Proactive approaches to successful aging: one clear path through the forest.

The importance of successful aging is increasingly acknowledged in the field of gerontology. In this paper we contribute to ongoing efforts to clarify and operationalize this concept by presenting our revised Comprehensive Preventive Corrective Proactive (PCP) model that builds on relevant research traditions, our prior formulations and accumulating research evidence based on testing this model. Recognizing biopsychosocial challenges and contextual stressors that are normative for older individuals, we emphasize the critical role of proactive behavioral adaptations in ameliorating the adverse effects of stressors.

Validation and comparison of CS-IHC4 scores with a nomogram to predict recurrence in hormone receptor-positive breast cancers.

The aim of this study was to both develop and validate a nomogram based on the Ki-67 index to predict recurrence. We constructed a nomogram using the Cox proportional hazards model with 953 N0 and N1 postoperative hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer patients and validated it in an external cohort of 895 patients. A prognostic model that used classical variables, Adjuvant! Online, St.

A multi-institutional study on the association between BRCA1/BRCA2 mutational status and triple-negative breast cancer in familial breast cancer patients.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 12-24 % of all breast cancers. Here, we studied 221 familial breast and/or ovarian cancer patients from 37 hospitals using a comprehensive approach to identify large genomic rearrangements (LGRs) as well as sequence variants, and investigated the association between BRCA1/2 mutational status and TNBC. We performed direct sequencing or mutation scanning followed by direct sequencing.

Genetic anticipation of familial breast cancer with or without BRCA mutation in the Korean population.

We investigated genetic anticipation of breast or ovarian cancer in patients with familial breast cancer. Among 201 patients with breast cancer who had a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, 95 families had affected familial members in the previous generation. Of these families, 2 were excluded because of insufficient data.

Regulation of diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 protein stability by gp78-associated endoplasmic-reticulum-associated degradation.

Triacylglycerol (TG) is the major form of stored energy in eukaryotic organisms and is synthesized by diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). DGAT2, one of the two DGAT enzymes, is barely detectable in cells, even though its mRNA transcripts are maintained at considerable levels. However, little is known about how DGAT2 expression is altered by protein stability.

Rosiglitazone inhibits chlorpyrifos-induced apoptosis via modulation of the oxidative stress and inflammatory response in SH-SY5Y cells.

Oxidative stress can lead to expression of inflammatory transcription factors, which are important regulatory elements in the induction of inflammatory responses. One of the transcription factors, nuclear transcription factor kappa-B (NF-κB) plays a significant role in the inflammation regulatory process. Inflammatory cell death has been implicated in neuronal cell death in some neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD).

Aberrant DNA methylation of integrin α4 in human breast cancer.

Integrins are cell surface receptors that mediate cell-cell/extracellular interactions and have shown an association with metastasis or transformation in several cancers. However, the correlation between the clinicopathological status of breast cancer and the altered integrin α4 status is not clear. In this study, we investigated DNA methylation of integrin α4 in breast cancer.

Polyostotic fibrous dysplasia mimicking multiple bone metastases in a patient with ductal carcinoma in situ.

Whole-body bone scans and whole body (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic/computed tomographic scans are sensitive for detecting bone metastasis in patients with breast cancer. However, it is often difficult to discriminate between bone metastasis and other nonmalignant bone lesions. Polyostotic fibrous dysplasia is a rare disorder characterized by the osteoid medullary cavity filling with fibrous tissue causing bony expansion.

Nuclear NF-κB contributes to chlorpyrifos-induced apoptosis through p53 signaling in human neural precursor cells.

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is one of the most widely used organophosphate insecticides with several harmful effects, including neurotoxicity. Although many studies have addressed the neurotoxicity induced by CPF, most data on neurodevelopmental damage was obtained from animal models. We are the first group to use human neural precursor cells (hNPCs) derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) as a developing neuron model to evaluate the mechanisms involved in CPF-induced neurotoxicity.

PET/CT planning during chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for field modification during radiotherapy in esophageal cancer.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on 33 patients that underwent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Pathologic findings were squamous cell carcinoma in 32 patients and adenocarcinoma in 1 patient.

Impact of chemotherapy-induced alopecia distress on body image, psychosocial well-being, and depression in breast cancer patients.

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the impact of chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) distress on body image, psychosocial well-being, and depression among breast cancer patients.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at the breast cancer advocacy events held at 16 hospitals in Korea. Alopecia distress was assessed using the 'Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia Distress Scale', body image and psychosocial well-being were measured by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 and breast specific module (BR23), and depression was measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale.

Laryngeal preservation in stage III/IV resectable laryngo-hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma following concurrent chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine/cisplatin.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy has become the standard of care for advanced head and neck cancers in organ preservation strategies. However, the optimal regimen for concurrent chemoradiotherapy to maximise treatment response and minimise toxicity has not been determined. The purpose of the present clinical study was to review our experience with concurrent chemoradiotherapy by using the capecitabine and cisplatin (XP) regimen with the aim of organ preservation in patients with locoregionally advanced laryngo-hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LHSCC).

Incidental Findings on Simulation CT Images for Adjuvant Radiotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients.

