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Introduction: Shortage of medicines in Peruvian healthcare facilities is a significant public health issue that may affect patient satisfaction., Objective: To estimate the association between access to medicines and the level of satisfaction with the received care from users of healthcare facilities in Peru during 2016., Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the 2016 National Survey of User Satisfaction in Health (ENSUSALUD). Access to medicines at the healthcare facilities' pharmacy and patient satisfaction were measured using self-report questions. Crude and adjusted ordinal logistic regression models were used to estimate Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. The complex sample design of the 2016 National Health User Satisfaction Survey was considered in all calculations., Results: Data from 10 386 healthcare facility users were included. After receiving medical care, 19.6% had partial access to medications, 6.8% had no access, and 6% were dissatisfied with the care received. Users with partial access to drugs had 87% higher odds of dissatisfaction (Odds ratio: 1.87; 95% confidence interval: 1.56 to 2.23), while users without access to medications had 51% higher odds of dissatisfaction (OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.06 to 2.16), compared to users with full access to drugs, adjusted for confounding variables., Conclusions: Patients with limited access to medicine at pharmacies in Peruvian healthcare facilities reported higher dissatisfaction with the care received., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in the publication of this study., (This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.)

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if the use of intraoral scanner analysis could help students to optimise their performance and their self-assessment abilities in prosthetic preparation without the teacher's assistance in the preclinical course., Materials and Methods: Ninety-five second-year dental students were randomly divided into three groups: Control group (C), CeRec group (CR) and PrepCheck group (PC). Group C only use silicon keys to control the preparation thickness. The students in Group CR analysed their work with Cerec™ software. The Group PC use a pedagogic software (PrepCheck™) which allowed comparison with the "master" preparation. They used control tools preparations for three consecutive training sessions. Then a final assessment session without control tool to evaluate their performance was organised. All preparations were objectively evaluated thanks to stl. analysis software (Geomagic® Control X). Each preparation was compared with the master preparation by defining tolerance ranges. An objective overall score out of 20 was assigned to each preparation according to their degree of correspondence. In addition, a questionnaire was performed to analyse the students' perceptions regarding the use of intraoral camera., Results: During the assessment session, no significant difference was revealed between the different groups with respect to the students' performance. The comparative analysis between the self-assessment scores and the objective scores using Geomagic® software showed that digital control tools did not help the student to improve their self-assessment abilities without the teacher's assistance., Conclusions: The intraoral cameras and specific pedagogic software in autonomy could not improve students' performance for teeth preparation and self-assessment abilities in second year. These digital tools facilitate objective feedback on preparation defects, but constructive criticism needs human reflection. The teacher's opinions and advice remain essential to develop their students' performance and self-assessment skills. The use of digital tools must be integrated in dentistry course to develop the interpret of the results and optimise feedback., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: The purpose of this article was to analyze the effect of an instructional video on practical tutorial and to ascertain whether an instructional video improves students' performance on practical performance and reduces the stress associated with learning., Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on a group of 78 first-year students. A pretest was conducted by administering questionnaires to evaluate the interest in the use of videos as well as the level of stress. Students were randomly assigned into two groups: control and test. Students assigned to the control group received conventional teaching, while the experimental group received both conventional teaching and watched a video. Thereafter, a satisfaction questionnaire was distributed to each of the groups, and they were awarded a grade., Results: A total of 98.7% of students wished to learn fixed prosthodontics through instructional videos, as they believed that the videos could reduce their worry and stress levels. At the end of the first tutorial, the total grade was significantly lower for the test group ( p = 0.003). However, the subjective value of stress was significantly lower in the test group ( p = 0.0007) as well as the subjective value of tutorial difficulty ( p = 0.0004). Students felt that they better understood the objectives of the tutorial "thanks to the video" ( p = 0.0001)., Conclusion: This study did not reveal any improvement in terms of performance when an instructional video was used for tutorials in comparison with the conventional teaching method. However, the results show a reduction in the level of stress., Competing Interests: None declared., (European Journal of Dentistry. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)

Objectives: Ceramic veneers restorations may undergo damages, such as cracks, fractures, or debonding. Full-field measurements must be carried out in order to visualize and analyze the strain fields. This paper demonstrates that digital holography permits to investigate the mechanical behavior under stress of a natural incisor and a natural incisor reconstructed with CAD/CAM ceramic veneer., Methods: The facial surface of a maxillary central incisor is prepared to receive a monolithic ceramic reconstruction manufactured using a chairside computer-aided design and computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) system (Cerec AC® system, Sirona Dental System®, Bensheim, Germany). One incisor is kept intact for comparison. The samples are sectioned longitudinally to obtain a planar observation of the region of interest. A mechanical indentation head and digital holographic set-ups permit a full-field, contact-less and single-shot measurement of the three-dimensional displacement fields at the surface of the tooth sample when subjected to load. Stain fields are then estimated and comparison of the results between two samples can be carried out., Results: 3D displacement, fields and strain fields are measured and highlight the behavior of the region of interest in three directions of space for the ceramic veneer and the natural incisor. The strain maps reveal the local behavior, especially the concentration or the sudden change in strain. The transition zones are clearly observed, particularly for the veneered sample., Conclusion: Digital holography highlights the localization of stress concentration zones in regions of interest and yields comparative analysis between samples with different tooth preparations., Significance: holography permits to visualize and compare the mechanical response of the ceramic veneer and natural tooth. This helps choosing the mechanical properties of the bonding interface., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: CAD/CAM ceramic occlusal veneers are increasingly used as therapeutic options. However, little is known about their mechanical behavior under stress, as the response of the prepared tooth that supports it. The aim of this article is to use for the first time 3D color holography to evaluate the behavior of a molar occlusal veneer under stress and the response of the prepared tooth., Methods: The occlusal surface of a lower molar is prepared to receive a specific monolithic ceramic reconstruction manufactured with a chairside CAD/CAM system. Longitudinally cut samples are used to get a planar object observation and to "look inside" the tooth. A digital holographic set-up permits to obtain the contact-less and one-shot measurement of the three-dimensional displacement field at the surface of the tooth sample; stain fields are evaluated with low noise-sensitive computation., Results: Figures show the strain fields with micro-strain units and highlight the behavior of the ROI (region of interest) in the three directions of space. The ROI are: the ceramic, the glue junction, the dentin enamel junction, dentin and enamel. The results show an excellent behavior of the restored tooth without areas of excessive stress concentrations, but also a significant involvement of the dentin enamel junction., Significance: The ceramic occlusal veneer seems to behave in accordance with the biomechanical concepts ensuring the longevity of the reconstituted tooth. 3D holography is a highly recommended method for studying dental biomechanics., (Copyright © 2018 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The wide use of chairside CAD/CAM restorations has increased the diversity of the restorative material. For the practitioner, the selection of the appropriate material is difficult amongst the variety offered by the market. Information on the characteristics of the products can be difficult to assess due to the lack of up-to-date classification and the lack of reliability of manufacturer's advertising. The purpose of this article is to structure the data on restorative materials provided by various sources in order for the practitioner to choose the product most suited to the clinical situation. The objective is to classify chairside CAD/CAM materials and to define their characteristics and indications.

