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PubMedDate not supplied

Sustained nonischemic ventricular tachycardia during dobutamine stress echocardiography.

Dobutamine stress echocardiography has become widely accepted as a safe, reliable and cost effective modality for the evaluation of patients with suspected myocardial ischemia or for prognostic stratification and outcome assessment in patients with known coronary artery disease. while the benefits of this means of cardiovascular testing are very clearly apparent, it is important to understand and recognize possible complications. This paper discusses the occurrence of sustained, nonischemic ventricular tachycardia during dobutamine stress echocardiography in the absence of functional, physiologic or anatomic evidence of coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathy.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

PubMed2003

Aortic distensibility independently affects exercise tolerance in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Peak exercise oxygen consumption (VO2) is crucial for the prognostic stratification of patients with congestive heart failure, but its hemodynamic determinants are still not completely understood. Aortic wall elasticity modulates left ventricular function and coronary blood flow. Whether an increased aortic pulse-wave velocity (PWV), a known marker of arterial stiffness, may predict peak VO2 in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has to be clarified. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 78 patients with clinical diagnosis of DCM (aged 62+/-11 years; female 29%; mean ejection fraction 34+/-9%) were selected. All patients underwent a complete echocardiographic-Doppler evaluation. Aortic PWV was measured by Doppler ultrasonography immediately before the exercise. A bicycle exercise test with expiratory gas exchange monitoring was performed to determine VO2 . Plasma concentration of the amino-terminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP), a marker of extracellular matrix turnover, was determined. Mean PWV was 5.7+/-2.2 m/s, and VO2 was 16.5+/-4.5 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1). The hemodynamic variables correlated with VO2 were PWV (r=-0.39, P=0.0007) and stroke volume (r=0.38, P=0.002). In a multivariate analysis, PWV (P=0.04) and stroke volume (P=0.05) were independently correlated with VO2 , accounting for 34% of its variance. PIIINP levels correlated with PWV (r=0.35, P=0.002) and a more restrictive diastolic filling pattern (r=0.40, P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Increased aortic stiffness measured by PWV is an independent predictor of peak VO2 and could partially explain exercise intolerance in patients with DCM.

Aorta↗

PubMed2003

Detectable serum cardiac troponin T as a marker of poor prognosis among patients with chronic precapillary pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Right ventricular failure is a leading cause of death in patients with chronic pulmonary hypertension (PH). We checked whether detection of cardiac troponin T (cTnT), a specific marker of myocyte injury, could be useful in prognostic stratification of those patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Initial evaluation of 56 clinically stable patients (age 41+/-15 years) with pulmonary arterial (51 patients) or inoperable chronic thromboembolic (5 patients) PH (mean pulmonary arterial pressure 60+/-18 mm Hg) included cTnT test, allowing detection of its serum levels > or =0.01 ng/mL [cTnT(+)]. cTnT was detectable in 8 of 56 (14%) patients (mean+/-SD, 0.034+/-0.022; range, 0.010 to 0.077 ng/mL). Despite similar pulmonary hemodynamics, they had higher heart rate (92+/-15 versus 76+/-14 bpm, P=0.004), lower mixed venous oxygen saturation (50+/-10% versus 57+/-9%, P=0.04), and higher serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (4528+/-3170 versus 2054+/-2168 pg/mL, P=0.03) and walked less during the 6-minute walk test (298+/-132 versus 396+/-101 m, P=0.02). Cumulative survival estimated by Kaplan-Meier curves was significantly worse at 24 months in cTnT(+) compared with cTnT(-) (29% versus 81%, respectively, log-rank test P=0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed cTnT status (hazard ratio, 4.89; 95% CI, 1.18 to 20.29; P=0.03), 6-minute walk test (hazard ratio, 0.93 for each 10 m; P=0.01), and pulmonary vascular resistance (hazard ratio, 1.13; P=0.01) as independent markers of mortality. All 3 cTnT(+) patients who survived the follow-up period converted to cTnT(-) during treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Detectable cTnT is a so-far ignored independent marker of increased mortality risk in patients with chronic precapillary PH, supporting the role of progressive myocyte injury in the vicious circle leading to hemodynamic destabilization.

