Predicting the Prognosis and Immunotherapeutic Response of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer by Constructing a Prognostic Model Based on CD8+T Cell-Related Immune Genes

Objective Triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)poses a significant challenge for treatment efficacy.CD8+T cells,which are pivotal immune cells,can be effectively analyzed for differential gene expression across diverse cell populations owing to rapid advancements in sequencing technology.By leveraging these genes,our objective was to develop a prognostic model that accurately predicts the prognosis of patients with TNBC and their responsiveness to immunotherapy.Methods Sample information and clinical data of TNBC were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas and METABRIC databases.In the initial stage,we identified 67 differentially expressed genes associated with immune response in CD8+T cells.Subsequently,we narrowed our focus to three key genes,namely CXCL13,GBP2,and GZMB,which were used to construct a prognostic model.The accuracy of the model was assessed using the validation set data and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.Furthermore,we employed various methods,including Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway,immune infiltration,and correlation analyses with CD274(PD-L1)to explore the model's predictive efficacy in immunotherapeutic responses.Additionally,we investigated the potential underlying biological pathways that contribute to divergent treatment responses.Results We successfully developed a model capable of predicting the prognosis of patients with TNBC.The areas under the curve(AUC)values for the 1-,3-,and 5-year survival predictions were 0.618,0.652,and 0.826,respectively.Employing this risk model,we stratified the samples into high-and low-risk groups.Through KEGG enrichment analysis,we observed that the high-risk group predominantly exhibited enrichment in metabolism-related pathways such as drug and chlorophyll metabolism,whereas the low-risk group demonstrated significant enrichment in cytokine pathways.Furthermore,immune landscape analysis revealed noteworthy variations between(PD-L1)expression and risk scores,indicating that our model effectively predicted the response of patients to immune-based treatments.Conclusion Our study demonstrates the potential of CXCL13,GBP2,and GZMB as prognostic indicators of clinical outcomes and immunotherapy responses in patients with TNBC.These findings provide valuable insights and novel avenues for developing immunotherapeutic approaches targeting TNBC.

Circular RNAs in breast cancer diagnosis,treatment and prognosis

Breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer to become the most common malignancy worldwide.The incidence rate and mortality rate of breast cancer continue to rise,which leads to a great burden on public health.Circular RNAs(circRNAs),a new class of noncoding RNAs(ncRNAs),have been recognized as important oncogenes or suppressors in regulating cancer initiation and progression.In breast cancer,circRNAs have significant roles in tumorigenesis,recurrence and multidrug resistance that are mediated by various mechanisms.Therefore,circRNAs may serve as promising targets of therapeutic strategies for breast cancer management.This study reviews the most recent studies about the biosynthesis and characteristics of circRNAs in diagnosis,treatment and prognosis evaluation,as well as the value of circRNAs in clinical applications as biomarkers or therapeutic targets in breast cancer.Understanding the mechanisms by which circRNAs function could help transform basic research into clinical applications and facilitate the development of novel circRNA-based therapeutic strategies for breast cancer treatment.

Efficacy and safety of trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy for first-line treatment and beyond progression of HER2-overexpressing advanced breast cancer

Objective： To observe the efficacy and safety of trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 （HER2）-overexpressing advanced breast cancer. Methods： A total of 90 patients with HER2-overexpressing advanced breast cancer were enrolled in this study. All patients were diagnosed with ductal invasive breast cancer by pathological analysis, and were aged between 31-73 years with a median of 51 years. HER2-positivity was defined as 3（＋） staining in immunochemistry or amplification of fluorescence in situ hybridization （FISH, ratio ≥2.0）. Trastuzumab was administered in combination with chemotherapy as first-line treatment and beyond progression as a second- line, third-line, and above treatment in 90, 34, 14, and 6 patients, respectively. The chemotherapy regimen was given according to normal clinical practice. The response rate was evaluated every two cycles, and the primary endpoints were progression-free survival （PFS） and overall survival （OS）. Survival curves were estimated by using Kaplan-Meier graphs and were compared by using log-rank test statistics. Multivariate analysis was done using Cox＇s proportional hazards regression model, and the level of significance was P〈0.05. Results： All 90 patients received at least one dose of trastuzumab, and efficacy could be evaluated in 85 patients. The median follow-up was 50 months. In total, 72 （80.00%） patients had visceral metastasis, and 43 （47.78%） patients had progressed after one or more extensive chemotherapy regimens for metastatic diseases. The median PFS for first-line trastuzumab was 10 months （range, 2-59 months）, and the median OS after metastasis or initially local advanced disease was 22 months （range, 2-1 16 months）. Conclusions： Trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy was active and well-tolerated as a first-line treatment and even beyond progression in HER2-overexpressing advanced breast cancer as a second-line or third-line treatment. However, its efficacy is certainly less beyond this point.

