Acta Oncol

The Swedish National Care Programme for Anal Carcinoma--implementation and overall results.

Year 1998
Friberg B. Svensson C. Goldman S. Glimelius B.
Department of Surgery, Karolinska Institute, Sodersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden.
The Swedish National Care Programme for Anal Carcinoma (SNCPAC) was instituted in order to create a uniform handling policy for anal cancer and thus to accrue a population-based material allowing unbiased analyses. This study evaluates the degree of implementation of the SNCPAC guidelines, and presents overall treatment results in a total of 356 patients with epidermoid cancer of the anus and the perianal region diagnosed in Sweden between 1985 and 1989. Primary treatment according to the guidelines was irradiation up to 40 Gy, Bleomycin was administered intramuscularly before the first 18 fractions. After a 3-week pause, radiotherapy was to be continued up to a dose of 60-64 Gy, if at least an almost complete response was achieved. Otherwise, the patient was recommended surgery within a week. The guidelines were applied in 90%, of cases where such treatment was possible. The 5-year tumour-specific survival rate was 72%. The survival rate was more favourable in perianal tumours (90%) than in anal canal tumours (68%, p < 0.01). The 5-year probability of having a preserved anus was 64% (anal canal/perianal 58%/91%, p < 0.001). Bleomycin did not appear to have any effect on treatment results. The care programme has had a rapid and almost complete nation-wide penetration, and h as created the desired uniformity allowing proper analyses. The treatment results also appear comparable with specialised referral centres.

Colonic cell proliferation in normal mucosa of patients with colon cancer.

Year 1998
Becciolini A. Balzi M. Faraoni P. Tisti E. Zappoli Thyrion G. Giache V. Bandettini L. Potten CS.
Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Italy.
Cell kinetics parameters have been analysed in colonic mucosa at different distances from a tumour in patients with colon carcinoma. Total cell number (TCN), 3H thymidine labelling index (TLI), mitotic index (MI), Goblet cell index (GCI) and the distribution of labelled cells along the crypt column (cell position frequency plot) were determined in well-aligned crypts. Total cell number, GCI and the labelled cell position frequency plots were similar in different samples from the same individual. A negative linear correlation between TCN and TLI was observed. The analysis of the cell position plots showed two patterns 1) with a high concentration in the bottom fifth of the crypt and 2) with frequent labelled cells at high positions. Whereas a negative correlation between overall TLI and the percent contribution to the TLI of the lowermost fifth was seen, the correlation was positive for the next 3 fifths and labelling was absent in the last part of the crypt.

Incidence, etiologic aspects and clinicopathologic features in intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma--a study of 51 cases from a low-endemicity area.

Year 1998
Kaczynski J. Hansson G. Wallerstedt S.
Department of Medicine, Goteborg University, Sahlgren's University Hospital, Ostra, Sweden.
A total of 51 cases (19 males and 32 females) of intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC) from a low-endemicity area of primary liver cancer was analyzed during the periods from 1958 to 1979 and from 1984 to 1991. The mean annual age-adjusted incidence rate was 0.44 for males and 0.56 for females per 100,000 inhabitants. CCC was diagnosed before death in only 31%. There was a female predominance in patients over 70 years of age (p < 0.05). At presentation, malaise (85%), weight loss (73%) abdominal pain (50%) and hepatomegaly (80%) were common. The median survival time from diagnosis was 2 months. The mean age at the time of death was 72 years (range 41-92). At autopsy, cholelithiasis was found in 61% (81% in patients older than 70 years) and cirrhosis in 30% of patients. Cholelithiasis was more common in CCC (p < 0.01) than in hepatocellular carcinoma cases with the same mean age. Not one case of inflammatory bowel disease was found. The gross appearance of the tumor was predominantly massive (49%) or multinodular (35%). The most common histological features were tubular pattern of growth (82%) and abundant fibrous stroma. Metastases were particularly associated with the lymph nodes (41%), skeleton (26%) and lungs (16%).