Histopathologic prognostic indices in tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Consistent prognosticators are needed to guide adjuvant treatment in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We validate the prognostic significance of histopathologic parameters in surgically treated tongue SCC. METHODS: Archival specimens of 88 consecutive patients who were treated surgically for tongue SCC from 2003 to 2016 were re-analyzed by one pathologist. Patient records were retrospectively reviewed. Prognosticators of recurrence-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and disease-specific survival (DSS) were identified using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Tumor depth of invasion (DOI) > 6 mm (OR 4.76; 95%CI 1.22-18.5; p = 0.024) and lymphovascular invasion (OR 5.61; 95%CI 1.00-31.5; p = 0.05) were independent predictors of nodal metastases. The overall 5-year RFS, OS and DSS were 70%, 82% and 84% respectively. Positive margins predicted poor RFS (HR 3.91; 95%CI 1.58-9.65; p = 0.003) and local recurrence-free survival (HR 4.96; 95%CI 1.36-18; p = 0.015). Presence of nodal metastases (HR 5.03; 95%CI 1.73-14.6; p = 0.003), tumor DOI > 6 mm (HR 9.91; 95%CI 1.26-78.0; p = 0.029) and positive margins (HR 8.26; 95%CI 2.75-24.8; p < 0.001) were independent predictors of poor OS. Presence of nodal metastases (HR 3.87; 95%CI 1.17-12.8; p = 0.027) and positive margins (HR 12.3; 95%CI 3.54-42.9; p < 0.001) also independently predicted poor DSS. CONCLUSION: Margins' status was the only independent predictor of local recurrence. Tumor DOI, nodal and margin status were key prognosticators of survival and may determine the necessity for adjuvant therapy.

Longer examination time improves detection of gastric cancer during diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: It is not clear how the duration of upper endoscopy affects the detection of cancer or premalignant lesions that increase the risk for gastric cancer. We investigated whether the length of time spent performing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) affects the detection of important pathologic features of the stomach. METHODS: We collected data from 837 symptomatic patients, during a 3-month period in 2010, who underwent a first diagnostic EGD at a tertiary university hospital in Singapore. Endoscopists were classified as fast or slow based on the mean amount of time it took them to perform a normal EGD examination. We used logistic regression to compare between groups the numbers of intestinal metaplasias, gastric atrophies, dysplasias, and cancers detected, using histologic analysis of biopsy samples collected during endoscopy as the standard. RESULTS: Of 224 normal endoscopies, the mean duration was 6.6 minutes (range, 2-32 min). When we used 7 minutes as the cut-off time, 8 endoscopists were considered to have short mean examination times (mean duration, 5.5 ± 2.1 min; referred to as fast endoscopists), and 8 endoscopists were considered to have long mean examination times (mean duration, 8.6 ± 4.2 min; referred to as slow endoscopists). Eleven cancers and 81 lesions considered to pose risks for cancer were detected in 86 patients; 1.3% were determined to be cancer, 1.0% were determined to be dysplasia, and 8.7% were determined to be intestinal metaplasia and/or gastric atrophy. Slow endoscopists were twice as likely to detect high-risk lesions as fast endoscopists (odds ratio, 2.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.52-4.12), regardless of whether they were endoscopy staff or trainees. The slow endoscopists also detected 3-fold more neoplastic lesions (cancer or dysplasia; odds ratio, 3.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-10.38). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopists with mean EGD examination times longer than 7 minutes identified a greater number of high-risk gastric lesions than faster endoscopists. Examination time may be a useful indicator of quality assessment for upper endoscopy. Studies are required to test these findings in different populations.

Individual and area-level socioeconomic status and their association with depression amongst community-dwelling elderly in Singapore.

OBJECTIVES: Neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) can be associated with depression. We aimed to assess prevalence of depression amongst community-dwelling elderly in a multiethnic, urban, low-SES, Asian neighborhood, comparing against a higher SES neighborhood. METHOD: The study population involved all residents aged ≥60 years in two Singaporean housing estates comprising owner-occupied public housing (higher SES) and public rental housing (low SES) in 2012. Having lifetime prevalence of depression was defined as having a score ≥5 on the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 or a history of depression. Demographic/clinical details were collected via questionnaire. Those with depression were referred to local polyclinics. Multilevel multivariate logistic regression determined predictors of depression and depression screening. RESULTS: Participation was 61.5% (559/909). In the low-SES community, 26.2% (104/397) had depression, compared with 14.8% (24/162) in the higher SES community. After adjusting for other sociodemographic variables, staying in a low-SES community (public rental housing) was independently a ssociated with depression [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02-2.84]. Within the low-SES community, not being married (aOR = 2.27, CI = 1.35-3.70), falls (aOR = 2.72, CI = 1.59-4.67), visual impairment (aOR = 2.37, CI = 1.28-4.39), and poorer social network (aOR = 3.70, CI = 1.96-7.14) were associated with depression. CONCLUSION: Residing in a low-SES community was independently associated with depression after controlling for individual SES.

Endoscopic and Radiologic Central Compartment Disease as Predictors of Perennial Inhalant Allergen Sensitization in Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

BACKGROUND: Central compartment atopic disease (CCAD) is a recently described variant of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) strongly associated with atopy. The association between central compartment disease (CCD) and inhalant allergy is not well established in South-East Asia, where perennial allergic rhinitis is common. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to evaluate endoscopic and radiologic CCD as predictors of perennial allergen sensitization in primary CRS. The secondary objective was to compare clinical characteristics of CCAD with other CRS subtypes (CRSwNP and CRSsNP). METHODS: A retrospective study of consecutive patients with primary CRS who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery at our institution was performed. Allergen sensitization was confirmed by skin or serum testing. Endoscopy records and computed tomography scans of paranasal sinuses were reviewed for CCD. The diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic and radiologic CCD in predicting atopy was calculated. RESULTS: There were 104 patients (43 CCAD, 30 CRSwNP and 31 CRSsNP). Endoscopic CCD was significantly associated with aeroallergen sensitization (odds ratio (OR) 3.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.65-9.67, P = 0.002). Endoscopic CCD predicted atopy with 57% sensitivity, 72% specificity, 69% positive predictive value and positive likelihood ratio of 2.05. Radiologic CCD was not associated with aeroallergen sensitization (OR 0.728, 95%CI 0.292-1.82, P = 0.496). There were more CCAD patients who reported hyposmia (86% vs 42%, P < 0.001) and had anosmia on olfactory testing than CRSsNP (65% vs 14%, P = 0.015). The prevalence of atopy was significantly higher in CCAD than CRSwNP and CRSsNP (70% vs 37% and 42%, P = 0.015 and P = 0.05, respectively). Median serum total immunoglobulin E was higher in CCAD (283 IU/ml) and CRSwNP (127 IU/ml) than CRSsNP (27 IU/ml, P = 0.006 and P = 0.042, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic CCD was a better predictor of inhalant allergy than radiologic CCD in primary CRS, in a locale of perennial allergic rhinitis.