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We previously proposed a novel method for detecting a rupture of a breast implant using high-resolution ultrasound (HRUS). We therefore conducted this retrospective, observational study to describe its feasibility in making a preoperative diagnosis of rupture of the device in patients receiving an implant-based augmentation mammaplasty.We initially evaluated the medical records of the patients who had received primary or secondary augmentation mammaplasty using a breast implant at other hospitals for aesthetic or reconstructive purposes between August 31, 2017, and August 31, 2020. The patients underwent breast US using the Aplio i600 (Canon Medical System, Otawara, Tochigi, Japan) system with a 7-18 MHz linear transducer. Through a retrospective review of the patients' medical records, we analyzed their baseline and clinical characteristics. Then, we compared an agreement between preoperative diagnosis of rupture on HRUS and findings at reoperation.A total of 29 patients with rupture (55 breasts) were evaluated for the performance of ultrasound in making a diagnosis of rupture. This showed that they were unaware of rupture but they were diagnosed with it on ultrasound. Preoperatively, there were no cases of rupture in 110 left breasts (80.9%) and 107 right breasts (78.7%), which exactly matched to the number of breasts without rupture on HRUS. Moreover, preoperatively, there were 26 (19.1%) and 29 cases (21.3%) of rupture in the left and right breast, respectively, which exactly matched to the number of breasts with rupture on HRUS.In conclusion, patients who are suspected of having rupture of a breast implant should be stringently evaluated for presence of rupture and, if any, its scope using HRUS. Moreover, we propose that surgeons consider using HRUS in making a preoperative diagnosis of rupture of a breast implant.This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

We conducted this study to describe the feasibility of high-resolution ultrasound (HRUS) in characterizing a breast implant in patients receiving an implant-based augmentation mammaplasty.The current study was conducted in a total of 612 patients (n =6 12) receiving an implant-based augmentation mammaplasty at other hospitals between August 31, 2017 and August 31, 2020. Of these, 136 patients (n = 136; 272 breasts) receiving reoperation were included in the current study. We compared between the patients' subjective awareness of a breast implant and its HRUS findings and an agreement between HRUS findings of a breast implant and its findings at reoperation.The proportion of the patients receiving a silicone gel-filled breast implant was increased from 65.44% (89/136) to 81.61% (111/136) on HRUS. Moreover, HRUS was effective in identifying a manufacturer of the device.In conclusion, our results indicate that HRUS is feasible in characterizing a breast implant in patients receiving an implant-based augmentation mammaplasty. But further prospective, large-scale studies are warranted to corroborate our results.This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors. www.springer.com/00266 .

The prognostic value of vitamin D receptor gene (We used various public bioinformatics platforms: Oncomine, GEPIA, UALCAN, Kaplan-Meier plotter, UCSC XENA, bc-GenExMiner, WebGestalt, and STRING database.We found thatOur investigation offers hints about the prognostic role of

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with a poor prognosis and a lack of targeted therapy. Overexpression ofFirst, using different web-based bioinformatics platforms (TIMER 2.0, UALCAN, and GEPIA 2), the expression ofThe expression of

Purpose Approval of eribulin for metastatic breast cancer was based on data primarily from Western patients, and there is a paucity of data on the effectiveness and safety of eribulin for Asian patients. To determine the effectiveness and safety of eribulin in Korean women with breast cancer in a real-world setting, we conducted a nationwide, multicenter, retrospective study. Methods Patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who were treated with eribulin in 14 centers throughout Korea were included in this study. Eribulin was generally administered at a dose of 1.23 mg/m2 (equivalent to 1.4 mg/m2 eribulin mesylate) by intravenous infusion for 2–5 min, or as a diluted solution, on Days 1 and 8 of every 21-day cycle. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 6 months. Secondary endpoints included median PFS, overall survival (OS), time-to-treatment failure (TTF), tumor response rate, and incidence of hematologic treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Results The safety and full analysis populations included 398 and 360 (38 had no efficacy data) patients, respectively. The PFS rate at 6 months was 37.8%. Median PFS, OS, and TTF were 134, 631, and 120 days, respectively. Objective response rate, clinical benefit rate, and disease control rate were 18.1%, 50.6%, and 49.4%, respectively. Hematologic TEAEs were reported in 65.1% of patients; neutropenia (56.8%) and anemia (11.3%) were most common. Conclusion Real-world effectiveness and safety of eribulin in Korean breast cancer patients were consistent with previous reports; no new safety concerns were identified., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Metastatic breast cancer patients were treated with eribulin (1.23 mg/m2, IV). • Progression-free survival rate at 6 months was 37.8% in eribulin-treated patients. • Median progression-free and overall survivals were 134 and 631 days, respectively. • Hematologic treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 65.1% of patients. • Effectiveness and safety of eribulin were consistent with previous reports.

