Primary hyperparathyroidism in pregnancy: a case series and literature review.

Primary Hyperparathyroidism (PHP) in pregnancy constitutes a serious danger to mother and fetus. The diagnosis of PHP in pregnancy presents a challenge, and PHP commonly goes unidentified and untreated in pregnancy. We present four case reports about patients having PHP, which is very rare condition in pregnancy and their treatment modalities. Three patients, not to be controlled biochemically, denied the parathyroidectomy operation although they are informed about the details of their disease. They are followed up with medical therapy. The first one had no maternal or fetal complications, the second one acquired nephrolithiasis crisis in the last trimester and the third one gave birth to a premature baby who succumbed to tetany. The fourth patient who underwent parathyroidectomy operation in the second trimester had no maternal or fetal complications. PHP in pregnancy is a preventable cause of fetal and maternal mortality and morbidity. Thus, suspecting from PHP during the pregnancy and early diagnosis is critically important in terms of maternal and fetal wellness.

Levels of endothelial cell-specific molecule-1 (ESM-1) in overt hypothyroidisim.

PURPOSE: Endothelial cell-specific molecule-1, endocan, is a proteoglycan that is expressed by the vascular endothelium. Endocan can be a biomarker of endothelial dysfunction caused by endothelial cell-dependent disorders. Endothelial dysfunction is an early step of atherosclerosis and is developed in hypothyroid patients, which indicates an association between hypothyroidism and atherosclerosis. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether circulating endocan levels are associated with endothelial dysfunction in overt hypothyroid patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients with hypothyroidism diagnosed in the last 5 years and 30 healthy subjects were recruited. RESULTS: The mean endocan value in all patients was 0.63 ± 0.26 pg/ml, which was higher than that in controls (0.36 ± 0.10 pg/ml, p < 0.05). When we subgrouped the patients as hypothyroid and euthyroid, all groups demonstrated significantly different endocan levels, and hypothyroid patients had the highest endocan levels. A correlation analysis demonstrated that endocan levels were positively correlated with body mass index (BMI), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), anti-thyroid peroxidase, and anti-thyroglobulin and negatively correlated with free thyroid hormone 4 (FT4) and vitamin D levels. In addition, in the patient group, endocan levels were correlated with FT4 levels independently in a covariance analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The circulating endocan level increased in hypothyroid patients, suggesting that endocan levels may be an early biomarker of the development of endothelial dysfunction in patients with hypothyroidism. They may also prove useful in the prediction of cardiovascular diseases after further studies using cardiovascular disease biomarkers. In addition, targeting endocan levels to decrease cardiovascular risk may be a new treatment strategy in these patients.

Salivary IL-6 and IL-10 levels in subjects with obesity and gingivitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between cytokines IL-6 and IL-10 in saliva, obesity and periodontal disease. METHODS: The study was carried out in 40 subjects: 20 obese subjects with gingivitis and 20 non-obese subjects with gingivitis (controls). Periodontal parameters such as gingival index (GI) and plaque index (PI) of subjects were recorded. Saliva samples were used for measuring IL-6 and IL-10 levels by ELISA method. RESULTS: Saliva IL-6 levels were significantly higher in obese subjects than those of non-obese subjects (P= 0.002). When total groups were evaluated, negative significant correlation between GI and salivary IL-10 levels (r= -0.452, P= 0.003) and positive correlations between salivary IL-6 level and body mass index (BMI) (r= 0.369, P= 0.019) were found. There was a negative correlation between the GI and salivary IL-10 levels in obese subjects (r= -0.548, P= 0.012). Also there was a positive correlation between the salivary level of IL-6 and IL-10 in obese subjects (r= 0.594, P= 0.006). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Obesity and adipose tissues can affect periodontal health by altering the levels of IL-6 and IL-10. IL-6 in saliva clearly increased in subjects with obesity compared to subjects without obesity. Also negative correlations between saliva IL-10 levels and GI were found in the total group and obese subjects.

