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News brief: Poorer breast cancer survival associated with micrometastases in axillary lymph nodes

A systematic review of literature found that micrometastases in axillary lymph nodes are associated with reduced disease-free and overall survival in breast cancer patients. The study's findings suggest that even small metastatic lesions can have a significant impact on patient outcomes.

SourceJournal of the National Cancer Institute·JournalJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute·DateFeb 26, 2010

News brief: Contrast agent with MRI improves detection of lymph nodes metastases

A new study found that adding a contrast agent to MRI improves the accuracy of detecting lymph node metastases. The researchers concluded that incorporating contrast enhancement in malignancy criteria improves diagnostic test accuracy, and histopathologic examination should still be used as a gold standard.

SourceJournal of the National Cancer Institute·JournalJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute·DateFeb 1, 2010

D2 lymphadenectomy improves the long-term survival for patients with node-negative gastric cancer

A study published in World Journal of Gastroenterology found that a large number of dissected lymph nodes in D2 dissection improves long-term survival and reduces recurrence rate for patients with node-negative gastric cancer. The number of resected lymph nodes is a key prognostic indicator, and increasing it leads to better survival o...

SourceWorld Journal of Gastroenterology·JournalWorld Journal of Gastroenterology·DateAug 26, 2009

JNCI news brief: Surgeon training found effective in breast cancer sentinel lymph node trial

A new study published in JNCI finds that training methods for surgeons performing breast cancer sentinel lymph node resection are highly effective. The study evaluated three training methods and found a statistically significant positive association between procedural errors and false-negative rates.

SourceJournal of the National Cancer Institute·JournalJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute·DateAug 24, 2009

What is the function of lymph nodes?

A new study found that lymph nodes are not necessary for the immune system to respond to infections. Instead, the liver can serve as a surrogate structure for T-cell activation. This discovery suggests an alternative role for the liver and may explain why patients receiving a liver transplant sometimes inherit the donor's allergies.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateMay 26, 2009

What is the function of lymph nodes?

Research suggests that lymph nodes are not necessary for marshalling T-cells to respond to skin breaches, with the liver playing a key role instead. This discovery implies a novel function for the liver and offers insights into the evolution of immune systems in mammals.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalPLOS Biology·DateMay 25, 2009

Can EUS elastography help distinguish benign from malignant tissue?

A multicenter study found EUS elastography to be highly sensitive and specific in distinguishing benign from malignant tissue, with a sensitivity of 92.3% for pancreatic lesions and 91.8% for lymph nodes. The technique may help characterize pancreatic masses after negative EUS-FNA and increase the yield of EUS-FNA for lymph nodes.

SourceWorld Journal of Gastroenterology·JournalWorld Journal of Gastroenterology·DateApr 15, 2009

US hospitals 'flunk' colon cancer

A Northwestern University study found that over 60% of US hospitals do not comply with the recommendation to examine 12 lymph nodes after colon cancer surgery, leading to improved survival rates when more nodes are checked.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute·DateSep 9, 2008

Uneven use of less-invasive breast cancer staging test reported

The use of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) increased substantially from 1998 to 2005, but disparities persist in access to the procedure. Non-white women, older women, and those living in poorer areas were less likely to receive SLNB than their counterparts, highlighting uneven access to this less-invasive breast cancer staging test.

SourceJournal of the National Cancer Institute·JournalJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute·DateMar 25, 2008

Researchers find less invasive, highly accurate methods

Researchers at Mayo Clinic have developed a new technique using two small flexible tubes to stage lung cancer, achieving a 93% accuracy rate in finding malignant lymph nodes. This method is less invasive and more precise than traditional surgical methods, allowing patients to recover the same day.

SourceMayo Clinic·JournalJAMA·DateFeb 5, 2008

Cancer survival compromised by poor staging methods

A study found that less than one-third of gastric cancer patients had adequate lymph node assessments, leading to compromised survival. Median survival in regions with the highest ALNA rate was 33 months, while in regions with the lowest rate it was only 17 months.

SourceWiley·JournalCancer·DateSep 25, 2006

New objective criteria improve PET scan reliability in detecting breast cancer metastasis

Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center developed new objective criteria to enhance the reliability of PET scans in detecting breast cancer metastasis. The criteria use a standardized uptake value (SUV) threshold of 2.3, which was found to accurately diagnose lymph node involvement with 100% specificity and positive predictive value.

SourceCedars-Sinai Medical Center·JournalArchives of Surgery·DateAug 21, 2006