Fifteen-year Survival Rates Research Articles

Survival rate and its predictors in HIV patients: A 15-year follow-up of 3030 patients

BackgroundThe high prevalence of HIV infection and the deaths caused by it is one of the challenges for the healthcare systems throughout the world. In this study, we analyzed the survival of people living with HIV and co-infections, and related factors. MethodsThis retrospective cohort study was performed on 3030 people living with HIV admitted to Imam Khomeini Behavioral Disease Counseling Center, Tehran, Iran, during 2004–2018. Required data were obtained from the individuals’ files. Kaplan Meier diagrams and Log-rank tests were used to assess the relationship between different factors and survival. In addition, Cox regression analysis was performed to determine the effective factors in HIV mortality. Data were analyzed using STATA software, version 14. ResultsThe mean age of studied population was 43.2 ± 9.5 [years] and 77.3 % were male. Among the subjects, 3.2 % were infected with hepatitis B, 31.5 % with hepatitis C, and 13.9 % with Tuberculosis (TB). One, five, ten, and fifteen-year survival rates were 97.0 %, 93.0 %, 86.0 %, and 54.0 %, respectively. The mean survival time was 154.2 ± 0.9 months. Age more than 35, history of imprisonment, Unsafe sexual behavior, TB, and hepatitis C are independently associated with death in people living with HIV (p < 0.05). ConclusionThe survival of people living with HIV in the present study was in the favorable range compared to previous studies. However, co-infection with hepatitis C was associated with reduced survival of the subjects in this study. Therefore, it is suggested to detect and then prevent and control HCV co-infection to increase the survival of subjects.

Long-term Survival and Prognostic Factors of Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer survival rate is an important index for assessment of treatment effect in reducing the mortality. Weaimed to determine the fifteen-year survival rate for breast cancer at a referral center in Iran and its correlated factors. This survival study enrolled patients with breast cancer who referred to Motamed Cancer Institute (MCI) from 1998 to2016. The survival rate was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The relationship of demographic, clinical and therapeuticfactors with overall survival (OS) was studied using Cox's proportional hazard model. Totally, 3443 patients were studied. Their mean age and follow-up period were 47.7 (±11.43) years and 61.66 (±52.1)months, respectively. The median follow-up time was 48.4 months (range: 1-413 months), 49.7% of the patients had high schoolor higher education, and 71.3% presented in the early stage of the disease. Death occurred in 505 (14.7%) of the patients. Theoverall 2-, 5-, 7-, 10- and 15-year survival rates were 93%, 82%, 78%, 74%, and 66%, respectively. Lymph node involvement(HR=2.07; 95% CI: 1.38-3.09), tumor size≥5 cm (HR=2.83; 95% CI: 1.59-2.04), being single/divorced/widowed (HR=1.65;95% CI: 1.13-2.4), and education level<high school diploma (HR=1.57; 95% CI: 1.13-2.17) were independent predictors ofbreast cancer survival. The five-year breast cancer survival rate in this study was higher than reported by some other studies in Iran, whichcould be due to the multidisciplinary treatment approach in MCI. Tumor size and lymph node involvement as indicators ofdelayed diagnosis may affect breast cancer survival, even though their true effect due to lead-time bias should be considered. Thecorrelation of education level with survival confirms the importance of awareness and the need to establish strategies for earlydiagnosis in Iranian women.

Surgical Remodeling of the Left Ventricle in Patients with Post-Infarction Dilation and Heart Failure

