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PubMed2000

Antiphospholipid antibodies in alcoholic liver disease are influenced by histological damage but not by alcohol consumption.

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) have been detected in various liver diseases, particularly cirrhosis. The role of alcoholic consumption per se has been suggested. The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of aPL in patients with alcoholic liver disease at various states and to correlate the presence of aPL with both liver injury and alcoholic consumption. Three groups were prospectively included. Group A: 74 controls (age- and sex-matched); group B: 46 patients with alcoholic steatosis; group C: 28 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. For each patient, lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin antibodies and anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies were tested. The prevalence of aPL (presence of at least one positive test) was 5% in group A, 20% in group B and 50% in group C (P < 0.04). No correlation appeared between aPL and Child Pugh score in group C. No correlation was found between the presence of aPL and alcohol intake in patients with either steatosis or cirrhosis. Our study confirms that aPL positivity is more frequently encountered in patients with alcoholic liver disease than in controls. Their prevalence increases with the degree of histological damage but not with the level of alcoholic intake.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

[Update on gastroenterology].

In the field of mass detection of colorectal cancer by Hemoccul test, the results of the Burgundy study confirm the two european studies previously published and encourage to extend this training to the whole country. In oncogenetic field, a recent publication suggest some different clinical criteria that Amsterdam criteria to define a Lynch syndrome. When genetic markers are performed in a population selected according to these type I criteria, HNPCC mutation could be detected in 28% of cases. In colorectal cancer surgery, the debate remains open on the place of coeliosurgery. A recent published series of 135 colon cancers operated by coeliosurgery do not show any recurrence on trocar orifices. A US study has confirmed the prognostic value of the number of lymph nodes analyzed after resection of colorectal cancer. In adjuvant treatment of stage II colon cancer, two contradictory publications have been reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. However, the results of the Impact B2 Group are more consistent and support the fact that chemotherapy cannot be recommended as a standard treatment in state II colon cancer. The actualities in the liver metastases focused on the new local destruction technics that are cryosurgery and radiofrequency. Concerning the chemotherapy of metastatic colorectal cancer, important results have been published in second line therapy showing the superiority of Campto compared to best supportive care or 5FU based chemotherapy both in term of overall survival and quality of life. In first line chemotherapy, the superiority of bi-therapies (LV5FU2 and oxaliplatin or LV5FU2 and irinotecan) has been confirmed compared to LV5FU2 alone. A recent publication showed that patients older than 70 years tolerate chemotherapy for colorectal cancer as well as younger patients with the same efficacy. In esophagus carcinoma, the most important study didn't show any efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy by 5FU-cisplatin in operable adenocarcinoma of squamous carcinoma of esophagus. The final results of dutch's study in node dissection for gastric cancer do not find any benefit in overall survival comparing D2 versus D1 dissection with a substantial increase in morbidity and mortality in the D2 arm, specially when splenopancreatectomy was performed. Finally, an important study has confirmed the value of per echoendoscopy biopsies for the diagnosis of positive lymph nodes and pancreatic tumors.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed1992

[Appendiceal carcinoid tumor of systematic detection. When to propose right hemi-colectomy and how to monitor? Thoughts apropos of a case and review of the literature].

In relation to a case of carcinoid tumor of the appendix discovered after appendectomy and already metastatic, we discuss the prognostic factors of these lesions. Size is the most important one. For tumors less than two centimetres diameter, site, mesoappendix and lymph node involvement do not fully summarize the aggressiveness of the disease. We would like to emphasize the poor prognosis of perineural involvement, especially for young patients, in order to discuss the indication for salvage right colectomy. A positive reaction to Neuron-Specific Enolase allows this enzyme to be proposed as a postoperative serum marker.

Adult↗