Is There Really a Difference in Outcomes between Men and Women with Hepatocellular Cancer?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a male-dominated disease. Currently, gender differences remain incompletely defined. Data from the state tumor registry were used to investigate differences in demographics, comorbidities, treatment patterns, and cancer-specific survival (HSS) among HCC patients according to gender.

Palliative care reduces emergency room visits and total hospital days among patients with metastatic HPB and GI cancers.

Palliative care services (PCS) have improved quality of life for patients across various cancer subtypes. Minimal data exists regarding PCSfor metastatic hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) and gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. We assessed the impact of PCS on emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and survival among these patients.

Trends in hepatocellular carcinoma in Louisiana, 2005-2015.

Introduction: Louisiana has one of the highest incidence and mortality rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the nation. The aim of this study was to analyze the trends in HCC incidence and relative survival rates in Louisiana and compare them with corresponding national rates, which can be used to formulate strategies to improve Louisiana HCC outcomes.

Methods: Data on primary invasive HCC diagnosed in patients 20 years or older between 2005 and 2015 were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program and Louisiana Tumor Registry.

Impact of catch-up vaccinations on anti-HLA antibody response in pediatric kidney transplant candidates.

Background: Efforts have been concentrated on improving vaccination administration during the pretransplant evaluation period. However, concern for human leukocyte antigen (HLA) sensitization subsequent to vaccination exists.

Methods: A retrospective review of pediatric kidney transplant candidates (PKTCs) ≤18 years old who had received vaccinations between February 1, 2017 and November 30, 2019 was conducted.

Expression of the preadipocyte marker ZFP423 is dysregulated between well-differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcoma.

Background: Well-differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcomas are rare soft tissue tumors originating in adipose tissue that share genetic abnormalities but have significantly different metastatic potential. Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) is highly aggressive and has an overall 5-year survival rate of 30% as compared to 90% for well-differentiated liposarcoma (WDLPS). This discrepancy may be connected to their potential to form adipocytes, where WDLPS is adipogenic but DDLPS is adipogenic-impaired.

Outcomes of Breast-Conserving Surgery Plus Radiation vs Mastectomy for All Subtypes of Early-Stage Breast Cancer: Analysis of More Than 200,000 Women.

Background: Recent large retrospective studies suggest that breast-conserving therapy (BCT) plus radiation yielded better outcomes than mastectomy (MST) for women with early-stage breast cancer (ESBC). Whether this is applicable to the different subtypes is unknown. We hypothesize that BCT yielded better outcomes than MST, regardless of subtypes of ESBC.

10-Year Survival after Breast-Conserving Surgery Compared with Mastectomy in Louisiana Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer: A Population-Based Study.

Background: Louisiana has the third highest breast cancer mortality in the US, despite ranking 30th in incidence. Whether surgical approach contributes to such a poor outcome is unknown. We compared outcomes of breast-conserving surgery plus radiation (BCT) vs mastectomy (MST) for Louisiana women with early-stage breast cancer.

Positive impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion on Louisiana women with breast cancer.

Background: Louisiana is one of the few Southern states that enacted the Medicaid expansion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). To the authors' knowledge, the issue of how this has affected the breast cancer landscape in Louisiana is unknown. The authors have postulated that ACA expansion had a positive impact for Louisiana women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Operative procedures for unresectable pancreatic cancer: does operative bypass decrease requirements for postoperative procedures and in-hospital days?

Background: The optimal surgical management of patients found to have unresectable pancreatic cancer at open exploration remains unknown.

Methods: Records of patients who underwent non-therapeutic laparotomy for pancreatic cancer during 2000-2009 and were followed until death at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, were reviewed.

Results: Over the 10-year study period, 157 patients underwent non-therapeutic laparotomy.

Axillary node staging for microinvasive breast cancer: is it justified?

Background: The natural history and role of axillary staging in microinvasive breast cancer (DCISM) remains controversial. We report clinical characteristics and outcome in patients with DCISM, focusing on the role of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy.

Methods: From our prospective database we retrospectively identified 112 patients with DCISM who underwent SLN biopsy between 1996 and 2004 at our institution.

The role of VEGF pathways in human physiologic and pathologic angiogenesis.

Background: In preclinical models, VEGF is a potent stimulant of both physiologic and pathologic angiogenesis. Conversely, anti-VEGF regimens have successfully inhibited angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. We hypothesized that VEGF would stimulate both physiologic and pathologic angiogenesis in a human-based fibrin-thrombin clot angiogenesis assay.

Medical malpractice matters: medical record M & Ms.

Accurate and thorough chart documentation is extremely important not only for patient continuity of care but also for medical legal risk reduction. It is common knowledge that a large percentage of court cases involving health care practitioners rely substantially on the chart documentation to determine outcomes. In this article, the authors have outlined particular court cases that illustrate the dramatic influence medical documentation has had in case law.

Hypothermia: an unusual indication for gastric lavage.

Background: Previous reports suggest that gastric lavage holds many risks and is not routinely indicated for decontamination of the overdose patient.

Objective: To present a case of overdose with concurrent accidental hypothermia where gastric decontamination was utilized.

Case Report: A 50-year-old hypothermic, comatose patient was transported to the Emergency Department with a concurrent, massive medication ingestion diagnosed incidentally on a routine abdominal computed tomography scan.

In vitro chemoresistance testing in well-differentiated carcinoid tumors.

Background: Well-differentiated, "typical" carcinoid tumors traditionally have a very poor response to chemotherapy. We hypothesized that tumor specimens from well-differentiated carcinoid tumors would be highly resistant to the effects of chemotherapy when tested against a variety of antineoplastic agents in vitro.

Methods: Ninety-eight typical carcinoid specimens were surgically harvested, cultured, and tested against antineoplastics in vitro.

A novel assay to assess the effectiveness of antiangiogenic drugs in human breast cancer.

Background: Many cytotoxic drugs maintain antiangiogenic properties, but there are no human, tumor-based assays to evaluate their antiangiogenic potential. We used a fibrin-thrombin clot-based angiogenesis model to evaluate the angiogenic response of human breast cancer to various cytotoxic agents commonly used in its treatment.

Methods: Fragments of freshly harvested human breast tumors were embedded in fibrin-thrombin clots and treated with five drugs: adriamycin, taxol, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), methotrexate, and vincristine.