picture
RJR-logo

About | BLOGS | Portfolio | Misc | Recommended | What's New | What's Hot

About | BLOGS | Portfolio | Misc | Recommended | What's New | What's Hot

icon

Bibliography Options Menu

icon
QUERY RUN:
07 Oct 2025 at 01:50
HITS:
9985
PAGE OPTIONS:
Hide Abstracts   |   Hide Additional Links
NOTE:
Long bibliographies are displayed in blocks of 100 citations at a time. At the end of each block there is an option to load the next block.

Bibliography on: Invasive Ductal Carcinoma

RJR-3x

Robert J. Robbins is a biologist, an educator, a science administrator, a publisher, an information technologist, and an IT leader and manager who specializes in advancing biomedical knowledge and supporting education through the application of information technology. More About:  RJR | OUR TEAM | OUR SERVICES | THIS WEBSITE

RJR: Recommended Bibliography 07 Oct 2025 at 01:50 Created: 

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma

Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), also known as infiltrating ductal carcinoma, is cancer that began growing in a milk duct and has invaded the fibrous or fatty tissue of the breast outside of the duct. IDC is the most common form of breast cancer, representing 80 percent of all breast cancer diagnoses.

Created with PubMed® Query: ("invasive ductal carcinoma" OR IDC) NOT pmcbook NOT ispreviousversion

Citations The Papers (from PubMed®)

-->

RevDate: 2025-10-06

Icht M, Meirzada A, BM Ben-David (2025)

Little ears, literal emotions: the developmental pattern of emotional speech processing in elementary school-age children and the mediating role of expressive lexicon.

Cognition & emotion [Epub ahead of print].

Processing spoken emotions, a critical skill for social interactions, develops from birth to adulthood. It relies on processing information in two auditory channels: semantics and prosody, and their integration. The current study examined the developmental pattern of emotional speech processing, comparing 8- and 12-year-old elementary school children (ES-Juniors and ES-Seniors, respectively). This age-range reflects developmental stages in emotional processing, social understanding, lexical development, and executive functions. Three basic abilities were tested: (1) Identifying semantic/prosodic emotions, (2) Selectively attending to a single channel, and (3) Integrating the two channels. Sixty participants rated how much they agreed that a spoken sentence expressed a specific emotion (happiness, sadness, or anger), in one or both channels. The ES-Senior group outperformed the ES-Junior group in semantic identification and selective attention. No significant differences were found for prosody. ES-Seniors showed better channel integration: While ES-Juniors performed with semantic dominance, ES-Seniors showed no significant dominance, approaching adult-like performance. Finally, expressive lexicon moderated group differences in semantic identification and prosody-semantics integration. The ES-Seniors' advantage over ES-Junior in these measures disappears for individuals with higher language scores. Findings may inform interventions for ES children experiencing emotional processing challenges.

RevDate: 2025-10-06

Elverici E, Gündoğdu S, Gunbey Karabekmez L, et al (2025)

Diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography in the evaluation of suspicious microcalcifications without associated mass.

Acta radiologica (Stockholm, Sweden : 1987) [Epub ahead of print].

BackgroundContrast-enhancing magnetic resonance imaging is an expensive examination compared to contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) and cannot show microcalcifications.PurposeTo investigate the diagnostic performance of CESM for malignancy with microcalcifications alone and the relationship between tumor immunohistochemistry findings and tumor grade.Material and MethodsA total of 117 patients with suspected microcalcification at CESM were applied to our hospital between January 2022 and May 2024. Patients with accompanying mass and architectural distortion (n = 9) and the ones lacking pathology results (n = 11) were excluded. Patients with CESM and histopathological diagnosis (n = 97) were evaluated retrospectively. Mammography images were analyzed according to the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System lexicon.ResultsIn our study, the diagnostic value of the presence of contrast enhancement in CESM was high in the evaluation of suspicious breast microcalcifications. Malignant pathology was detected in all of the microcalcifications with high-risk morphology. In addition, all of the microcalcifications that enhanced in solid and ground-glass form were invasive ductal carcinoma. However, no significant relationship was found between immunohistochemical parameters (ER, PR, CerB2, Ki-67 and grade) and enhancement in CESM. The highest enhancement rate among malignant subtypes was detected in the luminal B group.ConclusionCESM is useful to reduce the number of unnecessary benign biopsies with suspicious microcalcifications in the breast, and provides an important contribution to the radiologist's biopsy decision by simultaneously showing the morphological features of the microcalcification and the contrast enhancement information.

RevDate: 2025-10-06
CmpDate: 2025-10-06

Stover CS, Meshberg-Cohen S, Portnoy GA, et al (2025)

Efficacy of an integrated treatment for fathers with Co-occurring substance misuse and family violence.

Contemporary clinical trials communications, 48:101555.

Substance Use (SU) and Family Violence (FV) are both critical public health concerns and often occur together. However, most existing interventions target only one of these problems, without consideration of the other, and fail to address when individuals with these issues are parents. The current Stage II randomized clinical trial (RCT) aims to compare two individually delivered interventions, Fathers for Change (F4C) and Individual Drug Counseling (IDC) in 280 fathers who have used physical or psychological violence towards a partner, have a substance use disorder, and have a biological child between the ages of 3 months and 12 years. They will be recruited from two locations (Department of Veteran Affairs [VA] and community substance use treatment clinic). This efficacy study aims to demonstrate that F4C can achieve comparable SU reductions to IDC, while also reducing FV, with increases in emotion regulation meditating the relationship between the intervention group and reduced SU and FV. Findings from this study have large scale clinical and public health implications that can help target and address co-occurring SU and FV and mitigate negative outcomes for affected children and families.

RevDate: 2025-10-06
CmpDate: 2025-10-06

Patel RM, Korsunsky S, El-Gazzaz G, et al (2025)

Robotic-Assisted Adrenalectomy for Presumed Metastasis in a Male Patient With Breast Cancer: A Case Report.

Cureus, 17(9):e91583.

We report the case of a 57-year-old male with T1N1M0, estrogen receptor-positive (ER+), progesterone receptor-positive (PR+), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-), corresponding to American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage IIA (AJCC Stage IIA) invasive ductal cell carcinoma of the left breast, who underwent a radical mastectomy with adjuvant chemotherapy. CT and MRI imaging demonstrated an adrenal nodule that persisted even after the patient's chemotherapy regimen was completed. Subsequent PET imaging detected a hypermetabolic left adrenal mass concerning for distant metastasis. Ultimately, the patient and care team decided that a robotic-assisted left adrenalectomy was likely the best course of action. Intraoperative frozen and final pathology both confirmed a benign adrenal fibroadenoma. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges faced when distinguishing adrenal metastasis from benign lesions in patients with a history of malignancy, especially when imaging findings are nonspecific. The case emphasized the sheer importance of multidisciplinary evaluation and potential surgical intervention in rare malignancies, such as male breast cancer, where existing guidelines are often extrapolated from female populations.

RevDate: 2025-10-06
CmpDate: 2025-10-06

Dharia A, Yan K, Mammen SV, et al (2025)

Metastatic Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Presenting as Unilateral Adrenal Incidentaloma.

AACE endocrinology and diabetes, 12(3):169-173.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The widespread use of cross-sectional imaging has led to increased detection of adrenal incidentalomas (AI), most of which are benign. However, a small fraction of AIs are malignant, with a significantly higher risk in patients with a history of cancer.

CASE REPORT: Sixty-nine-year-old woman with a remote history of invasive ductal breast carcinoma and thyroid carcinoma in remission presented with chronic abdominal pain. Imaging revealed 2 enlarging, right adrenal nodules with indeterminate features and no uptake on PET-CT. Hormonal tests indicated a nonfunctioning adrenal mass. Due to continued growth, she underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Histopathology revealed metastatic breast carcinoma, and she subsequently initiated systemic chemotherapy.

DISCUSSION: This case highlights the diagnostic challenges posed by AIs in patients with known cancer and provides valuable insights into the detection and management of adrenal metastases.

CONCLUSION: Timely surgical intervention allowed for definitive diagnosis and appropriate oncologic management, highlighting the importance of individualized evaluation and multidisciplinary decision-making in cases of AIs.

RevDate: 2025-10-04

Zhou Z, Sun Z, Zhao F, et al (2025)

Predictive Value of Nomogram-Based Clinicopathological Biomarkers Combined with Multiparametric MRI for Tumour-Infiltrating Lymphocyte Expression in Breast Cancer.

Academic radiology pii:S1076-6332(25)00896-7 [Epub ahead of print].

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate the value of clinicopathological features and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in predicting tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) levels in breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 171 patients diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma who underwent preoperative MRI (2023-2025) were included. The analysis focused on the clinicopathological characteristics alongside conventional MRI features and a range of quantitative parameters. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified independent predictors of high and low TIL levels. A nomogram was constructed based on the multivariable logistic regression model results.

RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis identified histological grade, D, D*, Ktrans, and Kep as independent factors in the training cohort. The nomogram's C-index was 0.944 in the training cohort and 0.964 in the validation cohort. The area under the curve (AUC) of the nomogram model was 0.954 (85.1% sensitivity, 91.1% specificity, and 87.4% accuracy) in the training cohort and 0.974 (96.7% sensitivity, 92.1% specificity, and 92.6% accuracy) in the validation cohort, both significantly higher than those of the individual models in the corresponding cohorts (Z=3.018-6.653, all P<0.05 and Z=2.546-5.668, all P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Combining clinicopathological characteristics with multiparametric MRI parameters significantly improves prediction accuracy for TIL levels in breast cancer. This integrated model holds considerable clinical potential, providing robust support for personalised treatment strategies.

RevDate: 2025-10-02
CmpDate: 2025-10-02

Sarmadi A, Javanmard SH, Zeinalian M, et al (2025)

Mono-allelic MUTYH mutation as the likely inherited etiology of hereditary breast cancer in a patient from a multi-cancer family- report of a family and literature review.

BMC medical genomics, 18(1):146.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent cancer globally. Carriers of pathogenic variants in high- or moderate-penetrance genes, have an increased risk of developing hereditary BC (HBC). While, MUTYH is known to be associated with hereditary colonic polyposis and colorectal carcinoma, its role in BC is controversial. This study investigated the genetic cause of HBC in an Iranian family with a history of multiple cancer cases.

METHODS: Clinical examination and exome sequencing (ES) was performed in a patient suffering from invasive ductal carcinoma from a family with several cases of different types of cancer. The pathogenicity of detected variants was done based on American Collage of Medical Genetics (ACMG) and Sanger sequencing was carried out for its validation. Furthermore, we performed a comprehensive review of the literature.

RESULTS: Here, a pathogenic variant (p. A287Pfs*32) was identified in the MUTYH gene in mono-allelic status in four BC patients. However, this variant was previously reported as the cause of MutYH-associated polyposis (MAP) in homozygous status. The review of literature showed that the frequency of MUTYH mutation in BC patients population is in a range of 0.3-5.6%.

CONCLUSION: In this study, a heterozygous pathogenic variant in the MUTYH gene was identified as the possible cause of BC in a multi-cancer family using ES. While the potential association between mono-allelic MUTYH mutations and an elevated risk of BC remains controversial, these findings highlight the necessity for a careful interpretation when assessing the role of MUTYH mutations in BC risk.

RevDate: 2025-10-01
CmpDate: 2025-10-01

Yee G, Wu R, Ishikawa T, et al (2025)

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Has Higher Immune Response Than Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in Estrogen Receptor-Positive/Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Negative Breast Cancers.

World journal of oncology, 16(5):446-456.

BACKGROUND: Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) are two major pathological diagnoses of breast cancer, but few studies have described their differences within luminal (estrogen receptor (ER)-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative) subtypes at the molecular level.

METHODS: Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) (n = 584) and the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) (n = 1,355) cohorts, we analyzed luminal ILC and IDC, excluding mixed type, in patients with stage I-III breast cancer.

RESULTS: ILC was associated with Nottingham histological grade 2, larger tumor size and more stage III disease than IDC (all P < 0.01) but no difference in lymph node nor distant metastasis in both cohorts. There was no survival difference between ILC and IDC. ILC had less aggressive genomic features compared to IDC, and the cell proliferation score and Ki67 gene expression were significantly lower in ILC in TCGA (P < 0.001); however, these findings were not validated in METABRIC. Hallmark cell proliferation-related gene sets (E2F targets, G2M checkpoint, MYC targets V1, and MTORC1 signaling) were significantly less enriched in ILC in both cohorts (all normalized enrichment score (NES) > 1.4, false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.12). While ILC appeared to have a lower trend of pathological complete response (pCR) in the GSE20194 and GSE1140494 cohorts, ILC was infiltrated with significantly more CD4[+] cells and dendritic cells and significantly less T helper type I (Th1) cells, regulatory T cells and M1 and M2 macrophages in both cohorts (all P < 0.05). Stromal cells, adipocytes and lymphatic endothelial cells were highly infiltrated in ILC, and cytolytic activity that represented the global anti-tumor immunity was significantly elevated in ILC in TCGA and subsequently validated in METABRIC.

CONCLUSIONS: ILC has higher immune response and immune cell infiltration than IDC in the luminal subtype.

RevDate: 2025-09-30
CmpDate: 2025-09-30

Hawkins KN, Dillard J, Ye Y, et al (2025)

Natural and induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition results in epigenetic silencing of HER2 overexpression.

Journal of mammary gland biology and neoplasia, 30(1):15.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a well-known phenomenon that has been implicated in diverse biological processes ranging from embryonal development to cancer invasion and metastasis. In epithelial-derived cancers which both invade and metastasize as epithelial clumps or clusters, EMT would have to be followed by MET (mesenchymal-epithelial transition) since both the initial cancer and the metastasis appear epithelial in nature. There is a rare subset of breast carcinomas, however, that exhibit biphasic epithelial and mesenchymal differentiation, so-called metaplastic carcinomas. Our initial studies were designed to examine whether EMT was indeed occurring in this unique subset of metaplastic breast carcinomas. Based on both RT-PCR and immunocytochemical studies, EMT was naturally occurring. Once this was confirmed, we wanted to investigate the effects of EMT beyond the immediate gene expression pattern that traditionally defined it. Although approximately 90% of metaplastic breast carcinomas are triple negative, 5-10% amplify and overexpress HER2. We then conducted both observational studies in these biphasic HER2 overexpressing metaplastic breast carcinomas and experimental studies with a HER2 overexpressing cell line, the HTB20, where TGFβ1 induced EMT. In the observational studies, HER2 gene amplification was equally present in both the epithelial and mesenchymal phases but both HER2 mRNA and protein levels were essentially silenced in the areas having undergone EMT. Similarly in the experimental studies where TGFβ1 induced EMT, HER2 gene amplification persisted but HER2 mRNA and protein levels were similarly silenced. These studies provide direct evidence that both naturally occurring and induced EMT results in epigenetically silencing of HER2 overexpression.

RevDate: 2025-09-30
CmpDate: 2025-09-30

Singla V, Bhatia H, Garg D, et al (2025)

A compendium of male breast imaging: The road less traveled.

World journal of radiology, 17(9):110906.

Male breast disorders, though less prevalent, present unique diagnostic challenges that differ significantly from their female counterparts. While benign entities such as gynecomastia are predominant, the risk of underlying malignancy, often diagnosed at an advanced stage, highlights the need for a systematic, image-guided assessment. Ultrasound and mammography are the first-line complementary tools, with magnetic resonance imaging reserved for problem-solving. This review outlines the anatomical, pathological, and radiological nuances of the male breast, describing crucial red flag signs, sonographic pitfalls, and mammographic mimics that aid in distinguishing benign entities from sinister pathologies such as invasive ductal carcinoma. Given the increasing visibility of transgender individuals, this review also addresses imaging considerations and screening recommendations tailored to this population. By integrating clinical insights with radiologic imaging, this review offers a comprehensive approach to both common and not-so-common male breast lesions, with an emphasis on an algorithmic stepwise diagnostic approach.

RevDate: 2025-09-30
CmpDate: 2025-09-30

Kitagawa Y, Nassiri M, Mesa H, et al (2025)

Possible role of anastrozole-induced hormonal alterations in pathogenesis of mammary apocrine carcinoma and follicular lymphoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Journal of medical case reports, 19(1):465.

BACKGROUND: In postmenopausal women, aromatase inhibitors decrease estrogen levels and increase local dihydrotestosterone concentrations. In this case report, we describe interesting associations between aromatase-inhibitor-induced hormonal changes and the development of apocrine mammary carcinoma and follicular lymphoma.

CASE PRESENTATION: Here we report an 83-year-old Caucasian female patient who initially presented with Paget's disease of the right nipple and associated small focus of invasive ductal carcinoma (ERα + PR + HER2-). The patient did not pursue surgical resection and was treated only with anastrozole, and 5 years later, she was diagnosed with a 1.1 cm ipsilateral periareolar apocrine mammary carcinoma (ERα-ERβ + PR - AR + HER2-) that was detected during surveillance mammography. In addition to this tumor, the subsequent mastectomy specimen revealed an adjacent residual focus of the original invasive ductal carcinoma (ERα + ERβ + PR + AR + HER2-) within the nipple and a focus of follicular lymphoma (ERα-ERβ + AR[low]) in the retroareolar area. Sentinel lymph nodes and imaging studies were negative for malignancy. The patient was continued on observation. Anastrozole was stopped after 10 months, and 2 months later, during a routine screening, a 1.8 cm invasive apocrine carcinoma (ERα-ERβ + PR-AR + HER2-) was detected in the patient's contralateral breast and she underwent simple mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy. The sentinel lymph node was negative. No chemotherapy or radiation therapy was recommended. All carcinomas exposed to anastrozole expressed androgen-responsive molecules (GCDFP-15, NKX3.1). Germline genetic testing for 19 genes associated with hereditary breast cancer syndromes was negative, and 3 years later, the patient is still alive with no recurrences.

CONCLUSION: Our case suggests that unopposed local androgen exposure and loss of ERβ-mediated suppressive effect of estrogens may be involved in development of apocrine mammary tumors and lymphomas, respectively. However, further studies are necessary to clarify the roles of steroid hormones in pathogenesis of apocrine carcinoma and follicular lymphoma. This case also illustrates the importance of patient follow-up during and after aromatase inhibitor therapy. Appropriate surveillance for lymphoma may also be considered for those patients. Finally, when lymphoid aggregates are encountered in specimens from patients with breast cancer, a clinical history of hormonal therapy should alert the pathologist for a possibility of lymphoma.

RevDate: 2025-09-30

Aponte-Rueda ME, Gómez-González FM, B Merck (2025)

Breast Cancer Heterogeneity in Latin America: A Scoping Review of Clinical-Pathological Characteristics, Molecular Subtypes, and Survival.

World journal of surgery [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer in Latin America (LATAM) exhibits distinct clinical-pathological and molecular features, shaped by genetic diversity and healthcare disparities. This scoping review evaluates these characteristics, focusing on histopathological, molecular subtype, and survival patterns and their implications for future research and public health initiatives.

METHODS: A systematic search across MEDLINE (via PubMed), LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature), SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), and Web of Science identified 54 studies across 19 Latin American countries. Data were extracted on histological grading, molecular subtypes, staging, and survival outcomes. Findings were analyzed in the context of regional and global trends.

RESULTS: Fifty-four studies involving 49,223 women from 19 countries were analyzed. The mean age at diagnosis was 54.3 years. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the most common (79.2%). Advanced-stage disease (Stages III/IV) was identified in 36.1% of cases. Luminal subtypes were most prevalent (Luminal A: 36.95% and Luminal B: 28.72%), whereas triple-negative (TNBC) and HER2-enriched subtypes accounted for 17.45% and 12.69%, respectively. Subtype prevalence varied by country, age, and tumor grade. Five-year survival rates ranged from 50.5% to 92.5%, with worse outcomes linked to advanced stage, high grade, and TNBC or HER2-enriched tumors.

CONCLUSION: Breast cancer in LATAM is characterized by significant heterogeneity in biological subtypes and clinical presentation, often diagnosed at advanced stages, with limited capacity for molecular testing. These findings highlight the urgent need for standardized diagnostic protocols, equitable access to treatment, and region-specific cancer control strategies to improve outcomes for Latin American women.

RevDate: 2025-09-29
CmpDate: 2025-09-29

Larionesi E, Pilet ON, C Sotiriou (2025)

Case report: metachronous male metastatic breast and colon cancer in a BRCA2 mutation carrier.

