EURECCA colorectal: Multidisciplinary management: European consensus conference colon & rectum

Distinct Expression Patterns of Two Tumor Necrosis Factor Superfamily Member 15 Gene Isoforms in Human Colon Cancer

BACKGROUND

Tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 15 (TNFSF15) gene is involved in development of several cancers. It encodes two proteins: tumor necrosis factor ligand-related molecule 1A (TL1A) and vascular endothelial growth inhibitor 192 (VEGI-192). The main receptor for TL1A is death receptor 3 (DR3).

AIMS

We investigated expression of TL1A, VEGI-192, and DR3 transcripts in different stages of colon cancer and compared them with survival of patients. We also aimed to reveal possible effects of microsatellite instability (MSI) and selected TNFSF15 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on expression of this gene.

METHODS

Forty-five healthy individuals and 95 colon cancer patients were included in the study. Expression of VEGI-192, TL1A, and DR3 was measured by quantitative PCR. SNP and MSI analyses were performed on DNA isolated from normal or cancer tissue.

RESULTS

Expression of VEGI-192 and TL1A was elevated in colon cancer, although the level of VEGI-192 decreased, while the level of TL1A increased with the progression of cancer. Patients with low expression of TL1A and/or high expression of VEGI-192 in tumor-transformed tissue showed longer survival. DR3 expression was decreased in the cancer, but it did not change with the tumor progression. Alleles T of rs6478108 and G of rs6478109 SNPs were associated with elevated expression of the TNFSF15 gene. There was no relation between the MSI status and TNFSF15 expression levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Expression of the TNFSF15 gene isoforms was associated with the progression of colon cancer. Levels of TL1A and VEGI-192 transcripts can be considered as independent prognostic factors for colon cancer.

Elevated platelet count is a negative predictive and prognostic marker in locally advanced rectal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiation: a retrospective multi-institutional study on 965 patients

BACKGROUND

In patients with locally advanced rectal cancer treated by neoadjuvant chemoradiation, pathological complete response in the surgical specimen is associated with favourable long-term oncologic outcome. Based on this observation, nonoperative management is being explored in the subset of patients with clinical complete response. Whereas, patients with poor response have a high risk of local and distant recurrence, and appear to receive no benefit from standard neoadjuvant chemoradiation. Therefore, in order to develop alternative treatment strategies for non responding patients, predictive and prognostic factors are highly needed. Accumulating clinical observations indicate that elevated platelet count is associated with poor outcome in different type of tumors. In this study we investigated the predictive and prognostic impact of elevated platelet count on pathological response and long-term oncologic outcome in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiation.

METHODS

A total of 965 patients were selected from prospectively maintained databases of seven Centers within the SICO Colorectal Cancer Network. Patients were divided into two groups based on a pre-neoadjuvant chemoradiation platelet count cut-off value of 300 × 10⁹/L identified by receiver operating characteristic curve considering complete pathological response as the outcome.

RESULTS

Complete pathological response rate was lower in patients with elevated platelet count (12.8% vs. 22.1%, p = 0.001). Mean follow-up was 50.1 months. Comparing patients with elevated platelet count with patients with not elevated platelet count, 5-year overall survival was 69.5% vs.76.5% (p = 0.016), and 5-year disease free survival was 63.0% vs. 68.9% (p = 0.019). Local recurrence rate was higher in patients with elevated platelet count (11.1% vs. 5.3%, p = 0.001), as higher was the occurrence of distant metastasis (23.9% vs. 16.4%, p = 0.007). At multivariate analysis of potential prognostic factors EPC was independently associated with worse overall survival (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.06-1.86), and disease free survival (HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.07-1.76).

CONCLUSIONS

In locally advanced rectal cancer elevated platelet count before neoadjuvant chemoradiation is a negative predictive and prognostic factor which might help to identify subsets of patients with more aggressive tumors to be proposed for alternative therapeutic strategies.

A quest for sphincter-saving surgery in ultralow rectal tumours-a single-centre cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Despite the progress in the treatment of colorectal cancer, there is still no optimal strategy for tumours located adjacent to the anal sphincter. This study aims to evaluate oncological and functional results of surgery for rectal cancer in unfavourable locations in proximity to anal sphincters.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with rectal cancer, which was either initially infiltrating the anal sphincter or located in the close proximity of the sphincter, were included in the study. Patients were submitted to extralevator abdominoperineal resection (APR), intersphincteric resection, or transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME). Primary outcomes were perioperative data: operative time, blood loss, complications, length of stay (LOS), and 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes were pathological quality of the specimens and functional outcome 6 months after defunctioning ileostomy closure.

RESULTS

Among patients with cancer adjacent to the anal sphincter, 13 (25%) underwent APR, 14 (27%) patients were submitted to intersphincteric resection, and 25 (48%) patients were treated with the TaTME approach. Operative time was 240 (210-270 IQR) for APR, 212.5 (170-260 IQR) for intersphincteric resection, and 270 (240-330 IQR) for TaTME (p = 0.018). Perioperative morbidity was 31% for APR, 36% for intersphincteric resections, and 12% for the TaTME group (p = 0.181). Complete mesorectal excision was achieved in 92% of specimens in the TaTME group, 93% in intersphincteric resections, and 78% in the APR group (p = 0.72). Median circumferential resection margin in APR was 6 mm (4-7 IQR), in intersphincteric resections 7.5 mm (2.5-10 IQR), and in the TaTME group 4 mm (2.8-8 IQR). All patients after intersphincteric resections developed major low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). Four patients in the TaTME group developed minor LARS, and 21 had major LARS.

CONCLUSION

Sphincter-saving rectal resections are a feasible alternative to APR with good clinical, pathological, and oncological outcomes. Intersphincteric resections and TaTME seem to be equal in terms of clinicopathological results. The functional outcome is yet to be investigated.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was retrospectively registered in Thai Clinical Trials Registry (23-07-2018, ID TCTR20180724001 ).

Fluorescence-guided tumor detection with a novel anti-EpCAM targeted antibody fragment: Preclinical validation

Tumor-specific fluorescent imaging agents are moving towards the clinic, supporting surgeons with real-time intraoperative feedback about tumor locations. The epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is considered as one of the most promising tumor-specific proteins due its high overexpression on epithelial-derived cancers. This study describes the development and evaluation of EpCAM-F800, a novel fluorescent anti-EpCAM antibody fragment, for intraoperative tumor imaging. Fab production, conjugation to the fluorophore IRDye 800CW, and binding capacities were determined and validated using HPLC, spectrophotometry and cell-based assays. In vivo, dose escalation-, blocking-, pharmacokinetic- and biodistribution studies (using both fluorescence and radioactivity) were performed, next to imaging of clinically relevant orthotopic xenografts for breast and colorectal cancer. EpCAM-F800 targets EpCAM with high specificity in vitro, which was validated using in vivo blocking experiments with a 10x higher dose of unlabeled Fab. The optimal dose range for fluorescence tumor detection in mice was 1-5 nmol (52-260 μg), which corresponds to a human equivalent dose of 0.2-0.8 mg/kg. Biodistribution showed high accumulation of EpCAM-F800 in tumors and metabolizing organs. Breast and colorectal tumors could clearly be visualized within 8 h post-injection and up to 96 h, while the agent already showed homogenous tumor distribution within 4 h. The blood half-life was 4.5 h. This study describes the development and evaluation of a novel EpCAM-targeting agent and the feasibility to visualize breast and colorectal tumors by fluorescence imaging during resections. EpCAM-F800 will be translated for clinical use, considering its abundance in a broad range of tumor types.

Preoperative radiotherapy and curative surgery for the management of localised rectal carcinoma

BACKGROUND

This is an update of the original review published in 2007.Carcinoma of the rectum is a common malignancy, especially in high income countries. Local recurrence may occur after surgery alone. Preoperative radiotherapy (PRT) has the potential to reduce the risk of local recurrence and improve outcomes in rectal cancer.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effect of preoperative radiotherapy for people with localised resectable rectal cancer compared to surgery alone.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (the Cochrane Library; Issue 5, 2018) (4 June 2018), MEDLINE (Ovid) (1950 to 4 June 2018), and Embase (Ovid) (1974 to 4 June 2018). We also searched ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) for relevant ongoing trials (4 June 2018).

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials comparing PRT and surgery with surgery alone for people with localised advanced rectal cancer planned for radical surgery. We excluded trials that did not use contemporary radiotherapy techniques (with more than two fields to the pelvis).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed the 'Risk of bias' domains for each included trial, and extracted data. For time-to-event data, we calculated the Peto odds ratio (Peto OR) and variances, and for dichotomous data we calculated risk ratios (RR) using the random-effects method. Potential sources of heterogeneity hypothesised a priori included study quality, staging, and the use of total mesorectal excision (TME) surgery.