Rheumatoid arthritis masquerading as acromegaly recurrence: report of two cases.

Acromegaly is a chronic endocrinopathy characterized by hypersecretion of growth hormone (GH) and consequently of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). The arthropathy in acromegaly is the most frequent and important cause of morbidity and functional disability in acromegaly. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a rarely reported clinical situation in patients with acromegalic. We herein report 57- and 45-year-old two women, who complained bilateral, symmetric pain, swelling and morning stiffness in the joints of hands after optimal acromegaly treatment resembling acromegaly arthropathy. There was not arthralgia in other joints of the patients. Laboratory and radiological evaluations were carried out. After excluding the acromegaly activation and arthropathy by GH and IGF-1 measurement, according to clinical presentation, laboratory and radiological assessments, patients were diagnosed as RA.

Benign localized fibrous tumor of the pleura: report of 25 new cases.

OBJECTIVE: Benign localized fibrous tumors (BLFT) of the pleura are very rare slow-growing neoplasms that generally have a favorable prognosis. The aim of this manuscript is to evaluate the predictors of outcome with the review of the literature in a series of 25 patients with BLFT. METHODS: Between January 1985 and November 2009, 25 patients underwent an operation due to BLFT. Of these patients, 14 (56%) were male; mean age was 41.1 (25 to 64) years. All patients underwent thoracotomy. Left thoracotomy approach was used in 16 patients. The mass lesions were totally excised. The histopathological examinations were performed with hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemical staining methods. RESULTS: Of the patients, 18 (72%) were symptomatic. Symptoms were cough in 36%, shortness of breath in 32%, and chest pain in 20% of the patients. One patient (4%) appeared to have some symptoms (pain and swelling of the joints) associated with pulmonary osteoarthropathy. Seven patients (28%) underwent an operation due to mass lesion detected at routine control visits. None of the patients had a history of exposure to asbestos. Radiological investigations revealed 16 (64%) mass lesions in the left. Of the lesions found on exploration, 5 (20%) were intrapulmonary localized lesion without pedicle and 20 were pedicled. Of the pedicled masses, 5 were connected to parietal pleura and 15 to visceral pleura and all were intrathoracic extrapulmonary localized lesions. Eight (32%) lesions connected to left lower lobe. Additionally, three pedicled lesions were located in the lung fissure. Pedicled lesions were totally excised together with their pedicles. Intraparenchymal mass lesions were resected using wedge resection. The diameter of the resected masses was ranging between 3 and 22 cm (mean: 8.7). Macroscopically, all were encapsulated with a homogeneous cut surface. Intraoperative mortality and morbidity was not observed. The average hospitalization duration for all patients was 8.6 days (5 to 12). The mean follow-up was 33.6 (9 to 142) months with no recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Benign localized fibrous tumors are uncommon and treated by surgical means. According to our data obtained from literature review, clinicians should be aware of recurrence possibility even after complete resection of benign localized fibrous tumor and the risk of malign transformation.

Efficiency of radioactive I-131 therapy in geriatric patients with toxic nodular goiter.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The success of I-131 therapy in geriatric patients who were referred to an endocrinology clinic with toxic nodular goiter and who lived in iodine-deficiency regions was studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients older than 60 years who received I-131 therapy were included via retrospective data analyses. Fifty-nine patients between 60 and 82 years of age were enrolled in the study. The patients received an oral capsular form of I-131 (10-25 mCi) and were followed up for 1 year with clinical and laboratory results. Euthyroid or hypothyroid status at the end of the year after treatment was deemed to be a response to treatment. RESULTS: Of the 21 (36%) male and 38 (64%) female patients, 29 (49%) had a solitary toxic nodule and 30 (51%) had toxic multinodular goiter. Twenty-nine (49%) of the patients received propylthiouracil therapy. At the end of the year, 38 (64%) patients were euthyroid, 11 (19%) were hypothyroid, and 10 (17%) were thyrotoxic. Forty-nine (83%) patients who were euthyroid and hypothyroid were considered responders. CONCLUSION: Geriatric patients with toxic nodular goiter were shown to have a high response rate to I-131 therapy. Thus, we suggest that radioactive iodine treatment should be the first-line treatment in these patients.

