An esophagogastric anastomotic leak, especially in the mediastinum or the chest, is a life-threatening complication of surgery for cancer of the esophagus. Of 617 patients who underwent esophageal resection and esophagogastric anastomosis between January 1980 and December 1989, 39 (6.32%) had anastomotic leakage; of these, 25 (64.10%) died. Various biologic parameters, operative techniques, and the management of leaks were analysed. Albumin concentration below 3 gm/dL (chi 2 = 3.9; P = 0.047), neoplastic permeation of the anastomotic cut margin (chi 2 = 4.7; P = 0.04), and cervical anastomosis (chi 2 = 12.32; P = 0.0004) were associated with a higher incidence of anastomotic leakage. Hemoglobin level, type of suture material used for the anastomosis, preoperative radiotherapy, and the experience of the operating surgeon under supervision were found to be statistically insignificant factors and did not influence anastomotic leakage. Mortality due to leak in the first postoperative week was 85% and was statistically significant as compared to the mortality occurring in the second postoperative week (chi 2 = 6.04; P = 0.013). Surgical or conservative management of the leak did not influence mortality (chi 2 = 1.2; P = 0.27). The salvage rates for cervical and intrathoracic anastomotic leakage were 80% and 29.4%, respectively. This difference is statistically significant (chi 2 = 29; P = 0.088).
Meningiomas represent about one sixth of all primary neoplasms of the central nervous system. They rarely metastasize outside the intracranial compartment. There are no clear criteria to identify the subset of aggressive tumors which recur locally or metastasize. Histological tumor grade is the most important predictor of recurrence or metastases. We report an unusual case of recurrent metastasis in an extrapleural location and review the literature. Our patient developed recurrent thoracic metastases from an intracranial benign meningioma after a disease-free interval of 8 years. She was successfully managed by wide excision of the metastasis and is currently asymptomatic.
T cells expressing gammadelta receptors were isolated from the peripheral blood of oesophageal cancer patients and analysed for their potential to lyse tumour targets. Immunophenotyping by flow cytometry showed that the dominant population of gammadelta T cells expressed the Vgamma9 and the Vdelta2 T cell receptor, and a minor population expressed the Vdelta1 receptor. Cytotoxicity assays revealed that activated gammadelta T cells lysed Daudi Burkitt's lymphoma and K562 cells. Lysis of autologous oesophageal tumours was higher than of allogenic tumours. Anti-hsp60 and anti-hsp70 mAb significantly inhibited the cytotoxicity of gammadelta T cells to both autologous and allogenic oesophageal tumours. Surface expression of hsp60 and hsp70 on oesophageal tumours and Daudi cells was demonstrated by flow cytometry. In conclusion, gammadelta T cells isolated from the peripheral blood of oesophageal cancer patients have the ability of kill oesophageal tumour cells. The lysis of tumour targets by the gammadelta T cells is brought about via recognition of heat-shock proteins expressed on the surface of tumour cells. gammadelta T cells isolated from the peripheral blood may have applications in adoptive immunotherapy of oesophageal cancer.
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