Unusual localizations of sentinel lymph nodes in early stage cervical cancer: a review.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to systematically determine the frequency of unusual localizations of sentinel lymph node in patients with early stage cervical cancer. METHODS: We performed a comprehensive computer literature search of English and French language studies in human subjects on sentinel node procedures in PUBMED database up to December 2010. For each article two reviewers independently performed data extraction using a standard form to determine the route of unusual lymphatic spread of sentinel procedures in cervical cancer. RESULTS: According to our search, 83.7% of detected sentinel lymph nodes in patients with cervical cancer were in expected localizations (i.e., external iliac, obturator, internal iliac or interiliac). The unusual localizations were: 6.6% in the common iliac chain, 4.31% parametrial, 1.26% sacral, 2% in the lower para-aortic area and 0.07% in the inguinal chain. CONCLUSION: The unusual localizations of sentinel lymph nodes impose to the gynecologic surgeons to be able to perform lymph node dissection in all the territories potentially affected.

Mammoplasty for symmetry in breast reconstruction and histologic assessment.

BACKGROUND: In breast reconstruction, complementary surgery on the contralateral breast is sometimes necessary to obtain a satisfactory aesthetic result. This complementary mammoplasty for symmetry gives the surgeon the opportunity to verify the state of the mammary glandular tissue to rule out a possible occult tumour in the contralateral breast. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of borderline lesions and of in situ and invasive carcinoma in specimens of the contralateral breast in a mammoplasty for symmetry in patients with breast cancer. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 145 breast reconstructions with mammoplasty for symmetry conducted at the Tours Regional Teaching Hospital in France. RESULTS: The glandular histologic result after mammoplasty was normal in 45.5% of patients, with benign pathologies in 38.9% and borderline lesions in 15.6% of patients. No invasive or in situ carcinoma was detected. CONCLUSION: Systematic histologic analysis of glandular mammary tissue sampled after reduction mammoplasty in the particular context of breast reconstruction after breast cancer makes it possible to discover lesions that were not seen in presurgical evaluation. The early management of these borderline occult lesions could reduce the incidence of breast cancer in these at-risk patients.

Patient age and positive margins are predictive factors of residual tumor on mastectomy specimen after conservative treatment for breast cancer.

AIMS: To determine factors predictive of the presence of residual tumor on the specimen from mastectomy performed after conservative treatment for breast cancer in order to limit potentially unnecessary mastectomies (free of residual lesions). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 294 patients treated in 2 expert centers for breast cancer with breast-conserving therapy (BCT) followed by mastectomy, according to French recommendations, were investigated between January 1, 1998 and January 1, 2005. Patients with residual tumor on the mastectomy specimen were compared with patients whose mastectomy specimens did not reveal any residual tumor. All the clinical risk factors (age, previous history of breast cancer, tumor focality) and histological risk factors (tumor size, histological type, positive margins, estrogen and progesterone receptor expression, histological grade) for residual tumor after BCT were compared between the 2 patient groups. RESULTS: Of the 294 patients studied, 202 (68.71%) mastectomies had residual tumor and 92 (31.29%) were tumor-free. Four predictive factors for residual tumor were found in the univariate analysis: age under 45 years (p=0.01), absence of estrogen receptor expression (p=0.05), positive margins (p=0.01), and presence of lymph node metastases (p=0.05). The multivariate analysis revealed only 2 independent risk factors that were significantly associated with increased risk of residual tumor on the mastectomy specimen: age under 45 years (p=0.05) and presence of positive margins on the lumpectomy specimen (p=0.05). CONCLUSION: Young age of patients (under 45-years-old) and presence of positive margins on the operative specimen are independent risk factors of residual tumor after conservative treatment of breast cancer.

Late leiomyoma expulsion after uterine artery embolization.

A case of late expulsion of a leiomyoma after uterine artery embolization (UAE) is reported in a 49-year-old woman who underwent UAE for a huge (13 cm x 12 cm; 1,061 cm(3)) bleeding- and bulk-related intramural leiomyoma diagnosed with ultrasonography. Free-flow embolization was performed with 150-400-microm polyvinyl alcohol particles and absorbable particle sponge. Symptoms and myoma size were successfully controlled until 44 months, at which time the patient reported vaginal discharge. A 7-cm necrotic, partly submucosal leiomyoma was detected. The patient refused hysterectomy and spontaneously expelled the leiomyoma through the cervix 6 months later. In conclusion, UAE necessitates long-term follow-up and women should be warned of late complications.