Excess body weight and colorectal cancer survival: the multiethnic cohort

Signature of micro RNA 146a/215 and IL-6/TGF-β levels in a cross-link axis between obesity and colorectal cancer

Numerous malignancies, including colorectal and liver cancers, are ultimately more likely to occur in obese people, and chronic inflammatory conditions have been linked to this association. We are attempting to determine the clinical relevance of the mechanisms controlling the microRNA (miR-215 and miR-146a) expression and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/interleukin-6 (IL-6) in a cross-link axis between obesity and colorectal cancer (CRC). Study participants were divided into four groups: healthy controls; obese without colorectal cancer; non-obese colorectal cancer; and obese with colorectal cancer. Obese and CRC patients had markedly higher expression of IL-6 and TGF-β, as well as tumor biomarkers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19.9 (CA19.9), and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels. The relative expression of microRNAs (miR-215 and miR-146a) was significantly lower in obese patients with colorectal cancer. BMI and the microRNAs(miR-215 and miR-146a) showed a substantial negative correlation. TGF-β was favorably linked with IL-6, cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and BMI. High levels of TGF-β and IL-6 in the blood indicate how intensely inflammation develops in obesity, which could increase the risk of colorectal cancer.

Obesity and incidence of colorectal polyps: a case-controlled study

Previous essays have presented possible concordance between obesity and colorectal polyp development. However, neither for the hypothesis nor for the details general consensus exists. This study aimed to evaluate the association between higher BMI rather than the normal and colorectal polyp presentation and characteristics if any.

Methods

Eligible patients based on study criteria who were candidates for total colonoscopy examination enrolled in this case-controlled trial. Controls had normal colonoscopy reports. A positive colonoscopy for any kind of polyp was followed by a histopathological study. Demographic data also was registered, and patients were categorized according to the calculated BMI. Groups were matched by both gender and status of tobacco abuse. Finally, the outcomes of colonoscopy and histopathological studies were compared between groups.

Results

A total of 141 and 125 persons investigated, respectively, as patients and controls. Possible effects of gender, tobacco abuse, and cigarette smoking were declined by participants matching. Hence, we found no significant difference between groups regarding the latter variables (P>0.05). Colorectal polyps were found absolutely more in BMI>25 kg/m^-2 rather than in lesser values (P<0.001). However, there was no obvious difference in the incidence of colorectal polyps between groups categorized as overweight and obese (P>0.05). Namely, even weighing over could be the risk for colorectal polyp development. Additionally, it was more expected to find neoplastic adenomatous polyp(s) with high-graded dysplasia in BMI>25 kg/m^-2 (P<0.001).

Conclusion

Even little changes in BMI further than the normal values can independently increase the risk of developing dysplastic adenomatous colorectal polyp(s) significantly.

Colorectal cancer in patients with SARS-CoV-2: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) are more likely to develop severe course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and experience increased risk of mortality compared to SARS-CoV-2 patients without CRC.

Objectives

To estimate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in CRC patients and analyse the demographic parameters, clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in CRC patients with COVID-19 illness.

Methods

For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched Proquest, Medline, Embase, Pubmed, CINAHL, Wiley online library, Scopus and Nature for studies on the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in CRC patients, published from December 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021, with English language restriction. Effect sizes of prevalence were pooled with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Sub-group analyses were performed to minimize heterogeneity. Binary logistic regression model was used to explore the effect of various demographic and clinical characteristics on patient’s final treatment outcome (survival or death).

