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S Valabrega

Publications and source records attributed to S Valabrega.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Total mesorectal excision for surgical treatment of rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to retrospectively evaluate the results of 2 groups of patients admitted and treated for rectal cancer. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-one patients were available for evaluation. Eighty (group A) were radically operated with the standard technique; 71 (group B) underwent total mesorectal excision (TME). Groups were similar according to demographics, staging, and pathological data. Mean follow-up was 73.5 months. RESULTS: No operative mortality was observed. Complications were 15% in group A and 32% in group B. Local recurrence rates were 41.2% in group A and 12.6% in group B. Distant metastases occurred in 21.2% and 7.6%, respectively, in groups A and B. Cancer-related mortality was 62.5% in the non-TME group and 19.5% in the TME group. Overall 5-year survival rates were 32.4% in group A and 70.5% in group B. Disease-free survival rates were 25% in group A and 62.3% in group B. CONCLUSIONS: TME appears to lower the incidence of cancer-related mortality, with a higher incidence of postoperative complications. Further studies need to be done to assess the real benefits of TME in the surgical treatment of rectal cancer.

Female↗

[Echinococcus cyst of the pancreas: description of a case and review of the literature].

The echinococcosis represents a common condition in many parts of the world with maximum incidence in Uruguay (32 cases/100,000/year), in Argentina (21 cases/100,000/year), and in Morocco (7.2 cases/100,000/year). Italy is among the middle-high risk countries with beyond 1000 annual surgeries for hydatid cyst. Liver (45-75%) and lung (10-50%) are the most frequent localizations of echinococcosis. The other localizations represents the 13% of total. The hydatid cyst of pancreas constitutes the 1%. The Authors report the clinical case of a 28 years old woman, admitted for abdominal pain. Abdominal ultrasound, angio-CT and angiography of celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery have been undertaken and the presence of a 10 x 10 cm lesion in the body-tail of pancreas has been showed, and the diagnosis of pseudocyst or cystadeno-carcinoma of pancreas has been formulated. The patient underwent surgery with body-tail pancreatectomy plus splenectomy. The histopathological examination showed the presence of hydatid cyst contained clear fluid and daughter cysts. The treatment of this infrequent localization of hydatid cyst is exclusively surgical. The tactic and surgical technique must aim to radical cyst's removal, with the maximum saving of the stricken organ, maintaining a good pancreatic function, either exocrine and endocrine.

Adult↗

[Use of vascular endostapler in surgery of the lower rectum].

A practical and effective method for rapid and bloodless preparation of the rectum using endovascular stapler devices during low anterior resection, or abdominal-perineal excision, is described. This method is presented as an effective means for easily dividing the anterior and lateral attachment of the rectum. The application of this technique is the absence of intraoperative bleeding related to injury of middle hemorrhoidal vessels, with minimal risk of autonomic pelvic nerve damage. An additional factor relevant in the choice of this technique, is the easier possibility to perform rectal dissection of an oncologically adequate tumor clearance from the margin of rectal tumor and with complete radical transection of the lateral ligaments fastly proceeding with the downward mobilization of the rectum close to the pelvic side walls, between the parietal and visceral layer of the pelvic fascia.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Effect of preoperative colonoscopy on the incidence of synchronous and metachronous neoplasms.

Colonoscopy and air-contrast barium enema performed preoperatively in 389 patients with colorectal cancer revealed synchronous cancer in 4% and polyp in 14%. Nine of the 16 synchronous cancers were located in other surgical segments than the index cancer, and six of the nine were in stage A or B1. Of the 54 synchronous polyps, 28 were located in such other segments. Half of the synchronous cancers and almost half of the synchronous polyps were missed at double-contrast barium enema. All synchronous cancers and three-fourths of the synchronous polyps were detected at colonoscopy. No patient with preoperative colonoscopy presented with metachronous cancer within 3 years from surgery, and only two were subsequently found to have adenocarcinoma arising from an adenomatous polyp. Endoscopic polypectomy was performed in 21 cases during follow-up. Extensive use of preoperative colonoscopy is recommended in the evaluation of colorectal cancer, in order to promote detection of synchronous tumors, reduce the incidence of 'early metachronous' cancer and avoid malignant degeneration of adenomatous polyp.

