Estradiol-Induced Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition and Migration Are Inhibited by Blocking c-Src Kinase in Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

PURPOSE: The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the main event that favors cell migration and metastasis in breast cancer. Previously, we demonstrated that 1 nM estradiol (E2) promotes EMT, induced by c-Src kinase, causing changes in the localization of proteins that compose the tight junction (TJ) and adherens junction (AJ). METHODS: The present work highlights the central role of c-Src in the initiation of metastasis, induced by E2, through increasing the ability of MCF-7 and T47-D cells, which express estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), to migrate and invade before they become metastatic. RESULTS: Treatment with E2 can activate two signaling pathways, the first one by the phosphorylated c-Src (p-Src) which forms the p-Src/E-cadherin complex. This phenomenon was completely prevented by incubation with a selective inhibitor of c-Src (5 µM PP2). p-Src then promotes the downregulation of E-cadherin and occludin, which are epithelial phenotype marker proteins of the AJ and TJ, respectively. In the second pathway, E2 binds to ERα, creating a complex that translocates to the nucleus, inducing the synthesis of SNAIL1 and N-cadherin proteins, markers of the mesenchymal phenotype. Both processes increased the migratory and invasive capacities of both cell lines. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrate that E2 enhance EMT and migration, through c-Src activation, in human breast cancer cells that express ERα and become potential therapeutic targets.

A logarithmic model for hormone receptor-positive and breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive importance of the previously validated log(ER)*log(PgR)/Ki-67 predictive model in a larger patient population. METHODS: Patients with hormone receptor positive/HER-2 negative and clinical node positive before chemotherapy were included. Log(ER)*log(PgR)/Ki-67 values of the patients were determined, and the ideal cutoff value was calculated using a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. It was analyzed with a logistic regression model along with other clinical and pathological characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 181 patients were included in the study. The ideal cutoff value for pathological response was 0.12 (area under the curve=0.585, p=0.032). In the univariate analysis, no statistical correlation was observed between luminal subtype (p=0.294), histological type (p=0.238), clinical t-stage (p=0.927), progesterone receptor level (p=0.261), Ki-67 cutoff value (p=0.425), and pathological complete response. There was a positive relationship between numerical increase in age and residual disease. As the grade of the patients increased, the probability of residual disease decreased. Patients with log(ER)*log(PgR)/Ki-67 above 0.12 had an approximately threefold increased risk of residual disease when compared to patients with 0.12 and below (odds ratio: 3.17, 95% confidence interval: 1.48-6.75, p=0.003). When age, grade, and logarithmic formula were assessed together, the logarithmic formula maintained its statistical significance (odds ratio: 2.47, 95% confidence interval: 1.07-5.69, p=0.034). CONCLUSION: In hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the logarithmic model has been shown in a larger patient population to be an inexpensive, easy, and rapidly applicable predictive marker that can be used to predict response.

Prognostic influencing factors analysis of patients with estrogen receptor-positive de novo stage Ⅳbreast cancer / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To investigate the factors influencing the prognosis of patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive de novo stage Ⅳ breast cancer.Methods:The clinical data of 339 patients with ER-positive de novo stage Ⅳ breast cancer treated in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital and Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated TCM-WM from February 2010 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Related factors such as age, time of chief complaint, the clinical T/N stage, site of metastasis, expressions of molecular markers and treatment mode were included. Univariate log-rank test and multivariate Cox regression model were used to analyze the effects of prognostic factors on patients' overall survival (OS).Results:Univariate analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in the OS of patients stratified by clinical N stage at first diagnosis, metastasis sites at first diagnosis, ER expression, progesterone receptor (PR) expression, Ki-67 positive index and p53 expression, endocrine therapy, chemotherapy at first diagnosis, surgery and radiotherapy of the primary lesions (all P < 0.01). Multivariate Cox regression analysis results showed that metastasis sites at first diagnosis, Ki-67 positive index, surgery and radiotherapy of the primary lesions were all independent influencing factors of OS for breast cancer patients (all P < 0.01). Conclusions:Patients with ER-positive de novo stage Ⅳ breast cancer have a good prognosis when they have oligometastasis, Ki-67 positive index ≤ 20%, and they receive surgery and radiotherapy of the primary lesions.

