ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical and cosmetic outcome of patients with early breast cancer underwent oncoplastic techniques in breast conserving surgery. MethodsClinical data of 59 patients with early stage breast cancer who underwent oncoplastic techniques in the breast conserving surgery were analyzed retrospectively from January 2007 to March 2011. Cosmetic outcome score and patient satisfaction questionnaire were also assessed. ResultsThe age of the patients was (53.5±9.8) years (range, 32 to 77 years). The diameter of tumors was (1.6±0.7) cm (range, 0.5 to 4.0 cm). The foci located at upper quadrant in 38, lower quadrant in 17, central area in 4. During operation, single incision approach was used in 25 patients, two incisions approach in 34 patients. A variety of methods were used to repair breast defects including mammary gland direct suture in 9 patients, mammary gland pedicle flaps in 35, local flaps or adipofascial flap in 9, latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps in 2, and reduction mammaplasty with “J” or double ring incision in 4. The mean followup period was 30 months (range, 3 to 53 months), no local recurrence was detected. However, bone metastases was found in one patient on 14 months after operation. Fifty-three patients (89.8%) had good to excellent aesthetic results with cosmetic outcome score ≥26. Patient satisfaction questionnaire showed that 40 patients (67.8%) were excellent, 14 (23.7%) good, 3 (5.1%) fair, and 2 (3.4%) poor. ConclusionOncoplastic techniques in the breast conservative therapy for early stage breast cancer is a safe and effective procedure, with highly satisfactory cosmetic outcomes in the majority of patients.
Objective To investigate the expression of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and its clinical significance in blood plasma of patients with breast tumor. Methods The level of SDF-1 protein was examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in blood plasma of 26 patients with breast benign tumor and 52 patients with breast cancer. Results The SDF-1 protein in blood plasma was detected in both breast benign tumor patients and breast cancer ones. The level of SDF-1 protein in patients with breast cancer was higher than that in ones with breast benign tumor, and there was a statistical difference between them （P=0.000）. In patients with breast cancer, the level of SDF-1 protein in axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis positive patients was significantly higher than that in ALN metastasis negative ones （P=0.036）. Conclusion The level of SDF-1 protein in blood plasma may be a specific tumor marker. Its level is correlated with lymph node involvement in breast cancer.
Objective To evaluate the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the expression of CXCR4 in breast cancer and its clinical significance.Methods The clinical data of 59 patients with breast cancer of stage Ⅱ and stage Ⅲ underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel plus epirubicin for 3 cycles between April 2005 and March 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. The expression of CXCR4 in the breast cancer tissues before and after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy was examined by immunohistochemistry and its relationship with clinicopathologic factors was analyzed.Results The CXCR4 positive expression was observed in 56 patients with breast cancer (94.9%), but not in corresponding nontumor normal tissues. The expression level of CXCR4 was correlated to lymph nodes metastasis (P=0.019) and breast cancer stage (P=0.040), but it was not correlated to age of patients, tumor size, grade, hormone receptor (ER and PR)， and HER2 status. The expression level of CXCR4 was significantly decreased after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Decline extent of CXCR4 expression after chemotherapy and CXCR4 expression level were not correlated to the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, while the effect of chemotherapy in patients expressed CXCR4 in cluster distribution was better than that in scattering distribution (P=0.015). Conclusion The decline extent of CXCR4 expression level after paclitaxel combined with epirubicin neoadjuvant chemotherapy is not correlated to the efficacy, but its expressing distribution may be considered as an index to the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.