Socioeconomic Factors Predict Long-Term Quality of Life of Cancer Survivors: An International Survey

INTRODUCTION

Despite advances in cancer treatment, the quality of life (QOL) of survivors varies significantly. We assessed the correlation between socioeconomic factors and long-term QOL in a global cohort of cancer survivors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients were offered surveys via online support groups. Using the Short Form-12 validated questionnaire, physical QOL (PQOL) and mental QOL (MQOL) well-being were compared to the general population. Socioeconomic factors were assessed with regression analysis for impact on QOL.

RESULTS

Seven hundred eighty two survivors from six continents responded. They were 57 ± 13 y and 68% female, 90.8% White, with 43 distinct cancer diagnoses. All survivors had PQOL and MQOL scores lower than the general population. Lower education level, household income, and non-White race all correlated with reduced PQOL and/or MQOL. Age was negatively correlated with PQOL (r = -0.08, P = 0.03) and positively correlated with MQOL (r = 0.142, P < 0.001). Care at large regional/academic centers was associated with higher MQOL (42 ± 14 versus 38 ± 11, P = 0.005). Age (β = -0.1, P = 0.04), education (β = 1.1, P = 0.005), and income (β = 2.0, P < 0.001) were predictors of PQOL, while age (β = 0.2, P < 0.001), income (β = 1.7, P = 0.002), and community hospital care (β = -3.6, P = 0.013) were predictors of MQOL.

CONCLUSIONS

In a large international survey of cancer survivors, we identified socioeconomic factors and their associations with QOL. Further work should be directed to provide durable support across all socioeconomic classes.

Variation in type and frequency of diagnostic imaging during trauma care across multiple time points by patient insurance type

BACKGROUND

Research has shown that uninsured patients receive fewer radiographic studies during trauma care, but less is known as to whether differences in care are present among other insurance groups or across different time points during hospitalization. Our objective was to examine the number of radiographic studies administered to a cohort of trauma patients over the entire hospital stay as well as during the first 24-hours of care.

METHODS

Patient data were obtained from an American College of Surgeons (ACS) verified Level I Trauma Center between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012. We used negative binomial regression to construct relative risk (RR) ratios for type and frequency of radiographic imaging received among persons with Medicare, Medicaid, no insurance, or government insurance plans in reference to those with commercial indemnity plans. The analysis was adjusted for patient age, sex, race/ethnicity, injury severity score, injury mechanism, comorbidities, complications, hospital length of stay, and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission.

RESULTS

A total of 3621 records from surviving patients age > =18 years were assessed. After adjustment for potential confounders, the expected number of radiographic studies decreased by 15 % among Medicare recipients (RR 0.85, 95 % CI 0.78-0.93), 11 % among Medicaid recipients (0.89, 0.81-0.99), 10 % among the uninsured (0.90, 0.85-0.96) and 19 % among government insurance groups (0.81, 0.72-0.90), compared with the reference group. This disparity was observed during the first 24-hours of care among patients with Medicare (0.78, 0.71-0.86) and government insurance plans (0.83, 0.74-0.94). Overall, there were no differences in the number of radiographic studies among the uninsured or among Medicaid patients during the first 24-hours of care compared with the reference group, but differences were observed among the uninsured in a sub-analysis of severely injured patients (ISS > 15).

CONCLUSIONS

Both uninsured and insured patients treated at a not-for-profit verified Level I Trauma Center receive fewer radiographic studies than patients with commercial indemnity plans, even after adjusting for clinical and demographic confounders. There is less disparity in care during the first 24-hours, which suggests that patient pathology is the determining factor for radiographic evaluation during the acute care phase. Results from this study offer initial evidence of disparity in diagnostic imaging across multiple insurance groups over different periods of trauma care.

