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Kelly K Hunt

Publications and source records attributed to Kelly K Hunt.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

Surgical complications associated with sentinel lymph node biopsy: results from a prospective international cooperative group trial.

BACKGROUND: American College of Surgeons Oncology Group Z0010 is a prospective multicenter trial designed to evaluate the prognostic significance of micrometastases in the sentinel lymph nodes and bone marrow aspirates of women with early-stage breast cancer. Surgical complications associated with the sentinel lymph node biopsy surgical procedure are reported. METHODS: Eligible patients included women with clinical T1/2N0M0 breast cancer. Surgical outcomes were available at 30 days and 6 months after surgery for 5327 patients. Patients who had a failed sentinel node mapping (n=71, 1.4%) or a completion lymph node dissection (n=814, 15%) were excluded. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors for the measured surgical complications. RESULTS: In patients who received isosulfan blue dye alone (n=783) or a combination of blue dye and radiocolloid (n=4192), anaphylaxis was reported in .1% of subjects (5 of 4975). Other complications included axillary wound infection in 1.0%, axillary seroma in 7.1%, and axillary hematoma in 1.4% of subjects. Only increasing age and an increasing number of sentinel lymph nodes removed were significantly associated with an increasing incidence of axillary seroma. At 6 months, 8.6% of patients reported axillary paresthesias, 3.8% had a decreased upper extremity range of motion, and 6.9% demonstrated proximal upper extremity lymphedema (change from baseline arm circumference of >2 cm). Significant predictors for surgical complications at 6 months were a decreasing age for axillary paresthesias and increasing body mass index and increasing age for upper extremity lymphedema. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a prospective assessment of the sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure, as performed by a wide range of surgeons, demonstrating a low complication rate.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2006

Long-term results of two prospective trials of preoperative external beam radiotherapy for localized intermediate- or high-grade retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma.

BACKGROUND: The reported data on surgery plus radiotherapy for retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas (RPS) have been mostly from retrospective studies. We evaluated the long-term outcome of patients with operable RPS who were treated with protocol-based preoperative radiotherapy followed by complete surgical resection. METHODS: Data from two prospective trials that included preoperative radiotherapy and surgery for patients with radiographically resectable RPS were combined to define long-term relapse rates and survival. RESULTS: Seventy-two patients with intermediate- or high-grade RPS were treated with preoperative radiotherapy (median dose, 45 Gy; range, 18.0-50.4 Gy). Fifty-four patients (75%) had primary RPS, whereas 18 (25%) had recurrent disease. The median tumor size was 15.5 cm. Sixty-four patients completed the planned preoperative radiotherapy; 57 (89%) underwent laparotomy with curative intent, and 54 (95%) had a macroscopically complete (R0 or R1) resection. With a median follow-up of 40.3 months, 28 patients (52%) who received preoperative radiotherapy and underwent a macroscopically complete resection had recurrences. For the 54 patients who underwent R0 or R1 resection after preoperative radiotherapy, the 5-year local recurrence-free, disease-free, and overall survival rates were 60%, 46%, and 61%, respectively. The median overall survival has not been reached (>60 months). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with intermediate- or high-grade RPS treated with preoperative radiotherapy plus complete resection had a median survival >60 months. This compares favorably to historical data for similar patients treated with surgery alone.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Validation of a breast cancer nomogram for predicting nonsentinel lymph node metastases after a positive sentinel node biopsy.

