Phase I Study of Epigenetic Priming with Azacitidine Prior to Standard Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Patients with Resectable Gastric and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: Evidence of Tumor Hypomethylation as an Indicator of Major Histopathologic Response

Purpose: Epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor genes (TSG) is an acquired abnormality observed in cancer and is prototypically linked to DNA methylation. We postulated that pretreatment (priming) with 5-azacitidine would increase the efficacy of chemotherapy by reactivating TSGs. This study was conducted to identify a tolerable dose of 5-azacitidine prior to EOX (epirubicin, oxaliplatin, capecitabine) neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced esophageal/gastric adenocarcinoma (EGC).Experimental Design: Eligible patients had untreated, locally advanced, resectable EGC, ECOG 0-2, and adequate organ function. 5-Azacitidine (V, 75 mg/m²) was given subcutaneously for 3 (dose level, DL 1) or 5 (DL 2) days prior to each 21-day cycle of EOX (E, 50 mg/m²; O, 130 mg/m²; X, 625 mg/m² twice daily for 21 days). Standard 3+3 methodology guided V dose escalation. DNA methylation at control and biomarker regions was measured by digital droplet, bisulfite qPCR in tumor samples collected at baseline and at resection.Results: All subjects underwent complete resection of residual tumor (R0). Three of the 12 patients (25%) achieved a surgical complete response and 5 had partial responses. The overall response rate was 67%. The most common toxicities were gastrointestinal and hematologic. Hypomethylation of biomarker genes was observed at all dose levels and trended with therapeutic response.Conclusions: Neoadjuvant VEOX was well-tolerated with significant clinical and epigenetic responses, with preliminary evidence that priming with V prior to chemotherapy may augment chemotherapy efficacy. The recommended phase II trial schedule is 5-azacitidine 75 mg/m² for 5 days followed by EOX chemotherapy every 21 days. Clin Cancer Res; 23(11); 2673-80. ©2016 AACR.

Single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND

As surgeons embrace the concept of increasingly less invasive surgery, techniques using only a single small incision have begun to gain traction. Multiple case series managed by a single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) have been published. The objective of this study is to describe the short-term outcomes of SILC in our institution.

METHODS

A retrospective review was done for 51 patients who underwent SILC between 2009-2012. The operative time, surgical technique, conversion rate, and postoperative complications were reported.

RESULTS

SILC was performed for 51 patients, all women, with a mean age of 35.6 years (range=19-62). Their body mass index(BMI) ranged from 16.8-35.6 kg m2 with a mean of 20.4. Twelve patients (23.52 %) had acute cholecystitis. The mean operating time was 58.6 minutes (range=45-95 min). Incidents were encountered in 6 patients (11.76%) and were related to intraoperative bleeding. There was a single conversion to the standard laparoscopic procedure (1.9%) and in 5 cases an accessory needle grasp was used (9.8%). Two patients (3.9%)presented postoperative complications (wound infections) and the mean hospital stay was 1.6 days.

CONCLUSIONS

SILC is feasible and provides a promising alternative to natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery for scarless laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, routine application of this novel technique requires an evaluation of its safety and cost effectiveness in larger studies.

Multimodal treatment of aggressive forms of breast cancer

Aggressive breast cancer is an invasive form with G3, G4 differentiation degree, the absence of receptors for estrogen and progesterone and the absence or presence of HER2 (+ or 3+) gene. The final diagnosis is established by cumulating the clinical, paraclinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical diagnosis.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

84 out of 268 aggressive breast cancer cases were presented in the study, which were operated in October 2011-September 2013. The inclusion and exclusion criteria are exposed in the study lot and the treatment schemes.

RESULTS

For the study lot (lot A made up of 36 cases, lot B made up of 41 cases, lot C made up of 7 cases) the distribution was presented on age groups, histopathological and immunohistochemical classification, etiologic factors, type of surgery, postoperative staging and complications.

