9508 Background: Chemotherapy-related amenorrhea (CRA) is associated with infertility and may impact treatment decision-making. We investigated whether anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels before chemotherapy predict likelihood of CRA. Methods: 591 patients enrolled on the quality of life substudy of ECOG5103, which randomized breast cancer patients to doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide followed by paclitaxel: 1) alone; 2) with concurrent bevacizumab; or 3) with prolonged bevacizumab. 144 of the 195 women who reported a period <12 months before enrollment consented to serum collection prior to chemotherapy. AMH was measured in 143 with available serum. Participants self-reported menstrual frequency at 12 and 18 months after enrollment. 12-month CRA was defined as no menses for 6 months before the 12-month survey, and 18-month CRA as no menses for 6 months before the 18-month survey. Fisher’s exact test was used to identify associations with CRA. Results: Of the 143, 16 were excluded due to bilateral oophorectomy or initiation of ovarian function suppression within 12 months, and 2 due to missing data at 12 months. In the remaining 125, median age at enrollment was 45 (range 25-55). 103 (82%) had CRA at 12 months, including 68% of patients </= 45 (43/63) and 97% of patients >45 (60/62). Median pre-chemotherapy AMH was 0.11 (range 0.01-8.63). 12-month CRA was more likely in women who received bevacizumab (p<0.01), were >45 (p<0.01), and had AMH </=0.11 (p<0.01) pre-treatment. Hormonal tx was not associated with 12-month CRA (p=0.63). 100 patients were eligible for 18-month CRA analysis: 81 (81%) had CRA, including 63% of patients </= 45 (33/52) and 100% (48/48) of patients >45. 18-month CRA was more likely in women >45 (p<0.01) and with AMH </=0.11 (p<0.01) pre-treatment. Bevacizumab (p=0.15) and hormonal tx (p=0.07) were not statistically significant predictors of 18-month CRA. Conclusions: Pre-chemotherapy AMH predicts risk of CRA at 12 and 18 months, and is a promising biomarker of ovarian reserve in young breast cancer survivors. Longer studies will be needed to ascertain whether lower pre-treatment AMH is associated with increased risk of later infertility. Clinical trial information: NCT00433511.
Does biomarker information impact patients’ preferences for therapy?
6527 Background: Biomarker information can risk stratify patients based on potential for benefits/toxicity from therapy. Ideally, a biomarker will identify those who benefit with limited toxicity. However, the impact of biomarkers is unclear when indicting individuals with greatest benefit are also at increased risk for toxicity. Methods: We surveyed participants at 18 month follow-up in the Decision-Making/Quality of Life (DM-QOL) component of ECOG5103, a RCT where patients were randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer with either placebo or bevacizumab (in 2 schedules). We asked patients for the preferred treatment in two hypothetical scenarios: 1) preference for chemo A or chemo A + B without biomarker information; 2) preference for chemo A or chemo A+B when participants tested positive for a “B-receptor” which increased both the benefit and toxicity of chemo A+B. McNemar’s test was used to examine changes in preferences. Results: 439 patients completed both scenarios on 18-month survey. The Table shows the treatment preferences in each scenario. The positive biomarker information in scenario 2 led 60/439 (14%) participants to switch their preference. The main reason for treatment preference in scenario 2 was greater benefits of chemo A+B (64%), the lower risks with chemo A (20%) and positive biomarker (10%). Among participants who changed preference, those randomized to receive bevacizumab were more likely to switch to chemo A in scenario 2. Conclusions: Information about a positive biomarker, indicating increased benefit and increased risk from additional chemo, did not significantly change participants’ preferred treatment. All participants were involved in a large placebo controlled double blind trial and the majority (70%) preferred the most aggressive course of treatment in both scenarios. Whether patients not enrolled in the trial would be more sensitive to the increased risk information is unclear. [Table: see text]
Young and strong: A randomized study to improve care for young women with breast cancer.
A randomized study to improve care for young women with breast cancer at community and academic medical oncology practices in the United States: The Young and Strong study
Background The authors conducted a cluster randomized study to determine the effect of an exportable educational intervention for young women with breast cancer (YWI) on improving care. Methods Sites were randomized 1:1 to the YWI or a contact time control physical activity intervention (PAI) stratified by academic or community site. Up to 15 women aged ≤45 years with newly diagnosed breast cancer were enrolled at each of 14 academic sites and 10 were enrolled at each of 40 community sites. The primary endpoint, attention to fertility, was ascertained by medical record review. Statistical inferences concerning the effect of the intervention used general estimating equations for clustered data. Results A total of 467 patients across 54 sites were enrolled between July 2012 and December 2013. The median age of the patients at the time of diagnosis was 40 years (range, 22‐45 years). Attention to fertility by 3 months was observed in 55% of patients in the YWI and 58% of patients in the PAI ( P = .88). Rates were found to be strongly correlated with age ( P < .0001), and were highest in patients aged <30 years. Attention to genetics was similar (80% in the YWI and 81% in the PAI), whereas attention to emotional health was higher in patients in the YWI (87% vs 76%; estimated odds ratio, 2.63 [95% confidence interval, 1.20‐5.76; P = .016]). Patients rated both interventions as valuable in providing education (64% in the YWI and 63% in the PAI). Conclusions The current study failed to demonstrate differences in attention to fertility with an intervention to improve care for women with breast cancer, although attention to fertility was found to be higher than expected in both groups and emotional health was improved in the YWI group. Greater attention to young women with breast cancer in general may promote more comprehensive care for this population.
Survival benefit needed to undergo chemotherapy: Patient and physician preferences