William M. Butler

Racial disparities in breast cancer mortality in a multiethnic cohort in the Southeast.

Although much has been done to examine those factors associated with higher mortality among African American women, there is a paucity of literature that examines disparities among rural African Americans in South Carolina. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the association of race and mortality among breast cancer patients in a large cohort residing in South Carolina for which treatment regimens are standardized for all patients.

Metastatic thymoma with myasthenia gravis. Complete remission with combination chemotherapy

A 29‐year‐old male developed myasthenia gravis 29 months after resection of a “benign” mediastinal thymoma. Metastatic thymoma was found in the pleura 45 months after the initial surgical resection. Combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin produced a complete remission of the metastatic thymoma which has continued for 13 months. Concurrently, there has been a marked increase in neuromuscular function.

Skin metastases confined to a field of previous irradiation: Report of two cases and review of the literature

Two cases of tumor recurrence within a previously irradiated skin area are reported. Typical lesions evolve from an erythematous base and progress to induration and tumor papules. A review of clinical literature indicates that irradiation does not increase the frequency of metastases. Experimental data suggest that irradiation does increase metastases as a result of both local mechanical factors and increased tumor‐cell survival.

Breast Cancer Care: Changing Community Standards

&NA; A community hospital‐based program was developed to improve breast cancer care in the community. A consensus was developed for what should be optimal care; a database was established to document the care being delivered in the community; and the data were analyzed to document changes in practice patterns over time. The major clinical benefits to patients included a significant improvement in needle biopsy rates, decreased utilization of second operative procedures, increased breast conservation surgery, conformity to guidelines for adjuvant chemotherapy administration, and a sizable increase in discovery of small breast cancers by screening mammography.

Idiopathic acquired sideroblastic anemia terminating in acute myelosclerosis

Acute myelosclerosis is an unusual myeloproliferative syndrome characterized by pancytopenia, absence of massive hepatosplenomegaly, and an absence of tear‐drop poikilocytes. The marrow is usually fibrotic with atypical megakaryocytic proliferation and trilinear dyspoiesis. Median survival is approximately six months from onset of symptoms. The authors report a case of acute myelosclerosis that evolved in a patient two and one‐half years after the onset of idiopathic acquired sideroblastic anemia. A review of the other previously reported case of this unusual transformation and comments on the pathogenesis of the transformation from idiopathic acquired sideroblastic anemia to acute myelofibrosis are included.

Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Mortality in a Multi-Ethnic Cohort in the Southeast

Although much has been done to examine those factors associated with higher mortality among African American women, there is a paucity of literature that examines disparities among rural African Americans in South Carolina. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the association of race and mortality among breast cancer patients in a large cohort residing in South Carolina for which treatment regimens are standardized for all patients.

Racial disparities in breast cancer mortality in a multiethnic cohort in the Southeast: Disparities in Breast Cancer Mortality

Although much has been done to examine those factors associated with higher mortality among African American women, there is a paucity of literature that examines disparities among rural African Americans in South Carolina. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the association of race and mortality among breast cancer patients in a large cohort residing in South Carolina for which treatment regimens are standardized for all patients.