Validation of the International Metastatic Renal-Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) prognostic model for first-line pazopanib in metastatic renal carcinoma: the Spanish Oncologic Genitourinary Group (SOGUG) SPAZO study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with metastatic renal carcinoma (mRCC) treated with first-line pazopanib were not included in the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) prognostic model. SPAZO (NCT02282579) was a nation-wide retrospective observational study designed to assess the effectiveness and validate the IMDC prognostic model in patients treated with first-line pazopanib in clinical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data of 278 patients, treated with first-line pazopanib for mRCC in 34 centres in Spain, were locally recorded and externally validated. Mean age was 66 years, there were 68.3% male, 93.5% clear-cell type, 74.8% nephrectomized, and 81.3% had ECOG 0-1. Metastatic sites were: lung 70.9%, lymph node 43.9%, bone 26.3%, soft tissue/skin 20.1%, liver 15.1%, CNS 7.2%, adrenal gland 6.5%, pleura/peritoneum 5.8%, pancreas 5%, and kidney 2.2%. After median follow-up of 23 months, 76.4% had discontinued pazopanib (57.2% due to progression), 47.9% had received second-line targeted therapy, and 48.9% had died. RESULTS: According to IMDC prognostic model, 19.4% had favourable risk (FR), 57.2% intermediate risk (IR), and 23.4% poor risk (PR). No unexpected toxicities were recorded. Response rate was 30.3% (FR: 44%, IR: 30% PR: 17.3%). Median progression-free survival (whole population) was 11 months (32 in FR, 11 in IR, 4 in PR). Median and 2-year overall survival (whole population) were 22 months and 48.1%, respectively (FR: not reached and 81.6%, IR: 22 and 48.7%, PR: 7 and 18.8%). These estimations and their 95% confidence intervals are fully consistent with the outcomes predicted by the IMDC prognostic model. CONCLUSION: Our results validate the IMDC model for first-line pazopanib in mRCC and confirm the effectiveness and safety of this treatment.

Randomized clinical trial of pancreaticogastrostomy versus pancreaticojejunostomy on the rate and severity of pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Anastomotic leakage of pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) remains the single most important source of morbidity after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). The primary aim of this randomized clinical trial comparing PG with PJ after PD was to test the hypothesis that invaginated PG would result in a lower rate and severity of pancreatic fistula. METHODS: Patients undergoing PD were randomized to receive either a duct-to-duct PJ or a double-layer invaginated PG. The primary endpoint was the rate of pancreatic fistula, using the definition of the International Study Group on Pancreatic Fistula. Secondary endpoints were the evaluation of severe abdominal complications (Clavien-Dindo grade IIIa or above), endocrine and exocrine function. RESULTS: Of 123 patients randomized, 58 underwent PJ and 65 had PG. The incidence of pancreatic fistula was significantly higher following PJ than for PG (20 of 58 versus 10 of 65 respectively; P = 0.014), as was the severity of pancreatic fistula (grade A: 2 versus 5 per cent; grade B-C: 33 versus 11 per cent; P = 0.006). The hospital readmission rate for complications was significantly lower after PG (6 versus 24 per cent; P = 0.005), weight loss was lower (P = 0.025) and exocrine function better (P = 0.022). CONCLUSION: The rate and severity of pancreatic fistula was significantly lower with this PG technique compared with that following PJ. REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN58328599 (http://www.controlled-trials.com).

Assessing outcome after hand surgery: the current state.

An overview of the current state of outcome measurement after hand surgery is presented. The paper focuses on the development, application and strengths and weaknesses of it also reviews the existing questionnaires and suggests recommendations for use in research or clinical practice.

A software tool to acquire, synchronise and playback multimedia data: an application in kinesiology.

