The Clinical Utility of a 7-Gene Biosignature on Radiation Therapy Decision Making in Patients with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Following Breast-Conserving Surgery: An Updated Analysis of the DCISionRT® PREDICT Study.

BACKGROUND: Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) followed by adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) is a standard treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). A low-risk patient subset that does not benefit from RT has not yet been clearly identified. The DCISionRT test provides a clinically validated decision score (DS), which is prognostic of 10-year in-breast recurrence rates (invasive and non-invasive) and is also predictive of RT benefit. This analysis presents final outcomes from the PREDICT prospective registry trial aiming to determine how often the DCISionRT test changes radiation treatment recommendations. METHODS: Overall, 2496 patients were enrolled from February 2018 to January 2022 at 63 academic and community practice sites and received DCISionRT as part of their care plan. Treating physicians reported their treatment recommendations pre- and post-test as well as the patient's preference. The primary endpoint was to identify the percentage of patients where testing led to a change in RT recommendation. The impact of the test on RT treatment recommendation was physician specialty, treatment settings, individual clinical/pathological features and RTOG 9804 like criteria. Multivariate logisitc regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio (ORs) for factors associated with the post-test RT recommendations. RESULTS: RT recommendation changed 38% of women, resulting in a 20% decrease in the overall recommendation of RT (p < 0.001). Of those women initially recommended no RT (n = 583), 31% were recommended RT post-test. The recommendation for RT post-test increased with increasing DS, from 29% to 66% to 91% for DS <2, DS 2-4, and DS >4, respectively. On multivariable analysis, DS had the strongest influence on final RT recommendation (odds ratio 22.2, 95% confidence interval 16.3-30.7), which was eightfold greater than clinicopathologic features. Furthermore, there was an overall change in the recommendation to receive RT in 42% of those patients meeting RTOG 9804-like low-risk criteria. CONCLUSIONS: The test results provided information that changes treatment recommendations both for and against RT use in large population of women with DCIS treated in a variety of clinical settings. Overall, clinicians changed their recommendations to include or omit RT for 38% of women based on the test results. Based on published clinical validations and the results from current study, DCISionRT may aid in preventing the over- and undertreatment of clinicopathological 'low-risk' and 'high-risk' DCIS patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03448926 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03448926 ).

A framework to improve retention of Black surgical trainees: A Society of Black Academic Surgeons white paper.

Attrition is high among surgical trainees, and six of ten trainees consider leaving their programs, with two ultimately leaving before completion of training. Given known historically and systemically rooted biases, Black surgical trainees are at high risk of attrition during residency training. With only 4.5% of all surgical trainees identifying as Black, underrepresentation among their peers can lend to misclassification of failure to assimilate as clinical incompetence. Furthermore, the disproportionate impact of ongoing socioeconomic crisis (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic, police brutality etc.) on Black trainees and their families confers additional challenges that may exacerbate attrition rates. Thus, attrition is a significant threat to medical workforce diversity and health equity. There is urgent need for surgical programs to develop proactive approaches to address attrition and the threat to the surgical workforce. In this Society of Black Academic Surgeons (SBAS) white paper, we provide a framework that promotes an open and inclusive environment conducive to the retention of Black surgical trainees, and continued progress towards attainment of health equity for racial and ethnic minorities in the United States.

Minimizing re-excision after breast conserving surgery - a review of radiofrequency spectroscopy for real-time, intraoperative margin assessment.

INTRODUCTION: For early-stage breast cancer, breast-conserving surgery (BCS) plus radiation is standard-of-care. Nationwide, >20% of BCS patients require re-excision for positive margins, resulting in delayed adjuvant therapy, increased complications, emotional and financial stress for patients, and additional cost to the healthcare system. Although several methods may be employed to mitigate positive margins, no technique can fully address the need. MarginProbe® is an adjunctive tool for real-time intraoperative margin assessment and is shown to reduce positive margins by >50%. AREAS COVERED: Discussion of the impact of re-excision following BCS, a review of currently available methods for intraoperative margin management, followed by a technology and literature review of the MarginProbe® Radiofrequency Spectroscopy System. EXPERT OPINION: Re-excision significantly impacts patients, providers and payers. Limitations in the ability to assess margins at time of surgery warrant more advanced methods of residual disease detection. MarginProbe facilitates the most efficient pathway for breast cancer patients through the surgical phase of treatment. The device is well-suited for adoption as the healthcare focus shifts from volume to value and supports the three pillars of the US Department of Health and Human Services' 'Triple-Aim' strategy: improve population health, improve patient experience of care, and reduce per-capita costs.

Comparative analysis of radioactive iodine versus thyroidectomy for definitive treatment of Graves disease.

BACKGROUND: Management of Graves disease includes antithyroid drugs, 131I therapy, or thyroidectomy. Our aim was to review our institutional experience with definitive treatments for Graves disease. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of patients undergoing 131I therapy (n = 295) or thyroidectomy (n = 103) for Graves disease (2003-2015). Demographic, clinical, pathology, and outcome data were collected from institutional databases. RESULTS: 131I therapy patients were older (39.1 years vs 33.4 years, P = .001). There was no difference in the presence of ophthalmopathy between groups. A larger proportion of children received thyroidectomy than 131I therapy (17.1% vs 9.2%, P = .026). The success rate of the first 131I therapy dose was 81.4%. Overall success rate, including additional doses, was 90.1%. Rapid turnover of iodine correlated with 131I therapy failure (58.3% rapid turnover failure vs 14.9% non-rapid turnover failure, P < .05). All surgical patients underwent total or near-total thyroidectomy. 131I therapy complications included worsening thyrotoxicosis (1%) and deteriorating orbitopathy (0.7%). Operative complications were higher than 131I therapy complications (P < .05) but were transient. There was no worsening orbitopathy or recurrent Graves disease among surgical patients. CONCLUSION: A higher proportion of pediatric Graves disease patients underwent thyroidectomy than 131I therapy. Rapid turnover suggested more effective initial management with operation than 131I therapy. Although transient operative complications were high, 131I therapy complications included worsening of Graves orbitopathy among those with pre-existing orbitopathy.

The effect of hyperbaric oxygen treatment on squamous cell cancer growth and tumor hypoxia.

Anecdotal studies have reported explosive tumor growth in patients with a history of squamous cell carcinoma after hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment. Conflicting experimental results have followed. In this study, squamous cancer cells were subjected to daily HBO treatment. No difference in cellular proliferation was noted in vitro when comparing HBO and control treated cells (P = 0.534). Similarly, immunostaining for in vivo DNA synthesis failed to demonstrate any significant difference in the number of proliferating cells after treatment with HBO (P = 0.388). No significant difference in tumor volume or mass was found after in vivo implantation (P = 0.471). HBO was found to reduce tumor hypoxia, which trended towards significance when compared with controls (P = 0.057); however, there was no difference in serum VEGF levels or vessel ingrowth. Thus, even though HBO may reduce the levels of hypoxia within squamous cell tumors, it does not appear to enhance short-term growth or promote cellular proliferation or angiogenesis.

Management of bronchovascular mucormycosis in a diabetic: a surgical success.

Although cases of pulmonary mucor are scarce, diabetics account for a large percentage of these patients. The synergism of diabetes mellitus and mucormycosis poses potentially devastating bronchopulmonary complications, warranting urgent intervention. This report reviews the efficient workup, along with successful medical and surgical management, of a patient with pulmonary mucormycosis, with evidence of superior vena cava invasion.