Changes in hepatic lymph vessels in endotoxaemia.

This study was undertaken into rats to investigate changes in the hepatic lymph vessels and the space of Disse in endotoxaemia and to examine their relationship with the development of endotoxin-induced hepatic injury. Lymph stasis, namely dilatation of the lymph vessels and oedema, developed rapidly in the medium-sized portal canals, the large portal canals, and the liver hilum after endotoxin injection, but not in the small portal canals. Such changes reached their maximum 4-8 h after endotoxin injection and had recovered markedly by 16 h after the injection. The space of Disse remained within normal limits during this period. These findings suggest that the intrahepatic lymph stasis in endotoxaemia may be caused by a reduction in the pumping activity of the extrahepatic and the intrahepatic large lymph vessels rather than by an increase of lymph formation in the liver lobules. There was no evidence suggesting a direct relationship between the disturbance of hepatic lymph flow and the development of hepatic injury in endotoxaemia.     

结肠癌淋巴结转移状况对结肠癌根治术D3式淋巴结清除预后的影响

目的探索结肠癌淋巴结转移情况与术后生存率以及病理参数之间的关系,寻找评价预后的简单有效指标。方法回顾性分析了174例淋巴结转移的中晚期结肠癌住院资料和随访结果,调查了根治术D3式淋巴结清除术的阳性淋巴结率以及淋巴结转移阳性个数,以及术后生存率和病理参数特点。结果结肠癌根治术 D3式淋巴结清除术后总体5年生存率为35.6%(62/174)。阳性淋巴结率在1%~20%的5年生存率70.7%(29/41),大于20%的5年生存率为23.3%(31/133),两者之间存在显著性差异(P<0.05)。全组淋巴结转移阳性个数为(6.3±2.5)个,1~5个阳性淋巴结的5年生存率为66.0%(31/47),6~10个阳性淋巴结的5年生存率为28.8%(19/66),大于10个阳性淋巴结的5年生存率为19.7%(12/61),3组之间存在显著性差异(P<0.05)。阳性淋巴结率以及淋巴结转移阳性个数与肿瘤部位无关。和瘤体直径介于0~4.0cm相比较,>4.0cm肿瘤的阳性淋巴结率以及淋巴结转移阳性个数明显增加(P<0.05)。和局限于黏膜的肿瘤相比,浸润肌层或穿透浆膜后,阳性淋巴结率以及淋巴结转移阳性个数明显增加(P<0.05),而肿瘤浸润肌层和穿透浆膜之间不存在差异。结论准确计算阳性淋巴结率及淋巴结转移阳性个数,结合肿瘤浸润深度来评定结肠癌病人的预后是一种简单有效的方法。     

Use of laboratory data to identify risk factors of giant coronary aneurysms due to Kawasaki disease

BACKGROUND: Although some laboratory findings are known to be indicators of the risk of giant coronary aneurysm formation among Kawasaki disease patients, an appropriate cut-off point to predict aneurysm formation is not clear. METHODS: One hundred and five patients with giant coronary aneurysms were selected from the 15th and 16th nationwide surveys of Kawasaki disease in Japan. A total of 2936 patients without Kawasaki disease were recruited from a single hospital as a control group. Odds ratios were calculated for six laboratory data with specific values as cut-off points. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were observed to determine the most appropriate laboratory tests and cut-off points. RESULTS: Hematocrit, leukocyte count, neutrophil proportion, and hemoglobin had one or more peaks of odds ratio for specific cut-off points, but they did not have a clear cut-off point for the predictor according to the receiver operating characteristic curves. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increased the risk of giant coronary aneurysms continuously so no clearly appropriate cut-off point was identified. Serum sodium concentration of 135 mEq/L had a peak of odds ratio, and those with <135 mEq/L had the highest odds ratio (4.78). This value seemed appropriate with a sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 57%, although the predictive positive value was as small as 5%. CONCLUSION: The author's propose that a serum sodium concentration of <135 mEq/L at the patient's first visit to hospital may be a predictor of giant coronary aneurysms due to Kawasaki disease.     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检的临床意义

目的 评价应用蓝染料示踪剂识别乳腺癌前哨淋巴结（sentinel lymph node,SLN)的可行性和SLN预测腋窝淋巴结（axillary lymph node,ALN)转移的准确性。方法 应用专利蓝对42例临床腋窝淋巴结阴性的乳腺癌患者进行SLN定位和活检术。结果 37例找到SLN，SLN检出率88.1%，SLN的成功定位与患者的年龄有关。SLN预测ALN状态的准确率为93.8%，假阴性2例。结论 蓝染料示踪法定位乳腺癌SLN是成功率较高的方法，且操作简单，花费少，SLN活检能够准确预测腋窝淋巴结的转移状况，在将来治疗腋淋巴结阴性的乳腺癌中，这一技术可以免除患者接受不必要的腋淋巴结清扫术。     

