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Biomedical subjects

R D Marks

Publications and source records attributed to R D Marks.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Diagnosis and management of peptic esophageal strictures.

Peptic strictures of the esophagus are a common sequelae of long-standing reflux esophagitis. They occur in approximately 10% of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease seeking medical evaluation. Factors predisposing to stricture formation are poorly understood; however, stricture patients are typically older, have a longer duration of reflux symptoms, and more frequently display abnormal esophageal motility than reflux patients without strictures. Diagnosis can usually be made with a careful history but should be confirmed with a barium esophagram followed by endoscopy with biopsies to exclude malignancy. Relief of dysphagia, which is the initial goal of therapy, can be readily accomplished in most patients using polyethylene or mercury-filled dilators or balloons. An equally important therapeutic objective should be the complete healing of associated esophagitis using proton pump inhibitors. Surgical treatment is reserved for the subset of patients with intractable esophagitis, irreversibly damaged esophagus, or extraesophageal manifestations.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1994

Omeprazole versus H2-receptor antagonists in treating patients with peptic stricture and esophagitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although dysphagia in patients with peptic stricture is attributed to a decreased luminal diameter, coexistent esophagitis may be an equally important cause. The goals of this study were to determine whether medical healing of esophagitis in patients with stricture improves dysphagia and decreases dilatation need and to compare the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of omeprazole versus H2-receptor antagonists (H2RA). METHODS: Thirty-four dysphagic patients with peptic stricture and erosive esophagitis were dilated and randomized to omeprazole 20 mg every day versus H2RA (ranitidine 150 mg twice daily or famotidine 20 mg twice daily). Patients received further dilatations only if dysphagia frequency was greater than or equal to once per week. At 3 and 6 months, patients were assessed for esophagitis healing, dysphagia relief, and bougienage requirements. Cost-effectiveness of omeprazole and H2RA was determined. RESULTS: Patients with healed esophagitis at 3 and 6 months were more likely to dysphagia-free and to require fewer dilatations than patients with persistent esophagitis. At 6 months, omeprazole produced a significantly (P < 0.01) higher rate of esophagitis healing, dysphagia relief, and fewer dilatations compared with H2RA. Omeprazole was also 40%-50% more cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS: Esophagitis healing improves dysphagia and decreases dilatation need in patients with peptic stricture. Omeprazole heals esophagitis and relieves dysphagia more efficaciously than H2RA while decreasing costs to patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Peptic strictures of the esophagus.

Peptic esophageal strictures are a common sequelae of long-standing reflux esophagitis. Factors predisposing to stricture formation are poorly understood; however, stricture patients are typically older, have a longer duration of reflux symptoms, have significantly lower lower esophageal sphincter pressures, and more frequently display abnormal esophageal motility than reflux patients without strictures. A careful history should suggest the diagnosis in most cases, but should be confirmed with a barium esophagram followed by endoscopy with biopsies to exclude malignancy. The therapeutic armamentarium for treating peptic strictures has greatly expanded during the past 30 yr. It now includes potent anti-secretory medications, bougienage with flexible polyethylene dilators or balloons, and anti-reflux surgery. Aggressive medical therapy combined with bougienage is safe and effective treatment for the majority of stricture patients, with surgery being reserved for the subset of patients with intractable esophagitis, irreversibly damaged esophagus, or extra-esophageal manifestations.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1991

Primary invasive vaginal carcinoma.

A review of primary vaginal carcinoma treated at the Medical University of South Carolina from January 1970 through December 1989 included 76 squamous carcinomas, 12 adenocarcinomas, and 3 undifferentiated carcinomas. Staging was done according to the system of the International Federal of Gynecology and Obstetrics as modified by Perez et al. Stages I, II, III, and IV included 25, 39, 15, and 12 patients, respectively. Corrected 5-year survival rates were 73% for stage I, 39% for stage II, 38% for stage III, and 25% for stage IV. Sixteen percent of patients had received prior pelvic radiation. Invasive cervical cancer preceded vaginal cancer in 21% of patients. Detection of cancer was accomplished by routine cytologic testing in 17% of patients, palpation of an asymptomatic mass in 10% of patients, or palpation of a symptomatic mass in 72% of patients. Eighty-seven percent of patients were treated with radiation therapy. Survival curves of patients grouped by stage and other potential prognostic factors were compared. Lower stage (p less than 0.01), younger age (p less than 0.02), and no symptoms at detection (p less than 0.01) were statistically significant favorable prognostic factors. Histologic type, extent of vaginal involvement, vaginal location, prior radiation therapy, prior cervical cancer, and prior hysterectomy are factors that did not significantly affect survival.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Primary malignant extragonadal germ cell tumors. An analysis of the effect of the effect of radiotherapy.

