Issues in Breast Cancer Survivorship: Optimal Care, Bone Health, and Lifestyle Modifications

Author(s):  
Michelle E. Melisko ◽  
William J. Gradishar ◽  
Beverly Moy

There are an estimated 3.1 million survivors of breast cancer in the United States. The predominant reasons for this substantially large population are that breast cancer is the most common noncutaneous malignancy among women and that 5-year survival rates after breast cancer treatment are approximately 90%. These patients have many medical considerations, including the need to monitor for disease recurrence and to manage complications of their previous cancer treatments. Most patients remain at risk indefinitely for local and systemic recurrences of their breast cancers and have an increased risk of developing contralateral new primary breast cancers. Therefore, optimizing care for this patient population is critical to the overall health care landscape in the United States. Here, we summarize survivorship care delivery and its challenges, the optimization of bone health in breast cancer survivors, and opportunities for risk reduction through lifestyle modifications.

BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel C. Beachler ◽  
Cynthia de Luise ◽  
Aziza Jamal-Allial ◽  
Ruihua Yin ◽  
Devon H. Taylor ◽  
...  

Abstract Background There is limited real-world safety information on palbociclib for treatment of advanced stage HR+/HER2- breast cancer. Methods We conducted a cohort study of breast cancer patients initiating palbociclib and fulvestrant from February 2015 to September 2017 using the HealthCore Integrated Research Database (HIRD), a longitudinal claims database of commercial health plan members in the United States. The historical comparator cohort comprised patients initiating fulvestrant monotherapy from January 2011 to January 2015. Propensity score matching and Cox regression were used to estimate hazard ratios for various safety events. For acute liver injury (ALI), additional analyses and medical record validation were conducted. Results There were 2445 patients who initiated palbociclib including 566 new users of palbociclib-fulvestrant, and 2316 historical new users of fulvestrant monotherapy. Compared to these historical new users of fulvestrant monotherapy, new users of palbociclib-fulvestrant had a greater than 2-fold elevated risk for neutropenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, stomatitis and mucositis, and ALI. Incidence of anemia and QT prolongation were more weakly associated, and incidences of serious infections and pulmonary embolism were similar between groups after propensity score matching. After adjustment for additional ALI risk factors, the elevated risk of ALI in new users of palbociclib-fulvestrant persisted (e.g. primary ALI algorithm hazard ratio (HR) = 3.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1–8.4). Conclusions This real-world study found increased risks of several adverse events identified in clinical trials, including neutropenia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia, but no increased risk of serious infections or pulmonary embolism when comparing new users of palbociclib-fulvestrant to fulvestrant monotherapy. We observed an increased risk of ALI, extending clinical trial findings of significant imbalances in grade 3/4 elevations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT).


2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (21) ◽  
pp. 3001-3006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy L. Lash ◽  
Matthew P. Fox ◽  
Diana S.M. Buist ◽  
Feifei Wei ◽  
Terry S. Field ◽  
...  

Purpose There are more than 2,000,000 breast cancer survivors in the United States today. While surveillance for asymptomatic recurrence and second primary is included in consensus recommendations, the effectiveness of this surveillance has not been well characterized. Our purpose is to estimate the effectiveness of surveillance mammography in a cohort of breast cancer survivors with complete ascertainment of surveillance mammograms and negligible losses to follow-up. Patients and Methods We enrolled 1,846 stage I and II breast cancer patients who were at least 65 years old at six integrated health care delivery systems. We used medical record review and existing databases to ascertain patient, tumor, and therapy characteristics, as well as receipt of surveillance mammograms. We linked personal identifiers to the National Death Index to ascertain date and cause of death. We matched four controls to each breast cancer decedent to estimate the association between receipt of surveillance mammogram and breast cancer mortality. Results One hundred seventy-eight women died of breast cancer during 5 years of follow-up. Each additional surveillance mammogram was associated with a 0.69-fold decrease in the odds of breast cancer mortality (95% CI, 0.52 to 0.92). The protective association was strongest among women with stage I disease, those who received mastectomy, and those in the oldest age group. Conclusion Given existing recommendations for post-therapy surveillance, trials to compare surveillance with no surveillance are unlikely. This large observational study provides support for the recommendations, suggesting that receipt of surveillance mammograms reduces the rate of breast cancer mortality in older patients diagnosed with early-stage disease.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (20) ◽  
pp. 2061-2069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rola Hamood ◽  
Hatem Hamood ◽  
Ilya Merhasin ◽  
Lital Keinan-Boker

Purpose Breast cancer treatments have been associated with an increased risk of multiple health-related adverse outcomes, but the relationship with diabetes remains unclear. This study investigated the association between hormone therapy and diabetes risk in breast cancer survivors. Patients and Methods We performed a case-cohort study of 2,246 female survivors recruited from the Leumit health care fund who were diagnosed with primary nonmetastatic invasive breast cancer in 2002 through 2012. A 20% random subcohort was sampled at baseline, and all diabetes cases were identified. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were estimated by weighted Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results Of 2,246 breast cancer survivors, 324 developed diabetes over a mean follow-up of 5.9 years. The crude cumulative incidence of diabetes that accounted for death as a competing risk was 20.9% (95% CI, 18.3% to 23.7%). In multivariable-adjusted models, hormone therapy was associated with increased diabetes risk (HR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.26 to 4.55; P = .008). The hazard for tamoxifen use (HR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.19 to 4.26; P = .013) was less pronounced than the use of aromatase inhibitors (HR, 4.27, 95% CI, 1.42 to 12.84; P = .010). Conclusion Active hormone therapy is a significant risk factor of diabetes among breast cancer survivors. Although cessation of treatment is not recommended because the survival benefits of hormone therapy outweigh the risks, preventive strategies aimed at lifestyle modifications may minimize the risk.


