Hydatidiform mole and gestational trophoblastic disease

A mola hidatiforme é uma complicação relativamente infrequente da gravidez, mas com potencial para evolução para formas que necessitam de tratamento sistêmico e podem ser ameaçadoras da vida. Sob a denominação de mola hidatiforme há duas entidades histopatológicas e clínicas: a mola parcial e a completa. As diferenças entre estas duas formas são importantes, devido ao risco de evolução para formas persistentes, ou seja, mais alto para as completas. O diagnóstico da mola hidatiforme, seu tratamento e seguimento após o tratamento inicial sofreram alterações importantes nos últimos anos. O número de pacientes assintomáticas tem aumentado devido ao emprego de ultrassonografia no início da gravidez. Para a resolução da mola hidatiforme é necessário evitar o emprego de medicamentos que induzam contrações uterinas e usar a vácuo-aspiração. Deve ser prescrito o método contraceptivo hormonal logo após o esvaziamento da mola. O seguimento é baseado nas dosagens seriadas semanais de gonadotrofinas coriônicas. É importante que o método empregado detecte todas as formas das gonadotrofinas coriônicas (molécula intacta, hiperglicosilada, subunidade β livre e fragmento central da subunidade β).The hydatiform mole is a relatively rare pregnancy complication, but with potential to evolve to forms which need systemic treatment and can be a threat to life. There are two histopathological and clinical entities under the name of hydatiform mole: the partial and the complete mole. The differences between the two forms are important due to risk of evolution to persistent forms, which is higher for the complete moles. The diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of hydatiform mole have been under important changes in the last years. The number of asymptomatic patients has increased, due to the use of ultrasonography at the onset of pregnancy. The use of medication that induces uterine contractions must be avoided, and vacuum aspiration should be used. Soon after emptying the mole, a hormonal contraceptive method should be prescribed. Follow-up should be based on weekly serial dosages of chorionic gonadotropin. It is important that the method employed detects all the forms of chorionic gonadotropins (intact molecule, with hyper glycol, free β subunit, and central fragment β subunit)

Linfócitos T CD4+ tumor infiltrantes no câncer de mama inicial refletem envolvimento linfonodal

BACKGROUND: The role of immune system in the pathogenesis and progression of breast cancer is a subject of controversy, and this stimulated us to investigate the association of the immunophenotype of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in early breast cancer with the spread of tumor cells to axillary lymph nodes. METHODS: Tumor samples from 23 patients with early breast cancer from the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of Ribeirão Preto Medical School (USP) were obtained at the time of biopsy and submitted to an enzyme-digestion procedure for the extraction of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. The lymphocytes extracted were analyzed by dual-color flow cytometry with monoclonal antibodies in these combinations: CD3 FITC/CD19 PE, CD3 FITC/CD4 PE, CD3 FITC/CD8 PE, and CD16/56 PerCP, which are specific for immunophenotyping of T and B lymphocytes, helper and cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells. The mean percentage of these cells was used for comparing groups of patients with or without lymph node metastasis. RESULTS: The mean value for T-lymphocyte infiltration was 24.72 ± 17.37%; for B-lymphocyte infiltration, 4.22 ± 6.27%; for NK-cell infiltration, 4.41 ± 5.22%, and for CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte infiltration, 12.43 ± 10.12% and 11.30 ± 15.09%, respectively. Only mean values of T- and CD4+ T-lymphocyte infiltration were higher in the group of patients with lymph node metastasis, while no differences were noted in the other lymphocyte subpopulations. CONCLUSION: The association of tumor-infiltrating CD4+ T lymphocytes with lymph node metastasis suggests a role for these cells in the spread of neoplasia to lymph nodes in patients with early breast cancer.INTRODUÇÃO: O papel do sistema imunológico na patogênese e progressão do câncer de mama ainda é controverso, e isto nos estimulou a verificar a associação do imunofenótipo dos linfócitos tumor infiltrantes do câncer de mama inicial com a disseminação de células tumorais para os linfonodos axilares. MÉTODOS: Amostras tumorais de 23 pacientes com câncer de mama inicial do Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (USP) foram obtidas no momento da biópsia e depois submetidas ao método de digestão enzimática para a extração dos linfócitos tumor infiltrantes. Os linfócitos extraídos foram analisados por citometria de fluxo com anticorpos monoclonais nas seguintes combinações: CD3 FITC/CD19 PE, CD3 FITC/CD4 PE, CD3 FITC/CD8 PE, e CD16/56 PerCP, específicos para imunofenotipagem de linfócitos T e B, linfócitos T helper, linfócitos citotóxicos, e células Natural Killer. Os valores médios destas subpopulações leucocitárias foram comparados entre grupos de pacientes com ou sem metástases linfonodais. RESULTADOS: O valor médio do infiltrado por linfócitos T foi 24,72±17,37%, para o infiltrado por linfócitos B foi 4,22±6,27%, e para o infiltrado por células Natural Killer foi 4,41±5,22%, e para o infiltrado por linfócitos T CD4+ e CD8+ foram, respectivamente, 12,43±10,12% e 11,30±15,09%. Os valores médios do infiltrado por células T e T CD4+ foram maiores no grupo de pacientes com metástase axilar, enquanto nas outras subpopulações nada foi encontrado. CONCLUSÃO: A associação dos linfócitos T CD4+ tumor infiltrantes com metástases linfonodais sugere um papel destas células na disseminação das células neoplásicas aos linfonodos dos pacientes com câncer de mama inicial

