Metastatic inflammatory breast cancer: survival outcomes and prognostic factors in the national, multicentric, and real-life French cohort (ESME).

BACKGROUND: Primary inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare and aggressive entity whose prognosis has been improved by multimodal therapy. However, 5-year overall survival (OS) remains poor. Given its low incidence, the prognosis of IBC at metastatic stage is poorly described. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study aimed to compare OS calculated from the diagnosis of metastatic disease between IBC patients and non-IBC patients in the Epidemiological Strategy and Medical Economics database (N = 16 702 patients). Secondary objectives included progression-free survival (PFS) after first-line metastatic treatment, identification of prognostic factors for OS and PFS, and evolution of survival during the study period. RESULTS: From 2008 to 2014, 7465 patients with metastatic breast cancer and known clinical status of their primary tumor (T) were identified (582 IBC and 6883 non-IBC). Compared with metastatic non-IBC, metastatic IBC was associated with less hormone receptor-positive (44% versus 65.6%), more human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (30% versus 18.6%), and more triple-negative (25.9% versus 15.8%) cases, more frequent de novo M1 stage (53.3% versus 27.7%; P < 0.001), and shorter median disease-free interval (2.02 years versus 4.9 years; P < 0.001). With a median follow-up of 50.2 months, median OS was 28.4 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 24.1-33.8 months] versus 37.2 months (95% CI 36.1-38.5 months) in metastatic IBC and non-IBC cases, respectively (P < 0.0001, log-rank test). By multivariate analysis, OS was significantly shorter in the metastatic IBC group compared with the metastatic non-IBC group [hazard ratio = 1.27 (95% CI 1.1-1.4); P = 0.0001]. Survival of metastatic IBC patients improved over the study period: median OS was 24 months (95% CI 20-31.9 months), 29 months (95% CI 21.7-39.9 months), and 36 months (95% CI 27.9-not estimable months) if diagnosis of metastatic disease was carried out until 2010, between 2011 and 2012, and from 2013, respectively (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: IBC is independently associated with adverse outcome when compared with non-IBC in the metastatic setting.

Preliminary survey of ochratoxin A in millet, maize, rice and peanuts in Côte d'Ivoire from 1998 to 2002.

In a preliminary study, samples of millet (n =33) maize (n=41), rice (n=10) and peanuts (n=10) from Côte d'Ivoire were analysed for ochratoxin A (OTA) by HPLC with fluorimetric detection, followed by confirmation by cleavage of the OTA molecule using carboxypeptidase with HPLC separation and fluorimetric quantification of the released ochratoxin alpha (OTh). With the exception of four samples of peanuts, all samples showed OTA contamination, ranging from 3 to 1738 microg/kg. All cereals were contaminated and the OTA concentrations were in the range of 17-204 microg/kg for millet, 3-1738 microg/kg for maize, 9-92 microg/kg for rice and 0.6-64 microg/kg for peanuts, depending on the year of harvest. Most of the samples would not be accepted according to the EU regulatory limits for this mycotoxin. Following this survey, research for other mycotoxins and the evaluation of the exposure of the population is underway.

Sesame allergy threshold dose distribution.

BACKGROUND: Sesame is a relevant food allergen in France. Compared to other allergens there is a lack of food challenge data and more data could help sesame allergy risk management. The aim of this study is to collect more sesame challenge data and investigate the most efficient food challenge method for future studies. METHOD: Records of patients at University Hospital in Nancy (France) with objective symptoms to sesame challenges were collected and combined with previously published data. An estimation of the sesame allergy population threshold was calculated based on individual NOAELs and LOAELs. Clinical dosing schemes at Nancy were investigated to see if the optimal protocol for sesame is currently used. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (10 M/4 F, 22 ± 14.85 years old) with objective symptoms were added to previously published data making a total of 35 sesame allergic patients. The most sensitive patient reacted to the first dose at challenge of 1.02 mg sesame protein. The ED05 ranges between 1.2 and 4.0 mg of sesame protein (Log-Normal, Log-Logistic, and Weibull models) and the ED10 between 4.2 and 6.2 mg. The optimal food challenge dosing scheme for sesame follows semi-log dose increases from 0.3 to 3000 mg protein. CONCLUSION: This article provides a valuable update to the existing clinical literature regarding sesame NOAELs and LOAELs. Establishment of a population threshold for sesame could help in increasing the credibility of precautionary labelling and decrease the costs associated with unexpected allergic reactions. Also, the use of an optimal dosing scheme would decrease time spent on diagnostic and thereafter on the economic burden of sesame allergy diagnosis.

[Limits of ambulatory medical treatment of ectopic pregnancies by intramuscular methotrexate: prospective study on 54 patients]. / Limites du traitement médical ambulatoire des grossesses extra-utérines par méthotrexate en intramusculaire: étude prospective sur 54 patientes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the limits of ambulatory treatment of ectopic pregnancy with an intramuscular injection of 50 mg/m2 methotrexate. METHOD: Non randomised prospective study from october 1993 and april 1996 at Poissy Hospital. 100 ectopic pregnancies were diagnosed: 54 were treated medically and 46 had a surgical treatment. RESULTS: The mean hCG for the ectopic pregnancies treated medically was 7,273 Ul/ml +/- 12,548 (90-68,220), an ectopic mass was seen in 74% and to precise the diagnosis a currettage was done in 24 cases (44%) if the initial hCG was below 2,000 Ul/ml. The medical treatment was a success for 37 (68.5%) ectopic pregnancies with a mean time of resolution of hCG of 31.9 days +/- 18 (4-90) (with a positive correlation between initial hCG titer and time to resolution of 0.5, p = 0.001). For 15 (27%) patients a second dose of methotrexate was necessary with a 73% success rate and 17 (32%) patients were operated (8 salpingectomies). Sixteen of 20 (80%) demonstrated tubal patency at follow-up hysterosalpingogram and within 7.5 +/- 4 months 26 of 30 (87%) conceived and there was no recurrence of ectopic pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: The medical treatment of ectopic pregnancies with methotrexate has its limits. In our series, if we treat ectopic pregnancies without cardiac activity, with a mass below 35 mm and a hCG below 10,000 Ul/ml the success rate is 81%.