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Bibliography on: Invasive Ductal Carcinoma

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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 30 Oct 2025 at 01:51 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®)

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RevDate: 2025-10-29
CmpDate: 2025-10-29

Kobayakawa S, Matsunaga T, Otake H, et al (2025)

Solid Tranilast Nanocrystal-Loaded Cationic Contact Lenses for Sustained Ocular Drug Delivery.

Pharmaceutics, 17(10): pii:pharmaceutics17101240.

Background/Objectives Conventional eye drops are the primary therapeutic option for ocular diseases; however, their clinical utility is hindered by several drawbacks, including limited bioavailability and suboptimal patient compliance. To overcome these challenges, we designed a sustained-release contact lens (CL) device loaded with tranilast (TRA) and determined whether the TRA-laden CL could provide sustained drug delivery to the lacrimal fluid and aqueous humor. Methods TRA nanocrystals were prepared using the bead-milling approach. Using three types of CLs (nonionic, anionic, and cationic), we prepared TRA-laden CLs by employing a combination of solid TRA nanocrystals and soaking methods under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions in an autoclave (the hThP method). Male Japanese albino rabbits (2-3 kg) were used to evaluate the CLs. Results Bead milling reduced the size of the solid TRA nanoparticles (STNs) to approximately 35-180 nm. The TRA-laden cationic CLs prepared using STNs and the hThP method contained a higher amount of TRA than those prepared using the corresponding conventional soaking method. The CLs prepared using the hThP method remained transparent after drug loading. Compared with nonionic and anionic CLs, cationic CLs had the highest drug-loading capacity and allowed for sustained drug release. Moreover, STNs were observed in the released TRA, with no corneal damage or light scattering detected in the rabbits' eyes. TRA-laden cationic CLs prepared using the hThP method achieved sustained and higher drug delivery into the lacrimal fluid and aqueous humor than those prepared using the conventional soaking method. Conclusions Our findings suggest that TRA-laden cationic CLs prepared using STNs and the hThP method can overcome the challenges associated with the conventional soaking method, including low drug uptake and high burst release.

RevDate: 2025-10-28
CmpDate: 2025-10-28

Yang M, Han J, Won H, et al (2025)

Automated Prediction of Pathological Complete Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Carcinoma Using Deep Learning on Pretreatment Core Needle Biopsy Samples.

Anticancer research, 45(11):5167-5176.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Early prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is essential for personalized treatment planning in breast carcinoma. Previous studies have relied on human-annotated regions of interest for digital pathology analysis rather than directly leveraging whole-slide images (WSIs). This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of pretreatment core needle biopsy (CNB) WSIs for pathological complete response (pCR) to NAC using an artificial intelligence (AI)-based approach.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed 130 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma who underwent anthracycline- or taxane-based NAC followed by surgery. From each pretreatment CNB WSI, five regions with the highest cellular density were selected to extract image patches. A fusion-based classification model was developed, integrating image data with clinical metadata, including age, hormone receptor status, and Ki-67 labeling index.

RESULTS: The model achieved an accuracy of 92.3%, comparable to those using expert annotations. Omitting either image or clinical data significantly reduced performance, underscoring their complementary roles. Optimal performance was achieved using five image patches of 1,000×1,000 pixels, balancing histological detail and computational efficiency.

CONCLUSION: Our AI-based model accurately predicted pCR to NAC in breast carcinoma using only a limited number of high-cellularity image patches and basic clinical metadata, without requiring expert annotation. This approach may facilitate earlier treatment decisions and improve preoperative outcome prediction.

RevDate: 2025-10-28

Palatella M, Kruse F, Ji H, et al (2025)

Acsbg1 maintains intestinal immune homeostasis and controls inflammation by regulating ST2[+] Tregs.

Mucosal immunology pii:S1933-0219(25)00114-X [Epub ahead of print].

The immune balance in mucosal tissues depends on a delicate interplay between inflammatory T helper 17 (Th17) cells and immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs). But what happens when this balance is disturbed? In this study, we uncovered a critical role for acyl-CoA synthetase bubblegum family member 1 (Acsbg1) in shaping Th17and Treg dynamics. Using Acsbg1-deficient mice, we show that while its absence does not disrupt homeostasis under steady-state conditions, it significantly alters Treg populations, particularly in gut-associated tissues. Under high-fat diet-induced metabolic stress, Acsbg1-deficient mice display mild metabolic changes but maintain systemic immune and metabolic function, indicating that Acsbg1 is dispensable for metabolic adaptation in vivo. However, upon infection with Citrobacter rodentium, these mice exhibit excessive Th1/Th17-driven inflammation and impaired resolution, accompanied by a strong reduction in IL-10-producing and ST2[+] Treg subsets. The impact is even more striking in an adoptive transfer colitis model, where Acsbg1-deficient Tregs fail to control inflammation, resulting in severe colitis and tissue damage. Our findings identify Acsbg1 as a key regulator of ST2[+] Treg function and a central player in mucosal immune homeostasis, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target for inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer.

RevDate: 2025-10-28
CmpDate: 2025-10-28

Zhong M, Zheng S, Wen Y, et al (2025)

Integrating Multiple Methods to Validate Key Genes Driving the Progression of Breast Ductal Carcinoma In Situ.

Current issues in molecular biology, 47(10): pii:cimb47100864.

BACKGROUND: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a precursor to breast cancer. The mechanisms by which the stroma of DCIS affects disease progression remain elusive. Thus, the aim of this study is to identify key stroma genes that affect DCIS progression and to define high-risk DCIS cases.

METHOD: Gene expression matrix files from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were selected to identify candidate genes associated with the stromal transition from DCIS to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). An integrative approach was employed to identify and functionally characterize driver genes of DCIS progression. In vitro experiments were performed to validate the role of these genes.

RESULTS: We identified 13 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 5 were selected as candidate drivers. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed the biological functions of RAMP2 and ADM2, while in vitro functional assays demonstrated that ADM2 knockdown and RAMP2 overexpression in breast cancer cell lines significantly suppressed cellular proliferation and invasion.

CONCLUSION: This study identified and validated the roles and functions of ADM2 and RAMP2 and revealed their function as key driver genes in the progression of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Collectively, our findings elucidate critical genetic mechanisms underlying DCIS progression and provide novel insights for the development of personalized therapeutic strategies.

RevDate: 2025-10-28

Kono K, Shibayama R, Murakami H, et al (2025)

Progressive Estrogen Receptor Acquisition During Malignant Transformation: Insights From MCN-Derived Anaplastic Pancreatic Carcinoma.

Pathology international [Epub ahead of print].

Anaplastic pancreatic carcinoma (APC) arising from mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN) is rare, with only 12 cases reported. The relationship between pregnancy-associaed hormonal changes and MCN progression remains poorly understood, particularly regarding hormone receptor expression patterns during malignant transformation. A 34-year-old woman presented with persistent abdominal pain 9 months post-delivery. Imaging revealed an 11 cm multilocular cystic mass in the pancreatic body and tail with mural nodules showing blood flow signals. Laboratory findings demonstrated normal. She underwent distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy and no recurrence at 6-month follow-up. Histopathological examination revealed MCN with ovarian-type stroma progressing from low-to-high grade dysplasia, invasive ductal carcinoma, and anaplastic carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells. Immunohistochemically, estrogen receptor (ER) expression showed stepwise pattern: negative in low-grade dysplasia, strongly positive in high-grade dysplasia and anaplastic components. Progesterone receptor positivity was observed in stromal and epithelial components, with elevated Ki-67 correlating with ER expression. This represents first documentation of progressive ER acquisition during MCN malignant transformation, suggesting autonomous hormone production by ovarian‑type stroma may help sustain tumor growth beyond pregnancy. Stepwise ER expression may serve as a biomarker for risk stratification and a potential target for therapy in hormone-sensitive pancreatic neoplasms.

RevDate: 2025-10-28
CmpDate: 2025-10-28

Mohamed EH, Anass EA, Ayoub K, et al (2025)

A Scalp Tumor Revealing Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Case Report.

Cureus, 17(9):e93299.

Scalp metastases in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast are extremely rare, occurring in less than 1% of patients. In large retrospective studies of cutaneous metastases, only a small proportion of patients with solid tumors develop skin involvement, with breast cancer being the most common source. We report a case of a patient who developed a single metastatic lesion involving the subcutaneous scalp tissue and the median frontal bone, with intracranial extension reaching the right temporo-occipital region, detected 11 years after the initial diagnosis and treatment of the primary breast tumor. This case highlights the importance of considering atypical metastatic sites during long-term follow-up of breast cancer survivors. It discusses the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges posed by such unusual presentations.

RevDate: 2025-10-27
CmpDate: 2025-10-27

Bernardino RM, Yin LB, Lajkosz K, et al (2025)

Intraductal Carcinoma Predicts Poor Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy in High-risk Prostate Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis of a Prospective Trial.

