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Staging System (staging + system)
Kinds of Staging System Selected AbstractsEvaluation of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging System for Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Proposal of a New Staging SystemDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 11 2005Scott M. Dinehart MD Purpose. To identify and propose corrections for deficiencies in the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) system for staging cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Materials and Methods. Prognostic factors for CSCC were identified by retrospective analysis of the published literature. Limitations and deficiencies in the current AJCC staging system for CSCC were then determined using these prognostic factors. Results. Size, histologic differentiation, location, previous treatment, depth of invasion, tumor thickness, histologic subtype, perineural spread, and scar etiology are the most powerful tumor prognostic indicators in patients with localized disease. The most important prognostic factors for patients with nodal metastases are the location, number, and size of the positive lymph nodes. Proposed changes for the T classification include increased stratification of tumor size, identification of patients with perineural invasion, and the addition of tumor thickness or depth of invasion. The N classification has been expanded to include the number and size of nodal metastases. Conclusion. The current AJCC staging system for carcinoma of the skin has deficiencies that limit its use for CSCC. The proposed TMN staging system for CSCC more accurately reflects the prognosis and natural history of CSCC. SCOTT M. DINEHART, MD, AND STEVEN PETERSON, MD, HAVE INDICATED NO SIGNIFICANT INTEREST WITH COMMERCIAL SUPPORTERS. [source] Multiple myeloma in elderly patients: prognostic factors and outcomeEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2005Athanasios Anagnostopoulos Abstract:,Objectives:,Purpose of this study was to compare prognostic factors and outcome of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) aged >70 yr at diagnosis with those of younger patients. We also applied the recently proposed International Staging System (ISS) for MM in these patients. Patients and methods:,Among 1,162 newly diagnosed, symptomatic MM patients included in our database, 357 (31%) were >70 yr of age. Clinical and laboratory variables were evaluated in patients >70 yr and in younger patients and were assessed for possible correlation with survival in patients >70 yr of age. Results:,Most clinical and laboratory features were similar in the two groups of patients but older patients presented more frequently with advanced ISS (P = 0.02). Despite similar response rates to primary treatment, younger patients survived longer than patients >70 yr of age (40 vs. 28 months, P = 0.001). There was a longer survival of younger patients than that of older patients diagnosed with ISS stage 1 (median 71 vs. 54 months, P = 0.007) and ISS stage-2 patients (median: 38 vs. 26 months, P = 0.0008) but for patients with ISS stage 3 median survival was similarly poor in the younger and older age group (21 and 20 months, P = 0.283). Other variables associated with impaired prognosis were severe anemia, extensive bone marrow plasmacytosis and elevated serum LDH. Conclusions:,Older patients with MM present more often with advanced ISS and have significantly shorter survival than younger patients. The ISS retained its prognostic significance within the group of elderly patients. [source] Impact of vitamin D deficiency on the clinical presentation and prognosis of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma,,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY, Issue 7 2009Alvin C. Ng Vitamin D is a fundamental mediator of skeletal metabolism. It also has important nonskeletal actions. We hypothesized that vitamin D deficiency may play an important role in skeletal morbidity and clinical outcomes in MM. We studied 148 newly diagnosed MM patients from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2008 who had a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] obtained within 14 days of diagnosis. Subjects with vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D level less than 50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL)] had higher mean values of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) (2.40 mg/L vs. 0.84 mg/L, P = 0.02) and creatinine (1.75 mg/dL vs. 1.24 mg/dL, P = 0.03) and lower serum albumin values (3.12 g/dL vs. 3.39 g/dL, P = 0.003) compared to subjects without vitamin D deficiency. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency increased in parallel with International Staging System (ISS): 16% of subjects in Stage I, 20% in Stage II, and 37% in Stage III (P = 0.03) were vitamin D deficient. No differences were detected between the two groups in terms of skeletal morbidity. Association of vitamin D deficiency with higher serum CRP, serum creatinine and ISS stage at time of diagnosis suggests that vitamin D deficiency may portend poorer outcomes in subjects with MM. Am. J. Hematol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Embryonic Staging System for the Black Mastiff Bat, Molossus rufus (Molossidae), Correlated With Structure-Function Relationships in the AdultTHE ANATOMICAL RECORD : ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Mark J. Nolte The helmeted appearance of the black mastiff bat, Molossus rufus, at embryonic stage 21 results from the anterior margins of the ears being progressively situated near the facial midline during development. Comparative bat embryology provides a foundation for understanding unique mammalian and chiropteran (bat) adaptations, such as the marked ability of M. rufus to use its compactly folded wings during terrestrial quadrupedal locomotion. See Nolte et al., on page 155, in this issue. [source] Bilateral Orbital Metastases as the Presenting Finding in a Male Patient with Breast Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the LiteratureTHE BREAST JOURNAL, Issue 3 2000Michael Stuntz MD Abstract: Breast cancer in men has traditionally been thought to be substantially different from that in women. As more becomes known about this relatively rare entity, the similarities between genders become more striking than the differences. Carcinoma of the male breast is an uncommon disease occurring in less than 1% of all breast cancers. Male breast carcinoma is staged similarly to female breast cancer using the American Joint Committee Clinical Staging System. As in women, axillary nodal status is the strongest predictor of outcome. Distant metastasis to bones, soft tissue, lungs, and liver have been widely reported in men with breast cancer. This case report provides a rather rare presentation of a man with breast carcinoma with bilateral orbital metastasis as an initial clinical