Small bowel carcinoma in crohn's disease. Distinguishing features and risk factors

Abstract Background and Aims Crohn’s disease-associated small bowel carcinoma is a rare event, usually reported to have a severe prognosis. However, in previous investigations we have found a minority of cases displaying a relatively favourable behaviour, thus outlining the need to improve the histopathological prediction of Crohn’s disease-associated small bowel carcinoma prognosis. Methods As in recent studies on colorectal cancer, a substantial improvement in prognostic evaluations has been provided by the histological analysis of the tumour invasive front; we therefore systematically analysed the tumour budding and poorly differentiated clusters in the invasive front of 47 Crohn’s disease-associated small bowel carcinomas collected through the Small Bowel Cancer Italian Consortium. Results Both tumour budding and poorly differentiated cluster analyses proved highly effective in prognostic evaluation of Crohn’s disease-associated small bowel carcinomas. In addition, they retained prognostic value when combined with two other parameters, i.e. glandular histology and stage I/II, both known to predict a relatively favourable small bowel carcinoma behaviour. In particular, association of tumour budding and poorly differentiated clusters in a combined invasive front score allowed identification of a minor subset of cancers [12/47, 25%] characterised by combined invasive front low grade coupled with a glandular histology and a low stage [I or II] and showing no cancer-related death during a median follow-up of 73.5 months. Conclusions The improved distinction of lower- from higher-grade Crohn’s disease-associated small bowel carcinomas provided by invasive front analysis should be of potential help in choosing appropriate therapy for these rare and frequently ominous neoplasms.

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Causes and Prognosis of Intestinal Failure in Crohn’s Disease: An 18-year Experience From a National Centre

Journal of Crohn s and Colitis ◽

10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjaa060 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (11) ◽

pp. 1558-1564 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mattias Soop ◽

Haroon Khan ◽

Emma Nixon ◽

Antje Teubner ◽

Arun Abraham ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Crohn’S Disease ◽

Small Bowel ◽

Crohn's Disease ◽

Abdominal Surgery ◽

Parenteral Nutrition ◽

Intestinal Failure ◽

Anastomotic Dehiscence ◽

Septic Complication ◽

Kaplan Meier

Abstract Background and Aims Intestinal failure [IF] is a feared complication of Crohn’s disease [CD]. Although cumulative loss of small bowel due to bowel resections is thought to be the dominant cause, the causes and outcomes have not been reported. Methods Consecutive adult patients referred to a national intestinal failure unit over 2000–2018 with a diagnosis of CD, and subsequently treated with parenteral nutrition during at least 12 months, were included in this longitudinal cohort study. Data were extracted from a prospective institutional clinical database and patient records. Results A total of 121 patients were included. Of these, 62 [51%] of patients developed IF as a consequence of abdominal sepsis complicating abdominal surgery; small bowel resection, primary disease activity, and proximal stoma were less common causes [31%, 12%, and 6%, respectively]. Further, 32 had perianastomotic sepsis, and 15 of those had documented risk factors for anastomotic dehiscence. On Kaplan-Meier analysis, 40% of all patients regained nutritional autonomy within 10 years and none did subsequently; 14% of patients developed intestinal failure-associated liver disease. On Kaplan-Meier analysis, projected mean age of death was 74 years.2 Conclusions IF is a severe complication of CD, with 60% of patients permanently dependent on parenteral nutrition. The most frequent event leading directly to IF was a septic complication following abdominal surgery, in many cases following intestinal anastomosis in the presence of significant risk factors for anastomotic dehiscence. A reduced need for abdominal surgery, an increased awareness of perioperative risk factors, and structured pre-operative optimisation may reduce the incidence of IF in CD.

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