Solitary colorectal liver metastasis: overview of treatment strategies and role of prognostic factors.

The following is an overview of the treatment strategies and the prognostic factors to consider in the therapeutic choice of patients characterized by solitary colorectal liver metastasis. Liver resection is the only potential curative option; nevertheless, only 25% of the patients are considered to be eligible for surgery. To expand the potentially resectable pool of patients, surgeons developed multidisciplinary techniques like portal vein embolization, two-stage hepatectomy or associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy. Moreover, mini-invasive surgery is gaining support, since it offers lower post-operative complication rates and shorter hospital stay with no differences in long-term outcomes. In case of unresectable disease, various techniques of local ablation have been developed. Radiofrequency ablation is the most commonly used form of thermal ablation: it is widely used for unresectable patients and is trying to find its role in patients with small resectable metastasis. The identification of prognostic factors is crucial in the choice of the treatment strategy. Previous works that focused on patients with solitary colorectal liver metastasis obtained trustable negative predictive factors such as presence of lymph-node metastasis in the primary tumour, synchronous metastasis, R status, right-sided primary colon tumor, and additional presence of extrahepatic tumour lesion. Even the time factor could turn into a predictor of tumour biology as well as further clinical course, and could be helpful to discern patients with worse prognosis.

Inverse correlation between urethral length and continence before and after native tissue pelvic floor reconstruction.

Urethral length was evaluated retrospectively in patients with prolapse undergoing anterior native-tissue repair. Effects of age, prolapse stage, defect pattern, urodynamic and clinical stress test findings, and tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) surgery indication were analyzed using Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests and linear and logistic regression. Of 394 patients, 61% had stage II/III and 39% had stage IV prolapse; 90% of defects were central (10% were lateral). Median pre- and postoperative urethral lengths were 14 and 22 mm (p < 0.01). Preoperative urethral length was greater with lateral defects [p < 0.01, B 6.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.67-8.08] and increased stress incontinence risk (p < 0.01, odds ratio 1.07, 95% CI 1.03-1.12). Postoperative urethral length depended on prolapse stage (p < 0.01, B 1.61, 95% CI 0.85-2.38) and defect type (p = 0.02, B - 1.42, 95% CI - 2.65 to - 0.2). Postoperatively, TVT surgery was indicated in 5.1% of patients (median 9 months), who had longer urethras than those without this indication (p = 0.043). Native-tissue prolapse repair including Kelly plication increased urethral length, reflecting re-urethralization, particularly with central defects. The functional impact of urethral length in the context of connective tissue aging should be examined further.

[Influence of bile duct anatomy on biliary complications in hepatic right lobe living donors]. / Einfluss der Gallengangsanatomie auf biliäre Komplikationen bei Lebendspenden des rechten Leberlappens.

Perioperative morbidity in the living donation of partial livers is mainly due to infections and biliary complications. Bile duct anatomy variants, in particular of the right system, are suspected to be causative. We investigated the influence of bile duct variants on the incidence of biliary donor complications in donations of the right liver lobe. We analyzed 103 donors. Twelve patients had a bile leak that required treatment. All of these were treated endoscopically without any residual defect. We did not see a central extrahepatic bile duct lesion Nagano type C. The anatomic variant Huang A3 is a challenge with respect to the surgical technique. Three of 17 patients with biliary anatomy Huang A3 developed leaks. The bile duct anatomy can be carefully evaluated by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and intraoperative cholangiography. The anatomic variant Huang A3 warrants particular attention for the closure of the bile duct orifice.

Validity of eleven prognostic scores with respect to intra- and extrahepatic recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: Tumor recurrence is the most frequent cause of death after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma. We selected ten other prognostic classifications to evaluate their potential to predict the risk of recurrence after LT for HCC as compared to the Milan classification. All of the other scores have not been compared with one another in a single cohort. METHODS: Data of 147 consecutive patients transplanted at our department between 1996 and 2014 were analyzed and staged for morphological and functional scores of underlying liver disease. For long-term follow-up, we analyzed intrahepatic (within the liver ± distant metastases) and extrahepatic (distant metastases only) recurrence separately. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The median survival time for all patients was 106 months. The 5- and 10-year observed survival rates were 61 and 43%, respectively. The observed cumulative 5- and 10-year recurrence rates were 37 and 39%, respectively, 10-year intrahepatic and extrahepatic recurrence rates were 12 and 27%, respectively. Median survival time after diagnosis of first recurrence was 7.5 (0-120) months; 2 and 18 months for all, intra- and extrahepatic recurrence, respectively. UCSF-, up to seven-, Shanghai Fudan- or Duvoux classifications can identify patients with a cumulative 10-year recurrence rate below 20%. The pre-therapeutic AFP level should be considered in addition to the geometry of the intrahepatic lesions.

[Neuroendocrine neoplasia of the stomach : What is new?] / Neuroendokrine Neoplasien des Magens : Was ist neu?

INTRODUCTION: Neuroendocrine Neoplasms are classified according to the new WHO classification in (1.) well differentiated neuroendocrine tumors G1 (NET G1, Ki67 ≤ 2 or mitosis count <2) and (2.) well differentiated neuroendocrine tumors G2 (NET G2, Ki67 3-20 or mitosis count 2-20) and (3.) poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas G3 (NEC G3, Ki67 > 20 or mitosis count >20). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study 310 NENs of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich were reevaluated according to the new WHO classification. RESULTS: 7% of the analyzed NENs were presented as neoplasias of the stomach. In NENs of the stomach three distinct subtypes are recognized: (1) type 1 associated with autoimmune chronic atrophic gastritis (2) type 2, associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN1) and Zollinger-Ellison Syndrom; and (3) type 3, sporadic tumors. DISCUSSION: Precursor lesions (i. e. hyperplasia of the ECL cells) are found in patients with hypergastrinaemia (type 1 and 2). This article should provide insights into the diagnosis of NENs of the stomach with emphasis on the new international standard.

Which factors affect the long-term survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma UICC stage IV?

AIM: In the 7th edition of the TNM classification, not only HCC with distant metastases but also those with regional lymph node metastases are classified as stage IV. MATERIALS AND METHODS, RESULTS: From our prospectively recorded tumor registry, 138 patients (17 %) with HCC were in stage IV. Among those were 68 and 70, respectively, in stage IVA (regional lymph node metastases) and IVB (distant metastases). The tumors were less frequently treated with resection or local ablative treatment (chemoembolization, RFA, SIRT, percutaneous radiation) than patients in stage I-III. Ten HCCs were resected. Five of the resected patients were in stage IVA and five in stage IVB. After tumor resection, patients lived longer than those who underwent local or systemic treatment only (p = 0.003 or p = 0.001, respectively). In the univariate survival analysis, the stage IV patients' long-term survival was decreased statistically significantly through elevated bilirubin, low albumin, Okuda stage III and BCLC stage D. Patients' age and sex, pre-treatment AFP level, Child stage and the presence of venous invasion did not influence survival. In the multivariate analysis (Cox regression), tumor resection and BCLC stage were independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: Patients with HCC in TNM stage IV have a very poor prognosis. Only few patients are eligible for resection because of the extent of tumor growth, comorbidities and general condition. These, however, benefit markedly from tumor resection with lymph node dissection and possibly resection of distant metastases.

[Selective internal radioembolization in nonresectable hepatocellular carcinoma]. / Selektive interne Radioembolisation beim nichtresektablen hepatozellulären Karzinom.

INTRODUCTION: The role of selective internal radioembolization (SIRT) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is currently unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated 52 patients with nonresectable HCC in cirrhosis who underwent SIRT at the Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery in co-operation with the Department of Nuclear Medicine and the Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology between April 2011 and October 2015. RESULTS: In five patients, SIRT was employed for bridging to liver transplantation. In patients who had undergone pre-treatment with SIRT, histological examination of the explanted livers showed extensive tumor necrosis in the targeted areas with only minor remnant vital tissue at the margins. Four of the patients who underwent SIRT as local bridging treatment are tumor-free after transplantation. In the 47 palliatively treated patients, a total of 76 radioembolizations were performed. The observed 1­ and 2­year survival rates in these patients were 58 and 29 %, respectively, after the first SIRT. In the multivariate analysis of the observed survival, AFP before the first SIRT >30ng/ml, time interval of <12 months between the initial diagnosis and the first SIRT, largest tumor diameter >5 cm and portal vein thrombosis were independent negative prognostic factors. In the multi-variate analysis, the time to progression was independently influenced only by the AFP level before the first SIRT. In addition to standard treatment with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), SIRT is feasible in nonresectable HCC, in particular with portal vein thrombosis, with identical results, less interventions and few side effects.

