Validation of the BODY-Q Chest module in Finnish trans men undergoing chest wall masculinization

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The aim of gender affirmation surgery is to ease gender dysphoria. In transgender men, chest wall masculinization is the most common gender affirmation surgery. The BODY-Q Chest module is currently the only instrument developed to measure health-related quality of life (HRQL) in men undergoing chest wall surgery. Linguistic validation and cultural adaption to Finnish were performed previously. The study aims to validate the BODY-Q Chest module in transgender men who have undergone surgical chest wall masculinization.

METHODS

All transgender patients who underwent chest wall masculinization at Helsinki University Hospital between 2005 and 2018 were invited to the study. The BODY-Q Chest module comprises two scales-chest and nipple. Data were obtained using the BODY-Q Chest module, the 15D questionnaire, and specifically targeted items designed by the authors. The statistical analyses were conducted to exclude selection bias, evaluate validity of the instrument, and compare it to other instruments.

RESULTS

Of the 220 patients invited, 123 participated in the survey (response rate 56%). Ceiling effects were observed with 18.9% and 20.5% scoring maximum points. Cronbach's alpha was 0.92 and 0.88 for the chest and nipple scales, respectively. In exploratory factor analysis, both scales loaded to one factor confirming unidimensionality. Correlation with the generic 15D questionnaire was low.

CONCLUSIONS

The BODY-Q Chest module provides valid scores with sufficient consistency and reliability when measuring HRQL in transgender men undergoing chest wall masculinization. Moreover, it offers specificity that existing or generic instruments cannot provide. Ceiling effect was expected due to the postoperative status of participants.

Validation of the Spanish electronic version of the BREAST-Q questionnaire

BACKGROUND

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have gained considerable interest in health care moving beyond traditional outcome measures of morbidity and mortality. In breast cancer surgery, women's' perceptions of appearance, function and quality of life have become increasingly important. The BREAST-Q questionnaire is a validated PROM for use in cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery in clinical practice. The objective of this study was to validate the Spanish electronic version of the BREAST-Q questionnaire, to verify the measurement equivalence of digital and paper versions and to identify the possible disadvantages and advantages of implementing this new tool.

METHODS

The study population included 113 patients undergoing breast cancer survey at a single hospital in Barcelona (Spain) who were able to complete both the electronic and paper versions of the preoperative module of the BREAST-Q questionnaire.

RESULTS

The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) in the four domains of the questionnaire between the two versions of the questionnaire was >0.9, with a weighted kappa of >0.74 at item level. The reliability of the internal consistency was also excellent, with Cronbach's alpha coefficient of >0.70 in all domains. Age was a limiting factor for the delivery of the electronic version of BREAST-Q, with 69 years of age as the cut-off point to obtain reliable results.

CONCLUSIONS

The interchangeability of the electronic and paper versions of the BREAST-Q questionnaire facilitates implementation of this instrument in routine surgical oncological practice.

Patient-Reported Outcomes and Experiences Assessment in Women with Breast Cancer: Portuguese Case Study

In 2020, female breast cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, representing the type of cancer with the highest incidence among women and the second most common cause of cancer death among women in all OECD countries. The conventional measures addressing the burden of breast cancer by measuring mortality, incidence, and survival do not entirely reflect the quality of life and patients experience when receiving breast cancer care. The main objective of this study is to capture patient-reported outcomes and experiences in women with breast cancer in Portugal using methods developed for international benchmarking purposes, such as the OECD Patient-reported Indicators Surveys. The study included 378 women with breast cancer, with the age distribution being 19.8% aged 15 to 49 years and 80.2% aged 50 years and over. The data collection procedure and analysis followed the "OECD Breast Cancer Patient Reported Outcomes Working Group" protocol, allowing subsequent comparability with data from other OECD member countries. Most women were satisfied with the treatment outcome regarding the shape of their lumpectomy breast when wearing a bra (96.1%) and with the equal size of both breasts (78.3%). Findings on the WHO QOL-BREF showed that women manifest a lower score in well-being when compared with the general population or populations living with chronic diseases. This study shows the feasibility of implementing and using patient-reported metrics (PROM and PREM) in breast cancer services in Portugal. Measuring PROMs and PREMs from Portuguese women receiving breast cancer care provides insightful evidence into the quality and value of cancer care.

A Comparative Analysis of Patient Satisfaction and Cosmetic Outcomes after Breast Reconstruction through BREAST-Q and the Judgment of Medical Panels: Does it Reflect Well in Terms of Aesthetics in Korean Patients?

Background  Currently, the BREAST-Q can effectively measure patient's satisfaction on the quality of life from the patient's perspective in relation to different type of breast reconstruction. However, evaluation of patient satisfaction and cosmetic outcomes in breast reconstruction may have potential to led bias.

Methods  To maximize the benefits of using BREAST-Q to evaluate clinical outcome, we performed comparative study focused on the correlation between postoperative BREAST-Q and cosmetic outcomes assessed by medical professionals. For the current analysis, we used three postoperative BREAST-Q scales (satisfaction with breast, psychosocial well-being, and sexual well-being). The Ten-Point Scale by Visser et al was applied to provide reproducible grading of the postoperative cosmetic outcomes of the breast. The system includes six subscales that measured overall aesthetic outcome, volume, shape, symmetry, scarring, and nipple-areolar complex. The photographic assessments were made by five medical professionals who were shown photographs on a computer screen in a random order. Obtained data were stored in Excel and evaluated by Spearman's correlations using SPSS Statistics.

Results  We enrolled 92 women in this study, 10 did not respond to all scales of postoperative BREAST-Q, the remaining 82 women had undergone breast reconstruction. The correlation between BREAST-Q score and aesthetic score measured by Ten-Point Scale for the three BREAST-Q scales all show positive values in Spearman's correlation coefficient.

