Duration of androgen deprivation therapy with postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a comparison of long-course versus short-course androgen deprivation therapy in the RADICALS-HD randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Previous evidence supports androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with primary radiotherapy as initial treatment for intermediate-risk and high-risk localised prostate cancer. However, the use and optimal duration of ADT with postoperative radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy remains uncertain. METHODS: RADICALS-HD was a randomised controlled trial of ADT duration within the RADICALS protocol. Here, we report on the comparison of short-course versus long-course ADT. Key eligibility criteria were indication for radiotherapy after previous radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, prostate-specific antigen less than 5 ng/mL, absence of metastatic disease, and written consent. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to add 6 months of ADT (short-course ADT) or 24 months of ADT (long-course ADT) to radiotherapy, using subcutaneous gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue (monthly in the short-course ADT group and 3-monthly in the long-course ADT group), daily oral bicalutamide monotherapy 150 mg, or monthly subcutaneous degarelix. Randomisation was done centrally through minimisation with a random element, stratified by Gleason score, positive margins, radiotherapy timing, planned radiotherapy schedule, and planned type of ADT, in a computerised system. The allocated treatment was not masked. The primary outcome measure was metastasis-free survival, defined as metastasis arising from prostate cancer or death from any cause. The comparison had more than 80% power with two-sided α of 5% to detect an absolute increase in 10-year metastasis-free survival from 75% to 81% (hazard ratio [HR] 0·72). Standard time-to-event analyses were used. Analyses followed intention-to-treat principle. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN40814031, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00541047. FINDINGS: Between Jan 30, 2008, and July 7, 2015, 1523 patients (median age 65 years, IQR 60-69) were randomly assigned to receive short-course ADT (n=761) or long-course ADT (n=762) in addition to postoperative radiotherapy at 138 centres in Canada, Denmark, Ireland, and the UK. With a median follow-up of 8·9 years (7·0-10·0), 313 metastasis-free survival events were reported overall (174 in the short-course ADT group and 139 in the long-course ADT group; HR 0·773 [95% CI 0·612-0·975]; p=0·029). 10-year metastasis-free survival was 71·9% (95% CI 67·6-75·7) in the short-course ADT group and 78·1% (74·2-81·5) in the long-course ADT group. Toxicity of grade 3 or higher was reported for 105 (14%) of 753 participants in the short-course ADT group and 142 (19%) of 757 participants in the long-course ADT group (p=0·025), with no treatment-related deaths. INTERPRETATION: Compared with adding 6 months of ADT, adding 24 months of ADT improved metastasis-free survival in people receiving postoperative radiotherapy. For individuals who can accept the additional duration of adverse effects, long-course ADT should be offered with postoperative radiotherapy. FUNDING: Cancer Research UK, UK Research and Innovation (formerly Medical Research Council), and Canadian Cancer Society.

Outcome of patients with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer after PSMA PET/CT-directed radiotherapy or surgery without systemic therapy.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy (RT) and surgery are potential treatment options in patients with biochemical recurrence (BCR) following primary prostate cancer treatment. This study examines the value of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT)-informed surgery and RT in patients with BCR treated without systemic therapy. METHODS: This is a post-hoc subgroup analysis of a prospective clinical trial. Inclusion criteria were: histologically proven prostate cancer at initial curative-intent treatment, BCR after primary treatment with curative intent, having five or fewer lesions identified on [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT, and treatment with either PET/CT-directed RT or surgery without systemic therapy. The biochemical progression-free survival after PSMA ligand PET/CT-directed RT and surgery was determined. Uni- and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed for the association of patients' characteristics, tumor-specific variables, and PSMA PET/CT imaging results with biochemical progression at the last follow-up. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients (30 in surgery and 28 in radiotherapy groups) met the inclusion criteria. A total of 87 PSMA-positive lesions were detected: 16 local recurrences (18.4%), 54 regional lymph nodes (62.1%), 6 distant lymph nodes (6,8%), and 11 osseous lesions (12.7%). A total of 85.7% (24 of 28) and 70.0% (21 of 30) of patients showed a ≥ 50% decrease in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels after RT and surgery, respectively. At a median follow-up time of 21 months (range, 6-32 months), the median biochemical progression-free survival was 19 months (range, 4 to 23 months) in the radiotherapy group, as compared with 16.5 months (range, 4 to 28 months) in the surgery group. On multivariate Cox regression analysis, the number of PSMA positive lesions (2-5 lesions compared to one lesion), and the anatomic location of the detected lesions (distant metastasis vs. local relapse and pelvic nodal relapse) significantly correlated with biochemical progression at the last follow-up, whereas other clinical, tumor-specific, and imaging parameters did not. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that RT or surgery based on [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT are associated with high PSA response rates. The number and site of lesions detected on the PSMA PET/CT were predictive of biochemical progression on follow-up. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of targeting these sites on patient relevant outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered September 14, 2016; NCT02899312; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02899312.

