Accuracy of a Cancer Registry Versus Clinical Care Team Chart Abstraction in Identifying Cancer Recurrence.

Objective: To evaluate the completeness and reliability of recurrence data from an institutional cancer registry for patients with head and neck cancer. Patients and Methods: Recurrence information was collected by radiation oncology and otolaryngology researchers. This was compared with the institutional cancer registry for continuous patients treated with radiation therapy for head and neck cancer at a tertiary cancer center. The sensitivity and specificity of institutional cancer registry data was calculated using manual review as the gold standard. False negative recurrences were compared to true positive recurrences to assess for differences in patient characteristics. Results: A total of 1338 patients who were treated from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2017, were included in a cancer registry and underwent review. Of them, 375 (30%) had confirmed cancer recurrences, 45 (3%) had concern for recurrence without radiologic or pathologic confirmation, and 31 (2%) had persistent disease. Most confirmed recurrences were distant (37%) or distant plus locoregional (29%), whereas few were local (11%), regional (9%), or locoregional (14%) alone. The cancer registry accuracy was 89.4%, sensitivity 61%, and specificity 99%. Time to recurrence was associated with registry accuracy. True positives had recurrences at a median of 414 days vs 1007 days for false negatives. Conclusion: Currently, institutional cancer registry recurrence data lacks the required accuracy for implementation into studies without manual confirmation. Longer follow-up of cancer status will likely improve sensitivity. No identified differences in patients accounted for differences in sensitivity. New, ideally automated, data abstraction tools are needed to improve detection of cancer recurrences and minimize manual chart review.

Factors Associated With Long-term Survival in Children With Bronchial and Lung Carcinoid Tumors.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Bronchial carcinoids are rare in children and the treatment is based on tumor behavior in adults. The purpose of this study was to determine factors and management strategies associated with long-term survival in the pediatric population using a national cohort. METHODS: Patients aged ≤20 years with bronchial carcinoid tumors were identified in the 2004-2020 National Cancer Database using ICD-O-3 codes. Tumor characteristics and management were compared among typical (TC) and atypical (AC) histological subtypes using Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. Kaplan-Meier and univariate Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to assess survival. RESULTS: Of 273 patients, 251 (92%) had TCs, and 22(8%) had ACs. The median (IQR) age was 18 (16,19) years. Most patients underwent lobectomy or bilobectomy (67%), followed by sublobar resection (17%), no resection or bronchoscopic excision or ablation (8%), and pneumonectomy (7.7%). Margins were negative in 96%. Lymph node (LN) assessment was performed in 216 patients (84%) with a median (IQR) of 7(3,13) LNs, and 50 (23%) had ≥1 positive LN. There was no difference in age, resection, margin status, LN assessment, or positivity between TC and AC (all p > 00.05). Detection of nodal metastasis did not increase beyond the resection of 1-3 LNs (p = 0.72). Ten-year survival was worse for AC than TC (79% (41, 100) vs 98% (95, 100), HR = 6.9 (95% CI: 1.2-38.3, p = 0.03). Ten-year survival among those with and without LN assessment was 97% (94, 100) vs 91% (81, 100), HR = 4.0, 95% CI: 0.8-19.9, p = 0.09). There were no deaths in those with negative LN while 10-year survival was 89% (72, 100) in those with ≥1 positive LN. CONCLUSION: Among children with bronchial carcinoids, survival is excellent with TC or negative LN. Atypical histology and positive LN have poor survival and should prompt close monitoring. These risk factors may be missed in the absence of surgical resection and lymph node sampling. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III. TYPE OF STUDY: Retrospective Study.

