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PURPOSE: Natural language understanding (NLU) may be particularly well equipped for enhanced data capture from the electronic health record given its examination of both content-driven and context-driven extraction. METHODS: We developed and applied a NLU model to examine rates of pathological node positivity (pN+) and rates of lymphedema to determine whether omission of routine axillary staging could be extended to younger patients with estrogen receptor–positive (ER+)/cN0 disease. RESULTS: We found that rates of pN+ and arm lymphedema were similar between patients age 55-69 years and ≥70 years, with rates of lymphedema exceeding rates of pN+ for clinical stage T1c and smaller disease. CONCLUSION: Data from our NLU model suggest that omission of sentinel lymph node biopsy might be extended beyond Choosing Wisely recommendations, limited to those older than 70 years and to all postmenopausal women with early-stage ER+/cN0 disease. These data support the recently reported SOUND trial results and provide additional granularity to facilitate surgical de-escalation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: Natural language understanding (NLU) may be particularly well equipped for enhanced data capture from the electronic health record given its examination of both content-driven and context-driven extraction. METHODS: We developed and applied a NLU model to examine rates of pathological node positivity (pN+) and rates of lymphedema to determine whether omission of routine axillary staging could be extended to younger patients with estrogen receptor–positive (ER+)/cN0 disease. RESULTS: We found that rates of pN+ and arm lymphedema were similar between patients age 55-69 years and ≥70 years, with rates of lymphedema exceeding rates of pN+ for clinical stage T1c and smaller disease. CONCLUSION: Data from our NLU model suggest that omission of sentinel lymph node biopsy might be extended beyond Choosing Wisely recommendations, limited to those older than 70 years and to all postmenopausal women with early-stage ER+/cN0 disease. These data support the recently reported SOUND trial results and provide additional granularity to facilitate surgical de-escalation. In this study of 925 patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy for early-stage, ER+, clinically node-negative breast cancer, we found that rates of pathological node positivity were lower than rates of lymphedema, especially for those patients with T1c disease or smaller, suggesting that omission of SLNB might be extended beyond the Choosing Wisely recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Exercise Program in Cancer and Cognition Study was a randomized controlled trial designed to determine whether 6 months of moderate‐intensity aerobic exercise improves neurocognitive function in women with breast cancer (BC) receiving endocrine therapy (ET). Methods: Postmenopausal women with hormone receptor+, early‐stage BC, within two years post‐primary therapy were randomized to the exercise intervention (six months, ≥150 min of moderate‐intensity aerobic exercise/week) or usual care control condition. Outcomes were assessed at pre‐randomization and after intervention completion. Groups were compared using linear mixed‐effects modeling. Results: Participants (N = 153) were X‾ $\overline{X}$ = 62.09 ± 8.27 years old, with stage I BC (64.1%) and a median of 4.7 months post‐diagnosis. We found a group‐by‐time interaction (p = 0.041) and a trend for the main effect of time (p = 0.11) for processing speed with improved performance in the exercise group and no change in the controls. Similar main effects of time were observed for learning and memory (p = 0.024) and working memory (p = 0.01). Better intervention adherence was associated with improved processing speed (p = 0.017). Conclusions: Six months of moderate‐intensity aerobic exercise improves processing speed in postmenopausal women with BC receiving ET who initiate exercise within 2 years of completing primary therapy (surgery +/− chemotherapy). This is the first large‐scale study to examine the effects of aerobic exercise on neurocognitive function in women with BC. Additional research is needed to address the long‐term effects of aerobic exercise on cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) for triple-negative breast cancer and HER2-positive breast cancer yields a pathological complete response in approximately 60% of patients. A pathological complete response to NST predicts an excellent prognosis and can be accurately determined by percutaneous image-guided vacuum-assisted core biopsy (VACB). We evaluated radiotherapy alone, without breast surgery, in patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer or HER2-positive breast cancer treated with NST who had an image-guided VACB-determined pathological complete response.Methods: This multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial was done in seven centres in the USA. Women aged 40 years or older who were not pregnant with unicentric cT1-2N0-1M0 triple-negative breast cancer or HER2-positive breast cancer and a residual breast lesion less than 2 cm on imaging after clinically standard NST were eligible for inclusion. Patients had one biopsy (minimum of 12 cores) obtained by 9G image-guided VACB of the tumour bed. If no invasive or in-situ disease was identified, breast surgery was omitted, and patients underwent standard whole-breast radiotherapy (40 Gy in 15 fractions or 50 Gy in 25 fractions) plus a boost (14 Gy in seven fractions). The primary outcome was the biopsy-confirmed ipsilateral breast tumour recurrence rate determined using the Kaplan-Meier method assessed in the per-protocol population. Safety was assessed in all patients who received VACB. This study has completed accrual and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02945579.Findings: Between March 6, 2017, and Nov 9, 2021, 58 patients consented to participate; however, four (7%) did not meet final inclusion criteria and four (7%) withdrew consent. 