Understanding age and race disparities in the application of sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is the standard of care for surgical evaluation of early-stage breast cancer and is being employed as a quality metric for accreditation of breast centers. Previous studies report disparities in SLNB receipt. The goal of this study is to determine SLNB rates and explore rationale for non-receipt of SLNB. Patients with early-stage breast cancer diagnosed between 2010 and 2011 were identified from the University Hospitals Case Medical Center tumor registry. Multivariable logistic models were used to identify clinical and demographic risk factors for patients who did not receive SLNB. We performed chart reviews to elucidate reasons for the lack of SLNB. Our total sample was 479 patients; of them 432 (90.2%) received SLNB. On average, patients who received SLNB were younger than those who did not receive SLNB (61 compared to 79 years, respectively). Patients ≥80 years were 96% less likely to receive SLNB compared to patients <65 years (OR 0.04; 95% CI 0.00 to 0.14). There were no differences in SLNB by race, between patients undergoing Medicare or Medicaid and managed care, by surgeon specialty, or across medical centers. Chart review determined that 45/47 patients did not have SLNB, because it was a clinical decision-making; advanced age (>80 years) was cited in 27/47 women. Older women had much lower odds of receiving SLNB; however, non-receipt of SLNB was often due to a clinical reasoning. Our study highlights the importance of clinical reasoning in receiving SLNB, whereas other studies solely employing administrative databases do not.

Race or Resource? BMI, Race, and Other Social Factors as Risk Factors for Interlimb Differences among Overweight Breast Cancer Survivors with Lymphedema

Introduction. High BMI is a risk factor for upper body breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) onset. Black cancer survivors are more likely to have high BMI than White cancer survivors. While observational analyses suggest up to 2.2 times increased risk of BCRL onset for Black breast cancer survivors, no studies have explored race or other social factors that may affect BCRL severity, operationalized by interlimb volume difference (ILD). Materials and Methods. ILD was measured by perometry for 296 overweight (25 > BMI < 50) Black (n = 102) or White (n = 194) breast cancer survivors (>6 months from treatment) in the WISER Survivor trial. Multivariable linear regression examined associations between social and physical factors and ILD. Results. Neither Black race (-0.26, p = 0.89) nor BMI (0.22, p = 0.10) was associated with ILD. Attending college (-4.89, p = 0.03) was the strongest factor associated with ILD, followed by having more lymph nodes removed (4.75, p = 0.01), >25% BCRL care adherence (4.10, p = 0.01), and years since treatment (0.55, p < 0.001). Discussion. Neither race nor BMI was associated with ILD among overweight cancer survivors. Education, a proxy for resource level, was the strongest factor associated with greater ILD. Tailoring physical activity and weight loss interventions designed to address BCRL severity by resource rather than race should be considered.

The association of insurance status and race with the procedural volume of traumatic brain injury patients

INTRODUCTION

The influence of non-medical factors on the volume of procedures undergone by TBI patients remains an issue of debate. We investigated the association of lack of insurance and African-American race with the procedural volume of TBI patients.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study involving TBI patients, who were registered in the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) between 2009 and 2011. Multivariable logistic regression with mixed effects to control for clustering at the hospital level was used to investigate the association of insurance status and race with high volume of procedures for TBI patients.

RESULTS

Of the 392,292 TBI patients, who were registered in NTDB and met the inclusion criteria, 9850 (3.8%) underwent high procedural volume, defined as 2 or more procedures during hospitalization (2 standard deviations over the mean). Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated an association of uninsured patients with decreased possibility of high procedural volume (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.63-0.73). This persisted after using a mixed effects model to control for clustering at the hospital level (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.61-0.71). In stratified samples, uninsured patients demonstrated similar associations even for GCS below 8 (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.64-0.75), or ISS above 15 (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.69-0.79). Multivariable logistic regression analysis did not demonstrate an association of African Americans with procedural volume (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.86-1.02).

CONCLUSIONS

During the hospitalization of TBI patients, lack of insurance was associated with lower procedural volume. When controlling for insurance status, we did not observe any race associated disparities in procedural volume.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Patients With Early-Stage Breast Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Update

Purpose

To provide evidence-based recommendations to practicing oncologists, surgeons, and radiation therapy clinicians to update the 2005 clinical practice guideline on the use of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) for patients with early-stage breast cancer.

Methods

The American Society of Clinical Oncology convened an Update Committee of experts in medical oncology, pathology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, guideline implementation, and advocacy. A systematic review of the literature was conducted from February 2004 to January 2013 in Medline. Guideline recommendations were based on the review of the evidence by Update Committee.

Results

This guideline update reflects changes in practice since the 2005 guideline. Nine randomized clinical trials (RCTs) met systematic review criteria for clinical questions 1 and 2; 13 cohort studies informed clinical question 3.

