A Morbidity Screening Tool for identifying fatigue, pain, upper limb dysfunction and lymphedema after breast cancer treatment: a validity study.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate validity of a newly developed Morbidity Screening Tool (MST) to screen for fatigue, pain, swelling (lymphedema) and arm function after breast cancer treatment.

Methods: A cross-sectional study included women attending reviews after completing treatment (surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy), without recurrence, who could read English. They completed the MST and comparator questionnaires: Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (DASH), Chronic Pain Grade Questionnaire (CPGQ), Lymphedema and Breast Cancer Questionnaire (LBCQ) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy questionnaire with subscales for fatigue (FACT F) and breast cancer (FACT B + 4).

Comparison of breast cancer-related lymphedema (upper limb swelling) prevalence estimated using objective and subjective criteria and relationship with quality of life.

This study aimed to investigate lymphedema prevalence using three different measurement/diagnostic criterion combinations and explore the relationship between lymphedema and quality of life for each, to provide evaluation of rehabilitation. Cross-sectional data from 617 women attending review appointments after completing surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy included the Morbidity Screening Tool (MST; criterion: yes to lymphedema); Lymphedema and Breast Cancer Questionnaire (LBCQ; criterion: yes to heaviness and/or swelling); percentage limb volume difference (perometer: %LVD; criterion: 10%+ difference); and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy breast cancer-specific quality of life tool (FACT B+4). Perometry measurements were conducted in a clinic room.

GSK3β and cyclin D1 expression predicts outcome in early breast cancer patients.

Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) is phosphorylated and inactivated by the phosphoinositide 3 kinase PI3K/Akt pathway. Activation of Akt phosphorylates GSK3β preventing phosphorylation of cyclin D1 which leads to accumulation and nuclear localisation of cyclin D1, activation of CDK4/6 and cell cycle progression. The CCND1 gene found at chromosome 11q13 has been shown to be amplified in approximately 15 % of breast cancers.

Expression of activated type I receptor tyrosine kinases in early breast cancer.

Overexpression of EGFR, HER2 and HER3 are known to be associated with poor outcome in breast cancer. Few studies have examined the clinical impact of activation of these proteins. In the present study, we evaluated EGFR, HER2 and HER3 and the activated (phosphorylated) forms of these proteins in patients with early breast cancer.

Proximity ligation assays for isoform-specific Akt activation in breast cancer identify activated Akt1 as a driver of progression.

The PI3K/Akt signal transduction pathway plays an important role in cancer progression and cell survival. Akt activation is associated with poor outcome in endocrine-treated breast cancer, whereas high levels of cytoplasmic Akt2 are associated with an improved overall survival. Proximity ligation assays (PLAs) were used to determine quantitative expression levels of isoform-specific activation (phosphorylation) of Akt1 and Akt2 in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cell lines and breast cancer tumour tissues in situ.

Impact of screening and risk factors for local recurrence and survival after conservative surgery and radiotherapy for early breast cancer: results from a large series with long-term follow-up.

Purpose: To investigate conventional prognostic factors for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR), distant metastasis (DM), and survival after breast-conserving therapy (BCT) in screen-detected and symptomatic cases on surveillance up to 25 years.

Patients And Methods: A total of 1812 consecutive patients in three cohorts (1981-1989, 1990-1992, and 1993-1998) with T12N01M0 invasive breast cancer were treated with BCT (median follow-up, 14 years). Tumor type and grade were reviewed by a single pathologist.

The p160 ER co-regulators predict outcome in ER negative breast cancer.

The SRC family of ER co-regulators are frequently overexpressed in breast cancer. Overexpression of AIB1 appears to be linked to hormone resistance in HER2 positive breast cancer. However, the role of these co-regulators in ER negative disease is poorly understood.

Mammostrat as a tool to stratify breast cancer patients at risk of recurrence during endocrine therapy.

Introduction: Patients with early-stage breast cancer, treated with endocrine therapy, have approximately 90% 5-year disease-free survival. However, for patients at higher risk of relapse despite endocrine therapy, additional adjuvant therapy, such as chemotherapy, may be indicated. The challenge is to prospectively identify such patients.

Histological grading of invasive breast carcinoma--a simplification of existing methods in a large conservation series with long-term follow-up.

Aims: To assess the validity of grading in the Edinburgh Breast Conservation Series; a consecutive cohort of 1812 early breast cancer patients treated by breast conservation and radiotherapy between 1981 and 1998 in a single specialist centre with > or =9 years' follow-up and full staging data.

Methods And Results: A single pathologist (J.St.