Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

U Veronesi

Publications and source records attributed to U Veronesi.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

Preliminary 3-year results of 12 versus 6 cycles of surgical adjuvant CMF in premenopausal breast cancer.

In hope of reducing the duration of adjuvant treatment in premenopausal patients with operable breast cancer and histologically positive axillary lymph nodes, a prospective controlled study was started in September 1975. A total of 160 patients were randomized to receive 12 cycles of adjuvant CMF, while 165 were allocated to receive 6 cycles. At 3 years from radical mastectomy, the relapse-free survival was 85.4% in the 12-cycle group compared to 82.6% for the 6-cycle subset (P = 0.29). In both treatment groups, the incidence of treatment failure was directly proportional to the number of involved axillary nodes and to the clinical tumor size. Drug-induced amenorrhea as well as estrogen receptor status failed to significantly affect the results obtained. Treatment failures were more often documented in distant sites, while only 4--5% relapse was observed in local-regional areas. Overall survival was also similar for both treatment arms (86.2% vs. 85.1%, P = 0.49). Toxicity was moderate and reversible and no drug-induced neoplasms were so far observed. Present results achieved with 6 cycles of adjuvant CMF appear encouraging. However, they are still too preliminary to recommend the routine use of 6 cycles instead of the classical 12 cycles.

Adult↗

Patterns of relapse and survival following radical mastectomy. Analysis of 716 consecutive patients.

The records of 716 consecutive patients with breast cancer randomized from January 1964 to January 1968 between radical and extended radical mastectomy not followed by postoperative radiation therapy were reviewed. Relapse and survival rates were related to different patterns with the intent to define, on clinical basis, the high-risk groups in whom systemic adjuvant treatment can be attempted. The 10-year relapse rate was 52.9% for the whole series. In patients with negative axillary nodes (N-) this finding was 27.9% compared to 75.5% for patients with positive nodes (N+ 1-3: 66.5%, N+ greater than 3: 83.6%). The relapse rate was also affected by concomitant involvement of internal mammary nodes (IMN): N- IMN+: 60%, N+ IMN+: 96.7%. The corresponding 10-year survival rates were as follows: 59.7% (total), 81.9% (N-), 39.6% (N+), 53.7% (1-3), 25.6% (greater than 3), 45.8% (N- IMN+), 20.5% (N+ IMN+). In N+ patients relapse and survival rates were directly proportional to the size of primary tumor, while this trend was not present in N- patients. Location of primary tumor as well as menopausal status showed no direct effect on relapse and survival. In both nodal groups the sites of first relapse were documented to occur preferentially in distant organs and tissues.

Adult↗

Inefficacy of immediate node dissection in stage 1 melanoma of the limbs.

From September, 1967, to January, 1974, a clinical trial was carried out by the WHO Melanoma Group to evaluate the efficacy of elective lymph-node dissection in the treatment of malignant melanoma of the extremities with clinically uninvolved regional lymph nodes. Treatment was prospectively randomized: 267 patients to excision of primary melanoma and immediate regional-lymph-node dissection and 286 to excision of primary melanoma and regional-lymph-node dissection at the time of appearance of metastases. The statistical analysis showed no difference in survival between the two groups of patients, regardless of how the data were analyzed (according to sex, site of origin, maximum diameter of primary tumor or Clark's level or Breslow's thickness). Elective lymph-node dissection in malignant malanoma of the limbs does not improve the prognosis and is not recommended when patients can be followed at intervals of three months.

Aged↗

Surgical treatment of primary breast cancer.

Radical mastectomy should be replaced by a number of different types of operation which are either more conservative or more extended according to the spread of the disease. For T1N0 cases a new procedure consisting of removal of a quadrant of the breast, with axillary dissection plus radiotherapy on the residual breast tissue, is under evaluation. In T2N0 cases modified radical mastectomy is suggested as a procedure of choice, whilst T3 cases and all N1 cases should still undergo radical mastectomy. Cases with tumor of inner quadrants with positive axillary nodes with benefit from removal of internal mammary nodes. Superradical mastectomy is limited to selected special cases with extensive lymphnode invasion. All N+ cases receive adjuvant chemotherapy (CMF). In locally advanced cases "reductive" surgery may form part of an aggressive chemotherapy programme.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Conservative treatment of breast cancer. A trial in progress at the Cancer Institute of Milan.

