Describing quality of life trajectories in young Hispanic women with breast cancer: 5-year results from a large prospective cohort.

Introduction: Cancer treatments have a detrimental impact on the quality of life (QoL) of young women with breast cancer (YWBC). Research exploring QoL trajectories has been mostly centered on postmenopausal women. Here we report longitudinal changes across all QoL domains and associated factors in YWBC.

Screening Adherence for Second Primary Malignancies in Breast Cancer Survivors: Behaviors, Facilitators, and Barriers to Enhance Quality Care.

Due to genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors, alongside increased life expectancy, breast cancer (BC) survivors have an increased risk of developing a second primary malignancy. Therefore, regular screening for other types of cancer is of utmost importance for their comprehensive care. This cross-sectional study evaluated BC survivors' compliance with cervical, lung, and colorectal cancer screening, and identified facilitators and barriers influencing adherence.

Sexual function and satisfaction in young women with breast cancer: a 5-year prospective study.

Background: Young women with breast cancer (YWBC) face unique challenges that can affect their sexual health. This study aimed to identify factors associated with sexual activity, function, and satisfaction in YWBC up to 5 years postdiagnosis.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 474 women 40 years of age or younger diagnosed with nonmetastatic breast cancer in Mexico.

Multicenter Study on the Frequency of Low Bone Mineral Density in Young Women With Breast Cancer and Associated Factors.

Introduction: Young women with breast cancer (BC) may experience bone mineral density (BMD) loss secondary to cancer treatment effects on estrogen levels. Studies assessing BMD in BC patients have had a limited representation of young women. This multicenter retrospective study analyzed the frequency of low BMD and associated factors in this age group.

Uptake of Risk-Reducing Measures, Cascade Testing, and Related Challenges Among Carriers of Breast Cancer-Associated Germline Pathogenic Variants in Mexico.

Purpose: Genetic cancer risk assessment (GCRA) provides pathogenic variant (PV) carriers with the invaluable opportunity to undertake timely cancer risk-reducing (RR) measures and initiate cascade testing (CT). This study describes the uptake of these strategies and the related barriers among breast cancer-associated germline PV carriers in Mexico.

Methods: Carriers who were at least 6 months after disclosure of genetic test results at two GCRA referral centers were invited to answer a survey assessing sociodemographic characteristics, awareness of their carrier status and its implications, uptake of RR measures according to international guidelines by PV, CT initiation, and associated challenges.

Activities Performed by ASCO-Sponsored Oncology Student Interest Groups in Latin America: Assessing Members' Preferences and Leaders' Challenges.

Purpose: In response to the worldwide shortage of oncologists, ASCO established Oncology Student Interest Groups (OSIGs) to increase oncology exposure at medical schools. However, there is limited guidance on the activities they should undergo. The main purposes of this study were (1) to assess the preferences and perceptions of OSIG members about their group events and (2) to describe the difficulties faced by leaders to carry out OSIGs' tasks.

Immunogenicity and risk of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection after Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in patients with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Patients with cancer are considered a priority group for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination given their high risk of contracting severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, limited data exist regarding the efficacy of immunisation in this population. In this study, we assess the immunologic response after COVID-19 vaccination of cancer versus non-cancer population.

CHALLENGES OF TREATING YOUNG WOMEN WITH CANCER IN THE ERA OF NEW ONCOLOGIC TREATMENTS.

Young women with cancer comprise a special population of patients who experience cancer and oncologic care in a unique way. Recent progress in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches has transformed the landscape of clinical oncology practice. This perspective addresses novel therapies, and some of the main challenges that oncologists face when providing care for young patients in the era of next-generation sequencing and tissue-agnostic approaches through the use of targeted therapies for diverse malignancies.

Adjuvant endocrine therapy for premenopausal women with breast cancer: Patient adherence and physician prescribing practices in Mexico.

Background: In resource-constrained settings, data regarding breast cancer patients' adherence to endocrine therapy (ET) and physicians' prescribing practices is limited. This study aims to decrease this knowledge gap in a real-world clinical practice.

Methods: Premenopausal women with stage 0-III hormone-sensitive breast cancer and receiving adjuvant ET during the past 1-5 years were identified in three Mexican referral centers.

