Faculty Bibliography

Oncotype DX recurrence score (ODX) can predict risk of invasive breast cancer recurrence and benefit of chemotherapy. Literature is limited on the relationship of ODX and race in women with hormone receptor positive and node negative/positive disease. Our study examines the relationship between race and clinical characteristics within a population of highly screened women with newly diagnosed breast cancer. The institutional Breast Cancer Database was queried for patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer between January2010 and March2015. We analyzed clinical and tumor characteristics including ODX. Statistical analyses included Pearson's Chi-Square and Fisher's Exact Tests. There were 2,092 women in our study cohort. The majority had college-level education (84%), regular screening (78%), and clinical breast exams (88%). The majority had invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) (62%), early stage (0, I, II) tumors (93%), ER+ (84%), PR+ (71%), Her2 negative (86%), and node negative disease (83%). There was a significantly higher proportion of later stage disease among African-Americans (p = 0.001) and Asians (p = 0.006) and more triple negative breast cancers among African-Americans (p < 0.0001). A majority of patients had a low ODX (56%). While ODX was not different among the race categories (p = 0.97), there were significant racial differences in Ki-67 (p < 0.0001). In a population of highly screened women, differences were found between races regarding tumor histology. No statistical difference between race and ODX was noted, but there were racial differences in Ki67. Therefore we recommend that further research be focused on refining management algorithms by ethnicity.

Introduction: The treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) remains controversial, and treatment approaches include surgery, post-lumpectomy radiation therapy (RT), and/or hormonal therapy for prevention of recurrent disease. These decisions may be particularly difficult for patients with minimal disease. There is a dearth of information regarding patients who have been diagnosed with DCIS on core-needle biopsy (CNB) who have no residual disease in the area at surgery. The purpose of this study was to explore the frequency of this presentation and short-term outcomes in these patients. Methods: Our institutional Breast Cancer Database was queried for all women who were diagnosed with pure DCIS from 2010-2016. Variables included age, method of presentation, risk factors, tumor characteristics and outcomes. Statistical analyses included Pearson's Chi Square and Fisher's Exact Tests. Results: Out of a total of 548 patients with pure DCIS, 55 (10%) had DCIS on CNB alone with no residual in the surgical specimen. The median age was 55 years (range 36-83). Of the patients with DCIS on CNB alone, 6 (11%) were treated with mastectomies. 14 (25%) had lumpectomy and RT, while 35 (64%) had lumpectomy without RT. The median follow up was 4 years. There were three ipsilateral recurrences in women who were treated by lumpectomy alone. One of these recurrences was invasive carcinoma, and the other two were recurrent pure DCIS. None of the patients who recurred had taken hormonal therapy. There were no contralateral second primaries detected in the study period in this cohort. Conclusions: Despite the minimal extent of disease exhibited in these cases, 3 of 35 patients with DCIS on CNB with no residual disease at surgery and no RT had ipsilateral recurrence at a median follow up of 4 years. These data suggest that even minimal DCIS represents a significant risk of recurrence to the patient. Additional information provided by genomic analysis may better stratify the risk for recurrence in this group and help identify the population that would most benefit from post-lumpectomy RT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare and contrast the clinical characteristics of the triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and non-TNBC patients, with a particular focus on genetic susceptibility and risk factors prior to diagnosis. METHODS: Our institutional database was queried for all patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between January 2010 and May 2016. RESULTS: Out of a total of 1964 patients, 190 (10%) patients had TNBC. The median age for both TNBC and non-TNBC was 59 years. There was a significantly higher proportion of African American and Asian patients with TNBC (p = 0.0003) compared to patients with non-TNBC. BRCA1 and BRCA2 were significantly associated with TNBC (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0007). A prior history of breast cancer was significantly associated with TNBC (p = 0.0003). There was no relationship observed between TNBC and a history of chemoprevention or patients who had a history of AH or LCIS. CONCLUSIONS: We found that having Asian ancestry, a prior history of breast cancer, and a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation all appear to be positively associated with TNBC. In order to develop more effective treatments, better surveillance, and improved prevention strategies, it is necessary to improve our understanding of the population at risk for TNBC.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to evaluate the relationship between body mass index (BMI), mammographic breast density, magnetic resonance (MR) background parenchymal enhancement (BPE), and MR fibroglandular tissue (FGT) in women with breast cancer. METHODS: Our institutional database was queried for patients with preoperative mammography and breast MR imaging. RESULTS: There were 573 women eligible for analysis. Elevated BMI was associated with advanced stage of disease (P=.01), lower mammographic density (P<.0001), lower FGT (P<.0001), higher BPE (P=.005), and nonpalpable lesions (P=.04). CONCLUSIONS: Higher BMI was associated with decreased breast density and FGT. Higher BMI was also associated with advanced stage disease and nonpalpable tumors on clinical exam.

