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Biomedical subjects

T Wobbes

Publications and source records attributed to T Wobbes.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Comparison of four serum tumour markers in the diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma.

The assessment of the diagnostic power of four serum tumour markers, CEA, CA 19-9, CA 50 and CA 195 for colorectal carcinoma is described, according to recently formulated guidelines. Preoperative serum concentrations of the four markers were determined in 198 colorectal cancer patients and 57 patients with a benign colorectal disorder. The cumulative frequency distributions of the malignant and benign group show strong overlap for all markers, which indicates low diagnostic ability. This is confirmed by the Receiver Operating Characteristic curves, which have areas under the curve of 0.65 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58-0.73) for CA 19-9, CA 50 and CA 195 and of 0.70 (95%) CI 0.63-0.77) for CEA. The new tumour markers appear to be of slightly less diagnostic value than CEA for the primary diagnosis of colorectal cancer, although the discrepancy is not statistically significant. The low diagnostic power of CA 19-9, CA 50 and CA 195 may be due to a high proportion of colorectal cancer patients having the Lewis(a-b-) phenotype, who cannot synthesise these markers.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗

Epidermal growth factor receptor levels are lower in carcinomatous than in normal colorectal tissue.

A series of 24 paired samples of colorectal carcinoma and the respective normal colorectal mucosa were analysed for Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) content by means of a standardised ligand binding assay. We, for the first time, found that EGFR levels are statistically significantly higher in normal colorectal mucosa biopsy samples than they are in colorectal carcinoma biopsy samples, the median EGFR levels being 77.5 fmol mg-1 of membrane protein (range 35-239), against 46 fmol mg-1 of membrane protein (range 22-81), respectively, P less than 0.001. In addition, we found that there are significant regional differences in EGFR expression in the normal human colon mucosa. The EGFR levels were significantly higher in samples from the proximal part of the colon than they were in samples from the distal part, the median EGFR levels being 124 fmol mg-1 of membrane protein (range 70-239) vs 55 fmol mg-1 membrane protein (range 35-156), P less than 0.05. The EGFR levels of the colorectal carcinoma samples did not show any regional variation.

Aged↗

Blood transfusion impairs the healing of experimental intestinal anastomoses.

Blood transfusions are reported to impair the cell-mediated immune response. Because both T lymphocyte and macrophage function are important for wound repair, the authors investigated the effect of blood transfusions on anastomotic repair. Lewis rats underwent resection of both ileum and colon, followed by the construction of either an everted or an inverted end-to-end anastomosis. Immediately after operation, they received either 3 mL saline intravenously, or 3 mL heparinized blood from Lewis or Brown Norway donors. The animals were killed 3 or 7 days after operation, and anastomotic strength was assessed by measuring the bursting pressure. Anastomotic abscesses and generalized peritonitis were not found in the control group. Blood transfusions, particularly allogeneic, significantly increased the incidence of these septic complications. Three days after operation, anastomotic strength was significantly reduced in both Lewis and Brown Norway transfused groups. For instance, average bursting pressures (+/- standard deviation [SD]) of inverted ileal anastomoses were 79 +/- 13 mmHg in the control group and 46 +/- 14 and 21 +/- 12 mmHg in the Lewis and Brown Norway transfused groups, respectively. Seven days after operation, the rupture site was found significantly more often within the anastomotic line in the animals that had received blood transfusions. The authors conclude that blood transfusions impair the healing of experimental intestinal anastomoses and increase susceptibility to intra-abdominal sepsis.

Abscess↗

Cytostatics and anastomotic healing in the intestine: an experimental study on the effect of parenteral nutrition.

The effects of parenteral nutrition on the healing of experimental ileal and colonic anastomoses constructed on the 3rd day of a 5-day cytostatics course were investigated. Intravenous saline alone already reduced weight loss induced by cytostatics while parenteral nutrition almost completely prevented postoperative loss of weight. A negative effect of cytostatics on anastomotic bursting strength was found in the ileum 7 days after operation. Parenteral feeding negated this effect but had no positive effect on anastomotic hydroxyproline content. Thus, parenteral nutrition increases the strength of intestinal anastomoses, constructed during a cytostatics regimen, but intravenous saline alone also appears to have a similar effect.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

Use of serum tumor markers in the differential diagnosis between ovarian and colorectal adenocarcinomas.

