The Importance of Culturally Relevant Breast Clinic Navigation in Improving Breast Cancer Care in Africa.

Objective: Cultural norms, community-specific cultural or religious beliefs, and resultant patient health-belief models are known to pose a significant but imperceptible barrier to breast cancer care. However, there is a paucity of data addressing the need for culturally relevant breast clinic navigation in the context of culturally diverse regions. Thus, this study aimed to assess the benefit of culturally similar breast clinic navigators in facilitating treatment adherence and improving overall care in patients. Materials and Methods: This study was a retrospective qualitative study. It included breast cancer patients who attended our clinic from January, 2017 to December, 2017 and whose management plan included neoadjuvant chemotherapy. These patients were assigned culturally similar breast clinic navigators who counselled them from diagnosis, to treatment, to survivorship. Additionally, navigation concerns were grouped into the following: Navigating the neighbourhood, navigating hostile hospital environments, and navigating medical consultations. Results: Through counselling sessions and regular telephone follow-up, breast clinic navigators were able to address navigation concerns, provide support for the patient as well as inform the multidisciplinary team (MDT) on the patient's thought process and potential barriers for care. Thus, treatment plans were personalised, resulting in improved, holistic care. Conclusion: The role of culturally relevant patient navigators within the MDT is not well-described in the current literature. However, this role is useful where a gap exists between medical professionals and patients from varied backgrounds. Thus, navigators from the same/similar backgrounds help improve the healthcare worker's understanding of the patient's thought process, ensuring good quality and holistic breast cancer care.

Systemic Immune Dysregulation in Early Breast Cancer Is Associated With Decreased Plasma Levels of Both Soluble Co-Inhibitory and Co-Stimulatory Immune Checkpoint Molecules.

Breast cancer cells exploit the up-regulation or down-regulation of immune checkpoint proteins to evade anti-tumor immune responses. To explore the possible involvement of this mechanism in promoting systemic immunosuppression, the pre-treatment levels of soluble co-inhibitory and co-stimulatory immune checkpoint molecules, as well as those of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors were measured in 98 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and compared with those of 45 healthy controls using multiplex bead array and ELISA technologies. Plasma concentrations of the co-stimulatory immune checkpoints, GITR, GITRL, CD27, CD28, CD40, CD80, CD86 and ICOS, as well as the co-inhibitory molecules, PD-L1, CTLA-4 and TIM-3, were all significantly lower in early breast cancer patients compared to healthy controls, as were those of HVEM and sTLR-2, whereas the plasma concentrations of CX3CL1 (fractalkine), CCL5 (RANTES) and those of the growth factors, M-CSF, FGF-21 and GDF-15 were significantly increased. However, when analyzed according to the patients' breast cancer characteristics, these being triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) vs. non-TNBC, tumor size, stage, nodal status and age, no significant differences were detected between the plasma levels of the various immune checkpoint molecules, cytokines, chemokines and growth factors. Additionally, none of these biomarkers correlated with pathological complete response. This study has identified low plasma levels of soluble co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory immune checkpoint molecules in newly diagnosed, non-metastatic breast cancer patients compared to healthy controls, which is a novel finding seemingly consistent with a state of systemic immune dysregulation. Plausible mechanisms include an association with elevated levels of M-CSF and CCL5, implicating the involvement of immune suppressor cells of the M2-macrophage/monocyte phenotype as possible drivers of this state of systemic immune quiescence/dysregulation.

A South African Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma: Clinical Presentation and Six-Year Follow-Up.

Breast augmentation is the most common surgical procedure for women globally, with 1,795,551 cases performed in 2019. Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is highly uncommon, with 733 reported cases as of January 2020. In South Africa, there are less than 4000 breast augmentation surgeries annually. This case presents the first case report documentation of a South African woman diagnosed with BIA-ALCL. The patient was a 61-year-old woman who consulted the Breast Care Centre of Excellence in Johannesburg in 2015. She had a prior history of bilateral augmentation mammoplasty with subsequent implant exchange. The patient presented with periprosthetic fluid with a mass-like enhancement on the left breast. Aspiration of the mass-like fluid was positive for CD45, CD30, and CD68 and negative for CD20 and ALK-1, indicative of BIA-ALCL. Surgical treatment included bilateral explantation, complete capsulectomies, and bilateral mastopexy. Macroscopic examination of the left breast capsulectomy demonstrated fibrous connective tissue. The histological examination of the tumor showed extensive areas of broad coagulative necrosis with foamy histiocytes. Immunohistochemistry examination of this tumor showed CD3-, CD20-, and ALK-1-negative and CD30- and CD68-positive stains. PCR analysis for T-cell clonality showed monoclonal T-cell expansion. These findings confirm the presence of BIA-ALCL. The patient recovered well after surgery and did not require adjuvant therapy. A patient with a confirmed diagnosis of BIA-ALCL was successfully treated with explantation and complete capsulectomy. She was followed up regularly for six years, and the patient remains well and in remission.

Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) in Early Breast Cancer Patients: High CD3+, CD8+, and Immunoscore Are Associated with a Pathological Complete Response.

BACKGROUND: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are associated with a better prognosis in early triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). These cells can be enumerated in situ by the "Immunoscore Clinical Research" (ISCR). The original Immunoscore® is a prognostic tool that categorizes the densities of CD3+ and CD8+ cells in both the invasive margin (IM) and center of the tumor (CT) in localized colon cancer, yielding a five-tiered classification (0-4). We evaluated the prognostic potential of ISCR and pathological complete response (pCR) following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). METHODS: The cohort included 53 TNBC, 32 luminal BC, and 18 HER2-positive BC patients undergoing NACT. Pre-treatment tumor biopsies were immune-stained for CD3+ and CD8+ T-cell markers. Quantitative analysis of these cells in different tumor locations was performed using computer-assisted image analysis. RESULTS: The pCR rate was 44%. Univariate analysis showed that primary tumor size, estrogen-receptor negative, progesterone-receptor negative, luminal vs. HER2-positive vs. TNBC, high Ki-67, high densities (cells/mm2) of CD3 CT, CD8+ CT, CD3+ IM, and CD8+ IM cells were associated with a high pCR. ISCR was associated with pCR following NACT. A multivariate model consisting of ISCR and the significant variables from the univariate analysis showed a significant trend for ISCR; however, the low sample size did not provide enough power for the model to be included in this study. CONCLUSIONS: These results revealed a significant prognostic role for the spatial distributions of the CD3+, and CD8+ lymphocytes, as well as the ISCR in relation to pCR following NACT.

A Case Report of Post-Radiotherapy c-MYC-Positive Angiosarcoma of the Breast.

Angiosarcoma of the breast is an unusual malignancy and carries a poor prognosis, with a 5-year overall survival rate ranging from 27 to 48%. Radiotherapy-induced angiosarcoma (RIAS) of the breast is very uncommon, with an estimated incidence of 1 in 1,000 cases of breasts treated with radiotherapy for breast cancer. The increase in radiotherapy usage may lead to an increased incidence of RIAS. A case presentation of a 67-year-old patient with tubular adenocarcinoma of the left breast who developed c-MYC-positive RIAS of the breast is presented. The patient was successfully treated with surgery. We presented a classic case of c-MYC RIAS. c-MYC was reported to be positive in RIAS and other types of angiosarcomas. Clinical examination and early detection of RIAS breast angiosarcoma is vital to improving outcomes in these patients.

First Intraoperative Radiation Therapy Center in Africa: First 2 Years in Operation, Including COVID-19 Experiences.

PURPOSE: There is a shortage of radiation therapy service centers in low- to middle-income countries. TARGIT-intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) may offer a viable alternative to improve radiation treatment efficiency and alleviate hospital patient loads. The Breast Care Unit in Johannesburg became the first facility in Africa to offer TARGIT-IORT, and the purpose of this study was to present a retrospective review of patients receiving IORT at this center between November 2017 and May 2020. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patient selection criteria were based mainly on the latest American Society of Radiation Oncology guidelines. Selection criteria included early-stage breast carcinoma (luminal A) and luminal B with negative upfront sentinel lymph node biopsy that negated external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT). Patient characteristics, reasons for choosing IORT, histology, and use of oncoplastic surgery that resulted in complications were recorded. RESULTS: One hundred seven patients successfully received IORT/TARGIT-IORT. Mean age was 60.8 years (standard deviation, 9.3 years). A total of 73.8% of patients presented with luminal A, 15.0% with luminal B, and 5.6% with triple-negative cancer. One patient who presented with locally advanced breast cancer (T4N2) opted for IORT as a boost in addition to planned EBRT. Eighty-seven patients underwent wide local excision (WLE) with mastopexy, and 12 underwent WLE with parenchymal. Primary reasons for selecting IORT/TARGIT-IORT were distance from the hospital (43.9%), choice (40.2%), and age (10.3%). CONCLUSION: This retrospective study of IORT/TARGIT-IORT performed in Africa confirms its viability, with low complication rates and no detrimental effects with breast conservation, resulting in positive acceptance and the potential to reduce Oncology Center patient loads. Limitations of the study include the fact that only short-term data on local recurrence were available. Health and socioeconomic value models must still be addressed in the African setting.

