Everolimus and exemestane in long survival hormone receptor positive male breast cancer: case report

Background

Male breast cancer is a rare event, accounting for approximately 1% of all breast carcinomas. Although men with breast cancer had poorer survival when compared with women, data on prognosis principally derive from retrospective studies and from extrapolation of female breast cancer series. We reported the case of a very long survival patient.

Case presentation

A caucasian 42-year-old man underwent radical mastectomy with axillary dissection for breast cancer in 1993. Pathologic stage was pT4pN0M0 infiltrating ductal carcinoma of right breast without lymph nodes metastases. Biological characterization was not available. He received adjuvant treatment with chemotherapy, six cycles of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil, then endocrine therapy with tamoxifen for 5 years and complementary radiotherapy. Then he began clinical-instrumental follow up. In May 1996, a computed tomography scan showed multiple lung metastases. Hereafter he received several oncologic treatment including seven chemotherapy and five endocrine therapy lines with two re-challenge of endocrine therapy. In October 2007 further lung progression was showed and a biopsy was performed to characterize the disease. Histological examination confirmed breast cancer metastases, immunohistochemistry showed positive staining for estrogen receptor, negative for progesterone receptor and human epithelial growth factor receptor 2, proliferative index was 21%. In April 2013, bone disease progression was evident and he received radiant treatment to sacral spine. In May 2014 an off-label treatment with exemestane and everolimus combination was approved by Ethics Committee of the Marche Region. The patient received treatment for 3 months with evident clinical benefit to subcutaneous lesions of the chest wall that were not visible nor palpable on physical examination after 1 month of treatment.

Conclusion

That is the case of long survival male breast cancer patient with luminal B subtype and no BRCA mutations. He achieved higher progression free survival with endocrine therapy creating the rationale for last line treatment with everolimus and exemestane combination. Attending conclusive results from ongoing studies, everolimus and exemestane should not be used routinely in male metastatic breast cancer patients, but taking into account for selected cases. At the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of male beast cancer treated with exemestane and everolimus combination.

     

Paget's disease of the breast after subcutaneous mastectomy and reconstruction with a silicone prosthesis

Eight years after subcutaneous mastectomy for extensive fibrocystic disease, a patient developed Paget's disease of the breast associated with an underlying infiltrating duct cell adenocarcinoma. We emphasize the need for meticulous examination of the subcutaneous mastectomy specimen and long-term follow-up examination of the breasts in patients treated with subcutaneous mastectomy.     

Breast Reconstruction for Malignant or Premalignant Disease

In ten patients breast reconstruction was done after surgical treatment for a premalignant or malignant breast disease. In six of these, prophylactic subcutaneous mastectomy and implant reconstruction were carried out, and in the remaining four reconstruction was done after simple or modified radical mastectomy. It is suggested that these procedures should be considered by those physicians and surgeons who undertake evaluation and treatment of breast disease in women. Breast reconstruction should be considered and offered to patients who suffer from the severe personal and emotional trauma attendant to surgical operation for breast disease.     

Intralesional Injection of Rose Bengal Induces a Systemic Tumor-Specific Immune Response in Murine Models of Melanoma and Breast Cancer

Intralesional (IL) injection of PV-10 has shown to induce regression of both injected and non-injected lesions in patients with melanoma. To determine an underlying immune mechanism, the murine B16 melanoma model and the MT-901 breast cancer model were utilized. In BALB/c mice bearing MT-901 breast cancer, injection of PV-10 led to regression of injected and untreated contralateral subcutaneous lesions. In a murine model of melanoma, B16 cells were injected into C57BL/6 mice to establish one subcutaneous tumor and multiple lung lesions. Treatment of the subcutaneous lesion with a single injection of IL PV-10 led to regression of the injected lesion as well as the distant B16 melanoma lung metastases. Anti-tumor immune responses were measured in splenocytes collected from mice treated with IL PBS or PV-10. Splenocytes isolated from tumor bearing mice treated with IL PV-10 demonstrated enhanced tumor-specific IFN-gamma production compared to splenocytes from PBS-treated mice in both models. In addition, a significant increase in lysis of B16 cells by T cells isolated after PV-10 treatment was observed. Transfer of T cells isolated from tumor-bearing mice treated with IL PV-10 led to tumor regression in mice bearing B16 melanoma. These studies establish that IL PV-10 therapy induces tumor-specific T cell-mediated immunity in multiple histologic subtypes and support the concept of combining IL PV10 with immunotherapy for advanced malignancies.     

