Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Data Curation”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,225 records · Page 68Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Endoscopic follow-up in oncological diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: the experience of the Regina Elena Cancer Institute.

In oncology, follow-up refers to the medical procedures aimed to control, over time, both patients at risk of developing cancer, or those already submitted to surgical treatments for neoplastic lesions. The usefulness of an endoscopic follow-up in oncological diseases of the gastrointestinal tract is still being debated and, in some cases, a variety of different protocols are often employed for the same disease. At Regina Elena Cancer Institute, after a critical review of our data and literature, we established and followed guidelines of endoscopic follow-up for patients both at risk and submitted to curative surgery for cancer.

Barrett Esophagus↗
PubMed2005

Acute myeloid leukemia treatment in patients over 60 years of age. Comparison of symptomatic, palliative, and aggressive therapy.

State-of-art of aggressive treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in patients older than 60 years is one of the least satisfactory topics of present-day hematology. This fact led us to ask the following questions: Does it make sense to administer aggressive treatment to older patients with AML? Could it be that we only complicate the rest of the life of these older patients with AML, by using aggressive treatment? Would they not benefit more from palliative or symptomatic therapy? What is the quality of life of older patients with AML like? Therefore, to try to answer these questions, we performed the next analysis. A retrospective analysis was performed including (without any selection) all consecutive patients over 60 years of age who were treated with AML in our centre from 1998 till 2003. We have analyzed data from 137 elderly patients who were diagnosed with AML (excluding acute promyelocytic leukemia). Median survival from diagnosis in the aggressive (curative) therapy group was 4 months, in palliative therapy group 2 months and in symptomatic therapy group 0.8 months. Patients receiving curative therapy spent in a hospital (in-patient stay) 70% (median) of their life after diagnosis of AML, patients receiving palliative treatment 64% (median) of their life after diagnosis, and patients receiving symptomatic treatment 100% (median), respectively. Only marginal advantage in the median overall survival is observed in the group of aggressively treated patients.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

Spontaneous and IL-2-induced anti-leukemic and anti-host effects against tumor- and host-specific alloantigens.

The graft-vs-leukemia (GVL) effect and its connection to graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) were studied in F1 hybrid mice after parental bone marrow transplantation. (BALB/c x C57BL/6) F1 mice (F1) were sublethally and lethally irradiated and inoculated with 10(4) BCL1 cells, a murine leukemia of BALB/c (BALB) origin. Subsequently mice were transplanted with F1 (syngeneic), BALB (allogeneic to the host but syngeneic to the tumor), C57BL/6 (B6) (allogeneic to both host and tumor) spleen cells, or spleen cells mixed with syngeneic (F1) bone marrow cells, respectively. Fresh BALB (H-2d) and B6 (H-2b) spleen cells, which induce equally strong GVHD in the F1 recipient against H-2b and H-2d alloantigens, respectively, were assayed for their ability to induce GVL effects on BCL1 (H-2d) cells with and without in vivo administration of human rIL-2. In order to increase the GVL effects, spleen cells were incubated for 4 days with rIL-2 to generate IL-2-activated killer cells. The results of adoptive transfer experiments showed that only immunocompetent B6 cells led to consistent eradication of leukemia. Neither BALB nor syngeneic F1 cells induced curative GVL effects regardless of whether spleen cells were further stimulated with rIL-2 in vitro, in vivo, or both. Our data support the theory that GVL effects are caused by T cell-dependent immune responses of allogeneic T cells and not by MHC-nonrestricted NK or rIL-2-activated NK cells, independently of the GVHD process itself. Hence, recognition and killing of tumor cells is most probably a MHC-restricted T cell-dependent process.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Failure of pulsed dye laser therapy for resistant verrucae.