European urology open science, 82:52-58.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: High-risk localized prostate cancer (PCa) patients may require neoadjuvant treatment (androgen deprivation therapy [ADT] plus abiraterone with or without taxane-based chemotherapy) before radical prostatectomy (RP). Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC) is an aggressive histological variant of prostate adenocarcinoma. This study aims to evaluate the association of IDC on biopsy with pathological response in such PCa patients.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted using the prospective trial data from 75 patients with high-risk localized/locally advanced PCa treated with 24 wk of neoadjuvant therapy comprising ADT and abiraterone, with or without taxane-based chemotherapy, followed by RP. Pathological responses, including pathological complete response (pCR), minimal residual disease (MRD), and adverse pathology outcomes (ypN1 or ≥ypT3b), were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression identified the predictors of poor pathological response.

KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS: Among 75 patients, 35 (47%) had IDC on biopsy. Patients with IDC had worse pathological outcomes: 32 of 35 (91%) failed to achieve a favorable response (pCR or MRD) compared with 26 of 40 (65%) in those without IDC. IDC was also associated with higher rates of adverse pathology at RP, occurring in 27 of 35 patients (77%) versus nine of 40 patients (22%) without IDC. IDC independently predicted poor response (odds ratio 6.18, 95% confidence interval 1.16-32.8; p = 0.032) after adjusting for tumor volume, Gleason grade, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). In contrast, cribriform (Crib) pattern at biopsy did not impact response significantly. Metastatic progression and survival data were unavailable.

IDC, but not Crib, on biopsy predicts poor pathological response to neoadjuvant therapy (ADT plus abiraterone with or without taxane-based chemotherapy) in high-risk PCa after adjusting for tumor volume and PSA. An understanding of this treatment-resistant phenotype will improve PCa biology insights and guide novel therapeutic strategies.

PATIENT SUMMARY: Intraductal carcinoma (IDC) is a more aggressive form of prostate cancer that does not respond well to treatment. In our study, we found that 91% of patients who had IDC detected in their biopsy before surgery did not show a good response to presurgery therapy.

RevDate: 2025-10-27

Shakuf V, Ben-David N, Abergil H, et al (2025)

Emotion through cognition: the role of cognitive limitations in shaping emotional speech identification among adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Cognition & emotion [Epub ahead of print].

Recognising emotions in speech is vital for social interactions. Adults with intellectual disabilities (AwID) often experience difficulties with emotion perception, affecting integration. However, less is known about spoken-emotion processing among AwID. The current research examines whether difficulties stem from a primary impairment in emotional processing associated with intellectual disability (ID) or a secondary impairment due to cognitive limitations associated with ID. Using an AwID-adapted version of the Test for Rating Emotions in Speech (T-RES), we assessed emotion identification in two studies. Study 1 examined spoken-emotion recognition across different levels of ID severity, focusing on lexical (semantic) and prosodic (tone of voice) cues separately. Results indicated that as ID severity increased, emotion recognition declined. Study 2 investigated the effects of task complexity on spoken-emotion perception among adults with mild ID. Findings revealed that while emotion identification was intact in simple (congruent, lexical and prosodic emotional cues match) conditions, performance deteriorated significantly in complex (incongruent, cues mismatch) conditions, suggesting a cognitive load effect. Additionally, unlike typically developed adults, AwID did not show prosodic bias. These findings support the secondary cognitive account, suggesting that spoken-emotion processing difficulties in AwID may stem from broader cognitive limitations, rather than specific impairments in emotional perception.

RevDate: 2025-10-26
CmpDate: 2025-10-26

Ishii K, Torii M, Yoshibayashi H, et al (2025)

Oral Tamoxifen and Abemaciclib in Postoperative Therapy for Male Breast Cancer: A Case Report.

The American journal of case reports, 26:e949005 pii:949005.

BACKGROUND Abemaciclib is a selective cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor that has been approved as an adjuvant treatment for advanced hormone-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer and is usually used in combination with an aromatase inhibitor. This report describes the case of a 43-year-old man with a grade 2, stage IIIc, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast successfully managed with left mastectomy, radiation therapy, and postoperative oral tamoxifen and abemaciclib. CASE REPORT A 43-year-old man presented to our Dermatology Department with a primary concern of non-healing erosion in the left areola that persisted despite 3 months of topical ointment application. Tissue diagnosis confirmed breast cancer, and the patient was referred to the Breast Surgery Department. Imaging studies and detailed tissue analysis revealed a grade 2, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast. The preoperative stage was cT4bN1aM0 (tumor with skin involvement, limited axillary node metastases, no distant spread), corresponding to stage IIIB. The patient underwent surgery (left mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection; levels I-III). The pathological stage was IIIC (pT4bN3aM0: skin involvement with extensive nodal metastases and no distant disease). We administered postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with sequential administration of anthracycline and taxane, and postoperative radiation therapy, followed by postoperative adjuvant endocrine therapy with tamoxifen and abemaciclib. To date, no signs of recurrence have been observed. CONCLUSIONS This report describes a rare case of advanced male breast cancer and a successful outcome following postoperative treatment that included abemaciclib.

RevDate: 2025-10-23
CmpDate: 2025-10-23

Celi CV, Peshin S, Dharia A, et al (2025)

Exceptional Response to Pembrolizumab in Metastatic ER+/HER2- Breast Cancer With Liver Metastases: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Case reports in oncological medicine, 2025:7970572.

BACKGROUND: Hormone receptor-positive (HR+) and HER2-negative breast cancer is the most common subtype in women, particularly in the postmenopausal setting. Unlike triple-negative breast cancer, the benefit of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in HR+/HER2- disease remains uncertain because of low tumor immunogenicity and limited PD-L1 expression.

CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a case of a 70-year-old woman who presented with severe anemia and was incidentally found to have a bleeding left breast mass. Biopsy confirmed Grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma (ER+/PR+ > 95%, HER2-) with nodal involvement but no distant metastases, consistent with Stage IIIc disease. She was treated with neoadjuvant anastrozole, modified radical mastectomy, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiation, and continued endocrine therapy. After 3 years, she developed extensive hepatic metastases. Biopsy revealed ER+/PR-/HER2- disease with striking PD-L1 expression (CPS 95%). The disease progressed on fulvestrant and palbociclib, but switching to carboplatin, gemcitabine, and pembrolizumab led to rapid improvement: liver function normalized and imaging showed near-complete response within 3 months. This remission lasted about 10 months before disease progression and transition to hospice care.

CONCLUSION: This case explains the potential role of ICIs in HR+/HER2- breast cancer with unusually high PD-L1 expression. It underscores the importance of biomarker-driven treatment and supports expanding PD-L1 testing to better identify patients who may benefit from immunotherapy in this traditionally resistant subtype.

RevDate: 2025-10-22

Hinrichs A, Pafili K, Sancar G, et al (2025)

Transient juvenile hypoglycemia in GH insensitive Laron syndrome pigs is associated with insulin hypersensitivity.

Molecular metabolism pii:S2212-8778(25)00180-2 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fasting hypoglycemia has clinical implications for children with growth hormone (GH)-insensitivity syndrome. This study investigates the pathophysiology of juvenile hypoglycemia in a large animal model for GH receptor (GHR) deficiency (the GHR-KO pig) and elucidates mechanisms underlying the transition to normoglycemia in adulthood.

METHODS: Insulin sensitivity was assessed in juvenile and adult GHR-KO pigs and wild-type (WT) controls via hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (HEC) tests. Glucose turnover was measured using D-[6,6-[2]H2] glucose and [2]H2O. Clinical chemical and targeted metabolomics parameters in blood serum were correlated with qPCR and western blot analyses of liver and adipose tissue.

RESULTS: GHR-KO pigs showed increased insulin sensitivity (p=0.0019), especially at young age (M-value +34% vs. WT), insignificantly reduced insulin levels, and reduced endogenous glucose production (p=0.0007), leading to fasting hypoglycemia with depleted liver glycogen, elevated β-hydroxybutyrate, but no increase in NEFA levels. Low hormone-sensitive lipase phosphorylation in adipose tissue suggested impaired lipolysis in young GHR-KO pigs. Metabolomics indicated enhanced fatty acid beta-oxidation and use of glucogenic amino acids, likely serving as compensatory pathways to maintain energy homeostasis. In adulthood, insulin sensitivity remained elevated but less pronounced (M-value +20%), while insulin levels were significantly reduced, enabling normoglycemia and improved NEFA availability. Increased fat mass, not sex hormones, appeared key to this metabolic transition, as early castration had no effect.

CONCLUSION: Juvenile hypoglycemia in GH insensitivity results from excessive insulin sensitivity, reduced glucose production, and impaired lipolysis. Normoglycemia in adulthood emerges through increased adiposity and moderated insulin sensitivity, independently of sex hormones. These findings elucidate the age-dependent metabolic adaptations in GH insensitivity.

RevDate: 2025-10-22
CmpDate: 2025-10-22

Makino M, Kusama H, Hagiwara M, et al (2025)

A Case of Occult Breast Cancer Diagnosed during Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment for Recurrent Metastatic Lung Cancer.

Surgical case reports, 11(1):.

