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Biomedical subjects

C Gailloud

Publications and source records attributed to C Gailloud.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Cobalt-60 treatment of choroidal hemangiomas.

PURPOSE: We investigated the therapeutic possibilities of gamma brachytherapy to improve the final functional results of eyes with choroidal hemangiomas, which are benign vascular tumors that can induce progressive impairment of visual acuity. METHODS: We treated 41 patients with choroidal hemangioma with cobalt-60 applicators. The lesions consisted of 39 circumscribed hemangiomas and two diffuse hemangiomas in patients with Sturge-Weber syndrome. Before treatment, visual acuity in the affected eye was 20/200 in ten patients, 20/200 to 20/50 in 17 patients, 20/40 to 20/25 in 11 patients, and 20/20 in three patients. All patients were symptomatic. The macula was infiltrated by the tumor in 12 eyes (29.3%). There was retinal detachment in 40 eyes (97.6%), cystoid edema in ten eyes (24.4%), subretinal fibrosis in eight eyes (19.5%), and areolar atrophy in two eyes (4.9%). RESULTS: After treatment, the retina was reattached in all eyes, and the tumor progressively transformed into a flat scar. The postirradiation macular lesions that we identified were pigment migrations in the macular region, subretinal fibrosis, and an areolar atrophic scar. We correlated the functional results at two, five, and ten years after treatment with the initial visual acuity, and with pre-existing and posttreatment macular lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that radiotherapy is a valuable therapeutic modality for choroidal hemangiomas, particularly in hemangiomas that involve the macula, and for tumors associated with bullous retinal detachment.

Adolescent

[Value of indocyanine green videoangiography in differential diagnosis of nonpigmented tumors of the choroid].

BACKGROUND: Indocyanine green video-angiography (ICG) is a recent examination technique, its possibilities and limitations as far as intraocular tumours are concerned, haven't been fully explored yet. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have studied 50 cases of non-pigmented choroidal tumours, including 14 cases of choroidal hemangioma's, 11 cases of posterior uveal metastases and 25 cases of non-pigmented melanoma's. RESULTS: Characteristic images were obtained when examining choroidal hemangioma's and, until a certain point, posterior choroidal metastases. Non pigmented melanoma's on the contrary, presented a great variety of different indocyanine green angiographic pictures. CONCLUSION: Indocyanine green video-angiography (ICG) has a definite value in the differential diagnosis of non-pigmented posterior choroidal tumours.

Angiography

[Medullo-epithelioma: presentation of 3 cases].

Three cases of medullo-epithelioma are reported from a study of almost 350 cases of retinoblastomas or pseudo-retinoblastomas. The cases concern one female and two male children of 1,5, 2,5 and 6 years of age respectively at the time of diagnosis. Suspected of carrying retinoblastoma, two of the children were enucleated. Histological examination revealed the presence of a benign medullo-epithelioma in one case and a malignant condition in the other. The third case was treated by brachytherapy which led to total destruction of the tumor. A new iridian focus opposite the original tumor appeared one year later and was in turn destroyed by cobalt applicator.

Brachytherapy

[Contribution of ultrasound biomicroscopy to conservative treatment of anterior uveal melanoma].

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound Biomicroscopy (UBM) is a new ophthalmological imaging technique essentially designed for the study of the anterior eye segment. Over the last 10 months, we've evaluated its contribution to the conservative treatment of anterior uveal melanoma's by means of accelerated proton beam irradiation. MATERIAL: Using UBM, we have examined 55 cases of uveal melanoma's, whose anterior border was situated at 6 mm or less from the limbus and that were consequently treated by proton beam irradiation. RESULTS: The presumed tumoral origin was the ciliary body's pars plicata in 13 cases and the pars plana or the choroid in 42 cases, 17 of which presented a tumoral invasion of the pars plicata. A pars plana detachment anterior to or surrounding the anterior tumoral border, was present in 22 cases. The height of the tumor could only be measured by UBM if it was less than 2.5 mm. Information gathered using UBM have contributed to an improvement of the therapy plan in 32 cases. CONCLUSION: Because of the strong attenuation of the high frequency ultrasound signal, UBM can only be used for the examination of intra-ocular structures situated in direct neighbourhood to the global wall. Despite this technical limitation, ist contribution to the planning of the conservative treatment of anterior uveal melanoma's by proton beam irradiation has appeared to be considerable.

Choroid Neoplasms

[New retinal tumors in hereditary retinoblastoma].

364 eyes from 230 patients with retinoblastoma diagnosed and treated at the Lausanne University Eye Clinic from 1964 to June 1994 were retrospectively analyzed with respect to the risk of developing new tumour foci following initial therapy. Among them, 119 eyes from 90 hereditary affected patients were included, consisting of 86 bilateral cases and 4 unilateral cases. The mean follow-up was 65.5 months (5.5 years). A total of 46 new retinal tumours were detected in 21 patients. These new tumours had a size less than 1 disc diameter in 75% and were peripherally located in 78% of the cases, with a statistically significant preference for the horizontal meridians. No new tumours developed in the macular area. 50% appeared in children younger than 1 year and 80% before 2 years of age. 50% of the eyes with recurrences developed new tumours before 7.5 months following diagnosis, and 75% before 14 months. All patients showing recurrences did so before the age of 4.5.

Adolescent

[Unusual presentation of retinoblastoma].

Among the 185 retinoblastoma patients seen at the Lausanne Retinoblastoma Clinic from 1963-1993, 24 (14%) first presented with another sign than classical leukocoria (60.5%) or strabismus (21.5%). Most of these atypical signs were related to inflammatory complications of unrecognized retinoblastoma; they consisted of low vision (1.5%), hypopyon (2%), ocular redness and pain (1.5%), ocular redness and buphtalmia (1.5%), as well as photophobia and headaches (1.5%). The presence of unexplained chronic ocular signs during childhood should always raise the possibility of an underlying retinal malignancy.

Child

[Combined surgery, cryocoagulation and radiotherapy for treatment of melanoma of the conjunctiva].

BACKGROUND: Conjunctival melanomas are malignant tumors with a high local recurrence rate after simple surgical excision. The rate of recurrence is particularly high in cases of large size tumor, of widespread tumors and with PAM associated lesions. Tumor recurrences have a bad long-term prognostic significance and often necessitate exenteration. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A method of therapy combining total surgical excision with proton-beam irradiation, cobalt plaque irradiation and cryotherapy is described. This technique is used in particular unfavorable cases with the aim of lowering the rate of recurrences. It was practiced in 19 cases in Lausanne, 10 of which were recurrent tumors. The melanoma invaded 3 quadrants of the bulbar conjunctiva in 8 cases and 4 quadrants in 11 cases. At least one neighbouring tarsal conjunctiva was invaded in 11 cases and both in 7 cases. The skin of the eyelid was infiltrated in 6 cases and the caruncle in 9 cases. Tumor thickness was 1 to 2 mm in 8 cases, 3 to 4 mm in 4 cases and 5 to 10 mm in 7 cases. RESULTS: PAM was present in 16 cases. Follow-up period was less than 1 year in 2 cases, between 1 to 2 years in 5 cases, between 2 to 3 years in 5 cases and more than 3 years in 7 cases. 5 patients had lymph node metastases, 3 died of metastatic disease and 2 had a local recurrence. One of these recurrences was small-sized and was excised, the other was widespread and the patient died soon with metastatic disease. No exenteration was performed. CONCLUSION: The method of therapy that is here described appears to be a valuable alternative to exenteration of the orbit for the treatment of diffuse or large-size conjunctival melanomas which have a high risk of local recurrence.

Adult

Retinoblastoma. Unusual warning and clinical signs.

Three clinical cases have been chosen to illustrate the pitfalls that can be encountered when warning signs other than leukokoria or strabismus indicate possible retinoblastoma. The first case, a four-year-old boy, was admitted to hospital after an accident, presenting uveitis, glaucoma and a subluxated lens. He was suffering from unilateral retinoblastoma, already exteriorized and the cause of death some months later. The second case, and 11-month-old female child was seen on fundus examination to present a yellowish elevated calcified mass which turned out to be tuberous sclerosis. The third patient, a 43-year-old male, father of two children suffering from retinoblastoma, was found on routine examination to be carrying a partially-calcified retinal tumour. Subsequent haemorrhaging rendered enucleation necessary and microscopic examination confirmed the diagnosis of retinoma. The diagnosis of retinoblastoma should always be kept in mind whenever an intraocular mass is revealed or where there are unexplained atypical ocular signs.

Adolescent

Paternal selection favoring mutant alleles of the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene.

