Diagnostic interobserver variability of atypia assessment in columnar cell lesions among a group of expert breast pathologists in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, on behalf of the UK national coordinating committee for breast pathology.

Aims: Atypical ductal hyperplasia and flat epithelial atypia (FEA) have defined diagnostic criteria, yet there is variation in the interpretation of these criteria, particularly when the atypia is present in a background of columnar cell lesions (CCLs). This study focuses upon cases which are especially challenging or difficult to classify reproducibly according to existing criteria.

Methods And Results: Thirteen breast pathology experts were asked to classify 10 challenging cases with CLLs as atypical or non-atypical.

Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy and Endocrine Therapy for Oestrogen Receptor Positive Breast Cancers: The Neo-RT Feasibility Study.

Aims: To establish the safety and feasibility of delivering neoadjuvant radiotherapy and endocrine therapy for oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancers with palpable size 20mm or greater, for which radiotherapy might facilitate more conservative surgery.

Materials And Methods: A single-arm feasibility study was conducted. Patients received whole breast radiotherapy with or without radiotherapy to nodal areas.

Expression of transglutaminase-2 (TGM2) in the prognosis of female invasive breast cancer.

Background: Transglutaminase 2 (TGM2) is a protein expressed in several isoforms in both intra- and extra-cellular tissue compartments. It has multiple functions that are important in cancer biology and several small studies have suggested expression of TGM2 in breast cancers is associated with a poorer prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of intra-cellular and extra-cellular TGM2 expression in breast cancer and to determine whether there were any differences by hormone receptor status.

Modeling Drug Responses and Evolutionary Dynamics using Patient-Derived Xenografts Reveals Precision Medicine Strategies for Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

The inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity of triple negative breast cancers (TNBC), which is reflected in diverse drug responses, interplays with tumor evolution. Here, we developed a preclinical experimental and analytical framework using treatment-naive TNBC patient-derived tumor xenografts (PDTX) to test their predictive value in personalized cancer treatment approaches. Patients and their matched PDTX exhibited concordant drug responses to neoadjuvant therapy using two trial designs and dosing schedules.