The Relationship of Pathological Response and Visceral Muscle and Fat Volume in Women With Breast Cancer Who Received Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Objective

Differences in individual muscle/fat volumes may change the effectiveness of chemotherapy. In this study, the relationship between trunkal muscle and fat volume and body mass index (BMI) obtained before receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) in patients with breast cancer and complete pathological response (pCR) was investigated.

Materials and Methods

The volumes of psoas, abdominal and paraspinal muscles, and trunkal subcutaneous and visceral fat were calculated using CoreSlicer AI 2.0 opensource program from the F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (CT) and CT images before NCT and postoperative pCR rates to NCT were recorded. Muscle/fat volumes and BMI prior to NCT were compared in terms of pathological pCR rates. Patients were followed up regularly for recurrence and survival.

Results

Ninety-three patients were included with median (range) values for age, BMI, and body weights of 48 (28-72) years, 27 (16.8-51.6) kg/m2, and 71.94 (43-137) kg, respectively. The median follow-up time was 18.6 (6.7-59.6) months. No significant correlation was found between total muscle or fat volumes of patients with and without pCR. BMI [26.2 (16.8-51.6) kg/m2 vs. 24.6 (20.3-34.3) kg/m2, p = 0.03] and pCR rates in patients with low right-psoas muscle volume [11.74 (7.03-18.51) vs. 10.2 (6.71-13.36), p = 0.025] were significantly greater. A significant relationship was found between right psoas muscle volume and disease-free survival (DFS) (11.74 cm3 (7.03-18.51) vs. 10.2 cm3 (6.71-13.36), p = 0.025). However, no significant relationship was detected between total muscle-fat volume, BMI and overall survival and DFS (p>0.05).

Conclusion

This is the first published study investigating the relationship between the pCR ratio and body muscle and fat volume measured by CoreSlicer AI 2.0 in patients with breast cancer who received NCT. No correlation was found between the pCR ratio and total muscle plus fat volume. However, these results need to be validated with larger patient series.

Biallelic ZNF335 mutations cause basal ganglia abnormality with progressive cerebral/cerebellar atrophy

To date, less than 10 pedigrees have been reported with ZNF335 mutations since it was discovered in 2012 and little is known about ZNF335-related clinical spectrum. We describe a 12 years old male patient who is only child of nonconsanguineous Turkish parents. Trio whole genome sequencing identified previously unreported compound heterozygous variants in ZNF335, namely, c.3889T > A p.(Ser1297Thr) and c.758G > A p.(Arg253Gln) where transmitted by his father and mother, respectively. Patient' magnetic resonance imaging findings were overlapping to those observed in the previous cases with ZNF335 mutations. Here we report the oldest patient with biallelic ZNF335 mutations. We recommend screening for ZNF335 defects in patients with basal ganglia anomaly, secondary white matter abnormalities and microcephaly.

Value of Imaging Findings in the Prediction of Microvascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of some imaging findings in predicting microvascular invasion (MVI) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence risk after liver transplantation.

METHOD

This retrospective study included 123 patients with histopathologically proven HCC at explant. All HCCs were classified as MVI positive (group I) or negative (group II) based on histopathological findings. In each group, multifocality, largest tumor size, bulging (tumor causing liver capsule expansion), beak sign (the acute angle between the tumor and liver parenchyma), and diffusion restriction on diffusion weighted images (DWI) were evaluated. These findings were compared between the groups by Student's t test. The relation between the parameters and MVI was analyzed by using the Spearman's correlation test.

RESULTS

Of the total patients, 30.1% had MVI (group I) and 69.9% (group II) did not have MVI. Presence of beak sign (P ≤ .005), bulging sign (P = .002), and diffusion restriction (P = .045) were significantly more frequent in group I than group II. The beak sign, bulging sign, and diffusion restriction were correlated with presence of MVI. Largest tumor size and multifocality were higher in group I than group II, but the differences were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Radiologists and transplant surgeons should be aware of some clue imaging findings, especially beak and bulging signs because these findings may predict the presence of MVI in HCC. These patients might benefit from histologic confirmation of the tumor characteristics through biopsy and subsequent bridging treatment options before liver transplantation to reduce the risk of recurrence.