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Biomedical subjects

F van Coevorden

Publications and source records attributed to F van Coevorden.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Long-term prognosis of primary retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma.

AIMS: To evaluate the result of treatment and long-term outcome of a population-based cohort of patients with retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma (RSTS). METHODS: Between 1 January 1989 and 1 January 1994, 143 patients diagnosed as having primary RSTS were selected from a national pathology database (PALGA) in the Netherlands. In this population-based group of patients, the result of surgery, overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were analysed as well as factors affecting OS and DFS. Median follow-up was 10.2 years. RESULTS: Operative treatment resulted in a complete tumour resection in 55% of the patients (n=78), low- and intermediate-grade tumours were more often completely resected than high-grade tumours (P=0.016). Five- and 10-year cumulative OS was 39% and 21%, respectively, while DFS was 22% and 17%, respectively. In a multivariate analysis low malignancy grade (P=0.017) and a complete tumour resection (P<0.001) were associated with better OS. CONCLUSIONS: Complete tumour resection and low malignancy grade were independent favourable prognosticators. However, these factors were related too, since surgical success was influenced by malignancy grade.

Adolescent↗

Adverse effects of radiofrequency ablation of liver tumours in the Netherlands.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a new treatment for liver tumours. Complications encountered after RFA in the Netherlands were evaluated in the present study. METHODS: Between June 1999 and November 2003 patients undergoing RFA of irresectable liver tumours in eight medical centres were registered prospectively. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-three RFA procedures were performed in 122 patients. RFA was combined with partial hepatectomy in 37 instances. Death occurred after two procedures (1.4 per cent), and was mainly due to concomitant partial hepatectomy. A total of 19 major complications occurred after ten procedures, including biliary tract damage (seven patients), liver failure (four), hepatic abscess (three), peritoneal infection (two), intrahepatic haematoma (one), hepatic artery aneurysm (one) and pulmonary embolism (one). Twenty-four minor complications were related to concomitant partial hepatectomy or laparotomy. The overall complication rate was 20.3 per cent and the rate of complications related directly to RFA was 9.8 per cent. CONCLUSION: The procedure-specific complication rate was almost 10 per cent and it is recommended that RFA should be performed only by an experienced team comprising a hepatobiliary surgeon, gastroenterologist, hepatologist and interventional radiologist. Biliary stricture, hepatic vascular damage and hepatic abscesses were the most common major complications.

Adult↗

[New insights in the adjuvant treatment of gastric cancer].

The current standard treatment of patients with gastric cancer is partial or total stomach resection and dissection of the draining lymph nodes. This approach, however, results in a rather low survival rate, partly because the diagnosis is often established in an advanced stage. Various strategies, including adjuvant radiotherapy, chemotherapy or more extensive surgical procedures, have resulted mainly in increased morbidity without improving survival. In a recent randomised trial, concurrent postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy prolonged survival and reduced the chance of a local recurrence at an acceptable toxicity. Although several aspects of combined radiochemotherapy require further study, this new treatment concept appears to be a promising addition to the therapeutic arsenal for gastric cancer.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Alveolar soft part sarcoma. a report of 15 cases.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the presentation, course and treatment outcome of 15 patients with this rare type of sarcoma. The files of the patients were retrospectively analysed. Overall survival was calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method. There were 15 patients, 8 male and 7 female. The mean age at diagnosis was 29 years for men and 24 years for women. The median survival was 48 months with an overall 5-year survival of 38%. 5 patients had haematogenic metastases at the time of diagnosis. For the remaining 10 patients with localised disease, the median survival was 48 months and the 5-year survival 48%. The median disease-free survival for these patients was 12 months with a 5-year disease free survival of 40%. After the occurrence of haematogenic metastases, patients survived a median period of 8 months (range 0-45 months). 5 patients are still free of disease after a median period of 234 months (12-295 months). Alveolar soft part sarcoma is found especially in young adults. When diagnosed, it is often metastasised with a poor prognosis. However, when radically resected, long-term survival is possible.

Adolescent↗

Peritoneal benign cystic mesothelioma: a case report and review of the literature.

Peritoneal benign cystic mesothelioma is a rare tumour of unknown aetiology. It usually presents with mild abdominal pain and a solid tumour on physical examination. The differential diagnosis with solid abdominal tumours is difficult. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging as well as aspiration cytology are useful in suggesting the pre-operative diagnosis. We present one case report and discuss this entity.

Adult↗

Bilateral angiosarcoma of the breast after conservative treatment of bilateral invasive carcinoma: genetic predisposition?

