ABSTRACT
Purpose@#This study was conducted to investigate the trend of domestic medical travel from non-Seoul areas to Seoul for initial breast cancer treatment, and identify factors associated with medical travel in breast cancer patients. @*Methods@#A nationwide retrospective cohort study was performed using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment data of South Korea. Patients were classified according to the regions in which they underwent breast biopsy (Seoul vs.metropolitan cities vs. other regions). Frequencies of biopsy, diagnosis, treatment, and domestic medical travel were analyzed according to regions, and factors associated with medical travel were investigated. @*Results@#A total of 150,709 breast cancer survivors who were diagnosed between January 2010 and December 2017 were included. The total rate of medical travel from non-Seoul regions to Seoul had increased from 14.2% (1,161 of 8,150) in 2010 to 19.8% (2,762 of 13,964) in 2017. Approximately a quarter of patients from other regions traveled to Seoul, and over 40% of patients from Chungbuk, Gyeongbuk, and Jeju regions traveled to Seoul for initial treatment in 2017. The difference in the annual frequencies of upfront surgery between Seoul and non-Seoul regions increased over time. Younger age and regions other than metropolitan cities were significantly related to medical travel. Patients covered by medical aid or past medical histories were significantly less likely to travel to Seoul for initial breast cancer treatment. @*Conclusion@#Medical travel to Seoul for upfront breast cancer surgery is increasing. Policies for appropriate healthcare delivery need to be established in the near future.
ABSTRACT
Purpose@#This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and prognosis of second non-breast primary cancer (SNBPC) among Korean survivors of breast cancer. @*Materials and Methods@#Data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service were searched to identify women who received curative surgery for initial breast cancer (IBC) between 2003 and 2008 (n=64,340). Among them, patients with the following characteristics were excluded: other cancer diagnosis before IBC (n=10,866), radiotherapy before IBC (n=349), absence of data on sex or age (n=371), or male (n=248). Accordingly, data of 52,506 women until December 2017 were analyzed. SNBPC was defined as a newly diagnosed SNBPC that occurred 5 years or more after IBC diagnosis. @*Results@#The median follow-up time of all patients was 12.13 years. SNBPC was developed in 3,084 (5.87%) women after a median of 7.61 years following IBC diagnosis. The 10-year incidence of SNBPC was 5.78% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.56 to 6.00). Higher SNBPC incidence was found in survivors with the following factors: old age at IBC diagnosis, low household income, and receiving combined chemotherapy with endocrine therapy, whereas receiving radiotherapy was related to a lower incidence of SNBPC (hazard ratio, 0.89; p < 0.01). Among the patients with SNBPC, the 5-year survival rate was 62.28% (95% CI, 65.53 to 69.02). @*Conclusion@#Approximately 5% of breast cancer survivors developed SNBPC within 10 years after IBC diagnosis. The risk of SNBPC was associated with patient’s age at IBC diagnosis, income level, and a receipt of systemic treatments.
ABSTRACT
Purpose@#This study aimed to analyze the waiting time for initial treatment after breast cancer diagnosis and determine the factors influencing treatment delay in South Korea. @*Methods@#This nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment data. The participants were classified according to the regions where their biopsy and treatment were performed (Seoul-Seoul, Metro-Metro, OtherOther, Metro-Seoul, Other-Seoul). Waiting time was analyzed according to regional subgroup, year of diagnosis, and type of treatment. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to identify the factors associated with treatment delay (after 30 days of diagnosis). @*Results@#A total of 133,514 participants newly diagnosed between January 2010 and December 2017 were included in the study. The median waiting time for initial treatment in the total population increased from 8 days, in 2010, to 14 days, in 2017. In the Seoul-Seoul group, the waiting time increased from 10 days, in 2010, to 16 days, in 2017. Although the median waiting time was approximately 10 days in the Metro-Metro and Other-Other groups, it was 27 and 24 days, in the Metro-Seoul and Other-Seoul group, respectively, in 2017. The proportion of delayed upfront surgery by more than 30 days was higher in the Metro-Seoul (odds ratio [OR], 8.088; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.357–8.893; p < 0.001) and OtherSeoul (OR, 6.210; 95% CI, 5.717–6.750; p < 0.001) groups than in the Metro-Metro (OR, 1.468; 95% CI, 1.352–1.594; p < 0.001) and Other-Other (reference) groups. Previous medical history and treatment at tertiary hospital were observed as factors related to delayed surgery. @*Conclusion@#Waiting times for breast cancer surgery have increased across all regions of Korea, with those traveling to Seoul experiencing particularly long wait times.
ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the incidence, the survival outcomes and its prognostic factors for male breast cancer (MBC) in Korea. Using the National Health Insurance Service database of Korea, we identified MBC patients who had the new claim code of C50. Medical records including type of surgeries and radiotherapy within one year of the first claim and death records were reviewed. Between 2005 and 2016, 838 newly diagnosed MBC patients were included (median follow-up, 1,769 days). The 70–74-year age group had the highest incidence of MBC. The 5-year survival rate was 73.7%. Age > 65 years, low income, no surgical intervention, no tamoxifen use, and > 2 comorbidities correlated with a worse outcome. MBC incidence has increased over time, and its peak is noted at age > 70 years. Age > 65 years, > 2 comorbidities, no surgical intervention, and no tamoxifen use correlate to poor prognosis.
ABSTRACT
Purpose@#The tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) expression in breast cancer is a positive prognostic marker for certain breast cancer subtypes. We evaluated the efficacy of dual antihuman epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) blockade in HER2-positive breast cancer and hypothesized that high TILs tumors are associated with better outcomes. @*Methods@#A total of 176 patients who were treated with neoadjuvant docetaxel, carboplatin, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab (TCHP) between December 2015 and December 2018 were reviewed. They were grouped based on a cut-off value of the stromal TILs grade (≤ 20% TILs, > 20% TILs). @*Results@#In total, 107 patients (60.8%) achieved pathological complete response (pCR).Hormone receptor (HR)-negativity (p = 0.001) and a high TILs grade (p = 0.022) were independent predictors of pCR. Among the HR-negative patients, high TILs tumors were significantly associated with pCR (p = 0.035). @*Conclusion@#HR status and the TILs grade are significantly correlated with pCR in dual anti-HER2 neoadjuvant therapy. The evaluation of the TILs at baseline may be beneficial for predicting pCR in HER2-positive breast cancer.
ABSTRACT
Purpose@#The tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) expression in breast cancer is a positive prognostic marker for certain breast cancer subtypes. We evaluated the efficacy of dual antihuman epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) blockade in HER2-positive breast cancer and hypothesized that high TILs tumors are associated with better outcomes. @*Methods@#A total of 176 patients who were treated with neoadjuvant docetaxel, carboplatin, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab (TCHP) between December 2015 and December 2018 were reviewed. They were grouped based on a cut-off value of the stromal TILs grade (≤ 20% TILs, > 20% TILs). @*Results@#In total, 107 patients (60.8%) achieved pathological complete response (pCR).Hormone receptor (HR)-negativity (p = 0.001) and a high TILs grade (p = 0.022) were independent predictors of pCR. Among the HR-negative patients, high TILs tumors were significantly associated with pCR (p = 0.035). @*Conclusion@#HR status and the TILs grade are significantly correlated with pCR in dual anti-HER2 neoadjuvant therapy. The evaluation of the TILs at baseline may be beneficial for predicting pCR in HER2-positive breast cancer.
ABSTRACT
The combination of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogs (LHRHa) with tamoxifen is used as a standard postoperative adjuvant therapy in patients with hormone receptor-positive/premenopausal breast cancer. Long-acting LHRHa formulations offer advantages in terms of patient convenience. However, data on the effectiveness of the 3-month (3M) acting formulation are still insufficient. This study was performed on patients who received the 3M LHRHa after surgery. The serum estradiol (E2) and follicle-stimulating hormone levels were measured before surgery, and periodically after surgery. In total, 318 patients were included in the study and analyzed. The mean E2 level before surgery was 63.7 pg/mL, while the mean E2 level during the administration of 3M LHRHa was 4.9 pg/mL.None of the patients were menstruating and had E2 values above 30.0 pg/mL. It is thought that the 3M LHRHa formulation can suppress the ovarian function effectively and be safely used to improve compliance.
