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P Vennin

Publications and source records attributed to P Vennin.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Germline BRCA1 mutations in patients from 84 families with breast and/or ovarian cancers in northern France.

The BRCA1 gene modification is responsible for an autosomal dominant syndrome of inherited early onset breast and/or ovarian cancer. This gene is estimated to account for almost half of inherited breast cancers and three quarters of inherited breast/ovarian cancers. This suggests that about 1 in every 500 women may carry the BRCA1 mutation. The BRCA1 was isolated by positional cloning in 1994. More than 100 different mutations have been found in the germline of affected individuals. Using systematic sequencing, we looked at BRCA1 germline mutations in 84 patients treated at the Centre Oscar Lambret for breast and/or ovarian cancer who belonged to high-risk families. We found 39 mutations: 22 true mutations inducing modifications of the BRCA1 protein (BRCA1+), six mutations with unknown consequences on the BRCA1 protein, and eleven mutations corresponding to polymorphisms that had been described previously. All the BRCA1+ cases had a HPG3 tumour. The median age of discovery and the receptor positivity percentage are lower in hereditary breast cancer than in the standard population of the breast cancers treated in our centre. Conversely, most of the BRCA1+ patients are without node involvement. This shows that BRCA1 mutations are not always related to parameters thought to indicate a bad prognosis.

Adult↗

[Comparative study of tumor evaluation with computerized tomography and surgery in ovarian cancer].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results of an abdomino-pelvic scan in cancers of the ovary in comparison with surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed the observations concerning patients operated on for malignant tumors of the ovary between January 1992 and April 1995 in our anti-cancer center. We selected 32 patients who had had both a complete surgical abdominal exploration (laparotomy or laparoscopy) and an abdominal pelvic scan in the preceding months. We divided the abdomen into 33 areas and compared the scan of each with the surgical findings. Two cancer radiologists, including one gynecology specialist, studied the imaging separately. Neither knew the results of the surgical observations. RESULTS: Imaging findings varied with localization tumor size and presence or not of ascites radiologists. For certain localization, detection of lesions was difficult for both readers (pancreas, spleen, stomach), for others, recognition improved with experience (bowel, diaphragm, colon). CONCLUSION: The clinician must be aware of the variability of ovarian cancer assessment by CT scan, particularly if imaging alone is being used to guide treatment.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗

What do gastroenterologists, surgeons and oncologists tell patients with colon cancer ? results of a survey from the northern france area

This regional survey was aimed to detect hypothetical variations in attitudes among truth telling in colon cancer by an anonymous questionnaire sent to the 290 gastroenterologists, surgeons and oncologists of the Northern France area. The answers were assessed as always (A), often (O), rarely and never. Diagnosis was revealed to the patient (whether or not he asked the question) or to his spouse in 83%, 40% and 93% of the cases, respectively. The diagnosis of diffuse metastasis was revealed (A + O) to the patient or to his spouse in 23% and 95% of the cases, respectively. Only 3% of the physicians told (A + O) the patient that his condition was incurable while this aspect was A + O revealed to the patient's spouse in 34% of the cases. Most of the time, the diagnosis of colon cancer was revealed by oncologists rather than by surgeons or gastroenterologists. Conversely the full truth was more commonly told to the family by surgeons and gastroenterologists than by oncologists. We found variation in attitudes towards truth telling in colon cancer which depend on the physician's speciality. It seems to us that the magnitude of the full truth told to the patient or his family in Northern France area, is somewhat intermediate between the attitude of doctors in Northern Europe and in Latin Mediterranean or Eastern Europe countries.

Journal Article↗

[Information for patients with cancer of the colon: results of a survey of gastroenterologists, surgeons, and oncologists of the North region].

This regional survey was aimed to detect hypothetical variations in attitudes among truth telling in colon cancer by an anonymous questionnaire sent to the 290 gastroenterologists, surgeons and oncologists of the Northern France area. The answers were assessed as always (A), often (O), rarely and never. Diagnosis was revealed to the patient (whether or not he asked the question) or to his spouse in 83%, 40% and 93% of the cases, respectively. The diagnosis of diffuse metastasis was revealed (A + O) to the patient or to his spouse in 23% and 95% of the cases, respectively. Only 3% of the physicians told (A + O) the patient that his condition was incurable while this aspect was A + O revealed to the patient's spouse in 34% of the cases. Most of the time, the diagnosis of colon cancer was revealed by oncologists rather than by surgeons or gastroenterologists. Conversely the full truth was more commonly told to the family by surgeons and gastroenterologists than by oncologists. We found variation in attitudes towards truth telling in colon cancer which depend on the physician's specialty. It seems to us that the magnitude of the full truth told to the patient or his family in Northern France area, is somewhat intermediate between the attitude of doctors in Northern Europe and in Latin Mediterranean or Eastern Europe countries.