Expression of Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α and Vascular endothelial growth factor–C in locally advanced breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND: Locally advanced breast cancers are more prevalent in underdeveloped countries. Targeted therapy has been improved to identify hallmarks that are specific to these subtypes of tumors. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to prospectively assess the expression of Hypoxia inducible factor-1 α and vascular endothelial growth factor-C in locally advanced breast cancer patients. METHODS: Thirty women underwent incisional biopsies for the histopathological diagnosis of breast carcinoma and participated in neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The association of Hypoxia inducible factor-1 α and vascular endothelial growth factor-C with age, tumor size, histological grade, clinical staging, hormonal and axillary status, clinical and pathological response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors, and the presence of c-erbB-2 antigen was studied. RESULTS: Hypoxia inducible factor-1 α expression and Vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression were observed in 66.7% and 63.3% of all patients, respectively, and were marginally associated with each other (p = 0.06). Among the studied variables, only positive axillary status was associated with the presence of HIF-1α (p = 0.02). Complete pathological response was significantly associated (p = 0.04) with the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-C prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: We concluded that Hypoxia inducible factor-1 α was associated with a poor prognosis and that vascular endothelial growth factor-C could be used as a predictive factor in locally advanced breast cancer patients with complete pathological response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Variability in Estrogen-Metabolizing Genes and Their Association with Genomic Instability in Untreated Breast Cancer Patients and Healthy Women

In the present study, we investigated the relationship between polymorphisms in the estrogen-metabolizing genes CYP17, CYP1B1, CYP1A1, and COMT and genomic instability in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of 62 BC patients and 62 controls considering that increased or prolonged exposure to estrogen can damage the DNA molecule and increase the genomic instability process in breast tissue. Our data demonstrated increased genomic instability in BC patients and that individuals with higher frequencies of MN exhibited higher risk to BC when belonging Val/Met genotype of the COMT gene. We also observed that CYP17 and CYP1A1 polymorphisms can modify the risk to BC depending on the menopause status. We can conclude that the genetic background in estrogen metabolism pathway can modulate chromosome damage in healthy controls and patients and thereby influence the risk to BC. These findings suggest the importance to ally biomarkers of susceptibility and effects to estimate risk groups

