Prognostic value of sentinel node biopsy in 327 prospective melanoma patients from a single institution

AIM

To confirm the accuracy of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) procedure and its morbidity, and to investigate predictive factors for SN status and prognostic factors for disease-free survival (DFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between October 1997 and December 2004, 327 consecutive patients in one centre with clinically node-negative primary skin melanoma underwent an SNB by the triple technique, i.e. lymphoscintigraphy, blue-dye and gamma-probe. Multivariate logistic regression analyses as well as the Kaplan-Meier were performed.

RESULTS

Twenty-three percent of the patients had at least one metastatic SN, which was significantly associated with Breslow thickness (p<0.001). The success rate of SNB was 99.1% and its morbidity was 7.6%. With a median follow-up of 33 months, the 5-year DFS/DSS were 43%/49% for patients with positive SN and 83.5%/87.4% for patients with negative SN, respectively. The false-negative rate of SNB was 8.6% and sensitivity 91.4%. On multivariate analysis, DFS was significantly worsened by Breslow thickness (RR=5.6, p<0.001), positive SN (RR=5.0, p<0.001) and male sex (RR=2.9, p=0.001). The presence of a metastatic SN (RR=8.4, p<0.001), male sex (RR=6.1, p<0.001), Breslow thickness (RR=3.2, p=0.013) and ulceration (RR=2.6, p=0.015) were significantly associated with a poorer DSS.

CONCLUSION

SNB is a reliable procedure with high sensitivity (91.4%) and low morbidity. Breslow thickness was the only statistically significant parameter predictive of SN status. DFS was worsened in decreasing order by Breslow thickness, metastatic SN and male gender. Similarly DSS was significantly worsened by a metastatic SN, male gender, Breslow thickness and ulceration. These data reinforce the SN status as a powerful staging procedure.

[Lymphoepithelial cysts of the parotid gland: a pathology linked to HIV infection]

We review the various lesions encountered in the parotid gland associated with HIV infection and propose guidelines for the management of a chronic parotid swelling in this setting. Lymphoepithelial cysts is the main diagnosis of parotid masses presented by HIV positive patients. This benign condition is diagnosed on cytology and the treatment is usually conservative. Patients with a diagnosis of lymphoepithelial cysts should be tested for HIV.

[Treatment of laryngeal cancer: cordectomy or crico-hyoido-epiglottopexy versus radiotherapy]

INTRODUCTION

Both radiotherapy and endoscopic or open functional surgery are recognised treatments for laryngeal cancer stage I and II. A comparison between two groups of patients treated with either modality may clarify the indications for both treatments.

METHODS

Over a period of 13 years two separate series of patients were treated for laryngeal cancer (stage I and II) by either surgery (n = 72) or radiotherapy (n = 81). We have analysed and compared the two groups.

RESULTS

Statistical analyses show a better local control among patients treated with surgery, when the anterior commissure was involved (p < 0.01) or with extension of the tumour (T2). However, long-term survivals were not significantly different in the two groups. As postradiation recurrence was diagnosed at an early stage, salvage (requiring total laryngectomy in many cases) was efficient but contributed to an appreciable difference in the long-term laryngeal preservation rate between the two groups (91% after radiotherapy and 99% after surgery).

CONCLUSION

The treatment of laryngeal cancer must always compromise between oncological efficiency and functional preservation. With anterior commissure involvement (T1b) or more extensive disease (T2), surgery appears to be better. Therefore, preservation of perfect laryngeal function should be subordinate to oncological safety.

Supracricoid partial laryngectomy with cricohyoidoepiglottopexy and cricohyoidopexy for glottic and supraglottic carcinomas

OBJECTIVES

To review the patients operated in our department with supracricoid partial laryngectomy with either cricohyoidoepiglottopexy (CHEP) (59 cases) or cricohyoidopexy (CHP) (10 cases) technique, for primary or recurrent glottosupraglottic squamous cell carcinoma and compare the technique with other surgical or conservative approaches for treatment of laryngeal carcinoma.

METHODS

From hospital charts, we retrospectively reviewed 69 patients who had undergone supracricoid partial laryngectomy with the CHEP or CHP technique between 1983 and 1996 for primary or recurrent glottosupraglottic squamous cell carcinoma in our department. Statistical evaluation of oncological and functional results were conducted. Results were compared with other surgical and conservative treatment for glottosupraglottic carcinoma of the larynx that were published previously in the literature.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine patients had CHEP or CHP for glottosupraglottic carcinoma of the larynx. Thirteen percent of the patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. Minimum follow-up was 2 years or until death. Five-year actuarial survival (Kaplan-Meier method) was 68%. Global local control was achieved in 84% of cases. Among previously untreated patients (n = 54), local control rate was 94.5%. After 1 year, 92.7% of patients achieved normal swallowing and respiration. Salvage total laryngectomy had to be performed in four patients (5.7%) for persistent aspiration and in five patients (7.2%), who were previously treated with radiotherapy, for local recurrence. No permanent tracheostomy or gastrostomy was required.

