局部晚期食管鳞癌新辅助放化疗联合手术治疗的临床疗效分析

目的 探讨新辅助放化疗联合手术治疗局部晚期食管鳞癌的临床疗效,并分析临床完全缓解率(cCR)与病理完全缓解率(pCR)的关系。方法 回顾性选取2001—2013年局部晚期胸段食管鳞癌患者 158例,全组均采用术前同期放化疗联合手术方式,化疗采用以铂类为基础化疗方案,放疗剂量为40 Gy,2.0 Gy/次,5 次/周。Kaplan-Meier法计算OS和DFS,Logrank法检验并单因素预后分析,Cox模型多因素预后分析。结果 全组患者的pCR率为41.1%。新辅助放化疗后 44例cCR患者中 32例(73%)达pCR,114例非cCR患者中 33例(28.9%)达pCR (P=0.000)。cCR预测pCR的敏感性、特异性分别为49.2%、87.1%,阳性、阴性预测值分别为72.7%、71.1%。3年总样本数为 53例。全组 3年OS、DFS分别为53.9%、48.6%,cCR的显著高于非cCR的(P=0.012、P=0.026),pCR的显著高于非pCR的(P=0.000、0.000)。多因素分析显示放化疗后病理反应和化疗方案是影响OS的因素。最常见≥3级急性不良反应为白细胞减少(34.2%)。结论 新辅助放化疗联合手术治疗局部晚期食管鳞癌可获得较高pCR率且不良反应可耐受,放化疗后cCR率与pCR率、OS密切相关。     

紫杉类联合蒽环类的新辅助化疗方案治疗三阴乳腺癌的疗效及预后

背景与目的:三阴乳腺癌(triple-negative breast cancer,TNBc)是一类不能受益于分子靶向治疗的高危乳腺癌.本研究比较紫杉类联合蒽环类新辅助化疗方案对TNBC和非TNBC的疗效及远期生存率.方法:对接受4个周期紫杉联合蒽环类新辅助化疗方案治疗的138例乳腺癌资料进行回顾性分析.用免疫组化法将雌激素受体(ER)、孕激素受体(PR)和人表皮生长因子受体(Her-2)表达均阴性的肿瘤定义为TNBC,分析紫杉类联合蒽环类的新辅助化疗对TNBC和非TNBC的临床、病理疗效及其与远期生存的关系.结果:138例中37(26.8%)例为TNBC,101(73.2%)例为非TNBC.138例患者的总有效率(OR)为85.5%(118/138),其中临床完全缓解(cCR)为35.5%(49/138),临床部分缓解50.0%(69/138),病理完全缓解(pCR)30(21.7%)例.TNBC的cCR(51.4%)、pCR(45.9%)明显高于非TNBC的cCR(29.7%)、pCR(12.9%)(P<0.05).TNBC的5年无病生存率(DFS)为59.5%,低于非TNBC者(84.2%)(P=0.05);TNBC者的5年OS为75.7%,与非TNBC者(94.1%)相比差异无显著性(P=0.108).获得cCR、pCR的TNBC者的5年DFS及总生存率(OS)与非TNBC者间差异无显著性(P>0.05).相反,新辅助化疗后仍有残留病灶的TNBC的5年DFS及OS明显低于非TNBC(P<0.05). 结论:本研究结果表明,TNBC对紫杉联合蒽环类的新辅助化疗更敏感,更易获得cCR、pCR,获得cCR、pCR的TNBC患者预后好,未获得cCR、pCR的TNBC患者远期生存明显低于非TNBC.     

