A Prognostic Model for Patients with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Importance of the Modified Nottingham Prognostic Index and Age / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: Considering the distinctive biology of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), this study aimed to identify TNBC-specific prognostic factors and determine the prognostic value of the Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI) and its variant indices. METHODS: A total of 233 patients with newly diagnosed stage I to III TNBC from 2003 to 2012 were reviewed. We retrospectively analyzed the patients' demographics, clinicopathologic parameters, treatment, and survival outcomes. The NPI was calculated as follows: tumor size (cm)×0.2+node status+Scarff-Bloom-Richardson (SBR) grade. The modified NPI (MNPI) was obtained by adding the modified SBR grade rather than the SBR grade. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 67.8 months. Five-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 81.4% and 89.9%, respectively. Multivariate analyses showed that the MNPI was the most significant and common prognostic factor of DFS (p=0.001) and OS (p=0.019). Young age (≤35 years) was also correlated with poor DFS (p=0.006). A recursive partitioning for establishing the prognostic model for DFS was performed based on the results of multivariate analysis. Patients with a low MNPI (≤6.5) were stratified into the low-risk group (p6.5) were subdivided into the intermediate (>35 years) and high-risk (≤35 years) groups. Age was not a prognostic factor in patients with a low MNPI, whereas in patients with a high MNPI, it was the second key factor in subdividing patients according to prognosis (p=0.023). CONCLUSION: The MNPI could be used to stratify patients with stage I to III TNBC according to prognosis. It was the most important prognosticator for both DFS and OS. The prognostic significance of young age for DFS differed by MNPI.

Objective Measurement of Cosmetic Outcomes of Breast Conserving Therapy Using BCCT.core / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate objective cosmetic outcomes and factors related to breast-conserving therapy (BCT) using the BCCT.core software. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-one patients who received BCT with informed consent were evaluated using the BCCT.core software. Patients were divided into two groups based on the BCCT score: excellent or good (n=42) vs. fair or poor (n=9). Analysis of clinical factors was performed to determine factors affecting cosmetic outcomes. RESULTS: The objective cosmetic outcome of BCT measured using the BCCT.core software was excellent in 10% of patients, good in 72%, and fair in 18%. None of the patients were classified as poor outcome. Tumor characteristics, systemic adjuvant therapy (chemotherapy and hormonal therapy), and radiation dose or energy of electron boost did not show correlation with the score measured by the BCCT.core program (p > 0.05). In univariate analysis, maximum dose within the breast (Dmax), width of tangential field, and excised tumor volume were smaller in patients with excellent or good by the BCCT.core compared to those with fair or poor (Dmax, 110.2±1.5% vs. 111.6±1.7%, p=0.019; width of tangential field, 8.0±1.1 cm vs. 8.6±0.7 cm, p=0.034; excised tumor volume, 64.0±35.8 cm3 vs. 95.3±54.4 cm3, p=0.067). In multivariate analysis, only Dmax was a significant factor for breast cosmetic outcome with a risk ratio of 1.697 (95% confidence interval, 1.006 to 2.863; p=0.047). CONCLUSION: Objective measurement of cosmetic outcome of BCT using the BCCT.core software was feasible. The cosmetic outcome of BCT may be affected by the maximum dose within the breast.

Patterns of failure and prognostic factors in resected extrahepatic bile duct cancer: implication for adjuvant radiotherapy

PURPOSE: To find the applicability of adjuvant radiotherapy for extrahepatic bile duct cancer (EBDC), we analyzed the pattern of failure and evaluate prognostic factors of locoregional failure after curative resection without adjuvant treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 97 patients with resected EBDC, the location of tumor was classified as proximal (n = 26) and distal (n = 71), using the junction of the cystic duct and common hepatic duct as the dividing point. Locoregional failure sites were categorized as follows: the hepatoduodenal ligament and tumor bed, the celiac artery and superior mesenteric artery, and other sites. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 29 months for surviving patients. Three-year locoregional progression-free survival, progression-free survival, and overall survival rates were 50%, 42%, and 52%, respectively. Regarding initial failures, 79% and 81% were locoregional failures in proximal and distal EBDC patients, respectively. The most common site was the hepatoduodenal ligament and tumor bed. In the multivariate analysis, perineural invasion was associated with poor locoregional progression-free survival (p = 0.023) and progression-free survival (p = 0.012); and elevated postoperative CA19-9 (> or =37 U/mL) did with poor locoregional progression-free survival (p = 0.002), progression-free survival (p < 0.001) and overall survival (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Both proximal and distal EBDC showed remarkable proportion of locoregional failure. Perineural invasion and elevated postoperative CA19-9 were risk factors of locoregional failure. In these patients with high risk of locoregional failure, adjuvant radiotherapy could be considered to improve locoregional control.