CONCLUSIONS

The treatment of aggressive breast cancer depends on the level of the aggressiveness of the disease, the biologic status and the age that imposes the order of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgical treatment and target therapy.

Analysis of several BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in a hospital-based series of unselected breast cancer cases

BACKGROUND

The distribution of BRCA mutations varies significantly between populations. The spectrum of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in breast cancers in the Romanian population is incompletely known. The aim of the present study is to investigate the presence of nine BRCA mutations in patients with breast cancer identified in a surgical clinic from Bucharest.

METHODS

Unrelated women diagnosed with breast cancer from Coltea Hospital (n=114) and healthy controls (n = 150) were selected for this study. Seven mutations in BRCA1 (185delAG, 5382insC, 943ins10, E1250X, 1294del40, E1373X, R1443X) and two in BRCA2 (IVS16-2A4G and 6174delT) were tested using PCR based protocols. In addition, the presence of BRCA1 185delAG, BRCA1 5382insC, BRCA2 6174delT mutations were tested with a post amplification mutation detection system, based on the ELISA method.

RESULTS

Two patients with sporadic breast cancer (2%) and one patient with family history of the disease (7.14%) have the BRCA1 5382insC mutation. No other mutation was detected in patient and control groups. The mutations were not present in the control lot.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that BRCA1 5382insC is a common mutation in Romanian women with breast cancer (3 114).

Perforation of Meckel's diverticulum by foreign body, a rare complication

Meckel's diverticulum is a congenital disorder that results from an incomplete obliteration of the vitelline duct. Meckel's diverticulum may give rise to bleeding, intestinal obstruction and inflammation; however, its perforation by a foreign body is an extremely rare life-threatening complication. We report ona 37-year-old male presenting symptoms and signs of acute abdomen with an initial suspicion of acute appendicitis.However, the right diagnosis was made only during exploratory laparoscopy when the appendix was found to be normal,whereas Meckel's diverticulum was found to be inflamed and perforated by a chicken bone. The patient was treated successfully with laparoscopic resection of the diverticulum, and had an uncomplicated postoperative course.

[Synchronous gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and multiple digestive neoplasms, benign and malignant]

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are a broad category of mesenchymal, non-epithelial primary tumors of the digestive tract, located in the wall of hollow viscera, from the esophagus to the anus and often in adjacent mesentery and omentum. They are clinically unpredictable (may be discovered incidentally during an imagistic investigation or during surgery for other pathological entity, or at necropsy) and also have an unpredictable behavior (GISTs with very low risk, with low or moderate malignancy, which have benign histopathologic features but can recurr or can metastasize). The case we present here represents a rare association between a synchronous gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and multiple gastric benign and malignant tumors.

[Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast--two case reports]

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a rare type of breast carcinoma with a good prognosis. It represents less than 0,1% of breast carcinomas. We present two cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma diagnosed in the Surgical Department of Coltea Hospital in the last 3 years. The first case is a 66 years old patient with a breast tumor that has clinical and imagistic features compatible with a benign diagnosis. The frozen sections established the diagnosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma, confirmed by histopathologic examination of paraffin embedded tissue and immunohistochemistry. The second case is a 68 years old patient with a breast tumor located in the central quadrant of the left breast, with skin infiltration. Preoperatory fine needle aspiration is sugestive of a papillary tumor, so the cytologic exam cannot establish malignancy. The frozen sections established the diagnosis of ductal invasive carcinoma and histopathologic examination of paraffin embedded tissue and immunohistochemistry established the diagnosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma associated with ductal invasive carcinoma grade I and adenomyoepitelioma. The cytology had a false papillary aspect, in fact there was amorphous material contained in pseudoluminal spaces. In both cases the treatment was surgical resection with tumor excision and free resection margins. In the second case lymphadenectomy was also performed.

