Changes in breast cancer incidence rates in the United States by histologic subtype and race/ethnicity, 1995 to 2004

68Ga-FAPI PET/CT as an Alternative to 18F-FDG PET/CT in the Imaging of Invasive Lobular Breast Carcinoma

Accurate staging of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), a subtype of breast cancer, is vital for effective clinical management. Although 18F-FDG PET/CT is a commonly used tool, its efficacy varies across different histologic subtypes. To mitigate this challenge, our investigation delves into the potential utility of 68Ga-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) PET/CT as an alternative for staging ILC, aiming to address a significant research gap using a more expansive patient cohort than the smaller samples commonly found in the existing literature. Methods: In this retrospective analysis, women diagnosed with primary ILC of the breast underwent both 18F-FDG PET/CT and 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT. Both modalities were compared across all lesion locations with the used reference standard. The interval between scans was 1 wk, without any intervening treatments. Lesions were categorized visually, and tracer activity was analyzed using SUVmax, tumor-to-background uptake ratio, and uptake ratios. Both modalities were compared across various parameters, and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0. A P value of less than 0.05 was chosen to determine statistical significance. Results: The study included 23 female ILC patients (mean age, 51 y) with hormone-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2-negative tumors. Most (65%) had the luminal A subtype. 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT outperformed 18F-FDG PET/CT, with higher tumoral activity and tumor-to-background uptake ratios (P < 0.001). Primary tumors showed significantly increased uptake with 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT (P < 0.001), detecting additional foci, including multicentric cancer. Axillary lymph node metastases were more frequent and had higher uptake values with 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT (P = 0.012). Moreover, 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT identified more lesions, including bone and liver metastases. Pathologic features did not significantly correlate with imaging modalities, but a positive correlation was observed between peritumoral lymphocyte ratio and 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT-to-18F-FDG PET/CT uptake ratios (P = 0.026). Conclusion: This study underscores 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT's superiority over 18F-FDG PET/CT for ILC. 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT excels in detecting primary breast masses, axillary lymph nodes, and distant metastases; can complement 18F-FDG PET/CT in ILC; and holds potential as an alternative imaging method in future studies.

Histologic tumor type as a determinant of survival in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, pT1-3 invasive ductal and lobular breast cancer

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to compare the difference in survival between invasive ductal (IDC) and lobular carcinoma (ILC).

METHODS

Data of patients (n = 1843) with a hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, pT1-3 IDC or ILC cancer without distant metastasis, treated at the Ghent University Hospital over the time period 2001-2015, were analyzed.

RESULTS

ILC represented 13.9% of the tumors, had a higher percentage of pT3 and pN3 stages than IDC, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) was less present and Ki-67 was mostly low. 73.9% of ILCs were grade 2, whereas IDC had more grade 1 and grade 3 tumors. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank testing showed a significant worse DFS for ILC with pN ≥ 1 than for their IDC counterpart. In a multivariable Cox regression analysis the histologic tumor type, ductal or lobular, was a determinant of DFS over 120 months (IDC as reference; hazard ratio for ILC 1.77, 95% CI 1.08-2.90) just as the ER Allred score (hazard ratio 0.84, 95% CI 0.78-0.91), LVSI (hazard ratio 1.75, 95% CI 1.12-2.74) and pN3 (hazard ratio 2.29, 95% CI 1.03-5.09). Determinants of OS over ten years were age (hazard ratio 1.05, 95% CI 1.02-1.07), LVSI (hazard ratio 3.62, 95% CI 1.92-6.82) and the ER Allred score (hazard ratio 0.80, 95% CI 0.73-0.89).

CONCLUSION

The histologic tumor type, ductal or lobular, determines DFS in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, pT1-3 breast cancer besides the ER Allred score, LVSI and pN3.

Primary Breast Neuroendocrine Tumors: An Analysis of the National Cancer Database

BACKGROUND

Primary breast neuroendocrine tumors (BNETs) represent < 1% of breast cancers. Diagnosing BNETs can be challenging, and a limited amount of cohort data currently exists in literature. We aimed to describe primary BNET characteristics, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes through the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

METHODS

A retrospective cohort analysis was performed using the NCDB from 2004 to 2017. BNET cases were compared with patients with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). A matched IDC cohort was created by matching patient age, race, and disease stage. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed, and hazard ratios (HR) were calculated through the bootstrap sampling method.

RESULTS

A total of 1389 BNET and 1,967,401 IDC cases were identified. When compared with IDC patients, BNET patients were older, had more comorbidities, and were more often male (p < 0.01). BNETs were larger, higher grade, and more frequently hormone receptor negative (p < 0.01). While BNET patients were treated with surgery and radiotherapy (p < 0.01) less often compared with IDC patients, they presented at later disease stage (p < 0.001) and received systemic treatment more frequently (53.5% vs. 40%, p < 0.01). Patients with BNET had increased mortality compared with the matched IDC cohort: stage 1 HR 1.8, stage 2 HR 2.0, stage 3 HR 1.8, and stage 4 HR 1.5 (p < 0.001 for all).

CONCLUSION

Patients with BNET tend to present at higher clinical stages, are more frequently hormone receptor negative, and have inferior overall survival compared with patients with IDC. Further treatment strategies and studies are needed to elucidate optimal therapies to maximize patient outcomes.

Invasive lobular carcinoma with extracellular mucin (ILCEM): clinicopathologic and molecular characterization of a rare entity

Invasive lobular carcinoma with extracellular mucin (ILCEM) is a rare histologic subtype of breast cancer. Little is known about the pathologic or genomic signatures that distinguish ILCEM from classic invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) or mucinous carcinoma. We studied 17 breast cancers with lobular morphology and extracellular mucin. Thirteen tumors with sufficient tissue for DNA extraction were analyzed by a next generation sequencing (NGS) assay that interrogates 447 genes for mutations and copy number variations (CNVs). Median patient age was 66 yrs (range: 31-77 yrs). Sixteen patients presented with masses, 7 of which were >2 cm. Seven patients had lymph node metastases. The cases of ILCEM were moderately (n = 13) or poorly differentiated (n = 4), frequently exhibiting variant morphology that has not been previously described or emphasized, including grade 3 nuclei (n = 11), diffuse signet ring cells (n = 10), solid growth (n = 4), tumor necrosis (n = 3) or apocrine features (n = 2). All tumors showed absent or reduced membranous E-cadherin expression. Concurrent lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) was seen in 11/17 cases, 1 of which was a striking example of signet ring cell LCIS with extracellular mucin. Receptor profiles were ER+/HER2- (n = 15) and ER+/HER2+ (n = 2). With a median follow-up of 83.5 months (range: 3-171 months) in 12 patients with available information, 8 patients had recurrences resulting in 4 cancer-related deaths. The most common CNVs were 16q loss (n = 11) and 1q gain (n = 9). CDH1 gene-level alterations were detected in all but one case, including frameshift (n = 7), nonsense (n = 2), and donor splice site (n = 1) mutations and indels (n = 2). Recurrent mutations were also seen in PIK3CA (n = 3), POLQ (n = 3), TP53 (n = 3), ERBB3 (n = 3), ERBB2 (n = 2), and RUNX1 (n = 2). Genes with recurrent amplifications included GATA3 (n = 4), FOXA1 (n = 3), CCND1 (n = 2). Our data highlights ILCEM as a distinct variant of ILC that often presents with higher-grade and variant morphologic features and is associated with an aggressive clinical course. NGS data support an overall lobular-type molecular profile and reveal potentially targetable alterations in a subset of cases with recurrence.