Clinical management of secondary angiosarcoma after breast conservation therapy

Aim

The aim of this paper is to summarize the treatment outputs of secondary angiosarcoma after breast conservation therapy at St. Eizabeth Cancer Centre, Slovakia.

Background

Angiosarcoma of the breast is a rare but very aggressive malignant tumor of the vascular endothelium, characterized by rapidly proliferating and extensively infiltrating growth. Breast angiosarcoma may occur de novo, or as a complication of radiation therapy, or chronic lymphedema secondary to axillary lymph node dissection for mammary carcinoma. Radiotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer is associated with an increased risk of subsequent sarcoma.

Materials and methods

Retrospective study of medical records from the cancer databases was done in order to analyze the secondary breast angiosarcoma. This disease is an iatrogenic condition that warrants close follow-up and judicial use of radiotherapy in breast conserving therapy. Therefore, it is more prevalent in cases treated with radiotherapy, occurring especially in or adjacent to the radiation field. Clinical histories and follow-up data of identified patients after breast conservation therapy of invasive breast cancer were reviewed. In addition, a comprehensive literature review on diagnosis and treatment procedures was done in order to summarize state-of-the-art clinical approach.

Results and discussions

Three cases of secondary angiosarcoma after breast conservation therapy (BCT) were identified among 4600 patients treated at St. Elizabeth Cancer Institute during previous 16 years (1995–2011). Secondary breast angiosarcoma was diagnosed in a median period of 11 years following primary radiotherapy, median age at the time of diagnosis was 75 years. Surgical treatment consisted of radical mastectomy. The first patient, a 56-year-old woman received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (docetaxel + gemcitabin), second one (75 year) was treated by radiotherapy (TD 26 Gy, 2 Gy per fraction), since chemotherapy was not indicated. The last patient (80 year) got adjuvant chemotherapy (paclitaxel). Average follow up of the patients was 31 months. As of 31 July 2012, our patients were doing well without evidence of recurrent disease after treatment.

Conclusions

Angiosarcoma remains a difficult management problem with poor loco-regional and distal control. In our study, an overall incidence rate of secondary breast angiosarcoma is 0.065%. Although the prognosis for this disease is poor (typical survival period is 14.5–34 months with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 15%), all the three patients treated at our institute are alive and disease-free at the end of reported period. Finally, it is assumed that the use of breast conserving therapy will increase the incidence of post-irradiation angiosarcoma but the small difference in risk of subsequent sarcoma of the breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy does not suppress its benefit.     

Long-Term Treatment After Preoperative High-Dose Chemotherapy in a Lactating Breast Cancer Patient

Breast cancer during lactation is very rare, accounting for <3 % of all breast cancers. Its diagnosis and treatment is often delayed during pregnancy. We report a case of female lactating breast carcinoma in a 29-year old patient. The disease was stage IIIB (T4N1M0). The patient received preoperative induction chemotherapy and high-dose chemotherapy with peripheral blood stem cell support, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and endocrine therapy. The metastases were detected 17 months after operation, palliative treatment including different chemotherapy for 60 cycles, locoregional radiotherapy and endocrine therapy. The total number of cycles of chemotherapy was 67, and the survival time was 118 months. We discuss the diagnosis and treatment options for breast cancer during lactation, based on a literature review.     

