Activated systemic inflammatory response at diagnosis reduces lymph node count in colonic carcinoma

AIM: To investigate a link between lymph node yield and systemic inflammatory response in colon cancer.

METHODS: A prospectively maintained database was interrogated. All patients undergoing curative colonic resection were included. Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and albumin were used as markers of SIR. In keeping with previously studies, NLR ≥ 4, albumin < 35 was used as cut off points for SIR. Statistical analysis was performed using 2 sample t-test and χ² tests where appropriate.

RESULTS: Three hundred and two patients were included for analysis. One hundred and ninety-five patients had NLR < 4 and 107 had NLR ≥ 4. There was no difference in age or sex between groups. Patients with NLR of ≥ 4 had lower mean lymph node yields than patients with NLR < 4 [17.6 ± 7.1 vs 19.2 ± 7.9 (P = 0.036)]. More patients with an elevated NLR had node positive disease and an increased lymph node ratio (≥ 0.25, P = 0.044).

CONCLUSION: Prognosis in colon cancer is intimately linked to the patient’s immune response. Assuming standardised surgical technique and sub specialty pathology, lymph node count is reduced when systemic inflammatory response is activated.

Familial colorectal cancer: Patient assessment, surveillance and surgical management

Germline mutations account for 5-10% of colorectal cancer. Most mutations are autosomal dominant with high penetrance and affected patients benefit greatly from appropriate treatment. This review presents the current knowledge regarding familial colorectal cancer and provides practical information based on international guidelines and the best available evidence regarding patient assessment, surveillance and surgical management. Surgeons are often the first point of contact and frequently, the main provider of care for families with cancer syndromes or patients with familial cancer. Patients with a polyposis phenotype should undergo appropriate genetic testing. In non-polyposis patients with a cancer diagnosis, tumor testing for Lynch syndrome can guide the use of genetic testing. In patients without a personal history of cancer or polyposis, a carefully obtained family history with testing of available tumor tissue or of a living relative affected by colorectal cancer informs the need for genetic testing. Surveillance and surgical management should be planned following thorough assessment of familial cancer risk. Evidence exists to provide guidance as to the surveillance strategies required, the specific indications of genetic testing and the appropriate timing of operative intervention. A carefully obtained family history with selective genetic testing should inform surveillance and surgical management in patients who have a genetic predisposition for the development of colorectal cancer.

Multimodal treatment of perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease: seton versus anti-TNF versus advancement plasty (PISA): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

Currently there is no guideline for the treatment of patients with Crohn’s disease and high perianal fistulas. Most patients receive anti-TNF medication, but no long-term results of this expensive medication have been described, nor has its efficiency been compared to surgical strategies. With this study, we hope to provide treatment consensus for daily clinical practice with reduction in costs.

Methods/Design

This is a multicentre, randomized controlled trial. Patients with Crohn’s disease who are over 18 years of age, with newly diagnosed or recurrent active high perianal fistulas, with one internal opening and no anti-TNF usage in the past three months will be considered. Patients with proctitis, recto-vaginal fistulas or anal stenosis will be excluded. Prior to randomisation, an MRI and ileocolonoscopy are required. All treatment will start with seton placement and a course of antibiotics. Patients will then be randomised to: (1) chronic seton drainage (with oral 6-mercaptopurine (6MP)) for one year, (2) anti-TNF medication (with 6MP) for one year (seton removal after six weeks) or (3) advancement plasty after eight weeks of seton drainage (under four months anti-TNF and 6MP for one year). The primary outcome parameter is the number of patients needing fistula-related re-intervention(s). Secondary outcomes are the number of patients with closed fistulas (based on an evaluated MRI score) after 18 months, disease activity, quality of life and costs.

Discussion

The PISA trial is a multicentre, randomised controlled trial of patients with Crohn’s disease and high perianal fistulas. With the comparison of three generally accepted treatment strategies, we will be able to comment on the efficiency of the various treatment strategies, with respect to several long-term outcome parameters.

Trial registration

Nederlands Trial Register identifier: NTR4137 (registered on 23 August 2013).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0831-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Multicentre randomized controlled trial comparing ferric(III)carboxymaltose infusion with oral iron supplementation in the treatment of preoperative anaemia in colorectal cancer patients

Background

At least a third of patients with a colorectal carcinoma who are candidate for surgery, are anaemic preoperatively. Preoperative anaemia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. In general practice, little attention is paid to these anaemic patients. Some will have oral iron prescribed others not. The waiting period prior to elective colorectal surgery could be used to optimize a patients’ physiological status. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of preoperative intravenous iron supplementation in comparison with the standard preoperative oral supplementation in anaemic patients with colorectal cancer.

Methods/Design

In this multicentre randomized controlled trial, patients with an M0-staged colorectal carcinoma who are scheduled for curative resection and with a proven iron deficiency anaemia are eligible for inclusion. Main exclusion criteria are palliative surgery, metastatic disease, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (5 × 5 Gy = no exclusion) and the use of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin within three months before inclusion or a blood transfusion within a month before inclusion. Primary endpoint is the percentage of patients that achieve normalisation of the haemoglobin level between the start of the treatment and the day of admission for surgery. This study is a superiority trial, hypothesizing a greater proportion of patients achieving the primary endpoint in favour of iron infusion compared to oral supplementation. A total of 198 patients will be randomized to either ferric(III)carboxymaltose infusion in the intervention arm or ferrofumarate in the control arm. This study will be performed in ten centres nationwide and one centre in Ireland.

