Stage I Breast Cancer in the Modern Era: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 328 Patients Diagnosed from 2002 to 2006 with a 14-Year Median Follow-Up.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of stage I breast cancer (BC) patients diagnosed during the current era of screening mammography, immunohistochemistry receptor testing, and systemic adjuvant therapy. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 328 stage I BC patients treated consecutively in a single referral center with a follow-up period of at least 12 years. The primary endpoints were invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) and overall survival (OS). The influence of tumor size, grade, and subtype on the outcomes was analyzed. RESULTS: Most patients were treated by lumpectomy, sentinel node biopsy, and adjuvant endocrine therapy, and most (82%) were of subtype luminal A. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 25.6% of our cohort. Only 24 patients underwent gene expression testing, which was introduced toward the end of the study period. Mean IDFS was 14.64 years, with a 15-year IDFS of 75.6%. Mean OS was 15.28 years with a 15-year OS of 74.9%. In a Cox multivariate analysis, no clinical or pathologic variable impacted on OS and only tumor size (<1 cm vs. 1-2 cm) impacted significantly on IDFS. During follow-up, 20.1% of the cohort developed second primary cancers, including BC. The median time to diagnosis of a second BC was 6.49 years. CONCLUSION: The study results emphasize the importance of long-term follow-up and screening for subsequent malignancies of patients with stage I BC and support the need for using prognostic and predictive indicators beyond the routine clinicopathological characteristics in luminal A patients.

Neoadjuvant therapy with doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide followed by weekly paclitaxel in early breast cancer: a retrospective analysis of 200 consecutive patients treated in a single center with a median follow-up of 9.5 years.

PURPOSE: We analyzed outcomes of doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide (AC) followed by weekly paclitaxel as neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for breast cancer (BC), in an everyday practice with long-term follow-up of patients. METHODS: All patients (n = 200) who received the AC-paclitaxel combination as NAC for BC at the Soroka University Medical Center from 2003 to 2012 were included in this retrospective cohort study. AC was administered on an every 3-week schedule (standard dose) until May, 2007 (n = 99); and subsequently every 2-week dose dense (dd) (n = 101). Clinical pathologic features, treatment course, and outcome information were recorded. Complete pathologic response (pCR) was analyzed according to BC subtype, dose regimen, and stage. RESULTS: Median age was 49 years; 55.5% and 44.5% of patients were clinically stage 2 and 3, respectively. Standard dose patients had more T3 tumors. Subtypes were human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-positive 32.5% (of whom 82% received trastuzumab), hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative 53%, and triple negative 14.5%. Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) was performed in 48.5% of patients; only 9.5% were deemed suitable for BCS prior to NAC. Toxicity was acceptable. The overall pCR rate was 26.0% and was significantly higher in the dd group and HER2-positive patients. With a median follow-up of 9.51 years median event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) are 10.85 years and 12.61 years, respectively. Patients achieving pCR had significantly longer EFS and OS. CONCLUSION: NAC for BC with AC-paclitaxel can be safely administered in the "real-world' setting with high efficacy. Current efforts are aimed at increasing rates of pCR and identifying patients who may benefit from additional therapy or conversely, de-escalated treatment.

The experience with a modified technique for laparoscopic ventral hernia repair.

In this article, we describe a modified technique for laparoscopic ventral hernia repair that is easy to perform and teach. The three-keyhole process comprises two major steps: laparoscopic appreciation of the outlet dimension of the hernia and pin-tucking an appropriately sized polytetrafluoroethylene patch after the smooth face has been oriented toward the viscera. We report our experience of 231 patients who underwent the procedure electively between January 1997 and December 2001 with satisfactory results. We suggest that this method be used for all hernia defect-sized elective incisional hernias.

The perils of complementary alternative medicine.

More than 11,000 articles lauding alternative medicine appear in the PubMed database, but there are only a few articles describing the complications of such care. Two patients suffering from complications of alternative medicine were treated in our hospital: one patient developed necrotizing fasciitis after acupuncture, and the second developed an epidural hematoma after chiropractic manipulation. These complications serve as a clarion call to the Israeli Health Ministry, as well as to health ministries around the world, to include complementary medicine under its inspection and legislative authority.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis in the elderly: is it safe?

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in patients with acute cholecystitis aged 75 years and older. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on the 1216 cholecystectomies performed in our department from 2000 to 2005. A total of 225 patients underwent attempted LC for acute cholecystitis, of whom 42 were more than 75 years old and 183 younger. RESULTS: There was no difference in mean duration of symptoms before admission and length of hospital stay before surgery (3.8 d in elderly vs. 3.1 in younger patients, and 2.8 vs. 2.3 d, respectively). In all, 21% of the elderly patients had American Society of Anesthesiologists score III and IV. Mean operative time and conversion rate to open surgery were similar in both groups. Postoperative stay was longer in elderly (3.9 vs. 2.8). The postoperative complications rate and mortality were significantly higher in the elderly group (31% vs. 15%, and 4.8% vs. 0.5%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: LC in elderly patients suffering from acute cholecystitis is feasible and effective. It is associated with a higher rate of morbidity unrelated to the surgical site and mortality in elderly compared with younger patients. Stronger selection of elderly patients for surgery is needed.

Complicated appendicitis: laparoscopic or conventional surgery?

BACKGROUND: The surgical treatment of complicated appendicitis remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of laparoscopic appendectomy in the treatment of complicated appendicitis in comparison with open surgery. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of all patients who underwent an appendectomy for complicated appendicitis between January 2001 and August 2005. RESULTS: We identified 98 patients with complicated appendicitis. Forty-eight patients underwent open appendectomy, 42 laparoscopic appendectomy, and 8 initial laparoscopy with conversion to open surgery. Older patients, patients with comorbidities, and female patients were more likely to have been offered a laparoscopic appendectomy. Operating time, time to solid oral intake, and time of hospital stay were prolonged in the laparoscopic group but not significantly. There was no mortality observed in either group, and the complication rate was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic appendectomy is an acceptable procedure for complicated appendicitis, with the same rate of infectious complications as the conventional approach.

Sister Mary Joseph's nodule originating from endometrial carcinoma incidentally detected during surgery for an umbilical hernia: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Umbilical metastasis (Sister Mary Joseph's nodule) is rare. It is encountered in 1-3% of patients with intra-abdominal and/or pelvic malignancy, with gastric carcinoma being the commonest origin in men and ovarian carcinoma-in women. Only 27 cases of Sister Mary Joseph's nodule originating from endometrial carcinoma have previously been documented in the literature. CASE REPORT: In a 51-year-old woman, a Sister Mary Joseph's nodule coexisting with a large fibroid uterus was incidentally detected during surgery for suspected strangulated umbilical hernia. Subsequent laparotomy confirmed endometrial carcinoma metastasizing to the umbilical region. CONCLUSION: This is the 28th case reported in the literature of Sister Mary Joseph's nodule originating from endometrial carcinoma and the first case of Sister Mary Joseph's nodule originating from endometrial carcinoma incidentally detected during surgery for umbilical hernia. Surgeons should be aware of the possibility of Sister Mary Joseph's nodule coexisting with an umbilical hernia.