Publications by authors named "Fitzal F"
Background: Monocytes comprise subsets of classical, intermediate and non-classical monocytes with distinct anti- or pro-tumor effects in breast cancer (BC). They are modulated by estrogen, and can contribute to BC control by endocrine therapy in preclinical models.
Methods: To elucidate whether changes in monocyte subsets are associated with treatment and response, we investigated peripheral blood samples of 73 postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor (ER) positive BC, who received aromatase inhibitor therapy with or without the mucin-1 vaccine tecemotide in the ABCSG34 trial.
Background: Oncoplastic surgery has become an important part of the surgical repertoire to offer both oncologically safe and aesthetically pleasing results in patients with breast cancer. Data comparing oncoplastic and reconstructive breast surgeries are limited. This study aimed to assess patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in our cohort of oncoplastic and reconstructively operated patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImportance: Data on oncological outcomes after omission of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients with breast cancer that downstages from node positive to negative with neoadjuvant chemotherapy are sparse. Additionally, the best axillary surgical staging technique in this scenario is unknown.
Objective: To investigate oncological outcomes after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) with dual-tracer mapping or targeted axillary dissection (TAD), which combines SLNB with localization and retrieval of the clipped lymph node.
Purpose: The Clinical Treatment Score post-5 years (CTS5) is an easy-to-use tool estimating the late distant recurrence (LDR) risk in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer after 5 years of endocrine therapy (ET). Apart from evaluating the prognostic value and calibration accuracy of CTS5, the aim of this study is to clarify if this score is able to identify patients at higher risk for LDR who will benefit from extended ET.
Methods: Prognostic power, calibration, and predictive value of the CTS5 was tested in patients of the prospective ABCSG-06 and -06a trials (n = 1254 and 860 patients, respectively).
Based upon results of the KEYNOTE-522 trial and following approval by regulatory authorities, the addition of pembrolizumab to chemotherapy is now the standard-of-care for the treatment of early triple-negative breast cancer (eTNBC) (Clinical stage II-III). Pembrolizumab is a programmed cell death protein 1 monoclonal antibody, known to cause immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in a significant subset of patients. Real-world data on incidence, type and treatment strategies of irAEs in the setting of eTNBC treatment are sparse.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Epirubicin/cyclophosphamide (EC) and docetaxel (D) are commonly used in a sequential regimen in the neoadjuvant treatment of early, high-risk or locally advanced breast cancer (BC). Novel approaches to increase the response rate combine this treatment with immunotherapies such as PD-1 inhibition. However, the expected stimulatory effect on lymphocytes may depend on the chemotherapy backbone.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Tailored axillary surgery (TAS) is a novel surgical concept for clinical node-positive breast cancer. It consists of the removal of the sentinel lymph nodes (LNs), as well as palpably suspicious nodes. The TAS technique can be utilized in both the upfront and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Immediate prepectoral implant-based breast reconstruction (IBBR) rates have increased in recent years owing to improved cosmetic and psychological benefits. However, there is a lack of studies regarding complications rates following adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) among patients undergoing immediate prepectoral IBBR.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective monocentric analysis of a cohort of consecutively treated patients who underwent NSM following immediate prepectoral IBBR at our institution between March 2017 and November 2021.
Importance: The role of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) to determine nodal burden to inform systemic therapy recommendations in patients with clinically node (cN)-positive breast cancer (BC) is currently unknown.
Objective: To address the association of ALND with systemic therapy in cN-positive BC in the upfront surgery setting and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).
Design, Setting, And Participants: This was a prospective, observational, cohort study conducted from August 2018 to June 2022.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical practice heterogeneity in use of neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) for patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer in Europe.
Methods: The study was preplanned in the international multicenter phase-III OPBC-03/TAXIS trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03513614) to include the first 500 randomized patients with confirmed nodal disease at the time of surgery.
Ptotic versus Nonptotic Breasts in Nipple-sparing Mastectomy and Immediate Prepectoral Breast Reconstruction.
Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open
May 2023
Unlabelled: In recent years, nipple-sparing mastectomy followed by implant-based breast reconstruction has gained popularity due to improved cosmetic and psychological benefits. However, patients with ptotic breasts remain the main challenge for surgeons, owing to the potential risk of postoperative complications.
Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for patients who underwent nipple-sparing mastectomy and prepectoral implant-based breast reconstruction between March 2017 and November 2021.
