Design and implementation of multicenter pediatric and congenital studies with cardiovascular magnetic resonance: Big data in smaller bodies.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has become the reference standard for quantitative and qualitative assessment of ventricular function, blood flow, and myocardial tissue characterization. There is a preponderance of large CMR studies and registries in adults; However, similarly powered studies are lacking for the pediatric and congenital heart disease (PCHD) population. To date, most CMR studies in children are limited to small single or multicenter studies, thereby limiting the conclusions that can be drawn. Within the PCHD CMR community, a collaborative effort has been successfully employed to recognize knowledge gaps with the aim to embolden the development and initiation of high-quality, large-scale multicenter research. In this publication, we highlight the underlying challenges and provide a practical guide toward the development of larger, multicenter initiatives focusing on PCHD populations, which can serve as a model for future multicenter efforts.

Impact of Bundled Payment Care Improvement Initiative on Health Care Expenditure in Major Bowel Procedures.

BACKGROUND: The Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative links payments for Medicare beneficiaries during an episode of care (90 days from index surgery). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine whether major bowel participating Bundled Payments for Care Improvement organizations experience greater cost savings for colectomy while maintaining satisfactory quality outcomes compared to nonparticipating organizations. DESIGN: This is an Analysis of all Bundled Payments for Care Improvement participating hospitals for major bowel procedures (major bowel group) and propensity score-matched against Bundled Payments for Care Improvement organizations that do not include major bowel procedures (nonmajor bowel group) and those that do not participate in any Bundled Payments for Care Improvement program (non-Bundled Payments for Care Improvement group). SETTING: Programs accepting Medicare and Medicaid in the United States. PATIENTS: Patients included were major bowel cases in the Medicare Standard Analytic file within Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Groups 329-331 at participating facilities between January 1, 2011, and June 30, 2016. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Main outcome measures included average total care expenditure and quality of care (length of stay, morbidity, and mortality) from 3 days preoperatively to 90 days postoperatively. RESULTS: We abstracted 7609 major bowel episodes from 23 major bowel group facilities, 21,872 episodes from nonmajor bowel-matched hospitals, and 19,383 episodes from non-Bundled Payments for Care Improvement-matched hospitals. From the baseline (January 2011 to June 2012) to final period (July 2015 to June 2016), we noted a $2955 average reduction in care expenditures. The largest decrease in average total episode expenditure occurred within the major bowel group (14% reduction) compared to the other groups (6% reduction for nonmajor bowel and 5% reduction for non-Bundled Payments for Care Improvement). Utilizing a generalized estimating equation to adjust for patient demographics, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics, the average total episode expenditure for the major bowel group decreased by $4885 (95% CI $4838-$4932; p < 0.001) compared to $2050 (95% CI $2038-$2061) for the non-Bundled Payments for Care Improvement group. All groups had similar reductions in length of stay, 30-day and 90-day complication rates, and readmission rates. LIMITATIONS: Analyses were limited by the retrospective nature of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Bundled Payments for Care Improvement participation for major bowel procedures resulted in a greater decrease in average total cost per episode of care than in nonparticipating hospitals without compromise in quality of care. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B837.IMPACTO DE LA INICIATIVA BUNDLED PAYMENT AGRUPADOS PARA LA MEJORA DE LA ATENCIÓN DEL GASTO SANITARIO EN LOS PROCEDIMIENTOS INTESTINALES MAYORESANTECEDENTES:La iniciativa de Bundled Payment para la mejora de la atención vincula los pagos para los beneficiarios de Medicare durante un episodio de atención (90 días desde la cirugía índice).OBJETIVO:Determinar si las principales organizaciones de Bundled Payment para el mejoramiento de la atención relacionados a los procedimientos intestinales experimentan mayores ahorros en los costos para una colectomía manteniendo resultados satisfactorios de calidad en comparación con las organizaciones no participantes.DISEÑO:Análisis de todos los hospitales participantes del programa Bundled Payment para la mejora de la atención para procedimientos intestinales mayores (grupo que incluyen procedimientos intestinales mayores) y puntaje de propensión comparado con las organizaciones que no incluyen dichos procedimientos (grupo que no incluye procedimientos intestinales mayores) y aquellos que no participan en ningún programa de Bundled Payment para la mejora de la atención (grupo no BPCI).MARCO:Programas que aceptan Medicare y Medicaid en los Estados Unidos.PACIENTES:Casos intestinales mayores en el archivo analítico estándar de Medicare dentro de los grupos relacionados con el diagnóstico 329-331 en los centros participantes entre el 1/1/2011-30/6/2016.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Gasto total promedio y calidad de la atención (duración de la estadía, morbilidad, mortalidad) desde los 3 días preoperatorio hasta los 90 días postoperatorio.RESULTADOS:Hemos extraído 7609 episodios intestinales mayores de 23 instalaciones del grupo que incluyen procedimientos intestinales mayores, 21.872 episodios de hospitales del grupo que no incluyen procedimientos intestinales mayores y 19.383 episodios de hospitales del grupo no BPCI. Desde la línea de base (1/2011 - 6/2012) hasta el período final (7/2015 - 6/2016), notamos una reducción promedio de $2955 en los gastos de atención. La mayor disminución en el gasto promedio total por episodios ocurrió dentro del grupo que incluyen intestinales mayores (14% de reducción) en comparación con los otros grupos (6% de reducción para el grupo que no incluyen procedimientos intestinales mayores, 5% de reducción para el no BPCI). Utilizando una ecuación de estimación generalizada para ajustar los datos demográficos del paciente, las comorbilidades y las características del hospital, el gasto total promedio por episodio para el grupo que incluyen procedimientos intestinales mayores disminuyó en $ 4885 (IC del 95%: $4838-4932; p <0,001) en comparación con $2050 (IC del 95%: $2038-2061) para el grupo que no pertenece al programa BPCI. Todos los grupos tuvieron reducciones similares en la duración de la estancia, tasas de complicaciones de 30/90 días y de readmisión.LIMITACIONES:Análisis limitados por la naturaleza retrospectiva del estudio.CONCLUSIONES:La participación de Bundled Payment para la mejora de la atención en aquellos procedimientos intestinales mayores resultó en una disminución mayor en el costo total promedio por episodio de atención que en los hospitales no participantes, sin comprometer la calidad de la atención. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B837. (Traducción-Dr Osvaldo Gauto).

