Laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancer is widely used. However, robust evidence to conclude that laparoscopic surgery and open surgery have similar outcomes in rectal cancer is lacking. A trial ...was designed to compare 3-year rates of cancer recurrence in the pelvic or perineal area (locoregional recurrence) and survival after laparoscopic and open resection of rectal cancer.
In this international trial conducted in 30 hospitals, we randomly assigned patients with a solitary adenocarcinoma of the rectum within 15 cm of the anal verge, not invading adjacent tissues, and without distant metastases to undergo either laparoscopic or open surgery in a 2:1 ratio. The primary end point was locoregional recurrence 3 years after the index surgery. Secondary end points included disease-free and overall survival.
A total of 1044 patients were included (699 in the laparoscopic-surgery group and 345 in the open-surgery group). At 3 years, the locoregional recurrence rate was 5.0% in the two groups (difference, 0 percentage points; 90% confidence interval CI, -2.6 to 2.6). Disease-free survival rates were 74.8% in the laparoscopic-surgery group and 70.8% in the open-surgery group (difference, 4.0 percentage points; 95% CI, -1.9 to 9.9). Overall survival rates were 86.7% in the laparoscopic-surgery group and 83.6% in the open-surgery group (difference, 3.1 percentage points; 95% CI, -1.6 to 7.8).
Laparoscopic surgery in patients with rectal cancer was associated with rates of locoregional recurrence and disease-free and overall survival similar to those for open surgery. (Funded by Ethicon Endo-Surgery Europe and others; COLOR II ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00297791.).
Several factors and patient characteristics influence the risk of surgical wound dehiscence and incisional hernia after midline laparotomy. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a ...specified, or not specified, suture quota in the operative report affects the incidence of surgical wound complications and to describe the previously known risk factors for these complications.
Retrospective data collection from medical records of all vascular procedures and laparotomies engaging the small intestines, colon and rectum performed in 2010. Patients were enrolled from four hospitals in the region Västra Götaland, Sweden. Unadjusted and adjusted Cox regression analyses were used when calculating the impact of the risk factors for surgical wound dehiscence and incisional hernia.
A total of 1,621 patients were included in the study. Wound infection was a risk factor for both wound dehiscence and incisional hernia. BMI 25-30, 30-35 and >35 were risk factors for wound dehiscence and BMI 30-35 was a risk factor for incisional hernia. We did not find that documentation of the details of suture technique, regarding wound and suture length, influenced the rate of wound dehiscence or incisional hernia.
These results support previous findings identifying wound infection and high BMI as risk factors for both wound dehiscence and incisional hernia. Our study indicates the importance of preventive measures against wound infection and a preoperative dietary regiment could be considered as a routine worth testing for patients with high BMI planned for abdominal surgical precedures.
Abstract Background In colorectal cancer patients, loop ileostomies are used to protect an anastomosis, in salvage surgery after a complication, and as a palliative measure. The aim of this study was ...to identify complications to the ileostomy, time until reversal, and risk factors for nonclosure or a permanent stoma. Material and methods Consecutive patients who received a loop ileostomy with the diagnosis of colorectal cancer at index surgery in four hospitals in Region Västra Götaland, Sweden, from January 1, 2007 until February 28, 2010 were retrospectively studied. Demography, events during index surgery, complications related to the ileostomy and technique, and complications during closure were registered. Results A total of 262 patients received a loop ileostomy. Loop iliostomies were constructed during emergency surgery in 15% of patients. Forty-three percent had complications related to the ileostomy; most common were high-volume output and leakage of stomal output. Morbidity after closure was high, at 28%, and mortality was 1%. Eighty-six percent had their stoma closed, median time 178 (3–700) d. Risk factors for nonreversal were postoperative complications to index surgery and advanced cancer disease. Eleven percent received a secondary stoma, and at the end of the study 23% had a permanent stoma. Conclusions The morbidity related to loop ileostomies and loop ileostomy closure is considerable. One in five patients will have a permanent stoma, and our conclusion is that for emergency patients with advanced disease another type of stoma should be chosen, if possible, to reduce the morbidity.
Colorectal cancer is primarily a condition of older adults, and surgery is the cornerstone of treatment. As life expectancy is increasing and surgical techniques and perioperative care are ...developing, curative surgery is often conducted even in ageing populations. However, the risk of morbidity, functional decline, and mortality following colorectal cancer resection surgery are known to increase with increasing age. This study aims to describe real-world data about postoperative mortality and morbidity after resection surgery for colorectal cancer in the elderly (≥ 70 years) compared to younger patients (< 70 years), in a Swedish setting.