presentation. [source] Prospective study of the relationship between the systemic inflammatory response, prognostic scoring systems and relapse-free and cancer-specific survival in patients undergoing potentially curative resection for renal cancerBJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 8 2008Sara Ramsey OBJECTIVE To examine the prognostic value of markers of systemic inflammatory response, together with established scoring systems, in predicting relapse-free and cancer-specific survival in patients with primary operable renal cancer, as there is increasing evidence that such markers provide prognostic information, in addition to scoring systems, in patients with metastatic renal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS In all, 83 patients undergoing potentially curative nephrectomy for localized renal cancer were recruited. The University of California Los Angeles Integrated Staging System (UISS), ,Stage Size Grade Necrosis' (SSIGN) and Kattan scores were constructed. The systemic inflammatory response was assessed by counting white cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes and platelets, and measuring albumin and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations. RESULTS On multivariate analysis of the significant individual covariates, T stage (hazard ratio 2.38, 95% confidence interval 1.06, 5.36, P = 0.037), necrosis (3.73, 1.26,11.05, P = 0.018) and CRP (4.31, 1.20,15.49, P = 0.025) were significant independent predictors of relapse-free survival. On multivariate analysis of significant scoring systems and CRP, only UISS (3.50, 1.66,7.40, P = 0.001), SSIGN (2.83, 1.19,6.72, P = 0.018) and CRP (4.14, 1.16,14.73, P = 0.028) were significant independent predictors of relapse-free survival. CONCLUSION Elevated circulating CRP levels appear to be better than other markers of the systemic inflammatory response, and independent of established scoring systems, in predicting relapse-free and cancer-specific survival in patients undergoing potentially curative nephrectomy for renal cancer. [source] Safety and efficacy of bortezomib in high-risk and elderly patients with relapsed multiple myelomaBRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2007Paul G. Richardson Summary Adverse prognostic factors in multiple myeloma include advanced age, number of prior therapies, and higher International Staging System (ISS) disease stage. In the international, randomised, phase-3 Assessment of Proteasome Inhibition for Extending Remissions (APEX) study, bortezomib demonstrated significantly longer time to progression (TTP), higher response rates and improved survival compared with high-dose dexamethasone in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma following one to three prior therapies. In this APEX subgroup analysis, efficacy of bortezomib and dexamethasone was compared in elderly (age ,65 years) and high-risk (>1 prior line of therapy; ISS stage II/III; refractory to prior therapy) patients. Bortezomib demonstrated substantial clinical activity in these patients. Response rate (34,40% vs. 13,19%), including complete response rate (5,8% vs. 0,1%), was significantly higher with bortezomib versus dexamethasone in all four subgroups. Similarly, median TTP was significantly longer with bortezomib versus dexamethasone, and 1-year survival probability was significantly higher in all subgroups. As in the total APEX population, rates of grade 3/4 adverse events were higher in bortezomib- versus dexamethasone-treated patients aged ,65 years and with >1 prior line, while rates of serious adverse events were similar; toxicities generally proved manageable. Bortezomib should be considered an appropriate treatment for elderly and high-risk patients with relapsed multiple myeloma. [source] Extent of disease burden determined with magnetic resonance imaging of the bone marrow is predictive of survival outcome in patients with multiple myelomaCANCER, Issue 1 2010Sikander Ailawadhi MD Abstract BACKGROUND: Multiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable cancer. Treatment often is initiated at the time patients experience a progressive increase in tumor burden. The authors of this report investigated magnetic resonance imaging of the bone marrow (BM-MRI) as a novel approach to quantify disease burden and validated a staging system by correlating BM-MRI with common clinical and laboratory parameters. METHODS: The extent of bone marrow involvement was evaluated by BM-MRI. Clinical and laboratory parameters were assessed in patients with active MM, and correlations between variables were assessed statistically. Bone marrow involvement by BM-MRI was defined as stage A (0%), stage B (<10%), stage C (10%-50%), and stage D (>50%). RESULTS: In total, 170 consecutive patients were evaluated (77 women and 93 men), including 144 patients who had active MM. The median age was 61 years (age range, 35-83 years). Advance stage disease (stage >I) based on Durie-Salmon (DS) staging or International Staging System (ISS) criteria was observed in 122 patients (84%) and 77 patients (53%), respectively. Lytic bone disease was noted in 120 patients (83%). There was a significant association between BM-MRI involvement and DS stage (P = .0006), ISS stage (P = .0001), the presence of lytic bone disease (P < .0001) and mean ,-2 microglobulin levels (P < .0001). Among the patients with previously untreated MM, there was a significant association between BM-MRI stage and overall survival (OS) (univariate P = .013; multivariate P = .045). Plasmacytosis on bone marrow biopsy at diagnosis was not predictive of OS (P = .91). CONCLUSIONS: BM-MRI is a novel approach for quantifying disease burden in patients with MM. The current investigation in a large cohort of nontransplantion MM patients demonstrated that the extent of bone marrow involvement determined by BM-MRI correlates accurately with other conventional parameters of disease burden and can independently predict survival in patients with MM at the time of initial diagnosis. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society. [source] Frailty predicts long-term mortality in elderly subjects with chronic heart failureEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 12 2005F. Cacciatore Abstract Background, The elderly are characterized by a high prevalence of chronic heart failure (CHF) and frailty, which is a complex interaction of physical, psychological and social impairment. This study aimed to examine the predictive role of frailty on long-term mortality in elderly subjects with CHF. Materials and methods, The study assessed long-term mortality after 12-year follow up in 120 subjects with CHF and 1139 subjects without CHF, selected in 1992, from a random sample of the elderly population in the Campania region of Italy. Frailty was assessed according to a ,Frailty Staging System'. Results, Subjects with CHF were prevalently female (60%) and older than 75 years (mean 75·9 ± 6·7); subjects without CHF were prevalently female (56·4%) and younger than 75 years (mean 74·0 ± 6·3). In subjects with and without CHF stratified into classes of frailty there was a statistically significant increase in age, comorbidity, disability and low social support, and a decrease in MMSE score. Moreover, death progressively increased more with frailty in subjects (70·0% to 94·4%, P < 0·03) than in those without (43·8.