Usefulness of lymphocyte-to-monocyte, neutrophil-to-monocyte and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios as prognostic markers in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nCT) in breast cancer is more and more standardized, not only in advanced tumours but also in those for which there is an attempt to achieve breast-conserving surgery. In literature, we can find evidences of the relationship between several types of tumours and systemic inflammatory response. Our objective is to analyse the prognostic value of blood parameters (lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), neutrophil-to-monocyte ratio (NMR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in breast cancer (BC) patients treated with nCT. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 150 breast cancer patients treated with nCT and subsequently with surgery was analysed. Data about the patients, histology, response to chemotherapy and peripheral blood values of lymphocytes, monocytes and neutrophils was collected, and used to calculate the LMR, NMR and NLR. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for the variables to see the relationship of the ratios to disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Patients with high LMR (≥5.46) and low NLR (<3.33) were associated with a lower percentage of relapse (P = 0.048 and P = 0.015, respectively) and, above all, NLR was associated with a better survival (P = 0.024), being those factors that predict a good progress. CONCLUSION: High LMR and low NLR can be considered as favourable prognostic factors in BC patients treated with nCT.

Perioperative fast track program in intraoperative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) after cytoreductive surgery in advanced ovarian cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Diffuse peritoneal dissemination in advanced ovarian cancer can be treated using optimal effort surgery involving peritonectomy procedures and the administration of hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). OBJECTIVE: To report on our experience in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer using peritonectomy procedures and HIPEC through the fast track program. PATIENTS AND METHOD: From September 2008 until May 2010, forty-six patients with primary advanced (stage III-C) or recurrent ovarian cancer have been included in the fast track protocol if they had optimal cytoreduction CC-0 or CC-1 accompanied by HIPEC and there had no more than one digestive anastomosis. RESULTS: The mean peritoneal cancer index (PCI) was 12.35 (3-21). The median operation time was 380 min (200-540). Optimal surgery CC-0 was achieved in 38 of the 46 patients and CC-1 in the remaining 8. Mean postoperative hospital stay was 6.94 ± 1.56 days (3-11). Major morbidity rates were 15.3%. Paralytic ileus was the most frequent of these. There was no mortality related to the procedure. CONCLUSION: Surgery with peritonectomy procedures and HIPEC in advanced ovarian carcinoma is possible under fast track surgery programs in patients with low volume peritoneal carcinomatosis. Prospective and randomized studies are needed.

[Clinical recurrence of multinodular goiter after surgery. A multivariate study on the risk factors]. / Recidiva clínica del bocio multinodular tras la cirugía. Estudio multivariante de los factores de riesgo.

INTRODUCTION: In multinodular goiter there is no consensus on which is the most adequate surgical technique, since although the techniques with partial resection show lower risk of complications they are associated with a higher risk of recurrences. The objective of this study is to define the risk factors for recurrence of multinodular goiters after surgery in a series with a mean postoperative follow-up higher than 12 years. PATIENTS AND METHOD: 231 multinodular goiters with partial thyroid surgery are analyzed. The recurrence is assessed through clinical exploration, and is confirmed with echography. The variables analyzed are age, sex, family history of thyroid pathology, residence in goitrogenic areas, asymptomatic hyperthyroidism, compression syndromes, intrathoracic extension of goiter, surgeon experience with endocrine surgery, weight of the thyroid, and surgical technique, chi2 test, Student's t test and a logistic regression test are applied. RESULTS: After a mean postoperative follow-up of 152 +/- 71 months 67 goiters (29%) showed recurrence with a mean time for recurrence of 85 +/- 67 months. Risk factors detected in the multivariate study were youngest age, surgeon's lack of experience in endocrine surgery, and the surgical technique. Forty-six patients (69%) were operated because of recurrence, most of them by surgeons experienced in endocrine surgery. Thyroidectomy was completed in all cases, and two definitive postoperative complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The index of clinical recurrences is high and increases with the progression; primary risk factors are age, surgeon's experience, and surgical technique. The implication is that partial resection techniques should be carried out by surgeons with experience and there should be avoided in young patients.

Recidiva clínica del bocio multinodular tras la cirugía. Estudio multivariante de los factores de riesgo / Clinical recurrence of multinodular goiter after surgery. A multivariate study on the risk factors

Introducción. En el bocio multinodular no existe consenso sobre cuál es la técnica quirúrgica más adecuada, pues, aunque las técnicas resectivas parciales presentan menor riesgo de complicaciones, conllevan un alto riesgo de recidivas. El objetivo es determinar los factores de riesgo de recidiva del bocio multinodular tras la cirugía en una serie con un seguimiento medio postquirúrgico superior a los 12 años. Pacientes y método. Se analizan 231 bocios multinodulares con cirugía tiroidea parcial. La recidiva se valora mediante exploración clínica y se confirma mediante ecografía. Las variables analizadas son edad, sexo, antecedentes familiares de patología tiroidea, residir en áreas bociógenas, asintomático, hipertiroidismo, síndromes compresivos, prolongación intratorácica del bocio, experiencia en cirugía endocrina del cirujano, peso del tiroides y técnica quirúrgica. Se aplica la prueba de χ2, la de la «t» de Student y una prueba de regresión logística. Resultados. Con un seguimiento medio de 152 ± 71 meses recidivaron 67 bocios (29%) con un tiempo medio de recidiva de 85 ± 67 meses. Los factores de riesgo detectados en el estudio multivariante fueron la edad más joven, la no experiencia en cirugía endocrina del cirujano y la técnica quirúrgica. Cuarenta y seis pacientes (69%) fueron intervenidos de la recidiva, la mayoría por cirujanos con experiencia en cirugía endocrina. En todos los casos se completó la tiroidectomía y se presentaron dos complicaciones postoperatorias definitivas. Conclusiones. El índice de recidivas clínicas es alto y aumenta con la evolución, siendo los principales factores de riesgo la juventud, la experiencia del cirujano y la técnica quirúrgica. Por lo que que estas técnicas resectivas parciales deben realizarse por cirujanos con experiencia y evitarse en pacientes jóvenes

Introduction. In multinodular goiter there is no consensus on which is the most adequate surgical technique, since although the techniques with partial resection show lower risk of complications they are associated with a higher risk of recurrences. The objective of this study is to define the risk factors for recurrence of multinodular goiters after surgery in a series with a mean postoperative follow-up higher than 12 years. Patients and method. 231 multinodular goiters with partial thyroid surgery are analyzed. The recurrence is assessed through clinical exploration, and is confirmed with echography. The variables analyzed are age, sex, family history of thyroid pathology, residence in goitrogenic areas, asymptomatic hyperthyroidism, compression syndromes, intrathoracic extension of goiter, surgeon experience with endocrine surgery, weight of the thyroid, and surgical technique, χ2 test, Student’s «t» test and a logistic regression test are applied. Results. After a mean postoperative follow-up of 152±71 months 67 goiters (29%) showed recurrence with a mean time for recurrence of 85 ± 67 months. Risk factors detected in the multivariate study were youngest age, surgeon's lack of experience in endocrine surgery, and the surgical technique. Forty-six patients (69%) were operated because of recurrence, most of them by surgeons experienced in endocrine surgery. Thyroidectomy was completed in all cases, and two definitive postoperative complications occurred. Conclusions. The index of clinical recurrences is high and increases with the progression; primary risk factors are age, surgeon's experience, and surgical technique. The implication is that partial resection techniques should be carried out by surgeons with experience and there should be avoided in young patients