Breast adenocarcinoma: critical analysis of sentinel lymph node histopathological results of 542 procedures

Between February 2001 and March 2003, 542 sentinel lymph node procedures were performed for localised breast carcinoma (T0-T1, N0, M0) without any previous treatment. Frozen sections were performed in 515 cases and they did not reveal metastases in 446 cases. Fifty-two micrometastases < 2 mm and 18 macrometastases were reported by definitive histopathological exam. Axillary clearance was performed in 50/70 patients (38 with micrometastases and 12 for macrometastases). Modalities of histopathological procedure are discussed and particularly number and interval of serial slides with or without immunochemistry ; 81.8% (36/44) of micrometastases were detected on the two first serial sections. Decisional value of axillary clearance performed in case of micrometastases is also evaluated.     

The curative role of radiotherapy in adenocarcinoma of the prostate in patients under 55 years of age: a rare cancer network retrospective study.

To determine whether radiation therapy could be an acceptable alternative to surgery in young patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate, we analysed the outcome of 39 patients aged under 55 with organ confined tumours who received external radiation therapy in a curative intent. Our results suggest that similar local control in younger and older patients can be expected from either external beam radiotherapy or radical prostatectomy.     

Outcome and prognostic factors in orbital lymphoma: a Rare Cancer Network study on 90 consecutive patients treated with radiotherapy

PURPOSE: To assess the outcome and prognostic factors in patients with orbital lymphoma treated by radiotherapy (RT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 1980 and 1999, 90 consecutive patients with primary orbital lymphoma were treated in 13 member institutions of the Rare Cancer Network. A full staging workup was completed in 56 patients. Seventy-eight patients had low-, 6 intermediate-, and 6 high-grade lymphoma, and 75 had a single orbital localization. All patients underwent RT with a median dose of 34.2 Gy (range 4.0-50.4). Eleven patients received chemotherapy in addition to RT. RESULTS: After RT, local control was achieved in 97% of the patients. Local progression occurred in 2% and local relapse 1%. The rate of systemic relapse was 20%, and 9% of the patients developed metachronous contralateral eye involvement. The 5-year disease-free survival, overall survival, and cause-specific survival rate was 65%, 78%, and 87%, respectively. In univariate analyses, the statistically significant favorable prognostic factors were younger age, low grade, normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate, absence of muscular infiltration, complete response to treatment, conjunctival localization, and normal lactate dehydrogenase value for overall survival, disease-free survival, and freedom from treatment failure. In multivariate analysis, the favorable factors were younger age and low grade for overall and disease-free survival; a favorable response, conjunctival localization, and complete staging were highly significant for disease-free survival and freedom from treatment failure. Neither the RT technique nor the total dose influenced the outcome. Cataract and xerophthalmia were the most prominent late toxicities. CONCLUSION: Moderate- to low-dose RT alone is able to control primary orbital lymphoma with low morbidity. A full staging workup is warranted in these patients. Prognostic factors were identified that could be useful in the overall management of this uncommon site of primary lymphoma.     

Ultra-high Seebeck coefficient of a thermal sensor through entropic optimisation of ligand length of Fe(ii) spin-crossover (SCO) materials

In this work, we present a spin-crossover (SCO) complex molecular formulation [Fe(Lⁿ)₂](BF₄)₂ in an electrochemical single couple solution. A Seebeck voltage arises when an electrochemical single couple solution is subjected to a temperature difference, resulting in a single couple reaction at either terminal of the electrochemical cell. The ultrahigh Seebeck coefficients were obtained due to a number of molecular optimisation strategies. The [Fe(L¹⁶)₂](BF₄)₂ complex demonstrated a maximum Seebeck coefficient of 8.67 mV K⁻¹, achieved through a six-pronged approach to maximise entropy during the transition from low spin (LS) to high spin (HS) through: (i) a change in spin state, (ii) a change in physical liquid crystalline state, (iii) the spin Seebeck effect, (iv) the kosmotropic and chaotropic effect, (v) the fastener effect and (vi) thermal heat absorbance. A reduction of the Seebeck coefficient to 1.68 mV K⁻¹ during the HS–LS transition at higher temperatures is related to the single spin state transition entropy change. In summary, this paper presents a systematic study to identify the contributing factors in the production of a sensor with an ultrahigh Seebeck coefficient for energy harvesting through the optimisation of its molecular entropy elements.