A cohort study including all patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer in a Swedish region of 1.7 million inhabitants between January 2016 and May 2020. Patients were identified through the Swedish Colorectal Cancer Registry, and all baseline and outcome variables were extracted from the registry. The following outcome measures were compared between the two age groups: 90-day mortality rates, postoperative complications, postoperative intensive care, reoperations, readmissions, and 1-year mortality. To adjust the analyses for baseline confounders in the comparison of the outcome variables, the following methods were used: marginal matching, calliper (ID matching), and logistic regression adjusted for baseline confounders.
The cohort consisted of 5246 patients, of which 3849 (73%) underwent resection surgery. Patients that underwent resection surgery were significantly younger than those who did not (mean ± SD, 70.9 ± 11.4 years vs 73.7 ± 12.8 years, p < 0.001). Multivariable analyses revealed that both 90-day and 1-year mortality rates were higher in older patients that underwent resection surgery (90-day mortality OR 2.12 95% CI 1.26-3.59, p < 0.005). However, there were no significant differences in postoperative intensive care, postoperative complications, reoperations, or readmissions.
Elderly patients suffer increased postoperative mortality after resection surgery for colorectal cancer compared to younger individuals. Given the growing elderly population that will continue to require surgery for colorectal cancer, more efficient ways of determining and handling individual risk for older adults need to be implemented in clinical practice.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide, with a median age of 72-75 years at diagnosis. Curative treatment usually involves surgery; if left untreated, symptoms may require ...emergency surgery. Therefore, most patients will be accepted for surgery, despite of high age or comorbidity. It is known that elderly patients suffer higher risks after surgery than younger patients, in terms of complications and mortality. Assessing frailty and offering frail elderly patients individualized treatment according to the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and care concept has been shown to improve the outcome for frail elderly patients in other clinical contexts.
This randomized controlled multicentre trial aims to investigate if CGA and care prior to curatively intended surgery for CRC in frail elderly patients will improve postoperative outcome. All patients ≥ 70 years with surgically curable CRC will be screened for frailty using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS-9). Frail patients will be offered inclusion. Randomization is stratified for colon or rectal cancer. Patients in the intervention group are, in addition to standard protocol, treated according to CGA and care. This consists of individualized assessments and interventions, established by a multiprofessional team. Patients in the control group are treated according to best known practice as stipulated by Swedish colorectal cancer treatment guidelines, within an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) setting. The primary outcome is 90-day mortality. Secondary outcomes are the length of hospital stay and total number of hospital days within 3 months, discharge destination, 30-day readmission, ADL, safe medication assessment, CFS-9 score, complications, Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) at 2-month follow-up in comparison to baseline measurements, health economical calculations including cost-effectiveness analysis based on costs of hospital care and primary care, mortality and HRQoL at baseline, 2- and 12-month follow-up and all-cause 1-year mortality.
The trial is the first of its size and extent to investigate intervention with CGA and care prior to surgery for CRC in frail elderly patients. If this addition proves to be favourable, it could have implications on future care of frail elderly patients with CRC.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04358328. Registered on 4 February 2020.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to evaluate renal morbidity after a temporary loop ileostomy and to identify possible preoperative risk factors.
Method
Consecutive patients at four hospitals ...serving 1,520,000 inhabitants who received a temporary loop ileostomy and underwent subsequent closure were identified and retrospectively studied from 1 January 2007 until 28 February 2010. Serum creatinine levels were obtained 1 week before index surgery and 1 week before closure of the loop ileostomy. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the CKD-EPI formula.
Results
Three hundred eight patients with median age of 64 were identified. The indication for the loop ileostomy was colorectal cancer (226), inflammatory bowel disease (41), diverticulosis (8), and other conditions (33). Median time until closure was 161 days (3–873). There was a decrease in eGFR at time of closure (89 vs. 83;
p
< 0.0001), and the number of patients with renal impairment (eGFR <60) increased (7.5 vs. 21 %,
p
< 0.0001). Preoperative risk factors for eGFR <60 at closure were age and hypertension.
Conclusions
This study found that a loop ileostomy is associated with a reduced renal function for most patients, especially for older and hypertensive patients. This should be considered before constructing a loop ileostomy, and perhaps another stoma should be chosen if possible in patients at risk. Evaluation of medications before discharge and early and frequent postoperative follow-up could also reduce the risk of a reduced renal function.
High rates of negative intrusive thoughts have been reported among cancer patients. Prevalent users of beta-blocker therapy have reported lower levels of cancer related intrusive thoughts than ...non-user. The aim of this study is to investigate if initiation of beta-blocker therapy reduces the prevalence and severity of intrusive thoughts (co-primary endpoints) and the prevalence of anxiety, depressed mood, and low quality of life (secondary endpoints) in cancer survivors.
