Can we respect the principles of oncologic resection in an emergency surgery to treat colon cancer?

Quality of emergency oncological surgery: time for advanced oncological life support

OBJECTIVE

In the emergency care of cancer patients, in addition to cancer-related factors, two aspects influence the outcome: (1) where the patient is treated and (2) who will perform the surgery. In Brazil, a significant proportion of patients with surgical oncological emergencies will be operated on in general hospitals by surgeons without training in oncological surgery.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to discuss quality indicators and propose the creation of an urgent oncological surgery advanced life support course.

METHODS

Review of articles on the topic.

RESULTS

Generally, nonelective resections are associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality, as well as lower rates of cancer-specific survival. In comparison to elective procedures, the reduced number of harvested lymph nodes and the higher rate of positive margins suggest a compromised degree of radicality in the emergency scenario.

CONCLUSION

Among modifiable factors is the training of the emergency surgeon. Enhancing the practice of oncological surgery in emergency settings constitutes a formidable undertaking that entails collaboration across various medical specialties and warrants endorsement and support from medical societies and educational institutions. It is time to establish a national registry encompassing oncological emergencies, develop quality indicators tailored to the national context, and foster the establishment of specialized training programs aimed at enhancing the proficiency of physicians serving in emergency services catering to cancer patients.

A decreased preoperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, systemic immune-inflammation index, and pan-immune-inflammation value are associated with the poorer survival of patients with a stent inserted as a bridge to curative surgery for obstructive colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

Inflammation is one of the hallmarks of cancer, and inflammation-based markers that are calculated easily from laboratory results have shown predictive abilities. We investigated the prognostic values of the preoperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), and pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) in patients with non-metastatic obstructive colorectal cancer (OCRC) and a self-expandable metallic stent inserted as a bridge to curative surgery.

METHODS

The subjects of this retrospective study were 86 patients with pathological stage I to III OCRC. We examined the associations of these biomarkers with short- and long-term outcomes.

RESULTS

Multivariate analyses revealed that a preoperative PLR < 149, SII < 597, and PIV < 209 were independently associated with poorer relapse-free survival (RFS) (P = 0.007, P < 0.001, and P = 0.002, respectively) and that a PIV < 209 was independently associated with poorer cancer-specific survival (P = 0.030). A platelet count < 240 was significantly associated with worse RFS, whereas the lymphocyte count was not. Pre-stenting PLR < 221 was an independent poor prognostic factor for RFS (P = 0.045).

CONCLUSION

This study showed that decreased preoperative PLR, SII, PIV, and pre-stenting PLR were associated with poorer RFS, contrary to the findings of most previous studies. Our results suggest that platelets and obstruction contributed primarily to the opposite relationships, which might provide new insight into the possible pathophysiology of platelet-tumor interactions generated in the OCRC environment.

Risk factors for the recurrence of stage II perforated colorectal cancer: A retrospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Patients with perforated colorectal cancer (PCRC) experience higher recurrence rates than those with non-perforated tissue. We identified the promoting factors of stage II PCRC recurrence after R0 surgery.

METHOD

This retrospective observational study included patients treated for colorectal cancer at a single facility between 2007 and 2016, and compared the clinicopathological features of patients with perforating versus non-perforating stage II tumors who underwent R0 resection, while focusing on recurrences.

RESULTS

Thirty-two and 112 patients (predominantly men) with perforating and non-perforating tumors, respectively, were included. The perforated group had significantly higher proportions of T4 tumors than the non-perforated group (44% vs. 15%). The perforated group had significantly lower numbers of resected lymph nodes than the non-perforated group (6 vs. 17). Seven of 17 patients with follow-up data in the perforated group experienced recurrence (41%), versus 19 of 104 in the non-perforated group (18%). In the non-perforated group, male sex (89% vs. 60%, p = 0.030), T4 stage (32% vs. 9%, p = 0.029), and fewer resected lymph nodes (12.5 vs. 18.6, p = 0.003) were significantly associated with recurrence; however, no such influences on recurrence were observed in the perforated group. The recurrence sites in the perforated group were mostly local (6 patients, 86%). Conversely, recurrences in the non-perforated group were mostly distant; 8 of 19 patients (42%) had liver metastasis and 1 (5%) had lung metastasis.

CONCLUSION

Patients with stage II PCRC experienced higher recurrence rates regardless of clinicopathological features and had high local recurrence rates indicating possible local tumor cell dispersal owing to perforation.