Long-term results of ipsilateral radiotherapy for tonsil cancer

PURPOSE: We evaluated the effectiveness and safety of ipsilateral radiotherapy for the patient with well lateralized tonsil cancer: not cross midline and <1 cm of tumor invasion into the soft palate or base of tongue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2003 to 2011, twenty patients with well lateralized tonsil cancer underwent ipsilateral radiotherapy. Nineteen patients had T1-T2 tumors, and one patient had T3 tumor; twelve patients had N0-N2a disease and eight patients had N2b disease. Primary surgery followed by radiotherapy was performed in fourteen patients: four of these patients received chemotherapy. Four patients underwent induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). The remaining two patients received induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy and definitive CCRT, respectively. No patient underwent radiotherapy alone. We analyzed the pattern of failure and complications. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 64 months (range, 11 to 106 months) for surviving patients. One patient had local failure at tumor bed. There was no regional failure in contralateral neck, even in N2b disease. At five-year, local progression-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, and progression-free survival rates were 95%, 100%, and 95%, respectively. One patient with treatment failure died, and the five-year overall survival rate was 95%. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group grade 2 xerostomia was found in one patient at least 6 months after the completion of radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: Ipsilateral radiotherapy is a reasonable treatment option for well lateralized tonsil cancer. Low rate of chronic xerostomia can be expected by sparing contralateral major salivary glands.

Prognostic Value of the Nodal Ratio and Ki-67 Expression in Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Postmastectomy Radiotherapy / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: This pilot study aimed to evaluate prognostic factors of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) for breast cancer patients undergoing systemic therapy in either preoperative or postoperative setting. METHODS: Between 2003 and 2009, 113 patients received PMRT: 61 underwent preoperative systemic therapy (PST subgroup) and 52 received postoperative systemic therapy (non-PST subgroup). RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 72.3 months (range, 34.0-109.4 months) for surviving patients. In univariate analysis of all patients, disease-free survival (DFS) was associated with age, nodal ratio (NR), and Ki-67 expression; overall survival (OS) was associated with NR and Ki-67 expression. Pathologic N stage and HER2 expression were marginally associated with DFS and OS. In the non-PST subgroup, DFS was associated with age, NR, venous invasion, and Ki-67 expression; OS was associated with age. In the PST subgroup, DFS was associated with ypN stage and NR; OS was associated with ypN, histologic grade, HER2 expression, and p53 expression. In multivariate analysis of all patients, DFS and OS were significantly associated with NR (p=0.003 and p=0.019, respectively) and Ki-67 expression (p=0.002 and p=0.015, respectively). Patients were classified into low-risk (NR 0.2 or Ki-67 >20%; n=63), and high-risk (NR >0.2 and Ki-67 >20%; n=16) subgroups. All low-risk patients were alive at the time of analysis. High-risk (p<0.001 and p=0.001, respectively) and intermediate-risk (p=0.022 and p=0.008, respectively) patients had significantly shorter DFS and OS than low-risk patients. This prognostic model was statistically significant for DFS when applied to the PST (p=0.001) and non-PST (p=0.016) subgroups separately. CONCLUSION: For breast cancer patients undergoing PMRT, NR and Ki-67 are potential prognostic factors. A model using these factors might help predict a poor prognosis. Whether NR and Ki-67 are also prognostic for different setting of systemic therapy, preoperative or postoperative, warrants further study.

Definitive Radiotherapy versus Postoperative Radiotherapy for Tonsil Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to analyze treatment outcome of radiotherapy (RT) in patients with stage III-IV tonsil cancer managed by surgery followed by postoperative RT (SRT) and definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT), and to thereby evaluate the most feasible treatment modality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 124 patients, 67 underwent CRT, and 57 underwent SRT. We compared survival and complication rates in both groups. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 57 months (range, 19 to 255 months) for surviving patients. At five years, locoregional progression-free survival (LRPFS) and overall survival (OS) were 88% and 80%, respectively. No significant difference in LRPFS (p=0.491) and OS (p=0.177) was observed between CRT and SRT. In multivariate analysis, old age and higher T stage showed a significant association with poor LRPFS, PFS, and OS; higher N stage showed an association with poor PFS and a trend of poor LRPFS, while no association with OS was observed; treatment modality (CRT and SRT) showed no association with LRFPS, PFS, and OS. Grade 3 or higher mucositis was observed in 12 patients (21%) in the SRT group, and 25 patients (37%) in the CRT group. CONCLUSION: Definitive CRT and SRT have similar treatment outcomes for patients with stage III-IV tonsil cancer. Although acute complication rate appears to be higher in the CRT group, it should be noted that not all data on complications were included in this retrospective study. To determine the most feasible treatment modality, not only mucositis and xerostomia, but also emotional aspect and quality of life, should be considered.