Association Between Neighborhood Opportunity, Allostatic Load, and All-Cause Mortality in Patients With Breast Cancer.

PURPOSE: Adverse neighborhood contextual factors may affect breast cancer outcomes through environmental, psychosocial, and biological pathways. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between allostatic load (AL), neighborhood opportunity, and all-cause mortality among patients with breast cancer. METHODS: Women age 18 years and older with newly diagnosed stage I-III breast cancer who received surgical treatment between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2020, at a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center were identified. Neighborhood opportunity was operationalized using the 2014-2018 Ohio Opportunity Index (OOI), a composite measure derived from neighborhood level transportation, education, employment, health, housing, crime, and environment. Logistic and Cox regression models tested associations between the OOI, AL, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The study cohort included 4,089 patients. Residence in neighborhoods with low OOI was associated with high AL (adjusted odds ratio, 1.21 [95% CI, 1.05 to 1.40]). On adjusted analysis, low OOI was associated with greater risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.45 [95% CI, 1.11 to 1.89]). Relative to the highest (99th percentile) level of opportunity, risk of all-cause mortality steeply increased up to the 70th percentile, at which point the rate of increase plateaued. There was no interaction between the composite OOI and AL on all-cause mortality (P = .12). However, there was a higher mortality risk among patients with high AL residing in lower-opportunity environments (aHR, 1.96), but not in higher-opportunity environments (aHR, 1.02; P interaction = .02). CONCLUSION: Lower neighborhood opportunity was associated with higher AL and greater risk of all-cause mortality among patients with breast cancer. Additionally, environmental factors and AL interacted to influence all-cause mortality. Future studies should focus on interventions at the neighborhood and individual level to address socioeconomically based disparities in breast cancer.

Palliative Care Interventions and End-of-Life Care for Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Multicentre Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe the implementation of integrated palliative care (PC) and the intensity of care in the last 3 months before death for patients with metastatic breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a multicentric study of all adult patients with metastatic breast cancer who died over a 4-month period. Complete data were collected and checked from clinical records, including PC interventions and criteria regarding EOL care aggressiveness. RESULTS: A total of 340 decedent patients from 12 comprehensive cancer centres in France were included in the study. Sixty-five percent met the PC team with a median time of 39 days between the first intervention and death. In the last month before death, 11.5% received chemotherapy, the frequency of admission to intensive care unit was 2.4%, and 83% experienced acute hospitalization. The place of death was home for 16.7%, hospitalization for 63.3%, PC unit for 20%. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed factors independently associated with a higher frequency of chemotherapy in the last month before death: having a dependent person at home, meeting for the first time with a PC team < 30 days before death, and time between the first metastasis and death below the median. CONCLUSION: PC team integration was frequent and late for patients with metastatic breast cancer. However, PC intervention > 30 days is associated with less chemotherapy in the last month before death. Further studies are needed to better understand how to implement a more effective mode of PC integration for patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Breast cancer survival in India across 11 geographic areas under the National Cancer Registry Programme.

BACKGROUND: Population-based cancer survival is a key indicator for assessing the effectiveness of cancer control by a health care system in a specific geographic area. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in India, accounting for over one quarter of all female cancers. The objective of this study was to estimate the 5-year survival of female patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 2012 and 2015 from the existing Population-Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs) in India. METHODS: In total, 17,331 patients who had breast cancer diagnosed between 2012 and 2015 from 11 PBCRs were followed until June 30, 2021. Active methods were used to track the vital status of registered breast cancer cases. The study conducted survival analysis by calculating the difference between the date of first diagnosis and the date of death or censoring to estimate observed survival and relative survival using the actuarial survival approach and the Ederer-II approach, respectively. RESULTS: The 5-year age-standardized relative survival (95% confidence interval [CI]) of patients with breast cancer was 66.4% (95% CI, 65.5%-67.3%). Mizoram (74.9%; 95% CI, 68.1%-80.8%), Ahmedabad urban (72.7%; 95% CI, 70.3%-74.9%), Kollam (71.5%; 95% CI, 69.2%-73.6%), and Thiruvananthapuram (69.1%; 95% CI, 67.0%-71.2%) had higher survival rates than the national average. Conversely, Pasighat had the lowest survival rate (41.9%; 95% CI, 14.7%-68.6%). The 5-year observed survival rates for localized, regional, and distant metastasis in the pooled PBCRs were 81.0%, 65.5%, and 18.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The overall disparity in survival rates was observed across 11 PBCRs, with lower survival rates reported in Manipur, Tripura, and Pasighat. Therefore, it is imperative to implement comprehensive cancer control strategies widely throughout the country.

