Background: Breast density is an important risk factor for breast cancer and is known to be associated with characteristics such as age, race, and hormone levels; however, it is unclear what factors contribute to changes in breast density in postmenopausal women over time. Understanding factors associated with density changes may enable a better understanding of breast cancer risk and facilitate potential strategies for prevention.
Methods: This study investigated potential associations between personal factors and changes in mammographic density in a cohort of 3,392 postmenopausal women with no personal history of breast cancer between 2011 and 2017. Self-reported information on demographics, breast and reproductive history, and lifestyle factors, including body mass index (BMI), alcohol intake, smoking, and physical activity, was collected by an electronic intake form, and breast imaging reporting and database system (BI-RADS) mammographic density scores were obtained from electronic medical records. Factors associated with a longitudinal increase or decrease in mammographic density were identified using Fisher's exact test and multivariate conditional logistic regression.
Results: 7.9% of women exhibited a longitudinal decrease in mammographic density, 6.7% exhibited an increase, and 85.4% exhibited no change. Longitudinal changes in mammographic density were correlated with age, race/ethnicity, and age at menopause in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, Asian women were more likely to exhibit a longitudinal increase in mammographic density and less likely to exhibit a decrease compared to White women. On the other hand, obese women were less likely to exhibit an increase and more likely to exhibit a decrease compared to normal weight women. Women who underwent menopause at age 55 years or older were less likely to exhibit a decrease in mammographic density compared to women who underwent menopause at a younger age. Besides obesity, lifestyle factors (alcohol intake, smoking, and physical activity) were not associated with longitudinal changes in mammographic density.
Conclusions: The associations we observed between Asian race/obesity and longitudinal changes in BI-RADS density in postmenopausal women are paradoxical in that breast cancer risk is lower in Asian women and higher in obese women. However, the association between later age at menopause and a decreased likelihood of decreasing in BI-RADS density over time is consistent with later age at menopause being a risk factor for breast cancer and suggests a potential relationship between greater cumulative lifetime estrogen exposure and relative stability in breast density after menopause. Our findings support the complexity of the relationships between breast density, BMI, hormone exposure, and breast cancer risk.
Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis is a rare and benign disease that primarily affects young women of reproductive age. Various factors have been suggested as possible causes, including pregnancy, breastfeeding, history of taking birth control pills, hyperprolactinemia, smoking, and history of trauma. Due to unknown etiology, opinions on its treatment have varied, resulting in differing recurrence rates and side effects. Therefore, conducting a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis can aid in understanding the causes and recurrence of the disease, thereby assisting in the selection of effective treatment and improving the quality of life. A systematic literature review was conducted using predefined search terms to identify eligible studies related to risk factors and recurrence up to June 2022 from electronic databases. Data were extracted and subjected to meta-analysis when applicable. A total of 71 studies with 4735 patients were included. The mean age of the patients was 34.98 years, and the average mass size was 4.64 cm. About 3749 of these patients (79.17%) were Caucasian. Patients who mentioned a history of pregnancy were 92.65% with 76.57%, 22.7%, and 19.7% having a history of breastfeeding, taking contraceptive pills, and high prolactin levels, respectively. Around 5.6% of patients had previous trauma. The overall recurrence rate was 17.18%, with recurrence rates for treatments as follows: surgery (22.5%), immunosuppressive treatment (14.7%), combined treatment (14.9%), antibiotic treatment (6.74%), and observation (9.4%). Only antibiotic and expectant treatments had significant differences in recurrence rates compared to other treatments (p value = 0.023). In conclusion, factors such as Caucasian race, pregnancy and breastfeeding history, and use of contraceptive hormone are commonly associated with the disease recurrence. Treatment should be tailored based on symptom severity and patient preference, with surgery or immunosuppressive options for recurrence.
Background: Patients often ask about the time taken to return to activities of daily living (ADLs) after breast surgery, but there is a lack of data to give accurate guidance. We aimed to assess the feasibility of a study to determine the time taken to return to ADLs after mastectomy with or without breast reconstruction.
