Progesterone receptor in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer: the association between HER-2 and lymph node involvement is age related.
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Age Factors↗
Biomedical subjects
Maria Drijkoningen
Publications and source records attributed to Maria Drijkoningen.
Comparative expressed sequence hybridization reveals differential gene expression in morphological breast cancer subtypes.
In this study, comparative expressed sequence hybridization (CESH) has been used to compare gene expression patterns in three morphologically different breast cancer subtypes: classic-type invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), poorly differentiated ERBB2-negative invasive ductal carcinoma-not otherwise specified (IDC-NOS), and poorly differentiated ERBB2-positive IDC-NOS. CESH allows global detection of chromosomal regions with differential gene expression in a way similar to that of comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Eight cases of each breast cancer subtype were included in the study. For each subtype, two pools of four cases each were constructed. CESH was used to compare both pools within the same morphological subtype, followed by a comparison of pools belonging to different subtypes. This revealed three chromosomal regions that were differentially expressed in ductal and lobular carcinomas, including relative overexpression at 8q13-q23 and 16q22, and relative underexpression at 8p21-p22. In addition, an expression signature characterized by relative overexpression at 3q24-q26.3, 14q23-31, 17q12, and 20q12-13 was identified for ERBB2-positive IDC-NOS. In summary, CESH analysis highlights chromosomal regions of differential gene expression that are associated with morphologically defined breast cancer subtypes and suggests that regions on chromosome 8 are of interest in the discrimination between ductal and lobular carcinomas. In addition, using CESH, it was possible to identify an ERBB2 expression signature, comprising four chromosomal regions with potential significance in the aggressive behaviour of ERBB2-positive IDC-NOS.
Breast Neoplasms↗
Association between HER-2/neu and the progesterone receptor in oestrogen-dependent breast cancer is age-related.
In oestrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer, HER-2/neu and the progesterone receptor (PR) are inversely associated. This explains a lower response to anti-oestrogens if ER+ breast cancers are HER-2/neu positive. One randomized study however, showed that premenopausal women with an ER+ breast cancer respond to anti-oestrogens independent of HER-2/neu. We therefore hypothesized an age-related association between HER-2/neu and PR in ER+ breast cancers. Receptors for ER, PR and HER-2/neu were analysed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). A uni- and multivariate analyses was carried out to assess this relationship in 1104 women with an ER+ breast cancer. We observed an inverse association between HER-2/neu and PR only after age 45. There were 173 women of age 45 years. In multivariate analysis, only tumour grade (p=0.005) but not PR status was associated with HER-2/neu in women age 45 years group, both PR status (p=0.001) and tumour grade (p=0.001) were independently associated with HER-2/neu. In ER+ breast cancers from women age>45, PR was positive in 76.9% if HER-2/neu negative but in 53.4% if HER-2/neu positive (p<0.001) and the median quantitative PR levels are 150 and 75 respectively in HER-2/neu negative and HER-2/neu positive tumours (p=0.002). This age effect of HER-2/neu on the PR status was not seen in women age 45 years but not in women age<or=45 years.
Adult↗
Clinical relevance of thyroid fluorodeoxyglucose-whole body positron emission tomography incidentaloma.
Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) whole body positron emission tomography (PET) scan is increasingly used in the diagnostic work-up or follow-up of patients. In these conditions, positive PET scans with unexpected hot spots within the thyroid region could be defined as thyroid FDG-PET incidentaloma (in analogy with unexpected sonographic thyroid nodules). We describe eight consecutive patients referred to the endocrine department because of thyroid "hot spots," incidentally detected by whole body FDG-PET scan (September 1999 to March 2001). Using ultrasound, fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), and histology reports, we tried to identify the pathology underlying thyroid FDG-PET incidentaloma. FNAC showed an indication for surgery in all patients. Surgery has been performed in 7 patients. Malignancy was correctly identified in five patients: two medullary thyroid carcinomas, one with lymph node invasion, and three papillary thyroid carcinomas with invasion through the thyroid capsule in two of the PTC cases. In two patients with a positive FDG-PET scan, FNAC pointed to follicular neoplasms, and final histology reports showed follicular adenoma. In the remaining patient, FNAC revealed a follicular lesion, but surgery has not yet been performed. In conclusion, a small series of consecutive thyroid FDG-PET incidentaloma cases is presented and suggests a high rate of clinically relevant malignancies.
Adenoma↗
Use of liquid-based cytology in serous fluids: a comparison with conventional cytopreparatory techniques.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the performance of liquid-based cytology (LBC) on body cavity fluids as compared with conventional cytopreparatory techniques. STUDY DESIGN: Slides from a total of 592 serous fluids, effusions as well as intraoperative washings, were reviewed. Of these fluids, 301 were collected before and 291 after the introduction of the PrepStain LBC (TriPath Imaging, Burlington, North Carolina, U.S.A.) in our laboratory. RESULTS: PrepStain thin layers showed excellent morphology on a clear background, with preservation of 3-dimensional configurations and a sufficient amount of extracellular material to allow an accurate diagnosis. Cytopreparation, screening and interpretation of LBC were less time consuming. Moreover, when the performance of the various cytopreparatory techniques in malignant fluids was studied, PrepStain thin layers excelled over conventional cytopreparatory methods in showing a significantly lower false negative rate (P=.0414). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that in body fluid cytology, thin layers can safely replace other types of wet-fixed preparations, resulting in enhanced specimen quality and diminished false negative rates.
Adult↗