Comparison of Primary Tumor Size in Stage I and III Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Two studies have found primary ovarian carcinomas in stage I disease to be larger than those in stage III. Thus, these stages may represent different tumor entities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical data from 553 patients operated on between 1985 and 2012 for epithelial ovarian cancer were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Primary lesions including invasive, borderline and benign components were significantly larger in stage I compared to stage III disease (p<0.001). However, the maximum diameter of invasive components in those with stage III disease were significantly larger than in those with stage I disease (p=0.001). The size of the invasive component was not associated with the largest size of intraperitoneal metastasis. CONCLUSION: We were only, in part, able to reproduce the data from the two smaller published studies. The prognosis of patients with stage III disease strongly depends on the size of intraperitoneal metastases.

Osteoporosis, weight gain and atypical fat accumulations - a typical feature not only for Cushing's, but also Madelung's disease: A case report.

Madelung's disease, or multiple symmetric lipomatosis, is an extremely rare disease and very likely to be under-diagnosed. It is characterized by multiple symmetrical non-encapsulated fat accumulations mainly located around the neck, shoulders, upper extremities and upper parts of the trunk. The disorder predominantly affects middle-aged men of Mediterranean origin with a history of ethanol intake. Reports of this uncommon disorder in women are very rare. The aim of this article is to report the endocrine and metabolic workup leading to the diagnosis of this uncommon disorder. A 55-year-old woman with osteoporosis was referred to our outpatient clinic with a suspected diagnosis of Cushing's disease. The patient complained of undesired weight gain with atypical fat accumulations predominantly in the upper trunk region during the previous 10 weeks. She presented with the characteristic physical features of Madelung's disease and underwent a thorough examination with endocrine and metabolic evaluation of this rare condition and was finally diagnosed with Madelung's disease. This report demonstrates how a diagnosis of this rare disorder can be reached efficiently. A history of osteoporosis in combination with weight gain and atypical fat accumulations ultimately led to the diagnosis of Madelung's diseases, a rather unknown disorder likely to be under-diagnosed. Although treatment options are limited, a diagnosis is still important for the affected individual.

Vitamin D deficiency following Billroth II surgery - How much vitamin D is enough?: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency with all its consequences is a global health problem. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported a 62-year-old Caucasian woman with alcohol-related liver cirrhosis (Child class A) and a medical history of Billroth II surgery. Although she has taken an oral dose of 16 800 IU vitamin D daily for six weeks to normalise her 25-hydroxyvitamin D level the raise was only moderate. CONCLUSION: High-dose oral or parenteral vitamin D therapy is necessary to gain sufficient 25-hydroxyvitamin D serum levels in patients following gastric surgery.