ABSTRACT
The authors report the results of a study conducted on 136 patients affected by breast cancer under treatment with tamoxifen at a daily dose of 20 mg who underwent a strict follow-up including endometrial surveillance. The cytologic evaluation of the endometrium was performed on smears obtained by the endocyte sampling. The results were in accordance with what is reported in the literature. Forty cases presented with hyperplasia which was atypical in two cases. Only in one case did histology show a well differentiated adenocarcinoma. In 25 cases the endometrium resulted to be proliferative in accordance with the effect of tamoxifen, while the remaining 67 cases were atrophic. The investigation was not possible in four cases due to stenosis. In our study the endocyte sampler resulted to be an economic, simple and painless cytologic device, suitable for clinical use because of its low incidence of false positives.
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/pathology , Biopsy/standards , Endometrial Neoplasms/pathology , Endometrium/cytology , Estrogen Antagonists/adverse effects , Tamoxifen/adverse effects , Administration, Oral , Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy , Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/drug therapy , Endometrium/drug effects , Estrogen Antagonists/administration & dosage , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Predictive Value of Tests , Tamoxifen/administration & dosageABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to underline how topical is the chapter of the sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis and to try to make a classification. Pulmonary tuberculosis can be cured definitely or hesitate in disease (BK negative) that is totally independent from tuberculosis about their pathogenesis and clinical features. They are called sequelae. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We made a statistical analysis that investigate a group of 110 patients without active infection (BK negative) admitted in the hospital because of a sequela of pulmonary tuberculosis. Patients were treated in the past by collapse-therapy or by antibiotic-therapy until their spittle became negative for BK. RESULTS: A significant (p < 0.05) relationship between each kind of sequela, among the most important ones (fibrothorax, interstitial fibrosis, bronchiectasis, empyema with or without pleural fistula, parafibrotic emphysema), and type of treatment, results. CONCLUSIONS: The sequelae of tuberculosis of the lung are highly disadvantageous for people who are affected; are observed frequently; are closely dependent on what kind of treatment the patient has received; are classified in iatrogenic, not iatrogenic or mixed.