Discover oncology, 16(1):1751 pii:10.1007/s12672-025-03555-3.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Male breast cancer (MBC) is rare and typically diagnosed at later stages, often in older men. Pathogenic BRCA2 mutations are implicated in a significant proportion of MBC cases and may confer increased risk for other cancers.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 66-year-old male presented with right upper limb edema and back soreness. Imaging and biopsy confirmed stage IV invasive ductal carcinoma, Luminal B HER2-negative. Genetic testing revealed a germline BRCA2 mutation. During routine imaging, a second primary colon cancer was discovered and resected.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION: MBC represents less than 1% of all male cancers and is frequently associated with delayed diagnosis. BRCA2 mutations significantly increase the risk for male breast and gastrointestinal cancers. This patient underwent endocrine and CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy and followed by surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy for the colon carcinoma. Disease remained stable on follow-up.

CONCLUSION: This case highlights the importance of genetic testing, vigilance for second primary malignancies in BRCA2 carriers, and the value of multidisciplinary care for MBC patients. The co-occurrence of these malignancies in a male BRCA2 carrier is rare and underscores the need for broader surveillance in such patients.

RevDate: 2025-09-29
CmpDate: 2025-09-29

Douligeris CC, Boptsi E, Theocharopoulos C, et al (2025)

A Rare Cause of Intestinal Obstruction: Invasive Lobular Breast Carcinoma Metastasizing to the Ileocecal Valve.

Cureus, 17(8):e90985.

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) has a higher propensity for gastrointestinal metastases compared to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). We present the case of a 65-year-old woman with metastatic ILC who developed intestinal obstruction due to ileocecal metastases 30 months after undergoing total mastectomy and adjuvant therapy for left-sided breast cancer (BC). Abdominal computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a transition point at the ileocecal valve. Surgical resection was performed to relieve the small bowel obstruction, and histopathology confirmed metastatic ILC with receptor discordance compared to the primary tumor. This case highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of intestinal metastases from BC, including receptor conversion and resistance to therapy. Molecular profiling and tailored treatment are crucial for optimal management of complex metastatic disease.

RevDate: 2025-09-29
CmpDate: 2025-09-29

Sołek J, Zielińska A, Kordek R, et al (2025)

FGFR2 expression relates to subtype-specific tumour microenvironment (TIME) during luminal breast cancer evolution.

Frontiers in oncology, 15:1655438.

BACKGROUND: Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) is an oncogenic driver in luminal breast cancer (BCa), with emerging evidence linking it to tumour immune microenvironment (TIME) modulation. While FGFR2's role in endocrine resistance is established, its potential involvement in shaping immune infiltration-particularly in the transition from ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC)-remains underexplored.

METHODS: This retrospective study analysed 99 BCa specimens collected between 2004-2019. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess FGFR2 expression and immune markers (CD8, CD68, CD163, FOXP3). Clinical and pathological variables were evaluated, and immune cell densities were compared across disease stages and BCa subtypes (luminal vs. non-luminal). Correlations between FGFR2 expression and immune markers were assessed using non-parametric statistical tests.

RESULTS: Progression from DCIS to IDC was associated with increased infiltration by CD8+ T cells and CD68+ macrophages. FGFR2 expression showed differences between DCIS and IDC with an extensive DCIS component and was positively correlated with CD8+, CD163+, and FOXP3+ cell densities. The latter associations were exclusive to luminal A tumours, with no such correlations observed in non-luminal subtypes.

CONCLUSIONS: FGFR2 expression in luminal A BCa correlates with markers of immunosuppressive TIME, particularly CD163+ macrophages and FOXP3+ T cells. These subtype-specific interactions suggest a synergistic role of FGFR2 and estrogen receptor signalling in immune evasion and tumour progression, warranting further mechanistic and therapeutic investigation. However, the small number of cases in certain subgroups, particularly DCIS and non-luminal tumours, limits the generalizability of these findings and warrants cautious interpretation.

RevDate: 2025-09-26
CmpDate: 2025-09-26

De Crem AS, Tummers P, Depypere H, et al (2025)

Breast cancer Intraoperative Margin Assessment using specimen PET-CT (BIMAP).

NPJ breast cancer, 11(1):101.

Positive surgical margins in breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for breast cancer occur in 20% of cases, making intraoperative margin assessment (IMA) crucial to avoid re-operations. This study evaluated specimen PET-CT imaging for IMA in 41 patients undergoing BCS. Specimen PET-CT imaging was performed with the ß-CUBE/X-CUBE (MOLECUBES) or the AURA 10 (XEOS). Seven physicians, with varying experience, assessed margin status postoperatively as positive, close (≤1 mm), or negative using PET-CT images at 10 min acquisition time and low reconstructed [[18]F]FDG dose (0.8MBq/kg). Close margins on PET-CT were analyzed once as positive and once as negative. Histopathology was the gold standard. The proposed technique showed 91% sensitivity and 86% specificity for invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Histopathology identified 9 positive margins in 31 IDC cases; 88% were detected by all physicians on specimen PET-CT whereas standard of care identified 44%. Therefore, specimen PET-CT will improve IMA in BCS and potentially reduce re-operation rates. The trial is registered since 20/01/2020 on ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT04343079) with the title: "Intra-operative PET-CT: a Novel Approach to Determine Excision Margins in Lumpectomy Breast Cancer".

RevDate: 2025-09-26

Sulaj A, Nguyen PBH, Poschet G, et al (2025)

Periodic fasting induced reconstitution of metabolic flexibility improves albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Molecular metabolism pii:S2212-8778(25)00164-4 [Epub ahead of print].

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic inflexibility has been shown to be associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, data are lacking, proving that reconstitution of metabolic flexibility by using a 6-month periodic fasting (PF) regimen may improve albuminuria.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In this post hoc analysis of a randomized-controlled trial, we investigated whether the PF regimen enhanced metabolic flexibility in individuals with T2D and DN showing improvement of albuminuria (responders) compared to non-responders. Participants followed every month either a 5-day fasting-mimicking diet or a Mediterranean diet for 6 months. LC-MS/MS-based comprehensive metabolic profiling was performed in plasma samples before, during, and after the intervention. Changes in metabolomic patterns and enriched signalling pathways were analysed between study groups.

RESULTS: PF induced a sustained shift toward enhanced fatty acid oxidation, lipid utilization, and amino acids turnover, particularly in responders. Responders exhibited persistent elevations in short-chain acylcarnitines and cholesteryl esters, indicating more efficient lipid oxidation and tighter integration of lipid metabolism with the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Increased glycine and serine levels suggested enhanced cellular maintenance, a protein-sparing effect, and a metabolic shift favouring lipid over carbohydrate. In contrast, non-responders demonstrated only transient and limited metabolic shifts. Unsupervised clustering identified distinct metabolic response patterns, reinforcing the potential of personalized dietary interventions.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that diet-induced restoration of metabolic flexibility is associated with improved albuminuria in T2D, suggesting broader implications for precise nutritional strategies in diabetes management.

RevDate: 2025-09-25

Fedko VA, Artamonova EV, Stroganova AM, et al (2025)

Clinical and Morphological Features of gPALB2-Associated Breast Cancer in the Russian Population.

Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine [Epub ahead of print].

The analysis included 3,800 cases of breast cancer. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of DNA extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes revealed mutations in the gPALB2 gene in 39 (1.03%) patients. The most frequent mutations were c.509_510del (25.64%), c.1592del (20.51%), and c.172_175del (10.26%). The predominant histological variant was invasive ductal carcinoma (84.62%) with moderate differentiation (G2) (48.72%). In most cases, luminal HER2[-] subtype (69.23%) was revealed, HER2[+] and triple-negative were less frequent (12.82 and 17.95%, respectively). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 9 patients; a clinical response observed in 100% of cases. RCB-0 (pCR) was noted in 33.3%; RCB-I in 11.1%, RCB-II in 44.4%, and RCB-III in 11.1% of observations. All recorded cases of contralateral breast cancer (10.26%) were metachronous and presented as estrogen receptor-positive HER2[-] tumors.

RevDate: 2025-09-25
CmpDate: 2025-09-25

Benmussa C, Sanfeliu E, Martínez-Romero A, et al (2025)

Latent representation of H&E images retains biological information in a breast cancer cohort.

PloS one, 20(9):e0329221 pii:PONE-D-24-28161.

Imaging technologies and staining based pathology are important components of common practice cancer care. Specifically, H&E imaging is standard for almost all cancer patients. Traditionally, H&E images can serve, when used by experienced trained pathologists, to infer important biological properties of the samples. Recent work demonstrated that machine learning and machine vision analysis of H&E images can further expand the scope of the inference. However, H&E images are high-resolution, making them difficult to analyze and possibly noisy. In this work, we propose an autoencoder-based pipeline that greatly reduces the dimension of the data representation while maintaining valuable properties. In particular, we investigate how different latent space dimensions affect bulk label predictions from H&E. We use autoencoders applied to image tiles as a tool in this investigation and also examine other information that may be inferred from image tiles. For example, we show classification results for tiles, such as Luminal A versus Luminal B, with an F1 score larger than 0.85. We also show that Ki67 levels can be inferred from H&E tiles, as shown before on other cohorts, and that inference is still possible when working with lower dimensional latent representations. The two main contributions of this paper are as follows. First, demonstrating that the use of image tiles can be informative, both at the global classification level, and, more importantly, to support the assessment of heterogeneity. Second, reasonably accurate inference can be performed with lower dimensional latent representations of the H&E images.

RevDate: 2025-09-25
CmpDate: 2025-09-25

Satomi H, Ryu A, Murayama S, et al (2025)

Radiation-Associated Breast Angiosarcoma Versus Recurrent Invasive Ductal Carcinoma After Partial Mastectomy: A Diagnostic Dilemma.

Clinical case reports, 13(9):e70967.

Postradiation angiosarcoma (PRAS) of the breast occurs after irradiation. It is categorized separately from primary angiosarcoma (PAS) in the 2019 World Health Organization classification of tumors. PRAS diagnosis is challenging owing to its occurrence in circumstances similar to breast cancer recurrence, thus complicating cytomorphological analysis. In Japan, breast-conserving therapy is prevalent, with postoperative radiation therapy often employed to mitigate recurrence risk. Given that the number of PRAS cases is anticipated to increase, further research and understanding of this tumor are imperative. Although cytomorphological studies have provided some insights into PAS, similar comprehensive data for PRAS are lacking. In this case study, we report a case of a female in her 50s with a mass detected 8 years postradiotherapy for invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) initially suggested IDC recurrence; however, histological and immunohistochemical analyses confirmed PRAS. This case highlights the challenge of distinguishing PRAS from IDC owing to overlapping cytomorphological features. Notably, the absence of benign components and distinctive endothelial wrapping observed on FNAC and imprinting cytology were crucial for accurate diagnosis. These findings highlight key cytomorphological features for PRAS differentiation: high-grade tumor features with monotonous appearance and abundant stromal component, which are essential given its poor response to conventional treatments and increasing incidence owing to standard breast-conserving therapies. Furthermore, recognizing PRAS as a differential diagnosis for neoplasms emerging postradiotherapy is crucial.

RevDate: 2025-09-25
CmpDate: 2025-09-25

Altowairki RS, Abubaker Mohammed M, MI Aljalsi (2025)

Thoracic epidural anesthesia combined with pecs 2 block for modified radical mastectomy: A safe and effective alternative to general anesthesia in high-risk patients.

Saudi journal of anaesthesia, 19(4):646-648.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among Saudi women, with Modified Radical Mastectomy (MRM) as a standard treatment, typically performed under general anesthesia (GA). However, GA poses significant risks to patients with multiple comorbidities. We present a 66-year-old female with invasive ductal carcinoma, complicated by scleroderma with interstitial lung disease, chemotherapy-induced heart failure, and hypertension, making GA a high-risk option. To optimize perioperative safety, thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) combined with a pectoralis nerve block (PECS2) was used instead. This approach provided effective surgical anesthesia, hemodynamic stability, and minimized opioid use. The patient tolerated the procedure well, with intraoperative hypotension managed by vasopressor support. She resumed oral intake within 6 hours, required minimal postoperative opioids, and was discharged on the third postoperative day without complications. This case highlights the feasibility and advantages of TEA with PECS2 block as a safe and effective alternative to GA in high-risk MRM patients. By reducing GA-related pulmonary and cardiac risks, improving postoperative pain control, and shortening hospital stays, this technique may enhance perioperative outcomes in select patients. Further studies are warranted to support the wider adoption of regional anesthesia in oncologic breast surgeries.

RevDate: 2025-09-25

Aptaker Ben-Dori S, Atzaba-Poria N, TI Frenkel (2025)

Individual differences in infants' expectations and preferences for responsive vs. unresponsive parent-puppets and their associations with early maternal behavior.

Attachment & human development [Epub ahead of print].

Infants' mental representations of attachment are thought to develop across the first year. Due to methodological challenges, empirical attempts to assess these representations are scarce. The study presents a preliminary attempt to validate a measure of infants' attachment representations. Seventy-two mother-infant dyads (34 girls) were assessed. At 4-months, 60 dyads were observed during free-play interactions. At 10-months, 72 infants viewed a puppet-show depicting a responsive vs. an unresponsive parent-puppet. Looking-time patterns indexed infants' expectations, and puppet choice indexed infants' preference for parent-puppets' responsiveness. Infants generally expected (d = 0.42) and preferred (66%) parent-puppet-responsiveness. Moreover, maternal "responsive secure-base" behavior at 4-months was associated with infants' expectations (r = .29, p = .025) and preference (d = 0.6) for responsiveness at 10-months. Findings support theoretical concepts, providing preliminary evidence for infants' preverbal attachment representations and their roots in early social experience with their attachment figures. Future research using larger samples and standard attachment assessments is needed to validate this measure.

RevDate: 2025-09-24

Cheng X, Zeng W, Yin B, et al (2025)

Spatiotemporal microenvironment landscape and malignant epithelial pattern transition in breast ductal carcinoma progression.

Journal of translational medicine, 23(1):996.

BACKGROUND: Owing to the complexity of TME components and the heterogeneity of cancer cells, the relationship between the niches of TME and prognosis in breast ductal carcinoma remains unknown. The staged characteristics of corresponding cancer cell behaviors are unclear. Our study aims to reveal spatial structures and specific cellular information of TME and cancer cells subgroups during the progression from DCIS to IDC and lymph node metastasis.

METHODS: Single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, bulk RNA sequencing datasets were used to explore the changes in microenvironmental components and transcriptional programs of tumor cells during the progression of breast ductal carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry, multiplex immunofluorescence, flow cytometry cell cycle detection, invasion migration experiments, and WB imprinting were employed for validation.

RESULTS: Analysis of TME cell type subsets revealed the accumulation of TEX, iTreg, and stress-phenotype TAM in the mammary gland in situ during the invasion process. Lymphatic metastases exhibited enrichment of nTregs and a more naïve-like CD8 T cell population. Spatial analysis and survival analysis showed that the spatial niches of CD4 TN and phagocytic-phenotype macrophages were associated with a favorable prognosis, and these niches were lost during disease progression. The proliferative subpopulation of breast ductal carcinoma was enriched in lymphatic metastatic tissues, expressing high levels of FAM111B and exhibiting intense TCA and oxidative phosphorylation metabolism. Silencing FAM111B led to cell cycle arrest, decreased invasion and migration abilities, and downregulation of core mediator genes for cuproptosis and disulfidptosis.

CONCLUSIONS: The stage-specific microenvironmental characteristics of breast ductal carcinoma correspond to some extent to the behavior of tumor cells. During the progression of ductal carcinoma in breast tissue, the establishment of an immunosuppressive microenvironment occurs. The microenvironmental spectrum at lymph node metastases differs somewhat, corresponding to a more enriched turnover of cancer cell proliferation and death. Inhibitors of FAM111B and inducers of cuproptosis and disulfidptosis may serve as potential therapeutic targets for proliferative subgroups.

RevDate: 2025-09-24
CmpDate: 2025-09-24

Tabassum S, Saeed U, Tahir R, et al (2025)

Estimating high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) single nucleotide polymorphisms among hepatitis B virus infected patients of Pakistan origin.

Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia, 85:e284560 pii:S1519-69842025000100310.

HMGB1 is nuclear non-histone protein and unique member of cytokines. In viral hepatitis infection HMGB1 serum level increases and translocates towards cytoplasm and extracellular spaces where it activates single stimulating hepatic stellate cell proliferation which induces fibrogenic protein expression and causes hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, total 150 subjects were recruited to assess the association between HMGB1 SNPs and HBV. Three types of genotypes were found visible in rs3742305 of HMGB1; wild type homozygous GG with 65%, homozygous minor type CC with 6% and heterozygous minor type GC with 26% frequency distribution. High prevalence of GG genotype in the selected population presenting that GG genotype may have higher risk for susceptibility to HBV infection. Our results showed significant correlation of HMGB1 polymorphism with HBV infection in the selected Pakistani population.

RevDate: 2025-09-24
CmpDate: 2025-09-24

Uppal R, Saeed U, Tahir R, et al (2025)

Lymphopenia as a diagnostic biomarker in clinical COVID-19: insights from a comprehensive study on SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia, 85:e284362 pii:S1519-69842025000100308.

The enduring SARS-CoV-2 pandemic necessitates robust tools for severity assessment. This study, conducted at Islamabad Diagnostic Center across Pakistan from January 2021 to August 2022, aimed to investigate hematological abnormalities among suspected SARS-CoV-2 subjects. Initial enrollment included 130,347 cases, with 53,078 confirmed positive and 77,269 negative. An additional 11,786 samples expanded the dataset to 142,133. The Omicron and Centaurus variants, in confirmed positive patients, exhibited a slightly higher frequency of hematological abnormalities (30.42%) than negative participants (27.01%). Notably, lymphocyte count reduction (40.95%) suggested its potential as an alternative diagnostic parameter for clinical COVID-19. Decreased levels of NA (37.99%), HGB (26.17%), MCV (20.60%), PLT (6.15%), and ALB (2.28%) were observed. Abnormally elevated NEU, CR, MONO, RBCs, WBC, and EOS levels affected 26.00%, 24.28%, 30.79%, 22.02%, 6.28%, and 5.53% of subjects, respectively. Comparatively, positive patients exhibited higher abnormal blood parameters-LYMP count (57.40%), NEU count (46.08%), EOS count (62.48%), MONO count (31.61%), RBC count (30.32%), ALC count (43.60%), CR count (30.91%), NA count (40.53%), CRP count (68.46%), and DD (63.08%) than negative counterparts. The study underscores lymphocytopenia's potential as a cost-effective, early diagnostic biomarker for clinical COVID-19, preceding real-time PCR diagnosis. This supports its consideration in resource-limited settings for strategic screening and policy-making in the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 battle.

RevDate: 2025-09-24

Vera-Tizatl CE, Vera-Hernández A, Leija-Salas L, et al (2025)

The Vietnamese swine as a translational model of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

Animal models and experimental medicine [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: The Vietnamese swine represents a promising animal model due to its anatomical, physiological, and pathophysiological similarities to humans. Notably, the arrangement of lobes and ducts in the mammary glands is highly comparable to that of humans and is histologically indistinguishable. Leveraging these advantages through the chemical induction of carcinogenesis in this model offers a robust approach to mimic human exposure to carcinogenic compounds.

METHODS: This study elaborates on a protocol for developing a representative model of MNU-induced invasive breast carcinoma in three Vietnamese swine, validated histologically and immunologically. It evaluates not only the tissue similarity with humans, but also the development of chemically induced mammary tumors in an immunologically competent animal. Moreover, this study addresses the existing gap in histological knowledge regarding mammary tissue in the porcine model.

RESULTS: Our findings suggest that this model encompasses the full spectrum of cancer. It incorporates the key elements of a tumor microenvironment that enable tumor growth and propagation, such as immune cells, blood vessels, fibroblasts, extracellular matrix, fatty acids, and signaling molecules.

CONCLUSIONS: This model offers significant potential to advance the understanding of cancer pathogenesis and facilitate the development of innovative therapeutic strategies by closely replicating human tumor biology.

RevDate: 2025-09-23
CmpDate: 2025-09-23

Hausmann O, Schobert PP, Ose J, et al (2025)

Associations of Biomarkers of Systemic Inflammation, Angiogenesis, and Cell-to-Cell Adhesion With Tumor Budding Among Early-Onset and Later-Onset Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Cancer medicine, 14(18):e71267.

BACKGROUND: High tumor budding and elevated systemic inflammation are adverse prognostic indicators in colorectal cancer. Its underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. It is unclear whether systemic inflammation, angiogenesis, and cell-to-cell adhesion influence tumor budding.