Purpose: The objective of the present study was to analyze the clinical outcomes of 447 monoblock ceramic chairside computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacture (CAD/CAM) reconstructions over a 7-year functional period. Of these reconstructions, 212 were peripheral crowns and 235 were endocrowns., Materials and Methods: The restorations were placed between 2003 and 2008 in a total of 323 patients. They were created using a chairside CAD/CAM method and the same materials in all cases. All of the crowns were manufactured and glued during the same clinical session by the same practitioner. Data were descriptively analyzed and survival probabilities were calculated using Kaplan-Meier statistics., Results: Of the 447 restorations, only 6 failures occurred, resulting in a success rate of 98.66%. All of the failures were the result of a partial ceramic fracture. Of the six ceramic fractures, five appeared on peripheral crowns and one on an endocrown. All fractures appeared in the first 24 months, including two in the first month. Log-rank test comparing incidence rates between crowns and endocrowns showed no significant differences (P = .08)., Conclusion: This survival rate study reinforced the use of CAD/CAM full ceramic crowns and endocrowns on molars, showing a much more favorable survival rate for endocrowns.

For many practitioners, longevity of full glass ceramic crowns in the posterior area, molars and premolars, remains a real challenge. The purpose of this article is to identify and evaluate the parameters that can significantly influence their resistance when preparing a tooth. The analysis proposed in this article relies on interrelated studies conducted at three levels: in vitro (mechanical tests), in silico (finite elements simulations) and in vivo (clinical survival rates). The in vitro and the in silico studies proved that an appropriate variation of the geometric design of the preparations enables to increase up to 80% the mechanical strength of ceramic reconstructions. The in vivo clinical study of CAD/CAM full ceramic crowns was performed in accordance with the principles stated within the in vitro and the in silico studies and provided a 98.97% success rate over a 6 years period. The variations of geometric design parameters for dental preparation allows for reconstructions with a mechanical breaking up to 80% higher than that of a non-appropriate combination. These results are confirmed in clinical practice.

Purpose: The aim of this literature review was to investigate the results from in vitro laboratory studies on the influence of temperature and relative humidity present before polymerization on enamel and dentin bonding systems., Materials and Methods: A systematic search was carried out including articles published in English, in peer reviewed journals, and indexed in MEDLINE/PubMed database. The search was carried out using the terms: relative AND humidity AND dental. In vitro studies were retrieved and divided into laboratory simulation studies and studies on physical properties. Laboratory simulation studies were addressed by subtopic: resin-enamel bond strength, resin-dentin bond strength, and dentin-enamel microleakage. Studies on physical properties tested the influence of humidity and temperature through polymerization contraction, flexural strength, and dentin wettability., Results: Laboratory simulation studies demonstrated a strong influence of humidity and temperature on dentin and enamel bond strength and microleakage with dental adhesives systems. The studies on physical properties failed to demonstrate any influence of humidity on the adhesion performance, except for wettability measurement., Conclusion: The clinical relevance of these in vitro results remains to be demonstrated. A review of in vivo clinical studies will complete the literature data presented here.

Objectives: Esthetic demands and biocompatibility have prompted the development of all-ceramic dental crowns. Yttria tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline (Y-TZP) framework material has the best mechanical properties compared to other all-ceramic systems, but the interface is the weakest component of core veneered restorations. Confocal Raman microscopy possibilities are used to ensure the understanding of the zirconia-feldspathic ceramic relationship, which is not well known., Methods: Bilayered zirconia (Vita In-Ceram(®) YZ) veneer (Vita VM(®)9) blocks were manufactured. Raman analyses were performed using two protocols: (1) single spectra, line scans and images on a sectioned and polished specimen and (2) in depth line scans on unprepared specimen. Single spectra, images and line scans provide information about the crystalline phases, their distribution and the existence of a possible diffusion at the Y-TZP/VM(®)9 interface, respectively. The elemental distribution of zirconium (Zr) and silicon (Si) around this interface were investigated using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS)., Results: Raman single spectra embodied a unique spectrum (crystalline) on Y-TZP and two spectra (crystalline and amorphous) on VM(®)9; these spectra were clearly distinguished. Raman line scans showed a series of transition spectra across the interface from VM(®)9 to Y-TZP. It emphasized an interdiffusion zone, which was estimated at a maximum of 2 microns, found on 2d Raman images and confirmed by EDS. The elemental distribution with EDS showed a mutual diffusion of Zr and Si and was mainly dominated by Si diffusion in Y-TZP., Significance: Confocal Raman microscopy highlights an interdiffusion zone at the zirconia-feldspathic ceramic interface. The elemental transition layer is estimated and is supported by EDS analysis as a coupling technique., (Copyright © 2012 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in the transition layer at the interface between yttria partial stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline (Y-TZP) core and veneering feldspathic ceramic (VITA VM(®)9), under different manufacturing methods. Confocal Raman microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses were carried out on tapered veneered cross sections of the interface. For some samples, an additional firing of the core was used, as the application of an optional liner material between the core and veneer. Single Raman spectra were distinguishable between Y-TZP and the veneering materials. VM(®)9 and liner spectra were broadly superimposable. No substantial differences appeared in their chemical elemental composition. 2D Raman images and EDS analysis emphasized changes in the interdiffusion thickness; the additional firing of the core decreased the interdiffusion zone, and the highest firing temperature of the liner increased the interdiffusion zone. These results, which will help us understand the changes in this transition layer, are discussed.