Alcohol consumption, smoking, and invasive breast cancer risk after ductal carcinoma in situ

PURPOSE

Alcohol is an established risk factor for invasive breast cancer, and women with a prior ductal carcinoma in situ diagnosis are at higher risk of invasive breast cancer than the general population. However, for women with a prior ductal carcinoma in situ diagnosis, few studies have evaluated the association between alcohol and smoking and risk of subsequent invasive breast cancer.

METHODS

Utilizing a population-based case-control design nested among women diagnosed with a ductal carcinoma in situ between 1995 and 2013, we compared 243 cases diagnosed with a subsequent invasive breast cancer and 423 individually matched controls never diagnosed with a subsequent breast cancer.

RESULTS

Compared with never to occasional drinkers, drinkers consuming at least 7 alcoholic drinks per week on average at ductal carcinoma in situ diagnosis had a higher risk of invasive breast cancer that was borderline significant (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.01-3.17, P value = 0.04). Smoking was not significantly associated with risk of developing an invasive breast cancer after adjustment for alcohol consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that consuming at least one alcoholic drink per day on average is positively associated with invasive breast cancer for women with a prior ductal carcinoma in situ diagnosis. If confirmed, modulating alcohol consumption could be one strategy for women with a history of ductal carcinoma in situ to impact their risk of invasive breast cancer.

Incidence trends for twelve cancers in younger adults-a rapid review

Many cancer referral guidelines use patient’s age as a key criterium to decide who should be referred urgently. A recent rise in the incidence of colorectal cancer in younger adults has been described in high-income countries worldwide. Information on other cancers is more limited. The aim of this rapid review was to determine whether other cancers are also increasing in younger age groups, as this may have important implications for prioritising patients for investigation and referral. We searched MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science for studies describing age-related incidence trends for colorectal, bladder, lung, oesophagus, pancreas, stomach, breast, ovarian, uterine, kidney and laryngeal cancer and myeloma. ‘Younger’ patients were defined based on NICE guidelines for cancer referral. Ninety-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings show that the incidence of colorectal, breast, kidney, pancreas, uterine cancer is increasing in younger age groups, whilst the incidence of lung, laryngeal and bladder cancer is decreasing. Data for oesophageal, stomach, ovarian cancer and myeloma were inconclusive. Overall, this review provides evidence that some cancers are increasingly being diagnosed in younger age groups, although the mechanisms remain unclear. Cancer investigation and referral guidelines may need updating in light of these trends.

PET Imaging for Breast Cancer

Imaging plays an integral role in the clinical care of patients with breast cancer. This review article focuses on the use of PET imaging for breast cancer, highlighting the clinical indications and limitations of 2-deoxy-2-[¹⁸F]fluoro-d-glucose (FDG) PET/CT, the potential use of PET/MRI, and 16α-[¹⁸F]fluoroestradiol (FES), a newly approved radiopharmaceutical for estrogen receptor imaging.

Association of variably methylated tumour DNA regions with overall survival for invasive lobular breast cancer

Background

Tumour DNA methylation profiling has shown potential to refine disease subtyping and improve the diagnosis and prognosis prediction of breast cancer. However, limited data exist regarding invasive lobular breast cancer (ILBC). Here, we investigated the genome-wide variability of DNA methylation levels across ILBC tumours and assessed the association between methylation levels at the variably methylated regions and overall survival in women with ILBC.

Methods

Tumour-enriched DNA was prepared by macrodissecting formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tumour tissue from 130 ILBCs diagnosed in the participants of the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study (MCCS). Genome-wide tumour DNA methylation was measured using the HumanMethylation 450K (HM450K) BeadChip array. Variably methylated regions (VMRs) were identified using the DMRcate package in R. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the association between methylation levels at the ten most significant VMRs and overall survival. Gene set enrichment analyses were undertaken using the web-based tool Metaspace. Replication of the VMR and survival analysis findings was examined using data retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for 168 ILBC cases. We also examined the correlation between methylation and gene expression for the ten VMRs of interest using TCGA data.

Results

We identified 2771 VMRs (P < 10⁻⁸) in ILBC tumours. The ten most variably methylated clusters were predominantly located in the promoter region of the genes: ISM1, APC, TMEM101, ASCL2, NKX6, HIST3H2A/HIST3H2BB, HCG4P3, HES5, CELF2 and EFCAB4B. Higher methylation level at several of these VMRs showed an association with reduced overall survival in the MCCS. In TCGA, all associations were in the same direction, however stronger than in the MCCS. The pooled analysis of the MCCS and TCGA data showed that methylation at four of the ten genes was associated with reduced overall survival, independently of age and tumour stage; APC: Hazard Ratio (95% Confidence interval) per one-unit M-value increase: 1.18 (1.02–1.36), TMEM101: 1.23 (1.02–1.48), HCG4P3: 1.37 (1.05–1.79) and CELF2: 1.21 (1.02–1.43). A negative correlation was observed between methylation and gene expression for CELF2 (R = − 0.25, P = 0.001), but not for TMEM101 and APC.

Conclusions

Our study identified regions showing greatest variability across the ILBC tumour genome and found methylation at several genes to potentially serve as a biomarker of survival for women with ILBC.

18F-FDG micro-PET/CT for intra-operative margin assessment during breast-conserving surgery

Rationale: Positive surgical margins for invasive breast cancer (BC) treated with breast-conserving surgery (BCS) are defined as ink on tumor. The rate of positive margins is approximately 20%, since a time- and cost-effective method for margin assessment is lacking. In this study, we investigated margin status by intra-operative imaging using high-resolution ¹⁸ F-fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and X-ray computed tomography (CT).Methods: Twenty patients were enrolled and received 4 MBq/kg of FDG prior to surgery. Intra-operative imaging of the specimens was performed by the MOLECUBES β-CUBE (PET) and X-CUBE (CT). Margin status was assessed by three surgeons and compared with an algorithm. The sensitivity and specificity were calculated by using histopathological assessment as a gold standard.Results: A region with high FDG uptake was visualized in all specimens. Automated analysis showed a sensitivity of 90%, a specificity of 60%, and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.86 after ROC analysis. Margin assessment by the surgeons resulted in a mean sensitivity and specificity of 79% and 72%, respectively.Conclusions: This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that high-resolution FDG-PET/CT can facilitate intra-operative margin assessment during BCS. This technique achieves good sensitivity and specificity and may therefore reduce re-operation rates in the future.

Targetable ERBB2 mutation status is an independent marker of adverse prognosis in estrogen receptor positive, ERBB2 non-amplified primary lobular breast carcinoma: a retrospective in silico analysis of public datasets

BACKGROUND

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) accounts for 10-15% of primary breast cancers and is typically estrogen receptor alpha positive (ER+) and ERBB2 non-amplified. Somatic mutations in ERBB2/3 are emerging as a tractable mechanism underlying enhanced human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) activity. We tested the hypothesis that therapeutically targetable ERBB2/3 mutations in primary ILC of the breast associate with poor survival outcome in large public datasets.

