Biomedical subjects

W Tjalma

Publications and source records attributed to W Tjalma.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy or primary debulking surgery in advanced ovarian carcinoma: a retrospective analysis of 285 patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at comparison of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with primary debulking surgery in advanced ovarian carcinoma. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 285 patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma treated between 1980 and 1997 was performed. RESULTS: In the period 1980-1988 all patients underwent primary debulking surgery and 82% were cytoreduced to less than 0.5 cm largest residual tumor mass (n = 112). Analysis of this group of patients showed that some subgroups of patients (e.g., Stage IV disease or a total metastatic tumor load of more than 1000 g prior to debulking surgery) had a poor survival despite cytoreduction to no or less than 1 g of total residual tumor load. The complication rate was high especially in the group with unfavorable prognosis (postoperative mortality, 6%). In the period 1989-1997 (n = 173) the patients were surgically evaluated to receive primary chemotherapy (43%) or primary debulking surgery (57%). Prognostic variables were similar for both treatment periods. The actuarial crude survival was higher in the second time period (3-year crude survival of 26% +/- 4. 3 and 42% +/- 4.6 for the first and second time periods, respectively; P = 0.0001). The postoperative mortality was 0% during the second time period. From 1993 on, the decision to give neoadjuvant chemotherapy or to perform primary debulking surgery in patients with clinically obvious metastatic disease was made with the help of an open laparoscopy (n = 77). Median duration of the laparoscopy, blood loss, and hospital stay due to this procedure were 25 min, 10 ml, and 2 days. Primary and interval debulking surgery was performed in 36 and 63% of this subgroup of patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: In this retrospective analysis over two different time periods, crude survival was higher when treating about half of the patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma with primary chemotherapy instead of primary debulking surgery. The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy should be evaluated in a prospective randomized study.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Expression of bcl-2 in invasive and in situ carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

OBJECTIVE: The oncoprotein bcl-2 inhibits apoptosis. The purpose of this study was to assess the expression of bcl-2 in human cervical carcinoma and to correlate this with clinicopathologic parameters. STUDY DESIGN: Immunohistochemical staining for bcl-2 protein (MoAB clone 124) was performed on operative tissue specimens from 22 patients with carcinoma in situ of the cervix and from 137 patients with invasive cervical carcinoma (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages I to IV). The immunoreactivity of bcl-2 was scored as positive (> or = 5% staining cells) or negative (< 5% staining cells). RESULTS: Eighty-two percent of in situ carcinomas and 61% of invasive cervical carcinomas were bcl-2 positive. Expression of bcl-2 was correlated to tumor stage (p < 0.001) and to presence of vascular (p < 0.005) or lymphatic tumor (p < 0.023) permeation. In univariate analysis there was a strong relationship between bcl-2 expression and overall survival (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis bcl-2 expression (p < 0.001), International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage (p = 0.011), and presence of lymphatic permeation (p = 0.014) proved to be independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Expression of bcl-2 is lost during tumor progression and is a strong prognostic parameter, suggesting that the regulation of apoptosis plays an important role in the behavior of cervical carcinomas. Better understanding of the mechanisms involved may lead to improved medical treatment strategies.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Discordant prenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis in a dizygotic pregnancy.

Prenatal diagnosis of toxoplasmosis gondii in twin pregnancies has been described twice. In both cases they were accomplished by prenatal blood sampling of the foetuses. We report the first prenatal diagnosis with a discordant result in a dizygotic pregnancy. One of the foetuses died in utero and the other was born unaffected at term.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Quantification and prognostic relevance of angiogenic parameters in invasive cervical cancer.

Tumour stromal neovascularization was investigated in 114 invasive and 20 in situ carcinomas of the uterine cervix by staining representative sections with the specific endothelial marker anti CD31 (clone JC/70A, isotope IgG1). A digital image analyser was used to measure the immunoreactivity. The following parameters were determined in the 'hot spots': vessel counts, vessel perimeter and endothelial stained area (expressed per mm2). The results were correlated with clinical and histopathological data. There was no significant relationship between the histopathological findings (tumour histology, tumour differentiation, FIGO stage, presence of lymph node metastasis or lymphovascular space involvement) and the median vessel count. In a univariate analysis all angiogenesis parameters had prognostic value: a higher vascularity was associated with worse prognosis (P < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis showed that vascular permeation (P < 0.001) and the median vessel count (P = 0.005) were the most important prognostic indicators. In the future these criteria may be used for selection of patients for anti-angiogenesis therapy.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Prognostic value of bcl-2 expression in patients with operable carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

