Short and long-term outcomes of surgery for inflammatory (uncomplicated) ileocecal Crohn's disease: Multicentric retrospective analysis of 211 patients

BACKGROUND

Surgical management for patients with inflammatory ileocecal Crohn's disease (CD) could be a reasonable alternative to second-line medical treatment.

AIM

To assess short and long-term outcomes of patients operated on for inflammatory, ileocecal Crohn's disease.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of patients intervened at four referral hospitals during 2012-2021 was performed.

RESULTS

211 patients were included. 43% of patients underwent surgery more than 5 years after diagnosis, and 49% had been exposed to at least one biologic agent preoperatively. 89% were operated by laparoscopy, with 1.6% conversion rate. The median length of the resected bowel was 25 cm (7-92) and three patients (1.43%) received a stoma. Median follow-up was 36 (17-70) months. The endoscopic recurrence-free survival proportion at 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 months was 56%, 52%, 45%, 38%, and 33%, respectively. The clinical recurrence-free survival proportion at 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 months was 83%, 79%, 76%, 74%, and 74%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, previous biological treatment (HR=2.01; p = 0.001) was associated with a higher risk of overall recurrence.

CONCLUSION

Surgery in patients with primary inflammatory ileocecal CD is associated with good postoperative outcomes, low postoperative morbidity with reasonable recurrence rates.

Malignant Features in Pretreatment Metastatic Lateral Lymph Nodes in Locally Advanced Low Rectal Cancer Predict Distant Metastases

INTRODUCTION

Pretreatment enlarged lateral lymph nodes (LLN) in patients with locally advanced low rectal cancer are predictive for local recurrences after neoadjuvant (chemo)radiotherapy (n(C)RT) followed by total mesorectal excision (TME). Not much is known of the impact on oncological outcomes when in addition malignant features are present in enlarged LLN.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted at five tertiary referral centers in the Netherlands and Australia. All patients were diagnosed with locally advanced low rectal cancer with LLN on pretreatment magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and underwent n(C)RT followed by TME. LLN were considered enlarged with a short axis of ≥ 5 mm. Malignant features were defined as nodes with internal heterogeneity and/or border irregularity. Outcomes of interest were local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), distant metastatic-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Out of 115 patients, the majority was male (75%) and the median age was 64 years (range 26-85 years). Median pretreatment LLN short axis was 7 mm (range 5-28 mm), and 60 patients (52%) had malignant features. After a median follow-up of 47 months, patients with larger LLN (7 + mm) had a worse LRFS (p = 0.01) but no difference in DMFS (p = 0.37) and OS (p = 0.54) compared with patients with smaller LLN (5-6 mm). LLN patients with malignant features had no difference in LRFS (p = 0.20) but worse DMFS (p = 0.004) and OS (p = 0.006) compared with patients without malignant features in the LLN. Cox regression analysis identified LLN short axis as an independent factor for LR. Malignant features in LLN were an independent factor for DMFS.

CONCLUSION

The current study suggests that pretreatment enlarged LLN that also harbor malignant features are predictive of a worse DMFS. More studies will be required to further explore the role of malignant features in LLN.

Lateral Lymph Node Metastases in Locally Advanced Low Rectal Cancers May Not Be Treated Effectively With Neoadjuvant (Chemo)Radiotherapy Only

Background: In the West, pre-treatment abnormal lateral lymph nodes (LLN+) in patients with a low locally advanced rectal cancer (AJCC Stage III), are treated with neoadjuvant (chemo)radiotherapy (nCRT), without a lateral lymph node dissection (LLND). It has been suggested, however, that LLN+ patients have higher local recurrence (LR) rates than similarly staged patients with abnormal mesorectal lymph nodes only (LLN−), but no comparative data exist. Therefore, we conducted this international multi-center study in the Netherlands and Australia of Stage III rectal cancer patients with either LLN+ or LLN− to compare oncological outcomes from both groups.

Materials and Methods: Patients with Stage III low rectal cancer with (LLN+ group) or without (LLN− group) abnormal lateral lymph nodes on pre-treatment MRI were included. Patients underwent nCRT followed by rectal resection surgery with curative intent between 2009 and 2016 with a minimum follow-up of 2-years. No patient had a LLND. Propensity score matching corrected differences in baseline characteristics.

Results: Two hundred twenty-three patients could be included: 125 in the LLN+ group and 98 in the LLN− group. Between groups, there were significant differences in cT-stage and in the rate of adjuvant chemotherapy administered. Propensity score matching resulted in 54 patients in each group, with equal baseline characteristics. The 5-year LR rate in the LLN+ group was 11 vs. 2% in the LLN− group (P = 0.06) and disease-free survival (DFS) was 64 vs. 76%, respectively (P = 0.09). Five-year overall survival was similar between groups (73 vs. 80%, respectively; P = 0.90).

Conclusions: In Western patients with Stage III low rectal cancer, there is a trend toward worse LR rate and DFS rates in LLN+ patients compared to similarly staged LLN− patients. These results suggest that LLN+ patients may currently not be treated optimally with nCRT alone, and the addition of LLND requires further consideration.