Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D M Dent

Publications and source records attributed to D M Dent.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Stereotaxic localisation and aspiration cytology of impalpable breast lesions.

As part of a programme of assessment of the 'Sterotix' localisation device, aspiration cytology was carried out on 50 patients with 52 impalpable, mammographically detected breast lesions using the stereotaxic guidance device. This was followed by an open localisation biopsy of the area for confirmation. In 12 patients (23%) the aspirations failed to yield sufficient material for diagnosis. This was frequently due to the poorly cellular nature or very small size of the lesions. Of the remaining 40 patients, 15 were regarded as having both mammographically and cytologically benign changes which were confirmed histologically; they could thus have been spared diagnostic surgery. Ten patients had a diagnosis of malignancy with both investigations, and could have had planned investigation and subsequent definitive surgery. Of the remainder, 14 lesions had a report of malignancy or suspicion of it with either technique and these patients would have come to conventional localisation biopsy. Only one patient was found to have a malignancy, who had cytologically benign and mammographically 'probably benign' disease: this was an invasive lobular carcinoma with a dominant in-situ component and may well have been an incidental finding on biopsy.

Adult↗

Randomized comparison of R1 and R2 gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma.

The contention that the R2 radical gastrectomy for localized and potentially curable gastric carcinoma may be superior to gastrectomy without lymphadenectomy (R1) was assessed by randomized trial. Five years after commencement 403 patients have been evaluated at surgery and only 43 (11 per cent) found eligible (S0-2, P0, H0, N0-1), 22 of whom underwent R1 and 21 R2 gastrectomy. Seven patients had final histological stages in excess of the protocol. The R2 group had a longer operating time (P less than 0.005), a greater blood transfusion requirement (P less than 0.005), a longer hospital stay (0.05 greater than P greater than 0.025) and required reoperation in four cases. There were no postoperative deaths. Four patients have died from the disease in the R1 group and five in the R2 group, there being no difference in the probability of survival at a median follow-up of 3.1 years. The small proportion of patients suitable for radical R2 surgery, the high associated morbidity and the fact that survival advantage has yet to be proven in trial suggest that this procedure should not yet be performed outside of controlled clinical trials.

Adult↗

Gastric carcinoma in young adults.

Of 720 patients with gastric carcinoma treated over a 6-year period, 37 (5%) were 35 years of age or younger. They differed from older patients in that the usual sex ratio was altered (18 men: 19 women), and in certain histologic features. Poorly differentiated or undifferentiated lesions predominated (34 patients), and the distribution of histologic types was unusual; two thirds each were of the diffuse type (Lauren classification) or signet ring type (World Health Organization classification), and over three quarters were infiltrative (Ming classification). Intestinal metaplasia was absent in the majority of patients, and gastritis was less commonly seen than in older patients. Although most patients had long histories of disease and advanced disease, the TNM stages and the proportion undergoing curative resection (8%) were similar to those seen in older patients. Except for one who has survived 5 years, all patients in this study have died.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗

Lack of an association between carcinoma of the stomach and the major histocompatibility complex (HLA) in Cape Coloureds.

A possible genetic contribution to the high incidence of gastric carcinoma in the Cape Coloured population of the Western Cape region of South Africa was investigated. The HLA-A, B, C, DR and DQ antigens were determined with a microcytotoxicity assay, and their frequencies compared in 124 individuals with gastric carcinoma and 4,560 controls. No significant difference was found, thus supporting the view that a genetic component has a minor, if any, role in gastric carcinogenesis.

Black People↗

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy cytology of the breast. A review of the Groote Schuur Hospital experience.

The results of the first 1,500 cytological diagnoses of fine-needle breast aspirates performed at Groote Schuur Hospital Breast Clinic are compared with the histological diagnoses of Tru-cut and excision biopsies of the same lesions. A cytological diagnosis of malignant disease was made in 358 cases, 349 of which were confirmed histologically. The 10 false-positive and 1 false-negative diagnoses are discussed. The reliability of diagnosis in the first 500 cases is compared with that in the second and third 500 cases. There were no false-positive diagnoses in the last 500 cases, and only 3 in the second 500 cases compared with 7 in the first 500 cases. Similarly, the 1 false-negative diagnosis was made in the first 500 cases. The results confirm the reliability of fine-needle aspiration biopsy cytology as a diagnostic technique. The number of incorrect diagnoses decreases as experience with the technique increases.

Biopsy, Needle↗

Sensitivity of endoscopic detection of malignancy in resectable gastric carcinoma.

In 50 consecutive cases of resected gastric carcinoma the absolute sensitivity in making an unequivocal pre-operative diagnosis was 54% for endoscopic inspection, 76% for biopsy and 48% for cytology. Inspection and biopsy in combination yielded 90% and adding cytology achieved 92% absolute sensitivity. The relative sensitivity (which included equivocal reports) was far higher for each individual test, and 100% for the combination of all three, but did not reflect the clinical value of these investigations as clinicians did not react appropriately to equivocal reports. Thus for the endoscopic detection of gastric carcinoma in routine clinical practice, inspection was insensitive, biopsy mandatory, cytology of little additional value and endoscopic followup of apparently benign lesions appeared important.

