experience, but vary widely in requisite components, formal credentialing, and case tracking. There is a need to adopt a standardized training curriculum and document resident competency.

Single-site robotic cholecystectomy and robotics training: should we start in the junior years?

BACKGROUND: It has become increasingly important to expose surgical residents to robotic surgery as its applications continue to expand. Single-site robotic cholecystectomy (SSRC) is an excellent introductory case to robotics. Resident involvement in SSRC is known to be feasible. Here, we sought to determine whether it is safe to introduce SSRC to junior residents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 98 SSRC cases were performed by general surgery residents between August 2015 and August 2016. Cases were divided into groups based on resident level: second- and third-years (juniors) versus fourth- and fifth-years (seniors). Patient age, gender, race, body mass index, and comorbidities were recorded. The number of prior laparoscopic cholecystectomies completed by participating residents was noted. Outcomes including operative time, console time, rate of conversion to open cholecystectomy, and complication rate were compared between groups. RESULTS: Juniors performed 54 SSRC cases, whereas seniors performed 44. There were no significant differences in patient age, gender, race, body mass index, or comorbidities between the two groups. Juniors had less experience with laparoscopic cholecystectomy. There was no significant difference in mean operative time (92.7 min versus 98.0 min, P = 0.254), console time (48.7 min versus 50.8 min, P = 0.639), or complication rate (3.7% versus 2.3%, P = 0.68) between juniors and seniors. CONCLUSIONS: SSRC is an excellent way to introduce general surgery residents to robotics. This study shows that with attending supervision, SSRC is feasible and safe for both junior and senior residents with very low complication rates and no adverse effect on operative time.

Building a Single-Site Robotic Cholecystectomy Program in a Public Teaching Hospital: Is It Safe for Patients and Feasible for Residents to Participate?

Single-site robotic cholecystectomy (SSRC) accounts for most of the robotic surgery cases performed by general surgeons at our institution since acquiring the da Vinci Si Surgical SystemTM (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) in 2014. We sought to determine whether a SSRC program is safe to start in a public teaching hospital and to determine whether resident participation in this procedure is feasible. Data on age, gender, race, BMI, total operative time, length of stay, comorbidities, and conversion from laparoscopic to open surgery were examined for elective SSRC and laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LCs) performed by two faculty surgeons between February 2015 and August 2015. Thirty-eight patients underwent elective SSRC, whereas 27 patients underwent LC. Residents participated as operating surgeons for some portion of the case in 15 SSRC cases and in all LC cases. There were no significant differences in operative time, length of stay, or 30-day readmission rates, regardless of resident involvement. Patients in the SSRC group had a significantly lower BMI (25.8 vs 33.7, P = 0.008). This study suggests that resident participation does not increase complications or total operative time and that SSRC is a safe procedure to start in a public teaching hospital after proper faculty and resident training.

A new era of neoadjuvant treatment with Pertuzumab: Should the 10-lymph node guideline for axillary lymph node dissection in breast cancer be revised?

BACKGROUND: Pertuzumab has improved pathologic complete response rates when compared with other chemotherapeutics in the treatment of HER-2 positive breast cancer patients. AIMS: We sought to determine if axillary lymph node dissections (ALNDs) yielding at least the national standard of 10 lymph nodes is lower in patients who received neoadjuvant pertuzumab. METHODS AND RESULTS: A retrospective database identified patients who underwent ALND for breast cancer. We compared the axillary lymph node retrieval rates in those who received or did not receive neoadjuvant pertuzumab. Of 139 breast cancer patients who underwent ALND, fewer than 10 axillary lymph nodes were found in 41.7% of patients who received neoadjuvant pertuzumab (P < 0.01) and 18.6% of patients who received neoadjuvant therapy without pertuzumab (P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a significantly lower rate of "adequate" ALNDs as defined by current guidelines. The patient subset that received neoadjuvant pertuzumab was more likely to have fewer than 10 axillary lymph nodes retrieved.

Prognostic Value of Multiple Draining Lymph Node Basins in Melanoma: A Matched-Pair Analysis Based on the John Wayne Cancer Institute Experience.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic significance of multiple draining basins is controversial in melanoma because analyses have not adequately controlled for standard prognostic variables. We hypothesized that an analysis based on prognostically matched pairs of patients with multiple versus single drainage basins would clarify any independent role of basin number. STUDY DESIGN: We identified patients in our 40-year prospective database, who underwent preoperative lymphoscintigraphy, intraoperative sentinel node biopsy and wide local excision for cutaneous melanoma. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared in patients with multiple versus single drainage basins after matching by age, sex, Breslow depth, primary site, and stage at diagnosis. RESULTS: We identified 274 patients with multibasin drainage and 1,413 patients with single draining lymph node basins. Matching yielded 259 pairs (226 trunk, 27 head/neck, 6 extremity). Among matched pairs, multibasin drainage did not affect rates of lymph node metastasis (p = 0.84), OS (p = 0.23), DSS (p = 0.53), overall recurrence (p = 0.65), locoregional recurrence (p = 0.58), or distant recurrence (p = 1.0). Multivariable analysis linked higher T stage, ulceration, older age, and lymph node positivity to decreased DSS (p < 0.01) and DFS (p < 0.001). Number of drainage basins was not significant on univariable or multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: This analysis, the first to match for standard prognostic factors, suggests that multiplebasin drainage as identified by lymphoscintigraphy has no independent biological or prognostic significance in primary cutaneous melanoma.

Should quality measures for lymph node dissection in colon cancer be extrapolated to rectal cancer?

BACKGROUND: A minimum of 12 lymph nodes has been endorsed as a quality measure to confirm node-negative colon cancer, but its relevance to early-stage rectal cancer is unclear. METHODS: Patients with stage I or II rectal cancer from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results tumor registries from 1998 to 2002 were identified. Patients were grouped by the number of lymph nodes sampled. Groups were compared for patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and 5-year overall survival. RESULTS: Of the 6,214 patients (57% men) identified, only 33% had ≥12 lymph nodes examined in the surgical specimen. Multivariate analysis identified sex, race, age, T stage, and number of lymph nodes examined as independent predictors of 5-year overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Five-year overall survival improved as the number of sampled nodes increased. A thorough lymphadenectomy should routinely be performed to optimize staging and to improve survival of patients with early-stage rectal cancer.