MTRR polymorphism and the risk for colorectal and breast cancer in Romanian patients--a preliminary study

BACKGROUND

The risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and breast cancer (BC) is influenced by polymorphisms located in the genes encoding enzymes of the folate pathway. The aim of this study was to evaluate if A66G MTRR (rs1801394) polymorphism is involved in predisposition for colorectal and breast carcinogenesis in Romanian patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the present case-control study, 300 individuals divide in four groups: sporadic CRC patients (n = 120), control CRC (n = 60), BC patients (n = 60) and control BC (n = 60), were genotyped by PCR-RFLP method.

RESULTS

Frequency of genotype AA was 11.7% in CRC control and 5% respectively in BC control. For cancer groups the frequency of genotype AA was 9.2% in CRC and 0% in BC.

CONCLUSIONS

Study results do not demonstrate an association between A66G MTRR polymorphism and CRC or BC in Romanian patients.

Phase II trial evaluating the clinical and biologic effects of bevacizumab in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

PURPOSE

To determine the clinical and biologic effects of bevacizumab, an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monoclonal antibody, in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Adults with organ-confined HCC, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 to 2, and compensated liver disease were eligible. Patients received bevacizumab 5 mg/kg (n = 12) or 10 mg/kg (n = 34) every 2 weeks until disease progression or treatment-limiting toxicity. The primary objective was to determine whether bevacizumab improved the 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate from 40% to 60%. Secondary end points included determining the effects of bevacizumab on arterial enhancement and on plasma cytokine levels and the capacity of patients' plasma to support angiogenesis via an in vitro assay.

RESULTS

The study included 46 patients, of whom six had objective responses (13%; 95% CI, 3% to 23%), and 65% were progression free at 6 months. Median PFS time was 6.9 months (95% CI, 6.5 to 9.1 months); overall survival rate was 53% at 1 year, 28% at 2 years, and 23% at 3 years. Grade 3 to 4 adverse events included hypertension (15%) and thrombosis (6%, including 4% with arterial thrombosis). Grade 3 or higher hemorrhage occurred in 11% of patients, including one fatal variceal bleed. Bevacizumab was associated with significant reductions in tumor enhancement by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and reductions in circulating VEGF-A and stromal-derived factor-1 levels. Functional angiogenic activity was associated with VEGF-A levels in patient plasma.

CONCLUSION

We observed significant clinical and biologic activity for bevacizumab in nonmetastatic HCC and achieved the primary study end point. Serious bleeding complications occurred in 11% of patients. Further evaluation is warranted in carefully selected patients.

Phase II trial evaluating the clinical and biologic effects of bevacizumab in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

PURPOSE

To determine the clinical and biologic effects of bevacizumab, an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monoclonal antibody, in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Adults with organ-confined HCC, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 to 2, and compensated liver disease were eligible. Patients received bevacizumab 5 mg/kg (n = 12) or 10 mg/kg (n = 34) every 2 weeks until disease progression or treatment-limiting toxicity. The primary objective was to determine whether bevacizumab improved the 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate from 40% to 60%. Secondary end points included determining the effects of bevacizumab on arterial enhancement and on plasma cytokine levels and the capacity of patients' plasma to support angiogenesis via an in vitro assay.

RESULTS

The study included 46 patients, of whom six had objective responses (13%; 95% CI, 3% to 23%), and 65% were progression free at 6 months. Median PFS time was 6.9 months (95% CI, 6.5 to 9.1 months); overall survival rate was 53% at 1 year, 28% at 2 years, and 23% at 3 years. Grade 3 to 4 adverse events included hypertension (15%) and thrombosis (6%, including 4% with arterial thrombosis). Grade 3 or higher hemorrhage occurred in 11% of patients, including one fatal variceal bleed. Bevacizumab was associated with significant reductions in tumor enhancement by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and reductions in circulating VEGF-A and stromal-derived factor-1 levels. Functional angiogenic activity was associated with VEGF-A levels in patient plasma.

CONCLUSION

We observed significant clinical and biologic activity for bevacizumab in nonmetastatic HCC and achieved the primary study end point. Serious bleeding complications occurred in 11% of patients. Further evaluation is warranted in carefully selected patients.

