Marcia E. Bouton

Association of health literacy with adherence to screening mammography guidelines.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of health literacy and screening mammography. METHODS: All patients seen at a breast clinic underwent prospective assessment of health literacy from January 2010 to April 2013. All women at least 40 years of age were included. Men and women diagnosed with breast cancer before age 40 years were excluded. Routine health literacy assessment was performed using the Newest Vital Sign. Demographic data were also collected. Medical records were reviewed to determine if patients had undergone screening mammography: women aged 40–49 years were considered to have undergone screening if they had another mammogram within 2 years. Women 50 years or older were considered to have undergone screening mammography if they had another mammogram within 1 year. RESULTS: A total of 1,664 consecutive patients aged 40 years or older were seen. No patient declined the health literacy assessment. Only 516 (31%) patients had undergone screening mammography. Logistic regression analysis that included ethnicity, language, education, smoking status, insurance status, employment, income, and family history found that only three factors were associated with not obtaining a mammogram: low health literacy (odds ratio [OR] 0.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.19–0.37; P<.001), smoking (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.47–0.85; P=.002), and being uninsured (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.51–0.85; P=.001). CONCLUSION: Of all the sociodemographic variables examined, health literacy had the strongest relationship with use of screening mammography. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III

Intraoperative touch imprint and frozen section analysis of sentinel lymph nodes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer

Objective:To evaluate the accuracy of touch imprint and frozen section analysis of sentinel nodes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Summary Background Data:Intraoperative evaluation of the sentinel node can determine the need for axillary dissection at the time of initial operation and therefore spare the patient a second operation. Little data, however, exists on the accuracy of intraoperative evaluation of sentinel nodes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Methods:A retrospective chart review was performed of all sentinel node procedures for breast cancer from 2004 to 2008 at a single institution. The sentinel node procedure was done before (no-NACT) chemotherapy in 107 patients and 37 had the procedure after neoadjuvant (NACT) chemotherapy. Intraoperative analysis of sentinel nodes was performed using touch imprint and frozen section techniques. Results:In the no-NACT group, intraoperative assessment by touch imprint analysis had 61% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 87% accuracy. Frozen section analysis was similar with 74% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 90% accuracy. In the NACT group, touch imprint analysis had 79% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 90% accuracy. Frozen section analysis was again similar with 74% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 83% accuracy. When the no-NACT group and the NACT group were compared, both frozen section and touch imprint analysis had similar sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Conclusions:Intraoperative evaluation of sentinel nodes with touch imprint and frozen section analysis in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy showed acceptable sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Nearly all of the misses in intraoperative evaluation were in patients with micrometastases.

Implementation of educational video improves patient understanding of basic breast cancer concepts in an undereducated county hospital population

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a video on patient understanding of basic breast cancer concepts.

Preoperative Chemotherapy for Operable Breast Cancer Is Associated with Better Compliance with Adjuvant Therapy in Matched Stage II and IIIA Patients

INTRODUCTION Preoperative chemotherapy (PC) for operable breast cancer has shown significant benefits in prospective trials. Many patients are treated in the community setting and some may question the applicability of PC outside the university setting. METHODS Retrospective review was performed of stage II and IIIA breast cancer patients treated from January 2002 to July 2009. Fifty-three of 57 patients who underwent PC were matched based on age, tumor size, and hormone receptor status with 53 patients who did not undergo PC. Differences in patient compliance with physician recommendations for all types of adjuvant therapy were evaluated. Crude odds ratios and adjusted odds ratios derived from conditional logistic regression models were calculated. RESULTS There were 106 patients included. Patient compliance with chemotherapy was better in the PC group than in the adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) group (100% versus 70%; p = .0001). Similarly, more patients in the PC group completed radiation therapy (96% versus 65%; p = .0003) and initiated hormonal therapy (100% versus 62%; p = .0001). Conditional logistic regression revealed that higher pathologic stage and current cigarette smoking were associated with poorer compliance with chemotherapy. For radiation therapy, the univariate model revealed that compliance with chemotherapy and being employed were associated with completion of radiation, whereas current cigarette smoking and larger pathologic size were associated with poorer compliance with radiation. For hormonal therapy, current cigarette smokers were more likely to be noncompliant with initiation of hormonal therapy. CONCLUSIONS PC for operable breast cancer can improve patient compliance with chemotherapy. Current cigarette smokers were more likely to be noncompliant with all types of adjuvant therapy.

Preoperative Chemotherapy for Operable Breast Cancer Improves Surgical Outcomes in the Community Hospital Setting

BACKGROUND Preoperative chemotherapy (PC) for operable breast cancer has demonstrated significant benefits in clinical trials. Many patients are treated in the community setting and some may question the applicability of PC outside the university setting. The potential benefits of PC in terms of surgical outcomes in a community practice were examined. METHODS A retrospective review was performed of stage II and stage IIIA breast cancer patients from January 1, 2002 to July 31, 2009. Surgical outcomes of margin status, volume of lumpectomy, rate of lumpectomy, and re-excision lumpectomy were evaluated. RESULTS There were 212 patients included. Seventy-nine percent of patients who underwent PC had a clinical response and 25% had a pathologic complete response. For clinical stage T2 and stage T3 tumors, the PC group underwent lumpectomy more often than patients in the adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) group (78% versus 50%; p = .016 and 60% versus 29%; p = .015, respectively). The rate of close or positive margins in the PC group was half the rate in the AC group (23% versus 46%; p = .04) and this resulted in fewer re-excisions (p = .01). The volume of tissue removed was also smaller in the PC group (143.6 cm³ versus 273.9 cm³; p = .003). Conclusions. PC for operable breast cancer can significantly improve surgical outcomes in community-based practice.

