Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to G Cornélissen.
In cancer and other therapeutic research, an interpretation of median survival times can and should take cure into account. With this qualification, an analysis of recently published data provides further statistically significant evidence in favor of cancer chronotherapy as compared to homeostatic therapy.
A thermorhythmometric analysis was carried out on data from a patient who underwent a prophylactic subcutaneous mastectomy, subsequently to a preoperative mammogram revealing clustered small calcifications in the left breast. The patient self-measured surface temperature of each breast, above and below the nipple, at intervals of 75 +/- 10 min for 59 h while awake. In one location of each breast, the recording thermistor-probe was insulated for 21.5 h while other probe locations remained uninsulated. The overall rhythm-adjusted average surface temperature and the extent of predictable circadian variation differed with statistical significance when the two breasts were compared. The left breast exhibited a higher rhythm-adjusted mean temperature and a lower extent of predictable circadian variation, as compared to the contralateral breast. The interbreast differences of surface temperature also demonstrated a statistically significant rhythm. A review on results of rhythmometry of breast temperature was also carried out. The thermorhythmometric findings here reported must not necessarily be regarded as indicative of cancer; they may be found in non-cancerous subjects and may or may not reflect early pathology. The objective of this publication is to suggest that non-invasive mammary thermorhythmometry may complement clinical histopathology. This subject may exemplify a new principle awaiting scrutiny with much more extensive sampling and much longer follow-up, namely that chronopathology including chronoprotopathology, alongside established diagnostic procedures, may provide an indication for prophylactic intervention.
A prophylactic bilateral subcutaneous mastectomy, following a preoperative mammogram revealed clustered small calcifications in the left breast. In order to investigate the merits of thermorphythmometry, the patient self-measured surface temperature of each breast, above and below the nipple, while awake. In the case here presented, bilateral subcutaneous mastectomy followed by extensive histologic scrutiny of both breasts revealed no indication of malignancy. Bilateral fibrocystic disease with calcification and lobular hyperplasia was found. As compared to the contralateral sites, the atypical epithelial proliferation was more abundant in the mammographically and thermorhythmometrically 'abnormal' area of the left breast.