Colour Coding Navigation: "Triage" Techniques to Improve Compliance in Breast Cancer Patients Requiring Primary Chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: This is a pilot study to assess whether a file-colour-coded triage navigation system for patients on primary chemotherapy improves compliance and adherence and if it decreases defaulting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All breast cancer patients are discussed in a multidisciplinary meeting. All patients are triaged before starting on primary chemotherapy based on their specific challenges and beliefs and are consulted by the navigation team and contacted before the beginning of treatment and after each chemotherapy session by a navigator in the unit. File stratification for ease of navigation was instituted by a colour code dot into three groups. The three groups are:Code Green: Compliant on treatmentCode Yellow: Side effects on treatment/ considering defaultingCode Red: Non-compliantThe code red patients were further assessed in terms of reasons for non-adherence or non-compliance:Fear of chemotherapy side effectsThe belief that chemotherapy kills the patientInterest in "alternative treatment regimens"Other barriers to treatment as identified by the navigators. RESULTS: The system allows the navigation team to focus on which patients require specific navigation and inform the treating oncologists. Code green patients were courtesy called after each chemotherapy session. The code yellow patients had early involvement with the survivorship team to ensure appropriate management of any side effects. Access to the complimentary oncology navigator and complementary health website was instituted. The oncology navigator visited each patient at the oncology unit on the day the patient was due to have chemotherapy. For Code red 1 and 2, a "buddies" network of patients who have been through similar treatment regimens was assigned by the navigation team. This was coordinated by patient navigators (trained counsellors who have had breast cancer treatment). Code red three was managed by a complementary health specialist who understood the value of chemotherapy. For Code red 4, the oncology navigator manages the concerns from finances services to family issues. For the 122 patients in total for primary chemotherapy, stratification was as follows:Code Green=64.8%Code Yellow=27.0%Code Red=8.2%. CONCLUSION: This system provides the Multidisciplinary team with the opportunity to improve patient adherence/compliance with primary chemotherapy. 80% of the code red patients eventually agreed to receive the recommended treatment. Navigation enhanced patient supervision, and the coding system improved patient primary chemotherapy adherence. Such a system would benefit larger oncological practices to improve primary chemotherapy adherence by empowering the navigation team to identify patients requiring more intensive navigation supervision.

Targeted Intraoperative Radiotherapy Is a Safe Approach for Patients with Pacemakers: A Case Study and Literature Review.

Case reports detailing the effects of targeted intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) on patients with cardiac pacemakers (PMs) are rare. This growing population sub-group requiring IORT and lack of standardized guidelines necessitate more practical published research. An 81-year-old patient with clinical stage II, T1 N0 grade III, triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma and an implanted single-lead chamber PM (VVIR mode, model: Biotronik, type Effecta SR) received targeted intraoperative radiotherapy at the time of wide local excision and sentinel lymph node biopsy. It presents the shortest distance between the outer diameter of the PM and IORT applicator in literature. Target IORT was performed utilizing an Intrabeam device (50 kV, Carl Zeiss Surgical, Oberkochen, Germany). This case elucidates the successful use of targeted IORT for breast-conserving surgery in a patient with a single ipsilateral chamber VVIR mode PM. No device failure or malfunction was reported for the PM before, during, or after the procedure. These findings support the use of targeted IORT for patients diagnosed with early-stage breast carcinomas who have a PM implanted. However, further research is needed to understand the safety of other methods and devices for IORT patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices.

Breast hibernomas: Questioning the embryological origin?

This paper aims to review the concept of hibernomas, with focus on their occurrence, in the breast. It will make reference to a specific case from the Helen Joseph Hospital's Breast Clinic situated in Johannesburg, South Africa. We describe the clinical, radiological and pathological findings in a patient as well as the final diagnosis and treatment (in the form of surgery). This report emphasizes the distinguishable features of hibernomas, and gives guidance as to the surgical approach in large hibernomas stressing the ease of achieving cosmesis without major oncoplastic techniques. More specifically, discussion as whether these rapidly growing, nonrecurring, usually encapsulated growths consisting of brown fat tissue similar to that found in hibernating animals arise from the breast or the underlying muscle is considered.

