V.F.C. and A.F. contributed equally to this work. The authors thank the FCT—Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia—for financial support under framework of the Strategic Funding UID/FIS/04650/2013, project PTDC/ EEI-SII/5582/2014 and project UID/EEA/04436/2013 by FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020—Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalizacao (POCI). Funds provided by FCT in the framework of EuroNanoMed 2016 call, Project LungChek ENMed/0049/2016 are also gratefully acknowledged. V.F.C., A.F., C.R., and P.M. also thank the FCT for the grants SFRH/BPD/98109/2013, SFRH/BPD/104204/2014, SFRH/ BPD/90870/2012 and SFRH/BPD/96227/2013, respectively. Finally, the authors acknowledge funding by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) through the project MAT2016-76039C4-3-R (AEI/FEDER, UE) and from the Basque Government Industry Department under the ELKARTEK program.

Advances in Magnetic Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications.

Nanotechnology in hyperthermia cancer therapy: From fundamental principles to advanced applications

Biosensors for breast cancer diagnosis: A review of bioreceptors, biotransducers and signal amplification strategies

Tumors develop multiple mechanisms of immune evasion as they progress, with some cancer types being inherently better at ‘hiding’ than others. With an increased understanding of tumor immune surveillance, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising treatment strategy for breast cancer, despite historically being thought of as an immunologically silent neoplasm. Some types of cancer, such as melanoma, bladder, and renal cell carcinoma, have demonstrated a durable response to immunotherapeutic intervention, however, breast neoplasms have not shown the same efficacy. The causes of breast cancer’s immune silence derive from mechanisms that diminish immune recognition and others that promote strong immunosuppression. It is the mechanisms of immune evasion in breast cancers that are poorly defined. Thus, further characterization is critical for the development of better therapies. This brief review will seek to provide insight into the possible causes of weak immunogenicity and immune suppression mediated by breast cancers and highlight current immunotherapies being used to restore immune responses to breast cancer.

/pdf/mechanisms-of-immune-evasion-in-breast-cancer-1cuq6wbnfc.pdf

Mechanisms of immune evasion in breast cancer

Description The European Commission Initiative for Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis guidelines (European Breast Guidelines) are coordinated by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre. The target audience for the guidelines includes women, health professionals, and policymakers. Methods An international guideline panel of 28 multidisciplinary members, including patients, developed questions and corresponding recommendations that were informed by systematic reviews of the evidence conducted between March 2016 and December 2018. GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) Evidence to Decision frameworks were used to structure the process and minimize the influence of competing interests by enhancing transparency. Questions and recommendations, expressed as strong or conditional, focused on outcomes that matter to women and provided a rating of the certainty of evidence. Recommendations This synopsis of the European Breast Guidelines provides recommendations regarding organized screening programs for women aged 40 to 75 years who are at average risk. The recommendations address digital mammography screening and the addition of hand-held ultrasonography, automated breast ultrasonography, or magnetic resonance imaging compared with mammography alone. The recommendations also discuss the frequency of screening and inform decision making for women at average risk who are recalled for suspicious lesions or who have high breast density.

Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis: A Synopsis of the European Breast Guidelines

Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography improves diagnostic accuracy in the symptomatic setting

Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM).

Objective:
To compare the accuracy of standard supplementary views and GE digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) for assessment of soft-tissue mammographic abnormalities.

Methods:
Women recalled for further assessment of soft-tissue abnormalities were recruited and received standard supplementary views (typically spot compression views) and two-view GE DBT. The added value of DBT in the assessment process was determined by analysing data collected prospectively by radiologists working up the cases. Following anonymization of cases, there was also a retrospective multireader review. The readers first read bilateral standard two-view digital mammography (DM) together with the supplementary mammographic views and gave a combined score for suspicion of malignancy on a five-point scale. The same readers then read bilateral standard two-view DM together with two-view DBT. Pathology data were obtained. Differences were assessed using receiver operating characteristic analysis.

Results:
The study population was 342 lesions in 322 patients. The final diagnosis was malignant in 113 cases (33%) and benign/normal in 229 cases (67%). In the prospective analysis, the performance of two-view DM plus DBT was at least equivalent to the performance of two-view DM and standard mammographic supplementary views—the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.946 and 0.922, respectively, which did not reach statistical significance. Similar results were obtained for the retrospective review—AUC was 0.900 (DBT) and 0.873 (supplementary views), which did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusion:
The accuracy of GE DBT in the assessment of screen detected soft-tissue abnormalities is equivalent to the use of standard supplementary mammographic views.

Advances in knowledge:
The vast majority of evidence relating to the use of DBT has been gathered from research using Hologic equipment. This study provides evidence for the use of the commercially available GE DBT system demonstrating that it is at least equivalent to supplementary mammographic views in the assessment of soft-tissue screen-detected abnormalities.

/pdf/accuracy-of-ge-digital-breast-tomosynthesis-versus-3qgoxvmrru.pdf

Accuracy of GE digital breast tomosynthesis versus supplementary mammographic views for diagnosis of screen-detected soft tissue breast lesions

CT staging of loco-regional breast cancer recurrence. A worthwhile practice?

We report a 10-week-old boy with a prolapsing colocolic intussusception mimicking rectal prolapse. Rectal prolapse of ileocolic intussusception has been well-described, but colocolic intussusception presenting as rectal prolapse is unique.

Sarah L. Tennant

Papers

Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography improves diagnostic accuracy in the symptomatic setting

Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM).

Accuracy of GE digital breast tomosynthesis versus supplementary mammographic views for diagnosis of screen-detected soft tissue breast lesions

CT staging of loco-regional breast cancer recurrence. A worthwhile practice?

Intussusception mimicking rectal prolapse.