Absence of major depressive disorder in female cancer patients.

This investigation evaluated the prevalence of depression in female patients who had cancer in any of five predesignated sites. Five hundred five women aged 17 to 80 (190 with breast cancer, 143 with gynecologic malignancies, 111 with melanoma, 37 with bowel cancer, and 24 with lymphoma) were randomly screened. Assessment included the Hamilton rating scale for depression, the Zung self-rating depression scale, the Karnofsky performance scale, and a 10-cm visual pain analogue line. The results revealed a mean Hamilton of 10.2 (range, 0 to 41; SD, 7.5), a mean Zung score of 35.3 (range, 11 to 68; SD, 9.6), a Karnofsky median score of 80, and a median pain score of 0. Scores on the Zung scale were highly correlated with those of the Hamilton scale (r = .75). Based on cutoff scores accepted as indicating depression (Hamilton greater than or equal to 20 and Zung greater than or equal to 50), patients were depressed. The depressed subgroup was in significantly more pain, experienced greater physical disability, and was more likely to have had prior episodes of depression as compared to the non-depressed women. The two best predictors of current depression were performance status (Karnofsky) and history of depression. No relationship was found between depression and other demographic variables or disease parameters (diagnosis, time since diagnosis, stage or phase of illness, and current treatment). Our findings indicate that the prevalence of major depression in cancer patients is lower than many previous studies have indicated and falls within the range seen in the general population.

Symptomatic solitary giant congenital cysts of liver.

Three cases of non-parasitic liver cysts are reported. Each of them presented with upper abdominal pain and enlarged liver, and a cyst of enormous size was detected by ultrasound and isotopic scan. Residual cavity following cyst surgery was obliterated by different surgical techniques.

Antiestrogen binding sites in microsomal fractions of malignant and nonmalignant human breast tissues.

Antiestrogen binding sites (AEBS) were measured in microsomal fractions of 102 malignant breast tumors and 24 nonmalignant breast tissues. The number of AEBS was determined by Scatchard analysis. The cytosol contents of estrogen and progesterone receptors were also analyzed in these tissues. Overall, 50% of the malignant tumors and 33% of the nonmalignant normal breast tissues had detectable contents of AEBS. No correlation was observed between cytosol estrogen receptor (ER) content and microsomal AEBS in the tumors. Detailed data analysis in patients at Stage IV disease revealed that 60% of estrogen receptor positive tumors had no detectable microsomal AEBS contents whereas in the remaining 40% tumors, high affinity AEBS were observed. On the other hand, AEBS were also detected in 35% of ER-poor tumors. Anti-estrogen binding sites were higher in tumors obtained from premenopausal women than in those of postmenopausal women. The incidence of AEBS-positive tumors or AEBS concentration was not influenced by either the patients' obesity or their disease stage.

Intrahepatic bilomas--a possible complication of cholecystectomy?

Biloma(s) were initially defined as encapsulated extrahepatic collection(s) of bile. Subsequently the definition was expanded to include abnormal intrahepatic bile collection(s) located outside bile ducts. Most descriptions are of subhepatic or subphrenic collections (extrahepatic bilomas), following surgical procedures involving the biliary system or trauma. We report a case of intrahepatic collections of very large amounts of bile, apparently following cholecystectomy.

Neurofibromatosis of the bladder in children: case report and literature review.

A case of plexiform neurofibroma of the lower urinary tract is presented as well as a review of all previously reported cases in childhood. We suggest aggressive management in patients with diffuse disease.