In the search for a method to facilitate the preoperative discrimination of ovarian carcinomas from colorectal carcinomas serum levels of 6 tumor markers were measured in 47 patients presenting with ovarian cancer and compared to levels found in 24 female patients with advanced, untreated colorectal cancer. The markers studied were CA 125, CA 15.3, CA 19.9, CEA and two recently developed mucin markers, CA M29 and CA M26. Levels of CA 125, CA 15.3, CEA and CA M29 showed significant differences between both groups. In predicting ovarian cancer, sensitivity was highest for CA 125 at 94% (35 U/ml cutoff level). However, the specificity of CA 125 was at 71% low. Specificity increased significantly by using a combination of a CA 125-positive score (greater than 35 U/ml) and a simultaneous negative CEA score (less than or equal to 5 ng/ml) (specificity 100%, sensitivity 81%). A CA 125/CEA serum ratio greater than 25 resulted in the highest discriminative power with a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 91% resulting in an overall test accuracy of 94%. It is concluded that the serum tumor markers used, especially a combination of CA 125 and CEA, are helpful in the preoperative differential diagnosis between adenocarcinomas of ovarian and colorectal origin.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Breast cancer].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗

Effect of perioperative blood transfusion and cell saver on the incidence of postoperative infective complications in patients with an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta.

OBJECTIVE: To find out if there was an association between perioperative blood transfusion and the development of infective complications, and whether the use of the cell saver for autologous transfusion had any influence. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University Hospital. SUBJECTS: 102 consecutive patients who had been operated on for aneurysms of the abdominal aorta. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: 32 of the 102 patients developed infective complications. Thirteen patients died (six after emergency and seven after elective operations). Nine died as a direct result of infection, one of intra-abdominal bleeding, one of necrosis of the colon, and two of cardiopulmonary complications. The incidence of infective complications was directly related to the number of units of blood transfused, being 0 when 0 or 1 was given; 11 (20%) when 2-4 units were given; 12 (55%) when 5-8 units were given; and 9 (69%) when the number was 9 or more. The cell saver had no influence on the incidence. Other factors associated with higher rates of infective complications were the insertion of a bifurcated prosthesis (p = 0.03), and emergency operation (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These results confirm the association between blood transfusion and the incidence of infective complications. It may be that more intensive use of the cell saver and preoperatively saved autologous blood could reduce the rate of infective complications.

Age Factors↗

Histologic evaluation of wound healing in experimental intestinal anastomoses: effects of antineoplastic agents.

Histologic evaluation of intestinal wound healing with and without cytostatics was performed in 36 rats. Variables were the relative position of the wound edges in mucosa and muscularis, necrosis, exudate, granulation tissue, granulocytes, macrophages, fibroblasts, restoration of the mucosal epithelium, and repair of the muscularis propria. The relative position of the wound edges in the mucosa and the muscularis in the initial phase of wound healing depended on technique but appeared to improve in the later phases of wound healing. It was not affected by the administration of antineoplastic agents; neither were muscularis repair, epithelial restoration of the mucosa, necrosis, nor exudate. Granulation tissue, fibroblasts and macrophages were present in maximal amounts after 7 days appearing later or showing this maximum at a different moment in time when antineoplastic agents were given. The processes of epithelial and muscularis repair were not influenced by the relative position of the wound edges. Granulation tissue, macrophages, and fibroblasts were the best parameters for measuring the histologic evolution of intestinal wound healing, and the effects of antineoplastic agents upon it.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

Carcinoma-associated mucin serum markers CA M26 and CA M29: efficacy in detecting and monitoring patients with cancer of the breast, colon, ovary, endometrium and cervix.

