A case report of male breast cancer in a very young patient: what is changing?

Male breast cancer accounts for 1% of all breast cancer cases, and men tend to be diagnosed at an older age than women (mean age is about 67 years). Several risk factors have been identified, such as genetic and hormonal abnormalities. The present study reported the case of a 25-year-old man who was diagnosed with an advanced invasive ductal carcinoma; however, he did not have any important risk factors. Even though more data is emerging about this disease, more efforts to understand risk factors, treatment options and survival benefits are needed. In this case, we discussed the risk factors as well as the impaired fertility associated with breast cancer therapies.

Langerhans cells in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia related to smoking habits.

OBJECTIVE: Compare the numerical densities of intraepithelial Langerhans cells of uterine cervix of women affected by cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN 3) with their smoking habits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 71 conization specimens of women affected by CIN 3 were separated in 3 groups according to their smoking habits (smokers, nonsmokers, and former smokers). The identification of the Langerhans cells was performed by immunohistochemical analysis using antibodies to S100 protein. The number of intraepithelial Langerhans cells was counted at x400 magnification under a light microscope, and a 10-field count was performed in areas of CIN 3 of each section. Results were expressed as number of cells per square millimeter of epithelium. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the number of Langerhans cells per square millimeter of epithelium in areas affected by CIN 3 among the 3 groups (p = .5). There was also no significant difference in the number of cigarettes smoked per day (p = .09), duration of consumption (p = .34), total amount of cigarettes smoked during the whole life (p = .18), and duration of abstention (p = .2). CONCLUSIONS: It was not shown that smoking reduces the number of intraepithelial Langerhans cells in the cervix of women affected by CIN 3.

Langerhans' cells and smoking in intraepithelial neoplasia of the cervix.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the intraepithelial population of Langerhans' cells (LC) in normal cervix epithelium adjacent to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN 3) and correlate to smoking habit. METHODS: Cases in this study included conization specimens from 48 women affected by CIN 3. The LC count was performed in areas without histopathologic alteration adjacent to CIN 3. The control group is compound by normal cervix from 46 hysterectomy specimens. The identification of LC was done by immunohistochemical study demonstrating immunoreactivity to S-100 protein. The number of intraepithelial LC was determined using 400x magnification light microscope in 10 high-power fields, and results were expressed in number of cells per square millimeter (LC/mm(2)). RESULTS: In the control group, there was lower number of Langerhans' cells in smokers than in non-smokers (P = 0.045). There was lower number of Langerhans' cells in normal areas adjacent to CIN 3 than in normal cervix control group (P = 0.004). There was no significant difference in the number of Langerhans' cells in normal areas of the cervix with CIN 3 between smokers and non-smokers (P = 0.991). The number of cigarettes consumed daily, time of consume, total number of cigarettes consumed showed a reduced LC count, yet was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: It was revealed that smoking reduces the number of intraepithelial Langerhans' cells in the uterine cervix. In women with CIN 3, the LC count was lower, despite the habit of smoking.

Relationship of body fat distribution by waist circumference, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and ultrasonography to insulin resistance by homeostasis model assessment and lipid profile in obese and non-obese postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: To correlate body fat distribution evaluated by waist circumference, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and ultrasonography to insulin resistance and lipid profile in obese and non-obese postmenopausal women. METHODS: We studied 40 obese and 47 non-obese postmenopausal women, assessing obesity by measuring waist circumference and fat tissue using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and ultrasonography, and examining their correlation with metabolic parameters: insulin resistance as determined by the homeostasis model assessment technique (HOMA-IR) and lipid profile including triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), very-low-density lipoprotein, lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) and apoplipoprotein A-I (Apo A-I). RESULTS: There was no difference in lipid profile between the two groups. Insulin resistance was the metabolic disturbance of highest prevalence in the obese group, evaluated by HOMA-IR (obese: 3.38 +/- 2.2; non-obese: 1.20 +/- 0.7; p < 0.001). Obesity was not a confounding factor in linear regression analyses among HOMA-IR, HDL-C, TG, Lp(a), Apo A-I and the methods used to measure body fat distribution. Waist circumference was the method that best explained HOMA-IR (R(2) = 34.9%, p < 0.001) and TG concentration (R(2) = 10.9%, p = 0.002). HDL-C presented a positive association with subcutaneous fat evaluated by ultrasonography (R(2) = 12.5%, p < 0.001). Obesity was a confounding factor in multiple regression analyses between TC and LDL-C, when related to abdominal fat evaluated by ultrasonography, and resulted in a positive association among the obese and a negative association among the non-obese women. The sensibility of this method was related to the quantity of fat in the visceral region. CONCLUSIONS: Waist circumference showed the highest association with insulin resistance. Fat distribution evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and ultrasound was also associated with insulin resistance, but with lower intensity. The relationship of visceral fat distribution evaluated by ultrasound to TC cholesterol and LDL-C showed opposed results between obese and non-obese menopausal women.