Recommendations from the European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer for multigene testing to guide the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with early breast cancer, hormone receptor positive, HER-2 negative

Background

Predicting the risk of recurrence and response to chemotherapy in women with early breast cancer is crucial to optimise adjuvant treatment. Despite the common practice of using multigene tests to predict recurrence, existing recommendations are inconsistent. Our aim was to formulate healthcare recommendations for the question “Should multigene tests be used in women who have early invasive breast cancer, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, to guide the use of adjuvant chemotherapy?”

Methods

The European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer (ECIBC) Guidelines Development Group (GDG), a multidisciplinary guideline panel including experts and three patients, developed recommendations informed by systematic reviews of the evidence. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) Evidence to Decision frameworks were used. Four multigene tests were evaluated: the 21-gene recurrence score (21-RS), the 70-gene signature (70-GS), the PAM50 risk of recurrence score (PAM50-RORS), and the 12-gene molecular score (12-MS).

Results

Five studies (2 marker-based design RCTs, two treatment interaction design RCTs and 1 pooled individual data analysis from observational studies) were included; no eligible studies on PAM50-RORS or 12-MS were identified and the GDG did not formulate recommendations for these tests.

Conclusions

The ECIBC GDG suggests the use of the 21-RS for lymph node-negative women (conditional recommendation, very low certainty of evidence), recognising that benefits are probably larger in women at high risk of recurrence based on clinical characteristics. The ECIBC GDG suggests the use of the 70-GS for women at high clinical risk (conditional recommendation, low certainty of evidence), and recommends not using 70-GS in women at low clinical risk (strong recommendation, low certainty of evidence).

Development and use of health outcome descriptors: a guideline development case study

BACKGROUND

During healthcare guideline development, panel members often have implicit, different definitions of health outcomes that can lead to misunderstandings about how important these outcomes are and how to balance benefits and harms. McMaster GRADE Centre researchers developed 'health outcome descriptors' for standardizing descriptions of health outcomes and overcoming these problems to support the European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer (ECIBC) Guideline Development Group (GDG). We aimed to determine which aspects of the development, content, and use of health outcome descriptors were valuable to guideline developers.

METHODS

We developed 24 health outcome descriptors related to breast cancer screening and diagnosis for the European Commission Breast Guideline Development Group (GDG). Eighteen GDG members provided feedback in written format or in interviews. We then evaluated the process and conducted two health utility rating surveys.

RESULTS

Feedback from GDG members revealed that health outcome descriptors are probably useful for developing recommendations and improving transparency of guideline methods. Time commitment, methodology training, and need for multidisciplinary expertise throughout development were considered important determinants of the process. Comparison of the two health utility surveys showed a decrease in standard deviation in the second survey across 21 (88%) of the outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Health outcome descriptors are feasible and should be developed prior to the outcome prioritization step in the guideline development process. Guideline developers should involve a subgroup of multidisciplinary experts in all stages of development and ensure all guideline panel members are trained in guideline methodology that includes understanding the importance of defining and understanding the outcomes of interest.

Concordance between epidemiological evaluation of probability of transmission and whole genome sequence relatedness among hospitalized patients acquiring Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to evaluate the concordance between epidemiologically determined transmission and genetic linkage of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-Kp).

METHODS

We included consecutive KPC-Kp carriers between December 2016 and April 2017 in a hospital endemic for KPC-Kp. We assessed epidemiological relatedness between patients by prospective investigations by the infection control team. The probability of epidemiological relatedness was classified into four groups: no suspected transmission, low, moderate and high probability of transmission. Whole-genome sequencing of isolates was performed. Genetic linkage between KPC-Kp isolates was expressed by distance between isolates in single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We established an SNP cut-off defining a different strain based on the reconstructed phylogenetic tree. We compared the epidemiological and genetic linkage of all isolates from all patients.

RESULTS

The study included 25 KPC-Kp carriers with 49 isolates. SNP variance was available for 1129 crossed patient-isolate pairs. Genomic linkage, based on a cut-off of 80 SNPs to define related isolates, was found in 115/708 (16.2%) of isolates with no transmission suspected epidemiologically, 27/319 (8.5%) of low, 11/26 (42.3%) of moderate and 64/76 (84.2%) of high epidemiological transmission risk determination (p < 0.001 for trend). Similar results and significant trends were shown on sensitivity analyses using a lower SNP cut-off (six SNPs) and patient-isolate unique pairs, analysing the first isolate from each patient.

CONCLUSIONS

While significant concordance between epidemiological and genomic transmission patterns was found, epidemiological investigations of transmission are limited by the possibility of unidentified transmissions or over-estimation of associations. Genetic linkage analysis is an important aid to epidemiological transmission assessment.

Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis: A Synopsis of the European Breast Guidelines

DESCRIPTION

The European Commission Initiative for Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis guidelines (European Breast Guidelines) are coordinated by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre. The target audience for the guidelines includes women, health professionals, and policymakers.

METHODS

An international guideline panel of 28 multidisciplinary members, including patients, developed questions and corresponding recommendations that were informed by systematic reviews of the evidence conducted between March 2016 and December 2018. GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) Evidence to Decision frameworks were used to structure the process and minimize the influence of competing interests by enhancing transparency. Questions and recommendations, expressed as strong or conditional, focused on outcomes that matter to women and provided a rating of the certainty of evidence.

RECOMMENDATIONS

This synopsis of the European Breast Guidelines provides recommendations regarding organized screening programs for women aged 40 to 75 years who are at average risk. The recommendations address digital mammography screening and the addition of hand-held ultrasonography, automated breast ultrasonography, or magnetic resonance imaging compared with mammography alone. The recommendations also discuss the frequency of screening and inform decision making for women at average risk who are recalled for suspicious lesions or who have high breast density.