[The sentinel lymph node technique in colorectal cancer using in vivo dye--utility and limits]

The aim of this work is to analyze the importance of sentinel lymph node technique in the treatment of colorectal cancer. There are presented data from literature concerning sentinel lymph node, especially papers about the place of sentinel lymph node method in the treatment of colorectal cancer. This work also shows the experience of Surgical Clinical Department of Coltea Hospital in the use of sentinel lymph node method in colorectal cancer (8 patients with colon cancer and 9 with rectal cancer). There are presented the criteria for inclusion in the study group (26 patients initially proposed for the study) and the exclusion criteria, the diagnostic method using an in vivo dye and the pathology study. The study of the literature and our experience leads to the conclusion that the identification of the sentinel lymph node in colorectal cancer doesn't modify the dissection of the lymphatic area. This procedure may change the adjuvant treatment for colorectal cancer. The discussion is still open concerning the importance of lymphatic micro metastases found by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry methods. More studies are necessary to clarify these problems.

Sex difference in diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma

BACKGROUND

Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM) is rare and in the past has proved an invariably fatal disease. Female patients have been reported to have an improved survival outcome for reasons that are not understood.

METHODS

The survival of 34 men and 28 women who underwent cytoreduction and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy for DMPM was compared. Twenty-five clinicopathological variables were subjected to univariate analysis.

RESULTS

The women had a 5-year survival rate of 63 per cent and median survival was not reached. The men had a 5-year survival rate of 42 per cent, with a median survival of 32 months (P = 0.045). Women had undergone more extensive previous surgery and had less extensive peritoneal involvement at the time of cytoreduction. Tumours in women more frequently showed a small nuclear size (30 microm or less) and the chromatin pattern was more often granular than clear.

CONCLUSION

Women with DMPM had better survival. This observation may be related to the favourable clinical and histopathological features associated with women.

[The complications of colostomies]

The evaluation of the frequency of complications that arise after colostomies performed for colorectal and genital neoplasm, and also the treatment possibilities for these complications. In Colţea Hospital, Surgical Department during 1984-2002 there have been admitted and surgically treated 891 patients with colorectal cancers, among which, 484 had rectosigmoidal neoplasm. We have treated 25 patients with complicated genital neoplasm (19 rectovaginal and recto-bladder-vaginal fistulas following cervical cancers, 5 pelvic tumoral blocks following ovarian cancers and a vulvar cancer with local invasion). For all these patients we performed: 25 Hartmann resections, 75 Reybard resections, 73 Dixon resections and 147 rectal amputations, with 294 colostomies (30 iliac anus in continuity-Audrey, 18 on a stick, 232 terminal and 14 cecostomies for protection or decompression). There were 48 complications following the colostomies: 10 cases of stenosis, 14 prolapses, 7 intestinal loop necroses and 17 parastomal hernias, all of them surgically managed. Terminal colostomies and colostomies for protection are still frequently used in surgical departments, having strict indications. Because they are frequently performed as emergencies, at patients with poor biological status they are often enough followed by complications, most of them with little gravity. The complications can be avoided by a proper therapeutic choice and in most cases can be managed with a surgical intervention.

[Therapeutic approach in locally advanced and complicated rectosigmoid and genital cancers]

Locally advanced and complicated rectosigmoidian and genital cancers raise many therapeutic problems for surgeons. The most frequently used therapeutic methods nowadays are: radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgical procedures, immunotherapy and other modern methods that aren't in the current clinical use yet. In a trial of 456 patients with locally advanced and complicated rectosigmoidian cancers and 632 patients with genital cancers we performed 573 (52.6%) radical surgical procedures and 515 (47.4%) palliative procedures, 301 (27.6%) of these being permanent colostomy (257 terminal and 44 in continuity). All of the patients received radiotherapy or chemotherapy pre and/or after surgery. The survival was between 5-7 months in the trial of patients with permanent colostomy, between 12-36 months in the trial of patients with palliative surgical procedures and adjuvant treatment and between 5-17 years in the trial of patients with radical surgical procedures and neo- and adjuvant therapy.