Purpose Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents a major clinical challenge due to its aggressive and metastatic behavior and the lack of available targeted therapies. Therefore, therapeutic strategies are needed to improve TNBC patient management. Recently, atezolizumab and nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced and metastatic TNBC. The programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) immunohistochemical SP142 assay was also approved as a companion diagnostic device for selecting TNBC patients for atezolizumab treatment. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the analytical performance of the PD-L1 22C3/SP263 assays in comparison with the SP142 assay for ≥ 1% immune cells (ICs). Methods Immunohistochemical expression for the PD-L1 22C3/SP263 assays, in comparison with the SP142 assay, was analyzed for the ≥ 1% ICs in 95 TNBCs. Results At the 1% cut-off value, the proportions of positive cases were 52.6% for the SP142 assay in infiltrating ICs and 50.5% and 52.6% for the 22C3 and SP263 assays in tumor cells, respectively. The PD-L1 SP263 assay had the highest while the PD-L1 22C3 assay had the lowest total positive expression rate at all cut-off values. The concordance rate between the assays was highest at a 1% cut-off value and decreased when the cut-off value increased. The concordance rate between the SP142 and SP263 assays at 1% cut-off was high, while in comparison, the concordance rate between the SP142 and 22C3 assays at 1% cut-off was relatively lower. Conclusion This study demonstrates that although the 22C3 assay at a 1% cut-off value compared with the PD-L1 SP142 assay at the clinically relevant cut-off shows comparable but not interchangeable analytical performance, the analytical performance of the SP263 assay at a 1% cut-off value shows interchangeable performance with the PD-L1 SP142 assay at the clinically relevant cut-off.

Optimization of ligand density on polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) is critical for targeting solid tumors. Here, we prepared fluorescent cyanine 5.5 dye and cyclo(arginine–glycine–aspartic acid–phenylalanine–lysine) ligand-modified polyethylene glycol-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (Cy 5.5-cRGDfK-PEG-PLGA) NPs with different ligand concentrations and investigated their cancer-targeting abilities in vitro and in vivo. The PNPs self-assembled in an aqueous solution as round particles and showed an increase in their average size as a function of cRGDfK concentration. In vitro results revealed a gradual increase in the uptake of NPs in MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cells in a time- and ligand concentration-dependent manner. In vivo, NPs with 6 w/w% cRGDfK concentration showed prolonged uptake by the cancer tissue during the 7-day test period. These results suggest that Cy 5.5-cRGDfK6-PEG-PLGA NPs could serve as valuable drug carriers and diagnostic agents for the clinical treatment and targeting of solid cancers.

Recently, the utility of the Kinect sensor–based reachable workspace analysis system for measuring upper extremity outcomes of neuromuscular and musculoskeletal diseases has been demonstrated. Here, we investigated its usefulness for assessing upper extremity dysfunction in breast cancer patients. Twenty unilateral breast cancer patients were enrolled. Upper extremity active range of motion was captured by the Kinect sensor, and reachable workspace relative surface areas (RSAs) were obtained. The QuickDASH was completed to assess upper extremity disability. General and breast cancer–specific quality of life (QOL) were assessed by the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR23. The total RSA ratio of the affected and unaffected sides ranges from 0.64 to 1.11. Total RSA was significantly reduced on the affected versus unaffected side (0.659 ± 0.105 vs. 0.762 ± 0.065; p = 0.001). Quadrant 1 and 3 RSAs were significantly reduced (0.135 ± 0.039 vs. 0.183 ± 0.040, p

Annals of surgical treatment and research 100(3), 127-136 (2021). doi:10.4174/astr.2021.100.3.127, Published by Korean Surgical Society, Seoul

Cancer informatics 19, 117693512096969 (2020). doi:10.1177/1176935120969696, Published by Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA

Chronic shoulder pain is a common complication in breast cancer patients after surgery. Chronic shoulder pain after breast cancer surgery was formerly considered as neuropathic pain, however the pathophysiology including structural damages has not been assessed comprehensively. We hypothesized that the structural change could be one of the cause of shoulder pain after breast cancer surgery and evaluated various ultrasonography findings of the shoulder in breast cancer patients with chronic shoulder pain. Patients who were suffering from chronic shoulder pain on unilateral side for at least 3 months after breast cancer surgery were enrolled from a single tertiary hospital. Demographic and clinical data were collected at the baseline. Articular and adjacent structures of both shoulders (painful and contralateral side) were evaluated by ultrasonography. The ultrasonography findings were compared between painful and contralateral sides. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with abnormal ultrasonography findings. Fifty-two female patients (average age of 55) were enrolled. Significantly more abnormal ultrasonography findings were observed in the painful side than in the contralateral side [39 (75.0%) vs 11 (21.2%), P P P

BRCA1/2 are breast cancer susceptibility genes that are involved in DNA repair and transcriptional control. They are dysregulated in breast cancer, making them attractive therapeutic targets. Here, we performed a systematic multiomics analysis to expound BRCA1/2 functions as prognostic biomarkers in breast cancer. First, using different web-based bioinformatics platforms (Oncomine, TIMER 2.0, UALCAN, and cBioportal), the expression of BRCA1/2 was assessed. Then, the R package was used to analyze the diagnostic value of BRCA1/2 in patients. Next, we determined the relationship between BRCA1/2 mRNA expression and prognosis in patients (PrognoScan Database, R2: Kaplan Meier Scanner and Kaplan–Meier Plotter). Subsequently, the association of BRCA1/2 with mutation frequency alteration and copy number alterations in breast cancer was investigated using the cBioportal platform. After that, we identified known and predicted structural genes and proteins essential for BRCA1/2 functions using GeneMania and STRING db. Finally, GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were performed to elucidate the potential biological functions of the co-expression genes of BRCA1/2. The BRCA1/2 mRNA level in breast cancer tissues was considerably higher than in normal tissues, with AUCs of 0.766 and 0.829, respectively. Overexpression of BRCA1/2 was significantly related to the worse overall survival (p < 0.001) and was correlated to clinicopathological characteristics including lymph nodes, estrogen receptors, and progesterone receptors (p < 0.01). The alteration frequencies of both the gens have been checked, and the results show that BRCA1 and BRCA2 show different alteration frequencies. Their mutation sites differ from each other. GO and KEGG showed that BRCA1/2 was mainly enriched in catalytic activity, acting on DNA, chromosomal region, organelle fission, cell cycle, etc. The 20 most frequently changed genes were closely related to BRCA1/2, including PALB2 and RAD51 relatively. Our study provides suggestive evidence of the prognostic role of BRCA1/2 in breast cancer and the therapeutic target for breast cancer. Furthermore, BRCA1/2 may influence BRCA prognosis through catalytic activity, acting on DNA, chromosomal regions, organelle fission, and the cell cycle. Nevertheless, further validation is warranted.