Large Bowel Perforation in Patients with Colorectal Cancer: A South African Perspective

Introduction

Large bowel perforation (LBP) occurs in up to 10% of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and is a potential surgical emergency. Data on LBP in CRC patients from resource-limited countries are required to improve the management of this condition in these settings. Our study aimed to describe LBP amongst CRC patients in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Materials and Methods

This was a descriptive sub-analysis of LBP data from an ongoing CRC registry. This study explores free and contained perforations and describes LBP characteristics, surgical management, histological findings, overall survival, and CRC recurrence.

Results

Ninety-four out of 2523 CRC patients had LBP (3.7%). The median age was 53.0 years (interquartile range: 43.0-64.0). The male-to-female ratio was 1.4:1. Thirty-three patients (35.1%) had a coexisting bowel obstruction. Tumor site perforations occurred in 87 patients (92.6%) and were mostly in the sigmoid colon (36.2%). Perforations were contained in 77 patients (81.9%). Eighty-nine patients (94.7%) underwent resection (elective resection: 76/89 patients, 85.4%). The post-operative inpatient mortality rate was 2.2%. Most patients had Stage III CRC (46 patients, 48.9%) and moderately differentiated tumors (77 patients, 81.9%). Overall survival at 12 months following CRC diagnosis was 55.4%. The early recurrence rate for CRC disease was 5.4%.

Conclusion

Tumor site perforations predominated, and most were contained. Patients were younger when compared with the international literature. We reaffirm that diastatic-free and contained perforations are two distinct clinical entities.

Surgical tactics in peritonitis, caused by complicated course of colorectal cancer

Objective. To improve surgical tactics in peritonitis, caused by complicated course of colorectal cancer. Materials and methods. Through the 2017 - 2020 yrs period in Department of Surgery in Brovary Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital 18 patients with colorectal cancer, complicated by peritonitis, were operated. Among them there were 14 (77.8%) men and 4 (22.2%) women, ageing in spectrum 42 – 83 yrs old. In 12 (66.7%) patients the cancer of Stage III was diagnosed, while in 6 (33.3%) – Stage ІV. Results. The right-sided hemicolectomy was performed in 22.2% of the patients, resection of transverse colon – in 3 (16.7%), a left-sided hemicolectomy – 1 (5.6%), Hartmann operation – 9 (50.0%), subtotal colectomy – 1 (5.6%). All the operations were performed without formation of primary anastomoses, and with stoma construction in proximal part of intestine. Reoperation were performed in 4 (22.2%) patients. There were 3 (16.7%) postoperative deaths – in patients with the cancer Stage IV, peritonitis in a terminal stage – due to development of the polyorgan insufficiency syndrome. Conclusion. Formation of primary interintestinal anastomoses while doing surgical intervention for colorectal cancer, complicated by peritonitis, is contraindicated because of high risk of the sutures insufficiency presence.

Is it possible to adopt the same oncological approach in urgent surgery for colon cancer?

BACKGROUND

Locoregional complications may occur in up to 30% of patients with colon cancer. As they are frequent events in the natural history of this disease, there should be a concern in offering an oncologically adequate surgical treatment to these patients.

AIM

To compare the oncological radicality of surgery for colon cancer between urgent and elective cases.

METHODS

One-hundred and eighty-nine consecutive patients with non-metastatic colon adenocarcinoma were studied over two years in a single institution, who underwent surgical resection as the first therapeutic approach, with 123 elective and 66 urgent cases. The assessment of oncological radicality was performed by analyzing the extension of the longitudinal margins of resection, the number of resected lymph nodes, and the percentage of surgeries with 12 or more resected lymph nodes. Other clinicopathological variables were compared between the two groups in terms of sex, age, tumor location, type of urgency, surgical access, staging, compromised lymph nodes rate, differentiation grade, angiolymphatic and perineural invasion, and early mortality.

RESULTS

There was no difference between the elective and urgency group concerning the longitudinal margin of resection (average of 6.1 in elective vs 7.3 cm in urgency, P = 0.144), number of resected lymph nodes (average of 17.7 in elective vs 16.6 in urgency, P = 0.355) and percentage of surgeries with 12 or more resected lymph nodes (75.6% in elective vs 77.3% in urgency, P = 0.798). It was observed that the percentage of patients aged 80 and over was higher in the urgency group (13.0% in elective vs 25.8% in urgency, P = 0.028), and the early mortality was 4.9% in elective vs 15.2% in urgency (P = 0.016, OR: 3.48, 95%CI: 1.21–10.06). Tumor location (P = 0.004), surgery performed (P = 0.016) and surgical access (P < 0.001) were also different between the two groups. There was no difference in other clinicopathological variables studied.

CONCLUSION

Oncological radicality of colon cancer surgery may be achieved in both emergency and elective procedures.