Tumour genotypes account for survival differences in right- and left-sided colon cancers.

AIM: We sought to identify genetic differences between right- and left-sided colon cancers and using these differences explain lower survival in right-sided cancers. METHOD: A retrospective review of patients diagnosed with colon cancer was performed using The Cancer Genome Atlas, a cancer genetics registry with patient and tumour data from 20 North American institutions. The primary outcome was 5-year overall survival. Predictors for survival were identified using directed acyclic graphs and Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: A total of 206 right- and 214 left-sided colon cancer patients with 84 recorded deaths were identified. The frequency of mutated alleles differed significantly in 12 of 25 genes between right- and left-sided tumours. Right-sided tumours had worse survival with a hazard ratio of 1.71 (95% confidence interval 1.10-2.64, P = 0.017). The total effect of the genetic loci on survival showed five genes had a sizeable effect on survival: DNAH5, MUC16, NEB, SMAD4, and USH2A. Lasso-penalized Cox regression selected 13 variables for the highest-performing model, which included cancer stage, positive resection margin, and mutated alleles at nine genes: MUC16, USH2A, SMAD4, SYNE1, FLG, NEB, TTN, OBSCN, and DNAH5. Post-selection inference demonstrated that mutations in MUC16 (P = 0.01) and DNAH5 (P = 0.02) were particularly predictive of 5-year overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that genetic mutations may explain survival differences between tumour sites. Further studies on larger patient populations may identify other genes, which could form the foundation for more precise prognostication and treatment decisions beyond current rudimentary TNM staging.

Infiltrating Tumor Border Configuration is a Poor Prognostic Factor in Stage II and III Colon Adenocarcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Tumor border configuration (TBC) is a prognostic factor in colorectal adenocarcinoma; however, the significance of TBC is not well-documented in colon adenocarcinoma alone. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to study the effect of TBC on overall and disease-free survival in stage II and III colon adenocarcinoma. METHODS: We included patients with stage II and III colon adenocarcinoma who were surgically treated at a tertiary medical center between 2004 and 2015, to ensure long-term follow-up. Patients were stratified into four groups based on stage and TBC. A Cox regression was used to model the relationship of groups while accounting for relevant confounders. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 700 patients (371 stage II and 329 stage III). Infiltrating TBC was statistically significantly associated with stage (p < 0.001) and extramural vascular invasion (p < 0.001), but not histologic grade (p = 0.7). Compared with pushing TBC, infiltrating TBC increased the hazard of death by a factor of 1.8 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-2.4; p < 0.001] and 1.7 (95% CI 1.3-2.2; p < 0.001). The hazard of death in patients with stage II disease (infiltrating TBC) or stage III disease (pushing TBC) was not significantly different (adjusted hazard ratio 1.1, 95% CI 0.7-1.7; p = 0.8). CONCLUSION: Infiltrating TBC is a high-risk feature in patients with stage II and III colon adenocarcinoma. Stage II disease patients with infiltrating TBC and who are node-negative should be considered for adjuvant chemotherapy.

What Are the Cost Drivers for the Major Bowel Bundled Payment Care Improvement Initiative?

BACKGROUND: The Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative links payments for service beneficiaries during an episode of care (limited to 90 days from index surgery discharge). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify drivers of costs/payments for the major bowel Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative. DESIGN: Discharges from the Medicare Standard Analytic Files of hospitals participating in the major bowel bundle of the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative were analyzed. SETTINGS: The study was conducted at 4 tertiary care centers. PATIENTS: All patients in diagnostic related groups of 329, 330, or 331 treated at eligible facilities between September 1, 2012, and September 30, 2014, were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We calculated all costs/payments for the bundled period, that is, 3 days before surgery, the index hospitalization including surgery, and the 90-day postoperative period. We then determined costs for laparoscopic versus open procedures using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, procedure codes for each of the diagnostic related groups, as well as in aggregate. Last, we calculated differential impact of cost drivers on overall total episode costs. RESULTS: In the cohort of hospitals participating in the major bowel Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative, open procedures ($45,073) cost 1.6 times more than laparoscopic. For the lowest complexity diagnostic related group (331), performance of the procedure with open techniques was the largest total episode cost driver, because use of postdischarge services remained low. In the highest complexity diagnostic related group (329), readmission costs, skilled nursing facilities costs, and home health services costs were the greatest cost drivers after hospital services. LIMITATIONS: The analyses are limited by the retrospective nature of the study. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that efforts to safely perform open procedures with laparoscopic techniques would be most effective in reducing costs for lower complexity diagnostic related groups, whereas efforts to impact readmission and postdischarge service use would be most impactful for the higher complexity diagnostic related groups. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B420. ¿CUÁLES SON LOS FACTORES DETERMINANTES DE LOS COSTOS DE LA INICIATIVA DE MEJORA DE LA ATENCIÓN DE PAGOS COMBINADOS PARA EL INTESTINO MAYOR?: La iniciativa de pagos combinados para la mejora de la atención (BPCI) vincula los pagos para los beneficiarios del servicio durante un episodio de atención (limitado a 90 días desde el alta hospitalaria de la cirugía índice).Identificar los factores determinantes de los costos / pagos de la iniciativa BPCI intestinal mayor.Análisis de altas de los Archivos Analíticos Estándar de Medicare de los hospitales que participan en el paquete intestinal principal de la iniciativa BPCI.Todos los pacientes en Grupos Relacionados con el Diagnóstico (GRD) de 329, 330 o 331 tratados en instalaciones elegibles desde el 1 de Septiembre de 2012 hasta el 30 de Septiembre de 2014.Calculamos todos los costos / pagos para el período combinado, es decir, tres días antes de la cirugía, el índice de hospitalización incluida la cirugía y el período posoperatorio de 90 días. Luego, determinamos los costos de los procedimientos laparoscópicos versus abiertos utilizando códigos de procedimiento ICD-9 para cada uno de los GRD, así como en conjunto. Por último, calculamos el impacto diferencial de los generadores de costos sobre los costos totales del episodio.En la cohorte de hospitales que participan en la iniciativa BPCI del intestino principal, los procedimientos abiertos ($ 45.073) cuestan 1,6 veces más que los laparoscópicos. Para el GRD de menor complejidad (331), la realización del procedimiento con técnicas abiertas fue el mayor factor de costo total del episodio, ya que la utilización de los servicios posteriores al alta se mantuvo baja. En el GRD de mayor complejidad (329), los costos de readmisión, los costos de las instalaciones de enfermería especializada y los costos de los servicios de salud en el hogar fueron los mayores factores de costo después de los servicios hospitalarios.Los análisis están limitados por la naturaleza retrospectiva del estudio.Estos resultados indican que los esfuerzos para realizar procedimientos abiertos de manera segura con técnicas laparoscópicas serían más efectivos para reducir los costos de los GRD de menor complejidad, mientras que los esfuerzos para impactar la readmisión y la utilización del servicio posterior al alta serían más impactantes para los GRD de mayor complejidad. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B420.