Adult↗

[Germ-line mutation of BRCA1 in patients with breast and/or ovarian cancer in high risk families in Northern France].

The BRCA1 gene modification is responsible for an autosomal dominant syndrome of inherited early onset breast and/or ovarian cancer. This gene is estimated to account for almost half of inherited breast cancers and three quarters of inherited breast/ovarian cancers. This suggests that about 1 out of 500 women may carry BRCA1 mutation. The BRCA1 gene was isolated by positional cloning in 1994. More than 100 different mutations have been found in the germline of affected individuals. We looked by systematic sequencing at BRCA1 germline mutations in 36 patients treated at the Centre Oscar-Lambret for breast and/or ovarian cancer and that belonged to high risk families. We have found 24 mutations: 9 true mutations inducing modifications of the BRCA1 protein (BRCA1+), 5 mutations with unknown consequences on the BRCA1 protein and 10 mutations corresponding to polymorphisms that had been previously described. All the BRCA1+ cases had a HPG3 tumor. The median age of discovery and the receptor positivity percentage are lower in hereditary breast cancer than in the standard population of the breast cancers treated in our center. Consequently, BRCA1 mutations are associated to parameters thought to be of bad prognosis.

Adult↗

Cancer genetics clinics: target population and consultees' expectations.

The aim of this study was to determine in healthy consultees attending cancer genetics clinics their risk status, their pathways leading to the clinics, their expectations and perception of cancer risk. In 1994, the consultees at six French centres completed a questionnaire before their first oncogenetic consultation. The oncogeneticists subsequently filled in a standardised form giving their risk assessment. Among the 206 healthy consultees, 91.3% were women, 92.2% had at least one cancer-affected first-degree relative and 73% had a "cancer family risk" as assessed by the oncogeneticist. Sixty-nine per cent of the consultees were referred to the clinics by a physician, 10.4% by their family and 18.8% on their own initiative: 83.5% of the sample perceived their family risk of cancer as being high and this belief was confirmed in 74.3% of the cases studied by the oncogeneticist. The families of self-referred consultees were less often at risk than those of consultees referred by a physician or by their family (P = 0.012). The majority (78%) expected to be informed about cancer prevention and screening, and this expectation depended on the consultee's level of education (P = 0.001). This study shows that medical pathways are more effective than the media as a means of reaching the members of the general population who are genuinely at risk, and shows that fuller information about prevention needs to be provided at cancer genetic consultations.

Adult↗

Attitudes towards cancer predictive testing and transmission of information to the family.

Before the organisation of breast cancer predictive testing in France, consultands' attitudes towards this kind of testing and towards passing on information about the family cancer risk to their relatives were investigated. This survey was carried out from January 1994 to January 1995 at six specialised cancer genetic clinics located in different parts of France Female consultands who were first degree relatives of cancer patients and who had at least one case of breast cancer in their family, affecting either themselves or a first degree relative or both, participated in this study. Among the 248 eligible consultands attending the clinics during the study period, 84.3% answered a post-consultation questionnaire. Among the 209 respondents, 40.7% (n = 85) were cancer patients and 59.3% (n = 124) were healthy consultands. A high consensus in favour of genetic testing was noted, since 87.7% of the sample stated that they would ask for breast cancer gene testing if this test became available. The underlying assumption of 96.6% of the women was that their health surveillance would be improved after a positive test. A high awareness of the anxiety that would be generated in a family after a positive result was observed and found to be associated (p < 0.05) with the anxiety and depressive profiles of the patients. Half of the healthy respondents said they would not change their attitude towards screening if the results of predictive testing turned out to be negative. Only 13.7% of the 161 patients who stated that the oncogeneticists asked them to contact their relatives firmly refused to do so, mainly because of difficult family relationships.

Adult↗

[Attitudes towards screening and prevention of breast and ovarian cancers with hereditary predisposition. Survey by female gynecologists in the north of France].

Search for mutations of BRCA1 in women at hereditary risk for cancer is now possible. We asked the female gynaecologists of our county (north of France) their opinion about the search of a mutation of BRCA1 if they had a familial risk of breast cancer. Our aim was to obtain the opinion of informed women about their willingness to do the test for themselves and about the consequences they should accept. One hundred and eighty-three women received a questionnaire by post. The response rate was 56.3%. Twenty-four percent of the responders had a first degree relative with breast cancer. Most of the responders (87.4%; IC 95%: 81-93.8) would ask for the search of a mutation of BRCA1. The percentage of women who would accept the test is smaller for the women who have a first degree relative with breast cancer (72.0% vs 92.3%; P = 0.02). The reasons given to do the test were a better screening or prevention (69.7%) and the knowledge of a personal risk (49.4%). For breast cancer, 93.2% (95% CI: 88.4-98) would accept a screening protocol, 30.1% (CI: 21.3-38.9) would accept a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy. For ovarian cancer, 93.2% (CI: 88.4-98) would accept the screening, 52.4% (CI: 42.8-62) would accept a prophylactic ovariectomy. In conclusion, most of the informed women would ask for the test and the surgical options for reducing the risk of cancer are not absolutely rejected. Of course, only future studies will state precisely the choice of truly implicated women.

Adult↗

[Paraneoplastic superior vena cava thrombosis disclosing an ovarian tumor].

We report the case of a patient who was admitted in hospital for evaluation of a superior vena cava thrombosis. The patient exhibited an activated protein C resistance due to an arginine-506 mutation in factor V. Thoracic CT-scan showed a non-compressive complete superior vena cava thrombosis. Other investigations revealed a pleural effusion associated with an ovarian tumor. Pathological data of pleural biopsies showed a papillar carcinoma. Ovarian neoplasia revealed by a paraneoplasic syndrome was diagnosed. Treatment associated cyclophosphamide and carboplatin with anti-K-vitamin was administrated, with a complete remission and disappearance of superior vena cava thrombosis at 27 months of evolution. At this date, we observed a local pelvis recurrence which was treated with paclitaxel associated with surgery.

Anticoagulants↗

[Breast neoplasms: information in question(s). A survey of patients and physicians at a cancer treatment center].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to know the wishes of our patients for information and to compare them with the point of view of our colleagues in a cancer center. METHODS: We gave 100 consecutive new patients with breast cancer a questionnaire about their needs. The same questionnaire was given in duplicate to all our colleagues in the cancer center (n = 53) asking: 1) their own needs of information if they had breast cancer 2) how they thought the patients would answer. RESULTS: Seventy-five percent of the patients and 81% of the doctors returned the questionnaire (28 were men and 15 women; 81% were involved in the management of breast cancer). On one hand, concerning information about the disease and about the treatment, there was no difference between the needs expressed by patients of doctors (as patients). As expected, the two groups wanted to be well informed. On the other hand, there was always a statistically significant difference between the needs expressed by patients and the opinion of doctors who systematically underestimated them. Concerning information to the family, 21% of doctors and only 4% of patients didn't want any information to be given to their family. Interestingly, 67% of the patients thought the decision had to be taken together with the doctor and 56% of the doctors (as patients) wished the decision to be taken by the doctor. CONCLUSION: Patients and physicians if they were patients, expressed the same high level need of information, but the patients needs seemed underestimated by the majority of doctors.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Absence of germline mutations of exons 5 to 8 of the P53 gene in 26 breast cancer families from the north of France.

We looked for germline mutations of exons 5 to 8 of the P53 gene in 27 female patients from 26 families originating from the north of France who had breast cancer and at least one first degree relative also affected with breast cancer. Detection of the mutations was made by single strand conformation polymorphism analysis. No mutation was found in any patient, confirming that germline mutations of the P53 gene are very rare in familial breast cancer (apart from Li Fraumeni families).

Adult↗

Plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentrations in human breast cancer.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is capable of stimulating breast cancer cell growth in vitro and the presence of IGF-1 receptors has been demonstrated in primary breast cancers. We determined plasma IGF-1 in a primary breast cancer population and in a control population. Radioimmunoassays were performed either directly on plasma, IGF-1 (NE), or after an acid-ethanol extraction of the plasma, IGF-1 (E). We demonstrated an inverse correlation between age and IGF-1: for this reason, only results obtained in females of the same age range (> 35 years) were compared. Median concentrations of IGF-1 were significantly higher in primary breast cancers [IGF-1 (E) = 152 ng/ml, IGF-1 (NE) = 26 ng/ml, n = 44] than in controls [IGF-1 (E) = 115 ng/ml, IGF-1 (NE) = 20 ng/ml, n = 92]. To our knowledge such a growth factor increase has never been described in breast cancer. We conclude that IGF-1 could be an important factor involved in the development of breast cancer and that treatment reducing IGF-1 levels could be beneficial for patients.

Adult↗