• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4445-4452
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• 2012

Background: Prognosis of breast cancer depends on classic pathological factors and also tumor angiogenesis. This study aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological factors of breast cancer in a tertiary centre with a focus on the relationship between tumor angiogenesis and clinicopathological factors. Methods: Clinicopathological data were retrieved from the archived formal pathology reports for surgical specimens diagnosed as invasive ductal carcinoma, NOS. Microvessels were immunohistochemically stained with anti-CD34 antibody and quantified as microvessel density. Results: At least 50% of 94 cases of invasive breast ductal carcinoma in the study were advanced stage. The majority had poor prognosis factors such as tumor size larger than 50mm (48.9%), positive lymph node metastasis (60.6%), and tumor grade III (52.1%). Higher percentages of estrogen and progesterone receptor negative cases were recorded (46.8% and 46.8% respectively). Her-2 overexpression cases and triple negative breast cancers constituted 24.5% and 22.3% respectively. Significantly higher microvessel density was observed in the younger patient age group (p=0.012). There were no significant associations between microvessel density and other clinicopathological factors (p>0.05). Conclusions: Majority of the breast cancer patients of this institution had advanced stage disease with poorer prognostic factors as compared to other local and western studies. Breast cancer in younger patients might be more proangiogenic.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.384-394
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• 2023

Objective: Mammographic density is an independent risk factor for breast cancer that can change after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT). This study aimed to evaluate percent changes in volumetric breast density (ΔVbd%) before and after NCT measured automatically and determine its value as a predictive marker of pathological response to NCT. Materials and Methods: A total of 357 patients with breast cancer treated between January 2014 and December 2016 were included. An automated volumetric breast density (Vbd) measurement method was used to calculate Vbd on mammography before and after NCT. Patients were divided into three groups according to ΔVbd%, calculated as follows: Vbd (post-NCT - pre-NCT)/pre-NCT Vbd × 100 (%). The stable, decreased, and increased groups were defined as -20% ≤ ΔVbd% ≤ 20%, ΔVbd% < -20%, and ΔVbd% > 20%, respectively. Pathological complete response (pCR) was considered to be achieved after NCT if there was no evidence of invasive carcinoma in the breast or metastatic tumors in the axillary and regional lymph nodes on surgical pathology. The association between ΔVbd% grouping and pCR was analyzed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results: The interval between the pre-NCT and post-NCT mammograms ranged from 79 to 250 days (median, 170 days). In the multivariable analysis, ΔVbd% grouping (odds ratio for pCR of 0.420 [95% confidence interval, 0.195-0.905; P = 0.027] for the decreased group compared with the stable group), N stage at diagnosis, histologic grade, and breast cancer subtype were significantly associated with pCR. This tendency was more evident in the luminal B-like and triple-negative subtypes. Conclusion: ΔVbd% was associated with pCR in breast cancer after NCT, with the decreased group showing a lower rate of pCR than the stable group. Automated measurement of ΔVbd% may help predict the NCT response and prognosis in breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.2259-2263
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• 2016

Background: Mammographic density determined according paranchymal patterns is a risk factor for breast cancer and its relationships with body and other breast characteristics of women is important. The purpose of the present study was to correlate breast parenchymal patterns and mammography abnormality findings with women's BMI, compressed breast thickness (CBT) and age in Tabriz city, Iran. Materials and Methods: From 1,100 mammograms interpreted by radiologists, breast parenchymal was classified into four categories from Types 1 (mostly fatty) through 4 (mostly fibroglandular tissue). Age, BMI, and CBT were recorded and their relation with risk for the development of breast abnormalities in mammograms was analyzed. Results: In women with a mean age of $45.8{\pm}8.63years$ 17.7% were in the high density group (Type 3 and 4). A comparison of four types of breast paranchymal with BMI, CBT and age showed inverse relations to breast density. Abnormal mammographic findings were 25.8% of all reported mammograms with a circular mass (12.7%) as the most common abnormality. About 21% abnormal cases were in less than 40 years. Increasing of BMI had significant relation with breast abnormality but in CBT was not observed. Conclusions: Measurement of women's body characteristics is useful for assistance in mammography diagnosis as well as selection of imaging instrument by high sensitivity for following patient in future. The effects of age, CBT and BMI groups on the breast paranchymal were significant.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.203-208
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• 2013