Wounds that heal with excessive scar formation result in poor functional and aesthetic outcomes. To address this, in our study, visible light cured glycol chitosan (GCH) hydrogels containing endothelial growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were prepared (GCH-EGF, GCH-FGF and GCH-EGF/FGF) and evaluated their efficacies on the improvement of wound healing in vivo. In vitro release test showed that the growth factors were released in a sustained manner along with initial burst for 24 h. In vitro cell proliferation assay of L-929 mouse fibroblast cell line resulted in the superior ability of GCH-EGF/FGF on the rate. In vivo results demonstrated that the growth factor loaded GCHs further enhanced wound healing compared with GCH. In particular, GCH-EGF/EFG showed the most remarkable wound healing effect among the samples.

Systemic drug delivery systems (SDDSs) for thyroid cancer treatment are associated with serious side effects including nausea, anorexia, and hair loss as a result of damage to normal tissues. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of a local DDS (LDDS) based on visible light-cured glycol chitosan (GC) hydrogel and doxorubicin⋅hydrochloride (DOX⋅HCl), called GC10/DOX, on thyroid cancer treatment in vivo. Visible light irradiation increased the storage modulus and swelling ratio of the GC10/DOX hydrogel precursor. The release of DOX⋅HCl from GC10/DOX exhibited two unique patterns comprising an initial burst within 18 hours, followed by a controlled and sustained release thereafter. In vitro cell viability testing showed that GC10/DOX had a greater antitumor effect than free DOX⋅HCl and GC10 hydrogel controls. In vivo, local injection of GC10/DOX near tumor tissue led to a superior antitumor effect compared with controls consisting of free DOX⋅HCl intravenously injected to the tail vein of thyroid cancer-bearing mouse and GC10 hydrogel subcutaneously injected near the tumor. Altogether, our results suggest that GC10/DOX may have clinical potential for thyroid cancer treatment.

Purpose Obesity strongly affects the prognosis of various malignancies, including breast cancer. Leptin (LEP) may be associated with obesity and breast cancer prognosis. The purpose of our study was to determine the prognostic value of LEP in breast cancer. Method We conducted a multi-omic analysis to determine the prognostic role of LEP. Different public bioinformatics platforms (Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, University of California Santa Cruz Xena, bc-GenExMiner, PrognoScan database, R2-Kaplan–Meier Scanner, UALCAN, Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins database , and The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery) were used to evaluate the roles of LEP. Clinicopathological variables were evaluated. Results LEP was downregulated in breast cancer tissues compared to levels in normal tissues. By co-expressed gene analysis, a positive correlation between LEP and SLC19A3 was observed. Based on the clinicopathological analysis, low LEP expression was associated with older age, higher stage, lymph node status, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, estrogen receptor (ER+) positivity, and progesterone receptor (PR+) positivity. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that low LEP expression indicated a poorer prognosis. LEP is hypermethylated in breast cancer tissues in PrognoScan and R2-Kaplan Meier Scanner, and low LEP expression was correlated with poor prognosis. LEP protein–protein interactions were analyzed using Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins database. Gene ontology analysis results showed that cellular component is mainly associated with the endosome lumen, cytosol, and secretory granules and is upregulated. For the biological process energy reserve, metabolic processes exhibited the greatest regulation compared to the others. In molecular function, it was mainly enriched in a variety of combinations, but hormone activity showed the highest regulation. Conclusion Our study provides evidence for the prognostic role of LEP in breast cancer and as a novel potential therapeutic target in such malignancies. Nevertheless, further validation is required.

We investigated the usefulness of abbreviated breast MRI (AB-MRI), including fat-suppressed T2-weighted imaging, pre- and postcontrast image acquisition, and subtracted maximum-intensity projection imaging, for the screening of women with a history of breast cancer surgery. Between October 2014 and March 2016, a total of 799 AB-MRI examinations were performed for 725 women with a history of breast cancer surgery. The image acquisition time was 8.5 min. Screening mammography, ultrasound, and AB-MRI were generally performed around the same time. The cancer detection rate, positive predictive values for recall and biopsy, sensitivity and specificity of screening MRI, and rate of malignancy belonging to each breast imaging reporting and data system (BI-RADS) category were assessed. AB-MRI detected 12 malignancies in 12 women (15.0 cancers per 1000 cases). Seven of these 12 malignancies were initially invisible on ultrasound and mammography, although subsequent targeted ultrasound revealed lesions corresponding to the MRI-detected lesions. The positive predictive values for recall and biopsy and sensitivity and specificity values for screening MRI were 12.4, 61.5, 100, and 89.2%, respectively. The rates of malignancies belonging to categories 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the BI-RADS were 0, 0, 4.8, and 57.1%, respectively. The diagnostic performance of screening AB-MRI for women with a history of breast cancer surgery is acceptable, with the advantages of short examination and interpretation times and low costs. Thus, it could be used as a main screening modality that may replace conventional imaging in breast cancer survivors.