Results

Of the 472 papers that were identified, 69 articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis (41 cohort, 16 case-report, 9 case-series, 2 cross-sectional, and 1 case-control studies). Studies involving 3362 CRC patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 (all patients were adults) were analyzed. The overall pooled proportions of CRC patients who had laboratory-confirmed community-acquired and hospital-acquired SARS-CoV-2 infections were 8.1% (95% CI 6.1 to 10.1, n = 1308, 24 studies, I² 98%, p = 0.66), and 1.5% (95% CI 1.1 to 1.9, n = 472, 27 studies, I² 94%, p < 0.01). The median patient age ranged from 51.6 years to 80 years across studies. The majority of the patients were male (n = 2243, 66.7%) and belonged to White (Caucasian) (n = 262, 7.8%), Hispanic (n = 156, 4.6%) and Asian (n = 153, 4.4%) ethnicity. The main source of SARS-CoV-2 infection in CRC patients was community-acquired (n = 2882, 85.7%; p = 0.014). Most of those SARS-CoV-2 patients had stage III CRC (n = 725, 21.6%; p = 0.036) and were treated mainly with surgical resections (n = 304, 9%) and chemotherapies (n = 187, 5.6%), p = 0.008. The odd ratios of death were significantly high in patients with old age (≥ 60 years) (OR 1.96, 95% CI 0.94–0.96; p < 0.001), male gender (OR 1.44, 95% CI 0.41–0.47; p < 0.001) CRC stage III (OR 1.54, 95% CI 0.02–1.05; p = 0.041), CRC stage IV (OR 1.69, 95% CI 0.17–1.2; p = 0.009), recent active treatment with chemotherapies (OR 1.35, 95% CI 0.5–0.66; p = 0.023) or surgical resections (OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.8–0.73; p = 0.016) and admission to ICU (OR 1.88, 95% CI 0.85–1.12; p < 0.001) compared to those who survived.

Conclusion

SARS-CoV-2 infection in CRC patient is not uncommon and results in a mortality rate of 26.2%. Key determinants that lead to increased mortality in CRC patients infected with COVID-19 include older age (≥ 60 years old); male gender; Asian and Hispanic ethnicity; if SARS-CoV-2 was acquired from hospital source; advanced CRC (stage III and IV); if patient received chemotherapies or surgical treatment; and if patient was admitted to ICU, ventilated or experienced ARDS.

Aspirin Colorectal Cancer Prevention in Lynch Syndrome: Recommendations in the Era of Precision Medicine

Cancer prevention in the era of precision medicine has to consider integrated therapeutic approaches. Therapeutic cancer prevention should be offered to selected cohorts with increased cancer risk. Undoubtedly, carriers of hereditary cancer syndromes have a well-defined high cancer risk. Lynch Syndrome is one of the most frequent hereditary syndromes; it is mainly associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and, in particular, aspirin use, has been associated with reduced CRC risk in several studies, initially with contradictory results; however, longer follow-up confirmed a reduced CRC incidence and mortality. The CAPP2 study recruited 861 Lynch syndrome participants randomly assigned to 600 mg of aspirin versus placebo. Like sporadic CRCs, a significant CRC risk reduction was seen after an extended follow-up, with a median treatment time that was relatively short (2 years). The ongoing CAPP3 will address whether lower doses are equally effective. Based on pharmacology and clinical data on sporadic CRCs, the preventive effect should also be obtained with low-dose aspirin. The leading international guidelines suggest discussing with Lynch syndrome carriers the possibility of using low-dose aspirin for CRC prevention. We aim systematically promote this intervention with all Lynch syndrome carriers.

Health-Promoting Lifestyle in Colorectal Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study on the Experiences and Perspectives of Colorectal Cancer Survivors and Healthcare Providers

OBJECTIVE

Understanding the experiences of survivors and healthcare providers about health-promoting lifestyle (HPL) in colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors is important in planning for coping with the disease, managing treatment side effects, increasing survival, and improving quality of life (QOL). This study was conducted to explore the experiences and perspectives of CRC survivors and healthcare providers about HPL in CRC survivors.

METHODS

This descriptive qualitative study was performed in 2020 at Omid and Imam Reza Hospitals in Mashhad, Iran. Participants were CRC survivors (n = 12) and healthcare providers (n = 33) who were selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interview by face to face and then analyzed by Zhang and Wildemuth content analysis method. MaxQDA software was used to organize the data.

RESULTS

Following the treatment of cancer, CRC survivors seek to make changes in lifestyle and they choose a HPL that maintains or improves their health. HPL in CRC survivors includes nutrition, activity and rest, health responsibility, interpersonal relations, spiritual growth, and psychological management. The results showed that HPL can lead to motivation, the ability to self-care and improve daily performance, reduce treatment complications, and increase the QOL.

CONCLUSIONS

CRC survivors can help change their lifestyle patterns with healthy eating, treatment adherence, regular physical activity, and good sleep habits. Furthermore, effective personal and social relationships, spiritual growth, and management of psychological disorders develop health-promoting behaviors in them. CRC survivors also face challenges and limitations in their life after treatment; identifying the components of a HPL in CRC survivors can lead to desirable care, treatment, education, and counseling services.

