Search

Background: For early detection of renal damage during the usage of cisplatin based chemotherapy, changes in renal function should be monitored carefully. In recent years, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, a small polypeptide molecule, has shown promise as a marker of acute renal failure. The aim of this present study was to assess possible risk prediction of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity using serum NGAL. Materials and Methods: A total of 34 consecutive patients with documented serum creatinine at least 24 hours before every cycle of cisplatin-based chemotherapy were included in the study. Demographic and medical data including age, performance status, tumor characteristics and comorbid diseases were collected from medical charts. Renal function was evaluated at least 48 hours before the treatment and at the end of the treatment based on the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula. Before and after cisplatin infusion serum NGAL levels were measured for the first and 3rd cycles of chemotherapy. Results: The median age of the study population was 54 (32-70) years. Fifteen patients (41.1%) were treated on an adjuvant basis, whereas 19 patients (58.9%) were treated for metastatic disease. There was no correlation of serum NGAL levels with serum creatinine (r=0.20, p=0.26) and MDRD (r=-0.12, p=0.50) and creatinine clearance-Cockcroft-Gault (r=-0.22, p=0.22) after cisplatin infusion at the end of the 3rd cycle of chemotherapy. Conclusions: In our study, serum NGAL levels were not correlated with the cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity. Further prospective studies are needed to conclude that serum NGAL level is not a good surrogate marker to predict early cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity.

Mucosal melanoma (MM) is a rare type of cancer that differs significantly from cutaneous melanoma. In this study, we aimed to evaluate clinical and demographical characteristics, prognoses and factors influencing survival, treatment alternatives, and features of different subtypes of the patients. The patients were followed up with and treated in different centers due to their diagnoses of MM. We retrospectively analyzed data of 107 patients who were diagnosed with MM in 14 different institutions in Turkey. The mean age of the patients was 64.5 years. Of the patients, 47 % were female and 53 % were male. The median overall survival (OS) was 17 months, and the mean follow-up duration was 27 months. The 2-year survival rate was 42 %, and the 5-year survival rate was 23 %. The best survival rate appeared in those patients with MM in the head-neck region (median survival rate was 27 months, P = 0.034). The most common anatomical site was the head-neck region. In a univariate analysis, variables including age ≥65 years, the anatomical site of the primary lesion other than head and neck region, the metastatic stage of the disease, high levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) of ≥1 were found to be associated with poor survival (P < 0.05). However, in a multivariate analysis, only advanced stage disease (HR = 2.70; 95 % CI, 1.64–4.45; P = 0.000) and high LDH levels (HR = 2.31; 95 % CI, 1.40–3.80; P = 0.001) were determined to be adverse prognostic variables. Primary MM presents a more aggressive behavior and offers a poorer prognosis compared to cutaneous melanoma. Because the disease is rarely seen, is heterogeneous, and lacks randomized studies, issues concerning optimal treatment approaches and management and clinical characteristics of the disease have not been clarified yet. © 2016, International Society of Oncology and BioMarkers (ISOBM).

Bisphosphonates are the most commonly used agents in the treatment of osteoporosis, and bisphosphonate therapy reduces the risk of skeletally related complications in patients with bone metastases due to malignancy. However, the effect of oral alendronate treatment on clinical and pathological properties of breast cancer has not been reported. Thus, we aimed to investigate retrospectively the demographic and clinico-pathological characteristics of new diagnosis of breast cancer patients with oral alendronate users for longer than 1 year, compared with non-users. Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients from 1998 to 2010 in our clinic were retrospectively analyzed. Patient’s demographics, including survival data and tumor characteristics, were obtained from medical charts. Breast cancer patients who were taking oral alendronate more than 12 months at the time of breast cancer diagnosis were enrolled as an alendronate users (n = 44), where the patients matched with the same age who were not taking oral alendronate were included as a control group (n = 444). A total of 488 patients were included in this study. Forty-four patients received an oral alendronate treatment more than 1 year, and 444 patients were considered as non-users. Median age of both alendronate users and non-users was 57 (33–89). Lower incidence of histological grade III, T3–T4 tumor, and node positivity was seen in alendronate users but not statistically significant. A similar trend for lower incidence of triple negative and higher incidence ER (P = 0.13), progesterone receptor (P = 0.12), and HER2 positivity (P = 0.21) was also seen in alendronate users but not statistically significant. Estimated median disease-free survival was 150 months in alendronate users where as 70 months in non-users (P = 0.015). Five-year survival rate in alendronate users was 97.4 %, whereas in non-users was 89.8 % (P = 0.13). The use of oral alendronate for longer than 1 year at the time of breast cancer diagnosis was associated with better clinico-pathological properties and significantly improved disease-free survival in breast cancer patients.

