Assessing trends in breast care surveillance metrics after implementing surgeon-specific tracking and performance reporting in a large, integrated cancer network.

BACKGROUND: There are few quality metrics and benchmarks specific to surgical oncology. Development of a surgeon-level performance metrics system based on peer comparisons is hypothesized to positively influence surgical decision-making. This study established a tracking and reporting system comprised of evidence and consensus-based metrics to assess breast care delivered by individual surgeons. METHODS: Surgeons' performance is assessed by a surveillance tracking system of metrics pertaining to referrals and surgical elements. This retrospective analysis of prospectively collected breast care data reports on recurring 6-month and cumulative data from nine care locations from 2015 to 2021. RESULTS: Breast care was provided to 6659 patients by 41 surgeons. A total of 27 breast care metrics were evaluated over 7 years. Metrics with consistent, proficient results were retired after 18 months, including the rate of core biopsy, specimen orientation, and referrals to medical oncology, genetics, and fertility, among others. In clinically node-negative, hormone receptor-positive patients 70 years of age or older, the cumulative rate of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy significantly decreased by 40% over 5.5 years (p < .001). The overall breast conservation rate for T0-T2 cancer increased 10% over 7 years. At the surgeon level, improvements were made in the median number of SLNs removed and in operative note documentation. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a surgeon-specific, peer comparison-based metric and tracking system has yielded substantive changes in breast care management. This process and governance structure can serve as a model for quantification of breast care at other institutions and for other disease sites.

Timeliness of Breast Diagnostic Imaging and Biopsy in Practice: 15 Years of Collecting, Comparing, and Defining Quality Breast Cancer Care.

BACKGROUND: The literature lacks well-established benchmarks for expected time between screening mammogram to diagnostic imaging and then to core needle breast biopsy. METHODS: Timeliness of diagnostic imaging workup was evaluated using aggregate data from 2005 to 2019 submitted to The National Quality Measures for Breast Centers (NQMBC). RESULTS: A total of 419 breast centers submitted data for 1,805,515 patients on the time from screening mammogram to diagnostic imaging. The overall time was 7 days with 75th, 25th, and 10th percentile values of 5, 10, and 13.5 days, respectively. The average time in business days decreased from 9.1 to 7.1 days (p < 0.001) over the study period with the greatest gains in poorest-performing quartiles. Screening centers and centers in the Midwest had significantly shorter time to diagnostic imaging. Time from diagnostic imaging to core needle biopsy was submitted by 406 facilities representing 386,077 patients. The average time was 6 business days, with 75th, 25th, and 10th percentiles of 4, 9, and 13.7 days, respectively. Time to biopsy improved from a mean of 9.0 to 6.3 days (p < 0.001) with the most improvement in the poorest-performing quartiles. Screening centers, centers in the Midwest, and centers in metropolitan areas had significantly shorter time to biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: In a robust dataset, the time from screening mammogram to diagnostic imaging and from diagnostic imaging to biopsy decreased from 2005 to 2019. On average, patients could expect to have diagnostic imaging and biopsies within 1 week of abnormal results. Monitoring and comparing performance with reported data may improve quality in breast care.

Does Residual Cancer Burden Predict Local Recurrence After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy?

BACKGROUND: The extent of residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) can be quantified by the Residual Cancer Burden (RCB), a prognostic tool used to estimate survival outcomes in breast cancer. This study investigated the association between RCB and locoregional recurrence (LRR). METHODS: The study reviewed 532 women with breast cancer who underwent NAC between 2010 and 2016. Relapse in the ipsilateral breast, skin/subcutis at the surgical site, chest wall, pectoralis, or regional lymph nodes defined an LRR. The LRR cumulative incidence (LRCI) was estimated using the Fine and Gray competing-risks model, with death and distant recurrence defined as competing events. The association of LRCI with prognostic variables was evaluated. RESULTS: Overall, 5.5% of the patients experienced an LRR after a median follow-up period of 65 months. The 5-year LRCI rates by RCB were as follows: RCB-0 (0.9%), RCB-1 (3.2%), RCB-2 (6.0%), and RCB-3 (12.9%). In the univariable analysis, LRCI varied significantly by RCB (p = 0.010). The multivariable analysis showed a significant association of LRCI with increasing RCB, and the patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) phenotype were at lower risk for LRR than those with HER2+ and triple-negative cancers (p < 0.032). The patients with RCB-3 were at a higher risk for local relapse than those with RCB-0 (hazard ratio, 13.78; confidence interval, 2.25-84.45; p = 0.04). Type of operation (p = 0.04) and use of adjuvant radiation (p = 0.046) were statistically significant in the multivariable model. CONCLUSIONS: The study results demonstrate a significant association between LRCI and increasing RCB, although distant recurrence is a substantial driver of disease outcomes. Future prospective studies should examine the role of RCB in clinical decisions regarding indications for adjuvant therapy.

