Impact of haemoglobin levels during adjuvant chemotherapy on the survival of patients with primary breast cancer.

Tumour anaemia is a common symptom in cancer patients, particularly in those receiving chemotherapy. The aim of the current study was to analyse the impact of haemoglobin levels on the prognosis of patients with primary breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. A total of 129 patients were available for analysis.

The impact of preoperative breast biopsy on the risk of sentinel lymph node metastases: analysis of 2502 cases from the Austrian Sentinel Node Biopsy Study Group.

Preoperative breast biopsy might cause disaggregation of tumour cells and tumour cell spread. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of preoperative biopsy on the rate of metastases to the sentinel lymph node (SLN) of patients with primary breast cancer. We report the results of 2502 patients with primary breast cancer, who were operated, and a sentinel node biopsy was performed.

Malignant pleural and pericardial effusion in invasive breast cancer: impact of the site of the primary tumor.

Background: Malignant effusion in invasive breast cancer, either pleural or pericardial, is associated with a poor survival rate. We investigated the role of the location of invasive breast cancer in developing malignant pleural or pericardial effusion.

Methods: Three thousand eight hundred and fifty six women with a history of invasive breast cancer between 1960 and 1994 were analyzed in a retrospective study.

Incidence of anaemia in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy.

Anaemia is frequent in breast cancer patients but often remains undiagnosed and untreated. To determine the incidence of anaemia a prospective survey of primary non-metastatic breast cancer patients who received at least four cycles of adjuvant, non-platinum multi-agent chemotherapy was conducted at 47 centres in Austria. Two hundred and forty seven patients were prospectively included between October 1999 and December 1999.

Clear cell carcinoma arising in endometriosis of the rectum following progestin therapy.

A 40-year-old woman presented at our hospital with rectal stenosis. Computed tomography demonstrated a conglomerate tumor in the pelvis and malignant look-alike lesions in the liver and in both lungs. A palliative deep rectum resection was done.

Does long-term application of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor adversely influence overall survival in patients with ovarian cancer? A clinical study.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of long-term administration of G-CSF with regard to its impact on overall survival of patients with ovarian cancer. We report the results of a non-randomized trial on 64 patients with advanced ovarian cancer treated with 6 cycles of conventional chemotherapy. Chemotherapy comprised carboplatin 400 mg/m2 and epirubicin 70 mg/m2 on day 1 of each cycle and prednimustine 100 mg/m2 on days 3 to 7, every 28 days.

Lunar phases and survival of breast cancer patients--a statistical analysis of 3,757 cases.

The potential influence of lunar phases on human life has been widely discussed by the lay press. The purpose of this study was to find out whether the timing of surgery during particular lunar phases influences the survival of breast cancer patients. It has been postulated that breast cancer surgery performed during the waxing moon, or particularly at full moon, is associated with a poorer outcome.

First report of lymphatic mapping with isosulfan blue dye and sentinel node biopsy in cervical cancer.

Background: Sentinel lymph node status provides important information about the status of the regional nodes in various malignant tumors. Our report describes a method of identifying the sentinel lymph nodes in cervical cancer.

Patients And Methods: In three cases of early cervical cancer, isosulfan blue dye was injected paracervically into each lateral fornix immediately before surgery.

Significance of pretreatment serum hemoglobin and survival in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Tumor anemia is common in patients with malignant tumors and it was repeatedly demonstrated to be associated with impaired prognosis in patients with malignant tumors. We conducted a retrospective analysis based on 553 patients with histologically proven epithelial ovarian cancer. Blood hemoglobin levels were determined before surgery and patients with values <12 g/dl were considered anemic.

CA 125 regression after two completed cycles of chemotherapy: lack of prediction for long-term survival in patients with advanced ovarian cancer.

The prognostic influence of CA 125 regression between the time point before surgery and after two completed courses of chemotherapy was studied in 210 patients with advanced ovarian cancer, and was compared to other well established prognostic factors. CA 125 blood samples were collected preoperatively (CA 125 pre) and 3 months after surgery (CA 125 3 mo) (at the beginning of the 3rd cycle of chemotherapy). The parameter CA 125 regression defined as log10 (CA 125 3 mo/CA 125 pre) was used for statistical analysis.

Association between endometrial cancer and tamoxifen treatment of breast cancer.

A retrospective cohort-study in 4109 breast cancer patients was undertaken to determine how tamoxifen affected the risk of endometrial cancer. Data on 1701 tamoxifen-treated women were analysed. Two thousand four hundred and eight non-tamoxifen users served as control group.

Tumor flow in malignant breast tumors measured by Doppler ultrasound: an independent predictor of survival.

The purpose of this study was to investigate tumor blood flow in breast cancers with regard to its impact on the overall survival of patients. Tumor blood flow was assessed in seventy-four patients with primary breast cancer by the use of color-coded Doppler ultrasound techniques. Preoperatively obtained Doppler frequency spectra were analyzed for peak systolic flow velocity (Vmax).

