X-ray method for examination of patients with obstructive diseases of the large bowel

The paper presents a new priority X-ray method for examining the large bowel in patients with strictures. It is based on the principle of one-stage double contrasting, that has been substantially modified and supplemented by some distinctive signs and original methodological techniques. A randomized study of 150 patients with stenotic tumors of the distal colon assessed this method in comparison to traditional irrigoscopy and classical double contrasting. The study provided strong evidence for the advantage of the proposed method over the well-known ones. In the presence of stenosis, this method makes it possible to completely examine all the portions of the large bowel in 90% of the cases, to reduce the time of examination by almost 15 minutes and a radiation load per patient by 4 m3v. When the method is applied, the informative value of X-ray characteristics of a colonic stricture maximally retains. This is of great value in examining the category of patients with obstructive diseases of the large bowel, which presents a problem in making a differential diagnosis.     

X-ray study in the examination of patients with perineal fistulas

The paper discusses whether X-ray study of patients with perineal fistulas is required and justified. The main reason is that there is a diversity of diseases which display the same signs as paraproctitis. Of 426 examinees, perineal fistulas were mainly caused by chronic paraproctitis in 85% and by other various diseases showing the similar symptoms in 15%. The basic studies of these patients included fistulography made in 300 patients with external fistulas and proctofistulography performed in 126 patients with incomplete internal fistulas. Comparing the data of X-ray study with those of clinical and morphological ones showed the sensitivity of the former to be 94.5%. Based on the results of their own observations, the authors defined indications for fistulography or proctofistulography. In addition to the analysis of the findings, they present the main points of differential X-ray diagnosis of different diseases manifested by perineal fistulas.     

X-ray diagnosis of lung cancer and its morphological variants

The purpose of the study was to substantiate the capacities of X-ray recognition of the histological types of lung cancer and different tumor differentiation grades. The data available on 238 patients were studied; of them 169 patients were diagnosed as having primary lung cancer that was morphologically verified. In 154 patients, the tumor was not greater than 3.0 cm in diameter and belonged to the main histological types. X-ray study, analogue, digital tomography, X-ray surgery with percutaneous needle biopsy and rapid cytology were used. The diagnosis made by WHO ICD-10 C34.1-3 BDU (probable) and C34.1-3 M (valid) was a criterion for the quality of a accomplished diagnostic case. Of 13 traditional X-ray sings of lung cancer, 6 characteristics of a tumor image were taken for a following analysis. A number of signs correlate with the histological type of lung cancer in the symptom complexes that characterize the image of its histological types. Thus, "specula" are detectable in adenocarcinoma; a lobate pattern and minor focal clarification are also almost without exception characteristic. The differences between the images of squamous-cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The statistical models of lung cancer and its types were tested on 60 patients. Implementation of the optimized symptom complex positively changed the parameters of X-ray diagnosis: there were increases in the sensitivity from 68.6% to 80.0%, in the specificity from 24.3% to 65.0%; in the prognostic value of a positive result from 55.6% to 82.1%; in that of a negative result from 34.0% to 64.9%, and in the accuracy from 50.0% to 75.0%.     

Alternative Processing of the U2 Small Nuclear RNA Produces a 19–22nt Fragment with Relevance for the Detection of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in Human Serum

RNU2 exists in two functional forms (RNU2-1 and RNU2-2) distinguishable by the presence of a unique 4-bases motif. Detailed investigation of datasets obtained from deep sequencing of five human lung primary tumors revealed that both forms express at a high rate a 19–22nt fragment (miR-U2-1 and -2) from its 3′ region and contains the 4-bases motif. Deep sequencing of independent pools of serum samples from healthy donors and lung cancer patients revealed that miR-U2-1 and -2 are pervasively processed in lung tissue by means of endonucleolytic cleavages and stably exported to the blood. Then, microarrays hybridization experiments of matched normal/tumor samples revealed a significant over-expression of miR-U2-1 in 14 of 18 lung primary tumors. Subsequently, qRT-PCR of miR-U2-1 using serum from 62 lung cancer patients and 96 various controls demonstrated that its expression levels identify lung cancer patients with 79% sensitivity and 80% specificity. miR-U2-1 expression correlated with the presence or absence of lung cancer in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), other diseases of the lung – not cancer, and in healthy controls. These data suggest that RNU2-1 is a new bi-functional ncRNA that produces a 19–22nt fragment which may be useful in detecting lung cancer non-invasively in high risk patients.     

