Epstein-Barr virus as a marker of biological aggressiveness in breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Although a potential role of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the pathogenesis of breast cancer (BC) has been underlined, results remain conflicting. Particularly, the impact of EBV infection on biological markers of BC has received little investigation. METHODS: In this study, we established the frequency of EBV-infected BC using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) in 196 BC specimens. Biological and pathological characteristics according to EBV status were evaluated. RESULTS: EBV DNA was present in 65 of the 196 (33.2%) cases studied. EBV-positive BCs tended to be tumours with a more aggressive phenotype, more frequently oestrogen receptor negative (P=0.05) and with high histological grade (P=0.01). Overexpression of thymidine kinase activity was higher in EBV-infected BC (P=0.007). The presence of EBV was weakly associated with HER2 gene amplification (P=0.08). CONCLUSION: Our study provides evidence for EBV-associated BC undergoing distinct carcinogenic processes, with more aggressive features.

[Value of clinical tests in the diagnosis of breast cancer: report of 2,626 cases]. / Valeur de l'examen clinique dans le diagnostic du cancer du sein: à propos de l'étude de 2,626 observations.

The present study has assessed the value of clinical examination of breast cancers in a retrospective study of 2,626 cases of operated mammary lesions. Anatomopathology is used as basic reference. The fiability of the cancer diagnosis is 94%, its sensitivity is 90% and specificity 96%. The total error only amounts to 6%, with 2/3 false negatives and 1/3 false positives. The errors are for the most part due to the anatomopathologic nature of the tumor, its size, the area of the body it is situated in and also to the examiner and to the of the patient. Nevertheless clinical examination still remains the first diagnostic step, and is indispensable in all breast pathology.

[Results of the conservative surgical and irradiation treatment of 132 nonpalpable ductal carcinomas in situ of the breast]. / Résultats du traitement par chirurgie conservatrice et irradiation de 132 carcinomes canalaires in situ non palpables du sein.

PURPOSE: Retrospective analysis of results of treatment of 132 subclinical ductal carcinomas in situ, non-palpable. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients were treated with limited surgery and 70 Gy radiation therapy (70 Gy). RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 7 years, the total recurrence rate was 6%, and the actuarial rate at 5 years 4% and at 10 years 13% at. These have no influence on recurrence on the specific actuarial survival rate which was 100% at 10 years. In spite of five infiltrating recurrences of seven, no metastasis appeared 48 months after the salvage surgery. The global rate of breast preservation was 92% at 7 years. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Therapeutic indications were developed taking into account the present analysis and a literature review (2,338 in situ ductal carcinomas, palpable or not, treated with conservative surgery, with or without adjuvant radio-therapy).

[Excision of colorectal cancers: what can be expected of lymph node excision?]. / Résection des cancers colo-rectaux: que peut-on attendre du curage ganglionnaire?

We report a series of 413 patients with colo-rectal adenocarcinoma. 328 had a curative resection and 277 of them had elective lymphadenectomy; 51 had no lymphadenectomy because of either age or poor general status. Operative morbidity and mortality were not increased by lymphadenectomy. Survival was related to the lymph node involvement: 70.6% 5 year survival in patients without lymph node metastases, 49.3% 5 year survival in patients with lymph node metastases (P less than 0.001). However lymphadenectomy did not affect the survival rate of the patients. We conclude that lymphadenectomy had no deleterious effect. However, its real benefit on long term survival must be evaluated in further prospective randomised studies.

[Gastrocolonic excision of cancer. Retrospective analysis of the immediate postoperative course and long-term survival in 18 patients]. / Les exérèses gastrocoliques pour cancer. Analyse rétrospective des suites immédiates et de la survie éloignée chez dix-huit malades.