50 patients were enrolled and underwent VACB following NST. The median age of the enrolled patients was 62 years (IQR 55-77); 21 (42%) patients had triple-negative breast cancer and 29 (58%) had HER2-positive breast cancer. VACB identified a pathological complete response in 31 patients (62% [95% CI 47·2-75·4). At a median follow-up of 26·4 months (IQR 15·2-39·6), no ipsilateral breast tumour recurrences occurred in these 31 patients. No serious biopsy-related adverse events or treatment-related deaths occurred.Interpretation: Eliminating breast surgery in highly selected patients with an image-guided VACB-determined pathological complete response following NST is feasible with promising early results; however, additional prospective clinical trials evaluating this approach are needed.Funding: US National Cancer Institute (National Institutes of Health). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Society for Surgical Oncology's Choosing Wisely guidelines recommend against sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in favor of observation in this population. Recent analyses reveal that this has not been widely adopted. The purpose of this cost‐effectiveness analysis is to compare the costs and benefits associated with observation or SLNB in women >70 years old with hormone receptor–positive, clinically node‐negative, operable breast cancer. Methods: A decision tree with Markov modeling was created to compare treatment strategies using long‐term follow‐up data from clinical trials in this population. Costs were estimated from published literature and publicly available databases. Breast cancer–specific health‐state utilities were derived from the literature and expert opinion. One‐way, 2‐way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted. A structural sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the effect of functional status and anxiety from nonevaluation of the axilla on cost‐effectiveness. Costs and benefits, measured in life‐years (LYs) and quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALYs), were tabulated across 10, 15, and 20 years and compared using incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios (ICERs). Results: SLNB is not cost‐effective from the payer or societal perspectives with ICERs of $138,374/LY and $131,900/LY, respectively. When QALYs were considered, SLNB provided fewer QALYs (SLNB, 10.33 QALYs; observation, 10.53 QALYs) at a higher cost (SLNB, $15,845; observation, $4020). Structural sensitivity analysis revealed that SLNB was cost‐effective in certain patients with significant anxiety related to axillary observation (ICER, $39,417/QALY). Conclusions: Routine SLNB in this population is not cost‐effective. The cost‐effectiveness of SLNB, however, is dependent on individual patient factors, including functional status as well as patient preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Professional burnout represents a significant threat to the American healthcare system. Organizational and individual factors may increase healthcare providers' susceptibility or resistance to burnout. We hypothesized that during the COVID-19 pandemic, 1) higher levels of perceived organizational support (POS) are associated with lower risk for burnout and anxiety, and 2) anxiety mediates the association between POS and burnout. Methods: In this longitudinal prospective study, we surveyed healthcare providers employed full-time at a large, multihospital healthcare system monthly over 6 months (April to November 2020). Participants were randomized using a 1:1 allocation stratified by provider type, gender, and academic hospital status to receive one of two versions of the survey instrument formulated with different ordering of the measures to minimize response bias due to context effects. The exposure of interest was POS measured using the validated 8-item Survey of POS (SPOS) scale. Primary outcomes of interest were anxiety and risk for burnout as measured by the validated 10-item Burnout scale from the Professional Quality (Pro-QOL) instrument and 4-item Emotional Distress-Anxiety short form of the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scale, respectively. Linear mixed models evaluated the associations between POS and both burnout and anxiety. A mediation analysis evaluated whether anxiety mediated the POS-burnout association. Results: Of the 538 participants recruited, 402 (75%) were included in the primary analysis. 55% of participants were physicians, 73% 25–44 years of age, 73% female, 83% White, and 44% had ≥1 dependent. Higher POS was significantly associated with a lower risk for burnout (-0.23; 95% CI -0.26, -0.21; p<0.001) and lower degree of anxiety (-0.07; 95% CI -0.09, -0.06; p = 0.010). Anxiety mediated the associated between POS and burnout (direct effect -0.17; 95% CI -0.21, -0.13; p<0.001; total effect -0.23; 95% CI -0.28, -0.19; p<0.001). Conclusion: During a health crisis, increasing the organizational support perceived by healthcare employees may reduce the risk for burnout through a reduction in anxiety. Improving the relationship between healthcare organizations and the individuals they employ may reduce detrimental effects of psychological distress among healthcare providers and ultimately improve patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifocal pattern of regression after neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been identified as a risk factor for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR). We