The predictive role of thrombocytosis in benign, borderline and malignant ovarian tumors.

Ovarian cancer is a lethal gynecological malignancy. Although CA-125 is commonly measured in women with adnexal mass, it is estimated that it only has a positive predictive value (PPV) of 69% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 88% for the detection of ovarian cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic significance and predictive impact of thrombocytosis in women with suspected or confirmed ovarian cancer. This was a retrospective study of women who had surgery for adnexal mass over a 48-month period between September 2014 and September 2018 at Swansea Gynecological Oncology Center in Wales, UK. A total of 294 women who underwent surgery for high-risk pelvic mass or biopsy-confirmed ovarian cancer were identified. 206 women (70%) had final histology confirming ovarian cancer, 54 women (18%) had benign tumors while 34 women (12%) had borderline tumors. 90/206 women (43.7%) with ovarian cancer had thrombocytosis prior to primary surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy compared to 8/54 (14.8%) for benign tumors and 4/34 (11.8%) for borderline tumors. Thrombocytosis was observed in 23.2%, 40%, 45.1%, and 65.1% of Stages I, II, III, and IV ovarian cancer, respectively. Thrombocytosis was a stronger predictor of ovarian malignancy in younger women of less than 60 years (p = .041). Overall, the positive likelihood ratio of platelet count in the detection of ovarian cancer was 2.61 while the negative likelihood ratio was 0.72, with a diagnostic odds ratio of 3.625. Thrombocytosis was strongly associated with advanced stage ovarian cancer (Stage III/IV) (p = .002). Interestingly, 4/8 (50%) women with thrombocytosis in the benign ovarian tumor group were diagnosed with ovarian fibroma/fibrothecoma, which often mimics advanced ovarian cancer at presentation. Predictive markers for borderline tumors continue to remain a challenge. We believe that there is a role for platelet count in primary care algorithm for women with suspected ovarian cancer. We suspect that platelets play a role in the metastasis of ovarian cancer.

A multi-centred audit of secondary spinal assessments in a trauma setting: are we ATLS compliant?

PURPOSE: The global incidence of spinal cord injuries varies with the developed world having improved survival and 1 year mortality in a poly-trauma setting. This improved survival has been estimated at 20 % in a recent Cochrane review of Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS).The aim of this audit is to evaluate the management of patients with suspected spinal cord injury by the trauma and orthopaedic team in three centres in South Wales. METHODS: A retrospective case note review of the secondary survey was performed. Inclusion criteria were patients 18 years and above, with poly-trauma and presenting to Accident and Emergency department at the treating hospital. We used ATLS guidelines as an audit tool and reviewed the documentation of key components of the secondary assessment. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients were included (29 males, 20 females) with an average age of 53.7 years (19-92 years). We found that completion of all components of the secondary survey for spinal injury was poor, 29 % receiving a digital per rectal examination despite suspected spinal injury. Paralysis level was not documented in 20.4 % of patients. Medical Research Council grade was only documented in 24.5 % although was assessed in 73.5 %. The secondary survey took place after 2 h in 54.6 % of patients. CONCLUSION: We found that the documentation of the performance of a secondary survey was poor. We found that most patients included in this study are not currently meeting the minimal standard suggested by the ATLS guidelines.

Child healthcare in the United Kingdom and Nigeria.

Child healthcare differs widely from one country to another. The differences vary even more widely between developed and developing countries. The Nigerian and British child healthcare system share some similarities, but are significantly different in many areas. The structure of the healthcare system is quite similar and in the area of immunisation, the government of the two countries give childhood immunisation programme a priority. However, differences exist in areas of accessibility to child healthcare, parental attitude towards immunisation and efficiency of the child healthcare system. The aim of this paper is, to share with the medical community, the similarities and differences in child healthcare between the two countries. This would be of interest to colleagues who have not worked in both systems.

Pelvic Exenteration for the Treatment of Locally Advanced Vulvar Cancer in South West Wales.