Recommendations

Women without sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastases should not receive axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Women with one to two metastatic SLNs planning to undergo breast-conserving surgery with whole-breast radiotherapy should not undergo ALND (in most cases). Women with SLN metastases who will undergo mastectomy should be offered ALND. These three recommendation are based on RCTs. Women with operable breast cancer and multicentric tumors, with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) who will undergo mastectomy, who previously underwent breast and/or axillary surgery, or who received preoperative/neoadjuvant systemic therapy may be offered SNB. Women who have large or locally advanced invasive breast cancer (tumor size T3/T4), inflammatory breast cancer, or DCIS (when breast-conserving surgery is planned) or are pregnant should not undergo SNB. These recommendations are based on cohort studies and/or informal consensus. In some cases, updated evidence was insufficient to update previous recommendations.

Predictors and outcomes of completion axillary node dissection among older breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND

The role of completion axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for older women who had sentinel lymph node-positive (SLN+) invasive breast cancer is unclear. We examined factors predictive of ALND and the association between ALND, adjuvant chemotherapy administration, and survival.

METHODS

Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database, we reviewed records of women age >65 diagnosed with stage I/II breast cancer from 1998-2005. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify patient and disease variables associated with ALND, and assess association between ALND and all-cause and breast cancer-specific survival.

RESULTS

Among SLN+ patients, 88 % underwent ALND. Earlier diagnosis year, greater nodal involvement, younger age, registry location, and larger tumor size were all associated with a significantly higher likelihood of ALND. The ALND in SLN+ patients was not significantly associated with 5-year breast cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio [HR] 1.22, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.76-1.96). The SLN+ patients who underwent ALND were more likely to receive adjuvant chemotherapy (odds ratio [OR] 1.8, 95 % CI 1.45-2.24). However, younger age (OR 18.0, 95 % CI 14.4-23.9), estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) status (OR 4.2, 95 % CI 3.4-5.3), and fewer comorbidities (OR 2.6, 95 % CI 1.7-4.0) were all more strongly linked to receipt of chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

ALND for older patients with SLN+ breast cancer is not associated with improved 5-year all-cause or breast cancer-specific survival. Younger age, fewer comorbidities, and estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) status were more strongly associated with receipt of chemotherapy than ALND. Consideration should be given to omitting ALND in older patients, particularly if findings of ALND will not influence adjuvant therapy decisions.

Improving quality of cancer care at community hospitals: impact of the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program pilot

PURPOSE

Patients with cancer treated at community hospitals may experience decreased quality of care compared with patients treated at higher-volume cancer hospitals. The National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCCP) pilot is designed to enhance research and improve cancer care at community hospitals. We assessed changes in quality of care among the 16 initial NCCCP sites versus 25 similar hospitals that did not participate in the NCCCP.

METHODS

We compared changes in concordance with five National Quality Forum-approved quality of care measures (three for breast cancer, two for colon cancer) for patients diagnosed from 2006 to 2007 (pre-NCCCP initiation) versus 2008 to 2010 (post-NCCCP initiation) at NCCCP and comparison-group hospitals. Data were collected using the Commission on Cancer Rapid Quality Reporting System. Analyses were performed using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Analyses included 18,608 patients with breast cancer and 7,031 patients with colon cancer. After NCCCP initiation, patient-level concordance rates for all five quality-of-care measures increased significantly among NCCCP and comparison-group hospitals. Increased quality of care among NCCCP sites was significantly greater than that among comparison-group hospitals for radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery and hormonal therapy for women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. In multivariate regressions, increases in hormonal therapy among NCCCP-site patients were significantly greater than those among comparison-group hospitals.

CONCLUSION

Both NCCCP and comparison-group hospitals showed improved quality of care; however, NCCCP sites had significantly greater improvements for a subset of measures. This greater increase may reflect the multidisciplinary focus of the NCCCP. Because many individuals receive cancer treatment at community hospitals, facilitating high-quality care in these environments must be a priority.

