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Biomedical subjects

V Kannan

Publications and source records attributed to V Kannan.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Osteosarcoma of the jaw bones.

Osteosarcoma of the jaw bone is comparatively rare and accounts for about 6.5% of all osteosarcomas. We treated eight cases of osteosarcoma of the jaw bone involving the mandible and maxilla in equal proportions between 1986-1992. The median age was 31 years and male: female ratio was 5:3. Swelling and bony expansion were the most common presentations. Radiologically six patients had lytic lesions, and histopathologically they were osteoblastic (n = 4), chondroblastic (n = 3) and fibroblastic (n = 1). Three patients, two with mandibular and one with maxillary osteosarcoma underwent radical surgery and six courses of cisplatinum-based chemotherapy. All were alive and disease free 24, 30, and 54 months after treatment. Histologically all three were chondroblastic. Five patients had incomplete or palliative treatment. All patients died of progressive or locally recurrent disease within 2 years.

Adult↗

Dysgerminoma of the ovary: a retrospective study.

A retrospective analysis of 22 patients with ovarian dysgerminoma who were treated between 1980 and 1987 was carried out. The median age at presentation was 24.5 years. A total of 15 patients were in stage I, one patient was in stage II and six patients were in stage III. Bilateral ovarian involvement was present in four patients. Conservative surgery was carried out in nine patients and 11 patients underwent radical surgery. Two patients had biopsy only. Fourteen patients received adjuvant radiotherapy and three patients received salvage radiation for recurrent disease. The 10-year actuarial survival rate was 81.8%. All 15 patients in stage I were alive and disease-free at a median follow-up of 125 months. Four patients (one in stage II and three in stage III) died of progressive or recurrent abdominopelvic disease. Pelvic recurrence occurred after conservative surgery in two patients in stage IA who had a tumour size greater than 10 cm, but they were salvaged with radical surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. There were seven patients aged 20 years or less. All were alive and disease-free at a median follow-up of 127 months.

Adolescent↗

Improving cancer radiotherapy with 2-deoxy-D-glucose: phase I/II clinical trials on human cerebral gliomas.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of tolerance, toxicity, and feasibility of combining large fraction (5 Gy) radiotherapy with 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG), an inhibitor of glucose transport and glycolysis, which has been shown to differentially inhibit repair of radiation damage in cancer cells. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Twenty patients with supratentorial glioma (Grade 3/4), following surgery were treated with four weekly fractions of oral 2DG (200 mg/kg body weight) followed by whole brain irradiation (5 Gy). Two weeks later, supplement focal radiation to the tumor (14 Gy/7 fractions) was given. Routine clinical evaluation, x-ray computerized tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging were carried out to study the acute and late radiation effects. RESULTS: All the 20 patients completed the treatment without any interruption. The vital parameters were within normal limits during the treatment. None reported headache during the treatment. Mild to moderate nausea and vomiting were observed during the days of combined therapy (2DG + RT) in 10 patients. No significant deterioration of the neurological status was observed during the treatment period. Seven patients were alive at 63, 43, 36, 28, 27, 19, and 18 months of follow-up. In these patients, the clinical and MR imaging studies did not reveal any late radiation effects. CONCLUSIONS: Feasibility of administering the treatment (2DG + 5 Gy) is demonstrated by the excellent tolerance observed in all 20 patients. Further, the clinical and MR studies also show the absence of any brain parenchymal damage.

Adult↗

Atypical parakeratosis: a marker of dysplasia?

The Bethesda System categorizes atypical parakeratosis (APK) as "ASCUS or SIL depending on the degree of cellular abnormalities." APK, however, is not well-defined. We retrospectively reviewed 68 cervicovaginal specimens with follow-up material to identify specific criteria and clinical significance of APK. APK cells were small cells, 2-3 times the diameter of neutrophil, with dense, orangeophilic cytoplasm, high nuclear cytoplasmic ratio, dense, often uneven chromatin, and irregular nuclear contour. Of 62 cases with APK, 37 had accompanying dysplastic cells. Of 25 cases with APK alone, follow-up revealed 12 with squamous intraepithelial lesion (5 HSIL and 7 LSIL) and 13 with benign changes. A major diagnostic pitfall of APK was inflammation with degeneration. Abundant APK cells, minimal inflammation and degeneration, and previous history of dysplasia frequently were associated with follow-up SIL. The findings of this study identify APK as an important marker for dysplasia that warrants careful evaluation and follow-up.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

Cytopathology and the pathology resident. A survey of residency program directors.