MAIN RESULTS

We included four trials with a total of 4663 participants. All four trials reported short PRT courses, with three trials using 25 Gy in five fractions, and one trial using 20 Gy in four fractions. Only one study specifically required TME surgery for inclusion, whereas in another study 90% of participants received TME surgery.Preoperative radiotherapy probably reduces overall mortality at 4 to 12 years' follow-up (4 trials, 4663 participants; Peto OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.98; moderate-quality evidence). For every 1000 people who undergo surgery alone, 454 would die compared with 45 fewer (the true effect may lie between 77 fewer to 9 fewer) in the PRT group. There was some evidence from subgroup analyses that in trials using TME no or little effect of PRT on survival (P = 0.03 for the difference between subgroups).Preoperative radiotherapy may have little or no effect in reducing cause-specific mortality for rectal cancer (2 trials, 2145 participants; Peto OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.03; low-quality evidence).We found moderate-quality evidence that PRT reduces local recurrence (4 trials, 4663 participants; Peto OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.57). In absolute terms, 161 out of 1000 patients receiving surgery alone would experience local recurrence compared with 83 fewer with PRT. The results were consistent in TME and non-TME studies.There may be little or no difference in curative resection (4 trials, 4673 participants; RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.02; low-quality evidence) or in the need for sphincter-sparing surgery (3 trials, 4379 participants; RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.04; I² = 0%; low-quality evidence) between PRT and surgery alone.Low-quality evidence suggests that PRT may increase the risk of sepsis from 13% to 16% (2 trials, 2698 participants; RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.52) and surgical complications from 25% to 30% (2 trials, 2698 participants; RR 1.20, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.42) compared to surgery alone.Two trials evaluated quality of life using different scales. Both studies concluded that sexual dysfunction occurred more in the PRT group. Mixed results were found for faecal incontinence, and irradiated participants tended to resume work later than non-irradiated participants between 6 and 12 months, but this effect had attenuated after 18 months (low-quality evidence).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We found moderate-quality evidence that PRT reduces overall mortality. Subgroup analysis did not confirm this effect in people undergoing TME surgery. We found consistent evidence that PRT reduces local recurrence. Risk of sepsis and postsurgical complications may be higher with PRT.The main limitation of the findings of the present review concerns their applicability. The included trials only assessed short-course radiotherapy and did not use chemotherapy, which is widely used in the contemporary management of rectal cancer disease. The differences between the trials regarding the criteria used to define rectal cancer, staging, radiotherapy delivered, the time between radiotherapy and surgery, and the use of adjuvant or postoperative therapy did not appear to influence the size of effect across the studies.Future trials should focus on identifying participants that are most likely to benefit from PRT especially in terms of improving local control, sphincter preservation, and overall survival while reducing acute and late toxicities (especially rectal and sexual function), as well as determining the effect of radiotherapy when chemotherapy is used and the optimal timing of surgery following radiotherapy.

Feasibility of magnetic resonance imaging-only rectum radiotherapy with a commercial synthetic computed tomography generation solution

Background and purpose

Synthetic computed tomography (sCT) images enable magnetic resonance (MR)-based dose calculations. This work investigated whether a commercially available sCT generation solution was suitable for accurate dose calculations and position verification on patients with rectal cancer.

Material and methods

For twenty rectal cancer patients computed tomography (CT) images were rigidly registered to sCT images. Clinical volumetric modulated arc therapy plans were recalculated on registered CT and sCT images. Dose deviations were determined through gamma and voxelwise analysis. The impact on position verification was investigated by identifying differences in translations and rotation between cone-beam CT (CBCT) to CT and CBCT to sCT registrations.

Results

Across twenty patients, within a threshold of 90% of the prescription dose, a gamma analysis (2%, 2 mm) mean pass rate of 95.2 ± 4.0% (±1σ) and mean dose deviation of −0.3 ± 0.2% of prescription dose were obtained. The mean difference of translations and rotations over ten patients (76 CBCTs) was <1 mm and <0.5° in all directions. In the sole posterior-anterior direction a mean systematic shift of 0.7 ± 0.6 mm was found.

Conclusions

Accurate MR-based dose calculations using a commercial sCT generation method were clinically feasible for treatment of rectal cancer patients. The accuracy of position verification was clinically acceptable. However, before clinical implementation future investigations will be performed to determine the origin of the systematic shift.

Robotic versus laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer in male urogenital function preservation, a meta-analysis

Background

Urogenital dysfunction after rectal cancer surgery can largely affect patients’ postoperative quality of life. Whether robotic surgery can be a better option when comparing with laparoscopic surgery is still not well-known.

Methods

Comprehensive search in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Clinical Trials was conducted to identify relevant studies in March 2018. Studies comparing robotic surgery with laparoscopic surgery were included. Measurement of urogenital function was through the International Prostate Symptom Score and International Index of Erectile Function.

Results

Six studies with 386 patients in robotic group and 421 patients in laparoscopic group were finally included. Pooled analysis indicated that bladder function was better at 12 months in the robotic group after the procedures (mean difference, − 0.30, 95% CI, − 0.52 to − 0.08). No significant difference was found at 3 and 6 months postoperatively (mean difference, − 0.37, 95% CI, − 1.48 to 0.73; mean difference, − 1.21, 95% CI, − 2.69 to 0.28). Sexual function was better at 3 months in the robotic group after surgery (mean difference, − 3.28, 95% CI, − 6.08 to − 0.49) and not significantly different at 6 and 12 months. (mean difference, 3.78, 95% CI, − 7.37 to 14.93; mean difference, − 2.82, 95% CI, − 8.43 to 2.80).

Conclusion

Robotic surgery may offer faster recovery in urogenital function compared to laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer.

Can Endorectal Ultrasound, MRI, and Mucosa Integrity Accurately Predict the Complete Response for Mid-Low Rectal Cancer After Preoperative Chemoradiation? A Prospective Observational Study from a Single Medical Center

BACKGROUND

Patients with locally advanced rectal cancer could be managed by a watch-and-wait approach if they achieve clinical complete response after preoperative chemoradiotherapy. Mucosal integrity, endorectal ultrasound, and rectal MRI are used to evaluate clinical complete response; however, the accuracy remains questionable. Clinical practice based on those assessment methods needs more data and discussion.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the accuracy of mucosal integrity, endorectal ultrasound, and rectal MRI to predict clinical complete response after chemoradiotherapy.

DESIGN

Endorectal ultrasound and rectal MRI were undertaken 6 to 7 weeks after preoperative chemoradiation therapy. Patients then received radical surgery based on the principles of total mesorectal excision. Preoperative tumor staging achieved by endorectal ultrasound and rectal MRI was compared with postoperative staging by pathologic examination. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of each evaluation method were calculated.

SETTINGS

The study was conducted at a single tertiary care center.

PATIENTS

Patients diagnosed with mid-low rectal cancer by biopsy between May 2014 and December 2016 were enrolled in this study.

RESULTS

A total of 124 patients were enrolled in this study, and postoperative pathology revealed that 20 patients (16.13%) achieved complete response (ypT0N0). The sensitivity of mucosal integrity, endorectal ultrasound, and MRI to predict clinical complete response was 25%. The specificity of mucosal integrity, endorectal ultrasound, and MRI was 94.23%, 93.90%, and 93.27%. The combination of each 2 or all 3 methods did not improve accuracy. Regression analysis showed that none of these methods could predict postoperative ypT0.

LIMITATIONS

The sample size is small, and we did not focus on the follow-up data and cannot compare prognosis data with previous research studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Both single-method and combined mucosal integrity, endorectal ultrasound, and rectal MRI have poor correlation with postoperative pathologic examination. A watch-and-wait approach based on these methods might not be a proper strategy compared with radical surgery after neoadjuvant therapy. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A693.

Predicting the pathological response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation using untargeted metabolomics in locally advanced rectal cancer

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to identify a panel of potential metabolite biomarkers to predict tumor response to neoadjuvant chemo-radiation therapy (NCRT) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based untargeted metabolomics was used to profile human serum samples (n = 106) from LARC patients treated with NCRT. The samples were collected from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC) from July 2014 to January 2016. Statistical methods, such as partial least squares (PLS) and Wilcoxon rank-sum test, were used to identify discriminative metabolites between NCRT-sensitive and NCRT-resistant patients according to their tumor regression grade (TRG). This trial is registered with Clinical Trials.gov, number NCT03149978.

