Survey of professionals on breast cancer, fertility preservation and pregnancy in Argentina.

INTRODUCTION: Medical knowledge regarding preservation of fertility and pregnancy in patients with breast cancer (BC) is of interest. We, therefore, decided to conduct a survey on this issue among professionals involved in the treatment of BC in Argentina. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was conducted and sent by email to 3,412 contacts in the Argentine Mastology Society (Sociedad Argentina de Mastología, or SAM) database, with responses from 396 physicians. The survey design was based on the Lambertini 2017 survey. To the author's knowledge, it is the first Argentine survey to address this issue. RESULTS: The frequency with which the impact of cancer treatment on the fertility of young patients was addressed by the respondent and referred to a fertility specialist was 'always' and 'almost always' in 86.8% and 78.5% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The level of knowledge is comparable to the data presented by other surveys. Membership in a Mastology Unit was associated with more current treatment. Continued work on the training of professionals is necessary to facilitate communication, information and guidance of patients of childbearing age who are going to have cancer treatment in order to advise them on fertility preservation, as well as the possibility of pregnancy after diagnosis of BC, and to be able to provide better care to those with BC associated with pregnancy.

Impact of immunohistochemical profile changes following neoadjuvant therapy in the treatment of breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Currently, the indication for neoadjuvant chemotherapy is increasing in the treatment of breast cancer. Variability in the expression of biomarkers following neoadjuvant treatment has been observed, which could be accompanied by changes in the adjuvant treatment. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to evaluate the variability of biomarkers prior to and following neoadjuvant therapy. Secondary objectives were to determine which tumour subtype (as determined by immunohistochemical markers) most frequently achieved pathological complete response (pCR); whether the biomarker variation resulted in a change in immunophenotype and subsequently modification to the adjuvant treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective observational analysis was carried out on patients with a diagnosis of breast cancer who had neoadjuvant therapy prior to surgery in the Breast Care Service of the Buenos Aires British Hospital between January 2009 and June 2020. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-two patients were included. The pCR rate was 28.5%. The tumour immunophenotype that achieved pCR most frequently was the hormone receptor negative /HER2+ group with a value of 85.2%. The analysis was carried out on the 123 patients with residual disease. The observed variability for oestrogen receptors (ER) was 8.9%, for progesterone receptors (PR), 29.9% and for HER2, 13.8%. These changes were statistically significant. There were changes to the tumour immunophenotype in 26 cases (21.1%) with modifications to the adjuvant treatment in nine of these (34.6%; 7.3% of all tumours with residual disease). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed statistically significant variability in the expression of ER, PR and HER2 prior to and following neoadjuvant treatment, which identified modifications in the tumour immunophenotype in 21.1%, and changes to the adjuvant treatment in 7.3% of all tumours with residual disease, justifying the re-assay of biomarkers in the surgical specimen.

Outcomes of patients with non-small cell lung cancer and poor performance status treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors in the real-world setting.

BACKGROUND: Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are standard treatments for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients with poor performance status (PS) are underrepresented in clinical trials. We evaluate the efficacy and safety of ICIs in a real-world setting. METHODS: We conducted a multi-institutional retrospective study to assess clinical outcomes of NSCLC treated with ICIs. We categorized pts within two groups (PS 0-1 vs 2) and assessed clinical outcomes and safety. RESULTS: Two hundred and sixty nine patients were included, 44 patients (16.4%) had baseline PS 2 and 223 patients (82.9%) PS 0-1. The overall response rate (ORR) was 30.4%, median PFS was 7.26 months (95% CI 5.1-9.4), and median OS was 15.18 months (95% CI 9.5-20.9). Patients with a PS 2 were most likely to received ICIs in the second or later line (84.1% vs 64.6%; p = 0.01), had baseline steroids (21.4% vs 8.2%; p 0.010), lower response rate (16.7% vs 34.5%; p 0.02) and clinical benefit (35.7% vs 71%; p 0.000) compared to PS 0-1 pts. Moreover, PS ≥ 2 patients had shorter PFS, median 2.2 months (95% CI 1.3-3.1) compared to 9.9 months (95% CI 6.7-13.1] and shorter OS, 3.3 months (95% CI 2.6-4.2) versus 24.1 months (95% CI 16.1-32.1), respectively. PS was significantly associated with PFS and OS in multivariate analysis. As it was expected, immunotherapy was well tolerated with a safety profile comparable to the previous published data. CONCLUSION: Based on these retrospective results, patients with poor baseline performance status seem to have poor clinical outcomes with ICIs in the real-world setting.