Effect of Oophorectomy on Survival After Breast Cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Carriers.

IMPORTANCE: Women who carry a germline mutation in either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene face a lifetime risk of breast cancer of up to 70%, and once they receive a diagnosis of breast cancer, they face high risks of both second primary breast and ovarian cancers. Preventive bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is recommended to women with a BRCA mutation at age 35 years or thereafter to prevent breast and ovarian cancer, but it is unclear whether oophorectomy has an impact on survival in women with BRCA-associated breast cancer. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the impact of oophorectomy on survival in women with breast cancer with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective analysis of patients selected by pedigree review of families who received counseling at 1 of 12 participating clinical genetics centers. Patients were 676 women with stage I or II breast cancer and a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who were observed for up to 20 years after receiving a diagnosis between 1975 and 2008. Survival experience was compared for women who did and who did not undergo oophorectomy. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: In all analyses, the primary end point was death due to breast cancer. RESULTS: Of the 676 women, 345 underwent oophorectomy after the diagnosis of breast cancer and 331 retained both ovaries. The 20-year survival for the entire patient cohort was 77.4%. The adjusted hazard ratio for death attributed to breast cancer in women who underwent oophorectomy was 0.38 (95% CI, 0.19-0.77; P = .007) for BRCA1 carriers and 0.57 (95% CI, 0.23-1.43; P = .23) for BRCA2 carriers. The hazard ratio for breast cancer-specific mortality was 0.76 (95% CI, 0.32-1.78; P = .53) for women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer and 0.07 (95% CI, 0.01-0.51; P = .009) for women with estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Oophorectomy is associated with a decrease in mortality in women with breast cancer and a BRCA1 mutation. Women with estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer and a BRCA1 mutation should undergo oophorectomy shortly after diagnosis.

Risk factors for endometrial cancer among women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation: a case control study.

BRCA mutation carriers may use tamoxifen for breast cancer prevention or treatment. Hormone replacement therapy is often prescribed after surgical menopause and oral contraceptives are recommended for ovarian cancer prevention. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of these medications and other risk factors on endometrial cancer risk in BRCA carriers. Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation were identified from a registry of mutation carriers. Cases were 83 women who had a diagnosis of endometrial cancer. Controls were 1027 matched women who did not develop endometrial cancer and who had an intact uterus. All women completed a baseline questionnaire, which included questions about ages at menarche and menopause, oral contraceptive use, hormone replacement therapy use, hysterectomy, oophorectomy, breast cancer history and tamoxifen use. We estimated the odds ratio associated with each risk factor in a multivariate analysis. No differences were found between cases and controls in terms of age at menarche, BMI, smoking, or oral contraceptive use. In a multivariate analysis, for women taking estrogen-only hormone replacement therapy, the odds ratio was 0.23 (95% CI 0.03-1.78, p = 0.16), and for women taking progesterone-only hormone replacement therapy the odds ratio was 6.91 (95% CI 0.99-98.1, p = 0.05). The adjusted odds ratio for endometrial cancer associated with a history of tamoxifen use was 3.50 (95% CI 1.51-8.10, p = 0.003). The observed increased risk of endometrial cancer associated with progesterone-only therapy merits further study.

Factors influencing ovulation and the risk of ovarian cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.