METHODS

We performed in silico comparison of ERBB2 non-amplified cases of ER+ stage I-III primary ILC (N = 279) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC, N = 1301) using METABRIC, TCGA, and MSK-IMPACT information. Activating mutations amenable to HER2-directed therapy with neratinib were identified using existing functional data from in vitro cell line and xenograft experiments. Multivariate analysis of 10-year overall survival (OS) with tumor size, grade, and lymph node status was performed using a Cox regression model. Differential gene expression analyses by ERBB2 mutation and amplification status was performed using weighted average differences and an in silico model of response to neratinib derived from breast cancer cell lines.

RESULTS

ILC tumors comprised 17.7% of all cases in the dataset but accounted for 47.1% of ERBB2-mutated cases. Mutations in ERBB2 were enriched in ILC vs. IDC cases (5.7%, N = 16 vs. 1.4%, N = 18, p < 0.0001) and clustered in the tyrosine kinase domain of HER2. ERBB3 mutations were not enriched in ILC (1.1%, N = 3 vs. 1.8%, N = 23; p = 0.604). Median OS for patients with ERBB2-mutant ILC tumors was 66 months vs. 211 months for ERBB2 wild-type (p = 0.0001), and 159 vs. 166 months (p = 0.733) for IDC tumors. Targetable ERBB2 mutational status was an independent prognostic marker of 10-year OS-but only in ILC (hazard ratio, HR = 3.7, 95% CI 1.2-11.0; p = 0.021). Findings were validated using a novel ERBB2 mutation gene enrichment score (HR for 10-year OS in ILC = 2.3, 95% CI 1.04-5.05; p = 0.040).

CONCLUSIONS

Targetable ERBB2 mutations are enriched in primary ILC and their detection represents an actionable strategy with the potential to improve patient outcomes. Biomarker-led clinical trials of adjuvant HER-targeted therapy are warranted for patients with ERBB2-mutated primary ILC.

Invasive Lobular Breast Cancer as a Distinct Disease: Implications for Therapeutic Strategy

Invasive lobular carcinoma comprises 10-15% of all breast cancers and is increasingly recognised as a distinct and understudied disease compared with the predominant histological subtype, invasive ductal carcinoma. Hallmarks of invasive lobular carcinoma include E-cadherin loss, leading to discohesive morphology with cells proliferating in single-file strands and oestrogen receptor positivity, with favourable response to endocrine therapy. This review summarises the distinct histological and molecular features of invasive lobular carcinoma with focus on diagnostic challenges and the impact on surgical management and medical therapy. Emphasis is placed on recent advances in our understanding of the unique molecular biology of lobular breast cancer and how this is optimising our therapy approach in the clinic.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive rates in invasive lobular breast carcinoma: The Singapore experience

BACKGROUND

Invasive lobular carcinomas (ILC) form 5%-10% of breast cancer and rarely show overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2).

AIM

To describe the prevalence and prognostic factors of HER2 positive (HER2+) ILC in an Asian population.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients with ILC seen between January 1985 and March 2018 at various SingHealth medical institutions was conducted. Demographic and clinical data were collected from medical records. We examined clinicopathological characteristics and survival in relation to HER2 status.

RESULTS

A total of 864 patients were included. Prevalence of HER2 positivity was 10.1% (87 patients). Compared with HER2 negative (HER2-) ILC, HER2+ ILC was associated with a higher proportion of estrogen receptor negative (24.4% vs 5.9%, P < 0.001), progesterone receptor negative (PR-) (40.2% vs 24%, P = 0.002) and grade 3 tumours (Grade 3, 29.0% vs 10.2%, P < 0.001). Overall survival rate was poorer in patients with HER2+ compared to HER2- ILC (56.7% vs 72.9% alive at 10 years; hazard ratio 1.87, 95% confidence interval: 1.21-2.90, P = 0.004). Based on multivariate analysis, negative prognostic factors for overall survival included HER2 positivity, PR negativity, older age, Indian ethnicity and higher tumour stage.

CONCLUSION

Prevalence of HER2+ ILC was 10.1%. HER2+ ILC was more likely to have poorer prognostic features such as estrogen receptor negative, PR- and higher tumour grade, and have a poorer survival.

Identification of Methylation Markers and Differentially Expressed Genes with Prognostic Value in Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers causing a high mortality worldwide. This study aimed to identify differential methylation and expression genes with prognostic value in breast cancer. DNA methylation and gene expression profiles (GSE60185, GSE42568, GSE21653, GSE58812, and GSE52865) were downloaded from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) and GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) databases. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differential methylation genes were identified between breast cancer samples and normal samples. Functional analysis was performed using DAVID (Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery) tool. Furthermore, functional epigenetic modules (FEM) were analyzed to identify critical genes with prognostic values. A large amount of DEGs and aberrant methylation genes were identified between breast cancer samples and normal samples. These genes were mainly associated with several GO (Gene Ontology) terms and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways, such as neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, alcoholism, gamma-aminobutyric acid signaling pathway, and G-protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway. Additionally, 10 DEGs with differential methylation levels were significantly correlated with survival outcomes in breast cancer patients. FEM analysis revealed that several DEGs (e.g., GABRA4, GABRG1, and GABRA1) in module GABRA4 were identified as potential biomarkers in breast cancer patients. Several DEGs identified were associated with breast cancer prognosis. These DEGs might act as prognostic and diagnostic markers in breast cancer.

Reproductive and menopausal factors and risk of second primary breast cancer after in situ breast carcinoma

PURPOSE

In situ breast cancer patients have a higher risk of developing a second primary breast cancer than women in the general population have of developing breast cancer. We have limited understanding of why some women with a previous in situ breast cancer develop second primary breast cancers while others do not.

METHODS

In this population-based nested case-control study, we evaluated the association between reproductive and menopausal factors and risk of developing a second primary breast cancer among women with a previous in situ breast cancer. Using conditional logistic regression, these associations were evaluated in 552 cases and 1032 individually matched controls.

RESULTS

Older age at menarche was associated with risk of second primary breast cancer among women with a previous in situ breast cancer (compared to age < 12, age 13: OR 0.60 (0.42, 0.85); age ≥ 14: OR 0.69 (0.47, 1.00); P_trend = 0.07). Breastfeeding for > 12 months was associated with a decreased risk of developing a second primary breast cancer (OR 0.62 (0.39, 0.98)). No associations were observed for other reproductive or menopausal factors evaluated.

CONCLUSIONS

Results from this study suggest that reproductive factors may play a role in development of a second primary breast cancer after diagnosis of in situ breast carcinoma.

Patterns of malignant non-mass enhancement on 3-T breast MRI help predict invasiveness: using the BI-RADS lexicon fifth edition

Background Non-mass enhancements (NME) with invasive components account for 10-42% of total malignant NMEs. The factors associated with invasiveness on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be useful for clinical assessment and treatment. Purpose To evaluate the clinical significances of the distributions and internal enhancement patterns (IEP) of malignant NMEs on 3-T breast MRI. Material and Methods A total of 448 consecutive women with newly diagnosed breast cancer that had undergone preoperative MRI and surgery between February 2013 and March 2016 were identified. After exclusions, 72 malignant NMEs without a mass in 72 women (mean age = 51.5 years) were included. Two readers independently assessed distributions and IEPs of NME, according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System lexicon fifth edition. Collected data included the presence of invasion and histopathologic factors. Results A clustered ring IEP was significantly associated with invasive cancer (75.0%, P = 0.001, Reader1; 72.9%, P < 0.001, Reader 2), absence of necrosis (79.0%, P < 0.001; 72.1%, P < 0.001, respectively), and high Ki-67 expression (74.2%, P = 0.048; 74.2%, P = 0.003, respectively). A clumped IEP was related to ductal carcinoma in situ (33.3%, P = 0.025; 50.0%, P = 0.001, respectively), absence of lymph node metastasis (24.1%, P = 0.029; 31.5%, P = 0.030, respectively), and presence of necrosis (34.5%, P = 0.003; 44.8%, P = 0.001, respectively). Conclusion The presence of a clustered ring IEP in patients with breast cancer was found to be significantly associated with invasive breast cancer and high Ki-67 expression.

Large-scale analysis of DFNA5 methylation reveals its potential as biomarker for breast cancer

Background

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women worldwide. Biomarkers for early detection and prognosis of these patients are needed. We hypothesized that deafness, autosomal dominant 5 (DFNA5) may be a valuable biomarker, based upon strong indications for its role as tumor suppressor gene and its function in regulated cell death. In this study, we aimed to analyze DFNA5 methylation and expression in the largest breast cancer cohort to date using publicly available data from TCGA, in order to further unravel the role of DFNA5 as detection and/or prognostic marker in breast cancer. We analyzed Infinium HumanMethylation450k data, covering 22 different CpGs in the DFNA5 gene (668 breast adenocarcinomas and 85 normal breast samples) and DFNA5 expression (Agilent 244K Custom Gene Expression: 476 breast adenocarcinomas and 56 normal breast samples; RNA-sequencing: 666 breast adenocarcinomas and 71 normal breast samples).

Results

DFNA5 methylation and expression were significantly different between breast cancer and normal breast samples. Overall, breast cancer samples showed higher DFNA5 methylation in the putative gene promoter compared to normal breast samples, whereas in the gene body and upstream of the putative gene promoter, the opposite is true. Furthermore, DFNA5 methylation, in 10 out of 22 CpGs, and expression were significantly higher in lobular compared to ductal breast cancers. An important result of this study was the identification of a combination of one CpG in the gene promoter (CpG07504598) and one CpG in the gene body (CpG12922093) of DFNA5, which was able to discriminate between breast cancer and normal breast samples (AUC = 0.93). This model was externally validated in three independent datasets. Moreover, we showed that estrogen receptor state is associated with DFNA5 methylation and expression. Finally, we were able to find a significant effect of DFNA5 gene body methylation on a 5-year overall survival time.

Conclusions

We conclude that DFNA5 methylation shows strong potential as detection and prognostic biomarker for breast cancer.

Family History and Risk of Second Primary Breast Cancer after In Situ Breast Carcinoma

Background: Incidence rates of in situ breast carcinomas have increased due to widespread adoption of mammography. Very little is known about why some women with in situ breast cancer later develop second primary breast cancers.Methods: In this population-based nested case-control study among in situ breast cancer survivors, including 539 cases with a second primary breast cancer and 994 matched controls, we evaluated the association between first-degree family history of breast cancer and risk of developing a second primary breast cancer.Results: First-degree family history of breast cancer was associated with an increased risk of developing a second primary breast cancer among women with a previous in situ breast cancer [odds ratio (OR) = 1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.05-1.69] and those with two or more affected first-degree relatives had an even higher risk (OR = 1.94; 95% CI, 1.15-3.28). Those whose relative was diagnosed at less than 50 years old were more likely to develop a second primary breast cancer (OR = 1.78; 95% CI, 1.24-2.57). No difference in risks associated with number or age of affected relatives was observed by menopausal status.Conclusions: Results from this study suggest that first-degree family history of breast cancer may be an important risk factor for development of a second primary breast cancer among women with a previous in situ breast cancer.Impact: Given the growing population of in situ breast cancer survivors, a better understanding of risk factors associated with development of a second primary breast cancer is needed to further understand risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(3); 315-20. ©2018 AACR.

Comparison of the association of mammographic density and clinical factors with ductal carcinoma in situ versus invasive ductal breast cancer in Korean women

BACKGROUND

In spite of the increasing incidence of in situ breast cancer, the information about the risk factors of in situ breast cancer (DCIS) is scarce as compared to the information available for invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC), with inconsistent findings regarding the difference in risk factors between DCIS and IDC.

METHODS

We enrolled 472 women with IDC and 90 women with DCIS and 1088 controls matching for age and menopausal status. Information on risk factors was collected through self-administered questionnaire. Percent mammographic dense area (PDA), absolute mammographic dense area (ADA), and nondense area were assessed using a computer-assisted thresholding technique. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by conditional logistic regression model with adjustment for covariates.

RESULTS

Later age at menarche and regular physical exercise were associated with decreased risk of IDC, whereas alcohol consumption, previous benign breast disease, and family history of breast cancer were associated with increased risk of IDC. For DCIS, previous benign breast disease and alcohol consumption were associated with the increased risk, and regular physical exercise was associated with decreased risk. Increase of ADA by 1-quartile level and PDA increase by 10% were associated with 1.10 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.21) and 1.10 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.19) times greater risk of IDC, respectively. The increase of ADA by 1-quartile level and PDA increase by 10% were associated with 1.17 (95% CI: 0.91, 1.50) times and 1.11 (95% CI:0.90,1.37) times greater risk of DCIS, respectively, but the associations were not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in the association with risk factors and mammographic density measures between IDC and DCIS (P > 0.1).

CONCLUSIONS

Differential associations of DCIS with mammographic density and risk factors as compared with the associations of IDC were not evident. This finding suggests that IDC and DCIS develop through the shared causal pathways.

Alcohol Intake and Risk of Breast Cancer by Histologic Subtype and Estrogen Receptor Status Among Women Aged 55 to 74 Years

Previous studies suggest that alcohol consumption and risk of breast cancer may differ by histologic subtype and hormone receptor status, though results are not entirely consistent. In this population-based case-control study, we evaluated the association between alcohol consumption and risk of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), and invasive ductal-lobular carcinoma (IDLC) overall and by estrogen receptor (ER) status, among women aged 55-74 years of age. Using polytomous regression, associations between current alcohol consumption, overall and by type of alcohol, and breast cancer risk were evaluated in 891 controls and 905 IDC, 567 ILC, and 489 IDLC cases. Current alcohol use was moderately associated with risk of ILC (odds ratio = 1.25, 95% confidence interval 0.99, 1.58) with a positive dose-response relationship based on average number of drinks per week consumed (P _trend = 0.0005). When further stratified by ER status, alcohol use was positively associated with risk of ER+ ILC (P _trend = 0.002) and ER+ IDC (P _trend = 0.02), but inversely associated with risk of ER-IDC (P _trend = 0.01). No association between alcohol and risk of IDLC tumors was observed. While the link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer risk is well established, our results suggest that the increased risk associated with alcohol is largely limited to ER+ ILC and ER+ IDC. Thus, avoiding or moderating alcohol consumption may be one way that women can lower their risks of these forms of breast cancer.

Relative effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy for invasive lobular compared with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast

BACKGROUND

Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) have distinct clinical, pathologic, and genomic characteristics. The objective of the current study was to compare the relative impact of adjuvant chemotherapy on the survival of patients with ILC versus those with IDC.

METHODS

Women with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 1 (HER2) -negative, stage I/II IDC and ILC who received endocrine therapy were identified from the 2000 to 2014 California Cancer Registry. Patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics were collected. Ten-year overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional-hazards modeling.