Efficacy of platinum in advanced triple-negative breast cancer with germline BRCA mutation determined by next generation sequencing

Objective:To compare the efficacy of platinum-and non-platinum-based regimens as first-line treatment for advanced triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)and analyze the relationship between their efficacy and BRCA gene status.Methods:Retrospectively analyze clinical data of 220 patients diagnosed pathologically with advanced TNBC and treated at the Department of Breast Oncology,Peking University Cancer Hospital from 2013 to 2018 and evaluate the efficacy of chemotherapy.A total of 114 patients had BRCA1/2 gene tested by next generation sequencing(NGS)using peripheral blood,and we analyzed the correlation between their efficacy and BRCA1/2 gene status.Results:Non-platinum-based chemotherapy(NPCT)was administered to 129 and platinum-based chemotherapy(PBCT)to 91 study patients.The clinical benefit rate(CBR)and median progression-free survival(PFS)were not statistically different between NPCT and PBCT groups.The median overall survival(OS)was 30.0 and 22.5 months for PBCT and NPCT group,respectively[P=0.090,hazard ratios(HR)=0.703].BRCA status was assessed in 114 patients,14 of whom had deleterious germline BRCA1/2(g BRCA)mutations(seven in each group).In PBCT group,the CBR was 85.7%and 35.1%for patients with and without deleterious g BRCA mutations,respectively(P=0.039).The median PFS were 14.9 and 5.3 months and median OS were 26.5 and 15.5 months for patients with and without deleterious g BRCA mutations,respectively(P=0.001,P=0.161,respectively).Patients in PBCT group had significantly greater rates of grade 3-4 anemia(5.5%vs.0%)and thrombocytopenia(8.8%vs.0%),whereas palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia(12.4%vs.0%)and peripheral neuropathy(8.6%vs.1.1%)occurred more frequently in NPCT group.Conclusions:Platinum-based regimens are more effective in patients with deleterious g BRCA mutations,but no difference in patients without BRCA gene mutations,so non-platinum is an option in patients without BRCA gene mutations considering the toxicity and side effect.And we recommend that patients with advanced TNBC should have BRCA gene test.

High Expression of p300 in Human Breast Cancer Correlates with Tumor Recurrence and Predicts Adverse Prognosis

Objective：Transcriptional coactivator p300 has been shown to play a variety of roles in the transcription process and mutation of p300 has been found in certain types of human cancers.However,the expression dynamics of p300 in breast cancer （BC） and its effect on BC patients＇ prognosis are poorly understood.Methods：In the present study,the methods of tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry （IHC） were used to investigate the protein expression of p300 in BCs.Receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve analysis,Spearman＇s rank correlation,Kaplan-Meier plots and Cox proportional hazards regression model were utilized to analyze the data.Results：Based on the ROC curve analysis,the cutoff value for p300 high expression was defined when the H score for p300 was more than 105.High expression of p300 could be observed in 105/193 （54.4%） of BCs,in 6/25 （24.0%） of non-malignant breast tissues,respectively （P=0.004）.Further correlation analysis showed that high expression of p300 was positively correlated with higher histological grade,advanced clinical stage and tumor recurrence （P0.05）.In univariate survival analysis,a significant association between high expression of p300 and shortened patients＇ survival and poor progression-free survival was found （P0.05）.Importantly,p300 expression was evaluated as an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis （P0.05）.Conclusion：Our findings provide a basis for the concept that high expression of p300 in BC may be important in the acquisition of a recurrence phenotype,suggesting that p300 high expression,as examined by IHC,is an independent biomarker for poor prognosis of patients with BC.