ABSTRACT
Purpose@#Factors associated with invasive recurrence (REC) of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) are less known. This study was aimed at identifying better biomarkers to predict the prognosis of DCIS. @*Methods@#RNA extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks of twenty-four pure DCIS cases was subjected to differential gene expression analysis. The DCIS cases were selected by matching age and estrogen receptor status. Sixteen REC-free and 8 invasive-REC cases with disease-free interval of > 5 years were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was used to validate sixty-one independent pure DCIS cases, including invasive-REC (n = 16) and REC-free (n = 45) cases. @*Results@#Eight differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were statistically significant (log 2-fold change [FC] 1 and p < 0.001). Less than ½ fold expression of CUL1, androgen receptor (AR), RPS27A, CTNNB1, MAP3K1, PRKACA, GNG12, MGMT genes was observed in the REC group compared to the no evidence of disease group. AR and histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) genes were selected for external validation (AR: log 2-FC − 1.35, p < 0.001, and HDAC1: log 2-FC − 0.774, p < 0.001). External validation showed that the absence of AR and high HDAC1 expression were independent risk factors for invasive REC (hazard ratio [HR], 5.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24–20.4; p = 0.023 and HR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.04–9.04; p = 0.042). High nuclear grade 3 was also associated with long-term invasive REC. @*Conclusion@#Comparative gene expression analysis of pure DCIS revealed 8 DEGs among recurring cases. External validation with IHC suggested that the absence of AR and overexpression of HDAC1 are associated with a greater risk of long-term invasive REC of pure DCIS.
ABSTRACT
The combination of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogs (LHRHa) with tamoxifen is used as a standard postoperative adjuvant therapy in patients with hormone receptor-positive/premenopausal breast cancer. Long-acting LHRHa formulations offer advantages in terms of patient convenience. However, data on the effectiveness of the 3-month (3M) acting formulation are still insufficient. This study was performed on patients who received the 3M LHRHa after surgery. The serum estradiol (E2) and follicle-stimulating hormone levels were measured before surgery, and periodically after surgery. In total, 318 patients were included in the study and analyzed. The mean E2 level before surgery was 63.7 pg/mL, while the mean E2 level during the administration of 3M LHRHa was 4.9 pg/mL.None of the patients were menstruating and had E2 values above 30.0 pg/mL. It is thought that the 3M LHRHa formulation can suppress the ovarian function effectively and be safely used to improve compliance.
ABSTRACT
Purpose@#Factors associated with invasive recurrence (REC) of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) are less known. This study was aimed at identifying better biomarkers to predict the prognosis of DCIS. @*Methods@#RNA extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks of twenty-four pure DCIS cases was subjected to differential gene expression analysis. The DCIS cases were selected by matching age and estrogen receptor status. Sixteen REC-free and 8 invasive-REC cases with disease-free interval of > 5 years were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was used to validate sixty-one independent pure DCIS cases, including invasive-REC (n = 16) and REC-free (n = 45) cases. @*Results@#Eight differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were statistically significant (log 2-fold change [FC] 1 and p < 0.001). Less than ½ fold expression of CUL1, androgen receptor (AR), RPS27A, CTNNB1, MAP3K1, PRKACA, GNG12, MGMT genes was observed in the REC group compared to the no evidence of disease group. AR and histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) genes were selected for external validation (AR: log 2-FC − 1.35, p < 0.001, and HDAC1: log 2-FC − 0.774, p < 0.001). External validation showed that the absence of AR and high HDAC1 expression were independent risk factors for invasive REC (hazard ratio [HR], 5.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24–20.4; p = 0.023 and HR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.04–9.04; p = 0.042). High nuclear grade 3 was also associated with long-term invasive REC. @*Conclusion@#Comparative gene expression analysis of pure DCIS revealed 8 DEGs among recurring cases. External validation with IHC suggested that the absence of AR and overexpression of HDAC1 are associated with a greater risk of long-term invasive REC of pure DCIS.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Discontinuation of hormone therapy is known to lead to a poorer prognosis in breast cancer patients. We aimed to investigate the prescription gap as a prompt index of medication adherence by using prescription data extracted from patient electronic medical records. METHODS: A total of 5,928 patients diagnosed with invasive, non-metastatic breast cancer, who underwent surgery from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2009, were enrolled retrospectively. The prescription data for 4.5 years of hormonal treatment and breast cancer-related events after treatment completion were analyzed. We examined the characteristics and prognoses of breast cancer in patients with and without a 4-week gap. RESULTS: Patients with a gap showed a significantly higher risk of breast cancer recurrence, distant metastasis, breast cancer-specific death, and overall death after adjustment (hazard ratio [HR], 1.389; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.089–1.772; HR, 1.568; 95% CI, 1.158–2.123; HR, 2.108; 95% CI, 1.298–3.423; and HR, 2.102; 95% CI, 1.456–3.034, respectively). When patients were categorized based on gap summation, the lower third (160 days) and fourth (391 days) quartiles showed a significantly higher risk of distant metastasis (HR, 1.758; 95% CI, 1.186–2.606 and HR, 1.844; 95% CI, 1.262–2.693, respectively). CONCLUSION: A gap of > 4 weeks in hormonal treatment has negative effects on breast cancer prognosis, and can hence be used as a sentinel index of higher risk due to treatment non-adherence. Further evaluation is needed to determine whether the gap can be used as a universal index for monitoring the adherence to hormonal treatment.