BACKGROUND: Although completion lymph node dissection (CLND) is the standard of care for breast cancer patients with sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastases, the SLN is the only node with tumor in 40% to 60% of cases. To assist with decision-making regarding CLND, investigators at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center devised and validated a nomogram for predicting the likelihood of non-SLN metastases. To assess the generalizable use of this nomogram, validation analysis was performed by using an external database. METHODS: Eight clinicopathologic variables for 200 consecutive breast cancer patients at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center with SLN metastases and CLND were entered into the nomogram. The accuracy of the nomogram to predict non-SLN metastases was assessed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and linear regression analysis. The accuracy of the nomogram with touch-imprint cytology (TIC) as a substitute variable for frozen section was also evaluated. RESULTS: The linear correlation coefficient of the nomogram-predicted probabilities correlated with the observed incidence of non-SLN metastases for all patients (.97). The accuracy of the nomogram as measured by the area under the ROC curve was .71. When applied solely to patients who had TIC assessment of the SLN, the area under the ROC curve was .74. CONCLUSIONS: This study validated the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center breast cancer nomogram by using an external database. TIC seems to be an acceptable substitute for frozen section as a nomogram variable. The nomogram may help predict an individual's risk of non-SLN metastases and assist in patient decision making regarding the benefit of CLND.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2006

Impact of concurrent proliferative high-risk lesions on the risk of ipsilateral breast carcinoma recurrence and contralateral breast carcinoma development in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ treated with breast-conserving therapy.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to determine the risk of ipsilateral breast carcinoma recurrence (IBCR) and contralateral breast carcinoma (CBC) development in patients with a concurrent diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH), or lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). METHODS: Records of all 307 patients with DCIS treated with breast-conserving treatment (BCT) from 1968 to 1998 were analyzed. Initial pathology reports and all slides available were re-reviewed for evidence of ADH, ALH, or LCIS. Actuarial local recurrence rates were calculated. RESULTS: Fifty-five cases of DCIS were associated with ADH, 11 with ALH or LCIS, and 14 with both ADH and ALH or LCIS. Overall, IBCR occurred in 14% and no significant difference in the IBCR rate was identified for patients with proliferative lesions compared with patients without these lesions (P = 0.38). Development of CBC in patients with concurrent DCIS and ADH was 4.4 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44-13.63) that in patients with DCIS alone (P < 0.01). The 15-year cumulative rate of CBC development was 22.7% in patients with ALH or LCIS compared with 6.5% in patients without these lesions (P = 0.30) and 19% in patients with ADH compared with 4.1% in patients with DCIS alone (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The risk of CBC development is higher with concurrent ADH than in patients with DCIS alone, and these patients may therefore be appropriate candidates for additional chemoprevention strategies. Concurrent ADH, ALH, or LCIS with DCIS is not a contraindication to BCT.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed2006

Clinicopathologic features associated with having four or more metastatic axillary nodes in breast cancer patients with a positive sentinel lymph node.

BACKGROUND: The survival benefit of a completion axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients after removal of a metastatic sentinel lymph node (SLN) is uncertain and is under study in ongoing clinical trials. The completion ALND remains necessary, however, for the identification of cases with at least four metastatic lymph nodes, in which extended-field locoregional and/or postmastectomy radiation will be recommended. Our goal was evaluate clinicopathologic features that might serve as surrogates for determining which patients with a positive SLN are likely or unlikely to belong to this high-risk subset. METHODS: Records were reviewed for 285 patients from 2 comprehensive cancer centers who underwent completion ALND after resection of a metastatic SLN from 1995 to 2002. Clinicopathologic features were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Forty-one cases (14%) were found to have at least four positive nodes after ALND. RESULTS: Fisher's exact test revealed the following features to be significantly (P < .05) associated with having four or more nodal metastases: tumor size >2 cm, lymphovascular invasion, an increasing ratio of positive SLNs to the total number of resected SLNs, extranodal extension, and the size of the SLN metastasis. Patients whose largest SLN metastasis was <2 mm had only a 1.4% risk of having four or more metastatic nodes (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that patients with SLN micrometastases face an extremely low likelihood of having extensive nodal disease on completion ALND. Patients with larger primary tumors, lymphovascular invasion, and extranodal extension are more likely to have ALND findings that will affect their cancer management.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Outcome after curative resection for locally recurrent rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Few biologic markers have been studied as prognostic factors in recurrent rectal carcinoma patients. We sought to determine the influence of clinical, pathologic, and biologic (p53, bcl-2, and ki-67) variables on survival after curative resection of locally recurrent rectal cancer. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer who received surgery with curative intent. RESULTS: From 1988 to 1998, 134 patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer underwent operative exploration. Curative resection was performed in 85 patients. Median follow-up was 43 (range, 1.3-149) months. On multivariate analysis, negative predictors of overall survival included an elevated carcinoembryonic antigen level (P=0.02; hazard ratio 2.41; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.19-4.89) and an R1 resection margin (P = 0.01; hazard ratio, 2.81; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.27-6.21). In 26 patients for whom biologic variables were available, p53, bcl-2, and ki-67 did not significantly impact disease-specific survival or overall survival. Five-year disease-specific survival, overall survival, and pelvic control rates were 46, 36, and 51 percent respectively. Of the 50 patients who relapsed, time to second local recurrence was longer than time to development of metastasis (median, 16.5 vs. 9 months). Median survival for patients with metastatic recurrence was 26.l vs. 41.5 months for those with a subsequent local recurrence alone. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately two-thirds of patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer can be resected for cure. Preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen and an R0 resection margin were the only significant predictors of overall survival. p53, bcl-2, and ki-67 did not impact survival outcomes.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Breast cancer in the very elderly: treatment patterns and complications in a tertiary cancer center.

