Malignant melanomas arising in the skin, buccal mucous membranes. and retina are encountered frequently. A malignant melanoma characteristically disseminates widely but infrequently metastasizes to the breast, and primary melanoma of the breast is even rarer. Primary melanomas can arise in the glandular tissue of the breast. We report a case of malignant melanoma either primary in the breast or metastatic from an unknown primary that presented initially as a left breast mass without a detectable cutaneous lesion.
Breast* ; Melanoma* ; Mucous Membrane ; Retina ; Skin

PURPOSE: Although an axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) has been considered as an ultimate procedure for axilla in the breast carcinoma, complications after ALND and conceptual revolution for the role of axillary nodes have made it necessary to look for an alternative. Recent studies of sentinel lymphadenectomy (SLND) have shown that SLND accurately predict axillary nodal status. However, for a satisfying outcome in SLND, a learning period would be required, as other surgical procedures do. In this study, the necessity of the learning period for SLND were examined. METHODS: From Nov. 1998 to Dec. 2001, 178 patients with invasive breast carcinoma were treated with SLND simultaneously followed by ALND. The period for the first 54 patients, Nov. 1998 to May. 1999, was set as a 'learning period'. Differences of the detection rate and the false negative rate for the 'learning period' and 'after the learning period' were compared. Also changes in the detection rate and the false negative rate with the accumulated experiences for SLND were evaluated. RESULTS: The sentinel lymph nodes were not identified in 5 patients through the whole period. Three of them occurred in the 'learning period' (5.6%, 3/54) and the rest occurred 'after the learning period' (1.6%, 2/124)(P=0.04). The false negative rate was 16.7% (4/24) in the 'learning period' and 0.0% in 'after the learning period' (P=0.00). The detection rate and the false negative rate improved with the accumulation of experiences for SLND. CONCLUSION: It is certain that 'learning period' for SLND is crucial. During this period, the improvement and stabilization of this skill is achieved.
Axilla ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Humans ; Learning* ; Lymph Node Excision* ; Lymph Nodes

PURPOSE: A sentinel lymph node mapping with blue dye has been well accepted as a common procedure in breast cancer surgery. However, it is well known that blue dye absorbed into the circulation may interfere pulse oximetery reading. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change of pulse oximetery reading by isosulfan blue dye injection during sentinel lymph node mapping. METHODS: Thirteen breast cancer patients with normal preoperative cardiopulmonary functions were studied. Four ml of isosulfan blue dye was injected subdermally when the patient became stable after induction of general anesthesia. The pulse oximetery was monitored continuously. Multiple arterial blood gas analyses (ABGA) were performed before dye injection and 10, 30, 40 minutes after dye injection. The results of oxygen saturturation by oximetery (SpO2) and the results of arterial oxygen tension (SaO2) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) by ABGA were compared. RESULTS: The value of both SaO2 and PaO2 measured by ABGA has not been altered by isosulfan dye injection. However SpO2 decreased by isosulfan dye injection. SpO2 decrease started 8.2+/-1.5 (2~0) minutes after dye injection and returned to preinjection level by 85.7+/-5.6 (60~126) minutes after injection. The lowest vaule of SpO2 was 95.6+/-1.2% (93~97). Mean duration of SpO2 decrease was 77.5+/-6.2 (40~117) minutes. The duration of SpO2 decrease was longer in the aged patients, but it was not statistically significant (p=0.3). There was no siginificant difference in duration of SpO2 decrease according to injection site, operation method, and body mass index (BMI). CONCLUSION: .Isosulfan dye injection using for sentinel lymph node mapping causes no change in true ABGA results but causes a mild reversible decrease in SpO2, It is important to look for other causes when SpO2 decrease is significant and persistent.
Anesthesia, General ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Body Mass Index ; Breast Neoplasms ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Oxygen ; Reading*