Subject(s)
Humans , Breast Neoplasms , Breast , Electronic Health Records , Estrogen Antagonists , Medication Adherence , Neoplasm Metastasis , Prescriptions , Prognosis , Recurrence , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Breast Neoplasms , Breast , Eosine Yellowish-(YS) , Follow-Up Studies , Hematoxylin , Neoplasm Metastasis , Parotid Neoplasms , Salivary Ducts , Salivary Gland Neoplasms , Triple Negative Breast NeoplasmsABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The extension of endocrine therapy beyond 5 years for recurrence-free survivors of breast cancer improves survival; however, the issue on how to clinically identify appropriate candidates remains controversial. This study aimed to identify prognostic factors for breast-cancer-specific mortality in patients who have had 5 years of tamoxifen treatment and categorize subgroups based on the risk of death using combinations of these prognostic factors to assist in the clinical decision to perform further endocrine therapy. METHODS: In total, 3,158 patients with breast cancer were enrolled. Breast cancer-specific survival rates after 5 years of tamoxifen treatment were calculated, and associated prognostic factors were analyzed using a Cox proportional-hazards model. RESULTS: An age extreme at diagnosis (i.e., 2 cm, and positive lymphovascular invasion were robust independent prognostic factors for late breast cancer-specific death in tamoxifen-treated patients (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.162, 1.739, and 1.993; p = 0.001, 0.047, and 0.011, respectively). Lymph node metastasis and progesterone receptor negativity had borderline significance in this regard (HR = 1.741 and 1.638, p = 0.099 and 0.061). The study patients were classified into four groups according to the number of prognostic indicators, i.e., low, intermediate, high, and extremely high risk. The additional 5- and 10-year cumulative risks of breast cancer-specific death were 0.8% and 1.5% in the low-risk group, 0.9% and 3.9% in the intermediate-risk group, 1.3% and 7.3% in the high-risk group, and 4.8% and 13.8% in the extremely high-risk group, respectively. CONCLUSION: This new risk stratification system for late mortality in breast cancer can be used to identify the right candidates for extended endocrine therapy after 5 years of tamoxifen treatment.
Subject(s)
Humans , Breast Neoplasms , Breast , Diagnosis , Lymph Nodes , Mortality , Neoplasm Metastasis , Prognosis , Receptors, Progesterone , Survival Rate , Survivors , TamoxifenABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This preliminary study was conducted to evaluate the association between Oncotype DX (ODX) recurrence score and traditional prognostic factors. We also developed a nomogram to predict subgroups with low ODX recurrence scores (less than 25) and to avoid additional chemotherapy treatments for those patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical variables were retrospectively retrieved and analyzed from a series of 485 T1-3N0-1miM0 hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor 2‒negative breast cancer patients with available ODX test results at Asan Medical Center from 2010 to 2016. One hundred twenty-seven patients (26%) had positive axillary lymph node micrometastases, and 408 (84%) had ODX recurrence scores of ≤25. Logistic regression was performed to build a nomogram for predicting a low-risk subgroup of the ODX assay. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis revealed that estrogen receptor (ER) score, progesterone receptor (PR) score, histologic grade, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and Ki-67 had a statistically significant association with the low-risk subgroup. With these variables, we developed a nomogram to predict the low-risk subgroup with ODX recurrence scores of ≤25. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85 to 0.96). When applied to the validation group the nomogram was accurate with an area under the curve = 0.88 (95% CI, 0.83 to 0.95). CONCLUSION: The low ODX recurrence score subgroup can be predicted by a nomogram incorporating five traditional prognostic factors: ER, PR, histologic grade, LVI, and Ki-67. Our nomogram, which predicts a low-risk ODX recurrence score, will be a useful tool to help select patients who may or may not need additional ODX testing.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Humans , Breast Neoplasms , Breast , Drug Therapy , Epidermal Growth Factor , Estrogens , Logistic Models , Lymph Nodes , Multivariate Analysis , Neoplasm Micrometastasis , Nomograms , Prognosis , Receptors, Progesterone , Recurrence , Retrospective Studies , ROC CurveABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine whether clinicopathological factors are potentially associated with successful breast-conserving surgery (BCS) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and develop a nomogram for predicting successful BCS candidates, focusing on those who are diagnosed with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative tumors during the pre-NAC period. METHODS: The training cohort included 239 patients with an HR-positive, HER2-negative tumor (≥3 cm), and all of these patients had received NAC. Patients were excluded if they met any of the following criteria: diffuse, suspicious, malignant microcalcification (extent >4 cm); multicentric or multifocal breast cancer; inflammatory breast cancer; distant metastases at the time of diagnosis; excisional biopsy prior to NAC; and bilateral breast cancer. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the possible predictors of BCS eligibility after NAC, and the regression model was used to develop the predicting nomogram. This nomogram was built using the training cohort (n=239) and was later validated with an independent validation cohort (n=123). RESULTS: Small tumor size (p < 0.001) at initial diagnosis, long distance from the nipple (p=0.002), high body mass index (p=0.001), and weak positivity for progesterone receptor (p=0.037) were found to be four independent predictors of an increased probability of BCS after NAC; further, these variables were used as covariates in developing the nomogram. For the training and validation cohorts, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.833 and 0.786, respectively; these values demonstrate the potential predictive power of this nomogram. CONCLUSION: This study established a new nomogram to predict successful BCS in patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. Given that chemotherapy is an option with unreliable outcomes for this subtype, this nomogram may be used to select patients for NAC followed by successful BCS.
Subject(s)
Humans , Biopsy , Body Mass Index , Breast Neoplasms , Breast , Cohort Studies , Diagnosis , Drug Therapy , Inflammatory Breast Neoplasms , Logistic Models , Mastectomy, Segmental , Neoadjuvant Therapy , Neoplasm Metastasis , Nipples , Nomograms , ErbB Receptors , Receptors, Progesterone , ROC CurveABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) established a healthcare claim database for all Korean citizens. This study aimed to analyze the NHIS data and investigate the patterns of breast cancer treatments. METHODS: We constructed a retrospective female breast cancer cohort by analyzing annual incident cases. The annual number of newly diagnosed female breast cancer was compared between the NHIS data and Korea National Cancer Incidence Database (KNCIDB). The annual treatment patterns including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, endocrine therapy and targeted therapy were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 148,322 women with newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer during 2006–2014 was identified. The numbers of newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer cases were similar between the NHIS data and KNCIDB, which demonstrated a strong correlation (r = 0.995; P < 0.001). The age distribution of the breast cancer cases in the NHIS data and KNCIDB also showed a strong correlation (r = 1.000; P < 0.001). About 85% of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients underwent operations. Although the proportions of chemotherapy use have not changed during 2006–2014, the total number of chemotherapy prescriptions sharply increased during this period. The proportions of radiotherapy and anti-hormonal therapy increased. Among the anti-hormonal agents, tamoxifen was the most frequently prescribed medication, and letrozole was the most preferred endocrine treatment in patients aged ≥ 50 years. CONCLUSION: Along with the increased breast cancer incidence in Korea, the frequencies of breast cancer treatments have increased. The NHIS data can be a feasible data source for future research.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Age Distribution , Breast Neoplasms , Breast , Cohort Studies , Delivery of Health Care , Drug Therapy , Epidemiology , Incidence , Information Storage and Retrieval , Korea , National Health Programs , Prescriptions , Radiotherapy , Retrospective Studies , Survivors , TamoxifenABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study aimed to chronologically evaluate survival of patients with breast cancer in Korea and investigate the observed changes during the last 20 years. We also sought to determine factors that may influence outcomes and changes in the duration of survival over time. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a total of 10,988 patients with breast cancer who were treated at our institution between January 1993 and December 2008. We divided the study period into three periods (P1, 1993–1997; P2, 1998–2002; and P3, 2003–2008). We retrospectively reviewed the collected data from the Asan database, including age at diagnosis, clinical manifestations, pathology report, surgical methods, types of adjuvant treatment modalities, type of recurrence, and follow-up period. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 8.2 years, we observed that survival outcomes have improved recently. The 5-year breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) rate also increased from 82.8% in P1 to 92.6% in P3 (p < 0.001). The survival rate in patients with tumors at each stage increased in similar patterns in all patients, and, remarkably, there was a significant survival improvement in patients with stage III breast cancer (P1 vs. P3: 5-year BCSS, 57.4% vs. 80.0%, p < 0.001). The time period was a significant prognostic factor in multivariate analysis (P1 vs. P2: hazard ratio [HR], 0.83, p=0.035; P1 vs. P3: HR, 0.75, p=0.015). CONCLUSION: The study results suggest an improvement in breast cancer survival in Korea, which is consistent with the development of treatments and early detection.