A retrospective analysis was performed on all patients diagnosed with biopsy-proven extragonadal germ cell tumors at the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA), The Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston, SC), the Bethesda Naval Hospital (Bethesda, MD), and The Medical College of Virginia (Richmond, VA) for the time period of January 1965 to December 1984. A total of 54 patients were treated with the initial sites of presentation observed: mediastinum, 26; central nervous system, 14; retroperitoneum, eight; and sacrococcygeal region, six. Megavoltage irradiation was used in 44 patients with a dose range of 2400 to 5580 cGy (mean, 4213 cGy). With a minimum follow-up of 4.0 years and a mean follow-up of 10.8 years, the 5-year actuarial survival for the entire population was 57.8%. Local control was achieved in 26 of 44 (59%) of the irradiated population. Factors of prognostic significance included histologic type at presentation, site of presentation, and radiation doses greater than or equal to 4000 cGy. Radiotherapy appears to be an effective modality in patients with extragonadal seminomas; however, the nonseminomatous tumors do not appear to be as radioresponsive.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Intraperitoneal P-32 after negative second-look laparotomy in ovarian carcinoma.

Thirty-one patients underwent a negative second-look laparotomy between 1976 and 1986. Fourteen patients received intraperitoneal chromic phosphate (P-32) after a negative second-look laparotomy. There has been no local recurrence (zero of 14) and no deaths attributable to recurrent disease. Local control and disease-free survival are 100%, with a minimum follow-up of 2 years and a mean follow-up of 4 years. Seventeen patients received no further therapy because of patient refusal, poor diffusion, or other contraindications to P-32 installation. Four of 17 patients undergoing negative second-look procedures without the addition of P-32 have subsequently recurred. This difference is highly suggestive (P = .076). There have been no major complications with the addition of P-32. The use of intraperitoneal P-32 after negative second-look laparotomies on ovarian carcinoma is well tolerated and effective in preventing recurrence.

Female↗
PubMed1989

Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and resection for carcinoma of the esophagus. Long-term results.

From May 1980 to May 1984, preoperative chemotherapy (mitomycin C and 5-fluorouracil) was added to radiation therapy in patients with potentially operable squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Of 129 patients observed, 122 were followed up until death or to the present. Only 33 were able to complete preoperative chemotherapy and radiation and undergo resection. There were 28 men and five women, their ages ranging from 42 to 81 years (average 60 years). There were 22 black and 11 white patients. The location of the tumor was in the middle third in 70% of the patients. Among the 33 patients, the clinical TNM classification was as follows: T1 N0 M0, three patients; T2 N0 M0, 27 patients; T2 N1 M0, two patients; and T3 N0 M0, one patient. The length of the lesions when measurable in the absence of complete obstruction varied from 3 to 17 cm (average 7 cm). The operative mortality rate in this group was 12% (4/33). There was no viable residual tumor in the surgical specimen of the esophagus in 33% (11/33) of those patients completing triple therapy. However, in two of the 11 patients, left gastric nodes contained tumor and in one there was a minute esophageal perforation. The 2-year survival rate was 33% (11/33), and the 5-year survival rate was 15.4% (5/33). Among the 11 patients having 2-year survival, the surgical specimen was normal in six and abnormal in five. Of the five patients having 5-year survival, the surgical specimen was normal in three and abnormal in two. The absence of tumor in the surgical specimen did not appear to confer any better chance for long-term survival. Data were compared to our 1967-1975 series of 75 patients receiving only preoperative radiation and resection. There was no significant difference in survival rates at 2 years (20% [1975] versus 33% [1984], p = 0.2118) or at 5 years (10% [1975] versus 15.4% [1984], p = 0.5796). The addition of preoperative chemotherapy as an adjunct did not result in a statistically significant increase in 2-year or 5-year survival rates.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1988

Environmental factors and high risk of esophageal cancer among men in coastal South Carolina.

A case-control study involving interviews of 207 men with esophageal cancer and 422 control subjects or their next of kin was conducted to identify reasons for the unusually high rates of esophageal cancer among men in coastal South Carolina. Tobacco and alcohol, including moonshine, were identified as the major determinants of esophageal cancer risk. Increased risk was also associated with low intake of fresh fruits but not with drinking of local herbal teas. The findings suggest that efforts aimed at reducing tobacco and alcohol use will help to lower the elevated rates of esophageal cancer in coastal South Carolina.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1988

Primary central nervous system germ cell tumors. Effect of histologic confirmation on radiotherapy.

Primary malignant intracranial germ cell tumors are rare lesions responsible for only 0.5% of all central nervous system (CNS) malignancy. With stereotactic localization these lesions can be safely biopsied, and histologic confirmation will affect the ultimate prognosis. This report is a multi-institutional retrospective analysis of 33 patients diagnosed with a primary CNS germ cell tumor. Tumors in 14 patients (42%) were histologically confirmed (13 germinoma and one embryonal cell carcinoma); 19 patients were treated with a presumptive diagnosis. All patients were irradiated with a dose range of 3950 cGy to 6000 cGy to the primary lesions. Eight patients received craniospinal irradiation, and 25 patients were locally treated. The 5-year actuarial survival for the entire population was 64%. The survival rate in patients with histologic confirmation was 79% versus 53% in the unbiopsied population. Radiation doses greater than 5000 cGy, radiotherapy volume, and age were prognostic factors in determining survival.

Age Factors↗