Improving Collection of Real-World Data: The Experience of the Joven & Fuerte Prospective Cohort for Mexican Young Women With Breast Cancer.

The prospective collection of clinical data can generate detailed information on heterogeneous populations. This article reviews the strengths and limitations of the collection of real-world data and provides insight into the feasibility of routine collection of high-quality evidence even in a resource-constrained setting. The acquisition of high-quality data to assess the clinical and psychosocial needs of young Mexican patients with breast cancer has been enhanced through the use of preplanned, standardized data definitions and instrumentation to provide internally and externally comparable results, optimization of data collection with web-based surveys, engagement of participants to minimize missing data, and routine review for data consistency.

Unmet Needs Among Breast Cancer Patients in a Developing Country and Supportive Care Needs Survey Validation.

Background: Identifying and addressing breast cancer (BC) patients' unmet needs (UN) are crucial due to their possible contribution to higher levels of morbidity, particularly in vulnerable underserved populations, such as Latinas with BC.

Objective: This study aimed to (1) identify and describe the most frequently reported items of moderate-high UN among Mexican women with BC covered by public healthcare insurance; (2) analyze the differences in UN domains according to participants' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics; and (3) validate the Supportive Care Needs Survey-Short Form-34 (SCNS-SF34).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 396 consecutive BC patients.

Impact of chemotherapy regimen and sequence on the effectiveness of scalp cooling for alopecia prevention.

Purpose: Scalp cooling (SC) is the most reliable method for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia. However, it remains unclear if its effectiveness is related to the chemotherapy regimen, sequence, and frequency. This study aims to evaluate SC performance among breast cancer patients who received different chemotherapy regimens.

Short inter-pregnancy interval and pregnancy-associated breast cancer.

The relationship between pregnancy and breast cancer risk is not fully understood. Most of the literature has described this interaction in terms of the age at first pregnancy and the number of full-term pregnancies. During the prospective accrual of the "Joven & Fuerte: Program for young women with breast cancer in Mexico" cohort, a series of cases with pregnancy-associated breast cancer and a history of a short inter-pregnancy interval was identified.

Gaps in Knowledge and Understanding of Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer in Mexico.

There is paucity of data regarding the knowledge and understanding of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) about their disease stage and treatment goals. This study assessed these patients' awareness of MBC incurability, topics reviewed with their oncologist, perceptions of having enough knowledge to participate in treatment decision-making, most helpful information source, and satisfaction with the information they received. For this purpose, 185 patients with MBC who attended follow-up medical appointments at a Mexican referral cancer center completed a survey designed by the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance.

Young Women With Breast Cancer in Mexico: Results of the Pilot Phase of the Joven & Fuerte Prospective Cohort.

Purpose: The pilot-phase report of the Joven & Fuerte prospective cohort broadly characterizes and assesses the needs of Mexican young women with breast cancer (YWBC).

Patients And Methods: Women age ≤ 40 years with nonmetastatic primary breast cancer were consecutively accrued from 2 hospitals. Data were collected at the first/baseline oncology visit and 2 years later using a sociodemographic survey, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life (QOL) Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and Breast Cancer-Specific QOL Questionnaire (QLQ-BR23), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI), Sexual Satisfaction Inventory, and patients' medical records.

Communication Challenges Among Oncologists in Mexico.

Communication challenges related to the delivery of bad news are present in oncologists' daily practice. Hence, communication skills are essential for clinicians to handle these situations as appropriately and compassionately as possible. The aim of this study was to identify Mexican oncologists' perceptions on the most important and hardest issues to discuss with patients and their families, as well as the challenges they most commonly encounter when communicating bad news.

Patients' satisfaction with a supportive care program for young breast cancer patients in Mexico: Joven & Fuerte supports patients' needs and eases their illness process.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate patients' outlook and satisfaction with "Joven & Fuerte: Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer (YWBC) in Mexico" (J&F) and to determine its strengths and areas of improvement to better fulfill patients' information and supportive care needs.

Methods: Patients enrolled in J&F for ≥ 6 months at three cancer referral centers were invited via a messaging application to anonymously complete an online survey exploring their perspectives of the program's information delivery, support services, and research component. Descriptive statistics, chi test, Student t, and ANOVA were used for analysis.