Disparities in breast cancer treatment and outcomes: biological, social, and health system determinants and opportunities for research

Racial disparities in breast cancer mortality have been widely documented for several decades and persist despite advances in receipt of mammography across racial groups. This persistence leads to questions about the roles of biological, social, and health system determinants of poor outcomes. Cancer outcomes are a function not only of innate biological factors but also of modifiable characteristics of individual behavior and decision making as well as characteristics of patient-health system interaction and the health system itself. Attempts to explain persistent racial disparities have mostly been limited to discussion of differences in insurance coverage, socioeconomic status, tumor stage at diagnosis, comorbidity, and molecular subtype of the tumor. This article summarizes existing literature exploring reasons for racial disparities in breast cancer mortality, with an emphasis on treatment disparities and opportunities for future research. Because breast cancer care requires a high degree of multidisciplinary team collaboration, ensuring that guideline recommended treatment (such as endocrine therapy for hormone receptor positive patients) is received by all racial/ethnic groups is critical and requires coordination across multiple providers and health care settings. Recognition that variation in cancer care quality may be correlated with race (and socioeconomic and health system factors) may assist policy makers in identifying strategies to more equally distribute clinical expertise and health infrastructure across multiple user populations.

Disparities in timeliness of care for U.S. Medicare patients diagnosed with cancer

BACKGROUND

Timeliness of care (rapid initiation of treatment after definitive diagnosis) is a key component of high-quality cancer treatment. The present study evaluated factors influencing timeliness of care for U.S. Medicare enrollees.

METHODS

Data for Medicare enrollees diagnosed with breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer while living in U.S. seer (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results) regions in 2000-2002 were analyzed. Patients were classified as experiencing delayed treatment if the interval between diagnosis and treatment was greater than the 95th percentile for each cancer site. The impacts of patient sociodemographic, clinical, and area-based factors on the likelihood of delayed treatment were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Black patients (compared with white patients) and patients initially treated with radiation therapy or chemotherapy (rather than surgery) had a greater likelihood of treatment delays across all four cancer sites. Hispanic status, dual Medicare-Medicaid status, location of initial treatment (inpatient vs. outpatient), and stage at diagnosis also affected timeliness of care for some cancer sites. Surprisingly, area-based factors reflecting availability of cancer care services were not significantly associated with timeliness of care or were associated with greater delays in areas with greater numbers of service providers.

CONCLUSIONS

Multiple factors affected receipt of timely cancer care for members of the study population, all of whom had coverage of medical care services through Medicare. Because delays in treatment initiation can increase morbidity, decrease quality of life, shorten survival, and result in greater costs, prospective studies and tailored interventions are needed to address those factors among at-risk patient groups.

Utilization of sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ undergoing mastectomy

BACKGROUND

Current guidelines suggest consideration of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) undergoing mastectomy. Our objective was to identify factors influencing the utilization of SLNB in this population.

METHODS

We used the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database to identify all women with breast DCIS treated with mastectomy from 2000 to 2008. We excluded patients without histologic confirmation, those diagnosed at autopsy, those who had axillary lymph node dissections performed without a preceding SLNB, and those for whom the status of SLNB was unknown. We used multivariate logistic regression reporting odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to evaluate the relationship of patient- and tumor-related factors to the likelihood of undergoing SLNB.

RESULTS

Of 20,177 patients, 51% did not receive SLNB. Factors associated with a decreased likelihood of receiving a SLNB included advancing age (OR 0.66; 95% CI 0.62-0.71), Asian (OR 0.75; CI 0.68-0.83) or Hispanic (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.74-0.96) race/ethnicity, and history of prior non-breast (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.53-0.61). Factors associated with an increased likelihood of receiving a SLNB included treatment in the east (OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.17-1.4), intermediate (OR 1.25; 95% CI 1.11-1.41), high (OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.62-2.08) grade tumors, treatment after the year 2000, and DCIS size 2-5 cm (OR 1.54; 95% CI 1.42-1.68) and >5 cm (OR 2.43; 95% CI 2.16-2.75).

CONCLUSIONS

SLNB is increasingly utilized in patients undergoing mastectomy for DCIS, but disparities in usage remain. Efforts at improving rates of SLNB in this population are warranted.

Small but significant socioeconomic inequalities in axillary staging and treatment of breast cancer in the Netherlands

BACKGROUND

The use of sentinel node biopsy (SNB), lymph node dissection, breast-conserving surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormonal treatment for breast cancer was evaluated in relation to socioeconomic status (SES) in the Netherlands, where access to care was assumed to be equal.

