Dexamethasone is Associated With a Lower Risk of the Progression of Thoracic Aortic Calcification in Breast Cancer Survivors

Background and Purpose: Breast cancer survivors have an increased cardiovascular risk, and vascular calcification is the pathological basis of cardiovascular disease. Some factors that affect the progression of thoracic aortic calcification (TAC) in survivors are unclear, and this study aims to explore the relationship between dexamethasone or radiotherapy and the progression of TAC in survivors.Materials and Methods: This study included 189 female patients with breast cancer, and they were divided into the progression and non-progression TAC groups. Radiation or dexamethasone doses, and related laboratory parameters were collected.Results: The cumulative dose of dexamethasone was higher [40 (10–180) mg versus 180 (80–270) mg, p < 0.001], and the cycle was longer [4 (1–6) cycles versus 6 (4–8) cycles, p < 0.001] in the non-progression TAC group. The cumulative dose (r = −0.303, p < 0.001) and cycle (r = −0.357, p < 0.001) of dexamethasone were negatively correlated with the level of increased TAC Agatston scores in survivors. Logistic regression analysis showed that dexamethasone was a protective factor for the progression of TAC (p = 0.029, odds ratio = 0.263, 95% confidence interval = 0.08–0.872). However, there wasn’t significant relationship between radiotherapy, radiation dose, follow-up time and the progression of TAC (all p > 0.05). In addition, aorta volume was positively correlated with the level of increased TAC Agatston scores in intensity modulated radiation therapy (r = 0.460, p < 0.001).Conclusion: Dexamethasone is associated with a lower risk of the progression of TAC in breast cancer survivors, and there’s no correlation between radiotherapy and progression of TAC, but the aorta volume may be a predictor of the severity of progression of TAC.

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Adherence to follow-up recommendation guidelines in long term breast cancer survivors, a SURBCAN cohort analysis using administrative databases

The Breast ◽

10.1016/s0960-9776(21)00243-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 56 ◽

pp. S80-S81

Author(s):

P. Santiá ◽

A. Jansana ◽

T. Sanz ◽

I. de la Cura ◽

M. Padilla-Ruiz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Cohort Analysis ◽

Administrative Databases

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Changes in the Semantic Construction of Compassion after the Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT®) in Women Breast Cancer Survivors

The Spanish Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1017/sjp.2021.31 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 24 ◽

Author(s):

Edgar González-Hernández ◽

Daniel Campos ◽

Rebeca Diego-Pedro ◽

Rocío Romero ◽

Rosa Baños ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Semantic Differential ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Treatment As Usual ◽

Spanish Speaking ◽

Specific Culture ◽

Differential Categories

Abstract The growing body of research on compassion has demonstrated its benefits for healthcare and wellbeing. However, there is no clear agreement about a definition for compassion, given the novelty of the research on this construct and its religious roots. The aim of this study is to analyze the mental semantic construction of compassion in Spanish-speaking women breast cancer survivors, and the effects of the Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT®) on the modification of this definition, compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU), at baseline, post-intervention, and six-month follow-up. Participants were 56 women breast cancer survivors from a randomized clinical trial. The Osgood’s Semantic Differential categories (evaluative, potency, and activity scales) were adapted to assess the semantic construction of compassion. At baseline, participants had an undefined idea about compassion. The CBCT influenced subjects’ semantic construction of what it means to be compassionate. Findings could lead to future investigations and compassion programs that adapt to a specific culture or population.

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Mammography Surveillance and Mortality in Older Breast Cancer Survivors

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2006.09.9572 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 25 (21) ◽

pp. 3001-3006 ◽

Cited By ~ 85

Author(s):

Timothy L. Lash ◽

Matthew P. Fox ◽

Diana S.M. Buist ◽

Feifei Wei ◽

Terry S. Field ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Cancer Mortality ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Care Delivery ◽

Breast Cancer Mortality ◽

The United States ◽

Stage I ◽

Early Stage Disease

Purpose There are more than 2,000,000 breast cancer survivors in the United States today. While surveillance for asymptomatic recurrence and second primary is included in consensus recommendations, the effectiveness of this surveillance has not been well characterized. Our purpose is to estimate the effectiveness of surveillance mammography in a cohort of breast cancer survivors with complete ascertainment of surveillance mammograms and negligible losses to follow-up. Patients and Methods We enrolled 1,846 stage I and II breast cancer patients who were at least 65 years old at six integrated health care delivery systems. We used medical record review and existing databases to ascertain patient, tumor, and therapy characteristics, as well as receipt of surveillance mammograms. We linked personal identifiers to the National Death Index to ascertain date and cause of death. We matched four controls to each breast cancer decedent to estimate the association between receipt of surveillance mammogram and breast cancer mortality. Results One hundred seventy-eight women died of breast cancer during 5 years of follow-up. Each additional surveillance mammogram was associated with a 0.69-fold decrease in the odds of breast cancer mortality (95% CI, 0.52 to 0.92). The protective association was strongest among women with stage I disease, those who received mastectomy, and those in the oldest age group. Conclusion Given existing recommendations for post-therapy surveillance, trials to compare surveillance with no surveillance are unlikely. This large observational study provides support for the recommendations, suggesting that receipt of surveillance mammograms reduces the rate of breast cancer mortality in older patients diagnosed with early-stage disease.

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How Beneficial is Follow-Up Mammography in Elderly Breast Cancer Survivors?

