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World Journal of Clinical Cases May 2024Lymphedema is a prevalent complication affecting patients with breast cancer, greatly impacting their quality of life. This editorial describes diagnostic methods and...
Lymphedema is a prevalent complication affecting patients with breast cancer, greatly impacting their quality of life. This editorial describes diagnostic methods and therapeutic interventions for managing lymphedema in patients with breast cancer. Diagnosis relies on clinical evaluation and objective measures, including arm circumference and volumetric assessments, along with lymphoscintigraphy and ultrasonic measurements. Treatment primarily involves complex decongestive physical therapy, comprising manual lymphatic drainage, compression therapy, exercise, and meticulous skin care. These interventions aim to reduce swelling, alleviate discomfort, and prevent further complications. Additionally, lifestyle modifications such as avoiding extreme temperatures and maintaining proper hygiene are essential. Flavonoids can be used for drug therapy. Despite its prevalence, lymphedema often receives inadequate attention in clinical practice, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness and enhancing medical services for affected individuals. Clinicians play a pivotal role in educating patients about preventive measures and ensuring timely intervention. Overall, a comprehensive approach encompassing early diagnosis, multidisciplinary management, and patient education is essential to mitigate the burden of lymphedema in patients with breast cancer and improve their overall well-being.
PubMed: 38817238
DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i15.2482 -
International Journal of Surgery Case... May 2024Lipoma is the most common benign tumor of adipose tissue. Giant lipoma of the breast is defined as lesions larger than 10 cm and weighing more than 1000 g. A breast...
INTRODUCTION
Lipoma is the most common benign tumor of adipose tissue. Giant lipoma of the breast is defined as lesions larger than 10 cm and weighing more than 1000 g. A breast lipoma rapidly enlarging and fast growing; can be managed as a malignant tumor. It is crucial to make a correct diagnosis to prevent an overtreatment.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 48-year-old patient presented with a painless, huge rapidly growing tumor in her right breast. Physical examination and imaging studies was suggestive of benign lipomatous breast tumor: A breast lipoma, a fibroadenolipoma or adenolipoma, an angiolipoma, or a breast fatty hamartoma. The patient underwent surgical excision of the mass, and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a giant breast lipoma.
DISCUSSION
Giant breast lipoma is a rare benign tumor that develops in the breast tissue. They can mimic various breast conditions, even neoplastic conditions. Giant breast lipomas are often treated with surgical excision to avoid recurrence.
CONCLUSION
Giant breast lipoma rapidly growing can pose a diagnostic challenge due to its resemblance to various benign or malignant pathologies. Unnecessary invasive investigations can be avoided with better understanding and improved imaging-based diagnosis of giant breast lipoma.
PubMed: 38815443
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2024.109787 -
American Society of Clinical Oncology... Jun 2024The management of axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer is continually evolving. Recent data now support omitting axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in most patients... (Review)
Review
Personalizing Locoregional Therapy in Patients With Breast Cancer in 2024: Tailoring Axillary Surgery, Escalating Lymphatic Surgery, and Implementing Evidence-Based Hypofractionated Radiotherapy.
The management of axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer is continually evolving. Recent data now support omitting axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in most patients with metastases in up to two sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) during upfront surgery and those with residual isolated tumor cells after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). In the upfront surgery setting, ALND is still indicated, however, in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer or more than two positive SLNs and, after NACT, in case of residual micrometastases and macrometastases. Omission of the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) can be considered in many postmenopausal patients with small luminal breast cancer, particularly when axillary ultrasound is negative. Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are currently aiming at eliminating the remaining indications for ALND and also establishing omission of SLNB in a broader patient population. The movement to deescalate axillary staging is in part because of the association between ALND and lymphedema, which is swelling of an extremity because of lymphatic damage and obstructed lymphatic drainage. To reduce the risk of developing this condition, patients undergoing ALND can undergo reverse mapping of the axilla and immediate reconstruction or bypass of the lymphatics from the involved extremity. Decongestion and compression are the foundation of conservative treatment for established lymphedema, while lymphovenous bypass and lymph node transfer are surgical procedures to address the physiologic dysfunction. Radiotherapy is an essential component of breast locoregional therapy: more than three decades of radiation research has optimized treatment according to patient's risk of local recurrence while substantially reducing the number of treatment visits. High-quality RCTs have shown the efficacy and safety of hypofractionation-more than 2Gy radiation dose per treatment (fraction)-significantly reducing the burden of radiotherapy treatment for many patients with breast cancer. In 2024, guidelines recommend no more than 15-16 fractions for whole-breast and nodal radiotherapy, with some recommending five fractions for whole-breast radiotherapy. In addition, simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) has been shown to be noninferior to sequential boost with regards to ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence with similar or reduced long-term side effects, also reducing overall treatment length. Further RCTs are underway investigating other indications for five fractions, including SIB and regional node irradiation, such that, in future, it may be possible for the majority of breast radiotherapy patients to be treated with a 1-week course. This manuscript serves to outline the latest updates on axillary surgical staging, lymphatic surgery, and evidence-based radiotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer.
