Metastatic breast cancer from gastric and ovarian cancer,mimicking inflammatory breast cancer: report of two cases

Breast metastases from extra-mammary malignancies, especially those mimicking primary inflammatory breast carcinoma, are extremely rare. We report here two cases of inflammatory breast metastases from gastric or ovarian cancer. Both patients, who had prior advanced malignant disease, presented with unilateral breast redness and swelling with peau d’orange sign, resembling primary inflammatory breast cancer or acute mastitis. Breast biopsy revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet-ring cells or clear cell carcinoma in the lymphatic vessels and the parenchyma without an in situ lesion, similar to primary lesions of the stomach or ovary, respectively. Immunohistochemical staining for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and gross cystic disease fluid protein 15 was of value for correct diagnosis. Since breast metastasis is a sign of poor prognosis of the primary malignant disease, the possibility of breast metastasis should be considered in appropriate patients to preclude unnecessary major surgery.     

Second primary cancer among 217702 colorectal cancer survivors: An analysis of national German cancer registry data

With improvements in survival after colorectal cancer (CRC), more survivors are at risk of developing a second cancer, particularly in younger populations where CRC incidence is increasing. We estimated the incidence of second primary cancer (SPC) in CRC survivors and its potential risk factors. We identified CRC cases diagnosed between 1990 and 2011 and SPCs until 2013 from nine German cancer registries. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and absolute excess risk (AER) per 10 000 person-years were calculated and were stratified by index site: colon cancer (CC) and rectal cancer (RC), age and sex. Cox regression assessed potential SPC risk factors, including primary tumor-related therapy considering death as a competing risk. We included 217 202 primary CRC cases. SPC occurred in 18 751 CRC survivors (8.6%; median age: 69 years). Risk of cancer was significantly higher in CRC survivors than in the general population (SIR males 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-1.17, AER = 24.7; SIR females 1.20, 95% CI 1.17-1.23, AER = 22.8). Increased risks of SPCs were observed for the digestive system, urinary system and female and male reproductive organs. CRC incidence increased in younger persons (<50 years) and SPC incidence was 4-fold in this group (SIR males 4.51, 95% CI 4.04-5.01, AER = 64.2; SIR females 4.03, 95% CI 3.62-4.48, AER = 77.0). Primary tumor-related factors associated with SPC risk were right-sided cancer and smaller primary tumor size. Treatment and risk of SPC differed for CC (no effect) and RC (lower risk after chemotherapy). CRC survivors have excess risk of developing SPC, with particular characteristics that could guide targeted surveillance.     

萝卜硫素在乳腺癌、卵巢癌及宫颈癌中的潜在作用

随着医学对硫代葡萄糖苷在植物中积累的遗传和环境因素的了解以及对这些化合物及其衍生物作用认识的增加，人们对硫代葡萄糖苷及其产物可能的作用研究也有了重大进展，作为饮食的一部分时，其可以降低肿瘤和心脏病的风险。研究发现，这些生物活性物质与传统的抗肿瘤治疗方法结合起来，可以提高抗肿瘤治疗的效果。萝卜硫素是一种同源异硫氰酸酯，主要存在于芸薹属蔬菜中，其摄入与乳腺癌、卵巢癌等肿瘤的发生呈显著负相关，可能是通过提高细胞的解毒能力和抗氧化能力外，萝卜硫素还可以调节细胞的生长，这对于肿瘤预防尤其重要。萝卜硫素的细胞抑制和细胞毒性作用机制包括诱导细胞凋亡、抑制细胞周期进程和抑制血管生成，靶向肿瘤细胞关键细胞信号通路的多个位点，发挥类似靶向药物的抗肿瘤作用。本篇综述通过介绍萝卜硫素在乳腺癌、卵巢癌及宫颈癌辅助化疗和放疗疗效的可能机制，为其在乳腺癌、卵巢癌及宫颈癌临床上的应用提供理论线索。     

Screening for colorectal cancer

This review will comprise a general overview of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. We will cover the impact of CRC, CRC risk factors, screening modalities, and guideline recommendations for screening in average-risk and high-risk individuals. Based on this data, we will summarize our approach to CRC screening.     

