Publications (9)6.83 Total impact
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Article: Thirty-five-year follow-up analysis of clinical and pathologic outcomes of thymoma surgery.
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ABSTRACT: The impact of myasthenia gravis on patients with thymoma is still controversial when perioperative and long-term outcomes are analyzed. With the unique opportunity of a 35-year follow-up in a single institution, thymomatous myasthenia gravis cohort, we investigated the influence of early and long-term clinical predictors. We reviewed a surgical series of 317 (1972 to 2007) patients with thymoma: clinical and pathologic features were analyzed as prognostic factors matched against the short- and long-term survival and recurrence rates. Male to female ratio was 153:164; median age, 49 years. Myasthenia gravis coexisted in 276 patients (87.1%). Thymomas were classified according to the Masaoka (42.0% stage I, 32.2% stage II, 21.5% stage III, and 4.4% stage IV) and the World Health Organization (3.5% type A, 9.5% type AB, 19.2% type B1, 57.7% type B2, 8.2% type B3, and 1.9% thymic carcinoma) staging systems. The resection was complete in 295 patients (93.1%). Operative mortality and morbidity were respectively 1.6% and 7.6%. No differences were recorded in postoperative outcome stratifying for myasthenia gravis or comorbidities. Mean follow-up was 144.7 +/- 104.4 months. The overall 5-, 10-, 20-, and 30-year survival rates were 89.9%, 84.1%, 73%, and 58.6%, respectively. The completeness of resection (p < 0.001), the Masaoka staging (p = 0.010), and the World Health Organization classification (p < 0.001) all significantly influenced the long-term survival (univariate analysis). Only completeness of resection was significantly correlated with a better prognosis (p < 0.001) in multivariate analysis. Masaoka staging (p < 0.001) and World Health Organization classification (p < 0.001) significantly correlated with the disease-free survival in the univariate and multivariate analyses as significant prognostic factors (Masaoka, p < 0.001; World Health Organization, p = 0.011). Myasthenia gravis patients showed a better prognosis in terms of long-term survival (p = 0.046) and disease-free survival (p = 0.012) in the univariate analysis. We confirm the evidence that the clinical staging and the histologic classification influence long-term survival. The presence of myasthenia gravis was not significantly related to operative outcome, but prolongs both long-term survival and disease-free survival.The Annals of thoracic surgery 01/2010; 89(1):245-52; discussion 252. · 3.74 Impact Factor -
Article: Thymectomy in myasthenia gravis via original video-assisted infra-mammary cosmetic incision and median sternotomy: long-term results in 180 patients.
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ABSTRACT: The clinical outcome of 180 non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis (MG) consecutive cases surgically treated is reported herein. The original surgical access, consisting of a video-assisted infra-mammary cosmetic incision and median sternotomy, has originally been designed and described by our group. The in-hospital patients' charts and the outpatients' clinic follow-up information of the 180 cases have been extensively reviewed. In addition to the strictly surgical benchmark referral, data on the rate of cure of the MG (complete stable remission - CSR; pharmacological remission - PR) as indicated by the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) have been analysed as recorded at the 12 months after surgery checkpoint. Cosmetic outcome was evaluated as well. Female to male ratio was 156 (86.7%):24 (13.3%). Mean age: 29.1+/-10.9 years. Preoperative MGFA score: stage I: 4 patients (2.2%); IIa: 57 (31.7%); IIb: 32 (17.8%); IIIa: 41 (23.3%); IIIb: 42 (23.3%); IVa: 2 (1.1%); V: 2 (1.1%). Median operative time was 110 min (70-130 min) and median postoperative hospital stay was 4 days (3-10 days). Postoperative mortality was nil and morbidity occurred in seven patients (3.8%). Final pathology was consistent with: 146 hyperplastic thymus (81.1%); 28 involuted thymus (15.6%) and 6 normal thymus (3.3%). Ectopic thymic tissue was found in 68% of the patients. Mean follow-up was 62.9+/-34.6 months. A CSR was obtained in 55%; PR in 18.3%; improvement in 39.9%, unchanged in 3.5%, worse in 1.1% and died in 0.5%. Kaplan-Meier estimates of CSR were 34.1% and 75.8% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. The preoperative therapy was the only parameter significantly associated with Kaplan-Meier CSR rates (univariate analysis - p<0.001). Remarkably, 171 (95%) patients judged their cosmetic results to be excellent or very good. Thymectomy in MG patients via video-assisted infra-mammary cosmetic incision and median sternotomy has shown to be a useful surgical approach as demonstrated by the good functional and very good aesthetic results, associated with a very low morbidity and no mortality. Patients with preoperative mono-therapy have higher CSR rates. CSRs are durable, as the CSR rate improves with extended follow-up.European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery: official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery 04/2009; 35(6):1063-9; discussion 1069. · 2.40 Impact Factor -
Article: Recurrence of thymoma: re-operation and outcome.
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ABSTRACT: The treatment of recurrent thymomas remains still controversial. From 1972 to 2006, 265 (114 males and 118 females ) patients with thymoma underwent surgery at Catholic University of Sacred Heart. Twenty of these 265 patients developed a recurrence of the initial thymoma, and they represent the population of the present study. One patient died of sudden death related to respiratory failure. The overall morbidity rate was 33% and the morbidity rate among myasthenic patients was 60%. 10 patients died during the follow-up; 2 of unrelated diseases, 2 of myasthenia gravis, and 6 of tumor growth. The overall actuarial survival rates were 43% and 37% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Recurrences never appeared in patients with I stage of Masaoka and in type A and AB. Considering the particular spread of thymoma and the encouraging results of the aggressive surgical approach, re-resection should be recommended in respectable recurrent thymomas.Annali italiani di chirurgia 78(5):375-6. · 0.23 Impact Factor -
Article: Surgical treatment of non-small cell lung cancer: mediastinal lymph node dissection.