Secondary neoplasms of the testis are uncommon and less than 2% of all testicular cancers. Other than leukemia and lymphomas, the most common sites from which metastases occur are the lung and prostate gland. However, here, we report gastric cancer metastasis to the testis, an extremely rare site for gastric adenocarcinomas. We also review the cases of testicular metastasis arising from stomach cancer.

e20051 Background: Mucosal melanoma is a rare disease that is clearly distinct from cutaneous melanoma in clinical course and prognosis. We aim to evaluate patients with mucosal melanoma of differe...

Improved long-term survival of colorectal cancer patients (CRC) treated with surgery and/or chemotherapy ± radiotherapy (RT) has led to increased awareness of long-term side effects, including effecting sexual life, which can ultimately affect the quality of life in these patients. Because the absolute risk factors of erectile dysfunction (ED) have not been defined in CRC patients, the aim of this research was to identify the severity and the absolute risk factors of ED in male CRC survivors.The medical records of 61 male survivors of CRC treated with surgery and/or chemotherapy ± RT were retrieved from the medical oncology outpatient clinics during routine follow-up visits in 2011-2012. Patients older than 55 years and those with ED history before diagnosis were excluded. International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire was filled in by the patients.The patient mean age was 47.6±6.7 years (range 18-55) at the time of filling in the questionnaire. According to the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score, 83.6% of the patients had some degree of ED. The risk factors of erectile dysfunction were advancing age (p=0.01), tumor location (p=0.01), type of surgery (p=0.02), presence of stoma (p=0.03)) and RT (p=0.005). Chemotherapy didn't impact ED (p=0.46). Also, there was no significant correlation between smoking status, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, stage of the tumor and ED. Also hormonal disturbances such as serum FSH, LH and testesterone levels did not affect the presence of ED.Overall, 83.6% of the male CRC survivors had some degree of ED according to the IIEF. The risk factors of ED were advancing age, tumor location, type of operation, presence of stoma and RT. Clinicians should be aware of these risk factors to offer their patients adequate treatment options and also come up with new treatment strategies necessary to reduce further ED in CRC survivors.

Background: The incidence of colorectal cancer increases with vitamin D deficiency as shown in recently published studies. In addition, prospective investigations have indicated that low vitamin D levels may be associated with increased mortality of colorectal cancer, especially in stage III and IV cases. However, the exact incidence of vitamin D deficiency and the relation between vitamin D deficiency and osteopenia/osteporosis is still not known. The aim of this study is to identify severity of vitamin D deficiency and absolute risk factors of osteopenia/osteoporosis in colorectal cancer survivors. Materials and Methods: A total of 113 colorectal cancer survivors treated with surgery and/or chemotherapy +/- radiotherapy were recruited from medical oncology outpatient clinics during routine follow-up visits in 2012-2013. Bone mineral densitometry (BMD) was performed, and serum 25-OH vitamin D levels were also checked on the same day of the questionnaire. The patients was divided into 2 groups, group A with normal BMD and group B with osteopenia/osteoporosis. Results: The median age of the study population was 58 (40-76). Thirty (30.0%) were female, whereas 79 (70.0%) were male. The median follow-up was 48 months (14-120 months). Vitamin D deficiency was found in 109 (96.5%); mild deficiency (20-30 ng/ml) in 19 (16.8%), moderate deficiency (10-20 ng/ml) in 54 (47.8%) and severe deficiency (< 10 ng/ml) in 36 (31.9%). Osteopenia was evident in 58 (51.4%) patients whereas osteoporosis was noted in 17 (15.0%). Normal BMD was observed in 38 (33.6%). No apparent effects of type of surgery, presence of stoma, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and TNM stage were found regarding the risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis. Also, the severity of the vitamin D deficiency had no effect in the risk of osteopenia and osteporosis (p=0.93). In female patients, osteopenia/osteoporosis were observed in 79.5% patients as compared to 60.7% of male patients (p=0.04). Conclusions: In our study, vitamin D deficiency and osteopenia/osteoporosis was observed in 96.5% and 66.4% of colorectal cancer survivors, respectively. There is no defined absolute risk factor of osteopenia and osteoporosis in colorectal cancer survivors. To our knowledge, in the literature, our study is the first to evaluateall the risk factors of osteopenia and osteoporosis in colorectal cancer survivors.