PURPOSE: Computer-aided diagnosis system was developed to improve the accuracy and the efficacy of the image interpretation. This article is to provide a possibility of computer- aided diagnosis for detection of masses in mammograms. METHODS: The craniocaudal and mediolateral images of 120 mammograms from 30 patients that were histologically proven to be malignant and 30 patients that were histologically proven to be benign were analysed using the mammography softwere. The contralateral mammograms were used as control images. Correct marks of the lesions were scored as a true positive and marks not at the location of the lesions were scored as a false negative. Any marks of the normal images were scored as a false positive and no mark of normal images were scored as a true negative. RESULTS: It took approximately 2 min to scan and 1 min to process 24 by 18-cm mammograms. There was an average of 1.4, 2.0 and 2.1 marks per image in normal, benign and malignant mammograms respectively. Mass detection rate of malignant lesion was 90.0% (27 of 30) and that of benign lesion was 63.6% (21 of 33). Mass detection rate of dense breasts was 68.8% (22 of 32) and that of fatty breasts was 83.9% (26 of 31). Mass detection rate of BI-RADS category 4, 5 and 0 was 85.7% (42 of 49) and that of category 1, 2 and 3 was 42.9% (6 of 14). The overall sensitivity was 76.2% and specificity was 28.1%. CONCLUSION: In this study, mass detection rate for malignant lesions was higher than that of benign lesions and dense breast has lower detection rate than fatty breast. According to the BI-RADS category, mass detection rate was higher in the more malignant category. Computer-aided diagnosis system for this study had limited specificity but acceptable sensitivity.
Breast* ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Mammography ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: The subareolar area is often difficult to evaluate ultrasonographically due to tissue shadowing, which obscures visualization of ducts and parenchymal tissue. The purpose of this study is to determine if real-time compound imaging improves evaluation of normal subareolar tissue and solid nodules in subareolar area compared to conventional ultrasonography. METHODS: 190 images of the subareolar area were obtained from 135 patients from March 2001 to July 2002. Thirty-three of 190 images showed solid nodules, extraductal nodules in 30 and intraductal nodules in three. We scanned both conventional and compound imaging with a stationary probe, to maintain an identical projection and tissue pressure. We used two compound techniques; survey mode (S) is made by 3 coplanar images and target mode (T) by 9 coplanar images. The evaluating points were 1) reduction in the density of shadowing, 2) resolution of duct wall, 3) resolution of duct lumen, 4) margin of nodule, and 5) internal echoes of nodule. In a blinded fashion, three radiologists graded the quality of images on a 5-point scale. RESULTS: For reviewer 1/2/3, S showed grade improvements in 1) reduction in the density of shadowing (0.4+/-0.6/1.1 0.6/0.5+/-0.5), 2) resolution of duct wall (0.9+/-0.2/1.5+/-0.6/1.0+/-0.5), 3) resolution of duct lumen (0.9+/-0.2/1.6 +/-0.6/0.7+/-0.6), 4) margin of nodule (1.0+/-0.3/1.5+/-0.5/1.2+/-0.5), and 5) internal echoes of nodule (1.1+/-0.3/1.5+/- 0.5/1.2+/-0.4) and T showed grade improvements in 1) reduction in the density of shadowing (0.4+/-0.6/1.2+/-0.6/0.7+/-0.7), 2) resolution of duct wall (1.0+/-0.3/1.5+/-0.6/1.1+/-0.5), 3) resolution of duct lumen (0.9+/-0.3/1.6+/-0.6/0.8+/-0.6), 4) margin of nodule (1.0+/-0.3/1.5+/-0.6/1.2+/-0.5), and 5) internal echoes of nodule (1.1+/-0.3/1.5+/-0.6/1.3+/-0.4). In all evaluating points, two modes of real-time compound imaging were superior to conventional imaging (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between two modes of compound imaging. CONCLUSION: Real-time compound imaging improves evaluation of normal subareolar tissue and subareolar solid nodules compared to conventional ultrasonography by reducing shadowing and increasing anatomic resolution of ducts.
Breast ; Humans ; Shadowing (Histology) ; Ultrasonography*

