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Abstract Background Weekly docetaxel has occasionally been used in the neoadjuvant to downstage breast cancer to reduce toxicity and possibly enhance quality of life. However, no studies have compared the standard three weekly regimen to the weekly regimen in terms of quality of life. The primary aim of our study was to compare the effects on QoL of weekly versus 3-weekly sequential neoadjuvant docetaxel. Secondary aims were to determine the clinical and pathological responses, incidence of Breast Conserving Surgery (BCS), Disease Free Survival (DFS) and Overall Survival (OS). Methods Eighty-nine patients receiving four cycles of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide were randomised to receive twelve cycles of weekly docetaxel (33 mg/m2) or four cycles of 3-weekly docetaxel (100 mg/m2). The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast and psychosocial questionnaires were completed. Results At a median follow-up of 71.5 months, there was no difference in the Trial Outcome Index scores between treatment groups. During weekly docetaxel, patients experienced less constipation, nail problems, neuropathy, tiredness, distress, depressed mood, and unhappiness. There were no differences in overall clinical response (93% vs. 90%), pathological complete response (20% vs. 27%), and breast-conserving surgery (BCS) rates (49% vs. 42%). Disease-free survival and overall survival were similar between treatment groups. Conclusions Weekly docetaxel is well-tolerated and has less distressing side-effects, without compromising therapeutic responses, Breast Conserving Surgery (BCS) or survival outcomes in the neoadjuvant setting. Trial registration ISRCTN: ISRCTN09184069

Purpose: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause significant morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. Brain CT is the mainstay in the diagnosis of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). The aim of this study was to explore the clinical characteristics that can predict ICH on brain CT in pediatric TBI patients, to assist physicians in deciding on the use of brain CT., Methods: A total of 475 pediatric TBI patients who underwent brain CT within 24 h after injury from January 2012 to December 2021 in the level 1 trauma center in Thailand were included in this cross-sectional study. Clinical data and brain CT findings were collected. Logistic regression analysis was applied to evaluate clinical characteristics that could predict ICH on brain CT in pediatric TBI patients. A p value was less than 0.05 being indicated that the difference is statistically significant. R software version 3.6.1 was used to statistical analysis., Results: The included cases have a median (Q 1 , Q 3 ) age of 7.7 (3.5, 12.6) years. ICH was found in 98 (20.6%) pediatric patients based on brain CT findings. On multivariable analysis, high blunt energy injury (odds ratio (OR) = 2.79, 95% CI 1.27 - 6.11, p = 0.010), motor vehicle accidents (OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.14 - 3.67, p = 0.017), Glasgow coma scale score <13 (OR = 4.28, 95% CI: 1.87 - 9.78, p < 0.001), palpable skull fractures (OR = 7.30, 95% CI: 1.44 - 37.04, p = 0.016), signs of basilar skull fracture (OR = 6.10, 95% CI: 2.16 - 17.24, p < 0.001), and vomiting ≥ 3 times (OR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.17 - 5.77, p = 0.022) were statistically significant predictive factors for ICH in pediatric TBI patients., Conclusion: These factors might aid clinicians in making an appropriate decision regarding the use of brain CT in pediatric TBI cases., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Most common surgical complications in cholecystectomy are surgical site infections (SSIs). SSIs have many factors, including patient, surgical, and disease factors. This study aims to find the factors which relate to SSIs 30 days after cholecystectomy and contribute to the scoring system to predict SSIs., Methods and Material: The data of patients who underwent cholecystectomy from January 2015 to December 2019 were retrospectively collected from a prospectively collected infectious control registry. The SSI was defined following the CDC criteria and assessed before discharge and at a 1-month follow-up. Variables that were independently predictive of the increased SSIs were included in the risk score., Results: The patients who underwent cholecystectomy were 949, which were divided into 28 patients who had SSIs and 921 who had no SSIs. The rate of SSIs was 3%. The factors related to SSI in cholecystectomy were age ≥ 60 years (p = 0.045), history of smoking (p = 0.004), retrieval bag use (p = 0.005), preoperative ERCP (p = 0.02), and wound class III and IV (p = 0.007). Risk assessment was using five variables (WEBAC): (1) wound classifications, (2) preoperative ERCP, (3) retrieval plastic bag use, (4) aged ≥ 60 years, and (5) history of smoking (cigarette). If patients were aged ≥ 60 years and had a history of smoking, no plastic bag use, preoperative ERCP, or wound class III or IV, these parameters would all be scored 1 each. The WEBAC score revealed the probability of SSIs in cholecystectomy wounds., Conclusion: The WEBAC score represents a convenient and simple tool to predict the probability of SSI in the patients who underwent cholecystectomy and might increase the surgeons' awareness of postoperative SSI., (© 2023. The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.)

