Comment on the Nottingham Prognostic Index.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E A Benson.
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The introduction of a national breast cancer screening programme and wider public awareness of breast disease have contributed to an increasing workload for breast surgeons. One method of dealing with this problem efficiently is to encourage day case surgery for breast biopsy patients. We studied our own day case breast biopsy workload, asked other surgeons what proportion of breast biopsies they performed in this way and assessed its acceptability to patients. Of surgeons working in units with facilities available, 40.3% perform 25% or less of breast biopsies as a day case. Of 235 patients undergoing breast biopsy in our unit during an 11-month period, 195 (83%) were performed as day cases. Of these, 192 were under general anesthesia. In all, 97.2% of patients were satisfied with their treatment as a day case, and only 4.5% would have preferred admission postoperatively. Carcinoma was present in 22 (11%) lesions biopsied, 11 (50%) of which occurred in patients under 50 years of age. Surgical complications were encountered in 32 (16.4%) cases; significant bruising 26 (13.3%), wound infections 4 (2.05%), dehiscence 1 (0.51%), and retained suture 1 (0.51%). Breast biopsy is an appropriate and acceptable procedure to undertake as a day case.
Tailgut cysts are derivatives of the embryonic post-anal gut. Usually asymptomatic, they are discovered in adult life as an incidental retrorectal mass. Complications include infection, with the formation of retrorectal abscesses and occasionally and fistulae, and a long-term risk of malignant change, which means that once discovered surgical excision is advised. We present a case that was assessed pre-operatively with transrectal ultrasound. The findings were of a well defined cystic lesion, with no evidence of invasion. We believe that transrectal ultrasound is of value in assessing retrorectal lesions.
Recent reports have suggested the presence of oestrogen receptors (ER) in pancreatic carcinoma. Therefore the tumour may be sensitive to hormone manipulation therapy. We examined 23 biopsies of human pancreatic carcinoma tissue for the presence of ER. The tissue was assayed by two methods: Iso-electric focusing (IEF) and ER-ICA an immunocytochemical assay. All biopsies were tested with ER-ICA and ten by IEF. Each biopsy was assessed histologically for tumour content and 20 contained adenocarcinoma. None of the samples of pancreatic carcinoma were positive for ER using the ER-ICA, and none demonstrated the binding peak typical of ER in the IEF assay. These results suggest that in pancreatic carcinoma oestrogen receptor is either absent (or at very low levels), or of a different type to that found in breast and uterine tissue. On theoretical grounds at least, this must raise questions as to the oestrogen sensitivity of pancreatic cancer.
The diagnosis and treatment of abdominal actinomycosis is difficult. We report a case of chronic diverticulitis of the sigmoid colon with stricture formation and obstruction, which was complicated by intramural actinomycosis. We suggest that diverticular strictures and actinomycosis may coexist more often than the literature suggests.
From 1985 to 1987 148 patients underwent mastectomy for breast cancer, of whom 91 underwent modified radical mastectomy. Of these patients (median age 60 years (range 31-86 years)), 89 have been assessed for early (< 30 days) and late (> 30 days) non-tumour morbidity and mortality. A total of 41 patients had nodal metastases. Adjunctive therapy used was tamoxifen in 70 patients and radiotherapy in 20. Overall, 47 patients (53%) developed a total of 75 complications, and there was one 30-day mortality. Of the patients, 26 developed one complication, 14 had two complications and 7 three complications. Early complications were lymphocoele/seroma (n = 22), wound infection (n = 9) and cardiopulmonary problems (five deep vein thrombosis, two pulmonary embolus (1 death), one myocardial infarct). Late complications were lymphoedema (n = 10), pectoralis major wasting (n = 6), frozen shoulder (n = 7), intercostobrachial neuralgia (n = 4), and a small number of self-limiting wound problems (n = 9). There were two late deaths (myocardial infarcts). Early complications were not related to nodal status, and late complications were related to neither nodal status nor radiotherapy. Significant morbidity is attached to radical surgery for breast cancer. Most complications are minor and self-limiting, but there are a small number of late complications which may affect quality of life.
The serum levels of CA 195 were determined in 52 patients with histologically proven pancreatic carcinoma and compared with carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), serum bilirubin and albumin. CA 195 levels were raised above the upper limit of 20 U/ml in 42 cases, giving a sensitivity of 80% for the detection of pancreatic carcinoma, whereas CEA was raised in only 55%. The levels of CA 195 and CEA were significantly higher in patients with metastatic disease, but potentially curable cases were not discriminated. Bilirubin and albumin levels were not significantly related to either the presence of metastases or the levels of the tumour markers. At the time of initial presentation, levels of both tumour markers correlated with the eventual duration of survival, but bilirubin and albumin did not. Significant increases in CEA and CA 195 were found in sequential blood samples, as the disease progressed. Neither CA 195 nor CEA was of sufficient sensitivity to be of value for screening, but both give an indication of the presence of metastases and of the subsequent duration of survival. CA 195 appeared to be more sensitive and might help to assess progress of the disease.
Excision of the major duct system of the breast for symptoms owing to mammary duct ectasia may be curative, but recent reports have been less optimistic. A retrospective study (1978-1990) of 46 women (median age 38 years, range 18-78 years) who underwent subareolar dissection with antibiotic cover for symptoms associated with duct ectasia is presented. Thirty-three women presented without symptoms of overt sepsis (periareolar lump, nipple discharge or nipple retraction). Following subareolar dissection, six developed recurrent symptoms and five required further surgery. Thirteen women presented initially with abscesses. Eight abscesses recurred following incision and drainage, and one developed a mammillary fistula. Following subareolar dissection, six developed recurrent sepsis requiring further surgery.
