Total tumor load assessed by one-step nucleic acid amplification assay as an intraoperative predictor for non-sentinel lymph node metastasis in breast cancer.

Background: This study aimed to determine the relationship between CK19 mRNA copy number in sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) assessed by one-step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA) technique, and non-sentinel lymph nodes (NSLN) metastization in invasive breast cancer. A model using total tumor load (TTL) obtained by OSNA technique was also constructed to evaluate its predictability.

Methods: We conducted an observational retrospective study including 598 patients with clinically T1-T3 and node negative invasive breast cancer.

Prognostic value of microRNA-203a expression in breast cancer.

Tumor heterogeneity and the poor outcome of breast cancer (BC) patients have led researchers to define new markers of this disease. In recent years, microRNA expression patterns have proven to be valuable disease indicators. The level of miR-203a, in particular, was shown to be altered in different types of cancer.