The prognostic role of the sentinel lymph node in clinically node-negative patients with cutaneous melanoma: experience of the Genoa group

AIM: To define the benefit of intraoperative frozen section examination of the sentinel lymph node (sN), and to assess its prognostic value in clinically node-negative melanoma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between July 1993 and December 2001, 214 patients with Stage I-II cutaneous melanoma underwent sN biopsy; complete follow-up data are available in 169 of 175 patients who underwent preoperative lymphoscintigraphy, lymphatic mapping with Patent Blue-V and radio-guided surgery (RGS). RESULTS: In an initial subset, the sN was identified in 35 out of 39 patients; in the principal group of 169 patients, the sN was detected in all patients. The benefit of frozen section examination, that is the proportion of all patients having intraoperative histologic examination who tested positive, was 17.2% (29/169); notably, in patients with pT(1-2) vs pT(3-4) melanoma the corresponding values were 2.3 and 33.3%, respectively, (P=0.000). Cox regression analysis for overall survival indicated that sN-positive patients had a two-fold increased risk of death; the most significant predictors of relapse-free survival were sN status (P=0.004), age (P=0.015), and T stage grouping (P=0.033). CONCLUSIONS: The sN is a reliable predictor of regional lymph node status in patients with cutaneous melanoma. Frozen section examination can be useful in avoiding a 'two-stage' operative procedure in patients with tumour-positive sN, but its greatest benefit seems to be restricted to patients with pT(3)-pT(4) primary melanoma.     

五酯胶囊预防抗结核药对肝功能损害疗效观察

目的观察五酯胶囊预防抗结核药物对肝功能损害的疗效。方法86例结核病患者在全程常规抗痨的同时,随机分为五酯胶囊治疗组和常规护肝对照组,6-12个月为一疗程,结束后分别统计并进行比较它们的临床症状、体征和肝功能变化情况。结果观察6-12个月,显示两组有显著性差异(P<0.05)。结论在全程常规抗痨的同时口服五酯胶囊,能有效地预防抗结核药物对肝功能的损害,无反弹现象,未见不良反应,具有较高的临床价值。     

基于影像组学分类器术前预测直肠非黏液性腺癌淋巴结转移

目的：探讨影像组学方法在术前预测直肠非黏液性腺癌淋巴结转移中的价值。方法：回顾性分析91例手术病理切片证实为直肠非黏液性腺癌患者的影像学资料,其中61例为训练样本,30例为验证样本。基于全瘤体积,从每个原发病灶术前高分辨T2加权成像(T2-weighted imaging,T2WI)图像中提取影像组学特征1 301个。基于训练样本,利用最小绝对收缩和选择算子(the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator,LASSO)逻辑回归方法筛选关键特征并构建影像组学分类器。采用受试者工作特征(receiver operating characteristic,ROC)曲线评价影像组学分类器的辨别效能,并将其与形态学标准进行比较。在验证样本中验证影像组学分类器的价值。结果：由5个影像组学特征构建的分类器与淋巴结转移状态有关(P<0.001)。在训练样本和验证样本中,影像组学分类器诊断淋巴结转移的曲线下面积分别为0.874(95% CI：0.787~0.960)和0.878(95% CI：0.727~1.000),形态学标准诊断淋巴结转移的曲线下面积分别为0.619(95% CI：0.487~0.752)和0.556(95% CI：0.355~0.756)。无论是训练样本还是验证样本,影像组学分类器的诊断效能均高于形态学标准(均P<0.05)。结论：影像组学分类器可术前个体化预测直肠非黏液性腺癌淋巴结转移,而且其诊断效能高于形态学标准。     

Drop‐offs in the isoniazid preventive therapy cascade among children living with HIV in western Kenya, 2015–2019

IntroductionIsoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) can reduce the risk of tuberculosis (TB) in children living with HIV (CLHIV), but data on the outcomes of the IPT cascade in CLHIV are limited.MethodsWe evaluated the IPT cascade among CLHIV aged <15 years and newly enrolled in HIV care in eight HIV clinics in western Kenya. Medical record data were abstracted from September 2015 through July 2019. We assessed the proportion of CLHIV completing TB symptom screening, IPT eligibility assessment, IPT initiation and completion. TB incidence rate was calculated stratified by IPT initiation and completion status. Risk factors for IPT non‐initiation and non‐completion were assessed using Poisson regression with generalized linear models.ResultsOverall, 856 CLHIV were newly enrolled in HIV care, of whom 98% ([95% CI 97–99]; n = 841) underwent screening for TB symptoms and IPT eligibility. Of these, 13 (2%; 95% CI 1–3) were ineligible due to active TB and 828 (98%; 95% CI 97–99) were eligible. Five hundred and fifty‐nine (68%; 95% CI 64–71) of eligible CLHIV initiated IPT; median time to IPT initiation was 3.6 months (interquartile range [IQR] 0.5–10.2). Overall, 434 (78%; 95% CI 74–81) IPT initiators completed. Attending high‐volume HIV clinics (aRR = 2.82; 95% CI 1.20–6.62) was independently associated with IPT non‐initiation. IPT non‐initiation had a trend of being higher among those enrolled in the period 2017–2019 versus 2015–2016 (aRR = 1.91; 0.98–3.73) and those who were HIV virally non‐suppressed (aRR = 1.90; 95% CI 0.98–3.71). Being enrolled in 2017–2019 versus 2015–2016 (aRR = 1.40; 1.01–1.96) was independently associated with IPT non‐completion. By 24 months after IPT screening, TB incidence was four‐fold higher among eligible CLHIV who never initiated (8.1 per 1000 person years [PY]) compared to CLHIV who completed IPT (2.1 per 1000 PY; rate ratio [RR] = 3.85; 95% CI 1.08–17.15), with a similar trend among CLHIV who initiated but did not complete IPT (8.2/1000 PY; RR = 4.39; 95% CI 0.82–23.56).ConclusionsDespite high screening for eligibility, timely IPT initiation and completion were suboptimal among eligible CLHIV in this programmatic cohort. Targeted programmatic interventions are needed to address these drop‐offs from the IPT cascade by ensuring timely IPT initiation after ruling out active TB and enhancing completion of the 6‐month course to reduce TB in CLHIV.     

不同浓度和剂量3种示踪剂应用于甲状腺前哨淋巴结活检的实验研究

目的:通过应用不同浓度和剂量的异硫蓝(IB)、专利蓝(PB)及美蓝(MB)于兔甲状腺,观察其在兔甲状腺前哨淋巴结(SLN)活检中的作用,为甲状腺癌患者SLN活检示踪剂的选择提供实验依据。方法:36只成年兔随机分为9组,每组4只。分别将1%-0.01ml,1%-0.02ml,2%-0.02ml的IB、PB、MB注入各组兔甲状腺左右叶,观察SLN的染色枚数,显色时间及明显、完全褪色时间。结果:9组实验中每侧兔颈部检出的SLN在1～3枚之间,9组间差异无统计学意义。9组实验中,SLN平均显色时间最短为2%MB0.02ml组,6.3s;平均明显褪色时间最长为2%MB0.02ml组,28.2min;1%MB0.02ml组与2%MB0.02ml组观察至40min后染色SLN仍可辨别。结论:2%MB0.02ml注射时,SLN染色较深,显色较快,褪色时间较长,为甲状腺SLN活检应用较佳的示踪剂。     

CT影像与X线影像对肺结核疗程判定的对比分析

目的探讨CT影像在肺结核疗程中的诊断价值。方法选择继发型肺结核和胸膜炎者127例,在标准疗程结束时做影像检查,根据CT结果延长疗程3个月至1年不等,全疗程结束时作胸片及CT对比。结果X线显示可以结束疗程者,经CT检查病变仍有活动性者65例。结论CT检查对肺结核痊愈期判定明显优于X光片。     

