Selective use of endoscopic ultrasound in the evaluation of carcinomas of the pancreatic head.

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to assess the role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in the evaluation of adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas in cases of diagnostic dilemma and to determine the strength of agreement between perceived pre-operative stage as determined by computerised tomography (CT) and EUS and histopathological stage. METHODS: Patients undergoing pancreatic EUS were identified from a computerised radiology database. The strengths of agreement between the radiological and histopathological stages were determined by the weighted kappa (Kw) statistic. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients were identified. Of 37 patients with a pancreatic head mass on prior imaging, 32 had a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma confirmed by EUS, as did 11 of 21 patients with suspicious pancreatic head lesions. Twenty-five of 43 patients were deemed to have resectable carcinomas, and 2 patients had resectable mucinous lesions. In comparing CT and EUS in the 25 patients undergoing resection, the Kw for T and N stages was 0.250 (p = 0.05) and -0.080 (p = 0.288), respectively, for CT, compared with 0.738 (p = 0.0001) and 0.606 (p = 0.0001), respectively, for EUS. CONCLUSIONS: EUS was effective in assessing the resectability of pancreatic head adenocarcinomas. Furthermore, EUS held a significant 3-fold advantage over CT with regard to T stage and an even higher significant advantage with regard to N stage.

Prospective comparison of optic versus blind endoscopic ultrasound in staging esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal tumours too stenotic to cross with optic endoprobe ultrasound (EUS) may still be staged with the blind endoprobe of 9 mm diameter. The aim of this study was to determine the relative accuracy of both optic and blind endoprobe-defined radiological stages when compared with the histopathological pTN stages. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients [8 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 59 adenocarcinoma (ACA)] with tumours too stenotic to allow optic endoprobe assessment underwent blind endoprobe examination and were compared with 146 patients (48 SCC, 98 ACA) undergoing optic endoprobe assessment. The strengths of agreement between the EUS stage and the histopathological stage were determined by the weighted kappa statistic (Kw). RESULTS: Tumour dilatation was required in 3 (2%) of the patients undergoing optic EUS compared with 20 (30%) of the patients undergoing blind EUS (p = 0.0001). Optic EUS T-stage Kw was 0.612 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.553-0.671, p = 0.0001] compared with 0.530 (0.426-0.634, p = 0.0001) for blind EUS. Optic EUS N-stage Kw was 0.639 (0.576-0.702, p = 0.0001) compared with 0.666 (0.565-0.737, p = 0.0001) for blind EUS. Patients undergoing blind probe EUS were more likely to have advanced tumour stage than patients undergoing optic probe EUS (p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Blind probe EUS facilitated complete radiological staging in 31% of cases that would otherwise have resulted in a designation of failure to cross at EUS, and was as accurate as optic probe EUS in assessing pTN stage.

Outcomes of resection and non-resection strategies in management of patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The management of patients with surgically incurable bowel cancer at presentation is controversial. The aims of treatment are to optimise quality of life and prolong survival. It has been believed that the most effective palliation is achieved by resection of the primary cancer in order to pre-empt future complications. This study reviews and compares the outcomes of patients with incurable bowel cancer managed by resection and non-resection strategies over a 7-year period in a single District General Hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients with surgically incurable bowel cancer at presentation were identified from the prospectively collected local ACPGBI database. Survival, using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test, was compared between patients managed by resection of the primary, non-resectional intervention (surgery, stent & oncological treatments) and those managed with supportive care only. The primary endpoint of the study was survival on an intention to treat basis, compared using Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests. RESULTS: Of 646 consecutive newly diagnosed bowel cancer patients over a 7 year period 154 cases (24%) were deemed surgically incurable at presentation. Of these surgical resection was carried out in 45 patients (29%), non-resectional intervention was followed in 52 patients (34%) and supportive treatment alone in 57 patients (37%). Median survival of each group was as follows: resected patients 11 months (I.Q range 3-18 months), non-resectional intervention 7 months (I.Q range 2-15 months) and supportive care alone 2 months (I.Q range 1-8 months). Only one patient (2%) managed by non-resectional intervention required later surgery to treat primary tumour related complications. Survival was not significantly different between resection and non-resection treatments. The overall operative mortality for the resection group was 16% (7/45 cases), with an elective mortality of 14% (4/28 cases) and emergency mortality 18% (3/17 cases). CONCLUSION: In an unselected bowel cancer population surgical resection of the primary tumour in patients presenting with incurable disease does not improve survival and is associated with a high risk of post-operative mortality.