Emergency Surgery for Colon Diseases in Elderly Patients-Analysis of Complications, and Postoperative Course

Background and Objectives: Colon diseases can turn in a clinical emergency with the onset of some important complications. Some critical conditions are more common in aged patients because they are frailer. The aim of this study is to examine patients over 80 years of age who are undergoing emergency colorectal surgery, and evaluating the aspects associated with post-operative complications and other problems in the short term. Methods: From November 2020 to February 2022, we included 32 consecutive patients older than 80 undergoing emergency surgery due to colon diseases. We collected and analysed all demographic and operative data, and then applied CR-POSSUM score and correlated this with postoperative hospital stay and the onset of postoperative complications according to the Clavien Dindo classification. Results: Postoperative factors were selectively evaluated based on the clinical scenario and different colic pathologies. There were no statistically significant differences, in terms of postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications, reoperation rate and 30-day mortality. The number of cases of blood transfusions was significant and was more numerous in cases of intestinal perforation and bleeding cases. The value of the Operative Severity Score in bowel perforations was significantly higher. Conclusions: The use of a score to stratify the risk is a useful tool, especially in elderly patients undergoing emergency surgery. The CR-POSSUM score was important for predicting morbidity in our study. Emergency manifestations of colon diseases in the elderly show higher morbidity and mortality rates. The effect of age on outcome is a concept that needs to be emphasized, so further investigation is needed.

Kolorektal kanser cerrahisinde acil cerrahinin çıkarılan lenf nodu sayısına etkisi var mı?

Amaç: Kolorektal kanserlerde yeterli onkolojik cerrahiyi yapabilmek için, rezeke edilen spesmenin yeterli cerrahi sağlam marjinle çıkarılması ve komplet mezokolik eksizyon yapılması gerekiyor ki posteperatif doğru patolojik evreleme yapılabilsin. Günümüzde en az 12 lenf nodu çıakrılması önerilmektedir. Acil kolorektal cerrahide çıkarılan lenf nodu sayıları üzerine sorular yükselmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, acil kolorektal kanser cerrahisinin lenf nodu sayısı alımı üzerindeki etkisini belirlemektir. Metod: 1 yıllık periyodda kolorektal kanser tanısıyla ameliyat edilmiş olan 102 hasta retrospektif olarak incelendi. İki grup (acil ve elektif) oluşturuldu. Ameliyatlar altı cerrah (üçü yüksek volüm, üçü düşük volüm) tarafından gerçekleştirildi. Bulgular: 20 hasta acil olarak ameliyat edilmişti ve 66 hasta elektif ameliyat edilmişti. Evre IV 16 hasta çalışma dışında tutuldu. Acil ameliyat edilen grupta çıkarılan ortalama lenf nodu sayısı 11.1 [5-20] ve elektif grupta 14.7 [4-34] dir (p = 0.004). Acil ameliyat edilen grupta 7 hastada, elektif ameliyat edilen grupta 48 hastada yeterli sayıda lenf nodu (≥12) çıkarılmıştır. (p = 0.003) Sonuç:Acil kolon cerrahisinin çıkarılan lenf nodu sayısı üzerine etkisi vardır. Yeterli kolorektal cerrahi eğitimi cerrahi tekniği geliştirerek güvenilir TNM sınıflaması sonuçlarını etki edecektir.

Predictive factors of early outcome after palliative surgery for colorectal carcinoma

Objectives

A significant number of patients with colorectal cancer are presented with various conditions requiring surgery in an oncologically palliative setting. We performed this study to identify risk factors for early outcome after surgery to facilitate the decision-making process for therapy in a palliative disease.

Methods

We performed a retrospective chart review of 142 patients who underwent palliative surgery due to locally advanced, complicated, or advanced metastatic colorectal carcinoma between January 2010 and April 2018 at the "Elbland" Medical Center Riesa. We performed a logistic regression analysis of 43 factors to identify independent predictors for complications and mortality.

Results

Surgery included resections with primary anastomosis (n=31; 21.8%) or discontinuous resections with colostomy (n=38; 26.8%), internal bypasses (n=27; 19.0%) and stoma formation only (n=46; 32.4%). The median length of hospitalization was 12 days (2-53 days), in-hospital morbidity was 50.0% and the mortality rate was 18.3%. Independent risk factors of in-hospital morbidity were age (HR: 1.5, p=0.046) and various comorbidities of the patients [obesity (HR: 1.8, p=0.036), renal failure (HR: 1.6, p=0.040), diabetes (HR: 1.6, p=0.032), alcohol abuse (HR: 1.3, p=0.023)] as well as lung metastases (HR: 1.6, p=0.041). Arteriosclerosis (HR: 1.4; p=0.045) and arterial hypertension (HR: 1.4, p=0.042) were independent risk factors for medical complications in multivariate analysis. None of the analyzed factors predicted the surgical morbidity after the palliative procedures. Emergency surgery (HR: 10.2, p=0.019), intestinal obstruction (HR: 9.2, p=0.006) and ascites (HR: 5.0, p=0.034) were multivariate significant parameters of in-hospital mortality.