Treatment with the 585-nm pulsed dye laser was performed in seven patients with viral warts (six with plantar warts and one with a periungual wart) who had failed to respond to conventional therapeutic modalities, including keratolytics, formalin soaks, cryotherapy, curettage, CO2 laser and systemic retinoids. Each patient was and treated on six occasions, separated by intervals of 3 weeks, with fluences of 8.5-9.5 J/cm2. Final follow-up was performed 3 weeks after the final treatment. All patients showed some decrease in the thickness of their warts, this being of a small degree in five of the patients. In the remaining two, there was a moderate reduction in both thickness and wart size. None of the patients experienced complete resolution of their lesions. symptomatic improvement was obtained in all three patients who had previously complained of pain. These data indicate that treatment of resistant viral verrucae of the periungual and plantar skin with the pulsed dye laser is not curative although partial resolution and symptomatic improvement may occur.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Chronic myeloid leukemia: pathophysiology, diagnostic parameters, and current treatment concepts.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a stem cell disease characterized by excessive accumulation of clonal myeloid (precursor) cells in hematopoietic tissues. CML cells display the translocation t(9; 22) that creates the bcr/abl oncogene. The respective oncoprotein (= BCR/ABL) exhibits constitutive tyrosine kinase activity and promotes growth and survival in CML cells. Clinically, CML can be divided into three phases: the chronic phase (CP), the accelerated phase (AP), and the blast phase (BP) that resembles acute leukemia. Progression to AP and BP is associated with occurrence of additional genetic defects that cooperate with bcr/abl in leukemogenesis and lead to resistance against antileukemic drugs. The prognosis in CML is variable depending on the phase of disease, age, and response to therapy. The only curative approach available to date is stem cell transplantation. For those who cannot be transplanted, the BCR/ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor STI571 (Glivec, Imatinib), interferon-alpha (with or without ARAC), or other cytoreductive drugs are prescribed. Currently available data show that STI571 is a superior compound compared to other drugs in producing complete cytogenetic and molecular responses. However, despite superior initial data and high expectations for an effect on survival, long term results are not available so far, and resistance against STI571 has been reported. Forthcoming strategies are therefore attempting to prevent or counteract STI571 resistance by co-administration of other antileukemic drugs. Whether these strategies will lead to curative drug therapy in CML in the future remains at present unknown.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

A historical perspective of the popular use of electric and magnetic therapy.

OBJECTIVES: To review the history of the therapeutic use of static electric and magnetic fields and to understand its implications for current popular and medical acceptance of these and other alternative and complementary therapies. DATA SOURCES: Comprehensive MEDLINE (1960-2000) and CINAHL (1982-2000) computer literature searches by using key words such as electricity, magnetism, electromagnetic, therapy, medicine, EMF, history of medicine, and fields. Additional references were obtained from the bibliographies of the selected articles. In addition, discussions were held with curators of medical history museums and supplemental searches were made of Internet sources through various search engines. STUDY SELECTION: Primary references were used whenever possible. In a few instances, secondary references, particularly those requiring translations of early texts, were used. DATA SYNTHESIS: The use of electric and magnetic forces to treat disease has intrigued the general public and the scientific community since at least the time of the ancient Greeks. The popularity of these therapies has waxed and waned over the millennia, but at all times the popular imagination, often spurred by dynamic and colorful practitioners of pseudoscience, has been more excited than the medical or political establishment. In fact, a pattern seems to reappear. In each era, unsophisticated public acceptance is met first with medical disdain, then with investigation, and, finally, with a failure to find objective evidence of efficacy. This pattern continues today with the public acceptance of magnetic therapy (and alternative and complementary medicine in general) far outstripping acceptance by the medical community. CONCLUSION: The therapeutic implications of applying electrical and magnetic fields to heal disease have continually captured the popular imagination. Approaches thousands of years apart can be remarkably similar, but, in each era, proof has been lacking and the prevailing medical establishment has remained unconvinced. Interest persists today. Although these agents may have a future role in the healing of human disease, their history and a minimal scientific rationale makes it unlikely that the dichotomy between the hopes of the public and the medical skepticism will disappear.

Advertising↗
PubMed2005

Differences in pediatric oncologists' estimates of curability and treatment recommendations for patients with advanced cancer.

BACKGROUND: When goals of therapy for children with advanced cancer are called into question, physician recommendations regarding treatment goals have been shown to be important for families. However, there has been no demonstration of the degree of variation between pediatric oncologists' recommendations in such situations. PROCEDURE: We provided 48 pediatric oncologists with two identical case histories and identical prognostic data from the literature. Individual interviews were then performed to assess variation in (1) recommended treatment goal, (2) perceived chances for cure, and (3) degree to which further curative intervention would be considered desirable for each patient. RESULTS: There was a large variability in each of the areas examined. For both patients, there was wide divergence (2:1 and 2:3) in whether to recommend cure as the goal of treatment. There were also differences in physician estimates for likelihood of cure for each patient. Finally, even among those with identical estimates for likelihood of cure, there were differences in the treatment goals physicians would recommend and how strongly they would counsel for them. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that even with identical clinical data and prognostic evidence from the literature, pediatric oncologists vary widely in their recommendations regarding goals of treatment for children with advanced cancer.

Child↗
PubMed2006

Mining literature for systems biology.

Currently, literature is integrated in systems biology studies in three ways. Hand-curated pathways have been sufficient for assembling models in numerous studies. Second, literature is frequently accessed in a derived form, such as the concepts represented by the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and Gene Ontologies (GO), or functional relationships captured in protein-protein interaction (PPI) databases; both of these are convenient, consistent reductions of more complex concepts expressed as free text in the literature. Moreover, their contents are easily integrated into computational processes required for dealing with large data sets. Last, mining text directly for specific types of information is on the rise as text analytics methods become more accurate and accessible. These uses of literature, specifically manual curation, derived concepts captured in ontologies and databases, and indirect and direct application of text mining, will be discussed as they pertain to systems biology.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Anastomotic leakage is predictive of diminished survival after potentially curative resection for colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether anastomotic leakage has an independent association with overall survival and cancer-specific survival. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: There are many known prognostic indicators following surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the impact of anastomotic leakage has not been adequately assessed. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing resection between 1971 and 1999 were recorded prospectively in the Concord Hospital CRC database. Total anastomotic leakage was defined as any leak, whether local, general, or radiologically diagnosed. Patients were followed until death or to December 31, 2002. The association between anastomotic leakage and both overall survival and cancer-specific survival was examined by proportional hazards regression with adjustment for other patient and tumor characteristics influencing survival. Confidence intervals (CI) were set at the 95% level. RESULTS: From an initial 2980 patients, 1722 remained after exclusions. The total leak rate was 5.1% (CI 4.1-6.2%). In patients with a leak, the 5-year overall survival rate was 44.3% (CI 33.5-54.6%) compared to 64.0% (CI 61.5-66.3%) in those without leak. In proportional hazards regression-after adjustment for age, gender, urgent resection, site, size, stage, grade, venous invasion, apical node metastasis and serosal surface involvement-anastomotic leakage had an independent negative association with overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] 1.6, CI 1.2-2.0) and cancer-specific survival (HR 1.8, CI 1.2-2.6). CONCLUSION: Apart from its immediate clinical consequences, anastomotic leakage also has an independent negative association with survival.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Early diagnosis by opportunistic screening in cancer of the prostate. Results of a 1-year protocol. Comparison with historical data].