Possibilities of CT and US in the diagnosis of colonic cancer

The data of examination of 59 patients with colonic cancer were used to consider the potentialities of transabdominal, transrectal ultrasonography and X-ray computed tomography and to assess their value in diagnosing colonic cancer, including its "minor" forms. The paper describes the ultrasound and computed tomographic semiotics of colonic cancer and determines a place of the above techniques in the algorithm of radiation and instrumental studies. Inclusion of these techniques into the diagnostic algorithm may solve a range of differentially diagnostic problems and allows a preliminary analysis to be made in a tumor lesion according to the International TNM classification. Ultrasonography and X-ray computed tomography should be included into a range of basic methods for diagnosis of colonic cancer.     

Modern radiology in the differential diagnosis of breast diseases accompanied by calcium micromasses

The study was undertaken to enhance the efficiency of diagnosis of breast cancer shown up as calcium micromasses since breast diseases appear as clusters of 50-600-um calciferous inclusions that are not inclined to the formation of conglomerates without a visible node on a X-ray film, may be a manifestation of both sclerosing adenosis and nonpalpable cancer. Of the examined 4500 females aged 15 to 83 years, breast calcium masses were detected in 207. Of them, 39 females were found to have clustered calcium micromasses without a node on a X-ray film; in them cancer and sclerosing adenosis were diagnosed in 28 (71.8%) and 11 (28.2%) females, respectively. Examination was made by using clinical, mammographic, and sonographic studies. Intervention radiology and pathomorphological studies were studied. This has yielded a number of signs that are characteristic of malignant and benign diseases attended by clusters of calcium micromasses in a restricted area without a visible node on X-ray films that assist in making a correct preoperative conclusion with a greater probability in 80%.     

Increased levels of free circulating DNA in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is difficult to diagnose because of numerous interstitial lung diseases with similar symptoms. As serum DNA has proven useful for early lung cancer detection, we aimed to define the relevance of this marker in discriminating IPF from other fibrotic and nonfibrotic/nonmalignant lung diseases. DNA was quantified in 191 subjects: 64 healthy individuals, 58 patients with IPF, 17 patients with nonspecific pulmonary fibrosis (13 idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, 4 chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis), and 52 patients with other diffuse/nonmalignant lung diseases. The median value of free DNA in IPF patients was 61.1 ng/mL (range 7.1-405), which was significantly higher than that of healthy donors (median 6.8, range 2.2-184) (p<0.001) and that of patients with other diffuse/nonmalignant lung diseases (median 28.0, range 4.2-281) (p=0.004). The area under the ROC curve was 0.926 (95% CI 0.879-0.973) when IPF patients were compared with healthy donors, and 0.702 (95% CI 0.609-0.796) when a comparison was made with non-IPF pulmonary diseases. In conclusion, we observed significantly higher levels of free circulating DNA in patients with IPF than in those with other fibrotic or diffuse/nonmalignant lung diseases.     

小细胞肺癌发生阻塞性肺炎相关因素分析

目的通过对小细胞肺癌患者是否发生阻塞性肺炎的相关因素对比分析,了解伴有阻塞性肺炎小细胞肺癌患者临床特点。方法采用回顾性分析方法,收集2003年1月至2013年1月大连医科大学附属第二医院所收治的经组织学或细胞学确诊的小细胞肺癌患者共450例。经核查资料后,进入统计学的伴有阻塞性肺炎组100例,不伴有阻塞性肺炎组112例,均为初治。对以下因素进行分析：性别、年龄、居住环境、吸烟情况、分期、肿瘤位置、病理类型、初始疗效、NSE（神经元特异性烯醇化酶）。计数资料率和构成比的比较采用卡方检验。结果本组研究中伴有阻塞性肺炎组患者100例中,吸烟患者占76%,小细胞未分化癌患者占81%,中心型癌患者占52%,广泛期患者占57%,NSE阳性率为92%,均高于不伴有阻塞性肺炎组患者。不伴有阻塞性肺炎组的小细胞癌患者初始疗效有效率明显高于伴有阻塞性肺炎组患者。两组在性别、年龄、居住环境方面差异无统计学意义。结论伴有阻塞性肺炎组的小细胞肺癌患者NSE阳性率高于不伴有阻塞性肺炎组。吸烟是小细胞肺癌患者发生阻塞性肺炎的高危因素。阻塞性肺炎降低小细胞癌患者化疗初始疗效。     

