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Biomedical subjects

D Schultz

Publications and source records attributed to D Schultz.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Equivalent 5-year bNED in select prostate cancer patients managed with surgery or radiation therapy despite exclusion of the seminal vesicles from the CTV.

PURPOSE: Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) failure free survival was determined for select prostate cancer patients managed definitively with external beam radiation therapy to the prostate only or radical retropubic prostatectomy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A logistic regression multivariable analysis evaluating the variables of PSA, biopsy Gleason score, and clinical stage was used to evaluate the endpoint of pathologic seminal vesicle invasion (SVI) in 749 consecutive prostate cancer patients managed with a radical retropubic prostatectomy. In a subgroup of 332 surgically and 197 radiation managed patients who did not have the clinical predictors of SVI, PSA failure free survival (bNED) was determined. Comparisons were made using the log rank test between surgically and radiation managed patients in this subgroup. In this subgroup, radiation managed patients were treated to a median dose of 66 Gy (66-70 Gy) to the prostate only. RESULTS: The pretreatment PSA (> 10 ng/ml), biopsy Gleason score (> or = 7), and clinical stage (T2b, 2c, or 3) were found to be significant independent predictors (p < 0.001) of SVI. Only 2% of patients without any of these factors had SVI and 17% had extracapsular extension (15% microscopic; 2% macroscopic). In this subgroup the 5-year bNED rates were equivalent [84 vs. 89% (p = 0.67)] for surgically and radiation managed patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Conventional dose external beam radiation therapy directed at the prostate alone resulted in 5-year bNED rates equivalent to surgery on retrospective comparison in patients with clinical stage T1,2a, PSA < or = 10 ng/ml, and biopsy Gleason < or = 6 prostate cancer.

Biopsy↗

Selective induction of the creatine kinase-B gene in chronic volume overload hypertrophy is not affected by ACE-inhibitor therapy.

Hypertrophied and failing myocardium has been shown to undergo creatine kinase (CK) isoform switching, resulting in increased MB and BB components. We tested the hypothesis that chronic volume overload hypertrophy due to mitral regurgitation in the dog causes CK isoenzyme switching and that this could be reversed by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor therapy. Thirteen adult mongrel dogs had mitral regurgitation induced by mitral valvular chordal rupture: six were treated with ramipril for 4 months and seven were untreated for 4 months. Twelve dogs were sham-operated: six received ramipril for 3 months and six were untreated. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume increased from 58+/-4 to 104+/-10 ml in untreated (P<0.001) and from 55+/-3 to 91+/-6 ml in treated dogs (P<0.01) as LV mass/volume ratio decreased in both untreated (1. 60+/-0.07 to 1.13+/-0.08 g/ml, P<0.001) and treated dogs (1.44+/-0.06 to 1.20+/-0.08 g/ml, P<0.01). CK-MB isoform was 7.4+/-1.1% in normal shams and increased to 13.5+/-1.9% and 18.1+/-3.0% in both treated and untreated mitral regurgitation dogs; respectively (P<0. 05). Steady state CK-B mRNA increased three-fold in treated and untreated dogs with mitral regurgitation (P<0.003) compared to normals, while CK-M mRNA expression did not differ in all groups. Thus, chronic volume overload hypertrophy of mitral regurgitation induces CK isoform switching by selective induction of the CK-B gene, and ramipril therapy does not affect this isoform switch. This may reflect a response to increased diastolic stress and more efficient energy utilization in the volume overloaded myocardium.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Combined modality staging of prostate carcinoma and its utility in predicting pathologic stage and postoperative prostate specific antigen failure.

