A Novel Pathogenic BRCA1 Splicing Variant Produces Partial Intron Retention in the Mature Messenger RNA.

About 10% of all breast cancers arise from hereditary mutations that increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers; and about 25% of these are associated with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. The identification of BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations can enable physicians to better tailor the clinical management of patients; and to initiate preventive measures in healthy carriers. The pathophysiological significance of newly identified variants poses challenges for genetic counseling. We characterized a new BRCA1 variant discovered in a breast cancer patient during BRCA1/2 screening by next-generation sequencing. Bioinformatic predictions; indicating that the variant is probably pathogenetic; were verified using retro-transcription of the patient's RNA followed by PCR amplifications performed on the resulting cDNA. The variant causes the loss of a canonic donor splice site at position +2 in BRCA1 intron 21; and consequently the partial retention of 156 bp of intron 21 in the patient's transcript; which demonstrates that this novel BRCA1 mutation plays a pathogenetic role in breast cancer. These findings enabled us to initiate appropriate counseling and to tailor the clinical management of this family. Lastly; these data reinforce the importance of studying the effects of sequence variants at the RNA level to verify their potential role in disease onset.

Anthropometric, metabolic and molecular determinants of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression in luminal B breast cancer.

Genomic and trascriptomic profiling has recently contributed details to the characterization of luminal B breast cancer. We explored the contribution of anthropometric, metabolic, and molecular determinants to the multifaceted heterogeneity of this breast cancer subtype, with a specific focus on the association between body mass index (BMI), pre-treatment fasting glucose, hormone receptors, and expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Extensively annotated specimens were obtained from 154 women with luminal B breast cancer diagnosed at two Italian comprehensive cancer centres. Participants' characteristics were descriptively analyzed overall and by HER2 status (positive vs. negative). BMI (<25 vs ≥25), pre-treatment fasting glucose (

Addressing Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome in Cancer Patients, from Visceral Obesity and Myosteatosis to Systemic Inflammation: Implications in Cardio-Onco-Metabolism.

Cardiovascular disease and cancer are the two leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. The emerging field of cardio-oncology described several shared risk factors that predispose patients to both cardiovascular disease and cancer. Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome is a chronic condition that occurs in many patients who have experienced a SARS-CoV-2 infection, mainly based on chronic fatigue, sedentary lifestyle, cramps, breathing difficulties, and reduced lung performance. Post-acute COVID-19 exposes patients to increased visceral adiposity, insulin resistance, myosteatosis, and white adipose tissue content (surrounded by M1 macrophages and characterized by a Th1/Th17 phenotype), which increases the risk of cardiovascular mortality and cancer recurrence. In this review, the main metabolic affections of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome in cancer patients at low and high risk of cardiomyopathies will be summarized. Furthermore, several non-pharmacological strategies aimed at reducing atherosclerotic and cardiac risk will be provided, especially through anti-inflammatory nutrition with a low insulin and glycemic index, appropriate physical activity, and immune-modulating bioactivities able to reduce visceral obesity and myosteatosis, improving insulin-related signaling and myocardial metabolism.

Molecular profiles of screen detected vs. symptomatic breast cancer and their impact on survival: results from a clinical series.