Cambios en el perfil inmunohistoquímico pre y post neoadyuvancia en cáncer de mama. Experiencia del Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires / Changes in biomarkers in pre and post neoadjuvant breast carcinoma

Introducción: actualmente la quimioterapia neoadyuvante ha ampliado sus indicaciones en el tratamiento del cáncer de mama. Se observó variabilidad en la expresión de biomarcadores postneoadyuvancia que pueden acompañarse de cambios en el tratamiento adyuvane. Objetivos: el objetivo principal fue evaluar la variabilidad de biomarcadores pre y post neoadyuvancia. Los objetivos secundarios fueron determinar qué subtipo inmunohistoquímico tumoral alcanzó más frecuentemente la respuesta patológica completa (PCR), si la variación en los biomarcadores derivó en un cambio de inmunofenotipo y posteriormente en una modificación del tratamiento adyuvante. Material y método: se realizó un estudio retrospectivo observacional de las pacientes con diagnóstico de cáncer de mama que realizaron neoadyuvancia en el servicio de mastología del Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires entre enero 2009 y junio 2019. Resultados: se incluyeron 127 pacientes. La variabilidad observada para receptores de estrógeno (RE) fue de 7,6%, resultando no estadísticamente significativo. Para receptores de progesterona (RP) fue de 28,3% y para HER2 fue de 13,1%, estos cambios fueron estadísticamente significativos. El inmunofenotipo tumoral que alcanzó más frecuentemente la PCR fue el grup RH-/HER2+. Hubo cambios en el inmunofenotipo tumoral en 17 casos y modificaciones al tratamiento adyuvante en 5 de estos. Conclusiones: en este estudio observamos una variabilidad estadísticamente significativa en la expresión de RP y HER2 posteriormente al tratamiento neoadyuvante. En cambio la variabilidad de RE no es estadísticamente significativa. Estos cambios determinan modificaciones en el inmunofenotipo tumoral y en el tratamiento adyuvante en el 29,4% de estos casos (5,4% del total de la serie), justificando la reevaluación de biomarcadores en la pieza quirúrgica. La tasa de PCR fue del 27,6%. Se observó con mayor frecuencia en el grupo RH-/HER2+ alcanzando un valor de 83,3%.

Introduction: nowadays neoadjuvant chemotherapy has extended its indications in breast cáncer treatment. A variantion in tumoral biomark expression has been observed after neoadjuvant treatment, this can be accompanied by a modification in adjuvant treatment. Objetives: to evaluate the variability in biomarkers before and after neoajuvant chemotherapy. To observe which inmunehistochemical subtype reache most frequently pathologic complete response, to determine if changes in biomarkers derived in a change in adjuvant treatment. Material and method: this is an observational retrospective study on patients with breast cáncer diagnosis who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy in Buenos Aires British Hospital between 2009 and june 2019. Results: the variability observed for estrogen receptor was 7,6%, not statistically significant; for progesterone receptor was 28,3%, for HER2 13,1%, these modifications were statistically significant. Pathologic complete response was achieved most frequently by RH-/HER2+ carcinomas. We observed changes in subtype in 17 cases ant modifications to adjuvant treatment in 5 cases. Conclusions: in this study we observed modifications in progesterone receptors and HER2 expression before and after neoadjuvant treatment, these were statistically significan. The modifications in estrogen receptors expression were not statistically significant. They led to changes in tumoral subtype and in the adjuvant treatment in 29,4% of the cases. This justifies retesting tumoral biomarkers after the neadjuvant setting. The rate of pathologic complete response was of 27,6%, mainly given by RH-/HER2 + tumors.

