Breast cancer research and treatment
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Breast Cancer Res. Treat. · Jan 2012
Clinical TrialThe CIRAS study: a case control study to define the clinical, immunologic, and radiographic features of aromatase inhibitor-induced musculoskeletal symptoms.
Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are widely prescribed for post-menopausal hormone receptor-positive breast cancer; however, musculoskeletal symptoms limit their tolerability. The purpose of this study was to determine whether joint pain in women receiving AIs is associated with inflammatory arthritis as measured by the disease activity score-28 (DAS-28), and to evaluate association with tenosynovitis on ultrasound. A total of 48 postmenopausal women with stage I-III breast cancer and hand pain were recruited from the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. ⋯ There was no association between presence of AIMSS features and other chemotherapy or medication exposures. Although the majority of subjects had been using AIs for more than 6 months, this study did not find evidence for inflammatory arthritis in women with hand pain receiving AIs. Further studies are needed to develop a case definition of AIMSS, and to confirm whether these symptoms are attributable to AI use.
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Breast Cancer Res. Treat. · Jan 2012
ReviewDual HER2-targeted approaches in HER2-positive breast cancer.
Approximately 15-20% of all breast cancers are human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive, with clinical studies having validated the HER2 receptor tyrosine kinase pathway as an important therapeutic target. Presently, two HER2-targeted therapies are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer: the HER2-targeted humanized monoclonal antibody trastuzumab and the small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor lapatinib. Despite use of these HER2-targeted agents, many patients still experience disease progression. ⋯ Specifically, we review new data reported at the 2010 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS 2010), including the phase II NeoSphere and phase III NeoALTTO clinical trials, and data from three clinical trials reported at the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO 2011) meeting. Together these trials elucidate the potential role of combining trastuzumab with lapatinib or pertuzumab. We also discuss additional ongoing studies that will help further define the role of dual HER2 blockade therapies and its impact on clinical practice.
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Breast Cancer Res. Treat. · Jan 2012
Comparative Study18F-FDG PET/CT as a staging procedure in primary stage II and III breast cancer: comparison with conventional imaging techniques.
The aim of the present study was to investigate if 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) outperforms conventional imaging techniques for excluding distant metastases prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) treatment in patients with stage II and III breast cancer. Second, we assessed the clinical importance of false positive findings. One hundred and fifty four patients with stage II or III breast cancer, scheduled to receive NAC, underwent an 18F-FDG PET/CT scan and conventional imaging, consisting of bone scintigraphy, ultrasound of the liver, and chest radiography. ⋯ Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of PET/CT in the detection of additional distant lesions in patients with stage II or III breast cancer are 100, 96, 80, 100, and 97%, respectively. FDG PET/CT is superior to conventional imaging techniques in the detection of distant metastases in patients with untreated stage II or III breast cancer and is associated with a low false positive rate. PET/CT may be of additional value in the staging of breast cancer prior to NAC.
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Breast Cancer Res. Treat. · Jan 2012
Variation between hospitals in surgical margins after first breast-conserving surgery in the Netherlands.
Surgical margin status after first breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is used as a quality indicator of breast cancer care in the Netherlands. The aim is to describe the variation in surgical margin status between hospitals. 7,345 patients with DCIS or invasive cancer (T1-2,N0-1,M0) diagnosed between July 1, 2008, and June 30, 2009, who underwent BCS as first surgery, were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Patients were treated in 96 hospitals. ⋯ The overall percentage of positive margins in the Netherlands is within the predefined targets. The variation between hospitals is substantial but can be largely explained by coincidence. Case mix correction leads to relevant shifts.
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Breast Cancer Res. Treat. · Jan 2012
A prospective study of aromatase inhibitor therapy, vitamin D, C-reactive protein and musculoskeletal symptoms.
This study compared type, severity and location of musculoskeletal symptoms and associations with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations between women initiating aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy and an unexposed comparison group. A 6-month prospective cohort study was conducted, enrolling 100 breast cancer patients prior to initiating AI treatment and an unexposed comparison group of 200 postmenopausal women. Multivariate associations were assessed with generalized linear models. ⋯ Musculoskeletal symptoms are common among postmenopausal women. Breast cancer patients initiating AI treatment were at increased risk for developing new onset and more severe joint, muscle and bone pain compared to unexposed women, with a distinct distribution. AI-associated symptoms were not associated with 25(OH)D or CRP concentrations.