Complete one-stage,immediate breast reconstruction with prosthetic material in patients with large or ptotic breasts

Immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction is a relatively simple, quick procedure with no donor site morbidity. This report discusses immediate one-stage breast reconstruction using prostheses in 18 patients (19 breasts) who also required a contralateral reduction or mastopexy. In all cases, an inverted-T pattern was applied to both breasts. The mean age of the patients was 49 years (range, 32 to 62 years), and the mean size of the gel implant used was 330 ml (range, 120 to 550 ml); the implant was inserted in a total submuscular pocket in seven patients and subcutaneously in 11 patients. In two patients with multiple risk factors, the prosthesis extruded, and one patient required removal for a periprosthetic infection. In 10 patients with early stage disease (T1 or T2) with tumors more than 5 cm from the nipple-areola complex, the original areola (n = 3) or nipple-areola complex (n = 7) was retained as a full-thickness skin graft.The breast shape after submuscular prosthesis insertion is different than that of the contralateral breast after a mastopexy or reduction, and nipple-areola complex symmetry was difficult to obtain; thus, this technique was abandoned in favor of the subcutaneous position (using a modified Wise keyhole pattern with a de-epithelialized portion, which still allows two-layer closure).In the subgroup of patients with large breasts or marked ptosis, a single-stage breast reconstruction procedure can be performed with symmetrical incisions. The subcutaneous position allows for symmetrical shape and nipple-areola complex symmetry to be obtained. When the tumors are small and situated in the periphery of the breast, the nipple-areola complex may be retained as a full-thickness graft.     

Breast cancer recurrence after immediate reconstruction: patterns and significance

Local recurrence of cancer after mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction is generally regarded as a poor prognostic indicator. This study was conducted to identify specific patterns of local recurrence following reconstruction and to determine their biological significance. The records of all patients who had undergone immediate breast reconstruction at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center between June 1, 1988, and December 31, 1998, were reviewed. The records of patients who had local tumor recurrence were then carefully analyzed. During this 10-year period, a local recurrence of cancer was found to have developed in 39 of 1694 patients (2.3 percent). Most recurrences were in the skin or subcutaneous tissue (n = 28; 72 percent), and the remainder were in the "chest wall" (n = 11; 28 percent), as defined by skeletal or muscular involvement. Transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps were used most often in both groups, but latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps and implant techniques were also used in some patients. Patients with subcutaneous tissue recurrence had an overall survival rate of 61 percent at follow-up of 80.8 months, compared with patients with chest wall recurrence, whose survival rate was 45 percent at similar follow-up. Metastases were less likely to develop in patients with subcutaneous tissue recurrence than in those with chest wall recurrence (57 percent versus 91 percent; p = 0.044); the former group also had a greater chance of remaining disease-free after treatment of the recurrence (39 percent versus 9 percent), respectively. Metastasis-free survival was higher in patients with subcutaneous tissue recurrence than with chest wall recurrence (2-year and 5-year survival: 52 and 42 percent versus 24 and 24 percent; p = 0.04). In both groups, the time to detection of the recurrence was similar (subcutaneous tissue recurrence, 27.1 months, versus chest wall recurrence, 29.5 months). Distant disease did not develop in one patient only in the chest wall recurrence group; this patient remained disease-free at 70 months. From these results, it was concluded that (1) not all local recurrences are the same: patients with subcutaneous tissue recurrence have better survival rates, a decreased incidence of metastases, and a greater chance of remaining disease-free than do those with chest wall recurrence; (2) immediate breast reconstruction (although potentially, it can conceal chest wall recurrence) does not seem to delay the detection of chest wall recurrence; and (3) even if a chest wall recurrence develops, it is highly associated with metastatic disease, and the survival rate is not likely to have been influenced by earlier detection. These data support the continued use of immediate breast reconstruction without fear of concealing a recurrence or influencing the oncologic outcome.     

Plasmacytoma of the breast. Unusual initial presentation of myeloma: report of two cases and review of the literature

Two patients who presented initially with breast masses proven to be plasmacytomas, are described. In both cases the breast masses led to the diagnosis of multiple myeloma, which was retrospectively already present at the time of the breast biopsy. One patient with IgG lambda-type myeloma developed plasma cell leukemia and amyloidosis and failed to respond to radiochemotherapy. The second patient was in complete remission, four years after therapy, but has subsequently relapsed and died. All cases of breast plasmacytoma, described in the medical literatures are reviewed, and guidelines for future therapy are suggested.     

乳腺癌保乳改良根治术与传统改良根治术临床疗效的比较

目的:对比分析保乳改良根治术与传统改良根治术治疗乳腺癌的临床疗效。方法:将行手术治疗的415例女性乳腺癌患者按手术方式分为保乳改良根治术组76例与传统改良根治术组339例,两组患者术后均接受辅助治疗。比较两组患者术后满意度,术后并发症,复发、转移及死亡率,评价保乳改良根治术的临床疗效。结果:两组患者的发病年龄,术后病理类型,失随访情况,转移、死亡及复发率比较无统计学意义(P0.05)。保乳改良根治术组皮下积液发生率明显低于传统改良根治术组(P0.05),术后满意度明显优于传统改良根治术组(P0.05),其他并发症比较无显著差异(P0.05)。结论:保乳改良根治术能得到和传统改良根治术同样的疗效,且具有损伤小、并发症少、外形美观、术后满意度高等优势。     

真空负压引流瓶引流对乳腺癌术后皮下积液的预防和治疗分析

目的：探讨真空负压引流瓶引流对乳腺癌术后皮下积液的预防和治疗效果。方法：160例乳腺癌患者根据引流方法的不同分为治疗组与对照组各80例,两组都采用保乳手术,对照组常规缝合切口及加压包扎,治疗组缝合切口时留置真空负压引流瓶引流及普通包扎。结果：治疗组术后24小时引流量和引流时间明显少于对照组（P〈0．05）,但是两组的术后72小时引流量和术后72小时引流日平均引流量对比无明显差异（P〉O．05）。两组都无皮瓣坏死、上肢淋巴水肿等严重并发症,治疗组术后积液的发生率明显少于对照组（P〈0．05）,对症处理后痊愈。J-P负压引流系统所能提供的负压明显低于文献提供的数据。结论：乳腺癌术后发生皮下积液是乳腺癌术后最常见并发症,真空负压引流瓶引流是有效的预防方法,同时能减少引流量与引流时间。     

Effects of estrogen replacement therapy on abdominal fat compartments as related to glucose and lipid metabolism in early postmenopausal women.

The effects of estrogen replacement therapy on lipid and glucose metabolism as related to abdominal fat distribution were investigated in fifty-one healthy postmenopausal women aged 52-53 years. They were randomized to treatment with either estradiol 2 mg or placebo daily for three months in a double-blind design. Forty-six women continued with estradiol for another nine months in an open design with the addition of medroxyprogesterone for ten days every three months. Intra-abdominal and subcutaneous abdominal fat, and intrapelvic and subcutaneous pelvic fat was estimated by computed tomography before and after one year of estrogen treatment. Euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp, oral glucose tolerance test and analyses of blood lipids were performed after 3 and 12 months of treatment. Estrogen replacement therapy decreased body fat mass as well as intra-abdominal and intrapelvic fat, but not the subcutaneous fat compartments. LDL cholesterol decreased and HDL cholesterol increased, whereas triglycerides were not changed by one year of estrogen treatment. Insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance were not affected by estrogen treatment. In postmenopausal women estrogen treatment for one year decreased intra-abdominal and intrapelvic fat compartments, but this was not related to changes in plasma lipid levels. Insulin sensitivity and plasma triglycerides were not affected by estrogen treatment.     

Bone in the breast? Long term toxicity 21 years after interstitial brachytherapy as a boost

An 81-year-old patient developed an exulcerous tumor in her left breast 21 years after breast cancer treatment with lumpectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy. At the time of the initial treatment 21 years ago, whole breast irradiation was performed with a prescribed dose of 48?Gy and a maximal dose of 69?Gy. In addition, the patient received a 14.7?Gy boost with multicatheter brachytherapy as partial breast irradiation.In general, fat necrosis after radiotherapy, surgery or trauma is a minor problem for patients, but can lead to diagnostic difficulties. The incidence varies: the literature indicates that it occurs in up to 34% of cases. The direct pathogenesis is not clear; it can be due to high radiation dose to the breast, dosimetric inhomogeneities or surgical complications (seromas and inflammation).The tumor in the case described here, occurring more than two decades after the primary treatment, is a rarity in this extent and is an unusual clinical, radiological, and histological finding. It provides a good example of the need for an individualized approach to treatment.     

