Long-term quality of life of abdominal aortic aneurysm patients under surveillance or after operative treatment.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the long-term quality of life (QOL) in patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) undergoing surveillance or after operative treatment.

Methods: 249 patients with AAAs completed the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) test and Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) survey: 78 patients with small AAAs under surveillance, 26 after ruptured AAAs (rAAAs), 47 after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), and 98 after elective open repair. The results were compared with WHOQOL-BREF and SF-36 standard values from a matched German population using the Student's 2-tailed t-test.

Comparison of survival rates for abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment methods.

Background: We compared relative survival rates of patients after various operative treatments for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) to those for the general population. We calculated a point of "recovery," defined as the survival rate equal to that of the general population.

Methods: Survival data were collected from patients who underwent open repair for a ruptured AAA (rAAA), elective open repair of an AAA (OPEN), and endovascular repair (EVAR) in our hospital between 1995 and 2005.

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasia (IPMN) of the pancreas: its diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.

Background: The many varieties of cystic pancreatic tumor, and especially intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasia (IPMN), have attracted increased attention recently. Their incidence may be rising, and their histopathological evaluation and classification have become more precise than before.

Methods: We discuss the current diagnostic evaluation of IPMN, along with treatment and prognostication, on the basis of the current international guideline as well as pertinent literature retrieved by a selective PubMed search.

Isolation of human islets from partially pancreatectomized patients.

Investigations into the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and islets of Langerhans malfunction (1) have been hampered by the limited availability of type 2 diabetic islets from organ donors(2). Here we share our protocol for isolating islets from human pancreatic tissue obtained from type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic patients who have undergone partial pancreatectomy due to different pancreatic diseases (benign or malignant pancreatic tumors, chronic pancreatitis, and common bile duct or duodenal tumors). All patients involved gave their consent to this study, which had also been approved by the local ethics committee.

Neoadjuvant therapy in patients with pancreatic cancer: a disappointing therapeutic approach?

Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in Germany. The incidence in 2003/2004 was 16 cases per 100.

Intraductal papillary mucinous tumors of the pancreas: biology, diagnosis, and treatment.

Pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) rank among the most common cystic tumors of the pancreas. For a long time they were misdiagnosed as mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, ductal adenocarcinoma in situ, or chronic pancreatitis. Only in recent years have IPMNs been fully recognized as clinical and pathological entities, although their origin and molecular pathogenesis remain poorly understood.

Risk factors for morbidity and mortality after single-layer continuous suture for ileocolonic anastomosis.

Aim: The study was designed to determine the suitability of a single-layer continuous anastomosis for ileo-colonic anastomoses and to determine perioperative risk factors for morbidity and mortality in a teaching hospital.

Patients And Methods: Perioperative data of 463 patients undergoing colonic surgery with an ileocolonic anastomosis between 2000 and 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. Outcomes were compared using univariate and multivariate analyses to identify risk factors for morbidity, including anastomotic leakage, and mortality.

The role of apoptosis in the pathology of pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is a disease with high resistance to most common therapies and therefore has a poor prognosis, which is partly due to a lack of reaction to apoptotic stimuli. Signal transduction of such stimuli includes a death receptor-mediated extrinsic pathway as well as an intrinsic pathway linked to the mitochondria. Defects in apoptotic pathways and the deregulation of apoptotic proteins, such as Survivin, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Mcl-1, play decisive roles in the development of pancreatic cancer.

Compression of the left renal artery and celiac trunk by diaphragmatic crura.

Symptomatic compression of the celiac trunk by crura of the diaphragm is a rare disorder. Even more infrequent external compression of renal arteries is found. Although the indication for surgical therapy is controversially discussed in the literature for celiac artery compression syndrome, it is unequivocally for renal artery entrapment.

Who profits from neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma?

Background: Patients suffering from locally advanced esophageal carcinoma are generally treated using multimodal therapies. This prospective, non-randomized trial was performed to evaluate the survival benefit of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy prior to surgery in comparison with surgery only.

Patients & Methods: Histopathological outcomes and survival were compared between 61 patients who underwent neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy and 64 comparable control patients who had been under-staged.

Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma: a multi-institutional study.

Introduction: The presentation and outcome of patients with acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) of the pancreas compared to the more common ductal cell adenocarcinoma (DCA) may be distinct. This study combines the experience with ACC from multiple academic institutions to better understand its natural history and outcomes.

Methods: This study is a multi-institutional retrospective review of patients with ACC.

Surgical therapy of intrapancreatic metastasis from renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Pancreatic metastases from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are clinically rare but highly resectable. The aim of this article is to identify patients who profit from pancreatic resection of RCC despite the invasiveness of the surgery.

Methods: Between January 1996 and December 2007, data from 744 patients were collected in a prospective pancreatic surgery database, and patients with metastasis into the pancreas from RCC were identified.

Neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas.