INTRODUCTION The cause of heart failure in patients with coronary artery disease after anterior myocardial infarction may be dilatation of the cavity of the left ventricle (LV) with subsequent unfavorable course of the disease. In the case of early reperfusion, which prevents transmural myocardial necrosis, the damaged segment more often becomes akinetic than dyskinetic. Surgical remodeling of the left ventricle (SRLV) is aimed at reducing the volume and restoring its elliptical shape by eliminating scars in the akinetic and/or dyskinetic segments.AIM OF STUDY To evaluate the survival of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) who had anterior wall myocardial infarction in the early and late periods after surgical remodeling of the left ventricle, in combination with coronary bypass grafting and/or interventions on the mitral valve.MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 99 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) who had myocardial infarction of the anterior LV wall and with severe heart failure, who underwent surgical LV remodeling in the period from 2002 to 2020. The analysis of early and long-term results was carried out. The risk factors influencing lethality were determined.The mean age of the patients was 56.0±10.2 years (from 23 to 81 years). The vast majority of patients (90%) were men. LV ventriculoplasty was combined with coronary bypass grafting in 97 (98%) patients, with mitral valve repair in 2 (2%) patients, with mitral valve replacement in 2 (2%) patients.RESULTS In the early postoperative period, all patients showed an improvement in global LV systolic function. The ejection fraction (EF) of the left ventricle increased from the average preoperative average value of 34.2±3.7% to 43±4.2% in the postoperative period (р&lt;0,001). Left ventricular end systolic volume index (LVESV) decreased from 71.4±15.3 ml/m2 to 43.8±9.6 ml/m2, respectively (р&lt;0,001). In the early postoperative period, 5 (5%) patients used the following means of mechanical hemodynamic support: intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), non-implantable device for temporary support of the left ventricle (LVAD) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The 30-day mortality rate after LVESV was 6%. Prior to surgery, all patients had NYHA functional class (FC) III or IV. In the postoperative period, all patients experienced regression of heart failure symptoms and improved exercise tolerance. NYHA functional class improved to I and II in 100% of cases. Using univariate analysis, it was possible to determine that EF ≤30%, LVESV ≥80 ml/m2 and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) &gt;60 mm Hg. were risk factors for hospital mortality. The overall fifteen-year survival rate was 59.8±0.13%. The absence of readmission to the hospital due to recurrent angina pectoris, mitral valve dysfunction and progression of heart failure (HF) was 72% among surviving patients.CONCLUSION Surgical remodeling reduces the volume of the dilated left ventricle and restores its elliptical shape in patients with CAD after anterior myocardial infarction. The results of our study demonstrate an improvement in LV systolic function in all patients in the early postoperative period and low mortality, an acceptable fifteen-year survival rate, and a low readmission rate due to the progression of chronic heart failure (CHF).

Current Status of Circulating Tumor Cells, Circulating Tumor DNA, and Exosomes in Breast Cancer Liquid Biopsies.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. Although the five-, ten- and fifteen-year survival rates are good for breast cancer patients diagnosed with early-stage disease, some cancers recur many years after completion of primary therapy. Tumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution may lead to distant metastasis and therapy resistance, which are the main causes of breast cancer-associated deaths. In the clinic today, imaging techniques like mammography and tissue biopsies are used to diagnose breast cancer. Even though these methods are important in primary diagnosis, they have limitations when it comes to longitudinal monitoring of residual disease after treatment, disease progression, therapy responses, and disease recurrence. Over the last few years, there has been an increasing interest in the diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive potential of circulating cancer-derived material acquired through liquid biopsies in breast cancer. Thanks to the development of sensitive devices and platforms, a variety of tumor-derived material, including circulating cancer cells (CTCs), circulating DNA (ctDNA), and biomolecules encapsulated in extracellular vesicles, can now be extracted and analyzed from body fluids. Here we will review the most recent studies on breast cancer, demonstrating the clinical potential and utility of CTCs and ctDNA. We will also review literature illustrating the potential of circulating exosomal RNA and proteins as future biomarkers in breast cancer. Finally, we will discuss some of the advantages and limitations of liquid biopsies and the future perspectives of this field in breast cancer management.

Ewing’s Sarcoma Family Tumors in the Republic of Belarus: Fifteen-year Survival Rate in 115 Pediatric Patients with Localized Disease

Ewing’s Sarcoma Family Tumors in the Republic of Belarus: Fifteen-year Survival Rate in 115 Pediatric Patients with Localized Disease

Fifteen-year single center experience with the "Giessen Hybrid" approach for hypoplastic left heart and variants: current strategies and outcomes.

