[A Case of Pneumocystin a Patient with Pneumonia That Developed during Chemotherapy for Sigmoid Cancer].

A 63-year-old man was diagnosed with advanced sigmoid cancer of pT3, pN0, sM1c, sP3, fStage Ⅳ post-operation. After CAPOX plus Bmab as the first-line chemotherapy, he underwent IRIS plus Bmab as the second-line chemotherapy. After 1 course of IRIS plus Bmab, he was admitted to the hospital for fever, dyspnea, and general fatigue. The white blood cell count was 6.2×10 3/mL, and the C-reactive protein was elevated to 12.9 mg/dL. The PaO2 of the artery blood gas analysis in room air was 46.3 mmHg, suggesting respiratory failure. He was diagnosed with PCP based on the bilateral diffused ground-glass opacities on chest CT along with an elevated serum b-D-glucan. The treatment of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and steroid was then initiated. After the patient's clinical condition improved, he was discharged on day 27 post-admission.

Phase I Study of Combination Therapy With Weekly Nanoparticle Albumin-bound Paclitaxel and Cyclophosphamide in Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The objective of this phase I study was to determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended dose (RD) of combination therapy with weekly nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) and cyclophosphamide (CPA) in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Five patients who had human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative MBC were recruited in this study. They received nab-paclitaxel at dose levels of 100-150 mg once a week for three weeks, repeated every 4 weeks, and CPA (600 mg/m2) administered on day 1. RESULTS: No patient had grade 4 toxicity, however, two patients discontinued protocol treatment due to adverse events at level 2. Thus, the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee recommended the MTD of nab-paclitaxel and CPA to be determined at level 2. CONCLUSION: The combination therapy with weekly nab-paclitaxel and CPA was tolerable, and the RD for these drugs for MBC were 100 and 600 mg/m2, respectively.

A case of adenomyoepithelioma with myoepithelial carcinoma of the breast.

Adenomyoepithelioma with myoepithelial carcinoma of the breast is rare and diagnosed with histology and immunohistochemistry. We present a case of malignant transformation over 10 years, with ultrasonographic findings, highlighting the importance of an early excisional biopsy. Conservative surgery and radiation therapy were performed. There was no recurrence for 2 years.

[A Case of Nephrotic Syndrome Due to SOX plus Bmab Therapy for Liver Metastasis of Rectal Cancer].

A 66-year-old man was postoperatively diagnosed with pT4a, pN2, cM1a(H2), cP0, fStage Ⅳ, RAS wild type rectal cancer. He underwent SOX plus Bmab chemotherapy 4 weeks later. After 9 courses of SOX plus Bmab, he was admitted to the hospital for leg edema and proteinuria(4+). Because of severe proteinuria(14.7 g/day)and low protein(Alb 2.0 g/dL, TP 4.9 g/dL), he was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome. His general condition improved on stopping chemotherapy and administration of conservative treatment, and he was discharged on day 20 after admission. The proteinuria improved 3 months later. He had been undergoing SOX chemotherapy for 4 months.

Identification of complications in mastectomy with immediate reconstruction using tissue expanders and permanent implants for breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Since complications of postmastectomy breast reconstruction may reduce patient satisfaction, we investigated complications of reconstruction with tissue expanders (TEs), particularly surgical site infections requiring TE/permanent implant (PI) removal. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of 234 primary breast cancer patients undergoing 239 postmastectomy breast reconstructions with TEs/PIs from 1997 to 2009. Clinicopathological findings and postoperative complications, particularly infections, were analyzed. Data were analyzed by the Chi-square test and a multivariate logistic regression model. TE infection risk factors considered for model inclusion were excisional biopsy, (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy, lymph node resection, body mass index (BMI), simultaneous bilateral reconstructions, and seroma aspiration. RESULTS: Removal of TEs/PIs was observed in 15.5% (37/239) of reconstructions, and 18/37 underwent re-reconstructions. Of the 19/37 reconstructions that were not achieved completely, the most frequent reason was TE infection (11 reconstructions). The completion rate was 92% (220/239 reconstructions) and it was significantly higher in reconstructions without TE infection than with infection (96 vs. 54%, p < 0.0001). Patients with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² and seroma aspiration were more likely to develop TE infections (p = 0.0019, p < 0.001, respectively). By multivariate logistic regression analysis, seroma aspiration was a significant independent risk factor for TE infection (odds ratio 28.75, 95% confidence interval 5.71-40.03, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: To improve completion rates of breast reconstruction, prevention of TE infection plays a key role. We should reduce unnecessary seroma aspirations and delay elevation/exercise of the ipsilateral arm.