Partial liver resection results in a significantly better long-term survival than locally ablative procedures even in elderly patients.

PURPOSE: The number of elderly patients with HCC will increase worldwide in the next years. Therefore, surgeons need to reassess clinical algorithms for the treatment of patients with HCC. We reevaluated a cohort of patients treated in the last 10 years at our hospital, with emphasis on long-term results and age. METHOD: A prospectively recorded consecutive series of all patients treated in between January 1995 and December 2014 with curative intent either by partial liver resection or by ablative therapy was analysed. RESULTS: At the time of diagnosis, 232 patients were younger than 70 years and 127 patients were aged 70 years and over. In the latter group, solitary tumours, absence of liver cirrhosis and resection therapy were more frequent compared to younger patients. Charlson index, AFP-negative tumours and CLIP score were equally distributed in both groups. Observed survival of older and younger patients was similar but after partial liver resection, younger patients had a better survival than elderly patients, whereas survival in patients treated with ablation was similar in both groups. In the univariate analysis, long-term survival of patients aged 70 years and over was influenced by treatment procedure, number of lesions, liver cirrhosis, Child's stage and CLIP score. In the multivariate analysis, only treatment procedure and CLIP score were identified as independent predictors of observed survival, and comorbidity was not. CONCLUSION: In patients aged 70 years and over, long-term prognosis is independently influenced by CLIP score and treatment procedure and other findings have only minor influence on long-term survival.

Risk index for pelvic organ prolapse based on established individual risk factors.

PURPOSE: To identify known risk factors for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in a hospital cohort and to develop a prolapse risk index (PRI). METHODS: Risk factors for POP were recorded in women who underwent surgery with symptomatic POP (n = 500) or non-POP gynaecological conditions (n = 236). Descriptive statistics were determined by Chi-squared and Mann-Whitney U tests. Stepwise multivariate regression analysis was performed for all patients and subgroups by age (<60 and ≥60 years). Primary outcome measures were variables with the strongest impact on prolapse and PRI development. Secondary: specificity, sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV, respectively), and Cohen's kappa statistic (κ). RESULTS: Stepwise multivariate regression analysis (n = 736) showed difficult obstetric history [odds ratio (OR) 10.04], family history of POP (OR 7.28), and ≥10 years since menopause (OR 4.53) were independent risk factors for prolapse (P < 0.001). When one of the three variables with the strongest influence on POP development was present, the PRI for all women showed a PPV of 82%, NPV of 68%, and κ of 0.47 for predicting symptomatic POP requiring treatment. In women under 60 years (n = 349), logistic regression revealed difficult obstetric history (OR 9.108), positive family history (OR 8.016), and body mass index (OR 2.274) as independent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Eighty-seven percent of our patient cohort with symptomatic POP requiring therapy could be identified by the PRI, which may be useful for counselling and education.

[Completeness and quality of baseline data and follow-up in cancer registry--an analysis on the example of colorectal cancer]. / Vollständigkeit und Qualität der Basisdaten und der Nachbeobachtung im Krebsregister--Eine Untersuchung am Beispiel des kolorektalen Karzinoms.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: In Germany, data of cancer patients are recorded not only in epidemiological registers but also in clinical cancer registers. To ensure the networking of all included medical partners, quality control, and clinical research it is necessary that cancer cases are captured more or less completely. The aim of the present study was to compare the data sets of two registers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from patients with colorectal cancer from two large surgical clinics in Magdeburg are recorded in two registers - the Clinical Cancer Registry Magdeburg and the Institute of Quality Assurance in Operative Medicine at the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg. Here we compared the data sets in order to check the completeness of data capturing and to determine factors influencing the degree of completeness. RESULTS: From all patients captured in the Institute of Quality Assurance, 78.9% are found also in the clinical cancer registry. The percentage improves over the course of time, but also depends on diagnostic criteria such as the staging. There are some differences between both registries, explainable by their specific objectives. Particularly, it is demonstrated that incomplete follow-up record may bias estimates of survival rates from registries. CONCLUSION: Ensuring the completeness and correctness of data is a major challenge for cancer registries. It has distinct influence on estimated quality parameters such as survival rates.