% to 88·3%, P < 0·0001) CHF. The Kaplan,Meier analysis shows that at 9 years the probability of survival progressively decreased as frailty increased (45·5% to 0%) in subjects with CHF and from 62·8% to 25·9% in subjects without CHF. The Cox regression analysis indicated that frailty is predictive of mortality in the multivariate model adjusted for several variables including sex and age in subjects with and without CHF. Moreover, the analysis showed that frailty is more predictive of mortality in elderly subjects with CHF when it was analyzed either as continuous (1·48 vs. 1·36) or as a dummy (3 vs. 1 = 1·62 vs. 1·24) variable. Conclusions, Thus mortality among elderly subjects with or without CHF increases with frailty. Moreover, frailty is more predictive of long-term mortality in elderly subjects with than in those without CHF. Hence, frailty represents a new independent variable for predicting long-term mortality in elderly subjects with CHF. [source] Evaluation of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging System for Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Proposal of a New Staging SystemDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 11 2005Scott M. Dinehart MD Purpose. To identify and propose corrections for deficiencies in the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) system for staging cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Materials and Methods. Prognostic factors for CSCC were identified by retrospective analysis of the published literature. Limitations and deficiencies in the current AJCC staging system for CSCC were then determined using these prognostic factors. Results. Size, histologic differentiation, location, previous treatment, depth of invasion, tumor thickness, histologic subtype, perineural spread, and scar etiology are the most powerful tumor prognostic indicators in patients with localized disease. The most important prognostic factors for patients with nodal metastases are the location, number, and size of the positive lymph nodes. Proposed changes for the T classification include increased stratification of tumor size, identification of patients with perineural invasion, and the addition of tumor thickness or depth of invasion. The N classification has been expanded to include the number and size of nodal metastases. Conclusion. The current AJCC staging system for carcinoma of the skin has deficiencies that limit its use for CSCC. The proposed TMN staging system for CSCC more accurately reflects the prognosis and natural history of CSCC. SCOTT M. DINEHART, MD, AND STEVEN PETERSON, MD, HAVE INDICATED NO SIGNIFICANT INTEREST WITH COMMERCIAL SUPPORTERS. [source] Single-Institution Experience in the Management of Patients with Clinical Stage I and II Cutaneous Melanoma: Results of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in 240 CasesDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 11 2005Jordi Rex MD Background. Lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has been developed as a minimally invasive technique to determine the pathologic status of regional lymph nodes in patients without clinically palpable disease and incorporated in the latest version of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for cutaneous melanoma. Objective. To analyze the results of SLNB and the prognostic value of the micrometastases and the pattern of early recurrences in patients according to sentinel lymph node (SLN) status. Method. Patients with cutaneous melanoma in stages I and II (AJCC 2002) who underwent lymphatic mapping and SLNB from 1997 to 2003 were included in a prospective database for analysis. Results. The rate of identification of the SLN was 100%. Micrometastases to SLN were found in 20.8% of patients. The rate of SLN micrometastases increased according to Breslow thickness and clinical stage. Breslow thickness of 0.99 mm was the optimal cutpoint for predicting the SLNB result. Twenty-four patients (12.3%) developed a locoregional or distant recurrence at a median follow-up of 31 months. Recurrences were more frequent in patients with a positive SLN. Among patients who had a recurrence, those with a positive SLN were more likely to have distant metastases than those with negative SLN. Nodal recurrences were more frequent in patients with a negative SLN compared with those with a positive SLN. Conclusions. The status of the SLN provides accurate staging for identifying patients who may benefit from further therapy and is the most important prognostic factor of relapse-free survival. THIS WORK WAS SUPPORTED BY GRANTS FROM FONDO DE INVESTIGACIONES SANITARIAS (98/0449), BECA DE FORMACIÓ DE PERSONAL INVESTIGADOR (2001/FI0757), AND THE RED ESPÑOLA DE CENTROS DE GENÓMICA DEL CÁNCER (C03/10). [source] Cutaneous melanoma: practical usefulness of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging systemDERMATOLOGIC THERAPY, Issue 6 2005Arthur J. Sober ABSTRACT:, The 2002 American Joint Committee on Cancer melanoma staging classification is the first to be based on natural history. Although primarily for hospital tumor registrars, knowledge of the classification is of value to dermatologists in prognosticating for their patients and in selecting candidates for sentinel node biopsy and possible subsequent therapies. [source] Analysis of micrometastatic disease in histologically negative lymph nodes of patients with adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus or gastric cardiaDISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS, Issue 6 2008C. J. Buskens SUMMARY., Lymphatic dissemination is the most important prognostic factor in patients with esophageal carcinoma. However, the clinical significance of lymph node micrometastases is still debated due to contradictory results. The aim of the present study was to identify the incidence of potentially relevant micrometastatic disease in patients with histologically node-negative esophageal adenocarcinoma and to analyze the sensitivity and specificity of three different immunohistochemical assays. From a consecutive series of 79 patients who underwent a transthoracic resection with extended 2-field lymphadenectomy, all 20 patients with pN0 esophageal adenocarcinoma were included in this study. A total of 578 lymph nodes were examined for the presence of micrometastases by immunohistochemical analysis with the antibodies Ber-EP4, AE1/AE3 and CAM 5.2. Lymph node micrometastases were detected in five of the 20 patients (25%). They were identified in 16 of the 578 lymph nodes examined (2.8%) and most