Background. Recurrence score (RS) testing in early-stage, ER-positive breast cancer is used to predict the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy for disease recurrence and overall survival. TAILORx results decreased the ambiguity of “intermediate risk” RS by creating a binary classification system. We aimed to determine how women ≥ 70 years with intermediate RS were redistributed post-TAILORx and to identify predictors of low RS. Methods. Patients ≥ 70 years with early-stage, node-negative, ER-positive breast cancers in the National Cancer Database(2006–2014) were included. “Pre-TAILORx” RS were classified as low (0–17), intermediate (18–30), and high (> 30). “Post-TAILORx” RS were classified as low (0–25) and high (> 25). Results. In total, 14,925 women were included. Average age was 74 years. 60% (n = 9009) had low pre-TAILORx RS, 31% (n = 4635) intermediate, and 9% (n = 1281) high. Of 4635 patients with intermediate RS, 72% (n = 3660) were reclassified to low RS. Only 12% (n = 1783) of patients received chemotherapy. Of patients with pre-TAILORx intermediate RS who received chemotherapy, 55% (n = 417) would have been spared chemotherapy by being reclassified with low RS post-TAILORx. The strongest predictor of post-TAILORx low RS was tumor grade; 95% of well-differentiated had low RS, compared with 56% of poorly/undifferentiated tumors (p < 0.001). Smaller tumor size also was associated with low RS. Age was not associated with RS. Conclusions. With post-TAILORx RS criteria, the vast majority of patients ≥ 70 years can be classified as low-risk and unlikely to benefit from chemotherapy. Given that the elderly have greater rates of chemotherapy-associated complications, reconsideration of routine RS testing in patients ≥ 70 years is warranted. Tumor grade and size also may inform the decision to omit RS testing.
e14027 Background: Accurate staging is critical in determining treatment strategies in the management of breast cancer (BC) patients. FDG PET/CT is used to identify the presence of metastatic disease. The criteria for FDG PET/CT utilization is variable, including in any patient with nodal positivity, any patients with systemic symptoms, to those with Stage III disease or higher.. This practice variation has results in different patterns of ordering FDG PET/CT. The preliminary results of a Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) audit performed in our Cancer Center in 2017 prompted concern for the over utilization of FDG PET/CT in our BC patients. We performed an initial audit of these practices in 2017 and confirmed these findings. The goal of this study was to re-measure our adherence to NCCN guidelines in 2019 after an educational session complimented by use of a checklist. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted for all BC patients who had FDG PET/CT ordered as initial treatment planning from 1/2017-12/2017. This revealed a 33% rate of failure to meet NCCN guidelines. We then educated our team about the NCCN guidelines for initial PET/CT ordering during our weekly multi-disciplinary conferences, created a test ordering checklist and compared the effect of this education on the use of PET/CT in patients treated at our institution from 1/2019-12/2019. Results: 65 female BC patients had an FDG PET/CT ordered to assist in initial treatment recommendation in 2017. Overall, 66.2% (n = 43) of patients met NCCN indications while 33.8% (n = 22) did not. In comparison to 2017 data, 71 female breast cancer patients had an FDG PET/CT ordered in 2019. Overall, 67 patients (94.4%) met NCCN criteria indications for undergoing FDG PET/CT while only 5 patients (5.6%) did not. Conclusions: Review of FDG PET/CT scans ordered for initial treatment in 2017 revealed that about one third of scans were ordered outside of NCCN guideline recommendations. After an educational session and implementation of a test ordering checklist, we found a marked reduction in the use of FDG PET/CT outside of NCCN guideline recommendations. Although our study is limited by small sample sizes, we identified a practice area that deviated from national recommendations and were able to improve our internal compliance in national guidelines through education and system modification.
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