Adult↗

PubMed1983

Fifteen year survival study of patients with obstructive coronary artery disease.

Survival rates were determined for a group of 598 patients in whom severe coronary disease was demonstrated by arteriography; initially they were treated medically and were followed-up for 15 years. Deaths due to noncoronary causes were uncommon (5% of total) in the first 5 year period but were frequent (36%) in the third period. Survival rates were 48%, 28%, 18%, and 9% for patients with single-, double-, triple-, and left main artery disease, respectively. Abnormalities documented by ventriculography were related to survival. In 386 patients who would have been candidates for bypass surgery, survival rates were 58%, 35%, 26%, and 11% for those with single-, double-, triple-, and left main artery disease, respectively. Cardiac survival curves for single-, double-, and triple-artery disease in candidates for surgery and curves constructed on the basis of 3% mortality per artery per year corresponded fairly closely. When an abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG) is considered as a single variable in multivariate analysis, 5 year survival rates of candidates for surgery were influenced by the following in order of importance: abnormal ECG, symptoms at least 5 years in duration, triple-artery disease, double-artery disease, and arteriosclerosis obliterans. A simple prognostic stratification was devised that used only ECGs and duration of symptoms for each subset based on the number of arteries affected.

Actuarial Analysis↗

PubMed1990

Doppler-derived rate of left ventricular pressure rise. Its correlation with the postoperative left ventricular function in mitral regurgitation.

A new Doppler-derived index of the rate of left ventricular (LV) pressure rise (delta P/delta t) was evaluated for the prognostic stratification of patients with chronic mitral regurgitation. The index is derived from the continuous wave Doppler mitral regurgitation signal by dividing magnitude of LV-left atrial pressure gradient rise (delta p) between 1 and 3 m/sec of the mitral regurgitation velocity signal by the time taken (delta t) for this change. We studied the LV delta P/delta t and other echocardiographic indexes of LV function before and after mitral valve surgery in 25 patients with chronic, severe mitral regurgitation in the absence of significant coronary artery disease. There was a good correlation between postoperative ejection fraction (EF) and the derived LV delta P/delta t (r = 0.75, p less than 0.001). The other echocardiographic parameters that correlated with postoperative EF were LV end-systolic dimension (r = -0.7, p less than 0.001), end-systolic volume (r = -0.69, p less than 0.001), end-diastolic dimension (r = -0.58, p less than 0.01), end-diastolic volume (r = -0.57, p less than 0.01), preoperative EF (r = 0.69, p less than 0.001), end-systolic wall stress (r = -0.61, p less than 0.01), and end-systolic wall stress normalized for end-systolic volume index (r = -0.45, p less than 0.05). With multiple regression, the LV delta P/delta t and LV end-systolic dimension (ESD) were shown to be independent predictors of postoperative EF. The postoperative EF could defined by the equation: 43 + 0.8 square root delta P/delta t--0.53 ESD (mm) (r = 0.86).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Problems in design of stroke treatment trials.

Critical evaluation of the literature was use to identify remediable flaws in the design of clinical trials of stroke treatment. Trials of dexamethasone, dextran, and glycerol were reviewed. Available studies have in common major weaknesses in case selection (failure to exclude arteriolar strokes due to hemorrhage or lacunar infarction), and failure to estimate required sample size. Problems of case selection can be avoided with computerized tomography; the sample size required to show superiority of active treatment over placebo can be estimated using standard formulas. Prognostic stratification is suggested as a method of overcoming problems of unbalanced allocation. Further studies with improved design are required to evaluate the prospects for medical limitation of cerebral infarct size.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Outcomes research and otolaryngology.

