Risk of breast cancer in relation to the use of rauwolfia alkaloids

Summary In a case-control study of 1881 women with breast cancer and 1523 controls with benign conditions, 65 cases (3.5%) and 64 controls (4.2%) reported having used a drug that contained rauwolfia, giving a rate ratio estimate of 0.8 (95% confidence interval, 0.5–1.1). Use that ended more than a year previously was negatively associated with breast cancer (rate ratio, 0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.2–0.9). The risk of breast cancer did not vary significantly according to duration of use. Nor did it vary within strata of varying base-line risk, such as age at first pregnancy. The data suggest that rauwolfia alkaloids do not increase the risk of breast cancer.     

Risk of breast cancer in association with exposure to two different groups of tricyclic antidepressants

PURPOSE: In 2002, we reported an epidemiological study in which we found that some tricyclic antidepressants (identified as genotoxic in Drosophila Melanogaster) were associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, when exposure took place 11-15 years before the date of diagnosis. The implications of the results found lead us to carry out a separate case-control study, using the same source population, to validate the conclusions drawn from our previous study. METHODS: We accrued 7330 breast cancer cases, diagnosed between 1981 and 2000, and 29 320 controls matched on age and time. RESULTS: The association between exposure to genotoxic TCAs 11-15 years before diagnosis and the risk of breast cancer development was much weaker, as compared to what was reported in our previous study. The relative risk of breast cancer in women exposed to high doses of genotoxic TCAs 11-15 years before diagnosis was 1.17 (95%CI: 0.79-1.74), while in women exposed to high levels of non-genotoxic TCAs during the same period it was 0.95 (95%CI: 0.61-1.48). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we did not find supporting evidence for an increased risk of breast cancer among women exposed to TCAs up to 20 years in the past.     

Emerging drugs in metastatic breast cancer

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and comprises 26% of all cancers diagnosed in women in the United States. Among presenting patients, 3 – 6% already have metastatic disease, and 50 – 70% of the remaining patients develop systemic relapse. Recently many new drugs, particularly molecular targeted therapies, have been developed in the field. Objective: To review the current and emerging data on the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, with emphasis on novel therapies that show promise. Methods: PubMed and ASCO annual meeting abstracts were used for a literature search. Results/conclusions: Despite improved response rates, conventional treatments still result only in transient remission in most cases. New therapeutic alternatives and new strategies to overcome drug resistance are needed to improve these results.     

Soy food consumption in relation to breast cancer modified by menopause status

It has been found that lifestyle and diet are associated with the development of cancers. The mortality of breast cancer in Wuhan city is increasing, according to the statistics of recent years. This case control study was aimed to provide data for alimentary therapeutics for breast carcinomas. It included a case group (n = 196) and an age frequency-matched control group (n = 202). A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to obtain information on usual food consumption. The results indicate that intake of soy foods more than 5 times per week was associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer, especially in premenopausal women. The adjusted OR was 0.294 [95% CI was (0.158−0.546), P = 50.000]. Our results indicate that alimentary therapeutics for breast cancer can be adjusted by status of menopause.     

氨格鲁米特治疗不同雌激素受体状态的复发转移乳腺癌

氨格鲁米特治疗不同ER状态的复发转移乳腺癌29例次,口服剂量为0.25g,qid。持续用药1mo以上。结果表明对ER阳性乳腺癌的有效率为7/15(47％),ER阴性为0/14(p<0.05)。ER阳性乳腺癌中以首次复发转移的病人,骨及软组织病灶的效果相对较好。其副反应不严重,极少需要停药,多可自行消失。临床应用时应通过ER检查,提高治疗的合理性。     

三阴性乳腺癌的临床病理特征及生存分析

目的研究三阴性乳腺癌（triple—negative breast cancer,TNBC）癌患者临床病理特征及影响预后的因素。方法收集2005年1月至2008年11月间南京军区福州总医院收治的579例浸润性乳腺癌患者的临床资料,分为非三阴性乳腺癌组和三阴性乳腺癌组,回顾性研究比较其临床病理特征并进行生存分析。结果579例乳腺癌患者中91例（15．72％）患者是三阴性乳腺癌。三阴乳腺癌组和非三阴乳腺癌组相比较,平均年龄较小,分别为（48．63±10．81）岁和（51．32±11．47）岁;平均肿块较大,分别为（27．86±11．32）mm和（24．434±13．24）mm,两者均具有显著性差异（P〈0．05）。两组相比较,三阴乳腺癌组绝经前比例较高（P=0．011）,有乳腺肿瘤家族史比例亦高（P=0．020）。三阴性乳腺癌的5年无远处转移生存率为（66．28％）,低于非三阴性乳腺癌组（80．85％,P〈0．05）;三阴性乳腺癌的5年总生存率（73．26％）明显低于非三阴性（84．04％,P〈0．05）。而两者的病理类型、病理分级、淋巴结转移状况和肿瘤分期之间差异无显著性（P〉0．05）。单因素和多因素分析均表明三受体阴性是总生存率和无远处转移生存率的影响因素。结论三阴性乳腺癌为一种独特的乳腺癌亚型,发病年龄较轻、肿块较大、绝经前比例高,预后差、缺乏特异性治疗。     

卡培他滨应用于转移性乳腺癌治疗的药物经济学评价

通过介绍 2项卡培他滨应用于转移性乳腺癌治疗的国外药物经济学评价研究 ,阐述有关药物经济学和药物经济学评价的概念、方法和标准 ,并应用药物经济学指南对国外卡培他滨药物经济学评价进行文献评估。虽然国外研究结果表明 ,在蒽环类药物治疗失败的转移性乳腺癌的治疗中 ,卡培他滨 多西他赛联合化疗方案优于多西他赛单药方案 ,但在国内应用国外研究结论时仍需持审慎态度 ,建议从应用药物经济学角度进行科学和全面考察     

氨格鲁米特治疗晚期乳腺癌28例

晚期乳腺癌28人全为女性,年龄49±SD 12岁,25人已绝经。均作过手术,11人复发、17人转移、7人雌激素受体阳性,其余未测。氨格鲁米特(aminoglutethimide,下简称AG)每日服0.75-1.0g、泼尼松5mg。3人因全身性皮疹中止治疗,其余均能耐受,耐受率89％。总有效率57％,软组织有效率80％,骨转移有效率43％。     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结示踪剂的研究进展

前哨淋巴结活检能够较准确地评估早期乳腺癌患者的腋窝淋巴结情况,指导辅助治疗方案的选择,减少术后并发症,在临床广泛开展。然而前哨淋巴结活检的示踪方法多种多样,其适应证和检出效能也不甚相同。本文对乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检的方法进行综述,以期临床医生了解各种示踪方法的特点,有助于前哨淋巴结活检方案的选择。