WOS: 000330382700002, PubMed: 24444261, There is very little information about breast cancer characteristics, treatment choices, and survival among elderly patients. The purpose of this multicenter retrospective study was to examine the clinical, pathologic, and biologic characteristics of 620 breast cancer patients age 70 years or older. Between June 1991 and May 2012, 620 patients with breast cancer, recruited from 16 institutions, were enrolled in the retrospective study. Patients had smaller tumors at diagnosis; only 15% of patients had tumors larger than 5 cm. The number of patients who had no axillary lymph node involvement was 203 (32.7%). Ninety-three patients (15.0%) had metastatic disease at diagnosis. Patients were characterized by a higher fraction of pure lobular carcinomas (75.3%). The tumors of the elderly patients were also more frequently estrogen receptor (ER) positive (75.2%) and progesterone receptor (PR) positive (67.3%). The local and systemic therapies for breast cancer differed according to age. An association between age and overall survival has not been demonstrated in elderly patients with breast cancer. In conclusion, the biologic behavior of older patients with breast cancer differs from younger patients, and older patients receive different treatments.

Objective: There are some data regarding the role of cystatin C, a cysteine proteinase inhibitor, in determining the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) more accurately. We aimed to evaluate the correlation of serum cystatin C levels with the serum creatinine levels and GFR calculated by Cockcroft-Gault and modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) formulations in the patients who received cisplatin-based chemotherapy. We also intended to demonstrate its potential use in the early prediction of the renal function changes in these patients. Materials and methods: In the study, 34 patients receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy with various malignancies were included. The levels of cisplatin were determined prior to the chemotherapy and at the end of cisplatin infusion during the therapy. GFR was calculated by Cockcroft-Gault and MDRD formulations prior to the therapy and at the end of the third course. Results: A statistically significant linear correlation was found between the serum levels of cystatin C and creatinine prior to the chemotherapy (r - 0.42, p - 0.013). However, there was no correlation among the level of cystatin C subsequent to the cisplatin infusion and serum creatinine level following the third course and MDRD and creatinine clearance-Cockcroft-Gault formulations. Conclusion: Even though the serum cystatin C levels were correlated with the serum creatinine levels in our study, it was concluded that it was not an appropriate parameter to predict the potential impairments in the renal function during the chemotherapy.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) comprises approximately 15 to 20 per cent of all breast cancer cases. Many studies have detected less lymph node metastasis in TNBC than sporadic breast cancers. In this study, we studied capillary and lymphatic invasion in tumors of patients with TNBC. To differentiate the capillary invasion and lymphovascular invasion. We used the Anti-human CD34 and antihuman D2-40 antibodies. Antihuman CD34 antibodies stain the blood vessels and lymphatics. However, antihuman D2-40 antibodies stain lymphatics specifically. Two experienced pathologists blinded to clinical data evaluated capillary and lymphatic invasion existence in 39 TNBC patients’ tumor samples. Tumor samples were immunohistochemically stained with CD34 (endothelial cell marker) and D2–40 (podoplanin, a membrane protein, specific for lymphatic endothelium). The CD34-positive samples were categorized into two groups depending on their reaction with D2-40: lymphatic (D2-40-positive) and capillary (D2-40-negative) invasion. We have detected vascular invasion in 15 of 39 samples (38.5%) with CD34. Among those, capillary invasion was found in 14 (35.9%) and lymphatic invasion in three (7.7%) and both in two (5.1%) tumors. We did not find any significant correlation among capillary invasion, lymphatic invasion, vascular invasion, tumor grade, menopause status, history of cancer, and TNM. Capillary invasion is more commonly observed than lymphatic invasion in patients with TNBC. This finding supports the fact that more hematogenous metastasis (spreading) and less lymph node metastasis are seen in patients with TNBC.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of long-term, low-dose oral etoposide as an advanced treatment option in patients with platinum resistant epithelial ovarian cancer. Materials and Methods: For the purposes of this study, 51 patients with histologically-confirmed, recurrent or metastatic platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) treated at six different centers between January 2006 and January 2011 were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were treated with oral etoposide (50 mg/day for a cycle of 14 days, repeated every 21 days). Results: Among the 51 platinum-resistant patients, 17.6% demonstrated a partial response and 25.5% a stable response. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.9 months (95% CI, 2.1-5.7), while the median overall survival was 16.4 months (11.8–20.9). No significant relationship was observed between the pre-treatment CA 125 levels, post-treatment CA-125 levels and the treatment response rates (p=0.21). Among the 51 patients who were evaluated in terms of toxicity, grade 1 or 4 hematologic toxicity was observed in 19 (37.3%); and grade 1-4 gastrointestinal toxicity occurred in 15 patients (29.4%). Conclusions: Chronic low-dose oral etoposide treatment is generally effective and well-tolerated in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients.

