Abstract PS1-10: Outcomes after sentinel lymph node biopsy and radiation therapy in women over 70 years old with ER+, HER2-, clinically node negative breast cancer
Authors: McAuliffe Priscilla F , Carleton Neil M , Zou Jian , Fang Yusi , Koscumb Stephen E , Shah Osama , Chen Fangyuan , Beriwal Sushil , Diego Emilia J , Brufsky Adam M , Oesterreich Steffi , Shapiro Steve D , Ferris Robert , Emens Leisha A , Tseng George , Marroquin Oscar C , Lee Adrian V 
Published: February 2021

Overtreatment of early-stage breast cancer with favorable tumor biology in elderly patients can result in higher rates of complications and morbidities without impacting survival. Guidelines directed towards deimplementation of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) (Choosing Wisely) and radiation therapy (RT) (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) have been recommended. We sought to describe rates and impact on disease recurrence and survival of SLNB and RT in elderly patients with early breast cancer. Patient data were obtained from the cancer registry and electronic health record from University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, multicenter, single health care system. Consecutive female patients aged ≥ 70 with ER+, HER2- clinically node-negative breast cancer within a health care system from 2010 to 2018 were identified. Rates and patient characteristics associated with receipt of SLNB and RT, as well as local recurrence free survival (LRFS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared for patients that were diagnosed between 2010 and 2014 to allow for adequate follow up time. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of mortality. Among 3,361 identified women, 2,195 (65.3%) received SLNB and 1,828 (54.4%) received RT. Rates of SLNB steadily increased (1.0% per year); this trend persisted in 2017 and 2018, even after the Society of Surgical Oncology adopted the Choosing Wisely Guidelines in 2016. During the same time period, rates of RT declined (3.4% per year). To examine outcomes, we limited the analysis to 2109 cases from 2010-2014; median (IQR) follow up time was 4.1 (2.5-5.7) years. Median (IQR) age was 77 (73-82) years. 1373 (65.1%) received SLNB and 1,219 (57.8%) received RT. Patients receiving SLNB were younger (P &lt; 0.001) with smaller (P &lt; 0.0001) and lower stage (P &lt; 0.0001) tumors. They had fewer comorbidities (P &lt; 0.001), longer follow-up times (P &lt; 0.001), were less likely on Medicaid/Medicare (P = 0.0091), and were more often seen at an academic center (P &lt; 0.0001). There was no difference in grade between those that did and did not receive SLNB (P = 0.31) and those that did and did not receive RT (P = 0.13). Multivariate cox proportional hazard analysis showed no effect of SLNB on LRFS (HR = 1.17, 95% CI 0.29-4.75, P = 0.83) or DFS (HR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.44-1.83, P = 0.77). Log rank test showed no difference in 5-year LRFS (P = 0.78) between patients who received (98.5%, 95% CI 97.7%-99.7%) and did not receive (98.1%, 95% CI 96.7%-99.5%) SLNB, but an increase was seen with 5-year DFS (P = 0.023), with 96.2% (95% CI 95.0%-97.4%) of patients disease-free among those who did receive SLNB vs. 93.0% (95% CI 90.6%-95.4%) with no SLNB. Multivariate cox proportional hazard analysis showed that RT was associated with improved LRFS (HR = 0.13, 95% CI 0.03-0.51, P &lt; 0.01) and DFS (HR = 0.32, 95% CI 0.15-0.68, P &lt; 0.01). Log rank test showed a difference in 5-year LRFS (P &lt; 0.0001) for those who received RT (99.4%, 95% CI 98.8%-100%) against those who did not (96.5%, 95% CI 95.0%-98.1%), and a similar difference in 5-year DFS (P &lt; 0.0001) in patients who did (97.0%, 95% CI 95.8%-98.1%) and did not (92.4%, 95% CI 90.2%-94.7%) receive RT. Lower age (OR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.87-0.92) and comorbidities (OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.66-0.94) were associated with receipt of SLNB, while only age (OR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.88-0.94) was associated with receipt of RT.

We conclude that receipt of SLNB has no impact upon DFS or LRFS. This data supports deimplementation of SLNB for this patient population. Receipt of RT is important for controlling locoregional recurrence, supporting use of RT in this patient cohort.

Citation Format: Priscilla F McAuliffe, Neil M Carleton, Jian Zou, Yusi Fang, Stephen E Koscumb, Osama Shah, Fangyuan Chen, Sushil Beriwal, Emilia J Diego, Adam M Brufsky, Steffi Oesterreich, Steve D Shapiro, Robert Ferris, Leisha A Emens, George Tseng, Oscar C Marroquin, Adrian V Lee. Outcomes after sentinel lymph node biopsy and radiation therapy in women over 70 years old with ER+, HER2-, clinically node negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS1-10.