Brain metastases (BM) from breast cancer are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In the current study, we have examined a cohort of breast cancer patients who went on to develop BM for clinical-pathologic features and predictive markers that identify this high-risk subgroup of patients at the time of diagnosis. The primary tumors from 55 patients who developed BM were used to construct a tissue microarray. The clinical and pathologic features were recorded and the tissue microarray was stained for estrogen receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, cytokeratin 5/6, and epidermal growth factor receptor by immunohistochemistry. This cohort of patients was compared against a group of 254 patients who remain free of metastases (67 mo mean follow-up), and another cohort of 40 patients who developed mixed visceral and bone metastatic disease without brain recurrence over a similar period of time. Breast cancer patients who went on to develop BM were more likely to be <50 years old (P<0.001), and the primary tumors were more likely to be estrogen receptor negative (P<0.001) and high grade (P=0.002). The primary tumors were also more likely to express cytokeratin 5/6 (P<0.001) and epidermal growth factor receptor (P=0.001), and to overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (P=0.001). The data presented above suggest a profile for breast cancer patients at increased risk for developing BM. Predictive factors to help identify patients with metastatic breast cancer who are at an increased risk for developing central nervous system recurrence might allow for screening of this population for early detection and treatment or for the development of targeted strategies for prevention.

A panel of five antibodies can significantly improve on traditional prognosticators in predicting outcome for ER-positive breast cancer patients.

Summary Although cardiac sarcomas are rare in comparison to their soft tissue counterparts, they are the second most common type of primary cardiac neoplasm. Of the few hundred cases reported, most has been based on autopsy series. A series of 27 cardiac sarcomas removed at surgery for curative and diagnostic intent were reviewed for clinicopathologic features with correlation to available postoperative follow-up data in 17 patients. There were 6 angiosarcomas, 6 myxofibrosarcomas, 3 malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, 3 leiomyosarcomas, 2 synovial sarcomas, 1 epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, 1 chondrosarcoma, 1 osteosarcoma, and 4 poorly differentiated sarcomas. There was a wide age and size range with slight female predilection. There were 20 cases that arose in the atria/pulmonary vessels, 4 in the ventricles, 1 in mitral valve, and 2 in epi/pericardium. There was a slight left predilection. The histologic grade was low in 4, moderate in 3, and high in 20 cases. Six high-grade and 1 low-grade tumors were also treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiation. In 17 patients with follow-up data, 6 of 12 patients with high-grade tumor died (4 within 5 days of the initial surgery, 1 in 21 months, and 1 in 131 months), and 1 patient with moderate-grade tumor and all 4 patients with low-grade tumor were alive without evidence of disease at the end of follow-up. Tumor grade appeared to be prognostically important in cardiac sarcoma. Long survival was achieved in patients who survived the initial surgery well.

Angiosarcoma occurs very rarely in the intestinal tract as either a primary or metastatic malignancy and can present great diagnostic difficulty, especially when it displays epithelioid cytomorphology. Since only isolated case reports have been published, the purpose of this study is to more fully delineate the histopathological and clinical features from a series of 8 angiosarcomas involving the gastrointestinal tract. There were 5 male and 3 female patients whose ages ranged from 25-85 years (median 57). Presenting symptoms included intestinal bleeding, anemia and pain. Five cases involved the small bowel and 3 involved the colon/rectum. Four cases were primary to the intestinal tract, 2 patients initially presented with secondary involvement of the large bowel from occult retroperitoneal primaries, 1 patient presented with disseminated disease including small bowel involvement, and 1 case was metastatic from a breast primary. Seven cases were composed predominantly of sheets of malignant appearing epithelioid cells with subtle areas forming cleft-like spaces suggestive of vascular differentiation. Immunohistochemical studies revealed the lesional cells to be immunoreactive for CD31 (8/8), CD34 (8/8), Factor VIII (8/8), cytokeratins AE1/AE3 (7/8), cytokeratin 7 (2/8), Cam5.2/cytokeratin 8 (5/8), and cytokeratin 19 (5/8). Cytokeratin 20 was negative in all eight cases, which contrasts sharply with the characteristic positivity for cytokeratin 20 in virtually all intestinal carcinomas. One case was weakly and focally positive for EMA and all cases were negative for S-100 protein. Cytokeratin staining was variable and ranged from focal to extensive. Follow-up was available in eight cases and ranged from 1-33 months (median 12.5). Five patients died of disease, between 1 and 33 months (median 6) after diagnosis. One recently diagnosed patient is alive with disease 18 months after diagnosis, and one patient is free of disease 27 months after original diagnosis. Angiosarcomas of the gastrointestinal tract commonly display epithelioid cytomorphology, may be diffusely and strongly positive for cytokeratins and only show subtle signs of vascular differentiation, creating potential diagnostic confusion with primary or metastatic carcinoma. Given the clinically aggressive behavior of angiosarcoma, proper classification and treatment is important. Immunohistochemistry with vascular markers, CK20, and S-100 protein may be helpful in differentiating angiosarcoma from carcinoma and melanoma.