• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.1261-1264
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• 2016

Background: In breast cancer (BC), it has been suggested that nuclear overexpression of p53 protein might be an indicator of poor prognosis. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the expression of p53 BC in Kurdish women from the West of Iran and its correlation with other clinicopathology figures. Materials and Methods: In the present retrospective study, 231 patients were investigated for estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) positivity, defined as ${\geq}10%$ positive tumor cells with nuclear staining. A binary logistic regression model was selected using Akaike Information Criteria (AIC) in stepwise selection for determination of important factors. Results: ER, PR, the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and p53 were positive in 58.4%, 55.4%, 59.7% and 45% of cases, respectively. Ki67 index was divided into two groups: 54.5% had Ki67<20% and 45.5% had Ki67 ${\geq}20%$. Of 214 patients, 137(64%) had lymph node metastasis and of 186 patients, 122(65.6%) had vascular invasion. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that there was inverse significant correlation between lymph node metastasis (P=0.008, OR 0.120 and 95%CI 0.025-0.574), ER status (P=0.006, OR 0.080, 95%CI 0.014-0.477) and a direct correlation between HER2 (P=005, OR 3.047, 95%CI 1.407-6.599) with the expression of p53. Conclusions: As in a number of studies, expression of p53 had a inverse correlation with lymph node metastasis and ER status and also a direct correlation with HER2 status. Also, p53-positivity is more likely in triple negative BC compared to other subtypes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.1015-1018
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• 2016

Background: Overexpression or amplification of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) is associated with grade of malignancy and a poor prognosis in breast cancer (BC). The aim of this study was to evaluate of value of HER2 as a prognostic marker, and to analyze associations with common histopathological parameters in BC cases. Materials and Methods: Between of 2007 to 2014, 260 patients with BC referred to Oncology Clinic provided cancer tissue samples which underwent immunohistochemistry (IHC) for markers. ER and PR positivity was defined as ${\geq}10%$ positive tumor cells with nuclear staining. HER2-positive was defined as either HER2 gene amplification by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) or scored as 3+ by IHC. For HER2 (2+), FISH was performed to determine HER2 positivity. Results: The mean age at diagnosis for the patients with HER2-negative was significantly higher than in HER2-positive cases. Also, there were significant correlations between histological grade, nuclear grade, lymph node metastasis, tumor size, ER status, PR status, p53 overexpression and Ki-67 index with HER2 expression. HER2-negative lesions were of higher grade and more likely to be ER-negative, PR-negative, p53-positive, lymph node metastasis, with a tumor size<2cm and also $Ki-67{\geq}20%$ as compared to the HER2-positive group. Conclusions: Contrary to the results of other studies, HER2-positive tumors in our study had a lower Ki-67 index and were p53-positive. Also, Ki-67 proliferation index ${\geq}20%$ in more studies was associated with p53-positive.Therefore, tumors which are HER2-positive and have a Ki-$67{\geq}20%$ had a more aggressive behavior compared to HER2-positive and Ki-67<20% lesions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.1383-1388
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• 2012

Objectives: Regardless of its negative impact on quality of life, little is known about the importance of alopecia from the patients' perspective. This study aimed to explore the whole experience of chemotherapy-induced alopecia among Korean breast cancer patients including perception, attitudes, preparedness, and changes after alopecia. Methods: Patients expected to experience or had experienced alopecia were recruited at a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were performed in 21 patients. Recurrent issues were identified and placed into thematic categories. Results: All patients think that appearance is important and they pay attention to how they look like. They had negative perceptions about alopecia. Patients were not well prepared for alopecia, and experienced substantial physical, psychological and social distress. Lack of information and limited social support combined with negative images of cancer made it difficult for patients to overcome the trauma and deterred them from usual daily activities resulting in poor quality of life. Conclusions: Patients were not well prepared for alopecia and negative perceptions, lack of preparedness, and limited social support and resources increased alopecia-related distress. Educational programs for preparing patients to cope with alopecia distress and advocate activities to change people's negative perception about alopecia are needed to reduce the burden imposed by alopecia in cancer patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권18호
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• pp.8397-8403
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• 2016

