Characterization of human afferent lymph dendritic cells from seroma fluids.

Dendritic cells (DCs) migrate from peripheral tissues to secondary lymphoid organs (SLOs) through the afferent lymph. Owing to limitations in investigating human lymph, DCs flowing in afferent lymph have not been properly characterized in humans until now. In this study, DCs present in seroma, an accrual of human afferent lymph occurring after lymph node surgical dissection, were isolated and analyzed in detail.

Seroma fluid subsequent to axillary lymph node dissection for breast cancer derives from an accumulation of afferent lymph.

Seroma is a frequent complication of breast cancer surgery, the etiology of which remains indefinite. It represents a subcutaneous accumulation of fluid frequently reported after surgical procedures such as axillary lymph node dissection. Despite previous studies have associated seroma fluid to an inflammatory exudate, the surgical removal of draining lymph nodes may indicate that seroma might not represent a mere exudate but rather an accrual of lymph drained from tributary tissues.

PIK3CA mutations and BRCA1 expression in breast cancer: potential biomarkers for chemoresistance.

Mutations in PIK3CA and alterations of BRCA1 expression are common in breast cancer and have been correlated with altered sensitivity to taxanes in human cancer cell lines and with outcome of patients. We assessed mutations in the three hotspots of PIK3CA (E542K, E545K and H1047R) and intratumoral BRCA1 mRNA expression by quantitative RT-PCR in 61 breast cancer patients. Mutations of PIK3CA were found in 17 (27.

Micropapillary carcinoma of the breast with necrosis-like cell death: a case report.

A primary invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the breast in a 46-year-old woman is reported. Histologically, it was composed predominantly of papillary tumor cell clusters without fibrovascular cores, surrounded by a clear space. Tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin (CK) 7, estrogen receptor (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR), but negative for p53, CK 20, CD34, c-Erb-B2, CK5, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), vimentin, and c-kit.

Switching to anastrozole versus continued tamoxifen treatment of early breast cancer: preliminary results of the Italian Tamoxifen Anastrozole Trial.

Purpose: Tamoxifen, which is actually the gold standard adjuvant treatment in estrogen receptor-positive early breast cancer, is associated with an increased risk of endometrial cancer and other life-threatening events. Moreover, many women relapse during or after tamoxifen therapy because of the development of resistance. Therefore new approaches are required.

Is weekly docetaxel an active and gentle chemotherapy in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer?

Background: Docetaxel is a very active drug against breast cancer, but at the standard dose causes severe myelosuppression. In order to reduce the toxicity while maintaining the activity, weekly docetaxel administration was tested.

Patients And Methods: We enrolled 30 patients with metastatic breast cancer, who had been treated with intravenous infusion of weekly docetaxel 35 mg/m2 in 100 ml of normal saline over 30 minutes for six weeks, followed by two weeks' rest from docetaxel therapy (one cycle).