Spontaneous regression of breast cancer with axillary lymph node metastasis: a case report and review of literature.

Spontaneous regression (SR) of cancer is a rare but well-documented biological phenomenon. However, the mechanism remains to be elucidated. We herein report a case of the SR of breast cancer at both the primary site and metastatic axillary lymph node with spontaneously-induced T cell-mediated immunological responses. A 52-year-old female with a lump in the left axilla was diagnosed to have a small breast carcinoma with a distinct axillary lymph node metastasis. During the preoperative systemic examination, she was diagnosed to have severe type 2 diabetes mellitus, was treated with insulin, and the hyperglycemia was normalized after one month. Surgery for left breast cancer was then performed. The postoperative histopathological examination revealed the SR of breast cancer at both the primary site and metastatic axillary lymph node. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that estrogen receptor positive, AE1/AE3-positive ductal carcinoma completely underwent necrosis associated with extensive infiltration of CD3-positive T cells in the tumor nodule in the lymph node. In addition, primary ductal carcinoma cells also underwent single cell necrosis with infiltration of T cells with lymph follicle-like organization of B cells in the mammary gland. The features were suggestive that the tumor eradication in the metastatic lymph node and regression of the primary ductal carcinoma could be due to host T cell response to the ductal carcinoma. As far as we know it is the first report that shows the spontaneous regression of breast cancer, probably due to the spontaneously-induced T cell response.

Neoadjuvant epirubicin/docetaxel (ET) concomitant chemotherapy for primary breast cancer with tumor diameter >=3.1 cm: results of the Kyushu ET therapy phase II trial.

AIM: Neoadjuvant epirubicin/docetaxel (ET) combination chemotherapy was administered to breast cancer patients in order to investigate their clinical and pathological response. Moreover, the breast-conserving surgery (BCS) rate, disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS), safety profile and the correlation of biological markers were investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Out of the 46 enrolled patients, 45 patients were analyzed for clinical response, and 40 patients were examined for pathological response. Estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor type2 (HER2) expression were examined immunohistologically. RESULTS: The median tumor size was 4.5 cm in diameter. Complete (CR) and partial responses were seen in 3 and 30 patients, respectively. A pathological CR was achieved in 4 patients and correlated with ER and PgR negativity. Moreover, BCS was performed on 16 patients. The 5-year cumulative DFS was 60.7% and OS was 91.8%. CONCLUSION: ET therapy is clinically effective with a pathological CR rate of 10% for patients with a large tumor, and should be considered as a neoadjuvant treatment option.

Extension of breast cancer: comparison of CT and MRI.

PURPOSE: To compare three-dimensional (3D) helical CT with 3D MRI in the evaluation of intraductal spread of breast cancer. METHODS: Fifty patients with breast cancer were examined. Tumor size ranged from Tis to T2. The whole breast was scanned by both breath-holding helical CT and MRI with contrast media. Linear or segmental enhancement, and spotty enhancement around the main tumor were considered to indicate ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or ductal spread. These findings were compared with thin section histopathologic data. RESULTS: Seventeen of 35 patients had intraductal spread with invasive cancer and 15 patients had DCIS. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 3D CT in detecting intraductal spread or DCIS were 71.9%, 83.3%, and 76.0%, respectively, and those of 3D MRI were 87.5%, 61.1%, and 78.0%. Overestimations numbered three (6.0%) on CT and seven (14.0%) on MRI, and underestimations numbered nine (18.0%) on CT and four (8.0%) on MRI. CONCLUSION: 3D helical CT can provide good information about the spread of breast cancer and could be an alternative to 3D MRI for preoperative examination of breast cancer.