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Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official... Mar 2022The call to integrate prospective surveillance for lymphedema into cancer care pathways is building momentum to enable early intervention and prevent the progression of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
PURPOSE
The call to integrate prospective surveillance for lymphedema into cancer care pathways is building momentum to enable early intervention and prevent the progression of the condition. We offer a critical evaluation of the literature on prospective surveillance and early management for cancer-related lymphedema and evaluate the effect of such programs in preventing chronic lymphedema (CRD42019137965).
METHODS
Five databases and two registries were searched for randomized controlled trials or observational studies that assessed the incidence or prevalence of lymphedema associated with participation in a prospective surveillance program, published until February 26, 2021. Numbers triggered for early lymphedema management, resolved, and chronic lymphedema were extracted. Pooled relative risk (trials) and pooled rate (cumulative incidence; observational studies) of chronic lymphedema was calculated. Subgroup analyses assessed the effect of study design, length of follow-up, and extent of axillary surgery.
RESULTS
Twenty-three studies were included, of which 21 studies evaluated breast cancer-related arm lymphedema (BCRaL). Participation in prospective surveillance with early management reduced the risk of chronic BCRaL versus usual care (relative risk 0.31; 95% CI, 0.10 to 0.95; two randomized controlled trials; N = 106). The pooled rate of chronic BCRaL was 4% (95% CI, 3 to 6; 15 observational studies; N = 3,545), and 6% (95% CI, 4 to 9) when restricted to participants with axillary lymph node dissection (12 studies; N = 1,527).
CONCLUSION
The findings suggest that participation in prospective surveillance with early management reduces the risk of chronic BCRaL. Only a minority of patients at high risk of lymphedema because of axillary surgery developed chronic lymphedema. More robust research is needed to determine whether prospective surveillance with early management can reduce the risk of chronic lymphedema, particularly among cancer survivors other than breast cancer.
Topics: Axilla; Breast Cancer Lymphedema; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Humans; Lymph Node Excision; Lymphedema; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 35077194
DOI: 10.1200/JCO.21.01681 -
Radiology Jun 2020Axillary lymph node (LN) metastasis is the most important predictor of overall recurrence and survival in patients with breast cancer, and accurate assessment of...
Axillary lymph node (LN) metastasis is the most important predictor of overall recurrence and survival in patients with breast cancer, and accurate assessment of axillary LN involvement is an essential component in staging breast cancer. Axillary management in patients with breast cancer has become much less invasive and individualized with the introduction of sentinel LN biopsy (SLNB). Emerging evidence indicates that axillary LN dissection may be avoided in selected patients with node-positive as well as node-negative cancer. Thus, assessment of nodal disease burden to guide multidisciplinary treatment decision making is now considered to be a critical role of axillary imaging and can be achieved with axillary US, MRI, and US-guided biopsy. For the node-positive patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, restaging of the axilla with US and MRI and targeted axillary dissection in addition to SLNB is highly recommended to minimize the false-negative rate of SLNB. Efforts continue to develop prediction models that incorporate imaging features to predict nodal disease burden and to select proper candidates for SLNB. As methods of axillary nodal evaluation evolve, breast radiologists and surgeons must work closely to maximize the potential role of imaging and to provide the most optimized treatment for patients.
Topics: Axilla; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Humans; Image-Guided Biopsy; Interdisciplinary Communication; Intersectoral Collaboration; Lymph Nodes; Lymphatic Metastasis; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Prognosis; Sentinel Lymph Node
PubMed: 32315268
DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2020192534 -
JAMA Surgery Jun 2021An overview of rates of axillary pathologic complete response (pCR) for all breast cancer subtypes, both for patients with and without pathologically proven clinically... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Axillary Pathologic Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy by Breast Cancer Subtype in Patients With Initially Clinically Node-Positive Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
IMPORTANCE
An overview of rates of axillary pathologic complete response (pCR) for all breast cancer subtypes, both for patients with and without pathologically proven clinically node-positive disease, is lacking.
OBJECTIVE
To provide pooled data of all studies in the neoadjuvant setting on axillary pCR rates for different breast cancer subtypes in patients with initially clinically node-positive disease.
DATA SOURCES
The electronic databases Embase and PubMed were used to conduct a systematic literature search on July 16, 2020. The references of the included studies were manually checked to identify other eligible studies.
STUDY SELECTION
Studies in the neoadjuvant therapy setting were identified regarding axillary pCR for different breast cancer subtypes in patients with initially clinically node-positive disease (ie, defined as node-positive before the initiation of neoadjuvant systemic therapy).
