The Prognosis and Predictive Value of Estrogen Negative/Progesterone Positive (ER-/PR+) Phenotype: Experience of 1159 Primary Breast Cancer from a Single Institute.

Breast cancer is a serious worldwide public health problem and is currently the most common cancer overall. Its endocrine therapy is related to the expression of the steroid hormones, estrogen receptor (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR). Breast cancers can be presented under multiple profiles of steroid hormones: ER(-)/PR(+), ER(+)/PR(-), double-positive/negative ER, and PR. 2-8% of all breast cancers express only PR (ER-/PR+) which is an abnormal phenotype, with less known about their behaviors and outcomes. Our study was performed on a large and well-characterized database of primary breast cancer from 2012 to 2019, up to 1159 cases. These cases were divided according to ER and PR expression, as we put all of our focus on ER-negative/PR-positive group, more specifically ER-/PR+/HER2+ and ER-/PR+/HER2- gene expressions, to highlight their features and find a pattern that links HR (hormone receptors) profiles and breast cancer subtypes. Out of the informative cases, 94 patients (8%) had ER-/PR+ breast cancers, while 676 (58.4%) had ER+/PR+, 88 (7.6%) had ER+/PR-, and 164 (14.2%) had ER-/PR- tumors. The ER-/PR+ group was statistically correlated with a high risk of recurrence and death in midway between the double-negative and double-positive HR. According to HER2 status, a low DFS was observed in patients ER-/PR+/HER2-, which is closer to the DFS of TNBC cases but worse than ER+/PR any. On the other side, the ER-/PR+/HER2+ showed also a poorer DFS closer to the HER2+ subgroup in between TNBC and ER+/PR any. The clinicopathological features of the ER-/PR+/HER2- and ER-/PR+ HER2+ have distinguished the patients into two groups with a difference in some clinicopathological characteristics: both groups had closer OS estimation, which was worse than ER-/PR any and better than TNBC and HER2. The ER-/PR+/HER2- seems to increase the risk of recurrence than ER-/PR+/HER2+ when compared to ER+/PR any. On the other hand, the ER-/PR+/HER2+ seems to increase the risk of death more than ER-/PR+/HER2- in comparison with ER+/PR any. Our results support that ER-/PR+ tumors really exist and are rare and clinically and biologically distinct subtypes of breast cancer. In addition, our analysis, which was based on dividing the groups according to HER2 expression, has revealed the existence of two distinct groups; this gave the ER-/PR+ subgroup a heterogeneity characterization. Moreover, this breast cancer subtype should not be treated as a luminal tumor but rather according to the HER2 expression status.

[Comparative study of inflammatory and non-inflammatory locally advanced breast cancer - the experience of a Moroccan hospital]. / Étude comparative du cancer du sein localement avancé inflammatoire et non inflammatoire : expérience d'un centre hospitalier marocain.

OBJECTIVES: The locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) covers large tumor heterogeneity. It consists of non-inflammatory LABC and inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). This study aimed to compare the epidemiological, clinical and pathological, as well as the prognosis of IBC versus non-inflammatory LABC. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 150 cases of IBC and non-inflammatory LABC collected in medical oncology department of the CHU Hassan II of Fez during a period of 4 years [January 2009-January 2013]. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Analysis of the various prognostic factors was performed according to the Cox model. RESULTS: IBC represented 28.7% of LABC. The median age was 47 years. The median tumor size was greater in non-inflammatory LABC compared with IBC (9.5 versus 6cm; P=0.0014). Lymph node invasion was more common in the IBC (49.7% versus 45.9%; P=0.01). An SBR grade 3 was more frequently noted in the IBC (P=0.011). The two groups were well balanced with regard to HR, HER2 status and pathologic complete response. Non-inflammatory LABC had the best OS and DFS (24 vs. 22 months; P=0.03 and 18 vs. 17 months; P=0.025 respectively). CONCLUSION: IBC has a worse prognosis compared to non-inflammatory LABC. New therapeutic approaches are needed to improve the prognosis of these patients.

Primary breast leiomyosarcoma.

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the breast is an extremely rare neoplasm. Only few cases have been reported in the literature. We report here a case of breast leiomyosarcoma in a 44-years-old female and we discuss the data of the existing literature.

[Cardiovascular toxicity of anti-angiogenic therapy]. / Toxicité cardiovasculaire des thérapies antiangiogéniques.

The use of anti-angiogenic therapies has revolutionized the treatment of cancer. However, some of these drugs are associated with cardiovascular damage. An early detection and personalized management is necessary to screen and treat an increase in blood pressure, proteinuria or symptomatic left ventricular dysfunction. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II antagonists are the first line treatment of this cardiotoxicity. The interruption of treatment is recommended if cardiac manifestations are uncontrolled, unless the expected benefit is greater than the risks.