La linfogammagrafía in vivo de los tumores del seno nasal identifica el ganglio retrofaríngeo y el nivel I como ganglios centinela predominantes / In-vivo lymphoscintigraphy of sinonasal tumors identifies retropharyngeal node and level I as predominant sentinel nodes

Objetivo Evaluar mediante linfogammagrafía in vivo y con detección SPECT/TC los patrones de drenaje linfático de los tumores del seno paranasal (SPN). Confirmar o rebatir la creencia de que el ganglio linfático retrofaríngeo (GLRF) se erige en el ganglio de drenaje índice para dichos tumores. Métodos Estudio de cohorte prospectivo realizado en pacientes con tumores del SPN no tratados previamente y sin evidencia clínico-radiológica de metástasis a nivel ganglionar. La linfogammagrafía se realizó mediante la inyección peritumoral de sulfuro coloidal marcado con [99m]TcO4 y asistida por endoscopia nasal. Las inyecciones se clasificaron como anteriores o posteriores en función de una línea vertical que pasaba por el orificio del seno maxilar. Resultados Se incluyeron 17 pacientes. La linfogammagrafía identificó satisfactoriamente 17 ganglios centinelas en 15 pacientes, y no pudo evidenciarlo (fracaso de la linfogammagrafía) en 2 pacientes. Se observó que los lugares predominantes de drenaje del ganglio centinela fueron el GLRF (n=8; 47%) y el nivel I (n=7; 42%). Se identificó drenaje ocasional en el ganglio periparotídeo (n=1) y en el nivel II (n=1). Se observó drenaje linfático contralateral en 2 pacientes (en el nivel I y GLRF, respectivamente). Las inyecciones anteriores drenaron predominantemente hacia el nivel I (6/8) y a GLRF (2/8), mientras que las inyecciones posteriores drenaron predominantemente a GLRF (6/7). El riesgo relativo de que el GLRF fuera identificado como ganglio centinela fue significativamente mayor en las inyecciones administradas posteriormente respecto a las administradas anteriormente (RR: 3,43; IC 95%: 1,0-11,8; p=0,05). Conclusión El GLRF es considerado un ganglio de drenaje frecuente asociado a los tumores del seno nasal, y merece su atención rutinaria en todos los casos de tumor del seno nasal (AU)

Objective To evaluate by in vivo lymphoscintigraphy and SPECT-CT imaging, the lymphatic drainage patterns of para-nasal sinus (PNS) tumours. To confirm or refute the belief of the retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) being the significant draining lymph node for such tumours. Methods Prospective cohort study conducted on previously untreated PNS tumours with no clinico-radiological evidence of lymph node metastasis. Lymphoscintigraphy undertaken by nasal endoscopic assisted peritumoral injection of 99mTc sulphur colloid. Injections were classified as anterior or posterior as per a vertical line along the maxillary sinus ostium. Results Seventeen patients were included. Lymphoscintigraphy successfully identified 17 sentinel nodes in 15 patients and was unsuccessful (lymphoscintigraphy failure) in 2 patients. Predominant sites of sentinel lymphatic drainage were noted to be the RPLN (n=8; 47%) and level I (n=7; 42%). Occasional drainage was identified at the peri-parotid node (n=1) and at level II (n=1). Contralateral drainage was noted in 2 patients (level I-1 and RPLN-1). Anterior injections drained predominantly to level I (6/8) and RPLN (2/8), while posterior injections drained predominantly to the RPLN (6/7). The relative risk of RPLN being identified as the sentinel node was significantly higher for posteriorly placed injections than for anteriorly placed injections (RR: 3.43; 95% CI: 1.0-11.8; P=.05). Conclusion The RPLN is noted as a frequent draining node for sino-nasal tumours and merits routine attention in all sino-nasal tumours. The radio-colloid SPECT-CT technique described here offers an excellent in vivo technique to further explore and validate the lymphatic drainage pathways of these tumours (AU)