Outcomes in breast cancer-does ethnicity matter?

Ethnic or racial differences in breast cancer (BC) survival outcomes have been reported, but current data are largely restricted to comparisons between African Americans and non-Hispanic whites. Most analyses have traditionally been based on self-reported race which may not always be accurate, or are oversimplified in their classification. With increasing globalization, quantification of the genetic ancestry from genomic data may offer a solution to infer the complex makeup from admixture of races. Focusing on the larger and the latest studies, we will discuss recent findings on the differing host and tumor biology that may be driving these disparities, in addition to the extrinsic environmental or lifestyle factors. Socioeconomic disparities with lower cancer literacy may lead to late presentation, poorer adherence to treatment, and other lifestyle factors such as unhealthy diet, obesity, and inadequate physical activity. These hardships may also result in greater allostatic load, which is in turn associated with aggressive BC features in disadvantaged populations. Epigenetic reprogramming may mediate the effects of the environment or lifestyle factors on gene expression, with ensuing differences in BC characteristics and outcome. There is increasing evidence that germline genetics can influence somatic gene alterations or expression, as well as modulate the tumor or immune microenvironment. Although the precise mechanisms remain elusive, this may account for the varying distribution of different BC subtypes across ethnicities. These gaps in our knowledge highlight the need to interrogate the multiomics landscape of BC in diverse populations, ideally in large-scale collaborative settings with standardized methodology for the comparisons to be statistically robust. Together with improving BC awareness and access to good quality health care, a holistic approach with insights of the biological underpinnings is much needed to eradicate ethnic disparities in BC outcomes.

Dietary Fats and All-cause and Breast Cancer-specific Mortality among Women with Breast Cancer: The Western New York Exposures and Breast Cancer Study.

BACKGROUND: Study results of prediagnostic dietary fat intake and breast cancer mortality have been inconclusive. While dietary fat subtypes [saturated (SFA), polyunsaturated (PUFA), and monounsaturated (MUFA) fatty acids] may have different biological effects, there is little evidence regarding the association of dietary fat and fat subtype intake with mortality after breast cancer diagnosis. METHODS: Women with incident, pathologically confirmed invasive breast cancer and complete dietary data (n = 793) were followed in a population-based study, the Western New York Exposures and Breast Cancer study. Usual intake before diagnosis of total fat and subtypes were estimated from a food frequency questionnaire completed at baseline. HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for all-cause and breast cancer-specific mortality were estimated with Cox proportional hazards models. Interactions by menopausal status, estrogen receptor (ER) status, and tumor stage were examined. RESULTS: Median follow-up time was 18.75 years; 327 (41.2%) participants had died. Compared with lower intake, greater intake of total fat (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.65-1.70), SFA (1.31; 0.82-2.10), MUFA (0.99; 0.61-1.60), and PUFA (0.99; 0.56-1.75) was not associated with breast cancer-specific mortality. There was also no association with all-cause mortality. Results did not vary by menopausal status, ER status, or tumor stage. CONCLUSIONS: Prediagnostic intake of dietary fat and fat subtypes was not associated with either all-cause or breast cancer mortality in a population-based cohort of breast cancer survivors. IMPACT: Understanding factors affecting survival among women diagnosed with breast cancer is critically important. Dietary fat intake prior to diagnosis may not impact that survival.

Survival Disparities in US Black Compared to White Women with Hormone Receptor Positive-HER2 Negative Breast Cancer.

Black women in the US have significantly higher breast cancer mortality than White women. Within biomarker-defined tumor subtypes, disparate outcomes seem to be limited to women with hormone receptor positive and HER2 negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer, a subtype usually associated with favorable prognosis. In this review, we present data from an array of studies that demonstrate significantly higher mortality in Black compared to White women with HR+/HER2-breast cancer and contrast these data to studies from integrated healthcare systems that failed to find survival differences. Then, we describe factors, both biological and non-biological, that may contribute to disparate survival in Black women.

