Carl-Eric Leijonmarck

Crohn's disease and cancer: A population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND/AIMS To study the association between Crohns disease and cancer, we performed a population-based study of 1251 subjects with Crohns disease diagnosed in Stockholm from 1955 to 1984 and followed in both the National Cancer Register and the National Cause-of-Death Register until 1989. METHODS For comparisons, regional cancer incidence rates in Stockholm County were used together with individually computed person-years at risk in the Crohns disease cohort. RESULTS Overall, 69 malignancies occurred among 67 individuals as compared with 59.80 expected malignancies (standardized morbidity ratio [SMR] = 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 0.90-1.46). An excess number of cancers of the upper gastrointestinal tract (SMR, 3.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.67-5.11) was observed, mainly because of an increased number of cancers of the small intestine (SMR, 15.64; 95% confidence interval, 4.26-40.06). An increased occurrence of urinary bladder cancer was also observed (SMR, 2.68; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-5.53). CONCLUSIONS The occurrence of colorectal cancer was not increased.

Increased risk of cancer in ulcerative colitis: a population-based cohort study

OBJECTIVE:There is an increased risk of colorectal cancer among patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the overall and site specific cancer risks in these patients have been investigated to a limited extent. To study the association between UC and cancer, a population-based study of 1547 patients with UC in Stockholm diagnosed between 1955 and 1984 was carried out.METHODS:The patients were followed in both the National Cancer Register and the National Cause of Death Register until 1989. For comparisons, regional cancer incidence rates in Stockholm County were used together with individually computed person-years at risk in the UC disease cohort.RESULTS:A total of 121 malignancies occurred among 97 individuals as compared with 89.8 expected (standardized morbidity ratio [SMR] = 1.4; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1–1.6). Overall, an excess number of colorectal cancers (SMR, 4.1; 95% CI, 2.7–5.8), and hepatobiliary cancers in men (SMR = 6.0; 95% CI, 2.8–11.1) associated with primary sclerosing cholangitis, was observed. The risk of pulmonary cancer was decreased (SMR = 0.3; 95% CI, 0.1–0.9). In all, 91 extracolonic malignancies were observed, compared with the 82.3 expected (SMR = 1.11; 95% CI, 0.9–1.3).CONCLUSIONS:In UC patients, the overall cancer incidence is increased mainly because of an increased incidence of colorectal and hepatobiliary cancer. This increase is partly counterbalanced by a decreased risk of pulmonary cancer compared with that in the general population.

Long-term effects of eradication of Helicobacter pylori on relapse and histology in gastric ulcer patients: a two-year follow-up study

Background: The main purpose of this study was to compare omeprazole (ome) plus two antibiotics (OMC) with omeprazole plus placebo (OP) with regard to gastric ulcer relapse for a period of 2 years in patients who were Helicobacter pylori-positive at inclusion. Methods: Using double-blind randomization 125 patients with gastric ulcer were treated with either OMC (ome 20 mg b.i.d., metronidazole 400 mg b.i.d., clarithromycin 250 mg b.i.d.) (n = 64) or OP (ome 20 mg and placebo) (n = 61) for 1 week, followed by ome 20-40 mg o.d. until healing was confirmed endoscopically after 4, 8 or 12 weeks. Endoscopy and H. pylori diagnostics using culture, histology and serology were performed 6, 12 and 24 months after treatment or at symptomatic relapse. At inclusion, 35% of the OMC group and 38% of the OP group were taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Nine percent (11/125) of the ulcers were malignant. Results: The prevalence of H. pylori was 82% and the eradication rate 88% in the OMC group and 3% in the OP group. More than 90% of the ulcers were healed after 12 weeks. After 2 years, 76% of patients in the OMC group were in remission compared with 28% in the OP group (ITT) (P < 0.001). Sixty percent of patients in the OMC group that continued to take NSAIDs were in remission after 2 years compared with none in the OP group. Atrophy but not intestinal metaplasia decreased after treatment. Conclusions: Gastric ulcers are mainly caused by H. pylori, and relapse is effectively prevented by H. pylori eradication, even in patients on NSAIDs.

Mucosal dysplasia and DNA content in ulcerative colitis patients with ileorectal anastomosis

In a follow-up study of an epidemiologically defined patient group comprising 1,274 patients with ulcerative colitis diagnosed in Stockholm County during 1955–1979, 55 patients had undergone colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis (IRA). Nine of these were found to have Crohns disease after histopathologic review of the colectomy specimens. Of the 46 patients with ulcerative colitis remaining for evaluation, two died postoperatively. Twenty-five patients were subsequently reoperated with rectal excision owing to intractable inflammatory activity (n=22, one postoperative death) or owing to dysplasia (n=3). Of 19 patients with their IRA still intact at time of follow-up, 15 patients (median disease duration 23 years) had a flexible sigmoidoscopy with multiple biopsies performed. The average length of the remaining rectum and sigmoid colon was 26 cm. No patient had findings of dysplasia, carcinoma, or DNA aneuploidy. None of the four remaining patients had developed dysplasia or carcinoma at the time of the latest regular rigid sigmoidoscopy. The risk of malignant transformation in this selected group of patients with ulcerative colitis operated upon with colectomy and IRA derived from an epidemiologically defined population seems to be low.

Surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis in Stockholm County, 1955 to 1984.

Time trends in surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis in Stockholm County over the 30-year period 1955 to 1984 were investigated. Four hundred eighty-six patients (263 men and 223 women) were submitted to colectomy with or without proctectomy. In elective cases, proctocolectomy was the procedure of choice until the 1980s, when subtotal colectomy became more common. In acute cases subtotal colectomy was the procedure of choice during the entire period. Major complications developed in 162 patients (33 percent) and 103 (21 percent) underwent another operation. The frequency of major complications increased, with the urgency of intervention being 25 percent in elective cases and 46 percent in acute cases (P<.001). The postoperative mortality was 1.7 percent in 301 elective cases and 9.2 percent in 185 acute cases (P<.001). The overall postoperative mortality was 4.5 percent and fell from 13 percent during 1960 to 1964 to 2.0 percent during 1980 to 1984 (P<.01). In acute cases, the mortality during the same two periods fell from 36 to 3.0 percent (P<.001). The postoperative mortality for proctocolectomy (2.7 percent) was significnatly lower (P<.01) than for subtotal colectomy (9.0 percent). Seventy-four percent of the patients treated by subtotal colectomy were acute cases, however, with a mortality of 11 percent and only 30 percent of the proctocolectomy cases were acute cases, with a mortality of 6.5 percent.

Surgery after colectomy for ulcerative colitis

The need for surgery after colectomy in patients with ulcerative colitis in Stockholm County over a 30-year period, 1955 to 1984, was investigated. During this time 483 patients were discharged from the hospital after colectomy. The mean period of observation from colectomy was 11.6 years. In 325 (67 percent) of the 483 patients there was need for further surgery (932 surgical procedures) during the period of observation. In 95 (20 percent) patients 115 small intestinal obstructions requiring surgery developed. The 2-year and 15-year cumulative probabilities of a first small intestinal obstruction were 11 percent (confidence intervals [CI] 8–14 percent) and 23 percent (CI 19–27 percent), respectively. In 42 (16 percent) of 255 patients treated by proctocolectomy and ileostomy there was need for 64 ileostomy revisions. The 2-year and 15-year cumulative probabilities of a first ileostomy revision were 9 percent (CI 6–12 percent) and 19 percent (CI 14–24 percent), respectively. Ninety-one Kocks pouches were constructed and a total of 125 revisions of Kocks pouch were performed. The 2-year and 15-year cumulative probabilities of a first Kocks pouch revision were 52 percent (CI 41–63 percent) and 57 percent (CI 46–68 percent), respectively. In 75 patients a pelvic pouch and ileoanal anastomosis was constructed. In 32 patients 73 surgical procedures due to pouch-related dysfunction were performed. Alterations in ileoanal pouch technique and increasing surgical experience has resulted in a markedly decreasing frequency of complications during the last years. There was no need for further surgery in 116 (45 percent) of the 255 patients treated by proctocolectomy and ileostomy, in 31 (34 percent) of the 91 patients with Kocks pouch, in 20 (39 percent) of the 51 patients with ileorectal anastomosis, and in 43 (57 percent) of the 75 patients with pelvic pouch and ileoanal anastomosis (closure of loop ileostomy excluded).

Surgery in Ulcerative Colitis - Return of the Ileorectal Anastomosis

The main advantages of ileorectal anastomosis for patients with ulcerative colitis are that it is easier to perform and the complication rate is probably lower than for the pelvic pouch procedure. Ileoreccal anastomosis is, however, not suitable for all patients. Patients with severely inflamed and scarred rectums with low compliance are not suitable candidates for the procedure. With the use of the new steroids, however, the number of patients suitable for ileorectal anastomosis will probably increase. The functional outcome, particularly in terms of continence, is probably better following ileorectal anastomosis than after pelvic pouch. The need for long term cancer surveillance is a problem, but newer methods for surveillance may increase further the possibilities of controlling cancer risk in the future. There seems to be an equal need for future medical surveillance following both surgical procedures. In balance, newer methods of medical therapy and cancer surveillance will probably lead to a return to ileorectal anastomosis in a significant number of patients.