Multivariate Prognostic Models for Patients with Stages I and Ii Colon Carcinoma: a Strobe-Compliant Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Colorectal cancer is the most frequent gastrointestinal malignancy worldwide. The value of adjuvant treatment is controversial in Stages I and II. Objective: The aim of this study was to construct post-operative prognostic models applicable to patients with stages I-II colon carcinoma (CC). Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with Stage I-II CC treated over a 25-year period. Exposure was defined as clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical factors (including CDX2 and MUC2 expression). Patients were randomly allocated to either a "modeling set" or a "validation set". Factors associated with recurrence, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were defined in the "modeling set". Their performances were tested in the "validation set". Results: From a total of 556 recruited patients, 339 (61%) were allocated to the "modeling set" and 217 (39%) to the "validation set". Three models explaining recurrence, DFS, and OS were described. Tumor location in the left colon (Hazards ratio [HR] = 1.57; 95% Confidence interval [CI] 0.99-2.48), lymphocyte (HR = 0.46; 96% CI 0.27-0.88) and monocyte (HR = 0.99; 95% CI 0.99-1) counts, neutrophil/platelet ratio (HR = 1.3; 95% CI 0.74-2.3, and HR = 2.3; 95% CI 1.3-4.1; for second and third category, respectively), albumin/monocyte ratio (HR = 0.43; 95% CI 0.21-0.87), and microscopic residual disease after surgery (HR = 8.7; 95% CI 3.1-24) were independently associated with OS. T classification and expression of CDX2 and/or MUC2 were not independently associated with recurrence or prognosis. Conclusion: These models are simple and readily available, and distinguish the risk and prognosis in patients with CC stages I and II; these models require cheaper processes than the use of more sophisticated molecular biology techniques. They may guide either the need for adjuvant therapy versus post-operative surveillance only, as well as aid in the design of clinical trials.

Multivariate Prognostic Models for Patients with Stages I and Ii Colon Carcinoma: a Strobe-Compliant Retrospective Cohort Study

ABSTRACT Background: Colorectal cancer is the most frequent gastrointestinal malignancy worldwide. The value of adjuvant treatment is controversial in Stages I and II. Objective: The aim of this study was to construct post-operative prognostic models applicable to patients with stages I-II colon carcinoma (CC). Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with Stage I-II CC treated over a 25-year period. Exposure was defined as clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical factors (including CDX2 and MUC2 expression). Patients were randomly allocated to either a "modeling set" or a "validation set". Factors associated with recurrence, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were defined in the "modeling set". Their performances were tested in the "validation set". Results: From a total of 556 recruited patients, 339 (61%) were allocated to the "modeling set" and 217 (39%) to the "validation set". Three models explaining recurrence, DFS, and OS were described. Tumor location in the left colon (Hazards ratio [HR] = 1.57; 95% Confidence interval [CI] 0.99-2.48), lymphocyte (HR = 0.46; 96% CI 0.27-0.88) and monocyte (HR = 0.99; 95% CI 0.99-1) counts, neutrophil/platelet ratio (HR = 1.3; 95% CI 0.74-2.3, and HR = 2.3; 95% CI 1.3-4.1; for second and third category, respectively), albumin/monocyte ratio (HR = 0.43; 95% CI 0.21-0.87), and microscopic residual disease after surgery (HR = 8.7; 95% CI 3.1-24) were independently associated with OS. T classification and expression of CDX2 and/or MUC2 were not independently associated with recurrence or prognosis. Conclusion: These models are simple and readily available, and distinguish the risk and prognosis in patients with CC stages I and II; these models require cheaper processes than the use of more sophisticated molecular biology techniques. They may guide either the need for adjuvant therapy versus post-operative surveillance only, as well as aid in the design of clinical trials.

68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in the evaluation of locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer, a single center experience.