INTRODUCTION: Occult breast cancer (OBC) is a rare subtype of breast cancer, typically presenting as axillary lymph node metastasis without an identifiable primary tumor in the breast. Axillary lymphadenopathy requires differential diagnosis, including OBC. However, in patients undergoing treatment for another malignancy, distinguishing OBC from axillary metastasis of the known primary cancer can be challenging. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have extended survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), potentially allowing time for 2nd primary cancers to develop and be detected.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 71-year-old woman underwent right upper lobectomy for stage IIIA lung adenocarcinoma. Four months postoperatively, CT revealed a right chest wall mass and right axillary lymphadenopathy, which was interpreted as recurrence. Systemic therapy was administered, and third-line atezolizumab monotherapy led to complete remission of the chest wall mass; however, progressive enlargement of the axillary lymph nodes was subsequently observed. Imaging showed no detectable lesion in the breast, but core needle biopsy of the axillary node revealed metastatic invasive ductal carcinoma, negative for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) with a Ki-67 index of 80%. Immunohistochemistry was positive for GATA3 and negative for thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1), consistent with OBC. The patient underwent axillary lymph node dissection, and postoperative observation without additional treatment was selected due to comorbidities. She has remained disease-free for 1 year.

CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates that axillary lymphadenopathy during treatment for another malignancy may represent a 2nd primary cancer such as OBC. As ICI therapy prolongs survival, clinicians should pay attention for new malignancies, including breast cancer, even in the absence of breast lesions.

RevDate: 2025-10-20
CmpDate: 2025-10-20

Tchabashvili L, Leivaditis V, Kitsou KS, et al (2025)

The association between chemerin expression in breast cancer cells and aggressiveness.

Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review, 24(3):183-190.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer (BC), the most prevalent cancer amongst women globally, exhibits a complex relationship with obesity and its associated factors. Chemerin, an adipokine linked to both inflammatory and metabolic processes, has emerged as a potential player in tumor development and progression. This study delves into the potential role of chemerin in breast cancer by analyzing its expression patterns in tumor cells, fibroblasts, and adipocytes alongside corresponding clinico-pathological parameters.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Encompassing 77 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma, the study revealed an interesting interplay between chemerin and disease characteristics.

RESULTS: While chemerin expression itself did not associate with established markers like BC stage, oestrogen receptor, or progesterone receptor status, its presence is elevated in patients with lymph node metastasis. Despite these insightful findings, the study acknowledges limitations inherent to its design. The absence of a healthy control group necessitates further controlled studies to solidify the observed associations. Additionally, external factors like diet and exercise, known to influence chemerin levels, were not accounted for, requiring more comprehensive patient history and examination data in future investigations.

CONCLUSIONS: While chemerin expression did not correlate with traditional BC markers, its apparent associations with lymph node metastasis, c-ERB2 expression, and involvement within the tumour microenvironment warrant further exploration. This study paves the way for future research to elucidate the precise role of chemerin in BC development and progression, potentially paving the path for the development of novel diagnostic and prognostic tools.

RevDate: 2025-10-20
CmpDate: 2025-10-20

Khan A, King C, Patel NB, et al (2025)

A Case of Necrotic Metastases Imitating Hepatic Abscesses in a Patient With Multiple Primary Cancers.

Cureus, 17(9):e92466.

This case report highlights the diagnostic challenges in a 72-year-old female with a complex medical history, including metastatic stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the right lung, invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast, and recent acute illnesses. Initially, imaging studies suggested metastatic disease in the liver, but subsequent findings raised suspicion for a hepatic abscess. However, further investigations ultimately confirmed necrotic metastatic disease rather than infection. This case underscores the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration and advanced imaging in differentiating metastatic disease from an infectious process.

RevDate: 2025-10-17

Ostaszkiewicz J, Gilbert AS, Tay C, et al (2025)

IDC-IMPROVE: protocol for a cluster randomised feasibility trial of a care bundle to improve indwelling catheter care (IDC) in residential aged care homes in Australia.

Pilot and feasibility studies, 11(1):123.

BACKGROUND: Indwelling urinary catheters (IDCs) are used by approximately 8% of Australian aged care residents. IDC use is often warranted but entails numerous risks, particularly if used longterm. Risks include catheter-associated urinary tract infections, catheter blockage, catheter leakage, bladder spasm, pain, urethral trauma and haematuria, and increased risk of hospitalisation. The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety identified poor quality, unsafe practices related to IDCs in aged care homes. Enhancing the knowledge, confidence, and skills of aged care staff to deliver catheter care for residents with IDCs is fundamentally important. The IDC-IMPROVE project is supporting aged care providers to meet the care needs of people with IDCs in Australian aged care homes, by designing and validating a suite of resources titled the IDC-IMPROVE Catheter Care Bundle.

AIMS: This study aims to establish the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomised control trial to evaluate the effects of the IDC-IMPROVE Catheter Care Bundle in aged care homes in Australia.

METHOD: A multi-centre, facility-level clustered randomised control (cRCT) feasibility trial in 24 aged care homes across Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia. Twelve homes will receive the intervention and 12 will continue usual care. The IDC-IMPROVE Catheter Care Bundle intervention comprises principles for person-centred catheter care, online training for nurses and personal care workers, a practical skills workshop for nurses, a toolkit for managers, and an evidence-to-practice support model. The feasibility of the intervention will be assessed through a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, including surveys, interviews, and audits. Feasibility outcomes are: (i) The acceptability of the Bundle, (ii) The fidelity of the implementation, (iii) The compatibility of the Bundle with standard aged care home IDC care.

DISCUSSION: By enhancing the knowledge, confidence and skills of the aged care workforce, IDCIMPROVE aims to reduce IDC-related complications. This study will provide insights into the acceptability and implementation of the intervention, informing future large-scale trials and potential policy changes.

ETHICS: The study has been approved by Austin Health Human Research Ethics Committee (reg: HREC/107165/Austin-2024) and is registered on the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (reg: ACTRN12624001178538p).

RevDate: 2025-10-17

Sabeti S, Adl Parvar T, Metanat P, et al (2025)

Quantitative angiogenesis-based ultrasound biomarkers for differentiating radiologically challenging breast lesions: Radial scar vs invasive ductal carcinoma.

Breast (Edinburgh, Scotland), 84:104614 pii:S0960-9776(25)00631-9 [Epub ahead of print].

PURPOSE: To investigate the effectiveness of quantitative biomarkers derived from quantitative high-definition microvasculature imaging (qHDMI) for differentiation of radial scar (RS) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).

METHODS: A total of 64 breast lesions from 62 participants were analyzed using breast pathology as the gold standard. Ultrasound data were processed with the qHDMI framework to visualize tumor microvessel networks and extract eight morphological biomarkers. Biomarker distributions were compared between groups using a two-sided Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and ROC AUC values with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. P-values were adjusted for multiple testing using the Benjamini-Hochberg FDR method at a 5 % threshold.

RESULTS: Seventeen lesions were pathologically confirmed as RS and 47 as IDC. qHDMI biomarkers revealed distinct microvascular differences between the two groups. Overall, IDC lesions showed denser, thicker, and more complex microvessels. Five biomarkers demonstrated statistically significant distribution differences: vessel density (p-value: 0.016, adjusted p-value: 0.0288), number of vessel segments (p-value: 0.0055, adjusted p-value: 0.0288), number of branch points (p-value: 0.0098, adjusted p-value: 0.0288), maximum diameter (p-value: 0.014, adjusted p-value: 0.0288), and microvessel fractal dimension (p-value: 0.018, adjusted p-value: 0.0288). The AUC and CIs for these five biomarkers were 0.70, [0.56, 0.82] for vessel density, 0.73, [0.60, 0.86] for number of vessel segments, 0.71, [0.58, 0.83] for number of branch points, 0.70, [0.57, 0.82] for maximum diameter, and 0.70, [0.54, 0.82] for fractal dimension.

CONCLUSION: Distributions of qHDMI-derived biomarkers revealed distinct microvascular structural differences between RS and IDC, suggesting qHDMI may enhance diagnostic accuracy in distinguishing the two.

RevDate: 2025-10-17

Chang RC, Ehyaee V, Wattar R, et al (2025)

Evaluation of PRAME Expression in Cases of Breast Carcinoma Metastatic to Skin.

The American Journal of dermatopathology pii:00000372-990000000-00644 [Epub ahead of print].

