Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) for breast cancer surveillance in patients with dense breast tissue and a personal history of breast cancer.
Methods: In this single-center retrospective study, we reviewed consecutive CEM surveillance examinations performed between April 2022 and April 2025 in asymptomatic patients with a personal history of breast cancer and dense breasts. BI-RADS classifications, lesion characteristics, follow-up imaging, and histopathology were reviewed. Sensitivity, specificity, cancer detection rate (CDR), positive predictive values (PPV), and negative predictive values (NPV) were calculated using biopsy or at least 12 months imaging follow-up as reference standards.
Results: A total of 176 patients underwent 376 CEM studies. Of the initial exams, 29.5% of patients (52 of 176) were classified as positive (BI-RADS 3 or 4; no BI-RADS 5 cases), with a CDR of 34 per 1000 exams. Sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 72.9%, respectively, with a PPV 1 of 11.5% and NPV of 100%. Over the study period, 39 biopsies yielded 8 malignancies in 7 patients, corresponding to a PPV3 of 20.5%. Three of the eight CEM-detected cancers (37.5%) were visible only on recombined images. Palpable axillary recurrences in two patients were outside the CEM field of view. One mild contrast reaction was recorded.
Conclusion: Although recall rates were higher than in prior studies, CEM demonstrated high sensitivity and NPV and substantial CDR; all of which were early-stage, node-negative cancers. These findings support broader consideration of CEM in intermediate- to high-risk surveillance settings, particularly where access to MRI is limited.
Background: Whether axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) can be safely omitted clinically node-negative (cN0) breast cancer with limited sentinel lymph (SLN) metastasis remains uncertain, particularly after mastectomy.
Methods: This retrospective cohort included women with T1-T2 cN0 breast cancer and positive SLN between 2015 and 2020. Patents underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) alone or ALND. Propensity score matching (1:1, nearest neighbor, caliper 0.02 on logit) balanced age, T stage, tumor grade, vascular invasion, number of positive SLNs, ER/PR/HER2, Ki-67, surgery type, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression estimated overall survival (OS) recurrence-free survival (RFS).
Results: Of 1244 patients screened, 1038 were analyzed (577 ALND, 461 SLNB alone; median follow-up 68 months), After matching (283 pairs), 5-year OS was 97.1% (95% CI, 95.0-99.3) for ALND and 96.1% (93.8-98.5) for SLNB alone. Five-year RFS was 96.8% (94.7-99.0) versus 97.0% (94.9-99.0). No statistically significant difference was found in OS (HR, 1.14, 95% CI, 0.51-2.54, P = .75) and RFS (HR, 0.86, 95% CI, 0.36-2.05, P = .74) between the ALND and SLNB alone. Findings were consistent among patients with 1 to 3 positive SLNs, regardless of surgery type. All 22 patients with 4 to 6 positive SLNs underwent ALND, precluding comparison.
Conclusion: In cN0 breast cancer patients with 1 to 3 positive SLNs, omitting ALND did not compromise OS or RFS after mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery. These results support broader application of de-escalated axillary surgery while prospective validation for higher nodal burden remains necessary.
Purpose: To assess whether lobular histology independently predicts sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) positivity in early-stage clinically node-negative (cN0) breast cancer (BC), to identify other predictive factors of SLNB positivity, and to evaluate the diagnostic performance of preoperative axillary imaging. The cumulative incidence of local and distant recurrences were also evaluated.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 661 patients with early-stage, cN0 BC undergoing surgery with SLNB. Clinical, pathological, and radiological data were assessed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of SLNB positivity. The cumulative incidence of axillary and distant recurrences were calculated including only patients with at least 2 years follow up, for a total of 495 patients.
Results: ILC was present in 16.9% of cases. SLNB positivity occurred in 16.1% of invasive lobular cancers (ILC) and 20% of nonspecial type tumors (NST) (P = .3). No significant differences in axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) rates or nodal upstaging were found between histologies. Tumor size > 20 mm and vascular invasion were independent predictors of SLNB positivity. Axillary ultrasound and magnetic resonance (MRI) showed high specificity (95% and 79%) and negative predictive value (80% and 98%) in identifying node-negative patients. No axillary recurrences occurred after a median follow-up of 49.3 months.
Conclusions: ILC does not independently predict SLNB positivity or nodal upstaging. Tumor size and vascular invasion remain the strongest predictors. Axillary ultrasound and MRI are reliable tools to guide de-escalation. SLNB omission in well-selected cN0 patients, including those with ILC, may be considered in tailored and selected patients.
Background: Breast cancer remains a significant health issue, with a persistent annual increase in incidence rates and high mortality. MYC, a critical transcription factor, is often dysregulated in breast cancer, driving tumor progression. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as key regulators in cancer, influencing gene expression through various mechanisms. This study investigates the role of lncRNAs in mediating MYC function and their impact on breast cancer progression.
Methods: We analyzed 1212 breast cancer samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to identify lncRNAs related to MYC targets. The expression levels of lncRNAs were correlated with MYC-TARGET scores to develop a prognostic model. Functional studies were performed on LINC00511, a key lncRNA identified in the model, to elucidate its role in breast cancer progression. RNA Immunoprecipitation (RIP), Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and Dual-Luciferase Reporter Gene Assay assays were used to validate interactions between LINC00511, MYC, and the target gene VASP (vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein).
Results: MYC-TARGET scores were significantly correlated with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. We identified 38 lncRNAs associated with MYC targets, and LINC00511 was selected for further analysis due to its high expression and correlation with poor prognosis. A prognostic model composed of 5 lncRNAs (including LINC00511) was developed, with a risk score that independently predicted patient outcomes . Functional experiments showed that LINC00511 promoted breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Mechanistically, LINC00511 interacted with MYC to upregulate VASP expression. VASP knockdown significantly reduced breast cancer cell proliferation and migration. Overexpression of MYC rescued the inhibitory effects of LINC00511 knockdown on VASP expression and cell invasion/migration.
Conclusions: LINC00511 promotes breast cancer progression by mediating MYC to regulate VASP expression. This study highlights the importance of lncRNAs in cancer transcriptional networks and identifies LINC00511 as a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer.

