Assessment of the response to chemotherapy in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia with vaginal metastases

Background and goals  This study is designed to survey gestational trophoblastic neoplasia with vaginal metastases (GTN + VM) manifestations, prognosis and chemotherapy response in order to consider appropriate chemotherapy regimen for these patients. There have been just a few studies about treatment of GTN + VM. Materials and methods  Patients with Stage III GTN with or without vaginal metastases who had referred to Vali-e-Asr Hospital during 1996–2006 have been selected to take part in this study and the size of metastases was measured. Then response and resistance to single and combination chemotherapy regimens have been compared in these two groups. The data were processed using SPSS system (release 10). Statistical analysis was done with X² to determine factors associated with complete clinical response. The level of significance was assigned at P < .05. Results  Forty-eight patients with stage III (with pulmonary metastases) GTN patients have been selected, 13 with vaginal metastases and 35 without vaginal metastases. Incidence of vaginal metastases in stage III was 26%. Metastases were mainly in distal part of vagina and suburethra. Chief complaint was severe hemorrhage in 25% of patients and was controlled by vaginal packing with just one exception. Group of vaginal metastases showed 66.6% resistance to first-line chemotherapy, compared to 28.6% in patients with no vaginal metastases (P-value = 0.010). Median of chemotherapy courses in low-risk vaginal metastatic patients was 5 (mean = 5.2), compared to three courses in the group without vaginal metastases. Resistance to single chemotherapy was significantly higher in GTN + VM versus GTN without VM patients and resistance was higher especially in patients with metastases with more than 3 cm (in diameter). Conclusions  Vaginal metastasis with more than 3 cm in diameter is an important prognostic factor in GTN patients. There have higher risks for severe hemorrhage and resistance to single agent chemotherapy, so in these patients combination chemotherapy, with no regard to staging and scoring, would be a better choice. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Clinical and histological significance of atypical glandular cell on Pap smear

BACKGROUND: Atypical glandular cell (AGC) on Pap smear is uncommon but may represent a variety of benign and malignant lesions. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between AGC on Pap smear and significant pathological finding to tailor management protocols. METHODS: Between 2002 and 2005, 60 women with AGC on Pap smears were referred to our colposcopy clinic. Forty-one women underwent colposcopy-directed biopsy, endocervical curettage, endometrial sampling and cervical conisation to determine the cytological and histological correlations of AGC on Pap smears. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 46.9 +/- 11.5 years (range, 23-80 years). Of these patients 13 patients (31.7%) were postmenopause and 28 patients (68.2%) were in reproductive age. We found eight (19.5%) significant pathological findings including four (9.7%) high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, one (2.4%) adenocarcinoma of uterus, one (2.4%) adenocarcinoma of cervix, one (2.4%) squamous cell carcinoma of cervix and one (2.4%) papillary serous tumour of ovary. CONCLUSION: AGC on Pap smear was associated with a clinically significant diagnosis in approximately 20% of our cases. The women with a diagnosis of AGC on cervicovaginal smear are needed to be evaluated at least with colposcopy, endocervical and endometrial curettage. Clinicians should be careful about the significance of AGC on Pap smears.     

Cutaneous metastasis from carcinoma of the cervix at the drain site

BACKGROUND: Metastasis to the skin occurs rarely in gynecologic cancer, especially in cervical carcinoma. Although carcinoma of the cervix is the second to the fourth most common malignancy in women, cutaneous involvement originating from cervical cancer is particularly unusual, even in the terminal stage of the disease. CASE: We present a case of cervical cancer recurrence with skin metastasis. The extensive skin lesion on the abdominal wall occurred 4 years after radical surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. This was a biopsy-proven metastasis from the patient's primary cervical carcinoma. CONCLUSION: As far we know this is the second case (after Copas et al., Gynecol Oncol 1995;56:102-4) of skin and subcutaneous tissues metastasis from cervical carcinoma at the drain site. Palliative chemotherapy and radiotherapy have a useful role in controlling symptoms.     

Postadmission disparities in nursing home stays of whites and minority elderly

This study examined the type of nursing home stay of white and minority elderly and investigated whether minority differences in nursing home admissions were extended to the type of stay, and if so, what accounted for those differences. African American/white and Latino/white elderly were compared with respect to stays of (1) longer than three months, (2) shorter than three months and discharged alive (recovery), and (3) shorter than three months and deceased (terminal). African American elderly in nursing homes were significantly less likely to have recovery stays than were white elderly. Multivariate analysis revealed that this difference was due to Medicaid coverage. Overall, elderly with Medicaid coverage were more likely to make long-term stays in nursing homes. The findings highlight the importance of Medicaid coverage for short-term recovery nursing home stays. Reductions of benefits or restrictions in eligibility would negatively and disproportionately affect the nursing home stays of elderly African Americans.     

Ankle-arm blood pressure monitoring does not correlate with serum lipoprotein a in renal transplant recipients

OBJECTIVE: Lipoprotein a [Lp(a)] is a strong biochemical risk factor that predicts posttransplant atherosclerosis. In this study we measured the ankle to arm blood pressure index (AAI) as a predictor of clinical atherosclerosis and assessed its relationship to serum Lp(a) values among 60 renal transplant recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After measuring the AAI in a recumbent position, biochemical factors including cholestrol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and Lp(a) were measured by commercial kits in 60 renal transplant and 30 healthy subjects. Results were analyzed using SPSS. RESULTS: Lp(a) concentrations were significantly higher among transplant recipients compared with the control group (P < .05). AAI was similar between the kidney transplant recipients and controls, showing no significant correlation of Lp(a) concentration with AAI. CONCLUSION: Increased serum Lp(a) in renal transplant recipients, a potent biochemical risk factor for atherosclerosis, was not associated with abnormal AAI.     

