Clinical Outcomes Following Letrozole Treatment according to Estrogen Receptor Expression in Postmenopausal Women: LETTER Study (KBCSG-006).

Purpose: In this trial, we investigated the efficacy and safety of adjuvant letrozole for hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer. Here, we report the clinical outcome in postmenopausal women with HR-positive breast cancer treated with adjuvant letrozole according to estrogen receptor (ER) expression levels.

Methods: In this multi-institutional, open-label, observational study, postmenopausal patients with HR-positive breast cancer received adjuvant letrozole (2.

A N0 Predicting Model for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Omission in Early Breast Cancer Upstaged From Ductal Carcinoma in Situ.

Background: A prediction model with high sensitivity for the detection of negative axillary involvement can reduce additional axillary surgery in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) upstaged to invasive cancer while saving patients with pure DCIS from unnecessary axillary surgeries. Using a nationwide database, we developed and validated a scoring system for guidance in selective sentinel lymph node biopsy omission.

Patients And Methods: A total of 41,895 patients with clinically node-negative breast cancer from the Korean Breast Cancer Registry were included.

Changes in Bone Mineral Density in Women With Breast Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Cancer treatment-induced bone loss is an important long-term effect among breast cancer survivors. Little is known, however, about the pattern of bone loss and the factors associated with it.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine annual bone health changes and factors associated with bone loss for 3 years after diagnosis among women with breast cancer.

Psychometric Evaluation of a Korean Version of the Cancer Survivors' Self-efficacy Scale.

Background: Self-efficacy has become the target outcome of many self-management interventions for cancer survivors. However, no measurement is available that can be used to measure cancer-specific self-efficacy in Korea.

Objective: The aim of this study was to cross-culturally evaluate the reliability and validity of a Korean version of the Cancer Survivors' Self-Efficacy Scale (CSSES-K).

Comparative Study between Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy and Axillary Dissection in Patients with One or Two Lymph Node Metastases.

Purpose: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a standard axillary surgery in early breast cancer. If the SLNB result is positive, subsequent axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is a routine procedure. In 2011, the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group Z0011 trial revealed that ALND may not be necessary in early breast cancer with one or two positive sentinel lymph nodes.

Self-management Needs of Breast Cancer Survivors After Treatment: Results From a Focus Group Interview.

Background: Recognition of the importance of self-management (SM) for breast cancer survivors (BCSs) is increasing, but evidence from investigations of their needs focusing on SM is limited.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the SM needs of BCSs who had completed treatment.

Methods: Using a qualitative study design, we interviewed a focus group of 20 BCSs who underwent cancer therapy (mean time since diagnosis 3.

Clinical subtypes and prognosis of pregnancy-associated breast cancer: results from the Korean Breast Cancer Society Registry database.

Purpose: We analyzed the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) according to clinical subtypes to better understand the characteristics of PABC.

Methods: A total of 83,792 female patients between the ages of 20 and 49 were enrolled in the Korean Breast Cancer Society Registry database from January 1, 1996 to December 31, 2015. 'PABC' is defined as breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy or within 1 year after delivery.

Associations between gene expression profiles of invasive breast cancer and Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System MRI lexicon.

Purpose: To evaluate whether the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) MRI lexicon could reflect the genomic information of breast cancers and to suggest intuitive imaging features as biomarkers.

Methods: Matched breast MRI data from The Cancer Imaging Archive and gene expression profile from The Cancer Genome Atlas of 70 invasive breast cancers were analyzed. Magnetic resonance images were reviewed according to the BI-RADS MRI lexicon of mass morphology.

Identifying long-term survivors among metastatic breast cancer patients undergoing primary tumor surgery.

Purpose: The prognostic role of primary tumor surgery in women with metastatic breast cancer at diagnosis is contentious. A subset of patients who will benefit from aggressive local treatment is needed to be identified. Using a nationwide database, we developed and validated a predictive model to identify long-term survivors among patients who had undergone primary tumor surgery.

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.

Clinicopathological factors increased the risk of malignancy in thyroid nodules with atypical or follicular lesions of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS) risk factor of malignancy in thyroid nodule with AUS/FLUS.

Purpose: Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (US-FNA) in thyroid nodules is presently most commonly used to identify whether these nodules are benign or malignant. However, atypical or follicular lesions of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS), as categorized in the Bethesda System for reporting the results of FNA, cannot be classified as benign or malignant. Therefore, several clinical factors should be considered to assess the risk of malignancy in patients with AUS/FLUS.

Prognostic implication of the tumor location according to molecular subtypes in axillary lymph node-positive invasive ductal cancer in a Korean population.

Previous studies have not considered the axillary lymph node status when investigating the prognostic role of tumor location according to each molecular subtype. The present study aimed to investigate the prognostic implication of tumor location according to each molecular subtype in Korean invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) patients with axillary lymph node metastasis. Data from 7856 Korean IDC women with axillary lymph node metastasis were retrospectively analyzed.

