[Hereditary iron overload]. / Surcharges héréditaires en fer.

The field of hereditary iron overload has known, in the recent period, deep changes mainly related to major advances in molecular biology. It encompasses now a series of genetic entities. The mechanistic understanding of iron overload development and iron toxicity has greatly improved. The diagnostic approach has become essentially noninvasive with a major role for biological tests. From the therapeutic viewpoint, the phlebotomy treatment is now enriched by the possibility of resorting to oral chelation and by innovative perspectives directly linked to our improvement in the molecular understanding of these diseases.

[Incidental ultrasound finding of a 3 cm liver nodule in a 45-year-old woman taking hormonal substitution after hysterectomy performed for cervix carcinoma]. / Découverte fortuite d'un nodule hépatique de 3cm à l'échographie chez une femme de 45 ans (sous traitement substitutif hormonal après hystérectomie pour cancer du col de l'utérus).

Incidental liver nodules are more and more frequently encountered because of increasing sensitivity of recent imaging techniques. The identification of biliary cyst or hemangioma is usually easy. In other cases, the etiological diagnosis relies on careful radiological analysis of the pattern of the arterial phase enhancement following contrast medium injection. When there is no early arterial enhancement, a liver biopsy is usually indicated to establish the diagnosis. A strong arterial contrast enhancement pattern is indicative of hepatocellular tumor, benign or malignant. In this situation, it is crucial to establish if there is underlying liver fibrosis. In case of cirrhosis, the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma is the most probable. If the non tumorous liver is normal, focal nodular hyperplasia and hepatocellular adenoma should be differentiated. The distinction between these two tumors is important because only hepatic adenoma carries a significant risk of complications (bleeding or hepatocellular carcinoma) leading to surgical resection of lesions that do not regress after steroid withdrawal. Contrast enhanced MRI and contrast ultrasound are most useful tools for the diagnosis of nodular regenerative hyperplasia but liver biopsy can be necessary in atypical forms. In recent years, the understanding of molecular mechanisms associated with adenoma occurrence allowed for the proposal of a new classification already of practical interest in the management of patients.

Epidemiology and prognosis of synchronous colorectal cancers.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this population-based study was to report on the incidence, treatment and prognosis of synchronous colorectal carcinomas. METHODS: Data were obtained from the population-based cancer registry of Burgundy. RESULTS: Between 1976 and 2004, 15 562 colorectal cancers were diagnosed. Some 3.8 per cent of patients had synchronous colorectal cancers. The risk of having synchronous cancers was higher in men (odds ratio (OR) 1.41 (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 1.19 to 1.68)), when associated adenomas were present (OR 2.02 (95 per cent c.i. 1.69 to 2.41)), when there were adenomatous remnants on pathological examination (OR 2.10 (95 per cent c.i. 1.73 to 2.55)) and in patients aged over 75 years (OR 1.31 (95 per cent c.i. 1.08 to 1.59)). Synchronous tumours were more often located on the same intestinal segment, although the correlation was weak (kappa = 0.26). Resection for cure was performed in 74.8 per cent of synchronous cancers and 72.0 per cent of single cancers (P = 0.131). Five-year relative survival for synchronous (48.7 per cent) and single (48.3 per cent) cancers was almost identical. Stage, age, associated adenomas and adenomatous remnants were independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: Synchronous colorectal cancers convey a similar prognosis to single tumours. Men and patients aged over 65 years with associated adenomas are more prone to multiple colorectal cancers.

[The role of echoendoscopic biopsy in diagnosing tuberculosis of pancreas]. / Tuberculose pancréatique: apport de la ponction sous échoendoscopie.

The diagnosis of an abdominal mass using imaging techniques is difficult for clinicians and radiologists. We report a case of an atypical peripancreatic mass, mimicking a carcinoma on abdominal computed tomography and which was only diagnosed after an echoendoscopic biopsy of the mass was performed. It is difficult to differentiate abdominal tuberculosis from a neoplasm, especially if there is no pulmonary tuberculosis. Usually, the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis is only confirmed histologically, after surgical resection of the mass. Echoendoscopic biopsy confirmed the infectious nature of the mass and prevented complicated and difficult surgery.

[Risk of cirrhosis in chronic viral hepatitis patients]. / Risque de cirrhose chez les malades atteints d'hépatite chronique virale.

The risk of cirrhosis in HCV and HBV-related liver diseases is higher in males than in females ; it increases exponentially after the age of 40 for the two genders. Alcohol consumption exceeding 50 gr per day multiplies cirrhosis risk by 6.0 in HBV patients and by 2.4 in HCV patients. B and C virus liver-related diseases are worsened by HIV co-infection particularly in patients with CD4 count lower than 200 per ml. Steatosis due to high body mass index (BMI) and/or metabolic syndrome is a newly described risk factor for cirrhosis in HBV and HCV patients and for hepatocellular carcinoma in HCV patients. Steatosis may become in a near future one of the major predicting factors of severity for chronic liver disease. The knowledge of worsening factors in patients suffering from chronic B and C viral hepatitis must lead clinicians to consider specific therapeutics against these factors and antiviral treatment even in case of borderline indication.

Lobar hepatocellular carcinoma with ipsilateral portal vein tumor thrombosis treated with yttrium-90 glass microsphere radioembolization: preliminary results.

Portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) is a common complication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has a negative impact on prognosis. This characteristic feature led to the rationale of the present trial designed to assess the efficacy and the safety of yttrium-90 glass-microsphere treatment for advanced-stage lobar HCC with ipsilateral PVTT. 18 patients with unresectable lobar HCC and ipsilateral PVTT were treated in our institution with (90)Y-microS radioembolization. Patients were evaluated every 3 to 6 months for response, survival, and toxicity. Mean follow-up was 13.0 months (2.2-50.6). Outcomes were: complete response (n = 2), partial response (n = 13), stable disease (n = 1), and progressive disease (n = 2) giving a disease control rate of 88.9%. Four patients were downstaged. Treating lobar hepatocellular carcinoma with ipsilateral portal vein thrombosis with yttrium-90 glass-microsphere radioembolization is safe and efficacious. Further clinical trials are warranted to confirm these results and to compare (90)Y-microS with sorafenib, taking into account not only survival but also the possibility of secondary surgery for putative curative intention after downstaging.