Long-term Risk Of Recurrence Research Articles

Oncological safety of stromal vascular fraction enriched fat grafting in two-stage breast reconstruction after nipple sparing mastectomy: long-term results of a prospective study.

Autologous fat transfer (AFT) is commonly used to treat implant palpability and prevent fibrosis and thinning in mastectomy skin flaps. A major limit to this procedure is volume retention over time, leading to the introduction of fat enrichment with stromal vascular fraction (SVF+AFT). Oncological concerns have been raised over the injection of an increased concentration of progenitors cells (ASCs) in the SVF. The aim of the study is to evaluate the long-term cancer recurrence risk of SVF+AFT cases compared to AFT, in patients undergoing Nipple Sparing Mastectomy (NSM). A prospective study was designed to compare three groups of patients undergoing NSM followed by SVF+AFT, AFT or none (control group), after a two-stage breast reconstruction. Patients were strictly followed-up for at least 5-years from the second stage reconstructive procedure. Loco-regional and systemic recurrence rate were evaluated over time as the primary outcome. Logistic regression was used to investigate which factors were associated with recurrence events and independent variables of interest were: surgical technique, age above 50 years old, lympho-vascular invasion, oncological stage, adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant radiotherapy and adjuvant hormone therapy. 41 women were included in G1 (SVF+AFT), 64 in G2 (AFT), and 64 in G3 (control group). Loco-regional recurrence rate was 2.4% for G1, 4.7% for G2, and 1.6% for G3. Systemic recurrence was 7.3%, 3.1%, and 3.1%, respectively. Among the variables included, there were no significant risk factors influencing a recurrence event, either loco-regional or systemic. In particular, SVF+AFT (G1) did not increase the oncological recurrence. Our data suggest that both centrifuged and SVF-enhanced fat transfer have a similar safety level in comparison to patients who did not undergo fat grafting in breast reconstruction after NSM.

Intravesical BCG treatment causes a long-lasting reduction of recurrence and progression in patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer

PurposeTo analyse if BCG treatment leads to long-term reduction of recurrence, progression, and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) in patients with high-risk NMIBC.Materials and methods140 patients with high-risk NMIBC were drawn from a population-based cohort of 538 patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer in the Stockholm County between 1995 and 1996. Data were collected prospectively, and a final follow-up for recurrence, progression, and CSM was performed after 15 years. Patients that received BCG were compared with patients who did not receive BCG. Survival analysis was done with Kaplan–Meier estimates and Mantel–Cox log-rank test. Multivariable Cox proportional regression with stepwise selection was performed to verify the statistical significance of clinicopathological factors of prognostic importance. Results were displayed in Hazard ratios and a p < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.ResultsWith a median follow-up of 100 months (2–182), 76 patients recurred; 50 progressed to muscle invasion; and 92 died of whom 38 died from bladder cancer. After 15-year follow-up, there was a statistically significant reduction in rate for recurrence (HR 0.40, p < 0.0001) and progression (HR 0.52, p = 0.038), but not for CSM, in patients that received BCG compared to those who did not.ConclusionsIn this group, BCG in high-risk NMIBC patients reduced the long-term risk of recurrence and progression. The effect on CSM is yet to be clarified.

Clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of solitary spinal epidural cavernous angiomas.

The majority of spinal cavernous angiomas (CAs) originate from the vertebral bodies with or without epidural space extension. Solitary epidural CAs are rare. In the present study, we retrospectively reviewed the records of 12 patients who underwent microsurgery for solitary spinal epidural CAs. All patients had performed pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging. The patients were 7 females and 5 males with the mean age of 52.1 years. Two tumors were located in the cervicothoracic spine, nine in the thoracic spine and one in the lumbar spine, respectively. Solitary epidural CAs generally exhibited isointensity on T1-weighted images and hyperintesity on T2-weighted images. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images showed homogeneous markedly enhancement. Gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in 11 cases, and subtotal resection (STR) was achieved in 1 case. During an average follow up of 35.9 months, neurological function was improved in 11 patients and in one patient, preoperative status was maintained. No patient experienced tumor recurrence. These findings suggest that CAs should be considered in the differential diagnosis of spinal epidural lesions. Early surgery is advocated to prevent irreversible neurological deficits. When aggravated by a large amount of acute hemorrhage, neurological deterioration is usually acute and prompt surgical decompression is the optimal choice. Because of the excessive vascularity of CAs, en bloc resection is recommended. In addition, a good clinical outcome after GTR can be expected, and the risk of long-term recurrence is low.

