Hospital volume and outcome of rectal cancer surgery in Denmark 1994-99

OBJECTIVE

The association between hospital volumen and outcome of major cancer surgery is being debated at present. We analysed the outcome of rectal cancer surgery in Denmark during the period 1994-99.

METHODS

All patients with a first-time rectal cancer were registered in a national database during the 5-year period. In this observational cohort study, the influence of hospital case volume on resectional procedure, complications, 30-day mortality and 5-year mortality was analysed.

RESULTS

The register comprised 5021 patients. Surgery was performed in 27 hospitals with <15 operations per year, 15 hospitals with 15-30 operations per year and 11 hospitals with >30 operations per year. In a multivariate model, the risk of permanent colostomy was significantly increased in the group of low-volume hospitals. On the contrary, volume did not influence the risk of anastomotic leakage, 30-day mortality and 5-year mortality. However, a large variation in 5-year mortality was observed particularly within the low-volume group of hospitals.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, only risk of having a permanent colostomy during surgery for rectal cancer was significantly related to hospital case volume. When individual hospitals were analysed, a large variation in 5-year mortality was observed within the low-volume group of hospitals.

Blood loss and transfusion after total mesorectal excision and conventional rectal cancer surgery

OBJECTIVES

A recent study showed less bleeding and need of transfusion after total mesorectal excision (TME) compared with conventional rectal cancer surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate this result in more details.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Comparison of transfusion history in rectal cancer resections in two different multicentre-studies. Two hundred and forty-six patients were operated in the period 1991-93 with a conventional technique and 311 patients were operated with TME-technique in the period 1996-98. Peri-operative data, including blood transfusion from one month before until one month after the operation, was recorded prospectively.

RESULTS

The median intra-operative blood loss was 1000 ml, range 50-6000 ml, before, and 550 ml, range 10-6000 ml (P < 0.001) after introduction of TME. The overall peri-operative transfusion rate was reduced from 73% to 43% (P < 0.001). When adjusted for blood loss, age, gender, weight, and type of resection, TME significantly reduced the risk of receiving intra or postoperative blood transfusion by 0.4 (CI: 0.3-0.6). The variability in blood loss among 12 TME-centres was more than 400% and not correlated with transfusion requirements within the centres.

CONCLUSION

TME results in a reduced blood loss and a reduction of blood transfusion, but additional factors others than blood loss seems to influence the decision of transfusion.

Survival of rectal cancer patients in Denmark during 1994-99

OBJECTIVE

As survival from rectal cancer in Denmark is below the European average, we analysed survival during the period of 1994-99 focusing upon improvement strategies.

METHOD

All patients with a first-time rectal cancer were registered in a national database during this 5-year period. In the observational cohort study, data on patient age and gender, tumour stage, surgical procedures, adjuvant radiotherapy, anastomotic leakage, 30-day mortality and long-term survival were evaluated.

RESULTS

The database comprised 5021 patients. Sixty-four percent had a localized tumour. Less than a third of patients with fixed tumours had pre-operative radiotherapy and curative surgery was achieved in 70%. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 13%, and 30-day mortality was 4% following abdominoperineal or anterior resection and 11% following a Hartmann's procedure. The relative 5-year survival in the entire series was 39% in males and 47% in females, respectively. Following curative surgery the relative 5-year survival was 55% in males and 63% in females, respectively. Survival was 71% in the subset of patients receiving curative total mesorectal excision.

CONCLUSION

The average tumour stage upon diagnosis was probably more advanced compared to the other Nordic countries and pre-operative radiotherapy was administered to a minority of patients with fixed tumours. The anastomotic leakage rate was relatively high, whereas the 30-day mortality was comparable to other studies. Survival from rectal cancer in Denmark is still less favourable compared to the other Nordic and several European countries but improved from 1996 and onwards.

Mutation analysis of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene in Danish patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)

Development of one hundred or more adenomas in the colon and rectum is diagnostic for the dominantly inherited, autosomal disease Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP). It is possible to identify a mutation in the Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) gene in approximately 80% of the patients, and almost 1,000 different pathogenic mutations have been identified in the APC gene up till now. We report 12 novel and 24' previously described germline APC mutations from 48 unrelated Danish families. Four families with the mutation localized in the 3' region of the gene showed great variance in phenotypic presentation.

Duodenal adenomatosis in familial adenomatous polyposis

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of duodenal carcinoma is much higher in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) than in the background population, and duodenal adenomatosis is found in most polyposis patients.

AIMS

To describe the long term natural history of duodenal adenomatosis in FAP and evaluate if cancer prophylactic surveillance of the duodenum is indicated.

METHODS

A prospective five nation study was carried out in the Nordic countries and the Netherlands.

