Selecting patients with HER2-low breast cancer: Getting out of the tangle.

The promising effect of antibody-drug conjugates on breast cancer with low expression of HER2 (HER2-low) raises many questions regarding the optimal selection of patients for this treatment. A key question is whether HER2 immunohistochemistry, an assay optimised to detect HER2 amplification, is reliable enough to assess HER2 protein levels to select patients with HER2-low breast cancer in daily pathology practices worldwide. Moreover, whether this assessment can be performed with sufficient reproducibility between pathologists in daily practices is debatable.

pT3 colorectal cancer revisited: a multicentric study on the histological depth of invasion in more than 1000 pT3 carcinomas-proposal for a new pT3a/pT3b subclassification.

Background: Pathological TNM staging (pTNM) is the strongest prognosticator in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and the foundation of its post-operative clinical management. Tumours that invade pericolic/perirectal adipose tissue generally fall into the pT3 category without further subdivision.

Methods: The histological depth of invasion into the pericolic/perirectal fat was digitally and conventionally measured in a training cohort of 950 CRCs (Munich).

Response-based molecular subtyping-emergence of the third generation of breast cancer subtypes.

The therapeutic landscape of breast cancer is becoming increasingly complex. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Wolf et al. present a breast cancer classification scheme that allows for better prediction of treatment response and can be continuously adapted to guide prioritization of new treatments.

Multiparametric Phenotyping of Circulating Tumor Cells for Analysis of Therapeutic Targets, Oncogenic Signaling Pathways and DNA Repair Markers.

Detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has been established as an independent prognostic marker in solid cancer. Multiparametric phenotyping of CTCs could expand the area of application for this liquid biomarker. We evaluated the Amnis brand ImageStreamX MkII (ISX) (Luminex, Austin, TX, USA) imaging flow cytometer for its suitability for protein expression analysis and monitoring of treatment effects in CTCs.

Medical status of elderly patients consulting two oral and maxillofacial surgery departments in Germany.

An increasing number of elderly patients requires dental care. The data concerning the medical risk profile of seniors consulting dentists are scarce. In this context, the comorbidity-polypharmacy-score (CPS) could be an effective clinical tool to quickly assess the medical status of elderly patients.

Polycomb Protein BMI-1 as a Potential Therapeutic Target in Mucinous Ovarian Cancer.

Background/aim: Mucinous ovarian carcinoma (mOC) is a rare subtype with distinct clinical characteristics and biological behavior that differentiate them from other epithelial ovarian cancers. This study aimed to evaluate BMI-1 expression as a potential target for therapeutic approaches in advanced stage mOC.

Materials And Methods: We performed gene set, as well as transcription factor enrichment analysis and immunohistochemistry assessing of the BMI-1 protein levels in tissue specimens of eighteen mucinous ovarian cancer patients.

The Diagnosis and Treatment of Rheumatoid and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis of the Temporomandibular Joint.

Background: Involvement of the temporomandibular joint can be shown in 40-90% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), although it is often asymptomatic. Restricted jaw mobility and jaw pain can be found in approximately 20% of patients with JIA (prevalence: 70 per 100 000 persons). Early diagnosis and treatment of the underlying disease are essential for a good outcome, but uniform, consensus-based management is still lacking.

Inductive foraging: patients taking the lead in diagnosis, a mixed-methods study.

Background: Patient involvement in treatment decisions is widely accepted. Making a diagnosis, however, is still seen as a technical task mainly driven by physicians. Patients in this respect are perceived as passive providers of data.

Comparison of risk assessment in 1652 early ER positive, HER2 negative breast cancer in a real-world data set: classical pathological parameters vs. 12-gene molecular assay (EndoPredict).

Background: Risk assessment on the molecular level is important in predictive pathology to determine the risk of metastatic disease for ERpos, HER2neg breast cancer. The gene expression test EndoPredict (EP) was trained and validated for prediction of a 10-year risk of distant recurrence to support therapy decisions regarding endocrine therapy alone or in combination with chemotherapy. The EP test provides the 12-gene Molecular Score (MS) and the EPclin-Score (EPclin), which combines the molecular score with tumor size and nodal status.

Matched cohort study of germline BRCA mutation carriers with triple negative breast cancer in brightness.

In the BrighTNess trial, carboplatin added to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) was associated with increased pathologic complete response (pCR) rates in patients with stage II/III triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In this matched cohort study, cases with a germline BRCA1/2 mutation (gBRCA; n = 75) were matched 1:2 with non-gBRCA controls (n = 150) by treatment arm, lymph node status, and age to evaluate pCR rates and association of benefit from platinum/PARP inhibitors with validated RNA expression-based immune, proliferation, and genomic instability scores among gBRCA with the addition of carboplatin ± veliparib to NAC. Among the well-matched cohorts, odds of pCR were not higher in gBRCA cancers who received standard NAC with carboplatin (OR 0.

Inpatient care for skin diseases in Germany: multi-source analysis on the current and future health care needs.

Background: In Germany, skin diseases are mainly treated in the 115 dermatological hospitals.

