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Biomedical subjects

J C Briggs

Publications and source records attributed to J C Briggs.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Antitropical distribution and evolution in the Indo-West Pacific Ocean.

Antitropical distributions of continental shelf, Indo-West Pacific species are probably not due to transgression of the tropics during the glacial periods, isothermic submergence, island integration, rising Neogene temperatures, or the Mesozoic dispersal of fragments from a Pacific continental mass. Characteristics of common antitropical patterns, plus information from systematic works on a variety on a variety of animal and plant groups, indicate that the long discarded "relict theory" of Theel (1885) appears to best fit the evidence, for it provides a mechanism whereby antitropical distribution may be brought about. The relict theory is compatible with the concept that the East Indies part of the Indo-West Pacific has been functioning as a center of evolutionary origin. It suggests that antitropical and associated disjunct patterns are produced as an older species, that has spread out to occupy a broad range, loses ground and gradually becomes supplanted by a younger species that had subsequently evolved in the East Indies. As this process goes on, the older species becomes restricted to a few isolated localities on the fringe of its original range. These isolates are often found to the north and south of the equatorial region but may include relict populations at the western edge of the Indian Ocean.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Incidence of locally metastatic ('recurrent') cutaneous malignant melanoma following conventional wide margin excisional surgery for invasive clinical stage I tumours: importance of maximal primary tumour thickness.

In a minimum 5-year follow-up study of 638 primary clinical Stage I invasive cutaneous malignant melanomas (excluding lentigo maligna melanomas) excised with conventional wide normal tissue margins, the incidence of local tumour metastasis was 48/638 (8 per cent). The incidence of locally metastatic tumours rose from 2 per cent for tumours less than 0.99 mm thick, to 14 per cent for tumours between 5 and 6 mm in thickness. The rate of local metastasis was significantly greater for tumours greater than 2.0 mm compared with tumours less than 2.0 mm thick (P less than 0.01). Despite the anatomical restrictions to wide resection margins in the head and neck, these areas had the lowest regional incidence for local tumour metastasis (2 per cent). Over the prolonged postoperative follow-up period (median 11 years) 67 per cent (32/48) of patients with locally metastatic disease died of disseminated malignant melanoma, compared with a 31 per cent mortality (180/590) for those without local disease metastasis. The term 'local recurrence' is unhelpful in our attempts to understand the pathology of malignant melanoma, and the term 'local metastasis' could replace it with benefit.

Biometry↗
PubMed1986

Cutaneous malignant melanoma in the young.

Cutaneous malignant melanoma in children and adolescents is rare. Of over 1600 patients documented in the Melanoma Registry at Frenchay Hospital from 1967 onwards, only 29 cases are recorded who were 21 years of age or younger. Of these, four patients were pre-pubertal (13 years or less) and none arose from a congenital "giant" naevus. Fifteen patients developed metastases, 10 of whom showed spread of tumour within 30 months of initial presentation. Eight of these patients with metastatic disease died, with a maximum survival of 61 months. Only seven patients, five of whom have metastatic disease, survive more than 10 years after first presentation; nine patients, one of whom has secondaries, survive for 5 years or less.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Malignant melanoma, evaluation of clinical follow up by questionnaire survey.

A retrospective questionnaire study, by post, revealed that 69% of patients, still living following first tumour recurrence, had detected the recurrence themselves prior to routine clinic appointments. Nearly 90% developed their first recurrence in the first 5 years following primary surgical treatment. Not only could the length of routine clinic follow-up after primary melanoma treatment be shortened, but with further education of the patient and involvement of the general practitioner it seems likely that patients can be trusted to detect their own recurrences and seek appropriate advice.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1985

Melanoma precursor lesions and borderline melanomas.

The histopathological interpretation of melanoma precursor and borderline lesions remains difficult. The natural history of naevi is reviewed and, in the light of this, current views on the histological sub-types of melanoma, precursor lesions and benign lesions which may mimic melanoma are presented. As the criteria for these lesions are now becoming defined they should be applicable by most histopathologists, even those who may see only occasional cases. Childhood and minimal deviation variants, however, are likely to remain problems even for the expert. Fortunately such lesions are uncommon.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Cutaneous melanomas. The use of a computer to aid in the investigation of the disease.

Up to 49 items of information for each of almost 1400 cases of cutaneous melanoma have been computerized. Some of the resulting clinical and research implications are mentioned as well as the ability to use the computer to file, and rapidly sort, several hundred melanoma references from around the World and also to co-ordinate the U.K. Melanoma Histology Club.

Computers↗
PubMed1985

Biopsy procedures, primary wide excisional surgery and long term prognosis in primary clinical stage I invasive cutaneous malignant melanoma.

