Relevance of minor discrepancies at second pathology review in gynaecological cancer

Aim

To determine the incidence of discrepancy rate between the initial pathology diagnosis and referral diagnosis in women with gynaecological cancer.

Methods

A retrospective observational study was performed including all consecutive patients with gynaecological cancer referred and who underwent pathologic review between January 2013 and May 2017. Discrepancies were minor when future treatment was not altered or major when the treatment was modified.

Results

A total of 259 patients were included. The original diagnosis was ovarian cancer (n = 126, 48.6%), endometrial cancer (n = 84, 32.4%), cervical cancer (n = 43, 16.6%) and vulvar cancer (n = 6, 2.3%). Eighteen women (6.9%) had major discrepancies and 69 patients (26.6%) had minor discrepancies. The main reason for the minor discrepancy was tumour grade or histology subtype. Regarding ovarian cancer, 13 out of 16 patients had minor discrepancies at histology subtype among serous, endometrioid, mucinous or undifferentiated tumours. The main issue for the minor discrepancy in patients with cervical cancer was among different subtype of cervical adenocarcinoma. Minor discrepancies due to tumour grade were also observed in 14, 19, 8 and 3 patients with endometrial, ovarian, cervical and vulvar cancer, respectively.

Conclusions

A second pathology review also adds valid information in those cases with minor discrepancies leading to a difference in patients´ counselling regarding follow-up and prognosis.

Splenic marginal zone lymphoma--a clinicopathological study in a series of 16 patients

Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL), characterized in the WHO classification of lymphoid tumors, is a rare disorder comprising less than 1% of lymphoid neoplasms; only a few series concerning this entity have been published. Although this type of lymphoma is well defined histologically, its histogenesis remains obscure. Moreover, specific biological markers are still lacking and immunophenotype profile is not specific. These and other reasons, such as the existence of cytogenetic subtypes, have led to some authors to suspect that SMZL constitutes a heterogeneous entity. We have analyzed a series of sixteen SMZL cases from four hospitals in our community, from a clinical, biological and pathological point of view. When compared with those reported in the literature, our findings show three main differences: our patients less frequently showed an intrasinusoidal bone marrow infiltration pattern; the presence of a serum monoclonal component was rarely seen; and CD5-positive SMZL cases appear to be more common than previously thought.

Computed tomography vs clinical and multidisciplinary procedures for early evaluation of severe abdomen and chest trauma--a cost analysis approach

OBJECTIVE

To compare contrast computed tomography (CT) for evaluating abdominal and vascular chest injuries after emergency room resuscitation with multidisciplinary management based on bedside procedure (BP), e.g., peritoneal lavage, abdomen ultrasonography urography and, if indicated, CT and/or aortography or transesophageal echocardiography.

DESIGN

Randomized study.

SETTING

Emergency, critical care and radiology departments in a trauma center.

PATIENTS

The study was performed in 103 severe blunt trauma patients with a revised trauma index < 8, admitted over a 16 month period and divided into group (G1, n = 52, CT management) and group 2 (G2, n = 51, BP management).

INTERVENTIONS

A relative direct cost scale used in our trauma center was applied, and cost units (U) were assigned to each diagnostic test for cost-minimization analysis (abdomen ultrasonograph = 7.5 U, peritoneal lavage = 8 U, urography = 9 U, computed tomography = 9 U, transesophageal echocardiography = 13.5 U, and aortography = 15 U). One unit is approximately equivalent to $43.7.

RESULTS

Injury severity score (ISS) was 31.7 +/- 15.4 in G1 and 33.8 +/- 18.3 in G2. Sensitivity for CT was 90.4% (G1) vs 72.5% for BP (G2) in abdomen (P < 0.01) and 60% in chest for evaluating mediastinal hematoma etiology (G1). As Table 2 shows, G1 needed 59 tests for evaluating injuries (1.1 +/- 0.3 tests patient) while G2 required 81 tests (1.68 +/- 0.8 tests/patient) (P < 0.01). The total relative cost was 538 U for G1, 7.04 +/- 2.2 U cost/injury and 10.3 +/- 3.3 U/evaluation of trauma vs 698 U for G2, 9.84 +/- 5.03 U cost/injury and 13.68 +/- 8.5 U/evaluation (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This cost-minimization study suggests that CT is a more cost-effective method for the post-emergency room resuscitation evaluation of severe abdominal blunt trauma than the multidisciplinary BP. Chest CT is a screening method for mediastinal hematoma but not for etiology.