RATIONALE: The high prevalence of Prostate Cancer (PC) and long survival of patients with advanced disease, added to the high cost of palliative treatment (hormone therapy), versus the existence of curative therapies at earlier stages, fully justify the campaigns for early diagnosis. The objective of the study was to increase the number of cases diagnosed at local stages, using an opportunistic screening methodology. METHODS: All male patients between 50-70 years of age, seen over one year in Urology and primary care in CAP-Barceloneta because of urinary symptomatology, were included in a screening program. This cohort were performed total PSA determination and digital rectal examination. When digital rectal examination was suspicious and/or PSA values higher than 4 ng/ml, they underwent echo-guided prostate biopsy. RESULTS: A total of 595 male were seen; 43.9% met the inclusion criteria; 39.4% were rated as suspicious, neoplasia being confirmed in 51% of these. Prevalence of PC in this cohort was 20.1%, half of them in local stage. CONCLUSIONS: Populational screening in PC has proven to be ineffective from a health care standpoint, as opposed to opportunistic screening. Overdiagnosis was not significant, although there were more cases diagnosed in organ-confined stages, this is, eligible for curative therapy; thus, hormone therapy and the resulting morbidity were significantly decreased; quality of life of patients under curative treatment was improved; there was a large reduction of health care costs and, although it will have to be further confirmed in large multicentre series, we believe survival was improved.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

[Radiotherapy of the elderly patient. Radiotherapy tolerance and results in older patients].

BACKGROUND: Despite a growing number of elderly patients receiving radiation therapy little is known about side effects and outcome of irradiation in this section of the population. METHODS: In a review article epidemiologic data, aspects of radiation-biology as well as side effects and outcome of radiation therapy of elderly patients are discussed. RESULTS: Cancer incidence rises with age (Figure 1) and is exceeding 3.5% for males older than 85 years. With a life expectancy of more than 4 years, curative therapy is indicated even at this age. Furthermore several retrospective studies indicate that local control and disease-Specific survival after radiation therapy of elderly patients is comparable with that of younger persons (Tables 3 and 4). The exception contains elderly patients with Grade-III to IV gliomas or with rectal carcinoma who show a reduced survival which is perhaps caused by less aggressive combined treatment (tumor resection). Although some biological and molecular data indicate a rise in radiation sensitivity with growing age like the reduction of the capacity of some DNA-repair enzymes, there is no convincing evidence in animal studies or in retrospective clinical studies that radiation therapy is generally less well tolerated by older individuals (Tables 1 and 2). Some age-depending differences in organ toxicities are described in 3 large studies, which evaluate the data of patients who were enrolled in different EORTC-trials: Older patients suffer more of functional mucositis in case of radiation therapy to the head and neck, they have an increased weight loss and a higher frequency of late esophageal damage when irradiated in the thorax, and they show a higher prevalence of sexual dysfunction when treated with radiation therapy to the pelvis. On the other hand younger patients suffer more from acute toxicity like skin damage, nausea, and deterioration of the performance status during pelvic radiotherapy. When discussing the dose intensity of radiation therapy concomitant disease which leads to extensive atherosclerotic vessel damage should be kept in mind. Old patients should be monitored closely during therapy, since the loss of electrolytes or fluid is often not very well tolerated. CONCLUSION: The indication to radiation therapy of elderly cancer patients should take into account their performance status as well as the extent and the severity of comorbidity. Age per se is seldom a contraindication for radiation therapy. Regarding the available data in literature there is no indication for a dose reduction in radiation therapy only because of age, especially in the curative setting.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Safety and efficacy of a new high power argon plasma coagulation system (hp-APC) in lesions of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze safety and efficacy of a new high power argon plasma coagulation system in the upper gastrointestinal tract. METHODS: Data of 215 patients treated with a high power argon plasma coagulation system in the upper gastrointestinal tract 04/2003-01/2004, using a VIO APC device (VIO 300 D with APC 2; Erbe Elektromedizin, Tübingen, Germany; pulsed argon plasma coagulation, 20-120 W), were reviewed and analyzed. Indications were as follows: additive ablation therapy in curative treatment of early Barrett's cancer (122 patients); palliative treatment of oesophageal cancer (n=27); gastric adenoma/carcinoma (n=19); Zenker's diverticulum (n=8); and other. In 190/215 patients (149 males; mean age 67 years), the data were completely analyzable. Minor and major complications were evaluated. RESULTS: Minor complications (odynophagia, pain, fever) occurred in 24/277 sessions (8.7%); major complications (stenosis) in 3/277 sessions (1.1%) using at least 50 W. No perforation or bleeding occurred. The mean number of treatment sessions required was 1.46 (1-7); in the palliative treatment of oesophageal cancer, it was 2.5 (1-5). CONCLUSIONS: The high power argon plasma coagulation system was effective and safe in various gastrointestinal conditions. Due to it's high effectiveness and a low number of sessions required in tumour debulking, this high power argon plasma coagulation system might be used as an alternative to Nd:YAG laser.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Relationship of race to functional status among breast cancer patients after curative surgery.