We designed this study to evaluate the incidence of incidental findings on computed tomography (CT) scan implemented as simulation for adjuvant radiotherapy in breast cancer patients and to emphasize the need for careful review of simulation CT images before planning radiotherapy. A Resident and attending radiation oncologists retrospectively reviewed the medical records and simulation CT images of 776 patients treated with adjuvant radiotherapy at Samsung Medical Center during 2008. Previously undetected abnormal findings on simulation CT images were defined as incidental findings and interpreted by diagnostic radiologist.

Noninvasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B viral infection using magnetic resonance elastography.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) for staging hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Materials And Methods: Patients with chronic HBV infection who were suspected of having focal or diffuse liver diseases (n = 195) and living donor candidates (n = 166) underwent MRE as part of the routine liver MRI examination. We measured liver stiffness (LS) values on quantitative shear stiffness maps.

Phase II randomized trial of neoadjuvant metformin plus letrozole versus placebo plus letrozole for estrogen receptor positive postmenopausal breast cancer (METEOR).

Background: Neoadjuvant endocrine therapy with an aromatase inhibitor has shown efficacy comparable to that of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with postmenopausal breast cancer. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that the antidiabetic drug metformin has anti-tumor activity. This prospective, multicenter, phase II randomized, placebo controlled trial was designed to evaluate the direct anti-tumor effect of metformin in non-diabetic postmenopausal women with estrogen-receptor (ER) positive breast cancer.

Update on the evidence regarding maintenance therapy.

Maintenance therapy has emerged as a novel therapeutic paradigm for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Maintenance therapy that aims to sustain a clinically favorable state after first-line chemotherapy has two strategies. Switch maintenance therapy entails switching to a new and non-cross-resistant agent in an alternating or sequential manner, on completion of first-line chemotherapy.

Primary follicular lymphoma in a male breast: a case report.

Primary breast lymphoma (PBL) is a rare disease, particularly in males. Diffuse large B cell lymphoma is the most common PBL, while follicular lymphoma is less common. Furthermore, primary follicular lymphoma of a male breast is rarely reported.

Prognostic factors for survivals from first relapse in breast cancer patients: analysis of deceased patients.

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate prognostic factors for survival from first relapse (SFFR) in stage I-III breast cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: From June 1994 to June 2008, 3,835 patients were treated with surgery plus postoperative radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy for stage I-III breast cancer at Samsung Medical Center. Among them, a total of 224 patients died by June 2009, and 175 deaths were of breast cancer.

The protective effect of parity in hormone receptor-positive, Ki-67 expressing breast cancer.

Background: Epidemiologic studies showed that the experience of pregnancy is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. We hypothesized that parity may differentially be associated with the development of invasive breast cancer by each subtype.

Methods: We reviewed the clinical, radiological, and pathological records of women diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast at Samsung Medical Center between 2005 and 2009.

Comparison of the characteristics of medullary breast carcinoma and invasive ductal carcinoma.

Purpose: Medullary breast carcinomas (MBC) have been known to represent a rare breast cancer subtype associated with a more favorable prognosis than invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC). The purpose of this study was to compare the clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes of MBC with those of IDC.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with invasive breast cancer who were managed surgically from August 1995 to June 2010.

Tubular carcinoma of the breast: clinicopathologic features and survival outcome compared with ductal carcinoma in situ.

Purpose: Tubular carcinoma (TC) of the breast is an uncommon histological subtype of invasive breast cancer with an excellent prognosis compared with standard invasive ductal carcinoma. Recent studies suggested a possible precursor role for low grade ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in the development of TC. The goal of this analysis was to understand the clinicopathologic features and outcomes of TC by comparing TC with DCIS.

Comparison of acute skin reaction following morning versus late afternoon radiotherapy in patients with breast cancer who have undergone curative surgical resection.

We investigated the relationship between the time of radiotherapy (RT) and treatment outcomes in breast cancer. Patients with pathologic T1-2N0-1 breast cancer who received adjuvant RT in the morning (before 10:00 AM) or late afternoon (after 3:00 PM) were eligible for inclusion in this study. We retrospectively compared the clinicopathologic characteristics, acute skin reaction, and survival outcomes according to the time of RT.

Protein kinase C-α downregulates estrogen receptor-α by suppressing c-Jun phosphorylation in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells.

Protein kinase C (PKC) activity is elevated in malignant compared with that in normal human breast tissue. In the present study, we investigated the regulatory mechanism and the co-relationship between PKC-α and estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) in ER-α-positive and tamoxifen-resistant (TAMR) breast cancer cells. Our results showed that the level of ER-α expression was significantly decreased in TAMR when compared with that in tamoxifen-sensitive (TAMS) breast cancer cells.

Berberine suppresses TPA-induced fibronectin expression through the inhibition of VEGF secretion in breast cancer cells.

Background/aims: Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline alkaloid and is beneficial for the anticancer effect on a variety of human tumor cells. However, BBR's anti-angiogenesis property and its clinical potential as an inhibitor of tumor angiogenesis in breast cancer cells have not been fully elucidated. Here, we investigated the effect of BBR on TPA-induced VEGF and fibronectin (FN) as well as VEGF-induced FN in breast cancer cells.