Conocimientos y prácticas actuales sobre cáncer de mama, preservación de la fertilidad y embarazo. Encuesta a los miembros de la Sociedad Argentina de Mastología / Knowledge and current practices on breast cancer, fertility preservation and pregnancy. Survey to the members of the Argentine Society of Mastology

Introducción: debido al retraso de la maternidad, es probable que las mujeres jóvenes con diagnóstico de cáncer de mama (CM) no hayan completado su proyecto de maternidad al momento del diagnóstico y estén interesadas en su fertilidad futura y podrían enfrentarse también a un cáncer de mama asociado al embarazo. El objetivo del trabajo fue analizar la práctica actual, de los miembros de la Sociedad Argentina de Mastología (SAM), sobre preservación de la fertilidad y embarazo. Material y método: se realizó una encuesta por correo electrónico. Respondieron 213 miembros. Resultados: la frecuencia con la que abordan el impacto del tratamiento oncológico en la fertilidad de las pacientes jóvenes y las derivan, fue "siempre" y "casi siempre" en 84,4% y 74,5% respectivamente. El 73,6% afirmó que el embarazo luego del CM no empeora el pronóstico. El 70,1% consideró seguro el uso de radiocoloides para identificar el ganglio centinela durante el embarazo. Encontramos una diferencia significativa en las respuestas de los profesionales pertenecientes a una UM. Conclusiones: el nivel de conocimiento es similar al de otras encuestas. La pertenencia a una unidad de mastología se asoció a un mejor nivel de actualización. Es necesario seguir trabajando en la capacitación de los profesionales.

Introduction: due to delayed motherhood, Young women diagnosed with breast cancer (BC) are likely to have not competed their maternity Project at the time of diagnosis, are interested in future fertility and may also face pregnancy-associated breast cancer. The aim of this study was to analyze the current practice of the Argentine Society of Mastology (SAM) members, on fertility preservation and pregnancy. Material and method: an email survery was conducted 231 members responded. Results: the frequency with which respondentes discuss the impact of cancer treatment of fertility among Young patients and referral was "always" and "almost always", 84.4% and 74.5% respectively. 73.6% considered pregnancy after BC does not worsen the prognosis. 70.1% used radiocoloids to identify sentinel node during pregnancy. We found a significant difference in the responses of professionals belonging to a Breast Unit. Conclusions: the level of knowledge is similar to that of other surverys. Working within a Breast Unit was associated with a better level of knowledge. Further work is needed in the training of professionals.

Access of patients with breast and lung cancer to chemotherapy treatment in public and private hospitals in the city of Buenos Aires.

OBJECTIVES: Describe the time elapsed from the diagnosis to treatment with chemotherapy for patients with breast and lung cancer at public and private hospitals in Buenos Aires. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Three public and three private academic hospitals in Buenos Aires. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with breast (n = 168) or lung cancer (n = 100) diagnosis treated with chemotherapy. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Clinical and sociodemographic data were collected in a stratified sample. We used the Kaplan-Meier estimator to analyse the time elapsed and the log rank test to compare both groups. RESULTS: For breast cancer patients, median time elapsed between diagnosis and treatment with chemotherapy was 76 days (95% CI: 64-86) in public and 60 days (95% CI: 52-65) in private hospitals (P = 0.0001). For adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatments, median time was 130 (95% CI: 109-159) versus 64 (95% CI: 56-73) days (P < 0.0001) and 57 days (95% CI: 49-75) versus 26 (95% CI: 16-41) days, respectively (P = 0.0002). There were no significant differences in the time from first consultation to diagnosis. In patients with lung cancer, median time from diagnosis to treatment was 71 days (95% CI: 60-83) in public hospitals and 31 days (95% CI: 24-39) in private hospitals (P = 0.0002). In the metastatic setting, median time to treatment was 63 days (95% CI: 45-83) in public and 33 (95% CI: 26-44) days in private hospitals (P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: There are significant disparity in the access to treatment with chemotherapy for patients in Buenos Aires, Argentina.