Quality-of-life impact of sentinel lymph node biopsy versus axillary lymph node dissection in breast cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: Controversy about quality-of-life (QOL) benefits of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) versus axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients with breast cancer remains. Our aim was to compare the impact of SLNB and ALND on QOL and arm symptoms of patients with early breast cancer, using generic (short form 36 health survey) and tumor site-specific (FACT-B+4) instruments. METHODS: This was a prospective longitudinal observational study of 93 patients (64 SLNB, 29 ALND). Patients were evaluated presurgery and 1, 6, and 12 months postsurgery. Generalized estimation equation models were constructed to assess the effect of treatment on QOL. The relative risks of edema, dysesthesia, and heaviness were calculated comparing ALND to SLND. RESULTS: Most patients presented T1 (67.7%) and underwent breast-conserving surgery (92.5%). At 12 months, the SLNB group presented deterioration on the FACT-B+4 Arm Scale (beta coefficient estimated a change of -1.6 score points; P < 0.01) while, compared with SLNB, the deterioration in the ALND group was almost 2 additional score points higher (P = 0.009). FACT-B+4 global summary and short form 36 health survey did not show statistically significant differences between groups. Relative risk of dysesthesia and subjective edema was higher for the ALND group than for the SLNB group (1.97 and 2.11 at month 12; P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: These results confirm the benefit of SLNB due to its lower arm morbidity impact on QOL, compared with ALND. There are clinically relevant between-treatment differences in the Arm Scale of FACT-B+4, while there were no relevant differences in general well-being, measured with the disease-specific FACT-B+4 and the generic short form 36 health survey.

[Results of a multidisciplinary and multifocal project to reduce bacteraemia caused by central venous catheters in non critical patients in a university hospital]. / Resultados de un proyecto multidisciplinar y multifocal para la disminución de la bacteriemia causada por catéter venoso central, en pacientes no críticos, en un hospital universitario.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a multidisciplinary and multifocal intervention in order to reduce catheter related bloodstream infections (CRBI), based on previously identified risk factors in non-critical patients. METHODS: A pre-post-intervention study, 2004-2006. POPULATION: patients with a central venous catheter (CVC). The primary endpoint was the CRBI. Other studied variables were patient characteristics, insertion, maintenance and removal of the catheter. The intervention consisted of baseline knowledge and identifying risk factors. In a second period, there was specific training on these identified risk factors and communication of the results, monitoring and evaluation of the CVC inserted. RESULTS: We analysed 175 and 200 CVC, respectively. The incidence of CRBI was 15.4% during the pre-intervention and 4.0% in the post-intervention period (P<.001). The incidence of BRC by CVC days in the first group was 8.8 infections 1.000 days of CVC and the second 2,3 (P=.0009). The multivariate analysis found an increased risk of CRBI during the first period (OR 4.32; 95% CI: 1.81-10.29) and the use of total parenteral nutrition (OR: 2.37; 95% CI: 1.10-5. 12). CONCLUSION: The application of specific measures directed at all non-critical patients in the entire hospital and involving a large number of professionals has achieved a decrease incidence of 73.9% of CRBI. An acceptable incidence of CRBI was obtained, and, with the completion of the project together with a new awareness, the situation will continue to improve.

[Stability: a factor to consider in antibiotic-lock solutions]. / La estabilidad como factor para considerar en las soluciones de sellado antibiótico.

Antibiotic-lock therapy (ALT) has been related to a reduction in the need for catheter withdrawal in patients with catheter-related infection. The stability of the antimicrobial solutions used in ALT has not been sufficiently investigated. A systematic literature review was performed to identify articles including studies on the stability of ALT solutions. Nine studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria requiring specific drug determination techniques, and no apparent drug alterations were observed. The main microorganisms studied were Staphylococcus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The antibiotics included cefazolin, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, colistin, gentamicin, ticarcillin/clavulanate, and vancomycin in solution, administered alone or in combinations, with or without heparin. All solutions were fairly stable except for ciprofloxacin at a concentration of 10mg/mL. Few studies applied strict criteria to assess the stability of antibiotic solutions used in ALT; hence, the currently available data are limited. Therefore, it seems advisable to include appropriate stability studies in further research on the use of ALT.

Are ER+PR+ and ER+PR- breast tumors genetically different? A CGH array study.

The estrogen receptor (ER) is a well-known predictor of breast cancer response to endocrine therapy. ER+ progesterone receptor (PR)- breast tumors have a poorer response to endocrine therapy and a more aggressive phenotype than ER+PR+ tumors. A comparative genomic hybridization array technique was used to examine 25 ER+PR+ and 23 ER+PR- tumors. Tissue microarrays composed of 50 ER+PR+ and 50 ER+PR- tumors were developed to validate the comparative genomic hybridization array results. The genes of interest were analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The ER+PR- group had a slightly different genomic profile when compared with ER+PR+ tumors. Chromosomes 17 and 20 contained the most overlapping gains, and chromosomes 3, 8, 9, 14, 17, 21, and 22 contained the most overlapping losses when compared with the ER+PR+ group. The gained regions, 17q23.2-q23.3 and 20q13.12, and the lost regions, 3p21.32-p12.3, 9pter-p13.2, 17pter-p12, and 21pter-q21.1, occurred at different alteration frequencies and were statistically significant in the ER+PR- tumors compared with the ER+PR+ tumors. ER+PR- breast tumors have a different genomic profile compared with ER+PR+ tumors. Differentially lost regions in the ER+PR- group included genes with tumor suppressor functions and genes involved in apoptosis, mitosis, angiogenesis, and cell spreading. Differentially gained regions included genes such as MAP3K3, RPS6KB1, and ZNF217. Amplification of these genes could contribute to resistance to apoptosis, increased activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, and the loss of PR in at least some ER+PR- tumors.

[Impact of the availability of an external nuclear medicine service in the application of sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer surgery]. / Impacto de la disponibilidad de un servicio externo de medicina nuclear en la aplicación de la biopsia del ganglio centinela en cirugía del cáncer de mama.

INTRODUCTION: To perform sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), nuclear medicine services that have previously undergone a validation phase are required. The aim of the present study was to analyze the possibility of performing this technique with a previously validated, external nuclear medicine service and to study its impact on the indication for radical axillary lymphadenectomy (RAL) and on length of postoperative hospital stay. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective study in a cohort of patients with breast cancer starting from the introduction of SLNB in our center, which was made possible by collaboration with an external nuclear medicine service that performed lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel node detection. Intraoperative detection was performed through a portable probe. The feasibility of the project and its clinical impact were analyzed, taking a reduction in the number of lymphadenectomies and length of hospital stay as endpoints. RESULTS: A total of 196 patients with 201 breast carcinomas were treated. The most frequent interventions were tumorectomy (TC) with SLNB in 124 patients (62%), and TC with SLNB and RAL in 62 patients (31%). Sentinel node visualization on lymphoscintigraphy was achieved in 187/201 carcinomas (93.1%) and sentinel nodes were detected during the intervention in 182/187 carcinomas (97.4%). Sentinel node detection in the internal mammary chain was achieved in 23/201 carcinomas (11.4%). RAL was avoided in 131 of the 201 carcinomas (65%). Days of postoperative hospital stay with or without RAL showed a mean difference of 1.8 days (3.1 vs. 1.3; P < .001). CONCLUSION: SLNB is feasible with the collaboration of an external nuclear medicine service. This technique avoids 65% of RAL and reduces length of postoperative stay by 1.8 days.