[Malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Case report].

Malignant fibroous histiocytoma (MFH) is an aggressive soft tissue sarcoma, that most frequently occurs in the muscles of the extremities and in abdominal or in retroperitoneal space of young adults. It is seldom confined to the skin and subcutaneous tissue. It is rarely diagnosed before excision and pathological exam, and has an unfavorable prognostic in some cases.

[Colo-anal anastomosis. Our experience].

The aim of study is to report the results of our experience about ultra-low rectum carcinomas treated with anterior resection and colo-anal anastomosis. The surgery still represents the treatment of choice for the cancer of the rectum. The problems concern the conservation of the sphincter functions (anal and urethral), and sexual function and the reduction of the locoregional recurrences.

[GIST: our experience].

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are generally found in the stomach or small intestine and less commonly in the colon and rectum. Complete surgical remove remains the best current therapy. In the treatment of advanced/metastatic GIST is available imatinib, a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

[Extension of lymphatic resection in the colon cancer].

It is commonly believed that treatment of colon cancer by surgical resection is a standardised approach. A review of the literature, however, shows differences in the extent of colon resection among the various different centres. Reported results are provided almost entirely by retrospective studies.

[Downstaging after neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer modifies the planned original surgery].

Cancer of the rectum has been for more years burdened with a heavy rate of local relapse about 30%. The introduction of total meso-rectum excision has reduced the rate of up to 5-8%. Later more studies proved how the preoperative radiotherapy was able to reduce the rate of local relapse.

An adrenal gland nodule presenting as an early sign of metastatic spread from colorectal cancer: report of two cases.

The presence of an adrenal gland nodule may be an early or late sign of metastatic spread from colorectal cancer. It usually appears when the internal malignancy is widely disseminated and has been previously diagnosed. Adrenal insufficiency can be compatible with bilateral and diffuse involvement of this uncommon site of disease.

[Lymphoplasmacytic sclerosing pancreatitis: a case report].

The Authors report a case of a 57 years old woman with a pancreatic cystic mass detected by abdominal ultrasonography performed for abdominal pain. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a cystic mass in the pancreatic head. Left segmental intrahepatic biliary tract dilatation without dilatation of the common bile duct and dilatation of the main pancreatic duct distal to the pancreatic mass were also present at cholangio-pancreatography.

[Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the colon with metastasis to the brain: a case report and review of the literature].

The Authors report a case of a 71-year-old male with synchronous neuroendocrine colon carcinoma and a solitary brain metastasis. The patient was treated surgically with resection of both the cerebral and intestinal lesions followed by cerebral radiotherapy. A pulmonary metastasis was discovered after 3 months and treated with interferon and octreotide.

Primary adenocarcinoma of the duodenum: treatment and survival in 89 patients.

Background/aims: Primary adenocarcinoma of the duodenum is a rare disease and diagnosis is always late in being confirmed because of the non-specific symptoms, consequently leading to poor prognosis.

Methodology: A retrospective review of 89 patients with non-ampullary duodenal adenocarcinoma treated in 36 different surgical departments in Italy between 1980 and 1994 was performed. The signs and symptoms, diagnostic studies conducted, tumor locations, surgical treatment, and survival were analyzed.

Continent perineal colostomy by transposition of gracilis muscles. Technical remarks and results in 14 cases.

Unlabelled: We herein present a study conducted on 14 patients presenting cancer of the lower rectum or of the anal canal (10 adenocarcinomas and 4 squamous-cell carcinomas) and submitted to the Miles abdominal perineal resection in which a new perineal sphincter was constructed.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of this new perineal sphincter constructed by transposing the gracilis muscles around an orthotopic colostomy in the attempt to avoid a permanent abdominal colostomy.

Methods: In all cases both gracilis muscles were employed.

Early gastric cancer: total gastrectomy vs. distal resection. Results of a study of 271 cases. The Italian Stomach Cancer Group (A.C.O.I.-I.S.C.G.).

Two hundred and seventy-one (271) patients with early gastric cancer from 26 different hospitals were examined in a retrospective study conducted by the I.S.C.

[Multicenter retrospective study of 3,024 patients operated on for stomach cancer in Italy. Epidemiology, surgical treatment and survival].

This study presents the results achieved in 2,000 patients who underwent gastric resection and who had been selected from amongst 3,074 cases of gastric neoplasia included in the Retrospective Study of Carcinoma of the Stomach, carried out by the "Italian Stomach Cancer Group" of the Association of Italian Hospital Surgeons (ACOI). In terms of the UICC TNM classification, these patients consisted of 234 stage I patients, 494 stage II patients 1,011 stage III patients and 261 stage IV patients. The overall operative mortality was 7.

[Duodenal ulcer, study of gastric secretion and rational treatment with famotidine in different doses].

The authors report their experience with 50 patients affected by duodenal ulcer, 80% of them with a chronic relapsing ulcer. They all underwent endoscopy and study of gastric secretion (BAO and PAO) before beginning therapy with famotidine (40 mg nocturnal) and during this treatment. In 43 patients the secretory values of BAO and PAO resulted above the ulcerogenic limit during the treatment.