Cutaneous metastases of breast neoplasms indicate advanced disease with poor prognosis. The role of Preferentially Expressed Antigen in Melanoma (PRAME) expression in breast cancer skin metastases remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigate PRAME expression in breast carcinoma metastatic to the skin, particularly triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC). A retrospective review of breast cancer cases with skin metastasis was conducted from January 2005 to March 2023. PRAME immunostaining was performed on skin metastatic lesions and corresponding primary tumors. A comparison group of noncutaneous metastases (n = 11) was included. Thirty patients with cutaneous metastasis were identified (29 women, 1 man; mean age 63 years). The most common site of skin metastasis was chest (25 cases, 83%). Histologically, 25 cases (83%) were invasive ductal carcinoma. Eleven cases (37%) were TNBC. PRAME positivity was observed in 10 skin metastases (33%) with 70% being triple negative. Among 20 available primary samples, only 3 were PRAME positive with corresponding positive metastases. Comparison group showed minimal PRAME expression. In total, 40% of patients died, with TNBC associated with higher mortality (P = 0.04). All PRAME-positive TNBC patients with follow-up were deceased. In conclusion, PRAME expression occurred in approximately one-third of breast cancer skin metastases, with predominance in triple-negative breast cancer. These findings warrant further investigation of PRAME's role in cutaneous metastasis and its diagnostic implications.

RevDate: 2025-10-15

Sturz-Ellis JL, Vetter CD, Day CN, et al (2025)

A Systematic Review of Occult Malignancy and Sentinel Lymph Node Metastasis at the Time of Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy.

Annals of surgical oncology [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Occult malignancy (OM) identified in contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) presents a challenge for axillary management.

METHODS: This meta-analysis identified retrospective studies using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Reviews with the keywords OM and CPM. In this study, OM was defined as invasive disease only. To determine the proportion of OM and node positivity rates, MedCalc software was used.

RESULTS: The 27 studies in this meta-analysis included 5728 patients who underwent CPM, with OM identified in 87 patients. The pooled incidence of OM was 1.55%. Of the 73 patients with axillary staging details available, 41 patients with OM (56%) underwent surgical axillary staging. Of these 41 patients, 8 had a positive sentinel lymph node (SLN) (20%), and 4 of the 8 patients had subsequent axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) with no additional positive lymph nodes identified. For 64 of the 87 patients with OM, T category was available. Of these 64 patients, 62 (97%) had pT1 and 2 (3%) had pT2 carcinoma. Histologic subtype was available for 52 OMs. Of these, 39 (75%) were ductal, 8 (15%) were lobular, and 5 (10%) were other. Biomarkers were available for 33 OMs, of which 21 (64%) were luminal A, 3 (9%) were luminal B, 3 (9%) were luminal human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and 6 (18%) were triple-negative.

CONCLUSIONS: Occult malignancy in CPM is uncommon (1.55%), and when it occurs, it is predominantly pT1, luminal A, or invasive ductal carcinoma. Occult malignancy with SLN metastasis occurs in only 0.1% of CPMs, and when present, SLN metastasis is low volume (≤2 nodes). This supports the current guideline recommendations against routine SLN surgery at the time of CPM.

RevDate: 2025-10-15
CmpDate: 2025-10-15

Gil DG, HE Zaixso (2025)

First Insights into the Vertical Patterns of Size Distribution, Abundance, and Spatial Aggregation of the Sea Urchin Pseudechinus magellanicus on a Wave-exposed Rocky Shore in San Jorge Gulf, Argentina.

Zoological studies, 64:e8.

The sea urchin Pseudechinus magellanicus is a dominant species in coastal habitats of southern Argentina and Chile. This study investigates its size distribution, abundance, and spatial arrangement in relation to coastal environmental gradients and habitat complexity along a depth gradient in central Patagonia (Argentina) during the austral spring. P. magellanicus exhibited a unimodal response to depth, with lower densities observed at intertidal levels and depths greater than 12 m. Size distribution showed depth-related patterns, with larger individuals prevalent at subtidal levels, intermediate sizes more common in intertidal and shallow depths, and recruits and juveniles most abundant at the infralittoral fringe and subtidal zones. A positive relationship between structural complexity and sea urchin densities was found, especially for smaller size classes. Conversely, larger individuals tended to inhabit areas with lower structural complexity and higher food availability. Sedimentation impacted the vertical distribution, particularly affecting recruits, juveniles, and young adults. Spatial arrangement analysis showed that aggregation is the predominant pattern along the coastal depth gradient. However, at depths of 3-5 m, where the kelp forest (Macrocystis pyrifera) dominates, recruits, juveniles, and intermediate-sized sea urchins displayed a less aggregated, more random distribution. These findings reveal the critical role of habitat complexity and depth in shaping the population dynamics of P. magellanicus and highlight the adaptability of this species to varying habitat conditions and its potential as an indicator of coastal ecosystem health.

RevDate: 2025-10-15
CmpDate: 2025-10-15

Ahmad A, Mehmood Qadri H, Rasool N, et al (2025)

Patient Plan Customization in Hypofractionated CyberKnife Radiosurgery for Extensive Brain Metastases Within a Resource-Constrained Low-Middle-Income Country.

Cureus, 17(9):e92163.

Brain metastasis (BM) carries a dismal prognosis. In the setting of advanced breast cancer, BM has a formidable outcome, yet radiosurgery has played a pivotal role in palliating patients. Here, we present the case of a 62-year-old hypertensive female with biopsy-proven, triple-negative, invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast (stage IV disease). Whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) failed to achieve radiological and clinical response for 60 intracranial metastatic space-occupying lesions. Her presenting complaint of intractable headache was accompanied by a normal neurological examination. A customized plan for stereotactic radiosurgery via CyberKnife S7 was utilized with a 2,200 cGy dose and 68% isocurve over five fractions on alternate days. Redo WBRT was not performed owing to the patient's comorbidities, age, and risk of cognitive deficits. Radiological remission of 81% and 88% with no neurological deficits was achieved at the fourth and eighth months of follow-up. To our knowledge, this is the first case of 60 secondaries in the human brain from a breast primary successfully managed with CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery, achieving remarkable radiological regression while preserving clinical function. A customized plan considering the patient's factors and risk versus benefit assessment is advisable in all cases of metastatic brain disease.

RevDate: 2025-10-15
CmpDate: 2025-10-15

Kannappalli K, Raju K, KP Kamisetty (2025)

Immunohistochemical Expression of Laminin 332 in Triple-Negative Breast Carcinoma: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Cureus, 17(9):e92206.

BACKGROUND: Breast carcinoma (BC) is the most common malignancy among women and is the leading cause of mortality among females. Triple-negative breast carcinoma (TNBC) is a diverse disease based on immunohistochemistry (IHC) and is estrogen receptor (ER) negative, progesterone receptor (PR) negative, and human epidermal growth factor (HER2) negative. TNBC has a distinct molecular profile, is more aggressive, lacks targeted therapies, and has a worse prognosis than other types of breast cancer. Laminin is a glycoprotein that plays several roles in cancer progression, including cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of laminin 332 in TNBCs and to study the association of laminin 332 expression with clinicopathological parameters of TNBCs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: All the cases of TNBC received from the Department of Surgery at RL Jalappa Hospital and Research Institute to the Department of Pathology attached to Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Tamaka, Karnataka, from January 2019 to September 2024 were considered for the study. Both prospective and retrospective cases were considered. The data and paraffin blocks were retrieved from the archives of the Department of Pathology. Histopathological parameters of TNBC cases were studied, and laminin 332 IHC was performed. The association of IHC expression of laminin 332 and histopathological parameters was evaluated.

RESULTS: Among 50 TNBC cases, 26 (56%) were elderly patients above 50 years of age. A higher proportion of cases, i.e., 23 (46%), were grade 3 tumors; 46 (92%) cases had infiltrating ductal carcinomas (IDC); 39 (78%) had lymphovascular invasion (LVI); 46 (92%) were without perineural invasion (PNI); and 22 (44%) had high-grade tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILS). All the TNBC cases exhibited positivity for either a laminin 332 IHC score of 5 (64%) or a laminin 332 IHC score of 6 (36%). Laminin 332 IHC score of 5 (71.8%) was associated with the presence of LVI, and laminin IHC scores of 6 (p-value 0.041) and 7 (63.6%) were associated with the absence of LVI, which has a statistically significant association with p-value 0.041.

CONCLUSIONS: All the TNBC patients were positive for laminin 322, but there was a statistically significant association only with lymphovascular invasion. TNBC, hence, exhibits aggressive behavior and is associated with unfavorable clinicopathological outcomes.

RevDate: 2025-10-15
CmpDate: 2025-10-15

Wang Y, Li Q, Sun D, et al (2025)

m6A RNA methylation regulator heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C: A prognostic biomarker for invasive ductal carcinoma validated through Mendelian randomization and transcriptome analyses.

Medicine, 104(41):e44733.

