Strategies to increase survey participation: A randomized controlled study in a population of breast cancer survivors.

Background: Data collection by mailing questionnaires to the study population is one of the main research methods in epidemiologic studies. As participation rates are decreasing, easy-to-implement and cost-effective strategies to increase survey participation are needed. In this study, we tested the effect of a pragmatic combination of evidence-based interventions.

The Facilitators and Barriers of the Implementation of a Clinical Decision Support System for Breast Cancer Multidisciplinary Team Meetings-An Interview Study.

Background: AI-driven clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) hold promise for multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTMs). This study aimed to uncover the hurdles and aids in implementing CDSSs during breast cancer MDTMs.

Methods: Twenty-four core team members from three hospitals engaged in semi-structured interviews, revealing a collective interest in experiencing CDSS workflows in clinical practice.

Efficacy of a Decision Aid in Breast Cancer Patients Considering Immediate Reconstruction: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Breast cancer patients face complex decisions about immediate breast reconstruction (BR) after mastectomy. The authors evaluated the efficacy of an online decision aid in improving the decision-making process, decision quality, and health outcomes in breast cancer patients considering immediate BR.

Methods: In a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial, patients were allocated to either the intervention group, receiving care as usual with access to an online decision aid, or the control group, receiving care as usual with an information leaflet.

Surgical outcomes following breast reconstruction in patients with and without a history of chest radiotherapy for Hodgkin lymphoma: a multicentre, matched cohort study.

Background: Breast cancer is the most common treatment-related second malignancy among women with previous chest radiotherapy for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Little is known about the effects of this kind of radiotherapy on the outcomes of postmastectomy breast reconstruction (BR). This study compared adverse outcomes of BR after HL-related chest radiotherapy to matched controls.

The Areola study: design and rationale of a cohort study on long-term health outcomes in women with implant-based breast reconstructions.

Background: Implant-based breast reconstructions contribute considerably to the quality of life of breast cancer patients. A knowledge gap exists concerning the potential role of silicone breast implants in the development of so-called "breast implant illness" (BII) and autoimmune diseases in breast cancer survivors with implant-based reconstructions. BII is a constellation of non-specific symptoms reported by a small group of women with silicone breast implants.

Mapping Current Organizational Structure and Improvement Points of Breast Cancer Multidisciplinary Team Meetings - An Interview Study.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to map current organization, and document potential improvement points of breast cancer multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTMs), in order to support the optimization of the present breast cancer MDTM organization.

Methods: From January 2019 to February 2021, 24 core team members of the breast cancer multidisciplinary team (MDT) in three hospitals were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews were performed based on an interview guide.

Challenges in breast cancer genetic testing. A call for novel forms of multidisciplinary care and long-term evaluation.

Current methods of next generation sequencing may simultaneously detect multiple germline breast cancer susceptibility variants. However, it is a challenge to maximize the clinical benefit of genetic analysis for patients and family members while minimizing potentially harmful effects. Relevant issues include criteria for referral, the choice of gene panel, handling of variants of unknown significance, cancer risk counselling in clinical context including family history data, risks of tumours other than breast cancer, handling of potential germline findings revealed by tumour testing and the clinical management of gene variant carriers, including surveillance, targeted therapy, radiotherapy and risk-reducing surgery.

Post-operative re-irradiation with hyperthermia in locoregional breast cancer recurrence: Temperature matters.

Purpose: To investigate the impact of hyperthermia thermal dose (TD) on locoregional control (LRC), overall survival (OS) and toxicity in locoregional recurrent breast cancer patients treated with postoperative re-irradiation and hyperthermia.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 112 women with resected locoregional recurrent breast cancer treated in 2010-2017 with postoperative re-irradiation 8frx4Gy (n = 34) or 23frx2Gy (n = 78), combined with 4-5 weekly hyperthermia sessions guided by invasive thermometry, were subdivided into 'low' (n = 56) and 'high' TD (n = 56) groups by the best session with highest median cumulative equivalent minutes at 43 °C (Best CEM43T50) < 7.2 min and ≥7.

Development of a patient decision aid for patients with breast cancer who consider immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop a patient decision aid (pDA) that could support patients with breast cancer (BC) in making an informed decision about breast reconstruction (BR) after mastectomy.

