The difference in local, regional and distant breast cancer recurrence between the immediate and delayed DIEP flap procedure; a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: It has been hypothesized that autologous breast reconstruction can cause reactivation of dormant micro metastases by its extensive tissue trauma, influencing the risk of breast cancer recurrence. However, about the specific effect of timing on breast cancer recurrence in the deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap reconstruction is not much known. In this study the rate of local, regional and distant recurrence between patients undergoing an immediate and delayed autologous DIEP flap breast reconstruction were evaluated. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, breast cancer patients undergoing a DIEP flap breast reconstruction between 2010 and 2018 in three hospitals in the Netherlands were evaluated. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to assess the impact of different factors on breast cancer recurrence. The primary endpoint was local breast cancer recurrence. Secondary endpoints were regional and distant recurrence. RESULTS: A total of 919 DIEP-flap reconstructions were done in 862 women of which 347 were immediate- and 572 were delayed DIEP flap reconstructions. After a median follow-up of 46 months and 86 months respectively (p < 0.001), local breast cancer recurrence occurred in 1.5% and in 1.7% of the patients resulting in an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.890 (p = 0.001, 95% CI 1.536, 5437). CONCLUSION: This study suggests an increased risk for breast cancer recurrence in women receiving a delayed DIEP flap reconstruction as compared to women receiving an immediate DIEP flap reconstruction. However, these data should be interpreted carefully as a result of selection bias.

[Colonic ischaemia - a condition with an atypical clinical presentation; timely recognition and treatment improve prognosis]. / Colonischemie: aandoening met aspecifiek ziektebeeld.

The incidence of colonic ischaemia has risen in recent decades because of the ageing population. Patients with colonic ischaemia present with mild abdominal pain, rectal blood loss and/or diarrhoea. However, no pathognomonic signs have been described. Signs of peritonitis are often absent and serum lactate may be normal. This makes prompt recognition and diagnosis difficult, while early treatment with close monitoring is important to optimise prognosis. Computed tomography may have suggestive findings and exclude other causes of abdominal pain, but endoscopy remains the gold standard for confirming the diagnosis. Colonic ischaemia is mostly located in the left colon and has a relatively good prognosis. However, the presence of right-sided ischaemic colitis should alert physicians, because these patients have a worse prognosis, increased need for surgery and they also experience higher mortality rates.

Amyloid A amyloidosis secondary to hyper IgD syndrome and response to IL-1 blockage therapy.

A 62-year-old woman with a history of genetically confirmed hyperimmunoglobulinaemia D and periodic fever syndrome (HIDS) was admitted because of chronic diarrhoea. During admission she developed a rapidly progressive nephrotic syndrome. Reactive amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis was confirmed after colonic and renal biopsy which showed deposition of amyloid. After initial treatment with high-dosed corticosteroids, therapy was switched to anakinra, an IL-1 receptor antagonist, but her symptoms persisted. After cessation of anakinra, a marked exacerbation of the intestinal symptoms was noted. Nine months after the initial diagnosis of reactive amyloidosis without any amelioration of the symptoms and a decreasing quality of life, our patient declined further treatment and died soon after. This case demonstrates that AA amyloidosis does occur in patients with HIDS and can present with intestinal symptoms and proteinuria. Once amyloidosis is diagnosed the goal of treatment is to prevent further complications. In this case report we give an overview of previous cases with amyloidosis complicating HIDS with the treatments received and propose a step-up treatment plan for future cases.