Christopher G. Morris

Reducing the risk of major elective surgery: randomised controlled trial of preoperative optimisation of oxygen delivery

Abstract Objectives: To determine whether preoperative optimisation of oxygen delivery improves outcome after major elective surgery, and to determine whether the inotropes, adrenaline and dopexamine, used to enhance oxygen delivery influence outcome. Design: Randomised controlled trial with double blinding between inotrope groups. Setting:York District Hospital, England. Subjects:138 patients undergoing major elective surgery who were at risk of developing postoperative complications either because of the surgery or the presence of coexistent medical conditions. Interventions: Patients were randomised into three groups. Two groups received invasive haemodynamic monitoring, fluidand either adrenaline or dopexamine to increase oxygen delivery.Inotropic support was continued during surgery and for at least12 hours afterwards. The third group (control) received routine perioperative care. Main outcome measures: Hospital mortality and morbidity. Results: Overall, 3/92 (3%) preoptimised patients died compared with 8/46 controls (17%) (P=0.007). There were no differences in mortality between the treatment groups, but 14/46 (30%)patients in the dopexamine group developed complications compared with 24/46 (52%) patients in the adrenaline group (difference 22%, 95%confidence interval 2% to 41%) and 28 patients (61%) in the control group (31%, 11% to 50%). The use of dopexamine was associated with a decreased length of stay in hospital. Conclusion: Routine preoperative optimisation of patients undergoing major elective surgery would be a significant and cost effective improvement in perioperative care.

T1-T2N0 Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Glottic Larynx Treated With Radiation Therapy

PURPOSE The end results after radiation therapy for T1-T2N0 glottic carcinoma vary considerably. We analyze patient-related and treatment-related parameters that may influence the likelihood of cure. PATIENTS AND METHODS Five hundred nineteen patients were treated with radiation therapy and had follow-up for >or= 2 years. Three patients who were disease-free were lost to follow-up at 7 months, 21 months, and 10.5 years. No other patients were lost to follow-up. RESULTS Local control rates at 5 years after radiation therapy were as follows: T1A, 94%; T1B, 93%; T2A, 80%; and T2B, 72%. Multivariate analysis of local control revealed that the following parameters significantly influenced this end point: overall treatment time (P < .0001), T stage (P = .0003), and histologic differentiation (P = .013). Patients with poorly differentiated cancers fared less well than those with better differentiated lesions. Rates of local control with laryngeal preservation at 5 years were as follows: T1A and T1B, 95%; T2A, 82%; and T2B, 76%. Cause-specific survival rates at 5 years were as follows: T1A and T1B, 98%; T2A, 95%; and T2B, 90%. One patient with a T1N0 cancer and three patients with T2N0 lesions experienced severe late radiation complications. CONCLUSION Radiation therapy cures a high percentage of patients with T1-T2N0 glottic carcinomas and has a low rate of severe complications. The major treatment-related parameter that influences the likelihood of cure is overall treatment time.

Improved Outcome of Allogeneic Transplantation in High-Risk Multiple Myeloma Patients After Nonmyeloablative Conditioning

PURPOSE We present our experience with relapsed and recently diagnosed patients with high-risk multiple myeloma (MM) receiving immunosuppressive, nonmyeloablative melphalan (MEL)-based conditioning regimens (mini-allograft). PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty-one MM patients received allografts from HLA-matched siblings (n = 25) or unrelated donors (n = 6) using a mini-allograft. Seventeen had progressive disease (PD) and 14 had responsive disease (RD) (six with primary RD and eight with responsive relapse). Thirty patients had received one (n = 13) or two or more (n = 17) prior autologous transplantations (ATs). Median age was 56 years (range, 38 to 69 years). Twenty-one patients had chromosome 13 abnormality. Two patients were hemodialysis dependent. Blood and bone marrow grafts were administered to 28 and three patients, respectively. Donor lymphocyte infusions were given to 18 patients either to attain full donor chimerism (n = 6) or to eradicate residual disease (n = 12). RESULTS By day 100, 25 (89%) of 28 patients were full donor chimeras, one was a mixed chimera, and two had autologous reconstitution. Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) developed in 18 patients (58%), and 10 progressed to chronic GVHD (limited in six and extensive in four). At a median follow-up of 6 months, 19 (61%) of 31 patients achieved complete/near complete remission. Twelve patients (39%) have died: three of PD, three of early treatment-related mortality (TRM) (before day 100), and six of late TRM. Median overall survival (OS) was 15 months. At 1 year, there was a significantly longer event-free survival (86% v 31%, P =.01) and OS (86% v 48%, P =.04) when a mini-allograft was performed after one versus two or more prior ATs, respectively. When compared with historical MM controls (n = 93) receiving conventional allografts, early TRM was significantly lower (10% v 29%, P =.03), and OS at 1 year was better (71% v 45%; P =.08) in the mini-allograft MM patients. CONCLUSION Mini-allograft induced excellent disease control in MM patients with high-risk disease, but is still associated with a significant GVHD.

