Pathologic Factors Affecting Colorectal Cancer Survival in a Jamaican Population-the UHWI Experience.

OBJECTIVE: Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the third most common cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Jamaica. Globally, CRC mortality rates have been decreasing in developed countries; however, CRC mortality rates are trending upwards in low-income or developing countries. Our objectives are to estimate the overall 5-year survival and to determine the pathologic factors associated with overall survival of colorectal adenocarcinoma after surgery at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). METHODS: Retrospective, observational (cross-sectional) study on CRC patients. We summarized and analyzed demographic, clinical data, histopathological data, and survival rates. Single predictor Cox regression models were used to establish associations between survival and specified clinicopathological characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 217 patients who underwent operative resection of colorectal adenocarcinoma from January 2004 to December 2013. Median survival time post-therapeutic intervention was 48 months. Late stage at diagnosis, positive circumferential resection margins, neural and vascular invasion, as well as three or more nodal metastases were all associated with statistically significant worsened outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Despite surgical quality meeting USA standards, CRC survival rates in Jamaica are 13% lower than survival of CRC in non-Hispanic Blacks in the USA. The survival trends found by our study support the application of international indices for CRC prognostication to Jamaican patients.

Race as a predictor of morbidity, mortality, and neurologic events after carotid endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Racial disparities in the outcomes of patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) have been reported. We sought to examine the contemporary relationship between race and outcomes and to report postdischarge events after CEA. METHODS: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Participant Use Data Files were reviewed to identify all CEAs performed from 2005 to 2010 by vascular surgeons. The influence of race on outcomes was examined. Multivariate analysis was performed using variables found to be significant on bivariate analysis. The primary outcomes were stroke and mortality. Secondary outcomes were other 30-day complications, including postdischarge events. RESULTS: CEA was performed on 29,114 white patients (95.7%) and on 1316 black patients (4.3%); the overall stroke and mortality rates were 1.65% and 0.7%, respectively. The stroke rate was 1.6% for whites and 2.5% blacks (P = .009). The 30-day mortality rate was 0.7% for whites and 1.4% for blacks (P = .002). There was a longer operating time (P < .001) and total length of stay (P < .001), more postoperative pneumonias (P = .049), unplanned intubations (P < .001), ventilator dependence (P < .001), cardiac arrests (P < .001), bleeding requiring transfusions (P = .024), and reoperations within 30 days (P = .021) among black patients. Multivariate logistic regression modeling identified black race as an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality (odds ratio, 1.9; P = .007). Black patients also had a greater proportion of in-hospital deaths than white patients (73.7% vs 43.1%; P = .01). There was no between-group difference in the rate of postdischarge strokes. Thirty-six percent of all strokes occurred after discharge at a mean of 8.3 days, and 54.3% of deaths occurred after discharge at a mean of 11 days. CONCLUSIONS: Black race is an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality after CEA. A significant proportion of strokes and deaths occur after discharge in both racial groups evaluated.

Subclavian aneurysm presenting with massive hemoptysis: a case report and review of the literature.

We present a case of a 70-year-old male with a past medical history of coronary artery bypass grafting and end stage renal disease who presented with massive hemoptysis. He had a history of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis, with infection and removal of endocardial pacing leads. His work-up revealed a 2.9-cm proximal left subclavian artery aneurysm. Bronchoscopy confirmed bright red blood in the left upper lobe bronchus and coronary angiography confirmed a patent left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to left anterior descending bypass. Because of the consideration of maintaining coronary perfusion via the LIMA while excluding the subclavian aneurysm, he underwent a left carotid to left axillary artery bypass graft followed by deployment of an Amplatzer II vascular plug just distal to the aneurysm. A thoracic endograft was then deployed to exclude the origin of the subclavian. A review of the literature reveals hemoptysis as a rare presentation of a subclavian aneurysm. We discuss approaches to this challenging clinical problem, ranging from open repair to hybrid approaches.

Prevalence of carotid stenosis in a high-risk Caribbean population.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of carotid stenosis among patients presenting to the University Hospital of West Indies (UHWI) Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) with an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). METHODS: Beginning in August 2006, all patients presenting to the UHWI A&E with an acute stroke or TIA were screened for enrollment. Patients were excluded if they had a hemorrhagic stroke or if informed consent could not be obtained. Demographic and clinical information were collected by chart review and interviewer-administered questionnaires. All participants had noncontrast head computed tomography (CT) and bilateral carotid duplex ultrasounds. RESULTS: 133 patients were enrolled in the study. 90% presented with a stroke and 10% with a TIA. Mean age was 64 years, 52% were male, 96% self-identified as black. 78% had diabetes mellitus or hypertension or both, 27% were current or past smokers. 65.1% had a normal carotid ultrasound, 28.5% had <50% stenosis, 1.6% had 50% to 69% stenosis, 0.8% had >or=70% stenosis to near occlusion, 1.6% had near occlusion and 1.6% total occlusion. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of moderate or high-grade carotid stenosis in this high-risk black Caribbean population presenting with an ischemic stroke or a TIA is 5.6%. This is lower than that described in other populations. Further studies are needed to determine the cost-effectiveness of routine screening for carotid stenosis in this population.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the pancreas.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the pancreas is a rare condition. The incidence has been estimated at approximately 1% of all pancreatic malignancies. The histogenesis is uncertain, but it has been proposed to originate from areas of squamous metaplasia of pancreatic ductal epithelium. We present a case of a 56-year-old man who presented with back pain and was found to have a squamous cell carcinoma of the pancreas without evidence of metastatic disease. Three months after en bloc resection with negative margins and lymph nodes, he presented with widely metastatic disease. A review of the literature on the topic is presented, and the poor prognosis of this rare tumor, despite complete surgical resection, is discussed.