Invasive Breast Cancer After Initiation of Testosterone Replacement Therapy in A Man—A Warning To Endocrinologists

ObjectiveTo alert fellow endocrinologists of a rare side effect of testosterone therapy, for which men with hypogonadism must receive appropriate counseling and monitoring.MethodsWe present clinical features, laboratory data, and histopathologic findings in a man with hypogonadism who received testosterone replacement therapy.ResultsA 61-year-old man was referred to an endocrinologist after presenting to his general practitioner with erectile dysfunction and low libido. He had no history of hypothalamic, pituitary, or testicular disorders. There were no other illnesses or medications to account for low testosterone levels. Physical examination was unremarkable. There was no family history of malignant disease. Biochemical investigations confirmed the presence of primary hypogonadism, for which no cause (including Klinefelter syndrome) was identified. Testosterone therapy was initiated to improve sexual function and preserve bone density. Five weeks later, the patient returned to his general practitioner, complaining of a gradually enlarging lump in his right breast. When biopsy showed breast cancer, testosterone therapy was discontinued. Right mastectomy and axillary node clearance were performed. Further histologic examination revealed estrogen receptor-positive, invasive carcinoma, without nodal involvement. The patient remains on tamoxifen therapy and is undergoing follow-up in the breast clinic. After 6 months of treatment, estradiol levels were undetectable, and testosterone levels remained low.ConclusionAlthough breast cancer has been described in men with hypogonadism receiving long-term testosterone replacement therapy, to our knowledge this is the first report of breast cancer becoming clinically manifest after a short duration (5 weeks) of testosterone treatment. This case should remind clinicians that men receiving testosterone therapy should be warned of the risk of not only prostate cancer but also breast cancer. Patient self-monitoring and breast examinations by the attending physician are recommended. (Endocr Pract. 2008;14: 201-203)     

Reconstructing the breast mound employing a secondary island omental skin flap

We have shown in an initial animal study that omentum will adequately vascularize a skin flap and allow transfer of this tissue composite for use in surgical reconstruction of the breast. Based on this experimental procedure, a technique employing a two-stage operation has been developed and used in 21 female patients in reconstruction of the breast after radical mastectomy. In the first stage, the omentum, attached to one gastroepiploic artery and vein, is exteriorized to the subcutaneous tissue of the lower abdominal wall. In the second stage, the distal omentum, now vascularizing the overlying skin and soft tissue, is moved as a secondary island flap to the anterior chest wall to complete the breast reconstruction. In all but 1 of our 21 patients who have been followed for 1 to 8 years, reconstruction of large defects, including the chest wall, breast mound, and infraclavicular axillary fold depression, was performed without use of a prosthesis. In one patient, there was complete necrosis of the flap due to vascular impairment; there were three instances of delayed healing and a significant but partial loss of the flap in one patient. All complications were encountered in the first 10 patients of the series during the time the technique was being refined.     

Extra-abdominal desmoid arising from a capsule around a silicone breast implant.

Musculo-aponeurotic fibromatosis is an extremely rare lesion in the breast, only 16 previous cases having been reported. The unilateral tumor in our patient occurred after subcutaneous mastectomy and bilateral placement of implants. The histological evidence suggests that this tumor arose from the capsule surrounding one of the implants.     

