New Study Data Show Reduction in Breast Cancer Recurrence With Multimodality Lumpectomy
Posted: Monday, June 25, 2018
The use of multimodality lumpectomy for patients with breast cancer reduces the incidence of cancer recurrence at the original tumor site, according to new study findings involving nearly 7,000 women presented at the 2018 American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) Annual Meeting in Orlando (Abstract 403956). The study found that the modern treatment improved upon recurrence rates over historical protocols such as mastectomy, concluded Heather Neuman, MD, of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison.
“Clearly, this new data shows that recurrence with breast conservation has diminished significantly overall,” Dr. Neuman said in an ASBrS press release. “This study absolutely has added important new information to my conversations with patients about the relative risks and benefits of lumpectomy and mastectomy.”
The investigators used data from 9 legacy clinical trials that included 6,927 women diagnosed with stage I to III breast cancer between 1997 and 2011. After 5 years from trial registration, the authors observed a 4.2% overall rate of local recurrence for the women who had breast-conserving surgery and modern-era systemic therapies.
A closer look at the findings showed that the rates were lowest for patients with estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor–positive, HER2-positive disease (3%) and highest for those with estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor–negative, HER2-negative disease (6.9%). Upon multivariable analysis, estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor–negative, HER2-negative disease along with more positive lymph nodes was associated with a higher risk of local recurrence, whereas estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor–positive, HER2-positive disease and older age were associated with a lower risk.