Editor's Choices

Schwannomas are benign, slow-growing neoplasms of the myelin-producing Schwann cells of peripheral nervous system that most commonly affect sensory nerves. Hypoglossal schwannomas, tumors of purely motor nerves, comprise <5% of all head and neck schwannomas. Since the first description of a hypoglossal schwannoma in 1933, there have been few case reports of extracranial origins. The most common location of an extracranial hypoglossal schwannoma is in the parapharyngeal space and can mimic paragangliomas. We describe the case of a woman presenting with an enlarging neck mass originally thought to be a paraganglioma but ultimately discovered to be a hypoglossal schwannoma at surgery.A 63-year-old woman had a well-circumscribed, mobile, nontender, 3-cm firm mass at the mandibular angle. On computed tomography, the mass was at the level of the carotid bifurcation, splaying the branching vessels. It was further evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed a homogeneous, T2-hyperintense, T1-isointense mass with homogeneous contrast enhancement and scant flow voids. Biopsy revealed a spindle cell mass with positive S-100 staining. She underwent resection with the mass originating from the hypoglossal nerve.Hypoglossal schwannomas are rare lesions with a variable location along the course of the nerve. An extracranial lesion was described here, which was initially mistaken for a paraganglioma. Surgical resection is the consensus recommendation and is often well tolerated with low risk of long-term recurrence.

Antidepressant Treatment Duration in Pediatric Depressive and Anxiety Disorders: How Long is Long Enough?

Anxiety and depressive disorders are common in the pediatric primary care setting, and respond to both psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacologic treatment. However, there are limited data regarding the optimal treatment duration. This article systematically reviews guidelines and clinical trial data related to antidepressant treatment duration in pediatric patients with depressive and anxiety disorders. The extant literature suggests 9-12 months of antidepressant treatment for youth with major depressive disorder. For generalized, separation and social anxiety disorders, 6-9 months of antidepressant treatment may be sufficient, though many clinicians extend treatment to 12 months based on extrapolation of data from adults with anxiety disorders. Such extended treatment periods may decrease the risk of long-term morbidity and recurrence; however, the goal of treatment is ultimately remission, rather than duration of antidepressant pharmacotherapy. Moreover, while evidence-based guidelines represent a starting point, appropriate treatment duration varies and patient-specific response, psychological factors, and timing of discontinuation must be considered for individual pediatric patients.

Five-Year Recurrence Rate and the Predictors Following Stroke in the Mashhad Stroke Incidence Study: A Population-Based Cohort Study of Stroke in the Middle East

Background: Little is known about the risk of recurrent stroke in low- and middle-income countries. This study was designed to identify the long-term risk of stroke recurrence and its associated factors. Methods: From November 21, 2006 for a period of 1 year, 624 patients with first-ever stroke (FES) were registered from the residents of 3 neighborhoods in Mashhad, Iran. Patients were followed up for the next 5 years after the index event for any stroke recurrence or death. We used competing risk analysis and cause-specific Cox proportional hazard models to estimate the cumulative incidence of stroke recurrence and its associated variables. Results: The cumulative incidence of stroke recurrence was 14.5% by the end of 5 years, with the largest rate during the first year after FES (5.6%). Only advanced age (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.02; 95% CI 1.01–1.04) and severe stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score >20; HR 2.23; 95% CI 1.05–4.74) were independently associated with an increased risk of 5-year recurrence. Case fatality at 30 days after first recurrent stroke was 43.2%, which was significantly greater than the case fatality at 30 days after FES of 24.7% (p = 0.001). Conclusion: A substantial number of our patients either died or had stroke recurrences during the study period. Advanced age and the severity of the index stroke significantly increased the risk of recurrence. This is an important finding for health policy makers and for designing preventive strategies in people surviving their stroke.

Stepped Care Interpersonal Psychotherapy Treatment for Depressed Adolescents: A Pilot Study in Pediatric Clinics.

Adolescents with depression are at risk for negative long-term consequences and recurrence of depression. Many do not receive nor access treatment, especially Latino youth. New treatment approaches are needed. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a stepped collaborative care treatment model (SCIPT-A) for adolescents with depression utilizing interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A) and antidepressant medication (if needed) compared to Enhanced Treatment as Usual (E-TAU) in urban pediatric primary care clinics serving primarily Latino youth. Results suggest the SCIPT-A model is feasible, acceptable and potentially beneficial for urban Latino adolescents. Clinicians delivered the SCIPT-A model with fidelity using supervision successfully implemented in a community setting.

Analysis of Postoperative Recurrence in Stage I-III Midgut Neuroendocrine Tumors.

Surgery represents the only curative treatment for stage I-III midgut neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). At present, there are very limited data on the risk of postoperative recurrence. The optimal modality, duration and frequency of surveillance have not been well established. In this work, we investigated the long-term risk of recurrence, peak timing of recurrence, and potential predictors of relapse in patients with stage I-III midgut NETs. We retrospectively evaluated 129 patients with stage I-III midgut NETs who were seen at the Moffitt Cancer Center between 2000 and 2010 following an R0/R1 resection. Disease-free survival (DFS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Demographic, clinical, and pathological features were assessed as potential predictors of recurrence. All statistical tests were two-sided. After a median postoperative follow-up of 81 months (range = 1-295 months), recurrence was diagnosed in 40 out of 129 patients (31.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 23.0% to 39.0%). Liver, mesentery, and pelvic lymph nodes were the main sites of relapse. The median DFS was 138 months (95% CI = 117 to 223 months). Resection of 17 or fewer lymph nodes predicted relapse (P = .01) and shorter DFS (P = .04). Among patients who relapsed, the cumulative risks of recurrence at one, five, and 10 years were 15.0% (95% CI = 3.9% to 26.1%), 50.0% (95% CI = 34.5% to 65.5%), and 85.0% (95% CI = 73.9% to 96.0%). No recurrence was observed among patients (n = 6) with stage I tumors, whereas similar rates of relapse were noted in patients with stage II or III NETs (n = 118). An annual surveillance interval may allow early detection of recurrence. Given the apparent decline in recurrence after eight years from surgery, a decade-long duration of active surveillance may be proposed.

Effect of CD4 Count on Treatment Toxicity and Tumor Recurrence in Human Immunodeficiency Virus–Positive Patients With Anal Cancer

Tostudy the effects of immunosuppression on treatment toxicity, long-term cancer recurrence risk, and survival among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive anal cancer patients. From a nationwide retrospective cohort of veterans with anal cancer we identified 142 HIV-positive patients with stage I-III disease, diagnosed between 2000 and 2015 and treated with definitive-intent chemotherapy and radiation. We used regression models to study the impact of pretreatment CD4 counts and longitudinal posttreatment CD4 counts on outcomes including acute toxicity, long-term ostomy rates, cancer recurrence, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival. All models were adjusted for potential confounders. The median pretreatment CD4 count was 375cells/mm3, which dropped to 157cells/mm3 after treatment. Each 100-cell/mm3 decrease in pretreatment CD4 count was associated with an increased risk of acute hematologic toxicity (odds ratio 1.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.42, P=.04) and hospitalization for hematologic toxicity (odds ratio 1.24, 95% CI 1.00-1.54, P=.049) but not gastrointestinal toxicity, tumor recurrence, or cancer-specific mortality (P>.05). Each 100-cells/mm3 decrease in posttreatment CD4 count increased the risk of recurrence by 54% (hazard ratio 1.54, 95% CI 1.09-2.17, P=.01) and cancer mortality by 46% at a trend level (hazard ratio 1.46, 95% CI 0.99-2.14, P=.06). Neither pre- nor posttreatment CD4 count influenced long-term ostomy rates or overall survival (all P>.05). Lower pretreatment CD4 counts were associated with acute hematologic toxicity, and lower posttreatment CD4 count levels were associated with an increased risk of tumor recurrence. These results suggest that immune surveillance may play an important role in long-term disease control in anal cancer.

Ventricular Tachycardia with ICD Shocks: When to Medicate and When to Ablate.

