吉西他滨联合西妥昔单抗对三阴乳腺癌细胞转移相关基质金属蛋白酶-9(MMP-9)活性的影响

目的：探讨吉西他滨联合西妥昔单抗对三阴乳腺癌细胞增殖、迁移、侵袭的影响，并对可能的机制进行初步的探究。方法：将实验分为西妥昔单抗组（150 μg · mL^-1）、吉西他滨联合用药组（西妥昔单抗150 μg · mL^-1，吉西他滨2.8 μg·mL^-1）。通过MTT、Transwell实验检测联合用药对MDA-MB-231细胞增殖、迁移、侵袭能力的影响，Western blotting实验检测合用药对MDA-MB-231细胞MMP-9、TIMP-1、p-IkB、NF-kB-p65表达水平的影响。结果：吉西他滨联合西妥昔单抗作用MDA-MB-231细胞后，其生长被不同程度的抑制，抑制率随吉西他滨浓度的增加而增高（P<0.05）；联合用药组MDA-MB-231细胞迁移、侵袭数目明显减少（P<0.05），同时MMP-9、p-IkB、NF-kB-p65的表达含量降低，TIMP-1表达含量增加。结论：吉西他滨联合西妥昔单抗对三阴乳腺癌细胞增殖、侵袭、迁移具有抑制作用，并明显抑制MMP-9的表达，其机制可能是通过抑制NF-kB通路实现。     

中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值对三阴性乳腺癌临床预后及与Ki - 67表达的影响

目的 探讨中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值（neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio，NLR）对三阴性乳腺癌的临床预后影响及与Ki - 67表达的关系。方法 回顾性分析2006年1月 - 2012年12月于我院乳腺外科住院治疗的134例三阴性乳腺癌患者。NLR最佳临床分界值采用ROC曲线确定，并依此分NLR＜2.64组和NLR≥2.64组。临床独立预后因素采用单因素和多因素Cox回归模型分析。术后生存时间和生存曲线比较采用Kaplan - Meier和log - rank方法。Ki - 67的表达采用免疫组织化学方法检测。结果 NLR是三阴性乳腺癌的独立预后因素，最佳临界值为2.64。NLR＜2.64组术后中位DFS为39.10月，中位OS为52.30月；NLR≥2.64组术后中位DFS为27.35月，中位OS为37.35月。2组术后DFS和OS比较，差异具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。NLR低组伴Ki - 67表达阴性的三阴性患者术后中位DFS和OS生存时间显著高于其他情况。结论 NLR是三阴性乳腺癌的关键影响预后因素，具有重复性强、非侵袭性、方便实用等特性，可用于预测三阴性乳腺癌临床预后。     

从“血不利则为水”探讨乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿

导致血不利的原因一是不足,即由于气、血、津、液等物质的缺乏致无源行血;一是不通,即水、湿、痰、饮、瘀、食积、火郁、内风、外伤等病理因素阻滞,致血行不畅。血瘀经脉之内,则水亦瘀积脉中,致脉络胀满,形成水肿。乳腺癌术后患者,金刃本已损伤血脉,术后的放疗、化疗又属祛邪之法,故机体元气受损,气虚无力行血,血运行不畅,导致患侧上肢水肿。故治疗乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿时,应当血水同治,即活血利水之法要贯穿始终。先病血而后病水者,可以活血化瘀为主,利水为辅;先病水后病血者,则以利水消肿为主,酌加活血养血之品。但需要注意的是:①临证时切不可拘泥于单纯的活血利水法,而忽视乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿(breast cancer related lymphedema,BCRL)患者机体本身的状况。②临证勿忽视五脏与血、水的关系,以及肺、脾、肾、三焦与水肿的内在关系。③可多种方法联合运用,审证求因,标本同治。BCRL术后宜补气活血,通脉利水;术后兼化疗者可疏肝健脾、利水消肿;早期可在活血利水基础上,侧重利湿消肿,后期多湿聚为痰,治疗侧重化痰软坚。     

不同影像检查在乳腺结构扭曲中的研究进展

我国乳腺癌的发病率占女性恶性肿瘤疾病的首位,结构扭曲病变(architectural distortion,AD)作为触诊阴性乳腺癌的第三最常见影像学表现,也是乳腺癌最早出现的征象,具有重要的临床价值。AD具有较高的漏诊率及假阳性率。本文通过查阅文献,针对超声、乳腺X线摄影、乳腺数字三维断层摄影技术及核磁共振成像技术在乳腺结构扭曲病变中的研究进展及优缺点进行分析,进一步指导科学研究及临床工作。     

Are patient-reported outcome measures biased by method of follow-up? Evaluating paper-based and digital follow-up after lumbar fusion surgery

Background Context

Long-term follow-up of patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) is essential in both modern spinal care and research. Lack of time and staff are commonly reported barriers to implementing long-term follow-up of PROM. Automated and digital follow-up systems for PROM collection are seeing widespread use, yet their validity and comparative effectiveness have never been evaluated.

Phase 1 Study of Erlotinib and Metformin in Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

BackgroundEpidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is frequently overexpressed in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC). One strategy for overcoming resistance to EGFR inhibition is concomitant inhibition of downstream signaling. The antidiabetic drug metformin inhibits both MAPK and PI3K/mTOR pathway signaling. We evaluated the combination of erlotinib and metformin in a phase 1 study of patients with mTNBC.Patients and MethodsPatients with mTNBC who had received at least one prior line of therapy for metastatic disease were eligible. Erlotinib dose was fixed at 150 mg daily. Metformin dose escalation was planned according to a 3 + 3 design. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) were assessed during the first 5 weeks of therapy. The primary objective was to determine the maximum tolerated dose of metformin with fixed-dose erlotinib. Secondary endpoints were response rate, stable disease rate, and progression-free survival.ResultsEight patients were enrolled. The median number of prior therapies for metastatic disease was 2.5 (range, 1-6). No DLT events were reported during the DLT assessment period. Most adverse events were grade 1/2. Grade 3 diarrhea despite maximum supportive care required dose reduction of metformin in one patient. Grade 3 rash led to study withdrawal in one patient. No grade 4 adverse events were reported. The best observed response was stable disease in 2 patients (25%). Median progression-free survival was 60 days (range, 36-61 days).ConclusionErlotinib and metformin were well tolerated in a population of pretreated mTNBC patients but did not demonstrate efficacy in this population.     

Self-representations on social media. Reproducing and challenging discourses on disability

This article examines self-representations in a social media campaign against the discrimination of people with disabilities. We focus specifically on how these representations are related to various narratives and discourses, and in what ways the representations either adhere to or challenge normative discourses, or whether they offer counter-discourses. Considering that our cultural assumptions are influenced by the representations we are exposed to, we also discuss the possible potential of self-representations for the audience of the campaign. The empirical material consists of a digital activism campaign conducted on Instagram in Sweden that was constructed through self-representations (photos and short texts). The study combines discourse analysis and visual analysis with focus on how the persons present themselves in the campaign, how disability is mentioned and/or displayed, and how a presentation adheres to or challenges a model of understanding disability, such as the medical or social models. We found a diverse set of claims, all with the common goal of acknowledging discrimination, in order to make it visible and bring about change. The narratives identified indicate a variety of strategies for understanding disability and various styles that people adopt to relate to established discourses on disabilities. Through this campaign, the bloggers could find and provide support, but they also took the stage by requesting that the audience listen. The campaign examined in this study can be further understood as an effort and a step towards increased visibility and politicization of disability.     

Risk communication in a patient decision aid for radiotherapy in breast cancer: How to deal with uncertainty?

Background and aimPatient decision aids for oncological treatment options, provide information on the effect on recurrence rates and/or survival benefit, and on side-effects and/or burden of different treatment options. However, often uncertainty exists around the probability estimates for recurrence/survival and side-effects which is too relevant to be ignored. Evidence is lacking on the best way to communicate these uncertainties. The aim of this study is to develop a method to incorporate uncertainties in a patient decision aid for breast cancer patients to support their decision on radiotherapy.MethodsFirstly, qualitative interviews were held with patients and health care professionals. Secondly, in the development phase, thinking aloud sessions were organized with four patients and 12 health care professionals, individual and group-wise.ResultsConsensus was reached on a pictograph illustrating the whole range of uncertainty for local recurrence risks, in combination with textual explanation that a more exact personalized risk would be given by their own physician. The pictograph consisted of 100 female icons in a 10 x 10 array. Icons with a stepwise gradient color indicated the uncertainty margin. The prevalence and severity of possible side-effects were explained using verbal labels.ConclusionsWe developed a novel way of visualizing uncertainties in recurrence rates in a patient decision aid. The effect of this way of communicating risk uncertainty is currently being tested in the BRASA study (NCT03375801).