BACKGROUND: Stage shift is widely considered a major determinant of the survival benefit conferred by breast cancer screening. However, factors and mechanisms underlying such a prognostic advantage need further clarification. We sought to compare the molecular characteristics of screen detected vs. symptomatic breast cancers and assess whether differences in tumour biology might translate into survival benefit. METHODS: In a clinical series of 448 women with operable breast cancer, the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test were used to estimate the likelihood of cancer recurrence and death. The Cox proportional hazard model was used for the multivariate analyses including mode of detection, age at diagnosis, tumour size, and lymph node status. These same models were applied to subgroups defined by molecular subtypes. RESULTS: Screen detected breast cancers tended to show more favourable clinicopathological features and survival outcomes compared to symptomatic cancers. The luminal A subtype was more common in women with mammography detected tumours than in symptomatic patients (68.5 vs. 59.0%, p=0.04). Data analysis across categories of molecular subtypes revealed significantly longer disease free and overall survival for screen detected cancers with a luminal A subtype only (p=0.01 and 0.02, respectively). For women with a luminal A subtype, the independent prognostic role of mode of detection on recurrence was confirmed in Cox proportional hazard models (p=0.03). An independent role of modality of detection on survival was also suggested (p=0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Molecular subtypes did not substantially explain the differences in survival outcomes between screened and symptomatic patients. However, our results suggest that molecular profiles might play a role in interpreting such differences at least partially.Further studies are warranted to reinterpret the efficacy of screening programmes in the light of tumour biology.

Identification of Immune Cell Components in Breast Tissues by a Multiparametric Flow Cytometry Approach.

Immune cell components are able to infiltrate tumor tissues, and different reports described the presence of infiltrating immune cells (TILs) in several types of solid tumors, including breast cancer. The primary immune cell component cells are reported as a lymphocyte population mainly comprising the cytotoxic (CD8+) T cells, with varying proportions of helper (CD4+) T cells and CD19+ B cells, and rarely NK cells. In clinical practice, an expert pathologist commonly detects TILs areas in hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained histological slides via light microscopy. Moreover, other more in-depth approaches could be used to better define the immunological component associated with tumor tissues. Using a multiparametric flow cytometry approach, we have studied the immune cells obtained from breast tumor tissues compared to benign breast pathologies. A detailed evaluation of immune cell components was performed on 15 and 14 biopsies obtained from breast cancer and fibroadenoma subjects, respectively. The percentage of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes was significantly higher in breast cancer patients compared to patients with fibroadenoma. Infiltrating helper T lymphocytes were increased in the case of malignant breast lesions, while cytotoxic T lymphocytes disclosed an opposite trend. In addition, our data suggest that the synergistic effect of the presence/activation of NK cells and NKT cells, in line with the data in the literature, determines the dampening of the immune response. Moreover, the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio was calculated and was completely altered in patients with breast cancer. Our approach could be a potent prognostic factor to be used in diagnostic/therapeutic purposes for the improvement of breast cancer patients' management.

Effects on quality of life of weekly docetaxel-based chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer: results of a single-centre randomized phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate whether weekly schedules of docetaxel-based chemotherapy were superior to 3-weekly ones in terms of quality of life in locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer. METHODS: Patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer, aged ≤ 70 years, performance status 0-2, chemotherapy-naive for metastatic disease, were eligible. They were randomized to weekly or 3-weekly combination of docetaxel and epirubicin, if they were not treated with adjuvant anthracyclines, or docetaxel and capecitabine, if treated with adjuvant anthracyclines. Primary end-point was global quality of life change at 6-weeks, measured by EORTC QLQ-C30. With two-sided alpha 0.05 and 80% power for 35% effect size, 130 patients per arm were needed. RESULTS: From February 2004 to March 2008, 139 patients were randomized, 70 to weekly and 69 to 3-weekly arm; 129 and 89 patients filled baseline and 6-week questionnaires, respectively. Global quality of life was better in the 3-weekly arm (p = 0.03); patients treated with weekly schedules presented a significantly worsening in role functioning and financial scores (p = 0.02 and p < 0.001). Neutropenia and stomatitis were worse in the 3-weekly arm, where two toxic deaths were observed. Overall response rate was 39.1% and 33.3% in 3-weekly and weekly arms; hazard ratio of progression was 1.29 (95% CI: 0.84-1.97) and hazard ratio of death was 1.38 (95% CI: 0.82-2.30) in the weekly arm. CONCLUSIONS: In this trial, the weekly schedules of docetaxel-based chemotherapy appear to be inferior to the 3-weekly one in terms of quality of life in patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00540800.