[Mini invasive surgery--"a new era"]

Miniinvasive surgery together with general anesthesia, the antibiotherapy and the transplant, the argon laser, the electric and ultrasound scalpel, the mechanical sutures and imagistic techniques are "a new surgical era". The cystoscope Nietze, the Veres needle and the insufflations system with flow and pressure control, the improvement of laparoscopes, the invention of endoscopes with optical fibers, the miniaturized video camera connected to a video monitor and the fabrication of instruments of 10, 3 and 3 mm diameter permitted the rapid develop of miniinvasive surgery. This, from a diagnostic method, progressed with success to therapeutics procedures in the field of general, thoracic, urology, orthopedic, vascular and neurological surgery. The miniinvasive surgery associated with endoscopic surgery resolve some of the illnesses with small tissues lesions, with decreasing the sufferance and the number of complications, also decreasing the hospitalization period and facilitate the socio-professional re-entrance and increasing the quality of life. The miniinvasive surgical practice need good open surgical skills and a "learning curve" for each procedure also need to keep fundamental principium. The conversion is not a fail but an aspect of surgical maturity.

[The rectal cancer--between resection and amputation. Surgeon's decalogue]

The surgeon has the opportunity to use a lot of treatment choices taking into account the site, the progression and the aggressiveness of the rectal tumors. If the treatment of anal cancer have been the same over the last years there are a few problems regarding the rectal cancer, especially for the one, which is distal and locally advanced. The therapeutic choice must take into account the following factors: the site of the tumor, the circumferential invasion, the local and distant spread, the complications and loco-regional recurrences, the anatomical shape of the pelvis, the possibility of developing tumor implants on the residual rectum, the equipment of the hospital, the experience of the surgical team, the accuracy of stoma technique, and the previous results in patients survival. In a trial of 381 patients with recto-sigmoidian and anal cancers we performed 171 rectal amputations, 29 Hartmann procedures and 76 laparotomies and colostomies. From the 276 patients with colostomy 172 (62.31%) were followed. The survival rate was: 6-10 months for the patients with laparotomy and colostomy, 16-24 months for those with palliative procedures (55.8%) and 5-17 years for those with radical procedures. From the point of view of the authors the rectal amputation with colostomy it is an alternative between oncological safety and patients comfort. This kind of surgical procedure must be done in specialized centers excepting the emergencies.

[The place of conservative surgery in the complex oncologic treatment of breast cancer]

For a long time, breast-conserving surgery has been a subject of great interest and debate. Many researchers have tried to find strict criteria in selecting the patients who can benefit from such a treatment but this remains a goal to achieve in the future. In our surgical department, from 1984 to 2000, 1152 patients were diagnosed with breast cancer. 741 patients (64.1%) had advanced breast cancer and 411 patients (35.6%) were diagnosed in I and II stages. From the patients with early breast cancer only 57 (14.1%) had benefited of conservative surgery combined with adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. All patients received hormonotherapy. The surgical treatment consisted in a broad sectorectomy and axillary lymphadenectomy in all cases. We present the criteria for selecting patients in our study. The patients were followed for 2-5 years, with a mean period of 48 months and there were no significant differences between the trial with mamectomy and that with conservative surgery. There is presented a brief review of the literature in this field. Our conclusion is that the conservative surgery for breast cancer is a good method, which can be applied for selected patients and with a good follow-up.

[The therapeutical strategy for locally advanced breast cancer]

As for the other cancers, the strategy of therapy of breast cancers is going to a unitary standardization. In our department between 1984-1999 we are operated 1040 patients with breast cancers, which means 25.3% of all cancers treated. 688 (64.3%) were CMLA, 646 (96.7%) of them were in patients women and 22 (3.3%) men. The mean age was 52.4 years (3-84 years). All patients were divided into two trials and analyzed: retrospectively (A) 312 (46.7%) and prospectively (B) 356 (53.3%) patients, 51.2% of patients was in III and IV TNM stage. The patients from trial B were treated concerning with specific therapeutically protocol, adapted by age, anatomopathological form, volume of tumor, skin or thoracic wall invasion, inflammatory lesions, lymph node invasion and physiological period. The results were: the increase of number of radical surgical interventions, the decrease of the morbidity, the increase of survival and a better quality of life.