AIM: To evaluate the patterns of bcl-2 expression in early stage cervical carcinoma; to compare bcl-2 expression with clinicopathological findings; and to assess its prognostic value. METHODS: Wertheim radical hysterectomy specimens from 76 patients (FIGO stages Ia-IIb) with untreated nonmetastatic invasive cervical carcinoma were studied. Expression of bcl-2 was detected immunohistochemically using a monoclonal antibody. A tumour was regarded as positive when more than 5% of the neoplastic cells exhibited bcl-2 immunoreactivity. RESULTS: Forty eight (63%) cervical carcinomas were scored as bcl-2 positive and 28 (37%) as bcl-2 negative. Most tumours showed heterogeneous cytoplasmic staining. Bc1-2 immunoreactivity did not correlate with tumour histology, tumour stage, presence of lymph node metastases, or involvement of the lymphovascular space. The five year survival rate for patients with bc1-2 negative tumours was 34% and was 71% for patients with bc1-2 positive tumours. On multiple regression analysis (Cox proportional hazards model), bc1-2 expression and vascular permeation were independent predictors of overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Bcl-2 expression seems to be associated with less aggressive behaviour in early stage cervical carcinoma. The transition to bcl-2 independence may play an important role in tumour progression.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Ultraradical debulking of epithelial ovarian cancer with the ultrasonic surgical aspirator: a prospective randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness, benefits, and potential side effects of the use of the cavitational ultrasonic surgical aspirator for cytoreduction of advanced ovarian cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Forty patients with stage IIC to IV ovarian carcinoma were randomized to undergo ultraradical cytoreductive surgery with (group 1, 20 patients) or without (group 2, 20 patients) the use of the CUSA 200 cavitational ultrasonic surgical aspirator (Valleylab, Boulder, Colo). Preoperative and postoperative information and follow-up data were collected prospectively and compared between both groups. RESULTS: The amount of residual tumor after debulking surgery, the duration of the operation, and the rate of perioperative complications were comparable in both study groups. The amount of perioperative blood loss was significantly lower (1450 ml vs 1650 ml, p=0.02) in group 1. These patients had less morbidity (p<0.05), and could be discharged from the hospital significantly sooner (14 days vs 16 days, p=0.031). CA 125 levels 1 and 2 months after surgery were significantly lower in the group with cavitational ultrasonic surgical aspirator (p<0.01 and p<0.01, respectively), suggesting more successful cytoreduction. However, this is not reflected in a better disease-free or overall survival. CONCLUSION: Cavitational ultrasonic surgical aspirator-assisted cytoreductive surgery of advanced ovarian carcinoma is more effective in eradicating disease, reduces morbidity, and is cost beneficial.

Aged↗

PubMed1994

Urinary and biliary excretion of aluminoxamine and ferrioxamine in dogs with various renal function.

We assessed the pharmacokinetics of aluminoxamine and ferrioxamine in dogs with sustained intermittent bile duct ligation and either normal renal function or stable chronic renal failure. A first group of male beagle dogs were given aluminoxamine and ferrioxamine, while a second group received desferrioxamine after loading them with iron and aluminum. Only minute amounts of ferrioxamine and aluminoxamine were found in the bile after administration of these compounds. The distribution volume of aluminoxamine and ferrioxamine appeared to be confined to the extracellular space and their renal excretion correlated with renal function. Administration of desferrioxamine to iron and aluminum-loaded dogs resulted in an increased biliary ferrioxamine but negligible aluminoxamine excretion. Renal clearance of the in vivo formed ferrioxamine and aluminoxamine in this group strongly correlated with renal function. Our observations indicate that biliary excretion of intravenously administered ferrioxamine and aluminoxamine is negligible even in renal failure. The data presented in this study provide indirect evidence that desferrioxamine administration to iron- and aluminum-loaded dogs results in the intra-hepatic formation of ferrioxamine which is partly excreted in the bile. Biliary excretion of aluminoxamine after desferrioxamine administration remained negligible.

Aluminum↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Interval debulking surgery: an alternative for primary surgical debulking?

Retrospective analyses suggest that a subgroup of patients with Stage III and IV ovarian carcinoma can be treated with neo-adjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery. The absolute indications for neo-adjuvant chemotherapy appear to be Stage IV disease (excluding pleural fluid) or metastases of more than 1 g at sites where resection is impossible. In patients with an estimated total metastatic tumor load of >100 g, the presence of at least two of the following relative indications for neo-adjuvant chemotherapy are considered to be necessary: 1) uncountable (>100) peritoneal metastases, 2) estimated metastatic tumor load of >1000 g, 3) presence of large (>10 g) peritoneal metastatic plaques, 4) large volume ascites, and 5) World Health Organization (WHO) status II or III. Interval debulking surgery in patients with suboptimal primary debulking surgery has been proven effective in increasing overall survival and progression-free survival in a large prospective, randomized trial of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). The strategy of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, followed by interval debulking surgery, should be confirmed in a prospective randomized trial. The EORTC 55971 trial is currently addressing this issue. We will review the studies on primary chemotherapy, interval debulking surgery, and the indications for primary chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery, and ongoing trials.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Congenital right-sided diaphragmatic hernia in an elderly patient. A case report.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia is a rare condition in adulthood. It is even more exceptional when located on the right side. We describe a case of right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia in a 74-year old woman. The diagnosis was only made when the patient developed an acute intestinal obstruction after a laparotomy for a gynaecological benign tumour. The treatment of this condition is discussed. In our opinion, in elderly, the advantages of an elective operation in asymptomatic congenital diaphragmatic hernia have to outweigh the risks of the operation. However, if the patient shows symptoms of pulmonary dysfunction or motility disorders of the gut, or even when he has to undergo a laparotomy for a different reason, we advise to repair the hernia in order to prevent complications.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Massive infarction of a recurrent phyllodes tumor of the breast: MRI-findings.

We report the imaging findings in an infarcted phyllodes tumor of the breast. A 40-year-old woman presented ten months after surgery for a benign phyllodes tumour with a palpable lump under the scar. We performed clinical examination, mammography, sonography, and MRI. The radiological diagnosis was a postoperative hematoma with granulation tissue. Surgery was performed. Histological diagnosis revealed an infarcted phyllodes tumour. This case illustrates the radiological presentation of a completely infarcted phyllodes tumour. As far as we know, imaging findings of an infarcted phyllodes tumour have not been reported yet.

Adult↗