Current research indicates that prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is related to angiogenesis of many solid tumors including breast cancer (BC), our objective is evaluating PSMA expression in primary tumor and metastatic BC by Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). In this retrospective study twenty-one patients with BC included all molecular subtypes, was evaluated with 18F-FDG-PET/CT imaging as stratification and 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT. Primary sites of BC was identifying in all patients with 18F-FDG-PET/CT. We identified lymph node metastases in 17 patients (81%) and metastatic disease in 15 patients (71%). A total 127 lesions were detected by 18F-FDG-PET/CT, 30 of which were in the breast, 31 axillary lymph-node metastases, 25 mediastinal lymph-node metastases, 15 distant non-bone metastases and 26 bone metastases. 68Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT showed lower detection-rate (DRs) than did 18F-FDG-PET/CT in all patients with LUM-A and LUM-B HER2. All 18F-FDG PET/CT positive lesions in patients TPN (local, lymph nodes, and metastatic lesions) showed 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT uptake (P<0.05). Sensitivities and specificities of 99.2% and 93.6% for 18F-FDG-PET/CT and for 68Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT of 84% and 91.8% (P<0.05). Accuracy measured as AUC was 0.86-0.95 in 18F-FDG-PET/CT and 0.74-0.94 for 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT (P<0.05). In Patient-Based analysis we found that patients triple-negative subtype (TPN) evaluated with 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT identified a higher number of positive patients than did LUM A. We conclude that a significate DRs to imaging with 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT in the staging of locally advanced and metastatic BC with high rates in patients TPN, LUM B HER2+ and HER2 overexpression. We believe that concept of theranostics it may be considered as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target.

Treatment of Unresectable Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma With Upfront External Radiotherapy and Salvage Surgery: A STROBE-Compliant Retrospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: In patients with unresectable Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), the use of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), leads mostly to palliation. Our aim is to define the role of upfront EBRT, followed or not by salvage surgery, on Progression-free survival (PFS) or Overall survival (OS) in patients with DTC. METHODS: This is a cohort study of patients with initially unresectable DTC who received EBRT. Cohort A received EBRT followed by rescue surgery and cohort B, EBRT only. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox model were employed for survival analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients were included; 69.6% females and 30.3% males. Mean age was 60.6 and mean tumor diameter was 10.4 cm; 17 and 16 patients were included in cohorts A and B, respectively. Belonging to cohort A (Hazard ratio [HR] 0.177, 95% CI 0.05-0.7) and use of intensity modulated radiotherapy (HR 0.177, 95% CI 0.03-1.08) were associated to better PFS, while high-risk histopathology (HR 6.6, 95% CI 0.9-50) and EBRT dose (HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.08) were independently associated with lower PFS. Patients from cohort A (HR 0.061, 95% CI 0.01-0.3) had improved OS, while high-risk histopathology (HR 5.7, 95% CI 1.1-28.6) and EBRT dose (HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.09) were independently associated to worse OS. CONCLUSION: EBRT, and when feasible, salvage surgery, should be an integral part of the therapeutic strategy in initially unresectable DTC.

National Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of non-small cell lung cancer in early, locally advanced and metastatic stages. Extended version. / Guía de Práctica Clínica Nacional para el manejo del cáncer de pulmón de células no pequeñas en estadios tempranos, localmente avanzados y metastásicos.

OBJECTIVE: Lung cancer is one the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Symptomatic manifestations of the disease generally occur in the advanced-stage setting, and therefore an important number of patients have advanced or metastatic disease by the time they are diagnosed. This situation contributes to a poor prognosis in the treatment of lung cancer. Evidencebased clinical recommendations are of great value to support decision-making for daily practice, and thus improving health care quality and patient outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This document was an initiative of the Mexican Society of Oncology (SMEO) in collaboration with Mexican Center of Clinical Excellence (Cenetec) according to Interna- tional Standards. Such standards included those described by the IOM, NICE, SIGN and GI-N. An interdisciplinary Guideline Development Group (GDG) was put together which included medical oncologists, surgical oncologistsc, radiation therapists, and methodologists with expertise in critical appraisal, sys- tematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines development. RESULTS: 62 clinical questions were agreed among members of the GDG. With the evidence identified from systematic reviews, the GDG developed clinical recommendations using a Modified Delphi Panel technique. Patients' representatives validated them. CONCLUSIONS: These Clinical Practice Guideline aims to support the shared decision-making process for patients with different stages of non-small cell lung cancer. Our goal is to improve health-care quality on these patients.