CONCLUSIONS

Our experience with supracricoid partial laryngectomy with either CHP or CHEP suggests that this technique is a valuable alternative to radiotherapy for T2-T4 glottosupraglottic carcinomas, particularly those with extension and invasion of the anterior commissure. It allows for preservation of a good laryngeal function without altering the long-term survival, keeping total laryngectomy as a salvage procedure.

Evaluation of 250 free-flap reconstructions after resection of tumours of the head and neck

BACKGROUND

Microvascular free-tissue transfer is now the primary method of reconstruction in many centres. The aim of this study was to evaluate the applications, complications and limitations of free-flap reconstruction in a series of patients with tumours of the head and neck.

METHODS

This study reviewed prospectively accessioned computerized records in a dedicated head and neck database. Patients treated between 1987 and 1995 with a minimum of a 1-year follow-up were reviewed. There were 242 patients with a mean age of 58 years (172 men and 70 women). The most common tumour sites were oral cavity (42%), oropharynx (32%) and hypopharynx (11%). Mucosal squamous carcinoma accounted for 87% of primary cancers.

RESULTS

Among the 250 free flaps, the radial forearm flap (205) and free jejunum (25) predominated. There were 21 episodes of vascular occlusion (8%), failure of 10 flaps (4%) and two patients died peri-operatively (0.8%). A second free flap was used in five of 10 cases of flap failure. The fistula rate was 4.4% among 203 patients at risk for this complication, which comprised four of 178 forearm flaps and five of 25 free jejunal grafts. Four of 16 jaw reconstructions failed.

CONCLUSIONS

A 96% success rate was achieved using free-tissue transfer for head and neck reconstruction. The overall complication rate was low but jaw reconstruction and free jejunal grafts posed the greatest problems because of failure of radial bone and fistulas, respectively. The radial forearm septocutaneous flap was very reliable and remains our mainstay for oral reconstruction.

Field cancerisation and polyclonal p53 mutation in the upper aero-digestive tract

Field cancerisation of the aerodigestive tract is caused by chronic exposure to alcohol and tobacco, but the nature of the genetic alterations preceding overt malignancy is unknown. To identify potential field changes we have used a functional assay which tests the transcriptional competence of human p53 expressed in yeast. To increase the sensitivity and reliability of the technique for samples containing under 20% mutant p53, the 5' and 3'-ends of the p53 cDNA were examined separately. With this split form of the assay the tissue p53 mRNA acts as its own control for RNA quality. Mutations were detected in 87% (46/53) of tumours, reflecting the high sensitivity of the technique. Multiple biopsies of histologically normal tissue from the upper aero-digestive tract were tested and clonal p53 mutations were identified in 76% (38/50) of biopsies from patients presenting with multiple tumours compared with 32% (38/117) of biopsies from patients presenting with single tumours (P<0.000001). All patients (16/16) presenting with multiple tumours had at least one positive biopsy, compared with only 53% (19/36) of patients presenting with single tumours (P <0.001). This defines expansion of multiple clones of mutant p53-containing cells as an important biological mechanism of field cancerisation, and provides a means to identify patients likely to benefit from intensive screening for the development of new head and neck tumours.

A simple p53 functional assay for screening cell lines, blood, and tumors

Mutations in the p53 gene are implicated in the pathogenesis of half of all human tumors. We have developed a simple functional assay for p53 mutation in which human p53 expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae activates transcription of the ADE2 gene. Consequently, yeast colonies containing wild-type p53 are white and colonies containing mutant p53 are red. Since this assay tests the critical biological function of p53, it can distinguish inactivating mutations from functionally silent mutations. By combining this approach with gap repair techniques in which unpurified p53 reverse transcription-PCR products are cloned by homologous recombination in vivo it is possible to screen large numbers of samples and multiple clones per sample for biologically important mutations. This means that mutations can be detected in tumor specimens contaminated with large amounts of normal tissue. In addition, the assay detects temperature-sensitive mutants, which give pink colonies. We show here that this form of p53 functional assay can be used rapidly to detect germline mutations in blood samples, somatic mutations in tumors, and mutations in cell lines.