Use of antithrombin III in critical patients

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of the AT III concentrates upon the clinical evolution and hemostatic parameters.

DESIGN

Prospective, open, randomized trial.

PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS

Septic and multiple trauma patients admitted to our Intensive Care Unit.

SETTING

Levels of AT III below 70% were used as criteria to choose 36 patients, 20 of whom received treatment with AT III and 16 did not.

INTERVENTIONS

AT III concentrates were administered at an initial dose of 60 U/kg followed by 10 U/kg every six hours.

RESULTS

The administration of AT III neither contributes to alterations in haemostasis, nor the clinical evolution (evaluated according to Apache II score).

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that the administration of AT III concentrates to critical patients with acquired low levels, but without manifest DIC, may not be justified; although further studies on a larger population are required to establish definite conclusions.

[Possibilities of remission of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults: retrospective study of 51 patients subjected to a "total therapy" protocol in the period 1969-1983]

Between 1969 and 1983, 51 (35 men and 16 women) new cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were diagnosed in patients aged 15 to 85 years (mean 21 yrs.). All patients received a "total therapy" which included: 1st induction (PRD, VCR, DBR, and/or L-ASN); 2nd, Central Nervous System profilaxis (craneal TCT and/or intrathecal MTx); 3rd, maintenance (6MP and MTx) and 4th, reinductions every 3 months (PRD, VCR, and DRB). This treatment lasted for at least 3 years. Complete Remission (CR) was achieved in 45 patients (88.2%): 3 of these patients were referred to other centers to continue treatment, 1 patient developed an early "metamorphosis" to hemophagocytic hystiocytosis and another patient developed a late chronic granulocytic leukemia (Ph +) dying a few months later after an acute myeloblastic worsening. During treatment 16 patients relapsed (9 in bone marrow and 7 in Central Nervous System). Treatment was discontinued in 24 patients with complete remission of which 5 relapsed in bone marrow 17 to 61 months after treatment). In one of the latter (ALL Ph +) an allogenic bone marrow transplant was performed and CR was achieved and maintained 46 months later. The post diagnosis acutarial curve of the 51 patients gave a mean survival of 6 years with a plateau at 43% of the patients after 11 years. The duration of the first uninterrupted CR was of 6.5 years and a plateau was reached at 46% of the patients after 10.5 years. At the present time, 20 patients are in CR (46 to 129 months) without treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Hematologic significance of erythrocytic macrocytosis: prospective analysis of 109 successively studied cases]

The aim of the present work was to perform a prospective analysis of the significance of macrocytic red cells through the study of all patients with MCV higher than 105 fl (those treated with cytotoxic or immunosuppressing drugs were excluded). Conventional clinical, haematologic and biochemical studies were carried out on every patient, along with B12 and folate levels, bone marrow examination and bone marrow karyotype and, whenever B12 deficiency was present, complete Schilling's test. Special attention was paid to the aetiological inquiry and post-therapeutical course. A series of 109 patients was collected. Decreased serum B12 rates with abnormal Schilling's test and response to parenteral therapy were present in 26 cases (24%). Of them, 22 fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for Biermer's anaemia, while in the remaining 4 there was impaired intestinal absorption. Serum or red-cell folate deficiency was found in 34 other cases (31%). Alcoholism was present in 20 of them, abnormal diet in 10, malabsorption syndrome in 2, and excessive demands in 2 others. Hence, vitamin deficiency underlay macrocytosis in 60/109 cases (55%). In the remaining 49 cases (45%) macrocytosis was not accompanying folate or B12 deficiency. Of these, severe liver disease was found in 16 patients (alcoholic in 15 and post-hepatitis in 1 case), with increased serum B12 in 10 cases and increased serum or erythrocytic folate in 3 others. Nineteen patients within this group had primary myelodysplastic syndromes (RA, 8; SRA, 4; RAEB, 7), and the remaining 14 cases had several haematological (AIHA, 4; CLL, 1, T-cell lymphoma 1, M-6, 1, and myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia, 2) or non-haematological diseases (heart insufficiency, 2; COPD,3).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)