Objectives: In the past two decades, nonpalpable breast cancer incidence has greatly increased by routine screening mammography. Microcalcifications are the most frequent radiological feature., Methods: Between 1964 and 1994, 789 breast cancers revealed by clustered microcalcifications without palpable mass were treated at Institut Curie. Patients who had a past history of breast cancer or a contralateral cancer were eliminated like those with lobular carcinoma in situ. The definitive treatment was decided on the margins of the initial excision and the presence of microcalcifications on postoperative mammograms., Results: Mean follow-up of the patients was 77 months (9-358). The treatment was conservative in 49.5% and radical in 50.5%. Histologically, 43.5% of the lesions were intraductal carcinoma, 25.5% were microinvasive and 31% were infiltrating cancers. Five and ten years overall survival were 98% and 92.5% respectively, 50% of the patients died from their breast cancer. This survival was identical for intraductal, microinvasive and invasive carcinomas without lymph node metastasis, but was less favorable in patients with node metastasis. There were no survival differences for the two treatment modalities, although local recurrences were more frequent in the conservative one. The 5-year recurrence rate was 3.5% for intraductal subtype, 4.4% for microinvasive and 6% for invasive cancers. The difference was not statistically significant., Conclusion: Under the impact of mammographic screening, sizable proportions of breast cancer patients are being seen in a totally nonpalpable state with either a very small invasive, microinvasive or intraductal breast cancer. These lesions have an excellent prognosis, and can benefit from less aggressive treatments. In the case of diffuse microcalcifications, where a radical treatment is indicated, skin sparing mastectomy can be easily done followed by immediate reconstructive surgery.

The aim of this study was to assess the result and the postherapeutic complications rates of preoperative radiation therapy and radical surgery in association, for stage IB to IIB cervical carcinoma. For 1983 to 1990, 314 patients were treated at the Institut Curie for stage IB to IIB cervical carcinoma. For small lesions, less than 4 cm, preoperative uterovaginal brachytherapy was performed (60 to 65 Gy), followed, 6 weeks later, by a modified radical hysterectomy (Piver type 2) with pelvic lymphadenectomy. Larger tumors were treated with pelvic radiotherapy (36 Gy), then by brachytherapy (30 Gy), followed, 6 weeks later, by the same surgical procedure. 82% of the tumors were 4 cm or smaller. 64% of tumors were completely sterilised by the preoperative radiation. 5 and 10-year actuarial survival rates were respectively 81% and 70 %. 5-year actuarial survival rate was 87.5% for stage I and 63% for stage II patients. 5-year local disease free survival rate was 88% for stage I and 73% for stage II patients. All complications were prospectively recorded. The early post operative complication rate was 6.3%, with no urinary complications. The late complication rate was 3.3%, mainly grade 2 sequelae. No ureteral fistulas were observed. By combined preoperative radiotherapy and surgery, adapting the dosimetry and the radicality of the procedure, we obtained cure rates and recurrence rates identical to those obtained with exclusive surgery or radiotherapy alone. However, the complication rate of the association of both adapted treatments, has considerably reduced the early and late complication rate.

Through two clinical studies, tumor cells were searched for in the bone biopsies and cytapherisis of patients suffering from inflammatory tumors and who had undergone intensive therapy and autografts (Pegase 2 program). In these studies we used immunocytochemical test with two monoclonal antibodies. The results have shown the presence of tumor cells in 14% of the patients (respectively 18%), with no correlation to the appearance of metastases after 4 years in the first study. Nevertheless, the presence of these tumor cells seems to be an important factor in the number of relapses. It seems important to develop research into tumor contamination especially in the selection of grafts over the next few years.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate, for patients with ovarian cancer, the feasibility, reliability, and complications of a laparoscopic second look and to compare them with those of a second look by laparotomy., Methods: Twenty patients treated by initial surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy for ovarian carcinoma underwent a laparoscopic second look, immediately followed by a comparative laparotomy. All were in complete remission after chemotherapy. Both operations were performed according to a predefined checklist, identical for both surgical techniques and for each patient: after liberation of adhesions, an exhaustive intraperitoneal inspection was performed, with systematic peritoneal cytology and biopsies. Each patient therefore was her own control for the two techniques., Results: The positive predictive value of laparoscopy for the diagnosis of residual disease was 100% (6 of 6 cases), while the negative predictive value was 86% (2 false-negative cases out of 14). Because of the presence of postoperative adhesions, the rate of complete intraperitoneal investigation was 95% for laparotomy versus 41% for laparoscopy. The complication rate of laparoscopy requiring laparotomy was 5.3%., Conclusions: After treatment of ovarian cancer, a laparoscopic second look appears to be less reliable than one performed by laparotomy. The presence of severe postoperative adhesions is the main obstacle to an exhaustive, reliable, and safe laparoscopic second look., (Copyright 1999 Academic Press.)

Conservative treatment of multifocal breast cancer is still very controversial. This retrospective study concerns 56 patients with stage I or II multifocal breast cancer who underwent conservative treatment at the Institut Curie from January 1983 to December 1989. These patients (group 1) were matched with 132 patients with multifocal lesions treated by mastectomy (group 2). Surgical treatment consisted of a single wide lumpectomy followed by external radiotherapy. Adjuvant systemic therapy and regional nodal irradiation were administered as indicated by current protocols. The actuarial 5-year overall survival rate was 94% 6 in group 1, and 90% 6 in group 2 (NS). The actuarial 5-year ipsilateral breast recurrence rate was 11% 8 in group 1, and 11% 5 in group 2 (NS). In group 1 patients, the ipsilateral breast recurrence rate was related neither to type of multifocality nor to presence of intra ductal breast carcinoma, nodal status, tumor margins, radiotherapy boost, or distance between tumors. Consequently, conservative treatment of multifocal breast cancers which can be completely removed by a single lumpectomy seems, when technically feasible, an alternative to mastectomy.

The role of PRL in human breast tumorigenesis is not well understood. One of the limitations is the difficulty of accurately measuring PRL receptors (PRLR) in human tissues. We established a quantitative PCR method (Q-PCR) in T-47D human breast cancer cells and applied it to 29 patients, 25 of whom presented with either cancer or fibroadenoma. Four patients underwent a mammoplasty, and normal epithelial cells were cultured before Q-PCR. In T-47D cells, 31 x 10(6) messenger RNA molecules were detected per microgram of total RNA. In all patients, expression of the PRLR gene was detected, varying from 1500 to 1 x 10(6) molecules/microgram of RNA in normal tissues and from 4500 to 34.7 x 10(6) molecules/microgram of RNA in tumors. PRLR expression was always greater in tumor than in normal contiguous tissue and similar in cultured mammary epithelial cells and normal breast tissues. Estradiol and progesterone receptor-negative tumors expressed low levels of PRLR transcripts, similar to normal breast tissue from menopausal women. Immunocytochemical analysis of PRLR confirmed stronger staining in almost all tumor samples compared with normal tissues. A messenger RNA encoding locally produced human PRL was also identified by RT-PCR in every sample tested. Our results confirm PRLR gene expression in all tissues studied, and moreover, indicate that this expression is increased in human breast tumors vs. normal contiguous tissues.

Objectives: In breast cancer, retroareolar tumors are observed in 5 to 20% of cases; mammectomy is the conventional treatment. Conservative surgery was used in this series of 36 patients with retroareolar cancer situated less than 2 cm from the areola., Patients and Methods: Tumorectomy with resection of the areolar plaque was followed by radiotherapy. Six patients had Paget's disease of the nipple, 64% were in classes T0 or T1 and 36% in T2. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy was given for tumor reduction prior to surgery in 8 patients. Wide tumorectomy with resection of the areolar plaque and gland remodeling was performed in all patients. Three plastic surgery techniques were used. Mean tumor size was 17.3 mm (8 to 33 mm). The areola was invaded in 16 patients (44%) and the derma or retroareolar ducts in 26 (72%)., Results: The mean distance between the tumor and skin surface was 3.8 mm. The section surface was in healthy tissue in 31 patients and 2 patients underwent subsequent surgery for mammectomy. All patients had either pre-operative (n = 4) or post-operative (n = 32) radio-therapy. Secondary reconstruction of the nipple was performed in 14 patients., Conclusion: Histology findings and esthetic results suggested that this conservative approach can be proposed when the tumor is located close to the areola, as confirmed by our series and results from other teams using the same technique.

We studied the correlation of S-phase fraction (SPF) with clinical outcome in 127 pre- or perimenopausal patients with breast cancers treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy from October 1986 to June 1990. When the patients were analysed using the median value of the SPF as a threshold, there was a small but non-significant difference in favour of low SPF tumours for metastasis-free survival. SPF was the only parameter predicting overall survival in multivariate analysis (P < 0.002) which included T, N, histopathological grade and steroid hormone receptors. The results of metastasis-free survival contrasted with previous analyses with shorter follow-up, so we tested the time-dependent influence of SPF on prognosis. It was thus shown that SPF significantly predicts metastasis-free survival only during the first 30 months, whereas the relative risk of cancer-related death according to SPF remains significant for 56 months. In order to find an explanation for the difference in predictivity between metastasis-free survival and overall survival, we studied the post-relapse survival. Significantly shorter survival (median 12 months) was associated with tumours presenting pre-treatment high SPF values, compared to the low SPF group for which 60% of the patients were still alive after 30 months of metastasis phase (P = 0.002). Our current results, in a homogeneous series with a median follow-up of over 5 years, emphasise the importance of proliferation-related parameters for breast cancer management.

Metachronous contralateral breast cancer (CBC) is defined as a tumour in the opposite breast which was diagnosed more than 6 months following the detection of the first cancer. We screened, for factors that might predict the risk of developing CBC, a cohort series of 4748 women who had invasive unilateral breast cancer, clinical stage I-IIIa and had been treated at Institut Curie (Paris) between 1981 and 1987. Two hundred and eighty two CBC had been diagnosed with a median follow-up of 80 months. The cumulative rate of CBC was 4.1% at 5 years. We studied relationships between CBC and family history of breast cancer, age at diagnosis of first cancer, menopausal status, tumour size, node involvement, histological type, Scarff Bloom Richardson grade, estrogen and progesterone receptor measurements, as well as the type of primary treatment. Due to competing risks between the occurrence of CBC, local recurrence and metastasis, several options for multivariate analysis were considered. In model I, we focused on the occurrence of CBC, and ignored others events. In model II, only CBC, if first site of failure was taken into account, and in model III we considered others events as time-dependant covariates. Whichever the model we chose, age less than 55 years (RR = 1.40) as well as the presence of lobular type carcinoma (RR = 1.50), were associated with an increased risk of developing a tumour in the contralateral breast. In contrast, the risk of CBC was significantly decreased by adjuvant chemotherapy (RR = 0.54). Neither tumor stage or lymph node involvement influence the risk of CBC. These results suggested that CBC is a second primary breast cancer.

Specific types of human papillomaviruses (HPV) are associated with most cases of pre-invasive and invasive neoplasia of the uterine cervix. HLA phenotype influences susceptibility and resistance to viral infections and may therefore influence the course of HPV-associated tumors. Some data suggest that specific HLA class-II alleles may be associated with protection from or susceptibility to papillomavirus-associated lesions, but these results are still controversial. Using molecular probes, we looked for associations between specific DQA1, DQB1, DRB1 HLA class-II alleles, HPV types and cervical cancer. The analysis was performed on a population of 126 patients with invasive cervical cancer. For HLA typing, 165 healthy individuals were taken as controls. The DRB1 1301/02 allele frequency significantly decreased in patients (11%) as compared to controls (29%). This difference in frequency was dependent on the HPV-positive status of tumors and was no longer significant in the group of HPV-negative lesions. The same trends were observed with the DRB1 1301/02-DQA1 0103-DQB1 0603 haplotype frequency. An increase in the frequency of the DRB1 1401/07 and DRB1 03 alleles was observed in patients under 40. Contrary to what has been reported in the literature, no increase in the DRB1 15 allele frequency was observed in our series and only a slight increase in the DQB1 03 frequency was found in patients (70%) compared to controls (58%). In our study, no positive correlations between cervical cancer in Frenchwomen and specific HLA DR-DQ haplotypes has been found. In contrast, a negative correlation between DRB1 1301/ 02 alleles and HPV-positive tumors has been observed. This may suggest a protective effect of DR13 against HPV-associated lesions of the cervix.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, morbidity, and efficacy of unilateral laparoscopic ovarian transposition on the preservation of hormonal function in premenopausal patients requiring pelvic irradiation (external and/or intracavity by brachytherapy)., Methods: This prospective study was based on 20 patients: 17 presenting with cervical cancer, 2 with Hodgkin's disease, and 1 with ependymoma of the cauda equina. The operative technique consisted of releasing the right ovary from its pelvic attachments, and placing it as high and as laterally as possible in the right paracolic gutter, after creating a pedicle on the infundibulopelvic ligament. The follow-up of ovarian function was more than 1 year for 14 patients., Results: The therapeutic protocol was not modified as a result of ovarian transposition. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were observed. The mean dose of irradiation received by the transposed ovary was 1.75 gray (Gy) (range 0.4-3.7). Mean follow-up was 2 years. Two cases of menopause (14.7%), in the only 2 patients older than 40 years, were observed among the 14 patients followed for more than 1 year. The success rate was 100% for patients younger than age 40 years., Conclusions: Laparoscopic ovarian transposition is a simple and reliable method, which does not complicate subsequent therapeutic protocol. Its short term efficiency is comparable to results obtained by laparotomy, with a lesser morbidity. Although long term evaluation is necessary, laparoscopic surgery should be considered as an alternative to laparotomy for ovarian transposition.

The incidence of intraductal carcinomas (IDC) of the breast is increasing. However, few cases have been reported in young women. Based on a series of 13,168 women treated for breast cancer at the Institut Curie over a 12-year period, this article analyses the prevalence, clinical presentation, prognosis and treatment of IDC in patients younger than 35 years. Of this series of 13,168 cancers, 882 occurred in women under the age of 35 years (6.7%). Sixteen of these cases (2%) were strictly intraductal lesions and therefore constituted the study population. The frequency of IDC in women under the age of 35 years was identical to that of IDC in the general population of this study. The circumstances of discovery were: palpable tumour in seven cases (44%), mammographic discovery in four cases (25%), nipple discharge in five cases (31%). Histological examination revealed a well-differentiated IDC in two cases, moderately differentiated in seven cases and poorly differentiated in five cases (two cases not specified). Conservative treatment by lumpectomy and irradiation was performed in nine patients, and another seven patients were treated by mastectomy and low axillary lymph node dissection. The mean follow-up was 83 months (range: 5 to 156 months). A single patient has relapsed: an isolated invasive mammary recurrence, 6 years after conservative treatment. This patient in now in complete remission after mastectomy. All patients are therefore alive, with no evidence of disease, at 83 months. In the group of women younger than 35, the frequency of IDC appeared to be identical to that observed in the general population. Their prognosis after treatment is excellent, and identical to that of IDC in older women. Conservative treatment is justified in localized forms, but mastectomy with immediate reconstruction must be performed in the presence of extensive disease.

This retrospective study presents the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic problems raised by axillary recurrences (AR). 1589 cases of breast cancer measuring less than 3 cm, treated at the Institut Curie between 1981 and 1987, were studied by a combination of surgery and radiotherapy. Treatment of the breast always included wide local excision associated with irradiation. The axilla was treated either by dissection (865 cases) or by irradiation (724 cases) and 159 patients received chemotherapy. 26 patients (2%) developed AR, confirmed by fine needle aspiration cytology in 92% of cases. None of these 26 patients had initially received chemotherapy. The treatment of the AR was variable, adapted to the initial treatment. 22 patients retained their breast during treatment of the AR and none subsequently developed a local recurrence. 4 mastectomies were performed and histological examination revealed a subclinical local recurrence in 2 cases. The TNM classification, menopausal status, size of the tumour and hormonal receptor status were not risk factors for AR. Young age (P = 0.01) and high histological grade (P = 0.03) were significant risk factors for AR. The AR rate was similar whether axillary dissection or axillary irradiation had been performed. The overall 5-year survival after initial treatment was 85% for AR and 95% for the reference population. The overall 4-year survival after recurrence was 69% and the incidence of metastasis was markedly increased (P = 0.002). 2 of the 26 patients developed lymphoedema of the arm after treatment of AR. We confirm that AR worsens the prognosis, but not significantly more than local recurrence. Young age and the modified histological grading of Scarff Bloom and Richardson were risk factors for AR. Although excision of the AR is necessary to ensure local control, mastectomy is unnecessary when clinical examination and mammography are normal.

Background: Immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) by prosthesis is frequently proposed after mastectomy. However, due to the morbidity of this operation, especially the early implant removal rate, its indications remain controversial., Methods: We have performed 141 IBR by prosthesis (saline or gel-filled implant, tissue expander) in a homogeneous population of patients with extensive intraductal or microinvasive carcinoma, diagnosed after an initial local excision. This prospective study was designed to assess the feasibility and morbidity of IBR for an "ideal" population, allowing wide cutaneous preservation, without preoperative or postoperative treatment., Results: The early prosthesis removal rate (< 2 months) was 0.7%, with only 2.1% of early surgical revisions and 3% of lymphoceles. Cutaneous complications (5%) were significantly correlated with the type of incision. Cosmetic results at 1 year were good or very good in 66% of cases, similar to the percentage observed after delayed reconstruction by prosthesis., Conclusions: In this selected population, IBR by prosthesis did not induce any additional morbidity compared with mastectomy without reconstruction. IBR by prosthesis can be systematically proposed in cases of extensive intraductal or microinvasive carcinoma.

Background: The clinicopathologic features of infiltrating lobular carcinoma (ILC), which represents 5% to 15% of all breast cancers, are still controversial. In particular, the high frequency of multicentric lesions has led to questioning of the effectiveness of conservative treatment for this type of cancer. By studying a large number of cases, we aimed to compare the clinicopathological features of ILC with those of nonlobular infiltrating carcinoma (NLIC) and to assess the advisability of conservative therapy in the management of ILC., Methods: The population analyzed included 726 cases of ILC, 249 cases of mixed ILC/invasive ductal carcinoma (ILC/IDC), and 10,061 cases of NLIC. The age of patients, TNM status, estrogen- and progesterone-receptor status (ER, PR), and histologic grades of the 3 groups were compared. The follow-up was carried out on a subgroup of 5846 cases., Results: At diagnosis, ILC tumors were found to be larger on average and were detected in patients older than those with NLIC, but the degree of lymph node involvement was lower in patients with ILC than in NLIC. In ILC, tumors are more frequently grade I and ER-positive than in NLIC. Multicentric lesions were not significantly more frequent in ILC than in NLIC. The overall survival, locoregional control, disease free interval, and metastatic spread rates were not different among the three groups neither by univariate nor multivariate analysis, but the pattern of metastatic dissemination was different. In 480 cases of ILC considered for conservation therapy, the local recurrence and overall survival rates were similar to those observed for IDC., Conclusions: Our analysis specifies the clinicopathological features of ILC and confirms that conservation therapy may be an appropriate treatment for this type of cancer.

