Adverse effects of tamoxifen treatment on bone mineral density in premenopausal patients with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: It is well known that adjuvant tamoxifen treatment for breast cancer in postmenopausal women decreased bone loss. However, the effects of adjuvant tamoxifen therapy on bone mineral density (BMD) in premenopausal patients with breast cancer remains uncertain. Tamoxifen would have a potential impact of premenopausal BMD on health. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess this in premenopausal women with primary breast cancer. METHODS: Through April 2020, studies reporting BMD changes of lumbar spine or hip in premenopausal women with primary breast cancer treated with adjuvant tamoxifen and tamoxifen plus chemotherapy or ovarian function suppression (OFS) were collected from EMBASE and PubMed. The meta-analysis was performed using random effects model of the standardized mean difference (SMD) of BMD in patients. RESULTS: A total of 1432 premenopausal patients were enrolled in eight studies, involving 198 patients treated with tamoxifen alone in three studies. After a 3-year median follow-up, adjuvant tamoxifen decreased the lumbar spinal and hip BMD by as much as an SMD of -1.17 [95% confidence interval (CI); -1.58 to -0.76)] and -0.66 (95% CI, -1.55 to 0.23), respectively. In subgroup analysis in patients treated adjuvant tamoxifen and tamoxifen plus chemotherapy or OFS according to follow-up duration, the bone change of < 3 years follow-up group was -0.03 SMD (95% CI, -0.47 to 0.41) and that of ≥ 3 years follow-up group was -1.06 SMD (95% CI, -1.48 to -0.64). Compared with patients who received tamoxifen alone, patients who received combination therapy with chemotherapy or OFS showed lesser bone loss at the lumbar spine. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that adjuvant tamoxifen therapy in premenopausal patients caused bone loss after 3 years of follow-up, especially at the lumbar spines. For a definite evaluation of the adverse effects of tamoxifen on bone, it is necessary to accumulate more relevant studies.

Associations between breast cancer risk factors and mammographic breast density in a large cross-section of Korean women.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the association between established risk factors for breast cancer and mammographic breast density in Korean women. METHODS: This large cross-sectional study included 8 460 928 women aged >40 years, who were screened for breast cancer between 2009 and 2018. Breast density was assessed using the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System. This study used multiple logistic regression analyses of age, BMI, age at menarche, menopausal status, menopausal age, parity, breastfeeding status, oral contraceptive use, family history of breast cancer, physical activity, smoking, drinking and hormone replacement therapy use to investigate their associations with mammographic breast density. Analyses were performed using SAS software. RESULTS: Of 8 460 928 women, 4 139 869 (48.9%) had nondense breasts and 4 321 059 (51.1%) had dense breasts. Factors associated with dense breasts were: earlier age at menarche [<15 vs. ≥15; adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.17-1.18], premenopausal status (aOR, 2.01; 95% CI, 2.00-2.02), later age at menopause (≥52 vs. <52; aOR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.22-1.23), nulliparity (aOR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.63-1.65), never breastfed (aOR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.23-1.24) and use of hormone replacement therapy (aOR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.28-1.29). Women with a higher BMI and the use of oral contraceptives were more likely to have nondense breasts. CONCLUSION: Lower BMI, reproductive health and behavioral factors were associated with dense breasts in Korean women. Additional research should investigate the relationship between mammographic breast density, breast cancer risk factors and breast cancer risk.

A Cell-Penetrant Peptide Disrupting the Transcription Factor CP2c Complexes Induces Cancer-Specific Synthetic Lethality.