The impact of obesity on postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer patients: a retrospective database study

PURPOSE

Obesity is an independent risk factor for worse outcomes in various surgical settings. Whether obesity is a prognostic factor for postoperative morbidity and mortality of colorectal cancer (CRC) is inconclusive. This study aimed to determine the impact of obesity on short-term postoperative outcomes in CRC patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery.

METHODS

Data of a total of 23,898 CRC patients aged ≥ 20 years and undergoing laparoscopic resection were extracted from the US National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database and analyzed. The study endpoints were in-hospital mortality, any postoperative complications, infection/sepsis, acute kidney injury (AKI), deep vein thrombosis (DVT)/pulmonary embolisms (PE), and extended hospital stay. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the associations between patients' obesity status (morbid obese: BMI >  = 40 kg/m²; obese: BMI 30-39.9 kg/m²) and the study outcomes.

RESULTS

In 23,898 CRC patients undergoing laparoscopic resection, the prevalence of obesity prevalence was 11.8%. After adjustment, the results revealed that morbid obesity was significantly associated with increased risk for in-hospital mortality (aOR = 2.06, 95%CI: 1.11-3.83), AKI (aOR = 1.78, 95%CI = 1.34-2.36), DVT/PE (aOR = 2.88, 95%CI = 1.70-4.88), and extended LOS (aOR = 1.21, 95%CI = 1.02-1.43), while non-morbid obesity was significantly associated with more DVT/PE (aOR = 2.12, 95%CI = 1.32-3.41) as compared with non-obesity.

CONCLUSION

In patients with CRC undergoing laparoscopic surgery, morbid obesity is strongly associated with worse postoperative outcomes, including increased in-hospital mortality, postoperative AKI and DVT/PE, and extended LOS. The findings of the present study highlight the importance of obesity status in risk stratification for laparoscopic CRC surgery.

Path Analysis of the Impact of Obesity on Postoperative Outcomes in Colorectal Cancer Patients: A Population-Based Study

Background: Obesity is adversely affecting perioperative outcomes; however, long-term outcomes do not appear to be affected by excess body weight (the obesity paradox). The purpose of this study is to examine the association between obesity and surgical outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) using data from the United States National Inpatient Sample (NIS). Methods: Patients ≥20 years old diagnosed with CRC who received surgery were identified in the 2004–2014 NIS database. Patients who were obese (ICD-9-CM code: 278.0) were matched with controls (non-obese) in a 1:4 ratio for age, sex, and severity of CRC (metastasis vs. no metastasis). Linear regression and path analysis were used to compare outcomes between obese and non-obese patients. A total of 107,067 patients (53,376 males, 53,691 females) were included in the analysis, and 7.86% were obese. Results: The rates of postoperative infection, shock, bleeding, wound disruption, and digestive system complications were significantly different between the obese and non-obese groups. The obesity group had increased incidence of postoperative infection by 1.9% (∂P/∂X = 0.019), shock by 0.25% (∂P/∂X = 0.0025), postoperative bleeding by 0.5% (∂P/∂X = 0.005), wound disruption by 0.6% (∂P/∂X = 0.006), and digestive system complications by 1.35% (∂P/∂X = 0.0135). Path analysis showed that obesity group had higher in-hospital mortality through mentioned above five complications by 66.65 × 10⁻⁵%, length of hospital stay by 0.32 days, and total hospital charges by 2384 US dollars. Conclusions: Obesity increases the risk of postoperative complications in patients with CRC undergoing surgery. It also increased in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stay, and total hospital charges. Therefore, patients with obesity might require a higher level of preoperative interventions and complications monitoring to improve outcomes.

Determining the Risk Factors Affecting on Death Due to Colorectal Cancer Progression: Survival Analysis in the Presence of Competing Risks

PURPOSE

In survival analysis, some patients may be at risk of more than one event, for example cancer-related death and cancer-unrelated death. In this case, if the aim of study becomes to assess the impact of risk factors on different causes of death, the competing risk model should be used rather than classical survival model. The aim of the present study is to determine the risk factors for related and unrelated mortality in patients with colorectal cancer using competing risk regression models.