Unveiling the Hidden Consequences: The Initial Impact of COVID-19 on Colorectal Cancer Operation.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected healthcare systems globally, resulting in significant delays and challenges in various medical treatments, particularly in cancer care. This study aims to investigate the repercussions of the pandemic on surgical interventions for colorectal cancer in the United States, using data from the National Cancer Database (NCDB). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the NCDB, encompassing adult patients who underwent surgical procedures for colon and rectal cancer in 2019 (pre-COVID) and 2020 (COVID). We examined various demographic and clinical variables, including patient characteristics, tumor staging, surgical approaches, and socioeconomic factors. RESULTS: The analysis included 105,517 patients, revealing a 17.3% reduction in surgical cases during the initial year of the pandemic. Patients who underwent surgery in 2020 displayed more advanced clinical and pathological tumor stages compared to those treated in 2019. After diagnosis, no delay was reported in the treatment. Patients operated during the pandemic, African American patients, uninsured and Medicaid beneficiaries had worse stage colon and rectal cancer, and individuals with lower incomes bore the burden of advanced colon cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on colorectal cancer surgery transcends a mere decline in case numbers, resulting in a higher prevalence of patients with advanced disease. This study underscores the exacerbated disparities in cancer care, particularly affecting vulnerable populations. The COVID-19 pandemic has left a significant and enduring imprint on colorectal cancer surgery, intensifying the challenges faced by patients and healthcare systems. Comprehensive studies are imperative to comprehend the long-term consequences of delayed screenings, diagnoses, and treatments, as healthcare planning for the future must consider the unintended repercussions of pandemic-related disruptions.

The Impact of Enhanced Recovery on Long-Term Survival in Rectal Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Implementing perioperative interventions such as enhanced recovery pathways (ERPs) has improved short-term outcomes and minimized length of stay. Preliminary evidence suggests that adherence to the enhanced recovery after surgery protocol may also enhance 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) in colorectal cancer surgery. This retrospective study presents long-term survival outcomes and disease recurrence from a high-volume, single-center practice. METHODS: All patients over 18 years of age diagnosed with rectal adenocarcinoma and undergoing elective minimally invasive surgery (MIS) were retrospectively reviewed between February 2005 and April 2018. Relevant data were extracted from Mayo electronic records and securely stored in a database. Short-term morbidity and long-term oncological outcomes were compared between patients enrolled in ERP and those who received non-enhanced care. RESULTS: Overall, 600 rectal cancer patients underwent MIS, of whom 320 (53.3%) were treated according to the ERP and 280 (46.7%) received non-enhanced care. ERP was associated with a decrease in length of stay (3 vs. 5 days; p < 0.001) and less overall complications (34.7 vs. 54.3%; p < 0.001). The ERP group did not show an improvement in overall survival (OS) or disease-free survival (DFS) compared with non-enhanced care on multivariable (non-ERP vs. ERP OS: hazard ratio [HR] 1.268, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.852-1.887; DFS: HR 1.050, 95% CI 0.674-1.635) analysis. CONCLUSION: ERP was found to be associated with a reduction in short-term morbidity, with no impact on long-term oncological outcomes, such as OS, CSS, and DFS.

ASO Author Reflections: Toward Individualized Management of Heterogenous Mixed Invasive Ductolobular Breast Cancers.

Mixed invasive ductolobular breast cancer (MIDLC) is a rare breast cancer with varying lobular and ductal components. Characteristics, management, and outcomes of MIDLC are not well understood due to the rarity of the cancer and the lack of uniform diagnostic criteria and reporting. There is a need for better understanding and individualized management of this heterogeneous spectrum of breast cancers.

The Incidence of Pouch Neoplasia Following Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND: Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the standard restorative procedure following proctocolectomy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who require colectomy. However, removal of the diseased colon does not eliminate the risk of pouch neoplasia. We aimed to assess the incidence of pouch neoplasia in IBD patients following IPAA. METHODS: All patients at a large tertiary center with International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Revision/International Classification of Diseases-Tenth Revision codes for IBD who underwent IPAA and had subsequent pouchoscopy were identified using a clinical notes search from January 1981 to February 2020. Relevant demographic, clinical, endoscopic, and histologic data were abstracted. RESULTS: In total, 1319 patients were included (43.9% women). Most had ulcerative colitis (95.2%). Out of 1319 patients, 10 (0.8%) developed neoplasia following IPAA. Neoplasia of the pouch was seen in 4 cases with neoplasia of the cuff or rectum seen in 5 cases. One patient had neoplasia of the prepouch, pouch, and cuff. Types of neoplasia included low-grade dysplasia (n = 7), high-grade dysplasia (n = 1), colorectal cancer (n = 1), and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (n = 1). Presence of extensive colitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, backwash ileitis, and rectal dysplasia at the time of IPAA were significantly associated with increased risk of pouch neoplasia. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of pouch neoplasia in IBD patients who have undergone IPAA is relatively low. Extensive colitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and backwash ileitis prior to IPAA and rectal dysplasia at the time of IPAA raise the risk of pouch neoplasia significantly. A limited surveillance program might be appropriate for patients with IPAA even with a history of colorectal neoplasia.