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to predict the factors that can optimize preoperative staging for clinically localized prostate cancer patients. METHODS: Logistic and Cox regression multivariable analyses were performed on 480 surgically-managed prostate cancer patients to evaluate the ability of clinical stage, prostate specific antigen (PSA), biopsy Gleason sum, percent positive biopsies, and endorectal coil magnetic resonance imaging (erMRI) results to predict for pathologic established extracapsular extension (ECE), seminal vesicle invasion (SVI), and time to postoperative PSA failure. RESULTS: The characteristics of clinically organ-confined prostate cancer patients at high risk (> 67%) for postoperative PSA failure within 3 years include: (A) PSA > 20 ng/mL; (B) Biopsy Gleason sum > or = 8; or (C) erMRI positive for extraprostatic disease and intermediate risk disease. For patients at intermediate risk (ie, either a PSA < 4 and biopsy Gleason sum of 7; PSA > 4 to 10 ng/mL and biopsy Gleason sum 5 to 7; or a PSA > 10 to 20 ng/mL and biopsy Gleason sum 2 to 7), despite 100% positive biopsies, 50% of patients had pathologic organ-confined disease. However, in the subset of intermediate-risk patients with a positive erMRI for either ECE or SVI and at least 50% positive biopsies, all had extraprostatic disease and failed biochemically by 47 months postoperatively. Intermediate-risk patients with < 50% positive biopsies had pathologic organ-confined disease in at least 77% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: Combined modality staging using the PSA, biopsy Gleason sum, percent positive biopsies, and endorectal coil MRI findings in select patients can predict pathologic stage and postoperative PSA failure. Therefore, this combined modality staging may optimize patient selection for phase 3 trials examining the role of neoadjuvant androgen ablative therapy for patients with clinically localized disease.

Genital Neoplasms, Male↗

Excretion profiles of some reproductive steroids in the faeces of captive Nepalese red panda (Ailurus fulgens fulgens).

Faecal samples were collected up to once daily from three female Nepalese red panda (Ailurus fulgens fulgens) prior to, during, and after the expected 1995 breeding season. Radioimmunoassay of faecal progestins and oestrogens showed hormone profiles that suggest that this species is a seasonally polyoestrous, induced ovulator. Examination of faecal extracts following high pressure liquid chromatography and using antisera of high specificity, demonstrated at least five faecal progestins but only one major oestrogen, probably oestradiol. Samples from males were collected up to once weekly during the breeding season in 1996, and androgens measured by radioimmunoassay. Faecal androgens fluctuated widely for all males.

Androgens↗

Palliative irradiation for focally symptomatic metastatic renal cell carcinoma: support for dose escalation based on a biological model.

PURPOSE: Renal cell carcinoma has traditionally been regarded as a radioresistant cancer, yet controversy continues as to whether escalation of the palliative radiation dose can overcome the inherent resistance of such tumors when they metastasize. Recently, the linear quadratic model has emerged as a paradigm to assess biologically effective dose of radiotherapy. This study was undertaken to determine the ability of radiotherapy to palliate focally symptomatic metastatic renal cell carcinoma and to assess whether the delivery of higher biologically effective dose was more likely to bring about a palliative response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1966 and 1995, 107 patients with renal cell metastases at 150 sites were irradiated with palliative intent. Sites irradiated included bone (89), soft tissue (16), brain (20), spinal cord (9) and pulmonary (16). To determine dose effectiveness the biologically effective dose was calculated according to the formula, Gy10 = total dose (1 + fractional dose/alpha-beta), using an alpha-beta of 10. RESULTS: For the entire group 86% of patients derived a palliative response after treatment with irradiation, while 49% derived a complete palliative response. The median duration of palliation was 6 months (range 1 to 150). With respect to overall (that is, complete and partial) response rates, those presenting with high Karnofsky performance status were most likely to respond (status 70 or greater versus less than 70, 88% versus 78%, p < 0.04). With respect to the rate of complete palliative response, performance status (status 70 or greater versus less than 70, 55% versus 31%, p < 0.03) and the use of higher biologically effective doses of irradiation (Gy10 50 or greater versus less than 50, 59% versus 39%, p = 0.001) were associated with a statistically significant increased rate of response. The independent prognostic value of performance status and higher biologically effective doses of irradiation were maintained in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the prevailing concept that renal cell carcinoma is generally resistant to radiotherapy, the overwhelming majority of patients seen at our institution in whom metastatic renal cell carcinoma developed were palliated with radiotherapy. A complete palliative response is more likely when higher biologically effective doses of irradiation are delivered, especially to patients with a relatively high performance status.

Aged↗

Volume-overload cardiac hypertrophy is unaffected by ACE inhibitor treatment in dogs.

We tested the hypothesis that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy prevents volume-overload hypertrophy in dogs with chronic mitral regurgitation (MR). Seven adult mongrel dogs receiving ramipril (R; 10 mg orally, twice/day) for 4 mo were compared with 11 dogs receiving no R (N) for 4 mo after induction of MR. Cine-magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated that left ventricular (LV) mass increased in the R-MR dogs [80 +/- 4 (SE) to 108 +/- 7 g, P < 0.01] and in the N-MR dogs (92 +/- 7 to 112 +/- 8 g, P < 0.001). LV myocyte cell length was greater in the R-MR and N-MR dogs (203 +/- 6 and 177 +/- 10 microns, respectively) than in normal (144 +/- 4 microns, P < 0.05) dogs. There was significant loss of the collagen weave pattern by scanning electron microscopy in both R-MR and N-MR dogs. LV ACE and chymase activities were significantly elevated in R-MR and N-MR compared with normal dogs. LV angiotensin II (ANG II) levels in the R-MR dogs (28 +/- 12 pg/g) were reduced to levels seen in normal dogs (28 +/- 4 pg/g) compared with N-MR dogs (72 +/- 11 pg/g, P < 0.05). Steady-state AT1-receptor mRNA levels decreased 66% in N-MR compared with normal dogs (P < 0.001) and increased 1.5-fold in R-MR compared with normal dogs (P < 0.01). Thus upregulation of the AT1 receptor in the R-MR hearts may provide a mechanism by which normal intracardiac ANG II levels could continue to mediate LV hypertrophy. However, the mechanism of dissolution collagen weave in both N-MR and R-MR hearts may be related to the stretch of volume overload.

Angiotensin II↗

Prostate-specific antigen failure despite pathologically organ-confined and margin-negative prostate cancer: the basis for an adjuvant therapy trial.

PURPOSE: A multivariable analysis to evaluate the potential clinical and pathologic factors that predict for early biochemical failure in patients with pathologically organ-confined and margin-negative disease was performed to define patients who may benefit from adjuvant therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three hundred forty-one prostate cancer patients treated with a radical retropubic prostatectomy between January 1989 and June 1995 and found to have pathologically organ-confined and margin-negative disease comprised the study population. A logistic regression multivariable analysis to evaluate the predictive value of the preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, pathologic (prostatectomy) Gleason score, and pathologic stage on PSA failure occurring during the first postoperative year was performed. RESULTS: Predictors of PSA failure during the first postoperative year in patients with pathologically organ-confined disease included pathologic Gleason score > or = 7 (P = .0007) and preoperative PSA level greater than 10 (P < .0001). Corresponding 3-year freedom-from-PSA-failure rates for these pathologic organ-confined patients with both, one, or neither of these factors were 60%, 75% to 84%, and 95%, respectively (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: Prostate cancer patients with pathologically organ-confined and margin-negative disease and a preoperative PSA level greater than 10 ng/mL or a pathologic Gleason score > or = 7 have significant decrements in short-term PSA-failure-free survival. Therefore, these patients should be considered for adjuvant therapy in the setting of a phase III clinical trial.

Humans↗

Outcome based staging for clinically localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

PURPOSE: Some patients with clinically localized prostate cancer are not cured after radical prostatectomy because of the presence of occult systemic disease. The American Joint Commission on Cancer staging classification for prostate cancer does not reliably distinguish between clinically localized patients who are likely or unlikely to be cured after local therapy. This project was undertaken to develop a staging system capable of predicting long-term outcome after radical prostatectomy on the basis of the clinical parameters obtained routinely during the standard workup for patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 688 clinically localized prostate cancer patients managed with a radical retropubic prostatectomy for adenocarcinoma of the prostate between 1989 and 1996 was evaluated for clinical features predictive of time to prostate specific antigen (PSA) failure using a Cox regression multivariate analysis. A recently defined clinical factor called the calculated prostate cancer volume and its ability to predict time to PSA failure in conjunction with PSA, biopsy Gleason score and clinical stage were evaluated. RESULTS: The calculated prostate cancer volume (p <0.0001) and the pretreatment PSA (p <0.001) provided the optimal staging system for predicting freedom from PSA failure after radical prostatectomy. CONCLUSIONS: The calculated prostate cancer volume and PSA may provide clinically useful information regarding outcome after radical prostatectomy, enabling the selection of a therapeutic approach for an individual patient with clinically localized disease. Validation of this staging system is needed.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Localization of two potassium channel beta subunit genes, KCNA1B and KCNA2B.

The gating properties and current amplitudes of mammalian voltage-activated Shaker potassium channels are modulated by at least two associated beta subunits (Kv beta 1.1 and Kv beta 1.2). The human Kv beta 1.1 gene (KCNA1B) resides on chromosome 3, as indicated by somatic cell hybrid mapping. More precise localization of KCNA1B to 3q26.1 was obtained with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and was corroborated by PCR screening of the CEPH YAC library. The human Kv beta 1.2 gene (KCNA2B) resides on chromosome 1, as indicated by somatic cell hybrid mapping, and has been localized by FISH to 1p36.3.