Conclusion  A significant correlation without any bias observed was found between the patient's satisfaction measured by BREAST-Q after breast reconstruction and the medical expert's aesthetic evaluation.

Protocol for a multicentre, prospective, cohort study to investigate patient satisfaction and quality of life after immediate breast reconstruction in Japan: the SAQLA study

INTRODUCTION

The aim of breast reconstruction (BR) is to improve patients' health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Therefore, measuring patient-reported outcomes (PROs) would clarify the value and impact of BR on a patient's life and thus would provide evidence-based information to help decision-making. The Satisfaction and Quality of Life After Immediate Breast Reconstruction study aimed to investigate satisfaction and HRQOL in Japanese patients with breast cancer who undergo immediate breast reconstruction (IBR).

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This ongoing prospective, observational multicentre study will assess 406 patients who had unilateral breast cancer and underwent mastectomy and IBR, and were recruited from April 2018 to July 2019. All participants were recruited from seven hospitals: Okayama University Hospital, Iwate Medical University Hospital, The Cancer Institute Hospital of Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Showa University Hospital, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Osaka University Hospital and Yokohama City University Medical Center. The patients will be followed up for 36 months postoperatively. The primary endpoint of this study will be the time-dependent changes in BREAST-Q satisfaction with breast subscale scores for 12 months after reconstructive surgery, which will be collected via an electronic PRO system.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study will be performed in accordance with the Ethical Guidelines for Medical and Health Research Involving Human Subjects published by Japan's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the modified Act on the Protection of Personal Information and the Declaration of Helsinki. This study protocol was approved by the institutional ethics committee at the Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, on 2 February 2018 (1801-039) and all other participating sites. The findings of this trial will be submitted to an international peer-reviewed journal.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

UMIN000032177.

Factors Associated With Fatigue in Patients with Breast Cancer Undergoing External Beam Radiation Therapy

PURPOSE

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF), a prevalent symptom among cancer patients, is a side effect of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). Even when targeting organs unrelated to caloric intake or the central nervous system, radiation therapy can increase CRF, a poorly understood toxicity resulting from patient-specific, systemic therapy-related, and radiation-specific factors. We sought to determine factors associated with fatigue among patients receiving EBRT for breast cancer.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

To determine the variables associated with fatigue among patients with nonmetastatic breast cancer, we retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected toxicity data for a cohort of 1286 adult females with breast cancer who began curative-intent EBRT between April 4, 2010, and October 10, 2017. We hypothesized certain variables are associated with provider-reported Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4 fatigue, graded 0 to 3, at baseline and over the course of radiation treatment.

RESULTS

All patients were women, with a median age of 57 (range, 24-90). Mean fatigue was low (0.35 [95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.38]) at the start of radiation, increasing weekly and peaking at week 6 (0.85 [0.81-0.90]). Baseline fatigue was associated with higher American Joint Committee on Cancer stage (P < .001), N-stage (P < .001), anxiolytics (P < .001), anticonvulsants (P = .002), antidepressants (P = .006), antihistamines (P < .001), and antipsychotics (P < .001). Chemotherapy was not associated with baseline fatigue. Over the course of treatment, on multivariable analysis, only lower dose per fraction (P < .001) was significantly associated with increasing fatigue. In a subgroup analysis, heart and lung mean, V5, and V20 doses were not found to be associated with increasing fatigue.

CONCLUSIONS

This work informs clinicians which factors are associated with CRF at the start of radiation therapy (more advanced disease and prescription of anxiolytics, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antihistamines, and antipsychotics) and increase CRF over the course of radiation (smaller fraction size). This extensive analysis of factors associated with fatigue provides further evidence that hypofractionated radiation therapy for breast cancer is associated with less acute toxicity than conventionally fractionated treatment.

Quantitative 3-Dimensional Photographic Assessment of Breast Cosmesis After Whole Breast Irradiation for Early Stage Breast Cancer: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Purpose

Our purpose was to use 3-dimensional (3D) surface photography to quantitatively measure breast cosmesis within the framework of a randomized clinical trial of conventionally fractionated (CF) and hypofractionated (HF) whole breast irradiation (WBI); to identify how 3D measurements are associated with patient- and physician-reported cosmesis; and to determine whether objective measures of breast symmetry varied by WBI treatment arm or transforming growth factor β 1 (TGFβ1) status.

Methods and Materials

From 2011 to 2014, 287 women age ≥40 with ductal carcinoma in situ or early-stage invasive breast cancer were enrolled in a multicenter trial and randomized to HF-WBI or CF-WBI with a boost. Three-dimensional surface photography was performed at 3 years posttreatment. Patient-reported cosmetic outcomes were recorded with the Breast Cancer Treatment Outcome Scale. Physician-reported cosmetic outcomes were assessed by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group scale. Volume ratios and 6 quantitative measures of breast symmetry, termed F1-6C, were calculated using the breast contour and fiducial points assessed on 3D surface images. Associations between all metrics, patient- and physician-reported cosmesis, treatment arm, and TGFβ1 genotype were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and multivariable logistic regression models.

Results

Among 77 (39 CF-WBI and 38 HF-WBI) evaluable patients, both patient- and physician-reported cosmetic outcomes were significantly associated with the F1C vertical symmetry measure (both P < .05). Higher dichotomized F1C and volumetric symmetry measures were associated with improved patient- and physician-reported cosmesis on multivariable logistic regression (both P ≤ .05). There were no statistically significant differences in vertical symmetry or volume measures between treatment arms. Increased F6C horizontal symmetry was observed in the CF-WBI arm (P = .05). Patients with the TGFβ1 C-509T variant allele had lower F2C vertical symmetry measures (P = .02).

Conclusions

Quantitative 3D image-derived measures revealed comparable cosmetic outcomes with HF-WBI compared with CF-WBI. Our findings suggest that 3D surface imaging may be a more sensitive method for measuring subtle cosmetic changes than global patient- or physician-reported assessments.

