Is adjuvant chemotherapy necessary for Luminal A-like breast cancer?

PURPOSE: Patients with breast cancer with Luminal-A subtype have a better prognosis but poor chemotherapy response. Chemotherapy is controversial in lymph node-positive patients with Luminal-A subtype. In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and benefit of chemotherapy in the Luminal A-like subtype of breast cancer. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with breast cancer within 2006 and 2011 were retrospectively evaluated. Patients with pathologically confirmed Luminal A-like breast cancer were analyzed , and were divided in those receiving taxane-based adjuvant chemotherapy and those who did not. RESULTS: A total of 136 patients with Luminal-A type were included in the study. The 10-year cumulative disease-free survival (DFS) was 85.6 vs 96.7% (p=0.230) for the chemotherapy and non-chemotherapy groups, and overall survival (OS) was 88.6 vs 100%, respectively (p=0.242). The 10-year cumulative DFS was 80 vs 98.1% for the taxane-based chemotherapy group and taxane-free chemotherapy group (p=0.501), while the OS was 87.5 vs 95.2%, respectively (p=0.391). There was a positive correlation between relapse status and lymph node involvement in the multivariate analysis (p=0.031). CONCLUSION: Adjuvant chemotherapy in Luminal-A showed no significant difference for DFS and OS. Taxane-based chemotherapy did not demonstrate any benefit for OS and DFS with relatively more advanced stage and lymph node involvement. We believe that adjuvant chemotherapy plays a minor role in a significant proportion of Luminal-A subtype of breast cancer.

The prognostic significance of cyclin D1 expression in patients with triple-negative breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among women. While receptor-targeted therapies are used for other subtypes due to the presence of such receptors, studies are still continuing on receptor expression in order to identify new therapeutic targets as the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) lacks a target receptor and its prognosis is worse than the other subtypes. Cyclin D1 (CycD1) is a cell cycle regulator protein. It is stated that its overexpression plays a role in carcinogenesis. With the present study, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of immunohistochemical expression of CycD1 in patients with TNBC. METHODS: The study included 56 operated patients with TNBC who were diagnosed between 2006 and 2011 at Izmir Katip Celebi University, Ataturk Research and Training Hospital, Department of Pathology. In tumor paraffin-embedded sections, CycD1 was immunohistochemically (IHC) studied. Demographic and survival data of the patients were obtained from the Department of Medical Oncology follow-up files. ROC curve analysis was used to calculate the cutoff value for CycD1 staining density. Patients were divided into two groups using 11.5 cutoff value for the expression of CycD1, obtained by ROC analysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis was utilized for survival analyses, and log rank test for comparisons between the two groups. RESULTS: Of the patients, 62.5% had CycD1 expression (37.5% had not). In the whole group, the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 51%, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) was 65%. No difference in DFS between the two groups was noticed (p=0.37). The 5-year DFS was 47% in the group with CycD1 expression below 11.5, while it was 57% in the group above the 11.5 value. The difference in OS between the groups was statistically significant (p=0.044). The 5-year OS was 55% in the group with a CycD1 expression below 11.5, while it was 79% in the group above the 11.5 value (p=0.044). CONCLUSION: OS differed significantly between the high and low-CycD1 expression. It was also demonstrated that CycD1 may have prognostic significance in TNBC. Further studies with larger populations are required to confirm the prognostic significance of CycD1.

Platelet-Rich Fibrin Improves the Viability of Diced Cartilage Grafts in a Rabbit Model.

BACKGROUND: Diced cartilage may be wrapped with synthetic or biological materials before grafting to a recipient site. These materials have unique advantages and disadvantages, and a gold standard is not available. OBJECTIVES: The authors investigated the effects of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) on the survival of cartilage grafts in a rabbit model. METHODS: In this experimental study, diced cartilage pieces from the ears of 9 male rabbits were left unwrapped or were wrapped with PRF, oxidized regenerated cellulose, or fascia. Specimens then were placed into subcutaneous pockets prepared on the backs of the rabbits. The animals were sacrificed 2 months after the procedure, and the grafts were excised for macroscopic and histopathologic examination. RESULTS: The cartilage graft wrapped with PRF showed superior viability compared with the cartilage graft wrapped with oxidized regenerated cellulose. No significant differences were found among the other groups. The groups were not significantly different in terms of rates of inflammation, fibrosis, or vascularization. CONCLUSIONS: PRF enhances the viability of diced cartilage grafts and should be considered an appropriate biological wrapping material for cartilage grafting.