Despite advances in precision oncology, cancer remains a global public health issue. In this report, proof-of-principle evidence is presented that a cell-penetrable peptide (ACP52C) dissociates transcription factor CP2c complexes and induces apoptosis in most CP2c oncogene-addicted cancer cells through transcription activity-independent mechanisms. CP2cs dissociated from complexes directly interact with and degrade YY1, leading to apoptosis via the MDM2-p53 pathway. The liberated CP2cs also inhibit TDP2, causing intrinsic genome-wide DNA strand breaks and subsequent catastrophic DNA damage responses. These two mechanisms are independent of cancer driver mutations but are hindered by high MDM2 p60 expression. However, resistance to ACP52C mediated by MDM2 p60 can be sensitized by CASP2 inhibition. Additionally, derivatives of ACP52C conjugated with fatty acid alone or with a CASP2 inhibiting peptide show improved pharmacokinetics and reduced cancer burden, even in ACP52C-resistant cancers. This study enhances the understanding of ACP52C-induced cancer-specific apoptosis induction and supports the use of ACP52C in anticancer drug development.

An observational, prospective, open label, multicenter study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of pegfilgrastim as secondary prophylaxis to decrease the incidence of febrile neutropenia in Korean female patients with breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Pegfilgrastim is a widely used long-acting granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) that prevents febrile neutropenia (FN) in patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of chemotherapy-related FN events and other adverse events (AEs) during chemotherapy in Korean patients with breast cancer treated with pegfilgrastim as secondary prophylactic support. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a multicenter, open-label, prospective, observational study. A total of 1255 patients were enrolled from 43 institutions. The incidence of FN was evaluated as the primary endpoint. The secondary endpoints included (1) incidence of bone pain, (2) proportion of patients with a relative dose intensity (RDI) of ≥85%, and (3) proportion of patients with AE. RESULTS: Pegfilgrastim administration reduced FN by 11.8-1.6%. The highest incidence of bone pain was observed at the time point of the 1st day after the administration and mild bone pain was the most common of all bone pain severity. The mean RDI was 98.5 ± 7.3%, and the proportion of the patients with and RDI≥85% was 96.9% (1169/1233). AEs were reported in 52.6% of the patients, and serious drug reactions occurred in only 0.7%. CONCLUSION: The use of pegfilgrastim as secondary prophylaxis was effective and safe for preventing FN in patients with breast cancer who were treated with chemotherapy.

ASAP1 Expression in Invasive Breast Cancer and Its Prognostic Role.

Breast cancer is a major global health burden with high morbidity and mortality rates. Previous studies have reported that increased expression of ASAP1 is associated with poor prognosis in various types of cancer. This study was conducted on 452 breast cancer patients who underwent surgery at Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea. Data on clinicopathological characteristics including molecular pathologic markers were collected. Immunohistochemical staining of ASAP1 expression level were used to classify patients into high and low groups. In total, 452 cases low ASAP1 expression group was associated with significantly worse recurrence-free survival (p = 0.029). In ER-positive cases (n = 280), the low ASAP1 expression group was associated with significantly worse overall survival (p = 0.039) and recurrence-free survival (p = 0.029). In multivariate cox analysis, low ASAP1 expression was an independent significant predictor of poor recurrence-free survival in the overall patient group (hazard ratio = 2.566, p = 0.002) and ER-positive cases (hazard ratio = 4.046, p = 0.002). In the analysis of the TCGA dataset, the low-expression group of ASAP1 protein demonstrated a significantly poorer progression-free survival (p = 0.005). This study reports that low ASAP1 expression was associated with worse recurrence-free survival in invasive breast cancer.

Prognostic Implication of YY1 and CP2c Expression in Patients with Primary Breast Cancer.

Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is a transcription factor that regulates epigenetic pathways and protein modifications. CP2c is a transcription factor that functions as an oncogene to regulate cell proliferation. YY1 is known to interact with CP2c to suppress CP2c's transcriptional activity. This study aimed to investigate YY1 and CP2c expression in breast cancer and prognostic implications. In this study, YY1 and CP2c expression was evaluated using immunohistochemical staining, Western blot and RT-PCR assays. Of 491 patients with primary breast cancer, 138 patients showed YY1 overexpression. Luminal subtype and early stage were associated with overexpression (p < 0.001). After a median follow-up of 68 months, YY1 overexpression was found to be associated with a better prognosis (disease-free survival rates of 92.0% vs. 79.2%, p = 0.014). In Cox proportional hazards model, YY1 overexpression functioned as an independent prognostic factor after adjustment of hormone receptor/HER2 status and tumor size (hazard ratio of 0.50, 95% CI 0.26-0.98, p = 0.042). Quantitative analysis of YY1 and CP2c protein expression in tumors revealed a negative correlation between them. In conclusion, YY1 overexpression is a favorable prognostic biomarker in patients with breast cancer, and it has a negative correlation with CP2c at the protein level.

