[Epidemiology and delays in the management of 355 patients with lung cancer]. / Epidémiologie et délais de prise en charge de 355 patients atteints de cancer bronchique.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of patients with lung cancer in a Seine-Saint-Denis hospital are reported, as well as causes of diagnostic and therapeutic delays in their management. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of cases diagnosed from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2003. RESULTS: Of 355 cases, 15.8% were women; the average age was 62 +/- 11. Mean smoking history was 50 +/- 24 pack years. Women were more likely to be non-smokers than men (16% and 1% respectively, p < 0.01) and were more likely to present at a young age (under the age of 50: 26.8% and 13.7% respectively, p < 0.05). Among women, adenocarcinoma was more frequent (41% vs. 25%, p < 0.05), and often presented with stage IV disease (74%). Squamous cell carcinoma occurred more frequently with increasing age (18.7% vs. 32.2% before and after the age of 60, p < 0.01). The median pre hospital, diagnostic and treatment delays were respectively 30, 10 and 9 days, the global delay from first symptom to treatment was 62 days. Surgery increased therapeutic delay by 20 days. CONCLUSION: Our results are complementary to those found in KBP-2000-CPHG study. Young women are diagnosed at a late stage. Influence of delays on prognosis is not proved and require others studies.

[Osteocalcin in children of short stature and its nocturnal variations]. / L'ostéocalcine chez l'enfant de petite taille et ses variations nocturnes.

Serum osteocalcin (Gla-P) was measured in 65 children with normal stature for age and in 116 children with growth retardation, excluding endocrine disorders, in matched groups according to age: 1-6 years (n = 33); 7-10 years (n = 49); 11-14 years (n = 72); 15-18 years (n = 27). Thirty of these patients were retested at 2 weeks interval. In addition, Gla-P and growth hormone (hGH) were assayed in blood samples obtained every 20 minutes during sleep in 12 children with growth retardation. In younger children, Gla-P levels were significantly lower in patients with growth retardation, when compared with normal children. In contrast, this difference was no longer significant in children above 11, with either normal or delayed puberty. However, important intra-individual variations of Gla-P levels were observed on blood samples obtained at 2 weeks interval. A nocturnal periodicity in Gla-P was found; Gla-P rose slightly during sleep in the patients studied, maximum concentration being reached between 4 and 6 AM. No correlation between integrated concentrations of hGH and Gla-P was found. Gla-P determination may be of interest in the evaluation of young children with short stature. Standardized conditions of blood sampling for Gla-P use in children remain to be determined.