[Other approaches in breast cancer screening]. / Autres approches en dépistage du cancer du sein.

French breast cancer screening is based on organized screening with a mammography every two years for women between 50 and 74, and individualized screening for women at high or very high risk of breast cancer (personal history of breast cancer or atypical breast lesion or thoracic radiotherapy before the age of 25, high family risk without genetic mutation, genetic mutation). A novel approach of risk-based breast cancer screening is currently under evaluation in many countries, including France. This personalized screening, based on individual risk of having breast cancer in the next years, uses algorithms which combine clinical parameters, mammographic density, familial history and genomic (using polygenic risk score), to estimate breast cancer risk and adapt screening's frequency.

Effects of local laser treatment on vulvovaginal atrophy among women with breast cancer: a prospective study with long-term follow-up.

PURPOSE: Women with breast cancer (BC) often suffer from severe vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) which ultimately leads to poor sexual and urinary quality of life. We conducted a prospective study among women with BC and VVA, in order to evaluate the long-term effect of laser therapy on VVA. METHODS: Women with BC and VVA were proposed to have fractional microablative CO2 laser therapy (MonaLisaTouch®, DEKA) once per month for 3 months. Efficacy of laser therapy was assessed at baseline, 6 months and 18 months after treatment, using Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) score, Ditrovie score and vaginal pH. A pap smear was also performed and the epithelial maturation pattern was noted. Paired statistical tests were used to compare results between baseline, 6 months and 18 months. RESULTS: 46 women with BC (median age [interquartile range] 56.5 years [47.0 - 59.4]) were included between May and October 2018. PH level slightly decreased over time (mean Δ at 18 months -0.3, SD = 0.7, p = 0.02) whereas maturation pattern on pap smear did not change. Sexual quality of life was significantly improved at 6 months and 18 months (mean Δ at 6 months 8.3, SD = 6.2 (p < 0.0001) and mean Δ at 18 months 4.3, SD = 8.4 (p = 0.01)). Ditrovie total score improved at 6 months (mean Δ -1.2, SD = 2.7, p = 0.01) but returned to baseline afterwards. Side effects were very mild. Three women developed low (2)- and high (1)-grade HPV-linked cervical lesions during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Among women with BC, fractional microablative CO2 laser is effective on the long term on VVA symptoms and gynaecological quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ID-RCB 2018-A01500-55.

Impact of body mass index on overall survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: High Body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor for breast cancer among postmenopausal women and an adverse prognostic factor in early-stage. Little is known about its impact on clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). METHODS: The National ESME-MBC observational cohort includes all consecutive patients newly diagnosed with MBC between Jan 2008 and Dec 2016 in the 18 French comprehensive cancer centers. RESULTS: Of 22 463 patients in ESME-MBC, 12 999 women had BMI data available at MBC diagnosis. Median BMI was 24.9 kg/m2 (range 12.1-66.5); 20% of women were obese and 5% underweight. Obesity was associated with more de novo MBC, while underweight patients had more aggressive cancer features. Median overall survival (OS) of the BMI cohort was 47.4 months (95% CI [46.2-48.5]) (median follow-up: 48.6 months). Underweight was independently associated with a worse OS (median OS 33 months; HR 1.14, 95%CI, 1.02-1.27) and first line progression-free survival (HR, 1.11; 95%CI, 1.01; 1.22), while overweight or obesity had no effect. CONCLUSION: Overweight and obesity are not associated with poorer outcomes in women with metastatic disease, while underweight appears as an independent adverse prognostic factor.

Modifiable risk factors for advanced vs. early breast cancer in the French E3N cohort.

Advanced breast cancer (BC) is associated with heavier treatments and poorer prognosis than early BC. Despite mammographic screening, advanced BC incidence remains stable. Little is known about risk factors differentially associated with advanced BC. We analyzed factors predicting for postmenopausal advanced vs. early BC in the E3N cohort. E3N has been prospectively following 98,995 French women aged 50-65 years at baseline since 1990. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for advanced and early invasive BC were estimated with multivariate Cox competing risk hazard models. With a median follow-up of 15.7 years, 4,941 postmenopausal BC were diagnosed, including 1,878 (38%) advanced BC. Compared to early BC, advanced BC was differentially associated with excess weight (HR 1.39 [95% CI = 1.26-1.53] vs. 1.08 [95% CI = 1.00-1.17], phomogeneity < 0.0001) and living in a rural area (HR 1.14 [95% CI = 1.00-1.31] vs. 0.93 [95% CI = 0.82-1.04], phomogeneity 0.02). Excess weight was the only differential risk factor for advanced BC for hormone-dependent BC and for women compliant with screening recommendations. Previous mammography was associated with reduced advanced BC risk (HR 0.86 [95% CI = 0.73-1.00]) and increased early BC risk (HR 1.36 [95% CI = 1.18-1.56], phomogeneity < 0.0001), but only for hormone-dependent BC. Excess weight appears to be mostly associated with advanced BC, especially hormone-dependent BC. These results add to the evidence for maintaining weight within the recommended limits.