Pancreatic Cancer Incidence, Mortality, and Survival in Puerto Rico, 2001-2015.

OBJECTIVE: To perform an epidemiologic profile of pancreatic cancer (PC) in Puerto Rico (PR) with data gathered from 2001 to 2015. METHODS: Using data from the PR Central Cancer Registry we estimated incidence and mortality rates and trends of PC in PR, and performed survival analyses. We also compared the age-standardized incidence and mortality rates of PC in people in PR with those of Hispanics, non-Hispanic whites, and non Hispanic blacks in the United States (US). RESULTS: From 2011 to 2015, 7.8 per 100,000 persons were diagnosed with PC in PR; higher rates were observed in men than in women (9.2 vs. 6.7 per 100,000, respectively) and in persons 65 years old and older (42.7 per 100,000 persons). For the same period, 6.7 per 100,000 persons died from PC; men and persons 65 years and older had higher mortality rates. Incidence and mortality trends of PC in PR increased from 2001-2015 (annual percent change [APC] = 3.8% and 1.9%, respectively (p<0.05). Lower risk of being diagnosed with and dying from PC was seen in PR than in members of several racial/ethnic groups in the US. The median survival time for PC cases diagnosed in PR during the period of 2008 to 2012 was 5.3 months. CONCLUSION: We observed increasing mortality rates and low survival in PC patients in PR. Research on access and response to treatment is needed to elucidate the reasons for the observed results and have a positive impact on PC burden and survival.

Epidemiology of Pancreatic Cancer in Puerto Rico (1987-2010): Incidence, Mortality and Survival.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Pancreatic cancer is an uncommon type of cancer worldwide. Nonetheless, even with early diagnosis, mortality rates are high. This study aims to perform an epidemiologic profile of pancreatic cancer in Puerto Rico (PR) from 1987-2010. METHODS: Using data from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry, age-standardized incidence and mortality rates of pancreatic cancer in PR were compared with Hispanics, non-Hispanic Whites, and non-Hispanic Blacks in the United States of America (USA). Incidence and mortality trends of pancreatic cancer were estimated, and survival analyses were also performed. RESULTS: In 2005-2010, 5.8 per 100,000 persons were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in PR and mortality rates were similar. Pancreatic cancer was more frequent in men (6.5 per 100,000 men) than women (5.2 per 100,000 women), and in persons older than 65 years (32.0 per 100,000 persons). Moreover, the median survival for the people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in PR during 2006-2007 was 4 months and at the end of the third year after diagnosis, only 13% of the patients survived. Incidence trends of pancreatic cancer showed an increase for men (APC=13.0%, p<0.05) from 2006 to 2010, but not for women (APC=-0.4, p>0.05). However, mortality trends showed a slight decrease for men (APC=-1.0%, p<0.05), but not for women (APC=1.4, p>0.05) in the period of 1987 to 2010. Meanwhile, Puerto Ricans in comparison to other racial/ethnic groups living in the USA showed a lower risk for being diagnosed and of dying from pancreatic cancer. CONCLUSION: Our results highlight the need for additional research in pancreatic cancer, in order to have an impact in disease survival in PR.

[Granulocytic sarcoma (chloroma) of small bowel: an unfrequent cause of intestinal obstruction]. / Sarcoma granulocítico (cloroma) del intestino delgado: una causa infrecuente de suboclusión intestinal.

Granulocytic sarcoma or chloroma is a malignant extra medullar tumor, based on inmature myeloid cells. It usually emerges as a secondary manifestation of acute myeloid leukemia. Chloromas are scarcely diagnosed in patiens without hematological malignances, either peripheral or medullar, and are thus frequently misdiagnosed for other tumors. In these patients, further development of acute leukemia seems to stand as a rule. Small bowel location of these tumors has hardly been reported. A case of granulocytic sarcoma in a non-leukemic at time of diagnosis patient is reported therein. Medical literature is briefly reviewed.

Thyrotropin-like immunoreactivity in the developing chicken retina.

In this paper we analysed the presence and localisation of thyrotropin during retinal development in Gallus domesticus. Specific thyrotropin-like immunohistochemical staining was observed from the beginning of the second incubation week to one day post-hatching in chicken retina. Thyrotropin is a 28.3 KDa glycoprotein, synthesised by the anterior pituitary gland, and it is implicated in the stimulation of the synthesis and release of thyroid hormones. Until now, the action of thyrotropin has been established exclusively in hormonal terms. Recently, this glycoprotein has been localised in synaptic processes in the human retina by using a specific antiserum (Fdez-Trujillo et al., 1995). To the best of our knowledge this report is the first time that thyrotropin has been immunocytochemically demonstrated in the chicken retina. The pattern of thyrotropin-like immunoreactivity suggests that this glycoprotein could act as modulator of synaptic transmission, but it may also play a much broader role in regulating trophic functions.

The neural marker neuron-specific enolase in the development of embryo chicken retina: a morphological description.

The localisation and distribution of Neuron-specific enolase is reported in the avian Gallus domesticus retinal development by using immunocytochemistry. Neuron specific enolase was found to be present from the early days of incubation to the post-hatch period. The results obtained using this neural marker showed the development pattern of the distribution and the sequence of differentiation of the retinal neural structures. Like the finding of the members of the phylogenetic scale, this enzyme should prove to be a useful tool in the neural development of the chicken retina.