[Conversion in laparoscopic surgery]

AIM

The conversion causes evaluation in dynamics.

METHODOLOGY

The study is a retrospective analysis of the conversion to open surgery in 1993-2001 period, indifferently of the moment and the determinant cause. The yearly dynamics of the conversions was divided by operation types and surgeons. There were also analysed the moment and the cause of the conversion.

RESULTS

There were realised 3961 laparoscopic operations (by 7 experienced surgeons and a lot of young surgeons), with 244 conversions (6.2%), percentage variable depending of the operation (3.3% in hernioraphies, 5.3% in cholecystectomies, 8.2% in gynecologic procedures, 12.1% in appendectomies, 33% in abdominal esophagus procedures, 33% in splenectomies) and on surgeon (until 0% and 8%); the differences until the surgeons don't depend on their experience and for the same surgeon, the experience accumulation doesn't reduce the conversion rate. The most conversions happen after a simple inspection or a minimal dissection (73.1% in cholecystectomy) caused by the existence of plastron, the discovery of a difficult anatomic situation or of another pathology; more rarely, the conversion happens in the principal time (23.4% in cholecystectomy), doing to hemorrhage, impossible dissection, visceral injury or even at the end of the operation (3.5% in cholecystectomy), doing to hemorrhage, loss piece or calculs.

CONCLUSIONS

The conversion rate depends especially on the correctness of the indication of laparoscopic approach and not on the surgeon experience, what proves that it is a moment of surgical maturity. Decide from the beginning, in the moment of the recognition of a difficult situation and not after the occurrence of a complication, modifies neither the morbidity, nor the much discussed hospital stay.

[Merkel cell carcinoma]

Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine dermal neoplasm. This study is a retrospective outcomes analysis of two cases of MCC with data regarding clinical, histopathological, immunohistochemistry and also surgical, chimio and radiological treatment. MCC is a rare dermal tumors, this tumors are most predictable found on sunexposed sites. Diagnosis is best accomplished by a thorough clinical evaluation coupled with light microscopy and defined panel of immunohistochemical studies which are necessary for the definitive diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma (cytokeratins, neuron specific enoiase and chromogranin). A lot of other disease must be included in the differential diagnosis. MCC is an aggressive tumor with local or locoregionale extension and distant spread by hematogen or lymphatic way. Surgical excision of tumor and regional lymphadenectomy is the first step of treatment completed with radiotherapy and chemotherapy bat in advanced studies the rate of local or distant recidives is high.

[Pseudomyxoma peritonei (gelatinous peritonitis )]

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (P.P.) is characterised by the presence in the peritoneal cavity of 3 elements--mucinous neoplasic cells, mucinous ascites and diffuses mucinous implants. We analysed the patients treated in our service and we made a literature review. The study is a retrospective analysis on the 1984-2000 period. 6 patients were diagnosed with P.P., 2 females and 4 men, with medial age 63 years (53-75). Clinical findings and biologic analysis were not specific and the imagistic explorers didn't permit the preoperative diagnosis. The patients were submitted to variate surgical procedures, based on the benign (4 cases) or malignant (2 cases) character of the disease and on the origin of the lesions: cystadenoma of the appendix with secondary tumours of the ovary (the 2 females) and, respectively, cystadenoma and cytsadenocarcinoma of the appendix, mucinous paraenteric cyst with pseudomyxoma retroperitonei, mucinous recto-sigmoidian neoplasm (the 4 men). We practiced intraperitoneal chemotherapy with Thio-Tepa in 5 cases (intraoperative in 4 cases) and systemic, with 5-FU and mytomicine, in one case. The operative morbidity and mortality were null. All the patients were follow-up (average 4.2 years). The global 5-year survival rate was 60% (100% in the benign disease and 0% in the malignant form).