Mean platelet volume in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an indicator of platelet activation. Platelet activation and aggregation are central processes in the pathophysiology of coronary heart disease. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is present up to one-third of the general population and the majority of patients with cardio-metabolic risk factors such as abdominal obesity, type 2 diabetes and other components of the metabolic syndrome (MS). The aim of the current study was to investigate the MPV in patients who had NAFLD. MPV values of the patients with NAFLD and of the patients without fatty liver disease were compared. NAFLD patients had significantly higher body mass index compared to the control cases. Among biochemical variables, fasting plasma glucose and triglyceride were significantly higher in the NAFLD group. NAFLD cases also had lower platelet count and higher MPV (10.43 +/- 1.14 vs. 9.09 +/- 1.25; p < 0.001, respectively). MPV was positively correlated with AST (r: 0.186, p < 0.042), ALT level (r: 0.279; p 0.002) and the presence of NAFLD (0.492; p < 0.001) but negatively correlated with platelet number (r: -0.26; p 0.004) and creatinine (r: -0.255; p 0.005). In logistic regression analysis (age, gender, NAFLD, body mass index, high-density lipid (HDL) cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride and fasting plasma glucose were used as covariates) only NAFLD was found to be the independent predictor of MPV (Odds Ratio (OR) 21.98) [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.404-201.048; p: 0.006]. We have shown for the first time in the literature that, patients with NAFLD have higher MPV. It may have prognostic value in NAFLD patients indicating a possible cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk increase.

Alveolar adenoma of the lung. Immunohistochemical and flow cytometric characteristics of two new cases and a review of the literature.

Alveolar adenoma is a rare and benign tumour of the lung that usually presents in asymptomatic patients as a coin lesion on chest radiography. Only 25 cases have been reported in the English medical literature. Alveolar adenoma has a characteristic multicystic histology and often resembles the normal lung parenchyma. Ultrastructural studies indicate that the epithelial cells lining the cysts are type-II pneumocytes. Immunohistochemical analysis may aid in the characterization of alveolar adenoma and discriminate this condition from other types of benign lesions of the lung. An indolent clinical progression and absence of recurrence and metastasis after complete resection are the most important characteristics indicative of the benign nature of alveolar adenoma. Few studies have been conducted at the molecular level, such as by flow cytometry, with the objective of characterizing the biological nature of alveolar adenoma. Differential diagnoses include sclerosing hemangioma, papillary adenoma, lymphangioma, atypical adenomatous hyperplasia and bronchioloalveolar carcinoma. In this article we describe the immunohistochemical and flow cytometric features of this neoplasm in two male patients. Both the tumours showed a diploid DNA pattern with a low proliferation index. p53 test was found to be negative, and post-operative follow-up examinations at 22 and 32 months proved uneventful.

Comparison of mersilene mesh-methyl metacrylate sandwich and polytetrafluoroethylene grafts for chest wall reconstruction.