Nanoparticle-based biocompatible and targeted drug delivery: characterization and in vitro studies

Paclitaxel nanoparticles (PAX NPs) prepared with the size of 110 ± 10 nm and ζ potential of -40 ± 3 mV were encapsulated in synthetic/biomacromolecule shell chitosan, dextran-sulfate using a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. Zeta potential measurements, analysis of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the successful adsorption of each layer. Surface modifications of these core-shell NPs were performed by covalently conjugating with poly(ethylene glycol) (H(2)N-PEG-carboxymethyl, M(w) 3400) and fluorescence labeled wheat germ agglutinin (F-WGA) to build a biocompatible and targeted drug delivery system. 32% of PAX was released from four bilayers of biomacromolecule assembled NPs within 8 h as compared with >85% of the drug released from the bare NPs. Moreover, high cell viability with PEG conjugation and high binding capacity of WGA-modified NPs with Caco-2 cells were observed. This biocompatible and targeted NP-based drug delivery system, therefore, may be considered as a potential candidate for the treatment of colonic cancer and other diseases.     

Identification of lung cancer with high sensitivity and specificity by blood testing

Background

Lung cancer is a very frequent and lethal tumor with an identifiable risk population. Cytological analysis and chest X-ray failed to reduce mortality, and CT screenings are still controversially discussed. Recent studies provided first evidence for the potential usefulness of autoantigens as markers for lung cancer.

Methods

We used extended panels of arrayed antigens and determined autoantibody signatures of sera from patients with different kinds of lung cancer, different common non-tumor lung pathologies, and controls without any lung disease by a newly developed computer aided image analysis procedure. The resulting signatures were classified using linear kernel Support Vector Machines and 10-fold cross-validation.

Results

The novel approach allowed for discriminating lung cancer patients from controls without any lung disease with a specificity of 97.0%, a sensitivity of 97.9%, and an accuracy of 97.6%. The classification of stage IA/IB tumors and controls yielded a specificity of 97.6%, a sensitivity of 75.9%, and an accuracy of 92.9%. The discrimination of lung cancer patients from patients with non-tumor lung pathologies reached an accuracy of 88.5%.

Conclusion

We were able to separate lung cancer patients from subjects without any lung disease with high accuracy. Furthermore, lung cancer patients could be seprated from patients with other non-tumor lung diseases. These results provide clear evidence that blood-based tests open new avenues for the early diagnosis of lung cancer.     

钼靶X射线与彩色多普勒超声对乳腺癌的影像学特征及诊断价值比较分析

摘要 目的：探讨乳腺癌患者钼靶X射线与彩色多普勒超声（CDUs）的影像学特征及联合应用的诊断价值。方法：前瞻性选取 2018年1月至2021年6月收入安徽医科大学附属巢湖医院且疑似为乳腺癌患者120例,所有患者均接受钼靶X射线与CDUs技术检查,以手术病理为金标准,分别观察钼靶X射线与CDUs对不同大小乳腺癌的诊断价值、比较乳腺癌钼靶X射线与CDUs的影像特征,探讨钼靶X射线及CDUs单独应用及联合应用的诊断效能。结果：120例患者确诊乳腺癌者106例,证实为良性病变者14例。对于不同直径的乳腺癌诊断比较中,CDUs检查直径<1 cm病灶31个（29.25%）,钼靶X射线检查直径<1 cm病灶23个（21.70%）,组间比较具有统计学差异（P<0.05）;对于直径>3 cm病灶,钼靶X射线检查22个（20.75%）,CDUs检查为14个（13.21%）,组间比较具有统计学差异（P<0.05）。乳腺癌钼靶X射线与CDUs的影像特征比较显示,钼靶X射线对于点状微小钙化检查72个（67.92%）、边缘模糊伴毛刺病灶检查84个（79.25%）,二者征象检出率明显高于CDUs检查40个（37.36%）、47个（44.34%）,组间比较具有统计学差异（P<0.05）;CDUs对于肿块影检查个（76.42%）、增粗血管影或血流信号异常病灶检查79个（74.53%）,二者征象检出率明显高于钼靶X射线检查54（50.94%）个、57（53.77%）个,组间比较具有统计学差异（P<0.05）。钼靶X射线及CDUs诊断效能研究显示钼靶X射线联合CDUs技术检查的敏感度、特异度、准确度、阴性预测值（NPV）以及阳性预测值（PPV）分别为93.40%、93.41%、95.83%、64.29%及76.98%,均高于钼靶X射线的83.02%、88.89%、80.19%、15.81%及51.88%,亦高于CDUs技术的78.30%、75.47%、85.83%、28.57%及30.98%,多组数据单因素方差分析具有统计学差异（P<0.05）。结论：钼靶X射线与CDUs技术在诊断乳腺癌方面各有优缺点,二者联合检查利于提升对乳腺癌的诊断准确性,减少误诊漏诊的情况发生。     