Survival benefit from axillary surgery in patients aged 70 years or older with clinically node-negative breast cancer: A population-based propensity-score matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Older patients with breast cancer have good prognosis and most die from diseases other than breast cancer. Previous studies suggested that the surgical extent in older patients could be reduced. We aimed to compare survival outcomes in patients aged ≥70 years with clinically node-negative breast cancer, based on whether axillary surgery was performed. METHODS: A total of 2,995 patients with breast cancer aged ≥70 years who underwent breast surgery were included in the Korean Breast Cancer Registry. Patients were classified into two groups according to the performance of axillary surgery. We used propensity score matching for demographic and treatment factors to minimize selection bias. We compared the 5-year overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS). RESULTS: Among 708 patients after 3:1 propensity score matching, 531 underwent breast surgery with axillary surgery and 177 underwent breast surgery alone. Of all patients, 51.7% had T1 stage, and 73.2% underwent mastectomy. Approximately 31.2% of patients received chemotherapy. Among patients who did not undergo axillary surgery, the 5-year OS and BCSS rates were 85.2% and 96.7%, respectively. The hazard ratio of axillary surgery for OS was 0.943 (95% confidence interval 0.652-1.365, p = 0.757), indicating no significant difference between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that axillary surgery in a matched cohort of older patients with breast cancer and clinically negative nodes does not provide a survival benefit compared to patients undergoing breast surgery alone. These findings suggest that axillary surgery may be safely omitted in a select group of patients aged ≥70 years with clinically node-negative cancer. Further studies are needed to identify potential candidates for omitting axillary surgery.

Impact of the ACOSOG Z0011 trial on surgical practice in Asian patients: trends in axillary surgery for breast cancer from a Korean Breast Cancer Registry analysis.

BACKGROUND: Since the publication of the Z0011 trial, practice-changing clinical guidelines for breast surgery have been developed. Although recent studies confirmed the feasibility of the Z0011 strategy in Asian populations, there has been no study on the trends of axillary surgery in Asian cohort. This study aimed to investigate the time trend of axillary surgery for breast cancer from a Korean Breast Cancer Registry to understand the impact of the Z0011 trial in Asian patients. METHODS: We collected prospectively constructed data from the nationwide Korean Breast Cancer Registry (KBCR). We identified patients who underwent sentinel node biopsy followed by breast-conserving surgery from 2011 to 2018 and were found to have pathological stage T1-2N1-3M0 disease. Regression analyses were performed to compare the downward trend of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in Korean cohort with that previously reported in a Dutch cohort. RESULTS: From KBCR data, 7478 patients met the inclusion criteria. The proportion of ALND significantly decreased from 2011 (76.6%) to 2018 (47.5%). Multivariate analysis revealed that earlier years at diagnosis, larger tumor size, and lymphatic invasion were associated with a higher odds ratio of performing ALND. Compared to the Dutch cohort, the downward trend of ALND in Korea was significantly more gradual (annual percent change: 37.2 vs. 5.8%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a downward trend of ALND in Korean patients with breast cancer. However, the rate of decrease was significantly slower than that in the Dutch cohort.

