Archive for December, 2005
December 26th, 2005. EGFR overexpression in malignant pleural mesothelioma An immunohistochemical and molecular study with clinico-pathological correlations
This study documents EGFR overexpression in MPM at the protein and the transcriptional levels; it proposes a reliable method for EGFR expression evaluation in MPM. EGFR levels are not associated with clinico-pathological features of patients, including survival.
December 23rd, 2005. Subcutaneous metastases of sarcomatoid mesothelioma with its differential diagnosis on fine needle aspiration–a case report
FNAC is accurate and efficient, in conjugation with clinical history, and it also prevents surgical biopsy in the diagnosis of metastatic subcutaneous lesion. To our knowledge, this is the first case, reported till date, in which the sarcomatoid mesothelioma metastasized to the subcutaneous tissue and was diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC).
December 23rd, 2005. Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions in benign and malignant mesothelial lesions
This differentiation is based primarily on the mean number of AgNOR-dots per cell rather than number of AgNOR-positive cells. AgNOR is highly sensitive, specific and cost-effective technology which can be used as an ancillary diagnostic approach for distinguishing between reactive and/or hyperplastic changes of mesothelium as well as in differential diagnosis of epithelial type mesothelioma.
December 22nd, 2005. Asbestos hazard in the Swedish construction industry–recent trends in mesothelioma incidence
Conclusions: A possible decline in pleural tumors among men following the cessation of asbestos use 25 years earlier in the population at large may not be applicable to an end-user sector like construction work. In occupations charged with repairing and refurbishing work, there may even have been an increase lately.
December 21st, 2005. Pemetrexed-associated urticarial vasculitis
However, little has been published about the characteristics of this rash or about its mechanism. In an attempt to contribute to the growing body of knowledge about this new agent, we describe a case in which a patient developed a rash secondary to urticarial vasculitis associated with pemetrexed.
December 21st, 2005. Chemotherapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma
Results: Polichemotherapy was administered to 16 patients (15 men, 1 woman) with mean age of 61.4 (44-76) years. Thirteen patients had an initial PS=0/1; ten patients had professional contact with products presumably containing asbestos; histology results identified epithelial-type in 14 patients and mixed-type in 2; all patients were in stages III or IV; diagnosis was made by VATS in 14 patients, blind pleural biopsy in 1 patient and guided transthoracic biopsy in 1 patient. Thirteen patients had palliative radiotherapy over the area submitted to specimen collection. We obtained partial responses in 4 patients (25%), stability in 6 (37.5%) and progression in 6 (37.5%). Mean number of chemotherapy sessions was 4.5. To date (September, 2005) 15 patients have died. Mean length to progression was 6.4 months (2-14) and survival 13.8 months (4-29). We observed 7 cases of neutropenia (grades 3 and 4), 2 of which were febrile neutropenia with hospital admission. Reflection: Our results regarding this rare pathology were similar to those found in the literature. It would be interesting to collect national data from all units that treat or have treated MPM; a clinical study comparing the actual chemotherapy regimen to one of those used previously would be another interesting approach to this pathology.
Posted in Carboplatin, Chemotherapy, Cisplatin (Platinol ®), Cyclophosphamide, Determining Efficacy, Epirubicin (Ellence), Full Archive, Gemcitabine (Gemzar), Pleural, Treatment, Type of Assessment:, Type of Mesothelioma: | No Comments »
December 21st, 2005. Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) – 5 years of experience
Discussion: S rarely is the treatment of choice, once most of the patients have local advanced disease, old age and comorbilities The epithelium mesothelioma was the prevalent histological type and because of the few number of patients with other types, it was not possible to establish significant relationships between the histological type and the overall survival. The survival tends to increase, 3 patients were treated with second line Ct and 1 with third line Ct.
December 21st, 2005. Malignant mesothelioma: A ten years experience
Discussion: As demonstrated by the small series in ten years, malignant mesothelioma is a rare tumour. Relationship with asbestos exposure was proven in 67% of cases. Chemotherapy associated with talc pleurodesis increased survival and palliated symptoms.
Posted in Carboplatin, Causation, Chemotherapy, Cisplatin (Platinol ®), Determining Efficacy, Full Archive, Gemcitabine (Gemzar), Occupational Asbestos Exposure, Pemetrexed (Alimta), Surgery, Treatment, Type of Assessment: | No Comments »
December 21st, 2005. Surgical staging and treatment in malignant pleural mesothelioma
Results: In this series two complications were reported: one diaphragmatic hernia and one postpneumonectomy empyema which were solved with re operation; one single case of peri-operative mortality was reported. 5-Years survival data will be available soon. *Videos of every procedure will be shown.