We report the outcomes of patients who underwent reconstruction with Mersilene mesh-methyl methacrylate (MM-MM) sandwich and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts after a large chest wall resection. Between June 1990 and September 2001, 59 consecutive patients (37 men, 22 women; mean age, 48.1 +/- 11.8 years; range 22-74 years) underwent large chest wall resection (greater than 5 cm diameter) and reconstruction with prosthetic material in our department. Twenty-one patients (33%) underwent reconstruction with a PTFE graft (group 2) between 1990 and 1994, and 38 patients (67%) underwent reconstruction with an MM-MM sandwich graft (group 1) between 1994 and 2001. Operative morbidity ratios were 5.2% (2/38) in group 1 and 24% (5/21) in group 2 (p = .036). The paradoxical respiration ratio was significantly higher (p = .018) in group 2 (5/21: 24%) than it was in group 1 (1/38: 2.6%). The operative mortality ratio was 4.5% (1/21) in group 2 and 0% in group 1. Mean hospital stay was 10.6 days (range 5-21 days) in group 1 and 13.3 days (range 7-36 days) in group 2 (p = .015). The MM-MM graft is inexpensive and easy to apply, provides better cosmetic options, and offers minimal morbidity. We therefore recommend that the MM-MM sandwich graft be used rather than the PTFE graft for large defects of the anterolateral chest wall and sternum where successful prevention of paradoxical respiration is required.

Parenchyma-preserving surgery in the management of pulmonary hydatid cysts.

Pulmonary hydatid cysts remain a significant health problem in endemic regions like Turkey. Here, we present our surgical experience in patients with pulmonary hydatid cysts. Between January 1985 and January 2001, 1118 operations were performed in 1032 patients (528 males, 504 females; mean age 32.7 years; range 1-87 years) with pulmonary hydatid cysts in our department. Posterolateral thoracotomy was performed in 1015 (98.3%), two-stage thoracotomy in 34 (3.3%), and median sternotomy in 17 (1.7%) patients. We preferred conservative surgical procedures. As a surgical procedure, cystotomy and capitonnage was performed in 626 (56%), cystotomy alone in 368 (33%), wedge resection in 81 (7%), enucleation in 29 (3%), and decortication in 11 (1%) patients. None of our patients were treated with anatomic resection. During surgery, 949 patients (92%) had unruptured and 83 patients (8%) had ruptured hydatid cyst. The morbidity ratio was 6.7%. Major complications were wound infection (2.3%), prolonged air leak (1.9%), atelectasis (1.2%), pleural effusion (0.8%), postoperative hemothorax (0.6%), and empyema (0.3%). Two patients (0.2%) died within the first month postoperatively. Mean follow-up was 31.2 months. Recurrence was detected in only 35 patients (3.3%). Treatment of pulmonary hydatid cyst is primarily surgical. Medical treatment is indicated for recurrent and multiple hydatid cysts postoperatively. Cystotomy alone, or cystotomy and capitonnage, as parenchyma-preserving surgery, is preferred. Radical surgery including pneumonectomy, lobectomy, and segmentectomy should be avoided.

Vitamin D and inflammation: evaluation with neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio.

INTRODUCTION: Association of vitamin D, inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, beside the classic bone metabolism disorders, may explain the pathogenesis of numerous diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency. While large numbers of reports support the relationship of vitamin D with inflammation, several reports fail to confirm this relationship. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are novel and inexpensive markers of inflammation that can be studied in all centers. The goal of this study was to investigate the association between 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) and inflammation with the novel inflammatory markers NLR and PLR. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was performed retrospectively. Results of the simultaneously performed 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone, albumin, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and creatinine level measurements and complete blood count were recorded. The data of 4120 patients were included in the study. RESULTS: Between vitamin D deficient and non-deficient groups there were significant differences in PLR (p < 0.001) and NLR (p = 0.001). Vitamin D had a significant negative correlation with PLR (p < 0.001) and NLR (p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis indicated that 25(OH)D was independently and negatively correlated with PLR (OR = 0.994, 95% CI 0.991-0.998, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and NLR were significantly associated with 25(OH)D levels, and PLR was found to be an independent predictor of 25(OH)D levels. Our study revealed an inverse association of vitamin D levels and inflammation with these inexpensive and universally available markers.

Natural History of Congenital Generalized Lipodystrophy: A Nationwide Study From Turkey.

