[Insular carcinoma of the thyroid]. / Carcinoma insular del tiroides: comunicación de 5 casos.

We report 5 cases of insular carcinoma of the thyroid. Most patients were females (80%) with an age range of 28 to 75 years. Treatment consisted of total or near total thyroidectomy plus modified cervical lymph node dissection in cases with lymph node metastasis. This was followed by radioiodine therapy and external radiation therapy in patients with residual disease. None of the patients had distant metastasis. However, three patients with involvement of the perithyroid soft tissue died within 4 years of the diagnosis. The other two patients are alive without evidence of disease. This type of thyroid carcinoma has an aggresive clinical course with frequent extension to the adjacent soft tissue associated to poor outcomes.

[Hürthle cell carcinoma of the thyroid. A 41 years experience]. / Carcinoma de células de Hürthle del tiroides. Experiencia en 41 años.

BACKGROUND: Hürthle cells can be found in non malignant thyroidal diseases such as Basedow Graves and Hashimoto diseases. When Hürthle cells comprise more the 75% of cellularity, they become a neoplasm. There are malignant variants of these neoplasms, constituted by follicular and papillary Hürthle cell carcinomas. AIM: To report a 41 years experience with Hürthle cell carcinomas of the thyroid. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients operated for a thyroid carcinoma and selection of those patients with Hürthle cell carcinoma of the thyroid. RESULTS: Twenty two patients (21 female, mean age 48 years old) with Hürthle cell carcinoma of the thyroid were selected. Total or near total thyroidectomy was the treatment of choice in 20 and 19 received 131I. Metastatic involvement of cervical lymph nodes was found in five patients and they underwent modified cervical lymph node dissection. During follow up, only one patient died of the disease. We did not find higher incidences of local recurrences, distant metastases or mortality rates, compared to well differentiated thyroid carcinomas. CONCLUSIONS: Hürthle cell carcinomas of the thyroid and well differentiated thyroid carcinomas have similar biological behaviors. Their treatment should be similar, including total or near total thyroidectomy plus modified cervical node dissection when there is lymph node involvement. Radioactive iodine therapy and suppressive levothyroxin therapy should follow.

[Medical treatment of prolactin and growth hormone-secreting pituitary tumors]. / Tratamiento médico de los tumores hipofisiarios productores de prolactina y hormona de crecimiento.

Advances in medical treatment of prolactinomas and acromegaly in the last 20 years are analyzed. Dopaminergic drugs as bromocriptine, lisuride, pergolide and terguride successfully control hyperprolactinemia, reduce tumor size and cause clinical improvement. New long lasting medications with less adverse effects such as cabergoline, with oral weekly administration, and the repeatable monthly injectable form of bromocriptine (Parlodel LAR, Sandoz) may be the treatment of choice for prolactinomas. Dopaminergic medications are less effective in acromegaly. The higher doses required induce more collateral effects. An important step has been the incorporation of long lasting somatostatin analogues such as octreotide (for sbc use tid) intramuscular every 28 days injectable Sandostatin LAR and lanreotide SR (Somatuline, Ipsen Biotech), injectable every 10 to 14 days. Medical treatment of acromegaly is not, at the present, an alternative to surgery. However, the development of long lasting specific drugs may become, in the future, the choice or an alternative in the treatment of acromegaly.

[Towards a policy of human resources development for health]. / Hacia una política de desarrollo de recursos humanos para la salud.

A severe deterioration in numbers and quality of health personnel in health services was observed during the military regime. Due to population growth only, the NHS has experienced an 18% reduction in personnel. Security at the job and on the job training have disappeared. We propose to correct the deficit in personnel over a 4 year period; develop a job assignment system based on progressive training; promote continuing education and fellowships. Primary health care must be emphasized, a national network of outpatient facilities should be developed and health services should be linked to other health facilities. Regional care and teaching programs and the growing of family medicine are also considered. Finally, appropriate curricular modifications are required for the health professions.

[Sheehan syndrome and spontaneous pregnancy: report of 2 cases]. / Sindrome de Sheehan y embarazo espontáneo: comunicación de dos casos.