The Role of Oncoplastic Surgery for Breast Cancer

OPINION STATEMENT

Oncoplastic surgery (OPS) expands the indications and possibilities of breast-conserving surgery (BCS) by allowing for a wider cancer resection than lumpectomy. Ongoing investigation and reporting of OPS outcomes along with improvements in comprehensive training in breast surgical oncology will impact on awareness and lead to increased adoption of these techniques. Indications for OPS include concern about clear margins, poor tumor location (upper inner pole and lower quadrant), multifocality, need for skin excision, and poor candidacy for mastectomy and reconstruction. OPS has been proven to be oncological safe with comparable rates of complications, positive margins, and re-excisions with BCS. Additionally, OPS has a positive impact on the quality of life and self-esteem when compared with those patients that underwent BCT.

Patient reported cosmetic outcome after vacuum assisted excision of benign breast lesions: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

Better cosmetic outcome after vacuum assisted excision (VAE) compared to surgical excision of benign breast lesions is suggested in previous studies but has never been evaluated with validated outcome measures. In this study, patient reported cosmetic outcome after VAE was evaluated.

METHODS

Patients who underwent VAE between July 2017 and December 2018 were invited to complete the cosmetic subscale of the Dutch Breast Cancer Treatment Outcome Scale, comparing the treated with the untreated breast. Response mode ranged from 1 (no difference) to 4 (large difference) and cosmetic outcome was calculated as the unweighted mean. Clinical outcomes included: tumor size, number of cores, complications, residual lesions and recurrences.

RESULTS

Response rate was 73.4% (47 of 64 patients). Median tumor size was 15 mm (range 5-51 mm) and median number of cores 6.5 (range 1-85), complete excision was confirmed in all but two patients. Mean cosmetic outcome was good (mean score ≤1.75) in 74% of patients and no patients reported a poor cosmetic outcome (mean score >3.25). A hematoma occurred in five patients (one needed aspiration) and a skin rash in one patient, no patients developed an infection or seroma.

CONCLUSION

In this study VAE is safe and effective for tumors up to 5 cm and patient reported cosmetic outcome was good. Patients with benign lesions could benefit from VAE as an alternative for surgical excision.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

A formal quantitative measurement of cosmetic outcome after vacuum assisted excision for benign breast lesions was still lacking. This study shows that this cosmetic outcome is overall good in benign lesions up to 5 cm.

Does 2-Stage Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction Allow for a Larger Volume of the Definite Implant Compared With 1-Stage Reconstruction?

INTRODUCTION

Breast reconstruction using implants is still the main breast reconstruction technique worldwide. Current debate within implant-based breast reconstruction is whether to perform a 1-stage (direct implant) or 2-stage (tissue expander/implant) reconstruction. Volume differences between a woman's native breast and changes in volume after breast reconstruction might be an important factor for a patient's choice between these types of reconstruction. Three-dimensional imaging facilitates objective breast volume estimates. The goal of this study was to investigate differences between the patient's natural breast and the volume after completed breast reconstruction. One- and two-stage implant-based breast reconstruction techniques were compared. Finally, it was assessed whether patient satisfaction is causally related with the final breast volume after reconstruction.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 38 patients were included in the study, including 35 two-stage breast reconstructions and 27 one-stage reconstructions. Preoperative and postoperative 3-dimensional images of the breast with the Vectra XT Imaging system were taken. Volume analysis was performed to estimate the patient's native breast volume. Implant size were derived from the operation report. A mean volume reduction for the 1-stage reconstruction group was found -1 mL, whereas an increase of +80 mL was found in the 2-stage reconstruction group (P < 0.005). Patient satisfaction related to volume outcome was not significantly different between both groups, using the Breast-Q questionnaire.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that a 2-stage breast reconstruction has the potential of an increased breast volume compared with a similar breast volume in 1-stage reconstruction.

Retrospective analysis of breast radiotherapy treatment plans: Curating the 'non-curated'

INTRODUCTION

This paper provides a demonstration of how non-curated data can be retrospectively cleaned, so that existing repositories of radiotherapy treatment planning data can be used to complete bulk retrospective analyses of dosimetric trends and other plan characteristics.

METHODS

A non curated archive of 1137 radiotherapy treatment plans accumulated over a 12-month period, from five radiotherapy centres operated by one institution, was used to investigate and demonstrate a process of clinical data cleansing, by: identifying and translating inconsistent structure names; correcting inconsistent lung contouring; excluding plans for treatments other than breast tangents and plans without identifiable PTV, lung and heart structures; and identifying but not excluding plans that deviated from the local planning protocol. PTV, heart and lung dose-volume metrics were evaluated, in addition to a sample of personnel and linac load indicators.

RESULTS

Data cleansing reduced the number of treatment plans in the sample by 35.7%. Inconsistent structure names were successfully identified and translated (e.g. 35 different names for lung). Automatically separating whole lung structures into left and right lung structures allowed the effect of contralateral and ipsilateral lung dose to be evaluated, while introducing some small uncertainties, compared to manual contouring. PTV doses were indicative of prescription doses. Breast treatment work was unevenly distributed between oncologists and between metropolitan and regional centres.

CONCLUSION

This paper exemplifies the data cleansing and data analysis steps that may be completed using existing treatment planning data, to provide individual radiation oncology departments with access to information on their own patient populations. Clearly, the well-planned and systematic recording of new, high quality data is the preferred solution, but the retrospective curation of non-curated data may be a useful interim solution, for radiation oncology departments where the systems for recording of new data have yet to be designed and agreed.

Quality of life after oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery (OBCS) has gained increasing attention as a treatment option for early breast cancer patients, aiming to achieve the best possible breast symmetry with concomitant oncological safety. This paper aims to systematically review the current literature on patient quality of life (QoL) after OBCS compared with QoL after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) alone.

