Delayed adjuvant hormonal therapy and its impact on mortality in women with breast cancer.

Adjuvant hormonal therapy (HT) is important for the management of hormone-sensitive breast cancer. However, the timeliness for adjuvant HT and the consequences of delayed initiation of treatment have not been analyzed. The purpose of this study was to characterize delays to HT and assess the impact on clinical outcomes.

Assessing Burnout and Professional Fulfillment in Breast Surgery: Results From a National Survey of the American Society of Breast Surgeons.

Background: Physician burnout is a well-recognized problem in health care that has a negative impact on professional well-being and quality of patient care. Rates of burnout in breast surgery are not well-defined. This study sought to understand the degree of burnout among breast surgeons and to identify factors that influence professional fulfillment.

Comparison of breast-conserving therapy vs mastectomy in women under age 40: National trends and potential survival implications.

Introduction: Despite initial increased rates of breast-conserving therapy compared to mastectomy after 1990, mastectomy rates have increased in women under age 40 since 2000. Our study explores the demographic and survival implications of this trend.

Methods: The National Cancer Database was used to study stage 1 breast cancer diagnosed in women under age 40 between 2004 and 2014.

Association between socioeconomic factors and outcomes in breast cancer.

Background: Persistent socioeconomic disparities are evident in the delivery of health care. Despite previous research into health disparities, the extent of the effect of economic inequalities in the management of breast cancer is not well understood. The purpose of our study is to perform a national assessment of the impact of economic factors on key aspects of breast cancer management.

Oncotype DX Recurrence Score as a Predictor of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Background: The Oncotype DX assay has been validated in predicting response to adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. Its role in neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) has not been established.

Methods: The National Cancer Database was used to identify all patients with T1-T3, ER-positive, HER2-negative primary invasive breast cancer diagnosed from 2010 to 2015 who had Oncotype DX recurrence scores (RS) and received NCT.

Characterizing Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Invasive Lobular Breast Carcinoma.

Background: Pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) for breast cancer is associated with improved survival and facilitates conservative surgical strategies. Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) has been observed to have decreased response to NCT compared with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). This study seeks to evaluate national trends in the use of NCT for ILC compared with IDC, and determine if there is a subset of ILC patients who demonstrate favorable response rates.

Literacy Analysis of Spanish Online Resources for Breast Reconstruction.

Background: Health literacy studies indicate that literacy skills are linked to access to information and health outcomes, potentially contributing to health disparities. In the United States, minority and immigrant populations are more likely to have lower literacy skills than are other population groups. The aim of this study is to evaluate web-based health information prepared in Spanish for Hispanic women considering breast reconstruction surgery.

Surgical Risk Factors for the Delayed Initiation of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer.

Background: Timely administration of adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer is associated with a survival benefit. Specific elements of surgical management may lead to delays initiating chemotherapy, resulting in unfavorable outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between surgical factors and delayed chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.