The purpose of the present paper was to evaluate correlations between clinical response to chemotherapy and outcome in a subgroup analysis of premenopausal patients with tumours considered too large for breast conserving surgery, treated with primary chemotherapy (n = 200) from a previously published trial (Scholl S.M., Fourquet A., Asselain B, et al. Eur J Cancer 1994, 30A, 645-652). Objective response rates amounted to 65% following four courses. In a multivariate Cox regression analysis, comparing seven parameters, the following variables were associated with poor survival: clinically involved nodes [N1b:RR: 2.7 (95% CI 1.3-5.3)], the failure to respond to chemotherapy [D:RR: 2.62 (95% CI 1.3-5)] and a raised S phase fraction [SPF > 5%: RR: 2.4 (95% CI 1.2-5)]. Parameters associated with increased metastatic recurrence rates, by order of entry in the model, were: young age [< 35: RR: 2.46 (95% CI 1.2-5)], large clinical tumour size [T3: RR: 2.02 (95% CI 1.2-3.4)], poor histological grade (SBR III: RR: 1.93 (95% CI 1.1-3.3)] and the failure to respond to chemotherapy [D: RR: 1.91 (95% CI 1-3.4)]. The assessment of both tumour cell proliferation rates as well as possibly drug resistance markers (although not available in the present study) should be helpful in selecting patients likely to benefit from intensified chemotherapy regimens. The most accurate predictor of response in the present study appeared to be the response to chemotherapy treatment itself.

Objectives: Routine screening mammography has greatly increased the number of breast cancers detected in the form of clumped microcalcifications without a palpable tumour., Methods: From 1964 to 1989, 315 breast cancers revealed by microcalcifications without contralateral cancer, treated at the Institut Curie. Cancers were observed in 40% of the microcalcifications excised. Treatment was conservative in 57.5% of cases and mutilating in 42.5% of cases; these rates have changed only very slightly with time. Histologically, 50% of the tumours were intraductal cancers, 25% were microinvasive, 24% were infiltrating and 1% were lobular in situ carcinomas. The therapeutic indication can be defined on the basis of the histological result of the initial tumour excision, as the initial examination underestimated the lesions in only 5.6% of cases. Lymph node invasion was observed in 1.8% of intraductal cancers, 5.3% of microinvasive cancers and 14.8% of invasive cancers., Results: The overall survival was 99% at 5 years and 89.9% at 10 years. The prognosis of invasive cancer was less favourable than that of intraductal and microinvasive cancers (p = 0.03). Survival was not influenced by the radical or conservative nature of treatment. The presence of lymph node invasion severely worsened the prognosis. The 5 year recurrence rate was 4.2% for intraductal, 4.6% for microinvasive and 6.1% for invasive. The incomplete nature of the resection increased the local recurrence rate: 11.9% at 5 years instead of 5%., Conclusion: Conservative treatment of cancers revealed by microcalcifications without a palpable tumour therefore appears to be justified provided the lesion is radiologically localized, with a histologically satisfactory resection and in the absence of residual microcalcifications on postoperative mammography.

From January 1, 1983 to December 31, 1990 two hundred and six patients with an invasive, non metastatic endometrial carcinoma were first treated at Institut Curie. Initial tumoral staging (TNM) was as follows: stage Ia: 48%, stage Ib: 31%, stage II: 15% and stage III-IV: 6%. Total hysterectomy or colpohysterectomy was performed in 186 cases, with a bilateral oophorectomy in 180 cases. Bilateral limited pelvic lymphadenectomy was performed in 116 cases. Brachytherapy was performed in the pre-operative setting in 25 cases, in the post-operative setting in 134 cases. Only five patients had brachytherapy alone, because of poor medical condition. External irradiation was exclusive in 15 cases and added to surgery for 68 patients. Median follow-up is 61 months (8-122 months). Five-year survival rate is 77% (71-83%); 5-year specific survival rate is 81% (75-87%). Independent prognostic factors for survival in multivariate analysis (Cox regression model) are tumoral stage (p < 0.0001), ovarian involvement (p < 0.0001), histologic node involvement (p = 0.005) and grade (p = 0.01). For local relapse, independent risk factors in the same analysis are ovarian involvement (p = 0.0004), tumoral stage (p = 0.01), age (p = 0.02) and histologic involvement of cervix (p = 0.04). For distant failure, independent risk factors are histologic node involvement (p = 0.0001), tumoral stage (p = 0.002) and grade (p = 0.003).

Conservative treatment of breast cancers confined to the lower quadrants often leaves a residual deformity. In order to prevent these poor cosmetic results, 20 patients with lower quadrant cancers have been treated since 1986 at the Institut Curie by wide lumpectomy combined with immediate remodeling of the gland by nipple-bearing superior pedicle mammaplasty and preoperative (9 cases) or postoperative (11 cases) irradiation. The contralateral breast was always rendered symmetrical at the same time. The mean weight of resection was 248 gm, and the resection margins were always free of tumor. The treatment protocols were not modified by the addition of mammaplasty to lumpectomy, and this combination did not induce any significant complications. The mean follow-up was 4.5 years (range 1 to 7.5 years). There was one case of local recurrence; there were four cases of metastases. In this series, the oncologic results were identical to those of conventional treatment by lumpectomy and irradiation. The cosmetic result was good or very good in 75 percent of patients and 91 percent of patients in the group in which mammaplasty was performed prior to irradiation. Treatment of breast cancers by superior pedicle reduction mammaplasty and irradiation is indicated in tumors located in the lower quadrants, whose size in relation to the breast volume is such that conventional conservative treatment by lumpectomy and irradiation would achieve a poor cosmetic result.

Purpose: To screen for factors that might predict the risk of developing metachronous contralateral breast cancer (CBC), taking into account the influence of local or distant recurrence, and to assess the annual incidence of CBC., Patients and Methods: Of 4,748 women with invasive unilateral breast cancer, clinical stage I to IIIa, treated between 1981 and 1987, 282 metachronous CBCs were diagnosed. Due to competing risks between the occurrence of CBC and other events, several options for multivariate analysis were considered., Results: The median follow-up time was 80 months (range, 1 to 158). The cumulative rate of CBC was 4.1% +/- 0.3% at 5 years, and the annual incidence rate of CBC increased slowly, while the risk of local recurrence and metastases decreased after the fourth year. Whichever model we chose, age less than 55 years (relative risk [RR] = 1.40) at the time of diagnosis of the first breast cancer, as well as the presence of lobular type carcinoma (RR = 1.50), was associated with an increased risk of developing a tumor in the contralateral breast. Adjuvant chemotherapy significantly decreased (RR = 0.54) the risk of CBC., Conclusion: Lobular histology and age less than 55 years are found to increase the risk of CBC, while adjuvant chemotherapy significantly decreased the risk of CBC. The progressive rise in the annual incidence rates of CBC, together with the absence of a link between clinical prognostic factors of the first cancer and CBC, suggested that CBC can be considered as a second primary breast cancer.