Impact of radiotherapy in the risk of esophageal cancer as subsequent primary cancer after breast cancer

PURPOSE: To assess the risk of esophageal cancer as second cancer among breast-cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The records of the Finnish Cancer Registry from 1953 to 2000 were used to assess the risk of esophageal cancer as second cancer among 75,849 breast-cancer patients. Patients were treated with surgery (n = 33,672), radiotherapy (n = 35,057), chemotherapy and radiotherapy (n = 4673), or chemotherapy (n = 2,447). The risk of a new primary cancer was expressed as standardized incidence ratio (SIR), defined as the ratio of observed to expected cases. RESULTS: By the end of 2000, the number of observed cases esophageal cancers was 80 vs. 72 expected cases (standardized incidence ratio (SIR) = 1.1, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.9 to 1.5). Among patients followed for 15 years and treated with radiotherapy, the SIR for esophageal cancer was 2.3 (95% CI = 1.4 to 5.4). No increase in risk was seen for patients treated without radiotherapy. The risk of esophageal cancer was increased among patients diagnosed during 1953 to 1974, although age at the treatment did not have marked effect on the risk estimate. CONCLUSION: Increased risk of second cancer in the esophagus was observed for breast-cancer patients in Finland, especially among patients with over 15 years of follow-up and treated in the earliest period, which may relate to the type of radiotherapy.     

Underuse of colorectal cancer screening among men screened for prostate cancer

BACKGROUND:

Evidence suggests that colorectal cancer (CRC) screening reduces disease‐specific mortality, whereas the utility of prostate cancer screening remains uncertain. However, adherence rates for prostate cancer screening and CRC screening are very similar, with population‐based studies showing that approximately 50% of eligible US men are adherent to both tests. Among men scheduled to participate in a free prostate cancer screening program, the authors assessed the rates and correlates of CRC screening to determine the utility of this setting for addressing CRC screening nonadherence.

METHODS:

Participants (N = 331) were 50 to 70 years old with no history of prostate cancer or CRC. Men registered for free prostate cancer screening and completed a telephone interview 1 to 2 weeks before undergoing prostate cancer screening.

RESULTS:

One half of the participants who underwent free prostate cancer screening were eligible for but nonadherent to CRC screening. Importantly, 76% of the men who were nonadherent to CRC screening had a regular physician and/or health insurance, suggesting that CRC screening adherence was feasible in this group. Furthermore, multivariate analyses indicated that the only significant correlates of CRC screening adherence were having a regular physician, health insurance, and a history of prostate cancer screening.

CONCLUSIONS:

Free prostate cancer screening programs may provide a teachable moment to increase CRC screening among men who may not have the usual systemic barriers to CRC screening, at a time when they may be very receptive to cancer screening messages. In the United States, a large number of men participate in annual free prostate cancer screening programs and represent an easily accessible and untapped group that can benefit from interventions to increase CRC screening rates. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.     

The thrombophilic state in cancer part II: cancer outcomes, occult malignancy, and cancer suppression

The association between malignancy and thrombosis has long been appreciated but remains incompletely understood. This is the second of a two-part review of the complex, integral relationship between these two entities, and addresses the specifics of cancer outcomes, occult malignancy in the presence of thrombosis, and the possibilities of cancer suppression by modulating thrombogenesis.     

Conundrums in screening for cancer

Screening for cancer has to be carefully organized for maximum effectiveness, and introduced in full understanding of the natural history of the disease. There are major potential harms as well as benefits from screening. The current state of art for breast, cervix and prostate cancer screening is reviewed, only for breast and cervix are policies of screening in the population justified.     

单克隆抗体检测大便样品诊断大肠癌的研究

目的应用抗人大肠癌单克隆抗体对正常人群进行筛选和大肠癌诊断的研究.方法采用ELISA法对正常人群和病理切片确诊为大肠癌的患者以及大肠癌患者手术前后的大便样品进行对比研究.结果应用本抗人大肠癌单克隆抗体(Anti-colorectalcancerantibody,Anti-Cca)可以通过检测大便进行正常人群的筛查;对大肠癌患者手术前后的大便进行对比性研究发现,手术前大便的检测结果呈强阳性,手术后为阴性.对临床病理检查已经确诊为大肠癌的患者,再采用抗人大肠癌单克隆抗体检测大便诊断大肠癌,两者的吻合率为100%.结论本实验所使用的大肠癌单克隆抗体可用于从大便中检测大肠癌的脱落细胞,可用于正常人群的筛查和进行大肠癌的诊断研究.     

