Missed diagnosis in hematological patients-an autopsy study.

Autopsy findings of missed diagnoses that would probably have changed management or prognosis occur in up to 29% of cases in general hospitals. Such proportions may be higher in subsets of patients with complex diseases. We reviewed 2908 consecutive autopsies performed over a period of 29 months in a large-volume hospital, analyzing 118 autopsies of patients with hematological malignancies or severe aplastic anemia.

[Evaluation of non-oncologist physician's knowledge and attitude towards cancer screening and preventive actions].

Background: New cancer cases are most often diagnosed by non-oncologist physicians. It is therefore essential for all physicians to be aware of cancer preventive practices and use them appropriately with their patients.

Methods: Questionnaires were administered to 120 non-oncologist physicians of various specialties attending the "Faculdade de Medicina do ABC" who deal directly with adult patients.

Ratio between positive lymph nodes and total dissected axillaries lymph nodes as an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival in patients with breast cancer.

The number of positive axillary lymph nodes involved by tumor is one of the main prognostic factors for women with locoregional breast cancer (BC) for whom adjuvant chemotherapy is being considered. The prognostic importance of the ratio (P/D) between positive lymph nodes (P) and total dissected lymph nodes (D), previously demonstrated in the high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) setting has not yet been tested, however, in the conventional adjuvant chemotherapy setting. The data of 168 patients who were from 2 institutions and who were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy for BC were retrospectively analyzed, and univariate and multivariate analysis were performed, including the other traditional prognostic factors and P/D ratio as possible predictors of disease free survival (DFS).

Weight changes during chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Context: Patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer have a tendency to gain weight. This tendency has determining factors not completely defined and an unknown prognostic impact.

Objective: To evaluate weight change during chemotherapy for breast cancer in a defined population and to identify its predisposing factors and possible prognostic significance.