Metastatic breast involvement from extramammary malignancies: a review of dissemination pathways, imaging features, and management strategies.

Metastatic involvement (MB) of the breast from extramammary malignancies is rare, with an incidence of 0.09-1.3% of all breast malignancies.

Inter-Assay Variability of TROP2 Immunohistochemistry in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Background And Objective: Sacituzumab govitecan, an anti-trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) antibody-drug conjugate, has been approved by both the US Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who have received two or more prior systemic therapies, including at least one of them for advanced disease. Although TROP2 evaluation is not required for patient selection, survival data from the ASCENT trial show improved response rates in patients with high TROP2 expression by immunohistochemistry. However, there is no standardized testing assay for these patients.

Quality of life and Satisfaction With Ospemifene for Treating Vulvovaginal Atrophy in Breast Cancer Survivors: Six-Month Results From the PatiEnt SatisfactiON StudY (PEONY).

Objective: Breast cancer (BC) survivors often experience vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) due to endocrine therapies, affecting quality of life (QoL) and well-being. We aimed to evaluate impact of ospemifene treatment in postmenopausal women with history of BC and moderate to severe VVA.

Methods: PEONY is a real-world, prospective, multicenter study.

A framework to mine laser microdissection-based omics data and uncover regulators of pancreatic cancer heterogeneity.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common and aggressive form of pancreatic cancer, exhibits profound intratumor morphological heterogeneity, complicating the elucidation of the underlying molecular mechanisms driving its progression.

Results: We present and validate an optimized framework for RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of multiple spatially resolved laser micro-dissected tumor areas (LMD-seq), along with methodological and analytical details to maximize reproducibility and data mining. This approach enhances sensitivity in detecting lowly expressed genes, outperforming single-cell RNA-seq methods, particularly in identifying rare tumor cell populations and transcriptional programs with low expression.

Evaluation of sustainable diagnostic approaches in metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Introduction: Assessing bone metastases in metastatic breast cancer is challenging. Due to rising concerns over energy use and emissions, energy-efficient imaging is essential. This study aimed to compare three diagnostic imaging approaches used in therapy monitoring of MBC patients, evaluating both their environmental impact-quantified by energy consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions-and their biological cost, defined as patient exposure to ionizing radiation and contrast media volume.

Radical nephroureterectomy vs kidney sparing surgery for upper tract urothelial carcinoma in solitary kidney patients: a multi-institutional analysis of the ROBUUST 2.0 registry.

Purpose: Radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) in solitary kidney patients is a rare and underreported scenario. This study aims to compare the outcomes of UTUC solitary kidney patients becoming anephric after RNU to those of patients undergoing kidney-sparing surgery (KSS).

Methods: Data from patients with a solitary kidney were retrieved from the ROBUUST 2.

ECM-Induced IL-23 Drives Immune Suppression in Breast Cancer via Regulating PD-1 on Tregs.

Background: High-grade breast cancer (HGBC) is an aggressive disease with poor prognosis, underscoring the need for new treatment strategies. The tumor microenvironment (TME), particularly the extracellular matrix (ECM), plays a pivotal role in tumor progression, therapy resistance, and immune regulation. An ECM-related gene signature (defined ECM3), found in approximately 35% of HGBC cases, is associated with aggressive tumors, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), poor clinical outcome and increased infiltration of immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs).

RENOVO-NF1 accurately predicts NF1 missense variant pathogenicity.

Identification of a pathogenic variant in NF1 is diagnostic for neurofibromatosis, but is often impossible at the moment of variant detection due to many factors including allelic heterogeneity, sequence homology, and the lack of functional assays. Computational tools may aid in interpretation but are not established for NF1. Here, we optimized our random forest-based predictor RENOVO for NF1 variant interpretation.

Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma of the Breast: A Systematic Review of Clinicopathologic, Immunohistochemical, and Molecular Features.

Background: Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the breast is a very rare salivary gland-like tumor, accounting for 0.2%-0.3% of all breast cancers (BC).

The Dyadic Experience of a New Breast Cancer Diagnosis Into the Shared Decision-Making Process: A Qualitative Analysis.

Objective: This study explores the dyadic experience of patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer and their caregivers, focusing on emotional responses, informational needs, and shared involvement in clinical decision-making.

Methods: Twenty-three patient-caregiver dyads participated in semi-structured interviews conducted by psychologists specializing in clinical and health psychology. The interviews were analyzed using Qualitative Thematic Analysis to identify core themes reflecting the dyadic experience.

Diaphragmatic plication for diaphragmatic paralysis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of surgical outcomes.

Background: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to investigate the surgical approach and outcomes of diaphragmatic plication in the setting of diaphragmatic paralysis after phrenic nerve injury. The incidence of iatrogenic diaphragm paralysis varies across different surgical procedures.

Methods: Six databases were searched from inception until February 2023 for publications reporting on diaphragm plication surgery for phrenic nerve injury.

Artificial intelligence as treatment support in breast cancer: current perspectives.

With the increasing amount of information related to breast cancer (BC) management, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a tool with the potential to enhance the quality of treatment through the efficient integration of large datasets; however, the specific areas for which AI may be ready for clinical implementation remain unclear. In this narrative review, we recapitulate the available data on AI utilization in BC treatment by focusing on surgical therapy, radiation therapy, systemic and supportive treatment, but including the diagnostics, too. While AI has been implemented successfully in mammography screening, preoperative consultation, and radiation oncology, its use intraoperatively, post-operatively, and in systemic and supportive treatment is still in development.