RESULTS

In total, 32,997 women with IDC and 4638 with ILC were identified. The receipt of chemotherapy significantly decreased during the study for both subtypes. For patients with IDC, the 10-year OS rate was 95% among those who received endocrine therapy alone versus 93% (P < .01) among those who received endocrine therapy plus chemotherapy. For patients with ILC, the 10-year OS rate was 94% among those who received endocrine therapy alone versus 92% (P < .01) among those who received endocrine therapy plus chemotherapy. After adjusting for patient and treatment factors, adjuvant chemotherapy was significantly associated with a decreased 10-year hazard of death for patients with IDC (hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval, 0.74-0.92). In contrast, adjuvant chemotherapy was not independently associated with the adjusted 10-year hazard of death for patients with ILC (hazard ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.90-1.46).

CONCLUSIONS

Adjuvant chemotherapy was not associated with improved OS for patients with ER-positive, HER2-negative, stage I/II ILC. Avoidance of ineffective chemotherapy will markedly reduce the adverse effects and economic burden of breast cancer treatment for a large proportion of patients with breast cancer. Cancer 2017;123:3015-21. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

The clinicopathological features of second primary cancer in patients with prior breast cancer

Nowadays, the risk of developing second primary cancers among women diagnosed with prior breast cancer represents a public health issue worldwide.Twenty-eight cases of the primary breast cancer with the multiple primary cancers (MPC) between 2008 and 2015 at our hospital were retrospectively analyzed in regards to age of patients, family history, interval time of the 2 cancers, and survival time of these patients.A total 28 cases were analyzed, at the mean age of 44.57 years at the diagnosis of the first primary cancer. The most common primary cancer in these breast cancer patients was contralateral breast cancer. Of 28 patients with breast cancer, 16 developed a second malignant tumor of the opposite breast, there were no significant difference both median age at first breast cancer and second breast cancer (P > .05). The difference of interval time of 2 cancers also had no statistical significance. There was no statistically significant difference in overall survival between the bilateral primary breast cancers (BPBC) group and the group of breast cancer patients who diagnosed with another cancer (P > .05). If we grouped patients age of diagnosed with the first cancer (<45, ≥45 years), no statistical different between 2 groups (P > .05). However, the survival time with positive-node patients was lower than in patients with node-negative, the difference had a notable significant difference (P < .01). And there are 3 cases had a positive family history for malignant tumor in the form of first-degree relative.Multiple primary carcinoma in patients with prior breast cancer is not the influencing factor of prognosis. It is crucial to detect, diagnose, and treat cancers at their early stage for improving the cure rate of cancer and the survival rate of patients.

The Drosophila Accessory Gland as a Model for Prostate Cancer and Other Pathologies

The human prostate is a gland of the male reproductive tract, which together with the seminal vesicles, is responsible for most seminal fluid production. It is a common site of cancer, and unlike other glands, it typically enlarges in aging men. In flies, the male accessory glands make many major seminal fluid components. Like their human equivalents, they secrete proteins from several conserved families, including proteases, lectins, and cysteine-rich secretory proteins, some of which interact with sperm and affect fertility. A key protein, sex peptide, is not conserved in vertebrates but plays a central role in mediating long-term effects on females after mating. Although postmitotic, one epithelial cell type in the accessory glands, the secondary cell, continues to grow in adults. It secretes microvesicles called exosomes from the endosomal multivesicular body, which, after mating, fuse with sperm. They also appear to affect female postmating behavior. Remarkably, the human prostate epithelium also secretes exosomes, which fuse to sperm in vitro to modulate their activity. Exosomes from prostate and other cancer cells are increasingly proposed to play fundamental roles in modulating the tumor microenvironment and in metastasis. Here we review a diverse accessory gland literature, which highlights functional analogies between the male reproductive glands of flies and humans, and a critical role for extracellular vesicles in allowing seminal fluid to promote male interests within the female. We postulate that secondary cells and prostate epithelial cells use common mechanisms to control growth, secretion, and signaling, which are relevant to prostate and other cancers, and can be genetically dissected in the uniquely tractable fly model.

Time trends in incidence rates and survival of newly diagnosed stage IV breast cancer by tumor histology: a population-based analysis

Few contemporary data are available that compare incidence and survival of metastatic breast cancer between ductal and lobular carcinomas. Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-9 registries, we identified 10,639 patients with de novo metastatic breast cancer diagnosed from 1990 to 2011. Annual age-adjusted incidence rates and annual percent changes (APCs) were analyzed. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to investigate the impact of year of diagnosis and histology on overall survival. 9250 (86.9 %) patients had ductal and 1389 (13.1 %) had lobular carcinomas. Metastatic breast cancer incidence increased slightly over time for ductal (APC = +1.7, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = +1.0 to +2.4) and lobular carcinomas (APC = +3.0, 95 % CI = +1.8 to +4.3). Median overall survival was 22 months among the whole cohort. More recent year of diagnosis was associated with better overall survival only for patients with ductal carcinomas (interaction p value = 0.006), with an adjusted hazard ratio of death for every five-year increment in the date of diagnosis of 0.93 (95 % CI =  0.91-0.95) among ductal carcinomas, compared with 1.05 (95 % CI = 0.95-1.10) among lobular carcinomas. Overall survival was longer for lobular versus ductal carcinomas (28 versus 21 months, respectively; adjusted hazard ratio of death = 0.93, 95 % CI = 0.87-0.99), but the magnitude of this effect was attenuated among the cohort restricted to hormone receptor-positive tumors. In this population-based analysis, incidence rates of metastatic breast cancer at presentation increased slightly over time for both histologies, and particularly for lobular tumors. A modest improvement in metastatic breast cancer median overall survival was observed, but was apparently limited to ductal carcinomas.

Lobular breast cancer: incidence and genetic and non-genetic risk factors

While most invasive breast cancers consist of carcinomas of the ductal type, about 10% are invasive lobular carcinomas. Invasive lobular and ductal carcinomas differ with respect to risk factors. Invasive lobular carcinoma is more strongly associated with exposure to female hormones, and therefore its incidence is more subject to variation. This is illustrated by US figures during the 1987 to 2004 period: after 12 years of increases, breast cancer incidence declined steadily from 1999 to 2004, reflecting among other causes the decreasing use of menopausal hormone therapy, and these variations were stronger for invasive lobular than for invasive ductal carcinoma. Similarly, invasive lobular carcinoma is more strongly associated with early menarche, late menopause and late age at first birth. As for genetic risk factors, four high-penetrance genes are tested in clinical practice when genetic susceptibility to breast cancer is suspected, BRCA1, BRCA2, TP53 and CDH1. Germline mutations in BRCA1 and TP53 are predominantly associated with invasive ductal carcinoma, while BRCA2 mutations are associated with both ductal and lobular cancers. CDH1, the gene coding for the E-cadherin adhesion protein, is of special interest as mutations are associated with invasive lobular carcinoma, but never with ductal carcinoma. It was initially known as the main susceptibility gene for gastric cancer of the diffuse type, but the excess of breast cancers of the lobular type in CDH1 families led researchers to identify it also as a susceptibility gene for invasive lobular carcinoma. The risk of invasive lobular carcinoma is high in female mutation carriers, as about 50% are expected to develop the disease. Carriers must therefore undergo intensive breast cancer screening, with, for example, yearly magnetic resonance imaging and mammogram starting at age 30 years.

