ABSTRACT
Endocrine therapy remains a mainstay in the treatment of endocrine-sensitive breast cancer. In the adjuvant setting, 5 years of endocrine therapy significantly reduces recurrence rate and mortality. Tamoxifen is the molecule of choice for premenopausal women, whereas for postmenopausal women aromatase inhibitors are currently part of the standard treatment. Endocrine therapy can induce side effects, which can affect patient's quality of life and lead to premature treatment interruption. Identification and adequately addressing these side effects is fundamental to maintain good treatment compliance and therefore improve breast cancer specific outcome.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/therapeutic use , Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy , Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/adverse effects , Female , HumansABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Assess the diagnostic yield of real-time bronchoscopic ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS TBNA) in conventional TBNA-negative mediastinal lymphadenopathy and hilar lymphadenopathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-two patients having either conventional TBNA-negative mediastinal lymphadenopathy or hilar lymphadenopathy underwent real-time EBUS TBNA. RESULTS: EBUS TBNA was performed on 72 lymph nodes (mediastinal = 48; and hilar = 24). 31 of the 72 (43%) lymph node samples were positive for malignancy (29) or benign diagnosis (2), and 17 of the 72 (24%) lymph nodes were true negative at EBUS TBNA confirmed at surgery. Out of 48 mediastinal lymph nodes EBUS TBNA was diagnostic for malignancy in 19 (40%) and negative in 14 of which 12 (86%) were surgically confirmed true negative and 2 (14%) false negative. In 10 of the 24 (42%) hilar lymph nodes, EBUS TBNA was diagnostic for malignancy while 5 were true negative and 1 false negative. All false-negative lymph nodes were PET positive. Adequacy of EBUS TBNA based on positive aspiration and surgically confirmed true negative was 67% and in patients suspected for malignancy was 77%. CONCLUSIONS: EBUS TBNA has a good diagnostic yield in hilar lymphadenopathy and in conventional TBNA-negative mediastinal lymphadenopathy.
