bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Carotid artery surgery vs. stent: A cardiovascular perspective
Authors: Alhaddad Imad A. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractStroke is a major health catastrophe that is responsible for the third most common cause of death and the leading cause of disability. Carotid artery stenosis is an important cause of brain infarctions and the risk of stroke is directly related to the severity of carotid artery stenosis and to the presence of symptoms. Familiarity with different methods of measuring degrees of carotid artery stenosis is a key in understanding the role of revascularization of this disorder. Carotid endarterectomy (CEA), surgical removal of the carotid atherosclerotic plaque, is intended to prevent stroke in patients with carotid artery stenosis and currently the most commonly performed vascular procedure in the United States. Several randomized clinical trials had demonstrated the benefits of CEA in selected groups of patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. However, CEA can cause stroke, the very thing it intended to prevent, and is associated with significant perioperative complications such as those related to general anesthesia, cardiac or nerve injury. Moreover, several anatomical and medical conditions may limit candidates for CEA. Carotid artery stenting (CS) is an evolving and less invasive technique for carotid artery revascularization. Recent studies demonstrated that CS with embolic protection devices has become an alternative to CEA for high‐surgical‐risk patients and the procedure of choice for stenoses inaccessible by surgery. The role of CS in low risk patients awaits the completion of several ongoing studies. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2004;63:377–384. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Infective endocarditis resulting from CardioSEAL closure of a patent foramen ovale
Authors: Goldstein Jeffrey A. , Beardslee Michael A. , Xu Haodong , Sundt Thoralf M. , Lasala John M. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractPatent foramen ovale and atrial septal aneurysm are associated with an increased risk of cryptogenic stroke and recurrent thromboembolic events. Percutaneous closure is a therapeutic option to medical therapy and surgical closure. We present the first case of endocarditis associated with a CardioSEAL device closing a patent foramen ovale. Cathet Cardiovasc Intervent 2002;55:217–220. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort
Authors: Calle Eugenia E. , Rodriguez Carmen , Jacobs Eric J. , Almon M. Lyn , Chao Ann , McCullough Marjorie L. , Feigelson Heather S. , Thun Michael J. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractBACKGROUNDLarge‐scale, prospective cohort studies have played a critical role in discovering factors that contribute to variability in cancer risk in human populations. Epidemiologists and volunteers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) were among the first to establish such cohorts, beginning in the early 1950s and continuing through the present, and these ACS cohorts have made landmark contributions in many areas of epidemiologic research.METHODS AND RESULTSThe Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort was established in 1992 and was designed to investigate the relation between diet and other lifestyle factors and exposures and the risk of cancer, mortality, and survival. The cohort includes over 84,000 men and 97,000 women who completed a mailed questionnaire in 1992. New questionnaires are sent to surviving cohort members every other year to update exposure information and to ascertain new occurrences of cancer; a 90% response rate was achieved for follow‐up questionnaires in 1997 and 1999. Reported cancers are verified through medical records, registry linkage, or death certificates. The cohort is followed actively for all cases of incident cancer and for all causes of death. Through a collaborative effort among ACS national and division staff, volunteers, and the American College of Surgeons, blood samples were collected from a subgroup of 40,000 cohort members and are in storage at a central repository for future investigation of dietary, hormonal, genetic, and other factors and cancer risk. Collection of DNA samples from buccal cells in an additional 50,000 cohort members is underway currently and will be completed in 2002.CONCLUSIONSThis new cohort of both men and women promises to be particularly valuable for the study of cancer occurrence, mortality, and survival as they relate to obesity and weight change, physical activity at various points in life, vitamin supplement use, exogenous hormone use, other medications (such as aspirin and nonsteroidal anti‐ inflammatory drugs) and cancer screening modalities. Cancer 2002;94:2490–2501. © 2002 American Cancer Society.DOI 10.1002/cncr.101970