Value of shear-wave elastography in the diagnosis of symptomatic invasive lobular breast cancer

AIM

To investigate the contribution of shear-wave elastography (SWE) in diagnosing invasive lobular breast cancer (ILC) in symptomatic patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective case-controlled study of 52 patients with ILC and 52 patients with invasive ductal cancer (IDC), matched for age and tumour size, was performed. Breast density and mammographic and greyscale ultrasound features were graded using Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) classification by two radiologists, blinded to SWE and pathology findings. Forty-four benign lesions were also included. The sensitivity of SWE was assessed, using a cut-off value of 50 kPa for mean elasticity. Statistical significance was evaluated using Chi-square and Chi-square for trend tests.

RESULTS

Mean age for both ILC and IDC groups was 67 years. Mean size for ILC was 44 mm and IDC was 37 mm. The sensitivity for detection of ILC and IDC for mammography, greyscale ultrasound, and SWE were 79% versus 87%, 87% versus 98%, 94% versus 100%, respectively. SWE had significantly higher sensitivities than mammography for the detection of both ILC and IDC (p = 0.012 and p = 0.001, respectively). SWE was not significantly more sensitive than greyscale ultrasound for the detection of either tumour type. Four (8%) lobular cancers were benign/normal at both mammography and greyscale ultrasound, but suspicious on SWE. The incremental gain in sensitivity by using SWE in ILC was statistically significant compared to IDC (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

SWE can diagnose lobular cancers that have benign/normal findings on conventional imaging as suspicious.

Epidemiological correlates of breast cancer in South India

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women globally and represents the second leading cause of cancer death among women (after lung cancer). India is going through epidemiologic transition. It is reported that the incidence of breast cancer is rising rapidly as a result of changes in reproductive risk factors, dietary habits and increasing life expectancy, acting in concert with genetic factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In order to understand the existing epidemiological correlates of breast cancer in South India, a systematic review of evidence available on epidemiologic correlates of breast cancer addressing incidence, prevalence, and associated factors like age, reproductive factors, cultural and religious factors was performed with specific focus on screening procedures in southern India.

RESULTS

An increase in breast cancer incidence due to various modifiable risk factors was noted, especially in women over 40 years of age, with late stage of presentation, lack of awareness about screening, costs, fear and stigma associated with the disease serving as major barriers for early presentation.

CONCLUSIONS

Educational strategies should be aimed at modifying the life style, early planning of pregnancy, promoting breast feeding and physical activity. It is very important to obtain reliable data for planning policies, decision-making and setting up the priorities.

Trends of postmenopausal estrogen plus progestin prevalence in the United States between 1970 and 2010

OBJECTIVE

To estimate long term trends in estrogen-progestin prevalence for the U.S. female population by year and age.

METHODS

We integrated data on oral estrogen-progestin use from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2010 with data from the National Prescription Audit 1970-2003. Distributions of estrogen-progestin by age from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were applied to the prescription data, and calibration and interpolation procedures were used to generate estrogen-progestin prevalence estimates by single year of age and single calendar year for 1970-2010.

RESULTS

Estimated prevalence of oral estrogen-progestin was below 0.5% in the 1970s, began to rise in the early 1980s, and almost tripled between 1990 and the late 1990s. The age-adjusted prevalence for women aged 45-64 years peaked at 13.5% in 1999 with highest use among 57-year-old women (23.2%). Prevalence of estrogen-progestin use declined dramatically in the early 2000s with only 2.7% of women aged 45-64 years using estrogen-progestin in 2010, which is comparable to prevalence levels in the mid-1980s.

CONCLUSION

The dramatic rise and fall of estrogen-progestin use over the past 40 years provides an illuminating case study of prescription practices before, during, and after the development of evidence regarding benefits and harms.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

: II.

Use of menopausal hormone therapy and risk of ductal and lobular breast cancer among women 55-74 years of age

The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) randomized trials found that use of combined estrogen and progestin menopausal hormone therapy (CHT) increases breast cancer risk, but use of unopposed estrogen hormone therapy (EHT) does not. However, several questions regarding the impact of hormone use on risk of different types of breast cancer and what thresholds of use confer elevations in risk remain. We conducted a population-based case-control study among women 55-74 years of age to assess the association between menopausal hormone use and risk of invasive ductal and invasive lobular breast carcinomas. Associations were evaluated using polytomous logistic regression and analyses included 880 ductal cases, 1,027 lobular cases, and 856 controls. Current EHT and CHT use were associated with 1.6-fold [95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.1-2.2] and 2.3-fold (95 % CI: 1.7-3.2) increased risks of lobular breast cancer, respectively, but neither was associated with risk of ductal cancer. Lobular cancer risk was increased after 9 years of EHT use, but after only 3 years of CHT use. Evidence across more than a dozen studies indicates that lobular carcinoma is the type of breast cancer most strongly influenced by menopausal hormones. Here, we characterize what thresholds of duration of use of both EHT and CHT that confer elevations in risk. Despite the rapid decline in hormone therapy use the WHI results were published, study of the hazards associated with these medications remains relevant given the estimated 38 million hormone therapy prescriptions that are still filled in the United States annually.

Trends in detection of invasive cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ at biennial screening mammography in Spain: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer incidence has decreased in the last decade, while the incidence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has increased substantially in the western world. The phenomenon has been attributed to the widespread adaption of screening mammography. The aim of the study was to evaluate the temporal trends in the rates of screen detected invasive cancers and DCIS, and to compare the observed trends with respect to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use along the same study period.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of 1,564,080 women aged 45-69 years who underwent 4,705,681 screening mammograms from 1992 to 2006. Age-adjusted rates of screen detected invasive cancer, DCIS, and HRT use were calculated for first and subsequent screenings. Poisson regression was used to evaluate the existence of a change-point in trend, and to estimate the adjusted trends in screen detected invasive breast cancer and DCIS over the study period.

RESULTS

The rates of screen detected invasive cancer per 100.000 screened women were 394.0 at first screening, and 229.9 at subsequent screen. The rates of screen detected DCIS per 100.000 screened women were 66.8 at first screen and 43.9 at subsequent screens. No evidence of a change point in trend in the rates of DCIS and invasive cancers over the study period were found. Screen detected DCIS increased at a steady 2.5% per year (95% CI: 1.3; 3.8), while invasive cancers were stable.

CONCLUSION

Despite the observed decrease in breast cancer incidence in the population, the rates of screen detected invasive cancer remained stable during the study period. The proportion of DCIS among screen detected breast malignancies increased from 13% to 17% throughout the study period. The rates of screen detected invasive cancer and DCIS were independent of the decreasing trend in HRT use observed among screened women after 2002.

Systematic review about breast cancer incidence in relation to hormone replacement therapy use

BACKGROUND

Several studies report a decrease in breast cancer incidence subsequent to the decrease in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use. But its magnitude and the time-lag may vary between countries. This may reflect differences in populations, previous type and prevalence of HRT use and breast cancer screening.

AIM

To review systematically studies assessing the relation between breast cancer incidence and change of HRT use.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Descriptive analysis of the methodology of the studies including design limitations and presence of confounding factors, data sources for breast cancer and HRT and regimens of HRT used.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Eighteen articles were selected. Most studies were ecological and confounding factors such as mammography screening and changes in reproductive and lifestyle habits could not be excluded. Sources of data on breast cancer and HRT were heterogeneous and only few data on HRT regimens used were available. Most studies concluded that the decrease in HRT use during the last decade was probably associated with a decrease in breast cancer incidence, especially for women aged 50 years or more.