Assessing the physical condition of the human body frequently requires evaluating different tests performed by different devices. This information has to be analysed simultaneously to derive conclusions, and so a temporal relationship must be established between the data sources. In this paper, synchronisation of the sources of information is achieved by synchronising the clocks of computers connected in a Local Area Network. A clock synchronisation protocol is used and a global time is stamped in each information data flow. During analysis, the time-stamp is used to playback the data in a synchronised way. The proposed system is valid for any medical application in which data synchronisation is needed. However, it has initially been used in a distributed medical environment for analysing electrical muscular activity and lumbar movement. The dual aim is to detect injuries and plan training sessions for athletes. It was specifically used to analyse data generated by: electromyographs; lumbar equipment; and images generated by video cameras. The simple operation of the application and the precision of the synchronisation protocol enabled several interesting medical conclusions to be made.

[Neuromuscular hamartoma]. / Hamartome neuromusculaire.

Neuromuscular hamartoma is a pseudotumour characterized by the presence of striated muscle fibers in a nerve trunk. The reported case was located in the left sciatic nerve in a 4-year-old girl with equinism and spasticity. A first surgical procedure, with muscle biopsy, did not permit diagnosis of hamartoma. It was followed by the occurrence of a firm mass at the same location. Partial excision was performed; the mass revealed to be fibrous. Further aggravation of functional symptoms lead to leg amputation and correct diagnosis. Discussion is focused on the unique features of this rare disorder, for which therapeutic attempts might be avoided, whereas diagnosis proved to be sometimes difficult.

Carcinomatosis peritoneal mucinosa tratada con cisplatino (CDDP) intraperitoneal y 5-FU endovenoso / Mucinous peritoneal carcinomatosis treated with intraperitoneal cisplatin (CDDP) and intravenous 5-FU

• Propósito: describir el tratamiento de una entidad clínica poco frecuente de curso clínico variable.• Material y método: se presenta el caso de un paciente con carcinomatosis peritoneal mucinosa, varianteintermedia.• Resultados y conclusiones: una cirugía de citoreducción adecuada, seguida de quimioterapia conCDDP Intraperitoneal (IP) y 5FU ev, puede lograr una larga supervivencia en pacientes afectos de carcinomatosisperitoneal, con buena tolerancia al tratamiento

• Purpose: To describe the treatment of a slightly frequent clinical entity of variable clinical course.• Material and methods: We present the case of a patient with mucinous peritoneal carcinomatosis,intermediate variant.• Results and conclusion: A suitable cytoreductive surgery, followed by chemotherapy withintraperitoneal CDDP and intravenous 5-FU, can achieve a long survival of patients with peritonealcarcinomatosis, with good tolerance for the treatment

Adenocarcinoma colorrectal: factores pronósticos de supervivencia en el tratamiento adyuvante con 5-Fluorouracilo-Levamisol (5FU-Lev) / Colorectal adenocarcinoma: survical prognostic factors of the adjuvant treatment with 5-fluorouracil-levamisole (5FU-LEV)

- Propósito: Valoración de la supervivencia global (SG) y libre de enfermedad (SLE) a 5 años y estudio de los factores pronósticos de los pacientes operados, con finalidad curativa, de adenocarcinoma colorrectal estadios II y III, que recibieron tratamiento adyuvante con 5FU-LEV.- Material y métodos: ciento veintiséis pacientes tratados con esquema 5FU-LEV durante 12 meses, entre septiembre de 1990 y noviembre de 1997.- Resultados: La SG a los 5 años es de 68.3 por ciento y la SLE de 54 por ciento. El número de ganglios afectos por el tumor y la afectación vásculo-linfática y perineural, han resultado factores pronósticos significativos tanto en la SLE como en SG a los 5 años. La existencia de obstrucción intestinal tan sólo resulta factor pronóstico significativo en la SLE a los 5 años.- Conclusiones: los resultados que presentamos son semejantes a otras grandes series conocidas, tanto en supervivencia global y libre de enfermedad como en el estudio univariante de los factores pronósticos. La afectación ganglionar continúa presentando significación pronóstica con el análisis multivariante (AU)