OBJECTIVES: This study was a multicenter evaluation of the SAVI SCOUT(R) breast localization and surgical guidance system using micro-impulse radar technology for the removal of nonpalpable breast lesions. The study was designed to validate the results of a recent 50-patient pilot study in a larger multi-institution trial. The primary endpoints were the rates of successful reflector placement, localization, and removal. METHODS: This multicenter, prospective trial enrolled patients scheduled to have excisional biopsy or breast-conserving surgery of a nonpalpable breast lesion. From March to November 2015, 154 patients were consented and evaluated by 20 radiologists and 16 surgeons at 11 participating centers. Patients had SCOUT(R) reflectors placed up to 7 days before surgery, and placement was confirmed by mammography or ultrasonography. Implanted reflectors were detected by the SCOUT(R) handpiece and console. Presence of the reflector in the excised surgical specimen was confirmed radiographically, and specimens were sent for routine pathology. RESULTS: SCOUT(R) reflectors were successfully placed in 153 of 154 patients. In one case, the reflector was placed at a distance from the target that required a wire to be placed. All 154 lesions and reflectors were successfully removed during surgery. For 101 patients with a preoperative diagnosis of cancer, 86 (85.1 %) had clear margins, and 17 (16.8 %) patients required margin reexcision. CONCLUSIONS: SCOUT(R) provides a reliable and effective alternative method for the localization and surgical excision of nonpalpable breast lesions using no wires or radioactive materials, with excellent patient, radiologist, and surgeon acceptance.

Introduction: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive breast cancer have long been viewed as representing two points on the spectrum of one disease. A recent study published by Narod et al. found that women diagnosed with DCIS who developed an invasive recurrence were 18.1 times more likely to die of breast cancer than women who did not. In light of this controversial topic, we investigated DCIS in a contemporary cohort of newly diagnosed women at our institution spanning a five year period. Methods: The institutional Breast Cancer Database was queried for all women with newly diagnosed breast cancer from 2010-2015. Variables included age, race, body mass index (BMI), risk factors, tumor characteristics and outcomes. Statistical analyses included Pearson's Chi Square and Fisher's Exact Tests. Results: Out of a total of 2190 patients, 475 (22%) had pure DCIS while 1715 (78%) had invasive cancer. The median follow up was 3 years. The median age was 59 years (range 22-95). Of the patients with invasive cancer, 36 (2%) had any recurrence. Similarly, of the patients with DCIS, 9 (2%) developed recurrent disease (ipsilateral or contralateral), with 4 patients diagnosed with invasive recurrence (44%). Of the 36 recurrences in patients with invasive cancer, 33% presented with chest wall or distant metastasis. Patients with pure DCIS had a slightly higher proportion of African Americans and Hispanics (11% v. 8%) and higher proportion of women with BMI>30 who developed an invasive recurrence (78% v. 50%). All recurrences in the pure DCIS cohort were detected by routine screening surveillance, with a majority detected by mammography (89%). Conclusions: Within a relatively short follow up period, we found that the rates of in-breast recurrences were the same in women with pure DCIS compared to women with invasive breast cancer. Also, 44% of women developed invasive breast cancer recurrence after an initial DCIS diagnosis, potentially altering their long term survival. These findings suggest that women with all breast cancers, including DCIS, requires intensive surveillance after initial treatment, as consequences of delayed diagnosis may impact on their long term survival

