PKCα and ERβ Are Associated with Triple-Negative Breast Cancers in African American and Caucasian Patients

Although the incidence of breast cancer in the United States is higher in Caucasian women compared with African American women, African-American patients have more aggressive disease as characterized by a higher percentage of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), high-grade tumors, and a higher mortality rate. PKCα is a biomarker associated with endocrine resistance and poor prognosis and ERβ is emerging as a protective biomarker. Immunohistochemical analysis of ERβ and PKCα expression was performed on 198 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded primary infiltrating ductal carcinomas from 105 African-American and 93 Caucasian patients. PKCα is positively correlated with TNBC in patients of both races and with high tumor grade in African-American patients. Patients with TNBC express less nuclear ERβ compared with all other subtypes. We find no difference in frequency or intensity of PKCα or ERβ expression between African-American and Caucasian patients. PKCα and ERβ are discussed as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of patients with TNBC

The use of molecular imaging to evaluate the efficacy of treatments for metastatic breast cancer

The development of molecular imaging technologies has allowed biomedical researchers to study the process of cancer metastasis in animal models of disease. Bioluminescence imaging has been a crucial tool for non-invasive monitoring of tumor growth, dissemination, and response to therapies. In this report, we have applied bioluminescence imaging to evaluate the efficacy of Death Receptor 5 agonist therapy for the treatment of breast cancer metastasis, predominately to the skeleton, in an athymic nude mouse model. Initially, we determined that bioluminescence imaging was the most ideal technology for studying secondary bone lesions in vivo when compared to both x-ray Computed Tomography and SPECT-CT imaging. Through analysis of histologic sections, bioluminescent images, and markers of bone resorption, therapy studies revealed that murine death receptor 5 agonist mTRA8 and its humanized version hTRA8 significantly reduce tumor burden in mice with experimental metastatic lesions in osseous tissues when combined with zoledronic acid. In a second study, mTRA8 resulted in a significant amount of tumor regression in an in vivo model of lung metastasis. From this work we have concluded that Death Receptor 5 agonist therapy is a promising treatment for breast cancer metastasis in animal models of this human disease and should be evaluated in a clinical setting

Different Management Options for Transplant Ureteral Obstructions within an Inguinal Hernia

Ureteral obstruction secondary to an inguinal hernia with transplant ureteral component is an extremely rare entity with only several case reports found in literature. In all previously reported cases, management of the obstruction involved temporary drainage with ureteral stenting or nephrostomy tube placements followed by delayed definitive repair. We present two case reports, here one being the first one managed by immediate definitive repair via ureteral reimplant and herniorrhaphy and a second case by delayed definitive repair after percutaneous nephrostomy tube placement. Both patients continued to do well postoperatively with normalization of renal function on follow-up