2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (12) ◽  
pp. 1564-1569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hazel B. Nichols ◽  
Amy Berrington de González ◽  
James V. Lacey ◽  
Philip S. Rosenberg ◽  
William F. Anderson

Purpose Contralateral breast cancer (CBC) is the most frequent new malignancy among women diagnosed with a first breast cancer. Although temporal trends for first breast cancers have been well studied, trends for CBC are not so well established. Patients and Methods We examined temporal trends in CBC incidence using US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (1975 to 2006). Data were stratified by estrogen receptor (ER) status of the first breast cancer for the available time period (1990+). We estimated the annual percent change (EAPC) in CBC rates using Poisson regression models adjusted for the age at and time since first breast cancer diagnosis. Results Before 1985, CBC incidence rates were stable (EAPC, 0.27% per year; 95% CI, −0.4 to 0.9), after which they declined with an EAPC of −3.07% per year (95% CI, −3.5 to −2.7). From 1990 forward, the declines were restricted to CBC after an ER-positive cancer (EAPC, −3.18%; 95% CI, −4.2 to −2.2) with no clear decreases after an ER-negative cancer. Estimated current age-specific CBC rates (per 100/year) after an ER-positive first cancer were: 0.45 for first cancers diagnosed before age 30 years and 0.25 to 0.37 for age 30 years or older. Rates after an ER-negative cancer were higher: 1.26 before age 30 years, 0.85 for age 30 to 35 years, and 0.45 to 0.65 for age 40 or older. Conclusion Results show a favorable decrease of 3% per year for CBC incidence in the United States since 1985. This overall trend was driven by declining CBC rates after an ER-positive cancer, possibly because of the widespread usage of adjuvant hormone therapies, after the results of the Nolvadex Adjuvant Trial Organisation were published in 1983, and/or other adjuvant treatments.


Author(s):  
Louise A. Brinton ◽  
Mia M. Gaudet ◽  
Gretchen L. Gierach

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide, with annual estimates of 1.7 million newly diagnosed cases and 522,000 deaths. Although more breast cancers are diagnosed in economically developed than in developing countries, the reverse is true for mortality, reflecting limited screening and less effective treatments in the latter. Breast cancer incidence has been on the rise in the United States for many years, but in recent years this is restricted to certain subgroups, while internationally there have been continued generalized increases, likely reflecting adoption of more Westernized lifestyles. Breast cancer is widely recognized as being hormonally influenced, with most of the established risk factors believed to reflect the influence of cumulative exposure of the breast to stimulatory effects of ovarian hormones—leading to increased cellular proliferation, which in turn can result in genetic errors during cell division.


2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (27_suppl) ◽  
pp. 195-195
Author(s):  
J. M. Armer ◽  
B. R. Stewart

195 Background: In the United States, 203,000 women are diagnosed annually with breast cancer (BC). Currently, over 2.3 million women in the United States are breast cancer survivors. With the increased incidence and survivorship, more women are living with the long-term treatment effects such as lymphedema (LE). We are nearing completion of stage one of a three-stage research project to examine genetic factors that potentially predispose BC survivors to develop LE. In stage one, we are working to identify novel genetic polymorphisms pointing to genomic regions and genes associated with LE risk. In stage two, we will use exome sequencing to examine both rare and common genetic variants potentially associated with variation in symptom manifestations of LE in breast cancer survivors; to examine phenotypic and genotypic variation in LE emerging following cancer treatment; and to examine associations between LE phenotypes among breast cancer survivors with LE and genomic factors and non-genomic factors. In stage three, we will replicate at the genetic level the associations detected. Methods: Institutional funding was obtained for a GWAS-design feasibility study with 96 breast cancer survivors with and without LE (48/48). Genetic material (from buccal swabs), limb volume (by perometry and circumferences), and self-reported LE-related symptoms were collected in one laboratory appointment. Results: Ninety-five percent of survivors participating in an on-going longitudinal study consented to participate in the genetic pilot (N=96). Buccal swabs provided yield for DNA extraction (concentration average 174.94 ng/ul). An additional 96 specimens have been collected for a second pilot GWAS (N =192). Conclusions: The pilot findings form the basis for a larger multisite proposed study to examine genetic predisposition to secondary LE. The findings of the larger study will lead to the design and timing of subsequent interventions aimed at reducing LE risk and improving overall survivorship quality of life. Findings concerning interactions among best cancer treatments and LE genetic predisposition will have the potential to guide the selection of cancer treatment to minimize complications when survival outcomes are equivalent across competing treatment approaches.


Open Medicine ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marek Bębenek ◽  
Anna Rutkowska ◽  
Jerzy Błaszczyk

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to determine the frequencies of hereditary and familial breast cancers among Lower Silesian women. The questionnaires, dealing with cancer episodes in first-and second-degree relatives, were sent to 5,000 females, who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 1984 and 2005. Twenty-five percent of the questionnaires were completed and returned. Their analysis and further counseling revealed that 24.9% of the responders met the criteria for familial breast cancer (FBC), including 10.5% definitive cases. Mutations in BRCA1 were detected in 32.5% and 1.9% of patients with definitive and suspected FBC, respectively. They all represented three of the abnormalities of the BRCA1 gene: 300T/G, 4153delA and 5382insC. No mutations of BRCA2 were found in material studied. Although a fraction of FBCs identified in our study was similar to those described in other European countries and in the United States, the percentages of genetic mutations seen on routine tests were relatively low. Consequently, the standardized analysis of oncological pedigree seems to be a more valuable diagnostic tool if patients with familial aggregations of breast cancer are targeted in a prophylactic context only.


2006 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine M. Duffy ◽  
Melissa A. Clark ◽  
Jenifer E. Allsworth

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