BACKGROUND: The risk of developing breast cancer rises with increasing age. The very elderly population (80 years of age and greater) is often excluded from both clinical trials and retrospective analyses. We performed a retrospective review of the very elderly population treated at our institution in order to assess treatment patterns and the safety of therapy in an older population. DATA SOURCES: In this institutional experience at a comprehensive cancer center, we retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients 80 years and older diagnosed with a new breast cancer between September 1, 1989, and September 1, 2004. RESULTS: Two hundred thirteen patients were identified for this study. Median age was 83 (range 80-97). Median survival was 7.28 years, with a median follow up of 4 years for patients still alive at the end of the study period. Ninety-eight percent of patients (208/213) received 1 or more components of recommended multimodality treatment. Five patients refused all treatment. Overall, complications affected 12% of patients who received treatment (26/208). There were 2 deaths, 1 after surgery and 1 related to chemotherapy. The majority, 69% (18/26), of the documented complications were classified as minor. Surgery resulted in complications in 6% (11/188) of patients. Five percent (5/112) of patients who received radiation suffered adverse effects. Chemotherapy-related complications affected 30% (6/18) of treated patients. Hormonal agents resulted in complications in 3% (3/112) of patients. No correlation between the American Society of Anesthesiologists score and incidence of complication was observed (P = .58). CONCLUSIONS: Very elderly patients can be safely treated with surgery and radiation in accordance with accepted recommendations for their stage of breast cancer. Treatment with surgery and/or radiation should be considered despite age and moderate comorbidity in order to affect locoregional control. Chemotherapy results in a significant incidence of complications and should be cautiously implemented in this age group. A prospective trial is necessary to assess the necessity of aggressive multimodality therapy in this very elderly population.

Aged, 80 and over↗
PubMed2006

Outcomes of breast-conservation therapy for invasive lobular carcinoma are equivalent to those for invasive ductal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Breast-conservation therapy (BCT), including wide local excision and postoperative irradiation, is considered standard treatment for early-stage invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). The use of BCT in patients with invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) has been questioned because of concerns regarding ipsilateral breast recurrence and risk of bilateral breast cancer. We evaluated our institutional experience with BCT and compared treatment outcomes for ILC with those for IDC. METHODS: A review of our BCT database revealed 84 patients with ILC and 1,126 with IDC with stage I or II disease treated with BCT and radiation between 1976 and 1999. We evaluated local-regional recurrence, disease-specific survival, and contralateral breast cancer rates in both groups. RESULTS: The 5- and 10-year local-regional recurrence rates for the ILC group were 1% and 7%, respectively, and 4% and 9%, respectively, for the IDC group (P = .70). There were no significant differences in the 5- and 10-year disease-specific survival rates between the groups. Contralateral breast cancer occurred in 11.3% of patients with IDC and 11.9% of patients with ILC. CONCLUSIONS: BCT achieves similar local-regional control and survival outcomes in selected patients with ILC or IDC. Breast-conservation therapy is an appropriate treatment strategy for patients with early-stage invasive lobular carcinoma.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Determining the optimal approach to breast reconstruction after partial mastectomy.

