Clinical care pathway program versus open-access system: a study on appropriateness, quality, and efficiency in the delivery of colonoscopy in the colorectal cancer

Open-access colonoscopy (OAC), whereby the colonoscopy is performed without a prior office visit with a gastroenterologist, is affected by inappropriateness which leads to overprescription and reduced availability of the procedure in case of alarming symptoms. The clinical care pathway (CCP) is a healthcare management tool promoted by national health systems to organize work-up of various morbidities. Recently, we started a CCP dedicated to colorectal cancer (CRC), including a colonoscopy session for CRC diagnosis and prevention. We aimed to evaluate the appropriateness, the quality, and the efficiency in the delivery of colonoscopy with the open-access system and a CCP program in the CRC. Quality indicators for colonoscopy in subjects in the CCP were compared to referrals by general practitioners (OAC) or by non-gastroenterologist physicians (non-gastroenterologist physician colonoscopy, NGPC). Attendance rate to colonoscopy was greater in the CCP group and NGPC group than in the OAC group (99%, 99%, and 86%, respectively). Waiting time in the CCP group was shorter than in the OAC group (3.88 ± 2.27 vs. 32 ± 22.31 weeks, respectively). Appropriateness of colonoscopy prescription was better in the CCP group than in the OAC group (92 vs. 50%, respectively). OAC is affected by the lack of timeliness and low appropriateness of prescription. A CCP reduces the number of inappropriate colonoscopies, especially for post-polypectomy surveillance, and improves the delivery of colonoscopy in patients requiring a fast-track examination. The high rate of inappropriate OAC suggests that this modality of healthcare should be widely reviewed.

Irinotecan or Oxaliplatin: Which is the First Move for the Mate?

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present review is to discuss the potential link between RAS, BRAF and microsatellite instability (MSI) mutational patterns and chemotherapeutic agent efficacy [Irinotecan (IRI) vs. Oxaliplatin (OXA)], and how this can potentially influence the choice of the chemotherapy backbone.

METHODS

Following a review of the research literature, all pertinent articles published in the core journals were selected for the study. The inclusion criteria regarded relevant clinical and pre-clinical studies on the topic of interest (Relationship of OXA and IRI to KRAS/BRAF mutations and MSI).

RESULTS

Excision repair cross complementation group 1 (ERCC1) expression is inhibited by KRAS mutation, making tumor cells more sensitive to OXA. Results from OPUS, COIN and PRIME trials support that no conclusive data are available for BRAF mutant population because of the small number of patients. Enhanced IRI cytotoxicity to MSI cell lines is due to the participation of some of the mismatch repair (MMR) components in various DNA repair processes and their role in the maintenance of the pro-apoptotic effect of IRI and G2/M cell arrest.

CONCLUSION

OXA and IRI are indispensable drugs for mCRC treatment and their selection must be as careful as that of targeted agents. We suggest taking into consideration the interaction between known genomic alterations and OXA and IRI activity to personalize chemotherapy in mCRC patients.

Health-related quality of life in patients with advanced colorectal cancer: a predictive nomogram including BMI, sex and age

BACKGROUND

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is not universally assessed in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. We tried to identify patient subgroups for whom HRQoL assessment should be strongly encouraged.

METHODS

Consecutive mCRC patients who had been deemed candidates for first-line chemotherapy were enrolled in a prospective study (NCT03873064) and asked to complete the HRQoL questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30. Primary endpoint was the Global Health Status (GHS) of EORTC QLQ-C30. A nomogram was built for prediction of low GHS (i.e., <67%).

RESULTS

Among recruited patients (n=173), a univariable logistic regression analysis (LRA) found that body mass index (BMI <23), age (>65 years) and sex (female) were significantly associated with low GHS. The multivariable LRA confirmed they were independently associated with the outcome (P values of 0.04-0.004). BMI, age and sex were included in a final predictive model (C-statistics, 67%; P=0.001) and used to build a nomogram. A total nomogram score ≥72 was associated with a risk of 28% or higher of having a low GHS. The 28% risk cut-off had a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 34% for identifying low GHS. A decision curve analysis revealed that a risk threshold of 28% of the model was associated to an added net benefit of ≥4% when using the nomogram. Low GHS was recorded in 58% vs. 23% of patients with >28% vs. <28% risk according to the nomogram, respectively (odds ratio 3.54, P=0.0004).