To the editor, We read with great interest the study by She-Juan An et al., which showed that posttreatment plasma VEGF levels associated with the overall survival of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with bevacizumab plus chemotherapy. In this study, before and 6 weeks after treatment, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels measured. Also, this study showed that low posttreatment VEGF levels associated with better overall survival (OS) [1]. We have some insights for this decrease in serum VEGF levels. VEGF circulating in the blood of patients with cancer may be derived from various sources, as depicted in Fig. 1. Circulating levels of VEGF are dependent on the amount released from tumor cells (Fig. 1A) and/or platelets activated at the tumor-vessel endothelium. Activated platelets release VEGF (Fig. 1B), and platelet consumption causes increased levels of thrombopoietin, which in turn stimulates megakaryopoiesis and platelet production in the bone marrow. Newly produced platelets are larger in size than those produced during steady-state thrombopoiesis, and therefore contain an elevated amount of VEGF (Fig. 1C). Finally, host immune cells as macrophages that infiltrate tumor tissues can be an additional source of VEGF (Fig. 1 D) [2]. Serum VEGF levels have also been found to correlate with platelet count in a mixed population of metastatic cancers and renal cancer, and some investigators have also stated that VEGF should be corrected for platelet counts. To correct for variation in platelet counts between patients, it has been proposed that the concentration of VEGF per platelet (pg/10) can be calculated by dividing the serum VEGF concentration (pg/ml) by the platelet count (910/ml) [3]. In the study, She-Juan An et al., mean VEGF levels decreased from 81.5 pg/ml to 50.5 pg/ml after 6 weeks of treatment (P = 0.08), with a mean reduction of 31 pg/ml in overall. The relationship of the plasma VEGF levels with OS and progression-free survival (PFS), the patients were divided in the two groups based on their median VEGF value. The OS differed significantly between the low and high posttreatment VEGF levels (25.6 months vs. 13.4 months, P = 0.0284). No other relationship was found with plasma VEGF levels. It is known that most cytotoxic chemotherapeutics decrease the platelet count. In this study, thrombocytopenia was developed in 27.3% patients treated with bevacizumab plus chemotherapy. The association between VEGF levels and thrombocytopenia was not reported. Also, it is possible that platelet counts decreased with chemotherapy, but remained within normal limits. Because platelet counts before and after therapy has not been reported, the possible contribution of platelets on the decreasing VEGF levels remains obscure. We believe that the decrease in serum VEGF levels may at least in part be due to decreased platelet counts secondary to chemotherapy, and plasma VEGF levels may not accurately reflect the truth all the time before correcting the VEGF levels for platelet counts. M. A. N. Sendur S. Aksoy (&) S. Yaman Z. Arik N. Y. Ozdemir N. Zengin Department of Medical Oncology, Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, 06100 Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey e-mail: saksoy07@yahoo.com

To the Editor, The association between malignancy and dermatomyositis (DM) was known for nearly a century, but its significance remained unclear. The incidence of the malignancy increased five- to sevenfold compared to general population [1]. The peak incidence of malignancy diagnosis occurs within the 2 years of the diagnosis of dermatomyositis. The most common cancers associated with dermatomyositis include ovarian, lung, pancreatic, breast, and stomach cancer [2]. We present here a case of dermatomyositis and soft tissue sarcoma at the same time at diagnosis. In our review of the literature, coincidence of dermatomyositis and soft tissue sarcoma was not reported before.