Association between endometrial cancer and tamoxifen treatment of breast cancer

A retrospective cohortstudy in 4109 breast cancer patients was undertaken to determine how tamoxifen affected the risk of endometrial cancer. Data on 1701 tamoxifentreated women were analysed. Two thousand four hundred and eight nontamoxifen users served as control group. The occurrence of new primary uterine cancers was assessed by computerized linkage to the Austrian Cancer Registry. Twentyfive women who subsequently developed endometrial cancer were identified. Eight uterine cancers occurred in the tamoxifen group, whereas 17 uterine cancers were found in the control group. The estimate of the relative risk (RR) showed an increased risk to develop endometrial cancer for the tamoxifen group RR 1.136 (95% CI 0.71; 1.80). Analysis of relevant confounding variables did not show any differences in the two groups.In conclusion, this retrospective study demonstrated a nonsignificant increased risk of endometrial cancer in women receiving tamoxifen as treatment for breast cancer. However, the magnitude of RR and the absolute number of endometrial cancer cases in this long term observation demonstrate clearly that the clinical benefit of tamoxifen therapy greatly outweighs the risk.     

Survival of patients with primary liver cancer, pancreatic cancer and biliary tract cancer in Europe

The EUROCARE Study is a European Union project to assemble survival data from population-based cancer registries and analyse them according to standard procedures. We investigated and compared liver, pancreatic and biliary tract cancer survival in 17 countries from 1985 to 1989. Time trends in survival over the 1978–1989 period were also investigated in 12 countries. The overall European mean 1 year relative survival was 16% for primary liver cancer, 26% for biliary tract cancer and 15% for pancreatic cancer. The corresponding 5-year relative survival was 5, 12 and 4%, respectively. Taking the European average as the reference, the relative risk (RR) of death was at least 20% higher for the three cancers in Denmark and Estonia. Survival tended to be higher in Spain for primary liver cancer and biliary tract cancer. Gender had little influence on survival whilst age at diagnosis was inversely related to prognosis. There was an improvement in 1-year relative survival rate for primary liver cancer: relative risk (RR) of 0.68 (95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.60–0.77) for 1987–1989 versus 1978–1980 and biliary tract cancer (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.68–0.87). There was less variation in 5-year relative survival rate over time. Some intercountry survival differences for primary liver, biliary tract and pancreatic cancers exist over Europe. Differences in quality of care, in particular treatment aggressiveness, may explain some of these differences in survival. New approaches to the management of these cancers need to be found.     

Colorectal cancer following tamoxifen therapy for breast cancer (United States)

Background: An analysis combining data from several clinical trials has raised concern that tamoxifen therapy may increase the risk of a subsequent colorectal malignancy. We conducted a nested case–control study to test this hypothesis. Methods: A cohort of women diagnosed with breast cancer in 1978–1992 was identified from the western Washington population-based cancer registry. Cases included women who subsequently developed colorectal cancer prior to 1995. Controls were a random sample of the cohort who did not develop a second primary malignancy, matched to cases on age, stage, and year of initial cancer diagnosis. Tamoxifen use was ascertained by medical record abstraction and physician questionnaires. Results: Thirty-six percent of the 122 cases for whom information could be obtained received tamoxifen versus 38% of 194 controls. Relative to non-users and adjusted for receipt of other therapies, there was no increased risk of colorectal cancer associated with tamoxifen use in general (matched odds ratio [mOR] = 0.9, 95% CI 0.6–1.6), longer durations of use (for 37months, mOR = 0.8, 95% CI 0.4–1.9), higher cumulative doses of therapy (for 15 g, mOR = 0.8, 95% CI 0.4–1.6), or use that started at least 5 years prior to the end of study follow-up (mOR = 1.1, 95% CI 0.3–3.7). Conclusions: We found no overall increased risk for colorectal cancer among tamoxifen users.     

Familial bilateral breast cancer

The occurrence of bilateral breast cancers in three members of one family is reported. In two members, evidence of a distinct primary lesion in each breast was verified. The occurrence of unilateral breast cancer and other cancers in other members of the family was surveyed. Recommendations for early detection and surveillance in familial breast cancer at the present time should be by aggressive and close follow-up of the affected members. Absence of reliable markers preclude effective surveillance for early detection or susceptibility.     

Increased stomach cancer risk following radiotherapy for testicular cancer

Background:

Abdominal radiotherapy for testicular cancer (TC) increases risk for second stomach cancer, although data on the radiation dose–response relationship are sparse.

Methods:

In a cohort of 22 269 5-year TC survivors diagnosed during 1959–1987, doses to stomach subsites were estimated for 92 patients who developed stomach cancer and 180 matched controls. Chemotherapy details were recorded. Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated using logistic regression.

