Metaplastic Breast Cancer: To Radiate or Not to Radiate?

Background

The role of radiation therapy (RT) is unclear for metaplastic breast cancer (MBC). We hypothesized that RT would improve overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).

Materials and Methods

We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to identify MBC patients diagnosed from1988 to 2006. Univariate analyses of patient, tumor, and treatment-specific factors on OS and DSS were performed using the Kaplan–Meier method and differences among survival curves assessed via log rank. Variables assessed included patient age, race/ethnicity, histologic subtype, tumor grade, T stage, N stage, M stage, hormone receptor status, surgery type, and use of RT. Cox proportional hazards models used all univariate covariates. Risks of mortality were reported as hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI); significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.

Results

Among 1501 patients, RT was given to 580 (38.6%). Ten-year OS and DSS were 53.2, and 68.3%, respectively. In the overall analysis, RT provided an OS (HR 0.64; 95% CI, 0.51–0.82; P < 0.001) and DSS (HR 0.74; CI, 0.56–0.96; P < 0.03) benefit. When patients were stratified according to type of surgery, RT provided an OS but not a DSS benefit to lumpectomy (HR 0.51; CI, 0.32–0.79, P < 0.01) and mastectomy patients (HR 0.67; CI, 0.49–0.90; P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Our findings support the use of RT for patients with MBC following lumpectomy or mastectomy. These retrospective findings should be confirmed in a prospective clinical trial.     

Can Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Prevent Biopsy or Change the Management of BI-RADS® Category 4 Breast Lesions?

The BI-RADS® category 4 includes suspicious breast lesions which requires biopsy. The aim of this study is to investigate the contribution of breast magnetic resonance imaging to the management of BI-RADS® category 4 breast lesions detected by mammography and∕or ultrasonography. Thirty-four lesions classified as BI-RADS® category 4A, 4B, or 4C by conventional methods were evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging. All lesions were coded by using the American College of Radiology BI-RADS® lexicon. Each lesion was verified with the result of pathology. Lesions were evaluated as BI-RADS® category 1 in 1 patient (2.9%), category 3 (20.6%) in 7 patients, category 4 in 25 patients (73.6%), and category 5 in 1 patient (2.9%) with breast magnetic resonance imaging. Only the BI-RADS® 4A lesion categories were changed by breast magnetic resonance imaging, and these lesions were pathologically diagnosed as benign. The negative predictive value of breast MRI for BI-RADS® category 4A lesions was calculated as 100%. In all BI-RADS® category 4 lesions, pathologically 4 lesions found to be high risk and 3 lesions found to be malignant. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive, and negative predictive value of breast magnetic resonance imaging in BI-RADS® category 4 lesions were calculated as 100, 29.6, 26.9, and 100%, respectively. The area under the ROC curve was calculated 0.648. Breast magnetic resonance imaging is promising to be used as a problem-solving modality in BI-RADS® category 4A breast lesions.     

Long-Term Seizure Outcome following Resective Surgery for Epilepsy: To Be or Not to Be Completely Cured?

Surgical intervention is expected to improve the quality of life in patients with intractable epilepsy by providing adequate seizure control. Although many previous studies showed various rates of seizure freedom, definite conclusions have not yet been made regarding outcomes. In order to clarify the long-term postoperative outcome for a period up to 10 years, a retrospective review of our patients was performed longitudinally by using the survival analysis method. The postoperative state of epilepsy in 76 patients who underwent resection surgery was assessed based on Engel’s criteria. In addition, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to calculate the probability of seizure freedom. In this patient group, abnormal lesion were detected by MRI in 70 out of 76 cases, and the ictal onset zone was finally identified within temporal lobe in 51 cases. The most favorable outcome, defined as Engel Class Ia, was observed in 26 (37%), 24 (40%), and 18 (41%) cases at 2, 5, and 10 years after surgery, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve in the overall group estimated the probability of seizure freedom as 75% (95% confidence interval [CI] 70–80%), 67% (62–72%), and 51% (45–57%) at 2, 5, and 10 years follow up, respectively. Half of all seizure recurrences occurred within the first 2 postoperative years. In this study, we showed that long-term favorable outcome of seizure control following resection surgery can be achieved in more than half of the patients.     

Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Lipoblastoma: Can it be a Diagnostic Modality?

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is generally an efficient tool for establishing the differential diagnosis of soft tissue tumours. We simultaneously encountered two patients with adipose tumours in the neck. Both had similar clinical features and MRI findings: lobular high intensity tumours on both T1-and T2-weighted images equivalent to subcutaneous fat with septal formation. The provisional diagnosis in both cases was lipoblastoma and both had complete excisions. Histopathological diagnoses, however, were different (lipoblastoma and fibrolipoma), indicating that while MRI is excellent for demonstrating the anatomical detail of soft tissue masses, it is not specific enough to be used alone for differentiating between adipose tumours. In this report, we assess the value of MRI and recommend a more appropriate and patient-friendly protocol for the evaluation for adipose tumours in children.     

What is the Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Evaluation of Total Hip Arthroplasty?

MRI has been shown to be an extremely effective instrument in the management of painful hip arthroplasty. Its superior soft tissue contrast and direct multiplanar acquisition compared to computerized tomography (CT) and radiographs allows for reproducible visualization of periacetabular osteolysis, demonstrating compression of neurovascular bundles by extracapsular synovial deposits. In addition, MRI can often elucidate etiology of neuropathy in the perioperative period and is further helpful in evaluating the soft tissue envelope, including the attachment of the hip abductors, short external rotators and iliopsoas tendon. A further advantage of MRI over CT is its lack of ionizing radiation. Most importantly, MRI can disclose intracapsular synovial deposits that precede osteoclastic resorption of bone.     

Editorial Commentary: Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Knee Anterolateral Ligament: Does It Really Matter?

Great interest remains in the structures of the knee anterolateral complex and how they work synergistically with the anterior cruciate ligament to control anterolateral rotatory laxity. Many studies have now used magnetic resonance imaging to assess the degree of damage to the anterolateral ligament. The systematic review described in this commentary rigorously highlights the many deficiencies that exist within our current understanding of the imaging analysis of these structures. Marked variability in the definition of anterolateral ligament injury, significant methodological differences, and the lack of a gold standard reference make it very challenging to translate the findings of these imaging studies into clinical practice. More information is required to fully understand the injury pattern, and then clinical studies are needed to guide treatment. Hopefully we will then have the ability to better treat our patients with these challenging complex laxity patterns that exist over and above an isolated anterior cruciate ligament injury.