Two recently developed monoclonal antibody (MAb)-based anti-mucin assays, CA M26 and CA M29, were studied in 250 cancer patients and compared to 3 well-established marker tests, viz., CA 125, CA 15.3 and SCC, in order to assess their clinical usefulness as serum tumor markers. Pre-treatment sera were obtained from patients with predominantly low-stage epithelial malignancies comprising 200 adenocarcinomas (of the ovary, endometrium, breast and large intestine) and 50 squamous-cell carcinomas (of the uterine cervix). Pretreatment sera of 50 patients with benign ovarian tumors were included to evaluate levels in benign disease, CA M26 and CA M29 cut-off levels were established in 89 healthy controls. In patients with adenocarcinomas, overall positivity for CA M29 was 24%, ranging from 10% in breast cancer to 60% in ovarian cancer. Overall positivity was highest for CA 125 (30%) and lowest for CA M26 (18%) with CA M29 (24%) being similar to CA 15.3 (25%). In adenocarcinomas the combined CA M26-CA M29 assays equalled results obtained with the CA 125-CA 15.3 combination (33% vs. 36%). Elevation of 2 or more markers was highly indicative of advanced disease (p less than 0.025). A majority of positive patients showed either CA M26 or CA M29 elevations, indicating that both antibodies detect distinct epitopes. After adjustment for tumor site and stage, the profile of CA M26 as a single marker differed significantly from the profiles of CA 125 and of CA M29. CA M26 was frequently (32%) elevated in patients with squamous-cell carcinoma of the cervix and CA M26 levels were often independently elevated. CA M26 seems to be valuable as an additional marker in breast cancer and perhaps as a new marker in cervical cancer. CA M29 may be useful in ovarian cancer in addition to CA 125.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Breast-conserving treatment or mastectomy in early breast cancer: a clinical decision analysis with special reference to the risk of local recurrence.

A clinical decision analysis was performed to judge the impact of local recurrences after breast-conserving treatment (BCT) on the (quality-adjusted) life expectancy of breast cancer patients. A life-long follow-up of two patient groups, one of which had undergone mastectomy and one BCT, was simulated by a Markov model of medical prognosis. Data used in the model originated from the literature. Since results in the source papers were not split according to stage, we performed two analyses: one with data from all source studies (T1 and T2) and one with data from source studies, concerning only T1 patients. In both analyses, the conclusion was that BCT yields better quality-adjusted life expectancy than mastectomy. Sensitivity analysis, however, identified subgroups of patients who should preferably undergo mastectomy. These subgroups are: patients preferring mastectomy to BCT, patients with a high risk of local recurrence, young patients and patients at high age, if they also have a high local recurrence risk. For these groups, patient preferences should play a major role in recommending treatment.

Adult↗

Intraperitoneal cytostatics impair healing of experimental intestinal anastomoses.

We investigated the effect of two doses of cytostatics, administered intraperitoneally during 5 consecutive days, on the healing of ileal and colonic anastomoses constructed on the third day. The cytostatics regimen consisted of a combination of 5-fluorouracil, bleomycin and cisplatin at 10, 2 and 0.35 mg kg-1d-1, respectively, or at twice higher doses. The lower dose was similar to that given intravenously in previous experiments. Rats were sacrificed 3 or 7 days after operation. No effects of cytostatics were observed after 3 days, neither on anastomotic bursting pressure nor on hydroxyproline concentration (microgram/mg dry weight) or content (microgram cm-1). Profound effects were seen at 7 days. In the high dose group, bursting pressures in both anastomoses were greatly reduced with respect to the control group. Concurrently, collagen synthesis was severely impaired, as indicated by sustained decreased hydroxyproline concentrations and content. The lower dose of cytostatics showed essentially similar effects on hydroxyproline parameters, but affected anastomotic strength less dramatically. The data indicate that, while intraperitoneal chemotherapy may show less detrimental systemic toxicity and thus allow higher doses, its application as an adjunct to gastrointestinal surgery may be limited because of its severe effects on anastomotic repair.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

Bronchial suction by minitracheotomy as an effective measure against sputum retention.

Bronchial suction by means of a minitracheostomy is a new method for treatment of sputum retention and related pulmonary diseases. Through a small coniotomy, a specially designed cannula is inserted into the trachea, allowing frequent bronchial suction. The effectiveness of this method was prospectively analyzed in 74 consecutive patients and the results were compared with those reported in the literature. The operative procedure for insertion of the Minitracheotomy cannula caused nonlethal bleeding in three patients who were receiving anticoagulant medications. Thirty-eight of 43 patients treated on the intensive care ward were detubated and dismissed at an earlier stage than usual because of a minitracheostomy. The method failed in two comatose patients and in one patient with a laryngeal tumor. The method was effective in 18 patients who had serious pulmonary disease postoperatively. Thirteen patients at high risk for pulmonary infections, in whom the cannula had been prophylactically applied after extensive operations, did not have postoperative pulmonary complications. Over-all, the median period for bronchial suction was 4.0 days; decannulation followed on average 4.7 days later. No complications were caused by the presence of the cannula and the device was well tolerated by the patients.

Adolescent↗

Steroid-hormone receptors in nonpalpable and more advanced stages of breast cancer. A contribution to the biology and natural history of carcinoma of the female breast.

