Faculty Bibliography

PURPOSE: To survey the effect of the 21-gene recurrence score (RS) assay results on adjuvant treatment recommendations for patients with lymph node-positive (N+), estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. METHODS: Medical oncologists who ordered the 21-gene RS assay were invited to complete a survey regarding their most recent patient with N+/ER+ breast cancer. We obtained responses from 160 (16%) of the 1,017 medical oncologists. RESULTS: Most of the respondents were in community (71%) versus academic (25%) settings and had practiced for a median of 11 years. T1, T2, or T3 disease was reported in 62%, 35%, and 3% of patients, respectively. One, two, three, or >/= 4 nodes were reported in 69%, 18%, 6%, and 3% of patients, respectively. Eighty-six percent of the oncologists made treatment recommendations before obtaining the RS; 51% changed their recommendations after receiving the RS. In 33%, treatment intensity decreased from chemotherapy plus hormonal therapy to hormonal therapy alone. In 9%, treatment intensity increased from hormonal therapy alone to chemotherapy plus hormonal therapy. In 8%, treatment recommendations changed in a way that did not fit the definition of either increased or decreased intensity. CONCLUSION: In this survey of physician practice, the RS result was used to guide adjuvant treatment decision making in N+/ER+ breast cancer more often in patients with tumors less than 5 cm in size and one to three positive lymph nodes than in patients with larger tumors and four or more positive nodes and yielded an overall reduction in recommendations for chemotherapy

Objective: To assess impact on health outcomes and healthcare expenditures of adopting a 21-gene assay for women with early-stage, minimally node-positive, estrogen receptor-positive (N (1-3)/ER) HER2-negative breast cancer. Study Design: We adapted a deterministic decision-analytic model to estimate costs and quality-of-life outcomes associated with chemotherapy, adverse events, supportive care, recurrence, and second primary cancers for usual care compared with care determined by the 21-gene assay recurrence score, where 71% and 54% of women, respectively, were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. Model input data were based on national statistics, published literature, physician surveys, and Medicare Part B prices. Methods: Annual numbers of events were multiplied by quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) lost and costs to estimate net health and economic impacts of each strategy. Analyses were from a managed care payer perspective for the US population. Results: Patients receiving the assay were predicted to gain 0.127 QALY and save $4359 annually from avoiding chemotherapy, adverse events, supportive care, and secondary primary tumors. For a 2-million member plan, net gains were 4.44 QALYs/year and savings were $13,476/year. Cost savings were greater for the Medicare population. Although overall results were sensitive only to reduced impact of testing and chemotherapy costs, they were still highly cost-effective (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio <$20,000/QALY).Conclusions: Use of a 21-gene assay in patients with early-stage N (1-3)/ER HER2-negative breast cancer may improve health outcomes and add no incremental cost, thereby providing valuable insight for health plans, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and clinicians regarding coverage policies and treatment decisions

Worldwide, one-third of patients who present with early-stage breast cancer will go on to develop metastatic disease. Despite a serious diagnosis with a grave prognosis, treatment advances have meant that women are living longer with metastatic breast cancer. Although the clinical aspects of metastatic breast cancer have been well studied, little is known about the personal, psychosocial, and emotional experiences of women living with the disease. Because early-stage breast cancer is highly visible in the media and is a focus for most patient advocacy groups, women with metastatic disease feel isolated and alone. This paper presents the results of an international survey that questioned 1,342 women with metastatic breast cancer from 13 countries. The survey was designed to understand the nonmedical attitudes of patients living with metastatic breast cancer, identify perceived gaps in resources available to these patients, and define barriers to clinical trial enrollment and participation. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

PURPOSE: Preclinical data suggested that bryostatin-1 (bryo) could potentiate the cytotoxicity of cisplatin when given prior to this drug. We designed a phase I study to achieve tolerable doses and schedules of bryo and cisplatin in combination and in this sequence. METHODS: Patients with non-hematologic malignancies received bryo followed by cisplatin in several schedules. Bryo was given as an 1 and a 24 h continuous infusion, while cisplatin was always given over 1 h at 50 and 75 mg/m(2); the combined regimen was repeated on an every 3-week and later on an every 2-week schedule. Bryo doses were escalated until recommended phase II doses were defined for each schedule. Patients were evaluated with computerized tomography every 2 cycles. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients were entered. In an every 2-week schedule, the 1-h infusion of bryo became limited by myalgia that was clearly cumulative. With cisplatin 50 mg/m(2) its recommended phase II dose was 30 mug/m(2). In the 3-week schedule, dose-limiting toxicities were mostly related to cisplatin effects while myalgias were tolerable. Pharmacokinetics unfortunately proved to be unreliable due to bryo's erratic extraction. Consistent inhibition of PKC isoform eta (eta) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was observed following bryo. CONCLUSIONS: Bryo can be safely administered with cisplatin with minimal toxicity; however, only four patients achieved an objective response. Modulation of cisplatin cytotoxicity by bryo awaits further insight into the molecular pathways involved