Colorectal carcinoma in poor blacks
Authors: Freeman Harold P. , Alshafie Tarek A. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractBACKGROUNDDeath rates for most cancers continue to be higher for African Americans, particularly those in inner cities. Harlem Hospital serves a poor, predominantly African‐American community in New York City.METHODSTumor registry records for 615 patients treated for colorectal carcinoma at Harlem Hospital between 1973 and 1992 were reviewed.RESULTSOf the patients, 45.2% were male and 54.8% female, 97.2% were black, and 82% resided in Harlem. All patients were symptomatic at the time of diagnosis;15.3% were first diagnosed intraoperatively; 8.4% were in American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage I, 20.8% Stage II, 22.8% Stage III, 39.0% Stage IV, and 8.0% could not be staged. Colon resection with intention of cure was performed on 50.6%, 21.5% had palliative resection, and 11.6% had colostomy or other palliative surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy was given to 6.2%; 16.9% had no surgical treatment because of advanced stage, poor condition, or refusal of surgery; 12.7% presented with perforation or intestinal obstruction. Operative mortality was 15.3% overall and 10.6% for 311 patients who had surgery with intention of cure. Twenty‐five patients had local recurrence, 86 had subsequent distant metastases, and 33 patients had both local and distant recurrence. Forty‐nine patients (8%) were lost to follow‐up. The 5‐year crude survival rate for 615 patients was 18.7%. The relative survival rate was 19.7%, substantially lower than the national average for the same years.CONCLUSIONSAlthough colorectal carcinoma mortality continues to decline nationally, in this population of poor blacks the mortality rate remained high and unchanged. The most important cause of this is late presentation at an incurable stage, resulting from the combined effects of poverty, lack of education, and lack of access to primary care. Culturally sensitive educational programs and accessible health care systems for the poor are needed. Cancer 2002;94:2327–32. © 2002 American Cancer Society.DOI 10.1002/cncr.10486
Neutrophilic‐chronic myeloid leukemia
Authors: Verstovsek Srdan , Lin Hui , Kantarjian Hagop , Saglio Giuseppe , De Micheli Daniela , Pane Fabrizio , Garcia‐Manero Guillermo , Intrieri Mariano , Rotoli Bruno , Salvatore Francesco , Guo Jie Q. , Talpaz Moshe , Specchia Giorgina , Pizzolo Gianni , Liberati Anna Marina , Cortes Jorge , Quackenbush Robert C. , Arlinghaus Ralph B. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractBACKGROUNDNeutrophilic‐chronic myeloid leukemia (CML‐N) has been described as a CML variant associated both with a distinctive molecular defect of the Philadelphia chromosome and with a more benign clinical course than classic CML. The translocation (9;22) in CML‐N results in the transcription of an e19/a2 type BCR/ABL mRNA that codes for a 230‐kD BCR/ABL protein (p230). The indolence of the clinical course of patients with CML‐N has been disputed.METHODSThe objectives of this study were to quantify and correlate with clinical outcome the p230 mRNA and protein in patients with CML‐N, to describe six new patients and the follow‐up (with molecular analysis) of five previously reported patients with CML‐N, and to review characteristics of all patients with CML‐N and p230 BCR/ABL reported to date in the literature.RESULTSQuantitative polymerase chain reaction assays on specimens from the great majority of patients with CML‐N revealed minimal numbers of molecules of p230 BCR/ABL transcripts per total RNA. This also was associated with a lack of detectable p230 BCR/ABL protein in patient specimens, even in one patient who was followed for 16 years after diagnosis. This may explain the milder leukemic phenotype in most patients with CML‐N. A review of all 23 patients who had an e19/a2 type BCR/ABL translocation suggested that the low level of p230 BCR/ABL mRNA and the lack of detectable p230 BCR/ABL protein in patients with no additional cytogenetic abnormalities may predict their indolent clinical course.CONCLUSIONSPatients with p230 positive CML‐N have indolent course, probably as a result of low p230 mRNA and protein levels. This supports the need to conduct additional molecular studies, even if cytogenetic studies have revealed t(9;22), because of the prognostic importance of the molecular findings. Cancer 2002;94:2416–25. © 2002 American Cancer Society.DOI 10.1002/cncr.10490
Molecular events associated with dysplastic morphologic transformation and initiation of ovarian tumorigenicity
Authors: Yang Dong‐Hua , Smith Elizabeth R. , Cohen Cynthia , Wu Hong , Patriotis Christos , Godwin Andrew K. , Hamilton Thomas C. , Xu Xiang‐Xi 