Loss of Single-Stranded DNA Binding Protein 2 Expression Is Associated with Aggressiveness and Poor Overall Survival in Patients with Invasive Breast Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Single-stranded DNA binding protein 2 (SSBP2) is involved in the DNA damage response and the maintenance of genome stability. Previous studies have suggested that SSBP2 has a tumor suppressor function or oncogenic function. Loss of SSBP2 expression has been reported in various tumors. However, the role of SSBP2 expression in invasive breast carcinoma has not been reported. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining for SSBP2 was performed on tissue microarrays consisting of 491 invasive breast carcinoma cases. The result of nuclear SSBP2 staining was stratified as either negative or positive. Then, we investigated the correlations between SSBP2 expression and various clinicopathological parameters and patient outcomes. RESULTS: Loss of nuclear SSBP2 expression was observed in 61 cases (12.4%) of 491 invasive breast carcinomas. Loss of nuclear SSBP2 expression was significantly correlated with larger tumor size (p < 0.001, chi-squared test), higher histological grade (p = 0.016, Cochran-Armitage trend test), higher pathological T stage (p < 0.001, Cochran-Armitage trend test), estrogen receptor status (p < 0.001, chi-squared test), and molecular subtype (p < 0.001, chi-squared test). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients with loss of nuclear SSBP2 expression had worse overall survival (p = 0.013, log-rank test). However, loss of nuclear SSBP2 expression was not correlated with recurrence-free survival (p = 0.175, log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS: Loss of nuclear SSBP2 expression was associated with adverse clinicopathological characteristics and poor patient outcomes. SSBP2 acts as a tumor suppressor in invasive breast carcinoma and may be used as a prognostic biomarker.

Associations between obesity, metabolic health, and the risk of breast cancer in East Asian women.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the associations between metabolic syndrome(MetS), obesity, their combination as a metabolic obesity phenotype, and the risk of breast cancer in East Asian postmenopausal women. METHODS: A total of 3,095,336 postmenopausal cancer-free women aged 40-79 years who underwent the National Health Insurance Service health examination between 2009 and 2010 were included. The incidence of invasive breast cancer was followed up until 2018. The presence of obesity (body mass index[BMI] ≥25 kg/m2), MetS, and each component of MetS was investigated. RESULTS: Obesity and MetS were associated with breast cancer risk, but when the effects of obesity and MetS were mutually adjusted, the associations were attenuated, especially for MetS. Only elevated fasting blood glucose levels and waist circumference increased the risk of breast cancer after adjusting for BMI. Compared to metabolically healthy normal-weight women, metabolically unhealthy normal-weight women, metabolically healthy obese, and metabolically unhealthy obese women had an increased risk of breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity and MetS were independently associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, despite the relationship between MetS and breast cancer appearing to result from a partial association with BMI. Postmenopausal women should be encouraged to control their weight and metabolic health.

Clinical Outcomes Following Letrozole Treatment according to Estrogen Receptor Expression in Postmenopausal Women: LETTER Study (KBCSG-006).

PURPOSE: In this trial, we investigated the efficacy and safety of adjuvant letrozole for hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer. Here, we report the clinical outcome in postmenopausal women with HR-positive breast cancer treated with adjuvant letrozole according to estrogen receptor (ER) expression levels. METHODS: In this multi-institutional, open-label, observational study, postmenopausal patients with HR-positive breast cancer received adjuvant letrozole (2.5 mg/daily) for 5 years unless they experienced disease progression or unacceptable toxicity or withdrew their consent. The patients were stratified into the following 3 groups according to ER expression levels using a modified Allred score (AS): low, intermediate, and high (AS 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8, respectively). ER expression was centrally reviewed. The primary objective was the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate. RESULTS: Between April 25, 2010, and February 5, 2014, 440 patients were enrolled. With a median follow-up of 62.0 months, the 5-year DFS rate in all patients was 94.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 91.8-96.6). The 5-year DFS and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates did not differ according to ER expression; the 5-year DFS rates were 94.3% and 94.1%in the low-to-intermediate and high expression groups, respectively (p = 0.6), and the corresponding 5-year RFS rates were 95.7% and 95.4%, respectively (p = 0.7). Furthermore, 25 patients discontinued letrozole because of drug toxicity. CONCLUSION: Treatment with adjuvant letrozole showed very favorable treatment outcomes and good tolerability among Korean postmenopausal women with ER-positive breast cancer, independent of ER expression. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01069211.

Comparison of core-needle biopsy and repeat fine-needle aspiration for thyroid nodules with inconclusive initial cytology.