Research progress on the mechanism of endocrine therapy resistance for breast cancer / 国际肿瘤学杂志

Endocrine therapy resistance is a major challenge in the treatment of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. In recent years, endocrine resistance mechanisms have focused on ESR1 mutations or fusions, epigenetic regulation, abnormal regulation of signal transduction pathway, cell cycle regulation, cancer stem cells, metabolic reprogramming, tumor microenvironment and autophagy. Exploring the latest advances in the mechanisms of endocrine therapy resistance in breast cancer may provide more research ideas and treatment options for the precision treatment of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Pregnancy After Breast Cancer - Prognostic Safety and Pregnancy Outcomes According to Oestrogen Receptor Status: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related death in women. Women diagnosed with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer have prolonged treatment durations. Owing to the paucity of research and lack of consensus regarding conception planning and pregnancy for patients with ER-positive breast cancer, we aimed to assess pregnancy and survival outcomes in women with ER-positive breast cancer during and after treatment. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the available studies on pregnancy after ER-positive breast cancer. The assessed outcomes included overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), hormonal therapy duration, and pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS: Ultimately, 2,669 patients from five studies were included in this study. When all breast cancer receptor subtypes were included in the analysis, pregnancy after breast cancer was associated with a time-dependent protective effect on both DFS and OS. This protective effect was not evident when examining ER-positive patients with subsequent pregnancies, and no significant differences in DFS were observed. ER-positive patients who became pregnant received significantly lower rates of hormonal therapy. Hormonal treatment at the time of pregnancy was correlated with increased rates of termination owing to concerns about teratogenic effects. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy after breast cancer did not significantly affect DFS in ER-positive patients over a follow-up period of 5-10 years from diagnosis, although did significantly affect hormonal treatment duration in the reviewed studies. Further analysis and in-depth studies are required to assess the effects of altered hormonal treatment times, as well as patient management related to pregnancy planning after breast cancer.

Vitamin D receptor and estrogen receptor gene polymorphisms in men with type 2 diabetes: Effects on Bone Metabolism.

Purpose: There is an increased fracture risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus [DM] patients independent of bone mineral density [BMD], both in men and women. Estrogen receptor [ER]-alpha and vitamin D receptor [VDR] gene polymorphisms may predispose patients to increased osteoporosis and fracture risk. This study aims to analyze the relationship of the ER-alpha gene and VDR gene polymorphisms with indicators of bone turnover and BMD in male type 2 diabetic patients. Methods: Type 2 diabetic men diagnosed with diabetes for at least one year and healthy controls were included in this cross-sectional study. BMD was measured by dual X ray absorptiometry. Gene polymorphisms were evaluated with polymerase chain reaction-restriction length polymorphism. Serum iPTH, calcium, beta-CrossLaps (cTx), osteocalcin, and free testosterone levels were also evaluated. Results: Participants were 141 type 2 diabetic men [55 ± 8 years] and 100 healthy controls [53 ± 7 years]. BMD measurements were not statistically different between the groups. While iPTH [p < 0.05] and serum calcium levels [p = 0.03] were higher in men with type 2 DM; beta-CrossLaps [p = 0.0001], osteocalcin [p = 0.005], and free testosterone [p = 0.04] were lower than controls. The differences in terms of the frequencies of VDR Apa, Taq, Bsm, Fok and ER-alpha polymorphisms were not statistically significant between the groups. No relationship was observed between polymorphisms and BMD in both groups. Conclusions: VDR and ER-alpha gene polymorphisms seem to have no effect on BMD and bone turnover in men with DM.

