Surgical management of truncal soft tissue sarcoma and other selected soft tissue neoplasms.

Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is a heterogeneous entity comprising only 1% of all adult cancers that has received considerable attention since it was initially described after the 1st century as "fleshy" by Claudius Galenus. Nick-named the forgotten cancer, more than 100 histologic subtypes have been identified making treatment paradigms extremely complex. A key principle in the management of truncal STS is a defined multi-disciplinary team consisting of several providers.

Rare presentations of primary melanoma and special populations: a systematic review.

A subset of patients with melanoma present in rare and unique clinical circumstances requiring specific considerations with respect to diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Herein, we present our review of patients with: (1) primary mucosal melanoma of the head and neck, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary tracts; (2) primary melanoma of the eye; (3) desmoplastic melanoma; (4) subungual melanoma; (5) melanoma in special populations: children, nonwhites, as well as a discussion of familial melanoma.

Molecular targets in melanoma: time for 'ethnic personalization'.

Worldwide, the incidence of melanoma continues to rise. Although not the most common cutaneous malignancy, it is the most lethal. Until recently, while other oncologic patients benefited from the nuances of targeted therapy, those afflicted with melanoma lacked that option.

An unusual case of recurrent hyperparathyroidism and papillary thyroid cancer.

Objective: To report an unusual occurrence of recurrent hyperparathyroidism due to papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Methods: We describe the clinical history, physical examination findings, laboratory values, imaging findings, and pathologic findings of a woman who developed recurrent hyperparathyroidism 13 years after successful parathyroidectomy.

Results: A 59-year-old woman presented to our clinic with recurrent primary hyperparathyroidism.

Evaluation for concomitant thyroid nodules and primary hyperparathyroidism in patients undergoing parathyroidectomy or thyroidectomy.

Background: Previous investigators have reported the incidence of thyroid nodules in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism; others have noted the incidence of primary hyperparathyroidism in patients who underwent thyroidectomy. It is well known that both of these entities coexist. In this article, we present a single-center experience with the incidence of concomitant thyroid nodular disease and primary hyperparathyroidism in patients who underwent parathyroidectomy or thyroidectomy.

Twenty-eight-day mortality in critically ill surgical patients is an imprecise temporal end-point measure for in-hospital mortality.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of deaths occurring beyond 28 days in critically ill surgical patients and to identify the proportion of these deaths attributable to the original disease process.

Methods: Analysis of 1,360 subjects admitted to a surgical intensive care unit during a 2 year period. Demographics, indication(s) for admission, comorbidities, mortality rate, multiorgan failure development, and cause of death was obtained.

Combining agents that target the tumor microenvironment improves the efficacy of anticancer therapy.

Purpose: Over the past 60 years, cytotoxic chemotherapy has targeted the cancer cell. Despite this, there have been few cancer cures. A new approach to cancer therapy is to target the multicellular biological entity of the tumor microenvironment.

Clinical, genetic and radiographic analysis of 108 patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) manifested by pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNETs).

Background: von Hippel-Lindau (vHL) disease is an autosomal dominant syndrome associated with neoplasms in multiple organs, which includes the pancreas. Here, we report the greatest single center experience in patients with vHL pancreatic endocrine neoplasm (PNETs).

Methods: Between December 1998 and November 2006, 633 patients with vHL were evaluated and those with PNETs were enrolled on a prospective protocol.

Transcutaneous pressure of oxygen: a noninvasive and early detector of peripheral shock and outcome.

A noninvasive tool to recognize early shock would improve outcome by providing prompt recognition of tissue ischemia and precise resuscitation endpoint. The skin is the first tissue bed to vasoconstrict in shock states. Studies have demonstrated that transcutaneous partial pressure of oxygen (PtCO2) increases with higher FiO2 in nonshock states as arterial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) increases, but in shock situations, PtCO2 mirrors changes in cardiac output and oxygen delivery with minimum response to increasing FiO2 and PaO2.

Uncompensated metabolic acidosis: an underrecognized risk factor for subsequent intubation requirement.

Background: There are no published reports identifying an inadequate ventilatory response to metabolic acidosis as a predictor of impending respiratory failure. Metabolic acidosis should induce a respiratory alkalosis in which the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (Paco2) is (1.5 [HCO3-] + 8) +/- 2.

Time dependent ethnic convergence in colorectal cancer survival in Hawaii.

Background: Although colorectal cancer death rates have been declining, this trend is not consistent across all ethnic groups. Biological, environmental, behavioral and socioeconomic explanations exist, but the reason for this discrepancy remains inconclusive. We examined the hypothesis that improved cancer screening across all ethnic groups will reduce ethnic differences in colorectal cancer survival.