Expression of Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α and Vascular endothelial growth factor-C in locally advanced breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND: Locally advanced breast cancers are more prevalent in underdeveloped countries. Targeted therapy has been improved to identify hallmarks that are specific to these subtypes of tumors. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to prospectively assess the expression of Hypoxia inducible factor-1 α and vascular endothelial growth factor-C in locally advanced breast cancer patients. METHODS: Thirty women underwent incisional biopsies for the histopathological diagnosis of breast carcinoma and participated in neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The association of Hypoxia inducible factor-1 α and vascular endothelial growth factor-C with age, tumor size, histological grade, clinical staging, hormonal and axillary status, clinical and pathological response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors, and the presence of c-erbB-2 antigen was studied. RESULTS: Hypoxia inducible factor-1 α expression and Vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression were observed in 66.7% and 63.3% of all patients, respectively, and were marginally associated with each other (p = 0.06). Among the studied variables, only positive axillary status was associated with the presence of HIF-1α (p = 0.02). Complete pathological response was significantly associated (p = 0.04) with the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-C prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: We concluded that Hypoxia inducible factor-1 α was associated with a poor prognosis and that vascular endothelial growth factor-C could be used as a predictive factor in locally advanced breast cancer patients with complete pathological response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Oral health after breast cancer treatment in postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVE: Oral health can affect a patient’s general health and quality of life. Given the increase in breast cancer survival rates, investigations of factors influencing the quality of life of survivors have gained importance. Therefore, the objective of our study was to characterize oral health in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. METHODS: We conducted a matched case-control study. Forty-eight women who survived breast cancer (age 62.1±9.1 years) and 48 healthy controls (age 61.8±8.6 years) were included. For each case and control, a complete oral evaluation chart was completed. RESULTS: The prevalence of chronic periodontal disease was 98% in breast cancer survivors and 87% in controls. The breast cancer survivors had a median of 16 remaining teeth, whereas controls had a median of 22 remaining teeth (p = 0.03). The percentage of sites with gingival bleeding was 16.05% (0-100%) in breast cancer survivors and 0% (0-72%) in controls (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Chronic periodontal disease and tooth loss were highly prevalent in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. To improve survivors’ quality of life, a preventive oral health evaluation should be available prior to cancer treatment

The prognostic impact of local recurrence on early breast cancer patients treated with breast conserving therapy

OBJETIVO: investigar o impacto da recorrência local no prognóstico de pacientes com câncer de mama em estágio inicial tratado com cirurgia conservadora. MÉTODO: foi realizado estudo de coorte retrospectivo incluindo 192 pacientes com câncer de mama em estágio inicial submetidas a tratamento conservador. Utilizando critérios clínicos e patológicos (tempo para recorrência, local da recorrência e tipo histológico) classificamos as pacientes em três grupos. O grupo de recorrência local verdadeira (RLV), o grupo de novo tumor primário (NP) e o grupo livre de recorrência local (LRL). Foi comparada a evolução entre os diferentes grupos. RESULTADOS: menor idade e uma maior proporção de pacientes na pré-menopausa foram observas no grupo NP. A presença de RLV foi o mais importante fator prognóstico sendo que 40% das pacientes deste grupo desenvolveram doença metastática sincrônica à recorrência local. Doença metastática ocorreu em 28,5% e 4,7% nos grupos NP e LRL, respectivamente (p< 0,0001). A taxa de sobrevida global em cinco anos foi de 75% no grupo RLV, 100% no grupo NP e 98,2% no grupo LRL (p< 0,0001). Tipo histológico, margens cirúrgicas, metástase em linfonodos axilares e expressão de receptores hormonais não foram preditores de recorrência local. Pacientes que não foram submetidas a hormonioterapia adjuvante e a idade foram os mais importantes fatores preditores de recorrência local. CONCLUSÃO: recorrência local verdadeira é um fator prognóstico em pacientes com câncer de mama inicial tratado com cirurgia conservadora. A idade é o mais importante fator na recorrência local neste grupo de pacientes. O alto risco recorrência local nestas pacientes é um fator limitante da cirurgia conservadora.BACKGROUND: In order to investigate the impact of local recurrence on breast cancer patient prognosis, we developed this study. METHOD: A retrospective cohort study including 192 patients with early stage breast cancer subjected to breast conserving surgery (BCT) was performed to evaluate the local recurrence pattern and its role on disease progression. Using clinical and pathological criteria (time for recurrence, site of local recurrence and histological type) we classified patients as true local recurrence (TR group), new primary tumor (NP group), and patients free of local recurrence (FLR group). We compared the clinical course among these groups. RESULTS: Patients classified as NP are associated with young age and pre-menopausal status. The presence of TR is the most important predictive factor of prognosis and 40% of patients presented synchronic metastatic disease. The metastatic disease occurred in 28.5% and 4.7% of patients in the NP and FLR groups, respectively (p< 0.0001). Five-year overall survival rate was 75% in the TR group, 100% in the NP group and 98.2% in the FLR group (p< 0.0001). The Histological type and grade, margins status, lymph node metastasis and hormonal receptors were not predictive factors of local recurrence. Patients who were not submitted to hormonal therapy and young age are the most important predictive factors of local recurrence. CONCLUSION: True local recurrence had an influence on overall survival in patients with early breast cancer and the main risk factor for local recurrence was young age. The high-risk incidence for recurrence after BCT in such patients is a limiting factor of therapy