Translational initiation is regulated in response to nutrient availabilty and growth stimuli and is coupled with cell cycle progression and cell growth. There is now growing body of evidence which suggests links between translational regulation and the disruption of cell behavior that results in the development and progression of cancer. mRNA translation can be overactivated in breast cancer through eIF4E overexpression or abnormal activation of signal transduction pathways. Among them, rapamycin-sensitive signal transduction pathway (mTOR signaling pathway) is now being studied as a novel target for cancer therapy. In this article, the basic principles of translational control, the alterations encountered in cancer and selected therapy targeting mTOR signaling pathway are reviewed and the preclinical study regarding the determinants of rapamycin sensitivity in breast cancer is presented in order to help elucidate new avenues for breast cancer therapy.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cell Cycle ; Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E ; Protein Biosynthesis ; Signal Transduction ; Sirolimus

PURPOSE: Tibolone is a tissue specific steroid hormone newly recognized as an estrogenic agent for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The aim of the study is to characterize the basic mechanism of tibolone in the PLD signal transduction pathway of breast cancer cell lines. METHODS: The levels of phospholipase D (PLD), caspase 3 mRNA and protein, and the cell counts were measured in estrogen receptor positive MCF-7 and negative MDA-MB-231 cell lines treated with estradiol, tamoxifen and tibolone and three metabolite forms of tibolone (3 beta-OH-tibolone, delta4 isomer, 3 alpha-OH-tibolone). Multimodality methods such as RT-PCR, immunoblot analysis and in vivo enzyme activity assay were used. RESULTS: The addition of estradiol to MCF-7 cell line resulted in cell proliferation in a time-dependent manner while that of tamoxifen and tibolone showed antiproliferative effects. The addition of tamoxifen or tibolone to MCF-7 and MDA- MB-231 cell lines resulted in the elevation of caspase 3 mRNA levels, indicating the induction of apoptosis. PLD mRNA level was elevated in both cell lines treated with tamoxifen, but decreased in those treated with the various tibolones, except for 3 beta- OH-tibolone. In immunoblot analysis, while MCF-7 cell line treated with tamoxifen showed an increased level of PLD expression, in MDA-MB-231 cell line the expression was decreased. Similar results were observed in the addition of tibolones, which resulted in an increase of PLD expression level in MCF-7 cell line and a decrease in MDA-MB-231 cell line. In vitro PLD activity assay showed decreased activity after estradiol treatment and increased activity after tamoxifen and tibolone treatment in MDA-MB231 cell line. In MCF-7 cell line, among the tibolones only delta4 isomer increased PLD activity. Tiboloneshowed antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing effects on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. But its influence on the signal transduction pathway varied slightly between the two cell lines. CONCLUSION: we were able to find the antiestrogenic properties of the estrogenic agent tibolone.
Apoptosis ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Count ; Cell Line* ; Cell Proliferation ; Estradiol ; Estrogen Receptor Modulators ; Estrogens ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; MCF-7 Cells ; Phospholipase D* ; Phospholipases* ; RNA, Messenger ; Signal Transduction* ; Tamoxifen

PURPOSE: Despite the advocation of a breast conserving approach to the treatment of breast cancer, many women continue to surgically require or choose mastectomy for the treatment of breast cancer. In many cases, breast reconstruction after mastectomy is being performed using tissue expander, implants or a myocutaneous flap. In recent years, immediate free transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap reconstruction has become an cosmetically and economically attractive alternative, compared to other types of reconstruction, although the technique is not easy. The author's experience with 25 successful immediate free TRAM flap reconstructions is reviewed. METHODS: We analyzed 25 cases of immediate free TRAM reconstruction that were performed at the Department of Surgery, Hanyang University Hospital, from August 1995 to June 2000, for age, histologic type, stage and estimated degree of patient satisfaction. RESULTS: The patient age distribution ranged from 26 to 58 years old, the mean age was 38.3, and the majority of tumors were invasive ductal carcinoma (13 cases) and intraductal carcinoma (8 cases). All tumor sizes were less than 3 cm (Tis: 8 cases, T1: 8 cases, T2: 7 cases) with the exception of the phyllodes tumors (8 cm and 6 cm). The stage was from 0 to IIB (0: 7 cases, I: 7 cases, IIA: 8 cases, IIB: 1 case, phyllodes tumor: 2 cases). Immediate posto-perative complications included 3 cases of bleeding and 1 case of wound infection at the donor site. According to the patients' expressed opinions, almost all patients were pleased with the result. There was no local recurrence during the follow-up period except for one case of bone metastasis that developed. CONCLUSION:This technique undoubtedly can play a major role in the so called "onco-plastic" surgical management of breast cancer.
Age Distribution ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mammaplasty ; Mastectomy* ; Middle Aged ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Patient Satisfaction ; Phyllodes Tumor ; Rectus Abdominis ; Recurrence ; Tissue Donors ; Tissue Expansion Devices ; Wound Infection

