Ki-67 Expression is a Significant Prognostic Factor Only When Progesterone Receptor Expression is Low in Estrogen Receptor-Positive and HER2-Negative Early Breast Cancer.

Objective: While the value of Ki-67 has been recognized in breast cancer, controversy also exists. The goal of this study is to show the prognostic value of Ki-67 according to progesterone receptor (PgR) expression in patients who have estrogen receptor- (ER-) positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2- (HER2-) negative early breast cancer.

Methods: The records of nonmetastatic invasive breast cancer patients who underwent surgery at a single institution between 2009 and 2012 were reviewed.

Inhibition of tamoxifen's therapeutic effects by emodin in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cell lines.

Purpose: This study was aimed to investigate the combination effect of endoxifen and emodin on estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer cell lines and to explain the mechanism of the combination effect.

Methods: We conducted this study on MCF-7 (ER+/human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 [HER2]-), T47D (ER+/HER2-), ZR-75-1 (ER+/HER2+), and BT474 (ER+/HER2+) cell lines, which confirmed combination effect of endoxifen and emodin. Optimal concentrations for combination were determined to study the effects on proliferation of MCF-7 and ZR-75-1 cells.

Breast cancer stem cells in HER2-negative breast cancer cells contribute to HER2-mediated radioresistance and molecular subtype conversion: clinical implications for serum HER2 in recurrent HER2-negative breast cancer.

Although it has been proposed that the beneficial effect of HER2-targeted therapy in HER2-negative breast cancer is associated with the molecular subtype conversion, the underlying mechanism and the clinical biomarkers are unclear. Our study showed that breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) mediated HER2 subtype conversion and radioresistance in HER2-negative breast cancer cells and evaluated serum HER2 as a clinical biomarker for HER2 subtype conversion. We found that the CD44/CD24 BCSCs from HER2-negative breast cancer MCF7 cells overexpressed HER2 and EGFR and showed the radioresistant phenotype.

Clinicopathologic Characteristics of Pregnancy-Associated Breast Cancer: Results of Analysis of a Nationwide Breast Cancer Registry Database.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics of pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) in comparison with non-pregnancy associated breast cancer (non-PABC).

Methods: A total of 344 eligible patients with PABC were identified in the Korean Breast Cancer Society Registry database. PABC was defined as ductal carcinoma , invasive ductal carcinoma, or invasive lobular carcinoma diagnosed during pregnancy or within 1 year after the birth of a child.

Core Needle Biopsy Specimens Are More Appropriate than Surgical Specimens for Evaluating the Expression of Phosphoproteins as Biological Markers in Invasive Breast Cancer.

Background/aim: To evaluate whether core needle biopsy specimens (CNBS) would be better than surgical specimens (SS) for evaluating phosphoproteins as biological markers in breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective analysis included a total of 99 patients who had invasive breast cancer and were treated surgically between January 2012 and July 2013. The expression of phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6-kinase-1 (p-S6K1), phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT), and estrogen receptor (ER) were assessed immunohistochemically on both CNBS and SS for each patient.

Prognostic Value of Anti-Müllerian Hormone and Inhibin B in Patients with Premenopausal Hormone Receptor-positive Breast Cancer.

Aim: We investigated whether the ovarian reserve determined on the basis of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B predicted disease-free survival (DFS) in premenopausal patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Patients And Methods: Our analysis included 32 premenopausal women with clinical stage III hormone receptor-positive invasive ductal breast cancer treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Blood samples were obtained after neoadjuvant chemotherapy completion.

In Vivo Tumor Growth Rate Measured by US in Preoperative Period and Long Term Disease Outcome in Breast Cancer Patients.

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of tumor growth rate, calculated from tumor size measurements by US, on breast cancer patients' outcome.

Patients And Methods: Breast cancer patients who received at least two serial breast ultrasonographies (US) in our institution during preoperative period and were surgically treated between 2002 and 2010 were reviewed. Tumor growth rate was determined by specific growth rate (SGR) using the two time point tumor sizes by US.

Risk Factors Associated with Distant Metastasis and Survival Outcomes in Breast Cancer Patients with Locoregional Recurrence.

Purpose: To decide the optimal treatment for breast cancer patients with locoregional recurrence (LRR), it is important to determine which group has the highest risk of subsequent distant metastasis (DM). We aimed to investigate the factors associated with DM in patients with LRR.

Methods: We reviewed the data of 208 patients with LRR as the first event after primary surgery for breast cancer at our institution between 1997 and 2010, to identify significant factors associated with DM.

Survival Improvement in Korean Breast Cancer Patients Due to Increases in Early-Stage Cancers and Hormone Receptor Positive/HER2 Negative Subtypes: A Nationwide Registry-Based Study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the observed changes over time in the survival rates vary according to the intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer diagnosed.

Methods: Data from 46,320 breast cancer patients in the Korean Breast Cancer Registry who underwent surgery between 1999 and 2006 were reviewed. Among them, results from 25,887 patients with available data about the status of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) were analyzed.

Effects of screening on gastric cancer management: comparative analysis of the results in 2006 and in 2011.

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the effect of screening by using endoscopy on the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer.

Materials And Methods: The clinicopathologic characteristics of gastric cancer were compared in individuals who underwent an endoscopy because of symptoms (non-screening group) or for screening purposes (screening group). The distributions of gastric cancer stages and treatment modalities in 2006 and 2011 were compared.