Outcomes research studies the effects of diverse therapies on patient outcome and is increasingly recognized by physicians, third-party payers, and the federal government as crucial for the demonstration of treatment effectiveness and the establishment of patient treatment guidelines. Outcomes research began in the 1970s when researchers studied the geographic variation in the rates and appropriateness of various surgical procedures, including tonsillectomies. Outcomes research is different from traditional clinical research because it addresses a wide variety of issues pertaining to health care delivery, strategy, and policy. To address these issues, outcomes research uses two principal methodologic approaches: (1) nonrandomized research methods and (2) expanded descriptions of patient outcomes. The methodologic requirements for outcomes research include (1) establishment of the diagnostic criteria for the disease under study, (2) creation of clinical-severity index for prognostic stratification, (3) identification and measurement of cogent comorbid conditions, and (4) establishment of outcomes that include descriptions of health status, quality of life, satisfaction with care, and medical costs. Many diseases within otolaryngology seem appropriate for outcomes research. Because prospective outcomes research is conducted with patients treated in the community, great opportunity exists for community-based physicians to become involved in this type of research.

Health Services Research↗

PubMed1984

Initial international use of APACHE. An acute severity of disease measure.

We need objective and reliable ways of measuring the severity of disease of hospitalized patients. This paper demonstrates the international predictive accuracy of a severity of disease measure on 1504 consecutive, unscheduled intensive care admissions to 14 hospitals in the United States, France, Spain, and Finland. Using laboratory data gathered within 24 hours of ICU admission, the Acute Physiology Score of APACHE (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) was a strong and stable predictor of hospital survival and concurrent therapeutic effort. In ordinary least squares and logistic multiple regression analysis, the impact of the Acute Physiology Score (APS) was highly significant (p less than 0.001) and of virtually identical magnitude in the United States and European hospitals. The use of this severity of disease measure should help researchers gain insights concerning the efficacy of medical services and the characteristics of physician decision making by permitting more precise prognostic stratification of severely ill patients.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Transcutaneous oxygen and carbon dioxide levels with iloprost administration in diabetic critical limb ischemia.

Iloprost, a prostacyclin analogue, is a treatment option for surgically unsuitable diabetic chronic critical limb ischemia (CLI), although its outcome is difficult to be anticipated clinically. Whether transcutaneous (tc) oxygen tension (PO2) predicts the response to iloprost in diabetic CLI is unclear at this point and, in that same context, the prognostic role of tc carbon dioxide tension (PCO2), another ischemia-sensitive parameter, is unknown. Supine and dependent tcPO2 and tcPCO2 were measured at baseline and after 4 weeks of iloprost treatment in 31 limbs of 26 type-2 diabetic angiopathies with CLI not amenable to surgery. Success was defined as pain relief and significant reduction of analgesics. Clinical outcome was stratified by baseline tcPO2 and tcPCO2 tertiles, and likelihood ratios (LR) quantified the increase from pretest chances given a certain result. Iloprost succeeded in 16 (52%) and failed in 15 limbs (48%) and post-treatment tcPO2 followed a parallel course. Failures increased by ascending baseline tcPCO2 and descending tcPO2 tertiles; successes behaved specularly. Predictions of failure based on elevated tcPCO2 (>53 mm Hg) were more efficient than relying on depressed tcPO2 (LR 10.7 vs 3.6); success was almost certain when tcPO2 was >23 mm Hg (LR = 17.8). Dependent determinations were less useful than supine measurements for prognostic use. Elevated tcPCO2 predicted failure efficiently and high tcPO2 was a useful prognostic tool for success of iloprost, suggesting that their combined use may allow better prognostic stratification and improve the therapeutic approach to diabetic CLI.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Molecular Features of B Cell Lymphoma.