Interpretation of breast cancer screening guideline for Chinese women

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in Chinese women.Early screening is the best way to improve the rates of early diagnosis and survival of breast cancer patients.The peak onset age for breast cancer in Chinese women is considerably younger than those in European and American women.It is imperative to develop breast cancer screening guideline that is suitable for Chinese women.By summarizing the current evidence on breast cancer screening in Chinese women,and referring to the latest guidelines and consensus on breast cancer screening in Europe,the United States,and East Asia,the China Anti-Cancer Association and National Clinical Research Center for Cancer(Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital)have formulated population-based guideline for breast cancer screening in Chinese women.The guideline provides recommendations on breast cancer screening for Chinese women at average or high risk of breast cancer according to the following three aspects:age of screening,screening methods,and screening interval.This article provides more detailed information to support the recommendations in this guideline and to provide more direction for current breast cancer screening practices in China.

Utility of cooling patches to prevent hand-foot syndrome caused by pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin(PLD)uses the hydrophilic layer of liposomes to reach the sweat on the skin surface or accumulate in the sweat glands,producing toxic free radicals and oxidative damage,resulting in hand-foot syndrome(HFS).Regional cooling can induce vasoconstriction to reduce the release of drugs in the limbs and reduce the accumulation of drugs in sweat glands;thus,decreasing the incidence and severity of HFS.AIM To study the efficacy of cooling patches to prevent HFS caused by PLD in the short-term.METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study.Female breast cancer patients(n=101)who were treated with PLD in two breast wards at our department from February 2020 to February 2021 were enrolled in the study and were randomly divided into the cooling group(51 patients)and the control group(50 patients).Patients in the control group only received routine care,while the patients in the cooling group applied cooling patches,based on routine care,to the palm and back of the hands 15 min before chemotherapy infusion for 10 h.All patients took a corresponding dose of dexamethasone orally one day before chemotherapy,on the day of chemotherapy,and one day after chemotherapy.SPSS23.0 version was used to analyze the data in this study.The occurrence and severity of HFS was analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U test,and scores were analyzed by the Student’s t test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test.A P value<0.05 was regarded as statistically significant.RESULTS In this study,neither group of patients developed Grade 3 HFS.In the control group,the incidence of Grade 1 HFS and Grade 2 HFS was 38%and 2%,respectively.However,in the cooling group,only one person developed Grade 1 HFS(2%),and none of the patients developed Grade 2 HFS.These findings showed that cooling patches can effectively reduce the frequency and severity of HFS(P<0.0001)in the short-term.Before the fourth chemotherapy cycle,although general self-efficacy scale scores in the cooling group were low,they were still significantly higher than those in the control group(17.22±5.16 vs 19.63±6.42,P=0.041).Compared with the control group,the mean Hand-Foot Skin Reaction and Quality of Life Questionnaire score in the cooling group was significantly lower(18.08±7.01 vs 14.20±7.39,P=0.008).CONCLUSION Cooling patches can effectively reduce the frequency and severity of HFS caused by PLD in the short-term.In addition,it may help delay the decline in patients’self-efficacy.

