Pathological complete response in younger and older breast cancer patients.

Introduction: Pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant systemic treatment for inoperable locally advanced breast cancer is defined as complete microscopic disappearance of invasive cancer in both the breast and axilla in the postoperative specimen. The aim of the study was to characterize the groups of younger (≤ 40 years old) and older (≥ 70 years old) breast cancer patients who achieved a pCR.

Material And Methods: One hundred thirty-eight consecutive patients aged between 30 and 78 years with locally advanced breast cancer, operated on after neoadjuvant systemic treatment between November 2007 and June 2010, were analyzed.

Vaginal bleeding as a first symptom of malignant lymphoma: case reports, diagnosis and successful treatment.

Uncommon pathologic changes of the uterine cervix are rare but not impossible. Described cases of cervical lymphoma indicate the necessity of great attention and careful diagnosis. A watchful examination, imaging procedures and detailed histopathologic findings are of crucial importance in treatment planning.

[Comparison of clinical and histopathologic diagnosis for early stages of advanced nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors].

The authors present their observations concerning application of imaging methods in disease staging procedures in 69 patients with low stage nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors (NSGCTT). The results of CT, USG, and lymphangiography examinations of the retroperitoneal lymph nodes were compared with the results of pathological examination of these nodes, removed during retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy. 29 patients had clinical stage I (no node involvement) and 40 patients had stage II disease (node metastases).

[Acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia as a secondary malignancy--demonstration of 15 patients].

Among 90,128 patients with malignancies in the years 1976-1989 acute non lymphoblastic leukaemia (ANLL) was diagnosed in 351 patients (0.4%) and in 15 (4.3%) of them ANLL was secondary neoplasm.

[Radiotherapy instead of second-line chemotherapy in patients with Hodgkin's disease in partial remission after treatment with cytostatics].

Radiotherapy was given to 32 patients with Hodgkin's disease (clinical stage IIA-IIIA) in whom chemotherapy given as the first treatment produced partial remission or minimal regression with disappearance of all systemic symptoms (27 cases) or recurrence developed after earlier treatment with cytostatic agents (5 cases). For a more accurate determination of the extent of lesions before radiotherapy in 24 cases laparotomy was done with splenectomy. Radiotherapy given in place of a second course of chemotherapy led in 24 cases (75%) to complete remission lasting from 8 to 62 months, mean 23.