In-vivo lymphoscintigraphy of sinonasal tumors identifies retropharyngeal node and level I as predominant sentinel nodes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate by in- vivo lymphoscintigraphy and SPECT-CT imaging, the lymphatic drainage patterns of para-nasal sinus(PNS) tumors. To confirm or refute the belief of the retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) being the significant draining lymph node for such tumors. METHODS: Prospective cohort study conducted on previously untreated PNS tumors with no clinico-radiological evidence of lymph node metastasis. Lymphoscintigraphy undertaken by nasal endoscopic assisted peritumoral injection of 99mTc Sulfur colloid. Injections were classified as anterior or posterior as per a vertical line along the maxillary sinus ostium. RESULTS: 17 patients were included. Lymphoscintigraphy successfully identified 17 sentinel nodes in 15 patients and was unsuccessful (lymphoscintigraphy failure) in 2 patients. Predominant sites of sentinel lymphatic drainage were noted to be the RPLN (n = 8; 47%), and Level I (n = 7; 42%). Occasional drainage was identified at the peri-parotid node(n = 1) and at Level II (n = 1). Contralateral drainage was noted in 2 patients (level I-1 and RPLN-1). Anterior injections drained predominantly to Level I (6/8) and RPLN (2/8), while posterior injections drained predominantly to the RPLN ( 6/7). The relative risk of RPLN being identified as the sentinel node was significantly higher for posteriorly placed injections than for anteriorly placed injections (RR- 3.43; 95% CI-1.0-11.8, p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: The RPLN is noted as a frequent draining node for sino-nasal tumours and merits routine attention in all sino-nasal tumors. The radio-colloid SPECT-CT technique described here offers an excellent in-vivo technique to further explore and validate the lymphatic drainage pathways of these tumours.

Evaluation of Dual Dye Technique for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer: Two-Arm Open-Label Parallel Design Non-Inferiority Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Radioisotope and blue dye are standard agents for performing sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in breast cancer. The paucity of nuclear medicine facility poses logistic challenge. This study evaluated performance of radioisotope & methylene blue (MB) with indocyanine green (ICG) and MB for SLNB. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This randomized controlled trial was conducted from December 2019 to July 2022 comparing SLN identification proportions of radioisotope-blue dye [Group A] with dual dye (MB + ICG; Group B]. Secondary objective included time required and cost effectiveness of performing SLNB. Sample size of 70 (35 in each arm) was calculated. Upfront operable node negative early breast cancer was included in the study. Clinico-demographic data, number & type of SLN, time taken were noted. Cost analysis was done including the equipment, manpower & consumables. Chi-square/Fisher exact test was used to compare proportion between two groups. p value of less than 0.05 was considered to represent statistical significance. RESULTS: Seventy patients randomized to either group were similar in clinico-demographic and tumor characteristics. SLN identification rate (IR) was 91.43% in group A and 100% in group B. Overall IR of MB, radioisotope and ICG were 91.43%, 91.43% and 100%, respectively. Mean number of SLNs identified were 3 in group A and 4 in group B. Median time required for SLNB was 12 min and 14 min in either group, respectively. Cost of performing SLNB was higher in Group B. CONCLUSION: SLNB using dual dye is non-inferior to radioisotope-blue dye in upfront operable early breast cancer. Trial registration number Clinical Trial registry India CTRI/2020/02/023503.

Is the retropharyngeal lymph node the first echelon node for carcinoma tonsil? Prospective evaluation and literature review.

