A set of coupled first-order differential equations describes the exponential growth of a PC tumor as well as its transformation from a local to systemic disease. The time dependence of the solutions is scaled to the doubling time of the prostate specific antigen (PSADT) because it characterizes

the tumor growth for the individual. The conversion from local to systemic cell populations is described with a parameter e that can be associated with the Gleason score. The model also has three critical cell populations that describe (1) the initiation of the non-local populations, (2) the saturation level of the local tumor, and (3) the cell count likely to cause PC specific death. These parameters are calibrated by reproducing published PC clinical data and

survival tables. The model is then applied to individuals PKC412 datasheet with complete PC diagnostic data in order to calculate the progression to PC specific death. One man has early stage PC as described in the ‘vignette’ patient of Walsh et al. (2007. N. Engl. J. Med. 357, 2696-2705). The second man has a more serious condition and has undergone both local and systemic treatments. Unfortunately, I am that patient. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“BACKGROUND: The retrosigmoid ML323 in vivo (RS) approach provides an excellent access corridor to the cerebellopontine angle. However, 80% of patients experience headaches after RS approaches. OBJECTIVE: We reviewed our prospective database to determine the risk factors influencing headaches after RS procedures.

METHODS: From 2003, craniotomy, instead of selleck inhibitor craniectomy, became our standard approach for RS procedures. Patients’ demographic, management, and outcome data were collected prospectively. We also retrospectively analyzed similar data collected between 2000 and 2003 to compare headache outcomes after RS approaches.

Subgroup analysis of data was performed to identify other risk factors contributing to postoperative headaches.

RESULTS: Of 105 patients (mean age, 56 years; 43 men; 62 women) who underwent RS surgery, 30 underwent craniectomy and 75 underwent craniotomy. There were 57 vestibular schwannomas, 40 microvascular decompressions, and 8 other procedures. The patients’ age, sex, pathological diagnosis, and length of hospital stay were not statistically different in the 2 subgroups. At discharge, postoperative headache was observed in 43% of patients (13/30) after craniectomy and 19% of patients (14/75) after craniotomy (P = .01). The incidence of headache decreased with further follow-up; 10% of patients (3/30) who underwent craniectomy and 1% of patients (1/75) who underwent craniotomy still had headache at 12 months of follow-up.

CONCLUSION: Patients who underwent the RS approach with craniotomy had a significantly lower rate of headache at discharge than did those who underwent craniectomy. These patients continued to have a lower incidence of headache in the long term.