Coronary surgery with minimum access and cardiopulmonary bypass]

From October 1997 to March 1998 we operated on seven patients with minimal incision, cardiopulmonary by-pass with femoral cannulation and antegrade blood cardioplegic arrest using the "endoclamp" (Heartport Inc.). The seven patients with isolated severe lesions of the left anterior descending underwent a left internal thoracic artery graft under direct vision. Three had saphenous vein coronary bypass grafts performed to the diagonal (2) and obtuse marginal branches of the left coronary artery. The median cardiopulmonary bypass duration was 75 minutes (30-230) and the aortic occlusion time was 33 minutes (10-117). No major complications occurred and only two minor ones were noted. The median intensive care unit stay was 2 days (1 to 4) and the total hospital stay was 6.5 days (3 to 13). All the patients are in NYHA FC I, without treatment and a follow up of 3 to 6 months after the surgery. With this method of myocardial revascularization with minimal incision and cardiopulmonary bypass the sternotomy-related complications can be avoided, the intensive care unit and hospital stay can be reduced with better convalescence for the selected patients. We believe that this technique is a valid option for an increasing number of patients.     

Localisation of COX-2 protein is different in breast ductal carcinoma and adjacent non-tumour ductal epithelium

Introduction A number of findings suggest that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is overexpressed in breast tumours. However, there is a lack of consensus in the literature regarding the pattern of expression of this protein in invasive breast ductal carcinoma and in the adjacent non-tumour ductal epithelium. This study compares the expression of COX-2 mRNA and protein in breast ductal carcinoma relative to non-tumour breast tissue. Material and methods We analysed the expression of COX-2 mRNA by quantitative PCR, and COX-2 protein by immunohistochemistry in invasive ductal carcinoma as well as in non-tumour adjacent ductal epithelium from 54 breast biopsies diagnosed as being invasive ductal carcinoma. As control, we analysed expression of COX-2 protein by immunohistochemistry in surgically-resected benign breast lesions. Results Our results show that COX-2 mRNA and protein are overexpressed in non-tumour ductal epithelium compared with invasive ductal carcinoma. However, the pattern of the protein expression is different in tumour and non-tumour tissue: COX-2 protein is expressed predominantly in the membrane of the non-tumour ductal epithelium (including in benign breast lesions) while, in invasive ductal carcinoma cells, it is localised in the cytoplasm. Conclusions The non-tumour ductal epithelium adjacent to invasive ductal carcinoma shows a higher COX-2 expression than does the invasive ductal carcinoma. However, the different localisation of the immunohistochemically-detected protein suggests a possible post-translational regulation of the protein.     

Triplet chemotherapy combination with gemcitabine,cisplatin and ifosfamide in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: phase II study

A phase II study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the combination GIP (gemcitabine, ifosfamide, and cisplatin) for the treatment of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Thirty patients with stage III B/IV NSCLC were treated with a combination of GIP. Patients received gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 administered intravenously on days 1 and 8, ifosfamide 3,500 mg/m2 on day 2, and cisplatin 80 mg/m2 on day 2, repeated every 21 days. Two of the 30 patients (7%) showed a complete response and 14 patients (46%) showed a partial response. The overall response rate was 53%. The estimated median survival for all patients was 60 weeks. All patients enrolled onto the study were eligible for toxicity assessment. Toxicities were treatable and included World Health Organization grade III or IV leukopenia (29%), thrombocytopenia (18%), anemia (7%) and nausea, and vomiting (6%). Febrile neutropenia occurred in 3 of 30 patients. There were no treatment-related deaths. The combination therapy of GIP is active, well tolerated, and easy to administer on an outpatient basis in advanced NSCLC.     

Lipidic profile: evolution,tendency and tracking from infancy to adulthood. PECNA Study

Cardiovascular diseases start during infancy, although the clinical manifestations show themselves during adulthood. Since the year 1987 a (PECNA) study has been underway in Navarra to analyse the epidemiology of the cardiovascular risk factors of the infant-juvenile population. This paper presents the evolution of the lipidic profile from 4 to 23 years of age, the tendency from 1987 to 1993, the evolution of the prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia seric cholesterol >200 mg/dl and the tracking from infancy to adult age. Outstanding amongst the results are the differences between the lipidic profile in both sexes, as well as the observed fall in the average levels of total seric cholesterol and in the prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia. With regard to the tracking, it is concluded that between 50% and 55% of individuals belonging to the extreme quintile of the distribution of the lipidic variables persist at this level six years later.     

From presentation to paper: Gender disparities in oncological research

Gender disparities in scientific publications have been identified in oncological research. Oral research presentations at major conferences enhance visibility of presenters. The share of women presenting at such podia is unknown. We aim to identify gender-based differences in contributions to presentations at two major oncological conferences. Abstracts presented at plenary sessions of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meetings and European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congresses were collected. Trend analyses were used to analyze female contribution over time. The association between presenter's sex, study outcome (positive/negative) and journals' impact factors (IFs) of subsequently published papers was assessed using Chi-square and Mann–Whitney U tests. Of 166 consecutive abstracts presented at ASCO in 2011–2018 (n = 34) and ESMO in 2008–2018 (n = 132), 21% had female presenters, all originating from Northern America (n = 17) or Europe (n = 18). The distribution of presenter's sex was similar over time (p = 0.70). Of 2,425 contributing authors to these presented abstracts, 28% were women. The proportion of female abstract authors increased over time (p < 0.05) and was higher in abstracts with female (34%) compared to male presenters (26%; p < 0.01). Presenter's sex was not associated with study outcome (p = 0.82). Median journals' IFs were lower in papers with a female first author (p < 0.05). In conclusion, there is a clear gender disparity in research presentations at two major oncological conferences, with 28% of authors and 21% of presenters of these studies being female. Lack of visibility of female presenters could impair acknowledgement for their research, opportunities in their academic career and even hamper heterogeneity in research.