Implication of tumor microenvironment in the resistance to chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

Chemotherapy is a cornerstone treatment in patients with early breast cancer. Although some cancer cell-related predictors are emerging, the indications of chemotherapy and the choice of chemotherapy regimen are not individualized enough, emphasizing the need for new predictors. This review will summarize recent advances concerning the implication of tumor microenvironment in the response to chemotherapy.Journal ArticleReviewSCOPUS: re.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Vismodegib: The Proof of Concept in Basal Cell Carcinoma

Although basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer worldwide, its metastatic dissemination is exceptional. Before 2012, we had a few treatment options available for metastatic or locally advanced cases. Management of these patients was complicated due to the lack of scientific data, the deterioration of a patient's general status, the patient's advanced age, and the presence of multiple comorbidities. The hedgehog signaling pathway is dysregulated in BCC. The exploration of this signaling pathway yielded to a major milestone in the treatment of advanced BCC. Vismodegib (GDC-0449), an oral small-molecule agent that targets the Hedgehog signaling pathway, demonstrates high levels of activity in clinical trials. It was approved in January 2012 for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic BCC. Vismodegib confirms, once again, the interest in exploring the signal transduction pathways in cancers

Estrogen Receptor Expression and Docetaxel Efficacy in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of Four Randomized Trials

The present study assessed the efficacy of docetaxel in patients with metastatic breast cancer according to estrogen receptor expression. Docetaxel produced a higher response rate and lower risk for disease progression to a statistically similar extent regardless of estrogen receptor expression in patients with metastatic breast cancer

Association between the nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio of p27 and the efficacy of adjuvant polychemotherapy in early breast cancer

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic and predictive value of p27 expression in patients with early breast cancer. Patients and methods: Quantitative immunofluorescence assays for p27 were done on a tissue microarray that included 823 samples from patients randomized between anthracycline-based chemotherapy and no chemotherapy. Quantification of p27 was done using the AQUA® system (HistoRx, Inc. Branford, CT). Both p27 nuclear expression and the nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio were assessed. Results: Nuclear p27 expression was not predictive for the efficacy of anthracycline-based chemotherapy [adjusted P = 0.18 for disease-free survival (DFS)] nor prognostic [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.99-1.01, P = 0.49]. However, p27 nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio was predictive for the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy (adjusted P = 0.016 DFS). The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for relapse associated with adjuvant chemotherapy was 0.56 (95% CI 0.37-0.84, P = 0.005) and 1.06 (95% CI 0.76-1.47, P = 0.74) for patients with high and low nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio, respectively. p27 N/C ratio was prognostic in patients treated with chemotherapy (HR for relapse or death for a 1 unit increase in p27 N/C ratio was 0.30, 95% CI 0.12-0.77) but not in the untreated arm (HR for relapse or death was 1.27, 95% CI 0.58-2.8). Conclusions: This study did not confirm the role of p27 nuclear expression as a prognostic parameter. However, the p27 nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio was predictive in patients treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy. © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe