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Obwohl die allgemein bekannten Vorteile der laparoskopischen Technik auch für die kolorektalen Eingriffe nachgewiesen werden konnten, wird die laparoskopische Resektion beim Rektumkarzinom kontrovers diskutiert. Das liegt unter anderem daran, dass in den meisten bisherigen Publikationen nur kleinere Patientenkollektive untersucht und ausgewertet werden konnten - mit letztlich offenem onkologischen Ergebnis. In dieser Arbeit soll anhand unserer eigenen Erfahrungen und einer Literaturanalyse der Stellenwert der laparoskopischen Resektion des Rektumkarzinoms erörtert werden. Zwischen November 1992 und Juli 2003 erhielten in unserer Klinik insgesamt 194 Patienten eine laparoskopische Rektumresektion wegen Karzinom. Alle Patienten wurden prospektiv erfasst. Die Überlebensberechnungen erfolgten mit Hilfe der Kaplan-Meier-Methode. Die Literaturrecherche wurde mit MEDLINE als Suchmaschine durchgeführt. Kasuistiken und Abstracts wurden ausgeschlossen. Am häufigsten kam die tiefe anteriore Resektion mit totaler Mesorektumexzision (TME) zum Einsatz (65,5%). Die mittlere Operationsdauer betrug 174 min. Durchschnittlich wurden 25,4 (Bereich 11-84) Lymphknoten entfernt. Die mittlere Länge des resezierten Präparats betrug 27,6 (11-68) cm. Die UICC-Tumorstadien verteilten sich wie folgt: Stadium I 49 (25,2%), Stadium II 53 (27,3%), Stadium III 59 (30,4%) und Stadium IV 33 Patienten (17%). Eine Konversion zum offenen Verfahren war in 2 Fällen (1%) erforderlich. Die häufigste postoperative Komplikation war die Anastomoseninsuffizienz (11,8%). Es gab keine postoperative Mortalität. Das Follow-up betrug 12-128 Monate (Mittelwert 46,1 Monate). Die häufigste Spätkomplikation war die Narbenhernie (3,6%). Eine «Port site»-Metastase bildete sich bei 1 Patienten (0,5%). Die Lokalrezidivrate lag bei 4,1% nach kurativer Resektion. Die Gesamt-5-Jahres-Überlebensrate war 76,9% nach kurativer Resektion und 31,8% nach palliativer Resektion. Die tumorbezogene 5-Jahres-Überlebensrate betrug 87,7% nach kurativer Resektion und 48,5% nach palliativer Resektion. Nach 5 Jahren betrug die Überlebensrate 100% für Stadium I, 94,4% für Stadium II, 66,6% für Stadium III und 44,6% für Stadium IV. Unsere Ergebnisse und die Literaturdaten zeigen, dass die laparoskopische Rektumresektion, insbesondere auch die TME keine erhöhte Morbidität und Mortalität im Vergleich zur konventionellen Rektumresektion aufweist. Onkochirurgische Radikalitätskriterien werden erfüllt. Die Langzeitergebnisse sind mit denen nach offener Rektumresektion vergleichbar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Lightscan is a novel, rapid, low-cost, easily operated and noninvasive imaging technology used to assess inflammatory activity in proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints. The results are calculated automatically. To our knowledge, this is the first comparative study of photo optical imaging (POI), with clinical examination (CE), disease activity score at 28 joints (DAS28)-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and musculoskeletal ultrasonography (US) in healthy subjects and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or osteoarthritis (OA)., Methods: There were 688 PIP joints of both hands examined in 87 subjects (38 RA, 21 OA, 28 healthy) by Lightscan and compared with CE for clinically swollen and tender joints, DAS28-ESR (only RA), and US., Results: With US as reference, POI had a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 93%. In the receiver-operating curve (ROC) analysis, the Lightscan showed a higher sensitivity and specificity [area under the curve (AUC) 0.879] for the distinction of healthy subjects versus patients (OA, RA) than US in greyscale (GSUS; AUC 0.797) and power Doppler (PDUS; AUC 0.67). POI correlated significantly with GSUS (r 0.473, p < 0.01) and PDUS (r 0.486, p < 0.01). The agreement rates between POI and GSUS were up to 79%, between POI and PDUS up to 92%, and between POI and CE up to 66%. POI did not correlate with DAS28-ESR., Conclusion: The Lightscan is a new technology offering sensitive imaging detection of inflammatory changes in subjects with RA and OA with PIP arthritis. POI was more sensitive than CE and correlated significantly to GSUS and PDUS, while presenting a higher sensitivity and specificity for the detection of healthy subjects versus patients (RA, OA) based on the ROC analysis.

Objective: Near-infrared fluorescence optical imaging (FOI) is a novel imaging technology in the detection and evaluation of different arthritides. FOI was validated in comparison to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), greyscale ultrasonography (GSUS), and power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS) in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Methods: Hands of 31 patients with early RA were examined by FOI, MRI, and US. In each modality, synovitis of the wrist, metacarpophalangeal joints (MCP) 2-5, and proximal interphalangeal joints (PIP) 2-5 were scored on a 4-point scale (0-3). Sensitivity and specificity of FOI were analyzed in comparison to MRI and US as reference methods, differentiating between 3 phases of FOI enhancement (P1-3). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated to evaluate the agreement of FOI with MRI and US., Results: A total of 279 joints (31 wrists, 124 MCP and 124 PIP joints) were evaluated. With MRI as the reference method, overall sensitivity/specificity of FOI was 0.81/0.00, 0.49/0.84, and 0.86/0.38 for wrist, MCP, and PIP joints, respectively. Under application of PDUS as reference, sensitivity was even higher, while specificity turned out to be low, except for MCP joints (0.88/0.15, 0.81/0.76, and 1.00/0.27, respectively). P2 appears to be the most sensitive FOI phase, while P1 showed the highest specificity. The best agreement of FOI was shown for PDUS, especially with regard to MCP and PIP joints (ICC of 0.57 and 0.53, respectively), while correlation with MRI was slightly lower., Conclusion: FOI remains an interesting diagnostic tool for patients with early RA, although this study revealed limitations concerning the detection of synovitis. Further research is needed to evaluate its full diagnostic potential in rheumatic diseases.

Purpose: The nodal relapse pattern of surgically staged Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) with/without elective nodal radiotherapy (RT) was studied in a single institution., Method: A total of 51 patients with MCC, 33% UICC stage I, 14% II, 53% III (4 lymph node metastases of unknown primary) were eligible. All patients had surgical staging: 23 patients sentinel node biopsy (SNB), 22 patients SNB followed by lymphadenectomy (LAD) and 6 patients LAD. In all, 94% of the primary tumors (PT) were completely resected; 57% of patients received RT, 51% of known PT sites, 33% (8/24 patients) regional RT to snN0 nodes and 68% (17/27 patients) to pN+ nodes, mean reference dose 51.5 and 50 Gy, respectively. Mean follow-up was 6 years (range 2-14 years)., Results: A total of 22% (11/51) patients developed regional relapses (RR); the 5-year RR rate was 27%. In snN0 sites (stage I/II), relapse occurred in 5 of 14 nonirradiated vs. none of 8 irradiated sites (p = 0.054), resulting in a 5-year RR rate of 33% versus 0% (p = 0.16). The crude RR rate was lower in stage I (12%, 2/17 patients) than for stage II (43%, 3/7 patients). In stage III (pN+), RR appeared to be less frequent in irradiated sites (18%, 3/14 patients) compared with nonirradiated sites (33%, 3/10 patients, p = 0.45) with 5-year RR rates of 23% vs. 34%, respectively., Discussion: Our data suggest that adjuvant nodal RT plays a major role even if the sentinel nodes were negative., Conclusion: Adjuvant RT of the lymph nodes in patients with stage IIa tumors and RT after LAD in stage III tumors is proposed and should be evaluated prospectively.

Objectives: The aim of the present paper is to determine if the ultrasound of hands and feet is comparable to the MRI of the dominant hand to detect erosive disease and inflammation in mild or moderate rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Methods: Twenty-six patients (14 females; mean age, 48 years) with active mild or moderate RA (mean DAS28, 3.9; mean disease duration, 19 months) were examined clinically, by ultrasound and by gadolinium-enhanced low-field MRI at baseline, after 6 and 12 months (78 examinations). Radiographs from hands and forefeet were taken at baseline and after 12 months. MRI was performed at the clinically most active (dominant) hand or forefoot evaluating the MCP 1-5 or MTP 1-5 joints. Ultrasound examination additionally included all other 2nd, 5th MCP and 5th MTP joints., Results: MRI and ultrasound detected erosive disease in 67 and 56 of 78 examinations, respectively (p<0.01); radiography only in 8 of 52 examinations (p<0.001). MRI and ultrasound were equally sensitive to detect synovitis (in 64 and 66 examinations). Synovial power Doppler signals were present in 38 ultrasound examinations. Bone marrow oedema was present in 37 MRI examinations. Ultrasound was more sensitive than MRI to detect tenosynovitis (in 30 vs. 15 examinations; p=0.001)., Conclusions: MRI of the dominant hand and bilateral ultrasound of MCP and MTP joints are superior to x-ray to detect erosive disease in mild and moderate RA. MRI is slightly, but significantly more sensitive than ultrasound for erosive disease, while ultrasound is more sensitive to detect tenosynovitis. Ultrasound and MRI are comparably sensitive to detect synovitis.