Indicators of breast cancer in patients undergoing microdochectomy for a pathological nipple discharge in a middle-income country.

BACKGROUND: The management of a pathological nipple discharge often involves surgery for the exclusion of a malignant etiology. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cancer in patients who had microdochectomy for pathological nipple discharge in a population in South Africa and to evaluate patients' demographics and clinical characteristics as indicators of underlying cancer and make recommendations for their management in resource-limited settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical, radiological, and histological data from 153 patients who underwent a microdochectomy for a pathological nipple discharge at two South African breast clinics was collected. RESULTS: Invasive or in situ cancer was found in 12 patients (7.84%), and in all patients, cancer was associated with a bloody nipple discharge. Bloody discharge had a sensitivity of 100% in indicating cancer, specificity of 55.32%, positive predictive value of 16%, and negative predictive value of 100%. Patients with breast cancer were also more likely to be aged 55 y or older (P = 0.04). Preoperative mammogram and ultrasound were poor in detecting cancer (0/12). CONCLUSIONS: In our population, a bloody discharge in women aged 55 years or older should mandate a microdochectomy, with selective surgery for younger women and those with nonbloody discharges. Thorough clinical examination to determine the true color and nature of the discharge is vital in the initial assessment of these patients. Preoperative radiology is not helpful in determining the presence of cancer (in an isolated pathological nipple discharge), and microdochectomy still remains the gold standard in diagnosing cancer in these patients.

Fear of Treatments Surpasses Demographic and Socioeconomic Factors in Affecting Patients With Breast Cancer in Urban South Africa.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in women in South Africa, and often patients present late. There is little understanding of the psychosocial stresses affecting women with breast cancer in Africa. METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to 263 patients with breast cancer at two sites (one government and one private facility) in Johannesburg. Self-reported levels of fear were recorded on summative scales and their relationship to demographic variables assessed through univariable and multivariable modified Poisson regression. RESULTS: Fears related to treatments and prognosis, particularly radiation, loss of hair, and loss of breast, were far stronger than those related to socioeconomic barriers. Relative risk (RR) of most fears was higher in women younger than age 40 years, including treatment affordability (RR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.26 to 2.56), hair loss (RR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.12 to 2.95), and surgery (RR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.68). Difficulty taking time off work predicted fear of job loss (RR, 2.59; 95% CI, 1.59 to 4.21) and missing appointments because of transport (RR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.52 to 3.96) or family commitments (RR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.52 to 3.96). Women with dependents and black women were more afraid of dying (RR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.03 to 2.90; and RR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.33 to 2.24, respectively); however, socioeconomic status in this sample was a strong confounder of race and explained most of the racial differences in levels of fear. CONCLUSION: The most significant fears around breast cancer were related to treatment modalities and adverse effects rather than transport, financial, or work concerns. Young age and job insecurity were predictive of increased fears. Education about treatments has a key role to play in improving access to breast cancer care in South Africa.

Direct-to-Implant Breast Reconstruction without the Use of an Acellular Dermal Matrix Is Cost Effective and Oncologically Safe.

BACKGROUND: Direct-to-implant breast reconstruction is a predictable, reliable, and cost-effective reconstruction. Most units performing direct-to-implant reconstructions recommend the use of an acellular dermal matrix or a mesh to reinforce the lower pole of the breast reconstruction. METHODS: Two hundred seventy-two consecutive patients with 488 immediate direct-to-implant breast reconstructions performed in a 34-month period are included in this group. Mean follow-up of this group is 35 months. RESULTS: Four hundred eight reconstructions were performed through a lazy-S mastectomy, and 80 were performed through a Wise pattern mastectomy. Two local recurrences occurred. Minor complications accounted for 5.5 percent (n = 27): seromas, 3.4 percent (n = 17); wound healing problems, 0.6 percent (n = 3); and grade 2 capsular contracture, 1.4 percent (n = 7). Major complications accounted for 4.3 percent (n = 21): infection, 0.8 percent (n = 4); prosthetic loss, 0.4 percent (n = 2); hematoma, 0.4 percent (n = 2); and wounds requiring débridement, 2 percent (n = 10). The additional cost of acellular dermal matrix is dependent on manufacturer and size, but increases the cost of the procedure by 35.5 to 47.7 percent. CONCLUSIONS: This reconstruction method compares very favorably with published data from other units as far as early and late complications and cosmetic outcome are concerned. It has a complication rate similar to that of reconstructions using an acellular dermal matrix and is more cost effective. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.