Conclusions

Palliatively treated patients with colorectal cancer undergoing surgery show high rates of morbidity and mortality after surgery. In this retrospective chart review, independent risk factors for morbidity and in-hospital mortality were identified that are similar to patients in curative care. An adequate selection of patients before palliative operation should lead to a better outcome after surgery. Especially in patients with intestinal obstruction and ascites scheduled for emergency surgery, every effort should be made to convey these patients to elective surgery by interventional therapy, such as a stent or minimally invasive stoma formation.

A nomogram model for predicting prognosis of obstructive colorectal cancer

Background

The prognosis of obstructive colorectal cancer (oCRC) is worse than that of nonobstructive colorectal cancer. However, no previous study has established an individualized prediction model for the prognosis of patients with oCRC. We aimed to screen the factors that affect the prognosis of oCRC and to use these findings to establish a nomogram model that predicts the individual prognosis of patients with oCRC.

Methods

This retrospective study collected data of 181 patients with oCRC from three medical hospitals between February 2012 and December 2017. Among them, 129 patients from one hospital were used as the training cohort. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used in this training cohort to select independent risk factors that affect the prognosis of oCRC, and a nomogram model was established. The other 52 patients from two additional hospitals were used as the validation cohort to verify the model.

Results

Multivariate analysis showed that carcinoembryonic antigen level (p = 0.037, hazard ratio [HR] = 2.872 [1.065–7.740]), N stage (N1 vs. N0, p = 0.028, HR = 3.187 [1.137–8.938]; N2 vs. N0, p = 0.010, HR = 4.098 [1.393–12.051]), and surgical procedures (p = 0.002, HR = 0.299 [0.139–0.643]) were independent prognostic factors of overall survival in patients with oCRC. These factors were used to construct the nomogram model, which showed good concordance and accuracy.

Conclusion

Carcinoembryonic antigen, N stage, and surgical method are independent prognostic factors for overall survival in patients with oCRC, and the nomogram model can visually display these results.

Synchronous Onset of Two Complications in Colon Cancer: A Case Report

As one of the most frequent malignancies in the world’s population, colorectal cancer is also associated with its complications (perforation, obstruction and bleeding). Their incidence is common (2.6-50%), but synchronous occurrence of two of them in a patient is a rare condition and it is reported in small series or as a case report in the literature. We present a case of the descending colon cancer in a female patient that presented with perforation on tumor site with consecutive retroperitoneal and lumbar abscess and simultaneous presentation of large bowel obstruction. The patient was admitted and operated the same day, the abscess was opened and drained and bowel resection was performed with colostomy creation. The postoperative recovery was uneventful and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 10. Due to the high morbidity/mortality in cases of colon cancer emergencies, Hartman’s procedure is often a reasonable option. Timely diagnosis of the colon cancer can reduce the complication rate of the disease worldwide.

Visceral obesity is associated with lower stage colon tumors in males without survival advantage

Visceral obesity and systemic inflammatory response (SIR) were suggested to be closely related to colon cancer (CC) oncological and surgical outcomes. The first by producing several soluble factors involved in carcinogenesis and the second for having a key role in the nutritional and functional decline of patients with cancer. Furthermore, gender differences in relative body composition and adipose tissue regional distribution have also been acknowledged to influence CC. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether visceral adiposity, stratified by gender, influenced CC staging and prognosis. As secondary aim, this study evaluated whether visceral adiposity and SIR markers were associated with CC pathological features so that these could be used in clinical practice to predict disease outcomes and potentially influence therapeutic decisions. Case records from patients (n = 300) submitted to CC surgical resection at a single tertiary hospital were retrospectively reviewed to retrieve clinical, laboratory, imaging and pathological data. Visceral fat area was quantified by computerized morphometric analysis in preoperative tomography scans. Visceral obesity was defined as visceral fat area ≥160 cm² for men and ≥80 cm² for women. Preoperative full blood count performed as part of the routine clinical assessment at the hospital laboratory was used to obtain C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and to calculate neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), which were used as SIR markers. One hundred and forty-three (n = 143) patients fulfilled eligibility criteria and were included in the analysis. Patients with high-visceral adipose tissue (vAT) had smaller size CC tumors (p < 0.001), earlier T-stage disease (p = 0.027) and lower nodal involvement (p = 0.039). In gender subgroup analysis, these findings were only confirmed in males. Moreover, male patients with high-vAT also had a lower proportion of metastatic nodes (p = 0.021) and metastatic to dissected lymph node ratio (p = 0.030). Additionally, patients with high-vAT also had lower PLR (p = 0.001). CC survival was not influenced by visceral obesity, gender nor SIR. In conclusion, our study shows that male patients with high visceral adiposity have lower PLR levels and earlier stage tumors. Furthermore, our data suggests that visceral obesity and SIR despite being associated with earlier stage CC tumors do not seem to present a survival advantage.