Surgery of the chest wall for involvement by breast cancer.

Chest wall involvement by breast cancer remains a difficult clinical challenge that may occur at the time of the primary diagnosis or later as a result of locoregional breast cancer recurrence. A case-by-case multidisciplinary approach is strongly recommended, and a multimodality therapy should be always considered. Full-thickness resection of the chest wall can be done with acceptable morbidity and mortality, providing a good palliation and a better quality of life even to patients with poor prognosis. Moreover, in well-selected cases, chest wall resection results in locoregional control of disease and prolongation of life.

Weekly docetaxel versus CMF as adjuvant chemotherapy for elderly breast cancer patients: safety data from the multicentre phase 3 randomised ELDA trial.

Within an ongoing multicentre phase 3 randomised trial (ELDA, cancertrials.gov ID: NCT00331097), early breast cancer patients, 65-79 years old, with average to high risk of recurrence, are randomly assigned to receive CMF (cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2, methotrexate 40 mg/m2, fluorouracil 600 mg/m2, days 1-8) or docetaxel (35 mg/m2 days 1-8-15), every 4 weeks. Here we report an unplanned safety analysis prompted by an amendment introducing creatinine clearance as a tool to adjust methotrexate dose. Before such change, 101 patients with a median age of 70 were randomly assigned CMF (53 patients) or docetaxel (48 patients). At least one grades 3-4 toxic event of any type was reported in 40 (75.5%) and 19 (39.6%) patients with CMF and docetaxel, respectively (p=0.0002). Grades 3-4 hematological events were observed in 37 (69.8%) vs. 4 (8.3%) cases (p<0.0001) and grades 3-4 non-hematological toxicity in 12 (22.6%) vs. 15 (31.2%) patients (p=0.11), with CMF and docetaxel, respectively. A higher incidence of anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and febrile neutropenia was reported with CMF. Constipation, mucositis, nausea and vomiting were more common with CMF; diarrhoea, abdominal pain, dysgeusia, neuropathy and liver toxicity were more frequent with docetaxel. No significant interaction was found between the occurrence of severe toxicity and baseline variables, including creatinine clearance and geriatric activity scales. In conclusion, weekly docetaxel appears to be less toxic than CMF in terms of hematological toxicity.

Gail model risk factors: impact of adding an extended family history for breast cancer.

An approach commonly used in estimating breast cancer risk is the Gail model. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and impact of adding extended family history as a new breast cancer risk factor into the Gail model. The data of the present study include cases with breast cancer and hospitalized controls recruited in the National Cancer Institute of Naples (southern Italy) between 1997 and 2000. We compared the first-degree relative (FDR) risk factor (standard Gail model) with the second-degree relative (SDR) information; and the FDR risk factor (standard Gail model) with the combination of FDR and SDR. We computed the c-statistic by comparing the risks found in our population to those in Gail-US population. The concordance for the model with FDR was 0.55 (95% CI 0.53-0.58), the model with SDR shows a modest but significant discriminatory accuracy (0.56, 95% CI 0.53-0.59), and the combination of FDR+SDR gave the concordance statistic of 0.57 (95% CI 0.54-0.60), indicating a good comparison between the two models. The results of our study show that extended family history information could be useful to improve the discriminatory power of the Gail model risk factors.

FRA-1 protein overexpression is a feature of hyperplastic and neoplastic breast disorders.

