Psychosocial, cognitive, and motor functioning in patients with suspected Sotos syndrome: a comparison between patients with and without NSD1 gene alterations

The aim of this study was to investigate psychosocial, cognitive, and motor functioning in patients clinically suspected of Sotos syndrome and to examine differences between patients with deletions or mutations of the gene encoding nuclear SET domain-containing protein 1 (NSD1; the major cause of the syndrome) and those without such alterations. Twenty-nine participants (21 males, 8 females) clinically suspected of Sotos syndrome (mean age 11y 10mo [SD 10y 11mo], range 1y 10mo-48y 5mo) were divided into an NSD1 mutation group (n=12; 8 males, 4 females) and an NSD1 non-mutation group (n=17; 13 males, 4 females). Intelligence, behaviour problems, attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, temperament, adaptive behaviour, and motor functioning were assessed with an extensive test battery. Scores were compared with those of control groups, and scores of the two subgroups were compared with each other. The mean IQ in the 21 individuals tested was 76 (SD 16; range 47-105). High rates of behaviour problems were found and patients lagged 1y 7mo to 2y 7mo behind in aspects of adaptive behaviour. In comparison with a control group of patients with a learning disability, motor functioning was better. NSD1 mutation compared with NSD1 non-mutation patients showed easier temperament, and fewer NSD1 mutation patients scored in the clinical range for 'total behaviour problems' (3/11 vs 13/17), 'internalizing behaviour' (2/11 vs 11/17), and ADHD (0/9 vs 4/15).

Rating of isolated disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow in comparison with other factors of prognosis in breast carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Despite the use of radical loco-regional therapeutic methods and although conventional methods of diagnosis give no indication of metastases at the time of operation, distant metastases develop in approximately 50 percent of the carcinoma patients within 5 years. While with the R0 resection of solid tumors local relapses are mainly a matter of concern for the operating surgeon, distant metastases can be traced back to systemic dissemination of tumor cells at the time of operation.

AIMS

The goal of our prospective six year continuous study is to compare the rating of the IDT BM with established prognosis factors and to reach conclusions for the practice.

METHODS

A prospective study is represented in which 197 patients suffering from breast carcinoma were analyzed for prognostic relevance of detected isolated disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow (IDT BM). The patients were operated between 1993-1997 and subsequently observed until 1999. The monoclonal antibodies CK II and A45-B/B3 were used with the immuno-cytochemical standard method for detecting IDT BM. For the purpose of cell cultivation, the cells were marked with the HEA 125 antibody and separated by means of magnetic cell sorting (MACS). In this investigation, only the presence of isolated disseminated tumor cells detected by the

RESULTS

A45-B/B3 antibody proved to be an independent prognostic factor for survival time. The risk of an earlier death increased with the detection of IDT BM at least by a factor of two. The detection of IDT BM also represented an independent prognostic factor for the time until advancement of the tumor. The risk of an earlier relapse of the tumor increased with the detection of disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow containing the A45-B/B3 antibody by at least a factor of four.

CONCLUSION

A generally acknowledged standardization of the method is desirable. Due to the importance of the independent prognostic IDT BM factor, this method of ascertaining the pathological stage should be established at institutions of higher learning.

Detection of cytokeratin-positive cells in bone marrow in breast cancer and colorectal carcinoma in comparison with other factors of prognosis

A prospective study is presented in which 293 patients suffering from breast cancer and colorectal carcinoma were analyzed for prognostic relevance of detected isolated disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow (IDTBM). The patients underwent surgery in the period from 1995 to 1997 and remained under observation until 1999. The monoclonal antibody A 45-B/B3 was used in the standard immuno-cytochemical method for detecting IDTBM, which represented an independent prognostic factor for survival time in patients with breast cancer or colorectal cancer. In breast cancer, when IDTBM were detected, the survival period was reduced by at least half. When disseminated tumor cells containing the A45-B/B3 antibody were detected in bone marrow, the risk of an earlier relapse of the tumor increased at least fourfold. In colorectal cancer, detection of IDTBM reduced survival time by a factor of 1.2-4.3. The risk of earlier relapse increased when disseminated tumor cells containing the A45-B/B3 antibody were detected in bone marrow by 2.8-8.1. Therefore, the use of IDTBM as an independent prognostic factor would provide an important method for determining the pathological stage of various cancers. Standardization of this technique into a generally accepted method would be especially desirable in treatment of patients with breast or colorectal cancer.

Cytokeratin-positive cells in bone marrow in comparison with other prognostic factors in colon carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Despite the use of radical locoregional therapeutic methods and although conventional methods of diagnosis give no indication of metastases at the time of operation, distant metastases develop in approximately 50% of carcinoma patients within 5 years. While local relapses after the R0 resection of solid tumors are mainly a matter of concern for the surgeon, distant metastases can be traced back to the systemic dissemination of tumor cells at the time of operation.

PATIENTS/METHODS

A prospective study is presented in which 145 patients suffering from colon carcinoma were analyzed for the prognostic relevance of isolated disseminated tumor cells detected in the bone marrow (IDT BM). The patients were operated on between 1993 and 1997 and subsequently observed until 1999.

RESULTS

The monoclonal antibody A45-B/B3 was used with the immunocytochemical standard method for detecting IDT BM. For the purpose of cell cultivation, the cells were marked with the HEA-125 antibody and separated by means of magnetic cell sorting (MACS).

CONCLUSION

In this investigation the presence of isolated disseminated tumor cells, as indicated by the A45-B/B3 antibody, proved to be an independent prognostic factor for survival time. The risk of an earlier death increased in node-negative and metastases-free patients with the detection of IDT BM by a factor of 12.60. The detection of IDT BM also represented an independent prognostic factor for the time until advancement of the tumor. The risk of an earlier relapse increased with the detection of disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow containing the A45-B/B3 antibody by a factor of 18.02. A generally acknowledged standardization of the method is desirable. Due to the importance of the independent prognostic IDT BM factor, this method of ascertaining the pathological stage should be established at institutions of higher learning.

Stress, coping, and adjustment in children with a chronic disease: a review of the literature

PURPOSE

To review the literature on the consequences of having a chronic disease on the child's functioning in daily life.

METHOD

A wide search of the literature resulted in the location of around 200 empirical studies with a focus on chronically ill children. This body of literature is discussed in three parts: (1) the academic and psychosocial adjustment of chronically ill children, (2) the ways chronically ill children cope with disease-related stress and other stressors, and (3) the effectiveness of coping strategies.

RESULTS

Children with a chronic disease do not show lower school performance despite higher absence rates (an exception is epilepsy). Their self-concept is similar to that of healthy children. However, they show more behaviour problems, especially internalizing problems such as depression and social withdrawal. The authors could not find evidence for the claim that children with a chronic disease are more frequently confronted with stress than their healthy peers. Children with a chronic disease use a variety of coping strategies to deal with various disease-related and common stressors. The coping strategies they use in relation to common stressors appear to be similar to those of healthy children.

CONCLUSION

Incidences of maladjustment vary across studies and different chronic diseases. Most studies on coping lack situational sensitivity, which makes it impossible to compare results. Findings on the effectiveness of these children's coping strategies are still scarce and inconclusive. Recommendations for future research on coping with chronic disease in childhood are given.