• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1277-1280
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• 2015

Aim: To report epidemiologic and anatomoclinical transitions of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) in Tunisia. Materials and Methods: Data including clinico-pathological data for 208 cases of T4d or PEV 3 non-metastatic breast cancer diagnosed between 2005 and 2010 were collected from patient records. Chi2 and Z tests were used to compare variables with two Tunisian historical series and a series about Arab-American patients. Results: Thirty three percent of our patients had their first child before 23 years of age and 56% had their menarche before 12 years, 75% never receiving oral contraception. Obesity was observed in 42% of women and IBC occurred during pregnancy in 13% of cases. Tumor grade was II-III in 90% of cases, HR was negative in 52%, HER2 was over expressed in 31% and invasion of more than 3 axillary nodes occurred in 18% of patients. We observed a pCR rate of 19% after neoadjuvant treatment (anthracyline-taxane used in 79%, trastuzumab in 27% ). Compared to historical Tunisian series (since 1996), IBC epidemiology remained stable in terms of median age, menopausal status and obesity. However we observed a significant decrease in median clinical tumor size and number of positive axillary lymph nodes. Comparison to IBC in Arab-Americans showed a significant difference in terms of median age, menopausal status, positivity of hormonal receptors and educational level. Conclusions: Our assessment of epidemiologic transition showed a reduction of clinco-pathological stage of IBC, keeping the same characteristics as compared to Tunisian historical series over a period of 14 years. Features seem to be different in Arab-American patients, probably related to migration, "occidentalization" of life style and improvement in socio-economic level.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.487-493
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• 2020

Objectives: This case report aimed to present the effect of Korean medicine therapies, including Sikyungbanga-tang, on cough in a breast cancer patient with metastasis to the lung. Methods: The patient was treated for 48 days with Sikyungbanga-tang and Saengmaek-san to control cough and other symptoms. To assess the changes in the symptoms and the patient's quality of life, the numeric rating scale (NRS), the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), and the EORTC quality of life questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) were used. Results: Following treatment with herbal medicine, the clinical symptoms and quality of life improved. Moreover, the patient's cough did not recur even one month later. Conclusions: This case report demonstrates that Korean herbal medicine, including Sikyungbanga-tang, may be effective in treating cough in breast cancer patient with metastasis to the lung. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.60-64
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• 2010

Purpose: Until now the general study for breast cancer patient has been mammography, breast sonography for anatomic diagnostics and $^{18}F$-FDG whole body PET for functional one. But the PEM (Positron Emission Mammography) was developed to increase sensitivity, specificity and accuracy to improve the disadvantage of each study. Therefore this present study aims to describe availability of PEM for improving diagnosis of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: During 3 months from January in 2010, PEM was performed on 100 patients who had history of breast cancer. Using Naviscan's PEM Flex Solo II scanner, PEM images of breast were acquired. And then we evaluated sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of PEM data by comparing results of PEM images with postoperative pathologic finding. Results: On the 100 patients, it could reveal 89 true positive, 9 false positive, 7 false negative and 87 true negative. Thus the results of sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for PEM was evaluated 92.7%, 90.6% and 91.7%. Conclusion: The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy have been reported 83.7%, 68.5% and 77.1% in mammography, and that was 89.1%, 79.1% and 83.4% in breast sonography. However the results of PEM were more increased than others. Therefore the results of this study will be available that PEM used diagnosis with breast cancer, used preoperative operation plan and helps to discovery of a part recurrence.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2645-2651
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• 2015

