Comparison of Characteristics of Breast Cancer Detected through Different Imaging Modalities in a Large Cohort of Hong Kong Chinese Women: Implication of Imaging Choice on Upcoming Local Screening Program.

Background: We compared the clinico-radio-pathological characteristics of breast cancer detected through mammogram (MMG) and ultrasound (USG) and discuss the implication of the choice of imaging as the future direction of our recently launched local screening program.

Methods: Retrospective study of 14613 Hong Kong Chinese female patients with histologically confirmed breast cancer registered in the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Registry between January 2006 and February 2020. Patients were classified into four groups based on the mode of breast cancer detection (detectable by both mammogram and ultrasound (MMG+/USG+), mammogram only (MMG+/USG-), ultrasound only (MMG-/USG+), or not detectable by either (MMG-/USG-).

Communicative characteristics of interactions between surgeons and Chinese women with breast cancer in oncology consultation: a conversation analysis.

Background: While previous studies have analysed features of interaction in cancer consultations using observational coding frames, relatively little attention is being given to how actual interactions are sequentially organized and achieved by participants in the course of talk-in-interaction. Research into the interactional practices in consultations, which involves Chinese patients, is largely absent.

Objective: To provide insight into the talk-in-interaction in surgical-oncology consultations in the context of a Chinese medical setting.

Does the use of shared decision-making consultation behaviors increase treatment decision-making satisfaction among Chinese women facing decision for breast cancer surgery?

Objective: To assess the extent to which breast surgical consultations used shared decision making (SDM), identify factors associated with use of SDM, and assess if using SDM increases decision-making satisfaction.

Methods: Two hundred and eighty-three video-recorded diagnostic-treatment decision consultations between breast surgeons and women with breast cancer were assessed using the Decision Analysis System for Oncology (DAS-O) coding system designed for assessing SDM behaviors. Women completed a questionnaire at pre-consultation, one-week post-consultation and one-month post-surgery.

Isotope-guided surgery for nonpalpable breast cancer.

Background: The hook-wire technique is used to guide surgical excision of nonpalpable breast lesions. Recently, isotope has been used to guide the excision, and when sentinel node biopsy is performed during the same operation, the procedure is termed Sentinel Node and Occult Lesion Localization (SNOLL). We evaluated the use of this procedure for nonpalpable cancers in Chinese women.

Trajectories of psychological distress among Chinese women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Background: The distinct trajectories of psychological distress over the first year of the diagnosis with breast cancer (BC) and its determinants have not been explored.

Methods: 285 of 405 Chinese women receiving surgery for BC were assessed at 5-day, 1-month, 4-month, and 8-month post-surgery on measures of psychological distress, optimism, treatment decision-making (TDM) difficulties, satisfaction with treatment outcome, satisfaction with medical consultation, and physical symptom distress. Latent growth mixture modelling identified trajectories of psychological response to BC.

Radiofrequency ablation of breast cancer: a comparative study of two needle designs.

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an emerging minimally invasive technique for breast cancer treatment. There are two different needle designs. One is to deploy a series of arrays to allow an even distribution of heat within the tumor.

The impact of sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with a core biopsy diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ.

Background: When ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is found on core biopsy, histological underestimation can occur due to sampling error. When an invasive cancer is subsequently found, another operation is required for nodal staging. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) enables nodal staging at the same operation.

Social adjustment among Chinese women following breast cancer surgery.

Background: How breast cancer surgery affects social adjustment among Chinese women is unknown, as are factors predicting such adjustment.

Methods: 405 Chinese women receiving surgery for localized breast cancer completed Social Adjustment Scales (Ch-SAS) at 1-, 4- and 8-months post-operatively. Subscale scores were regressed on baseline (days 3-12 post-operatively) measures of treatment decision-making difficulty (TDMD), self-efficacy (GSeS), consultation satisfaction (C-MISS-R), psychological (CHQ-12) and physical distress (PD), and 1-month follow-up optimism (C-LOT-R), and disappointment (E-OI), fully adjusted for demographic and clinical factors.

Skin involvement in invasive breast carcinoma: safety of skin-sparing mastectomy.

Background: There is concern about the oncological safety of preserving most of the breast skin in skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM). Most supportive evidence for SSM evaluates the local recurrence rate on clinical follow-up.

Methods: The skin and 10 mm of the subcutaneous tissue of 30 total mastectomy specimens were studied with a step-serial sectioning technique.