Retroperitoneal sarcomas: A single center experience.]

PURPOSE: To analyse the management and clinical outcome of patients treated for retroperitonal soft tissue sarcoma and to identify prognosis factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 20 adults ; 11 women and nine men treated between 1980 and 2000 in our institution. RESULTS: There were seven liposarcomas and 13 leiomyosarcomas. The mean tumor size was 26cm. Three patients underwent a complete resection (R0), 14 patients an incomplete resection (R1/R2) with microscopic or macroscopic tumour remained after surgery. Only three patients had a surgical biopsy. Median follow-up was 18 months. Overall survival rates was 45%, 10% at two and five years, respectively. Among the following factors, sex, age, symptom duration, tumor size, histologic type, histologic grade, resection type, mitotic index, necrosis extension, histologic differentiation, and AJCC stage, only mitotic index factor (scale 1,2 versus scale 3) significantly influenced patient survival (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: This study re-emphasizes the poor outcome of patients with retroperitoneal sarcoma. Survival rates appeared low when compared with other studies. These results incite for a more aggressive approach.     

Un insulinome géant : à propos d’un cas

Islet-cell tumors are the most common neuroendocrine tumors that arise from the endocrine pancreas. They are typically benign and sporadic. Diagnosis is generally established late because clinical signs lack specificity. The insulinoma is difficult to localize since it is very small in size, often not exceeding 2 cm. We report an exceptional case of giant insulinoma initially revealed by a pseudo-polycythemia in an 80-year-old man. He had been treated for hypertension for a few months. Routine biological investigations showed elevated hematocrit and haemoglobin, suggesting Vaquez disease. History taking revealed recent episodes of nocturnal agitation. On admission, he had reddish skin with a suspected enlarged spleen, but total blood volume was normal. Imaging studies showed a voluminous tumor located between the pancreas and the spleen. The presence of an insulinoma was confirmed on the basis of an elevated level of proinsulin at the time of an asymptomatic episode of hypoglycemia. Spleno-pancreatectomy was performed. Histopathological examination revealed a malignant, well-differentiated neuroendocrine malignant tumor.     

Essential oils composition in two Rosmarinus officinalis L. varieties and incidence for antimicrobial and antioxidant activities

The essential oil composition of Rosmarinus officinalis var. typicus and var. troglodytorum endemic to Tunisia, and growing wild in different bioclimates, was determined by GC and GC–MS. Oils were assessed for their antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. A variation of the chemical composition attributed to varieties rather than to bioclimates was revealed. 1.8-Cineole (47.2–27.5%) and camphor (12.9–27.9%) were identified as the main constituents of var. typicus and var. troglodytorum, respectively. The principal component analysis performed on oil constituents for all the populations allowed the distinction of two distinct population groups in accordance to the varietal subdivision. Based on the determination of the diameter of inhibition and the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration, a low to moderate antimicrobial activity according to oils was revealed against eight bacteria tested. However, oils from var. troglodytorum showed higher bactericidal effect than those from var. typicus. The oils’ antioxidant activity, determined by 1,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, ferric reducing (FRAP) assay and β-carotene bleaching test, was relatively high. The highest activity was found in oils from var. troglodytorum and in one population of var. typicus from the upper semi-arid bioclimate.