Strong impact of pathological node-negative on long-term overall survival of patients with triple-negative breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a high pathological complete response (pCR) rate; however patients without a high pCR are reported to have a poor prognosis. The current study investigated the long-term overall survival of patients with TNBC who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and analyzed various prognostic factors including basal marker and claudin expressions. Between November 2005 and March 2012, the current study retrospectively reviewed the records of 323 patients with breast cancer who received anthracycline followed by taxane as NAC at the Jikei University Hospital Basal marker and claudin expression was determined via immunohistochemistry. The median age of the patients was 53.0 years. Of the 323 patients, 26 (8%) achieved a pCR, including 13 patients (19.7%) with TNBC and 13 (5.1%) with non-TNBC (P<0.001). Of the 66 patients with TNBC, 13 (19.7%) demonstrated recurrence and 8 (12.1%) died after a median follow-up time of 111.5 months [10-year disease-free survival (DFS), 80.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.68-0.88; 10-year overall survival (OS), 84.8%; 95% CI, 0.72-0.92]. Of the 257 patients with non-TNBC, 45 (17.5%) patients demonstrated recurrence and 26 (10.1%) died (10-year DFS, 82.1%; 95% CI, 0.76-0.87; 10-year OS, 88.6%; 95% CI, 0.83-0.92). There was no statistical difference between the patients with and without TNBC. In the TNBC group, patients with pathological node-negative status survived without distant recurrence. Additionally, negative lymphovascular infiltration was another favorable prognostic factor. Patients with TNBC who received NAC demonstrated comparably high prognoses to non-TNBC patients. Overall, pathological node status after NAC had a strong impact on the prognosis of patients with TNBC.

A Retrospective Analysis of Perioperative Chemotherapy and Coronavirus Disease in Patients With Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Since January 2020, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases have been confirmed in Japan, and the number of patients with COVID-19 has been increasing. Two emergency declarations have been made previously and one is currently in effect. Based on our experience of a situation that could affect cancer treatment, this study retrospectively examined the correlation between perioperative anticancer therapy and COVID-19 incidence in patients with breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent perioperative anticancer therapy for breast cancer at our hospital from February 2020 to February 2021 were included in this study. The presence or absence of COVID-19, timing of anticancer drug initiation, and clinical data were collected. RESULTS: No cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in patients receiving perioperative anticancer therapy at our hospital. CONCLUSION: Regimen modification, active use of supportive care, and patient lifestyle were factors reducing the incidence of COVID-19.

Long-Term Follow-Up of Node-Negative Breast Cancer Patients Evaluated via Sentinel Node Biopsy After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) is used to accurately assess axillary lymph node status in patients with node-negative breast cancer. However, its use after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is controversial. We retrospectively assessed the usefulness of SNB after NAC by comparing axillary recurrence rates and other parameters in patients with clinically node-negative breast cancer who underwent SNB after NAC or without NAC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: At our hospital, 1179 patients with clinically node-negative breast cancer underwent SNB from April 2007 to December 2013. The clinicopathological and survival data of patients who underwent SNB after NAC (the NAC group) and those who underwent SNB without NAC (the control group) were compared. Patients with a metastatic sentinel node underwent axillary lymph node dissection. RESULTS: The number of patients in the NAC and control groups was 183 (15.5%) and 996 (84.5%), respectively. At diagnosis, tumors were significantly larger in the NAC group (P < .0001). Sentinel nodes were identified in almost all patients in both groups (99.5% in the NAC group vs. 99.8% in the control group). They were nonmetastatic in 147 (80.8%) patients in the NAC group and 849 (85.5%) patients in the control group. At the median follow-up time of 51.1 months, 6 patients (0.6%) in the control group had axillary lymph node recurrence compared with no patients in the NAC group. CONCLUSION: SNB after NAC was as accurate as SNB without NAC in patients with clinically node-negative breast cancer. Axillary recurrence-free survival rates were excellent regardless of whether NAC was performed before SNB.