TATI (tumor associated trypsin inhibitor) and cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) in patients with early-stage endometrial cancer.

Background: In patients with gynecologic malignancies, a 6 kD polypeptide known as the tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI) is present in high concentrations, both in the urine and the serum. This study attempts to evaluate the usefulness of pretreatment serum levels of TATI (cutoff level 21 ng ml-1) and CA 125 (cutoff levels 35 U ml-1 and 65 U ml-1) in the prediction of early endometrial cancer.

Patients And Methods: One hundred twenty-seven patients with stage I and II endometrial carcinomas, 110 healthy women and 258 women with benign pelvic pathologies were evaluated.

Color-coded and spectral Doppler flow in breast carcinomas--relationship with the tumor microvasculature.

The phenomenon of tumor angiogenesis is an important aspect of understanding tumor biology. Studies in breast carcinoma have shown microvessel density (MVD) assessed by immunohistochemistry to be of prognostic importance in primary breast cancer. On the other hand, recently developed highly sensitive color-coded Doppler techniques offer a noninvasive method to examine neovascularisation in breast tumors.

Serum levels of the tumour-associated trypsin inhibitor in patients with endometriosis.

Objective: To show that in patients with endometriosis a 6 kD polypeptide, the tumour-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI), can occur at elevated concentrations in serum.

Design: In a prospective study TATI serum levels were assessed prior to surgery in 368 consecutive patients suffering from benign gynaecological diseases (e.g.

Endometrial cancer after tamoxifen treatment: a descriptive study of 25 breast cancer patients who subsequently developed endometrial cancer.

The aim of this study was to determine whether tamoxifen affects the histopathological features and clinical outcome of endometrial cancer occurring after breast cancer. 25 patients with a history of breast cancer who subsequently developed endometrial cancer were identified by computer assisted linkage of the Lainz Medical Center Tumor Registry with the National Austrian Cancer Registry. 8 endometrial cancers were tamoxifen-associated, whereas 17 cases were not.

The application of fibrin glue after axillary lymphadenectomy in the surgical treatment of human breast cancer.

Experimental studies point out that a reduction of lymph flow can be obtained by the local application of fibrin glue following axillary lymphadenectomy in the surgical treatment of breast cancer. In a prospective study the influence of human fibrin glue on postoperative axillary lymph secretion and the period of drainage of the wound cavity were evaluated. In 40 patients, 5 ml of fibrin glue (Tissucol) was applied to the wound cavity by the use of a spray applicator (Tissumat) immediately after axillary dissection of the lymph nodes.

Tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI) and cancer antigen 125 (CA125) in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

In 180 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and 214 women with benign pelvic pathologies, serum levels of TATI (cut-off point 21 ng ml-1) and CA 125 (cut-off point 35 U ml-1) were determined. Data were correlated with tumour stage, histological type and tumour grade. Overall, when used as a single marker, TATI showed a sensitivity of 63% and a specificity of 72%, whereas the sensitivity and specificity of CA 125 > 35 U ml-1 were 80% and 82% respectively.

TATI (tumour-associated trypsin inhibitor) as a marker of ovarian cancer.

In ovarian cancer patients a 6 kDa polypeptide, the tumour-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI), can occur at elevated concentrations in both urine and serum. In this study pretreatment serum levels of TATI (cut-off point 21 ng ml-1) and CA 125 (cut-off points 35 U ml-1 and 65 U ml-1) were determined in 152 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (115 primary and 37 recurrent) and in 267 women with benign pelvic diseases. The data obtained were correlated with the tumor stage, histological type and tumour grade.

Magnetic resonance imaging in the preoperative evaluation of suspected ovarian masses.

Meticulous pretreatment evaluation is basic to the successful management of suspected ovarian masses. Among currently available imaging techniques, sonography and computerized tomography are the most important diagnostic modalities. The purpose of our study was to determine whether magnetic resonance imaging provided additional information on masses in the true pelvis.

The use of colour-coded and spectral Doppler ultrasound in the differentiation of benign and malignant breast lesions.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of colour-coded and spectral Doppler sonography to predict the benign or malignant nature of breast lesions. A total of 112 women with mammographically suspicious breast lesions were investigated prior to surgery. Thirty-nine breast carcinomas and 73 benign lesions were evaluated for the resistance index, pulsatility index and the flow velocity.

The use of color-coded Doppler sonography in the diagnosis of breast cancer.

87 women with mammographically suspicious breast lesions were investigated prior to surgery. Color Doppler signals were obtained in 80 patients. 32 breast carcinomas and 55 benign lesions were evaluated for the RI (resistance index), the PI (pulsatility index), the flow velocity and the Al (acceleration index).

[Color Doppler ultrasound determination of the differential structure of breast tumors].

Eighty-seven women with mammographically suspicious breast lesions were investigated prior to surgery. 32 breast carcinomas and 55 benign lesions were evaluated for the resistance index, the pulsatility index, the flow velocity and the acceleration index. Our study showed the resistance index with a threshold value of 0.