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Biomedical subjects

Thomas Gruenberger

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas Gruenberger.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Treatment and outcome of intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Treating intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ihCCC) tumor resection leads to the best patient survival. The aim of this study was to investigate prognostic factors in resected patients. METHODS: This was a clinical observational series of 31 resected patients with ihCCC. Univariate analysis of clinical and pathologic factors in relation to patient survival and tumor recurrence were performed. Possible benefit of chemotherapy, although not given randomly, was investigated separately. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 37.3 months. Of 31 resected patients a tumor-free resection (R0) was achieved in 26; 2 patients died postoperatively. Chemotherapy was administered to 19 patients. Overall survival was significantly better in patients with R0 resection, negative lymph nodes, a solitary tumor, and a width of resection margin greater than 3 mm. Recurrence-free survival was prolonged in patients with negative lymph nodes, early International Union Against Cancer (UICC) stages and solitary tumors. In UICC stages III and IV, patients receiving chemotherapy experienced a better overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Impact of various parameters on recurrence-free and overall survival was identified; a possible beneficial effect of adjuvant chemotherapy in advanced tumor stages was observed. A prospective, randomized trial is necessary to fully evaluate the role of adjuvant therapy.

Aged↗

Resection of hilar cholangiocarcinomas: pivotal prognostic factors and impact of tumor sclerosis.

The well-known poor prognosis of proximal bile duct cancer is due to its unfortunate anatomical location and its late diagnosis. Successful tumor resection, which is considered to be optimal treatment, depends on many factors. Eighty-eight patients suffering from proximal bile duct cancer underwent surgical exploration at our institution between 1977 and 1998. In 37 patients the tumor was resectable; in the remaining 51 patients exploratory laparotomy or a palliative operation was performed. The median survival after tumor resection was 18.6 months, but median survival after a palliative procedure or an exploratory laparotomy was only 3.4 months (p < 0.001). A curative R0 resection was possible in 11 patients, an R1 resection was performed in 22 patients, and 4 patients had an R2 resection. The median survival rate after R0 resection was 83.6 months, 12.3 months after R1 resection, and 2.7 months after R2 resection (p < 0.001). Survival after resection in patients with negative lymph nodes (n = 30) was significantly longer than in those with positive lymph nodes (n = 7) (p = 0.022). Grade of tumor sclerosis tended to have an influence on resectability rate (p = 0.076). The pattern of tumor growth was without statistical influence. Multivariate analysis revealed resection (p < 0.001) as the only significant prognostic marker for patient survival. Radical resection is the only therapy that provides a chance for long-term survival, with sclerosis of the cancer tending to have an influence on univariate analysis.

Aged↗

Echogenicity of liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma is an independent prognostic factor in patients treated with regional chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Echogenicity of liver metastases was found to be a predictive biologic factor influencing long-term outcome after curative liver resection. The current analysis focuses on the influence of echogenicity on survival in patients treated with intraarterial chemotherapy for unresectable colorectal carcinoma liver metastases. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data at the Department of Surgery at the University of New South Wales-affiliated St. George Hospital was performed. Two hundred twelve consecutive patients with unresectable hepatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma treated between May 1992 and September 2000 were analyzed. Echogenicity of metastases was measured intraoperatively using a 5 MHz probe. Overall survival difference was compared between hyper- and hypoechoic metastases on an intention-to-treat basis. RESULTS: At a median followup of 15.1 months, 47 patients (22%) were alive and 165 (78%) had died. A significant survival benefit was observed in patients having hyperechoic lesions (median survival 16.2 months, 95% confidence interval [CI] 13.9-18.5) compared to hypoechoic lesions (median survival 11.6 months, 95% CI 8-15.2), P < 0.01. Other prognostic factors were differentiation of the primary tumor (P < 0.02), percentage hepatic replacement (P < 0.05) and carcinoembryonic antigen decrease (P < 0.03). Echogenicity was identified as an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis (P < 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Echogenicity is an important prognostic survival parameter.

Adult↗

E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression in normal, inflamed and cancerous gallbladder tissue.

BACKGROUND: Changes of the E-cadherin/beta-catenin complex during cell-cell interactions result in the loss of cell adhesion and may account for the ability of cancer cells to metastasize. Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) can develop during chronic inflammation from normal tissue. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in normal gallbladder mucosa, inflamed gallbladder tissue and GBC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tissue from 10 GBC, 10 chronic cholecystitis and 10 healthy gallbladders were used to evaluate the expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The beta-catenin membranous expression decreased between cholecystitis and malignant tissue, as well as between normal epithelium and carcinoma. The E-cadherin membranous expression was reduced in normal gallbladder epithelia compared to carcinoma and also from inflammation to GBC. The cytoplasmatic beta-catenin expression did not show any significant difference. Cytoplasmatic E-cadherin was significantly different from normal gallbladders to carcinomas and between normal tissue and inflammation. No significant difference of the nuclear P-catenin expression could be observed. E-cadherin was not detected intra-nuclear in any tissue. CONCLUSION: Significant differences of E-cadherin and beta-catenin were detected between normal, inflamed and cancerous tissues. These changes of the protein expressions and the associated loss of adhesive mechanisms might lead to a cancerous pathway in GBC.

Cadherins↗