Georgina Chadwick

Gastric Cancers Missed During Endoscopy in England.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Single-center studies have estimated that 4.6% to 25.8% of gastric cancers are missed at endoscopy. We performed a population-based study to make a more precise estimate of factors associated with missed lesions in England. METHODS We performed a retrospective population-based observational cohort study of 2727 patients diagnosed with gastric cancer from April 2011 through March 2012 in England, using linked records from 3 national data sets. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who had undergone endoscopy in the 3 to 36 months before a diagnosis of gastric cancer. We determined this proportion for the entire cohort and for subgroups. RESULTS Of the 2727 patients in the cohort, 8.3% (95% confidence interval, 7.2%-9.3%) underwent endoscopic evaluation in the 3 to 36 months before their diagnosis of gastric cancer. An endoscopy within 3 to 36 months of diagnosis was associated with a diagnosis of early stage cancer (stages 0 or 1, 11.5%; stage 2, 7.9%; stages 3 or 4, 6.9%; P = .01 for stage 0 or 1 vs stage 2 or greater), younger age at diagnosis (<55 y, 13.3% vs ≥55 y, 7.8%; P = .03), and female sex (10% of women vs 7.3% of men; P = .01). Gastric ulcers were detected in 15% of endoscopies performed at any time in the 3 years before cancer diagnosis, and in 64% of endoscopies performed 3 to 6 months before a diagnosis of gastric cancer. CONCLUSIONS Based on a retrospective analysis of medical records in England, in 8.3% of patients with gastric cancer, their cancer was missed at endoscopy within the 3 previous years. A previous endoscopy detected benign gastric ulcers more frequently than any other lesion in patients who later were diagnosed with gastric cancer.

A population-based, retrospective, cohort study of esophageal cancer missed at endoscopy

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS Several studies have suggested that a significant minority of esophageal cancers are missed at endoscopy The aim of this study was to estimate the proportion of esophageal cancers missed at endoscopy on a national level, and to investigate the relationship between miss rates and patient and tumor characteristics. PATIENTS AND METHODS This retrospective, population-based, cohort study identified patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer between April 2011 and March 2012 in England, using two linked databases (National Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Audit and Hospital Episode Statistics). The main outcome was the rate of previous endoscopy within 3 - 36 months of cancer diagnosis. This was calculated for the overall cohort and by patient characteristics, including tumor site and disease stage. RESULTS A total of 6943 new cases of esophageal cancer were identified, of which 7.8 % (95 % confidence interval 7.1 - 8.4) had undergone endoscopy in the 3 - 36 months preceding diagnosis. Of patients with stage 0/1 cancers, 34.0 % had undergone endoscopy in the 3 - 36 months before diagnosis compared with 10.0 % of stage 2 cancers and 4.5 % of stage 3/4 cancers. Of patients with stage 0/1 cancers, 22.1 % were diagnosed after ≥ 3 endoscopies in the previous 3 years. Patients diagnosed with an upper esophageal lesion were more likely to have had an endoscopy in the previous 3 - 12 months (P = 0.040). The most common diagnosis at previous endoscopy was an esophageal ulcer (48.2 % of investigations). CONCLUSION Esophageal cancer may be missed at endoscopy in up to 7.8 % of patients who are subsequently diagnosed with cancer. Endoscopists should make a detailed examination of the whole esophageal mucosa to avoid missing subtle early cancers and lesions in the proximal esophagus. Patients with an esophageal cancer may be misdiagnosed as having a benign esophageal ulcer.

Re-organisation of oesophago-gastric cancer services in England and Wales: a follow-up assessment of progress and remaining challenges

BackgroundThis study is an update on an earlier article in 2007 to assess the implementation of the Cancer Plan reform strategy in England and Wales.FindingsA national online survey to upper gastro-intestinal leads at network and trust level. The questionnaire was designed based on existing clinical practice guidelines and addressed governing principles and operational procedures related to the delivery of cancer care. It was sent in January 2012 to upper gastro-intestinal network and trusts leads at all cancer networks and acute NHS organisations in England and Wales. Responses were received from 100% of Cancer Networks and 91% of NHS organisations. Centralisation of surgery has improved with all but two trusts (5.4%) now meeting the minimum staffing level for oesophago-gastric cancer surgery. This is a substantial improvement since the 2007 survey when 21 trusts (46.7%) did not meet this requirement. The use of formal assessment for nutritional needs has improved, too. In 2007, the involvement of the palliative care team in multi-disciplinary teams was poor. While this has improved, 27 trusts (19.7%) still report that none of the palliative care team members routinely attend the multi-disciplinary team discussion.ConclusionsThe survey demonstrates improved compliance with organisational recommendations since the last assessment in 2007. Centralisation of surgery has improved and is nearly fully compliant with the reform strategy. Areas that require further improvement are nutritional support and inclusion of palliative care in multi-disciplinary team meetings.