Discussion

This is the first randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy of preoperative iron supplementation in exclusively anaemic patients with a colorectal carcinoma. Our trial hypotheses a more profound haemoglobin increase with intravenous iron which may contribute to a superior optimisation of the patient’s condition and possibly a decrease in postoperative morbidity.

Trial registration

ClincalTrials.gov: NCT02243735.

Smoking and Crohn's disease: active modification of an independent risk factor (education alone is not enough)

INTRODUCTION

Smoking can induce the onset of Crohn's disease in genetically susceptible patients and may accelerate progression and disease severity. There is a paucity of information as to patient knowledge of the impact of smoking on disease progression. The aim of this study was to assess patient awareness, initiate smoking cessation therapy and monitor the effectiveness of an active smoking cessation programme in patients with Crohn's disease.

METHODS

All patients with a diagnosis of Crohn's disease over a ten year period were identified from a prospectively managed database. Details of smoking history and patient knowledge of the link between Crohn's disease and smoking were collected through a telephone questionnaire. Current smokers who wished to quit were enrolled in a smoking cessation programme and followed prospectively for 12 months.

RESULTS

340 patients were identified with 281 eligible for inclusion. 181 patients agreed to a telephone survey (64.4% patient uptake). Smokers had an increased incidence of surgical intervention (OR 2.2; CI 1.02, 4.78 P=0.043). Awareness of the link between smoking and Crohn's disease was highest in the current smoking cohort and lowest in the non-smoking cohort (CS:NS; 79.5%:43% p<0.001). 29% of patients with a smoking history had previously been offered smoking cessation therapy. 77% of current smokers opted for smoking cessation therapy. At 6 months 53% of these patients remained smoke free and 37% at 12 months.

CONCLUSION

In patients with Crohn's disease, information alone is ineffective at achieving smoking cessation. Good cessation rates are achievable if information is supported by active smoking cessation therapy.

Multicentre study of circumferential margin positivity and outcomes following abdominoperineal excision for rectal cancer

Background

Rectal cancer outcomes following abdominoperineal excision (APE) have been inferior to those for anterior resection, including more positive circumferential resection margins (CRMs). An erroneously conservative interpretation of APE (rather than a radical resection termed ‘extralevator’) has been proposed as the cause. In this multicentre study, factors contributing to CRM positivity were examined following APE according to its original description.

Methods

Data were collected from five hospital databases up to June 2011 including small- and larger-volume units (3 hospitals had 5 or fewer and 2 hospitals had more than 5 APE procedures per year). Primary outcome measures were CRM status; secondary outcomes were local recurrence and death.

Results

Of 327 patients, 302 patients had complete data for analysis. Some 50·0 per cent of patients had neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Histopathological examination showed that 62·9 per cent had tumour category T3 or T4 cancers, 42·1 per cent had node-positive disease and the CRM positivity rate was 13·9 per cent. Multivariable analysis showed only pathological tumour category pT4 (odds ratio 19·92, 95 per cent confidence interval 6·48 to 68·61) and node positivity (odds ratio 3·04, 1·32 to 8·05) to be risk factors for a positive circumferential margin. CRM positivity was a risk factor for local recurrence (P = 0·022) and decreased overall survival (P = 0·001). Hospital volume had no impact on the likelihood of CRM positivity (P = 0·435).

Conclusion

In patients undergoing APE by appropriately trained surgeons using a standardized approach, margin positivity was dictated by tumour stage, but not by centre or surgeon.

A prospective analysis of patient outcome following treatment of T3 rectal cancer with neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and transanal excision

BACKGROUND

Local excision is an alternative to anterior or abdomino-perineal resection in patients with early rectal cancer. In more advanced disease, neo-adjuvant therapy (CRXT) can result in significant disease regression such that local excision may be considered. The primary aim was to assess oncological outcome in patients with T3 rectal cancer treated with CRXT and local excision due to unsuitability for or aversion to anterior resection and stoma. The secondary aim was to examine oncological outcomes in patients treated in a similar way in the published literature.

METHODS

Between July 2006 and July 2009, patients with rectal cancer staged T3, N0/N1, M0 who were deemed unfit for or who refused anterior resection were offered long-course CRXT. Patients were restaged 8 weeks following completion. If there was a good response (regression grade 2 or 3 clinically and radiologically), full thickness transanal excision was performed. All patients were followed regularly (monthly CT abdomen/pelvis and annual endoscopy) to assess for recurrence of disease. A literature search of PubMed was performed to identify all prospective data available of T3 rectal cancers managed with CRXT and local excision.

RESULTS

Ten patients were treated over 3 years. Six patients had complete pathological response, while four patients had a partial response. The resection margins following local excision were clear in all. There was no local recurrence (median follow-up 24 months, range 9-42 months).

CONCLUSION

Neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and local excision is an option in patients unfit for or averse to major surgical resection if there is a good response to CRXT.