Oval cell proliferation in cirrhosis in rats. An experimental study.

Aim: Oval cells are liver stem cells involved in liver regeneration following liver damage. Previous studies have shown that pretreatment with a hepatocyte inhibitor is required to allow full oval cell activation. This study investigates whether oval cells develop and proliferate in a model of experimental liver fibrosis without pretreatment with a known hepatocyte inhibitor.

A novel study investigating the therapeutic outcome of patients with lytic, mixed and sclerotic bone metastases treated with combined radiotherapy and ibandronate.

Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic response of patients with different types of bone metastases treated with combined radiotherapy and bisphosphonates.

Patients And Methods: By using computed tomography 52 patients were grouped into groups of lytic, mixed and sclerotic bone lesions. All patients were treated with concomitant radiotherapy and ibandronate (10 monthly cycles) and underwent clinical and radiological evaluations prior to therapy and at 3, 6 and 10 months of follow up.

Tumoral and non-tumoral trachea stenoses: evaluation with three-dimensional CT and virtual bronchoscopy.

Background: We evaluated the ability of 3D-CT and virtual bronchoscopy to estimate trachea stenosis in comparison to conventional axial CT and fiberoptic bronchoscopy, with a view to assist thoracic surgeons in depicting the anatomical characteristics of tracheal strictures.

Methods: Spiral CT was performed in 16 patients with suspected tracheal stenoses and in 5 normal subjects. Tracheal stenoses due to an endoluminal neoplasm were detected in 13 patients, whilst post-intubation tracheal stricture was observed in the other 3 patients.

Clinical and radiological evaluation of patients with lytic, mixed and sclerotic bone metastases from solid tumors: is there a correlation between clinical status of patients and type of bone metastases?

Purpose: To investigate the association between the clinical status of patients with metastatic bone disease and the type of bone metastases.

Patients And Methods: 80 patients with skeletal metastases underwent both clinical and radiological assessments. Bone lesions were evaluated with computed tomography (CT), and patients were separated into three groups: lytic, mixed, sclerotic.

Combination ibandronate and radiotherapy for the treatment of bone metastases: clinical evaluation and radiologic assessment.

Purpose: Ibandronate is a single-nitrogen, noncyclic bisphosphonate with proven efficacy for reducing metastatic bone pain. In this study, we assessed the palliative effects of combined ibandronate and radiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: Forty-five patients with bone metastases from various solid tumors received external-beam radiotherapy, 30-40 Gy over 3-4.