The present study was undertaken to evaluate the place of oxidative stress on breast cancer. Lipid peroxidation as evidenced by malondialdehyde (MDA) and the status of the antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were estimated in tissues of 10 fibroadenoma and 40 breast cancer patients. Lipid peroxidation in breast cancer tissues was enhanced compared to nonmalignant tissues (p < 0.001). Similarly, antioxidants SOD (p < 0.001) and GPx (p = 0.007) in tumor tissues significantly were increased. On the contrary, CAT activity was found significantly decreased (p < 0.001). We found that oxidant/antioxidant status was independent from any prognostic factors concerning breast cancer. The results of our study have shown higher oxygen-free-radical production and decreased CAT activity support the oxidative stress hypothesis in breast carcinogenesis.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of gray scale and Doppler US findings in the detection of axillary metastases in breast cancer patients with no palpable lymph nodes. One-hundred and ninety-eight lymph nodes detected in 83 women were evaluated. The size and longitudinal/transverse axis ratios of each node were documented. Absence of echogenic hilum, asymmetrical cortical thickening, and presence of peripheral flow were prospectively considered signs of malignancy. Histopathologically, there were 93 malignant and 105 benign nodes. The above criteria and a low longitudinal-transverse axis ratio were statistically significant for malignancy. In lymph nodes smaller than 1 cm, only asymmetric cortical thickening and presence of peripheral flow were significant. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of US were 86.49, 93.62, 91.43, 89.8 and 90.48%, respectively. In conclusion, US is successful and reliable in the determination of axillary metastatic involvement in nonpalpable and small lymph nodes. Inclusion of axillary US in the preoperative diagnostic evaluation would be complimentary to sentinel node biopsy, and also could eliminate the need for it in patients with positive US results, after confirmation with biopsy.

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Background/Aim: To investigate the expression and value for diagnosis of the genes, p53 and pTEN, the protein, Ki-67, and the receptors, estrogen and progesterone, in differentiating smooth muscle tumors of the uterus. Material and Method: Seventeen samples of leiomyosarcoma, 2 smooth muscle tumors with uncertain malignant potential (STUMP), 9 atypical myomas and 15 leiomyomas were stained immunohistochemically. The χ² test was used for the statistical analysis of the data. Results: The malignant side of the spectrum was strongly stained for Ki-67 and p53 while uniformly decreasing toward the benign tumors. The results were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.0001). The staining for progesterone receptor was also statistically significant, but the tumors that were considered benign, such as leiomyoma and atypical myoma, were the ones strongly stained (p = 0.005). The expression of estrogen receptor was significant in these tumors, but the p value was very close to the cut-off value (p = 0.07). As the degree of differentiation of the tumor increased, the trend showed stronger staining for estrogen receptor. However, no difference was detected in the staining properties of the tumors for pTEN (p = 0.2457). Conclusion: The expression of Ki-67, p53 and progesterone receptors is promising in immunodifferentiation of smooth muscle tumors of the uterus with malignant potential.