Detecting early-stage breast cancer with GATA3-positive circulating tumor cells.

OBJECTIVE: This case demonstrated the possibility of using GATA3-positive circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to detect early-stage breast cancer (BrC). CASE REPORT: The 86 years old female patient received a mammographic examination with no evidence of malignancy (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, (BI-RADS category 2). However, CTC testing on the same day revealed four GATA3-positive CTCs in 4 ml of peripheral blood. Core needle biopsy was performed in the suspicious area even with no evidence of malignant image on breast ultrasound. Pathologic examination showed invasive carcinoma of no special type of the breast. The patient then received an oncoplastic partial mastectomy of right breast and sentinel lymph node biopsy. The surgical staging was cT1N0M0. Post-operation follow-up examination showed absence of GATA3-positive CTCs and the presence of HER2/ER positive CTCs. CONCLUSION: The role of GATA3-positive CTCs as a potential biomarker for early-stage BrC should be explored.

Multi-center study on patient selection for and the oncologic safety of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) with the Xoft Axxent® eBx® System for the management of early stage breast cancer in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: In this multi-center study, we report the patient selection criteria for and preliminary oncologic outcomes associated with intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) delivered by the Xoft Axxent® eBx® system for early-stage breast cancer in Taiwan. METHODS: Patients with early breast cancer in Taiwan received breast conserving surgery and received IORT with Xoft Axxent® eBx® System during 2013-2015 was search from database of Taiwan IORT study cooperative group (T-IORTSCG). Patients' clinicopathologic characteristics and early post-operative results were collected and reported. RESULTS: During the study period, 26 hospitals in Taiwan performed a total of 261 Xoft IORT procedures for breast cancer. The mean age of them was 52.9 ± 9.8 years (37-72), and tumor size was 1.5 ± 0.8 cm (0.1-4.2 cm) for invasive cancer and 1.2 ± 0.8 cm (range, 0.2-3.0 cm) for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) lesions. Lymph node metastasis was found in 6 (2.3%) patients. The patients received IORT in Taiwan differed markedly from those used in the ELIOT and TARGIT-A studies. Specifically, patients selected for IORT in Taiwan tended to be younger, their tumors tended to be larger and the prevalence of lymph node metastasis tended to be lower. Among these 261 patients, 8 (3.1%) patients required whole breast radiotherapy. During a mean follow up of 15.6 months, locoregional recurrence was observed in 2 (0.8%) patients. CONCLUSION: In real world experience, patients received IORT differed quite significantly with criteria formulated by trials. The preliminary results of IORT in Taiwan showed it is well acceptable by patients and clinicians.

Acute abdomen due to torsion of a pelvic wandering spleen.

Wandering spleen is a rare entity characterized by incomplete fixation of the spleen by lienorenal and gastrosplenic ligaments. Wandering spleen can migrate to the lower abdomen or pelvis, and can be either congenital or acquired. It is most commonly found in women of reproductive age, and may be misdiagnosed as an abdominal or adnexal mass. It is usually asymptomatic, but may present with acute, chronic, or intermittent abdominal pain. Here, we report a case of torsion of a huge congenital pelvic wandering spleen and microscopic isolated pancreatic tissue (disconnected from the pancreas) with impending splenic rupture in a 23-year-old female patient. Progressively severe chronic or intermittent torsion of the vascular pedicle of the wandering spleen caused progressive intermittent lower abdominal pain. The patient underwent splenectomy with resection of the long pedicle and the postoperative course was uneventful. The pathognomonic computerized tomography features of this case, including absence of the spleen in the left upper quadrant and the presence of a whirl-like structure running down to the central portion of the distally located large soft-tissue mass and with a notched- (hilar-) like contour, are also described.