[Clinicopathological features and prognosis of hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative breast cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinicopathological features and prognosis of hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2 -) breast cancer. METHODS: In the study, 3 035 consecutive breast cancer patients diagnosed in Breast Disease Center, Peking University First Hospital from January 2008 to December 2017 were collected. The prognostic signi-ficance of important pathological factors in HR +/HER2 - patients with complete clinicopathological information was analyzed. RESULTS: Within the 1 920 (63.26%) cases of HR +/HER2 - breast cancer, there were 1 624 cases with complete clinicopathological data, of which, 124 cases (7.64%) recurred and/or metastasized and 63 cases died of the disease, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate and disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 93.0% and 92.6% respectively. The stage of pT1-2 was 92.80%, while pN0 was 69.03%. 89.66% cases belonged to histologically non-specific type and 30.11%, 55.60%, 14.29% were credited to Grade 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The distribution of ER negative, low or high expression groups were 1.60%, 2.09% and 96.31%, while PR were 6.83%, 10.47%, 82.70%, respectively. The group of Ki67 index < 10% was 19.52%, ≥10% & < 20% for 32.02%, ≥20% for 48.46%. Survival analysis showed that cases with pT1 stage had lower risk of recurrence than those with pT3, while cases with pT2 and pT3 had shorter DFS than those with pT1, with higher risk of recurrence and metastasis. Analysis proved that both pN stage and histological grade were negatively correlated with DFS. The cases with pN0, pN1 and pN2 were lower risk of recurrence than those with pN3, while cases with Grade 1 and 2 had lower risk of recurrence than cases with Grade 3. And the group of Ki67 index ≥20% showed higher risk of recurrence and metastasis. The prognostic significance of ER expression in HR+/HER2- breast cancer was not significant. However, the negative/low PR expression groups showed higher risk of recurrence and metastasis, of which PR < 10% group had shortest DFS and OS, followed by 10%-60% group and then > 60% group. The most common site of metastasis was bone (55 cases, 44.35%), while cases with liver metastasis (30 cases, 24.20%) had the worst outcome. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that pT, pN, Grade, HR expression level and Ki67 index were important prognostic factors for HR +/HER2 - breast cancer, although there are variables in prognostic value. Factors of pN and Grade showed independent prognostic significance. PR expression level had prognostic significance for the risk of recurrence and metastasis. The stratified level of PR expression (< 10%, 10%-60%, >60%) had independent prognostic value, showing successively longer DFS and OS, lower risk of recurrence. PR>60% group had the longest DFS and OS as well as the lowest risk of recurrence.

Time to Chemotherapy for Patients With Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer and Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 and 6 Inhibitor Use.

PURPOSE: Safely postponing the use of chemotherapy is important for quality of life maintenance in patients with hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer. In previous studies, a combination of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) and fulvestrant prolonged the time to chemotherapy (TTC). In this study, we used real-world data to evaluate TTC in the context of CDK4/6i therapy. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of women with estrogen receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced breast cancer treated at the Aichi Cancer Center Hospital. The patients were categorized into having received CDK4/6i therapy first (n = 41), second (n = 33), and none at all (n = 67). The change in TTC among the groups was examined. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 13.8, 27.5, and 30.3 months in the CDK4/6i (first), CDK4/6i (second), and non-CDK4/6i groups, respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) with first-line therapy for metastasis was 30.0, 11.9, and 13.0 months, respectively (CDK4/6i [first] vs. non-CDK4/6i; p = 0.018, CDK4/6i [second] vs. non-CDK4/6i; p = 0.383). The median TTC was not reached in the CDK4/6i (first) group, was 39.1 months in the CDK4/6i (second) group, and was 44.2 months in the non-CDK4/6i group (CDK4/6i [first] vs. non-CDK4/6i; p = 0.880; CDK4/6i [second] vs. non-CDK4/6i; p = 0.407). The non-CDK4/6i group with TTC ≥ 60 months included more cases of secondary endocrine therapy resistance (p = 0.017), no perioperative chemotherapy (p = 0.021), and a longer disease-free interval (p = 0.093). CONCLUSION: Although PFS was significantly longer in the CDK4/6i (first) group than in the non-CDK4/6i group, TTC did not significantly differ among the three groups in real-world data. The non-CDK4/6i group showed a long TTC in patients with late recurrence and low risk at the primary lesion site, who benefited greatly from hormone monotherapy.

BRAFV600E Mutation Enhances Estrogen-Induced Metastatic Potential of Thyroid Cancer by Regulating the Expression of Estrogen Receptors.