The aims of this Oncoplastic Breast Consortium and European Breast Cancer Research Association of Surgical Trialists initiative were to identify uncertainties and controversies in axillary management of early breast cancer and to recommend appropriate strategies to address them. By use of Delphi methods, 15 questions were prioritized by more than 250 breast surgeons, patient advocates and radiation oncologists from 60 countries. Subsequently, a global virtual consensus panel considered available data, ongoing studies and resource utilization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Adjuvant aromatase inhibitors for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer can lead to increased osteoporosis and fractures; however, the ABCSG-18 trial indicates that denosumab can mitigate these effects.
- In this phase 3 trial involving 3,425 postmenopausal patients, denosumab treatment showed a significant improvement in disease-free survival (DFS) and bone metastasis-free survival (BMFS) compared to placebo over an 8-year median follow-up.
- The final analysis confirmed long-term benefits with denosumab, enhancing overall survival (OS) and showing no new toxicities associated with its use.
Background: Implant-based breast reconstruction (IBBR) remains the standard and most popular option for women undergoing breast reconstruction after mastectomy worldwide. Recently, prepectoral IBBR has resurged in popularity, despite limited data comparing prepectoral with subpectoral IBBR.
Methods: A systematic search of PubMed and Cochrane Library from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2021, was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines, data were extracted by independent reviewers.
Local Treatment of the Primary Tumor for Patients With Metastatic Cancer (PRIME-TX): A Meta-Analysis.
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys
December 2022
Purpose: Local treatment of the primary tumor for patients with metastases is controversial, and prospective data across many disease sites have conflicting conclusions regarding benefits.
Methods And Materials: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in the past 50 years. Inclusion criteria were multi-institutional RCTs of patients with metastatic disease receiving systemic therapy randomized to addition of local treatment to the primary tumor.
Background: Associations between height, cancer risk and worse outcome have been reported for several cancers including breast cancer. We hypothesized that in breast cancer clinical trials, tall women should be overrepresented and might have worse prognosis.
Methods: Data of 4,935 women, included from 1990 to 2010 in 5 trials of the Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group (ABCSG), were analyzed retrospectively.
Purpose: To validate the prognostic role of urokinase-type plasminogen-activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) protein expression in FFPE archived tumor samples when assessed by immunohistochemistry.
Patients And Methods: Fresh-frozen, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples from 303 postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive, early breast cancer were investigated. The patients had received 5 years of endocrine therapy in the prospectively randomized ABCSG-8 trial.
Introduction: Oncoplastic techniques allow resection of larger tumors, permitting breast conservation in cases otherwise requiring mastectomy. We sought to prospectively compare quality of life (QoL) in patients undergoing oncoplastic surgery as compared to conventional breast conservation (CBC) or mastectomy is lacking.
Methods: Patients diagnosed with BIRADS IV-VI lesion were eligible if resection of ≥10% of the breast volume was planned.
Aim: Demand for nipple- and skin- sparing mastectomy (NSM/SSM) with immediate breast reconstruction (BR) has increased at the same time as indications for post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) have broadened. The aim of the Oncoplastic Breast Consortium initiative was to address relevant questions arising with this clinically challenging scenario.
Methods: A large global panel of oncologic, oncoplastic and reconstructive breast surgeons, patient advocates and radiation oncologists developed recommendations for clinical practice in an iterative process based on the principles of Delphi methodology.
Background: Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs prescribed for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, statins may possess anticancer properties and interact with receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand expression. We aimed at evaluating a hypothetical synergistic effect of statins with denosumab in early-stage breast cancer (BC) patients from the Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group (ABCSG) trial 18.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Recent data suggest that margins ≥2 mm after breast-conserving surgery may improve local control in invasive breast cancer (BC). By allowing large resection volumes, oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery (OBCII; Clough level II/Tübingen 5-6) may achieve better local control than conventional breast conserving surgery (BCS; Tübingen 1-2) or oncoplastic breast conservation with low resection volumes (OBCI; Clough level I/Tübingen 3-4).
Methods: Data from consecutive high-risk BC patients treated in 15 centers from the Oncoplastic Breast Consortium (OPBC) network, between January 2010 and December 2013, were retrospectively reviewed.
Aim: We developed tailored axillary surgery (TAS) to reduce the axillary tumor volume in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer to the point where radiotherapy can control it. The aim of this study was to quantify the extent of tumor load reduction achieved by TAS.
Methods: International multicenter prospective study embedded in a randomized trial.