The management of lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). Is LCIS the same as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)?

Lobular carcinoma in situ was first described over 60 years ago. Despite the long history, it continues to pose significant difficulties in screening, diagnosis, management and treatment. This is partly due its multi-focal and bilateral presentation, an incomplete understanding of its biology and natural history and perpetuation of misconceptions gathered over the last decades. In this review, the working group on behalf of EUSOMA has attempted to summarise the current thinking and management of this interesting lesion.

Evaluation of tumor angiogenesis of breast carcinoma using contrast-enhanced digital mammography.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to assess the accuracy of contrast-enhanced digital mammography in the detection of breast carcinoma and to correlate the findings on the images with those of histologic analysis using microvessel quantification. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with a suspicious breast abnormality underwent contrast-enhanced digital mammography using a full-field digital mammography unit that was modified to detect iodinated enhancement. For each patient, a total of six contrast-enhanced craniocaudal views were acquired from 30 seconds to 7 minutes after the injection of a bolus of 100 mL of an iodinated contrast agent. Image processing included a logarithmic subtraction and the analysis of enhancement kinetic curves. Contrast-enhanced digital mammography findings were compared with histologic analysis of surgical specimens, including intratumoral microvessel density quantification evaluated on CD34-immunostained histologic sections obtained from all patients. RESULTS: An area of enhancement was depicted on contrast-enhanced digital mammograms in 16 of the 20 histologically proven breast carcinomas. Excellent correlation was seen between the size of enhancement and the histologic size of tumors, which ranged from 9 to 22 mm. Early enhancement with washout was observed in four cases, early enhancement followed by a plateau in four cases, gradual enhancement in seven cases, and unexpected decrease of enhancement in one case. Intratumoral microvessel density ranged from 11.7 to 216.6 microvessels per square millimeter. A poor correlation was found between data measured on contrast-enhanced digital mammography and intratumoral microvessel density measured on CD34-immunostained histologic sections. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced digital mammography is able to depict angiogenesis in breast carcinoma. Breast compression and projective images acquisition alter the quantitative assessment of enhancement parameters.

Prognostic factors for death after an isolated local recurrence in patients with early-stage breast carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The authors analyzed the outcome of patients with early-stage breast carcinoma after an isolated local recurrence, taking into account initial tumor characteristics and the type of initial treatment and local salvage treatment. METHODS: One hundred five patients were studied who presented with a breast tumor measuring