Influence of hormonal status on thermography findings in breast cancer

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of infrared imaging findings and hormone receptor (estrogen and progesterone) status in breast cancers. The study was carried out at Department of Surgical Oncology and Department of Pathology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, in collaboration with licensed infrared thermography experts. The study involved 75 female patients with invasive breast tumors. Thermography findings were compared with different immunohistochemical findings (hormone status positive or negative). Seventy-five female patients aged 36 to 86 years, mean age 64 +/- 11.36 years, were examined. The tumor itself and the breast containing the tumor were statistically significantly warmer (p < 0.001) than the healthy breast in all study patients. There was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) between patients with positive and those with negative estrogen receptors. Unlike all previously published results of various thermographic studies, results obtained in this study on the hormone receptor status analyzed and its impact on thermographic findings indicated that estrogen negative tumors had a higher maximum and average temperature than estrogen positive tumors. It was also observed that estrogen negative tumors had lower impact on warming of the entire breast, and that maximum and average temperature of the affected breast was higher in estrogen positive tumors. Arithmetic means of maximum and average tumor temperatures were statistically significantly higher for progesterone negative tumors compared with progesterone positive tumors (p < 0.05). Thermographic findings correlated with the specific hormonal status of breast invasive tumors, which reflects the biological behavior of tumors as well as their clinical variables.

[Epidemiology of invasive breast cancer according to histopathologic and immunohistochemistry prognostic factors]

The aim of this study was to analyze the TNM classification factors of invasive breast cancer that can be affected by the national program for early detection of breast cancer in the Republic of Croatia. The other analyzed factors related to histology and immunohistochemistry have no such impact as they are related to biological behavior and aggressiveness of malignant breast tumors, thus providing useful predictive and prognostic information. The study was performed at Department of Oncologic Surgery, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, and included 75 patients surgically treated for invasive breast cancer during the period of one month in 2011, mean age 64 +/- 11.36 (range 36-86) years. Most of the patients (68%) with malignant breast disease were diagnosed in a localized stage, which is consistent with the reports from developed European countries. The size of the newly discovered tumors showed continuation of a trend of detecting tumors of ever less size and a lower percentage of pT3 pT4 tumors. This result proved superior to those reported from many European countries. The results of correlation analysis, tumor size, estrogen and progesterone receptor, HER-2 protein, Ki-67, and histologic tumor grade, tumor size did not show significant correlation with any of these parameters. Concordant expression of phenotype (ER+, PR+) receptor pairs and negative HER-2 was recorded in most study patients. The second most frequent group had tumors with so-called 'triple-negative' immunohistochemistry negative phenotype (ER-, PR-, HER-2). In conclusion, the program of early detection of breast cancer in the Republic of Croatia and at the University Hospital for Tumors justifies its existence for revealing malignant breast tumors at an earlier stage of the disease considering the size local stage of newly diagnosed tumors.

Primary Ewing's sarcoma of the kidney: a case report

Primary adult Ewing's sarcoma is a rare entity. They most commonly occur in children and young adults. 6% of them are localized extraosseously. We present a case of a 51 year old patient with primary renal Ewing's sarcoma and multiple metastases in liver and iliac bone. Patients with metastatic disease are usually treated with aggressive chemotherapy and have a poor outcome. Our patient underwent complete surgical excision of tumour, and was treated with aggressive chemotherapy, respectively. Two and half years after presentation he is well, without any symptoms.

[Analysis of prognostic factors in breast cancer at University Hospital for Tumors]

Breast cancer is the most common malignant disease in women. It is rare before age 30, whereafter its prevalence rises to reach peak at age 50. Prognostic factors have a very important role in choosing the most appropriate treatment option and making long-term disease prognosis. Currently, the classic prognostic factors such as histologic type, tumor grade, tumor size, regional lymph node involvement, estrogen and progesterone receptor status still are of high prognostic value allowing for reliable prognosis. This retrospective study included female patients treated at Department of Surgery, University Hospital for Tumors in Zagreb over a two-year period (2002-2003). Only patients with histologically diagnosed invasive ductal breast cancer (NOS) undergoing radical modified mastectomy were included in the study. Analysis of the generally accepted prognostic parameters (tumor size, regional lymph node status, tumor grade, hormone receptor status) confirmed their known prognostic value. Study results were consistent with internationally reported data, reflecting appropriate approach by the surgery-pathology team of the hospital in the management of breast cancer.