BACKGROUND: Unfortunately, patients who desire repair of contour deformities after partial mastectomy usually present after radiation therapy, which may increase the risk of complications and result in a poor aesthetic outcome. The authors reviewed their experience with repair of partial mastectomy defects to determine the optimal approach to breast reconstruction after partial mastectomy. METHODS: Sixty-nine patients who underwent repair of a partial mastectomy defect and received radiation therapy were included in this analysis. The reconstructive techniques were categorized as local tissue rearrangement (LTR), breast reduction, or use of a latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap or thoracoepigastric skin flap (hereafter referred to as "flap"). RESULTS: Fifty patients underwent immediate reconstruction before radiation therapy, and 19 underwent delayed reconstruction after radiation therapy. The reconstructive techniques in patients with immediate reconstruction were local tissue rearrangement in 28 percent, breast reduction in 66 percent, and flaps in 6 percent. In patients with delayed reconstruction, 32 percent had local tissue rearrangement, 42 percent had breast reduction, and 26 percent had flaps. The complication rates for immediate and delayed reconstruction were 26 percent and 42 percent, respectively. Overall, and in the setting of immediate reconstruction, the flap technique was associated with a higher complication rate than local tissue rearrangement and breast reduction. However, in the setting of delayed reconstruction, the flap technique was associated with a lower complication rate than the other two techniques. Fifty-seven percent of the immediate reconstructions performed with the local tissue rearrangement or breast reduction technique, but only 33 percent of the immediate reconstructions performed with the flap technique, were associated with an excellent or good aesthetic outcome. CONCLUSION: Immediate repair of partial mastectomy defects with local tissues results in a lower risk of complications and better aesthetic outcomes than immediate repair of partial mastectomy defects with a latissimus dorsi flap.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed2006

Impact of sentinel lymph node biopsy on the evolution of breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Although sentinel lymph node biopsy is rapidly replacing complete axillary lymph node dissection for lymph node staging in women with clinically node-negative breast cancer, it is unclear what impact the transition to sentinel lymph node biopsy will have on the practice of breast reconstruction. METHODS: To determine the effect of the transition from complete axillary lymph node dissection to sentinel lymph node biopsy on their practice of breast reconstruction, the authors reviewed the records of 717 patients with breast cancer who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy and 1887 breast reconstructions-487 were performed in patients who also underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center between 1998 and 2003. RESULTS: Before 1999, sentinel lymph node biopsy was performed infrequently. Between 1999 and 2003, the number of sentinel lymph node biopsy procedures performed per year increased almost 50-fold. Concurrent with this increase in the use of sentinel lymph node biopsy, there was a corresponding increase in the proportion of breast reconstruction procedures performed in patients who had also undergone sentinel lymph node biopsy (13 percent per year, p = 0.0001). In 2003, 54 percent of all breast reconstructions were performed in patients who had sentinel lymph node biopsy. In 2000, 1 year after the use of sentinel lymph node biopsy began to increase, the choice of recipient vessels for free transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap breast reconstruction began to change. Between 2001 and 2002, the internal mammary vessels replaced the thoracodorsal vessels as the preferred recipient vessels for TRAM flap reconstruction (p < 0.0001). Over the study period, the authors noted a decrease in the percentage of free TRAM flap procedures requiring revision, more frequent use of contralateral implant-based augmentation to achieve symmetry, an increase in the percentage of patients desiring a second attempt at reconstruction after loss of a TRAM flap, and a decrease in the percentage of patients being referred for physical therapy or treatment of lymphedema after free TRAM flap reconstruction. CONCLUSIONS: The transition from axillary lymph node dissection to sentinel lymph node biopsy has resulted in a change in breast reconstruction practices. The increased use of the internal mammary vessels reflects the decreased dissection of axillary tissue to expose the thoracodorsal vessels with sentinel lymph node biopsy in addition to concern that a subsequent axillary surgery to remove additional axillary nodes might injure the thoracodorsal vessels should they be used in breast reconstruction. Awareness of the decreased morbidity associated with sentinel lymph node biopsy has led patients to expect less morbidity and better aesthetic outcomes from TRAM flap reconstruction.