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma and Lobular Carcinoma In Situ in a Phyllodes Tumor

Figure 5. Histology and immunohistochemical profile of breast hemangioma. (a): Dense cluster of capillary structures, permeated by blood vessels little dilated containing erythrocytes. HE (·40); (b): Small vascular channels lined by single layer of endothelial cells without atypia. Not observed mitotic figures, necrosis or calcification HE (·400). (c–e): Immunohistochemical staining positive for: CD34; CD31 and FVIII in endothelial cells, respectively (·100); (f): Ki67 proliferation index down, being positive in about 1% of endothelial cells (·100).

Understanding of breast cancer concepts in an undereducated county hospital population

The purpose of this study was to determine how well breast cancer patients at a County hospital understood breast cancer concepts and treatment at time of operation.

Biospecimen Sharing Among Hispanic Women in a Safety-Net Clinic: Implications for the Precision Medicine Initiative.

Biospecimen donation is key to the Precision Medicine Initiative, which pioneers a model for accelerating biomedical research through individualized care. Personalized medicine should be made available to medically underserved populations, including the large and growing US Hispanic population. We present results of a study of 140 Hispanic women who underwent a breast biopsy at a safety-net hospital and were randomly assigned to receive information and request for consent for biospecimen and data sharing by the patient’s physician or a research assistant. Consent rates were high (97.1% and 92.9% in the physician and research assistant arms, respectively) and not different between groups (relative risk [RR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.96 to 1.10). Consistent with a small but growing literature, we show that perceptions of Hispanics’ unwillingness to participate in biospecimen sharing for research are not supported by data. Safety-net clinics and hospitals offer untapped possibilities for enhancing participation of underserved populations in the exciting Precision Medicine Initiative.

Factors associated with cervical cancer screening in a safety net population

AIM To identify factors associated with Papanicolaou-smear (Pap-smear) cervical cancer screening rates in a safety net population. METHODS From January 2012 to May 2013, the use of Pap-smear was determined for all patients seen at the breast clinic in a safety net hospital. Health literacy assessment was performed using the validated Newest Vital Sign. The records of patients were reviewed to determine if they had undergone Pap-smears for cervical cancer screening. Sociodemographic information was collected included age, education, monthly income, race/ethnicity, employment, insurance status, and primary care provider of the patient. Logistic regression analysis was then performed to determine factors associated with utilization of Pap-smears. Crude and adjusted odds ratios derived from multivariate logistic regression models were calculated as well as the associated 95%CIs and P-values. RESULTS Overall, 39% had Pap-smears in the prior 15 mo, 1377 consecutive women were seen during the study period and their records were reviewed. Significantly more patients with adequate health literacy underwent Pap-smears as compared to those with limited health literacy (59% vs 34%, P < 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, patients with adequate health literacy, younger patients, and those with later age of first live birth were more likely to undergo Pap-smears. Patients whose primary care providers were gynecologists were also significantly more likely to have Pap-smears compared to other specialties (P < 0.0001). Patients younger than 21 years or older than 65 years underwent screening less frequently (11% and 11%, respectively) than those 21-64 years (41%, P < 0.0001). Race, ethnicity, language, and insurance status were not associated with Pap-smear screening rates. CONCLUSION Patient health literacy and primary care physician were associated with Pap-smear utilization. Development of interventions to target low health literacy populations could improve cervical cancer screening.

Occurrence of Prolonged Injection Site Mass With Methylene Blue but Not Isosulfan Blue After the Sentinel Node Procedure

HYPOTHESIS Methylene blue and isosulfan blue perform similarly in the sentinel node procedure. DESIGN Retrospective medical record review. SETTING County hospital with surgical residency. PATIENTS A total of 194 patients underwent the sentinel node procedure. INTERVENTION Sentinel node procedure with methylene blue or isosulfan blue. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The identification rate, number of sentinel nodes identified, clinicopathologic variables, adverse effects, and complications were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS The sentinel node identification rate was similar between the 2 groups (99.1% with methylene blue and 100.0% with isosulfan blue). Slightly more sentinel nodes were identified using methylene blue (mean, 2.7 vs 2.1; P = .03). No allergic reactions were seen. Significantly more patients experienced a change in pulse oximetry readings, a wider range of pulse oximetry reduction, and a greater mean decrease in pulse oximetry readings with isosulfan blue than with methylene blue. No skin complications were seen in either group. A palpable mass occurred at the site of methylene blue injection in 8.2% of patients. CONCLUSIONS The sentinel node identification rate was similar with methylene blue and with isosulfan blue. Methylene blue has significant advantages with respect to product cost, absence of anaphylactic reactions, and lack of interference with pulse oximetry. However, awareness is necessary of the possibility of injection site mass after methylene blue injection.