Monica Brown

Descriptive analysis of estrogen receptor (ER)-negative, progesterone receptor (PR)-negative, and HER2-negative invasive breast cancer, the so-called triple-negative phenotype: A population-based study from the California Cancer Registry

Tumor markers are becoming increasingly important in breast cancer research because of their impact on prognosis, treatment, and survival, and because of their relation to breast cancer subtypes. The triple‐negative phenotype is important because of its relation to the basal‐like subtype of breast cancer.

Descriptive analysis of estrogen receptor (ER)-negative, progesterone receptor (PR)-negative, and HER2-negative invasive breast cancer, the so-called triple-negative phenotype: a population-based study from the California cancer Registry.

Tumor markers are becoming increasingly important in breast cancer research because of their impact on prognosis, treatment, and survival, and because of their relation to breast cancer subtypes. The triple‐negative phenotype is important because of its relation to the basal‐like subtype of breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Subtypes as Defined by the Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR), and the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) among Women with Invasive Breast Cancer in California, 1999–2004

Abstract:  Breast cancer research examining either molecular profiles or biomarker subtypes has focused on the estrogen receptor negative/progesterone receptor negative/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (ER−/PR−/HER2−) and ER−/PR−/HER2+ subtypes. Less is known about the epidemiology or clinical outcome of the other subtypes. This study examines the eight combinations of ER/PR/HER2 in patients with invasive breast cancer. The 5‐year relative survival and the distribution among demographic, socioeconomic, and tumor characteristics of each of the subtypes are examined. Using the California Cancer Registry, 61,309 women with primary invasive breast cancer were classified according to ER/PR/HER2 status. Five‐year relative survival was computed for the eight subtypes. Bivariate analyses were used to assess the distribution of cases across all subtypes. Multivariate logistic regression was used to compute the adjusted odds of having one of the five subtypes with the best and worst survival. Survival varied from 96% (ER+/PR+/HER2−) to 76% (ER−/PR−/HER2+ and ER−/PR−/HER2−). The four subtypes with the poorest survival were all ER negative. Women who were younger than age 50, non‐Hispanic black or Hispanic, of the lowest SES groups, and had stage IV tumors that were undifferentiated were overrepresented in ER−/PR−/HER2+ and triple negative (ER−/PR−/HER2−) subtypes. Asian Pacific Islanders had increased odds (OR = 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.26–1.57) of having the ER−/PR−/HER2+ subtype. Stage III tumors (OR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.08–1.44) and stage IV tumors (OR = 1.58; 95% CI = 1.27–1.98) had higher odds than stage I tumors of being ER−/PR−/HER2+. Stage IV tumors (OR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.44–0.67) strongly decreased the odds of the ER−/PR−/HER2− subtype. Poorly differentiated and undifferentiated tumors were over 20 times as likely as well‐differentiated tumors of being ER−/PR−/HER2− or ER−/PR−/HER2+. There are considerable differences in survival, demographics, and tumor characteristics among the eight subtypes. We recommend reporting breast cancer as an ER/PR/HER2 subtype and precisely documenting demographic and tumor characteristics.

The role of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 in the survival of women with estrogen and progesterone receptor‐negative, invasive breast cancer: The California Cancer Registry, 1999–2004

Breast cancers that are negative for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) (triple negative [TN]) have been associated with high‐grade histology, aggressive clinical behavior, and poor survival. It has been determined that breast cancers that are negative for ER and PR but positive for HER2 (double negative [DN]) share features with TN breast cancers. In this report, the authors quantified the contribution of HER2 as well as demographic and tumor characteristics to the survival of women with TN tumors, DN tumors, and other breast cancers (OBC).

Positron Emission Tomography and Improved Survival in Patients With Lung Cancer: The Will Rogers Phenomenon Revisited

BACKGROUND The Will Rogers phenomenon occurs when newer technology allows for more sensitive detection of tumor spread, resulting in stage migration and an apparent improvement in patient survival. We investigated whether use of highly sensitive positron emission tomography (PET) scanning in non-small cell lung cancer has had this effect. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis involving 12,395 patients with non-small cell lung cancer in the pre-PET (1994-1998) and PET (1999-2004) periods. Interperiod differences in staging procedures, clinical variables, and patient survival were evaluated. RESULTS There was a 5.4% decline in the number of patients with stage III disease and an 8.4% increase in the number of patients with stage IV disease in the PET period, corresponding with an increase in PET use from 6.3% to 20.1% (P < .001). The PET period predicted better survival with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.95 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.91-0.99) (P = .02). Use of PET was independently associated with better survival in patients with stage III (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.69-0.85) and stage IV (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.58-0.70) disease, but not those with stage I or II disease. CONCLUSION These data support the notion that stage migration is responsible at least in part for an apparent improvement in survival for patients with stage III and IV non-small cell lung cancer in the PET scan era.