Mammography detects calcium deposits sensitively, but the specificity for differentiating malignancy from benign calcifications is low. Thus, we investigated whether adjunctive breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) has incremental value for detecting cancer in women with suspicious calcifications detected by mammography, and compared BSGI with adjunctive ultrasonography (US). The medical records of women without a personal history of breast cancer who underwent mammography for breast evaluation from 2009 to 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients who had calcifications detected by mammography, with a result of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) categories 3–5, underwent adjunctive US and BSGI and were included in this study. A total of 302 breast lesions in 266 women (mean age ± standard deviation 49 ± 9 years) were selected for this study. For detecting breast cancer using mammography plus BSGI, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the receiver operating curve with 95% confidence intervals were 94% (91–96), 90% (86–93), 91% (87–94), 94% (90–96), and 0.92 (0.89–0.95), respectively. For mammography plus US, the respective values were 97% (94–98), 51% (46–57), 68% (63–73), 94% (90–96), and 0.74 (0.70–0.78). Adjunctive BSGI had higher specificity than adjunctive US without loss of sensitivity. This finding suggests that adjunctive BSGI may be a useful complementary initial imaging method to improve the detection of breast cancer in women who have calcifications with suspicious morphology at mammography.

Background: The BRAFV600E mutation in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is particularly prevalent in Korea, and a considerable number of wild-type BRAF PTCs harbor RAS mutations. In addition, subsets of other genetic alterations clearly exist, but their prevalence in the Korean population has not been well studied. Recent increased insight into noninvasive encapsulated follicular variant PTC has prompted endocrine pathologists to reclassify this entity as “noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features” (NIFTP). This study analyzed the genetic alterations among the histologic variants of PTC, including NIFTP. Methods: Mutations of the BRAF and RAS genes and rearrangement of the RET/PTC1, NTRK1, and ALK genes using 769 preoperative fine-needle aspiration specimens and resected PTCs were analyzed. Results: Molecular alterations were found in 687 (89.3%) of 769 PTCs. BRAFV600E mutation (80.8%) was the most frequent alteration, followed by RAS mutation and RET/PTC1, NTRK1, and AL...

In this study, we prepared lovastatin (LV)-loaded β-cyclodextrin/polydopamine-coated titanium (Ti) discs and screw types (LV-ic-β-CD-pDOPA/Ti), evaluated its efficacy on the enhancement of osteogenic activity in vitro and in vivo , as compared to pristine Ti and β-CD-pDOPA/Ti. The surface chemical compositions, surface morphology, wettability of these surfaces were characterized by XPS, SEM and contact angle measurement, respectively. The initial burst of LV on LV-ic-β-CD-pDOPA/Ti occurred within 1 day, followed by the release for 30 days in a sustained manner. Through in vitro tests, higher MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation rate and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and larger calcium deposition were observed on LV-ic-β-CD-pDOPA/Ti. In vivo animal test and histological evaluation showed enhanced bone formation and osseointegration at the interface between LV-ic-β-CD-pDOPA/Ti and host bone. Consequently, we suggested that surface modification with LV on Ti implants as with LV-ic-β-CD-pDOPA/Ti modification could improve clinical performance for various orthopedic and dental implants.

The development and validation of guidelines for breast cancer survivors are of importance due to the increased survival rate for breast cancer. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to examine the association between adherence to the American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines for cancer survivors and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). A total of 618 breast cancer survivors aged 30 to 81 years who had been diagnosed with stage I to III primary breast cancer and had surgery at least a year before enrollment were included. The participants completed the 36 Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) to evaluate HRQoL, and adherence scores were calculated based on the Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines for Cancer Survivors, which were released by the ACS. Increasing adherence scores were associated with increasing scores on the physical component summary (PCS) and the physical functioning (PF), bodily pain (BP), and vitality (VT) domains (p for trend &lt, 0.001 for PCS and PF, 0.01 for BP, and 0.02 for VT), these scores were mainly driven by the associations among survivors with stage II&ndash, III cancer. Further prospective studies are needed to evaluate whether adherence to these guidelines improves HRQoL scores among breast cancer survivors.

We used a hydrogel-mediated dual drug delivery approach, based on an injectable glycol chitosan (GC) hydrogel, doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX⋅HCl), and a complex of beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and paclitaxel (PTX) (GDCP) for breast cancer therapy in vitro and in vivo. The hydrogel was swollen over 3 days and remained so thereafter. After an initial burst period of 7 hours, the two drugs were released in a sustained manner for 7 days. The in vitro cell viability test showed that GDCP had a better anticancer effect than well plate and DOX⋅HCl/PTX (DP). In addition, the in vivo tests, which evaluated the anticancer effect, systemic toxicity, and histology, proved the feasibility of GDCP as a clinical therapy for breast cancer.

Purpose In this trial, we investigated the efficacy and safety of adjuvant letrozole for hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer. Here, we report the clinical outcome in postmenopausal women with HR-positive breast cancer treated with adjuvant letrozole according to estrogen receptor (ER) expression levels. Methods In this multi-institutional, open-label, observational study, postmenopausal patients with HR-positive breast cancer received adjuvant letrozole (2.5 mg/daily) for 5 years unless they experienced disease progression or unacceptable toxicity or withdrew their consent. The patients were stratified into the following 3 groups according to ER expression levels using a modified Allred score (AS): low, intermediate, and high (AS 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8, respectively). ER expression was centrally reviewed. The primary objective was the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate. Results Between April 25, 2010, and February 5, 2014, 440 patients were enrolled. With a median follow-up of 62.0 months, the 5-year DFS rate in all patients was 94.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 91.8-96.6). The 5-year DFS and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates did not differ according to ER expression; the 5-year DFS rates were 94.3% and 94.1%in the low-to-intermediate and high expression groups, respectively (p = 0.6), and the corresponding 5-year RFS rates were 95.7% and 95.4%, respectively (p = 0.7). Furthermore, 25 patients discontinued letrozole because of drug toxicity. Conclusion Treatment with adjuvant letrozole showed very favorable treatment outcomes and good tolerability among Korean postmenopausal women with ER-positive breast cancer, independent of ER expression. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01069211.