CONCLUSIONS

High BMI together with young age and male sex were protective against HRQoL deterioration. In centers where HRQoL is not routinely assessed, such an assessment should be at least made for mCRC patients at risk according to the proposed nomogram (i.e., over 65-year-old females with BMI <23).

Factors influencing diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in pancreatic and biliary tumors

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is influenced by several factors, primarily operator expertise. Formal training in EUS-FNA, as suggested by the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy guidelines, is not always available and is often expensive and time-consuming. In this study we evaluate factors influencing the diagnostic accuracy of pancreatic EUS-FNA.

METHODS

In a retrospective study, 557 consecutive EUS-FNAs were evaluated. Several variables relating to the procedures were considered to calculate the EUS-FNA performance over eight years.

RESULTS

A total of 308 out of 557 EUS-FNAs were selected. Overall sensitivity of EUS-FNA was 66% (95% CI: 60.8-71.8), specificity 100%, and diagnostic accuracy 69% (95% CI: 64.0-74.4). An increase in diagnostic accuracy was observed to >90% using a new fine-needle biopsy (FNB) needle and in the case of simultaneous sampling of primary and metastatic lesions. Diagnostic accuracy >80% was observed after 250 procedures, in the absence of rapid on-site cytopathological examination (ROSE). Multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that the FNB needle, operator skill, and double EUS-FNA sampling are associated with high diagnostic accuracy.

CONCLUSIONS

The learning curve for EUS-FNA may be longer and a considerable number of procedures are needed to achieve high diagnostic accuracy in the absence of ROSE. However, the use of FNB needles and the simultaneous sampling of primary and metastatic lesions can rapidly improve the diagnostic accuracy of the procedure.

The Effects of Association of Topical Polydatin Improves the Preemptive Systemic Treatment on EGFR Inhibitors Cutaneous Adverse Reactions

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor inhibitors (EGFRi) are approved as therapeutic options in several solid tumors. Cutaneous papulopustular eruption is the most frequent cutaneous adverse-event (AE), usually treated with emollient or corticosteroids according to toxicity grade. Our study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a topical product containing polydatin, a glycosylated polyphenol, natural precursor of resveratrol showing anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities, for the prevention and treatment of skin papulopustular rash in EGFRi-treated patients. Forty oncologic patients treated with EGFRi were enrolled in two groups: group-A, 20 patients with papulopustular AE, and group-B, 20 patients without cutaneous manifestations. The study consisted of twice-daily application of polydatin cream 1.5% (group-A) and 0.8% (group-B) for 6 months. In group-A patients, we observed at week 4 a remarkable improvement of skin manifestation and quality of life evaluated with National-Cancer-Institute-Common-Terminology-Criteria for Adverse-Events (NCI-CTCAE), Dermatology-Life-Quality-Index (DLQI) score and Visual-Analogue-Scale (VAS) pruritus, with a statistical significance of p < 0.05. None of the patients of group-B developed skin AEs to EGFRi. No cutaneous AEs related to the polydatin product were reported in both groups. Polydatin can be a good topical aid for the prevention and management of papulopustular rash in cancer patients receiving EGFRi, also capable of improving cancer patients’ quality of life.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in specific patient subgroups with advanced gastro-oesophageal junction and gastric adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs) have shown contradictory results in patients with advanced gastro-oesophageal junction/gastric cancer(GOJ/GC).

AIM

to identify specific patient subgroups that would derive survival benefit from ICIs.

METHODS

a subgroup meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials(RCTs) was carried out.

