Tuesday 8 November 2011

The low uptake of breast screening in cities is a major public health issue and be due to organisational factors

The low uptake of breast screening in cities is a major public health issue and may be due to organisational factors: A Census-based record linkage study. The Breast, Oct 2011, Vol. 20(5), p.460-463

Kinnear, H. et al.

http://www.thebreastonline.com/article/PIIS0960977611000993/abstract?rss=yes

Cancer screening uptake is generally lower in UK cities but quantifying city-level effects from causes due to population composition that comprise cities is hampered by data limitations. The reduced uptake of screening in cities is a major public health issue; the effects are large and a large proportion of the population are affected, organisational factors appear to be the primary cause. Strategies to correct this imbalance might help reduce inequalities in health.

Breast cancer after hormone replacement therapy

Breast cancer after hormone replacement therapy: does prognosis differ in preimenopausal and postmenopausal women? The Breast, Oct 2011, Vol. 20(5), p.448-454

A.K. Baumgärtner, AK, et al.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been associated with higher incidence of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, but it is unclear if breast cancers developing after HRT use have different prognosis. 1053 women with hormone receptor positive non-metastasized breast cancer were analyzed in a retrospective trial, stratifying by HRT use before diagnosis. In this retrospective analysis postmenopausal HRT users seemed to have a better breast cancer prognosis. For perimenopausal HRT users however, a trend towards worse prognosis was found.

Impact of immediate breast reconstruction on breast cancer recurrence and survival

Impact of immediate breast reconstruction on breast cancer recurrence and survival. The Breast, Oct 2011, Vol. 20(5), p.437-443

Nedumpara, T., et al.

The practise of Immediate Breast Reconstruction (IBR) following mastectomy for primary breast cancer is being increasingly adopted. Here the impact of IBR on disease progression and survival was assessed following treatment for invasive breast cancer. 1697 consecutive patients received surgical treatment for operable primary breast cancer between January 1996 and December 2007. Overall, 691 (41%) received mastectomy of whom 136 (20%) underwent IBR (82 Latissimus Dorsi, 54 Subpectoral).The effect of IBR on overall survival, local and distant recurrence was analysed in all patients studied and also separately within subgroups defined by Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI) scores.

Radiofrequency ablation of early breast cancer followed by delayed surgical resection

Radiofrequency ablation of early breast cancer followed by delayed surgical resection: A promising alternative to breast-conserving surgery. The Breast, Oct 2011, Vol. 20(5), p.431-436

Ohtani, S., et al.

To examine the radiofrequency ablation (RFA) reliability in early breast cancer, we performed RFA followed by delayed surgical resection on 41 patients with invasive or non-invasive breast carcinoma less than 2 cm. MRI scans were obtained before ablation and resection. Excised specimens were examined pathologically by haematoxylin-eosin and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-diaphorase staining. 40 patients completed 1 RFA session, which was sufficient to achieve complete tumour cell death. Overall complete ablation rate was 87.8% (36/41). There were no treatment-related complications other than that of a superficial burn in 1 case. After RFA, the tumour was no longer enhanced on MRI in 25/26 (96.2%) cases. Residual cancer, which was suspected on MRI in 1 case, was confirmed pathologically. MRI could be an applicable modality to evaluate therapeutic effect. RFA could be an alternate local treatment option to breast-conserving surgery for early breast cancer.

Psychological impact of recall on women with BRCA mutations undergoing MRI surveillance

Psychological impact of recall on women with BRCA mutations undergoing MRI surveillance. The Breast, Oct 2011, Vol. 20(5), p.424-430

Spiegel, TN, et al.

http://www.thebreastonline.com/article/PIIS0960977611000944/abstract?rss=yes

The addition of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to mammography for surveillance of women with BRCA mutations significantly increases sensitivity but lowers specificity. This study aimed to examine whether MRI surveillance, and particularly recall, is associated with increased anxiety, depression, or breast cancer worry/distress. While breast MRI surveillance did not have a detrimental psychological impact on women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, recalling these very high-risk women for further imaging after a false positive MRI scan temporarily increased their global anxiety.

Calpastatin is associated with lymphovascular invasion in breast cancer

Calpastatin is associated with lympovascular invasion in breast cancer. The Breast, Oct 2011, Vol. 20(5), p. 413-418

Storr, SJ, et al.

Metastasis of breast cancer is a major contributor to mortality. Histological assessment of vascular invasion (VI) provides important prognostic information and demonstrates that VI occurs predominantly via lymphatics in breast cancer. We sought to examine genes and proteins involved in lymphovascular invasion (LVI) to understand the mechanisms of this key disease process. The data supports the hypothesis that calpastatin may play a role in regulating the initial metastatic dissemination of breast cancer.

Leiomyosarcoma of the breast

Leiomyosarcoma of the breast: A case report and review of the literature about therapeutic management. The Breast, Oct 2011, Vol 20(5), p.389-393

Fujita, N., et al.


A leiomyosarcoma of the breast in an 18-year-old female. No specific treatment has been established. In order to clarify appropriate therapeutic management methods, the limited data available from our and previous case reports were assessed. A leiomyosarcoma of the breast must be excised with a negative margin. If the tumor size is large and an adequate margin, greater than 3-cm margin around the excised tumor, is not achieved due to anatomical constraints, radiotherapy may be indicated.