三阴性乳腺癌患者的临床特征及新辅助化疗疗效与预后的相关性

 目的　探讨三阴性乳腺癌（TNBC）的临床病理特点及远期生存率。并分析其新辅助化疗的疗效与生存率的相关性。方法　研究对象为535例乳腺癌患者,其中TNBC患者75例,非TNBC患者460例,对其临床和病理资料以及 5年的无病生存（DFS）率及总生存（OS）率进行回顾性分析,并与同期的非TNBC患者进行对比。535例中88例患者接受术前新辅助化疗,TNBC患者26例,非TNBC患者62例,分析其化疗疗效与远期生存的相关性。结果　TNBC患者与非TNBC患者相比,中位年龄轻（35岁比44岁）,绝经前患者居多（88.0 % 比67.2 %,P＝0.009）;浸润性导管癌多见（92. 0 % 比80.4 %,P＝0.020）,组织学分级Ⅱ级者居多（56.0 %比17.2 %,P＝0.000）;淋巴结转移阳性者较少（33.3 %比53.9 %,P＝0.001）;TNBC组5年DFS（66.67 %）、OS（80.0 %）明显低于非TNBC组（74.78 %、90.0 %）。接受新辅助化疗的TNBC患者与非TNBC患者相比,化疗的总有效（OR）率（88.46 %比82.26 %）、临床完全缓解（cCR）率（65.38 %比37.10 %）、部分缓解（PR）率（23.08 %比45.16 %）差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。新辅助化疗的TNBC患者与非TNBC患者相比,5年的OS率（73.08 %比80.65 %）差异具有统计学意义（P＝0.049）;5年的DFS率（65.38 %比72.58 %）差异具有统计学意义（P＝0.253）。分层分析发现：获得cCR的TNBC与非TNBC患者的5年DFS及OS差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。未获得cCR TNBC患者的5年DFS及OS均显著低于非TNBC患者（P＜0.05）,临床OR对两组的5年DFS及OS无影响（P＞0.05）。结论　TNBC多见于年轻的绝经前妇女,主要病理类型为浸润性导管癌,核分级高,淋巴结转移少见,但相对非TNBC患者有较低的DFS率和OS率,TNBC患者对新辅助化疗更敏感,更易获得cCR,获得cCR的TNBC患者预后好,未获得cCR的TNBC患者远期生存率明显低于非TNBC患者     

血浆纤维蛋白原水平与乳腺癌新辅助化疗疗效及预后的相关性

目的:评估血浆纤维蛋白原水平与乳腺癌新辅助化疗患者临床效果和预后的关系。方法:使用Clauss凝固法定量检测188例乳腺癌患者新辅助化疗前外周血中纤维蛋白原水平，根据纤维蛋白原水平将患者分为降低组、正常组或升高组。分析纤维蛋白原水平与病理完全缓解（pCR）的相关性，并进行预后分析。结果:月经状态与血浆纤维蛋白原水平相关（P<0.05）。纤维蛋白原水平是pCR的独立预测因素（P=0.002，95%CI:1.699~9.347）。Kaplan-Meier分析显示血浆纤维蛋白原水平升高组的无病生存期（DFS）和总生存期（OS）缩短（P<0.05）。单因素和多因素生存分析均显示分子分型、肿瘤大小、淋巴结状态、纤维蛋白原水平及pCR是DFS和OS的独立预后因素（P<0.05）。结论:血浆纤维蛋白原水平降低提示预后较好，血浆纤维蛋白原水平可能成为预测局部晚期乳腺癌患者新辅助化疗pCR和预后的生物学标志物。     

乳腺癌新辅助化疗后病理未完全缓解患者预后及复发转移的危险因素分析

目的 探讨乳腺癌新辅助化疗后病理未完全缓解（non-pathologic complete response,non-pCR）患者的预后及复发转移的危险因素。方法 回顾性分析2016年1月至2020年12月期间在广西医科大学附属肿瘤医院乳腺外科及2020年1月至2022年12月在海南医学院第一附属医院乳腺外科诊断乳腺癌并接受新辅助化疗的500例患者的临床特征。比较病理完全缓解（pathologic complete response,pCR）及non-pCR患者的无病生存期（disease-free survival,DFS）和总生存期（overall survival,OS）,通过Cox比例风险模型筛选出新辅助化疗后non-pCR患者复发转移的独立危险因素。结果 本研究的中位随访时间为38个月（范围：6～81个月）,中位DFS及OS均未到达。新辅助化疗后的pCR率为19.4%(97/500)。pCR和non-pCR患者5年DFS率分别为91.9%和81.2%(P=0.003),5年OS率分别为96.1%和81.6%(P=0.007)。新辅助化疗后共有71例患者出现复发转移,其中pCR...     