Topics: Humans; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Axilla; Lymph Node Excision; Radiation Dose Hypofractionation; Lymphatic Metastasis; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; Combined Modality Therapy; Lymph Nodes; Neoplasm Staging; Neoadjuvant Therapy
PubMed: 38815195
DOI: 10.1200/EDBK_438776 -
American Society of Clinical Oncology... Jun 2024Addressing the challenges of survivorship necessitates a comprehensive, patient-centered approach, focusing on mitigating risk through lifestyle modification,... (Review)
Review
Addressing the challenges of survivorship necessitates a comprehensive, patient-centered approach, focusing on mitigating risk through lifestyle modification, identifying distant recurrence, and optimization of breast imaging. This article will discuss the current and emerging clinical strategies for the survivorship period, advocating a multidisciplinary and comprehensive approach. In this manner, early-stage breast cancer survivors are empowered to navigate their journey with enhanced knowledge, facilitating a transition to life beyond cancer.
Topics: Humans; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Survivorship; Cancer Survivors; Neoplasm Staging; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Evidence-Based Medicine
PubMed: 38815189
DOI: 10.1200/EDBK_432564 -
Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences 2024Breast cancer represents the most prevalent malignancy among women. Recent advancements in translational research have focused on the identification of novel biomarkers...
Breast cancer represents the most prevalent malignancy among women. Recent advancements in translational research have focused on the identification of novel biomarkers capable of providing valuable insights into patient outcomes. Furthermore, comprehensive investigations aimed at discovering novel miRNAs, unraveling their biological functions, and deciphering their target genes have significantly contributed to our understanding of the roles miRNAs play in tumorigenesis. Consequently, these investigations have facilitated the way for the development of miRNA-based approaches for breast cancer prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment. However, conducting a more extensive array of studies, particularly among diverse ethnic groups, is imperative to expand the scope of research and validate the significance of miRNAs. This study aimed to assess the expression patterns of circulating miRNAs in plasma as a prospective biomarker for breast cancer patients within a population primarily consisting of individuals from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. We evaluated 49 patients with breast cancer compared to 44 healthy women. All miRNAs analyzed in the plasma of patients with breast cancer were downregulated. ROC curve analysis of miR-21 (AUC = 0.798, 95% CI: 0.682-0.914, <0.0001), miR-1 (AUC = 0.742, 95% CI: 0.576-0.909, = 0.004), miR-16 (AUC = 0.721, 95% CI: 0.581-0.861, = 0.002) and miR-195 (AUC = 0.672, 95% CI: 0.553-0.792, = 0.004) showed better diagnostic accuracy in discrimination of breast cancer patients in comparison with healthy women. miR-210, miR-21 showed the highest specificities values (97.3%, 94.1%, respectively). Following, miR-10b and miR-195 showed the highest sensitivity values (89.3%, and 77.8%, respectively). The panel with a combination of four miRNAs (miR-195 + miR-210 + miR-21 + miR-16) had an AUC of 0.898 (0.765-0.970), a sensitivity of 71.4%, and a specificity of 100.0%. Collectively, our results highlight the miRNA combination in panels drastically improves the results and showed high accuracy for the diagnosis of breast cancer displaying good sensitivity and specificity.
