There has been increasing interest in the study of new pathogenic mechanisms in endometriosis (END), including the coagulation/fibrinolysis system and its link with inflammation and tissue remodeling. It has been suggested that END patients, especially with deep-infiltrating (DE) forms, could present a hypercoagulable state revealing higher levels of proinflammatory and procoagulant markers, such as total circulating microparticles (cMPs) and cMP-TF (tissue factor), released by cells in response to damage, activation, or apoptosis. However, no previous study has assessed the effect of END hormonal treatments on cMP and cMP-TF levels. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of these treatments on cMP and cMP-TF levels in DE patients. Three groups were compared: DE patients receiving a continuous combined oral contraceptive regimen (CCOCR) (n = 41), DE patients without CCOCR (n = 45), and a control group (n = 43). cMP and cMP-TF levels were evaluated in platelet-free plasma. A significant decrease in the total cMP levels was found in the DE group with CCOCR versus the group without CCOCR, reflecting a higher chronic inflammatory status in DE patients that decreased with the treatment. cMP-TF levels were higher in DE patients receiving CCOCR versus those not receiving CCOCR, suggesting that treatments containing estrogens play a predominant role in suppressing the inhibitory pathway of TF.

Background: Adjuvant radiotherapy and hormonotherapy after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) have been shown to reduce the risk of local recurrence. To predict the risk of ipsilateral breast tumor relapse (IBTR) after BCS, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) developed a nomogram to analyze local recurrence (LR) risk in our cohort and to assess its external validation. Methods: A historical cohort study using data from 296 patients treated for DCIS at the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona was carried out. Patients who had had a mastectomy were excluded from the analysis. Results: The mean age was 58 years (42–75), and the median follow-up time was 10.64 years. The overall local relapse rate was 13.04% (27 patients) during the study period. Actuarial 5- and 10-year IBTR rates were 5.8 and 12.9%, respectively. The external validation of the MSKCC nomogram was performed using a multivariate logistic regression analysis on a total of 207 patients, which did not reach statistical significance in the studied population for predicting LR (p = 0.10). The expression of estrogen receptors was significantly associated with a decreased risk of LR (OR: 0.25; p = 0.004). Conclusions: In our series, the LR rate was 13.4%, which was in accordance with the published series. The MSKCC nomogram did not accurately predict the IBTR in this Spanish cohort of patients treated for DCIS (p = 0.10).

Background/Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the clinical value of the sentinel lymph node ratio (SLN-R) in predicting additional positive lymph nodes during axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in breast cancer patients following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed at a single institution evaluating data from 1521 BC patients. Inclusion criteria comprised cT1/cT4, cN0/cN1 status with positive post-NAC axillary staging by SLN/TAD, respectively, and subsequent ALND. Results: The study included 118 patients, divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of additional node metastasis at ALND: 39 in the residual disease group (RD) and 79 in the non-residual disease group (nRD). Univariate logistic regression analysis of SLN-R was conducted to assess its predictive value, yielding an odds ratio (OR) of 7.79 (CI 1.92–29.5, p = 0.003). An SLN-R cut-off point of <0.35 was identified using ROC curve analysis, with a false-negative rate of 10.2%, as a predictor for no additional metastasis at ALND following post-NAC SLN/TAD positivity. Conclusions: The study concludes that SLN-R is a valuable predictor for determining the omission of ALND in cases where SLN/TAD is positive after NAC. This metric, in combination with other clinical variables, could help develop a nomogram to spare patients from ALND.

ETV6::RUNX1-positive pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia frequently has a prenatal origin and follows a two-hit model: a first somatic alteration leads to the formation of the oncogenic fusion gene ETV6::RUNX1 and the generation of a preleukemic clone in utero. Secondary hits after birth are necessary to convert the preleukemic clone into clinically overt leukemia. However, prenatal factors triggering the first hit have not yet been determined. Here, we explore the influence of maternal factors during pregnancy on the prevalence of the ETV6::RUNX1 fusion. To this end, we employed a nested interventional cohort study (IMPACT-BCN trial), including 1221 pregnancies (randomized into usual care, a Mediterranean diet, or mindfulness-based stress reduction) and determined the prevalence of the fusion gene in the DNA of cord blood samples at delivery (n = 741) using the state-of-the-art GIPFEL (genomic inverse PCR for exploration of ligated breakpoints) technique. A total of 6.5% (n = 48 of 741) of healthy newborns tested positive for ETV6::RUNX1. Our multiple regression analyses showed a trend toward lower ETV6::RUNX1 prevalence in offspring of the high-adherence intervention groups. Strikingly, corticosteroid use for lung maturation during pregnancy was significantly associated with ETV6::RUNX1 (adjusted OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.6–9.8) in 39 neonates, particularly if applied before 26 weeks of gestation (OR 7.7, 95% CI 1.08–50) or if betamethasone (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.4–11.3) was used. Prenatal exposure to corticosteroids within a critical time window may therefore increase the risk of developing ETV6::RUNX1+ preleukemic clones and potentially leukemia after birth. Taken together, this study indicates that ETV6::RUNX1 preleukemia prevalence may be modulated and potentially prevented.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) recurrence, defined as the reappearance of cancer in the ipsilateral breast after primary treatment, poses significant challenges in clinical management. Despite advances in treatment, recurrence rates persist, ranging from 0.6 to 1.5% annually, reaching 10–15% at 20 years. This study aims to analyze the surgical and oncological characteristics of patients with BC recurrence. Methods: This retrospective study includes 56 patients diagnosed with recurrent BC between October 2018 and April 2022. Data were collected from a prospectively maintained surgical database. A descriptive analysis was performed on the initial BC, and the recurrence, including surgical complications, was classified using the Clavien–Dindo system. The success rates of selective sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsies and aberrant drainages were assessed based on previous surgeries. Results: The cohort included 55 females and 1 male, with a median age of 65.3 years. The mean time to BC recurrence was 11.5 years. Among them, 26.8% underwent breast-conserving surgery, 41.1% had a mastectomy, 21.4% had a mastectomy with reconstruction, and 10.7% had an excision over a previous mastectomy. An SLN biopsy was performed in 78.6% of cases, with higher success rates in those without a previous axillary lymph node dissection (85.7% vs. 63.2%). Aberrant drainage was more frequent in patients with a previous ALND (44.4% vs. 20%). The median follow-up was 41.3 months, with 10.7% experiencing a second recurrence. Conclusions: Repeat breast-conserving surgery with re-irradiation for ipsilateral recurrence is feasible and does not significantly increase complications. SLN biopsy is valuable for restaging and tailoring adjuvant therapies, with ALND not being necessary if re-SLN biopsy shows no drainage. The management of aberrant drainage remains controversial.