The usability of the ratio of bi-humerus breadth to maximum pelvic breadth in sex estimation.

BACKGROUND: Although sex can be determined with high accuracy in forensic anthropology, additional parameters are still required. AIM: To estimate with known simple statistical methods, the usability of the bi-humerus/maximum pelvic breadth ratio in sex estimation. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Bi-humerus breadth and maximum pelvic breadth were measured using the topogram images (196 males, 171 females), the ratio between them was calculated. We examined the usability of the ratio of the distance between the lateral edges of the right and left humeral heads to the maximum distance between the two most lateral parts of the iliac crests in sex estimation. RESULTS: There was significant difference in the bi-humerus breadth and "bi-humerus breadth/maximum pelvic breadth" according to sex. The greatest breadth of the pelvis was higher in females, yet the difference was not statistically significant. The ratio yielded 80.6%-90.3% accuracy for females and 73.6%-74.7% for males, depending on arm position. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained data may contribute to the development of formulas created with metric measurements used in sex estimation. This can be used as a parameter to help in estimating the sex of skeletal remains found as a whole or excavated without losing their integrity, and also in the reconstruction of body structure.

Contribution of low-molecular weight heparin addition to concomitant chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme.

PURPOSE: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common brain tumor in adults and has a very aggressive course. Median survival is as short as 2 years with standard treatment (chemoradiotherapy followed by adjuvant temozolomide). The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) addition to concomitant chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of GBM. METHODS: All patients with newly diagnosed GBM between March 2004-May 2009 were evaluated. After surgical intervention (total, subtotal resection or only biopsy) all of them were treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy (2 Gy daily, 5 days a week, 30 fractions, total tumor dose 60 Gy; and 75 mg/m² temozolomide, 7 days a week), followed by adjuvant temozolomide (6 cycles, 150-200 mg/m², 5 days every 28 days), with or without LMWH (4000 IU/day, 7 days a week, concomitant with radiotherapy) because of risk of thrombosis. The primary endpoint was the determination of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS); secondary endpoints were 1- and 2-year OS survival. RESULTS: 30 patients (13 patients in the group non receiving LMWH (LMWH-) and 17 patients in the group receiving LMWH (LMWH+)) were included in the study. Median age was 54 years (range 24-75). Median PFS was 57 and 38 weeks in LMWH+ and LMWH- groups, respectively (p=0.068). Median OS was 69 and 44 weeks (p=0.095), 1-year OS survival 84.6 and 41.2% (p=0.016), and 2-year OS survival 38.5 and 5.9% in LMWH+ and LMWH-, respectively (p=0.061). No significant difference was noted between the two groups for grade 3-4 toxicity (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Better PFS, OS and 2-year OS survival were obtained in present study with the addition of LMWH to concomitant chemoradiation for GBM but without statistical significance. One-year OS survival was statistically significant favoring the LMWH group. The addition of LMWH did not increase temozolomide toxicity.

Characteristics and prognosis of breast cancer in younger women.

PURPOSE: Women under 40 years of age comprise a small proportion of patients with breast cancer. Clinical and pathological features of the disease in these patients are different from those in older patients with this type of cancer. In the present study we investigated the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors in young patients with breast cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 249 consecutive breast cancer patients who were admitted to our department between August 2001 and December 2005. Clinicopathological features were determined both in patients under and over 40 years of age. RESULTS: 106 (42.5%) patients were under and 143 (57.5%) were over 40 years. The mean age was 35.2 years for those under 40 years and 54 for those older than 40 years. At diagnosis, 10.4% of the patients in the younger age group and 7.0% in the older age group had metastasis (p=0.500). Patients in the younger age group exhibited higher estrogen receptor (ER) negativity (48.1 vs. 37.1%) (p=0.425) and a higher percentage of family history of breast cancer (4.7 vs. 2.8%) (p=0.651). Breast cancer in younger women was more frequently associated with other poor prognostic factors such as perineural and/or lymphovascular invasion. The 5-year overall survival was 6.3% for the younger patients and 22.2% for the older ones (p=0.004). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that breast cancer in younger patients has significantly more poor prognostic features compared to older ones.