[Tyrosine kinases in soft tissue tumors]. / Tyrosinkinasen in Weichgewebstumoren.

The development of therapeutic agents that specifically target the molecular alterations critical for tumorigenesis has a tremendous impact on the management of cancer patients. The successful treatment of advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) with receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitors has raised the hope that other malignancies could also benefit from a similar treatment. Tyrosine kinase receptors are promising targets for personalized medicine and new drugs are currently in phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials. We analyzed a large cohort of soft tissue sarcomas for different tyrosine kinase receptors and correlated the results with clinicopathological parameters. A total of 275 soft tissue sarcomas from the Ludwig-Maximilians University (LMU) were revisited and catagorized according to the current World Health Organization (WHO) classification system. Different entities showed distinct survival curves in 10-year long-term survival. Furthermore, different subtypes of sarcomas showed distinct expression profiles at the protein level. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors is associated with tumor progression. Due to the fact that not all patients respond to RTK inhibitor therapy, protein signatures should be evaluated before targeting therapy to give a rationale for a viable personalized therapy.

[Incidence of non-metastatic liver lesions in tumor patients: consequences for chemotherapy and local ablative procedures]. / Inzidenz nichtmetastatischer Leberläsionen bei Tumorpatienten: Konsequenzen für Chemotherapie und lokal-ablative Verfahren.

INTRODUCTION: Even in patients with a history of solid malignant tumors, especially of gastrointestinal origin, newly diagnosed solid liver lesions do not necessarily correspond to metastases of the respective primary tumor. A reliable diagnosis can only be made by definitive histological examination. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data of all patients who underwent liver resection under the preoperative diagnosis of liver metastases between 1997 and 2011 and for whom liver specimens were examined histologically, were extracted from the prospectively maintained cancer registry. RESULTS: An unexpected histological result occurred in 47 out of 770 patients (6.1 %). Primary tumors in these patients included renal cell (n=12), colorectal (n=11), breast (n=8), gastric (n=4), pancreatic (n=3), skin (n=3) and other cancers (n=6). Liver lesions were diagnosed synchronously in 15 cases or metachronously after a median of 17 months following primary therapy in 32 patients. Histology revealed a benign tumor in 38 cases (81 %) as well as 6 cases of HCC, 2 cases of CCC and in 1 case metastasis of a previously unknown colorectal cancer in a patient with known esophageal carcinoma. Suspicion of metastatic disease was based on four different imaging modalities in two cases and on three different imaging modalities in nine cases. Either computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was combined with ultrasound in another 23 patients and with positron emission tomography (PET) CT in 6 more cases. In two patients CT plus MRI and CT only, respectively, was performed. In the remaining three patients, suspicion of metastases occurred intraoperatively after macroscopic examination of the liver. Preoperative percutaneous biopsy was attempted in four patients with indeterminate results. CONCLUSION: Even with modern diagnostics the risk of treating a benign or other form of malignant tumor with neoadjuvant or palliative chemotherapy persists. The same holds true for local ablative procedures. Prior to local ablation or definitive palliative chemotherapy histological confirmation of metastases should be attempted.

[Diagnostic procedures and results in surgical therapy for cholangiocarcinoma]. / Diagnostisches Vorgehen und Ergebnisse in der chirurgischen Therapie von Gallenwegstumoren.