Impact of serum vitamin D on the response and prognosis in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have recently reported that the relationships between serum vitamin D and the prognosis or the pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer. However, there are no data regarding the clinical impacts of the vitamin D in Japanese breast cancer patients so far. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the present study, a total of 250 patients with clinical Stage I-III primary breast cancer who were treated with NAC and subsequently underwent definitive surgery were included. Serum 25-hydroxvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were evaluated using blood samples obtained before NAC. RESULTS: The serum 25(OH)D was positively associated with age, and the serum 25(OH)D was significantly higher in postmenopausal women than that in pre/peri-menopausal women. Serum 25(OH)D level was not associated with the achievement of pathological complete response (pCR) in this cohort. The low 25(OH)D levels were significantly associated with shorter time to distant recurrence (TTDR). According to the univariate analysis, high clinical stage before NAC (cStage III) and low serum 25(OH)D level were significantly associated with the shorter TTDR, and pCR was significantly associated with the longer TTDR. According to a multivariate analysis, low serum 25(OH)D level were independent poor prognostic factors for TTDR. CONCLUSIONS: The low 25(OH)D levels were significantly associated with poorer prognosis in Japanese women with operable breast cancer patients treated with NAC.

Comparison between Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation with multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy and Whole Breast Irradiation, in clinical practice.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) with multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy (BT) and whole breast irradiation (WBI), in terms of toxicity, aesthetic result, quality of life and survival, in clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comparative study of two prospectively recorded cohorts of 76 breast cancer patients who complied with the recommendations of GEC-ESTRO for APBI was conducted. The main objective was toxicity, quality of life measured through validated questionnaires and the aesthetic results. Secondary objectives were overall survival and disease-free survival. RESULTS: Seventy-six stage I/II breast cancer patients, with a mean age of 66 years entered the study. APBI group showed less acute G1-2 dermatitis (51.4 vs 94.9%, p < 0.001) and late hyperpigmentation (0 vs 17.9%, p = 0.04). There were no differences in aesthetic results, both assessed by the patient herself and by the doctor. Statistically significant differences in measures of quality of life were observed in favour of the APBI, both in EORTC QLQ-BR23 and body image scale questionnaires. With a median follow-up of 72 months (6 years), the estimated overall survival at 5 and 10 years was 96.8 and 77.7%, respectively, and disease-free survival at 5 and 10 years was 91.1 and 69.4%, respectively, without statistically significant differences between groups. DISCUSSION: APBI is an attractive alternative in candidate patients with initial breast cancer, with benefits in acute toxicity and quality of life and fewer visits to the hospital, without compromising tumor control or survival.

Statin use and incidence and mortality of breast and gynecology cancer: A cohort study using the National Health Insurance claims database.

Previous studies have reported inconsistent findings concerning the impact of statin use on cancer prevention. Our study examined the association between statin use and cancer incidence and mortality related to breast and gynecologic cancers in South Korea. A population-based cohort study was conducted using the National Health Insurance claims database. Women aged 45 to 70 years old who had taken statins for at least 6 months were compared to statin non-users of the same age from January 2005 to June 2013. The primary outcomes were cancer incidence and mortality related to breast cancer, total gynecologic cancers, cervix uteri cancer and ovarian cancer. Cox proportional hazards regression was conducted to calculate the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Out of 587 705 women, there were 3591 cases of breast cancer, 2239 cases of gynecologic cancers and 565 breast and total gynecologic cancer deaths during 7.6 person-years. The aHRs for the association between the risk of each cancer and statin use were 0.88 (95% CI 0.79-0.97) for breast cancer and 0.83 (95% CI 0.67-0.99) for cervix uteri cancer. Statin use was associated with decreased breast cancer mortality (HR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.43-0.99) and total gynecologic cancer mortality (HR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.50-0.98). A dose-response relationship was only found for all-cancer mortality. Statin use for at least 6 months was significantly associated with a lower risk of breast and cervix uteri cancer incidence, and with lower mortality of breast and gynecologic cancers. Further research on these associations will be needed.