Analysis of functional status of 197 breast cancer patients three years after curative radical mastectomy indicated a cumulative probability of disability of 25%, whereas the probability of death regardless of prior disability was 40.5%. Analysis of functional status by patient characteristics indicated that nonwhites were three times more likely than whites to experience disability (P less than 0.01) as defined in terms of their ability to carry on normal activities without assistance. Although whites and nonwhites were diagnosed at similar stages of disease, nonwhites were, on average, eight years younger than whites. They younger age may reflect a larger proportion of premenopausal breast cancer cases among nonwhites, which if associated with more rapidly progressing disease could account for their poorer prognosis. Alternatively there may exist factors in the nonwhites' social or economic environment that limited the ability of the family to care for the patient at home. These data reaffirm the need to monitor closely breast cancer patients to diagnose acute complications, and they indicate that most patients can resume normal activities shortly after curative surgery.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2005

Hydronephrosis does not preclude curative resection of pelvic recurrences after colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: In one third of patients who die of rectal cancer, a pelvic recurrence after resection represents isolated disease for which re-resection may provide cure. These extensive resections can carry high morbidity. Proper patient selection is desirable but difficult. Hydronephrosis has been documented previously to portend a poor prognosis, and some consider it a contraindication to attempted resection. It was our goal to review our experience and either confirm or refute these conclusions. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 90 patients resected with curative intent for pelvic recurrence at our center from 1988 through 2003. Seventy-one records documented the preoperative presence or absence of hydronephrosis. Clinical and pathologic data were recorded. The groups with and without hydronephrosis were compared. RESULTS: There were 15 patients with hydronephrosis in this study and 56 without. Although patients with hydronephrosis had shorter overall survival, disease-free survival, and rate of local control, none of these differences was statistically significant. Patients in the hydronephrosis group were younger and had higher-stage primary tumors and larger recurrent tumors. Subsequently, they underwent more extensive resections and were more likely to be treated with adjuvant therapies. There was no difference in the rate of margin-negative resections between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Hydronephrosis correlates with younger patients with larger recurrent tumors undergoing more extensive operations and multimodality therapy but does not preclude curative (R0) resection or independently affect overall survival, disease-free survival, or local control. We believe that it should not be considered a contraindication to attempting curative resection.

Disease-Free Survival↗
PubMed1991

No correlation between response and survival in patients with multiple myeloma treated with vincristine, melphalan, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone.

A vincristine, melphalan, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone (VMCP) multi-drug regimen was used in 85 previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma (MM) (symptomatic Durie Stages II and III) until they became refractory. The prognostic significance of various pretreatment characteristics was evaluated in terms of therapeutic response (according to Southwest Oncology Group [SWOG] and Chronic Leukemia-Myeloma Task Force [TF] criteria) and survival. Therapeutic responses, obtained in 31.2% (SWOG) and 68.7% (TF) of patients, had a significant inverse correlation with myeloma cell mass, serum calcium, and bone status. Median survival time of Stage II and Stage III patients was 39 and 34 months, respectively. Serum B2 microglobulin greater than or equal to 6 micrograms/ml was the only variable correlating unfavorably with survival duration after multi-variate analysis (increased risk = 2.79), although therapeutic response as a time-dependent variable had no effect on survival. These data suggest no correlation between response and survival, partially because of inadequate response assessment criteria and partially because no existing treatment is curative (although current therapeutic approaches may prevent death from complications).

