Survival paradox between stage IIB/C and stage IIIA colon cancer: is it time to revise the American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM system?

INTRODUCTION: A survival paradox between T4N0 (Stage IIB/IIC) and Stage IIIA colon cancer exists, even after adjusting for adequate lymph node (LN) retrieval and receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy (C). We conducted a large hospital-based study to re-evaluate this survival paradox based on the newest 8th edition staging system. METHODS: The National Cancer Data Base was queried to evaluate 35,606 patients diagnosed with Stage IIB, IIC, and IIIA colon cancer between 2010 and 2017. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to compare unadjusted overall survival (OS). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the association of stage with hazard ratios adjusted for relevant demographic and clinical variables including ≥ 12 LNs retrieved and receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy. P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The 5-year OS for optimally treated stage IIIA colon cancer (receipt of C) was 84.3%, which was significantly higher than stage IIB/C (≥ 12 LNs retrieved + C) (72.8%; P < 0.0001). Stage was an independent predictor of OS. Among optimally treated Stage IIIA patients, T1N1 had the best survival (90.6%) while stage T4bN0 (stage IIC) had the worst (70.9%) (P < 0.0001). Compared to stage IIB, stage IIC had a 17% increased risk of overall death while stage IIIA had a 21% reduction in death (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Stage IIB/C and Stage IIIA survival paradox persists even after accounting for receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy and adequate lymph node retrieval. Future iteration of the TNM system should take this paradox into consideration.

Influence of Autopsy Reports on Trauma Registry Accuracy.

The trauma registry is a locally maintained database with information on all trauma patients, including patient demographics and injury data. One essential field is the injury severity score (ISS). Patients who expire on arrival, either in the emergency department or soon after, often cannot undergo a complete evaluation of their injuries. As a result, many injuries remain undiagnosed, resulting in an erroneously low ISS, and autopsies can identify these unrecognized injuries. The objective of this study was to determine whether and how autopsy data improve the accuracy of the trauma registry data. The population included in the study was seen in the emergency department between January 2014 and August 2017 after a traumatic injury who expired on arrival, while in the ED, or within 48 hr of arrival. The ISS of each case was calculated prior to autopsy report and then adjusted according to autopsy data. The magnitude of this change was then compared. The mean ISS of these cases without autopsy data was 13, whereas the mean ISS of these cases including autopsy data was 49 (p ≤ .001). The mean ISS without autopsy data in those who died before and after 15 min was 7 and 23, respectively. In comparison, the mean autopsy-adjusted ISS in those who died before and after 15 min was 50 and 39, respectively (p ≤ .001). Our study identified the importance of obtaining autopsies in trauma patients. Having accurate registry data for trauma deaths further guides the development of performance improvement, injury prevention, and trauma research.

Inguinal Hernia Incarceration in the Setting of Postoperative Ileus.

Postoperative ileus (POI) occurs after gastrointestinal and other intra-abdominal surgeries, and its incidence rate is reported to range between 10 and 30% following major abdominal surgery. Should ileus remain for several days or if symptoms worsen despite management, further investigation is warranted to consider other diagnoses such as small bowel obstruction (SBO), intra-abdominal abscess, or perforation. The etiology of postoperative obstructive symptoms can evolve during the postoperative course and many possible factors contribute to postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction. Prolonged POI may be a risk factor for hernia incarceration. We describe the case of a 72-year-old male with a history of perforated diverticulitis and Hartmann procedure status post-colostomy takedown complicated by prolonged POI for six days. Clinical workup revealed incarcerated inguinal hernia, which was treated with urgent inguinal hernia repair. Follow-up revealed resolution of gastrointestinal dysfunction within 48 hours of hernia repair.

Frailty Score as a Predictor of Outcomes in Geriatric Patients with Isolated Hip Fractures.

BACKGROUND: Isolated hip fractures (IHFs) are a cause of morbidity and mortality in the geriatric population aged >65 years. Frailty has been identified as a determinant for patient outcomes in other surgical specialties. The purpose of this study is to determine if frailty severity is a predictor of outcomes in IHF in the geriatric population. METHODS: This is a retrospective study in a state and ACS Level 2 trauma center. Patients with IHF were reviewed between January 2018 and January 2020. Primary outcome was in-patient mortality. Secondary outcomes include perioperative outcome measures such as UTI, HCAP, DVT, readmission, length of stay, ICU length of stay, nutritional status, and discharge destination. Patients were stratified into mild (1-2), moderate (3-5), and severe (5-7) frailty using the Rockwood Frailty Score (RFS). Clinical characteristics and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: We identified 470 patients with IHF who were stratified by mild (N=316), moderate (N-123), and severe (N=31) frailty. Frailty worsened with increasing age (P < .0001). Those who were less frail were more likely discharged home (P < .04). Severely frail patients were more likely discharged to hospice (P < .01). Severely frail patients also were more likely to develop DVT (P < .04) and have poorer nutritional status (P < .02). There were no differences among groups for in-patient mortality. CONCLUSION: Severely frail patients are more likely to be malnourished at baseline and be discharged to hospice care. The RFS is a reliable objective tool to identify high-risk patients and guide goals of care discussion for operative intervention in isolated traumatic hip fractures.