Background: Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of acute lower abdominal pain leading patients to the emergency department. This study aims to find the negative appendectomy rate in patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis from 2015 to 2019., Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study in the patients preoperatively diagnosed with acute appendicitis and underwent appendectomy from January 2015 to December 2019. Negative appendectomy is defined as the final pathologic results confirmed normal, congestion or peri-appendicitis., Results: The study population was 892 patients which was 54.3% female. The five-year negative appendectomy rate was 8.6% (n = 77) and 70% in female (n = 54). The factors associated with increasing the negative appendectomy rate were female (OR 2.23, P = 0.003), age ≤ 40 years old (OR 2.35, P = 0.003), and no history of diarrhea (OR 2.42, P = 0.017). Whereas the factors related to decline in the negative appendectomy rate were white blood cell count (WBC) [Formula: see text] 10,000 (OR 0.39, P = 0.016), neutrophil (N) [Formula: see text] 75% (OR 0.28, P < 0.001), and positive appendicitis from ultrasonography of abdomen (OR 0.04, P < 0.001) or computed tomography of abdomen (OR 0.07, P < 0.001)., Conclusion: The negative appendectomy rate was less than 10% in this study. Female, age 40 ≤ years old and history of diarrhea were related to increase in negative appendectomy. The factors that related to decline in negative appendectomy were leukocytosis with cells shift to the left, positive acute appendicitis from abdominal ultrasonography and CT scan. However, to request the further imaging studies to diagnose patients with suspected acute appendicitis depends on the risk and benefit to each patient and the choice of investigation., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: To identify the clinical features associated with complicated (gangrenous or perforation) acute appendicitis in the patients who underwent appendectomy., Material and Method: A consecutive series of adult patients with acute appendicitis who underwent appendectomy at Songklanagarind Hospital between 2005 and 2010 were retrospectively analyzed., Results: Nine hundred twenty four patients were evaluated. Median (interquartile range) age was 34.9 (22.4, 50.1) years. There were 669 (72.4%) simple acute appendicitis and 255 (27.6%) complicated acute appendicitis. Multivariate analyses showed that age >60 years (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.23-3.02), duration of symptoms >12 hours (OR 3.29, 95% CI 2.25-4.8), anorexia (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.2-2.37), body temperature >38 degreesC (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.59-3.58), generalized tenderness (OR 5.36, 95% CI 2.4-11.95), guarding (OR 1.5 95% CI 1.08-2.08), bandemia (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.16-2.34), pyuria (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.07-2.57), urine specific gravity >1.020 (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.18-2.33), and duration from visit to surgery >12 hours (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.18-2.82) were related to complicated acute appendicitis., Conclusion: Ten clinical features can be used to predict the risk of complicated acute appendicitis. However, the strong factors are duration of symptoms, body temperature, and generalized tenderness. They should be the useful tools for acute appendicitis management, especially in limited resources situation.

Background: Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) gene has different functional properties depending on the isoform type. This gene correlates with cell proliferation in various types of cancer. Here, we investigated the expression of WT1 isoforms in breast cancer tissues, and focused on the oncogenic role through estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-α) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)., Materials and Methods: Expression of WT1(17AA+) and (17AA-) was investigated in adjacent normal breast and breast cancer using Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. The correlation of WT1 isoforms with HER2 and ER-α was examined using MCF-7 cells stably-overexpressing WT1s and siRNA against WT1 gene., Results: The expression of WT(17AA-) was significantly found in adjacent normal breast tissues. A mixture of WT1(17AA+) and WT1(17AA-) were highly expressed in breast carcinoma tissues. MCF-7 cells overexpressing WT1+/+ and WT1+/- represented strong expression of ER-α and HER2. Moreover, the silencing of WT1+/+ and WT1+/- resulted in a decrease of both ER-α and HER2 and led to a decrease of cell numbers., Conclusion: Our results suggest that WT1(17AA+) was exhibited dominantly in breast carcinoma tissues. WT1+/+ and WT1+/- correlated with the high expression of ER-α and HER2, leading to cell proliferation and might be involved in cancer development and progression.