Tumor markers in pancreatic cancer: a comparative clinical study between CEA, CA 19-9 and CA 50

Seventy-eight patients were evaluated to ascertain the usefulness of markers CA 19-9 and CA 50 in diagnosing pancreatic cancer, using a less specific marker (CEA) as reference. Three groups were considered: a) 36 controls; b) 22 patients with benign obstructive jaundice; c) 20 patients with pancreatic cancer. Preoperative blood samples were obtained to ascertain CEA (E.I.A.), CA 19-9 (R.I.A.) and CA 50 (T.R.-F.I.A.). Serum concentrations of the various markers were significantly higher for patients with pancreatic cancer in comparison with the other groups, at cut-offs of 10 ng/ml (CEA), 100 ng/ml (CA 19-9) and 170 U/ml (CA 50). The sensitivity of CA 19-9 (94%) and CA 50 (88%) was much greater than that of CEA (30%). The specificity of the three markers in patients with pancreatic cancer, with respect to the control group, was 100% and this figure is reduced with respect to the group suffering from benign obstructive jaundice (CEA: 90%; CA 19-9: 88% and CA 50: 87%). Diagnostic results (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (P.P.V.) and negative predictive value (N.P.V.] did not significantly increase with respect to CA 19-9 and CA 50 when considered individually. It is concluded that the serum concentrations of CA 19-9 and CA 50 showed high sensitivity and specificity as markers of pancreatic cancer with respect to the other groups, pointing towards clinical routine clinical use of both markers. In addition, a comparative study of the literature has been made and prospects for short-term development and concrete applications for early and reliable diagnosis have been highlighted.     

Pneumocystis jirovecii colonization in chronic pulmonary disease

Pneumocystis jirovecii causes pneumonia in immunosuppressed individuals. However, it has been reported the detection of low levels of Pneumocystis DNA in patients without signs and symptoms of pneumonia, which likely represents colonization. Several studies performed in animals models and in humans have demonstrated that Pneumocystis induces a local and a systemic response in the host. Since P jirovecii colonization has been found in patients with chronic pulmonary diseases it has been suggested that P jirovecii may play a role in the physiopathology and progression of those diseases. In this report we revise P. jirovecii colonization in different chronic pulmonary diseases such us, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial lung diseases, cystic fibrosis and lung cancer.     

Cross-reactivity of lung cancer patients' leucocytes in the leucocyte migration inhibition test

Summary Panels of 3 M KCl extracts of squamous-cell carcinomas, adenocarcinomas and oat-cell carcinomas of the lung were used for a comprehensive analysis of cross-reactivity in the leucocyte migration test. Lung cancer patients' leucocytes showed positive reactivity in 69%–100% of cases (n=353). No significant differences were observed when data were grouped with respect to the histological type of the tumours used for extraction or of the tumours of the leukocyte donors. Leukocytes of patients bearing tumours of nonpulmonary origin exposed to lung cancer extract panels and leukocytes of lung cancer patients exposed to gastrointestinal cancer extract panels were definitely less reactive (35%–47% and 6%–38%, respectively). However, a high reaction frequency was found in patients with lung metastases from different nonpulmonary tumours. This group of patients also frequently showed reactivity (52%) with normal lung tissue extracts. Patients with benign lung diseases reacted positively with lung tumour extracts in 25%–39% of cases, but donors with other benign disease and healthy controls were virtually nonreactive (0–14%).Hence, a high degree of cross-reactivity occurs in the lung cancer system and restricted cross-reactivity occurs with tumours of other organs. Possible explanations for the lung-oriented reactivity of patients with lung metastases are discussed.Abbreviations LMI leucocyte migration inhibition - MI migration index - LMT leucocyte migration test - SCC squamous-cell carcinoma - OCC oat-cell carcinoma - AC adenocarcinoma     

FOXP3+ cell density in lymphoid follicles from histologically normal mucosa is a strong prognostic factor in early stage colon cancer

There are few clearly established prognostic factors available to guide the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in early stage colon cancer patients. Some of the most promising candidates include the invasion of extramural blood vessels by tumour cells and the densities of FOXP3+ T regulatory cells (Tregs) in tumour and adjacent normal colonic mucosal tissue. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of these markers in AJCC stage II colon cancer, with particular reference to lymphoid follicles in the mucosa. Histopathological review for the presence of vascular and serosal invasion was conducted on a series of 165 stage II colon cancers treated by surgery alone. Immunohistochemical staining for FOXP3 was performed on tumour tissue and histologically normal colonic mucosa from the surgical margin. Image analysis software was used to evaluate the density of FOXP3+ cells in the tumour core, invading margin and lymphoid follicles from the colonic mucosa. For survival analysis, cases were classified into high- or low-density of FOXP3+ cells according to the median value. The mean density of FOXP3+ Tregs in lymphoid follicles was twofold and fivefold higher than in the invading margin and tumour core, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified extramural vascular invasion (HR, 2.47; 95% CI: 1.00-6.07; P?=?0.05) and high FOXP3+ cell density in lymphoid follicles (HR, 4.22; 95% CI: 1.49-11.91; P?=?0.007) as independent factors for worse survival, whereas a high frequency of lymphoid follicles in histologically normal colonic mucosa was associated with better survival (HR, 0.31; 95% CI: 0.12-0.79; P?=?0.014). Our data suggest that host factors related to the immune system have major prognostic significance in early stage colon cancer. The density of FOXP3+ cells within lymphoid follicles and the frequency of these structures in normal colonic mucosa represent novel and independent prognostic factors.     

Ultrasound study in the differential diagnosis of thyroid focal lesions of various origin

The present study deals with the ultrasound differential diagnosis of thyroid lesions. A hundred and ninety-two patients, including 130 patients with benign diseases (nodular colloidal goiter) (36.9%), chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (30.7%), and adenomas (32.3%) and 62 patients with malignant diseases (thyroid cancer (88%), lymphoproliferative diseases (6.4%), and recurrent thyroid cancer) (4.8%), were clinically examined. Ultrasound studies (USS) were performed in the B- and (see text symbols) modes. The diagnosis was verified from cytological and histological findings with mandatory morphological confirmation. Interdisease comparison has shown that USS is both a screening and diagnostic technique in revealing thyroid changes and determining their site, sizes, and structure. Ultrasound pathognomonic signs were detected in different morphological types of adenomas, thyroiditis, and nodular colloidal goiter, in the classical, pseudoadenomatous and pseudocystic types of thyroid cancer. At the same time there were characteristic ultrasound parameters at the stage of pronounced changes in undifferentiated thyroid cancer (pseudothyroiditis), lymphoproliferative diseases, and acute thyroiditis. The exception was the diffuse form of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis in which both thyroid lobes were always altered.     

Immunohistochemical analysis of myenteric ganglia and interstitial cells of Cajal in ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease with alterations of colonic motility, which influence clinical symptoms. Although morpho-functional abnormalities in the enteric nervous system have been suggested, in UC patients scarce attention has been paid to possible changes in the cells that control colonic motility, including myenteric neurons, glial cells and interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). This study evaluated the neural-glial components of myenteric ganglia and ICC in the colonic neuromuscular compartment of UC patients by quantitative immunohistochemical analysis. Full-thickness archival samples of the left colon were collected from 10 patients with UC (5 males, 5 females; age range 45-62 years) who underwent elective bowel resection. The colonic neuromuscular compartment was evaluated immunohistochemically in paraffin cross-sections. The distribution and number of neurons, glial cells and ICC were assessed by anti-HuC/D, -S100β and -c-Kit antibodies, respectively. Data were compared with findings on archival samples of normal left colon from 10 sex- and age-matched control patients, who underwent surgery for uncomplicated colon cancer. Compared to controls, patients with UC showed: (i) reduced density of myenteric HuC/D(+) neurons and S100β(+) glial cells, with a loss over 61% and 38%, respectively, and increased glial cell/neuron ratio; (ii) ICC decrease in the whole neuromuscular compartment. The quantitative variations of myenteric neuro-glial cells and ICC indicate considerable alterations of the colonic neuromuscular compartment in the setting of mucosal inflammation associated with UC, and provide a morphological basis for better understanding the motor abnormalities often observed in UC patients.     