CONCLUSIONS

Data, mostly from epidemiological studies, suggest that the decrease in breast cancer incidence can be partly attributed to the drop in HRT use. Nevertheless, available studies are hampered by a number of limitations and it remains difficult to evaluate the exact impact of the drop in HRT use on the decrease in breast cancer incidence. Especially, the studies are seldom based on detailed individual data and do not provide information on regimens used, type of cancers and possible confounding factors.

Use of antihypertensive medications and breast cancer risk among women aged 55 to 74 years

IMPORTANCE

Antihypertensive agents are the most commonly prescribed class of medications in the United States. Evidence regarding the relationship between different types of antihypertensives and breast cancer risk is sparse and inconsistent, and prior studies have lacked the capacity to assess impacts of long-term use.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate associations between use of various classes of antihypertensive medications and risks of invasive ductal and invasive lobular breast cancers among postmenopausal women.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Population-based case-control study in the 3-county Seattle-Puget Sound metropolitan area. Participants were women aged 55 to 74 years, 880 of them with invasive ductal breast cancer, 1027 with invasive lobular breast cancer, and 856 with no cancer serving as controls.

EXPOSURES

Recency and duration of use of antihypertensive medications.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Risks of invasive ductal and invasive lobular breast cancers.

RESULTS

Current use of calcium-channel blockers for 10 or more years was associated with higher risks of ductal breast cancer (odds ratio [OR], 2.4; 95% CI, 1.2-4.9) (P= .04 for trend) and lobular breast cancer (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.3-5.3) (P= .01 for trend). This relationship did not vary appreciably by type of calcium-channel blocker used (short-acting vs long-acting, dihydropyridines vs non-dihydropyridines). In contrast, use of diuretics, β-blockers, and angiotensin II antagonists were not associated with risk.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

While some studies have suggested a positive association between calcium-channel blocker use and breast cancer risk, this is the first study to observe that long-term current use of calcium-channel blockers in particular are associated with breast cancer risk. Additional research is needed to confirm this finding and to evaluate potential underlying biological mechanisms.

Prospective MRI assessment for invasive lobular breast cancer. Correlation with tumour size at histopathology and influence on surgical management

AIM

To evaluate the performance of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in determining the size of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) compared to histopathology, and its influence on breast surgical management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Prospective evaluation was undertaken of standardized contrast-enhanced MRI images of 51 consecutive women over an 18 month period with pure ILC or with lobular features as the dominant subtype on breast core biopsy. Image interpretation was performed by one consultant radiologist (M.H.). The lesion size at MRI was compared with the size at final histopathology after surgical excision using a Bland-Altman agreement plot.

RESULTS

Of the 51 prospectively imaged consecutive women, seven were excluded as they had diffuse ILC. The remaining 44 patients had a mean histological tumour size of 34.9 mm (range 4-77 mm). MRI underestimated tumour size in 26 (59.1%) cases. In 21 (47.7%) patients, this discrepancy was small, ranging up to 16 mm. The largest underestimation occurred in five (11.4%) cases with a difference ranging between 31 and 48 mm. Fifteen (34.1%) tumours were overestimated by MRI where the discrepancy ranged up to 22 mm. In three (6.8%) patients MRI and histological size matched. The Bland-Altman agreement plot demonstrated that in 95% of cases the size at histopathology will be between 0.36 and 2.31 times the MRI size at extremes. MRI correlated better with histopathology in tumours up to T2 (<5 cm) size leading to a change in surgical management for nine of the 44 (20.5%) patients.

CONCLUSION

MRI enables surgical management decisions to be made with increased confidence in patients with ILC up to T2 size.

Hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer: heterogeneous risks by race, weight, and breast density

BACKGROUND

Although studies have demonstrated a positive association between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and breast cancer risk, this association may vary by patient factors.

METHODS

We analyzed 1642824 screening mammograms with 9300 breast cancer cases in postmenopausal women aged 45 years or older derived from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, a longitudinal registry of mammography screening in the United States. Multiple imputation methods were used to accommodate missing data for HRT use (14%) and other covariables. We performed logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for breast cancer associated with HRT use within strata of race/ethnicity, age, body mass index (BMI), and breast density, with two-way interaction terms between HRT use and each key covariable of interest. P values for assessing possible interactions were computed from Wald z statistics. All statistical tests were two-sided.

RESULTS

HRT use was associated with greater than 20% increased risk in white (OR = 1.21; 95% CI = 1.14 to 1.28), Asian (OR = 1.58; 95% CI = 1.18 to 2.11), and Hispanic women (OR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.09 to 1.67) but not black women (OR = 0.91; 95% CI = 0.72 to 1.14; P interaction = .04). In women with low/normal BMI and extremely dense breasts, HRT use was associated with the highest breast cancer risk (OR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.21 to 1.83), compared with nonusers. In overweight/obese women with less-dense breasts, no excess risk was associated with HRT use (adjusted ORs = 0.96 to 1.03).

CONCLUSIONS

The impact of HRT use on breast cancer risk varies according to race/ethnicity, BMI, and breast density. This risk stratification could help in advising HRT use for the relief of menopausal symptoms.

Long-term statin use and risk of ductal and lobular breast cancer among women 55 to 74 years of age

BACKGROUND

Mechanistic studies largely support the chemopreventive potential of statins. However, results of epidemiologic studies investigating statin use and breast cancer risk have been inconsistent and lacked the ability to evaluate long-term statin use.

METHODS

We used data from a population-based case-control study of breast cancer conducted in the Seattle-Puget Sound region to investigate the relationship between long-term statin use and breast cancer risk. Nine hundred sixteen invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and 1,068 invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) cases in patients 55 to 74 years of age diagnosed between 2000 and 2008 were compared with 902 control women. All participants were interviewed in-person and data on hypercholesterolemia and all episodes of lipid-lowering medication use were collected through a structured questionnaire. We assessed the relationship between statin use and IDC and ILC risk using polytomous logistic regression.

RESULTS

Current users of statins for 10 years or longer had a 1.83-fold increased risk of IDC [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14-2.93] and a 1.97-fold increased risk of ILC (95% CI: 1.25-3.12) compared with never users of statins. Among women diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia, current users of statins for 10 years or longer had more than double the risk of both IDC (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.17-3.57) and ILC (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.40-4.21) compared with never users.

CONCLUSION

In this contemporary population-based case-control study, long-term use of statins was associated with increased risks of both IDC and ILC.

IMPACT

Additional studies with similarly high frequencies of statin use for various durations are needed to confirm this novel finding.

Individual and neighborhood socioeconomic status and healthcare resources in relation to black-white breast cancer survival disparities

Background. Breast cancer survival has improved significantly in the US in the past 10–15 years. However, disparities exist in breast cancer survival between black and white women. Purpose. To investigate the effect of county healthcare resources and SES as well as individual SES status on breast cancer survival disparities between black and white women. Methods. Data from 1,796 breast cancer cases were obtained from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results and the National Longitudinal Mortality Study dataset. Cox Proportional Hazards models were constructed accounting for clustering within counties. Three sequential Cox models were fit for each outcome including demographic variables; demographic and clinical variables; and finally demographic, clinical, and county-level variables. Results. In unadjusted analysis, black women had a 53% higher likelihood of dying of breast cancer and 32% higher likelihood of dying of any cause (P < 0.05) compared with white women. Adjusting for demographic variables explained away the effect of race on breast cancer survival (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 0.99–1.97), but not on all-cause mortality. The racial difference in all-cause survival disappeared only after adjusting for county-level variables (HR, 1.27; CI, 0.95–1.71). Conclusions. Improving equitable access to healthcare for all women in the US may help eliminate survival disparities between racial and socioeconomic groups.