The molecular optimisation strategies exhibit ultrahigh Seebeck coefficient through a six-pronged approach to maximise entropy during the transition from low spin (LS) to high spin (HS).     

Contribution of Interfacial Bonding towards Geopolymers Properties in Geopolymers Reinforced Fibers: A Review

There is a burgeoning interest in the development of geopolymers as sustainable construction materials and incombustible inorganic polymers. However, geopolymers show quasi-brittle behavior. To overcome this weakness, hundreds of researchers have focused on the development, characterization, and implementation of geopolymer-reinforced fibers for a wide range of applications for light geopolymers concrete. This paper discusses the rapidly developing geopolymer-reinforced fibers, focusing on material and geometrical properties, numerical simulation, and the effect of fibers on the geopolymers. In the section on the effect of fibers on the geopolymers, a comparison between single and hybrid fibers will show the compressive strength and toughness of each type of fiber. It is proposed that interfacial bonding between matrix and fibers is important to obtain better results, and interfacial bonding between matrix and fiber depends on the type of material surface contact area, such as being hydrophobic or hydrophilic, as well as the softness or roughness of the surface.     

Audit on radiographs in anterior shoulder dislocations

The radiographs of 115 anterior shoulder dislocations (100 patients; 74 males, 26 female were reviewed to assess the radiographic views used in the management of this dislocation. Eighty-eight patients (88%) had only the anteroposterior (AP) view, 10 patients had 2 radiographic views taken and only 2 patients had three radiographic views. Hill-Sachs lesions were found in 18%, and glenoid rim fractures in 3% of the patients. A greater tuberosity fracture was found in 18% of the patients. Therefore, the current practice in the management of an acute anterior shoulder dislocation appears to be to perform a single view (AP) pre-reduction radiograph to confirm the diagnosis and a single view (AP) post reduction radiograph to confirm reduction after a close manipulative reduction has been performed. This practice is likely to result in an underestimate of associated Hill Sachs lesion and glenoid rim fractures, but not greater tuberosity fractures.     

Influence of the delay between conservative surgery and radiation therapy on local relapse in node-positive breast tumor

It has been shown that a delay in radiotherapy (RT) initiation resulted in a higher local relapse (LR) rate. The present analysis investigated retrospectively if the RT-adjuvant therapy sequence modified local-disease-free survival (L-DFS) after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in node-positive (N +) breast cancer patients. Among seven French Adjuvant Study Group trials, 1,831 patients were assessable: 475 received RT directly after BCS, 567 after the 3rd chemotherapy (CT) cycle, and 789 after the 6th CT cycle. In the 1,356 patients receiving CT, it consisted of FEC regimens (fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide) in 83.5% of patients. After a 102-month median follow-up, 214 patients (11.7%) developed LR. The 9-year L-DFS rates were 92.0%, 81.5%, and 87.4%, respectively (p < 0.0001). In the multivariate analysis, the timing of RT was not associated with a higher rate of LR, whereas tumor size and hormonotherapy were prognostic factors. In our population, there was no increase in the risk of LR when RT was delayed to deliver adjuvant CT. Prognostic factors were tumor size, and hormonotherapy. The number of CT courses could modify this risk.     

Primary breast lymphoma: Patient profile, outcome and prognostic factors. A multicentre Rare Cancer Network study

Backgroud

Patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and it is estimated that one in six persons diagnosed with IBD will develop CRC. This fact suggests that genetic variations in inflammatory response genes may act as CRC disease risk modifiers.

Methods

In order to test this hypothesis we investigated a series of polymorphisms in 6 genes (NOD2, DLG5, OCTN1, OCTN2, IL4, TNFα) associated with the inflammatory response on a group of 607 consecutive newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients and compared the results to controls (350 consecutive newborns and 607 age, sex and geographically matched controls).

Results

Of the six genes only one polymorphism in TNFα(-1031T/T) showed any tendency to be associated with disease risk (64.9% for controls and 71.4% for CRC) which we further characterized on a larger cohort of CRC patients and found a more profound relationship between the TNFα -1031T/T genotype and disease (64.5% for controls vs 74.7% for CRC cases above 70 yrs). Then, we investigated this result and identified a suggestive tendency, linking the TNFα -1031T/T genotype and a previously identified change in the CARD15/NOD2 gene (OR = 1.87; p = 0,02 for CRC cases above 60 yrs).

Conclusion

The association of polymorphisms in genes involved in the inflammatory response and CRC onset suggest that there are genetic changes capable of influencing disease risk in older persons.