RESULTS

A panel of metabolites was selected as potential predictive biomarkers of pathological response to NCRT. A total of 4810 metabolic peaks were detected, and 57 significantly dysregulated peaks were identified. These 57 metabolic peaks were used to differentiate patients using PLS in a dataset containing NCRT-sensitive (n = 56) and NCRT-resistant (n = 49) patients. The combination of 57 metabolic peaks had AUC values of 0.88, 0.81 and 0.84 in the prediction models using PLS, random forest, and support vector machine, respectively, suggesting that metabolomics has the potential ability to predict responses to NCRT. Furthermore, 15 metabolite biomarkers were identified and used to construct a logistic regression model and explore dysregulated metabolic pathways using untargeted metabolic profiling and data mining approaches.

CONCLUSIONS

A panel of metabolites has been identified to facilitate the prediction of tumor response to NCRT in LARC, which is promising for the generation of personalized treatment strategies for LARC patients.

Impact of tumor deposits on the prognosis and chemotherapy efficacy in stage III colorectal cancer patients with different lymph node status: A retrospective cohort study in China

BACKGROUND

The goal was to determine whether tumor deposits (TDs) had effects on the overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), disease-free survival (DFS) and responses to chemotherapy in advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with different lymph node (N) stages.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The retrospective cohort study recruited 1455 stage III CRC patients diagnosed at a single institution between January 2010 and July 2016. Patients were divided into TDs negative and positive groups. Based on whether they accepted chemotherapy, patients were further divided into chemotherapy and non-chemotherapy groups. Kaplan-Meier methods, univariate and multivariate analyses, and subset analyses based on the N stage were performed to compare the OS, CSS and DFS between different groups.

RESULTS

Multivariate Cox analyses showed that TDs were independent prognostic markers for the OS (adjusted HR = 1.929, 95% CI: 1.339-2.777), CSS (adjusted HR = 1.789, 95% CI: 1.165-2.748) and DFS (adjusted HR = 2.179, 95% CI: 1.612-2.944) in all N stages combined. In addition, subset analyses based on the N stage further demonstrated that TDs were independent risk factors for the OS (P = 0.012), CSS (P = 0.010) and DFS (P < 0.001) in patients with the N1a, 1 b stages, and for the OS (P = 0.023) and DFS (P < 0.001) in patients with the N2a, 2 b stages. Furthermore, the OS, CSS and DFS in the TDs negative group could be extended significantly after the administration of chemotherapy, whereas patients with positive TDs lost the DFS benefit from chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Stage III CRC patients with positive TDs had a poor prognosis, and they did not display a DFS benefit from chemotherapy. TDs had adverse effects on the OS and DFS in patients with the N1a, 1 b and N2a, 2 b stages, providing evidence for the feasibility of the new TNM category method.

Impact of multidisciplinary tumor boards on patients with rectal cancer

Οncological outcomes in patients with primary rectal cancer have markedly improved over the last few years, mainly due to the widespread application of the total mesorectal excision technique. This improvement should also be largely attributed to multiple specialties, other than colorectal surgery, such as radiology, oncology and pathology. Therefore, a multimodal approach is key to efficient and appropriate rectal cancer management. Multidisciplinary tumor (MDT) boards have become an important asset for the management and treatment of patients with rectal cancer, and a number of studies published to date suggest the beneficial effect of the multidisciplinary approach on the management of such patients. The available evidence demonstrates a modification of the treatment plan, attributed to the MDT implementation, in a non-negligible proportion of these patients. However, more studies are required in order to assess the exact impact of MDT boards on disease-free and overall survival of patients with primary rectal cancer.

Achieving high quality standards in laparoscopic colon resection for cancer: A Delphi consensus-based position paper

AIM

To investigate the rate of laparoscopic colectomies for colon cancer using registries and population-based studies. To provide a position paper on mini-invasive (MIS) colon cancer surgery based on the opinion of experts leader in this field.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was conducted using PRISMA guidelines for the rate of laparoscopy in colon cancer. Moreover, Delphi methodology was used to reach consensus among 35 international experts in four study rounds. Consensus was defined as an agreement ≥75.0%. Domains of interest included nosology, essential technical/oncological requirements, outcomes and MIS training.

RESULTS

Forty-four studies from 42 articles were reviewed. Although it is still sub-optimal, the rate of MIS for colon cancer increased over the years and it is currently >50% in Korea, Netherlands, UK and Australia. The remaining European countries are un-investigated and presented lower rates with highest variations, ranging 7-35%. Using Delphi methodology, a laparoscopic colectomy was defined as a "colon resection performed using key-hole surgery independently from the type of anastomosis". The panel defined also the oncological requirements recognized essential for the procedure and agreed that when performed by experienced surgeons, it should be marked as best practice in guidelines, given the principles of oncologic surgery be respected (R0 procedure, vessel ligation and mesocolon integrity).

CONCLUSION

The rate of MIS colectomies for cancer in Europe should be further investigated. A panel of leaders in this field defined laparoscopic colectomy as a best practice procedure when performed by an experienced surgeon respecting the standards of surgical oncology.

Surgical Quality in Rectal Cancer Management: What Can Be Achieved by a Voluntary Observational Study?

Purpose

Countries with nationwide quality programmes in colorectal cancer report an improved outcome. In Germany, a self-organized and self-financed observational quality assurance project exists, based on voluntary participation. The object of the present study was to ascertain whether this nationwide project also improves the outcome of colorectal cancer.

Methods

The German Quality Assurance in Colorectal Cancer Project started in 2000 and by 2012 contained 85,000 patients. Inclusion criteria for the study were participation for the entire period of 13 years and treatment of rectal cancer. The following parameters were analysed: (1) patient related: age, gender, ASA classification, T-stage, and N-stage, (2) system related: frequency of preoperative CT and MRI, and (3) outcome related: CRM status, complications, and hospital mortality.

Results

Forty-one of the 345 hospitals treating 11,597 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The median age increased from 67 to 69 years (p = 0.002). ASA stages III and IV increased from 32.0% to 37.6% (p = 0.005) and from 2.0% to 3.3% (p = 0.022), respectively. The use of CT rose from 67.2% to 88.8% (p < 0.001) and that of MRI from 5.0% to 35.2% (p < 0.001). The proportion of patients suffering from complications decreased from 7.9% to 5.3% (p < 0.001) for intraoperative and from 28.0% to 18.6% (p < 0.001) for postoperative surgical complications, but general postoperative complications increased from 25.8% to 29.5% (p = 0.006). The distribution of histopathological stage, anastomotic leakage, and in-hospital mortality did not change significantly.

Conclusion

Participation in a quality assurance project improves compliance with treatment standards, especially for diagnostic procedures. An improvement of surgical results will require further investment in training.

[Venous invasions in colonic adenocarcinoma: Value of elastic stain]

The aim of our study was to assess the value of Elastic stain in the diagnosis of venous invasion (VI) in colonic adenocarcinoma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

All patients who undergone surgery for colonic adenocarcinoma at the University Hospital of Amiens, between 2004 and 2007, were included. Hematein-phloxin-saffron (HPS) stained slides of colectomy specimens were reviewed by two pathologists. Tumor blocks were stained with Elastic Stain (Roche - Ventana^®). The presence or absence of VI, their number and localization were correlated with overall survival.

RESULTS

Two hundred and thirty-one cases were investigated and 3274 slides were examined. VI were more often diagnosed by Elastic Stain than HPS stain (66% vs. 40%). Ninety percent of VI were revealed within the first 6 HPS slides, and from the first 5 in Elastic Stain. The presence of VI revealed by Elastic Stain and/or HPS was significantly associated with decreased overall survival in multivariate analysis (P=0.029), especially for stage IIA tumors (P=0.016). Tumor differentiation (P=0.006) and pTNM stage (P=0.001) were also independent prognostic factors. The localization and the number of VI were not prognostic factors.

CONCLUSION

Our study confirms the prognostic value of VI, revealed by an elastic stain, in colonic adenocarcinoma. A systematic elastic stain of all tumor blocks (number at least 5) could be considered in the future, during pathological examination of colectomy for adenocarcinoma.

Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery with or without Completion Total Mesorectal Excision for T2 and T3 Rectal Carcinoma

AIM

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) is used for the resection of large rectal adenomas and well or moderately differentiated T1 carcinomas. Due to difficulty in preoperative staging, final pathology may reveal a carcinoma not suitable for TEM. Although completion total mesorectal excision is considered standard of care in T2 or more invasive carcinomas, this completion surgery is not always performed. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the outcome of patients after TEM-only, when completion surgery would be indicated.

