Breast cancer in young women

Opieka nad młodymi chorymi na raka piersi stanowi wyzwanie dla lekarzy wielu specjalności. Wprowadzanie coraz skuteczniejszej terapii skutkuje poprawą wyników leczenia. Jednocześnie jakość życia po leczeniu onkologicznym staje się coraz ważniejsza. Problemy młodych kobiet, które zachorowały na raka piersi, różnią się od tych, które dotyczą starszych pacjentek. Odnosi się to zwłaszcza do zaburzeń płodności pod wpływem leczenia systemowego. W ostatnich latach wprowadzono nowe zalecenia postępowania terapeutycznego oraz postępowania w sytuacjach specyficznych dla tej grupy wiekowej. W niniejszej pracy zaprezentowano kompleksowe podejście do opieki nad młodymi chorymi na raka piersi. Przedstawiono aktualne zasady leczenia, rekomendowane przez towarzystwa naukowe. Omówiono specyficzne sytuacje kliniczne: problem z prokreacją po chemioterapii, metody zachowania płodności, ciążę i karmienie po pierwotnym leczeniu raka piersi, raka piersi w ciąży i antykoncepcję.Caring for young breast cancer patients is a challenge for different medical specialists. An introduction of more effective agents results in improved outcomes. At the same time, the quality of life after cancer becomes more important. The problems of young women who develop breast cancer differ from those that apply for older patients. It applies especially to fertility impairment due to systemic therapy. In recent years, new guidelines for the treatment and management of young breast cancer patients in certain specific situations have been developed. The article presents the comprehensive approach to care for young breast cancer patients. The current principles of treatment, recommended by scientific societies, were discussed. The following specific clinical issues were addressed: fertility after chemotherapy, the methods of fertility preservation, pregnancy and breastfeeding after breast cancer, breast cancer in pregnant women, and contraception

Breast cancer in young women

Caring for young breast cancer patients is a challenge for different medical specialists. An introduction of more effective agents results in improved outcomes. At the same time, the quality of life after cancer becomes more important. The problems of young women who develop breast cancer differ from those that apply for older patients. It applies especially to fertility impairment due to systemic therapy. In recent years, new guidelines for the treatment and management of young breast cancer patients in certain specific situations have been developed. The article presents the comprehensive approach to care for young breast cancer patients. The current principles of treatment, recommended by scientific societies, were discussed. The following specific clinical issues were addressed: fertility after chemotherapy, the methods of fertility preservation, pregnancy and breastfeeding after breast cancer, breast cancer in pregnant women, and contraceptio

Treatment of breast cancer during pregnancy: an observational study

BACKGROUND Little is known about the treatment of breast cancer during pregnancy. We aimed to determine whether treatment for breast cancer during pregnancy is safe for both mother and child. METHODS We recruited patients from seven European countries with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer during pregnancy; data were collected retrospectively if the patient was diagnosed before April, 2003 (when the registry began), or prospectively thereafter, irrespective of the outcome of pregnancy and the type and timing of treatment. The primary endpoint was fetal health for up to 4 weeks after delivery. The registry is ongoing. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00196833. FINDINGS From April, 2003, to December, 2011, 447 patients were registered, 413 of whom had early breast cancer. Median age was 33 years (range 22-51). At the time of diagnosis, median gestational age was 24 weeks (range 5-40). 197 (48%) of 413 women received chemotherapy during pregnancy with a median of four cycles (range one to eight). 178 received an anthracycline, 15 received cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil, and 14 received a taxane. Birthweight was affected by chemotherapy exposure after adjustment for gestational age (p=018), but not by number of chemotherapy cycles (p=71). No statistical difference between the two groups was observed for premature deliveries before the 37th week of gestation. 40 (10%) of 386 infants had side-effects, malformations, or new-born complications; these events were more common in infants born before the 37th week of gestation than they were in infants born in the 37th week or later (31 [16%] of 191 infants vs nine [5%] of 195 infants; p=0002). In infants for whom maternal treatment was known, adverse events were more common in those who received chemotherapy in utero compared with those who were not exposed (31 [15%] of 203 vs seven [4%] of 170 infants; p=00045). Two infants died; both were exposed to chemotherapy and delivered prematurely, but both deaths were thought not to be related to treatment. Median disease-free survival for women with early breast cancer was 76 months (95% CI 61-105) in women starting chemotherapy during pregnancy and 94 months (lower 95% CI 64; upper 95% CI not yet reached) in women starting chemotherapy after delivery (unadjusted hazard ratio 13 [95% CI 76-69]; p=539). INTERPRETATION Although our data show that infants exposed to chemotherapy in utero had a lower birthweight at gestational age than did those who were unexposed, and had more complications, these differences were not clinically significant and, since none of the infants was exposed to chemotherapy in the first trimester, were most likely related to premature delivery. Delay of cancer treatment did not significantly affect disease-free survival for mothers with early breast cancer. Because preterm birth was strongly associated with adverse events, a full-term delivery seems to be of paramount importance. FUNDING BANSS Foundation, Biedenkopf, Germany and the Belgian Cancer Plan, Ministry of Health, Belgium