BACKGROUND: Despite current advances in cancer treatment, many breast cancer survivors still face long-term post-operative challenges as a result of suffering from daily pain and other distressing symptoms related to lymphedema, ie, abnormal accumulation of lymph fluid in the ipsilateral upper limb or body. Grounded in research-driven behavioral strategies, The-Optimal-Lymph-Flow is a unique Web- and mobile-based system focusing on self-care strategies to empower, rather than inhibit, how breast cancer survivors manage daily pain and symptoms. It features a set of safe, feasible, and easily-integrated-into-daily-routine exercises to promote lymph flow and drainage, as well as guidance to maintain an optimal body mass index (BMI). OBJECTIVE: To conduct a randomized clinical trial (RCT) to evaluate the efficacy of the Web- and mobile-based The-Optimal-Lymph-Flow system for managing chronic pain and symptoms related to lymphedema. The primary outcome includes pain reduction, and the secondary outcomes focus on symptom relief, limb volume difference by infra-red perometer, BMI, and quality of life (QOL) related to pain. We hypothesize that participants in the intervention group will have improved pain and symptom experiences, limb volume difference, body mass index, and QOL. METHODS: A parallel RCT with a control-experimental, pre- and post-test, repeated-measures design is used in this study. A total of 120 patients will be randomized according to the occurrence of pain. Participants will be recruited face-to-face at the point of care during clinical visits. Participants in the intervention group will receive the Web- and mobile-based The-Optimal-Lymph-Flow intervention and will have access to and learn about the program during the first in-person research visit. Participants in the control group will receive the Web- and mobile-based Arm Precaution program and will have access to and learn about the program during the first in-person research visit. Participants will be encouraged to enhance their learning by accessing the program and following the daily exercises during the study period. Participants will have monthly online self-report of pain and symptoms at 4 and 8 weeks post-intervention. During the two in-person research visits prior to and 12 weeks post-intervention, participants will be measured for limb volume difference, BMI, and complete self-report of pain, symptoms, self-care behaviors, and QOL. RESULTS: This trial is currently open for recruitment. The anticipated completion date for the study is July 2017. The primary endpoint for the study is absence or reduction of pain reported by the participants at week 12 post-intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The-Optimal-Lymph-Flow is a unique Web- and mobile-based self-care and patient-reported outcome system designed to effectively help women treated for breast cancer manage daily pain and symptoms related to lymphedema. Patients learn self-care strategies from a Web- and mobile-based program and track their symptoms. The RCT will directly benefit all women treated for breast cancer who suffer from or at risk for pain and symptoms related to lymph fluid accumulation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02462226; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02462226 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6du4IupG5).

Use of nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) for risk-reduction and therapeutic breast cancer resection is growing. The role for intraoperative frozen section of the nipple-areolar complex remains controversial. Records of patients undergoing NSM at our institution from 2006 to 2013 were reviewed. Records from 501 nipple-sparing mastectomies were reviewed (216 therapeutic, 285 prophylactic). Of the 480 breasts with sub-areolar biopsies, 307 had intraoperative frozen sections and 173 were evaluated with permanent paraffin section only. Among the 307 intraoperative frozen sections, 12 biopsies were positive on permanent paraffin section (3.9% or 12/307). Of the 12 positive permanent biopsies, five were false negative and the remaining seven concordant intraoperatively. Sensitivity and specificity of sub-areolar frozen section were 0.58 and 1, respectively. Positive sub-areolar biopsies consisted primarily of ductal carcinoma in situ (62% or 13/21). The nipples or nipple-areolar complex were resected in a separate procedure following mastectomy (10/21), intraoperatively following frozen section results (7/21) or during second-stage breast reconstruction (3/21; 1 additional scheduled). Only 30% (6/20) of resected specimens had abnormal residual pathology. Intraoperative frozen section is highly specific and moderately sensitive for the detection of positive sub-areolar biopsies in NSM. Its use can help guide intraoperative reconstructive planning. The presence of positive sub-areolar biopsies in both contralateral and high-risk prophylactic mastectomy specimens emphasizes the need to perform sub-areolar biopsies in all nipple-sparing mastectomies.

INTRODUCTION: Long-term oncologic outcomes in nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) continue to be defined. Rates of locoregional recurrence for skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) and NSM in the literature range from 0% to 14.3%. We investigated the outcomes of NSM at our institution. METHODS: Patients undergoing NSM at our institution from 2006 to 2014 were identified and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: From 2006 to 2014, 319 patients (555 breasts) underwent NSM. One-hundered and fourty-one patients (237 breasts) had long-term follow-up available. Average patient age and BMI were 47.78 and 24.63. Eighty-four percent of patients underwent mastectomy primarily for a therapeutic indication. Average tumor size was 1.50 cm with the most common histologic type being invasive ductal carcinoma (62.7%) followed by DCIS (23.7%). Average patient follow-up was 30.73 months. There was one (0.8%) incidence of ipsilateral chest-wall recurrence. There were 0.37 complications per patient. CONCLUSIONS: We examined our institutional outcomes with NSM and found a locoregional recurrence rate of 0.8% with no nipple-areolar complex recurrence. This rate is lower than published rates for both NSM and SSM. J. Surg. Oncol. (c) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.