MicroRNA‐493 is a prognostic factor in triple‐negative breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases in women. Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) shows higher aggressiveness and recurrence rates than other subtypes, and there are no effective targets or tailored treatments for TNBC patients. Thus, finding effective prognostic markers for TNBC could help clinicians in their ability to care for their patients. We used tissue microarrays (TMAs) to detect microRNA‐493 (miR‐493) expression in breast cancer samples. A miRCURY LNA detection probe specific for miR‐493 was used in in situ hybridization assays. Staining results were reviewed by two independent pathologists and classified as high or low expression of miR‐493. Kaplan–Meier survival plots and multivariate Cox analysis were carried out to clarify the relationship between miR‐493 and survival. In the Kaplan–Meier analysis, patients with high miR‐493 expression had better disease‐free survival than patients with low miR‐493 expression. After adjusting for common clinicopathological factors in breast cancer, the expression level of miR‐493 was still a significant prognostic factor in breast cancer. Further subtype analysis revealed that miR‐493 expression levels were only significantly prognostic in TNBC patients. These results were validated in the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium database for overall survival. We proved the prognostic role of miR‐493 in TNBC by using one of the largest breast cancer TMAs available and validated it in a large public RNA sequencing database.     

Clinical and pathological features of “small” GIST (≤2 cm). What is their prognostic value?

Introduction

Small GIST (<2 cm) are tumors whose biological behavior is benign and frequently involutes. Despite their increasing incidence, few studies have addressed the characteristics of these GIST. The aim of this work is to clarify the management of this entity.

Management of positive margins after initial lumpectomy in elderly women with breast cancer

Introduction

It is unknown whether the treatment disparity observed between young and elderly women extends to the management of positive margins after initial lumpectomy. The primary aim was to evaluate the management of positive margins after initial lumpectomy in elderly women.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for CD40 ligand deficiency: Results from an EBMT/ESID-IEWP-SCETIDE-PIDTC study

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The prognostic value of p16 and p53 expression for survival after vulvar cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The tumor suppressor proteins p16 and p53 have been suggested to have prognostic value in some human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers, however, this has been less well established for vulvar cancer. The aim of this review and meta-analysis was to examine the prognostic value of p16 and p53 expression status on survival after vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC). We conducted a thorough systematic literature search of multiple databases to identify studies examining survival after histolocally verified VSCC that were tested for p16 and/or p53. A total of 18 eligible studies were included. Using a fixed-effects model we calculated study-specific and pooled hazard ratios (HRs) of 5-year overall survival (OS). In the analyses of OS, we included 475 VSCC cases tested for p16 expression of which 38% were p16 positive. The pooled HR_p16 was 0.40 (95% CI: 0.29–0.55). In addition, the majority of results from studies with adjusted analyses on the prognostic value of p16 indicated that p16 expression status could be an independent prognostic marker for OS in women diagnosed with VSCC, and the same pattern was seen for disease specific survival (DSS). We also included 310 VSCC cases tested for p53 expression of which 54% were p53 positive. The pooled HR_p53 was 1.81 (95% CI: 1.22–2.68) indicating that p53 positive VSCC have a significantly lower 5-year OS compared to p53 negative. The results in relation to p53 reported from adjusted analyses OS and on DSS and disease free survival were more equivocal. This meta-analysis and review suggests that p53 and especially p16 expression status are of prognostic importance in women diagnosed with VSCC. This may be clinically important in the future design of targeted therapy and when planning the optimal follow-up strategy. Future studies should include the combined use of biomarkers such as p16, p53 and HPV status.     

MSH2 promoter hypermethylation in circulating tumor DNA is a valuable predictor of disease-free survival for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Tumor-specific alterations of DNA methylation in circulating DNA have been associated with tumor burden and malignant progression. A wealth of information indicating the potential use of DNA methylation in circulating DNA for cancer screening, prognosis and monitoring of the efficacy of anticancer therapies has emerged. In this study, we examined prospectively whether the presence of plasma DNA with tumor characteristics before oesophagectomy is a predictive factor related to disease-free survival (DFS).

