The PARTNER trial of neoadjuvant olaparib with chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer.

PARTNER is a prospective, phase II-III, randomized controlled clinical trial that recruited patients with triple-negative breast cancer, who were germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 wild type. Here we report the results of the trial. Patients (n = 559) were randomized on a 1:1 basis to receive neoadjuvant carboplatin-paclitaxel with or without 150 mg olaparib twice daily, on days 3 to 14, of each of four cycles (gap schedule olaparib, research arm) followed by three cycles of anthracycline-based chemotherapy before surgery.

Factors associated with adjuvant systemic anti-cancer treatment discontinuation for early breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: The Covid-19 pandemic led to challenging discussions between oncology clinicians and patients regarding additional risks posed by SARS-CoV-2 infection whilst receiving systemic anti-cancer therapies (SACT). We assess the potential factors affecting discontinuation of adjuvant early breast cancer treatment during the pandemic.

Methods: Data were collected on all patients with early breast cancer undergoing adjuvant SACT, between 16 March and 17 April 2020 at a single UK cancer centre.

Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) following forward planned field-in field IMRT: results from the Cambridge Breast IMRT trial.

Background: The use of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in breast cancer reduces clinician-assessed breast tissue toxicity including fibrosis, telangectasia and sub-optimal cosmesis. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are also important as they provide the patient's perspective. This longitudinal study reports on (a) the effect of forward planned field-in-field IMRT (∼simple IMRT) on PROMs compared to standard RT at 5 years after RT, (b) factors affecting PROMs at 5years after RT and (c) the trend of PROMs over 5 years of follow up.

The Cambridge post-mastectomy radiotherapy (C-PMRT) index: a practical tool for patient selection.

Background And Purpose: Post mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) reduces loco-regional recurrence (LRR) and has been associated with survival benefit. It is recommended for patients with T3/T4 tumours and/or ⩾ 4 positive lymph nodes (LN). The role of PMRT in 1-3 positive LN and LN negative patients is contentious.

Randomized controlled trial of intensity-modulated radiotherapy for early breast cancer: 5-year results confirm superior overall cosmesis.

Purpose: There are few randomized controlled trial data to confirm that improved homogeneity with simple intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) decreases late breast tissue toxicity. The Cambridge Breast IMRT trial investigated this hypothesis, and the 5-year results are reported.

Patients And Methods: Standard tangential plans of 1,145 trial patients were analyzed; 815 patients had inhomogeneous plans (≥ 2 cm(3) receiving 107% of prescribed dose: 40 Gy in 15 fractions over 3 weeks) and were randomly assigned to standard radiotherapy (RT) or replanned with simple IMRT; 330 patients with satisfactory dose homogeneity were treated with standard RT and underwent the same follow-up as the randomly assigned patients.

Normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) parameters for breast fibrosis: pooled results from two randomised trials.

Introduction: The dose-volume effect of radiation therapy on breast tissue is poorly understood. We estimate NTCP parameters for breast fibrosis after external beam radiotherapy.

Materials And Methods: We pooled individual patient data of 5856 patients from 2 trials including whole breast irradiation followed with or without a boost.

Optimization and comparison of balloon-based partial breast brachytherapy using a single source, a standard plan line source, and both forward and inverse planned multilumen techniques.

Purpose: This study directly compares four dosimetric techniques for balloon-based partial breast brachytherapy: single source, standard line source, and both forward planned and inverse planned multilumen (ML). A standard line source plan is presented to be used in a single catheter or as a starting point for forward planned ML.

Methods And Materials: The study population consists of 12 patients previously treated with a single lumen.

Relationship between irradiated breast volume and late normal tissue complications: a systematic review.

The concept of radiation dose-volume effect has been exploited in breast cancer as boost treatment for high risk patients and more recently in trials of Partial Breast Irradiation for low risk patients. However, there appears to be paucity of published data on the dose-volume effect of irradiation on breast tissue including the recently published report on Quantitative Analyses of Normal Tissue Effects in the Clinic (QUANTEC). This systematic review looks at the current literature for relationship between irradiated breast volume and normal tissue complications and introduces the concept of dose modulation.

Small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder: a 15-year retrospective review of treatment and survival in the Anglian Cancer Network.

Objective: To report the clinical experience and management of patients with small cell carcinoma (SCC) of the bladder, treated in the Anglia Cancer network from 1992 to 2007, and to review published studies, as SCC is a rare condition, accounting for <1% of all bladder tumours, and there is no established treatment strategy for managing these patients.

Patients And Methods: We analysed retrospectively data from all patients diagnosed with SCC of the urinary bladder between 1992 and 2007, with an emphasis on stage, treatment and overall survival.

Results: Twenty patients were identified with primary bladder SCC (male: female ratio 3:1; mean age 68 years; mean follow-up 15.