RESULTS

four phase-III-RCTs were identified with data on the following variables: primary location(Gastric vs GOJ); age(≤ 65 vs >65); gender(male vs female); ECOG PS(0 vs 1); ethnicity (Asian vs non-Asian), histology(intestinal vs diffuse), PD-L1 expression(≥ 1% vs < 1%). PD-L1 positivity was significantly associated with survival benefit from ICIs (HR: 0.82, p 0.047), with a significant interaction between PD-L1 expression and ICI efficacy (interaction HR: 1.41, p 0.02). Numerically, the second most relevant interaction was ICI efficacy and gender, with ICI being more effective in males.

CONCLUSION

The PD-L1 positive patient subgroup derives significant survival benefit from ICI in GOJ/GC, however other predictors are eagerly needed to further refine patient selection.

Artificial intelligence for the study of colorectal cancer tissue slides

Artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining incredible momentum as a companion diagnostic in a number of fields in oncology. In the present mini-review, we summarize the main uses and findings of AI applied to the analysis of digital histopathological images of slides from colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Machine learning tools have been developed to automatically and objectively recognize specific CRC subtypes, such as those with microsatellite instability and high lymphocyte infiltration that would optimally respond to specific therapies. Also, AI-based classification in distinct prognostic groups with no studies of the basic biological features of the tumor have been attempted in a methodological approach that we called “biology-agnostic”.

First-line gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel for elderly patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer: Crossing the frontier of age?

BACKGROUND

Gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (Gem-Nab) represents a standard first-line treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC), but few data are available for elderly patients. We aimed to add evidence about safety and efficacy of Gem-Nab in this population.

METHODS

We collected data of 156 patients with mPC aged ≥65 years receiving Gem-Nab. Patients were stratified according to age: <70 (group 1: 65 patients) and ≥70 years (group 2: 91 patients).

RESULTS

The median age was 71 years (range: 65-87 years). The toxicity profile was similar between group 1 and 2, except for all-grade anaemia (92.1% vs. 78.7%, respectively; p = 0.04) and neurotoxicity (61.9% vs. 40.4%, respectively; p = 0.02), also as a result of a lower dose intensity of nab-paclitaxel (83.3% vs. 90.5%, respectively; p = 0.04) administered to oldest patients. The response rate was 25.6% (group 1 vs. 2: 20.0% vs. 29.7%; p = 0.12). After a median follow-up of 26.5 months, median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were similar between the groups (p > 0.05). The starting dose of Gem-Nab did not affect PFS and OS (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Gem-Nab is active and effective in older patients with mPC, with the results in line with the general mPC population enrolled in clinical trials. Mild dose modifications for elderly patients might be considered to improve safety without impairing efficacy.

Complete blood count might help to identify subjects with high probability of testing positive to SARS-CoV-2

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has dramatically increased the workload for health systems and a consequent need to optimise resources has arisen, including the selection of patients for swab tests. We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients presenting to the emergency department with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 and undergoing swab tests for SARS-CoV-2. Complete blood counts (CBCs) were analysed looking for predictors of test positivity. Eight significant predictors were identified and used to build a 'complete' CBC score with a discriminatory power for COVID-19 diagnosis of AUC 92% (p<0.0001). When looking at the weight of individual variables, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), age, platelets and eosinophils (MAPE: MCV ≤90 fL, 65 points; age ≥45 years, 100 points; platelets ≤180×103/μL, 73 points; eosinophils <0.01/μL, 94 points) gave the highest contribution and were used to build a 'simplified' MAPE score with a discriminatory power of AUC 88%. By setting the cut-off MAPE score at ≥173 points, sensitivity and specificity for COVID-19 diagnosis were 83% and 82%, respectively, and the actual test positivity rate was 60% as compared to 6% of patients with MAPE score <173 points (odds ratio 23.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 9.1-58.3, p-value <0.0001). In conclusion, CBC-based scores have potential for optimising the SARS-CoV-2 testing process: if these findings are confirmed in the future, swab tests may be waived for subjects with low score and uncertain symptoms, while they may be considered for asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic patients with high scores.