METHODS

In this retrospective multicenter, observational cohort study, outcome after TEM-only (n = 41) and completion surgery (n = 40) following TEM for a pT2-3 rectal adenocarcinoma was compared.

RESULTS

Median follow-up was 29 months for the TEM-only group and 31 months for the completion surgery group. Local recurrence rate was 35 and 11% for the TEM-only and completion surgery groups respectively. Distant metastasis occurred in 16% of the patients in both groups. The 3-year overall survival was 63% in the TEM-only group and 91% in the completion surgery group respectively. Three-year disease-specific survival was 91 versus 93% respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Although local recurrence after TEM-only for pT2-3 rectal cancer is worse compared to the recurrence that occurs after completion surgery, disease-specific survival is comparable between both groups. The lower unadjusted overall survival in the TEM-only group indicates that TEM-only may be a valid alternative in older and frail patients, especially when high morbidity of completion surgery is taken into consideration. Nevertheless, completion surgery should always be advised when curation is intended.

Is the laparoscopic approach for rectal cancer superior to open surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis on short-term surgical outcomes

Introduction

Over the past years the incidence of colorectal cancers has increased worldwide. Currently it is the most common gastrointestinal malignancy worldwide. The laparoscopic approach has become the gold standard for surgical treatment. However, a recently published meta-analysis showed no difference in short- and long-term oncological outcomes of laparoscopy for treating rectal cancer.

Aim

To assess current literature on short-term outcomes of rectal cancer treatment using laparoscopic surgery in comparison to the open approach.

Material and methods

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to the PRISMA guidelines. The primary outcomes of interest were morbidity and short-term complications.

Results

We identified 4,328 potential references. In the end we included 13 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We did not find any significant differences in terms of morbidity, haemorrhage, ureter injury, anastomotic leakage, mortality, intra-abdominal abscess or postoperative ileus. We found significant differences in the rate of surgical site infections, operative time, blood loss, length of hospital stay and time to first bowel movement.

Conclusions

This systematic review based on available RCTs confirms that laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery is associated with short-term outcomes comparable to the open approach. Moreover, in some aspects it provides better results (e.g. functional postoperative recovery, lower rate of surgical site infections (SSIs)). The quality of evidence is high; therefore in our opinion it is very unlikely that future trials will alter these results, and for this reason the laparoscopic approach can be considered the gold standard for the treatment of the majority of patients.

Overexpression of the transcription factor ATF3 with a regulatory molecular signature associates with the pathogenic development of colorectal cancer

The identification of novel biomarkers of cancer is important for improved diagnosis and prognosis. With an abundant amount of resources in the publicly available database, such as the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, an integrative strategy is used to systematically characterize the aberrant patterns of colorectal cancer (CRC) based on RNA-Seq, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq), tissue microarray (TMA), gene profiling and molecular signatures. The expression of the transcription factor ATF3 was elevated in human CRC specimens in a TMA by immunochemistry analysis compared to the adjacent normal tissues. In addition, ATF3 overexpression associated with a regulatory molecular signature, and its functions are related to the pathogenic development of CRC. Furthermore, putative ATF3 regulatory elements were identified within the promoters of ATF3 target genes and were confirmed by ChIP-Seq. Critically, in higher ATF3 expression cell lines (HCT116 and RKO) with CRISPR/Cas9 mediated ATF3 knock out, we are able to show that ATF3 target genes such as CEACAM1, DUSP14, HDC, HLF and ULBP2, are required for invasion and proliferation, and they are robustly linked with poor prognosis in CRC. Our findings have important implications for CRC tumorigenesis and may be exploited for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Defunctioning ileostomy reduces leakage rate in rectal cancer surgery - systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives

The role of a defunctioning ileostomy in every anterior rectal resection with total mesorectal excision (TME) is still controversial. In this study, we aimed to review the current literature to determine the impact of ileostomy creation on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing anterior rectal resection with TME.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched for eligible studies. We analyzed data up to October 2017. Eligible studies had to compare patients with vs. without a defunctioning ileostomy in rectal cancer surgery and comprise data on anastomotic leakage in both groups. The primary outcome was anastomotic leakage. Secondary outcomes included the complication rate, mortality, reoperation rate, length of hospital stay and 30-day readmission.

Results

Initial search yielded 1,966 articles. Thorough evaluation resulted in 13 eligible articles which were analyzed. Leakage rate (RR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.28-0.67) and the number of reoperations (RR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.40-0.94) were significantly lower in the defunctioning stoma group. Morbidity was significantly higher in the stoma group (RR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.05–1.65). Analysis of mortality, length of hospital stay and readmission rate did not show any significant differences.

Conclusion

A defunctioning ileostomy may decrease the anastomotic leakage rate, additionally significantly reducing the risk of reoperations but it may also increase the overall complication rate. The presence of the protective stoma has no effect on mortality, length of hospital stay and readmission rate.

Long-term outcomes of laparoscopic versus open D3 dissection for stage II/III colon cancer: Results of propensity score analyses

BACKGROUND

Non-inferiority of the laparoscopic approach for stage II/III colon cancer has not been clearly established. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of laparoscopic versus open D3 surgery.

METHODS

Subjects were 1230 consecutive patients with stage II/III colon cancer, who were referred to the National Cancer Center Hospital from 2004 to 2013. Open surgery was performed in 821 (67%) patients, and laparoscopic surgery was performed in 409 (33%). Propensity score analyses with overall survival as the primary endpoint were performed in three different propensity score methods.

RESULTS

Regression adjustment using the propensity score as a linear predictor in the model showed similar overall survival between laparoscopic and open surgeries [hazard ratio (HR), 0.98 (95% CI [0.64-1.46]; p = 0.916)]. Stratification analysis of the entire cohort revealed that, among five strata, only the highest stratum (clinical T2/T3, clinical N0/N1, tumor size <6 cm, and body mass index (BMI) < 28) had an HR of <1 (0.37). In the other four strata, open surgery was favored as reflected by HRs of >1 (1.13-1.26). The propensity score-matched cohort (365 matched pairs), from which patients with advanced disease and high BMI were excluded, yielded an HR of 0.93 (95% CI [0.57-1.52]; p = 0.772).

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic surgery appeared to be a safe and reasonable option for patients with stage II/III colon cancer in general. Patients with high BMI, clinical N2 and T4 disease, and tumor size ≥6 cm might require prudent selection of surgical approach.

Influence of complete administration of adjuvant chemotherapy cycles on overall and disease-free survival in locally advanced rectal cancer: post hoc analysis of a randomized, multicenter, non-inferiority, phase 3 trial

Background

A randomized trial demonstrated that capecitabine is at least as effective as fluorouracil in the adjuvant treatment of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. However, not all patients receive all planned cycles of chemotherapy. Therefore it is of interest how complete or partial administration of chemotherapy influences oncological outcome.

Methods

A post hoc analysis of a trial with 401 randomized patients, nine being excluded because of missing data, was performed. 392 patients (197 - capecitabine, 195 - fluorouracil) could be analyzed regarding the number of administered adjuvant chemotherapy cycles. In the subgroup of 361 patients with an overall survival of at least six months, five-year overall and disease-free survival were analyzed in respect to completion (complete vs. incomplete) of chemotherapy cycles. Survival rates and curves were calculated and compared using the log-rank test. The effect of completion of chemotherapy was adjusted for relevant confounding factors.

Results

Two hundred fifty-one (64.0%) of analyzed patients received all postoperative scheduled cycles. Five-year overall survival was significantly better in these patients compared to the incomplete group (76.0 vs. 60.6%, p < 0.0001). Of 361 patients with an overall survival of at least six months, 251(69.5%) patients received all cycles. Five-year overall survival was also significantly better than in the incomplete group (76.0 vs. 66.4%, p = 0.0073). Five-year disease free survival was numerically better (64.9 vs. 58.7%, p = 0.0646; HR [not all cycles vs. all cycles] = 1.42 95% CI: [0.98, 2.07]). Cox regression models show a non-significant better OS (p = 0.061) and DFS (p = 0.083), if chemotherapy cycles were administered completely.

Conclusion

Complete administration of chemotherapy cycles was associated with improved five-year overall and disease-free survival in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-018-4309-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Biomarker expression in rectal cancer tissue before and after neoadjuvant therapy

Purpose

Intraoperative identification of rectal cancer (RC) can be challenging, especially because of fibrosis after treatment with preoperative chemo- and radiotherapy (CRT). Tumor-targeted fluorescence imaging can enhance the contrast between tumor and normal tissue during surgery. Promising targets for RC imaging are carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and the tyrosine-kinase receptor Met (c-Met). The effect of CRT on their expression determines their applicability for imaging. Therefore, we investigated whether CRT modifies expression patterns in tumors, lymph node (LN) metastases and adjacent normal rectal tissues.

