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Biomedical subjects

M Conte

Publications and source records attributed to M Conte.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Screening of cancer of the breast].

Breast cancer is the commonest cancer in women. Screening for a severe and frequent disease with a long doubling time can be applied to breast cancer. Mammography is accepted by the population as a screening test, as it is simple, painless and safe. Many foreign studies combining either clinical examination and mammography or using mammography alone have confirmed the following elements: cancers are detected at an earlier stage than in the control population, screening of women under the age of 50 years does not provide convincing results, as a decreased mortality is only observed for women over the age of 50 years. Screening was introduced in France in 1989 by law and is now performed in 8 departments. The number of deaths prevented as a result of this action is estimated to be a minimum of 1,000 per year. Screening has positive effects on the quality of radiological equipment, improvement of preoperative detection techniques and on the accuracy of the pathology report. Inversely, its disadvantages include false-negative and false-positive results, leading to a certain number of negative operations. Screening will decrease the incidence of invasive cancers and mastectomies and the role of reconstructive surgery after mastectomy for breast cancer. However, the indications for plastic surgery in clinically detectable breast cancer will increase based on collaboration between breast cancer specialists and plastic surgeons.

Adult

[Acute nonbacterial bronchopneumopathies in the 1st years of life. Diagnostic strategies and clinico-epidemiological peculiarities].

The authors summarise diagnostic strategies an clinical epidemiologic peculiarities of non-bacterial bronchopneumopathies in children. The role of classic viral agents (virus influenzal A-B, virus parainfluenza 2-3, RVS) is stressed without neglecting the role of other etiologic agents such as Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Pneumocystis carinii. The Authors point out the necessity of direct investigation (viral cultures, direct investigation in IF and ELISA, investigation with DNA probe use, etc.) and indirect serologic investigation to obtain the greatest possible accuracy an early diagnosis.

Acute Disease

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radical surgery in locally advanced cervical cancer. Prognostic factors for response and survival.

Between January 1986 and September 1988, 75 patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics [FIGO] Stages IB-III) received three courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), including cisplatin, bleomycin, and methotrexate (PBM). Fifteen percent of patients achieved a complete response (CR) and 68% a partial response (PR). Pretreatment characteristics were analyzed for response to NAC. Significantly lower response rates were found in patients with tumor size more than 5 cm in diameter and bilateral parametrial involvement to the pelvic side wall. None of the biological parameters studied was related to chemoresponsiveness. Patients achieving CR or PR had a significantly improved 3-year survival rate compared with those who did not respond. After NAC, radical surgery was possible in all responding patients. The median number of lymph nodes removed was 60. A lower than expected incidence of lymph node metastases was detected. None of the clinical and pathologic features considered was significantly correlated with the lymph node status. Twelve of the 62 operated patients had disease recurrence. Pathologic parametrial involvement and cervical infiltration equal to or deeper than 5 mm were found to be significant prognostic factors for recurrence. A 3-year, disease-free survival of 89%, 73%, and 43% for Stage IB-IIA, IIB, and III, respectively, was found. Among the operated patients these rates increased to 100%, 81%, and 66% for Stage IB-IIA, IIB, and III, respectively. A prospective randomized trial comparing NAC and surgery with radiotherapy alone is in progress.

Adenocarcinoma

Ovarian fibrothecoma: sonographic and histologic findings.

The sonographic and histologic findings observed in 11 cases of ovarian fibrothecoma were compared, and an attempt was made to find a correlation between each histologic type of the tumor (pure thecoma, predominantly fibrous fibrothecoma, mixed fibrothecoma) and its sonographic appearance. The presence of a homogeneous echogenic pattern, with marked posterior acoustic shadowing, in the absence of any calcification, was highly suggestive of a predominantly fibrous ovarian fibrothecoma; the presence of a diffusely hypoechoic ovarian mass, with no posterior echo enhancement, was strikingly correlated with pure thecomas; mixed fibrothecomas were characterized by the presence of an echogenic pattern with no posterior acoustic shadowing. Sonographic findings, even though nonspecific, can provide the clinician with useful information which permits to detect these rare neoplasms preoperatively.

Adult

Transvaginal ultrasound evaluation of myometrial invasion in endometrial carcinoma.

In 20 cases of histologically proved endometrial cancer the depth of myometrial invasion was ascertained by means of transvaginal ultrasound, using a high-frequency endocavitary probe. The sonographic findings were confirmed by histologic examination in 18 of the 20 patients evaluated (90.0%). Transvaginal ultrasound provides a fuller preoperative clinical picture and supplies additional diagnostic information which is invaluable in the choice of therapeutic approach.

Adult

Ovarian carcinoma: an ultrasound study.

Between March 1986 and March 1989, 65 epithelial ovarian carcinomas were studied by means of real time high resolution ultrasound. The sonographic findings were correlated with FIGO stage, histotype and histological grade. The echostructure was compared with that of a group of 141 benign controls. Moreover, some sonographic patterns, significantly more frequent in the malignant tumors (ascites, irregular borders, peritoneal growths), were identified. The diagnosis of malignancy was as accurate as 90.0%, sensitivity and specificity were 84.7% and 92.3% respectively. Our results, coupled with the low costs involved and the non-invasiveness of the method, thus confirm that ultrasound can still be considered a primary technique in the preoperative assessment of ovarian masses.

Adenocarcinoma

Pelvic lymphocele following radical para-aortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy for cervical carcinoma: incidence rate and percutaneous management.

Thirty-six women, treated with radical hysterectomy (Piver types III-IV) plus systematic para-aortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy for cervical carcinoma, underwent serial postoperative ultrasound examinations to determine the incidence of lymphocele and the therapeutic efficacy of percutaneous catheter drainage. Pelvic lymphoceles, ranging in volume from 46-300 mL, occurred in eight patients (22.2%) between the 12-24th postoperative day. Percutaneous catheter drainage, inserted under local anesthesia, was used for a mean time of 14.5 days (range 4-32), resulting in a mean daily drainage of 92.2 mL and a mean total volume of 1727.5 mL per patient. Catheter drainage allowed complete clinical and sonographic remission in all cases, and only one asymptomatic recurrence was observed at 3-month and 6-month follow-up. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous catheter drainage has proved to be a well-tolerated, safe, and effective technique in the management of lymphocele that obviates the need for more invasive surgical procedures.

Drainage

[Monotherapy, empirical and targetted, with imipenem-cilastatin in sepsis of bacterial origin].

The authors describe an open study in 22 patients with febrile conditions of unknown origin who were treated with imipenem-cilastatin while waiting for routine laboratory and culture tests. These were done immediately at the patients' entry into hospital, after which imipenem-cilastatin treatment was started immediately, and was subsequently confirmed by the isolates and culture tests. The drug was found to be active and to eradicate the responsible organism in all cases. In addition, it was found to be easy to handle and not to give rise to side-effects or changes in laboratory tests.

Adolescent