Acta oncologica
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Case-control studies and short term prospective studies have suggested that selected groups of patients with precursors of colorectal cancer may benefit from colonoscopic surveillance after initial removal of adenomas. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate such a possible benefit from long term (1-24 years) colonoscopic surveillance in a population of patients with all types of adenomas regardless of size and way of removal. Two thousand and forty-one patients with a first time diagnosis of colorectal adenoma were included in prospective surveillance between year 1978 and 2002. ⋯ A total of 6 289 colonoscopies resulted in severe complications in 20 patients and two died from complications. Long-term colonoscopic surveillance may reduce incidence of CRC as well as mortality in patients with sporadic adenomas. The benefit is reduced to a minor degree by complications from surveillance.
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Widespread acceptance of breast conserving surgery for early breast cancer has led to renewed interest in multifocality, which is seen in 13-63% of breast cancers. According to current guidelines, oestrogen/progesterone receptor status is assessed on the sample obtained at initial core biopsy or the main tumour focus in multifocal breast cancer (more than one distinct tumour focus in a quadrant). We assessed receptor status of individual foci in multifocal breast cancer. ⋯ Sixteen patients (88%) were oestrogen receptor-positive. Progesterone receptor staining showed more variability between foci in two patients but, since the tumours were oestrogen receptor-positive this would not have affected clinical decision-making. No major differences in oestrogen receptor status between multiple tumour foci in the same quadrant were found in this pilot study.
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We have previously described patient-reported outcomes of late side effects induced by conventional external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), 4 and 8 years after treatment, in 181 patients with localized prostate cancer compared with 141 age-matched controls. In the present study, we compare bowel side effects 15 years after EBRT with the same controls, and with the results of our previous 4-year and 8-year follow-ups. Of the 181 patients and 141 controls at the 4-year follow-up, 45 patients (25%) and 79 controls (56%) were still alive at the 15-year follow-up. ⋯ At the 15-year follow-up, 39% of the patients and 84% of the controls reported no bowel problems (p < 0.001), while 16% of the patients and 0% of the controls reported "Quite a few/many" problems with mucus in the stools (p < 0.001). "Quite a bit/much" stool leakage was reported by 20% of the patients at the 15-year follow-up, in comparison to 4% of the patients at the 4-year follow-up (ns). The proportion of patients reporting late bowel symptoms was unchanged 15 years after EBRT in comparison to the 4-year follow-up. Increased bowel symptoms were seen in patients in comparison to the age-matched controls.
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Presently, no effective systemic therapy is available for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC). We sought to determine whether systemic treatment with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) would yield a response rate of 20% in chemotherapy naïve patients with aHCC. The study was designed according to the phase II Gehan two-step procedure with a precision of 10%. ⋯ PLD can be delivered safely in patients with aHCC and no signs of moderate hepatic failure. The therapy resulted, however, in few responses or cases of disease stabilization and has thus very limited activity in aHCC. Future studies on systemic chemotherapy should focus on patients without moderate hepatic failure, with WHO PS <2, and with liver tumour involvement <50%.