METHODS

Female breast cancer patients diagnosed between 1994 and 2008 were selected from the nationwide population-based Netherlands Cancer Registry (N=176 505). Socioeconomic status was assessed based on income, employment and education at postal code level. Multivariable models included age, year of diagnosis and stage.

RESULTS

Sentinal node biopsy was less often applied in high-SES patients (multivariable analyses, ≤ 49 years: odds ratio (OR) 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56-0.89); 50-75 years: 0.85 (0.73-0.99)). Additionally, lymph node dissection was less common in low-SES patients aged ≥ 76 years (OR 1.34 (0.95-1.89)). Socioeconomic status-related differences in treatment were only significant in the age group 50-75 years. High-SES women with stage T1-2 were more likely to undergo breast-conserving surgery (+radiotherapy) (OR 1.15 (1.09-1.22) and OR 1.16 (1.09-1.22), respectively). Chemotherapy use among node-positive patients was higher in the high-SES group, but was not significant in multivariable analysis. Hormonal therapy was not related to SES.

CONCLUSION

Small but significant differences were observed in the use of SNB, lymph node dissection and breast-conserving surgery according to SES in Dutch breast cancer patients despite assumed equal access to health care.

Utilization of lymph node assessment in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ treated with lumpectomy

BACKGROUND

Lymph node assessment (LNA), including sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), is controversial in patients undergoing lumpectomy for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Our goal was to identify factors influencing LNA in these patients.

METHODS

We used the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database to identify all female patients treated with lumpectomy for DCIS from 2000 to 2008. We excluded patients without histologic confirmation, including those diagnosed at autopsy, and those for whom LNA status was unknown. Multivariate logistic regression models predicted use of LNA. Likelihood of undergoing LNA was reported as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

A total of 62,935 patients met inclusion criteria. Approximately 15% (N = 9726) had regional LNA at the time of lumpectomy, with 12% (N = 7294) undergoing SLNB. Factors associated with an increased likelihood of undergoing LNA included treatment in the Southeast (OR 1.25, CI 1.04-1.22); treatment after the year 2000; grade II (OR 2.71, CI 2.48-2.96), III (OR 2.38, CI 2.18-2.59), or IV (OR 2.61, CI 2.37-2.88) tumors; DCIS size 2-5 cm (OR 1.49, CI 1.37-1.62) or >5 cm (OR 2.16, CI 1.78-2.61), and estrogen receptor-negative (OR 1.29, CI 1.16-1.43) or progesterone receptor-negative (OR 1.22, CI 1.11-1.33) tumors. Factors associated with a decreased likelihood of undergoing regional LNA were age >60 (OR 0.83, CI 0.79-0.87), and Asian race (OR 0.88, CI 0.81-0.96). Factors predictive of LNA in general were also predictive of SLNB.

CONCLUSIONS

Although LNA is controversial for patients undergoing lumpectomy for DCIS, it is used in 15% of cases. Further research establishing for the benefit of LNA in DCIS patients treated with lumpectomy is needed.

Impact of insurance status on access to care and out-of-pocket costs for U.S. individuals with epilepsy

We analyzed data from the 2002-2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) to assess whether individuals with epilepsy who are uninsured and those who have Medicaid coverage experience differences in medical resource utilization or out-of-pocket costs compared with those having other types of insurance. With sociodemographic characteristics controlled for, uninsured individuals had significantly fewer outpatient visits, fewer visits with neurologists, and greater antiepileptic drug costs than did those with private insurance. Individuals with Medicaid coverage had similar medical resource utilization rates but lower out-of-pocket costs compared with privately insured individuals. These findings indicate substantial barriers to receipt of appropriate medical care for uninsured individuals with epilepsy, but not for those with Medicaid coverage. Future studies should evaluate whether ongoing changes to the US health care system are able to address the differences in care we found among uninsured individuals with epilepsy and should incorporate measures of disease severity and unmet need.