CONCLUSION

P.P. is a rare disease, still poorly understood. The origin of the disease is the appendix (70-80%) and less frequently the ovary. It was divided in two distinct forms: disseminated peritoneal adenomucinosis and peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis. The treatment associates radical surgery and intraperitoneal chemohyperthermia, in specialised centres, but the prognosis still remains poor (50-70% 5-year global survival rate).

Voltammetric determination of L-cysteine at conductive diamond electrodes

Boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes were used to examine L-cysteine (CySH) oxidation in alkaline media. The results of the voltammetric and polarization measurements showed that at BDD electrodes the overall CySH oxidation reaction is controlled by the initial electrochemical step, i.e., the oxidation of the CyS- electroactive species. The same conclusion was supported by the results of a study of pH effects. Conversely, at glassy carbon (GC) electrodes, the same reaction is controlled by the desorption of the reaction products. These results account for the poor response for CySH determination at GC compared to BDD. It was found that BDD exhibits excellent behavior for CySH determination, clearly outperforming GC. The results demonstrate that measurement of the peak current for CySH oxidation can be used as a basis for simple method for determining CySH in the micromolar concentration range by the use of BDD electrodes.

[The effects of cicatrizant wound compresses]

Cicatrisant collagen compress are biomaterials performed from type I collagen purified. Experimental studies including trials carried out in vitro and in vivo, demonstrated the biocompatibility of these biomaterials and their effect on accelerating the process of dermic wound re-epithelization. A subsequent stage of our investigations consisted in clinical trial of these cicatrisant compresses. These were applied to post-traumatismal wounds of variable areas or to 2nd and 3rd degree of deeper burns. The obtained results demonstrated that collagen biomaterials as cicatrizing compresses are well tolerated by human organism, they do not cause inflammations, necroses or other undesirable phenomena at the site of application. Also it was found that these biomaterials are not antigenic, since anticollagen type I antibodies were not present in nome of the treated patients' serum and accelerate the epitelization.

Selective voltammetric and amperometric detection of uric acid with oxidized diamond film electrodes

Electrochemically anodized diamond film electrodes were used for selective detection of uric acid (UA) in the presence of high concentrations of ascorbic acid (AA) by differential pulse voltammetry and chronoamperometry. Because the oxidation peak potential for AA is approximately 450 mV more positive than that for UA at anodized diamond electrodes, UA can be determined with very good selectivity. By use of chronoamperometry, linear calibration curves were obtained for UA over the concentration range up to 1 x 10(-6) M in 0.1 M HClO4 solution, with the lowest experimental value measured being 5 x 10(-8) M. This is consistent with the fact that a statistical analysis of the calibration curve yielded a detection limit of 1.5 x 10(-8) M (S/N = 3). AA in less than 20-fold excess does not interfere. The practical analytical utility of the method is demonstrated by the measurement of UA in human urine and serum without any preliminary treatment.

[Technical solving variants of external biliary and pancreatic fistulas]

Two cutaneous postoperative fistulas--pancreatic and biliary--was solved by an anastomosis of maturate fistulas traject with duodenum and respectively an Y jejuno loop (Roux) with good results.

[Considerations on 988 breast cancers]

AIM

Therapy schedule improvement.

MATERIAL & METHOD

The study includes 988 patients (which 16 men) with breast cancer who underwent surgery between 1984-1998. Out of them 63.2% were in advanced stages. The patients were divided in 2 homogenous groups: trial A = 520 patients treated between 1984-1991 (in stade: I = 2, II = 240, III = 246, IV = 32) studied retrospectively, and trial B = 468 patients treated between 1992-1998 (in stade I = 3, II = 212, III = 235, IV = 18) studied prospectively. In trial B the complex therapy schedule was improved according to disease's stade, local breast aspect and patient's biological status, straining on neoadjuvant therapy. To the entire group 945 radical mastectomies (95.6%) were performed. Only 628 (63.5%) could be properly followed up.