Comparison of safety between self-expanding metal stents as a bridge to surgery and emergency surgery based on pathology: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

To explore the long-term oncological safety of using self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) as a bridge to surgery for acute obstructive colorectal cancer by comparing the pathological results of emergency surgery (ES) with elective surgery after the placement of SEMS.

METHODS

Studies comparing SEMS as a bridge to surgery with emergency surgery for acute obstructive colorectal cancer were retrieved through the databases of Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane libraries, and a meta-analysis was conducted based on the pathological results of the two treatments. Risk ratios (OR) or mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the outcomes under random effects model.

RESULTS

A total of 27 studies were included, including 3 randomized controlled studies, 2 prospective studies, and 22 retrospective studies, with a total of 3737 patients. The presence of perineural invasion (RR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.48, 0.71, P < 0.00001), lymphovascular invasion (RR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.47, 0.99, P = 0.004) and vascular invasion (RR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.45, 0.99, P = 0.04) in SEMS group were significantly higher than those in ES group, and there was no significant difference in lymphatic invasion (RR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.77, 1.09, P = 0.33). The number of lymph nodes harvested in SEMS group was significantly higher than that in ES group (MD = - 3.18, 95% CI - 4.47, - 1.90, P < 0.00001). While no significant difference was found in the number of positive lymph nodes (MD = - 0.11, 95% CI - 0.63, 0.42, P = 0.69) and N stage [N0 (RR = 1.03, 95% CI 0.92, 1.15, P = 0.60), N1 (RR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.87, 1.14, P = 0.91), N2 (RR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.77, 1.15, P = 0.53)].

CONCLUSIONS

SEMS implantation in patients with acute malignant obstructive colorectal cancer may lead to an increase in adverse tumor pathological characteristics, and these characteristics are mostly related to the poor prognosis of colorectal cancer. Although the adverse effect of SEMS on long-term survival has not been demonstrated, their adverse effects cannot be ignored. The use of SEMS as the preferred treatment for patients with resectable obstructive colorectal cancer remains to be carefully weighed, especially when patients are young or the surgical risk is not very high.

Obstructing Left-Sided Colonic Cancer: Is Endoscopic Stenting a Bridge to Surgery or a Bridge to Nowhere?

For the 8-29% colorectal cancers that initially manifest with obstruction, emergency surgery (ES) was traditionally considered the only available therapy, despite high morbidity and mortality rates and the need for colostomy creation. More recently, malignant obstruction of the left colon can be temporized by endoscopic placement of a self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS), used as bridge to surgery (BTS), facilitating a laparoscopic approach and increasing the likelihood that a primary anastomosis instead of stoma would be used. Despite these attractive outcomes, the superiority of the BTS approach is not clearly established. Few authors have stressed the potential cancer risk associated with perforations that may occur during endoscopic stent placement, facilitating neoplastic spread and negatively impacting prognosis. For this reason, the current literature focuses on long-term oncologic outcomes such as disease-free survival, overall survival and recurrence rate that do seem not to differ between the ES and BTS approaches. This lack of consensus has spawned differing and sometimes discordant guidelines worldwide. In conclusion, 20 years after the first description of a colonic stent as BTS, the debate is still open, but the growing number of articles about the use of SEMS as a BTS signifies a great interest in the topic. We hope that these data will finally converge on a single set of recommendations supporting a management strategy with well-demonstrated superiority.

Surgical Risk and Pathological Results of Emergency Resection in the Treatment of Acutely Obstructing Colorectal Cancers: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Purpose

The treatment of acutely obstructing colorectal cancers is still a matter of debate. The prevailing opinion is that an immediate resection should be performed whenever possible. This study sought to determine whether immediate resection is safe and oncologically valid.