The authors reviewed the accuracy of stereotaxic fine-needle aspiration cytology. Two hundred-twenty-eight lesions were studied: 103 benign lesions, 125 cancers. Inadequate sample was obtained in 26% of cases. None of the cytology reports were false-positive, whereas 77% of the suspect cytologic reports were malignant on histology. In strongly suspicious lesions at mammography, the decision to perform surgical biopsy should not be postponed as false negative cytologic findings (7 cases) are possible. In patients with a low suspicious lesion, cytology found six cancers. The benign-to-malignant ratio of excisional biopsies of non palpables lesions should be reduced by stereotaxic fine-needle aspiration cytology.

From 1960 to 1989, 154 cases of recurrent breast cancer after conservative radiosurgery were treated at the Curie Institute. Relapse was discovered at clinical examination in 88% of the cases and mammography was only useful in 45%. In 18 cases (12%) an unpalpable tumour was discovered at mammography, especially for intragalactophoric tumors. Cytopuncture yielded a precise diagnosis in 83% of the cases. Overall survival rate after recurrence was 72% at 5 years (62% without metastasis). Survival rate was better for late recurrence, and poorer in cases with subclinical axillary invasion. Neither age nor type of treatment had any effect on survival. Indications for general associated treatment are based on: the invasive character of the recurrent tumour, axillary invasion, tumour size and delay to recurrence after initial surgery.

Pelvic lymph node invasion is an important prognostic factor for cervical cancer. It is generally accepted that iliac lymph nodes must be treated systematically, but the extent of lymph node dissections is open to discussion. One hundred and eighty two cases of cervical cancer with lymph node invasion were treated at the Institut Curie between 1960 and 1988, by colpohysterectomy with lymph node dissection (168 cases) combined with preoperative brachytherapy and, in some cases, pre- and/or postoperative radiotherapy; in 14 cases, only an exploratory operation was performed. External iliac lymph node invasion was found in 95% of cases, situated in the middle and internal chains. Common iliac lymph node invasion was found in 24% of cases, but was only exceptionally isolated (3%). It is therefore possible, by means of well defined, localized external iliac dissection, with frozen section histological examination, to determine the exact lymph node status. Lumboaortic lymph node invasion was found in 8.2% of cases. The overall survival rate was 49% at 5 years and 40.5% at 10 years. Factors which influence survival are: the cervical volume (p = 0.015), the unilateral or bilateral nature of invasion (p = 0.0015), the number of lymph nodes invaded (two or more than two) (p = 0.0001), capsular rupture (p = 0.0008), lymph node adhesions other than venous (p = 0.0002), common iliac invasion (p = 0.0001). On Cox's model, the principal factors were the number of lymph nodes invaded, adhesion other than venous, common iliac invasion; on the other hand, venous adhesion does not modify the prognosis. The five-year survival rates following external iliac dissections and complete pelvic dissections were not significantly different. Finally, postoperative radiotherapy ensured a higher five-year survival rate than preoperative radiotherapy, but the cervical volume was greater and primary invasion was more frequent in these cases. Postoperative radiotherapy of 15 grays after preoperative radiotherapy did not appear to modify the survival and therefore appears to be useless.

Purpose: To evaluate clinical and biological characteristics as well as treatment outcome in simultaneous bilateral breast carcinomas., Methods and Materials: Between 1981 and 1990, 149 patients were diagnosed to have simultaneous bilateral breast carcinoma, defined as tumor arising in both breasts within a maximum of a 6-month interval, in the absence of distant metastases. The median age was 58. Out of a total of 298 tumors, the clinical tumor size was T0-T1 in 40%, T2 in 45%, and T3-T4 in 15% of tumors. The majority of patients (83%) were clinically node negative. Seventy-eight percent of all tumors were classified ductal invasive; 6% were invasive lobular carcinomas; in situ tumors were present in 9%. More than two-thirds of all tumors were well or moderately well differentiated. Tumors were estrogen positive in 86% and progesterone positive in 69% of 62% of patients for whom this information was available in both tumors. Treatment had been by bilateral mastectomy in 43%, by exclusive irradiation in 16%, and by combined surgery and radiation in 41%., Results: Median follow-up was 68 months (11-141). A number of positive correlations existed between the tumors in both breasts more often than by chance alone: These were the presence of lobular carcinomas in both breasts (p = 0.06), the same histological grade (p = 0.002), similar ER (p = 0.03) and PR (p = 0.01) status. Five-year rates for survival and disease-free interval were 86% (80-92) and 70% (62-78), respectively. For each patient the stage of the largest tumor at diagnosis was defined as maximum stage. When survival figures were compared between each maximum stage and matched stages of a group of unilateral breast cancer patients treated during the same time interval in our institute, bilateral breast cancer fared not worse than unilateral breast tumors. Treatment related complications occurred in eight patients (5%)., Conclusion: Simultaneous bilateral breast carcinomas have similar biological, but not clinical, features more frequently than would be predicted by chance alone. So far, the number of patients is too small, and the follow-up is too short to determine whether or not the prognosis is equivalent to that of unilateral breast cancer patients of equal stage. Bilateral conservative treatment is feasible with acceptable cosmetic results and toxicity by using carefully designed radiotherapy techniques.

A precise evaluation of lymph node involvement in cases of cancer of the cervix can be obtained by performing laparoscopic lymphadenectomy. This technique has a sensitivity and a specificity of almost 100%, and is currently the best way to diagnose nodal involvement, apart from laparotomy. However, the role of laparoscopic lymphadenectomy in therapeutic protocols has not been precisely defined. The possibility of knowing beforehand the status of the lymph nodes has led to the proposal of new protocols where treatment modalities would be adapted to the findings of an initial laparoscopic lymphadenectomy. Three protocols have been proposed: some authors counterindicate colpohysterectomy in N+ patients and reserve surgery for N-patients: however, this attitude does not take into account current knowledge of tumour radiosensitivity. In case of an exclusive radiotherapy, radiotherapy could be adapted according to laparoscopic findings, but the benefit of surgical exercsis would be lost and patients would then be exposed to late pelvic relapse. Finally, laparoscopic lymphadectomy could be used in the treatment of early stage cancers, in association with a vaginal colpohysterectomy. Morbidity and survival rates of studies currently being conducted are still needed to evaluate this last protocol. Until these results are known, associating radiotherapy and colpohysterectomy remains the reference technique in cases of cancer of the cervix.