浸润型肺结核CT与临床疗效对比分析

目的 评价初治浸润型肺结核患者的临床疗效和螺旋CT影像学特点的对比研究。方法 116例浸润型肺结核患者,采用抗结核治疗,分别在1,2,4,8和12个月进行对比研究。结果 在1,2和4个月的对比研究中,螺旋CT影像学表现的好转情况明显低于临床表现（P〈0．05）,而8和12个月对比结果两者表现相同。结论 CT表现晚于临床症状的转归。说明即使临床结核中毒症状好转或消失,也不应该忽视结核的化学治疗。     

不同载体介导的绿色荧光蛋白基因在大鼠颌下淋巴结的表达

目的探讨阳离子聚合物Sofast基因转染试剂(Sofast)和阳离子脂质体Lipofectamine2000(Lipo)经不同途径向大鼠转入绿色荧光蛋白基因(PEGFP-N2),观察其在颌下淋巴结(SMLN)的表达。方法45只Wistar大鼠随机分成9组:Lipo/DNA前房注射组(A)、结膜下注射组(B)、颞下方穹隆部注射组(C)和下睑皮下注射组(D);Sofast/DNA前房注射组(E)、结膜下注射组(F)、颞下方穹隆部注射组(G)、下睑皮下注射组(H)和阴性对照组(I)。分别于注射后48小时取同侧SMLN,通过荧光显微镜观查和流式细胞仪(FCM)检测各组的SMLN中PEG-FP-N2的表达。结果A-D、E-H各实验组的SMLN中均可观察到绿色荧光。相同载体不同部位注射DNA后颞下方穹隆部注射组和下睑皮下注射组可以获得相对较高的转染效率。相同部位不同载体注射DNA后Sofast/DNA注射组的转染效率高于Lipo/DNA注射组。结论Sofast在SMLN的基因转染中优于Lipo。DNA/Sofast可以通过颞下方穹隆部注射和下睑皮下注射在SMLN获得相对较高的表达。     

皮肤分枝杆菌感染的研究进展

皮肤分枝杆菌感染是一类复杂的皮肤疾病,临床和病理无特异表现,易漏诊误诊。临床上大致分为3类,皮肤结核、麻风、非结核分枝杆菌感染性皮肤病。本文就各类分枝杆菌感染相关的皮肤疾病进行流行病学特征、临床表现、诊断及治疗进展进行综述。     

Comparative Analysis of Postoperative Complications of Sentinel Node Identification Using the SentiMag® Method and the Use of a Radiotracer in Patients with Breast Cancer

(1) Background: The purpose of the study was a retrospective, comparative assessment of complications of the surgical sentinel node biopsy (SNB) procedure in breast cancer using the radiotracer method and the SentiMag^® method on groups of patients after 3.5 years of use. (2) Methods: The material was a group of 345 patients with primary surgical breast cancer who underwent the SNB procedure with the use of a radiotracer in combination with wide local excision (WLE), simple amputation (SA) with SNB and an independent SNB procedure in the period from May 2018 to January 2021 in the Department of Oncological Surgery. Of the patients who were monitored in the Hospital Outpatient Clinic, 300 were enrolled. The analyzed group was compared in terms of the occurrence of the same complications with the group of 303 patients also operated on in our center in the period from January 2014 to September 2017, in which SN identification was performed using the SentiMag^® method. (3) Results: The most common complications found were sensation disorders in the arm, which occurred in 16 (14.1%) patients using the radiotracer method, SentiMag^®-11 (9.9%). By comparing the complication rate between the methods with the radiotracer (n = 300) and SentiMag^® (n = 303), no significant differences were found. (4) Conclusions: Sentinel node (SN) identification using the radiotracer method and the SentiMag^® method are comparable diagnostic methods in breast cancer, with a low risk of complications.