Sequential thoracic metastasectomy prolongs survival by re-establishing local control within the chest.

OBJECTIVE: The value of sequential thoracic metastasectomies is unknown. We evaluate repeat metastasectomy for limited recurrences within the thorax. METHODS: From July 1988 to September 1998, 54 patients underwent 2 to 6 separate sequential procedures to excise metastases after recurrence isolated to the thorax. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox modeling determined prognostic variables. RESULTS: Thirty-three men and 21 women, 22 to 76 years underwent 2 (100%, n = 54), 3 (50%), 4 (22%), or 5 to 6 (11%) metastasectomies. Fifty-four percent of patients had carcinoma, 35% sarcoma, 9% germ cell, and 2% melanoma. There were no operative deaths; all late deaths occurred from cancer. Median follow-up was 48 months. Cumulative 5-year survival from the second procedure was 57%. After the second, third, fourth, and fifth procedures, respectively, permanent control was achieved in 15 (27%) of 54 patients, 5 (19%) of 27, 1 (8%) of 12, and 0 of 7. Recurrence amenable to additional surgery occurred in 27 (50%) of 54, 12 (44%) of 27, 6 (50%) of 12, and 1 (17%) of 6. Mean hazard for the development of unresectable recurrence increased from 0.21 after the second procedure to 0.91 after the fifth procedure. The 5-year survival for the 27 patients undergoing only 2 metastasectomies was 60% (median not yet reached), 33% for the 15 patients undergoing only 3 metastasectomies (median 34.7 months), and 38% for the 12 patients undergoing 4 or more (median 45.6 months). From the time a recurrence was declared unresectable, patients had a 19% 2-year survival (median 8 months). CONCLUSIONS: Multiple attempts to re-establish intrathoracic control of metastatic disease is justified in carefully selected patients, but the magnitude of benefit decays with each subsequent attempt.

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in tropical sprue.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic insufficiency may appear secondary to several intestinal disorders. It may contribute to malabsorption in tropical sprue (TS). METHODS: The exocrine pancreatic function was evaluated with the indirect pancreolauryl test (PT) in 56 patients with TS. The PT results were analyzed and correlated with serum albumin levels, degree of intestinal atrophy, and steatorrhea. RESULTS: Abnormally low values were found in 36 (64.2%) cases. A significant relationship was not observed between PT and hypoalbuminemia. Patients with more severe damage by intestinal biopsy tended to have lower PT values. No relationship was found between pancreatic insufficiency and steatorrhea (expressed as g/24 h), but patients with pancreatic insufficiency had increased stool fat concentrations (expressed as percentage of wet stool weight). All patients responded favorably to treatment with folic acid and tetracycline. Fifteen patients with abnormal initial PT values underwent a repeat PT after a 6-week therapy; all of them showed normalization of PT values. CONCLUSIONS: The abnormal exocrine pancreatic function found with an indirect test in patients with TS is probably secondary to a low pancreatic hormonal stimulation due to intestinal damage, as occurs in celiac sprue. These abnormalities are reversible after specific treatment for TS.

[Does cholestasis change the clinical usefulness of CA 19-9 in pacreatobiliary cancer?]. / Modifica la colestasis la utilidad clínica del CA 19-9 en cáncer pancreatobiliar?

BACKGROUND: CA 19-9 is used for diagnosis of gastrointestinal neoplasia, mainly pancreatic and biliary cancer. False positive results have been described in cholestasis. OBJECTIVE: To establish the clinical value of CA 19-9 in the diagnosis of pancreatic and biliary cancer in patients with and without cholestasis. METHODS: Five hundred forty-eight medical records of patients with serum CA 19-9 determination performed from May-1996 to June-1998 were reviewed. Cases were grouped by final diagnosis; malignancy was established by histology or clinical and radiological characteristics. ROC curves were used to calculate ideal cut-off values (ICV) for the test. Cholestasis was defined as bilirrubinemia above 3 mg/dL. RESULTS: Thirty percent of serum determinations were done in patients with non-pancreatic and non-hepatobiliary benign diseases (only 1.3% with values > or = 100 U/mL). CA 19-9 levels were higher in pancreatic and hepatobiliary malignancy compared to benign diseases of the same origin, as well as in pancreatic cancer when compared with hepatobiliary cancer. ICV for differentiation of malignant hepatobiliary diseases was set around 100 U/mL, with increased specificity when compared with the usual cut-off value (37 U/mL). Cholestasis increased the values of the antigen in malignant and benign diseases and modified the efficacy of the test by increasing sensitivity while decreasing specificity. The ICV for determining resectability in pancreatic tumors was 224 U/mL. CONCLUSIONS: CA 19-9 is a valuable test for diagnosis of malignant pancreato-hepatobiliary disease. Given that cholestasis modifies the operational characteristics of the test, a cut-off value has to be tailored for each patient depending on the clinical setting, so to maintain the usefulness of the marker.