Neuroblastoma of the elderly, an oncologist's nightmare: case presentation, literature review and SEER database analysis.

Neuroblastoma is considered a pediatric malignancy as over 95% of cases are diagnosed in patients ≤10 years old. This cancer is extremely rare in elderly patients. We conducted a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database analysis in the USA between 1973-2007 that revealed only 35 elderly patients (>60 years of age) with neuroblastoma of whom only 2 patients had primary mediastinal neuroblastoma.

Why are some pamphlets hard for patients to read?

In this study with lung cancer patients, we describe not only text characteristics that hinder comprehension, including unfamiliar words and poor organization, but also reader characteristics that hinder comprehension, such as educational level, and what the patient wants to know. Based on our and other's research we recommend writing what the reader wants to know, relating new learning to what the learner already knows, and using organizational cues for clarity and emphasis.

Treatment of hypercalcemia of malignancy with intravenous etidronate. A controlled, multicenter study. The Hypercalcemia Study Group.

In a prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicenter study, 202 patients with cancer from 19 medical centers were treated for hypercalcemia of malignancy with daily intravenous infusions of etidronate disodium (136 patients) or saline alone (66 patients) for 3 consecutive days. Patients also received up to 3.25 L of saline daily during the treatment period.

Assessment of physician perceptions on the fatality of cancer.

A questionnaire was developed to evaluate internists' perceptions about patients' survival of cancer as compared with other diseases. The questionnaire consisted of four pairs of survival-matched cancer and non-cancer diseases. The questionnaire was administered to 42 faculty members and 37 resident physicians in the Department of Medicine at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

A randomized trial to compare intravenous and oral etoposide in combination with cisplatin for the treatment of small cell lung cancer.

In a randomized multi-center study, 83 patients with small cell lung cancer were randomly assigned to treatment with cisplatin 100 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) day 1 and etoposide 120 mg/m2 IV days 1, 2, and 3 or cisplatin 100 mg/m2 IV day 1 and etoposide 120 mg/m2 IV day 1 and 240 mg/m2 orally days 2 and 3. Both regimens were repeated every 4 weeks. Prior to randomization, patients were stratified by extent of disease, performance status, and gender.

Acute nonlymphocytic leukemia: the first 48 hours.

The initial care of patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia can be lifesaving. Such patients are most often treated at tertiary care centers where resident physicians, working under the supervision of a subspecialist, are responsible for the diagnosis and initial treatment. During the first 48 hours, the house officer must recognize and understand the management of perilous complications such as hyperleukocytosis, hemorrhage, and infection.

Clinical cardiotoxicity of esorubicin (4'-deoxydoxorubicin,DxDx): prospective studies with serial gated heart scans and reports of selected cases. A Cancer and Leukemia Group B report.

Esorubicin (4'-deoxydoxorubicin, DxDx) has undergone extensive Phase II investigation for the treatment of cancer. Based on in vitro and animal data, esorubicin may possess less myocardial toxicity when compared to doxorubicin. One hundred thirty-six patients with histologically or cytologically documented non-small cell lung cancer or advanced breast cancer were enrolled in two concurrent CALGB clinical trials using esorubicin at a dose of 30 mg/m2 administered intravenously every 21 days.

The pathophysiology of thrombosis in cancer.

Multiple mechanisms are involved in the pathophysiology of thrombosis in cancer. It is highly likely that, in an individual patient, a multifactorial etiology is operative. The three basic mechanisms for hypercoagulability in cancer are interrelated to a degree and probably are also the mechanisms involved in metastasis in addition to thrombosis.

Epidural spinal cord compression as the presenting manifestation of tumor of unknown origin.

Epidural spinal cord compression is a common complication of malignancy. In the majority of cases, the primary site is known at diagnosis or is evident following limited investigation. During the period January 1975 to December 1987 we encountered seven cases of tumor of unknown origin presenting as cord compression.

Chronic calcium antagonist use in carcinoma of the lung and colon: a retrospective cohort observational study.

