The effect of under-treatment of breast cancer in women 80 years of age and older

Background: Several authors have demonstrated a trend toward the under-treatment of elderly and very elderly women with breast cancer. This study was undertaken to determine the impact of under-treatment of breast cancer in women age 80 and older. Methods: A retrospective chart review of all patients 80 years and older with a newly diagnosed breast cancer at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, between September 1, 1989 and September 1, 2004 was performed. Data extracted from charts included patient demographics, comorbidity, treatments recommended, treatments received, complications of therapy, disease recurrence and disease related death. Treatments undertaken were analyzed in the context of accepted therapy at the time of diagnosis. Results: Two hundred twelve patients were identified. The median age was 83.5 years (range 80-97). Overall survival in the entire cohort was 7.28 years with a median follow up of 4 years for patients still alive at the end of the study period. Fifty seven percent of patients were under-treated according to institutional and national guidelines. Women who underwent hormonal therapy only demonstrated decreased disease specific survival (P Conclusions: Outcomes are compromised in very elderly women with breast cancer in whom less than complete combined modality treatment is undertaken. With the previously demonstrated safety of radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and surgery in the very elderly population, multi-modality therapy should not be routinely withheld in patients in this age category. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

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

Role for intraoperative margin assessment in patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery

Background: Positive/close margins are associated with higher in-breast failure rates after breast-conserving surgery (BCS). We investigated whether intraoperative margin assessment aids in obtaining negative margins, and to evaluate the local control thus achieved

Media 1: Toward nodal staging of axillary lymph node basins through intradermal administration of fluorescent imaging agents

Originally published in Biomedical Optics Express on 01 January 2014 (boe-5-1-183