Impact of delayed neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy on overall survival among breast cancer patients.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Delays in the initiation of therapy among patients with early stage breast cancer (BC), can negatively impact outcomes. Patients treated with neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy (NSC) usually display tumors with high-risk features. Considering these high-risk characteristics, and the evidence supporting adverse outcomes associated with delays in adjuvant chemotherapy initiation, we sought to determine whether a delay in NSC initiation is associated with overall survival (OS). METHODS:We identified patients diagnosed between January 1995 and December 2015 with invasive primary BC (stage I-III) who received NSC at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Patients were categorized according to their time from BC diagnosis to NSC (in days) into three subgroups: 0-30, 31-60, and ?61?days. Primary endpoint was OS. Descriptive statistics and Cox Proportional Hazard models were used. RESULTS:A total of 5,137 patients were included. Median follow-up was 6.5?years. The 5-year OS estimates according to time to NSC were 87%, 85% and 83% in patients who received NSC within 0-30, 31-60 and ?61?days after diagnosis, respectively (P=0.006). In multivariable analysis, compared to time to NSC of 0-30?days, delayed NSC ?61?days was associated with an increased risk of death (31-60?days HR=1.05 [95%CI 0.92-1.19]; ?61?days, HR=1.28 [95%CI 1.06-1.54]). In stratified analyses, the association between delay in NSC initiation and increased risk of death was statistically significant for patients with stage I, II (31-60?days: HR=1.22 [95%CI 1.02-1.47]; ?61?days, HR=1.41 [95%CI 1.07-1.86]) BC and among patients with HER2-positive tumors (?61?days, HR=1.86 [95%CI 1.21-2.86]). CONCLUSIONS:A delay in NSC initiation of more than 61?days after BC diagnosis was associated with an increased risk of death. Early initiation of NSC should be a priority; multidisciplinary teams must focus in coordination of care and patient-centered timely treatment planning and delivery.
SUBMITTER: de Melo Gagliato D
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7485349 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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