Quality of life and functional outcomes following pelvic exenteration and sacrectomy

AIM

The aim was to compare postoperative quality of life (QOL) between patients undergoing pelvic exenteration (PE) and pelvic exenteration with sacrectomy (PES), and to investigate the influence of high (L5-S2) vs low (≤ S3) sacrectomy on QOL and functional outcomes.

METHOD

Patients undergoing en bloc sacrectomy as part of a PE and PE alone from 2008 to 2015 were identified from a prospectively maintained database. QOL and functional outcomes were assessed using the 36-Item Short Form Survey, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Colorectal Cancer questionnaire and Quality of Life questionnaire, the Revised Musculoskeletal Tumour Scale, the Lower Extremity Functional Scale, the Sexual Health Inventory for Men and the Female Sexual Function Index.

RESULTS

Of the 344 patients identified, data were available for 116 patients who underwent PE alone and 140 patients who underwent PES. PES patients had significantly poorer physical component scores (P < 0.001) but not mental component scores (P = 0.17). Of the 140 PES patients, 55 were eligible and were invited to participate in a second functional survey, with 30 patients returning the study questionnaire. High sacrectomy patients, compared with low sacrectomy, had significantly worse lower limb motor function (P = 0.03) and poorer physical (P = 0.001) and mental health component scores (P = 0.02). No differences were found in sexual, bladder and bowel function between high and low sacrectomy patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients undergoing PES had worse physical component scores compared with PE alone, whereas high sacrectomy patients had significantly worse lower limb motor function and physical and mental component scores but comparable bowel, bladder and sexual functional outcomes compared with low sacrectomy patients.

Urban and rural differences in outcomes of head and neck cancer

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

To assess for potential urban and rural disparities in head and neck cancer (HNC) outcomes within a single-payer healthcare system.

STUDY DESIGN

A large retrospective population-based cohort analysis of consecutive HNC patients treated in British Columbia, Canada between 2001 and 2010 was conducted.

METHODS

All patients diagnosed with HNC from 2001 to 2010 and referred to any one of five British Columbia Cancer Agency centers for management were reviewed. Based on census data, patients were classified into: 1) rural, 2) small urban, 3) moderate urban, and 4) large urban areas. Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox regression models were used to correlate site of residence with overall survival (OS), controlling for prognostic factors that included sociodemographic and other tumor and treatment-related characteristics.

RESULTS

We identified 3,036 patients; the median age was 64 years, 26% were women, and 32% had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0 or 1. The majority resided in large urban areas (55%) followed by rural (22%), moderate urban (13%), and small urban (10%). In regression analyses, smoking (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.28-3.45, P < .001), ECOG 2 + (HR: 3.44, 95% CI: 2.26-5.22, P < .001), oral cavity (HR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.03-2.32, P = .04) and hypopharyngeal tumors (HR: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.42-3.77, P = .00), and large tumor size (HR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.08-2.64, P = .02) were correlated with inferior OS, but site of residence was not. When stratified by type of treatment, OS remained similar irrespective of urban or rural residence.

CONCLUSIONS

Urban-rural differences in HNC survival outcomes were not observed.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

2c. Laryngoscope, 128:852-858, 2018.

Community-based newborn hearing screening programme for early detection of permanent hearing loss in Iran: An eight-year cross-sectional study from 2005 to 2012

Objectives

We here present the results of the first eight years of the newborn hearing screening programme in Iran, with a view to establishing the prevalence of hearing impairment among infants, and the efficacy of the programme.

Methods

A total of 3,350,995 infants were screened using the series method of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs)/automated auditory brainstem responses (AABRs), between 2005 and 2012. The infants were first tested for TEOAEs (three times). Based on the results of this test, the positive cases were referred to the next stage, where they were tested for AABRs. If they also tested positive on AABRs, they were referred to the diagnostic and rehabilitation stages.

Results

Results of this study indicated an infant hearing impairment prevalence of 3 per 1000. Although this rate was as high as 5 per 1000 in the early years of the programme, it decreased to 2.6 per 1000 in the last year. The absolute referral rate was 14.5% in the first stage, which decreased to 0.9% and 0.2% in the second and the third stages, respectively. The follow-up rate was 70% in the first stage, which increased up to 73% and 85% in the second and the third stages, respectively.

Conclusion

The study results suggest that the prevalence of hearing impairment in infants in Iran is comparable with that in developed and developing countries, and that the series TEOAEs/AABRs method used in the screening programme in Iran is efficient.

Cardiac outcomes of raltitrexed in the treatment of colorectal cancer patients with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) cardiotoxicity

e14607

Background: Both 5-FU and raltitrexed are thymidylate synthase inhibitors, but the latter has a toxicity profile that is distinct from 5-FU. Therefore, it is commonly used as an alternative to 5-FU in the treatment of colorectal cancer patients who have a history of cardiac problems or prior 5-FU cardiotoxicity. To date, the population-based risk of cardiac effects from raltitrexed is uncertain. Our aim was to characterize the patterns of treatment and outcomes of patients receiving raltitrexed-based chemotherapy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of all patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer from 1988 to 2012, evaluated at 1 of 5 regional cancer centers in British Columbia, Canada and treated with raltitrexed at any point during their disease. At the institutions in our province, raltitrexed use is limited to those in whom 5-FU is contraindicated. Using chi-squared tests and logistic regression analyses, we evaluated the associations between use of raltitrexed and various cardiovascular events, such as angina, myocardial infarction, hypertension and arrhythmias, as well as other toxicity outcomes, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Results: A total of 186 patients were included: median age was 63 years (IQR 55-70), 97 (52%) were men, and 21 (11%) experienced at least one cardiovascular outcome. Only 4 (2%) patients had a documented cardiac history prior to receipt of any systemic therapy. Among the 21 cases of cardiovascular events, 10 reported angina, 1 suffered a myocardial infarction, 6 had hypertension, and 6 experienced arrhythmias. A significant number of patients also presented with other general toxicities: 25 (13%) reported fever, 11 (6%) suffered mucositis, 75 (40%) had nausea, and 51 (27%) experienced diarrhea. On regression analyses, patients with a previous history of coronary artery disease had a higher risk of cardiovascular events than those without (50 vs 11%, p=0.01). Exposure to 5-FU before raltitrexed did not increase cardiovascular outcomes (p=0.81). Conclusions: Raltitrexed is associated with a low risk of cardiovascular events, but its use should be monitored closely in those with prior coronary artery disease.