Evaluating Recurrence Risk in Patients Undergoing Breast-conserving Surgery Using E-cadherin Staining as a Biomarker.

Background/aim: Following the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, radiotherapy is administered after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in patients with more than four positive lymph nodes. Four positive lymph nodes are typically considered an indicator to assess disease spread and patient prognosis. However, the subjective counting of positive axillary lymph nodes underscores the need for biomarkers to improve diagnostic precision and reduce the risk of unnecessary treatments.

Ameliorated chest drain wound closure in patients undergoing uniportal thoracoscopic pulmonary resection.

Background: Although uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been performed for a wide array of thoracic diseases, unsightliness and poor wound healing often occur, particularly when a chest drain is placed postoperatively. Different chest drain wound closure (CWC) methods have been introduced with the benefits of cosmesis and patient satisfaction. We aimed to describe our improved CWC technique in this setting and assess its efficacy.

Pneumorrhachis with spontaneous pneumomediastinum in pediatric patients: An 11-year retrospective study in Southern Taiwan.

Background: Although uncommon, available evidence suggests that pneumorrhachis (PR) with spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) in adulthood is usually benign and self-limiting. This study aimed to review our experience and identify the risk factors of PR in pediatric patients with SPM.

Methods: Between September 2007 and September 2017, SPM in patients aged ≤18 years was retrospectively reviewed and clinical features and outcomes between SPM patients with and without PR were analyzed.

Lobectomy Versus Sublobar Resection in Simultaneous Bilateral Thoracoscopic Lung Resection.

Background: Simultaneous bilateral thoracoscopic lung resection (SBTLR) has been shown to be a feasible and efficacious approach for a wide range of pulmonary conditions. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of different procedures on surgical outcomes in patients receiving SBTLR.

Methods: Between 2012 and 2021, 207 patients with bilateral lung neoplasms who underwent SBTLR were retrospectively reviewed.

Combination of FAK inhibitor and cytokine-induced killer cell therapy: An alternative therapeutic strategy for patients with triple-negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by the loss of expression of several biomarkers, which limits treatment strategies for the disease. In recent years, immunotherapy has shown promising results in the treatment of various tumors. Emerging evidence demonstrated that TNBC is an immune-activated cancer, suggesting that immunotherapy could be a feasible treatment option for TNBC.

Comprehensive Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses Identify a Candidate Gene Set in Cross-Resistance for Endocrine Therapy in Breast Cancer.

Endocrine therapy (ET) of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), selective estrogen receptor downregulators (SERDs), and aromatase inhibitors (AIs) has been used as the gold standard treatment for hormone-receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer. Despite its clinical benefits, approximately 30% of patients develop ET resistance, which remains a major clinical challenge in patients with HR+ breast cancer. The mechanisms of ET resistance mainly focus on mutations in the ER and related pathways; however, other targets still exist from ligand-independent ER reactivation.

Thoracoscopic Repair of Adult-Onset Congenital Tracheoesophageal Fistula Using a Polyglycolic Acid Sheet-Buttressed Stapler.

Congenital tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) without esophageal atresia is usually diagnosed and treated in the neonatal period. It is uncommon to occur in adulthood. Conventional treatment of adult-onset TEF involves repair by either cervicotomy or thoracotomy.

Pulmonary completion lobectomy after segmentectomy: An integrated analysis of perioperative outcomes.

Background: Completion lobectomy (CL) after anatomical segmentectomy is technically challenging and rarely performed. Here, we aimed to report perioperative outcomes of a single center real-world CL data.

Methods: Seven patients who underwent CL after segmentectomy were retrospectively evaluated between 2015-2021.

Simultaneous Comparison of Subxiphoid and Intercostal Wound Pain in the Same Patients Following Thoracoscopic Surgery.

