Association of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression with Tumor Angiogenesis and with Early Relapse in Primary Breast Cancer

Angiogenesis is an independent prognostic indicator in breast cancer. In this report, the relationship between expression of vascular endothclial growth factor (VEGF; a selective mitogen for endothelial cells) and the microvessel density was examined in 103 primary breast cancers. The expression of VEGF was evaluated by immunocytochemical staining using anti-VEGF antibody. The microvessel density, which was determined by immunostaining for factor VIII antigen, in VEGF-rich tumors was clearly higher than that in VEGF-poor tumors ( P <0.01). There was a good correlation between VEGF expression and the increment of microvessel density. Furthermore, postoperative survey demonstrated that the relapse-free survival rate of VEGF-rich tumors was significantly worse than that of VEGF-poor tumors. It was suggested that the expression of VEGF is closely associated with the promotion of angiogenesis and with early relapse in primary breast cancer.     

Comparison of indium-111 octreotide and thallium-201 scintigraphy in patients mammographically suspected of having breast cancer: Preliminary results

Indium-111 octreotide and thallium-201 scintigraphic studies were compared in 21 patients (16 with palpable and five with non-palpable lesions) suspected of having breast malignancies on the basis of mammography. Early (15 min) and late (3 h)²⁰¹Tl (111 MBq) and 4-h and 24-h¹¹¹In-octreotide (111–148 MBq) static planar anterior images (matrix 256×256) were obtained on separate days. Images were evaluated both visually and quantitatively. Biopsy was performed following the imaging studies. Histopathology revealed 17 breast carcinomas (15 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma, one mucinous adenocarcinoma and one intraductal carcinoma) and four benign breast lesions (two fibroadenomas, one abscess and one case of fat necrosis). The means histopathologcial tumour size (mean largest diameter) was 3.38±1.9 cm.¹¹¹In-octreotide detected 16 of the 17 breast cancers (94%) while²⁰¹Tl detected 13 of them (76%). Both¹¹¹In-octreotide and²⁰¹Tl missed one nonpalpable carcinoma showing only an isolated cluster of microcalcifications on mammography. The smallest tumour size detected by both agents 1.5×1.5 cm. Of the four benign lesions, only the breast abscess revealed both²⁰¹Tl and¹¹¹In-octreotide uptake.¹¹¹In-octreotide scan also showed tracer uptake in five of the six patients with histologically proven axillary metastases, while four of these six patients showed²⁰¹Tl uptake. The tumour/background (T/B) ratios of late¹¹¹In-octreotide and²⁰¹Tl images were 1.71±0.38 and 1.46±0.30 respectively (P=0.039). In this preliminary study,¹¹¹In-octreotide yielded more favourable results than²⁰¹Tl in the detection of breast carcinomas. However, the diagnostic efficacy of¹¹¹In-octreotide imaging needs to be investigated in larger patient series.     

血清MUC1粘蛋白IRMA及其初步临床应用

建立有效的ＭＵＣ１粘蛋白免疫放射分析法（ＩＲＭＡ），并初步用于乳腺肿瘤的诊断。利用纯化的ＭＵＣ１及其多抗，建立ＭＵＣ１双抗夹心ＩＲＭＡ法，对５５例健康女性、１１例乳腺良性肿瘤、２７例乳腺癌及２８例乳腺癌术后患者进行血清ＭＵＣ１的测定。结果：血清ＭＵＣ１ＩＲＭＡ的灵敏度为０７４ｋＵ／Ｌ；健康女性、乳腺良性肿瘤、乳腺癌及乳腺癌术后患者血清ＭＵＣ１的平均含量分别为７２３±３６７、１７８０±１０５６、３００４±２３８４和３１８４±２４７９ｋＵ／Ｌ；正常值上限为１３５４ｋＵ／Ｌ，假阳性率为１８２％；乳腺肿瘤患者血清ＭＵＣ１水平较健康女性明显提高；乳腺癌患者血清ＭＵＣ１水平高于乳腺良性肿瘤患者，但两者的阳性率（７７８７％和７２７０％）差异无显著性（χ２＝０１５４，Ｐ＞００５）；乳腺癌与乳腺癌术后患者血清ＭＵＣ１水平差异无显著性（ｔ＝－０２２，Ｐ＞００５）。ＭＵＣ１血清水平与肿瘤恶性程度成正相关，对于乳腺癌的诊断具有重要参考价值。     

TGFβ-1 regulation of VEGF production by breast cancer cells

Background: Angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth and metastasis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the most potent angiogenic factor identified to date. TGFβ-1 acts as an indirect angiogenic agent. Methods: VEGF and TGFβ-1 were measured in the serum of breast cancer patients and agematched controls and in tumor tissue of cancer patients by ELISA. VEGF protein and mRNA expression by breast tumor cell lines were examined, and the effect of TGFβ-1 on VEGF production in these cells was assessed. Results: VEGF levels were significantly higher (P=.03) in the serum of patients with breast cancer compared to age-matched controls. A positive correlation was found between serum (r=0.539) and tumor tissue (r=0.688) levels of VEGF and TGFβ-1. Metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells produce more VEGF than do the primary BT474 cells. TGFβ-1 significantly (P<.05) increased production of VEGF. Conclusions: Breast cancer cells constitutively produce VEGF protein and mRNA. There is a relationship between VEGF and TGFβ-1 levels in breast cancer patients, and TGFβ-1 regulates VEGF expression by breast cancer cells. Presented at the 50th Annual Cancer Symposium of the Society of Surgical Oncology, Chicago, Illinois, March 20–23, 1997.     

加强爱婴医院文化建设 促进母乳喂养

爱婴医院的文化氛围与爱婴医院的建立和发展密切相关。为搞好爱婴医院文化建设与管理,促进母乳喂养,本文对近几年发展起来的爱婴医院文化的构成、功能、特征和今后发展的标准进行了讨论。     

中期因子和微血管密度在乳腺癌中的表达

目的　探讨中期因子 (MK)与微血管密度 (MVD)的表达与乳腺癌生物学行为的关系及对预后的意义。方法　采用免疫组织化学方法检测 67例乳腺浸润性导管癌组织MK、MVD表达水平 ,并对其与乳腺癌临床病理特征的关系进行统计学分析。结果　本组 67例中 ,MK阳性表达者 3 7例 ,占 5 5 .2 %。MK表达水平及MVD值均与肿块大小 ,腋淋巴结状态及复发和转移有关。MK表达阳性者的MVD均值 (90 .75± 3 3 .0 5 )明显高于MK表达阴性组 (70 .48± 3 1.3 3 ,P <0 .0 1)。结论　MK在乳腺癌血管生成中发挥重要作用 ,MK的阳性表达与乳腺癌的发生、发展和预后密切相关 ,可作为一种有价值的肿瘤标志和预后指标。     

(iii) Minimal invasive techniques in the management of tibial plateau fractures

Intra-articular fractures of the proximal tibia present a wide spectrum of injury patterns with associated soft tissue injury. The last two decades have seen the techniques of management evolve from extensive open reduction and rigid internal fixation to arthroscopy-assisted minimal invasive surgery (MIS) and biologically benign internal fixation. The ultimate aim is to prevent the occurrence of late degenerative arthritis. This could be achieved in selected patients using minimal invasive surgery, which offers the advantages of better visualisation and management of intra-articular soft tissue injuries, confirmation of fracture reduction viewed from the joint surface, faster rehabilitation and fewer wound complications.     

Studies on SSTR2 mRNA expression and its correlation to steroid receptors in human benign and malignant breast lesions

Objective:This sudy was designed to observe somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (SSTR2) Mrna expression, and investigate the correlations between SSTR2 Mrna expression and steroid receptors in benign and malignant lesions of the breast. Methods: A total of 23 breast carcinomas,16 mammary hyperplasia and 9 mammary adenofibroma samples were analysed. The SSTR2 Mrna expression was examined by in situ hybridization using multiphase oligoprobes.The ER and PR were detected by immunohistochemical staining. A computerized image analysis system was utilized to estimate the relative contents of SSTR2 Mrna. Results: The positive rates of expression (87.0%) and relative contents (0.47) of SSTR2 Mrna in breast cancer were higher than those in benign breast lesions(64%,0.26) respectively( P＜0.05). SSTR2 Mrna expression was closely correlated with ER and PR in breast cancer( P＜0. 05), A positive correlation between SSTR2 Mrna expression and ER was also found in benign breast lesions. Conclusions: SSTR2 Mrna expressed both in benign and in malignant breast lesions, but higher in malignant than in benign ones. There was a significant positive correlation of SSTR2 Mrna expression with ER or PR. The results suggest that conbined treatment with an antiestrogen and a somatostatin analogue for ER-positive breast cancer is feasible.     

Is the grading of breast carcinomas affected by a delay in fixation?

Summary The effect of delay in fixation on the modified Bloom and Richardson grade of eight breast carcinomas was investigated. Topologically shuffled samples of each tumour were immersed in fixative at times of 0.5, 2, 4, 6, 18 and 24 h after surgical removal. The grade of each tumour was assessed at delays of 0.5 and 6 h. The tubule formation and nuclear pleomorphism components of the grade showed no change with a delay in fixation of 6 h. The number of mitotic figures declined by a mean of 53% over the same period and this resulted in a decrease in the histological grade of one of the tumours. The implications of these findings for the handling of breast specimens in a diagnostic histopathological laboratory are discussed.Some of these data were presented at the 162nd meeting of the Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland at Cambridge, 3 January 1991. Published as an abstract in J Pathol (1991) 163:154A