Prognosis of Women With Primary Breast Cancer Diagnosed During Pregnancy: Results From an International Collaborative Study

Purpose We aimed to determine the prognosis of patients with breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy (BCP). Patients and Methods In this cohort study, a multicentric registry of patients with BCP (from Cancer in Pregnancy, Leuven, Belgium, and GBG 29/BIG 02-03) compiled pro- and retrospectively between 2003 and 2011 was compared with patients who did not have associated pregnancies, using an age limit of 45 years. Patients with a diagnosis postpartum were excluded. The main analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards regression of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) on exposure (pregnant or not), adjusting for age, stage, grade, hormone receptor status, human epidermal growth factor 2 status, histology, type of chemotherapy, use of trastuzumab, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy. Results The registry contained 447 women with BCP, mainly originating from Germany and Belgium, of whom 311 (69.6%) were eligible for analysis. The nonpregnant group consisted of 865 women. Median age was 33 years for the pregnant and 41 years for the nonpregnant patients. Median follow-up was 61 months. The hazard ratio of pregnancy was 1.34 (95% CI, 0.93 to 1.91; P = .14) for DFS and 1.19 (95% CI, 0.73 to 1.93; P = .51) for OS. Cox regression estimated that the 5-year DFS rate for pregnant patients would have increased from 65% to 71% if these patients had not been pregnant. Likewise, the 5-year OS rate would have increased from 78% to 81%. Conclusion The results show similar OS for patients diagnosed with BCP compared with nonpregnant patients. This information is important when patients are counseled and supports the option to start treatment with continuation of pregnancy. (C) 2013 by American Society of Clinical Oncolog

Prognosis of women with primary breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy: Results from an international collaborative study

Purpose: We aimed to determine the prognosis of patients with breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy (BCP). Patients and Methods: In this cohort study, a multicentric registry of patients with BCP (from Cancer in Pregnancy, Leuven, Belgium, and GBG 29/BIG 02-03) compiled pro- and retrospectively between 2003 and 2011 was compared with patients who did not have associated pregnancies, using an age limit of 45 years. Patients with a diagnosis postpartum were excluded. The main analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards regression of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) on exposure (pregnant or not), adjusting for age, stage, grade, hormone receptor status, human epidermal growth factor 2 status, histology, type of chemotherapy, use of trastuzumab, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy. Results: The registry contained 447 women with BCP, mainly originating from Germany and Belgium, of whom 311 (69.6%) were eligible for analysis. The nonpregnant group consisted of 865 women. Median age was 33 years for the pregnant and 41 years for the nonpregnant patients. Median follow-up was 61 months. The hazard ratio of pregnancy was 1.34 (95% CI, 0.93 to 1.91; P = .14) for DFS and 1.19 (95% CI, 0.73 to 1.93; P = .51) for OS. Cox regression estimated that the 5-year DFS rate for pregnant patients would have increased from 65% to 71% if these patients had not been pregnant. Likewise, the 5-year OS rate would have increased from 78% to 81%. Conclusion: The results show similar OS for patients diagnosed with BCP compared with nonpregnant patients. This information is important when patients are counseled and supports the option to start treatment with continuation of pregnancy