Is Microsatellite Status Associated With Prognosis in Stage II Colon Cancer With High-Risk Features?

BACKGROUND: The influence of microsatellite instability on prognosis in high-risk stage II colon cancer is unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between microsatellite instability and overall survival in high-risk stage II colon cancer. DESIGN: This is a retrospective review of the National Cancer Database from 2010 to 2016. SETTINGS: This study included national cancer epidemiology data from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. PATIENTS: Included were 16,788 patients with stage II colon adenocarcinoma and known microsatellite status (1709 microsatellite unstable). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measured was overall survival. RESULTS: Microsatellite unstable cancers with high-risk features had significantly better overall survival than microsatellite stable cancers with high-risk features (5-year survival 80% vs 72%, p = 0.01), and had survival equivalent to microsatellite stable cancers with low-risk features (5-year survival, 80%). When stratified by specific high-risk features, patients with lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, or high-grade histology had overall survival similar to patients without these features, only in microsatellite unstable cancers. However, patients with high-risk features of T4 stage, positive margins, and <12 lymph nodes saw no survival benefit based on microsatellite status. This was confirmed on multivariable Cox regression modeling. A subgroup analysis of patients who did not receive chemotherapy similarly demonstrated that microsatellite unstable cancers with lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, or high-grade histology had overall survival similar to microsatellite unstable cancers without those features. LIMITATIONS: The study is limited by the lack of specific clinical data and potential treatment bias. CONCLUSIONS: In microsatellite unstable cancers, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, and high-grade histology are not associated with worse overall survival, even when deferring adjuvant chemotherapy. These data support National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommendations to forego chemotherapy in stage II cancers with microsatellite instability and these features. In contrast, some high-risk features were associated with worse survival despite microsatellite unstable biology, and therapies to improve survival need to be explored. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B500. ¿EL ESTADO MICROSATÉLITE ESTÁ ASOCIADO CON EL PRONÓSTICO EN EL CÁNCER DE COLON EN ESTADIO II CON CARACTERÍSTICAS DE ALTO RIESGO: Se desconoce la influencia de la inestabilidad microsatélite en el pronóstico del cáncer de colon en estadio II de alto riesgo.Investigar la relación entre la inestabilidad microsatélite y la supervivencia general en el cáncer de colon en estadio II de alto riesgo.Revisión retrospectiva de la base de datos nacional del cáncer de 2010 a 2016.Este estudio incluyó datos nacionales de epidemiología del cáncer de la Comisión de Cáncer del Colegio Americano de Cirujanos.16,788 pacientes con adenocarcinoma de colon en estadio II y estado microsatélite conocido (1,709 microsatélite inestables).Supervivencia global.Los cánceres microsatélite inestables con características de alto riesgo tuvieron una supervivencia general significativamente mejor que los cánceres microsatélite estables con características de alto riesgo (supervivencia a 5 años 80% vs 72%, p = 0.01), y tuvieron una supervivencia equivalente a los cánceres microsatélite estables con características de bajo riesgo (supervivencia a 5 años 80%). Al estratificar por características específicas de alto riesgo, los pacientes con invasión linfovascular, invasión perineural o histología de alto grado tuvieron una supervivencia general similar a la de los pacientes sin estas características, solo en cánceres microsatélite inestables. Sin embargo, los pacientes con características de alto riesgo en estadio T4, márgenes positivos y <12 ganglios linfáticos no tuvieron ningún beneficio de supervivencia basado en el estado de microsatélites. Esto se confirmó en un modelo de regresión de Cox multivariable. Un análisis de subgrupos de pacientes que no recibieron quimioterapia demostró de manera similar que los cánceres microsatélite inestables con invasión linfovascular, invasión perineural o histología de alto grado tenían una supervivencia general similar a los cánceres microsatélite inestables sin esas características.El estudio está limitado por la falta de datos clínicos específicos y el posible sesgo de tratamiento.En los cánceres microsatélite inestables, la invasión linfovascular, la invasión perineural y la histología de alto grado no se asocian con una peor sobrevida general, incluso cuando se aplaza la quimioterapia adyuvante. Estos datos respaldan las recomendaciones de la National Comprehensive Cancer Network de omitir la quimioterapia en los cánceres en estadio II con inestabilidad microsatélite y estas características. Por el contrario, algunas características de alto riesgo se asociaron con una peor supervivencia a pesar de la biología microsatélite inestable, y es necesario considerar las terapias para mejorar la supervivencia.Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B500. (Traducción-Dr. Jorge Silva Velazco).

