[Macrophage activation syndrome as the presenting feature of a Hodgkin's lymphoma in an elderly patient]. / Syndrome d'activation macrophagique révélant une maladie de Hodgkin chez un sujet âgé.

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a rare immunological disorder, rapidly life-threatening in the absence of specific treatment. Malignant lymphoma is common cause of MAS, but Hodgkin's lymphoma has been rarely associated with MAS. We report a 79-year-old man who presented a MAS as the presenting feature of Hodgkin's lymphoma, with a rapidly fatal outcome. We discuss the usefulness of sCD25 and interleukine 18 assays when diagnosis is difficult to obtain. We also review the literature data related to Hodgkin's lymphoma-associated MAS.

[Conservative treatment of multifocal breast cancer: a comparative study]. / Traitement conservateur des cancers du sein multifocaux: étude à propos de 56 cas traités à l'Institut Curie de 1983 à 1989.

Conservative treatment of multifocal breast cancer is still very controversial. This retrospective study concerns 56 patients with stage I or II multifocal breast cancer who underwent conservative treatment at the Institut Curie from January 1983 to December 1989. These patients (group 1) were matched with 132 patients with multifocal lesions treated by mastectomy (group 2). Surgical treatment consisted of a single wide lumpectomy followed by external radiotherapy. Adjuvant systemic therapy and regional nodal irradiation were administered as indicated by current protocols. The actuarial 5-year overall survival rate was 94% 6 in group 1, and 90% 6 in group 2 (NS). The actuarial 5-year ipsilateral breast recurrence rate was 11% 8 in group 1, and 11% 5 in group 2 (NS). In group 1 patients, the ipsilateral breast recurrence rate was related neither to type of multifocality nor to presence of intra ductal breast carcinoma, nodal status, tumor margins, radiotherapy boost, or distance between tumors. Consequently, conservative treatment of multifocal breast cancers which can be completely removed by a single lumpectomy seems, when technically feasible, an alternative to mastectomy.

Use of hysterosalpingosonography for early diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.

Diagnosis of unruptured ectopic pregnancy was performed using hysterosonography in a patient with no adnexial mass visible on transvaginal sonography and low hCG level (440 UI l(-1)). This avoided a laparoscopy and allowed treatment by single injection of methotrexate. Hysterosonography may be useful for the diagnosis of small ectopic pregnancies.

[Use of ultrasonography as a first-line investigation of the uterus. Results of a prospective study]. / Utilisation de l'échographie avec accentuation de contraste comme examen de première intention dans l'exploration de la cavité utérine. Résultats d'une enquête prospective.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of hysterosonography as a first line investigation for uterine bleeding in perimenopausal women. METHODS: 185 women were enrolled in a prospective study. They underwent a hysterosonography indicated for abnormal uterine bleeding or follow-up of a treatment with tamoxifene. Patients with a normal cavity or atrophia were scheduled for a diagnostic hysteroscopy or a hormonal therapy. Patients with uterine cavity abnormalities were scheduled for surgery (operative hysteroscopy or hysterectomy). All the patients were clinically followed after the hysterosonography or the surgery. Results of hysterosonography were compared to data issued from the clinical follow-up or to pathological results when available. RESULTS: Hysterosonography was achieved in 179 patients. In all but 1 case, hysterosonography was well tolerated by the patients. We had no complication during or after the examination. Hysterosonography had a high sensitivity and specificity in the discrimination of women with normal cavity or atrophia from the ones with intrauterine lesions (respectively 96.4% and 98.3%). Hysterosonography was also accurate in the distinction of polyps from sub-mucosal myomas (sensitivity 88.2 à 90.3%, specificity: 98.6 à 95%). The measurement and localization of the lesions were accurate in an equal manner with both procedures. Hysterosonography had similar results in women treated with tamoxifene, but the failure frequency was significantly higher (13% vs 1.8%) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Hysterosonography appears as a reliable tool for the investigation of abnormal uterine bleeding in perimenopausal women. It can distinguish women who just need a medical therapy from the ones who will require a surgical exploration. It is easy to learn, and well tolerated by the women. Hysterosonography is more sensitive and specific than transvaginal sonography in the follow-up of patients treated with Tamoxifene.

Saline contrast sonohysterography as first-line investigation for women with uterine bleeding.

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of saline contrast sonohysterography (SCSH) as a first-line investigation for perimenopausal women with uterine bleeding. A total of 162 women were enrolled in a prospective study. They underwent SCSH indicated for abnormal uterine bleeding. Patients with normal or atrophic endometrium were scheduled for diagnostic hysteroscopy or hormone therapy. Patients with uterine cavity abnormalities were scheduled for surgery (operative hysteroscopy or hysterectomy). A clinical follow-up was obtained for all the patients after SCSH. Sonohysterographic findings were compared with pathological results. SCSH was carried out in 159 patients. In all but one case, the procedure was well tolerated by the patients. There were no complications either during or after the examination. Surgical and pathological results were available in 109 cases. SCSH was highly sensitive and specific in the differentiation between women with intrauterine lesions and those with normal or atrophic endometrium (98.9% and 76.4%, respectively). SCSH was also accurate in the diagnosis of polyps and submucosal myomas (sensitivity 87.8 and 89.6%, specifically 90.7 and 95%). SCSH and surgery displayed the same reliability in the measurement and the localization of the lesions. SCSH recognized endometrial cancer in only 40% of cases. However, all these patients had abnormalities at sonohysterography which indicated a surgical exploration, leading to a zero false-negative rate. Saline contrast sonohysterography appears to be a reliable tool for the investigation of abnormal uterine bleeding in perimenopausal women. It can distinguish women who only require medical therapy from those who require surgery. The method is easy to learn, and is well tolerated by the patients.

Laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy in an anatomical model: results of an experimental comparative trial.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper was to compare the accuracy of laparoscopic versus open pelvic lymphadenectomy in an experimental trial. STUDY DESIGN: We performed unilateral laparoscopy pelvic lymphadenectomy (LPL) in 33 non-embalmed cadavers between the external iliac vein, the obliterated umbilical artery and the obturator nerve. Then a laparotomy was performed to inspect the LPL limits, look for laparoscopic complications and finally realize a controlateral lymphadenectomy. The LPL side was randomly decided. A pathologist counted the number of lymph nodes collected with both techniques. We compared the number of retrieved lymph nodes, the completeness of the dissection and the complication rate with those two procedures. Student's t-test, chi 2-test and non-parametric tests were used when appropriate. RESULTS: No dissection had to be aborted. One hundred and twelve nodes were removed laparoscopically (mean, 3.73; S.E., 2.9) and 84 at laparotomy (mean, 2.77; S.E., 2.06). There was no significant difference in the number of nodes retrieved with both procedures. Effectiveness of laparoscopy was not significantly different in the first ten procedures, in the second ten or in the last ten LPL. Residual tissue was observed after LPL in 13.3% of the procedures whereas all open lymphadenectomies were complete. LPL sensitivity reached at least 86% in this paper. Failures were more frequent at the beginning of the study (50% among the first ten dissections), in obese subjects or in subjects with prior history of laparotomy (but the difference was not significant). Two venous injuries occurred during LPL (6.7%). Complication rates for the two techniques were not significantly different. However, the LPL complication rate was higher at the beginning of the study and increased significantly in subjects with prior history of laparotomy (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This randomized study shows that LPL and laparotomy have similar effectiveness. Incomplete dissections and complications are more frequent in obese subjects or in case of prior history of laparotomy. Fifteen procedures seems necessary to learn the technique and provide constant and safe results in routine practice.

[Lymphatic drainage of the uterus. Preliminary results of an experimental study]. / Drainage lymphatique de l'utérus. Résultats préliminaires d'une etude expérimentale.

We carried out an experimental study on the lymphatic drainage of the uterus in 11 female cadavers. We performed 5 injections of a colored fluid in the corpus uterinum and 6 in the cervix. We observed 2 main routes along the external iliac vessels. The first was anterior and drains the lower limb. The second is medial and posterior to the external iliac vessels and drained the uterus (2.4 lymph nodes/side). The number and location of the lymph nodes varied between subjects but also in the same subject (45.5% of cases). The cervix was essentially drained to lymph nodes located on the posterior aspect of the external iliac vein, especially near the hypogastric artery origin. We did not observe any direct connexion between the cervix and the para-aortic area. The corpus uterinum was drained to the lymph nodes located in the lateral part of the parametrium and or under the external iliac vein. One other main route ran along the infudibulo-pelvic ligament. These findings confirm that the first lymph nodes metastases of the cervical carcinoma are under the external iliac vein. and particularly near the hypogastric artery. On the other hand, endometrial carcinomas spread along two lymphatic connections: one extending to the external iliac area and another to the para-aortic area. These results have to be considered in order to define lymphadenectomy margins for these cancers.

[Myomectomy: laparoscopy or laparotomy]. / Myomectomie: coelioscopie ou laparotomie?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study of 109 myomectomies is to evaluate the feasibility, limits and results in term of fertility of the laparoscopic myomectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study from January 1990 to December 1993, including 109 patients having had a myomectomy, 39 by laparotomy (35,7%) and 70 by laparoscopy. RESULTS: The average number of myomas extracted by laparoscopy and by laparotomy were 1.5 and 6.7 respectively. The diameter of the major myoma was 7 cm in the laparotomic group versus 6.2 cm in the laparoscopic group. Among 70 myomectomies approached by laparoscopy, 29 (41,4%) have necessitated a laparoconversion. The reason of this conversion was mainly the size of the myoma (superior 5 cm) in 21 cases, the number of myomas (superior 5) in 6 cases, the interstitiel location of the myoma in 1 case and a per-operative hemorrhage in 1 case. Among 109 patients having had a myomectomy, 60 (55%) desired a pregnancy including 22 patients having laparoscopy myomectomy. Among these 22 patients, 8 have been pregnant (36.4%) allowing 9 pregnancies (4 deliveries, 4 missed abortions and 1 intrauterin fetal death). CONCLUSION: Our results confirm that the laparoscopic myomectomy would have to be reserved to patients presenting to the most 4 myomas with a diameter < or = 7 cm. Results in term of fertility of the laparoscopic myomectomy are similar to these of patients having a laparoconversion.

Does hormone replacement therapy increase the risk of breast cancer?

The data contained in the literature about breast cancer risk and hormone replacement therapy is reviewed. Many studies with different methodologies have been published. Analysis of classical papers or of meta-analysis do not support the view that short-term use of hormone replacement therapy significantly increases the risk of breast cancer. In some clinical situations such as family history of breast cancer, high dose estrogens and especially in the case of long term treatment over 10 years, risk of cancer could be increased and requires a specific clinical management. Despite of the absence of double blind placebo-controlled trial, there is no strong data available to oppose the use of estrogen replacement therapy because of an hypothetic increased risk of breast cancer. Using a low posology for less than 5 years in correctly managed women is a safe attitude.