Landscape fire smoke airway exposure impairs respiratory and cardiac function and worsens experimental asthma.

BACKGROUND: Millions of people are exposed to landscape fire smoke (LFS) globally, and inhalation of LFS particulate matter (PM) is associated with poor respiratory and cardiovascular outcomes. However, how LFS affects respiratory and cardiovascular function is less well understood. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to characterize the pathophysiologic effects of representative LFS airway exposure on respiratory and cardiac function and on asthma outcomes. METHODS: LFS was generated using a customized combustion chamber. In 8-week-old female BALB/c mice, low (25 µg/m3, 24-hour equivalent) or moderate (100 µg/m3, 24-hour equivalent) concentrations of LFS PM (10 µm and below [PM10]) were administered daily for 3 (short-term) and 14 (long-term) days in the presence and absence of experimental asthma. Lung inflammation, gene expression, structural changes, and lung function were assessed. In 8-week-old male C57BL/6 mice, low concentrations of LFS PM10 were administered for 3 days. Cardiac function and gene expression were assessed. RESULTS: Short- and long-term LFS PM10 airway exposure increased airway hyperresponsiveness and induced steroid insensitivity in experimental asthma, independent of significant changes in airway inflammation. Long-term LFS PM10 airway exposure also decreased gas diffusion. Short-term LFS PM10 airway exposure decreased cardiac function and expression of gene changes relating to oxidative stress and cardiovascular pathologies. CONCLUSIONS: We characterized significant detrimental effects of physiologically relevant concentrations and durations of LFS PM10 airway exposure on lung and heart function. Our study provides a platform for assessment of mechanisms that underpin LFS PM10 airway exposure on respiratory and cardiovascular disease outcomes.

Capivasertib and fulvestrant for patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer (CAPItello-291): patient-reported outcomes from a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: CAPItello-291 is an ongoing phase 3 trial in which capivasertib-fulvestrant significantly improved progression-free survival versus placebo-fulvestrant in patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer who had relapse or disease progression during or after aromatase inhibitor treatment, in both the overall population and in patients with PIK3CA, AKT1, or PTEN-altered tumours. This study further explored patient-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL), functioning, symptoms, and symptom tolerability in CAPItello-291. METHODS: This phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, which was conducted across 193 hospitals and cancer centres in 19 countries, enrolled women with any menopausal status or men, aged ≥18 years (≥20 years in Japan), with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who had relapse or disease progression during or after treatment with an aromatase inhibitor, with or without previous cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4 or 6 inhibitor therapy. Patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group/WHO performance score of 0 or 1 and could have received up to two previous lines of endocrine therapy and up to one previous line of chemotherapy for advanced disease. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) using block randomisation (stratified according to the presence or absence of liver metastases, previous use of a CDK4/6 inhibitor [yes vs no], and geographical region) to receive oral capivasertib 400 mg (twice daily for 4 days, followed by 3 days off) plus intramuscular fulvestrant 500 mg (every 14 days for the first three injections, then every 28 days) or placebo with matching fulvestrant dosing. The dual primary endpoint of the trial was investigator-assessed progression-free survival assessed both in the overall population and among patients with PIK3CA, AKT1, or PTEN-altered tumours. The EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire 30-item core module (QLQ-C30) and breast module (QLQ-BR23), Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE), and Patient Global Impression of Treatment Tolerability (PGI-TT) questionnaires were used to assess patient-reported outcomes. Evaluation of EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR23 were secondary endpoints and evaluation of PRO-CTCAE and PGI-TT were pre-defined exploratory endpoints, and these endpoints are the subject of analysis in this Article. Data were collected at baseline and prespecified timepoints. Patient-reported outcomes were analysed in all randomly assigned patients with an evaluable baseline assessment and at least one evaluable post-baseline assessment. Change from baseline was assessed using mixed model with repeated measures for EORTC QLQ-C30 and summarised for QLQ-BR23. Time to deterioration was described using the Kaplan-Meier method. PGI-TT and PRO-CTCAE responses were summarised at each treatment cycle. Patient-reported outcomes were not prospectively powered for statistical comparison. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04305496. FINDINGS: Between June 2, 2020, and Oct 13, 2021, 901 patients were enrolled, of whom 708 patients were randomly assigned to receive capivasertib-fulvestrant (n=355) or placebo-fulvestrant (n=353). The median age of the patients was 59 years (IQR 51-67) in the capivasertib-fulvestrant group and 58 years (IQR 49-66) in the placebo-fulvestrant group. At data cutoff (Aug 15, 2022), the median duration of follow-up for progression-free survival in censored patients was 13·0 months (IQR 9·1-16·7) for capivasertib-fulvestrant and 12·7 months (IQR 2·0-16·4) for placebo-fulvestrant in the overall population. EORTC QLQ-C30 global health status/quality of life (GHS/QOL) scores were maintained from baseline and were similar between treatment groups throughout the study period (difference in mean change from baseline of -2·5 [95% CI -4·5 to -0·6] with capivasertib-fulvestrant vs -5·6 [-7·9 to -3·4] with placebo-fulvestrant; treatment difference 3·1 [95% CI 0·2 to 6·0]). Median time to deterioration in EORTC QLQ-C30 GHS/QOL was 24·9 months (95% CI 13·8 to not reached) in the capivasertib-fulvestrant group and 12·0 months (10·2 to 15·7) in the placebo-fulvestrant group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·70, 95% CI 0·53 to 0·92). Time to deterioration HRs for all EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 subscale scores showed little difference between the treatment groups, except for diarrhoea, which was worse in the capivasertib-fulvestrant group than in the placebo-fulvestrant group (HR 2·75, 95% CI 2·01-3·81). In PRO-CTCAE symptom assessment, the proportion of patients reporting loose and watery stools "frequently" or "almost constantly" was 29% higher at cycle 1, day 15 in the capivasertib-fulvestrant group than in the placebo-fulvestrant group, decreasing at subsequent cycles. Other PRO-CTCAE-reported symptoms (rash, mouth or throat sores, itchy skin, and numbness or tingling in hands or feet) were absent or mild in most patients in both groups throughout treatment. According to the PGI-TT, most patients in both groups reported "not at all" or "a little bit" of bother from treatment side-effects. INTERPRETATION: Patient-reported outcomes from CAPItello-291 demonstrated that capivasertib-fulvestrant delayed time to deterioration of GHS/QOL and maintained other dimensions of HRQOL (except symptoms of diarrhoea) similarly to fulvestrant. With the clinical efficacy and manageable safety profile, these exploratory results further support the positive benefit-risk profile of capivasertib-fulvestrant in this population. FUNDING: AstraZeneca.

Neonatal Chlamydia muridarum respiratory infection causes neuroinflammation within the brainstem during the early postnatal period.

Respiratory infections are one of the most common causes of illness and morbidity in neonates worldwide. In the acute phase infections are known to cause wide-spread peripheral inflammation. However, the inflammatory consequences to the critical neural control centres for respiration have not been explored. Utilising a well characterised model of neonatal respiratory infection, we investigated acute responses within the medulla oblongata which contains key respiratory regions. Neonatal mice were intranasally inoculated within 24 h of birth, with either Chlamydia muridarum or sham-infected, and tissue collected on postnatal day 15, the peak of peripheral inflammation. A key finding of this study is that, while the periphery appeared to show no sex-specific effects of a neonatal respiratory infection, sex had a significant impact on the inflammatory response of the medulla oblongata. There was a distinct sex-specific response in the medulla coincident with peak of peripheral inflammation, with females demonstrating an upregulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines and males showing very few changes. Microglia also demonstrated sex-specificity with the morphology of females and males differing based upon the nuclei. Astrocytes showed limited changes during the acute response to neonatal infection. These data highlight the strong sex-specific impact of a respiratory infection can have on the medulla in the acute inflammatory phase.

Selecting postoperative adjuvant systemic therapy for early-stage breast cancer: An updated assessment and systematic review of leading commercially available gene expression assays.

Gene expression assays (GEAs) can guide treatment for early-stage breast cancer. Several large prospective randomized clinical trials, and numerous additional studies, now provide new information for selecting an appropriate GEA. This systematic review builds upon prior reviews, with a focus on five widely commercialized GEAs (Breast Cancer Index®, EndoPredict®, MammaPrint®, Oncotype DX®, and Prosigna®). The comprehensive dataset available provides a contemporary opportunity to assess each GEA's utility as a prognosticator and/or predictor of adjuvant therapy benefit.

Inflammatory and antiviral responses to influenza A virus infection are dysregulated in pregnant mice with allergic airway disease.

