Malignant melanoma is a kind of highly malignant tumor, which mainly occurs in the skin, mucous membrane, and rarely in the breast. Here we reported a case of malignant melanoma in the chest wall skin with mammary metastasis. A sizable pigment spot on the skin of the thoracic region was found at the patient’s birth, existing for 50 years with quite atypical clinical manifestation. A nodule at 12 o’clock of the left breast was found by ultrasound four months ago, who was mistaken for a fibroadenoma. As a result, the patient received a minimally invasive excision of the breast lesion, after which the pathological report suggested malignant melanoma. By sharing this case, we aimed to discuss the diagnosis and treatment of this kind of atypical malignant melanoma in detail and provide some clinical experience.
ObjectiveTo explore the influence of sentinel lymph node (SLN) status on the prognosis of elderly breast cancer patients ≥70 years old, and to screen patients who may be exempted from sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), so as to guide clinical individualized treatment for such patients. MethodsA retrospective analysis was made on 270 breast cancer patients aged ≥70 years old who underwent SLNB in the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from 2012 to 2021. The clinicopathological characteristics of the total cases were compared according to the status of SLN. Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw the survival curve, and the influence of SLN status on the overall survival (OS) time, local recurrence (LR) and distant metastasis (DM) of patients were analyzed, and used log-rank to compare between groups. At the same time, the patients with hormone receptor (HR) positive were analyzed by subgroup. The differences between groups were compared by single factor χ2 test, and multivariate Cox regression model was used to analyze and determine the factors affecting OS, LR and DM of patients. ResultsThe age of 270 patients ranged from 70 to 95 years, with a median age of 74 years. One hundred and sixty-nine (62.6%) patients’ tumor were T2 stage. Invasive ductal carcinoma accounted for 83.0%, histological gradeⅡ accounted for 74.4%, estrogen receptor positive accounted for 78.1%, progesterone receptor positive accounted for 71.9%, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative accounted for 83.3%. The number of SLNs obtained by SLNB were 1-9, and the median was 3. SLN was negative in 202 cases (74.8%) and positive in 68 cases (25.2%). Thirty-five patients (13.0%) received axillary lymph node dissection. There was no significant difference in LR between the SLN positive group and the SLN negative group (P>0.05), but the SLN negative group had fewer occurrences of DM (P=0.001) and longer OS time (P=0.009) compared to the SLN positive group. The results of univariate and multivariate analysis suggest that the older the patient, the shorter the OS time and the greater the risk of DM. Analysis of HR positive subgroups showed that SLN status did not affect patient survival and prognosis, but age was still associated with poor OS time and DM. ConclusionsFor patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of breast in T1-T2 stage, HR positive, clinical axillary lymph nodes negative, and age ≥70 years old, SLNB may be exempted. According to the patient’s performance or tumor biological characteristics, patients who need systemic adjuvant chemotherapy may still consider SLNB.
Objective To investigate the proportions of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and mutant of p53 gene in the microenvironment of breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma, and to explore its’ correlation with prognosis of breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Methods Eighty-five cases of breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma were collected who underwent surgery in the 371st Central Hospital of Peoples’ Liberation Army from 2010 to 2012, and then detected the proportion of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, ratio of CD4+ T cells to CD8+ T cells, and mutant of p53 gene in the cancer tissues with immunohistochemistry. Comparison between the sentinel lymph node metastasis group and non-sentinel lymph node metastasis group, mutant of p53 gene group and non-mutant of p53 gene group on the proportions of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and ratio of CD4+ T cells to CD8+ T cells were performed, as well as the relationship between proportion of CD8+ T cells/mutant of p53 gene and prognosis of breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Results ① The relationship between proportion of CD4+ T cells/proportion of CD8+ T cells/ratio of CD4+ T cells to CD8+ T cells and situation of sentinel lymph node metastasis: at cluster, compared with the sentinel lymph node metastasis group, the proportion of CD8+ T cells was lower in the non-sentinel lymph node metastasis group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference on the proportion of CD4+ T cells and ratio of CD4+ T cells to CD8+ T cells (P>0.05); at stroma, compared with the sentinel lymph node metastasis group, the proportions of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells were lower, but the ratio of CD4+ T cells to CD8+ T cells was higher in the non-sentinel lymph node metastasis group (P<0.05). ② The relationship between proportion of CD4+ T cells/proportion of CD8+ T cells/ratio of CD4+ T cells to CD8+ T cells and mutant of p53 gene: both at the cluster and stroma, compared with the mutant of p53 gene group, the proportions of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells were lower, but the ratio of CD4+ T cells to CD8+ T cells was higher in the non-mutant of p53 gene group (P<0.05). ③ The relationship between proportion of CD8+ T cells/mutant of p53 gene and prognosis of breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma: the prognosis was worse in patients with high degree of infiltration of CD8+ T cells and mutant of p53 gene than those patients with low degree of infiltration of CD8+ T cells and non-mutant of p53 gene (P<0.05). Conclusions The proportions of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, and ratio of CD4+ T cells to CD8+ T cells are associated with the situation of sentinel lymph node metastasis and mutant of p53 gene, and the degree of infiltration of CD8+ T cells and mutant of p53 gene are associated with the prognosis of breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma.
Objective To investigate the feasibility and operation effect of endoscopic sentinel lymph node biopsy （SLNB） in breast cancer. Methods The data of 410 breast cancer patients who underwent SLNB （including 107 patients with endoscopy and 303 with open operation） were analyzed in our hospital from January 2009 to March 2012. SLNB was performed by using methylene blue staining or the combination of methylene blue and 99Tcm-sulfur colloid tracing. Results The successful rate of SLN detection with methylene blue and 99Tcm-sulfur colloid tracing was 94.56% （139/147） in open operation group and 94.25% （82/87） in endoscopy group. The successful rate of SLN detection with methylene blue was 88.46% （138/156）in open operation group and 85.00% （17/20） in endoscopy group. The mean of detected SLN number with combined method or methylene blue was 1.90/1.98 in open operation group and 1.91/1.82 in endoscopy group respectively. SLN-positive rate was 22.30% （31/139） and 25.36% （35/138） in open operation group， and 19.51% （16/82） and 23.53% （4/17） in endoscopy group， respectively. The rate of subcutaneous effusion in endoscopy group was higher than that in open operation group （P=0.001）, but other postoperative complications presented no significant difference. Conclusions Endoscopic SLNB can obtain the similar safety and the clinical efficacy with traditional SLNB， but superior cosmetic effect. So it is worthy of clinical application in breast cancer.
Objective To identify the feasibility of the lymphatic mapping and sentinel node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with breast cancer and to examine whether the characteristics of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) accurately predict the status of axillary lymph node.MethodsFrom March to October 2000, 32 patients with breast cancer were evaluated at the Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital. Lymphatic mapping was performed using Methlene Blue. A SLN was defined as any blue node. Thirtytwo patients, with breast cancer underwent a complete axillary lymph node resection (ALNR) following SLN biopsy. Subsequently, all SLNs and ALNs were examined by both Hamp;E staining as well as immunohistochemical staining for cytokeratin. ResultsLymphatic mapping was successful in identifying the SLN in 26/32(81.25%) cases of nodes at level Ⅰ. Of the 26 patients mapped successfully, 10 had metastasis to the SLNs.In 3 cases that SLNs were positive, but other axillary lymph nodes were negative. In 2 cases that the SLNs were negative, but other axillary lymph nodes were positive. The sensitivity of SLNB using Methlene Blue in this study was 77.78%(7/9), accuracy 80.77%(21/26), specificity 82.35%(14/17), and false negative rate 22.22%(2/9). ConclusionSLN can predict the status of the axillary lymph nodes reliably. However, the efficacy of SLNB in the setting of randomized, prospective trials must be tested first before abandoning axillary lymph node resection as the standard of care.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the diagnostic value of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to the sentinel lymph node (SLN) of breast cancer. MethodsSeventy-two operable breast cancer patients with clinically negative axillary lymph node were enrolled.Sulphur hexafluoride microbubbles for injection (SonoVue) was used alone as the tracer agent for the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), and axillary dissection was performed after the methylene blue location.All SLNs were examined pathologically with HE staining.The SLN diagnosis result of contrast enhanced ultrasound and postoperative pathological examination result were comparative analyzed. ResultsAfter the injection of SonoVue can obtain a clear image of the lymphatic vessels and SLN.The success rate of CEUS imaging was 84.72% (61/72) in this group of 72 patients, and the false negative rate was 12.12% (4/33).The sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis by CEUS was 92.50% (37/40) and 92.59% (50/54), respectively, the diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was 154.17.By the pathology results as the gold standard, the internal consistency of these two methods was good (Kappa value=0.848, P < 0.01). ConclusionCEUS may be a useful orientation and determination method for SLNs.
Objective To understand the current research status of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in colorectal cancer. Methods Literatures about the application of SLN biopsy in the field of colorectal surgery were collected and reviewed. Results The results of SLNs biopsy accurately reflected the status of the nodal basin. Focused examination of the SLNs could identify micrometastases that might otherwise had been missed by standard histopathological analysis, thus upstaged this group of patients. Conclusion SLN biopsy represents a new and effective technique to predict the tumor status of regional lymph nodes, which offers a potential alternative to improve the accuracy of tumor staging in colorectal cancer.
Objective To evaluate the feasibility of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping after 99Tcm sulfur colloid (99Tcm-sc) and carbon nanoparticles injection in patients with colon cancer. Methods Forty patients with colon cancer underwent complete mesocolic excision between August 2015 and July 2016 at Qingdao Central Hospital were considered for prospective inclusion. Before resection, SLN mapping was performed with injection of 99Tcm-sc and carbon nanopar-ticles, then all dissected lymph nodes were detected by pathological examination. Results A total of 660 cases of lymph nodes were found in the 40 patients (average of 16.5 cases per patient). Of them, 88 nodes (average of 2.2 cases per patient) were identified as SLN in 36 of 40 patients, with a successful detection rate of 90.0% (36/40). The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and false-negative rate were 87.5% (35/40), 96.2% (25/26), and 3.8% (1/26) respectively. Conclusion 99Tcm-sc and carbon nanoparticles suspension injection for mapping SLN is a feasiblely diagnostic method for predicting local lymph node metastasis in the patient with colon cancer.