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Background Core needle biopsy (CNB) plays a crucial role as diagnostic tool for breast cancer (BC). The characterization of biomarkers status before surgical treatment is crucial when primary systemic therapy is a therapeutic option. The aim of this analysis was to report concordance between preoperative CNB and surgical specimen (SS) in evaluating biomarkers and molecular subtypes. Methods Data have been collected from a cohort of 101 patients affected by early BC treated at Careggi Florence University Hospital, between January 2014 and March 2015. The conformity between molecular subtype classification was tested using kappa (κ) test. Results Mean age was 57.5 years (range 29–86). There was concordance between the estrogen receptor (ER) assessment on CNB and SS in 95 cases (94.1%). Concordance of the progesterone receptor (PgR) assessment was observed in 89 cases (88.1%). Concordance for detecting immunohistochemistry-assessed BC molecular subtypes was 87.1% (κ = 0.78). Concerning Ki-67 evaluation, we report a concordance rate of 88.1% (κ = 0.68). The evaluation of luminal A plus luminal B/HER negative subgroup showed a κ-value of 0.65. Conclusions CNB showed good accuracy in evaluating hormonal receptors status, HER2, and BC molecular subtypes. Evaluation of Ki67 status was less accurate than other biomarkers; therefore, we recommend that it should be detected both on CNB and SS samples, especially in hormonal positive HER2 negative tumors, in order to avoid a misclassification of tumor subtypes that could lead to an omission of potential effective systemic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The tumor status of the axillary lymph nodes is one of the most important prognostic factors in women with early breast cancer (BC). Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has become the standard staging procedure for patients with invasive BC, largely replacing axillary lymph nodes dissection (ALND). The exact impact on prognosis of SLN tumor burden is still object of controversy. The aim of this study was to correlate the tumor burden in the SLN with the outcome in a large cohort of women. Patients and methods 1040 consecutive patients with clinical stage I–III invasive BC were prospectively collected on our Institutional BC database from January 2001 to January 2007. Patients were stratified into the following four groups based on the tumor burden of the SLN: macrometastases, tumor deposit ≥2 mm; micrometastases, tumor deposit ≥0.2 mm and <2 mm; isolated tumor cells (ITC), isolated tumor cells or tumor deposit <0.2 mm; negative, in case of patients with no evidence of tumor. Results At a median follow-up of 8.5 years, the tumor burden of SLN metastases resulted significant predictor of DFS ( P < 0.0001) and OS ( P = 0.042). Multivariate analysis showed that the tumor burden of SLN metastases and Ki 67 proliferative index maintained the statistical significance. Conclusion Patients with SLN micrometastases or ITC, do not seem to have a worse DFS or OS compared with SLN negative cases. There is a significant decrease in DFS and OS in patients with macrometastatic disease in the SLN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The use of adjuvant radiotherapy in ductal carcinoma in situ is accepted by most radiation oncologists worldwide; the role of a boost on the tumor bed is however more controversial. Materials and methods: We reviewed our Institute experience in DCIS treatment, focusing on main prognostic factors and impact of radiation boost on local relapse. A total of 389 patients treated between 1990 and 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients received adjuvant radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery for a median dose of 50 Gy; 190 patients (48.8%) received and additional radiation boost on the tumor bed. Results: At a mean follow up of 7.7 years, we recorded 26 local recurrence (6.7%). Concerning local relapse-free survival, at Cox regression univariate analyses <1 mm surgical margins (p < 0.0001) and young age (p = 0.01) emerged as significant unfavorable prognostic factors. At multivariate analysis Cox regression model, surgical margins (p < 0.001) and radiation boost (p = 0.014) resulted as the significant independent predictors of recurrence. Conclusions: Our experience showed the negative prognostic impact of surgical margins <1 mm and the protective role of radiation boost on LR rate. Anyway, results from ongoing prospective Phase III studies are strongly necessary to better identify high-risk DCIS patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]