Two patients receiving substitution therapy for Sheehan syndrome became pregnant. No pituitary trophins, except LH responded to stimulation with the hypothalamic hormones TRH and Gn-Rh, or insulin induced hypoglycemia. Computed tomography showed a normal size sella with arachnoid cyst.

Long-term effect of 90Y pituitary implantation in acromegaly.

This report examines the long-term trends in GH levels and pituitary function in a group of 38 acromegalic patients who were selected insofar as we were able to follow them up for more than 10 years after a single dose of 90Y interstitial pituitary irradiation as the sole treatment. Mean serum GH had fallen from 106 to 24 mIU/l within 3-6 months and then slowly declined to 4 mIU/l after 10 years. GH levels of less than or equal to 5 mIU/l during a 50 g oral glucose tolerance test were obtained in 8% of patients at 3-6 months and in 18% at 1 year, the cumulative percentage increasing to 53% at 10, and 76% at 14 years. The percentage of patients requiring hormone replacement therapy rose from nil pre-implant to 16% by 3-6 months, and then slowly increased to 39% by 14 years. Serial coned radiographs of the pituitary fossa were available for 32 patients. By 10 years, 16 showed thickening of the dorsum sellae and/or reduction of at least one diameter by 3 mm. Concerning symptoms, all 29 patients whose GH level fell to less than or equal to 5 mIU/l showed improvements, 22 becoming asymptomatic. Seven patients with lesser falls in GH levels (from a mean of 193 to a mean of 15 mIU/l) all improved, one becoming asymptomatic. Two showed no variation. These results show that 90Y pituitary implants have a cumulative effect over the years in inducing remission and hypopituitarism in acromegalic patients, the early decline in GH levels being swifter than from other forms of irradiation.

The acromegaly syndrome. Relation between clinical features, growth hormone values and radiological characteristics of the pituitary tumours.

One hundred and fifty-five acromegalics, 76 males (mean age 44 +/- 1.3 years) and 79 females (45 +/- 1.4 years) were studied. The frequency of clinical features were: acral enlargement 100 per cent, hyperhidrosis 65 per cent, headache 55 per cent, paraesthesiae 49 per cent, cardiac problems 34 per cent, hypertension 32 per cent, diabetes mellitus (clinical and chemical) 27 per cent, and visual field defects 6 per cent. Signs and symptoms, and particularly headache, did not show any relation with the size or shape of pituitary tumours, nor with growth hormone (GH) values, age, sex or weight. Mean of GH values at 60, 90 and 120 minutes during a GTT averaged 135 mIU/l, range 8-1833. Diabetes mellitus was more frequent and severe in patients with higher GH values, occurring in 32 per cent of patients with mean GH values greater than or equal to 50 mIU/l and only in 16 per cent of the rest (p less than 0.05). GH values correlated positively with size of tumours. Forty-nine per cent of patients presented with entirely intrasellar tumours, 27 per cent with suprasellar extensions and 23 per cent with partially empty sellae. The mean GH (238 mIU/l) of patients with suprasellar extensions was significantly higher (p less than 0.004) than those of the others. Younger acromegalics showed a tendency to larger tumours. Early treatment of acromegaly, particularly in young patients and those presenting with high GH values, is recommended.

Interstitial pituitary irradiation with 90Y for the treatment of acromegaly. A reappraisal.

The management of 54 acromegalics referred to us between 1974 and 1978 has been analysed. Twenty-two patients were treated with pituitary implants of yttrium-90 (90Y). Eleven are in complete remission (mean growth hormone (GH) less than 11 mIU/l), 8 had improved (mean GH 11-20 mIU/l or 50% less than preoperatively) and 3 were poor responders. Two patients had temporary 6th nerve paresis. Seven patients are on replacement therapy. Thirty-one patients were not implanted for the following reasons with a number of patients having more than one: extension of the tumour into the sphenoid sinus 10, or above the sella 3, partially empty sella 9, internal carotids too close to midline 2, invisible landmarks 1, mild acromegaly 6, poor general health 3, declined investigations or operation 6. It is concluded that pituitary implant of yttrium is an effective and safe form of treatment in carefully selected patients.