Role of Oocyte-Specific cKIT on Development of Ovarian Reserve

Many chemotherapy drugs cause female infertility by permanently shutting down the ovaries. In pre-pubescent girls, this can also result in abnormal sexual development. It is known that many of these harmful chemotherapy drugs bind to cKIT receptors throughout the body. cKIT receptors exist in particularly high concentrations in the ovaries and when they are blocked by chemotherapy drugs, premature ovarian failure results. Our experiment uses a transgenic mouse model to evaluate the effects of cKIT receptors on oocyte formation and development. This experiment is part of a larger effort to understand the mechanisms by which chemotherapy drugs cause premature ovarian failure.https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/surp2021/1024/thumbnail.jp

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Original Article Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors for transient lymphedema (TLE) and persistent lymphedema (PLE) following treatment for breast cancer. Materials and Methods A total of 1,073 patients who underwent curative breast surgery were analyzed. TLE was defined as one episode of arm swelling that had resolved spontaneously by the next followup; arm swelling that persisted over two consecutive examinations was considered PLE. Results At a median follow-up period of 5.1 years, 370 cases of lymphedema were reported, including 120 TLE (11.2%) and 250 PLE (23.3%). Initial grade 1 swelling was observed in 351 patients, of which 120 were limited to TLE (34%), while the other 231 progressed to PLE (66%). All initial swelling observed in TLE patients was classified as grade 1. In multivariate analysis, chemotherapy with taxane and supraclavicular radiation therapy (SCRT) were associated with development of TLE, whereas SCRT, stage III cancer and chemotherapy with taxane were identified as risk factors for PLE (p < 0.05). The estimated incidence of TLE among initial grade 1 patients was calculated using up to three treatment-related risk factors (number of dissected axillary lymph nodes, SCRT, and taxane chemotherapy). The approximate ratios of TLE and PLE based on the number of risk factors were 7:1 (no factor), 1:1 (one factor), 1:2 (two factors), and 1:3 (three factors). Conclusion One-third of initial swelling events were transient, whereas the other two-thirds of patients experienced PLE. Estimation of TLE and PLE based on known treatment factors could facilitate prediction of this life-long complication. Key words Breast neoplasms, Transient lymphedema, Persistent lymphedema, Risk factors Introduction Lymphedema (LE) is a common and debilitating condition in breast cancer survivors characterized by regional swelling, typically in one or both arms Despite the frequency of this condition, there are no uniform criteria for defining LE. Symptom duration is generally not stated as part of the definition of LE, with a diagnosis of LE made primarily on the presence of swelling alon