METHODS

MEDLINE via Ovid, CINAHL via EBSCO and PsycINFO via OvidSP were searched to retrieve all relevant studies. The reference lists of identified eligible studies were manually examined to search for additional eligible studies. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme.

RESULTS

A total of six articles met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies used validated patient-reported outcome measures for assessing QoL with good response rates. However, only one study was of sufficiently good quality to provide good evidence (P < 0.05) in favour of OBCS, while the remainder were of low to moderate quality with differences in outcomes that were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

The review found that the current evidence base is limited and not adequate enough to support or to reject the assumption that OBCS is associated with improved QoL when compared with QoL post-BCS. However, the majority of studies show that OBCS is associated with a trend towards better patient QoL. The impact of OBCS on patient QoL needs to be more adequately investigated. Large prospective cohort studies to assess the impact of OBCS on QoL compared with QoL post-BCS are strongly recommended.

Patient-reported outcome measures among breast cancer survivors: A cross-sectional comparison between Malaysia and high-income countries

OBJECTIVES

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in high-income countries (HICs) suggest that physical, emotional, and psychological needs are important in cancer care. To date, there have been few inconsistent descriptions of PROs in low-income and middle-income Asian countries. Using a standard questionnaire developed by the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM), we compared the perceived importance of PROs between patients in Malaysia and those in HICs and between clusters of Malaysian women.

METHODS

Breast cancer patients were recruited from three Malaysian hospitals between June and November 2017. We compared the proportion of patients who rated PROs as very important (scored 7-9 on a 9-point Likert scale) between Malaysian patients and data collected from patients in HICs via the ICHOM questionnaire development process, using logistic regression. A two-step cluster analysis explored differences in PROs among Malaysian patients.

RESULTS

The most important PROs for both cohorts were survival, overall well-being, and physical functioning. Compared with HIC patients (n = 1177), Malaysian patients (n = 969) were less likely to rate emotional (78% vs 90%), cognitive (76% vs 84%), social (72% vs 81%), and sexual (30% vs 56%) functioning as very important outcomes (P < 0.001). Cluster analysis suggests that older, parous, Malaysian women, who were less likely to have received breast reconstructive surgery, were more likely to rate body image and satisfaction with the breast as very important outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Taking into account the differences in PROs by cultural and socioeconomic settings could improve patient expectation of services and refine the assessment of cancer care outcomes.

Comprehensive Validation Study of Quality-of-Life Questionnaire Using Objective Clinical Measures: Breast Cancer Treatment Outcome Scale (BCTOS), Brazilian Portuguese Version

INTRODUCTION

When evaluating a quality-of-life questionnaire (QLQ), many validation studies do not correlate quality-of-life scores with objective measurements of complications associated with treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional observational study with 300 patients submitted to breast-conserving therapy. The patients answered the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQs C-30 and BR23, as well as the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Breast Cancer Treatment Outcome Scale (BCTOS) questionnaire. Retest, internal consistency, factorial analysis, convergent/divergent analysis, and Rasch evaluation were performed. All patients underwent physical evaluations to assess lymphedema, handgrip strength, shoulder range of motion, breast cosmesis, and breast pain, and these groups were compared on the basis of BCTOS scores. Receiver operating characteristic curve determined the predictive value of BCTOS scores associated with clinical practice.

RESULTS

The internal consistencies of the BCTOS domains ranged from 0.785 to 0.895. Factor analysis grouped according to the original questionnaire. Convergent validation showed differences in the sexual functioning and sexual enjoyment domains of the EORTC BR23. Analysis of known groups found that in most domains, the scores were higher in patients with lymphedema, strength deficit, shoulder range-of-motion alteration, poor breast cosmesis, breast pain, and axillary lymphadenectomy. Using a cutoff of 1.26, lymphedema was associated with the edema domain; using a cutoff of 1.33, Late Effects Normal Tissue Task Force/Subjective, Objective, Management, Analytic pain was associated with the pain domain; and using a cutoff of 2.37, the cosmetic domain was associated with subjective cosmesis.

CONCLUSION

The association of objective measurements in a validation study of quality of life qualified the study and allowed us to develop better parameters for comparisons of results of breast-conserving therapy between populations.

Quality-of-life results for accelerated partial breast irradiation with interstitial brachytherapy versus whole-breast irradiation in early breast cancer after breast-conserving surgery (GEC-ESTRO): 5-year results of a randomised, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

Previous results from the GEC-ESTRO trial showed that accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) using multicatheter brachytherapy in the treatment of early breast cancer after breast-conserving surgery was non-inferior to whole-breast irradiation in terms of local control and overall survival. Here, we present 5-year results of patient-reported quality of life.

METHODS

We did this randomised controlled phase 3 trial at 16 hospitals and medical centres in seven European countries. Patients aged 40 years or older with 0-IIA breast cancer were randomly assigned (1:1) after breast-conserving surgery (resection margins ≥2 mm) to receive either whole-breast irradiation of 50 Gy with a boost of 10 Gy or APBI using multicatheter brachytherapy. Randomisation was stratified by study centre, tumour type, and menopausal status, with a block size of ten and an automated dynamic algorithm. There was no masking of patients or investigators. The primary endpoint of the trial was ipsilateral local recurrence. Here, we present 5-year results of quality of life (a prespecified secondary endpoint). Quality-of-life questionnaires (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30, breast cancer module QLQ-BR23) were completed before radiotherapy (baseline 1), immediately after radiotherapy (baseline 2), and during follow-up. We analysed the data according to treatment received (as-treated population). Recruitment was completed in 2009, and long-term follow-up is continuing. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00402519.

FINDINGS

Between April 20, 2004, and July 30, 2009, 633 patients had accelerated partial breast irradiation and 551 patients had whole-breast irradiation. Quality-of-life questionnaires at baseline 1 were available for 334 (53%) of 663 patients in the APBI group and 314 (57%) of 551 patients in the whole-breast irradiation group; the response rate was similar during follow-up. Global health status (range 0-100) was stable in both groups: at baseline 1, APBI group mean score 65·5 (SD 20·6) versus whole-breast irradiation group 64·6 (19·6), p=0·37; at 5 years, APBI group 66·2 (22·2) versus whole-breast irradiation group 66·0 (21·8), p=0·94. The only moderate, significant difference (difference of 10-20 points) between the groups was found in the breast symptoms scale. Breast symptom scores were significantly higher (ie, worse) after whole-breast irradiation than after APBI at baseline 2 (difference of means 13·6, 95% CI 9·7-17·5; p<0·0001) and at 3-month follow-up (difference of means 12·7, 95% CI 9·8-15·6; p<0·0001).

INTERPRETATION

APBI with multicatheter brachytherapy was not associated with worse quality of life compared with whole-breast irradiation. This finding supports APBI as an alternative treatment option after breast-conserving surgery for patients with early breast cancer.

FUNDING

German Cancer Aid.

Patient-reported outcomes following neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy treatment for esophageal cancer: a scoping review protocol

REVIEW OBJECTIVE

The objective of this scoping review is to identify, describe and compare studies investigating patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in esophageal cancer patients following neoadjuvant (preoperative) chemotherapy (CT) and surgery or neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and surgery.After preliminary searching of the literature and consultation with experts in the fields of esophageal cancer surgery, behavioral science, information systems and scoping review methodology, the following research objectives were defined as follows.

CHF-PROM: validation of a patient-reported outcome measure for patients with chronic heart failure

BACKGROUND

Due to a lack of an appropriate disease-specific patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument for chronic heart failure including its social support and treatment aspects in China, this study was performed to develop a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for patients with chronic heart failure and evaluate its reliability, validity, and feasibility.

METHODS

According to the standard PROM guidelines established by the Food and Drug Administration, an item pool was formed by reviewing a large amount of relevant literature and interviewing patients with chronic heart failure about their main symptoms. Thus, the primary scale was created after adjusting the items and language with the help of patients and experts in the field. Next, 155 patients from 8 hospitals in different districts were recruited for a pilot survey using questionnaires containing these items. The patients' responses were analyzed using the classical test theory and item response theory to select high-quality items and determine the subdomains of the scale. This was followed by a formal investigation in the same eight hospitals. In total, 360 patients and 100 healthy subjects were included to evaluate the reliability, validity, and feasibility of the items. Through this process, the final scale was established.

RESULTS

The final scale comprised 12 subdomains with 57 items related to physical, psychological, social, and therapeutic areas. The data analysis results of the formal investigation showed that the PROM for chronic heart failure had good reliability, validity, and feasibility. Reliability was verified by Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which was 0.913 for the total scale, 0.903 for the physical domain, 0.941 for the psychological domain, 0.827 for the social domain, and 0.839 for the therapeutic domain. The construct validity results met the relative criteria of confirmatory factor analysis. Discriminant validity was represented by score comparisons of nine subdomains. The response rate and the effective rate of return of the CHF-PROM were 98.94% and 98.92%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The final scale coincides with the theoretical framework and better reflects the overall quality of life of patients with chronic heart failure. This scale can be used as a valid instrument to evaluate clinical treatment and clinical trials of chronic heart failure.

Body image dissatisfaction in patients undergoing breast reconstruction: Examining the roles of breast symmetry and appearance investment

OBJECTIVE

Reconstruction as part of treatment for breast cancer is aimed at mitigating body image concerns after mastectomy. Although algorithms have been developed to objectively assess breast reconstruction outcomes, associations between objectively quantified breast aesthetic appearance and patient-reported body image outcomes have not been examined. Further, the role of appearance investment in explaining a patient's body image is not well understood. We investigated the extent to which objectively quantified breast symmetry and patient-reported appearance investment were associated with body image dissatisfaction in patients undergoing cancer-related breast reconstruction.

METHODS

Breast cancer patients in different stages of reconstruction (n = 190) completed self-report measures of appearance investment and body image dissatisfaction. Vertical extent and horizontal extent symmetry values, which are indicators of breast symmetry, were calculated from clinical photographs. Associations among breast symmetry, appearance investment, body image dissatisfaction, and patient clinical factors were examined. Multi-variable regression was used to evaluate the extent to which symmetry and appearance investment were associated with body image dissatisfaction.

RESULTS

Vertical extent symmetry, but not horizontal extent symmetry, was associated with body image dissatisfaction. Decreased vertical extent symmetry (β = -.19, P < .05) and increased appearance investment (β = .45, P < .001) were significantly associated with greater body image dissatisfaction while controlling for clinical factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Breast symmetry and patient appearance investment both significantly contribute to an understanding of patient-reported body image satisfaction during breast reconstruction treatment.

International validation of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-BRECON23 quality-of-life questionnaire for women undergoing breast reconstruction

Background

The aim was to carry out phase 4 international field-testing of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) breast reconstruction (BRECON) module. The primary objective was finalization of its scale structure. Secondary objectives were evaluation of its reliability, validity, responsiveness, acceptability and interpretability in patients with breast cancer undergoing mastectomy and reconstruction.

Methods

The EORTC module development guidelines were followed. Patients were recruited from 28 centres in seven countries. A prospective cohort completed the QLQ-BRECON15 before mastectomy and the QLQ-BRECON24 at 4–8 months after reconstruction. The cross-sectional cohort completed the QLQ-BRECON24 at 1–5 years after reconstruction, and repeated this 2–8 weeks later (test–retest reliability). All participants completed debriefing questionnaires.