Presented is a retrospective outcome study of a 15-year single institutional experience with a contemporary cohort of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and complex that underwent a “Giessen Hybrid” stage I as initial palliation. Hybrid approach consisting of surgical bilateral pulmonary artery banding and percutaneous duct stenting with or without atrial septum manipulation was developed from a rescue approach to a first-line procedure. Comprehensive Aristotle score defined pre-operative condition. Fifteen-year follow-up mortality is reported as occurring within the staged univentricular palliation or before and after biventricular repair. Hybrid stage I was performed in 154 patients; 107 should be treated by single ventricle palliation, 33 by biventricular repair (BVR), 7 received heart transplantation, and 7 were treated by comfort care, respectively. Overall 34 children died. The Aristotle score (mean value 18.2 ± 3) classified for univentricular circulations in newborns did not have statistical impact on the outcome. Two patients died during stage I (1.2 %), and the interstage I mortality was 6.7 %, and stage II mortality 9 %, respectively. Stage III was up to now performed in 57 patients without mortality. At 1 year, the overall unadjusted survival of HLHS and variants was 84 % and following BVR 89 %, respectively. The Fifteen-year survival rate for HLHS and variants was 77 %, with no significant impact of birth weight of less than 2.5 kg. In conclusion, Hybrid stage I fulfilled the criteria of life-saving approach. In our institution, Hybrid procedure replaced Norwood-staged palliation with a considerable mid- and long-term survival rate. Considering interstage mortality close surveillance is mandatory.

Long-term Results and Bone Remodeling After THA With a Short, Metaphyseal-fitting Anatomic Cementless Stem

Long-term results of standard total hip arthroplasty (THA) in young patients were not optimal. There are a number of reported disadvantages to longer cementless stems in THA including thigh pain and proximal stress shielding. However, it is unknown whether a short, metaphyseal-fitting anatomic stem without diaphyseal fixation, which represents a possible alternative, will maintain fixation over the longer term. We therefore evaluated long-term (1) clinical results using validated scoring instruments; (2) osseointegration and bone remodeling; (3) complications; and (4) rates of revision and osteolysis in patients younger than 65years who underwent THA with a short, metaphyseal-fitting anatomic cementless stem. We reviewed 500 patients (630 hips) younger than 65years (mean age at surgery, 52.7years) who underwent THA with the Immediate Postoperative Stability stem (IPS; DePuy, Leeds, UK) by one surgeon (Y-HK) from January 1995 to March 2002. Demographic data, Harris hip score, WOMAC score, UCLA activity score, and radiographic data were recorded. All patients underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scanning of the acetabulum and proximal femur at 2weeks after the operation and at final followup to determine stress shielding. Thigh pain was specifically investigated and scored by patients on a visual analog scale. Other complications were recorded. We determined component survival rates at 15years using revision and aseptic loosening as end points. Minimum followup was 11years (mean, 15.8years; range, 11-18years). The clinical and functional results improved significantly for the Harris hip score, WOMAC, and UCLA activity scores (p<0.001). At latest followup, mean Harris hip, WOMAC, and UCLA activity scores were 94 (range, 71-100), 15 (range, 5-29), and 7.9 (range, 6-9) points, respectively. All hips had osseous integration of the acetabular and femoral components. No patients had thigh pain. Four hips (0.6%) had deep infection and four (0.6%) had a recurrent dislocation. No patients had Grade 3 stress shielding. Fifteen-year survival rates were 98.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.95-1.00) for the acetabular component and 99.4% (95% CI, 0.97-1.00) for the femoral component with revision as the end point and 100% (95% CI, 0.98-1.00) for both components with aseptic loosening as the end point. The short, metaphyseal-fitting anatomic cementless femoral stem provided stable fixation without relying on diaphyseal fixation in younger patients, suggesting metaphyseal fitting alone is sufficient in young patients who have good bone quality. Because we observed no thigh pain and little stress shielding in our patients, modifying the distal stem design as is done with this implant might be advantageous, but this would need to be determined in future comparative studies. Level IV, therapeutic study. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Intermediate to Long-Term Results of Periacetabular Osteotomy in Patients Younger and Older Than Forty Years of Age

