Pathogenesis, Prognosis, Prediction and Personalized Therapy in Breast Cancer

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Pathophysiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2024) | Viewed by 5491

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Marienhospital Bottrop, 46236 Bottrop, Germany
Interests: breast cancer; de-escalation strategies; intraoperative radiotherapy; neoadjuvant therapy; immune therapy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

In recent years, traditional prognostic factors in breast cancer such as tumor size and nodal involvement in EBC and disease localization in MBC have lost a lot of their relevance in decision making. Prognostic factors such as HER2neu overexpression, proliferation measured by Ki67 statically and dynamically, and mutation sets in cfDNA, as well as predictive markers such as the aforementioned and PD-L1, PIK3CA mutation status, ESR1 mutation status, and many more have gained importance. This development has just begun to unfold, and diagnostic tools such as next-generation sequencing and investigation of the tumor microenvironment are the next step in this direction of personalized approaches. As we learn more about the biology of breast cancer, this also affects our view of how breast cancer is developing and why, initially, local breast cancer becomes a systemic disease. This Special Issue covers the spectrum from pathogenesis and the development of metastases over prognosis to prediction in early and metastatic breast cancer and includes manuscripts from pathologists, biologists, and breast oncologists.

Prof. Dr. Hans-Christian Kolberg
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • breast cancer
  • pathogenesis
  • prognostic factors
  • predictive factors
  • liquid biopsy
  • multigene assay

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 1188 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Analysis of Receptor Status, Histopathological Classifications (B1–B5), and Cumulative Histological Dimensions in Breast Cancer: Predictors of Malignancy and Diagnostic Implications
by Oana Maria Burciu, Ioan Sas, Adrian-Grigore Merce, Simona Cerbu, Aurica Elisabeta Moatar, Anca-Elena Eftenoiu and Ionut Marcel Cobec
Cancers 2024, 16(20), 3471; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16203471 - 14 Oct 2024
Viewed by 758
Abstract
Introduction: Breast cancer has become one of the most serious and widespread public health concerns globally, affecting an increasing number of women—and, in rare cases, men—across the world. It is the most common cancer among women across all countries. In this study, we [...] Read more.
Introduction: Breast cancer has become one of the most serious and widespread public health concerns globally, affecting an increasing number of women—and, in rare cases, men—across the world. It is the most common cancer among women across all countries. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the influence of demographic factors, medical and reproductive history, diagnostic techniques, and hormone receptor status on the development and progression of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 687 female patients from Romania underwent standard breast examination techniques, including clinical breast examination, mammography, ultrasonography, and, ultimately, breast biopsy. Statistical analysis was performed using the R programming language and RStudio software. The study included a comparative analysis and a prediction analysis for malignancy and tumor size (cumulative histological dimension) through logistic and linear regression models. Results: The comparative analysis identified several variables associated with malignancy: older age (p < 0.001), non-vulnerability (p = 0.04), no daily physical activity (p = 0.002), no re-biopsy (p < 0.001), immunohistochemistry use (p < 0.001), use of larger gauge needles (p < 0.001), ultrasound-guided biopsy (p < 0.001), and vacuum biopsy (p < 0.001). The hormone receptor statuses—estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and androgen receptor (AR)—showed statistically significant differences in distribution across breast cancer B classifications. Logistic regression analysis identified ER, PR, and age as significant predictors of malignancy. Linear regression analysis revealed histopathological results, living environment, geographical region, vulnerability, prior breast examination, and the number of histological fragments as significant predictors of cumulative histological dimension. Conclusions: Our predictive models demonstrate the impact of demographic factors, medical history, diagnostic techniques, and hormone receptor status on breast cancer development and progression, accounting for a significant portion of the variance in malignancy and cumulative histological dimension. Full article
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Review

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73 pages, 2038 KiB  
Review
The Diversity of Liquid Biopsies and Their Potential in Breast Cancer Management
by Corinna Keup, Rainer Kimmig and Sabine Kasimir-Bauer
Cancers 2023, 15(22), 5463; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15225463 - 17 Nov 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2542
Abstract
Analyzing blood as a so-called liquid biopsy in breast cancer (BC) patients has the potential to adapt therapy management. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), extracellular vesicles (EVs), cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and other blood components mirror the tumoral heterogeneity and could support a range of [...] Read more.
Analyzing blood as a so-called liquid biopsy in breast cancer (BC) patients has the potential to adapt therapy management. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), extracellular vesicles (EVs), cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and other blood components mirror the tumoral heterogeneity and could support a range of clinical decisions. Multi-cancer early detection tests utilizing blood are advancing but are not part of any clinical routine yet. Liquid biopsy analysis in the course of neoadjuvant therapy has potential for therapy (de)escalation.Minimal residual disease detection via serial cfDNA analysis is currently on its way. The prognostic value of blood analytes in early and metastatic BC is undisputable, but the value of these prognostic biomarkers for clinical management is controversial. An interventional trial confirmed a significant outcome benefit when therapy was changed in case of newly emerging cfDNA mutations under treatment and thus showed the clinical utility of cfDNA analysis for therapy monitoring. The analysis of PIK3CA or ESR1 variants in plasma of metastatic BC patients to prescribe targeted therapy with alpesilib or elacestrant has already arrived in clinical practice with FDA-approved tests available and is recommended by ASCO. The translation of more liquid biopsy applications into clinical practice is still pending due to a lack of knowledge of the analytes’ biology, lack of standards and difficulties in proving clinical utility. Full article
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15 pages, 652 KiB  
Review
CXC ELR-Positive Chemokines as Diagnostic and Prognostic Markers for Breast Cancer Patients
by Joanna Motyka, Aleksandra Kicman, Monika Kulesza and Sławomir Ławicki
Cancers 2023, 15(12), 3118; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15123118 - 8 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1621
Abstract
As the most common type of malignant lesison, breast cancer is a leading challenge for clinicians. Currently, diagnosis is based on self-examination and imaging studies that require confirmation by tissue biopsy. However, there are no easily accessible diagnostic tools that can serve as [...] Read more.
As the most common type of malignant lesison, breast cancer is a leading challenge for clinicians. Currently, diagnosis is based on self-examination and imaging studies that require confirmation by tissue biopsy. However, there are no easily accessible diagnostic tools that can serve as diagnostic and prognostic markers for breast cancer patients. One of the possible candidates for such markers is a group of chemokines that are closely implicated in each stage of tumorigenesis. Many researchers have noted the potential of this molecule group to become tumor markers and have tried to establish their clinical utility. In this work, we summarize the results obtained by scientists on the usefulness of the ELR-positive CXC group of chemokines in ancillary diagnosis of breast cancer. Full article
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