Estudio del ganglio centinela en cáncer de mama mediante la utilización de la técnica combinada (radiotrazadores y colorantes): ¿qué aporta la combinación de ambos? / No disponible

Objetivo: Ha sido la valoración estadística del empleo de la técnica isotópica, con los factores que pueden influir en la visualización linfogammagráfica del ganglio centinela (GC) y el empleo de colorantes en combinación con marcadores isotópicos, las ventajas que pueden aportar y los inconvenientes. Pacientes y métodos: En la fase de validación de la técnica del GC fueron intervenidas 256 pacientes con diagnóstico de cáncer de mama. En 42 casos se empleó solo el radiotrazador, mientras que en 214 se utilizó además el colorante azul de isosulfán. Resultados: Los parámetros que influyeron de forma independiente en la captación isotópica han sido: la edad de la paciente y la invasión metastásica del GC con rotura capsular, mientras que los parámetros independientes para la tinción con colorante han sido la ubicación del tumor en la mama y la técnica diagnóstica empleada. Conclusión: La utilización del colorante complementa al radiotrazador para la búsqueda del GC ya que mejora la tasa de detección en las pacientes con tumores localizados en cuadrante externos de la mama y en los casos en que existe afectación ganglionar con rotura capsular(AU)

Aim: The statistical assessment of the use of radiotracer technique and which factors may influence the lymphogammagraphic detection, and the use of dyes in combination with isotopic tracers, the potential advantages and disadvantages. Patients and methods: In the validation phase of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy 256 breast cancer patients were included. In 42 cases only the radiotracer was used, while in 214 patients isosulfhan blue dye was also used. Results: The parameters that independently influenced the isotopic uptake were patient age and SLN metastatic invasion with capsular invasion, while the independent parameters for the dye stain has been the location of the tumor and diagnostic technique used. Conclusion: The use of blue dyes complements the radiotracer for the pursuit of SLN since it improves the detection rate in patients with tumors in the outer quadrants of the breast and in the cases where there is lymph node involvement with capsular invasion(AU)

Prognostic value of the interpectoral lymph nodes in breast cancer. A 20-year survival study.

INTRODUCTION: The indication and extent of axillary lymph node dissection in breast cancer remains open to controversy. MATERIALS AND METHOD: In this context, a 20-year survival study has been made of 1600 breast cancer patients subjected during surgical treatment to systematic dissection of the acromiothoracic vascular pedicle together with the accompanying lymph nodes (Rotter and Grossman interpectoral lymph node groups). An anatomical study of these nodes was also conducted in 100 necropsies, with the evaluation of 200 acromiothoracic vascular pedicles. RESULTS: The interpectoral lymph nodes were anatomically present in 42% of the necropsies and in 35.1% of the patients subjected to surgery. The prognosis was much worse in cases of neoplastic infiltration of the interpectoral lymph nodes (Kaplan-Meier survival study), regardless of the influence of other prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: In view of the results obtained, the designation of grade N3 of the TNM classification is proposed for malignancies with positive interpectoral lymph node infiltration.

Prognostic value of the interpectoral lymph nodes in breast cancer. A 20-year survival study

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Introduction. The indication and extent of axillarylymph node dissection in breast cancer remainsopen to controversy.Materials and method. In this context, a 20-yearsurvival study has been made of 1600 breast cancerpatients subjected during surgical treatment to systematicdissection of the acromiothoracic vascularpedicle together with the accompanying lymphnodes (Rotter and Grossman interpectoral lymphnode groups). An anatomical study of these nodeswas also conducted in 100 necropsies, with the evaluationof 200 acromiothoracic vascular pedicles.Results. The interpectoral lymph nodes were anatomicallypresent in 42% of the necropsies and in35.1% of the patients subjected to surgery. The prognosiswas much worse in cases of neoplastic infiltrationof the interpectoral lymph nodes (Kaplan-Meier survival study), regardless of the influence ofother prognostic factors.Conclusions. In view of the results obtained, thedesignation of grade N3 of the TNM classification isproposed for malignancies with positive interpectorallymph node infiltration

Risk stratification in heart failure using artificial neural networks.

Accurate risk stratification of heart failure patients is critical to improve management and outcomes. Heart failure is a complex multisystem disease in which several predictors are categorical. Neural network models have successfully been applied to several medical classification problems. Using a simple neural network, we assessed one-year prognosis in 132 patients, consecutively admitted with heart failure, by classifying them in 3 groups: death, readmission and one-year event-free survival. Given the small number of cases, the neural network model was trained using a resampling method. We identified relevant predictors using the Automatic Relevance Determination (ARD) method, and estimated their mean effect on the 3 different outcomes. Only 9 individuals were misclassified. Neural networks have the potential to be a useful tool for making prognosis in the domain of heart failure.

[Changes in hospital mortality from acute myocardial infarction during the last 15 years. The impact of reperfusion treatments]. / Evolución de la mortalidad hospitalaria por infarto agudo de miocardio durante los últimos 15 años. Influencia de los tratamientos de reperfusión.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: There are not any conclusive data about the changes in in-hospital mortality in a non-selected series of patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction in different periods of time. We studied the in-hospital mortality of three extensive series of patients admitted to our Coronary Care Unit during different periods of time, the influence of reperfusion methods and their early application, as well as the changes in baseline characteristics of the three populations studied. METHODS: The in-hospital mortality of 1,858 consecutively-admitted patients during three different periods of time (1983-1986, 1992-1994, and 1995-1998) were studied. The demographic data, the previous history and risk factors, the evolution during the acute phase and the treatment prescribed with special attention to the reperfusion methods applied and the delay on its administration were compared. RESULTS: The differences in the baseline characteristics of the populations studied are described. In the two groups of the nineteen-nineties, an increase in the age and in the percentage of women, diabetics and hypertensives was compared. As for the characteristics of acute myocardial infarction, an increase of patients in Killip class 3 and 4 stands out besides other changes. Fibrinolitic treatment decreased during the third period due to the increment in primary angioplasty. There were no significant differences in hospital mortality among the three series studied. The treatment with thrombolysis and primary angioplasty during the first two hours showed a significant independent reduction of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The early application of thrombolysis and primary angioplasty showed an independent reduction of the hospital mortality in our study. Nevertheless the non-adjusted mortality rate did not show any change during the last 15 years.