Critical analysis of a series of 55 cases of pulmonary metastases of various origins, treated surgically, included successive study of the circumstances of discovery of the pulmonary lesions, the free interval, and the characteristics and mode of therapy of the metastases. Overall survival was 41% at 2 years and 21% at 5 years. The effect of surgery on overall therapeutic strategy of cancer is discussed.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[A comparison of the result of aspiration, needle-biopsy, pleuroscopy and thoracotomy in the diagnosis of chronic pleurisy (author's transl)].

A series of 60 diagnostic pleuroscopies was carried out in cases of isolated chronic pleurisy, or pleurisy accompanied with pleural and parenchymatous lesions. The following diagnoses were obtained : 23 non-specific chronic inflammations, 1 purulent pleurisy, 1 rheumatoid pleurisy, 25 neoplasms and 10 tuberculosis. In all cases, pleural aspiration, with bacteriology and cytotology of the fluid, as well as pleural needle-biopsy with the Abrams needle, were carried out before, with negative results in 53 cases and doubtful results in 7 cases. Later, 14 thoracotomies were carried out, either for diagnosis or for treatment (pleuro-pulmonary decortication). The diagnosis obtained by pleuroscopy was confirmed in 10 cases (5 chronic inflammations, 1 purulent pleurisy, 1 mesothelioma, 3 tuberculosis), but not confirmed in 4 cases : simple chronic inflammations related in reality to 3 neoplasms and a diagnosis of tuberculosis also due to a neoplasm. Overall, pleuroscopy allowed the diagnosis of 55 chronic pleurisies out of 60 (92%), confirmed by the progress of the disease, or later thoracotomy (10 cases). The reliability of this procedure is certain when the histology of the neoplasm or the specific condition is obtained (37 cases), but the diagnosis of chronic non-specific inflammation remains a provisional diagnosis. Exploratory thoracotomy retained its indication in this case and allowed the diagnosis to be corrected in 4 cases out of 14.

Biopsy, Needle↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Following operated bronchial cancers. Personal experience. Outlook for the future (author's transl)].

Between 1968 and 1976, the authors operated 573 bronchial cancers. They appreciate the way they were followed up. It revealed that an average of 68% of operated patients were seen again but that the consulting frequency decreased as time passed. Very often, controls were only radio-clinical; hospital admission tended to decrease. The frequency of examinations, respectively 2.6 and 2.4 yearly controls during the first two post-operative years, appeared insufficient because metastases and local recurrences were detected mostly during this period. The efficiency of the treatment of these lesions depends on an early diagnosis. A schedule control of the disease could be drawn out of this study.

Adenocarcinoma↗