Identical cytokeratin expression pattern CK7+/CK20- in esophageal and cardiac cancer: etiopathological and clinical implications.

Surgical treatment and prognosis is different in esophageal, cardiac and distal gastric adenocarcinomas. Determination of the origin, in particular of adenocarcinomas situated at the gastroesophageal junction, may be difficult. It has been suggested that esophageal adenocarcinomas are characterized by a specific cytokeratin pattern, namely the CK7+/CK20- pattern.

Are carcinomas of the cardia oesophageal or gastric adenocarcinomas?

There is a clear relationship between Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma, and between Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer, but the histogenesis of cardiac adenocarcinomas is unknown. Some clues as to possible disease associations may be provided by the pattern of gastritis. In our study, we analysed gastritis associated with oesophageal, cardiac and gastric adenocarcinomas according to the Sydney classification.

Sphincter saving rectum resection is the standard procedure for low rectal cancer.

Aim: To determine the procedure of choice for rectal cancer, particularly low rectal cancer.

Methods: Complete search, according to evidence-based methods, of comparative studies and national surveys published in English since 1990.

Selection Criteria: comparative studies between abdominoperineal excision (APER) and sphincter-saving operations (SSO) with a minimum of 50 patients presenting cancer in the lower one-third of the rectum, perfect split of cases with cancer located in the lower, middle or upper one-thirds of the rectum, specified numbers of patients treated by surgery alone or combined with radio-chemotherapy, specified length of follow-up with a minimum of 1 year, univariate or multivariate analysis of prognostic factors.

Factors affecting mortality in generalized postoperative peritonitis: multivariate analysis in 96 patients.

Mortality of generalized postoperative peritonitis remains high at 22% to 55%. The aim of the present study was to identify prognostic factors by means of univariate and multivariate analysis in a consecutive series of 96 patients. Mortality was 30%.

Gastric electrical stimulation in intractable symptomatic gastroparesis.

Background: The treatment of gastroparesis remains unsatisfactory despite prokinetic and anti-emetic drugs. Gastric electrical stimulation has been proposed as a therapeutic option. We have assessed the effect of gastric electrical stimulation on symptoms, medical treatment, body weight and gastric emptying in patients with intractable symptomatic gastroparesis in a non-placebo-controlled study.