OBJETIVO: El cáncer de pulmón es una de las principales causas de mortalidad alrededor del mundo. Su historia natural, con la manifestación de síntomas en etapas avanzadas y el retraso en su diagnóstico hacen que una gran proporción de pacientes se diagnostiquen en estadios tardíos de la enfermedad, lo que hace muy complicado el tratamiento exitoso de la misma. De esto deriva la importancia de dar origen a recomendaciones basadas en evidencia para soportar la toma de decisiones clínicas por parte de los grupos interdisicplinarios que se encargan del manejo de este padecimiento. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Este documento se desarrolló por parte de la Sociedad Mexicana de Oncología en colaboración con el Centro Nacional de Excelencia Tec- nológica de México (Cenetec) a través de la dirección de integración de Guías de Práctica Clínica en cumplimiento a estándares internacionales como los descritos por el Ins- tituto de Medicina de EUA (IOM, por sus siglas en inglés), el Instituto de Excelencia Clínica de Gran Bretaña (NICE, por sus siglas en inglés), la Red Colegiada para el Desarrollo de Guías de Escocia (SIGN, por sus siglas en inglés), la Red Internacional de Guías (G-I-N, por sus siglas en inglés); entre otros. Se integró en representación de la Sociedad Mexicana de Oncología un Grupo de Desarrollo de la Guía (GDG) de manera interdisciplinaria, considerando oncólogos médicos, cirujanos oncólogos, cirujanos de tórax, radio-oncólogos, y metodólogos con experiencia en revisiones sistemáticas de la literatura y guías de práctica clínica. RESULTADOS: Se consensuaron 62 preguntas cllínicas que abarcaron lo establecido previamente por el GDG en el documento de alcances de la Guía. Se identificó la evidencia científica que responde a cada una de estas preguntas clínicas y se evaluó críticamente la misma, antes de ser incorporada en el cuerpo de evidencia de la Guía. El GDG acordó mediante la técnica de consenso formal de expertos Panel Delphi la redacción final de las recomendaciones clínicas. C. CONCLUSIONES: Esta Guía de Práctica Clínica pretende proveer recomendaciones clínicas para el manejo de los distintos estadios de la enfermedad y que asistan en el proceso de toma de decisiones compartida. El GDG espera que esta guía contribuya a mejorar la calidad de la atención clínica en las pacientes con cáncer de pulmón de células no pequeñas.

Prognostic Factors and Differences in Survival of Right and Left Colon Carcinoma: A STROBE Compliant Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Right-colon cancer (RCC) presents differences with Left-colon cancer (LCC) in terms of Overall survival (OS), but certain reports provide conflicting findings. Our objective is to define differences regarding prognostic factors in RCC and LCC by multivariate analysis. METHODS: Retrospective cohort including patients treated from 1992-2016. The Kaplan-Meier and Cox models were used to define prognostic factors. RESULTS: 871 patients had RCC and 748 LCC; mean age was 58.1. Location was associated with socioeconomic status, body mass, blood hemoglobin, serum albumin, lymphocyte count and Prognostic nutritional index (PNI). Distribution of TNM stages was similar between groups, as well as gender, age, surgical morbidity/mortality; 72.3% of RCC and 83.2% of LCC were well/moderately differentiated (p <0.0001). Mean surgical lymph-node retrieval was 19.3 (SD14.6) for RCC and 15.7 (SD13.1) for LCC (p <0.0001). Median OS was 5.2 (95% CI 3.9-6.5) for RCC, and 3.2 years (95% CI 2.1-4.4) for LCC (p = 0.426). OS was different between RCC and LCC by stratified analyses within PNI, TNM, differentiation and R classification. RCC presents different OS in stages IIIC, and IVB than LCC. CONCLUSION: Differences between RCC and LCC were mainly by immunonutritional variables. Differences in OS were found after stratified analysis of PNI, TNM stages, differentiation degree, and R classification. Location of the neoplasm in the colon should be considered in the design of clinical trials in patients with colon cancer.