Published: October 2004

AbstractBACKGROUNDDisabled‐2 (Dab2), a candidate tumor suppressor of ovarian carcinoma, frequently (around 80%) loses its expression in ovarian tumors. Expression of exogenous Dab2 in tumor cell lines negatively regulates growth and suppresses the downstream signal of the Ras/mitogen activated protein kinase mitogenic pathway. The inactivation of Dab2 is believed to be an early event in ovarian tumorigenicity.METHODSThe authors analyzed the correlation among expression of Dab2, presence of basement membrane (collagen IV and laminin), morphologic alteration of the surface epithelial cells, and expression of the mitotic index marker Mib‐1 in 50 archived ovarian tumors by an immunohistochemical approach. The stainings of Dab2, Mib‐1, collagen IV, and laminin in premalignant lesions bordering both normal and neoplastic ovarian surface epithelium from adjacent slides were analyzed in 50 ovarian tumors.RESULTSIn these 50 ovarian tumors, the percentage of Mib‐1 positive tumor cells distributed in a wide range, from 1% to 75%, and there has no strong correlation with the expression of Dab2. However, in the premalignant regions bordering tumor and normal ovarian surface epithelium, the loss of Dab2 expression closely correlated with the dysplastic morphologic transition and Mib‐1 expression of the ovarian surface epithelial cells. In 20 foci in 12 out of the 50 tumors, a transition from normal to neoplastic morphology within a contiguous epithelium was observed, and in all cases the morphologic change correlated with the loss of Dab2 staining. In addition, the collagen and laminin staining of the basement membrane were absent or weakened in pre‐malignant epithelium prior to loss of Dab2 expression in all these 20 cases. Nevertheless, collagen IV and laminin were detectable in established adenomas on the same tumor slides.CONCLUSIONSThe loss of Dab2 is closely associated with the transition of ovarian surface epithelial cells to premalignant states and is likely involved in the initiation of ovarian tumorigenicity. Transient loss of collagen IV and laminin in the basement membrane of the premalignant epithelium and subsequent inactivation of Dab2 are common early events associated with tumorigenicity of the ovarian surface epithelium. Cancer 2002;94:2380–92. © 2002 American Cancer Society.DOI 10.1002/cncr.10497
Lhermitte sign and urinary retention
Authors: Taieb Sarah , Trillet‐Lenoir Véronique , Rambaud Loïc , Descos Louis , Freyer Gilles 
Published: October 2004

AbstractBACKGROUNDRegimens combining oxaliplatin with fluorouracil and folinic acid are standard therapeutic options for patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma. Oxaliplatin has a good safety profile, although it is responsible for dose‐limiting neurotoxicity typically consisting of two distinct clusters of symptoms. Cold‐induced distal paresthesiae occur during or shortly after infusion in most patients and are usually transient and mild. A persistent sensory peripheral neuropathy may develop with prolonged treatment, eventually causing superficial and deep sensory loss, sensory ataxia and functional impairment.METHODSThe authors report four cases of atypical neurotoxicity induced by oxaliplatin in patients treated for metastatic colorectal carcinoma. Two patients were male and two were female, with an age range of 52–59 years.RESULTSThree patients experienced Lhermitte sign and two experienced urinary retention. In all cases, the cumulative dose of oxaliplatin was higher than 1000 mg (range, 1248–2040 mg). Brain and spinal magnetic resonance imaging was performed in two patients and was normal. Somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded in two patients and suggested cervical dorsal column dysfunction. Symptoms resolved a few weeks after discontinuation of oxaliplatin.CONCLUSIONSLhermitte sign may be induced via a neurotoxic effect on the ascending axons of these T‐shaped neurons. An atonic bladder may be the result of damage to the sensory portion of the sacral reflex arc, either in the dorsal roots, as for example in diabetic neuropathy, or in the posterior columns, as in tabes dorsalis. Alternatively, it may result from a paralysis of the parasympathetic fibers that control the bladder musculature. It is unclear at present whether the micturition difficulties observed in patients in the current series are due to sensory neuropathy or to autonomic neuropathy, event if the former hypothesis seems more likely, as autonomic neuropathy has not been previously observed with oxaliplatin, and its association with cisplatin is exceedingly rare and controversial. Cancer 2002;94:2434–40. © 2002 American Cancer Society.DOI 10.1002/cncr.10500
Motor nervous system impairment persists in long‐term survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Lehtinen Satu S. , Huuskonen Usko E. , Harila‐Saari Arja H. , Tolonen Uolevi , Vainionpää Leena K. , Lanning B. Marjatta 
Published: October 2004

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe objective of the current study was to determine whether therapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) results in long‐lasting neurologic signs or electrophysiologic injuries within the motor tracts.METHODSTwenty‐seven children who were treated for ALL were studied clinically 5 years after the cessation of therapy by means of motor‐evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by magnetic stimulation transcranially and peripherally. An equal number of healthy children matched with regard to age, gender, and height served as the control group.RESULTSThe MEP latencies to the hands and legs elicited by stimulation at the cortex were prolonged significantly in the children treated for ALL compared with the control group, with the differences being 2.2 milliseconds [ms] (P < 0.001) from the cortex to the thenar on the right side and 2.0 ms (P < 0.001) on the left, and 1.4 ms (P = 0.004) from the cortex to the leg on the right side and 1.3 ms (P = 0.004) on the left. Correspondingly, the MEP latency from the fifth lumbar vertebrae (LV) level to the leg also was prolonged, by 1.0 ms (P = 0.005) on the right side and 0.8 ms (P = 0.005) on the left side. The calculated latency between the cortex and the LV level was not found to be significantly longer in those patients treated for ALL compared with the healthy controls. Neurologic signs, in the form of depressed deep tendon reflexes, were observed in 8% of the patients, whereas approximately 33% of the patients were found to have fine or gross motor difficulties and dysdiadochokinesia.CONCLUSIONSNeurologic signs still persisted 5 years after therapy for ALL. Approximately 33% of the patients had fine or gross motor difficulties and dysdiadochokinesia, and demyelinative injuries to the peripheral nerve tracts were found proximally but not within the central nervous system. Cancer 2002;94:2466–73. © 2002 American Cancer Society.DOI 10.1002/cncr.10503
Tumor volume as a prognostic factor for sarcomatosis
Authors: Bilimoria Malcolm M. , Holtz Daniel J. , Mirza Nadeem Q. , Feig Barry W. , Pisters Peter W. T. , Patel Shreyaskumar , Pollock Raphael E. , Benjamin Robert S. , Papadopoulos Nicholas E. , Plager Carl , Murphy Anne , Griffin Janet R. , Burgess Michael A. , Hunt Kelly K. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe appropriate therapeutic interventions for sarcomatosis, or sarcoma characterized by intraabdominal dissemination, remain unclear. The authors performed a retrospective analysis of their recent experience with patients diagnosed with sarcomatosis to determine the overall survival and the effects of clinicopathologic features on survival rates at two and four years.METHODSA query of the authors' prospective soft tissue sarcoma database identified 51 patients with a diagnosis of sarcomatosis who were evaluated at the authors' institution between June 1996 and June 1999. Clinical and pathologic factors were evaluated, and survival was calculated using a Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis. Disease was categorized as low or high volume based on findings at surgical exploration or computed tomography scan evaluation. Disease was classified as low/intermediate grade or high grade based upon histologic examination.RESULTSTwenty five patients were male and 26 were female. The median time from the initial diagnosis of sarcoma to the development of sarcomatosis was 0.9 years (range, 0‐26 years). Thirty nine patients were treated with surgery, whereas 32 received primarily nonsurgical treatment. Histology revealed gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in 33 patients and other histologies in 18 patients. The two year overall survival rate of patients with GIST was similar to that of patients with other types of sarcoma (38% versus 42%, respectively, P = 0.77). Patients with low volume disease had an overall two year survival rate of 82%, compared with only 24% for patients with high volume disease (P = 0.008). There was no difference in the overall survival rates of patients with low grade (n = 18) versus high grade tumors (n = 33, P = 0.29). With a median followup of 2.7 years (range, 0.5–26.4 years), the median time from sarcomatosis to death was 13 months (range, 4–42 months).CONCLUSIONSEvaluating volume of disease at the time of diagnosis permits stratification of patients into prognosis based subsets. We found no significant difference in two or four year survival rates in patients with GIST and those with non‐GIST sarcomatosis. Cancer 2002;94:2441–6. © 2002 American Cancer Society.DOI 10.1002/cncr.10504