Interobserver Agreement in Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Folate Receptor Alpha (FRα) in Ovarian Cancer: A Multicentre Study.

Folate receptor alpha (FRα) is a high-affinity folate transporter overexpressed in various epithelial malignancies, particularly high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. Given its restricted expression in normal tissues and accessibility in tumors, FRα is an emerging therapeutic target. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is the standard method for FRα assessment; however, interpretation is semi-quantitative and prone to interobserver variability.

CT-Based Radiomics Enhance Respiratory Function Analysis for Lung SBRT.

Radiomics is the extraction of non-invasive and reproducible quantitative imaging features, which may yield mineable information for clinical practice implementation. Quantification of lung function through radiomics could play a role in the management of patients with pulmonary lesions. The aim of this study is to test the capability of radiomic features to predict pulmonary function parameters, focusing on the diffusing capacity of lungs to carbon monoxide (DL).

IgM and IgG1 B cell receptors differentially affect B cell fates and dictate the pathogenesis of mature B cell lymphomas.

Malignant B cells rely on B cell receptor (BCR) signals for their survival and growth. Besides the Immunoglobulin M (IgM) BCR, lymphoma cells can also express non-IgM (IgG) BCRs; however, the role of IgG BCRs in malignant B cell is not well understood. Here, we report poorer disease outcomes in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) expressing high IgM versus those expressing IgG1.

Effect of low-dose tamoxifen on benign gynecological and breast conditions in a phase III trial in non-invasive breast cancer.

Despite the proven efficacy of tamoxifen (T) in breast cancer prevention, its uptake remains limited due to concerns over side effects. A phase III trial showed that low-dose T (5 mg/day for 3 years) significantly reduces recurrence with minimal toxicity. After 10 years of follow-up, we observed no significant differences in benign gynecological or breast events between the tamoxifen and placebo (P) arms.

TBC1D22B Regulates ER-to-Golgi Trafficking via RAB1B Inactivation and Promotes Oncogenic Programs in Breast Cancer.

TBC1D22B is a GTPase-activating protein (GAP) associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer (BC). Using complementary proximity-labeling and co-immunoprecipitation proteomics, the TBC1D22B interactome in BC cells is defined, revealing strong enrichment in components of the ER-to-Golgi trafficking machinery, endosomal transport, and adhesion-related pathways. Functional assays, using the Retention Using Selective Hooks (RUSH) system, demonstrate that TBC1D22B inhibits ER-to-Golgi transport in a GAP-dependent manner.

Real world feasibility of combining pembrolizumab with radiotherapy in early triple negative breast cancer.

Introduction: Real-world data on the feasibility and potential interaction of concurrent immunotherapy with radiation therapy (RT) remains limited. Herein, we investigated the safety profile of adjuvant pembrolizumab with concomitant RT given with curative intent in operable triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients.

Materials And Methods: We conducted the INT 54/24 study to prospectively collect data from patients with operable TNBC treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus pembrolizumab followed by surgery and adjuvant pembrolizumab with concomitant RT.

Sex-related differences in cell-free DNA and neutrophil extracellular traps in patients with hematologic malignancies.

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is emerging as a promising biomarker in liquid biopsy applications for cancer, with growing interest in its potential utility also for the diagnosis, monitoring of treatment response, and detection of relapse in hematologic malignancies. However, the precise origin and clinical relevance of cfDNA in these disorders remain to be fully clarified. In this study, we analyzed plasma samples from 98 patients with hematologic malignancies and 80 healthy donors using quantitative PCR (qPCR) to quantify cfDNA concentrations.

Vaccine hesitancy and decision regret among nurses in oncology settings in Italy: a cluster-based profile analysis.

Prior studies have examined decision regret and vaccine hesitancy using variable-centered approaches. However, little is known about the diversity of profiles within oncology settings where immunocompromised patients are at high risk. This study aimed to identify distinct clusters of vaccine-related attitudes among Italian nurses working in comprehensive cancer centers.

Fertility-sparing approach in endometrioid grade II endometrial cancer: the role of molecular classification.

Objective: To investigate whether molecular classification could support individualized selection of patients with grade II endometrioid endometrial cancer for fertility-sparing approaches.

Methods: This is a retrospective multi-institutional study. Data of patients undergoing fertility-sparing treatment with a levonorgestrel intrauterine device (with or without oral hormonal therapy) were retrieved.

Deciphering the proteomic landscape of pregnancy-associated colorectal cancer.

Background: The rising incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) and delayed childbearing have led to increased pregnancy-associated CRC (PACRC), an exceedingly rare condition that remains biologically uncharacterized due to its scarcity. This study aimed to identify the unique biological features of PACRC, correlate them with clinical outcomes, and compare them to the genomic landscape of pregnancy-related breast cancer (PrBC).

Methods: We performed a mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomic analysis of pathological CRC samples from PACRC patients and compared them with aged-matched non-pregnancy-associated CRC (NPACRC) patients.

Pre-existing oncohematological disease in kidney transplant recipients: impact on graft survival, acute rejection, and long-term clinical outcomes.

Introduction: Oncohematological disorders are heterogeneous conditions that present significant challenges in management prior to transplantation. Data about rejection risk, disease recurrence, eligibility criteria, and requested remission time before kidney transplant (KT) are still lacking.

Methods: All KTRs between January 1, 2000, and March 31, 2023 (n = 2871) were analyzed.