METHODS: We investigated n = 132 stage I-III colorectal cancer patients recruited at Huntsman Cancer Institute enrolled in the ColoCare Study. Tumor budding was evaluated using an evidence-based scoring system, and patient sera were analyzed for nine circulating biomarkers using the Meso Scale Discovery platform. We examined associations between biomarkers and tumor budding using multivariable linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, neoadjuvant treatment, stage, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use.

RESULTS: The study population was predominantly non-Hispanic White (95%), with a mean age of 61 years; 56% were male. Most tumors were stage III (47%), located in the colon (64%), and exhibited low-grade tumor budding (58%). Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 was inversely associated with tumor budding overall (M1: β = -0.57, p = 0.03), among females (M1: β = -0.81, p-value = 0.03) and later-onset (≥ 50 years) colorectal cancer (M1: β = -0.71, p-value = 0.008). C-reactive protein was positively associated with tumor budding in males (M1: β = 0.23, p = 0.001), while interleukin-8 (M1: β = 0.96, p-value = 0.01) and soluble vascular adhesion molecule 1 (M2: β = 1.48, p-value = 0.04) were positively associated with tumor budding in early-onset patients. However, these associations did not remain statistically significant after correction for multiple testing.

CONCLUSION: Overall, our findings do not provide evidence of a significant association between biomarkers of systemic inflammation, angiogenesis, and cell-to-cell adhesion with tumor budding count. We observed patterns for some biomarkers, yet none remained statistically significant after correction for multiple testing. These findings provide preliminary insights for future studies.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02328677.

RevDate: 2025-09-23
CmpDate: 2025-09-23

Imran M, Majeed MA, Bin Naeem S, et al (2025)

Treatment Outcomes of HER2-Directed Therapy in Patients With HER2-Positive Non-metastatic Breast Cancer in Low-Resource Settings.

Cureus, 17(8):e90634.

Introduction This study aimed to evaluate treatment outcomes of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-directed therapies in patients with non-metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer treated in a low-resource setting. Specifically, we assessed the impact of dual blockade (trastuzumab and pertuzumab), trastuzumab alone, or no HER2-targeted therapy on rates of residual disease, pathological complete response (pCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, including 299 patients with non-metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and either dual HER2 blockade, trastuzumab alone, or no HER2-targeted therapy due to financial constraints. Patient demographics, clinical features, treatments, and outcomes were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results The median age at diagnosis was 45.7 years (standard deviation±8.9). A majority of patients were premenopausal (n=222; 74.2%), and the majority presented with a palpable lump (n=275; 91.9%). Tumors were mainly located in the left (n=149; 49.8%) or right breast (n=147; 49.2%), with bilateral involvement in 3 (1.0%) cases. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the predominant histology (n=275; 91.9%), with estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor positivity observed in 185 (61.9%) and 179 (59.9%) patients, respectively. Grade III tumors were observed in 156 (52.2%) cases, and most tumors were T2 stage (n=236; 78.9%) with axillary nodal involvement in 232 (77.6%). Patients receiving dual HER2 blockade achieved a pCR in 45 (54.9%) of 82 cases, compared to 51 (45.9%) of 111 with trastuzumab alone, and 39 (36.8%) of 106 with no HER2 therapy (p=0.046). The docetaxel, carboplatin, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab (TCHP) regimen had the highest pCR rate in 19 (65.5%) of 29 patients (p<0.001). Grade III tumors were associated with higher pCR than Grade II (n=96; 56.5% vs. n=39; 30.2%; p<0.001). At 60 months, PFS was 236 (79.0%) overall, highest in the dual blockade group (n=73; 89.0%), followed by trastuzumab (n=96; 86.5%) and no HER2 therapy (n=69; 65.1%). OS at 60 months was 271 (90.6%), highest in the dual blockade group (n=78; 95.1%), then trastuzumab (n=102; 91.9%) and no HER2 therapy (n=79; 74.5%). Achieving pCR was associated with improved PFS and OS. Differences in both outcomes across groups were statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion Dual HER2 blockade significantly improved pCR, PFS, and OS in non-metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. These findings support the inclusion of HER2-targeted agents in standard neoadjuvant treatment, even in resource-limited settings. Addressing barriers to access remains essential to improving global outcomes in breast cancer care.

RevDate: 2025-09-23
CmpDate: 2025-09-23

Albloshi A, Samih S, Alowami S, et al (2025)

Diagnostic Challenge of Nodal Nevi Mimicking Metastatic Melanoma in Axillary Lymph Nodes Following Neoadjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer: A Case Report.

Cureus, 17(8):e90745.

Nodal nevi are benign melanocytic proliferations within lymph nodes that can closely mimic metastatic melanoma, posing a significant diagnostic challenge, particularly in breast cancer patients undergoing lymph node dissection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Accurate differentiation between nodal nevi and true melanoma metastases is essential to avoid misdiagnosis and overtreatment. Immunohistochemical (IHC) markers such as preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME), p16, human melanoma black-45 (HMB-45), and Ki-67 are critical tools for diagnostic clarification. We present a diagnostically challenging case of multiple infiltrative nodal nevi in a 59-year-old female with triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma, no special type, of the breast. The patient had a prior history of dysplastic nevus on the upper trunk and presented with a 1.5 cm palpable mass in the left breast and a 5 cm left axillary mass. Following neoadjuvant chemotherapy, both lesions demonstrated a clinical reduction in size. She subsequently underwent a partial mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection. Histologic examination revealed no residual invasive carcinoma in the breast. However, four axillary lymph nodes contained atypical melanocytic-appearing cells in the subcapsular sinuses with extension into the nodal parenchyma, raising the differential diagnosis of residual carcinoma versus metastatic melanoma. Initial IHC showed these atypical cells to be melanocytic in origin (SOX10 and melanoma cocktail positive; AE1/AE3 negative). While initial interpretation favored metastatic melanoma, further IHC workup demonstrated low proliferative activity (Ki-67 <1%), diffuse p16 positivity, and negativity for both HMB-45 and PRAME. These findings, along with dermatopathology consultation, supported a diagnosis of multiple nodal nevi rather than melanoma. This case underscores the diagnostic pitfall posed by infiltrative nodal nevi, particularly when they mimic melanoma in the setting of breast cancer. It highlights the importance of comprehensive immunohistochemical panels, including PRAME, p16, HMB-45, and Ki-67, and the value of second opinions and dermatopathology consultation in avoiding diagnostic error.

RevDate: 2025-09-22
CmpDate: 2025-09-22

Adenwalla SF, Worboys HM, Lawday D, et al (2025)

The effect of a six-month programme of intradialytic cycling on survival and hospitalisations in people requiring haemodialysis: 5-year follow-up of the CYCLE-HD randomised controlled trial.

PloS one, 20(9):e0332389 pii:PONE-D-25-28929.

We have previously shown that a six-month programme of intradialytic cycling (IDC) improved cardiovascular structure and function, it is unclear whether these changes are associated with long-term benefits. The aim of this post-trial analysis was to evaluate a programme of IDC on all-cause mortality, hospitalisations and cardiovascular events at five-years. Mortality and hospitalisation data were collected from Hospital Episode Statistics and death certificates. Models were fitted unadjusted and adjusted for age, sex, diabetes, duration of dialysis, and receiving a kidney transplant. Cox proportional hazard models were used for time-to-event analysis to evaluate all-cause mortality. Hospitalisations were analysed using a negative binomial regression model, and length of stay using a generalised linear model. A composite outcome of time to first cardiovascular event, combining cardiovascular mortality and hospitalisations, was evaluated using a Cox model. There was no evidence of a statistically significant effect of treatment allocation on survival (hazard ratio (HR) 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.68-1.76, p = 0.71). After adjustment, results remained non-significant (HR 1.22, 95% CI: 0.74-2.01, p = 0.43). There was no evidence of a significant effect on all-cause hospitalisations for unadjusted (p = 0.20) or adjusted (p = 0.25) models. Similar results are reported for cardiovascular hospitalisations (p = 0.30 and p = 0.17). For time to first cardiovascular event there was no evidence of a statistically significant effect (HR 1.39, 95% CI: 0.79-2.72, p = 0.26). The main findings show no evidence that a six-month programme of IDC affected all-cause mortality, hospitalisations, cardiovascular events, or length of stay in hospital at five-years.

RevDate: 2025-09-22
CmpDate: 2025-09-22

Shaikh K, Arif A, Mooghal M, et al (2025)

Unveiling the Clinicopathological Outcomes of Breast Cancer in Young Women: A perspective from resource-limited settings.

Sultan Qaboos University medical journal, 25(1):658-665.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the incidence of breast cancer in young women over a ten-year period and examine its association with clinical characteristics, risk factors, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the Breast Cancer Registry at our institution was conducted. Of the 2,238 women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2012 and 2021, 535 (23.9%) were aged 40 years or younger at the time of diagnosis. Cases with missing data for independent variables were excluded from the respective analyses.

RESULTS: The mean age at diagnosis was 34.5 years (range: 15-40). The most common clinical stage at presentation was IIB (25.2%), followed by IIA (24.4%), while 7.6% of patients presented with metastatic disease. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the predominant histological type (88.8%), and 57.4% of tumours were high grade. Triple-negative breast cancer accounted for 27.0% of cases, and 18.4% were ERBB2-enriched. Bilateral disease was observed in 2.5% of cases, and 7.5% were diagnosed during pregnancy. A family history of breast cancer was reported in 23.6%. Genetic testing was performed in 10.9% of patients, with BRCA1 mutations being the most frequently identified (12.1%). Modified radical mastectomy was performed in 38.2% of patients, and 8.2% underwent reconstructive surgery. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered in 49.9% of cases, and 68.2% received adjuvant radiotherapy. The five-year overall survival rate was 93.9%, with 12 patients (2.4%) experiencing distant and one (0.2%) experiencing local recurrence within five years.

CONCLUSION: Young women with breast cancer in resource-limited settings demonstrate distinct sociodemographic and clinicopathological characteristics, underscoring the importance of early detection strategies and personalised treatment approaches.

RevDate: 2025-09-22
CmpDate: 2025-09-22

Yoshioka M, Shimoda M, Abe K, et al (2025)

Isolated splenic metastasis presenting at diagnosis of HER2-positive de novo metastatic breast cancer: a case report.

Journal of surgical case reports, 2025(9):rjaf751.

Splenic metastasis is uncommon, and truly isolated splenic metastasis (ISM) from breast cancer is a clinical rarity. Contemporary autopsy series reports splenic involvement in <1% of breast cancer-related deaths, and fewer than 15 well-documented ISM cases have been published. We report a 71-year-old woman presenting with a right-breast mass, regional lymphadenopathy, and a solitary splenic lesion detected on staging computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography-CT. Biopsy confirmed hormone receptor-negative, HER2-positive invasive ductal carcinoma. Six cycles of docetaxel, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab led to a 59% reduction in the primary tumour and complete radiological resolution of the splenic lesion. The patient remains progression-free 22 months after initiating therapy, maintained on trastuzumab and pertuzumab. Although extremely rare, ISM can present as the initial manifestation of de novo metastatic breast cancer. Awareness of this possibility may facilitate early systemic therapy and obviate the need for diagnostic splenectomy.

RevDate: 2025-09-22
CmpDate: 2025-09-22

Alblowi TM (2025)

Trends and Predictors of Re-excision Following Breast-Conserving Surgery: A Decade-Long Retrospective Study in Saudi Arabia.

Cureus, 17(8):e90508.

BACKGROUND: Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is a widely used alternative to mastectomy for early-stage breast cancer. Achieving clear surgical margins is critical to reducing local recurrence, but re-excision is sometimes required, potentially delaying adjuvant therapy and affecting outcomes. Data on trends, predictors, and implications of re-excision in Saudi Arabia are limited.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1,248 women who underwent BCS for invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ at tertiary hospitals in the Eastern Province from 2015 to 2024. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical details, margin status, and adjuvant therapy timelines were collected. The primary outcome was re-excision, defined as any subsequent breast operation to achieve negative margins. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of re-excision. Temporal trends in re-excision rates and time to adjuvant therapy were analyzed.

RESULTS: The median patient age was 54 years (interquartile range (IQR): 46-63), and invasive ductal carcinoma was the most common histology (78.6%). Overall, 181 (14.5%) patients underwent re-excision, with rates declining from 18.6% in 2015 to 11.2% in 2024. Positive margin status at the index surgery was the strongest predictor of re-excision (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 4.52; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.15-6.47). Other independent predictors included younger age (<45 years; OR: 1.82), lobular histology (OR: 1.94), tumor size > 2 cm (OR: 1.73), and multifocal disease (OR: 2.06). Preoperative MRI was associated with reduced odds of re-excision (OR: 0.66). Median time from index surgery to final margin clearance was 18 days for patients undergoing re-excision. Delays in radiotherapy beyond eight weeks occurred in 41.6% of re-excised patients versus 19.3% without re-excision (P<0.001). Three-year local recurrence did not differ significantly between groups (4.1% versus 2.7%; P=0.11).

CONCLUSIONS: Re-excision rates after BCS in Saudi Arabia have declined over the past decade. Positive margin status, younger age, lobular histology, larger tumors, and multifocal disease remain key risk factors. Re-excision is associated with delays in adjuvant radiotherapy, highlighting the importance of strategies to minimize repeat surgery while ensuring oncologic safety.

RevDate: 2025-09-22
CmpDate: 2025-09-22

Luo C, Wu S, Zhao S, et al (2025)

Male accessory breast carcinoma: a rare case report and literature review.

Frontiers in oncology, 15:1635515.

BACKGROUND: Accessory breast carcinoma, arising from embryologically persistent mammary tissue, is exceptionally rare in males, accounting for 2.4%-5.3% of all accessory breast malignancies. Due to limited clinical data, standardized diagnostic and therapeutic protocols remain undefined.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 72-year-old male presented with a 3-year history of a painless, mobile right axillary mass. Ultrasonography revealed a solid hypoechoic nodule with moderate vascularity. Histopathological examination confirmed invasive ductal carcinoma (grade II) with infiltrative growth, ER/PR/AR positivity (90%), and TRPS1 expression, confirming mammary origin. Adjuvant therapies were declined by the patient.

DISCUSSION: Differential diagnoses for axillary masses include fibroadenoma, lymphadenopathy, and cutaneous adnexal tumors. Immunohistochemistry (TRPS1, GATA-3) and histomorphology (absence of apocrine differentiation) are pivotal for distinguishing accessory breast carcinoma from mimics. Current management aligns with male breast cancer guidelines, emphasizing surgical resection, lymph node dissection, and adjuvant therapies tailored to molecular profiles. Over 90% of male breast cancers are hormone receptor-positive, warranting endocrine therapy.

CONCLUSION: Male accessory breast carcinoma poses significant diagnostic challenges due to its rarity and nonspecific presentation. Clinicians should consider this entity in differential diagnoses of axillary or inguinal masses, irrespective of patient sex. Core needle biopsy and advanced imaging aid preoperative evaluation. Multimodal treatment, including surgery and risk-stratified adjuvant therapies, is critical for optimizing outcomes. This case underscores the need for heightened clinical suspicion and evidence-based guidelines to address this understudied malignancy.

RevDate: 2025-09-22
CmpDate: 2025-09-22

Gauthier V, Simard AJ, Desbiens C, et al (2025)

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast: perspectives based on the survival outcomes.

Frontiers in oncology, 15:1655413.

Whether patients with invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) can benefit from neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) remains uncertain. In order to attempt to bring some light on the matter, the patients treated for ILC between 1998 and 2016 at a tertiary center specialized in breast diseases were examined according to NAC vs. adjuvant therapy. Among 265 eligible women treated for ILC, 72 received NAC and 193 received adjuvant chemotherapy. In the NAC group, only 4.2% of the patients with ILC achieved a pathological complete response after NAC. Over a mean follow-up of 8 years, after adjusting for confounders (age >55, T-stage, N-stage, surgery type, radiotherapy, and hormonal therapy), the two groups had similar 10-year locoregional recurrence rates (NAC: 90.6%; adjuvant: 93.5%, P=0.110), but the NAC group showed lower 10-year recurrence-free survival (51.8% vs. 72.7%, P=0.0004), 10-year progression-free survival (59.3% vs. 82.0%, P<0.0001), and 10-year overall survival (56.2% vs. 80.7%, P<0.0001). The results suggest that the response of ILC to NAC is poorer than to adjuvant chemotherapy. It is the authors' opinion that ILC should be considered separately from IDC in clinical trials and guidelines, and that patients with ILC might benefit from a more aggressive surgical approach followed by adjuvant chemotherapy no matter the severity of the disease.

RevDate: 2025-09-19
CmpDate: 2025-09-19

Yang R, Zheng Q, Qiu J, et al (2025)

Prey-mimetic alginate microspheres for targeted control of red imported fire ants.

Carbohydrate polymers, 369:124259.

The invasive red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) poses a serious threat to ecology, agriculture, and public health. Existing baits are limited in their effectiveness due to behavioral resistance. To address this issue, we developed a biomimetic calcium alginate@indoxacarb microsphere bait (CA@IDC MBt) based on sodium alginate (SA) polysaccharides. SA polysaccharides form a matrix with specific mechanical properties and surface characteristics due to their unique β-D-mannuronic acid and α-L-guluronic acid block copolymer structure. The carboxyl cross-linked network not only provides structural stability (diameter 3.5 mm) but also enables precise loading of indoxacarb (loading rate 0.045 %, encapsulation efficiency 88.6 %). The CA@IDC MBt system effectively deceives ants by precisely mimicking both the chemical (epidermal alkanes) and physical (surface morphology) characteristics of natural insect larvae prey. Compared to commercial IDC MBt, CA@IDC MBt significantly improves bait recognition rates and group attack intensity. The sustained-release properties of SA polysaccharides (>80 h) effectively bypass the ants' vigilance mechanisms, achieving 100 % field efficacy without new nest formation. Behavioral experiments indicate that CA@IDC MBt can deplete 35-48 % of venom alkaloids within 21 days and completely eliminate ant colonies. This study reveals SA polysaccharide's key biomimetic role, advancing eco-friendly pest control with carbohydrate polymers.

RevDate: 2025-09-18

Takahara T, Taniguchi N, Sassa N, et al (2025)

Spatial transcriptomics of intraductal carcinoma of the prostate.

Histopathology [Epub ahead of print].

AIMS: Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC-P) is a strong indicator of poor prognosis in prostate cancer (PCa). We utilized the Visium Spatial Gene Expression platform to characterize the gene expression profiles and copy number variations (CNVs) of IDC-P.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Manually annotated IDC-P components were relatively enriched in a single transcriptomic cluster identified by principal component analysis, which exhibited elevated expression of FOLH1 (PSMA), PSCA and PLA2G2A. Differential gene expression analysis between IDC-P and non-IDC-P cancer tissues revealed up-regulation of pathways related to chemotaxis and leukocyte migration, as well as gene sets associated with small cell lung carcinoma, suggesting a potential link to treatment-related neuroendocrine prostate carcinoma. In contrast, non-IDC-P components showed increased expression of genes associated with extracellular matrix organization. InferCNV analysis identified distinct CNV patterns differentiating IDC-P from non-IDC-P cancer components in four out of six cases. However, no common CNV alterations were shared across these cases, indicating molecular diversity among IDC-P lesions. In the remaining cases, IDC-P clustered with Gleason pattern 5 carcinoma, and no CNV alterations distinguishing IDC-P from adjacent non-IDC-P components were identified.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that IDC-P represents a biologically distinct component from conventional acinar adenocarcinoma and may reflect spatial tumour progression through pre-existing ductal structures. Our study also suggests that the molecular mechanisms underlying IDC-P progression may differ between patients, while the limited sample size (n = 6) warrants cautious interpretation and further validation in larger cohorts.

RevDate: 2025-09-17

Nguyen DL, Grimm LJ, Wells VA, et al (2025)

Echogenic Rind Associated With Suspicious Masses on Ultrasound: Performance for Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Associations With Pathologic Tumor Characteristics.

AJR. American journal of roentgenology [Epub ahead of print].

