A profile of invasive cutaneous malignant melanoma in Malta: 1993–2002

BACKGROUND: The incidence of malignant melanoma of the skin has risen in every part of the world where reliable cancer registration data are found. OBJECTIVE: Our study aims to describe the changing incidence of and survival from invasive cutaneous malignant melanoma in Malta, by analysing the data from the 211 cases that were registered at the Malta National Cancer Registry between 1993 and 2002. RESULTS: The age standardized incidence rates for invasive cutaneous malignant melanoma rose from 3.7 per 100,000 population per year for males and 5.1 for females in the first 5-year period, to 8.0 per 100,000 population per year for males and 5.9 for females in the second 5-year period. In both sexes, numbers of thin (< or = 1.0 mm) invasive melanomas increased significantly between 1993 and 2002; males also registered a significant increase in intermediate-thickness (1.01-4.0 mm) melanomas. The increase in numbers of thin and intermediate-thickness melanomas between the two 5-year periods was greatest in patients aged 60 years and over. The overall absolute 5-year survival rate for the first period was 74% and for the second period 92%. CONCLUSION: Numbers of reported cases of invasive cutaneous malignant melanoma in Malta have more than doubled during the 10-year study period. This is mostly due to a marked rise in the diagnosis of thin melanomas in both sexes, occurring mainly in patients aged 60 years and over. As thin melanomas are of low metastasizing potential, this has resulted in an increase in survival between the two 5-year study periods.     

儿童原发性腹膜后恶性肿瘤的诊断与治疗

分析原发性腹膜后恶性肿瘤１２例。８３％以腹块和腹痛为主要症状，体征中腹块占９１．５％，以恶性淋巴瘤居首位占６１％。全组完全切除率为５８％，行脏器联合切除占２５％。完全切除加放疗、化疗３年存活率为２８．５％，部分切除及活检未给其它治疗者５例预后差，均１年内死亡，差别显著。     

Uptake of Adriamycin in tumour and surrounding brain tissue in patients with malignant gliomas

Summary Eight patients with malignant gliomas verified on CT scan, received an intravenous injection of 50 mg of Adriamycin R, 24 hours prior to surgical removal of the tumour. Peroperatively, both tumour and surrounding tissue specimens were obtained for determination of the tissue concentrations of Adriamycin and its reduced metabolite Adriamycinol. It was found that Adriamycin could be detected in tumour tissue from all patients. The concentration varied between 0,9 and 4,6 nmol/g tissue. In contrast, Adriamycin could only be detected in surrounding brain tissue from one patient.In anin vitro study a human malignant glioma cell line (U-251 MG) was exposed to various concentrations of Adriamycin for 24 hours. It was found that an intracellular drug concentration above 30 nmol/g cells caused a concentration dependent inhibition of cell growth. Thus, it is likely that the poor effect of Adriamycin on patients with malignant gliomas is due to an ineffective drug accumulation in the tumour tissue.     

Modulation of ryanodine-induced contractures in human skeletal muscle pretreated with dantrolene

Dantrolene seems to be the causal therapy in malignant hyperthermia (MH) crisis but the complex mechanisms of MH and dantrolene therapy are still not fully understood. The influence of dantrolene on ryanodine-induced contractures has been reported in animal studies only. In the present study 20 patients from] 7 families were tested for MH using the protocol of the European Malignant Hyperthermia Group. In addition ryanodine-induced contractures were evaluated following bolus application of 10.0 μmol · 1^-1 ryanodine. After pretreatment with 1 μimol · 1^-1 dantrolene ryanodine-provoked contractures developed significantly later in MHS (15.8±1.8 min) and MHN (46.0±4.2 min) muscle specimens than after ryanodine alone (MHS 4.8±0.7 min), (MHN 13.7±0.9 min). They were no longer observed in either group after pretreatment with 5 μimol · 1^-1 dantrolene. We conclude that dantrolene is able to attenuate ryanodine-induced contractures dose-dependendy, and therefore it is speculated that dantrolene could specifically act at the ryanodine receptor binding site.     

卵巢恶性肿瘤与血小板增多关系分析

目的探讨卵巢恶性肿瘤伴发血小板增多的临床规律。方法回顾分析98例卵巢恶性肿瘤患者的临床资料,26例合并血小板增多。结果血小板增多占26.5%,其中晚期(Ⅲ+Ⅳ期)占88.46%,晚期患者血小板偏高明显增多,且肿瘤切除后血小板下降。结论卵巢恶性肿瘤伴发血小板增多晚期患者多见,预后差,血小板增多可作为判断卵巢肿瘤恶性程度及术后随访的指标。     

检测恶性淋巴瘤患者血清可溶性细胞间粘附分子—1的临床意义

目的　通过检测正常人、初治和治疗后完全缓解 ( CR)之恶性淋巴瘤患者血清可溶性细胞间粘附分子 - 1 ( s ICAM- 1 )水平 ,探讨其临床意义。方法　采用酶联免疫吸附法 ( ELISA)检测 2 5例正常人和 2 3例恶性淋巴瘤患者血清 s ICAM- 1含量。结果　初治恶性淋巴瘤患者血清 s ICAM- 1含量高于正常人 ( P <0 .0 1 )和 CR期恶性淋巴瘤患者 ( P <0 .0 5 ) ,而 CR期恶性淋巴瘤患者也高于正常人 ,但无显著性差异 ( P >0 .0 5 )。结论　检测血清 s ICAM- 1的含量对恶性淋巴瘤的诊断、病情观察及疗效判断可能有一定的临床意义。     

Enucleation combined with orbital implants for malignant melanoma of the uvea

Advanced malignant melanomas of the uvea unsuited for an eye salvaging approach require enucleation of the tumor containing eye. A series of 68 patients is reported who underwent enucleation combined with insertion of a spherical dura-encased implant after 30 Gray pre-irridiation therapy of the orbit. Postoperative results with special attention to cosmetic outcome and motility of the prosthesis suggest that the insertion of an orbital implant should be preferred to the enucleation with no implant.     

Four primary malignant tumors, including malignant melanoma and malignant lymphoma, in the same adult patient

We report an 80-year-old Japanese male with four primary malignant tumors: malignant melanoma, prostatic cancer, malignant lymphoma, and renal cell carcinoma, which occurred in that respective order. The combination of malignant melanoma and malignant lymphoma is rare. The patient was treated with BCG after an operation for malignant melanoma. He was also treated with cobalt 60 irradiation after an operation for prostatic cancer. We also discuss other reports of multiple malignant tumors and suggest some possible causes of this patient's primary malignant tumors.     

腮腺良性和恶性多形性腺瘤的超声研究

目的研究腮腺良性和恶性多形性腺瘤的超声特点,为临床医师诊治提供有效依据。方法选取腮腺良性多形性腺瘤患者79例和恶性多形性腺瘤患者15例,对其肿块的大小、硬度、内部回声、彩色多普勒血流显像(CDFI)特点结合病理学诊断进行对照研究。结果恶性多形性腺瘤的声像图特点与良性多形性腺瘤相似,但其肿瘤相对较大,质地更硬,内部回声分布更紊乱。不同性质的肿瘤的大小和质地有显著性差异,(P<0.01)。结论多形性腺瘤的超声诊断主要依据二维图像之特点。当多形性腺瘤大于3.0 cm,硬度较硬,内部回声分布不均多提示恶性。