Results

A total of 438 patients were recruited, 234 in the prospective cohort and 204 in the cross-sectional cohort. A total of 414 reconstructions were immediate, with a comparable number of implants (176) and donor-site flaps (166). Control groups comprised patients who underwent two-stage implant procedures (72, 75 per cent) or delayed reconstruction (24, 25 per cent). Psychometric scale validity was supported by moderate to high item-own scale and item-total correlations (over 0·5). Questionnaire validity was confirmed by good scale-to-sample targeting, and computable scale scores exceeding 50 per cent, except nipple cosmesis (over 40 per cent). In known-group comparisons, QLQ-BRECON24 scales and items differentiated between patient groups defined by clinical criteria, such as type and timing of reconstruction, postmastectomy radiotherapy and surgical complications, with moderate effect sizes. Prospectively, sexuality and surgical side-effects scales showed significant responsiveness over time (P &lt; 0·001). Scale reliability was supported by high Cronbach's α coefficients (over 0·7) and test–retest (intraclass correlation more than 0·8). One item (finding a well fitting bra) was excluded based on high floor/ceiling effects, poor test–retest and weak correlations in factor analysis (below 0·3), thus generating the QLQ-BRECON23 questionnaire.

Conclusion

The QLQ-BRECON23 is an internationally validated tool to be used alongside the EORTC QLQ-C30 (cancer) and QLQ-BR23 (breast cancer) questionnaires for evaluating quality of life and satisfaction after breast reconstruction.

The potential role of three-dimensional surface imaging as a tool to evaluate aesthetic outcome after Breast Conserving Therapy (BCT)

PURPOSE

To establish whether objective measurements of symmetry of volume and shape using three-dimensional surface imaging (3D-SI) can be used as surrogate markers of aesthetic outcome in patients who have undergone breast conserving therapy (BCT).

METHODS

Women who had undergone unilateral BCT in the preceding 1-6 years were invited to participate. Participants completed a satisfaction questionnaire (BREAST-Q) and underwent 3D-SI. Volume and surface symmetry were measured on the images. Assessment of aesthetic outcome was undertaken by a panel of clinicians. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to assess the relationship between volume and shape symmetry measurements with the panel score. Spearman's rho correlations were used to assess the relationship between the measurements and patient satisfaction.

RESULTS

200 women participated. Median volume symmetry was 87% (IQR 78-93) and shape symmetry was 5.9 mm (IQR 4.2-8.0). The participants were grouped according to panel assessment of aesthetic outcome (poor, fair, good, excellent) and the median volume and shape symmetry was calculated for each group. Volume symmetry significantly differed between the groups. Post hoc pairwise comparisons demonstrated that these differences existed between panel scores of fair versus good and good versus excellent. Median shape symmetry also differed according to patient panel groups with four significant pairwise comparisons between poor versus good, poor versus excellent, fair versus good and fair versus excellent. There was a significant but weak correlation of both volume symmetry and surface asymmetry with BREAST-Q scores (correlation coefficients 0.187 and -0.229, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Breast volume and shape symmetry are both associated with panel assessment scores and patient satisfaction. The objective volume and shape symmetry measures were strongly associated with panel assessment scores, such that a 3D-SI tool could replace panel assessment as a faster and more objective method of evaluating aesthetic outcomes.

BC-PROM: validation of a patient-reported outcomes measure for patients with breast cancer

Key issues of treatment for patients with breast cancer such as patient satisfaction with treatments, compliance, and some side effects are essential for evaluating quality of life by patient-reported outcomes in clinical trials. The study aimed to develop and evaluate a specific patient-reported measure which included physical, psychological, social, and therapeutic domain for assessing the survival of patients with breast cancer.The pool of items was drafted after a theoretical revision and cognitive interviews with women with breast cancer. The draft scale was formed after the adjustment of the items and dimensions, and the selected items were submitted to expert's judgments. Five statistical methods were used to select these items by 2 validation samples. The final scale was administered to a sample of 417 patients from 8 hospitals and 135 controls for reliability, validity, and responsive analyses.The final BC-PROM consisted of 52 items, 13 subdomains, and 4 domains, being developed after preexamination and formal examination. Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.902 and 0.712 for the full scale and therapeutic domain. The structural validity results showed that the multidimensional measurement of the scale fulfilled expectations. Differences in the BC-PROM mean scores were significant between cancer patients and healthy participants in 13 subdomains (P < .05), indicating good responsiveness. Among the sample survey of patients, the scale copy acceptance rate was 98.2%, completion rate 94.6%, and average filling time 10 minutes.The new and reliable BC-PROM was developed in patients with breast cancer and applied to clinical treatment evaluation and clinical trials for such patients.

Life satisfaction of women of working age shortly after breast cancer surgery

Purpose

To explore, among women of working age, satisfaction with life as a whole and with different life domains, and its associations with social and health variables, shortly after breast cancer surgery.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 605 women, aged 20–63 years, who had had breast cancer surgery with no distant metastasis, pre-surgical chemotherapy, or previous breast cancer. Associations between LiSat-11 and demographic and social factors as well as health- and treatment-related variables were analysed by multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Compared with Swedish reference levels, the women were, after breast cancer surgery, less satisfied with life, particularly sexual life. Women working shortly after breast cancer surgery were more often satisfied with life in provision domains compared with the reference population. Although most included variables showed associations with satisfaction, after adjustment for all significantly associated variables, only six variables—having children, being in work, having emotional and informational social support, and having good physical and emotional functioning—were positively associated with satisfaction with life as a whole. The odds ratios for satisfaction were higher in most life domains if the woman had social support and good emotional and cognitive functioning.

Conclusions

One month after breast cancer surgery, satisfaction with different life domains was associated primarily with social support and health-related functioning. However, this soon after surgery, treatment-related variables showed no significant associations with life satisfaction. These results are useful for planning interventions to enhance e.g. social support and emotional as well as cognitive functioning.

