Implementation of a new patient education programme for renal transplant recipients.

Background: Nurses' strategies regarding patient education should be informed by the best available research evidence. Clinical nurses play an essential role in implementing new patient education programmes for renal transplant recipients.

Aim: This study investigated transplant nurse job satisfaction, competence, training and perceptions of quality of care in relation to the implementation of a new, evidence-based, patient education programme.

Management of high-grade bone sarcomas over two decades: the Norwegian Radium Hospital experience.

All cases of high-grade osteosarcoma (OS) (n = 196) and Ewing's sarcoma of bone (ES) (n = 56) treated at the Norwegian Radium Hospital in the period 1980-1999 were analyzed retrospectively. They were allocated to consecutive ten-year periods by their time of diagnosis. Patient and tumour characteristics have been relatively stable.

Genomic analysis of prostate carcinoma specimens obtained via ultrasound-guided needle biopsy may be of use in preoperative decision-making.

Background: The widespread use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing to screen for prostate carcinoma has led to significant overdiagnosis, due to the frequent detection of indolent malignancies on PSA screening. The detection of abnormal PSA levels typically is followed by ultrasound-guided needle biopsy. Therefore, in an effort to identify genetic markers that augment the information provided by standard histopathologic classification, the authors tested the feasibility of using these minute biopsy samples for genomic profiling via chromosome banding analysis and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH).

Erroneous diagnosis of pancreatic cancer after radiotherapy of testicular cancer.

Background: After radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy radiation-induced normal tissue alteration may mimic cancer and may cause major morbidity.

Results: Two patients irradiated for seminoma, in one case combined with cisplatin-based chemotherapy, developed clinical symptoms and radiological signs comparable to pancreatic cancer (stenosis of the ductus choledochus). The non-malignant diagnosis was finally established by revision of the histological specimen (case 1) and per-operatively (case 2).

Lack of parental origin specificity of altered alleles at 11p15 in testicular germ cell tumors.

Allelic imbalance (AI) at loci on chromosome 11 has been shown in several types of human solid tumors, including testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs). In this study we have focused on the 11p15 region, which is known for its high density of imprinted genes. Highly polymorphic microsatellite markers were analyzed in a series of 71 TGCTs, and AI was observed in 28 of the tumors (39%) at one or more of the loci analyzed.