Background: Breast cancer (BCa) is the most common malignancy in Mexican women. A set of histopathological markers has been established to guide BCa diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Nevertheless, in only a few Mexican health services, such as that of the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA for its acronym in Spanish), are these markers commonly employed for assessing BCa. The aim of this study was to explore the association of Ki67, TP53, HER2/neu, estrogenic receptors (ERs) and progesterone receptors (PRs) with BCa risk factors. Materials and Methods: Clinical histories provided background patient information. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis was conducted on 48 tissue samples from women diagnosed with BCa and treated with radical mastectomy. The Chi square test or Fisher exact test together with the Pearson and Spearman correlation were applied. Results: On average, patients were $58{\pm}10.4$ years old. It was most common to find invasive ductal carcinoma (95.8%), histological grade 3 (45.8%), with a poor Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI; 80.4%). ERs and PRs were associated with smoking and alcohol consumption, metastasis at diagnosis and Ki67 expression (p<0.05). PR+ was also related to urea and ER+ (p<0.05). Ki67 was associated with TP53 and elevated triglycerides (p<0.05), and HER2/neu with ER+, the number of pregnancies and tumor size (p<0.05). TP53 was also associated with a poor NPI (p<0.05) and CD34 with smoking (p<0.05). The triple negative status (ER-/PR-/HER2/neu-) was related to smoking, alcohol consumption, exposure to biomass, number of pregnancies, metastasis and a poor NPI (p<0.05). Moreover, the luminal B subty was associated with histological type (p=0.007), tumor size (p=0.03) and high cholesterol (p=0.02). Conclusions: Ki67, TP53, HER2/neu, ER and PR proved to be related to several clinical and pathological factors. Hence, it is crucial to determine this IHC profile in women at risk for BCa. Certain associations require further study to understand physiological/biochemical/molecular processes.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.390-398
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• 2007

Purpose: This comparative descriptive study was conducted to determine differences in maternal health related characteristics, child rearing burden, and social support depending on economic status. Method: Using home visits, data were collected from 100 poverty stricken mothers, 51 in the extremely poor group and 49 in the low income group, and 200 mothers of a general group being seen in one public health center. The instrument used for this study was a self-report questionnaire to identify maternal health variables including child rearing burden and social support. Results: Parent's education level, marital status, and primary caregiver were significantly different according to socioeconomic status. Poverty stricken groups showed poor rates for prenatal checkups, lower Fe supplementation, and more artificial abortions and history of cesarean section. Continuing breast feeding as planned was significantly lower for mothers with low economic status. Present health problems of the mother, child-rearing burden, and social support were not significantly different among the three groups. Conclusion: These findings suggest that special attention and interventions for the poverty stricken groups is important to improve maternal and child health status.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제37권6호
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• pp.736-741
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• 2010

Purpose: Radical surgical extirpation in advanced breast cancer patients produces extensive loss of skin with large defects requiring plastic surgical procedures for the closure. Many reconstructive methods exist, the choice of which depends upon the characteristic of the wound, extent of resection and patient comorbidities. For adequate coverage of the large skin defects following resection of advanced breast cancer, current authors have performed a thoracoabdominal flap. Methods: From August 2008 to June 2009, 4 cases of thoraco-abdominal flap were performed for chest wall reconstruction after mastectomy of advanced breast cancer. Flap dissection was entirely performed in a subfascial plane and the flap involving the external oblique abdominal muscle. The flap was rotated clockwise in left chest wall defects and counterclockwise in right chest defects and the donor site was closed directly. Results: Their mean age, 55.7 years and the average follow-up interval was 9 months. Patients' oncologic status ranged from stage IIIc to stage IV, it was classified according to the TNM staging system. Flap dimensions ranged between $15{\times}15$ and $25{\times}25\;cm$. One flap sustained a partial loss at the distal margin and revision with pectoralis major musculocutaneous island flap. Conclusion: Large chest wall reconstructions are usually required after radical excision of advanced cancer stages patients with poor general conditions. Thoracoabdominal flap is a simple, quick single-stage procedure, and offer to patient fast recovery, low complication rate, enabling further concomitant adjuvant therapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권7호
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• pp.4115-4119
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• 2013

Background: Previous reports have shown that human epidermal receptor (HER)-3 overexpression may be associated with poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer, but results have been conflicting. In this study, we sought to investigate the prognostic significance of HER-3 immunohistochemical expression in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed HER-3 immunohistochemical expression profiles in 45 paraffin-embedded specimens from patients who had been treated between 1996 and 2006 in the Department of Oncology of the Uludag University School of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey. Membranous or cytoplasmic dominant expression patterns of HER-3 were analyzed using the Rajkumar score and a cytoplasmic 4-point scoring system, respectively. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) served as the main outcome measures. Results: The median PFS in the study participants was 9 months (interquartile range: 4.5-13 months), whereas the median OS was 20 months (interquartile range: 7.5-28 months). Categorization of the patient population according to HER-3 positive immunohistochemical expression did not reveal any statistically significant difference in terms of both PFS (p=0.70) and OS (p=0.81). The results of multivariable Cox regression analysis indicated that tumor size was the only independent predictor of PFS, whereas estrogen and progesterone receptor status was independently associated with OS. Conclusions: HER-3 immunohistochemical expression did not correlate with outcomes in Turkish patients with metastatic breast cancer. Although our results suggest that HER-3 expression in cancer specimens is not of prognostic significance, further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these results.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권7호
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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.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.142-148
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• 2008