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It is unknown among first-degree relatives of individuals with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) whether the disease process occurs in relatively few but always progresses to clinical IDDM or whether subclinical disease is more common but remains nonprogressive in many cases. Islet cell antibodies (ICAs) were found in 21 of 724 (2.9%) first-degree relatives during screening in the greater Seattle area between 1983 and 1988. Measures of beta-cell function (glucose disappearance rate [Kg], fasting insulin, acute insulin response to intravenous arginine [AIRarg], acute insulin response to intravenous glucose [AIRgluc], slope of glucose potentiation of AIRarg) and insulin sensitivity were obtained. Twenty individuals, 9 ICA+ relatives and 11 ICA- relatives, were evaluated prospectively. When expressed in relation to the expected AIRgluc based on each subject's sensitivity index, AIRgluc in 18 of 20 relatives fell below 100%, indicating inappropriately low insulin secretion (subclinical beta-cell dysfunction). After a median follow-up of 42 mo, 10 of 11 ICA- relatives remained ICA-. None showed deteriorating beta-cell dysfunction, and none developed diabetes. Five ICA+ relatives showed persistent immunologic positivity. beta-Cell function remained remarkably stable in all except 2 relatives. One was a 15-yr-old boy who developed IDDM shortly after screening and before evaluation of beta-cell function could be carried out. The other was an 18-yr-old monozygotic twin who developed IDDM after 27 mo. Both of these individuals had ICAs of 80 Juvenile Diabetes Foundation U and had been discordant for less than 5 yr.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
There remains some controversy regarding the timing of cholecystectomy after an attack of acute cholecystitis. Opinions vary between early operation within two and seven days and delayed operation readmitting the patient eight to twelve weeks later. There is, however, a small group of patients who require prompt emergency cholecystectomy. This group includes patients presenting with cholecystitis complicated by gas-forming organisms where the plain abdominal gas-forming organisms where the plain abdominal radiograph can establish the diagnosis.
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To search for a genetic marker in patients with thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP), we studied the erythrocyte sodium-potassium pump activity in 13 patients with TPP; 30 thyrotoxic patients with no history of paralysis (T) and 69 euthyroid controls. In thyrotoxic patients (TPP and T), erythrocyte ouabain binding and ouabain sensitive sodium efflux rate constant were decreased while erythrocyte sodium content was increased. All these changes reverted to normal when the patients became euthyroid. Maximal ouabain binding capacity correlated positively with ouabain sensitive sodium efflux rate constant (r = 0.542; p less than 0.001; n = 155) and negatively with serum thyroxine concentration (r = -0.571; p less than 0.001; n = 60) and erythrocyte sodium content (r = -0.521; p less than 0.001; n = 155). In the thyrotoxic state, maximal ouabain binding capacity was just significantly higher in TPP when compared with T (0.268 +/- 0.014 and 0.234 +/- 0.009 pmol/10(9) cells respectively; p less than 0.05). This difference could not be demonstrated when the patients became euthyroid. Our findings suggest that patients with TPP respond to thyrotoxicosis with a smaller decrement in erythrocyte sodium-potassium ATPase activity than patients without a history of paralysis. However, the difference is too small to represent a useful genetic marker for this disease entity
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During the preclinical period of human insulin-dependent diabetes, both impaired pancreatic beta-cell function and increased insulin resistance are found, although normoglycemia is preserved. To better understand the changes in beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity that occur in preclinical insulin-dependent diabetes, we performed a panel of in vivo beta-cell function tests and measured insulin sensitivity in adolescent male baboons both in normal health and after a small dose of streptozocin which did not induce hyperglycemia. Nine animals were studied before (stage 1) and 1 week after receiving a low dose of streptozocin (stage 2). There was no change in fasting plasma glucose or insulin. The mean glucose disposal rate (Kg) remained within the normal range, but dropped from 2.0 +/- 0.2% +/- SE) to 1.2 +/- 0.1%/min (P less than 0.01), the acute insulin response to arginine (AIR(arg)) fell from 67.7 +/- 19.4 microU/mL (485.8 +/- 139.2 pmol/L) to 32.8 +/- 7.2 microU/mL (235.3 +/- 51.7 pmol/L; P less than 0.05), and the acute insulin response to glucose (AIR(gluc)) fell from 881 +/- 243 microU/mL.10 min (6321 +/- 1744 pmol/L.10 min) to 334 +/- 82 microU/mL.10 min (2396 +/- 588 pmol/L.10 min; P less than 0.01). The most dramatic change, however, was in the ability of hyperglycemia to potentiate AIR(arg) (expressed as the slope of potentiation). This was reduced by 94% from 1.8 +/- 0.5 to 0.1 +/- 0.1 (P less than 0.01), with almost no overlap in values between stages 1 and 2. Insulin sensitivity was also lower 1 week after streptozocin treatment. When the animals were restudied 8 weeks after streptozocin treatment (stage 3) most measures of beta-cell function were not significantly different from those in stage 1. The fasting plasma glucose level was 85.4 +/- 4.3 mg/dL (4.7 +/- 0.2 mmol/L), Kg was 1.8 +/- 0.3%/min, fasting plasma insulin was 35.9 +/- 8.5 microU/mL (257.6 +/- 61.0 pmol/L), AIR(arg) was 67.0 +/- 15.4 microU/mL (480.7 +/- 110.5 pmol/L), and AIR(gluc) was 615.3 +/- 265.3 microU/mL.10 min (4413 +/- 1901 pmol/L.10 min), and tissue insulin sensitivity was 2.7 +/- 0.4 x 10(4) min/microU.mL. These values show extensive overlap with those of stage 1, from which they are not significantly different. The slope of glucose potentiation, however, remained low in all animals at stage 3.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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