Primary ectopic breast cancer of the vulva, treated with local excision of the vulva and sentinel lymph node biopsy: a case report.

Primary breast cancer fairly infrequently occurs in ectopic breast tissue, and primary ectopic breast cancer of the vulva is particularly rare. Only 26 cases have been published in the English-language literature, and there has been no report of primary breast carcinoma of the vulva in Japan. We report a rare case of primary ectopic breast cancer of the vulva that was treated with local excision of the vulva and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). The patient was a 72-year-old woman who had noticed a right vulvar tumor 10 years earlier. The tumor was excised by the Department of Plastic Surgery of our hospital. The histology of the vulvar tumor revealed an invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast, and immunohistochemical staining of the vulvar specimen showed the tumor cells to be 100% estrogen-receptor-positive and 100% progesterone-receptor-positive. All margins of resection were positive for neoplastic involvement. An additional local excision of the vulva and right inguinal SLNB were performed in our department. The intraoperative frozen section was negative for metastasis, and lymph node dissection was not performed. The final pathology was negative for residual disease, and a partially normal ductal component was present. Adjuvant hormonal therapy with an aromatase inhibitor was indicated post-operatively. The patient was asymptomatic and free of detectable disease at a 6-month follow-up. Due to the rarity of this diagnosis, there are no established guidelines for treatment. Although cases in which SLNB was performed are rare, we consider SLNB to be an effective alternative to inguinal node dissection for ectopic primary breast cancer of the vulva.

Nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerves and anatomical findings during thyroid surgery: report of three cases.

A nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve (NRILN) is found more frequently on the right side than on the left, and it is closely associated with an aberrant right subclavian artery. The presence of the aberrant right subclavian artery on preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan suggests NRILN; however, different types of branching locations and pathways exist. Here, we report three NRILN cases with different pathways where the vagus nerve arises more medial than usual and a review of the literature. Case 1: A 30-year-old Japanese female presented with papillary thyroid carcinoma. Preoperative CT scan revealed an aberrant right subclavian artery, and an operation was performed under suspicion of NRILN. During the operation, the vagus nerve was found to arise more medially than usual and two NRILNs originated from it at the level of the cricoid cartilage and at a more caudal position; the two NRILNs were preserved. Case 2: A 33-year-old Japanese female with a thyroid nodule of increased size underwent surgery. Preoperative CT scan revealed an aberrant right subclavian artery, which suggested NRILN. During the operation, the vagus nerve was identified to run more medially than usual and NRILN was found to originate at the level of the cricoid cartilage; NRILN was preserved. Case 3: A 78-year-old Japanese female underwent an operation with a diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Preoperative CT scan showed an aberrant right subclavian artery. During the operation, NRILN was found to originate from the vagus nerve at the level of the lower pole of the thyroid gland, and the vagus nerve ran medial to the common carotid artery at the caudal level.

Triple-negative breast cancer exhibits a favorable response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy independent of the expression of topoisomerase IIα.

The present study retrospectively analyzed the utility of topoisomerase IIα expression as a prognostic marker to predict the neoadjuvant chemotherapeutic response and survival among different breast cancer subtypes. The patients were subtyped and the expression of topoisomerase IIα was determined using immunohistochemistry. All patients (n=147) received an anthracycline-containing regimen preoperatively, and 139 (95%) patients also received docetaxel. Of the 147 patients, 25 (17%) were triple-negative and 20 (17%) were human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive. Among these subtypes, a significantly higher a rate (P<0.0001) and higher incidence of topoisomerase IIα expression (P=0.036) were observed compared with that in the hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer types. However, the expression of topoisomerase IIα revealed no correlation with the treatment response or survival in any of the subtypes. Therefore, these results indicated that the favorable response to anthracycline-containing chemotherapy among triple-negative and HER2-positive breast cancer was independent of the expression of topoisomerase IIα.