PATIENTS

A total of 368 patients were examined by gastroduodenoscopy at two year intervals during the period 1990-2001.

RESULTS

At the first endoscopy, 238 (65%) patients had duodenal adenomas at a median age of 38 years. Median follow up was 7.6 years. The cumulative incidence of adenomatosis at age 70 years was 90% (95% confidence interval (CI) 79-100%), and of Spigelman stage IV 52% (95% CI 28-76%). The probability of an advanced Spigelman score increased during the study period (p<0.0001) due to an increasing number and size of adenomas. Two patients had asymptomatic duodenal carcinoma at their first endoscopy while four developed carcinoma during the study at a median age of 52 years (range 26-58). The cumulative incidence rate of cancer was 4.5% at age 57 years (95% CI 0.1-8.9%) and the risk was higher in patients with Spigelman stage IV at their first endoscopy than in those with stages 0-III (p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The natural course of duodenal adenomatosis has now been described in detail. The high incidence and increasing severity of duodenal adenomatosis with age justifies prophylactic examination, and a programme is presented for upper gastrointestinal endoscopic surveillance.

Familial adenomatous polyposis patients without an identified APC germline mutation have a severe phenotype

BACKGROUND

Development of more than 100 colorectal adenomas is diagnostic of the dominantly inherited autosomal disease familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Germline mutations can be identified in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene in approximately 80% of patients. The APC protein comprises several regions and domains for interaction with other proteins, and specific clinical manifestations are associated with the mutation assignment to one of these regions or domains.

AIMS

The phenotype in patients without an identified causative APC mutation was compared with the phenotype in patients with a known APC mutation and with the phenotypes characteristic of patients with mutations in specific APC regions and domains.

PATIENTS

Data on 121 FAP probands and 149 call up patients from 70 different families were extracted from the Danish Polyposis register.

METHODS

Differences in 16 clinical manifestations were analysed according to the patient's mutational status. Two sided independent t sample test, two sided chi(2) test, and odds ratios were calculated.

RESULTS

Patients without identified APC mutations had a unique and severe phenotype, which was roughly described as: young age at diagnosis and subsequent death in spite of development of few colorectal adenomas; low risk of involvement of the upper gastrointestinal tract, as reflected by a low mean Spigelman stage, and a low risk of fundic gland polyposis. Finally, they had significantly fewer affected family members, although they do not themselves more often represent an isolated case.

CONCLUSIONS

The severe phenotype should be considered when counselling FAP families in which attenuated FAP is excluded and in which a causative APC mutation has not been identified.

Desmoid tumour in familial adenomatous polyposis. A review of literature

Desmoid tumours (DT) are rare benign tumours that do not metastasise, but tend to invade locally. DT are frequently seen in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), and diagnosis and treatment are often difficult. Surgical trauma, genetic predisposition and hormonal factors are considered to be correlated with the development and growth of DT. In patients with FAP, 50% of the tumours are localised intra-abdominally, and 85-100% of these are mesenteric. DT frequently present as non- tender, slowly growing masses. The symptoms are abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea or haematochezia. Mesenteric DT can cause small bowel obstruction or ischaemia, hydronephrosis or form fistulas. Diagnosis is obtained through biopsy and the extension is determined by a CT-scan. Surgical excision is recommended in patients with DT in the abdominal wall. First line treatment of mesenteric DT is a NSAID in combination with tamoxifen. Surgery may be considered in case of a small and well-defined DT with no signs of invasion of vital structures, and in cases of imminent bowel ischaemia or obstruction. The prognosis in mesenteric DT is serious, and improvement of the therapeutic strategy awaits current international studies.

Attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis (AFAP). A review of the literature

Over the last decade, a subset of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) patients with a milder course of disease termed attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis (AFAP) has been described. AFAP is not well-defined as a disease entity - the reports on AFAP are largely casuistic or only deal with a few kindreds--and the diagnostic criteria and methods of investigation differ markedly. The true incidence and frequency of AFAP is not known. The mutations in APC associated with AFAP have mainly been detected in three parts of the gene: in the 5' end (the first five exons), in exon 9 and in the distal 3' end. The main features of AFAP are 100 or less colorectal adenomas with a tendency to rectal sparing, a delay in onset of adenomatosis and bowel symptoms of 20-25 years, a delay in onset of colorectal cancer (CRC) of 10-20 years and death from CRC of 15-20 years, and although the lifetime penetrance of CRC appears to be high, CRC does not seem to develop in nearly all affected patients. A more limited expression of the extracolonic features is seen, but gastric and duodenal adenomas are frequently encountered. Colonoscopy is preferred to sigmoidoscopy, should begin at the age of 20-25 years and no upper age limit of stopping surveillance is justified. Regular esophago-gastro- duodenoscopy (EGD) is recommended. Until further research has provided us with a more substantiated knowledge about AFAP changes in current surveillance and treatment are not recommended. Prophylactic colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis (IRA) is recommended in most patients.

