title: Management and treatment of triple-negative breast cancer patients from the NEMESI study: an Italian experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) lack expression of oestrogen, progesterone, and Human Epidermal Growth Factor 2 receptors. The NEMESI study described current Italian treatment practices in patients with operable, early-stage breast cancer (EBC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, observational study involving 63 Italian oncology centres. Eligible patients were aged ≥ 18 years with EBC (stage I-II) who had undergone surgery, received ≥ 1 cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy and/or adjuvant hormonal therapy and attended an oncology centre between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2008. This subanalysis focused on patients with TNBC. Variables evaluated included: demographic data/clinical characteristics; tumour characteristics; adjuvant therapy; compliance to chemotherapy. Continuous variables were summarised using descriptive statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1894 patients in the NEMESI study, 185 patients (9.8%) had TNBC. At diagnosis, 98 patients were aged 50-70 years and 114 were post-menopausal. Tumours were subcategorised as pT1mic/pT1a/pT1b/pT1c in 108 patients and pT2/pT3/pT4b in 77 patients. Mean tumour size was 2.1cm, tumours were highly undifferentiated in 144 patients and 128 patients were pNO. 179 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy; anthracyclines with or without taxanes were commonly used. 145 patients received radiotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adherence of Italian clinical practice to International Guidelines in the management of early-stage TNBC is satisfactory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Pathology, Medical Oncology and Integrated Therapies Unit, University Hospital Policlinico G. Martino of Messina, Italy. vadamo@unime.it
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Adamo
authors.forename: G R R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Placido
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colucci
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giuffrida
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gebbia
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masci
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cognetti
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dondi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Venturini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008875:Middle Aged; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone