Mortality, Morbidity, and Prognostic Factors in the Surgical Resection of Brain Metastases: A Contemporary Cohort Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (04) ◽  
pp. 279-289
Author(s):  
Helder Picarelli ◽  
Marcelo de Lima Oliveira ◽  
Gustavo Nader Marta ◽  
Davi J. Fontoura Solla ◽  
Manoel Jacobsen Teixeira ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Despite advances in systemic therapy and radiotherapy (RT), neurosurgical resection (NSR) remains a mainstay of the treatment of brain metastases (BMs). Although it is unequivocal in instances of diagnostic doubt, radioresistance, and risk of death due to neurologic causes, NSR may be controversial in other situations. Many aspects related to NSR have not yet been well established, and the primary prognostic indices were proposed only in the last decade. This study evaluates the survival and the morbidity, causes of death, prognostic factors, and the impact of RT in patients with BMs treated by NSR in the current era. Methods A total of 200 patients with BMs who were treated by NSR were evaluated sequentially and followed prospectively. We used logistic regression and Cox regression models to identify independent factors associated with mortality at 4 weeks and at 1 year, respectively. Clinical features, morbidity, recurrence, and causes of death were also studied. Results Lung cancer was the most prevalent cancer (36.5%); the median Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) score was 60. Total resection was achieved in 89%, and adjuvant RT was applied in 63% of the cases. The rates of surgical mortality, morbidity, and mortality at 4 weeks were 1.5%, 17%, and 7.5%, respectively. Systemic infections were the leading cause of death in 62.5% of the cases. The median survival was 5 months, and 34.5% of patients lived > 1 year. The postoperative KPS (KPSpo) score remained unchanged or improved in 94.5% of the cases. In the multivariate analysis, a KPSpo score ≥ 80 and the application of adjuvant RT were associated with a lower risk of death at 12 weeks and at 1 year. Interestingly, the variables of primary tumor site, number of BMs, and presence of carcinomatous meningitis were not significant. Conclusion Morbidity and mortality were high, a third of the patients lived > 1 year, and the KPS score improved or remained unchanged in most cases. Prognostic indices and health conditions were important predictive factors, but the KPSpo score and adjuvant RT were independent variables for survival at 12 weeks and at 1 year. Therefore, new studies are needed to assess the influence of new therapies and specific molecular profiles.

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 175628482110234
Author(s):  
Mario Romero-Cristóbal ◽  
Ana Clemente-Sánchez ◽  
Patricia Piñeiro ◽  
Jamil Cedeño ◽  
Laura Rayón ◽  
...  

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) with acute respiratory distress syndrome is a life-threatening condition. A previous diagnosis of chronic liver disease is associated with poorer outcomes. Nevertheless, the impact of silent liver injury has not been investigated. We aimed to explore the association of pre-admission liver fibrosis indices with the prognosis of critically ill COVID-19 patients. Methods: The work presented was an observational study in 214 patients with COVID-19 consecutively admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Pre-admission liver fibrosis indices were calculated. In-hospital mortality and predictive factors were explored with Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analysis. Results: The mean age was 59.58 (13.79) years; 16 patients (7.48%) had previously recognised chronic liver disease. Up to 78.84% of patients according to Forns, and 45.76% according to FIB-4, had more than minimal fibrosis. Fibrosis indices were higher in non-survivors [Forns: 6.04 (1.42) versus 4.99 (1.58), p < 0.001; FIB-4: 1.77 (1.17) versus 1.41 (0.91), p = 0.020)], but no differences were found in liver biochemistry parameters. Patients with any degree of fibrosis either by Forns or FIB-4 had a higher mortality, which increased according to the severity of fibrosis ( p < 0.05 for both indexes). Both Forns [HR 1.41 (1.11–1.81); p = 0.006] and FIB-4 [HR 1.31 (0.99–1.72); p = 0.051] were independently related to survival after adjusting for the Charlson comorbidity index, APACHE II, and ferritin. Conclusion: Unrecognised liver fibrosis, assessed by serological tests prior to admission, is independently associated with a higher risk of death in patients with severe COVID-19 admitted to the ICU.


BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhangheng Huang ◽  
Xin Zhou ◽  
Yuexin Tong ◽  
Lujian Zhu ◽  
Ruhan Zhao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The role of surgery for the primary tumor in breast cancer patients with bone metastases (BM) remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of surgery for the primary tumor in breast cancer patients with BM and to develop prognostic nomograms to predict the overall survival (OS) of breast cancer patients with BM. Methods A total of 3956 breast cancer patients with BM from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database between 2010 and 2016 were included. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to eliminate the bias between the surgery and non-surgery groups. The Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test were performed to compare the OS between two groups. Cox proportional risk regression models were used to identify independent prognostic factors. Two nomograms were constructed for predicting the OS of patients in the surgery and non-surgery groups, respectively. In addition, calibration curve, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the performance of nomograms. Result The survival analysis showed that the surgery of the primary tumor significantly improved the OS for breast cancer patients with BM. Based on independent prognostic factors, separate nomograms were constructed for the surgery and non-surgery groups. The calibration and ROC curves of these nomograms indicated that both two models have high predictive accuracy, with the area under the curve values ≥0.700 on both the training and validation cohorts. Moreover, DCA showed that nomograms have strong clinical utility. Based on the results of the X-tile analysis, all patients were classified in the low-risk-of-death subgroup had a better prognosis. Conclusion The surgery of the primary tumor may provide survival benefits for breast cancer patients with BM. Furthermore, these prognostic nomograms we constructed may be used as a tool to accurately assess the long-term prognosis of patients and help clinicians to develop individualized treatment strategies.


Author(s):  
Anna Cho ◽  
Helena Untersteiner ◽  
Dorian Hirschmann ◽  
Fabian Fitschek ◽  
Christian Dorfer ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction The predictive value of the pre-radiosurgery Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio (LMR) and the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) was assessed for the first time in a homogenous group of NSCLC brain metastaes (BM) patients. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 185 NSCLC-BM patients, who were treated with Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (GKRS). Patients with immunotherapy or targeted therapy were excluded. Routine laboratory parameters were reviewed within 14 days before GKRS1. Results Median survival after GKRS1 was significantly longer in patients with NLR < 5 (p < 0.001), PLR < 180 (p = 0.003) and LMR ≥ 4 (p = 0.023). The Cox regression model for the continuous metric values revealed that each increase in the NLR of 1 equaled an increase of 4.3% in risk of death (HR: 1.043; 95%CI = 1.020–1.067, p < 0.001); each increase in the PLR of 10 caused an increase of 1.3% in risk of death (HR: 1.013; 95%CI = 1.004–1.021; p = 0.003) and each increase in the LMR of 1 equaled a decrease of 20.5% in risk of death (HR: 0.795; 95%CI = 0.697–0.907; p = 0.001). Moreover, the mGPS group was a highly significant predictor for survival after GKRS1 (p < 0.001) with a HR of 2.501 (95%CI = 1.582–3.954; p < 0.001). NLR, PLR, LMR values and mGPS groups were validated as independent prognostic factors for risk of death after adjusting for sex, KPS, age and presence of extracranial metastases. Conclusion NLR, PLR, LMR and mGPS represent effective and simple tools to predict survival in NSCLC patients prior to radiosurgery for brain metastases.


1990 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 1042-1049 ◽  
Author(s):  
M P Dearing ◽  
S M Steinberg ◽  
R Phelps ◽  
M J Anderson ◽  
J L Mulshine ◽  
...  

In a study of 411 patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) entered on therapeutic clinical trials between 1973 and 1987, we analyzed whether changes in the prognostic importance of pretreatment factors had occurred during the 14-year time period. After adjusting for other prognostic factors, brain involvement was associated with shorter survival in patients treated before December 1979 (P = .024) but not in patients treated thereafter (P = .54). The patients diagnosed before 1979 had brain metastases documented by radionuclide scan while computed cranial tomography (CCT) was more commonly used after 1979. Patients who had brain metastases diagnosed by radionuclide scan lived a shorter period of time than patients who had the diagnosis made by the more sensitive CCT scan (P = .031). In contrast, Cox proportional hazards modeling showed that liver metastases in patients were associated with shorter survival in patients treated after 1979 (P = .0007) but not in patients treated before then (P = .30). A larger proportion of patients had a routine liver biopsy before 1979 than after 1979 when more patients had the liver staged with less sensitive imaging studies and biochemical parameters. Patients with SCLC whose cancer was confined to the thorax but had medical or anatomic contraindications to intensive chest radiotherapy had similar survival compared with patients with limited-stage SCLC who were treated with combination chemotherapy alone (P = .68). From these data we conclude: (1) the sensitivity of the staging procedures used can affect the impact on survival of cancer involvement of a given site; and (2) patients with cancer confined to their chest with medical or anatomic contraindications to chest radiotherapy do not have a shorter survival than patients with limited-stage disease treated with chemotherapy alone.


2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (11) ◽  
pp. 1170-1176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernardino C. Branco ◽  
Miguel F. Montero-Baker ◽  
Hassan Aziz ◽  
Zachary Taylor ◽  
Joseph L. Mills

Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) continues to carry high morbidity and mortality. Endovascular strategies have been increasingly used in the management of AMI. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of endovascular therapy on outcomes of patients with AMI. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried to identify all patients requiring emergency surgical intervention for AMI. Demographics, clinical data, interventions, and outcomes were extracted. Patients were compared according to treatment (endovascular versus hybrid versus open revascularization). Over the six-year study period, a total of 439 patients were found to have AMI [27 (6.2%) endovascular, 23 (5.2%) hybrid, and 389 (88.6%) open revascularization]. A total of 16 (59.3%) patients in the endovascular group avoided laparotomy. There was a trend toward lower transfusion requirements (intraoperative transfusion: 3.7% for endovascular vs 17.4% for hybrid vs 19.3% for open, adjusted. P = 0.127) and complications in particular pneumonia (22.2% vs 39.1% vs 27.8%, respectively, Adj. P = 0.392) and sepsis (25.9% vs 21.7% vs 35.5%, adjusted P = 0.260). Endovascular therapy was associated with a 2.5-fold decrease in the risk of death [odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 0.4 (0.2, 0.9), adjusted P = 0.018]. In this analysis of morbidity and mortality, endovascular therapy was associated with decreased need for laparotomy and a trend toward lower transfusion requirements and complications, in particular pneumonia and sepsis. Endovascular first therapy was associated with a 2.5-fold decrease in the risk of death. Further prospective evaluation of these results is warranted.


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 385-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakub Kazmierski ◽  
Chaido Messini-Zachou ◽  
Mara Gkioka ◽  
Magda Tsolaki

Cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) are the mainstays of symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD); however, their efficacy is limited, and their use was associated with deaths in some groups of patients. The aim of the current study was to assess the impact of the long-term use of ChEIs on mortality in patients with AD. This observational, longitudinal study included 1171 adult patients with a diagnosis of AD treated with donepezil or rivastigmine. Each patient was observed for 24 months or until death. The cognitive and functional assessments, the use of ChEIs, memantine, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and anxiolytics were recorded. The total number of deaths at the end of the observational period was 99 (8.45%). The patients who had received rivastigmine treatment were at an increased risk of death in the follow-up period. The higher risk of death in the rivastigmine group remained significant in multivariate Cox regression models.


Author(s):  
Enea Gino Di Domenico ◽  
Ilaria Cavallo ◽  
Francesca Sivori ◽  
Francesco Marchesi ◽  
Grazia Prignano ◽  
...  

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is a prominent cause of nosocomial infections associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, particularly in oncological patients. The hypermucoviscous (HMV) phenotype and biofilm production are key factors for CRKP colonization and persistence in the host. This study aims at exploring the impact of CRKP virulence factors on morbidity and mortality in oncological patients. A total of 86 CRKP were collected between January 2015 and December 2019. Carbapenem resistance-associated genes, antibiotic susceptibility, the HMV phenotype, and biofilm production were evaluated. The median age of the patients was 71 years (range 40–96 years). Clinically infected patients were 53 (61.6%), while CRKP colonized individuals were 33 (38.4%). The most common infectious manifestations were sepsis (43.4%) and pneumonia (18.9%), while rectal surveillance swabs were the most common site of CRKP isolation (81.8%) in colonized patients. The leading mechanism of carbapenem resistance was sustained by the KPC gene (96.5%), followed by OXA-48 (2.3%) and VIM (1.2%). Phenotypic CRKP characterization indicated that 55.8% of the isolates were strong biofilm-producers equally distributed between infected (54.2%) and colonized (45.8%) patients. The HMV phenotype was found in 22.1% of the isolates, which showed a significant (P&lt;0.0001) decrease in biofilm production as compared to non-HMV strains. The overall mortality rate calculated on the group of infected patients was 35.8%. In univariate analysis, pneumoniae significantly correlated with death (OR 5.09; CI 95% 1.08–24.02; P=0.04). The non-HMV phenotype (OR 4.67; CI 95% 1.13–19.24; P=0.03) and strong biofilm-producing strains (OR 5.04; CI95% 1.39–18.25; P=0.01) were also associated with increased CRKP infection-related mortality. Notably, the multivariate analysis showed that infection with strong biofilm-producing CRKP was an independent predictor of mortality (OR 6.30; CI 95% 1.392–18.248; P=0.004). CRKP infection presents a high risk of death among oncological patients, particularly when pneumoniae and sepsis are present. In infected patients, the presence of strong biofilm-producing CRKP significantly increases the risk of death. Thus, the assessment of biofilm production may provide a key element in supporting the clinical management of high-risk oncological patients with CRKP infection.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 4866-4866
Author(s):  
Luciana Correa Oliveira de Oliveira ◽  
Juliana Alves Uzuelli ◽  
Ana Paula Alencar de Lima Lange ◽  
Barbara Amelia Aparecida Santana-Lemos ◽  
Marcia Sueli Baggio ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 4866 Background Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable malignant disease, characterized by increased angiogenesis in the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment and aberrant BM metabolism. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are a family of zinc-dependent endopeptidases implicated in tumour progression, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis, via proteolytic degradation of extracellular matrix. MMPs are inhibited by tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP). Although recent studies have implicated MMP 9 in MM bone disease, little is known about the role of the TIMPs. Objectives a) to compare levels of sRANKL, OPG, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, VEGF, bFGF, microvessel density (MVD) between newly diagnosed MM patients and healthy controls; b) to determine the association of these molecules with disease progression, bone disease and neoangiogenesis and c) to evaluate the impact of these variables on survival. Patients and Methods As of July 2009 38 newly diagnosed and untreated multiple myeloma patients were enrolled in the study. The median age was 61years-old (range 39-91) with 24 (63%) males. Patients were diagnosed and categorized according The International Myeloma Working Group criteria and ISS, respectively. Bone involvement was graded according to standard X-ray: patients with no lesions, or with one/ two bones involved or diffuse osteoporosis were classified as low score, whereas patients with lesions in more than two bones or presence of bone fracture were classified as high score. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were determined by PAGE gelatin zymography from plasma as previously described. MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2, OPG and sRANKL concentrations were measured by ELISA. The levels of VEGF, bFGF were obtained using cytometric bead array. Ten healthy volunteers were used as controls. Bone marrow MVD measured in hotspots was evaluated in 26 out of 38 patients at diagnosis and 15 patients with Hodgkin Lymphoma stage IA and IIA (used as controls) by staining immunohistochemically for CD34. Comparisons among groups were analyzed by ANOVA and the correlation by the Spearman's correlation coefficient. Cox regression were performed for overall survival (OS) analysis. Results Patients with MM had elevated TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and OPG values compared with controls. No significant difference was found between plasma sRANKL, pro-MMP2, pro-MMP9 and MMP-9 levels. We found that plasma TIMP-1 levels correlated positively with bFGF, VEGF, MVD, beta-2 microglobulin (B2M) and OPG (r: 0.514, p=0,001, r: 0.350, p=0,031; r: 0.610, p<0.0001; r: 0.760, p<0.0001 and r: 0.701, p<0.0001, respectively) and TIMP-2 levels with bFGF, DMV, B2M and OPG (r: 0.512, p=0.002; r: 0.595, p<0.0001; r: 0.587, p<0.0001 and r: 0.552, p<0.0001, respectively). TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 levels correlated with the ISS stage (p<0.0001, p=0.006, respectively). The only variables that correlated with clinical bone disease staging were hemoglobin, B2M and albumin levels, whereas TIMP-1, TIMP-2, bFGF, VEGF and OPG correlated with DMV. On the univariate analyses, age, gender, proMMP2, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, creatinine, B2M and MVD were significantly associated with overall survival. In Cox regression model, TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and B2M levels remained to be significantly associated with OS. In conclusion, our results suggest that TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 levels are strongly associated with neoangiogenesis and are independent prognostic factors in MM. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 1613-1613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Othus ◽  