e11093 Background: Bisphosphonates therapy reduces the risk of skeletally related complications in patients with bone metastases due to malignancy and bisphosphonates are the most common used agents in the treatment of osteoporosis. However, the effect on clinical and pathological properties of breast cancer with using oral alendronate has not been reported. We investigate retrospectively the demographic and clinico-pathological characteristics of patients with oral alendronate users for longer than 1 year, compared to non-users. Methods: Patients with breast cancer diagnosed from 1998 to 2010 in our clinic were retrospectively analyzed. Patient’s demographics including survival data and tumor characteristics were obtained from medical charts. Breast cancer patients who were taking oral alendronate more than 12 months at the time of breast cancer diagnosis were enrolled as an alendronate users (n=44), where the patients matched with the same age who were not taking oral alendronate were included as a control group (n=444). Results: A total of 488 patients were included in this study. Forty-four patients received an oral alendronate treatment more than one year and 444 patients were considered as nonusers. Median age of both alendronate users and nonusers was 57 (33-89). Lower incidence histological grade III, T3-T4 tumor, and node positivity was seen in alendronate users but not statistically significant. A similar trend for lower incidence of triple negative and higher incidence ER (P=0.13), PR (P=0.12) and HER2 positivity (P=0.21) was also seen in alendronate users but not statistically significant. Disease free survival rate was 150±28 months in alendronate users where as 70±24 months in nonusers (P=0.015). Median overall survival rates could not be obtained but higher in alendronate users but not statistically significant (P=0.13). Conclusions: The use of oral alendronate for longer than one year before the diagnosis of breast cancer was associated with better clinico-pathological properties and significantly improved disease free survival in breast cancer patients.

e11033 Background: Several studies suggest that total breastfeeding time reduces breast cancer risk although the underlying mechanism is unclear. However the total breast feeding is not well studied as a prognostic factor in patients with cancer. We aimed to investigate the possible prognostic role of total breastfeeding time (TBT) in breast cancer patients both on relation with tumor characteristics and also on prognosis. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 1673 breast cancer patients who followed up between 2004 and 2010 in our clinic. The total breastfeeding time was obtained by summing the breastfeeding time for each child. The total breastfeeding time was categorized as: 1-The total breastfeeding time between 0-12 months; 2-Total breastfeeding time more than 12 months. Results: The median total breastfeeding time of this population was 12 months. 1011(60.4%) of these have total breastfeeding time between 0-12 months and 662 (%39.6) of them have total breastfeeding time more than 12 months. T, N, M stages were similar in both groups. Total breastfeeding time was not correlated with any of clinical parameters including lymphovascular invasion, extracapsulary invasion, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2 2 status, perineural invasion. There was a positive correlation found between total breastfeeding time and BMI (r=1.24; P

e13031 Background: The most important dose-limiting manifestation of cisplatin is renal tubular dysfunction and a cumulative impairment in renal function, as manifested by a decline in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). There is a clinical need to predict the probability of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity (CIN), in order to support decisions about patient management and preventive measures. The aim of the present study was to develop risk prediction of CIN. Methods: Consecutive 197 patients with documented serum creatinine before at least 48 hours every cycle cisplatin-based chemotherapy were included the study. Demographic and medical data including age, performance status, tumor characteristics and comorbid diseases were collected from the medical charts. Renal function was evaluated for each cycle before treatment (day 0) and before next cycle (day 21) based on the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula. Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity (CIN) was defined as decrease of ≥ 25% in GFR compared to baseline GFR values. Results: The mean age of the study population was 54.5±9.6 years. Baseline MDRD levels had decreased of ≥ 25% in 58 (29.4%) patients accepted as CIN group, the rest of 139 patients of the study population accepted as a non-CIN group. There was no difference of age, gender, body mass index and smoking history between groups. In both group, the hypertension (p=0.81), diabetes mellitus (p=0.72), and cardiovascular disease (p=0.58) were seen equally. Types of concomitant therapy with cisplatin-based chemotherapy were similar between CIN and non-CIN groups. The applied radiologic examinations with contrast media was observed higher in CIN group than non-CIN group (P=0.01). In patients exposure the contrast media within one week before cisplatin administration, the risk of CIN was observed 2.56 (95%CI: 1.28-5.11) times higher than in patients not exposure to the contrast (p=0.009). Conclusions: In patients exposure the contrast media within one week before cisplatin administration, the risk of CIN was observed higher than in patients not exposure to the contrast. No additional risk factor of CIN was found in this retrospective observational study.

