[Breast cancers and pregnancy. 43 cases reported in the National Oncology Institute between 1985 and 1988]. / Cancers du sein et grossesse. A propos de quarante-trois cas colligés à l'Institut National d'Oncologie entre 1985 et 1988.

We report a 4-year retrospective study of 43 cases of breast cancer related to pregnancy and the post-natal period, corresponding to a 4.6% incidence in the breast cancers recorded during the same period. The mean age of our patients was 33 years. The most common reason for the consultation was the tumour. Inflammatory signs were present in 25% of cases and 80% of our patients had palpable under-arm adenopathies. 27% of cases were metastatic from the outset. The timing of treatment was the only parameter to be changed on the basis of age or the continuation of pregnancy or stage of the illness. Termination of pregnancy was carried out in only 2 cases. Recurrences occurred in 70% of cases and the survival median was 18 months. We noted that breast cancer during the perinatal period constitutes a poor prognosis, hence the importance of early diagnosis and care.

[Fixation of fluorescent estrone derivative on human breast cancer cells. Correlation with age, menopause status and histopathology]. / Fixation d'un dérivé fluorescent de l'oestrone sur les cellules de cancers mammaires humains. Corrélation avec l'âge, le statut ménopausique et l'histopathologie.

Values were determined by means of a ligand binding assay using 17-FE (17-fluoresceinated estrone) in 53 breast cancer patients. 49.1% of the tumors were positive and 50.9 negative. There was no correlation between the positivity and tumor size and localisation. The proportion of positivity increased with advancing age. In the group of postmenopausal women, the incidence of positivity was higher than in the premenopausal group, although the difference was not statistically significant. Histopathologically, tumors with high and intermediate grades of differentiation were often more significatively positive when compared to poorly differentiated tumors.

[Aneurysms of digestive arteries. What are the indications?]. / Anévrismes des artères digestives. Quelles indications?

Twelve cases of visceral artery aneurysms have been retrospectively reviewed in order to evaluate the results of the various therapeutic decisions. Aneurysms were located on splenic (n = 5), hepatic (n = 1), celiac (n = 3), superior mesenteric (n = 1), pancreatico-duodenal arteries (n = 1) and superior mesenteric artery branches (n = 2). Among two patients operated on for ruptured aneurysms, one patient who suffered from free intraperitoneal hemorrhage died after the operation. All patients operated on with unruptured aneurysms survived. Among two patients who were not operated on because of the small size of the aneurysms, one died suddenly a few years later from an unknown cause which may have been a rupture, and the second one was lost from the survey. Our results and those in the literature suggest that surgical treatment (or in some cases percutaneous embolization) is indicated in any symptomatic aneurysm and in most asymptomatic aneurysms except in splenic artery aneurysms. The latter should be operated on only when the diameter is more than 2.5 cm or when they are found in pregnant women or in women with child-bearing capacity.