Association of the prognostic nutritional index and overall survival in patients with colorectal cancer: A STROBE compliant retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The TNM classification does not completely reflect the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Several clinical factors have been used to increase its prognostic value, but factors pertaining to the patient's immunonutritional status have not usually been addressed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of Prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and other well-known prognostic factors by multivariate analysis in a cohort of patients with CRC. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients with CRC managed in a cancer center between January 1992 and December 2016. Cox's model was used to define the association of the PNI and other factors with Overall survival (OS). RESULTS: A total of 3301 patients were included: 47.7% were female and 52.3% were male, with a mean age of 58.7 years. By bivariate analysis, PNI was strongly associated with OS (Risk ratio [RR] 0.968, 95% Confidence interval [CI] 0.962-0.974; P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, PNI was an independent explanatory variable (as continuous variable and as categorized variable; RR 0.732, 95% CI 0.611-0.878; RR 0.656, 95% CI 0.529-0.813 and RR 0.646, 95% CI 0.521-0.802, for quintiles 2, 3, and 4-5, respectively); a biological gradient effect was demonstrated. The final prognostic model included PNI, location of the neoplasia in the colorectum, basal hemoglobin, lymphocyte count, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, TNM stage, differentiation degree, R classification, and postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: PNI is a significant and independent prognostic factor in patients with CRC. Its prognostic value adds precision to the TNM staging system including specific subgroups of patients with CRC; it should be evaluated in prospective clinical studies.

Baseline serum albumin and other common clinical markers are prognostic factors in colorectal carcinoma: A retrospective cohort study.

The aim of the present study was to define the prognostic role of baseline serum albumin (BSA) in colorectal cancer (CRC) across tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stages and other well defined prognostic factors. Many prognostic models in medicine employ BSA to define or refine treatments in very specific settings; in CRC, BSA has been found to be a prognostic factor as well. A retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients with CRC demonstrated by biopsy, who attended a cancer center during a 7-year period. Multivariate analysis was utilized to define prognostic factors associated with overall survival (OS) employing the Cox model. In this retrospective cohort study, 1465 patients were included; 46.6% were females and 53.4% males (mean age, 59.1 years). Mean BSA was inversely correlated with TNM stages. By multivariate analysis, it was an independent explanatory variable. TNM stages, "R" classification, age, lymphocyte count, neutrophil/platelet ratio, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, postoperative morbidity, and BSA were independently associated with OS. Morbidities, surgery type, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy were considered confounders after adjusting by TNM stages. BSA is a significant and independent prognostic factor in patients with CRC, and its effect is maintained across TNM strata and other well known clinical prognostic factors. It can be easily used in prognostic models and should be employed to stratify prognosis in therapeutic randomized clinical trials.

Retrospective cohort study of prognostic factors in patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Prognostic factors in oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are debated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of prognostic factors with oncologic outcomes. METHODS: Patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal SCC treated from 1997 to 2012 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Associations of prognostic factors with locoregional recurrence (LRR) or overall survival (OS) were analyzed using the logistic regression and the Cox models. RESULTS: Six hundred thirty-four patients were included in this study; tumor size, surgical margins, and N classification were associated with LRR (p < .0001); considering histopathology: perineural invasion, lymphocytic infiltration, infiltrative borders, and N classification were significant determinants of LRR. Tumor size, N classification, alcoholism, and surgical margins were associated with OS (p < .0001); considering pathologic prognostic factors, perivascular invasion, islands borders, and surgical margins were independently associated with OS (p < .0001). CONCLUSION: Surgical margins, perineural and perivascular invasion, lymphocytic infiltration, and infiltrative patterns of tumor invasion are significant prognostic factors in oral cavity and oropharyngeal SCC.