Tumors of five groups of patients, with (1) nonpalpable primary breast cancer, (2) palpable operable primary breast cancer, (3) loco-regionally advanced primary breast cancer, (4) first and (5) late metastatic breast cancer, were studied in respect to their steroid receptor content. A statistically significant decrease of progesterone receptor positive tumors and of tumors positive for estradiol and progesterone receptors, was found with increasing advance of the disease. A reversed extrapolation of these figures supports the hypothesis that every breast cancer contains steroid receptors and is hormone-dependent from its inception.

Biology↗

Correlation between collagenolytic activity and grade of histological differentiation in colorectal tumors.

Collagenolytic activity, extracted from 55 tumor and healthy corresponding intestinal control samples, was determined by 3 different assays using soluble type I and fibrillar type I and III collagen, respectively, as substrate. The enzyme extracted from tumor-digested collagen type I reconstituted fibrils and yielded the three-quarter segments characteristic for the action of one of the matrix metalloproteinases: MMP-I or mammalian collagenase. Metal-chelating agents such as EDTA and O-phenanthrolin indeed inhibited this activity. Collagenolytic activities were calculated on the basis of wet weight, total DNA and total extracted protein. Correlations were sought between levels of activity and both clinicopathological stage (Dukes' staging) and grade of histological differentiation. In all the assays applied, significant correlations were found between grade of histological differentiation and collagenolytic activity expressed as the tumor/control ratios: poorly differentiated tumors exhibited a higher tumor/control ratio than well-differentiated tumors. Also, tumors penetrating into the serosa showed a higher tumor/control ratio than tumors invading the muscularis propria only. A relation between collagenolytic activity and clinico-pathological stage was observed only if activities were calculated on a DNA basis. These results confirm a relationship between the histological appearance of a tumor and its enzymatic potential to degrade interstitial collagens.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Cecal carcinoma: a different colon malignancy?

Cecal carcinoma has been associated with a poorer prognosis than other colon carcinomas because of the presumed longstanding obscure symptoms. In a combined study of three Dutch hospitals, a total of 166 patients with cecal carcinoma were evaluated after right hemicolectomy. Special emphasis was placed on clinical symptoms related to advanced tumor growth, e.g., pain, anemia, and palpable mass. These factors and clinicopathological staging were evaluated with aid of the Cox regression model. Ninety percent of the resected specimens contained a Dukes' B or C carcinoma. Only 5% were found to have widespread metastatic disease. Overall 5 year survival rate was found to be 0.57. No statistically significant relation to pain or palpable mass was found. Anemia, however, was related to a better survival, especially in patients with a Dukes' B carcinoma. Clinicopathological staging according to Dukes' is closely related to survival. It is concluded that carcinoma of the cecum behaves similarly to other colon malignancies.

Adenocarcinoma↗

The squamous cell carcinoma tumor marker in mammary carcinoma: comparison of polyclonal versus monoclonal antibody-based assays.

Pretreatment serum levels of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)-antigen as determined with a polyclonal and monoclonal antibody-based assay were determined in 136 patients with invasive mammary carcinoma, 8 patients with ductal carcinoma in situ and 23 patients with benign breast diseases. For the polyclonal assay, the overall sensitivity was 44.8% at a cut-off level of 2.0 ng/ml and 25% for 2.5 ng/ml. For the monoclonal assay, the sensitivity was 11.0 and 25.0% at cut-off levels of 2.0 and 1.5 ng/ml, respectively. On the basis of analysis of specificity of the two assays for the benign control group, the cut-off level of the polyclonal assay has to be 2.5 ng/ml in the case of mammary carcinoma, of the monoclonal assay it has to be 2.0 ng/ml. For 175 serum samples of the whole group of patients (pre- and postoperative samples), the polyclonal RIA (x) and the monoclonal IRMA (y) were measured. The orthogonal regression analysis gave the equation: monoclonal IRMA = 1.03 polyclonal RIA - 1.15 ng/ml (Sy.x = 0.48; r = 0.7225). We also came to the conclusion that the SCC-antigen measured by either assay is different.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Surgical implications of population screening for mammary carcinoma.

With the introduction of population screening for mammary carcinoma, in the initial phase an increase of malignancies has to be expected. Later on in the program the type of lesions will change. In the case of nonpalpable lesions close cooperation between surgeon, radiologist and pathologist is mandatory. The treatment of patients with ductal carcinoma in situ needs special attention because of the complexity of the problem, and requires careful preparation of the disciplines involved.

Aged↗