BACKGROUND: Fos-related antigen 1 (FRA-1) is an immediate early gene encoding a member of AP-1 family of transcription factors involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and other biological processes. fra-1 gene overexpression has an important role in the process of cellular transformation, and our previous studies suggest FRA-1 protein detection as a useful tool for the diagnosis of thyroid neoplasias. Here we investigate the expression of the FRA-1 protein in benign and malignant breast tissues by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, RT-PCR and qPCR analysis, to evaluate its possible help in the diagnosis and prognosis of breast neoplastic diseases. METHODS: We investigate the expression of the FRA-1 protein in 70 breast carcinomas and 30 benign breast diseases by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, RT-PCR and qPCR analysis. RESULTS: FRA-1 protein was present in all of the carcinoma samples with an intense staining in the nucleus. Positive staining was also found in most of fibroadenomas, but in this case the staining was present both in the nucleus and cytoplasm, and the number of positive cells was lower than in carcinomas. Similar results were obtained from the analysis of breast hyperplasias, with no differences in FRA-1 expression level between typical and atypical breast lesions; however the FRA-1 protein localization is mainly nuclear in the atypical hyperplasias. In situ breast carcinomas showed a pattern of FRA-1 protein expression very similar to that observed in atypical hyperplasias. Conversely, no FRA-1 protein was detectable in 6 normal breast tissue samples used as controls. RT-PCR and qPCR analysis confirmed these results. Similar results were obtained analysing FRA-1 expression in fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) samples. CONCLUSION: The data shown here suggest that FRA-1 expression, including its intracellular localization, may be considered a useful marker for hyperplastic and neoplastic proliferative breast disorders.

Vinorelbine plus 3-weekly trastuzumab in metastatic breast cancer: a single-centre phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: After two studies reporting response rates higher than 70% in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer with weekly trastuzumab and vinorelbine, we planned a phase 2 study to test activity of the same combination, with trastuzumab given every 3 weeks. METHODS: Patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (3+ at immunohistochemistry or positive at fluorescence in situ hybridization), PS < or =2, normal left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and no more than one chemotherapy line for metastatic disease were eligible. Vinorelbine (30 mg/m2) was given on days 1 & 8 every 21 and trastuzumab (8 mg/kg day 1, then 6 mg/kg) every 21 days). A single-stage phase 2 design, with p0 = 0.45, p1 = 0.65, type I and II error = 0.10, was applied; 22 objective responses were required in 39 patients. RESULTS: From Nov 2002 to May 2005, 50 patients were enrolled, with a median age of 54 years (range 31-81). Among 40 patients eligible for response assessment, there were 7 complete and 13 partial responses (overall response rate 50%; 95% exact CI 33.8-66.2); 11 patients had disease stabilization, lasting more than 6 months in 10 cases. Response rate did not vary according to patients and tumor characteristics, type and amount of previous chemotherapy. Within the whole series, median progression-free survival was 9.6 months (95% CI 7.3-12.3), median overall survival 22.7 months (95% CI 19.5-NA). Fifteen patients (30%) developed brain metastases at a median time of 12 months (range 1-25). There was one toxic death due to renal failure in a patient receiving concomitant pamidronate. Twenty-three patients (46%) had grade 3-4 neutropenia, 2 (4%) grade 3 anemia, 4 (8%) febrile neutropenia. Two patients stopped treatment because of grade 2 decline of LVEF and one patient because of grade 2 liver toxicity concomitant with a grade 1 decline of LVEF. One patient stopped trastuzumab after 50 cycles because of grade 1 decline of LVEF. CONCLUSION: Although lower than in initial studies, activity of 3-weekly trastuzumab plus vinorelbine fell within the range of results reported with weekly schedules. Toxicity was prevalently manageable. This combination is safe and active for metastatic breast cancer patients who received adjuvant taxanes with anthracyclines.

Identification of cripto-1 as a novel serologic marker for breast and colon cancer.

