Adult ; Aged ; Axilla ; innervation ; surgery ; Brachial Plexus ; surgery ; Breast Neoplasms ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; methods ; Mastectomy, Radical ; adverse effects ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Pain, Postoperative ; etiology ; Somatosensory Disorders ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo study the relative factors of local recurrence and distant metastasis after breast-conserving therapy (BCT) for patients with breast cancer.

METHODSThe data on 174 patients with primary breast cancer who had been treated by BCT were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were followed up for 12 to 196 months with a rate of 97.13% (169/174).

RESULTSNine patients showed local recurrence and 14 patients, distant metastasis. The 3-year recurrence rate was 3.79% (5/132), the the 5-year metastasis rate was 10.99% (10/91), and the 5-year survival rate was 92.31% (84/91). Those 3-year recurrence rate for patients without radiotherapy (12.12%) was significantly higher than that with radiotherapy (1.01%), (chi(2) = 5.61, P < 0.05). In patients with node-positive, the the 5-year metastasis rate for patients without chemotherapy (44.44%) was higher than that for those with chemotherapy (6.67%), (P < 0.05). Positive marginal status was associated with local recurrence (P < 0.01). Age at diagnosis of patient with breast cancer (

CONCLUSIONSRadiotherapy must be given after BCT. The patients with positive margin should be treated by re-excision or by mastectomy. Those with young age, node- positive and histological grade III should receive adjuvant chemotherapy.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics and the prognostic factors of breast cancer patients with skip metastases in the axilla.

METHODSThe clinical data of 1502 breast cancer patients who underwent complete axillary lymph node dissection were retrospectively reviewed. The patterns of skip metastases, clinical features and prognostic factors were analyzed.

RESULTSOf the 1502 patients, lymph node metastases were found in 814, of whom skip metastases in 119 (14.6%, 119/814). The Clinicopathologic factors such as age, tumor size, tumor location, clinical stage, hormonal receptor status and involved interpectoral lymph nodes were not correlated with skip metastases (P > 0.05). The disease free survival rate was lower in clinical stage I and II patients with skip metastases than that in those without (P = 0.003), while no significant difference was observed in clinical stage III patients (P = 0.457). Multivariate analysis showed that the tumor size, number of metastatic lymph nodes, extracapsular invasion of the lymph nodes and skip metastases in the axilla were significantly correlated with survival rate.

CONCLUSIONSkip metastasis in the axilla cannot be accurately predicted by clinicopathologic factors. Early breast cancer patients with skip metastases should be treated properly due to poor prognosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Axilla ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Burden ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the efficacy and complications of the method for reduction mammaplasty in patients with breast benign diseases.

METHODSFrom November 1980 to December 2001, reduction mammaplasty was performed in 27 patients with breast hypertrophy, ptosis and benign diseases. The operation methods were selected according to the characters of the diseases and the extent of breast hypertrophy and ptosis. 9 patients received reduction mammaplasty using an inferior pyramidal pedicle technique; 16 patients received Mckissock vertical bipedicle technique and 2 patients received the bicyclic incision technique.

RESULTSThe successful rate was 94.2%. Three breasts developed areola necrosis in Mckissock. Symptoms caused by breast hypertrophy and benign diseases were improved apparently.

CONCLUSIONReduction mammaplasty is the best option for the treatment of breast hypertrophy and ptosis with benign diseases. The method of reduction mammaplasty should be taken individually.

Aged ; Breast ; pathology ; surgery ; Breast Diseases ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; surgery ; Mammaplasty ; methods

OBJECTIVEThe study was designed to investigate the expression patterns of metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 protein in invasive breast carcinoma and to determine the clinicopathological and prognostic values of its various localization and relation to the tumor phenotypes.

METHODSImmunohistochemistry was performed on paraffin-embedded tissue array from 263 invasive breast carcinomas to investigate the protein expressions of MMP-13, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2, MMP-2, MMP-9 and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1, TIMP-2.