METHODS

The present retrospective cohort study was carried out on 310 CRC patients. Death due to cancer progression was considered as the interest event, and death due to unrelated cancer was considered as a competing event. Two most popular methods, cause-specific and subdistribution hazard regression model, were used to determine the effect of covariates on incidence and cause-specific hazard. Data analysis was performed using R3.6.2 software and cmprsk and survival packages.

RESULTS

The mean (SD) of patients' age was 55.84 ± 13.2 years and 53.9% of them were male. BMI, T and N stage had a significant effect on both incidence and cause specific hazard of cancer-related death.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study showed that cancer-related death is strongly correlated with under-weight (BMI < 18.5) and advanced clinical stage of the disease in patients with colorectal cancer. So, in the presence of competing events, both types of regression hazard models should be applied to permit a full understanding of the impact of covariates on the incidence and the rate of occurrence of each outcome.

The impact of anthropometric parameters on colorectal cancer prognosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Our study aims to clarify the relationship between weight parameters and colorectal cancer outcomes.

METHODS

NCBI, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science were searched from inception to December 2019. Studies reporting colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality, recurrence, disease-free survival, overall survival, overall mortality stratified by pre-diagnosis BMI or post-diagnosis weight change, were included in the analysis. Random effects analysis was performed for all outcomes, with heterogeneity assessed by the I² statistic.

RESULTS

Our meta-analysis included 45 studies encompassing 607,266 patients. Obesity was associated with increased odds of overall mortality and CRC-specific mortality compared to normal weight (p < 0.001). Patients with underweight BMI had increased odds of CRC-specific mortality compared to normal BMI but were not significantly different from obese BMI.

CONCLUSIONS

Obese and underweight BMI are associated with increased CRC-specific and overall mortality compared to normal BMI. Long term prognosis was similar for patients with obese and underweight BMI.

High body mass index is associated with an increased overall survival in rectal cancer

Background

The impact of increased body mass index (BMI) on clinical outcomes in locoregional rectal cancer is unknown.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study which included 453 consecutive rectal cancer patients undergoing definitive treatment, with confirmed stage I, II or III rectal adenocarcinoma. The association of BMI at diagnosis with overall survival (OS), cancer specific survival (CSS) and disease-free survival (DFS) was explored, controlling for key covariates using multivariable analyses. BMI as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) is as follows: BMI <18.5-underweight; 18.5-24.9-normal; 25.0-29.9-pre-obesity; >30-obese.

Results

Overweight and obese patients had significantly better OS than underweight/normal weight patients (5-year OS 80% for overweight, 77% for obese, and 65% for underweight/normal weight patients, P=0.02). High BMI (>25) was significantly associated with improved OS in univariate [0.62 (0.4-0.8) P=0.007] and multivariable [0.65 (0.4-0.9) P=0.023] analyses. When stratified by stage, high BMI was associated with improved OS in stage III patients (P=0.0009), but not stage II (P=0.21) or stage I (0.54). High BMI was also significantly associated with improved CSS in univariate (HR 0.62, P=0.048) and multivariable analyses (HR 0.58, P=0.03).

Conclusions

In our study a BMI greater than 25 is significantly associated with a longer OS and CSS in patients with locoregional rectal cancer. These findings may be due to the reduced metabolic capacity for non-obese patients to deal with rectal cancer treatment as well as the burden of disease, however further research is needed to evaluate this.

Extracorporeal versus intracorporeal anastomosis in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for cancer

Introduction: This study aimed at assessing the long-term oncological outcomes of intracorporeal ileocolic anastomosis (ICA) for laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for colon cancer compared with extracorporeal anastomosis (ECA).Material and methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 149 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for colon cancer between January 2006 and December 2012.Results: Eighty and 69 patients underwent intracorporeal and ECA, respectively. The two groups were demographically comparable. ICA exhibited a significantly shorter operative time (p < .0001), while local relapse and length of hospital stay did not significantly differ among the groups (p = .724 and .310, respectively). There was no significant difference in median number of retrieved lymph node. The overall survival and the disease-free survival at five years did not significantly differ among the groups.Conclusions: Intracorporeal ICA can reduce operative time and is associated with similar postoperative and long-term oncological outcomes compared to the ECA technique.

Annual report to the nation on the status of cancer, part II: Progress toward Healthy People 2020 objectives for 4 common cancers

BACKGROUND

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries collaborate to provide annual updates on cancer occurrence and trends in the United States and to address a special topic of interest. Part I of this report focuses on national cancer statistics, and part 2 characterizes progress in achieving select Healthy People 2020 cancer objectives.