BACKGRUOUND: Cross-talk between mitogen-activated protein kinase and estrogen has been reported; however, the role of BRAFV600E in the estrogen responsiveness of thyroid cancer is unknown. We elucidated the effect of BRAFV600E on the estrogen-induced increase in metastatic potential in thyroid cancer. METHODS: Using a pair of cell lines, human thyroid cell lines which harbor wild type BRAF gene (Nthy/WT) and Nthy/BRAFV600E (Nthy/V600E), the expression of estrogen receptors (ERs) and estrogen-induced metastatic phenotypes were evaluated. Susceptibility to ERα- and ERß-selective agents was evaluated to confirm differential ER expression. ESR expression was analyzed according to BRAFV600E status and age (≤50 years vs. >50 years) using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data. RESULTS: Estradiol increased the ERα/ERß expression ratio in Nthy/V600E, whereas the decreased ERα/ERß expression ratio was found in Nthy/WT. BRAFV600E-mutated cell lines showed a higher E2-induced increase in metastatic potential, including migration, invasion, and anchorage-independent growth compared with Nthy/WT. An ERα antagonist significantly inhibited migration in Nthy/V600E cells, whereas an ERß agonist was more effective in Nthy/WT. In the BRAFV600E group, ESR1/ESR2 ratio was significantly higher in younger age group (≤50 years) compared with older age group (>50 years) by TCGA data analysis. CONCLUSION: Our data show that BRAFV600E mutation plays a crucial role in the estrogen responsiveness of thyroid cancer by regulating ER expression. Therefore, BRAFV600E might be used as a biomarker when deciding future hormone therapies based on estrogen signaling in thyroid cancer patients.

Expression and clinical significance of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, p53 and p16 protein in endometrial carcinoma / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the expression and clinical significance of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), p53 and p16 protein in endometrial carcinoma.Methods:The endometrial tissue of 57 patients with endometrial carcinoma who received surgery in The First People's Hospital of Chuzhou between January 2017 and May 2021 was harvested as the study group. The normal endometrial tissue of 30 patients with endometrial hyperplasia was selected as the control group. Envision immunohistochemical staining was performed to determine the expression of ER, PR, p53 and p16 protein in endometrial tissue and analyze their expression with clinical pathological characteristics.Results:ER, PR, p16 protein expression rates in the endometrial tissue in the study group were 70.2%, 61.4%, 38.6%, respectively, which were significantly lower than 90.0%, 86.7%, 93.3% in the control group ( χ2 = 4.36, 5.98, 24.09, all P < 0.05). p53 expression rate in the endometrial tissue was significantly higher in the study group than that in the control group (52.6% vs. 13.3%, χ2 = 12.75, P < 0.001). ER and PR expression were significantly different between endometrial carcinoma patients with lymph node metastasis and those without and among those with different histological grades and those at different pathological stages (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in p53 protein expression among patients with different pathological stages of endometrial carcinoma, between patients who suffered endometrial carcinoma at different ages, and between patients with different degrees of myometrial invasion (all P > 0.05). p16 protein expression rate differed among patients with different pathological stages of endometrial carcinoma, among those with different histological grades and between patients with different degrees of myometrial invasion (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in p16 protein expression rate between endometrial carcinoma patients with lymph node metastasis and those without ( P > 0.05). Conclusion:Abnormal expressions of ER, PR, p53 and p16 protein in endometrial tissue may be related to the occurrence, development and transformation of the disease. Combined detection of ER, PR, p53 and p16 protein is helpful for the clinical diagnosis, treatment and prognosis assessment of endometrial carcinoma.

