The ability of magnetic resonance imaging to predict lymph node metastases and the risk of recurrence in rectal cancer.

AIM: This study aimed to examine the diagnostic accuracy and prognostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detected lymph nodes in rectal cancer. METHOD: We evaluated 806 rectal cancer patients consecutively operated on between 2015 and 2018 at Helsinki University Hospital. In total, 485 patients met the inclusion criteria of presenting with stage I-III disease and were intended for curative treatment at the time of diagnosis. The effect of MRI-detected clinical lymph node status (cN) on cumulative overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS) and disease-free survival (DFS) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: Negative predictive value (NPV) of MRI-lymphnode negativity was 74.8%. Positive predictive value of lymph node metastasis was only 48.6%. In the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, OS (p = 0.989), DSS (p = 0.911), and DFS (p = 0.109) did not significantly differ according to MRI nodal status. However, cumulative disease-free survival significantly (p < 0.001) differed according to the histopathological lymph node metastasis status (pN). CONCLUSIONS: MRI detected lymph node positivity appears insufficiently precise and cannot predict disease recurrence or survival. Therefore, it should not serve as an independent risk factor when considering neoadjuvant treatment options for rectal cancer patients.

The prognostic value of extramural venous invasion in preoperative MRI of rectal cancer patients.

AIM: This study aimed to examine the prognostic value of extramural venous invasion observed in preoperative MRI on survival and recurrences. METHOD: In total, 778 rectal cancer patients were evaluated in multidisciplinary meetings in Helsinki University Hospital during the years 2016-2018. 635 patients met the inclusion criteria of stage I-III disease and were intended for curative treatment at the time of diagnosis. 128 had extramural venous invasion in preoperative MRI. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 2.5 years. In a univariate analysis extramural venous invasion was associated with poorer disease-specific survival (hazard ratio [HR] 2.174, 95% CI 1.118-4.224, P = 0.022), whereas circumferential margin ≤1 mm, tumour stage ≥T3c or nodal positivity were not. Disease recurrence occurred in 17.3% of the patients: 13.4% had metastatic recurrence only, 1.7% mere local recurrence and 2.2% both metastatic and local recurrence. In multivariate analysis, extramural venous invasion (HR 1.734, 95% CI 1.127-2.667, P = 0.012) and nodal positivity (HR 1.627, 95% CI 1.071-2.472, P = 0.023) were risk factors for poorer disease-free survival (DFS). Circumferential margin ≤1 mm was a risk factor for local recurrence in multivariate analysis (HR 5.675, 95% CI 1.274-25.286, P = 0.023). CONCLUSION: In MRI, circumferential margin ≤1 mm is a risk factor for local recurrence, but the risk is quite well controlled with chemoradiotherapy and extended surgery. Extramural venous invasion instead is a significant risk factor for poorer DFS and new tools to reduce the systemic recurrence risk are needed.

Impact of mesorectal extranodal tumor deposits in magnetic resonance imaging on outcome of rectal cancer patients.

AIM: Mesorectal extranodal tumor deposits (TDs) are identified in many rectal cancers. Their radiological features differ from metastatic lymph nodes, and they can be detected with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of rectal cancer TDs detected with MRI and their impact on overall (OS), cancer-specific (CSS), and disease-free survival (DFS) and the local recurrence rate. METHOD: In this retrospective cohort study, we screened all 525 consecutive rectal cancer patients who underwent surgery during 2017-2018 in a tertiary center. Patients with synchronous metastases or who had not undergone MRI were excluded. We analyzed the OS, CSS, and DFS as well as local recurrences. RESULTS: Of the 480 included patients, TDs were detected in the images of 81 (16.9 %). Extramural venous invasion (EMVI) and TDs were frequently found together (n = 50, 61.7 % of all cases with TDs). The presence of TDs alone [hazard ratio (HR) 1.66 (1.03-2.68)] or TDs and/or EMVI [HR 1.63 (1.01-2.62)] were risk factors for adverse DFS in multivariate Cox regression analysis. The OS and CSS rates were poorer among patients with TDs compared to those without, p = 0.009 and p < 0.001, respectively. TDs were also a risk factor for local recurrence in the univariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: TDs detected with imaging are a risk factor for impaired DFS and associated with impaired CSS and OS of rectal cancer patients and should be taken into consideration in clinical decision-making.

Impact of hospital volume on failure to rescue for complications requiring reoperation after elective colorectal surgery: multicentre propensity score-matched cohort study.