METHODS

For this report, the authors selected objectives-including death rates, cancer screening, and major risk factors-related to 4 common cancers (lung, colorectal, female breast, and prostate). Baseline values, recent values, and the percentage change from baseline to recent values were examined overall and by select sociodemographic characteristics. Data from national surveillance systems were obtained from the Healthy People 2020 website.

RESULTS

Targets for death rates were met overall and in most sociodemographic groups, but not among males, blacks, or individuals in rural areas, although these groups did experience larger decreases in rates compared with other groups. During 2007 through 2017, cancer death rates decreased 15% overall, ranging from -4% (rural) to -22% (metropolitan). Targets for breast and colorectal cancer screening were not yet met overall or in any sociodemographic groups except those with the highest educational attainment, whereas lung cancer screening was generally low (<10%). Targets were not yet met overall for cigarette smoking, recent smoking cessation, excessive alcohol use, or obesity but were met for secondhand smoke exposure and physical activity. Some sociodemographic groups did not meet targets or had less improvement than others toward reaching objectives.

CONCLUSIONS

Monitoring trends in cancer risk factors, screening test use, and mortality can help assess the progress made toward decreasing the cancer burden in the United States. Although many interventions to reduce cancer risk factors and promote healthy behaviors are proven to work, they may not be equitably applied or work well in every community. Implementing cancer prevention and control interventions that are sustainable, focused, and culturally appropriate may boost success in communities with the greatest need, ensuring that all Americans can access a path to long, healthy, cancer-free lives.

Obesity, diabetes and the risk of colorectal adenoma and cancer

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal (GI) malignancy and the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In the current case-control study, an association between diagnosis of CRC, obesity and diabetes was investigated.

METHODS

Demographic characteristics, colonoscopy reports, history of drug, smoking, and medical history were collected from patients referred to a colonoscopy unit. The location, size and number of the polyps were recorded during the colonoscopy. Statistically, t-test was conducted for mean comparison for the groups. Pearson's chi-squared test (χ2) was applied to categorize variables. Five classification methods based on the important clinicopathological characteristics such as age, BMI, diabetes, family history of colon cancer was performed to predict the results of colonoscopy.

RESULTS

Overall, 693 patients participated in this study. In the present study, 115 and 515 patients were evaluated for adenoma/adenocarcinoma and normal colonoscopy, respectively. The mean age of patients positive for adenoma or adenocarcinoma were significantly higher than the negative groups (p value < 0.001). Incidence of overweight and/or obesity (BMI > 25 kg/m2) were significantly higher in adenoma positive patients as compared to controls (49.9 and 0.9% respectively, p value = 0.04). The results also demonstrated a significant association between suffering from diabetes and having colon adenoma (OR = 1.831, 95%CI = 1.058-3.169, p value = 0.023). The experimental results of 5 classification methods on higher risk factors between colon adenoma and normal colonoscopy data were more than 82% and less than 0.42 for the percentage of classification accuracy and root mean squared error, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In the current study, the occurrence of obesity measured based on BMI and diabetes in the adenoma positive patient group was significantly higher than the control group although there was no notable association between obesity, diabetes and adenocarcinoma.

Body Mass Index and Long-Term Outcomes in Patients With Colorectal Cancer

Background: The association between body mass index (BMI) and colorectal cancer is unique. There are several patient- and tumor-related factors that affect this and associations are not entirely clear. The primary aim of this study is to examine the association between BMI and survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis.

Methods: Among 26,908 Mayo Clinic patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1972 and 2017, 3,799 patients had information on BMI within 6 months prior to cancer diagnosis. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to assess the differences in overall survival between BMI groups in each cancer stage, controlling for age, gender, year of diagnosis, and cancer location. The impact of change of BMI at 30, 60, and 90 days on survival afterwards were also analyzed.

