Postoperative Outcomes of Pre-Pectoral Versus Sub-Pectoral Implant Immediate Breast Reconstruction.

INTRODUCTION: Immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) techniques are rapidly evolving. We compared the results from a single-center implant IBR cohort between subpectoral and prepectoral implants with and without a mesh. METHODS: We analyzed all complications and grade 2-3 complications, the implant loss rate, the surgery time, the length of stay (LOS), patient satisfaction, the interval time to adjuvant therapy and cost, with a comparison between subpectoral and prepectoral implant IBR. RESULTS: Subpectoral implant IBR was carried out in 529 mastectomies (62.0%) and prepectoral in 324, with a significant increase in prepectoral placement in recent years. Mesh was used in 176 prepectoral placements (54.3%). Any grade of complication was reported in 147 mastectomies (17.2%), with a significantly higher rate for prepectoral implant IBR (p = 0.036). Regression analysis showed that prepectoral implant was not significantly associated with any grade of complication or with grade 2-3 complications. Prepectoral implant IBR was associated with a significantly shorter operative time and lower LOS. Grade 2-3 complications were significantly associated with lower satisfaction. Higher costs were significantly associated with the subpectoral placement and mesh. A complication rate predictive score identified five groups with a significant increase in grade 2-3 complications. CONCLUSIONS: Prepectoral-M-IBR increased over time with no difference in complication rates compared to subpectoral-M-IBR. Prepectoral implant placement can be considered a safe technique.

Elaboration of a nomogram to predict nonsentinel node status in breast cancer patients with positive sentinel node, intraoperatively assessed with one step nucleic amplification: Retrospective and validation phase.

BACKGROUND: Tumor-positive sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy results in a risk of non sentinel node metastases in micro- and macro-metastases ranging from 20 to 50%, respectively. Therefore, most patients underwent unnecessary axillary lymph node dissections. We have previously developed a mathematical model for predicting patient-specific risk of non sentinel node (NSN) metastases based on 2460 patients. The study reports the results of the validation phase where a total of 1945 patients were enrolled, aimed at identifying a tool that gives the possibility to the surgeon to choose intraoperatively whether to perform or not axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). METHODS: The following parameters were recorded: Clinical: hospital, age, medical record number; Bio pathological: Tumor (T) size stratified in quartiles, grading (G), histologic type, lymphatic/vascular invasion (LVI), ER-PR status, Ki 67, molecular classification (Luminal A, Luminal B, HER-2 Like, Triple negative); Sentinel and non-sentinel node related: Number of NSNs removed, number of positive NSNs, cytokeratin 19 (CK19) mRNA copy number of positive sentinel nodes stratified in quartiles. A total of 1945 patients were included in the database. All patient data were provided by the authors of this paper. RESULTS: The discrimination of the model quantified with the area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve (AUC), was 0.65 and 0.71 in the validation and retrospective phase, respectively. The calibration determines the distance between predicted outcome and actual outcome. The mean difference between predicted/observed was 2.3 and 6.3% in the retrospective and in the validation phase, respectively. The two values are quite similar and as a result we can conclude that the nomogram effectiveness was validated. Moreover, the ROC curve identified in the risk category of 31% of positive NSNs, the best compromise between false negative and positive rates i.e. when ALND is unnecessary (<31%) or recommended (>31%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study confirm that OSNA nomogram may help surgeons make an intraoperative decision on whether to perform ALND or not in case of positive sentinel nodes, and the patient to accept this decision based on a reliable estimation on the true percentage of NSN involvement. The use of this nomogram achieves two main gools: 1) the choice of the right treatment during the operation, 2) to avoid for the patient a second surgery procedure.

A whole-genome sequence and transcriptome perspective on HER2-positive breast cancers.

HER2-positive breast cancer has long proven to be a clinically distinct class of breast cancers for which several targeted therapies are now available. However, resistance to the treatment associated with specific gene expressions or mutations has been observed, revealing the underlying diversity of these cancers. Therefore, understanding the full extent of the HER2-positive disease heterogeneity still remains challenging. Here we carry out an in-depth genomic characterization of 64 HER2-positive breast tumour genomes that exhibit four subgroups, based on the expression data, with distinctive genomic features in terms of somatic mutations, copy-number changes or structural variations. The results suggest that, despite being clinically defined by a specific gene amplification, HER2-positive tumours melt into the whole luminal-basal breast cancer spectrum rather than standing apart. The results also lead to a refined ERBB2 amplicon of 106 kb and show that several cases of amplifications are compatible with a breakage-fusion-bridge mechanism.

