Abdominoperineal resection for anal cancer.

PURPOSE: Following initial radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of anal cancer, patients who present with either persistent or locally recurrent disease are treated by abdominoperineal resection. The aim of this retrospective study was to review the long-term survival and prognostic factors after such surgery in a single institution. METHODS: Over a 34-year period (1969-2003), 422 patients with nonmetastatic anal cancer were treated with a curative intent. Of these, 83 (median age 61 years; 74 women) underwent abdominoperineal resection. RESULTS: Forty-one patients underwent abdominoperineal resection for persistent disease and 42 for locally recurrent disease. Postoperative mortality was 4.8 percent and morbidity was 35 percent with 18 percent having perineal wound infections. Median follow-up was 104 months (range, 3-299). The 3-year and 5-year actuarial survival was 62.8 and 56.5 percent respectively. Using univariate analysis, patients below 55 years, females, T1-2 tumors, N0-N1 lymphadenopathy and the absence of locally advanced tumor were associated with significantly improved survival. Surgery, whether for persistent or locally recurrent disease, did not affect the 5-year survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: Abdominoperineal resection for nonmetastatic anal cancer is associated with a high morbidity rate but may result in long-term survival regardless of the indication.

Cytogenetic study of 30 colorectal adenomas.

The cytogenetic analysis of 30 colorectal adenomas obtained from 24 patients is reported. Only normal karyotypes were observed in eight cases. Among the 22 adenomas with abnormal karyotypes, 15 showed clonal anomalies. Chromosome gains involving chromosomes 13, 20, 7, 9, and 12 were recurrently observed. Chromosome 18 was frequently lost or involved in translocations at bands q21-q22. More chromosome alterations were observed in the cases in which histologic examination revealed severe dysplasia or a carcinomatous component. These anomalies are discussed in relation to those described in colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Characteristic chromosomal imbalances in 18 near-diploid colorectal tumors.

The cytogenetic study of 18 near-diploid colorectal tumors shows that the observed numerical and structural abnormalities resulted in recurrent chromosomal losses and gains. By order of decreasing frequencies, they are: monosomy 17p (16/18), partial or more frequently complete monosomy 18 (14/18), trisomy 20q (11/18), trisomy or tetrasomy 13 (10/18), monosomy lp and trisomies X and 8q (9/18). The absence of recurrent breakpoints in euchromatin contrasts with the high preponderance of breakage at various places of heterochromatic region. Because these tumors are characterized by very recurrent chromosomal imbalances, it is assumed that the observed chromosomal changes may be related to a recessive genetic determinism and to gene dosage imbalances.

Treatment of epidermoid anal canal cancer.

Between 1968 and 1979, 183 patients with invasive epidermoid cancer of the anal canal were treated at Institut Curie. There was 156 women, 27 men with a mean age of 67 +/- 11 years (range 40 to 85 years). The initial height of the tumor was less than 4 cm (65 patients), 4 to 6 cm (98 patients), and more than 6 cm (20 patients). All the patients received radiotherapy, either preoperatively or as curative procedure. Twenty-five patients received preoperative radiotherapy, and there was no residual tumor in 9 biopsies obtained at operation. Four local recurrences were observed. One hundred fifty-eight patients received curative radiotherapy, 115 of whom did not undergo operation. Eighty were alive with no evidence of disease and good anal function with a minimum of 3 years follow-up. We observed 15 local recurrences, 4 inguinal recurrences, and 8 visceral metastases. In addition, eight patients initially had such a big tumor that radiotherapy was only a palliative procedure. Forty-three patients required a surgical procedure after this curative radiotherapy. Colostomy (12 patients) or abdominoperineal amputation (25 patients) was required for local recurrence and colostomy was required for necrosis related to radiotherapy. Five year survival was 59 percent. The survival was related to the size of the tumor (p less than 0.0001). The likelihood of retaining normal anal function with local control of the tumor was also closely related to the initial size of the tumor.

Effects of preoperative chemotherapy on liver function tests after hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Surgical resection of liver metastases is performed increasingly frequently after chemotherapy, which can induce fatty degeneration, possibly modifying the postoperative course after hepatectomy. This study evaluated the effect of chemotherapy on postoperative liver function tests according to the use of preoperative chemotherapy or not. METHODOLOGY: Thirty-two patients were operated on for isolated breast cancer hepatic metastases, after stabilization or complete response to systemic therapy. The first group included 20 patients operated on after chemotherapy (9 major and 11 minor hepatic resections). The second group included 12 patients operated on without chemotherapy (3 major and 9 minor hepatic resections). RESULTS: Histological examination after chemotherapy confirmed micronodular fatty degeneration in 85% of cases, versus none in the control group (P = 0.05). Fall in prothrombin time on day 1 (D1) was more marked in the chemotherapy group (58%) versus control group (74%) (P = 0.001). gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase did not rise on D7 in the chemotherapy group (1.4 x N), even after major hepatectomy (1.6 x N), in contrast with the control group, in which the mean gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase on D7 was 4.6 x N after major hepatectomy and 2 x N after minor hepatectomy (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Chemotherapy induces almost constant fatty degeneration of the liver. Hepatic regeneration in the postchemotherapy liver is delayed, as reflected by a later and lower elevation of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. The predictive risk of liver failure, reflected by prothrombin time, following minor hepatectomy on postchemotherapy liver is similar to that of major hepatectomy to healthy liver.

[Familial colonic cancer (Lynch's syndrome) and bile duct cancer. Study of 2 cases]. / Cancers coliques familiaux (syndrome de Lynch) et cancers des voies biliares. Etude de 2 cas.

The authors describe two cases of bile duct carcinoma affecting two patients with hereditary non polyposis colorectal carcinoma (Lynch's syndrome). These two cases were observed in 14 families composed of 283 persons, 58 of whom were affected by hereditary non polyposis colorectal cancer and 15 by gynecological carcinomas. Bile duct carcinoma can therefore be associated with Lynch's syndrome but seems less frequent than observed in familial polyposis or Gardner's syndrome.

[Ploidy in colorectal cancer]. / Etude de la ploïdie dans les cancers colo-rectaux.

For several authors, DNA tumoral cell content represents an important prognostic factor in colorectal cancer. Samples obtained from 65 human colorectal cancers operated on between 1983 and 1986 were studied. Of 52 cases studied by flow cytometry 60 p. 100 were aneuploid tumors. The proliferative index was calculated in slightly over 50 p. 100 of the cases by DNA histogram analysis. During the same period 30 tumoral karyotypes were established by cytogenetic analysis. In 17 cases a comparison was possible between flow cytometry and cytogenetic results. In all cases a significant correlation was seen between the DNA histogram modal value and the mean number of chromosomes counted by cytogenic analysis. In this study, there was no statistical correlation between flow cytometry results and Dukes classification. Because of the short follow-up in our series, no prognostic value may be attributed to the DNA index.

[Prognostic value of the Lauren and Ming classifications in gastric adenocarcinoma. Multidimensional analysis]. / Valeur pronostique des classifications de Lauren et de Ming dans les adénocarcinomes gastriques. Analyse multidimensionnelle.

Of the various pathology classifications for gastric carcinoma, those of Lauren and of Ming have been claimed to be of prognostic value. We therefore reviewed the charts of 101 patients (mean age 64 +/- 11 years) treated for gastric carcinoma between 1960 and 1983 at the Institut Curie. We excluded the following patients: 1) those with distant metastases; 2) those who were not operated on; 3) those who underwent laparotomy only, and 4) those who had a palliative procedure. The type of surgery performed was partial gastrectomy in 73 cases and total gastrectomy in 28. Pathology was reviewed according to the WHO, Lauren, and Ming classifications. Were taken into consideration: 1) whether the surgeon believed that removal of tumor was grossly complete or not, 2) the degree of parietal involvement according the pTNM classification system, and 3) the number of positive lymph nodes. Survival was analyzed by the Kaplan Meier method after exclusion of all postoperative deaths. Mean overall survival was 30 months, while that for patients undergoing grossly complete removal of tumor was 34 months. In univariate analysis, no correlation was found between survival and pathology according to Lauren's or Ming's classifications, sex, parietal involvement, or age. Survival was statistically correlated with the size of the tumor (p = 0.015), the gross completeness of surgery (p = 0.008), the type of surgery performed (prognosis was better after partial gastrectomy than after total gastrectomy) and the number of positive lymph nodes (p = 0.0001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Local recurrence of rectal cancers. Multidimensional analysis by anatomoclinical factors and role of irradiation]. / Récidives locales des cancers du rectum. Analyse multidimensionnelle des facteurs anatomo-cliniques et rôle de l'irradiation.