Diverticular Disease Epidemiology: Rising Rates of Diverticular Disease Mortality Across Developing Nations.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of diverticular disease is growing in the Western world. However, the global burden of disease is unknown in the developing world. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the global burden of diverticular disease as measured by disease-specific mortality while identifying indicators of rising disease rates. DESIGN: We undertook an ecological analysis based on data from the World Health Organization Mortality Database. Then, we analyzed global age-adjusted mortality rates from diverticular disease and compared them to national rates of overweight adults, health expenditures, and dietary composition. SETTINGS: National vital statistics data were collected. PATIENTS: Diverticular disease deaths from January 1, 1994 through December 31, 2016 were evaluated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measured was the national age-adjusted mortality rate. RESULTS: The average age-adjusted mortality rate for diverticular disease was 0.51 ± 0.31/100,000 with a range of 0.11 to 1.75/100,000. During the study period, we noted that 57% of nations had increasing diverticular disease mortality rates, whereas only 7% had decreasing rates. More developed nations (40%) than developing nations (24%) were categorized as having high diverticular disease mortality burden over the time period of the study, and developed nations had higher percentages of overweight adults (58.9 ± 3.1%) than developing nations (50.6 ± 6.7%; p < 0.0001). However, developing nations revealed more rapid increases in diverticular disease mortality (0.027 ± 0.024/100,000 per year) than developed nations (0.005 ± 0.025/100,000 per year; p = 0.001), as well as faster expanding proportions of overweight adults (0.76 ± 0.12% per year) than in already developed nations (0.53 ± 0.10% per year; p<0.0001). LIMITATIONS: Ecological studies cannot define cause and effect. CONCLUSIONS: There is considerable variability in diverticular disease mortality across the globe. Developing nations were characterized by rapid increases in diverticular disease mortality and expanding percentages of overweight adults. Public health interventions in developing nations are needed to alter mortality rates from diverticular disease. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B397. EPIDEMIOLOGÍA DE LA ENFERMEDAD DIVERTICULAR: TASAS CRECIENTES DE MORTALIDAD POR ENFERMEDAD DIVERTICULAR EN LOS PAÍSES EN DESARROLLO: La incidencia de la enfermedad diverticular está creciendo en el mundo occidental. Sin embargo, la carga mundial de la enfermedad es desconocida en el mundo en desarrollo.Determinar la carga global de la enfermedad diverticular medida por la mortalidad específica de la enfermedad mientras se identifican los indicadores de aumento de las tasas de enfermedad.Realizamos un análisis ecológico basado en datos de la Base de datos de mortalidad de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Luego, analizamos las tasas globales de mortalidad ajustadas por edad por enfermedad diverticular y las comparamos con las tasas nacionales de adultos con sobrepeso, gastos de salud y composición dietética.Datos nacionales de estadísticas vitales.Muertes por enfermedades diverticulares desde el 1 de enero de 1994 hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2016.Tasa nacional de mortalidad ajustada por edad.La tasa promedio de mortalidad ajustada por edad para la enfermedad diverticular fue de 0,51 ± 0,31 / 100,000 con un rango de 0,11 a 1,75 / 100,000. Durante el período de estudio, notamos que el 57% de las naciones tenían tasas crecientes de mortalidad por enfermedades diverticulares, mientras que solo el 7% tenían tasas decrecientes. Las naciones más desarrolladas (40%) que las naciones en desarrollo (24%) se clasificaron como que tienen una alta carga de mortalidad por enfermedad diverticular durante el período de tiempo del estudio, y las naciones desarrolladas tuvieron porcentajes más altos de adultos con sobrepeso (58.9 ± 3.1%) que las naciones en desarrollo (50,6 ± 6,7%) (p <0,0001). Sin embargo, las naciones en desarrollo revelaron aumentos más rápidos en la mortalidad por enfermedades diverticulares (0.027 ± 0.024 / 100,000 por año) que las naciones desarrolladas (0.005 ± 0.025 / 100,000 por año) (p = 0.001), así como proporciones de adultos con sobrepeso en expansión más rápida (0.76 ± 0.12% por año) que en las naciones ya desarrolladas (0.53 ± 0.10% por año) (p <0.0001).Los estudios ecológicos no pueden definir causa y efecto.Existe una considerable variabilidad en la mortalidad por enfermedad diverticular en todo el mundo. Los países en desarrollo se caracterizaron por un rápido aumento en la mortalidad por enfermedades diverticulares y porcentajes crecientes de adultos con sobrepeso. Se necesitan intervenciones de salud pública en los países en desarrollo para alterar las tasas de mortalidad por enfermedad diverticular. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B397.

The growing trend for no primary surgery in colorectal cancer.

AIM: In colorectal cancer (CRC), surgery of the primary site is commonly curative. Our aim was to determine estimates of 'no surgery' for primary CRC while identifying common reasons for no surgery. METHOD: We identified all patients with a diagnosis of colorectal adenocarcinoma from the National Cancer Database between January 2004 and December 2016. Then, we identified patients who did not undergo surgery on the primary tumour and their demographic, tumour and institutional characteristics. Kaplan-Meier and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate specific factors associated with overall survival as related to no surgery and recommendations against operative management. RESULTS: A total of 1,208,878 patients with CRC were identified, 14.5% of whom had no surgery of the primary cancer. No surgery was more common in rectal cancer than in colon cancer. Despite a steady incidence of CRC diagnoses, the likelihood of no surgery grew by 170% over the study period. Metastatic disease was noted in 53.7% of the no surgery cohort. Nine per cent of the no surgery patient cohort received a recommendation against surgery despite the absence of metastatic disease, 7.5% refused surgery and only 2% underwent palliative surgery. On multivariable analysis, patients who were not recommended to have surgery were more likely to be older, uninsured, comorbid and receive care at a single hospital. The no surgery patients had significantly lower overall survival. CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of patients with CRC do not have surgery. Interventions aimed at expanding access and promoting second opinions at other cancer hospitals might reduce the growing rate of no surgery in CRC.

What influences conversion to open surgery during laparoscopic colorectal resection?

INTRODUCTION: We analyzed the risk of morbidity and mortality in laparoscopic (Lap) conversion for colorectal surgery across a group of subspecialist surgeons with expertise in minimally invasive techniques. METHODS: We reviewed prospective data patients who underwent abdominopelvic procedures from 7/1/2007 to 12/31/2016 at a tertiary care facility. We identified procedures that were converted from Lap to open (Lap converted). Lap converted procedures were matched to Lap completed and open procedures based on elective versus urgent and surgeon. We also abstracted patient demographics and outcomes at 30 days using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program defined adverse event list. We analyzed outcomes across these groups (Lap converted, Lap completed, open procedures) with x2 and t tests and used the Bonferroni Correction to account for multiple statistical testing. RESULTS: From a database of 12,454 procedures, we identified 100 Lap converted procedures and matched them to 305 open procedures and 339 Lap completed procedures. In our dataset of abdominopelvic procedures, Lap techniques were attempted in 49 ± 1%. We noted a higher risk of aggerate morbidity following open procedures (33 ± 10) as compared to Lap converted (29 ± 17%) and the matched Lap completed procedures (18 ± 8%; p < 0.001). Converted cases had the longest operative time (222 ± 102 min), compared to lap completed (177 ± 110), and open procedures (183 ± 89). There were no differences in mortality, sepsis complications, anastomotic leaks, or unplanned returns to the operating room across the three operative groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although aggregate morbidity of Lap converted procedures is higher than in Lap completed procedures, it remains less than in matched open procedures. Compared to Lap completed procedures, the additional morbidity of Lap converted procedures appears to be related to additional surgical site infection risk. Our data suggest that surgeons should not necessarily be influenced by additional complications associated with conversion when contemplating complex laparoscopic colorectal procedures.