The aim of this study was to assess a potential advantage in survival by neoadjuvant as compared to adjuvant chemotherapy. 414 premenopausal patients with T2-T3 N0-N1 M0 breast cancer were randomised to receive either four cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil), followed by local-regional treatment (group I) or four cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy after primary irradiation +/- surgery (group II). Surgery was limited to those patients with a persisting mass after irradiation, and aimed to be as conservative as possible. 390 patients were evaluable. With a median follow-up of 54 months, we observed a statistically significant difference (P = 0.039) in survival in favour of the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group. A similar trend was seen when the time to metastatic recurrence was evaluated (P = 0.09). At this stage, no difference in disease-free interval or local recurrence between these two groups could be observed. The mean total dose of chemotherapy administered was similar in both groups. On average, group I had more intensive chemotherapy regimes (doxorubicin P = 0.02) but fewer treatment courses (P = 0.008) as compared to the treated patients in group II. Haematological tolerance was reduced when chemotherapy succeeded to exclusive irradiation. Breast conservation was identical for both groups at the end of primary treatment (82 and 77% for groups I and II, respectively). Of the 191 evaluable patients in the neoadjuvant treatment arm, 65% had an objective response (> 50% regression) following four cycles of chemotherapy. The objective response rate to primary irradiation (55 Gy) was 85%. Improved survival figures in the neoadjuvant treatment arm could be the result of the early initiation of chemotherapy, but we cannot exclude that this difference might be attributable to a slightly more aggressive treatment. So far, the trend in favour of decreased metastases was not statistically significant. The local control appeared similar in both subgroups.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for large operable breast cancers is being increasingly used for the purpose of "downstaging," so that the lesions become accessible to conservative treatment. Since tumor proliferative activity has been shown to be a major prognostic factor for breast cancers, we have studied the value of S-phase fractions established by flow cytometry on cytological samples at diagnosis, in 184 stage II or IIIa patients entered in a randomized trial comparing neoadjuvant to adjuvant chemotherapy. All patients were pre- or perimenopausal, and the median follow-up was for 43 months (24-64). Using the median value (5%) as cutoff, a high SPF was found to be associated with relapse (p < 0.0008), locoregional recurrence (p < 0.02), or metastasis (p < 0.003). However, when the patients were analyzed according to the type of treatment, significance was maintained for the patients in the primary radiotherapy arm (p < 0.003) but not for those in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy arm (p < 0.06). The overall rate of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy was significantly lower for tumors with low SPF (56.5%), compared to tumors with high SPF (85.6%). Thus, SPF was no longer predictive of outcome when the tumors regressed by more than 50% after chemotherapy (p = 0.66), whereas it was highly predictive in the nonresponding patients (p < 0.0001). Our study has revealed that patients with low-SPF tumors, irrespective of response or treatment schedule, had similar prognosis (around 70% free of disease at 45 months), while the high-SPF nonresponders had a dismal prognosis, with less than 25% free of disease at 24 months. If our results are confirmed with a longer follow-up, proliferative activity of breast cancers should prove to be instrumental for the initial therapeutic decision of stage II or IIIa patients.

Whether or not young age at diagnosis is an adverse prognostic factor in breast cancer has long been controversial, in part because much previous work has not taken due account of menopausal status and confounding factors. We have analysed the influence of age on prognosis in a consecutive series of 1703 patients with stage I-III breast cancer. All were premenopausal and all were treated in one centre (Institut Curie, Paris) between 1981 and 1985. Mean age was 44 years (range 23-55) and median follow-up was 82 months. Younger patients had significantly lower survival rates and higher local and distant relapse rates than older patients. The hazard rate of relapse decreased over time in the youngest age group (< or = 33) to reach that of older patients after 5 years. The relation between the hazard of recurrence and age was a continuous one, best fitted by a log-linear function and indicating a 4% decrease in recurrence for every year of age. Multivariate analysis of both survival and disease-free interval demonstrated that the worse prognosis of young age was independent of other factors such as clinical tumour size, clinical node status, histological grade, hormone receptor status, locoregional treatment procedure, and adjuvant systemic therapy. This difference in outlook has yet to be explained biologically but it does suggest the need for a closer look at the natural history of breast cancer in young women.

Axillary dissection in early breast cancer remains controversial because of its substantial side-effects and because its value with respect to recurrence or survival has not been unequivocally proven. Between 1982 and 1987, 658 patients were included in a prospective randomised comparison of lumpectomy alone with lumpectomy plus axillary dissection. All patients had a unilateral breast tumour not exceeding 3 cm in diameter and lymph-node involvement or metastases. Radiation therapy was given to both groups. The two groups of patients were similar with respect to mean age, TNM stage, and presence of hormonal receptors. Median follow-up was 54 months. 5-year survival of the patients was 94.2% (95% Cl: 92.1-96.4). There was a significant advantage in survival in the axillary dissection group (p = 0.014). Recurrence of tumour in the breast was similar in the two groups but visceral metastases, supraclavicular metastases, and lymph-node recurrences were less frequent in the axillary dissection group. Survival was related to the age of the patients (p = 0.005), the presence of positive nodes (p = 0.006), the histological grading (p less than 0.0001), and the presence of hormonal receptors (progesterone p = 0.0008, oestrogen p less than 0.0001). Treatment-adjusted relative risk was 2.4 (95% Cl: 1.3-4.2). The findings show that axillary dissection is justified for treatment of small breast cancers, although whether the better survival is due to axillary clearance itself or to adjuvant treatment for lymph-node involvement is unclear.

From 1978 to 1989, 500 external iliac lymph node dissections were carried out at the Institut Curie during surgery for cancers of the uterine cervix. The percentage of error of the histological study of the lymph node was 2.8%, including 13 false-negative findings and 1 false-positive. In 1.8% of cases (9), there were doubts as to lymph node invasion, and no confirmation was possible. The most frequent cause of error was the failure to recognize partial invasion of a lymph node. Fibrosis and necrosis secondary to preoperative radiation therapy make the intraoperative histological study more difficult.