Breast reconstruction with postmastectomy radiation therapy: current issues

Two recent trials have demonstrated superior locoregional control, disease-free survival, and overall survival in node-positive breast cancer patients with the addition of postmastectomy radiation therapy to mastectomy and chemotherapy. Based on these results, there has been an increased use of postmastectomy in patients with early-stage breast cancer. The inability to determine which patients will require postmastectomy radiation therapy has increased the complexity of planning for immediate breast reconstruction. There are two potential problems with performing an immediate breast reconstruction in a patient who will require postmastectomy radiation therapy. One problem is that postmastectomy radiation therapy can adversely affect the aesthetic outcome of an immediate breast reconstruction. Several studies have evaluated the outcomes of breast reconstructions that were performed before radiation therapy and have revealed a high incidence of complications and poor aesthetic outcomes. Furthermore, these studies have found that often an additional flap is required to restore breast shape and symmetry. The other potential problem is that an immediate breast reconstruction can interfere with the delivery of postmastectomy radiation therapy. During planning for immediate breast reconstruction, it is imperative to carefully review the stage of disease and the likelihood the patient will require postmastectomy radiation therapy. Unfortunately, the ability to detect and predict the presence or extent of axillary lymph node involvement is limited, and the need for postmastectomy radiation therapy is usually not known until after mastectomy. In all cases of decision making regarding possible postoperative radiation therapy and whether or not to perform immediate breast reconstruction, the situation should be discussed at a multidisciplinary conference or addressed among the various medical, surgical, and radiation teams, with active participation by the patient. Immediate breast reconstruction probably should be avoided in patients known to require postmastectomy radiation therapy and delayed until it is certain the therapy will be needed in patients who may require the therapy.     

Reconstruction of the radiated partial mastectomy defect with autogenous tissues.

As conservative surgery and radiation therapy have become accepted treatments for early-stage breast cancer, increasing attention has focused on the cosmetic results of this technique. When partial mastectomy--a term which encompasses a diversity of excisional techniques--is followed by radiation therapy, breast defects characterized by parenchymal loss, nipple-areola complex distortion, and cutaneous abnormalities can occur. From 1981 to 1990, eight patients sought reconstructive correction of a radiated partial mastectomy deformity. Patients were from 42 to 70 years of age (mean 49 years). All had breast cancer, except for one patient with diffuse and chronic breast abscesses. Six patients were reconstructed with latissimus dorsi flaps and two with rectus flaps. No patient underwent reconstruction sooner than 1 year after completion of radiation therapy; for the entire group, a mean of 2.6 years elapsed from completion of radiation therapy to flap reconstruction of the breast. Mammograms were obtained on all the breast cancer patients before and after the myocutaneous flap procedure. Follow-up extended from 1 to 9 years after reconstruction (mean 3.6 years) and included both physical examination and serial mammographic evaluations. Myocutaneous flap reconstruction with either latissimus or rectus flaps achieved an aesthetic improvement of the partial mastectomy deformity in all eight patients. Complications consisted only of seroma formation in two patients following latissimus flap reconstruction. Mammographic evaluation revealed fibrofatty degeneration of the soft tissues of both types of flaps, a change that occurs as early as 6 months after operation and appears as a radiolucent area. The feasibility of mammography as a screening adjunct for recurrent cancer in this group of patients is demonstrated. Advantages of this technique of autogenous tissue reconstruction are improvement of contour deformities associated with conservative surgery and radiation therapy, preservation of normal, sensate breast skin, enhancement of symmetry with the contralateral breast, and avoidance of a prosthesis.     

Ⅰ、Ⅱ期乳腺癌行保乳术的近期疗效观察

目的探讨Ⅰ、Ⅱ期乳腺癌行保乳术的近期疗效。方法选择2014年8月~2016年4月我院收治的Ⅰ、Ⅱ期乳腺癌患者104例为研究对象,依据患者治疗方法的不同分为治疗组和对照组各52例,对照组实施改良根治术治疗,治疗组实施保乳术治疗,观察比较两组患者近期疗效。结果治疗组平均手术时间、术中出血量以及住院时间均明显少于对照组(P0.05);而且治疗组术后乳房美容效果优良率达94.2%,对照组为76.9%,两组比较差异有统计学意义(P0.05);两组病灶局部复发和转移情况比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论早期乳癌患者接受保乳术治疗具有显著疗效,病灶局部复发与转移发生率小,而且患者乳房外形良好,达到美学标准,值得临床推广。