PURPOSE: The sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy was recently introduced into the treatment of early breast cancer. However, there have been varying degrees of success in identifying the SLNs. Lymphatic mapping in breast cancer performed solely by intraparenchymal injection of blue dye remains an accepted method of identifying SLNs, largely because of its simplicity. This article describes the technical aspect and improved results of combined peritumoral and subareolar injection of isosulfan blue dye. METHODS: From Jan. 2000 to Jul. 2000, 55 patients with breast cancer (size<5 cm and clinically negative axillary nodes) were enrolled for SLN biopsy by peritumoral and subareolar injection of 1% isosulfan blue dye. And all patients underwent a complete axillary dissection. RESULTS: The identification rate of SLN was 96.4% (in 53 of 55 patients). Of these 53 patients, 11 patients (20.8%) had positive SLNs and 42 patients had negative SLNs. In 42 patients with negative SLNs, one patients was found to have disease on complete dissection, for a false-negative rate of 8.3% (1/12). Conclusion: Compared with other series of blue dye- directed lymphatic mapping, the present study of peritumoral plus subareolar plexus dye-only injection demonstrates a high SLNs localization rate and rapid learning curve. On the basis of these results, it is expected that subareolar lymphatic plexus is the central route to sentinel lymph nodes and the optimal way to perform dye-only lymphatic mapping of the breast.
Biopsy ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Humans ; Learning Curve ; Lymph Nodes* ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

PURPOSE: Rotter's nodes are removed in the course of a radical mastectomy, however they are not routinely removed in a modified radical mastectomy and breast conserving surgery, although they can be. Having been relatively ignored, the prognostic value and correlation of Rotter's nodes with axillary nodal status have rarely been reported or systematically studied. The aims of the present study were to assess the frequency and pattern of Rotter's node metastasis in breast cancer patients, and to compare the incidence of axillary lymph node metastasis and Rotter's node. We also investigated the rate of skip metastasis. METHODS: In order to investigate the predictability of axillary node positivity, we compared the status of axillary lymph nodes and the pathological prognostic markers. In 580 consecutive mastectomies performed for breast carcinomas between 1987 and 1999, axillary and Rotter's nodes were routinely dissected and separately sampled during mastectomy. RESULTS: The mean number of axillary lymph nodes and Rotter's nodes were 19.5 and 0.9. Axillary lymph nodes metastases were found in 47.2% of all patients. The frequency of axillary lymph node metastasis and the involvement of a higher level of axillary lymph node were significantly increased with increasing tumor size. However, metastasis at Rotter's nodes did not follow this pattern. Rotter's nodes were anatomically present in 39.8% of patients and an average of 2.3 lymph nodes was found in the interpectoral region. Rotter's metastases were found in 5% of all patients, and 10.6% of those with axillary lymph node metastases. The number of Rotter's nodes metastases was higher as the metastases were found at a higher level (p<0.05). CONCLUSION:The presence of axillary metastases was related to histologic grade, nuclear grade and lymphovascular invasion, but was not related to the mitotic index or perineural invasion. It is apparent that the potential risks from Rotter's and skip metastases were not great in all patients, although the routine excision of Rotter's nodes should be applied to patients with more locally advanced disease (T2-3, N1-N2).
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymph Nodes ; Mastectomy ; Mastectomy, Modified Radical ; Mastectomy, Radical ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Mitotic Index ; Neoplasm Metastasis