Noteworthy NCCI database study showing zip code has a negative influence on tumor burden and outcomes. I wonder if the presence of community oncology practices in similar geographical zones reduces this interaction of environmental opportunity and outcomes.
Adverse neighborhood contextual factors may affect breast cancer outcomes through environmental, psychosocial, and biological pathways. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between allostatic load (AL), neighborhood opportunity, and all-cause mortality among patients with breast cancer.
Women age 18 years and older with newly diagnosed stage I-III breast cancer who received surgical treatment between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2020, at a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center were identified. Neighborhood opportunity was operationalized using the 2014-2018 Ohio Opportunity Index (OOI), a composite measure derived from neighborhood level transportation, education, employment, health, housing, crime, and environment. Logistic and Cox regression models tested associations between the OOI, AL, and all-cause mortality.
The study cohort included 4,089 patients. Residence in neighborhoods with low OOI was associated with high AL (adjusted odds ratio, 1.21 [95% CI, 1.05 to 1.40]). On adjusted analysis, low OOI was associated with greater risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.45 [95% CI, 1.11 to 1.89]). Relative to the highest (99th percentile) level of opportunity, risk of all-cause mortality steeply increased up to the 70th percentile, at which point the rate of increase plateaued. There was no interaction between the composite OOI and AL on all-cause mortality (P = .12). However, there was a higher mortality risk among patients with high AL residing in lower-opportunity environments (aHR, 1.96), but not in higher-opportunity environments (aHR, 1.02; P interaction = .02).
Lower neighborhood opportunity was associated with higher AL and greater risk of all-cause mortality among patients with breast cancer. Additionally, environmental factors and AL interacted to influence all-cause mortality. Future studies should focus on interventions at the neighborhood and individual level to address socioeconomically based disparities in breast cancer.
The INSEMA trial showed that for early stage, T1-T2 clinically node negative breast cancer, sentinel lymph node biopsies should not be mandatory, and best clinical judgement can be used.
Imlunestrant (novel oral SERD) was active in patients with an ESR1 mutations, but otherwise did not offer a benefit in this population of women with ER+ HER2-neg MBC. Overall survival (OS) data is pending with further follow up.
Yet another combination to consider after CDK4/6i + ET in HR+ MBC!
Another trial with neoadjuvant immunotherapy showing improved results over chemotherapy alone. (12% higher PCR 48% vs 36%).
Dato-DXd is now approved in HR+, HER2-neg, metastatic breast cancer after prior therapy with endocrine-based therapy and chemotherapy. There was an impressive reduction in the risk of death or progression with an HR of 0.63. Watch out for ocular and pulmonary toxicity. HER2-ultra low testing will be burdensome but must be done for drug approval.
FCS Hematology Oncology Review creates a platform for our physician network to observe the most recent articles and studies available in the oncology and hematology world. By sharing these articles we are building our wealth of knowledge of new observations and treatments as they come available.
