Pain management in head and neck cancer patients undergoing chemo-radiotherapy: clinical practical recommendations.

Publication date: Available online 3 December 2015
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): A. Mirabile, M. Airoldi, C. Ripamonti, A. Bolner, B. Murphy, E. Russi, G. Numico, L. Licitra, P. Bossi
Pain in head and neck cancer represents a major issue, before, during and after the oncological treatments.The most frequent cause of pain is chemo/radiation related oral mucositis, which involves 80% of the patients and worsens their quality of life inhibiting speaking, eating, drinking or swallowing and sometimes reducing the treatment compliance, the maximum dose intensity and thus the potential efficacy of treatment. Nevertheless pain is still often under estimated and undertreated. An Italian multidisciplinary group of head and neck cancer specialists met with the aim of reaching a consensus on pain management in this setting. The Delphi Appropriateness method was used for the consensus. External expert reviewers evaluated the final statements. The paper contains 30 consensus-reached statements about pain management in HNC patients and offers a review of recent literature in these topics.



from #MedicinebyAlexandrosSfakianakis via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/1NucHwz
via IFTTT

An approach to the diagnosis of spindle cell lesions of the breast

Although most breast spindle cell lesions (BSCLs) are rare, they constitute a wide spectrum of diseases, ranging from reactive processes to aggressive malignant tumours. Despite their varied histogenesis and behaviour, some lesions show an overlap of morphological features, making accurate diagnosis a challenging task, particularly in needle core biopsies. Clinical history and immunohistochemistry can help in making a correct diagnosis in morphologically challenging cases. To make an accurate diagnosis, it is important to maintain a wide differential diagnosis and be familiar with the diverse morphological appearances of these different entities. BSCLs can generally be classified into bland-looking and malignant-looking categories. In the former, the commonest diagnosis is scarring. However, it is important to distinguish low-grade spindle cell metaplastic breast carcinoma from other benign entities, as the management is clearly different. In the malignant category, it is important to differentiate metaplastic carcinoma from other malignant primary and metastatic malignant spindle cell tumours of the breast, such as malignant phyllodes tumour, angiosarcoma, and melanoma. This review focuses on the classification and histological and molecular diagnosis of various BSCLs, with an emphasis on the diagnostic approach, including in core biopsies.

from #MedicinebyAlexandrosSfakianakis via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/1lAE90S
via IFTTT

Sentinel lymph nodes for breast carcinoma: an update on current practice

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has been established as the standard of care for axillary staging in patients with invasive breast carcinoma and clinically negative lymph nodes (cN0). Historically, all patients with a positive SLN underwent axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). The ACOSOG Z0011 trial showed that women with T1–T2 disease and cN0 who undergo breast-conserving surgery and whole-breast radiotherapy can safely avoid ALND. The main goal of SLN examination should be to detect all macrometastases (>2 mm). Gross sectioning of SLNs at 2-mm intervals and microscopic examination of one haematoxylin and eosin-stained section from each SLN block is the preferred method for pathological evaluation of SLNs. The role and timing of SLN biopsy for patients who have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy is controversial, and continues to be explored in clinical trials. SLN biopsies from patients with invasive breast carcinoma who have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy pose particular challenges for pathologists.

from #MedicinebyAlexandrosSfakianakis via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/1RrITm8
via IFTTT

Issue Information

from #MedicinebyAlexandrosSfakianakis via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/1lAE8Kv
via IFTTT

The cancer genetics and pathology of male breast cancer

Male breast cancer (MBC) is an uncommon and poorly understood disease. Recent molecular studies have shown important differences from female breast cancer which are likely to influence treatment strategies from the current female-based management towards a more tailored approach. Significantly more MBCs than female breast cancers arise with an underlying germline cancer predisposition, and display a vastly different penetrance compared with females. Furthermore, the genophenotypical association of basal-like cancer with BRCA1 present in female breast cancer is not observed in male breast cancer. Differences in somatic changes between male and female breast cancer have also been reported, with particular enrichment of PIK3CA mutations and a paucity of TP53 mutations. In general, chromosomal-based changes, in particular regions of gains, are seen more frequently in male than female breast cancer and methylation is seen less frequently. Clinically, several molecular subtypes with prognostic relevance have been described, including chromosomal complex high and methylation high groups, and subgroups with profiling signatures pertaining to epithelial mesenchymal transition and hormonal therapy insensitivity. As with female breast cancer, attention to male specific multicentre trials based on the individual characteristics are needed, together with establishment of reliable preclinical models to understand more clearly the pathogenesis of male breast cancer and improve the general poor outcome of this disease.

from #MedicinebyAlexandrosSfakianakis via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/1RrITlY
via IFTTT

Markers of metastatic carcinoma of breast origin

This review summarizes the three major breast-associated markers that can be of assistance in evaluating metastatic carcinomas for which a breast primary diagnosis is entertained. These markers include gross cystic disease fluid protein-15 (GCDFP-15), mammaglobin, and GATA3. The first two are cytoplasmic markers that show comparable sensitivities for breast cancer, although relatively few of the published studies have employed the same antibodies against the target molecule, making direct comparisons challenging. GATA3 is a nuclear transcription factor that shows superior sensitivity to GCDFP-15 and mammaglobin. However, the specificity of GATA3 can pose challenges, inasmuch as carcinomas of the bladder and other sites can show significant levels of positivity. Determination of the optimal panel of antibodies employed in a given clinical setting will thus depend on the non-breast tumours included in the differential diagnosis.

from #MedicinebyAlexandrosSfakianakis via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/1lAE8Kh
via IFTTT

Phyllodes tumours of the breast: a consensus review

Phyllodes tumours constitute an uncommon but complex group of mammary fibroepithelial lesions. Accurate and reproducible grading of these tumours has long been challenging, owing to the need to assess multiple stratified histological parameters, which may be weighted differently by individual pathologists. Distinction of benign phyllodes tumours from cellular fibroadenomas is fraught with difficulty, due to overlapping microscopic features. Similarly, separation of the malignant phyllodes tumour from spindle cell metaplastic carcinoma and primary breast sarcoma can be problematic. Phyllodes tumours are treated by surgical excision. However, there is no consensus on the definition of an appropriate surgical margin to ensure completeness of excision and reduction of recurrence risk. Interpretive subjectivity, overlapping histological diagnostic criteria, suboptimal correlation between histological classification and clinical behaviour and the lack of robust molecular predictors of outcome make further investigation of the pathogenesis of these fascinating tumours a matter of active research. This review consolidates the current understanding of their pathobiology and clinical behaviour, and includes proposals for a rational approach to the classification and management of phyllodes tumours.

from #MedicinebyAlexandrosSfakianakis via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/1RrIRKZ
via IFTTT