Influenza A virus (IAV) infections are increased during pregnancy especially with asthma as a comorbidity, leading to asthma exacerbations, secondary bacterial infections, intensive care unit admissions, and mortality. We aimed to define the processes involved in increased susceptibility and severity of IAV infections during pregnancy, especially with asthma. We sensitized mice to house dust mite (HDM), induced pregnancy, and challenged with HDM to induce allergic airway disease (AAD). At midpregnancy, we induced IAV infection. We assessed viral titers, airway inflammation, lung antiviral responses, mucus hypersecretion, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). During early IAV infection, pregnant mice with AAD had increased mRNA expression of the inflammatory markers Il13 and IL17 and reduced mRNA expression of the neutrophil chemoattractant marker Kc. These mice had increased mucous hyperplasia and increased AHR. miR155, miR574, miR223, and miR1187 were also reduced during early infection, as was mRNA expression of the antiviral ß-defensins, Bd1, Bd2, and Spd and IFNs, Ifnα, Ifnß, and Ifnλ. During late infection, Il17 was still increased as was eosinophil infiltration in the lungs. mRNA expression of Kc was reduced, as was neutrophil infiltration and mRNA expression of the antiviral markers Ifnß, Ifnλ, and Ifnγ and Ip10, Tlr3, Tlr9, Pkr, and Mx1. Mucous hyperplasia was still significantly increased as was AHR. Early phase IAV infection in pregnancy with asthma heightens underlying inflammatory asthmatic phenotype and reduces antiviral responses.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Influenza A virus (IAV) infection during pregnancy with asthma is a major health concern leading to increased morbidity for both mother and baby. Using murine models, we show that IAV infection in pregnancy with allergic airway disease is associated with impaired global antiviral and antimicrobial responses, increased lung inflammation, mucus hypersecretion, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Targeting specific ß-defensins or microRNAs (miRNAs) may prove useful in future treatments for IAV infection during pregnancy.

Airway and parenchyma transcriptomics in a house dust mite model of experimental asthma.

Lung transcriptomics studies in asthma have provided valuable information in the whole lung context, however, deciphering the individual contributions of the airway and parenchyma in disease pathogenesis may expedite the development of novel targeted treatment strategies. In this study, we performed transcriptomics on the airway and parenchyma using a house dust mite (HDM)-induced model of experimental asthma that replicates key features of the human disease. HDM exposure increased the expression of 3,255 genes, of which 212 were uniquely increased in the airways, 856 uniquely increased in the parenchyma, and 2187 commonly increased in both compartments. Further interrogation of these genes using a combination of network and transcription factor enrichment analyses identified several transcription factors that regulate airway and/or parenchymal gene expression, including transcription factor EC (TFEC), transcription factor PU.1 (SPI1), H2.0-like homeobox (HLX), metal response element binding transcription factor-1 (MTF1) and E74-like factor 4 (ets domain transcription factor, ELF4) involved in controlling innate immune responses. We next assessed the effects of inhibiting lung SPI1 responses using commercially available DB1976 and DB2313 on key disease outcomes. We found that both compounds had no protective effects on airway inflammation, however DB2313 (8 mg/kg) decreased mucus secreting cell number, and both DB2313 (1 mg/kg) and DB1976 (2.5 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg) reduced small airway collagen deposition. Significantly, both compounds decreased airway hyperresponsiveness. This study demonstrates that SPI1 is important in HDM-induced experimental asthma and that its pharmacological inhibition reduces HDM-induced airway collagen deposition and hyperresponsiveness.

Airway and parenchymal transcriptomics in a novel model of asthma and COPD overlap.

BACKGROUND: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are common chronic respiratory diseases, and some patients have overlapping disease features, termed asthma-COPD overlap (ACO). Patients characterized with ACO have increased disease severity; however, the mechanisms driving this have not been widely studied. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to characterize the phenotypic and transcriptomic features of experimental ACO in mice induced by chronic house dust mite antigen and cigarette smoke exposure. METHODS: Female BALB/c mice were chronically exposed to house dust mite antigen for 11 weeks to induce experimental asthma, cigarette smoke for 8 weeks to induce experimental COPD, or both concurrently to induce experimental ACO. Lung inflammation, structural changes, and lung function were assessed. RNA-sequencing was performed on separated airway and parenchyma lung tissues to assess transcriptional changes. Validation of a novel upstream driver SPI1 in experimental ACO was assessed using the pharmacological SPI1 inhibitor, DB2313. RESULTS: Experimental ACO recapitulated features of both asthma and COPD, with mixed pulmonary eosinophilic/neutrophilic inflammation, small airway collagen deposition, and increased airway hyperresponsiveness. Transcriptomic analysis identified common and distinct dysregulated gene clusters in airway and parenchyma samples in experimental asthma, COPD, and ACO. Upstream driver analysis revealed increased expression of the transcription factor Spi1. Pharmacological inhibition of SPI1 using DB2313, reduced airway remodeling and airway hyperresponsiveness in experimental ACO. CONCLUSIONS: A new experimental model of ACO featuring chronic dual exposures to house dust mite and cigarette smoke mimics key disease features observed in patients with ACO and revealed novel disease mechanisms, including upregulation of SPI1, that are amenable to therapy.