AIMS: In view of the increasing application of breast-conserving therapy (BCT) for early breast cancer during the last decades, the number of BCT-associated angiosarcomas is likely to increase. Their aetiology is not completely clear. The aim of this study was to examine the potential role of genetic predisposition for development of this rare tumour. METHODS: The authors report on a case of consecutive bilateral development of angiosarcoma of the breast 6 and 12 years after BCT for bilateral invasive breast carcinoma. The literature was reviewed and the potential role of genetic predisposition was examined. RESULTS: Such a case of bilateral BCT-induced breast angiosarcoma has not been previously reported in the international literature. The change on development of such a tumour bilaterally is 0.25-2.6 per million women who underwent bilaterally BCT with radiotherapy for invasive carcinoma. The case history and the literature review suggest that gene mutations are likely to play a role in development of post-radiation angiosarcoma of the breast. CONCLUSIONS: It is assumed that genetic predisposition may play a role in the development of angiosarcoma after BCT. When such a predisposition is known, one might decide to avoid BCT in favour of mastectomy.

Aged↗

Disturbed anastomotic healing after esophagectomy: a novel treatment of a benign tracheo-neo-esophageal fistula.

In this report a 65-year-old man is presented who developed a benign tracheo-neo-esophageal fistula 1 month after esophageal resection due to confined leakage of the cervical anastomosis. After unsuccessful conservative treatment, the fistula was partly excised via a cervical approach and a T-drain was inserted in the esophagus, thus creating a new fistula to the skin. Over a period of 8 weeks, the long mediastinal fistula track obliterated, and after removal of the T-drain the (neo-)esophagocutaneous fistula closed rapidly.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Extensive cytoreductive surgery followed by intra-operative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy with mitomycin-C in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis of colorectal origin.

Peritoneal seeding from colorectal cancer has a very poor prognosis and is relatively resistant to systemic chemotherapy. We performed a phase I/II trial to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of extensive cytoreductive surgery in combination with intra-operative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in these patients. 29 patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis of colorectal origin without evidence of distant metastases underwent cytoreductive surgery and intra-operative HIPEC with mitomycin-C (MMC), followed by systemic chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/leucovorin. Surgical complications occurred in 11 patients (38%). One patient died directly related to the treatment, resulting in a mortality rate of 3%. MMC toxicity existed mainly of leucocytopenia (in 15 patients; 52%). After a median follow-up of 38 months (range 26-52 months) we found a 2- and 3-year survival rate (Kaplan-Meier) of 45 and 23%, respectively. Extensive cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC is feasible in patients with peritoneal seeding of colorectal cancer. First results suggest that a higher median survival could be achieved compared with conventional palliative surgery and systemic chemotherapy, therefore a randomised phase III study is now being conducted.

Adult↗

A randomised phase II study on neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for 'high-risk' adult soft-tissue sarcoma.

The aim of this study was to examine the strategy, feasibility and outcome of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, with doxorubicin and ifosfamide, in adult patients with 'high-risk' soft-tissue sarcomas. Patients with 'high-risk' soft-tissue sarcomas, defined as tumours > or =8 cm of any grade, or grade II/III tumours <8 cm, or grade II/III locally recurrent tumours, or grade II/III tumours with inadequate surgery performed in the previous 6 weeks and therefore requiring further surgery, were randomised between either surgery alone or three cycles of 3-weekly doxorubicin 50 mg/m(2) intravenous (i.v.) bolus and ifosfamide 5 g/m(2) (24 h infusion) before surgery. The type of surgery had to be planned at randomisation. Tumours were to be amenable to surgery by amputation, compartmental resection, wide or marginal excision. If chemotherapy was given, surgery had to be performed within 21 days after the last chemotherapy. Patients received postoperative radiotherapy in cases of marginal surgery, microscopically incomplete resection and no further possibility for surgery, and in cases of surgery because of local recurrence. 150 patients were entered into the study and 134 were eligible, 67 in each arm. The most frequent side-effects of chemotherapy were alopecia, nausea and vomiting (95%), and leucocytopenia (32%). One patient died of neutropenic fever after the first cycle of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy did not interfere with planned surgery and did not affect postoperative wound healing. Limb-salvage was achieved in 88%, amputation was necessary in 12% (all according to the plan at randomisation). The trial was closed after completion of phase II, since accrual was too slow to justify expanding the study into the scheduled phase III study. At a median follow-up of 7.3 years, the 5 year disease-free survival is estimated at 52% for the no chemotherapy and 56% for the chemotherapy arm (standard error: 7%) (P=0.3548). The 5 year overall survival for both arms is 64 and 65%, respectively (standard error 7%) (P=0.2204). Neo-adjuvant-chemotherapy with doxorubicin and ifosfamide at these doses and with this schedule was feasible and did not compromise subsequent treatment, surgery with or without radiotherapy. Although not powered to draw definitive conclusions on benefit, but with an at least 7 year median follow-up, the results render it less likely that major survival benefits will be achieved with this type of chemotherapy.