Comparison of preoperative quality of life in breast reconstruction, breast aesthetic and non-breast plastic surgery patients: A cross-sectional study

A breast cancer diagnosis imposes significant emotional and psychological duress. The purpose of this study is to assess the baseline quality of life (QOL) of immediate, delayed, and secondary breast reconstruction patients, comparing these results with QOL in women seeking plastic surgery for cosmetic breast, and non-breast procedures. From 2012 through 2013, immediate (group 1), delayed (group 2), and secondary (Group 3) reconstruction patients, aesthetic breast (group 4) and non-breast plastic surgery patients (group 5) answered Breast-Q questionnaires. Groups 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 answered 141, 12, 23, 72 and 160 preoperative questionnaires respectively. There was no difference (p = NS) in breast satisfaction, psychosocial well-being, physical well-being-chest, and sexual well-being between groups 1 and 5. Group 1 had higher satisfaction with breast (p < 0.01), psychosocial (p < 0.01) and sexual well-being (p < 0.01) when compared to groups 2 and 4. Group 1 had higher satisfaction with breasts (p < 0.01) compared to group 3. Group 4 did not differ in satisfaction with breasts, psychosocial, and sexual well-being, compared to groups 2 and 3. Group 4 had lower scores in all domains, compared to groups 1 and 5 (p < 0.01). No significant difference in QOL was found between groups 2 and 3. Preoperatively, immediate reconstruction patients had similar satisfaction with breasts, psychosocial well-being, and chest physical well-being, compared to non-breast plastic surgery patients. Aesthetic breast surgery patients demonstrate similar low scores in satisfaction with breasts, psychosocial well-being, and sexual well-being to those of patients prior to delayed breast reconstruction, or secondary salvage procedures.

Prevalence and risk factors associated with pain 21 months following surgery for breast cancer

PURPOSE

This study investigated (1) the prevalence of pain following breast cancer treatment including moderate-to-severe persistent pain and (2) the association of risk factors, present 1 month following surgery, with pain at 21 months following surgery. This information may aid the development of clinical guidelines for early pain assessment and intervention in this population.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective analysis of core and breast modules of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) questionnaire from 121 participants with early breast cancer. The relationships between potential risk factors (subscales derived from the EORTC), measured within 1 month following surgery, and pain at 21 months following surgery were analysed using univariable and multi-variable logistic regression.

RESULTS

At 21 months following surgery, 46.3 % of participants reported pain, with 24 % categorised as having moderate or severe pain. Prevalence of pain was similar between those who underwent axillary lymph node dissection versus biopsy. Univariate logistic regression identified baseline pain (odds ratio (95 % CI): 2.7 (1.1 to 6.4)); baseline arm symptoms (11.2 (1.4 to 89.8)); emotional function (0.4 (0.1 to 0.8)) and insomnia (2.3 (1.1 to 4.7) as significantly associated with pain at 21 months. In multi-variable analysis, two factors were independently associated with pain at 21 months-baseline arm symptoms and emotional subscale scores.

CONCLUSION

Pain is a significant problem following breast cancer treatment in both the early post-operative period and months following surgery. Risk factors for pain at long-term follow-up included arm symptoms and higher emotional subscale scores at baseline.

Development of a Japanese version of the BREAST-Q and the traditional psychometric test of the mastectomy module for the assessment of HRQOL and patient satisfaction following breast surgery

BACKGROUND

An understanding of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is of utmost importance in both oncological and esthetic breast surgery. The BREAST-Q is a patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure that investigates HRQOL and patient satisfaction before and after breast surgery. The aim of this study was to develop a Japanese version of the BREAST-Q including the mastectomy module, the reconstruction module, the augmentation module and the reduction/mastopexy module, and to assess the psychometric properties of the mastectomy module among Japanese women.

METHODS

The Japanese version of the BREAST-Q was developed through forward translation, backward translation and patient testing. Traditional psychometric testing of the mastectomy module was administered to 45 post-mastectomy patients.

RESULTS

The mastectomy, reconstruction, augmentation and reduction/mastopexy modules were formally developed into Japanese. Despite cultural difference between Japanese women and original target population, the contents were considered to be valid among Japanese woman. With the exception of the sexual well-being subscale, good reliability and validity were evident for the mastectomy module (Test-retest reliability 0.76-0.95, Chronbach's alpha coefficient 0.77-0.98).

CONCLUSIONS

The BREAST-Q Japanese version is a useful PRO measure for investigating the impact of breast surgery on HRQOL and patient satisfaction. Further validation in younger Japanese women is needed to determine the usefulness of the sexual well-being subscale.

Hepatic Lesions Detected after Mastectomy, in Breast Cancer Patients with Hepatitis Background May Need to Undergo Liver Biopsy to Rule Out Second Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma

PURPOSE

Liver metastasis is a common phenomenon in breast cancer patients. Hepatic lesions detected in breast cancer patients may be easily misdiagnosed as metastatic sites, rather than being treated as primary foci. This descriptive study aims to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of second primary hepatocellular carcinoma in breast cancer patients and to infer in which circumstances liver biopsy is needed.

METHODS

Eighty-one consecutive breast cancer patients with hepatic lesions admitted to our department were retrospectively studied and analyzed from January 2009 to March 2014 according to Warren and Gates' criteria for second primary cancers.

RESULTS

Second primary hepatocellular carcinoma was observed in sixteen of seventy eight patients with breast cancer. There was a significant difference in HBV status between the second HCC group and liver metastases group (P<0.0001). There was no significant difference in age (P = 0.2254) and family history (P = 0.1160) between second primary HCC and metastases group. Two of these patients had synchronous second primary hepatocellular carcinoma and the remaining fourteen patients had metachronous second primary HCC. All sixteen patients were infected with hepatitis, including hepatitis virus B and C, or resolved HBV infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Breast cancer patients with either HBV infection or resolved HBV infection, regardless of an elevated AFP level, may receive liver biopsy to avoid unnecessary and inappropriate treatments for metastasis. Awareness of second primary HCC in breast cancer patients needs to be emphasized.