The rapid increase in the incidence of the B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) and improved understanding of the mechanisms involved in their development renders timely a review of the theoretical and practical aspects of molecular abnormalities in B cell NHL. In Section I, Dr. Macintyre addresses the practical aspects of the use of molecular techniques for the diagnosis and therapeutic management of patients with B cell NHL. While detection of clonal Ig rearrangements is widely used to distinguish reactive from malignant lymphoproliferative disorders, molecular informativity is variable. The relative roles of cytogenetic, molecular and immunological techniques in the detection of genetic abnormalities and their protein products varies with the clinical situation. Consequently, the role of molecular analysis relative to morphological classification is evolving. Integrated diagnostic services are best equipped to cope with these changes. Recent evidence that large scale gene expression profiling allows improved prognostic stratification of diffuse large cell lymphoma suggests that the choice of diagnostic techniques will continue to change significantly and rapidly. In Section II, Dr. Willerford reviews current understanding of the mechanisms involved in immunoglobulin (Ig) gene rearrangement during B lymphoid development and the way in which these processes may contribute to Ig-locus chromosome translocations in lymphoma. Recent insights into the regulation of Ig gene diversification indicate that genetic plasticity in B lymphocytes is much greater than previously suspected. Physiological genomic instability, which may include isotype switching, recombination revision and somatic mutation, occurs in germinal centers in the context of immune responses and may explain longstanding clinical observations that link immunity and lymphoid neoplasia. Data from murine models and human disorders predisposing to NHL have been used to illustrate these issues. In Section III, Dr. Morris reviews the characteristics and consequences of deregulation of novel "proto-oncogenes" involved in B cell NHL, including PAX5 (chromosome 9p 13), BCL8 (15q11-q13), BCL9, MUC1, FcgammaRIIB and other 1q21-q22 genes and BCL10 (1p22). The AP12-MLT/MALT1 [t(11;18)(q21;q21)] fusion transcript is also described.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Stress-echocardiography in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: instructions for use.

A number of studies have suggested that stress-echocardiography may be used for prognostic stratification in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. There is no consensus on which protocol or which measurements of left ventricular contractile reserve to use. The most frequently used protocol is low-dose dobutamine stress-echocardiography, and most commonly used measures of left ventricular systolic performance are ejection fraction, wall motion score index and cardiac power output.Stress-echocardiography has been shown to predict improvement in cardiac function in patients with recently diagnosed dilated cardiomyopathy, as well as to predict which patients will benefit from the treatment with beta-blockers. Most importantly, stress-echocardiography can identify patients with worse prognosis in terms of cardiac death and need for transplantation. Additionally, contractile reserve is closely correlated with maximal oxygen consumption and can even be used for further stratification in patients with maximal oxygen consumption between 10 and 14 ml/kg/min. Future studies are needed for head-to-head comparison of various protocols in an attempt to make standardization in the assessment of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathy, Dilated↗

PubMed2006

Early detection of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in Chagas' disease.

BACKGROUND: Chagas' disease may cause left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and its early detection in asymptomatic patients would allow to stratify the risk and to optimize medical treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate if transmitral Doppler flow can detect early abnormalities of the diastolic left ventricular function in patients during the indeterminate phase of Chagas' disease, in which the electrocardiogram (ECG), chest x-ray and 2-D echocardiogram (2D-echo) are normal. METHODS: a group of 54 patients with Chagas' disease was studied and compared to a control group of 27 subjects of similar age. All were assessed with an ECG, chest X-ray, 2-D echo, and transmitral Doppler flow. RESULTS: both groups had similar values in the 2D-echo. In patients with Chagas' disease, the transmitral Doppler showed a higher peak A velocity (control group: 0.44 m/sec, Chagas group: 0.55 m/sec, p = 0.001), a lower E/A ratio (control group: 1.45, Chagas group: 1.22, p < 0.05), and a lengthening of the deceleration time of early diastolic filling (control: 138.7 +/- 26.8 msec, Chagas group: 167.9 +/- 34.6 msec, p = 001), thus revealing an early disorder of the diastolic left ventricular function in patients with Chagas' disease. CONCLUSION: in patients with Chagas' disease who are in the indeterminate phase, transmitral Doppler flow allowed to identify early abnormalities of the left ventricular diastolic function, which provide useful clinical information for prognostic stratification and treatment.

Adult↗

PubMed2026

Prognostic value of lymphopenia in early breast cancer: learnings from the prospective CANTO cohort.