Axilla↗
PubMed2006

Incidence and prevention of venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery and treated according to clinical pathways.

OBJECTIVE: To minimize treatment variations, we have implemented clinical pathways for all breast cancer patients undergoing surgery. We sought to determine the incidence of postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients treated on these pathways. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Cancer patients have an increased risk of VTE because of a hypercoagulable state. The risk of VTE following breast cancer surgery is not well established. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected data for all patients who underwent breast cancer surgery and were treated on the clinical pathways with mechanical antiembolism devices and early ambulation in the postoperative period between January 2000 and September 2003. RESULTS: During the study period, 3898 patients underwent 4416 surgical procedures. Seven patients with postoperative VTE within 60 days were identified, for a rate of 0.16% per procedure. Six patients presented with only a deep venous thrombosis or a pulmonary embolism; 1 patient had both. The median time from surgery to diagnosis of VTE was 14 days (range, 2-60 days; mean, 22 days). No relationship was identified between stage of breast cancer or type of breast surgery and development of VTE. Two (29%) of the 7 patients with VTE had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. VTE treatment consisted of subcutaneous low-molecular-weight heparin (n = 5) or intravenous heparin (n = 2) followed by warfarin. There were no deaths. CONCLUSIONS: VTE following breast cancer surgery is rare in patients who are treated on clinical pathways with mechanical antiembolism devices and early ambulation in the postoperative period. We conclude that systemic VTE prophylaxis is not indicated in this group of patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Accuracy of physical examination, ultrasonography, and mammography in predicting residual pathologic tumor size in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of physical examination, ultrasonography, and mammography in predicting residual size of breast tumors following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an accepted part of the management of stage II and III breast cancer. Accurate prediction of residual pathologic tumor size after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is critical in guiding surgical therapy. Although physical examination, ultrasonography, and mammography have all been used to predict residual tumor size, there have been conflicting reports about the accuracy of these methods in the neoadjuvant setting. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 189 patients who participated in 1 of 2 protocols using doxorubicin-containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and who had assessment by physical examination, ultrasonography, and/or mammography no more than 60 days before their surgical resection. Size correlations were performed using Spearman rho analysis. Clinical and pathologic measurements were also compared categorically using the weighted kappa statistic. RESULTS: Size estimates by physical examination, ultrasonography, and mammography were only moderately correlated with residual pathologic tumor size after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (correlation coefficients: 0.42, 0.42, and 0.41, respectively), with an accuracy of +/-1 cm in 66% of patients by physical examination, 75% by ultrasonography, and 70% by mammography. Kappa values (0.24-0.35) indicated poor agreement between clinical and pathologic measurements. CONCLUSION: Physical examination, ultrasonography, and mammography were only moderately useful for predicting residual pathologic tumor size after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Impact of preoperative versus postoperative chemotherapy on the extent and number of surgical procedures in patients treated in randomized clinical trials for breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of preoperative chemotherapy on the volume of tissue excised and the number of breast operations in patients undergoing breast-conserving therapy (BCT). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Preoperative chemotherapy is increasingly being used for breast cancer and increases rates of BCT. Its impact on the extent of surgery and the number of surgical procedures in BCT has never been fully defined. The extent of surgery in BCT directly affects cosmesis. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 509 consecutive patients with T1-T3, N0-N2 breast cancer who were treated in prospective randomized clinical trials of chemotherapy between 1998 and 2005. We analyzed the final surgical procedure (BCT or mastectomy), the number of operations, and, in patients who underwent BCT, re-excision rates, and the total volume of breast tissue excised [4Pi/3(width/2 x length/2 x height/2)]. RESULTS: A total of 241 patients underwent BCT, and 268 patients underwent mastectomy. Among BCT patients who had initial tumor size >2.0 cm, patients who received preoperative chemotherapy had significantly smaller volumes of breast tissue excised compared with patients who received postoperative chemotherapy (113 cm vs. 213 cm, P = 0.004). The re-excision rate and total number of breast operations did not significantly differ between the groups. Among BCT patients who had initial tumor size < or = 2 cm, preoperative chemotherapy had no impact on volume of breast tissue excised, re-excision rate, or number of breast operations (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients treated with BCT for larger breast tumors, patients treated with preoperative chemotherapy have less extensive resection, with no change in rates of re-excision.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Unsupervised analysis uncovers changes in histopathologic diagnosis in supervised genomic studies.