The role of the lifetime number of ovulatory cycles has not been evaluated in the context of BRCA-associated ovarian cancer. Thus, we conducted a matched case-control study to evaluate the relationship between the cumulative number of ovulatory cycles (and contributing components) and risk of developing ovarian cancer in BRCA mutation carriers (1,329 cases and 5,267 controls). Information regarding reproductive and hormonal factors was collected from a routinely administered questionnaire. Conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate all associations. We observed a 45% reduction in the risk of developing ovarian cancer among women in the lowest vs. highest quartile of ovulatory cycles (OR = 0.55; 95% CI 0.41-0.75, p = 0.0001). Breastfeeding for more than 12 months was associated with a 38% (95% CI 0.48-0.79) and 50% (95% CI 0.29-0.84) reduction in risk among BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers, respectively. For oral contraceptive use, maximum benefit was seen with five or more years of use among BRCA1 mutation carriers (OR = 0.50; 95% CI 0.40-0.63) and three or more years for BRCA2 mutation carriers (OR = 0.42; 95% CI 0.22-0.83). Increasing parity was associated with a significant inverse trend among BRCA1 (OR = 0.87; 95% CI 0.79-0.96; p-trend = 0.005) but not BRCA2 mutation carriers (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.81-1.19; p-trend = 0.85). A later age at menopause was associated with an increased risk in women with a BRCA1 mutation (OR trend = 1.18; 95% CI 1.03-1.35; p = 0.02). These findings support an important role of breastfeeding and oral contraceptive use for the primary prevention of ovarian cancer among women carrying BRCA mutations.

Mammography screening and the risk of breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers: a prospective study.

Women with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer may be at increased risk of cancer after exposure to ionizing radiation. It is unclear whether mammography screening increases the risk of breast cancer among BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers. We identified 2,346 women with a BRCA1 (n = 1844) or BRCA2 (n = 502) mutation and no breast cancer, and we reviewed their history of mammography exposure. These women were followed for an average of 5.3 years and were observed for new breast cancer diagnoses. At study entry, 1808 women (77.1 %) reported ever having had a mammogram; of these, 204 women (11.2 %) reported having had a mammogram before age 30. We estimated the hazard ratios for the development of invasive breast cancer, conditional on the number of prior mammograms and on the age at first mammogram. Hazard ratios were estimated and stratified by gene (BRCA1 or BRCA2), relative to women with no exposure. We observed no significant association between prior mammography exposure and breast cancer risk for BRCA1 carriers (HR 0.79; 95 % CI 0.53-1.19; P = 0.26) or for BRCA2 carriers (HR 0.90; 95 % CI 0.35-2.34; P = 0.83). An early age at first mammogram (<30 years) did not increase breast cancer risk among BRCA1 carriers (HR 0.75; 95 % CI 0.41-1.37; P = 0.35) or among BRCA2 carriers (HR 0.69; 95 % CI 0.19-2.48; P = 0.57). Exposure to mammography in women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations is not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.

Duration of tamoxifen use and the risk of contralateral breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.

Women with a mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 face a lifetime risk of breast cancer of approximately 80 %. Tamoxifen treatment of the first cancer has been associated with a reduction in the risk of a subsequent contralateral cancer. We studied 1,504 women with a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, 411 women with bilateral breast cancer (cases) and 1,093 women with unilateral breast cancer (controls) in a matched case-control study. Control women were of similar age and had a similar age of diagnosis of first breast cancer as the cases. For each woman who used tamoxifen, the starting and stopping dates were abstracted and the duration of tamoxifen use was calculated. Three hundred and thirty-one women had used tamoxifen (22 %); of these 84 (25 %) had completed four or more years of tamoxifen, the remainder stopped prematurely or were current users. For women with up to 1 year of tamoxifen use, the odds ratio for contralateral breast cancer was 0.37 (95 % CI 0.20-0.69; p = 0.001) compared to women with no tamoxifen use. Among women with 1-4 years of tamoxifen use the odds ratio was 0.53 (95 % CI 0.32-0.87; p = 0.01). Among women with four or more years of tamoxifen use the odds ratio was 0.83 (95 % CI 0.44-1.55; p = 0.55). Short-term use of tamoxifen for chemoprevention in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers may be as effective as a conventional 5-year course of treatment.