Has National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month increased endoscopy screening rates and public interest in colorectal cancer?

BACKGROUND: National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month occurs each March to promote awareness and screening for colorectal cancer. The effectiveness of this public health campaign is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month on rates of screening endoscopies and on public interest in colorectal cancer. METHODS: To examine the impact of National Colon Cancer Awareness Month on screening endoscopy rates, the National Endoscopy Database was retrospectively reviewed from 2002 through 2014. A time series of monthly number of colorectal cancer screening endoscopies per endoscopist in the data set was evaluated. To examine public interest in colorectal cancer, Google Trends data were collected on the monthly rates of terms related to colorectal cancer from January 2004 to July 2019. Impact of the month on screening endoscopies and public interest was assessed through an analysis of variance. Seasonality was tested for by how well a sinusoidal model fit the time series as opposed to a linear model utilizing a sum-of-squares F test. RESULTS: Review of National Endoscopy Database yielded 1,398,996 endoscopies, 94% were colonoscopies and 6% sigmoidoscopies, with 47% for colorectal cancer screening. Colorectal cancer screening endoscopy rates were not impacted by the month of the year, and these rates had no seasonality. However, Google searches related to colorectal cancer were significantly impacted by month of the year, specifically March, with significant seasonality observed in the data. CONCLUSIONS: National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is associated with an increased public interest in colorectal cancer based on user Google search trends. Yet, this has not translated into a demonstrable increase in the rates of screening. This presents an opportunity to capitalize on this increased public interest and harness this enthusiasm into increased screening.

Are There Variations in Mortality From Diverticular Disease By Sex?

BACKGROUND: Previous data reveal that females account for a disproportionate majority of all patients diagnosed with diverticulitis. OBJECTIVE: This study analyzed the variation in mortality from diverticular disease by sex. DESIGN: This was a nationwide retrospective cohort study. SETTINGS: Data were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research national registry. PATIENTS: All citizens of the United States who died from an underlying cause of death of diverticulitis between January 1999 and December 2016 were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome addressed was overall mortality rate of diverticulitis by sex. Secondary outcomes included pattern variances in demographics and secondary causes of death. RESULTS: During the study period, 55,096 patients (0.12%) died with an underlying cause of death of diverticulitis from a total of 44,915,066 deaths. Compared with other causes, females were disproportionally more likely to die from diverticulitis than males (0.17% females vs 0.08% males; p < 0.001). Age-adjusted incidence of death was higher for females compared with males. Female patients were less likely to die within the hospital compared with males (OR = 0.72 (95% CI, 0.69-0.75); p < 0.001). Conversely, female patients were more likely to die either at nursing homes or hospice facilities (OR = 1.64 (95% CI, 1.55-1.73); p < 0.001). In addition, females with an underlying cause of death of diverticulitis were less likely to have a surgical complication as their secondary cause of death (OR = 0.72 (95% CI, 0.66-0.78); p < 0.001) but more likely to have nonsurgical complications related to diverticulitis such as sepsis (OR = 1.04 (95% CI, 1.01-1.05); p < 0.03), nonsurgical GI disorders such as obstruction (OR = 1.16 (95% CI, 1.09-1.24); p < 0.001), or chronic pelvic fistulizing disease (OR = 1.43 (95% CI, 1.23-1.66); p < 0.001). LIMITATIONS: The study was limited by a lack of more specific clinical data. CONCLUSIONS: Females have a higher incidence of diverticular disease mortality. Their deaths are more commonly secondary to nonsurgical infections, obstruction, or pelvic fistulae. Female patients represent a particularly vulnerable population that may benefit from more intensive diverticulitis evaluation. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B257. ¿EXISTEN VARIACIONES EN LA MORTALIDAD POR ENFERMEDAD DIVERTICULAR POR GÉNERO?: Los datos anteriores revelan que las mujeres representan una mayoría desproporcionada de todos los pacientes diagnosticados con diverticulitis.Este estudio analizó la variación en la mortalidad por enfermedad diverticular por género.Estudio de cohorte retrospectivo a nivel nacional.Los datos se obtuvieron del registro nacional WONDER del Centro de Control de Enfermedades.Se incluyeron todos los ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos que murieron por una causa subyacente de muerte (UCOD por sus siglas en inglés) de diverticulitis del 1 / 1999-12 / 2016.El resultado primario abordado fue la tasa de mortalidad general de la diverticulitis por género. Los resultados secundarios incluyeron variaciones de patrones en la demografía y causas secundarias de muerte.Falta de datos clínicos más específicos.Durante el período de estudio, 55.096 pacientes (0,12%) murieron con un UCOD de diverticulitis de un total de 44.915.066 muertes. En comparación con otras causas, las mujeres tenían una probabilidad desproporcionadamente mayor de morir de diverticulitis que los hombres (0.17% F vs. 0.08% M, p <0.001). La incidencia de muerte ajustada por edad fue mayor para las mujeres que para los hombres. Las pacientes femeninas tenían menos probabilidades de morir en el hospital en comparación con los hombres (OR 0.72, IC 0.69-0.75, p <0.001). Por el contrario, las pacientes femeninas tenían más probabilidades de morir en asilos de ancianos o en centros de cuidados paliativos (OR 1.64, IC 1.55-1.73, p <0.001). Además, las mujeres con una UCOD de diverticulitis tenían menos probabilidades de tener una complicación quirúrgica como causa secundaria de muerte (OR 0.72, CI 0.66-0.78, p <0.001) pero más probabilidades de tener complicaciones no quirúrgicas relacionadas con la diverticulitis, como sepsis (OR 1.04, CI 1.01-1.05, p <0.03), trastornos gastrointestinales no quirúrgicos como obstrucción (OR 1.16, CI 1.09-1.24, p <0.001), o enfermedad fistulizante pélvica crónica (OR 1.43, CI 1.23-1.66, p <0,001).Las mujeres tienen una mayor incidencia de mortalidad por enfermedad diverticular. Sus muertes son más comúnmente secundarias a infecciones no quirúrgicas, obstrucción o fístulas pélvicas. Las pacientes femeninas representan una población particularmente vulnerable que puede beneficiarse de una evaluación más intensiva de diverticulitis. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B257.

