Clinicopathologic Factors Related to the Histological Tumor Grade of Breast Cancer in Western China: An Epidemiological Multicenter Study of 8619 Female Patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Breast cancer is now recognized as a clinically heterogeneous disease with a wide spectrum of epidemiological and clinicopathologic features. We aimed to evaluate whether epidemiological and clinicopathologic features are associated with the histological tumor grade of breast carcinomas in Western China. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from the Western China Clinical Cooperation Group and assessed associations between clinicopathologic factors and histological tumor grade in 8619 female breast cancer patients. Patients were divided into two groups: Group I (tumor grade I/II) and Group II (tumor grade III). Univariable analysis and multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze the relationships between clinicopathologic factors and tumor grade. RESULTS: Patients presenting with positive axillary lymph nodes, large tumor size (>2 cm), lymphovascular invasion, hormone receptor negativity, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) positivity, and triple negativity tended to have an increased risk of a high tumor grade. However, the number of pregnancies or births was inversely correlated with the risk of a high tumor grade. In addition, patients presenting with grade III tumors were more likely to receive aggressive treatment, such as adjuvant chemotherapy, anti-HER-2 therapy, and level III axillary lymph node dissection. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that several clinicopathologic factors were associated with high tumor grade of breast cancer patients in Western China.

Overexpression of Contactin 1 promotes growth, migration and invasion in Hs578T breast cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Contactin1 (CNTN1) has been shown to play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of several tumors; however, the role of CNTN1 in breast cancer has not been fully studied. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of CNTN1 in regulating tumor growth, migration and invasion in breast cancer. RESULTS: To investigate its function, CNTN1 was expressed in Hs578T cells. CNTN1 expression was confirmed by western blot, immunohistochemistry and real-time RT-PCR. The effect of CNTN1 overexpression on proliferation, migration and invasion of Hs578T breast cancer cells was assessed in vitro and in vivo. Our results showed that CNTN1 overexpression promoted Hs578T cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, colony formation, invasion and migration. Notably, overexpression of CNTN1 in Hs578T cells enhanced the growth of mouse xenograft tumors. CONCLUSIONS: CNTN1 promotes growth, metastasis and invasion of Hs578T breast cancer cell line. Thus, therapies targeting CNTN1 may prove efficacious for breast cancer. However, further investigation is required to understand the mechanism by which CNTN1 influences proliferation, metastasis and invasion in breast cancer.

Relationship between mammographic calcifications and the clinicopathologic characteristics of breast cancer in Western China: a retrospective multi-center study of 7317 female patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Limited information is available regarding the correlations between mammographic calcifications and the epidemiological features of patients with breast cancer living different lifestyles in Western China. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between mammographic calcifications and the epidemiological characteristics of female patients with breast cancer in Western China. METHODS: This was a hospital-based, retrospective, multi-center epidemiological study of patients with breast cancer. Using the Western China Clinical Cooperation Group (WCCCG) database, we obtained the records of 7317 patients (with mammographic data) diagnosed with breast cancer between March 2011 and June 2016. These patients were divided into Groups I (mass alone) and II (mass combined with calcification), and their clinical and pathological data were compared. RESULTS: A total of 4211 patients were enrolled in Group I, and 3106 patients were enrolled in Group II. The tumors in Group II were more likely to be larger (P < 0.0001), higher grade (P = 0.0029), estrogen receptor (ER)+/progesterone receptor (PR)- (P = 0.0319), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)-positive (P < 0.0001), and to have axillary lymph node metastasis (P = 0.0033) than those in Group I. Regarding treatment, patients in Group II were more likely to have undergone chemotherapy (P = 0.0108) and anti-HER2 therapy (P = 0.0102), whereas patients in Group I were more likely to have undergone endocrine therapy (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, mammographic calcifications in tumors were associated with distinct clinicopathologic characteristics and aggressive treatments.

