Human papillomavirus genotype in cervical cancer: a population-based study.

Our aim was to investigate the human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype distribution and correlation between HPV parameters and clinicopathological variables in cervical carcinoma treated in a large tertiary referral medical center in Taiwan. Consecutive patients treated for cervical carcinoma (Stages I-IV according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) between 1993 and 2000 were included. HPV genotyping using SPF1/GP6+ PCR was performed, followed by hybridization with a genechip (Easychip HPV Blot, King Car, Taiwan).

Radioguided sentinel lymph node biopsy in early breast cancer: experience at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.

Background: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy can identify regional metastases and provides an alternative to axillary dissection that avoids arm morbidity. This investigation assessed the accuracy of SLN biopsy for predicting axillary node status.

Methods: A total of 174 clinical node-negative breast cancer patients and 165 SLN biopsies were enrolled.

Prognosis of breast cancer after supraclavicular lymph node metastasis: not a distant metastasis.

Background: We performed this study to analyze the survival of breast cancer patients with isolated supraclavicular lymph node metastasis (SLNM) and assess whether SLNM is distant metastasis or not.

Methods: Sixty-three patients who developed an isolated SLNM among 3170 primary breast cancer patients between 1990 and 1999 were enrolled. The survival after SLNM was compared with that of 151 patients who developed local recurrences and 599 who had distant metastasis and was analyzed according to different levels and numbers of positive axillary nodes.

Comparative benefits and limitations of 18F-FDG PET and CT-MRI in documented or suspected recurrent cervical cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the comparative benefits and limitations of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET and CT-MRI in documented or suspected recurrence of cervical cancer after primary treatment.

Methods: Three patient groups were enrolled. Group A patients had biopsy-documented recurrent or persistent cervical cancer.

Treatment of patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor of small bowel: implications of imatinib mesylate.

Aim: To examine the impact of imatinib mesylate (Glivec) on patient survival and response and its safety, and the correlation of the response rate with the kit gene mutation status.

Methods: Thirty-three of 74 (44.6%) small bowel gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patients who developed recurrence after curative resection and not treated with Glivec were classified as group A patients.

Quality-of-care indicators for the neurodevelopmental follow-up of very low birth weight children: results of an expert panel process.

Objective: To develop a set of quality indicators for the neurodevelopmental follow-up care of very low birth weight (VLBW; <1500 g) children.

Methods: We reviewed the scientific literature on predictors of neurodevelopmental outcomes for VLBW children and the clinical practice guidelines relevant to their care after hospital discharge. An expert panel with members nominated by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Vermont Oxford Network, and the California Children's Service was convened.

Primary cardiac lymphoma.

Primary cardiac lymphoma (PCL) has rarely been reported in Chinese populations. PCL mostly occurs in the right atrium. The clinical manifestations may be variable and are attributed to its location, the presence of congestive heart failure, pericardial effusion, arrhythmia, and cardiomegaly.

Multidetector computed tomography assessment on tumor size and nodal status in patients with locally advanced breast cancer before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Aims: To evaluate the utility of multidetector computed tomography (MCT) in assessing tumor size and nodal status in patients with advanced breast cancers before and after the neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods: Twenty-eight proven locally advanced breast cancer patients with 30 tumors were enrolled in this study. MCT was used to assess tumor size and axillary lymph nodes before and after the neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Comparison between the Hybrid Capture II Test and an SPF1/GP6+ PCR-based assay for detection of human papillomavirus DNA in cervical swab samples.

We compared the efficacy of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA detection between a PCR-based genechip (Easychip HPV Blot [hereafter referred to as HPV Blot]; King Car, Taiwan) method and Hybrid Capture II (HCII; Digene, Gaithersburg, MD) in women with previous normal (n = 146) or abnormal (> or =atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance [ASCUS] [n = 208]) cytology. A total of 354 cervical swab samples were collected for HPV DNA assay by both HCII and SPF1/GP6+ PCR followed by HPV Blot tests. Colposcopy-directed biopsy was performed if clinically indicated.

Molecular characterization of adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma of the uterine cervix using microarray analysis of gene expression.

In an attempt to understand the molecular mechanisms for the different clinical features between adenocarcinoma/adenosquamous carcinoma (AC/ASC) and squamous carcinoma (SC) of the uterine cervix, we analyzed gene expression profiles of different histological subtypes of cervical cancer. Cancer specimens and the surrounding normal tissue counterparts were separately collected from cervical cancer patients undergoing type III radical hysterectomy. Paired total RNA (cancer and normal tissues) was isolated and analyzed with cDNA microarrays containing duplicate spots of 7 334 sequence-verified human cDNA clones.

Ovarian endometrioid carcinoma with diffuse pigmented peritoneal keratin granulomas: a case report and review of the literature.

The presence of keratin granulomas in peritoneal cavity associated with ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, which might be related to leakage from the ovarian tumor, is rarely reported. Its clinical significance has not yet been well investigated. We report a case presenting with intermittent abdominal pain after an acute episode 1 month before a complex adnexal tumor was noted.

The role of Ca2+ in (-)-menthol-induced human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cell death.

A human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cell line was selected to examine the effect of (-)-Menthol on cell death. Based on the results from morphological changes and the percentage of viable cells in HL-60 cells after treatment with various concentrations of (-)-Menthol, it was shown that (-)-Menthol induced cell death through necrosis, not apoptosis. No cell cycle arrest was found in HL-60 cells examined by flow cytometry analysis.

Ovarian endometrioma complicated by a Salmonella abscess caused by an enteroovarian fistula: a case report.

Background: Salmonella infection occurs primarily in the gastrointestinal tract but may also be found at extraintestinal locations. An ovarian abscess caused by Salmonella is one of the rare extraintestinal infections, and hematogenous spread by bacteremia to a preexisting ovarian cyst has been suggested as the cause of such infections.

Case: A 43-year-old woman presented with diarrhea, fever and an ovarian tumor and was treated initially with antibiotics for Salmonella bacteremia, followed by an exploratory laparotomy due to persistent fever and progressive toxic signs.

Diagnosis of nodal Langerhans cell histiocytosis by fine needle aspiration cytology.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disease and disease confined to the lymph nodes is even more uncommon. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology of LCH of the lymph nodes has rarely been described. A case study of LCH of the lymph nodes in a 23-year-old man is presented.

Low value of [18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography in primary staging of early-stage cervical cancer before radical hysterectomy.

Purpose: The role of positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) in early-stage cervical cancer is unclear. We aimed to investigate the clinical benefit of FDG-PET in primary staging before radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy (RH-PLND).

Patients And Methods: Patients with untreated stage IA2 to IIA adenocarcinoma (AD) or adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) or nonbulky (< or = 4 cm) squamous cell carcinoma cervical cancer with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -defined negative nodal metastasis were enrolled onto a prospective study with a two-stage design.

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme in human gestational tissues from pregnancies complicated by chorioamnionitis.

Chorioamnionitis increases the risk of preterm labour and is associated with adverse neonatal outcomes including cerebral palsy. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) derived from the gestational tissues (placenta, fetal membranes and maternal decidua) is thought to play a pivotal role in the induction of cytokine response in chorioamnionitis. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme (TACE) is essential for the release of TNF-alpha.

Identifying good prognosis group of breast cancer patients with 1-3 positive axillary nodes for adjuvant cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) chemotherapy.

Objective: We conducted a retrospective analysis of prognosis factors for survival in breast cancer patients with 1-3 axillary lymph node metastases and tried to identify a subset of patients with good prognosis suitable for cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) adjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods: A cohort of 446 breast cancer patients received definite surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy with CMF at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from 1990 to 1998. They were enrolled in the study.

Prognostic factors and impact of adjuvant chemotherapy for uterine leiomyosarcoma.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate prognostic factors and impact of adjuvant therapy for uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS).

Methods: All cases with uterine LMS were retrieved from medical registry (1984 through 2003) of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. After excluding cases with initial surgery at outside the hospital, missing chart, and wrong pathologic diagnosis, 51 patients (41 for stage I, 7 for stage III, and 3 for stage IV) met the study criteria.

18F-FDG PET in the management of endometrial cancer.

Purpose: Few studies have investigated the clinical impact of whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in endometrial cancer. We aimed to assess the value of integrating FDG-PET into the management of endometrial cancer in comparison with conventional imaging alone.

Methods: All patients with histologically confirmed primary advanced (stage III/IV) or suspicious/documented recurrent endometrial cancer, with poor prognostic features (serum CA-125 >35 U/ml or unfavourable cell types), or surveillance after salvage therapy were eligible.

Molecular analysis of the thiopurine S-methyltransferase alleles in Bolivians and Tibetans.

Background: Thiopurine drugs are used as immunosuppressant or cytotoxic drugs. Thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) methylates and thereby modulates the therapeutic and toxic effects of these drugs. The activity of TPMT is affected by genetic polymorphism of TPMT alleles, and these alleles have not been studied in Tibetans and Bolivians.

Clinical relevance of nonvisualized sentinel lymph nodes in unselected breast cancer patients during lymphoscintigraphy.

Background: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in breast cancer is an effective technique with a high degree of accuracy and low false-negative rate to replace axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). This study analyzed the major clinicopathological factors associated with nonvisualized sentinel nodes during preoperative lymphoscintigraphy.

Methods: Breast cancer patients who underwent preoperative lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel node biopsy between 2000 and 2003 were retrospectively reviewed.

Increased feasibility of weekly epirubicin and paclitaxel as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced breast carcinoma.

Background: Primary systemic therapy (PST) with a combination of epirubicin and paclitaxel achieves high response rates in locally advanced breast cancer (LABC), but considerable toxicity occurs and the patient's compliance is poor. In this open-label phase II trial toxicity of a weekly administration schedule was evaluated.

Patients And Methods: On days 1 and 8 of each 3-week cycle, 45 patients with non-inflammatory breast cancer received epirubicin (35 mg/m(2), intravenous bolus) followed by paclitaxel (80 mg/m(2) in 500 ml of normal saline infused over 3 h) for 3 cycles.