We fabricated a solution-processed laminated dielectric and investigated its structural, optical, and electrical properties. The laminated ZrO2 (Z) and Al2O3 (A) dielectric effectively blocked the leakage current density (J leak) and showed a high breakdown voltage. In particular, the AZA laminated dielectric showed a lower J leak and a higher breakdown voltage than the ZAZ dielectric, because of the large band gap and minimal defects in the Al2O3 film. Finally, we demonstrated the low-voltage indium zinc oxide thin-film transistor (less than 3 V) on laminated dielectric, which displayed excellent switching characteristics.

Whether preoperative F‐18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)‐positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) can predict recurrence of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains unclear. Herein, we evaluated the potential of primary tumor FDG avidity for the prediction of tumor recurrence in PTC patients. A total of 412 PTC patients (72 males, 340 females; age: 47.2 ± 12.2 years; range: 17–84 years) who underwent FDG‐PET/CT prior to total thyroidectomy (n = 350), subtotal thyroidectomy (n = 2), or lobectomy (n = 60) from 2007 to 2011 were analyzed. The predictive ability for recurrence was investigated among various clinicopathological factors, BRAFV 600E mutation, and preoperative FDG avidity of the primary tumor using Kaplan–Meier (univariate) and Cox proportional hazards regression (multivariate) analyses. Of the 412 patients, 19 (4.6%) experienced recurrence, which was confirmed either by pathology (n = 17) or high serum thyroglobulin level (n = 2), during a mean follow‐up period of 43.9 ± 16.6 months. Of the 412 patients, 237 (57.5%) had FDG‐avid tumors (maximum standardized uptake value, 7.1 ± 7.0; range: 1.6–50.5). Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that tumor size (P = 0.0054), FDG avidity of the tumor (P = 0.0049), extrathyroidal extension (P = 0.0212), and lymph node (LN) stage (P

Spousal support may attenuate stress in breast cancer survivors and improve their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, there is limited evidence of a relationship between spousal support, stress, and HRQoL in Asian populations. The current study examined whether spousal support, adherence to the American Cancer Society (ACS) Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Survivors, and breastfeeding experience mediated or moderated the relationship between stress and HRQoL in Korean breast-cancer survivors. Between June 2016 and May 2018, 144 Korean women who survived breast cancer were recruited for the current cross-sectional study. Structured questionnaires and medical records were used to collect data. Structural equation modeling was used to examine mediating and moderating factors. Spousal support buffered the adverse effect of stress on HRQoL (&beta, = &minus, 0.22 for stress&rarr, spousal support, &beta, = 0.27 for spousal support&rarr, physical HRQoL, = 0.40 for spousal support&rarr, mental HRQoL). We found that adherence to ACS guidelines moderated the association between stress and HRQoL (&beta, 0.14 for stress&rarr, mental HRQoL in high ACS adherence, 0.79 for stress&rarr, mental HRQoL in low ACS adherence). Moreover, beta coefficients were &minus, mental HRQoL in women with breastfeeding experience, and &minus, 0.71 in those without breastfeeding experience. In conclusion, spousal support mediated the association between stress and HRQoL and this association was moderated by both adherence to ACS guidelines and breastfeeding experience.

OBJECTIVES: Isoflavones, rich in soybeans, are phytoestrogens with a similar chemical structure to estrogen and their roles in breast cancer prognosis remains equivocal. We aimed to estimate dietary intake of isoflavones and soy and examine their correlations with plasma levels of isoflavones among Korean breast cancer survivors. METHODS: A total of 974 female breast cancer survivors (mean age, 52 years) were included in the cross-sectional study. We estimated dietary intake of soy and isoflavones using either a 3-day food record (3DR; n = 645) or a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ; n = 329). Plasma isoflavone levels were measured by liquid chromatography methods in 439 participants. We calculated total isoflavones by summing daidzein, genistein, and glycitein. We estimated % contribution of food sources to dietary isoflavone intake and Pearson correlation coefficients with plasma isoflavone levels. We calculated de-attenuated correlations among those who reported dietary intake using 3DRs to reduce within-person variation (n = 233). RESULTS: The mean daily intake of total isoflavones among Korean breast cancer survivors was 21.91 mg/d. The major sources were tofu (% contribution = 30.6%), soybean (14.2%), and soybean sprouts (12.8%). The correlation coefficients with plasma isoflavone levels were 0.19 for dietary isoflavone intake and 0.18 for soy and its products intake. The de-attenuated correlation coefficients with plasma isoflavone levels were 0.25 for dietary isoflavone intake and 0.35 for soy and its products intake. When we examined the correlation between specific type of isoflavone and circulating level of each isoflavone, the de-attenuated correlation coefficients were 0.18 for daidzein, 0.28 for genistein, and 0.25 for glycitein. CONCLUSIONS: We found the highest contribution from tofu and soybean to dietary isoflavone intake and moderate correlations of dietary intakes of soy and isoflavones with plasma levels of isoflavones among Korean breast cancer survivors. Our study warrants further investigation on the roles of isoflavones in breast cancer prognosis. FUNDING SOURCES: This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Science and ICT, MSIT) (No. 2019R1F1A1061017).