PURPOSE: Human Cripto-1 (CR-1), a cell membrane glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored glycoprotein that can also be cleaved from the membrane, is expressed at high levels in several different types of human tumors. We evaluated whether CR-1 is present in the plasma of patients with breast and colon cancer, and if it can represent a new biomarker for these malignancies. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We determined CR-1 plasma levels using a sandwich-type ELISA in 21 healthy volunteers, 54 patients with breast cancer, 33 patients with colon carcinoma, and 21 patients with benign breast lesions. Immunohistochemical analysis was also used to assess CR-1 expression in cancerous tissues. RESULTS: Very low levels of CR-1 (mean+/-SD) were detected in the plasma of healthy volunteers (0.32+/-0.19 ng/mL). A statistically significant increase in the levels of plasma CR-1 was found in patients with colon carcinoma (4.68+/-3.5 ng/mL) and in patients with breast carcinoma (2.97+/-1.48 ng/mL; P<0.001). Although moderate levels of plasma CR-1 were found in women with benign lesions of the breast (1.7+/-0.99 ng/mL), these levels were significantly lower than in patients with breast cancer (P<0.001). Finally, immunohistochemical analysis and real-time reverse transcription-PCR confirmed strong positivity for CR-1 in colon and/or breast tumor tissues. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that plasma CR-1 might represent a novel biomarker for the detection of breast and colon carcinomas.

Self-Efficacy for Coping with Cancer Enhances the Effect of Reiki Treatments During the Pre-Surgery Phase of Breast Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Self-efficacy for coping with cancer plays a critical role in influencing psychological cancer-related outcomes, some studies suggested its role in enhancing or reducing the effects of psychological interventions in cancer patients. Reiki has recently been included among the efficacious complementary therapeutic intervention for cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The present study evaluated the role of self-efficacy for coping with cancer as buffer of the Reiki treatment effects on cancer-related symptoms in a randomized controlled trial (intervention versus control group) of breast cancer patients (N=110) during the pre-surgery phase. RESULTS: Results showed that self-efficacy for coping with cancer can influence the effect of a Reiki treatment. Higher efficacious patients showed a more powerful effect of the Reiki intervention on both anxiety and mood than the low efficacious patients. CONCLUSION: From a practical perspective, the study provides insightful results for healthcare professionals.

Effect of tamoxifen on venous thromboembolic events in a breast cancer prevention trial.

BACKGROUND: Tamoxifen, a selective estrogen-receptor modulator, increases venous thromboembolic events (VTE), but the factors explaining this risk are unclear. Atherosclerosis may induce VTE, or the 2 conditions may share common risk factors. We assessed the effect of tamoxifen on VTE in a breast cancer prevention trial and studied its association with risk factors for VTE. METHODS AND RESULTS: The incidence of VTE was studied in 5408 hysterectomized women randomly assigned to tamoxifen 20 mg/d or placebo for 5 years. There were 28 VTEs on placebo and 44 on tamoxifen therapy (hazard ratio [HR]=1.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 2.63), 80% of which were superficial phlebitis, accounting for all of the excess due to tamoxifen within 18 months from randomization. Compared with placebo, the risk of VTE on tamoxifen was higher in women aged 55 years or older, women with a body mass index > or =25 kg/m2, elevated blood pressure, total cholesterol > or =250 mg/dL, current smoking, and a family history of coronary heart disease (CHD). Of the 685 women with a CHD risk score > or =5 who entered the trial, 1 in the placebo arm and 13 in the tamoxifen arm developed VTE (log-rank P=0.0013). In multivariate regression analysis, age > or =60 years, height > or =165 cm, and diastolic blood pressure > or =90 mm Hg had independent detrimental effects on VTE risk during tamoxifen therapy, whereas transdermal estrogen therapy concomitant with tamoxifen was not associated with any excess of VTE (HR=0.64; 95% CI, 0.23 to 1.82). CONCLUSIONS: Women with conventional risk factors for atherosclerosis have a higher risk of VTE during tamoxifen therapy. This information should be incorporated into counseling women on its risk-benefit ratio, particularly in the prevention setting.

Italian randomized trial among women with hysterectomy: tamoxifen and hormone-dependent breast cancer in high-risk women.

