Laboratory variation in the grading of dysplasia of duodenal adenomas in familial adenomatous polyposis patients.

To prevent duodenal and ampullary cancer in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) patients, a diagnosis of high grade dysplasia (HGD) plays an important role in the clinical management. Previous research showed that FAP patients are both over- and undertreated after a misdiagnosis of HGD, indicating unwarranted variation. We aimed to investigate the laboratory variation in dysplasia grading of duodenal adenomas and explore possible explanations for this variation. We included data from all Dutch pathology laboratories between 1991 and 2020 by retrieving histology reports from upper endoscopy specimens of FAP patients from the Dutch nationwide pathology databank (PALGA). Laboratory variation was investigated by comparing standardized proportions of HGD. To describe the degree of variation between the laboratories a factor score was calculated. A funnel plot was used to identify outliers. A total of 3050 specimens from 25 laboratories were included in the final analyses. The mean observed HGD proportion was 9.4%. The top three HGD-diagnosing laboratories diagnosed HGD 3.9 times more often than the lowest three laboratories, even after correcting for case-mix. No outliers were identified. Moderate laboratory variation was found in HGD diagnoses of duodenal tissue of FAP patients after adjusting for case-mix. Despite the fact that no outliers were observed, there may well be room for quality improvement. Concentration of these patients in expertise centers may decrease variation. To further reduce unwarranted variation, we recommend (inter)national guidelines to become more uniform in their recommendations regarding duodenal tissue sampling and consequences of HGD diagnoses.

Endoscopic management of duodenal adenomatosis in familial adenomatous polyposis-A case-based review.

Adenomatous polyposis (AP) diseases, including familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), attenuated FAP (AFAP), and MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP), are the second most common hereditary causes of colorectal cancer. A frequent extra-colonic manifestation of AP disease is duodenal polyposis, which may lead to duodenal cancer in up to 18% of AP patients. Endoscopic surveillance is recommended at 0.5- to 5-year intervals depending on the extent of polyp growth and histological progression. Although the Spigelman classification is traditionally used to determine surveillance intervals, it lacks information on the (peri-)ampullary site, where 50% of duodenal carcinomas are located. Hence, information on the papilla has recently been added as a prognostic marker. Patients with duodenal adenoma(s) ≥10 mm and ampullary adenomas of any size are suggested to be referred to an expert center for endoscopic therapy, particularly endoscopic mucosal resection and endoscopic ampullectomy. Nonetheless, despite the logic of this approach, the long-term efficacy of endoscopic therapy is still to be demonstrated.

An online self-test added to colorectal cancer screening can increase the effectiveness of familial cancer risk assessment without increasing distress.

AIM: Most people who are at increased familial colorectal cancer (FCRC) risk are not identified, despite the need for enhanced surveillance colonoscopy for effective CRC prevention. An online self-test may enhance this identification. We assessed whether taking an online self-test to identify increased FCRC risk increases anxiety, distress or CRC risk perception in population-based CRC screening. METHOD: After the precolonoscopy consultation, patients who had a positive immunohistochemical occult faecal blood test (iFOBT+) in population-based CRC screening were invited by email to take an online self-test at home which returned details of family history. Anxiety (STAI-DY), distress (HADS) and CRC risk perception were assessed immediately before and after taking the online self-test and 2 weeks later. RESULTS: Of 250 participants invited, 177 (71%) completed the online self-test and psychological questionnaires and 153 (61%) completed questionnaires 2 weeks later. The median age was 65 years (range 61-75). The FCRC risk was increased in 17 participants (9.6%). Of these, 12 (6.8%) had a highly increased FCRC risk and may benefit from germline genetic testing for Lynch syndrome. In 7 of 17 participants (40%) the self-test obtained novel information on family history. Anxiety and distress levels were, and remained, below a clinically relevant level. Perception of CRC risk remained unchanged. Most participants (83%) would recommend the online self-test to others. CONCLUSION: Of those with a iFOBT+, 9.6% had a previously unidentified increasedFCRC risk and require an enhanced surveillance colonoscopy instead of iFOBT. As screening for this risk did not increase anxiety or distress, and was highly acceptable, we recommend adding the online self-test to population-based CRC screening.

Observer agreement in the assessment of narrowband imaging system surface patterns in Barrett's esophagus: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: The clinical utility of narrow-band imaging (NBI) for Barrett's esophagus is limited by the multiplicity of classification schemes. We evaluated the interobserver agreement and accuracy of a new consensus-driven simplified binary classification of NBI surface patterns.

FDG-PET scanning in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancers.

This review deals with the current, well-established indications for two-(18F)-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scanning in patients with gastrointestinal cancers. FDG-PET is a non-invasive, functional imaging technique. FDG exploits the native glucose transporter to enter the cell. Since many tumours have enhanced glucose uptake, FDG is readily accumulated in malignant cells and can be detected by a PET camera. FDG-PET has been established as an important diagnostic tool in clinical oncology. This review deals with the current, well-established indications for FDG-PET scanning in patients with gastrointestinal cancers. In the current practice, FDG-PET is most commonly used to stage oesophageal carcinoma, to detect and stage recurrence of colorectal carcinoma and to differentiate between benign and malignant pancreatic lesions. The benefit of FDG-PET scanning in patients with oesophagus carcinoma is best established in stage IV disease, as the diagnostic accuracy to detect metastatic disease is higher compared to the combination of computed tomography (CT) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). In patients with a history of colorectal carcinoma, FDG-PET scanning is particularly effective in diagnosing recurrent disease, especially in those with a rising carcinoembryonic antigen without a suspect lesion on conventional imaging. Large series have indicated that the sensitivity and specificity for detecting recurrent colorectal carcinoma are in the range of 87%-100% and 66%-100%, respectively. Equally, FDG-PET has a high sensitivity (68%-96%) and specificity (78%-100%) in detecting pancreatic carcinoma in patients with a suspicious-looking pancreatic mass on CT scan. Lastly, we focus on the use of FDG-PET as a modality for early monitoring of treatment response in patients with gastrointestinal stromal cell tumours. Without doubt, future developments will further establish the diagnostic role of the FDG-PET scan in the care of patients with gastrointestinal cancers.

[A patient with biliary papillomatosis, a rare condition of the biliary system, with fatal outcome]. / Een patiënt met biliaire papillomatose, een zeldzame aandoening van de galwegen, met fatale afloop.

A 21-year-old man was admitted because of upper abdominal pain and cholestasis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was suggestive of primary sclerosing cholangitis. During follow-up the patient developed symptoms which were not compatible with primary sclerosing cholangitis, i.e. icterus and weight loss. Finally the patient died, almost three years after presentation, because of a metastatic adenocarcinoma which had arisen from biliary papillomatosis. Biliary papillomatosis is characterised by papillary adenomatous proliferation of the bile duct epithelium. It has a high chance of malignant degeneration. The only curative option would have been transplantation of the liver and biliary system, but this ought to have happened at an early stage before malignant degeneration had occurred.