The treatment of middle-aged patients with periacetabular osteotomy remains controversial. The goal of the present retrospective study was to analyze the intermediate to long-term functional and radiographic results of periacetabular osteotomy in patients below and above the age of forty years. Between February 1990 and December 2004, 166 periacetabular osteotomies were performed in 146 patients. We evaluated 158 hips in 139 patients who had a mean age of thirty-two years at the time of surgery. The mean duration of follow-up was eleven years (range, five to twenty years). We compared thirty-six patients (forty-one hips) who were forty years of age or older with 103 patients (117 hips) who were younger than forty years of age at the time of surgery. The average Harris hip score increased from 70 points preoperatively to 90 points postoperatively. The mean Harris hip scores at the time of the five-year follow-up were similar in the older and younger groups (p = 0.57), although the latest follow-up scores were significantly higher in the younger group than in the older group (91 compared with 88 points; p = 0.02). The average modified Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) function score (with 0 representing the worst score and 100 representing the best score) was higher for the younger group than for the older group (92 compared with 90 points; p = 0.03). Kaplan-Meier analysis with progression of the Tönnis grade of osteoarthritis as the end point showed a ten-year survival rate of 90.8% (95% confidence interval, 88.3% to 93.3%) and a fifteen-year survival rate of 83.0% (95% confidence interval, 78.5% to 87.5%); the ten-year survival rates in the younger and older groups were 94.4% and 81.3%, respectively, and the fifteen-year survival rates were 86.9% and 71.2%, respectively (p = 0.025). Periacetabular osteotomy yielded similar results for the two groups at the time of the five-year follow-up, although the results for the older group deteriorated thereafter. Decrease in physical function due to aging and increased susceptibility to the progression of osteoarthritis may be responsible for the poorer results over time in the older group.

Mid-Term Results of Total Hip Arthroplasty with the CementLess Spotorno (CLS) System

Except for those reported by the designers, there are no published mid-term results of the use of the CementLess Spotorno (CLS) Total Hip Arthroplasty system. We present the results of (1) a ten to seventeen-year follow-up prospective cohort study of this system, and (2) retrospective analyses of factors influencing clinical and radiographic outcomes. We studied a series of 102 consecutive CLS arthroplasties with a minimal duration of follow-up of ten years. Indications for the procedures were osteoarthritis (n = 90), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 8), and femoral head osteonecrosis (n = 4). The Merle d'Aubigné-Postel score, polyethylene wear, and radiographic status were recorded at regular intervals. Survival analyses, repeated-measures analysis of variance, and a nested case-control study (with the cases having early revision due to aseptic cup loosening within ten years after the index procedure and the controls having no early cup revision) were used for evaluation. There were fourteen revisions, including nine due to aseptic cup loosening. The ten-year Kaplan-Meier survival rate was 92.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 86.9 to 97.5) with revision for any reason as the end point. The fifteen-year survival rate was 78.4% (95% CI = 63.9 to 92.9) with revision for any reason as the end point, 81.6% (95% CI = 66.7 to 96.5) with revision due to aseptic cup loosening as the end point, and 99.0% (95% CI = 97.0 to 100.0) with revision due to aseptic stem loosening as the end point. The average amount of polyethylene wear at the time of final follow-up was 1.92 mm (range, 0.6 to 4.3 mm). The wear rate in the cases was significantly higher than that in the controls (0.31 vs. 0.16 mm/yr, p < 0.001). Factors with a significant effect on polyethylene wear were age at surgery (a 0.3-mm increase per every ten years younger, p = 0.001) and a larger head component (an effect of 0.53 mm for the 32 vs. the 28-mm component; p < 0.0001). Male sex had an effect of -0.66 point (p = 0.07) on the final Merle d'Aubigné-Postel score. The results of this CLS system, particularly with regard to the femoral stem, are comparable with those with other reliable cementless systems. Nevertheless, the prevalence of aseptic acetabular cup loosening in the second decade after the operation demonstrates a potentially substantial problem with regard to long-term survival. A high polyethylene wear rate, male sex, a younger age at the time of surgery, and a 32-mm head component size are related to inferior clinical outcomes and a higher risk of implant revision.