Annals of Surgical Oncology ◽

10.1245/s10434-016-5301-5 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 (11) ◽

pp. 3518-3523 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Kristen P. Massimino ◽

Maxine S. Jochelson ◽

Imelda E. Burgan ◽

Michelle Stempel ◽

Monica Morrow

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors

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1730P Electronic medical record (EMR)-assisted phone follow-up (PFU) for breast cancer survivors (CS) during COVID-19 pandemic: An Italian single institution experience

Annals of Oncology ◽

10.1016/j.annonc.2020.08.1794 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

pp. S1013-S1014

Author(s):

C. Messina ◽

A. Ferro ◽

E.M. Piras ◽

A. Zanutto ◽

O. Caffo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Medical Record ◽

Electronic Medical Record ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Single Institution

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Acupuncture for symptoms management in Korean breast cancer survivors: a prospective pilot study

Acupuncture in Medicine ◽

10.1177/0964528419832610 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

pp. 164-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tae-Hun Kim ◽

Jung Won Kang

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Unmet Need ◽

Symptomatic Treatment ◽

Common Symptom ◽

Specific Outcome ◽

Acupuncture Research

Background: There is an unmet need for effective treatment of the various treatment-related symptoms experienced by breast cancer survivors. These symptoms could be alleviated by acupuncture. Although several lines of evidence in Western countries suggest that acupuncture has a beneficial effect on symptoms in breast cancer survivors, few relevant studies have been conducted in Korean patients. This pilot study assessed the feasibility of acupuncture for a variety of treatment-related symptoms in Korean breast cancer survivors. Method: From October 2015 to March 2016, we recruited patients who had undergone treatment for breast cancer and subsequently reported symptoms, including aromatase inhibitor-related knee pain, vasomotor symptoms, insomnia, sexual dysfunction and post-mastectomy pain in the chest wall or shoulder. The women received 4 weeks of symptom-specific acupuncture followed by a further 4 weeks of follow-up to evaluate the feasibility of acupuncture for this indication, and its impact on common and symptom-specific outcome variables. Results: Eight study participants were recruited over a period of 6 months, six of whom completed the planned acupuncture treatment and follow-up assessments. A total of 78 acupuncture sessions were performed. We found that acupuncture was feasible, with only six minor self-limiting acupuncture-related adverse events. Most of the women felt that they had benefitted from participation in the study. The preliminary analysis indicated improvement in common symptom-specific outcomes. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that acupuncture is feasible, but low recruitment rates should be considered when considering future acupuncture research in Korean breast cancer survivors. Rigorous evaluation of this symptomatic treatment strategy is now needed in the Korean population.

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Abstract 1829: Predictors of quality of life among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White women: A 15 year follow-up study of long-term breast cancer survivors

10.1158/1538-7445.am2011-1829 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

Stephanie R. Denkhoff ◽

Dongyan Yang ◽

Christina M. Pinkston ◽

Richard N. Baumgartner ◽

Kathy B. Baumgartner

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

White Women ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Hispanic White

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A Group Dynamics-Based Exercise Intervention to Improve Physical Activity Maintenance in Breast Cancer Survivors

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2018-0667 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (9) ◽

pp. 785-791

Author(s):

Heather J. Leach ◽

Katie B. Potter ◽

Mary C. Hidde

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Group Dynamics ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Exercise Intervention ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Group Cohesion ◽

Self Report

Background: To maintain increases in physical activity (PA), interventions that implement group dynamics principles and strategies with the intent of enhancing group cohesion may be advantageous. This study examined group cohesion and PA following a group dynamics-based PA intervention among breast cancer survivors. Methods: The study was designed as a pilot randomized controlled trial comparing an 8-week group dynamics-based intervention with an individually supervised intervention. Group cohesion was measured by the Physical Activity Group Environment Questionnaire, and PA was measured at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up using a self-report questionnaire and pedometer. Results: Group cohesion levels were high following the intervention and positively associated with PA at 3-month follow-up (ranger = .182–.555). At 3-month follow-up, 91.7% of participants in the group-dynamics-based intervention (n = 12) were classified as moderately active or greater, compared with 54.5% in the individually supervised intervention (n = 11). Conclusions: These results suggest that, for breast cancer survivors, peer support and fostering group cohesion as part of an exercise program may help to support PA following the completion of a structured intervention. A larger trial with longer follow-up is needed to establish comparative efficacy for a group-dynamics-based exercise intervention to enhance long-term PA adherence in breast cancer survivors.

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Determination of the Minimum Detectable Change in the Total and Segmental Volumes of the Upper Limb, Evaluated by Perimeter Measurements

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare8030285 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 285

Author(s):

José Manuel Tánori-Tapia ◽

Ena Monserrat Romero-Pérez ◽

Néstor Antonio Camberos ◽

Mario A. Horta-Gim ◽

Gabriel Núñez-Othón ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Upper Limb ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Female Breast Cancer ◽

Minimal Detectable Change ◽

Axillary Lymph ◽

Detectable Change ◽

Minimum Detectable Change

Among female breast cancer survivors, there is a high prevalence of lymphedema subsequent to axillary lymph node dissection and axillary radiation therapy. There are many methodologies available for the screening, diagnosis and follow-up of breast cancer survivors with or without lymphedema, the most common of which is the measurement of patients’ arm circumference. The purpose of this study was to determine the intra-rater minimal detectable change (MDC) in the volume of the upper limb, both segmentally and globally, using circumference measurements for the evaluation of upper limb volume. In this study, 25 women who had received a unilateral mastectomy for breast cancer stage II or III participated. On two occasions separated by 15 min, the same researcher determined 11 perimeters for each arm at 4 cm intervals from the distal crease of the wrist in the direction of the armpit. The MDC at the segmental level ranged from 3.37% to 7.57% (2.7 to 14.6 mL, respectively) and was 2.39% (42.9 mL) at the global level of the arm; thus, minor changes in this value result in a high level of uncertainty in the interpretation of the results associated with the diagnosis of lymphedema and follow-up for presenting patients.

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