e11009 Background: Estrogen receptor (ER), progesteron receptor (PR) and HER-2 are prognostic and predictive markers in the management of breast cancer treatment. Delay in fixation of the specimens may reduce the ability to detect breast cancer biomarkers and resulting in false negative immunhistochemical results. Handling of specimens from operation rooms to pathology laboratories may delay sometimes, especially Fridays. We hypothesized that ER, PR and HER-2 expression status may change according to the day of surgical procedure. Methods: Patients who operated between 2005 and 2010 for breast cancer in our Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Consecutive 462 patients who had breast conserving surgery and modified radical mastectomy were included into the study. Patient’s demographics data and tumor characteristics and surgical procedure day were obtained from medical charts. Results: The mean age of the study population was 50±11 years. There were not differences between the T, N, M stage and age of patients according to operation day. ER, PR, HER-2 expressions were similar in Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. So we grouped the patients operated on Friday and others. Among the patients, 121 (26%) were operated on Friday. ER and PR negativity was higher on Friday procedures than the other weekdays (40% vs 23.2%; p=0.008 and 35.7% vs 27.9%; p=0.08, respectively). HER-2 positivity on Friday was significantly higher than the other weekdays (41.9% versus 23.4%; P=0.005). Conclusions: Cold ischemic time is the interval between removal of the tissue and placement in the tissue fixative. ER and PR are thermolabile proteins whose levels of expression are altered by prolonged cold ischemic time. Studies have shown delays in handling of breast cancer tissues affect biomarkers positivity and some tumors were classified falsely as negative. Specimens obtained on Friday may have more delaying for handling; therefore may have more hormon receptor negative results. In our study we have shown that ER negativity and HER-2 positivity are significantly higher on patients who were operated on Friday. Our study showed that handling of the specimen to the pathology laboratories is crucial and affect the treatment decisions.

e11125 Background: Data suggest that individuals with breast cancer experience significant sleep disturbance pre-, during, and post-chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. But there is no enough data about the sleep disturbances in operable breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant hormone therapy. The objectives of this study were to examine the of sleep quality in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant hormone therapy and compare with healthy controls. Methods: In this cross-sectional study we analyzed the sleep disturbances in patients with stage I-III breast cancer and healthy controls. Sleep quality was assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Demographic and tumor characteristics were also collected along with size, grade, lymph node, estrogen, progesterone, HER2 status, grade and history of chemotherapy. Results: Seventy-eight patients receiving tamoxifen (Tmx), 109 receiving aromatase inhibitors (AIs), and 39 healthy controls were included the study. Median age of the patients and ...

676 Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) comprises of about 15%-20% of all breast cancer cases. Many studies have detected less lymph node metastasis in TNBC than sporadic breast cancers. In this study, we studied capillary and lymphatic invasion in tumors of TNBC patients. Methods: Two experienced pathologists blinded to clinical data evaluated capillary and lymphatic invasion patterns in 39 TNBC patients' tumor samples. Tumor samples were immunohistochemically stained with CD34 (endothelial cell marker) and D2-40 (podoplanin, a membrane protein, specific for lymphatic endothelium). The CD34 positive samples were categorized into two groups depending on their reaction with D2-40: lymphatic (D2-40 positive) and capillary (D2-40 negative) invasion. Results: We have detected vascular invasion in 15 out of 39 samples (38.5%) with CD34. Among those, capillary invasion was found in 14 (35.9%) and lymphatic invasion in 3 (7.7%) and both in 2 (5.1%) tumors. We did not find any significant correlation...

Background: Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of multiple risk factors including obesity, insulin resistance, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL (high density lipoprotein), and hypertension. Metabolic syndrome is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. We evaluated the frequency and determinants of metabolic syndrome in patients with operable stage I-III breast cancer.Methods: In this cross-sectional study we analyzed the frequency and determinants of metabolic syndrome in patients with stage I-III breast cancer. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to NCEP (National Cholesterol Education Program) definitions. Data on metabolic syndrome criteria were collected along with demographic data, tumor size, grade, lymph node, estrogen, progesterone, HER2 status, grade and history of chemotherapy/endocrine therapy.Results: A total of 331 patients were analyzed. Median age was 50.0 years (range 20-84 years). Eighty-five patients were using tamoxifen, 98 patients were using aromatase inhibitors and the remaining 148 patients were not receiving hormonal therapy (newly diagnosed and/or triple-negative patients). According to the NCEP criteria 48.0% of the patients had metabolic syndrome. More patients receiving aromatase inhibitors had metabolic syndrome than those receiving tamoxifen (60.2% vs. 37.6%, p = 0.008). The frequency of MS among those not taking any hormonal therapy was 45.9%. Additionally, post-menopausal patients had higher rate of MS compared to pre-menopausal ones (53.4% vs. 25.0% p= Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 5121.