The incidence of pouch neoplasia in inflammatory bowel disease patients who have undergone ileal pouch­anal anastomosis (IPAA) is low. Extensive colitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and backwash ileitis prior to IPAA as well as rectal dysplasia at time of IPAA raise the risk of pouch neoplasia significantly.

Early vs conventional onset pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: analysis of surgical and oncologic outcomes in patients undergoing curative intent resection.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) impacts patients in their 60s, but its incidence in younger patients is increasing. We hypothesize that younger patients may have worse oncologic outcomes. METHODS: Patients who underwent curative pancreatic resection for PDAC between January 2011 and December 2021 at a single institution were analyzed. Early-onset pancreatic cancer (EOPC) was defined as pancreatic cancer diagnosed in patients ≤50 years. Clinical and survival outcomes were compared between EOPC and Conventional Onset Pancreas Cancer (COPC). RESULTS: A total of 1133 patients were identified, 65 (5.7%) were EOPC. Preoperative patient characteristics including sex, smoking status, alcohol habitus, diabetes mellitus, CA 19-9, and neoadjuvant therapy were similar between EOPC and COPC (p > 0.05). EOPC patients were more likely non-white (p = 0.03), had lower ASA scores (p = 0.02) and larger median tumor size (33 vs 28 mm, p = 0.04), but had similar pathological stages and rate of R0 resections (p > 0.05). Postoperative outcomes were similar (p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in overall (HR 0.93, CI 0.64, 1.33; p = 0.68) or recurrence free (HR 1.05, CI 0.75, 1.48; p = 0.77) survival between the EOPC and COPC after adjusting for significant factors. CONCLUSION: Patients with EOPC who underwent surgical resection had similar oncological outcomes compared to patients with COPC.

Lobular-Like Features and Outcomes of Mixed Invasive Ductolobular Breast Cancer (MIDLC): Insights from 54,403 Stage I-III MIDLC Patients.

BACKGROUND: Mixed invasive ductolobular breast cancer (MIDLC) is a rare histological subtype of breast cancer (BC), with components of both invasive ductal cancer (IDC) and invasive lobular cancer (ILC). Its clinicopathological features and outcomes have not been well characterized. METHOD: The National Cancer Database 2010-2017 was reviewed to identify women with stage I-III BCs. Univariate analysis was performed using Chi-square or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and multivariable analysis with logistic regression to predict surgical decisions. Survival was assessed using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. RESULTS: We identified 955,828 women with stage I-III BCs (5.7% MIDLC, 10.3% ILC, and 84.0% IDC). MIDLC was more like ILC than IDC in terms of multicentricity (14.2% MIDLC, 13.0% ILC, 10.0% IDC), hormone receptor positivity (96.6% MIDLC, 98.2% ILC, 81.2% IDC), and use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC; 5.8% MIDLC, 5.2% ILC, 10.8% IDC). 744,607 women underwent upfront surgery. The mastectomy rates were 42.3% for MIDLC, 46.5% for ILC, and 33.3% for IDC (all p < 0.001). With 5.5 years of median follow-up, the adjusted overall survival in the upfront surgery hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) biological subgroup was better in MIDLC (hazard ratio 0.88, p < 0.001) and ILC (hazard ratio 0.91, p < 0.001) than in IDC. Like ILC, MIDLC also had a lower pathological complete response to NAC than IDC (12.3% MIDLC, 7.3% ILC, 28.6% IDC). CONCLUSIONS: MIDLC displays a mixed pattern of characteristics favoring features of ILC compared with IDC, with favorable 5-year overall survival compared with IDC within the HR+/HER2- subtype who underwent upfront surgery.

Nodal pCR and overall survival following neoadjuvant chemotherapy for node positive ER+/Her2- breast cancer.