Computer Vision Analysis of Intraoperative Video: Automated Recognition of Operative Steps in Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy.

OBJECTIVE(S): To develop and assess AI algorithms to identify operative steps in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). BACKGROUND: Computer vision, a form of artificial intelligence (AI), allows for quantitative analysis of video by computers for identification of objects and patterns, such as in autonomous driving. METHODS: Intraoperative video from LSG from an academic institution was annotated by 2 fellowship-trained, board-certified bariatric surgeons. Videos were segmented into the following steps: 1) port placement, 2) liver retraction, 3) liver biopsy, 4) gastrocolic ligament dissection, 5) stapling of the stomach, 6) bagging specimen, and 7) final inspection of staple line. Deep neural networks were used to analyze videos. Accuracy of operative step identification by the AI was determined by comparing to surgeon annotations. RESULTS: Eighty-eight cases of LSG were analyzed. A random 70% sample of these clips was used to train the AI and 30% to test the AI's performance. Mean concordance correlation coefficient for human annotators was 0.862, suggesting excellent agreement. Mean (±SD) accuracy of the AI in identifying operative steps in the test set was 82% ±â€Š4% with a maximum of 85.6%. CONCLUSIONS: AI can extract quantitative surgical data from video with 85.6% accuracy. This suggests operative video could be used as a quantitative data source for research in intraoperative clinical decision support, risk prediction, or outcomes studies.

High Risk of Proximal and Local Neoplasms in 2206 Patients With Anogenital Extramammary Paget's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Extramammary Paget's disease is an uncommon intraepidermal adenocarcinoma with poorly defined clinical implications. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research was to estimate the risk of second primary neoplasms in patients with extramammary Paget's disease. DESIGN: This was a retrospective analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Registry (1973-2014). SETTINGS: The study included population-based cancer registries from the United States. PATIENTS: Patients who were diagnosed with anogenital Paget's disease were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Risk of second primary development was measured. RESULTS: We identified 108 patients with anal Paget's disease, 421 patients with male genital (scrotum or penis) Paget's, and 1677 patients with female genital (vagina or vulva) Paget's. Median follow-up time was 5.9 years. The risk of developing colorectal adenocarcinoma was 18.5% for patients with anal Paget's disease. Eighty percent of colorectal adenocarcinoma diagnoses were synchronous (within 2 mo) to anal Paget's diagnoses, whereas metachronous tumors occurred at a median time of 2.4 years. Of patients with anal Paget's disease, 8.3% developed an anal adenocarcinoma or nonsmall cell cancer. In male patients with genital Paget's, the risk of proximal genitourinary malignancy was 9.7%, scrotal or testicular adenocarcinoma was 0.4%, and penile or scrotal squamous carcinoma was 1.7%. In female patients with genital Paget's, the risk of proximal genitourinary malignancy was 3.0%, vaginal or vulvar adenocarcinoma was 1.4%, and vaginal or vulvar squamous neoplasm was 1.0%. Five-year overall survival was 59.7%, 73.5%, and 80.7% in patients with anal, male genital, and female genital Paget's (p < 0.001). LIMITATIONS: The registry did not record surveillance schedule, provider specialty, or nonprocedural therapies for extramammary Paget's disease. CONCLUSIONS: In the largest published cohort of patients with extramammary Paget's disease, patients with anal Paget's had a much higher risk of both proximal and local neoplasms as compared with patients with genital Paget's. Patients with anal Paget's also experienced worse survival as compared with those with purely genital Paget's. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B20. ALTO RIESGO DE NEOPLASIAS PROXIMALES Y LOCALES EN 2206 PACIENTES CON ENFERMEDAD DE PAGET EXTRAMAMARIA ANOGENITAL:: La enfermedad de Paget extramamaria es un adenocarcinoma intraepidérmico poco frecuente con implicaciones clínicas poco definidas.Estimar el riesgo de segundas neoplasias primarias en pacientes con enfermedad de Paget extramamaria.Análisis retrospectivo del Registro de Vigilancia, Epidemiología y Resultados Finales (1973-2014).Registros de base poblacional en cáncer de los Estados Unidos.Pacientes que fueron diagnosticados con enfermedad de Paget anogenital.Riesgo de desarrollo un cáncer primario adicional.Se identificaron 108 pacientes con Paget anal, 421 pacientes con Paget genital masculino (escroto o pene) y 1677 pacientes con Paget genital femenino (vagina o vulva). Tiempo mediano de seguimiento fue de 5,9 años. El riesgo de desarrollar adenocarcinoma colorrectal fue del 18,5% para los pacientes con Paget anal. El ochenta por ciento de los diagnósticos de adenocarcinoma colorrectal fueron sincrónicos (dentro de los 2 meses) a los diagnósticos de Paget anal, mientras que los tumores metacrónicos ocurrieron en un tiempo promedio de 2,4 años. De los pacientes con Paget anal, el 8.3% desarrolló un adenocarcinoma anal o cáncer de células no pequeñas. En los pacientes masculinos con Paget genital, el riesgo de malignidad genitourinaria proximal fue del 9,7%, el adenocarcinoma escrotal o testicular fue del 0,4% y el carcinoma escamoso del pene o escroto fue del 1,7%. En pacientes femeninas con Paget genital, el riesgo de malignidad genitourinaria proximal fue de 3.0%, el adenocarcinoma vaginal o vulvar fue de 1.4% y la neoplasia escamosa vaginal o vulvar fue de 1.0%. La supervivencia general a cinco años fue del 59.7%, 73.5% y 80.7% en pacientes con anal, genital masculino y genital femenino, respectivamente (p <0.001).El registro no señalo el cronograma de vigilancia, la especialidad del proveedor o las terapias sin procedimiento para la enfermedad de Paget extramamaria.En la cohorte más grande publicada de pacientes con enfermedad de Paget extramamaria, los pacientes con Paget anal demostraron un riesgo mucho mayor de neoplasias proximales y locales en comparación con los pacientes con Paget genital. Los pacientes con Paget anal además demostraron una peor supervivencia en comparación con aquellos con Paget aislada genital. Vea el Resumen del Video en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B20.

