Impact of screening on short-term mortality and morbidity following treatment for colorectal cancer.

Background And Objective: The aim of this study was to describe short-term changes in morbidity and mortality associated with the implementation of screening for colorectal cancer in Denmark.

Methods: Prospective cohort study with inclusion of all patients aged 50-75 years treated for colorectal cancer between 1 March 2014 and 31 December 2015 in Denmark. Adjusted hazard ratios were calculated for 30 and 90 days mortality using Cox Regression.

The concentration of the cleaved suPAR forms in pre- and postoperative plasma samples improves the prediction of survival in colorectal cancer: A nationwide multicenter validation and discovery study.

Background And Objectives: The aim was to evaluate the prognostic biomarker potential of the soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in plasma samples collected pre- and postoperatively from patients resected for colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: Patients with CRC were recruited prospectively at six centers from 2006 to 2008. Preoperative plasma samples were available from 494 patients and from 328 of these patients at 6 months postoperatively.

5-year outcome after complete mesocolic excision for right-sided colon cancer: a population-based cohort study.

Background: The benefits of extensive lymph node dissection as performed in complete mesocolic excision are still debated, although recent studies have shown an association with improved long-term outcomes. However, none of these studies had an intention-to-treat design or aimed to show a causal effect; therefore in this study, we aimed to estimate the causal oncological treatment effects of complete mesocolic excision on right-sided colon cancer.

Methods: We did a population-based cohort study involving prospective data collected from four hospitals in Denmark.

Clean Colorectum at Diagnostic Colonoscopy: Subsequent Detection of Extracolonic Malignancies by Plasma Protein Biomarkers?

Introduction: Most of the subjects undergoing diagnostic colonoscopy do not have neoplastic bowel lesions. Potentially, some of the symptoms may therefore be caused by extracolonic malignancy, and subjects with persisting symptoms may need subsequent examinations. Blood-based, cancer-associated biomarkers may aid in directing the examinations for other specific malignant diseases.

Detection of colorectal neoplasia: Combination of eight blood-based, cancer-associated protein biomarkers.

Serological biomarkers may be an option for early detection of colorectal cancer (CRC). The present study assessed eight cancer-associated protein biomarkers in plasma from subjects undergoing first time ever colonoscopy due to symptoms attributable to colorectal neoplasia. Plasma AFP, CA19-9, CEA, hs-CRP, CyFra21-1, Ferritin, Galectin-3 and TIMP-1 were determined in EDTA-plasma using the Abbott ARCHITECT® automated immunoassay platform.

Protocol Outlines for Parts 1 and 2 of the Prospective Endoscopy III Study for the Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer: Validation of a Concept Based on Blood Biomarkers.

Background: Programs for population screening of colorectal cancer (CRC) have been implemented in several countries with fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) as the preferred platform. However, the major obstacle for a feces-based testing method is the limited compliance that reduces the clinical sensitivity for detection of participants with non-symptomatic CRC. Therefore, research approaches have been initiated to develop screening concepts based on biomarkers in blood.

Discovery and Validation of Plasma-Protein Biomarker Panels for the Detection of Colorectal Cancer and Advanced Adenoma in a Danish Collection of Samples from Patients Referred for Diagnostic Colonoscopy.

Background: Well-collected and well-documented sample repositories are necessary for disease biomarker development. The availability of significant numbers of samples with the associated patient information enables biomarker validation to proceed with maximum efficacy and minimum bias. The creation and utilization of such a resource is an important step in the development of blood-based biomarker tests for colorectal cancer.

Pre-analytical variables of circulating cell-free nucleosomes containing 5-methylcytosine DNA or histone modification H3K9Me3.

Aim: To evaluate pre-analytical variables of circulating cell-free nucleosomes containing 5-methylcytosine DNA (5mC) or histone modification H3K9Me3 (H3K9Me3).

Materials And Methods: Six studies were designed to assess the possible influence of pre-analytical variables. Study 1: influence of stasis and contamination with white-cells and platelets.

The Prognostic and Predictive Value of Soluble Type IV Collagen in Colorectal Cancer: A Retrospective Multicenter Study.

Purpose: To investigate the prognostic and predictive biomarker value of type IV collagen in colorectal cancer.

Experimental Design: Retrospective evaluation of two independent cohorts of patients with colorectal cancer included prospectively in 2004-2005 (training set) and 2006-2008 (validation set). Plasma samples were available from 297 (training set) and 482 (validation set) patients.

Disease-free survival after complete mesocolic excision compared with conventional colon cancer surgery: a retrospective, population-based study.

Background: Application of the principles of total mesorectal excision to colon cancer by undertaking complete mesocolic excision (CME) has been proposed to improve oncological outcomes. We aimed to investigate whether implementation of CME improved disease-free survival compared with conventional colon resection.

Methods: Data for all patients who underwent elective resection for Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) stage I-III colon adenocarcinomas in the Capital Region of Denmark between June 1, 2008, and Dec 31, 2011, were retrieved for this population-based study.

Determinants of recurrence after intended curative resection for colorectal cancer.

Despite intended curative resection, colorectal cancer will recur in ∼45% of the patients. Results of meta-analyses conclude that frequent follow-up does not lead to early detection of recurrence, but improves overall survival. The present literature shows that several factors play important roles in development of recurrence.

Severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding in extraluminal diverticula in the third part of the duodenum.

The successful management of upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding requires identification of the source of bleeding and when this is achieved the bleeding can often be treated endoscopically. However, the identification of the bleeding can be challenging due to the location of the bleeding or technical aspects. Therefore it might be necessary to use other measures than endoscopy such as CT angiography.

Prognostic and predictive value of cathepsin X in serum from colorectal cancer patients.

Background: Cathepsin X is a cysteine protease involved in mechanisms of malignant progression. It is secreted from tumour cells as a proenzyme and may serve to predict the disease status and risk of death for cancer patients. In a previous, pilot, study on 77 colorectal patients we demonstrated the correlation of higher serum levels with shorter overall survival.

Prolapse of submucous lipoma of the sigmoid colon.

Lipomas of the colon are rare and usually presenting in the later ages of life. This case describes and discusses the symptoms and signs of lipomas, recommendations and rationale for treatment.

Analgesic effects of melatonin: a review of current evidence from experimental and clinical studies.

Melatonin is an endogenous indoleamine, produced mainly by the pineal gland. Melatonin has been proven to have chronobiotic, antioxidant, antihypertensive, anxiolytic and sedative properties. There are also experimental and clinical data supporting an analgesic role of melatonin.

[Anxiolytical, analgesic and sedative effects of melatonin in the perioperative phase].

Melatonin is a hormone mainly produced in the pineal gland. The most well known effect is a modulation of the circadian rhythm. Patients undergoing surgery often get a disruption of this rhythm.

[A student's challenges].

Life at medical school is filled with books containing enormous amounts of information. The ultimate goal after reading these thick books is to create an overview of the complex human body. The books are mostly packed with information that you have to remember in detail and are written in a way which is not intentionally funny.