The reliability of catheter-tip transducers for the measurement of intrauterine pressure in the third stage of labour

In order to assess the reliability of intrauterine pressure measurements in the third stage of labour, catheter-tip transducers were used in 20 women randomly allocated into two groups of 10. In each case in the first group two catheters were tied together and introduced transcervically into the uterine cavity after delivery of the placenta. In each case in the second group two catheters were inserted independently into the same uterine cavity. The active and cumulative active pressures recorded from the pairs of catheters within each uterine cavity were compared. Comparison of individual active pressure readings from separate transducers revealed good agreement whether the catheters were tied together or were seperate. Cumulative active pressure was very similar when assessed by each catheter in the same uterus. Intrauterine catheter-tip transducers can be used reliably to measure uterine activity in the third stage of labour although there may be minor contraction by contraction differences in recordings of individual active pressures.     

Osteocutaneous radial forearm free flaps. The necessity of internal fixation of the donor-site defect to prevent pathological fracture

BACKGROUND: Osteocutaneous radial forearm free flaps have fallen from favor due to pathological fractures of the radius. The purposes of this study were to propose a means to decrease the rate of pathological fracture by prophylactic fixation of the donor-site defect and to evaluate this technique biomechanically. METHODS: Two groups of ten matched pairs of fresh-frozen cadaveric radii were harvested. In Group 1, an eight-centimeter length of radius comprising 50 percent of the cross-sectional area of the bone was removed to simulate an osteocutaneous radial forearm donor-site defect. This defect was created in one member of each pair, with the other bone in the pair left intact. In Group 2, both members of the ten matched pairs of radii had identical defects created as previously described. However, one radius in each pair had a twelve-hole, 3.5-millimeter dynamic compression plate placed across the segmental defect. In each group, five matched pairs were tested to failure in torsion and five matched pairs were tested to failure in four-point bending. RESULTS: In Group 1, the intact radius was a mean of 5.7 times stronger in torsion and 4.2 times stronger in four-point bending than the radius with the segmental resection. In Group 2, the radius that was ostectomized and fixed with a plate was a mean of 4.0 times stronger in torsion and 2.7 times stronger in four-point bending than the ostectomized radius. CONCLUSIONS: Removal of an eight-centimeter segment from the radius dramatically decreased both torsion and bending strength. Application of a plate over the defect in the radius significantly restored the strength of the radius (p = 0.01).     

Elimination of phenytoin in toxic overdose

Phenytoin is widely used for the management of seizures. Fortunately overdosage with this drug is rare. We performed a prospective study to investigate the elimination kinetics of phenytoin in toxic overdose. All patients were only on phenytoin and not on other anticonvulsants. Phenytoin toxicity was defined by clinical features and correlated with drug levels. Daily phenytoin levels were obtained until they were less than or equal to 15 mcg/ml. Nine patients with age ranging from 20 to 66-years-old were recruited. Sex ratio was male:female, 5:4. Initial phenytoin levels ranged from 34 to 57.5 mcg/ml. Serum phenytoin levels of three patients remained relatively constant for 2-5 days before declining in a steady fashion. Phenytoin levels of the remaining patients declined in an almost linear manner. Regression analysis of all patients showed that the slope terms were highly significant (with low P-values) and corresponding R(2) values were close to 1. Different patients have different rates of metabolism; in seven of nine patients, levels declined between 4.6 and 5.9 mcg/ml per day. Knowledge of the rate of elimination assists the clinician in deciding on the best time to reinstitute phenytoin therapy.     

乳腺疾病基础知识（一）早期乳腺癌的内科治疗（Ⅰ）：辅助治疗

过去10年中，英国乳腺癌发病率上升的同时，患者的死亡率却显著下降15％，这与全国广泛采用全身辅助治疗相关，而且有越来越多的证据证明它有益于提高生存率。     

Preliminary results of a randomized study on therapeutic gain by concurrent chemotherapy for regionally-advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: NPC-9901 Trial by the Hong Kong Nasopharyngeal Cancer Study Group.