PURPOSE: We aimed to compare the efficacy of ultrasound-guided core-needle biopsy (CNB) with repeat fine-needle aspiration (rFNA) cytology in thyroid nodules with inconclusive results in initial fine-needle aspiration cytology. METHODS: We studied 402 patients who required a repeat biopsy of thyroid nodules using ultrasound-guided CNB (n = 192) or rFNA (n = 210) because of inconclusive results in initial FNA, corresponding to categories I, III, and IV of the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology. If repeat biopsy results were benign (category II), suspicious malignancy (category V), or malignancy (category VI), they were defined as "diagnostic results". The diagnostic yield and performances of repeat biopsy were analyzed and compared between the rFNA and CNB groups. RESULTS: The diagnostic results were obtained significantly higher in the CNB group than in the rFNA group (72.4% vs. 52.4%; P < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, the diagnostic results were significantly higher in the CNB group than in the rFNA group for patients of categories I and III (P < 0.001 in both) in initial FNA. However, in patients with category IV nodules, there were no significant differences in diagnostic results between the two groups (P = 0.46). CONCLUSION: Compared to rFNA, ultrasound-guided CNB is useful and effective as a repeat biopsy option for thyroid nodules with non-diagnostic results (category I) and atypia of undetermined significance (AUS) or follicular lesion of undetermined significance (FLUS) (category III) in initial FNA.

The island-type pedicled TRAM flap: Improvement of the aesthetic outcomes of breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: The pedicled transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap (TRAM) remains an effective and widely-used method for breast reconstruction despite well-documented donor-site morbidity. We present the island-type pedicled TRAM flap as a way to obtain better and more reliable outcomes in breast reconstruction. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent breast reconstruction with an island-type pedicled TRAM flap was performed. Patient demographics and complications were reviewed. In the island-type pedicled TRAM flap, we transversely resected the upper ipsilateral rectus muscle surrounding the origin of the superior epigastric vessels, preserving only a 1-cm muscle strip including the vascular pedicle to prevent epigastric bulging and inframammary fold (IMF) disruption. The flap was turned over into the ipsilateral breast pocket. The IMF was repaired except for the portion where the pedicle was placed. RESULTS: From January 2013 to November 2017, 88 patients underwent surgery using the island-type pedicled TRAM flap. The etiology of the defect was breast cancer with mastectomy in 86 cases, and paraffinoma in two cases. Seventy-seven patients underwent unilateral reconstruction, and 11 patients underwent bilateral reconstruction. Minor fat necrosis occurred in eight cases. Mild inframammary or epigastric bulging was observed in five cases, and neither partial nor total flap necrosis was observed. The aesthetic outcome of the IMF was evaluated in 55 cases, and 53 cases received good overall scores. CONCLUSION: Although the island-type pedicled TRAM flap is technically challenging because careful dissection and pedicle identification is required, it can provide more reliable and better aesthetic results without an increased risk of vascular compromise.

Changes in weight, body composition, and physical activity among patients with breast cancer under adjuvant chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer patients are more likely to gain than lose weight during chemotherapy. Weight gain due to chemotherapy in breast cancer patients increases the likelihood of complications and the risk of recurrence. The study aimed to investigate changes in weight, body composition, and physical activity in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. METHOD: This was a prospective longitudinal study. The participants of this study were 37 patients who underwent adjuvant chemotherapy between August 2016 and March 2017 at a University hospital, Seoul, South Korea. We measured weight and body composition using a bioelectrical impedance method, and physical activity through a questionnaire, three times during the study period. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measures analysis. RESULTS: There were no changes in weight, body mass index (BMI), body composition, and physical activity during adjuvant chemotherapy. There were no statistically significant differences in weight and BMI according to clinical characteristics. However, there were significant differences in total body water, muscle mass, and body fat percentage according to menopause status. The changes in physical activity showed no differences according to clinical characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant change in weight, body composition, and physical activity during adjuvant chemotherapy in participants with breast cancer. However, total body water, muscle mass, and body fat percentage differed according to menopause status, and body fat percentage appeared to increase rapidly in premenopausal participants following adjuvant chemotherapy. We should pay close attention to the weight of premenopausal women receiving adjuvant chemotherapy.