Pre- or postoperative radiation therapy reduces the incidence of local recurrence after surgical treatment of rectal carcinoma. Factors related to local recurrence were analyzed retrospectively by uni- and multivariate analysis. One hundred and fifty-five patients (mean age: 65 years) were operated on with curative intent between 1967 and 1984. Ninety-four patients (46 patients having abdominoperineal resections (APR), and 48 having anterior resections) did not receive radiation therapy. Sixty-one patients had preoperative radiation therapy followed by APR in 59 cases. Univariate analysis showed that the risk of local recurrence increased significantly with male sex (p less than 0.006), positive lymph nodes (p less than 0.01), vascular invasion (p less than 0.02), and Astler-Coller classification (p less than 0.05). Tumor located at less than 5 cm from the anal verge was significantly related to recurrence only in patients not receiving radiation therapy (p less than 0.02). Multivariate analysis including therapeutic modalities showed that local recurrence was significantly related with male sex (p less than 0.02), positive lymph nodes (p less than 0.01), and distance to anal verge (p less than 0.01). The beneficial role of radiation therapy appeared only for tumors located 5 cm or less from the anal verge. Prognostic scores were established using these variables and the effect of irradiation was evaluated according to these scores. Radiation therapy significatively reduced the risk of local recurrence in low-risk patients, i.e., female with low-lying tumor and with negative lymph nodes (p less than 0.03).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Cancer of the anal canal. Results of the treatment of a series of 195 cases]. / Cancer du canal anal. Résultats du traitement d'une série de 195 cas.

Between 1968 and 1982, 195 patients with invasive anal canal carcinoma were treated at Institut Curie (Paris, France). There were 168 females and 27 males --sex-ratio: 5.7/1, mean age: 67 +/- 11 yrs. (range: 38-85 yrs.). The initial size of the tumors was analyzed according to the circumferential invasion of the anal canal. The tumor involved 1/4 of the circumference in 49 cases, 1/2 of the circumference in 108 cases, 3/4 of the circumference in 22 cases and the whole circumference in 16 cases. Pathological examination revealed 20 cloacogenic carcinomas and 175 squamous carcinomas. All patients received radiotherapy as initial treatment and none received chemotherapy as a curative procedure. Eight patients received only palliative treatment. Twenty-seven patients were operated on because the response of the tumor to irradiation was partial or incomplete. One hundred and sixty patients received the full course of irradiation with a complete response. Among the latter, 100 patients were alive NED with a normal anal function with at least a 2-year follow-up. Local recurrences (n = 42) underwent salvage surgery in 50 p. 100 of the cases with a 3-year survival over 50 p. 100. Actuarial survival of the 195 patients was 68.5 p. 100 at 3 years and 58 p. 100 at 5 years. Survival was highly related to the initial size of the tumor and to the presence of positive inguinal nodes (p less than 0.0002). The histologic type was not related to the response to radiotherapy, nor to local recurrence or to survival.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Digestive hormones and gastric diseases. Facts and hypotheses (author's transl)]. / Hormones digestives et pathologie gastrique. Certitudes et hypothèses.

Relationships between hormonal secretions from the GI tract and gastric functional and/or pathological abnormalities could be studied according to 2 main lines : 1) gastric secretory changes could be the main symptom of hormonal secretory tumors, i.e. acid hypersecretion in the Zollinger Ellison syndrome, acid hyposecretion in pancreatic cholera and in somatostatinoma. In these cases, hormonal hypersecretion is directly responsible for the functional disturbances and the related symptoms; 2) gastric pathological conditions are sometimes accompanied by changes in hormonal secretion, but the level of interdependence is variable : high blood gastrin is directly depending upon the atrophic gastritis in pernicious anemia; this mechanism was also suggested in case of gastric carcinoma. Concerning ulcer disease, numerous problems are unsolved in respect to blood gastrin (basal and stimulated) abnormalities, as well as somatostatin and GIP secretions.

[Colonoscopy detection of polyps in patients operated on for colorectal cancer. Prospective study]. / Dépistage coloscopique des polypes chez les sujets opérés d'un cancer colo-rectal. Etude prospective.