PURPOSE: This randomized study compared the results achieved by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) versus radiotherapy (RT) alone for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with advanced nodal disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with nonkeratinizing/undifferentiated NPC staged T1-4N2-3M0 were randomized to CRT or RT. Both arms were treated with the same RT technique and dose fractionation. The CRT patients were given cisplatin 100 mg/m2 on days 1, 22, and 43, followed by cisplatin 80 mg/m2 and fluorouracil 1,000 mg/m2/d for 96 hours starting on days 71, 99, and 127. RESULTS: From 1999 to January 2004, 348 eligible patients were randomly assigned; the median follow-up was 2.3 years. The two arms were well-balanced in all prognostic factors and RT parameters. The CRT arm achieved significantly higher failure-free survival (72% v 62% at 3-year, P = .027), mostly as a result of an improvement in locoregional control (92% v 82%, P = .005). However, distant control did not improve significantly (76% v 73%, P = .47), and the overall survival rates were almost identical (78% v 78%, P = .97). In addition, the CRT arm had significantly more acute toxicities (84% v 53%, P < .001) and late toxicities (28% v 13% at 3-year, P = .024). CONCLUSION: Preliminary results confirmed that CRT could significantly improve tumor control, particularly at locoregional sites. However, there was significant increase in the risk of toxicities and no early gain in overall survival. Longer follow-up is needed to confirm the ultimate therapeutic ratio.     

Re-irradiation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To evaluate the treatment outcome in patients with locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 2001 and May 2004, 31 patients with locally recurrent NPC received re-irradiation using IMRT. The rT classification distribution was 3 for rT1, 5 for rT2, 9 for rT3, and 14 for r T4. Median time from first course of radiotherapy to re-irradiation was 51 months. IMRT was performed using step-and-shoot method with nine 4-6 MV photon fields and median prescribed dose was 54 Gy (range: 50-60 Gy). Additional treatments included cisplatin-based induction chemotherapy in 68% and radiosurgery boost with a single dose which ranged from 8.5 to 12.5 Gy in 32%. Median follow-up time was 11 months. RESULTS: After re irradiation, 58% of patients had complete regression of primary tumor. One-year loco-regional progression-free, distant metastasis-free and overall survival rates were 56, 90, and 63%, respectively. Significantly better 1-year local progression-free rate was observed in rT1-3 than r T4 tumor (100 vs. 35%). Grade 3 late toxicities, mostly ototoxicity/cranial neuropathy, occurred in six patients (19%). One-year actuarial rates of late toxicities were 70% for all grades and 25% for Grade 3. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results showed that good control of rT1-3 NPC can be achieved using IMRT with a dose between 50 and 60 Gy, whereas the outcome for r T4 tumor remained poor. Late toxicities were common but incidence of severe toxicities was relatively low.     

Cancer-testis genes are coordinately expressed and are markers of poor outcome in non-small cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: Cancer-testis genes mapping to the X chromosome have common expression patterns and show similar responses to modulators of epigenetic mechanisms. We asked whether cancer-testis gene expression occurred coordinately, and whether it correlated with variables of disease and clinical outcome of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Tumors from 523 NSCLC patients undergoing surgery were evaluated for the expression of nine cancer-testis genes (NY-ESO-1, LAGE-1, MAGE-A1, MAGE-A3, MAGE-A4, MAGE-A10, CT7/MAGE-C1, SSX2, and SSX4) by semiquantitative PCR. Clinical data available for 447 patients were used to correlate cancer-testis expression to variables of disease and clinical outcome. RESULTS: At least one cancer-testis gene was expressed by 90% of squamous carcinoma, 62% of bronchioloalveolar cancer, and 67% of adenocarcinoma samples. Statistically significant coexpression was observed for 34 of the 36 possible cancer-testis combinations. Cancer-testis gene expression, either cumulatively or individually, showed significant associations with male sex, smoking history, advanced tumor, nodal and pathologic stages, pleural invasion, and the absence of ground glass opacity. Cox regression analysis revealed the expression of NY-ESO-1 and MAGE-A3 as markers of poor prognosis, independent of confounding variables for adenocarcinoma of the lung. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer-testis genes are coordinately expressed in NSCLC, and their expression is associated with advanced disease and poor outcome.     

Malignant melanoma with osteosarcomatous differentiation in a lymph node metastasis

Osteocartilaginous differentiation in malignant melanoma is rare and can pose a diagnostic challenge. In previously reported cases, melanomas were predominantly located on acral and mucosal sites, with osteocartilaginous differentiation present in either primary or recurrent lesions. We report a case of a 52‐year‐old female with malignant melanoma located on the right upper back exhibiting osteosarcomatous differentiation only in the axillary lymph node metastasis. This case serves to highlight that the divergent differentiation can occur in lymph node metastases while being absent in the primary lesion. The patient's medical history, careful histological examination, and immunohistochemistry may be necessary for establishing the correct diagnosis.