December 21st, 2005. Severe right-ventricular heart failure due to malignant pericardial mesothelioma
Abstract A case of a 63-year old female with symptomatic advanced right-ventricular (RV) heart failure due to malignant pericardial mesothelioma is presented. Echocardiography revealed that RV failure was due to the tumour-induced compression of the right atrium and not due to metastatic mesothelioma involving pericardial sac.
December 21st, 2005. Estimation of future mortality from pleural malignant mesothelioma in Japan based on an age-cohort model
Conclusions: The limited availability of data may result in underestimation. Taking into consideration the consumption pattern of asbestos in recent decades, the incorporation of later cohorts will improve the estimation.
December 17th, 2005. Activation of Tumor-Associated Macrophages by the Vascular Disrupting Agent 5,6-Dimethylxanthenone-4-Acetic Acid Induces an Effective CD8+ T-Cell�Mediated Antitumor Immune Response in Murine Models of Lung Cancer and Mesothel
These data show that activation of tumor-associated macrophages by DMXAA is an efficient way to generate a CD8+ T-cell–dependent antitumor immune response even in animals with relatively nonimmunogenic tumors. Given these properties, DMXAA might also be useful in boosting other forms of immunotherapy.
December 16th, 2005. Abuse of epidemiology: automobile manufacturers manufacture a defense to asbestos liability
They reveal how the companies have redefined scientific criteria for the determination of cause-effect relationships and manipulated scientific data to give the impression of an absence of effect. But the absence of evidence is not evidence of the absence of an effect.
December 16th, 2005. Patterns of recurrence and long-term survival after curative resection of localized fibrous tumors of the pleura
Conclusion: Histologic characteristics are helpful in estimating the risk of recurrence among patients with LFTPs. Close surveillance is recommended for patients with malignant histologic characteristics. Local recurrence is common without evidence of systemic spread among such patients. Surgical resection is definitive therapy; however, patients with tumors with histologic atypia require close postoperative observation because of the frequency of locoregional recurrence.
December 16th, 2005. Malignant biphasic pleural mesothelioma metastatic to the liver diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration
Recognition of the cytomorphologic features inherent to mesothelioma cells on FNA material may become important for proper patient management. To the best of our knowledge, the diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma metastatic to the liver made by FNA has not been previously documented.
December 14th, 2005. Benign multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma: cases reports in the family with diverticulosis and literature review
After the recurrences, one patient was treated with cystic aspiration and the other with hormones. The cysts in both cases regressed partially but the patients were relieved of their clinical symptoms, for 2 years after cystic drainage in one case and for 5 years after hormonal treatment in the other.
December 14th, 2005. Multimodality approach in management of malignant pleural mesothelioma
Cisplatin and mitomycin have demonstrated modest efficacy in management of distant tumor recurrence. Cisplatin and gemcitabine regimen as well as cisplatin/pemetrexed followed by 54Gy of adjuvant hemithorax radiation have been reported to improve the outcome.
December 14th, 2005. Fine needle aspiration cytology of well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma: a case report
Conclusion: Familiarity with the cytomorphologic features and clinical presentation of WDPM, knowledge of the exact anatomic location and consideration of the appropriate differential diagnosis combined with ancillary studies are the keys to an accurate diagnosis.
December 14th, 2005. Socio-economic status and lung cancer risk including histologic subtyping-A longitudinal study
Furthermore, low SES was positively associated with squamous cell carcinoma and mesothelioma. Our results suggest that the association between low SES and lung cancer could be mediated by unaccounted for smoking exposure, lifestyle or occupational hazards.
December 14th, 2005. Mesothelioma: advances in chemotherapy
Some preliminary data from studies of second line chemotherapy is also available. Finally studies of targeted therapies such as anti-EGFR, anti VEGF and anti PDGF are underway but have not as yet demonstrated major therapeutic benefit.
Posted in Chemotherapy, Cisplatin (Platinol ®), Determining Efficacy, EGFR, Full Archive, Gemcitabine (Gemzar), Pemetrexed (Alimta), Raltitrexed (Tomudex), Treatment, Type of Assessment:, Vinorelbine | No Comments »
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