Background Preoperative volume assessment is useful in breast reconstruction. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and mammography are commonly available to reconstructive surgeons in the care of a patient with breast cancer. This study aimed to verify the accuracy of breast volume measured by MRI, and to identify any factor affecting the relationship between measured breast volume and actual breast weight to derive a new model for accurate breast volume estimation. Methods From January 2012 to January 2013, a retrospective review was performed on a total of 101 breasts from 99 patients who had undergone total mastectomy. The mastectomy specimen weight was obtained for each breast. Mammographic and MRI data were used to estimate the volume and density. A standard statistical analysis was performed. Results The mean mastectomy specimen weight was 340.8 g (range, 95 to 795 g). The mean MRI-estimated volume was $322.2mL^3$. When divided into three groups by the "difference percentage value", the underestimated group showed a significantly higher fibroglandular volume, higher percent density, and included significantly more Breast Imaging, Reporting and Data System mammographic density grade 4 breasts than the other groups. We derived a new model considering both fibroglandular tissue volume and fat tissue volume for accurate breast volume estimation. Conclusions MRI-based breast volume assessment showed a significant correlation with actual breast weight; however, in the case of dense breasts, the reconstructive surgeon should note that the mastectomy specimen weight tends to overestimate the volume. We suggested a new model for accurate breast volume assessment considering fibroglandular and fat tissue volume.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.65-71
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• 2016

Although high mammographic density is one of the strongest predictors of breast cancer risk, X-ray based mammography cannot be performed before the recommended screening age, especially not in adolescents and young women. Therefore, new techniques for breast density measurement are of interest. In this pilot study in Guam and Hawaii, we evaluated a radiation-free, bioimpedance device called Electrical Breast Densitometer$^{TM}$ (EBD; senoSENSE Medical Systems, Inc., Ontario, Canada) for measuring breast density in 95 women aged 31-82 years and 41 girls aged 8-18 years. Percent density (PD) was estimated in the women's most recent mammogram using a computer-assisted method. Correlation coefficients and linear regression were applied for statistical analysis. In adult women, mean EBD and PD values of the left and right breasts were $230{\pm}52$ and $226{\pm}50{\Omega}$ and $23.7{\pm}15.1$ and $24.2{\pm}15.2%$, respectively. The EBD measurements were inversely correlated with PD ($r_{Spearman}=-0.52$, p<0.0001); the correlation was stronger in Caucasians ($r_{Spearman}=-0.70$, p<0.0001) than Asians ($r_{Spearman}=-0.54$, p<0.01) and Native Hawaiian/Chamorro/Pacific Islanders ($r_{Spearman}=-0.34$, p=0.06). Using 4 categories of PD (<10, 10-25, 26-50, 51-75%), the respective mean EBD values were $256{\pm}32$, $249{\pm}41$, $202{\pm}46$, and $178{\pm}43{\Omega}$ (p<0.0001). In girls, the mean EBD values in the left and right breast were $148{\pm}40$ and $155{\pm}54{\Omega}$; EBD values decreased from Tanner stages 1 to 4 ($204{\pm}14$, $154{\pm}79$, $136{\pm}43$, and $119{\pm}16{\Omega}$ for stages 1-4, respectively) but were higher at Tanner stage 5 ($165{\pm}30{\Omega}$). With further development, this bioimpedance method may allow for investigations of breast development among adolescent, as well as assessment of breast cancer risk early in life and in populations without access to mammography.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.131-135
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of brachytherapy of breast cancer by dose assessment which a steady increased in Korea women. The dose assessment was performed using the MCNPX program, a MonteCarlo simulation technique. The sources used for brachytherapy was 192Ir. And nanoparticle which used for dose enhancement was gold. The density of nanoparticle was 7, 18 and 30 mg. Evaluation of absorbed dose according to distance is measured at a distance of 30, 50, 100 and 200 cm from the patient. As a result, The breast absorbed dose results increased in proportion to the density of nanoparticle. And the surrounding organs were not significantly different according to the density. But, in some organs, the absorbed dose decreased as the density of nanoparticles increased. Absorbed dose according to the distance was in inverse proportion to distance.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1031-1043
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• 2022

