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Biomedical subjects

M M Altaras

Publications and source records attributed to M M Altaras.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Adenomyosis in postmenopausal breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen: a new entity?

Between September 1, 1989 and October 31, 1994, 173 postmenopausal breast cancer women on tamoxifen treatment were followed up in the authors' institutions. During this period, 14 (8.1%) underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for various indications. Eight (57.1%) were found to have adenomyosis, of whom one had a large fundal adenomyotic lump and the other seven patients had two to four small microscopic foci of adenomyosis. In this study, the rate of adenomyosis described among those postmenopausal breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen is nearly three to four times higher than the rate reported in the literature for pre- and postmenopausal women. There is no previous reported increased incidence of adenomyosis in postmenopausal breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen. Thus, it is suggested that the prolonged and unopposed estrogen-like stimulation by tamoxifen may play a causal role rather than be a casual factor in the development of this pathologic entity.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Transvaginal color flow imaging in the diagnosis of ovarian tumors.

Transvaginal ultrasonography and color flow imaging, performed to investigate whether there is any diagnostic advantage, were assessed over a 3 year period in 217 patients with adnexal masses prior to explorative laparotomy. Gray scale sonography and color Doppler flow were performed 1 day prior to surgery. Benign tumors were found in 165 patients and flow was detectable in 82 (49.7%); 14 patients had tumors of low malignant potential, 12 (85.7%) of whom showed detectable flow, and 38 had malignant tumors, in 25 (65.8%) of whom flow was detectable. Blood flow velocity was evaluated by the calculation of the resistance index prior to surgery. Mean resistive index was 0.39 +/- 0.05 for malignant tumors, compared with 0.49 +/- 0.06 and 0.55 +/- 0.07 for the low malignant potential and benign tumors, respectively. These differences were statistically significant (P < 0.01). When a resistive index of 0.47 was considered the cut-off value, the sensitivity was 88% and the specificity was calculated to be 85% (using color Doppler flow as the only diagnostic method). With our large cohort of patients, we demonstration the contribution of color Doppler flow examination in differentiating benign from malignant ovarian tumors prior to surgery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Endometrial changes with tamoxifen: comparison between tamoxifen-treated and nontreated asymptomatic, postmenopausal breast cancer patients.

Endometrial thickness, as evaluated by vaginal ultrasonography, and endometrial histologic findings, as well as demographic characteristics, health habits, and risk factors for endometrial cancer, were compared between 93 asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer patients who had been on tamoxifen treatment and 20 patients who had not. The mean ultrasonographic endometrial thickness in the women on tamoxifen treatment was 13.1 +/- 10.4 mm, which was significantly thicker than the 4.0 +/- 3.2 mm found in the nontreated women (P = 0.001). The frequency of endometrial pathological findings was remarkably high (35.5%) among the tamoxifen-treated patients, compared with nontreated patients (20.0%), with a P value of 0.058 and an odd ratio of 4.6. Thus, it is suggested that the remarkably high prevalence of pathological endometrial changes was due to the continuous and unopposed exposure of the endometrium to tamoxifen.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Ovarian endometrioid carcinoma and endometriosis developing in a postmenopausal breast cancer patient during tamoxifen therapy: a case report and review of the literature.

We present the first case of ovarian endometrioid carcinoma and endometriosis in a postmenopausal patient who was treated with tamoxifen for breast cancer. The association with prolonged unopposed estrogen-like stimulation with tamoxifen as a possible factor in the development of ovarian endometrioid carcinoma is discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Ovarian cyst formation in two pre-menopausal patients treated with tamoxifen for breast cancer.

Pre-menopausal tamoxifen treatment causes hyperoestrogen production and ovarian cyst formation. Two pre-menopausal breast cancer patients who were treated with tamoxifen developed both permanent supraphysiological oestrogen concentration and ovarian cysts. Serum oestrogen decreased to post-menopausal concentrations and ovarian cysts completely resolved during and following simultaneous treatment with tamoxifen and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa). In pre-menopausal breast cancer patients, GnRHa may prevent possible side-effects of tamoxifen, such as ovarian cysts and supraphysiological oestrogen production.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Postmenopausal tamoxifen treatment and endometrial pathology.

Tamoxifen is widely used as adjuvant therapy for postmenopausal breast cancer patients with positive estrogen receptors. Data on a possible association of endometrial pathologies with tamoxifen treatment have been accumulating. In this review, we examine the current literature and include our own experience with this occurrence. We recommend close supervision of these patients.

Breast↗
PubMed1994

Anaphylaxis to cisplatin: diagnosis and value of pretreatment in prevention of recurrent allergic reactions.

Two patients, who developed anaphylaxis to cisplatin, are described. This phenomenon was preceded by mild allergic symptoms, which were overlooked, in previous treatment courses. Intradermal skin tests were both sensitive and specific in the diagnosis of cisplatin allergy. Pretreatment with antihistamines and corticosteroids was ineffective in preventing recurrent anaphylaxis. Thus, a trial of desensitization is mandatory among those patients whose disease responds to the administration of this agent.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1993

Role of prolonged stimulation of tamoxifen therapy in the etiology of endometrial sarcomas.

We present the first case of heterologous mixed mesodermal tumor that developed 9 years following tamoxifen therapy in a climacteric woman with no previous pelvic irradiation and was initially treated by total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. She continued tamoxifen therapy for 2 years, following the initial treatment, until the diagnosis of a recurrent tumor by laparotomy. The patient died of the disease 5 months subsequent to the second surgery. The association of prolonged unopposed estrogenic stimulation, with tamoxifen as a possible etiologic factor in the development of endometrial sarcomas, is discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Microhysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy results following failed diagnostic dilatation and curettage in women with postmenopausal bleeding.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was twofold: firstly to evaluate and compare the diagnostic precision of the microhysteroscopy (MH) and endometrial biopsy in a group of menopausal women in whom D&C had failed to obtain an adequate endometrial sample, and secondly to quantitate the value of a hysteroscopy in determining endometrial sampling in these patients. METHODS: A Hamou type II CO2 microhysteroscope (MH) was used to evaluate the endocervical canal and the uterine cavity, followed by endometrial sampling. RESULTS: Thirty-nine women were assessed using MH and endometrial biopsy. Histopathology results were available for diagnosis in 29 of them (74.3%). In the remaining ten patients, the MH diagnosis was atrophic endometrium. Biopsy results corroborated with MH in 86.2% (25/29) of the patients with tissue samples. The analysis (r) of this concordance rate was statistically significant (r = 0.96). Sample results for patients with MH determined pathological and normal endometrium corroborated in 83% and 91%, respectively, inclusive of three cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma. The sensitivity, specificity and predictive values for MH alone were 93.7%, 76.9% and 83.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These significant results are indicative that this simplified endoscopic method surpasses all blind hospital or office endometrial sampling methods. Therefore, we suggest that MH and endometrial sampling should be the initial assessment tool for any type of indication requiring endometrial and uterine cavity assessment.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Endometrial changes in postmenopausal women treated with tamoxifen for breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether risk factors, other than tamoxifen, can be identified for the development of endometrial pathologies in postmenopausal breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Oncology Clinic, Sapir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel. SUBJECTS: 77 asymptomatic postmenopausal women, treated with tamoxifen for breast cancer. Of these, 55 had no endometrial tissue and 22 had endometrial tissue obtained by biopsy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic characteristics, health habits, risk factors, vaginal ultrasonographic evaluations of endometrial thickness and texture, and histologic evaluations of endometrial biopsies. RESULTS: Overall, there was a high rate (29%) of endometrial pathological change among the 77 asymptomatic postmenopausal women. There were no significant statistical differences in the features tested between the two groups. CONCLUSION: It is impossible to predict which postmenopausal women will develop pathological endometrial changes after treatment with tamoxifen and thus a routine periodic endometrial sampling-follow up is suggested for all postmenopausal women being treated with this agent.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Ultrasonographic evaluation of the endometrium and correlation with endometrial sampling in postmenopausal patients treated with tamoxifen.

Seventy-two asymptomatic, postmenopausal women treated with tamoxifen for breast cancer were studied prospectively with vaginal ultrasonography, followed by endometrial sampling. Seventy-one patients demonstrated an endometrial echo of more than 5 mm, and one displayed an endometrial echo of less than 5 mm. No patient with an endometrial echo of less than 5 mm displayed any endometrial pathology. Different endometrial pathologic conditions were found when the endometrial echo was over 5 mm. When classifying those patients whose ultrasonic endometrial widths were wider than 5 mm, on the basis of different endometrial histologic findings, no obvious correlation was found between the various pathologic endometrial findings and endometrial thickness. Thus, a "thicker" endometrial sonographic image did not necessarily correlate with pathologic endometrial findings. When ultrasonic endometrial thickness of 5 mm was considered the upper limit of normal, the sensitivity of ultrasonography in correlating to positive histologic findings was 91% and the specificity was 96%. These findings suggest that there is good correlation between endometrial width measured by ultrasonographic assessment and histologic findings.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Transvaginal ultrasonographic quantitative assessment of accumulated cul-de-sac fluid.

Preoperative quantitative assessment of pelvic fluid is an important diagnostic tool in clinical decision making. In this study, we used high-frequency transvaginal ultrasonography in 10 healthy women to assess both the correlation between various amounts of fluid installed in the cul-de-sac and ultrasonic imaging and to determine whether correct estimation of fluid volume can be reached. No fluid could be ultrasonically detected when the volume was less than 35 to 40 ml. Between 35 and 100 ml there was a clear image of accumulated fluid in the cul-de-sac with good correlation between volume and image, whereas with larger amounts no clear correlation between the amount of fluid introduced and size of fluid area visualized by ultrasonography was possible. Transvaginal ultrasonography may enable quantitative evaluation of certain volumes of pelvic fluid, although amounts less than 35 ml cannot be visualized.

Body Fluids↗