frequently detected with the Ber-EP4 and AE1/AE3 antibody (sensitivity 95% and 79% respectively). In 114 of the 559 negative lymph nodes (20.4%), positive single cells were found that did not demonstrate malignant characteristics. These false-positive cells were more frequently found with the AE1/AE3 staining (specificity of the Ber-Ep4 and AE1/AE3 antibody 94% and 84% respectively). The presence of nodal micrometastases was associated with the development of locoregional recurrences (P=0.01), distant metastases (P=0.01), and a reduced overall survival (log rank test, P=0.009). For the detection of clinically relevant micrometastatic disease in patients operated upon for adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus or gastric cardia, Ber-EP4 is the antibody of first choice because of its high sensitivity and specificity. Immunohistochemically detected micrometastases in histologically negative lymph nodes have potential prognostic significance and are associated with a high incidence of both locoregional and systemic recurrence. Therefore, this technique has the potential to refine the staging system for esophageal cancer and to help identify patients who will not be cured by surgery alone. [source] Staging anorexia nervosa: conceptualizing illness severityEARLY INTERVENTION IN PSYCHIATRY, Issue 1 2008Sarah Maguire Abstract In recent years, there has been increasing attention to the conceptualization of anorexia nervosa (AN) and its diagnostic criteria. While varying levels of severity within the illness category of AN have long been appreciated, neither a precise definition of severity nor an empirical examination of severity in AN has been undertaken. The aim of this article is to review the current state of knowledge on illness severity and to propose a theoretical model for the definition and conceptualization of severity in AN. AN is associated with significant medical morbidity which is related to the ,severity' of presentation on such markers as body mass index, eating and purging behaviours. The development of a functional staging system, based on symptom severity, is indicated for reasons similar to those cited by the cancer lobby. Improving case management and making appropriate treatment recommendations have been the primary purpose of staging in other fields, and might also apply to AN. Such a standardized staging system could potentially ease communication between treatment settings, and increase the specificity and comparability of research findings in the field of AN. [source] The effect of stage of Parkinson's disease at the onset of levodopa therapy on development of motor complicationsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 1 2002V. S. Kosti The aim of this study was to ascertain whether the stage of Parkinson's disease (PD) (according to the Hoehn and Yahr staging system) would affect the length of time between the introduction of levodopa therapy and appearance of levodopa-associated motor complications. Forty patients with clinically definite PD were studied. In all, clinical and therapeutic data were collected from the time of diagnosis to the time of levodopa-associated motor complications (i.e. dyskinesia, motor fluctuations). In 17 patients, levodopa could be started in Hoehn and Yahr stage I (H&Y-I; 16.2 months after the onset of PD), whilst in 13 patients levodopa could be started in H&Y-II (19.6 months after the onset of the disease) and in 10 in H&Y-III (45.1 months after the onset of PD). Cox proportional hazard regression model shows that the PD patients in whom the initial levodopa treatment was introduced at stage III develop both dyskinesias and motor fluctuations significantly earlier than the patients whose levodopa started in stage I and II of PD. The median interval to develop dyskinesias was 66, 72 and 24 months for patients in whom levodopa was introduced in stage I, II and III, respectively. These values were 64, 55 and 14 months for motor fluctuations. These findings add to the clinical arguments that favour an essential role of severity of PD at levodopa initiation as a risk factor for the development of levodopa-associated motor complications. [source] Outcome of sinonasal melanoma: Clinical experience and review of the literature,HEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 10 2010Thomas N. Roth MD Abstract Background. Primary sinonasal malignant melanoma (SNMM) is a rare clinical entity. There is neither a classification nor a staging system nor an evidence-based treatment concept established. Our objective was to find potential risk factors predicting the outcome. Methods. Twenty-five patients with histologically confirmed SNMM were consecutively included and retrospectively analyzed. Staging methods were nasal endoscopy, CT, MRI, and positron emission tomography (PET) scan. Patients were selected for a curative or palliative concept. All patients had postoperative follow-up with control-MRI at 3 and 6 months. Restaging was performed when local recurrence occurred. Results. Nineteen patients underwent primary surgery with curative intention; in 16 cases with tumor free margins. Thirteen patients (68%) had transnasal endoscopic surgery, 4 lateral rhinotomy, and 2 transfacial approach with orbital exenteration. Six patients (32%) had palliative therapy and 7 patients (37%) had adjuvant radiotherapy. Despite radical operations, 6 patients (37%) showed local recurrence and 8 patients (50%) developed distant metastasis. In 2 patients with incomplete surgery, regional metastasis was noted. The median disease-free interval was 18 months, and the median overall survival rate was 23 months. Conclusion. SNMMs of the ethmoid and maxillary sinuses have a worse prognosis than other localizations in the nasal cavity; infiltration into the skull base, orbit, or facial soft tissue correlates with a very poor outcome corresponding to the palliative situations. Furthermore, local recurrence insinuates aggressive disease with short survival rate. A main difference from its cutaneous counterpart seems to be a primary tendency to hematogenic spread. Further research is needed to confirm these findings. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2010 [source] Cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma metastatic to parotid and cervical lymph nodesHEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 7 2007FRANZCR, Michael J. Veness MMed (Clin Epi) Abstract Nonmelanoma skin cancers occur at an epidemic rate in Australia and are increasing in incidence worldwide. In most patients, local treatment is curative. However, a subset of patients will be diagnosed with a high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and are defined as patients at increased risk of developing metastases to regional lymph nodes. Patients with high-risk SCC may be identified based on primary lesion and patient factors. Most cutaneous SCC arises on the sun-exposed head and neck. The parotid and upper cervical nodes are common sites for the development of metastases arising from ear, anterior scalp, temple/forehead, or scalp SCC. The mortality and morbidity associated with high-risk cutaneous SCC is usually a consequence of uncontrolled metastatic nodal disease and, to a lesser extent, distant metastases. Patients with operable nodal disease have traditionally been recommended for surgery. The efficacy of adjuvant radiotherapy has previously been questioned based on weak evidence in the early literature. Recent evidence from larger studies has, however, strengthened the case for adjuvant radiotherapy as a means to improve locoregional control and survival. Despite this, many patients still experience relapse and die. Research aimed at improving outcome such as a randomized trial incorporating the addition of chemotherapy to adjuvant radiotherapy is currently in progress in Australia and New Zealand. Ongoing research also includes the development of a proposed new staging system and investigating the role of molecular factors such as the epidermal growth factor receptor. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2007 [source] Do pre-irradiation dental extractions reduce the risk of osteoradionecrosis of the mandible?HEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 6 2007Daniel T. Chang MD Abstract Background. This study was done to determine if pre-radiotherapy (pre-RT) dental extractions reduce the risk of osteoradionecrosis (ORN). Methods. Between 1987 and 2004, 413 patients with oropharyngeal carcinomas were treated with definitive RT at the University of Florida. Dentate patients underwent pretreatment dental evaluation. Teeth in the RT field were usually extracted if thought to have poor long-term prognosis from dental disease. The endpoint was ,grade 2 ORN using a modified staging system. Patients were excluded for local recurrence, additional RT above the clavicles, or head and neck surgery besides neck dissection. Results. ORN rates were as follows: edentulous, <1%; teeth in-field with pre-RT extractions, 15%; and teeth in-field without pre-RT extractions, 9%. Patients with poor in-field teeth and pre-RT extractions had a higher 5-year incidence of ORN than those who did not have pre-RT extractions (16% vs 6%, p = .48). Likewise, for those with in-field teeth in good condition and pre-RT extractions, the 5-year ORN incidence was higher than for those who did not undergo extractions (15% vs 2%, p = .42). Multivariate analysis revealed increased ORN risk with doses of >70 Gy, once-daily fractionation, or brachytherapy. Conclusion. Pre-RT extractions do not appear to reduce the risk of ORN. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2007 [source] Treatment results of 1070 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: An analysis of survival and failure patternsHEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 7 2005To-Wai Leung FRCR Abstract Background. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the outcomes of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated primarily by external beam irradiation (ERT) and to explore for possible ways to improve the treatment results. Methods. One thousand seventy patients with nonmetastatic NPC treated from 1990 to 1998 were retrospectively analyzed. The distribution according to the Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (UICC) (1997 edition) staging system at initial diagnosis was as follows: stage I, n = 113; stage IIA, n = 38; stage IIB, n = 360; stage III, n = 306; stage IVA, n = 136; stage IVB, n = 117; T1, n = 284; T2a, n = 88; T2b, n = 398; T3, n = 149; T4, n = 151; N0, n = 321; N1, n = 393; N2, n = 238; N3a, n = 29; N3b, n = 89. Two hundred eight patients were given neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Ninety-seven patients were diagnosed with locally persistent disease and were salvaged with high dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy. Multivariate analysis was performed with the Cox regression proportional hazards model. Results. The 5-year actuarial local failure,free survival, regional failure,free survival, distant metastasis,free survival, progression-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival rates were 80.9%, 93.3%, 77.2%, 62.7%, 71.4%, and 66.5%, respectively. Isolated distant metastasis occurred in 191 patients (18%). The distributions were as follow: stage I, 2.1% (two of 95); stage IIA, 5.7% (two of 35); stage IIB, 14.9% (45 of 302); stage III, 26.4% (62 of 235); stage IVA, 40% (40 of 100); stage IVB, 47.1% (40 of 85). Results of the multivariate analysis of various clinical endpoints were discussed. By studying these failure patterns, it is hoped that we could refine future treatments according to the failure patterns of patients with different risks of locoregional and distant failure. Conclusions. The 18% incidence of isolated distant metastasis is too high to be ignored. Maximizing the local control and minimizing the risk of distant metastasis and late complications should be the key objectives in designing future clinical trials. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck27: XXX,XXX, 2005 [source] Significance of clinical stage, extent of surgery, and pathologic findings in metastatic cutaneous squamous carcinoma of the parotid gland,HEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 5 2002Christopher J. O'Brien MS, FRACS Abstract Background Metastatic cutaneous cancer is the most common parotid malignancy in Australia, with metastatic squamous carcinoma (SCC) occurring most frequently. There are limitations in the current TNM staging system for metastatic cutaneous malignancy, because all patients with nodal metastases are simply designated N1, irrespective of the extent of disease. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of clinical stage, extent of surgery, and pathologic findings on outcome after parotidectomy for metastatic SCC by applying a new staging system that separates metastatic disease in the parotid from metastatic disease in the neck. Methods A prospectively documented series of 87 patients treated by one of the authors (COB) over 12 years for clinical metastatic cutaneous SCC involving the parotid gland and a minimum of 2 years follow-up was analyzed. These patients were all previously untreated and were restaged according to the clinical extent of disease in the parotid gland in the following manner. P1, metastatic SCC of the parotid up to 3 cm in diameter; P2, tumor greater than 3 cm up to 6 cm in diameter or multiple metastatic parotid nodes; P3, tumor greater than 6 cm in diameter, VII nerve palsy, or skull base invasion. Neck disease was staged in the following manner: N0, no clinical metastatic disease in the neck; N1, a single ipsilateral metastatic neck node less than 3 cm in diameter; N2, multiple metastatic nodes or any node greater than 3 cm in diameter. Results Clinical P stages were P1, 43 patients; P2, 35 patients; and P3, 9 patients. A total of 21 patients (24%) had clinically positive neck nodes. Among these, 11 were N1, and 10 were N2. Conservative parotidectomies were carried out in 71 of 87 patients (82%), and 8 of these had involved surgical margins (11%). Radical parotidectomy sacrificing the facial nerve was performed in 16 patients, and 6 (38%) had positive margins, (p < .01 compared with conservative resections). Margins were positive in 12% of patients staged P1, 14% of those staged P2, and 44% of those staged P3 (p < .05). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that increasing P stage, positive margins, and a failure to have postoperative radiotherapy independently predicted for decreased control in the parotid region. Survival did not correlate with P stage; however, many patients staged P1 and P2 also had metastatic disease in the neck. Clinical and pathologic N stage both significantly influenced survival, and patients with N2 disease had a much worse prognosis than patients with negative necks or only a single positive node. Independent risk factors for survival by multivariate analysis were positive surgical margins and the presence of advanced (N2) clinical and pathologic neck disease. Conclusions The results of this study demonstrate that patients with metastatic cutaneous SCC in both the parotid gland and neck have a significantly worse prognosis than those with disease in the parotid gland alone. Furthermore, patients with cervical nodes larger than 3 cm in diameter or with multiple positive neck nodes have a significantly worse prognosis than those with only a single positive node. Also, the extent of metastatic disease in the parotid gland correlated with the local control rate. The authors recommend that the clinical staging system for cutaneous SCC of the head and neck should separate parotid (P) and neck disease (N) and that the proposed staging system should be tested in a larger study population. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Quality of histopathological reporting on melanoma and influence of use of a synoptic templateHISTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2010Lauren E Haydu Haydu L E, Holt P E, Karim R Z, Madronio C M, Thompson J F, Armstrong B K & Scolyer R A (2010) Histopathology56, 768,774 Quality of histopathological reporting on melanoma and influence of use of a synoptic template Aims:, To evaluate the quality of histopathological reporting for melanoma in a whole population, to assess the influence on quality of the use of a synoptic template and thus to provide an evidence base to guide improvement in reporting melanoma pathology. Methods and results:, Histopathology reports of all primary invasive melanomas notified to the New South Wales Central Cancer Registry between October 2006 and October 2007 (n = 3784) were reviewed. A detailed audit of histopathology reports for consecutively diagnosed primary invasive melanoma over 6 months (n = 2082) was performed to assess the quality of each report based on compliance with the 2008 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Melanoma in Australia and New Zealand. Only half of the initial excision specimen reports included the essential components necessary to stage a melanoma patient according to the 2002 American Joint Committee on Cancer/International Union Against Cancer melanoma staging system. Report format was strongly correlated with completeness and validity of reporting: reports in a synoptic format, with or without a descriptive component, achieved the highest quality levels. Conclusions:, Even in a population with a high incidence of melanoma, concordance of pathology reports with current guidelines was comparatively low. Wider adoption of synoptic reporting is likely to increase report quality. [source] Nuclear survivin is associated with disease recurrence and poor survival in patients with cutaneous malignant melanomaHISTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 7 2007F Piras Aims:, Survivin is expressed in neoplastic cells and appears to be associated with resistance to therapy and shorter survival in various types of tumours. The aim of the present study was to determine whether nuclear or cytoplasmic expression of survivin is related to disease recurrence and overall survival of patients with Stage I and II melanoma according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system. Methods and results:, Immunohistochemistry was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections of primary cutaneous melanoma from 50 patients. Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan,Meier method and compared using the log rank test. Association of clinical variables (gender, age, tumour location, thickness, Clark level and AJCC stage) with survivin expression was analysed by Fisher's exact test. Patients with nuclear immunoreactivity for survivin had an increased risk of disease recurrence during the first three postoperative years (P < 0.05) and of death (P < 0.05). Cytoplasmic immunoreactivity was not correlated with either survival or clinical variables. Conclusions:, Nuclear presence of survivin may be an independent biomarker for disease recurrence and overall survival in patients with Stage I and II melanoma. [source] CD4 count and viral load time-courses in patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy and association with the CDC staging systemHIV MEDICINE, Issue 8 2006J Collazos Objectives The aim of the study was to analyse CD4 cell count and viral load dynamics in patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy and their association with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classification system. Methods CD4 cell count and viral load were determined in 2982 patients who were classified according to clinical and immunological CDC stages. Measurements were carried out at baseline and at the 3rd, 6th and 12th months. Results Clear differences in the immunological and virological responses to therapy were observed depending on the CDC stage, with better results associated with less advanced stages. There was a marked parallelism in the CD4 cell count curves of the different CDC stages over the year of follow up, in both naïve and experienced patients, indicating that the increase in CD4 cell count at each time-point was similar for all clinical and immunological CDC stages. However, as the baseline values were closely associated with CDC stage, the CD4 cell counts finally reached were clearly dependent on CDC stage. The highest virological responses were observed during the initial 3 months, particularly in naïve patients, but whereas naïve patients showed additional increases up to the 6th month experienced patients reached a plateau at the 3rd month. The CD4 increases were also higher during the initial 3 months but persisted during the year of follow-up. Conclusion Both clinical and immunological CDC stages at baseline are highly predictive of the immunological and virological