Cemented Versus Cementless Total Hip Replacements in Patients Fifty-five Years of Age or Older with Rheumatoid Arthritis

results obtained from single-center studies indicate that a cemented total hip replacement is the treatment of choice for the management of patients over fifty-five years of age with rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this study was to analyze population-based survival rates for cemented and cementless total hip replacements in patients aged fifty-five years or over with rheumatoid arthritis in Finland. between 1980 and 2006, a total of 6000 primary total hip replacements performed for the management of rheumatoid arthritis in patients who were fifty-five years of age or older were entered in the Finnish Arthroplasty Registry. 4019 of them fulfilled our inclusion criteria and were subjected to analysis. The implants were classified into one of three possible groups: (1) a cementless group (a noncemented proximally porous-coated stem and a noncemented porous-coated press-fit cup), (2) a cemented group 1 (a cemented, loaded-taper stem combined with a cemented, all-polyethylene cup), or (3) a cemented group 2 (a cemented, composite-beam stem with a cemented, all-polyethylene cup). cementless stems and cups, analyzed separately, had a significantly lower risk of revision for aseptic loosening than cemented implants in patients who were fifty-five years of age or older with rheumatoid arthritis. The fifteen-year survival rate of cementless total hip replacements (80%) was comparable with the rates of the cemented groups (86% in cemented group 1 and 79% in cemented group 2) when revisions for any reason were used as the end point. cementless and cemented total hip replacements produced comparable long-term results in patients who were fifty-five years of age or older with rheumatoid arthritis. therapeutic Level III. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

What Changes In Survival Rates Tell Us About US Health Care

Many advocates of US health reform point to the nation's relatively low life-expectancy rankings as evidence that the health care system is performing poorly. Others say that poor US health outcomes are largely due not to health care but to high rates of smoking, obesity, traffic fatalities, and homicides. We used cross-national data on the fifteen-year survival of men and women over three decades to examine the validity of these arguments. We found that the risk profiles of Americans generally improved relative to those for citizens of many other nations, but Americans' relative fifteen-year survival has nevertheless been declining. For example, by 2005, fifteen-year survival rates for forty-five-year-old US white women were lower than in twelve comparison countries with populations of at least seven million and per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of at least 60percent of US per capita GDP in 1975. The findings undercut critics who might argue that the US health care system is not in need of major changes.

Failure Patterns After Linked Semiconstrained Total Elbow Arthroplasty for Posttraumatic Arthritis

Total elbow arthroplasty for the treatment of posttraumatic arthritis is associated with a relatively high failure rate. An understanding of these failures can lead to improved implant design and surgical technique. Eighty-four consecutive patients underwent eighty-five semiconstrained total elbow arthroplasties for the treatment of posttraumatic arthritis. Sixty-nine elbows with a retained primary prosthesis were followed for an average of nine years. Clinical results were graded with use of the Mayo Elbow Performance Score. Radiographs were assessed for mechanical failure, and all complications were recorded. Sixteen primary arthroplasties (19%) failed. Causes of failure included isolated bushing wear (seven), infection (four), component fracture (three), and component loosening (two). The most common cause of early failure (failure after less than five years) was infection, whereas intermediate-term failure (failure after five to ten years) typically was due to bushing wear. Late failure (failure after more than ten years) was uncommon and involved component loosening or fracture. Seventy-five percent of the failures were in patients who were less than sixty years old at the time of surgery (p = 0.03). Progressive radiolucent lines were noted around four implants, three of which had clinically important loosening. Total elbow arthroplasty was associated with significant improvements in terms of pain, motion, and the Mayo Elbow Performance Scores (p < or = 0.002). Sixty-eight percent of the patients achieved a good or excellent clinical result, and 74% were subjectively satisfied. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a fifteen-year survival rate of 70% with revision or resection for any reason as the end point. Semiconstrained total elbow arthroplasty in patients with posttraumatic arthritis places high demands on the implant and is associated with a relatively high failure rate. Seventy-five percent of failures occur in patients less than sixty years of age, and infection continues to represent a frequent mode of early failure. Bushing wear and component loosening or fracture are seen more commonly in the intermediate and late term, whereas aseptic loosening remains relatively uncommon.