Residual Cancer Burden Class Associated with Survival Outcomes in Women with Different Phenotypic Subtypes of Breast Cancer After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The residual cancer burden class informs survival outcomes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We evaluated the prognostic ability of the RCB for survival outcomes in women with different phenotypic subtypes of breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Additional variables were assessed for inclusion with the RCB to further improve the model's discriminative ability. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of patients completing at least 75% of the recommended cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2016. Phenotypic subtypes were defined by hormone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status at diagnosis, classified as HR+/HER2-, HER2+, or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The RCB class was calculated and survival endpoints of overall survival, recurrence-free survival, and distant recurrence-free survival were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards methods. The discriminative ability of the models was quantified by Harrell's C-index. RESULTS: Overall, 532 women met the inclusion criteria. Median follow-up was 65 months. In univariate models, RCB was significantly associated with OS, RFS, and DRFS. The RCB class had good discriminative ability for OS, RFS, and DRFS survival, with Harrell's C-indices of 0.68, 0.67, and 0.68, respectively. The RCB class discriminated well for each survival endpoint within HER2+ and TNBC, but did not discriminate well for HR+/HER2- (OS Harrell's C-indices of 0.77, 0.75, and 0.52, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The RCB class was prognostic for OS, RFS, and DRFS after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, but prognostic discrimination between patients with subtype HR+/HER2- was not observed during the follow-up period for which the overall event rate was low.

Innovation in Breast Surgery: Practical and Ethical Considerations.

The adoption of innovation is essential to the evolution of patient care. Breast surgical oncology advances through incorporating new techniques, devices, and procedures. Historical changes in practice standards from radical to modified radical mastectomy or axillary node dissection to sentinel node biopsy reduced morbidity without sacrifice in oncologic outcome. Contemporary oncoplastic techniques afford broader consideration for breast conservation and the potential for improved cosmetic outcomes. At present, many breast surgeons face the decision of which wireless device to use for localization of nonpalpable lesions. Consideration for future changes, such as robotic mastectomy, are on the horizon. No guideline exists to assist breast surgeons in the adoption of innovation into practice. The Ethics Committee of the American Society of Breast Surgeons acknowledges that breast surgeons confront many questions associated with onboarding innovation. This paper aims to provide a framework for asking relevant questions along with the ethical principles to consider when integrating an innovation into practice.

Covid-19 related oncologist's concerns about breast cancer treatment delays and physician well-being (the CROWN study).

PURPOSE: To examine how treatment delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the physical and emotional well-being of physicians treating these patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of physician breast specialists was posted from April 23rd to June 11th, 2020 on membership list serves and social media platforms of the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers and the American Society of Breast Surgeons. Physician well-being was measured using 6 COVID-19 burnout emotions and the 4-item PROMIS short form for anxiety and sleep disturbance. We examined associations between treatment delays and physician well-being, adjusting for demographic factors, COVID-19 testing and ten COVID-19 pandemic concerns. RESULTS: 870 physicians completed the survey, 61% were surgeons. The mean age of physicians was 52 and 548 (63.9%) were female. 669 (79.4%) reported some delay in patient care as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 384 (44.1%) and 529 (60.8%) of physicians scored outside normal limits for anxiety and sleep disturbance, respectively. After adjusting for demographic factors and COVID-19 testing, mean anxiety and COVID-19 burnout scores were significantly higher among physicians whose patients experienced either delays in surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiation, breast imaging or specialty consultation. A multivariable model adjusting for ten physician COVID-19 concerns and delays showed that "delays will impact my emotional well-being" was the strongest concern associated with anxiety, sleep disturbance and COVID-19 burnout factors. CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer treatment delays during the initial surge of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States were associated with a negative impact on physician emotional wellness.

Recommendations for prioritization, treatment, and triage of breast cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. the COVID-19 pandemic breast cancer consortium.

The COVID-19 pandemic presents clinicians a unique set of challenges in managing breast cancer (BC) patients. As hospital resources and staff become more limited during the COVID-19 pandemic, it becomes critically important to define which BC patients require more urgent care and which patients can wait for treatment until the pandemic is over. In this Special Communication, we use expert opinion of representatives from multiple cancer care organizations to categorize BC patients into priority levels (A, B, C) for urgency of care across all specialties. Additionally, we provide treatment recommendations for each of these patient scenarios. Priority A patients have conditions that are immediately life threatening or symptomatic requiring urgent treatment. Priority B patients have conditions that do not require immediate treatment but should start treatment before the pandemic is over. Priority C patients have conditions that can be safely deferred until the pandemic is over. The implementation of these recommendations for patient triage, which are based on the highest level available evidence, must be adapted to current availability of hospital resources and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic in each region of the country. Additionally, the risk of disease progression and worse outcomes for patients need to be weighed against the risk of patient and staff exposure to SARS CoV-2 (virus associated with the COVID-19 pandemic). Physicians should use these recommendations to prioritize care for their BC patients and adapt treatment recommendations to the local context at their hospital.

Rate of radial scars by core biopsy and upgrading to malignancy or high-risk lesions before and after introduction of digital breast tomosynthesis.

PURPOSE: Radial scars (RS) commonly present mammographically as architectural distortions, but these lesions may be associated with non-invasive and invasive breast cancer. Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) has resulted in higher detection rates of architectural distortion particularly in patients with dense breast tissue. We hypothesized that rates of clinically relevant lesions confirmed surgically would be lower in patients who received DBT imaging compared with those who received standard digital breast imaging. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 223 patients diagnosed with pure RS by core biopsy and surgical excision before and after DBT was introduced. The rate of upgrading to malignancy or high-risk lesion was evaluated. Demographics, biopsy type, and histologic data were analyzed. Univariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify variables that may be associated with upgrading. RESULTS: The rate of identifying RS increased from 0.04-.13% (P < 0.0001) with DBT imaging. The upgrade rate on surgical specimen to invasive or non-invasive cancer was similar before and after DBT; 6% versus 3%, as were findings of a high-risk lesion; 12% versus 22%. No predictive factors were identified for patients upgraded to malignant neoplasms or high-risk lesions. CONCLUSIONS: The likelihood of identifying RS has increased with DBT imaging, but rates of upgrading to a malignant neoplasm or high-risk lesion were similar to those before DBT. Although the rate of upgrading to malignancy after DBT was low, an excisional biopsy should be considered as 22% of patients were upgraded to high-risk lesions. These patients are candidates for chemoprevention and/or high-risk surveillance.

Ductal Carcinoma In Situ with Microinvasion on Core Biopsy: Evaluating Tumor Upstaging Rate, Lymph Node Metastasis Rate, and Associated Predictive Variables.

INTRODUCTION: The role of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) when ductal carcinoma in situ with microinvasion (DCISM) is identified on core biopsy is unclear. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the upstage rate to invasive cancer and axillary lymph node metastasis in patients diagnosed with DCISM, and whether predictive variables could be identified that may help inform who would most likely benefit from a surgical axillary evaluation. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 70 patients diagnosed with DCISM on core biopsy. Patients with concomitant or prior invasive cancer were excluded. Demographic, clinical, radiographic, histologic, and treatment data were collected. Fisher's exact test and univariable and multivariable logistic regression were performed to identify variables that may be associated with tumor upstaging and nodal metastasis. Time-to-event distributions were summarized using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: On final surgical pathology, 49 patients (70%) had a final diagnosis of DCISM or T1mi cancer, whereas 21 patients (30%) were upstaged to measurable invasive cancer (> 1 mm). One of 49 patients (2%) with DCISM on final pathology and 4 of 21 patients (19%) with measurable invasive cancer showed sentinel lymph node metastases. CONCLUSION: Although the upstage rate to measurable invasive cancer in our cohort of patients with DCISM on core biopsy was 30%, findings of a positive SLNB remain low at 7%. No predictive variables were identified to inform whether the routine practice of SLNB may be omitted in some patients with DCISM.

Ethical Considerations of Medical Photography in the Management of Breast Disease.

BACKGROUND: Medical photography has become an important component of the evaluation and management of patients across many specialties. It is increasingly utilized in contemporary practice with modern smartphones and enhanced digital media. Photography can enhance and improve treatment plans and communication between providers and patients. Additionally, photography supplements education, research, and marketing in both print and social media. Ethical and medicolegal standards for medical photography, specifically for patients with breast disease, have not been formally developed to guide medical providers. PURPOSE: To provide guidelines for breast care physicians using medical photography, the Ethics Committee of the American Society of Breast Surgeons presents an updated review of the literature and recommendations for ethical and practical use of photography in patient care. METHODS: An extensive PubMed review of articles in English was performed to identify studies and articles published prior to 2018 investigating the use of medical photography in patient care and the ethics of medical photography. After review of the literature, members of the Ethics Committee convened a panel discussion to identify best practices for the use of medical photography in the breast care setting. Results of the literature and panel discussion were then incorporated to provide the content of this article. CONCLUSION: The Ethics Committee of the American Society of Breast Surgeons acknowledges that photography of the breast has become an invaluable tool in the delivery of state-of-the-art care to our patients with breast disease, and we encourage the use of this important medium. Physicians must be well informed regarding the concerns associated with medical photography of the breast to optimize its safe and ethical use in clinical practice.