Background: Weekly docetaxel has occasionally been used in the neoadjuvant to downstage breast cancer to reduce toxicity and possibly enhance quality of life. However, no studies have compared the standard three weekly regimen to the weekly regimen in terms of quality of life. The primary aim of our study was to compare the effects on QoL of weekly versus 3-weekly sequential neoadjuvant docetaxel. Secondary aims were to determine the clinical and pathological responses, incidence of Breast Conserving Surgery (BCS), Disease Free Survival (DFS) and Overall Survival (OS)., Methods: Eighty-nine patients receiving four cycles of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide were randomised to receive twelve cycles of weekly docetaxel (33 mg/m2) or four cycles of 3-weekly docetaxel (100 mg/m2). The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast and psychosocial questionnaires were completed., Results: At a median follow-up of 71.5 months, there was no difference in the Trial Outcome Index scores between treatment groups. During weekly docetaxel, patients experienced less constipation, nail problems, neuropathy, tiredness, distress, depressed mood, and unhappiness. There were no differences in overall clinical response (93% vs. 90%), pathological complete response (20% vs. 27%), and breast-conserving surgery (BCS) rates (49% vs. 42%). Disease-free survival and overall survival were similar between treatment groups., Conclusions: Weekly docetaxel is well-tolerated and has less distressing side-effects, without compromising therapeutic responses, Breast Conserving Surgery (BCS) or survival outcomes in the neoadjuvant setting., Trial Registration: ISRCTN: ISRCTN09184069.

Background: The impact of newer breast imaging technologies and genetic testing on the detection of breast cancer in women age 40 and younger remains unknown., Methods: A records review identified 628 women age 40 and younger diagnosed with breast cancer from 1996 to 2008. Patient and tumor characteristics, means of diagnosis, imaging results, and genetic testing were examined., Results: Tumors were first detected by self-examination in 71%, with a median invasive tumor size of 2.0 cm. Imaging performed at or after diagnosis visualized most tumors; mammography visualized 86%, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) visualized 96%, and mammography plus MRI visualized more than 98% of tumors. For 81% of patients, the mammogram at diagnosis was their first mammogram. Although 50% had a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, few underwent genetic testing before their cancer diagnosis; 61 of 247 (25%) ultimately tested had a BRCA mutation., Conclusions: Better use of genetic testing, mammography, and MRI could improve breast cancer detection in young women.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is used in women who have large or locally advanced breast cancers. However, up to 70% of women who receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy fail to achieve a complete pathological response in their primary tumour (a surrogate marker of long-term survival). Five proteins, previously identified to be linked with chemoresistance in our in vitro experiments, were identified histochemically in pre-treatment core needle biopsies from 40 women with large or locally advanced breast cancers. Immunohistochemical staining with the five proteins showed no single protein to be a predictor of response to chemotherapy. However, pre-treatment breast cancer specimens that were annexin-A2 positive but annexin-A1 negative correlated with a poor pathological response (p=0.04, Fisher's exact test). The mechanisms by which annexins confer chemoresistance have not been identified, but may be due to inhibition of apoptosis. Annexin-A1 has been shown to enhance apoptosis, whilst annexin-A2, by contrast, inhibits apoptosis.

Background: Axillary nodal status is the most important prognostic factor for patients with breast cancer. Clinical assessment and imaging modalities are not always reliable. Surgical removal and histopathological examination of axillary lymph nodes remain essential methods of staging the axilla. However, the optimal management of the axilla remains uncertain., Methods: We performed Medline searches to identify relevant systematic reviews, meta-analysis, and nonrandomized and randomized controlled trials for the past 5 years (up to December 2007), as well as important historical articles and clinical guidelines relating to management of the axilla in women with breast cancer., Results: Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) has been the standard surgical approach for many years. It is, however, associated with marked morbidity; survival benefit remains uncertain. Axillary node sampling, widely practiced in the United Kingdom, is a reliable alternative procedure in staging the axilla, with less morbidity. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has become an accurate method for staging the axilla in women with operable, clinically node-negative breast cancer. SLNB alone appears to be a safe and acceptable procedure for patients with uninvolved SLNs. Completion ALND or axillary radiotherapy remains the standard treatment for patients with tumor-involved SLNs. SLNB is associated with less morbidity than ALND. However, long-term follow-up and therapeutic outcomes are being awaited from randomized controlled trials., Conclusions: Several procedures are available for staging and treating the axilla. A tailored surgical approach, with careful assessment of risk-benefit and patient preference, is guiding the evolving modern management of the axilla for women with breast cancer.