Do breast quadrants explain racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes?

Racial, ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and survival of patients with breast cancer

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) on breast cancer outcomes.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed of Non-Hispanic Black (NHB), Non-Hispanic White (NHW), and Hispanic patients with non-metastatic breast cancer in the SEER cancer registry between 2007 and 2016.

RESULTS

A total of 382,975 patients were identified. On multivariate analysis, NHB (OR 1.18, 95%CI: 1.15-1.20) and Hispanic (OR 1.20, 95%CI: 1.17-1.22) patients were more likely to present with higher stage disease than NHW patients. There was an increased likelihood of not undergoing breast-reconstruction for NHB (OR 1.07, 95%CI: 1.03-1.11) and Hispanic patients (OR 1.60, 95%CI 1.54-1.66). NHB patients had increased hazard for all-cause mortality (HR: 1.13, 95%CI 1.10-1.16). All-cause mortality increased across SES categories (lower SES: HR 1.33, 95%CI 1.30-1.37, middle SES: HR 1.20, 95%CI 1.17-1.23).

CONCLUSIONS

This population-based analysis confirms worse disease presentation, access to surgical therapy, and survival across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors. These disparities were compounded across worsening SES and insurance coverage.

Understanding geographic and racial/ethnic disparities in mortality from four major cancers in the state of Georgia: a spatial epidemiologic analysis, 1999–2019

We examined geographic and racial variation in cancer mortality within the state of Georgia, and investigated the correlation between the observed spatial differences and county-level characteristics. We analyzed county-level cancer mortality data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer mortality among adults (aged ≥ 18 years) in 159 Georgia counties from years 1999 through 2019. Geospatial methods were applied, and we identified hot spot counties based on cancer mortality rates overall and stratified by non-Hispanic white (NH-white) and NH-black race/ethnicity. Among all adults, 5.0% (8 of 159), 8.2% (13 of 159), 5.0% (8 of 159), and 6.9% (11 of 159) of Georgia counties were estimated hot spots for breast cancer, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer mortality, respectively. Cancer mortality hot spots were heavily concentrated in three major areas: (1) eastern Piedmont to Coastal Plain regions, (2) southwestern rural Georgia area, or (3) northern-most rural Georgia. Overall, hot spot counties generally had higher proportion of NH-black adults, older adult population, greater poverty, and more rurality. In Georgia, targeted cancer prevention strategies and allocation of health resources are needed in counties with elevated cancer mortality rates, focusing on interventions suitable for NH-black race/ethnicity, low-income, and rural residents.

Differential expression of microRNA between triple negative breast cancer patients of African American and European American descent

There are racial disparities in the outcome of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients between women of African ancestry and women of European ancestry, even after accounting for lifestyle, socioeconomic and clinical factors. MicroRNA (miRNA) are non-coding molecules whose level of expression is associated with cancer suppression, proliferation and drug resistance; therefore, these have potential for biomarker applications in cancers including TNBC. Historically, miRNAs up-regulated in African American (AA) patients have received less attention than for patients of European ancestry. Using laser capture microdissection (LCM) to acquire ultrapure tumor cell samples, miRNA expression was evaluated in 15 AA and 15 European American (EA) TNBC patients. Tumor sections were evaluated using RNA extraction followed by miRNA analysis and profiling. Results were compared based on ethnicity and method of tissue fixation. miRNAs that showed high differential expression in AA TNBC patients compared to EA included: miR-19a, miR-192, miR-302a, miR-302b, miR-302c, miR-335, miR-520b, miR-520f and miR-645. LCM is a useful technique for isolation of tumor cells. We found a greater abundance of RNA in frozen samples compared to formalin fixed, paraffin embedded samples. miRNA appears to be a useful biomarker for TNBC to improve diagnosis and treatment.

Oncology care providers' awareness and practice related to physical activity promotion for breast cancer survivors and barriers and facilitators to such promotion: a nationwide cross-sectional web-based survey

Purpose

A known barrier to getting breast cancer survivors (BCSs) to engage in habitual exercise is a lack of information on recommended physical activity levels provided to them by oncology care providers (OCPs). However, the actual situation in Japan remains unclear. This study sought to clarify OCPs’ awareness and practice related to Japan’s physical activity recommendation for BCSs and to ascertain barriers to routine information provision.

Methods

We conducted a web-based survey involving members of the Japanese Breast Cancer Society (JBCS) and the Japanese Association of Cancer Rehabilitation between Dec. 2018 and Feb. 2019.

Results

Of 10,830 members, 1,029 (9.5%) responded. Only 19.1% were aware of the details of the JBCS physical activity recommendation, and only 21.2% routinely provided physical activity information to BCSs. Factors related to being aware of the recommendation details were 1) availability of the guidelines, 2) experience reading relevant parts of the guidelines, and 3) involvement in multidisciplinary team case meetings. Barriers to routine information provision were 1) absence of perceived work responsibility, 2) underestimation of survivors’ needs, 3) lack of resources, 4) lack of self-efficacy about the recommendation, and 5) poor knowledge of the recommendation.

Conclusions

Only one fifth of the OCPs routinely provided physical activity information. Barriers to provision were poor awareness, self-efficacy, and attitudes and unavailable resources. The physical activity recommendation needs to be disseminated to all OCPs and an information delivery system needs to be established for BCSs to receive appropriate information and support to promote their engagement in habitual physical activity.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00520-021-06706-8.

Association between body mass index and localization of breast cancer: results from a nationwide inpatient database in Japan

PURPOSE

Although both localization of breast cancer and body mass index (BMI) are associated with prognosis, the association between localization of breast cancer and BMI remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between localization of breast cancer and BMI at diagnosis.

METHODS

Patients who underwent surgery for stage 0-III breast cancer July 2010-March 2017 were identified retrospectively in a Japanese nationwide inpatient database. Multinomial logistic regression analyses adjusting for patient's age were conducted to compare the outcomes among five BMI groups: < 18.5 kg/m² (n = 31,724; 9.3%), 18.5-24.9 kg/m² (n = 218,244; 64.3%), 25.0-29.9 kg/m² (n = 69,813; 20.6%), 30.0-34.9 kg/m² (n = 16,052; 4.7%), and ≥ 35.0 kg/m² (n = 3716; 1.1%). The outcomes were the quadrant and side of the breast where tumors were detected.

RESULTS

In total, about half of the patients had breast cancer in the upper-outer quadrant (49.7%) and in the left breast (51.1%). In the multinomial analysis, BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m² was associated with the occurrence of breast cancer in the upper-inner and lower-outer quadrants and in the central area, whereas BMI < 18.5 kg/m² was associated with the occurrence of breast cancer in the central area only. The side of breast cancer did not differ significantly among the five BMI groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Localization of breast cancer was associated with BMI in this large nationwide cohort. The findings may benefit patients' self-checks and doctors' examinations, potentially resulting in early detection and treatment.