ObjectiveTo study the apoptotic induction effect of Thapsigargin on estrogen receptor positive human breast cancer cell lines MCF7. MethodsCells were treated with Thapsigargin and 5FU in vitro. The rate of cell apoptosis and distribution of cell cycle were detected on flow cytometry. The cell viability was measured by MTT assay and ultrastructural changes in apoptotic cells were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy.ResultsThapsigargin could increase the rates both of cell apoptosis and growth supression of MCF7 cells induced by 5FU and alter the distribution of cell cycle. Under electron microscope, apoptotic bodies in MCF7 cells considerably increased.ConclusionThapsigargin apparently enhances the effect of apoptotic induction of 5FU on MCF7 cells, it is worthy of being further studied.
Objective To investigate clinical significance of serum VEGF-C level and C-erbB-2 protein expression in patients with breast cancer. Methods Sixty-two female patients with breast invasive ductal cancer and breast benign lesion were respectively selected. Serum VEGF-C level was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before operation and at one month after operation, and C-erbB-2 protein expression in tissues of breast cancer was detected by immunohistochemistry. Then, the relationship between serum VEGF-C level and clinicopathologic characteristics and C-erbB-2 protein expressions wereas analyzed. Results The serum VEGF-C level before operation in breast cancer patients〔(279.65±17.34) pg/ml〕 was significantly higher than that in breast benign lesions patients 〔(167.26±12.15) pg/ml〕, P<0.01. In breast cancer patients, the serum VEGF-C level before operation was higher than that at one month after operation 〔(209.45±15.23) pg/ml〕, P<0.01. The serum VEGF level was related to tumor stage (P<0.05) but not to patient age, tumor size, menopause status , lymph node metastasis or not and ER and PR expression (Pgt;0.05). The positive expression rate of C-erbB-2 protein in breast cancer patients (54.84%, 34/62) was significantly higher than that in breast benign lesion patients (11.29%, 7/62), P<0.01. Moreover, the positive expression rate of C-erbB-2 protein in breast cancer patients with axilla lymph node metastasis (69.44%) was significantly higher than that without axilla lymph node metastases (34.62%), P<0.05. The serum VEGF level increased with increasing expression intensity of C-erbB-2 protein and there was positive correlation between them (r=0.813,P<0.05). Conclusions The serum VEGF-C level in breast cancer may be conducted as an assisted marker to differential diagnosis of breast tumor. C-erbB-2 is related to lymph node metastasis of breast cancer patients. There is synergistic effect between VEGF-C and C-erbB-2 in the lymph node metastasis way of breast cancer.
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 observe the outcomes of using different concentrations of arsenic trioxide at varying phases on the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and to study the mechanism of this effect. Methods The effect of arsenic trioxide on the growth of breast cancer cell line MCF-7 was observed after applying arsenic trioxide of different concentrations (0.5-16 μmol/L). The inhibitory effect of arsenic trioxide on the cell proliferation was investigated with 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thizazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and the induction of arsenic trioxide on cell apoptosis was detected by DNA ladder and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL). Results The effect of arsenic trioxide on breast cancer cell line MCF-7 depended on the phase and the dose. The number of cell decreased significantly and there were conspicuously typical morphological changes of apoptosis after the use of arsenic trioxide, including membrane blebbing, chromatin pyknosis, nuclear fragmentation and the formation of apoptotic body. The typical DNA ladders were observed in the MCF-7 cells after 48 h administration of arsenic trioxide at concentrations 1-8 μmol/L. Significant elevations of apoptosis index at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h were all detected by TUNEL after incubating with 4 μmol/L arsenic trioxide. Conclusion Arsenic trioxide may inhibit the growth of breast cancer cell line MCF-7 significantly by inducing the apoptosis of breast cancer cell.
To evaluate the significance of bcl-2 protein, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and p53 oncogene in invasive breast cancer of ductal and lobular type. Tumor tissues were examined immunohistochemically in paraffin embedded tissues from 125 patients. Results: The invasive ductal breast carcinomas expressed bcl-2 protein significantly less frequently than the lobular type (P<0.001). And the expression of bcl-2 protein was significantly correlated with ER, PR (P<0.001) and p53 (P<0.001), also correlated with primary tumor size and grade. No statistical evidence was found to indicate the relationship between bcl-2 protein expression and anxillary lymph node metastasis. Conclusions: The expression of bcl-2 protein may be regarded as a biological index and may play important role in evaluating the biological characteristics of breast cancer.
ObjectiveTo understand the function of trace element and amino acids detection in early diagnosis of breast cancer, and explore the correlation between plasma amino acid and trace element changes. MethodsFifty-five patients with breast cancer and 50 normal controls were included in our study from May 2012 to June 2013. Trace elements were detected by atomic absorption spectrophotometer, and the level of amino acids was detected by Hitachi L-8900 amino acids analyzer. Then, we analyzed the correlation between the two indexes. ResultsCompared with the normal controls, breast cancer patients had a higher level of Cu and Fe (P<0.05), and a lower level of Zn (P<0.05). Seven kinds of amino acids had significant changes (P<0.05), including three kinds of increased amino acids, and four reduced. Amino acids and trace element correlation analysis showed that Mg was negatively correlated with Leu, Tyr, Lys, and His; and Ca was negatively correlated with Lys and His. ConclusionThere are many kinds of changes of plasma amino acids and trace elements in breast cancer patients. Serum trace element and amino acids detection in patients with breast cancer are helpful in the severity judgment and regimen design.
Objective To investigate expression of p16 protein in breast cancer and its clinical significance. Methods Using immunohistochemical techniques (LSAB) the expression of p16 protein in 107 breast carcinomas was examined. Results The positive rate of p16 protein expression was 40.19% (43/107). The p16 protein over expression of the cases surviving ≤5 years and surviving ≥10 years were 8.00% and 75.68% respectively. Conclusion Expression of p16 protein might play an important role in the prognosis of breast cancer.
Objective To explore the characters and therapy of the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Methods The pertinent literatures with key words “triple-negative breast cancer”,“diagnosis”,and “therapy” were retrieved and reviewed. Results TNBC was a subtype of breast cancer characterized by negative expressions of estrogen receptor (ER),progesterone receptor (PR),and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2). The clinicopathologic feature and prognosis of TNBC were distinct from other breast cancer. The age of onset was younger,disease free survival and total survival rate were lower in the patients with TNBC. At present, the therapy guideline was lack of TNBC,which referred to the non-TNBC,including local surgery,systemic chemotherapy,and the target therapy was at the clinical trial stage. Conclusions TNBC is one of heterogeneity characteristics for the breast cancer,which has extra much difference. For improving the TNBC prognosis,we hope that more and more significant markers to TNBC in the future are found,which are useful to make individuation treatment.
Objective To review the recent studies on the suppressing function of breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1 (BRMS1) in breast cancer metastasis. Methods The recent literatures on the mechanisms of BRMS1 in the breast cancer that were published in and abroad were reviewed and summarized. Results BRMS1, similar to the other anti-metastasis genes, only suppresses the metastasis of breast cancer cells but has nothing to do with the growth of tumor. BRMS1 could suppress metastasis of tumor cells by reestablishing both the homospecific and the heterospecific gap junctional intercellular comminications (GJIC) and by altering the expressions of relevant metastasis genes in the breast cancer. Conclusion Further studies on BRMS1 may be helpful to understand the metastasis of breast cancer, which may provide a new way for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.