CONTEXT: Congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by near-total lack of body fat. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to study natural history and disease burden of various subtypes of CGL. DESIGN: We attempted to ascertain nearly all patients with CGL in Turkey. SETTING: This was a nationwide study. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Participants included 33 patients (22 families) with CGL and 30 healthy controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): We wanted to ascertain genotypes by sequencing of the known genes. Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging was used to investigate the extent of fat loss. Metabolic abnormalities and end-organ complications were measured on prospective follow-up. RESULTS: Analysis of the AGPAT2 gene revealed four previously reported and four novel mutations (CGL1; c.144C>A, c.667_705delinsCTGCG, c.268delC, and c.316+1G>T). Analysis of the BSCL2 gene revealed four different homozygous and one compound heterozygous possible disease-causing mutations (CGL2), including four novel mutations (c.280C>T, c.631delG, c.62A>T, and c.465-468delGACT). Two homozygous PTRF mutations (c.481-482insGTGA and c.259C>T) were identified (CGL4). Patients with CGL1 had preservation of adipose tissue in the palms, soles, scalp, and orbital region, and had relatively lower serum adiponectin levels as compared to CGL2 patients. CGL4 patients had myopathy and other distinct clinical features. All patients developed various metabolic abnormalities associated with insulin resistance. Hepatic involvement was more severe in CGL2. End-organ complications were observed at young ages. Two patients died at age 62 years from cardiovascular events. CONCLUSIONS: CGL patients from Turkey had both previously reported and novel mutations of the AGPAT2, BSCL2, and PTRF genes. Our study highlights the early onset of severe metabolic abnormalities and increased risk of end-organ complications in patients with CGL.

[The superiorities of invasive procedures in nodal staging of non-small cell lung cancers]. / Küçük hücreli disi akciger kanserinde nodal evrelemede invaziv prosedürlerin üstünlükleri.

The staging of non-small cell lung cancer is the most important factor that affects the treatment form and prognosis. The management strategy includes serious variations according to clinical condition of the patient, preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative pathologic staging outcomes. Today, obtaining the histopathological diagnosis preoperatively became mandatory. Reaching the definite tissue diagnosis requires the using of invasive technics. Nowadays; there is a widespread use of invasive staging and diagnostic procedures in order to show the evidence of disease presence and determine the probability of contralateral metastasis in a patient who will undergo a possible thoracotomy. In the preoperative period, benefiting from the invasive staging methods that will reveal occult N2 disease totally, would be more useful for the patients.

[Association of combined small cell and large cell lung cancer with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome: case report]. / Kombine küçük hücreli ve büyük hücreli akciger kanseri ile Lambert-Eaton miyastenik sendromu birlikteligi: Olgu sunumu.

Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is a rare type of neuromusculer conduction disorder. This disease can be seen with lung cancer and, it is associated with otoimmunity. Among the symptoms of lung cancer LEMS can be seen, but it is very rare. In this case, LEMS symptoms were analyzed before lung cancer symptoms. The localization of the tumor was near the pulmonary artery. By the early diagnose, the patient had the chance of cure.

Distribution of Bcl-2 gene expression and its prognostic value in non-small cell lung cancer.

The aim of this study was to determine the expression of Bcl-2 gene and prognostic importance of Bcl-2 expression in paraffin embedded blocks of patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study included the retrospective analysis of overall 46 patients diagnosed with NSCLC in our clinic between 1996 and 1999. In 16 (34.8%) patients, the diagnosis was made on biopsy of bronchial mucosa and in 30 (65.2%) patients, on materials obtained by surgical resection (lobectomy and pneumonectomy). We reviewed the sections 4-6 microns in size and stained with Hemotoxylin-Eosine (HE) obtained from paraffin embedded blocks and fixed by 10% formalin. These sections are transferred on to slides covered with poly-L-lysine, then de-paraffinization was made. In all cases, immunohistochemical staining with Bcl-2 antibodies was performed. Positive staining was observed in 9 (19.6%) patients, but not in 37 (80.4%) patients. Out of 32 cases with squamous cell tumor, 8 (25%) were observed to have positive staining in their sections, but 24 (75%) were not so. No staining was observed in 11 cases whose cell type was adenoma and two cases whose cell type was adenosquamos (100%). Staining was present in the section of one case with large cell (100%). Median survival time was 36.6 months in cases in which staining was observed and 6.10 months in cases in which staining was not observed, with a significant difference (p< 0.05). In conclusion, the rate of survival was higher in cases in which staining was present.

Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Early-Stage Diabetic Retinopathy With Vitamin D Deficiency.

PURPOSE: To evaluate retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in early-stage diabetic retinopathy (DR) patients with and without vitamin D deficiency (VDD). METHODS: This study compared 50 early-stage DR patients with VDD (group 1) and 50 early-stage DR patients without VDD (group 2). All patients were examined by the same ophthalmologist. Mean RNFL thickness was determined by optical coherence tomography (OCT) performed by the two independent ophthalmologists for all subjects. Vitamin D levels were measured by using a radioimmunoassay. Vitamin D deficiency was defined, in accordance with the general standards, as a 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level lower than 20 ng/mL. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of age and sex distribution (P > 0.05). The mean serum 25(OH)D concentration of group 1 was significantly lower than that of group 2 (P < 0.001). The mean RNFL thickness of group 1 was significantly reduced compared to that of group 2 (P < 0.001). A significant relationship between the mean RNFL thickness and serum 25(OH)D concentrations was observed in group 1 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that vitamin D functions as a neuroprotective component for optic nerves. Low serum 25(OH)D concentrations contribute to RNLF thinning in early-stage DR patients with VDD.

Prognostic value of tumor size in non-small cell lung cancer larger than five centimeters in diameter.

OBJECTIVES: The tumor size is an important prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, a criterion for tumor size has remained unchanged for the last 25 years in TNM classification. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between tumor size and survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. METHOD: Of 550 consecutive patients who underwent operation for NSCLC between 1994 and 1998, we reviewed the medical record of 509 patients. There were 470 men and 39 women. Survivals were compared according to groups of tumor size (Group I: < or = 3 cm, Group II: 3.1-4 cm, Group III: 4.1-5 cm, Group IV: >5 cm, Group A (II + III): 3.1-5 cm, and Group B (IV): >5 cm). The Cox proportional hazard model was used with same variables. RESULTS: The univariate analysis showed that poor pulmonary function test (P < 0.05), pneumonectomy (P < 0.05), limited resection (P < 0.001), tumor size larger than 5 cm (P = 0.006), T factor (P < 0.05), N status (P < 0.001), and advanced staged of disease (P < 0.001) were all significant prognostic factors. Further comparison of survival between tumor size groups demonstrated a significantly poor prognosis for larger tumors. There was a statistically significant difference between Group A (3.1-5 cm) and Group B (> 5 cm), with 5 years survivals of 45.9% and 31.4%, respectively (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: We emphasize that tumor size is an important prognostic factor in NSCLC. The 5 years survival with tumors larger than 5 cm (31.4%), is significantly less than the tumors 3.1-5 cm (45.9%) (P = 0.005). These initial results should strongly encourage additional studies in different countries on the interaction between tumor size and lung cancer characteristics to better clarity. In future revisions of the TNM classification, 5 cm may be a new threshold.

Surgical treatment in bronchiectasis: analysis of 166 patients.