PURPOSE: Tonsil cancer being predominantly treated by non-surgical means, there is a paucity of data on lymph nodal drainage pathways and histo-pathologically confirmed metastatic rates. This study assesses the retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) in N0 squamous cell carcinoma tonsil as a possible first echelon node and a site for occult metastasis. METHODS: Prospective study involving treatment naïve N0 carcinoma tonsil treated by primary surgery and adjuvant treatment from June 2017 to March 2019. In-vivo lymph nodal drainage patterns were assessed by sentinel node mapping by preoperative SPECT-CT and intra-operative hand-held Gamma probe. All patients had a subsequent Level I-III/IV sampling neck dissection supplemented with RPLN dissection. Histological evaluation of sentinel nodes and RPLN involved step-serial sectioning and pan-cytokeratin immunohistochemistry. A comprehensive literature review was performed with keywords "retropharyngeal lymph node", "oropharynx", "tonsil", "squamous cell carcinoma" to determine the incidence of RPLN positivity in previously published series. RESULTS: Sentinel node was successfully identified by SPECT-CT in all 17 patients (ipsilateral level 2a-13/17, 2b-1/17, 3-1/17; bilateral 2a-1/17; isolated contralateral retropharyngeal node-1/17). 8/17 had occult neck metastasis. In no patient was an ipsilateral RPLN identified as the sentinel node. Histological sampling did not indicate metastatic tumor in the RPLN in any patient (0/17). A systematic literature review further confirmed that RPLN metastasis in oropharyngeal cancer is noted only in the presence of pN + disease at other neck levels, and isolated RPLN metastasis is extremely rare (1.2%). CONCLUSION: The ipsilateral RPLN is not identified either as the first echelon node or as a site of occult metastatic disease in N0 tonsil cancer. CTRI REGISTRATION: CTRI/2019/06/019551.

A three-arm randomized study to compare sexual functions and fertility indices following open mesh hernioplasty (OMH), laparoscopic totally extra peritoneal (TEP) and transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair of groin hernia.

BACKGROUND: With evolving technology, the focus of groin hernia repair has shifted to sexual function and fertility outcomes. METHODS: This three-arm randomized study was conducted in tertiary care hospital from 1st July 2017 to 30th March 2019. Consecutive patients of groin hernia were randomized into 3 groups, TAPP (Group 1), TEP (Group 2), and OMH (Group 3). Demographic profile and hernia characteristics were assessed preoperatively. Sexual functions (using BMSFI) and fertility (using surrogate fertility indices, viz., semen analysis and anti-sperm antibodies (ASA)) were assessed preoperatively at 3 months after the surgery. RESULTS: A total of 121 patients were included in the study with 41 patients in TAPP (Group 1) and 40 each in TEP (Group 2) and OMH (Group3) group. All the 3 groups were comparable in terms of demographic profile, hernia characteristics, intra-operative and early post-operative outcomes. Significant improvement was found in most of the domains of BMSFI score in the study population (p value < 0.001) with no intergroup difference. There was significant increase of anti-sperm antibody level in OMH group as compared to TAPP and TEP (p = 0.001), however, the levels were within normal limit. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, this study has shown that inguinal hernia repair whether open or laparoscopic (TEP or TAPP) leads on to improvement in sexual functions and fertility indices and can have a significant impact on pre-op counseling of the patient in terms of choice of repair, depending on the available expertise in a given center.

Evaluation of the Graft Kidney in the Early Postoperative Period: Performance of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound and Additional Ultrasound Parameters.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the various quantitative parameters of Doppler ultrasound, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and shear wave elastography (SWE) of graft kidneys in the early postoperative period and to explore their utility in the diagnosis of parenchymal causes of graft dysfunction. METHODS: In this ethically approved study, consecutive patients who underwent renal transplantation from March 2017 to August 2018 were recruited, and those with urologic or vascular complications and those who denied consent were excluded. All patients underwent ultrasound with Doppler, SWE, CEUS (using sulfur hexafluoride), and renal scintigraphic examinations 3 to 10 days after transplantation. A composite reference standard was used, including the clinical course, renal function test results, urine output, and histopathologic results for graft dysfunction. Cortical SWE values, quantitative CEUS parameters (generated from a time-intensity curve), and their ratios were analyzed to identify graft dysfunction and differentiate acute tubular necrosis (ATN) from acute rejection (AR). RESULTS: Of the 105 patients included, 19 developed graft dysfunction (18.1%; 12 ATN, 5 AR, and 2 drug toxicity) in the early postoperative period. The peak systolic velocity in the interpolar artery showed a significant difference between control and graft dysfunction groups (P < .001) as well as between ATN and AR (P = .019). Resistive indices and SWE did not show significant differences. Ratios of the time to peak showed a significant difference between control and graft dysfunction groups (P < .05). The rise time and fall time of the large subcapsular region of interest and the rise time ratio were significantly different between ATN and AR (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound can be used to diagnose parenchymal causes of early graft dysfunction with reasonable diagnostic accuracy.