Detailed records were maintained prospectively of all medications taken by 719 patients with advanced carcinoma of the lung or colon. Of this total, a cohort of 19 patients was identified who had ingested incidentally either nifedipine, diltiazem, verapamil, or trifluoperazine in standard therapeutic doses for a minimum of one month and a mean of 5.8 months and median of three months.

Acanthocytosis associated with myelodysplasia.

Dysplastic hematopoiesis associated with erythrocyte macrocytosis is a morphologic hallmark of myelodysplasia. We report the cases of six patients with myelodysplasia in which acanthocytosis was the predominant red blood cell (RBC) abnormality. In each case acanthocytes represented 5% to 10% of circulating RBC forms and was the primary reason for referral in two cases.

Malignant ascites of unknown origin.

To determine the clinical characteristics of patients presenting with malignant ascites, as well as means of evaluating the outcome of patients with the disease, a retrospective review was conducted of all cases of malignant peritoneal effusions diagnosed from 1978 to 1987 at a University Hospital and a Veterans Administration Hospital. Of 65 patients with malignant ascites (40 women; 25 men), the primary site was known in 51 cases (80%). Common sites in women were the ovaries, endometrium, and cervix; in men, common sites were the colon, rectum, and stomach.

Bone marrow involvement in small cell lung cancer. Clinical significance and correlation with routine laboratory variables.

Of 129 patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) who underwent bone marrow examination for staging, 39 (30%) had bone marrow involvement. Only three of 129 patients (2.3%) had bone marrow involvement as the only site of metastatic disease.

Bone marrow biopsy in the initial staging of Hodgkin's disease.

Results of bone marrow biopsy were retrospectively evaluated in 120 previously untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease. The incidence of bone marrow involvement was 13%. All patients with marrow invasion had B symptoms and/or clinically advanced disease.

Computer-assisted instruction in cancer for third-year medical students using the Physician Data Query (PDQ) system.

During the third-year medicine clerkship, students were instructed in online computer Physician Data Query (PDQ) searches. Each student completed computer searches in at least one of five tumor topics. Students assigned to selected tumor topics performed significantly better on test questions in their assigned topic as compared to the scores of students who were not assigned that topic.

Myelodysplastic syndrome: prospective evaluation of fifty-one patients using the Dutcher scoring system.

Fifty-one patients with primary myelodysplastic syndrome were prospectively evaluated using a scoring system based on the presentation blood and bone marrow findings. Twenty-four patients (47%) evolved to acute nonlymphocytic leukemia. Stepwise regression model showed that the scoring system was the only significant variable for predicting transformation to acute leukemia (p = 0.

Hematologic effects of heavy metal poisoning.

Heavy metal poisoning can cause a variety of hematologic disorders. Exposure to heavy metals is ubiquitous in the industrial environment and must be considered in the differential diagnosis of many types of anemia. The heavy metals most commonly associated with hematologic toxicity are arsenic and its derivative arsine, copper, gold, lead, and zinc.

Management of cancer during pregnancy.

Although cancer during pregnancy is infrequent, its management is difficult for patients, their families, and their physicians. When termination of the pregnancy is unacceptable, decisions regarding the use of irradiation and chemotherapy are complicated by the well-known high risks of abortion and fetal malformation. This risk is concentrated in the first trimester and varies with the choice of chemotherapeutic agents or combinations of agents.

The value of the physical examination in the diagnosis of anemia. Correlation of the physical findings and the hemoglobin concentration.

Certain clinical findings, such as pallor of the conjunctivae, nail beds, lips, oral mucosa, and palmar creases have traditionally been used by physicians in the diagnosis of anemia. We prospectively examined 50 patients to determine whether there was any correlation between these clinical findings and hemoglobin concentration. We noted a statistically significant correlation between hemoglobin concentration and the following: color tint of the lower eyelid conjunctiva, nail-bed rubor, nail-bed blanching, and palmar crease rubor.