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BACKGROUND: In 2008, a study of the characteristics of hospitalised patients led to the development of a prognostic tool that distinguished three populations with significantly different 2-month survival rates. The goal of our study aimed at validating prospectively this prognostic tool in outpatients treated for cancer in terminal stage, based on four factors: performance status (ECOG) (PS), number of metastatic sites, serum albumin and lactate dehydrogenase. PATIENTS AND METHODS: PRONOPALL is a multicentre study of current care. About 302 adult patients who met one or more of the following criteria: life expectancy under 6 months, performance status ≥ 2 and disease progression during the previous chemotherapy regimen were included across 16 institutions between October 2009 and October 2010. Afterwards, in order to validate the prognostic tool, the score was ciphered and correlated to patient survival. RESULTS: Totally 262 patients (87%) were evaluable (27 patients excluded and 13 unknown score). Median age was 66 years [37-88], and women accounted for 59%. ECOG PS 0-1 (46%), PS 2 (37%) and PS 3-4 (17%). The primary tumours were: breast (29%), colorectal (28%), lung (13%), pancreas (12%), ovary (11%) and other (8%). About 32% of patients presented one metastatic site, 35% had two and 31% had more than two. The median lactate dehydrogenase level was 398 IU/l [118-4314]; median serum albumin was 35 g/l [13-54]. According to the PRONOPALL prognostic tool, the 2-month survival rate was 92% and the median survival rate was 301 days [209-348] for the 130 patients in population C, 66% and 79 days [71-114] for the 111 patients in population B, and 24% and 35 days for [14-56] the 21 patients in population A. These three populations survival were statistically different (P <0.0001). CONCLUSION: PRONOPALL study confirms the three prognostic profiles defined by the combination of four factors. This PRONOPALL score is a useful decision-making tool in daily practice.

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Chemokines and their receptors are involved in the migration of different mononuclear cells. Among them macrophages-derived chemokines (MDC) and thymus-and activation regulated chemokine (TARC) belong to a new cluster of genes involve in Th2 lymphocytes homing. Cytokines appear to play a significant role in pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases with an excessive Th1 response in chronic lesions of Crohn's disease (CD) and a Th2 pattern in both earlier mucosal CD lesions and in mucosa of ulcerative colitis (UC). Here we demonstrate that RNAm coding for MDC and TARC are expressed in mucosa from CD and UC patients. Using real-time fluorescent RT-PCR, MDC and TARC mRNA were increased in CD inflamed mucosa. Moreover MDC and TARC transcripts were increased in inflamed CD specimen compared to non-involved CD mucosa. These differences both discriminate CD from UC patients. Additionally, MDC protein was produced in isolated mononuclear cells from peripheral blood (PBMC) or mucosa (LPMC) from UC and CD patients: spontaneously, MDC production from PBMC was increased in CD compared to UC patients. MDC production from CD PBMC was also higher than that found in healthy controls. Together, these data indicate that MDC should be involved in the lymphocytes homing in mucosa from CD patients.

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Involvement of the gastrointestinal tract is frequently reported among the extranodal sites of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but primary lymphoma of the common bile duct is extremely rare. We report the case of a 29-year-old man who presented with obstructive jaundice, leading to the diagnosis of high-grade primary non Hodgkin's T-cell lymphoma, originating from the extrahepatic biliary tract, and confirmed by endosonography and magnetic resonance cholangiography. This patient was treated by sequential chemotherapy without resection and remained in complete remission after one year.

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We studied the value of alkaline phosphatase (AP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and 5'-nucleotidase (5'-NU) activities in the diagnosis of intrahepatic (IHC) versus extra-hepatic cholestasis (EHC). Eighty patients were included prospectively. All presented with cholestasis as defined by a concomitant increase in at least two of three cholestatic enzymes (AP, GGT, 5'-NU), a low cytolytic ratio (alanine aminotransferase/AP [xN/xN] < or = 5), and no evidence for associated liver tumor. We compared 43 patients with IHC due to chronic liver disease to 37 patients with EHC due to main bile duct obstruction. Fasting blood samples for activity determination (AP, GGT, 5'-NU) were taken before performing liver biopsy in cases of IHC and before endoscopic or surgical management in cases of EHC. Enzyme activities were compared using univariate and multivariate analysis. AP (276 IU/L [35-3,140] vs. 123 IU/L [37-699]: p < 0.0001), GGT (595 IU/L [98-5,200] vs. 211 IU/L [38-925]; p < 0.0001), and 5'-NU (32 IU/L [10-142] vs. 16 IU/L [4-107]: p < 0.0003) were significantly higher in EHC when compared to IHC. Only in GGT and 5'-NU activities were independent variables significantly linked to the mechanism of cholestasis. In IHC, the ratio GGT/5'-NU (xN/xN) was significantly lower than in EHC (2.8 [0.7-7.2] vs. 3.7 [1.8-10.5]: p < 0.006). A threshold of GGT/5'-NU < 1.9 had a sensitivity of 40% and a specificity of 100% for the diagnosis of IHC. Although such hepatobiliary enzymes cannot be regarded as diagnostic, they can provide useful information to orientate the clinician in the diagnosis of cholestasis.

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OBJECTIVE: Serum albumin is a key parameter for prognosis in cirrhosis. We compared levels of serum albumin determined by both protein electrophoresis and immunonephelometry, with special reference to the Child-Pugh classification. DESIGN AND METHODS: One hundred and thirty-one patients, including 39 with cirrhosis, were included prospectively during 2 months. The aetiology of cirrhosis was mainly alcoholism (67%) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) (18%). Serum albumin was determined simultaneously by electrophoresis (Hydrasys SEBIA following protein determination by the biuret reaction) and by immunonephelometry (BECKMAN Nephelometer). Values were compared by non-parametric tests. RESULTS: For the whole population, electrophoretic and immunonephelometric values correlated (p = 0.85; P < 0.0001), but electrophoresis significantly overestimated serum albumin by a median 1.6 g/l (P < 0.0001) with a large spread in values (range, -3.9 to 12.7). Median overestimation in cirrhosis was 2.6 g/l (P < 0.0001; range, -2.0 to 10.2) and 1.0 g/l (P < 0.0001; range, -3.9 to 12.7) in patients without cirrhosis (difference, P < 0.02). For 6/39 (15.4%) patients with cirrhosis, this overestimation led to an underestimation in the Child-Pugh classification. CONCLUSION: In our experience, electrophoresis can lead to serum albumin values which are significantly different compared to those obtained by immunonephelometry. This discrepancy may lead to an incorrect Child-Pugh classification. Therefore, in the follow-up of cirrhotic patients, serum albumin should be determined by immunonephelometry.

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