Patients and methods

Preoperative biopsies, primary tumor specimens and metastatic LNs were collected from 38 RC patients who did not receive CRT (cohort 1) and 34 patients who did (cohort 2). CEA, EpCAM and c-Met expression was determined using immunohistochemical staining and was semiquantified by a total immunostaining score (TIS), consisting of the percentage and intensity of stained tumor cells (0–12).

Results

In both cohorts CEA, EpCAM and c-Met were significantly highly expressed in >60% of tumor tissues compared with adjacent normal epithelium (T/N ratio, P<0.01). EpCAM showed the most homogenous expression in tumors, whereas CEA showed the highest T/N ratio. Most importantly, CEA and EpCAM expression did not significantly change in normal or neoplastic RC tissue after CRT, whereas levels of c-Met changed (P=0.02). Tissues of eight patients with a pathological complete response after CRT showed expression of all biomarkers with TIS close to normal epithelium.

Conclusion

Histological evaluation shows that CEA, EpCAM and c-Met are suitable targets for RC imaging, because all three are significantly enhanced in cancer tissue from primary tumors or LN metastases compared with normal adjacent tissue. Furthermore, the expression of CEA and EpCAM is not significantly changed after CRT. These data underscore the applicability of c-Met and especially, CEA and EpCAM as targets for image-guided RC surgery, both before and after CRT.

Meta-analysis of oxaliplatin-based versus fluorouracil-based neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer

A meta-analysis was conducted to compare oxaliplatin-based with fluorouracil-based neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer. MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL were systematically searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) until January 31 2017. Review Manager (version 5.3) was used to analyze the data. Dichotomous data were calculated by odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A total of 8 RCTs with 6103 stage II or III rectal cancer patients were analyzed, including 2887 patients with oxaliplatin+fluorouracil regimen and 3216 patients with fluorouracil alone regimen. Compared with fluorouracil-based regimen group, oxaliplatin-based regimen group attained higher pathologic complete response (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.12−1.49, P = 0.0005) and 3-year disease-free survival (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 0.93−1.42, P = 0.21), but suffered greater toxicity (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.52−2.83, P < 0.00001). Also, there were no significant differences between two regimens in sphincter-sparing surgery rates (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.83−1.06, P = 0.33), 5-year disease-free survival (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 0.93−1.42, P = 0.21) and overall survival (3-year, OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 0.98−1.34, P = 0.09; 5-year, OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.78−1.44, P = 0.70). In conclusion, the benefits of adding oxaliplatin to fluorouracil-based neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer remains controversial, and cannot be considered a standard approach.

Phase I and II trial on infusional 5-fluorouracil and gefitinib in combination with preoperative radiotherapy in rectal cancer: 10-years median follow-up

•

We report the long-term results of addiction of gefitinib to preoperative chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer.

•

We wanted to see if the hight rate of pCR, already shown in previous studies, influenced survival outcomes.

•

The first promising results have not been confirmed by a significant improvement in outcomes.

Purpose

The aim of this study is to evaluate the long term survival of the addition of gefitinib to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

Methods and materials

This previously published multicentre, open-label, phase I-II study, enrolled patients (pts) with LARC to receive CRT with concurrent 5-fluorouracil continuous intravenous infusion and a dose escalation of orally administered gefitinib, followed 6–8 weeks later by surgery. An intra-operative radiotherapy boost of 10 Gy was planned. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administrated in ypN1-2 pts. After a median f/u of >10 years, we analyzed Local Control (LC), Metastasis Free Survival (MFS), Disease Free Survival (DFS), Disease Specific Survival (DSS) and Overall Survival (OS). Predictive endpoints of clinical outcomes were tested by univariate and multivariate analysis. Variables analyzed included: age, gefitinib dose and interruptions, adjuvant CT, surgery type, ypT, ypN, and TRG grade. We have also analyzed late toxicity according to CTCAEv4.

Results

Of the 41 initially enrolled pts, 39 were evaluable (27M, 12F). With a median f/u of 133 months, LC, MFS, DFS, OS and DSS at 5 years were 84%; 71%; 64%; 87% and 92%, respectively. The OS and DSS at 10 years were 61,5% and 76%, respectively. Grade 3-4 late toxicity occurred in 38% of pts: sexual (28,2%) and gastrointestinal toxicities (10,2%).

Conclusion

Long term outcomes and late toxicity were similar to previously reported series. The addition of gefitinib did not improve outcomes in LARC. Gefitinib is not recommended for rectal cancer patients who received 5-FU based preoperative CRT. Further studies may identify if gefitinib is beneficial in selected group of patients.

Imaging of colorectal cancer - the clue to individualized treatment

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common gastrointestinal neoplasm and the second most common cause for cancer-related death in Europe. Imaging plays an important role both in the primary diagnosis, treatment evaluation, follow-up, and, to some extent, also in prevention. Like in the clinical setting, colon and rectal cancer have to be distinguished as two quite separate entities with different goals of imaging and, consequently, also different technical requirements. Over the past decade, there have been improvements in both more robust imaging techniques and new data and guidelines that help to use the optimal imaging modality for each scenario. For colon cancer, the continued research on computed tomography (CT) colonography (CTC) has led to high-level evidence that puts this technique on eye height to optical colonoscopy in terms of detection of cancer and polyps ≥10 mm. However, also for smaller polyps and thus for screening purposes, CTC seems to be an optimal tool. In rectal cancer, the technical requirements to perform state-of-the art imaging have recently been defined. Evaluation of T-stage, mesorectal fascia infiltration and extramural vascular invasion are the most important prognostic factors that can be identified on MRI. With this information, risk stratification both for local and distal failure is possible, enabling the clinician to tailor the optimal therapeutic approach in non-metastatic rectal cancer. Imaging of metastatic CRC is also covered, although the complex ramifications of treatment options in the metastatic setting are beyond the scope of this article. In this review, the most important recent developments in the imaging of colon and rectal cancer will be highlighted. If used in an interdisciplinary setting, this can lead to an individualized treatment concept for each patient.

Neoadjuvant Therapy in Rectal Cancer Patients With Clinical Stage II to III Across European Countries: Variations and Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant therapy improves survival of patients with clinical stage II and III rectal cancer in clinical trials. In this study, we investigated the administration of neoadjuvant radiotherapy (neo-RT) and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (neo-CRT) and its association with survival in resected patients in 2 European countries (The Netherlands and Sweden) and at 3 specialist centers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Administration of neoadjuvant treatment (all registries) and overall survival after surgery in The Netherlands and Sweden were assessed. Hazard ratios (HRs) were obtained using Cox regression adjusted for potential confounders.

RESULTS

A total of 16,095 rectal cancer patients with clinical stage II and III were eligible for analyses. Large variations in administration of neo-RT and neo-CRT were observed. Elderly patients less often received neo-RT and neo-CRT. Patients with stage III disease received neo-CRT more frequently than neo-RT. Administration of neo-RT versus surgery without neoadjuvant treatment was significantly associated with improved survival in The Netherlands (HR, 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53-0.73) as well as in Sweden (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.69-0.90). Administration of neo-CRT was associated with enhanced survival in The Netherlands (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.50-0.78) but not in Sweden (HR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.80-1.18). The mortality of patients treated with neo-CRT compared with neo-RT showed inconsistent results in population-based centers.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results support an association of neo-RT with enhanced survival among stage II and III rectal cancer patients. Comparing neo-CRT with neo-RT, larger variations and inconsistent results with respect to survival were observed across centers.

CD133+CD54+CD44+ circulating tumor cells as a biomarker of treatment selection and liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer

Introduction

Liver is the most common site of distant metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC). Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment selection decides overall prognosis of patients. However, current diagnostic measures were basically imaging but not functional. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) known as hold the key to understand the biology of metastatic mechanism provide a novel and auxiliary diagnostic strategy for CRC with liver metastasis (CRC-LM).

Results

The expression of CD133⁺ and CD133⁺CD54⁺CD44⁺ cellular subpopulations were higher in the peripheral blood of CRC-LM patients when compared with those without metastasis (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis proved the association between the expression of CD133⁺CD44⁺CD54⁺ cellular subpopulation and the existence of CRC-LM (P<0.001). The combination of abdominal CT/MRI, CEA and the CD133⁺CD44⁺CD54⁺ cellular subpopulation showed increased detection and discrimination rate for liver metastasis, with a sensitivity of 88.2% and a specificity of 92.4%. Meanwhile, it also show accurate predictive value for liver metastasis (OR=2.898, 95% C.I.1.374–6.110).

