Annals of surgery
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Carcinomas of the colon and rectum are the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Although advances in the surgical treatment of primary colorectal cancers have lead to improvements in patient survival at early tumor stages, treatment of more progressive cancers has not resulted in dramatic improvements in patient survival. However, the selection of patient subgroups based on their prognosis and other characteristics could result in improved outcomes from adjuvant therapies in patients with Dukes B and C carcinomas. ⋯ Although data exist on the prognostic values of certain cell surface markers, the use of multivariate analysis for the identification of valuable prognostic factors remains uncommon. Using reproducible and standardized multivariate analysis procedures, new tumor markers should be carefully examined for their biologic and prognostic relevance before being considered as potentially useful in the management of colorectal cancers.
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To clarify the effects of lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) on cardiopulmonary circulation during exercise in comparison with pulmonary lobectomy for lung cancer. ⋯ The current study demonstrated that the effects of LVRS on the cardiopulmonary circulation were not negligible, especially during exercise, and successful LVRS may depend on improved respiratory function and also preserved cardiac function that can tolerate the damage to the pulmonary vascular bed induced by this operation.
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To study the ability of bombesin (BBS) to recover gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) and preserve immunity in a lethal model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Ps) pneumonia in mice receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN). ⋯ The results demonstrate that BBS reverses TPN-induced changes in GALT and preserves mucosal immunity. Ps immunization reduces the death rate in a gram-negative pneumonia model and maintains gastrointestinal and respiratory immunity in Ps immune mice receiving IV TPN.