Small nonpolypoid colorectal carcinoma.

The objective of this study was to characterize and assess the presence and frequency of small nonpolypoid colorectal adenocarcinomas among patients with colorectal cancer referred for surgery. The medical, endoscopic, and surgical reports and the histopathologic slides of all patients operated on for colorectal cancer were retrospectively reviewed. Small nonpolypoid colorectal cancer (SNPCC) was defined as a malignant, nonpolypoid lesion smaller than 15 mm.

Effect of colon carcinoma cell supernatants on cytokine production and phagocytic capacity.

The ability of colon carcinoma cells to produce IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF alpha, and the effect of tumor cell supernatants (sups) on the capacity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to produce these three cytokines was examined. In addition, the effect of colon carcinoma cell sups on the engulfing capacity of phagocytic cells was detected. The results showed that IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF alpha levels were significantly higher in tumor cell sups compared with those of autologous colon mucosal cells obtained from healthy tissue.

The value of early and double phase 99Tcm-sestamibi scintimammography in the diagnosis of breast cancer.

The aim of this study was to assess the additional value of early and double phase scintimammography (SMM) with 99Tcm-sestamibi in the detection of breast cancer following initial evaluation by palpation and mammography. Altogether, 322 women with breast lesions evaluated prospectively by palpation, fine-needle aspiration and mammography were assigned a malignancy risk according to the results. Scintimammography was performed in all patients in the prone breast dependent position.

Diverticulitis: the effect of age and location on the course of disease.

To examine the effect of patient's age and the location of diverticular disease on the course of the acute disease we retrospectively collected demographic data, symptoms, laboratory findings, imaging techniques, type of treatment (conservative vs. surgical), early and late complications, and follow-up data on 119 patients with acute diverticulitis (74 women, 45 men; mean age 64+/-14 years; follow-up 7-102 months, median 40). Patients were divided by their age into two groups (42 aged 60 years or younger, 77 aged over 60) and on the location of their disease (108 to the left of the middle transverse, 11 to the right).