Streamlining breast cancer and colorectal cancer biosimilar regulations to improve treatment access in Latin America: an expert panel perspective.

In a multiday conference, a panel of Latin American experts in biological cancer therapies and health economics were provided with questions to address the barriers restricting access to biosimilars in Latin America, specifically for patients with breast cancer and colorectal cancer, for whom biosimilars can be a path forward to increasing access to care. During the conference, responses were discussed and edited until a consensus was achieved. The regulatory challenges identified in the conference included heterogenous regulations, non-adherence to regulatory pathways, scarcity of market opportunity, inadequate naming of biosimilars by only using international non-proprietary names, imprecise use of interchangeability and substitution, and insufficient traceability and pharmacovigilance. Recommendations were developed to improve the implementation of regulatory pathways and reliable procurement strategies that increase access to these therapies with adequate traceability and outcome measures; efforts from all involved stakeholders will be crucial. These recommendations can serve as a strategy for biosimilar adoption in other countries in a similar situation.

Aim2 suppresses cigarette smoke-induced neutrophil recruitment, neutrophil caspase-1 activation and anti-Ly6G-mediated neutrophil depletion.

Increased inflammasome responses are strongly implicated in inflammatory diseases; however, their specific roles are incompletely understood. Therefore, we sought to examine the roles of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor (NLR) family, pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) and absent in melanoma-2 (AIM2) inflammasomes in cigarette smoke-induced inflammation in a model of experimental chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We targeted NLRP3 with the inhibitor MCC950 given prophylactically or therapeutically and examined Aim2-/- mice in cigarette smoke-induced experimental COPD. MCC950 treatment had minimal effects on disease development and/or progression. Aim2-/- mice had increased airway neutrophils with decreased caspase-1 levels, independent of changes in lung neutrophil chemokines. Suppressing neutrophils with anti-Ly6G in experimental COPD in wild-type mice reduced neutrophils in bone marrow, blood and lung. By contrast, anti-Ly6G treatment in Aim2-/- mice with experimental COPD had no effect on neutrophils in bone marrow, partially reduced neutrophils in the blood and had no effect on neutrophils or neutrophil caspase-1 levels in the lungs. These findings identify that following cigarette smoke exposure, Aim2 is important for anti-Ly6G-mediated depletion of neutrophils, suppression of neutrophil recruitment and mediates activation of caspase-1 in neutrophils.

The impact of telemedicine on cancer care: real-world experience from a Peruvian institute during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused discontinuities in cancer care (CC) in most countries. Here, the authors describe the real-world impacts of implementing a contingency plan employing telemedicine for CC. Methods: A retrospective study of patients who received CC through telemedicine at the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas, Peru, from March 2020 to February 2021 was conducted. Impacts were measured by comparing the amount of CC administered during the pandemic versus the prior year. Results: A total of 16,456 telemedicine visits were carried out. An annual comparative analysis showed a gap of 23% and telemedicine accounted for 27.6% of the total CC administered during the pandemic. A high (4.50/5) level of patient satisfaction with telemedicine was reported. Conclusion: Telemedicine is an important tool to facilitate the continuity of CC.

