Combined modality staging of high risk rectal cancer.

The personal experience with the radiologic staging of high risk rectal cancer undergoing preoperative treatment is reported. 61 patients shown to be affected by locally advanced (T3-T4, N+with any T) rectal tumors on combined modality staging, underwent restaging 4-5 weeks after treatment. In all patients liver US, pelvic CT and colorectal enema were performed before and after treatment. In 22 patients with low rectal cancer transrectal sonography was performed. In 19 patients pelvic MRI was performed. The 61 patients were considered operable on second staging and thus referred to surgery. Subsequent control on histology has confirmed the diagnostic accuracy of the single procedures and of their combination. US was shown to be of high accuracy in the evaluation of T (90.8%) and of high predictive value for N. CT accuracy (84%) and MRI accuracy (78.9%) was lower because both tend to overstaging in the evaluation of T of rectal tumors undergoing preoperative treatment. Low CT accuracy (64%) and MRI accuracy (58%) was observed for N. There was optimum agreement between histology and imaging in the assessment of tumor shrinkage, well visualized by rectal enema which supported combined restaging with 88% accuracy for T.

Radiotherapy in rectal cancer: stage of the disease and therapeutic approach.

Rectal cancer requires treatments tailored according to the stage of the disease at diagnosis. In stage I lesions exclusive surgery is the elective treatment. Radiotherapy is used in those cases where the site of the lesion would sacrifice sphincter function. When the features of neoplasm are favourable (size < 5 cm, grading 1-2, histological type adenocarcinoma) local excision and postoperative radiotherapy enable to achieve results comparable to those of radical surgery. In operable lesions (T3-T4 (vagina) N0-2, M0) at high risk for local recurrence, high dose preoperative radiotherapy in some randomized studies has shown a significant improvement in local control and survival with a low toxicity, especially in patients undergoing radical surgery. Concomitant chemotherapy in postoperative radiotherapy has significantly improved local control and survival as compared to radiotherapy alone. Continuous infusion appears to reduce the toxicity, which is otherwise high. Randomized studies of preoperative radiochemotherapy vs radiation alone or vs postoperative radiochemotherapy are in progress in various Centers. Intensification with radiotherapy alone (IORT, fractionation) is also under study. In lesions unresectable for cure (T4, N0-3, M0) radiotherapy alone or combined with surgery did not show significant results. Intensification with concomitant chemotherapy and/or with IORT has enabled over 70% local control and 50% 5-year survival.

[Influence of family factors in the first occurrence of psychiatric hospitalization of patients suffering from schizophrenia]. / Wplyw czynników wewnatrzrodzinnych na okolicznosci pierwszej hospitalizacji psychiatrycznej osób chorych na schizofrenie.

The paper is an empirical verification of a thesis according to which inter-family factors decide, to a large extent, about the psychiatric hospitalization of patients suffering from schizophrenia. On examining a population of 48 patients hospitalized for the first time because of schizophrenia and their families, it turned out that the family slowness in reacting to psychosis (defining the changes in the patient's behavior as morbid, and looking for a medical assistance occurred too late) is connected with a particular constellation of the family factors "Sluggish" families are mainly those with a lack of feelings, or families "fighting by the child". Initiative of seeking the help was triggered by the patient's behaviour that, from sociological point of view, could be characterized as rebellion and alienation.

[Primary lymphoma of the small intestine: clinico-radiological correlations]. / Linfomi primitivi dell'intestino tenue: integrazione clinico-radiologica.

From 1987 to 1989, 7 patients were diagnosed as having a primary lymphoma of the small bowel. The patients, 5 men and 2 women aged 14-66 years (average: 45), were studied by means of small bowel enema and CT. Using small bowel enema, our findings were: masses related to a loop, stenosis, mucosal patterns with thick, irregular, and nodular folds, and bowel walls thickening. In nearly all cases CT showed not only small bowel lesions but also mesenteric lymphadenopathy. Five of seven patients had lymphomas, 1 had IP-SID lymphoma (immunoproliferative small intestinal disease related lymphoma), and 1 had IPSID associated with a late prelymphomatous stage. The diagnosis of IPSID is very important in patients with malabsorption syndrome, which may or may not be related to alpha heavy chain disease, because IPSID may evolve into lymphoma but its prelymphomatous stage can be treated and cured. We have therefore reported the different features seen with enteroclysis and CT, comparing the results obtained in the various forms of lymphoma of the small bowel. The importance is stressed of an accurate diagnosis of IPSID forms, however uncommon in our Country.