The treatment of locally advanced vulvar carcinoma (LAVC) represents a major challenge. We investigated the role of pelvic exenteration as a treatment of LAVC. Women who underwent pelvic exenteration for primary and recurrent LAVC in our centre between 2001 and 2019 were included. Among the 19 women included during the study period, 14 women (73.7%) had primary LAVC while 5 women (26.3%) had recurrent disease. Surgical resection margins were microscopically clear (R0) in 94.7% of patients-14/14 undergoing primary treatment and 4/5 undergoing treatment for recurrent disease. Complete closure of the wound was achieved in 100% of women, with no wound left to heal by secondary intention. Tumour size was a predictor of requiring myocutaneous flap reconstruction, with all tumours less than 40 mm undergoing primary closure, while almost all tumours 40 mm diameter or greater (14/15 women) required flap reconstruction (p = 0.001). The 30-day major morbidity rate was 42% and there was no perioperative death. The mean overall survival was 144.8 months (2-206 months), with 1-, 2- and 5-year survival rates of 89.5%, 75.1% and 66.7%, respectively. In our centre, a primary surgical approach to the management of LAVC has resulted in good survival outcomes with acceptable morbidity rates.

Therapeutic advances in the management of Huntington's disease.

Trinucleotide repeat disorders are a set of genetic disorders characterized by the expansion of certain genes of a segment of DNA that contains a repeat of three nucleotides, thus exceeding the normal stable threshold. These repeats in the DNA cause repeats of a specific amino acid in the protein sequence, and it is the repeated amino acid that results in a defective protein. Huntington's disease is a well-known genetic disorder associated with trinucleotide repeat expansions. Patients first present clinically in midlife and manifest a typical phenotype of sporadic, rapid, and involuntary control of limb movement; stiffness of limbs; impaired cognition; severe psychiatric disturbances; and ultimately, death. There have been a number of therapeutic advances in the treatment of Huntington's disease, such as foetal neural transplantation, RNA interference, and transglutaminase inhibitor. Although there is intensive research into Huntington's disease and recent findings seem promising, effective therapeutic strategies may not be developed until the next few decades.

Placental steroid sulphatase deficiency: an approach to antenatal care and delivery.

Placental steroid sulphatase deficiency (SSD) is an X-linked inborn error of metabolism. Congenital X-linked ichthyosis (XLI) is a genetic disorder of keratinisation caused by steroid sulphatase (STS) deficiency, which results in a scaling skin condition in male infants shortly after birth. It may be associated with failed induction of labor and prolonged labor leading to cesarean delivery due to 'cervical dystocia'. We present two cases of congenital ichthyosis. Thorough counselling of women with a previously affected pregnancy during the antenatal period should include discussion about mode of delivery and a critical review of the complexities of prenatal diagnosis in this condition. We propose a clinical management pathway to offer women with a previous pregnancy affected by this rare condition. SIMILAR CASES PUBLISHED: Less than 50 cases reported.

John Hunter's (1728-1793) account of venereal diseases.

John Hunter's work included description of the nature of digestion, child development, role of the lymphatic system and proof that the maternal and foetal blood supplies are separate. His contribution to the understanding of venereal diseases is reviewed. Hunter's argument of the unitary nature of venereal diseases is examined and the progress he made in diagnosis and management is discussed.

Primary actinomycosis of the breast caused by Actinomyces turicensis with associated Peptoniphilus harei.

Actinomycosis of the breast is a rare disease which may mimic malignancy in presentation. Clinical presentation may make it difficult to distinguish primary actinomycosis from mastitis and inflammatory carcinoma. A 22-year-old lady presented with a 3-week history of right breast pain and greenish discharge through her nipple piercing. Physical examination revealed a palpable fluctuant lump in the upper inner quadrant of the right breast and a nipple jewelry in-situ in the upper inner quadrant of the right breast with an abscess at the edge of the areola. Needle aspiration was performed and microbiological examination of the aspirate isolated Actinomyces turicensis and Peptoniphilus harei. Actinomycosis of the breast is rare and the specie, Actinomyces turicensis, is even rarer especially in association with Peptoniphilus harei. Actinomyces is a difficult organism to treat due to its relative indolent course with potential scarring and disruption of local tissue. However, surgical intervention could be avoided with an intensive course of high-dose intravenous antibiotics and prolonged oral antibiotics afterwards.