Características clínico-tumorales de las pacientes diabéticas con cáncer de mama / Clinical and tumoral characteristics of diabetic patients with breast cancer

RESUMEN Introducción: el cáncer de mama presenta una alta incidencia; sus características y asociación a otras comorbilidades suscita el interés de la comunidad científica Objetivo: identificar la relación entre características clínico, tumorales y moleculares con la diabetes mellitus en pacientes con cáncer de mama. Métodos: se realizó un estudio observacional, analítico y transversal en pacientes con cáncer de mama atendidas en el Centro de Atención al Paciente Oncológico "Tercer Congreso" en el período comprendido entre 2016-2021. El universo estuvo constituido por 116 pacientes. La información se extrajo de las historias clínicas. Resultados: se identificó asociación entre la edad de 50 años o más, la presencia de hipertensión arterial y el antecedente de cardiopatía isquémica con la presencia de diabetes mellitus (p<0,05). Se encontró predominio de pacientes con tumores entre 2 y 5 cm (59,48 %), con mayor incidencia en las diabéticas (90 %). La presencia de diabetes mellitus se asoció al tamaño del tumor (p<0,001), ganglio linfático metastásico (p<0,001), y los subtipos receptores de estrógeno y receptor 2 del factor de crecimiento epidérmico humano. En las pacientes diabéticas la media de diámetro mayor tumoral fue de 2,45 ± 0,7, superior a las no diabéticas. Conclusiones: en las pacientes con cáncer de mama, la presencia de diabetes mellitus se asoció al tamaño del tumor, los ganglios linfáticos metastásicos, así como a subtipos moleculares relacionados al receptor de estrógeno y receptor 2 del factor de crecimiento epidérmico humano. Las pacientes diabéticas presentaron un diámetro mayor tumoral superior.

ABSTRACT Introduction: breast cancer has a high incidence; its characteristics and association with other comorbidities arouse the interest of the scientific community. Objective: to identify the relationship among clinical, tumoral and molecular characteristics with diabetes mellitus in patients with breast cancer. Methods: an observational, analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with breast cancer attended Tercer Congreso Cancer Treatment Center in the period 2016-2021. The target group consisted of 116 patients. The information was collected from the medical records. Results: an association was identified between the ages of 50 or older, the presence of hypertension and a history of ischemic heart disease with the incidence of diabetes mellitus (p<0,05). There was a predominance of patients with tumors between 2 and 5 cm (59,48 %), with a higher prevalence in diabetic women (90 %). The presence of diabetes mellitus was associated with tumor size (p<0,001), metastatic lymph node (p<0,001), with estrogen receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 subtypes. In diabetic patients the mean tumor diameter was 2,45 ± 0,7, higher than in non-diabetic patients. Conclusions: in patients with breast cancer, the presence of diabetes mellitus was associated with tumor size, metastatic lymph nodes, as well as with molecular subtypes related to estrogen receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Diabetic patients had a larger tumor diameter.

Clinical Outcomes Following Letrozole Treatment according to Estrogen Receptor Expression in Postmenopausal Women: LETTER Study (KBCSG-006).

PURPOSE: In this trial, we investigated the efficacy and safety of adjuvant letrozole for hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer. Here, we report the clinical outcome in postmenopausal women with HR-positive breast cancer treated with adjuvant letrozole according to estrogen receptor (ER) expression levels. METHODS: In this multi-institutional, open-label, observational study, postmenopausal patients with HR-positive breast cancer received adjuvant letrozole (2.5 mg/daily) for 5 years unless they experienced disease progression or unacceptable toxicity or withdrew their consent. The patients were stratified into the following 3 groups according to ER expression levels using a modified Allred score (AS): low, intermediate, and high (AS 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8, respectively). ER expression was centrally reviewed. The primary objective was the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate. RESULTS: Between April 25, 2010, and February 5, 2014, 440 patients were enrolled. With a median follow-up of 62.0 months, the 5-year DFS rate in all patients was 94.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 91.8-96.6). The 5-year DFS and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates did not differ according to ER expression; the 5-year DFS rates were 94.3% and 94.1%in the low-to-intermediate and high expression groups, respectively (p = 0.6), and the corresponding 5-year RFS rates were 95.7% and 95.4%, respectively (p = 0.7). Furthermore, 25 patients discontinued letrozole because of drug toxicity. CONCLUSION: Treatment with adjuvant letrozole showed very favorable treatment outcomes and good tolerability among Korean postmenopausal women with ER-positive breast cancer, independent of ER expression. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01069211.

