Predictive Factors for Upgrading Patients with Benign Breast Papillary Lesions Using a Core Needle Biopsy.

Purpose: Intraductal papilloma (IDP) is a benign breast disease with malignant potential, for which complete surgical excision is usually recommended. The aim of the present study was to investigate predictive factors for upgrading patients with a benign papillary lesion (BPL).

Methods: This study was an observational study using a prospectively collected cohort.

Clinical Features of Male Breast Cancer: Experiences from Seven Institutions Over 20 Years.

Purpose: Breast cancer treatment has progressed significantly over the past 20 years. However, knowledge regarding male breast cancer (MBC) is sparse because of its rarity. This study is an investigation of the clinicopathologic features, treatments, and clinical outcomes of MBC.

The role of the addition of ovarian suppression to tamoxifen in young women with hormone-sensitive breast cancer who remain premenopausal or regain menstruation after chemotherapy (ASTRRA): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial and progress.

Background: Ovarian function suppression (OFS) has been shown to be effective as adjuvant endocrine therapy in premenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. However, it is currently unclear if addition of OFS to standard tamoxifen therapy after completion of adjuvant chemotherapy results in a survival benefit. In 2008, the Korean Breast Cancer Society Study Group initiated the ASTRRA randomized phase III trial to evaluate the efficacy of OFS in addition to standard tamoxifen treatment in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients who remain or regain premenopausal status after chemotherapy.

Occurrence and Prognosis of Symptomatic Venous Thromboembolism in Colorectal Cancer Surgery Patients.

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a high risk for postoperative thromboembolic complications such as venous thromboembolism (VTE) compared to other surgical diseases, but the relationship between VTE and CRC in Asian patients remains poorly understood. The present study examined the incidence of symptomatic VTE in Korean patients who underwent surgery for CRC. We also identified risk factors, incidence and survival rate for VTE in these patients.

Is adjuvant chemotherapy omissible in women with T1-2 stage, node-positive, luminal A type breast cancer?

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether hormonal breast cancer therapy without systemic chemotherapy is feasible in adjuvant settings in luminal A breast cancer.

Methods: A database of 879 patients who underwent breast cancer surgery enrolled between January 2003 and December 2011 was reviewed. Patients with luminal A cancers were selected and grouped into those who received adjuvant hormonal therapy with (group C+) or without (group C - ) adjuvant systemic therapy.

The distance between breast cancer and the skin is associated with axillary nodal metastasis.

Background And Objectives: More superficially located tumors may be more likely than deeper tumors to metastasize to the axillary nodes via the lymphatics. The aim of this study was to determine whether breast cancer distance from the skin affects axillary node metastasis, ipsilateral breast cancer recurrence, or recurrence-free survival.

Materials And Methods: A total of 1,005 consecutive patients with breast cancer who underwent surgery between January 2003 and December 2009 were selected.

The potential role of estrogen receptor β2 in breast cancer.

Endocrine therapy is provided to all patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, but only a subset of them derives clinical benefit. The discovery of ERβ and its five isoforms added another layer of complexity in the regulation of estrogen activity in breast cancer cells. Two large retrospective studies showed conflicting results with regard to the prognostic value of the different ERβ isoforms in patients treated with tamoxifen in an adjuvant setting.

Learning curve for gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy using the trans-axillary approach: CUSUM analysis of a single surgeon's experience.

Background: Endoscopic thyroidectomy and endoscopic parathyroidectomy were first reported in the 1990s. However, there have been few studies reporting on the learning curve of endoscopic thyroidectomy. We used the moving average method and cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis to assess the learning curve of gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy.

Does papillary thyroid carcinoma have a better prognosis with or without Hashimoto thyroiditis?

Background: It has been reported that the BRAF (V600E) mutation is related to a low frequency of background Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT); however, there are not many factors known to be related to the development of HT. The aim of this study was to determine whether patients with both papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and HT show aggressive features, by investigating the clinicopathological features of HT in patients with PTC.

Methods: A database of patients with PTC who underwent thyroidectomy between October 2008 and August 2012 was collected and reviewed.

Clinicopathologic characteristics and surgical outcomes of elderly patients with thyroid cancer.

Objective: Age is one of the important prognostic factors in thyroid cancer, and old age is generally related to higher rate of post-operative morbidity and mortality. The study analyzed the characteristics of thyroid cancer in elderly patients compared with those in younger patients.

Methods: Patients who underwent surgery between 1992 and 2011 were enrolled.

Expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B as a poor prognostic marker in breast cancer.

Purpose: Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B and its ligand (RANK/RANKL) and Osteoprotegerin (OPG) are key molecules for regulating osteoclastic activity in bone. However, little is known about the role of RANK-related molecules in breast cancer prognosis. We aimed to evaluate RANK, RANKL, and OPG expression and the associated clinical impact in breast cancer.

Correlation between obesity and clinicopathological factors in patients with papillary thyroid cancer.

Purpose: Epidemiological studies have shown that obesity is associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer. However, the exact nature of the relationship, especially with respect to the behavior of the cancer, remains uncertain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the body mass index (BMI) and clinicopathological features of thyroid cancer patients.

Characteristics of BRCA1/2 Mutation-Positive Breast Cancers in Korea: A Comparison Study Based on Multicenter Data and the Korean Breast Cancer Registry.