response to therapy, a finding that could have clinical implications. [source] Comparative performances of staging systems for early hepatocellular carcinomaHPB, Issue 5 2009Hari Nathan Abstract Background:, Several staging systems for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been proposed, but studies of their prognostic accuracy have yielded conflicting conclusions. Stratifying patients with early HCC is of particular interest because these patients may derive the greatest benefit from intervention, yet no studies have evaluated the comparative performances of staging systems in patients with early HCC. Methods:, A retrospective cohort study was performed using data on 379 patients who underwent liver resection or liver transplantation for HCC at six major hepatobiliary centres in the USA and Europe. The staging systems evaluated were: the Okuda staging system, the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (IHPBA) staging system, the Cancer of the Liver Italian Programme (CLIP) score, the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system, the Japanese Integrated Staging (JIS) score and the American Joint Committee on Cancer/International Union Against Cancer (AJCC/UICC) staging system, 6th edition. A recently proposed early HCC prognostic score was also evaluated. The discriminative abilities of the staging systems were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models and the bootstrap-corrected concordance index (c). Results:, Overall survival of the cohort was 74% at 3 years and 52% at 5 years, with a median survival of 62 months. Most systems demonstrated poor discriminatory ability (P > 0.05 on Cox proportional hazards analysis, c, 0.5). However, the AJCC/UICC system clearly stratified patients (P < 0.001, c= 0.59), albeit only into two groups. The early HCC prognostic score also clearly stratified patients (P < 0.001, c= 0.60) and identified three distinct prognostic groups. Discussion:, The early HCC prognostic score is superior to the AJCC/UICC staging system (6th edition) for predicting the survival of patients with early HCC after liver resection or liver transplantation. Other major HCC staging systems perform poorly in patients with early HCC. [source] The prognostic value of serum S100B in patients with cutaneous melanoma: A meta-analysisINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 10 2008Simone Mocellin Abstract S100B protein detected in the serum of patients with cutaneous melanoma has been long reported as a prognostic biomarker. However, no consensus exists on its implementation in the routine clinical setting. This study aimed to comprehensively and quantitatively summarize the evidence on the suitability of serum S100B to predict patients' survival. Twenty-two series enrolling 3393 patients with TNM stage I to IV cutaneous melanoma were reviewed. Standard meta-analysis methods were applied to evaluate the overall relationship between S100B serum levels and patients' survival (meta-risk). Serum S100B positivity was associated with significantly poorer survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.92,2.58, p < 0.0001). Between-study heterogeneity was significant, which appeared to be related mainly to dissemination bias and the inclusion of patients with stage IV disease. Considering stage I to III melanoma (n = 1594), the meta-risk remained highly significant (HR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.8,2.89; p < 0.0001) and studies' estimates were homogeneous. Subgroup analysis of series reporting multivariate survival analysis supported S100B as a prognostic factor independent of the TNM staging system. Our findings suggest that serum S100B detection has a clinically valuable independent prognostic value in patients with melanoma, with particular regard to stage I-III disease. Further investigation focusing on this subset of patients is justified and warranted before S100B can be implemented in the routine clinical management of melanoma. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Chronic lymphocytic leukemia presenting as cutaneous and bone involvementINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2001Maria P. Stefanidou MD An 84-year-old man had a 3-year history of a progressive, painless, papulonodular eruption, that was particularly prominent on the face and extremities. Physical examination revealed firm, bluish-red nodules and plaques, located on the tip of the nose, the cheeks, ears, and distal digits. Skin lesions produced a leonine facies (Fig. 1), deformities of the fingers and toes, finger clubbing, and onyxis. An identical lesion was seen on a postoperational scar on the left cheek. The mucous membranes were spared. The patient had anterior and posterior cervical and bilateral axillary lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. Figure 1. Leonine facies On admission, the peripheral blood count revealed 260,000/mm3 leukocytes (lymphocytes 97%, neutrophils 2%, and monocytes 1%), a hemoglobin level of 9.5 g/dL, and platelet count of 100,000/mm3. Hypogammaglobulinemia with reduction of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM was found. Radiography of the fingers showed multiple osteolytic lesions of the phalanges and phalangette destruction of the left median finger (Fig. 2a,b). Computed tomography of the chest and abdomen revealed bilateral axillary, mediastinal, and para-aortic lymphadenopathy and spleen enlargement. Figure 2. X-Ray of the hands: (a) ,multiple osteolytic lesions of the phalanges and (b) ,partial destruction of the left median phalangette Skin biopsy specimens from the ear and finger lesions showed a massive nonepidermal leukemic infiltration in the papillary and reticular dermis, with a grenz zone consisting of small lymphocytes (Fig. 3). Figure 3. Skin biopsy (hematoxylin and eosin, ×,250). Massive leukemic infiltration consisting of small lymphocytes. Subepidermally, a grenz zone of connective tissue is noted Biopsy of the enlarged cervical lymph node showed a diffuse infiltration with lymphocytes. Tissue biopsy from a finger lytic lesion revealed infiltration of bone trabecular and fibrous tissue with a dense population of small- and medium-sized lymphocytes. Immunohistochemical study of cutaneous and bone lesions showed that the infiltrate in both biopsies consisted mainly of B lymphocytes (CD20+, CD45R+, CD45Ro,, OPD4,). Peripheral blood smear had a B-cell phenotype (CD19 98%, CD20 97%, CD23 99%, CD25 40%, CD5 90%, HLA-DR 100%). Bone marrow smear and immunophenotyping surface marker analysis found a diffuse pattern of B-lymphocytic infiltration. A diagnosis of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia stage C (Binet staging system), with specific cutaneous and bone lesions, was established. The patient received chemotherapy with chlorambucil and methylprednisolone, which resulted in improvement of the hematologic profile. Two years later, the cutaneous lesions showed partial