Methods

Promoter hypermethylation of MSH2 was analyzed using real-time methylation-specific PCR (real-time MSP) in paired tumor and plasma samples of 209 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Results

Aberrant MSH2 methylation was found in 101 of 209 ESCC patients. Of these 101 patients, 77 cases exhibited the same alteration in their plasma DNA. No alterations were found in the plasma DNA of the remaining 108 patients. As a control, we screened for aberrant methylation in the plasma DNA of 60 health individuals. No methylation was found in plasma DNA of these control groups. Follow-up analysis indicated significantly lower DFS for patients with high MSH2 methylation compared to those with MSH2 unmethylation after surgery.

Conclusions

It was suggestted that MSH2 methylation in the plasma would be a good predictor of DFS for these ESCC patients before oesophagectomy.     

小肠原发恶性肿瘤根治术后辅助化疗疗效分析

目的评价根治术后辅助化疗对小肠原发恶性肿瘤疗效的影响。方法回顾性分析解放军总医院2001年1月-2010年6月55例小肠原发恶性肿瘤根治术后患者的临床资料,主要终点观察指标是中位无疾病生存期,次要观察指标为1年、2年生存率,影响预后的因素。结果单纯手术组和术后辅助化疗组中位无疾病生存期（mDFS）（分别为15.0月、28.0月(P=0.035<0.05);1、2年无疾病生存率分别为61.1%、73.7%（P=0.351）和36.1%、56.0%（P=0.418）;1、2年生存率分别为75.9%、100%（P=0.001）和68.0%、93.8%(P=0.025);肿瘤的浸润深度是影响患者预后的重要因素（P<0.05）;而分化程度、临床分期、肿瘤大小及部位等对预后的影响没有统计学意义。结论根治术后辅助化疗具有能延长患者的无疾病生存时间的趋势,单纯手术组与术后辅助化疗组两组之间差异有统计学意义;肿瘤的浸润深度是影响预后的重要因素（P<0.05）。     

解毒破瘀法抑制三阴性乳腺癌复发与转移的临床研究

目的?观察解毒破瘀法抑制三阴性乳腺癌（TNBC）复发与转移的临床疗效。方法?40例三阴性乳腺癌术后患者随机分为治疗组和对照组,各20例,对照组根据辨证施治随证加减,治疗者在辨证施治的同时加用解毒破瘀法,治疗3年,观察3年无病生存率(DFS)。结果?治疗组20例患者3年DFS为100%,对照组为75%,P<0.05。结论?解毒破瘀法能有效抑制三阴性乳腺癌复发及转移。      

The diagnostic value of PET/CT in recurrence and distant metastasis in breast cancer patients and impact on disease free survival

Aim of work

To detect the diagnostic value of PET/CT in breast cancer patients. We compared the performance of PET/CT with that of conventional imaging in detection of recurrence and distant metastasis and evaluated the impact PET/CT results have on disease free survival.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively studied 50 patients with breast cancer with clinical suspicion of recurrent or metastatic lesion and who underwent PET/CT and conventional imaging procedures. The imaging results were retrospectively compared with histopathology and clinical follow-up as a reference standard.

Results

PET/CT detected distant metastases with a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 93%. In contrast, the sensitivity and specificity of combined conventional imaging procedures were 75% and 73%, respectively, disease-free survival was significantly shorter in the 34 M1-PET/CT patients than in the 14 M0-PET/CT patients (log-rank P = 0.002) also PET/CT detected recurrence in 1 patient with equivocal mammographic findings.

Conclusion

In breast cancer, PET/CT is superior to conventional imaging procedures for detection of recurrence, distant metastases and PET/CT can be used to improve prediction of the clinical outcome of breast cancer patients.