[Observations on current surgical viewpoints in gynecological and breast oncology].

Radical surgery in gynaecological and mammary cancerology exists one century. Better results as longer survival and disease free intervals are the consequences of the progress of scientific and technical advancement. The five-year survival for the total group (stages I to IV) of malignant tumours in a personal series is 65% and the ten-year survival 53%.

One aspect of surgical quality assurance: complications in gynaecologic and mammary surgery.

This overview of the operative and post-operative complications encountered in a personal series of 10.190 classical surgical procedures out of 43.395 patients gives an idea about the nature and rate of problems in the classical way of surgery.

[Influence of surgical quality in the treatment of cancer of the ovary and fallopian tubes].

229 patients with ovarian cancer (224) or Fallopian tube cancers (5) are discussed. 51.3% of 115 patients of 224 had stages III and IV, 4 patients with stage IIIc had Fallopian tube cancer.

DNA ploidy and the expression of tissue-carcinoembryonic antigen in grade III carcinoma of the breast.

A series of 50 Stage I and II, Grade III ductal carcinomas of the breast was characterized by DNA flow cytometry and further analyzed with a monoclonal antibody for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The antigen was detected with the indirect immunoperoxidase technique on paraffin sections and on cytologic smears of the cell suspensions that were used for flow cytometric DNA analysis. A significant higher incidence of CEA-positivity in cytologic smears and tissue sections was found in DNA-diploid tumors (13/18 and 12/18, respectively) than in DNA-aneuploid tumors (13/22 and 12/32, respectively) (P less than 0.

Prostacyclin/thromboxane ratio in human breast cancer.

In this prospective follow-up study the prognostic value of the tumor prostacyclin/thromboxane ratio in human breast carcinoma was investigated. The stable degradation products of prostacyclin and thromboxane (6-keto-PGF1 alpha and TXB2, respectively), were measured by radio-immunoassay in homogenized primary tumours from 29 patients with primary non-metastatic breast cancer. The median follow-up was 43 months (range 24-58 months).

Flow cytometric detection of multifocal DNA aneuploid cell populations in mastectomy specimens containing a primary breast carcinoma.

DNA flow cytometry was used to study the presence of DNA aneuploid cell populations in macroscopically normal glandular tissue in mastectomy specimens from 30 patients with breast cancer. In the 13 patients with a DNA diploid primary tumor, no DNA aneuploidy could be found in any of the 39 distant specimens assessed. However, DNA aneuploid cell populations were demonstrated in four of the 17 (23%) patients with a primary DNA aneuploid carcinoma and in seven out of 54 (13%) distant tissue samples (P = 0.

Prognostic value of prostaglandin F2 alpha concentrations in breast carcinoma.

Prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in homogenised primary tumours from 57 patients with breast cancer. These patients were followed up from 60 to 78 months (median 63 months) after surgery and PGF2 alpha concentrations were related prospectively to metastatic spread and survival. The amounts of PGF2 alpha varied greatly in the different tumours (range 0-90 ng/mg protein), but no significant association was found between PGF2 alpha concentrations and disease free survival, time of relapse, site of recurrence, or overall survival.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation and the syndrome of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets in severe preeclampsia.

To clarify the role of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in women with the hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome, serial coagulation studies were performed prospectively in 18 patients. A semiquantitative DIC scoring system was used retrospectively to augment the diagnostic confidence of coagulopathy. At the time of admission to the hospital, three patients showed no evidence of DIC, eight had suspected DIC, and seven had manifest DIC.

Application of ultrasound in the diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy--a review of the literature.

The world literature between 1979 and 1984 has been reviewed in regard to the use of ultrasound in the diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy. Although ultrasonography is helpful in detecting the intrauterine pregnancy, it is far less accurate for diagnosing the associated ectopic pregnancy. A clear-cut ultrasonographic diagnosis prior to surgical intervention could be made in only 4 of 29 cases (14%), where viable intra- and extrauterine fetuses were observed.

Prostacyclin and thromboxane in benign and malignant breast tumours.

6-keto-PGF1 alpha and thromboxane B2 were determined by radioimmunoassay in 37 extracts of breast carcinomata, 8 fibroadenomata, 12 sclerocystic-disease specimens and 51 normal breast tissues. More prostanoids were extracted from carcinomata than from normal specimens, fibroadenomata or sclerocystic-disease tissues (P less than 0.05).

Prostaglandin F2 alpha in benign and malignant breast tumours.

Prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) was determined by radioimmunoassay in 57 breast carcinomata, 16 fibroadenomata, and 33 sclero-cystic-disease (SCD) specimens. In 41 cases of carcinoma and 10 cases of fibroadenoma, histologically non-malignant tissue was also obtained from the same breast. PGF2 alpha levels were significantly elevated in breast cancer when compared with the normal tissues and benign diseases (P less than 0.

Effect of oestriol on the oscillation of circulating gonadotrophins in post-menopausal women during sleep.

The effect of oestriol on the rapid oscillation of circulating FSH and LH levels during sleep was investigated by administering oestriol (E3: 2 mg/day) orally for 3 mth to 3 healthy post-menopausal women who experienced frequent hot flushes. Before treatment and at the end of the third mth of treatment, blood samples were drawn the length of sleep, and serum FSH and LH level were measured by radioimmunoassay. Fluctuations of serum FSH and LH levels were recorded and the pulses were defined as a 20% increase of hormone concentration over nadir.