Malignant tumors of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.

To evaluate the role of radiation therapy in patients with nasal cavity and paranasal sinus tumors.

Radiotherapy alone or combined with surgery for adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck

The purpose of this study was to analyze the results of radiotherapy (RT) alone or combined with surgery for adenoid cystic carcinoma.

Diagnostic evaluation of squamous cell carcinoma metastatic to cervical lymph nodes from an unknown head and neck primary site

To discuss our experience with the diagnostic evaluation in patients with squamous cell carcinomas (SCCAs) of the head and neck metastatic to the cervical lymph nodes from an unknown primary site.

POSTOPERATIVE IRRADIATION FOR SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA OF THE ORAL CAVITY: 35-YEAR EXPERIENCE

The purpose of this study was to analyze factors influencing outcome in patients who received postoperative irradiation for advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity.

Postradiotherapy Neck Dissection for Lymph Node–Positive Head and Neck Cancer: The Use of Computed Tomography to Manage the Neck

PURPOSE To determine how to use node response on computed tomography (CT) to indicate the need for neck dissection. PATIENTS AND METHODS Five hundred fifty patients with lymph node-positive head and neck cancer were treated between 1990 and 2002 with radiotherapy (RT) at a median dose of 74.4 Gy; 24% of these patients (n = 133) were treated with chemotherapy. Three hundred forty-one patients (62%) underwent planned post-RT neck dissection. Physical examination and contrast-enhanced CT were performed 30 days after completion of RT. CT images were reviewed in 211 patients for lymph node size (largest axial dimension) and presence of a focal abnormality (lucency, enhancement, or calcification). By correlating post-RT CT to neck dissection pathology, criteria associated with a low likelihood of residual disease were identified. A subset of patients who fit these criteria of radiographic response who did not undergo post-RT neck dissection was observed for recurrence. RESULTS Radiographic complete response (rCR) was defined as the absence of any large (> 1.5 cm) or focally abnormal lymph node. Correlation of response with neck dissection pathology indicated a negative predictive value of 77% for complete clinical response and 94% for rCR. In 32 patients (median follow-up time, 3.2 years) with rCR who did not undergo post-RT neck dissection, the 5-year ultimate neck control rate (100%) and cause-specific survival rate (72%) were not significantly different from the rates of patients with a negative post-RT neck dissection. CONCLUSION Patients with rCR 4 weeks after RT can be spared from a post-RT neck dissection regardless of initial node stage.

Carcinoma of the skin with perineural invasion

To evaluate the outcome and patterns of relapse in patients treated for skin carcinoma of the head and neck with either microscopic or clinical perineural invasion.

Myeloma of the central nervous system: association with high-risk chromosomal abnormalities, plasmablastic morphology and extramedullary manifestations.

Summary.  Involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) by multiple myeloma, as defined by the detection of malignant plasma cells in the cerebrospinal fluid in the presence of suggestive symptoms, is considered extremely rare. We report on the characteristics of 18 such patients diagnosed and treated at the University of Arkansas over the last 10 years for an overall incidence of approximately 1%. Their evaluation revealed association of CNS involvement with unfavourable cytogenetic abnormalities (especially translocations and deletion of the chromosome 13), high tumour mass, plasmablastic morphology, additional extramedullary myeloma manifestations and circulating plasma cells. The presence of these features should alert clinicians to the possibility of CNS involvement. The outcome of these patients was extremely poor despite the use of aggressive local and systemic treatment including autologous stem cell transplants. Given this universally poor prognosis, the application of allogeneic transplants should be studied in this clinical setting.