Penetrance and segregation rates of mutant Rb-1 alleles were assessed in all 51 members of eight kindreds with hereditary retinoblastoma by concomitant ophthalmologic examination and determination of seven intragenic restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). Penetrance was in the range reported in the literature except for one family in which it was only 42.8%. However, the odds of transmitting a mutant Rb-1 allele from one generation to the next were 25:9 in this population, much above the Mendelian 1:1 ratio (P less than 0.025). This preferential transmission was discovered through the use of molecular information. Further analysis revealed that this distortion was due to preferential inheritance among children of male carriers (18:4, P less than 0.005). No difference from a 1:1 segregation ratio could be detected among the children of female carriers (7:5). These findings were consistent with a review of relevant data in the literature.

Alleles

[Uveal melanomas in patients less than 20 years of age].

During the past 15 years we observed 21 uveal tumors in patients aged 20 years and younger. Four of them were younger than 10 years, 4 were 11 to 15 years' old, 4 ranged from 16-17 years and 9 from 18-20 years. An accelerated beam irradiation was applied in 11 cases, a surgical excision was carried out in 4 cases, and a 60 CO-applicator used for 3 patients. Three enucleations were carried out straight away. In this study we present the clinical characteristics of melanomas of young people, the therapy used, as well as the systematic analysis of the vital prognosis of the patients and of the functional prognosis of the eyes under treatment.

Adolescent

[Treatment of eye tumors by accelerated proton beams. 7 years experience].

The therapeutic results of 1070 cases of intraocular tumors treated with an accelerated proton beam at the University Eye Clinic of Lausanne and at the Paul Scherrer Institute of Villigen are analysed. This total is composed of 981 cases of uveal melanomas treated by proton beam as first treatment modality, 42 cases of recurrent choroidal melanomas, 16 cases of conjunctival melanomas, 8 cases of choroidal hemangiomas, 18 cases of uveal metastases and of 5 other ocular tumors. The mortality rate at 5 years for tumors treated with an accelerated proton beam as first treatment modality was 13%, and the mortality rate of recurrent melanomas was 23%. The risk factor for life expectancy analysed with the Cox model pointed out that the largest tumor diameter, the width of the tumor, the presence of an extrocular extension and the age of the patient were the most significant parameters. The conclusions of this study are compared with those found in available literature.

Conjunctival Neoplasms

[Retinoma and phtisis bulbi: benign expression of retinoblastoma].

Systematic investigation of families of children suffering from retinoblastoma reveals more and more cases of retinoma or phthisis bulbi, cases which used to be called "spontaneous regression". Between 1975 and 1991, we have in this way discovered 11 cases (7%) certain to be carrying retinoma or phthisis bulbi, and a further 5 cases where the same diagnosis is highly probable. Of the 11 certain cases, 5 are unilateral, 6 bilateral, and 8 present family history of the disease. Of the total number of 17 eyes, 16 present retinoma, 1 phthisis bulbi. On clinical examination, all (100%) showed characteristic lesions in the form of greyish homogenous elevated masses in the vitreous cavity. 11 presented calcifications (69%) and in 14 disturbance of the pigment epithelium occurred (87%). The average follow-up is 4 years. Of the 11 patients, 8 are of procreating age and have up to now 25 offsprings. Amongst these, 15 have retinoblastoma (60%), 2 retinoma and phthisis bulbi (8%). All except one of the retinoblastoma cases are bilateral. This study would appear to show that retinoma occurs with a higher frequency than that which is usually given. The figures show clearly that retinoblastoma and retinoma derive from the same genetic disturbances, possibly at different times during cell maturation, and consequently require the same investigation and follow-up.

Adult

[Treatment of exterior extension of choroid melanomas by accelerated proton beams].

Among the 934 patients with a choroidal melanoma treated in first intention with an accelerated proton beam since 1984, 41 (4.4%) presented an extrascleral extension, of which 11 were located anteriorly and 30 posteriorly. For these 30 cases, the diagnosis was made by B ultrasonography only when the volume of the extension was important, between 20 and 2280 mm3. The Cox model multi-variant analysis was used to study the statistically significant parameters in the development of an extrascleral extension. It appears that the maximal diameter of the intraocular tumor (p = 0.0012), the localisation of the anterior margin (p = 0.0304) and the age of the patients (p = 0.0097) are statistically meaningful. The 4 years' survival, studied with the Kaplan-Meier curves, is estimated at 60% for the patients with extrascleral extension and at 85% for the patients without. These results are similar to those of literature, whatever treatment is chosen (enucleation and radiotherapy, exenteration).