remission. [source] Renal sonography in the diagnosis of renal obstruction or hydronephrosis in patients with cervical cancerJOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND, Issue 7 2002Verna Vanderpuye MBCHB Abstract Purpose The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the role of renal sonography and its use as an alternative to intravenous urography in detecting ureteral obstruction or hydronephrosis in patients with cervical cancer. Materials and Methods Patients with biopsy-confirmed carcinoma of the cervix who were referred to the radiotherapy center from February 6, 2001, through July 20, 2001, were enrolled in this trial. All patients had previously undergone clinical staging by physical examination and either intravenous urography or CT scanning as the standard tests for diagnosing ureteral obstruction or hydronephrosis. All patients underwent renal sonography as an alternative diagnostic tool for diagnosing ureteral obstruction or hydronephrosis. Results Forty patients were enrolled. Their mean age was 46 years (range, 26,65 years). According to the FIGO staging system, 12% of the patients had clinical stages 1B2 and 2A disease, 20% had stage 2B, 8% had stage 3A, 50% had stage 3B, and 10% had a postoperative recurrence of cervical cancer. Thirty-four patients had had intravenous urography and 6 had had CT scans of the abdomen and pelvis. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and overall accuracy rates for renal sonography were 76.5% (13/17), 100% (23/23), 100% (13/13), 85% (23/27), and 90% (36/40), respectively. Seventy-five percent (3/4) of the false-negative results occurred in patients with pelvic sidewall thickening on physical examination. Conclusions Renal sonography may be used as an effective and relatively low-cost means of diagnosing ureteral obstruction in patients with cervical cancer without clinically evident pelvic sidewall thickening. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 30:424,427, 2002 [source] Comparison of three current staging systems for hepatocellular carcinoma: Japan integrated staging score, new Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging classification, and Tokyo scoreJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Hobyung Chung Abstract Background and Aim:, Although various staging systems for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been developed in recent years, there is no worldwide consensus which staging system is best. The aim of the present study was to compare the performance of the currently developed three staging systems: the Japan integrated staging (JIS) score, new Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging classification, and the Tokyo score. Methods:, A total of 290 consecutive patients with HCC before initial treatment at Kinki University between January 1999 and December 2001 were included. The patients were stratified according to the three staging systems, and the performance of the staging systems was compared using survival time as the only outcome measure. Results:, There were significant differences between all stages in the JIS score, while no significant difference was found between stages C and D in the BCLC staging classification and between all the scores, except between scores 0 and 1 and 2 and 3 in the Tokyo score. For all patients (n = 290), the radical treatment group (n = 208) and the non-radical treatment group (n = 82), the likelihood ratio ,2 -test showed the highest value, and the Akaike information criterion value was lowest in the JIS score. Conclusion:, The JIS score provided the best prognostic stratification in a Japanese cohort of HCC patients who were mainly diagnosed at early stages and treated with radical therapies. [source] Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the staging of cervical carcinoma: A pictorial reviewJOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 5 2008GEC Smith Summary The purposes of diagnostic imaging in cervical carcinoma are to determine the size and extent of the tumour for accurate staging and to establish lymph node status. Historically, cervical tumours were staged by clinical examination and by examination under anaesthesia according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging system. This system does not incorporate imaging findings or lymph node status, but it is now accepted that cross-sectional imaging, and in particular MRI, has an important role to play in the staging of these tumours. We carried out an audit of all patients having a staging MRI for suspected cervical carcinoma in South Australia and the Northern Territory for 2 years from January 2005. This was the first time the clinicians had been offered routine MRI, and despite the strong supporting published reports, they had some reservations about its performance. Our audit covered a wide range of tumour stages and provided a good teaching resource for radiologists and clinicians alike. [source] Clinical verification of the superiority of the current International Union Against Cancer staging criteria in an Australian population of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomaJOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 4 2004J Corry Summary The purpose of this study is to assess the prognostic abilities of the fourth and fifth edition International Union Against Cancer (UICC) staging systems for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Australian patients. All patients planned for curative treatment at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre from April 1985 to December 1999 were included in this study. There were 181 patients eligible for this study. The median follow up was 7.6 years. Histological subgroups were World Health Organization (WHO) 1 (23), WHO 2 (12), and WHO 3 (146). Presentation with stage IV disease was 83% by UICC fourth edition staging and 34% by UICC fifth edition staging. The 5 years failure-free survival (FFS) rates for stage 1, 2, 3 and 4 disease by the fourth edition was 77, 100, 93, and 49% respectively,and by the fifth edition was 85, 76, 57 and 36%, respectively. The 5 years overall survival (OS) for stage 1, 2, 3, and 4 disease by the fourth edition was 77, 100, 100 and 61%; respectively, and by the fifth edition was 85, 82, 67 and 53%, respectively. Stage 4 patients by the fourth edition were reclassified as stages 2, 3 and 4 by the fifth edition with hazard ratios of 0.77, 1.01 and 1.79, respectively. In multifactor analysis, the fifth edition staging system was significantly related to FFS and OS after allowing for the fourth edition (FFS: P = 0.002; OS: P = 0.005), but the fourth edition was not significantly related to FFS or OS after allowing for the fifth edition (FFS: P = 0.96; OS: P = 0.96). This study confirms the prognostic superiority of the fifth edition UICC staging system over the fourth edition staging system in an Australian NPC population. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||