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ABSTRACT: The effectiveness of lymph node dissection in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer is evaluated. The extent of lymphadenectomy in the treatment of NSCLC is still controversial. Although some centers perform only mediastinal lymph node sampling with resection of suspicious lymph nodes, others recommend radical, systematic mediastinal lymph node dissection to improve survival and achieve a better staging. Reports of the literature on the subject are reviewed and the results achieved with the various procedures are analyzed. A personal technique to perform mediastinal lymph node dissection is described.Rays 29(4):423-9. -
Article: Neoadjuvant therapy for esophageal cancer: surgical considerations.
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ABSTRACT: Esophageal carcinoma is often diagnosed at an advanced, non resectable stage. Only early stages show a better prognosis. Surgical treatment represents the gold standard. The various surgical techniques do not seem to affect survival. Based on the severity of esophageal cancer and on poor outcome achievable with surgery alone, multimodality treatments are the most suitable. The possible negative impact on the complication rate after neoadjuvant therapy is still debated. Most randomized trials have not demonstrated as yet an improvement in prognosis in patients undergoing a three-modality treatment. However, patients with complete pathologic response after surgical resection were shown to have a better prognosis. In conclusion, additional randomized trials are required, aimed at evaluating all technical and therapeutic variables which affect prognosis.Rays 31(1):37-45. -
Article: [Thymectomy in myasthenia gravis: video-assisted procedures].
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ABSTRACT: We describe the technique, the benefits and the drawbacks of an original video-assisted thymectomy (VAT), performed through an inframammary cosmetic incision and median sternotomy in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients. This procedure is clinically valuable and cosmetically satisfactory so as to be very well accepted by patients, especially by young women. Minimal-access thymectomy has become increasingly popular as surgical treatment for patients with nonthymomatous myasthenia gravis because of its comparable efficacy, safety, and lesser degree of tissue trauma with conventional open surgery. We report a review/interview of 180 MG patients treated between 1993 and 2005. According to Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA), complete stable remission (CSR) and pharmacologic remission (PR) were calculated at the end of a minimal period of 12 months. A clinical remission was obtained in 41.1% (CR 27.8%, PR 13.3%), who had been followed for at least 12 months from surgery. 95% of these patients judged their cosmetic results to be excellent or good. Thymectomy in MG video-assisted infra-mammary cosmetic incision has shown to be a useful surgical approach as demonstrated by the good functional and very good aesthetic results, associated with a very low morbidity and no mortality.Annali italiani di chirurgia 78(5):355-8. · 0.23 Impact Factor -
Article: Tnm independent prognostic factors in lung cancer.
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ABSTRACT: Large studies have demonstrated that TNM staging system is the most consistent prognostic factor in patients with non small cell lung carcinoma. However, because patients within the same stage may have very different survival, better prognostic information is needed. The recent progress in molecular biology has allowed the analysis of proteins and genes involved in cancer development. To date, more than 150 different prognostic factors affecting survival in patients with lung cancer have been discovered and extensively studied. Despite the encouraging prognostic results in angiogenesis markers, there is not yet a molecular marker validated in large prospective trials that has major independent predictive prognostic value.Rays 29(4):373-6. -
Article: Transhiatal esophagectomy (THE).
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ABSTRACT: In Transhiatal Esophagectomy(THE) two approaches can be used by the surgeon: abdominal and cervical, without thoracotomy. A pioneer of this technique was Orringer, with the largest experience world-wide (1085 patients). THE is associated with a lower morbidity compared with the transthoracic approach, but much controversy exists on whether THE is a suitable operation for cancer, because it is not combined with en-bloc lymphadenectomy. However, overall, there are no statistical differences between the two. Frequently esophageal carcinoma is a systemic disease and thus, the biological behavior and the stage of tumor rather than the technique, play a major role.Rays 31(1):63-6. -
Article: [Malignant pleural effusion].
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ABSTRACT: Malignant pleural effusion is a frequent condition with important prognostic repercussions on duration and quality of life. The neoplasms that more frequently determine pleural effusion are lung and breast cancer and pleural mesothelioma. Lymphomas, tumours of the genitourinary tract and gastrointestinal tract as a group account for a further 25%. Surgical treatment has palliative purposes and finalized to reduction symptoms and to improve quality of life. More frequent clinical presentation is a massive pleural efusion associated to dyspnoea and cough. Pleural aspiration is the first choice treatment but the recurrence rate equals to 100% within 1 month. Repeated pleural aspirations are indicated in those patients that have lower expectation of life. The recurrence risk can be reduced with chemical pleurodesis that allows the adhesion between pleural surfaces. Pleurodesis can be realized by the instillation of several substances by the tube of drainage (slurry) or during thoracoscopy (poudrage). Video Assisted Thoracoscopy (VATS) is a safe and well tolerated technique, a complication rate is lower than 0.5%, VATS can be used to obtain diagnosis and to treat patients with malignant pleural effusion and better expectation of life.Annali italiani di chirurgia 78(5):389-91. · 0.23 Impact Factor
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2010
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The Catholic University of America
Washington, D. C., DC, USA
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