Eighteen patients underwent gastrocolic resection for cancer. Thirteen had primary gastric cancer and 5 had primary colon cancer (two of these 5 patients had local-regional recurrence after right hemicolectomy). Twelve resections were curative and 6 palliative. Twelve patients had more than 2 organs resected. Involvement of adjacent tissues or organs was present in 15 patients (11/13 gastric cancer and 4/5 colon cancer: 83%). All patients had immediate colonic anastomosis. The mean duration of postoperative stay was 22 +/- 8 days (SD). Mortality was 5.6% (1/18). Seven patients had post-operative complications (41%; 7/17); 3 of these 7 patients had anastomotic leakage (one colonic and two pancreatic fistulae; 3/17: 17.6%); the mean duration of postoperative stay for these three patients was 27 +/- 4 jours, (p less than 0.004). One colonic fistula complicated the 18 colonic anastomoses (5.5%). There was no reoperation in this series. The estimated 2-year survival for the entire group was 20%. The median survival was 9.5 mois; the median survival was 13.5 months after curative resections and 5 months after palliative procedure (p less than 0.01). The median survival was 8 months for gastric adenocarcinoma and 36 months for colon adenocarcinoma (p less than 0.05). Despite the poor results in gastric cancer extending to adjacent organs, complete excision is still recommended whenever feasible. Complete excision of advanced colon cancer may lead to prolonged disease-free survival depending on the lymph node status. With an acceptably low mortality, resection remains a better procedure than palliative diversion or exclusion for these advanced tumours.

[Resection of the portal vein in pancreatectomy for cancer: technical considerations. Apropos of 4 cases]. / Résection de la veine porte au cours des pancréatectomies pour cancer: aspects techniques. A propos de quatre observations.

Out of 150 carcinomas of the pancreas operated from 1970 through 1989, 50 pancreatectomies were performed, including 4 cases of segmental resection of portal vein with total pancreatectomy (2 cases) or duodenopancreatectomy (2 cases). The technical procedure is described and discussed. Segmental resection of portal vein is rare in our experience and has been always performed out of necessity because of the over estimation of the resectability. However, mortality and post-operative stay are not increased.

[Conservative treatment of sub-clinical noninfiltrating cancers of the breast (102 EOA in situ, TONO)]. / Le traitement conservateur des cancers du sein infra-cliniques canalaires non infiltrants (102 EOA in situ, TONO).

102 patients with sub-clinical intra ductal non invasive breast cancer (T0N0) treated by limited surgery and curative radiation therapy. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 10 years with a median follow-up of 59 months. The long term survival rate of this therapeutic approach, consisting of simple excision without any adjuvant treatment and radical mastectomy was close to 100%. The actuarial local recurrence rate was only 8.6% at 10 years (confidence interval: 4.6 to 12.6%), which strongly suggests that radiation therapy is active on multicentric foci. Salvage surgery could be performed in every case of local recurrence. The survival rate of in situ breast cancer (T0N0) treated by conservative radio-surgery is comparable to that of radical mastectomy, while cosmetic results and psychological impact appear to be better for the conservative technique (breast preservation rate = 91 to 96%).

[Cancer of the pancreas. A plea for resection. 162 operated patients]. / Cancer du pancréas. Plaidoyer pour l'exérèse. 162 malades opérés.

Between 1970 and 1990, 162 patients with carcinoma of the pancreas or the periampullary region were operated upon. A prospective study was conducted in 85 of them who underwent surgery after 1983. The tumour was resected in 63 patients (ductal adenocarcinoma in 43, periampullary carcinoma in 20). Biliary and/or gastrointestinal bypass was performed in 76 patients, and exploratory laparotomy in 23. The operative mortality rate was 3 percent (2/63) among patients with resection and 24 percent (24/99) among those with laparotomy with or without bypass. The longest survival (median: 33 months) was obtained in patients with periampullary tumours; it was 12 months after resection in patients with ductal adenocarcinoma and 4 months in the other cases. The preoperative estimate of unresectability was erroneous in 36.5 percent of the cases. Periampullary tumours were diagnosed only after pathological examination of the lesion removed in 47 percent. These results are in favour of radical surgery, especially since the operative mortality of resection is low and since resection, even palliative, gives a better survival rate than mere bypass.