ABSTRACT
Ideal treatment planning in cancer is primarily defined by proper staging. The presence of metastasis in the regional nodal basin must be determined. The best and least invasive manner to achieve this purpose in the nodal basin is by studying the sentinel node. We present the first series of patients treated in Panama with identification and evaluation of the sentinel node. Initially we used only the dye technique and our rate of identification was 77%. When the radioisotope technique was used combined with dye, the localization was successful in 100% of the cases. We recommend the combined technique for a higher yield and minimal false negatives.
Subject(s)
Lymph Node Excision , Lymphatic Metastasis/diagnosis , Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Colonic Neoplasms/pathology , Female , Head and Neck Neoplasms/pathology , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Lymphatic Metastasis/pathology , Male , Melanoma/pathology , Middle Aged , Panama , Penile Neoplasms/pathology , Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy/methodsABSTRACT
A significant number of oncology patients need intravenous chemotherapy. Peripheral venous access is generally difficult, frequently requiring central venous access. This study reviews the Author's experience with permanent venous portals. A total of 66 patients records, from January 1992 to April 1994, were reviewed. The central venous portals remained in place an average of 272 days. An average of 8 courses of chemotherapy were given through each port. There was no significant difference in the rate of complications secondary to the portal site. The Authors conclude that the placement of permanent venous portals is a safe and reliable chronic venous access in patients with cancer who require intravenous therapy. The rate of serious complication was 3% which is relatively low for these immunosuppressed patients. All venous portals, except one (98.5%) remained functional.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage , Catheterization, Central Venous/instrumentation , Catheters, Indwelling , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Catheterization, Central Venous/adverse effects , Catheters, Indwelling/adverse effects , Equipment Design , Humans , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
A significant number of oncology patients need intravenous chemotherapy. Peripheral venous access is generally difficult, frequently requiring central venous access. This study reviews the Author's experience with permanent venous portals. A total of 66 patients records, from January 1992 to April 1994, were reviewed. The central venous portals remained in place an average of 272 days. An average of 8 courses of chemotherapy were given through each port. There was no significant difference in the rate of complications secondary to the portal site. The Authors conclude that the placement of permanent venous portals is a safe and reliable chronic venous access in patients with cancer who require intravenous therapy. The rate of serious complication was 3% which is relatively low for these immunosuppressed patients. All venous portals, except one (98.5%) remained functional
Subject(s)
Humans , Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage , Catheterization, Central Venous/instrumentation , Catheters, Indwelling , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Catheterization, Central Venous/adverse effects , Catheters, Indwelling/adverse effects , Equipment Design , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Cancer of the stomach is the second in incidence in Panama after the cancer of the prostata. It is studied now the incidence of infection due to Helicobacter pylori in patients with gastric carcinoma. It seems to be a significative relationship between the prevalence of gastric carcinoma and H. pylori infections. This observation is important because by the similar therapeutic implications in virus DNA hepatitis type B and hepatoma.
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/microbiology , Helicobacter Infections/epidemiology , Helicobacter pylori , Stomach Neoplasms/microbiology , Female , Humans , Male , Panama/epidemiology , Prevalence , Stomach Ulcer/microbiologyABSTRACT
The authors present the clinical history of a patient who underwent the first regional pancreatectomy performed in Panama. The patient had been operated on one year before and the tumor in the head of the pancreas had been considered unresectable at that time because it had invaded the portal vein. Since the patient was in excellent health and her diabetes and hypertension (diagnosed ten years before) were well controlled, the size of the tumor, as demonstrated in CAT scans, had not changed in one year and the biopsy of the tumor had characterized it as of neuroectodermic origin without regional lymph node involvement, it was decided to perform a regional pancreatectomy. The authors describe the different stages of the resection of the tumor and the anatomical reconstruction. They point out the recommendations of different schools of thought about the operation and report on the excellent results obtained in this patient.
