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Biomedical subjects

D Botsis

Publications and source records attributed to D Botsis.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

The value of computed tomography in staging cervical carcinoma.

The purpose of our study was to determine the value of computed tomography (CT) in relation to the local extension of cervical carcinoma and the possible spread in the peritoneal and the retroperitoneal space. Sixty-five patients treated for cervical carcinoma during the period 1980-1986 were included in the study. Histologic diagnosis of the disease was done by punch cervical biopsy and diagnostic curettage. The investigation of all patients included intravenous pyelography, barium enema, bone and liver scanning and CT. Our results demonstrate a correlation between CT and pathologic data in 75-78.5% depending on stage. CT may be considered as a dependable method for staging of cervical carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Cervical incompetence: a 24-year review.

Three hundred nineteen cervical cerclages performed in 264 pregnant women were retrospectively studied. The diagnosis of cervical incompetence was established by the obstetrical history, hysterosalpingography, ultrasound screening and vaginal examination. All cervical cerclages were applied between 14 and 17 weeks gestation according to Shirodkar's technique except 49 emergency cases between 18 and 26 weeks gestation for which other techniques were chosen. The incidence of preterm deliveries (26-37 weeks gestation) decreased from 39.7% to 14.23% (P less than 0.001) and that of full term pregnancies increased from 20.04% to 75.74% (P less than 0.001). The number of neonates weighing less than or equal to 2000 g decreased from 44.20% to 11.38% (P less than 0.001) and those weighing greater than or equal to 2500 g increased from 44.83% to 75.82% (P less than 0.001). Perinatal mortality after cerclage declined from 28.21% to 5.52% (P less than 0.001). There was no increase in congenital defects. An increased rate of breech presentation (5.32%) and cesarean section (20.38%) was noticed. The repeated cerclage in consequent pregnancies did not seem to influence the duration of gestation. In emergency cases the rate of preterm deliveries was 53.06%, of full term pregnancies 12.25%, of newborns with birthweight less than or equal to 2500 g 31.77% and of those with birthweight greater than 2500 g 19.23%. Perinatal mortality in emergency cases was 42.3%. An increase in aerobic and anaerobic pathological flora was noticed in postoperative cervical cultures.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

Review of ovarian cancer of the University of Athens.

One hundred and eight patients with cancer of the ovaries were studied retrospectively for a period of seventeen years. All the patients were managed in the Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Athens. The symptoms of the patients were: pelvic pain in 43, ascites in 27, metrorrhagia in 23 and weight loss in 12. Fifty six per cent of the patients were between 40 to 60 years old and 63% were menopause. The PAP-smear in 40% was class I or II, in 50% was class III and in 10% was class IV-V. The stage of the disease was: 3 patients stage I, stage II 38, stage III 42 and 25 stage IV. No patient had stage 0. Laparotomy was done in all the patients. Thirty eight patients had Co-treatment and 42 patients chemotherapy. The pathology report was: serous cystadeno-Ca in 40, mucinous cystadeno-Ca in 38 of the cases, adenocarcinoma 18 and 12 other types of malignant tumors. The follow up of the patients showed a five years survival rate in 10% for stage I, 25% for stage II, 5% for stage III and none for stage IV.

Adult↗

Breast cancer markers during normal pregnancy.

AIM: To measure MCA and CA153 concentrations in maternal serum (MS) and amniotic fluid (AF) paired samples during normal pregnancy, in order to evaluate the usefulness of these markers in monitoring pregnant patients with a history of breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum and AF MCA and CA153 values were measured in 20 pregnant women during the 1st trimester, 29 cases in the 2nd, 26 in the 3rd and 20 at parturition and compared with those of 20 healthy, age-matched, non pregnant women (controls). RESULTS: MS values of MCA increased significantly with gestational age (p < 0.0001), being higher in the 3rd trimester and in labor than in control values (p < 0.0001). MCA values in AF were remarkably higher than those in MS and increased significantly with advancing gestation (p < 0.0001). In contrast, CA153 values in AF, which were marginally higher than in MS, did not differ significantly with the progression of pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal serum MCA values are significantly influenced during pregnancy. Thus, this marker seems to be reliable only during early pregnancy. In contrast, CA153 remains a useful marker in monitoring pregnant breast cancer patients.

Amniotic Fluid↗

Tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) throughout normal pregnancy.

AIM: TPS concentrations were measured throughout normal pregnancy in maternal serum (MS) and amniotic fluid (AF), in order to evaluate the usefulness of TPS in the follow-up of pregnancy breast cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Following informed consent, 30 pregnant women during the 2nd trimester, 28 during the 3rd and 26 at parturition were included in the study. For comparison, 28 women in the 1st trimester and 28 healthy, non pregnant women (controls) were also studied. Both MS and AF antigen values were measured by an enzyme immunoassay (BEKI Diagnostics). RESULTS: Maternal serum TPS concentrations increased significantly with gestational age (p < 0.0001), being significantly higher in the 3rd trimester and during labor than those in the controls (p < 0.0001). Amniotic fluid TPS values were markedly elevated, compared with those in MS (p < 0.0001, paired-t-test), declining significantly from the 2nd to the 3rd trimester (p < 0.0015) and labor. Both MS and AF TPS values during labor depended on the mode of delivery, being higher in the cases terminated by vaginal delivery, compared to those by elective cesarean section. CONCLUSION: Maternal serum TPS values are influenced significantly by pregnancy, and thus, this antigen, as tumor marker seems to be reliable only during early pregnancy.