Five common functional polymorphisms in microRNAs (rs2910164, rs2292832, rs11614913, rs3746444, rs895819) and the susceptibility to breast cancer: evidence from 8361 cancer cases and 8504 controls.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationship between the five common polymorphisms in miRNAs (miR-146a rs2910164 G>C, miR-149 rs2292832 C>T, miR-196a2 rs11614913 C>T, miR-499 rs3746444 A>G and miR-27a rs895819 A>G), and breast cancer (BC) risk. METHODS: Meta-analyses were performed on 15 published studies involving 8, 361 BC patients and 8, 504 cancer-free controls. There were 8 studies with 4, 314 cases and 4, 485 controls for rs2910164, 3 studies with 1, 439 cases and 1, 508 controls for rs2292832, 10 studies with 4, 618 cases and 5, 590 controls for rs11614913, 5 studies with 2, 924 cases and 3, 563 controls for rs3746444, and 5 studies with 2, 912 cases and 3, 697 controls for rs895819. Summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the BC risk. RESULTS: Meta-analyses showed that rs2910164 (miR-146a) was associated with BC risk in Caucasian population (homozygote comparison: OR = 1.29, 95%CI = 1.02-1.63, P=0.03; dominant model: OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.05-1.65, P=0.02), whereas negative results were obtained for Asians in all genetic models. rs11614913 (miR-196a2) was associated with BC risk in the overall population based on the recessive model (OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.80-0.99, P=0.03). Association of rs3746444 (miR-499) with BC risk was detected under three genetic models (allele contrast genetic model: OR = 1.13, 95%CI = 1.03-1.23, P=0.007; homozygote comparison: OR = 1.36, 95 %CI = 1.10-1.69, P=0.005 and recessive model: OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.12-1.70, P=0.003). When stratified by ethnicity, the effects remained in Asians. rs895819 (miR-27a) was associated with BC risk in the overall population based on the allele contrast genetic model (OR = 0.91, 95%CI = 0.85-0.98, P=0.02); heterozygote comparison (OR = 0.89, 95 %CI = 0.80-0.99, P=0.03) and the dominant model (OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.80-0.98, P=0.02). However, there was no association between rs2292832 (miR-149) polymorphism and BC susceptibility. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis results suggested that the rs2910164 and rs3746444 polymorphisms are associated with increased BC risk, while the rs11614913 and rs895819 polymorphisms correlate with reduced BC risk.

Interaction of calf thymus dsDNA with anti-tumor drug tamoxifen studied by zero current potentiometry.

Since the electrochemical oxidation peaks of both DNA and anti-tumor drug tamoxifen (TAM) overlapped with each other, the known electrochemical methods were limited in the study of the interactions between DNA and TAM. In this paper, zero current potentiometry, a new electrochemical method, was used to study the interaction of calf thymus dsDNA with TAM. The dsDNA was immobilized on the surface of carbon paste (dsDNA/CP). The dsDNA/CP connected in series between the clips of working and counter electrodes of a potentiostat and a reference electrode were immersed in aqueous solution containing TAM, the interaction of dsDNA with TAM produced a change in interfacial potential at the dsDNA/CP/solution interface. When linear sweep potential was applied to the dsDNA/CP and the corresponding I-E curve was recorded, interfacial potential offset applied potential partially, making the I-E curve displace along potential axis. Zero current potential where circuit current I was equal to zero in the I-E curve was measured to check the displacement of the I-E curve. Based on the displacement, the thermodynamic constants of the interaction between dsDNA and TAM were determined. The binding ratio of dsDNA with TAM was found to be 1:1 and the apparent binding constant was (6.85±0.20)×10(6) M(-1). As zero current potentiometry was independent of the changes in redox potential or current of both dsDNA and TAM themselves, the interaction was studied in their natural forms without damage. Moreover, TAM can be determined. The detection limit was 1.1×10(-7) M.

Three-dimensional ultrasound image-guided robotic system for accurate microwave coagulation of malignant liver tumours.

BACKGROUND: The further application of conventional ultrasound (US) image-guided microwave (MW) ablation of liver cancer is often limited by two-dimensional (2D) imaging, inaccurate needle placement and the resulting skill requirement. The three-dimensional (3D) image-guided robotic-assisted system provides an appealing alternative option, enabling the physician to perform consistent, accurate therapy with improved treatment effectiveness. METHODS: Our robotic system is constructed by integrating an imaging module, a needle-driven robot, a MW thermal field simulation module, and surgical navigation software in a practical and user-friendly manner. The robot executes precise needle placement based on the 3D model reconstructed from freehand-tracked 2D B-scans. A qualitative slice guidance method for fine registration is introduced to reduce the placement error caused by target motion. By incorporating the 3D MW specific absorption rate (SAR) model into the heat transfer equation, the MW thermal field simulation module determines the MW power level and the coagulation time for improved ablation therapy. Two types of wrists are developed for the robot: a 'remote centre of motion' (RCM) wrist and a non-RCM wrist, which is preferred in real applications. RESULTS: The needle placement accuracies were < 3 mm for both wrists in the mechanical phantom experiment. The target accuracy for the robot with the RCM wrist was improved to 1.6 +/- 1.0 mm when real-time 2D US feedback was used in the artificial-tissue phantom experiment. By using the slice guidance method, the robot with the non-RCM wrist achieved accuracy of 1.8 +/- 0.9 mm in the ex vivo experiment; even target motion was introduced. In the thermal field experiment, a 5.6% relative mean error was observed between the experimental coagulated neurosis volume and the simulation result. CONCLUSION: The proposed robotic system holds promise to enhance the clinical performance of percutaneous MW ablation of malignant liver tumours.