Efficacy of prophylactic central neck dissection in hemithyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic central neck dissection (pCND) in hemithyroidectomy for clinically node-negative papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 299 patients who underwent thyroid lobectomy with or without pCND for unilateral PTC. Of the 299 patients, 245 (81.9%) underwent unilateral pCND along with lobectomy, and 54 (18.1%) patients underwent lobectomy without pCND. Propensity score matching was performed for five covariates to reduce selection bias. RESULTS: In the baseline cohort of 299 patients, mean age, extrathyroidal extension, T classification and stage were higher in the cases undergoing pCND than in those not undergoing pCND. After propensity score matching, the significant differences between the two groups seen in the baseline cohort disappeared. Recurrence rates and recurrence-free survival curves did not differ between the 2 matched groups each of 54 patients. CONCLUSION: The value of pCND in hemithyroidectomy for PTC is limited.

Primary Histiocytic Sarcoma Presenting as a Breast Mass: A Case Report.

Histiocytic sarcoma is a rare hematologic malignancy, with very few cases of primary histiocytic sarcoma of the breast described in English scientific literature. Herein, we describe a case of primary histiocytic sarcoma of the breast in a 75-year-old woman, with no clinical history of malignant tumors, who presented with a palpable solitary breast mass. Microscopically, the resected breast mass showed large pleomorphic cells, some multinucleated giant cells, and admixed inflammatory components. The pleomorphic tumor cells further showed a diffuse, noncohesive growth pattern, an abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, and strong and diffuse immunoreactivity for cluster of differentiation (CD) 68 and CD163. Furthermore, a whole-body positron-emission tomography/computed tomography using deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose performed after surgery showed no other masses or lesions. After surgical excision, the patient was followed up, and no evidence of tumor recurrence or metastasis was noted.

Efficacy of hemithyroidectomy in papillary thyroid carcinoma with minimal extrathyroidal extension.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the oncologic outcomes of hemithyroidectomy with total thyroidectomy in clinically node-negative (cN0) papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with minimal extrathyroidal extension (ETE). METHODS: Among 1826 PTC patients who underwent thyroidectomy from Jan 2001 to Dec 2014, there were 255 with unilateral cN0 PTC with minimal ETE and of equal to or less than 2 cm in size; these 255 patients were included in this study. We excluded patients who had tumor size > 2 cm, bilateral tumors, clinically positive nodes, maximal or no ETE, gross invasion of sternothyroid muscle, recurrent cancers or distant metastases. Total thyroidectomy was performed in 173 of the 255 patients, and hemithyroidectomy in 82 of them. A propensity score-matched analysis was carried out to reduce selection bias, with the following covariates: sex, age, tumor size, multiplicity and central neck dissection. RESULTS: In the baseline data of the 255 patients, female, age and tumor size were significantly higher in the total thyroidectomy group as was Stage III, whereas T and N classification did not differ in the two groups. Propensity score matching generated two matched groups of 66 patients each, in which the significant differences between the two groups seen in the baseline analysis disappeared. In the matched samples, recurrence rate (3.0% vs. 1.5%, p = 1.0) and recurrence-free survival curves did not differ between total thyroidectomy and hemithyroidectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Hemithyroidectomy can be recommended for cN0 PTC 1 cm or less with minimal ETE. Also it can be considered for cN0 PTC 11-20 mm with minimal ETE.

Thyroid cartilage loci and hyoid bone analysis using a video fluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS).