목 적: 조기유방암의 치료에 있어 과거에는 유방 전적출술이 주된 치료였으나 현재는 유방보존술이 표준 치료방법으로 정립되었다. 저자들은 서울대학교병원에서 유방보존수술 및 방사선치료를 받은 환자의 임상적 특성을 조사하고 치료결과 및 예후인자를 분석하고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1992년 2월부터 2002년 1월까지 침윤성 유방암으로 유방보존수술 및 수술 후 방사선치료를 받은 424명을 대상으로 후향적으로 분석하였다. 대부분의 환자는 사분절제술 및 액와림프절 청소술을 시행 받았다(396명, 93.4%). 302명이 T1이었고 122명은 T2 병기였으며, 림프절 전이는 107명에서 확인되었다. 방사선치료는 전체 유방에 28회에 걸쳐 50.4 Gy를 조사한 후 종양이 있었던 부위에 10 Gy의 추가조사를 실시하였다. 영역림프절 조사는 57명에서 시행되었다. 항암화학요법은 231명에서 시행되었으며, 그 중 170명이 cyclophosphamide, methotrexate 및 5-fluorouracil을 투여 받았다. 중앙추적기간은 64개월이었다. 결 과: 전체 환자의 5년 국소제어율은 95.6%이었다. 추적관찰 중 15명의 환자에서 국소재발이 확인되었다. 5년 생존율은 93.1%이었고, 병기에 따른 5년 생존율은 I기 94.8%, IIA기 95.0%, IIB기 91.1%, IIIA기 75.9%, IIIC기 57.1%이었다. 5년 무병생존율은 88.7%이었고, 병기별로는 I기 93.1%, IIA기 89.4%, IIB기 82.8%, IIIA기 62.0%, IIIC기 28.6%이었다. 예후인자 분석에서는 N 병기(p=0.0483)가 생존율에, 연령(p=0.0284)과 N 병기(p=0.0001)가 무병생존율에 각각 유의한 영향을 보였다. 결 론: 조기유방암에서 유방보존수술 및 수술 후 방사선치료는 우수한 국소제어율 및 생존율을 기대할 수 있는 치료법임을 확인할 수 있었다.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.27-33
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• 2001

목적 : 초기 유방암 (병기 I, II)에서는 유방 보존 수술과 방사선치료가 선호 받고 있는 치료법이다. 본원에서는 1992년부터 이러한 방법을 시행 중이며 실패양상과 미용효과 및 생존률을 알아보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법 : 1992년 1월부터 1997년 12월까지 계명대학교 동산의료원에서 유방 보존 수술과 방사선치료를 받은 초기 유방암환자 72명을 대상으로 하였다. 연령분포는 $25\~77$세(중앙값 43세)이었고 TNM 병기는 0기 5명, I기 33명, IIa기 25명, IIb기 9명이었다. 모든 환자는 유방의 부분절제술과 동측 액와림프절 곽청술을 시행하고 방사선치료를 하였다. 유방의 방사선치료는 동측 전체 유방에 6 MV 광자선으로 $50\~54\;Gy$를 5주에서 6주간에 조사하였고 원발병소에 추가 방사선은 전자선으로 $10\~16\;Gy$를 1주에서 2주간 조사하였다. 항암화학요법은 41명에서 방사선치료 전후에 시행하였다. 미용효과는 환자의 만족도를 매우좋음, 좋음, 만족할만함, 불만족의 4단계로 설문조사를 시행하였다. 추적관찰기간은 22개월에서 91개월로 중앙값이 40개월이었다. 결과 : 전체환자의 5년 무병생존률은 $95.8\%$ 이었다. 병기별로는 0기에는 $100\%$, I기에는 $96.9\%$, IIa기에는 $96\%$, IIb기에는 $88.9\%$이었다. 2명에서 원격전이가 있었으며 1명에서 동시재발이 있었다. 원격전이 환자 중 1명에서는 방사선 치료 후 14개월에 골, 간에 있었고 1명에서는 21개월에 폐와 양측 쇄골상 림프절에 전이되었다. 동시재발환자는 14개월에 동측 유방의 다른 사분역에 재발하여 유방전절제술과 항암화학요법을 시행하고 44개월에 뇌전이로 방사선치료와 항암화학요법을 시행하였으나 55개월 째 사망하였다. 부작용으로는 4명에서 무증상의 폐렴양 음영이 흉부 X선 촬영에서 보였고 1명에서 증상을 동반한 방사선폐렴이 있었고 4명$(5\%)$에서 경미한 정도의 손부종이나 팔 부종이 있었다. 미용결과는 설문에 응답한 59명중 51명$(86\%)$에서 좋음에서 매우 좋음으로 나타났다. 결론 : 이상의 결과로 초기 유방암에서 유방보존수술과 방사선치료는 안전한 치료방법이며 우수한 생존률과 미용 결과를 보인다고 생각되며 향후 장기추적관찰을 통해 예후 인자의 분석이 필요 할 것으로 사료된다.