Materials and Method

Flow cytometry and multivariate analysis was performed to detect the expression of cancer initiating cells the correlation between cellular subpopulations and liver metastasis in patients with CRC. The receiver operating characteristic curves combined with the area under the curve were generated to compare the predictive ability of the cellular subpopulation for liver metastasis with current CT and MRI images.

Conclusions

The identification, expression and application of CTC subpopulations will provide an ideal cellular predictive marker for CRC liver metastasis and a potential marker for further investigation.

Analysis of prognostic factors after resection of solitary liver metastasis in colorectal cancer: a 22-year bicentre study

PURPOSE

The investigation of the predictors of outcome after hepatic resection for solitary colorectal liver metastasis.

METHODS

We recruited 350 patients with solitary colorectal liver metastasis at the University Hospitals of Jena and Magdeburg, who underwent curative liver resection between 1993 and 2014. All patients had follow-up until death or till summer 2016.

RESULTS

The follow-up data concern 96.6% of observed patients. The 5- and 10-year overall survival rates were 47 and 28%, respectively. The 5- and 10-year disease-free survival rates were 30 and 20%, respectively. The analysis of the prognostic factors revealed that the pT category of primary tumour, size and grade of the metastasis and extension of the liver resection had no statistically significant impact on survival and recurrence rates. In multivariate analysis, age, status of lymph node metastasis at the primary tumour, location of primary tumour, time of appearance of the metastasis, the use of preoperative chemotherapy and the presence of extrahepatic tumour proved to be independent statistically significant predictors for the prognosis. Moreover, patients with rectal cancer had a lower intrahepatic recurrence rate, but a higher extrahepatic recurrence rate.

CONCLUSION

The long-term follow-up of patients with R0-resected liver metastasis is multifactorially influenced. Age and comorbidity have a role only in the overall survival. More than three lymph node metastasis reduced both the overall and disease-free survival. Extrahepatic tumour had a negative influence on the extrahepatic recurrence and on the overall survival. Neither overall survival nor recurrence rates was improved using neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

A novel HSP90 inhibitor with reduced hepatotoxicity synergizes with radiotherapy to induce apoptosis, abrogate clonogenic survival, and improve tumor control in models of colorectal cancer

The chaperone heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) crucially supports the maturation, folding, and stability of a variety of client proteins which are of pivotal importance for the survival and proliferation of cancer cells. Consequently, targeting of HSP90 has emerged as an attractive strategy of anti-cancer therapy, and it appears to be particularly effective in the context of molecular sensitization towards radiotherapy as has been proven in preclinical models of different cancer entities. However, so far the clinical translation has largely been hampered by suboptimal pharmacological properties and serious hepatotoxicity of first- and second-generation HSP90 inhibitors. Here, we report on NW457, a novel radicicol-derived member of the pochoxime family with reduced hepatotoxicity, how it inhibits the DNA damage response and how it synergizes with ionizing irradiation to induce apoptosis, abrogate clonogenic survival, and improve tumor control in models of colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo.

St.Gallen consensus on safe implementation of transanal total mesorectal excision

Background

The management of rectal cancer has evolved over the years, including the recent rise of Transanal Total Mesorectal Excision (TaTME). TaTME addresses the limitations created by the bony confines of the pelvis, bulky tumours, and fatty mesorectum, particularly for low rectal cancers. However, guidance is required to ensure safe implementation and to avoid the pitfalls and potential major morbidity encountered by the early adopters of TaTME. We report a broad international consensus statement, which provides a basis for optimal clinical practice.

Methods

Forty international experts were invited to participate based on clinical and academic achievements. The consensus statements were developed using Delphi methodology incorporating three successive rounds. Consensus was defined as agreement by 80% or more of the experts.

Results

A total of 37 colorectal surgeons from 20 countries and 5 continents (Europe, Asia, North and South America, Australasia) contributed to the consensus. Participation to the iterative Delphi rounds was 100%. An expert radiologist, pathologist, and medical oncologist provided recommendations to maximize relevance to current practice. Consensus was obtained on all seven different chapters: patient selection and surgical indication, perioperative management, patient positioning and operating room set up, surgical technique, devices and instruments, pelvic anatomy, TaTME training, and outcomes analysis.

Conclusions

This multidisciplinary consensus statement achieved more than 80% approval and can thus be graded as strong recommendation, yet acknowledging the current lack of high level evidence. It provides the best possible guidance for safe implementation and practice of Transanal Total Mesorectal Excision.

Prognostic value of CD133+ CD54+ CD44+ circulating tumor cells in colorectal cancer with liver metastasis

In the previous study, we had showed the expression of CD133⁺ CD54⁺ CD44⁺ cellular subpopulation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) was significantly associated with liver metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to explore whether this subpopulation of CTCs have a prognostic value in CRC patients. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of cellular subpopulations of CTCs with CD133, CD54, and CD44 in 152 CRC patients, between December 2013 and October 2014. The impact of clinicopathological factors and the expression of cellular subpopulations of CTCs on overall survival were then analyzed. CRC patients with liver metastases who underwent resection of the primary tumor accompanied by surgical treatment for metastasis had a better survival than other patients (P < 0.001). The liver metastatic CRC patients with high expression of CD133⁺ CD54⁺ (P < 0.001), CD133^- CD54⁺ (P = 0.004), and CD133⁺ CD44⁺ CD54⁺ (P = 0.003) cellular subpopulations of CTCs had a worse survival than those patients with low expression. Multivariable survival analyses identified carcinoembryonic antigen levels (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.056; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.354-6.897; P = 0.007), treatment strategy (HR = 0.212; 95% CI = 0.056-0.808; P = 0.023), and CD133⁺ CD44⁺ CD54⁺ cellular subpopulation of CTCs (HR = 6.459; 95% CI = 1.461-28.558; P = 0.014) as independent prognostic factors for CRC patients with liver metastasis. CD133⁺ CD44⁺ CD54⁺ cellular subpopulation of CTCs has a prognostic value in CRC patients with liver metastasis, especially in the survival of CRC patients with liver metastasis who did not undergo surgical treatment for metastasis.

Clinical Significance of Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/computed Tomography in the Follow-up of Colorectal Cancer: Searching off Approaches Increasing Specificity for Detection of Recurrence

Background

Nearly 40% of colorectal cancer (CRC) recurs within 2 years after resection of primary tumor. Imaging with fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (^l8F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is the most recent modality and often applied for the evaluation of metastatic spread during the follow-up period. Our goal was to study the diagnostic importance of ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT data of maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), total lesion glycolysis (TLG) and the difference of SUVmax on dual-time imaging in CRC.

Patients and methods

We examined the SUVmax value of lesions on control or restaging ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT of 53 CRC patients. All lesions with increased SUVmax values were confirmed by colonoscopy or histopathology. We compared PET/CT results with conventional imaging modalities (CT, MRI) and tumor markers (carbohydrate antigen 19-9 [Ca 19-9], carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA]).

Results

Mean SUVmax was 6.9 ± 5.6 in benign group, 12.7 ± 6.1 in malignant group. Mean TLG values of malignant group and benign group were 401 and 148, respectively. ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT was truely positive in 48% of patients with normal Ca 19-9 or CEA levels and truely negative in 10% of cases with elevated Ca 19-9 or CEA. CT or MRI detected suspicious malignancy in 32% of the patients and ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT was truely negative in 35% of these cases. We found the most important and striking statistical difference of TLG value between the groups with benign and recurrent disease.

Conclusions

Although SUVmax is a strong metabolic parameter (p = 0.008), TLG seems to be the best predictor in recurrence of CRC (p = 0.001); both are increasing the specificity of ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT.

Primary tumor resection in stage IV unresectable colorectal cancer: what has changed?

Most current guidelines do not recommend primary tumor resection in stage IV unresectable colorectal cancer. Rapid chemotherapy development over the last decade has substantially changed the decision making. However, results of recently published trials and meta-analyses suggest that primary tumor resection may in fact be beneficial, principally in terms of prolonged survival. Additional factors, such as use of minimally invasive approach or protocols of enhanced recovery after surgery, affect clinical outcomes as well, but are often neglected when discussing the state of the art in this area. There are still no randomized studies determining the legitimacy of upfront surgery in asymptomatic patients. Also, quality of life also plays an important role in choosing appropriate treatment. Having said that, there is no data that would prove whether primary tumor resection has an advantage on that issue. With all the uncertainty, currently decision making in unresectable stage IV colorectal cancer is primarily up to clinicians' knowledge, common sense and patients' preferences.

