F. J. Vogelaar

Giant Colonic Diverticula

Background: A rare complication of diverticulosis of the colon is giant colonic diverticula (GCD). The condition was first described in English literature in 1953 [1, 2]. Methods: A Medline search was undertaken for English, French and German language articles on ’giant colonic diverticula’. Results: A total of 135 patients were identified, presenting with a total of 155 GCD [1–98]. With a complication rate of 28% and an operative mortality of 5%, GCD seems to have a high clinical significance. Radiological examination of choice seems to be plain abdominal X-ray and CT examination, barium enema carries the risk of perforation of the diverticulum, and should not be performed. Conclusions: There are different therapeutic options, in our opinion diverticulectomy alone is not the treatment of choice. Because of the possibility of recurrence and oncological reasons, colectomy seems to be the best treatment. The creation of a protecting colostomy depends on other operative findings.

Measuring physical activity in patients after surgery for a malignant tumour in the leg: THE RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF A CONTINUOUS AMBULATORY ACTIVITY MONITOR

A continuous ambulatory activity monitor allows objective measurement of the amount and intensity of physical activity. We examined the reliability and validity of this device in the assessment of seven aspects of function over a period of 24 hours in 20 patients who had undergone limb salvage or amputation for a tumour in the leg. The test-retest reliability was determined by undertaking identical assessments on two separate days. The measurements were compared with other indicators of functional status and quality of life in order to determine the validity of the monitor. Its reliability was satisfactory, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.65 to 0.91. Significant correlations were seen between the ‘time spent walking’ and the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society rating scales and the Rand-36 physical functioning score. There was also a significant association between the ‘movement intensity during walking’ and the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score. The satisfactory reliability and validity of the monitor shows considerable promise for its use as a device for measuring physical activity objectively in patients after surgery for limb-salvage or an amputation.

The number of high-risk factors is related to outcome in stage II colonic cancer patients.

BACKGROUND A subgroup of stage II colonic cancer patients are considered to be at high-risk for recurrent/metastatic disease based on 1) tumour obstruction/perforation 2) <10 lymph nodes 3) T4 lesions and 4) lymphangio-invasion. Their prognosis is regarded as comparable to stage III (T1-4N+M0) colonic cancer and it is therefore strongly advised to treat them with adjuvant chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was i) to determine the magnitude of prognostic significance of the conventional high-risk factors and ii) to determine whether the number of high-risk factors influences outcome. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 212 stage II colonic cancer patients undergoing surgery between January 2002 and December 2008. No adjuvant chemotherapy was given. Survival analyses were performed. RESULTS 154/212 (73%) patients were considered to be high-risk patients based on conventional high-risk factors. 58 patients did not meet any high-risk factor, 125 patients met 1 high-risk factor and 29 patients met ≥2 high-risk factors. Median follow up was 40 months. Multivariate analysis identified four independent risk factors for recurrent/metastatic disease: age, obstruction, perforation and lymphangio-invasion. The three-year-DFS-rates for the low-risk group, the high-risk group with 1 high-risk factor and the high-risk group with ≥2 high-risk criteria are 90.4%, 87.6% and 75.9% respectively. Patients meeting ≥2 conventional high-risk criteria had a significantly worse three-year disease free survival (p < 0.002). CONCLUSIONS Four independent high-risk factors were identified. The number of high-risk factors does influence outcome. More attention should be given to the definition and treatment of high-risk stage II colonic cancer patients.

Lymph Node Metastasis after a Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the Leg: A Case Report and a Review of the Literature

Introduction. Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) represent 1 percent of all adult malignancies and sarcomas only rarely spread to the regional lymph nodes. Case Presentation. We present a case of a woman with a dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and a sarcoma not therwise specified of the lower extremity. The patient had no distant metastasis during follow-up, but did develop a regional lymph nodemetastasis (RLNM) in the groin. We reviewed the literature about RLNM in STSs. Discussion. Reviewing the literature we see that within specific histological types RLNM occurs as often as distant metastasis. Furthermore RLNM occurs in over 10% for specific histological types and in 24% of all patients with a soft tissue sarcoma of the lower extremity. Except for radical lymphadenectomy with a 5-year survival rate of 46% there is no appropriate treatment. Conclusion. The risk for a RLNM in certain histological types and anatomical locations might transcend the risk for a distant lung metastasis.