Base Sequence↗

An analysis of the time course of postoperative prostate-specific antigen failure in patients with positive surgical margins: implications on the use of adjuvant therapy.

OBJECTIVES: The role of adjuvant therapy in the postprostatectomy setting for positive margin patients is an unresolved issue. The purpose of this study is to provide the rationale for patient selection in Phase III trials that test the impact of adjuvant therapy on survival in positive margin prostate cancer patients. METHODS: Early (12 months or less) and delayed (more than 12 months) postoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure have been correlated with distant and local failure, respectively, as the site of first failure. In this study, a Cox regression multivariate analysis was used to determine the significant independent clinical and pathologic predictors of early and delayed postoperative PSA failure in 143 margin-positive prostate cancer patients. RESULTS: Margin-positive patients with positive pelvic lymph nodes, seminal vesicle invasion, or prostatectomy Gleason sum 8 or higher were excluded. For the remaining patients, a prostatectomy Gleason sum of 7, preoperative PSA more than 20 ng/mL, and an endorectal coil magnetic resonance imaging (erMRI) scan showing extensive disease were significant independent predictors of early postoperative PSA failure. Conversely, a prostatectomy Gleason sum of 6 or less, preoperative PSA 20 ng/mL or less, and an erMRI showing limited disease predicted delayed PSA failure. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary data suggest that the pattern of first failure can be predicted by the time course of rise in the postoperative PSA. The preliminary results of this study suggest that patient selection for clinical trials examining the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant therapy in the positive margin patient may be determined on the basis of the clinical and pathologic characteristics that predict early versus delayed postoperative PSA failure.

Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic↗

The significance of subnormal serum vitamin B12 concentration in older people: a case control study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the clinical significance of subnormal serum vitamin B12 concentration in older people by comparing the hematological, neurological, and biochemical findings in patients with subnormal serum B12 with a control group with normal B12 levels. DESIGN: Clinical and laboratory assessment of hospital patients selected to represent a wide range of serum B12 levels. SETTING: Patients in the medical wards of two hospitals, one a general hospital and the other a geriatric hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-four older patients, 43 with subnormal (< 150 pmol/L) and 51 with normal serum B12 concentrations. MEASUREMENTS: Mini-Mental State Examination, neurological score, full blood examination, mean neutrophil lobe count; serum B12, holotranscobalamin II, total homocysteine, folate, creatinine and gastrin red folate; parietal cell antibodies, intrinsic factor antibodies. RESULTS: Of all the measurements, only mean neutrophil lobe count and mean serum total homocysteine were significantly different in the low serum B12 compared with the control group. There was a significant correlation between serum B12 and homocysteine levels. Eighty-eight percent of patients in the test group compared with 76% in the control group showed at least one of the following; elevated serum total homocysteine, neutrophil hypersegmentation, or elevated MCV. This overlap was much reduced when patients with borderline values for serum B12 (150-250 pmol/L) were included in the low B12 group. Most of the older subjects had little or no B12 on transcobalamin II, irrespective of the serum B12 level. CONCLUSION: Almost 90% of older patients with serum B12 < 150 pmol/L show evidence of tissue vitamin B12 deficiency. Deficiency becomes manifest in older patients at relatively higher concentrations of serum B12 than in younger subjects, possibly because of lower levels of holotranscobalamin II in the older patients.

Age Factors↗

Critical analysis of the ability of the endorectal coil magnetic resonance imaging scan to predict pathologic stage, margin status, and postoperative prostate-specific antigen failure in patients with clinically organ-confined prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: To determine whether there is a role for endorectal coil magnetic resonance imaging (erMRI) in the prediction of pathologic stage, margin status, and/or postoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure in patients with clinically organ-confined prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Using erMRI, the radiologic-pathologic correlation of extracapsular extension (ECE) and seminal vesicle invasion (SVI) was evaluated in 445 surgically managed patients. Logistic regression multivariable analysis was applied to the clinical stage, PSA, biopsy Gleason grade, and erMRI findings to assess the outcomes of ECE, SVI, positive surgical margins (PSM), and postoperative PSA failure. RESULTS: The accuracy of erMRI to predict for ECE and SVI numerically decreased with both increasing PSA and biopsy Gleason score because of the increasing false-negative scans in cases of microscopic transcapsular or seminal vesicle disease. Of patients who could not be categorized into low or high risk for postoperative PSA failure on the basis of clinical stage, preoperative PSA, and biopsy Gleason score, a negative or positive erMRI for ECE or SVI stratified these patients into groups with a 78% versus 21% (P < .0001) 3-year rate of actuarial freedom from PSA failure. In this subgroup, the overall accuracy of the erMRI was 70% +/- 6% and 94% +/- 2% for ECE and SVI, respectively. The most significant predictor on multivariable analysis of PSM was the erMRI finding of ECE (P = .0001). CONCLUSION: This initial report suggests that a preoperative erMRI can identify clinically organ-confined prostate cancer patients at high risk for having ECE, SVI, and PSM that otherwise would be missed on the basis of the clinical stage, preoperative PSA, and biopsy Gleason score. Confirmatory studies are needed.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Acute and chronic effects of dexfenfluramine on the porcine coronary artery.

Experiments were designed to verify whether or not acute or chronic exposure to dexfenfluramine favors the occurrence of coronary vasospasm in vivo or in vitro. Rings of left anterior and left circumflex porcine coronary artery, with and without endothelium, were studied in conventional organ chambers for the measurement of isometric force. The donor pigs were divided into two groups: controls and animals fed for 4 weeks with dexfenfluramine. In each group, one-half of the animals underwent balloon denudation of the left anterior descending coronary artery at the beginning of the study. Coronary angiography was performed at the time of denudation and, in all animals, during the 3rd week of the study. Acutely, dexfenfluramine at concentrations higher than 10(-5) M caused contractions which were blunted by the presence of the endothelium and inhibited by indomethacin (an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase). Chronic treatment with dexfenfluramine did not affect coronary diameter and did not alter the response to intracoronary infusion of serotonin. Chronic treatment with dexfenfluramine reduced the contractions of rings without endothelium to serotonin, but not those to norepinephrine or endothelin. It did not affect endothelium-dependent relaxations in the absence or presence of pertussis toxin to serotonin, UK14304 (alpha-2 adrenergic agonist), adenosine diphosphate or aggregating platelets. Chronic treatment with dexfenfluramine did not modify relaxations of rings without endothelium to SIN-1 (nitric oxide donor; the active metabolite of molsidomine) or adenosine diphosphate. These findings do not support the hypothesis that acute or chronic exposure to dexfenfluramine favors the occurrence of coronary vasospasm.

Animals↗

Desmoplasia and neurotropism. Prognostic variables in patients with stage I melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Desmoplastic melanomas with and without neurotropism are thought to be more clinically aggressive than other melanomas of comparable thickness. This study evaluates the prognostic significance of desmoplasia and neurotropism in Patients with Stage I cutaneous melanoma completely excised at the initial presentation of disease and prospectively studied for a minimum of 8 years. METHODS: Desmoplasia and neurotropism were evaluated as single prognostic predictors in survival outcome of cutaneous Stage I melanomas and as variables in the University of Pennsylvania Pigmented Lesion Study Group 8-year survival model for Stage I melanoma. In addition, the clinical presentation and follow-up of melanomas with desmoplasia and/or neurotropism was compared with that of other types of cutaneous Stage I melanoma in patients also followed for a minimum of 8 years. RESULTS: Neurotropism was associated with a statistically significant decrease in survival in patients with melanomas with desmoplasia. A decrease in survival also was observed in other types of melanoma with neurotropism, but the difference was not statistically significant. Melanomas with neurotropism had a statistically significant increase in local recurrence. Desmoplasia was not associated with a statistically significant decrease in survival. CONCLUSION: Desmoplasia is not associated with a statistically significant decrease in the prognosis of patients with primary cutaneous Stage I melanoma. The more clinically aggressive behavior of desmoplastic melanomas observed in previous studies may be secondary to initial misdiagnosis and/or inadequate margin assessment of these lesions. Neurotropism, however, is associated with a statistically significant decrease in survival in patients with desmoplastic melanomas and is most likely associated with decreased reduces patient survival in other melanoma types. Neurotropism is also related to an increase in the frequency of local recurrence of melanoma.

