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Median Tumor Size (median + tumor_size)
Selected AbstractsA Comparative Analysis of Transarterial Downstaging for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Chemoembolization Versus RadioembolizationAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 8 2009R. J. Lewandowski Chemoembolization and other ablative therapies are routinely utilized in downstaging from United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) T3 to T2, thus potentially making patients transplant candidates under the UNOS model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) upgrade for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study was undertaken to compare the downstaging efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) versus transarterial radioembolization. Eighty-six patients were treated with either TACE (n = 43) or transarterial radioembolization with Yttrium-90 microspheres (TARE-Y90; n = 43). Median tumor size was similar (TACE: 5.7 cm, TARE-Y90: 5.6 cm). Partial response rates favored TARE-Y90 versus TACE (61% vs. 37%). Downstaging to UNOS T2 was achieved in 31% of TACE and 58% of TARE-Y90 patients. Time to progression according to UNOS criteria was similar for both groups (18.2 months for TACE vs. 33.3 months for TARE-Y90, p = 0.098). Event-free survival was significantly greater for TARE-Y90 than TACE (17.7 vs. 7.1 months, p = 0.0017). Overall survival favored TARE-Y90 compared to TACE (censored 35.7/18.7 months; p = 0.18; uncensored 41.6/19.2 months; p = 0.008). In conclusion, TARE-Y90 appears to outperform TACE for downstaging HCC from UNOS T3 to T2. [source] Postmastectomy radiation therapy for lymph node-negative, locally advanced breast cancer after modified radical mastectomyCANCER, Issue 1 2008Analysis of the NCI Surveillance, End Results database, Epidemiology Abstract BACKGROUND. The role of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) for lymph node-negative locally advanced breast carcinoma (T3N0M0) after modified radical mastectomy (MRM) with regard to improvement in survival remains an area of controversy. METHODS. The 1973,2004 National Cancer Institute (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was examined for patients with T3N0M0 ductal, lobular, or mixed ductal and lobular carcinoma of the breast who underwent MRM, treated from 1988-2003. Patients who were men, who had positive lymph nodes, who survived ,6 months, for whom breast cancer was not the first malignancy, who had nonbeam radiation, intraoperative or preoperative radiation were excluded. The average treatment effect of PMRT on mortality was estimated with a propensity score case-matched analysis. RESULTS. In all, 1777 patients were identified; 568 (32%) patients received PMRT. Median tumor size was 6.3 cm. The median number of lymph nodes examined was 14 (range, 1,49). Propensity score matched case-control analysis showed no improvement in overall survival with the delivery of PMRT in this group. Older patients, patients with ER, disease (compared with ER+), and patients with high-grade tumors (compared with well differentiated) had increased mortality. CONCLUSIONS. The use of PMRT for T3N0M0 breast carcinoma after MRM is not associated with an increase in overall survival. It was not possible to analyze local control in this study given the limitations of the SEER database. The impact of potential improvement in local control as it relates to overall survival should be the subject of further investigation. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society. [source] Treatment Variation by Insurance Status for Breast Cancer PatientsTHE BREAST JOURNAL, Issue 2 2008Natalie Coburn MD Abstract:, Few studies have examined the relationship of insurance status with the presentation and treatment of breast cancer. Using a state cancer registry, we compared tumor presentation and surgical treatments at presentation by insurance status (private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or uninsured). Student's t -test, Chi-square test, and ANOVA were used for comparison. P-values reflect a comparison to insured patients. From 1996 to 2005, there were 6876 cases of invasive breast cancer with either private (n = 3975), Medicare (n = 2592), Medicaid (n = 193), or no insurance (n = 116). The median age (years) at presentation was 55 for private, 76 for Medicare, 54 for Medicaid and 54 for uninsured. The mean and median tumor size (mm) were 18.5 and 15 for private; 20.9 and 15 for Medicare; 24.2 and 18 for Medicaid; and 29.5 and 17 for uninsured, respectively; (p < 0.001 for all). Fewer women with Medicare and Medicaid presented with node negative breast cancers: private, 73.4% node negative; Medicare, 79.5% (p < 0.001); Medicaid, 60.9% (p < 0.001); and uninsured, 58% (p = 0.005). Significantly more uninsured women had no surgical treatment of their breast cancer: 15.5% versus 4.3% for private (p < 0.001). Among women with non-metastatic T1/T2 tumors, 71.5% with private insurance underwent breast-conserving surgery (BCS), compared with 64.2% of Medicare (p < 0.001), 