Some dermatoglyphic traits in breast carcinoma

The finger and palmar prints of 60 women with breast carcinoma were studied. The results were compared with two groups of healthy women, the first consisted of old women and the second of young women. The dermatoglyphics seem to be of little use in the diagnosis of cancers of ectodermic origin. Supported by M.P.I. 60%, 1983     

Proteomics of breast carcinoma

Beast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in women, accounting for approximately 40,000 deaths annually in the USA. Significant advances have been made in the areas of detection and treatment, but a significant number of breast cancers are detected late. The advent of proteomics provides the hope of discovering novel biological markers that can be used for early detection, disease diagnosis, prognostication and prediction of response to therapy. Several proteomics technologies including 2D-PAGE, 2D-DIGE, ICAT, SELDI-TOF, MudPIT and protein arrays have been used to uncover molecular mechanisms associated with breast carcinoma at the global level, and a number of these technologies, particularly the SELDI-TOF hold promise as a proteomic approach that can be applied at the bedside for discovering protein patterns that distinguish disease and disease-free states with high sensitivity and specificity. Laser microdissection, a method for selection of homogenous cell populations, coupled to 2D-DIGE or MudPIT constitute a new proteomics-based paradigm for detecting disease in pathology specimens and monitoring disease response to therapy. This review describes proteomics technologies, and their application in the proteomic analysis of breast carcinoma.     

Immunohistochemical localization of apelin in human normal breast and breast carcinoma

The peptide apelin is a high-affinity ligand for the G-protein coupled receptor APJ. Apelin/APJ signaling plays important roles in blood pressure regulation, body fluid homeostasis, and cardiovascular development. More recently, it has been recognized that apelin/APJ signaling may also be involved in tumor angiogenesis. Studies in experimental animals have shown that apelin is abundantly secreted in the milk, and the mammary gland contains high level of pre-proapelin mRNAs and apelin protein. High level of apelin mRNA is expressed in cultured human breast carcinoma cell line (Hs 578T). However, the status of apelin expression and localization in human breast carcinoma has not been studied. In the present study immunohistochemistry was performed to investigate the expression and localization of apelin in normal human breast tissue and breast carcinoma. Cytoplasmic apelin immunoreactivity was detected in the ductal and lobular epithelial cells and vascular endothelial cells of the normal breast tissue. The myoepithelial cells were negative. The malignant tumor cells of invasive ductal or lobular carcinoma also expressed similar level of immunoreactive apelin. The fuctional significance of apelin expression in normal nonlactating breast and breast carcinoma warrants further investigation.     

Determination of stromal signatures in breast carcinoma

Many soft tissue tumors recapitulate features of normal connective tissue. We hypothesize that different types of fibroblastic tumors are representative of different populations of fibroblastic cells or different activation states of these cells. We examined two tumors with fibroblastic features, solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) and desmoid-type fibromatosis (DTF), by DNA microarray analysis and found that they have very different expression profiles, including significant differences in their patterns of expression of extracellular matrix genes and growth factors. Using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization on a tissue microarray, we found that genes specific for these two tumors have mutually specific expression in the stroma of nonneoplastic tissues. We defined a set of 786 gene spots whose pattern of expression distinguishes SFT from DTF. In an analysis of DNA microarray gene expression data from 295 previously published breast carcinomas, we found that expression of this gene set defined two groups of breast carcinomas with significant differences in overall survival. One of the groups had a favorable outcome and was defined by the expression of DTF genes. The other group of tumors had a poor prognosis and showed variable expression of genes enriched for SFT type. Our findings suggest that the host stromal response varies significantly among carcinomas and that gene expression patterns characteristic of soft tissue tumors can be used to discover new markers for normal connective tissue cells.     

Diagnosing breast carcinoma in young women.