Tamoxifen improves outcome in women with breast cancer and reduces the incidence of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast tumors in prevention trials. Tamoxifen use is associated with an increased risk of potentially serious adverse events, principally endometrial cancer and venous thromboembolic events and, therefore, detailed knowledge of the effects of tamoxifen is important. With more cases of breast cancer being found as the follow-up time increases, it is now possible to perform more detailed analysis of the Italian Randomized Trial of Tamoxifen. Women with hysterectomy (N = 5408) were randomly assigned to receive 20 mg tamoxifen per day (N = 2700) or placebo (N = 2708). After a median of 81.2 months of follow-up, 79 case subjects (34 in the tamoxifen arm and 45 in the placebo arm) were diagnosed with breast cancer. We were able to identify a group of women at increased risk of ER+ breast cancers (high-risk group) on the basis of baseline as well as reproductive and hormonal characteristics (height, age at menarche, parity, age at first birth, and oophorectomy). Tamoxifen administered to women in the high-risk group showed statistically significantly reduced incidence of breast cancer (tamoxifen, 3 and placebo, 15; P =.003), but no such effect was seen in the low-risk group (tamoxifen, 31 and placebo, 30; P =.89). The positive effect of tamoxifen on breast cancer among high-risk women is most marked for ER+ tumors (tamoxifen, 1 and placebo, 11; P =.002). Chemoprevention of breast cancer with tamoxifen appears to be effective in women at high risk of ER+ tumors but not among women at low risk, who may well be protected naturally by late age at menarche or early first pregnancy, or artificially by removal of the ovaries. Tamoxifen could be offered as a preventive agent to women identified at high-risk of breast cancer because of hormone-related risk factors. Such a strategy would greatly reduce the numbers of women who would need to take tamoxifen to obtain the same absolute reduction in breast cancer. These findings are exploratory and need to be confirmed in other randomized trials.

Compliance and toxicity of adjuvant CMF in elderly breast cancer patients: a single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: Few data are available on compliance and safety of adjuvant chemotherapy when indicated in elderly breast cancer patients; CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil) can be reasonably considered the most widely accepted standard of treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed compliance and safety of adjuvant CMF in patients older than 60. The treatment was indicated if patients had no severe comorbidity, a high-risk of recurrence, and were younger than 75. Toxicity was coded by NCI-CTC. Toxicity and compliance were compared between two age subgroups (< 65, > or = 65) by Fisher exact test and exact Wilcoxon rank-sum test. RESULTS: From March 1991 to March 2002, 180 patients were identified, 100 older than 60 and younger than 65, and 80 aged 65 or older. Febrile neutropenia was more frequent among older patients (p = 0.05). Leukopenia, neutropenia, nausea, cardiac toxicity and thrombophlebitis tended to be more frequent or severe among elderlies, while mucositis tended to be more evident among younger patients, all not significantly. Almost one half (47%) of the older patients receiving concomitant radiotherapy experienced grade 3-4 haematological toxicity. Compliance was similar in the two groups, with 6 cycles administered in 86% and 79%, day-8 chemotherapy omitted at least once in 36% and 39%, dose reduction in 27% and 38%, prolonged treatment duration (> or = 29 weeks) in 10% and 11% and need of G-CSF in 9% and 18%, among younger and older patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our data show that, in a highly selected population of patients 65 or more years old, CMF is as feasible as in patients older than 60 and younger than 65, but with a relevant burden of toxicity. We suggest that prospective trials in elderly patients testing less toxic treatment schemes are mandatory before indicating adjuvant chemotherapy to all elderly patients with significant risk of breast cancer recurrence.

HMGA1 protein overexpression in human breast carcinomas: correlation with ErbB2 expression.

