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Introduction Autologous tumor cell vaccines rely on the concept of preserving an individual’s own tumorigenic makeup, expressing its unique set of tumor-associated antigens as well as antigenic elements from the surrounding stroma. These autologous tumor characteristics are usually presented with an immune adjuvant in the hopes of enhancing an immune response.MethodsThe autologous vaccine we used was composed of tumor cells combined with BCG and formalin. Animal safety and toxicity were evaluated using mice tumors for the immunotherapy. A small number of patients with advanced stage breast cancer were recruited for an uncontrolled study, using the vaccine solely or combined with chemotherapy/radiotherapy.ResultsThe immunotherapy had shown to be safe in mice and humans. Upon a 5-year follow-up, the survival rate was 60 % for the combined treatment.ConclusionsThe data suggest that the combined treatment could be a feasible and safe therapeutic strategy. However, further controlled studies should be conducted.

The heterotrimeric G protein family plays essential roles during a varied array of cellular events; thus, its deregulation can seriously alter signaling events and the overall state of the cell. Heterotrimeric G-proteins have three subunits (α, β, γ) and are subdivided into four families, Gαi, Gα12/13, Gαq, and Gαs. These proteins cycle between an inactive Gα-GDP state and active Gα-GTP state, triggered canonically by the G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) and by other accessory proteins receptors independent also known as AGS (Activators of G-protein Signaling). In this review, we summarize research data specific for the Gαi family. This family has the largest number of individual members, including Gαi1, Gαi2, Gαi3, Gαo, Gαt, Gαg, and Gαz, and constitutes the majority of G proteins α subunits expressed in a tissue or cell. Gαi was initially described by its inhibitory function on adenylyl cyclase activity, decreasing cAMP levels. Interestingly, today Gi family G-protein have been reported to be importantly involved in the immune system function. Here, we discuss the impact of Gαi on non-canonical effector proteins, such as c-Src, ERK1/2, phospholipase-C (PLC), and proteins from the Rho GTPase family members, all of them essential signaling pathways regulating a wide range of physiological processes.

Aggressive fibromatosis comprises connective tissue tumours that represent 0.03% of all bodily neoplasms, occurring more often in the abdominal wall, mesentery, and extremities; its location in the breast constitutes a very infrequent type of lesion. Its pathogenesis is diverse and its relationship with augmentation mastoplasty is still unclear. Four cases of aggressive breast fibromatosis following augmentation mastoplasty are reported in this article.

ObjectiveTo determine the false-negative rate, sensitivity, and diagnostic accuracy of the frozen section analysis of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in early-stage breast cancer compared to the definitive section and to identify the factors that could be associated with the appearance of false-negative cases. Secondarily, to evaluate the pathological results of cases submitted to completion axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for positive SLN.MethodsWe performed a five-year review of cases (2011–2015), including patients with early-stage breast cancer undergoing SLN biopsy, with frozen section evaluation and subsequent definitive pathological analysis. These results were compared to calculate the false-negative rate and the factors associated with it. The histopathological findings were also evaluated in patients submitted to completion ALND.ResultsA total of 281 patients were evaluated, identifying 18 cases with frozen section results as false negative (false-negative rate: 23.7%), and 55.5% of these cases were micrometastases. The false-negative rate in SLN with macrometastasis was 13.1% and for micrometastasis cases was 66.7% (p < 0.001). True-positive patients that were submitted to completion ALND had additional axillary lymph nodes with metastases in 28% of cases, whereas the group of false negatives had additional positive axillary lymph nodes in 40% of patients (p = 0.62).ConclusionFrozen section analysis had a false-negative rate acceptable in SLN biopsy in our institution, and the micrometastasis in the SLN was the most important factor associated with the appearance of this phenomenon.