A case of femoral diaphyseal fracture after long-term treatment with zoledronic acid.

We report here a case of femoral diaphyseal fracture thought to be caused by oversuppression of bone remodeling due to long-term bisphosphonate treatment. The patient was a 63-year-old postmenopausal woman. She had undergone left lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy for left breast cancer at age 57. The case was diagnosed as pT2N0M0, stage IIA breast cancer. The biopsy sample was positive for hormone receptors and negative for HER2 protein. Postoperatively, exemestane was administered as adjuvant therapy. Right axillary lymph node metastasis was found at age 59, and right axillary lymph node dissection was performed. Postoperatively, epirubicin/cyclophosphamide and paclitaxel were administered. Subsequently, letrozole was administered. However, bone metastases to the first thoracic vertebra and right ilium were found at age 60, and zoledronic acid administration (4 mg/month) for bone metastasis was initiated. The patient developed a transverse fracture in the proximal left femoral diaphysis when she walked on a flat surface after zoledronic acid was administered for 2 years, 10 months. She was treated with an intramedullary nail for left femoral diaphyseal fracture. Cancellous bone of the medullary cavity was histopathologically examined, but there were no metastatic lesions from the breast cancer and no osteoblasts or osteoclasts were observed. Zoledronic acid was immediately discontinued in this patient. In recent years, cases of atypical femoral diaphyseal fractures caused by minor trauma in patients undergoing long-term bisphosphonate treatment have been reported. Thus, careful observation is required for patients who are anticipating bisphosphonate treatment.

The present state and perception of young women with breast cancer towards breast reconstructive surgery.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify factors influencing patients' decisions to undergo breast reconstruction, and to identify the influences of breast reconstruction on patient behavior and psychological well-being. METHODS: Data were collected from January to June 2011, using a questionnaire distributed to women ≤45 years old with breast cancer, at five medical institutes across Japan. RESULTS: Completed questionnaires were collected from 316 women (mean age: 39.46 ± 4.4 years, range: 27-45 years). Overall, 174 patients received breast-conserving surgery, 101 received mastectomy, 31 received subcutaneous mastectomy, 3 patients received none, and 49 were unreported). The data indicated a reconstruction rate of 36.7 % in women who underwent mastectomy. The most prevalent reason for not undergoing breast reconstruction was the fear of cancer relapse. Other factors mentioned were to avoid additional distress on the body from surgery, financial reasons, and a belief that breast reconstruction is unnecessary. The main factor that influenced the decision not to undergo delayed breast reconstruction, specifically, was the expense. Women who had completed breast reconstruction showed higher self-evaluations of physical attractiveness and were more active in comparison to those who did not. However, regardless of having undergone breast reconstruction or not, women who reported higher levels of self-consciousness over the treated areas showed more restrictions on activity and higher chances of a decline in psychological well-being. CONCLUSION: Regardless of deciding to undergo breast reconstruction or not, the results of this study suggested the need for cognitive interventions to avoid patients fixating on self-consciousness over treated areas.

Anastrozole versus tamoxifen as adjuvant therapy for Japanese postmenopausal patients with hormone-responsive breast cancer: efficacy results of long-term follow-up data from the N-SAS BC 03 trial.

Aromatase inhibitors are superior to tamoxifen as adjuvant therapy in postmenopausal patients with hormone-responsive breast cancer. We report the follow-up efficacy results from the N-SAS BC 03 trial (UMIN CTRID: C000000056) where anastrozole was compared with tamoxifen as adjuvant therapy in postmenopausal Japanese patients with hormone-responsive early breast cancer. The full analysis set contained 696 patients (anastrozole arm, n = 345; tamoxifen arm, n = 351). The log-rank test was used to compare the two groups in terms of disease-free survival (DFS) and relapse-free survival (RFS); Kaplan-Meier estimates were calculated. The treatment effects were estimated by Cox's proportional hazards model. To examine time-varying effect of hazard ratios, we estimated time-varying hazard ratios at time t [HR(t)] using data from time t up to 12 months. After a median follow-up of 98.5 months, hazard ratios (95% CIs) were 0.90 (0.65-1.24; log-rank p = 0.526) for DFS and 0.83 (0.56-1.23; log-rank p = 0.344) for RFS. Hazard ratios (95% CIs) for DFS and RFS up to 36 months were 0.69 (0.40-1.17) and 0.54 (0.27-1.06) and those after 36 months were 1.06 (0.70-1.59) and 1.05 (0.64-1.73), respectively. Time-varying hazard ratios for both DFS and RFS showed that hazard ratios were initially in favor of anastrozole and approached 1.0 at around 36 months. Superior efficacy of anastrozole to tamoxifen suggested by the initial analysis was not confirmed in the present analysis after a long-term follow-up period. Advantage of anastrozole was the greatest immediately after switching from tamoxifen and then decreased thereafter.

Clinical outcome of reconstruction with tissue expanders for patients with breast cancer and mastectomy.

BACKGROUND: Because the number of patients with breast cancer who have reconstruction after mastectomy is increasing, we analyzed the outcomes of reconstruction with tissue expanders (TEs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 2004 to 2009, 133 patients with unilateral primary breast cancer who required mastectomy concurrent with reconstruction using TEs (TE group) and 308 patients with breast cancer who underwent mastectomy without reconstruction (MT group) were examined. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 47 months versus 44 months (TE group vs. MT group, respectively). The median age was 46 years in the TE group and 58 years in the MT group (P < .0001). The rate of hormone receptor positivity in the TE group was significantly higher than in the MT group (P = .0123). The incidence of local recurrence, time to detection of local recurrence, and size of tumor in local recurrence in the TE group and the MT group were 3.8% versus 1.6% (P = .1560), 17.2 months versus 12.4 months (P = .9166), and 1.9 cm versus 2.4 cm (P = .6742), respectively. In the TE versus the MT groups, relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) at 45 months were 89.0% versus 87.9% (P = .8706) and 93.9% versus 94.2% (P = .9947), respectively. The incidence of infection was significantly higher in the TE group than in the MT group-14.3 % versus 2.9%, respectively (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: Compared with mastectomy alone, immediate reconstruction with TEs did not impair prognosis or contribute to a delay in detection of local recurrence, although the incidence of surgical site infection in the TE group was significantly higher than in the MT group.

A case of mucinous carcinoma of the breast in which needle tract seeding was diagnosed by preoperative diagnostic imaging.

Herein we report a 62-year-old woman with an excisable breast tumor in whom needle tract seeding was suspected during preoperative ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A tumor of the right breast was observed during initial examination, and she was referred to our hospital after fine-needle aspiration cytology led to diagnosis of breast cancer, even though core needle biopsy results were negative. Mammography showed a high-density mass with a portion of the margin exhibiting very fine serrations. Ultrasonography revealed a circular mass with a border that was indistinct in some regions, and a hypoechoic band that extended from the tumor toward the skin. A mass was observed on MRI, with a linear enhancement extending on the skin side, and needle tract seeding was suspected. Fine-needle aspiration cytology revealed malignancy, and the histological appearance was consistent with mucinous carcinoma. T1cN0M0 stage I breast cancer was diagnosed, and wide excision and sentinel lymph node biopsy were performed. The skin directly above the tumor was concurrently excised to remove the biopsy puncture site. Histopathological diagnosis confirmed mucinous carcinoma, with the tumor observed to extend linearly into the subcutaneous adipose tissue in a pattern corresponding to the biopsy puncture site. The stump of the excised breast was negative for cancer cells. The possibility of tumor seeding must be considered during fine-needle aspiration cytology and biopsy. As demonstrated in this case, diagnosis of such seeding through preoperative imaging may enable extraction of the entire lesion, including the needle tract.

A whole MEN1 gene deletion flanked by Alu repeats in a family with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 is an autosomal dominant cancer syndrome characterized by pituitary, parathyroid and enteropancreatic endocrine tumors, which is caused by germline mutations of the tumor suppressor gene MEN1. In the case reported here, the patient had family with this disease whose germline MEN1 mutation was undetectable by conventional sequencing analysis. Further investigations involving polymorphism analyses, gene dose assay and nucleotide sequencing identified a large germline deletion of approximately 29 kilobase pairs spanning the whole MEN1 gene. The deletion was flanked by Alu repetitive sequences, suggesting unequal homologous recombination as the deletion mechanism. The polymorphism linkage data suggested that an asymptomatic son of the proband did not carry the family mutation. More direct evidence was obtained by gene dose assay and deletion-specific polymerase chain reaction, which demonstrated the normal MEN1 gene dosage and the absence of the deletion breakpoints in this asymptomatic subject and thus definitely excluded the possibility of disease predisposition.