In vivo MR spectroscopy of human breast tissue: quantification of fatty acid composition at a clinical field strength (3 T).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of in vivo measurement of the fatty acid (FA) composition of breast adipose tissue by MRS on a clinical platform. MATERIAL AND METHODS: MRS experiments were performed at 3 T, using a STEAM sequence, on 25 patients diagnosed with breast cancer. MR spectra, acquired on healthy breast tissue, were analysed with the LCModel. RESULTS: The measured values of the saturated fatty acid (SFA), mono-unsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and poly-unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) fractions were 23.8 ± 7.1%, 55.4 ± 6.8% and 20.8 ± 4.4%, respectively. The values of SFA, MUFA and PUFA observed in the current study are in the same range as those found in two previous studies performed at 7 T. CONCLUSION: The results of the current study show that it is possible to quantify the fatty acid composition of breast tissue in vivo in a clinical setting (3 T).

The variability of aggressiveness of grade 1 breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Grade 1 breast cancer represents the lowest grade of invasive breast cancer and is associated with a low risk of recurrence and distant metastasis. However, when grade 1 breast cancer is associated with lymph node involvement, the prognosis may be worse than that of grade 1 breast cancer without lymph node involvement. METHOD: The study population included all patients who were managed in our institution between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2013 for grade 1 breast cancer . We compared patients who had lymph node involvement to those who had no lymph node involvement. RESULTS: During the study period 291 grade 1 carcinomas were included of which 23% had associated positive lymph node involvement. Overall survival did not differ significantly between patients without lymph node involvement and those with lymph node involvement, nor was there a significant difference in the risk of local recurrence free survival. However, a significant difference was found in survival without distant metastasis with a significant level of a p at 0.029. CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm that tumor size and LVSI are strong predictors of axillary lymph node involvement, which is a key determinant of distant metastasis-free survival.

Negative estrogen receptors and positive progesterone receptors breast cancers.

CONTEXT: Hormone receptors (estrogen receptor ER and progesterone receptor PR) are prognostic and predictive factors of outcome for invasive breast cancer. Some tumors only express one of these hormone receptors (ER or PR). ER negative/PR positive breast cancer is a rare subtype (1-4 %) and its existence still controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate characteristics of this group of tumors. METHODS: We collected data of all consecutive patients managed in our institution for invasive breast cancer between the 1st January 2007 and 31 December 2013. The aim of the study was to compare data of patients with ER-/PR+tumors with the three other subgroups. RESULTS: Of the 2071 patients included during the study period, 1.2 % were ER-/PR+. These patients were younger than those with the two ER+groups (p<0.0001). The ER-/PR+tumors differed from the ER+groups for several histological prognostic factors: greater histological size (p=0.0004), higher histological grade, more HER2 overexpression/amplification, more association with ductal carcinoma in situ, more lymphovascular invasion, more nodal metastasis (p<0.0001). Chemotherapy was more often used as an adjuvant treatment in addition of endocrine therapy. Survival was equivalent for patients with ER-/PR+tumors and ER+tumors and significantly higher than patients with ER-/PR- tumors (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Women with ER-/PR+breast cancer have worse prognostic factors than women with ER+cancers but have better overall survival than women with ER-/PR- tumors. We may think that the more frequent association of chemotherapy and endocrine therapy is responsible for this better outcome.

Total long-chain polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids level is an independent predictive factor of breast cancer multifocality in women with positive hormone-receptors tumors.

In a previous pilot study, we showed that polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids of breast adipose tissues were associated with breast cancer multifocality. In the present study, we investigated biochemical, clinical and histological factors associated with breast cancer focality in a large cohort of women with positive hormone-receptors tumors. One hundred sixty-one consecutive women presenting with positive hormone-receptors breast cancer underwent breast-imaging procedures including a Magnetic Resonance Imaging prior to treatment. Breast adipose tissue specimens were collected during surgery of tumors. A biochemical profile of breast adipose tissue fatty acids was established by gas chromatography. Clinicopathologic characteristics were correlated with multifocality. We assessed whether these factors were predictive of breast cancer focality. We found that tumor size (OR = 1.06 95%CI [1.02-1.09], p < 0.001) and decreased levels in breast adipose tissue of long-chain polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids (OR = 0.11 95%CI [0.01-0.98], p = 0.03), were independent predictive factors of multifocality. Low levels of long chain polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids in breast adipose tissue appear to contribute to breast cancer multifocality. The present results reinforce the link between dietary habits and breast cancer clinical presentation.

Predictive factors of major deviation (>20 mm) between lesion sizes measured by magnetic resonance imaging and histology for invasive lobular breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors predictive of high discordance (>20 mm) between lesion sizes measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histology for invasive lobular breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data for all women with invasive lobular breast cancer (pure or associated with a component of invasive ductal carcinoma) between 1st January 2007 and 31st December 2016 were included in this study. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors predictive of high discordance (underestimation/overestimation by >20 mm) between tumour sizes measured by MRI and histology for invasive lobular breast cancer. RESULTS: For overestimation, significant factors on univariate analysis were: menopausal status [odds ratio (OR) 0.27, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.10-0.71]; p = 0.01], hormone receptor (HR) status (HR negative, OR 1.64, 95 % CI 0.27-9.89; HR positive, OR 0.64, 95 % CI 0.21-1.88; p = 0.09) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (OR 10.33, 95 % CI 3.58-29.8; p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, menopausal status and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were found to be independent predictive factors of overestimation. For underestimation, significant factors on univariate analysis were: histological size (OR 1.05, 95 % CI 1.02-1.08; p < 0.0001) and the presence of an in-situ component (OR 4.66, 95 % CI 1.01-21.5; p = 0.02). These two factors were independent predictive factors of underestimation. CONCLUSION: Independent predictive factors of overestimation/underestimation (threshold 20 mm) of tumour sizes measured by MRI compared with histology for invasive lobular breast cancer were identified.

