Influence of Prior Psychiatric Disorders on the Treatment Course of Gynaecological Cancer – A Nationwide Cohort Study

Aims

To examine the influence of pre-existing psychiatric disorder on the choice of treatment in patients with gynaecological cancer.

Ectopic cervical salivary glands

Summary Ectopic salivary glands in the neck are very unusual lesions. Generally they are localized to the oropharyngeal region, near the mandible and para-parotid lymph nodes. They occur occasionally on the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in the soft tissues of the neck. We wish to report on a singular association of ectopic salivary glands with partial hearing loss, preauricular fistula, palatoschisis, anal fistula, and an arteria lusoria. Morphological, histological and embryological aspects are discussed.     

Convergence of occipital nerve and superior sagittal sinus input in the cervical spinal cord of the cat

Co-existence of facial and occipital pain may occur in occipital neuralgia, migraine and cluster headache; suggesting convergence of trigeminal and cervical afferents. Such convergence has been shown in humans and other animals, but the site and extent of this are uncertain. In anaesthetized adult cats, the superior sagittal sinus and occipital nerve were stimulated electrically, and extracellular recordings made in the dorsolateral area of the upper cervical cord using glass-coated tungsten electrodes. Of 49 units in 10 cats, 33 (67%) had input from the superior sagittal sinus and the occipital nerve. Thirteen (27%) had superior sagittal sinus input and 3 (6%) had occipital nerve input. Convergent receptive fields were identified mechanically in 7 units. These experiments in cats show convergent input from occipital nerve and superior sagittal sinus on dorsolateral area units in two-thirds of cases studied. This experimental site of trigeminocervical convergence may relate to referral of pain in occipital neuralgia and other headaches.     

Bilateral brain abscesses complicating the use of crutchfield tongs

The case of a 4-year-old girl who developed bilateral brain abscesses complicating skull traction is reported. Crutchfield tongs were used to reduce a fracture dislocation at C2–3. Presenting symptoms consisted of headaches and focal seizures. Surgical treatment and antibiotics using serial CT led to a satisfactory outcome. This is the first reported case of this complication in a child. The current literature is reviewed.To whom offprint requests should be addressed at Avda. Pio Baroja 4, 30011 Murcia, Spain     

The treatment of spondylotic cervical myelopathy by ventral discectomy. Long term results on 121 patients

The pathophysiology of spondylotic cervical myeolopathy is still a matter of discussion. This paper presents a series of 126 patients operated on using a ventral approach. In 47% of the patients only a spondylotic narrowing of the spinal canal was present and in 35% an additional disc herniation was found. In 13% of the cases however a soft disc without spondylotic spures was found and in 5% a dislocation of vertebral bodies. We found a marked male preponderance of 77%, mean age was 51.6 years, ranging from 25–50 years. Most patients were operated on at the levels of C4/5 and C5/6. Observation time covered a period of 3–10 years. The outcome was rated relatively to the preoperative degree of disablement using a questionnaire for the patients and their family doctors. We found a marked difference in the answers, especially in rating deterioration, which was stated by patients in 34%, by physicians only in 12%. Another finding was the time-related out-come. We found best results with 75% improvement and 5% deterioration between 3–6 months postoperatively, with increasing time the results decreased to 33% improvement, 33% identical statys and in 33% a deterioration related to the preoperative status must be noted.     

The cervical cancer screening program in Mexico: problems with access and coverage

A cross-sectional study was carried out in two geographic regions of Mexico - Oaxaca (rural area) and Mexico City (urban area) - to determine the main factors for predicting participation in Cervical Cytology Screening Programs (CCSP), in populations with high mortality due to cervical cancer. We included 4,208 women aged between 15 and 49 years, randomly selected through a national household-sample frame. Knowledge of what the Pap test is used for strongly predisposes use of CCSP in Mexico City (odds ratio [OR] = 46.1, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] = 33.1-64.1) and Oaxaca state (OR = 61.5, CI = 42.0-89.9), as well as high socioeconomic level (Mexico: OR = 2.0, CI = 1.1-7.6; Oaxaca: OR = 4.1, CI = 3.1-5.3), high education level (Mexico: OR = 3.6, CI = 1.5-8.8; Oaxaca: OR = 5.3, CI = 2.8-10.0), and access to social security (Mexico: OR = 1.7, CI = 1.4-2.2; Oaxaca: OR = 2.2, CI = 1.8-2.7). Low coverage of the CCSP is confirmed as an important problem in Mexico.     

Screening for gynaecological conditions

Well-organised cervical screening programmes have reduced the mortality from cervical cancer by up to 50% in the developed world. Despite the successful development of human papilloma virus vaccines, there is likely to remain a need for cervical screening for the foreseeable future. In contrast, the value of mass screening for ovarian cancer remains unproven, although current screening methods can detect early-stage disease in asymptomatic individuals. Breast screening does appear to be associated with a reduction in mortality in the long term but paradoxically may increase death rates in young women in the short term. Testing for sexually transmitted infections is effective in reducing morbidity but tends to be selective at present because of concerns over the cost and psychosocial implications of general population screening.     

“整颈三步九法”治疗风寒阻络型颈椎病的临床研究

观察与评价“整颈三步九法”在新疆地区治疗风寒阻络型颈椎病的临床疗效。方法：门诊纳入240例风寒阻络型颈椎病的患者,男女性别不限,随机分为试验组和对照组,每组120例。试验组采用“整颈三步九法”进行治疗,对照组采用“常规推拿手法”治疗,两组均每天治疗1次,共治疗14次。两种手法操作由四名推拿专业副主任医师来完成。观察两组患者的中医证候、疼痛（MPQ疼痛评估量表）的改善情况以及临床疗效。结果：试验组与对照组总有效率分别为93.16%与84.03%,临床疗效组间比较有统计学差异（P<0.05）;两组患者治疗后的疼痛与中医证候积分与治疗前比较有一定改善（P<0.05,P<0.01）。结论：改进后的“整颈三步九法”治疗风寒阻络型颈椎病较以往的手法更具有有效性和安全性,而且操作简便,宜于向疆内其它地区进行推广应用。     

宫颈癌194例回顾性分析

目的探讨宫颈癌的发病年龄与临床特点及病理类型的关系。方法宫颈癌患者194例，分为年轻组（≤35岁）和中老年组（〉35岁）组，进行临床特点分期，病理类型及细胞分化等临床资料对比分析。结果两组患者在临床特点、病理类型差异有统计学意义。≤35岁组临床表现以接触性阴道流血为主；≤Ⅱa期占94．7％，≥Ⅱb期占5．3％；鳞癌占89．5％，腺癌占10．59％，其他类型占0。〉35岁组临床表现以不规则阴道流血和绝经后出血为主；≤Ⅱa期占87．7％，≥Ⅱb期占12．3％；鳞癌占90．4％，腺癌占7．5％，其他类型占2．1％。结论〉35岁组临床期别较高，预后不良。≤35岁组临床期别较低，但腺癌较多。     

术前同步放化疗在Ⅱ B期宫颈癌患者中的临床研究

目的 探讨Ⅱ B期宫颈癌患者术前同步放化疗的可行性及疗效.方法 回顾性分析56例ⅡB期宫颈癌患者的治疗过程.按照治疗方式的不同分为2组,术前同步放化疗组(26例)和单纯放疗组(30例),比较2组患者不良反应及远期疗效.结果 与单纯放疗组比较,同步放化疗组骨髓抑制发生率、恶心及呕吐发生率高于单纯放疗组(P＜0.05),但经过对症处理,不影响治疗进程.与单纯放疗组比较,术前同步放化疗组3年的局部复发率明显降低,3年生存率提高(P＜0.05),而1年的局部复发率、1年生存率两组无明显差异.结论 Ⅱ B期宫颈癌患者术前行同步放化疗可降低肿瘤复发率,提高3年生存率.