Perineal exposure to talc and ovarian cancer risk.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether the use of talc in genital hygiene increases the risk for epithelial ovarian cancer. METHODS: We interviewed 235 white women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer between 1984-1987 at ten Boston metropolitan area hospitals and 239 population-based controls of similar race, age, and residence. RESULTS: Overall, 49% of cases and 39% of controls reported exposure to talc, via direct application to the perineum or to undergarments, sanitary napkins, or diaphragms, which yielded a 1.5 odds ratio (OR) for ovarian cancer (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-2.1). Among women with perineal exposure to talc, the risk was significantly elevated in the subgroups of women who applied it: 1) directly as a body powder (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.7), 2) on a daily basis (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-3.0), and 3) for more than 10 years (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.0-2.7). The greatest ovarian cancer risk associated with perineal talc use was observed in the subgroup of women estimated to have made more than 10,000 applications during years when they were ovulating and had an intact genital tract (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.4-5.4); however, this exposure was found in only 14% of the women with ovarian cancer. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the concept that a life-time pattern of perineal talc use may increase the risk for epithelial ovarian cancer but is unlikely to be the etiology for the majority of epithelial ovarian cancers.     

Quality of life at three months following admission to intensive and coronary care units.

OBJECTIVE: Measurement of quality of life three months following critical illness, to assess impact on health expectations. DESIGN: Continuous quantitative study of patients admitted to a combined intensive and coronary care unit during a nine-month period. Questionnaires giving baseline information were completed soon after admission, and postal questionnaires incorporating the Nottingham Health Profile were sent to surviving patients three months following discharge from the unit. SETTING: District General Hospital. SUBJECTS: ICU sample included 60 patients, male n = 31, female n = 29. Twenty-nine patients received surgical treatment, 31 patients received medical treatment. Coronary Care Unit (CCU) sample included 112 patients, male n = 74, female n = 38. Fifty-four patients admitted following acute myocardial infarction (MI), 58 patients non-MI admission. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Hospital mortality for ICU patients was 31%, increasing to 34% at three months. Hospital mortality for CCU patients was 14%, increasing to 19% at three months. Significant differences in mean NHP scores between ICU and CCU patients were noted with higher CCU scores in the areas of sleep (p = 0.04), and social isolation (p = 0.01). Within the ICU group surgical patients had a higher mean NHP score in the area of pain (p = 0.02). There were no significant differences in the scores of male and female ICU patients. Within the CCU group non-MI patients had significantly higher mean scores than MI patients in the areas of energy (p = 0.007), pain (p = 0.04), emotion (p = 0.05), social isolation (p = 0.01) and physical ability (p = 0.003). Female CCU patients had higher mean NHP scores than male patients with significant differences in the areas of pain (p = 0.04), sleep (p = 0.009) and physical ability (p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: ICU patient quality of life three months after admission compares favourably with a corresponding group of CCU patients, particularly in areas of sleep and social isolation. CCU patients' general functional status deteriorated significantly compared to their pre-admission status. Critical illness is a costly area of medicine, but the results suggest that outcomes are beneficial in terms of quality of life for those surviving acute illness.     

Guidelines for the collection, processing and storage of human bone marrow and peripheral stem cells for transplantation

SUMMARY. There are no current U.K. or international guidelines or regulations covering the production, processing and storage of haemopoietic cells such as to allow their engraftment following myeloablative therapy. This paper seeks to provide such guidelines. It enumerates how quality control and assurance can be applied to this area of transfusion medicine; procedural steps relating to bone marrow harvest on peripheral blood stem cell collection are outlined and recommended doses of nucleated cells suggested for both procedures. General specifications for identification, storage and transportation of bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells are included and specific laboratory procedures related to the provision of haemopoietic cells for engraftment are outlined. Umbilical cord blood transplants and long-term bone marrow culture are alluded to but these are still in a research phase.     

The fragile X syndrome.

An amplification of a highly unstable DNA element has been identified at the fragile X locus in Xq27.3. This sequence appears to be both the source of the primary mutation causing the fragile X syndrome, apparently having its causative effect through the methylation of the FMR-1 HTF island and the region of cytogenetic fragility. The direct analysis of the genotype of carrier and affected individuals can be used as a direct diagnosis tool which will improve both the accuracy and speed of diagnosis. The identification of hereditary unstable DNA in a disease with such a wide level of non-penetrance and variable phenotype may give clues as to the basis of non-penetrance in other human genetic disorders.     

Monitoring and cerebral protection during carotid endarterectomy.

Two recently published multicentre trials have confirmed the overall benefit of carotid endarterectomy in symptomatic patients with severe carotid artery disease. The key to improving further the long-term advantages of carotid endarterectomy, however, remains the continued reduction of the initial operative risk. While the principal responsibility for this continues to be borne by the surgeon, specifically in reducing technical error, the time is perhaps approaching when he or she might also be able to apply some of the recent advances in cerebrovascular research to reduce operative morbidity still further in the future. This article summarizes the aetiology and pathophysiology of operation-related neurological deficits and reviews current approaches towards intraoperative monitoring, cerebral protection and assessment of quality control.