Alzheimer's disease: Current Trends in Wales.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and incidence rates of Alzheimer's disease (AD) between 1999 and 2010 in Wales and the relationship between AD with age. METHODS: The Patient Episode Database for Wales was used to identify patients who were diagnosed with AD between 1999 and 2010. RESULTS: During the 12-year study period, 14,534 people were diagnosed with AD in Wales. The overall prevalence of AD in individuals 60 years or older was 2% and the overall incidence was estimated as 1.5 per 1000 person-years. The prevalence of AD in individuals between 60 and 74 years was 1%, rising up to 5% in those aged 75 years and older. The incidence of AD increased during the study period from 1.4 per 1000 person-years in 1999 to 1.9 per 1000 person-years in 2010. More than half of the diagnosed AD during the study period was unspecified. CONCLUSION: The incidence of Alzheimer's disease is progressively increasing in Wales. Prevalence and incidence rates rise with age. It is important that the public is educated on the symptoms of AD and doctors pay particular attention to these symptoms so as to ensure that diagnosis is made as early as possible. This will enable adequate support to be provided as soon as possible in order to prolong patients' independence and slow the progression of symptoms.

Breast cancer in Wales: time trends and geographical distribution.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the second commonest malignancy in the world. In 2012, approximately 522,000 women died of breast cancer across the world. The aim of this study is to provide an up-to-date analysis of time trends in incidence, geographical distribution, survival and mortality from breast cancer in Wales. METHODS: Breast cancer cases registered between 1985 and 2012 were identified from the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit (WCISU). A Poisson regression model was fitted to assess temporal trends and rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined and compared in relation to age, geographical distribution and mortality across time periods. RESULTS: A total of 60,227 women diagnosed with breast cancer were registered with the Welsh cancer registry between 1985 and 2012. The age-standardised incidence rate of breast cancer was 113.4 per 100,000 populations over the entire study period. There has been a significant increase in the incidence of breast cancer over the study period, although a slight decline was recorded towards the end of the study. There is a considerable regional variation in incidence, with a higher incidence rate in the rural areas compared to urban areas (P<0.001). One- and five-year relative survival improved from 83.3 and 64.2 respectively in 1985-1989 to 91.1 and 78.8 respectively in 2000-2004. There has also been a considerable improvement in relative survival across all age groups. Mortality has improved over the study period with the most dramatic decline in the age groups 45-54 and 55-64 years (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There has been a significant increase in the incidence of breast cancer in Wales over the last three decades, which is likely to be partly due to the introduction of the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme. Breast cancer incidence is higher in rural areas than urban areas and lower incidence was seen in more deprived areas. There was a considerable decline in mortality rate across almost all age groups, especially in recent years. However, women over the age of 65 years had poorer outcome throughout the study period.

The risk of malignancy index (RMI) in women with adnexal masses in Wales.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of the risk of malignancy index (RMI) which combines serum CA-125 levels, ultrasound score, and menopausal state, in discriminating between benign and malignant adnexal masses in the Welsh population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and forty-seven women with pelvic masses discussed consecutively at the South West Wales Gynaecological Oncology multidisciplinary meeting between January 2010 and June 2011 were included in this retrospective study. The main outcomes were surgical and pathological findings. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of CA-125 at 35kU/L were 76% and 67%, respectively. CA-125 was found to be a relevant predictor of malignancy but the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for each of the risk of malignancy indices was greater than the area for the CA-125 serum levels alone. Each of the RMIs has a different optimal threshold, however using a threshold of 200, RMI 1 had a sensitivity of 66% and a specificity of 91%; RMI 2 had a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 79%; and RMI 3 had a sensitivity of 68% and a specificity of 85%. CONCLUSION: This is the first study in Wales to evaluate the RMI in triaging women with pelvic masses. Overall, RMI 1 and RMI 2 are better malignancy predictors than RMI 3. It would be recommended that RMI 1 and RMI 2 be compared in a head-to-head prospective study, although we suspect that RMI 1 is likely to be the overall best malignancy predictor.