Results: Among 3,799 patients included in the study, there were 29% normal weight, 2% underweight, 36% overweight, and 33% obese patients. With all stages combined together, the overall 5-years survival rates for underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese patients were 33, 56, 60, and 65%, respectively (p < 0.001). The results show that, the difference in overall survival was not statistically significant when underweight, overweight, and obese patients were compared to normal weight patients in stage 1 and stage 2, although there was a trend that overweight patients had better survival than normal weight group in stage 2 cancer patients (HR = 0.8, p = 0.086). In stage 3 and 4 patients combined, underweight group demonstrated a significant disadvantage (HR = 1.96, p = 0.007) for overall survival compared to the normal weight group. Additionally, post-diagnosis BMI drop more than 10% from either a previous time (HR = 1.88, p = 0.002) or pre-diagnosis time (HR = 1.61, p < 0.001) was associated with worse overall survival after adjusting for baseline variables.

Conclusions: BMI is an important consideration in patients with colorectal cancer. Outcomes are stage-dependent where in some situations obesity maybe an advantage. More importantly, being underweight is a significant negative predictor of outcome. The impact of drop in BMI or weight, on survival of CRC patients, needs to be studied further since this is potentially an actionable variable and a dynamic biomarker that may help improve outcome in these patients.

Type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer survival: The multiethnic cohort

This analysis examined type 2 diabetes (T2D) as a predictor of colorectal cancer (CRC) survival within the Multiethnic Cohort Study. Registry linkages in Hawaii and California identified 5,284 incident CRC cases. After exclusion of cases with pre-existing cancer diagnosis within 1 year and systemic disease, the analytic dataset had 3,913 cases with 1,800 all-cause and 678 CRC-specific deaths after a mean follow-up of 9.3 ± 5.2 years. Among CRC cases, 707 were diagnosed with T2D 8.9 ± 5.3 years before CRC. Cox regression with age as time metric was applied to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for T2D status as predictor of CRC-specific and all-cause survival while adjusting for known confounders. Overall, CRC-specific survival was not associated with pre-existing T2D (HR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.67-1.07). However, a significant interaction was seen for comorbidity (pinteraction  = 0.03) with better survival among those without pre-existing conditions (HR = 0.49; 95% CI = 0.25-0.96) while no association was seen in patients with comorbid conditions. All-cause mortality was also not related to pre-existing T2D (HR = 1.11; 95% CI = 0.98-1.27), but significantly elevated for individuals with T2D reporting comorbid conditions (HR = 1.36; 95% CI = 1.19-1.56). Stratification by T2D duration suggested higher CRC-specific and all-cause mortality among participants with a T2D history of ≥10 than <10 years. The findings were consistent across sex and ethnic subgroups. In contrast to previous reports, pre-existing T2D had no influence on disease-specific and all-cause survival among CRC patients. Only participants with additional comorbidity and possibly those with long T2D duration experienced higher mortality related to T2D.

Combined activity of COX-1 and COX-2 is increased in non-neoplastic colonic mucosa from colorectal neoplasia patients

Background

Cyclooxygenase (COX) activity is increased in endoscopic normal colonic mucosa from patients with colorectal neoplasia (CRN). COX-2 is thought to be the predominant COX isozyme involved in neoplasia. Meanwhile, relative contributions of COX-1 and COX-2 isoforms are unknown. Knowledge about their mutual activity in colonic mucosa is important for diagnostics and targeted therapy for CRN. The aim of this study was to assess the relative function, expression and localization of COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes in colonic non-neoplastic human mucosa and thereby to potentially reveal a mucosal disease predisposition for better treatment.

Methods

Biopsies were pinched from normal appearing colonic mucosa in patients undergoing endoscopy. Ussing chamber technique was applied for an indirect assessment of epithelial activity, RT-qPCR for expression and immunohistochemistry for localization of COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes in patients without (ctrls) and with a history of CRN (CRN-pts).

Results

Combined COX-1 and COX-2 activity was higher in CRN-pts, p = 0.036. COX-2 was primarily localized in absorptive cells, while COX-1 appeared to be restricted to nonenteroendocrine tuft cells of the colonic epithelium.

Conclusions

In biopsies from endoscopic normal appearing colonic mucosa, combined activity of COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes is increased in CRN-pts compared with ctrls. This indicates that COX-1 and COX-2 together contribute to an increased proliferation process. Of note, in colonic epithelial cell lining, the COX-1 enzyme seems localized in tuft cells.

Application and Indication of Carcinoembryonic Antigen Triggered 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Scanning in the Detection of Relapse of Colorectal Cancer Patients After Curative Therapy

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the characteristics of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) following curative therapy that may benefit from fluorine-18-2-uoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-FDG PET/CT) scanning, evaluate the application of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-triggered F-FDG PET/CT scanning, and provide referential indicators.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 56 CRC patients who received a PET/CT scan as a primary examination because of rising CEA levels after curative therapy and who had not received any other radiological examinations previously.