Female↗

A method for determining a prostate-specific antigen cure after radiation therapy for clinically localized prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: A method that allows the determination of a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) cure after definitive management for prostate carcinoma with radiation therapy is presented and tested. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The method involves a calculation of the patient's theoretical baseline PSA prior to the development of prostate cancer by using three serial rising PSA determinations obtained prior to the institution of therapy. The rate of rise of the PSA prior to therapy and the rate of decline of the PSA posttherapy are calculated, using an exponential model. Two criteria must be satisfied to define a PSA cure. First, the PSA nadir after treatment should be less than the calculated theoretical baseline PSA. Second, the rate of decline of PSA posttreatment should be greater than the rate of rise of the PSA prior to treatment. RESULTS: Applying these two criteria to the patient data base (n = 16) at a median follow-up of 19 months enabled the accurate prediction of 6 out of 6 (100%) of patients with documented PSA failure and 7 out of 10 (70%) of patients without PSA failure. Therefore, despite short follow-up, all six patients with PSA failure were predicted. Further follow-up is needed to ascertain if the seven patients predicted to be cured will remain PSA failure free and if the three patients currently without PSA failure in whom the model predicts failure, will subsequently fail. CONCLUSION: Therefore, using each patient's PSA history as the natural control may eliminate the error that is introduced with defining a PSA cure by using a single value for the PSA nadir at a specified time after radiation therapy.

Humans↗

The impact of the inclusion of endorectal coil magnetic resonance imaging in a multivariate analysis to predict clinically unsuspected extraprostatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: The introduction of the endorectal coil magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique has improved the accuracy of preoperative staging for prostate cancer. This study quantifies the improvement in the ability to identify clinically unsuspected extraprostatic disease with the use of the endorectal coil MRI. METHODS: A retrospective review of the pathologic findings of 347 patients with prostate cancer treated with a radical retropubic prostatectomy was performed. The preoperative clinical indicators including prostate specific antigen (PSA), clinical stage, Gleason score, and endorectal coil MRI data were employed in a multivariate analysis to identify patients who were at high risk for seminal vesicle invasion (SVI) or extracapsular extension (ECE). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for predicting SVI and ECE were calculated using the significant clinical indicators found on the multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The clinical factors identified on multivariate analysis as significant predictors of SVI include the endorectal coil MRI data (P < 0.0001), PSA (P = 0.0096), and the Gleason score (P = 0.012). Endorectal coil MRI data (P < 0.0001), PSA (P = .0001), and Gleason score (P < .0001) were significant predictors of ECE. In the patient subgroup with PSA (> 10-20 ng/ml) and Gleason score of 5 to 7, the addition of the endorectal coil MRI data enabled an additional 71 and 27% of patients with SVI and ECE, respectively, to be correctly identified. These patients would have been missed based on the prediction obtained from the PSA and Gleason score alone. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the endorectal coil magnetic resonance imaging data, in addition to prostate specific antigen and Gleason score, provides a more accurate prediction of the pathologic outcome of seminal vesicle invasion and extracapsular extension than the PSA and Gleason score alone for the patient subgroup with a PSA of greater than 10 to 20 ng/ml and Gleason score of 5 to 7.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Factors associated with a positive reexcision after excisional biopsy for invasive breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast-conserving therapy followed by adjuvant radiotherapy represents an alternative to mastectomy as a treatment for invasive breast cancer. When excisional biopsy has been performed outside the parent institution, reexcision is often performed, with tumor being identified in 32% to 62% of the subsequent specimens. We analyzed not only the factors associated with a positive reexcision but also those factors associated with final surgical margins that are positive for tumor. METHODS: Between 1978 and 1991, 956 female patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer clinical stage I or II breast cancer were treated with breast-conserving therapy where a total of 420 patients underwent reexcision after an initial excisional biopsy. Several factors were analyzed to determine their association with a positive reexcision, the status of the final surgical margin, and the nature of the disease present within the reexcision specimen. RESULTS: Factors that correlated with a positive reexcision in both univariate and multivariate analysis were clinical tumor size, method of detection, the pathologic status of the axillary lymph nodes, and the histologic appearance. Those factors associated with finding invasive disease at the time of reexcision were clinical tumor size, clinical presentation, and nodal status. The single factor associated with finding residual in situ disease at the time of reexcision was histologic appearance of the primary tumor. A final positive margin was associated with method of tumor detection, age of the patient, and the presence of axillary lymph node metastases. CONCLUSIONS: The most significant factors associated with a positive reexcision are clinical tumor size, method of tumor detection, pathologic nodal status, and histologic appearance. Patients with larger tumors or those that are detected by physical examination, as well as invasive lobular carcinomas, may require a more generous initial resection to achieve negative surgical margins and avoid the likelihood of reexcision.

Adult↗