Biomedical subjects

U S Albert

Publications and source records attributed to U S Albert.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

The status of neck node metastases in breast cancer--loco-regional or distant?

Metastases to cervical lymph nodes do not exclusively derive from malignancies of the head and neck area. In the literature the region where distant metastases of breast carcinomas to the neck occur is exclusively named "supraclavicular". The system established by head and neck surgeons regarding neck node topography allows interdisciplinary management of patients with cervical lymph node metastases from breast cancer. Twelve patients suffering from breast cancer who presented with cervical masses have been examined. Most lymph node metastases were found in the posterior triangle of the neck and at the caudo-jugular level, but some metastases were even found in the upper jugular levels. The results presented show that neck node metastases of breast cancer are located superiorly to the supraclavicular region in more than 50% of the cases. According to the AJCC Staging System for Breast Cancer metastases located in the supraclavicular fossa are assessed as loco-regional metastases (N3c). Lymph node metastases situated above the supraclavicular region are not mentioned, but should be considered as distant metastases. This important question remains unanswered and deserves clarification in the current classification of the AJCC Staging System for Breast Cancer.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

[Ultrasound examination of the breast with 7.5 MHz and 13 MHz-transducers: scope for improving diagnostic accuracy in complementary breast diagnostics?].

AIM: Complementary diagnostic methods in early diagnosis of breast cancer are used to increase diagnostic accuracy and minimize unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures. Aim of the following prospective, open multicenter clinical study was to define the value of high-frequency breast ultrasound with 13 MHZ transducers compared to standard breast ultrasound with 7.5 MHz. METHOD: Data of 810 female patients, aged 45 to 60 years, with 819 suspicious breast lesions evaluated by four participating centres between October 1996 and December 1997. Standardised breast ultrasound was performed uniformly using a AU4 IDEA diagnostic ultrasound system by Esaote-Biomedica in addition to a standardised procedure of clinical examination and standard-2view-mammography. Analysis of all aquired data and the correlating histopathological findings was done by means of descriptive statistics on the basis of an access datafile (Version 2.0). RESULTS: The histopathological evaluation showed 435 benign and 384 malignant findings. Overall sensitivity and specificity of the clinical examination were 71.1 % and 88.9 % and for mammography 84.7 % and 76.5 %, respectively. Standard ultrasound with 7,5 MHz reached a sensitivity of 82,6 % and a specificity of 80.8 % high-frequency ultrasound with 13 MHz came to 87.2 % and 78.4 %, respectively. Regarding tumour size, mammography gave the highest sensitivity in detection of pre-invasive cancers (DCIS). High-frequency breast ultrasound (13 MHz) proved to have a higher diagnostic accuracy compared to standard breast ultrasound (7,5 MHz) regardless of tumour size. Sensitivity was especially improved in case of small invasive tumours (pT1a) with 78 % versus 56 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that high-frequency ultrasound is a valueable additive tool especially in the diagnosis of small tumours, improving diagnostic safety and reducing unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures.

Breast Diseases↗

PubMed2002

[Good clinical practice guideline--guidelines of the health care chain cancer of the breast: stage 3 guideline "Early Recognition of Cancer of the Breast in Germany" Lecture: International Cancer of the Breast Symposium on the occasion of the retirement of Professor Dr. med K.-D. Schultz, 27.-29. September 2002 in Marburg].

Breast cancer is the leading death of women with cancer worldwide and the focus of today major concern of gender specific, health care in Germany. Diagnosis of breast cancer at an early stage has a better prognosis and better chance to be cured combined with improved quality of life. Thus quality of health care in early detection of breast cancer should not be focussed on screening-mammography of women at a certain age-group alone anymore. The efficacy and effectiveness of an early detection of breast cancer programme depends on the concomitant quality assuring arrangements of the interdisciplinary diagnostic chain including risk evaluation, clinical examination, technical diagnostic procedures including interventional techniques and histo-pathological analysis in combination with excellent surgical and oncological treatment and follow-up. To establish a national effective, quality assured, interdisciplinary breast cancer early detection programme in Germany a multidisciplinary good clinical practice (GCP) guideline has been developed.

Breast Neoplasms↗

PubMed2001

[Scientific presentation using modern media].

When showing slides with so called "Blue Prints", it is often difficult to explain complex graphics despite the help of a Laserpointer. The Notebook and Videoprojector aid modern presentations in the step by step development of complex graphics. The audience's eyes are directly guided towards the projected image; the attention of the audience is more easily won and held through animation and moving pictures. The central messages of a scientific work can be more simply and clearly conveyed. This method also allows an up-dating of the picture contents at short notice, which is not possible with the common slide. Considering these advantages, modern media should be promoted within the framework of conferences, seminars and further education courses despite the need of greater technical and material equipment.

Attention↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Imprint cytology of core needle biopsy specimens of breast lesions. A rapid approach to detecting malignancies, with comparison of cytologic and histopathologic analyses of 173 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether imprint cytology of core needle biopsy (CNB) specimens from breast lesions is a useful method of rapidly obtaining additional diagnostic information and potentially can be used to reduce the number of biopsies needed. STUDY DESIGN: Cytologic analysis was performed on 173 breast lesions and compared with their histopathologic diagnoses (143 malignant and 30 benign). For imprint cytology, one CNB specimen was rolled between two slides and stained with Diff-Quik and Papanicolaou stain. RESULTS: The diagnostic overall accuracy of Diff-Quik stain (Papanicolaou stain) was 95.4% (95.9%), with a sensitivity of 96.5% (97.2%), specificity of 90% (90%), positive predictive value of 97.8% (97.8%) and negative predictive value of 84.3% (87.0%). There was no statistically significant difference between the stains. Histopathologic analysis had an overall accuracy of 97.7%, with a sensitivity of 97.2%, specificity and positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 88.2%. CONCLUSION: Imprint cytology of CNBs is a sensitive method of detecting malignancies in breast tumors. Diff-Quik is a rapid and reliable approach that can reduce the number of biopsies. Inadequate and suspicious cases should be evaluated based on complementary diagnostic procedures for breast lesions.

Adolescent↗