Trastuzumab-based regimens beyond progression: A crucial treatment option for HER2+ advanced/metastatic breast cancer.

Upon its establishment for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer (mBC), continuing trastuzumab beyond disease progression was an important paradigm shift that became the recommendation by major guidelines. However, data supporting continuation of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) blockade with trastuzumab beyond the second-line setting are limited, resulting in a lack of approval of, or access to, this therapeutic strategy in many countries. This study aimed to provide additional data on the continued use of trastuzumab and trastuzumab-based therapies in combination with chemotherapy (CT) as third-line treatment for patients with mBC. This open-cohort, retrospective, observational study used deidentified patient-level data from an electronic health record-derived database that included patients with mBC who initiated third-line treatment with trastuzumab-based therapy combined with CT (Tras + CT; n = 288) or CT alone (CT; n = 49). Patients who received Tras + CT had a longer weighted median overall survival vs those who received CT only: 20.6 months (95% CI, 18.3-26.4 months) vs 10.1 months (95% CI, 7.8-12.3 months), respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 0.29; 95% CI, 0.16-0.53). This study provides additional support for maintaining trastuzumab-based therapies for patients with HER2+ mBC beyond second-line treatment. This treatment option should be available for all patients with mBC worldwide.

Characterization of sleep quality in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighters.

INTRODUCTION: Sleep quality can positively or negatively influences the physical performance of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighters; however, the literature does not indicate whether the sleep quality of these fighters is good or poor. OBJECTIVE: Characterization of the sleep quality of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) fighters, stratifying by weight category and color belts. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive study that featured with 175 BJJ fighters, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was applied to assess sleep quality. Mean, standard deviation and 95% confidence interval of mean were used to characterize the data. RESULTS: All groups, regardless of weight category or color rank, were classified as poor sleepers (PSQI=5), which indicates a low sleep quality. CONCLUSION: The sleep of BJJ fighters is characterized as poor, which may indicate negative outcomes in technical and physical performance.

HOX genes function in Breast Cancer development.

Breast cancer develops in the mammary glands during mammalian adulthood and is considered the second most common type of human carcinoma and the most incident and mortal in the female population. In contrast to other human structures, the female mammary glands continue to develop after birth, undergoing various modifications during pregnancy, lactation and involution under the regulation of hormones and transcription factors, including those encoded by the HOX clusters (A, B, C, and D). Interestingly, HOX gene deregulation is often associated to breast cancer development. Within the HOXB cluster, 8 out of the 10 genes present altered expression levels in breast cancer with an impact in its aggressiveness and resistance to hormone therapy, which highlights the importance of HOXB genes as potential therapeutic targets used to overcome the limitations of tamoxifen-resistant cancer treatments. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on the role of HOX genes in breast cancer, specially focus on HOXB, discussing the causes and consequences of HOXB gene deregulation and their relevance as prognostic factors and therapeutic targets.