Early Prediction of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Using Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI and Ultrasound in Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic performance of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and DCE ultrasound (DCE-US) for predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This Institutional Review Board-approved prospective study was performed between 2014 and 2016. Thirty-nine women with breast cancer underwent DCE-US and DCE-MRI before the NAC, follow-up DCE-US after the first cycle of NAC, and follow-up DCE-MRI after the second cycle of NAC. DCE-MRI parameters (transfer constant [Ktrans], reverse constant [kep], and leakage space [Ve]) were assessed with histograms. From DCE-US, peak-enhancement, the area under the curve, wash-in rate, wash-out rate, time to peak, and rise time (RT) were obtained. After surgery, all the imaging parameters and their changes were compared with histopathologic response using the Miller-Payne Grading (MPG) system. Data from minor and good responders were compared using Wilcoxon rank sum test, chi-square test, or Fisher's exact test. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used for assessing diagnostic performance to predict good response. RESULTS: Twelve patients (30.8%) showed a good response (MPG 4 or 5) and 27 (69.2%) showed a minor response (MPG 1–3). The mean, 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles of Ktrans and Kep of post-NAC DCE-MRI differed between the two groups. These parameters showed fair to good diagnostic performance for the prediction of response to NAC (AUC 0.76–0.81, p ≤ 0.007). Among DCE-US parameters, the percentage change in RT showed fair prediction (AUC 0.71, p = 0.023). CONCLUSION: Quantitative analysis of DCE-MRI and DCE-US was helpful for early prediction of response to NAC.

A case report of primary breast angiosarcoma with fatal pulmonary hemorrhage due to thrombocytopenia / 대한외과학회지

Primary angiosarcomas of the breast are rare malignancy that account for fewer than 0.04% of all malignant breast tumors. The prognosis is poor. Surgery is the first line of treatment for angiosarcoma. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been tried, but their efficacy remains controversial. Here we present the case of a 47-year-old woman with a palpable left breast mass that was diagnosed as a primary angiosarcoma. The patient underwent modified radical mastectomy with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Postoperatively, eighteen months later, the angiosarcoma recurred. The patient returned complaining of dyspnea and hemoptysis and was found to have a large pleural effusion. She developed a gradual onset of thrombocytopenia that persisted despite platelet transfusions. Finally, the patient died of respiratory failure secondary to pulmonary hemorrhage.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in colon / 대한외과학회지

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is an uncommon mesenchymal solid tumor commonly documented in children and young adults. Here, we report a case of IMT in colon confirmed pathologically after laparoscopic anterior resection. A 35-year-old man presented with anal bleeding after defecation for 2 weeks. Colonoscopy demonstrated a mass with shallow ulceration in the central area and irregular margin accompanied by intact mucosa in the descending colon. Computer tomography showed a well-demarcated and homogenous solitary mass in the descending colon. We performed laparoscopic anterior resection. This case was diagnosed as IMT after microscopic examination. The tumor was composed of a proliferation of spindle-shaped cells arranged in the hyaline material with chronic inflammatory cells, composed mainly of plasma cells and lymphocytes. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for smooth muscle actin, and vimentin, and negative for desmin, CD117 (c-kit), anaplastic lymphoma kinase-1.

The B-mode Sonography and Sonoelastographic Features of Sclerosing Adenosis of the Breast

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the B-mode sonographic and sonoelastographic features of high risk lesions of the breast. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 2009 to February 2010, 1390 patients with breast lesions underwent US-guided core-biopsy. Among them, 13 lesions were confirmed to be pure sclerosing adenosis by subsequent surgical excision or on imaging follow-up of more than 1 year. Two radiologists retrospectively analyzed the B-mode sonography according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System classification. The sonoelastographic images were classified into 5 elasticity scores according to the Itoh classification and the strain ratio between the mass and the surrounding fat tissue was reviewed. We considered the sonoelastographic patterns to be suspicious for the case with a score of 4 and 5 and a strain ratio of more than a 2.24. RESULTS: The common B-mode sonographic features of sclerosing adenosis were an irregular shape (69.2%, 9 of 13), an indistinct margin (92.3%, 12 of 13), hypoechogenicity (76.9%, 10 of 13) and category 4A, a low suspicion of malignancy (61.5%, 8 of 13). The common sonoelastographic features were a score of 2 (42%, 6 of 13) and a strain ratio < 2.24 (69.2%, 9 of 13). CONCLUSION: Sclerosing adenosis showed suspicious B-mode sonographic findings, but it had benign sonolastographic features.

The Usefulness of p16INK4a Immunocytochemical Staining in ASC-H Patients

BACKGROUND: The grey zone of cervical cytology, and in particular atypical squamous cells, cannot exclude HSIL (ASC-H) causes diagnostic difficulties and increases medical expenses. We analyzed p16INK4a expression in ASC-H liquid-based cytology specimens (LBCS) to develop more effective methods for the management of ASC-H patients. METHODS: We carried out p16INK4a immunostaining with 57 LBCS of ASC-H diagnostic categories, all of which were histologically cofirmed and 43 cases of which were compared with the results of a human papillomavirus (HPV) chip test. RESULTS: p16INK4a immunostaining with ASC-H LBCS was positive in 20% (3/15) of cervicitis, 25.0% (3/12) of tissue-low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, 75.0% (18/24) of tissue-high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), and 100% (6/6) of invasive cancer cases. The positivity of p16INK4a in LBCS was correlated with higher grade of histologic diagnosis (r=0.578, p=0.000). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of p16INK4a immunostaining for the prediction of tissue-HSIL+ were 80.0%, 77.8%, 80.0%, and 77.8%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of p16INK4a immunostaining plus HPV chip test for predicting tissue-HSIL+ were 71.2%, 86.4%, 84.2%, and 79.2%. CONCLUSIONS: p16INK4a immunostaining as well as HPV chip testing with remaining LBCS with ASC-H are useful objective markers for the prediction of tissue-HSIL+.