Prognostic value of the detection of lymph node micrometastases in colon cancer

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: A study is made of the clinical repercussions of occult metastases-micrometastases (MMs+)-or isolated tumour cells (ITCs+) in the lymph nodes of patients with stage IIA and IIB colon adenocarcinoma initially considered as corresponding to N0. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 39 patients with stage IIA and IIB (T3-T4 N0 M0) colon adenocarcinoma, subjected to similar surgical and adjuvant chemotherapy treatment, with long and careful follow-up (minimum: 5 years, mean: 81.7 months) was performed on their previously resected lymph nodes, with the aid of new histological and immunohistochemical (cytokeratin) sections, in order to detect MMs or ITCs. Disease-free survival (DFS) and global survival (GS) in the two groups (patients with MMs+ or ITCs+ vs. patients without MMs or ITCs) were compared at 5 years based on the corresponding Kaplan-Meier survival curves, with the Breslow test. RESULTS: A total of 382 lymph nodes from the 39 patients (mean: 9.8; standard deviation: 6.09) were revised. MMs+ were detected in 2 cases and ITCs+ in 2 more cases on the Cytokeratin study. GS of the whole series at 5 years was 89.74% (35 patients alive) with a DFS at 5 years of 79.49% (31 patients free of disease), but the 2 cases with MMs+ were dead at 5 years, with high statistical differences between both groups (MMs+/MMs-) (p<0.0001). When comparing the group of MMs+/ITCs+ patients and the group of MM-/ITCs- patients, the DFS and GS times at 5 years were higher in the MMs-/ITCs- group (p=0.0692 and p=0.006 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although the incidence of MMs+ or ITCs+ in the examined lymph nodes was low, the presence of MMs is related to a dramatic reduction in GS and DFS at 5 years. We encourage a detailed histological study of lymph nodes resected in patients with deep penetrating colon tumours in order to assure a pN0 status (AU)

No disponible

Utilidad de la especialización en cirugía endocrina de una unidad del servicio de cirugía general: análisis tras 500 tiroidectomías consecutivas / Utility of specialization in endocrine surgery in a general surgery department: analysis of 500 consecutive thyroidectomies

Introducción. Actualmente está admitido que la subespecialización dentro de la cirugía general mejora la profundización en los diferentes campos de investigación. Los autores se plantean si vale la pena crear unidades de cirugía endocrina en los hospitales de máximo nivel, no sólo desde el punto de vista investigador, sino desde el punto de vista asistencial y de gestión. Material y métodos. Se hace una valoración retrospectiva de 500 tiroidectomías consecutivas, comparando las realizadas por facultativos especialistas de la Unidad de Cirugía Endocrina con las llevadas a cabo por otros facultativos del servicio. También se compararon las 100 primeras con las 100 últimas de entre las realizadas por facultativos de la unidad. Los parámetros valorados, entre otros, fueron los tipos de intervenciones, las complicaciones y las estancias. Resultados. La tasa de complicaciones fue significativamente mayor en el grupo de pacientes operados por facultativos no pertenecientes a la unidad, con complicaciones transitorias en el 22,2 por ciento de los pacientes y definitivas en el 10,7 por ciento. En el grupo de pacientes operados por facultativos de la unidad las complicaciones definitivas fueron prácticamente nulas; las transitorias representaron el 12,9 por ciento y las definitivas, el 0,2 por ciento. Al comparar las primeras 100 realizadas con las 100 últimas dentro de la unidad, no se apreciaron cambios en las complicaciones, sin embargo, las estancias variaron significativamente desde 4,27 a 0,96 días de estancia total. Conclusiones. La creación de unidades de cirugía endocrina en los servicios de cirugía de los hospitales de máximo nivel no sólo mejora el nivel de conocimientos, sino que mejora significativamente los resultados asistenciales y la eficiencia del servicio en los pacientes sometidos a tiroidectomía. (AU)

La visita de acogida / The admittance visit

La acogida de las personas que acuden por primera vez a un centro de atención primaria (CAP) o al sistema sanitario debe realizarse de forma sistemática y con un contenido previamente establecido.En este artículo proponemos una "visita de acogida", realizada por la enfermera, con un contenido que tiene en cuenta tanto la forma de informar sobre los servicios sanitarios y de su accesibilidad como la recogida de datos sanitarios más relevantes para iniciar intervenciones de carácter preventivo (AU)