Adult

[Uveal melanomas and vitreous hemorrhage. Diagnosis and treatment].

In choroidal melanoma vitreous hemorrhage can occur as initial event or as complication of conservative therapy. To understand better these relations, four groups of cases were examined: 1.) 126 choroidal melanomas which were treated conservatively with Cobalt 60 applicator from 1969 till 1984. 2.) 715 choroidal melanomas which have been treated with proton-beam from 1984 to 1989. 3.) 7 tumors or pseudotumors for which for diagnostic purposes a phosphorus 32 test was necessary. 4.) 9 choroid melanomas which had conservative treatment and where vitrectomy was realized. The multifactorial analysis gave the following results: in vitreous hemorrhages occurring before treatment the thickness of the tumor represents the significant factor. In vitreous hemorrhages which occur after conservative treatment there is in the group of cobalt applicators important irradiation of the disc, as well as the thickness of the tumor and the age of the patient in the group with proton-beam irradiation. Vitreous bleeding occurring before or after therapy does not influence the vital prognosis in a negative way. We present here a therapeutic concept in cases of vitreous bleeding in choroid melanoma which is based both on our experience and on the indications of literature.

Adult

[Lausanne study of retinoblastoma, 1986-90: deletion of esterase D locus in a collective of 128 patients].

Activity and phenotype of red blood cell esterase D were systematically determined in a population of 128 retinoblastoma patients from 99 families and compared to 158 controls, in order to detect a chromosome 13q14 deletion. Among these patients 12 were healthy carriers and 116 affected carriers of a mutant allele of the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene (110 retinoblastoma, 5 retinoma, 1 phtisis bulbi). 4 patients were found to have decreased ESD levels in connection with 13q14 deletion which was confirmed by chromosome analysis. The data presented here suggest that ESD quantification has a high specificity and sensitivity for the detection of homogenous chromosome 13 deletions in retinoblastoma patients.

Carboxylesterase

Retinoma. Case studies.

The new concept of retinoma, or retinocytoma, brings up the rare 'spontaneous regressions' long-reported in the literature. Systematic investigation of all relatives of children suffering from retinoblastoma is showing up more and more retinoma cases undetected until now. From 1975 to 1990 the authors have identified 11 retinoma cases amongst 103 retinoblastoma patients and their families. The average age of the retinoma patients is 23 years with a mean follow-up of four years. There are four bilateral cases, one of which with phthisis bulbi, three unilateral retinomas associated with retinoblastoma of the fellow-enucleated eye, and four unilateral cases. Of the 11 retinomas, seven patients have a family history of retinoblastoma. Of the seven patients of procreating age, 16 offspring, three abortions and two miscarriages are noted. Of the 16 offspring, 12 developed retinoblastoma, 11 of which bilaterally. One 21-year-old patient presented in the process of malignant transformation. A child, enucleated for retinoblastoma of one eye and showing lesions conforming to retinoma in the fellow eye at two years of age, suffered an osteosarcoma when nine years old. The authors' data show that retinoblastoma and retinoma follow the same genetic changes and consequently require the same investigation and follow-up. This study indicates a frequency of retinoma of 10% amongst retinoblastoma patients and their families which is higher than that usually quoted.

Adult

[Melanoma of the conjunctiva and its treatment].

37 cases of conjunctival melanomas treated in the University Eye Clinic of Lausanne are analysed. This total is made of 20 men and 17 women aged between 19 and 81 years with a mean age of 54.7 years. Tumors were localized in the bulbar conjunctival in 27 cases, in the palpebral conjunctival in 2 cases and were diffuse in 8 cases. Cornea was infiltrated in 19 cases. In 21 cases, the first treatment was made in our service and 16 cases were recurrences following a treatment made elsewhere. The mortality rate to 5 years was 20%. In a multivariant analysis using the COX Model, the height of the tumor was the only significant parameter (p = 0.035) for life expectancy. Recurrence of the tumor (p = 0.060) and presence of a PAM (p = 0.652) were not significant parameters. Benefits of cryocoagulation and indications for a proton beam irradiation are discussed.

Adult