Elastosis in Breast Cancer as a Surrogate Marker for Estrogen Receptor Positivity.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to describe the occurrence of stromal elastosis in breast carcinoma among Omani female patients using semi-quantitative methods. We also sought to investigate the relationship between stromal elastosis and estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER2/neu receptor tumor grade, and Ki-67 index. Furthermore, we evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain method in quantifying elastosis compared to Elastin van Gieson (EVG) stain and if elastosis can be used as prognostic marker for overall survival. METHODS: The content of elastic tissue in primary infiltrating carcinomas of the breast was assessed using semi-quantitative methods (H&E and EVG stains) in 80 female Omani patients by two independent pathologists. Data of primary breast cancer patients who were not treated with neoadjuvant therapy from 2009 to 2019 at the Armed Forces Hospital of Oman were collected from medical records. Demographic and clinical data, including age, menstrual status, tumor type and grade, ER, PR, HER2/neu status, and Ki-67 index were obtained. Follow-up data, including clinical remission, evidence of metastasis, death, or lost follow-up were traced from medical records. RESULTS: Among the 80 cases studied, 80.0% were diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, not otherwise specified, while 12.6% were diagnosed with infiltrating lobular carcinoma. Interobserver agreement of grading elastosis on H&E and EVG was strong (Kappa coefficient = 0.858). Using EVG, absent elastosis, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 were observed in 12.5%, 37.5%, 30.0%, and 20.0%, respectively. A statistically significant relationship between high elastosis and ER positivity (p = 0.015) and negative HER2/neu receptor (p = 0.045) was observed. No statistically significant relationship between elastosis and other entities, including menopausal status, tumor type and grade, PR, Ki-67, and prognosis. The sensitivity and specificity of quantifying elastosis on H&E stained sections compared to EVG stain (the gold standard) were 68.75% and 96.88%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Elastosis occurrence varies in different breast cancer populations. Elastosis can be considered a surrogate marker for estrogen positivity and HER2/neu negativity in breast cancer patients. In addition, H&E stain is considered an accurate method for quantifying elastosis compared to the EVG staining method.

[Consensus recommendations for the clinical application of CDK4/6 inhibitors in patients with hormone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative advanced breast cancer].

The introduction of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitors has revolutionized the clinical management paradigm of hormone receptor (HR) positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) 2 negative breast cancer. As of today, CDK 4/6 inhibitors including Palbociclib, Ribociclib, and Abemaciclib have been widely approved by regulatory agencies. Randomized clinical trials demonstrated that CDK 4/6 inhibitors in combination with an aromatase inhibitor (AI) or fulvestrant in the first-, second- or later-line setting for HR positive/HER2 negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer led to substantial reduction in the risk of disease progression or death. Adverse effects of treatment were manageable and as or better than expected in terms of patient satisfaction. Considering CDK4/6 inhibitors in combination with endocrine therapy being a novel approach in China clinical practice, the panel developed the consensus comprehensively describing the pharmacology properties, monitoring strategy during treatment and adverse events management, to facilitate greater understanding in Chinese oncologists of a whole new therapeutic class of drug, promote accuracy of clinical decision and help reach the ultimate goal of improving survival and quality of life of the target patient population.

Liuwei Dihuang formula protect endothelial cells from apoptosis by up-regulating expression of estrogen receptor-α.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of Liuwei Dihuang formula ( LWDHF) on endothelial cells, and to study the mechanism behind the action of modulating expression of estrogen receptors. METHODS: Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was applied to induce the apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The concentration of nitric oxide (NO), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and inducible NOS (iNOS) were measured by assay kits. Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect the expression of iNOS, eNOS, b-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), estrogen receptor (ER) α and ERß. Also, small interfering RNA (siRNA) was involved to confirm whether the protective effects of LWDHF was medicated by ERs. In vivo, the female rats were ovariectomized to establish postmenopausal vascular injury model. Then the model rats were divided into three groups and treated with saline, estradiol and LWDHF respectively. The concentration of NO and NOS in serum were measured by assay kits, and the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, ERα and ERß were detected by western blot and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In vitro study, LWDHF significantly protected HUVECs from H2O2-induced apoptosis, with the increase of Bcl-2 and the decrease of Bax. The treatment with LWDHF inhibited concentration of NO and iNOS, and upregulated the expression of eNOS, ERα and ERß. In addition, ERα siRNA could block the protective effects of LWDHF, while ERß siRNA showed little influence. In vivo, the treatment with LWDHF suppressed the vascular injury and reduced the level of NO and NOS. LWDHF increased the expression of Bcl-2, ERα and ERß, as well as inhibiting the Bax expression. CONCLUSION: LWDHF could improve endothelial function and protect HUVECs from apoptosis via increasing the expression of ERα.