Methods: The development included four stages: (i) Establishment of a multidisciplinary team; (ii) Needs assessment consisting of semi-structured interviews in patients and a survey among healthcare professionals (HCPs); (iii) Creation of content, design and technical system; and (iv) Acceptability and usability testing using a think-aloud approach in patients and interviews among HCPs and representatives of the Dutch Breast Cancer Patient Organization.

Results: From the needs assessment, three themes were identified: Challenging period to make a decision, Diverse motivations for a personal decision and Information needed to make a decision about BR.

Characteristics of Participants and Nonparticipants in a Blended Internet-Based Physical Activity Trial for Breast and Prostate Cancer Survivors: Cross-sectional Study.

Background: As the number of cancer survivors is increasing, it is important to be able to offer exercise and physical activity (PA)-promoting interventions that are both effective and reasonably accessible. Internet-based interventions are typically less expensive and more accessible alternatives to on-site supervised interventions. Currently, little is known about the characteristics of nonparticipants in PA promotion trials in the cancer survivorship setting, both in general and specifically in trials using internet-supported interventions.

Brain White Matter Microstructure as a Risk Factor for Cognitive Decline After Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer.

Purpose: Cognitive decline is frequently observed after chemotherapy. As chemotherapy is associated with changes in brain white matter microstructure, we investigated whether white matter microstructure before chemotherapy is a risk factor for cognitive decline after chemotherapy.

Methods: Neuropsychologic tests were administered before and 6 months (n = 49), 2 years (n = 32), and 3 years (n = 32) after chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy (BC + CT group), at matched intervals to patients with BC who did not receive systemic therapy (BC - CT group: n = 39, 23, and 19, respectively) and to no-cancer controls (NC group: n = 37, 29, and 28, respectively).

Moderators of the effect of psychosocial interventions on fatigue in women with breast cancer and men with prostate cancer: Individual patient data meta-analyses.

Objective: Psychosocial interventions can reduce cancer-related fatigue effectively. However, it is still unclear if intervention effects differ across subgroups of patients. These meta-analyses aimed at evaluating moderator effects of (a) sociodemographic characteristics, (b) clinical characteristics, (c) baseline levels of fatigue and other symptoms, and (d) intervention-related characteristics on the effect of psychosocial interventions on cancer-related fatigue in patients with non-metastatic breast and prostate cancer.

Decisional conflict in breast cancer patients considering immediate breast reconstruction.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) patients who are treated with mastectomy are frequently offered immediate breast reconstruction. This study aimed to assess decisional conflict in patients considering immediate breast reconstruction, and to identify factors associated with clinically significant decisional conflict (CSDC).

Methods: Baseline data of a multicenter randomized controlled trial evaluating the impact of an online decision aid for BC patients considering immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy were analyzed.

Measuring decline in white matter integrity after systemic treatment for breast cancer: omitting skeletonization enhances sensitivity.

Chemotherapy for non-central nervous system cancers is associated with abnormalities in brain structure and function. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) allows for studying in vivo microstructural changes in brain white matter. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) is a widely used processing pipeline in which DTI data are typically normalized to a generic DTI template and then 'skeletonized' to compensate for misregistration effects.

Surgical Complications of Skin-Sparing Mastectomy and Immediate Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction in Women Concurrently Treated With Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer.

Background And Aim: To date, studies on adjuvant chemotherapy as a risk factor for the surgical outcome of combined mastectomy and breast reconstruction were hampered by the inclusion of mixed reconstructive cohorts of both delayed and immediate timing and of both autologous and implant-based techniques. Consequently, there is a paucity of data on the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy on surgical complication rates after combined skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate implant-based breast reconstruction.

Methodology: We compared the postoperative complications that occurred within 16 weeks after this combined procedure in 131 women (139 breasts) treated with adjuvant chemotherapy with those in a control group of 491 women (517 breasts) not receiving any adjuvant therapy within 16 weeks.

Prediction of contralateral breast cancer: external validation of risk calculators in 20 international cohorts.

Background: Three tools are currently available to predict the risk of contralateral breast cancer (CBC). We aimed to compare the performance of the Manchester formula, CBCrisk, and PredictCBC in patients with invasive breast cancer (BC).

Methods: We analyzed data of 132,756 patients (4682 CBC) from 20 international studies with a median follow-up of 8.