Clinical relevance of fatigue levels in cancer patients at a Veterans Administration Medical Center
Authors: Hwang Shirley S. , Chang Victor T. , Cogswell Janet , Kasimis Basil S. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe correlation of fatigue levels with functional interference, symptom distress, and quality of life may help determine clinically significant fatigue levels.METHODSOne hundred eighty consecutive patients with cancer completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) General and Fatigue subscales (FACT‐G and FACT‐F, respectively), the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale‐Short Form (MSAS‐SF), the Depression Scale (Zung), and the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI). The Karnofsky performance status (KPS) was determined for each patient. Multivariate analyses of variance were performed to compare fatigue models with different cut‐off points to categorize fatigue levels. Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to assess the association between fatigue severity and survival.RESULTSIncreased fatigue levels were associated with greater symptom distress and decreased quality of life. A model with usual fatigue cut‐off points of 0 (no fatigue), 1–2 (mild fatigue), 3–6 (moderate fatigue), and 7–10 (severe fatigue) was optimal in relation to functional interference items (Wilks λ, 0.36; F = 11.61; P < 0.0001), symptom distress scores (Wilks λ, 0.52; F = 10.41; P < 0.0001), and quality‐of‐life scores (Wilks λ, 0.50; F = 0.50; P < 0.0001). Fatigue severity predicted survival in univariate analysis (chi‐square test, 25.42; P < 0.0001). The KPS, stage of disease, and number of symptoms independently predicted survival in patients with fatigue.CONCLUSIONSClinically relevant fatigue levels are correlated with symptom and quality‐of‐life measurements. Patients with a usual fatigue severity > 3 or a worst fatigue severity > 4 on a 1–10 scale may require further assessment. Cancer 2002;94:2481–9. © 2002 American Cancer Society.DOI 10.1002/cncr.10507
Paclitaxel, carboplatin, and topotecan in the treatment of patients with small cell lung carcinoma
Authors: Hainsworth John D. , Morrissey Lisa H. , Scullin Daniel C. , Ann Houston Gerry , Prasthofer Edgar F. , Gray James R. , Burris Howard A. , Greco F. Anthony 
Published: October 2004

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, toxicity, and efficacy of a novel three‐drug regimen containing paclitaxel, carboplatin, and topotecan followed by oral etoposide in the first‐line treatment of patients with small cell lung carcinoma.METHODSOne hundred five patients with previously untreated, limited stage or extensive stage small cell lung carcinoma were treated in this multicenter, community‐based, Phase II trial. All patients received paclitaxel 135 mg/m2 by 1‐hour intravenous (IV) infusion on Day 1, carboplatin at an area under the serum concentration‐time curve of 5.0 IV on Day 1, and topotecan 0.75 mg/ m2 IV on Days 1–3. The treatment regimen was repeated at 21‐day intervals for 4 courses. Patients with limited stage disease also received radiation therapy (45 grays [Gy]; in single daily fractions of 1.8 Gy) beginning concurrently with the third course of chemotherapy. Patients who had an objective response or stable disease after 4 courses of combined paclitaxel, carboplatin, and topotecan then received 3 courses of oral etoposide (50 mg alternating with 100 mg for 10 consecutive days) repeated at 21‐day intervals.RESULTSTreatment with paclitaxel, carboplatin, and topotecan produced response rates of 88% and 93% in patients with extensive stage disease and limited stage disease, respectively. The median survival for patients with extensive stage and limited stage disease was 8.3 months and 17.2 months, respectively. The addition of oral etoposide was feasible, but there was no suggestion that it prolonged remission. This three‐ drug regimen was associated with acceptable toxicity in patients with a good performance status, although it was tolerated very poorly by patients with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 2; 5 of 12 patients (42%) had treatment‐related deaths.CONCLUSIONSAlthough this three‐drug regimen was active in the treatment of patients with small cell lung carcinoma, it was more toxic than standard platinum and etoposide regimens and provided no apparent improvement in efficacy. Further investigation of topotecan as a component of first‐line therapy should focus on two‐drug combination regimens in which the topotecan dose can be optimized. Routine use of three‐drug regimens in patients with small cell lung carcinoma should await demonstration of superiority in randomized trials. Cancer 2002;94:2426–33. © 2002 American Cancer Society.DOI 10.1002/cncr.10508