Preface

This book presents essential knowledge and key facts about breast cancer. It is divided into two sections.

In Section 1, Chapter 1, "Obesity and Breast Cancer," Dr. Selim Sözen et al. discuss obesity and breast cancer. Chapter 2, "Epidemiology of Breast Cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa" by Dr. Adeoye Philip, examines the literature that shows higher mortality rates of women with breast cancer in less developed countries. Chapter 3, "Breast Cancer and Pregnancy: Epidemiology, Phenotypes, Presentation during Pregnancy, and Therapeutic Approaches" by Dr. Massimiliano Berretta et al., discusses how breast cancer incidence is slowly rising and how awareness of its correct management is fundamental for every physician. Chapter 4, "Breast Cancer in Brazil: Social Conditions and Access to Health Care" by Debora Louzada Carvalho et al., emphasizes the high number of deaths from breast cancer among Brazilian women. Breast cancer is the second greatest cause of mortality in women in Brazil. Chapter 5, "Breast Cancer, Gender, and Body Experience – A Qualitative Study in Argentina on the Transit of the Illness, Femininity, and Sexuality at Stake" by Leila Martina Passerino, discusses the transit of women through breast cancer by investigating the transformations in lifestyles and social behaviors that the experience of illness inaugurates. Chapter 6, "Breast Cancer in the Elderly" by Dr. Agnieszka Jagiello-Gruszfeld and Agnieszka Mlodzinska, discusses comorbidities in breast cancer, which occur much more frequently in the elderly compared to the younger population. Chapter 7, "Management of the Triple Negative Locally Advanced Breast Cancer" by Dr. Amir Iqbal Memon et al., reminds us that patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) have greater chances of disease relapse, metastasis, and limited survival. Chapter 8, "Inter-Relationship of Ki-67 and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer" by Dr. Vijayakumar Chellappa et al., discusses how higher baseline Ki-67 level, which is a marker of active cell proliferation, is found in the highly proliferating tumors in TNBC. Chapter 9, "Bcl-2 Immunoexpression in Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and Its Evaluative Correlation with Molecular Sub-Types and BR-Grade and TNM Stage" by Dr. Pandey Poornima and Arvind Bhake, discusses the molecular pathogenesis of breast cancer and the involvement of multiple gene types. Bcl-2 is an anti-apoptotic protein that is upregulated by estrogen in breast cancer patients. Chapter 10, "Correlation between Ultrasound Findings and Molecular Subtypes of Breast Cancer" by Rahma Mohammed Abed Alghazal et al., recommends that radiologists be aware of the different imaging features of different molecular subtypes of breast cancer, especially TNBC, which has the most benign-looking criteria, to achieve better lesion characterization and allow the patient to benefit from earlier non-invasive, cost-effective diagnosis and treatment. Chapter 11, "A Short Communication: Non-acid Nucleic Blood Multi-Factors Panels for Primary Breast Cancer Detection – A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis" by Vahid Raja et al., compares non-acid nucleic blood multi-factor panels with mammography in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in primary breast cancer detection (stages I, II, III, and IV). The authors systematically review studies assessing the diagnostic value of non-acid nucleic blood tumor marker panels in both healthy women and

breast cancer patients (before any anticancer treatment) for the detection of primary breast cancer. Chapter 12, "Membrane-Bound Complement Regulatory Proteins in Breast Cancer: Are They Best Therapeutic Targets?" by Dr. Nohemí Salinas-Jazmín et al., discusses membrane-bound complement regulatory proteins (mCRPs) as potential targets to increase therapeutic efficacy and avoid cancer progression.

In Section 2, Chapter 13, "Minimally Invasive Surgery in Breast Reconstruction: The Past and Future," Dr. Elizabeth A. Bailey and Sarah N. Bishop discuss future applications of emerging technology and the controversies surrounding the widespread adoption of minimally invasive techniques in breast cancer and breast reconstructive surgery. Chapter 14, "Solutions in Breast Reconstruction" by Dr. Karakol Perçin et al., focuses on breast reconstruction after cancer surgery. Skin grafts and local flaps, dermal equivalents, fat transfer, and tissue expansion operations are among the options. Chapter 15, "Breast Reconstructive Options" by Dr. Benjamin Liliav and Luis Torres-Strauss, explores the various modalities of breast reconstruction available to patients. There are, generally, three components or factors that need to be considered while devising a reconstructive option for a particular patient. These are patient factors, surgeon factors, and oncologic factors. Chapter 16, "Oncoplastic Breast Conservation: A Standard of Care in Modern Breast Cancer Surgical Management" by Dr. Ana Car Peterko, suggests that mastectomy should no longer be offered as an equivalent treatment option for early-stage breast cancer patients with low-volume breast disease, irrespective of the availability of postmastectomy breast reconstruction. Chapter 17, "Physiotherapeutic Management in Breast Cancer Patients" by Dr. Margit Eidenberger, examines how breast cancer treatment can lead to various physical and long-term morbidities such as restricted shoulder joint range of motion, lymphedema, impaired muscle strength, and cancer-related fatigue. Finally, Chapter 18, "Antibody Drug Conjugates" by Dr. Farah Raheem and Vishal Shah, discusses antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which continue to change the treatment paradigm of breast cancer.

I thank the authors for their professional dedication and outstanding work in summarizing their clinical and research practices.

> **Selim Sözen** Associate Professor of General Surgery, Sözen Surgery Clinic, Tekirdağ, Turkey