PURPOSE: The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in node-positive (N+) ER+/HER2- breast cancer (BC) is debated, given low total pathologic complete response (pCR) rates. However, the rate and impact of nodal pCR is unknown. We sought to evaluate nodal pCR rates and the impact on overall survival (OS). Further, we sought to validate the association between nodal pCR with age and Ki67. METHODS: We queried the National Cancer Database for cN + ER+/HER2- BC patients treated with NAC and surgery. Data from 2010 to 2018 were used to evaluate nodal pCR and OS, with multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling for OS, as well as Ki67 for the years 2018-2019. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2018, we identified 19,611 cN + ER+/HER2- BC patients treated with NAC. While total pCR occurred in only 7.4%, nodal pCR rates were nearly double (14.3%). Nodal pCR (+/- breast pCR) was seen in 21.7% and associated with 5-year OS rate of 86.1% (95% CI: 84.9-87.4%) versus 77.1% (95% CI: 76.3-77.9%) in patients without nodal pCR (p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, nodal pCR had better OS (adjusted HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.52-0.63, p < 0.001) across all age groups. Of 2,444 patients with available Ki67, those with age < 50 and Ki67 ≥ 20% had the highest nodal pCR at 31.6%. CONCLUSION: In cN + ER+/HER2- BC treated with NAC, nodal pCR is common, associated with age and Ki67, and prognostic for OS. These data strongly suggest that for cN + patients, eradication of nodal disease is critical for OS, and total pCR may not be the optimal measure of NAC benefit.

Sublobar Resection, Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy, and Percutaneous Ablation Provide Comparable Outcomes for Lung Metastasis-Directed Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged survival of patients with metastatic disease has furthered interest in metastasis-directed therapy (MDT). RESEARCH QUESTION: There is a paucity of data comparing lung MDT modalities. Do outcomes among sublobar resection (SLR), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), and percutaneous ablation (PA) for lung metastases vary in terms of local control and survival? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Medical records of patients undergoing lung MDT at a single cancer center between January 2015 and December 2020 were reviewed. Overall survival, local progression, and toxicity outcomes were collected. Patient and lesion characteristics were used to generate multivariable models with propensity weighted analysis. RESULTS: Lung MDT courses (644 total: 243 SLR, 274 SBRT, 127 PA) delivered to 511 patients were included with a median follow-up of 22 months. There were 47 local progression events in 45 patients, and 159 patients died. Two-year overall survival and local progression were 80.3% and 63.3%, 83.8% and 9.6%, and 4.1% and 11.7% for SLR, SBRT, and PA, respectively. Lesion size per 1 cm was associated with worse overall survival (hazard ratio, 1.24; P = .003) and LP (hazard ratio, 1.50; P < .001). There was no difference in overall survival by modality. Relative to SLR, there was no difference in risk of local progression with PA; however, SBRT was associated with a decreased risk (hazard ratio, 0.26; P = .023). Rates of severe toxicity were low (2.1%-2.6%) and not different among groups. INTERPRETATION: This study performs a propensity weighted analysis of SLR, SBRT, and PA and shows no impact of lung MDT modality on overall survival. Given excellent local control across MDT options, a multidisciplinary approach is beneficial for patient triage and longitudinal management.

Accuracy of DOTATATE PET imaging in the preoperative planning of small bowel neuroendocrine tumor resection.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We assessed the accuracy of preoperative gallium-68 DOTA-Tyr3-octreotate (DOTATATE) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in estimating multifocality and nodal metastases of small bowel neuroendocrine tumors (sbNETs). METHODS: A multicenter analysis was performed on patients with sbNETs who underwent preoperative DOTATATE PET imaging and surgical resection, with manual palpation of the entire length of the small bowel, between January 2016 and August 2022. Preoperative imaging reports and blinded secondary imaging reviews were compared to the final postoperative pathology reports. Descriptive statistics were applied. RESULTS: One-hundred and four patients met inclusion criteria. Pathology showed 53 (51%) patients had multifocal sbNETs and 96 (92%) had nodal metastases. The original preoperative DOTATATE PET imaging identified multifocal sbNET in 28 (27%) patients and lymph node (LN) metastases in 80 (77%) patients. Based on original radiology reports, sensitivity for multifocal sbNET identification was 45%, specificity was 92%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 86%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 62%. For the identification of LN metastases, sensitivity was 82%, specificity was 88%, PPV was 99%, and NPV was 29%. CONCLUSIONS: Although DOTATATE PET imaging is specific and relatively accurate, sensitivity and NPV are insufficient to guide surgical planning. Preoperative use should not replace open palpation to identify additional synchronous lesions or to omit regional lymphadenectomy.