Although aberrant N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation has been linked to oncogenesis and tumor progression, the association between the deregulation of m6A regulators and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), the predominant subtype of breast cancer, remains unclear. In this study, we sought to determine the function of m6A RNA methylation regulators in IDC, with a particular focus on assessing their potential as prognostic biomarkers. To identify dysregulated m6A RNA methylation regulators, we systematically analyzed 656 samples from patients with IDC and 81 normal samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and Cox univariate, LASSO-Cox regression, and stepwise regression analyses were conducted to construct a risk-prediction model for determining patient prognosis. Subsequently, we evaluated the prognostic value of the risk signature in IDC and assessed potential biological associations based on clinical survival analyses, examination of publicly available immunohistochemical staining data from the Human Protein Atlas, and two-sample Mendelian randomization. Among the IDC samples, we identified 12 m6A RNA methylation regulators characterized by significant dysregulation. Subsequently, a 4-gene signature comprising heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C (HNRNPC), YTH domain-containing family proteins 2 and 3 (YTHDF2/3), and RNA-binding motif protein 15B (RBM15B) was constructed using machine learning algorithms. This signature was established to be an independent prognostic factor, particularly in patients with early stage IDC, and within the signature, HNRNPC was identified as a pivotal gene, the expression levels of which were demonstrated to be causally associated with the risk of IDC. On the basis of our findings in this study, we established a prognostic signature for IDC and identified a causal association between the expression of the signature gene HNRNPC and IDC risk. These findings indicate that m6A RNA methylation regulators could serve as molecular biomarkers for IDC and contribute to guiding therapeutic strategies.

RevDate: 2025-10-14
CmpDate: 2025-10-14

Vignaroli K, Perez K, Lee M, et al (2025)

Invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast with gallbladder metastasis: a rare case report.

World journal of surgical oncology, 23(1):367.

BACKGROUND: Invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast most commonly metastasizes to bone, lung, liver, and central nervous system. Breast cancer metastasis to the gallbladder is exceptionally rare, especially when it is secondary to breast cancer of ductal origin.

CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a pre-menopausal 43-year-old female with a history of major depressive disorder and no prior mammograms who was diagnosed with ER+/PR+/HER2+ invasive ductal carcinoma of the right breast. She developed late metastasis to the gallbladder, liver, lung and bone detected four years after breast conserving surgery with delayed neoadjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant radiation, incomplete adjuvant biologic and hormone therapy, and lack of surveillance. The patient died three years and ten months after her lumpectomy.

CONCLUSIONS: Though rare, adequate suspicion should be maintained when evaluating patients with a history of breast cancer who present with symptoms of cholecystitis or biliary colic in order to promptly identify breast cancer metastasis to the gallbladder, as well as to more common metastatic sites.

RevDate: 2025-10-13
CmpDate: 2025-10-13

Li Y, Liu H, Feng H, et al (2025)

The value of breast ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosing axillary lymph node metastasis in mass-type invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery, 15(10):9043-9054.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent malignant tumor among women worldwide, significantly impacting women's health and lives. The accurate assessment of axillary lymph node (ALN) status is critical for BC staging, treatment planning, and the evaluation of overall survival outcomes. This study aimed to explore the relationship between preoperative ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (UF-DCE MRI) parameters and ALN metastasis in patients with mass-type invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast, and to construct a nomogram model for predicting ALN metastasis.

METHODS: Preoperative UF-DCE MRI images and medical records of 96 breast IDC patients (38 with ALN metastasis, 58 without) confirmed by pathology were retrospectively analyzed. Conventional MRI features, UF-DCE MRI parameters, DCE parameters, and clinical features were evaluated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and nomograms for univariate parameters and combined diagnostic efficiency were constructed.

RESULTS: Time-to-enhancement (TTE), time-to-peak (TTP) after enhancement, and time to center of maximum slope (TTMS) were significantly lower in the ALN metastasis group (10.05±4.91 vs. 15.59±15.04 s, 85.89±33.93 vs. 208.27±102.28 s, 19.05±22.25 vs. 19.81±9.29 s; all P<0.05), whereas tumor size was significantly smaller in the non-ALN metastasis group (2.2±1.1 vs. 3.0±1.5 cm, P<0.001). No other clinical or imaging parameters showed significant differences between groups. TTP had the best diagnostic efficacy for ALN metastasis, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.865 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.794-0.937]. The combined parameter prediction model improved the diagnostic efficacy, with an AUC of 0.919 (95% CI: 0.864-0.974). The nomogram indicated that TTP had the greatest impact on lymph node metastasis, followed by tumor size and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). The nomogram indicated that metastasis probability = e[score]/1 + e[score], with score = 0.70 * tumor size - 2.49 * ADC - 0.03 * TTP + 3.78.

CONCLUSIONS: Multiple UF-DCE MRI parameters can predict ALN metastasis in patients with mass-like breast IDC before operation. The nomogram model combined with clinical and UF-DCE MRI parameters can better assist clinicians in making personalized treatment plans for patients.

RevDate: 2025-10-13
CmpDate: 2025-10-13

Zhan T, Tang X, Dai J, et al (2025)

Multiparametric MRI-based radiomics nomogram for noninvasive stratification of HER2 expression status in breast cancer.

Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery, 15(10):10215-10237.

BACKGROUND: Accurate assessment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, particularly HER2-low (formerly HER2-negative), is critical for guiding optimal HER2-targeted therapeutic decisions, as these patients may now be eligible for novel anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugates. This study aimed to develop a radiomic nomogram based on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived radiomic features combined with clinical characteristics for distinguishing HER2-positive and HER2-low breast cancer (BC) from HER2-negative BC (Task 1) and HER2-low from HER2-negative BC (Task 2).

METHODS: A total of 364 patients from two centers with invasive ductal carcinoma of BC were retrospectively enrolled from September 2022 to March 2024 and divided into two tasks. Patients from Center 1 (The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University) were randomly assigned to training cohort (Task 1: n=165; Task 2: n=112) and internal validation cohort (Task 1: n=71; Task 2: n=48). Patients from Center 2 (Ganzhou Cancer Hospital) were used as an external validation cohort (Task 1: n=78; Task 2: n=52). Radiomics signatures (RS) models were established using features from dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE), T2-weighted image (T2WI), and combination (RS-Com). A clinical characteristic model was established through univariate and multivariate analyses, and a radiomics nomogram was developed by integrating radiomics score (Rad-score) with clinically significant characteristics. Its performance was evaluated through metrics such as the area under the curve (AUC), calibration assessment, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

RESULTS: For Task 1, RS-Com yielded a greater AUC for training, internal, and external validation of (0.861, 0.784, and 0.794, respectively) than did RS-DCE (AUC =0.743, 0.732, and 0.629, respectively) and RS-T2WI (AUC =0.741, 0.663, and 0.652 respectively). For Task 2, compared with RS-DCE (AUC =0.774/0.668/0.738) and RS-T2WI (AUC =0.771/0.677/0.637), RS-Com also exhibited greater AUCs for training, internal, and external validation (0.822/0.725/0.773). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) statuses were independent predictors for distinguishing HER2 status. For both Tasks 1 and 2, the radiomic nomogram demonstrated the best performance with AUCs of 0.916/0.940/0.820 and 0.863/0.892/0.833, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: The multiparametric MRI-based radiomic nomogram can more accurately categorize the levels of HER2 expression in invasive ductal carcinoma patients, especially for those with HER2-low expression, serving as an early-stage aid for clinicians to devise tailored and precise therapeutic strategies.

RevDate: 2025-10-13
CmpDate: 2025-10-13

Yu B, Yan L, Wang H, et al (2025)

Invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast: metastatic patterns and treatment modalities-a review.

Frontiers in oncology, 15:1631670.

Compared with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) exhibits distinct histologic, molecular, and clinical characteristics, including unique metastatic patterns. This review focuses on three major aspects: (1) an analysis of metastatic behavior across different ILC histologic subtypes, with a preliminary exploration of potential correlations with molecular features; (2) a synthesis of current treatment strategies, highlighting challenges such as endocrine resistance, limited tailored protocols, and emerging immunotherapeutic opportunities; and (3) a review of clinical trials from 2022 to 2024 to identify evolving strategies and future directions for individualized therapy. By integrating pathology, molecular profiling, and clinical data, this review emphasizes ILC's distinctive metastatic behavior and unmet clinical needs, providing a conceptual framework to guide future translational research and therapeutic development.

RevDate: 2025-10-11

Fathima ZS, Suresh TNR, AK Kattepur (2025)

Immunohistochemical expression of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes CD8 and FOXP3 in invasive ductal carcinoma of breast.

BMC cancer, 25(1):1550.

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

Hassan M, Al-Askeri M, N Jawad (2025)

PROGNOSTIC IMPACT OF EGFR2 AND KI-67 OVEREXPRESSION WITH DOWNREGULATION OF MIR-17 AND MIR-1307 IN FEMALE BREAST CANCER PATIENTS.

Georgian medical news.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer has distinct epidemiological patterns and heterogeneity. EGFR2 and Ki-67 are significant in determining the progression and therapeutic response in breast cancer. Additionally, miR-17 and miR-1307 are critical regulators of tumorigenesis. Our research investigates the function of these biomarkers across breast cancer progression, diagnostic and treatment response.

METHODS: Fifty-Three women with breast cancer and 25 healthy women were analyzed. ELISA was used to evaluate the concentrations of EGFR2 and Ki-67. For gene expression, qPCR was used to analyze the gene expression of miR-17 and miR-1307. The diagnostic value of the proteins and miRNAs, with significance set at a p-value <0.001 for all tests.