Simulation modeling of breast cancer endocrine therapy duration by patient and tumor characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Extending endocrine therapy from 5 to 10 years is recommended for women with invasive estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers. We evaluated the benefits and harms of the five additional years of therapy. METHODS: An established Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Network (CISNET) model used a lifetime horizon with national and clinical trial data on treatment efficacy and adverse events and other-cause mortality among multiple birth cohorts of U.S. women ages 25-79 newly diagnosed with ER+, non-metastatic breast cancer. We assumed 100% use of therapy. Outcomes included life years (LYs), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and breast cancer mortality. Results were discounted at 3%. Sensitivity analyses tested a 15-year time horizon and alternative assumptions. RESULTS: Extending tamoxifen therapy duration among women ages 25-49 reduced the lifetime probability of breast cancer death from 11.9% to 9.3% (absolute difference 2.6%). This translates to a gain of 0.77 LYs (281 days)/woman (undiscounted). Adverse events reduce this gain to 0.44 QALYs and after discounting, gains are 0.20 QALYs (73 days)/woman. Extended aromatase inhibitor therapy in women 50-79 had small absolute benefits and gains were offset by adverse events (loss of 0.06 discounted QALYs). There were greater gains with extended endocrine therapy for women with node-positive versus negative cancers, but only women ages 25-49 and 50-59 had a net QALY gain. All gains were reduced with less than 100% treatment completion. CONCLUSION: The extension of endocrine therapy from 5 to 10 years modestly improved lifetime breast cancer outcomes, but in some women, treatment-related adverse events may outweigh benefits.

The bioinformatics analysis of quercetin in octagonal lotus for the screening of breast cancer MYC, CXCL10, CXCL11, and E2F1.

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of the effective molecular screening of Podophyllum octagonal in breast cancer treatment by using network pharmacology. METHODS: We collected the active ingredients and target genes of Chinese medicine octagonal lotus through the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Analysis Platform (TCMSP); downloaded human protein annotation information on the protein database Uniport; and collected data from five databases: GeneCards, OMIM, PharmGkb, TDD, and DrugBank. Construct the practical ingredient-target gene data intersection to obtain the target gene-disease gene and draw the Venn diagram. We use Cytoscape 3.8.0 software to construct the effective component-target gene-disease gene network. The STRING database protein interaction (PPI) networks were erected, and we used Cytoscape 3.8.0 software to screen out its core sub-networks and hub gene networks. Through survival analysis, core genes and hub genes were screened to identify several key genes. We performed key target gene ontology (GO) analysis and gene interaction (KEGG) analysis, which were followed by molecular docking of the key active ingredients in the star anise corresponding to several key genes. RESULTS: 19 active ingredients, 444 drug targets, and 10,941 disease-related genes were obtained. The key active ingredient was quercetin. GO analysis revealed 2471 affected biological processes, and 167 pathways were obtained in KEGG enrichment analysis. CONCLUSION: This study initially screened the key active ingredients of star aniseed lotus and analyzed key genes and several essential pathways. Traditional Chinese medicine is expected to provide new evidence and research ideas to prevent and treat breast cancer.

S100A9-Targeted Cowpea Mosaic Virus as a Prophylactic and Therapeutic Immunotherapy against Metastatic Breast Cancer and Melanoma.

Prognosis and treatment of metastatic cancer continues to be one of the most difficult and challenging areas of oncology. Treatment usually consists of chemotherapeutics, which may be ineffective due to drug resistance, adverse effects, and dose-limiting toxicity. Therefore, novel approaches such as immunotherapy have been investigated to improve patient outcomes and minimize side effects. S100A9 is a calcium-binding protein implicated in tumor metastasis, progression, and aggressiveness that modulates the tumor microenvironment into an immunosuppressive state. S100A9 is expressed in and secreted by immune cells in the pre-metastatic niche, as well as, post-tumor development, therefore making it a suitable targeted for prophylaxis and therapy. In previous work, it is demonstrated that cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) acts as an adjuvant when administered intratumorally. Here, it is demonstrated that systemically administered, S100A9-targeted CPMV homes to the lungs leading to recruitment of innate immune cells. This approach is efficacious both prophylactically and therapeutically against lung metastasis from melanoma and breast cancer. The current research will facilitate and accelerate the development of next-generation targeted immunotherapies administered as prophylaxis, that is, after surgery of a primary breast tumor to prevent outgrowth of metastasis, as well as, therapy to treat established metastatic disease.

Association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D level with survival outcomes in female breast cancer patients: A meta-analysis.

