Starting a new program of split liver transplantation after a low learning curve: a reality in centers with large experience in liver surgery and whole liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Split liver transplantation (SLT) is nowadays, considered an adequate surgical solution to expand the grafts from the existing pool of cadaveric donors. METHODOLOGY: A total of 897 liver transplantations were performed between 1986 and 2002; 20 were SLTs (2.3%). A 30% were children. RESULTS: Mean follow up of 15.15 months +/- 13.85. Median age was 42.27 +/- 25.65 yrs. Median recipient weight was 52.29 +/- 20.87 Kg. Mean donor weight was 76.1 +/- 13.11. The majority was "in situ" SLT (65%). There was no primary graft dysfunction. Two patients developed biliary complications (none in situ SLT). Early HAT occurred in 2 patients and delayed HAT in one. Four patients were retransplanted but none were performed because of primary graft dysfunction. Five patients died in the hospital. Fifteen patients (75%) survived the postoperative period and 3 patients died during follow-up. Mean patient survival time was 42 months (95% CI: 31-52). Actuarial patient survival was 93.3%, 84.4%, 84.4% at 6 months, 1 year and 3 years. Mean graft survival was 36 months (95% CI: 25-48). Actuarial graft survival was 87%, 72%, 72% at 6, 12, 36 months. Univariate analysis of risk factors for graft loss showed that the type of splitting technique (p=0.019), and the UNOS (1 and 2a) status of the recipient (p=0.001) were significantly associated with graft loss. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of large volume full cadaveric liver transplantation, split liver can provide adequate results (even after a short learning curve) mainly in elective cases and with the in situ technique.

Incidence of de novo nonmelanoma skin tumors after liver transplantation for alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver diseases.

INTRODUCTION: Skin tumors are the most common malignancies after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). They have been related to sunlight exposure, tobacco consumption, and immunosuppression. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of de novo skin tumors (nonmelanoma) in patients who underwent liver transplantation for alcoholic cirrhosis versus nonalcoholic diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between April 1986 and July 2004, we performed 1000 OLT in a population of 888 recipients. This study was performed in a sample of 701 adult recipients who survived >2 months after transplantation: 276 patients (39.4%) underwent OLT for alcoholic cirrhosis (AC-group), and 425 (60.6%) for nonalcoholic disease (N-AC). The overall incidence of de novo skin tumors was 3.5% (25 tumors): 5.4% (15 tumors) in the AC-group and 2.4% (10 tumors) in the N-AC group (P = .027). Two patients developed two tumors. There were 19 men and 4 women, mean age at OLT of 54.4 +/- 6.8 years (range, 40 to 66 years). The mean time from OLT to tumor diagnosis was 66.1 +/- 51.4 months (range, 3 to 165 months): 56.4 +/- 44.4 months in the AC-group versus 80.6 +/- 59.8 months in the N-AC group (P = NS). Histologically, 17 tumors (68%) were basal cell carcinomas and eight tumors (32%) were squamous cell carcinomas (P = .128). Fourteen patients (60.8%) were smokers: 11 patients (84.6%) in the AC-group versus 3 patients (30%) in the N-AC group (P = .012). All the patients underwent tumor resection, with only one patient dying, because of lymph node invasion of the neck. CONCLUSION: There was a higher incidence of de novo skin tumors among patients who smoked who underwent OLT for alcoholic cirrhosis.

Long-term results of laparoscopic extended surgery in advanced gastric cancer: a series of 101 patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The objective of our paper is to report on the remote results of patients with gastric cancer treated by mini-invasive surgery as a surgical tool with the "intention to treat with laparoscopy". METHODOLOGY: Between June 1993 and January 2004, 101 patients comprising 72 men and 29 women with gastric adenocarcinoma were prospectively selected by two hospitals based on prior agreement (the CHU Charleroi, Belgium, and Zumárraga Hospital, the Basque Country, Spain). Patients with adenocarcinoma of the cardia were excluded. Average age of the patients was 67 (37-83). RESULTS: Postoperative mortality within 60 days of operation was of 5 patients; 87 patients were therefore properly followed-up for an average of 41 months (7-129). Average survival time for 10 non-resected patients was 4.5 months. Average survival rate of the 10 palliatively resected patients was 7.1 months. Actuarial 5-year survival rate RO-type surgery was 34%. The global actuarial 5-year survival rate after resective surgery was 29%. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic gastrectomy with any kind of lymphadenectomy is a heavy but safe operation, and produces acceptable mortality and morbidity rates in patients with advanced gastric cancer in a general poor condition. Laparoscopic gastrectomies for locally advanced cancers are equivalent to those reported by laparotomy as far as long-term oncological results are concerned.