RESULTS: The study found a significant increase in EGFR2 and Ki-67 proteins in patients compared to controls. The concentration of EGFR2 in lobular carcinoma showed a significantly higher concentration compared to Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) and Mixed carcinoma, with a p-value of 0.001. Regarding Ki-67, Lobular carcinoma had significantly higher levels compared to IDC, with a p-value of 0.03. ROC curve analysis revealed excellent diagnostic accuracy for EGFR2 and Ki-67. Positive correlation was shown between EGFR2 and Ki-67 with each other, also miR-17 and miR-1307 showed a positive correlation with other. On the other hand, a negative correlation was seen between the protein level and gene expression.

CONCLUSION: This study found elevated EGFR2 and Ki-67 levels in breast cancer patients, indicating tumor aggressiveness, while the downregulation of miR-17 and miR-1307 suggests reduced tumor-suppressive activity. Their inverse correlation supports their use in diagnostic and treatment monitoring.

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

Vignaroli KA, Malkoc A, Perez K, et al (2025)

Factors Associated with Positive Margin Requiring Re-Excision after Oncoplastic Breast-Conserving Surgery.

Southern medical journal, 118(10):663-666.

OBJECTIVE: Multiple factors are associated with re-excision after breast-conserving surgery (BCS), however there is minimal literature discussing factors associated with re-excision after oncoplastic BCS (OBCS). This retrospective study aimed to identify factors associated with positive margins requiring re-excision after OBCS.

METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on patients who underwent OBCS between October 2021 and May 2024. Subjects were divided into those who required re-excision and those who did not. Factors were evaluated including patient age, body mass index, smoking status, presence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, tumor multifocality, microcalcifications, tumor size, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2[+] (HER2[+]) status, triple negative (estrogen receptor[-]/progesterone receptor[-]/HER2[-]) status, and tumor pathologies including ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), and invasive lobular carcinoma.

RESULTS: The need for re-excision was significantly associated with a DCIS pathology (50% of patients, P = 0.021), and the lack of need for re-excision was associated with an IDC pathology (12.5% of patients, P = 0.005). There was no significant correlation in the need for margin re-excision based on age, body mass index, smoking status, the presence of hypertension or diabetes mellitus, tumor size, the presence of invasive lobular carcinoma, triple negative status, presence of HER2 or triple negative status, microcalcifications, or tumor multifocality.

CONCLUSIONS: Most factors associated with re-excision after BCS were not associated with re-excision after OBCS in our study. Similar to data published for BCS, however, our results show that DCIS pathology was significantly associated with re-excision in patients who undergo OBCS. In addition, the presence of IDC seemed to be negatively associated with re-excision after OBCS.

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

Sajid J, Qureshi R, Ahmad H, et al (2025)

Multi-modal Malignancies in Cowden Syndrome: Diagnostic Challenges in a Suspected Case From a Low-Resource Setting.

Cureus, 17(9):e91827.

Cowden syndrome (CS), a rare autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations in the PTEN tumor suppressor gene, predisposes individuals to a wide range of malignancies, including breast, thyroid, endometrial, and renal cancers. This report presents a case of a 69-year-old woman with a history of papillary thyroid carcinoma, recently diagnosed invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast, and incidental clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) - clinically pointing toward the diagnosis of CS. Genetic testing and endoscopic evaluations were not possible, as the case occurred in the setting of a developing country, with limited resources and financial constraints. This case underscores the importance of early recognition of hereditary cancer syndromes in patients with multiple malignancies, as well as the need for comprehensive genetic counseling, surveillance, and tailored treatment strategies. A multidisciplinary approach involving oncology, surgery, radiology, and genetics is crucial in managing the complex clinical presentation of patients with CS. The case also highlights the challenges faced when establishing a formal diagnosis in resource-constrained settings. These challenges are related not only to limited resources, but also to patient compliance, health literacy, and access to healthcare services.

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

Liu H, Zhang R, Gao X, et al (2025)

Exploring the impact of emergency risk information on construction workers' emergency information behavior: insights from confirmatory and exploratory PLS-SEM analyses.

Frontiers in public health, 13:1670767.

Drawing on risk perception and information adoption theories, this study develops a structural equation model to examine the factors influencing emergency information behavior (EIB). The model includes risk information characteristics (RIC) and information dissemination channels (IDC) as independent variables, risk perception (RP) and information self-efficacy (ISE) as mediating variables, and EIB as the dependent variable. Data were collected from a questionnaire survey of 569 construction workers in Hangzhou and analyzed using Partial Least Squares SEM (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that RIC and IDC have a significant positive influence on RP, ISE, and EIB. Risk perception directly promotes EIB and indirectly influences it by enhancing information self-efficacy. Information self-efficacy, in turn, is also a significant driver of EIB, with the complete model explaining 55.5% of its variance (R [2] = 0.555). This study concludes that delivering high-quality risk information through multiple channels effectively enhances workers' ability to retrieve and use information during emergencies. This is achieved by improving their risk perception and information self-efficacy. The findings provide valuable empirical evidence and strategic recommendations for emergency management in the construction industry.

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

Nganou-Gnindjio CN, Okobalemba EA, Tasong LA, et al (2025)

Evaluation of the cardiotoxicity risk based on the HFA-ICOS score in a group of sub-Saharan African women before breast cancer treatment by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy: a cross-sectional study in a group of Cameroonian women.

Cardio-oncology (London, England), 11(1):89.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of breast cancer by chemotherapy or radiotherapy exposes the patient to the risk of cardiotoxicity, which can be assessed pre-therapeutically using scores such as the Heart Failure Association and International Cardio-Oncology Society (HFA-ICOS) score. We aimed to evaluate the risk of cardiotoxicity using the HFA-ICOS score in a group of Cameroonian women before treatment of breast cancer by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analytic study using retrospective data collected from the Cardiology and Oncology departments at Yaounde Central Hospital and the Internal Medicine department at Yaounde General Hospital over an eight-year period, from 2017 to 2024, with a focus on the nine months from November 2023 to June 2024. Inclusion criteria consisted of patients with histologically confirmed breast cancer treated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. We performed a multivariate analysis to determine the factors associated with moderate and high risk of cardiotoxicity, with a significance threshold of p ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS: Of the 130 patients recruited, the median age was 46.5 years (interquartile range, IQR, 36.75-58.00), with extremes of 21 and 76 years. Comorbidities mainly were overweight/obesity in 92 (70.7%) cases and arterial hypertension in 32 (24.6%) cases. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the main histological type, accounting for 126 (96.9%) cases, and triple-negative carcinoma was the most frequent molecular subtype, comprising 55 (42.3%) cases. Treatment consisted of exclusive chemotherapy in 96 (73.8%) cases and radiotherapy associated with chemotherapy in 27 (20.8%) cases. Based on the HFA-ICOS score, the cardiotoxicity risk was low in 93 (71.5%) patients. The independent factors associated with the risk of moderate to severe cardiotoxicity were age ≥ 60 years (adjusted OR: 5.97; 95% CI 1.73-20.60; adjusted p = 0.005), obesity (adjusted OR: 5.81; 95% CI 1.78-18.91; p = 0.003) and hypertension (adjusted OR: 27.10; 95% CI 7.51-97.76; p < 0.001). Exclusive chemotherapy was a protective factor (adjusted OR: 0.24; 95% CI 0.07-0.81; adjusted p = 0.021).

CONCLUSION: Women with breast cancer in Cameroon tend to be relatively young and present a low risk of cardiotoxicity before starting anti-cancer treatment.

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

Giorello MB, Borzone FR, Padin MDR, et al (2025)

Breast microcalcifications as indicators of bone metastasis risk in early-stage breast cancer.

Scientific reports, 15(1):35311.

Bone metastasis is a leading cause of reduced survival in patients with advanced breast cancer. Therefore, identifying prognostic markers for bone metastasis at early disease stages is crucial. Microcalcifications are common findings in mammographic imaging and often serve as early diagnostic indicators. Certain types of microcalcifications have been linked to unfavorable genetic and molecular tumor profiles and are associated with poor prognosis. In particular, calcifications located within large ducts-such as casting-type, duct-centric patterns-have been described as independent markers of adverse outcome when compared to tumors with other calcification types or without calcifications. This study evaluated the prognostic significance of anarchic microcalcifications, defined as calcifications with irregular borders and/or disorganized patterns, in patients with early-stage breast cancer. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to assess the presence of these microcalcifications in invasive ductal carcinoma samples (n = 350). Their association with clinical and pathological characteristics was analyzed, including local relapse and bone metastasis occurrence. The presence of tumor microcalcifications was significantly associated with an increased risk of local relapse (p = 0.0360) and bone metastasis (p = 0.0020). Moreover, patients with microcalcifications exhibited shorter local relapse-free survival and bone metastasis-free survival (p = 0.0080 and p = 0.0020, respectively). Importantly, multivariate analysis confirmed that microcalcifications were an independent prognostic factor for both outcomes (p = 0.0150 and p = 0.0020, respectively). These findings suggest that the presence of tumor microcalcifications may serve as an independent prognostic marker for bone metastasis in early-stage breast cancer. Incorporating the evaluation of microcalcifications into routine pathological assessments could improve prognostic precision and support personalized treatment strategies. Further research is needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the association between tumor microcalcifications and breast cancer progression.

