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J A Heerden

Publications and source records attributed to J A Heerden.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Correlations of plasma concentrations of B-cell polypeptides with pathologic features of insulinomas.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the correlations between plasma concentrations of b-cell polypeptides (insulin, C peptide) and size, multiplicity, and malignancy of insulinomas. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 55 consecutively treated patients at our institution with surgically confirmed insulinoma. The 29 female and 26 male patients ranged from 13 to 77 years of age (median, 46). Plasma insulin, C peptide, proinsulin, and glucose concentrations were analyzed statistically in patients with benign and those with malignant insulinomas. RESULTS: Significant correlations were observed between plasma insulin and tumor size (r = 0.45; P = 0.001) and tumor volume (r = 0.41; P = 0.007) and between plasma C peptide and tumor size (r = 0.38; P = 0.004) and tumor volume (r = 0.33; P = 0.025). No differences between benign and malignant tumors were noted for plasma insulin, C peptide, glucose, nor tumor size or volume. No correlations were found between plasma insulin, C peptide, or glucose and number of tumors. CONCLUSION: The plasma levels of insulin and C peptide provide qualitative indications about the size of insulinomas.

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Has fine-needle aspiration biopsy changed thyroid practice?

OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy on the management of nodular thyroid disease. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the effect of the availability of FNA biopsy on thyroid surgical practice at our institution by comparing the data for two study periods--1975-1976 (before the introduction of FNA) and 1985-1986 (5 years after its introduction). RESULTS: The study inclusion criteria were fulfilled by 1,451 patients. In 1975-1976, 938 patients had thyroid operations at our institution. FNA biopsy was introduced into our practice in 1980. In 1985-1986, 513 patients underwent a thyroid surgical procedure. Before the FNA era, the frequency of carcinoma in patients selected for thyroidectomy was 18%, whereas after FNA became available, it increased to 25% (P< 0.0001). When patients were selected for surgical treatment because of either "suspicious" or malignant cytologic results, the yield of carcinoma increased to 40%. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that FNA biopsy has improved selectivity for operation in patients with nodular thyroid disease and has reduced the number of patients who undergo thyroidectomy for benign disease. The result is an increasing yield of malignant lesions found at surgical intervention. FNA biopsy has had a substantial cost-saving effect on thyroid practice.

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Direct extension of malignant lesions to the thyroid gland from adjacent organs: report of 17 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize malignant tumors with direct extension to the thyroid gland from adjacent organs. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 17 patients with direct extension of malignant tumor to the thyroid from primary lesions in the head and neck who had been examined at Mayo Clinic Rochester between 1985 and 1994. The origin of the primary tumor was identified in all cases. Thyroid involvement was confirmed histologically. Data were analyzed for the frequency and types of malignant lesions, the clinical course, and the follow-up after thyroid involvement. RESULTS: All 17 study patients had a diagnosis of a primary malignant tumor before detection of thyroid involvement. Of the 17 patients, 12 had squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx, 2 had SCC of the tongue base, 2 had SCC of the proximal and the cervical esophagus, respectively, and 1 had synovial cell sarcoma of the proximal esophagus. The time between diagnosis of the primary tumor and detection of thyroid invasion in the patients with SCC of the larynx or tongue base ranged from 1 to 196 months (mean, 38). Only 1 of these 14 patients had thyroid gland involvement clinically evident before surgical exploration. Thyroid invasion was diagnosed after surgical intervention. All three patients with esophageal malignant tumors had thyroid involvement clinically. CONCLUSION: SCC of the larynx, tongue base, or proximal esophagus may invade the thyroid gland directly. SCC of the larynx may have the greatest tendency to extend to the thyroid. In patients with SCC, extension of the primary malignant tumor to the thyroid gland should be considered despite lack of clinical evidence.

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