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Two reviewers independently selected eligible studies according to the inclusion criteria and extracted all data. All discrepant results were resolved during a consensus meeting. To identify the different subtypes, the subtype definitions as reported by the included articles were used. The random-effects model was used to calculate the overall pooled estimate of axillary pCR for each breast cancer subtype.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The main outcome of this study was the rate of axillary pCR and residual axillary lymph node disease after neoadjuvant systemic therapy for different breast cancer subtypes, differentiating studies with and without patients with pathologically proven clinically node-positive disease.
RESULTS
This pooled analysis included 33 unique studies with 57 531 unique patients and showed the following axillary pCR rates for each of the 7 reported subtypes in decreasing order: 60% for hormone receptor (HR)-negative/ERBB2 (formerly HER2)-positive, 59% for ERBB2-positive (HR-negative or HR-positive), 48% for triple-negative, 45% for HR-positive/ERBB2-positive, 35% for luminal B, 18% for HR-positive/ERBB2-negative, and 13% for luminal A breast cancer. No major differences were found in the axillary pCR rates per subtype by analyzing separately the studies of patients with and without pathologically proven clinically node-positive disease before neoadjuvant systemic therapy.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
The HR-negative/ERBB2-positive subtype was associated with the highest axillary pCR rate. These data may help estimate axillary treatment response in the neoadjuvant setting and thus select patients for more or less invasive axillary procedures.
Topics: Axilla; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Humans; Lymph Nodes; Neoadjuvant Therapy
PubMed: 33881478
DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2021.0891 -
International Journal of Dermatology Nov 2021Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that presents with recurrent inflammatory nodules and draining tunnels in the skin. Most HS... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that presents with recurrent inflammatory nodules and draining tunnels in the skin. Most HS studies have focused on Western populations, and the understanding of how HS characteristics differ in specific Asian ethnicities is poor. We conducted the first systematic review and meta-analysis to characterize HS patients from East and Southeast Asia. PubMed, Embase, and Ovid MEDLINE databases were searched from inception to June 12, 2020. English-language case-series, cross-sectional, observational, and randomized controlled trial studies investigating HS in East and Southeast Asian populations were screened by titles, abstracts, and articles in duplicate. Of 136 citations, 10 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Data on gender distribution, lesion distribution in the axilla and gluteal regions, and family history were extracted in duplicate. A random effects model was used for the meta-analysis. A total of 30,125 HS patients were included in the analysis. Most patients were male (66%, 95% CI = 60-72%). About half of Asian patients with HS develop lesions in the axilla (52%, 95% CI = 33-72%) and the buttocks (48%, 95% CI = 38-57%). Only a small subset had positive family history of HS (5%, 95% CI = 2-8%). We report an up-to-date characterization of HS in East and Southeast Asian populations and highlight differences in their Western counterparts. These results will hopefully improve understanding for how HS may manifest, lead to more personalized treatments for Asian patients with HS, and usher in a proper patient-centered approach to treating the disease.
Topics: Axilla; Buttocks; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Hidradenitis Suppurativa; Humans; Male
PubMed: 34075575
DOI: 10.1111/ijd.15671 -
Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and... Dec 2022We performed a systematic review in order to describe the clinical presentation, therapeutic management and outcomes of malignant myoepitelioma of the breast.
OBJECTIVES
We performed a systematic review in order to describe the clinical presentation, therapeutic management and outcomes of malignant myoepitelioma of the breast.
SEARCH STRATEGY
A systematic search of MEDLINE and EMBASE references from January 1980 to Marsh 2020 was performed. We included articles that reported cases of malignant breast myoepithelioma. Data from eligible studies were independently extracted onto standardized forms by two reviewers.
RESULTS
31 articles including 47 cases of malignant breast myoepithelioma and 3 other unpublished cases managed in our establishment were included in this systematic review. The average age at diagnosis was 60.7 years old [range 30-81]. The average size of the tumor was 46mm [range 10 -230]. 30 patients had a partial mastectomy and 18 a total mastectomy. Only 15% of patient (7/48) had an axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy of whom one was positive. 33% of patients (16/48) had an axillary lymph node dissection which was positive for one patient. 19% (n=9) had adjuvant radiotherapy and 15% (n=7) had adjuvant chemotherapy. 33% (n=10) of patients with partial mastectomy had at least one recurrence, versus 5.5% (n=1) after a total mastectomy. The average time between the diagnosis and the first recurrence was 25.4 months [range: 1-50]. 64% (n=7) had a second partial mastectomy and only 18% (n=2) had a total mastectomy. 27% of patient had chemotherapy after their first recurrence and 27% had radiotherapy if it was not received in first line treatment. 40% (n=4/10) of patients with partial mastectomy who recurred have had at least 2 breast recurrences. 28% (n=14) of all patients had distant metastases. 20% of patients (n=10) died whose 80% (n=8) had distant metastatic disease.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review provided a precise summary of the clinical characteristics and treatment of patients presenting with Malignant breast myoepithelioma in the past 40 years. We anticipate that these results will help inform current investigations and treatment.