BACKGROUND: It has previously been reported that there are similar reoperation rates after elective colorectal surgery but higher failure-to-rescue (FTR) rates in low-volume hospitals (LVHs) versus high-volume hospitals (HVHs). This study assessed the effect of hospital volume on reoperation rate and FTR after reoperation following elective colorectal surgery in a matched cohort. METHODS: Population-based retrospective multicentre cohort study of adult patients undergoing reoperation for a complication after an elective, non-centralized colorectal operation between 2006 and 2017 in 11 hospitals. Hospitals were divided into either HVHs (3 hospitals, median ≥126 resections per year) or LVHs (8 hospitals, <126 resections per year). Patients were propensity score-matched (PSM) for baseline characteristics as well as indication and type of elective surgery. Primary outcome was FTR. RESULTS: A total of 6428 and 3020 elective colorectal resections were carried out in HVHs and LVHs, of which 217 (3.4%) and 165 (5.5%) underwent reoperation (P < 0.001), respectively. After PSM, 142 patients undergoing reoperation remained in both HVH and LVH groups for final analyses. FTR rate was 7.7% in HVHs and 10.6% in LVHs (P = 0.410). The median Comprehensive Complication Index was 21.8 in HVHs and 29.6 in LVHs (P = 0.045). There was no difference in median ICU-free days, length of stay, the risk for permanent ostomy or overall survival between the groups. CONCLUSION: The reoperation rate and postoperative complication burden was higher in LVHs with no significant difference in FTR compared with HVHs.

Stoma reversal after Hartmann's procedure for acute diverticulitis.

BACKGROUND: Hartmann's procedure is a treatment option for perforated acute diverticulitis, especially when organ dysfunction(s) are present. Its use has been criticized mostly out of fear of high permanent stoma rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of stoma reversal, reasons behind nonreversal, and safety of reversal surgery. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective study of patients undergoing urgent Hartmann's procedure due to acute diverticulitis between the years 2006 and 2017 with follow-up until March 2021. RESULTS: A total of 3,319 episodes of diverticulitis in 2,932 patients were screened. The Hartmann's procedure was performed on 218 patients, of whom 157 (72%) had peritonitis (48 (22%) with organ dysfunction). At 2-years, 76 (34.9%) patients had died with stoma, 42 (19.3%) were alive with stoma, and 100 (45.9%) had undergone stoma reversal. The survival of patients with and without reversal were 100% and 42.7% at 1-year, 96.0% and 35.0% at 2-years and 88.9% and 20.7% at 5-years, respectively. The risk factors for nonreversal were old age, a need for outside assistance, low HElsinki Staging for Acute Diverticulitis stage, and higher C-reactive protein level upon hospital admission. The most common reasons for nonreversal in surviving patients were patient not willing to have the operation 18 (41%) and dementia 10 (23%). Twelve (12%) patients had a major complication after reversal (Clavien-Dindo IIIb-IV) and 90-day mortality after reversal was 0%. CONCLUSION: After the Hartmann's procedure for acute diverticulitis, one-third died, half underwent stoma reversal, and one-fifth did not undergo stoma reversal within 2 years. Patients who survive with stoma are either not willing to have reversal or have severe comorbidities excluding elective surgery. The Hartmann's procedure remains a viable option for high-risk patients with perforated acute diverticulitis.

Failure to rescue after reoperation for major complications of elective and emergency colorectal surgery: A population-based multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: As surgical complications inevitably occur, minimizing the failure-to-rescue rate is of paramount interest. Most of the failure-to-rescue research in colorectal surgery has previously focused on elective surgery and anastomotic dehiscence. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare the major postoperative complications demanding reoperation after elective versus emergency colorectal surgery, and to the identify risk factors for failure-to-rescue. METHODS: In this population-based retrospective multicenter cohort study, adult patients undergoing a reoperation for colorectal surgery complication between 2006 and 2017 in 10 hospitals were included. The data were manually extracted. Failure-to-rescue was defined as 90-day mortality after the reoperation. RESULTS: In total, 14,290 patients underwent index colorectal resection, of which 862 (5.8%) underwent emergency reoperation within 30 days (438 [4.3%] after elective, 424 [10.4%] after emergency index operation, P < .001). The failure-to-rescue overall rate was 17.4% (8.0% after elective vs 27.1% after emergency index operation, P < .001). The 4 most common complications were anastomotic dehiscence (36.6%, 316 patients), fascial rupture (23.5%, 203 patients), intra-abdominal bleeding (15.3%, 131 patients), and bowel obstruction (10.2%, 88 patients). The majority (640 patients, 74.2%) had 1 of these complications; 261 patients (30.3%) had multiple complications. In multivariable analyses, the only possibly preventable independent risk factor for failure-to-rescue was perioperative organ failure at the time of reoperation. CONCLUSION: Major complications requiring reoperation occur more than twice as often after emergency surgery and have a higher failure-to-rescue rate of >3× compared with elective surgery. The 4 most common complication types constitute three-fourths of the complications, providing a target for quality improvement.