Optimization of sentinel lymph node identification techniques in the Indian setting: A randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: The recommended technique of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in breast cancer is a combination of blue dye and radiotracer. In the Indian scenario, SLNB is still not routinely practiced due to lack of nuclear medicine facilities and unavailability of isosulfan blue or patent blue violet (PBV). This study was conducted for optimizing SLN identification techniques by comparing the identification rate using PBV and methylene blue (MB) in combination with radiotracer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single-blinded two-arm parallel design randomized control trial was conducted at an apex teaching and research medical institute in India. Patients with axillary LN-negative breast cancer were included. Blue dye and radio tracer were injected preoperatively, and SLNB was performed using a combination technique. Frozen section was performed. Demographic, clinical, radiological, operative, and histopathological data were recorded. Descriptive statistics were used to represent patient characteristics. Baseline characteristics for entire cohort and between groups were compared using Student's t-test for quantitative variables and Chi-square test for qualitative variables. RESULTS: A total of 119 patients were randomized for mapping with MB and 118 patients with PBV between 2011 and 2015. SLN was identified in 116 patients with MB and 115 with PBV. SLN identification proportions were 97.4% (MB) and 96.6% (PBV). In patients undergoing axillary lymph node dissection, concordance with SLNB was 98.5% and 96.61% in MB and PBV, respectively. False-negative proportion for MB was 2.56% and 7.69% for PBV, respectively. The cost of MB is about INR 15 per ~10-mL vial. The cost of PBV is approximately ~$91 per ampoule (equivalent to approximately INR 8190). CONCLUSION: SLNB using MB can be recommended as the technique of choice in low-resource settings.

Breast mass characterization using shear wave elastography and ultrasound.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of SWE in characterizing breast masses and ascertain whether additional use of SWE to ultrasound for evaluating BI-RADS 3 and 4a masses could help reduce long-term follow-up and unnecessary biopsies of these suspicious breast masses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective, cross-sectional study was performed between June 2013 and November 2014. All enrolled patients underwent clinical breast examination, ultrasound, SWE and ultrasound-guided core biopsy of the breast mass. Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RAD) categories were assigned to breast masses. For qualitative and quantitative variables of SWE, cut-off values for differentiation between benign and malignant breast masses were estimated. Modified BIRADS' (up/downgrading of BIRADS category) was done for BI-RADS 3/4a masses by combining individual SWE parameters and ultrasound findings. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of modified BI-RADS' and ultrasound BI-RADS were compared. RESULTS: A total of 119 women (mean age, 42.3±13.6 [SD] years; range: 13-87 years) with a single breast mass each were enrolled. Histopathologically, 57/119 (48%) breast masses were benign and 62 (52%) were malignant. On ultrasound, 42 breast masses were BI-RADS3 and 77 were BI-RADS 4 (4a, n=10; 4b, n=24; 4c, n=43) leading to 96.8% sensitivity and 70.2% specificity. On SWE, benign breast masses were oval/round, homogenous/reasonably homogenous, blue/green with lower elasticity values and malignant breast masses were irregular, inhomogeneous, red/orange with high elasticity values. On modified BI-RADS' using E-color and E-mean/E-max, specificity improved to 78.9% and 75.4% respectively. CONCLUSION: Addition of SWE to ultrasound improves characterization of BI-RADS 3 and 4a masses. E-max, E-mean and E-color are the most useful SWE parameters to differentiate between malignant and benign breast masses.