PubMed: 38813102
DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1337706 -
Frontiers in Oncology 2024Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common cause of deaths reported in women worldwide, and therefore there is a need to identify BC patients at an early stage as... (Review)
Review
Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common cause of deaths reported in women worldwide, and therefore there is a need to identify BC patients at an early stage as timely diagnosis would help in effective management and appropriate monitoring of patients. This will allow for proper patient monitoring and effective care. However, the absence of a particular biomarker for BC early diagnosis and surveillance makes it difficult to accomplish these objectives. miRNAs have been identified as master regulators of the molecular pathways that are emphasized in various tumors and that lead to the advancement of malignancies. Small, non-coding RNA molecules known as miRNAs target particular mRNAs to control the expression of genes. miRNAs dysregulation has been linked to the start and development of a number of human malignancies, including BC, since there is compelling evidence that miRNAs can function as tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes. The current level of knowledge on the role of miRNAs in BC diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment is presented in this review. miRNAs can regulate the tumorigenesis of BC through targeting PI3K pathway and can be used as prognostic or diagnostic biomarkers for BC therapy. Some miRNAs, like miR-9, miR-10b, and miR-17-5p, are becoming known as biomarkers of BC for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic outcome prediction. Other miRNAs, like miR-30c, miR-187, and miR-339-5p, play significant roles in the regulation of hallmark functions of BC, including invasion, metastasis, proliferation, resting death, apoptosis, and genomic instability. Other miRNAs, such as miR-155 and miR-210, are circulating in bodily fluids and are therefore of interest as novel, conveniently accessible, reasonably priced, non-invasive methods for the customized care of patients with BC.
PubMed: 38812786
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1374821 -
Frontiers in Oncology 2024Molecular profiling of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) through the widespread use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has highlighted actionable mutations and driven...
INTRODUCTION
Molecular profiling of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) through the widespread use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has highlighted actionable mutations and driven trials of targeted therapy matched to tumour molecular profiles, with improved outcomes reported using such an approach. Here, we review NGS results and treatment outcomes for a cohort of Asian MBC patients in the phase I unit of a tertiary centre.
METHODS
Patients with MBC referred to a phase I unit underwent NGS via Ion AmpliSeq Cancer Hotspot v2 (ACH v2, 2014-2017) prior to institutional change to FoundationOne CDx (FM1; 2017-2022). Patients were counselled on findings and enrolled on matched therapeutic trials, where available. Outcomes for all subsequent treatment events were recorded to data cut-off on January 31, 2022.
RESULTS
A total of 215 patients were enrolled with successful NGS in 158 patients. The PI3K/AKT/PTEN pathway was the most altered with one or more of the pathway member genes affected in 62% (98/158) patients and 43% of tumours harbouring a alteration. Tumour mutational burden (TMB) was reported in 96/109 FM1 sequenced patients, with a mean TMB of 5.04 mt/Mb and 13% (12/96) with TMB ≥ 10 mt/Mb. Treatment outcomes were evaluable in 105/158 patients, with a pooled total of 216 treatment events recorded. Matched treatment was administered in 47/216 (22%) events and associated with prolonged median progression-free survival (PFS) of 21.0 weeks [95% confidence interval (CI) 11.7, 26.0 weeks] 12.1 weeks (95% CI 10.0, 15.4 weeks) in unmatched, with hazard ratio (HR) for progression or death of 0.63 (95% CI 0.41, 0.97; p = 0.034). In the subgroup of -altered MBC, the HR for progression or death was 0.57 (95% CI 0.35, 0.92; p = 0.02), favouring matched treatment. Per-patient overall survival (OS) analysis (n = 105) showed improved survival for patients receiving matched treatment unmatched, with median OS (mOS) of 30.1 11.8 months, HR = 0.45 (95% CI 0.24, 0.84; p = 0.013). Objective response rate (ORR) in the overall population was similar in matched and unmatched treatment events (23.7% 17.2%, odds ratio of response 1.14 95% CI 0.50, 2.62; p = 0.75).
CONCLUSIONS
Broad-panel NGS in MBC is feasible, allowing therapeutic matching, which was associated with improvements in PFS and OS.
PubMed: 38812774
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1342346 -
Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences 2024The study is aimed to determine the relationship between the delivery and breastfeeding history of the patients and the clinicopathological properties of breast cancer.
