The potential role of fecal carbonic anhydrase II in screening for colorectal cancer.

Several studies have demonstrated a relationship between mucosal carbonic anhydrase (CA) isoenzymes, particularly CA II, and cancer of the large intestine. Recent work has suggested the potential usefulness of fecal CA assay for colorectal cancer screening. This clinical study examined the accuracy of fecal CA II as a marker of adenocarcinoma of the colon and rectum.

Long-term results of curative resection of "minimally invasive" colorectal cancer.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the long-term outcome after curative resection of colorectal cancers that extend only into the submucosa ("minimally invasive") and to evaluate potential histologic predictors of lymph node metastases.

Methods: Seventy-nine patients who underwent curative resection of minimally invasive colorectal cancer and were followed for at least five years were studied retrospectively.

Results: The series was comprised of 53 men and 26 women, with a mean age of 61 years.

Prognostic value of tumor "budding" in patients with colorectal cancer.

From 1970 to 1985, 663 patients underwent curative resection of colon and rectal adenocarcinomas. All surgical specimens were examined for tumor "budding," defined as small clusters of undifferentiated cancer cells ahead of the invasive front of the lesion. Patients were divided into two groups according to degree of budding: none or mild (BD-1) and moderate or severe (BD-2).

A 7 year experience with low anterior sigmoid resections using the EEA stapler.

The EEA stapler was used in 205 patients over a 7 year period with 19 complications (9 percent) and 1 death (0.5 percent). Meticulous attention to technique and familiarization with the EEA stapler are necessary to achieve such results.

Acute fulminating amoebic colitis: survival after total colectomy.

Acute fulminating amoebic colitis is a very uncommon complication of amoebiasis. Most patients die, with or without surgery. We report such a patient who survived after total colectomy.

Outpatient adult inguinal hernia repair.

Repair of adult inguinal hernia has been done on an outpatient basis at our surgical facility for the past six years. In 616 consecutive repairs, complications have been remarkably few: one patient was electively admitted to hospital, two hernias have recurred and one patient needed to be catheterized. Patient acceptance has been enthusiastic.

Biopsy and definitive radiation therapy in stages I and II carcinoma of the female breast.

One hundred-twenty patients with Stages I and II carcinoma of the female breast were treated by biopsy followed by definitive radiation therapy without mastectomy. The breast received 4500-5000 cGy (rad) using a 6 MV linear accelerator followed by a supplement to the area of the primary tumor of 2000 cGy (rad) using electrons in 99 patients (83%) and interstitial implantation in 21 patients (17%). Local recurrence was not recorded in the 43 patients with Stage I disease, while three of 77 patients (4%) with Stage II disease suffered a local recurrence.

Therapeutic angiography. Its value to the surgical patient.

Standard angiographic techniques formerly used exclusively as diagnostic modalities have been modified to serve as definitive or adjunctive therapeutic measured. The techniques include transcatheter embolization; infusion of vasoactive drugs, chemotherapeutic agents and radioactive particles; tamponade of bleeding arteries and balloon catheters; extraction of vascular foreign bodies and retained biliary tract stones and transluminal arterial dilation. These techniques have been proved effective and safe when used judiciously.