Stage IV Colorectal Cancer at Initial Presentation versus Progression during and after Treatment, Differences in Management: Management Differences for Initial Presentation versus Progression of Disease after Initial Treatment.

Stage IV colorectal cancer is a prevalent disease and understanding the appropriate treatment options is important. Medical oncologic treatment remains the mainstay of treatment in cases where curative resection is not possible. Surgical intervention is indicated if the primary tumor and associated metastases are amenable to curative resection or if obstructive, bleeding, or perforative complications arise from the tumor. New endoscopic techniques can provide palliation and benefit for patients who cannot undergo surgery and may speed time to chemotherapy initiation. Recently, immunotherapy has shown promise at managing, controlling, and regressing advanced disease, in some cases converting it to curative with resection. For patients that progress while on treatment, continued medical therapy remains the mainstay of treatment. Further research into the benefits of asymptomatic primary tumor resection without curative intent needs to be performed. Colorectal cancer, and more specifically metastatic colorectal cancer, continues to have improved 1- and 5-year survival rates and likely will continue to do so over the coming months and years.

Colectomy in patients with liver disease: albumin-bilirubin score accurately predicts outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Patients with liver disease undergoing colectomy have higher rates of complications and mortality. The Albumin-Bilirubin score is a recently developed system, established to predict outcomes after hepatectomy, that accounts for liver dysfunction. METHODS: All patients undergoing colectomy were identified in the 2015-2018 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program colectomy-targeted database. Demographics and outcomes were compared between patients with Albumin-Bilirubin Grade 1 vs. 2/3. Multivariable regression was performed for outcomes including colorectal-specific complications. Areas under the receiver operative characteristic curves were calculated to determine accuracy of the Albumin-Bilirubin score. RESULTS: Of 86,273 patients identified, 48% (N = 41,624) were Albumin-Bilirubin Grade 1, 45% (N = 38,370) Grade 2 and 7% (N = 6,279) Grade 3. Patents with Grade 2/3 compared to Grade 1 had significantly increased mortality (7.2% vs. 0.9%, p < 0.001) and serious morbidity (31% vs. 12%, p < 0.001). Colorectal-specific complications including anastomotic leak (3.7% vs. 2.8%, p < 0.001) and prolonged ileus (26% vs. 14%, p < 0.001) were higher in patients with Grade 2/3. Grade 2/3 had increased risk of mortality (odds ratio 3.07, p < 0.001) and serious morbidity (1.78, p < 0.001). Albumin-Bilirubin had excellent accuracy in predicting mortality (area under the curve 0.81, p < 0.001) and serious morbidity (0.70, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Albumin-Bilirubin is easily calculated using only serum albumin and total bilirubin values. Grade 2/3 is associated with increased rates of mortality and morbidity following colectomy. Albumin-Bilirubin can be applied to risk-stratify patients prior to colectomy.

Seasonal and Geographic Variation in Peptic Ulcer Disease and Associated Complications in the United States of America.

BACKGROUND: Hospitalization for peptic ulcer disease (PUD) has been described outside of North America as peaking in the fall and winter. However, no recent literature has so far investigated the seasonal fluctuations and complications of PUD in the USA. Study Design: Cross-sectional population database review. METHODS: Patients with a diagnosis of either acute gastric or acute duodenal ulcers from January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2017, were identified in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's National Inpatient Sample. The proportion of admissions with either hemorrhage or perforation was determined for each season and further subdivided into geographic regions. RESULTS: Of 18829 hospitalizations for PUD, admissions were the highest in the fall (25.9%) while being the lowest in the summer (23.9%). Complications, hemorrhage or perforation, were the highest and the lowest in the fall and spring, respectively (75.7% vs. 73.6%; P=0.060 for comparing all 4 seasons). Geographically, the West had the highest rate of peptic ulcer hemorrhage (64.5%, P=0.004), while the northeast had the highest rate of perforation (14.3%, P=0.003). Hemorrhage was more common in males, those who used aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or anticoagulants, and diabetics (P<0.05). Perforation was less common in males, those with diabetes, obesity, or hypertension (HTN), or those using aspirin or anticoagulants (P<0.05). Helicobacter pylori infection was more associated with perforation in the fall and winter months. CONCLUSION: Seasonal and regional trends in hospitalizations due to PUD may help identify modifiable risk factors, which can improve diagnostic and treatment outcomes for patients by allowing for more targeted identification of vulnerable populations.