All pure flat atypical atypia lesions of the breast diagnosed using percutaneous vacuum-assisted breast biopsy do not need surgical excision.

BACKGROUND: The purposes of this study were to evaluate the outcome of women with pure flat atypical atypia (FEA) diagnosed at vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB) targeting microcalcifications and to determine whether clinical, radiological and pathologic parameters are able to predict which lesions will be upgraded to malignancy. MATERIALS: 2414 cases of consecutive VABB for microcalcifications using VA 8-, 10- or 11-Gauge stereotactically guided core biopsy performed between January 2005 and December 2011 from two french breast cancer centers were evaluated. Data of women with VABB-diagnosed pure FEA who underwent either excisional surgery or mammographic follow-up were analyzed. Cases with mass lesions or ipsilateral cancers were excluded. Two pathologists (FA,PM) reviewed the results of procedures performed. Clinical, radiological, as well as histological criteria have been studied in order to determine the correlation between these factors and carcinoma underestimation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: This study included 70 cases of pure FEA. Twenty women underwent surgical excision and 50 had clinical and mammographic surveillance only. In three women FEA was upgraded to breast cancer on excision. Clinical and mammographic follow-up for a mean of 56 months ±â€¯27 in the group without excision showed two cancers in the same breast (Intermediate grade DCIS, and invasive ductal carcinoma 84 and 48 months respectively after VABB). Three factors were significantly predictive of underestimation or occurence of cancer for pure FEA when the radiologic lesions are calcifications: age≥ 57 years, radiologic size >10 mm and number of FEA foci ≥4.

N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids of Marine Origin and Multifocality in Human Breast Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The microenvironment of breast epithelial tissue may contribute to the clinical expression of breast cancer. Breast epithelial tissue, whether healthy or tumoral, is directly in contact with fat cells, which in turn could influence tumor multifocality. In this pilot study we investigated whether the fatty acid composition of breast adipose tissue differed according to breast cancer focality. METHODS: Twenty-three consecutive women presenting with non-metastatic breast cancer underwent breast-imaging procedures including Magnetic Resonance Imaging prior to treatment. Breast adipose tissue specimens were collected during breast surgery. We established a biochemical profile of adipose tissue fatty acids by gas chromatography. We assessed whether there were differences according to breast cancer focality. RESULTS: We found that decreased levels in breast adipose tissue of docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids, the two main polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids of marine origin, were associated with multifocality. DISCUSSION: These differences in lipid content may contribute to mechanisms through which peritumoral adipose tissue fuels breast cancer multifocality.

MRI evaluation of residual breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: influence of patient, tumor and chemotherapy characteristics on the correlation with pathological response.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the residual tumor measured on magnetic resonance imaging and pathological results and to assess whether this correlation varies according to patient, tumor or chemotherapy characteristics. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study population included women treated for breast cancer with indication of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in our tertiary breast cancer Unit between January 2008 and December 2011. Factors related to patients, tumor and chemotherapy were studied. Pearson's correlation coefficient between the size of the tumor on MRI and pathological response was calculated for the entire population. It was also calculated according to patient, tumor and chemotherapy characteristics. RESULTS: During the study period, 107 consecutive women were included. The size of residual tumor on the MRI significantly correlated with the size on pathological result with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.52 (p<0.001). The correlation was stronger for women aged 50 years and older (r=0.64, p<0.001) and for post-menopausal women (r=0.61, p<0.001). The correlation was stronger for those with triple-negative tumors (r=0.69, p=0.002) but weaker for those with tumors with a ductal carcinoma in situ component (r =0.18, p=0.42). CONCLUSION: The size of breast cancer obtained by MRI is significantly correlated to the pathological size of the tumor. This correlation was stronger among women aged 50 years and more, among post-menopausal women, and among women who had triple-negative tumors.

What should be the width of radiological margin to optimize resection of non-palpable invasive or in situ ductal carcinoma?

PURPOSE: the aim of our study was to investigate whether there is radiological margin that optimize resection of non-palpable invasive or in situ ductal carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected for all patients undergoing wire localization prior to therapeutic surgical excision between January 2010 and December 2013 at our institution. A 5 and 10-mm radiological margins were considered adequate for invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and in situ ductal carcinoma (DCIS) respectively. Clear histological margins were defined as no ink on the tumor for IDC and ≥2 mm for DCIS. Data were analyzed both in order to assess accuracy of the technique and in order to determine what radiological threshold should be taken. RESULTS: Three hundred seventy seven women were included to the study. The radiological thresholds permitted negative histological margins in 94.7%, 60.9% and 80.9% in the pure invasive ductal carcinoma group (IDC, n = 133), the pure ductal carcinoma in situ group (DCIS, n = 92) and the mixed group (both IDC and DCIS, n = 152) respectively. In an ROC analysis evaluating the ability of radiological thresholds to obtain free pathological margins: the AUC was 0.79 (0.71-0.87, 95% confident interval, p = .0007) for Pure IDC group, 0.67 (0.57-0.87, 95% confident interval, p = .0005) for pure DCIS group, and 0.72 (0.62-0.80, 95% confident interval, p < .0001) for the mixed group. CONCLUSION: We found that a radiological margin of 10 mm is needed in presence of an in situ component and 5-mm radiological margin seems enough in case of pure IDC tumors.