OBJECTIVE--To assess the individual and combined diagnostic accuracy of clinical examination, mammography, and fine needle aspiration biopsy in young women with breast cancer. DESIGN--Analysis based on case notes of patients presenting with breast cancer during 1971-89. SETTING--A combined breast clinic. PATIENTS--Consecutive series of 81 women aged less than 36 with histologically proved breast cancer presenting with a discrete mass over 19 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Results of clinical examination, xeromammography or conventional mammography, fine needle aspiration biopsy, and examination of tissue removed by surgery. RESULTS--The clinical diagnosis was correct in 47 women and radiography in 35. Fine needle aspiration biopsy was correct in 47 of the 63 women in whom it was successfully performed. Fine needle aspiration was significantly more accurate than mammography (78% v 45%, p less than 0.01). Ten (16%) patients had negative results on clinical examination, mammography, and fine needle aspiration. CONCLUSION--Mammography alone seems inadequately sensitive to detect breast cancer in young patients. When all investigations give negative results excision biopsy is the only way of obtaining a definitive diagnosis.     

Molecular classification of breast carcinoma in situ

Pleomorphic variant of invasive lobular carcinoma (PILC) is an aggressive variant of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). Its in situ counterpart, pleomorphic lobular carcinoma in situ (PLCIS) is a recently described entity. Morphologically it has the typical architectural pattern of LCIS, but the neoplastic cells resemble intermediate grade DCIS. Molecular signatures that distinguish PLCIS from DCIS and LCIS would provide additional tools to aid in the histopathologic classification of PLCIS as a lesion distinct from LCIS and DCIS. CIS lesions, obtained from a study cohort of 38 breast cancer patients, were divided into 18 DCIS, 14 PLCIS and 6 LCIS. DNA from microdissected archival tissue was interrogated for loss or gain of 112 breast-cancer-specific genes using the Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification Assay (MLPA). Classification Regression Tree (CART) analysis was employed to develop a gene-based molecular classification to distinguish or separate out PLCIS from DCIS and LCIS. Molecular classification via CART, based on gene copy number, agreed with histopathology in 34/38 CIS cases. Loss of CASP1 was predictive of LCIS (n=4) with one misclassified PLCIS. Gain of RELA predicted only the LCIS classification (n=2 cases). STK15 and TNFRSF1B were predictive only for DCIS with no misclassifications. Gain of EHF and TNFRSF1B and loss of NCOA3 were predictive of PLCIS, but not without misclassification. Molecular reclassification by CART was accomplished in 4 CIS cases: 1 PLCIS was reclassified as LCIS, 1 LCIS reclassified as PLCIS, and 2 DCIS cases as PLCIS. This study provides additional rationale for molecular modeling strategies in the evaluation of CIS lesions. This diagnostic aid may serve to minimize misclassification between PLCIS and DCIS, and PLCIS and LCIS, aiding to increase accuracy in the differential diagnosis of CIS lesions.     

Aspiration cytology of breast carcinoma

In the past 12 years aspiration cytological examination was carried out in 310 cases of histologically verified breast cancer. A classification of mammary carcinomas is presented and the cytomorphological features of cells constituting the different types of tumour are described. The value of aspiration cytology in preoperative diagnosis of early cancerous proliferations is emphasized. In the light of clinical, mammographic and cytological investigations the accuracy is about 96%. The method is reliable, quick, has no hazard, and can be performed in out-patients. Its routine application is recommended to all institutions possessing adequate facilities and staff.     

Tubular carcinoma of the breast

Forty-six tubular carcinomas selected from a series of 434 breast cancers, operated by radical mastectomy, were classified in four types: pure tubular carcinoma--one case, and three mixed types of tubular carcinoma in which the tubular structures decrease progressively in favour of a trabecular, poorly differentiated component. The tumors size and regional lymphatic dissemination increased in parallel with this dynamic change of parenchyma. Tubular carcinoma metastasized less frequently and in lower number of axillary lymph nodes as the other types of invasive breast tumors.     

Recurrence of primary extramedullary plasmacytoma in breast both simulating primary breast carcinoma

Background  

Extramedullary myelomas (plasmacytoma) are malignant proliferations of plasma cells in the absence of bone involvement. When they occur in the soft tissue they usually involve the upper respiratory tract and oral cavity. Extramedullary plasmacytomas of breast are uncommon.