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Research results from Weill Cornell Medical College, Medical College update knowledge of ductal carcinoma in situ therapy
December 22nd, 2008
2008 DEC 22 -- New research, 'Correlates and effect of suboptimal radiotherapy in women with ductal carcinoma in situ or early invasive breast cancer,' is the subject of a report. According to recent research published in the journal Cancer, "The study aimed to identify factors associated with less-than-optimal radiotherapy (RT) and its impact on disease-free survival in women aged 66+ years diagnosed with stage I breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The subjects were women diagnosed from 1991 to 1999 in the linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database who underwent breast-conserving surgery and RT within 12 months postdiagnosis."
"The authors conducted descriptive and multivariate survival analyses, and considered age, race, poverty, marital status, comorbidity indices, rural/urban, radiation oncologist density, comedo necrosis histology (DCIS only), chemotherapy receipt (stage I only), and RT completion (3+ weeks of treatment) and delay (8+ weeks postsurgery without chemotherapy; 4+ weeks postchemotherapy). Of 7791 subjects, 16% experienced RT delay, and 3% had incomplete RT. Subjects with stage I disease who were more likely to delay RT were of black race (odds ratio [OR], 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-2.08), whereas women in areas of high radiation oncologist density were less likely to delay (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.66-0.81). Those living in high poverty areas were less likely to complete RT (p <.03), as were those undergoing chemotherapy (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.15-2.88). Stage I breast cancer patients with delayed RT were more likely to experience a subsequent breast event (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.00-1.30), and those with incomplete RT had a higher rate of overall mortality (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.06-1.63). Factors associated with lower subsequent breast events included older age, lower poverty, and being married. RT delays of 12+ weeks (or 8+ weeks postchemotherapy) had a strongly negative impact on subsequent events (OR, 3.94; 95% CI, 2.51-6.17 for DCIS; OR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.84-2.59 for stage I)," wrote H.T. Gold and colleagues, Weill Cornell Medical College, Medical College.
The researchers concluded: "RT should be facilitated to ensure completion and timeliness, especially for early invasive breast cancer patients."
Gold and colleagues published their study in Cancer (Correlates and effect of suboptimal radiotherapy in women with ductal carcinoma in situ or early invasive breast cancer. Cancer, 2008;113(11):3108-15).
For additional information, contact H.T. Gold, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York 10021 USA..
The publisher's contact information for the journal Cancer is: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA.
Keywords: United States, New York, Ductal Carcinoma in Situ Therapy, Breast Cancer, Breast Carcinoma, Chemotherapy, Drug Therapy, Ductal Carcinoma in Situ, Epidemiology, Health Policy, Histology, Medicare, Necrosis, Oncology, Surgery, Treatment, Women's Health.
This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.
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