Recurrence and survival after mesorectal excision for rectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Mesorectal excision for rectal cancer has resulted in local recurrence rates of 3-11 per cent compared with up to 38 per cent after conventional methods. The results of a prospective Danish study with a historical control group are presented.

METHODS

Three hundred and eleven patients with a mobile rectal cancer had mesorectal excision with curative intent performed by certified surgeons and were followed for 3 years. Demographic, perioperative and follow-up data were recorded prospectively. A series of patients who had conventional operations for rectal cancer served as a control group.

RESULTS

The cumulative 3-year local recurrence rate was 11 per cent after mesorectal excision compared with 30 per cent after conventional surgery (hazard ratio (HR) 0.33 (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 0.21 to 0.52); P < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that only advanced age (HR 0.97 (95 per cent c.i. 0.94 to 1.00); P = 0.048) and tumour in the lower third of the rectum (HR 0.21 (95 per cent c.i. 0.04 to 1.97); P = 0.075) were marginal independent predictors of local recurrence after mesorectal excision. The cumulative crude 3-year survival rate was 77 per cent after mesorectal excision and 62 per cent after conventional surgery (HR 0.58 (95 per cent c.i. 0.43 to 0.77); P < 0.001). Age was the only independent predictor of death after mesorectal excision (HR 1.04 (95 per cent c.i. 1.02 to 1.07); P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Mesorectal excision is associated with a considerably lower risk of local recurrence and a better survival rate than conventional surgery, and is the optimum method for rectal cancer resection.

Results of national registration of familial adenomatous polyposis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The Danish Polyposis Register was established in 1971 with the aim of improving the poor prognosis of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), and in 1975 the register became national. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of colorectal cancer and survival rate in FAP patients before and after the establishment of the Danish Polyposis Register.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The Danish Polyposis Register was established by collecting information on probands and construction of their pedigrees. Family members at risk were offered prophylactic endoscopic and molecular genetic examination, and affected individuals were treated by colectomy.

RESULTS

At the end of 2001, the Danish Polyposis Register included 434 patients from 165 families. The incidence rate was 1.90x10(-6) and the prevalence rate 4.65x10(-5). Colorectal cancer on the basis of FAP constituted 0.07% of all colorectal cancers in the 1990s. Colorectal cancer was diagnosed in 170/252 probands (67%) and in 5/182 call-up patients (3%) (p<0.001). The cumulative crude survival was 94% in call-up patients compared with 44% in probands (p<0.0001). A comparison of two periods, 1900-1975 and 1976-2001, demonstrated a decreased prevalence of colorectal cancer from 60% to 27% (p<0.0001), and an increased use of colectomy from 52% to 93% (p<0.00001). The cumulative crude survival in FAP showed substantial improvement with time (p<0.00001).

CONCLUSION

Since the establishment of the Danish Polyposis Register, the prevalence of colorectal cancer has decreased considerably and the prognosis has improved substantially. The work of the Danish Polyposis Register is probably the main cause of this improvement.

CT- and MR colonography

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer is the second most frequent cancer and adenomas are widely accepted as precursors to colorectal cancer. Diagnosis and removal of adenomas are recommended to reduce cancer incidence and mortality. The current diagnostic methods include sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. Lately, CT- and MR colonography have emerged as non-invasive methods for colon imaging.

METHODS

At present, CTC and MRC require bowel preparation. However, preliminary studies have been carried out without colon preparation. After the colon has been filled with air or contrast, the patient is scanned in the supine and prone positions. Data are then downloaded to a workstation for post processing and image-analysis.

RESULTS

Results have shown a high sensitivity and specificity for polyps > or = 10 mm, comparable to the sensitivity of conventional colonoscopy and superior to double contrast barium enema.

CONCLUSIONS

With the exponential development in computer processing power, CT- and MR colonography holds the promise for future colon examination with the advantages of non-invasiveness, no need for sedation, and probably no bowel preparation. A major disadvantage, however, is the radiation dose during CT colonography. Future developments with the use of "intelligent" computers, better resolution and faster examinations will make CT and/or MR colonography realistic options to replace conventional diagnostic colonoscopy.

Female fecundity before and after operation for familial adenomatous polyposis

BACKGROUND

Knowledge about the fertility of women suffering from familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is scarce and inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to investigate the fecundity of women with FAP before and after operation, and to compare the findings with those of a general population database and women with ulcerative colitis.