INTRODUCTION: Despite a rising incidence worldwide, cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) is one of the infrequent malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract. The surgical approach depends largely on the location of the tumour. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Since 1995, 425 consecutive patients with cholangiocarcinoma were seen at our hospital; their data were prospectively entered in our cancer registry. Tumour-specific data were now retrospectively analysed for prognostic value. RESULTS: Resection with primarily curative intent was performed in 183 of the 425 patients; resection rates were 36 % for intrahepatic (66 patients), 44 % for hilar (69 patients) and 56 % for distal cholangiocarcinoma (48 patients). R0-resection was achieved in 152 patients (83 %) and was found to be the most important factor determining survival. With respect to intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, clinical T3- and T4-categories, lymph node metastases as well as UICC stages III and IV had negative predictive value; in hilar carcinomas, this was only seen for the last two factors. In distal cholangiocarcinoma, a low degree of differentiation was associated with a poor prognosis. No differences in survival were seen in the presence of perineural infiltration, angioinvasion or elevation of tumour marker CA 19 - 9.  Regarding the surgical techniques, we found a survival benefit for limited liver resection in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas, which is explained by earlier tumour stages seen in these cases, as well as the performance of trisectionectomy or liver transplantation in hilar carcinomas. CONCLUSIONS: Comparable to other malignant gastrointestinal tumours, radical surgery represents the most important prognostic factor in cholangiocarcinomas; for hilar tumours, a survival advantage is seen after extended resections (trisectionectomy or liver transplantation) if compared to more limited resections. At the time of presentation, however, the stage of disease was incurable in most patients, thus accounting for the low overall resection rates.

Liver resection in selected patients with metastatic breast cancer: a single-centre analysis and review of literature.

PURPOSE: Despite the development of modern chemotherapeutics and target-specific drugs as well as improved surgical techniques, prognosis of metastatic breast cancer remains poor. Only a small number of selected patients will be eligible for liver resection and/or alternative metastatic ablation. Data on prognostic factors for patients with surgically resectable liver metastases of breast cancer are scarce at present. METHODS: From 1997 to 2010, 50 patients with hepatic metastases of breast cancer have undergone laparotomy with the intention to undergo a curative liver resection at our institution. Data from these patients were collected in a prospectively maintained standardized liver resection data base. RESULTS: Liver resection was performed in 34 patients. Resection margins were clear in 21 cases (R0). Nine patients lived for more than 60 months after liver resection. The observed 5-year survival rate was 21% for all 50 patients, 28% for resected patients and 38% after R0-resection. On univariate analysis, survival rates of the resected patients were statistically significantly influenced by R-classification, age, extrahepatic tumour at the time of liver resection, size of metastases and HER2 expression of liver metastases. Multivariate analysis revealed absence of HER2 expression, presence of extrahepatic tumour and patient's age ≥50 years as independent factors of poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer patients younger than 50 years with technically resectable hepatic metastases, minimal extrahepatic tumour and positive HER2 expression appear to be suitable candidates for liver resection with curative intent. An aggressive multi-disciplinary management of those patients including surgical treatment may improve long-term survival.

[Adenocarcinoma of small bowel. An underdiagnosed disease]. / Adenokarzinome des Dünndarms. Eine Krankheit, an die selten gedacht wird.

BACKGROUND: Small bowel adenocarcinoma is a rare disease. The diagnosis is often disguised by nonspecific and varied presenting symptoms. Adenocarcinoma of the small bowel is typically detected at a late stage and with a poor prognosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The records of 42 patients with small bowel adenocarcinomas diagnosed in 2 surgical clinics between 1995 and 2009 were reviewed for patient and tumor characteristics, treatment effects and survival. RESULTS: The tumor locations were the duodenum (50%), jejunum (38%) and ileum (12%). In comparison to patients seen before 2004 the observed frequency of emergency operations or palliative procedures as well as stage distribution did not change. The median overall survival was 19 months with a 5-year overall survival of 20%. For patients with resections, reduced performance status, higher stage and residual disease after resection predicted decreased overall survival in univariate analysis. Residual disease and pT category were predictive of survival in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Complete resection provides the only means of a cure. In cases where curative resection cannot be performed the prognosis remains poor. Further study on the methods for early detection and effective adjuvant chemotherapy should be investigated, however, the available data are limited.

[Poorly differentiated neuroendocrine small-cell carcinoma of the gallbladder]. / Schlecht differenziertes neuroendokrines kleinzelliges Karzinom der Gallenblase.

BACKGROUND: Neuroendocrine tumours of the gastroenteropancreatic system (GEP-NETs) are rare, in particular those of the gallbladder. Due to the limited therapeutic options, surgical resection is favoured. CASE REPORT AND METHODS: Described below is the case of a 69-year-old male with a lymphogenically metastasising, poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma of the gallbladder who presented with unspecific abdominal pain. RESULTS AND CLINICAL COURSE: Following complete surgical resection of the tumour and the lymph node metastases he developed a recurrence 6  weeks post-operatively. The recurrence was treated with chemotherapy. Re-staging after three courses, however, showed further tumour progression. Prior to the start of a second-line treatment the patient died 13  weeks after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This case demonstrates the complexity of this rare disease with diagnosis in advanced tumour stage and poor prognosis.