Comparison of resection margins and cosmetic outcome following intraoperative ultrasound-guided excision versus conventional palpation-guided breast conservation surgery in breast cancer: A randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Use of intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) has been shown to help achieve satisfactory cosmesis and negative margins in breast conserving surgery (BCS). This study has been done to compare the oncological and cosmetic outcomes following BCS using conventional palpatory method and IOUS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective randomized controlled trial conducted at a tertiary care teaching and research institute in India. Patients with early operable breast cancer willing for BCS were included. Tumors were excised with 1 cm margin. In palpatory group, tumor was palpated and 1 cm margin was taken with a measuring scale while in the second group, IOUS was used to mark the margins. Histopathological evaluation was done to assess margins and cosmesis was assessed by patient, resident doctor, and nurse independently. RESULTS: Sixty patients were included, 32 in the ultrasonography-guided and 28 in palpation-guided wide local excision. The mean age of patients was 48.78 years. In both groups, mean tumor size was 3.18 cm. Margin thickness and positivity was higher in palpatory group (though P > 0.05). Most patients were satisfied with cosmesis. There was no significant difference in complications and specimen volume in both groups. Presence of ductal carcinoma in situ component and expression of Her2neu by tumor cells had a significant impact on margin positivity. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative use of ultrasound offers a real-time assessment of margin status and may reduce the margin positivity rate compared to conventional palpation-guided method.

OSCE as a Summative Assessment Tool for Undergraduate Students of Surgery-Our Experience.

Traditional examination has inherent deficiencies. Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is considered as a method of assessment that may overcome many such deficits. OSCE is being increasingly used worldwide in various medical specialities for formative and summative assessment. Although it is being used in various disciplines in our country as well, its use in the stream of general surgery is scarce. We report our experience of assessment of undergraduate students appearing in their pre-professional examination in the subject of general surgery by conducting OSCE. In our experience, OSCE was considered a better assessment tool as compared to the traditional method of examination by both faculty and students and is acceptable to students and faculty alike. Conducting OSCE is feasible for assessment of students of general surgery.

Comparison of 18F-Fluorocholine Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography and Four-dimensional Computed Tomography in the Preoperative Localization of Parathyroid Adenomas-initial Results.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of 18F-Fluorocholine (FCH)-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and four-dimensional (4D)- CT in detection and localization of eutopic and ectopic parathyroid adenoma (PA) in patients with hyperparathyroidism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five patients with primary hyperparathyroidism underwent FCH-PET/CT after 60 min of 185 MBq of intravenous 18F-FCH administration. Images were acquired from head to mediastinum at 3 min per bed position. No intravenous contrast was used. All patients underwent 4D-CT within 2 weeks of the FCH-PET/CT, with a precontrast, post contrast arterial, and venous phase with 75 ml intravenous Iohexol 350 followed by 25 ml saline chase. Histopathology was considered as the gold standard. RESULTS: Both modalities showed 100% concordance in the detection of parathyroid lesions. Both FCH-PET/CT and 4D-CT detected 7 lesions in 5 patients, with 4 patients having a single lesion, and 1 patient having three lesions. Of the 7 reported lesions, 4 were eutopic and 3 were ectopic. No additional lesions were detected by either modality in comparison to the other. All 7 specimens were resected and histopathology showed PA/hyperplasia. CONCLUSION: FCH-PET/CT and 4D-CT are equally efficacious in detection and localization of eutopic and ectopic PA. This may open up the possibility of using FCH-PET/CT in patients with negative conventional imaging who cannot undergo contrast studies.

Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) in Breast Cancer: A Reappraisal Based on Retrospective Review of 698 Cases.

BACKGROUND: Core needle biopsy is replacing fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) as the modality of choice for breast cancer diagnosis. This study was carried out to determine the usefulness of FNAC in breast cancer patients in a tertiary care center in North India. METHODS: Case files of patients managed in the breast cancer clinic of a single surgical unit between 1993 and 2014 were reviewed. All patients who underwent FNAC at our institute or had their slides reviewed at our institute were included in the study. Patients operated on outside our center and those with FNAC reports which were not available for review were excluded. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed with SPSS version 21. True positives and false negatives for FNAC were noted from which sensitivities and positive predictive values (PPVs) were calculated. RESULTS: FNAC was performed in 698 of 1310 patients. Mean age was 48.3 years. There were 9 (1.3%) male breast cancer patients. 696 (99.7%) patients had a palpable lump with a mean tumor size of 5.3 cm. 54.2% of the patients were clinically node positive. While over 80% of patients were diagnosed on the basis of FNAC before 2000, less than 50% of the patients had an FNAC after 2010. FNAC diagnosed malignancy in 627 patients, while it was inconclusive in 69 and false negative in two patients. No false-positive results were seen. These figures yield an absolute sensitivity of 89.8% and a complete sensitivity of 99.7% for FNAC with a 100% PPV. CONCLUSIONS: FNAC is a reliable tool for diagnosing cancer in suspicious breast lesions with a good sensitivity and PPV in hands of an experienced cytopathologist. Surgical treatment may be safely undertaken based on FNAC particularly in early operable breast cancers suitable for breast conservation.