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

Han Z, Wang B, Peng S, et al (2025)

The expression of prostate-specific membrane antigen in intraductal carcinoma of the prostate.

Scientific reports, 15(1):35326.

To investigate the immunohistochemical expression of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and radiological parameters of [[68]Ga]Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT of intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC-P). Seventy men with prostate cancer who had preoperative [[68]Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT scan and following radical prostatectomy were retrospectively included. Radiological parameters including maximal tumor diameter, mean standard uptake value (SUVmean), and maximal standard uptake value (SUVmax) were derived from PET/CT images. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the PSMA expression of IDC-P. The Mann-Whitney U test was performed for continuous variables and the chi-squared test for categorical variables. Logistic regression model was used for univariate analysis to compare the correlation between IDC-P and different preoperative variables. A total of 93 lesions were identified in 70 patients. Of these lesions, 21 (22.6%) in 20 patients (28.6%) were found to accompany IDC-P. The immune response score (IRS) of IDC-P lesions was significantly lower than that of prostate adenocarcinoma (P = 0.004).In multivariate analysis, SUVmean was found to be significantly lower in patients/lesions with IDC-P (P = 0.011, OR: 0.797 [95% CI 0.669-0.948] in the per-patient analysis and P = 0.028, OR: 0.829 [95% CI0.701-0.980] in the per-lesion analysis, respectively). SUVmean showed considerable AUC value of 0.71 (95% CI 0.589-0.839) in the per-patient analysis. Our results indicated lower histopathological PSMA expression and reduced [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 uptake in IDC-P compared to conventional prostate adenocarcinoma, suggesting that IDC-P may exhibit distinct biological features and could offer new insights for the radiological detection of intraductal carcinoma of the prostate in clinical practice.

RevDate: 2025-10-09

Wante M, Reddy ASS, Nirhale DS, et al (2025)

Study the Changing Trends of Age at Diagnosis of Breast Carcinoma in Correlation with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Obesity, and Nutritional Status.

Annals of African medicine pii:01244624-990000000-00353 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Hormonal factors, metabolic conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), obesity, and nutritional deficiencies, influence the risk and prognosis of breast cancer risk. Understanding the interplay among these factors helps in identifying potential targets for prevention and treatment strategies.

AIM: The study aims to examine the shifting patterns in the age of breast cancer diagnosis and explore their associations with PCOS, obesity, and nutritional status.

METHODS: The prospective observational study included patients with histopathologically confirmed breast carcinoma. Detailed demographic and clinical data, including age at diagnosis, parity, menopausal status, and body mass index (used to classify obesity) were collected. Symptoms suggestive of PCOS and nutritional deficiencies (Vitamin D, iron, and iodine) were evaluated using laboratory and radiological findings. Histopathological findings and hormone receptor status were also noted.

RESULTS: Most women diagnosed with breast carcinoma were between 29 and 50 years (46.7%), postmenopausal (53.3%), overweight (58.7%), had PCOS (20.0%), and Vitamin D deficiency (68.0%). Invasive ductal carcinoma (90.7%) was the most common histopathological subtype, and most tumors were estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, especially ER + PR + Her2- (41.3%). None of the factors - PCOS, obesity, and nutritional status - were associated with histopathological subtypes (P > 0.05). However, PCOS was more common in ER-positive cases than ER-negative cases (P = 0.04), whereas obesity and nutritional status showed no association with hormone receptor status (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: High prevalence of breast carcinoma cases in women aged 31-50 years highlights shifting trend in its diagnosis. Nearly 80% of breast cancer patients had PCOS, suggesting its influence on tumor biology. Notable prevalence of nutritional deficiency (Vitamin D, serum iron, serum iodine, and folic acid deficiency) warrants further investigation into their role in breast cancer pathogenesis.

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

Singareddy CTR, Nagaraj C, Lakshmi VVV, et al (2025)

Unusual Gastric Metastasis from Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Breast Mimicking as Metachronous Primary on [18]F-FDG PET/CT.

Indian journal of nuclear medicine : IJNM : the official journal of the Society of Nuclear Medicine, India, 40(4):236-239.

The most common metastatic sites from carcinoma breast include the bones, lungs, liver, and brain. Breast cancer metastasizing to the gastrointestinal tract is very rare. This case report is about a compliant woman who was a known treated case of right breast cancer, in whom [18]F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography showed a focal FDG avid mural thickening in the body of stomach 4 years later, for which suspicion of a second primary of gastric origin was raised, considering the rarity of being metastatic. However, histopathology confirmed it as metastasis of breast origin. This case highlights the importance of considering gastric metastasis as a differential diagnosis in patients who present with a gastric lesion and a history of breast cancer.

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

Gao C, Li Y, Ma X, et al (2025)

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of breast cancer patients with ovarian metastases.

Frontiers in oncology, 15:1640067.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the clinical characteristics, overall survival (OS), and prognostic factors associated with breast cancer patients who have ovarian metastasis (OM).

MATERIALS & METHODS: This retrospective single-center study analyzed 41 breast cancer patients with pathologically confirmed OM who underwent bilateral oophorectomy between 2011 and 2022. Data on clinical-pathological characteristics, molecular subtypes, detection methods, and survival were collected. The survival times were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Prognostic factors were assessed through Cox regression models.

RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 33 (80.5%) invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and 8 (19.5%) invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) cases. Most patients (87.8%) were hormone receptor-positive. Patients with ILC were significantly older at initial diagnosis than IDC patients (median 45 vs. 37 years, P = 0.014). OM was detected earlier in IDC, often incidentally during ablation surgery (54.5% vs. 12.5% for ILC, P = 0.032), whereas ILC patients typically presented with symptoms. For the entire cohort, the median OS was 85.0 months, while the median OS after OM was 28 months. Notably, patients with ILC exhibited a significantly shorter OS after OM (11.5 months) compared to those with IDC (30 months; P = 0.01). Furthermore, the interval from the initial diagnosis of breast cancer to the emergence of OM was significantly associated with the OS of these patients (P < 0.05), serving as an independent prognostic indicator.

CONCLUSIONS: OM, which may not exhibit overt clinical manifestations in the early stage, significantly affects the survival of BC patients. The ILC histological type is associated with a particularly unfavorable post-OM prognosis, and the interval from initial diagnosis to OM is a key prognostic indicator. These findings may guide clinical management in these patients.

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

Pavithran S, Pavithran K, Raj M, et al (2025)

Health-Related Quality of Life in Women With Invasive Ductal Carcinoma After Chemotherapy: Insight From the FACT-B+4 Questionnaire.

Cureus, 17(9):e91785.

Introduction Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is the most common form of breast cancer in females, often treated with chemotherapy, either in the adjuvant or neoadjuvant setting. Malignancy as well as chemotherapy have a profound impact on the quality of life (QOL), with prognosis and survival largely dependent on early identification and treatment. Understanding the determinants of QOL is crucial to addressing its impact on physical, emotional, and social well-being. Aim This study aimed to determine the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with invasive ductal carcinoma after receiving chemotherapy and to explore factors contributing to a reduction in their HRQOL. Methods This was a prospective cohort study conducted among 294 women aged between 30 and 70 years who were histopathologically diagnosed with IDC and received chemotherapy from a Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Kerala. QOL was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast+4 (FACT-B+4) questionnaire version 4.0, and sociodemographic and clinical data were collected through questionnaires, direct measurements, and from electronic medical records (EMR). The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the reduction (change) in QOL, and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors contributing to the reduction in QOL after chemotherapy. Results The patients had a mean age of 51.56 ± 10.06 years, with the majority being 50 years and above (56.4%). Of 294 women who received chemotherapy, 228 (77.6%) developed chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) of mild to moderate grades. Emotional well-being (EWB) had the lowest mean score before starting chemotherapy (those who developed CIPN: 14.46 ± 5.07 and those who did not develop CIPN: 13.72 ± 4.73). After chemotherapy, the maximum reduction in QOL occurred in physical well-being (PWB), with mean scores of 9.49 ± 5.57 and 3.49 ± 5.62, respectively, for those who developed and did not develop CIPN. Furthermore, in all domains, the reduction in QOL was greater in patients who developed CIPN than in those who did not. However, the difference in QOL change between the two groups was significant only for two domains: PWB (p < 0.001) and EWB (p = 0.013). The breast cancer subscale (BCS) (p < 0.001), arm (ARM) subscale (p = 0.033), and total scores (FACT-B TOI, FACT-G Total, and FACT-B Total) were also significantly lower in women who developed CIPN than in those who did not (p < 0.001). The factors contributing to the reduction in QOL were the presence of CIPN (OR = 3.623, 95% CI: 1.072-12.228, p = 0.038), age <50 years (OR = 4.016, CI: 1.236-12.987, p = 0.007), a higher number of chemotherapy cycles (eight cycles - OR = 38.488, 95% CI: 2.086-710.055, p = 0.053 and 12 cycles - OR = 70.655, 95% CI: 2.067-2415.638, p = 0.018), metastasis in the ipsilateral lymph nodes (OR = 3.623, CI: 1.204-10.902, p = 0.022), use of statins (OR = 7.608, CI: 1.269-45.617, p = 0.026), endocrine drugs (OR = 14.073, CI: 2.180-90.864, p = 0.005), and anaemia (OR = 30.606, CI: 1.867-15.001, p = 0.008). Conclusion The study highlights the significant impact of CIPN on the QOL of patients, along with factors such as age, number of chemotherapy cycles, presence of regional metastasis, histopathological subtypes, and anaemia. The study findings suggest the need for risk stratification and tailoring treatment strategies appropriately to minimise the risk of CIPN and optimise the QOL.