The report describes a clinical trial on conservative surgery in progress at the National Cancer Institute of Milan, Italy. The randomized clinical trial compares radical mastectomy with a more conservative procedure consisting of mammary resection plus axillary dissection plus radiotherapy. The resection comprises an entire quadrant of the breast together with the overlying skin and the corresponding portion of the fascial sheet of the pectoralis major. The axillary dissection is performed in continuity with the resected breast quadrant except in cases with tumors of lower inner quadrants, who need two separate incisions. After surgery the patients receive 6000 rads to the residual breast tissue over five to six weeks, starting 15 days after operation. The cosmetic results are satisfactory in approximately 70% of cases. The trial is limited to cases with tumors less than 2 cm and no palpable axillary nodes (T1N0M0). Patients with histologically positive lymph nodes (N+) are submitted to adjuvant chemotherapy with CMF for one year. From September 1973, to October 1976, 331 cases entered the trial. One hundred sixty were treated with radical mastectomy and 164 with the conservative procedure. Axillary metastases were found in 23% of the radical and in 29% of the conservative surgery group. Four local-regional recurrences have occurred till now, two in each group. Five cases in the radical mastectomy group and one in the conservative group had distant metastases. The clinical trial will collect some 500 cases by the end of 1977 and significant preliminary results are expected to be available from 1978.

Adult↗

The CMF program for operable breast cancer with positive axillary nodes. Updated analysis on the disease-free interval, site of relapse and drug tolerance.

In a prospective randomized study adjuvant combination chemotherapy with CMF was administered for 12 monthly cycles to 207 patients subjected to radical mastectomy (Halsted or extended) and treatment failure was compared to that observed in 179 patients whose primary therapy consisted only of radical surgery (control group). All patients of both groups had histologically positive axillary lymph nodes. At three years from mastectomy the total failure time distribution was 45.7% in control patients compared to 26.3% in women given CMF (P less than 0.0001). New disease manifestations were higher in the subgroup with four or more nodes (64.9% vs 41.5%) compared to that with one to three nodes (37.9% vs 19.1%). Premenopausal controls showed a progressively higher incidence of treatment failure compared to CMF patients (P=0.00001). The decreased recurrence rate in postmenopausal women given CMF was appreciable only during the first 12 months. From this time on, the difference no longer existed. The cumulative percent of recurrence in patients without or with drug-induced amenorrhea (27.2% vs 9.2%) was not statistically significant. At three years 21.4% of control patients have died of progressive cancer compared to 10.4% of CMF patients. The difference in the survival curves was not significant (P=0.08). Toxicity was moderate and reversible. No drug induced neoplasm was observed. Present results confirm the efficacy of 12 CMF cycles in premenopausal patients. Postmenopausal women probably require a more intensive and prolonged adjuvant chemotherapy.

Amenorrhea↗

New trends in the treatment of breast cancer at the Cancer Institute of Milan.

Preliminary results from three trials on breast cancer treatment carried on at the National Cancer Institute of Milan are presented. In the first trial, radical mastectomy (105 patients) was compared to a more conservative procedure consisting of breast resection, axillary dissection, and radiation therapy (125 patients). Axillary metastases were found in 22% and 25% of the two groups, respectively. After 30 months, two local recurrences have occurred, one in each group. Four patients in the radical mastectomy group have developed distant metastases. In the second trial, carried out on patients with nodal involvement, radical mastectomy (179 patients) was compared to radical mastectomy followed by a prolonged combination chemotherapy using cyclophosphamide-methotrexate-fluorouracil (207 patients). After 27 months, recurrences have occurred in 24% of the patients treated only with radical mastectomy compared to 5.3% in those treated with radical mastectomy plus chemotherapy. In the third trial, 67 patients with inoperable breast cancer were treated with chemotherapy plus radiation therapy. Recurrences occurred at a lower rate than observed in a previous series of patients treated with radiotherapy alone.

Axilla↗