First-line FOLFOX plus panitumumab versus 5FU plus panitumumab in RAS-BRAF wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer elderly patients: The PANDA study

4002

Background: Data on first-line treatment efficacy in elderly patients are limited. Many analyses adopt a questionable cut-off of 65 years and specific evidence with anti-EGFRs is low. FOLFOX-panitumumab (pan) is an option for RAS wild-type (wt) untreated mCRC patients. Guidelines recommend considering fluoropyrimidine monotherapy as an option for elderly patients, but no randomized studies have ever explored the role of the combination with an anti-EGFR. Methods: This is a prospective, open-label, multicenter phase II randomized trial. Unresectable and previously untreated RAS- BRAF wt mCRC patients aged ≥70 were randomized to receive FOLFOX-pan (arm A), or 5FU/LV-pan (arm B) for up to 12 cycles followed by pan maintenance until PD. The primary EP was PFS in both arms. Stratification criteria were age (≤75 vs > 75 years), ECOG PS (0–1 vs 2) and geriatric assessment with G8 Score (≤14 vs > 14). In each treatment arm, the null hypothesis for median PFS was set at ≤6 months. Assuming an expected median PFS time ≥9.5 months with both experimental regimens, a sample size of 90 patients in each arm granted to the study a power of 90%, with a type I error rate equal to 5% (1-sided Brookmeyer-Crowley test) for rejecting the null hypothesis. No formal comparison between the two arms was planned. Results: From Jul 2016 to Apr 2019 a total of 394 patients were screened, 211 were deemed eligible for inclusion and 185 were randomized (92 arm A and 93 arm B). Main pts’ characteristics were (arm A/B): males 66%/61%; median age 77/77y; PS≥1 49%/55%; right colon 23%/21%; G8 > 14 31%/30%. At a median follow up of 20.5 mos, 135 (arm A/B: 64/71) PD events were collected. Median PFS was 9.6 (95% CI 8.8-10.9) in arm A with FOLFOX-pan and 9.1 (95% CI 7.7-9.9) in arm B with 5FU/LV-pan. Response rates were (arm A/B): 65%/57%. Grade 3-4 toxicities were (arm A/B): neutropenia 9.8%/1.1%; diarrhea 16.3%/1.1%; stomatitis 9.8%/4.4%; neurotoxicity 3.3%/0%; fatigue 6.5%/4.4%; skin rash 25%/24.2%, hypomagnesemia 3.3%/7.7%. Conclusions: Large prospective randomized studies in molecularly selected elderly mCRC are feasible with multicenter collaborative efforts. Primary EP was met in both treatment arms. 5FU/LV plus panitumumab for up to 12 cycles followed by panitumumab maintenance until PD might be a reasonable option in elderly mCRC patients with RAS/BRAF wt tumors deserving further investigations in phase III trials. Clinical trial information: NCT02904031 .

Perioperative FLOT in elderly patients with resectable gastric cancer: Subgroup analysis from the observational RealFLOT study

4548

Background: The treatment strategy for patients with resectable gastric cancer changed in the last few years with perioperative treatments. FLOT regimen (fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, docetaxel) turned out to be feasible and effective, offering significant improvement in survival outcomes. However, the safety profile of triplet therapies for elderly patients deserves a special attention and, consequently, the best treatment strategy for these patients is still debated. Methods: Focusing on the elderly patient population (age ≥65 years), real-world data from patients with resectable gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma (T≥2 and/or N+) enrolled in the observational RealFLOT study were collected. Results: A total of 206 patients with resectable gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma received perioperative FLOT at 15 Italian centers in routine clinical practice, between September 2016 and September 2019. The median age was 63 years (range 36-77) and 43% of patients enrolled (n = 89) were ≥65 years. Among elderly patients, 46 (52%) received FLOT for at least 4 full-dose cycles in the preoperative phase, 82 (92%) underwent surgery, and 56 (62%) started the postoperative phase. The primary end point of the study, pathological complete response (pCR) rate, was similar among patients aged ≥65 and < 65 (6.7% vs 7.7%, respectively). The distribution of pathological stages did not differ according to age (p = 0.473), and disease-free survival (DFS) is unrelated to the age of patients (log-rank 0.57; p = 0.89). The incidence of grade (G) 3-4 adverse events (AEs) was similar in the two age groups (Table) and the 30-day mortality rates after surgery did not differ according to age. Conclusions: FLOT regimen demonstrated to be feasible and safe in elderly patients since no differences were observed in terms of pCR, DFS and safety profile according to age. [Table: see text]