Materials and methods: A prospective multicentre, self-reported questionnaire-based feasibility study of women who had undergone mastectomy ± reconstruction was performed, between Jan 2017 and Dec 2019. Women were asked to self-report when they returned to 15 ADLs with a 5-option time scale for "return to activity."
Results: The questionnaire was returned by 42 patients (median [range] age: 64 [31-84]). Of these, 22 had simple mastectomy, seven mastectomy and implant reconstruction, seven mastectomy and autologous reconstruction (DIEP), and six did not specify. Overall, over 90% could manage stairs and brush hair by two weeks and 84% could get in and out of the bath by four weeks. By 1-2 months, 92% could do their own shopping and 86% could drive. 68% of women employed returned to work within four months. Compared to simple mastectomy, patients undergoing reconstruction took a longer time to return to getting in/out of bath (<2 vs. 2-4 weeks), vacuuming (2-4 weeks vs. 1-2 months), and fitness (1-2 vs. 3-4 months). There was a slower return to shopping (1-2 months vs. 2-4 weeks), driving and work (both 3-4 vs. 1-2 months), and sports (3-4 vs. 1-2 months) in autologous reconstruction compared to implant reconstruction.
Conclusion: This study is feasible. It highlights slower return to specific activities (particularly strength-based) in reconstruction patients, slower in autologous compared with implant reconstruction. The impact on return to ADLs should be discussed as part of the preoperative counselling as it will inform patients and help guide their decision making. A larger study is required to confirm these results.
Purpose: To evaluate the prognosis of patients with benign phyllodes tumors (PTs) treated by different surgical methods and to explore the influencing factors of local recurrence.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 215 benign PTs from 193 patients who underwent surgery at Chinese PLA General Hospital between October 2008 and December 2020. We stratified our analysis according to surgical factors and explored the clinicopathological factors to influence local recurrence.
Results: Among 193 patients, a total of 17 (8.8%, 17/193) recurred during follow-up. There were 89 patients in the US-VAE group, of whom 6 (6.7%) recurred; 8 of 57 patients (14%) in the local lumpectomy group recurred, while 3 of 47 patients (6.4%) in the extended lumpectomy group recurred (P=0.252). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that tumor diameter, mitosis, and history of breast myoma were independent risk factors for tumor recurrence (P=0.005, P=0.006, and P=0.004, respectively). The intraoperative blood loss, operation time, and scar length of the US-VAE group were shorter than those of the other two groups (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Negative surgical margins of benign PTs can obtain similar prognosis as negative surgical margins >10 mm. Therefore, we recommend that a follow-up observation policy be adopted for patients with unexpected benign PTs, rather than unnecessary open surgical resection. Patients' maximum tumor diameter, mitosis, and fibroadenoma history were independent predictors for recurrence of benign PTs.
Objective: This study aimed to explore the roles and mechanisms of lncRNA FAM225B and PDIA4 in ovarian cancer.
Methods: RT-qPCR and Western blot assays were performed to detect the expression levels of the lncRNAs FAM225B, DDX17, and PDIA4 in the serum of patients with ovarian cancer and cell lines. Cells were transfected with lncRNA FAM225B- and PDIA4-related vectors to determine the malignant phenotypes using functional experiments. The mutual binding of lncRNA FAM225B and DDX17 was verified using RNA pull-down and RIP assays.
Results: The expression of lncRNAs FAM225B and PDIA4 was decreased in the serum of patients with ovarian cancer and cell lines. Restoration of lncRNA FAM225B or PDIA4 reduced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities and elevated the apoptosis rate, whereas suppression of lncRNA FAM225B or PDIA4 exhibited an inverse trend. RNA pull-down and RIP assays revealed a direct interaction between lncRNA FAM225B and DDX17. ChIP assay revealed a relationship between DDX17 and the PDIA4 promoter. LncRNA FAM225B and DDX17 positively regulate PDIA4 expression. Downregulation of PDIA4 expression counteracts the suppressive effect of lncRNA FAM225B overexpression in ovarian cancer cells.