Background Shear-wave elastography (SWE) has the potential to improve diagnostic performance of conventional ultrasound (US) in differentiating benign from malignant breast masses. Purpose To investigate false positive or negative results of SWE in differentiating benign from malignant breast masses and to analyze clinical and imaging characteristics of the masses with false SWE findings. Material and Methods From May to October 2013, 166 breast lesions of 164 consecutive women (mean age, 45.3 ± 10.1 years) who had been scheduled for biopsy were included. Conventional US and SWE were performed in all women before biopsy. Clinical, ultrasonographic morphologic features and SWE parameters (pattern classification and standard deviation [SD]) were recorded and compared with the histopathology results. Patient and lesion factors in the “true” and “false” groups were compared. Results Of the 166 masses, 118 (71.1%) were benign and 48 (28.9%) were malignant. False SWE features were more frequently observed in benign masses. False positive rates of benign masses and false negative rates of malignancy were 53% and 8.2%, respectively, using SWE pattern analysis and were 22.4% and 10.3%, respectively, using SD values. A lesion boundary of the masses on US ( P = 0.039) and younger patient age ( P = 0.047) were significantly associated with false SWE findings. Conclusion These clinical and ultrasonographic features need to be carefully evaluated in performance and interpretation of SWE examinations.

In the original publication of the article, the acknowledgment section was missed out inadvertently. The acknowledgement section is below.

The BRAFMutations of the BRAF and RAS genes and rearrangement of the RET/PTC1, NTRK1, and ALK genes using 769 preoperative fine-needle aspiration specimens and resected PTCs were analyzed.Molecular alterations were found in 687 (89.3%) of 769 PTCs. BRAFGenetic alterations in PTC vary among its different histologic variants and seem to be different in each ethnic group.

Background To clarify the effect of anaesthetic agents on cancer immunity, we evaluated the effects of propofol and sevoflurane on natural killer (NK) cell, cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) counts and apoptosis rate in breast cancer and immune cells co-cultures from patients who underwent breast cancer surgery. Methods Venous blood samples were collected after inducing anaesthesia and at 1 and 24 h postoperatively in patients who had undergone breast cancer surgery. The patients were allocated randomly to the propofol- or sevoflurane-based anaesthesia groups. We counted and detected apoptosis in cancer cell, NK cell and CTL of patients with breast cancer by co-culture with a breast cancer cell line in both groups. We also evaluated changes in the cytokines tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 during the perioperative period. Results Forty-four patients were included in the final analysis. No difference in NK cell count, CTL count or apoptosis rate was detected between the groups. Furthermore, the number of breast cancer cells undergoing apoptosis in the breast cancer cell co-cultures was not different between the groups. No changes in cytokines were detected between the groups. Conclusion Although basic science studies have suggested the potential benefits of propofol over a volatile agent during cancer surgery, propofol was not superior to sevoflurane, on the aspects of NK and CTL cells counts with apoptosis rate including breast cancer cell, during anaesthesia for breast cancer surgery in a clinical environment. Trial registration NCT02758249 on February 26, 2016.

We examined solution-processed alkaline-earth-metal doped gallium indium oxide (GIO) thin film transistors (TFT) and studied the relationship between the dopant species and the threshold voltage (Vth) stability. As the atomic number of the dopant increases, the amount of oxygen vacancies, which act as the major defect sites, decreased and the Vth stability is enhanced. The electron trapping times and total defect sites were quantitatively calculated. Particularly, Sr-doped GIO TFT show the highest Vth stability under positive gate bias and the origin of Vth stability enhancement is deduced by using the partial charge model and reaction kinetics.

Sparganosis of the breast is an uncommon disease, but should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unusual and suspicious breast masses. A history of ingesting contaminated water and direct ingestion of snakes and frogs may help in differential diagnosis of the mass. Complete surgical removal is the treatment of choice and provides a definite diagnosis. We report a case of multiple axillary lymph node sparganosis. It was first considered as an axillary metastasis of breast cancer because a newly axillary mass appeared in follow-up radiologic study after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We performed curative breast cancer surgery and sparganosis was confirmed by extracting the worm during axillary dissection.