Ventricular tachycardia occurrence in implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) patients may result in shock delivery and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. In addition, shocks may have deleterious mechanical and psychological effects. Prevention of ventricular tachycardia (VT) recurrence with the use of antiarrhythmic drugs or catheter ablation may be warranted. Antiarrhythmic drugs are limited by incomplete efficacy and an unfavorable adverse effect profile. Catheter ablation can be effective but acute complications and long-term VT recurrence risk necessitating repeat ablation should be recognized. A shared clinical decision process accounting for patients' cardiac status, comorbidities, and goals of care is often required. There are four published randomized trials of catheter ablation for sustained monomorphic VT (SMVT) in the setting of ischemic heart disease; there are no randomized studies for non-ischemic ventricular substrates. The most recent trial is the VANISH trial which randomly allocated patients with ICD, prior infarction, and SMVT despite first-line antiarrhythmic drug therapy to catheter ablation or more aggressive antiarrhythmic drug therapy. During 28months of follow-up, catheter ablation resulted in a 28% relative risk reduction in the composite endpoint of death, VT storm, and appropriate ICD shock (p=0.04). In a subgroup analysis, patients having VT despite amiodarone had better outcomes with ablation as compared to increasing amiodarone dose or adding mexiletine. There is evidence for the effectiveness of both catheter ablation and antiarrhythmic drug therapy for patients with myocardial infarction, an implantable defibrillator, and VT. If sotalol is ineffective in suppressing VT, either catheter ablation or initiation of amiodarone is a reasonable option. If VT occurs despite amiodarone therapy, there is evidence that catheter ablation is superior to administration of more aggressive antiarrhythmic drug therapy. Early catheter ablation may be appropriate in some clinical situations such as patients presenting with relatively slow VT below ICD detection, electrical storms, hemodynamically stable VT, or in very selected patients with left ventricular assist devices. The optimal first-line suppressive therapy for VT, after ICD implantation and appropriate programming, remains to be determined. Thus far, there has not been a randomized controlled trial to compare catheter ablation to antiarrhythmic drug therapy as a first-line treatment; the VANISH-2 study has been initiated as a pilot to examine this question.

Long-term risk of recurrence after discontinuing anticoagulants for a first unprovoked venous thromboembolism: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

IntroductionFor patients with a first unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE), the optimal duration of anticoagulation is a crucial clinical dilemma which has yet to be resolved. The decision to stop anticoagulant...

Long‐term risk of venous thromboembolism recurrence after isolated superficial vein thrombosis

Essentials Long-term risk of recurrence of isolated superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) is under-studied. We analyzed data from a cohort of first SVT and proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT) without cancer. The risk of recurrence as DVT or pulmonary embolism is twice lower in SVT patients. However, overall risk of recurrence is similar between SVT and proximal DVT patients. Click to hear Dr Decousus' perspective on superficial vein thrombosis SUMMARY: Background Isolated superficial vein thrombosis (iSVT) (without concomitant deep vein thrombosis [DVT] or pulmonary embolism [PE]) is a frequent event, but available data on long-term outcomes are scarce and retrospective. Therefore, we aimed to determine prospectively the risk and type of venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence after iSVT and compare them with those of proximal DVT. Methods Using data from the prospective, multicenter, observational, OPTIMEV study, we assessed, at 3 years and after anticoagulants were stopped, the incidence and the type of VTE recurrence (iSVT/DVT/PE) of patients with a first objectively confirmed iSVT without cancer (n = 285), and compared these with those of patients with a first proximal DVT without cancer (n = 262). Results As compared with proximal DVT patients, iSVT patients had a similar overall incidence of VTE recurrence (5.4% per patient-year [PY] versus 6.5% per PY, adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.5-1.6), but iSVT recurred six times more often as iSVT (2.7% versus 0.6%, aHR 5.9, 95% CI 1.3-27.1) and 2.5 times less often as deep-VTE events (2.5% versus 5.9%, aHR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.9). Varicose vein status did not influence the risk or the type of VTE recurrence. Saphenian junction involvement by iSVT was not associated with a higher risk of recurrence (5.2% per PY versus 5.4% per PY), but was associated with recurrence exclusively as deep-VTE events. Conclusion In patients with a first iSVT without cancer, after stopping anticoagulants, the incidence of deep-VTE recurrence is half that of DVT patients, but the overall risk of recurrence is similar. Ssaphenian junction involvement seems to influence the risk of deep-VTE recurrence, whereas varicose vein status has no impact or a low impact on VTE recurrence.

Long-term risk of recurrence and regrowth after gross-total and subtotal resection of sporadic vestibular schwannoma.

