Intestinal helminths infection of rats (Ratus norvegicus) in the Belgrade area (Serbia): the effect of sex, age and habitat.

SUMMARY: Gastrointestinal helminths of Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) from the Belgrade area were studied as a part of a wider ecological research of rats in Serbia (data on the distribution, population ecology, economic and epizoothiological-epidemiological importance, and density control). Rats were captured from May 2005 to July 2009 at both urban and suburban-rural sites. Of a total of 302 trapped rats 48% were males and 52% females, with 36.5% and 38.8% of juvenile-subadult individuals, per sex respectively. Intestinal helminth infection was noted in 68.5% of rats, with a higher prevalence in male hosts and in adult individuals. Higher numbers of infected juveniles-subadults were noted in suburban-rural habitats, while an opposite tendency was noted in adult rats. Seven helminth species were recovered, of which five were nematode (Heterakis spumosa, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Capillaria sp., Trichuris muns and Syphacia muris) and two cestode species (Hymenolepis diminuta and Rodentolepis fraterna). The most prevalent parasites were Heterakis spumosa (36.7%) and Hymenolepis diminuta (30.5 %). Sex and habitat-related differences were noted in the prevalence of infection with Capillaria sp. and Trichuris muris, while there were no age-related differences in the prevalence of infection with any individual helminth species. Significantly higher prevalence of infection was noted in summer as compared to spring or winter, with a tendency to be higher in autumn as compared to spring. The only significant difference in the prevalence of infection between habitat-related was noted during spring. H. spumosa was most prevalent in summer, while H. diminuta and N. brasiliensis in autumn. The mean intensity of infection with H. spumosa, R. fraterna, S. muris and T muris was higher in autumn than in the other seasons, while N. brasiliensis and Capillaria sp. occured in winter. No more than four helminth species were found in one host.

Male breast cancer. Evolution of treatment and prognostic factors. Analysis of 489 cases.

BACKGROUND: Infiltrating MBC represents less than 1% of all male cancers. Our study details clinico-pathological features, treatments and prognostic factors in a large French cohort. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four hundred and eighty-nine patients were collected from 1990 to 2005. Median age was 66 years (34% over 70 years) and median follow-up 58 months. RESULTS: According to TN classification, we found T(1): 39%, T(2): 41%, T(3)T(4): 9%, T(x): 11% and N(1)N(2): 27%. Lumpectomy (L) and mastectomy (M) were performed in 8.6% and 91.4% of the cases. Axillary dissection (AD), sentinel node biopsy or both were performed in 90%, 2% and 5% of the cases, respectively. Ninety-five percent of tumours were ductal carcinomas; 47% were pT(1), 20% pT(2) and 33% pT(3)-T(4). Axillary nodal involvement was present in 52.8% cases. ER and PgR were positive in 92% and 89% cases. Radiotherapy (RT) was performed in 85% of the patients. Hormonal treatment (HT) was delivered in 72% of the cases. Tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors were used in 85% and 12% of the cases; 34% of the patients received chemotherapy (CT). Local recurrence (LR), nodal recurrences (NR) and metastases occurred in 2%, 5% and 22% of the cases; 2% and 10% developed contralateral BC and second cancer. The 5- and 10-year overall survival (OS) rates were 81% and 59%; disease-specific survivals (DSS) were 89% and 72%. Death causes were BC 56%, second cancer 8%, complications 3%, intercurrent disease 15% and unknown 18%. In a univariate analysis, metastatic risk factors were T stage (T1: 19%, T(2): 26%, T(3)T(4): 40%; p=0.013), pN status (pN(0): 12% pN(1-3): 26% pN(>3): 44%; p<0.0001) and presence of locoregional recurrence (62% versus 18% p<0.0001). In a multivariate analysis, axillary nodal involvement and high SBR remain prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: Earlier diagnosis and wide use of adjuvant treatments (RT/HT/CT) widely decreased LR and increased survival rates in MBC, reaching female ones. Prognostic factors were also very similar to female ones.

[Ductal carcinoma in situ: role of the boost]. / Radiothérapie des carcinomes canalaires in situ: impact du complément d'irradiation du lit tumoral.

Ductal carcinoma in situ is defined as breast cancer confined to the ducts of the breast without evidence of penetration of the basement membrane. Local treatment quality represents one of the most prognostic factors as half of recurrences are invasive diseases. The main goal of adjuvant radiotherapy after conservative surgery is to decrease local recurrences and to permit breast conservation with low treatment-induced sequelae. Several randomized trials have established the impact of 50 Gy to the whole breast in terms of local control. Nevertheless, no randomized trial is still available concerning the role of the boost in this disease. In this review, we present updated results of the literature and we detail the French multicentric randomized trial evaluating the impact of a 16 Gy boost after 50 Gy delivered to the whole breast in 25 fractions and 33 days. This protocol will start inclusions in October 2008.