Adolescent↗

Extensive surgical cytoreduction and intraoperative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients with pseudomyxoma peritonei.

BACKGROUND: Pseudomyxoma peritonei remains a fatal disease. However, extensive surgical cytoreduction combined with intraoperative heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has recently emerged as a new treatment modality, which might improve survival. METHODS: Patients underwent treatment if the tumour appeared to be technically resectable on preoperative abdominal computed tomography and there were no distant metastases. After aggressive surgical cytoreduction, HIPEC with the administration of mitomycin C was performed for 90 min. Depending on histological grading, patients received adjuvant 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin therapy. RESULTS: Forty-six patients were treated. Optimal surgical cytoreduction was obtained in 40 patients. Postoperative surgical complications occurred in 18 patients. Four patients died as a direct result of the treatment. Bone marrow suppression due to mitomycin C toxicity occurred in 22 patients. There was no other major toxicity related to the HIPEC procedure. After a median follow-up of 12 months, 40 patients are alive, eight of whom have proven recurrence. The actuarial survival rate (Kaplan-Meier) at 3 years was 81 per cent. CONCLUSION: These results confirm that extensive surgery combined with HIPEC is feasible in patients with pseudomyxoma peritonei and that improved long-term survival might be achieved.

Adult↗

Percutaneous radiological gastrostomy in patients with head and neck cancer.

AIM: To evaluate the results of percutaneous radiological gastrostomy in patients with head and neck cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study design. One hundred and eighteen patients with head and neck cancer were referred 130 times for gastrostomy tube placement between 1 April 1993 and 17 August 1998. Mean age was 60 years. All data were analysed by using the following parameters: success rate, complications and mortality. Complications were divided into major, minor (complication that needed only conservative treatment) and tube-related. RESULTS: The success rate of percutaneous radiological gastrostomy was 97%. Major complications occurred in 6% of patients after gastrostomy tube placement. Minor complications occurred in 15% of patients. There was one tube-related complication. Procedure-related mortality occurred in one patient. The results of this study show no difference from those known from the literature for the percutaneous method and confirm that radiological gastrostomy has significantly lower rates of major complications than other methods of gastrostomy placement. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous radiological gastrostomy tube placement is, in our opinion, an effective and reliable method for placing a feeding tube in patients with head and neck cancer.

Adult↗

Soft tissue carcinoma in the retroperitoneum: an often neglected diagnosis.

AIMS: Successful surgical treatment of patients with retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma (RSTS) is based on pre-operative planning that starts with a correct pre-operative diagnosis. In a population-based study, we determined which patients were initially treated for assumed other conditions. The effect of an erroneous diagnosis on the installed treatment was analysed. METHOD: With the help of the Dutch Network and National Database for Pathology (PALGA), data were collected on 143 patients in the Netherlands in whom a primary RSTS was found and confirmed histologically between 1 January 1989 and 1 January 1994. Satisfactory clinical information was obtained on 138 patients, 64 males and 74 females (54%). The median age was 60 (range 18-88) years. RESULTS: At the time of actual treatment 37% of the patients with RSTS were assumed to have another disorder (group 1 n=51), whereas 87 patients were diagnosed as having RSTS (group 2). In group 1, an acute presentation was more common (18 vs 2% P=0.002), and the tumour was less often palpable at physical examination (43 vs 69% P=0.004), while clinical work-up less frequently included CT-imaging (57 vs 89% P<0.001) and a biopsy (29 vs 77% P<0.001). Although tumours in group 1 were smaller (median diameter 13 vs 19 cm P<0.05), this was not reflected in a better operative result: less patients underwent complete tumour resection (51 vs 57%) and more patients underwent surgery for tumours that proved to be irresectable (14 vs 1% P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: (1) More than one-third of patients with RSTS are misdiagnosed and inappropriately treated; and (2) biopsies and cross-sectional imaging improve diagnosis.

Adolescent↗

Locoregional recurrence of retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma: second chance of cure for selected patients.