[Treatment of cancer and thrombosis: practical approach]. / Tratamiento de cáncer y trombosis: enfoque práctico.

Individuals with cancer are at increased risk of developing thrombosis. The prevalence of thrombosis depends on tumor-related factors such as histological type, stage, the use of central venous catheters, or treatment with surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, as well as general prothrombotic factors including advanced age, immobility, obesity, hereditary thrombophilias and comorbidities. Prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of thrombosis should be individualized and will depend on both the risk of thrombosis and bleeding. In this review we intend to update concepts that have changed substantially such as green food-free diet, or the indication of absolute bed rest in patients with recent thrombosis. We propose evidence-based therapeutic strategies regarding the most prevalent clinical problems encountered in patients with cancer and thrombosis.

Validation of the Mexican Spanish version of the EORTC QLQ-H&N35 instrument to measure health-related quality of life in patients with head and neck cancers.

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is an important outcome measurement in oncology. Our aim was to validate the Mexican Spanish version of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-H&N35 questionnaire to measure HRQL in patients with head and neck cancers. METHODS: The QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35 instruments were applied to Mexican patients with head and neck cancer at a cancer referral center. Reliability and validity tests were performed. Test-retest was carried out in selected patients. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-three patients were included in this cohort; tumor locations included the following: oral cavity 45 (23.3 %); larynx 35 (18.1 %); thyroid carcinoma invasive to aerodigestive tract 32 (16.6 %); oropharynx 17 (8.8 %); hypopharynx 12 (6.2 %); nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses 11 (5.7 %); salivary glands 11 (5.7 %); nasopharynx 8 (4.1 %); eye and adnexa 7 (3.6 %); cervical metastases of unknown origin 5 (2.6 %); primary sarcoma of the head and neck region 5 (2.6 %); maxillary antrum carcinoma 4 (2.1 %); and retinoblastoma 1 (0.5 %). Questionnaire compliance rates were high, and the instrument was well accepted; the internal consistency tests demonstrated good convergent and divergent validity. Cronbach's α coefficients of 8 of 9 multi-item scales of the QLQ-C30 and 6 of 8 scales of the QLQ-H&N35 instruments were >0.7 (range 0.22-0.89). Scales of the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35 instruments distinguished among clinically distinct groups of patients; some were highly sensitive to change over time. CONCLUSIONS: The Mexican Spanish version of the QLQ-H&N35 questionnaire is reliable and valid for the assessment of HRQL in patients with head and neck cancers and can be used in clinical trials in Mexican communities.

The GRADE system for classification of the level of evidence and grade of recommendations in clinical guideline reports.

There is great inconsistency on how "Clinical Guideline Developers" worldwide rate the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations because there are several classification systems in use. Therefore, medical guideline users face profound challenges in understanding articles on Clinical Guidelines. Many researchers are adopting the GRADE system to classify the quality of the available evidence and the strength of recommendations when preparing a manuscript on Clinical Guidelines. The GRADE system has advantages over previous rating systems including being developed by a representative group of guideline developers, patent separation between quality of evidence and strength of recommendations, explicit evaluation of the importance of outcomes of alternative management strategies, and others. Consequently, in this brief review, we describe the reasons underlying the adoption of GRADE.