Adult↗

Histological changes induced by tibolone and estrogen/glucocorticoid on aging skin.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the oral effects of tibolone and mestranol plus paramethasone on the skin of postmenopausal women. A second purpose was to determine endometrial thickness with transvaginal ultrasound. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized study was carried out in 39 healthy postmenopausal women. Skin biopsies were obtained from the thigh area by a single punch, before and after treatment, and the sections were evaluated. Current characteristics of both groups were measured at follow-up. RESULTS: No gross differences were observed in size, distribution or imaging of collagen, elastic or reticular fibers. Statistically significant changes were found in the papillar dermis thickness. There were no statistically significant differences in the sonographic measurements. CONCLUSION: The estrogen/glucocorticoid combination provides a way to evaluate in parallel the cellular metabolism effects on the irreversible aging process. The current results encourage widening these observations of the possible advantage of this combination, in order to alleviate the cellular degenerative process.

Aged↗

Tissue polypeptide specific antigen and soluble Fas during normal pregnancy and early life.

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine fetal development is characterized by increased rates of proliferation and apoptosis, while both these processes may be attenuated post-natally. AIM: Tissue polypeptide specific antigen and sFas serum concentrations were determined during pregnancy and post-natally, in order to evaluate their alterations during these crucial periods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-seven healthy pregnant women, their full-term newborns and 35 healthy adults (controls) were included in the study. Markers were measured: (a) in maternal serum (MS), during the 1st, 2nd, 3rd trimester and at the 1st stage of labor; (b) in the umbilical cord (UC), during the 2nd stage of labor; (c) in neonatal serum in the 1st (IN) and 5th (5N) day after birth; and (d) in controls. RESULTS: The serum TPS concentrations in MS increased significantly with gestational age, being higher in the 3rd trimester and labor, than those in controls (p < 0.001). TPS values were significantly lower in the UC, compared to those in MS (p < 0.001), while they were markedly elevated in IN, compared to MS and UC (p < 0.001), and subsequently decreased in 5N (p < 0.001), remaining higher, than those in the controls (p < 0.001). Serum sFas concentrations in the MS depended significantly on gestational age (p < 0.001), being significantly lower in the first trimester, than those in the second (p < 0.003), the third (p < 0.03), in labor and controls (p < 0.005). sFas concentrations in the UC were significantly lower than in MS and controls (p < 0.001), while they increased significantly in 5N samples (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate: (a) a higher apoptosis rate in the first trimester of pregnancy, possibly affecting maternal immuno-tolerance, followed by a down-regulation during the post-natal period; (b) a progressively increased proliferation from the first trimester to parturition, reflecting the fetal and placental growth and development, that seems to be thereafter moderated.

Adult↗

Post-hysterectomy morbidity after previous punch cervical biopsy plus diagnostic curettage.

The post-operative morbidity of 70 patients who underwent total abdominal hysterectomy five to thirteen days after punch-biopsy of the cervix uteri and diagnostic curettage was compared of that of a control group of patients, with hysterectomy alone. It was observed that the sequence punch-biopsy hysterectomy presented a significantly higher post-operative morbidity. This increase was mainly due to higher parametritis, excessive vaginal discharge and wound infections rates. The interval between the two operations was also found to influence the post-hysterectomy morbidity, which seems to decrease with longer intervals.

Biopsy, Needle↗

Cytokines in gynecological cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cytokines are considered as part of host defence to infection or injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Pretreatment values of TNF and sIL-2R were measured in 132 women with a) ovarian carcinoma (n = 25), b) breast cancer (n = 20), c) endometrial cancer (n = 15), d) cervical squamous cell carcinoma (n = 19), e) cervical adenocarcinoma (n = 11) and f) benign gynecological diseases (n = 42) in order to evaluate whether these cytokines could be useful in the discrimination of malignant from benign gynecological diseases. RESULTS: Both TNF and sIL-2R were significantly higher in all cancer groups together (mean +/- SD: 30 +/- 11 pg/mL and 1293 +/- 465 U/mL respectively), than those in the benign group (16.0 +/- 6 pg/mL and 626 +/- 233 U/mL, respectively; p < 0.0001), while no significant differences were found for TNF and sIL-2R values in the five cancer groups. Significantly higher cytokine values were measured in the advanced stage diseases (33 +/- 11 pg/mL and 1705 +/- 192 U/mL), than those in the limited cancer (26 +/- 12 pg/mL, p < 0.05 and 916(521 U/mL, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that, cytokines may be useful in the discrimination of malignant from benign gynecological diseases and in monitoring tumor activity in patients early in the malignancy process.

Breast Neoplasms↗