Predicting non-sentinel lymph node metastasis in Australian breast cancer patients: are the nomograms still useful in the post-Z0011 era?

Background: Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) can be avoided in breast cancer patients with low-volume disease in the sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) according to Z0011 trial. We believe that nomograms developed for predicting non-sentinel lymph node (NSLN) metastases can guide the axillary treatment in patients who do not fully match the criteria of Z0011 study. We identified risk factors and evaluated the performance of three nomograms to predict NSLN status in patients with positive SLNs.

Positive anterior margins in breast conserving surgery: Does it matter? A systematic review of the literature.

Positive margins are associated with an increased risk of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR); therefore re-excision of positive margins is recommended. Involvement of anatomically non-breast margins, such as anterior margins, has been associated to a lower risk of IBTR than radial margins. Although many surgeons do not re-excise positive anterior margins (PAM); there is no consensus regarding this approach.

An update in breast cancer screening and management.

This article provides an overview of the main controversies in a number of key areas of breast cancer management. Relevant studies that have contributed to guide the treatment of this heterogeneous disease in the field of breast screening, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are highlighted. Mammography and ultrasound are the main methods of breast screening.

Altered chemokine receptor expression in papillary thyroid cancer.

Background: Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), the most prevalent type of differentiated thyroid carcinoma, displays a strikingly high frequency of lymph node metastasis (LNM). Recent data suggest that chemokines can play an important role in promoting tumor progression and metastatic migration of tumor cells. Here we have evaluated whether PTC tissues express a different pattern of chemokine receptors and if the expression of these receptors correlates with LNM.

[Elective laparoscopic surgery in diverticular disease. A comparative study with conventional operative surgery ].

Background: Elective surgery in diverticular disease (DD) consists classically in performing an open sigmoidectomy. Laparoscopic surgery of the colon can have results that are comparable to those of open surgery.

Aim: To compare the results of laparoscopic and conventional surgery for DD.