Sistema GRADE para clasificar nivel de evidencia y grado de las recomendaciones para la elaboración de guías de buena práctica clínica / The GRADE system for classification of the level of evidence and grade of recommendations in clinical guideline reports

Actualmente existe gran inconsistencia en cómo los “desarrolladores de guías clínicas” en todo el mundo clasifican la calidad de la evidencia disponible y la fuerza de las recomendaciones, debido a que hay varios sistemas de clasificación. Por esa razón, los usuarios de las guías clínicas se enfrentan a retos profundos en la comprensión de guías clínicas. Importantes investigadores y gran número de ellos están adoptando el sistema GRADE para clasificar la calidad de la evidencia disponible y la fuerza de las recomendaciones cuando preparan manuscritos sobre guías clínicas. El sistema GRADE fue desarrollado por un grupo representativo de expertos en la elaboración de guías clínicas, muestra una clara separación entre el grado de evidencia y la fuerza de las recomendaciones, presenta una evaluación explícita sobre la importancia de los desenlaces finales de las diferentes estrategias de manejo, entre otras características. En esta breve revisión describimos las razones que explican la adopción de esta clasificación.

There is great inconsistency on how "Clinical Guideline Developers" worldwide rate the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations because there are several classification systems in use. Therefore, medical guideline users face profound challenges in understanding articles on Clinical Guidelines. Many researchers are adopting the GRADE system to classify the quality of the available evidence and the strength of recommendations when preparing a manuscript on Clinical Guidelines. The GRADE system has advantages over previous rating systems including being developed by a representative group of guideline developers, patent separation between quality of evidence and strength of recommendations, explicit evaluation of the importance of outcomes of alternative management strategies, and others. Consequently, in this brief review, we describe the reasons underlying the adoption of GRADE.

[(18)FDG PET/CT imaging in primary breast lymphoma and breast cancer]. / (18)FDG PET/CT en linfoma primario de mama y cáncer de mama.

BACKGROUND: Of women between 15 and 29 years of age, 13.6% will die from breast cancer. For women between 30 and 64 years of age, 19% will die from breast cancer. METHODS: We studied 1728 oncological patients and 295 patients were included, 293 with breast cancer (17%) and two patients with primary breast lymphoma (0.1%). RESULTS: There were 98% females and 2% males. SUVmax for the primary tumor was 4.2 +/- 2.6 SD. Mean SUVmax for patients with primary breast lymphoma were 3.2 and 1.4. Sites of metastases were lymph nodes in the neck (4.4% SUVmax 2.7), internal mammary lymph nodes (5% SUVmax 5.3), mediastinum (8.3% SUVmax 5.0), retroperitoneal (6 % SUVmax 5.4), ipsilateral axilla (94% SUVmax 4.5), contralateral axilla (4.4% SUVmax 2.8), pectoral muscle (10.2% SUVmax 2.6), pleura (4.4% SUVmax 3.9), lung (32.3% SUVmax 2.9), liver (19.1% SUVmax 4.5), bone (36.7%), adrenal gland (4.4% SUVmax 2.4), brain (4.4%), spleen and contralateral breast, one case each. One patient presented thymic hyperplasia after chemotherapy. Mean SUVmax for blastic lesions was 5.4 +/- 2.9 SD, for lytic lesions it was 6.7 +/- 2.4 SD and for lesions not apparent on the CT it was 4.6 +/- 2.4 SD. The incidence of a second primary was 4.7%, 2.1% ovarian, 1.4% lung, 0.3% lymphoma, 0.3% endometrium, 0.3% pancreas and 0.3% thyroid. CONCLUSIONS: Mean SUVmax for the primary tumor was similar to that reported in the literature. Values for metastatic bone lesions are higher in this study. Inclusion of PET/CT in the followup of breast lesions is cost efficient.

(18)FDG PET/CT en linfoma primario de mama y cáncer de mama / (18)FDG PET/CT imaging in primary breast lymphoma and breast cancer

BACKGROUND: Of women between 15 and 29 years of age, 13.6% will die from breast cancer. For women between 30 and 64 years of age, 19% will die from breast cancer. METHODS: We studied 1728 oncological patients and 295 patients were included, 293 with breast cancer (17%) and two patients with primary breast lymphoma (0.1%). RESULTS: There were 98% females and 2% males. SUVmax for the primary tumor was 4.2 +/- 2.6 SD. Mean SUVmax for patients with primary breast lymphoma were 3.2 and 1.4. Sites of metastases were lymph nodes in the neck (4.4% SUVmax 2.7), internal mammary lymph nodes (5% SUVmax 5.3), mediastinum (8.3% SUVmax 5.0), retroperitoneal (6 % SUVmax 5.4), ipsilateral axilla (94% SUVmax 4.5), contralateral axilla (4.4% SUVmax 2.8), pectoral muscle (10.2% SUVmax 2.6), pleura (4.4% SUVmax 3.9), lung (32.3% SUVmax 2.9), liver (19.1% SUVmax 4.5), bone (36.7%), adrenal gland (4.4% SUVmax 2.4), brain (4.4%), spleen and contralateral breast, one case each. One patient presented thymic hyperplasia after chemotherapy. Mean SUVmax for blastic lesions was 5.4 +/- 2.9 SD, for lytic lesions it was 6.7 +/- 2.4 SD and for lesions not apparent on the CT it was 4.6 +/- 2.4 SD. The incidence of a second primary was 4.7%, 2.1% ovarian, 1.4% lung, 0.3% lymphoma, 0.3% endometrium, 0.3% pancreas and 0.3% thyroid. CONCLUSIONS: Mean SUVmax for the primary tumor was similar to that reported in the literature. Values for metastatic bone lesions are higher in this study. Inclusion of PET/CT in the followup of breast lesions is cost efficient.

Selection of best candidates for multiorgan resection among patients with T4 gastric carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Indications for gastrectomy in T4 gastric carcinoma (GC) remain controversial. Our aim was to define prognostic factors to select those patients with best chance to benefit from multiorgan resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cohort of patients with T4 GC treated in a 19-year period. Surgical morbidity-associated factors were identified by logistic regression analysis. Prognostic factors were defined by Kaplan-Meier and Cox methods. RESULTS: Seven hundred eighteen patients were included (gastrectomy performed in 169). Surgical morbidity and mortality were 39% and 10.7%, respectively. Surgical morbidity were associated to extent of gastrectomy, age, serum albumin, and lymphocyte count (P = 0.0001). Presence of metastasis (hazard ratio [HR], 1.68; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.19-2.36), albumin <3 g/dl plus lymphocytes <1,000 cells/mm(3) (HR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.8-4.6), presence of ascites (HR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.06-4.2), age >or=50 (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.02-1.8), and unresectable disease (HR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.7-4.1) defined poor survival (P = 0.00001). CONCLUSION: Performing a multiorgan resection must be balanced between chances for long-term survival and surviving a potentially fatal operation. Absence of metastases, serum albumin levels >3 g/dl, and accomplishment of R0 resection select patients with high probability of benefit from multiorgan resection.

[Positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) in lung cancer]. / Tomografía por emisión de positrones y tomografía computarizada (PET/CT) en carcinoma de pulmón.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the most frequent cause of death due to neoplasm in Western populations, with >660,000 new diagnoses of lung cancer per year according to the World Health Organization. METHODS: We undertook this study to emphasize the role of positron emission tomography to all health care professionals involved in lung cancer diagnosis. RESULTS: There are false negatives with PET-(18)FDG in carcinoids and broncheoalveolar carcinoma in almost 40% of the cases. One relatively common cause of false positives is the vocal cord and adjacent muscles contralateral and compensatory to the lung lesion that show an increased uptake of (18)FDG because of lesions in the laryngeal nerve by the tumor or secondary to surgery. It should not be confounded with metastases. CONCLUSIONS: There is sufficient scientific evidence pointing to the usefulness of PET studies and its evolution to PET/CT, especially in patients with lung cancer. This can resolve doubts by the oncologist and patient when there is a suspicious malignant lesion by the following: characterizing solitary pulmonary nodules (benign or malignant), localizing the optimal site for the biopsy, diagnosis of the primary tumor for initial staging, evaluation of mediastinal involvement and distant metastasis, evaluate and restage residual tumor, assessment of recurrence, monitoring response, prognostic prediction and radiotherapy planning.