Impact of oophorectomy on cancer incidence and mortality in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to estimate the reduction in risk of ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation after oophorectomy, by age of oophorectomy; to estimate the impact of prophylactic oophorectomy on all-cause mortality; and to estimate 5-year survival associated with clinically detected ovarian, occult, and peritoneal cancers diagnosed in the cohort. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation were identified from an international registry; 5,783 women completed a baseline questionnaire and ≥ one follow-up questionnaires. Women were observed until either diagnosis of ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer, death, or date of most recent follow-up. Hazard ratios (HRs) for cancer incidence and all-cause mortality associated with oophorectomy were evaluated using time-dependent survival analyses. RESULTS: After an average follow-up period of 5.6 years, 186 women developed either ovarian (n = 132), fallopian (n = 22), or peritoneal (n = 32) cancer, of whom 68 have died. HR for ovarian, fallopian, or peritoneal cancer associated with bilateral oophorectomy was 0.20 (95% CI, 0.13 to 0.30; P < .001). Among women who had no history of cancer at baseline, HR for all-cause mortality to age 70 years associated with an oophorectomy was 0.23 (95% CI, 0.13 to 0.39; P < .001). CONCLUSION: Preventive oophorectomy was associated with an 80% reduction in the risk of ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer in BRCA1 or BRCA2 carriers and a 77% reduction in all-cause mortality.

Contralateral mastectomy and survival after breast cancer in carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations: retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the survival rates of women with BRCA associated breast cancer who did and did not undergo mastectomy of the contralateral breast. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. SETTING: 12 cancer genetics clinics. PARTICIPANTS: 390 women with a family history of stage I or II breast cancer who were carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and initially treated with unilateral or bilateral mastectomy. 181 patients had mastectomy of the contralateral breast. Patients were followed for up to 20 years from diagnosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Death from breast cancer. RESULTS: 79 women died of breast cancer in the follow-up period (18 in the bilateral mastectomy group and 61 in the unilateral mastectomy group). The median follow-up time was 14.3 years (range 0.1-20.0 years). At 20 years the survival rate for women who had mastectomy of the contralateral breast was 88% (95% confidence interval 83% to 93%) and for those who did not was 66% (59% to 73%). In a multivariable analysis, controlling for age at diagnosis, year of diagnosis, treatment, and other prognostic features, contralateral mastectomy was associated with a 48% reduction in death from breast cancer (hazard ratio 0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.29 to 0.93; P=0.03). In a propensity score adjusted analysis of 79 matched pairs, the association was not significant (0.60, 0.34 to 1.06; P=0.08). Based on these results, we predict that of 100 women treated with contralateral mastectomy, 87 will be alive at 20 years compared with 66 of 100 women treated with unilateral mastectomy. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that women who are positive for BRCA mutations and who are treated for stage I or II breast cancer with bilateral mastectomy are less likely to die from breast cancer than women who are treated with unilateral mastectomy. Given the small number of events in this cohort, further research is required to confirm these findings.

Timing of oral contraceptive use and the risk of breast cancer in BRCA1 mutation carriers.

It is not clear if early oral contraceptive use increases the risk of breast cancer among young women with a breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) mutation. Given the benefit of oral contraceptives for the prevention of ovarian cancer, estimating age-specific risk ratios for oral contraceptive use and breast cancer is important. We conducted a case-control study of 2,492 matched pairs of women with a deleterious BRCA1 mutation. Breast cancer cases and unaffected controls were matched on year of birth and country of residence. Detailed information about oral contraceptive use was collected from a routinely administered questionnaire. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for the association between oral contraceptive and breast cancer, by age at first use and by age at diagnosis. Among BRCA1 mutation carriers, oral contraceptive use was significantly associated with an increased risk of breast cancer for women who started the pill prior to age 20 (OR 1.45; 95 % CI 1.20-1.75; P = 0.0001) and possibly between ages 20 and 25 as well (OR 1.19; 95 % CI 0.99-1.42; P = 0.06). The effect was limited to breast cancers diagnosed before age 40 (OR 1.40; 95 % CI 1.14-1.70; P = 0.001); the risk of early-onset breast cancer increased by 11 % with each additional year of pill use when initiated prior to age 20 (OR 1.11; 95 % CI 1.03-1.20; P = 0.008). There was no observed increase for women diagnosed at or after the age of 40 (OR 0.97; 95 % CI 0.79-1.20; P = 0.81). Oral contraceptive use before age 25 increases the risk of early-onset breast cancer among women with a BRCA1 mutation and the risk increases with duration of use. Caution should be taken when advising women with a BRCA1 mutation to take an oral contraceptive prior to age 25.

Changing communication needs and preferences across the cancer care trajectory: insights from the patient perspective.

