36 A Randomised Trial to Compare How Undergraduates Diagnose Common Ear Pathology Using A Smartphone Otoscope and Standard Otoscope in A Simulated Setting

Introduction

Competent otoscopy is a key otolaryngology skill for a broad range of medical careers, yet undergraduate’s confidence to perform otoscopy is reported as low. This study aimed to evaluate whether a smartphone-otoscope could enhance medical undergraduates recognition of common ear pathology.

Method

52 medical students were randomised into a standard group (traditional otoscope) and an intervention group (smartphone-otoscope). Following a short didactic presentation, participants were asked to diagnose four simulated pathologies. Force response items and 5-point Likert scales loaded on an electronic platform recorded their diagnosis and their perceptions towards the otoscope.

Results

The smartphone-group (n = 20) had higher overall rates of correct diagnosis compared to control (n = 22) (84% vs 39%, p = <0.001). Only the grommet station did not show a significant improvement between the two groups (100% vs 91%, p = 0.49). 90% (n = 20) of participants felt the smartphone-otoscope was preferential for their learning. The same number expressed they want to use it in future learning. The remainder were indifferent.

Conclusions

The smart-phone otoscope enabled learners to better observe and recognise middle ear pathology. This popular learning tool has the potential to accelerate the learning curve of otoscopy and therefore improve the proficiency of future doctors at recognising middle ear diseases.

Role of local anaesthetic nerve block in endoscopic sinus surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to perform a systematic review of existing evidence on the role of local anaesthetic nerve block (LAB) in patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS).

DESIGN

The databases searched were the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE and Embase using the Ovid portal (1946-2017).

RESULTS

Seven randomised controlled trials were included. Due to considerable heterogeneity of data, only two studies were pooled into meta-analysis which demonstrated a statistically significantly better surgical field quality during ESS in the LAB group compared with the control group (MD -0.86; 95% CI -2.24, 0.51; P = .009). No adverse events related to LAB toxicity were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Sphenopalatine ganglion LAB with adrenaline carries relatively low risk of morbidity, but may improve the quality of the surgical field in terms of bleeding. However, there are limitations of the study due to heterogeneity of methods, quality and size of the studies. Well-conducted large RCTs are needed using standardised inclusion criteria, balanced baseline characteristics of cohorts, and validated subjective and objective outcome measures.

Age at diagnosis and distant metastasis in breast cancer--a surprising inverse relationship

INTRODUCTION

Predictors for site of distant metastasis and impact on survival in breast cancer are incompletely understood.

METHODS

Clinico-pathological risk factors for site of distant metastasis and survival were analysed in patients with invasive breast cancer treated between 1986 and 2006.

RESULTS

Of 3553 patients, with median follow-up 6.32years, 825 (23%) developed distant metastasis. The site of metastasis was bone in 196/825 (24%), viscera in 540/825 (65%) and unknown in 89 (11%). Larger primary invasive tumour size, higher tumour grade and axillary nodal positivity increased risk of metastasis to all sites. Lobular carcinoma was more likely to first metastasise to bone compared to invasive ductal carcinoma (NST). Oestrogen receptor (ER) negative, progesterone receptor (PgR) negative and/or Human epidermal growth factor (HER2) positive tumours were more likely to metastasise to viscera. A striking relationship between increasing age at diagnosis and a reduction in risk of distant metastasis to bone and viscera was observed. Median time to death from onset of metastatic disease was 1.52 (Interquartile range (IQR) 0.7-2.9)years for patients with bone metastasis and 0.7 (IQR 0.2-1.5)years for visceral metastasis. On multivariate analysis, despite the decrease in risk of distant metastasis with increasing age, there was an elevated hazard for death in patients >50years at diagnosis of metastasis if they developed bone metastasis, with a similar trend observed in the >70years age group if they developed visceral metastasis.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that there are biological mechanisms underlying the impact of age on the development of distant metastasis and subsequent death. This may have important implications in the treatment of breast cancer.