65% of Medicaid (p = 0.097), and 65.4% of uninsured (p = 0.234). The rate of reconstruction following mastectomy was higher for private insurance (36.6%), compared with Medicare (3.8%, p < 0.0001), Medicaid (26.1%, p = 0.31), and uninsured (5.0%, p = 0.0038). The presentation of breast cancer in women with no insurance and Medicaid is significantly worse than those with private insurance. Of concern are the lower proportions of BCS and reconstruction among patients who are uninsured or have Medicaid. Reduction of disparities in breast cancer presentation and treatment may be possible by increasing enrollment of uninsured, program-eligible women in a state-supported screening and treatment program. [source] A nonreplicating adenoviral vector that contains the wild-type p53 transgene combined with chemotherapy for primary breast cancerCANCER, Issue 5 2006Safety, biologic activity of a novel gene-therapy approach, efficacy Abstract BACKGROUND. Primary systemic therapy (PST) is the standard approach to the management of patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). The authors hypothesized that the intratumoral administration of a nonreplicating adenoviral vector (Ad5) that contains the human wild-type p53, AdCMV- p53, combined with chemotherapy, could increase the efficacy of PST as measured by pathologic complete response. METHODS. In a prospective, open-label, Phase II trial, 13 patients with LABC were treated with 6 3-week cycles of PST, which consisted of intratumoral injections of Ad5CMV- p53 for 2 consecutive days plus docetaxel and doxorubicin followed by surgery. p53 status was determined at baseline and was assessed immediately after the first injection (up to 48 hours). Clinical response was assessed by clinical and radiologic methods. RESULTS. The trial was terminated early, because none of the patients achieved a pathologic complete response. The median age was 56 years (range, 39,71 years), and the median tumor size was 8 cm (range, 5,11 cm). Eight patients (73%) had a p53 mutation. Serial biopsies showed an increase in p53 messenger RNA (mRNA) and p21WAF1/Cip1 mRNA. All 12 evaluable patients achieved an objective clinical response. The surgical specimens revealed scattered tumor cells with extensive tumor-infiltrate leukocytes (predominantly T-lymphocytes). At a median follow-up of 37 months (range, 30,41 months), 4 patients (30%) developed systemic recurrence, and 2 patients died. The estimate breast cancer-specific survival rate at 3 years was 84% (95% confidence interval, 65.7,100%). There was no increase in systemic toxicity. CONCLUSIONS. Ad5CMV- p53 combined with PST is safe, active, and associated with local immunomodulatory effects. The promising clinical activity of this combination deserves further investigation in randomized studies. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society. [source] Clinical outcome of patients with lymph node-negative breast carcinoma who have sentinel lymph node micrometastases detected by immunohistochemistry,CANCER, Issue 8 2005Anees Chagpar M.D., M.Sc. Abstract BACKGROUND The ideal pathologic assessment of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in patients with breast carcinoma remains controversial. The authors evaluated how detailed assessment of SLNs using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and serial sectioning would affect treatment decisions and outcomes in patients with breast carcinoma who had negative SLNs on standard hematoxylin and eosin staining. METHODS The SLNs from patients who were treated between June 1998 and June, 1999 and who had negative lymph node status determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining (n = 84 patients) were evaluated further with serial sectioning and cytokeratin IHC. Patients were offered adjuvant therapy based on primary tumor factors. RESULTS The median patient age was 57 years, and the median tumor size was 1.2 cm. At a median follow-up of 40.2 months, 81 patients (96%) were alive with no evidence of disease, 1 patient was alive with disease, 1 patient had died of disease, and 1 patient had died of other causes. Fifteen patients (18%) had micrometastases identified on IHC. Of the total 84 patients, information regarding adjuvant therapy was not available for 5 patients. Of the remaining 79 patients, 10 patients (13%) were not offered adjuvant chemotherapy but had positive SLN status determined by IHC. SLN status based on IHC evaluation did not correlate with age (P = 0.077), tumor size (P = 0.717), grade (P = 0.148), estrogen receptor status (P = 1.000), or lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.274). Furthermore, IHC-detected positive SLN status did not correlate with distant metastasis (P = 0.372) or overall or distant metastasis-free survival (P = 0.543 and P = 0.540, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Although the finding of SLN micrometastases by IHC may change management in > 12% of patients, preliminary results suggested that such micrometastases do not affect outcomes significantly. Cancer 2005;103:1581,6. © 2005 American Cancer Society. [source] |