A chromosome 8 gene-cluster polymorphism with low human beta-defensin 2 gene copy number predisposes to Crohn disease of the colon

Defensins are endogenous antimicrobial peptides that protect the intestinal mucosa against bacterial invasion. It has been suggested that deficient defensin expression may underlie the chronic inflammation of Crohn disease (CD). The DNA copy number of the beta-defensin gene cluster on chromosome 8p23.1 is highly polymorphic within the healthy population, which suggests that the defective beta-defensin induction in colonic CD could be due to low beta-defensin-gene copy number. Here, we tested this hypothesis, using genomewide DNA copy number profiling by array-based comparative genomic hybridization and quantitative polymerase-chain-reaction analysis of the human beta-defensin 2 (HBD-2) gene. We showed that healthy individuals, as well as patients with ulcerative colitis, have a median of 4 (range 2-10) HBD-2 gene copies per genome. In a surgical cohort with ileal or colonic CD and in a second large cohort with inflammatory bowel diseases, those with ileal resections/disease exhibited a normal median HBD-2 copy number of 4, whereas those with colonic CD had a median of only 3 copies per genome (P=.008 for the surgical cohort; P=.032 for the second cohort). Overall, the copy number distribution in colonic CD was shifted to lower numbers compared with controls (P=.002 for both the surgical cohort and the cohort with inflammatory bowel diseases). Individuals with < or = 3 copies have a significantly higher risk of developing colonic CD than did individuals with > or = 4 copies (odds ratio 3.06; 95% confidence interval 1.46-6.45). An HBD-2 gene copy number of < 4 was associated with diminished mucosal HBD-2 mRNA expression (P=.033). In conclusion, a lower HBD-2 gene copy number in the beta-defensin locus predisposes to colonic CD, most likely through diminished beta-defensin expression.     

Comparison of CA 15-3 and CEA in diagnosis and monitoring of breast cancer

In order to assess the utility of the tumor-associated antigen CA15-3 in the diagnosis of breast cancer, this new tumor marker was measured pre-operatively in 1342 patients. This group comprised 509 patients with malignant disease (134 with breast cancer and 375 with other malignancies not involving the breast) and 833 patients with benign surgical diseases (95 patients with fibroadenoma of the breast, 738 with other benign diseases). The results were compared with those for carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) in the diagnosis of breast cancer. CA15-3 was above the normal limits of 25 U/ml in 31% of the patients with breast cancer, in 22% of patients with other malignancies, and in 9% of patients with benign diseases. CEA was elevated in 26% of patients with breast cancer (greater than 3 ng/ml). CA15-3 levels were above 50 U/ml in 13% of the breast cancer patients, in 6% of patients with other malignancies, and in 0.2% of the patients with benign diseases. There was a good correlation between CA15-3 level and tumor stage in breast cancer. CA15-3 serum levels were over 50 U/ml in respectively 0%, 2%, 13%, and 73% of the patients with stages I, II, III, and IV. CA15-3 and CEA were also determined in 671 patients who had received initial curative surgery of breast cancer, and who regularly attended our follow-up clinic. CA15-3 was found to be more sensitive than CEA in detecting recurrences of breast cancer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Death certification in cancer of the breast.

The cause of death entered on the death certificates of 193 patients originally diagnosed as having cancer of the breast was compared with information obtained from clinical records, cancer registry records, and necropsy findings to determine the accuracy of death certification and the proportion of patients who, though dying from another cause, still had overt signs of cancer of the breast. It was found that the overall error in certifying cause of death as breast cancer was small, being an underestimate of about 4%. About a third of patients with breast cancer dying from other causes had overt signs of breast cancer at the time of death.