Steady-state thermal analysis was performed on a thermal equivalent circuit to determine the heat generation during operation of an interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM). New machines must be compact and light and produce high torque density under extreme environmental conditions. Thermal analysis of an IPMSM is particularly important because excessive heat generated from the core and magnet reduces the IPMSM's output and has adverse effects on the durability. Therefore, steady-state thermal analysis of an IPMSM was performed for changes in the design variables using a thermal equivalent circuit. The changed variables were the axis length and thickness of the housing. The results of this method were compared with those of the finite element method to verify the accuracy and reliability. § 이 논문은 2014년도 대한기계학회 열공학부문 춘계학술 대회(2014. 4. 23.-26., 제주대) 발표논문임 † Corresponding Author, smoon@hanyang.ac.kr C 2014 The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers 김태현 · 유영범 · 나종승 · 유경태 · 문윤재 · 이재헌 · 이 주 · 박찬배 · 문승재 952 소형 경량화가 가능하다는 장점을 가지고 있다. 하지만 IPMSM 의 영구자석은 재료의 희소성으 로 인한 비용문제와 온도에 민감하여 물질의 온도 상승으로 영구감자가 발생할 수 있으며, 결과적으 로 전동기 효율 감소로 이어질 수 있는 단점을 가 지고 있다. 또한 소형 경량화가 될수록 방열면적 이 줄어들어 고정자 권선의 높은 전류밀도로 인해 발생한 열로 인하여 전동기 내부의 온도가 높아진 다. 이로 인한 출력 감소뿐만 아니라 전동기의 수 명에 악영향을 미칠 수 있다. 이와 같은 문제를 해결하기 위해서는 운행 조건 중 발생하는 열 발 생량을 근거로 하여, 정확한 열 해석이 뒷받침 되 어야 한다. 전동기의 열 해석 방법에는 열등가회로법과 유 한요소법이 있다. 먼저 열등가회로법은 전동기의 국부적인 평균 온도와 전반적인 온도 분포 및 열 의 흐름을 쉽게 파악 할 수 있지만, 온도 구배가 큰 시스템의 경우 열등가회로망을 사용해서 구한 평균 온도 값의 오차가 커지는 한계를 가지고 있 다. 반면에 유한요소법은 전동기의 내부의 얇은 공극 부분에서 발생하는 많은 격자수로 인해 열 해석 시 시간과 노력이 많이 필요하다는 단점이 있지만, 정확한 온도 예측이 가능하다는 장점을 가지고 있다. 본 논문에서는 설계단계에서 다양한 설계 변수 의 변경에 따른 열 특성 영향을 빠르게 해석할 수 있는 열등가회로법을 이용하여 정상상태의 열해석 기법을 수행하였다. 설계단계에서 변경된 설계변 수는 하우징의 축방향 길이와 두께를 변경하였다. 또한 해석 결과의 정확성과 신뢰성을 확보하기 위 해 유한요소법을 이용하여 얻은 결과와 비교하였 다.

Backgrounds: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer affecting women worldwide and the second most common cancer among Korean women; nevertheless, the survival rate of patients with breast cancer has continuously increased. This improvement in survival rate of breast cancer indicates the significance of healthcare for better prognosis and quality of life. We aimed to determine the association between adherence to American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines for cancer survivors and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among Korean breast cancer survivors. Methods: We included a total of 302 breast cancer survivors (aged 54.18±9.11 years) who had been diagnosed with stage I to III primary breast cancer according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) and had breast cancer surgery at least 6 months before enrollment. We collected dietary information using food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and other lifestyle factors using a structured questionnaire. We obtained clinical information from medical records at each hospital. We assessed HRQoL levels using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). We calculated adherence scores based on “Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines for Cancer Survivors” released by the ACS: (1) achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight; (2) engaging in regular physical activity; and (3) following the ACS guidelines for cancer prevention; achieving a dietary pattern that is high in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and low in processed and red meat. We examined the least square means (LS-means) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of HRQoL according to the quintiles of adherence scores using the generalized linear models (GLM). Results: The adherence scores ranged from three to 12. We observed that increasing adherence scores were associated with increasing levels of physical functioning (PF) and vitality (VT) in all breast cancer survivors of our study; LS-means (95% CIs) of the lowest and the highest quintiles of adherence scores were 69.61 (63.92-75.30) and 78.35 (72.02-84.67), respectively (p for trend=0.04) for PF and 55.97 (49.65-62.30) and 64.23 (57.19-71.26), respectively (p for trend=0.05) for VT. Among participants with stage II or III, we found that high adherence to ACS guidelines was related to higher levels of HRQoL components of each physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS). However, we did not observe positive associations among participants with stage I. Conclusions: Increasing adherence to ACS guidelines was associated with increasing levels of physical functioning and vitality of HRQoL among Korean breast cancer survivors. Positive associations between adherence scores and HRQoL levels were limited to breast cancer survivors with stage II or III. Further prospective studies are needed to evaluate a temporal relationship between adherence to guidelines and HRQoL levels. Citation Format: Dahye Koh, Sihan Song, Sang-Eun Moon, Jihyoung Cho, Young Bum Yoo, Se Kyung Lee, Jung Eun Lee. Adherence to guidelines for cancer survivors and health-related quality of life among Korean breast cancer survivors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5061.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of postthyroidectomy obesity, and the relationship between the extent of thyroidectomy and obesity. Methods A survey conducted at an outpatient clinic from June to October 2014 and retrospective charts for patients undergoing thyroidectomy at Konkuk University Medical Centers from June 2009 to December 2013 were reviewed. We compared clinical characteristics and pre- and postoperative obesity-related factors in 227 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy or lobectomy. Results Patients included 39 males and 188 females with a mean age of 46.0 ± 11.0 years; the mean follow-up period was 23.9 ± 16.7 months, and 90 of the 227 patients showed postthyroidectomy obesity. In effect of operative extent on postoperative obesity, patients who underwent TT (48.2 years) than those who underwent lobectomy (43.4 years). TT group had longer follow-up and the frequency of menopause was higher than in the lobectomy group. No differences in postthyroidectomy obesity, body weight change, or body mass index (BMI), change among 2 groups. The predictors of postthyroidectomy obesity were older age, female, heavy alcohol consumption (P = 0.029), higher preoperative BMI (P < 0.001), larger postoperative weight gain (P = 0.024), and larger BMI change. However, the extent of thyroidectomy did not affect postthyroidectomy obesity. Preoperative BMI (P < 0.001) and heavy alcohol consumption (P = 0.03) were independent factors of postthyroidectomy obesity. Conclusion The extent of thyroidectomy does not affect postthyroidectomy obesity. Preoperative BMI and heavy alcohol consumption are risk factors for postthyroidectomy obesity. Studies are needed to suggest preoperative life style modification to prevent postthyroidectomy obesity.