We measured, by immunohistochemistry, HMGA1 protein expression in 212 breast tissue specimens: 6 normal samples, 28 hyperplastic lesions (13 with cellular atypia), 11 fibroadenomas, 10 in situ ductal carcinomas, 144 ductal carcinomas, and 13 lobular carcinomas. HMGA1 was not expressed in normal breast tissue; HMGA1 staining was intense in 40% of hyperplastic lesions with cellular atypia and in 60% of ductal carcinomas and weak in fibroadenomas and in hyperplastic lesions without cellular atypia. Because HMGA1 expression was similar among ductal breast carcinomas with different histologic grading, we evaluated the association between HMGA1 expression and that of other markers of breast carcinoma invasion (estrogen and progesterone receptors, Ki-67 antigen, and ErbB2) in 21 cases of grade 3 breast ductal carcinomas and 7 cases of breast lobular carcinomas. We found that HMGA1 expression tended to be associated only with c-erbB-2 expression (Spearman rho: 0.36; P=0.065). Taken together, these results suggest that HMGA1 expression might be a novel indicator for the diagnosis and prognosis of human breast cancer.

BMI and breast cancer prognosis benefit: mammography screening reveals differences between normal weight and overweight women.

OBJECTIVES: Few studies are available on the potential impact of body weight on breast cancer prognosis in screen-detected patients. Moreover, it is not known whether body mass index (BMI) could have a different prognostic impact in screen-detected versus symptomatic breast cancer patients. To investigate these unsolved issues, we carried out a retrospective study evaluating the effect of BMI on breast cancer prognosis in screen-detected vs symptomatic breast cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a follow-up study on 448 women diagnosed with incident, histologically-confirmed breast cancer. Patients were categorized according to their BMI as normal weight, overweight and obese. Disease free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and BMI curves were compared according to mode of cancer detection. RESULTS: Among screen-detected patients, higher BMI was associated with a significant lower DFS, whereas no significant difference was observed among symptomatic patients. OS showed similar results. In the multivariate analysis adjusting for age, education, tumor size, nodal status, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and menopausal status, the risk for high level of BMI among screen-detected patients did not reach the statistical significance for either recurrence or survival. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the potential impact of high bodyweight in breast cancer prognosis, the findings confirm that obesity plays a role in women breast cancer prognosis independently from diagnosis mode.

Silicone lymphadenopathy: presentation of a further case containing asteroid bodies on fine-needle cytology sample.

Silicone lymphadenopathy is a recognized complication of breast augmentation. It is thought to occur when silicone droplets migrate from breast implants to lymph nodes. We report the cytologic findings in axillary and inguinal lymph node aspirate smears from a 35-year-old Italian woman, who came to our observation 10 years after bilateral cosmetic breast augmentation. A fine-needle cytology of the axillary lymph node showed extensive granulomatous inflammation, numerous histiocytes, and multinucleated giant cells containing star-shaped structures known as "asteroid bodies." The inguinal lymph node aspirate simply showed an aspecific reactive hyperplasia. No evidence of malignancy was present in any of the smears as well as in the excised axillary lymph node.

The molecular analysis of BRCA1 and BRCA2: Next-generation sequencing supersedes conventional approaches.

BACKGROUND: Accurate and sensitive detection of BRCA1/2 germ-line mutations is crucial for the clinical management of women affected by breast cancer, for prevention and, notably, also for the identification of at-risk healthy relatives. The most widely used methods for BRCA1/2 molecular analysis are Sanger sequencing, and denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (dHPLC) followed by the Sanger method. However, recent findings suggest that next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based approaches may be an efficient tool for diagnostic purposes. In this context, we evaluated the effectiveness of NGS for BRCA gene analysis compared with dHPLC/Sanger sequencing. METHODS: Seventy women were screened for BRCA1/2 mutations by both dHPLC/Sanger sequencing and NGS, and the data were analyzed using a bioinformatic pipeline. RESULTS: Sequence data analysis showed that NGS is more sensitive in detecting BRCA1/2 variants than the conventional procedure, namely, dHPLC/Sanger. CONCLUSION: Next-generation sequencing is more sensitive, faster, easier to use and less expensive than the conventional Sanger method. Consequently, it is a reliable procedure for the routine molecular screening of the BRCA1/2 genes.