Gallbladder cancer in Chile: a report on 54 potentially resectable tumors

Article Abstract:

Gallbladder cancer is uncommon in the United States, but in some nations it is a major cause of illness and death. Indeed, in Chile gallbladder cancer is not only common, it is the largest cause of cancer deaths among women. Gallbladder cancer is so common there that many cases are discovered not as a result of cancer symptoms, but as an incidental finding in gallbladders which have been removed in the treatment of gallstones. As is the case with many cancers, the most important predictor of successful treatment is early detection. The authors report the characteristics of 54 cases of gallbladder cancer in Chile which appeared to be amenable to surgical treatment. Only 10 of the patients were men, a female/male ratio of 4.4:1. In only four of the 54 cases was the presence of cancer suspected prior to the removal of the gallbladder. Gallbladder cancer which has remained in the mucosal lining and has not yet invaded surrounding tissue has a good prognosis; these patients were treated with surgical removal of the gallbladder only and all seven remain alive without signs of disease. Similarly, a cancer which appears to be well differentiated when observed under the microscope has a good prognosis; all nine patients with well differentiated tumors remain alive. Patients under 40 had a worse prognosis. Overall, the one- , two-, and three-year survival rates were 66, 51, and 25 percent, respectively. Thirty-four of the patients had been examined with ultrasonography prior to their surgery. In only three cases did ultrasound imaging reveal the presence of cancerous tissue. The inconspicuous nature of the majority of gallbladder cancers in this series illustrates the difficulty of early detection and treatment of this cancer. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Chile, Cancer, Gallbladder cancer

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Sex steroids in human brain tumors and breast cancer

Article Abstract:

Sex hormones may influence brain tumor symptoms, and, in women, symptoms may vary with the menstrual cycle or during pregnancy. Although a number of studies have examined sex hormone receptors in brain tumors, there is virtually no data on the concentration of sex steroids in brain tumors. To provide some basis for comparison, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone concentrations were measured in various tumors: 10 astrocytomas, two ependymomas, three meningiomas, and eight breast cancers; all were obtained as surgical specimens. There were no clear trends, and variation of estradiol concentration among individuals was great. There were no apparent differences in brain tumor estradiol concentrations between men and women. The levels of progesterone were less variable than those of estradiol, and likewise, there were no apparent differences between the sexes. Although there were no significant differences between the sexes for testosterone concentrations, the levels of testosterone were somewhat higher in brain tumors than in breast cancers. The testosterone levels were comparable to those measured in normal brains at autopsy, but the progesterone levels were lower when compared with concentrations measured in the brain autopsy tissue. The reasons for this apparent depletion of progesterone are not known. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Research, Physiological aspects, Steroid hormones, Hormones, Sex, Sex hormones

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Brain tumors in childhood and adolescence in West Sweden 1970-1984: epidemiology and survival

Article Abstract:

The epidemiology of brain tumors among children and adolescents, and the rate of survival from this malignancy were assessed in West Sweden. The case records of 198 children, ranging from infancy to about 17 years old, who were diagnosed with brain tumors between 1970 and 1984, were obtained from the Swedish Cancer Registry. The incidence of brain tumors each year was estimated to be 34.9 cases per million persons, and was considered high compared with other countries. There were more children with brain tumors from infancy to four years compared with the age groups of five to nine years and 10 to 14 years. Certain types of brain tumors were more prevalent, including astrocytomas affecting 25 percent of the patients, and primitive neuroectodermal/ medulloblastomas (PNET/MB), affecting 21 percent of the patients. Brain tumors were associated with other nerve diseases including neurofibromatosis, the development of tumors of various sizes on peripheral nerves, and Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome. Brain tumors occurred with the same frequency among males and females, although PNET/MB was more prevalent among males. The percentage of surviving patients with brain tumors was 54 percent at five years, and 49 percent at 15 years after diagnosis, but there was wide variation in survival rates among the subgroups. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Sweden, Demographic aspects, Tumors in children, Pediatric tumors

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