Mobilization of Peripheral Blood Stem Cells Using Regimen Combining Docetaxel with Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor in Breast Cancer Patients

Objective：To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the mobilization of peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cells by combining docetaxel with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor（G-CSF） in breast cancer patients.Methods：A total of 57 breast cancer patients were treated with docetaxel 120 mg/m2.When the white blood cell（WBC） count decreased to 1.0×109/L,patients were given G-CSF 5-g/kg daily by subcutaneous injection until the end of apheresis.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells（MNC） were isolated by Cobe Spectra Apheresis System.The percentage of CD34＋ cell was assayed by flow cytometry.Results：At a median 6 of days（range 3-8） after the administration of docetaxel,the median WBC count decreased to 1.08×109/L（range 0.20-2.31）.The median duration of G-CSF mobilization was 3 days（range 2-7）.The MNC collection was conducted 8-12 days（median 10 days） after docetaxel treatment.The median MNC was 5.35×108/kg（range 0.59-14.07）,the median CD34＋ cell count was 2.43×106/kg（range 0.16-16.69）.The CD34＋ cell count was higher than 1.00×106/kg in 47 of 57 cases（82.46%） and higher than 2.00×106/kg in 36 cases（63.16%）.The CD34＋ cell count was higher than 2.00×106/kg in 27 collections（23.68%）.The MNC count and the CD34＋ cell count were correlated with the bottom of WBC after docetaxel chemotherapy（r=0.364,0.502,P=0.005,0.000）.The CD34＋ cell count was correlated with the MNC count（r=0.597,P=0.000）.The mobilization and apheresis were well tolerated in all patients.Mild perioral numbness and numbness of hand or feet were observed in 3 cases.No serious adverse events were reported.Conclusion：Mobilization of peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell by combining docetaxel with G-CSF was effective and safety in breast cancer patients.

MicroRNA and histopathological characterization of pure mucinous breast carcinoma

Objective: Pure mucinous breast carcinoma (PMBC) is an uncommon histological type of breast cancer characterized by a large amount of mucin production. MicroRNA (miRNA) is a large class of small noncoding RNA of about 22 nt involved in the regulation of various biological processes. This study aims to identify the miRNA expression profile in PMBC. Methods: MiRNA expression profiles in 11 PMBCs were analyzed by miRNA-microarray and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Thirty-one PMBCs and 27 invasive ductal carcinoma of no special types (IDC-NSTs) were assessed by immunohistochemistry using antibodies against ER, PR-progesterone receptor, HER2, Ki-67, Bcl-2, p53, PCNA, and CK5 and 6. Results: We analyzed the miRNA expression in 11 PMBCs and corresponding normal tissues using miRNA-microarray and real-time PCR, and found that miR-143 and miR-224-5p were significantly downregulated in mucinous carcinoma tissue. Compared with IDC-NSTs, PMBC showed a significantly higher ER positive rate, lower HER-2 positive rate, and lower cell proliferation rates. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the miRNA expression profile of PMBC, and our findings may lead to further understanding of this type of breast cancer.

Multicenter phaseⅡstudy of apatinib single or combination therapy in HER2-negative breast cancer involving chest wall metastasis

Objective:Breast cancer(BC)with chest wall metastasis(CWM)usually shows rich neovascularization.This trial explored the clinical effect of apatinib on human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-negative advanced BC involving CWM.Methods:This trial involved four centers in China and was conducted from September 2016 to March 2020.Patients received apatinib 500 mg/d[either alone or with endocrine therapy if hormone receptor-positive(HR+)]until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.Progression-free survival(PFS)was the primary endpoint.Results:We evaluated 26 patients for efficacy.The median PFS(mPFS)and median overall survival(mOS)were4.9[range:2.0-28.5;95%confidence interval(95%CI):2.1-8.3]months and 18(range:3-55;95%CI:12.9-23.1)months,respectively.The objective response rate(ORR)was 42.3%(11/26),and the disease-control rate was76.9%(20/26).In the subgroup analysis,HR+patients compared with HR-negative patients had significantly improved mPFS of 7.0(95%CI:2.2-11.8)months vs.2.3(95%CI:1.2-3.4)months,respectively(P=0.001);and mPFS in patients without or with chest wall radiotherapy was 6.4(95%CI:1.6-19.5)months vs.3.0(95%CI:1.3-4.6)months,respectively(P=0.041).In the multivariate analysis,HR+status was the only independent predictive factor for favorable PFS(P=0.014).Conclusions:Apatinib was highly effective for BC patients with CWM,especially when combined with endocrine therapy.PFS improved significantly in patients with HR+status who did not receive chest wall radiotherapy.However,adverse events were serious and should be carefully monitored from the beginning of apatinib treatment.

Effectiveness of second-line anti-HER2 treatment in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients previously treated with trastuzumab:A real-world study

Objective:Several studies have demonstrated different benefits for patients whose disease progressed despite previous trastuzumab treatment.Due to limited real-world data,we evaluate the effectiveness of anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)therapy(lapatinib or trastuzumab)plus chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone in patients who were previously treated with trastuzumab-containing regimens and investigate factors associated with effectiveness.And we further show the effectiveness of the two anti-HER2 therapy groups.Methods:A total of 342 HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer(MBC)patients whose disease progressed during prior anti-HER2(trastuzumab)and standard chemotherapy therapy from Department of Breast Oncology,the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital,from August 2010 to December 2016 were included.Seventy-eight patients received standard chemotherapy only,148 patients continued to receive trastuzumab and switched to other chemotherapy drugs,and 116 patients received tyrosine-kinase inhibitors(TKIs;lapatinib)and chemotherapy.The main outcome measures were progression-free survival(PFS),overall response rate(ORR),and clinical benefit rate(CBR).Subgroup analyses were conducted to identify patient characteristics associated with the greatest clinical benefit.Results:After a median follow-up of 26.2(range,2.0-56.0)months,PFS significantly improved with anti-HER2 therapy compared with chemotherapy alone:median 6.0 months with lapatinib[95%confidence interval(95%CI),4.53-7.47],4.5 months with trastuzumab(95%CI,3.99-5.01)vs.3.0 months with chemotherapy alone(95%CI,2.42-3.58);stratified hazard ratio(HR)=0.70,95%CI,0.60-0.81;P<0.0001.The ORR values were 33.6%,25.0%and 12.8%,respectively,the CBR values were 60.3%,48.6%and 26.9%,respectively.The effectiveness of lapatinib group and trastuzumab group were further analyzed.In multivariate analysis,lapatinib group was associated with a longer PFS,after controlling other potential confounders(HR=0.68,95%CI,0.52-0.90;P=0.006).Conclusions:The combination of TKIs and chemotherapy was effective in this cohort previously treated with trastuzumab treatment.Therefore,TKIs combined with chemotherapy is an option for Chinese HER2-positive MBC patients previously treated with trastuzumab treatment.

An update on biomarkers of potential benefit with bevacizumab for breast cancer treatment: Do we make progress?

As the first monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), bevacizumab(BEV) is a definitely controversial antiangiogenic therapy in breast cancer. The initial excitement over improvements in progression-free survival(PFS) with BEV was tempered by an absence of overall survival(OS) benefit and serious adverse effects. Missing targeted population urged us to identify the predictive biomarkers for BEV efficacy. In this review we focus on the research in breast cancer and provide recent investigations on clinical, radiological,molecular and gene profiling markers of BEV efficacy, including the new results from randomized phase III clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of BEV in combination with comprehensive biomarker analyses. Current evidences indicate some predictive values for genetic variants, molecular imaging, VEGF pathway factors or associated factors in peripheral blood and gene profiling. The current challenge is to validate those potential biomarkers and implement them into clinical practice.

Central venous port placement in advanced breast cancer patients:comparison of the anatomic- landmark and ultrasound-guided techniques

Objective： The aim of this study was to compare the anatomic-landmark and ultrasound-guided techniques in the placement of an internal jugular vein port in patients with advanced breast cancer. Methods： Between March 2010 and October 2010, 60 patients with advanced breast cancer underwent central venous port placement for the delivery of chemotherapy, preferably through the internal jugular vein. Patients were randomly assigned to either the anatomic-landmark or the ultrasound-guided group. Failure on first attempt, number of attempts until successful catheterization, time to successful placement, the accordance of the two placement approaches, and the demographics of each patient were recorded. Results： The consistency of the direction of two lines drawn using the anatomic-landmark and ultrasound-guided techniques or of the diameter of the internal jugular vein as determined by the two approaches was 85% （51/60）. The rate of successful place- ment at first attempt was higher in the ultrasound group than in the anatomic-landmark group （P 〈 0.05）. A greater number of attempts and longer time to successful port placement were needed in the latter （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusion： The findings of this study indicate that, in the placement of an internal jugular vein port, the ultrasound （US）-guJded technique has several advantages over the anatomic-landmark technique.

