The analysis of prognostic factors in endometrial cancer managed with surgical staging / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: To determine pathologic variables associated with overall survival and disease free survival of patients with endometrial cancer. METHODS: Survival of 81 endometrial cancer patients treated with primary surgery between January 1997 and December 2003 at our center was compared about various histopathologic variables. All patients underwent complete surgical staging including pelvic +/- paraaortic lymph node dissection. Survival analyses were performed by the Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test. Independent prognostic factors were determined by Cox's proportional hazards model using likelihood-ratio statistics based on the conditional parameter estimate (Conditional). RESULTS: With regard to disease free survival, univariate analysis revealed no significant differences in subgroups according to age category, grade and adjuvant radiotherapy. However, significant differences in disease free survival were found between stage I+II and stage III, and between endometrioid type and the others type. Among these significant subgroups, the Cox-proportional hazards model showed that stage was the only independent prognostic factor. There were no significant differences in the overall survival of patients in subgroups according to age category and adjuvant radiotherapy. But, significant differences in overall survival were found in subgroups according to stage, histology and grade. Multivariate analysis revealed that stage was the only independent significant adverse prognostic effect. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that only stage was an independent prognostic factor of disease free survival and overall survival in endometrial cancer patients.

Decrease in Arterial Oxygen Partial Pressure by Pleural Opening in Thoracotomy during One-Lung Ventilation / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: One-lung ventilation (OLV) is commonly used in the majority of thoracotomies and thoracoscopic surgeries. During OLV, a decrease in partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) occurs due to the right-to-left transpulmonary shunt that develops in the non-dependent lung, and is aggravated just after pleural opening. Here, we examined the occurrence, cause, and means of preventing drops in PaO2 caused by pleural opening. METHODS: Seventy patients, ASA PS I or II, who were scheduled for elective thoracotomy or thoracoscopic surgery, were prospectively examined. After OLV, patients were randomly allocated to one of four groups. In the Control group (n = 10), pleurae were not opened during studies. In the Open group (n = 20), pleurae were opened with the plug of the double-lumen endobronchial tube of the non-dependent lung opened. In the Closure group (n = 20), the plug was closed just before pleural opening. And in the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) group (n = 20), pleurae were opened after applying 5 cmH2O CPAP of medical air to the non-dependent lung. Arterial blood gas analyses, hemodynamics, end-tidal CO2, peak inspiratory airway pressure, lung compliance, and airway resistance were recorded 15 min after two-lung ventilation, 20 min after transition to OLV, just before pleural opening, and 1, 3, and 20 min after pleural opening. In the control group, data were recorded 15 min after two-lung ventilation and in seven intervals after transition to OLV (1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 25, and 45 min). RESULTS: A significant decrease in PaO2 was detected just after pleural opening in the Open and Closure groups. PaO2 decreased in the Open group more than in the Closure group. However, in the CPAP group, no significant PaO2 reduction was detected after pleural opening. CONCLUSIONS: We found that PaO2 decreased when pleurae were opened during OLV. This may be due to the sudden development of atelectasis in the non-dependent lung by exposure to atmospheric pressure. This decrease in PaO2 can be relieved by closing the double-lumen endobronchial tube's plug of the non-dependent lung or by applying CPAP to the non-dependent lung when pleurae are opened.

Clinical Significance of Rotter's Nodes in Patients with Breast Carcinomas / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: Rotter's nodes are removed in the course of a radical mastectomy, however they are not routinely removed in a modified radical mastectomy and breast conserving surgery, although they can be. Having been relatively ignored, the prognostic value and correlation of Rotter's nodes with axillary nodal status have rarely been reported or systematically studied. The aims of the present study were to assess the frequency and pattern of Rotter's node metastasis in breast cancer patients, and to compare the incidence of axillary lymph node metastasis and Rotter's node. We also investigated the rate of skip metastasis. METHODS: In order to investigate the predictability of axillary node positivity, we compared the status of axillary lymph nodes and the pathological prognostic markers. In 580 consecutive mastectomies performed for breast carcinomas between 1987 and 1999, axillary and Rotter's nodes were routinely dissected and separately sampled during mastectomy. RESULTS: The mean number of axillary lymph nodes and Rotter's nodes were 19.5 and 0.9. Axillary lymph nodes metastases were found in 47.2% of all patients. The frequency of axillary lymph node metastasis and the involvement of a higher level of axillary lymph node were significantly increased with increasing tumor size. However, metastasis at Rotter's nodes did not follow this pattern. Rotter's nodes were anatomically present in 39.8% of patients and an average of 2.3 lymph nodes was found in the interpectoral region. Rotter's metastases were found in 5% of all patients, and 10.6% of those with axillary lymph node metastases. The number of Rotter's nodes metastases was higher as the metastases were found at a higher level (p<0.05). CONCLUSION:The presence of axillary metastases was related to histologic grade, nuclear grade and lymphovascular invasion, but was not related to the mitotic index or perineural invasion. It is apparent that the potential risks from Rotter's and skip metastases were not great in all patients, although the routine excision of Rotter's nodes should be applied to patients with more locally advanced disease (T2-3, N1-N2).

Clinical Significance of Rotter's Nodes in Patients with Breast Carcinomas

PURPOSE: Rotter's nodes are removed in the course of a radical mastectomy, however they are not routinely removed in a modified radical mastectomy and breast conserving surgery, although they can be. Having been relatively ignored, the prognostic value and correlation of Rotter's nodes with axillary nodal status have rarely been reported or systematically studied. The aims of the present study were to assess the frequency and pattern of Rotter's node metastasis in breast cancer patients, and to compare the incidence of axillary lymph node metastasis and Rotter's node. We also investigated the rate of skip metastasis. METHODS: In order to investigate the predictability of axillary node positivity, we compared the status of axillary lymph nodes and the pathological prognostic markers. In 580 consecutive mastectomies performed for breast carcinomas between 1987 and 1999, axillary and Rotter's nodes were routinely dissected and separately sampled during mastectomy. RESULTS: The mean number of axillary lymph nodes and Rotter's nodes were 19.5 and 0.9. Axillary lymph nodes metastases were found in 47.2% of all patients. The frequency of axillary lymph node metastasis and the involvement of a higher level of axillary lymph node were significantly increased with increasing tumor size. However, metastasis at Rotter's nodes did not follow this pattern. Rotter's nodes were anatomically present in 39.8% of patients and an average of 2.3 lymph nodes was found in the interpectoral region. Rotter's metastases were found in 5% of all patients, and 10.6% of those with axillary lymph node metastases. The number of Rotter's nodes metastases was higher as the metastases were found at a higher level (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The presence of axillary metastases was related to histologic grade, nuclear grade and lymphovascular invasion, but was not related to the mitotic index or perineural invasion. It is apparent that the potential risks from Rotter's and skip metastases were not great in all patients, although the routine excision of Rotter's nodes should be applied to patients with more locally advanced disease (T2-3, N1-N2).

Clinical Significance of Rotter's Nodes in Patients with Breast Carcinomas / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: Surgical axillary dissection to determine the status of nodes remains as a part of the standard operation in the management of breast cancer. Rotter's nodes are removed in the course of a radical mastectomy but they are not routinely removed in a modified radical mastectomy and breast conserving surgery, although they can be. Having been relatively ignored, the prognostic value and correlation of Rotter's nodes with axillary nodal status have been rarely reported or systematically studied. The aim of the present study was to access the frequency and pattern of Rotter's node metastasis in breast cancer patients, and compare the incidence of axillary lymph node metastasis and Rotter's node. We also investigated the rate of skip metastasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To investigate the predicting axillary node positivity, we compared the status of axillary lymph node and pathological prognostic markers. In 580 consecutive mastectomy performed for breast carcinomas between 1987 to 1999, axillary and Rotter's node were routinely dissected and separately sampled during mastectomy . RESULTS: The mean number of axillary lymph node and Rotter's nodes were 19.5 and 0.9. Axillary lymph nodes metastases were found in 47.2% of all patients. Frequency of axillary lymph node metastasis and involvement of higher level of axillary lymph node were significantly increased by increasing tumor size. But metastasis at Rotter's nodes was not following this pattern. Rotter's nodes were anatomically present in 39.8% of patients and average 2.3 lymph nodes were found in the interpectoral region. Rotter's metastases were found in 5% of all patients, and 10.6% of those with axillary lymph nodes metastases. Number of Rotter's nodes metastases were higher as the metastases were found to higher level(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The presence of axillary metastases were related to histologic grade, nuclear grade and lymphovascular invasion, but not related to mitotic index and perineural invasion. In summary, number of axillary lymph node and metastatic rate of axillary lymph nodes were similar to western reports. It is apparent that potential risk from Rotter's and skip metastases were not great in all patients, but routine excision of Rotter's nodes should be applied to patients with more locally advanced disease.