In regard to Kagan: "The multidisciplinary clinic" (Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2005;61:967-968).
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Cancer Care Facilities↗
Biomedical subjects
Nicola Nicolai
Publications and source records attributed to Nicola Nicolai.
A simple model for predicting nodal metastasis in patients with clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors undergoing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection only.
PURPOSE: In patients with clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumor the identification of risk categories for nodal metastases and/or distant metastases could permit selective management. We built 2 models for distinguishing these risk categories. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on 322 consecutive patients with clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumor patients treated with retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy (RPLND) alone between 1985 and 1995 were analyzed. The interval between orchiectomy and RPLND, vascular invasion (VI), pT stage, percent embryonal carcinoma (ECa) and teratoma in the primary tumor were considered clinically relevant for their association with nodal or distant metastases. Two logistic models were constructed. Model 1 was meant to discriminate 2 patient categories, namely those with and without nodal metastases at RPLND. Model 2 was meant to discriminate 3 patient categories, namely those without any metastases, with nodal metastases only and with distant metastases independent of retroperitoneal metastases. The models were based on these above variables, which were inserted as categorical and then processed through a backward selection procedure. RESULTS: At RPLND nodal metastases were found in 60 patients (18.6%). During followup distant metastases were observed in 43 patients (13.4%) and retroperitoneal recurrences were noted in 6 (1.9%). Of all recurrences 93.8% were within 2 years since RPLND. RPLND had a high curative rate since 73% of all pN+ cases were cured by surgery alone. The final logistic model 1, including percent ECa and VI, was reassessed in 202 patients with available data. Absent VI and ECa 90% or greater identified a category of 110 patients at low risk for nodal metastasis (14%), while VI and/or ECa greater than 90% identified a category of 92 at higher risk (35%). The identified categories were also related to distant metastases, which occurred in 9.3% of low risk and in 23.1% of high risk cases. Model 2 was not clinically suitable because it did not allow us to distinguish patients at risk for nodal metastases only from those at risk for distant metastases. CONCLUSIONS: Simplicity is the main advantage of model 1 since only 2 well-known prognostic parameters are involved. Although the model must be validated in an independent case series, the identification of a low risk category with few expected nodal metastases could permit us to replace traditional RPLND with a less invasive staging procedure.
Adolescent↗
Clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis in childhood and adolescence: an analysis of 31 cases.
A 20-year single-institution experience of clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis (NSGCTT) in childhood and adolescents was reviewed in relation to clinical characteristics, treatment modalities, and survival. Thirty-one patients with clinical stage I NSGCTT were seen between 1980 and 2000: 14 children and 17 adolescents. Yolk sac tumors and/or teratomas occurred in the children, whereas mixed histologies, including embryonal carcinoma, were predominant in the adolescents. After orchiectomy, the children were assigned to surveillance and the adolescents to active treatment: 16 underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) and 1 had adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy because of a high-risk histology. Three of the 14 children (21.4%) relapsed 3, 7, and 8 months after orchiectomy: all 3 had yolk sac tumors and presented with increased alpha-fetoprotein levels. No patients had retroperitoneal relapse; two recurred locally and one in the lung. All three children were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy with or without surgery. Among the 16 adolescents undergoing RPLND, 4 (25%) had nodal metastases. Three of the 12 patients (25%) who had negative nodes at RPLND relapsed in the lung 3, 7, and 8 months after RPLND. All were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy with or without surgery. Five-year relapse-free and overall survival rates for the whole series were 80.6% and 100%, respectively. This series enabled the authors to pinpoint several important aspects of stage I NSGCTT in children and adolescents. In particular, almost all the childhood cases had the same yolk sac tumor histology, the children tended to have localized disease, and an increased alpha-fetoprotein level had a very high predictive value, suggesting that follow-up should include AFP measurements. A conservative approach is the best option in children, while adolescent NSGCTT behaves like the adult disease and management must include similar treatment strategies.
Adolescent↗
Laparoscopic adrenalectomy.
PURPOSE: We investigated the following issues regarding laparoscopic adrenalectomy: techniques and advantages, indications in adrenal diseases, and the special case of pheochromocytoma. METHODS: Qualified literature reports were reviewed and integrated with results of our initial experience with laparoscopic adrenalectomy. RESULTS: Most authors prefer a transperitoneal approach, but some (including ourselves) use the retroperitoneal approach. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is as effective and safe as traditional surgery, but the associated morbidity was found to be much lower in laparoscopic series. The need for conversion to open surgery does not exceed 5% of all cases. Practically all adrenal masses can be managed by laparoscopy. The only clinical situations where laparoscopy is not recommended as first choice are large adrenal masses (>6 cm) and gross cortical carcinoma, which are related conditions. Laparoscopy is also indicated in pheochromocytoma. No mortality and an elevated hypertension cure rate (75-100%) have been reported. Hypertension and plasma volume contraction must be normalized prior to surgery. Special attention should be paid to possible severe blood pressure variations during surgery. Partial adrenalectomy has been recently proposed for bilateral and familial pheochromocytoma in order to avoid lifelong mineral corticoid replacement therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy currently represents the first surgical choice for adrenal masses. Only large lesions that are suspected to be malignant should not be electively submitted to this procedure. Pheochromocytoma can be safely and effectively treated with laparoscopic surgery; special care for related symptoms is required.
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