What Is the Risk of Anal Carcinoma in Patients With Anal Intraepithelial Neoplasia III?

BACKGROUND: The risk of anal carcinoma after previous diagnosis of anal intraepithelial neoplasia III is unclear. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to estimate the risk of anal carcinoma in patients with anal intraepithelial neoplasia III and to identify predictors for subsequent malignancy. DESIGN: This was a retrospective review using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry (1973-2014). SETTING: The study was composed of population-based cancer registries from the United States. PATIENTS: Patients who were diagnosed with anal intraepithelial neoplasia III were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was rate of subsequent anal squamous cell carcinoma. Predictors for anal cancer were identified using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: A total of 2074 patients with anal intraepithelial neoplasia III were identified and followed for a median time of 4.0 years (interquartile range, 1.8-6.7 y). Of the cohort, 171 patients (8.2%) subsequently developed anal cancer. Median time from anal intraepithelial neoplasia III diagnosis to anal cancer diagnosis was 2.7 years (interquartile range, 1.1-4.5 y). Fifty-two patients (30.4%) who developed anal carcinoma were staged T2 or higher. Ablative therapies for initial anal intraepithelial neoplasia III were associated with a reduction in the risk of anal cancer (OR = 0.3 (95% CI, 0.1-0.7); p = 0.004). Time-to-event analysis revealed that the 5-year incidence of anal carcinoma after anal intraepithelial neoplasia III was 9.5% or ≈1.9% per year. LIMITATIONS: The registry did not record HIV status, surveillance schedule, use of high-resolution anoscopy, or provider specialty. CONCLUSIONS: In the largest published cohort of patients with anal intraepithelial neoplasia III, ≈10% of patients were projected to develop anal cancer within 5 years. Nearly one third of anal cancers were diagnosed at stage T2 or higher despite a previous diagnosis of anal intraepithelial neoplasia III. Ablative procedures were associated with a decreased risk of cancer. This study highlights the considerable rate of malignancy in patients with anal intraepithelial neoplasia III and the need for effective therapies and surveillance. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A764.

What factors are associated with increased risk for prolonged postoperative opioid usage after colorectal surgery?

BACKGROUND: Opioid-related deaths have increased substantially over the last 10 years placing clinician's prescription practices under intense scrutiny. Given the substantial risk of opioid dependency after colorectal surgery, we sought to analyze risk of postoperative prolonged opioid use after colorectal resections. METHODS: Between 2008 and 2014, patients undergoing abdominopelvic procedure with intestinal resection at a tertiary care facility were retrospectively identified. Patient's postoperative narcotic usage including their prescriptions on discharge and their total opioid medication use was recorded. Patient variables such as demographics, surgical characteristics, and prescription use were evaluated. Finally, we developed multivariate models to identify risk factors for prolonged opioid use (> 30 days after incident surgical procedure). RESULTS: We identified 9423 recorded procedures of which 2173 consisted of abdominopelvic procedures with intestinal resection and survived > 1 year. Of these, 91% (n = 1981) were discharged on opioids, and 98% (n = 1955) of those patients filled only one prescription. A total of 92 (4%) patients remained on opioids beyond 30 days, and from this group, 25% (n = 23 patients) remained at 90 days. We found no association between postoperative complications, stoma formation, and patient's sex with risk of prolonged opioid use. However, younger age and history of chronic pain were associated with an increased risk of prolonged opioid use. The use of minimally invasive techniques also attenuated the risk of prolonged opioid use (Table 2). CONCLUSION: A small but considerable proportion of patients remain on opioids beyond 30 days. Predictors of opioid use for greater than 30 days include a history of chronic pain and younger age. The use of minimally invasive techniques reduced the risk of prolonged opioid use. We identified several immutable risk factors that predicted prolonged postoperative opioid use; however, surgeons may be able to attenuate prolonged opioid use through the use of minimally invasive techniques.

What Is the Risk of Anastomotic Leak After Repeat Intestinal Resection in Patients With Crohn's Disease?

BACKGROUND: Approximately half of Crohn's patients require intestinal resection, and many need repeat resections. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the increased risk of clinical anastomotic leak in patients with a history of previous intestinal resection undergoing repeat resection with anastomosis for Crohn's disease. DESIGN: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected departmental data with 100% capture. SETTINGS: The study was conducted at the department of colorectal surgery in a tertiary care teaching hospital between July 2007 and March 2016. PATIENTS: A cohort of consecutive patients with Crohn's disease who were treated with intestinal resection and anastomosis, excluding patients with proximal fecal diversion, were included. The cohort was divided into 2 groups, those with no previous resection compared with those with previous resection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical anastomotic leak within 30 days of surgery was measured. RESULTS: Of the 206 patients who met criteria, 83 patients had previous intestinal resection (40%). The 2 groups were similar in terms of patient factors, immune-suppressing medication use, and procedural factors. Overall, 20 clinical anastomotic leaks were identified (10% leak rate). There were 6 leaks (5%) detected in patients with no previous intestinal resection and 14 leaks (17%) detected in patients with a history of previous intestinal resection (p < 0.005). The OR of anastomotic leak in patients with Crohn's disease with previous resection compared with no previous resection was 3.5 (95% CI, 1.3-9.4). Patients with 1 previous resection (n = 53) had a leak rate of 13%, whereas patients with ≥2 previous resections (n = 30) had a leak rate of 23%. The number of previous resections correlated with increasing risk for clinical anastomotic leak (correlation coefficient = 0.998). LIMITATIONS: This was a retrospective study with limited data to perform a multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Repeat intestinal resection in patients with Crohn's disease is associated with an increased rate of anastomotic leakage when compared with initial resection despite similar patient, medication, and procedural factors. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A459.

Quality Improvement Initiatives in Colorectal Surgery: Value of Physician Feedback.