[Adjuvant treatments in breast cancer: interest of completion of axillary dissection in case of micrometastases or isolated tumor cells in sentinel lymph node]. / Traitements adjuvants dans le cancer du sein : impact du résultat du curage axillaire en cas de micrométastase ou de cellules tumorales isolées dans le ganglion sentinelle.

Prognostic signification of micrometastases ou isolated tumor cells (ITC) has not yet been clearly precised. Management of the axilla in case of micrometastases or ITC depends on the local pratices: no surgical completion or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Axillary lymph node status is the most important prognostic factor in patients with breast cancer; morbidity of ALND is now well known whereas its therapeutic benefit has not been demonstrated. This study is based on a retrospective database of 1375 patients who underwent sentinel node (SN) biopsy for breast cancer. In case of micrometastase or ITC in SN with completion axillary dissection, we examined if non-sentinel lymph node status has changed the indications of adjuvant treatments (chimiotherapy or radiotherapy). The results of our study show that non-sentinel lymph node status modify systemic therapy for a very few patients (less than 4% concerning chimiotherapy and less than 15% concerning radiotherapy).

Diagnostic performance of one-step nucleic acid amplification for intraoperative sentinel node metastasis detection in breast cancer patients.

The purpose of this prospective multicenter study was to assess one-step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA) for intraoperative sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis detection in breast cancer patients, using final histology as the reference standard. OSNA results were also compared to intraoperative histology SLN evaluation and to standard clinicopathological risk markers. For this study, fresh SLNs were cut in four blocks, and alternate blocks were used for OSNA and histology. CK19 mRNA copy number was categorized as strongly positive, positive or negative. Positive histology was defined as presence of macrometastasis or micrometastasis. When discrepancies occurred, the entire SLNs were subjected to histological studies and the node lysates to additional molecular studies. Five hundred three SLN samples from 233 patients were studied. Mean time to evaluate two SLNs was 40 min. Sensitivity per patient was 91.4% (95% CI, 76.9-98.2%), specificity 93.3% (95% CI, 88.6-96.6%), positive likelihood ratio 13.7 and negative likelihood ratio 0.1. Sensitivity was 63.6% for frozen sections and 47.1% for touch imprint cytology. Both methods were 100% specific. Positive histology and positive OSNA were significantly associated with highest clinical stage, N1 status and vascular invasion; and OSNA results correlated with HER2/neu status and benefited patients with negative histology. These findings show that OSNA assay can allow detection of SLN metastasis in breast cancer patients intraoperatively with a good sensitivity, thus minimizing the need for second surgeries for axillary lymph node detection.

Implementation of molecular intra-operative assessment of sentinel lymph node in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is used as a staging procedure in early breast cancer, however, histology based intra-operative assessment of the SLN status has a low sensitivity. The one-step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA) method was developed to detect metastases by amplification of cytokeratin (CK) 19 mRNA. Experience with OSNA during a French multi-centric prospective study, as well as intra-operative clinical routine use, is reported. PATIENTS AND METHODS: For the clinical study 80 SLNs from 46 patients were assessed. During routine use, the central slice of the SLN from 197 patients was investigated by permanent histology and the remainder was assessed by OSNA. RESULTS: During the clinical study, OSNA detected 15/17 metastases, including all the macrometastases, reaching a 96.3% concordance rate, 88.2% sensitivity and 98.4% specificity. During routine use, both OSNA and histology detected 25 patients with metastasis. CONCLUSION: OSNA is an accurate tool for intra-operative assessment of SLN status and could reduce the need for second surgery.

Value of PET-FDG in primary breast cancer based on histopathological and immunohistochemical prognostic factors.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to analyze in breast tumors the correlation between [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake assessed by positron emission tomography (PET) and histopathological and immunohistochemical prognostic factors. METHODS: FDG-PET combined with computed tomography (CT) was performed before surgery in 45 women with biopsy-proven primary breast cancer. The standardized uptake value (SUV) was compared with histopathological findings after surgery. RESULTS: A positive relationship was found between SUV and histological grade (p < 0.0001), histological type (p = 0.001), tumor size (p < 0.0435), estrogen receptor status (p < 0.0005), and progesterone receptor status (p = 0.002). FDG-PET/CT revealed unknown distant metastatic lesions in 2 of 12 patients with triple-negative breast cancer. The sensitivity of FDG-PET/CT for detecting axillary lymph node metastases was, respectively, 21% and 100% for pN1 and pN2 cases, whereas specificity was 100% for pN0. CONCLUSION: SUV, a preoperative and noninvasive metabolic parameter, correlates with other known prognostic factors in breast cancer. This study provides valuable insight into the usefulness of FDG-PET/CT for preoperative staging of patients with triple-negative and poorly differentiated breast tumors but not for evaluating axillary lymph nodes and lobular carcinomas.