The impact of molecular subtype on breast cancer recurrence in young women treated with contemporary adjuvant therapy.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women younger than 40 years. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) positive subtypes have a particularly poor prognosis in this age group. The purpose of this study was to compare rates of recurrence among breast cancer subtypes in young patients treated with modern adjuvant systemic therapy. A retrospective review of breast cancer patients managed at a major academic breast center between May 2000 and November 2014 was performed. We included 239 women with breast cancer who were diagnosed and treated at age ≤40 years. Clinical, pathological, therapeutic, and outcome data were recorded. Patients were classified into the following molecular subtypes: luminal A/B (estrogen receptor [ER] positive and/or progesterone receptor [PR] positive, and HER2 negative), luminal/HER2 (ER positive and/or PR positive, and HER2 positive), HER2- enriched (ER negative, PR negative, and HER2 positive) and TNBC (ER negative, PR negative, and HER2 negative). Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the study cohort. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to estimate recurrence-free survival (RFS). Median follow-up time was 29 months. Mean age was 34.5 years. Among all patients, 193 (80.8%) were diagnosed with Invasive breast cancer and 46 (19.2%) with ductal carcinoma in situ with or without microinvasion. Subclassification into molecular subtypes was complete for 199 patients among which, 50.7% were classified as luminal A/B, 21.1% luminal/HER2, 12.1% HER2-enriched and 16.1% TNBC. Of the 199 patients, 25.1% received neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and 59.2% received adjuvant chemotherapy. Among HER2-positive patients, 81.3% received HER2 directed therapy. Twenty-eight patients (11.7%) had recurrences (13 loco-regional, seven distant, and eight both). At 3 years, the HER2 subtype had the highest RFS 100%, compared to 91.1% in luminal A/B, 85.6% in luminal/HER2 and 81.9% in TNBC. In comparing outcomes among subtypes, the HER2 positive subtype was associated with improved RFS, likely reflecting the impact of HER2 directed therapy. Those young patients with triple-negative subtype continued to have the poorest outcomes.

Association Between Recurrence and Re-Excision for Close and Positive Margins Versus Observation in Patients with Benign Phyllodes Tumors.

BACKGROUND: Breast lesions not sampled prior to surgery or initially diagnosed as fibroepithelial lesions on core biopsy may have a diagnosis of phyllodes tumor (PT) on excision. Historically, re-excision for close or positive margins has been the standard of care. We examined the rate of re-excision for close or positive margins in patients with benign phyllodes and compared recurrence rates among those undergoing re-excision versus observation. METHODS: We identified all patients with phyllodes tumor diagnosed between 2003 and 2013. Operative and surgical pathology reports were reviewed for clinical, pathologic, and follow-up data. RESULTS: Among 246 cases, 216 (88%) were benign PT and 30 (12%) borderline/malignant tumors. In the group of benign PT (n = 216), margins were negative in 64 patients (29.6%), 50 (23%) were close, and 102 (47%) were positive. Of those with close margins, 22 (44%) underwent reexcision and residual benign PT was found in 2 (9%). In patients with positive margins, 45 (44%) had re-excision and residual benign PT was detected in 4 (8.8%). After a median follow-up of 35.5 months, there were 4 (1.9%) recurrences among patients with benign PT. There was no difference in recurrence among patients who had re-excision for positive or close margins versus observation (p = 0.7 and 0.21, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with close or positive margins, there was no significant difference in disease recurrence between patients who underwent reexcision and those who were observed. Based on these results, it may be reasonable to manage these patients conservatively with close follow-up.

Hoarding in the elderly: a critical review of the recent literature.

BACKGROUND: Hoarding is now a stand-alone diagnosis in DSM-5. The objective of this review is to critically evaluate the most recent literature on hoarding disorder (HD) in ageing patients. METHODS: A literature search was conducted using PubMed and PsychINFO to identify papers from 2000 to 2015 that examined HD and hoarding symptoms in late-life participants. RESULTS: Thirteen studies met inclusion criteria. Selected studies had significant methodological limitations with regard to participant sampling, diagnostic criteria, and methods for identifying co-morbid conditions. Hoarding in the elderly generally had onset before age 40 years, increased in severity after middle age, and was linked with social isolation. Depression was associated with hoarding in 14-54% of geriatric cases. Co-morbid anxiety and PTSD were also found. A variety of medical conditions were more common in seniors with hoarding including arthritis and sleep apnea. Late-life hoarding was associated with deficits in memory, attention, and executive function. CONCLUSIONS: HD in the elderly has distinct features. A combination of self-neglect, psychiatric and medical co-morbidities, and executive dysfunction may contribute to the progression of hoarding symptoms in the elderly.

Oncologic Outcomes After Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy.

BACKGROUND: Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) is increasingly used as an alternative to traditional mastectomy because it provides improved aesthetic results. The data on its oncologic safety are limited. The authors' institution has performed NSM during the past 10 years for both oncologic and prophylactic indications. This study aimed to examine oncologic outcomes after NSM for breast cancer. METHODS: The study retrospectively examined all NSM cases managed between July 2007 and July 2013. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the study cohort. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to estimate recurrence-free survival, specifically the 36-month recurrence-free survival proportion. RESULTS: A total of 721 nipple-sparing mastectomies were performed for 413 patients: 45 (10.9 %) to reduce risk and 368 (89.1 %) for breast cancer. In the breast cancer group, 29.8 % of the patients had ductal carcinoma in situ, and 70.2 % had invasive cancer. The mean follow-up time was 32 months (range 0.01-90.2 months). In the breast cancer group, the Kaplan-Meier 3-year recurrence-free survival rate was 93.6 % (95 % confidence interval, 89.9-96.0 %). Eight patients (2.2 %) had locoregional recurrences, including one in the nipple. Nine patients (2.4 %) had distant recurrence, and six patients (1.6 %) had a diagnosis of both local and distant recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed a locoregional recurrence rate of 2.2 %, with an overall recurrence rate of 6.3 % for patients undergoing NSM for the treatment of breast cancer. The majority of these recurrences were distant, with one recurrence at the nipple. These results are promising, but a longer follow-up evaluation of this cohort is necessary.

Treatment outcomes in older adults with hoarding disorder: The impact of self-control, boredom and social support.

OBJECTIVES: Hoarding disorder in older adults often develops in the context of co-occurring psychosocial maladies, and treatment response tends to be suboptimal. This preliminary investigation explored several ageing-related factors and their relationship to hoarding symptom severity (HSS), and examined treatment response to 15 sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with in-home support. METHODS: Twenty-nine participants (Mage = 67) completed self-report questionnaires measuring HSS, self-control, indecisiveness, depression, loneliness, social support and boredom, before (T1) and after (T2) treatment. RESULTS: At T1, HSS was associated marginally with loneliness and significantly with all other variables, except social support. At T2, HSS and depression decreased significantly and only boredom and self-control remained associated with HSS. Attrition rates were high, and those with low social support were more likely to discontinue treatment prematurely. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing social support may improve treatment retention, and pre-emptively reducing sources of boredom and increasing self-control during treatment might improve outcomes for older adults with hoarding disorder.