Subject(s)
Humans , Breast Neoplasms , Breast , Diagnosis , Follow-Up Studies , Korea , Multivariate Analysis , Pathology , Prognosis , Recurrence , Retrospective Studies , Survival RateABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The effect of delays in surgical treatment on survival outcomes in patients with breast cancer remains uncertain, but it is an issue of importance to both patients and clinicians. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of delayed surgical treatment on survival and tumor progression such as changes in tumor size and lymph node metastasis. METHODS: Among 1,219 patients who underwent breast cancer surgery at Asan Medical Center between January 2008 and December 2008, 1,074 patients were finally included in the study following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were divided into two groups based on the interval between diagnosis and surgery: ≤30 days (group 1) and >30 days (group 2). We retrospectively analyzed clinical characteristics, changes in tumor size and axillary lymph-node status, and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates. RESULTS: Between group 1 and group 2, there were no differences in clinical characteristics or in changes in tumor size between findings based on ultrasonography (USG) with biopsy at diagnosis and pathologic results (p=0.134). Furthermore, changes in tumor size and lymph-node status between USG results at Asan Medical Center and pathologic results also showed no differences (p=0.249 and p=0.233, respectively). There were also no significant differences in DFS (p=0.395) or OS (p=0.813). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that short-term delays of ≤2 months between diagnosis and surgery for breast cancer do not negatively affect cancer progression or survival rates.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Although laparoscopic appendectomies (LAs) are performed universally, a controversy still exists whether the LA is an appropriate surgical approach to complicated appendicitis (CA). We retrospectively evaluated the outcomes of laparoscopic versus open appendectomies for CA. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 60 consecutive patients who were diagnosed as having CA from July 2009 to January 2011. Outcomes such as operative time, time to soft diet, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications were analyzed. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in operative time between the LA and the open appendectomy (OA) groups. Return to soft diet was faster in the LA group (2.1 +/- 1.2 vs. 3.5 +/- 1.5 days; P = 0.001). Length of hospital stay was shorter for the LA group (4.4 +/- 2.3 vs. 5.8 +/- 2.9 days; P = 0.045). The overall complication rates showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. In cases involving a periappendiceal abscess, the LA had a significantly higher incidence of intra-abdominal abscess (IAA) and postoperative ileus (PI; P = 0.028). CONCLUSION: The LA showed good results in terms of the time to soft diet, the length of hospital stay, and surgical site infection (SSI) whereas the overall complication rates were similar for the two groups. However, the LA was associated with significantly higher incidence of IAA and PI for the cases with a periappendiceal abscess. Therefore, when using a LA, the surgeon must take great care to minimize the incidence of IAA and PI if a periappendiceal abscess is present.
Subject(s)
Humans , Abdominal Abscess , Abscess , Appendectomy , Appendicitis , Diet , Ileus , Incidence , Length of Stay , Operative Time , Postoperative Complications , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Primary systemic therapy (PST) downstages up to 40% of initial documented axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases in breast cancer. The current surgical treatment after PST consists of breast tumor resection and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). This strategy, however, does not eliminate unnecessary ALND in patients with complete remission of axillary metastases. The aim of this study was to examine the accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) after PST among patients with documented ALN metastasis at presentation and to identify the rate of pathologic complete-remission (CR) with ALN after PST. METHODS: We analyzed 66 patients with ALN metastasis that was pathologically proven preoperatively who underwent SLNB and concomitant ALND after PST. Axillary ultrasound (AUS) was used to evaluate the clinical response of initially documented ALN metastasis after PST. Intraoperative lymphatic mapping was performed using blue dye with or without radioisotope. RESULTS: After PST, 34.8% of patients had clinical CR of ALN on AUS and 28.8% patients had pathologic CR of ALN. The overall success rate of SLNB after PST was 87.9%, and the sentinel lymph node identification rate in patients with clinical CR was 95.7%. In patients with successful lymphatic mapping, 70.7% of patients had residual axillary metastases. The overall accuracy and false-negative rate were 87.9% and 17.1% in all patients: 95.5% and 10.0% in patients with clinical CR of ALN, and 83.3% and 19.4% in patients with residual axillary disease after PST. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that SLNB may be feasible in patients with initial documented ALN metastasis who have clinical CR for metastatic ALN after PST. Further investigation in a prospective setting should be performed to confirm our results.