Patient-Reported Quality of Life Before and After Chemoradiation for Intact Pancreas Cancer: A Prospective Registry Study

PurposeOur purpose was to determine the effect of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) on patient-reported quality of life (QOL) for patients with intact pancreas cancer.Methods and MaterialsWe reviewed a prospective QOL registry for patients with intact, clinically localized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma treated with CRT between June 2015 and November 2018. QOL was assessed pre-CRT (immediately before CRT, after neoadjuvant chemotherapy) and at the completion of CRT with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Hepatobiliary (FACT-Hep) and its component parts: FACT-General (FACT-G) and hepatobiliary cancer subscore (HCS). A minimally important difference from pre-CRT was defined as ≥ 6, 5, and 8 points for FACT-G, HCS, and FACT-Hep, respectively.ResultsOf 157 patients who underwent CRT, 100 completed both pre- and post-CRT surveys and were included in the primary analysis. Median age at diagnosis was 65 years (range, 23-90). National Comprehensive Cancer Network resectability status was resectable (3%), borderline resectable (40%), or locally advanced (57%). Folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX) (75%) or gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel (42%) were given for a median of 6 cycles (range, 0-42) before CRT. Radiation therapy techniques included 3-dimensional conformal (22%), intensity modulated photon (55%), and intensity modulated proton (23%) radiation therapy to a median dose of 50 Gy (range, 36-62.5). Concurrent chemotherapy was most commonly capecitabine (82%). Sixty-three patients (63%) had surgery after CRT. The mean decline in FACT-G, HCS subscale, and FACT-Hep from pre- to post-CRT was 3.5 (standard deviation [SD], 13.7), 1.7 (SD 7.8), and 5.2 (SD 19.4), respectively. Each of these changes were statistically significant, but did not meet the minimally important difference threshold. Pancreatic head tumor location was associated with decline in FACT-Hep. Nausea was the toxicity with the greatest increase from pre- to post-CRT by both physician-assessment and patient-reported QOL.ConclusionsFor patients with intact pancreatic adenocarcinoma, modern CRT is well tolerated with minimal decline in QOL during treatment.     

Hip Arthroscopy Without a Perineal Post: A Safer Technique for Hip Distraction

Pudendal nerve palsy is a reported complication of hip arthroscopy. We report a technique using a deflated taped beanbag rather than a perineal post. The patient is placed in the supine or lateral position on a fracture table. The beanbag is contoured around the patient’s flank and thorax. The distal aspect of the beanbag is placed no further than the iliac crest, and care is taken to avoid compression of the posterior aspect of the axillary region or the posterior humerus. The molded beanbag is deflated, a blanket is positioned over the abdomen and lower thorax, and with the use of 3-in-wide cloth tape, the patient and beanbag are secured to the operative table circumferentially. The superior margin of the deflated beanbag remains firm, preventing compression of the thorax and avoiding compromised ventilation. The arm on the operative side is placed across the chest and secured to avoid obstruction of the operative field. This patient positioning provides sufficient stability for adequate traction and good visualization while minimizing the risk of a pudendal nerve palsy.     

Relative frequency of solitary melanocytic lesions of the oral mucosa

Background: Solitary pigmented lesions of melanocytic origin are uncommon in the oral mucosa. These lesions include the oral and labial melanotic macule, oral melanocytic nevus, oral melanoacanthoma, oral melanoma and atypical melanocytic proliferation. The purpose of the study was twofold: to report a large series of solitary melanocytic lesions from one source, and to determine the relative frequency of these lesions. Methods: The study was based on a systematic search of the files of the Pacific Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Laboratory, University of the Pacific, San Francisco for solitary pigmented melanocytic lesions (benign and malignant) accessed during the years 1984–2002. Results: Of the 89 430 biopsies accessed during the 19‐year period, 773 (0.83%) cases of solitary pigmented melanocytic lesions in the oral mucosa were identified. Oral and labial melanotic macules were the most common melanocytic lesions comprising 86.1% of the entire group and 0.7% of the total number of accessed biopsies. The vermilion border and gingiva were the most common sites (31.1% and 31.0% respectively). Oral melanocytic nevi comprised 11.8% of the entire melanocytic group and 0.1% of the total number of biopsies. The most common site was the palate (44%). Intramucosal nevi were the most common (64%), followed by compound nevi (16.5%) and common blue nevi (16.5%). Junctional nevi were uncommon (3.0%). Oral melanoacanthoma comprised only 0.9% of the entire melanocytic group and 0.008% of the total number of biopsies. Oral melanoma and atypical melanocytic proliferation were the least common lesions each comprising 0.6% of the entire melanocytic group and 0.006% of the total number of biopsies. The most common site for oral melanoma was the palate (60%). Conclusion: The palate was the most common location for both melanocytic nevi and oral melanoma. Thus, all melanocytic lesions in the palate should be viewed with caution and biopsy is recommended to rule out melanoma. Further studies are required to elucidate the entity of oral atypical melanocytic proliferation.     

Acute abdomen

Acute surgical abdomen is the object of urgent surgical attention. The objective of emergency operation is to interrupt a process that has a steadily worsening prognosis on a scale of hours unless effective surgical treatment is rendered. There are basically three processes to address: free or incipient sepsis and peritonitis, gastrointestinal soilage, and hemorrhage.