T1-2N1M0期乳腺癌新辅助化疗后疗效分析及放疗选择的探讨

目的 评价T_1-2N₁M₀期乳腺癌新辅助化疗后辅助放疗对LC率的影响及地位。方法收集2005—2010年间收治的新辅助化疗患者资料,筛选出T_1-2N₁M₀人群,并对其辅助放疗的临床结果进行分析。共入组T_1-2N₁M₀患者144例,中位年龄45岁(23~72岁)。结果 术后30例(21%)获得乳腺原发灶和腋窝淋巴结pCR者均接受了辅助放疗,45例仅腋窝淋巴结阳性转阴性者中10例未接受辅助放疗,69例腋窝淋巴结转移仍为阳性者中6例未接受放疗,其余患者均接受了辅助放疗。全组中位随访时间88个月,46例复发转移(32%),其中pCR者5年LR率为3.0%。5年LR率新辅助化疗后腋窝淋巴结阳性转阴性者放疗组为7%、未放疗组为16%(P=0.181),腋窝淋巴结仍为阳性者放疗组为15.9%、未放疗组为33%(P=0.267)。全组pCR者DFS时间较非pCR者延长(P=0.017)。结论 新辅助化疗后获pCR者DFS期优于未获pCR者,获pCR患接受辅助放疗的LR率较低,腋窝淋巴结阳性转阴性者未能从术后辅助放疗中获益,而腋窝淋巴结转移仍为阳性者的LR率高,辅助放疗有获益趋势。     

结合超声特征的腋窝淋巴结阳性乳腺癌新辅助化疗后腋窝病理完全缓解的预测模型

摘 要：［目的］ 分析经空芯针穿刺活检证实腋窝淋巴结阳性乳腺癌患者新辅助化疗（neoadjuvant chemotherapy,NAC）后腋窝病理完全缓解(pathological complete response,pCR)率及其影响因素,并整合超声影像特征与已知的临床病理特征建立预测模型,为新辅助化疗后乳腺癌患者腋窝处理的降级提供信息。［方法］ 回顾性分析哈尔滨医科大学附属肿瘤医院2017年1月至2018年12月入院接受NAC的481例乳腺癌患者的临床病理资料及超声影像特征,使用Logistic回归模型对临床病理特征及超声特征与NAC后腋窝淋巴结pCR的关系进行单因素及多因素分析,采用多因素分析中具有独立预测作用的指标构建新辅助化疗后腋窝pCR的预测列线图,并采用受试者工作特征（receiver operating characteristic,ROC）曲线及Bootstrapping法对此模型进行验证与校准。［结果］ 在481例患者中有147例(30.6%)实现了腋窝pCR。 单因素分析显示分子分型、乳腺原发灶临床疗效、淋巴结皮髓质分界是否清晰、彩色多谱勒血流图是否存在血流信号、淋巴结长径、淋巴结短径与腋窝pCR相关。多因素分析显示分子分型、乳腺原发灶临床疗效、CDFI血流信号、淋巴结短径是腋窝pCR的独立预测因素。与单独使用临床病理特征的预测模型相比,该模型具有良好的识别性能（ROC曲线下面积,0.784 vs 0.694,P<0.001）。［结论］ 结合超声特征的腋窝淋巴结阳性乳腺癌新辅助化疗后腋窝pCR的预测模型提高了仅应用临床病理特征的模型的预测能力,为NAC后选择合适的患者进行侵入性较小的腋窝手术方式提供了参考依据。     

新辅助化疗对乳腺癌手术方式的影响

新辅助化疗除了可以缩小乳腺肿瘤病灶,进而减少外科手术切除范围外,部分患者还可通过新辅助化疗达到原发灶和腋窝淋巴结转移病灶的pCR。对于这部分降期和pCR的乳腺癌患者,经过新辅助化疗后,如何更加合理的选择外科手术方式是临床医师常常面对的难题。因此,笔者回顾性分析新辅助化疗相应的临床研究,就新辅助化疗对乳腺癌患者手术方式的影响进行综述。     