Melanoma patients in stage III have a considerable recurrence rate. The 10-year survival in this stage depends on the number and size of affected nodes. Currently, there is no optimal serum marker for early detection of relapse available. The goal of the study was to assess the utility of melanoma inhibitory activity (MIA) serum marker in the follow up and primary diagnosis of stage III melanoma patients. One hundred and thirty-eight melanoma patients in stage III at time of primary diagnosis were analyzed at time of primary diagnosis and during periodical routine follow up both for serum MIA using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and for serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Results were correlated with the positivity of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) and the number of lymph node metastases in the completion lymph node dissection at time of primary diagnosis. During follow up, the overall survival time was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method in terms of elevated MIA (>12 ng/mL) values. Regarding SLN status, significant differences of MIA values (P = 0.024) and LDH (P = 0.007) were found, both within the normal cut-off. Having lymph node metastases in the completion lymph node dissection, significantly higher MIA values (12.55 ng/mL [±0.48], P < 0.0001) were found. In patients with three or more tumor-positive nodes, MIA values were significantly higher when compared to patients with one or two affected nodes (P = 0.024). In the routine follow-up, stage III patients with an MIA value of more than 12 ng/mL had a five times higher risk for developing recurrences (P < 0.0001). Patients with relapsing disease had a significantly (P < 0.0001) higher mean MIA value (13.76 ng/mL) compared to patients without relapse (7.52 ng/mL). The MIA serum marker can be helpful in patients undergoing lymph node dissection. Furthermore, during follow up, patients showing relapsing diseases can have an elevated MIA value., (© 2011 Japanese Dermatological Association.)

In the follow-up of melanoma patients, there is still a need for an optimal serum marker to discover recurrent disease at an early stage. Melanoma inhibitory activity (MIA) has been investigated as a serum marker for cutaneous melanomas. Although the prognosis for melanoma based on stage is generally good, the disease identified at later stages is associated with high levels of morbidity and mortality. The value of MIA testing in early-stage melanoma was the goal of this study. Five thousand three hundred and thirty-four MIA serum values from 1079 consecutive melanoma patients in stages I and II were obtained during routine follow-up at scheduled intervals. Sensitivity and specificity of MIA were calculated. The area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve and Somers' Dxy rank correlation were assessed. Metastasis occurred in 137 patients with a sensitivity of MIA testing of 67.6% in stage I and 65.6% in stage II patients. The specificity was 76.9% for stage I and 66.7% for stage II patients. The most reliable normal upper limit for MIA was redefined at 12.0 ng/ml, when compared with 8.8 and 15.0 ng/ml. Multivariate analysis revealed significantly more frequent false-positive values in elderly women and in men with an increased Breslow thickness.MIA adapted with a new cut-off level is then a useful serum marker even in the follow-up of not yet relapsed early-stage melanoma patients. In older women and in men with an increased tumor thickness, the higher rate of false-positive values should be considered before starting further diagnostics. Additional prospective studies to clarify the clinical combination with other serum markers seem promising.

Purpose: It has not yet been systematically investigated which ultrasound scan is the best for detecting effusions of the glenohumeral joint. This question will be addressed by this study. Furthermore, this study determines reference values for distances to distinguish effusions from normal findings., Methods: Ultrasound was performed according to extended DEGUM and EULAR guidelines on 200 shoulders of 100 consecutive patients with shoulder complaints and on 40 shoulders of 20 healthy controls. Distances were measured between the surface of the humerus and the joint capsule in 3 positions: Axillary recess, dorsal transverse scan with 60 degrees internal rotation and with maximum external rotation. Normal values were calculated by ROC analysis., Results: The mean age of patients and controls was 58 and 55 years, and 67 % and 70 % were female, respectively. Ultrasound detected effusions in 81 shoulders of 56 patients. Effusions were seen in the dorsal scan with 60 degrees internal rotation in 30 %, in the axillary scan in 49 %, and in the dorsal scan in maximum external rotation in 94 % (p < 0.001, respectively). Five percent of the effusions were exclusively detected in the axillary scan. The upper normal limits for the distance between bone surface and joint capsule were 3.7 mm for the axillary recess, 2.7 mm for the dorsal region in 60 degrees internal rotation and 3.1 mm for the dorsal region in maximum external rotation ., Conclusions: Dynamic ultrasound examination including the dorsal scan with maximum external rotation is essential for detecting glenohumeral joint effusions. The axillary scan is superior to the dorsal transverse scan with 60 degrees internal rotation.