Adult↗

Right colon cancer: long-term results after curative surgery and prognostic significance of duration of symptoms.

Between 1976 and 1986, a consecutive series of 195 patients with right colon cancer were admitted at the First Department of Surgery of the University of Rome. Patients were divided into five groups according to the absence of intestinal symptoms (group 1) and the duration of the symptomatic phase (groups 2-5). Analysis of the preoperative investigation showed that colonoscopy was able to identify 33 (26.2%) of tumors misdiagnosed by double contrast X-ray barium enema. We did not notice any correlation among symptom duration and tumor stage, tumor differentiation, operability rate, and survival. Patients admitted in the asymptomatic phase presented tumors of less advanced stage and, thus, had the best survival rate (71.4%). In this group, patients promptly treated had a better survival rate (87.5%) than those treated after 2 months (50%). Our study suggests that only neoplasms diagnosed in asymptomatic patients and treated promptly are related to a good survival rate. We, therefore, emphasize the importance of education of patients and family physicians about right colon cancer and the necessity to investigate all patients with a suspected right colon cancer by means of colonoscopy.

Colonic Neoplasms↗

The role of CEA, TPA and CA 19-9 in the early detection of recurrent colorectal cancer.

Eighty-eight consecutive patients who underwent curative resection for colorectal cancer between 1983 and 1985 were studied prospectively to evaluate the roles of sequential CEA, TPA and CA 19-9 determinations and independent clinical examination in the early diagnosis of resectable recurrences. Twenty nine recurrences were detected between 8 and 38 months after primary surgery. CEA, TPA and CA 19-9 showed a sensitivity of 72%, 62% and 38%, and a specificity of 78%, 86% and 97%, respectively. Of eight recurrences in which CEA was not raised, five induced a rise in TPA and two a rise in CA 19-9. The rise in the serum concentration of one of the three markers was the first sign of relapse in 23 (79%) patients. Two second-look laparotomies based solely on a rise in serum markers were performed. In one case diffuse recurrent disease was found, and in the other a resectable solitary hepatic metastasis was found.

Aged↗

Relationship of symptom duration and survival in patients with colorectal carcinoma.

An early diagnosis in asymptomatic patients and a prompt treatment lead to an improved survival rate in patients with carcinoma of the colon. Patients with a short symptomatic history of colon cancer do not have a better prognosis than patients with a long history. Between 1978 and 1984 a consecutive series of 571 patients with colorectal cancer were admitted to the First Department of Surgery of the University of Rome. All patients were classified into five groups according to the duration of specific intestinal symptoms. In Group 1 (51 cases) asymptomatic patients were included, or patients with no specific symptoms such as asthenia, anemia, occult fecal blood. In Group 2 there were 129 patients with intestinal symptoms of less than 3 months' duration before treatment. In Group 3 there were 192 patients with symptoms of between 4 and 6 months' duration; 151 patients with symptoms of between 6 and 12 months were included in Group 4, and finally 48 patients who presented with symptoms of more than 1 year were included in Group 5. No relationship was noted between tumor site and duration of symptoms. Similarly, no relationship was noted between the duration of intestinal symptoms and stage and tumor differentiation. On the other hand, asymptomatic patients showed a higher incidence of T1N0M0 stage tumor and a lower percentage of undifferentiated neoplasms. The resectability rate was 79% and it was significantly related to the absence of intestinal symptoms. Follow-up data were available in 454 patients (80%). The overall survival rate was 52.4%. In Group 1 through Group 5 the 5-year survival rate was: 83.7%, 50%, 50%, 46.3%, 46.9%. The results of our study indicate that patients admitted in asymptomatic phase presented less-advanced stage tumors and, thus, best survival rate. On the other hand, from our data the duration of intestinal symptoms is not related to the stage and prognosis of tumors.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗

Synchronous large bowel cancer: a series of 47 cases.

