David L. Bouwman

African-American Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status, and Breast Cancer Survival A Meta-Analysis of 14 Studies Involving Over 10,000 African-American and 40,000 White American Patients with Carcinoma of the Breast

African‐American women are at increased risk for breast cancer mortality compared with white American women, and the extent to which socioeconomic factors account for this outcome disparity is unclear.

Effects of Albumin Versus Non-albumin Resuscitation on Plasma Volume and Renal Excretory Function

Albumin, when added to a standard resuscitation regimen, is purported to enhance plasma volume, improve pulmonary function by its oncotic effect, and prevent renal failure by augmenting salt and water excreation. These factors were evaluated in a prospective randomized manner in 52 injured patients

Ethnicity related differences in the survival of young breast carcinoma patients

African‐American women face an increased risk of early‐onset breast carcinoma compared to white American women, and breast carcinoma has been reported to be particularly aggressive in premenopausal women.

Cryotherapy for Breast Cancer: A Feasibility Study without Excision

PURPOSE To assess the feasibility of percutaneous multiprobe breast cryoablation (BC) for diverse presentations of cancers that remained in situ after BC. MATERIALS AND METHODS After breast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and thorough consultation, patients underwent BC after giving informed consent. This study was approved by the institutional review board. In 12 BC sessions, 22 breast cancer foci (stages I-IV) were treated in 11 patients who refused surgery by using multiple 2.4-mm cryoprobes. Five patients had recurrent disease and six had new diagnoses. With use of only local anesthesia, six patients were treated with ultrasonographic (US) guidance and five were treated with both computed tomographic (CT) and US guidance. Saline injections and warming bags were used to protect the skin. Procedure success was defined as 1 cm visible ice beyond all tumor margins. MR imaging and/or clinical follow-up were available for up to 72 months after BC. RESULTS US produced sufficient ice visualization for small tumors, whereas CT helped confirm overall ice extent. The mean pretreatment breast tumor diameter was 1.7 cm +/- 1.2 (range, 0.5-5.8 cm), and an average of 3.1 cryoprobes produced 100% procedural success with mean ice diameters of 5.1 cm +/- 2.2 (range, 2.0-10.0 cm). No significant complications, retraction, or scarring were noted. Biopsies at the margins of the cryoablation site immediately after BC and at follow-up were all negative. No local recurrences have been noted at an average imaging follow-up of 18 months. CONCLUSIONS In conjunction with thorough pre- and postablation MR imaging, CT/US-guided multiprobe BC safely achieved 1 cm visible ice beyond tumor margins with minimal discomfort, good cosmesis, and no short-term local tumor recurrences.

Histopathologic analysis of atypical lesions in image-guided core breast biopsies.

Appropriate follow-up of patients with needle core breast biopsies (NCBB) showing atypical hyperplasia remains unclear because previous studies show that subsequent open biopsies in variable proportions of these patients reveal ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or even invasive carcinoma, indicating significant sampling artifact. NCBB with diagnoses of atypia were morphologically classified into groups as follows: I, ALH (n = 24); II, ADH with minimal cytologic atypism (n = 90); III, atypia, other (9 columnar, 2 apocrine, 11 atypical papillary); IV, severe ADH/borderline DCIS (n = 31). Mammographic and histologic features, including the number of foci of atypia in the NCBB and the calcification span, were then correlated with presence of DCIS or invasive tumor in subsequent open excisions. Open excisional biopsies showed more severe lesions in 12% of Group I–III cases (8% in Group I, 9% in Group II, and 27% in Group III), of which 15 were DCIS and one was an invasive tubular carcinoma (0.3 cm). Of the DCIS, 60% (n = 9) were ≤5 mm, and 13 of 15 (87%) were low grade. The NCBB cavity was immediately adjacent to the more severe lesions in 88% (n = 14) of cases, in keeping with sampling error. The subset showing severe ADH with borderline nuclear features in contrast was associated with a high likelihood (63%) of DCIS in follow-up excisions. NCBB with atypical papillary features also showed a high frequency of DCIS (4/11, 36%) in subsequent open excisions. Other factors associated with more severe lesions on open biopsy included the number of atypical foci in the NCBB (>4, P < .05) and the mammographic calcification span (>2.0 cm, P < .0001). Atypical lesions diagnosed in NCBB samples are radiographically and morphologically heterogeneous, accounting for the variable frequency of DCIS or invasive neoplasm identified in subsequent open excisions, which are usually focal, low grade, and a consequence of sampling artifact (i.e., adjacent to the NCBB cavity). DCIS is more likely if microcalcifications are mammographically extensive or if atypia is multifocal or is associated with borderline cytologic features.