Revisiting Dukes' paradigm; some node positive colon cancer patients have better prognosis than some node negative patients

BACKGROUND

The current study tried to evaluate the prognostic value of a modified staging system compared to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for patients with colon cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Surveillance, epidemiology and end results (SEER) database (2004-2014) was queried through SEER*Stat program and AJCC 7th stages were constructed. Through recursive partitioning analysis and subsequent decision tree formation, suggested new stages were formulated based on T and N descriptors. Overall survival analyses were performed through Kaplan-Meier analysis. The cancer-specific Cox regression hazard (adjusted for age, gender, sub-site, grade, race and surgery) was calculated and pair wise comparisons of hazard ratios were conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 159,683 non-metastatic patients with colon cancer were recruited in the analysis. Pair wise hazard ratio comparisons among different AJCC 7th stages were conducted and all comparisons were significant (P < 0.0001). However, it should be noted that the adjusted risk of death among stage IIC patients was higher than stage IIIA and IIIB. Pair wise hazard ratio comparisons among different modified system stages were also conducted and all comparisons were significant (P < 0.0001). The outcomes of survival analysis were the same regardless of the number of examined lymph nodes (< 12 vs. ≥ 12). Concordance index (using death from colon cancer as the dependent variable) for AJCC 6th staging system was 0.704 (SE 0.002; 95% CI 0.701-0.708); for AJCC 7th staging system was 0.708 (SE 0.002; 95% CI 0.704-0.711); for Dukes staging system was 0.670 (SE 0.002; 95% CI 0.666-0.674); and for modified staging system was 0.712 (SE 0.002; 95% CI 0.709-0.716).

CONCLUSION

The proposed modified staging system provided an improved prognostication for colon cancer patients (particularly for stage II/III disease) compared to AJCC staging system. Further external validation of the proposed staging system is needed before adoption into routine practice.

PFKFB3 promotes proliferation, migration and angiogenesis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a squamous epithelial cancer, arising from the nasopharynx epithelium. It has high morbidity and mortality. PFKFB3 as a glycolytic activator has been implicated in the progression of multiple types of tumor. PFKFB3 can be contributed to the progression and metastasis of cancer. However, whether PFKFB3 is associated with the progression of NPC remains unknown. We postulated that PFKFB3 promotes proliferation, migration and angiogenesis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In this study, we found that PFKFB3 was significantly up-regulated in NPC tissues and cell lines compared with normal control. Our study proved that PFKFB3 can regulate the proliferation, metastasis and apoptosis of NPC. By the way, the NPC-derived exosomes come from and CNE2-derived exosomes are enriched in PFKFB3. The enrichment of PFKFB3 played a crucial functional role in promotes HUVECs proliferation, migration and angiogenesis. And tumor angiogenesis is closely related to the proliferation and metastasis of tumor. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that PFKFB3 could act not only as a clinical biomarker for angiogenesis but also as a therapeutic target to overcome angiogenesis, enhancing the clinical benefits of angiogenesis therapy in NPC patients.

Radiomics Analysis for Evaluation of Pathological Complete Response to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

Purpose: To develop and validate a radiomics model for evaluating pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).Experimental Design: We enrolled 222 patients (152 in the primary cohort and 70 in the validation cohort) with clinicopathologically confirmed LARC who received chemoradiotherapy before surgery. All patients underwent T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted imaging before and after chemoradiotherapy; 2,252 radiomic features were extracted from each patient before and after treatment imaging. The two-sample t test and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression were used for feature selection, whereupon a radiomics signature was built with support vector machines. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was then used to develop a radiomics model incorporating the radiomics signature and independent clinicopathologic risk factors. The performance of the radiomics model was assessed by its calibration, discrimination, and clinical usefulness with independent validation.Results: The radiomics signature comprised 30 selected features and showed good discrimination performance in both the primary and validation cohorts. The individualized radiomics model, which incorporated the radiomics signature and tumor length, also showed good discrimination, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.9756 (95% confidence interval, 0.9185-0.9711) in the validation cohort, and good calibration. Decision curve analysis confirmed the clinical utility of the radiomics model.Conclusions: Using pre- and posttreatment MRI data, we developed a radiomics model with excellent performance for individualized, noninvasive prediction of pCR. This model may be used to identify LARC patients who can omit surgery after chemoradiotherapy. Clin Cancer Res; 23(23); 7253-62. ©2017 AACR.

Role of adjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer with ypT0-3N0 after preoperative chemoradiation therapy and surgery

Background

We aimed to explore the clinical benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) with fluoropyrimidine in patients with ypT0-3N0 rectal cancer after preoperative chemoradiation therapy (CRT) followed by total mesorectal excision (TME).

Methods

Patients with ypT0-3N0 rectal cancer after preoperative CRT and TME were included using prospectively collected tumor registry cohort between January 2001 and December 2013. Patients were categorized into two groups according to the receipt of AC. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between the adjuvant and observation groups. To control for potential confounding factors, we also calculated propensity scores and performed propensity score-matched analysis for DFS and OS.

Results

Of the 339 evaluated patients, 87 patients (25.7%) did not receive AC. There were no differences in DFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.921; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.562–1.507; P = 0.742) and OS (HR, 0.835; 95% CI, 0.423–1.648; P = 0.603) between the adjuvant and observation groups. After propensity score matching, DFS (HR, 1.129; 95% CI, 0.626–2.035; P = 0.688) and OS (HR, 1.200; 95% CI, 0.539–2.669; P = 0.655) did not differ between the adjuvant and observation groups. Advanced T stage and positive resection margin were independently associated with inferior DFS and OS on multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

AC did not improve DFS and OS for patients with ypT0-3N0 rectal cancer after preoperative CRT followed by TME in this cohort study. The confirmative role of AC in locally advanced rectal cancer should be evaluated in prospective randomized trials with a larger sample size.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-017-3624-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Is MRI of the Liver Needed During Routine Preoperative Workup for Colorectal Cancer?

BACKGROUND

The clinical efficacy of gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI as a routine preoperative procedure for all patients with colorectal cancer remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI for the diagnosis of liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer.

DESIGN

This was a retrospective analysis from a prospective cohort database.

SETTINGS

All of the patients were from a subspecialty practice at a tertiary referral hospital.

PATIENTS

Patients who received preoperative gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI after CT and attempted curative surgery for colorectal cancer were included.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The number of equivocal hepatic lesions based on CT and gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI and diagnostic use of the gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI were measured.

RESULTS

We reviewed the records of 690 patients with colorectal cancer. Equivocal hepatic lesions were present in 17.2% of patients based on CT and in 4.5% based on gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI. Among 496 patients with no liver metastasis based on CT, gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI detected equivocal lesions in 15 patients and metastasis in 3 patients. Among 119 patients who had equivocal liver lesions on CT, gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI indicated hepatic lesions in 103 patients (86.6%), including 90 with no metastasis and 13 with metastasis. Among 75 patients who had liver metastasis on CT, gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI indicated that the hepatic lesions in 2 patients were benign, in contrast to CT findings. The initial surgical plans for hepatic lesions according to CT were changed in 17 patients (3%) after gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI.

LIMITATIONS

This study was limited by its retrospective design.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical efficacy of gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI as a routine preoperative procedure for all patients with colorectal cancer is low, in spite of its high diagnostic value for detecting liver metastasis. However, this study showed gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI was helpful in characterizing equivocal hepatic lesions identified in CT and could lead to change in treatment plans for some patients. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A420.

Recommendations for reporting tumor budding in colorectal cancer based on the International Tumor Budding Consensus Conference (ITBCC) 2016

Tumor budding is a well-established independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer but a standardized method for its assessment has been lacking. The primary aim of the International Tumor Budding Consensus Conference (ITBCC) was to reach agreement on an international, evidence-based standardized scoring system for tumor budding in colorectal cancer. The ITBCC included nine sessions with presentations, a pre-meeting survey and an e-book covering the key publications on tumor budding in colorectal cancer. The 'Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation' method was used to determine the strength of recommendations and quality of evidence. The following 10 statements achieved consensus: tumor budding is defined as a single tumor cell or a cell cluster consisting of four tumor cells or less (22/22, 100%). Tumor budding is an independent predictor of lymph node metastases in pT1 colorectal cancer (23/23, 100%). Tumor budding is an independent predictor of survival in stage II colorectal cancer (23/23, 100%). Tumor budding should be taken into account along with other clinicopathological features in a multidisciplinary setting (23/23, 100%). Tumor budding is counted on H&E (19/22, 86%). Intratumoral budding exists in colorectal cancer and has been shown to be related to lymph node metastasis (22/22, 100%). Tumor budding is assessed in one hotspot (in a field measuring 0.785 mm2) at the invasive front (22/22, 100%). A three-tier system should be used along with the budding count in order to facilitate risk stratification in colorectal cancer (23/23, 100%). Tumor budding and tumor grade are not the same (23/23, 100%). Tumor budding should be included in guidelines/protocols for colorectal cancer reporting (23/23, 100%). Members of the ITBCC were able to reach strong consensus on a single international, evidence-based method for tumor budding assessment and reporting. It is proposed that this method be incorporated into colorectal cancer guidelines/protocols and staging systems.

