Breast cancer research and treatment
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Breast Cancer Res. Treat. · Jul 2014
Comment LetterSentinel lymph node identification rates and axillary concordance can only be accurately determined by comparing 'like with like' injected materials.
Despite the accepted status of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) as the standard for axillary staging in breast cancer patients with clinically and radiologically negative axillae pre-operatively, there is surprisingly still a lack of consensus on the most appropriate site of injection of radioactive tracer with or without blue dye. ⋯ The only way to determine the optimal injection site of radioactive tracer and blue dye for SLN identification intra-operatively and accurate concordance rates is by direct comparisons of 'like with like' when it comes to injected materials at different injection sites.
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Breast Cancer Res. Treat. · Jul 2014
Multicenter StudyPhase 2 study of eribulin mesylate as first-line therapy for locally recurrent or metastatic human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative breast cancer.
Eribulin mesylate, a novel non-taxane microtubule dynamics inhibitor, is approved for treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in patients who have previously received at least 2 chemotherapeutic regimens for MBC that should have included an anthracycline and a taxane in the adjuvant or metastatic setting. This phase 2 study evaluated efficacy and safety of eribulin as first-line therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-negative) MBC. Patients with measurable HER2-negative locally recurrent breast cancer or MBC with ≥12 months since prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant (neo/adjuvant) chemotherapy received eribulin mesylate 1.4 mg/m(2) IV on days 1 and 8 of each 3-week cycle. ⋯ Median PFS was 6.8 months. Thirty-six patients (64 %) had grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events; most common were neutropenia (50 %), leukopenia (21 %), and peripheral neuropathy (21 %). These results demonstrate that eribulin has substantial antitumor activity as first-line treatment for HER2-negative MBC with acceptable safety.
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Breast Cancer Res. Treat. · Jul 2014
Duration of tamoxifen use and the risk of contralateral breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.
Women with a mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 face a lifetime risk of breast cancer of approximately 80 %. Tamoxifen treatment of the first cancer has been associated with a reduction in the risk of a subsequent contralateral cancer. We studied 1,504 women with a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, 411 women with bilateral breast cancer (cases) and 1,093 women with unilateral breast cancer (controls) in a matched case-control study. ⋯ Among women with 1-4 years of tamoxifen use the odds ratio was 0.53 (95 % CI 0.32-0.87; p = 0.01). Among women with four or more years of tamoxifen use the odds ratio was 0.83 (95 % CI 0.44-1.55; p = 0.55). Short-term use of tamoxifen for chemoprevention in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers may be as effective as a conventional 5-year course of treatment.
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Breast Cancer Res. Treat. · Jul 2014
A prospective assessment of musculoskeletal toxicity and loss of grip strength in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant aromatase inhibitors and tamoxifen, and relation with BMI.
Aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer is known to induce or enhance musculoskeletal problems. We have previously reported that loss of grip strength is more pronounced in AI-users with extremes in BMI. We here report results from a larger prospective study. ⋯ Musculoskeletal events were a substantial problem in AI-treated patients and an important reason for treatment discontinuation. The decrease in grip strength was larger in AI- than in tamoxifen-users, with a more pronounced change in symptomatic patients. The inverse relationship between BMI extremes and grip strength change was confirmed in this large group of AI-patients.
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Breast Cancer Res. Treat. · Jul 2014
Case ReportsAdo-trastuzumab emtansine-associated telangiectasias in metastatic breast cancer: a case series.
Treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer with ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1), a novel antibody-drug conjugate, has resulted in both improved progression-free and overall survival. Recognition and treatment of diverse adverse events related to T-DM1 is critical for safety and tolerability. The most frequent adverse events with T-DM1 include fatigue, diarrhea, anemia, elevated transaminases, and mild-to-moderate hemorrhagic events, which are thought to be related to induced thrombocytopenia. ⋯ The development of telangiectasias represents a newly recognized adverse effect of T-DM1. We provide description and timing of the telangiectasias and review the mechanisms that may explain the formation of these vascular lesions in association with T-DM1. Further, we describe associated bleeding events and propose that induced telangiectasias could represent an additional cause of T-DM1-associated hemorrhage.