Topics: Humans; Adult; Middle Aged; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Breast Neoplasms; Mastectomy; Myoepithelioma; Mastectomy, Segmental; Axilla
PubMed: 36208828
DOI: 10.1016/j.jogoh.2022.102481 -
Sisli Etfal Hastanesi Tip Bulteni 2021Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Breast cancer is traditionally treated with surgery, plus adjuvant systemic therapy and radiotherapy as... (Review)
Review
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Breast cancer is traditionally treated with surgery, plus adjuvant systemic therapy and radiotherapy as required. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for the treatment of breast cancer is used for locally advanced operable breast cancer to reduce the tumor size, to perform breast conserving surgery, and to perform a limited axillary approach. Adjuvant chemotherapy for the treatment of inflammatory breast cancer and even in inoperable breast cancer is used to increase overall survival time and to delay disease progression while relieving symptoms. NACT for breast cancer is a new strategy that was introduced toward the end of the 20 century and is increasingly used in the treatment of breast cancer. At present, NACT is increasingly being used to reduce the need for axillary dissection and to convert patients with large tumors to candidates for breast conservation therapy in both locally advanced and operable breast cancers. Breast conserving procedures are currently more preferred by surgeons and axillary dissection is being replaced by sentinel lymph node biopsy after chemotherapy. One of the targets of neoadjuvant systemic therapy is to try to perform a less aggressive surgery by breast conservation, mainly for cosmetic reasons and avoiding axillary dissection mainly for arm mobility, pain, and lymphedema risk. The other target of neoadjuvant systemic therapy is to see the response of the tumor to chemotherapy and determine the treatment accordingly. Neoadjuvant systemic therapy increases the rate of complete pathological response by clearing the breast and axilla from tumor cells before surgery. In this review, we examine the key points of using the NACT in breast cancer, considering radiological imaging methods, surgical management, and reconstruction after NACT.
PubMed: 34349589
DOI: 10.14744/SEMB.2021.77010 -
BMC Surgery Jul 2023This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to study the evidence on the efficacy and safety of omitting axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for patients with... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Efficacy and safety comparison between axillary lymph node dissection with no axillary surgery in patients with sentinel node-positive breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to study the evidence on the efficacy and safety of omitting axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for patients with clinically node-negative but sentinel lymph node (SLN)-positive breast cancer using all the available evidence.
METHODS
The Embase, Medline, and Cochrane Library databases were searched through February 25, 2023. Original trials that compared only the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) with ALND as the control group for patients with clinically node-negative but SLN-positive breast cancer were included. The primary outcomes were axillary recurrence rate, total recurrence rate, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Meta-analyses were performed to compare the odds ratio (OR) in rates and the hazard ratios (HR) in time-to-event outcomes between both interventions. Based on different study designs, tools in the revised Cochrane risk of bias tool were used for randomized trials and the risk of bias in nonrandomized studies of interventions to assess the risk of bias for each included article. Funnel plots and Egger's test were used for the publication's bias assessment.
RESULTS
In total, 30 reports from 26 studies were included in the systematic review (9 reports of RCTs, 21 reports of retrospective cohort studies). According to our analysis, omitting ALND in patients with clinically node-negative but SLN-positive breast cancer had a similar axillary recurrence rate (OR = 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.76-1.20), DFS (HR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.89-1.16), and OS (HR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.92-1.03), but caused a significantly lower incidence of adverse events and benefited in locoregional recurrence rate (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.59-0.97) compared with ALND.
CONCLUSION
For patients with clinically node-negative but SLN-positive breast cancer (no matter the number of the positive SLN), this review showed that SLNB alone had a similar axillary recurrence rate, DFS, and OS, but caused a significantly lower incidence of adverse events and showed a benefit for the locoregional recurrence compared with ALND. An OS benefit was found in the Macro subset that used SLNB alone versus complete ALND. Therefore, omitting ALND is feasible in this setting.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
CRD 42023397963.
Topics: Humans; Female; Sentinel Lymph Node; Breast Neoplasms; Retrospective Studies; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Lymph Node Excision; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; Lymphatic Metastasis; Lymphadenopathy; Axilla; Lymph Nodes
PubMed: 37495945
DOI: 10.1186/s12893-023-02101-8 -
Frontiers in Surgery 2023Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) surgery is a highly effective treatment of primary hyperhidrosis (PH) for the palms, face, axillae. Compensatory sweating (CS) is... (Review)
Review
Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) surgery is a highly effective treatment of primary hyperhidrosis (PH) for the palms, face, axillae. Compensatory sweating (CS) is the most common and feared side effect of thoracic sympathectomy. CS is a phenomenon characterized by increased sweating in sites distal to the level of sympathectomy. Compensatory sweating is the main problem for which many patients give up surgery, losing the chance to solve their problem and accepting a poor quality of life. There are still no treatments that offer reliable solutions for compensatory sweating. The treatments proposed in the literature are scarce, with low case histories, and with uncertain results. Factors associated with CS are extension of manipulation of the sympathetic chain, level of sympathetic denervation, and body mass index. Therapeutic options include non surgical treatment and surgical treatment. Non surgical treatments include topical agents, botulinum toxin, systemic anticholinergics, iontophoresis. Surgical treatments include clip removal, extended sympathectomy and sympathetic chain reconstruction, although the efficacy is not well-established for all the methods. In this review we provide an overview of the treatments and outcomes described in the literature for the management of compensatory CS, with focus on surgical treatment.
PubMed: 37035574
DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2023.1160827 -
Revista Espanola de Anestesiologia Y... 2021Brachial plexus block has become one of the most widely-used anaesthetic techniques in the world for upper limb anaesthesia. There are three different brachial blocks... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Brachial plexus block has become one of the most widely-used anaesthetic techniques in the world for upper limb anaesthesia. There are three different brachial blocks techniques: supraclavicular, infraclavicular and axillary block. However, its execution is not exempt from possible clinical complications, and it is not clear which of these is associated with a lower complication rate and greater anaesthetic success.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Systematic review and meta-analysis following the Cochrane and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines to identify controlled clinical trials reporting the three techniques. The main outcome was the incidence of anaesthetic complications, and the secondary ones were an anaesthetic success, time of performance and anaesthetic latency.
RESULTS
25 controlled clinical trials, with 2012 patient, were included. The methodological quality of the included studies is moderate to high. For the main outcome, the main complication reported was a vascular puncture, followed by transient neurological injury, symptomatic diaphragmatic paralysis and pneumothorax. No differences were found in complications associated with the three anaesthetic techniques. Additionally, no differences were found regarding anaesthetic success.
CONCLUSIONS
Anesthetic complications associated with the three brachial block techniques are low, with no medium and long-term sequelae; however, none of the three techniques seems to be superior among them to reduce these complications. All three techniques are highly successful when performed using ultrasound imaging.
Topics: Anesthesia; Anesthetics, Local; Axilla; Brachial Plexus; Brachial Plexus Block; Humans
PubMed: 34294596
DOI: 10.1016/j.redare.2020.10.003 -
International Journal of Surgery... Aug 2022In the modern era, minimally invasive surgery is rapidly evolving and even replacing conventional open techniques in many surgical fields. Thyroidectomy was not an... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
In the modern era, minimally invasive surgery is rapidly evolving and even replacing conventional open techniques in many surgical fields. Thyroidectomy was not an exception, with the introduction of multiple endoscopic thyroidectomy techniques. Trans-oral endoscopic trans-vestibular thyroidectomy (TOT) is a novel technique with promising outcomes. We conducted this meta-analysis to compare surgical outcomes and learning curves for TOT and other endoscopic thyroidectomy techniques.
METHODS
A systematic review in PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases was conducted searching for publications on TOT versus trans-axillary thyroidectomy (TAT). The primary endpoint was operative (OR) time. Secondary endpoints were number of harvested lymph nodes (LNs), estimated blood loss (EBL), recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury, hoarseness, seroma, infection, chyle leak, hypocalcemia, hospital length of stay (LOS), and Cost. We also investigated the learning curve for each technique. Leave-out-out analysis, meta-regression, and subgroup analysis were used. Random effect inverse variance method was utilized.
RESULTS
Among 3820 retrieved studies, 15 studies (10 unmatched and 5 matched), with 2173 (TOT: 1024(47.12%) and TAT:1149(52.87%)) patients, met the inclusion criteria. The operative time and harvested L. Ns number were higher in TOT versus TAT (standard mean difference (SMD) = 0.72 [95%CI 0.07; 1.37], P = 0.029 and SMD = 0.32 [95%CI 0.02; 0.62], P = 0.036 respectively) while less EBL in TOT versus TAT (SMD = -0.26 [-0.43; -0.09], P = 0.0018). All other outcomes showed no significant difference between both groups. Weighted mean values for TOT and TAT were 158.03 vs 144.97 min for OR time, 6.33 vs 5.16 for harvested LNs, and $5,919.05 vs $6,253.79 for the cost. Statistical significance in learning curve development was noticed ranging between 6 and 15 annual cases.
CONCLUSION
Trans-oral thyroidectomy is a safe and reliable technique with outcomes comparable to other endoscopic techniques. It provides better access to the central compartment with a more feasible LN dissection. Improvement in surgical outcomes is expected with growing learning curve and technique mastery.
Topics: Axilla; Endoscopy; Humans; Learning Curve; Operative Time; Thyroid Neoplasms; Thyroidectomy
PubMed: 35764254
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2022.106739