Prediction and clinical utility of a contralateral breast cancer risk model.

Background: Breast cancer survivors are at risk for contralateral breast cancer (CBC), with the consequent burden of further treatment and potentially less favorable prognosis. We aimed to develop and validate a CBC risk prediction model and evaluate its applicability for clinical decision-making.

Methods: We included data of 132,756 invasive non-metastatic breast cancer patients from 20 studies with 4682 CBC events and a median follow-up of 8.

Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy aimed at alleviating treatment-induced menopausal symptoms in breast cancer survivors: Moderators and mediators of treatment effects.

Objectives: Results from our recently conducted randomized controlled trial (RCT) indicated that Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT), with or without therapist support, is effective in reducing the perceived impact of hot flushes and night sweats (HF/NS) and overall levels of menopausal symptoms in breast cancer survivors with treatment-induced menopausal symptoms.

Study Design: We used data of 235 women and compared the iCBT groups combined (n = 156) with the control group (n = 79). Bootstrapped multiple regression analyses with interaction terms (group x potential moderator) or indirect effects (mediation pathway) were conducted.

Cost-utility, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact of Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for breast cancer survivors with treatment-induced menopausal symptoms.

Purpose: Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT), with and without therapist support, is effective in reducing treatment-induced menopausal symptoms and perceived impact of hot flushes and night sweats (HF/NS) in breast cancer survivors. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the cost-utility, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact of both iCBT formats compared to a waiting list control group from the Dutch healthcare perspective.

Methods: A Markov model was constructed with a 5-year time horizon.

The impact of an online patient decision aid for women with breast cancer considering immediate breast reconstruction: study protocol of a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Background: Most breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy are candidates for breast reconstruction. Deciding about breast reconstruction is complex and the preference-sensitive nature of this decision requires an approach of shared decision making between patient and doctor. Women considering breast reconstruction have expressed a need for decision support.

Survival after bilateral risk-reducing mastectomy in healthy BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.

Background: In healthy BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, bilateral risk-reducing mastectomy (BRRM) strongly reduces the risk of developing breast cancer (BC); however, no clear survival benefit of BRRM over BC surveillance has been reported yet.

Methods: In this Dutch multicenter cohort study, we used multivariable Cox models with BRRM as a time-dependent covariable to estimate the associations between BRRM and the overall and BC-specific mortality rates, separately for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.

Results: During a mean follow-up of 10.

Efficacy of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Treatment-Induced Menopausal Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: We evaluated the effect of Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT), with or without therapist support, on the perceived impact of hot flushes and night sweats (HF/NS) and overall levels of menopausal symptoms (primary outcomes), sleep quality, HF/NS frequency, sexual functioning, psychological distress, and health-related quality of life in breast cancer survivors with treatment-induced menopausal symptoms.

Patients And Methods: We randomly assigned 254 breast cancer survivors to a therapist-guided or a self-managed iCBT group or to a waiting list control group. The 6-week iCBT program included psycho-education, behavior monitoring, and cognitive restructuring.

The Influence of Adjuvant Systemic Regimens on Contralateral Breast Cancer Risk and Receptor Subtype.

Background: An increasing number of breast cancer (BC) survivors are at risk of developing contralateral breast cancer (CBC). We aimed to investigate the influence of various adjuvant systemic regimens on, subtype-specific, risk of CBC.

Methods: This population-based cohort study included female patients diagnosed with first invasive BC between 2003 and 2010; follow-up was complete until 2016.

Factors associated with an adverse work outcome in breast cancer survivors 5-10 years after diagnosis: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: To identify which factors are associated with adverse work outcome 5-10 years after diagnosis.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, breast cancer survivors, treated between 2003 and 2008, completed a questionnaire 5-10 years after diagnosis. Adverse work outcome was defined as not having paid employment or working > 20% less compared to prediagnosis.

Internal Mammary Chain Sentinel Nodes in Early-Stage Breast Cancer Patients: Toward Selective Removal.

Background: Removal of internal mammary chain sentinel nodes (IMCSNs) affects prognosis and treatment of breast cancer, and internal mammary chain radiotherapy (IMCRT) can improve survival for selected patients. This study aimed to determine the effect of IMCSN biopsy on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) and to identify predictive factors for IMCSN and distant metastasis.

Methods: Patients with IMCSNs were selected from a prospective database for the period 1999-2007.