Clinical Behavior, Management, and Treatment Response of Estrogen Receptor Low (1-10%) Breast Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) guide management and impact outcomes of breast cancer (BC). This study compares ER-low (1-10%) with ER-negative (< 1%) and ER-positive (>10%) BC and investigates the significance of PR expression within ER-low disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients with HER2-negative invasive BC were identified from the National Cancer Database 2018-2019. Treatment and outcomes were compared using chi-squared tests and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 232,762 patients, ER expression was: negative (13.8%), low (2.0%), and > 10% (84.2%). Chemotherapy was given in 83.9% of ER- disease, 82.4% of ER-low/PR- disease, 58.9% of ER-low/PR+ disease, and only in 22.9% of ER+ disease. Within the ER-low subgroup, adjuvant endocrine therapy, recurrence score, and Ki67 varied by PR status (all < 0.01). Patients with ER-low disease selected for neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) were younger and had higher T and N category, tumor grade, and Ki67. With NAC, pathological complete response (pCR) rates were similar between ER-low/PR- and ER-low/PR+ (39.5% and 38.1%, respectively, p = 0.67), and were closer to the ER- group (39.7%) than the ER+ group (8.4%). On multivariable analysis, the adjusted effect of ER status (1-10% versus > 10%) on chemotherapy administration was odds ratio (OR) 8.2 (95% CI 7.3-9.2, p < 0.001) for PR-negative, and OR 3.3 (95% CI 7.3-9.2, p < 0.001) for PR-positive. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the tumor features and clinical management of ER-low tumors vary significantly by PR expression. Within ER-low tumors, PR- tumors more closely resemble ER- BC, while PR+ tumors exhibit less aggressive characteristics. In ER-low disease selected for treatment with NAC, response is similar to ER- regardless of PR status.

Trimodality Therapy Improves Disease Control in Radiation-Associated Angiosarcoma of the Breast.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of trimodality treatment versus monotherapy or dual therapy for radiation-associated angiosarcoma of the breast (RAASB) after prior breast cancer treatment. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: With Institutional Review Board approval, we identified patients diagnosed with RAASB and abstracted data on disease presentation, treatment, and oncologic outcomes. Trimodality therapy included (i) taxane induction, (ii) concurrent taxane/radiation, and then (iii) surgical resection with wide margins. RESULTS: A total of 38 patients (median age 69 years) met inclusion criteria. Sixteen received trimodality therapy and 22 monotherapy/dual therapy. Skin involvement and disease extent were similar in both groups. All trimodality patients required reconstructive procedures for wound closure/coverage, compared with 48% of monotherapy/dual therapy patients (P < 0.001). Twelve of 16 (75%) patients receiving trimodality therapy had a pathologic complete response (pCR). With median follow-up of 5.6 years, none had local recurrence, 1 patient (6%) had distant recurrence, and no patients died. Among 22 patients in the monotherapy/dual therapy group, 10 (45%) had local recurrence, 8 (36%) had distant recurrence, and 7 (32%) died of disease. Trimodality therapy demonstrated significantly better 5-year recurrence-free survival [RFS; 93.8% vs. 42.9%; P = 0.004; HR, 7.6 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.3-44.2)]. Combining all patients with RAASB regardless of treatment, local recurrence was associated with subsequent distant recurrence (HR, 9.0; P = 0.002); distant recurrence developed in 3 of 28 (11%) patients without local recurrence compared with 6 of 10 (60%) with local recurrence. The trimodality group had more surgical complications that required reoperation or prolonged healing. CONCLUSIONS: Trimodality therapy for RAASB was more toxic but is promising, with a high rate of pCR, durable local control, and improved RFS.

Low postoperative lymphocyte count increases risk of progression in human papillomavirus associated oropharyngeal cancer.

BACKGROUND: We aim to explore the prognostic role of absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) before, during, and after treatment on oncologic outcomes in human papillomavirus associated oropharyngeal cancer (HPV(+)OPSCC). METHODS: Retrospective cohort at a tertiary center, 2006-2018. Multivariable Cox regressions were used to determine the effect of ALC on risk of progression. Univariate linear regression was performed to determine clinical factors associated with lower ALC. RESULTS: All 197 patients underwent primary surgery. Mean (SD) ALC nadirs (×109  cells/L) were: baseline (N = 149): 1.69 (0.56); postoperative (N = 126): 1.58 (0.59); post-RT (N = 141): 0.68 (0.35) and long-term (N = 105): 0.88 (0.37). Lower baseline ALC nadir was associated with worse overall survival (HR 3.85, 95%CI: 1.03-14.29, p = 0.04). Lower postoperative ALC nadir was associated with higher risk of progression (HR 2.63, 95%CI: 1.04-6.67, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Lower baseline ALC is associated with worse survival, whereas lower postoperative ALC is associated with increased risk of progression in surgically treated HPV(+)OPSCC.

Impact of Hospital Volume on Outcomes of Septal Myectomy for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction is common among symptomatic patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, yet septal reduction by surgical myectomy (septal myectomy [SM]) is performed infrequently in many centers. This study examined the possible relationship between institutional case volume and early outcomes of SM. METHODS: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database was queried for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who underwent SM from January 2012 to December 2019. The study defined center case volume categories as <1, 1 to 4.99, 5 to 9.99, and ≥10 cases performed on average per year. RESULTS: The study population included 5935 patients at 481 centers with 933 surgeons. The range of average center volume was <1 to 138 cases per year. Overall early mortality was 2.6%, ventricular septal defect (VSD) occurred in 1.9%, and complete heart block occurred in 9.0%. Concomitant mitral valve (MV) repair was performed in 28.7%, and MV replacement was performed in 17.1%. In multivariable analysis, the lowest annual case volume (average <1 case/y) was consistently associated with greater early mortality (odds ratio [OR], 5.4; CI, 3.0-9.9; P < .001), greater risk of VSD (OR, 9.3; CI ,4.2-20.4; P < .001), increased incidence of complete heart block (OR, 2.0; CI, 1.5-2.7; P < .001), and a higher likelihood of MV replacement (OR, 9.4; CI, 7.5-11.8; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Volume of SM cases varies widely among institutions reporting to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database. There appears to be an important association between surgical experience, as reflected by institutional case volume, and early outcomes, including mortality, as well as the occurrence of VSD, heart block, and MV replacement.

Nodal Pathologic Complete Response Rates in Luminal Breast Cancer Vary by Genomic Risk.

BACKGROUND: Although an advantage of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is eradication of axillary disease, nodal pCR rates are much lower for ER+/HER2- breast cancer than other subtypes. We sought to evaluate the association of genomic risk with nodal pCR in ER+/HER2- disease. METHODS: Patients with ER+/HER2- clinically-node-positive (cT0-cT4d/cN1-cN3/cM0) breast cancer treated with NAC and surgery 2010-2018 in the National Cancer Database were identified. Low genomic risk was classified as Oncotype Dx Recurrence Score (RS) 0-25, or Mammaprint 70-gene or RS coded as "Low." High genomic risk included RS >25, or 70-gene or RS coded as "High." Nodal pCR was compared between patients with high versus low genomic risk by using chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 15,698 patients, genomic risk was available for 692 of 15,698 (4.4%). High genomic risk was similar between patients aged <50 years versus 50+ (50.8% vs. 57.3%, p = 0.10). Nodal pCR was higher in high genomic risk (25.0%) than low genomic risk (10.4%, p < 0.001). This difference was observed both for patients aged <50 years (29.9% vs. 9.8%) and aged ≥50 years (22.7% vs. 10.8%). On multivariable analysis adjusted for potential confounding variables, including age, grade, and PR status, genomic risk was independently associated with decreased odds of residual nodal disease (odds ratio 0.49, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with node-positive ER+/HER2- breast cancer treated with NAC, nodal pCR was highest in patients aged <50 years with high genomic risk tumors. In contrast, nodal pCR rates were low in patients with low genomic risk tumors, regardless of age. This information may help when counseling patients regarding axillary management.