There is a lack of data comparing postoperative pain after subxiphoid and intercostal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Pain is an individual's subjective experience and, therefore, difficult to compare between different individuals subjected to either procedure. This study assessed reported pain at six postoperative time points in the same patients receiving both subxiphoid and intercostal incisions for thoracic disease.

Correction: Kao et al. RNF8-CDH1 Co-Expression Predicts Clinical Benefit of Chemoradiotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. 2021, , 655.

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Comprehensive profiles and diagnostic value of menopausal-specific gut microbiota in premenopausal breast cancer.

In Western countries, breast cancer tends to occur in older postmenopausal women. However, in Asian countries, the proportion of younger premenopausal breast cancer patients is increasing. Increasing evidence suggests that the gut microbiota plays a critical role in breast cancer.

Utilizing NPWT improving skin graft taking in reconstruction for extended breast skin defects following mastectomy.

NPWT fulfill graft taking in complex breast wounds.

RNF8-CDH1 Co-Expression Predicts Clinical Benefit of Chemoradiotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype and exhibits an overall poor outcome. Due to the lack of targeted therapy, conventional systemic chemotherapy has been the main strategy for the treatment of TNBC. Further evidence has shown that combining radiation with chemotherapy is also a suitable treatment based on DNA repair deficiencies in patients with TNBC.

Male adolescents with contralateral blebs undergoing surgery for primary spontaneous pneumothorax may benefit from simultaneous contralateral blebectomies.

Background: In adults with primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), contralateral recurrence occurs in about 25-28% when there are asymptomatic blebs. How to treat contralateral recurrence of PSP in pediatric populations remains controversial. This study evaluated the outcomes of excising contralateral blebs to prevent recurrence in adolescents being operated on for PSP under the same anesthesia.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy for an octogenarian with pulmonary carcinosarcoma.

Pulmonary carcinosarcoma is a rare lung tumor accounting for <1% of primary lung cancers, characterized by biphasic components with both carcinomatous and sarcomatous mesenchymal features. This report describes a case of pulmonary carcinosarcoma in an octogenarian who was treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and whose therapeutic response was sustained for 2 years. Along with other treatment modalities, SBRT might be considered for the treatment of medically inoperable localized stage pulmonary carcinosarcoma.

Decision algorithm and surgical strategies for managing tracheocutaneous fistula.

Background: Persistent tracheocutaneous fistula (TCF) is a complication of prolonged use of tracheostomy tube. Although many procedures exist to correct this issue, there is no consensus regarding its optimal management. We constructed a decision algorithm to determine appropriate surgical strategies for TCF repair.

Salvage surgery using simultaneous clamshell thoracotomy with median sternotomy for mediastinal growing teratoma syndrome.

This report describes the case of a 17-year-old man who developed mediastinal growing teratoma syndrome following two cycles of chemotherapy, after an initial diagnosis of primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumor. The large, rapidly-growing mediastinal tumor was completely resected in conjunction with right pneumonectomy, using simultaneous clamshell thoracotomy and median sternotomy. The salvage surgery with perioperative management involved in mediastinal growing teratoma syndrome is presented here.

Thoracoscopic completion right lower lobectomy after anteromedial basilar segmentectomy in early-stage lung cancer.

This report describes the surgical management of a male patient with early-stage lung cancer who underwent thoracoscopic completion right lower lobectomy after previously undergoing sublobar resection for multifocal ground glass nodules of the lung. Perioperative considerations associated with the management of dense pulmonary hilar adhesions and the techniques used are discussed.

Rapidly growing pleural liposarcoma masquerading as extrapleural hematoma.

Intrathoracic liposarcoma can occur in the lung, mediastinum, pleura, and chest wall, and tends to remain clinically silent until becoming large enough to displace adjacent structures. Treatment usually includes sufficient surgical resection followed when necessary by adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. We report a case of an uncommon presentation of a rapidly growing pleural liposarcoma, the diagnosis of which may have been obscured by coexisting thoracic trauma with suspected extrapleural hematoma.