Background: The BI-RADS 6th edition ultrasound lexicon is anticipated to include an echogenic rind as a new associated feature, defined as a thick hyperechoic band partially or completely surrounding a mass and disrupting surrounding tissue texture. Objective: To assess the performance for breast malignancy diagnosis and associations with pathologic tumor characteristics of an echogenic rind associated with a suspicious mass on breast ultrasound. Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent diagnostic breast ultrasound showing a suspicious mass (BI-RADS category 4 or 5) and subsequent ultrasound-guided biopsy from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. Two radiologists independently reviewed ultrasound examinations for echogenic rinds (requiring ≥25% circumferential extent) associated with masses; readers also measured masses without and with inclusion of echogenic rinds. Diagnostic performance was evaluated using histopathology as the reference. Results: The study included 511 patients (mean age, 52 years) with 583 suspicious masses; 249 masses were diagnosed as breast malignancy. Presence of echogenic rind yielded sensitivity and specificity for breast malignancy for reader 1 of 58% and 81%, and reader 2 of 51% and 85%, respectively. An echogenic rind was associated with invasive cancer for reader 1 (invasive ductal carcinoma [IDC] [62%], invasive lobular carcinoma [ILC] [57%], ductal carcinoma in situ [DCIS] [24%]; p=.003) and reader 2 (IDC [53%], ILC [53%], DCIS [18%]; p=.03). An echogenic rind was associated with invasive cancer molecular subtype for reader 1 (luminal A [66%], luminal B [48%], HER2-enriched [100%], basal-like [49%], p=.002) and reader 2 (luminal A [62%], luminal B [32%], HER2-enriched [67%], basal-like [31%]; p<.001). In 168 resected malignancies, the difference between pathologic tumor size (mean, 19 mm) and ultrasound-based mass size, without and with inclusion of echogenic rinds, for reader 1 was 4 mm and 3 mm, and reader 2 was 7 mm and 5 mm, respectively. Conclusions: An echogenic rind serves as a more specific than sensitive indicator of breast malignancy. Among breast malignancies, the finding is associated with invasive cancer. Inclusion of the rind decreases tumor size underestimation relative to surgical pathology. Clinical Impact: These results provide insights into the clinical implications of an echogenic rind on ultrasound.

RevDate: 2025-09-16
CmpDate: 2025-09-16

Kadri S, Fischer A, Mück-Häusl M, et al (2025)

A mesothelial differentiation gateway drives fibrosis.

Nature communications, 16(1):8295.

Internal organs are encased by a supportive epithelial monolayer of mesodermal origin, termed mesothelium. The nature, evolution and function of mesothelial cells, and their genetic regulation impacting disease development are insufficiently understood. Here, we generate a comprehensive organ-wide single-cell transcriptomic compendium of mesothelium across healthy and diseased mouse and human organs, delineating the evolution of conserved activated states of mesothelial cells in response to disease. We uncover genetic drives behind each cell state and reveal a conserved metabolic gate into multipotent proteolytic, inflammatory and fibrotic cell differentiation, in mouse and human. Using lung injury models in mice, in combination with mesothelial cell-specific viral approaches, we show that direct metabolic reprogramming using Ifi27l2a and Crip1 on organ surfaces, blocks multipotent differentiation and protects mouse lungs from fibrotic disease. These findings place mesothelial cells as cellular exemplars and gateway to fibrotic disease, opening translational approaches to subvert fibrosis across a range of clinical indications.

RevDate: 2025-09-15
CmpDate: 2025-09-15

Abon JCR, Valparaiso AP, ACQ Yuga (2025)

Necrotizing Fasciitis of Bilateral Breasts following Unilateral Modified Radical Mastectomy for Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Acta medica Philippina, 59(11):98-104.

Necrotizing fasciitis of the breast is a rare but potentially fatal soft tissue infection. It may occur primarily in patients without any direct cause, and less commonly after undergoing elective surgical procedures such as cosmetic mammoplasties and oncologic resections. This is a case of a 46-year-old female with stage IIIA invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast treated with modified radical mastectomy presenting with a necrotizing infection involving the bilateral breast regions and left lateral abdomen six days after operation. She was managed with broad-spectrum antibiotics and radical debridement with right mastectomy, followed by wound coverage with split-thickness skin grafting. This is the eight case of breast necrotizing fasciitis occurring after mastectomy for breast cancer reported in the literature.

RevDate: 2025-09-15

Goldhaber NH, O'Keefe TJ, Longo L, et al (2025)

Effect of Neoadjuvant Hormonal Therapy on Breast Conservation in Invasive Ductal Versus Lobular Carcinoma of the Breast: A Comparative Analysis.

Journal of surgical oncology [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Comparative efficacy of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy in downstaging invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) versus invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) remains an area of uncertainty and may impact primary breast conservation rates.

METHODS: The National Cancer Database was used to identify women with IDC and ILC who underwent neoadjuvant hormonal therapy alone between 2004 and 2020. Clinical and pathological T-staging were examined and patients that downstaged before surgery were identified. Univariate and multivariate comparison analyses were performed. The effect of duration of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy was also examined.

RESULTS: Among women with IDC, 39.5% had lesions that downstaged compared to 30.0% with ILC (p < 0.001). Overall, the duration of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy was longer in patients with downstaged lesions compared to those that did not (mean = 126.9 v 99.4 days; p < 0.001). Of those who downstaged, 43% of patients with IDC and 57.8% of patients with ILC underwent mastectomy following neoadjuvant hormonal therapy.

CONCLUSIONS: Overall, ILC lesions are less likely to downstage after neoadjuvant hormonal therapy alone compared to IDC lesions. In both histologic subtypes, cancers were more likely to downstage after over 120 days of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy. Clinicians should be mindful when counseling patients that neoadjuvant hormonal therapy alone may not preclude the need for mastectomy in ILC.

RevDate: 2025-09-14

AlGhuneem AA, AlMoosa NY, MB Awadh (2025)

Occult breast cancer management with axillary lymph node dissection versus sentinel lymph node biopsy: Case reports and literature review.

International journal of surgery case reports, 135:111896 pii:S2210-2612(25)01082-X [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. In patients with occult breast cancer, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has been shown to reduce complications, shorter hospital stay, and improved quality of life compared to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). This study presents two case reports comparing outcomes of ALND versus SLNB in the management of occult breast cancer. CASE 1: A 52-year-old female presented with a left axillary tail mass which showed invasive ductal carcinoma. Underwent left axillary lymph node dissection. She developed postoperative drain seroma. The patient was managed conservatively. CASE 2: A 65-year-old female known case of diabetes mellitus type 2, hypertension, and dyslipidemia presented with a right axillary tail mass which showed features suggestive of metastatic carcinoma, most arising from breast origin. The patient underwent uneventful right sentinel lymph node biopsy without any postoperative complications.

DISCUSSION: While ALND is associated with more complications including, seroma, lymphedema, paresthesia, infection, and nerve injury, SLNB offers a less invasive approach with favorable outcome.

CONCLUSION: SLNB is an effective and less morbid approach for managing occult breast cancer and warrants further study in larger cohorts.

RevDate: 2025-09-13

Mrosewski I, Fleming T, Schulze-Tanzil G, et al (2025)

Menaquinone-7 Supplementation Increases Multiple Advanced Glycation End-Products and Oxidation Markers in Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats.

Nutrients, 17(17): pii:nu17172733.

Background: Dicarbonyls and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) contribute to oxidative stress, inflammation, and complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Menaquinone-7 (MK-7), a vitamin K2 subtype, has shown benefits for glucose tolerance and vascular health in some studies. We evaluated the impact of MK-7 on dicarbonyls, free AGEs, and protein nitration/oxidation adducts in a rat model of T2DM. Methods: Male heterozygous (fa/+, control) and homozygous (fa/fa, diabetic) Zucker Diabetic Fatty rats were fed a diabetogenic diet without or with MK-7 for 12 weeks. After sacrifice, plasma dicarbonyls as well as plasma and urinary levels of free AGEs and protein nitration/oxidation adducts were quantified by isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Diabetic rats showed significantly increased plasma glyoxal, 3-deoxyglucosone, and fructosyl-lysine with non-significant trends toward increased methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone and methionine sulfoxide, as well as reductions in methylglyoxal and dityrosine. Urinary carboxyethyl-lysine, carboxymethyl-lysine, fructosyl-lysine (all significant), and dityrosine (non-significant) were elevated in diabetic rats; glucosepane (non-significant) was reduced. MK-7 supplementation reduced no measured parameter but was associated with non-significant further increases in plasma glyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone, carboxyethyl-lysine, carboxymethyl-lysine, fructosyl-lysine, 3-nitrotyrosine, and methionine sulfoxide, as well as in urinary glyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone, carboxyethyl-lysine, fructosyl-lysine, and 3-nitrotyrosine, in diabetic rats. Correlation analysis revealed significant associations between glucose, dicarbonyls, AGEs, and oxidative markers. Conclusions: High-dose MK-7 supplementation did not improve dicarbonyl stress, AGE burden, or protein nitration/oxidation. With respect to available scientific evidence and our observations, the combination of glycemia-driven amplification of glycation and oxidative stress, as well as MK-7-induced glutathione depletion, were likely causative.

RevDate: 2025-09-10
CmpDate: 2025-09-10

Uppal R, Rehan Uppal M, Tahir R, et al (2025)

Bacterial infections and antimicrobial resistance patterns: a comprehensive analysis of health dynamics across regions in Pakistan (2013-2023).

Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia, 85:e285605 pii:S1519-69842025000100302.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant public health concern globally, and Pakistan is no exception. The misuse and overuse of antibiotics, inadequate regulation of their sale, and a lack of awareness contribute to the rising levels of AMR in the country. study presents a detailed analysis of blood and urine samples collected in Pakistan over various periods, focusing on pathogen prevalence, gender distribution, and age-wise patterns. From January 2013 to 2017, the North region exclusively contributed to the blood sample dataset, with Salmonella emerging as the primary pathogen, particularly affecting infants and neonates. Subsequently, from January 2017 to December 2020, a significant dataset emerged from the North and Punjab regions, with Salmonella and E.coli prevalent across all age groups, notably impacting adults and infants. In the period from January 2021 to the present, blood samples predominantly originated from the North and Punjab regions, with Salmonella and E.coli remaining significant pathogens, affecting adults and the elderly. Regarding urine samples, from January 2013 to December 2017, E.coli was the dominant pathogen, with females showing a higher susceptibility to urinary tract infections (UTIs), particularly among the elderly. Similarly, from January 2017 to December 2020, E.coli remained predominant, with UTIs more prevalent in females and the elderly. In the most recent period, the North region significantly contributed to UTI cases, with E.coli remaining predominant and females exhibiting a higher susceptibility, especially among the elderly. This comprehensive analysis provides crucial insights into the epidemiology of blood and urinary tract infections in Pakistan, informing public health strategies and interventions aimed at addressing these health challenges.

RevDate: 2025-09-12

Gmur MK, Gajewski M, Goliat W, et al (2025)

A Case Report of Synchronous Multicentric Breast Carcinoma With Biologically Discordant Phenotypes: Luminal A and Triple-Negative Subtypes.

Cureus, 17(8):e89666.

We present the case of a 45-year-old Caucasian woman diagnosed with synchronous bicentric breast cancer of differing molecular phenotypes in the same breast. The first tumor, an invasive ductal carcinoma (G1), was estrogen and progesterone receptor-positive and HER2-negative, with a low proliferative index (Ki67 10%). A second lesion, located in a different quadrant and appearing within weeks after biopsy, exhibited a triple-negative phenotype and a higher proliferative index (Ki67 30%). Both tumors were classified as stage IA. Due to the multicentric nature of disease, the patient underwent mastectomy with sentinel node biopsy and immediate reconstruction. Genetic testing was negative for BRCA1/2, CHEK2, and PALB2 mutations, though familial cancer history suggested a possible hereditary syndrome (FCC suspicion). This case underscores the complexity of managing multicentric breast cancer with discordant receptor status and raises questions about the role of biopsy sites in tumor development.

RevDate: 2025-09-11

Dahi F, Shahbazi S, L Geranpayeh (2025)

mtDNA copy number/miR663/AATF axis in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

BioImpacts : BI, 15:30792.

INTRODUCTION: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number variations have been reported in multiple human cancers. Previous studies indicate that mitochondrial retrograde signaling regulates miR663, which plays a key role in tumorigenesis, including regulating apoptosis antagonizing transcription factor (AATF). This study investigates the expression of miR663 and AATF in relation to mtDNA copy number in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast.

METHODS: Paired primary tumors and adjacent non-tumor tissues were analyzed to assess changes in miR663 and AATF expression using fold-change analysis. The mtDNA copy number was quantified using COX1 as the mitochondrial gene and COX4 as the nuclear control gene. To validate the findings, publicly available data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were also analyzed.

RESULTS: A significant reduction in tumor miR663 expression was observed (fold change=0.139), with a strong correlation between miR663 and AATF expression. A significant Z-score difference was also detected between miR663 and mtDNA copy number. miR663 was predominantly expressed in grade I tumors but significantly downregulated in higher-grade tumors, whereas AATF expression increased with tumor grade. In silico analysis of TCGA data confirmed elevated AATF expression, with notable variations across breast cancer subtypes.

CONCLUSION: We observed reduced expression of miR663 and mtDNA copy number in breast tumors, along with variations in AATF levels across subtypes. The decrease in miR663 could be associated with lower mtDNA copy numbers and impaired retrograde signaling, impacting AATF expression and function. Our findings underscore the therapeutic promise of targeting the mtDNA/miR-663/AATF axis, which could lead to advancements in breast cancer treatment.

RevDate: 2025-09-08
CmpDate: 2025-09-08

Xiao Y, Song L, Xie WJ, et al (2025)

Histone Methyltransferase EHMT2 Promotes the Progression of Breast Ductal Carcinoma by Regulating the Hippo Pathway.

Journal of environmental pathology, toxicology and oncology : official organ of the International Society for Environmental Toxicology and Cancer, 44(3):63-74.

Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is a major type of breast cancer. The utilization of inhibitors targeting histone methyltransferases introduces novel therapeutic avenues for the treatment of cancer. Immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction experiments were applied to assess the levels of EHMT2 in IDC and adjacent tissues. HCC70 cells were treated with EHMT2 inhibitors (UNC0646 and BIX-01294), and assessed using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, and transwell assays to evaluate cell viability, apoptosis, and migratory capacity, respectively. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were assessed using the 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) fluorescent probe. The expressions of Hippo pathway were analyzed via Western blot assay. Immunofluorescence staining was employed to detect the subcellular localization changes in YAP expression. A xenograft tumor model of HCC70 cells was applied to validate the tumor-suppressive influences of EHMT2 inhibitors in vivo. We observed significant upregulation of EHMT2 in both IDC clinical samples and IDC cell lines, with high EHMT2 expression correlating with poor prognosis. After treatment with EHMT2 inhibitors UNC0646 or BIX-01294, HCC70 cells exhibited inhibition of proliferation and migratory capacity, alongside an increase in apoptosis rate and ROS production levels. UNC064 or BIX-01294 promoted the phosphorylation levels of MST1, LATS1, MOB1A, and YAP, indicating the activation of the Hippo pathway by EHMT2 inhibitors. Moreover, UNC0646 and BIX-01294 enhanced the cytoplasmic expression of YAP while inhibiting its nuclear localization, preventing its nuclear activation. EHMT2 was upregulated in IDC, and EHMT2 inhibitors suppressed IDC progression by modulating the Hippo signaling pathway.

RevDate: 2025-09-08
CmpDate: 2025-09-08

Musa DH (2025)

Hormonal receptor status and lymph nodes involvement in breast cancer: a retrospective study.

Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France), 71(8):67-71.

Hormonal status and lymphatic invasion are two important prognostic factors among cases of breast cancer. This study aims to assess and evaluate the hormonal receptor status and lymph node involvement among female breast cancer patients in Duhok city, Kurdistan region, Iraq. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 156 diagnosed cases of breast cancer who had undergone surgical treatment and laboratory investigations at Azadi Teaching Hospital and Duhok Private Hospital for 30 months. Hormonal status (ER, PR, HER2 enriched, and Ki67), luminal staging, and lymphatic invasions were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Invasive ductal carcinoma not otherwise specified accounted for 87.8% of the total sample, with Luminal A being the most common form (42.31%), followed by Luminal B (37.17%). The prevalence of hormonal status among cases of breast cancer with lymphatic invasion was ER 42.5%, PR 41.2%, HER2 enriched 21.01%, and Ki67 36.8%; however, these differences were not statistically significant (P values: 0.586, 0.65, 0.253, and 0.469, respectively). In conclusion, invasive ductal carcinoma is the most common histological type of breast cancer, and the most frequent biological form is Luminal A. A significant number of breast cancer cases with positive lymphatic invasion show positive hormonal receptor levels; however, the number of lymphatic invasions is not correlated with the type of hormonal receptor positivity.

RevDate: 2025-09-10

Xue L, Z Sheng (2025)

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Presenting as Recurrent Cystic Lesions During Lactation: A Case Report.

Clinical case reports, 13(9):e70850.

Lactation-associated breast cancer poses diagnostic challenges due to physiological breast changes that may mask malignancies. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) during lactation is rare and aggressive, requiring vigilant evaluation and treatment. This report highlights the diagnostic dilemma of recurrent cystic breast lesions during lactation, which can mimic benign conditions like galactoceles but may conceal aggressive TNBC, leading to potential delays in diagnosis despite initial conservative approaches such as aspiration. A 26-year-old lactating woman presented with recurrent complex cystic lesions initially mistaken for benign lactational changes. Despite multiple aspirations, the lesions enlarged, leading to surgical excision. Pathology confirmed TNBC (ER-, PR-, HER2-, Ki-67 ~40%). Core needle biopsy and extended resection with sentinel lymph node biopsy confirmed grade III invasive ductal carcinoma. The patient received 8 cycles of chemotherapy (4 cycles of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide, followed by 4 cycles of taxane) without radiotherapy, achieving 6-year recurrence-free survival. Persistent complex cystic lesions during lactation require core needle biopsy to rule out malignancy. Multimodal TNBC treatment can yield favorable outcomes, including fertility preservation, as evidenced by the patient's subsequent pregnancy in 2024.

RevDate: 2025-09-10
CmpDate: 2025-09-08

Li H, Zhang H, Dai R, et al (2025)

CD68 as a multi-omic prognostic biomarker in digestive system cancers: correlations with tumor-infiltrating immune cells and immune checkpoints.

Frontiers in immunology, 16:1599677.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: CD68 plays a crucial role in promoting phagocytosis. However, its expression level, prognostic value and the correlations with tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) or common tumor immune checkpoints (TICs) in human digestive system cancers (DSC) remain poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the expression levels, prognostic significance, and clinical implications of CD68, as well as its correlations with six TIICs and four common TICs in DSC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed CD68 mRNA and protein expression using online databases and immunohistochemistry (IHC) on tissue microarray (TMA) sections, comparing DSC tumor tissues with adjacent normal tissues. Overall survival (OS) was calculated to evaluate the prognostic value of CD68 in DSC. Additionally, correlations between CD68 expression and six TIICs (B cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, macrophages, NK cells, and cancer-associated fibroblasts) or four common TICs (PDCD1, CTLA4, IDO1, and CD40) were assessed using the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER).

RESULTS: CD68 mRNA expression was significantly higher in esophageal carcinoma (ESCA) and stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues, but lower in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC), and pancreas invasive ductal carcinoma (PAAD). Protein expression of CD68 was significantly higher in COAD than in adjacent normal tissues, but lower in ESCA, LIHC, PAAD, and STAD. CD68 protein expression served as a prognostic marker in COAD and STAD. Furthermore, CD68 expression showed strong positive correlations with the six TIICs and significant positive correlations with the four TICs in DSC.

CONCLUSION: CD68 may serve as an essential prognostic biomarker in COAD and STAD and could be a promising candidate for diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targeting in human DSC.

RevDate: 2025-09-09

Wang Q, Huang J, Wu S, et al (2025)

Neuro-immuno-stromal context in colorectal cancer: An enteric glial cell-driven prognostic model via machine learning predicts survival, recurrence, and therapy response.

Experimental cell research, 452(1):114733 pii:S0014-4827(25)00333-7 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Enteric glial cells (EGCs) have been implicated in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. This study aimed to develop and validate a prognostic model integrating EGC- and CRC-associated gene expression to predict patient survival, recurrence, metastasis, and therapy response.

METHODS: Bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing data were analyzed, and a machine learning-based model was constructed using the RSF random forest algorithm. The model's prognostic value was evaluated through survival analysis, pathway enrichment, immune profiling, and therapy response predictions.

RESULTS: The model effectively stratified patients into high- and low-risk groups, with high-risk patients exhibiting significantly worse overall survival (OS) and an increased likelihood of recurrence and metastasis. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) identified key pathways associated with tumor progression, immune regulation, and microenvironmental interactions. The model was significantly correlated with immune cell infiltration and chemokine signaling. High-risk patients exhibited reduced immune therapy efficacy and distinct drug sensitivity profiles, suggesting its potential to guide personalized treatment strategies.

CONCLUSION: This model serves as a valuable tool for CRC prognosis and treatment stratification, with potential clinical applications pending further validation.