结直肠癌淋巴结转移与部分肿瘤分子标志物表达的相关性研究

目的 探讨部分肿瘤相关分子标志物免疫组织化学的表达与结直肠癌淋巴结转移的相关性.方法 应用免疫组织化学技术检测65例结直肠癌手术标本Ki-67、p53的表达情况,对照手术所见和手术标本的病理检查结果 ,研究这些肿瘤相关分子标志物与肿瘤的生物学特性如浸润和淋巴结转移等的关系.结果 65例结直肠癌手术标本Ki-67、p53免疫组织化学的表达与肿瘤肠壁浸润深度无明显相关性(P＞0.05).Ki-67的表达及Ki-67标记指数的表达与淋巴结转移及Dukes分期有明显的相关性(P＜0.01);p53标记指数的表达与淋巴结转移有相关性(P＜0.05),与Dukes分期有明显的相关性(P＜0.01).结论 作为反应细胞增殖活性的肿瘤相关分子标志物Ki-67,其免疫组织化学的表达程度可间接反映结直肠癌淋巴结转移状况,可能成为反映淋巴结转移的一个标志物.     

Detection of disseminated tumor cells in the lymph nodes of colorectal cancer patients using a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay

Introduction Postoperative treatment for colorectal cancer depends on tumor stage as defined by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC). Adjuvant chemotherapy is not recommended in patients without lymph node involvement (UICC stages I and II). As many as 20–30% of these patients, however, will develop recurrence. Aims and objectives We conducted this study to determine the presence of disseminated tumor cells in the lymph nodes by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) for cytokeratin 20 (CK20) in an attempt to provide supplementary information compared to histopathological findings. Materials and methods Using a standard QRT-PCR assay, we examined primary tumors and 391 lymph nodes from 31 patients with completely resected colorectal cancer. Results Of the 31 primary tumors, 29 were positive for CK20 by QRT-PCR. Discussion An examination of the lymph nodes from the 29 patients with CK20-positive primary tumors revealed that 35 (92.1% sensitivity) of the 38 histopathologically positive lymph nodes and 54 (16.7%) of the 324 histopathologically negative lymph nodes were positive by molecular analysis. CK20 expression was detected in 10 (100%) of 10 patients with a histopathologically positive lymph node status (pN1). In 9 (47.4%) of 19 patients with negative histopathological results (pN0), we detected a CK20 mRNA signal in at least one lymph node. Whereas eight patients with histopathologically negative lymph nodes could be upstaged on the basis of the molecular findings, no patient would be downstaged. Conclusion Our results suggest that QRT-PCR for CK20 is a useful tool for the quantitative detection of micrometastases in the regional lymph nodes. We introduce a standardized procedure that integrates a molecular diagnostic technique in the clinical staging.     

One-stage versus two-stage lymph node dissection after investigation of sentinel lymph node in cutaneous melanoma: a comparison of complications, costs, hospitalization times, and operation times

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether complication rate, costs, operation times, and hospitalization times differed in two different patient groups: in group 1, frozen section analysis of the sentinel lymph node and lymph node dissection were carried out in the same operation. In group 2, normal investigation of the sentinel lymph node and lymph node dissection were done in a second operation. One hundred thirty-five patients with cutaneous melanoma were included. Hospitalization times, costs, complication rates, and operation times of two-stage and one-stage lymph node dissection of the draining area after detection of metastases in the sentinel lymph node were retrospectively compared. Lymph node metastasis in the sentinel lymph node was found in 23 patients. In 11 patients, removal of the sentinel lymph node and dissection of the lymph node basin was performed in the same operation. In 12 patients, a two-stage procedure was the treatment of choice. Operation times were not different in the two groups (p=0.87) while two-stage operation patients were hospitalized significantly longer (14.2 ± 9.7 vs 23.9 ± 24 days; p=0.01) and costs were significantly higher (7,836.90 ± 2,397.95 Swiss francs vs 5,279.40 ± 1,994.90 Swiss francs). In addition, more complications were found in the two-stage group.     

Lymphoscintigraphy as a predictor of lymphatic drainage from cutaneous melanoma

Background: If cutaneous lymphoscintigraphy (CL) is accurate in predicting the draining lymph node basins at risk from primary axial melanomas, then regional metastases should only occur in those lymph node basins identified by CL. Methods: This study is a retrospective review of patients undergoing CL for primary axial melanomas from June 1, 1985, until June 31, 1992. Data retrieved included age, gender, number of basins identified, location of basins identified, management of basins, recurrence in lymphatics, development of distant disease, and long-term follow-up. Results: A total of 181 patients underwent elective LND, and 48 patients (27%) had melanoma in the nodes within the dissected basin. Of these 181 patients, seven developed nodal metastases as their site of first recurrence. All seven recurrences were seen at sites dissected or at sites indicated by CL, which the primary surgeon elected not to treat initially. Of the 116 patients observed, 16 (14%) developed lymph node metastases as their first site of recurrence. Fifteen of these 16 patients had their site of lymph node metastases predicted by CL. In this study, CL predicted 98.6% of all lymph node metastases. Conclusions: The high overall reliability of CL as demonstrated by long-term follow-up indicates that the information obtained by CL can be reliably used to guide intervention. Initial evaluation of patients with high-risk cutaneous melanomas at sites with ambiguous lymphatic drainage must include CL in order to determine the draining lymph node basins and to plan therapy. Presented at the 47th Annual Cancer Symposium of The Society of Surgical Oncology, Houston, Texas, March 17–20, 1994.