Mikkael A Sekeres ◽  
Sucha Nand ◽  
Guillermo Garcia-Manero ◽  
Frederick R. Appelbaum ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: CR and CR with incomplete count recovery (CRi) are associated with prolonged overall survival (OS) for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients (pts) treated with curative-intent, induction therapy. For AML pts treated with azacitidine (AZA), response (CR, partial response, marrow CR, or hematologic improvement) is also associated with prolonged OS. We evaluate whether patients given AZA for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or AML had longer OS if they achieved CR. We also compare the effect size of CR on OS between AZA regimens and 7+3. Patients and Methods: We analyzed four SWOG studies: S1117 (n=277) was a randomized Phase II study comparing AZA to AZA+lenalidomide or AZA+vorinostat for higher-risk MDS and CMML pts (median age 70 years, range 28-93); S0703 (n=133) treated AML pts not eligible for curative-intent therapy with AZA+mylotarg (median age 73 years, range 60-88). We analyzed the 7+3 arms of S0106 (n=301 were randomized to 7+3, median age 48 years, range 18-60) and S1203 (n=261 were randomized to 7+3, median age 48 years, range 19-60). CR was defined per 2003 International Working Group criteria. In S1117 CR was assessed every 16 weeks and patients remained on therapy until disease progression. In S0703, S0106, and S1203 CR was assessed following 1-2 induction cycles; patients not achieving CR (S0106) or CRi (S0703 and S1203) were removed from protocol treatment. OS was measured from date of study registration. To avoid survival by response bias, we performed landmark analyses of OS. We present results based on the study-specific landmark date that 75% of pts who eventually achieved a CR had done so (S1117 144 days, S0703 42 days, S0106 44 days, S1203 34 days). Pts who did not achieve CR by this date were analyzed with pts who never achieved CR. Pts who died or were lost to follow-up before this date were excluded from analyses. As a sensitivity analysis we also analyzed based on the 90% date; results were not materially different. Log-rank tests were used to compare survival curves and Cox regression models were used for multivariable modeling including baseline prognostic factors age, sex, performance status, white blood cell count, platelet count, marrow blast percentage, de novo disease (versus antecedent MDS or therapy-related disease), study arm (for S1117 only), and cytogenetic risk (IPSS criteria for S1117, SWOG criteria for S0703, S0106, and S1203). The following analysis considers morphologic CR only. S0106 treated CR with incomplete count recover (CRi) pts as treatment failures (S0703 and S1203 did not) and CRi was not defined for S1117. Hematologic improvement was only defined for S1117 patients. Results: In univariate analysis, CR was significantly associated with prolonged survival among MDS pts treated with azactidine on S1117 (HR=0.55, p=0.017), confirming the results seen in AML pts treated with azacitidine (and mylotarg, S0703, HR=0.60, p=0.054) and 7+3 (S0106 HR=0.44, p<0.001; S1203 HR=0.32, p<0.0001) (Figure 1). For each study this relationship remained significant in multivariable analysis controlling for baseline prognostic factors (S1117 HR=0.25, p<0.001; S0703 HR=0.64, p=0.049; S0106 HR=0.45, p<0.001; S1203 HR=0.41, p<0.001). There was no evidence that the impact of CR varied across the four cohorts (interaction p-value = 0.76). In the full cohort, the effect of CR was associated with a HR of 0.45 (Table 1). Conclusion: Adjusting for pt characteristics, achievement of morphologic CR was associated with a 60% improvement in OS, on average, compared to that seen in pts who don't achieve a CR, regardless of whether pts were treated with 7+3 or AZA containing regimens, and suggesting that value CR is similar of whether pts receive more or less "intensive" therapy for these high grade neoplasms. Support: NIH/NCI grants CA180888 and CA180819 Acknowledgment: The authors wish to gratefully acknowledge the important contributions of the late Dr. Stephen H. Petersdorf to SWOG and to study S0106. Figure 1 Kaplan-Meier plots of landmark survival by response. Figure 1. Kaplan-Meier plots of landmark survival by response. Table 1 Multivariable analysis, N=878 Table 1. Multivariable analysis, N=878 Disclosures Othus: Glycomimetics: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy. Sekeres:Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Erba:Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Agios: Research Funding; Gylcomimetics: Other: DSMB; Juno: Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy; Sunesis: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Ariad: Consultancy; Jannsen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy, DSMB, Speakers Bureau; Celator: Research Funding; Astellas: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau.