Objective: To compare digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and MRI as an adjunct to full-field digital mammography (FFDM) for the preoperative evaluation of women with breast cancer based on mammographic density. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 280 patients with breast cancer who had undergone FFDM, DBT, and MRI for preoperative local tumor staging. Three radiologists independently sought the index cancer and additional ipsilateral and contralateral breast cancers using either FFDM alone, DBT plus FFDM, or MRI plus FFDM. Diagnostic performances across the three radiologists were compared among the reading modes in all patients and subgroups with dense (n = 186) and non-dense breasts (n = 94) according to mammographic density. Results: Of 280 patients, 46 (16.4%) had 48 additional (39 ipsilateral and nine contralateral) cancers in addition to the index cancer. For index cancers, both DBT plus FFDM and MRI plus FFDM showed sensitivities of 100% in the non-dense group. In the dense group, DBT plus FFDM showed lower sensitivity than that of MRI plus FFDM (94.6% vs. 99.6%, p < 0.001). For additional ipsilateral cancers, DBT plus FFDM showed specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) of 100% in the non-dense group, but sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) were not statistically different from those of MRI plus FFDM (p > 0.05). In the dense group, DBT plus FFDM showed higher specificity (98.2% vs. 94.1%, p = 0.005) and PPV (83.1% vs. 65.4%; p = 0.036) than those of MRI plus FFDM, but lower sensitivity (59.9% vs. 75.3%; p = 0.049). For contralateral cancers, DBT plus FFDM showed higher specificity than that of MRI plus FFDM (99.0% vs. 96.7%, p = 0.014), however, the other values did not differ (all p > 0.05) in the dense group. Conclusion: DBT plus FFDM showed an overall higher specificity than that of MRI plus FFDM regardless of breast density, perhaps without substantial loss in sensitivity and NPV in the diagnosis of additional cancers. Thus, DBT may have the potential to be used as a preoperative breast cancer staging tool.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.224-237
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• 2011

For establishing the efficacy against breast cancer occurrence, women's mammographic breast density and hot flush remission related to pre and post-menopausal symptoms were selected as biomarkers. Meta analysis applied the final selection of 40 papers from Medline to assess the efficacy of isoflavone-rich soy or supplements versus placebo under randomized controlled trials. Interestingly, the exposure to the purified isoflavones was more effective than the exposure to the crude extract of soy isoflavones for hot flush suppression. The length and the amount of dosage dependency is the most appropriately suggested to be one year long with 50~100 mg/day of isoflavone-rich soy or supplements. Funnel plots was used to interpret the results, overall effect of isoflavones on breast density in post-menopausal women was revealed to be less effect [effect size: 0.062, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.005 to 0.12], than that of pre-menopausal women (effect size: 0.101, CI: -0.003 to 0.205). The reason why breast density was found higher among the pre-menopausal than the post-menopausal women is that the phytoestrogens of dietary isoflavones were antagonized against estrogen by the basis of estrogen receptor binding affinity. Overall, the Meta analysis reported that isoflavone had limited influence on breast density by suppressing the expansion by only 2%, while it was more effective to suppressing the hot flush, showing a dramatic decrease of 23%.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1502-1506
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• 2006

To investigate the inhibitory effects of Citaowan (CTW) on the growth and angiogenesis of breast cancer in vivo. Orthotopic breast cancer model was established by injection of MDA-MB-231 cells into mammary fat pad of nude mice. Seven weeks after injection, CTW was orally administered at dose of 50, 100 mg/mouse every day for 40 days. Body weight, tumor volume, tumor apoptosis, microvessel density and tumor proliferation were evaluated, after the mice were sacrificed. The body weight and tumor volume were not significantly changed in CTW group compared with the control group. Tumor apoptosis, proliferation and microvessel density were significantly reduced in CTW group (100 mg/mouse) compared with the control group. These data indicate that CTW has anti-angiogenic and proapoptotic effects on breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2013

Background: Tumor angiogenesis correlates with recurrence and appears to be a prognostic factor for both breast and prostate cancers. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the correlation of microvessel density (MVD), a measure of angiogenesis, with nuclear pleomorphism, mitotic count, and vascular invasion in breast and prostate cancers at preclinical and clinical levels. Methods: Samples from xenograft tumors of luminal B breast cancer and prostate adenocarcinoma, established by BT-474 and PC-3 cell lines, respectively, and commensurate human paraffin-embedded blocks were obtained. To determine MVD, specimens were immunostained for CD-34. Nuclear pleomorphism, mitotic count, and vascular invasion were determined using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained slides. Results: MVD showed significant correlations with nuclear pleomorphism (r=0.68, P=0.03) and vascular invasion (r=0.77, P=0.009) in breast cancer. In prostate cancer, MVD was significantly correlated with nuclear pleomorphism (r=0.75, P=0.013) and mitotic count (r=0.75, P=0.012). In the breast cancer xenograft model, a significant correlation was observed between MVD and vascular invasion (r=0.87, P=0.011). In the prostate cancer xenograft model, MVD was significantly correlated with all three parameters (nuclear pleomorphism, r=0.95, P=0.001; mitotic count, r=0.91, P=0.001; and vascular invasion, r=0.79, P=0.017; respectively). Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that MVD is correlated with nuclear pleomorphism, mitotic count, and vascular invasion at both preclinical and clinical levels. This study therefore supports the predictive value of MVD in breast and prostate cancers.