Experience of surgical morbidity after palliative surgery in patients with gastric carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Indications for palliative surgery in gastric carcinoma (GC) are controversial. Our aim was to describe the results of palliative surgery in GC in terms of operative morbidity and survival. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with GC, who were divided into three groups: resection with microscopic residual disease (R1), palliative resection with macroscopic residual disease (R2), and gastrojejunostomy. Comparisons were tested with analysis of variance (ANOVA) or chi(2) test, and the Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-two patients were included in the study: 21 had R1, 71 had R2, and 40 had gastrojejunostomy. Surgical morbidity was recorded in 4 patients (19%), 23 patients (32.4%), and 1 patient (2.5%) in each of the three groups, respectively (P = 0.001). Operative mortality occurred in 6 patients (8.5%) from the R2 group and in 1 (2.5%) patient from the gastrojejunostomy group (P = 0.406). Median survivals of the R1, R2, and gastrojejunostomy groups were 22.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 16.4-29.3), 12.4 (95% CI, 9.01-15.8) months, and 6.4 months (95% CI, 0-14.6), respectively (P = 0.078) CONCLUSION: R1 resections and gastrojejunostomy were associated with low surgical morbidity and mortality, unlike R2 resection; in this group, surgical morbidity and mortality was high. Therefore, the benefit of palliative resection in the presence of extensive residual disease should be balanced against the risk of surgical morbidity.

Captaciones fisiológicas y variantes normales en el estudio PET/CT con (18)FDG / Normal variants and frequent pitfalls with (18)FDG PET/CT study

BACKGROUND: Fluordeoxyglucose ((18)FDG) is the most common radiotracer used for PET/CT studies. It enters the cell because of the glucose transporter proteins (GLUTs): 1) erythrocytic membrane, skeletal muscle, lymphocytes, ovaries, breast; 2) pancreas, retina, erythrocytes; 3) adipocytes, ovaries, testis; 4) skeletal muscle, adipocytes, ovaries, myocardium; 5) breast, small intestine, testis, kidney, erythrocytes; 6) spleen, leucocytes, brain; 7) liver; 8) testis, brain; 9) liver, kidney; 10) liver, pancreas; 11) heart, muscle; 12) heart, prostate; 13) brain. We undertook this study to expand the knowledge about physiological uptake. Physiological uptake of (18)FDG was in brain, Waldeyer ring (adenoids, palatine tonsils, lingual tonsils), salivary glands (parotids, submandibular), tongue, vocal cords, cricoarythenoid muscle, thyroid, brown fat (supraclavicular, mediastinal, neck, pericardial fat, around kidney, around great vessels in the thorax, subdiaphragmatic, intercostals, paravertebral), myocardium, breast, thymus, contractive muscles, liver, spleen (similar to the liver), stomach, intestine, kidneys, bladder, uterus, ovaries, testes, bone marrow, esophagus, and atherosclerotic inflammatory plaque. DISCUSSION: False positives were as follows: pneumoniae, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, cryptococcosis, thrombosis, bronchitis, costochondritis, radiation pneumonitis, misregistration for respiratory movements, catheters, thyroid and adrenal adenomas, osteophytes, fractures, abscess, foreign body, surgical wounds, ostomies, prosthesis, degenerative joint diseases, osteomyelitis, amyloidosis, pancreatitis, myositis, gastritis, colitis, herpes zoster. (18)FDG should be injected 4-6 h after insulin administration because it will be concentrated in the muscles. The brown fat raises its uptake 50% in late images. CONCLUSIONS: It is vital to know the most frequent sites of physiological uptake in the (18)FDG PET/CT studies to identify those regions that occasionally present hypermetabolism but that are not related to neoplastic tumors. This must be taken into consideration in the evaluation of PET/CT studies.