Characteristics and prognostic factors in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer who underwent a total or subtotal thyroidectomy: Surgical approach for high-risk patients

Differentiated thyroid cancer grows slowly in general. But some patients repeat recurrence and progress finally to death. To clarify the difference of their prognosis and establish the appropriate thyroid surgery, we studied 105 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer who were treated with total or subtotal thyroidectomy, excluding those with small tumors, under uniform conditions regarding thyroidectomy. There were 77 women and 28 men aged 19 to 76 years (mean 54.7 years). More than 60% (alive) were followed up for longer than 10 years. Thirty-eight (36%) patients had recurrences. There were 19 deaths. Twelve of 31 patients with locoregional recurrence died and 7 of these 12 died of locoregional control failure (neck and mediastinum). Age at first operation, tumor size, and local tumor extension increased the rate of recurrence significantly. Multivariate analysis confirmed that age, locoregional recurrence, and distant metastasis significantly affected survival. Although lymph node metastases were not a prognostic factor, for patients at high risk for recurrence who are older, and have large tumors with invasion, complete resection of cervical lymph nodes is advised to prevent local recurrence and prolong the disease-free interval. Prolongation of the disease-free interval may lead to prolonged survival time.     

Right axillary arterial perfusion for a ruptured type B aortic dissection: Report of a case

The results of surgical treatment for a ruptured type B aortic dissection remain far from satisfactory. It is believed that additional perfusion from the right axillary artery might be more beneficial than perfusion from only the femoral artery during surgery for a ruptured thoracic aneurysm. The right axillary perfusion is more likely to perfuse the vital organs proximal to the ruptured area, and thus avoid retrograde emboli. In addition, if the open proximal method is performed, then the right axillary perfusion is able to facilitate the evacuation of air from the aortic lumen. We present herein the case of a patient in whom a ruptured type B acute aortic dissection was successfully treated by applying right axillary perfusion through a left thoracotomy.     

Involvement of the #12u lymph nodes around the upper lobe bronchi in patients with lung cancer of the right middle lobe, right lower lobe, or left lower lobe

Abtract In Japan, the lymph nodes around the upper lobe bronchi, known as the #12u nodes, are not included in the nodes recommended for dissection in patients with right middle lobe carcinoma, right lower lobe carcinoma, or left lower lobe carcinoma. However, histologic examination has revealed involvement of these nodes in pneumonectomy patients whose carcinoma originated in the right lower lobe. We histologically examined the lymph nodes from 152 patients with lung cancer to determine the incidence of involvement of the #12u lymph nodes. These nodes were found to be involved in 14 (9.2%) of the 152 patients. The rate of involvement was significantly higher in those with T2–T4 disease than in those with T1 disease, and was also significantly higher in patients with N2 disease than in those with N1 disease. There were two long-term survivors without recurrence, and one other patient who lived for more than 5 years before succumbing to the disease. In conclusion, to ensure removal of all the cancer tissue, it is recommended that the #12u lymph nodes be included in the nodes routinely dissected in patients with right lower lobe carcinoma, right middle lobe carcinoma, or left lower lobe carcinoma.     

Quality control of surgical technique in a multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled study on the surgical treatment of gastric cancer.

To evaluate the effect of lymph node dissection on gastric cancer patients operated upon with curative intent, we are carrying out a multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled study in the Netherlands. The trial compares conventional gastrectomy to gastrectomy with extended lymph node dissection. In the first four months, a Japanese supervisor attended all the extended surgery and instructed many Dutch surgeons, including the eight consulting surgeons; since then, all extended gastrectomies have been attended by one of the consulting surgeons. The study coordinator attended all conventional cases. This assured that the quality of the extended surgery was as good as the Japanese standard, of which excellent results have been reported. To achieve this quality control, randomization before surgery was obligatory for practical reasons. Curability assessment at laparotomy, however, is done quite objectively with histological proof, except for the judgement of irresectability. Although this has resulted in many non-curative cases being randomized but subsequently not given the allocated surgery, the sample size should be sufficient to allow analysis according to randomization or the initial "intention to treat." This is the first protocol for a multicenter trial in surgical oncology to have such excellent surgical quality control and to assure a quality as high as that in the original report with uniformity in the level of technique. In studies comparing surgical techniques, it is vital that attention should be given to surgical quality control, otherwise survival rates may show little improvement and fail to make any impact on surgical practice.     

Technical aspects of hepatic portal dissection in biliary atresia.

During the past 8 yr, 37 patients with a noncorrectable type of biliary atresia have undergone hepatic portoenterostomy or portocholecystostomy at the Kobe Children's Hospital. The hepatic portal dissections employed in this series were classified as "supraportal" (9 procedures), "portal" (25 procedures), and "infra-portal" (3 procedures) based on the level at which the fibrous mass at the porta hepatis was transsected as determined by the operative record and the pathologic findings. Successful biliary drainage was achieved in 19 out of 25 patients (76%) with a "portal" type of dissection, while 1 out of 9 with "supra-portal" and none out of 3 with "infra-portal" type dissections were successful in this respect. Of the 19 patients who achieved significant biliary flow, 8 have lived for 2--7 yr without jaundice and 3 others are jaundice-free for shorter intervals.     

舌根癌的手术治疗

目的：探讨舌根癌的手术治疗方法。方法：舌根癌患者21例，经舌骨咽切开进路11例，下颌骨部分切除进路7例，下唇、下颌骨、舌正中切开进路3例。结果：3例下唇、下颌骨、舌正中切开者出现语言功能障碍，吞咽困难；余18例口腔功能均正常。随访2～5年，失访2例，2年生存18例，3年生存13例，5年生存5例。结论：经舌骨咽切开进路对吞咽功能及语言功能的影响较小，是一种值得推广的术式。     

颈分区性清扫术治疗头颈部鳞状细胞癌的远期疗效

目的　研究颈分区性清扫术在头颈部鳞状细胞癌 (简称鳞癌 )治疗中的效果。方法　回顾性分析 1997年 1月～ 2 0 0 1年 12月在中国医学科学院肿瘤医院接受分区性清扫术的头颈部鳞癌患者 12 3例 ,其中喉癌 77例、口腔癌 2 9例、口咽癌 2例、下咽癌 15例。分区性清扫术后发现淋巴结病理阴性 (pN0 ) 99例 ,淋巴结病理阳性 (pN + ) 2 4例。随访时间中位数为 2 5个月。结果　 10 1例cN0患者行分区性清扫术后发现pN + 14例 ( 13 9% ) ;2 2例cN +患者行分区性清扫术后发现pN + 10例( 4 5 5 % )。 15 7侧分区性清扫标本中共发现 5 2枚阳性淋巴结 ,其在颈部的分布如下 :Ⅰ区 2 5 % ,Ⅱ区4 8% ,Ⅲ区 2 5 % ,Ⅳ区 2 %。根据Kaplan Meier方法计算 5年颈部复发率 ,pN0患者为 5 87% ( 95 %可信区间 0 8% ,10 9% ) ,pN +患者为 9 2 % ( 95 %可信区间 0 0 % ,2 1 5 % )。结论　颈分区性清扫术从微创观念出发 ,只要选择恰当 ,对于头颈部鳞癌患者可以取得与传统颈清扫术相当的效果。更重要的是保留了患者的功能和外观 ,提高了生活质量     

Use of the KTP-532 Laser in Acoustic Neuroma Surgery

The potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP-532) laser has been applied to otologic surgery with a proven record of both safety and efficacy. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the use, safety, and advantages of laser dissection in the surgical treatment of acoustic neuromas. The authors' experience with 111 patients in whom laser surgery was used in acoustic neuroma is presented, with emphasis on surgical technique employed and facial nerve functional outcome. The method of laser dissection did not result in deleterious neurologic sequelae or laser-specific complications. In addition, laser dissection afforded certain advantages to traditional techniques, especially in larger tumors. The facial nerve functional outcome as assessed by the House-Brackmann grading system revealed that 90.2% of small tumors, 72.2% of medium tumors, and 75.0% of large tumors achieved satisfactory (grades I and II) functional results. These results compare favorably with the literature describing nonlaser dissection techniques. The observations and results reported in this article demonstrate the safety of the KTP-532 laser in the posterior cranial fossa, and specific advantages that this technology may offer to the surgical armamentarium of the neuro-otologist are outlined.     

保留颈外静脉同期双侧颈淋巴结清除术治疗头颈部癌

自１９８９年１月至１９９４年１２月对１９例头颈部癌并双侧颈淋巴结转移的病人采取保留颈外静脉同期双侧颈淋巴结清除术（以下简称颈清术）治疗。包括喉癌、下咽癌、舌癌、口底癌、甲状腺癌及双侧原发灶不明的颈部转移癌。本文对其手术指征及手术方法作了简单介绍，并对其意义及可行性进行了讨论。     

Hospital-related differences in breast cancer management

A retrospective review is presented of 1353 consecutivepatients with histopathologically confirmed invasive breast carcinoma treatedradically with curative intent during the decade 1980–89.None had received adjuvant systemic therapy with hormonesor prolonged chemotherapy. The distribution of lymph-node negative(N–) and lymph-node positive (N+) patients was 75%and 25%, respectively.The treatment and outcome were analysed as regardsconventional prognostic parameters, in particular considering the axillarylymph-node status and the responsible hospital category (GeneralMunicipal Hospitals (MH)) versus Comprehensive Cancer Center (CC)).The most striking difference was detected as regardsthe number of examined lymph nodes. The mediannumber of nodes described at the MH was7, as compared to 14 at the CC(p < 0.001). In patients with pT1 tumoursthe highest rate of lymph-node positivity was observedwhen 10 or more axillary nodes were removed.Adjuvant radiotherapy reduced the loco-regional recurrence rate inthe N– patients, whereas only the regional recurrenceswere reduced among the N+ patients. The five-and 10-year tumor-related survival rates were 86% and76%, respectively, with no difference between the MHand the CC.As life-prolonging adjuvant hormone therapy and chemotherapy isnow available for patients with axillary lymph nodemetastases, it is important that patients with breastcancer are operated adequately with the aim toremove at least 10 axillary lymph nodes. Athorough examination of the axillary content should beperformed by the pathologist, and the number ofresected lymph nodes and metastases should be reported.The establishment of nation-wide standard criteria for themanagement of breast cancer is recommended.