Background: The phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase/Akt (PI3K/Akt) pathway is a key regulator for HER2-overexpressing breast cancer, but data about whether activation of PI3K/Akt is associated with poor prognosis and resistance to trastuzumab therapy is controversial. In this study we investigated predictive and prognostic significance of expression of p27, Akt, PTEN and PI3K, which are components of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC), retrospectively. Materials and Methods: Fifty-four HER2-positive MBC patients who had received first-line trastuzumab-based therapy were recruited for the study group. All of the patient's breast tissue samples were examined for p27 and Akt expression. In addition, twenty-five patients with sufficient amount of tumor tissue were also examined for PTEN and PI3K expression. p27, Akt, PTEN and PI3K were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and their relationship with patient demographic features, tumor characteristics, response to trastuzumab-based treatment and survival outcomes were analyzed. Results: p27, Akt, PTEN and PI3K were positive in 25.9%, 70.4%, 24% and 96% of the cases, respectively. Nomne were significantly associated with response to trastuzumab and time to progression (TTP). A trend toward statistical significance for longer overall survival (OS) was found for PTEN-positive patients (p=0.058); there was no significant relationship between the other immunohistochemical variables and OS. When we analyzed groups regarding co-expression, the PTEN-negative/Akt-negative group had a significantly lower objective response rate (ORR) (20% vs 80%, p=0.023) and the PTEN-negative/p27-negative and PTEN-negative/Akt-negative groups had significantly lower median OS compared to other patients (26.4 months vs 76.1 months, p=0.005 and 25.6 months vs 52.0 months, p=0.007, respectively). Conclusions: p27, Akt, PTEN and PI3K expression is not statistically significantly associated with ORR, TTP and OS, individually. However, the combined evaluation of p27, Akt and PTEN could be helpful to predict the response to trastuzumab-based therapy and prognosis in HER2-positive MBC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup3
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• pp.179-183
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• 2016

Breast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer among women around the world, and mortality is primarily caused by micro-metastatic disease. The complex mechanisms of breast cancer invasion and metastasis are intrinsically related to the malignant cell type so that early detection of micro-metastases can help prolongation of survival for patient. The aim of the present research work was evaluation of the expression status of mammoglobin protein as a candidate molecular marker in the negative sentinel lymph node (SLN). Fifty tumor specimens, and 50 normal adjacent breast tissue samples from the same patients were selected on the basis of having more than 10% tumor content for RNA extraction from SLNs. Tumor samples and normal adjacent breast tissue were archived in the form of frozen fresh tissue in liquid nitrogen. Real-time PCR was performed on a Bioner life express gradient thermal cycler system. Mammoglobin gene overexpression in breast cancer metastasis was investigated. Single marker results were mammaglobin 66.7% and CK19 50.0%, with 58.3% for the two in combination. Due to improved outcome with at least 3 genes (83.3%), it seems, triple marker evaluation will be most likely useful for detecting micro-metastases instead of studying separate genes.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.177-179
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• 2003

Lymphedema is the most common of complications after surgery and radiotherapy in patients with breast cancer or cervical cancer. The cancer itself is a worry, but the lymphedema ia an additional handicap for the patients, both physical and psychosoical. Recently the best treatment of lymphedema is complete lymphedema therapy, and Dr. Foldi developed in 1980s. But this treatment has not always given satisfactory and permanent results. We report a case of the lymphedema patient who was treated by partial decompression therapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10505-10508
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is an important cause of death among women. One way of classifying different forms of breast cancer is by molecular features, usually in terms of the four subtypes: luminal A, luminal B, HER2-enriched, and triple negative. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between molecular subtypes and survival among breast cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. The subjects were 272 breast cancer patients who had received treatment in the radiotherapy unit at Srinagarind Hospital, Thailand, between 1 January, 1999, and 31 May, 2009. The end of the study was 1 June, 2014. Overall survival was defined as the time elapsing between initial registration at the radiotherapy unit and death or the end of the study. Survival curves were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and a multivariate analysis was performed using Cox's proportional hazard regression model. Results: The patient mean age was $47.5{\pm}10.4$ at the time of diagnosis. Of the 272 patients, 146 (53.7%) were classified as luminal A, 12 (4.4%) as luminal B, 30 (11.0%) as HER2-enriched, and 84 (30.9%) as triple negative. The overall survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 87.1%, 68.4% and 59.2%, respectively. According to molecular subtypes, HER2-enriched patients had the lowest 5-year survival rate (30.0 %, 95%CI: 15.02-46.55). The median follow-up time was 8.37 years. In the Cox model analysis a higher risk of death was found for patients with HER2-enriched ($HR_{adj}=3.34$, 95%CI:1.96-5.67), triple negative ($HR_{adj}=2.17$, 95%CI: 1.44-3.27), and stage IIlB ($HR_{adj}=2.20$, 95%CI: 1.16-4.17) cancers. Conclusions: The worst survival rates were among patients classified as HER2-enriched, triple negative and at stage IIIB. Early detection and an advanced treatment modality are needed to help these patients.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.258-269
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• 2017

