First report on molecular breast cancer subtypes and their clinico-pathological characteristics in Eastern Morocco: series of 2260 cases.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy among women in Eastern Morocco. In this paper, we provide the first report on molecular breast cancer subtypes in this region. This is the largest population-based study on breast cancer among Moroccan women. METHODS: We analyzed 2260 breast cancer cases diagnosed at the Hassan II Regional Oncology Center between October 2005 and December 2012. Clinico-pathological and therapeutic features were studied. Molecular subtypes were determined and their associations with the clinico-pathological characteristics of the tumors were examined. RESULTS: The mean age at diagnosis was 48.7 years ±11.4. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the predominant histological type (77.1%), followed by lobular invasive carcinoma (15.3%). The mean size of breast tumors was 3.5 cm ± 1.96, and 84% of our patients are diagnosed with tumors of more than 2 cm. Histological grade II tumors were the most frequent (70.4%), followed by advanced histological grade (18%). Lymph node positive tumors were observed in 64.8% of cases and 29.3% of patients had distant metastasis. Most tumors were hormone receptor-positive (73%) and 28.6% were HER2 positive. 86.1% of patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer were given hormone therapy, while 68.9% of patients with HER2+ breast cancer received targeted therapy with Herceptin. Luminal A was the commonest molecular subtype, followed by Luminal B, Triple Negative and HER2. The highest prevalence of premenopausal patients was observed in Triple Negative subtype (72.2%), followed by HER2 (64.1%), Luminal B (62.2%), and Luminal A (55.1%). Luminal B subtype had a poorer prognosis than Luminal A. Compared with Triple Negative, HER2 subtype tend to spread more aggressively and is associated with poorer prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike Western countries, breast cancer occurs at an earlier age and is diagnosed at a more advanced stage in Eastern Morocco. In this region, hormone receptor-positive tumors are predominant and so the majority of breast cancer patients should benefit from hormone therapy. HER2 subtype presents an aggressive tendency, suggesting the importance of anti-HER2 therapy. This study will contribute in developing appropriate screening and cancer management strategies in Eastern Morocco.

Electroforesis en Gel de Campo Pulsado (PFGE) para la diferenciación molecular de Listeria monocytogenes / Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for the molecular differentiation of Listeria monocytogenes

En Colombia no es obligatoria la notificación deL. monocytogenes en alimentos, pero se vigilan los alimentos dealto riesgo. Clínicamente se reportan como microorganismoGram-positivo sólo cuando causan meningitis. L. monocytogeneses un patógeno intracelular, transmitido por alimentos, letalpara humanos y animales, que causa Listeriosis; enfermedadque genera varios brotes en el mundo, con pérdidashumanas y económicas. Pocos trabajos en Colombia hanlogrado identificar y serotipificar molecularmente losaislamientos, lo que sólo permite distribuir teóricamentelos serotipos en linajes. Esta revisión se limita a mostrarcaracterísticas del patógeno, su importancia en salud públicay en la industria de alimentos, generalidades de la PFGECHEF;identificando el protocolo estandarizado de trabajoy las enzimas de restricción adecuadas para cortar el ADN.Se encontró que la combinación de enzimas XbaI-AscI,seguida de ApaI es la que ofrece mejores resultados en ladiferenciación de los aislamientos; agrupándolos por linajes;mostrando variaciones intra-serotipo y que en varios paíseslatinoamericanos se analizan los resultados a través dePulseNet, lo que garantiza la comparación de los patronesde PFGE en igualdad de condiciones...

The reporting of L. monocytogenes in food in Colombia is not a mandatory; however, foods consideredhigh-risk are monitored, and the organism is only reported clinically as Gram-positive when it causesmeningitis. L. monocytogenes is a foodborne, intracellular, pathogen which causes listeriosis, a disease lethalto humans and animals. Outbreaks of this disease worldwide can bring about human and economiclosses. Only a few studies in Colombia have been able to identify and molecularly serotype isolatesallowing only the theoretical distribution of serotypes by lineage. This review explains the characteristicsof the pathogen, its importance in public health and in the food industry, and provides an overview ofPFGE-CHEF; identifying the standard work protocol and the appropriate restriction enzymes to cutDNA. We found that the enzyme combination, XbaI-AscI, followed by ApaI offers the best results todifferentiate isolates, by grouping them by lineages, and displaying intra-serotype variations. Additionally,we found that in several Latin American countries the results are analyzed using PulseNet; this ensuresthe comparison of PFGE patterns in equivalent conditions...

