Metadherin Regulates Inflammatory Breast Cancer Invasion and Metastasis.

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is one of the most lethal subtypes of breast cancer (BC), accounting for approximately 1-5% of all cases of BC. Challenges in IBC include accurate and early diagnosis and the development of effective targeted therapies. Our previous studies identified the overexpression of metadherin (MTDH) in the plasma membrane of IBC cells, further confirmed in patient tissues. MTDH has been found to play a role in signaling pathways related to cancer. However, its mechanism of action in the progression of IBC remains unknown. To evaluate the function of MTDH, SUM-149 and SUM-190 IBC cells were edited with CRISPR/Cas9 vectors for in vitro characterization studies and used in mouse IBC xenografts. Our results demonstrate that the absence of MTDH significantly reduces IBC cell migration, proliferation, tumor spheroid formation, and the expression of NF-κB and STAT3 signaling molecules, which are crucial oncogenic pathways in IBC. Furthermore, IBC xenografts showed significant differences in tumor growth patterns, and lung tissue revealed epithelial-like cells in 43% of wild-type (WT) compared to 29% of CRISPR xenografts. Our study emphasizes the role of MTDH as a potential therapeutic target for the progression of IBC.

Robotic-assisted salvage supraglottic laryngectomy.

Traditional open surgery has historically been the standard approach to treating many head and neck conditions. The introduction of the first robot into the surgical world in 1985 has been a keystone in the development of minimally invasive surgical (MIS) techniques. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) is a minimally invasive technique used for the treatment of head and neck pathologies, including benign and malignant lesions. When performed in select patients, TORS offers low post-operative morbidity, along with very few functional and cosmetic compromises. Herein, we present the first TORS supraglottic partial laryngectomy performed in Puerto Rico or in any region in Latin America. A 68-year-old male who had previously undergone radiation therapy presented with hoarseness and weight loss. A suspension microlaryngoscopy showed a lesion of the left false vocal cord; a biopsy was performed. The patient was diagnosed with a supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma (T2N0M0); the tumor was completely excised using TORS. No post-operative complications occurred.