Optimization of Region of Interest Drawing for Quantitative Analysis: Differentiation Between Benign and Malignant Breast Lesions on Contrast-Enhanced Sonography.

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of quantitative analysis of benign and malignant breast lesions using contrast-enhanced sonography. METHODS: Contrast-enhanced sonography using the perflubutane-based contrast agent Sonazoid (Daiichi Sankyo, Tokyo, Japan) was performed in 94 pathologically proven palpable breast mass lesions, which could be depicted with B-mode sonography. Quantitative analyses using the time-intensity curve on contrast-enhanced sonography were performed in 5 region of interest (ROI) types (manually traced ROI and circular ROIs of 5, 10, 15, and 20 mm in diameter). The peak signal intensity, initial slope, time to peak, positive enhancement integral, and wash-out ratio were investigated in each ROI. RESULTS: There were significant differences between benign and malignant lesions in the time to peak (P < .05), initial slope (P < .001), and positive enhancement integral (P < .05) for the manual ROI. Significant differences were found between benign and malignant lesions in the time to peak (P < .05) for the 5-mm ROI; the time to peak (P < .05) and initial slope (P< .05) for the 10-mm ROI; absolute values of the peak signal intensity (P< .05), time to peak (P< .01), and initial slope (P< .005) for the 15-mm ROI; and the time to peak (P < .05) and initial slope (P < .05) for the 20-mm ROI. There were no statistically significant differences in any wash-out ratio values for the 5 ROI types. CONCLUSIONS: Kinetic analysis using contrast-enhanced sonography is useful for differentiation between benign and malignant breast lesions.

Breast cancer screening and the changing population pyramid of Japan.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer has been the most prevalent cancer in Japan since the 1990s. The mortality from breast cancer is increasing in Japan, whereas in other industrialized countries it has been decreasing since 1990. On the other hand, Japan faces unparalleled growth in its aging population. The aim of this study was to report the mammography screening among Japanese women and the related upcoming changes in the population pyramid of Japan. DATA SOURCES AND METHODS: The reference data for our study were obtained from the Center for Cancer Control and Information Services, Japan Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Japanese Cancer Society, and the National Institute of Population and Social Security. The survey data were obtained from breast cancer and mammography screenings in the Tokyo Prefecture in 2008. The following parameters were analyzed: annual breast cancer incidence, current screening rates, average life-span, and predicted demographic statistics. RESULTS: Our results showed that breast cancer incidence and mortality have been increasing annually in Japan. The average age of breast cancer patients increased to 58.40 years in 2010. The incidence of breast cancer in women aged 65 years and older increased from 25.3 to 32.9 % in the last 10 years and is expected to continue to increase in the future. The check-up rate was 16.0-20.0 % for women aged 65-74 years and 43.0-46.0 % for women aged 40-54 years. According to our questionnaire survey, concerns about breast cancer and mammography screening were high in the young and low in the elderly women. The Japanese population aged 65 years and older was 30,740 (24.1 %) in 2012 and is estimated to increase by 40 % over the next 20 years despite Japan's declining population size. CONCLUSION: Breast cancer incidence has increased in Japan, even among patients aged 65 years and older. Breast cancer has become increasingly prevalent in older Japanese women. As the population pyramid of Japan changes, women aged 65 years and older, who think that there is no longer need to receive mammography screening and are not educated regarding self-examinations, should be encouraged to receive regular check-ups for breast cancer.

Clinical relevance and low tumor-initiating properties of oligometastatic breast cancer in pulmonary metastasectomy.

