Breast Cancer in Pregnant Young Women: Clinicopathological Profile, Survival, and Pregnancy Outcomes.

Background Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer types diagnosed during pregnancy; the presence of any neoplasm in pregnant women faces clinical dilemmas and challenges in cancer and pregnancy management. Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is defined as breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy or within one year after delivery. The aim of this study was to describe tumor clinicopathological characteristics and pregnancy outcomes in PABC patients. Materials and methods This is a retrospective cohort assessing PABC patients. Qualitative variables were compared using Fisher's exact test. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival. Cox regression and logistic regression methods were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and odds ratio (OR), respectively. Results We assessed 16 PABC patients. Women ≤ 35 years of age were mainly diagnosed at advanced stage (88.8%) with ER-negative disease (77.8%). Patients with >4 pathological lymph nodes (25%; p = 0.001) and ER-negative disease (50%; p = 0.646) showed poor five-year overall survival (OS). In the multivariate analysis, nodal involvement was the main predictor associated with poorer OS (HR = 1.4, 90% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14 to 1.8). The following risk factors might influence the risk of preterm delivery: maternal older age, gestational age at diagnosis, and intrauterine exposure to chemotherapy, but an adjusted OR of 0.61 (90% CI: 0.34 to 1), 0.80 (90% CI: 0.66 to 0.9), and 0.013 (90% CI: 0.00 to 0.9), respectively, did not statistically support such an effect. Conclusions Younger women with PABC had a more aggressive pathological profile that might partly explain the poor OS. Obstetrical adverse events related to preterm delivery should be avoided with better planning of specialized strategies.

[Associating prognostic factors with clinical results in locally advanced breast cancer]. / Asociando factores pronósticos con resultados clínicos en cáncer de mama localmente avanzado.

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent malignant tumor in women. Objective: To identify clinico-pathological and molecular markers as predictors of survival in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). Methods: Retrospective and observational study. The clinical factors of clinico-pathological and molecular predictors in relation with overall survival (OS) were assessed by the survival function, baseline hazard with smoothing and Cox regression. Results: 126 patients were assessed. OS at five years was significantly superior in patients with clinical stage IIIA (87%; p < 0.001), grade 2 tumor (81%; p < 0.001), pathological node stage (ypN0: 90%; p < .001), low-risk Nottingham prognostic index (86%; p < 0.001) and luminal A subtype (88%; p = 0.022). Baseline hazard with smoothing exhibited an increase in the mortality rate at 50 months for the luminal B/ HER2+ subtype compared with other subtypes. The multivariate analysis ascertained that the stage ypN2-3 (hazard ratio [HR] = 7.3; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 2.2 to 23.9) and the HER2+ nonluminal (HR = 7.8; 95% CI: 2 to 29.6) and triple negative (HR = 5.4; 95% CI: 1.7 to 17.2) subtypes were associated with a poor OS. Conclusions: The comprehensive evaluation of the molecular marker and clinico-pathological factors provides more accurate predictive and prognostic information. The nodal stage and molecular subtype are suitable clinical parameters on survival for LABC patients.

Introducción: el cáncer de mama es el tumor maligno más frecuente en las mujeres. Objetivo: identificar marcadores clínico-patológicos y moleculares como predictores de la supervivencia en pacientes con cáncer de mama localmente avanzado (CMLA). Material y métodos: estudio retrospectivo y observacional. Los factores clínico-patológicos y moleculares fueron evaluados en relación con la supervivencia global (SG) mediante la función de supervivencia, riesgo basal con suavizamiento y regresión de Cox. Resultados: 126 pacientes fueron evaluadas. La SG a cinco años fue significativamente superior en pacientes con estadio clínico IIIA (87%; p < 0.001), tumor de grado 2 (81%; p < 0.001), ausencia de ganglios patológicos (ypN0: 90%; p < 0.001) y en el subtipo luminal A (88%; p = 0.022). El riesgo basal con suavizamiento exhibió un incremento en la tasa de mortalidad a los 50 meses para el subtipo luminal B/ HER2+ comparado con los otros subtipos. En el análisis multivariado, el estadio ypN2-3 (razón de riesgo [RR] = 7.3; intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC 95%]: 2.2 a 23.9) y los subtipos HER2+ (RR = 7.8; IC 95%: 2 a 29.6) y triple negativo (RR= 5.4; IC 95%: 1.7 a 17.2) se asociaron con una pobre SG. Conclusiones: la evaluación integral del marcador molecular y de los factores clínico-patológicos proporciona información predictiva y pronóstica más precisa. El estadio ganglionar y subtipo molecular son parámetros adecuados con un impacto pronóstico en la SG para las pacientes con CMLA.

Molecular diagnosis of breast cancer: prognostic and therapeutic implications. / Diagnóstico molecular del cáncer de mama: implicaciones pronósticas y terapéuticas.