乳腺癌新辅助化疗疗效评价方法的比较

目的 比较查体、超声和钼靶在乳腺癌新辅助化疗(NAC)疗效评价中的差异.方法 通过查体、超声和钼靶分别测量、记录141例NAC患者肿瘤状况,分析治疗前后原发灶、淋巴结的变化.结果 全组中晚期患者居多,Ⅰ期仅占8.5%.化疗前查体的乳腺肿块较超声检查明显偏大(P＜0.01).评价疗效时,原发灶查体误判完全缓解(CR)率高达46.8%(22/47),而超声误判残留率为84.0%(21/25).43例行钼靶检查患者中,有23例(53.5%)患者困难以测量肿块大小而无法评价疗效;5例有钙化的患者,虽化疗后肿块缩小,但钙化范围无变化.在治疗中,25例有效患者行原发灶空芯针穿刺,在9例穿刺病理阴性者中,仅有3例达pCR;16例穿刺阳性者均未达pCR.超声检查怀疑腋窝淋巴结转移的患者,通过空芯针穿刺的病理阳性率为88.3%(53/60),超声检查不怀疑者仍有20.0%(1/5)为阳性.24例超声未探及腋窝肿大淋巴结患者中,有9例(37.5%)前哨淋巴结活检阳性.化疗前淋巴结病理阳性患者64例,化疗后转阴36例(56.3%).全组原发灶及淋巴结均达病理完全缓解(pCR)者21例,占14.9%(21/141).结论 乳腺癌患者化疗前对腋窝淋巴结进行空芯针穿刺或前哨淋巴结活检明确病理状态非常重要,查体、超声及铜靶检查对原发灶肿瘤大小的判断都有相当的误差,可采用病灶穿刺来评价NAC的疗效,但对结果 的判断还需综合分析.     

乳腺癌患者新辅助化疗后Ⅲ水平腋窝淋巴结转移的危险因素及其对预后的影响

目的探讨乳腺癌患者新辅助化疗后Ⅲ水平腋窝淋巴结转移的危险因素,并分析其对预后的影响。 方法回顾性分析2007年1月至2014年12月在陆军军医大学西南医院就诊的306例腋窝淋巴结转移的乳腺癌患者资料。所有患者均在术前接受了2个周期以上新辅助化疗,其后进行了包括Ⅰ～Ⅲ水平腋窝淋巴结清扫的乳腺癌改良根治术。采用χ²检验分析患者临床病理特征与Ⅲ水平腋窝淋巴结转移的关系,并用Logistic回归模型分析Ⅲ水平腋窝淋巴结转移的独立危险因素,用Kaplan-Meier生存曲线及Log-rank检验进行生存分析。 结果单因素分析发现：cT分期、cN分期、临床分期、Ⅰ～Ⅱ水平腋窝淋巴结转移数目及新辅助化疗疗效均与Ⅲ水平腋窝淋巴结状态有关(χ²＝24.116、65.139、83.175、140.223、41.482,P均<0.001)。Logistic回归分析显示：新辅助化疗后,临床Ⅲ_A、Ⅲ_B、Ⅲ_C期乳腺癌患者Ⅲ水平腋窝淋巴结转移风险均显著高于Ⅱ_A期患者(Ⅲ_A比Ⅱ_A：OR＝29.095,95%CI：2.596～326.034,P＝0.006;Ⅲ_B比Ⅱ_A：OR＝75.145,95%CI：5.083～1 110.837,P＝0.002; Ⅲ_C比Ⅱ_A: OR＝124.097,95%CI：10.082～1 527.514,P<0.001);并且,Ⅰ～Ⅱ水平腋窝淋巴结转移数目≥4枚者Ⅲ水平腋窝淋巴结转移风险显著高于<4枚者(OR＝21.813,95%CI：9.633～49.389,P<0.001),新辅助化疗后疾病稳定或进展者Ⅲ水平腋窝淋巴结转移风险显著高于临床完全缓解者(OR＝17.138,95%CI：2.894～101.481,P＝0.002)。对所有患者进行中位时间78个月(7～147个月)的随访,发现新辅助化疗后仍有Ⅲ水平腋窝淋巴结转移者,其5年DFS率及5年OS率均明显低于仅有Ⅰ～Ⅱ水平腋窝淋巴结转移者(DFS率：35.1%比78.9%,P<0.001;OS率：52.8%比83.9%,P<0.001)。 结论临床分期Ⅲ_A期以上乳腺癌患者新辅助化疗后有较高的Ⅲ水平腋窝淋巴结转移风险;新辅助化疗后Ⅰ～Ⅱ水平腋窝淋巴结转移4枚以上者,如术中未行Ⅲ水平腋窝淋巴结清扫,则有可能存在局部淋巴结转移灶残留;Ⅲ水平腋窝淋巴结状态是影响乳腺癌患者预后的重要因素。     

Preoperative ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration cytology for axillary staging in breast carcinoma