RESULTS

The rate of recurrence or metastasis was 75.0% by PET/CT scan but was 69.6% with follow-up treatment. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 94.9%, 70.6%, 87.5%, 88.1%, and 85.7%, respectively. TNM (tumor, node, metastasis) stage, body mass index, and CEA level were significant prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Positron emission tomography/CT can be selectively applied as a primary examination in CRC patients with asymptomatic elevation of CEA. High CEA levels, increased body mass index, and advanced TNM staging are risk factors for relapse.

Role of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography in the Diagnosis of Newly Found Suspected Malignant Solitary Pulmonary Lesions in Patients Who Have Received Curative Treatment for Colorectal Cancer

Background. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is recommended for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with suspected malignant pulmonary lesions. This study aims to systematically discuss the ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT diagnosis of solitary pulmonary lesions that are strongly suspected to be malignant in CRC patients who have previously undergone curative therapy. Methods. This retrospective study involved 49 consecutive CRC patients who had previously undergone curative therapy and then underwent PET/CT for the investigation of solitary pulmonary lesions that were strongly suspected to be malignant. Results. Pathological examination confirmed the presence of pulmonary metastases (29 patients, 59.2%), primary lung cancer (15 patients, 30.6%), and benign pulmonary disease (5 patients, 10.2%). Small lung lesions, advanced pathological stage, adjuvant chemotherapy after CRC surgery, solitary pulmonary lesions with lower border irregularity, higher carcinoembryonic antigen level, and the lack of concomitant mediastinal lymph node metastasis were more likely to be associated with pulmonary metastasis than with primary lung cancer. None of these factors was independently significant in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion. Clinicopathological characteristics help to differentiate metastasis and primary lung cancer to some extent during the diagnosis of solitary pulmonary lesions suspected to be malignant in this group of patients. This may provide valuable information to clinicians.

Prognostic relevance of prediagnostic weight loss and overweight at diagnosis in patients with colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Studies on the association between body mass index (BMI) and colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis after diagnosis have yielded inconsistent results. Few studies have investigated associations between prediagnostic BMI change and CRC prognosis.

OBJECTIVE

The associations of BMI at diagnosis and prediagnostic BMI change with relevant prognostic outcomes were evaluated in a large population-based cohort of CRC patients.

DESIGN

A total of 3130 patients diagnosed with CRC between 2003 and 2010 were interviewed on sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, medication, and comorbidities. Cancer recurrence, vital status, and cause of death were documented for a median follow-up time of 4.9 y. With the use of Cox proportional hazards regression, associations between BMI at diagnosis and BMI change (difference between 1-10 y before diagnosis and at diagnosis) and overall, CRC-specific, recurrence-free, and disease-free survival were analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with normal weight, overweight [BMI (in kg/m²): 25 to <30] and obesity (BMI: ≥30) were associated with improved overall [adjusted HR (aHR): 0.82; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.95 and aHR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.66, 0.98, respectively] and CRC-specific (aHR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.71, 1.01 and aHR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.62, 0.99, respectively) survival, with associations being even stronger when the analysis was restricted to nonmetastatic disease. Compared with stable BMI, a strong prediagnostic BMI decrease of >5 was associated with poorer prognosis for all survival outcomes (overall survival-aHR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.43, 2.34; CRC-specific survival-aHR: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.33, 2.39), and associations were particularly pronounced in men (overall survival-aHR: 2.31; 95% CI: 1.65, 3.22; CRC-specific survival-aHR: 2.56; 95% CI: 1.72, 3.81; P-interaction = 0.08).

CONCLUSIONS

Overweight and obesity are associated with enhanced survival after a CRC diagnosis. A major decrease in BMI in the years before diagnosis is a strong independent predictor of decreased survival. This trial was registered at www.studybox.de as ST-D066.

Among 4 Diet Quality Indexes, Only the Alternate Mediterranean Diet Score Is Associated with Better Colorectal Cancer Survival and Only in African American Women in the Multiethnic Cohort

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, with a 5-y survival rate of ∼65%. Therefore, the identification of modifiable health factors to improve CRC survival is crucial.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the association of 4 prediagnostic a priori diet quality indexes with CRC-specific and all-cause mortality in the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC).