Subjects operated upon for colorectal carcinoma seem to constitute a population at high risk of a second colorectal malignancy and/or colonic adenoma (polyp). Ninety-four such patients were examined by colonoscopy. Their distribution by age and sex and the location of cancers in the colon were comparable to those reported in the literature. Colonoscopy was performed 12 +/- 6 months after surgery in 52 patients and was complete in 90% of them. Twenty-seven patients (52%) were found to have one or several polyps distributed throughout the colonic frame and varying in size from 2 to 75 mm (75% were less than 10 mm long). The larger the polyp, the more severe the dysplasia. Three malignant polyps were discovered; they were more than 10 mm in diameter. The colonoscopic examination was repeated annually over more than 3 years in 30 patients: at first repeat examination 54% had polyps which were still present in more than 30% at subsequent examinations. It is concluded that patients operated upon for colorectal carcinoma are at high risk of polyps and/or a second colorectal carcinoma and must therefore be followed-up by repeated colonoscopy.

[Genetic anomalies of colorectal cancers. Their role in guiding therapeutic indications]. / Anomalies génétiques des cancers colorectaux. Leur place pour guider les indications thérapeutiques.

Progress in detecting genetic anomalies with proven prognostic value in colorectal cancers offers a means of selecting adjuvant therapy with the best probability of success. Several methods are currently used. With flow cytometry, a significant correlation between primary tumour ploidy and hepatic metastasis has been demonstrated. Caryotypes of tumour cells provides a means of exposing segmental or total chromosome loss and subsequent classification leads to a better understanding of tumour heterogeneity. New techniques in molecular biology are used to describe mutations. Monoclonal antibodies can then be developed against the epitopes involved. Based on these different methods clinicians and fundamentalists can analyse treatment results with more precision and thus adopt the most effective treatment protocol.

[Endoscopic percutaneous gastrostomy. A non-surgical method of enteral alimentation in ORL patients unable to feed orally]. / Gastrostomie percutanée endoscopique. Une méthode non chirurgicale d'alimentation entérale chez les malades ORL ne pouvant s'alimenter par voie orale.

Since surgical gastrostomy is not a risk-free operation in debilitated patients, a method of endoscopic percutaneous gastrostomy (EPG) is proposed. A thread is passed percutaneously into the gastric cavity and brought to the exterior through the mouth during fibroscopy. This thread allows removal of a gastrostomy tube by simple traction. Used in 18 patients with ENT cancer the EPG was simple to perform, postoperative complications being minor in 3 cases and serious in one patient. In the absence of any obstacle in the pharyngeal channel preventing the passage of a fibroscope, EPG is a simple procedure and is therefore an alternative to surgical gastrostomy.

[Perineal hernia after abdominoperineal amputation. Role of epiploplasty and/or irradiation]. / Hernie périnéale après amputation abdomino-périnéal. Role de l'épiplooplastie et/ou de l'irradiation.

Healing of the perineal wound after abdominoperineal amputation is a difficult technical problem for surgeons to resolve. The majority of current therapeutic protocols include pre- or post-operative radiotherapy, and most study results show a reduction in perineal relapses when compared with a control group, but at the price of delayed healing of the perineal wound. This delayed healing reaction varies with the radiation dose. The use of epiploplasty shortens the healing period, but when performed after pre-operative radiotherapy it can predispose to the development of a perineal hernia. Four cases of this complication are described. No standard procedure for treatment of these hernias exists, and although it is possible to use the uterus to fill the perineal cavity, the most effective method appears to be a double perineal and abdominal pathway using a plate.

[Genetic anomalies of colorectal cancers]. / Anomalies génétiques des cancers colo-rectaux.

The prognosis of colorectal cancer has been based essentially on pathological data for many years. The analysis of genetic anomalies has led to fundamental progress and clinical advances. Genetic anomalies are routinely studied. 1--Flowcytometry evaluates the quantity of DNA in the nucleus during the cell cycle. 2--Cytogentics is the study of karyotype anomalies by loss or gain of chromosome material and structural changes. 3--Molecular biology gives a means of recognizing chromosome losses and especially to study oncogenic or antioncogenic mutations. These analyses allow: 1--an evaluation of their value as a prognosis factor and thus their use for indicating adjuvant medical and/or surgical treatments. 2--an understanding of cancerogenic processes. 3--the development of future therapeutic techniques based on a better understanding of the mechanisms involved. 4--familial counselling in high risk families and an examination of responsible or favouring genes in certain familial cancers. Research into familial forms has recently led led to the demonstration of genetic alterations located on chromosomes 1 and 2. These anomalies called RER correspond to alterations found on tumors. Studying these alterations will allow better prediction of high risk subjects in cancer families without polyposis.