Influencers of the Decision to Undergo Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy among Women with Unilateral Breast Cancer

(1) Background: The relatively high rate of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) among women with early stage unilateral breast cancer (BC) has raised concerns. We sought to assess the influence of partners, physicians, and the media on the decision of women with unilateral BC to undergo CPM and identify clinicopathological variables associated with the decision to undergo CPM. (2) Patients and Methods: Women with stage 0 to III unilateral BC who underwent CPM between January 2010 and December 2017. Patients were surveyed regarding factors influencing their self-determined decision to undergo CPM. Partner, physician, and media influence factors were modeled by logistic regressions with adjustments for a family history of breast cancer and pathological stage. (3) Results: 397 (29.6%) patients completed the survey and were included in the study. Partners, physicians, and the media significantly influenced patients’ decision to undergo CPM. The logistic regression models showed that, compared to self-determination alone, overall influence on the CPM decision was significantly higher for physicians (p = 0.0006) and significantly lower for partners and the media (p < 0.0001 for both). Fifty-nine percent of patients’ decisions were influenced by physicians, 28% were influenced by partners, and only 17% were influenced by the media. The model also showed that patients with a family history of BC had significantly higher odds of being influenced by a partner than did those without a family history of BC (p = 0.015). (4) Conclusions: Compared to self-determination, physicians had a greater influence and partners and the media had a lower influence on the decision of women with unilateral BC to undergo CPM. Strong family history was significantly associated with a patient’s decision to undergo CPM

RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access

Local-regional control according to surrogate markers of breast cancer subtypes and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients undergoing breast conserving therap

Is Sentinel Lymph Node Dissection Warranted for Patients with a Diagnosis of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ?

Plutella xylostella (L.), diamondback moth (DBM), is considered among the 20 most resistant arthropods in the world. Entomopathogenic fungi are important mortality factors of Lepidoptera in the field. However, in Argentina entomopathogenic fungi as mortality factors of P. xylostella have not been identified. The aim of this study was to identify and isolate fungal pathogens of Plutella xylostella in Santa Fe, Argentina. The prevalence and seasonality of fungal infections were also investigated. Zoophthora radicans (Bref.) A. Batko (Entomophthoromycota: Entomophthorales) and Metarhizium rileyi (Farl.) Kepler, Rehner & Humber (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) as fungal pathogens of Plutella xylostella L. are reported for the first time in Argentina. The pathogens were identified from larvae, pupae and adults of P. xylostella on cauliflower and on cabbage. Zoophthora radicans was the predominant fungal pathogen, while M. rileyi was recorded from only one infected larva.Plutella xylostella (L.), la polilla de las coles, es considerada entre los 20 artrópodos más resistentes en el mundo. Los hongos entomopatógenos son importantes factores de mortalidad de lepidópteros en el campo. Sin embargo, en Argentina no han sido identificados hongos entomopatógenos como factores de mortalidad de P. xylostella. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar y aislar hongos patógenos de Plutella xylostella en Santa Fe, Argentina. La prevalencia y la estacionalidad de las infecciones fúngicas fue también investigada. Zoophthora radicans (Bref.) A. Batko (Entomophthoromycota: Entomophthorales) y Metarhizium rileyi (Farl.) Kepler, Rehner & Humber (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) como hongos patógenos de Plutella xylostella L. son registrados por primera vez en Argentina. Los patógenos fueron aislados e identificados desde larvas, pupas y adultos de P. xylostella en repollo y coliflor. Zoophthora radicans fue el hongo patógeno predominante mientras que M. rileyi fue registrado infectando una única larva.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore