The British journal of surgery
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Comparative Study
Axillary tumour burden in women with a fine-needle aspiration/core biopsy-proven positive node on ultrasonography compared to women with a positive sentinel node.
The sensitivity of axillary ultrasonography (AUS) has increased in recent years, enabling detection of even low-volume axillary nodal metastases. The aim here was to evaluate the axillary tumour burden in women with a fine-needle aspiration/core biopsy-proven positive node on AUS and in those with a positive sentinel node biopsy (SNB). ⋯ Patients with AUS-detected metastases had a higher axillary tumour burden than those with SNB-detected metastases. Around 40 per cent of patients with AUS-detected nodal disease had one or two nodes with macrometastases and were thus overtreated by ALND.
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Assessment of functional outcomes in survivors of severe injury is an identified priority for trauma systems. The predictive Functional Capacity Index (pFCI) within the 2008 Abbreviated Injury Scale dictionary (pFCI08) offers a widely available tool for predicting functional outcomes without requiring long-term follow-up. This study aimed to assess the 12-month functional outcome predictions of pFCI08 in a major trauma population, and to test the assumptions made by its developers to ensure population homogeneity. ⋯ The pFCI08 has only a slight agreement with outcomes following major trauma. However, the age limits in the pFCI development assumptions are unnecessarily restrictive. The pFCI08 may be able to contribute to future systems predicting functional outcomes following severe injury, but is likely to explain only a small proportion of the variability in patient outcomes.
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The aim of the present study was to evaluate how breast cancer prognosis has evolved over time in young women treated with breast-conserving surgery (BCS). ⋯ In the past two decades, both local control and overall prognosis have improved significantly in young women (aged less than 40 years) with breast cancer who undergo BCS.
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Local recurrence of rectal cancer (LRRC) is associated with poor survival unless curative treatment is performed. The aim of this study was to investigate predictive factors for treatment with curative intent in patients with LRRC. ⋯ Non-central location of the LRRC, presence of symptoms and age at least 80 years at diagnosis of the LRRC were associated with treatment with palliative intent.
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It can be difficult to determine the transection line during totally laparoscopic surgery for early gastric cancer owing to lack of tactile feedback. This retrospective cohort study aimed to assess the role of intraoperative endoscopy in determining the resection margin in totally laparoscopic gastrectomy. ⋯ Preoperative placement of marking clips and intraoperative endoscopy is helpful in the determination of a safe surgical margin in patients with gastric cancer who undergo laparoscopic gastrectomy.