Conflicting results have been reported on the association of blood vitamin D level with prognosis in women with breast cancer. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and survival outcomes in female breast cancer patients. Two authors independently searched PubMed and Embase databases from their inception to August 25, 2020. Prospective or retrospective cohort studies evaluating the association between blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and survival outcomes in women with breast cancer were included. Outcome measures included overall survival (OS), breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS), and disease-free survival (DFS). Twelve studies involving 8574 female breast cancer patients were identified and analyzed. When compared the lowest with the highest category of 25-hydroxyvitamin D level, the pooled adjusted hazard ratio (HR) was 1.57 (95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.35-1.83) for OS, 1.98 (95 % CI 1.55-2.53) for DFS, and 1.44 (95 % CI 1.14-1.81) for BCSS. This meta-analysis indicates that lower blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D level is significantly associated with reduced survival among female breast cancer patients. Additional clinical trials are required to investigate whether vitamin D supplement can improve survival outcomes in these patients.

Breast cancer immunotherapy: Current and novel approaches.

The crucial role of the immune system in the progression/regression of breast cancer (BC) should always be taken into account. Various immunotherapy approaches have been investigated for BC, including tumor-targeting antibodies (bispecific antibodies), adoptive T cell therapy, vaccines, and immune checkpoint blockade such as anti-PD-1. In addition, a combination of conventional chemotherapy and immunotherapy approaches contributes to improving patients' overall survival rates. Although encouraging outcomes have been reported in most clinical trials of immunotherapy, some obstacles should still be resolved in this regard. Recently, personalized immunotherapy has been proposed as a potential complementary medicine with immunotherapy and chemotherapy for overcoming BC. Accordingly, this review discusses the brief association of these methods and future directions in BC immunotherapy.

Efficacy and safety of Kanglaite injection combined with chemotherapy for women breast cancer: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer was the second cause of cancer death and approximately accounted for 30% of all newly diagnosed cancer in American women. Adjuvant chemotherapy is the preferred treatment approach for breast patients. Kanglaite injection (KI) was commonly used as adjuvant chemotherapy combined with chemotherapy for women breast cancer which could increase chemotherapy efficacy and alleviate chemotherapy drugs induced adverse events, however, the efficacy and safety for KI combined western medicine remains controversial. Thus, we conducted this protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the efficacy and safety of KI combined with western medicine for women breast cancer. METHODS: This study will search electronic database included English medicals databases and Chinese databased up to May 2021. The main outcomes of this study include clinical efficacy rate. Adverse reaction rate, Karnofsky Performance Status and immune function were defined as the secondary outcomes. RESULTS: This protocol study will comprehensively evaluate the efficacy and safety of KI combined with chemotherapy for women breast cancer. CONCLUSION: This protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis will evaluate the efficacy and safety of KI combined with chemotherapy for women breast cancer, aiming to provide optimal therapy for women breast cancer patients.

Serum Selenium Level Predicts 10-Year Survival after Breast Cancer.

In a recent prospective study, we reported an association between a low serum selenium level and five-year survival among breast cancer patients. We now have updated the cohort to include 10-year survival rates. A blood sample was obtained from 538 women diagnosed with first primary invasive breast cancer between 2008 and 2015 in the region of Szczecin, Poland. Blood was collected before initiation of treatment. Serum selenium levels were quantified by mass spectroscopy. Each patient was assigned to one of four quartiles based on the distribution of serum selenium levels in the whole cohort. Patients were followed from diagnosis until death or last known alive (mean follow-up 7.9 years). The 10-year actuarial cumulative survival was 65.1% for women in the lowest quartile of serum selenium, compared to 86.7% for women in the highest quartile (p < 0.001 for difference). Further studies are needed to confirm the protective effect of selenium on breast cancer survival. If confirmed this may lead to an investigation of selenium supplementation on survival of breast cancer patients.

Post-diagnostic coffee and tea consumption and breast cancer survival.

