16 research outputs found

    Profiling flavonoid cytotoxicity in human breast cancer cell lines

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    Flavonoids are part of a large family of polyphenols that are found extensively in fruits and vegetables. This class of compounds has been of considerable medical interest due to their anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. Although extensive effort has been made to identify the biological effects responsible for the chemopreventive activity of these compounds, the exact molecular mechanisms involved are not fully understood. In this study, we focused on the cytotoxic effects of fourteen different flavonoids against a series of breast cancer cell lines and evaluated the induction of cell cycle arrest at G1 or G2/M phase as result of such treatment. We also assessed a possible structure-function relationship for cellular cytotoxicity based on the various chemical structures of flavonoids. The results showed that several flavonoids were cytotoxic in all cell lines even in the absence of certain signaling pathways. In addition, only some flavonoids were able to induce cell cycle arrest, suggesting their cytotoxic potential may be independent of their ability to block cells at G1 or G2/M phases. Our results enabled identification of certain structural properties that are important for the anticancer activity of flavonoids. Finally, these results suggested that cytotoxicity does not depend on a particular signaling pathway

    Quantitative, Architectural Analysis of Immune Cell Subsets in Tumor-Draining Lymph Nodes from Breast Cancer Patients and Healthy Lymph Nodes

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    Background: To date, pathological examination of specimens remains largely qualitative. Quantitative measures of tissue spatial features are generally not captured. To gain additional mechanistic and prognostic insights, a need for quantitative architectural analysis arises in studying immune cell-cancer interactions within the tumor microenvironment and tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLNs). Methodology/Principal Findings: We present a novel, quantitative image analysis approach incorporating 1) multi-color tissue staining, 2) high-resolution, automated whole-section imaging, 3) custom image analysis software that identifies cell types and locations, and 4) spatial statistical analysis. As a proof of concept, we applied this approach to study the architectural patterns of T and B cells within tumor-draining lymph nodes from breast cancer patients versus healthy lymph nodes. We found that the spatial grouping patterns of T and B cells differed between healthy and breast cancer lymph nodes, and this could be attributed to the lack of B cell localization in the extrafollicular region of the TDLNs. Conclusions/Significance: Our integrative approach has made quantitative analysis of complex visual data possible. Our results highlight spatial alterations of immune cells within lymph nodes from breast cancer patients as an independent variable from numerical changes. This opens up new areas of investigations in research and medicine. Future application of this approach will lead to a better understanding of immune changes in the tumor microenvironment and TDLNs, and how they affect clinical outcome

    Abstract PO-005: Where you live matters: Impact of economic, racial/ethnic, and racialized economic residential segregation on breast cancer survival

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    Abstract Background Racial and economic residential segregation remains a problem within the United States (US). Although advances in screening, detection, diagnosis, and treatment have reduced overall breast cancer mortality, well-documented socioeconomic and racial/ethnic survival disparities persist. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of economic and racial/ethnic residential segregation, as measured by the Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE), on breast cancer survival. Methods Patients treated at our medical campus, comprised of a safety-net hospital and an academic cancer center, with stage I-IV breast cancer from 2005-2017 were identified from our tumor registry. Census tracts were used as neighborhood proxies. Using 5-year estimates from the American Community Survey, 5 ICE variables were computed: economic (high vs. low), race/ethnicity (non- Hispanic White (NHW) vs. non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and NHW vs. Hispanic) and racialized economic (low-income NHB vs high-income NHW and low-income Hispanics vs. high-income NHW) segregation. ICE uniquely captures spatial economic and racial/ethnic segregation by mapping social inequality not otherwise captured by evaluating a population of a specific socioeconomic level or belonging to a particular racial/ethnic group. Random effects frailty models were conducted for all patients and then stratified by race/ethnicity controlling for demographics, tumor characteristics, and NCCN-guideline appropriate treatment subtype. Results The study population included 6,145 breast cancer patients. 52.6% were Hispanic, 26.3% were NHW, and 17.2% were NHB. After controlling for multiple covariates, those living in extreme economically disadvantaged neighborhoods had an increased hazard ratio (HR) of death compared to those living in more economically advantaged neighborhoods (HR: 1.58 95% CI: 1.29-1.92, p<0.001). Patients living in an economically disadvantaged NHB neighborhood also had an increased HR compared to those living in more economically advantaged NHW neighborhoods (HR: 2.0 95% CI:1.54-2.60, p<0.001). In race-stratified analyses, a NHW living in an economically disadvantaged NHB neighborhood had an increased HR compared to a NHW living in an economically advantaged NHW neighborhood (HR: 2.02 95% CI:1.19-3.41, p< 0.0071), even when controlling for demographics, tumor subtype, and appropriate treatment. Conclusion This study is the first to evaluate breast cancer survival by ICE, which brings social inequality to the forefront. Our study suggests that survival disparities persist at the extremes of economic deprivation/privilege and racial/ethnic residential segregation, even when accounting for demographics, tumor characteristics, and appropriate treatment, suggesting social/environmental factors are also impacting survival. To address these disparities, effective interventions are needed that account for the social and environmental contexts in which cancer patients live and are treated. Citation Format: Neha Goel, Sina Yadegarynia, Kristin N. Kelly, Susan B. Kesmodel, Erin N. Kobetz, Ashly Westrick. Where you live matters: Impact of economic, racial/ethnic, and racialized economic residential segregation on breast cancer survival [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-005

    Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Breast Cancer Survival Emergence of a Clinically Distinct Hispanic Black Population

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    OBJECTIVE: To understand the impact of Black race on breast cancer (BC) presentation, treatment, and survival among Hispanics. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: It is well-documented that non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) present with late-stage disease, less likely to complete treatment, and have worse survival compared to their non-Hispanic White (NHW) counterparts. However, no data evaluates whether this disparity extends to Hispanic Blacks (HB) and Hispanic Whites (HW). Given our location in Miami, gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean, we have the diversity to evaluate BC outcomes in HB and HW. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of stage I-IV BC patients treated at our institution from 2005–2017. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated and compared using the log-rank test. Multivariable survival models were computed using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: Race/ethnicity distribution of 5,951 patients: 28% NHW, 51% HW, 3% HB, and 18% NHB. HB were more economically disadvantaged, had more aggressive disease, and less treatment compliant compared to HW. 5-year OS by race/ethnicity was: 85% NHW, 84.8% HW, 79.4% HB, and 72.7% NHB (p<0.001). After adjusting for covariates, NHB was an independent predictor of worse OS [HR:1.25 (95% CI: 1.01–1.52), p< 0.041)]. CONCLUSIONS: In this first comprehensive analysis of HB and HW, HB has worse OS compared to HW, suggesting that race/ethnicity is a complex variable acting as a proxy for tumor and host biology, as well as individual and neighborhood-level factors impacted by structural racism. This study identifies markers of vulnerability associated with Black race and markers of resiliency associated with Hispanic ethnicity to narrow a persistent BC survival gap

    Axillary response rates to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients with advanced nodal disease

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    Purpose Utilization of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in breast cancer patients with positive nodes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has increased. We examine axillary response rates after NAC in patients with clinical N2‐3 disease to determine whether SLNB should be considered. Methods Breast cancer patients with clinical N2‐3 (AJCC 7th Edition) disease who received NAC followed by surgery were selected from our institutional tumor registry (2009–2018). Axillary response rates were assessed. Results Ninety‐nine patients with 100 breast cancers were identified: 59 N2 (59.0%) and 41 (41.0%) N3 disease; 82 (82.0%) treated with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and 18 (18.0%) SLNB. The majority (99.0%) received multiagent NAC. In patients undergoing ALND, cCR was observed in 20/82 patients (24.4%), pathologic complete response (pCR) in 15 patients (18.3%), and axillary pCR in 17 patients (20.7%). In patients with a cCR, pCR was identified in 60.0% and was most common in HER2+ patients (34.6%). Conclusion In this analysis of patients with clinical N2‐3 disease receiving NAC, 79.3% of patients had residual nodal disease at surgery. However, 60.0% of patients with a cCR also had a pCR. This provides the foundation to consider evaluating SLNB and less extensive axillary surgery in this select group
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