Breast cancer is the most frequent type of cancer in women in the world. In Mexico, since 2006, this disease has become the leading cancer-related cause of death in women. It is estimated that incidence and mortality will continue to rise due to population aging, to changes in reproductive patterns, to a higher prevalence of risk factors and to limited access to medical care, resulting in delayed early diagnosis and timely treatment. The latter factors are the ones to improve in developing countries to decrease the high incidence and mortality associated with this disease. Recently, there is a great interest regarding breast cancer heterogeneity, and it is anticipated that the application of new technologies will improve our comprehension of this disease and will be reflected in a benefit for patients in the short term. Here, we review updated information on molecular diagnosis and therapeutics, as well as recent highlights in the biology of breast cancer.

A nivel mundial, el cáncer de mama es el tipo de cáncer más frecuente en la mujer. En México, a partir del año 2006, esta enfermedad se ha convertido en la primera causa de muerte por cáncer en las mujeres. Se estima que la incidencia y mortalidad seguirán aumentando debido al envejecimiento poblacional, a los cambios en los patrones reproductivos, a una mayor prevalencia de los factores de riesgo y a los problemas para el acceso inmediato a la atención médica, teniendo como consecuencia retrasos para el diagnóstico temprano y el tratamiento oportuno. Estos últimos parecen ser los factores más importantes por mejorar en los países en desarrollo para tratar de disminuir la alta incidencia y mortalidad asociadas a la enfermedad. En años recientes, se ha generado un gran interés sobre la heterogeneidad del cáncer de mama y se anticipa que la aplicación de nuevas tecnologías pueda mejorar nuestra comprensión de cada uno de los subtipos de la enfermedad y lograr así un beneficio para las pacientes a corto plazo. Esta revisión pretende recopilar información actualizada sobre los avances en diagnósticos moleculares y terapéuticos, así como en la comprensión de la biología de la enfermedad.

[Epirubicina neoadyuvante con o sin docetaxel secuencial en el tratamiento del cáncer de mama avanzado: evaluación de la respuesta patológica completa y tolerabilidad de la quimioterapia]. / Neoadjuvant epirubicin with or without sequential docetaxel in treatment of advanced breast cancer: assessment of pathological complete response and chemotherapy tolerability.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the pathological complete response (pCR) rate after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC) with anthracyclines with or without taxanes in management of locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). METHOD: Patients with LABC were included. A cohort received four cycles of 5-fluorouracil [FEC] (FEC 500 mg/m2, epirubicin 75 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2) every 3 weeks followed by four cycles of docetaxel (D) 75 mg/m2 as 1 h infusion intravenous every 3 weeks. Another cohort received six cycles of FE100C (500, 100 and 600 mg/m2). The chemotherapy was followed by surgery and radiotherapy. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in overall response rate (ORR) (ORR: 78.5 vs. 85%; p = 0.299) and clinical complete response (cCR) (c CR: 20.6 vs. 33.3%; p = 0.103) for 4FEC→4D compared to 6FE100C, respectively. Instead, there was a statistically significant improved rate of pCR (30.2 vs. 16.7%; p = 0.049) and negative axillary lymph nodes (51.6 vs. 35%; p = 0.03) for 4FEC→4D compared to 6FE100C, respectively. Serious toxicity was low and non-significant in both cohorts. The logistic regression multivariate models showed that main significant predictors to obtain a pCR were 4FEC→4D NC (odds ratio [OR]: 2.7; p = 0.019) and stage IIIA (OR: 3.8; p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: This study showed that 4FEC→4D regimen with conventional dose is highly active and well tolerated in patients with LABC in our hospital.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar la tasa de respuesta patológica completa (RPc) posterior a la quimioterapia neoadyuvante (QN) con antraciclinas con o sin taxanos en el manejo del cáncer de mama localmente avanzado (CMLA). MÉTODO: Se incluyeron pacientes con CMLA. Una cohorte recibió cuatro ciclos de FEC (5-fluorouracilo 500 mg/m2, epirubicina 75 mg/m2, ciclofosfamida 500 mg/m2) cada 3 semanas seguido por cuatro ciclos de docetaxel (D) 75 mg/m2 en infusión intravenosa de 1 hora cada 3 semanas. Otra cohorte recibió seis ciclos de FE100C (500, 100 y 600 mg/m2). Se realizó cirugía posterior a la quimioterapia. RESULTADOS: No hubo diferencia estadísticamente significativa en las tasas de respuesta objetiva (78.5 vs. 85.0%; p = 0.299) ni en la respuesta clínica completa (20.6 vs. 33.3%; p = 0.103) para 4FEC→4D comparado con 6FE100C, respectivamente. En cambio, hubo una mejora significativa en la tasa de RPc (30.2 vs. 16.7%; p = 0.049) y en los ganglios linfáticos axilares negativos (51.6 vs. 35%; p = 0.03) para 4FEC→4D en comparación con 6FE100C, respectivamente. La toxicidad grave fue baja y no significativa en ambas cohortes. Los modelos multivariados de regresión logística mostraron que los principales predictores significativos para obtener una RPc fueron la QN con 4FEC→4D (odds ratio [OR]: 2.7; p = 0.019) y el estadio IIIA (OR: 3.8; p = 0.002). CONCLUSIÓN: Este estudio mostró que el régimen 4FEC→4D con dosis convencional es muy activo y bien tolerado en pacientes con CMLA en nuestro hospital.