RevDate: 2025-09-05

Chen DC, Alhamdani Z, Papa N, et al (2025)

The Blind Spot of PSMA-PET Staging? Intraductal Carcinoma of the Prostate Is Overrepresented in Patients With No Uptake Pattern on Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography and High-Grade Prostate Cancer.

The Journal of urology [Epub ahead of print].

PURPOSE: Prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA PET) is increasingly used to diagnose and stage prostate cancer. A PRIMARY score uses anatomical localization and uptake patterns to improve diagnostic accuracy. We evaluated the histopathology of patients with no uptake pattern (PRIMARY score 1) and the prevalence of intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC-P) in this subset compared with those with an uptake pattern (PRIMARY score ≥ 2).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 2-center, retrospective cohort study was conducted including consecutive patients imaged with intraprostatic [[68]Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 or [[18]F]DCFPyL PSMA PET before radical prostatectomy. All PSMA PET scans were centrally reviewed by nuclear medicine physicians, with PRIMARY scores and quantitative imaging parameters recorded. Perioperative characteristics, Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS), and histopathology were collected. The distribution of grade group and other histopathological findings, including IDC-P, were examined according to PSMA uptake patterns.

RESULTS: A total of 178 patients were analyzed. A PRIMARY score 1 finding on intraprostatic PSMA PET was seen in 30 (17%) patients. IDC-P in prostatectomy specimens was more frequent in these patients compared with PRIMARY score ≥ 2 patients (12/30, 40% vs 31/148, 21%; P = .026). In the PRIMARY score 1 subset, patients with IDC-P had considerably more pathological grade group ≥ 3 disease than those without IDC-P (100% vs 33%). Eighty-one percent of all patients had PI-RADS scores 4 or 5 on prebiopsy MRI. This study is potentially limited by the selection of patients with PRIMARY score 1 disease who subsequently proceeded to surgery.

CONCLUSIONS: In patients who are being considered for radical prostatectomy because of adverse clinical, PI-RADS or biopsy features, a PSMA PET demonstrating no intraprostatic uptake pattern should not be considered inherently a marker or small volume or lesser grade disease. Some high-grade cancers, particularly those associated with IDC-P, may not be well visualized on PSMA PET.

RevDate: 2025-09-11

Brown AS, Llinás M, S Mahony (2025)

Chromatin state dynamics during the Plasmodium falciparum intraerythrocytic development cycle.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology.

The interdependence of chromatin states and transcription factor (TF) binding in eukaryotic genomes is critical for the proper regulation of gene expression. In this study, we explore the connection between TFs and chromatin states in the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, throughout its 48-hour asexual intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC). Most P. falciparum genes are expressed in a periodic manner during the IDC, accompanied by dynamic shifts in histone modifications and chromatin accessibility. Leveraging genome-wide profiles of chromatin accessibility, histone modifications, and Heterochromatin Protein 1 (HP1) occupancy, we characterize chromatin state dynamics during the IDC. Our results indicate that several chromatin states remain stable throughout the lifecycle, while others are dynamic and are linked to gene activation or repression. We further characterize chromatin state dynamics at the genome-wide DNA binding sites for a selection of Plasmodium TFs, allowing us to group TFs according to their chromatin preferences. By correlating changes in chromatin accessibility, histone modifications, and TF binding, we provide a global overview of the chromatin state dynamics that coordinate P. falciparum asexual blood stage development.

RevDate: 2025-09-07

Albayrak NE (2025)

Case Report: Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast: a review of the literature and illustration of six cases.

Frontiers in medicine, 12:1551309.

"Primary neuroendocrine breast carcinoma (NEBC) is an underdiagnosed subtype of breast cancer, which includes small cell (SCNEC) and large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNEC). Accurate diagnosis remains challenging given their low incidence; misclassification as invasive breast carcinoma of no special type (IBC-NST), invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), or a metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma may occur. Cases with any component of adenocarcinoma and well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors were excluded. A search of the pathology database (2012-2024) revealed six female patients (27-85 years) with a final pathologic diagnosis of NEBC (stages IA-IV), including four diagnosed with LCNEC and two with SCNEC. Even though most NEBC cases (5 of 6; 83%) were of the luminal subtype, five of six patients (83%) developed distant metastases within 4 years of the initial diagnosis. Molecular profiling of six cases revealed common alterations in the FGF/FGFR and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways. In summary, primary neuroendocrine carcinomas of the breast display aggressive behavior. However, they are more likely to harbor certain alterations, such as activating PIK3CA mutations and FGFR1 amplification, which can be of therapeutic value. The Ki-67 index, unlike in the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract, is not suitable for grading neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) of the breast. However, it can still serve as a tool for risk stratification, similar to its use in luminal-type breast cancer.

RevDate: 2025-09-06
CmpDate: 2025-09-04

Navaeipour F, Sanderson RW, Li J, et al (2025)

Development of breast-mimicking phantoms for use in optical coherence elastography.

Journal of biomedical optics, 30(12):124504.

SIGNIFICANCE: Optical coherence elastography (OCE) is an emerging technique for mapping tissue mechanical properties into an image, known as an elastogram, with microscale resolution. Although system characterization phantoms are widely used in OCE development, there is a critical need for tissue-mimicking phantoms that can more accurately replicate the complex structural and mechanical properties of tissues, particularly for validating clinical applications, such as in breast cancer.

AIM: We aim to investigate the effects of tissue-like structures on elastogram formation in a controlled environment by developing and characterizing two types of breast tissue-mimicking phantoms, replicating invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) morphology and the other mimicking breast ductal networks.

APPROACH: We present a comprehensive methodology for fabricating breast-mimicking phantoms using optical coherence tomography and ductography images to provide information on tissue structure. The method employs 3D-printed molds, casting different silicone materials for IDC-mimicking phantoms and implementing a dissolving mold technique to create duct-mimicking phantoms, which can be tested in both empty and fluid-filled states.

RESULTS: The IDC-mimicking phantom successfully replicates structural features as small as 100    μ m , revealing complex mechanical behaviors at tissue interfaces, including strain concentrations where tissues of different stiffness interact. The duct-mimicking phantom demonstrates distinct mechanical responses between configurations, with hollow ducts creating sharp discontinuities at boundaries, whereas fluid-filled ducts exhibit more gradual transitions in mechanical properties.

CONCLUSIONS: Our methodology demonstrates the capability to fabricate breast tissue-mimicking phantoms that reproduce both the structural and mechanical properties of breast tissue, providing a controlled environment for investigating OCE performance and understanding how tissue architecture influences elastogram formation, particularly at interfaces among different tissue types.

RevDate: 2025-09-07
CmpDate: 2025-09-03

Jassim Ghrabat MJ, Ghaib AA, Al-Hossenat A, et al (2025)

Effective SMOTE boost with deep learning for IDC identification in whole-slide images.

PloS one, 20(9):e0329078.

Breast cancer is highlighted in recent research as one of the most prevalent types of cancer. Timely identification is essential for enhancing patient results and decreasing fatality rates. Utilizing computer-assisted detection and diagnosis early on may greatly improve the chances of recovery by accurately predicting outcomes and developing suitable treatment plans. Grading breast cancer properly, especially evaluating nuclear atypia, is difficult owing to faults and inconsistencies in slide preparation and the intricate nature of tissue patterns. This work explores the capability of deep learning to extract characteristics from histopathology photos of breast cancer. The research introduces a new method called SMOTE-based Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) technology to detect areas impacted by Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) in whole slide pictures. The trials used a dataset of 162 individuals with IDC, split into training (113 photos) and testing (49 images) groups. Every model was subjected to individual testing. The SMO_CNN model we developed demonstrated exceptional testing and training accuracies of 98.95% and 99.20% respectively, surpassing CNN, VGG19, and ResNet50 models. The results highlight the effectiveness of the created model in properly detecting IDC-affected tissue areas, showing great promise for improving breast cancer diagnosis and treatment planning. We surpassing other models as such, CNN, VGG19, ResNet50.

RevDate: 2025-09-02

Ogita M, Kumamaru H, Kubo M, et al (2025)

Survival of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the breast compared with invasive ductal carcinoma by biological subtype: A matched analysis of the Japanese national clinical database-breast cancer registry.

Breast (Edinburgh, Scotland), 83:104567 pii:S0960-9776(25)00584-3 [Epub ahead of print].

PURPOSE: Owing to the rarity of primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the breast, the prognosis of SCC remains uncertain. We aimed to investigate the clinical features and prognosis of breast SCC by subtype.

METHODS: A total of 350,977 patients with breast SCC or invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) were identified from the National Clinical Database-Breast Cancer Registry from 2004 to 2014. SCC and IDC patients with triple-negative and luminal subtypes were matched 1:1 via exact matching. Overall survival (OS), breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared between patients with SCC and those with IDC. In-field area recurrence was analyzed among patients who received adjuvant radiotherapy.

RESULTS: The study included 452 SCC patients and 182,707 IDC patients. SCC patients were more likely than IDC patients to have advanced-stage disease. The crude 10-year OS, BCSS, and RFS were 70 %, 80 %, and 66 % for patients with SCC, and 88 %, 93 %, and 81 % for patients with IDC, respectively. After 204 patients with the triple-negative subtype and 68 patients with the luminal subtype in each group were matched, the 10-year BCSS was significantly worse for SCC (76.7 %) than for IDC (85.5 %) within the triple-negative subtype. There were no differences in OS, BCSS, or RFS for the luminal subtype. The rates of in-field area recurrence were similar between patients with SCC and those with IDC with either the triple-negative subtype or the luminal subtype.

CONCLUSIONS: Within the triple-negative subtype, SCC histology was associated with a significantly worse prognosis than IDC.

RevDate: 2025-09-05

Correa Sandoval DC, Guajardo Nieto DA, JL Guzman Murguia (2025)

Primary Breast Carcinoma in Ectopic Breast Tissue in the Suprapubic Region Presenting as a Subcutaneous Nodule: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Cureus, 17(7):e89015.

Ectopic breast tissue (EBT) is an uncommon congenital condition resulting from incomplete involution of the milk line. Primary carcinomas arising in EBT have been reported in a small number of cases, most frequently in the axilla, but they may occur anywhere along the mammary line. Here, we present the case of a 69-year-old woman who presented with an asymptomatic subcutaneous nodule located at the end of a Pfanneistein's laparotomy scar in the suprapubic region. Histopathological examination revealed invasive ductal carcinoma, compatible with no special type, originating from EBT. The patient underwent wide local excision of the lesion with clear margins, followed by adjuvant treatment with letrozole. This case highlights the importance of timely diagnosis and emphasizes the significance of recognizing the rare presentation of primary breast carcinoma in EBT. Early detection and appropriate treatment, including surgical intervention and targeted therapy, are essential for optimizing patient outcomes in such cases.

RevDate: 2025-09-05

El Masadi M, Elouaouch S, Bouayed FZ, et al (2025)

Apocrine Breast Carcinoma With an Atypical Immunohistochemical Profile: A Case Report.

Cureus, 17(8):e89193.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide and encompasses a wide variety of histopathological subtypes. While invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) represents the most prevalent form, rare variants such as apocrine carcinoma (AC) also warrant particular attention. Classically, AC of the breast is defined by apocrine morphology, negativity for hormonal receptors (estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR)), and strong positivity for the androgen receptor (AR). However, the present case involving a 37-year-old woman who detected a nodule at the junction of the lower quadrants of the right breast illustrates an atypical variant of this tumor subtype. Histological examination revealed two lesions displaying typical apocrine carcinomatous proliferation but with an unusual immunohistochemical profile: ER expression at 80%, PR expression at 5%, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression. This deviation from the classical apocrine profile highlights the biological heterogeneity of these tumors and underscores the importance of thorough characterization to optimize therapeutic management.

RevDate: 2025-09-02
CmpDate: 2025-09-02

Kim HJ, Chae EY, Eom HJ, et al (2025)

Node Reporting and Data System Evaluation of Axillary Nodes in Invasive Ductal and Lobular Carcinoma.

Radiology, 316(3):e243823.

Background Although the Node Reporting and Data System (Node-RADS) offers a standardized method for assessing lymph node metastasis, its performance may vary according to the histologic type of breast cancer. Purpose To evaluate the applicability of the Node-RADS score in assessing axillary lymph node involvement in patients with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) or invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, data from consecutive women with pathologically confirmed IDC or ILC who underwent preoperative breast MRI between January 2017 and December 2018 were analyzed. Axillary nodal status was assessed using Node-RADS, in which nodal size and configuration criteria are combined into a final assessment score ranging from 1 (very low suspicion) to 5 (very high suspicion). The performance of the Node-RADS score for predicting axillary lymph node metastasis was compared between the two histologic types using the χ[2] test. Results A total of 1602 women (mean age, 50.6 years ± 9.8 [SD]), including 25 with bilateral cancers, were included, yielding 1627 breast cancers. Among these cancers, 1486 were IDC and 141 were ILC. The frequency of lymph node metastasis was 25% (377 of 1486) for IDC and 28% (40 of 141) for ILC (P = .44). A Node-RADS score of 3 or greater yielded the highest Youden index for predicting axillary lymph node metastasis for both histologic types. At this cutoff, the sensitivity and specificity were 71.1% (268 of 377) and 86.5% (959 of 1109) for IDC and 52.5% (21 of 40) and 85.1% (86 of 101) for ILC, respectively. Although there was no evidence of a difference in specificity between the histologic types, sensitivity was significantly lower for ILC (P = .02). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.83 for IDC and 0.74 for ILC (P = .08). Multivariable logistic regression analyses confirmed Node-RADS score as an independent predictor of axillary lymph node metastasis (odds ratio, 3.1; P < .001). Conclusion The Node-RADS score demonstrated comparable performance in terms of AUC in axillary nodal evaluation for IDC and ILC but lower sensitivity for ILC. © RSNA, 2025 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Freitas in this issue.

RevDate: 2025-09-04
CmpDate: 2025-09-01

Zhou S, Xiang H, Huang Z, et al (2025)

Feasibility and Prognostic Analysis of Neoadjuvant Therapy Followed by Breast-Conserving Surgery for Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Combined with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ.

Journal of investigative surgery : the official journal of the Academy of Surgical Research, 38(1):2547226.

OBJECTIVE: This study aim to investigate the oncological safety of neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) followed by breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) patients with the presence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) on pre-NAT biopsy.

METHODS: The data of women with IDC who underwent radical surgery between January 2013 and December 2021 were retrospectively reviewed from two institutions. The study endpoints were 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and local recurrence-fee survival (LRFS).

RESULTS: Overall, 994 eligible patients were enrolled. Patients with IDC with DCIS (n = 277) and patients undergoing BCS (n = 285) were selected separately for prognostic analysis. For patients with IDC with DCIS, the 5-year DFS (p = 0.517) and 5-year LRFS (p = 0.397) rates of the patients undergoing BCS were similar to those of patients undergoing mastectomy after propensity score matching. In addition, the 285 patients who underwent BCS were divided into the IDC + DCIS and IDC groups. The 5-year DFS (p = 0.394) and 5-year LRFS (p = 0.341) rates were similar between the IDC and IDC + DCIS groups.

CONCLUSION: NAT followed by BCS combined with adjuvant radiotherapy is a safe and feasible treatment option in patients with IDC with DCIS under the premise of strict adherence to the surgical indications and adequate incision margins.

RevDate: 2025-08-31
CmpDate: 2025-08-28

Saray S, Yılmaz T, Kanmaz H, et al (2025)

Androgen Receptor: Clinical Importance in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving CDK 4/6 Inhibitor Treatment.

Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 61(8):.

Background and Objectives: The effect of AR expression on prognosis in hormone receptor-positive her2-negative breast cancer is controversial. There are studies showing that AR is a treatment target, a mechanism of resistance to endocrine treatments, and a prognostic indicator in these patients whose standard treatment is a CDK 4/6 inhibitor added to endocrine treatment. We aimed to investigate the effect of AR, the AR/ER ratio, and the AR/PR ratio on CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment response in breast cancer, as well as their effects on PFS, and to validate the hypothesis that AR is a target for research. Materials and Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with metastatic hormone receptor-positive her2-negative breast cancer and received cdk4/6 inhibitor + aromatase inhibitor in first-line therapy were included in this study conducted at Balıkesir Atatürk City Hospital. The tru-cut biopsy samples of the patients were evaluated immunohistochemically for AR, ER, and PR. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to calculate the estimated median survival in PFS analyses, and the variables were compared with the Log-Rank test. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was applied to determine the ideal cut-off. Cox regression analysis was used in univariate survival models, and the multivariate model was established with the "Forward: Likelihood Ratio (LR)" method. Hazard ratios (HRs) were also calculated as 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). A p value below 0.05 was accepted for statistical significance. Results: In total, 41 patients were included in the study, and 73% (n = 30) of the patients were AR-positive. Increased AR (HR 1.014; 95% CI: 1.002-1.026; p = 0.023) was an unfavorable prognostic indicator. In our study, being ≥55 years old, being postmenopausal, not having visceral metastasis, having a non-IDC histology, having a low AR level (<50%), having an AR/ER ratio < 0.74, and having an AR/PR ratio < 1.00 were found to be associated with longer PFS. All factors were evaluated with univariate Cox regression analysis. Increasing AR (HR 1.014; 95% CI: 1.002-1.026; p = 0.023) was an unfavorable prognostic marker. Having an AR/ER ratio ≥ 0.74 (HR: 2.522; 95% CI: 1.004-6.336; p = 0.049) and having AR/PR ≥ 1 (HR: 2.659; 95% CI: 1.029-6.869; p = 0.043) were negative prognostic indicators. Conclusions: Our results were consistent with the literature and demonstrated the value of the androgen receptor as a therapeutic target, a mechanism explaining resistance to endocrine therapy, and an adverse prognostic indicator for creating resistance to endocrine therapy in breast cancer.

RevDate: 2025-08-31

Liu F, Chen W, Zhang J, et al (2025)

2.5D Deep Learning and Machine Learning for Discriminative DLBCL and IDC with Radiomics on PET/CT.

Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland), 12(8):.

We aimed to establish non-invasive diagnostic models comparable to pathology testing and explore reliable digital imaging biomarkers to classify diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Our study enrolled 386 breast nodules from 279 patients with DLBCL and IDC, which were pathologically confirmed and underwent [18]F-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18]F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) examination. Patients from two centers were separated into internal and external cohorts. Notably, we introduced 2.5D deep learning and machine learning to extract features, develop models, and discover biomarkers. Performances were assessed using the area under curve (AUC) and confusion matrix. Additionally, the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) and local interpretable model-agnostic explanations (LIME) techniques were employed to interpret the model. On the internal cohort, the optimal model PT_TDC_SVM achieved an accuracy of 0.980 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.957-0.991) and an AUC of 0.992 (95% CI: 0.946-0.998), surpassing the other models. On the external cohort, the accuracy was 0.975 (95% CI: 0.913-0.993) and the AUC was 0.996 (95% CI: 0.972-0.999). The optimal imaging biomarker PET_LBP-2D_gldm_DependenceEntropy demonstrated an average accuracy of 0.923/0.937 on internal/external testing. Our study presented an innovative automated model for DLBCL and IDC, identifying reliable digital imaging biomarkers with significant potential.

RevDate: 2025-08-31

Pérez-Rodríguez ND, Martín-Ramírez R, González-Fernández R, et al (2025)

Functional Disruption of IQGAP1 by Truncated PALB2 in Two Cases of Breast Cancer: Implications for Proliferation and Invasion.

Biomedicines, 13(8):.

Background/Objectives: Truncating mutations in PALB2, a critical component of the BRCA1-PALB2-BRCA2 homologous recombination repair complex, are associated with increased risk and aggressiveness of breast cancer. The consequences of PALB2 truncation on the expression, localization, and functional dynamics of the scaffold protein IQGAP1 were investigated in this study based on two cases of truncated PALB2 human breast invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), specifically, c.1240C>T (p.Arg414*) and c.2257C>T (p.Arg753*). Methods: Using confocal microscopy, we examined co-expression patterns of IQGAP1 with PALB2, PCNA, CK7, and β-tubulin in tumor tissues from both control cancer and PALB2-mutated cases. Results: In PALB2-truncated tumors, IQGAP1 exhibited enhanced peripheral and plasma membrane localization with elevated co-localization levels compared to controls, suggesting altered cytoskeletal organization. PALB2 truncation increased nuclear and cytoplasmic N-terminal PALB2 immunoreactivity, indicating the presence of truncated isoforms disrupting the homologous recombination repair system. Co-expression analyses with PCNA revealed an inverse expression pattern between IQGAP1 and proliferation markers, suggesting S-phase cell cycle-dependent heterogeneity. Furthermore, the loss of IQGAP1 dominance over CK7 and β-tubulin in mutant tumors, along with persistent intercellular spacing, implied a loss of cell-cell cohesion and the acquisition of invasive traits. Conclusions: These data support a model where PALB2 truncation triggers a reorganization of IQGAP1 that disrupts its canonical structural functions and facilitates tumor progression via enhanced motility and impaired cell-cell interaction. IQGAP1 thus serves as both a functional effector and potential biomarker in PALB2-mutated IDC, opening novel paths for diagnosis and targeted therapeutic intervention.