METHODS

A questionnaire concerning reproductive experiences and waiting times to pregnancy was sent to all 230 women on the polyposis registers in Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway in whom primary surgery had consisted of ileorectal anastomosis or ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. Data on the general population and women with ulcerative colitis came from an existing database. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier plots were used for analysis.

RESULTS

The fecundity of women with FAP before operation and after colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis was similar to that of the general population. However, fecundity dropped to 54 per cent (P = 0.015) following proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis, although it was greater than the postoperative fecundity of women with ulcerative colitis.

CONCLUSION

The significant reduction in female fecundity after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis should be communicated to young women with FAP before it is decided which surgical option to follow.

De novo mutations in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) results from a germline mutation in the APC gene. A new mutation rate of 4-9 x 10(-6) mutations/gametes/generation has been reported. In other familial cancer syndromes a bias for paternal origin of new mutations has been described. This bias is probably due to a larger number of cell divisions during spermatogenesis compared to oogenesis; giving a larger susceptibility for mutagenesis. We report here a molecular genetic analysis of 26 FAP patients with putative de novo APC mutations. In 15 families the novel origin of the mutations was confirmed by haplotyping and sequencing. Analysis of 10 of these mutations, in which the parental origin could be established, gave a 6 : 4 distribution in favour of maternal origin. This is in agreement with a 1 : 1 distribution and does not indicate an expected paternal bias. Moreover, no parental age effect was identified. We propose that APC germline mutations are not premeiotic events but more likely arise during the meiosis. This would give an equal susceptibility for mutagenesis during spermatogenesis and oogenesis, respectively. The model is in concordance with the previously established difference between APC somatic mutations, as being a mitotic event and APC germline mutations, as being a meiotic event. The confirmation of 15 de novo mutations by a molecular genetic approach is in fine agreement with previous results based on clinical records.

VEGF concentrations in tumour arteries and veins from patients with rectal cancer

This pilot study investigated the hypothesis that the tumour itself is the source of the elevated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations which are often observed in peripheral blood from patients with rectal cancer. Twenty-four consecutive patients with primary rectal cancer were included. Blood samples were drawn preoperatively from peripheral veins (I) and intraoperatively from peripheral veins (II), tumour arteries (III), and tumour veins (IV). In the four compartments, VEGF concentrations were measured in serum, EDTA plasma, and supernatants from lysed whole blood. Additionally, automated complete white cell and platelet counts were performed. In serum and EDTA plasma, no significant differences in VEGF concentrations were observed (p = 0.1 and p = 0.5), respectively) between tumour arteries and tumour veins. However, in supernatants from lysed blood, VEGF concentrations were significantly (p = 0.03) lower in venous blood than in arterial blood. Unexpectedly, a 16% reduction (p < 0.0001) in the number of neutrophils was observed during transit of the arterial blood through the rectal tumours, while none of the other types of leukocytes or platelets was significantly reduced in numbers during the same passage. These findings indicate that the tumour itself is not the only source of elevated VEGF concentrations in peripheral blood from patients with rectal cancer. A consistent finding was that a large number of neutrophils disappeared from the blood during passage through the rectal tumour. However, the significance and fate of the migrating neutrophils cells are unknown and should be investigated further.

[Sigmoidoscopy as primary examination in patients with bowel symptoms]

INTRODUCTION

Flexible sigmoidoscopy is recommended in the literature and is now officially recommended as the primary diagnostic method in patients with symptoms consistent with colorectal cancer. Sigmoidoscopy can detect two-thirds of all colorectal cancers.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We carried out a retrospective analysis of prospective data on symptoms and findings at FS in 682 patients, above the age of 40 years, referred to a private specialist for rectal bleeding, change in bowel habits, or unspecific abdominal symptoms. The chi 2-test and logistic multivariate regression analysis were used to estimate the predictive value of symptoms for neoplasia.

RESULTS

Carcinoma was found in 31 (5%) and adenoma in 76 (11%), i.e., neoplasia in 16%. Logistic multivariate regression showed that bleeding in or on the faeces (p < 0.0001, OR 10.6 and 11.6), mucous discharge (p = 0.02, OR 3.0), and change in bowel habits (p = 0.02, OR 3.0) were independent risk factors of cancer, and bleeding on the faeces (p = 0.0002, OR 3.2) or in the faeces (p = 0.02, OR 2.7) were independent risk factors of adenoma.

DISCUSSION

On the basis of the literature and the present results, we conclude that sigmoidoscopy is a suitable primary diagnostic method for the detection of neoplasia in the rectum and left colon in patients with bowel symptoms. Bleeding, mucous discharge, and change in bowel habits are independent risk factors for carcinoma and bleeding for adenoma.