Purpose: Mutations in BRCA genes are the main cause of hereditary breast cancer in Korea. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of breast cancers involving BRCA1 (BRCA1 group) and BRCA2 (BRCA2 group) mutations.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with BRCA1 (BRCA1 group) or BRCA2 (BRCA2 group) mutation positive breast cancer from multiple centers and compared the data to that of the Korean Breast Cancer Society registry (registry group).

Comparison of surgical outcomes between papillary thyroid cancer patients treated with the Harmonic ACE scalpel and LigaSure Precise instrument during conventional thyroidectomy: a single-blind prospective randomized controlled trial.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of thyroidectomy using the Harmonic ACE scalpel (HS) or the LigaSure Precise (LS) instrument in conventional thyroidectomy.

Materials And Methods: A prospective, randomized controlled trial was performed. Between August 2011 and June 2012, 832 patients who required thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid cancer were randomized into groups treated with either the HS or the LS instrument.

Effect of axillary lymph node dissection after sentinel lymph node biopsy on overall survival in patients with T1 or T2 node-positive breast cancer: report from the Korean Breast Cancer Society.

Background: The effect of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with clinically node-negative patients in preoperative evaluations on overall survival (OS) is uncertain. The study aimed to evaluate the difference of survival between node-positive patients who underwent SLNB alone and those who received ALND after SLNB using the Korean Breast Cancer Society registry.

Methods: We enrolled 2,581 patients who met the eligibility criteria.

Feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer patients clinically suspected of axillary lymph node metastasis on preoperative imaging.

Background: Generally, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is performed in patients with clinically negative axillary lymph node (LN). This study was to assess imaging techniques in axillary LN staging and to evaluate the feasibility of SLNB in patients clinically suspected of axillary LN metastasis on preoperative imaging techniques (SI).

Methods: A prospectively maintained database of 767 breast cancer patients enrolled between January 2006 and December 2009 was reviewed.

Breast cancer after kidney transplantation: a single institution review.

Background: Improvements in immunosuppression have resulted in long life expectancy of kidney transplants. Unfortunately, the incidence of post-transplant malignancy (PTM) is increasing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nature and stage-specific prognosis of post-transplant breast cancer (PTBC) compared with breast cancer in the general population, and to suggest optimal treatment strategies.

Multidisciplinary team approach in breast cancer: a nationwide survey in Korea.

Purpose: This assesses the current workings of multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings across Korea through surgeons' reports and their current commitments to MDT meetings pertaining to breast cancer, and to determine any perceived areas of potential improvement.

Methods: A questionnaire was sent out to 307 members of The Korean Breast Cancer Society (KBCS) who worked at comprehensive or university medical centers in Korea. The mailing lists of the KBCS members were obtained with the approval of the society.

Role of sonographic elastography in the differential diagnosis of papillary lesions in breast.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic performance of elastography, conventional ultrasonography (US) and combined conventional US and elastography for differentiation of papillary breast lesions.

Materials And Methods: A total of 95 papillary lesions (69 benign, 20 atypical and 6 malignant) in 87 patients were examined with conventional US and elastography. We evaluated conventional US images according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System and internal composition (solid vs.

Pattern of distant recurrence according to the molecular subtypes in Korean women with breast cancer.

Background: Distant recurrence is one of the most important risk factors in overall survival, and distant recurrence is related to a complex biologic interaction of seed and soil factors. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between the molecular subtypes and patterns of distant recurrence in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: In an investigation of 313 women with breast cancer who underwent surgery from 1994 and 2000, the expressions of estrogen and progestrone receptor (ER/PR), and human epithelial receptor-2 (HER2) were evaluated.

Status and prospect of workforce requirement for surgery in republic of Korea.

Purpose: In order to prepare long-term alternatives to surgical residency training and workforce policies in Korea, objective data are needed; in addition, determination of the status of surgical procedures being performed is also needed.

Methods: Cases of surgeries performed by board-certified Korean surgeons for 1 year, from July 2009 to June 2010 were reviewed and analyzed. Variation of the last five years was also investigated against the number of surgery cases of the same item and for data on status of population, medical institutions, and surgeons.

Notch1 receptor as a marker of lymph node metastases in papillary thyroid cancer.

Notch functions as an oncogene or tumor suppressor according to the type of malignancy, and the BRAF(V600E) mutation is commonly observed in thyroid cancer. However, the role of Notch and BRAF(V600E) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is unclear. This study sought to elucidate the clinicopathological characteristics in patients with PTC regarding the expression of Notch1/Notch3 receptors and BRAF(V600E) mutation.

Comparison of surgical outcomes between endoscopic and robotic thyroidectomy.

Objectives: Gasless transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy offers a distinct advantage over the conventional open operation because it leaves no visible neck scar. Indications have expanded with the development of new surgical techniques and instruments. However, because of the two-dimensional view and the nonflexible instruments, this procedure is not easily amenable for total thyroidectomy.

Lymph node ratio and pN staging in patients with node-positive breast cancer: a report from the Korean breast cancer society.

Patients with node-positive breast cancer are currently classified according to pN stage. Lymph node ratio (LNR), the ratio of positive to total removed lymph nodes, maybe a more useful prognostic factor in these patients. We therefore compared LNR and pN staging as prognostic factors in patients with node-positive breast cancer.