Methods

We completed a retrospective 2-center cohort study using the medical records of patients admitted for acutely obstructing colorectal cancer under the care of the Colorectal Team, Noble’s Hospital, Isle of Man, and the Emergency Surgery Unit, Umberto I University Hospital, Rome, from March 2013 to May 2017. The primary endpoints were 90-day mortality and morbidity, reoperation rate, and length of stay. The secondary endpoints were status of margins, number of lymph nodes retrieved, and the rate of adequate nodal harvest.

Results

Sixty-three patients were retrospectively enrolled in the study. Mortality was associated with age > 80 years and Dukes B tumors. The length of hospital stay was shorter in patients who had their resection less than 24 hours from their admission, in those who had laparoscopic resection and in those with distal tumors. The number of lymph nodes retrieved and rate of R0 resections were similar to those reported in elective colorectal surgery and were greater in laparoscopic resections and in patients operated on within 24 hours, respectively.

Conclusion

Immediate resection is a safe and reliable option in patients with acutely obstructing colorectal cancer.

Histotype influences emergency presentation and prognosis in colon cancer surgery

AIM

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

METHODS

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

RESULTS

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

CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION

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

Urgent surgery in colon cancer has no impact on survival

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Despite advances in early detection of colon cancer, a minority of patients still require urgent surgery. Whether such urgent conditions result in poor outcome remains a topic of debate.

METHODS

Using a prospectively maintained database, patients suffering exclusively from colon cancer and receiving either elective or emergent resection between 2001 and 2014 were analyzed with respect to overall, disease-specific, and relative survival using Cox regression and propensity score analyses.

RESULTS

From a total of 877 patients analyzed, 2.7% (24) presented with complications requiring urgent surgery. Propensity-scoring identified strongly biased patient characteristics (0.097 ± 0.069 vs 0.028 ± 0.043; P < 0.001). An unadjusted Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed urgent surgery as a statistically significant prognostic factor with an approximately 207% increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.07; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.62-5.81; P = 0.003). After adjusting the data according to the propensity score analysis, urgent surgery was not associated with a decreased overall (HR = 1.67; 95%CI; 0.84-3.36; P = 0.174), disease-specific (HR = 1.62; 95% CI; 0.81-3.24; P = 0.201) or relative survival (HR = 1.86; 95% CI: 0.92-3.79; P = 0.086).

CONCLUSIONS

After risk-adjustment, using multivariable Cox regression and propensity score analyses, no significant disadvantage could be noted with regard to overall, disease-specific, or relative survival in patients with exclusively colon cancer who received emergent oncological resection.

Outcomes of Elderly Patients Undergoing Emergency Surgery for Complicated Colorectal Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

Colorectal cancer is one of the most frequent types of malignant neoplasms. Age is a risk factor for this disease, with 75% of cases diagnosed in patients older than 65 years. Complications such as obstruction, hemorrhage, and perforation are present in more than one-third of cases and require emergency treatment. We aim to analyze the profile of elderly patients undergoing surgery for complicated colorectal cancer, and to evaluate factors related to worse short-term prognosis.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent emergency surgical treatment for complicated colorectal cancer was performed. Demographics, clinical, radiological and histological data were collected.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven patients were analyzed. The median age was 72 years, and almost half (46%) of the patients were female. Obstruction was the most prevalent complication at initial presentation (72%). The most common sites of neoplasia were the left and sigmoid colon in 22 patients (32.8%), and the right colon in 17 patients (25.4%). Resection was performed in 88% of cases, followed by primary anastomosis in almost half. The most frequent clinical stages were II (48%) and III (22%). Forty-three patients (65.7%) had some form of postoperative complication. Clavien-Dindo grades 1, 2, and 4, were the most frequent. Complete oncologic resection was observed in 80% of the cases. The thirty-day mortality rate was 10.4%. Advanced age was associated with worse morbidity and mortality.

CONCLUSION

Elderly patients with complicated colorectal cancer undergoing emergency surgery have high morbidity and mortality rates. Advanced age is significantly associated with worse outcomes.

Short-term outcome of emergency colorectal cancer surgery: results from Bi-National Colorectal Cancer Audit

BACKGROUNDS

A significant number of patients with colorectal cancer will have an emergency presentation requiring surgery. This study aims to evaluate short-term outcomes for patients undergoing emergency colorectal cancer surgery in Australasia.

METHODS

All consecutive CRC from the Bi-National Colorectal Cancer Audit Database was interrogated from 2007 to 2016. Short-term outcomes including length of stay, complication rate and mortality rate were compared between the emergency and elective groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors for inpatient mortality. A predictive model for inpatient mortality was constructed using these variables, and its accuracy was then validated by the Bootstrap re-sampling method.

