Elevated CA125 level associated with Meigs' syndrome: case report and review of the literature.

Meigs' syndrome is the association of ovarian fibroma, pleural effusion, and ascites. Meigs' syndrome with marked elevation of CA125 is an unusual clinical condition reported in 27 cases in the literature. The patient was a 46-year-old woman with right pleural effusion, ascites, ovarian tumor, and CA125 level of 1808 U/mL. Tomography revealed ascites and bilobate pelvic tumor of approximately 25 cm. The diagnosis of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer was considered, and the patient was treated with chemotherapy. Three chemotherapy schemes were applied due to the total lack of response in tumor volume; however, CA125 decreased to 90 U/mL. Thus, surgery was performed with resection of 25 cm of the left ovarian tumor, with intact capsule and without implants; the result of histopathologic analysis was fibroma. Postoperative CA125 was 11 U/mL. Patients with elevated CA125 and ascites cytology positive for malignancy must be cautiously treated due to the possibility of false positives, even if the probability is low. Therefore, minimally invasive surgery for biopsy collection must be considered. Although the association between ovarian tumor, pleural effusion, ascites, and marked elevation of CA125 is highly indicative of epithelial ovarian cancer, Meigs' syndrome must be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Predictive factors for irresectability in advanced ovarian cancer.

Despite advances in surgical modalities and chemotherapeutic agents, the 5-year survival for patients with advanced ovarian cancer is barely 40-50%. At the moment, optimally cytoreductive primary surgery is the best option for patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Predictive factors of primary optimum reduction surgery have been described based on imaging studies and tumor markers and based on the premise to know a priori the weight and tumor volume, with promising results. A retrospective study was conducted based on the hypothesis that it is feasible to identify those patients not susceptible of undergoing optimum primary cytoreductive surgery. The variables associated with a lesser probability of success in this study are the presence of palpable abdominal tumor on physical examination, the presence of tumor in Douglas' cul-de-sac on vaginal exploration, the presence of ascites in any quantity, elevation of CA-125 above 1000 U/l, and the presence of pulmonary and liver metastases. The success rate for cytoreduction was 62% when none or one of these variables was present and 32% when two or more variables were present.

Identification of two homologous antigenic peptides derived from L1 HPV-16 and 18 proteins specific for the HLA-B*3901 allele.

In this work we present evidence that the homologous peptides IHSMNSTIL and IHSMNSSIL derived from L1 HPV-16 and 18 proteins respectively, and with high specificity for the allele HLA-B*3901, according with an algorithm prediction program, induced T cell stimulation in patients with advanced cervical cancer positive for HPV-16 or 18 infection and for the HLA-B*3901 allele. Interestingly, T lymphocytes derived from a patient with HPV-18 infection and stimulated with the peptide IHSMNSTIL were capable to kill a cervical cancer cell line named Rova, derived from the tumor of the same patient. In addition, the cytotoxic activity was strongly increased when this cell line was previously treated with hrIFN-gamma. These results suggest that the CTL immune response to L1 HPV-16 and 18 protein derived epitopes is maintained in patients with advanced cervical cancer within specific alleles, and opens the possibility that homologous epitopes may be used in the generation of prophylactic vaccines for cervical tumors bearing different HPV-types.

Tumor angiogenesis as a prognostic factor in oral cavity carcinomas.

Currently, lymph node metastasis and thickness of the tumor are the gold standard as a predictor of survival in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, there is a significant correlation between microvessel density and the development of cervical metastases or recurrence. Previous studies have demonstrated that head and neck cancers are able to induce an angiogenic response in experimental models. This factor shows a strong correlation with regional recurrence. In this study we propose to use angiogenesis as an independent prognostic indicator of recurrence. We evaluated the expression of tumor angiogenesis in OSCC and determinated its possible usefulness as a prognostic factor. Thirty-three cases with diagnosis of OSCC were identified from January 1985 to January 1997 in the Head and Neck Department of the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología in Mexico City. These cases were analyzed retrospectively for a minimum period of six months. All of them received a conventional complete treatment to the primary tumor and lymph node metastasis. Paraffin-embedded tumor specimens were available in all patients. The tumors were scanned and the areas of highest microvessel density (MVD) were immunostained for CD-34 using QBEnd/10 antibody. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon test curves, and Cox's proportional hazards model for multivariate analysis. We identified 33 patients with OSCC, 16 were men and 17 women. The mean age among all patients was 58.9 years old. Based on tumor size 33.3% were T1, 27.3% T2, 12.1% T3, and 27.3% T4. The median microvessel count was 32.5. The mean percentage of MVD was 37 in patients with regional recurrence and in those patients without regional metastasis was 29 (p<0.05). 57.9% of the patients who presented recurrence had vessel counts over the median (p<0.01). In fact, 6 patients (46%) who showed more than 20% of angiogenesis expression and higher MVD presented with recurrence. Only 3 patients (23%) who had less than 20% of angiogenesis expression and lower MVD developed recurrence (p<0.01). Higher MVD was seen with increasing T and N stages; however, it did not show correlation with survival. In this study, angiogenesis expression demonstrated to be an independent factor of recurrence in patients with OSCC. It is suggested that it should be used as an independent prognostic indicator. In concordance with previous reports, we observed a significant correlation between MVD determination and recurrence of the tumor, followed by lymph node metastases and tumor size.

Malignant melanoma of the oral cavity: diagnosis and treatment experience in a Mexican population.

Oral malignant melanoma is uncommon, accounting for 1-8% of all malignant melanomas. All previous papers have reported small numbers of cases or have retrospectively reviewed case reports from the literature. The following case reports concern malignant melanoma of the oral cavity seen at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City, during the period of 1982-96. Demographic, clinical and histopathological data were collected. Our 15 patients consisted of 6 males and 9 females. The mean age was 52.6 years (range: 35 to 80 years). The hard palate was the most common area affected with 11 cases (73%). At the time of the initial examination, a pigmented mass was apparent in 100% of the patients. All our surgical cases were treated with wide resection; 8 patients received adjuvant radiation, 4 were treated with surgery alone and 1 case received radiation and chemotherapy before the surgery. Local control of the primary lesion was possible in 14 of the 15 cases. Some patients received therapeutic or elective lymph node dissection. The median survival was 16.9 months (mean: 12.5 months). The 2- and 5-year survival rates were 26.6 and 6.6%, respectively.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma in Mexican patients: clinical aspects and prognostic factors.

The present study characterizes papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in a Mexican patient sample and evaluates potential prognostic factors for recurrence. Clinical records of 229 patients with PTC were analyzed. Surgical specimens were rereviewed and DNA ploidy determined. Cox logistic regression was used to explore prognostic factors. Mean age +/- SD of the patients was 42 +/- 16 years, with a male/female ratio of 24:205. A thyroid mass was the initial manifestation in 99%. Extrathyroid invasion occurred in 45% and nodal metastases in 38%. Mean size +/- SD of the tumors was 3 +/- 2 cm. By flow cytometry 88% of the tumors were DNA euploid and 12% aneuploid. Complete tumor resection was achieved in 83% with an operative mortality of 0.4%. Postoperative hormone suppression was administered in 65% and remnant 131I thyroid ablation in 84%. The 10-year recurrence-free survival was 85%. In the group of patients with tumors totally removed and without distant metastases, none of the 14 evaluated variables demonstrated statistical significance as an independent prognostic factor for recurrence. However, the group of patients in whom a combination of the following factors was present--age > or = 40 years, tumor size > or = 3 cm, local invasion, and lymph node metastases--showed a higher incidence of tumor recurrence.

[Comparison of two antimicrobial prophylaxis regimens in biliary tract surgery: a randomized controlled clinical trial]. / Comparación de dos esquemas de profilaxis antimicrobiana en cirugía de vías biliares: un ensayo clínico controlado por sorteo.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy in prophylaxis during biliary tract and gallbladder surgery with amoxicillin/clavulanate and to compare it with the combination of cephalothin and clindamycin. DESIGN: A randomized nonblinded clinical trial with a blind independent observer. PLACE: Tertiary-care center. PATIENTS: Forty-two patients were included. All had undergone biliary tract and/or gallbladder surgery. They were divided in two groups: 22 in group A (cephalothin and clindamycin), and 20 in group B (amoxicillin/clavulanate). INTERVENTIONS: Patients from group A were intravenously treated with three doses of cephalothin (2 g at anesthetic induction and two additional doses of 1 g at six-hour intervals), and three of clindamycin (600 mg every six hours). Patients from group B received three doses of amoxicillin/clavulanate (1000/200 mg IV, one during the induction of the anesthesia followed by two more at six-hour intervals). RESULTS: In group A six wound infections were recorded, one of them with secondary bacteremia. In group B we did not record any infection (Fisher p < 0.01). One case of phlebitis was recorded in each group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that amoxicillin/clavulanate is useful in the prophylaxis of gallbladder and biliary tract surgery, and more effective than the combination of cephalothin and clindamycin.

Ectopic parathyroid adenoma in the posterior triangle of the neck.

Ectopic parathyroid adenomas are a major cause of persistent hyperparathyroidism. They can be located anywhere from the base of the tongue to the mediastinum. We describe a patient with hyperparathyroidism from an adenoma in a supernumerary gland located in the left posterior triangle of the neck, outside of the carotid sheath.