ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Nottingham prognostic index (NPI) is a widely used integrated prognostic variable in patients with breast cancer. NPI has been correlated with tumor size, grade, lymph node stage and patient survival. The present study aimed at evaluating and correlating the various clinical and pathologic features of breast carcinoma with NPI. METHODS: This study included 100 consecutive cases of primary breast carcinoma over a period of 2 years. Demographic data was noted and histomorphological features like tumor size, grade, lymph node involvement, necrosis, vascular invasion etc., were assessed. NPI was calculated as reported in the literature. Immunohistochemical staining for hormone receptors and CD34 (to calculate microvessel density [MVD]) was performed. Statistical analysis was used for correlation. RESULTS: Of the 100 cases, 54% of the tumors were in T2 tumor size category (2‑5 cm) and lymph node metastasis in 48% of the cases. NPI ranged from 2.3 to 7.3 with 54% of the cases in the intermediate NPI group (3.41‑5.4). The mean MVD was 160.93 (±69.4/mm2). On statistical analysis, tumor size and grade, lymph node stage, mitotic rate, nuclear pleomorphism, necrosis and MVD showed a correlation with NPI (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: NPI is an important and useful prognostic indicator for breast cancer patients, which shows the correlation with other histomorphological prognostic features as well.
ABSTRACT
Background: This study was undertaken to report the results of weekly combination chemotherapy with cetuximab in recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M SCCHN). Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis of 35 R/M SCCHN patients who received cetuximab with weekly paclitaxel and platin (cisplatin/carboplatin) from SCCHN August 2006 to October 2008 at our Institute was performed. Results: Thirty-five patients (33 [94.3%] males and 2 [5.7%] females) received the planned weekly chemotherapy protocol. Median age of these patients was 52 years. Of the SCCHN 32 evaluable patients, 25 patients showed symptomatic improvement and 7 showed no improvement. Radiological responses using RECIST criteria reported CR in 1 patient (3.1%), PR in 17 patients (53.1%), and SD in 6 patients (18.8%). The remaining six patients demonstrated disease progression while two could not be assessed. Median overall survival (OS) was 8.016 months (95% CI; 6.572--9.461) and median PFS was 5.782 months (95% CI; 4.521--7.044). The major chemotherapy-related grades 2 and 3 toxicity recorded was cetuximab-induced rash reported in 24 patients. No treatment-related death within 30 days was observed. Conclusion: Cetuximab with weekly combination chemotherapy (Paclitaxel + Platinum compound) has shown promise, demonstrating comparable response and outcomes with acceptable toxicity in R/M SCCHN patients.
ABSTRACT
The two sampling techniques were studied in 160 randomly selected cases of superficial swellings in various sites of the body. They were sampled by fine needle aspiration (FNA) and by non-aspiration (NA) (a needle without application of aspiration pressure). Cell samples were cytologically assessed and critically evaluated using five objective parameters. Contamination with blood was more in lymphnode, thyroid and liver lesions in aspiration smears than NA smears and values were statistically significant. Similarly when compared for the degree of cellular trauma and cellular degeneration statistically significant better results were obtained by nonaspiration technique for lymphnode lesions. Regarding amount of cellular material obtained by FNA, statistical significant better results were found for breast lesions only. Statistically significant better maintenance of architecture was observed only for thyroid lesions by NA technique. Better average scores were observed by NA technique for lymphnode and thyroid only. Categorizing all the smears obtained by FNA & NA on the basis of their scores according to predetermined criteria, greater number of diagnostically adequate specimens were obtained by FNA than by NA but the number of diagnostically superior specimens obtained by NA technique was found to be more than that by FNA. The difference was found to be statistically significant. However the number of inadequate smears was also more by NA technique than by FNA technique.