281 patients managed for primary clinical Stage I invasive cutaneous malignant melanoma at one Plastic Surgery Unit were followed up to a minimum of 10 years after primary surgical treatment. Sixty-three (23%) had received an initial biopsy procedure prior to definitive wide margin excisional surgery. One third of all lesions initially treated by so called incisional biopsy were rendered histologically unassessable on current histopathological criteria. Incisional biopsy significantly interfered with the accurate histopathological staging of the tumours. Of the assessable incisional biopsy specimens the majority were greater than 4.0 mm thick. When the incidences of local tumour recurrence and mortality were related specifically to maximal tumour thickness of the primary lesion, prognosis at minimum follow up of 10 years was not significantly different between patients treated initially by either incisional biopsy, minimal margin excisional biopsy or primary wide excisional surgery. Whether or not incisional biopsy adversely affects prognosis in cutaneous malignant melanoma, the technique should be avoided since it compromises accurate histopathological microstaging which represents one of our most valuable prognostic guides. Clinical doubt over the diagnosis of cutaneous malignant melanoma should be resolved by a total excisional biopsy of the lesion in question.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Extrapulmonary oat cell carcinoma.

Primary extrapulmonary tumors with histologic features indistinguishable from bronchogenic oat cell carcinoma are appearing with increasing frequency in the literature. These tumors have been described in the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, larynx, hypopharynx, salivary glands, nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, thymus, small and large bowel, uterine cervix, endometrium, breast, prostate, urinary bladder, and skin. It is now widely believed that oat cell carcinoma is a poorly differentiated counterpart of carcinoid tumor and that both originate from an endocrine cell system. In this article, the authors review all cases of extrapulmonary oat cell carcinomas, which they were able to find in the English literature, and report personally studied examples of these tumors, occurring in the esophagus, stomach and urinary bladder. A closely related, if not identical, tumor arising in the skin is also described. It is emphasized that a wider recognition of these tumors is likely to lead to their more frequent diagnosis and possible treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

A study of the thickness of uninvolved dermis beneath cutaneous malignant melanoma: the ratio of uninvolved dermis to tumour thickness (DT:TT) as a prognostic index.

The histological material from 147 patients treated for clinical stage I primary cutaneous malignant melanoma between 1968 and 1972 was reviewed. All patients had a minimum follow up of 10 years. Measurements were made of the thickness of uninvolved dermis (DT) deep to the tumour and the tumour thickness (TT) itself. The ratio of dermal thickness: tumour thickness (DT:TT) was correlated with clinical progress at follow-up and compared as a prognostic index with tumour thickness alone. The ratio DT:TT was found to be a useful prognostic guide, a value of greater than 2.0 proving to be a very favourable sign. It is suggested that this simple ratio should be routinely reported in all cases of primary cutaneous malignant melanoma to provide an additional index with a view to assessing its value as a prognostic guide.

Female↗
PubMed1984

Experience of thin cutaneous melanomas (less than 0.76 mm and less than 0.85 mm thick) in a large plastic surgery unit: a 5 to 17 year follow-up.

The detailed histological findings of 728 melanoma patients treated at Frenchay Hospital during the period 1967 to 1978 have been fully reviewed and analysed. Of these, 75 patients with lesions less than 0.76 mm thick and 15 with lesions greater than 0.75 mm and less than 0.85 mm thick have been identified using a computerised data base. The general practitioners of all the patients in the series have been approached and the clinical histories found in nearly every case (69/75 and 15/15) thus providing a follow-up period of 5 to 17 years. A number of fatal melanomata have been found in these two groups. The histopathological features have been related to the known prognosis in an attempt to characterise the lethal lesions. No statistically significant relationship could be found between prognosis and any histological feature, including specifically the amount of regression within the lesion. However, it was found that assessment of the ratio of the uninvolved dermis beneath the tumour to tumour thickness itself might prove helpful in future case evaluation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Long term follow-up in cutaneous malignant melanoma: the relationship of maximal tumour thickness to disease free survival, disease recurrence and death.

284 patients with invasive cutaneous malignant melanoma and known maximal tumour thickness (MTT) were followed up for 10 to 16 years (or to earlier death) following conventional wide margin excision of the primary tumour. Of these 26 (9%) presented with clinical Stage II disease (enlarged regional lymph nodes). The 10 year disease free survival was 45% for clinical Stage I disease, with 5/26 patients with Stage II disease alive 10 years after tumour excision combined with lymph node dissection. Ninety per cent of first tumour recurrences (lymph node or local skin recurrence) occurred within 5 years of primary surgical treatment for clinical Stage I disease, whilst only 63% of deaths from melanoma occurred within this 5 year period. Although maximal tumour thickness is a valuable prognostic guide, cutaneous malignant melanoma remains an unpredictable disease.

Follow-Up Studies↗