This study was conducted to examine the predictive factors for health promotion behaviors of breast cancer patients, focusing on Pender's health promotion model (1996). Data were collected from 121 patients using a structured questionnaire from September 18 to October 26 in 2015. The data were analyzed with a t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis using SPSS 20.0 for Windows. The predictive factors for the health promotion behavior of the participants were social support, commitment to a plan of action, prior behavior, activity related effects, perceived self-efficacy, family function, perceived benefits of action, and situational influences. The total explanatory power of these factors was 57.8%. Development and application of a nursing intervention plan that enhances patient compliance with health promotion behavior is needed to enable breast cancer patients undergoing rehabilitation to maintain their optimal health and live a high-quality life. Patients who showed a low degree of predictive factors identified in this study are in particular need of attention.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.319-328
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore effects of a Cancer-overcome BeHaS exercise program that consists of exercise, education, and cognitive supports to improve shoulder external rotation, cancer coping, group cohesion in mastectomy patients. Methods: A one group pre-post test design was used. Thirty mastectomy patients from C Hospital participated in the supervised exercise program once a week for 8 weeks. Data were collected from May to July 2011 using self-administered questionnaires and physical measurement. SPSS/WIN 19.0 was used for the data analysis. Results: The mean age of participants was 53.7 and the mean postoperative period after the surgery was 12.93 months. There were significant differences in the shoulder external rotation, cancer coping, group cohesion between pre and post program. Conclusion: The results showed that cancer-overcome BeHaS exercise program was an effective nursing intervention for improving breast cancer patient's shoulder external rotation, cancer coping and group cohesion.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8371-8376
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• 2014

Background: The use of statistical methods has become an imperative tool in breast cancer survival data analysis. The purpose of this study was to develop the best statistical probability model using the Bayesian method to predict future survival times for the black non-Hispanic female breast cancer patients diagnosed during 1973-2009 in the U.S. Materials and Methods: We used a stratified random sample of black non-Hispanic female breast cancer patient data from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional regression methods. Four advanced types of statistical models, Exponentiated Exponential (EE), Beta Generalized Exponential (BGE), Exponentiated Weibull (EW), and Beta Inverse Weibull (BIW) were utilized for data analysis. The statistical model building criteria, Akaike Information Criteria (AIC), Bayesian Information Criteria (BIC), and Deviance Information Criteria (DIC) were used to measure the goodness of fit tests. Furthermore, we used the Bayesian approach to obtain the predictive survival inferences from the best-fit data based on the exponentiated Weibull model. Results: We identified the highest number of black non-Hispanic female breast cancer patients in Michigan and the lowest in Hawaii. The mean (SD), of age at diagnosis (years) was 58.3 (14.43). The mean (SD), of survival time (months) for black non-Hispanic females was 66.8 (30.20). Non-Hispanic blacks had a significantly increased risk of death compared to Black Hispanics (Hazard ratio: 1.96, 95%CI: 1.51-2.54). Compared to other statistical probability models, we found that the exponentiated Weibull model better fits for the survival times. By making use of the Bayesian method predictive inferences for future survival times were obtained. Conclusions: These findings will be of great significance in determining appropriate treatment plans and health-care cost allocation. Furthermore, the same approach should contribute to build future predictive models for any health related diseases.