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P R McKenzie

Publications and source records attributed to P R McKenzie.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Thymoma: trends over time.

BACKGROUND: This is a review of a series of patients who presented with thymoma over the most recent 20-year period. Changes and trends in disease patterns were documented. METHODS: Data were collated retrospectively but all pathology slides were reviewed. Survival functions were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients had a partial or total thymectomy during this period for a thymoma. Average age was 55 years. Twenty-three patients (32%) had myaesthenia gravis. Eighteen patients (25%) were asymptomatic. Thirty-three patients (47%) had stage 1 disease. Complete resection was achieved in 60 patients (85%). Five-year survival was 88%. Fifty percent of patients with myesthenia gravis showed improvement in symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Five- and 10-year survival rates in this study are better than in other series. We attribute this to an increasing number of patients with stage 1 and stage 2 disease, particularly those with myasthenia gravis who now have screening computer tomography, and also to the surgical intent of aiming to achieve complete resection even if excision of adjacent tissue is required.

Adult↗

Can phyllodes tumours of the breast be distinguished from fibroadenomas using fine needle aspiration cytology?

In an attempt to determine whether it is possible to distinguish phyllodes tumours (PTs) of the breast from fibroadenomas (FAs) using fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), we reviewed the cytological slides of eight histopathologically confirmed PTs (six benign and two malignant) and compared them with cytological features of 13 histopathologically confirmed FAs. Each author independently, "blindly" assessed architectural and cytological features of the stromal (six features) and epithelial (seven features) components and the cytological background (three features) and gave a favoured diagnosis for each case. Four of six benign PTs, one of two malignant PTs and 11 of 13 FAs were correctly diagnosed cytopathologically by at least three of the authors. The presence of hypercellular stromal fragments was the most useful feature in distinguishing PTs from FAs, and the presence of cytological atypia of the stromal cells was the most important feature in distinguishing malignant from benign PTs. Sampling error was the most common reason for cytological misdiagnosis of PTs. The two FAs misdiagnosed as PTs were each of cellular type. The results of this study suggest that it is possible to distinguish PTs from FAs using FNAC in most cases. We recommend that if hypercellular stromal fragments are identified in a FNAC specimen of a fibroepithelial lesion, the cytopathologist should raise the possibility of a PT and the surgeon treat the patient accordingly.

Biopsy, Needle↗

Widespread cutaneous necrosis associated with cardiolipin antibodies.

Many clinical phenomena have been described in association with antiphospholipid antibodies, which are measured by a variety of techniques. The relationship of each assay is not completely clear, nor is it apparent which assay correlates best with the various clinical conditions. We describe a patient with anticardiolipin antibodies but without lupus inhibitor who had widespread cutaneous necrosis and underlying thrombosis in dermal blood vessels.

Adult↗