Patient-reported outcomes post prophylactic risk-reducing mastectomy: improved breast and psychosocial satisfaction yet poorer physical well-being.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for patients with high breast cancer risk undergoing elective risk reduction mastectomy and reconstruction. These patients incur operative risk in the absence of active cancer, which renders their treatment experience unique. This study aimed to identify longer-term quality of life (QoL) issues that persist in this patient cohort. METHODS: A cross-sectional cohort study assessed PROs in 48 women with high breast cancer risk who attended the Royal Melbourne Hospital Risk Management Clinic, at least 12 months post-mastectomy and reconstruction, with surgery between 2011 and 2020, using the BREAST-Q© Likert surveys. The BREAST-Q© internationally validated QoL instrument scales survey data from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) in 14 domains addressing satisfaction and psychosocial issues. RESULTS: There was higher overall breast and psychosocial satisfaction, with scores of 11 and four, respectively, yet lower chest, abdomen and sexual well-being scores with 14, three and four, respectively, in contrast to normative BREAST-Q© data from >1000 women without prior breast cancer or breast operations. High average scores >90 were found for patient satisfaction with surgical, medical and office staff. Twenty-one patients had an average score of 63 for satisfaction with breast implants, while 27 patients post-DIEP had average scores >72 for abdominal well-being, appearance and overall outcomes. Higher mean QoL outcomes were found with DIEP flap in all domains, compared with breast implant reconstruction. CONCLUSION: QoL assessment with PROs 12 months post-risk reduction mastectomy and reconstruction demonstrated higher psychosocial well-being, yet highlights physical implications, with patients experiencing reduced chest, abdomen and sexual well-being, compared with normative BREAST-Q© control data. Higher mean QoL outcomes were found with DIEP flap compared with breast implant reconstruction. PROs studies can identify unmet needs and facilitate change in service provision.

Radioactive iodine ablation post differentiated thyroid cancer surgery: an analysis of use and impact of the American Thyroid Association guidelines.

BACKGROUND: The 2009 American Thyroid Association (ATA) three-tiered risk stratification, and its updated version in 2015, provided clearer guidance on the use of radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients. This study examines the impact of these guidelines on RAI use in our institution. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with DTC during three different time periods (group 1: 2002-2006, group 2: 2010-2014 and group 3: 2017-2018) were identified and risk stratified according to the ATA guidelines. RAI use and extent of surgery were compared between the three groups. Categorical variables were analysed using Fisher's exact (2 × 2) and chi-squared (>2 × 2) tests. RESULTS: A total of 415 patients were included (group 1 = 88, group 2 = 215, group 3 = 112). The proportion of patients having total thyroidectomy were 84.6, 84.7 and 69.6% in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively (P = 0.003). Central lymph node dissection was significantly higher in the more contemporary groups compared to group 1 (9.1 versus 41.9 versus 64.3%, P < 0.001). Overall, fewer patients received RAI in more recent times (76.6 versus 54.8 versus 26.8%, P < 0.001), most evident in the low-risk patients (70 versus 29.1 versus 5.1%, P < 0.001). In the high risk group, the majority received RAI, with no difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: Comparing DTC patients treated in our unit before and after publications of the 2009 and 2015 ATA guidelines, more nodal surgery was performed with less RAI administered in the latter groups. Better risk stratification according to the ATA guidelines has allowed more judicious use of RAI ablation.

One-stop thyroid nodule clinic with same-day fine-needle aspiration cytology improves efficiency of care.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid nodules are a common presenting complaint for endocrine surgeons; many require ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (US-FNAC). In an attempt to streamline our service, we introduced same-day surgeon-performed US-FNAC in 2014. METHODS: Three groups were defined: (A) retrospective group with FNAC performed in radiology prior to August 2014; (B) prospective radiology FNAC group; and (C) prospective surgeon-performed group. Demographics, nodule characteristics, pathology and management plans were recorded. The number and dates of hospital attendances were extracted from the patient information system. RESULTS: Over 4 years, 635 patients underwent 757 FNACs. There were 438 patients in group A, 78 in group B and 119 in group C. Patient demographics and nodule size were similar between groups. Those patients undergoing FNAC in endocrine surgery clinic required two visits prior to receiving a diagnosis and management plan, compared with three visits for those performed in radiology. Non-diagnostic rates between three groups were 6.5%, 7.4% and 5.4% (P = 0.842) whilst malignant FNAC results occurred in 3%, 4% and 8% (P = 0.015) respectively. Median time from US-FNAC to definitive management plan was 42, 41 and 14 days (P < 0.001). The introduction of the one-stop clinic resulted in a 41% reduction of patients attending the radiology department for FNAC. CONCLUSION: Surgeon-performed US-FNAC decreases the time from fine-needle aspiration request to definitive plan and reduces the number of patient visits, providing more efficient care. Patients referred to the endocrine surgery clinic with thyroid nodules have thyroid cancer more frequently than patients referred to radiology.

Oncology health information quality on the Internet: a multilingual evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Oncologic Internet information quality is considered variable, but no comprehensive analysis exists to support this. We compared the quality of common malignancy Web sites to assess them for language or disease differences and to perform a quality comparison between medical and layperson terminology. METHODS: World Health Organization Health on the Net (HON) principles may be applied to Web sites by using an automated toolbar function. We used the Google search engine ( http://www.google.com ) to assess 10,200 Web sites using the keywords "Breast," "Colorectal," "Stomach," "Liver," "Pancreas," "Bile Duct," "Melanoma," and "Thyroid," plus "cancer," in English, French, German, and Spanish. The searches were then repeated with alternative terms, such as "Bowel" and "Skin cancer." RESULTS: Less than a quarter of Web sites are HON accredited, with significant differences by malignancy type (P < 0.0001), language (P < 0.0001), and tertiles of the first 150 Web sites returned (P < 0.0001). French-language queries resulted in the most accredited Web sites returned. The use of alternative terms resulted in marked differences in accredited Web sites for hepatobiliary cancers. CONCLUSIONS: A lack of validation of most oncologic sites is present, with discrepancies in the quality and number of Web sites across diseases and languages, as well as medical and alternative terms. Physicians should encourage and participate in the development of informative, ethical, and reliable health Web sites on the Internet and direct patients to them.