BACKGROUND: Bronchiectasis is usually caused by pulmonary infections and bronchial obstruction. It is still a serious problem in developing countries as our country. We reviewed the morbidity and mortality rates and outcome of surgical treatment for bronchiectasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1990 and 2000, 166 patients (92 female and 74 male patients) underwent pulmonary resection for bronchiectasis. The mean age was 34.1 years (range, 7-70 years). Mean duration of symptoms was 5.7 years. RESULTS: Symptoms were copious amount of purulent sputum in 135 patients, expectoration of foul-smelling sputum in 109, hemoptysis in 35 and cough in all patients. The indication for pulmonary resection was failure of medical therapy in 158 patients, massive hemoptysis in five and lung abscess in three. The disease was bilateral in six patients and mainly confined to the lower lobe in 127. One hundred and twenty patients had a lobectomy, 13 had a pneumonectomy, 21 had a segmentectomy and a combination of these approaches in 18. Operative morbidity and mortality were seen in 18 (10.5%) and in three (1.7%) patients, respectively. Follow-up was complete in 148 patients with a mean of 4.2 years. Overall, 111 patients were asymptomatic after surgical treatment, symptoms were improved in 31, and unchanged or worse in six. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment of bronchiectasis is more effective in patient with localized disease. It is satisfactory with acceptable ratio of morbidity and mortality.

[Histiocytosis X and bronchopulmonary adenocarcinoma: a rare coexistence]. / Histiocytose X et adénocarcinome broncho-pulmonaire: rare coexistence.

There exists a rarely observed association between pulmonary histiocytosis X and bronchopulmonary cancer. However, the frequency of bronchopulmonary cancer in these patients is higher than in the general population. A 28-year-old patient who currently smokes ten packs of cigarettes a year came to our department of pneumology with complains of cough and hemoptysis. An x-ray of the thorax revealed bilateral cysts and a shadow in the upper part of the right pulmonary field. In addition, a chest tomography showed multiple cysts dispersed throughout the two pulmonary fields and an irregular mass with a diameter of four centimetres in the upper right lobe. Bronchopulmonary adenocarcinoma was diagnosed during a cytologic exam of the bronchial washing. We decided to perform a thoracotomy on the patient, since there was no far metastasis. An upper lobectomy and wedge resection of the upper segment of the lower right lobe, which had been invaded by the tumour, were performed. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. A pulmonary biopsy was carried out on the tumour-free site and showed the presence of histiocytosis X. There is a hypothesis that a neoplasm developed on the pulmonary fibrosis could be an epiphenomenon of bronchopulmonary cancer in patients who smoke and have pulmonary histiocytosis X. It is interesting to note that histiocytosis X and bronchopulmonary cancer were diagnosed at the same time, since the bronchopulmonary cancer may have occurred within a few years following the diagnosis of histiocytosis X, even if she was a smoker. Hemoptysis, which is found in 5% of patients with histiocytosis X, may suggest cancer. This young patient, a smoker, who complained of hemoptysis, is a particularly rare case of the association between pulmonary histiocytosis X and bronchopulmonary cancer whose pathogenesis is not clear cut. It is thus important to note that smoking can have major consequences, even in young people.

Prognostic significance of blood group antigen expression of tumor tissue in lung cancer patients.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Many prognostic factors have been evaluated both for SCLC and NSCLC. The prognostic significance of blood group antigen expression of tumor tissues has been studied particularly in NSCLC, yielding divergent results. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic value of the tumoral expression of blood group antigens ABH in lung cancer. METHODS: The presence of blood group antigens was assessed immunohistochemically in paraffin-embedded tumor samples from 92 patients diagnosed between 1996 and 1997. Monoclonal antibodies were used to detect blood group antigens. RESULTS: The median survival was longer in NSCLC patients whose tumors were positive for blood group antigen A (P = 0.009). Since the expression of blood group antigen A in tumor cells was limited to patients with type A or AB blood, survival analysis of these patients showed survival to be longer in non-small cell lung cancer patients with blood group antigen A-positive tumors (P= 0.0019). CONCLUSIONS: Expression of blood group antigen A in tumor cells is an important, favorable prognostic factor in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, which could be useful to stratify patients with blood group A or AB according to possible outcome, and to guide therapeutic decision-making. The expression of blood group antigens ABH should be evaluated in larger series of lung cancer patients (including small and non-small cell lung cancer) with all blood types.