OBJECTIVE: To collect information on the status of cytopathology training in the United States. DESIGN: Questionnaire survey mailed in June 1994. SETTING: Pathology residency training programs in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Pathology residency directors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Training length, numbers of cytology specimens, teaching methods and topics, and graduated responsibility. RESULTS: Of the 196 surveys mailed, 101 (52%) programs responded. The average length of required training was 3 months. The perceived optimal training time averaged 4.5 months, however, with 80% of programs requiring less than their stated optimum. The median numbers of gynecologic, nongynecologic, and fine-needle aspiration biopsy specimens examined per resident were 1100, 500, and 200, respectively. Cytopreparatory techniques, laboratory management, computer systems, and immunocytochemistry were included in over 75% of cytopathology training programs. Teaching at the microscope was rated as the most important teaching method by 90% of respondents. The majority of senior residents performed fine-needle aspiration biopsy procedures and screened and signed out cases with direct faculty supervision, but fewer than 20% of programs allowed senior residents to independently sign out specimens. CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations based on this review include a minimum training time of 3 months, improved training in both fine-needle aspiration biopsy techniques and gynecologic cytology, continuous exposure to cytopathologic techniques, and increased graded responsibility for senior residents.

Education, Medical, Graduate↗

Extrapolated response dose as a potential tool in radiotherapy and chemo-radiotherapy of head and neck cancers.

An analysis of head and neck cancer patients treated by radiotherapy (RT) alone (114 patients) and by chemo-radiotherapy (RT + CT) (115 patients) was carried out; the doses varied from 40-77 Gy and 35-71 Gy in RT and RT + CT groups respectively. The chemotherapy (CT) (induction/concurrent) drugs used were 5-FU, cisplatin, methotrexate either single or in combination. Extrapolated response dose values were evaluated with alpha/beta values of 10, 2.5 and 6 Gy for acute, late complications and tumour response, respectively. Dose enhancement factor (DEF) and Therapeutic gain factor (TGF) values were evaluated on the basis of ERD for patients receiving 5-FU RTCT (72 patients). ERD vs late complication rate and response rate curves were drawn for RT, RT + CT (< 7 cycles), RT + CT (> 6 cycles) and RT + CT (cumulative). DEF values for response rate were 0.95, 0.95 and 0.82 for the three RT + CT groups respectively. Similarly DEF values for late complication rate were evaluated as 0.87, 0.93 and 0.88. TGF values for RT + CT were 1.09, 1.02 and 0.93. TGF values indicated lack of significant influence of CT on clinical outcome. The correlation of ERD with late complication, response and status at last follow up (NED) was statistically significant for both groups (P < 0.01). ERD did not correlated with acute complication in RT group (P > 0.01). From the present analysis, in RT + CT treatments of head and neck cancers, an ERD value of 69 Gy is suggested as the limit for an acceptable 5% late complication rate.

Combined Modality Therapy↗

Pre leukemic granulocytic sarcoma of vagina. A case report with review of literature.

Granulocytic sarcoma is an extramedullary tumor of malignant granulocytic progenitor cells, that may precede the onset of acute myeloid leukemia or appear during the leukemic manifestation or blastic crisis of chronic myeloproliferative disorders. We describe a case of granulocytic sarcoma of vagina in a 27 year old woman treated with local radiotherapy. After seven months of follow up she developed acute myeloid leukemia. The case has been presented in view of its rarity and discussed in light of the available literature.

Adult↗

Postmenopausal squamous-cell atypias: a diagnostic challenge.

