[Performances of breast magnetic resonance imaging in the context of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer to predict pathological complete response]. / Performances de l'imagerie par résonance magnétique au cours des chimiothérapies néoadjuvantes du cancer du sein pour prédire la réponse pathologique complète.

PURPOSE: The objective of this work was to estimate the reliability of MRI after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for breast cancer to detect a residual tumour by comparing the tumoral size measured by MRI with the histological size. We also estimated the concordance of diagnosis of complete pathological response between histological examination and MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included all the patients who received a neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer in the university hospital of Tours from January, 2008 to December 31st, 2012 and in the comprehensive cancer centre of Rennes from January, 2008 till May 31st 201. We considered that the pathological response was complete (pCR) when there was no residual invasive tumour in the mammary surgical specimen. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty-one women who received NAC for a non-metastatic breast cancer were included in the study: 103 in Tours and 148 in Rennes. Two women (0.8%) refused breast surgery whatever the type. One hundred and twenty-three (49%) women had a breast conservative surgery. One hundred and fifteen (45.8%) had a mastectomy and 11 (4.4%) had breast conservative surgery followed by mastectomy for positive margins. A complete pathological response was present in 54 cases (21.5%). We did not found any significant difference between characteristics of patients with pCR or not. CONCLUSION: Breast MRI remains the most performing examination to evaluate the initial tumoral size and the residual tumour after NAC, but does not add any value at mid or at the end of treatment for the patients to whom a mastectomy is decided at presentation. The correlation between the breast MRI and the histology size is not perfect, but at the moment, MRI stills of the most performing examination to predict the pCR.

[Early recurrent miscarriage: Evaluation and management]. / Fausses couches précoces « à répétition ¼ : bilan et prise en charge.

OBJECTIVE: To establish recommendations for early recurrent miscarriages (≥3 miscarriages before 14weeks of amenorrhea). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Literature review, establishing levels of evidence and recommendations for grades of clinical practice. RESULTS: Women evaluation includes the search for a diabetes (grade A), an antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) (grade A), a thyroid dysfunction (grade A), a hyperprolactinemia (grade B), a vitamin deficiency and a hyperhomocysteinemia (grade C), a uterine abnormality (grade C), an altered ovarian reserve (grade C), and a couple chromosome analysis (grade A). For unexplained early recurrent miscarriages, treatment includes folic acid and progesterone supplementation, and a reinsurance policy in the first quarter (grade C). It is recommended to prescribe the combination of aspirin and low-molecular-weight heparin when APS (grade A), glycemic control in diabetes (grade A), L-Thyroxine in case of hypothyroidism (grade A) or the presence of thyroid antibodies (grade B), bromocriptine if hyperprolactinemia (grade B), a substitution for vitamin deficiency or hyperhomocysteinemia (grade C), sectionning a uterine septum (grade C) and treating an uterine acquired abnormality (grade C). CONCLUSION: These recommendations should improve the management of couples faced with early recurrent miscarriages.

History and environmental impact of mining activity in Celtic Aeduan territory recorded in a peat bog (Morvan, France).

The present study aims to document historical mining and smelting activities by means of geochemical and pollen analyses performed in a peat bog core collected around the Bibracte oppidum (Morvan, France), the largest settlement of the great Aeduan Celtic tribe (ca. 180 B.C. to 25 A.D.). The anthropogenic Pb profile indicates local mining operations starting from the Late Bronze Age, ca. cal. 1300 B.C. Lead inputs peaked at the height of Aeduan civilization and then decreased after the Roman conquest of Gaul, when the site was abandoned. Other phases of mining are recognized from the 11th century to modern times. They have all led to modifications in plant cover, probably related in part to forest clearances necessary to supply energy for mining and smelting. Zn, Sb, Cd, and Cu distributions may result from diffusional and biological processes or from the influence of groundwater and underlying mineral soil, precluding their interpretation for historical reconstruction. The abundance of mineral resources, in addition to the strategic location, might explain why early settlers founded the city of Bibracte at that particular place. About 20% of the anthropogenic lead record was accumulated before our era and about 50% before the 18th century, which constitutes a troublesome heritage. Any attempts to develop control strategies in accumulating environments should take into account past human activities in order to not overestimate the impact of contemporary pollution.

Laminectomy versus percutaneous electrode placement for spinal cord stimulation.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation using laminectomy-style electrodes versus that using percutaneously implanted electrodes. METHODS: Forty-one patients underwent an initial trial period of spinal cord stimulation with temporary electrodes at Duke Medical Center between December 1992 and January 1998. A permanent system was implanted if trial stimulation reduced the patient's pain by more than 50%. Median long-term follow-up after permanent electrode placement was 34 months (range, 6-66 mo). Severity of pain was determined postoperatively by a disinterested third party using a visual analog scale and a modified outcome scale. RESULTS: Twenty-seven (66%) of the 41 patients participating in the trial had permanent electrodes placed. Visual analog scores decreased an average of 4.6 among patients in whom electrodes were placed via laminectomy in the thoracic region (two-tailed t test, P < 0.0001). Patients who underwent percutaneous placement of thoracic electrodes had an average decrease of 3.1 in their visual analog scores (two-tailed t test, P < 0.001). Electrodes placed through laminectomy furnished significantly greater long-term pain relief than did those placed percutaneously, as measured by a four-tier outcome grading scale (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Spinal cord stimulation is an effective treatment for chronic pain in the lower back and lower extremities that is refractory to conservative therapy. Electrodes placed via laminectomy in the thoracic region appear to be associated with significantly better long-term effectiveness than are electrodes placed percutaneously.

Assessment of topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

A new non-invasive technique for assessing the efficacy of topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) in man is proposed. The NSAID are initially applied to the skin under occlusion before inflammation is induced by a methyl nicotinate solution. The inflammatory response is quantified in terms of cutaneous blood flow by a laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV). The efficacy of NSAID preparations is calculated by comparing the responses of the LDV to the methyl nicotinate challenge on the pretreated and the non-treated skin sites. This protocol has been used to investigate the effect of three different NSAID preparations (indomethacin, niflumic acid, palmitoyl collagenic acid) and the influence of the vehicle on the efficacy of indomethacin. The three preparations tested gave positive results but with different amplitudes in response. The efficacy of indomethacin varied with the vehicle used.