Neoadjuvant interstitial high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy combined with systemic chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer.

Background And Purpose: This is the first study investigating neoadjuvant interstitial high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy combined with chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer. The goal was to evaluate the type of surgical treatment, histopathologic response, side effects, local control, and survival.

Patients And Methods: 53 patients, who could not be treated with breast-conserving surgery due to initial tumor size (36/53) or due to an unfavorable breast-tumor ratio (17/53), were analyzed retrospectively.

[Hand-held ultrasound-guided vacuum biopsy of mammary lesions--first experiences].

Objective: Evaluation of indications for ultrasound guided hand-held Mammotome-biopsy.

Material And Methods: To achieve breast diagnosis 50 ultrasound guided hand-held Mammotome-biopsies were performed between January 3rd and April 4th, 2000.

Results: 34 patients presented with non-palpable, 16 with palpable breast lesions.

[Needle biopsy vs. conventional surgical biopsy - biochemical analysis of various prognostic factors].

Objective: In which way is the biochemical analysis of fine needle biopsy comparable to the biochemical analysis of conventional surgical biopsy samples in the examination of prognosis factors in mammary carcinomas.

Material And Methods: Conventional surgical biopsy and fine needle biopsy were performed on 63 mammary carcinomas. The results from the biochemical analysis of tissue samples, from each form of biopsy, with respect to estradiol and progesterone receptor, UPA and PAI-1, as well as Kathepsin D and the EGF receptor, were compared and statistically analyzed.

[P53-status in primary ovarian carcinomas, ovarian metastases of neoplasms in other sites and benign ovarian tumors: predictive value in comparison to histopathological parameters].

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the tumor suppressor gene p53 can be used as a prognosis factor to assess individual patient risk in primary ovarian carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: The concentration of the mutated, as well as the wild type p53 was examined in 98 cases of ovarian carcinoma. Among 98 ovarian tumors examined, 77 were primary carcinomas, 14 tumors were metastasis of foreign tumors, and 7 were benign ovarian tumors.