Gastric inflammatory prognostic index (GIPI) to predict efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic gastroesophageal junction (GOJ)/gastric cancer (GC) patients

4530

Background: ICIs demonstrated improved overall survival (OS) in heavily pre-treated mGOJ/GC pts. Pts selection exclusively based on PD-L1 tissue expression appears to be suboptimal, despite data from subgroup analyses of KEYNOTE trials. Strong rationale suggests a potential predictive role of inflammatory biomarkers in ICIs treated mGOJ/GC pts. Methods: Ten systemic inflammatory markers [platelets, monocytes, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelets-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocytes, sum of mononuclear cells, albumin, lactate dehydrogenase, c-reactive protein (CRP) and serum globulin] were retrospectively analyzed at baseline in 57 mGOJ/GC pts with unknown PD-L1 status treated in second-line with ICIs, and correlated with OS. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) method was used to select variables (preliminarily subject to optimal coding using HR smoothed curves for OS) with the highest prognostic value. Selected variables were then analyzed in a multivariate Cox Regression Model and used to build a GIPI nomogram. Results: NLR and CRP taken as continuous variables and albumin categorized as < vs > 30 g/dL were found as the most meaningful independent predictors of OS and used to build the GIPI nomogram. Nomogram-based lowest (l), mid-low, mid-high and highest (h) risk quartiles were associated with median(m)OS of 14.9, 7.1, 5.6 and 2.1 months (mos), respectively [HR of l vs h 4.94, p 0.0002]. By optimally dichotomizing CRP and NLR, pts with one or more of the following risk factors: NLR >6, CRP >15 mg/L, albumin <30 g/dL (n: 29) had a mOS of 3.9 mos vs 14.2 mos of pts with no risk factor (n: 28) (HR 2.48, p 0.001). Conclusions: GIPI, combining NLR, CRP and Albumin, is the first inflammatory index with a significant prognostic value in mOGJ/GC pts receiving second-line ICIs. Its implementation in correlation with PD-L1 expression in the present cohort is ongoing. GIPI merits validation in independent cohorts and prospective clinical trials.

Perioperative FLOT in resectable gastric cancer: Italian real-world data from the RealFLOT study

300

Background: Perioperative treatments have significantly improved survival in patients with resectable gastric cancer, increasing 5-year overall survival from 23% with surgery alone to 45% with FLOT (fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, docetaxel). Pathological regression is a prognostic marker of better survival. Methods: In this observational, retro- and prospective study we collected data from patients with resectable gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma treated, as clinical practice, with perioperative FLOT. All patients had clinical T2 or higher and/or nodal involvement, according to FLOT4-AIO trial. Results: A total of 206 patients received perioperative chemotherapy with FLOT at 15 Italian centres, between September 2016 and September 2019. Overall, 186 (90.3%) patients completed the preoperative phase, 190 (92%) underwent surgery, and 142 (68.9%) started the postoperative phase. Among patients who started the postoperative phase, 105 (51.0%) received FLOT, while 37 (18%) received less intensive regimens (e.g. FOLFOX or De Gramont), depending on performance status after surgery or toxicity in the preoperative phase. Pathological complete response (pCR) was obtained in 7.3% of cases. In the preoperative phase, grade (G) 3-4 hematological and gastrointestinal adverse events (AEs) were reported in 42 (20.4%) and 13 (6.3%) patients, respectively. Conclusions: These real data confirmed the feasibility of perioperative FLOT in a less-selected population, representative of the clinical practice. The pCR rate was lower than in the FLOT4-AIO trial. The survival outcomes, potential predictive or prognostic factors and comprehensive safety data will be included in the final analysis.