BACKGROUND: The impact of process improvement through surgeon feedback on outcomes is unclear. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the effect of biannual surgeon-specific feedback on outcomes and adherence to departmental and Surgical Care Improvement Project process measures on colorectal surgery outcomes. DESIGN: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected 100% capture surgical quality improvement data. SETTING: This study was conducted at the department of colorectal surgery at a tertiary care teaching hospital from January 2008 through December 2013. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Each surgeon was provided with biannual feedback on process adherence and surgeon-specific outcomes of urinary tract infection, deep vein thrombosis, surgical site infection, anastomotic leak, 30-day readmission, reoperation, and mortality. We recorded adherence to Surgical Care Improvement Project process measures and departmentally implemented measures (ie, anastomotic leak testing) as well as surgeon-specific outcomes. RESULTS: We abstracted 7975 operations. There was no difference in demographics, laparoscopy, or blood loss. Adherence to catheter removal increased from 73% to 100% (p < 0.0001), whereas urinary tract infection decreased 52% (p < 0.01). Adherence to thromboprophylaxis administration remained unchanged as did the deep vein thrombosis rate (p = not significant). Adherence to preoperative antibiotic administration increased from 72% to 100% (p < 0.0001), whereas surgical site infection did not change (7.6%-6.6%; p = 0.3). There were 2589 operative encounters with anastomoses. For right-sided anastomoses, the proportion of handsewn anastomoses declined from 19% to 1.5% (p < 0.001). For left-sided anastomoses, without diversion, anastomotic leak testing adherence increased from 88% to 95% (p < 0.01). Overall leak rate decreased from 5.2% to 2.9% (p < 0.05). LIMITATIONS: Concurrent process changes make isolation of the impact from individual process improvement changes challenging. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly complete adherence to process measures for deep vein thrombosis and surgical site infection did not lead to measureable outcomes improvement. Process measure adherence was associated with decreased rate of anastomotic leak and urinary tract infection. Biannual surgeon-specific feedback of outcomes was associated with improved process measure adherence and improvement in surgical quality.

The time Interval Between the End of Radiotherapy and Surgery Does Not Affect Outcomes in Rectal Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The ideal time interval between the completion of chemoradiotherapy and subsequent surgical resection of advanced stage rectal tumors is highly debated. Our aim is to study the effect of the time interval between the completion of chemoradiotherapy and surgical resection on postoperative and oncologic outcomes in rectal cancer. METHODS: Patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for resected locally advanced rectal tumors between 2004 and 2015 were included in this analysis. The time interval was calculated from the date of radiation completion to date of surgery. Patients were split into 2 groups based on the time interval (<8 weeks and >8 weeks). Postoperative outcomes (anastomotic leak, pathologic complete response (pCR), and readmission) and survival were assessed with multivariable logistic regression and Cox regression models while adjusting for relevant confounders. RESULTS: 200 patients (62% male) underwent resection with a median time interval of 8 weeks from completion of radiotherapy. On multivariable logistic regression, there was no significant increase in odds between time interval to surgery and anastomotic leak (aOR = .8 [.27-2.7], P = .8), pCR (aOR = 1.2[.58-2.6] P = .6), or readmission (aOR = 1.02, 95% CI:0.49-2.24, P = .9). Time interval to surgery was not an independent prognostic factor for overall (HR = 1.04 CI = .4-2.65, P = .9) and disease-free survival (HR = 1.2 CI = .5-2.9, P = .6). CONCLUSION: The time interval between neoadjuvant radiotherapy completion and surgical resection does not affect anastomotic leak rate, achievement of pCR, or overall and disease-free survival in patients with rectal cancer. Extended periods of time to surgical resection are relatively safe.

Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer Survival is Comparable to Sporadic Cases after Surgery: a Matched-Pair Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) confers an increased lifetime risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). The pathogenesis of colitis-associated CRC is considered distinct from sporadic CRC, but existing is mixed on long-term oncologic outcomes. This study aims to compare clinicopathological characteristics and survival between colitis-associated and sporadic CRC. METHODS: Data was retrospectively extracted and analyzed from a single institutional database of patients with surgically resected CRC between 2004 and 2015. Patients with IBD were identified as having colitis-associated CRC. The remainder were classified as sporadic CRC. Propensity score matching was performed. Univariate and survival analyses were carried out to estimate the differences between the two groups. RESULTS: Of 2275 patients included in this analysis, 65 carried a diagnosis of IBD (2.9%, 33 Crohn's disease, 29 ulcerative colitis, 3 indeterminate colitis). Average age at CRC diagnosis was 62 years for colitis-associated CRC and 65 for sporadic CRC. The final propensity score matched cohort consisted of 65 colitis-associated and 130 sporadic CRC cases. Patients with colitis-associated CRC were more likely to undergo total proctocolectomy (p < 0.01) and had higher incidence of locoregional recurrence (p = 0.026) compared to sporadic CRC patients. There were no significant differences in time to recurrence, tumor grade, extramural vascular invasion, perineural invasion, or rate of R0 resections. Overall survival and disease-free survival did not differ between groups. On multiple Cox regression, IBD diagnosis was not a significant predictor of survival. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with colitis-associated CRC who undergo surgical resection have comparable overall and disease-free survival to patients with sporadic CRC.

The Use of Single-Agent Versus Multiple-Agent Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in the Treatment of Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

PURPOSE: The use of concurrent chemoradiotherapy is frequently recommended in the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer; however, the ideal chemotherapy regimen remains unknown, and there is variability in chemotherapy agents used among different institutions. We sought to examine differences in overall survival between patients receiving single versus multiple-agent concurrent chemoradiotherapy. METHODS: The National Cancer Database was used to identify 31,025 patients with rectal cancer who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy between 01/2006 and 12/2016. We compared patients who received single-agent chemotherapy with those who received multiple-agent concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The primary outcome of interest was overall survival. The groups were compared using univariate analysis and Cox proportional hazard models to adjust for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: 18,544 patients received single-agent and 12,481 patients received multiple-agent chemotherapy. The former were older with more comorbidities as evidenced by their higher Charlson-Deyo Scores. Those receiving multiple-agent chemotherapy were more likely to have clinical stage III disease (52.9% vs 43.3%, p < 0.001) and less likely to have well-differentiated cancer (6.9% vs 7.7%, p < 0.001). The rates of negative resection margin were identical (p = 0.225) between the two groups. On multivariable analysis after adjusting for comorbidities, radiation dose, and resection margins, single-agent chemotherapy was associated with worse overall survival (HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.057-1.124, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Multiple-agent chemoradiotherapy is associated with improved overall survival in locally advanced rectal cancer; however, chemotherapy regimen does not affect resection margins. The modest overall survival benefit with multiple-agent chemotherapy must be balanced with the potential associated toxicity.