Exceptional bilateral adrenalectomy after secondaries from colorectal cancer.

We report a very uncommon case of bilateral adrenal metastasis treated at our institution. The patient was 65 years old, with a history of low anterior resection for colorectal cancer in 2001. One year later, he was diagnosed with bilateral adrenal metastasis, based on the results of abdominal computed tomography-scan. A bilateral adrenalectomy extended to distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy was performed. Postoperative course was uneventful. He is alive and free of disease 12 months after adrenalectomy. We conclude adrenal metastasis from colorectal cancer should be managed surgically, even if they are bilateral.

Significado pronóstico de la densidad microvascular en el cáncer de ovario: estudio de una serie de 74 casos / Prognostic value of microvascular density in ovarian cancer in a series of 74 patients

Introducción: La cuantificación de la angiogénesis, en teoría, podría ser un factor determinante del pronóstico de ciertos carcinomas, ya que determina la posibilidad de metastatizar por parte del tumor primario. Material y métodos: Se plantea un estudio retrospectivo sobre 74 pacientes con carcinoma de ovario en estadios I-IV (FIGO) y tratados en el Hospital Clínico San Carlos (Madrid) en el período 1985-1995. Se midió el índice angiogénico (determinación con anticuerpo monoclonal CD34, y cuantificación mediante un sistema digital de análisis de imagen Leika Q500IW con software propio), y se comparó el comportamiento de tumores con angiogénesis positiva y negativa en relación con los eventos de muerte y recidiva (estudio de regresión logística). El seguimiento mediano fue de 40,5 meses (rango, 3-105). Resultados: La angiogénesis es un parámetro cuantificable, y es un factor pronóstico independiente para el riesgo relativo de muerte y recidiva para todos los estadios de carcinoma de ovario (AU)

Live liver donation: a prospective analysis of exclusion criteria for healthy and potential donors.

INTRODUCTION: Living donor liver transplantation represents a controversial option to increase the donor pool. DESIGN: Prospective and descriptive clinical study. OBJECTIVE: (1) To identify risk factors (exclusion criteria) for live donation; (2) to determine the rate of recipients that benefit from a living donor. METHODS: Between May 1995 (first adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation in Spain) and November 2002, we evaluated 74 healthy volunteers and performed 12 living donor liver transplants (no donor mortality). RESULTS: All actual donors and volunteers are alive and healthy. After a mean time of 3.2+/-0.5 weeks, 72% of potential donors were considered unsuitable for live donation. Exclusion criteria were grouped in three categories: (primary) donor safety reasons (68%); (secondary): ABO mismatch (17%) and (tertiary): cadaveric graft transplantation (15%). Consequently, just 43.7% of the recipients presenting to us with a potential living donor, did finally benefit from these organs. The mortality rate was 8.3% for 43 recipients presenting with a living donor in comparison to 15% for those who did not (321 recipients between May 1995 and November 2001). CONCLUSIONS: ALDLT can benefit a significant number of recipients on the waiting list (43.7% of those presenting with a donor). The most frequent exclusion criteria concern donor safety, namely, unsuspected chronic liver diseases and unsuspected thrombophilic disorders.

Recidiva local tras el tratamiento conservador del cáncer de mama / Local recurrence after conservative treatment of breast cancer

El objetivo es estudiar los resultados de la experiencia de nuestro centro en la cirugía conservadora del cáncer de mama. Presentamos los resultados obtenidos en este centro mediante cuadrantectomía y linfadenectomía parcial en 70 casos de carcinoma precoz, en el período 1994-1999.La edad media fue de 55 años. El 66,7 por ciento de la población contaba con más de 50 años y el 3,2 por ciento con menos de 30, en el momento del diagnóstico. El seguimiento mediano fue de 57 meses (2-87). La exploración clínica resultó sospechosa de malignidad o claramente maligna en el 23 por ciento de los casos, todos ellos con exploración axilar negativa. La mamografía llevó a la biopsia en el 68 por ciento, siendo el hallazgo de malignidad en 28 por ciento; el hallazgo más frecuente fue el de un nódulo (49 por ciento). Las microcalcificaciones se observaron en el 30 por ciento. La ecografía se indicó en el 30 por ciento de los casos, y fue sospechosa en la mitad de los casos. La PAAF se realizó en el 28 por ciento y resultó no satisfactoria en el 3 por ciento y maligna en el 66 por ciento. Se utilizó guía de la lesión mediante arpón en el 38 por ciento. Se realizó lumpectomía en el 13 por ciento, y cuadrantectomía en el 87 por ciento; no se realizó linfadenectomía en el 3,2 por ciento. El tratamiento se completó con quimioterapia en el 59 por ciento, con radioterapia en el 89 por ciento (con sobredosis sobre la zona de la lesión en el 24 por ciento y con radioterapia axilar en el 8 por ciento). Se indicó tamoxifeno en el 75 por ciento. El tipo anatomopatológico más frecuente fue carcinoma ductal invasivo (57 por ciento) y carcinoma ductal in situ con áreas de microinvasión (16 por ciento). El 5 por ciento correspondieron a tumores in situ, el 19 por ciento a T1a, el 41 por ciento a T1b, el 14 por ciento a Tc y el 16 por ciento a T2. El 82 por ciento fueron N0. El grado de malignidad fue bajo en el 24 por ciento, moderado en el 46 por ciento y alto en el 20 por ciento. Los receptores para estrógeno y progesterona fueron positivos en el 62 y el 44 por ciento, respectivamente. Durante el seguimiento se produjeron una recidiva regional y una sistémica; ambas pacientes permanecían vivas 1 año después. La recidiva no se relacionó con la edad, ni con el estadio, grado de malignidad, márgenes tumorales, tipo anatomopatológico, ni tipo de tratamiento empleado. La supervivencia a los 5 años fue del 100 por ciento. Todas las pacientes con carcinoma mamario menor o igual a 2 cm pueden beneficiarse del tratamiento conservador siempre que no se contraindique el tratamiento adyuvante necesario en su caso (AU)

La anatomía patológica como factor pronóstico en el carcinoma lobulillar invasivo de la mama / Invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast : histopathology as a prognostic factor

Propósito: El carcinoma lobulillar invasivo de la mama presenta características únicas que lo diferencian del carcinoma ductal, como los hallazgos frecuentes de multicentricidad, bilateralidad, afectación de la mama contralateral, la positividad de los márgenes de la pieza y un teórico mayor porcentaje de afectación a nivel regional, que podrían influir en el pronóstico de la enfermedad. Material y métodos: Con el ánimo de evaluar las características definitorias del pronóstico en este tipo tumoral, se han estudiado ciertos factores de la anatomía patológica, como lo son el tamaño tumoral, el nivel de afectación axilar, el grado de malignidad tumoral, la afectación de los márgenes de la pieza, la muticentridad y la positividad de los receptores tumorales, para relacionarlos con la supervivencia a largo plazo en una población de 390 casos de carcinoma lobulillar invasivo de la mama en un estudio multicéntrico que refiere los resultados del período 1980-1997. Resultados y conclusiones: En conclusión, se observa que el pronóstico del carcinoma lobulillar se determina por el nivel de afectación regional, el tamaño tumoral y el grado de malignidad tumoral principalmente; la afectación axilar demuestra esta influencia en períodos avanzados del seguimiento de la paciente la positividad de los márgenes tumorales y la multicentricidad no se relacionan significativamente con el pronóstico (AU)

Prognostic factors in invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast: a multivariate analysis. A multicentre study after seventeen years of follow-up.

BACKGROUND AND GOALS: The purpose of this study was to characterize the biologic determinants that affect the behavior of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospectively accrued data base containing 9,619 breast cancer cases was queried for specific pathological features. From this data base, 390 patients with invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast treated and followed at any of these three centers: San Carlos Hospital, Doce de Octubre Hospital or The Jimenez Diaz Foundation in Madrid (Spain) were reviewed and results, in terms of overall survival and disease-free survival were recorded for a long-term follow-up of 206 months (17 years). RESULTS: The parameters that showed an important statistical influence on survival were the stage at diagnosis, the tumor size and nodal status, as well as the tumor grade. Age showed a limited influence, and multicentricity, or the type of surgical procedure had no statistical impact on survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis specifies the clinico-pathological features that influence the prognosis of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast, and confirms that conservative therapy may be an appropriate treatment for this type of cancer.