The management of vestibular schwannoma (VS) remains controversial. One commonly cited advantage of microsurgery over other treatment modalities is that tumor removal provides the greatest chance of long-term cure. However, there are very few publications with long-term follow-up to support this assertion. The purpose of the current study is to report the very long-term risk of recurrence among a large historical cohort of patients who underwent microsurgical resection. The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who had undergone primary microsurgical resection of unilateral VS via a retrosigmoid approach performed by a single neurosurgeon-neurotologist team between January 1980 and December 1999. Complete tumor removal was designated gross-total resection (GTR), and anything less than complete removal was designated subtotal resection (STR). The primary end point was radiological recurrence-free survival. Time-to-event analyses were performed to identify factors associated with recurrence. Four hundred fourteen patients met the study inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Overall, 67 patients experienced recurrence at a median of 6.9 years following resection (IQR 3.9-12.1, range 1.2-22.5 years). Estimated recurrence-free survival rates at 5, 10, 15, and 20 years following resection were 93% (95% CI 91-96, 248 patients still at risk), 78% (72-85, 88), 68% (60-77, 47), and 51% (41-64, 22), respectively. The strongest predictor of recurrence was extent of resection, with patients who underwent STR having a nearly 11-fold greater risk of recurrence than the patients treated with GTR (HR 10.55, p < 0.001). Among the 18 patients treated with STR, 15 experienced recurrence at a median of 2.7 years following resection (IQR 1.9-8.9, range 1.2-18.7). Estimated recurrence-free survival rates at 5, 10, 15, and 20 years following GTR were 96% (95% CI 93-98, 241 patients still at risk), 82% (77-89, 86), 73% (65-81, 46), and 56% (45-70, 22), respectively. Estimated recurrence-free survival rates at 5, 10, and 15 years following STR were 47% (95% CI 28-78, 7 patients still at risk), 17% (5-55, 2), and 8% (1-52, 1), respectively. Long-term surveillance is required following microsurgical resection of VS even after GTR. Subtotal resection alone should not be considered a definitive long-term cure. These data emphasize the importance of long-term follow-up when reporting tumor control outcomes for VS.

Cryptogenic Stroke

Cryptogenic stroke is defined as brain infarction that is not attributable to a source of definite embolism, large artery atherosclerosis, or small artery disease despite a thorough vascular, cardiac, and serologic evaluation. Despite many advances in our understanding of ischemic stroke, cryptogenic strokes remain a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.The pathophysiology of cryptogenic stroke is likely various. Probable mechanisms include cardiac embolism secondary to occult paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, aortic atheromatous disease or other cardiac sources, paradoxical embolism from atrial septal abnormalities such as patent foramen ovale, hypercoagulable states, and preclinical or subclinical cerebrovascular disease. Cryptogenic stroke is one-fourth among cerebral infarction, but most of them could be ascribed to embolic stroke. A significant proportion of cryptogenic strokes adhere to embolic infarct topography on brain imaging and improvement in our ability to detect paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in patients with cryptogenic stroke has strengthened the idea that these strokes are embolic in nature. a significant proportion of cryptogenic strokes adhere to embolic infarct topography on brain imaging.embolic stroke of undetermined sources(ESUS) was planned for unifying embolic stroke of undetermined source. The etiologies underlying ESUS included minor-risk potential cardioembolic sources, covert paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, cancer-associated coagulopathy and embolism, arteriogenic emboli, and paroxysmal embolism. Extensive evaluation including transesophageal echocardiography and cardiac monitoring for long time could identify the etiology of these patients. Therefore cryptogenic stroke is a diagnosis of exclusion. Compared with other stroke subtypes, cryptogenic stroke tends to have a better prognosis and lower long-term risk of recurrence.

Abstract P6-09-54: Long-term recurrence risk and risk-based follow-up after breast cancer treatment

Abstract This abstract was not presented at the symposium.

Impact of Multidrug Resistance on Tuberculosis Recurrence and Long-Term Outcome in China.