Medical adjuvant treatment to increase patency of arteriovenous fistulae and grafts.

BACKGROUND: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients often require either the formation of an arteriovenous (A-V) fistula or an A-V interposition prosthetic shunt for haemodialysis. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of adjuvant drug treatment on the patency of fistulae and grafts in patients with ESRD who are undergoing haemodialysis by assessing the number of thrombotic episodes. SEARCH STRATEGY: The Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group (PVD) searched their Specialised Register (last searched May 2008) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2008, Issue 2). SELECTION CRITERIA: RCTs of active drug versus placebo in patients with ESRD undergoing haemodialysis via an A-V fistula or prosthetic interposition A-V graft. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: For the update, two review authors (ADS, GO) independently assessed trial quality and ADS, XE, and GO extracted data. Information on adverse events was collected from the trials. The outcome measure analysed was the long-term fistula or graft patency rate. MAIN RESULTS: The overall results of the meta-analysis (three RCTs) comparing aspirin versus placebo favoured treatment with aspirin (odds ratio (OR) 0.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20 to 0.86; P = 0.02).The overall result of the meta-analysis ( three RCTs) comparing ticlopidine (a platelet aggregation inhibitor) versus placebo favoured active treatment (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.85; P = 0.01).The overall result from one trial comparing the effect of dipyridamole versus placebo and dipyridamole plus aspirin versus placebo favoured treatment (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.13 to 2.51; OR 0.77, CI 0.19 to 3.19, respectively).One trial compared fish oil (4 g/daily) versus placebo with 24 participants, follow-up 12 months. The overall result favoured treatment (OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.49).One trial compared low-dose warfarin with placebo, 107 patients were followed for 37 months but the trial was terminated prematurely due to increased bleeding events in the treatment group. The overall result favoured placebo (OR 1.76, 95% CI 0.78 to 3.99).One trial compared sulfinpyrazone versus placebo. Sixteen patients, follow-up three months, and the overall result favoured treatment (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.01 to 1.99).Finally, one trial compared clopidogrel (75 mg/once daily) with placebo. Twenty-four patients, follow-up over a three-year period until their first episode of thrombosis. The overall result favoured treatment (OR 0.01, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.15). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis confirmed the beneficial effect of anti-platelet treatment as an adjuvant used to increase the patency of A-V fistulae and grafts in the short term.

The presence of glomerular sclerosis at time zero has a significant impact on function after cadaveric renal transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: The aim was to determine the impact of donor glomerulosclerosis on allograft outcome. METHODS: The percentage of glomerular sclerosis (%GS) was calculated in protocol biopsies taken at engraftment. Clinical variables were obtained from the Welsh Transplantation Research Group (WTRG) database. RESULTS: Of 210 allografts, 129 showed %GS=0, but 81 kidneys showed %GS between 1 and 60. Patients with %GS=0 had the highest glomerular filtration rate (GFR) at 1 year (62.0 mL/min) and the slowest deterioration of function (-3.8 mL/min per year). Patients with %GS greater than 20 had the lowest GFR at 1 year (36.0 mL/min) and the steepest rate of deterioration (-9.0 mL/min per year). The %GS of 10 alone can reduce GFR at 4 years by 8 mL/min, a similar reduction to a single rejection episode or an increase in donor age of 30 years. Actuarial 5-year graft survival for %GS=0 was 80%, and for %GS greater than 20 was 35% ( P=0.04). CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that a biopsy taken at procurement will provide information for the most appropriate allocation of a kidney.