Total Hip Arthroplasty for Primary Osteoarthritis in Patients Fifty-five Years of Age or Older

According to the long-term results obtained from the Scandinavian arthroplasty registries, cemented total hip replacement has been the treatment of choice for osteoarthritis of the hip in elderly patients. The aim of the present study was to analyze population-based survival rates of the cemented and cementless total hip replacements performed for primary osteoarthritis in patients fifty-five years of age or older in Finland. From 1980 to 2004, a total of 50,968 primary total hip replacements that met our criteria were entered in the Finnish Arthroplasty Registry. The success rate of different implant groups was analyzed. The implants included were classified in one of the following four groups: implants with a cementless, straight, proximally circumferentially porous-coated stem and a modular, porous-coated press-fit cup (cementless group 1); implants with a cementless, anatomic, proximally circumferentially porous-coated and/or hydroxyapatite-coated stem with a modular, porous-coated and/or hydroxyapatite-coated press-fit cup (cementless group 2); a hybrid total hip replacement consisting of a cemented stem combined with a modular, press-fit cup (the hybrid group); and a cemented loaded-taper or composite-beam stem combined with an all-polyethylene cup (the cemented group). Cementless total hip replacements, as well as cementless stems and cups analyzed separately, had a significantly reduced risk of revision for aseptic loosening compared with cemented hip replacements (p < 0.001). When revision for any reason was the end point in survival analyses, however, there were no significant differences among the groups. In patients between the ages of fifty-five and sixty-four years, the fifteen-year survival rates of the two cementless groups (78% and 80%) were higher than that of the cemented group (71%) with revision for aseptic loosening as the end point. In patients who were sixty-five to seventy-four years old, the fifteen-year survival rate of the implants in cementless group 1 was 94%, while cemented total hip replacements had an 85% survival rate. In patients who were seventy-five years old or more, no significant differences were detected among the total hip replacement groups; all of them had survivorship of >90% at ten years. In patients who were fifty-five years of age or older, the long-term survival of cementless total hip replacements was comparable with that of cemented replacements. In patients who were fifty-five to seventy-four years old, straight porous-coated cementless stems had better long-term survival than the cemented stems. In patients who were seventy-five years of age and older, there were no significant differences in the results. Multiple wear-related revisions of the cementless cups in the present study indicate that excessive polyethylene wear was a major clinical problem with modular cementless cups in all age groups. Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Revision of the Acetabular Component without Cement After Total Hip Arthroplasty&lt;sbt aid="1025516"&gt;A Concise Follow-up, at Fifteen to Nineteen Years, of a Previous Report&lt;cross-ref type="fn" refid="fn1"&gt;*&lt;/cross-ref&gt;&lt;/sbt&gt;

We previously reported our results at a minimum of three and seven years after use of a porous-coated acetabular metal shell in a consecutive series of 138 revision total hip arthroplasties. The current report presents the longer-term outcomes of these procedures, at fifteen to nineteen years postoperatively. A total of twenty metal shells (14%) underwent repeat revision. Seven of the repeat revisions were performed because of recurrent dislocation, seven were done at the time of femoral revision surgery, and six were done because of infection. Nineteen of the revised shells were well fixed, and one was aseptically loose. Of the sixty-seven hips in which the acetabular component survived for more than fifteen years after the index operation, two (3%) required a change of the modular acetabular liner because of wear or osteolysis. Nine (16%) of the fifty-seven hips with at least fifteen years of radiographic follow-up had an osteolytic lesion of >1 cm in diameter. The fifteen-year survival rate of the metal shells, with failure defined as revision because of loosening or as radiographic evidence of loosening, was 97%. Revision total hip arthroplasty with this cementless acetabular component has been followed by excellent component survivorship at fifteen years; the most common reasons for repeat revision were recurrent dislocation and infection.

Breast cancer incidence, mortality and survival in the Umbria region of Italy (1978–1999)

Recent incidence, mortality and survival rates of female invasive breast cancer in the Umbria region were compared with data of 20 years ago and with data from other Italian Registries. Incidence data, derived from an ad hoc survey and from cancer registry records, were analysed for the periods 1978-1982 and 1994-1999; mortality trend rates were calculated based on data from official publications and the variation was assessed by joinpoint analysis. Fifteen-year survival rates, observed, relative and age-adjusted, were also calculated. Compared with the years 1978-1982, the age-adjusted incidence rates rose during 1994-1999, while age-adjusted mortality rates decreased in this latter period. Incidence and mortality rates specific for each age group showed a constant increase with age, in both periods of observation, especially among women from 50 to 75 years of age. The 5-year relative survival rates increased 17%, rising from 0.71 in 1978-1982 to 0.86 in 1994-1998; the survival improvement was evident among women aged 45-54, and 65-74. Age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates in Umbria were lower than in other Italian Registries and survival rates showed a better prognosis for breast cancers diagnosed in Umbria in the period 1994-1998. In conclusion, the 1994-1998 decline in breast cancer mortality and the survival improvement may in part reflect the effectiveness of earlier detection by mammography and the progress in treatments. Genetic and lifestyle factors along with the improvement in diagnosis, and in quality of data collection and classification could have determined the recorded increase in breast cancer incidence.

Analysis of survivorship after total hip arthroplasty using a ceramic head.

To determine the clinical efficacy of an alumina ceramic head, 119 cemented total hip arthroplasties in 97 patients using an alumina head coupled with ethylene oxide gas sterilized polyethylene were reviewed. Eighty-two patients (101 hips) with greater than 10 years followup were evaluated clinically and radiographically (range, 10-17.6 years), and 97 patients (119 hips) were evaluated for survivorship analysis (range, 0.6-17.6 years). The average functional hip scores according to Merle d'Aubigné and Postel improved from 8.6 preoperatively to 15.0 at the final followup, and 57 patients (64 hips) had no pain. The average polyethylene wear rate was 0.15 mm/year (range, 0.04-0.34 mm/year). Patients with polyethylene wear greater than 3 mm showed significantly higher rates of acetabular loosening. Fifteen-year survival rates (with 95% confidence intervals) with radiographic evidence of aseptic loosening as the end point were 46.8% +/- 13.4% in acetabular components and 91.9% +/- 6.6% in femoral components. Fifteen-year survival rates of hip arthroplasties with revision because of aseptic loosening as the end point were 75.3% +/- 10.2% and 97.9% +/- 3.0%, respectively. Results of the current study suggest that using an alumina head instead of a metal head may not be beneficial when coupled with ethylene oxide gas sterilized polyethylene.

20-YEAR OUTCOME OF PATIENTS WITH T1–3N0 SURGICALLY STAGED PROSTATE CANCER TREATED WITH EXTERNAL BEAM RADIATION THERAPY

Patients with surgically staged localized prostate cancer treated with external beam radiation therapy were retrospectively analyzed for 15 and 20-year overall and cause specific survival. The need for additional therapy was also evaluated. We analyzed 145 patients who received external beam radiotherapy after negative staging pelvic lymphadenectomy. Followup data were available for 129 patients. Overall and cause specific survival was calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Median followup was 14.9 years. Actuarial overall survival at 15 and 20 years was 45.9% and 24.6%, respectively. Cause specific survival at 15 and 20 years was 64.5% and 37.7% for having all patients dying of unknown causes censored, and 54.4% and 30.1% for those dying of unknown causes categorized as having prostate cancer, respectively. Of the patients who survived 47% were on hormonal therapy. Longer followup after external beam radiation therapy continues to demonstrate a decrease in cause specific survival. Many patients ultimately require hormonal therapy.

Fifteen-year survival and recurrence rates after radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer.

To determine 15-year survival and recurrence rates after radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer. One hundred thirty-six patients with clinically localized prostate cancer treated from 1966 to 1974 with interstitial gold seed and external-beam irradiation were evaluated to determine the probability of recurrence and survival > or = 15 years after therapy. All patients were surgically staged with pelvic lymphadenectomy and none received hormonal therapy before relapse. Overall, 60 patients (44%) have never recurred, although 57% (34 of 60) of these same patients have died of causes other than prostate cancer. Local progression developed in 39% of patients and distant metastases in 42%. At 15 years, the probability of dying of prostate cancer was 33%+/-8% (% +/- 2SE) and of all causes was 72%+/-8%. In clinical stage A2 and B, 29%+/-9% of patients died of their cancer within 15 years, compared with 57%+/-21% in stage C1, while only 18%+/-8% with clinical stage A2 and B and negative lymph nodes died of cancer within this period. In contrast, the prostate cancer mortality rate at 15 years was high for patients with positive nodes regardless of the stage of the primary tumor (73% for A2 and B; 71% for C1). Patients with nodal metastases, poorly differentiated tumors, and advanced local disease all had a significantly (P < .0001) increased risk of cancer death. The cancer-specific mortality rate for patients with stage A2 and B tumors and negative nodes compares favorably with other series of patients treated with radiation therapy and > or = 15 years' follow-up evaluation. While local progression rates are high and associated with a substantial risk of prostate cancer death, many patients live with the disease and ultimately die of causes other than prostate cancer.