RevDate: 2025-09-02

Xing C, Li P, Yang S, et al (2025)

Investigation of the efficacy and safety of lung biopsy plus microwave ablation for a solitary suspected malignant pulmonary nodule after radical mastectomy.

Frontiers in oncology, 15:1525114.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of CT-guided lung biopsy combined with microwave ablation (MWA) for solitary suspected malignant pulmonary nodules in post-radical surgery breast cancer patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 37 post-radical surgery breast cancer patients with solitary suspected malignant pulmonary nodules, treated with CT-guided lung biopsy and MWA between January 2014 and December 2018. Institutional review board approval was obtained. Clinical outcomes and complications were analyzed.

RESULTS: Pathological results identified primary lung cancer in 5 patients (13.5%, 5/37) and metastatic invasive ductal carcinoma (breast origin) in 30 patients (81.1%, 30/37). Major complications included pneumothorax (n=8, 21.6%), chest pain (n=6, 16.2%), and hemoptysis (n=4, 10.8%). For metastatic cases, 2-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 86.2%, 58.3%, and 35.3%, respectively. The median progression-free survival after MWA was 35 months (range: 4-72; 95% CI: 24.53-46.48), and median overall survival was 44 months (95% CI: 32.55-55.45).

CONCLUSION: CT-guided lung biopsy combined with MWA is a safe and effective approach for managing solitary suspected malignant pulmonary nodules in post-radical surgery breast cancer patients.

RevDate: 2025-08-28

Chu C, Goldman J, Joung H, et al (2025)

Breast Cancer Incidence Among Patients Undergoing Chest Masculinization Surgery: A Scoping Review.

Annals of surgical oncology [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: The incidence of breast cancer (BC) cases among transgender males undergoing gender-affirming mastectomy (GAM) and the future BC risk for this population are not well established. This scoping review aimed to explore breast cancer incidence rates before and after GAM in the United States.

METHODS: Following the Arskey and O'Malley framework, the search was conducted in Embase and PubMed using keywords "gender-affirming surgery" and "breast cancer." The initial search resulted in 405 articles, with 36 articles imported to Covidence for the screening and selection phase. The articles were limited to the United States alone and within the last 10 years.

RESULTS: For final inclusion, 13 articles were identified (11 observational/retrospective cohort studies and 2 case studies). Across all the studies, 42 cases of atypia, 6 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), 1 case of Paget's disease, and 10 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) were reported. Nine studies reviewed routine GAM surgical specimens (3869 cases), identifying 42 cases of atypia, 5 cases of DCIS, 1 case of Paget's disease, and 3 cases of IDC. Seven invasive carcinomas and one DCIS case were detected pre-GAM during screening and involved concurrent treatment from breast and plastic surgery teams.

CONCLUSIONS: Standardization and best-practice screening protocols, including breast imaging before GAM and pathology performed on specimens collected during GAM, are needed. A shared decision-making approach and clinical coordination, including breast and plastic surgery for patients who receive a breast cancer diagnosis while pursuing GAM, can help achieve oncologic and cosmetic goals.

RevDate: 2025-08-30

Elias TM, Desa DE, Brown EB, et al (2025)

Exploring racial differences in second-harmonic-generation-based prognostic indicators of metastasis in breast and colon cancer.

Biophotonics discovery, 2(2):.

SIGNIFICANCE: Second-harmonic generation (SHG) analysis of collagen internal structure and overall organization in the tumor microenvironment may enhance current metastasis prediction methods, which do not prognosticate with the same accuracy for patients of different races. For these optical tools to be clinically available, a multicenter trial is needed. We investigate if SHG-based prognostic signals vary with patient race, providing insight for designing such a trial.

AIM: SHG imaging was performed on colon adenocarcinoma (CRC) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) patient samples to derive two prognostic indicators. We assessed the association between these indicators and patient race.

APPROACH: SHG images were analyzed as previously described to determine the forward- to backward-SHG scattering ratio (F/B) and fiber angle variability (FAV). Both prognostic measurements were compared between Black and White patients.

RESULTS: In the IDC cohort, F/B from the tumor-stroma interface differed significantly between demographic groups. For the CRC cohort, a trend was observed in the tumor-stroma interface and tumor bulk. FAV did not vary by race in either cohort.

CONCLUSIONS: F/B variation with patient race suggests the relationship between F/B and metastatic outcome may vary with patient race. These findings highlight the potential need for race-specific prognostic algorithms to improve metastasis prediction for all patients.

RevDate: 2025-08-28

Perez A, Schaverien MV, George-Palop M, et al (2025)

The Impact of Vascularized Lymph Node Transfer in Reducing the Rate of Cellulitis in Patients with Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema.

Plastic and reconstructive surgery pii:00006534-990000000-02755 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Poorly managed breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) may lead to recurrent cellulitis. Advances in the management of lymphedema have evolved beyond conservative decongestive therapy to include vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT). Herein, we analyzed the impact of VLNT in the reduction of upper extremity cellulitis in breast cancer survivors.

METHODS: We reviewed all patients at our institution who had breast cancer, underwent mastectomy, experienced upper extremity lymphedema, and proceeded with VLNT from 2017 to 2021. Patients were included if they had 1 or more episodes of cellulitis within the year prior to VLNT and were followed for at least 12 months.

RESULTS: We included 66 patients that fulfilled our strict inclusion criteria with a median age of 57 years (IQR, 23-76 years). All patients were female and most were White (88%), with a mean (± SD) body mass index of 29.4 ± 6.7 kg/m2. Many presented with invasive ductal carcinoma (82%), had axillary lymph node dissection (98%), received chemotherapy (94%) and radiation therapy (86%). VLNT was performed at a median of 92 months after mastectomy (IQR, 32-156 months). Overall, 58 (88%) patients remained infection-free with an infection rate decrease from an average of 2.27 before the index VLNT to 0.17 (P < .0001) after VLNT.

CONCLUSIONS: VLNT is associated with significantly decreased cellulitis rates and should be considered as part of the infectious diseases armamentarium for the treatment of recurrent upper extremity cellulitis due to BCRL without adequate clinical improvement to conservative management alone.

RevDate: 2025-08-30
CmpDate: 2025-08-28

Baena JC, Victoria JS, Toro-Pedroza A, et al (2025)

Smart CAR-T Nanosymbionts: archetypes and proto-models.

Frontiers in immunology, 16:1635159.

Personalized medicine has redefined cancer treatment by aligning therapies with each patient's unique biological profile. A key example is chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, in which a patient's own T cells are genetically modified to recognize and destroy cancer cells. This approach has delivered remarkable results in hematologic malignancies and is beginning to show promise in solid tumors and autoimmune diseases. However, its broader adoption is limited by major challenges, including complex manufacturing, high costs, limited efficacy in solid tumors, and potentially severe toxicities. Nanotechnology offers exciting possibilities to overcome many of these barriers. Engineered nanoparticles can improve gene delivery, target tumors more precisely, enhance immune cell function, and enable in vivo CAR-T production, reducing the need for labor-intensive ex vivo processes. However, despite this promise, translation into clinical settings remains difficult due to regulatory hurdles, scalability issues, and inconsistent reproducibility in human models. At the same time, artificial intelligence (AI), with its powerful algorithms for data analysis and predictive modeling, is transforming how we design, evaluate, and monitor advanced therapies, including the optimization of manufacturing processes. In the context of CAR-T, AI holds strong potential for better patient stratification, improved prediction of treatment response and toxicity, and faster, more precise design of CAR constructs and delivery systems. Leveraging these three technological pillars, this review introduces the concept of Smart CART Nanosymbionts, an integrated framework in which AI guides the design and deployment of nanotechnology-enhanced CAR-T therapies. We explore how this convergence enables optimization of lipid nanoparticle formulations for mRNA transfection, specific targeting and modification of the tumor microenvironment, real-time monitoring of CAR-T cell behavior and toxicity, and improved in vivo CAR-T generation and overcoming barriers in solid tumors. Finally, it's important we also address the ethical and regulatory considerations surrounding this emerging interface of living therapies and computational driven systems. The Smart CART Nanosymbionts framework (Figure 1:) represents a transformative step forward, promising to advance personalized cancer treatment toward greater precision, accessibility, and overall effectiveness.

RevDate: 2025-08-27

Yoneyama K, Nakagawa M, A Hara (2025)

A case report of male breast cancer treated with breast-conserving surgery.

International journal of surgery case reports, 135:111804 pii:S2210-2612(25)00990-3 [Epub ahead of print].

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Male breast cancer is a rare disease that accounts for less than 1 % of all breast cancer cases. The most common surgical treatment for male breast cancer is mastectomy, but breast-conserving surgery has been performed increasingly in recent years. This report describes a case of male breast cancer that was treated by breast-conserving surgery.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 61-year-old man visited our hospital complaining of a painless mass in his left breast. Imaging revealed a well-defined cystic mass, aspiration of which revealed bloody fluid. Cytology was inconclusive, but the findings were suggestive of malignancy. A left lumpectomy was performed for diagnostic purposes. Postoperative pathology revealed invasive ductal carcinoma with a predominant intraductal component. The surgical margins were negative. The patient declined adjuvant hormone therapy and radiotherapy and has been kept under follow-up in the year since surgery. There has been no recurrence during this time.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION: As in women, the goals of treatment for breast cancer in men are oncological safety and satisfactory cosmetic results. In the absence of specific guidelines for the treatment of male breast cancer, mastectomy is currently the standard treatment. However, in recent years, breast-conserving surgery has been performed for tumors that are discovered early and do not invade the nipple and areola. If curability and safety can be guaranteed, breast-conserving surgery can be considered for male breast cancer.

CONCLUSION: Breast-conserving surgery can be an effective treatment option in men with breast cancer.

RevDate: 2025-08-29

Roshan M, Mudrack C, Sulaj A, et al (2025)

Exploring the Relationship Between Insulin Resistance, Liver Health, and Restrictive Lung Diseases in Type 2 Diabetes.

Journal of personalized medicine, 15(8):.

Background: Restrictive lung disease (RLD) is a potential complication in type 2 diabetes (T2D), but its relationship with insulin resistance and liver-related metabolic dysfunction remains unclear. This study evaluated the association between lung function and metabolic markers in T2D and retrospectively assessed whether metabolic improvements from dietary intervention were accompanied by changes in lung function. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included 184 individuals (101 with T2D, 33 with prediabetes, and 50 glucose-tolerant individuals). Lung function parameters-vital capacity (VC), total lung capacity by plethysmography (TLC-B), and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (TLCO)-were assessed alongside metabolic markers including HOMA2-IR, fatty liver index (FLI), NAFLD score, and Fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4). In a subset of 54 T2D participants, lung function was reassessed after six months following either a fasting-mimicking diet (FMD, n = 14), Mediterranean diet (n = 13), or no dietary intervention (n = 27). Results: T2D participants had significantly lower VC and TLC-B compared to glucose-tolerant and prediabetic individuals, with 18-21% falling below clinical thresholds for RLD. Lung volumes were negatively correlated with HOMA2-IR, FLI, NAFLD score, and FIB-4 across the cohort and within the T2D group. Although the FMD intervention led to significant improvements in HOMA2-IR and FLI, no corresponding changes in lung function were observed over the six-month period. Conclusions: Restrictive lung impairment in T2D is associated with insulin resistance and markers of liver steatosis and fibrosis. While short-term dietary interventions can improve metabolic parameters, their effect on lung function may require a longer duration or additional interventions and targeted follow-up. These findings highlight the relevance of pulmonary assessment in individuals with metabolic dysfunction.

RevDate: 2025-08-29

Cioroianu RA, Schenker M, Rădulescu VM, et al (2025)

Therapeutic Patterns and Surgical Decision-Making in Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Regional Cohort Study in Romania.

Clinics and practice, 15(8):.

Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy among women globally. In Romania, it is the most frequent form of cancer affecting women, with approximately 12,000 new cases diagnosed annually, and the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality, second only to lung cancer. Methods: This study looked at 79 breast cancer patients from Oltenia, concentrating on epidemiology, histology, diagnostic features, and treatments. Patients were chosen based on inclusion criteria such as histopathologically verified diagnosis, availability of clinical and treatment data, and follow-up information. The analyzed biological material consisted of tissue samples taken from the breast parenchyma and axillary lymph nodes. Even though not the primary subject of this paper, all patients underwent immunohistochemical (IHC) evaluation both preoperatively and postoperatively. Results: We found invasive ductal carcinoma to be the predominant type, while ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and mixed types were rare. We performed cross-tabulations of metastasis versus nodal status and age versus therapy type; none reached significance (all p > 0.05), suggesting observed differences were likely due to chance. A chi-square test comparing surgical interventions (breast-conserving vs. mastectomy) in patients who did or did not receive chemotherapy showed, χ[2] = 3.17, p = 0.367, indicating that chemotherapy did not significantly influence surgical choice. Importantly, adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy were used at similar rates across age groups, whereas neoadjuvant hormonal (endocrine) therapy was more common in older patients (but without statistical significance). Conclusions: Finally, we discussed the consequences of individualized care and early detection. Romania's shockingly low screening rate, which contributes to delayed diagnosis, emphasizes the importance of improved population medical examination and tailored treatment options. Also, the country has one of the lowest rates of mammography uptake in Europe and no systematic population screening program.

RevDate: 2025-08-29

Kawthalkar A, Nayak S, K Jaiswal (2025)

Cytology in Mucinous Breast Carcinoma: Diagnostic Insights and a Rare Bilateral Case.

Cureus, 17(7):e88670.

Introduction Cytological evaluation of breast lumps is often conducted as part of the triple test for breast carcinomas and provides a confirmation of the clinical and radiological diagnosis. Mucinous carcinomas of the breast, while a relatively rare entity, are important to recognize due to their favorable prognosis. The present research has been designed to study and highlight the specific cytological features of mucinous carcinoma of the breast as well as present a rare case of cytologically diagnosed bilateral breast mucinous carcinoma. Materials and methods A two-year retrospective analysis of cytologically diagnosed and histopathologically confirmed cases of mucinous carcinoma of the breast was conducted. Relevant clinical and radiological details were noted and included in the study. All slides were assessed for specific features that assist in the final diagnosis of mucinous carcinoma based on cytology alone. Results A total of seven cases of mucinous carcinoma of the breast in a span of two years were identified on cytology. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) yielded mucoid material in all cases. Abundant extracellular mucin was observed in all cases. In all cases, there was abundant cellularity. Most of the epithelial cells were seen to be arranged predominantly in clusters. In all cases, cells were uniform and had a moderate amount of cytoplasm and a round nucleus showing mild atypia. Branching, delicate capillary fragments (chicken-wire vascularity) were noted in six (85%) cases. Histopathological correlation was available for all cases, confirming mucinous carcinoma. There was a single case of metachronous bilateral breast mucinous carcinomas, with the right and left breast lesions being palpable five and three years back, respectively, by the patient. Discussion The mean size, age group, and cytological features were consistent with the findings of previous studies. Typically, pure mucinous subtypes show abundant extracellular mucin with floating islands and isolated tumor cells within on histopathology. Mixed mucinous carcinomas often show more solid areas with an invasive ductal carcinoma component. In the present study, there was a single case of bilateral mucinous carcinoma of the breast, making it only the third case to be reported so far. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first case of mucinous carcinoma presenting in bilateral breasts to be reported on FNAC. Conclusion Strict adherence to the above diagnostic cytologic criteria, which includes abundant pools of mucin, tight clusters of epithelial cells exhibiting mild atypia, and branching capillaries, is the key to a confident diagnosis of mucinous carcinoma of the breast on cytology. Though extremely rare, bilateral mucinous carcinoma of the breast does occur and can be reliably diagnosed on cytology.

RevDate: 2025-08-29

Jassim GA, AlMohri MA, AlAsoomi HY, et al (2025)

Performance Metrics of Mammography Screening Programmes in Primary Health Care Centres in Bahrain.

International journal of women's health, 17:2583-2593.

BACKGROUND: Mammography is the cornerstone of breast cancer screening. Its diagnostic performance, however, is influenced by population demographics such as age and breast density.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to establish contemporary performance benchmarks for mammography screening in Bahrain's primary health-care centres (PHCs) and to identify areas for quality improvement.

METHODS: A cross-sectional retrospective analysis was performed on mammograms from asymptomatic women aged ≥40 years who were screened in 2020 at primary health care centres. Screening outcomes were cross-referenced with subsequent breast cancer diagnoses recorded in the Bahrain Cancer Registry (2021-2022). Mammographic findings were categorised using the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS), and performance metrics including the cancer detection rate (CDR), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated.

RESULTS: A total of 2196 screening mammograms were included, with a mean patient age of 56.1 years. The cancer detection rate was 12.3 per 1000 screens, and the recall rate was 30.6%. Sensitivity and specificity were 69.2% and 71.2%, respectively, and the interval cancer rate was 5.4 per 1000. The most common breast density category was "scattered fibroglandular" (61.8%). Recall rates were significantly associated with breast density (p < 0.001). Among the 39 patients diagnosed with breast cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma was the most prevalent subtype (71.8%).

CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the moderate utility of mammography screening in Bahrain, characterised by a relatively high recall rate and a need to optimise reporting standards and recall criteria. Tailored strategies such as supplemental imaging for women with dense or high-risk breasts, strict adherence to BI-RADS guidelines, and implementing double reading or single reading with computer-aided detection could improve screening outcomes. These results establish important regional performance benchmarks and can inform policies to enhance breast cancer detection and management in the Arabian Gulf region.

RevDate: 2025-08-26

Garcia-Tejedor A, Julià C, Ciria J, et al (2025)

Prognostic Outcomes by Axillary Approach in Lobular and Ductal Breast Cancer With Sentinel Node Macrometastases: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Clinical breast cancer pii:S1526-8209(25)00219-8 [Epub ahead of print].

PURPOSE: To compare survival outcomes between patients with invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and invasive ductal carcinoma non-special type (NST) presenting with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB)-detected macrometastases in early-stage breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted including 364 cN0 breast cancer patients with SLNB-detected macrometastases who underwent surgical treatment between July 2011 and December 2023. Patients were categorized as NST (n = 250) or ILC (n = 108). SLNB was the primary axillary staging procedure, with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) performed according to predefined clinical criteria. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify predictors of pN2-pN3. Survival outcomes were assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared with log-rank tests.

RESULTS: ILC patients presented with larger tumors, higher rates of multifocality, and greater axillary nodal involvement compared to NST. Surgery was more frequently mastectomy and ALND. pN2-N3 was identified in 12% of cases, with pT3 stage, ILC histology, and lymphovascular invasion as independent predictors. After a median follow-up of 7.6 years, the ILC group exhibited higher overall mortality (19.4% vs. 9.6%) and deaths attributed to systemic progression (57% vs. 29%). Ten-year distant disease-free survival and breast cancer-specific survival were significantly lower in the ILC cohort (63% vs. 87% and 65% vs. 93%, respectively; P < .05). Although 10-year overall survival was lower in ILC (54% vs. 79%), statistical significance was only observed in patients with advanced nodal disease (pN2-N3).

CONCLUSIONS: ILC is associated with more advanced axillary burden and significantly worse long-term oncologic outcomes compared to NST carcinoma when macrometastases are present at SLNB.

RevDate: 2025-08-27
CmpDate: 2025-08-24

Oolbekkink S, Wolthaus JWH, van Asselen B, et al (2025)

Development and demonstration of end-to-end testing for intra-fraction motion-managed workflows.

Medical physics, 52(9):e18042.

BACKGROUND: Intra-fraction motion management techniques, including beam gating and intra-fraction drift correction (IDC), have recently been introduced on the Unity MR-linac (Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden) to mitigate the dosimetric impact of motion during treatment. However, residual motion (e.g., within the gating window) still affects the delivered dose, causing deviations from the statically planned dose. Conventional end-to-end (E2E) testing does not incorporate such (known) motion, hampering evaluation of motion managed workflows.

PURPOSE: This study develops and demonstrates novel methods that incorporate known motion before treatment delivery. Using such a reference dose distribution allows for E2E testing of intra-fraction motion-managed workflows.