The Effect on Bone Outcomes of Adding Exercise to Supplements for Osteopenic Breast Cancer Survivors: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Cancer treatment-induced bone loss is an important long-term effect in breast cancer survivors, but evidence regarding lifestyle interventions for preventing cancer treatment-induced bone loss is lacking.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility, safety, and effects of a 6-month combined home-based exercise and calcium and vitamin D supplements (EX + SUPP) intervention compared with calcium and vitamin D supplements alone (SUPP) on bone health of osteopenic breast cancer survivors.

Methods: In this pilot randomized controlled trial, we enrolled 43 women with breast cancer who were diagnosed as osteopenic through bone mineral density screening.

Recurrent bilateral breast abscess due to nontuberculous mycobacterial infection.

Since recurrent bilateral breast infection due to nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) is rare, its diagnosis is easily overlooked; in addition, complete recovery is often difficult to achieve. We report a case of recurrent bilateral infection in a 35-year-old woman who had completed treatment for NTM. Although various infectious diseases show similar clinical conditions and imaging findings, recurrences should raise suspicion of NTM infection, and this possibility should be considered in differential diagnoses.

Weight Gain and its Correlates among Breast Cancer Survivors.

Purpose: Weight gain after diagnosis of breast cancer is a profound issue that may negatively impact cancer prognosis. However, most existing research on weight change has been conducted in Western countries. In addition, several factors related to weight gain have been reported; however, the evidence is inconsistent.

The prevalence of BRCA mutations among familial breast cancer patients in Korea: results of the Korean Hereditary Breast Cancer study.

The primary aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations among familial breast cancer (BC) patients in Korea. We analyzed 775 familial BC patients who were enrolled in the Korean Hereditary Breast Cancer (KOHBRA) study and treated at 36 institutions between May 2007 and May 2010. Patients with familial BC were defined as BC patients with family histories of BC or ovarian cancer (OC) in any relatives.

Low bone density in breast cancer survivors in Korea: prevalence, risk factors and associations with health-related quality of life.

Purpose: To examine the prevalence and risk factors of low bone density and identify associations with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in breast cancer survivors in Korea.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study design. A total of 136 women with breast cancer who had completed their therapy were recruited at one university-based cancer center in Korea.

The radiosensitivity of endothelial cells isolated from human breast cancer and normal tissue in vitro.

We developed a novel method for harvesting endothelial cells from blood vessels of freshly obtained cancer and adjacent normal tissue of human breast, and compared the response of the cancer-derived endothelial cells (CECs) and normal tissue-derived endothelial cells (NECs) to ionizing radiation. In brief, when tissues were embedded in Matrigel and cultured in endothelial cell culture medium (ECM) containing growth factors, endothelial cells grew out of the tissues. The endothelial cells were harvested and cultured as monolayer cells in plates coated with gelatin, and the cells of 2nd-5th passages were used for experiments.

Efficacy and feasibility of laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

Backgrounds/aims: For patients with acute cholecystitis, conversion from laparoscopic cholecystectomy to open surgery is not uncommon due to possibilities of serious hemorrhage at the liver bed and bile duct injury. Recent studies reported successful laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy and feasibility of such an operation based on the experience of surgeons at our facility.

Ectopic hidradenoma papilliferum of the breast: ultrasound finding.

Hidradenoma papilliferum (HP) is a benign neoplasm arising from mammary-like glands which typically involves the dermal layer of the female anogenital area. The prognosis for HP is good. Recurrence is unusual and is typically attributed to incomplete excision of the primary tumor.

Left paraduodenal hernia presenting with atypical symptoms.

Paraduodenal hernias are a rare congenital malformation, but they are the most common internal hernias. They develop secondary to a failure in midgut rotation, which may lead to small bowel obstruction or other clinical manifestations. The authors recently experienced a case of a left paraduodenal hernia presenting with unusual symptoms of left flank pain and vomiting.

Huge cystic lymphangioma involving the entire breast.

We report a case of a 31-year-old female who required mastectomy with the diagnosis of cystic lymphangioma of the entire left breast. We tried operative management that is not mastectomy since it was not malignant, but finally mastectomy was needed. In reduction mammaplasty patients, plastic surgeons should consider cystic lymphangioma as a differential diagnosis of unilateral large breasts.

Risk factors affecting pancreatic fistulas after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Aim: To analyze the risk factors of pancreatic leakage after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 172 consecutive patients who had undergone pancreatico-duodenectomy at Inha University Hospital between April 1996 and March 2006. We analyzed the pancreatic fistula rate according to the clinical characteristics, the pathologic and laboratory findings, and the anastomotic methods.

Effect of preoperative biliary drainage on surgical results after pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with distal common bile duct cancer: focused on the rate of decrease in serum bilirubin.

Aim: To examine if the rate of decrease in serum bilirubin after preoperative biliary drainagecan be used as a predicting factor for surgical complications and postoperative recovery after pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with distal common bile duct cancer.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed in 49 consecutive patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for distal common bile duct cancer. Potential risk factors were compared between the complicated and uncomplicated groups.