Little is known about the impact of drug resistance on recurrence in TB. We conducted a cohort study to measure the impact of multi-drug resistance (MDR) on TB recurrence over nine years in Henan Province China. We reviewed medical records and conducted field interviews of 100 MDR and 150 non-MDR TB patients who were treated between 2001 and 2002. We compared long-term recurrence rates, risk factors, and outcomes in 2010 for 234 individuals who could be followed up. About one third (29.5%, 69/234) suffered recurrence after completion of treatment. The overall recurrence rate was 35/1,000 patient-years (PY), with a much higher rate (65/1,000 PY) among MDR-TB patients. MDR (HR: 2.75; CI: 1.58–4.79) and patient annual household income less than 10,000 Yuan (HR: 2.05; CI 1.11–3.80) were associated with recurrence. The mean time for recurrence among MDR-TB patients was 5.7 years, compared to 7.2 years among non-MDR-TB patients. Among the recurrence group members, 61.3% died, and 18.8% had failed treatments. We believe that the high TB recurrence rate after 9 years suggests that a high cure rate cannot accurately predict long-term outcome. We recommend that TB surveillance and control should be strengthened with a focus on MDR-TB and directly observed treatment, to reduce TB recurrence and transmission of MDR-TB.

P2.04-039 Long-Term Risk of Recurrence in Benign Pleural Solitary Fibrous Tumors: A Single Institution Review: Topic: Esophageal Cancer and Other Malignancies

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare tumor of submesothelial origin that can occur in the abdomen, extremities, trunk, head, neck and pleura. Pleural SFTs are defined as benign or malignant based on the number of mitoses and the presence of pleomorphism, hemorrhage, or necrosis. There is limited data in the literature regarding the recurrence risk of benign pleural SFT and the need for long-term follow up in these patients. A single institution retrospective chart review was performed on all surgically resected primary pleural SFTs between 1992 and 2015. Preoperative clinical information, pathologic tumor characteristics, and long-term recurrence and survival data were collected. There were 29 primary pleural SFTs resected between 1992 and 2015. Patients had a mean age of 60 years and there were 16 men (55%) and 13 women (45%). Fourteen (48%) presented with symptoms, including two patients with paraneoplastic syndromes, and the other 15 tumors (52%) were found incidentally on imaging. There were six giant SFTs defined as size greater than 15 cm, with two of six giant SFTs undergoing preoperative embolization to aid surgical resection. Otherwise, there were no neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatments in any patient. There was no perioperative 30-day mortality (0%). Mean follow up time was 77 months, during which 4 (14%) patients recurred and 21 of 29 patients (72%) were alive at last follow up. Three of the 8 deaths occurred in patients with recurrent disease. Among the 19 benign pleural SFTs, 2 (11%) recurred at 5 and 9 years postoperatively and 2 of the 6 malignant SFTs (33%) recurred at 4 and 15 years postoperatively. Margin status was known in 25 cases, of which 21 (84%) were negative and 4 (16%) were positive. There were no recurrences in patients with known negative margins. This study represents one of the largest contemporary single institution reviews of outcomes of pleural SFT. While benign pleural SFTs were less likely to recur than malignant pleural SFTs, benign pleural SFTs with positive or unknown margin status remain at risk for recurrence up to a decade following resection and require ongoing long-term follow up and surveillance imaging.

Editorial Comment

The aim of the study by Golabesk et al 1 Golabesk T. Palou J. Rodriguez O. et al. Long-term bladder and upper urinary tract follow-up recurrence and progression rates of G1-2 non-muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. Urology. 2016; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2016.07.063 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (14) Google Scholar was to evaluate the risk of long-term tumor recurrence and progression in patients with low- and intermediate-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancers to facilitate optimization in follow-up schedules, as the duration of follow-up in G1-2 tumors remains controversial, especially after 5 years of being recurrence-free. The goals of less rigid surveillance would be to spare patients from unnecessary cystoscopy and radiation, as well as to reduce cost.

Higher burden of supraventricular ectopic complexes early after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation is associated with increased risk of recurrent atrial fibrillation.