Human gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) have recently emerged as a distinct mesenchymal tumor type that has a unique phenotype characterized by a gain of function mutations in c-kit. In contrast, leiomyosarcomas (LMS) of the gastrointestinal tract or retroperitoneum, which were previously classified together with GISTs as gastrointestinal sarcomas, have much less frequent mutations of c-kit. We performed microarray analyses to gain a comprehensive understanding of the difference between the two types of soft-tissue sarcomas at the level of gene expression. Microarray experiments were performed on 30 GISTs and 30 LMSs that were collected at the time of surgical resection. These tumors were categorized based on the histopathologic diagnosis recorded in our institutional database. Prior to our search for genes that are differentially expressed between these two types of cancers, we first carried out an unsupervised analysis using multidimensional scaling (MDS) to determine whether the two groups have marked overall differences in gene expression. Initially, the MDS did not reveal a good separation between the two groups. We then re-reviewed the histopathology of these tumors and realized that some of the cases included in our study were acquired 10 years ago when the diagnosis of gastrointestinal sarcoma was made according to histopathologic criteria alone without immunohistochemistry for c-kit. An experienced pathologist reviewed all of the specimens and this revealed that a number of the GIST cases were classified as LMS in the clinical database. Correction of the histopathologic diagnosis and relabeling of the samples resulted in a much more pronounced separation of GIST and LMS in the MDS analysis. This study underscores the need to re-review histopathology as reclassification occurs. While updating the clinical database may be desired, this is usually impractical. For molecular studies that use archival samples, it is critical to have the archival samples re-reviewed by a pathologist. Further, unsupervised analysis often proves to be a critical quality control step in identifying structural problems that may exist. Finally, MDS analysis further supports that GIST is a distinct type of sarcoma.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMed2006

Sentinel lymph node surgery in locally recurrent breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Patients with locally recurrent breast cancer can also harbor regional nodal disease. Sentinel lymph node (LN; SLN) surgery is an accepted method for LN evaluation in early-stage breast cancer. We sought to evaluate the feasibility of SLN surgery in patients with locally recurrent breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients undergoing SLN surgery at the time of treatment for recurrent breast cancer were identified. Clinical, pathologic, and operative details of initial and recurrent breast cancer events were analyzed. RESULTS: From 2001 to 2005, 21 patients underwent SLN surgery for locally recurrent breast cancer. Previous breast procedures included segmental mastectomy in 17 patients and mastectomy in 4 patients. Previous axillary procedures included axillary LN dissection in 12 patients, SLN surgery in 5 patients, and no axillary surgery in 4 patients. Twelve patients had received breast irradiation. The SLN was identified and excised in 13 patients (62%). Six patients had drainage to nodal basins outside of the axilla (internal mammary and/or contralateral axilla). As the number of axillary nodes removed at primary surgery increased, the incidence of alternative lymphatic drainage increased: no previous axillary surgery, 0; 1-10 LNs removed, 30%; > 10 LNs removed, 50%. CONCLUSION: Sentinel LN surgery is feasible in patients with locally recurrent breast cancer regardless of previous axillary node surgery or radiation. The incidence of alternative lymphatic drainage is increased in patients with > 10 axillary LNs removed at original operation or when radiation was part of the previous treatment. Sentinel LN surgery is a tool for guiding local-regional management of patients with locally recurrent breast cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Angiosarcoma of the breast.

