To investigate the usefulness of multistate models (MSM) for determining colorectal cancer (CRC) recurrence rate, to analyse the effect of different factors on tumour recurrence and death, and to ...assess the impact of recurrence for CRC prognosis.
Observational follow-up study of incident CRC cases disease-free after curative resection in 2006–2013 (n = 994). Recurrence and mortality were analyzed with MSM, as well as covariate effects on transition probabilities.
Cumulative incidence of recurrence at 60 months was 13.7%. Five years after surgery, 70.3% of patients were alive and recurrence-free, and 8.4% were alive after recurrence.
Recurrence has a negative impact on prognosis, with 5-year CRC-related mortality increasing from 3.8% for those who are recurrence-free 1-year after surgery to 33.6% for those with a recurrence.
Advanced stage increases recurrence risk (HR = 1.53) and CRC-related mortality after recurrence (HR = 2.35). CRC-related death was associated with age in recurrence-free patients, and with comorbidity after recurrence.
As expected, age≥75 years was a risk factor for non-CRC-related death with (HR = 7.76) or without recurrence (HR = 4.26), while its effect on recurrence risk was not demonstrated.
MSM allows detailed analysis of recurrence and mortality in CRC. Recurrence has a negative impact on prognosis. Advanced stage was a determining factor for recurrence and CRC-death after recurrence.
Improved colorectal cancer (CRC) survival rates have been reported over the last years, with more than half of these patients surviving more than 5 years after the initial diagnosis. Better ...understanding these so-called long-term survivors could be very useful to further improve their prognosis as well as to detect other problems that may cause a significant deterioration in their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Cure models provide novel statistical tools to better estimate the long-term survival rate for cancer and to identify characteristics that are differentially associated with a short or long-term prognosis. The aim of this study will be to investigate the long-term prognosis of CRC patients, characterise long-term CRC survivors and their HRQoL, and demonstrate the utility of statistical cure models to analyse survival and other associated factors in these patients.
This is a single-centre, ambispective, observational follow-up study in a cohort of n = 1945 patients with CRC diagnosed between 2006 and 2013. A HRQoL sub-study will be performed in the survivors of a subset of n = 485 CRC patients for which baseline HRQoL data from the time of their diagnosis is already available. Information obtained from interviews and the clinical records for each patient in the cohort is already available in a computerised database from previous studies. This data includes sociodemographic characteristics, family history of cancer, comorbidities, perceived symptoms, tumour characteristics at diagnosis, type of treatment, and diagnosis and treatment delay intervals. For the follow-up, information regarding local recurrences, development of metastases, new tumours, and mortality will be updated using hospital records. The HRQoL for long-term survivors will be assessed with the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR29 questionnaires. An analysis of global and specific survival (competitive risk models) will be performed. Relative survival will be estimated and mixture cure models will be applied. Finally, HRQoL will be analysed through multivariate regression models.
We expect the results from this study to help us to more accurately determine the long-term survival of CRC, identify the needs and clinical situation of long-term CRC survivors, and could be used to propose new models of care for the follow-up of CRC patients.
Epidermolysis bullosa encompasses a group of disorders characterized by the development of blisters on the skin and mucous membranes after minimal trauma. Gastrointestinal involvement is almost ...always present in the recessive dystrophic form, with the esophagus being one of the most frequent sites of extracutaneous manifestations. The most common symptom is dysphagia, which is usually secondary to esophageal blisters that evolve to scar tissue and stenosis.
We report the case of a 48-year-old woman with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa who was referred because of dysphagia, with suspected esophageal stenosis. Pediatric gastroscopy was abandoned due to the development of blistering of the hypopharynx caused by the instrument and the apparent presence of extrinsic esophageal compression. To continue the examination, cervical computed tomography was performed, showing an image compatible with a paraesophageal abscess. After evaluating the risk-benefit ratio of performing endoscopic biopsy-drainage, we decided on conservative treatment, achieving favorable results and complete symptom resolution.
We describe a case of paraesophageal abscess associated with epidermolysis bullosa, a rare cause of dysphagia in these patients, which was resolved with antibiotic and steroid treatment. In patients with this disease, invasive procedures, including endoscopy, have a high success rate. Despite the safety of these techniques, the utmost precautions should be taken, an appropriate technique should be used, and other diagnostic options should be considered.
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