Changes in margin re-excision rates: Experience incorporating the "no ink on tumor" guideline into practice.

INTRODUCTION: Prior to the "no ink on tumor" SSO/ASTRO consensus guideline, approximately 20% of women with stage I/II breast cancers undergoing breast conservation surgery at our institution underwent margin re-excision. On May 20, 2013, our institution changed the definition of negative margins from 2 mm to "no ink on tumor." METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients who had surgery at our institution with clinical stage I/II breast cancers between June 1, 2011 and May 1, 2015. In the pre-guideline cohort (pre) and post-guideline cohort (post), negative margins were 2 mm and "no ink on tumor," respectively. RESULTS: Implementation of the guideline resulted in a significant decrease in the positive/close margin rate (29.6% pre vs 10.1% post; P < 0.001) and numerical decrease in re-excision rate (20.4% pre vs 16.3% post; P = 0.104). No significant difference was found in local recurrence between the cohorts with limited follow-up (1.2% pre vs 1.5% post; P = 0.787). CONCLUSION: The implementation of the "no ink on tumor" guideline at our institution has resulted in a significant decrease in positive margin rates and a numerical decrease in margin re-excisions. In addition to margin status, surgeons continue to use individual patient and histologic factors to decide for or against margin re-excision.

Reporting of mitotic rate in cutaneous melanoma: A study using the national cancer data base.

BACKGROUND: The seventh edition of the American Joint Commission on Cancer staging manual (AJCC7, published 2009), updated thin cutaneous melanoma staging protocols with the incorporation of mitotic rate (MR). In these patients, higher MR is associated with decreased survival. This study utilizes the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) to evaluate MR reporting since AJCC7. METHODS: The NCDB was queried for patients with primary cutaneous melanoma from 1998 to 2013. Because MR reporting was infrequent prior to implementing AJCC7, records from 2010 to 2013 were analyzed. Categorical variables were compared with chi-square tests; univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to determine the effects of covariates on MR reporting. RESULTS: A total of 107,134 patients met inclusion criteria. From 2010 to 2013, MR reporting increased dramatically (64.3-80.9%). On multivariate analysis, factors significantly related to increased MR reporting include later diagnosis year, T-classification (T1a and b vs. T1), facility type (academic vs. other specified types of cancer programs), facility volume, patient income, level of education, and county population (metropolitan vs. urban and rural). CONCLUSIONS: MR reporting increased dramatically after the introduction of AJCC7; however, disparities in reporting remain across facility types. Further investigation of procedures performed in academic settings that may influence reporting of MR is warranted. J. Surg. Oncol. 2017;115:281-286. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pediatric and Adolescent Melanoma: A National Cancer Data Base Update.

BACKGROUND: Studies suggest that the biology of pediatric and adolescent melanoma differs from that of adult disease. We report the largest series to date examining the natural history of pediatric and adolescent melanoma. We aim to elucidate the natural history of pediatric and adolescent melanoma and to examine the appropriateness of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities developed for adults and that are currently being used in children. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of patients with an index diagnosis of cutaneous non-metastatic melanoma from 1998 to 2011 using the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB; n = 420,416). Three age-based cohorts were analyzed: 1-10 years (pediatric), 11-20 years (adolescent), and ≥21 years (adult). Multivariate analyses were used to identify factors associated with overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Pediatric melanoma patients have longer OS than their adolescent (hazard ratio [HR] 0.50, 95 % CI 0.25-0.98) and adult counterparts (HR 0.11, 95 % CI 0.06-0.21). Adolescents have longer OS than adults. No difference was found in OS in pediatric patients who are node-positive versus node-negative. In pediatric patients, sentinel lymph node biopsy and completion lymph node dissection are not associated with increased OS. In adolescents, nodal positivity is a significant negative prognostic indicator (HR 4.82, 95 % CI 3.38-6.87). CONCLUSIONS: Age-based differences in melanoma outcomes warrant different considerations for diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in each group in order to maximize quality of life while minimizing complications and costs. Prospective, multicenter studies should evaluate the role of diagnostic procedures for pediatric patients.

Surgical Decision Making in the BRCA-Positive Population: Institutional Experience and Comparison with Recent Literature.