BACKGROUND: Lymphopenia has been associated with poor outcomes in metastatic breast cancer (BC), but its prognostic relevance in early-stage disease remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of baseline lymphopenia in patients with non-metastatic BC using data from the prospective French CANTO cohort (NCT01993498). METHODS: 10,854 patients with baseline absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) were analysed. Lymphopenia was defined as ALC < 1.0 × 10⁹ cells/L, measured before any cancer treatment. Relapse-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and treatment-related toxicities were assessed using Kaplan-Meier estimates, piecewise-Cox regression models, and cause-specific hazard analyses considering pre-specified time periods. RESULTS: Baseline lymphopenia was observed in 342 patients (3.1%). It was associated with ECOG performance status > 0, hypoalbuminemia, and prior neoplasia. Lymphopenia correlated with inferior 5-year RFS (89.1% vs. 92.9%) and OS (92.5% vs. 96.4%). In multivariable analyses, lymphopenia was associated with increased risk of early relapse during the first 24 months (HR = 2.11; 95%CI: 1.28-3.48; p = 0.003), but not beyond, and no independent prognostic impact on OS was observed. No significant differences were found in surgical complications or chemotherapy dose intensity, though granulocyte colony-stimulating factor use was higher among lymphopenic patients. CONCLUSION: Baseline lymphopenia is uncommon in early BC but may serve as a marker of early relapse risk. Although it does not independently predict long-term survival, its presence could reflect underlying tumour aggressiveness or patient frailty. These findings support further investigation of lymphocyte subpopulations to refine prognostic stratification in early BC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Approved by French ethics committee in 2011 (ID-RCB:2011-A01095- 36,11-039 /NCT01993498 [20FEB2012]).

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Deletions affecting codons 557-558 of the c-KIT gene indicate a poor prognosis in patients with completely resected gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a study by the Spanish Group for Sarcoma Research (GEIS).

PURPOSE: To explore the prognostic value of mutations in c-KIT and PDGFR-alpha genes with respect to relapse-free survival (RFS) in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). We have investigated the prognostic relevance of the type and position of the mutations, in addition to other clinicopathologic factors, in a large series of patients with GIST. METHODS: For this study, 162 patients were selected according to the following criteria: completely resected tumors with negative margins attended between 1994 and 2001; no metastasis at diagnosis; tumor larger than 2 cm, c-KIT-positive immunostaining; and no other primary tumors. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 42 months for patients free of recurrence. Mutations were detected in 96 tumors (60%): 82 cases involving c-KIT and 14 cases involving PDFGR-alpha. Univariate analysis demonstrated the following as poor prognostic factors for RFS: tumors larger than 10 cm (P < .0001); mitotic count higher than 10 mitoses per 50 high-power fields (P < .0001); high risk index (P < .0001); intestinal GIST location (P = .0041); high cellularity (P < .0001); tumor necrosis (P < .0001); deletions affecting exon 11 (P = .0007); and deletions affecting codons 557 to 558 (P < .0001). After the multivariate analysis, only the high risk index (relative risk [RR], 12.36), high cellularity (RR, 3.97), and deletions affecting codons 557 to 558 of c-KIT (RR, 2.57) corresponded to independent prognostic factors for RFS in GIST patients. CONCLUSION: Deletions affecting codons 557 to 558 are relevant for the prognosis of RFS in GIST patients. This critical genetic alteration should be considered to be a new prognostic stratification variable for randomized trials exploring imatinib mesylate in the adjuvant setting in GIST patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1975

Pyritinol hydrochloride and cognitive functions: influence on children in slow learner classes.

Pyritinol-HCl was tested for its impact on the cognitive functions of children with learning disabilities. This study is a contribution to scientific discussion on the complicated methodologic problems in evaluating the clinical efficacy of psychopharmacologic agents. Sixty-seven pupils of slow learner classes between the ages of 11 and 16 years were treated for 6 months with 300 mg pyritinol-HCl/24 hr or placebo under strict double-blind conditions. Drug intake was stimulated and controlled by means of intense psychosocial interaction with the mothers of the subjects. The dependence variables used to test medication effects were 22 parameters of cognitive performance measured in psychologic tests for perceptual and intellectual functions which were administered immediately before and after the medication phase. First the gainscores before and after treatment with pyritinol or placebo within the 22 cognitive parameters were statistically compared. In addition, an analysis of covariance on the corrected results of the second test (treating the results of first testing as covariates) and a two group discriminant analysis for overall differences were performed. None of the 22 parameters showed statistically significant treatment effects with respect to average performance (t (pyritinol - placebo) = 1.96 to 1.31), neither could the two groups be separated by discriminant analysis (Hotelling's T2 = 35.4, df - 22 and 43, P = 0.465). With respect to a variability of gainscores, however, in four parameters there was a significantly higher variance in the pyritinol group (F = 1.85-2.33, P less than 0.05, less than 0.02, respectively). This fact may signify that pyritinol-HCl had different effects on different subjects. By means of prognostic stratification we therefore attempted to define objective criteria for a selection of subjects with probable positive treatment effects. None of the 15 tested criteria, such as body weight, age, perceptual handicaps, or reduced short term memory, IQ range, proved, however, to be critical for a prognosis of pyritinol effects within the present test population.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Comparative evaluation of gastric carcinoma staging: Japanese classification versus new american joint committee on cancer/international union against cancer classification.