Axillary lymph node (ALN) status is considered to be the single most important prognostic indicator in patients with breast cancer. It can be assessed by various radiological, pathological and surgical techniques, the most accurate being histological examination of lymph nodes after axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). This prospective study was conducted to assess the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of preoperative ultrasound (US) and ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration cytology (USG‐FNAC) of ALN in patients with breast cancer. Thirty patients with FNAC‐proven breast cancer, planned for definitive surgery with axillary clearance, were included in this study. Ultrasonographic evaluation of the axillae of these patients was conducted for alterations in size, shape, contour and cortical morphology of lymph nodes that could reflect presence of underlying metastases. Ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration cytology of the ALN was done in 24 of these patients. These findings were evaluated, with the ALN status determined by histological examination after ALND. Out of the 30 patients, eight had T₁, 16 had T₂, five had T₃, and one had T₄ lesions. Ultrasound evaluation of the ALN had a sensitivity of 86.3%, a specificity of 41.6%, a positive predictive value of 79%, a negative predictive value of 50% and a diagnostic accuracy of 73.3%. Sensitivity of USG‐FNAC was 78.95%, specificity was 100%, positive predictive value was 100%, negative predictive value was 55.56% and diagnostic accuracy was 83.33%. Our study concludes that preoperative USG‐FNAC of ALN is a simple, minimally invasive, easily available and reliable technique for the initial determination of ALN status in patients with breast cancer. Those who are USG‐FNAC positive can be directed towards ALND straight away, and only those who are USG‐FNAC negative should be considered for sentinel lymph node biopsy. This will save considerable operating time, especially where facilities for sentinel lymph node biopsy (costly dye, gamma camera, nuclear medicine facilities) are restricted or not available.     

Sentinel Node Biopsy After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Cytologically Proven Node-Positive Breast Cancer

IntroductionSeveral studies have assessed the feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) after NAC in patients with breast cancer, but diagnostic accuracy has varied. We prospectively evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of SLNB in detecting axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases after NAC in patients with cytologically proven positive nodes before chemotherapy.Patients and MethodsWe studied 95 breast cancer patients with cytologically proven positive nodes and a partial or complete clinical response to NAC in the breast lesions confirmed using magnetic resonance imaging. Patients then underwent SLNB followed by ALN dissection. The identification rate of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) and the false negative rate of nodal metastases were assessed. Subgroup analysis was conducted according to several clinical factors.ResultsSLNs were successfully identified in 81 (85.3%) of the 95 patients. Among these 81 patients, 51 (63.0%) had ALN metastases on final pathologic examination after NAC. Eight of the 51 patients with ALN metastases had negative results on SLNB (false negative rate, 15.7%). Univariate analysis indicated that the false negative rate was significantly lower only in the HER2-negative group (P = .003).ConclusionSLNB after NAC did not correctly predict the presence or absence of axillary node metastases in patients with breast cancer who had cytologically proven positive nodes before NAC. However, the diagnostic accuracy might be different in cancer subtypes, therapeutic effect of chemotherapy, or sentinel lymph node status after chemotherapy. Well-powered studies are needed to confirm diagnostic accuracy of SLNB after NAC according to subgroup in patients with breast cancer.     

Outcome after pathologic complete eradication of cytologically proven breast cancer axillary node metastases following primary chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: Pathologic complete remission (pCR) of primary breast tumors after primary chemotherapy (PCT) is associated with higher relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) rates. The purpose of this study was to determine long-term outcome in patients achieving pCR of cytologically proven axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases. METHODS: Patients with cytologically documented ALN metastases were treated in five prospective PCT trials. After surgery, patients were subdivided into those with and without residual ALN carcinoma. Survival was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Of 925 patients treated, 403 patients had cytologically confirmed ALN metastases. Eighty-nine patients (22%) achieved ALN pCR after PCT. Compared with the group without ALN pCR, 5-year OS and RFS were improved in patients achieving ALN pCR (93% [95% CI, 87.5 to 98.5] and 87% [95% CI, 79.7 to 94.3] v 72% [95% CI, 66.5 to 77.5] and 60% [95% CI, 54.1 to 65.9], respectively; P < .0001). Residual primary tumor did not affect outcome of those with ALN pCR. Combination anthracycline/taxane-based PCT resulted in significantly more ALN pCRs, although outcome after ALN pCR was not improved by taxanes. We constructed a nomogram demonstrating that patients who do not benefit from neoadjuvant anthracyclines are unlikely to benefit from subsequent taxanes. CONCLUSION: ALN pCR is associated with an excellent prognosis, even with a residual primary tumor, pointing to biologic differences between primary and metastatic cells. ALN pCR represents an early surrogate marker of long-term outcome. Response to initial PCT has important potential as a guide to subsequent therapy.     