Tailoring Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: In the Suppression of Ovarian Function Trial (SOFT) and the Tamoxifen and Exemestane Trial (TEXT), the 5-year rates of recurrence of breast cancer were significantly lower among premenopausal women who received the aromatase inhibitor exemestane plus ovarian suppression than among those who received tamoxifen plus ovarian suppression. The addition of ovarian suppression to tamoxifen did not result in significantly lower recurrence rates than those with tamoxifen alone. Here, we report the updated results from the two trials. METHODS: Premenopausal women were randomly assigned to receive 5 years of tamoxifen, tamoxifen plus ovarian suppression, or exemestane plus ovarian suppression in SOFT and to receive tamoxifen plus ovarian suppression or exemestane plus ovarian suppression in TEXT. Randomization was stratified according to the receipt of chemotherapy. RESULTS: In SOFT, the 8-year disease-free survival rate was 78.9% with tamoxifen alone, 83.2% with tamoxifen plus ovarian suppression, and 85.9% with exemestane plus ovarian suppression (P=0.009 for tamoxifen alone vs. tamoxifen plus ovarian suppression). The 8-year rate of overall survival was 91.5% with tamoxifen alone, 93.3% with tamoxifen plus ovarian suppression, and 92.1% with exemestane plus ovarian suppression (P=0.01 for tamoxifen alone vs. tamoxifen plus ovarian suppression); among the women who remained premenopausal after chemotherapy, the rates were 85.1%, 89.4%, and 87.2%, respectively. Among the women with cancers that were negative for HER2 who received chemotherapy, the 8-year rate of distant recurrence with exemestane plus ovarian suppression was lower than the rate with tamoxifen plus ovarian suppression (by 7.0 percentage points in SOFT and by 5.0 percentage points in TEXT). Grade 3 or higher adverse events were reported in 24.6% of the tamoxifen-alone group, 31.0% of the tamoxifen-ovarian suppression group, and 32.3% of the exemestane-ovarian suppression group. CONCLUSIONS: Among premenopausal women with breast cancer, the addition of ovarian suppression to tamoxifen resulted in significantly higher 8-year rates of both disease-free and overall survival than tamoxifen alone. The use of exemestane plus ovarian suppression resulted in even higher rates of freedom from recurrence. The frequency of adverse events was higher in the two groups that received ovarian suppression than in the tamoxifen-alone group. (Funded by Pfizer and others; SOFT and TEXT ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT00066690 and NCT00066703 , respectively.).

Impact of diet and the bacterial microbiome on the mucous barrier and immune disorders.

The prevalence of chronic immune and metabolic disorders is increasing rapidly. In particular, inflammatory bowel diseases, obesity, diabetes, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have become major healthcare and economic burdens worldwide. Recent advances in microbiome research have led to significant discoveries of associative links between alterations in the microbiome and health, as well as these chronic supposedly noncommunicable, immune/metabolic disorders. Importantly, the interplay between diet, microbiome and the mucous barrier in these diseases has gained significant attention. Diet modulates the mucous barrier via alterations in gut microbiota, resulting in either disease onset/exacerbation due to a "poor" diet or protection against disease with a "healthy" diet. In addition, many mucosa-associated disorders possess a specific gut microbiome fingerprint associated with the composition of the mucous barrier, which is further influenced by host-microbiome and inter-microbial interactions, dietary choices, microbe immigration and antimicrobials. Our review focuses on the interactions of diet (macronutrients and micronutrients), gut microbiota and mucous barriers (gastrointestinal and respiratory tract) and their importance in the onset and/or progression of major immune/metabolic disorders. We also highlight the key mechanisms that could be targeted therapeutically to prevent and/or treat these disorders.

Long-term cardiac outcomes of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated in the adjuvant lapatinib and/or trastuzumab Treatment Optimization Trial.