Epidemiologic Trends in Renal Cell Carcinoma in the Cytokine and Post-Cytokine Eras: A Registry Analysis of 28,252 Patients

UNLABELLED Advances in the targeted treatment of renal cell cancer (RCC) have shown improvements in survival in clinical trials and have largely replaced cytokine therapies as the standard of care. However it is unclear if these advances have translated to the general RCC population. We present a retrospective study of a large clinical cancer registry that demonstrates statistically significant improvements in survival in cancer patients, but the causes of this improvement are difficult to determine because of many confounders. BACKGROUND Before 2004, advanced renal cell cancer (RCC) therapy consisted primarily of cytokines such as interferon and/or interleukin-2. Subsequently, randomized trials of targeted therapies have shown a survival benefit, leading to the approval of several new agents since 2004. Whether the survival benefit seen in highly selected patients accrued to these trials has already translated to the general RCC patient population is unclear. To explore this, a large RCC patient registry was evaluated for changes in outcome between the cytokine (1998-2003) and post-cytokine (2004-2007) eras. METHODS Data from the California Cancer Registry (CCR), a population-based cancer surveillance system, was used to retrospectively analyze 28,252 patients with RCC diagnosed between 1998 and 2007. Inter-era differences in clinical variables-including year of diagnosis, histologic characteristics, age, sex, race, stage, nephrectomy status, overall survival (OS), and cause-specific survival (CSS)-were assessed. Univariate and multivariate Cox models were used. RESULTS Crude 3-year OS (68.2% vs. 74.6%; 2P < .001) and CSS (78.1% vs. 82.3%; 2P < .001) were significantly higher in the post-cytokine era. In multivariate analysis, the 3 strongest predictors for improved survival were localized disease (hazard ratio [HR], 18.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 16.6-19.6), nephrectomy (HR, 2.87; 95% CI, 2.68-3.08), and clear cell histologic type (HR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.22-1.44). CONCLUSIONS In this analysis of a large RCC registry, there was an apparent increase in crude OS and CSS in the post-cytokine era compared with the cytokine era. Insufficient follow-up time in the post-cytokine era and a higher proportion of localized disease in that era confound the possibility of benefit derived from targeted therapies. Longer follow-up for patients treated in the post-cytokine era is necessary for a more robust comparison of long-term OS.

Incidence of first primary central nervous system tumors in California, 2001-2005

We examined the incidence of first primary central nervous system tumors (PCNST) in California from 2001–2005. This study period represents the first five years of data collection of benign PCNST by the California Cancer Registry. California’s age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIR) for malignant and benign PCNST (5.5 and 8.5 per 100,000, respectively). Malignant PCNST were highest among non-Hispanic white males (7.8 per 100,000). Benign PCNST were highest among African American females (10.5 per 100,000). Hispanics, those with the lowest socioeconomic status, and those who lived in rural California were found to be significantly younger at diagnosis. Glioblastoma was the most frequent malignant histology, while meningioma had the highest incidence among benign histologies (2.6 and 4.5 per 100,000, respectively). This study is the first in the US to compare malignant to benign PCNST using a population-based data source. It illustrates the importance of PCNST surveillance in California and in diverse communities.

Racial disparities on the use of invasive and noninvasive staging in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: Racial disparities have been reported in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) staging and therapeutic outcomes. We investigated whether such disparities exist in the era of modern noninvasive staging modalities, including positron emission tomography scan use. Methods: NSCLC patients from the California Cancer Registry diagnosed between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 2004, were included. The likelihood of obtaining invasive (thoracoscopy, bronchoscopy, and mediastinoscopy) and noninvasive staging procedures (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography scans), along with surgical resection, were analyzed using logistic regression adjusted for known confounders. Results: Of 13,762 NSCLC patients, 12,395 with adequate staging information were included. 10,217 patients (82%) were classified as white, 2178 patients (18%) were non-white, and 738 were black patients (6%). No association was seen between race and the use of either noninvasive (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; p = 0.76) or invasive staging procedures (OR = 0.96; p = 0.44). However, compared with white patients, black patients had a lower likelihood of undergoing surgery, regardless of noninvasive (OR = 0.6; p <0.001) or invasive staging use (OR = 0.63; p = 0.02). There was no survival difference for those who underwent surgery between white and non-white patients, regardless of noninvasive (hazard ratio = 0.95; p = 0.45) or invasive staging (hazard ratio = 1.03; p = 0.79). Conclusions: In contrast to prior published work, we found no difference in rates of both invasive and noninvasive staging between white and non-white patients. However, non-white patients—particularly blacks—were less likely to receive surgery. The reason for the apparent difference in surgical rates could not be explained by the variables we evaluated. Thus, other factors such as personal preference or access to care require further investigation.

Positron emission tomography (PET) and improved survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients: The Will Rogers Phenomenon revisited

11038 Background: The Will Rogers phenomenon occurs when newer technology allows for more sensitive detection of tumor spread, resulting in stage migration and an apparent improvement in patient survival. We investigated whether the use of PET scanning in NSCLC has resulted in this effect. Methods: 12,395 NSCLC patients from Region 3 (Sacramento) of the California Cancer Registry were analyzed. Two distinct periods, pre-PET (1994–1998) and PET (1999–2004), were identified. Inter-period differences in staging procedures, clinical variables, and survival were evaluated. Variables included computed tomography (CT) and PET scan use, age, gender, race, stage, surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and urban/rural setting. Cox regression was used to generate hazard ratios (HR) for death adjusted for potential confounders related to PET period or use. Further covariate balance and confounder adjustment was done by the Propensity Score (PS) method. The PS (the chance of receiving a PET scan given the covariate...