BACKGROUND: Locoregional recurrence of a retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma (RSTS) may offer a second chance of curative surgical treatment. In a population-based study the proportion of patients developing isolated locoregional recurrences (LR) was determined and the outcome of these patients was analysed. METHOD: In a retrospective nationwide study, data were collected on 142 patients treated between 1 January 1989 and 1 January 1994 for primary RSTS. In patients who had been treated radically for their primary sarcoma (77/142, 54%), the pattern of recurrence was evaluated. Factors predictive of survival for patients with LR were studied. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 86 (range 60-101) months, 32 patients (42%) had developed LR, and distant metastasis (DM) had been diagnosed in 17 patients (22%). Median disease-free interval between the initial operation and the establishment of LR or DM was 22 and 19 months, respectively. Five-year cumulative survival of patients with established LR was 37% in comparison with 11% for patients with DM (P=0.062). Factors predictive of favourable outcome in patients with LR were the absence of multifocal recurrence (n=13 P=0.01), lipomatous histomorphology (n=20 P=0.02), and a complete resection of recurrent sarcoma (n=17 P=0.04). CONCLUSION: After a median follow-up of 7 years following radical treatment of a primary RSTS, 42% of the patients had developed isolated locoregional recurrences. A complete resection of recurrent disease, lipomatous histomorphology and the absence of multifocal growth influenced prognosis favourably.

Adult↗

Metastasectomy for liver metastases of non-colorectal primaries.

BACKGROUND: Resection of liver metastases of non-colorectal primary malignancies has been reported to prolong survival. We studied the results in our hospital and compared the survival data with that described in the literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Since 1991, a prospective database has been kept at The Netherlands Cancer Institute/Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital of patients undergoing hepatic surgery (n=180). Between 1991 and 1999, 32 patients underwent laparotomy for hepatic metastases of non-colorectal primaries. This study evaluates the operative technical aspects and determines morbidity, mortality, disease-free and overall survival. RESULTS: There were 11 males and 21 females with a median age of 52 (25-69) years. Histology of the primary tumour were various carcinomas (n=22), melanomas (n=4) and sarcomas (n=6). Resection was performed in 28 patients; four patients appeared to be irresectable. There was no perioperative mortality. Morbidity was 23%. One re-operation was necessary because of haemorrhage. The median disease-free survival for the 28 patients was 12 months with an actuarial 5-year disease-free survival of 20% (Kaplan-Meier). The 5-year overall survival was 35% with a median survival of 21 months. CONCLUSION: Liver metastasectomy for selected types of non-colorectal primary tumours is relatively safe and shows in selected patients long-term survival comparable to that of metastasectomies for colorectal origin.

Adult↗

The role of radiotherapy in the local management of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. Soft Tissue Tumours Working Group.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP), a fibrohistiocytic tumour of intermediate malignancy, has a strong tendency to recur locally. Wide local excision is the recommended treatment modality. A retrospective analysis was performed on 38 consecutive DFSP patients presenting to The Netherlands Cancer Institute, to define the role of radiotherapy. Of the 21 patients treated surgically (all with negative resection margins) seven recurred, a local control probability of 67%. Combined modality treatment was given to 17 patients. Prior to radiotherapy, these patients experienced 33 occurrences of DFSP, but after irradiation only three recurrences were seen, a local control probability of 82%. These results are in keeping with the recent literature where increasing value is being given to both adjuvant and curative radiotherapy in the local management of DFSP. We recommend radiotherapy in DFSP patients where repeated surgery may cause mutilation or functional impairment.

Adult↗

Surgical treatment of lung metastases: The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group study of 255 patients.

BACKGROUND: Several reports have shown a prolonged survival after surgical treatment of pulmonary metastases from soft tissue sarcomas. However, it is still unclear which prognostic factors predict a favorable outcome. Series are not comparable and the data are conflicting. Therefore, a multi-institutional study was undertaken to analyze prognostic factors in selecting patients for resection of pulmonary metastases from soft tissue sarcomas. METHODS: This report is a retrospective study of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group. Two hundred fifty-five patients underwent complete resection of lung metastases from soft tissue sarcomas. Cases with chondrosarcoma and small round cell sarcomas like Ewing sarcoma were excluded. RESULTS: The 3 year and 5 year overall postmetastasectomy survival rates were 54% and 38%, respectively. The disease free postmetastasectomy survival rates were 42% and 35%, respectively. Analysis of prognostic factors for a more favorable outcome revealed disease free intervals of 2.5 years or more, following a resection with microscopically free margins, age less than 40 years, and Grade I and II tumors. These prognostic factors have an independent influence on overall survival, using a multivariate Cox regression model. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical excision of lung metastases from soft tissue sarcomas is well accepted and should be considered as a first line of treatment if preoperative evaluation indicates that complete clearance of the metastases is possible. Further investigation is needed before chemotherapy can be recommended as additional therapy.

Adolescent↗