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Prognosis in relation to symptom duration in colon cancer.

Between 1950 and 1978 754 patients underwent operation by one of the authors for carcinoma of the colon. Follow-up data were available on 99 per cent. Tumour stage distribution did not differ significantly with increasing duration of symptoms. The proportion of curative to palliative operative procedures was unrelated to symptom duration. Cancer specific survival for the entire patient series was worse when symptoms had been present for less than 3 months compared with 3-6 months, 6-12 months or 12 months or more (P less than 0.001, P less than 0.02 and P less than 0.04, respectively). Cancer specific survival after curative resection was also worse in patients with a symptom duration of less than 3 months compared with 3-6 months or 12 months or more (P less than 0.02 and P less than 0.03, respectively). These results show that colon cancer patients in whom the diagnosis is made and operation performed after a short symptomatic period do not have less advanced tumours nor better survival prospects.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Results of treatment of distal rectal carcinoma since the introduction of total mesorectal excision: a single unit experience, 1994-2003.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study reviewed the results of surgery for distal rectal cancer (where the tumour was within 6 cm of the anal verge) following the introduction of total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer in one institution. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty-three patients who had undergone elective curative surgical resection of rectal cancer within 6 cm of the anal verge were included. The demographic, operative and follow-up data were collected retrospectively. Comparisons were made between patients who had different surgical procedures. RESULTS: The overall operative mortality rate was nil, and the morbidity 41%. With a mean follow-up of 37 months (range 5-100 months), local recurrence occurred in 18 of the patients. The 5-year actuarial local recurrence rates for double-stapled anastomosis, low-strength anastomosis and abdominoperineal resection (APR) were 39, 17 and 11% respectively. The local recurrence rate was significantly higher for double-stapled low anterior resection than for the other types of operation (P=0.007). On multivariate analysis type of surgery (P=0.025) and tumour stage (P=0.043), were associated with local recurrence, but only stage was a significant prognosticator of overall survival (P=0.0006). CONCLUSION: With the practice of total mesorectal excision, APR was still necessary in 40% of patients with rectal cancer within 6 cm of the anal verge. The local recurrence rate was lower in patients treated with APR than in those with double-stapled low anterior resection; however, survival rates were similar in these two groups.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Chronic hepatitis C infection (HCV) accounts for approximately 50% of the cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States. Cirrhosis or an advanced stage of fibrosis is the major risk factor of HCC; patients with cirrhosis are recommended to undergo surveillance with alpha-fetoprotein and ultrasound. Alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) is associated with a reduced risk of HCC in patients with chronic infection but insufficient data exist to recommend treatment of patients with cirrhosis and HCV for this reason alone. Resection and liver transplantation are the only "curative" therapies available. Advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis in patients with HCC limits the number of patients for whom resection is applicable. Moreover, the remaining liver is at high risk of developing a second primary tumor. Partial hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma should be restricted to patients with well-compensated cirrhosis (Child's A class). Acceptable parameters include a single lesion not exceeding 5 cm, normal levels of bilirubin, and absence of portal hypertension. Liver transplantation is the best definitive treatment for HCV-infected patients who have small, localized HCC (solitary lesion not greater than 5 cm, or no more than 3 lesions, none of which are greater than 3 cm). Limitations of liver transplantation as a therapy for HCC are the scarcity of donor organs and the prolonged waiting time during which continued tumor growth occurs. Living donors can reduce waiting time and increase the number of patients treatable by transplantation. Chemoembolization and local ablation therapies have not been shown to confer survival benefits as primary treatments for HCC. The potential benefit of these procedures in controlling tumor growth to "bridge" patients to liver transplantation must be further investigated. Similarly, systemic chemotherapy and hormonal therapy do not generally produce a survival advantage. However, recent studies that used octreotide and combination doxorubicin/cisplatin/5-FU/interferon appear to be promising.

Adult↗