Inflammatory breast cancer: Epidemiologic data and therapeutic results.

Since the early description more than a century ago, inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) remains an aggressive disease, with a different geographic repartition, with the highest ones incidence reported in the North of Africa (Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Egypt), and the lowest incidence in Western countries (USA, Europe…). In this study, we reviewed the literature using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database compared to other published series. We observed that in the high incidence areas (North of Africa) when compared to "classical" breast cancer, IBC was associated to younger age (less than 50 years) with rapid evolution of signs and symptoms (in less than 3 up to 6 months), and more aggressive clinical and histopathological-molecular parameters, due to the predominance of triple-negative and HER2+ subtypes in around 60% of cases.

Recent advances in the epidemiology of inflammatory breast cancer.

The survival after the diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) has been steadily improving for the past few decades. This has been due to advances in the knowledge of IBC in a number of fields, including epidemiology, molecular biology, and medical management. In this review we summarize some of the most important recent advances in these fields and suggest possible opportunities for continued improvement.

An evaluation of HHV-6 as an etiologic agent in Hodgkin lymphoma and brain cancer using IARC criteria for oncogenicity.

Background: Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) is a ubiquitous double-stranded DNA virus that can cause roseola infantum, encephalitis, and seizure disorders. Several studies have shown an association between HHV-6 and cancer but confirmation of an etiologic role is lacking. We reviewed the criteria for viral causation of cancer used by The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) for six oncogenic viruses and applied criteria to published reports of HHV-6 and its association with Hodgkin lymphoma and brain tumors.

Activity of Paraoxonase/Arylesterase and Butyrylcholinesterase in Peripheral Blood of Gulf War Era Veterans With Neurologic Symptom Complexes or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Objective: Two groups of Gulf War era veterans, one exhibiting blurred vision, balance problems/dizziness, tremors/shaking, and speech difficulty and a second group with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but not the neurologic syndrome, were assessed for organophosphate-detoxifying enzyme paraoxonase/arylesterase (PON1) and its Q/R isoforms, butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) and its U/A isoforms and cytokines.

Methods: Defibrinated peripheral blood was evaluated for enzymes and cytokines.

Results: Trends toward elevation of Th2 cytokines interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13 were observed in subjects with neurologic syndrome.

Circulating and intraprostatic sex steroid hormonal profiles in relation to male pattern baldness and chest hair density among men diagnosed with localized prostate cancers.

Background: Prospective cohort studies of circulating sex steroid hormones and prostate cancer risk have not provided a consistent association, despite evidence from animal and clinical studies. However, studies using male pattern baldness as a proxy of early-life or cumulative androgen exposure have reported significant associations with aggressive and fatal prostate cancer risk. Given that androgens underlie the development of patterned hair loss and chest hair, we assessed whether these two dermatological characteristics were associated with circulating and intraprostatic concentrations of sex steroid hormones among men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer.

Relationships between Circulating and Intraprostatic Sex Steroid Hormone Concentrations.

Sex hormones have been implicated in prostate carcinogenesis, yet epidemiologic studies have not provided substantiating evidence. We tested the hypothesis that circulating concentrations of sex steroid hormones reflect intraprostatic concentrations using serum and adjacent microscopically verified benign prostate tissue from prostate cancer cases. Incident localized prostate cancer cases scheduled for surgery were invited to participate.

Determinants of Light and Intermittent Smoking in the United States: Results from Three Pooled National Health Surveys.

Background: Light and/or intermittent smokers have been the fastest growing segment of cigarette smokers in the United States over the past two decades. Defining their behavioral characteristics is a critical public health priority.

Methods: Our sample included 78,229 U.

Importance of hereditary and selected environmental risk factors in the etiology of inflammatory breast cancer: a case-comparison study.

Background: To assess the importance of heredity in the etiology of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), we compared IBC patients to several carefully chosen comparison groups with respect to the prevalence of first-degree family history of breast cancer.

Methods: IBC cases (n = 141) were compared to non-inflammatory breast cancer cases (n = 178) ascertained through George Washington University (GWU) with respect to the prevalence of first-degree family history of breast cancer and selected environmental/lifestyle risk factors for breast cancer. Similar comparisons were conducted with subjects from three case-control studies: breast cancer cases (n = 1145) and unaffected controls (n = 1142) from the Cancer Genetic Markers of Susceptibility (CGEMS) study, breast cancer cases (n = 465) and controls (n = 9317) from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study, and ovarian cancer cases (n = 260) and controls (n = 331) from a study by University of Toronto (UT).

Racial and ethnic differences in patient navigation: Results from the Patient Navigation Research Program.

Background: Patient navigation was developed to address barriers to timely care and reduce cancer disparities. The current study explored navigation and racial and ethnic differences in time to the diagnostic resolution of a cancer screening abnormality.

Methods: The authors conducted an analysis of the multisite Patient Navigation Research Program.

Hyperactivated mTOR and JAK2/STAT3 Pathways: Molecular Drivers and Potential Therapeutic Targets of Inflammatory and Invasive Ductal Breast Cancers After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Introduction: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is an aggressive and rare cancer with a poor prognosis and a need for novel targeted therapeutic strategies. Preclinical IBC data showed strong activation of the phosphatidylinositide-3-kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathways, and expression of inflammatory cytokines and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs).

Patients And Methods: Archival tumor tissue from 3 disease types (IBC treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy [NAC], n = 45; invasive ductal carcinoma [IDC] treated with NAC [n = 24; 'treated IDC'; and untreated IDC [n = 27; 'untreated IDC']) was analyzed for the expression of biomarkers phospho-S6 (pS6) (mTOR), phospho-JAK2 (pJAK2), pSTAT3, interleukin (IL)-6, CD68 (monocytes, macrophages), and CD163 (TAMs).