The incidence of synchronous cancer has been reported to be 1.5% to 7.6%. A retrospective review of all colorectal cancer patients was conducted to determine the incidence of synchronous cancers. 47 synchronous cancers were identified in an operative series of 2586 patients with an incidence of 1.8%. The patients were divided into two groups based on preoperative diagnostic examinations. The first group included 1608 patients examined by double contrast x-ray barium enema (1141) and/or single contrast barium enema (381) and/or rigid sigmoidoscopy (112). The second group included 978 patients examined by double contrast barium enema (459) and/or flexible sigmoidoscopy (631) and/or colonoscopy (389). The incidence of synchronous tumors was 1.6% for patients evaluated only with double contrast roentgenographic study and 4.1% for patients who underwent preoperative colonoscopy. Fifty percent of synchronous cancers detected by colonoscopy were missed at double contrast x-ray barium enema. While twenty two percent of synchronous tumors detected by barium enema were located in different surgical segments and were all "advanced" tumors, when preoperative colonoscopy was performed, 56.2% of synchronous tumors were not located in the same surgical segment, and 66.7% of these were "early" cancers. None of the patients who underwent preoperatively colonoscopy developed a metachronous tumor within 3 years. One percent of patients undergoing flexible sigmoidoscopy or double contrast barium enema developed a second tumor 3 years after surgery. An extended use of preoperative colonoscopy in the diagnosis of colorectal cancers, to increase the detection od synchronous tumors and to decrease the incidence of the so-called "early" metachronous cancers, is stressed.

Adult↗

Tissue CEA as prognostic indicator in a series of 31 cases of gastric cancer.

The role of tissue CEA localization as a complementary factor in prognosis of patients affected by gastric cancer is analyzed. In a group of 31 gastric tumors, tissue CEA was always present in the apical portion of the tumor cell cytoplasm and in the glandular lumen, while in 23 cases it was found in the stroma, and in superficial and deep cell cytoplasm in 26 and 20 cases respectively. The serum marker levels were over 3 ng/ml in 19 patients. A relationship between CEA localization and tumor stage was observed. The more the tumors were advanced, the more the marker was found in the stroma and in the cytoplasm of superficial and deep cells. The same was found for CEA localization and serum CEA levels. The opposite trend was evidenced for the degree of tumor differentiation. In well differentiated tumors in a high percentage of cases the marker was present in the stroma and in the cytoplasm of superficial and deep cells as compared with undifferentiated tumors. No relationship between the histologic type and CEA localization was found.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

Tissue CEA as prognostic indicator in a series of 44 cases of colorectal cancer.

The role of tissue CEA determination as a complementary test in the staging of colorectal cancer and monitoring of the marker in the follow-up of patients, is stressed. In a group of 44 colorectal cancer patients, tissue CEA was determined by the immunoperoxidase assay in the apical and cytoplasmic portion of tumor cells, stroma, glandular lumen, and cytoplasm of superficial and deep cells. A correlation has been observed between spread and stage of tumor and CEA localization at the level of the stroma and cytoplasm of deep cells. It has been also evidenced that in all cases where CEA was present in the stroma and cytoplasm of deep cells, high serum levels of the marker were detected.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

Carcinoma arising in previously partially excised congenital choledochal dilatation. Case report and review of literature.

A 20-year-old man with congenital choledochal dilatation associated with carcinoma was treated. At the age of 10 years he underwent a cholecystectomy and partial resection of the cyst. At admission the patient complained of hypochondriac and back pain combined with bilious vomiting. He underwent a palliative operation. A review of the literature is presented on treatment and prognosis of patients with carcinoma arising in choledochal congenital dilatation previously treated by surgery other than excision. It is emphasized that the cystic dilatation should be removed at the time of the first operation. Furthermore, in patients who underwent surgical treatment without excision of the choledochal dilatation, the dilated biliary tract should be removed even in absence of subjective symptoms.

Adult↗