[Table: see text]

Gastric Immune Prognostic Index (GIPI) in metastatic (m) gastro-oesophageal junction (GOJ)/gastric cancer (GC) patients (pts) treated with PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)

417

Background: ICIs demonstrated improved overall survival (OS) in heavily pre-treated mGOJ/GC pts. Pts selection exclusively based on PD-L1 tissue expression appears to be suboptimal, despite data from subgroup analyses of KEYNOTE trials. Strong rationale suggests a potential predictive role of inflammatory biomarkers in ICIs treated mGOJ/GC pts. Methods: 11 systemic inflammatory markers [platelets, monocytes, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelets-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocytes, sum of mononuclear cells, albumin, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), c-reactive protein (CRP) and serum globulin] were retrospectively analyzed at baseline in 57 mGOJ/GC pts with unknown PD-L1 status treated in second-line with ICIs, and correlated with OS. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) method was used to select variables (preliminarily subject to optimal coding using HR smoothed curves for OS) with the highest prognostic value.Selected variables were then analysed in a multivariate Cox Regression Model and used to build a GIPI nomogram. Results: NLR and CRP taken as continuous variables and ALP categorized as < vs > 150 IU/L were found as the most meaningful independent predictors of OS [(HR 1.30 (95%CI 1.02-1.65), 2.00 (95%CI 1.09-3.66), 2.82 (95%CI 1.29-6.20) and p values 0.04, 0.01, 0.02, respectively)] and used to build the GIPI nomogram. Nomogram-based lowest(l), mid and highest(h) risk tertiles were associated with median(m)OS of 14.5,10.6 and 2.4 months(mos), respectively [HR of l vs h 0.26 (95%CI 0.12-0.53), p 0.0002]. By optimally dichotomizing CRP and NLR, pts with one or more of the following risk factors: NLR > 6, CRP > 15 mg/L, ALP < 150 IU/L (n: 31) had a mOS of 3.9mos vs 14.5mos of pts with no risk factor (n: 26) (HR 2.72, p 0.0005). Conclusions: GIPI, combining NLR, CRP and ALP, is the first inflammatory index with a significant prognostic value in mOGJ/GC pts receiving second line ICIs. Its implementation with analysis of PD-L1 expression in the present cohort is ongoing. GIPI merits validation in external cohorts and prospective clinical trials.

Histotype influences emergency presentation and prognosis in colon cancer surgery

AIM

To investigate whether differences in histotype in colon cancer correlate with clinical presentation and if they might influence oncological outcomes and survival.

METHODS

Data regarding colon cancer patients operated both electively or in emergency between 2009 and 2014 were retrospectively collected from a prospectively maintained database and analyzed for the purpose of this study. Rectal cancer was excluded from this analysis. Statistical univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate possible significant variables influencing clinical presentation, as well as oncological outcomes and survival.

RESULTS

Data from 219 patients undergoing colorectal resection for cancer of the colon only were retrieved. One hundred seventy-four patients had an elective procedure and forty-five had an emergency colectomy. Emergency presentation was more likely to occur in mucinous (p < 0.05) and signet ring cell (p < 0.01) tumors. No definitive differences in 5-year overall (44.7% vs. 60.6%, p = 0.078) and disease-free (51.2% vs. 64.4%, p = 0.09) survival were found between the two groups as a whole, but the T3 emergency patients showed worse prognosis than the elective (p < 0.03). Lymph node invasion, laparoscopy, histology, and blood transfusions were independent variables found to influence survival. Distribution assessed for pTNM stage showed T3 cancers were more common in emergency (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION

Mucinous and signet ring cell tumors are related to emergency presentation, pT3 stage, poorest outcomes, and survival. Disease-free survival in patients who had emergency surgery for T3 colon cancer seems related to the histotype.