Usefulness of Breast MRI for Safe Omission of Axillary Lymph Nodes Dissection in Sentinel Node-Positive Breast Cancer Patients

Background: Preoperative identification of patients with extensive lymph node metastasis (LNM) is important for safe omission of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in sentinel node (SN)-positive (SN+) breast cancer patients. Methods: We evaluated retrospectively the collected data of 758 breast cancer patients who underwent axillary surgery between 2008 and 2017, excluding those who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Results: Of the 758 patients, 607 were not suspicious to have LNM by axillary ultrasound (AUS-), but 38 suspicious cases were found by breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Of 15 patients undergoing axillary fine needle biopsy (AFNA) due to second-look axillary ultrasound (AUS), 9 underwent ALND because of a positive AFNA (AFNA+). Among 81 (10.9%) patients undergoing ALND due to SN+ findings, 6 (7.4%) had extensive LNM (LNM ≥ 4). If MRI was not performed, among the 90 of 673 patients undergoing ALND who had SN+ findings, 12 (13.3%) had LNM ≥ 4. Conclusions: The proportion of cases with LNM ≥ 4 was reduced from 13.3% to 7.4% among patients undergoing SN biopsies combined with breast MRI. ALND might be omitted safely in SN+ cases according to detailed preoperative evaluations using additional breast MRI to ultrasound.

Current situation of programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 inhibitors in advanced triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)has the worst prognosis among all molecular types of breast cancer.Because of the strong immunogenicity of TNBC cells,programmed death 1/programmed death ligand 1(PD-1/PD-L1)inhibitors,two kinds of immune checkpoint blockade agents,might help improve the prognosis of TNBC.However,how to better use PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and select patients who may benefit from treatment options remains controversial.This article summarizes published clinical studies in which PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors were used in patients with advanced TNBC to explore how to maximize effectiveness of these medications.

The Reliability of Assessment of Ki-67 Expression on Core Needle Biopsy and the Surgical Specimens of Invasive Breast Cancer: Comparison of Local Pathologists’ Assessment and Central Review

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of Ki-67 expression on core needle biopsy (CNB) and the surgical specimens of invasive breast cancer. We examined the concordance rate of Ki-67 expressions, hormone receptors, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status from a CNB with from a surgery in invasive breast cancer. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on a clinical database of patients who underwent surgery for early breast cancer. Of these, 193 patients who underwent CNB before the surgery were enrolled. A cut-off value of 20% was used for Ki-67-positive criteria. Expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), and HER2 were examined and compared with that of Ki-67. To evaluate discordance between the pathologists’ earlier assessments, we re-examined Ki-67 expression among the Ki-67 discordant group in a central laboratory. Results: The concordance rate for Ki-67 expression between the two specimen types was 77.7%, which was significantly lower than that for ER, PgR, and HER2 expression (95.9%, 88.1%, and 91.6%, respectively). The concordance rate for re-examined Ki-67 expression among the Ki-67 discordant group improved to 93.8% and was not significantly different from that for the other receptors. Conclusion: The concordance rate for Ki-67 expression between biopsy and surgical specimens was significantly lower than that for ER, PgR, and HER2 expressions, but re-examination of Ki-67 expression in a central laboratory revealed no significant difference among the receptors, suggesting the need for standard pathological assessment of Ki-67 expression for clinical use as a predictive marker of breast cancer.

