Breast Neoplasms ; classification ; genetics ; Female ; Humans

Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics* ; Breast Neoplasms/genetics* ; Female ; Humans ; Receptor, ErbB-2/genetics* ; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/genetics*

OBJECTIVETo explore the application of counter-matching design in epidemiological research.

METHODSThrough elaboration of the study about gene-environment interactions in the etiology of breast cancer, methodology regarding counter-matching design and statistic methods was introduced.

RESULTSThis design improved the potential for detecting gene-environment interactions for diseases when both gene mutations and the environmental exposures of interest were rare in the general population.

CONCLUSIONCounter-matching appearsed to be more appropriate than most traditional epidemiologic methods for the study of interactions involving rare factors.

Breast Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; etiology ; genetics ; radiotherapy ; Epidemiologic Methods ; Humans ; Male

Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; DNA Probes ; Female ; Genes, erbB-2 ; Humans

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer with a heterogeneous genetic profile. Chemotherapy exhibits substantial activity in a small subset of these patients. Drug resistance is inevitable. Major progress has been made in the genetic analysis of TNBC to identify novel targets and increase the precision of therapeutic intervention. Such progress has translated into major advances in treatment strategies, including modified chemotherapy approaches, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and targeted therapeutic drugs. All of these strategies have been evaluated in clinical trials. Nevertheless, patient selection remains a considerable challenge in clinical practice.
Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Molecular Targeted Therapy ; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/genetics*

According to the classification presented by Lehmann BD (2016), triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous group of malignant tumors with four specific subtypes: basal-like (subtype 1 and subtype 2), mesenchymal, and luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtypes. The basal-like subtypes of carcinomas predominate in this group, accounting for up to 80% of all cases. Despite the significantly lower proportions of mesenchymal and LAR variants in the group of breast carcinomas with a TNBC profile, such tumors are characterized by aggressive biological behavior. To this end, the LAR subtype is of particular interest, since the literature on such tumors presents different and even contradictory data concerning the disease course and prognosis. This review is devoted to the analysis of the relevant literature, reflecting the main results of studies on the molecular properties and clinical features of the disease course of LAR-type TNBC carcinomas.
Carcinoma ; Humans ; Receptors, Androgen/genetics* ; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/pathology*

Objective: To investigate the evolution and clinical significance of HER2 low expression status in HER2 negative patients in primary and recurrent/metastatic breast cancers. Methods: The data and archived sections of 259 breast cancer patients with recurrence/metastasis and HER2-negative primary foci were collected from January 2015 to January 2022 at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, and the HER2 status of primary and recurrence/metastasis foci was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC), among which IHC 2+patients were subject to fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The HER2 status was classified as HER2-0 group; patients with IHC 1+, IHC 2+and no FISH amplification were classified as HER2 low expression group; and patients with IHC 3+, IHC 2+and FISH amplified were classified as HER2-positive group. The changes of HER2 status in patients with HER2 low expression in primary versus recurrent/metastatic breast cancer foci were compared, and their clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis were analyzed. Results: The overall concordance rate between primary and recurrent/metastatic HER2 status in breast cancer was 60.6% (157/259, κ=0.178). A total of 102 patients (102/259, 39.4%) had inconsistent primary and recurrent/metastatic HER2 status; 37 patients (37/259, 14.3%) had HER2-0 at the primary foci and HER2-low expression at the recurrent/metastatic; and 56 patients (56/259, 21.6%) had HER2-low expression in the primary foci and HER2-0 in the recurrent/metastatic. The recurrent/metastatic foci became low-expressing compared with the recurrent/metastatic foci which remained HER2-0 patients, with longer overall survival time, higher ER and PR positivity, lower Ki-67 positivity index, and lower tumor histological grade; all with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). In the primary HER2-low group, patients with recurrent/metastatic foci became HER2-0 while those with recurrent/metastatic foci remained low expression; there were no statistically significant differences in clinicopathological features and overall survival time (all P>0.05). Conclusions: Unstable HER2 status in patients with HER2-0 and low expression in primary versus recurrent/metastatic breast cancer foci, and HER2-0 in the primary foci but low HER2 expression status in recurrence/metastasis is associated with favourable prognosis, and testing HER2 status in recurrence/metastasis can provide more treatment options for such patients.
Humans ; Breast Neoplasms/genetics* ; Clinical Relevance ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Female

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the application of the immunohistochemistry (IHC) and the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in detecting the amplification and the expression of HER-2 gene in the breast cancer patients.

METHODSSixty-six cases of paraffin-embeded breast cancer samples with overexpression, low or no expression of HER-2 gene as detected by IHC were analyzed for HER-2 gene amplification using FISH.

RESULTSAmong the 42 samples with HER-2 gene overexpression (3+/2+) detected by IHC, 31 showed positive HER-2 gene amplification and 11 showed negative HER-2 gene amplification in FISH. In the 24 samples with low or no HER-2 gene expression (1+/-) detected by IHC, no HER-2 gene amplification was detected by FISH. The results of the two testing methods showed a good consistency with the kappa coefficient of 0.672 (P<0.001). We also found that the 17 chromosome polysomy in 42% of the samples and the incidence of 17 polysomy was significantly higher in the HER-2 gene overexpression (3+/2+) group than in low or no HER-2 gene expression (1+/-) group (chi(2)=4.688, P=0.03).

CONCLUSIONIHC can be used as a screening method for detecting HER-2 gene amplification, and FISH should be performed in cases of HER-2 gene overexpression (3+/2+) as detected by IHC.

Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; analysis ; genetics

Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; Disease Susceptibility ; Female ; Genes, BRCA1 ; Genes, BRCA2 ; Humans ; Mutation ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; genetics

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether annual screening reduces ovarian cancer mortality in women with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. METHODS: Data was obtained from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian cancer trial, a randomized multi-center trial conducted to determine if screening could reduce mortality in these cancers. The trial enrolled 78,216 women, randomized into either a screening arm with annual serum cancer antigen 125 and pelvic ultrasounds, or usual care arm. This study identified a subgroup that reported a first degree relative with breast or ovarian cancer. Analysis was performed to compare overall mortality and disease specific mortality in the screening versus usual care arm. In patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer, stage distribution, and survival were analyzed as a secondary endpoint. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in overall mortality or disease specific mortality between the two arms. Ovarian cancer was diagnosed in 48 patients in the screening arm and 44 patients in the usual care arm. Screened patients were more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage than usual care patients. Patients in the screening arm diagnosed with ovarian cancer experienced a significantly improved survival compared to patients in the usual care arm; relative risk 0.66 (95% CI, 0.47 to 0.93). CONCLUSION: Screening did not appear to decrease ovarian cancer mortality in participants with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. Secondary endpoints, however, showed notable differences. Significantly fewer patients were diagnosed with advanced stage disease in the screening arm; and survival was significantly improved. Further investigation is warranted to assess screening efficacy in women at increased risk.
Aged ; Breast Neoplasms/*genetics ; *Early Detection of Cancer ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms/diagnosis/*genetics