Conclusion: This research study supports the fact that lncRNA FAM225B in ovarian cancer can upregulate PDIA4 by directly binding to DDX17, inhibiting the activities of ovarian cancer cells.
Tamoxifen is a drug used for treating breast cancer (BC), especially for individuals diagnosed with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) BC. Its prolonged use could reduce the risk of recurrence and significantly lengthen the survival rate of BC patients. However, an increasing number of patients developed resistance to tamoxifen treatment, which reduced therapeutic efficiency and caused substandard prognosis. Therefore, the exploration of the molecular processes involved in tamoxifen resistance (TR) is urgently required. This investigation aimed to elucidate the relationship of microRNA-330 (miR-330-3p) with the TR of BC. There is little information on miR-330-3p's link with drug-resistant BC, although it is well known to regulate cell proliferation and apoptosis. Primarily, miR-330-3p expression in parental BC (MCF7/T47D), TR (MCF7-TR), and T47D/TR cell lines was detected by qRT-PCR. Then, the impact of miR-330-3p on the TR of BC cells was assessed by a cell proliferation assay. Lastly, dual-luciferase reporter, qRT-PCR, and western blot assessments were carried out to identify histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) as the potential miR-330-3p target gene. The data indicated that miRNA-330 was overexpressed in TR ER+ BC cells and its overexpression could induce TR. Furthermore, miRNA-330 could also reduce the expression of HDAC4, which is closely linked to TR, and overexpression of HDAC4 could reverse miRNA-330-induced drug resistance. In summary, miR-330-3p could induce TR of ER+ BC cells by downregulating HDAC4 expression, which might be a novel marker of TR and a possible treatment target against BC patients who are tamoxifen-resistant.
Introduction: Recent trials demonstrated clinically significant benefits in HER2-nonamplified breast cancer with HER2-low expression using novel anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugates. Thus, HER2-low breast cancer was proposed as a separate diagnostic entity. Herein, we reclassify HER2-negative cancers according to the new HER2-low category using a modified system and further investigate HER2-very-low expression.
Methods: 114 HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC)-negative invasive breast tumors were identified from the pathology database of Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, between January 2019 and August 2022. Two blinded breast pathologists (BP) independently rescored HER2 IHC slides at 200x and 400x magnification. Discordant cases between the two BPs were rescored together. The most recent 2018 ASCO/CAP HER2 scoring criteria were used. HER2 (0) was subdivided into HER2 (absent) and HER2 (very low). HER2 FISH testing was performed in all cases.
Results: The cohort comprised of 38 (33.3%) HER2 (0) and 76 (66.7%) HER2 (1+) tumors. The first round of rescoring at 200x and 400x magnification resulted in 17 (14.9%) HER2 (absent), 31 (27.2%) HER2 (very low), and 64 (56.2%) HER2 (1+) and 2 (1.8%) HER2 (2+) tumors by BP1 and 20 (17.5%) HER2 (absent), 33 (28.9%) HER2 (very low), and 61 (53.5%) HER2 (1+) tumors by BP2. The combined final rescoring by BP1 and BP2 was as follows: 15 (13.2%) HER2 (absent), 35 (30.7%) HER2 (very low), 63 (55.3%) HER2 (1+), and 1 (0.9%) HER2 (2+) cases. A comparison of the first round of rescoring between two BPs showed substantial agreement with Cohen's kappa value of 0.67. Both comparisons of first rescoring by BP1 and by BP2 to combined final rescoring showed almost perfect agreement with Cohen's kappa value of 0.83.Follow-up FISH studies showed one amplified tumor.
Conclusion: Our data support the need for finer granularity, classification, and understanding of HER2-low breast cancers. We also show that reproducibility between trained BP can be obtained, albeit with scoring at high power and low threshold for showing challenging interpretations.