Introduction Increases in disease-free survival and overall survival (OS) with the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in early breast cancer (BC) are widely known; however, the optimal time to initiate treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy remains controversial. Objective To evaluate the time elapsed between surgery and the initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy and its possible impact on OS in patients diagnosed with BC stages I–III. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 112 patients diagnosed with BC stages I–III who received adjuvant chemotherapy at the Mastology Unit of the Hospital de Clínicas in Uruguay from 2009 to 2019. OS was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals. Results No statistically significant association was found between the time from surgery to the initiation of chemotherapy and the described variables. OS was worse for patients initiating chemotherapy more than 90 days after breast surgery (n = 19) (HR 7.63; p = 0.004) and between 61 and 90 days after surgery (n = 46) (HR 4.58; p = 0.040) compared to those who started before 30 days (n = 23). Controlling by type of surgery and stage, the prognosis of patients who started chemotherapy between 61 and 90 days after surgery was similar to that of patients who underwent chemotherapy within the first 30 days, controlling for surgery (HR 4.10; p = 0.056) and controlling for stage (HR 3.76; p = 0.075). Prognosis was worse for patients with stage III disease (p = 0.022) who underwent a mastectomy and/or axillary lymph node dissection (p = 0.025). Conclusion Patients who started chemotherapy more than 90 days following surgery and those with stage III disease or underwent mastectomy and/or axillary lymph node dissection who initiated it between 61 and 90 days had a worse OS. Multiple factors are involved in the time between surgery and the initiation of chemotherapy, and further studies are needed to evaluate which of these factors influence the delay of chemotherapy in order to design strategies to avoid such delays and their negative impact on survival.

Background Adjuvant hormone therapy (HT) in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (BC) increases overall survival (OS). A lack of adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy is common, 31.0-73.0% of women discontinue endocrine treatment before 5 years. The aim of the study was to assess adherence to HT in routine clinical practice in patients assisted at the Clinical Oncology Department of the Hospital de Clinicas - Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay. Methods Patients treated with HT for stage 0-III BC between 2017 and 2019 were included. The medication possession (MPR) rate was calculated using pharmacy records, and the Morisky-Green Scale was applied to assess adherence. Adherent patients were those with MPR ≥ 0.80 and who correctly answered the Morisky-Green treatment adherence questionnaire. The association of adherence with polypharmacy, treatment, and patient characteristics was assessed using simple logistic models. The associations between qualitative variables and adherence were assessed using simple logistic regression model or Fisher’s exact test. The association between quantitative variables and adherence was assessed using the Student’s t -test. The odds ratio (OR) for non-adherence to treatment and its 95% confidence interval were estimated. Results Totally, 118 patients were included; 65.2% were treated with aromatase inhibitors (AIs), 36.0% presenting polypharmacy. The adherence rate at the end of 2 years was 81.0 %; and it was associated with age (P = 0.03, OR = 0.96 for non-adherence), with adherent and non-adherent patients having a mean age of 65.0 and 60.3 years, respectively; however, adherence was not associated with polypharmacy, territory of origin, marital status, living alone, level of education, occupation, or stage. The adherence profile was similar for both drugs, but homemakers and retired women showed greater adherence to AI. Conclusions Adherence to HT was assessed in real life, with 19.0% of the patients not adhering to the treatment, despite the known benefit for OS, being a well-tolerated treatment, and being provided free of charge. Older patients were associated with being more adherent. The results show the need of the Pharmacy Service and Department of Clinical Oncology Medical Oncology combining efforts to develop coordinated strategies and interventions to increase adherence, given the impact that this may have on patients’ OS.

In Ashkenazi Jews (AJ) three recurring pathogenic sequence variants (PSVs) are detected in ~2.5% of the general population in the BRCA1 (c.68_69del = 185delAG, c.5266dup = 5382insC), and BRCA2 (c.5946del = 6174delT). Population‐based screening for these PSVs in AJ women is part of the health basket in Israel. To assess the feasibility and outcome of BRCA genotyping in the Jewish population of Uruguay, AJ in the greater Montevideo area were recruited using ethically approved protocol and without pretest counseling were genotyped for the three predominant AJ PSVs in the BRCA genes. Independently confirmed PSV carriers were counseled, and genetic testing was offered to additional family members. Overall, 327 participants were enrolled: 312 (95%) female, 261 (80%) had all four grandparents AJ, and 14 (4%) women were breast cancer survivors with a mean age ± standard deviation (SD) 50 ± 11.5 years. The BRCA1 c.68_69del PSV was detected in three cancer free participants (0.92%, CI 95% 0.31–2.6), all with a suggestive family history. No carriers of the other two recurrent PSVs were detected. Online oncogenetic counseling was provided for all carriers. In conclusion, the rate of the BRCA1 c.68_69del PSV was similar with the rate in other AJ communities. AJ population BRCA genotyping screens in Uruguay seem feasible and should be promoted.

This srudy aimed to estimate the prevalence of trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity in Uruguayan women diagnosed with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer over a 10-year period, who were treated under the financial coverage of the National Resources Fund (Fondo Nacional de Recursos).This was an observational, descriptive study based on the analysis of an anonymized database of Uruguayan women diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer who received adjuvant trastuzumab treatment from to 2006 to 2016, provided by the Fondo Nacional de Recursos. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics version 25, and variables were assessed using measures of central tendency, dispersion, contingency tables, and proportions. The chi-square test was used to analyze the association between the different variables.The study included 1401 patients diagnosed with stage I to III HER2-positive breast cancer. The mean age at diagnosis was 52 years. The prevalence of cardiotoxicity was 20.3%. Most patients who discontinued treatment owing to cardiotoxicity eventually resumed treatment (92.6%). Moreover, the prevalence of cardiotoxicity was similar among patients who received regimens with and without anthracyclines. No association was observed between prior cardiovascular events or trastuzumab administration (concurrent vs sequential) and the development of cardiotoxicity.In the present study, the prevalence of cardiotoxicity was similar to that reported nationally and internationally. Most patients did not develop cardiotoxicity, while the ones who developed it remained asymptomatic and cardiotoxicity was reversible.

Male breast cancer (MBC) is a rare condition which, while sharing some similarities with breast cancer in women, has a unique disease profile of its own. Aim: To understand the characteristics of MBC and its management in Uruguay. Patients & methods: Retrospective observational study that included patients diagnosed with MBC. Results: 22 cases of MBC were found. The median age at diagnosis was 62.5 years. Symptoms included self-detected lump in 17 patients (77.3%) and nipple retraction in seven (22.7%). Ductal carcinomas of histological grade 2–3 were found in 20 patients (90.9%) and stage I–II disease was most commonly encountered (15 patients, 68.1%). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant radiotherapy and tamoxifen were offered to 16 (73%), 12 (54.5%), 17 (65.4%) and 20 (90.9%) patients, respectively. Conclusion: MBC behaves and is treated in many aspects like postmenopausal breast cancer. Further multi-institutional, prospective studies are needed for better understanding and management of male breast cancers.