Triple-negative breast cancers: Are they always different from nontriple-negative breast cancers? An experience from a tertiary center in India.

BACKGROUND: Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are known for early age at presentation, large tumor sizes, and overall poor prognosis. However, Indian studies are scarce with limited follow-up data. Hence, the present study is aimed at characterizing nonmetastatic TNBC patients in our population and comparing their outcome with non-TNBC subset. METHODOLOGY: This is a retrospective observational study of nonmetastatic breast cancer patients accrued over 14 years. The demographic, clinical, and pathological profiles of TNBCs and their patterns of recurrences and survivals were compared to that of non-TNBC. Overall and disease-free survival (DFSs) were calculated from the time of initiation of therapy to the occurrence of event, i.e., death or recurrence. RESULTS: TNBC constituted 21.8% of all patients. Patients with triple-negative subtype were significantly younger and more likely to be premenopausal. Higher proportion of TNBC presented in locally advanced stage and had a higher proportion of node-positive patients compared to their non-TNBC counterparts. Although taxane-based neoadjuvant therapy was associated with significantly higher pathological complete responses, recurrences occurred earlier in TNBC. Even though inferior overall and DFSs were encountered in TNBC, statistical significance could not be derived. CONCLUSIONS: TNBCs are a subset of tumors with a poorly understood tumor biology and behavior. Despite being labeled as having an aggressive tumor biology and behavior, not many differences are seen in their clinical outcomes when they present as locally advanced cases.

Alteration in steroid hormone and Her-2/neu receptor status following neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced breast cancer: Experience at a tertiary care centre in India.

CONTEXT: Use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) enables tumor reduction and conservative surgery. It is proposed in some studies that there may be an alteration in the hormonal receptor (HR) status and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her-2)/neu immune-expression following NACT. AIMS: To study the status of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and Her-2/neu receptor before and after NACT in LABC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HR and Her-2/neu status were evaluated by immunohistochemistry on 100 core needle biopsy of primary tumors and surgical specimens after receiving NACT (NACT group); fifty patients without NACT served as non-NACT group, and discordance was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: In the NACT group, discordance of 17%, 13%, and 11% was noted in ER, PR, and Her-2/neu status, while in non-NACT group, discordance seen in ER, PR, and Her-2/neu was 8%, 8%, and 4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant alteration in ER and Her-2/neu status from the core biopsy to the treated resected tumor in the study group. As these changes may impact treatment, HR and Her-2/neu expression reanalysis in final surgical specimens is recommended.

Role of directional vacuum assisted breast biopsy in previously equivocal biopsies for breast masses suspicious for malignancy.

UNLABELLED: Among percutaneous biopsy techniques, the vacuum assisted breast biopsy (VAB) obtains large tissue samples to alleviate some of the limitations associated with conventional percutaneous biopsy techniques. We aimed to determine the efficacy of VAB in previous equivocal biopsies using the mammotome device. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective non-randomized efficacy study was planned and executed on 43 patients (42 women, 1 man) whose previous FNAC and/or CNB of breast masses yielded inconclusive results or were suspicious for cancer. RESULTS: VAB revealed malignancy in 31 (72%) of the 43 patients. Among them, 23 were diagnosed as infiltrative ductal carcinoma (IDC) on VAB, 20 underwent surgery and the final histopathological diagnosis was the same in 19 of them. One patient showed ductal carcinoma-in-situ (DCIS) only in the surgical specimen. Other malignancies included infiltrating lobular carcinoma (ILC) in 5 patients and one each of DCIS, non- Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and metastasis from lung cancer. Benign lesions were detected in 12 (28%) patients. These included 8 fibroadenomas, 2 fibrocystic disease and 1 each of mastitis and breast abscess. Four patients with fibroadenoma underwent surgical excision.