We developed a solution-processed indium oxide (In2O3) thin-film transistor (TFT) with a boron-doped peroxo-zirconium (ZrO2:B) dielectric on silicon as well as polyimide substrate at 200 °C, using water as the solvent for the In2O3 precursor. The formation of In2O3 and ZrO2:B films were intensively studied by thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT IR), high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Boron was selected as a dopant to make a denser ZrO2 film. The ZrO2:B film effectively blocked the leakage current at 200 °C with high breakdown strength. To evaluate the ZrO2:B film as a gate dielectric, we fabricated In2O3 TFTs on the ZrO2:B dielectrics with silicon substrates and annealed the resulting samples at 200 and 250 °C. The resulting mobilities were 1.25 and 39.3 cm(2)/(V s), respectively. Finally, we realized a flexible In2O3 TFT with the ZrO2:B dielectric on a polyimide substrate at 200 °C, and it successfully operated a switching device with a mobility of 4.01 cm(2)/(V s). Our results suggest that aqueous solution-processed In2O3 TFTs on ZrO2:B dielectrics could potentially be used for low-cost, low-temperature, and high-performance flexible devices.

We investigated a role of acetic acid for solution processed gallium doped indium oxide thin film transistors (TFTs). By adding acetic acid in solution instead of commonly used ethanolamine, electrical performance of GIO TFTs is significantly enhanced. We demonstrated that acetic acid plays a role in enhancing crystallinity, lowering decomposition temperature and reducing hydroxyl groups in the film. The GIO TFTs formed from acetic acid added solution have mobility of 12.68 cm2 V−1 s−1, threshold voltage of −7.4 V, on/off current ratio of 1.07 × 108 and subthreshold slope of 0.78 V/decade.

Follicular variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC), particularly the encapsulated subtype, often cause a diagnostic dilemma. Therefore, many FVPTCs are interpreted as "indeterminate" in preoperative fine-needle aspiration (FNA). The aim of this study was to analyze the genotypic changes in BRAF codons 600 and 601, as well as the N, H, and KRAS codons 12, 13, and 61 in FVPTCs and investigate the usefulness of preoperative BRAF and RAS mutation analysis as an adjunct diagnostic tool along with routine FNA. Surgically resected thyroid nodules were reviewed to establish the histological diagnosis of FVPTC. All preoperative FNA diagnoses were categorized according to the Bethesda Reporting System. Mutations in BRAF codons 600 and 601, and N, H, KRAS codons 12, 13, and 61 were analyzed by pyrosequencing. Of 132 cases, 81 (61.4 %) had a point mutation in one of the BRAF V600E, BRAF K601E, or RAS oncogenes; BRAF V600E in 43(32.6 %), BRAF K601E in three (2.3 %), and RAS in 35 (26.5 %) cases. All mutations were mutually exclusive. Of 78 cases with an FNA indeterminate category diagnosis, 51 (65.4 %) were positive for mutations: 24 for BRAF V600E, 3 for BRAF K601E, and 24 for the RAS gene. The KRAS mutation was more frequently found than the HRAS mutation, comprising 22.9 % of the RAS mutations, and all KRAS mutations were located at codon 61. This study demonstrated that either BRAF or RAS mutations were present in two thirds of FVPTCs and these mutations were mutually exclusive.

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the benefits and limitations of screening for breast cancer using mammography. Methods Descriptive design with follow-up was used in the study. Data from breast cancer screening and health insurance claim data were used. The study population consisted of all participants in breast cancer screening from 2009 to 2014. Crude detection rate, positive predictive value and sensitivity and specificity of breast cancer screening and, incidence rate of interval cancer of the breast were calculated. Results The crude detection rate of breast cancer screening per 100,000 participants increased from 126.3 in 2009 to 182.1 in 2014. The positive predictive value of breast cancer screening per 100,000 positives increased from 741.2 in 2009 to 1,367.9 in 2014. The incidence rate of interval cancer of the breast per 100,000 negatives increased from 51.7 in 2009 to 76.3 in 2014. The sensitivities of screening for breast cancer were 74.6% in 2009 and 75.1% in 2014 and the specificities were 83.1% in 2009 and 85.7% in 2014. Conclusions To increase the detection rate of breast cancer by breast cancer screening using mammography, the participation rate should be higher and an environment where accurate mammography and reading can be performed and reinforcement of quality control are required. To reduce the incidence rate of interval cancer of the breast, it will be necessary to educate women after their 20s to perform self-examination of the breast once a month regardless of participation in screening for breast cancer.

Aims: Xanthohumol isolated from hops has been reported to exhibit anticancer effects in diverse human cancers. However, its effect on breast cancer has not yet been clearly defined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of xanthohumol on breast cancer cell proliferation. Materials And Methods: After treatment with 5 μM, 10 μM, and 20 μM xanthohumol for 48 h, cells from the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 were studied using colony assay, flow cytometry, and western blotting. Results: The survival rate of the MDA-MB231 cells treated with 10 μM and 20 μM xanthohumol for 48 h decreased significantly by 64.7 ± 1.8% and 40.1 ± 1.8%, respectively. The numbers of SubG0/G1 cells in the group treated with 10 μM and 20 μM xanthohumol increased significantly to 11.3 ± 0.2 and 18.4 ± 0.1, respectively. A ladder pattern of DNA fragmentation was also observed. Xanthohumol increased the expression of Bax in the mitochondria, which correspondingly decreased in the cytoplasm. The activity of caspase-3 and caspase-9 was shown to increase significantly in the treated groups but not in the control group. Conclusions: Xanthohumol inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells through a mitochondria- and caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway. This result suggests that xanthohumol might serve as a novel therapeutic drug for breast cancer.