Renin-angiotensin system polymorphisms and renal graft function in renal transplant recipients

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the role of 3 polymorphisms of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in renal transplant recipients (RTRs) and correlate them with graft function. METHODS: The present study was performed in the Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz Medical University, Tabriz, Iran from September 2003 to December 2005 on 108 RTRs (66 males and 42 females, with a mean age of 37.34 +/- 4.97 years) with stable allograft function (creatinine < or =2.2 mg/dl). Following the DNA extraction from the blood leukocytes, the genotypes of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE I/D), angiotensinogen (ANG M235T), and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (ATR1 A1166C) were determined by polymerase chain reaction. The magnitude of clearance of creatinine (ClCr) in the setting of each of the above RAS polymorphisms was determined. The ClCr was measured by modification of diet in renal disease formula. Values were expressed as mean +/- SD; p< or =0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS: There was no association of each genotype of the RAS alone with ClCr, serum urea, cyclosporine through level and the degree of urinary protein excretion rate. However, patients with the DD genotype of angiotensin converting enzyme + CC genotype of angiotensin II type I receptor polymorphisms had lower ClCr (p=0.05) and a higher urinary protein excretion rate (p=0.03). Other combination genotypes of RAS had no effect on allograft function. Interestingly, the percent of hypertensive patients in the C allele (70%) was more than the A allele (30%) of ATR1 polymorphism (p=0.04). CONCLUSION: Although none of the single gene polymorphisms of the RAS affected renal allograft function, combinations of these genotypes were associated with the outcome of allograft function.     

Are managed care Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions satisfied with their care?

Objectives: This article compares patient experiences of chronically ill older people in health maintenance organizations (HMOs) with other forms of Medicare supplemental coverage. Method: Using data from the 1996 Medicare Current Beneficiaries Survey, the authors analyzed the experiences of chronically ill elderly with overall quality, access to care, and physicians' technical, interpersonal, and information-giving skills. Logistic models controlled for prevalent chronic conditions, functioning, perceived health status, sociodemographics, region of residence, and county-level Medicare HMO penetration. Results: Satisfaction with quality of overall care and physicians' skills was more likely for many conditions for those with private fee for service and Medicaid supplemental coverage, compared to Medicare HMO population. No insurance effects were found among elders who had none of the examined conditions. Discussion: Managed care may have negatively affected patients' perceptions of overall quality of care and doctor-patient interaction. Including additional and supplementary services to the delivery of care may improve satisfaction rates.     

Serum Fetuin-A and Pentraxin3 in hemodialysis and renal transplant patients

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to evaluate of Fetuin-A and Pentraxin3 (PTX3) as the main factors for vascular calcification and inflammation in hemodialysis (HD) and renal transplant (RT) patients.MethodSerum was obtained from 45 stable chronic HD patients and 44 stable RT recipients. Biochemical factors, intact Parathormone, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), Fetuin-A and PTX3 levels were determined by standard methods.ResultsIn the RT recipients PTX3 level was significantly higher than the HD patients [5.78(1.09–20.36) ng/mL vs. 1.65(0.24–7.89) ng/mL, p ≤ 0.001]. Serum Fetuin-A concentration was significantly higher in the HD compared to RT group [43.39(27.75–81.48) ng/mL vs. 38.76(22.26–89.07) ng/mL, p = 0.020]. hsCRP level was also higher in the HD than the RT group [2.90(0.1–8.50) mg/L vs. 1.1(0.1–7.9) mg/L, p = 0.003].ConclusionAlthough our study shows that serum PTX3 is increased and Fetuin-A is decreased after successful RT, their direct role on atherosclerosis needs further studies in the future.     

Low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma of uterine: review of 17 cases

Endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESS) are the second most common uterine sarcomas. Endometrial stromal sarcomas account for 0.25% of all uterine malignancies. Uterine sarcomas most often affect postmenopausal women. The aim of this retrospective study was to review the experience in the treatment and clinical outcome of low grade malignant endometrial stromal sarcoma. Seventeen patients with histologically proven low grade ESS in department of Gynecologic Oncology of the Vali-e-Asr Hospital, Tehran-Iran, between 1999 and 2008 were included in the analysis. Demographics, pathology, treatment, time to recurrence, salvage therapy and survival information was collected. The median age of our patients was 45.35 ± 6.8 (range 36-61). The median parity of the patients was 5 (range 0-8). Most patients were diagnosed at FIGO stage I. The mean survival for patients with stage I and II was 73.5 ± 35.09 and 57.6 ± 5.37 months, respectively, with mortality rate of 5.9% through a median follow-up time of 68.82 ± 30 months. Of 17 patients, seven cases (35.29%) were disease free at 6 years after hysterectomy. Radiotherapy was administered to four patients (23.53%). Only one patient recurred at 10th month after surgery. Surgeries not preserving ovarian function were helpful to decrease the risk of recurrence compared with those sparing ovarian function.