A retrospective study was performed to document the uptake and extent of surgical intervention in patients with a known mutation in the BRCA1/2 genes and associated outcomes. Data were collected retrospectively on BRCA-positive patients with and without cancer at the time of genetic testing. Our findings were compared to those published in the current literature. Of patients with cancer at testing, 61% chose bilateral mastectomies. Of patients without cancer, 54% chose risk-reducing surgery (RRS) including risk-reducing mastectomy (RRM), risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO), or both. Time to surgery was significantly shorter to RRSO than to RRM. The literature suggests and our data support that acceptance of RRM in the BRCA-positive population has gradually increased over time. Consistently high rates of RRSO uptake and short intervals from time-of-testing to RRSO demonstrate that RRSO is still more acceptable to this population than RRM.

Management of flat epithelial atypia on breast core biopsy may be individualized based on correlation with imaging studies.

Flat epithelial atypia of the breast commonly co-exists with atypical ductal hyperplasia, lobular neoplasia, and indolent forms of invasive carcinomas such as tubular carcinoma. Most patients with pure flat epithelial atypia on core biopsy undergo surgical excision to evaluate for carcinoma in the adjacent breast tissue. Studies to date have reported varying upgrade rates with most recommending follow-up excision. These studies have often lacked detailed radiographic correlation, central review by breast pathologists and information regarding the biology of the carcinomas identified upon excision. In this study, we report the frequency of upgrade to invasive carcinoma or ductal carcinoma in situ in excision specimens following a diagnosis of pure flat epithelial atypia on core biopsy. Radiographic correlation is performed for each case and grade/receptor status of detected carcinomas is reported. Seventy-three (73) core biopsies containing pure flat epithelial atypia were identified from our files, meeting inclusion criteria for the study. In the subsequent excision biopsies, five (7%) cases contained invasive carcinoma or ductal carcinoma in situ and seventeen (23%) contained atypical ductal hyperplasia or lobular neoplasia. All of the ductal carcinoma in situ cases with estrogen receptor results were estrogen receptor positive and intermediate grade. The invasive tumors were small (pT1a) hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, low-grade invasive ductal or tubular carcinomas with negative sentinel lymph-node biopsies. No upgrades were identified in the 14 patients who had all of their calcifications removed by the stereotactic core biopsy. Our rate of upgrade to carcinoma, once cases with discordant imaging are excluded, is at the lower end of the range reported in the literature. Given the low upgrade rate and indolent nature of the carcinomas associated with flat epithelial atypia, case management may be individualized based on clinical and radiographic findings. Excision may not be necessary for patients without remaining calcifications following core biopsy.

The Ethics of Breast Surgery.

Breast surgery has evolved as a subspecialty of general surgery and requires a working knowledge of benign and malignant diseases, surgical techniques, shared decision-making with patients, collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team, and a basic foundation in surgical ethics. Ethics is defined as the practice of analyzing, evaluating, and promoting best conduct based upon available standards. As new information is obtained or as cultural values change, best conduct may be re-defined. In 2014, the Ethics Committee of the ASBrS acknowledged numerous ethical issues, specific to the practice of breast surgery. This independent review of ethical concerns was created by the Ethics Committee to provide a resource for ASBrS members as well as other surgeons who perform breast surgery. In this review, the professional, clinical, research and technology considerations that breast surgeons face are reviewed with guidelines for ethical physician behavior.

Margin re-excision and local recurrence in invasive breast cancer: A cost analysis using a decision tree model.

BACKGROUND: SSO-ASTRO recently published guidelines defining adequate margins in breast conservation therapy (BCT) as no tumor on ink based on studies demonstrating little difference in local recurrence (LR) with wider margins. We hypothesize that not routinely re-excising close margins results in decreased costs without compromising care. METHODS: A decision tree model was developed for the management of margins after BCT for invasive cancer. Patients were compared among three margin status groups: positive, close (≤2 mm) and negative (>2 mm). Ten publications provided re-excision rates (RER) and LR rates. The model assumed 140,000 BCT/year. Sensitivity analyses determined the most cost-effective strategy. Surgical costs were estimated using 2013 Medicare reimbursement rates. RESULTS: Re-excising close margins was significantly more costly than the alternative, $233.1 million versus $214.3 million, per year in the United States. Total surgical cost was most sensitive to re-excision of close margins-increasing the RER from 0% to 100% resulted in an $18.8 million cost difference. CONCLUSIONS: The strategy of re-excising close margins resulted in a predicted cost of $18.8 million per year. This does not include hospital costs, the cost of surgical complications after re-excision, and underestimates the potential savings by using Medicare reimbursement rates.