Diagnostic Validity of Point-of-Care Breast Ultrasound for Females with Palpable Breast Masses.

INTRODUCTION: With breast cancer as one of the frequent causes of cancer mortality today, the importance of ultrasound in its early detection has been apparent. It has been a valuable addition to the surgeon's diagnostic skills, contributing a vital role in clinical practice. We set out to determine the accuracy and value of breast ultrasound for primary imaging in women presenting with a clinically palpable mass in our outpatient clinic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of a point-of-care breast ultrasound among patients who consulted at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) Breast Care Clinic for a palpable breast mass without prior histopathologic diagnosis. The overall diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were determined. Sonographic features were also identified, and multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to determine significant predictors of malignancy. RESULTS: Eighty patients were reviewed and compared with their histopathology results. The overall accuracy of a surgeon-performed breast ultrasound was 86.2%, sensitivity of 91.4%, specificity of 82.2%, PPV of 80% and NPV of 92.5%. Indistinct borders, posterior enhancement, unilateral shadowing, heterogeneous echo pattern and deeper than wide anterior-posterior ratio are sonographic features associated with malignancy. CONCLUSION: This study showed that a point-of-care ultrasound for a palpable breast mass is reliable with a relatively good accuracy rate. Performing breast ultrasound in the clinic will help the surgeon evaluate the extent of disease preoperatively and be guided as to the optimal surgical management for the patient.

The impact of preoperative oral nutrition supplementation on outcomes in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery for cancer in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Malnutrition is an independent predictor for postoperative complications in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We systematically reviewed evidence on the impact of preoperative oral nutrition supplementation (ONS) on patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery in LMICs. We searched EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, WHO Global Index Medicus, SciELO, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS) databases from inception to March 21, 2022 for randomised controlled trials evaluating preoperative ONS in gastrointestinal cancer within LMICs. We evaluated the impact of ONS on all postoperative outcomes using random-effects meta-analysis. Seven studies reported on 891 patients (446 ONS group, 445 control group) undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal cancer. Preoperative ONS reduced all cause postoperative surgical complications (risk ratio (RR) 0.53, 95% CI 0.46-0.60, P < 0.001, I2 = 0%, n = 891), infection (0.52, 0.40-0.67, P = 0.008, I2 = 0%, n = 570) and all-cause mortality (0.35, 0.26-0.47, P = 0.014, I2 = 0%, n = 588). Despite heterogeneous populations and baseline rates, absolute risk ratio (ARR) was reduced for all cause (pooled effect -0.14, -0.22 to -0.06, P = 0.006; number needed to treat (NNT) 7) and infectious complications (-0.13, -0.22 to -0.06, P < 0.001; NNT 8). Preoperative nutrition in patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery in LMICs demonstrated consistently strong and robust treatment effects across measured outcomes. However additional higher quality research, with particular focus within African populations, are urgently required.

Extensive neuritis ossificans of the sciatic nerve: Systematic review and illustrative case.

BACKGROUND: Neuritis ossificans is a rare disease described as heterotopic calcification that occurs in neural tissue such as nerves. METHOD: A systematic review of the literature was done in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. An illustrative case of neuritis ossificans of the sciatic nerve in an 18 year old man was also reported. RESULTS: The review yielded 17 previously reported cases of neuritis ossificans. There was a male predominance and the most common locations were the median and tibial nerves. Only 2 previous cases involved the sciatic nerve. Most were treated with excision with positive outcomes. Our case was treated initially with a biopsy, then partial excision and symptomatic management with NSAIDs and GABA inhibitors. He had a good outcome at 13 months follow-up. CONCLUSION: Neuritis ossificans is a rare disease with unclear pathophysiology that has been theorized to involve neuroinflammation. Treatment consists of excision, if deemed possible, and symptom control.

Elevated levels of perfluoroalkyl substances in breast cancer patients within the Greater Manila Area.

Several studies have reported exposure of humans to various endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) worldwide. However, there is a lack of data regarding EDC exposures in humans living in Southeast Asian countries, such as the Philippines. Hence, this study measured levels of 41 EDCs in women residing in the Greater Manila Area, home to the second largest city in Southeast Asia. Urine samples from women with versus without breast cancer were analyzed for 11 phthalate metabolites, 8 environmental phenols, and 10 bisphenols, while serum samples were analyzed for 12 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Out of the four groups of EDCs analyzed, PFAS were significantly associated with breast cancer (adjusted OR = 13.63, 95% CI: 3.24-94.88 p-trend = 0.001 for PFDoA; adjusted OR = 9.26, 95% CI 2.54-45.10, p-trend = 0.002 for PFDA; and adjusted OR = 2.66, 95% CI: 0.95-7.66, p-trend = 0.004 for PFHxA). Long-chain PFAS levels were positively correlated with age and were significantly higher in women from Region IV-A, a heavily industrialized region, than from the National Capital Region. Overall, this study showed baseline information regarding the level of EDCs in Filipinas, providing a glimpse of EDC exposure in women living in a megalopolis city in Southeast Asia.

A Pilot Cancer-Phenome Biobanking System in a Low-Resource Southeast Asian Setting: The Philippine General Hospital Biobank Experience.

Biobanking has become an indispensable tool for translational research and health innovations. While the field of biobanking has progressed and evolved globally, biobanking in developing Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries such as the Philippines remains underrepresented because of several challenges often encountered in these low- and middle-income countries. Recently, the Philippine government has undertaken enormous efforts to advancing research and development in the country, and one of the current research pursuits is the establishment of biobanks, with the hope of attaining more discoveries and innovations in the future. Given that cancer remains a leading cause of death in the Philippines, the Philippine government supported the establishment of a cancer biobank at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). In this study, we present a specific use case of biobanking activity at the PGH Biobank, to build a cohort of biospecimens from Filipino patients with breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. This initiative is part of a biomonitoring study (1) to assess environmental exposures and possible risk factors in the Philippine population and (2) to develop a system of culturing human cells from Filipino patients for subsequent in vitro studies. We discuss issues faced and the solutions developed during the implementation of the biobank. Strong research collaboration, a funding source, basic infrastructure, and appropriate technology helped initiate this pilot biobank in the Philippines. Overall, the experiences of establishing the PGH Biobank may help other institutions in low-resource countries to set up cancer biobanks.

Modeling acute traumatic injury.

Acute traumatic injury is a complex disease that has remained a leading cause of death, which affects all ages in our society. Direct mechanical insult to tissues may result in physiological and immunologic disturbances brought about by blood loss, coagulopathy, as well as ischemia and reperfusion insults. This inappropriate response leads to an abnormal release of endogenous mediators of inflammation that synergistically contribute to the incidence of morbidity and mortality. This aberrant activation and suppression of the immune system follows a bimodal pattern, wherein activation of the innate immune responses is followed by an anti-inflammatory response with suppression of the adaptive immunity, which can subsequently lead secondary insults and multiple organ dysfunction. Traumatic injury rodent and swine models have been used to describe many of the underlying pathologic mechanisms, which have led to an improved understanding of the morbidity and mortality associated with critically ill trauma patients. The enigmatic immunopathology of the human immunologic response after severe trauma, however, has never more been apparent and there grows a need for a clinically relevant animal model, which mimics this immune physiology to enhance the care of the most severely injured. This has necessitated preclinical studies in a more closely related model system, the nonhuman primate. In this review article, we summarize animal models of trauma that have provided insight into the clinical response and understanding of cellular mechanisms involved in the onset and progression of ischemia-reperfusion injury as well as describe future treatment options using immunomodulation-based strategies.