Immunohistochemical and clinicopathologic features of estrogen receptor-negative, progesterone receptor-positive, HER-2 negative breast carcinomas

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Currently, there is an ongoing debate whether progesterone receptor positive and estrogen receptor negative breast carcinomas represent a true distinct subtype of tumor or a mere immunohistochemical artifact. In this study, we conducted an immunohistochemistry panel with the antibodies TFF1, EGFR, and CK5 to reclassify this phenotype in a luminal or basal-like subtype. METHODS: Tumors estrogen receptor -/progesterone receptor +, Her-2 - from a large population of breast cancer patients were selected to be studied. Immunohistochemistry with the antibodies TFF1, EGFR, and CK5 was performed. Tumors showing positivity for TFF1, regardless of EGFR and CK5 results, were classified as luminal-like carcinomas. Those lesions that were negative for TFF1, but were positive for EGFR and/or CK5, were classified as basal-like triple-negative carcinomas. When the three markers were negative, tumors were classified as undetermined. Clinical pathologic characteristics of patients and tumor recurrence were evaluated. RESULTS: Out of 1188 breast carcinomas investigated, 30 cases (2.5%) presented the estrogen receptor -/progesterone receptor +/HER2- phenotype. Of them, 27 tumors (90%) were classified as basal-like triple-negative carcinomas, one as luminal-like (3.3%), and two as undetermined tumors (6.7%). The mean follow-up for the study group was 27.7 (2.7 to 50) months. Out of the 26 patients, 6 had cancer recurrence: 2 local and 4 systemic recurrences. The average time for recurrence was 17 (8 to 38) months. CONCLUSION: Estrogen receptor -/progesterone receptor +/tumors exhibit aggressive behavior, similar to triple-negative tumors. An appropriate categorization of these tumors should be made to improve their therapeutic management.

Prediction of breast cancer molecular subtypes on DCE-MRI using convolutional neural network with transfer learning between two centers.

OBJECTIVES: To apply deep learning algorithms using a conventional convolutional neural network (CNN) and a recurrent CNN to differentiate three breast cancer molecular subtypes on MRI. METHODS: A total of 244 patients were analyzed, 99 in training dataset scanned at 1.5 T and 83 in testing-1 and 62 in testing-2 scanned at 3 T. Patients were classified into 3 subtypes based on hormonal receptor (HR) and HER2 receptor: (HR+/HER2-), HER2+, and triple negative (TN). Only images acquired in the DCE sequence were used in the analysis. The smallest bounding box covering tumor ROI was used as the input for deep learning to develop the model in the training dataset, by using a conventional CNN and the convolutional long short-term memory (CLSTM). Then, transfer learning was applied to re-tune the model using testing-1(2) and evaluated in testing-2(1). RESULTS: In the training dataset, the mean accuracy evaluated using tenfold cross-validation was higher by using CLSTM (0.91) than by using CNN (0.79). When the developed model was applied to the independent testing datasets, the accuracy was 0.4-0.5. With transfer learning by re-tuning parameters in testing-1, the mean accuracy reached 0.91 by CNN and 0.83 by CLSTM, and improved accuracy in testing-2 from 0.47 to 0.78 by CNN and from 0.39 to 0.74 by CLSTM. Overall, transfer learning could improve the classification accuracy by greater than 30%. CONCLUSIONS: The recurrent network using CLSTM could track changes in signal intensity during DCE acquisition, and achieved a higher accuracy compared with conventional CNN during training. For datasets acquired using different settings, transfer learning can be applied to re-tune the model and improve accuracy. KEY POINTS: • Deep learning can be applied to differentiate breast cancer molecular subtypes. • The recurrent neural network using CLSTM could track the change of signal intensity in DCE images, and achieved a higher accuracy compared with conventional CNN during training. • For datasets acquired using different scanners with different imaging protocols, transfer learning provided an efficient method to re-tune the classification model and improve accuracy.

