The Warwick Experience of the Oncotype DX® Breast Recurrence Score® Assay as a Predictor of Chemotherapy Administration.

Introduction: Oncotype DX® analyses the expression of 21 genes within tumour tissue to determine a Recurrence Score® (RS). RS is a marker of risk for distant recurrence in oestrogen receptor-positive early breast cancer, allowing patient-specific benefit of chemotherapy to be evaluated. Our aim was to determine whether the introduction of Oncotype DX led to a net reduction in chemotherapy use.

Early multicentre experience of pre-pectoral implant based immediate breast reconstruction using Braxon.

Background: The last two decades have seen significant changes in surgical management of breast cancer. The offer of immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) following mastectomy is currently standard practice. Skin sparing and nipple sparing mastectomy with implant-based IBR have emerged as oncologically safe treatment options.

Patient anxiety on the use of one step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA) during breast cancer surgery.

Introduction: Assessment of the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is used to stage the axilla in patients with breast cancer. There are a variety of methods to assess metastatic disease within the SLN. One-step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA) has a high sensitivity for detecting metastatic disease within the SLN and avoids the use of staged axillary surgery.

Patients' perspective on day case breast surgery.

Background: This study assessed the views of patients undergoing breast surgery for breast cancer with a planned overnight stay, asking whether they would be happy to be discharged home on the same day of surgery.

Methods: A structured questionnaire sent out in the 6 weeks following surgery was used to ascertain the patients' views.

Results: The majority of patients undergoing mastectomy and axillary node clearance preferred an overnight stay, primarily for psychological reasons.

Comprehensive analysis of matrix metalloproteinase and tissue inhibitor expression in pancreatic cancer: increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase-7 predicts poor survival.

Purpose: To enable the design of improved inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, the expression profiles of a range of MMPs and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) were determined.

Experimental Design: Nine MMPs (MMPs 1-3, 7-9, 11, 12, and 14) and three TIMPs (TIMPs 1-3) were examined in up to 75 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas and 10 normal pancreata by immunohistochemistry. Eighteen additional pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas and an additional eight normal pancreata were also analyzed by real-time reverse transcription-PCR and additionally for MMP-15.

CT and pathologic assessment of prospective nodal staging in patients with ductal adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas.

Objective: The aim of our study was to compare the assessment of peripancreatic lymph nodes using CT with the gold standard of detailed histopathologic assessment of resected specimens in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Subjects And Methods: Sixty-two patients with presumed pancreatic carcinoma were prospectively studied with dual-phase contrast-enhanced helical CT, and images were interpreted in consensus by three radiologists. Complete surgical resection was performed in 28 patients.