Rituximab for the treatment of acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease associated with connective tissue disease.

BACKGROUND: Acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease (AE-ILD) is a severe complication with a poor prognosis. No clinical trials have supported the use of rituximab in AE-ILD associated with connective tissue disease. METHODS: We present a series of four cases in which administration of rituximab was associated with appropriate clinical, radiological and functional progress. RESULTS: The four patients were alive 30 days after discharge following their exacerbation. CONCLUSIONS: Given the speed of action, safety and efficacy profile observed for rituximab, we believe that this agent should be further investigated in clinical trials so that it could be included in the daily clinical management of this severe condition.

Assessment of Topoisomerase II α status in breast cancer by quantitative PCR, gene expression microarrays, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Anthracyclines are frequently used for the treatment of breast cancer and topoisomerase II alpha (TOP2A) is considered to be the molecular target. Numerous studies have evaluated the predictive value of TOP2A using different methodological approaches and inconsistent results have been reported. Indeed, the correlation between techniques for the assessment of TOP2A status has not been well evaluated. In this study, we determined TOP2A status in 61 breast tumor samples by real-time PCR, DNA microarrays, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and then evaluated these results with clinical-pathological features and breast cancer intrinsic subtypes. First, we observed a statistical significant correlation of TOP2A gene expression between real-time PCR and microarrays (Pearson coefficient, 0.816; P < 0.001), and both predicted TOP2A IHC results fairly well (area under the curve > 0.74). In contrast, poor agreement between FISH and IHC data was observed (k: 0.134). Secondly, TOP2A expression was found significantly associated with cell proliferation, and with the highly proliferative Luminal B, Her2-enriched and Basal-like intrinsic subtypes. In conclusion, TOP2A expression in breast cancer was associated with high proliferation and aggressive tumor subtypes and appears to be independent of its amplification status. All of these features should be taken into consideration when assessing the predictive value of TOP2A for anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

Adjuvant docetaxel for high-risk, node-negative breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: A regimen of docetaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (TAC) is superior to a regimen of fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FAC) when used as adjuvant therapy in women with node-positive breast cancer. The value of taxanes in the treatment of node-negative disease has not been determined. METHODS: We randomly assigned 1060 women with axillary-node-negative breast cancer and at least one high-risk factor for recurrence (according to the 1998 St. Gallen criteria) to treatment with TAC or FAC every 3 weeks for six cycles after surgery. The primary end point was disease-free survival after at least 5 years of follow-up. Secondary end points included overall survival and toxicity. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 77 months, the proportion of patients alive and disease-free was higher among the 539 women in the TAC group (87.8%) than among the 521 women in the FAC group (81.8%), representing a 32% reduction in the risk of recurrence with TAC (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49 to 0.93; P=0.01 by the log-rank test). This benefit was consistent, regardless of hormone-receptor status, menopausal status, or number of high-risk factors. The difference in survival rates (TAC, 95.2%; FAC, 93.5%) was not significant (hazard ratio, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.45 to 1.26); however, the number of events was small (TAC, 26; FAC, 34). Rates of grade 3 or 4 adverse events were 28.2% with TAC and 17.0% with FAC (P<0.001). Toxicity associated with TAC was diminished when primary prophylaxis with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was provided. CONCLUSIONS: As compared with adjuvant FAC, adjuvant TAC improved the rate of disease-free survival among women with high-risk, node-negative breast cancer. (Funded by GEICAM and Sanofi-Aventis; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00121992.).

[Da Vinci robot assisted radical prostatectomy: one year experience at the Hospital Clínico San Carlos]. / Prostatectomía radical asistida por robot Da Vinci: un año de experiencia en el Hospital Clínico San Carlos.

OBJECTIVES: Hospital Clínico San Carlos in Madrid is the first Spanish public centre using the latest surgical technology: the Da Vinci robot. First operation was carried out in our department in October 9th 2006. Since then, numerous changes have happened which enabled us to overcome difficulties, to complete the learning curve. METHODS: Between October 9th 2006 and November 30th 2007 we performed 30 radical prostatectomies with the Da Vinci robot. Mean patient age was 63 years (47-70 years) with an ASA (American society of anesthesia) risk below III in all cases, a Gleason score between 2 and 8 and a PSA < or = 15 (3.5-15). Mean prostatic volume measured by transrectal ultrasound was 36 cc (16-90 cc). RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Six trocars and a 15 mm Hg pneumoperitoneum were employed. Mean operative room occupation time was 5.9 hours (4-14 hours). Two cases were converted to open surgery and one to laparoscopy. No major intraoperative complications have happened. In the immediate post-operative period, 2 patients presented plexopathy and arthralgia, 1 infection at the site of one trocar, and 2 haematomas at the site of trocar insertion. Sixteen patients required transfusion (mean 1 red blood cells unit (0-4)). Bladder catheter was retrieved between 5th and 21st post-operative days (mean 11 days). Regarding continence: 10 patients were completely continent or present mild incontinence (0-1 pad) and 5 had moderate incontinence (2-5 pads). Three patients preserve sexual potency, the rest show different grades of dysfunction.