Metastatic breast cancer is a systemic disease. However, certain subsets of patients, such as those with oligometastatic breast cancer (OMBC), have long-term survival prospects. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical relevance of OMBC in pulmonary metastasectomy of recurrent breast cancer. We also investigated lung metastases for the prevalence of CD44+/CD24-/low tumor cells and evaluated their prognostic significance. We reviewed data from a registry of breast cancer patients with lung metastases who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy at Jikei University Hospital. We analyzed prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) after metastasectomy and examined the prognostic difference between OMBC and non-OMBC patients. CD44+/CD24-/low tumor cells were detected by immunohistochemical analysis of lung metastases sites. Among 17 breast cancer patients with lung metastasis, 5-year OS and PFS rates were 72 and 36 %, respectively. Better OS was observed among patients with OMBC. Patients with OMBC, estrogen receptor-positive cells, and disease-free intervals of >8 years had better PFS. The presence of CD44+/CD24-/low tumor cells influenced progression after lung metastasectomy, with median PFS of only 6 months in patients with a high prevalence of cancer-initiating cells. CD44+/CD24-/low cells with cancer-initiating properties were present in only 9 % ± 3 of patients with OMBC, but were found in 73 % ± 12 of patients with non-OMBC. Pulmonary metastasectomy may be a treatment option for OMBC patients with lung metastases. Better prognosis of OMBC may be associated with low levels of cancer-initiating cells.

An Extracellular Matrix Molecule, Secreted by the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition is Associated With Lymph Node Metastasis of Thyroid Papillary Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Papillary thyroid carcinoma often has lymph node metastasis, compared with follicular thyroid carcinoma. The study showed that epithelial-mesenchymal transition occurs in carcinoma cells during the first stage of metastasis, where some extracellular matrix molecules are secreted in large quantities. Sialic acid carried by fibronectin as the antigen of the monoclonal antibody (MoAb) JT-95, was detected in 90% of papillary thyroid carcinoma cases, and in a few follicular thyroid carcinomas, in the extracellular matrix of thyroid carcinoma cells. OBJECTIVES: The current study was conducted to investigate the association between increasing the number of extracellular matrix molecules, fibronectin, and lymph node metastasis. We also co-cultured a thyroid carcinoma cell line and lymphocyte cell line, with and without MoAb JT-95, in order to investigate the mechanism of cell to cell interaction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Immunostaining with JT-95 was performed in 45 papillary thyroid carcinoma cases, and 20 follicular type tumors, to investigate the association between the quantity of fibronectin expression and the frequency of lymph node metastasis. The thyroid carcinoma cell line (SW1736), which secreted fibronectin, and the B cell-lymphoma cell line (Daudi), which held integrin on the cell surface, were co-cultured to observe the adhesion of cells to each other. The SW1736 cell line, pretreated with JT-95, was also co-cultured with the Daudi cell line. RESULTS: There were 39 cases with lymph node metastasis in 59 malignant tumors, and 0 cases in 6 benign follicular type tumors. The staining scores by JT-95 of the 39 tumors with lymph node metastasis were 5+ in eight cases and 6+ in 31 cases. On the other hand, the scores of 20 malignant tumors without lymph node metastasis were < 4+ in all of the cases. In the co-cultured assay, numerous adhesions were observed between the SW1736 and Daudi cells. In contrast, the inhibition of adherences was observed in proportion to the concentrations of JT-95. CONCLUSIONS: Increased fibronectin expression in thyroid malignancies is correlated with lymph node metastasis.

Usefulness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for intracystic breast tumors: a report of three cases.

Cystic breast lesions are caused by a wide spectrum of breast diseases and can range from simple cysts to malignant tumors. Ultrasonography is a good tool for evaluation of the morphology and vascularity of cystic breast lesions. We report three patients in whom contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) was used to evaluate intracystic tumors. One of the three patients was diagnosed with intracystic papilloma. Compared with conventional ultrasonography alone, CEUS more clearly demonstrated that the solid component within the mass was lobulated with a narrow base. The other two patients were diagnosed with intracystic papillary carcinoma, and CEUS clearly revealed the presence of widely elevated solid components within both masses, suggesting malignancy. Therefore, CEUS simplified morphological evaluation by enhancing the solid components within the cystic masses.

Possible clinical cure of metastatic breast cancer: lessons from our 30-year experience with oligometastatic breast cancer patients and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is generally incurable. However, 10-20-year relapse-free survival of MBC is approximately 2%, implying that at least a small subset of MBC patients achieve prolonged survival. We therefore analyzed long-term outcome in a particular subset, i.e., oligometastatic breast cancer (OMBC). METHODS: Data of OMBC subjects (N = 75) treated in our institution from April 1980 to March 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. OMBC was identified as: one or 2 organs involved with metastatic lesions (excluding the primary lesion resectable by surgery), fewer than 5 lesions per metastasized organ, and lesion diameter less than 5 cm. Patients were generally treated with systemic chemotherapy first, and those who achieved complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) were further treated, if applicable, with local therapy (surgical or radiation therapy) to maintain CR or to induce no evidence of clinical disease (NED), with additional systemic therapy. RESULTS: Median follow-up duration was 103 (6-329) months. Single or 2 organs were involved in, respectively, 44 (59%) and 31 (41%) cases with metastatic lesions, 48% of which were visceral. In cases where effects of systemic therapy, possibly in combination with other treatments, were evaluated (N = 68), CR or PR was achieved in 33 (48.5%) or 32 (47.1%), respectively, with overall response rate (ORR: CR + PR) of 95.6% (N = 65). In cases receiving multidisciplinary treatment (N = 75), CR or NED (CR/NED), or PR was induced in 48 (64.0%) or 23 (30.7%) cases, respectively, with ORR (CR/NED + PR) of 94.7% (N = 71). CR rates (60.5%) with systemic therapy and CR/NED rates (79.5%) with multidisciplinary treatment were significantly better in subjects with a single involved organ than in those with two involved organs (P = 0.047 and 0.002, systemic only or multidisciplinary treatments, respectively). Medians estimated by Kaplan-Meier method were: overall survival (OS) of 185.0 months and relapse-free interval (RFI) of 48.0 months. Estimated outcomes were: OS rates (OSR) of 59.2% at 10 years and 34.1% at 20 years, and relapse-free rates (RFR) of 27.4% at 10 years and 20 years. No disease progression was observed after 101.0 months as RFR. Cases with single organ involvement (N = 44) showed significantly better outcomes (OSR of 73% at 10 years and 52% at 20 years, RFR of 42% at 10 years and 20 years). Those who received local therapies (N = 35) also showed better prognosis: OSR of 82% at 10 years and 53% at 20 years, RFR of 38% at 10 years and 20 years. Three cases (4%) survived for their lifetime without relapse after achieving CR or NED, our definition of clinical cure. Multivariate analysis revealed factors favoring better prognosis as: none for OS, and single organ involvement with metastasis, administration of local treatment, and shorter disease-free interval (DFI) (P = 0.030, 0.039, and 0.042, respectively) for RFR. Outcomes in OMBC in literature were OSR of 35-73% at 10 years and 26-52% at 20 years, and RFR of 27-42% at 10 years and 26-42% at 20 years. CONCLUSIONS: The present analyses clearly indicate that OMBC is a distinct subgroup with long-term prognosis superior to MBC, with reasonable provability for clinical cure. Further prospective studies to better characterize OMBC are warranted to improve prognosis in MBC.

Impact of CD44+CD24- cells on non-sentinel axillary lymph node metastases in sentinel node-positive breast cancer.

