Watch and Wait Approach for Re-excision After Unplanned Yet Macroscopically Complete Excision of Extremity and Superficial Truncal Soft Tissue Sarcoma is Safe and Does Not Affect Metastatic Risk or Amputation Rate

Annals of Surgical Oncology - The benefits of systematic re-excision (RE) after initial unplanned excision (UE) of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) are unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the...     

Intraoperative radiological margin assessment in breast-conserving surgery

A prospective study was lead in order to analyze the accuracy of an X-ray device settled in the operating room for margin assessment, when performing breast-conserving surgery.     

Sternalis muscle in breast surgery

The sternalis muscle is a normal anatomic variant, which exists in about 5 to 8% of people. It runs longitudinally superficial to pectoralis major, alongside the sternum. Although the sternalis seems common in cadaveric studies, physicians are not familiar with it, which may lead to confusion in diagnosis. Occasionally, the sternalis may be misinterpreted as a breast mass on mammogramm. In that case, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are useful. We report herein two cases of sternalis muscles encountered during mastectomy.     

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Uruguay

A novel, methicillin-resistant [corrected] Staphylococcus aureus clone (Uruguay clone) with a non-multidrug-resistant phenotype caused a large outbreak, including 7 deaths, in Montevideo, Uruguay. The clone was distinct from the highly virulent community clone represented by strain MW2, although both clones carried Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene and cna gene.     

Non-specifically labelled cells that simulate bone marrow metastases in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer.

AIMS: To determine whether the presence of disseminated bone marrow tumour cells at diagnosis is a prognostic factor for breast cancer patients at high risk of recurrence or bone metastasis, and to assess their presence as a criterion for evaluation of the potential benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: Multiple bone marrow aspirates from 72 breast cancer patients free from metastasis were obtained during surgery at the time of diagnosis and were tested immunologically by alkaline phosphatase antialkaline phosphatase technique with a panel of three antiepithelial monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) KL1, EMA, and HMFG2. RESULTS: In nine of 72 patients, with each MoAb tested, numerous strongly positive cells always isolated were observed. However, it was demonstrated that these cells were non-specifically labelled and could be found in normal controls. CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence of marrow tumour cells in 72 operable breast cancer patients. It is suggested that published results may be greatly overestimated and that non-specific labelling may be undetected. More specific MoAb should be found and a correlation with molecular biology should be performed if this criterion is to be considered as a prognostic factor.