Ababneh, Hazim

Importance Primary brain and central nervous system cancer (collectively referred to as CNS cancer) comprises 2% of all human cancers and poses significant health and economic challenges in the United States. Objective To analyze CNS cancer burden in the US, stratified by time, location (state and division), sex, age group, and Sociodemographic Index (SDI). Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study involved a repeated analysis of Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021 data in 2024. Using data from 183 sources, CNS cancer metrics in the US were estimated across states and years. US CNS cancer metrics across all sexes and age groups were included in the GBD. Exposure CNS cancer diagnosis. Main Outcomes and Measures Overall and age-standardized estimates of the incidence, prevalence, mortality, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), years of life lost, and years lived with disability per 100 000 population, including 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), and time trends. Results In 2021, for all age groups and sexes across the US, there were 31 780 incident cases (95% UI, 29971.1 to 32843.9). Age-standardized incidence, DALYs, and mortality rates per 100 000 population were 6.91 (95% UI, 6.58 to 7.12), 134.38 (95% UI, 129.83 to 137.95), and 4.1 (95% UI, 3.87 to 4.22), respectively. Despite no significant change observed in the overall incidence between 1990 and 2021, DALY and mortality rates decreased by 15.77% (95% UI, −17.75% to −13.68%) and 8.41% (95% UI, −11.09% to −6.22%), respectively. Substantial geographic variability was noted. Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, and Kansas (West North Central and East South Central divisions) and West Virginia faced persistently high burdens over the past 30 years. Sex differences were evident; disease burden was consistently higher in males compared with females. Age-specific estimates showed a bimodal distribution: the youngest group (<5 years) showed a significant decrease in incidence rate (−34.42% to −11.56%), whereas older age groups (>70 years) experienced increasing trends. DALYs and mortality rates were negatively correlated with SDI (ρ = −0.6860 and ρ = −0.6391; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance These findings provide valuable insights into the CNS cancer burden across the US by age, sex, location, and SDI, enabling better public health status assessments, health care policy restructuring, and resource redistribution for improved care.

PURPOSE Axillary soft tissue (AXT) involvement with tumor cells extending beyond the positive lymph node (LN+) and extracapsular extension (ECE) has been overlooked in breast pathology specimen analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We analyzed 2,162 LN+ patients, dividing them into four groups on the basis of axillary pathology: (1) LN+ only, (2) LN+ and ECE only, (3) LN+ and AXT without ECE, and (4) LN+ with both AXT and ECE. The primary end points were 10-year locoregional failure (LRF), the 10-year axillary failure, and 10-year distant metastasis rates. Multivariable Cox models, accounting for clinical factors, were fitted using the entire cohort, and subgroups analyses were conducted. RESULTS The median follow-up was 9.4 years. The 10-year distant metastasis incidence was 42% for LN + AXT + ECE, 23% for both LN + AXT and LN + ECE only, and 13% for LN+ only. The 10-year axillary failure rates were 4.5% for LN + AXT + ECE, 4.6% for LN + AXT, 0.8% for LN + ECE only, and 1.6% for LN+ only. The 10-year LRF rates were 14% for LN + AXT + ECE, 10% for LN + AXT, 5.7% for LN + ECE only, and 6.2% for LN+ only. Multivariable analysis revealed that AXT was significantly associated with distant metastasis (hazard ratio [HR], 1.6; P < .001), locoregional failure (HR, 2.3; P < .001), and axillary failure (HR, 3.3; P = .003). Subgroup analyses showed that regional LN radiation (RLNR) improved locoregional tumor outcomes with AXT, ECE, or both (HR, 0.5; P = .03). Delivering ≤50 Gy to the axilla in the presence of AXT/ECE increased axillary failure (HR, 3.0; P = .04). Moreover, when delivering RLNR, axillary LN dissection could be de-escalated to sentinel node biopsy even in the presence of features such as AXT or ECE without significantly increasing any failure outcome: (HR, 1.0; P = .92) for LRF, (HR, 1.1; P = .94) axillary failure, and (HR, 0.4; P = .01) distant metastasis. CONCLUSION Routine reporting of axillary tissue involvement, beyond LNs and ECE, is crucial in predicting breast cancer outcomes. Ruling out the presence of AXT is imperative before any form of axillary de-escalation, especially RLNR omission.