In this work a fast, simple and sensitive qualitative TLC method was developed to identify Echinaceae pallidae radix and to distinguish this drug from similar ones. The TLC method is based on the lipophilic compounds of E. pallida. Three mobile phases provided good separation, e.g. toluene/ethylacetate 7 + 3 (v/v). A marker substance was found which shows a blue fluorescence at an excitation wavelength of 366 nm after detection with a spray agent containing 95 volume parts ethanol 96%, 5 parts trifluoroacetic acid 99% and zinc ions in 0.15 molar concentration. After spraying the chromatogram was heated at 110 degrees C for 7 min. This method is superior to HPLC methods to characterise mixtures of Echinacea extracts in terms of selectivity due to this post-chromatographic derivatisation and subsequent fluorescence detection.

Use of laparoscopic resection for colorectal malignancy has raised concerns regarding local cancer control and the lack of long-term results. Most reported data are preliminary and medium-term results, at best. The aim of this study is to analyse all patients who underwent a laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer at our department between November 1992 and July 2003. The cohort comprised a total of 394 patients (194 rectal cancer and 200 colon carcinoma). The most common procedures were high and low anterior resection with total mesorectum excision (TME) (176), followed by sigmoidectomy (89), right hemicolectomy (57), and left hemicolectomy (42). Mean operating time was 176 minutes. Conversion was necessary in 4 of the patients. Mean number of lymph nodes removed was 27. The postoperative complication rate was 20.1% (rectum) and 12.5% (colon). One patient died of myocardial infarction. Mean follow up was 45 (0.3-135) months. Port site metastasis occurred in 2 patients. The local recurrence rate was 4.1% after curative rectum resection and 0.5% in the colon group. After curative resection, the overall 5-year survival rate was 76.9% (rectum), and 81.4% (colon). Cancer-related survival rate after 5 years was 87.7% (rectum), and 91.3% (colon). Our results demonstrate that laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer is not associated with higher morbidity and mortality rates. Established oncological principles are respected and long-term results are at least as good as those after open surgery.

Purpose: The superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) Resovist is a contrast media with shortening of both T(1) and T(2) relaxation time. This study evaluates the impact of SPIO-enhanced T(1)- and T(2)-weighted images for the differentiation of liver lesions., Materials and Methods: SPIO-enhanced MRI examinations (1.5 T, Symphony Quantum) of 61 patients were analyzed. Thirty-seven patients had malignant liver lesions (metastases n = 32, HCC n = 5) proven by biopsy or laparotomy, 11 patients had benign liver lesions (FNH n = 2, hemangiomas n = 4, benign cysts n = 5, normal liver on laparoscopy n = 13). After unenhanced T(1)- and T (2)-weighted imaging, a bolus injection of 1.4 ml SPIO (Resovist) was given, followed by T(1)-weighted imaging at 20 s, 60 s, and 5 min and T(2)-weighted imaging at 10 min post injection. A score from 1 (benign) to 5 (malignant) was used by three blinded radiologist for the ROC analysis of the unenhanced T(1)-/T(2)-weighted images (set 1) and of the combinations of unenhanced T(1)/T(2)-weighted and SPIO T(1)-weighted images (set 2), unenhanced T(1)/T(2) and SPIO T(2)-w images (set 3) and all images (set 4)., Results: The accuracy of plain MRI (set 1: 56 %) was increased by SPIO-enhanced T(1)-weighted images (set 2: 81 %) and SPIO-enhanced T(2)-weighted images (set 3: 90 %). Best results were obtained using unenhanced T(1)-weighted, unenhanced T(2)-weighted and both SPIO T(1)-weighted and T(2)-weighted images (set 4: 93%). The accuracy of predicting histopathologic diagnosis was 91%., Conclusion: For the differentiation of liver lesions, SPIO-enhanced T(2)-weighted images had a greater impact on the accuracy of MRI than T (1)-weighted images, but SPIO-enhanced T(1)-weighted images provided additional information in some patients and should not be deleted.

Mortality is seen as the most significant criterium for the prognosis of the disease in a population and with respect to the effectiveness of prophylactic and therapeutic measures. The extraordinary high-mortality from breast carcinoma causes more psychological strain for women in working age. Breast carcinoma is the most frequent cause of death between the ages of 40 and 60 in the population of the GDR. Relevant data are the sex and age related mortality. From its reduction the cost and benefit for secondary prevention and especially of mammography can be evaluated.