RESULTS

Of 15,676 colorectal cancer cases identified, 13.6% were emergency cases. The emergency group had a higher rate of surgical and medical complications (26.7% vs 22.6%, p < 0.001; 22.8 vs 13.8%, p < 0.001, respectively). Higher inpatient mortality rate was also observed in the emergency group (3.4% vs 2.6%, p = 0.023). Independent predictors for inpatient survival included age, American Society Anaesthesiologists score, emergency surgery and tumour stage. In addition, postoperative complications such as anastomotic leak (odds ratio [OR] 3.78, p < 0.001), sepsis (OR 2.85, p < 0.001) and medical complications (OR 13.88, p < 0.001) had a significant impact in survival in the emergency group. Receiver operating characteristics curve for inpatient mortality was 0.913.

CONCLUSION

Emergency colorectal cancer surgery carries significant morbidity and mortality. Recognition of the increasing rate of postoperative complications may help minimise the detrimental impact of this event on overall outcomes.

[Evolution of enhanced recovery after surgery: from the beginning of the study of stress to the introduction in emergency surgery]

Effectiveness of enhanced recovery program is being earnestly confirmed in various surgical areas. Certain aspects of fast track rehabilitation are analyzed in the article.

Identification of gene-specific DNA methylation signature for Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Colorectal Cancer (CC), a common disease causing approximately million deaths annually, has been the third most frequent type of malignancy. We aimed to identify gene-specific DNA methylation signature to function as prognostic and predictive markers for CC patient survival.

METHODS

Expression profiles of gene-specific DNA methylation and the corresponding clinical information of 201 CC patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset and differentially expressed gene-specific DNA methylation was identified after tumor subtype classification. A risk score model was further built by analyzing the expression data of these gene-specific DNA methylations from the training dataset of CC patients.

RESULTS

Totally, 214 gene-specific DNA methylations were found to be expressed significantly between different subtypes of CC, including 150 up-regulated and 64 down-regulated ones. Up-regulated gene-specific DNA methylation accounted for 70.1% and the down-regulated gene-specific DNA methylation accounted for 29.9%. Hereinto, six gene-specific DNA methylations were obtained, including methy_vimentin and methy_ TFPI2, which were found significantly correlated with overall survival status of patients with CC.

CONCLUSIONS

With the six gene-specific DNA methylation signatures, patients in the training set were divided into low-risk and high- risk groups. What's more, gene-specific DNA methylation target genes were highly associated with protein phosphorylation, which indicated that further research on phosphorylation of target gene-coding protein might provide new sight on the treatment of CC.

Outcome of colon cancer initially presenting as colon perforation and obstruction

Background

Emergency complications of colon cancer include perforation and obstruction which were recognized as poor prognostic factors. Few studies have directly compared the outcomes of these two groups. In this study, we evaluated mortality and morbidity in patients with colon cancer initially presenting as perforation and obstruction.

Methods

Newly diagnosed colon cancer cases initially presenting with perforation or obstruction at Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan, between 2009 and 2015 were included. Cases of iatrogenic perforation or perforation sites far away from the tumor sites and rectal (< 15 cm from the anal verge) cancer were excluded. Progression-free survival, local recurrence rate, distant metastasis rate, and overall survival were the evaluated outcomes.

Results

Eighty-one patients met the selection criteria; 23 and 58 patients had perforation and obstruction, respectively, as the initial symptom. The median age was 72 years. The median tumor stage was stage IIIB. The 1-year and 3-year survival rates were 83.7 and 59.7%, respectively. The perforation group (PRG) and obstruction group (OBG) did not differ significantly in intensive care unit (ICU) stay rate (p = 0.147), sex (p = 0.45), comorbidities (heart, liver, and renal diseases and diabetes mellitus), median stage (p = 0.198), and overall survival (p = 0.328). However, PRG had a higher age at diagnosis (74 vs. 64 years, p = 0.037), a higher APACHE II score (12 vs. 7, p = 0.002), lower disease-free survival (p = 0.001), a higher recurrence rate (56.5 vs. 19%, p = 0.002), a higher distant metastasis rate (39.1 vs. 13.8%, p = 0.015), and a higher local recurrence rate (43.5 vs. 5.2%, p < 0.001) than did OBG. OBG had a higher two-stage operation rate (46.6 vs. 17.4%, p = 0.022). After adjustment for the tumor stage, comorbidity (chronic renal disease), body mass index (BMI), and adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy in multivariate statistics, PRG had lower disease-free survival (p = 0.005) than OBG but overall survival was identical.

