Palbociclib and Trastuzumab in HER2-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer: Results from the Phase II SOLTI-1303 PATRICIA Trial.

Purpose: To assess palbociclib in combination with trastuzumab with or without endocrine therapy in patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: PATRICIA is a prospective, open-label, multicenter phase II trial. Patients had received 2-4 prior lines of anti-HER2-based regimens.

Phenotypic changes of HER2-positive breast cancer during and after dual HER2 blockade.

The HER2-enriched (HER2-E) subtype within HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer is highly addicted to the HER2 pathway. However, ∼20-60% of HER2+/HER2-E tumors do not achieve a complete response following anti-HER2 therapies. Here we evaluate gene expression data before, during and after neoadjuvant treatment with lapatinib and trastuzumab in HER2+/HER2-E tumors of the PAMELA trial and breast cancer cell lines.

Phase II, Multicenter, Single-arm Trial of Eribulin as First-line Therapy for Patients With Aggressive Taxane-pretreated HER2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer: The MERIBEL Study.

Background: Eribulin has efficacy in patients with progression after ≥ 1 chemotherapeutic regimen for metastatic breast cancer (MBC). A short disease-free interval (DFI) and previous use of taxanes in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting have been associated with worse outcomes for patients receiving first-line chemotherapy for HER2-negative MBC. The aim of the present trial was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of eribulin as first-line therapy for patients with HER2-negative MBC with these poor prognostic factors.

Burden of advanced breast cancer for patients and caregivers in Europe: comparison of two treatment forms of vinorelbine, oral and intravenous.

Aim: To assess the burden of disease associated with advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with oral (VinO) or intravenous vinorelbine (VinIV) from the perspective of patients and caregivers in five European countries.

Methods: This was an observational, prospective, international, multicenter study. Patients were included in the study at the beginning of their second cycle of chemotherapy with vinorelbine and categorized into two groups depending on whether they received VinO or VinIV.

Factors Associated with the Selection of First-line Bevacizumab plus Chemotherapy and Clinical Response in HER2-negative Metastatic Breast Cancer: ONCOSUR AVALOX Study.

Aim: To evaluate factors associated with the selection of first-line bevacizumab plus chemotherapy and clinical response in HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in clinical practice in Spain.

Patients And Methods: All consecutive adult female patients with HER2-negative MBC who had received first-line bevacizumab plus chemotherapy for at least 3 months were enrolled in the present study.

Results: A total of 292 evaluable patients were included; 25% had triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and 75% had hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (HRPBC).

The oxidative stress in breast tumors of postmenopausal women is ERα/ERβ ratio dependent.

Estrogen receptor status is a diagnostic parameter in breast cancer treatment. Estrogen receptor presence is related to a better prognosis because the principal treatments attacking breast cancer tumors have their action site directed at the estrogen receptor. However, the two different subtypes of estrogen receptor, ERα and ERβ, have different functions.

Variation in 'standard care' for breast cancer across Europe: a EUROCARE-3 high resolution study.

On a population-based sample of 13,500 European breast cancer patients mostly diagnosed in 1996-1998 and archived by 26 cancer registries, we used logistic regression to estimate odds of conservative surgery plus radiotherapy (BCS+RT) versus other surgery, in T1N0M0 cases by country, adjusted for age and tumour size. We also examined: BCS+RT in relation to total national expenditure on health (TNEH); chemotherapy use in N+ patients; tamoxifen use in oestrogen-positive patients; and whether 10 nodes were examined in lymphadenectomies. Stage, diagnostic examinations and treatments were obtained from clinical records.

Estrogen down-regulates uncoupling proteins and increases oxidative stress in breast cancer.

Oxidative stress has been postulated as one of the mechanisms underlying the estrogen carcinogenic effect in breast cancer. Estrogens are known to increase mitochondrial-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) by an unknown mechanism. Given that uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are key regulators of mitochondrial energy efficiency and ROS production, our aim was to check the presence and activity of UCPs in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and ER-negative breast cancer cells and tumors, as well as their relation to oxidative stress.

Recent changes in breast cancer incidence in Spain, 1980-2004.

Background: Since the 1980s, Spain experienced two decades of sharply increasing breast cancer incidence. Declines in breast cancer incidence have recently been reported in many developed countries. We examined whether a similar downturn might have taken place in Spain in recent years.

[Impact of a registry on survival in familial adenomatous polyposis].

Background And Objective: Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal dominant inherited disease characterized by hundreds of adenomatous polyps in the large intestine. Almost all affected untreated patients will die from colorectal cancer (CRC) at the age of 40-50 years. The Balearic Islands Polyposis Registry was established in 1988.

Treatment of medical databases and their graphical representation on the internet.

The use of new information technologies could facilitate enormously work to process and spread knowledge from medical data and, in particular, epidemiological data from cancer registries. Cancer registries are official institutions that collect information on the occurrence and outcome of cancer in defined population groups (city, region, or country). The aim of the present project was to design and develop a graphical web system to offer clear information about medical information, in this case cancer incidence, using Internet technology.

Pleural mesothelioma incidence in Europe: evidence of some deceleration in the increasing trends.

Objective: To summarize the geographical and temporal variations in incidence of pleural mesothelioma in Europe, using the extensive data available from European general cancer registries, and consider these in light of recent trends in asbestos extraction, use and import in European countries.

Material And Methods: The data were extracted from the European Cancer Incidence and Mortality database (EUROCIM). The inclusion criteria was acceptance in Volume VII of Cancer Incidence in Five Continents.

Assessment of feasibility of workplace health promotion.

Background: A simple empirically based method for assessment of the feasibility of workplace health promotion programs is described, focusing on cancer hazards (lifestyles, workplace hazards, deficient early detection). The basic components of feasibility are addressed: extent of hazards; needs of employees for hazard reduction and acceptability of WHP; and social context.

Methods: The procedure consists of six modules: guidelines on feasibility assessment; employee questionnaire; interview checklists for probing attitudes of management and partners (social context); data form; debriefing; and assessment of feasibility.