aimed to determine the significance of multifocal regression as a predictor of IBTR after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and breast conservation therapy in the modern era. We retrospectively reviewed 346 patients treated between November 2009 and June 2017. Pattern of regression was categorized as pathologic complete response (pCR), unifocal (tumor present as a cohesive mass), limited multifocal (single cells or clusters of cells concentrated in 1 portion of the fibrotic area), or diffuse multifocal (cells spread over entire fibrotic area). IBTR was defined as new ipsilateral invasive or noninvasive breast tumor after breast conservation therapy. Predictive factors were analyzed using Cox regression. Incidence of multifocal regression was 25.7% for the overall cohort and 12.2% for estrogen receptor (ER) negative/progesterone receptor (PR) negative/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive, 17.5% for triple-negative, 36.9% for ER+ or PR+/HER2-, and 38.5% for triple-positive (P <.001). With a median follow-up of 41.1 months, 4-year IBTR-free survival after pCR or unifocal regression versus multifocal regression was 94.1% versus 90.9% (P =.411). Pattern of regression (P =.010; compared to pCR, hazard ratio [HR] of 11.2 for diffuse multifocal regression, 1.65 for limited multifocal regression, and 3.81 for unifocal regression), phenotype (P =.001; compared to ER+ or PR+/HER2-, HR of 30.67 for ER-/PR-/HER2+, 25.30 for triple-negative, and 1.60 for triple-positive), and lack of nodal pCR (P =.004; HR of 3.78) predicted for IBTR on multivariate Cox regression. On multivariate subset analysis, pattern of regression and lymphovascular space invasion predicted for IBTR in hormone receptor–negative patients, but pattern of regression was not associated with IBTR for hormone receptor–positive patients. Multifocal regression, hormone receptor–negative phenotype, and lack of nodal pCR predict for increased risk of IBTR after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Although more common in hormone receptor–positive disease, multifocal regression was associated with worse outcome only in hormone receptor–negative patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Pathologic complete response (pCR) rate after neoadjuvant chemotherapy was compared between 141 estrogen receptor (ER)-negative (43%), 41 low ER+ (13%), 47 moderate ER+ (14%), and 98 high ER+ (30%) tumors.Methods: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive cases, cases without semiquantitative ER score, and patients treated with neoadjuvant endocrine therapy alone were excluded.Results: The pCR rate of low ER+ tumors was similar to the pCR rate of ER- tumors (37% and 26% for low ER and ER- respectively, P = .1722) but significantly different from the pCR rate of moderately ER+ (11%, P = .0049) and high ER+ tumors (4%, P < .0001). Patients with pCR had an excellent prognosis regardless of the ER status. In patients with residual disease (no pCR), the recurrence and death rate were higher in ER- and low ER+ cases compared with moderate and high ER+ cases.Conclusions: Low ER+ breast cancers are biologically similar to ER- tumors. Semiquantitative ER H-score is an important determinant of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Multifocal pattern of regression after neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been identified as a risk factor for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR). We aimed to determine the significance of multifocal regression as a predictor of IBTR after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and breast conservation therapy in the modern era.Methods and Materials: We retrospectively reviewed 346 patients treated between November 2009 and June 2017. Pattern of regression was categorized as pathologic complete response (pCR), unifocal (tumor present as a cohesive mass), limited multifocal (single cells or clusters of cells concentrated in 1 portion of the fibrotic area), or diffuse multifocal (cells spread over entire fibrotic area). IBTR was defined as new ipsilateral invasive or noninvasive breast tumor after breast conservation therapy. Predictive factors were analyzed using Cox regression.Results: Incidence of multifocal regression was 25.7% for the overall cohort and 12.2% for estrogen receptor (ER) negative/progesterone receptor (PR) negative/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive, 17.5% for triple-negative, 36.9% for ER+ or PR+/HER2-, and 38.5% for triple-positive (P < .001). With a median follow-up of 41.1 months, 4-year IBTR-free survival after pCR or unifocal regression versus multifocal regression was 94.1% versus 90.9% (P = .411). Pattern of regression (P = .010; compared to pCR, hazard ratio [HR] of 11.2 for diffuse multifocal regression, 1.65 for limited multifocal regression, and 3.81 for unifocal regression), phenotype (P = .001; compared to ER+ or PR+/HER2-, HR of 30.67 for ER-/PR-/HER2+, 25.30 for triple-negative, and 1.60 for triple-positive), and lack of nodal pCR (P = .004; HR of 3.78) predicted for IBTR on multivariate Cox regression. On multivariate subset analysis, pattern of regression and lymphovascular space invasion predicted for IBTR in hormone receptor-negative patients, but pattern of regression was not associated with IBTR for hormone receptor-positive patients.Conclusions: Multifocal regression, hormone receptor-negative phenotype, and lack of nodal pCR predict for increased risk of IBTR after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Although more common in hormone receptor-positive disease, multifocal regression was associated with worse outcome only in hormone receptor-negative patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]