Postgraduate medical journal
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Prostate cancer is receiving ever more publicity with the result that more men are having their prostate specific antigen checked and a greater proportion of men are diagnosed with potentially curable localised disease. Advances in the therapeutic modalities including radical surgery, external beam radiotherapy, and brachytherapy have reduced the incidence of side effects and now offer patients a choice of treatments depending on their tumour characteristics, age, and co-morbidity. ⋯ This review examines the potentially curative options, as well as expectant management, outlining the pros and cons of each. The use of adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy is also discussed.
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In this brief review, the role of various ancillary techniques to detect malignancy in effusion fluid are evaluated and discussed. The data were collected from a large number of research articles published in various medical journals. The role of these techniques to increase the diagnostic accuracy in serous effusions is emphasised.
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Case Reports Historical Article
"Osler's phenomenon": misdiagnosing Cushing's syndrome.
The clinical manifestations of Cushing's syndrome can be quite variable and are frequently mistaken, with consequent delayed diagnosis and significant morbidity and mortality. Harvey Cushing described the typical signs and symptoms of Cushing's syndrome but unfortunately attributed the features to myxoedema. The first typical description of a patient with Cushing's syndrome was probably made by Sir William Osler in 1898. ⋯ Increasing clinical awareness and the use of appropriate screening tests should facilitate earlier diagnosis with reduced morbidity and mortality. Although the syndrome is named after Harvey Cushing, Sir William Osler was probably the first to describe it. Therefore, in deference to Osler's contribution to Cushing's syndrome and the work of Harvey Cushing, it is suggested that to the list of the other eponymous conditions of Osler-Weber-Rendu and Osler's nodes, should be added the delay or misdiagnosis of Cushing's syndrome-"Osler's phenomenon".