A prospective study of carcinoid crisis with no perioperative octreotide.

BACKGROUND: Carcinoid crises, defined as the sudden onset of hemodynamic instability in patients with neuroendocrine tumors undergoing operation, are associated with significantly increased risk of postoperative complications. Octreotide has been used prophylactically to reduce crisis rates as well as therapeutically to treat crises that still occur. However, studies using octreotide still report crisis rates of 3.4% to 35%, leading to the questioning of its efficacy. METHODS: Patients with neuroendocrine tumors undergoing operation between 2017 to 2020 with no perioperative octreotide were prospectively studied. Clinicopathologic data were compared by χ2 test for discrete variables and by Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-one patients underwent 195 operations. Crisis was documented in 49 operations (25%), with a mean duration of 3 minutes. Crisis was more likely to occur in patients with small bowel primary tumors (P = .012), older age (P = .015), and carcinoid syndrome (P < .001). Those with crises were more likely to have major postoperative complications (P = .003). CONCLUSION: Completely eliminating perioperative octreotide resulted in neither increased rate nor duration compared with previous studies using octreotide. We conclude perioperative octreotide use may be safely stopped, owing to inefficacy, though the need for an effective medication is clear given continued higher rates of complications.

Evaluation of the prognosis for N2 status in patients with small bowel neuroendocrine tumors.

BACKGROUND: The 8th edition AJCC Staging for small bowel neuroendocrine tumors created a novel N2 classification. This study investigates if it is independently prognostic. METHODS: Records of patients from 2008 to 2019 were reviewed. Survival rates were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank. The Cox Proportional Hazards model was used to determine factors associated with overall survival (OS) via multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Among 300 patients, 225 were N2 and 60 were N1. No differences were seen in pathologic markers for N1 compared to N2. N2 were more likely to have liver metastases (LM) (p = 0.048) but rates of resectability were similar. Median OS for N1 with >70% liver cytoreduction was not yet reached compared to 121 months for N2 (p = 0.005). On multivariate analysis, LM was associated with shorter survival (p = 0.028), but nodal status was not. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike LM, N2 status is not independently prognostic, but a marker for aggressive LM.

Outcomes of cytoreductive operations for peritoneal carcinomatosis with or without liver cytoreduction in patients with small bowel neuroendocrine tumors.

BACKGROUND: This study determines how much cytoreduction for small bowel neuroendocrine tumors with peritoneal carcinomatosis and liver metastases can be achieved and the corresponding survival benefits of different levels of clearance. METHODS: Records of patients with small bowel neuroendocrine tumors with peritoneal carcinomatosis were reviewed and scored using the Lyon Stage system. Kaplan-Meier survival was calculated and compared by log-rank analysis. RESULTS: Among 323 patients with small bowel neuroendocrine tumors identified, 98 (30%) had peritoneal carcinomatosis. At laparotomy, 82% had Lyon Stage ≥3 compared with 78% who had Lyon Stage ≤2 after debulking (P < .00001). Median overall survival for Lyon Stage = 0 was 132 months and 51 months for Lyon Stage ≥1 (P = .026). For incomplete clearance, overall survival was 76 months for Lyon Stage ≤1 compared with 32 months for Lyon Stage ≥3 (P = .037). Seventy-nine (81%) patients had liver metastases, and 57 underwent >70% liver metastases cytoreduction. Overall survival was 76 months for Lyon Stage ≤1 and >70% liver metastases cytoreduction, 38.5 months for Lyon Stage ≥3 and >70% liver metastases cytoreduction, 22 months for Lyon Stage ≤1 and liver metastases not cytoreduced, and 20 months for Lyon Stage ≥3 and liver metastases not cytoreduced (P = .018). CONCLUSION: A majority of patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis from small bowel neuroendocrine tumors can be cytoreduced. Best survival times are seen with complete clearance; however, there are improved survival times for Lyon Stage ≤1. In patients with liver metastases, best survival after cytoreduction is seen when both Lyon Stage ≤1 and liver metastases >70% are achieved.

Developing a measure to assess identity reconstruction in patients with multiple sclerosis.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE: To develop and test initial validation of a theory-driven quantitative measure of identity reconstruction in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) based upon previous qualitative research. Research Method/Design: This study uses a cross-sectional survey design, in which 137 patients living with MS were recruited from an outpatient MS Center in the Southeastern U.S. Participants completed demographic items, Identity Reconstruction Assessment Scales (IRAS), Patient Determined Disease Steps, Medical Outcomes Study Measures of Patient Adherence, Chronic Disease Self-Efficacy Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Leeds MS Quality of Life Questionnaire, MS-Related Stigma Scale, and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form. RESULTS: The IRAS conformed to a 3-factor solution consisting of 23 items accounting for 42.6% of the variance. The 3 factors, labeled as "sustained identity" (α = .84), "reactionary identity" (α = .74), and "integrated identity" (α = .65), were not significantly correlated with each other, necessitating and allowing for independent scoring of the scales. Higher scores on "sustained identity" scale were associated with less anxiety, depression, perceived disability, and MS-related stigma, as well as with increased self-efficacy, treatment adherence, and quality of life. "Reactionary identity" scale was positively correlated with anxiety and MS-related stigma. "Integrated identity" was significantly associated with age and perceived disability. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Identity reconstruction provides needed context for understanding adjustment to and living with MS. Examination of the IRAS within a larger sample and in other disease groups can provide additional construct validity evidence. (PsycINFO Database Record