Early identification of patients who could benefit from early re-intervention after catheter ablation is highly warranted. Our aim was to investigate the association between post-procedural burden of supraventricular ectopic complexes (SVEC) and the risk of long-term atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence. A total of 125 patients undergoing catheter ablation for AF were included. Patients underwent 7-day Holter recordings immediately post-procedural. The number of SVEC in post-procedural Holter recordings was categorized into quartiles: 0-72, 73-212, 213-782 and ≥ 783 SVEC/day. Long-term AF recurrence was defined as a combined endpoint of AF ≥ 1 min during follow-up Holter recordings, cardioversion or hospitalization for AF after a 3-month blanking period and within 24months of follow-up. High post-procedural supraventricular ectopy burden was associated with an increased risk of long-term AF recurrence in a dose-dependent manner (≥ 783 SVEC: HR 4.6 [1.9-11.5], P < 0.001) irrespective of AF recurrence during the blanking period or other risk factors. In patients with early AF recurrence < 90days after catheter ablation ectopy burden was also highly predictive of long-term AF recurrence (SVEC ≥ 213: HR 3.0 [1.3-6.7], P = 0.007). Correspondingly, patients with early AF recurrence but low ectopy burden remained at low risk of long-term AF recurrence after the blanking period. Our results indicate that post-procedural ectopy burden is highly associated with long-term AF recurrence and could be a potent risk marker for selection of patients for early re-ablation. Development of future ablation risk stratification and strategies should include focus on post-procedural ectopy burden.

The Long-Term Recurrence Risk of Patients with Unprovoked Venous Thromboembolism: An Observational Cohort Study

Background: The long-term recurrence risk (ltRR) of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and its determinants are uncertain. We set out to assess the long-term RR of VTE in a homogenous cohort with first symptomatic unprovoked deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) of the leg or symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE).Methods: Between July 1992 and September 2008, consecutive patients older than 18 years with a first unprovoked symptomatic DVT of the leg or PE were included after withdrawal of anticoagulation. Patients were excluded if they had VTE associated with a temporary risk factor, major thrombophilia, or if they received long-term antithrombotic treatment for other reasons. Diagnosis of VTE was established by compression ultrasonography, venography, spiral computed tomography, or lung scanning. End point of the study was objectively confirmed symptomatic recurrent VTE. The absolute ltRR was estimated by the cause-specific cumulative incidence method, considering death and re-initiation of antithrombotic treatment as competing events. By taking years of follow-up as the time scale and multiplying by 100, hazard rates can be interpreted as events per 100 patient-years. 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the estimated hazard rates were obtained using the bootstrap percentile method based on 1000 resamples of the original observations with replacement. Comparisons between groups were based on cause-specific hazard ratios estimated by univariable and multivariable Cox models.Results: 839 patients (mean age 53 years) were prospectively followed for a median of 7.7 years (25th percentile 3.3 years, 75th percentile 11.4 years). 263 (31%) had symptomatic recurrence, which was unprovoked in 232 patients (88%) and associated with a temporary risk condition in 31 patients. PE was fatal in 4 patients. The cumulative RR was 9% (95% CI, 7 to 11) after 1 year, 23% (95% CI, 20 to 26) after 5 years, 32% (95% CI, 29 to 36) after 10 years, and 44% (95% CI, 38 to 49) after 20 years (Figure 1, A). The hazard rate of recurrence was 6.5 events per 100 patient-years (95% CI, 5.7 to 7.4) at 1 year, 4.6 (95% CI, 4.0 to 5.2) at 5 years, 3.9 (95% CI, 3.3 to 4.6) at 10 years and 3.3 events per 100 patient-years (95% CI, 2.7 to 4.0) at 20 years (Figure 1, B). The RR among men and women was 39% (95% CI, 35 to 44) and 18% (95% CI, 14 to 23) after 10 years and 51% (95% CI, 44 to 58) and 27% (95% CI, 20 to 34) after 20 years, respectively. The hazard ratio of recurrence for men compared with women was 2.1 (95% CI, 1.6 to 2.9). After 20 years, the RR was 54% (95% CI, 46 to 61) among men with a first unprovoked PE or proximal DVT, 38% (95% CI, 19 to 57) among men with a first unprovoked distal DVT and 29% (95% CI, 21 to 37) among women with a first unprovoked PE or proximal DVT. After 15 years, the RR was 17% (95% CI, 7 to 31) among women with a first unprovoked distal DVT. Compared to women with a first distal DVT, hazard ratios were 2.3, 2.3, and 4.7 for men with a first distal DVT, women with a first PE or proximal deep-vein-thrombosis, and men with a first PE or proximal DVT, respectively.Conclusion: The ltRR of VTE among patients with a first unprovoked DVT of the leg or PE is excessively high. The ltRR is particularly high in men with a proximal DVT or PE and is lower in men with a distal DVT and in women regardless of the location of the first thrombosis. We propose that sex together with thrombus site should be considered when counseling patients regarding the duration of secondary thromboprophylaxis. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.