Prognostic impact of cathepsin D and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in a subgroup of node-negative breast cancer patients with low histological grade tumors.

Some node-negative breast cancer patients, with initially good prognosis, relapse from their cancer and are poorly identified. In the present study, based on prospective data of 197 tumors, we measured cathepsin D (cath D, n=197), pS2 protein (n=125), c-erbB-2 oncoprotein (n=100) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R, n=99) to better define the risk of relapse of node-negative patients in comparison with that defined by the clinical and histological factors. The median follow-up in surviving patients was 75 months. Univariate analysis indicated that patients with histological grade III tumors (the Scarff, Bloom and Richardson classification) had a much poorer prognosis than those with histological grade I or II tumors (P=0.0027 for relapse-free survival and P=0.0156 for overall survival). When the population of node-negative patients was divided by tertiles, high cath D levels showed a significant association with an early relapse (P=0.0316). Using cut-off values, patients with high cath D (> or =25 pmol/mg protein) or c-erbB-2 oncoprotein (> or =4 Human Neu Unit/microg protein) levels, had a significant worse relapse-free survival (P=0.0147 and 0.0417, respectively). No prognostic information was supported by pS2 protein or EGF-R measurements. In multivariate analysis, histological grade, cath D and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein remained independent predictors of recurrence (P=0.005, 0.0361 and 0.0321, respectively). By combining low levels of cath D and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in histological grade I or II tumors, we identified a subgroup of patients with a 100% relapse-free survival probability at 6 years of follow-up. Moreover, the subgroup of patients with histological grade I or II tumors and high values of both cath D and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein showed a prognosis as poor as the subgroup defined by histological grade III alone, respectively 66% and 70% relapse-free survival at 6 years of follow-up. In conclusion, the combination of conventional prognostic factor (histological grade) and biochemical factors (cath D and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein) enabled us to identify, in this preliminary study, a subgroup of patients having an increased risk of relapse in a group (node-negative patients with low histological grade tumors) considered as good prognosis.

[Retrospective analysis of results of treatment of 91 oral cavity cancers from 1982 to 1992]. / Analyse rétrospective des résultats du traitement de 91 cancers de la cavité buccale de 1982 à 1992.

PURPOSE: To analyse retrospectively the results of different treatment regimens of carcinomas of the floor of the mouth and tongue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1982 and 1992, 61 patients with carcinoma of the floor of the mouth and 30 with tongue cancer (25 stage I, nine stage II, 28 stage III, 29 stage IV) were treated in the radiotherapy department of Poitiers. Nine patients with stage I tumours were treated with 70 Gy low-dose rate brachytherapy only, without nodal dissection. Stages II and III were treated with combined surgery with neck dissection; and radiotherapy of stage II with nodal metastasis and for all stage III cases. Stage IV cases were treated either surgically if possible, or with combined chemotherapy and radiation. RESULTS: The five-year overall survival rate was 87.3% for stage I, 68.5% for stage II, 45.3% for stage III, and 0% for stage IV patients. Most relapses appeared in the first two years after treatment. Eight patients (32%) with stage I cancer developed nodal relapses, isolated in five cases. Complications of radiotherapy were acceptable. Four cases of osteonecrosis were observed after radiotherapy. All of these appeared simultaneously with a local relapse. CONCLUSION: These results are comparable with reports in the literature. The remarkable observation of our study is the high incidence of nodal recurrences after local treatment of stage I tumours. Therefore, local treatment is insufficient for early-stage tumours. The question of neck dissection for the early stage is discussed.

[Retrospective analysis of the reproducibility of the daily set-up of the irradiation fields of cancer of the rectum using a megavoltage imaging system]. / Analyse rétrospective de la reproductibilité de la mise en place quotidienne des champs d'irradiation de cancer du rectum par imagerie de contrôle de haute énergie.

PURPOSE: To evaluate a ionization chamber on-line portal imaging system in routine clinical radiotherapy of rectum cancers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Megavolt portal images were obtained using a fast electronic megavoltage radiotherapy imaging system in 13 cases of pelvic fields. A total of 208 portal images and 13 simulator films were used to determine the values of set-up deviations in the X-Z-directions of a fixed co-ordinate system, and of the rotation fields (R). RESULTS: Mean standard deviations of the difference between simulation and treatment images were 3.2 mm and 0.9 mm for X and Z, 3.6 mm for the rotation fault. The standard deviations were, respectively, 7.1 mm, 7.1 mm and 1.5 mm. The cumulative frequency distributions revealed that 80% and 95% of the absolute differences were less than 10 mm and 17.5 mm, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results indicate the difficulty of a reproducible daily set-up. A weekly control could be proposed in order to increase the quality of pelvic site treatment. The introduction of masks to improve the set-up is also discussed.