Factors affecting the prognosis of patients with colorectal liver metastasis.

PURPOSE: To determine factors affecting the survival of colorectal cancer patients developing liver metastasis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 850 colorectal cancer patients who had been operated on between 1995 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed and patients who developed liver metastases were selected. Patients' demographics and data regarding the characteristics and management of primary tumors and liver metastases were assessed. Survival data were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard method to identify factors affecting prognosis of such patients. RESULTS: 154 (18.1%) patients developed liver metastasis; however, only 60 patients (39 males and 21 females; median age: 61 (31-77) years) had complete follow-up data, of whom 28 had undergone metastasis resection. The median survival time of patients who underwent resection and who did not was 42 (22-118) vs. 13 (2-52) months (p < 0.001). Curative resection of the primary tumor (p = 0.32; Exp(B) = 2.93), metastases that were less than 5 in number and localized to one of the right or left lobes (p = 0.004; Exp(B) = 3.38), and surgical resection of the metastases (p = 0.001 ; Exp(B) = 3.76) were independent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with colorectal liver metastases that are less than 5 and confined into one lobe, could benefit from metastasis surgery most if the primary tumor is resected.

Solid and papillary epithelial neoplasm of the pancreas: CT and MR findings.

Solid and papillary epithelial neoplasm of the pancreas is a very rare low-grade malignant neoplasm with only 126 cases reported in the literature and seen mostly in young female patients. Surgical excision means cure in cases before malignant degeneration developed. Its characteristic findings are typical location in the tail of the pancreas, peripheral capsule formation, hypodensity on CT images, and hyperintense internal signal characteristics on T1-weighted MR images secondary to hemorrhage and accumulation of methemoglobine molecule. These findings are enough for the preoperative diagnosis that may lead to early surgery and cure. We present the CT and MR findings of this very rare neoplasm in a case report.

Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma "it is not a ordinary case for Mediterranean countries".

The fibrolamellar variant of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an uncommon tumour with distinctive clinical and histological features. Although the first case of fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FI-HCC) was described by Edmondson in 1956, and later confirmed in five patients by Peters, the majority of reports followed those of Berman et al. and Craig et al. A case of FI-HCC, which is rarely diagnosed in Mediterranean countries including Turkey, is presented in the following report.

Management of nipple discharge.

In a series of 9,312 women who consulted one of the authors with a complaint of disease of the breast between 1959 and 1991, nipple discharge was the presenting symptom in 448 (4.8 percent). Nipple discharge was spontaneous in 243 (2.6 percent) and provoked in 205 (2.2 percent) of the patients. The ages of the patients ranged from 13 to 75 years (mean of 42.5 years) in the spontaneous and 16 to 70 years (mean of 37.8 years) in the provoked discharge group. When a palpable mass was found, biopsy was undertaken, while in instances of nipple discharge only, subareolar exploration was performed. Of the 115 patients in the spontaneous and 25 patients in the provoked groups who underwent biopsy, the most frequent cause of nipple discharge was intraductal papilloma (47.8 percent). Nipple discharge was the result of carcinoma in 35 patients (14.4 percent) in the spontaneous and six patients (2.9 percent) in the provoked group, respectively. In patients with a palpable mass, the incidence of carcinoma was 61.5 percent compared with 6.1 percent in patients with nipple discharge only. Patients presenting with nipple discharge should undergo biopsy or subareolar exploration based on the presence or absence of a palpable tumor. The patients in whom no clinical findings could be detected should have follow-up evaluation at regular intervals.

Transplantation for renal amyloidosis.

Renal transplantation therapy performed for amyloid nephropathy is controversial because of the fatal effects of the disease. Amyloidosis is a relatively frequent disease and is generally associated with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) in Turkey. Renal transplantation in the treatment of amyloid nephropathy started in January 1985. Till now, 18 (3.2%) renal transplantations have been performed on patients who had amyloid nephropathy. The mean follow-up period was 34.6 months. Fourteen renal grafts still function well (creatinine: 1-3.2 mg/dL). The overall 1-year patient and graft survival rates were 88.9% and 83.0%, respectively. These rates are not statistically different from renal transplantations done for other cases of renal failure. Therefore, patients with end-stage renal failure due to amyloidosis can be considered as appropriate candidates for renal transplantation.

Public attitudes toward organ donation. A survey in a Turkish community.

A survey of public attitudes toward organ donation and transplantation was conducted in a Turkish community. The 1030 subjects were chosen using a random, stratified method. Some 50.5% of those interviewed were willing to donate their organs while 33.7% refused and 15.8% were uncertain. A total of 53.6% said they would consent to donate a deceased relative's organs. Reasons for refusal to donate organs were as follows: fear that their body would be cut into pieces (43.8%), religious beliefs (26.2%), no reason (23.1%) and the belief that they would need their body and organs for their second life (6.9%). Attitudes toward organ donation were clearly related to level of education, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.