Biopsy↗

Gastric cancer. Some aspects of epidemiology, risk factors, treatment and survival.

Gastric cancer mortality has fallen sharply in many Western populations, yet world-wide it probably remains the single commonest cancer. A diet rich in salted or smoked food and low in vitamin C contributes to its pathogenesis, while the environmental type of atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia are consistently associated and may represent precursors of malignant change. Better food preservation may have a protective effect. Since patients with gastric cancer usually present with incurable disease and survive for only a few months, only those likely to live long enough to benefit from surgery should be operated upon. In the small proportion of patients who have curable disease, extended lymph node dissection increases morbidity and has not convincingly been shown to prolong survival. The palliation offered by surgery, and particularly that achieved by chemotherapy and radiation, deserves further study. Screening for gastric carcinoma seems unlikely to decrease mortality.

Female↗

Surgical staging of gastric carcinoma: sources and consequences of error.

Macroscopic 'TNM' staging was performed during 78 consecutive operations for gastric carcinoma and compared with subsequent pathological staging. Surgical assessment was correct for tumour (T) in 60 per cent when depth of invasion was assessed, for nodes (N) in 61 per cent, for liver metastases (M) in 92 per cent but for all aspects in only 21 per cent. Curability (conservatively defined as T1-3, N0-1, M0) was correct in 8 of 18 patients thus assessed at surgery and incurability was pathologically correct in 58 of 60 patients. Despite inaccurate surgical staging, no patient was denied a resection although 10 patients had unduly radical procedures for their stage and 2 had inappropriately conservative procedures for their stage (but without evidence of residual disease). Staging errors did not jeopardize conventional surgical management substantially and use of intra-operative microscopic sampling of nodes would have improved surgical treatment only minimally.

Humans↗

Case for conservative management of selected fibro-adenomas of the breast.

To assess the safety of a conservative approach to fibro-adenoma of the breast we prospectively studied 321 women with this clinical diagnosis, and performed aspiration cytology and excision biopsy. There was histological confirmation of fibro-adenoma in 217 (68 per cent), the remainder having various benign conditions and 4 (1.3 per cent) had carcinoma. Aspiration cytology had a sensitivity of 87 per cent and a specificity of 76 per cent for fibro-adenoma. Three cases of carcinoma were identified cytologically and the fourth was regarded as suspicious. To estimate the risk of missing carcinoma we compared the annual frequency of carcinoma with fibro-adenoma in young women and found a ratio of 1:470 between 15 and 19 years, 1:133 between 20 and 24 years and 1:9 in the 25-29 age group. To assess patients' views on non-operative treatment of benign breast masses we asked 124 women, 10 days postoperatively, whether they preferred a conservative approach for a cytologically benign lump: 26 (21 per cent) opted for conservative management in the future and 8 (7 per cent) would have preferred conservatism rather than their recent excision. A conservative approach is safe for clinically and cytologically benign breast lumps in women under 25 years, but very few will accept it.

Adenofibroma↗

The incidence and causes of hypercalcaemia.

A prospective screen for hypercalcaemia in 58,053 hospital in-patients was conducted over 12 months. The incidence of hypercalcaemia was 0.6%, being transient in 19.2% of patients and sustained in the remainder. The most common causes in the sustained group were malignancy (45%) and primary hyperparathyroidism (16.5%). The incidence of primary hyperparathyroidism was 78/100,000 hospital in-patients, and its discovery was directly attributable to the survey in over half the cases.

Adult↗

Immunoproliferative small-intestinal disease: clinical features and outcome in 30 cases.

Experience with 30 patients with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease followed prospectively between 1971 and 1986 is described. All presented with malabsorption or growth retardation and had similar clinical, biochemical, and radiological features, irrespective of the presence of lymphoma or immunological abnormality. Alpha-chain disease protein was detected in 4 of the 11 patients who had a non-lymphomatous, predominantly plasmacytic infiltration of the small bowel; and in 5 of the 19 cases with diffuse intestinal lymphoma. The importance of exploratory laparotomy to include full-thickness intestinal biopsy in patients who have a benign infiltrate on peroral biopsy is demonstrated by the finding of lymphoma in operative specimens in 9 of 15 patients with mature, lymphoplasmacytic cells, and 5 of 8 patients with atypical, lymphoplasmacytic cells. The majority of patients with fully established benign disease, even those elaborating alpha-chain disease protein, appeared to have a good prognosis. No patient with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease developed immunologically demonstrated alpha-chain disease or frank lymphoma, when this was not found initially at explorative laparotomy.

Adolescent↗