[Pregnancy and breast cancer]. / Embarazo y cáncer de mama.

INTRODUCTION: association of breast cancer and pregnancy is not common. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the pregnancy, young age, stage, treatment, prognosis and mortality of women with breast cancer during pregnancy. METHODS: retrospective analysis from March 1992 to February 2009, 16 patients were included with breast cancer and pregnancy. They were analized: histological characteristic of tumor, therapeutic response of the oncological treatment, evolution of the pregnancy. From of baby born: Apgar and weight. The woman's mortality with breast cancer during pregnancy was evaluated for age group and for interval of time between late pregnancy and diagnosis posterior of breast cancer and pregnancy. RESULTS: characteristic predominant clinicohistological: stage III (81.2%), T3-T4 (75%), N+ 93.7%, invasive ductal carcinoma (87.5%), histological grade 2-3 (93.7%), receptor estrogeno positive (43.7%); RPpositive (25%); HER-2/neu positive (31.2%). 27 chemotherapy cycles were applied with 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide during the second or third trimester of the pregnancy, there were not severe adverse effects for the mothers and the baby born exposed to chemotherapy. The mean time to disease recurrence was 18.8 months (range, 6-62 months). The rate of mortality for specific age (< 35 years) was of 31.3% (p = 0.358). From the 16 patients, 7 have died and 9 were live without evidence of disease. CONCLUSIONS: the advanced stage and the number of affected axillary lymph node more than the age was predictors of worse pronostic influencing the relapse and mortality of the young patients with breast cancer and pregnancy.

[Breast cancer and subsequent pregnancy. Infertility, death risk and survival]. / Cáncer de mama y embarazo subsiguiente. Infertilidad, riesgo de muerte y supervivencia.

BACKGROUND: The chemotherapy commonly used for the treatment of breast cancer affect the fertility and could cause premature ovarian failure. The subsequent pregnancy to the breast cancer therefore it is not habitual. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the chemotherapy in the women reproductive life; to evaluate the frequency of the women that experienced a later pregnancy after treatment of cancer, as well as the effects of the subsequent pregnancy on the breast cancer. We report our experience in the 14 year period. MATERIAL AND METHOD: As retrospective design, of 14 cases with breast cancer and subsequent pregnancy, from March 1994 to June 2008; demographic variables, clinical presentation, histopathological data, diagnostic procedures, treatments and results of the pregnancy were identified. RESULTS: The mean (M +/- SD) age of gestational women was of 31.5 +/- 5.2 years; the 83.3% women received adyuvant chemotherapy with antraciclines; the patients with regional illness (> 4 N+) and advanced illness had an adverse presage; the systemic relapse and progression showed in 42.8% of the cases. The pregnancy to term was presented in half of the cases in the first two years and in a third part, later to the 2 years of having concluded the oncological treatment; of the fourteen patients with breast cancer presented a total of 16 pregnancies: 9 were of term, 3 of preterm and 4 abortions. CONCLUSIONS: The study founds are based on a series of cases, which do not suggest that the pregnancy after the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer has some adverse effect in the patients survival, for what the patients can conceive later to the oncological treatment. However, in this study it was observed that the effect of the advanced stage and positive axillary ganglion (> 4) influence in the relapses.

[Clinical experience with chemotherapy of the malignant tumor of germinal cells (dysgerminoma) of the ovary]. / Experiencia clínica con el tratamiento a base de quimioterapia del tumor maligno de células germinales (disgerminoma) del ovario.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate two alternative plans of chemotherapy with EP (etoposide, platinum) and BEP (bleomycin, etoposide, platinum) after oncological surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A clinical, longitudinal and descriptive study was done, where the cases with pure dysgerminoma diagnosed in the gynecology-oncology service during the years from 1992 to 2003 were included. Information was recollected in a precoding survey that included sociodemographic characteristics, tumor size, free survival of disease, general survival, recurrence index and the index of fertility. RESULTS: The age of the group studied was of 22.1 +/- 6.5 years, with stratification to 9 patients in phase I (50%), phase III in 7 patients (38.9%) and phase IV in 2 patients (11.1%). Histological study confirmed the pure dysgerminoma, with a mean duration of the symptoms of 5.2 months, the free survival of disease was of 39.6 months and general survival was of 49.5 months. It was administered early chemotherapy in 11 patients, from which 7 received EP and the other 4 received BEP. Eight patients were found in advanced phases and with metastasis. There were 4 (22.2%) recurrences, of which 3 corresponded to phase III and a case to phase IV with tumors all of them over 15 cm. There were 3 patients rescued with chemotherapy of second line and a patient with radiotherapy to central nervous system. The statistical analysis showed that size of tumor among the recurrent group (24.2 cm) and the group without recurrence (14.5 cm) had significant differences (p = 0.018), the size of the tumor and the free survival of disease did not have significant correlation (p = 0.99), but upon comparing the general survival with the phase of the disease, a significant correlation was found (p = 0.03), where the survival to 5 years was observed in 6 cases (33.3%), of which a case was treated with surgery and without chemotherapy, 4 cases with EP and a case with BEP. Out of the 11 cases treated with conservative surgery, two patients got pregnancy in three occasions.