BACKGROUND: We examined the role of post-diagnostic coffee and tea consumption in relation to breast cancer-specific and all-cause mortality among women with breast cancer in prospective cohort studies. METHODS: We identified 8900 women with stage I-III breast cancer from 1980 through 2010 in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and from 1991 through 2011 in the NHSII. Post-diagnostic coffee and tea consumption was assessed by a validated food frequency questionnaire every 4 years after diagnosis. RESULTS: During up to 30 years of follow-up, we documented 1054 breast cancer-specific deaths and 2501 total deaths. Higher post-diagnostic coffee consumption was associated with a lower breast cancer-specific mortality: compared with non-drinkers, >3 cups/day of coffee was associated with a 25% lower risk (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.59-0.96; Ptrend = 0.002). We also observed a lower all-cause mortality with coffee consumption: compared with non-drinkers, >2 to 3 cups/day was associated with a 24% lower risk (HR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.66-0.87) and >3 cups/day was associated with a 26% lower risk (HR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.63-0.87, Ptrend < 0.0001). Post-diagnostic tea consumption was associated with a lower all-cause mortality: compared with non-drinkers, >3 cups/day was associated with a 26% lower risk (HR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.58-0.95; Ptrend = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Among breast cancer survivors, higher post-diagnostic coffee consumption was associated with better breast cancer and overall survival. Higher post-diagnostic tea consumption may be related to better overall survival.

PGMD/curcumin nanoparticles for the treatment of breast cancer.

The present study aims at developing PGMD (poly-glycerol-malic acid-dodecanedioic acid)/curcumin nanoparticles based formulation for anticancer activity against breast cancer cells. The nanoparticles were prepared using both the variants of PGMD polymer (PGMD 7:3 and PGMD 6:4) with curcumin (i.e. CUR NP 7:3 and CUR NP 6:4). The size of CUR NP 7:3 and CUR NP 6:4 were found to be ~ 110 and 218 nm with a polydispersity index of 0.174 and 0.36, respectively. Further, the zeta potential of the particles was - 18.9 and - 17.5 mV for CUR NP 7:3 and CUR NP 6:4, respectively. The entrapment efficiency of both the nanoparticles was in the range of 75-81%. In vitro anticancer activity and the scratch assay were conducted on breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. The IC50 of the nanoformulations was observed to be 40.2 and 33.6 µM at 48 h for CUR NP 7:3 and CUR NP 6:4, respectively, in MCF-7 cell line; for MDA-MB-231 it was 43.4 and 30.5 µM. Acridine orange/EtBr and DAPI staining assays showed apoptotic features and nuclear anomalies in the treated cells. This was further confirmed by western blot analysis that showed overexpression of caspase 9 indicating curcumin role in apoptosis.

Prognostic Nutritional Index Is Superior to Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte Ratio as a Prognostic Marker in Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients Treated With Eribulin.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are prognostic markers for operable breast cancer. However, their importance in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate these parameters as prognostic markers in MBC patients treated with eribulin. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 60 patients with MBC treated with eribulin were included. RESULTS: Although high PNI and low NLR were correlated with better progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), PNI had stronger impact as prognostic marker than NLR (PNI: HR=0.35, p=0.0008 for PFS and HR=0.27, p=0.0068 for OS; NLR: HR=0.71, p=0.081 for PFS and HR=0.63, p=0.14 for OS). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that PNI was an independent predictor of PFS (HR=0.30, p=0.0009). CONCLUSION: PNI could be a more reliable prognostic marker for MBC patients treated with eribulin than NLR.

Effect of fluorouracil and plastic breast-conserving surgery in young patients with early breast cancer.

To explore the effect of fluorouracil and plastic breast-conserving surgery on the immune level, psychological status and quality of life of young patients with early breast cancer. Seventy-six young patients with early breast cancer admitted to Cangzhou Central Hospital from January 2016 to January 2017 were selected and divided into a control group (n=38, conventional breast-conserving surgery) and an observation group (n=38, Fluorouracil and plastic breast-conserving surgery). The observation group had shorter operation time and hospital stay and less intraoperative blood loss in comparison to the control group (P<0.05); the CD4+, CD8+ and IL-8 of the observation group were higher, and the CD4+/CD8+ and IL-10 were lower (P<0.05); the HAMD and HAMA scores of the observation group were significantly lower (P<0.05); the physiological, emotional, and family, functional, and additional concerns were lower in the observation group (P<0.05); the postoperative breast shape satisfaction was higher in the observation group (P<0.05). Fluorouracil combined with plastic breast-conserving surgery has a better treatment effect on young patients with early breast cancer, which can promote postoperative recovery, maintain normal breast morphology, reduce the immune function damage caused by the surgery, improve patients' psychological status and quality of life, and reduce the incidence of postoperative complications and deaths.