Annals of surgical oncology
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To evaluate the long-term disease-free and overall survival of patients with sentinel lymph node (SLN) micrometastases, in whom a completion axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) was systematically omitted. ⋯ This analysis of unselected patients provides evidence that a completion level I and II ALND may be safely omitted in early-stage breast cancer patients with SLN micrometastases.
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Positive volume-outcome relationships exist for cancers treated with technically complex surgery, including ovarian cancer. However, contemporary patterns of primary surgical care for ovarian cancer according to hospital and surgeon case volume remain poorly defined. ⋯ The proportions of ovarian cancer patients undergoing primary surgery at high volume centers and by high-volume surgeons increased statistically significantly from 1990-2000 to 2001-2008. Further investigation is necessary to determine factors contributing to this favorable trend.
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Comparative Study
Racial differences in cancer specialist consultation, treatment, and outcomes for locoregional pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Blacks have a higher incidence of pancreatic adenocarcinoma and worse outcomes compared to whites. Identifying barriers in pancreatic cancer care may explain survival differences and provide areas for intervention. ⋯ Racial disparities exist in pancreatic cancer specialist consultation and subsequent therapy use. Because receipt of care is fundamental to reducing outcome discrepancies, these barriers serve as discrete intervention points to ensure all locoregional pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients receive appropriate specialist referral and subsequent therapy.
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Surgical therapy has been proven to be the mainstay of treatment for hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer (CRM) in the appropriate patient. Previous contraindications were patients with extrahepatic disease (EHD) do not benefit from liver resection or ablation. We hypothesized that the survival of patients with EHD who receive aggressive multimodality care would be the same as those without EHD. ⋯ A thorough understanding of the biology of disease and appropriate multimodality care can lead to improved survival in patients with EHD, when compared with chemotherapy alone.