Data on patient-reported outcomes from three cohort studies of Swedish patients diagnosed with colon, prostate or rectal cancer were combined with data on beta-blocker prescriptions retrieved from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. Two randomized controlled trials were emulated. Trial 1 had follow-up 1 year after diagnosis, trial 2 had follow-up 2 years after diagnosis, baseline in both trials was 12 months before follow-up. Those who initiated beta-blocker therapy between baseline and follow-up was assigned Active group, those who did not was assigned Control group. All endpoints were analysed using Bayesian ordered logistic regression.
Trial 1 consisted of Active group, n = 59, and Control group, n = 3936. Trial 2 consisted of Active group, n = 87, and Control group, n = 3132. The majority of participants were men, 83% in trial 1 and 94% in trial 2. The prevalence and severity of intrusive thoughts were lower in the Active group in trial 1, but no significant differences between groups were found in either trial. The prevalence of depressed mood, worse quality of life and periods of anxiety were higher in the Active group in both trials with significant differences for quality of life in trial 1 and anxiety in trial 2.
The emulated trials demonstrated no evidence of a protective effect of beta-blocker therapy against intrusive thoughts. The Active group had reduced quality of life and elevated anxiety compared to the Control group.
The three cohort studies were registered at isrctn.com/clinicaltrials.gov (ISRCTN06393679, NCT02530593 and NCT01477229).
Follow-up after colorectal cancer treatment has previously been studied in several randomised clinical trials, with the aim of providing an evidence base for a follow-up algorithm.2 However, the ...primary endpoints of these trials was often detection of recurrence or survival. The authors have reported interim 1-year QOL results from their 5-year study that compared GP-led follow-up with standard surgeon-led follow-up for patients with colon cancer. A review6 published in 2020 suggested that hospital-based follow-up remains more common than GP-based follow-up for patients with colon cancer.
The aim of this study was to compare LAP with OPEN regarding short-term mortality, morbidity and completeness of the cancer resection for colon cancer in a routine health care setting using ...population based register data. All 13,683 patients who were diagnosed 2012-2018 and underwent elective surgery for right-sided or sigmoid colon cancer were included from the Swedish Colorectal Cancer Registry and the National Patient Registry. Primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes were 90-day mortality, length of hospital stay, reoperation, readmission and positive resection margin (R1). Weighted and unweighted multi regression analyses were performed. There were no difference in 30-day mortality: LAP (0.9%) and OPEN (1.3%) (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.62-1.29, P = 0.545). The weighted analyses showed an increased 90-day mortality following OPEN, P < 0.001. Re-operations and re-admission were more frequent after OPEN and length of hospital stay was 2.9 days shorter following LAP (P < 0.001). R1 resections were significantly more common in the OPEN group in the unweighted and weighted analysis with P = 0.004 and P < 0.001 respectively. Therefore, the favourable short-term outcomes following elective LAP versus OPEN resection for colon cancer in routine health care indicate an advantage of laparoscopic surgery.
Purpose
The impact of anal cancer treatment for the patients is best evaluated by the patients themselves. The purpose of this study was to investigate quality of life (QoL) in patients with anal ...cancer at 3 and 6 years after treatment.
Methods
A Swedish national cross-sectional prospective cohort study with patients diagnosed with anal cancer between 2011 and 2013. Patients were invited to respond to a QoL questionnaire at 3 and 6 years, with focus on bowel, urinary and sexual function, social and mental function, co-morbidity, lifestyle, daily activities, personal characteristics, and perceived QoL. It also contained questions on the severity of the symptoms regarding occurrence, frequency, and duration and the level of “bother” experienced related to functional symptoms.
QoL and prevalence of bother with urinary, sexual, bowel dysfunction, and anal pain were described. The prevalence of impaired QoL was compared with a healthy reference population. The association between QoL and experiencing bother was quantified by regression models.
Results
From an original cohort of 464 patients with anal cancer, 264 (57%) were alive and contacted at 3 years and 230 (50%) at 6 years. One hundred ninety-five (74%) patients responded to the 3-year and 152 (66%) to the 6-year questionnaire. Sixty percent reported low QoL at both 3 and 6 years. Impaired QoL was more prevalent among patients with major bother due to bowel dysfunction (at 3 years RR 1.42, 95% CI (1.06–1.9)
p
-value 0.020, at 6 years RR 1.52, 95% CI (1.03–2.24)
p
-value 0.034) and urinary dysfunction (at 6 years RR 1.44, 95% CI (1.08–1.91)
p
-value 0.013). There was a tendency to a positive relationship between the number of bodily functions causing bother and risk for impaired QoL.
Conclusion
Patients treated for anal cancer reported bother regarding several bodily functions as well as poor QoL both at 3 and 6 years without much improvement. Bother was also associated with low QoL indicating that function-related bother should be addressed.
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