PURPOSE: In this program of research, we sought to expand our understanding of how cancer patients' communication needs and preferences change across the course of their illness trajectory. To address known limitations in the empirical knowledge base, we designed a study capitalizing on representative patient reports as they occurred within time and across experience obtaining care for this disease. METHODS: We used a longitudinal cohort design informed by interpretive description methodology to follow 125 patients over a multi-year period as they reflected on their ongoing experiences with cancer care communication. RESULTS: In relation to each phase of their cancer care trajectory, patients identified tension points and contextual challenges impinging on what they felt constituted helpful and unhelpful patient-provider communication. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study create a dynamic portrait of how we can better inform communication approaches and interventions through interpretations of population knowledge and individual experience.

The impact of pregnancy on breast cancer survival in women who carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.

Physicians are often approached by young women with a BRCA mutation and a recent history of breast cancer who wish to have a baby. They wish to know if pregnancy impacts upon their future risks of cancer recurrence and survival. To date, there is little information on the survival experience of women who carry a mutation in one of the BRCA genes and who become pregnant. From an international multi-center cohort study of 12,084 women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, we identified 128 case subjects who were diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant or who became pregnant after a diagnosis of breast cancer. These women were age-matched to 269 mutation carriers with breast cancer who did not become pregnant (controls). Subjects were followed from the date of breast cancer diagnosis until the date of last follow-up or death from breast cancer. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate 15-year survival rates. The hazard ratio for survival associated with pregnancy was calculated using a left-truncated Cox proportional hazard model, adjusting for other prognostic factors. Among women who were diagnosed with breast cancer when pregnant or who became pregnant thereafter, the 15-year survival rate was 91.5 %, compared to a survival of 88.6 % for women who did not become pregnant (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.76; 95 % CI 0.31-1.91; p = 0.56). Pregnancy concurrent with or after a diagnosis of breast cancer does not appear to adversely affect survival among BRCA1/2 mutation carriers.

Chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea in patients with breast cancer with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.

PURPOSE: To determine the likelihood of long-term amenorrhea after treatment with chemotherapy in women with breast cancer who carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a multicenter survey of 1,954 young women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who were treated for breast cancer. We included premenopausal women who were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between 26 and 47 years of age. We determined the age of onset of amenorrhea after breast cancer for women who were and were not treated with chemotherapy, alone or with tamoxifen. We considered chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea to have occurred when the patient experienced ≥ 2 years of amenorrhea, commencing within 2 years of initiating chemotherapy, with no resumption of menses. RESULTS: Of the 1,426 women who received chemotherapy, 35% experienced long-term amenorrhea. Of the 528 women who did not receive chemotherapy, 5.3% developed long-term amenorrhea. The probabilities of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea were 7.2% for women diagnosed before age 30 years, 33% for women age 31 to 44 years, and 79% for women diagnosed after age 45 years (P trend < .001). The probability of induced amenorrhea was higher for women who received tamoxifen than for those who did not (52% v 29%; P < .001). CONCLUSION: Age at treatment and use of tamoxifen are important predictors of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea in women who carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. The risk of induced long-term amenorrhea does not seem to be greater among mutation carriers than among women who do not carry a mutation.

Cost-effectiveness of MRI for breast cancer screening in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers.

BACKGROUND: Women with mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 are at high risk of developing breast cancer and, in British Columbia, Canada, are offered screening with both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and mammography to facilitate early detection. MRI is more sensitive than mammography but is more costly and produces more false positive results. The purpose of this study was to calculate the cost-effectiveness of MRI screening for breast cancer in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers in a Canadian setting. METHODS: We constructed a Markov model of annual MRI and mammography screening for BRCA1/2 carriers, using local data and published values. We calculated cost-effectiveness as cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained (QALY), and conducted one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of annual mammography plus MRI screening, compared to annual mammography alone, was $50,900/QALY. After incorporating parameter uncertainty, MRI screening is expected to be a cost-effective option 86% of the time at a willingness-to-pay of $100,000/QALY, and 53% of the time at a willingness-to-pay of $50,000/QALY. The model is highly sensitive to the cost of MRI; as the cost is increased from $200 to $700 per scan, the ICER ranges from $37,100/QALY to $133,000/QALY. CONCLUSIONS: The cost-effectiveness of using MRI and mammography in combination to screen for breast cancer in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers is finely balanced. The sensitivity of the results to the cost of the MRI screen itself warrants consideration: in jurisdictions with higher MRI costs, screening may not be a cost-effective use of resources, but improving the efficiency of MRI screening will also improve cost-effectiveness.

