For the purpose of demonstrating possible effects of docetaxel on thymidine phosphorylase (TP) activity in human breast carcinoma, we examined breast carcinoma tissues pre- and post-administration of docetaxel, by an immunohistochemical method using an anti-TP monoclonal antibody. Eight patients with advanced breast carcinoma were initially treated with 3 cycles of 60 mg/m2 of docetaxel once every 3 weeks after incisional biopsy of tumors, and following 3 cycles of docetaxel, they underwent mastectomy with axillary dissection. Grades of immunohistochemical reactivity for TP of carcinoma cells in pre- and post-treatment specimens were compared. Five biopsy specimens (62.5%) were positive for TP. After administration of docetaxel, 6 of 8 cases (75.0%) revealed significant enhancement of reactivity for TP. Increased reactivity was recognized diffusely as well as focally in carcinoma tissues. From these results, we believe that administration of docetaxel to breast cancer patients evokes enhancement of immunohistochemical reactivity for TP in breast carcinoma cells in situ. Furthermore, we consider that docetaxel treatment might improve efficacy of additional doxifluridine and capecitabine therapy.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between existence of lymphatic invasion in peritumoral breast tissue and presence of axillary lymph node metastasis in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

Specimens obtained from 92 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast by quadrantectomy and axillary lymph node dissection were examined to evaluate the relationship between existence of lymphatic invasion in peritumoral breast tissue and presence of axillary lymph node metastasis. The number of lymphatic invasions was classified into 4 groups (ly0-3) by counting the number of peritumoral lymphatic invasions. In addition, immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin was performed to locate micrometastasis in the dissected lymph nodes. Thirty-seven (40.2%) of 92 cases had foci of lymphatic invasion and 29 (31.5%) cases revealed lymph node metastasis on initial routine examination. The rate of diagnosis of lymph node metastasis assessed by the existence of lymphatic invasion had an accuracy of 84.8%, a sensitivity of 89.7% and a specificity of 82.5%. On the other hand, all 3 cases (4.8%) with micrometastasis detected by immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin, showed lymphatic invasion. The rate of diagnosis after detection of micrometastasis increased and exhibited 88.0% accuracy. In addition, the rate of prediction of lymph node metastasis in cases with tumor larger than 15 mm was also high, and its accuracy was 88.2%. These results suggest that the assessment of peritumoral lymphatic invasion is very useful for predicting the presence of axillary lymph node metastasis including micrometastasis. They also suggest that excision specimens should be examined for lymphatic invasion, and that the results of the examination might be necessary to pick up false-negative cases and those at high risk for lymph node metastasis among patients who have not undergone lymph node dissection based on the result of sentinel lymph node biopsy.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Tamoxifen mediated human endometrial carcinogenesis may not involve estrogenic pathways: a preliminary note.

Seven cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma patients who had experienced long-term tamoxifen treatments as adjuvant therapy of breast carcinoma, were investigated with respect to estrogen receptor (ER) status. Four cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma without tamoxifen treatment but with a previous history of breast carcinoma were investigated for comparison. One of the 7 and two of the 4 cases were positive for ER immunohistochemically. Thus, the frequency of ER positivity in secondary endometrial adenocarcinoma seemed to be at random among tamoxifen-treated and non-treated breast cancer patients. These results suggest that tamoxifen-mediated human endometrial carcinogenesis may not involve estrogenic pathway(s) but may involve other carcinogenic mechanisms such as DNA adduct formation as shown in rat liver tumorigenesis.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between grade of intraductal component of breast cancer within main tumor and extent of intraductal spread in surrounding tissue.

Ninety-three specimens obtained by quadrantectomy of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast were examined to evaluate the correlation between the grade of the intraductal component within the tumor and the extent of intraductal spread in the surrounding tissue. We used immunohistochemistry of a-smooth muscle actin to visualize the contour of intraductal components. The grade of the intraductal component within the tumor was classified into 4 groups (td0 to td3) by counting number of intraductal components; the extent of intraductal spread in the surrounding tissue was also divided into 4 groups (sd0 to sd3) according distance from the tumor margin. Fifty-eight (89.2%) of 65 cases with low-grade td were low-grade sd, and 17 (60.7%) cases of high-grade td were high-grade of sd. The grade of the intraductal component correlated with the extent of intraductal spread in the surrounding tissue, significantly (p < 0.001, Spearman rank correlation test). From these results, we believe that investigation of intraductal components within the tumor is useful for estimating the extent of intraductal spread in the surrounding tissue, and excision specimens from diagnostic lumpectomy should be examined for the extent of the intraductal component, the results being important in estimating the risk of local recurrence.

Actins↗