Histopathologic Evidence of Tumor Regression in the Axillary Lymph Nodes of Patients Treated With Preoperative Chemotherapy Correlates With Breast Cancer Outcome

Background: The benefits of primary tumor downstaging and assessment of chemoresponsiveness have resulted in expanded applications for induction chemotherapy. However, the pathologic evaluation and prognostic significance of response in preoperatively treated lymph nodes have not been defined.Methods: The axillary lymph nodes of 71 patients with locally advanced breast cancer treated with induction chemotherapy were evaluated for histological evidence of tumor regression as defined by the presence of nodal fibrosis, mucin pools, or aggregates of foamy histiocytes.Results: Complete pathologic response in the breast and axilla occurred in 10 patients (14%); 19 (26.8%) had evidence of tumor regression in 1 or more lymph nodes. Patients without nodal metastases and no evidence of tumor regression had the best outcome (median disease-free survival, 31.5 months; relapse rate, 27%). Patients with residual nodal metastases and no evidence of treatment effect had the worst outcome (median disease-free survival, 19.8 months; relapse rate, 55%). The median disease-free survival was 22.1 months, and the relapse rate was 32% for patients with histopathologic evidence of tumor regression in the axillary lymph nodes.Conclusions: Detection of treatment effect in axillary lymph nodes after induction chemotherapy identifies a subset of patients with an outcome intermediate between that of completely node-negative and node-positive patients. The axillary lymph nodes of patients receiving preoperative chemotherapy should be routinely analyzed for the presence of these features.

MicroRNA-101 Inhibits Growth of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer by Relieving Chromatin-Mediated Transcriptional Repression of p21 waf1/cip1

ABSTRACTPurposeMicroRNA-101 (miR-101) expression is negatively associated with tumor growth and proliferation in several solid epithelial cancers. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EzH2) appears to be a functional target of miR-101. We explore the role of miR-101 and its interaction with EzH2 in epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC).MethodsIn situ hybridization (ISH) for miR-101 was performed on EOC patient tissues and normal controls. EOC cell lines were transfected with miR-101 and subjected to growth analysis and clonogenic assays. Cell motility was assessed by Boyden chamber and wound-healing assays. P21waf1/cip1 and EzH2 interaction was assessed by Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay in MDAH-2774 cells. SCID mice were assessed for tumor burden after injection with miR-101 or control vector-treated MDAH-2774 cells.ResultsISH analysis revealed a decrease in miR-101 expression in EOC compared with normal tissue. MiR-101 re-expression in EOC cell lines resulted in increased apoptosis, decreased cellular proliferation, invasiveness, and reduced growth of tumor xenografts. CHIP assays revealed that re-expression of miR-101 inhibited the interaction of EzH2 with p21waf1/cip1 promoter.ConclusionsMiR-101 re-expression appears to have antitumor effects, providing a better understanding of the role of miR-101 in EOC.

Analysis of hyperamylasemia in patients with severe head injury

To evaluate the influence of severe head injury (SHI) on amylase activity, we studied the amylase profile of 60 patients with SHIs and Glasgow Coma Scores 2 SD above the normal mean were considered elevated. All SHI patients were comatose; 14 died. In the SHI group, TA increased in 23 patients, PA increased in 40, and NPA increased in 14. The source of hyperamylasemia was PA in 14, NPA in one, and mixed in 8 patients. While PA increases occurred throughout the study, NPA elevations occurred early. These increases did not correlate with shock (BP < 80 mm Hg; 17 patients), facial trauma (24 patients), or associated injury (29 patients). On Day 7 postinjury, the mean TA (215 du%) and the mean PA (203.8 du%) were significantly elevated in the SHI patients compared to controls (122.1 du%, P < 0.05, Wilcoxons rank sum test). These data indicate that serum amylase is not a reliable index of pancreatic injury in patients with SHI. Severe head injury and multiple trauma activate pathways that increase amylase levels in the blood, suggesting a central nervous system regulation of serum amylase levels.

Serum amylase and its isoenzymes: A clarification of their implications in trauma

Previous reports on the use of the serum amylase level to assess pancreatic injury in patients with blunt abdominal trauma have been disappointing. The availability of methods to measure the serum isoamylases (P & NP) might be expected to improve the accuracy with which the serum amylase level is used. Sixty-one patients treated for a variety of blunt trauma injuries were studied. All categories of injury were included. Isoamylase levels were determined from admission sera and were compared to injuries found at laparotomy. Three patients had major pancreatic injury but only two of these patients showed a rise in the pancreatic isoamylase. Sixteen additional patients had a rise in the pancreatic isoamylase without evidence of pancreatic injury. Eight of these patients had no component of abdominal injury whatsoever. Two patients with isolated head injury had substantial elevations of pancreatic isoamylase. The regulation of serum amylase is multifactorial and variable. The measurement of serum isoamylase levels does not offer great improvement over the serum amylase in evaluating patients with blunt abdominal trauma.

Early sympathetic blockade for frostbite--is it of value?

Sympathectomy has been advocated in the therapy of acute frostbite because ischemia is one determinant of injury severity. Among 66 frostbite victims treated from 1976 through 1978, a group of 15 patients with acute, bilaterally equal injuries judged to be third or fourth degree were treated with immediate intra-arterial reserpine (IAR) in one limb and ipsilateral sympathectomy. Three additional patients who were excellent candidates underwent immediate sympathectomy. The average interval from injury to IAR injection was 3 hours (range 1 to 24 hours). The average interval from injury to sympathectomy was 3 days (range, 12 hours to 10 days). Efficacy of therapy was assessed by comparison of the sympathectomized limb to the contralateral untreated limb. There was no conservation of tissue, resolution of edema, pain reduction, or improved function in sympathectomized limbs compared with those treated with IAR. One patient demarcated more rapidly and one other patient appeared to be protected from recurrent injury. Sympathectomy was not effective therapy for acute frostbite even when achieved early with IAR. Late protection against subsequent cold injury appears to be the only benefit of sympathectomy for frostbite.