Race and age disparities in receipt of sentinel lymph node biopsy for early-stage breast cancer

To evaluate differences in use of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) by age and race in Medicare recipients with early-stage breast cancer, we examined Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare linked data for women undergoing breast conserving surgery for stage I or II breast cancer, including axillary staging, between January 2000 and December 2002. Multivariable generalized linear modeling with generalized estimating equations was used to identify predictors of receiving SLNB versus standard axillary lymph node dissection as the primary axillary staging modality. Women were significantly less likely to receive SLNB as their primary staging procedure if they were African American (OR 0.65), greater than 80 years of age (OR 0.71 vs. age <70), or dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid (OR 0.61). Tumor characteristics, including well-differentiated histology and stage I disease, were associated with increased likelihood of SLNB, but estrogen receptor status was not a significant predictor. Women treated at an institution affiliated with an NCI cooperative research group had significantly greater likelihood of receiving SLNB (OR 2.31). Likelihood of receiving SLNB increased for women diagnosed in 2001 and 2002 compared with 2000. Significant disparities exist in receipt of SLNB in the Medicare population, with African Americans, the elderly, and economically disadvantaged patients being less likely to receive this innovative and morbidity-sparing procedure. These findings continue a previously observed pattern of reduced access to state of the art breast cancer care among underserved populations.

Sentinel lymph node dissection is technically feasible in older breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Previous studies suggested that sentinel lymph node (SLN) identification rates are lower in older breast cancer patients. This study was undertaken to compare identification rates in patients 70 years of age and older versus those younger than 70 years in a large cohort undergoing sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND).

STUDY DESIGN

Patients undergoing SLND between August 1993 and December 2006 were identified and grouped by age. Clinicopathologic data and details regarding the procedure were reviewed.

RESULTS

Of the 3995 patients undergoing SLND, 3406 (85.3%) were under 70 years of age, and 589 (14.7%) were 70 years or older. Age was significantly associated with clinical stage (P = .001) and tumor grade (P < .0001). A greater proportion in the older group had clinical stage I disease (74.7% vs. 66.8%), and a lower proportion had grade 3 tumors (24.0% vs. 36.1%). There were no significant differences by age in the mapping method or site of injection. Overall SLN identification rate was 97.2% and did not differ significantly by age. The SLN was positive in 23.1% of younger patients and 18.2% of older patients (P = .01).

CONCLUSION

Sentinel lymph node dissection can be performed with high identification rates regardless of patient age. Breast cancer patients 70 years and older with clinically negative axillary lymph nodes should be offered SLND, as the presence of lymph node metastasis may alter adjuvant therapy recommendations.

Age and axillary lymph node ratio in postmenopausal women with T1-T2 node positive breast cancer

PURPOSE

The purpose of this article was to examine the relationship between age and lymph node ratio (LNR, number of positive nodes divided by number of examined nodes), and to determine their effects on breast cancer (BC) and overall mortality.

METHODS

Women aged ≥50 years, diagnosed in 1988-1997 with a unilateral histologically confirmed T1-T2 node positive surgically treated primary nonmetastatic BC, were selected from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER). Generalized Additive Models for Location Scale and Shape (GAMLSS) were used to evaluate the age-LNR relationship. Cumulative incidence functions and multivariate competing risks analysis based on model selection by the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) were used to examine the effect of age and LNR on mortality. Low LNR was defined as ≤0.20, mid-LNR 0.21-0.65, and high LNR >0.65.

RESULTS

GAMLSS showed a nonlinear LNR-age relationship, increasing from mean LNR 0.26-0.28 at age 50-70 years to 0.30 at 80 years and 0.40 at 90 years. Compared with a 9.8% [95% confidence interval (CI) 8.8%-10.8%] risk of BC death at 5 years in women aged 50-59 years with low LNR, the risk in women ≥80 years with low LNR was 12.6% [95% CI 10.1%-15.0%], mid-LNR 18.1% [13.9%-22.1%], high LNR 29.8% [22.7%-36.1%]. Five-years overall risk of death increased from 40.8% [37.5%-43.9%] by low LNR to 67.4% [61.4%-72.4%] by high LNR. The overall mortality hazard ratio for age ≥80 years with high LNR was 7.49 [6.54-8.59], as compared with women aged 50-59 years with low LNR.

CONCLUSION

High LNR combined with older age was associated with a threefold increased risk of BC death and a sevenfold increased hazard ratio of overall mortality.