Methods: Health care and health economic analysis of dermatological inpatient care and prediction of future care needs based on primary and secondary data.

Results: Outpatient and inpatient care for dermatologic treatment indications is predominantly provided by dermatology specialists.

Structures and performance characteristics of dermatology hospitals in Germany. Current status and long-term development.

Background: The objective of the study was to characterize the performance of German dermatology hospitals.

Methods: A structured survey questionnaire was sent out to all dermatology hospitals in October 2019 as part of a cross-sectional analysis based on health care research.

Results: Of the 115 hospitals, 95 (82.

Status quo and perspectives of dermatology hospitals in Germany: spectra of health care and staff situation.

Background: Inpatient care in Germany has been subject to change since the introduction of the DRG-based payment system. There have been no publications on important differentiating factors such as the spectrum of care and the staffing situation in dermatology.

Methods: Health care analysis of 115 dermatology hospitals in October 2019 using a structured survey questionnaire.

Interobserver Agreement of PD-L1/SP142 Immunohistochemistry and Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) in Distant Metastases of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Proof-of-Concept Study. A Report on Behalf of the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group.

Patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) benefit from treatment with atezolizumab, provided that the tumor contains ≥1% of PD-L1/SP142-positive immune cells. Numbers of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) vary strongly according to the anatomic localization of TNBC metastases. We investigated inter-pathologist agreement in the assessment of PD-L1/SP142 immunohistochemistry and TILs.

Outcome of breast cancer patients with low hormone receptor positivity: analysis of a 15-year population-based cohort.

Background: Guideline recommendations for the treatment of breast cancer with low hormone receptor (HR) expression (1%-9%) are ambiguous and several studies showed more similarities with HR-negative tumors than with HR strongly positive tumors (≥10%). We used a population-based 15-year cohort to compare patient characteristics and outcome of HR low positive tumors with HR-negative and HR strongly positive tumors, respectively.

Patients And Methods: A total of 38  560 women diagnosed with early invasive breast cancer between 2004 and 2018 within the scope of the Munich Cancer Registry with 4.

TGFB-induced factor homeobox 1 (TGIF) expression in breast cancer.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent female cancer and preferentially metastasizes to bone. The transcription factor TGFB-induced factor homeobox 1 (TGIF) is involved in bone metabolism. However, it is not yet known whether TGIF is associated with BC bone metastasis or patient outcome and thus of potential interest.

Immunologically relevant aspects of the new COVID-19 vaccines-an ÖGAI (Austrian Society for Allergology and Immunology) and AeDA (German Society for Applied Allergology) position paper.

Background: The vaccines against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) approved in the European Union represent a decisive step in the fight against the pandemic. The application of these available vaccines to patients with pre-existing immunological conditions leads to a multitude of questions regarding efficacy, side effects and the necessary patient information.

Results: This review article provides insight into mechanisms of action of the currently available severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines and summarises the current state of science as well as expert recommendations regarding tolerability of the vaccines.

Therapy response and prognosis of patients with early breast cancer with low positivity for hormone receptors - An analysis of 2765 patients from neoadjuvant clinical trials.

Aim: To evaluate HER2-negative breast cancer (BC) with a low hormone receptor (HR) expression, with regard to pathological complete response (pCR) and survival, in comparison to triple-negative BC (TNBC) and strong HR-positive BC.

Methods: We compared negative [oestrogen (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) <1%], low-positive (ER and/or PR 1-9%) and strong-positive (ER or PR 10-100%) HR-expression in neoadjuvant clinical trial cohorts (n = 2765) of BC patients. End-points were disease-free survival (DFS), distant-disease free survival (DDFS) and overall survival (OS).

Immune-related Gene Expression Predicts Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy but not Additional Benefit from PD-L1 Inhibition in Women with Early Triple-negative Breast Cancer.

Purpose: We evaluated mRNA signatures to predict response to neoadjuvant PD-L1 inhibition in combination with chemotherapy in early triple-negative breast cancer.

Experimental Design: Targeted mRNA sequencing of 2,559 transcripts was performed in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples from 162 patients of the GeparNuevo trial. We focused on validation of four predefined gene signatures and differential gene expression analyses for new predictive markers.

Acquired mutations and transcriptional remodeling in long-term estrogen-deprived locoregional breast cancer recurrences.

Background: Endocrine therapy resistance is a hallmark of advanced estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. In this study, we aimed to determine acquired genomic changes in endocrine-resistant disease.

Methods: We performed DNA/RNA hybrid-capture sequencing on 12 locoregional recurrences after long-term estrogen deprivation and identified acquired genomic changes versus each tumor's matched primary.

Neoadjuvant paclitaxel/olaparib in comparison to paclitaxel/carboplatinum in patients with HER2-negative breast cancer and homologous recombination deficiency (GeparOLA study).

Background: The efficacy and toxicity of olaparib as combination therapy in early breast cancer (BC) patients with homologous recombinant deficiency (HRD) [score high and/or germline (g) or tumour (t) BRCA1/2 mutation] is not well described. GeparOLA (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02789332) investigated olaparib in combination with paclitaxel in HER2-negative early BC with HRD.