Analysis of the correlation of PELP1/MNAR expression with expressions of estrogen receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, Ki-67 and PIK3CA gene mutation in invasive breast cancer / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To investigate the correlation of PELP1/MNAR expression with expressions of estrogen receptor (ER), Ki-67, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and PIK3CA gene mutation.Methods:A total of 80 paraffin-embedded tissue specimens of primary invasive breast cancer patients in the Fifth People's Hospital of Datong in Shanxi Province from January 2008 to December 2018 were collected. The expression of PELP1/MNAR was examined by immunohistochemistry EliVision tow-step method. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-Sanger sequencing method was used to detect the mutation of PIK3CA gene. The expressions of PELP1/MNAR among patients with different expression status of ER, Ki-67, HER2 and with or without PIK3CA gene mutation were compared, and the correlations between each index and the expression of PELP1/MNAR were analyzed.Results:The high expression rates of PELP1/MNAR protein in patients with ER-positive [86.1% (31/36) vs. 59.1% (26/44)], Ki-67 high expression [100.0% (13/13) vs. 65.7% (44/67)], HER2-positive [81.0% (34/42) vs. 60.5% (23/38)] were high, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the high expression rate of PELP1/MNAR protein between patients with mutant and wild-type PIK3CA [60.0% (12/20) vs. 75.0% (45/60), P = 0.199]. The expression of PELP1/MNAR was negatively correlated with the expression level of ER ( r = -0.195, P < 0.05), positively correlated with the expression level of Ki-67 ( r = 0.198, P < 0.05), positively correlated with the expression level of HER2 ( r = 0.225, P < 0.05), and negatively correlated with lymph node metastasis ( r = -0.269, P < 0.05). Conclusions:The expression of PELP1/MNAR in invasive breast cancer is negatively correlated with the expression level of ER, and positively correlated with the expression level of Ki-67 and HER2. There is no correlation between PELP1/MNAR expression and PIK3CA gene mutation, and the two may play their own role in the PI3K-AKT-mTOR regulatory pathway of breast cancer.

Consensus recommendations for the clinical application of CDK4/6 inhibitors in patients with hormone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative advanced breast cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

The introduction of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitors has revolutionized the clinical management paradigm of hormone receptor (HR) positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) 2 negative breast cancer. As of today, CDK 4/6 inhibitors including Palbociclib, Ribociclib, and Abemaciclib have been widely approved by regulatory agencies. Randomized clinical trials demonstrated that CDK 4/6 inhibitors in combination with an aromatase inhibitor (AI) or fulvestrant in the first-, second- or later-line setting for HR positive/HER2 negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer led to substantial reduction in the risk of disease progression or death. Adverse effects of treatment were manageable and as or better than expected in terms of patient satisfaction. Considering CDK4/6 inhibitors in combination with endocrine therapy being a novel approach in China clinical practice, the panel developed the consensus comprehensively describing the pharmacology properties, monitoring strategy during treatment and adverse events management, to facilitate greater understanding in Chinese oncologists of a whole new therapeutic class of drug, promote accuracy of clinical decision and help reach the ultimate goal of improving survival and quality of life of the target patient population.

Mechanism of action of estrogen and its receptor in the development and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease / 临床肝胆病杂志

The incidence rate of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has increased sharply, and there is still a lack of effective pharmacotherapy at present. Although great achievements have been made in the research on the pathogenesis of NAFLD, we still do not know enough about the gender differences of NAFLD. As an important sex hormone, estrogen affects the development and progression of NAFLD by regulating mood and energy homeostasis, adipose tissue function and distribution, inflammatory response, insulin resistance, liver fat accumulation, and liver immunity. An adequate understanding of the mechanism of action of estrogen and its receptor in NAFLD may provide new ideas for the treatment of NAFLD.