ABSTRACT
Sister Mary Joseph's nodule is referred to a metastatic lesion of the umbilicus originating from intra-abdominal or pelvic malignant disease. Metastases from other locations have been also reported. In 1949 the English surgeon Sir Hamilton Bailey coined this term after Sister Mary Joseph (1856-1939), a superintendent nurse at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, USA, who was the first to observe the association between the umbilical nodule and intra-abdominal malignancy. In this article, we discuss both the historical and clinical perspectives of Sister Mary Joseph's nodule.
Subject(s)
Abdominal Neoplasms/pathology , Neoplasm Metastasis/pathology , Pelvic Neoplasms/pathology , Umbilicus/pathology , Abdominal Neoplasms/history , Eponyms , History of Nursing , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , Humans , Pelvic Neoplasms/history , United StatesABSTRACT
Fifty years after the development of pelvic exenteration, the operation remains a gold standard in the surgical management of advanced pelvic malignancy. The operation has evolved through several predictable phases including technical improvements, lowered morbidity and mortality, and improved patient selection. Despite progress in supportive peri-operative care, pelvic exenteration is a major undertaking that should be performed in centers with proven interest and expertise in the field. We trace the early developments of the operation, the period of maturation, and the current place of this procedure in the armamentarium of the oncologic surgeon.
Subject(s)
Pelvic Exenteration/history , Female , History, 20th Century , Humans , Pelvic Neoplasms/history , Pelvic Neoplasms/surgeryABSTRACT
A survey of the tumors found in the remains of the Ancient Egyptians shows the occurrence of all the kinds of tumors which would be expected to be preserved in the osteological evidence. On the other hand, findings of tumors in the soft tissues of mummies are only exceptional. The frequency of tumors seems to be lower than in recent years, probably because of the shorter mean duration of life. The pathological lesions preserved in bony sturcture reveal not only osseous tumors, but also the presence of some tumors of soft tissues eroding the bone. To the survey of cases described in the literature, original findings of a calcified myoma uteri and of a probably epipharyngeal carcinoma are added. Because our knowledge on the history of tumors is not yet comprehensive, much more attention should be devoted to the search for them, starting from the moment of excavation of any cemetary.