RESULTS

Global 5 years survival rate was 72% (improved from 69% in trial A to 72% in trial B). The survival rate varied according the stage from 100% (stade I), 88% (stade II), to 22% (stade III) and 2% (stade IV). In the advanced states, the local recurrencies at 5 years were of 22% and the methastases of 17%.

CONCLUSIONS

The neoadjuvant therapy, selectively applied upon stade and patient improves the 5 year survival rate. Every patient with an advanced breast cancer can benefit of a complex, differentiated and well guided treatment. The adequate operation earn the important role in powering the neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies. Further results improvement requires restarting the collectivities and high risk persons screening.

[Immediate and early reinterventions in the surgery of colorectal cancer]

Out of 584 cases submitted to colorectal surgery 461 (78.92%) were performed for cancer. Thirty-three patients (7.16%) necessitated immediate (1) or precocious reinterventions for bleeding, fistulae, peritoneal infections, bowel occlusion, necrosis or stenosis of the iliac anus. We are out the technical procedures chosen for each class of complications asking for reintervention. We registered 4 deaths, in aged patients with hard associated morbidity, with emergency reinterventions. We appreciate that a correct preoperative preparation reduces the rate of reintervention and an early reintervention reduces the post-operative mortality.

[The repair of voluminous postoperative abdominal wall defects with synthetic mesh]

Important postoperative abdominal wall defects, especially recurrent or multirecidivated ones, are raising multiple problems to the surgeon. We are presenting a homogeneous trial of 209 patients with such lesions, in which the abdominal wall repair was made with different kind of synthetic materials, with good results. In a single case the mesh was rejected, because a silent quiescent infection. In three patients undergoing iterative abdominal operations for other diseases we performed optical and electronic microscopical studies showing out that the material integration was done by normal biological reaction. This provides the materials' tolerability and a normal reaction of the organism.

[The effect of a plant mixture on the metabolic equilibrium in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus]

The present paper analyses the results obtained in 82 patients with diabetes mellitus of the 2nd type: 59 women and 23 men, between 41 and 74 years old (average +/- DS, 58 +/- 9 years), of which 58 had an index of the body weight higher than 26. The diabetes duration ranged between newly discovered and 11 years. Each patient was given, 3 times a day, a 150 ml cup containing an infusion of the following mixture of plants previously cut into small pieces: Phaseolus vulgaris (pod), Morus alba (leaf), and Vaccinum myrtillus (leaves). The approximate dose used was of about 15 g/day. The treatment lasted for two months. Before and after treatment, the following parameters were determined: Hb Al (Bio-Rex method) in 31 cases; the average of 3 consequent glycemias; the value of glycemia and insulinemia recorded after a standard lunch, consisting of about 40 g glucides, 14 g proteins and 6 g lipids (50 g bread, a boiled egg and a boiled apple of 100 g). Analysis of the results obtained enabled the following temporary conclusions (1). In 74 out of the 82 cases studied, the average values of glycemia, after the treatment with plants, were lower than those recorded before the treatment (the average values of the whole lot: 219 +/- 82 mg/dl before treatment and 166 +/- 76 mg/dl after treatment (2). The overall decrease recorded, of 53 mg/dl, represents 24.3% of the initial value (3).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Measurement of perception threshold to an electric stimulus using a phase-sensitive technique in normal and diabetic subjects

To evaluate the functional state of peripheral sensitivity we measured the perception threshold to an electrical stimulus applied deeply at the level of the lower limbs in both diabetic and nondiabetic patients. The data were obtained using a phase-sensitive technique with a sinusoidal applied voltage at 1592 Hz. The test signal applied through needle electrodes was monitored using a current-to-voltage convertor, the current being considered to have two components, one resistive (IR) in phase with the voltage V across the electrodes, and the other capacitive (IC) 90 degrees out of phase. A significantly (p less than 0.001) higher perception threshold was found in diabetic patients than in nondiabetic subjects with all three electrical variables measured: IR, IC and V.