Management of Barrett's high-grade dysplasia: initial results from a population-based national audit.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Previous studies reported significant variation in the management of patients with Barretts esophagus. However, these are based on self-reported clinical practice. The aim of this study was to examine the management of high-grade dysplasia in Barretts esophagus in England by using patient-level data and to compare practice with guidelines. METHODS From April 2012 to March 2013, National Health Service (NHS) trusts in England prospectively collected data on patients newly diagnosed with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) of the esophagus as part of the National Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Audit. Data were collected on patient characteristics, diagnosis and endoscopic findings, treatment planning, and therapy. RESULTS Between April 2012 and March 2013, NHS trusts reported 465 cases of HGD. Diagnosis was confirmed by a second pathologist in 79.4% of cases (270/340), and 86.0% (374/465) had their treatment planned at a multidisciplinary team meeting. A total of 290 patients (62.4%) were managed endoscopically (frequently with endoscopic resection or radiofrequency ablation), whereas 26 patients (5.6%) had esophagectomy. The proportion of patients managed by surveillance varied by age (P < .001), ranging from 19.5% in patients aged <65 years to 63.8% in patients aged ≥85 years. More patients received active treatment if their cases were discussed at a multidisciplinary meeting (73.5% vs 44.3%; P < .001) or managed at higher-volume trusts (87.8% vs 55.4%; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS There was marked variation in the management of HGD across England, with a third of patients receiving no active treatment. Patients discussed at a specialist multidisciplinary meeting or managed in high-volume trusts were more likely to receive active treatment.

Population-based cohort study of the management and survival of patients with early-stage oesophageal adenocarcinoma in England

Until recently, oesophagectomy was the treatment of choice for early oesophageal cancer. Endoscopic treatment has been introduced relatively recently. This observational national database study aimed to describe how endoscopic therapy has been introduced in England and to examine the safety of this approach.

Treatment of dysplastic Barrett’s Oesophagus in lower volume centres after structured training

AIM To investigate whether dysplastic Barretts Oesophagus can be safely and effectively treated endoscopically in low volume centres after structured training. METHODS After attending a structured training program in Amsterdam on the endoscopic treatment of dysplastic Barretts Oesophagus, treatment of these patients was initiated at St Marys Hospital. This is a retrospective case series conducted at a United Kingdom teaching Hospital, of patients referred for endoscopic treatment of Barretts oesophagus with high grade dysplasia or early cancer, who were diagnosed between January 2008 and February 2012. Data was collected on treatment provided (radiofrequency ablation and endoscopic resection), and success of treatment both at the end of treatment and at follow up. Rates of immediate and long term complications were assessed. RESULTS Thirty-two patients were referred to St Marys with high grade dysplasia or intramucosal cancer within a segment of Barretts Oesophagus. Twenty-seven met the study inclusion criteria, 16 of these had a visible nodule at initial endoscopy. Treatment was given over a median of 5 mo, and patients received a median of 3 treatment sessions over this time. At the end of treatment dysplasia was successfully eradicated in 96% and intestinal metaplasia in 88%, on per protocol analysis. Patients were followed up for a median of 18 mo. At which time complete eradication of dysplasia was maintained in 86%. Complications were rare: 2 patients suffered from post-procedural bleeding, 4 cases were complicated by oesophageal stenosis. Recurrence of cancer was seen in 1 case. CONCLUSION With structured training good outcomes can be achieved in low volume centres treating dysplastic Barretts Oesophagus.

Changes in volume, clinical practice and outcome after reorganisation of oesophago-gastric cancer care in England: A longitudinal observational study.

AIM The centralisation of oesophago-gastric (O-G) cancer services in England was recommended in 2001, partly because of evidence for a volume-outcome effect for patients having surgery. This study investigated the changes in surgical services for O-G cancer and postoperative mortality since centralisation. METHODS Patients with O-G cancer who had an oesophageal or gastric resection between April 2003 and March 2014 were identified in the national Hospital Episodes Statistics database. We derived information on the number of NHS trusts performing surgery, their surgical volume, and the number of consultants operating. Postoperative mortality was measured at 30 days, 90 days and 1 year. Logistic regression was used to examine how surgical outcomes were related to patient characteristics and organisational variables. RESULTS During this period, 29 205 patients underwent an oesophagectomy or gastrectomy. The number of NHS trusts performing surgery decreased from 113 in 2003-04 to 43 in 2013-14, and the median annual surgical volume in NHS trusts rose from 21 to 55 patients. The annual 30 day, 90 day and 1 year mortality decreased from 7.4%, 11.3% and 29.7% in 2003-04 to 2.5%, 4.6% and 19.8% in 2013-14, respectively. There was no evidence that high-risk patients were not undergoing surgery. Changes in NHS trust volume explained only a small proportion of the observed fall in mortality. CONCLUSION Centralisation of surgical services for O-G cancer in England has resulted in lower postoperative mortality. This cannot be explained by increased volume alone.

Coding of Barrett's oesophagus with high-grade dysplasia in national administrative databases: a population-based cohort study

Objectives The International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) system used in the English hospital administrative database (Hospital Episode Statistics (HES)) does not contain a specific code for oesophageal high-grade dysplasia (HGD). The aim of this paper was to examine how patients with HGD were coded in HES and whether it was done consistently. Setting National population-based cohort study of patients with newly diagnosed with HGD in England. The study used data collected prospectively as part of the National Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Audit (NOGCA). These records were linked to HES to investigate the pattern of ICD-10 codes recorded for these patients at the time of diagnosis. Participants All patients with a new diagnosis of HGD between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2014 in England, who had data submitted to the NOGCA. Outcomes measured The main outcome assessed was the pattern of primary and secondary ICD-10 diagnostic codes recorded in the HES records at endoscopy at the time of diagnosis of HGD. Results Among 452 patients with a new diagnosis of HGD between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2014, Barrett’s oesophagus was the only condition coded in 200 (44.2%) HES records. Records for 59 patients (13.1%) contained no oesophageal conditions. The remaining 193 patients had various diagnostic codes recorded, 93 included a diagnosis of Barrett’s oesophagus and 57 included a diagnosis of oesophageal/gastric cardia cancer. Conclusions HES is not suitable to support national studies looking at the management of HGD. This is one reason for the UK to adopt an extended ICD system (akin to ICD-10-CM).