Conclusion

For colon cancer initially presenting as perforation or obstruction, the PRG had poorer progression-free survival, a higher local recurrence rate, and a higher distant metastasis rate than did OBG. Overall survival did not differ between these two groups.

Emergency Presentations of Colorectal Cancer

Many colorectal carcinomas will present emergently with issues such as obstruction, perforation, and bleeding. Emergency surgery is associated with poor short- and long-term outcomes. For abnormality localizing to the colon proximal to the splenic flexure, surgical management with hemicolectomy is often a safe and appropriate approach. Obstructions are more common in the distal colon, however, where there is an evolving spectrum of surgical and nonsurgical options, most notably by the development of endoluminal stents. Perforation and bleeding are managed similarly to benign causes, as malignancy may be only part of a differential diagnosis at the time of an operation.

Postoperative recurrence and risk factors of colorectal cancer perforation

PURPOSE

The common causes of colorectal perforation are benign. However, perforated colorectal cancer confers a risk of recurrence in the long term because of the malignant nature of the disease. In addition, the recurrence rate can also increase because of dissemination of cancer cells, reduced extent of lymph node dissection to prioritize saving life, and other reasons.

METHODS

We evaluated the clinical features and postoperative recurrence in patients with perforated colorectal cancer who developed general peritonitis and underwent emergency surgery during a 7-year period between April 2007 and March 2014.

RESULTS

During the study period, 44 patients had colorectal cancer perforation. The cancer sites were the ascending colon in 6 patients, transverse colon in 1, descending colon in 4, sigmoid colon in 15, and rectum in 18. The disease stage was stage II in 18 patients, stage III in 15, and stage IV in 7. Among 22 patients who could be followed up, 8 had postoperative recurrence. The recurrence rates were 18.2% for stage II cancer and 54.5% for stage III. Postoperative recurrence was more likely to occur in the patients positive for lymph node metastasis, those with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, those with T4 cancer, and those who did not receive postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

The recurrence rate was higher in the patients with perforated colorectal cancer than in those who underwent surgery for common colorectal cancer. The prognosis can be expected to improve by performing standard surgical procedures, to the maximum extent possible, followed by postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.

Evaluation of the patients with colorectal cancer undergoing emergent curative surgery

Background

The aim of our study is to evaluate perioperative and mid-term oncologic outcomes of the patients with colorectal cancer, who underwent emergent curative surgery.

Methods

The study included all patients with colorectal cancer, who underwent surgery for curative intent between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2014 in General Surgery Department of Kartal Training and Research Hospital. The patients were divided into two groups according to the type of admission (emergent or elective). The data of the patients were retrospectively collected with chart review. Demographic characteristics of the patients, ASA scores, emergent indications and surgical interventions, postoperative complications, pathological findings, oncological therapy, and follow-up findings were investigated.

Results

Fifty-one and 209 patients were evaluated in both groups, respectively. Rate of right sided and sigmoid/recto-sigmoid tumors were significantly higher in emergent group. Ostomy rate, early morbidity, ICU need, transfusion, and mortality rates in emergent group were significantly higher than elective group. Average length of hospital stay in emergent group was also significantly longer in elective group (11.2 ± 3.2 vs. 8.4 ± 2.4 days). The patients in emergent group had a much lower survival rate than those in elective group.

Conclusion

In our study, emergency presentation of colorectal cancer was found associated with increased morbidity, a longer length of stay, increased in-hospital mortality, advanced pathologic stage and worsened long term survival in even same stages.

Postoperative mortality and morbidity in older patients undergoing emergency right hemicolectomy for colon cancer

INTRODUCTION

Even with the advances in surgical technique and perioperative care, morbidity and mortality after colorectal cancer surgery remain considerable, and patients (pt) who present as an emergency have an even higher mortality and morbidity rate.

METHODS

A total of 35 pt with caecum or ascending colon cancer between January 2007 and June 2015, three departments in Italy and in Poland, were included in the study. The intention of surgery in all cases was curative resection with ileo-colic anastomosis. Comparative statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Acute bowel obstruction was the major complication of CRC that led to an emergency hemicolectomy. Postoperative mortality and morbidity rates were in total 12.5 and 28.1%, respectively. All the deaths happened in Poland. Of the pt, 42.8% had morbidity in Poland and 16.6% in Italy. Out of the pt, 25% presenting with perforation: 25% died, 25% had wound dehiscence, 12.5% had pulmonary oedema, and 12.5% had an intra-abdominal abscess. The mean age of the pt with complications in Poland and in Italy was 79.3 and 72.0 years, respectively.

CONCLUSION

We observed that particularly lethal combination is older age, perforation with peritonitis and advanced stage of the cancer.