Detecting early-stage breast cancer with GATA3-positive circulating tumor cells.

OBJECTIVE: This case demonstrated the possibility of using GATA3-positive circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to detect early-stage breast cancer (BrC). CASE REPORT: The 86 years old female patient received a mammographic examination with no evidence of malignancy (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, (BI-RADS category 2). However, CTC testing on the same day revealed four GATA3-positive CTCs in 4 ml of peripheral blood. Core needle biopsy was performed in the suspicious area even with no evidence of malignant image on breast ultrasound. Pathologic examination showed invasive carcinoma of no special type of the breast. The patient then received an oncoplastic partial mastectomy of right breast and sentinel lymph node biopsy. The surgical staging was cT1N0M0. Post-operation follow-up examination showed absence of GATA3-positive CTCs and the presence of HER2/ER positive CTCs. CONCLUSION: The role of GATA3-positive CTCs as a potential biomarker for early-stage BrC should be explored.

Anemia, hematinic deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia in male and female burning mouth syndrome patients.

Background/purpose: Our previous study found that 19.8%, 16.2%, 4.8%, 2.3%, 19.2%, and 12.3% of 884 burning mouth syndrome (BMS) patients have anemia, serum iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiencies, hyperhomocysteinemia, and serum gastric parietal cell antibody (GPCA) positivity, respectively. This study mainly evaluated the anemia, hematinic deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia in 212 male and 672 female BMS patients. Materials and methods: The blood hemoglobin (Hb) and serum iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, homocysteine, GPCA levels in 212 male and 672 female BMS patients were measured and compared with the corresponding levels in 106 male and 336 female healthy control subjects, respectively. Results: We found that 212 male BMS patients had significantly lower mean blood Hb, serum iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid levels and significantly higher mean serum homocysteine levels than 106 male healthy control subjects. Moreover, 672 female BMS patients had significantly lower mean blood Hb and serum iron levels and significantly higher mean serum homocysteine level than 336 female healthy control subjects. In addition, 212 male BMS patients had significantly higher mean blood Hb and serum homocysteine levels, significantly lower mean serum vitamin B12 and folic acid levels, and significantly higher frequencies of folic acid deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemis than 672 female BMS patients. Conclusion: The male BMS patients do have significantly higher mean blood Hb and serum homocysteine levels, significantly lower mean serum vitamin B12 and folic acid levels, and significantly higher frequencies of folic acid deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemis than the female BMS patients.