Historical Biobanks in Breast Cancer Metabolomics- Challenges and Opportunities.

Metabolomic characterization of tumours can potentially improve prediction of cancer prognosis and treatment response. Here, we describe efforts to validate previous metabolomic findings using a historical cohort of breast cancer patients and discuss challenges with using older biobanks collected with non-standardized sampling procedures. In total, 100 primary breast cancer samples were analysed by high-resolution magic angle spinning magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HR MAS MRS) and subsequently examined by histology.

DNA methylation signature (SAM40) identifies subgroups of the Luminal A breast cancer samples with distinct survival.

Breast cancer patients with Luminal A disease generally have a good prognosis, but among this patient group are patients with good prognosis that are currently overtreated with adjuvant chemotherapy, and also patients that have a bad prognosis and should be given more aggressive treatment. There is no available method for subclassification of this patient group. Here we present a DNA methylation signature (SAM40) that segregates Luminal A patients based on prognosis, and identify one good prognosis group and one bad prognosis group.

Systematic analysis of challenge-driven improvements in molecular prognostic models for breast cancer.

Although molecular prognostics in breast cancer are among the most successful examples of translating genomic analysis to clinical applications, optimal approaches to breast cancer clinical risk prediction remain controversial. The Sage Bionetworks-DREAM Breast Cancer Prognosis Challenge (BCC) is a crowdsourced research study for breast cancer prognostic modeling using genome-scale data. The BCC provided a community of data analysts with a common platform for data access and blinded evaluation of model accuracy in predicting breast cancer survival on the basis of gene expression data, copy number data, and clinical covariates.

Gefitinib in Combination with Weekly Docetaxel in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer Caused Unexpected Toxicity: Results from a Randomized Phase II Clinical Trial.

In patients with metastatic breast cancer, taxane treatment demonstrates activity but is not curative. Targeted treatment modalities are therefore necessary in order to improve outcomes in this group. A randomized placebo-controlled phase II trial was initiated to evaluate effect and toxicity of gefitinib (250 mg QD) and docetaxel 35 mg/m(2) (six of seven weeks) (NCT 00319618).

Radiation-induced effects on gene expression: an in vivo study on breast cancer.

Background And Purpose: Breast cancer is diagnosed worldwide in approximately one million women annually and radiation therapy is an integral part of treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the molecular basis underlying response to radiotherapy in breast cancer tissue.

Material And Methods: Tumour biopsies were sampled before radiation and after 10 treatments (of 2 Gray (Gy) each) from 19 patients with breast cancer receiving radiation therapy.

Reduction in bone relapse and improved survival with oral clodronate for adjuvant treatment of operable breast cancer [ISRCTN83688026].

Introduction: Experimental and clinical data show that the oral bisphosphonate clodronate (Bonefos) can inhibit tumor-induced osteoclastic bone resorption. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial was designed to determine if the addition of oral clodronate to standard treatment for primary operable breast cancer could reduce the subsequent occurrence of bone metastases and thereby improve overall survival.

Methods: 1,069 patients with primary operable stage I-III breast cancer were randomized to receive oral clodronate (1,600 mg/day) or placebo for 2 years, in conjunction with standard treatment for primary breast cancer including surgery, radiotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy, and/or tamoxifen.

[Breast cancer patients' assessment of waiting time before radiotherapy].

Background And Methods: Radiotherapy capacity in Norway is limited because of higher cancer incidence and more complex treatment modalities. Breast cancer patients referred for post-operative radiotherapy were asked to respond to a questionnaire on waiting time and their attitude to treatment outside the Norwegian Radium Hospital. From 130 referred patients we received 109 questionnaires.

Randomized, placebo-controlled trial of clodronate in patients with primary operable breast cancer.

Purpose: The development of bone metastases depends on tumor-induced osteoclastic resorption of bone, which may be inhibited by the antiosteolytic bisphosphonate clodronate. Given to patients with primary breast cancer, clodronate might reduce the subsequent incidence of bone metastases.

Patients And Methods: This double-blind, multicenter trial accrued 1,069 assessable patients with operable breast cancer between 1989 and 1995.