Results:

Cumulative incidence of second primary stomach cancer was 1.45% at 30 years after TC diagnosis. The TC survivors who received radiotherapy (87 (95%) cases, 151 (84%) controls) had a 5.9-fold (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7–20.7) increased risk of stomach cancer. Risk increased with increasing stomach dose (P-trend<0.001), with an OR of 20.5 (3.7–114.3) for ⩾50.0 Gy compared with <10 Gy. Radiation-related risks remained elevated ⩾20 years after exposure (P<0.001). Risk after any chemotherapy was not elevated (OR=1.1; 95% CI 0.5–2.5; 14 cases and 23 controls).

Conclusions:

Radiotherapy for TC involving parts of the stomach increased gastric cancer risk for several decades, with the highest risks after stomach doses of ⩾30 Gy. Clinicians should be aware of these excesses when previously irradiated TC survivors present with gastrointestinal symptoms and when any radiotherapy is considered in newly diagnosed TC patients.     

Exploring time trends in cancer incidence

We examined incidence time-trends for lung, stomach, intestinal, prostate, and breast cancer among Whites diagnosed in the United States between 1973 and 1987. For each sex and five-year age group, we modeled cancer incidence as a log-linear function of diagnosis-year to permit extrapolation over time and simple summarization of trends. Comparisons with nonparametric estimates show that, except for breast cancer, the model performs well. Plots of the annual percent change in incidence cf age illustrate the way in which time trends depend on age. Between 1973 and 1987, stomach cancer incidence decreased by about two percent per year. The annual change in lung cancer incidence progressed from a two to three percent decrease in persons under age 40 to an increase of two percent in men and eight percent in women by age 80. Intestinal cancer incidence decreased annually by as much as three percent in persons under age 50, remained constant in women aged 50 to 74, and otherwise increased about one percent per year. The annual increase in prostate cancer incidence declined from about six percent in men under age 40 to about two percent in men over age 80. After a surge in female breast-cancer diagnoses in 1974, the annual increase in incidence between 1980 and 1987 stabilized at four to six percent.Authors are with the Statistics and Biomathematics Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Address correspondence to Dr Dinse, Statistics and Biomathematics Branch, B3-02, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, P.O. Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.     

The impact of bilateral breast cancer on the prognosis of breast cancer: a comparative study with unilateral breast cancer

BACKGROUND: The clinical significance of bilateral breast cancer is unclear and its influence on prognosis is controversial. We assessed the impact of synchronous and metachronous bilateral breast cancer on the prognosis compared with unilateral breast cancer. METHODS: Between January 1, 1960 and December 31, 2001, 1,214 women were treated for primary operable breast cancers. Thirteen (1.1%) had synchronous bilateral breast cancer; 33 (2.7%) had a metachronous contralateral breast cancer. We compared age at operation, menopausal status, clinical stage, tumor size and histology, lymph node status, hormone receptor status, and use of adjuvant chemotherapy or hormone therapy, and we analyzed the impact of these factors on recurrence and survival in the 46 patients with bilateral breast cancer and the 1,168 patients with unilateral breast cancer. RESULTS: The 5-and 10-year disease-free survival rates, respectively, were 65% and 65% in metachronous cases, 85.7% and 64.3% in synchronous cases, and 77.9% and 72.1% in unilateral cases. There was no significant difference in overall survival among the three groups. On multivariate analysis, metachronous bilaterality, tumor size, lymph node status and adjuvant hormone therapy were each independent risk factors for recurrence, whereas bilaterality of breast cancer did not influence overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that metachronous bilateral breast cancer is associated with shorter disease-free survival than synchronous bilateral or unilateral breast cancer, although overall survival does not differ among the 3 groups. Patients with metachronous bilateral breast cancer should be followed particularly closely in order to detect recurrence early and maximize quality of life.     

Epidemiologic differences between women with colorectal cancer and women with ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The difference between the epidemiologic features of women with colorectal cancer and those with ovarian cancer has not been thoroughly studied. The aim of this study is to review the epidemiologic features of women with colorectal cancer and compare them with those of women with ovarian cancer. METHODS: The epidemiologic features of 705 women with colorectal cancer were compared with those of 503 women with primary epithelial ovarian cancer. Both groups included all women with the confirmed respective histologic diagnoses admitted to Roswell Park Cancer Institute between 1982 and 1996 who returned a voluntary self-administered epidemiologic questionnaire. RESULTS: Women with ovarian cancer were significantly younger, had higher education and income, had fewer children, and were more likely to have never been married and nulligravid than those with colorectal cancer. There was a significant difference in the contraceptive history between both groups among women > or = 45 years of age. More women with ovarian cancer had a family history of ovarian cancer and more women with colorectal cancer had a family history of colorectal cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiologic features of women with colorectal cancer are different from those with ovarian cancer. The difference between both groups might indicate difference in the environmental or genetic etiology of both cancers.