BACKGROUND: Cardiotoxicity is the most significant adverse event associated with trastuzumab (T), the main component of HER2-positive breast cancer (BC) treatment. Less is known about the cardiotoxicity of dual HER2 blockade with T plus lapatinib (L), although this regimen is used in the metastatic setting. METHODS: This is a sub-analysis of the ALTTO trial comparing adjuvant treatment options for patients with early HER2-positive BC. Patients randomised to either T or concomitant T + L were eligible. Cardiac events (CEs) rates were compared according to treatment arm. RESULTS: With 6.9 years of median follow-up (FU) and 4190 patients, CE were observed in 363 (8.6%): 166 (7.9%) of patient in T + L arm vs. 197 (9.3%) in T arm (OR = 0.85 [95% CI, 0.68-1.05]). During anti-HER2 treatment 270 CE (6.4%) occurred while 93 (2.2%) were during FU (median time to onset = 6.6 months [IQR = 3.4-11.7]). While 265 CEs were asymptomatic (73%), 94 were symptomatic (26%) and four were cardiac deaths (1%). Recovery was observed in 301 cases (83.8%). Identified cardiac risk factors were: baseline LVEF < 55% (vs > 64%, OR 3.1 [95% CI 1.54-6.25]), diabetes mellitus (OR 1.85 [95% CI 1.25-2.75]), BMI > 30 kg/m2 (vs < 25 mg/kg2, OR 2.21 [95% CI 1.40-3.49]), cumulative dose of doxorubicin ≥240 mg/m2 (OR 1.36 [95% CI 1.01-1.82]) and of epirubicin≥ 480 mg/m2 (OR 2.33 [95% CI 1.55-3.51]). CONCLUSIONS: Dual HER2 blockade with T + L is a safe regimen from a cardiac perspective, but cardiac-focused history for proper patient selection is crucial. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00490139 (registration date: 22/06/2007); EudraCT Number: 2006-000562-36 (registration date: 04/05/2007); Sponsor Protocol Number: BIG2-06 /EGF106708/N063D.

Correction: Quality of life under extended continuous versus intermittent adjuvant letrozole in lymph node-positive, early breast cancer patients: the SOLE randomised phase 3 trial.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Lymph node ratio as best prognostic factor in triple-negative breast cancer patients with residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Although lymph node status (ypN) is one of the most important prognostic factors of survival, the lymph node ratio (LNR) has emerged as an equitable factor. We aimed to compare the prognostic value of both ypN and LNR in patients with residual triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). This was a retrospective cohort study of patients treated in a tertiary care center during the period 2000-2014. We stratified the population based on LNR (≤0.20, 0.20-0.65, and >0.65) and ypN (N1, N2, and N3) status. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were estimated with Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank + test. We further compared patient mortality and disease recurrence using multivariate Cox regression analysis. We evaluated 169 patients with a median follow-up of 87 months. At 2 years of follow-up, patients with low-risk LNR compared to those with moderate and high risk had a higher PFS (54% vs 31% vs 18%, respectively; P < .001) and OS (74% vs 64% vs 45%, respectively; P < .001). Moreover, ypN1 patients compared to ypN2 and ypN3 showed similar results in PFS (53% vs 35% vs 19%, respectively; P = .001) and OS (73% vs 69% vs 43%, respectively; P < .001). Compared to the low-risk population, patients with moderate (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.50; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.41-8.71) and high risk (HR: 6.90; 95% CI: 2.29-20.77) had a worse PFS. Regarding OS, moderate-risk (HR: 2.85; 95% CI: 1.10-7.38) and high-risk patients (HR: 6.48; 95% CI: 2.13-19.76) showed considerably worse outcomes. On the other hand, ypN staging was not associated with PFS or OS in the multivariate analysis. The LNR is a better prognostic factor of survival than ypN. The LNR should be considered in the stratification of risk after NAC in patients with TNBC.

Quality of life under extended continuous versus intermittent adjuvant letrozole in lymph node-positive, early breast cancer patients: the SOLE randomised phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: In the phase III SOLE trial, the extended use of intermittent versus continuous letrozole for 5 years did not improve disease-free survival in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Intermittent therapy with 3-month breaks may be beneficial for patients' quality of life (QoL). METHODS: In the SOLE QoL sub-study, 956 patients completed the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial (BCPT) symptom and further QoL scales up to 24 months after randomisation. Differences in change of QoL from baseline between the two administration schedules were tested at 12 and 24 months using repeated measures mixed-models. The primary outcome was change in hot flushes at 12 months. RESULTS: There was no difference in hot flushes at 12 months between the two schedules, but patients receiving intermittent letrozole reported significantly more improvement at 24 months. They also indicated less worsening in vaginal problems, musculoskeletal pain, sleep disturbance, physical well-being and mood at 12 months. Overall, 25-30% of patients reported a clinically relevant worsening in key symptoms and global QoL. CONCLUSION: Less symptom worsening was observed during the first year of extended treatment with the intermittent administration. For women experiencing an increased symptom burden of extended adjuvant endocrine therapy, an intermittent administration is a safe alternative. CLINICAL TRIAL INFORMATION: Clinical trial information: NCT00651456.

Goserelin for ovarian protection during breast-cancer adjuvant chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian failure is a common toxic effect of chemotherapy. Studies of the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists to protect ovarian function have shown mixed results and lack data on pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: We randomly assigned 257 premenopausal women with operable hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer to receive standard chemotherapy with the GnRH agonist goserelin (goserelin group) or standard chemotherapy without goserelin (chemotherapy-alone group). The primary study end point was the rate of ovarian failure at 2 years, with ovarian failure defined as the absence of menses in the preceding 6 months and levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the postmenopausal range. Rates were compared with the use of conditional logistic regression. Secondary end points included pregnancy outcomes and disease-free and overall survival. RESULTS: At baseline, 218 patients were eligible and could be evaluated. Among 135 with complete primary end-point data, the ovarian failure rate was 8% in the goserelin group and 22% in the chemotherapy-alone group (odds ratio, 0.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.09 to 0.97; two-sided P=0.04). Owing to missing primary end-point data, sensitivity analyses were performed, and the results were consistent with the main findings. Missing data did not differ according to treatment group or according to the stratification factors of age and planned chemotherapy regimen. Among the 218 patients who could be evaluated, pregnancy occurred in more women in the goserelin group than in the chemotherapy-alone group (21% vs. 11%, P=0.03); women in the goserelin group also had improved disease-free survival (P=0.04) and overall survival (P=0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Although missing data weaken interpretation of the findings, administration of goserelin with chemotherapy appeared to protect against ovarian failure, reducing the risk of early menopause and improving prospects for fertility. (Funded by the National Cancer Institute and others; POEMS/S0230 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00068601.).

The implementation of the Plan Esperanza and response to the imPACT Review.

Following the implementation of the National Cancer Prevention and Control Results-based Budget Programme (PpR Cancer-024) in 2011, the Peruvian Government approved the Plan Esperanza-a population-based national cancer control plan-in 2012. Legislation that ensured full government-supported funding for people who were otherwise unable to access or afford care and treatment accompanied the Plan. In 2013, the Ministry of Health requested an integrated mission of the Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (imPACT) report to strengthen cancer control in Peru. The imPACT Review, which was executed in 2014, assessed Peru's achievements in cancer control, and areas for improvement, including cancer control planning, further development of population-based cancer registration, increased prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and palliative care, and the engagement and participation of civil society in the health-care system. This Series paper gives a brief history of the development of the Plan Esperanza, describes the innovative funding model that supports it, and summarises how funds are disseminated on the basis of disease, geography, and demographics. An overview of the imPACT Review, and the government's response in the context of the Plan Esperanza, is provided. The development and execution of the Plan Esperanza and the execution of and response to the imPACT Review demonstrates the Peruvian Government's commitment to fighting cancer across the country, including in remote and urban areas.

Adjuvant exemestane with ovarian suppression in premenopausal breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant therapy with an aromatase inhibitor improves outcomes, as compared with tamoxifen, in postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. METHODS: In two phase 3 trials, we randomly assigned premenopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive early breast cancer to the aromatase inhibitor exemestane plus ovarian suppression or tamoxifen plus ovarian suppression for a period of 5 years. Suppression of ovarian estrogen production was achieved with the use of the gonadotropin-releasing-hormone agonist triptorelin, oophorectomy, or ovarian irradiation. The primary analysis combined data from 4690 patients in the two trials. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 68 months, disease-free survival at 5 years was 91.1% in the exemestane-ovarian suppression group and 87.3% in the tamoxifen-ovarian suppression group (hazard ratio for disease recurrence, second invasive cancer, or death, 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60 to 0.85; P<0.001). The rate of freedom from breast cancer at 5 years was 92.8% in the exemestane-ovarian suppression group, as compared with 88.8% in the tamoxifen-ovarian suppression group (hazard ratio for recurrence, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.55 to 0.80; P<0.001). With 194 deaths (4.1% of the patients), overall survival did not differ significantly between the two groups (hazard ratio for death in the exemestane-ovarian suppression group, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.51; P=0.37). Selected adverse events of grade 3 or 4 were reported for 30.6% of the patients in the exemestane-ovarian suppression group and 29.4% of those in the tamoxifen-ovarian suppression group, with profiles similar to those for postmenopausal women. CONCLUSIONS: In premenopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive early breast cancer, adjuvant treatment with exemestane plus ovarian suppression, as compared with tamoxifen plus ovarian suppression, significantly reduced recurrence. (Funded by Pfizer and others; TEXT and SOFT ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT00066703 and NCT00066690, respectively.).