METHODS: A novel approach was developed to assess the E2E accuracy for motion-managed delivery techniques by comparing the measured dose distribution to a reference dose distribution that incorporates the applied motion during the delivery. Two motion-included reference dose distributions were generated and evaluated: (1) A Priori Motion-Included (APriMI) dose distribution which uses the known (periodic) motion to estimate the influence of anatomical motion on the dose distribution, and incorporates this into a new dose distribution; and (2) the Posteriori Motion-Included (PostMI) dose distribution, which adds an external trigger to relate the beam-on/off time to the motion of the setup. This allows for evaluation of non-periodic motion, or a drift motion during IDC workflows. In addition to these, the conventionally used static treatment planning system (TPS) dose distribution was used as a reference dose distribution. Several scenarios were evaluated: static (no phantom motion), two unmanaged, and two motion-managed scenarios using the Comprehensive Motion Management (CMM) software (Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden) for gated and IDC workflows, with cos 4 $\mathrm{cos^4}$ and linear drift motion patterns. All measurements were performed on a clinical Unity MR-linac equipped with CMM software, using film dosimeters for high spatial resolution dose distribution assessment. The geometric and dosimetric E2E accuracy of the workflow were evaluated for all scenarios.

RESULTS: First, the static benchmark scenario was evaluated and showed high agreement between the measured dose distribution and all reference dose distributions (i.e., static, APriMI, and PostMI). For the motion-included scenarios, excellent agreement was observed between the measured and calculated dose distributions in both unmanaged and managed cases when using either APriMI or PostMI. The largest geometric shift in the motion included scenarios was 0.3 mm, comparable to the static scenario. Dosimetric accuracy, evaluated using a global gamma index (2%/2 mm), exceeded 95.5%. As expected, larger deviations occurred when the static dose distribution was used as a reference, with geometric shifts up to 9.0 mm and gamma pass rates as low as 17.8%.

CONCLUSIONS: E2E testing of intra-fraction motion-managed workflows is possible using APriMI and PostMI dose distributions. Strong agreement was observed with these motion-included distributions, while larger deviations were seen with the static dose distribution. These findings highlight the need for reference dose files that account for actual motion in the measurement setup to assess E2E accuracy of motion-included workflows.

RevDate: 2025-08-27
CmpDate: 2025-08-22

SeyedForootan F, Mahdavi N, M Koopaie (2025)

Mandibular metastasis of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast: a case report.

Journal of medical case reports, 19(1):423.

BACKGROUND: Metastasis of breast carcinoma to the oral cavity is an uncommon event, and mandibular involvement is even rarer. This case is notable owing to the delayed occurrence of mandibular metastasis 6 years after the primary diagnosis, highlighting its aggressive behavior, which resulted in a pathological mandibular fracture. Reporting such rare presentations can aid clinicians in identifying atypical metastatic patterns in breast cancer survivors.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 45 year-old Persian female with a history of invasive ductal breast carcinoma, diagnosed initially and treated 6 years earlier, presented with facial swelling and pain in the left lower jaw. She had been receiving bisphosphonate therapy for bone metastases. Clinical and radiographic evaluations revealed a radiolucent mandibular lesion with cortical bone perforation. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses confirmed metastasis from the primary breast cancer. Despite subsequent radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the lesion progressed, resulting in a pathological mandibular fracture and further metastases to the lungs and liver.

CONCLUSION: This case underscores the importance of considering metastatic disease in diagnosing oral lesions in patients with a history of malignancy. Early recognition of atypical presentations such as mandibular metastasis may facilitate timely intervention, although prognosis remains poor in such advanced stages.

RevDate: 2025-08-23

Tank P, Vora S, D'Souza F, et al (2025)

Advanced mass spectrometry techniques for monitoring biopharmaceutical host cell proteins.

Trends in biotechnology pii:S0167-7799(25)00311-7 [Epub ahead of print].

Residual host cell proteins (HCPs) in biologic drug products can compromise safety or stability and must be carefully monitored. While traditional immunoassays remain essential, they often lack specificity or coverage. Mass spectrometry (MS) offers a complementary approach by enabling direct identification and quantification of individual HCPs throughout development. This review highlights recent advances in MS technologies and workflows relevant to HCP detection, including new data acquisition strategies, software tools, and artificial intelligence applications. We also discuss regulatory perspectives and considerations for implementing MS in controlled environments. By integrating analytical innovations with risk-based strategies, MS-based approaches are becoming key components of modern biopharmaceutical quality control.

RevDate: 2025-09-08
CmpDate: 2025-08-21

Chilumukuru NS, Priyadarshini P, Y Ezunkpe (2025)

Deep Learning for the Early Detection of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in Histopathological Images: Convolutional Neural Network Approach With Transfer Learning.

JMIR formative research, 9:e62996.

BACKGROUND: Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is considered the most common form of breast cancer, accounting for a significant percentage of mortality worldwide. Therefore, its early detection is vital to further improve patients' outcomes and survival rates. However, conventional diagnostic methods in the form of manual histopathological examinations are time-consuming, subjective, and prone to errors. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop automated solutions for accurate IDC detection in histopathology images to assist pathologists in clinical decision-making.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to develop and validate a convolutional neural network (CNN) model for early detection of IDC by analyzing histopathological images. The specific objectives are designing a deep learning-based technique for automated detection of IDC, assessing its performance compared to traditional diagnostic methods, and evaluating its utility in a clinical setup for early breast cancer diagnosis. These methods will be available to practitioners in underdeveloped countries via an open-source application.

METHODS: The dataset for the research included 277,524 publicly available histopathological images from Kaggle, comprising both IDC-positive and IDC-negative images. About 71.6% of images were IDC-positive (class 0), while 28.4% were IDC-negative (class 1). Since our data are unbalanced, we created a weighted loss function to overcome the class imbalance problem. Further development was based on a CNN using the approach of transfer learning with a pretrained architecture called Visual Geometry Group to uplift feature extraction so that performance may improve; hence, images were preprocessed and normalized to perform augmentation with robustness. The model was developed using a split of 80% for training and 20% for testing. Model performance was measured for accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, recall, and F1-score in the confusion matrix and classification report.

RESULTS: From our CNN base model, we obtained an accuracy of 89% on the test set. Later, the base model was used with a weighted loss function to balance the class weights, giving a lower accuracy of 86% on the test set. Data augmentation was performed but did not improve the results. To deal with the class imbalance effectively, we performed transfer learning with a pretrained model, which gave an accuracy of 90% on the test set.

CONCLUSIONS: The CNN-based model thus showed accuracy and reliability for early detection of IDC from histopathological images. This technique will potentially act as an efficient and accurate assistant tool for pathologists, contributing to the early diagnosis of breast cancer and improving clinical outcomes. This paper provides an important contribution toward refining the performance of this model and widening its applications in a clinical setting by integrating it with other diagnostic techniques for better outcomes.

RevDate: 2025-08-23

Osman H, Hassan M, Alfaki M, et al (2025)

Association between VEGF gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk.

Biochemistry and biophysics reports, 43:102202.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer (BC) poses a significant global health challenge. In Sudan, the absence of a national cancer registry has resulted in an underestimation of BC incidence. BC is notably the most common cancer among Sudanese women, especially affecting those under 50, with many cases diagnosed at advanced stages. Angiogenesis, driven by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), plays a critical role in the progression and recurrence of BC. This study examines the relationship between the VEGF (rs699947) gene polymorphism and BC among Sudanese women in Khartoum State in 2022. Methodology: A case-control study was conducted with 30 BC patients, and tissue samples were collected for molecular analysis. DNA was extracted and genotyped for the VEGF (rs699947) polymorphism using allele-specific PCR.

RESULTS: No statistically significant association was found between the VEGF-2578 C > A polymorphism and BC risk in our study population. Although the A allele was more prevalent in tumor tissues compared to normal tissues, with no significant correlation with tumor stage or grade. The study revealed that BC in Sudanese women often presents at younger ages and is predominantly invasive ductal carcinoma, with stage II being the most common.

CONCLUSION: These findings emphasize the necessity for continued research to explore additional genetic factors and improve our understanding of BC and associated risks. Advancing early detection and prevention methods is vital, particularly for underrepresented populations. However, the small sample size in this study may limit the statistical power to detect significant associations, and thus, findings should be interpreted with caution.

RevDate: 2025-08-20

Xu W, Deng S, Mao G, et al (2025)

Differentiation of Suspicious Microcalcifications Using Deep Learning: DCIS or IDC.

Academic radiology pii:S1076-6332(25)00732-9 [Epub ahead of print].

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To explore the value of a deep learning-based model in distinguishing between ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) manifesting suspicious microcalcifications on mammography.

MATERIALS: A total of 294 breast cancer cases (106 DCIS and 188 IDC) from two centers were randomly allocated into training, internal validation and external validation sets in this retrospective study. Clinical variables differentiating DCIS from IDC were identified through univariate and multivariate analyses and used to build a clinical model. Deep learning features were extracted using Resnet101 and selected by minimum redundancy maximum correlation (mRMR) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). A deep learning model was developed using deep learning features, and a combined model was constructed by combining these features with clinical variables. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to assess the performance of each model.

RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression identified lesion type and BI-RADS category as independent predictors for differentiating DCIS from IDC. The clinical model incorporating these factors achieved an AUC of 0.67, sensitivity of 0.53, specificity of 0.81, and accuracy of 0.63 in the external validation set. In comparison, the deep learning model showed an AUC of 0.97, sensitivity of 0.94 and specificity of 0.92, accuracy of 0.93. For the combined model, the AUC, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 0.97, 0.96, 0.92 and 0.95, respectively. The diagnostic efficacy of the deep learning model and combined model was comparable (p>0.05), and both models outperformed the clinical model (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Deep learning provides an effective non-invasive approach to differentiate DCIS from IDC presenting as suspicious microcalcifications on mammography.

RevDate: 2025-08-19

Wang H, Huang R, Huang J, et al (2025)

Mandibular Osteosarcoma Mimicking Bisphosphonate-associated Osteonecrosis on 99mTc-MDP Bone Scan in a Patient With Breast Cancer.

Clinical nuclear medicine pii:00003072-990000000-01889 [Epub ahead of print].

We present the case of a 27-year-old woman with a history of left breast invasive ductal carcinoma who developed mandibular osteosarcoma, as documented by 2 MDP bone scans. She had undergone a radical mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and intravenous zoledronic acid therapy. An initial bone scan 1 year later showed increased MDP uptake in the right mandible, suggesting drug-related osteonecrosis, but concurrent CT scans were normal. A follow-up bone scan performed 16 months later demonstrated increased MDP uptake in both mandibles. Subsequent partial mandibulectomy confirmed conventional osteosarcoma.

RevDate: 2025-08-26
CmpDate: 2025-08-26

Li S, S Zhang (2025)

A case report of Chinese medicine combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 breast cancer.

Medicine, 104(33):e43387.

RATIONALE: According to Chinese medicine, surgical trauma and chemotherapy aggravate patients' qi and blood deficiency and damage to the veins and channels. The combination of Chinese medicine and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) can not only improve the above symptoms, but also is expected to alleviate the adverse effects of breast cancer chemotherapy, such as nausea and vomiting, thereby improving patient compliance to achieve tumor reduction or even tumor-free, and providing a new diagnostic and therapeutic idea for the clinical treatment of breast cancer. This paper reported a case of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) invasive breast cancer treated with traditional Chinese medicine combined with NACT. The lesion disappeared after 2 months of treatment and effectively reduced nausea and the symptoms of loss of appetite during NACT.

PATIENT CONCERNS: The patient was a female, 54-year-old, unintentionally found a double breast lump with tingling pain over 1 year. During this period, the patient did not pay attention to any treatment, the mass increased progressively, hard texture, unclear boundary. Denied family genetic history of breast cancer. The patient was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma of both breasts (multiple metastases in right axillary and supraclavicular lymph nodes), T4N3M0 (tumour staging basis), stage IIC, HER-2 positive by breast needle biopsy. In the course of NACT, the patient complained of severe nausea and vomiting, which seriously affected the quality of life and chemotherapy confidence.

DIAGNOSES: The patient was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma of both breasts (multiple metastases in right axillary and supraclavicular lymph nodes), T4N3M0, stage IIC, HER-2 positive.

INTERVENTIONS: The patient was treated with NACT, and traditional Chinese medicine was taken orally.

OUTCOMES: After 2 months of combination therapy, the breast mass shrank, the symptoms of nausea and vomiting were significantly relieved, and the appetite became better. The biopsy of the breast tissue cut at the completion of NACT showed no upper, lower, internal, outer, and basal lesions.

LESSONS: Chinese medicine internal effect is remarkable and safe, new adjuvant chemotherapy combined with Chinese medicine internal effectively improve nausea, vomiting symptoms, and effectively inhibit tumor hyperplasia, shrink tumor lesions, this case allows us consider whether in breast cancer new adjuvant chemotherapy combined Chinese medicine internal effect can be better, and provide new ideas for clinical treatment.

RevDate: 2025-08-18

An T, Dong X, Dong B, et al (2025)

Event-Triggered Mixed Nonzero-Sum Game Optimal Control for Modular Robotic Manipulator Performing Coordinated Operation Tasks.

IEEE transactions on neural networks and learning systems, PP: [Epub ahead of print].

Taking advantage of high-performance intelligent robots to solve the coordination control problem such as assembly, handling, and installation, transportation is gradually becoming a kind of frontier subject with great scientific research value in the field of robotics. However, due to possible conflicts and inconsistencies between the manipulator and the operating object, it is challenging to design the optimal coordination control scheme between human and robot. This article presents an event-triggered mixed nonzero-sum game optimal control method, which considers both nonzero-sum game and cooperative game cases, for modular robotic manipulator (MRM) systems performing coordinated operation tasks. First, the joint torque feedback technique and joint task assignment method are employed to establish the dynamic model of MRM subsystem, and then, the global state-space description is deduced. For the unknown information containing interconnected dynamic coupling (IDC) terms and friction modeling errors, an adaptive neural network (NN) identifier is established by utilizing the measured input-output data of each joint module. The adaptive updating law guarantees that the NN weight error finally converged to a minimum neighborhood of zero. To ensure the optimality of system overall performance, the corresponding value functions reflecting the interconnectedness among each joint subsystem and manipulated object are constructed. Based on the idea of differential game, the coordination control problem of MRM system is transformed into a mixed nonzero-sum game problem among each joint module and the operated object. Next, by constructing a single critic NN with learning structure, the optimal value function is approximated to solve the event-based Hamiltonian equations, and then, the optimal control strategy of each player is obtained. Finally, the Lyapunov theory is used to analyze system stability, and the effectiveness of the presented method is reinforced by experimental results.

RevDate: 2025-08-18

Sakata S, Hisa T, Ito Y, et al (2025)

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma originating from focal pancreatic parenchymal atrophy demonstrated by transabdominal ultrasonography.

Clinical journal of gastroenterology [Epub ahead of print].

In this report, we present an 80-year-old man referred for evaluation of a pancreatic mass detected by transabdominal ultrasonography during health screening. Additional examinations revealed severe, long-segment focal atrophy from the pancreatic head to the body, appearing as a cord-like hypoechoic lesion on transabdominal and endoscopic ultrasonography. Although cytological examination of pancreatic juice was recommended, the patient opted for a follow-up. Three years later, a hypoechoic mass with upstream main pancreatic duct dilatation developed in the atrophic region. Cytological examination of pancreatic juice revealed adenocarcinoma, and pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. Histopathology revealed Stage IIB invasive ductal carcinoma and carcinoma in situ within the atrophic region. Retrospective review showed that focal atrophy was present on transabdominal ultrasonography 11 years before the invasive carcinoma mass appeared, progressing without main pancreatic duct dilatation until its development. During follow-up of focal atrophy, early diagnosis of carcinoma in situ or microinvasive carcinoma before main pancreatic duct dilatation is crucial. The present case suggests that severe, long-segment focal pancreatic parenchymal atrophy can be detected by transabdominal ultrasonography and that carcinoma in situ within the focal pancreatic parenchymal atrophy may progress to invasive carcinoma.

RevDate: 2025-08-20

van Veen FEE, Scheepe JR, BFM Blok (2025)

[Regional variation in urinary catheter use in the Netherlands: a population-based cohort from 2012 to 2021].

Tijdschrift voor urologie, 15(5):88-96.

INTRODUCTION: Clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) is often preferred over indwelling catheters (IDC) due to fewer complications and improved quality of life. This study investigated trends and regional differences in CIC and IDC use in the Netherlands between 2012 and 2021.

METHODS: Data were collected from the Drug and Medical Devices Information System and regional differences were assessed using negative binomial regression (NBR).

RESULTS: The number of CIC users increased by 27.3%, from 34,204 to 43,528 and the number of ID users by 44.6%, from 41,619 to 60,172. The most significant increases were among male CIC users > 65 years and IDC users > 85 years. NBR showed significant regional variations, with higher CIC use in the northern Netherlands and variable IDC use across the country.

CONCLUSION: There is a growing number of catheter users in the Netherlands and there are regional differences, which may be explained by variations in patient populations, healthcare provider preferences, and adherence to guidelines.

RevDate: 2025-08-27

Silva MJ, Patel J, Huang A, et al (2025)

Breast Plasmacytoma as the Initial Manifestation of Multiple Myeloma in a 36-Year-Old Woman.

Cureus, 17(7):e87929.

Extramedullary plasmacytomas (EMPs) of the breast are extremely rare and may present as the initial manifestation of multiple myeloma (MM). We report the case of a 36-year-old woman who presented with a rapidly growing right breast mass. Mammography and ultrasound revealed an oval, circumscribed, heterogeneous, vascular mass, measuring up to 4.2 cm, categorized as Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 4. Core needle biopsy revealed a plasmablastic/plasmacytic neoplasm with strong CD138 expression, lambda light chain restriction, high Ki-67 index, and negative Epstein-Barr virus early RNA in situ hybridization (EBER-ISH), consistent with plasmablastic plasmacytoma. Systemic staging confirmed the diagnosis of MM, and the patient underwent chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation. This case illustrates how breast plasmacytoma (BP) can mimic primary breast malignancies on imaging, particularly triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma, lymphoma, or malignant phyllodes tumor. Although rare, it should be considered in younger patients with atypical breast masses. Diagnosis relies on biopsy with histopathological and immunophenotypic confirmation. Early recognition and biopsy are key, as BP may mimic aggressive breast malignancies and carry prognostic significance in MM.

RevDate: 2025-08-27

Iwaisako N, S Oura (2025)

Bilateral Breast Reconstruction Using Extended Latissimus Dorsi Musculocutaneous Flaps for Metachronous Bilateral Breast Cancer: A Case Report.

Cureus, 17(7):e88024.

A 49-year-old woman had undergone radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB), followed by radiation therapy for her right breast cancer at the age of 31. The patient had further undergone nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM), SNB, and immediate breast reconstruction using an extended latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap (eLDMCF) for her left breast cancer at the age of 43. Follow-up mammography further revealed widespread linear calcifications in the right breast. Core needle biopsy pathologically showed atypical cells growing in trabecular and tubular fashions with connective tissue proliferation, leading to the diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma. Due to the patient's strong preference for not using silicone prosthesis on right breast reconstruction, the patient underwent NSM and SNB, followed by immediate breast reconstruction using the right eLDMCF after obtaining full informed consent about the unknown bilateral eLDMCF harvesting effect on respiratory function. The patient recovered uneventfully and showed respiratory function as follows: preoperative 2.69 L to postoperative 2.46 L in vital capacity and preoperative 2.1 L to postoperative 1.83 L in forced expiratory volume in one second. The patient reported no respiratory symptoms and has been fully satisfied with the cosmetic outcomes of the reconstructed right breast. These results suggest that bilateral breast reconstruction using eLDMCFs can be a good therapeutic option for metachronous bilateral breast cancer.

RevDate: 2025-08-15

Volfson E, Moshkovich M, Yakubov R, et al (2025)

Dermatologic Mimickers of Paget's Disease of the Breast: A Systematic Review.

Journal of cutaneous medicine and surgery [Epub ahead of print].

Mammary Paget disease (MPD) is a rare form of breast cancer that accounts for just 1% to 4% of all cases and is often associated with underlying malignancies such as ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma. Its clinical presentation frequently mimics benign dermatologic conditions or malignant melanoma, leading to diagnostic confusion and significant treatment delays. This review explores the diagnostic challenges and patterns of misdiagnosis in MPD, as well as the consequences of delayed recognition. A comprehensive search of Embase and MEDLINE identified 29 studies reporting on 32 cases of MPD, all of which were initially misdiagnosed-most commonly as melanoma (44.4%) and atopic dermatitis (25.0%). The average diagnostic delay was 2.3 years. Most lesions were unilateral (93.8%) and involved the nipple-areolar complex (87.5%). Imaging modalities demonstrated limited sensitivity, reinforcing the importance of early biopsy for timely diagnosis. Surgical intervention was the predominant treatment approach, employed in 75% of cases, and no recurrences were reported during a mean follow-up of 1.3 years. These findings underscore the urgent need for heightened clinical suspicion, earlier tissue sampling, and the development of standardized diagnostic pathways to reduce misdiagnosis and improve outcomes in patients with MPD.

RevDate: 2025-08-26

Khesali M, SAM Yazdi (2025)

Spontaneous migration of a port catheter tip to the pulmonary vein: A case report of an uncommon complication.

International journal of surgery case reports, 134:111777.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Port catheters are commonly used for chemotherapy in cancer patients. However, complications such as spontaneous catheter tip migration can occur, leading to symptoms like pain, infection, or venous thrombosis, with factors like Changes in thoracic pressure potentially contributing to this rare phenomenon.

CASE PRESENTATION: This report details the case of a 44-year-old woman with invasive ductal carcinoma of the right breast who developed a cough following six chemotherapy sessions.

CLINICAL SISCUSSION: Imaging revealed that the catheter tip had migrated from the superior vena cava (SVC) to the right pulmonary vein.

CONCLUSION: The catheter was successfully removed using minimally invasive intravascular techniques under angiography guidance.

RevDate: 2025-08-16

Suzuki D, Oshi M, Nishikawa A, et al (2025)

Breast Cancer With Airway Edema Caused by Metastatic Fracture of the Cervical Vertebra.

World journal of oncology, 16(4):422-425.

Bone is a common site of breast cancer metastasis, with the spine showing a particularly high affinity. An 83-year-old Japanese woman with Alzheimer's disease presented with a palpable mass in her left breast. A needle biopsy revealed invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast, hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, with lymph node metastasis. Chest dynamic computed tomography showed no distant metastases. She was diagnosed with luminal-type, stage IIB (T2N1M0) breast cancer and underwent surgery. During induction of general anesthesia, intubation was difficult due to airway edema, necessitating bronchoscopy. The day after surgery, she reported neck pain, and radiography revealed a compression fracture of the third cervical vertebra. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed a metastatic lesion in the third cervical vertebra. Postoperatively, she received endocrine therapy with letrozole, radiation therapy with zoledronic acid, and a cervical collar for cervical metastases. Seven months later, the osteolytic lesion calcified, and her pain improved. This case is unique because solitary cervical vertebral metastases from breast cancer, leading to compression fractures and airway edema, are rare. The case highlights the importance of considering cervical metastases in patients with breast cancer who develop airway difficulties or unexplained neck pain, particularly in the perioperative setting. Early recognition and intervention are crucial for preventing complications and optimizing patient outcomes.

RevDate: 2025-08-16

Bellesini JA, Foo KY, Li J, et al (2025)

Three-dimensional dynamic optical coherence tomography for breast tumor margin assessment.

Biomedical optics express, 16(8):3061-3074.

Intraoperative margin assessment techniques are needed to reduce the re-excision rate in breast-conserving surgery. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging technique capable of rapid three-dimensional (3-D) imaging of the internal microstructure of tissues. However, there is often low contrast between morphological features in breast tissue. Dynamic OCT (d-OCT), which provides additional contrast derived from the temporal variance of the OCT signal caused by intrinsic motion within the tissue, may provide a solution. However, few studies have applied it to breast tumor margin assessment. In this study, we acquired 3-D d-OCT images of ten human mastectomy specimens and three wide local excisions from breast-conserving surgery (BCS) procedures and, in each case, performed co-registered histology for validation. To optimize the trade-off between spatial resolution, temporal resolution, and acquisition time, we considered a range of acquisition settings. Several methods for visualizing d-OCT images were investigated, including Fourier weighted mean frequency, Fourier power spectral analysis, using red-green-blue (RGB) and hue-saturation-value (HSV) color spaces, and phase variance. We present d-OCT images of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), and show that the contrast between malignant and benign regions is consistently higher with d-OCT than using OCT intensity alone. The improved contrast may derive from increased proliferation rates and collagen deposition in cancerous tissue compared to benign tissue. We believe that our results demonstrate that d-OCT has the potential to improve intraoperative tumor margin assessment during breast-conserving surgery.

RevDate: 2025-08-16

Vulasala SR, Louviere CD, Navarro F, et al (2025)

Systemic Sarcoidosis Mimicking Metastatic Invasive Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast.

Cureus, 17(7):e87860.

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous inflammatory disorder of uncertain etiology that can closely mimic metastatic malignancies, particularly when it presents with multi-organ involvement. In patients with a confirmed diagnosis of cancer, to avoid misdiagnosis and subsequent inappropriate treatment, distinguishing between sarcoidosis and metastatic disease is essential. Histologic confirmation through tissue sampling and correlation with tumor markers are critical tools in this process. We report a case of a 36-year-old female with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast who presented with suspicious findings that indicated metastatic disease involving her lungs, liver, and bones. However, tumor marker levels and histopathology revealed systemic sarcoidosis, not metastatic spread.

RevDate: 2025-08-19

McMahon JE, Craig A, ID Cameron (2025)

Development of Cut Scores for Feigning Spectrum Behavior on the Orebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire and the Perceived Stress Scale: A Simulation Study.

Journal of clinical medicine, 14(15):.

Background/Objectives: Feigning spectrum behavior (FSB) is the exaggeration, fabrication, or false imputation of symptoms. It occurs in compensable injury with great cost to society by way of loss of productivity and excessive costs. The aim of this study is to identify feigning by developing cut scores on the long and short forms (SF) of the Orebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire (OMPSQ and OMPSQ-SF) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS and PSS-4). Methods: As part of pre-screening for a support program, 40 injured workers who had been certified unfit for work for more than 2 weeks were screened once with the OMPSQ and PSS by telephone by a mental health professional. A control sample comprised of 40 non-injured community members were screened by a mental health professional on four occasions under different aliases, twice responding genuinely and twice simulating an injury. Results: Differences between the workplace injured people and the community sample were compared using ANCOVA with age and gender as covariates, and then receiver operator characteristics (ROCs) were calculated. The OMPSQ and OMPSQ-SF discriminated (ρ < 0.001) between all conditions. All measures discriminated between the simulation condition and workplace injured people (ρ < 0.001). Intraclass correlation demonstrated the PSS, PSS-4, OMPSQ, and OMPSQ-SF were reliable (ρ < 0.001). Area Under the Curve (AUC) was 0.750 for OMPSQ and 0.835 for OMPSQ-SF for work-injured versus simulators. Conclusions: The measures discriminated between injured and non-injured people and non-injured people instructed to simulate injury. Non-injured simulators produced similar scores when they had multiple exposures to the test materials, showing the uniformity of feigning spectrum behavior on these measures. The OMPSQ-SF has adequate discriminant validity and sensitivity to feigning spectrum behavior, making it optimal for telephone screening in clinical practice.

RevDate: 2025-08-17

Kwong A, Ho CYS, Au CH, et al (2025)

Germline BARD1 Mutation in High-Risk Chinese Breast and Ovarian Cancer Patients.

Cancers, 17(15):.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of BARD1 mutations in breast and ovarian cancers varies across different ethnic groups. Evaluating the cancer risk and clinical significance of BARD1 mutations in the local Chinese patients with breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or both is clinically important for designing an appropriate surveillance scheme.

METHODS: This study used a 30 gene panel to identify BARD1 germline mutations in 2658 breast and ovarian cancer patients.

RESULTS: Among this cohort, the BARD1 mutation prevalence was 0.45% for breast cancer and 0.29% for ovarian cancer. In our 12 mutation carriers, we identified eight types of mutation variants, including three novel mutations. BARD1 mutation carriers were more likely to have a family history of liver, prostate, and cervical cancers (p-values = 0.004, 0.018, and 0.037, respectively) than patients who tested negative for mutations. Among the BARD1 mutants, the majority of the breast tumors were invasive ductal carcinoma (NOS type) (10/11, 90.9%) of high-grade disease (9/9, 100%) and half of them were triple-negative breast cancer (5/10, 50%).

CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence of BARD1 mutations is low and the penetrance is incomplete, we recommend including BARD1 in the test panel for breast cancer patients. Our data suggest that more comprehensive surveillance management may be considered in mutation carriers due to the familial aggregation of a relatively wide spectrum of cancers.

RevDate: 2025-08-17

Tsai MY, Yu ZH, CP Chou (2025)

AI-Based Ultrasound Nomogram for Differentiating Invasive from Non-Invasive Breast Cancer Masses.

Cancers, 17(15):.

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a predictive nomogram integrating AI-based BI-RADS lexicons and lesion-to-nipple distance (LND) ultrasound features to differentiate mass-type ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) from invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) visible on ultrasound. Methods: The final study cohort consisted of 170 women with 175 pathologically confirmed malignant breast lesions, including 26 cases of DCIS and 149 cases of IDC. LND and AI-based features from the S-Detect system (BI-RADS lexicons) were analyzed. Rare features were consolidated into broader categories to enhance model stability. Data were split into training (70%) and validation (30%) sets. Logistic regression identified key predictors for an LND nomogram. Model performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, 1000 bootstrap resamples, and calibration curves to assess discrimination and calibration. Results: Multivariate logistic regression identified smaller lesion size, irregular shape, LND ≤ 3 cm, and non-hypoechoic echogenicity as independent predictors of DCIS. These variables were integrated into the LND nomogram, which demonstrated strong discriminative performance (AUC = 0.851 training; AUC = 0.842 validation). Calibration was excellent, with non-significant Hosmer-Lemeshow tests (p = 0.127 training, p = 0.972 validation) and low mean absolute errors (MAE = 0.016 and 0.034, respectively), supporting the model's accuracy and reliability. Conclusions: The AI-based comprehensive nomogram demonstrates strong reliability in distinguishing mass-type DCIS from IDC, offering a practical tool to enhance non-invasive breast cancer diagnosis and inform preoperative planning.

RevDate: 2025-08-17

Cantisani C, Caruso G, Taliano A, et al (2025)

Multimodal Imaging Detection of Difficult Mammary Paget Disease: Dermoscopy, Reflectance Confocal Microscopy, and Line-Field Confocal-Optical Coherence Tomography.

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland), 15(15):.

Mammary Paget disease (MPD) is a rare cutaneous malignancy associated with underlying ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Clinically, it appears as eczematous changes in the nipple and areola complex (NAC), which may include itching, redness, crusting, and ulceration; these symptoms can sometimes mimic benign dermatologic conditions such as nipple eczema, making early diagnosis challenging. A 56-year-old woman presented with persistent erythema and scaling of the left nipple, which did not respond to conventional dermatologic treatments: a high degree of suspicion prompted further investigation. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) revealed atypical, enlarged epidermal cells with irregular boundaries, while line-field confocal-optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) demonstrated thickening of the epidermis, hypo-reflective vacuous spaces and abnormally large round cells (Paget cells). These non-invasive imaging findings were consistent with an aggressive case of Paget disease despite the absence of clear mammographic evidence of underlying carcinoma: in fact, several biopsies were needed, and at the end, massive surgery was necessary. Non-invasive imaging techniques, such as dermoscopy, RCM, and LC-OCT, offer a valuable diagnostic tool in detecting Paget disease, especially in early stages and atypical forms.

RevDate: 2025-08-14

Gato J, Vázquez I, Coimbra S, et al (2025)

To build a family: exploring preferred paths to parenthood among plurisexual individuals without children.

Journal of reproductive and infant psychology [Epub ahead of print].

AIMS/BACKGROUND: Limited research has examined family-building strategies among plurisexual individuals. Culture and gender are essential determinants of parenthood prospects among individuals with minoritized sexual identities. For plurisexual individuals, the partner's gender also seems to play a critical role. Our investigation aimed to explore cisgender plurisexual individuals' preferred paths to parenthood considering their country of origin, gender, and partner's gender.

DESIGN/METHOD: We examined associations between preferred pathways to parenthood and country, gender, and partner's gender among 405 cisgender plurisexual individuals aged between 18 and 45 years (M = 25.76; SD = 5.57), from Portugal (n = 140; 34.9%), Israel (n = 78; 19.3%), Poland (n = 85; 21%), and the UK (n = 102; 25.2%).

RESULTS: Overall, couple adoption and sexual intercourse were the most chosen pathways to parenthood, and self-insemination and co-parenting were the least chosen. Participants from Poland and the United Kingdom were less likely to choose artificial insemination, single adoption, and self-insemination than their Portuguese counterparts. Women were more likely than men to choose artificial insemination. Individuals in different-gender relationships were more likely to choose sexual intercourse as a means of having children than were those in same-gender relationships, and the opposite was true for artificial insemination.

CONCLUSION: Country, gender, and the partner's gender influence plurisexual individuals' choice of some parenthood pathways. Psychological and reproductive counselling should consider these aspects.

RevDate: 2025-08-17

Awan UA, Bashir S, Hassan U, et al (2025)

HPV-driven breast carcinogenesis: associations with tumor severity, Ki67 expression and metastasis.

Infectious agents and cancer, 20(1):55.

OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer (BC) poses a significant global health challenge, and its potential link to HPV warrants investigation. This study investigates the prevalence, genotype distribution, and clinicopathological associations of human papillomavirus (HPV) in breast cancer patients from Pakistan.

METHODS: This single-institutional cross-sectional study included 501 FFPE BC specimens from female patients and 110 benign controls, collected between January 2019 and December 2023. High-risk (HR) HPV DNA was detected via highly sensitive real-time PCR, with genotyping conducted using the INNO-LiPA Genotyping Extra II assay. Clinicopathological data, including tumor grade, size, lymph node metastasis, and receptor status, were analyzed for associations with HPV infection. Statistical analyses employed the Kruskal-Wallis test for continuous variables and Fisher's exact or chi-square tests for categorical variables, as appropriate (p < 0.05).

RESULTS: HPV DNA was detected in 10.5% of BC cases (n = 53/501) compared to other statuses, with HR genotypes predominating (91%). HPV-16 (26%) and HPV-18 (15%) were the most frequent genotypes. HPV-positive cases exhibited aggressive tumor characteristics, including 58.5% grade III tumors, a mean tumor size of 65.6 ± 46.4 mm, and 32.1% N3 disease, with an increasing prevalence of HR-HPV associated with tumor stage and significance (p < 0.05). Invasive ductal carcinoma (34%) and invasive lobular carcinoma (28.3%) were the most common histological subtypes. Metaplastic carcinomas, with the largest mean tumor size (86.4 ± 74.6 mm), showed the highest HPV-16 prevalence (28.6%) and were linked to HR-HPV infection. Peak HPV incidence occurred in patients aged 51-60 years (37.7%). Geographically, HPV-16 predominated in Lahore (50%) and Peshawar (60%).

CONCLUSION: This study links HR-HPV to aggressive BC, with HPV-16 and -18 predominating in urban areas. Additionally, it highlights the importance of targeted vaccination and research into subtype-specific oncogenesis.

RevDate: 2025-08-26
CmpDate: 2025-08-26

Kliemank E, von Rauchhaupt E, Seebauer L, et al (2025)

Cohort profile of the Heidelberg study on diabetes and complications HEIST-DiC.

Scientific reports, 15(1):29580.

The Heidelberg Study on Diabetes and Complications (HEIST-DiC) is a prospective longitudinal study focused on the development and progression of diabetes-associated complications. Participants with/without diabetes mellitus undergo annual phenotyping of diabetes-associated complications over 11 years. Assessments include: albuminuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate for chronic kidney disease; clinical neuropathy scores, Purdue Pegboard test, electrophysiological examination, transcutaneous electrical nerve fiber stimulation, quantitative sensory testing and high-resolution magnetic resonance neurography for distal sensorimotor polyneuropathy; heart rate variability for cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy; funduscopic examination of undilated pupils for retinopathy; the 6-minute walk test, spirometry, body plethysmography, and carbon monoxide-based diffusing capacity measurements for respiratory lung disease; non-invasive scores, transient elastography and hepatic ultrasound for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease; ankle-brachial index and carotid intima-media thickness for peripheral atherosclerosis; hand grip strength for muscle function; bioelectrical impedance analysis for body composition; skin autofluorescence for measurement of advanced glycation end products. Beta-cell function and tissue-specific insulin sensitivity are evaluated using oral glucose tolerance test or euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. The biobank stores specimens of blood, urine, skeletal muscle, subcutaneous adipose tissue, and skin. Health-related quality of life, physical health, and somatic and depression symptoms are measured via standardized questionnaires. HEIST-DiC explores diabetes onset in high-risk individuals, disease progression and the development of complications, aiming to design personalized strategies to prevent, mitigate, or reverse diabetes-related complications.Trial registration: The study was retrospectively registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03022721, date of registration 20170112).

LOAD NEXT 100 CITATIONS

RJR Experience and Expertise

Researcher

Robbins holds BS, MS, and PhD degrees in the life sciences. He served as a tenured faculty member in the Zoology and Biological Science departments at Michigan State University. He is currently exploring the intersection between genomics, microbial ecology, and biodiversity — an area that promises to transform our understanding of the biosphere.

Educator

Robbins has extensive experience in college-level education: At MSU he taught introductory biology, genetics, and population genetics. At JHU, he was an instructor for a special course on biological database design. At FHCRC, he team-taught a graduate-level course on the history of genetics. At Bellevue College he taught medical informatics.

Administrator

Robbins has been involved in science administration at both the federal and the institutional levels. At NSF he was a program officer for database activities in the life sciences, at DOE he was a program officer for information infrastructure in the human genome project. At the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, he served as a vice president for fifteen years.

Technologist

Robbins has been involved with information technology since writing his first Fortran program as a college student. At NSF he was the first program officer for database activities in the life sciences. At JHU he held an appointment in the CS department and served as director of the informatics core for the Genome Data Base. At the FHCRC he was VP for Information Technology.

Publisher

While still at Michigan State, Robbins started his first publishing venture, founding a small company that addressed the short-run publishing needs of instructors in very large undergraduate classes. For more than 20 years, Robbins has been operating The Electronic Scholarly Publishing Project, a web site dedicated to the digital publishing of critical works in science, especially classical genetics.

Speaker

Robbins is well-known for his speaking abilities and is often called upon to provide keynote or plenary addresses at international meetings. For example, in July, 2012, he gave a well-received keynote address at the Global Biodiversity Informatics Congress, sponsored by GBIF and held in Copenhagen. The slides from that talk can be seen HERE.

Facilitator

Robbins is a skilled meeting facilitator. He prefers a participatory approach, with part of the meeting involving dynamic breakout groups, created by the participants in real time: (1) individuals propose breakout groups; (2) everyone signs up for one (or more) groups; (3) the groups with the most interested parties then meet, with reports from each group presented and discussed in a subsequent plenary session.

Designer

Robbins has been engaged with photography and design since the 1960s, when he worked for a professional photography laboratory. He now prefers digital photography and tools for their precision and reproducibility. He designed his first web site more than 20 years ago and he personally designed and implemented this web site. He engages in graphic design as a hobby.

Support this website:
Order from Amazon
We will earn a commission.

Cancer is the generic name for more than 100 diseases in which cells begin to grow and divide in an uncontrolled manner. Usually, when cells get too old or damaged, they die and new cells take their place. Cancer begins when genetic changes impair this orderly process so that some cells start to grow uncontrollably. The Emperor of All Maladies is a "biography" of cancer — from its first documented appearances thousands of years ago through the epic battles in the twentieth century to cure, control, and conquer it to a radical new understanding of its essence. This is a must read book for anyone with an interest in cancer. R. Robbins

963 Red Tail Lane
Bellingham, WA 98226

206-300-3443

E-mail: RJR8222@gmail.com

Collection of publications by R J Robbins

Reprints and preprints of publications, slide presentations, instructional materials, and data compilations written or prepared by Robert Robbins. Most papers deal with computational biology, genome informatics, using information technology to support biomedical research, and related matters.

Research Gate page for R J Robbins

ResearchGate is a social networking site for scientists and researchers to share papers, ask and answer questions, and find collaborators. According to a study by Nature and an article in Times Higher Education , it is the largest academic social network in terms of active users.

Curriculum Vitae for R J Robbins

short personal version

Curriculum Vitae for R J Robbins

long standard version

RJR Picks from Around the Web (updated 11 MAY 2018 )