Male Pattern Baldness in Relation to Prostate Cancer-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Analysis in the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study.

We used male pattern baldness as a proxy for long-term androgen exposure and investigated the association of dermatologist-assessed hair loss with prostate cancer-specific mortality in the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Epidemiologic Follow-up Study. From the baseline survey (1971-1974), we included 4,316 men who were 25-74 years of age and had no prior cancer diagnosis. We estimated hazard ratios and used Cox proportional hazards regressions with age as the time metric and baseline hazard stratified by baseline age.

Geographic and income variations in age at diagnosis and incidence of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Developing countries have a younger population of CML patients than developed countries. Patterns of age at diagnosis and incidence by geography and gross national income (GNI) are not well understood. A population-based descriptive study was conducted using data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer's population-based registry compilation.

Between-ward disparities in colorectal cancer incidence and screening in Washington DC.

This study aims to investigate the incidence and determinants of colorectal cancer (CRC) and its screening in District of Columbia (DC), and identify modifiable risk factors. Data (2000-2009) from the DC Cancer Registry, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS-DC) and Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) were used to estimate CRC incidence in eight DC Wards. Risk factors and CRC screening were analyzed using uni-, bi-, and multivariable statistical methods with survey procedures in SAS (version 9.

Risk Factors for Melanoma Among Survivors of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Purpose: Previous studies have reported that survivors of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) have an increased risk of developing cutaneous melanoma; however, risks associated with specific treatments and immune-related risk factors have not been quantified.

Patients And Methods: We evaluated second melanoma risk among 44,870 1-year survivors of first primary NHL diagnosed at age 66 to 83 years from 1992 to 2009 and included in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database. Information on NHL treatments, autoimmune diseases, and infections was derived from Medicare claims.

Trends in cancer diagnoses and survival among persons with AIDS in a high HIV prevalence urban area.

Washington, DC (DC), has among the highest AIDS prevalence and cancer incidence in the USA. This study compared cancer diagnoses and survival among AIDS cases with AIDS-defining cancers (ADCs) to those with non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs) in DC from 1996 to 2006. Survival by cancer type and time period was also examined for 300 individuals diagnosed with AIDS who developed cancer; 49% of AIDS cases developed an ADC.

Male pattern baldness in relation to prostate cancer risks: an analysis in the VITamins and lifestyle (VITAL) cohort study.

Background: Male pattern baldness and prostate cancer may share common pathophysiological mechanisms in terms of advancing age, heritability, and endogenous hormones. Results from previous epidemiologic studies are inconsistent. Therefore, we investigated the association of prostate cancer risks with male pattern baldness at age 30 years, age 45 years, and baseline (median age = 60.

Relationship between male pattern baldness and the risk of aggressive prostate cancer: an analysis of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial.

Purpose: Male pattern baldness and prostate cancer appear to share common pathophysiologic mechanisms. However, results from previous studies that assess their relationship have been inconsistent. Therefore, we investigated the association of male pattern baldness at age 45 years with risks of overall and subtypes of prostate cancer in a large, prospective cohort—the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial.

Inflammatory breast cancer clusters: A hypothesis.

Cancer clusters have long been a focus of interest because of the possibility of identifying etiologic agents. Only on rare occasions, however, have such cluster investigations been successful. One major difficulty in cluster investigations, particularly in the area of breast cancer, is the long latent period.

International patterns of childhood chronic myeloid leukemia: comparisons between the United States and resource-restricted nations.

Background: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a rare disease in children and represents approximately 2% of all childhood leukemia. This results in difficulty creating large cohorts of patients for pediatric CML research. The Glivec International Patient Assistance Program (GIPAP) is a patient-access program sponsored by Novartis Oncology and administered by The Max Foundation (MAX) that provides imatinib free of charge to patients in resource-restricted countries who are not able to afford this treatment.

Methods and matrices: approaches to identifying miRNAs for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a solid tumor of the head and neck. Multimodal therapy is highly effective when NPC is detected early. However, due to the location of the tumor and the absence of clinical signs, early detection is difficult, making a biomarker for the early detection of NPC a priority.

Endemic Burkitt lymphoma is associated with strength and diversity of Plasmodium falciparum malaria stage-specific antigen antibody response.

Endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) is linked to Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) infection geographically, but evidence from individual-level studies is limited. We investigated this issue among 354 childhood eBL cases and 384 age-, sex-, and location-matched controls enrolled in Ghana from 1965 to 1994. Immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and immunoglobulin G3 (IgG3) antibodies to antigens diagnostic of recent infection Pf histidine-rich protein-II (HRP-II) and 6NANP, Pf-vaccine candidates SE36 and 42-kDa region of the 3D7 Pf merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1), and tetanus toxoid were measured by indirect enzyme-linked immunoassay.

Regional variations in age at diagnosis and overall survival among patients with chronic myeloid leukemia from low and middle income countries.

Introduction: The epidemiology of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in low and middle income countries is limited. As a result, we analyzed a contemporary cohort of patients from low and middle income countries treated with Imatinib through The Glivec(®) International Patient Assistance Program (GIPAP).

Methods: Generalized estimating equations (GEE) and Kaplan-Meier estimation were utilized to test for regional variations in age at diagnosis and overall survival among 33,985 patients from 94 countries.

Initial response to chemotherapy, not delay in diagnosis, predicts overall survival in inflammatory breast cancer cases.

Objectives: To determine whether chemotherapy response and diagnostic delay affect overall survival (OS) of classic inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) cases receiving chemotherapy as initial treatment and to determine whether OS differs between classic and "atypical" IBC cases.

Methods: This is a prospective cohort study of 155 patients enrolled in the IBC Registry. "Classic" IBC cases met AJCC or SEER case definitions.