Relationship of adipocyte size with adiposity and metabolic risk factors in Asian Indians.

BACKGROUND: Enlargement of adipocyte is associated with their dysfunction and alterations in metabolic functions. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the association of adipocyte size of subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue with body composition and cardiovascular risk factors in Asian Indians. METHODOLOGY: Eighty (40 males and 40 females) non-diabetic adult subjects undergoing elective abdominal surgery were included. Pre-surgery evaluation included anthropometric measurements, % body fat by bioimpedance, abdominal fat area at L2-3 level (computed tomography) and biochemical investigations (fasting blood glucose and insulin, lipids and hsCRP). During surgery, about 5 grams each of omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue was obtained for adipocyte size determination. RESULTS: Females had higher BMI, % body fat, skinfold thickness, total and subcutaneous abdominal fat area as compared to males. Overweight was present in 42.5% and 67.5%, and abdominal obesity in 5% and 52.5% males and females, respectively. Subcutaneous adipocyte size was significantly higher than omental adipocyte size. Omental adipocyte size correlated more strongly than subcutaneous adipocyte size with measures of adiposity (BMI, waist circumference, %BF), total and subcutaneous abdominal fat area and biochemical measures (fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and HOMA-IR), the correlations being stronger in females. The correlation of adipocyte size with metabolic parameters was attenuated after adjusting for measures of adiposity. CONCLUSION: Omental adipocyte size, though smaller than the subcutaneous adipocyte size, was more closely related to measures of adiposity and metabolic parameters. However, the relationship was not independent of measures of adiposity.

Assessment of cosmetic outcome of oncoplastic breast conservation surgery in women with early breast cancer: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the cosmetic outcome of patients undergoing oncoplastic breast conserving surgery in Indian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective cohort of 35 patients who were eligible for breast conservation surgery was included in the study from year 2007 to 2009. Patients with central quadrant tumors were excluded from the study. A double - blind cosmetic assessment was done by a plastic surgeon and a senior nurse not involved in the management of patients. Moreover, self-assessment was carried out by the patient regarding the satisfaction of surgery, comfort with brasserie, social and sexual life after oncoplastic surgery. RESULTS: In this study, 35 patients underwent oncoplastic breast conservation surgery by various techniques. The cosmetic outcome scores of the surgeon and nurse were analyzed for inter rater agreement using inter-class Correlation Coefficients. There was a good association between them. The risk factors for poor cosmetic outcome was studied by univariate analysis and significant correlation was obtained with age, volume of breast tissue excised and estimated percentage of breast volume excised (P < 0.05). Moreover, 96% of patients were moderately to extremely satisfied with the surgery. Patients were offered an option for cosmetic correction of contralateral breast by mastopexy or reduction mammoplasty however, none of them agreed for another procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Oncoplastic breast surgery helps to resect larger volume of tissue with wider margins around the tumor. It helps to achieve better cosmesis and extends the indications for breast conservation. Most of the patients were satisfied with mere preservation of the breast mound rather than a symmetrical contralateral breast.

Content of trans fatty acids in human cheek epithelium: comparison with serum and adipose tissue.

Studies pertaining to trans fatty acids (TFA), which have been implicated in development of chronic diseases, are more relevant in developing countries where nutrition transition is changing traditional habits and practices. Measuring TFA is an arduous task because of the need for fat biopsies. This study identifies a tissue, which can be easily accessed for analytical measurement of trans fatty acid. In this cross-sectional study, fatty acid in adipose tissue, cheek epithelium, and blood samples were assessed by gas chromatography. Spearman correlation coefficient was computed to study the correlation of fatty acid distribution among the three tissues. The correlation coefficient of total trans fatty acid between cheek epithelium and serum was 0.30 (P < 0.02) and between cheek epithelium and adipose tissue was 0.33 (P < 0.019). This study is the first to report trans fatty acid profile in cheek epithelium giving scope for utilizing the cheek epithelium as a tissue for objective assessment of trans fatty acid intake.