Late Presentation at Primary Diagnosis of Breast Cancer: Patients' Personality Characteristics and Attitudes.

Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Despite screening and information efforts, about 10% of patients present with tumor size T3 or T4 at primary diagnosis. Late presentation is associated with more advanced tumor stage and consecutively with worse survival rates.

Cancer cells induce interleukin-22 production from memory CD4 T cells via interleukin-1 to promote tumor growth.

IL-22 has been identified as a cancer-promoting cytokine that is secreted by infiltrating immune cells in several cancer models. We hypothesized that IL-22 regulation would occur at the interface between cancer cells and immune cells. Breast and lung cancer cells of murine and human origin induced IL-22 production from memory CD4 T cells.

Local Resection of Primary Tumor in Upfront Stage IV Breast Cancer.

Background: This study aimed to identify the association of local surgery of the primary tumor in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients with overall survival (OS) and prognostic factors.

Patients And Methods: Patients with primary MBC (1990-2006) were included in our retrospective analysis (n = 236). 83.

Acceptance of routine or case-based inquiry for intimate partner violence: a mixed method study.

Background: The prevalence and detrimental health effects of intimate partner violence have resulted in international discussions and recommendations that health care professionals should screen women for intimate partner violence during general and antenatal health care visits. Due to the lack of discussion on routine or case-based inquiry for intimate partner violence during antenatal care in Germany, this study seeks to explore its acceptability among pregnant German women.

Methods: A mixed methods approach was used, utilizing a self-administered survey on the acceptability of routine or case-based inquiry for intimate partner violence in a university hospital's maternity ward in Munich and in-depth interviews with seven women who experienced violence during pregnancy.

Thyroid hormone receptor (TR)alpha and TRbeta expression in breast cancer.

Unlabelled: There is evidence that breast cancer patients suffer from thyroid disorders. However, the relation between thyroid receptor (TR) expression and breast cancer remains unknown so far. Therefore, the aim of this study was an immunohistochemical analysis of TR expression in breast cancer patients.

Bilateral prophylactic skin-reducing nipple-sparing mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction using only a vascularized dermal-subcutaneous pedicle: technique and possible advantages.

Purpose: To present a new surgical technique regarding breast reconstruction after skin-reducing nipple-sparing mastectomy.

Method: The current trend for immediate breast reconstruction after skin-reducing mastectomy mainly supports the insertion of subpectoral implants or the use of autologous breast reconstruction techniques. Herein for the first time, we present a case of bilateral prophylactic skin-reducing nipple-sparing mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction, using only a dermal-cutaneous pedicle.

Steroid hormone receptor expression in ovarian cancer: progesterone receptor B as prognostic marker for patient survival.

Background: There is partially conflicting evidence on the influence of the steroid hormones estrogen (E) and progesterone (P) on the development of ovarian cancer (OC). The aim of this study was to assess the expression of the receptor isoforms ER-α/-β and PR-A/-B in OC tissue and to analyze its impact on clinical and pathological features and patient outcome.

Methods: 155 OC patients were included who had been diagnosed and treated between 1990 and 2002.

A retrospective investigation of women's experience with breast reconstruction after mastectomy.

Purpose: A diagnosis of breast cancer is often accompanied by the fear of loss of previous body image and attractiveness. Hence, many patients opt for reconstructive surgery. This study evaluated the effects of different types of reconstructive surgery after mastectomy on the functional and psychological adjustment of patients.

Dual-energy CT for the evaluation of silicone breast implants.

Objective: The evaluation of breast implants for rupture is currently the domain of ultrasound and MRI, while mammography is of very limited diagnostic value. Recently, specific visualisation of silicone has become feasible using dual-energy CT. Our objective was to evaluate whether it is feasible to identify silicone in breast implants by dual-energy CT and to reliably diagnose or rule out ruptures.

Intimate partner violence and its association with pregnancy loss and pregnancy planning.

Objective: To examine the effect of physical partner violence on pregnancy loss and unplanned pregnancy. 

Design: Cross-sectional, self-reported questionnaire survey.

Setting: A maternity ward of a university hospital in Munich, Germany.

Worldwide first experiences with vacuum-assisted closure as alternative treatment method to repair defects of an extended thoracic wall recurrence of breast cancer.

Introduction: Loco-regional recurrences of the breast cancer are associated with a bad prognosis. Often costly autologous-tissue treatment as a surgery aiming at repairing the defects is necessary.

Patients And Methods: Four female patients were treated with the vacuum-assisted closure (VAC)-system in context with the recurrence resection.

Phyllodes tumour of the breast: clinical follow-up of 33 cases of this rare disease.

Objective: The "cystosarcoma phyllodes" of the breast is a rare entity which accounts for 0.5% of all breast neoplasms. The aim of our study was to analyse the clinical management with respect to patient outcome.

The risk of non-sentinel metastases in primary breast cancer.

Background: Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) has been established as standard of surgical care in primary breast cancer. If the sentinel node (SN) is negative, axillary dissection (ALND) is not necessary, but if the SN is positive ALND is warranted. This analysis evaluated associated risk factors for non-sentinel metastases in the case of a positive SN.

Obstetrical and gynecological writing and publishing in Europe.

Objective: To assess the number and quality of scientific articles published by authors from the European Union (EU) and Germany in the field of obstetrics and gynecology.

Study Design: Scientific articles published during the years 1980-2003 covered by the Journal Citation Report (JCR) were considered, with a focus on the impact factor (IF), authors' origin, journal country and publishing language.

Results: In 2003, there are 53 journals listed by the JCR for the field category 'obstetrics and gynecology', with altogether 3201 publications listed in the Science Citation Index (SCI).

[Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer: state of the art].

Axillary lymph node excision of level I and II with at least 10 lymph nodes is the operative gold standard for invasive breast cancer. Axillary lymph node excision is a diagnostic procedure for histopathologic tumor classification, for assessment of prognosis, local tumor control and adjuvant therapy decision. The sentinel node biopsy is a minimal-invasive procedure to determine the axillary lymph node status by excision of one or more sentinel nodes.