Feasibility of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer Patients with Initial Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis after Primary Systemic Therapy

Purpose

Primary systemic therapy (PST) downstages up to 40% of initial documented axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases in breast cancer. The current surgical treatment after PST consists of breast tumor resection and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). This strategy, however, does not eliminate unnecessary ALND in patients with complete remission of axillary metastases. The aim of this study was to examine the accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) after PST among patients with documented ALN metastasis at presentation and to identify the rate of pathologic complete-remission (CR) with ALN after PST.

Methods

We analyzed 66 patients with ALN metastasis that was pathologically proven preoperatively who underwent SLNB and concomitant ALND after PST. Axillary ultrasound (AUS) was used to evaluate the clinical response of initially documented ALN metastasis after PST. Intraoperative lymphatic mapping was performed using blue dye with or without radioisotope.

Results

After PST, 34.8% of patients had clinical CR of ALN on AUS and 28.8% patients had pathologic CR of ALN. The overall success rate of SLNB after PST was 87.9%, and the sentinel lymph node identification rate in patients with clinical CR was 95.7%. In patients with successful lymphatic mapping, 70.7% of patients had residual axillary metastases. The overall accuracy and false-negative rate were 87.9% and 17.1% in all patients: 95.5% and 10.0% in patients with clinical CR of ALN, and 83.3% and 19.4% in patients with residual axillary disease after PST.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that SLNB may be feasible in patients with initial documented ALN metastasis who have clinical CR for metastatic ALN after PST. Further investigation in a prospective setting should be performed to confirm our results.     

Disease-free and overall survival after pathologic complete disease remission of cytologically proven inflammatory breast carcinoma axillary lymph node metastases after primary systemic chemotherapy

BACKGROUND: Breast carcinoma axillary lymph node (ALN) pathologic complete response (pCR) after primary chemotherapy is associated with significantly higher recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) rates. The purpose of the current study was to determine long-term outcome in patients achieving a pCR of cytologically proven inflammatory breast carcinoma ALN metastases after primary chemotherapy. METHODS: Patients with cytologically documented ALN metastases from inflammatory breast carcinoma were treated in three prospective primary chemotherapy trials. After surgery, patients were subdivided into those patients with and those patients without residual ALN carcinoma. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Of 175 patients treated, 61 had cytologically confirmed ALN metastases. Fourteen patients (23%) achieved a pCR of the ALNs after primary chemotherapy. The 5-year OS and RFS rates were found to be improved in those patients achieving a pCR of the ALNs (82.5% [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 62.8-100%] and 78.6% [95%CI, 59.8-100%], respectively, vs. 37.1% [95%CI, 25.4-54.2%] and 25.4% [95%CI, 15.5-41.5%], respectively) (P = 0.01 [for OS] and P = 0.001 [for RFS]). Combination anthracycline and taxane-based primary chemotherapy resulted in significantly more patients achieving an ALN pCR (45% vs. 16%; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: pCR of ALN metastases is associated with an excellent prognosis in patients with inflammatory breast carcinoma. The rates of ALN pCR are nearly 50% in patients with inflammatory breast carcinoma who are treated with anthracyclines and weekly paclitaxel before surgery. However, those patients with residual ALN disease at the time of surgery greatly require the introduction of novel therapeutic strategies.     

Percutaneous fine needle biopsy for malignant mediastinal tumors

Seventeen patients with mediastinal malignant tumors (four neurogenic tumors, four thymomas, three germ cell tumors, two malignant lymphomas and one each of carcinoid, malignant melanoma, multiple myeloma and carcinoma simplex) were examined for the evaluation of percutaneous fine needle biopsy. In 16 cases of them, adequate materials for cytodiagnosis were obtained. Fifteen of the 17 cases (88%) were positive for malignant cells, and 1 case was negative. As for the histological types, 9 cytological diagnoses (60%) were compatible and 4 diagnoses (27%) were not. Regarding complications of percutaneous fine needle biopsy, 1 case of subcutaneous needle tract implantation was noted. Percutaneous fine needle biopsy is strongly recommended for diagnosis of mediastinal tumors.     