International rates of breast reconstruction after prophylactic mastectomy in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.

BACKGROUND: Breast reconstruction is an option for women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations who elect to undergo prophylactic mastectomy to prevent breast cancer. We report on the uptake of breast reconstruction after prophylactic mastectomy in women with BRCA mutations from eight countries. METHODS: Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation were questioned regarding their cancer preventive practices. Information was recorded on prophylactic mastectomy and breast reconstruction. RESULTS: A total of 1,635 women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who elected to undergo prophylactic mastectomy from eight countries were included. A total of 1,137 women (69.5%) had breast reconstruction after prophylactic mastectomy. A total of 58.7% of women over the age of 45 years at the time of prophylactic mastectomy had breast reconstruction compared to 77.6% of women 35 years of age or younger [odds ratio (OR) 0.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.26-0.50, p < 0.001]. In addition, 62.9% of women with a breast cancer diagnosis (contralateral prophylactic mastectomy) had breast reconstruction after prophylactic mastectomy compared to 79.7% of women without a previous breast cancer diagnosis (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.38-0.61, p < 0.001). A total of 66.9% of women from Canada had breast reconstruction after mastectomy compared to 71.9% of American women (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.59-0.96, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of women elect for breast reconstruction after prophylactic mastectomy. However, younger women and those without a previous diagnosis of breast cancer are more likely to have breast reconstruction than older women or those with a previous diagnosis of cancer.

The incidence of endometrial cancer in women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations: an international prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of endometrial cancer in women who carry a mutation in the BRCA1 or the BRCA2 gene. METHODS: We followed 4456 women with a BRCA1 or a BRCA2 mutation for incident cases of endometrial cancer. The incidence of endometrial cancer was estimated per 100,000 women per year. The hazard ratios for endometrial cancer were estimated by calculating standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) according to age group and country of residence. We estimated the impact of tamoxifen and hormone replacement therapy on the incidence of endometrial cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 5.7 years, we identified 17 endometrial cancers (13 cases in BRCA1 and 4 cases in BRCA2). The SIR for BRCA1 carriers was 1.91 (95% CI: 1.06-3.19, p=0.03) and for BRCA2 carriers was 1.75 (95% CI: 0.55-4.23, p=0.2). The SIR was 4.14 (95% CI: 1.92 to 7.87) for women who received tamoxifen and was 1.67 (95% CI: 0.81 to 3.07) for women who did not receive tamoxifen. The ten-year cumulative risk of endometrial cancer in women who were treated with tamoxifen was 2.0%. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of endometrial cancer is higher in BRCA1 mutation carriers than in the general population. The excessive risk is largely attributable to a history of tamoxifen use, but the actual risk of endometrial cancer associated with tamoxifen is small. It is important to discuss hysterectomy at the time of prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy if tamoxifen is to be considered.

Frequency of premature menopause in women who carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of carrying a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation on the probability of experiencing premature natural menopause. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: Patients in an academic research environment. PATIENT(S): Women who carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation (case subjects) and women who do not carry a mutation (control subjects). INTERVENTION(S): Survey about reproductive history administered on study entry and every 2 years thereafter. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The impact of carrying a BRCA mutation on age at menopause and other factors, including parity, age at first birth, age at last birth, and self-reported fertility. RESULT(S): A total of 908 matched pairs were identified. The mean age at natural menopause was 48.8 years for BRCA1 carriers, 49.2 years for BRCA2 carriers, and 50.3 years for control subjects. Women who carried a BRCA mutation had parity similar to noncarriers and were as likely as noncarriers to have a child after age 35 years. Similar proportions reported a history of fertility problems (12.5% vs. 13.7%) and use of fertility medication (6.0% vs. 7.0%). CONCLUSION(S): Women who carry a BRCA mutation experience menopause earlier, on average, than women who do not have a mutation, but the difference is small and does not appear to affect fertility.

Should all BRCA1 mutation carriers with stage I breast cancer receive chemotherapy?