METHODS

The MEC included >215,000 African-American, Native Hawaiian, Japanese-American, Latino, and white adults living in Hawaii and California who completed a validated quantitative food-frequency questionnaire in 1993-1996. CRC cases and deaths were identified through linkages to cancer registries and to state and national vital registries. Sex-specific HRs and 95% CIs were estimated for the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2010, the Alternative HEI (AHEI) 2010, the alternate Mediterranean Diet (aMED) score, and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) index with CRC-specific and overall mortality as the primary outcomes. Ethnicity-specific analyses were the secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

Among 4204 MEC participants diagnosed with invasive CRC through 2010, 1976 all-cause and 1095 CRC-specific deaths were identified. A higher aMED score was associated with lower CRC-specific mortality in women [HR continuous pattern score divided by its respective SD (HR1SD): 0.86; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.96] but not in men (HR1SD: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.92, 1.11). A higher aMED score was also associated with lower all-cause mortality in women (HR1SD: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.81, 0.96) but not in men (HR1SD: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.93, 1.07). The HEI-2010, AHEI-2010, and DASH index were not significantly associated with CRC-specific or with all-cause mortality. The inverse relation for the aMED score was limited to African Americans and to colon (compared with rectal) cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

The aMED score was related to lower mortality only in African-American women (1 of 5 ethnic groups studied). The results should be interpreted with caution due to the small numbers of cases within ethnic groups and the issue of multiple testing.

Relationship of prediagnostic body mass index with survival after colorectal cancer: Stage-specific associations

Higher body mass index (BMI) is a well-established risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC), but is inconsistently associated with CRC survival. In 6 prospective studies participating in the Genetics and Epidemiology of Colorectal Cancer Consortium (GECCO), 2,249 non-Hispanic white CRC cases were followed for a median 4.5 years after diagnosis, during which 777 died, 554 from CRC-related causes. Associations between prediagnosis BMI and survival (overall and CRC-specific) were evaluated using Cox regression models adjusted for age at diagnosis, sex, study and smoking status (current/former/never). The association between BMI category and CRC survival varied by cancer stage at diagnosis (I-IV) for both all-cause (p-interaction = 0.03) and CRC-specific mortality (p-interaction = 0.04). Compared to normal BMI (18.5-24.9 kg/m(2) ), overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9) was associated with increased mortality among those with Stage I disease, and decreased mortality among those with Stages II-IV disease. Similarly, obesity (BMI ≥30) was associated with increased mortality among those with Stages I-II disease, and decreased mortality among those with Stages III-IV disease. These results suggest the relationship between BMI and survival after CRC diagnosis differs by stage at diagnosis, and may emphasize the importance of adequate metabolic reserves for colorectal cancer survival in patients with late-stage disease.

Pre-diagnostic body mass index and weight change in relation to colorectal cancer survival among incident cases from a population-based cohort study

Background

Whether excess body weight influences colorectal cancer (CRC) survival is unclear. We studied pre-diagnostic body mass index (BMI) and weight change in relation to CRC-specific mortality among incident CRC cases within a large, Norwegian cohort.

Methods

Participants’ weight was measured at health examinations up to three times between 1974 and 1988. CRC cases were identified through linkage with the Norwegian Cancer Registry. In total, 1336 men and 1180 women with a weight measurement >3 years prior to diagnosis were included in analyses. Hazard ratios (HRs) and confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated with Cox regression.

Results

During a mean follow-up of 5.8 years, 507 men and 432 women died from CRC. Obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) was associated with higher CRC-specific mortality than normal weight (BMI 18.5–25 kg/m²) in men with proximal colon cancer, HR = 1.85 (95 % CI 1.08–3.16) and in women with rectal cancer, HR = 1.93 (95 % CI 1.13–3.30). Weight gain was associated with higher CRC-specific mortality in women with CRC, colon cancer, and distal colon cancer, HRs per 5 kg weight gain were 1.18 (95 % CI 1.01–1.37), 1.22 (95 % CI 1.02–1.45), and 1.40 (95 % CI 1.01–1.95), respectively. Weight gain was not significantly associated with survival in men.

Conclusions

Maintaining a healthy weight may benefit CRC survival, at least in women.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2445-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.