George Peters Award: How does breast-specific gamma imaging affect the management of patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer?

Background

We sought to determine the number of patients with known breast cancer who were found to have an additional, mammographically occult lesion detected on breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI).

Methods

An institutional review board-approved review of all patients who underwent BSGI at Beth Israel Medical Center from 2006 to 2008 was performed.

Results

A total of 82 patients underwent BSGI for newly diagnosed breast cancer. Of these, 18 had an additional abnormality, and 17 were biopsied. There were 4 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma, 1 invasive lobular carcinoma, 1 ductal carcinoma in situ, 1 lobular carcinoma in situ, 2 papillomas, and 8 benign biopsies. One patient proceeded directly to mastectomy and an area of ductal carcinoma in situ was found, corresponding to the BSGI.

Conclusions

In our study group, 22% of patients had a surgical change in management based on BSGI findings. BSGI detected additional carcinoma in 9%. BSGI plays an important role in the clinical management of patients with known breast cancer.     

Scientific Presentation Award: The impact of magnetic resonance imaging on surgical treatment of invasive breast cancer

Background

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and surgical treatment of invasive breast cancer (IBC).

Method

The IBC patients treated from January 2003-June 2008 were reviewed by a single institution.

Results

A total of 814 patients were treated, out of which 562 (69%) underwent breast conservation therapy (BCT), 151 (19%) chose mastectomy alone (M), and 101 (12%) chose mastectomy with reconstruction (M+ R). The mean age was comparatively low in M + R patients (P ≤ 0.001). The mean tumor size was the lowest in BCT patients (P ≤ 0.001). MRI use increased with no significant difference in type of surgery as noted by year. In multivariate analysis, type of surgery was significantly associated with tumor size, multifocality, age, and MRI use. The factors associated with MRI performance were: multifocality, younger age, tumor size, lobular histology, body mass index, and genetic testing.

Conclusions

The use of MRI in IBC patients has increased over the past 5 years, without any observable impact on surgical treatment. Similar factors are associated with mastectomy and MRI performance.     

Does magnetic resonance imaging accurately predict residual disease in breast cancer?

Background

The accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in identifying residual disease after breast conservation therapy (BCT) is unclear.

Method

Review of an institutional database identified patients with positive or close (≤2 mm) margins undergoing MRI before re-excision. Histopathologic correlation was performed.

Results

Forty-three women underwent MRI after BCT. MRI suggested residual disease in 29 patients, of whom 20 (69%) had residual carcinoma pathologically. Nine patients had false-positive MRI as seen by benign pathology findings. Fourteen MRIs indicated no residual disease, of which 6 had residual disease pathologically. The sensitivity and positive predictive value of MRI was 77% and 69%, respectively. MRI conducted within 28 days of the original surgery was 85% sensitive. MRI performed after 28 days was 69% sensitive.

Conclusions

MRI is able to detect residual disease among most patients undergoing re-excision. False-positive results may be caused by inflammatory processes that resemble residual disease.     

Contributions of myofascial pain in diagnosis and treatment of shoulder pain. A randomized control trial

Background  

Rotator cuff tendinopathy and subacromial impingement syndrome present complex patomechanical situations, frequent difficulties in clinical diagnosis and lack of effectiveness in treatment. Based on clinical experience, we have therefore considered the existence of another pathological entity as the possible origin of pain and dysfunction. The hypothesis of this study is to relate subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), since myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) cause pain, functional limitation, lack of coordination and alterations in quality of movement, even prior to a tendinopathy. MTrPs can coexist with any degenerative subacromial condition. If they are not taken into consideration, they could perpetuate and aggravate the problem, hindering diagnosis and making the applied treatments ineffective.     

Enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium in de novo pediatric renal transplant patients

Data on the use of enteric-coated mycophenolic acid (EC-MPS) in pediatric transplantation cases are scarce. We undertook a 12-month, multicenter, open-label pilot study in which 16 de novo renal transplant patients aged 5–16 years received EC-MPS with cyclosporine A microemulsion (CsA-ME), steroids, and anti-interleukin-2 receptor antibody induction. The mean dose of EC-MPS was 916 ± 93 mg/m² per day during weeks 1–2, 810 ± 193 mg/m² per day during months 3–6, and 827 ± 153 mg/m² per day during months 6–12. The mean CsA C₂ level exceeded target range up to month 6 post-transplant. Efficacy failure (biopsy-proven acute rejection, graft loss, death or loss to follow-up) occurred in two patients: one patient with primary non-function underwent nephrectomy, and one patient experienced biopsy-proven acute rejection (Grade 1B, day 344) following EC-MPS dose reduction. There were no deaths. Creatinine clearance (Schwartz) was 103 ± 30 mL/min per 1.73 m² at month 6 and 100 ± 16 mL/min per 1.73 m² at month 12. The majority of adverse events were mild or moderate (101/126, 80.2%). In this pilot study, EC-MPS 450 mg/m² administered twice daily with CsA, steroids, and interleukin-2 antibody induction resulted in a low rate of rejection with good renal function in a pediatric population. However, a larger, controlled trial is required to confirm these results.     

Increased RANK ligand in bone marrow of orchiectomized rats and prevention of their bone loss by the RANK ligand inhibitor osteoprotegerin

Orchiectomized (ORX) rats were used to examine the extent to which their increased bone resorption and decreased bone density might relate to increases in RANKL, an essential cytokine for bone resorption.Serum testosterone declined by > 95% in ORX rats 1 and 2 weeks after surgery (p < 0.05 versus sham controls), with no observed changes in serum RANKL. In contrast, RANKL in bone marrow plasma and bone marrow cell extracts was significantly increased (by  100%) 1 and 2 weeks after ORX. Regression analyses of ORX and sham controls revealed a significant inverse correlation between testosterone and RANKL levels measured in marrow cell extracts (R = − 0.58), while marrow plasma RANKL correlated positively with marrow plasma TRACP-5b, an osteoclast marker (R = 0.63). The effects of RANKL inhibition were then studied by treating ORX rats for 6 weeks with OPG-Fc (10 mg/kg, twice/week SC) or with PBS, beginning immediately after surgery. Sham controls were treated with PBS. Vehicle-treated ORX rats showed significant deficits in BMD of the femur/tibia and lower trabecular bone volume in the distal femur (p < 0.05 versus sham). OPG-Fc treatment of ORX rats increased femur/tibia BMD and trabecular bone volume to levels that significantly exceeded values for ORX or sham controls. OPG-Fc reduced trabecular osteoclast surfaces in ORX rats by 99%, and OPG-Fc also prevented ORX-related increases in endocortical eroded surface and ORX-related reductions in periosteal bone formation rate. Micro-CT of lumbar vertebrae from OPG-Fc-treated ORX rats demonstrated significantly greater cortical and trabecular bone volume and density versus ORX-vehicle controls. In summary, ORX rats exhibited increased RANKL protein in bone marrow plasma and in bone marrow cells, with no changes in serum RANKL. Data from regression analyses were consistent with a potential role for testosterone in suppressing RANKL production in bone marrow, and also suggested that soluble RANKL in bone marrow might promote bone resorption. RANKL inhibition prevented ORX-related deficits in trabecular BMD, trabecular architecture, and periosteal bone formation while increasing cortical and trabecular bone volume and density. These results support the investigation of RANKL inhibition as a strategy for preventing bone loss associated with androgen ablation or deficiency.     

Early U.S. outcomes after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding in patients with a body mass index less than 35 kg/m2

Background  Many mildly to moderately obese individuals with a body mass index (BMI) lower than 35 kg/m² have serious diseases related to their obesity. Nonsurgical therapy is ineffective in the long term, yet surgery has never been made widely available to this population. Methods   Between 2002 and 2007, 53 patients with a BMI lower than 35 kg/m² underwent laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding at our institution. Data on all these patients were collected prospectively and entered into an institutional review board–approved electronic registry. The study parameters included preoperative age, gender, BMI, presence of comorbidities, percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL), and resolution of comorbidities. Results   The mean preoperative age of the patients was 46.9 years (range, 16–68 years), and the mean preoperative BMI was 33.1 kg/m² (range, 28.2–35.0 kg/m²). Of the 53 patients, 49 (92%) had at least one obesity-related comorbidity. The mean BMI decreased to 28.1 ± 2.4 kg/m², 25.8 ± 2.9 kg/m², and 25.8 ± 3.1 kg/m² and mean %EWL was 48.3 ± 17.6, 69.9 ± 28.0, and 69.7 ± 31.7 at 0.5, 1, and 2 years, respectively. Substantial improvement occurred for the following comorbidities evaluated: hypertension, depression, diabetes, asthma, hypertriglyceridemia, obstructive sleep apnea, hypercholesterolemia, and osteoarthritis. There was one slip, two cases of band obstruction (from food), two cases of esophagitis, and two port leaks, but no mortality. Conclusion   The authors are very encouraged by this series of low-BMI patients who underwent laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. Their weight loss has been excellent, and their complications have been acceptable. Their comorbidities have partially or wholly resolved. With further study, it is reasonable to expect alteration of the weight guidelines for bariatric surgery to include patients with a BMI lower than 35 kg/m².     

Efficacy and limits of the bariatric surgery

Morbid obesity is associated with and increased risk of serious comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea, cardiovascular diseases, and orthopedic disabilities. Not operative treatments for superobese patients have not been shown to produce reliable long-term benefits, therefore surgical therapy has became the treatment of choice. The number of surgical procedures increased in the last year confirm these data. However, before recommended a specific surgical procedures to a superobese patients it is necessary to consider some variables, such as: patient, health structure, and multidisciplinary equipe. Since there are not recommended or condemned surgical procedures, in this paper the Authors tried to evaluate the effectiveness and limits of the most performed surgical procedures for the treatment of pathologic obesity: gastric by-pass, biliopancreatic diversion (duodenal switch), vertical gastroplasty, banding gastric. The Authors used some pointer of outcome to measure effectiveness and limits: five year post-operative percentage excess weight loss >/< 50, peri-operative >/< 1%, early and late complications >/< 15%, reoperation >/< 3%, improvement of quality of life. Thanks to new surgical technique, restrictive options are losing ground, while malabsorbitive bariatric procedures are collecting successful.     

Inhibition of the chemokine receptor CXCR2 prevents kidney graft function deterioration due to ischemia/reperfusion

BACKGROUND: Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury after organ transplantation is a major cause of delayed graft function. Following I/R, locally produced CXC chemokines attract and activate granulocytes, which in turn promote graft damage. METHODS: We examined the involvement of granulocyte recruitment via the CXCR2 pathway in a rat model of 4 hours cold ischemia followed by kidney transplantation. Serum creatinine and intragraft granulocyte infiltration were monitored in the early phase posttransplant. A CXCR2 inhibitor, repertaxin, was given to recipients before transplantation (at -24 hours or -8 hours or -2 hours), immediately before reperfusion and 2 hours later. RESULTS: An increase of granulocyte chemoattractant CINC-1/interleukin-8 (IL-8) mRNA expression after I/R both in syngeneic and allogeneic transplantation was associated with a marked infiltration of granulocytes in renal tissue. In syngeneic transplantation, Lewis rats given 15 mg/kg repertaxin 24 hours before surgery had granulocyte graft infiltration and serum creatinine levels significantly reduced in respect to vehicle-treated animals. Intermediate effects were observed with 5 mg/kg, whereas the dose of 30 mg/kg had toxic effects. We found that reducing the pretreatment time to 8 hours before surgery was still effective. Prevention of granulocyte infiltration and serum creatinine increase was also obtained in allogeneic transplantation, when Brown Norway recipients of Lewis kidneys were given 15 mg/kg repertaxin starting 8 hours before surgery. CONCLUSION: Repertaxin treatment of the recipient animal was effective in preventing granulocyte infiltration and renal function impairment both in syngeneic and in allogeneic settings. The possibility to modulate I/R injury in this rat model opens new perspectives for preventing posttransplant delayed graft function in humans.