Integration of Universal Germline Genetic Testing for All New Breast Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: The American Society of Breast Surgeons recommends genetic testing (GT) for all women with breast cancer (BC), but implementation and uptake of GT has not been well-described. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for newly diagnosed BC patients or patients with a newly identified recurrence of BC seen in a multidisciplinary clinic (MDBC) who were offered genetic counseling (GC) and GT. RESULTS: The 138 women attending the MDBC had a median age of 54 years and comprised non-Hispanic whites (46%), Asians (28%), Hispanics (17%), blacks (4%), and other (5%). Of the 105 (76%) patients without prior GT, 100 (95%) accepted GC, with 93 (93%) of these 100 patients undergoing GT. The patients meeting the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for GT were more likely to undergo GT. Testing was performed with a 67- to 84-gene panel, together with an 8- to 9-gene STAT panel if needed. Among 120 patients with reports available, including 33 patients previously tested, 15 (12%) were positive (1 BLM, 1 BRCA1, 3 BRCA2, 1 BRIP1, 1 CFTR, 1 CHEK2, 1 MUTYH, 1 PALB2, 1 PRSS1, 1 RAD50, 1 RET, and 2 TP53), 44 (37%) were negative, and 61 (51%) had an uncertain variant. The median time to STAT results (n = 50) was 8 days. The STAT results were available before surgery for 47 (98%) of the 48 STAT patients undergoing surgery. CONCLUSIONS: New BC patients attending the MDBC demonstrated high rates of acceptance of GC and GT. The combination of GC and GT can offer timely information critical to patient risk assessment and treatment planning.

Factors Associated With Hospitalization Among Breast Cancer Patients With COVID-19: A Diverse Multi-Center Los Angeles Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 virus has infected and killed millions of people worldwide. Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women and few studies have investigated the outcomes of patients with a history of breast cancer and COVID-19. We report the clinical outcomes of patients with invasive breast cancer who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, including hospitalization and death, and evaluate demographic and cancer-related factors associated with these outcomes. PATIENTS: Patients with a history of invasive breast cancer and positive SARS-CoV-2 test from January 1 to December 31, 2020 at two large, academic Los Angeles health systems were included. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of the electronic medical record was performed. Data for demographic and cancer-related factors were manually abstracted. Relationships between outcomes and clinical variables were evaluated using Fisher's exact test and linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Among a total of 132 patients, 40 (30.3%) were hospitalized, while 11 (8.3%) required intensive care support, and 8 patients (6.1%) died. Older age and presence of one or more additional comorbidities were associated with hospitalization and death (P = .010, P = .003, P = .034, P < .001). Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity was associated with hospitalization (P = .047). Cancer treatment was not associated with hospitalization or death. CONCLUSION: In our diverse, multi-center, breast cancer cohort, Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity, older age and presence of other comorbidities were associated with worse outcomes from COVID-19. Breast cancer treatment, including surgery, radiation, systemic therapy, and endocrine therapy, was not associated with hospitalization in our cohort. Further studies are needed to explore the relationship between breast cancer and COVID-19 outcomes.

Management of Diarrhea in Patients with HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Treated with Neratinib: A Case Series and Summary of the Literature.

INTRODUCTION: Neratinib and neratinib-based combinations have demonstrated efficacy for treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) early-stage and metastatic breast cancers. However, diarrhea has been reported as a common adverse event leading to neratinib discontinuation. Results from the CONTROL trial suggest that proactive diarrhea management with antidiarrheal prophylaxis or dose escalation of neratinib from a lower starting dose to the full FDA-approved dose of 240 mg/day can reduce the incidence, duration, and severity of neratinib-associated diarrhea in patients with early-stage breast cancer. Dose escalation has been included in the FDA-approved label for both early-stage and metastatic HER2+ breast cancer since June 2021. CASE SERIES: This series of five cases details real-world clinical implementation of strategies for management of neratinib-induced diarrhea in patients with early-stage and metastatic HER2+ breast cancer, including a patient with a pre-existing gastrointestinal disorder. MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOME: In four of five cases, diarrhea was managed with neratinib dose escalation, and antidiarrheal prophylaxis with loperamide plus colestipol was used in the remaining case. Management of diarrhea allowed all patients to remain on therapy. DISCUSSION: This case series shows that neratinib-associated diarrhea can be managed effectively with neratinib dose escalation from a lower initial starting dose and/or prophylactic antidiarrheal medications in a real-world clinical setting. The findings highlight the importance of patient-provider communication in proactive management of adverse events. Widespread implementation of the strategies described here may improve adherence and thereby clinical outcomes for patients with HER2+ breast cancer treated with neratinib.