INTRODUCTION: Hyoid bone movement can be useful for diagnosing oropharyngeal dysphagia. In most clinical settings, the movement can be evaluated by a video fluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) that induces radiation exposure. In contrast with the hyoid bone, the thyroid cartilage is easily seen through the anterior neck surface. We hypothesized that the movement of thyroid cartilage correlates with hyoid bone movement in various axis and can be used as a parameter to evaluate swallowing. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone movement were correlated and to collect basic data to determine if thyroid cartilage can be used as a parameter to evaluate swallowing. METHODS: A total of 25 subjects were included, and the VFSS image with normal swallowing function was collected retrospectively. The VFSS image was analyzed by specially developed semi-automatic software. Laryngeal prominence and anterior-superior margins of the hyoid were automatically extracted during swallowing. Two-point sets of the loci during swallowing were obtained in all VFSS frames. The X-coordinates showed an anterior-posterior axis, and the Y-coordinates showed a superior-inferior axis. Pearson correlation coefficients for each X- and Y-coordinate component were computed. RESULTS: X- and Y-coordinates of the thyroid cartilage and hyoid bones in all subjects showed movement in similar patterns, although each subject's movement differed. Pearson correlation coefficients of X- and Y-coordinate components of all subjects ranged from 0.611 to 0.981, which indicated that thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone movement was strongly correlated in anterior-posterior and superior-inferior axes, respectively. CONCLUSION: We analyzed thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone movement using a specifically developed semi-automatic software and concluded that the movement of thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone was strongly correlated in anterior-posterior and superior-inferior axes, respectively, during swallowing. The present study implies that analysis of thyroid cartilage movement can be used as a parameter for swallowing evaluation.

Correlation of tumor uptake on breast-specific gamma imaging and fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT with molecular subtypes of breast cancer.

Mechanisms of technetium-99m sesta-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (sestamibi) and F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake by tumor are different. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the tumor uptake of these 2 tracers in invasive ductal carcinoma and to examine thecorrelation of uptake of each tracer with prognostic factors and tumor molecular subtypes.A total of 96 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma who underwent preoperative breast-specific gamma imaging and FDG positron-emission tomography/computed tomography were retrospectively enrolled. Tumor-to-background ratio (TBR) of sestamibi and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of FDG were correlated with each other. Each of them was then compared with prognostic factors and molecular subtypes.In all tumors, there was a moderate positive correlation between TBR and SUVmax (r = 0.520, P < .001). Both TBR and SUVmax were significantly correlated with tumor size, incidence of axillary lymph node metastasis, histologic grade, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor status, and Ki-67.There is a moderate degree of association between TBR of sestamibi and SUVmax of FDG in the invasive breast cancer. Two imaging indexes showed the similar tendency related with prognostic factors and molecular subtypes. While both TBR and SUVmax were significantly different between luminal A and nonluminal A tumors, neither of them had high enough sensitivity or specificity to obviate pathologic and molecular diagnosis.

Modified C-H flap for simultaneous nipple reconstruction during autologous breast reconstruction: Surgical tips for safety and cosmesis.

BACKGROUND: Reconstruction of the nipple-areolar complex is the final stage of breast reconstruction. Nipple reconstruction is usually performed several months after breast reconstruction, because simultaneous reconstruction is thought to be risky. Here, we introduce our experiences of 1-stage procedures with immediate reconstruction of the nipple-areolar complex during autologous breast reconstruction. METHODS: Between 2008 and 2015, 51 mastectomy patients underwent 1-stage breast and nipple reconstruction. All cases were reconstructed immediately with autologous tissue for the breast mound. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the method of nipple-areolar complex reconstruction. In group A, 23 cases were reconstructed with a classical C-H flap, also known as the Hammond flap. In group B, 28 cases were reconstructed with a modified C-H flap, which is the evolved form of the classical Hammond flap. The nipple-areolar complex was evaluated preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and 1 year postoperatively. Postoperative complications were also evaluated. RESULTS: The mean projection of the reconstructed nipple decreased by approximately 50% in group A and 38% in group B during the postoperative 1 year. However, the reconstructed nipple width and areolar diameter did not show a significant change in either group. Group A showed 26% of complication rate and 17% of revision rate, whereas group B showed 11% of complication rate and 4% of revision rate. However, no major complications such as complete necrosis of the reconstructed nipple, were observed in any patients. CONCLUSION: The modified technique group showed superior results in terms of safety and cosmesis. With our modified C-H flap method, simultaneous breast and nipple reconstruction is safe and has satisfactory results.