BACKGROUND: Angiosarcoma of the breast is a rare entity. The objectives of this study were to evaluate prognostic factors and determine outcomes in a large contemporary series of patients. METHODS: Clinical and pathologic factors were analyzed in all patients with angiosarcoma of the breast treated between 1990 and 2003. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were estimated using the methods of Kaplan and Meier. Multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate prognostic factors. RESULTS: Fifty-five women with angiosarcoma of the breast were identified. The median age was 49.1 years, and the median follow-up time was 3.7 years. The median OS and DFS were 2.96 years and 2.26 years, respectively. For the 32 patients with primary angiosarcoma of the breast 5-year OS was 59%. Twenty-three (42%) patients had received prior radiation therapy for the treatment of breast cancer. These patients with radiation therapy-associated angiosarcoma were on average 30 years older and less likely to present with distant metastatic disease than patients presenting with radiation-naive angiosarcoma of the breast. Although radiation-naive patients appeared to have had better early DFS and OS, the Kaplan-Meier curves were not statistically different between patients with radiation therapy-associated disease and radiation therapy-naive patients. On multivariate analysis, tumor recurrence (P = 0.006) was the only significant adverse prognostic factor noted for OS. CONCLUSIONS: In this series of 55 patients with angiosarcoma of the breast, radiation therapy-naive angiosarcomas occurred in younger patients, but they behaved similarly to radiation therapy-associated angiosarcomas.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Adenoviral-E2F-1 radiosensitizes p53wild-type and p53null human prostate cancer cells.

PURPOSE: E2F-1 is a transcription factor that enhances the radiosensitivity of various cell lines by inducing apoptosis. However, there are conflicting data concerning whether this enhancement is mediated via p53 dependent pathways. Additionally, the role of E2F-1 in the response of human prostate cancer to radiation has not been well characterized. In this study, we investigated the effect of Adenoviral-E2F-1 (Ad-E2F-1) on the radiosensitivity of p53wild-type (LNCaP) and p53null (PC3) prostate cancer cell lines. METHODS AND MATERIALS: LNCaP and PC3 cells were transduced with Ad-E2F-1, Adenoviral-Luciferase (Ad-Luc) control vector, or Adenoviral-p53 (Ad-p53). Expression of E2F-1 and p53 was examined by Western blot analysis. Annexin V and caspase 3 + 7 assays were performed to estimate the levels of apoptosis. Clonogenic survival assays were used to determine overall cell death. Statistical significance was determined by analysis of variance, using the Bonferroni method to correct for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Western blot analysis confirmed the efficacy of transductions with Ad-E2F-1 and Ad-p53. Ad-E2F-1 transduction significantly enhanced apoptosis and decreased clonogenic survival in both cell lines. These effects were compounded by the addition of RT. Although E2F-1-mediated radiosensitization was independent of p53 status, this effect was more pronounced in p53wild-type LNCaP cells. When PC3 cells were treated with Ad-p53 in combination with RT and Ad-E2F-1, there was at least an additive reduction in clonogenic survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that Ad-E2F-1 significantly enhances the response of p53wild-type and p53null prostate cancer cells to radiation therapy, although radiosensitization is more pronounced in the presence of p53. Ad-E2F-1 may be a useful adjunct to radiation therapy in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Adenoviridae↗