RESULTSMMP-13 protein was detected in the cytoplasm of carcinoma cells and peritumoral fibroblasts. High level expression of MMP-13 protein in tumor cells was associated with more lymph node involvement and higher tumor grade (both P < 0.01), and positively correlated with HER2 (P = 0.015) and TIMP-1 protein (P < 0.01) expression in carcinoma cells. Moreover, high expression of MMP-13 was associated with shortened overall survival for the entire patient population and the patient group with positive lymph node. Tumor cell derived MMP-13 had different impact on patients with different HER2 status. Peritumoral fibroblasts derived MMP-13 protein, although correlated with tumor cell derived MMP-13 and associated with lymph node stage and HER2 expression, was found having less prognostic impact. Univariate survival analysis showed that the tumor size, grade, lymph node status, PR status, HER2 expression, tumors TIMP-1 and MMP-13 expression were prognostic factors. However, multivariate survival analysis showed that only tumor size, lymph node status, HER2 expression, tumors TIMP-1 and MMP-13 were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONMMP-13 protein expressed by tumor cells correlates with the invasion and metastasis of breast carcinoma, and therefore, may serve as a poor prognostic marker for the patient.

Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 13 ; analysis ; genetics ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; analysis ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Neoplasm Staging ; classification ; Prognosis ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; analysis ; Receptors, Estrogen ; Receptors, Progesterone ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the design, procedures and effect of latissimus dorsi-myocutaneous flap (LDMF) for breast reconstruction.

METHODSFrom May, 2005 to April, 2006, 18 consecutive patients underwent breast reconstruction with LDMF. Combined breast implants were also inserted in 8 of the 18 cases. The procedure duration, complication and aesthetic results were assessed.

RESULTSThe mean procedure duration was 147 minutes. There was no flap loss and no severe complications. The reconstructed breast was a little over high in one patient. All the other 17 patients (94.4%) were very satisfied with the aesthetic result.

CONCLUSIONSLDMF or a combination of LDMF with breast implants is a reliable method for breast reconstruction with low complication. The procedure is easily performed with good aesthetic result.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Mammaplasty ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Skeletal ; transplantation ; Surgical Flaps

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a disorder characterized by degeneration of lower motor neurons and occasionally bulbar motor neurons leading to progressive limb and trunk paralysis as well as muscular atrophy. Three types of SMA are recognized depending on the age of onset, the maximum muscular activity achieved, and survivorship: SMA1, SMA2, and SMA3. The survival of motor neuron (SMN) gene has been identified as an SMA determining gene, whereas the neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) gene is considered to be a modifying factor of the severity of SMA. The main objective of this study was to analyze the deletion of SMN1 and NAIP genes in southern Chinese children with SMA. Here, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was performed to detect the deletion of both exon 7 and exon 8 of SMN1 and exon 5 of NAIP in 62 southern Chinese children with strongly suspected clinical symptoms of SMA. All the 32 SMA1 patients and 76% (13/17) of SMA2 patients showed homozygous deletions for exon 7 and exon 8, and all the 13 SMA3 patients showed single deletion of SMN1 exon 7 along with 24% (4/17) of SMA2 patients. Eleven out of 32 (34%) SMA1 patients showed NAIP deletion, and none of SMA2 and SMA3 patients was found to have NAIP deletion. The findings of homozygous deletions of exon 7 and/or exon 8 of SMN1 gene confirmed the diagnosis of SMA, and suggested that the deletion of SMN1 exon 7 is a major cause of SMA in southern Chinese children, and that the NAIP gene may be a modifying factor for disease severity of SMA1. The molecular diagnosis system based on PCR-RFLP analysis can conveniently be applied in the clinical testing, genetic counseling, prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic diagnosis of SMA.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Gene Deletion ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Male ; Neuronal Apoptosis-Inhibitory Protein ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo confirm alternative methods for Mandarin hearing in noise test (MHINT) to get the performance-intensity (PI) function, and to set up right test rules for scoring sentence intelligibility for subjects.