[Update from the soft tissue tumour registry in Jena]. / Neues aus dem Jenaer Weichteiltumor-Register.

The Jena Institute of Pathology has been serving as a consultation and reference center for soft tissue tumors in Germany since 1978. The present study provides an overview of the clinicopathological data from a two-year period and an update on diagnostics and research. Retrospectively, 7043 cases sent to the institute in the years 2006 and 2007 were analyzed. The majority of cases (>77.7%) were soft tissue tumors, of which 49% were categorized as malignant, 11.4% as intermediate, 35% as benign and 4.6% as tumors of uncertain biological potential. Neoplasms with fibroblastic differentiation were the most frequent. The mean age of patients with a sarcoma was 63 years. The molecular pathological analysis of soft tissue tumors has attained a major role in diagnosis. This is further advanced at the Jena institute in the context of a German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) project for molecular sarcoma diagnosis with the aim of developing and validating DNA probes for in situ hybridization detection of translocations and their associated chromosomal breaks on the one hand, and DNA chips for the detection of fusion transcripts on the other. Research projects relate to the analysis of specific biomarkers in large tumor collectives and the pathomechanisms in several sarcoma entities.

Sustained renal response to mycophenolate mofetil and CNI taper promotes survival in liver transplant patients with CNI-related renal dysfunction.

AIM: The aim of this trial was to evaluate the impact of conversion from a calcineurin-inhibitor (CNI)-based immunosuppressive regimen to mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and reduced-dose CNI on long-term renal function and survival in a series of 63 liver transplant patients with CNI-induced renal dysfunction. METHODS: CNI dosage was significantly tapered after introduction of 2,000 mg MMF per day. Renal function was assessed by determination of serum creatinine levels and calculated creatinine clearance (CCl). The impact of relevant clinical parameters on renal function and survival post-conversion was analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: At 60 months post-conversion, mean creatinine level had significantly declined from 197.2±58.3 µmol/l at baseline to 160.0±76.5 µmol/l, and mean CCl has significantly increased from 38.4±13.4 ml/min at baseline to 47.9±21.1 ml/min (p<0.001), respectively. Forty-six patients (73.1%) demonstrated sustained renal response to modified immunosuppression. Full-dose MMF medication (p=0.006) and the early conversion (p=0.02) were identified as independent predictors of persistent renal function improvement. Sustained renal response to MMF plus reduced-dose CNI was identified as the most relevant independent promoter of long-term survival (hazard ratio 6.9). Five-year survival rate post-conversion was 93.9% in renal responders and 64.3% in renal non-responders (log rank<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Sustained renal response to MMF and CNI dose reduction promotes long-term survival in liver transplant patients with CNI-induced renal dysfunction.

Head and neck in situ carcinoma: survival analysis of the Thuringian cancer registration database.

Head and neck in situ carcinoma is seldom diagnosed. Our knowledge about in situ cancer is limited. This study describes the epidemiology and prognosis of head and neck in situ cancer in Thuringia, Germany. We analyzed the cancer data of the Thuringian cancer registry database from 1996 to 2005. The database contained 3821 patients with primary head and neck cancer. Thirty-four patients (0.88%) had an in situ carcinoma. They were evaluated for patient's characteristics, tumor stage, incidence, treatment and trends in overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). During 1996-2005, the average annual incidence of head and neck in situ carcinoma was 0.14 per 100,000 persons. Half of the cases were localized in the larynx. The patients were treated by local excision. Six patients (18%) developed a local recurrence. Only one recurrent tumor was diagnosed in early stage (rT1), but the other five tumors in advanced stage (rT3/rT4). The median time to recurrence was 27.43 months. For all 34 patients with in situ carcinoma, the 5-year OS was 84% and the 5-year RFS 60.4%. OS was better for laryngeal in situ cancer than for oral cavity or pharyngeal in situ cancer (p=0.031). The surveillance of patients with head and neck in situ carcinoma after treatment should be performed like in patients with invasive cancer, because nearly one fifth of patients developed a recurrence, predominantly in advanced stage.