BACKGROUND: The TNM and Japanese classifications of regional lymph node spread (N categories) for gastric cancer differ, whereas the classifications of local extent (T categories) are identical. This study was designed to compare these staging systems and devise a more rational system for gastric carcinoma. METHODS: A series of 1244 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled in the study. Survival rates were evaluated to clarify which aspects of each staging system (feasibility, reproducibility, and accuracy of prognostic stratification) were superior. RESULTS: The TNM and Japanese classification systems differ in their categorizations of lymph node spread. A significant difference in survival rate was observed in lymph node metastasis classified as N1 and N2 by the Japanese classification and then subclassified by the TNM classification, although there was no significant difference in the survival in cases of lymph node metastasis classified by TNM into pN1 and pN2 and then subclassified by the Japanese classification. Among patients with M1 metastasis (number 16 a2 and b1 in Japanese classification) in the TNM classification, there was a significant difference in survival. A new classification that included the para-aortic lymph nodes (number 16 a2 and b1) as regional lymph nodes within the TNM classification provided homogeneity and an improvement in staging. CONCLUSIONS: TNM classification was more rational and homogenous than Japanese classification. New classification could lead to worldwide uniformity in the description of patients and make possible uniform interinstitutional comparisons of surgical results.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2006

The N ratio predicts recurrence and poor prognosis in patients with node-positive early gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The metastatic status of the regional node is the most significant prognostic factor for early gastric cancer (EGC). However, diverse prognoses are evident even among the same N classifications of the current tumor-node-metastasis system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of the ratio of metastatic to retrieved lymph nodes (N ratio) in identifying a high-risk subgroup with node-positive EGC. METHODS: From a prospective database of 1264 EGC patients between 1987 and 1997, 156 (12.4%) were found to have histologically confirmed node metastasis. A number of prognostic factors, including the N ratio, were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The recurrence rate of node-positive EGC was 16.7% (n = 26). The overall 5-year survival rate of all patients was 84.0%. It was 26.9% and 95.4% in patients with and without recurrence, respectively (P < .0001; log-rank test). The cutoff value of the N ratio was set at .07. The 5-year survival rate of patients with an N ratio <.07 was 94.0%; this was significantly higher than the rate (72.6%) for those with a ratio >.07 (P < .0001; log-rank test). Both univariate and multivariate analysis identified the N ratio as the most significant predictive factor for recurrence and overall survival. Regarding stage migration, it shows superiority in comparison to the number-based N classification. CONCLUSIONS: The N ratio is a more effective and rational indicator for prognostic stratification of patients with lymph node-positive EGC than the current N classification of the tumor-node-metastasis system.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

[Thyroid cancer: prognostic factors and treatment].

Because most differentiated thyroid carcinomas have an excellent prognosis, some authors have claimed that these patients are suffering from over treatment. Grouping patient- and tumor-specific factors have been proposed for prognostic stratification, but no clinicopathologic staging was demonstrated to be useful at the present time. More recently, molecular genetic tools have been used to identify and understand how the primary tumor progresses and many molecular markers have been proposed in order to distinguish the subset of patients at risk of developing metastasis. Here we analyzed some of them, with emphasis on the expression of NIS, a determinant of prognosis since the functional integrity of the iodine transport is essential to assure an uptake of radioiodine high enough to detect and destroy any tumoral thyroid tissue. More recent observations on how some relevant molecular genetics aspects of thyroid cancer impact new potential therapeutic approaches are also discussed.

Adolescent↗