METHODSSentence speech reception thresholds were obtained for 30 normally hearing subjects with the MHINT test using several adaptive rules based on either character or word segmentation of the sentences. Each adaptive rule was intended to measure the threshold at a different point on the PI function. By also measuring sentence intelligibility at each threshold, the accuracy with which the PI function was estimated could be evaluated for each type of segmentation. The results of different segmentation were compared.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in the reception threshold of sentences (RTS) between the group which used character segmentation and the group which used word segmentation (P > 0.05); and also no significant difference in their speech recognition score (SRS, P > 0.05). When the same subject used both character segmentation and word segmentation to do the test, there was no significant difference in their RTS between character segmentation and word segmentation (P > 0.05); and also no significant difference in their SRS (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThis method could be used not only with normally hearing individuals and people with hearing loss to evaluate their sentence intelligibility, but also with people who had aided equipment.

Acoustic Stimulation ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Audiometry, Speech ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Language ; Male ; Speech Intelligibility ; Speech Perception ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEThe study was designed to compare the combustion products of coal gas, liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas in relation to indoor air pollution.

METHODSRegular pollutants including B(a)P were monitored and 1-hydroxy pyrene were tested in urine of the enrolled subjects. Radon concentrations and their changes in four seasons were also monitored in the city natural gas from its source plant and transfer stations to final users. To analyze organic components of coal gas, liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas, a high-flow sampling device specially designed was used to collect their combustion products, and semi-volatile organic compounds contained in the particles were detected by gas chromatograph-mass spectrograph (GC/MS).

RESULTSFindings in the study showed that the regular indoor air pollutants particles and CO were all above the standard in winter when heating facilities were operated in the city, but they were lowest in kitchens using natural gas; furthermore, although NO2 and CO2 were slightly higher in natural gas, B(a)P concentration was lower in this group and 1-hydroxy pyrene was lowest in urine of the subjects exposed to natural gas. Organic compounds were more complicated in coal gas and liquefied petroleum gas than in natural gas. The concentration of radon in natural gas accounted for less than 1% of its effective dose contributing to indoor air pollution in Beijing households.

CONCLUSIONCompared to traditional fuels, gases are deemed as clean ones, and natural gas is shown to be cleaner than the other two gases.

Air Pollution, Indoor ; analysis ; Carbon Dioxide ; analysis ; Coal ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Incineration ; Nitrogen Dioxide ; analysis ; Petroleum ; Radon ; analysis ; Volatilization

OBJECTIVETo study the imageology change of the intervertebral foramen degenerative intervertebral disc in different degrees and explore its clinical significance.

METHODSThe imageology data (MRI and CT) of 37 patients with degenerative disc disease of L4,5 (male 23, female 14, age from 28 to 62 years with an average of 41.6 years)were investigated. The patients were divided into three groups depending on the mean signal intensity rate of degenerative disc and cerebrospinal fluid:light degenerative group (group A) of 11 cases, intermediate degenerative group (group B) of 13 cases, and severe degenerative group (group C) of 13 cases. The extreme altitude, maximum width and areas of the intervertebral foramen were measured from the CT 1.25 mm scan reconstitution. The changes of the intervertebral foramen were analyzed.

RESULTS(1) 1. The extreme altitude and areas of the intervertebral foramen gradually diminished among the light degenerative group, intermediate degenerative group and severe degenerative group, there was no significant deviation between intermediate degenerative group and the light degenerative group (P > 0.05), there was statistical significance between severe degenerative group and intermediate degenerative group (P < 0.05), there was statistical significance between severe degenerative group and light degenerative group (P < 0.01). (2) There was no statistical significance of the maximum width of intervertebral foramen among three groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe extreme altitude and areas of the intervertebral foramen gradually diminished when the disc are differently degenerative. But there was not significant correlation to width of the intervertebral foramen; the dimin height and area of intervertebral foramen should result in root compression.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; chemistry ; diagnostic imaging ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; diagnostic imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed