Clinicopathological characteristics of metaplastic breast cancer - analysis of the basic immunohistochemical profile and comparison with other invasive breast cancer types.

INTRODUCTION: Metaplastic breast cancer (MpBC) is a rare but aggressive type of breast cancer accounting for 0.25-1% of all diagnosed invasive breast cancers. Morphologically, it is characterized by differentiation of the neoplastic epithelium into squamous cells and/or mesenchymal-looking tissue. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed 13 MpBCs selected from the group of 1122 invasive breast cancers. Histopathological examination and analysis of estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) and HER2 receptors expression in MpBC patients and their comparison to other types of invasive breast cancer has been performed. RESULTS: 13 MpBC cases represented 1.16% of the 1122 invasive breast cancers. The MpBC group presented with a significantly larger tumor size (≥T2, 69% versus 49%, p < 0.001) and with higher grade of histological malignancy (G1-G3) (p < 0.001). MpBC group had significantly more cases with no hormone receptors (ER, PR) and HER2 overexpression/gene amplification compared with the other invasive breast cancer types group (ER-, 69% versus 23%, p < 0.001; PR-, 69% versus 28%, p < 0.001; HER2 0/1+, 93% versus 82%, p = 0.019). Most MpBCs (62%) were triple-negative. We found a correlation between hormone receptors expression and lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001). The analysis of the HER2 expression allowed us to find correlation between its expression and tumor histological grade (G1-G3) (p < 0.001), tumor size (T1a-T4) (p < 0.001) and lymph node metastasis (pN0-pN4) (p < 0.001) in MpBCs. DISCUSSION: MpBCs are usually larger at primary diagnosis and most of MpBCs present with other poor prognostic indicators and show lack of steroid hormone receptors expression as well as HER2. Hormone receptor status and HER2 expression seems to correlate with histological grade of malignancy (G1-G3), tumor size (T1a-T4) and regional lymph node involvement (pN0-pN4) and these features are directly related to MpBC malignancy.

Computing with almost periodic functions.

This paper develops a method for discrete computational Fourier analysis of functions defined on quasicrystals and other almost periodic sets. A key point is to build the analysis around the emerging theory of quasicrystals and diffraction in the setting on local hulls and dynamical systems. Numerically computed approximations arising in this way are built out of the Fourier module of the quasicrystal in question and approximate their target functions uniformly on the entire infinite space. The methods are entirely group theoretical, being based on finite groups and their duals, and they are practical and computable. Examples of functions based on the standard Fibonacci quasicrystal serve to illustrate the method (which is applicable to all quasicrystals modeled on the cut-and-project formalism).

Radiotherapy of early stages Hodgkin's disease. 10 years experience of the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute.

Radiotherapy and chemotherapy, alone or in combination, are curative treatment methods in early stages of Hodgkin's disease (HD). The choice of treatment depends on the stage of the disease, histological type and localization of the tumor, as well as on other prognostic factors. A retrospective study was conducted including 145 patients with clinical Stages I and II of HD according to Ann Arbor classification, all treated in the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute in Brno during the years 1985 through 1994. 80 patients were males (55%) and 65 patients females (45%). The age of the patients ranged from 11 to 77 years, with an average of 34.8 years. 41 patients were diagnosed with Stage IA tumor, 1 patient with Stage IB, 75 patients with Stage IIA and 28 with Stage IIB disease. The histological types of the disease were lymphocyte predominant in 23 patients, nodular sclerosis in 49 patients, mixed cellularity in 65 cases and lymphocyte depletion in 8 cases. 91 patients were treated with radiotherapy alone. In this group 14 patients relapsed within the radiation field (15%) and 25 outside the radiation field (28%). 39 patients were treated with combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In this group relapse occurred within the radiation field in 3 patients (8%) and outside the radiation field in 7 patients (18%). 15 patients were given chemotherapy alone, 7 patients from this group experienced a relapse. The five-year survival was 81% in patients with Stages IA and IIA disease, 65% in Stages IB and IIB disease. The five-year survival in the patients who relapsed was 56%. Radiotherapy remains the curative method of choice in highly selected group of patients with early stages of Hodgkin's disease. The results of radiotherapy alone are unsatisfactory in unselected clinical Stage I--II patients because of the presence of patients with adverse prognostic factors, particularly B symptomatology, mixed cellularity/lymphocyte depletion histology, higher age. These patients are candidates for combined treatment. Modern equipment and meticulous treatment are conditions crucial for the outcome of curative radiotherapy in patients with Hodgkin's disease. Combination chemotherapy is very effective in the treatment of relapse following the primary radiotherapy.

Possibilities of motion therapy using betatron.

Two modalities of motion therapy both with electron and bremsstrahlung irradiation are described. Both therapy modes were used in the therapy of 62 patients with tumors of the kidneys, 13 patients with tumors of the esophagus, 20 patients with tumors of the prostate and urinary bladder and 170 patients with tumors of the breast. The advantage of the described method is the possibility of simple, precise and easily reproducible irradiation in given localizations, good therapeutic effect and very good general tolerance as the patient concerns.

Changes in human lymphocyte subpopulation in Hodgkin's lymphoma.

An investigation of 33 patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma--both treated and untreated--has revealed lymphocytopenia and a significant decline in the absolute number of T lymphocytes labeled with rosettes with sheep erythrocytes to be due in these patients not to the tumorous disease itself, but probably to the intensive nature of the therapy. A marked decline in the absolute number of B lymphocyte subpopulation, determined by the formation of rosettes with mouse erythrocytes, occurs during a fresh relapse of patients with an active Hodgkin's lymphoma. This decline is probably independent of the preceding treatment, of the clinical stage of the disease and of its histological type.