Na Colômbia não há uma notificação compulsóriade L. monocytogenes em alimentos, mas alimentos de altorisco são monitorados. Clinicamente, são relatados comoorganismos Gram-positivos apenas quando eles causammeningite. L. monocytogenes é um patógeno intracelularde origem alimentar, letal para seres humanos e animais,que causa a listeriose, que gera surtos em todo o mundo,com perdas humanas e econômicas. Poucos trabalhos naColômbia identificaram e sorotipificaram molecularmenteos isolados, que só permite a distribuição de sorotiposteoricamente em linhagens. Esta avaliação é limitada amostrar características do patógeno, sua importância nasaúde pública e na indústria de alimentos, e uma visãogeral do PFGE-CHEF; identificar o protocolo-padrão detrabalho e enzimas de restrição apropriadas para cortar oADN. Verificou-se que a combinação de enzimas XbaIAscI,seguido por ApaI representa a combinação de enzimasque ofereceu melhores resultados na diferenciação dosisolados, agrupando-a por linhagens, mostrando a variaçãointra-serotipo e que, em muitos países da América Latina,os resultados são analisados através PulseNet, que asseguraa comparação de padrões de PFGE em igualdade decondições...

Clasificación en subtipos moleculares de tumores de mama de pequeños animales mediante métodos inmunohistoquímicos / Classification in molecular subtypes of breast tumors of small animals through immunohistochemical methods

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Aplicar un panel de anticuerpos (anti -receptor de progesterona, -receptor de estrógenos, -receptor del factor de crecimiento epidérmico humano 2 y -citoqueratina 14) utilizando métodos inmunohistoquímicos en tumores mamarios de pequeños animales para analizar su clasificación en subtipos moleculares y su asociación con la invasión, el grado y el tipo histológico de las neoplasias. Material y Métodos: Muestras de tumores mamarios malignos, 10 de la especie canina y 3 de la felina. Control positivo interno: glándula mamaria no tumoral adyacente a las neoplasias. Resultados: El 23% (3/13) de los tumores fueron del subtipo luminal B, el 23% (3/13) fueron HER2 positivos, el 46% (6/13) fueron basales y el 7,6% (1/13) no se pudieron clasificar porque no expresaron ninguno de los marcadores tumorales analizados. Ningún caso fue del subtipo luminal A. Los 6 tumores basales fueron de grado II o III y presentaban o infiltración de solo el estroma o también invasión vascula Dos tercios de los tumores HER2 positivos presentaban infiltración del estroma y 1/2 tumores resultó ser de grado II. Los tumores luminal B, 2/3 fueron de grado II o III. Todos los controles internos fueron positivos. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en la distribución de los subtipos moleculares entre los diferentes grupos de las variables invasión (p-valor=0,26), ni grado de malignidad (p-valor=0,42). Sí hubo diferencias en el límite de la significación estadística en la distribución de los subtipos moleculares entre los diferentes grupos de la variable tipo histológico (p=0,08). Conclusiones: La aplicación del panel de anticuerpos ha permitido descubrir 4 (luminal B, HER2, basal y sin clasificar) de los 5 subtipos moleculares posibles (AU)

Antecedents and objectives: to apply an antibodies panel (anti-progesterone receptor -estrogen receptor, -human epi-dermal growth factor receptor 2 and cytokeratin 14) using immunohistochemical methods in mammary tumors of small animals to classify them in molecular subtypes and their association with the invasion, grade and histological type of the malignancies. Material and Methods: samples of malignant mammary tumors, 10 from canine species and 3 from feline ones. Internal positive control: non-tumoral mammary gland adjacent to the malignancy. Results: 23% (3/13) of the tumors were of the luminal B subtype, 23% (3/13) were HER2 positive, 46% (6/13) were basal types and 7,6% (1/13) were unclassifiable because they did not express any of the tested tumor markers. None of the cases belonged to the luminal A subtype. The 6 basal tumors were grade II or III and presented only stromal infiltration or vascular invasion as well. Two thirds of the HER2 positive tumors presented stromal infiltration and hal he tumors were grade II. Two thirds of luminal B tumors were grade II or III. All internal controls were positive. There were no signifi-cant differences in the distribution of the molecular subtypes among the different groups of the invasion (p-value=0.26) and malig-nancy grade variables (p-value=0.42). There were differences of borderline statistical significance in the distribution of the molecular subtypes among the different groups of the histological type variable (p-value=0.08). Conclusions: the application of the antibodies panel has allowed to find 4 (luminal B, HER2, basal and unclassified) out of 5 possible molecular subtypes (AU)