The development and spread of tumors is associated with the ability of malignant cells to avoid detection and subsequent elimination by the immune system, to grow in non-native sites and to avoid programmed or induced cell death. In addition to the well-described role of osteoprotegerin in the regulation of bone turnover, there is an emerging evidence that osteoprotegerin may have an additional function due to its ability to bind and inhibit the members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-superfamily, such as TNF-alpha and TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL). We have shown that the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 produces a sufficient amount of osteoprotegerin to bind TRAIL, resulting in an upregulation of receptor activator factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) expression. In conclusion, the presence of osteoprotegerin, as secreted by this cell line, acting as a paracrine factor, could affect breast cancer RANKL production inducing an enhancement of osteolysis and the perpetuation of a vicious cycle. A better understanding of the complex tumor cell-host cell interactions in the bone microenvironment, and of the autocrine and paracrine effects of the secreted (from tumor cells) and released (from bone matrix) factors may facilitate development of effective strategies to inhibit disease progression.
Aim: In early-stage breast cancer, the axillary lymph nodes play a crucial role in determining the prognosis of the disease. The rate of lymph node involvement might be a more valuable prognostic factor than the number of positive lymph nodes. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate whether the lymph node ratio (LNR) is a superior prognostic indicator compared to the pathologic lymph node count in early-stage disease.
Aim: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The role of neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) in conjunction with surgical intervention is becoming increasingly prominent in the field of oncology. NAT enhance the probability of breast-conserving surgery in cases of locally advanced breast cancer and in patients with metastatic or inoperable disease.
Aim: The prognostic factors and a nomogram applicable to breast cancer (BC) patients with bone metastasis (BM) who received first-line chemotherapy have not been extensively studied. This study aimed to identify prognostic factors and construct a prognostic nomogram to predict overall survival (OS) in this population.
Methods: Data for BC patients with BM undergoing first-line chemotherapy were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2010 to 2016.
Aim: We report a case of proliferative myositis (PM) of the breast, which is the second reported in the English literature.
Case Presentation: A 49-year-old woman underwent surgery due to a fibroadenoma in the right and phyllodes tumor in the left breast. One month after these surgeries, a right breast mass rapidly grew at the surgical site, and biopsy did not provide a diagnosis.
