Association of Axillary Dissection With Systemic Therapy in Patients With Clinically Node-Positive Breast Cancer.

Importance: The role of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) to determine nodal burden to inform systemic therapy recommendations in patients with clinically node (cN)-positive breast cancer (BC) is currently unknown.

Objective: To address the association of ALND with systemic therapy in cN-positive BC in the upfront surgery setting and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This was a prospective, observational, cohort study conducted from August 2018 to June 2022.

Trends in use of neoadjuvant systemic therapy in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer in Europe: prospective TAXIS study (OPBC-03, SAKK 23/16, IBCSG 57-18, ABCSG-53, GBG 101).

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical practice heterogeneity in use of neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) for patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer in Europe.

Methods: The study was preplanned in the international multicenter phase-III OPBC-03/TAXIS trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03513614) to include the first 500 randomized patients with confirmed nodal disease at the time of surgery.

Tailored axillary surgery in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer: Pre-planned feasibility substudy of TAXIS (OPBC-03, SAKK 23/16, IBCSG 57-18, ABCSG-53, GBG 101).

Aim: We developed tailored axillary surgery (TAS) to reduce the axillary tumor volume in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer to the point where radiotherapy can control it. The aim of this study was to quantify the extent of tumor load reduction achieved by TAS.

Methods: International multicenter prospective study embedded in a randomized trial.

Subcutaneous botulinum toxin type A injections for provoked vestibulodynia: a randomized placebo-controlled trial and exploratory subanalysis.

Background: Previous studies using botulinum toxin type A (BT) to treat provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) reported conflicting findings, possibly attributable to singular injections or low doses. We assessed PVD treatment effectiveness with high-dose single injections of BT (50 or 100 units) versus placebo, and then repeat BT 100 U injections over 6 months.

Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, three-arm, placebo-controlled study with 33 PVD patients.

Impact of a Surgical Sealing Patch on Lymphatic Drainage After Axillary Dissection for Breast Cancer: The SAKK 23/13 Multicenter Randomized Phase III Trial.

Background: Several studies and a meta-analysis showed that fibrin sealant patches reduced lymphatic drainage after various lymphadenectomy procedures. Our goal was to investigate the impact of these patches on drainage after axillary dissection for breast cancer.

Methods: In a phase III superiority trial, we randomized patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery at 14 Swiss sites to receive versus not receive three large TachoSil patches in the dissected axilla.

Development of an in vitro model of feline cartilage degradation.

Osteoarthritis is the most common arthropathy of mammalian species including cats. Cartilage degradation is central to the disorder and here we present, for the first time, an in vitro model of feline cartilage degradation which will be useful for further studies in this target species. Feline articular cartilage explant cultures were maintained for 28 days and in the presence of oncostatin M with and without interleukin (IL)-17, tumour necrosis factor (TNF), IL-1alpha, or IL-1beta.

MMP-mediated collagen breakdown induced by activated protein C in equine cartilage is reduced by corticosteroids.

The plasma serine protease activated protein C (APC) is synthesized by human chondrocytes at sites of pathological cartilage fibrillation. APC levels are increased in osteoarthritis (OA) synovial fluid, and in vitro APC has been shown to synergize with interleukin-1beta (IL-1) to promote degradation from ovine cartilage. A model of equine cartilage degradation was established and used to explore corticosteroid activities.

[Current adjuvant endocrine treatment of breast cancer].

Hormone-receptor-positive cancer is the most common tumor subtype in women with breast cancer. Endocrine treatment in this subgroup is essential for premenopausal as well as postmenopausal patients. Tamoxifen substantially improves disease-free survival and overall survival in combination with chemotherapy or alone in adjuvant therapy.