BACKGROUND/AIM
The study is aimed to determine the relationship between the delivery and breastfeeding history of the patients and the clinicopathological properties of breast cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A questionnaire was utilized for the study, which included the age of diagnosis, the number of children at the time of diagnosis, the age of the children, and the breastfeeding period of each child.
RESULTS
The study included 828 patients. The median age at diagnosis was 47 years for parous women and 42 years for nonparous women (p < 0.001). The tumor size of the patients diagnosed within the breastfeeding period was significantly larger compared to the other patients. Estrogen and progesterone receptor positivity were lower in patients diagnosed during breastfeeding. Additionally, the mean number of positive lymph nodes, dissected lymph nodes, and positive lymph node/dissected lymph node ratio in parous and breastfed patients with a nonmetastatic disease were statistically significantly higher in multivariable analysis than those patients who were nulliparous and have not breastfed.
CONCLUSION
Breast cancer is seen at a later age in patients who are parous than those who have never given birth. Patients who are parous and have breastfed tend to present with a higher stage of the disease.
Topics: Humans; Female; Breast Neoplasms; Breast Feeding; Parity; Adult; Middle Aged; Pregnancy; Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires; Receptors, Progesterone
PubMed: 38812646
DOI: 10.55730/1300-0144.5784 -
Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences 2024The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) and dynamic breast MRI techniques for diagnosing breast lesions, assess the...
BACKGROUND/AIM
The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) and dynamic breast MRI techniques for diagnosing breast lesions, assess the diagnostic accuracy of CEM's using histopathological findings, and compare lesion size measurements obtained from both methods with pathological size.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This prospective study included 120 lesions, of which 70 were malignant, in 104 patients who underwent CEM and MRI within a week. Two radiologists independently evaluated the MR and CEM images in separate sessions, using the BI-RADS classification system. Additionally, the maximum sizes of lesion were measured. Diagnostic accuracy parameters and the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were constructed for the two modalities. The correlation between the maximum diameter of breast lesions observed in MRI, CEM, and pathology was analyzed.
RESULTS
The overall diagnostic values for MRI were as follows: sensitivity 97.1%, specificity 60%, positive predictive value (PPV) 77.3%, negative predictive value (NPV) 93.8%, and accuracy 81.7%. Correspondingly, for CEM, the sensitivity, accuracy, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 97.14%, 81.67%, 60%, 77.27%, and 93.75%, respectively. The ROC analysis of CEM revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.907 for observer 1 and 0.857 for observer 2, whereas MRI exhibited an AUC of 0.910 for observer 1 and 0.914 for observer 2. Notably, CEM showed the highest correlation with pathological lesion size (r = 0.660 for observer 1 and r = 0.693 for observer 2, p < 0.001 for both).
CONCLUSION
CEM can be used with high sensitivity and similar diagnostic performance comparable to MRI for diagnosing breast cancer. CEM proves to be a successful diagnostic method for precisely determining tumor size.
Topics: Humans; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Mammography; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Contrast Media; Adult; Aged; Sensitivity and Specificity; ROC Curve; Breast
PubMed: 38812642
DOI: 10.55730/1300-0144.5786 -
IScience Jun 2024Patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) frequently experience resistance to chemotherapy, leading to recurrence. The approach of optimizing anti-tumoral...
Patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) frequently experience resistance to chemotherapy, leading to recurrence. The approach of optimizing anti-tumoral immunological effect is promising in overcoming such resistance, given the heterogeneity and lack of biomarkers in TNBC. In this study, we focused on YTHDF2, an N6-methyladenosine (mA) RNA-reader protein, in macrophages, one of the most abundant intra-tumoral immune cells. Using single-cell sequencing and experiments, we discovered that YTHDF2 significantly promotes pro-tumoral phenotype polarization of macrophages and is closely associated with down-regulated antigen-presentation signaling to other immune cells in TNBC. The deprivation of YTHDF2 favors anti-tumoral effect. Expressions of multiple transcription factors, especially , were consistently observed in -high macrophages, providing potential therapeutic targets for new strategies. In conclusion, YTHDF2 in macrophages appears to promote pro-tumoral effects while suppressing immune activity, indicating the treatment targeting YTHDF2 or its transcription factors could be a promising strategy for chemoresistant TNBC.
PubMed: 38812540
DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109902