Social networks and survival after breast cancer diagnosis

Introduction  

Evidence has been inconsistent regarding the impact of social networks on survival after breast cancer diagnosis. We prospectively examined the relation between components of social integration and survival in a large cohort of breast cancer survivors.     

Factors associated with mortality after breast cancer metastasis

Background  

It is generally accepted that patients with breast cancer metastases have very poor survival. Metastatic breast cancer patients can be considered a heterogeneous population with a varied clinical course, which underscores the need for accurate prediction of survival based on prognostic factors. The purpose of the present study was to identify factors related to survival in breast cancer patients after diagnosis with metastatic disease.     

PREDICT: a new UK prognostic model that predicts survival following surgery for invasive breast cancer

Introduction  

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a prognostication model to predict overall and breast cancer specific survival for women treated for early breast cancer in the UK.     

Organochlorine exposures influence on breast cancer risk and survival according to estrogen receptor status: a Danish cohort-nested case-control study

Background  

The relationship between breast cancer and organochlorine exposure is controversial and complex. As estrogen receptor positive and negative breast cancer may represent different entities of the disease, this study was undertaken to evaluate organochlorines influence on breast cancer risk and survival according to receptor status.     

Birth length and weight as predictors of breast cancer prognosis

Background  

Birth size, and particularly birth length, is positively associated with breast cancer risk in adulthood. The objective of this study was to examine whether birth size is associated with survival among breast cancer patients.     

The prognostic value of four interleukin-1 gene polymorphisms in caucasian women with breast cancer – a multicenter study

Background  

The proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) is known to play an important role in the carcinogenesis of breast cancer. Although IL-1 gene polymorphisms were reported to be associated with increased risk of breast cancer, their influence on survival of Caucasian breast cancer patients remains to be shown.     

The influence of menstrual risk factors on tumor characteristics and survival in postmenopausal breast cancer

Introduction  

Hormonal factors are implicated in tumor progression and it is possible that factors influencing breast cancer induction could affect prognosis. Our study investigated the effects of menstrual risk factors on tumor characteristics and survival in postmenopausal breast cancer.     

Breast cancer treatment and ethnicity in British Columbia,Canada

Background  

Racial and ethnic disparities in breast cancer incidence, stage at diagnosis, survival and mortality are well documented; but few studies have reported on disparities in breast cancer treatment. This paper compares the treatment received by breast cancer patients in British Columbia (BC) for three ethnic groups and three time periods. Values for breast cancer treatments received in the BC general population are provided for reference.     

Role of BRCA2 mutation status on overall survival among breast cancer patients from Sardinia

Background  

Germline mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes have been demonstrated to increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Conversely, the impact of BRCA mutations on prognosis and survival of breast cancer patients is still debated. In this study, we investigated the role of such mutations on breast cancer-specific survival among patients from North Sardinia.     

Egyptian male breast carcinoma: patients’ hormonal profile, management and outcome

Objective  

Male breast cancer (MBC) represents < 1% of all breast cancers. Hormone receptors and Her-2/neu status are established prognostic factors in female breast cancer but not yet studied enough in male breast cancer. The aim of the study was to verify the clinico-pathologic profile of male patients with breast cancer including analysis of hormone receptors and Her-2/neu state and its impact on survival rate.     

Survival analysis of 1148 women diagnosed with breast cancer in Southern Iran

Background  

While there has been much research regarding risk factors and prognostic factors for breast cancer in general, research specific to Iran is sparse. Further, the association between breast cancer survival and socio-demographic and pathologic factors has been widely studied but the majority of these studies are from developed countries. Southern Iran has a population of approximately 4 million. To date, no research has been performed to determine breast cancer survival and to explore the association between the survival and socio-demographic and pathologic factors in Southern Iran, where this study was conducted.     

Socioeconomic disparities in breast cancer survival: relation to stage at diagnosis, treatment and race

Background  

Previous studies have documented lower breast cancer survival among women with lower socioeconomic status (SES) in the United States. In this study, I examined the extent to which socioeconomic disparity in breast cancer survival was explained by stage at diagnosis, treatment, race and rural/urban residence using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data.     

Significant survival improvement of patients with recurrent breast cancer in the periods 2001-2008 vs. 1992-2000

Background  

It is unclear whether individualized treatments based on biological factors have improved the prognosis of recurrent breast cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the survival improvement of patients with recurrent breast cancer after the introduction of third generation aromatase inhibitors (AIs) and trastuzumab.     

COX-2 activation is associated with Akt phosphorylation and poor survival in ER-negative,HER2-positive breast cancer

Background  

Inducible cyclooxgenase-2 (COX-2) is commonly overexpressed in breast tumors and is a target for cancer therapy. Here, we studied the association of COX-2 with breast cancer survival and how this association is influenced by tumor estrogen and HER2 receptor status and Akt pathway activation.     

Surrogacy of tumor response and progression-free survival for overall survival in metastatic breast cancer resistant to both anthracyclines and taxanes

Background  

In breast cancer, the validity of surrogate endpoints for overall survival (OS) is a matter of controversy.     

Inhibition of cathepsin B activity attenuates extracellular matrix degradation and inflammatory breast cancer invasion

Introduction  

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is an aggressive, metastatic and highly angiogenic form of locally advanced breast cancer with a relatively poor three-year survival rate. Breast cancer invasion has been linked to proteolytic activity at the tumor cell surface. Here we explored a role for active cathepsin B on the cell surface in the invasiveness of IBC.     

The influence of nativity and neighborhoods on breast cancer stage at diagnosis and survival among California Hispanic women

Background  

In the US, foreign-born Hispanics tend to live in socioeconomic conditions typically associated with later stage of breast cancer diagnosis, yet they have lower breast cancer mortality rates than their US-born counterparts. We evaluated the impact of nativity (US- versus foreign-born), neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) and Hispanic enclave (neighborhoods with high proportions of Hispanics or Hispanic immigrants) on breast cancer stage at diagnosis and survival among Hispanics.     

Radiotherapy waiting times for women with breast cancer: a population-based cohort study

Background  

Waiting times for cancer patients are a national priority in the UK. Previous studies have shown variation between cancer networks in the time between diagnosis and start of radiotherapy for all cancer patients. Studies of the relationship between delay in receiving treatment and survival of breast cancer patients have been inconsistent. This study aimed to examine factors associated with waiting times for radiotherapy for breast cancer patients.