Background: The benefit of chemotherapy for older patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative early breast cancer (EBC) is a key area of... Show moreBackground: The benefit of chemotherapy for older patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative early breast cancer (EBC) is a key area of debate. Gene expression profiling (GEP) may identify patients deriving benefit, but their predictive role has not been established for older adults.We summarise evidence on efficacy, safety, and quality-of-life impacts of chemotherapy and on GEP use and impact in older HR-positive, HER2-negative EBC patients.Methods: We conducted a literature search of PubMed and Embase on publications describing prospective studies evaluating chemotherapy in older adults with HR-positive, HER2-negative EBC and on publications describing retrospective and prospective studies evaluating GEP in older adults.Results: Eight publications on chemotherapy use, including 2,035 older patients with EBC were selected. Only one trial evaluated chemotherapy survival benefits in older adults, showing no benefit. Of four studies comparing different regimens, only one showed the superiority of taxanes versus anthracyclines alone. Those investigating alternative regimens did not show improvements over standard regimens despite significant limitations.Five publications on GEP, including 445,323 older patients, were included and investigated Oncotype DX. Limited evidence shows that GEP aids treatment decisions in this population. GEP was offered less frequently to older versus younger patients. Higher Recurrence Score was prognostic for distant recurrence, but chemotherapy did not improve prognosis.Conclusions: In older patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative, chemotherapy survival benefits EBC are unclear and GEP is less used. Although its prognostic role is well established, its predictive role remains unknown. (C) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Show less
Background Hospital report cards (HRCs) are usually presented in a textual and factual format, likely hampering information processing. Objective This study aimed to investigate the effects of... Show moreBackground Hospital report cards (HRCs) are usually presented in a textual and factual format, likely hampering information processing. Objective This study aimed to investigate the effects of audiovisual and narrative information in HRCs on user responses, and to test differences between older and younger women. Design A 2 (modality [textual vs. audiovisual]) x 3 (narration style [factual vs. process narrative vs. experience narrative]) online experiment was conducted. Information about breast cancer care was used as a case example. Age (younger [<65] vs. older [>= 65]) was included as a potential effect modifier. Setting and Participants A total of 631 disease-naive women (M-age = 56.06) completed an online survey. The outcomes were perceived cognitive load, satisfaction, comprehension, information recall and decisional conflict. Data were analysed using AN(C)OVAs. Results Audiovisual (vs. textual) information resulted in higher information satisfaction across age groups, but was associated with lower comprehension in older women. An experience narrative (vs. factual information) increased satisfaction with attractiveness and emotional support of the information only in older women. A three-way interaction effect was found, suggesting that older women were most satisfied with the comprehensibility of audiovisual factual or textual process narrative information. Younger women were most satisfied with the comprehensibility of audiovisual process narrative or textual factual information. Discussion and Conclusion Audiovisual and narrative information in an HRC showed beneficial effects on satisfaction measures. In particular, audiovisual information could be incorporated into HRCs to increase satisfaction with information. Public Contribution Lay persons helped in optimizing the visuals used in the stimulus materials by checking for clarity. Show less
Glas, N. de; Bastiaannet, E.; Boer, A. de; Siesling, S.; Liefers, G.J.; Portielje, J. 2019
PurposeThe number of older patients with breast cancer is rapidly increasing. A previous study showed that between 1990 and 2005, the survival of older patients with breast cancer did not improve... Show morePurposeThe number of older patients with breast cancer is rapidly increasing. A previous study showed that between 1990 and 2005, the survival of older patients with breast cancer did not improve in contrast to younger patients. In recent years, scientific evidence in the older age group has increased and specific guidelines for older women with breast cancer have been developed. The aim of this study was to assess changes in survival outcomes of older patients with breast cancer.Patients and methodsAll patients with breast cancer between 2000 and 2017 were included from the Netherlands cancer registry. We assessed changes in treatments using logistic regression. We calculated changes in relative survival as proxy for breast cancer mortality, stratified by age and stage.ResultsWe included 239,992 patients. Relative survival improved for patients<65 for all stages. In patients aged 65-75 years, relative survival did not improve in stage I-II but did improve in stage III breast cancer (RER 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-1.00, p=0.046). Concurrently, prescription of systemic treatments increased. In patients>75, relative survival did not improve in patients with stage I/II or stage III disease, nor did treatment strategies change.ConclusionsThis study shows that relative survival of patients aged 65-75 years with advanced breast cancer has improved, and concurrently, prescription of systemic treatment increased. To improve survival of patients >75 as well, future studies should focus on individualizing treatments based on concomitant comorbidity, geriatric parameters and the risk of competing mortality and toxicity of treatments. Show less
Holstein, Y. van; Kapiteijn, E.; Bastiaannet, E.; Bos, F. van den; Portielje, J.; Glas, N.A. de 2019
The number of older patients with cancer is increasing as a result of the ageing of Western societies. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have improved cancer treatment and are associated with lower... Show moreThe number of older patients with cancer is increasing as a result of the ageing of Western societies. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have improved cancer treatment and are associated with lower rates of treatment-related toxicity compared with chemotherapy in the general population. Nonetheless, immune checkpoint inhibitors have potentially serious immune-related adverse events, which might have a greater impact on older and more vulnerable patients and potentially influence treatment efficacy and quality of life. Previous clinical trials have shown no major increase in immune-related adverse events; however, older patients are underrepresented and relatively healthy in these trials. Observational studies suggest that older and more vulnerable patients may be at a higher risk of immune-related adverse events and early treatment discontinuation. Geriatric assessment could help identify older patients who will benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors. Show less
Schuil, H.; Derks, M.; Liefers, G.J.; Portielje, J.; Velde, C. van de; Syed, B.; ... ; Bastiaannet, E. 2018
