Tamoxifen use in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ and T1a/b N0 invasive carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine how often patients with ductal carcinoma in situ and T1a/b N0 cancer are offered and accept tamoxifen for secondary chemoprevention. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of 284 patients with T1a/b N0 invasive cancer treated between February 1995 and December 2001 and 129 patients with DCIS treated after September 1998 was carried out. Patient and tumor characteristics associated with being offered and accepting tamoxifen were compared. RESULTS: Tamoxifen was offered to 67% of the invasive cancer patients and accepted by 76% (51% of the entire group). Hormone receptor status was the only significant predictor of being offered tamoxifen (p = 0.004). Older age (p = 0.04), Caucasian race (p = 0.01), and parity (p = 0.04) in premenopausal women were significant predictors of tamoxifen acceptance on univariate analysis. After the publication of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project P-1 trial, significantly more patients were offered tamoxifen (p = 0.02), but acceptance rates did not change. Tamoxifen was offered to 91% of the ductal carcinoma in situ patients and accepted by 73% (67% overall). Lumpectomy was associated with significantly higher rates of being offered (p = 0.02) and accepting tamoxifen (p = 0.002) on univariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Factors associated with tamoxifen risks and benefits correlate poorly with the use of the drug.

Characteristics of salivary profiles of oestradiol and progesterone in premenopausal women.

The objective of the study was to characterize salivary sex steroid levels in 56 women undergoing annual mammography who were participating in a breast density study at the Lynn Sage Breast Center of Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and to determine the predictability of the patterns within women. Saliva was collected daily by the women at home for one complete menstrual cycle and then again at approximately 6-month intervals. The occurrence of sporadic anovulatory cycles was identified in 12 subjects, and persistent oestradiol (OE2) elevation in all three cycles without significant progesterone levels occurred in another five subjects. In addition, both OE2 and progesterone were significantly lower in initial menstrual cycles than in subsequent cycles, suggestive of an effect of participation in the study on hormone levels. Initial salivary OE2 levels were not good predictors of corresponding levels in either follicular or luteal phases of the menstrual cycles at the 6-month intervals. However, after the initial cycle, progesterone levels were highly predictable within individuals over a period of 6 months (r=0.78, P<0.001). The study emphasizes the natural variation among and within women in the absence of any intervention, and indicates the need for properly controlled studies before attributing changes in hormonal levels to therapy. In addition, it emphasizes the importance of sampling at multiple time points when examining the relationship between hormones and risk.

A predictive model for the development of hormone-responsive breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Effective therapies to reduce the risk of hormone-sensitive breast cancers (ER or PR positive) exist. Available models predict the risk of breast cancer without addressing hormone receptor status. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors predictive of the development of hormone-sensitive cancers. METHODS: A total of 1285 invasive breast cancers in 1263 women were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Risk factors were compared for ER+ and ER- cancers by using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Models were developed for premenopausal and postmenopausal women. In premenopausal women, white race, age at menarche < 12 years, and nulliparity or age at first birth > 20 years were used. The risk of ER+ cancer increased from 67.7% with 0 variables to 83.8% with all three (P = .013). In postmenopausal women, white race and a history of estrogen therapy were used. With none of the variables present, the incidence of ER+ cancer was 70.0%; it was 77.6% with one variable and 85.4% with both variables (P = .002). In postmenopausal women, variables predicted significant differences in hormone sensitivity only for those aged < or = 60 years. In the subset of women with information on alcohol use, adding this variable to the model improved the prediction of hormonal status. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings, if prospectively validated, may help identify those who would obtain the greatest benefit from hormonal chemoprevention strategies for breast cancer risk reduction.

Results of the Lynn Sage Second-Opinion Program for local therapy in patients with breast carcinoma. Changes in management and determinants of where care is delivered.

BACKGROUND: The treatment options of breast conservation therapy (BCT) and immediate reconstruction for patients with carcinoma of the breast have not been adopted widely. The objectives of this study were to determine how often a second opinion on the local therapy of breast carcinoma changed patient management and to identify factors predictive of remaining at the second-opinion site for therapy. METHODS: Two hundred thirty-one patients with intraductal carcinoma or Stage I and II breast carcinoma were reviewed retrospectively. At the time of the second opinion, patients completed a questionnaire regarding their initial surgical opinion and the reason for seeking consultation. RESULTS: Only 46% of patients had a complete discussion of treatment options prior to the second opinion. The second opinion changed management in 54 patients (20.3%). The most common finding was eligibility for BCT in patients who were offered only mastectomy. Definitive local therapy occurred at the second-opinion site in 65.8% of patients. The only predictors of remaining at the second-opinion site were insurance type (P = 0.008) and the patient's perception that options were not discussed at the initial opinion (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Second opinions provide useful information to patients and may change the management of their disease. They result in significant patient capture for an institution.