The Breast : official journal of the European Society of Mastology
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The aims of this prospective study were (a) to examine the relationship between pre-operative muscle lymph flow and the predisposition to BCRL in women treated by axillary nodal surgery for breast cancer; and (b) to test the 'stopcock' hypothesis that axillary lymph node surgery impairs forearm lymph flow in the short term. ⋯ Patients who develop BCRL have high lymph flow pre-surgery, which may predispose them to lymphatic overload and failure. Axillary lymph node surgery has no early, measurable effect on forearm muscle lymph flow despite surgical disruption of routes of lymph drainage.
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Chemoprevention is an option for women who are at increased risk of breast cancer (five year risk ≥1.7%). It is uncertain, however, how often women accept and complete five years of therapy and whether clinical or demographic factors predict completion. ⋯ A substantial percentage of women at increased risk of breast cancer will decline chemoprevention and among those that accept therapy, approximately 40% will not be able to complete five years of therapy because of side effects.
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Breast conserving surgery (BCS) for central breast tumours with immediate reconstruction of the nipple-areola complex (NAC) is a relatively new addition to the surgical palette of the oncoplastic surgeon. Most oncoplastic techniques presented to date have only been suitable for women with large breasts. ⋯ We present a guideline for selecting the best available surgical technique for immediate NAC reconstruction in women with any breast type, size or shape and describe a new replacement technique using a local perforator flap.
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Observational Study
Impact of symptom burden on work-related abilities in patients with locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer: Results from a substudy of the VIRGO observational cohort study.
Limited data exist on the association of symptom burden, daily activity impairment, and work productivity (WP) in patients with advanced breast cancer. This cross-sectional analysis evaluated baseline patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in patients with locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer (MBC) receiving first-line hormonal therapy or chemotherapy and/or targeted therapy in the VIRGO observational study. The primary PRO study endpoint, symptom severity and interference score, was measured using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI). ⋯ After adjustment for potential confounders, MDASI symptom interference and ALS were significant predictors of activity and WP impairment. Our results indicate patients receiving treatment for MBC are symptomatic with significant daily activity and/or WP impairment. Symptom severity and interference, functional status, and overall HRQOL were moderately correlated with perceived work-related ability.
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Review Meta Analysis
Postoperative Tamoxifen for ductal carcinoma in situ: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis.
This review aimed to assess the effects of postoperative Tamoxifen following surgical resection of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Data on local DCIS recurrence, new invasive carcinoma, distant disease, mortality and adverse effects were extracted from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing Tamoxifen after surgery for DCIS (regardless of oestrogen receptor (ER) status), with or without adjuvant radiotherapy. Meta-analysis was performed using the fixed-effect model and the results expressed as relative risks (RRs) or hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). ⋯ There was no evidence of a difference in all-cause mortality (RR 1.11; 95% CI 0.89-1.39). Only one trial involving 1799 participants followed-up for 163 months (median) reported on adverse events with no significant difference in event rate between Tamoxifen and placebo groups, but there was a non-significant trend towards more endometrial cancer in the Tamoxifen group. This review concludes that while Tamoxifen after local excision for DCIS, with or without adjuvant radiotherapy, reduced the risk of recurrent DCIS, it did not reduce the risk of all-cause mortality.