Diagnostic value of fourth-generation iterative reconstruction algorithm with low-dose CT protocol in assessment of mesorectal fascia invasion in rectal cancer: comparison with magnetic resonance

PURPOSE

The purpose of the article is to compare the diagnostic performance about radiation dose and image quality of low-dose CT with iterative reconstruction algorithm (iDose4) and standard-dose CT in the assessment of mesorectal fascia (MRF) invasion in rectal cancer patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ninety-one patients with biopsy-proven primary rectal adenocarcinoma underwent CT staging: 42 underwent low-dose CT, 49 underwent standard CT protocol. Low-dose contrast-enhanced MDCT scans were performed on a 256 (ICT, Philips) scanner using 120 kV, automated mAs modulation, iDose4 iterative reconstruction algorithm. Standard-dose MDCT scans were performed on the same scanner with 120 kV, 200-300 mAs. All patients underwent a standard lower abdomen MR study (on 1.5T magnet), including multiplanar sequences, considered as reference standard. Diagnostic accuracy of MRF assessment was determined on CT images for both CT protocols and compared with MRI images. Dose-length product (DLP) and CT dose index (CTDI) calculated for both groups were compared and statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

Low-dose protocol with iDose4 showed high diagnostic quality in assessment of MRF with significant reduction (23%; p = 0.0081) of radiation dose (DLP 2453.47) compared to standard-dose examination (DLP 3194.32).

CONCLUSIONS

Low-dose protocol combined with iDose4 reconstruction algorithm offers high-quality images, obtaining significant radiation dose reduction, useful in the evaluation of MRF involvement in rectal cancer patients.

There is no difference in outcome between laparoscopic and open surgery for rectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis on short- and long-term oncologic outcomes

Background

Until recently there has been little data available about long-term outcomes of laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery. But new randomized controlled trials regarding laparoscopic colorectal surgery have been published. The aim of this study was to compare the short- and long-term oncologic outcomes of laparoscopy and open surgery for rectal cancer through a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis of relevant RCTs.

Methods

A systematic review of Medline, Embase and the Cochrane library from January 1966 to October 2016 with a subsequent meta-analysis was performed. Only randomized controlled trials with data on circumferential resection margins were included. The primary outcome was the status of circumferential resection margins. Secondary outcomes included lymph node yield, distal resection margins, disease-free and overall survival rates for 3 and 5 years and local recurrence rates.

Results

Eleven studies were evaluated, involving a total of 2018 patients in the laparoscopic group and 1526 patients in the open group. The presence of involved circumferential margins was reported in all studies. There were no statistically significant differences in the number of positive circumferential margins between the laparoscopic group and open group, RR 1.16, 95% CI 0.89–1.50 and no significant differences in involvement of distal margins (RR 1.13 95% CI 0.35–3.66), completeness of mesorectal excision (RR 1.22, 95% CI 0.82–1.82) or number of harvested lymph nodes (mean difference = −0.01, 95% CI −0.89 to 0.87). Disease-free survival rates at 3 and 5 years were not different (p = 0.26 and p = 0.71 respectively), and neither were overall survival rates (p = 0.19 and p = 0.64 respectively), nor local recurrence rates (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.63–1.23).

Conclusions

Laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer is associated with similar short-term and long-term oncologic outcomes compared to open surgery. The oncologic quality of extracted specimens seems comparable regardless of the approach used.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10151-017-1662-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Development and validation of a preoperative prediction model for colorectal cancer T-staging based on MDCT images and clinical information

Objectives

This study aimed to establish and evaluate the efficacy of a prediction model for colorectal cancer T-staging.

Results

T-staging was positively correlated with the level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), expression of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), wall deformity, blurred outer edges, fat infiltration, infiltration into the surrounding tissue, tumor size and wall thickness. Age, location, enhancement rate and enhancement homogeneity were negatively correlated with T-staging. The predictive results of the model were consistent with the pathological gold standard, and the kappa value was 0.805. The total accuracy of staging improved from 51.04% to 86.98% with the proposed model.

Materials and Methods

The clinical, imaging and pathological data of 611 patients with colorectal cancer (419 patients in the training group and 192 patients in the validation group) were collected. A spearman correlation analysis was used to validate the relationship among these factors and pathological T-staging. A prediction model was trained with the random forest algorithm. T staging of the patients in the validation group was predicted by both prediction model and traditional method. The consistency, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC) were used to compare the efficacy of the two methods.

Conclusions

The newly established comprehensive model can improve the predictive efficiency of preoperative colorectal cancer T-staging.

Mortality and Survival after Surgical Treatment of Colorectal Cancer in Patients Aged over 80 Years

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical factors and tumor characteristics that predict the outcome of colorectal cancer patients aged >80 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data of 186 patients aged >80 years with colorectal cancer were collected from a computer database, and the variables were analyzed by both uni- and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

The 30-day mortality was 4% and the 90-day mortality 10%. The 1-year survival was 76%, and 27 (61%) of the 44 deaths were unrelated to cancer. The overall 5-year survival was 36%, the median survival 38 months, and the cancer-specific survival 40%. The recurrence rate after radical surgery was 22% and it was not affected by age. Kaplan-Meier estimates indicated that age, number of underlying diseases, radical operation, Union for International Cancer Control stage of the tumor, tumor size, number of lymph nodes involved, venous invasion, and recurrent disease were significant predictors of survival, but in the Cox regression model, only radical operation and venous invasion were independent prognostic factors for survival.

CONCLUSIONS

After good surgical selection, low early mortality and acceptable long-term survival can be achieved even in the oldest old patients with colorectal cancer. However, low early mortality seems to underestimate the effects of surgery during the first postoperative year.

Magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosis and neoadjuvant treatment evaluation in locally advanced rectal cancer: A pictorial review

High-resolution pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the primary method for staging rectal cancer. MRI is highly accurate in the primary staging of rectal cancer; however, it has not proven to be effective in re-staging, especially in complete response evaluation after neoadjuvant therapy. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy produces many changes in rectal tumors and on adjacent area, as a result, local tumor extent may not be accurately determined. However, adding diffusion-weighted sequences to the standard approach can improve diagnostic accuracy. In this pictorial review, an overview of the situation of MRI in the staging and re-staging of rectal cancer is exhibited as a pictorial assay. An experience- and literature-based discussion of limitations and difficulties in interpretation are also presented.

Intraoperative Ultrasound as a Screening Modality for the Detection of Liver Metastases during Resection of Primary Colorectal Cancer - A Systematic Review

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancer diseases worldwide. One in 4 patients with CRC will have a disseminated disease at the time of diagnosis and often in the form of synchronous liver metastases. Studies suggest that up to 30% of patients have non-recognized hepatic metastases during primary surgery for CRC. Intraoperative ultrasonography examination (IOUS) of the liver to detect liver metastases was considered the gold standard during open CRC surgery. Today laparoscopic surgery is the standard procedure, but laparoscopic ultrasound examination (LUS) is not performed routinely. Aim To perform a systematic review of the test performance of IOUS and LUS regarding the detection of synchronous liver metastases in patients undergoing surgery for primary CRC. Method The literature was systematically reviewed using the search engines: PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and Google. 21 studies were included in the review and the key words: intraoperative ultrasound, laparoscopic ultrasound, staging colon and rectum cancer. Results Intraoperative ultrasound showed a higher sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and overall accuracy for the detection liver metastases during surgery for primary CRC, compared to preoperative imaging modalities (ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT)). LUS showed a higher detection rate for liver metastases compared to CT, CE-CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Conclusion This systematic review found that both IOUS and LUS had a higher detection rate regarding liver metastases during primary CRC surgery, especially liver metastases<10 mm in diameter, when compared to US, CT, CE-CT and MRI.