Although complete axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is the standard for evaluating axillary status after the identification of a positive sentinel lymph node (SLN) in breast cancer; approximately 40-60% of SLN-positive patients have negative non-SLN. In this study, to explore putative breast cancer stem cells with CD44+CD24- in the SLN, we retrospectively analyzed the expression of CD44+CD24- on metastatic tumor cells within SLNs as a predictive factor for positive non-SLNs (NSLNs). We tested 271 patients for SLNs using serial sectioning with cytokeratin immunohistochemistry (IHC) and hematoxylin-eosin staining and identified 67 patients who had a positive SLN biopsy and complete ALND. CD44 and CD24 expression was detected using double-staining IHC. Twenty-eight (41.8%) out of 67 patients had positive NSLN metastases. Seven positive SLNs with micrometastases were not available for the evaluation of CD24 and CD44 expression. Out of the remaining 60 patients, 19 (31.7%), 44 (73.83%) and 37 (61.7%) patients had CD24+, CD44+ and CD44+CD24- metastatic tumor cells in SLNs, respectively. Positive NSLN metastasis was significantly associated with the primary tumor size (P=0.004), CD24- expression (P=0.04), CD44+ expression (P=0.01) and CD44+CD24- expression (P=0.02). This report provides the first evidence of the existence of a putative stem-like phenotype within the SLN, which is significantly associated with positive NSLN in early breast cancer patients.

EGFR as paradoxical predictor of chemosensitivity and outcome among triple-negative breast cancer.

We retrospectively analyzed the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a prognostic marker to predict neoadjuvant chemotherapy response and survival among breast cancer subtypes. We used immunohistochemical profiles to subtype the patients. EGFR expression was determined using immunohistochemistry. All patients received an anthracycline-based regimen preoperatively. Ninety-three patients also received docetaxel. Of the 117 patients tested, 28 (24%) were triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and 73 (62%) were hormone receptor-positive (luminal) subtype. Among the TNBC patients, a significantly higher incidence of EGFR expression (50%) was observed (P=0.002), and EGFR expression was related to a less favorable response to chemotherapy (P=0.03) and poorer survival (P=0.17); in contrast, among the luminal subtype patients, positive EGFR expression was related to a favorable clinical response (P=0.06) and better survival (P=0.11). This retrospective analysis demonstrated that EGFR expression may represent an adverse prognostic marker in patients with TNBC and may provide a valuable tool for selecting appropriate treatment regimens for patients with TNBC.

Mammary ductoscopy: current issues and perspectives.

Until recently, the mammary duct had not been directly observed in vivo. Starting with the success of Teboul et al., studies of mammary ductoscopy (MD) for nipple discharge have been performed in Japan and other East Asian countries. Ductal lavage screening trials for breast cancer started in the 2000s. Concurrently, the number of English-language articles about MD increased. Sixty-nine English-language and 74 Japanese-language papers published in the last 19 years were reviewed. Important reports and studies were analyzed. MD has undergone significant technological development, and studies of MD have taken place in many countries. As a result, endoscopic images of the mammary duct have developed, and the endoscopic diagnosis for nipple discharge has become possible. MD-guided biopsy and surgery have been studied. Findings of MD are useful for diagnosing intraductal lesions with nipple discharge. As a result, MD has reduced the number and extent of microdochectomies. MD is also helpful in guiding breast-conserving surgery. Many pioneers have tried direct biopsy or interventions under MD, but further developments are necessary for its practical use.

The predictive value of PgR and HER-2 for response to primary systemic chemotherapy in inflammatory breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is the most aggressive form of primary breast cancer. We examined the relationship between clinicopathological factors and clinical response to primary systemic chemotherapy (PSC) and outcome. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with IBC were examined. Twelve patients received an anthracycline-based regimen, and 13 patients received an anthracycline-and a taxane-containing regimen as PSC. The expression of hormone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) was determined by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The overall clinical response rate was 64.0%. Clinical response to PSC was higher in patients with progesterone receptor (PgR)-positive (P = 0.01) and HER-2-negative (P = 0.03) tumors. Patients with fewer than ten involved axillary lymph nodes (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively) and with a clinical response to PSC (P = 0.02 and P = 0.01, respectively) showed better distant disease-free survival and overall survival. CONCLUSION: In patients with IBC, PgR-positive and HER-2-negative tumors are more sensitive to anthracycline-based PSC. Patients with extensive residual tumor (ten or more lymph-nodes involved, no response to PSC) after PSC had unfavorable prognoses.

