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Purpose Metaplastic breast cancer (MBC) is a rare, aggressive variant of breast cancer that has been associated with poor clinical outcomes, as has triple-negative breast (TNBC) cancer. Limited studies compare the clinical characteristics and prognosis of MBC to TNBC. This study uses a large, contemporary US cancer database to compare clinical characteristics and survival outcomes for patients with MBC to those with TNBC. Methods The National Cancer Database was queried for women with cT1-4N1-3M0 MBC or TNBC diagnosed between 2004 and 2013 and treated with definitive surgery. Chi-squared analysis was performed to determine differences between the cohorts. Kaplan-Meier curves compared overall survival (OS), and Cox regression determined patient factors associated with OS. Results Altogether, 55,847 patients met the inclusion criteria; 50,705 (90.8%) had TNBC and 5,142 (9.2%) had MBC. Most patients had no comorbid conditions (82%), N0 disease (71%), poorly differentiated histology (77%), received chemotherapy (87%), and received radiation therapy (60%). Amongst all patients, patients with TNBC disease were observed to have greater OS than those with MBC (5-year OS 72.0% vs 55.8%, p, Highlights • Metaplastic breast cancer is associated with poor clinical outcomes. • Metaplastic breast cancer associated with worse survival than patients with triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma. • Radiation therapy and chemotherapy associated with improved survival for patients with metaplastic breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: For malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), the benefit of resection, as well as the optimal surgical technique, remain controversial. In efforts to better refine patient selection, this retrospective observational cohort study queried the National Cancer Database in an effort to quantify and evaluate predictors of 30- and 90-day mortality between extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) and pleurectomy/decortication (P/D), as well as nonoperative management. METHODS: After applying selection criteria, cumulative incidences of mortality by treatment paradigm were graphed for the unadjusted and propensity-matched populations, as well as for six a priori age-based intervals (≤60, 61–65, 66–70, 71–75, 76–80, and ≥81 years). The interaction between age and hazard ratio (HR) for mortality between treatment paradigms was also graphed. Cox multivariable analysis ascertained factors independently associated with 30- and 90-day mortality. RESULTS: Of 10,723 patients, 2,125 (19.8%) received resection (n=438 EPP, n=1,687 P/D) and 8,598 (80.2%) underwent nonoperative management. The unadjusted 30/90-day mortality for EPP, P/D, and all operated cases was 3.0%/8.0%, 5.4%/14.1%, and 4.9%/12.8%, respectively. There were no short-term mortality differences between EPP and P/D following propensity-matching, within each age interval, or between age subgroups on interaction testing (P>0.05 for all). Nonoperative patients had a crude 30- and 90-day mortality of 9.9% and 24.6%, respectively. Several variables were identified as predictors of short-term mortality, notably patient age (HR 1.022, P

To date, no published randomized trials have shown stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to offer superior outcomes to conventionally fractionated radiation therapy (CFRT) for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The largest study to date, this investigation of a contemporary national database sought to evaluate practice patterns and survival between CFRT and SBRT.The National Cancer Database was queried (2004-2015) for histologically-confirmed cT1-2aN0M0 NSCLC undergoing definitive CFRT or SBRT. Multivariable logistic regression ascertained factors associated with SBRT administration. Kaplan-Meier analysis evaluated overall survival (OS) before and following propensity matching. Cox proportional hazards modeling determined variables associated with OS.Of 23,088 patients, 2286 (10%) patients received CFRT and 20,802 (90%) SBRT. SBRT was less often delivered in African-Americans, patients with lower incomes, urban location, greater comorbidities, at non-academic centers, in larger tumors, and squamous histology (p 0.05 for all). Patients treated with SBRT had a higher median OS (38.8 months vs. 28.1 months, p 0.001). At median follow-up of 44.6 months, the median OS for the SBRT group was 38.8 months, versus 28.1 months for CFRT (p 0.001). These findings persisted following propensity matching. Subgroup analyses demonstrated improved OS in multiple subcohorts (T2, Charlson comorbidity score 2-3, squamous histology). SBRT was also independently associated with OS on Cox multivariate analysis (p 0.001).The largest such study to date (comprising of over 23,000 patients), this investigation demonstrates the survival benefit to ablative radiotherapy for early-stage NSCLC. Maturation of comparative prospective trials is eagerly awaited.

Patients with cT1-2N0M0 rectal cancer are often treated with up-front surgical resection, with adjuvant treatment reserved for patients upstaged with pathologic node-positive (pN+) disease at surgery. This study evaluates practice patterns and clinical outcomes when comparing different forms of adjuvant treatment for this patient population.The National Cancer Data Base was queried for cT1-2N0M0 rectal cancer patients between 2004 and 2015 with postoperative pN+ disease treated without neoadjuvant treatment. Patients were divided into groups receiving observation, chemotherapy, or chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Multivariable logistic regression determined factors associated with receipt of adjuvant treatment. Kaplan-Meier curves compared overall survival (OS), and Cox regression determined patient factors associated with OS.Altogether, 1466 patients met the inclusion criteria; 536 patients (36.6%) received adjuvant chemotherapy, 413 (28.2%) received adjuvant CRT, and 517 (35.3%) were observed postoperatively. Use of adjuvant treatment was associated with superior median OS (124.1 vs. 51.1 months, P .001), persisting after propensity score matching (124.0 vs. 61.9 months, P .001), but not between adjuvant CRT versus chemotherapy on subset analysis. Patients with positive surgical margins receiving adjuvant CRT showed a trend toward OS improvement compared to patients managed with chemotherapy (54.9 vs. 47.4 months, P = .10). Increased age, pN2 status, positive margin status, and observation were associated with poorer OS.Most patients found to have pN+ disease after up-front surgery for cT1-2N0 rectal cancer receive adjuvant treatment, which is associated with improved OS. Chemotherapy or CRT are appropriate options, although there was a trend toward higher OS for patients with positive surgical margins receiving CRT.

Purpose: Proton therapy for prostate cancer may reduce bowel dose and risk of bowel symptoms relative to photon-based methods. Here, we determined the effect of using a biodegradable, injectable hydrogel spacer on rectal dose on plans for treating prostate cancer with intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) or passive scattering proton therapy (PSPT). Materials and Methods: Pairs of IMPT and PSPT plans for 9 patients were created from fused computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging scans obtained before and after spacer injection. Calculated values of rectal V40, V60, V70, V80, and maximum dose (Dmax) were compared with Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Displacements at the base (BP), midgland (MP), and apex (AP) of the prostate relative to the anterior rectal wall with the spacer in place were averaged for each patient and correlated with V70 by using linear regression models. Results: The presence of a spacer reduced all dosimetric parameters for both PSPT and IMPT, with the greatest difference in V70, which was 81.1% lower for PSPT-with-spacer than for IMPT-without-spacer. Median displacements at BP, MP, and AP were 12 mm (range 7-19), 2 mm (range 0-4), and 1 mm (range 0-5) without the spacer and 19 mm (range 12-23), 10 mm (range 8-16), and 7 mm (range 2-12) with the spacer. Modest linear trends were noted between rectal V70 and displacement for IMPT-with-spacer and PSPT-with-spacer. When displacement was ≥8 mm, V70 was ≤5.1% for IMPT-with-spacer and PSPT-with-spacer. Conclusion: Use of biodegradable hydrogel spacers for prostate cancer treatment provides a significant reduction of radiation dose to the rectum with proton therapy. Significant reductions in rectal dose occurred in both PSPT and IMPT plans, with the greatest reduction for IMPT-with-spacer relative to PSPT alone. Prospective studies are ongoing to assess the clinical impact of reducing rectal dose with hydrogel spacers.