To estimate the 15-year survival following a diagnosis of stage I breast cancer among women who carry a BRCA1 mutation and to determine predictors of mortality, including the use of chemotherapy. Patients were 379 women with stage I breast cancer for whom a BRCA1 mutation had been identified, in herself or in a close family member. Patients were followed for up to 15 years from the initial diagnosis of breast cancer. Survival rates were estimated for women by age, tumor size (≤ 1 cm; > 1 cm), ER status (±), and by chemotherapy (yes/no). 42 women died of breast cancer in the follow-up period (11.2 %). Survival rates were similar for women with cancers of size 0-1.0 cm and size 1.1-2.0 cm. Of the 267 women in the study who used chemotherapy, 21 had died (7.9 %) compared to 21 deaths among 112 women who did not receive chemotherapy (18.8 %; p = 0.002). The 15-year survival was 89.4 % for women who received chemotherapy and was 73.1 % for women who did not receive chemotherapy (p = 0.08; log rank). The adjusted hazard ratio for death following a diagnosis of stage I breast cancer associated with chemotherapy was 0.53 (95 % CI 0.28-1.07; p value 0.06) after adjusting for age of diagnosis, tumor size, and estrogen receptor status. This was statistically significant only among women with ER-negative breast cancers (HR = 0.28; 95 % CI 0.10-0.79; p = 0.02). BRCA1 positive women who are treated for stage I breast cancer with chemotherapy have better survival than those who do not receive chemotherapy. The difference cannot be explained by other prognostic factors. All women with invasive breast cancer and a BRCA1 mutation should be considered to be candidates for chemotherapy.

Poor communication in cancer care: patient perspectives on what it is and what to do about it.

BACKGROUND: Communication in cancer care is a recognized problem for patients. Research to date has provided limited relevant knowledge toward solving this problem. OBJECTIVE: Our research program aims to understand helpful and unhelpful communication from the patient perspective and to document changes in patient needs and priorities over time. In this analysis, we focus on patient perceptions of poor communication. METHODS: Using a qualitative longitudinal approach informed by interpretive description methodology, we are following a cohort of adult cancer patients across their cancer journey. We used constant comparative analysis of repeated interviews to examine thematic patterns in their perceptions and interpret both commonalities and diversities. RESULTS: Patient accounts reveal 3 types of poor communication. "Ordinary misses" are everyday missteps for which maturation and socialization may be an adequate solution. "Systemic misunderstandings" are assumptive gaps between patients and professionals, which may be addressed through qualitative research. "Repeat offenders" are a subset of clinicians whose communication patterns become a particular source of patient distress. CONCLUSIONS: This typology offers a novel way to conceptualize the problem of poor communication in cancer care toward more effective solutions for the communication problem. Managing the communication of a problematic subset of clinicians will likely require strategic interventions at the level of organizational culture and models of care. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurses can play a meaningful role in detecting and buffering sources of poor communication in the practice context. Addressing poor communication may be a further reason to advocate for interprofessional team-based care models.

Oophorectomy after menopause and the risk of breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effect of the cumulative number of ovulatory cycles and its contributing components on the risk of breast cancer among BRCA mutation carriers. METHODS: We conducted a matched case-control study on 2,854 pairs of women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the association between the number of ovulatory cycles and various exposures and the risk of breast cancer. Information from a subset of these women enrolled in a prospective cohort study was used to calculate age-specific breast cancer rates. RESULTS: The annual risk of breast cancer decreased with the number of ovulatory cycles experienced (ρ = -0.69; P = 0.03). Age at menarche and duration of breastfeeding were inversely related with risk of breast cancer among BRCA1 (P(trend) < 0.0001) but not among BRCA2 (P(trend) ≥ 0.28) mutation carriers. The reduction in breast cancer risk associated with surgical menopause [OR, 0.52; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.40-0.66; P(trend) < 0.0001] was greater than that associated with natural menopause (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.62-1.07; P(trend) = 0.14). There was a highly significant reduction in breast cancer risk among women who had an oophorectomy after natural menopause (OR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.02-0.54; P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: These data challenge the hypothesis that breast cancer risk can be predicted by the lifetime number of ovulatory cycles in women with a BRCA mutation. Both pre- and postmenopausal oophorectomy protect against breast cancer. IMPACT: Understanding the basis for the protective effect of oophorectomy has important implications for chemoprevention.