Development and Evaluation of a Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) Scale for Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

This study was guided by principles of the theoretical system of evidence-based medicine. In particular, when searching for evidence of breast cancer, a measuring scale is an instrument for evaluating curative effects in accordance with the laws and characteristics of medicine and exploring the establishment of a system for medically assessing curative effects. At present, there exist few tools for evaluating curative effects. Patient- reported outcomes (PROs) refer to outcomes directly reported by patients (without input or explanations from doctors or other intermediaries) with respect to all aspects of their health. Data obtained from PROs provide evidence of treatment effects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In accordance with the tenets of theoretical medicine and ancient medical theory regarding breast cancer, principles for developing a PRO scale were established, and a theoretical model was developed and a literature review was performed, items from this pool were combined and split, and an initial scale was constructed. After a pilot survey and additional modifications, a pre-questionnaire scale was formed and used in a field investigation. After the application of statistical methods, the item pool was used to create a formal scale. The reliability, validity and feasibility of this formal scale were then assessed.

RESULTS

In a clinical investigation, 479 responses were recovered, with an acceptance rate of 95%. a combination of various methods was employed, and the items that were selected by all methods or more than half of the methods were employed in the questionnaire. In these cases, the screening methods were combined with certain features of the item, A total of four domains and 38 items were reserved. The reliability analysis indicated that the PRO scale was relatively reliable.

CONCLUSIONS

Scientific assessment proved that the proposed scale exhibited good reliability and validity. This scale was readily accepted and could be used to assess the curative effects of medical therapy. However, given the limited scope of this investigation, the capacity for adapting this scale to incorporate other theories could not be determined.

The subjective experience of young women with non-metastatic breast cancer: the Young Women with Breast Cancer Inventory

BACKGROUND

The subjective experience of young women with breast cancer has some particular features linked to the impact of the disease and its treatment on their age-related issues (e.g. desire for a child, couple relationship, career management). Despite these specific concerns, no questionnaire currently targets the young breast cancer patient's quality of life, subjective experience or common problems when facing cancer. This study presents the psychometric validation of an inventory that aimed to measure the impact of breast cancer on the quality of life of young women (<45 years of age) with non-metastatic disease.

METHODS

546 women aged <45 years when diagnosed with a non-metastatic breast cancer were recruited in 27 French cancer research and treatment centers. They answered a self-reported questionnaire created from verbatim collected by non-directive interviews carried out with 69 patients in a first qualitative study. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses were conducted in order to obtain the final structure of the scale. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability and concurrent validity with quality of life questionnaires currently used (QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-BR23 module) were then assessed.

RESULTS

The YW-BCI36 contains 36 items and highlights 8 factors: 1) feeling of couple cohesion, 2) negative affectivity and apprehension about the future, 3) management of child(ren) and of everyday life, 4) sharing with close relatives, 5) body image and sexuality, 6) financial difficulties, 7) deterioration of relationships with close relatives, and 8) career management. Psychometric analyses indicated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha values ranging from 0.76 to 0.91) and temporal reliability (Bravais-Pearson correlations ranging from 0.66 to 0.85). As expected, there were quite strong correlations between the YW-BCI36 and the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 scores (r ranging from 0.20 to -0.66), indicating adequate concurrent validity.

CONCLUSIONS

The YW-BCI36 was confirmed as a valid scale for evaluating the subjective experience of breast cancer in young women. This instrument could help to identify the problems of these women more precisely, in order to respond to them better by an optimal care management. This scale may improve the medical, psychological and social care of breast cancer patients.

Overview of neuropathy associated with taxanes for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer

Taxanes are an established option in the standard treatment paradigm for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Neuropathy is a common, dose-limiting side effect of taxane therapy that is often managed by dose reductions and delays. The severity, time to onset, and improvement in neuropathy are important considerations for patient management and vary among currently approved taxanes. The rate of grade ≥3 neuropathy with taxanes has been shown to be dose and schedule dependent; however, time to improvement to grade ≤1 is typically shorter for nab-paclitaxel than for other taxanes in patients with MBC. Many tools for assessing patient-reported neuropathy exist. Because MBC is incurable and patient quality of life must be critically considered when making treatment decisions, there is a need for more prospective trials to assess patient-reported neuropathy. Validated predictors of taxane-related neuropathy may play an important role in treatment decisions in the future. This review will focus on the toxicity profile (i.e., neuropathy) of each of the taxanes used in the treatment of MBC, will provide updates on tools used for the assessment of neuropathy, and will highlight newly discovered predictors of taxane-related neuropathy.

Patient-reported outcome measures in reconstructive breast surgery: is there a role for generic measures?

BACKGROUND

Patient-reported outcomes provide an invaluable tool in the assessment of outcomes in plastic surgery. Traditionally, patient-reported outcomes have consisted of either generic or ad hoc measures; however, more recently, there has been interest in formally constructed and validated questionnaires that are specifically designed for a particular patient population. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine whether generic measures still have a role in the evaluation of breast reconstruction outcomes, given the recent popularity and push for use of specific measures.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed to identify all articles using patient-reported outcomes in the assessment of postmastectomy breast reconstruction. Frequency of use was tabulated and the most frequently used tools were assessed for success of use, using criteria described previously by the Medical Outcomes Trust.

RESULTS

To date, the most frequently used measures are still generic measures. The 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey was the most frequently used and most successfully applied showing evidence of responsiveness in multiple settings. Other measures such as the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Hopwood Body Image Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were able to show responsiveness in certain settings but lacked evidence as universal tools for the assessment of outcomes in reconstructive breast surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the recent advent of measures designed specifically to assess patient-reported outcomes in the breast reconstruction population, there still appears to be a role for the use of generic instruments. Many of these tools would benefit from undergoing formal validation in the breast reconstruction population.