Recent trends in the incidence, geographical distribution, and survival from thyroid cancer in Wales, 1985-2010.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies of thyroid cancer incidence in Wales have given varying results with suggestions of an excess of cases in geographic areas that were previously exposed to the radioactive fallout from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear reactor incident. Our objective in this study was to provide an up-to-date comprehensive analysis of time trends in the incidence, geographical distribution, and survival from thyroid cancer in Wales. METHODS: We identified thyroid cancer cases, registered from 1985 through 2010 in the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit (WCISU). Age standardized rates were determined from the European standard population. A Poisson regression model was fitted to assess temporal trends and rate ratios (RRs) and confidence intervals (CIs) were determined and compared across consecutive time periods: 1985-1997 and 1998-2010. Standardized incidence ratios were calculated for each of the 22 local authority areas. Relative survival and Kaplan-Meier curves were computed to analyze all cause and thyroid cancer-specific survival. RESULTS: A total of 1747 thyroid cancer cases were registered from 1985 to 2010. Age standardized incidence rates were 2.8 and 1.2 per 100,000 population per year for females and males respectively. Incidence rates increased with time (RR 1.3 [CI 1.2-1.5], p < 0.001; 1998-2010 vs. 1985-1997). The incidence of papillary cancer increased progressively over the study period (RR 2.22 [CI 1.91-2.57], p < 0.001; 1998-2010 vs. 1985-1997), while rates for other (nonpapillary) histological subtypes remained static (RR 0.95 [CI 0.84-1.08], p = 0.45; 1998-2010 vs. 1985-1997). We identified two geographical areas of increased incidence, but the spatial distribution of cases was inconsistent with exposure to radioactive fallout. Five-year relative survival from all-cause mortality improved from 74.2 [CI 66.8-80.1] in 1985-1989 to 82.6 [CI 77.1-86.9] in 2000-2004, but remained poor for patients over the age of 65 years (p < 0.001, > 65 years vs. 15-64 years) and patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer (p < 0.001; anaplastic vs. other histological varieties). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of thyroid cancer has increased in Wales, predominantly due to an increase in papillary cancers. The current geographical distribution of cases does not support a radiation effect in the region. Survival has remained poor for patients over the age of 65 years and those with anaplastic carcinoma.

Epidemiology of breast cancer in europe and Africa.

Breast cancer continues to remain the most lethal malignancy in women across the world. This study reviews some of the epidemiological similarities and differences in breast cancer between white European women and black African women with the aim of optimising care for women with breast malignancy across the world. The incidence of breast cancer is lower among African women than their European counterparts. Majority of women in Europe are postmenopausal when they present with breast cancer; however, the peak incidence among African women is in the premenopausal period. Ductal carcinoma is the commonest type of breast cancer among women in Africa and Europe. However, medullary and mucinous carcinomas are more common in Africa than in Europe. While European women usually present at an early stage especially with the advent of screening, African women generally present late for treatment resulting in lower survival rates. There should be more research at the molecular level among African women to identify genetic factors that may contribute to the risk of developing breast cancer. There should also be improvement in the health care system in Africa in order to optimise care for women with breast cancer.

The effect of multidisciplinary team care on cancer management.

Over the past 15 years, the multidisciplinary team management of many medical conditions especially cancers has increasingly taken a prominent role in patient management in many hospitals and medical centres in the developed countries. In the United Kingdom, it began to gain prominence following the Calman-Heine report in 1995 which suggested that each Cancer Unit in a hospital should have in place arrangements for non-surgical oncological input into services, with a role for a non-surgical oncologist. The report further suggested that a lead clinician with a well established interest in cancer care should be appointed to organise and coordinate the whole range of cancer services provided within the Cancer Unit. Many people have argued that the multidisciplinary team management of patients has resulted in better care and improved survival. However, there are barriers to the optimal effectiveness of the multidisciplinary team. This paper aims to review various studies on the effectiveness of the multidisciplinary team in the management of cancer patients and also discuss some of the barriers to the multidisciplinary team.