Racial differences in breast cancer stage at diagnosis in the mammography era

OBJECTIVES

We assessed racial differences in breast cancer mortality by stage at diagnosis, since mammography became available.

METHODS

We calculated adjusted odds of distant (versus local or regional) tumors for 143,249 White and 13,571 Black women aged 50 to 69 years, diagnosed with breast cancer between 1982 and 2007 and living in a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results region. We compared linear trends in stage at diagnosis before and after 1998.

RESULTS

Distant-stage cancer was diagnosed in 5.8% of White and 10.2% of Black participants. The Black-White disparity in distant tumors narrowed until 1998 (1998 adjusted difference = 0.65%), before increasing. Between 1982 and 1997, the proportion of distant tumors decreased for Blacks (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]/y = 0.973; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.960, 0.987) and Whites (AOR/y = 0.978; 95% CI = 0.973, 0.983), with no racial differences (P = .47). From 1998 to 2007, the odds of distant versus local or regional tumors increased for Blacks (AOR/y = 1.036; 95% CI = 1.013, 1.060) and Whites (AOR/y = 1.011; 95% CI = 1.002, 1.021); the rate of increase was greater for Blacks than Whites (P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS

In the mammography era, racial disparities remain in stage at diagnosis.

Dormant but migratory tumour cells in desmoplastic stroma of invasive ductal carcinomas

Mortality in breast cancer is linked to metastasis and recurrence yet there is no acceptable biological model for cancer relapse. We hypothesise that there might exist primary tumour cells capable of escaping surgery by migration and resisting radiotherapy and chemotherapy to cause cancer recurrence. We investigated this possibility in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) tissue and observed the presence of solitary primary tumour cells (SPCs) in the dense collagen stroma that encapsulates intratumoural cells (ICs). In IDC tissue sections, collagen was detected with either Masson's Trichrome or by second harmonics imaging. Cytokeratin-19 (CK-19) and vimentin (VIM) antibodies were, respectively, used to identify epithelial-derived tumour cells and to indicate epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Confocal/multiphoton microscopy showed that ICs from acini were mainly CK-19(+ve) and were encapsulated by dense stromal collagen. Within the stroma, SPCs were detected by their staining for both CK-19 and VIM (confirming EMT). ICs and SPCs were subsequently isolated by laser capture microdissection followed by multiplex tandem-PCR studies. SPCs were found to be enriched for pro-migratory and anti-proliferative genes relative to ICs. In vitro experiments using collagen matrices at 20 mg/cm(3), similar in density to tumour matrices, demonstrated that SPC-like cells were highly migratory but dormant, phenotypes that recapitulated the genotypes of SPCs in clinical tissue. These data suggest that SPCs located at the breast cancer perimeter are invasive and dormant such that they may exceed surgical margins and resist local and adjuvant therapies. This study has important connotations for a role of SPCs in local recurrence.

Invasive breast cancer incidence trends by detailed race/ethnicity and age

Racial/ethnic disparities in breast cancer incidence may contain important evidence for understanding and control of the disease. Monitoring the incidence trends of breast cancer by race/ethnicity allows identification of high risk groups and development of targeted prevention programs. Using population-based cancer registry data from the Los Angeles Cancer Surveillance Program, we examined the invasive female breast cancer incidence trends among the diverse racial/ethnic populations in Los Angeles County, California, from 1972 to 2007. Age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIRs) and age-specific incidence rates (ASIRs) were calculated and examined respectively for non-Hispanic (NH) white, black, Hispanic, Chinese, Filipina, Japanese and Korean women by calendar year and time period. Rising trends of AAIRs were found in all racial/ethnic groups during the 1980s and 1990s. The breast cancer risk increased more substantially in Japanese and Filipinas than in Chinese and Koreans. During 2000-2007, the trends of AAIRs declined significantly among NH white women and slightly in blacks, remained unchanged for Hispanics and continued to rise significantly among all Asian subgroups. The patterns of ASIRs by race/ethnicity changed dramatically over time. By 2000-2007, younger Hispanic women had the lowest breast cancer risk, replacing the Chinese and Koreans who formerly had the lowest risk. Rapidly increasing breast cancer incidence trends among Asian-Americans underline the importance of behavioral and lifestyle changes as a result of acculturation on the development of the disease. The unique trends of breast cancer incidence by race/ethnicity suggest the need for targeted breast cancer control programs for different racial/ethnic populations.

Sonomammographic characteristics of invasive lobular carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

The objective of our study was to identify characteristic features of invasive lobular carcinoma on mammography and ultrasound examinations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective multicenter study of women with biopsy-proven invasive lobular carcinoma. All patients had undergone diagnostic sonomammography. The imaging findings were identified by experienced breast imagers. Final surgical pathology results were used as the reference standard.

RESULTS

Thirty-two women ranging in age from 42 to 63 years old (mean age, 53 years), All had biopsy-proven invasive lobular carcinomas. Common features on mammogram included dense mass followed by architectural distortion; three cases showed breast asymmetry and one case was reported as normal. On ultrasound, common features included solid mass with spiculated margins, posterior shadowing, and perpendicular to the skin.

CONCLUSION

Although no specific features could be linked to invasive lobular carcinoma, care should be directed to subtle signs such as architectural distortion and breast asymmetry in order not to miss any lesions. The combination of mammographic and sonographic helps to decrease the relatively high false negative diagnosis of this type of breast cancer.

Trends in breast, ovarian and cervical cancer incidence in Mumbai, India over a 30-year period, 1976-2005: an age-period-cohort analysis

Background:

Demographic, socioeconomic and cultural changes in India have increased longevity, delayed childbearing, decreased parity and resulted in a more westernised lifestyle, contributing to the increasing burden of cancer, especially among women.

Methods:

We evaluated secular changes in the incidence of breast, cervical and ovarian cancer in Mumbai women aged 30–64 between 1976 and 2005. Age-standardised incidence rates were calculated and presented by site and calendar period. An age–period–cohort (APC) analysis quantified recent time trends and the significance of birth cohort and calendar period effects. The estimated annual percent change (EAPC) was obtained from the drift parameter, expressing the linear time trend common to both calendar period and birth cohort.

Results:

Over the 30-year study period, the age-standardised rates significantly increased for breast cancer (EAPC: 1.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0, 1.3)), significantly decreased for cervical cancer (EAPC: −1.8% (95% CI: −2.0, −1.6)) and there was no statistically significant change for ovarian cancer (EAPC: 0.3% (95% CI: −0.1, 0.6)). For breast and cervical cancer, the best-fitting model was the APC model.

Conclusions:

The rates of breast, cervical and ovarian cancer remain low in comparison with western countries, and the divergent trends of breast (increasing) and cervical cancer (decreasing) in Mumbai were similar to those observed in several other Asian countries. The changing risk profile in successive generations – improved education, higher socioeconomic status, later age at marriage and at first child, and lower parity – may in combination partially explain the diverging generational changes in breast and cervical cancer in Mumbai in the last decades.