Methods for Development of the European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer Guidelines: Recommendations in the Era of Guideline Transparency

Neither breast cancer prevention and early-detection programs, nor their outcomes, are uniform across Europe. This article describes the rationale, methods, and process for development of the European Commission (EC) Initiative on Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis Guidelines. To be consistent with standards set by the Institute of Medicine and others, the EC followed 6 general principles. First, the EC selected, via an open call, a panel with broad representation of areas of expertise. Second, it ensured that all recommendations were supported by systematic reviews. Third, the EC separately considered important subgroups of women, included patient advocates in the guidelines development group, and focused on good communication to inform women's decisions. Fourth, EC rules on conflicts of interest were followed and the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) Evidence to Decision frameworks were used to structure the process and minimize the influence of competing interests. Fifth, it focused its recommendations on outcomes that matter to women, and certainty of the evidence is rated for each. Sixth, the EC elicited stakeholder feedback to ensure that the recommendations remain up to date and relevant to practice. This article describes the approach and highlights ways of disseminating and adapting the recommendations both within and outside Europe, using innovative information technology tools.

Predicting Outcome in dogs with Primary Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia: Results of a Multicenter Case Registry

Background

Outcome prediction in dogs with immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is challenging and few prognostic indicators have been consistently identified.

Objectives

An online case registry was initiated to: prospectively survey canine IMHA presentation and management in the British Isles; evaluate 2 previously reported illness severity scores, Canine Hemolytic Anemia Score (CHAOS) and Tokyo and to identify independent prognostic markers.

Animals

Data from 276 dogs with primary IMHA across 10 referral centers were collected between 2008 and 2012.

Methods

Outcome prediction by previously reported illness‐severity scores was tested using univariate logistic regression. Independent predictors of death in hospital or by 30‐days after admission were identified using multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Purebreds represented 89.1% dogs (n = 246). Immunosuppressive medications were administered to 88.4% dogs (n = 244), 76.1% (n = 210) received antithrombotics and 74.3% (n = 205) received packed red blood cells. Seventy‐four per cent of dogs (n = 205) were discharged from hospital and 67.7% (n = 187) were alive 30‐days after admission. Two dogs were lost to follow‐up at 30‐days. In univariate analyses CHAOS was associated with death in hospital and death within 30‐days. Tokyo score was not associated with either outcome measure. A model containing SIRS‐classification, ASA classification, ALT, bilirubin, urea and creatinine predicting outcome at discharge was accurate in 82% of cases. ASA classification, bilirubin, urea and creatinine were independently associated with death in hospital or by 30‐days.

Conclusions and clinical importance

Markers of kidney function, bilirubin concentration and ASA classification are independently associated with outcome in dogs with IMHA. Validation of this score in an unrelated population is now warranted.

An evaluation of the efficacy of the national immunization programme for hepatitis B

We report an evaluation of the Israeli national immunization programme for hepatitis B in the Haifa subdistrict. We used a convenience sample of blood tests reported positive for HBsAg over a 6-year period from children who were born after routine immunization began in 1992. We identified 11 children with presumed chronic hepatitis B virus infection who were residents of the Haifa subdistrict, three of whom were born in Israel. All three were immunized at the appropriate age and are thus considered vaccination failures rather than failure to vaccinate. The remaining eight were born abroad, had emigrated to Israel as children and were not immunized at birth. We estimate the rate of chronic hepatitis B virus infection for children born since 1998 to be 0.24/10,000 births. For all children resident in the subdistrict under the age of 12 years, the period prevalence is estimated to be 1.26/10,000. The rate of chronic infection in children younger than 12 years was significantly less than that of older cohorts and less than that of historical controls before the start of immunization. Although the reported rates are probable underestimates of actual rates, the fact that they are based on testing carried out in clinical settings increases the likelihood of positive findings and thus reduces the degree of error. The fact that most young carriers are foreign born points to the importance of timely catch-up programmes. In countries with low and intermediate rates of chronic infection, serosurveys of immunized children need to be large and are therefore costly. Monitoring HBsAg positive tests from routine testing carried out in clinical settings is an inexpensive way to monitor chronic infection rates.

Hemangioma of the zygomatic bone

Bony hemangiomas of the zygomatic bone are rare. This report represents the tenth citing in the literature. The most common signs and symptoms include swelling and pain or tenderness. Diagnosis can be made by plain radiographic studies followed by CT scanning or MRI. The treatment of choice is surgical excision with a rim of normal bone around the tumor. Malignant degeneration has not been reported unless radiotherapy had been used.

A critical analysis of immediate and delayed mandibular reconstruction using A-O plates

Eleven patients who underwent mandibular reconstruction with A-O plates were followed up for as long as 40 months. The patients underwent either immediate or delayed mandibular reconstruction. Nine patients had free cortical bone grafts included in the reconstruction. Complications in patients who underwent immediate reconstruction included loss of the bone graft due to infection, external and intraoral exposure of the reconstruction plate, pain, and infection. In the patients with immediate reconstruction, more than 50% of the bone grafts resorbed. There were less complications and minimal bone graft resorption in patients who underwent delayed reconstruction. The cosmetic results were initially good in both immediate and delayed reconstruction but deteriorated as more surgery was required for management of complications. At 40 months, 7 of 11 patients (5 of 9 with immediate reconstruction) had died of local recurrence, distant metastasis, or another primary tumor. No patients were rehabilitated prosthetically. We conclude that while A-O plating is technically easy and has a low perioperative morbidity rate, the long-term morbidity rate is high. This must be weighed against the benefits of the procedure and the probability that the patients will have a poor functional outcome.