Total hip arthroplasty with cement for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Results at a minimum of ten years in patients less than thirty years old.

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and radiographic results of total hip arthroplasty with cement in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis who were less than thirty years old at the time of the index procedure. Thirty-nine patients (sixty-six hips) were managed with this procedure at our institution between 1971 and 1983. Six patients (eleven hips) died before a minimum of ten years of follow-up; the remaining thirty-three patients (fifty-five hips) were followed for at least eleven years. Twenty-eight patients (forty-six hips) had at least one original component in situ after an average duration of clinical follow-up of 15.1 years, and twenty-three of these patients (thirty-eight hips) were followed radiographically for an average of 14.7 years. At the time of the latest follow-up examination, all twenty-eight patients were able to walk outside the home; twenty of these patients (thirty-five hips; 76 per cent) had no pain with activity, and eight patients (eleven hips; 24 per cent) had mild-to-moderate pain with activity. Over-all, twelve (18 per cent) of the sixty-six femoral components and twenty-three (35 per cent) of the sixty-six acetabular components were revised after an average of 12.8 and 11.8 years, respectively. The fifteen-year survival rate for the femoral components was 85 per cent with revision or radiographic loosening as the end point. The fifteen-year survival rate for the acetabular components was 70 per cent with revision as the end point and 61 per cent with revision or radiographic loosening as the end point. The benefits of total hip arthroplasty were maintained over the long term in most of our patients who had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. However, the durability of the components in these young patients remains a concern.

Has prophylactic irradiation proved itself in the treatment of localized Hodgkin's disease?

The question of whether prophylactic irradiation of surrounding uninvolved sites will yield better results than localized irradiation alone in the management of Hodgkin's disease is presently unsettled. Peters (13) in 1950 and later, in 1958, Peters and Middlemiss (15) reported that prophylactic irradiation of all proximal lymph node chains in addition to the sites of clinical involvement increased the longevity of patients with localized Hodgkin's disease when they were compared to those who were given local irradiation only. This concept of prophylactic irradiation was based on the clinical impression that, before they became generalized, recurrences were more frequent in contiguous lymph node chains than at distant sites. In 1962, Kaplan (9) confirmed the belief that radical irradiation (local plus prophylactic) yielded a result superior to that of palliative local irradiation in respect to freedom from recurrences. The report which challenged this approach of prophylactic irradiation was that of Easson and Russell (4) in 1963. Their experience of a 40 per cent fifteen-year survival rate in a large series of patients treated by adequate dosage to localized fields resulted in figures comparable to those of Peters (13) with extended-field irradiation. Scheer, in 1963, felt that the prompt treatment of proximal recurrences in patients with Stage I Hodgkin's disease was sufficient to produce long-term survivors and that the seemingly random distribution of the subsequent sites of involvement provided little basis for the selection of fruitful areas to treat prophylactically. An analysis of our experience in which the two technics of treatment (localized vs. extended fields) were employed, indicates that the problem remains unsolved. Present Clinical Series The total group of patients with Hodgkin's disease treated at the University of Rochester Medical Center's Division of Radiotherapy between 1930 and April 1964 consists of 113. All cases were histologically verified. The present study is limited to 39 cases of localized Hodgkin's disease, Stages I and IIA, treated by two different therapeutic policies (Fig. 1). A. Local Irradiation Group Before 1958, 18 patients with Stages I and IIA Hodgkin's disease were treated by local irradiation to the entire involved lymph node region, employing generous single- or multiple-field arrangements. The major aim of treatment was to assure local tumor regression; once this was achieved, irradiation was terminated. The tumor doses ranged from 600 to 3,400 R with half the patients receiving 1,500 R or less and the majority less than 2,000 R. The quality of radiation varied from 220 kV to 1 MeV. B. Prophylactic (Extended-Field) Group From 1958 to 1963, 21 patients with similar staging were treated by a technic based on the principles of Vera Peters (13) in which the surrounding clinically uninvolved lymph-node-bearing sites were treated.