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

Ramos-Bartolomei S, López-Fontanet J, Muns-Aponte S, et al (2025)

Metastasis of Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Masquerading as a Chalazion.

Case reports in ophthalmology, 16(1):628-632.

INTRODUCTION: Nonhealing or rapidly growing lesions should raise suspicion for malignancy, especially in a patient with a prior history of cancer. The purpose of this case was to highlight the importance of a thorough clinical history. A high index of suspicion and low threshold for biopsy are important, as is a fast diagnosis, as they can make a difference in adequate treatment and prognosis.

CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a 46-year-old female with a history of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast presenting with a rapidly growing painless right lower eyelid lesion with biopsy remarkable for a high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma suspected to be a result of metastasis with rare transformation of breast ductal carcinoma.

CONCLUSION: She had an eyelid lesion recurrence less than 2 months after biopsy and excision, demonstrating the importance of early detection and biopsy with immunohistochemistry to target malignant cells and improve life quality and expectancy.

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

Okubo Y, Kasajima R, Sato S, et al (2025)

Cribriform pattern and IDC-P in prostate biopsies: prognostic relevance and reporting in metastatic disease.

The journal of pathology. Clinical research, 11(6):e70052.

Cribriform pattern and intraductal carcinoma of the prostate are recognized adverse histological features, yet their prognostic value in treatment-naïve metastatic disease remains uncertain. We conducted a single-center retrospective study of 183 biopsy-proven prostate carcinomas (105 with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate carcinoma and 78 non-metastatic high-grade cases) diagnosed between 2017 and 2024. Cribriform pattern, intraductal carcinoma of the prostate, and coagulative tumor necrosis were recorded per core and summarized as patient-level binary status and as semiquantitative proportions per cancer-positive core. Two multivariable logistic regression models (binary and semiquantitative) were fitted, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis evaluated the discriminatory performance of the cribriform proportion. Cribriform pattern and intraductal carcinoma of the prostate were more frequent in metastatic castration-sensitive prostate carcinoma. In the semiquantitative model, the cribriform proportion remained independently associated with metastatic status [odds ratio (OR) 1.29, 95% CI 1.07-1.55, p = 0.008; per 1.0 increase in the proportion, equivalent to OR 1.03 per 10%-point increase], whereas necrosis remained significant only in the binary model. The cancer-positive core rate and a lower total number of biopsy cores were predictive in both models, whereas prostate-specific antigen, intraductal carcinoma of the prostate, and Grade Group composition were not independent predictors. ROC analysis for the cribriform proportion yielded an area under the curve of 0.704, with a Youden Index cut-off of 0.445 (approximately half of cancer-positive cores), corresponding to a sensitivity of 57.1% and a specificity of 75.6%. These findings indicate that semiquantitative reporting of cribriform pattern - expressed as the proportion of cancer-positive cores - adds discriminatory information for metastatic status at presentation and could complement binary reporting in high-grade disease. From a clinical perspective, such evaluation may refine risk stratification at diagnosis and support treatment intensification strategies in very-high-risk patients.

RevDate: 2025-10-08

Teng L, Du J, Dong Y, et al (2025)

Survival analysis of metachronous bilateral ectopic breast cancer utilizing the SEER database and the pioneering construction of a nomogram model.

European journal of medical research, 30(1):934.

INTRODUCTION: Metachronous bilateral ectopic breast cancer (MBEBC) is clinically rare, but the incidence has been increasing in recent years and no clear therapeutic guidance or prognostic assessment is available.

METHODS: Data on MBEBC patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were gathered and randomly split into a training set and a validation set at a 7:3 ratio. Independent prognostic risk factors were identified through both univariate and multivariate analyses, and a nomogram was constructed based on these factors to predict survival outcomes.

RESULTS: From the SEER database, we collected data on a total of 8240 patients spanning the years 2005-2015. These patients were then randomly divided into a training set (5768) and a validation set (2472) for analysis. The clinicopathological features indicated that Grade 2 tumors were the most prevalent, with invasive ductal carcinoma comprising 71.2% of the cases. Additionally, the majority of MBEBC patients were classified as N0, and only a small fraction (4.2%) exhibited distant metastases. A multivariate COX regression model was developed to identify independent prognostic risk factors for patients whose first and second tumors were both invasive ductal carcinomas, as well as those with more extensive pathological types. Nomograms were also constructed for survival prediction of overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-special survival (BCSS) at 3, 5, and 10 years. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted and area under the curve (AUC) values were calculated. The AUC was greater than 0.7 in all models, with a 10-year OS of 78.0 (76.0-80.0) and a BCSS of 77.6 (76.0-79.3) in all patients. The calibration curves and decision curve analysis (DCA) demonstrate that the nomogram possesses strong clinical predictive capability and high predictive accuracy.

CONCLUSION: This study detailed the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with the clinically rare MBEBC and identified independent prognostic risk factors across various pathology types. Additionally, a nomogram was developed for individualized prediction of patients' BCSS and OS, offering a new adjunctive tool for the clinical management of MBEBC patients.

RevDate: 2025-10-07
CmpDate: 2025-10-07

Mohammed Mahmoud M, Abdulla Kamil Abdulla , Dler Omar Mohammed (2025)

Molecular detection of Epstein-Barr virus in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast: a case-control study.

Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France), 71(9):105-110.

The uncertain contribution of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) to the etiological processes underlying invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the mammary gland, especially in relation to its molecular interactions within inflamed histological contexts, remains to be elucidated. This case-control research assessed the link between EBV infection and mammary IDC in a population of Iraqi females from Kirkuk. A total of 300 breast tissue specimens preserved in paraffin blocks were evaluated, including 150 samples diagnosed with IDC and 150 samples classified as fibroadenoma serving as controls. EBV latent membrane protein-1 expression was identified through the application of immunohistochemical staining and polymerase chain reaction methodologies. EBV positivity, defined as detection by both IHC and PCR, was observed in 7.3% of IDC cases and 4% of controls, with no statistically significant difference between groups (P=0.996). No significant association was found between EBV presence and estrogen or progesterone receptor status, while Her-2 expression differed significantly between EBV-positive and EBV-negative patients (P<0.001). EBV was more frequently detected in grade I tumors and stage II breast cancers, and older patients showed a higher prevalence of EBV infection. The results indicate that although Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is identifiable in a fraction of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) breast specimens, a definitive causative relationship between EBV presence and IDC occurrence within this demographic is not established. Nonetheless, EBV detection appears to exhibit higher frequency in specific histopathological grades, clinical stages, and patient age categories.

RevDate: 2025-10-07
CmpDate: 2025-10-07

Sun Y, Chen H, Wang K, et al (2025)

Clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes in spindle cell carcinoma (SpCC) of the breast: A SEER population-based study.

Medicine, 104(40):e44851.

Spindle cell carcinoma (SpCC) of the breast is a rare entity. The aim of this study was to provide more information for understanding this disease and to improve the management of it in the clinic. Patients with SpCC and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast were identified through the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) database (2001-2018). 227 patients with SpCC and 565,388 patients with breast IDC were enrolled in the present cohort study. Comparative analyses were performed to investigate the heterogeneity in the clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes between these 2 groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance the influences of baseline clinicopathological differences. The multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was carried out to identify potential prognostic factors of SpCC. Compared with IDC, patients with SpCC had a higher proportion of older patients and white individuals, a higher tumor grade, a lower tumor stage, a larger tumor size, a higher incidence of distant metastasis, a lower rate of lymph node involvement, a higher proportion of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and less access to therapeutics. The prognosis of SpCC was profoundly poorer than that of IDC, whether before or after PSM. Subgroup analysis further showed that SpCC-TNBC had a worse clinical outcome than IDC-TNBC. Finally, we found that older age, advanced T stage, N stage and M stage were all risk factors for SpCC. SpCC of the breast presented with increasing aggressive behavior in comparison with IDC and inferior clinical outcome than IDC for both the whole group and the TNBC subgroup. Distinguishing SpCC from IDC is critical for improving treatment efficacy; therefore, further research must focus on this rare but aggressive disease.

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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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Curriculum Vitae for R J Robbins

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Curriculum Vitae for R J Robbins

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