2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 364-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Biagi ◽  
M. Raphael ◽  
W. D. King ◽  
W. Kong ◽  
W. J. Mackillop ◽  
...  

364 Background: The optimal timing from CRC surgery to initiation of AC is unknown. We report a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the relationship between time to adjuvant chemotherapy (TTAC) and survival. Methods: A systematic review of literature was done to identify studies that described the relationship between TTAC and survival. Studies were only included if the distribution of relevant prognostic factors was adequately described, and either comparative groups were balanced or results adjusted for the prognostic factors. Hazard ratio (HR) and TTAC for overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) from each study were converted to a regression coefficient (β) and standard error (SE) corresponding to a continuous representation per 4 weeks of TTAC. The adjusted β from individual studies were combined using a fixed-effect model. Inverse-variance (1/SE2) was used to weight individual studies. The possible effect of publication bias was investigated using the trim and fill approach. Results: We identified 9 eligible studies involving 14,357 patients (4 published articles, 5 abstracts). Two studies were randomized trials and 7 were cohort studies. Six studies reported TTAC as a binary variable and 3 reported TTAC as ≥3 categories. An estimate of HR for OS was derived from all 9 studies and estimate for DFS was derived from 5 studies. Meta-analysis demonstrated that a 4-week increase in TTAC was associated with a significant decrease in both OS (HR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.09-1.15), and DFS (HR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.11-1.20). The analysis showed no significant heterogeneity among studies. These TTAC associations remained significant after analysis for potential publication bias, and when the analysis was repeated excluding the two studies of largest weight. Conclusions: This study demonstrates a 12% increase in the risk of death for each 4 week of delay in the start of AC for CRC. These findings indicate the need for clinicians and health systems managers to take the steps necessary to keep TTAC as short as reasonably achievable. In addition, our results suggest there may be some benefit to AC after a 3-month TTAC delay. No significant financial relationships to disclose.


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