Frequent splicing aberration of the base excision repair gene hMYH in human gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Missense mutation of hMYH, which prevents transversion mutations induced by oxidative DNA damage, is reportedly associated with the development of gastric and colon cancer. We investigated whether deficiency or mutation of hMYH is associated with gastric carcinogenesis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with gastric carcinoma, three gastric cancer cell lines and lymphocytes from three healthy volunteers were investigated. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed for hMYH, and the full-length sequence of hMYH mRNA was analysed. RESULTS: A silent mutation at codon 473 was seen in two tumours. Single nucleotide polymorphism at codon 345 was observed in 14 patients. These two base substitutions had no pathogenic effect. Seven splice variants were observed and two aberrant transcripts were detected more frequently in cancer specimens (67%) than in normal mucosa (10%). CONCLUSION: The high frequency of splicing aberration in cancer tissues suggests that aberrant transcripts may be involved in gastric carcinogenesis and cancer development.

Percutaneous endoscopy-guided biopsy of an intracystic tumor with a mammary ductoscopy.

BACKGROUND: Intracystic abnormalities of the breast may result from debris, intracystic papilloma, or rarely breast cancer. Intracystic tumors cannot be diagnosed based on imaging examinations or fine needle aspiration alone, and therefore excisional biopsy must be performed. We have treated many cases who had nipple discharge with mammary ductoscopy since 1992, and we have used this method to diagnose intracystic tumors. METHODS: An endoscope was inserted into the cyst percutaneously, and the intracystic tumor was biopsied using forceps. RESULTS: Six intracystic tumors were biopsied with the endoscope. Four of six cases were cancer, and two were benign papillomas. CONCLUSION: We were able to visualize and accurately biopsy intracystic tumors of the breast using mammary ductoscopy.

Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the breast in a 13-year-old girl: report of a case.

We report a case of primary alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma of the breast in a 13-year-old Japanese girl. The patient initially presented with a 13 x 8-cm mass in her left breast, which was diagnosed as alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma after an excisional biopsy. Genetic expression of the tumor revealed t(2;13)(q35-37;q14). She underwent modified radical mastectomy (Bt + Ax) and nine lymph nodes were found to be involved. Systemic examinations showed multiple bone and lung metastases 2 weeks after her operation. Despite chemotherapy with doxorubicin, ifosfamide, and actinomycin D, which resulted in remission for 6 months, she died of the disease 8 months after surgery.

Breast-conserving surgery after chemotherapy: value of MDCT for determining tumor distribution and shrinkage pattern.

OBJECTIVE: For this study, we investigated the usefulness of MDCT in assessing the extent of residual breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. To ensure the success of breast-conserving surgery, we evaluated the usefulness of determining the tumor distribution before neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the shrinkage pattern after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: MDCT before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy was performed in 46 consecutive patients with 47 locally advanced breast cancers. The distribution pattern of contrast enhancement on MDCT before neoadjuvant chemotherapy was classified into five categories: solitary lesion, grouped lesion (localized lesion with linear, spotty, or linear and spotty enhancement), separated lesion (multiple foci of contrast enhancement), mixed lesion (grouped lesion with multiple foci), and replaced lesion (diffuse contrast enhancement in whole quadrants). RESULTS: There was agreement between the MDCT assessment and pathologic findings in 44 (94%) of the 47 tumors. In the partial response group with nonreplaced lesions, MDCT revealed three shrinkage patterns: pattern 1a, concentric shrinkage without surrounding lesions; pattern 1b, concentric shrinkage with surrounding lesions; and pattern 2, shrinkage with residual multinodular lesions. Breast-conserving surgery was performed successfully in 14 patients including complete response cases that were detected on the basis of MDCT findings and partial response cases that were detected on the basis of observation of pattern 1 shrinkage. In all five patients with pattern 2 shrinkage, CT underestimated the residual tumor extent by more than 2 cm. CONCLUSION: MDCT classification of tumor distribution before neoadjuvant chemotherapy and of shrinkage patterns after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is important in the preoperative evaluation of patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery.