Receptor changes in metachronous breast tumors--our experience of 10 years

IntroductionPatients with primary breast cancer (PBC) are at 2 to 6 times higher risk for developing synchronous and metachronous breast cancer (MBC). The pathology and behavior of MBC still remains unclear.MethodsWe reviewed the charts of 108 women with MBC at our hospital over the past 10 years. Profile patterns of the estrogen receptor (ER), the progesterone receptor (PR), and Her2/neu receptors were explored.ResultsOf 33 patients with ER⁺/PR⁺ in the primary tumor, 23 (70%) retained the status in MBC. Forty-five (92%) of 49 patients with ER^?/PR^? in the primary tumor remained the same in MBC. Most Her2^? tumors (22/31, 71%) remained negative, but 50% (8/16) of Her2⁺ tumors became negative.ConclusionsMost MBC retained the ER/PR expression patterns irrespective of the treatment for the primary tumor, thus suggesting a common origin. Because MBCs tend to be triple negative and thus more aggressive, early detection and close surveillance techniques must be devised.     

How many procedures to make a breast?

The construction of a new breast after mastectomy involves fashioning the breast mound and creating a projecting nipple and a coloured areola. This should involve three episodes for a patient, but is this the experience of patients embarking on breast reconstruction? We identified 177 patients who had undergone breast reconstruction between 1 September 1997 and 31 March 1999. The clinical records for 164 of these patients were found and the data summarised. The techniques, complications and other ancillary procedures experienced by this group of patients are presented. Multiple procedures are likely to be required to complete breast reconstruction, and the patient should be so counselled from the outset. Particular problems may be encountered with each technique and this should be borne in mind when selecting a procedure for each patient, especially in the context of immediate reconstruction where avoiding any delay to adjuvant treatment is a consideration.     

Management of acne vulgaris with hormonal therapies in adult female patients

Acne vulgaris is a very common condition affecting up of 93% of adolescents. Although rare, this disease may persist in adulthood. In adult women with acne (those older than 25 years old), this condition is particularly relevant because of the refractory to conventional therapies, which makes acne a challenge for dermatologists in this group of patients. In order to its potential risk for chronicity and the involvement of visible anatomical sites such as face and upper torso, acne has been associated with a wide spectrum of psychological and social dysfunction such as depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, somatization, and social inhibition. In particular, adult women with acne have been shown to be adversely impacted by the effect of acne on their quality of life. For the last four decades, dermatologists have used hormonal therapies for the management of acne vulgaris in adult women, which are considered a rational choice given the severity and chronicity of this condition in this group of patients. The aim of this work is to review the hormonal drugs for management of acne.     

Synthesis and characterization of nanoceria for electrochemical sensing applications

Nanoceria (cerium oxide nanoparticles: CeO₂-NPs) has received significant attention due to its biocompatibility, good conductivity, and the ability to transfer oxygen. Nanoceria has been widely used to develop electrochemical sensors and biosensors as it could increase response time, sensitivity, and stability of the sensor. In this review, we discussed synthesis methods, and the recent applications employing CeO₂-NPs for electrochemical detection of various analytes reported in the most recent four years.

Nanoceria (cerium oxide nanoparticles: CeO₂-NPs) has received significant attention due to its biocompatibility, good conductivity, and the ability to transfer oxygen.     

Vessel resistance to blood flow in the nailfold in patients with psoriasis: a prospective case-control echo Doppler-based study

Background Psoriasis is a disease in which endothelial cells seem to play an important pathogenic role. No report published to date has examined nail vascularity in patients with psoriasis. Objectives To evaluate the vascularity in the nails of patients with psoriasis treated with classic and biologic therapies for comparison with disease‐free controls, and to evaluate whether there are differences in nail vascularity among patients with and without nail involvement. Methods We performed a prospective study with two cohorts comprising 23 patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis and 23 controls without psoriasis. We measured the nailfold vessel resistance index (NVRI) in each subgroup. Results We found significant differences in the NVRI between patients and controls (P < 0·001). Among patients with psoriasis, those with nail involvement showed a higher mean ± SD NVRI (0·58 ± 0·10) than those without (0·52 ± 0·45). Conclusions Psoriasis decreases the blood flow in nails, suggesting that this skin disease confers an independent risk for microvascular changes. This outcome may be associated with greater risk of nail‐related signs.