Estrogen Receptor β as a Therapeutic Target in Breast Cancer Stem Cells.

Background: Breast cancer cells with tumor-initiating capabilities (BSCs) are considered to maintain tumor growth and govern metastasis. Hence, targeting BSCs will be crucial to achieve successful treatment of breast cancer.

Methods: We characterized mammospheres derived from more than 40 cancer patients and two breast cancer cell lines for the expression of estrogen receptors (ERs) and stem cell markers.

KIT, NRAS, BRAF and PTEN mutations in a sample of Swedish patients with acral lentiginous melanoma.

Background: Acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) accounts for <10% of all melanomas in Caucasians. Although the involvement of KIT, NRAS and BRAF mutations is well known in ALM, the impact of these mutations on clinicopathological features has not been established.

Objective: To define the KIT, NRAS, BRAF and PTEN mutation frequencies in Swedish patients with ALM and to evaluate the impact of mutation status on patient and tumor characteristics.