Exfoliative cytologic studies directed toward atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) have been neglected in the rising postmenopausal population. This retrospective study from 60 cases, initially interpreted as ASCUS or LSIL, concentrates on these lesions and their associated diagnostic pitfalls. Cytologic reevaluation of the 60 patients revealed squamous-cell abnormalities in 45 (18 ASCUS and 27 LSIL) and cervicitis alone in 15 cases. Follow-up studies of the 18 ASCUS cases showed cervicitis in seven, persistent ASCUS in five, CIN I in five, and VAIN I-II in one. Follow-up of the 27 cases categorized as LSIL, showed ASCUS in two, CIN in 20 and VAIN in one, while four had cervicitis alone. Interestingly, two of these 45 patients had only vaginal dysplasia. By application of uniform diagnostic criteria, 15 of the 60 cases were reviewed as benign. Pitfalls included inflammatory and drying alterations, reactive metaplasia, and sampling problems. Thus, squamous-cell abnormalities in postmenopausal women can be significant when artifactual alterations are eliminated.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the tongue.

Although rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) has a predilection for the head and neck region its occurrence in the tongue is uncommon. We report 2 cases of RMS of the tongue, 1 paediatric and 1 adult patient. The child who had RMS of the alveolar type involving anterior two-thirds of the tongue was treated with surgery and chemotherapy and is disease-free at 84 months of follow-up. The adult patient had locally extensive embryonal RMS of posterior third of the tongue, received chemotherapy and radiotherapy but died with progressive disease at 24 months of follow-up.

Adult↗

Interjugular neck dissection and post-operative irradiation for neck control in advanced glottic cancers--are we justified?

At the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, advanced laryngeal cancers are subjected routinely to primary surgery and/or post-operative radiotherapy (RT). The surgery consists of wide field laryngectomy which entails total laryngectomy, ipsilateral/bilateral thyroid lobectomy, bilateral paratracheal clearance, and bilateral clearance of levels 2, 3 and 4 lymphatics. Post-operative RT is indicated in event of the following histopathological (HPE) situations to consolidate local-regional control: (1) T4 primary; (2) significant subglottic extension; and (3) jugular/paratracheal metastatic deposits. This prospective study highlights the therapeutic efficacy of this protocol at our centre in 45 consecutive T4/T3 glottic cancers and specifically evaluates the role of interjugular dissection and/or post-operative RT in prevention of regional recurrence. Fifty-two per cent of primary lesions needed a post-surgical upstaging as against 14 per cent of the neck lesions. Accordingly 91 per cent of the cases (41/45) qualified for post-operative RT and 82 per cent (37/41) complied with the prescribed schedule. Recurrent disease in the lateral neck was noted in 2/37 who received the prescribed schedule and 1/4 non-compliant cases; while a recurrent central neck disease was noted in 1/37 and 1/4 of these cases respectively. All cases were followed-up for a period of two years and 66 per cent of the evaluable cases for a period of five years. This study confirms conclusively that our treatment schedule yields extremely gratifying two-year local-regional control rates of 89 per cent which translates into a two and five-year actuarial survival rate of 92 and 70 per cent respectively.

Combined Modality Therapy↗

Abnormal endocervical cells. Really abnormal? Really endocervical?

With the increasing incidence of endocervical adenocarcinoma, cytopathologists must distinguish between benign dysplastic and malignant endocervical cells. For this reason, the authors began a retrospective review of 44 cytology specimens initially interpreted as "abnormal endocervical cells of uncertain significance" and of 10 endocervical carcinomas. Cytologic specimens were categorized according to tissue into three groups: reactive cells (9), abnormalities associated with squamous intraepithelial lesions (17 low grade, 18 high grade), and adenocarcinoma (10). Reactive cells were monolayered, with demarcated cytoplasm and bland nuclei. Abnormal cells from squamous intraepithelial lesions showed crowding and irregular nuclei with smudgy or granular chromatin. Cells from adenocarcinoma showed multilayering and nuclei with clumped chromatin and occasional mitoses. On reexamination, numerous cells were found to be of metaplastic rather than endocervical origin. Surprisingly, the presence of abnormal metaplastic or endocervical cells sometimes was the only indicator of associated squamous intraepithelial lesion.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Mandibular metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presenting initially as a bony metastasis is rare. Involvement of maxillofacial bones is even more rare and only 20 cases have been reported. A case of a 65-year-old male patient presenting with metastasis to the mandible from a primary HCC is described.

Aged↗

Chondrosarcoma of the hyoid.

Two cases of chondrosarcoma of the hyoid bone are described. They were managed with surgical resection and postoperative radiotherapy. These patients are disease free at 26 months and 15 months respectively.

Adult↗