The challenges of integrating molecular imaging into the optimization of cancer therapy

We review novel, in vivo and tissue-based imaging technologies that monitor and optimize cancer therapeutics. Recent advances in cancer treatment centre around the development of targeted therapies and personalisation of treatment regimes to individual tumour characteristics. However, clinical outcomes have not improved as expected. Further development of the use of molecular imaging to predict or assess treatment response must address spatial heterogeneity of cancer within the body. A combination of different imaging modalities should be used to relate the effect of the drug to dosing regimen or effective drug concentration at the local site of action. Molecular imaging provides a functional and dynamic read-out of cancer therapeutics, from nanometre to whole body scale. At the whole body scale, an increase in the sensitivity and specificity of the imaging probe is required to localise (micro)metastatic foci and/or residual disease that are currently below the limit of detection. The use of image-guided endoscopic biopsy can produce tumour cells or tissues for nanoscopic analysis in a relatively patient-compliant manner, thereby linking clinical imaging to a more precise assessment of molecular mechanisms. This multimodality imaging approach (in combination with genetics/genomic information) could be used to bridge the gap between our knowledge of mechanisms underlying the processes of metastasis, tumour dormancy and routine clinical practice. Treatment regimes could therefore be individually tailored both at diagnosis and throughout treatment, through monitoring of drug pharmacodynamics providing an early read-out of response or resistance.

Abstract P4-09-13: Predicting Potential Patterns of Metastatic Spread and Outcomes in Breast Cancer

Background: Metastasis progression in breast cancer can be viewed as a stepwise sequence of events that occurs with distinct temporal patterns and in unique organ sites. Our previous results indicate that metastatic spread occurs along distinct pathways governed by biological characteristics of the primary tumour.

Aim: To examine clinical and histopathological factors that predict for patterns of metastatic spread and survival in breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A study population consisting of 5569 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 1975 and 2006 was studied. Median follow-up was 7.7 years, interquartile range (IQR) 3.4-14.3 years. The median metastasis-free interval was 6.7 years, IQR 2.6-14.6 years. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier method and group comparisons made with a log-rank test. Both univariate and stepwise Cox proportional hazard models were used to investigate the relationship between prognostic factors and breast cancer survival. Results: Of 5569 patients, 1718 (31%) developed distant metastasis; 499 (29%) to bone, 990 (58%) to other organs and 229 (13%) to bone followed by a second metastatic event in another organ site within 6 months after the first event (bone + 2nd site).

Patterns of metastatic spread: In univariate analysis, ER-ve tumours were 45% more likely to spread to other organs or to bone + 2nd site. Grade 3 cancers, compared with grade 1 tumours, had a 2-fold increase in the likelihood of metastasising to bone only, 4-fold to bone + 2nd site and 7.5-fold to other organs. In multivariate analysis, node positivity, higher grade and larger tumour size predicted for metastasis to bone or any other organ site whilst node positivity and ER negativity predicted for metastasis to bone + 2nd site. Patients >70 years were 60% less likely to have bone metastasis compared with patients <50 years. ER+ve tumours did not show an increased predilection to bone metastasis on multivariate analysis. Survival from 1st onset of metastasis (breast cancer-related deaths): The median survival in months [95% CI] for patients who developed bone metastasis was 24 [21,26], bone + 2nd site 12 [9, 13] and other organ sites 14 [13, 16] months, respectively. There was a highly significant exponential decrease in survival with increasing age (P<0.02). This effect was even more pronounced in those patients >70 years age who developed bone + 2nd site metastasis (5 times greater hazard of dying compared with <50 years), and was further amplified in grade 3 tumours in this group of patients. Furthermore, node positivity and grade 3 tumours had the maximum negative effect on survival in this group compared with patients who had metastasised to bone only or to other organ sites. Conclusion: The clinical and histopathological factors that predict for patterns of metastatic spread and survival in breast cancer in this large cohort support some previous observations, refute others and demonstrate new findings. These observations merit further investigation and, potentially, future trials of adjuvant therapy that are designed according to predictive patterns of metastatic spread.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-09-13.