Characteristics of Chinese male patients with breast cancer:summary of the published papers

Objective:The extremely low incidence of male breast cancer (MBC) leads to lack of prospective randomized phase III studies worldwide. Especially in China,all studies on Chinese patients with MBC were based on small sample size and single institute experience. The aim of this study was to provide overall view of characteristics of Chinese patients with MBC by means of summarizing all related papers published in Chinese journals. Methods: An online search was made in CBM,VIP,CNKI,and CBA databases to find all published articles of interest on Chinese patients with MBC. And eight subjects including the proportion of MBC in all breast cancer,age,tumor location,clinical stages,pathological subtypes,treatment modalities,ER/PR expression,and 5-year survival rate were selected to calculate the proportion and their 95% interval confidence. Results: There were 122 papers with 2584 patients enrolled. The basic features of Chinese patients with MBC included:(1) MBC only with a proportion of 1.06% of all the breast cancer; (2) The mean age at diagnosis was 57.6 years old; (3) Tumor mainly located in the areolar region (74.83%) with obvious nipple and/or skin involvement; (4) Nearly 62.62% patients were in early stage before accepting treatment; (5) Infiltrating ductal carcinoma accounted for 79.05% of all pathological subtypes; (6) ER/PR expression rate was 65.86%; (7) Radical resection was up to 86.06% in all surgical modalities; (8) The 5-year survival rate was 57.33%. Conclusion: The results showed in this study were an overall view of Chinese patients with MBC whose characteristics were similar to that reported in the West. Though this study provided a little bit stronger confidence than a single study collected in this paper,studies with more powerful evidence are urgently demanding in China.

Standardized Assessment of Ki-67 in Breast Cancer Patients Using Virtual Slides and an Automated Analyzer in Comparison to Central/Local Pathological Assessments

Purpose: To standardize the methods to measure Ki-67, there is an interest in automating the assessment of Ki-67. Therefore, we reviewed the possibility of introducing an automated analyzer to standardize the Ki-67 evaluation method. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a clinical database of patients who underwent surgery for early breast cancer at Tokyo-West Tokushukai Hospital. Among them, those who underwent preoperative core needle biopsy (CNB) were enrolled. The concordance rates of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and Ki-67 by local pathologists were reviewed (valuations made by local pathologists), and nonmatching cases (from August 2008 to October 2011) were reassessed both by central review and using an automated analyzer with virtual slides. The results were compared with the evaluations made by local pathologists, and we reexamined the concordance rate by using central review and the automated analyzer. Results: The concordance rate of Ki-67 evaluations made by local pathologists in the preoperative CNB and surgical specimens was 78.7% in 287 cases pathologically assessed from October 2008 to March 2013. This rate was significantly lower (p < 0.01) than that of ER (95.6%), PgR (88.5%), and HER2 (91.6%). Reassessment of the 37 cases of nonmatching Ki-67 values from 2008 to October 2011 using central review and an automated analyzer resulted in clear improvement in matching of 22 (92.1%) and 24 (93.1%) of 37 cases, respectively. Conclusion: The concordance rate of Ki-67 in preoperative CNB and surgical specimens was lower than that of other biological markers;however, they were nearly equal by reassessment using central review and an automated analyzer.

Receptor Conversion between Primary Tumors and Distant Metastases in 121 Cases of Metastatic Breast Cancer

The article published in Vol.4 No.2 102-107, 2013 has been withdrawn by the authors for further revision. This paper will be re-submitted to IJCM after the authors revise it.

The Role of Everolimus in the Treatment of Breast Cancer

The development of resistance to chemotherapy, endocrine therapy and anti HER2 agents in breast cancer is an important and common problem that impacts in the management of patients, particularly in the metastatic setting. This resistance has been explained in part by the activation of signal transduction pathways, including the PI3K/AKT/mTOR. The blockade with mTOR inhibitors such as everolimus is a new target agent for therapy that attempts to enhance treatment efficacy and restore tumor sensitivity. In this review article, we present the data about the use of everolimus for the treatment of breast cancer in all tumor phenotypes. Future studies that evaluate biomarkers for treatment response are needed to identify the specific populations that have the highest benefit of this new targeted therapy.