This literature review briefly summarizes the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical management, and outcomes of patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) and highlights recent advances in PNET research. PNETs are rare neoplasms, compared with carcinomas arising from pancreatic exocrine tissue. They, like other neuroendocrine tumor types, display variable malignant potential, hormone-related syndromes (functionality), localization, and genetic background.

Sensitive detection of colorectal cancer in peripheral blood by septin 9 DNA methylation assay.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths despite the fact that detection of this cancer in early stages results in over 90% survival rate. Currently less than 45% of at-risk individuals in the US are screened regularly, exposing a need for better screening tests. We performed two case-control studies to validate a blood-based test that identifies methylated DNA in plasma from all stages of CRC.

Resection of colorectal liver metastases: is a resection margin of 3 mm enough? : a multicenter analysis of the GAST Study Group.

Background: A safety margin of > or =10 mm is generally accepted in surgery for colorectal metastases. It is reasonable that modern methods of liver parenchyma dissection may allow for a reduction in this distance.

Methods: A total of 333 patients were included in a multicenter trial after resection of colorectal liver metastases.

Activation of Wnt signalling in stroma from pancreatic cancer identified by gene expression profiling.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by an abundant desmoplastic stroma. Interactions between cancer and stromal cells play a critical role in tumour invasion, metastasis and chemoresistance. Therefore, we hypothesized that gene expression profile of the stromal components of pancreatic carcinoma is different from chronic pancreatitis and reflects the interaction with the tumour.

Color Doppler imaging predicts portal invasion by pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Background: Tumor infiltration of the intima of the portal vein (PV) and superior mesenteric vein (SMV) by pancreatic adenocarcinoma is classically considered a criterion for unsuitability for resection and poor prognosis. This study was performed to evaluate modern color duplex imaging (CDI) for the assessment of PV/SMV infiltration by pancreatic adenocarcinomas.

Method: From 1994 to 2005, Whipple's procedure or pylorus-preserving pancreato-duodenectomy (PPPD) was performed in 303 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma; 35 of these underwent partial PV/SMV resection.

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) polymorphisms in a Caucasian population with abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Background: The formation of a sporadic abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is explained by the remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and breakdown of structural components of the vascular wall. Matrix metalloproteinases are the principal matrix-degrading proteases and are known to play a major role in the remodeling of the extracellular matrix in arterial vessels. Their activity is controlled by tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs).

The rare case of a symptomatic atherosclerotic aneurysm of the superior epigastric artery mimicking an acute cholecystitis.

True aneurysms of the epigastric artery are rare. We report a case of a 65-year-old female who was admitted for increasing upper abdominal pain. A leukocytosis, pyrexia, breathing stop on inspiration, and a palpable mass next to the right costal arch with severe local pain were suspicious for acute cholecystitis.

Effect of oxygenated perfluorocarbons on isolated rat pancreatic islets in culture.

One impediment for a wider application of islet transplantation is the limited number of donor pancreata for islet isolation. A more efficient utilization of available organs could in part alleviate this problem. Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) have a high oxygen solubility coefficient and maintain high oxygen partial pressures for extended time.

Meta-analysis of microarray data on pancreatic cancer defines a set of commonly dysregulated genes.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the eighth most common cancer with the lowest overall 5-year relative survival rate of any tumor type today. Expression profiling using microarrays has been widely used to identify genes associated with pancreatic cancer development. To extract maximum value from the available gene expression data, we applied a meta-analysis to search for commonly differentially expressed genes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Management and outcome of hemorrhage due to arterial pseudoaneurysms in pancreatitis.

Background: Arterial pseudoaneurysm formation in pancreatitis is a rare complication. The optimal treatment modality is controversial. Operative treatment and interventional treatment, either alone or as a temporizing method with a later operation, are options.

Identification and validation of commonly overexpressed genes in solid tumors by comparison of microarray data.

Cancers originating from epithelial cells are the most common malignancies. No common expression profile of solid tumors compared to normal tissues has been described so far. Therefore we were interested if genes differentially expressed in the majority of carcinomas could be identified using bioinformatic methods.

Gene expression profiling of microdissected pancreatic ductal carcinomas using high-density DNA microarrays.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains an important cause of malignancy-related death and is the eighth most common cancer with the lowest overall 5-year relative survival rate. To identify new molecular markers and candidates for new therapeutic regimens, we investigated the gene expression profile of microdissected cells from 11 normal pancreatic ducts, 14 samples of PDAC, and 4 well-characterized pancreatic cancer cell lines using the Affymetrix U133 GeneChip set. RNA was extracted from microdissected samples and cell lines, amplified, and labeled using a repetitive in vitro transcription protocol.

Ten novel MSH2 and MLH1 germline mutations in families with HNPCC.

Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is one of the most common hereditary cancer-susceptibility syndromes. Germline mutations in mismatch repair genes are associated with the clinical phenotype of HNPCC. We report ten novel germline mutations, three in MSH2 and seven in MLH1.