Cytomorphological features of fine needle biopsy cytology of mediastinal lesions

Mediastinal lesions examined by fine needle biopsy cytology in 66 cases are presented. The properties of the lesions were confirmed by cytology in 50 cases. The diagnosis of 40 cases was compared with histopathology. Conformation rate of the diagnosis was 80% (32 out of 40 cases). The diagnosis was correct in 84.2%. Clinical data, such as roentgenologic, physical, hematologic examinations, symptoms and age of the patients may provide important clues for the use of fine needle biopsy cytology in the diagnosis of mediastinal lesions. The cytological characters of thymoma and benign teratoma and differential diagnosis for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and metastatic small cell carcinoma were discussed. Limitation of fine needle biopsy for the diagnosis of mediastinal lesions wis emphasized.     

The role of preoperative ultrasonography in reducing the number of sentinel lymph node procedures in melanoma

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is the most effective method to nodally stage patients with melanoma. However, SLN metastases are an indication for a complete regional lymphadenectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of ultrasound (US) and US-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB) to reduce the number of patients requiring a second surgical procedure. Fifty-seven patients with melanoma underwent preoperative US of the regional lymph nodes before SLN biopsy. In patients with US malignant lymph nodes, US-FNAB was performed. Only patients with cytologically proven lymph node metastases proceeded directly to a complete regional lymphadenectomy, whereas, in all others, SLN biopsy was performed. Fourteen patients (25%) had metastases in the regional lymph nodes. There were 40 benign and 17 malignant US results. US-FNAB was performed in 14 patients. It was positive in three, negative in nine and inadequate sampling was obtained in two. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of US were 71%, 84%, 59% and 90%, respectively. US of the regional lymph nodes with US-FNAB enables the safe selection of patients who should proceed directly to a complete regional lymphadenectomy. However, the sensitivity and PPV of the method are low.     

超声引导下细针穿刺细胞学检查在甲状腺癌诊断中的应用

目的:评价超声引导下细针穿刺细胞学检查(FNAC)在甲状腺癌诊断中的作用。方法:对比分析63例甲状腺结节细针穿刺后行手术治疗患者的细胞病理学与组织病理学诊断结果。结果:细针穿刺细胞学结果与术后组织病理学诊断结果比较,诊断总符合率为90.48%(57/63),kappa=0.883(P<0.05)FNAC判断甲状腺良恶性结节性质的敏感性、特异性和诊断准确率分别为78.95%、95.45%和90.48%。结论:FNAC对甲状腺癌诊断价值较高,与组织病理学检查总体诊断符合率较好,是一种安全、有效的术前确诊手段。     

Cytologically proven axillary lymph node metastases are eradicated in patients receiving preoperative chemotherapy with concurrent trastuzumab for HER2‐positive breast cancer

BACKGROUND:

The axillary pathologic complete response rate (pCR) and the effect of axillary pCR on disease‐free survival (DFS) was determined in patients with HER2‐positive breast cancer and biopsy‐proven axillary lymph node metastases who were receiving concurrent trastuzumab and neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy is reported to result in pCR in the breast and axilla in up to 25% of patients. Patients achieving a pCR have improved DFS and overall survival. To the authors' knowledge, the rate of eradication of biopsy‐proven axillary lymph node metastases with trastuzumab‐containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens has not been previously reported.

METHODS:

Records were reviewed of 109 consecutive patients with HER2‐positive breast cancer and axillary metastases confirmed by ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration biopsy who received trastuzumab‐containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by breast surgery with complete axillary lymph node dissection. Survival was evaluated by the Kaplan‐Meier method. Clinicopathologic factors and DFS were compared between patients with and without axillary pCR.

RESULTS:

Eighty‐one patients (74%) achieved a pCR in the axilla. Axillary pCR was not associated with age, estrogen receptor status, grade, tumor size, initial N classification, or median number of lymph nodes removed. More patients with an axillary pCR also achieved a pCR in the breast (78% vs 25%; P < .001). At a median follow‐up of 29.1 months, DFS was significantly greater in the axillary pCR group (P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS:

Trastuzumab‐containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy appears to be effective in eradicating axillary lymph node metastases in the majority of patients treated. Patients who achieve an axillary pCR are reported to have improved DFS. The success of pCR with concurrent trastuzumab and chemotherapy in eradicating lymph node metastases has implications for surgical management of the axilla in these patients. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.