Randomized phase 3 trial of fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide alone or followed by Paclitaxel for early breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Taxanes are among the most active drugs for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, and, as a consequence, they have also been studied in the adjuvant setting. METHODS: After breast cancer surgery, women with lymph node-positive disease were randomly assigned to treatment with fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FEC) or with FEC followed by weekly paclitaxel (FEC-P). The primary endpoint of study-5-year disease-free survival (DFS)-was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Secondary endpoints included overall survival and analysis of the prognostic and predictive value of clinical and molecular (hormone receptors by immunohistochemistry and HER2 by fluorescence in situ hybridization) markers. Associations and interactions were assessed with a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model for DFS for the following covariates: age, menopausal status, tumor size, lymph node status, type of chemotherapy, tumor size, positive lymph nodes, HER2 status, and hormone receptor status. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: Among the 1246 eligible patients, estimated rates of DFS at 5 years were 78.5% in the FEC-P arm and 72.1% in the FEC arm (difference = 6.4%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.6% to 11.2%; P = .006). FEC-P treatment was associated with a 23% reduction in the risk of relapse compared with FEC treatment (146 relapses in the 614 patients in the FEC-P arm vs 193 relapses in the 632 patients in the FEC arm, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.62 to 0.95; P = .022) and a 22% reduction in the risk of death (73 and 95 deaths, respectively, HR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.57 to 1.06; P = .110). Among the 928 patients for whom tumor samples were centrally analyzed, type of chemotherapy (FEC vs FEC-P) (P = .017), number of involved axillary lymph nodes (P < .001), tumor size (P = .020), hormone receptor status (P = .004), and HER2 status (P = .006) were all associated with DFS. We found no statistically significant interaction between HER2 status and paclitaxel treatment or between hormone receptor status and paclitaxel treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with operable breast cancer, FEC-P treatment statistically significantly reduced the risk of relapse compared with FEC as adjuvant therapy.

Odontoameloblastoma: a case report and a review of the literature.

Odontoameloblastoma (OA) is an extremely rare mixed odontogenic tumor appearing within the maxillary bone, with both epithelial and mesenchymal components. The term odontoameloblastoma (OA) was included in the 1971 WHO classification. Only 23 well-documented cases have been reported in the medical literature. Because of their rarity, controversy exists in the treatment of this tumor. We present a new case of OA involving the mandible mimicking a compound odontoma and a brief review of the related literature.

Endometriosis y diverticulosis apendicular: a propósito de un caso / Endometriosis and diverticula of the appendix. Report of a case

La presencia de divertículos y endometriosis en el apéndice es un hallazgo poco frecuente. Presentamos un caso de una mujer en la cual ambas patologías coexisten. Tanto la endome-triosis como la diverticulosis apendicular suelen presentarse clínicamente simulando un cuadro de apendicitis aguda y el diagnóstico definitivo es anatomopatológico (AU)

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Utilidad del PSA-Complex en el diagnóstico del carcinoma de próstata / Utility of complexed PSA in the diagnosis of carcinoma of the prostate

OBJETIVOS: Desde el hallazgo del antígeno prostático específico (PSA), como marcador del cáncer de próstata, han sido muchos los intentos de mejorar su eficacia diagnóstica. Uno de ellos ha sido el estudio del comportamiento de las diferentes formas plasmáticas de PSA en su unión a distintas antiproteasas, entre las que destaca la 1-antiquimiotripsina, con la que forma el PSA complex (PSA-c). El objetivo es estudiar la validez del PSA-c para aumentar la especificidad sin variar la sensibilidad, frente al uso del PSA total (PSA-t).MÉTODOS: Entre septiembre de 1998 y marzo de 1999 se tomaron muestras de sangre a 96 pacientes que fueron sometidos a biopsia prostática por sospecha de cáncer de próstata. En estos pacientes se determinó el PSA-c, PSAt (ambos realizados por el Sistema Technicon Immuno 1 de Bayer) y se calculó el PSA-c/PSA-t. RESULTADOS: Se calcularon las curvas ROC y se hallaron los puntos de corte óptimos, para los cuales, ante un valor de sensibilidad semejante (90 por ciento), la especifici dad resultó mayor en el PSA-c (44,6 por ciento [IC 95 por ciento, 32-57]) frente al PSA-t (35,4 por ciento [IC 95 por ciento, 25-49]), y la ratio PSAc/PSA-t (38,5 por ciento[IC 95 por ciento, 27-51]). Para otros valores de sensibilidad el comportamiento del PSA-c fue análogo. CONCLUSIÓN: el PSA-c mejora la especificidad frente al PSA-t y el PSA-c/PSA-t, por lo cual sería posible con su uso una reducción de biopsias innecesarias sin dejar de detectar el mismo número de cánceres de próstata (igual sensibilidad) (AU)