The world isn't flat.
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Adenoma, Villous↗
Biomedical subjects
Steven Itzkowitz
Publications and source records attributed to Steven Itzkowitz.
Progression of flat low-grade dysplasia to advanced neoplasia in patients with ulcerative colitis.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Long-standing ulcerative colitis has long been recognized as a risk factor for colorectal cancer, but there is still no universal consensus on the optimal management of ulcerative colitis patients with low-grade dysplasia in flat mucosa. Some authorities favor prompt colectomy, whereas others recommend continued surveillance. The purpose of our study was to determine the frequency with which flat low-grade dysplasia in ulcerative colitis progresses to advanced neoplasia (high-grade dysplasia or colorectal cancer) and whether specific variables could predict such progression. METHODS: We reviewed the medical histories, colonoscopic findings, and surgical and pathology reports of 46 patients with ulcerative colitis diagnosed with flat low-grade dysplasia on a surveillance colonoscopy. The rates of neoplastic progression, as well as the frequency of advanced neoplasia, were tabulated. We correlated progression with several clinical and colonoscopic variables: the number of biopsy samples positive for flat low-grade dysplasia, the duration and anatomic extent of disease, patient age, and medication use. RESULTS: Among these 46 patients, there were 7 cases of colorectal cancer, 5 of which were stage II or higher. Unexpected advanced neoplasia occurred in 4 of 17 (23.5%) patients who underwent colectomy for flat low-grade dysplasia. On an actuarial basis, the rate of neoplastic progression was 53% at 5 years. No clinical features predicted progression to advanced neoplasia. Cancers, including 2 at advanced stages, developed despite frequent follow-up surveillance examinations. CONCLUSIONS: A finding of flat low-grade dysplasia during ulcerative colitis surveillance is a strong predictor of progression to advanced neoplasia. Early colectomy should be recommended for such patients.
Actuarial Analysis↗
Awareness of genetic testing for colorectal cancer predisposition among specialists in gastroenterology.
OBJECTIVES: Adult gastroenterologists practicing in New York State were surveyed to determine their practice with regard to identifying family histories consistent with inherited forms of colorectal cancer, and to assess their awareness of cancer genetic counseling and molecular genetic testing for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). METHODS: A closed-ended questionnaire was mailed to 815 gastroenterologists identified through the membership Directory of the American Gastroenterological Association (1998). Two mailings resulted in a response rate of 35%. RESULTS: In all, 99% of the gastroenterologists obtained a family history from their patients, and 95% were aware of cancer genetic counseling. However, only 51% would routinely refer patients for genetic counseling before providing cancer predisposition testing. In addition, only 52% were aware of the availability of genetic tests for FAP and 34% for HNPCC. Presented with a family history consistent with HNPCC, 79% could identify the syndrome, 26% recommended genetic counseling for the consultand, and 16% advised appropriate screening, according to current recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of gastroenterologists do obtain a family history on their patients. However, there is a need for physician education regarding the recognition of pedigrees consistent with inherited colorectal cancer, the genetic counseling process, and the availability of mutation testing for FAP and HNPCC.
Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗
Intestinal trefoil factor: a marker of poor prognosis in gastric carcinoma.
PURPOSE: Intestinal trefoil factor (ITF) is a marker of intestinal differentiation that may also play a role in cancer cell biology by inhibiting cell adhesion, promoting cell invasion, and blocking apoptosis. Gastric adenocarcinomas can arise through a process of intestinalization, but no study has yet comprehensively examined the expression of ITF in gastric cancer or correlated ITF expression with clinical outcome in any cancer type. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Patients (209) with primary gastric adenocarcinoma were evaluated for ITF expression by immunohistochemistry. Results of immunostaining were correlated with clinicopathological variables and overall survival. RESULTS: In normal gastric mucosa, ITF expression was absent, whereas areas of intestinal metaplasia revealed strong ITF expression by goblet cells. A portion of gastric cancers (55%) demonstrated ITF expression. Women were more likely than men to express ITF in gastric cancers. However, in men, the expression of ITF correlated with aggressive phenotype of tumors (advanced stage, infiltrative growth pattern, and positive lymph nodes). Multivariate analysis revealed that expression of ITF was associated with a poor prognosis, independent of tumor stage. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to correlate ITF expression with clinicopathological features or outcome in any cancer type. ITF expression in gastric cancer exhibited a curious gender-associated relationship, being more frequently expressed in tumors of women, but associated with more aggressive pathological features in men. The poor prognosis of patients with ITF-positive gastric cancers further implicates ITF in cancer cell biology.
Adenocarcinoma↗
Colon carcinogenesis in inflammatory bowel disease: applying molecular genetics to clinical practice.
Although both sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) and colitis-associated CRC arise from dysplastic precursor lesions and share several molecular alterations, the nature of the dysplasia and the frequency and timing of several of the key molecular changes differ enough to consider colitis-associated CRC a rather unique entity. To date, cancer surveillance in both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's colitis rests upon the detection of dysplasia. However, because there are considerable limitations to the detection and interpretation of dysplasia, there is a need for other molecular markers to complement the histologic analysis of dysplasia. Because patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) undergo repeated, periodic surveillance colonoscopies, it affords an opportunity to study marker expression over time. Of the few markers that have been studied chronologically, aneuploidy, p53, and mucin-associated sialyl-Tn antigen expression each hold promise as markers of CRC risk in IBD. It will be important to study whether these markers, or other panels of gene or protein expression, can identify patients at highest risk for developing CRC in future clinical studies.
Biomarkers, Tumor↗
Teaching clinical management skills for genetic testing of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer using a Web-based tutorial.
PURPOSE: To pilot and evaluate an interactive Web-based continuing medical education tutorial on clinical management of hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC) and genetic testing. METHODS: Gastroenterology fellows and genetic counseling trainees were asked to read standard written materials before taking the tutorial. A pretest/post-test assessment was used to measure change in subjects' clinical management skills. RESULTS: Subjects made the correct management decision 63.9% of the time before the tutorial and 81.1% of the time after the tutorial (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Supplementing written materials with an interactive program may assist medical professionals in integrating their knowledge of HNPCC and genetic testing into clinical practice.
Adult↗
Indeterminate colitis.
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Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic↗
The diagnosis and treatment of pouchitis in inflammatory bowel disease.
The ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) procedure has become the preferred surgical option for most patients with ulcerative colitis who require surgical removal of the colorectum. The vast majority of patients with this new anatomy will either not develop pouchitis or develop a few discrete episodes of acute pouchitis. However approximately one fourth of patients will develop recurrent pouchitis, with 5% being categorized as chronic pouchitis requiring maintenance therapy or, on rare occasion, pouch excision. Factors that are associated with an increased risk of pouchitis include primary sclerosing cholangitis, extraintestinal manifestations, and nonsmokers. Controversy surrounds other risk factors such as extent of colitis, backwash ileitis, preoperative pANCA levels, and carrying a specific allele for IL-1 receptor antagonist. The etiology of pouchitis is unknown, but theories range from genetic susceptibility, bacterial overgrowth, ischemia, and fecal stasis, to a recurrence of ulcerative colitis in the pouch, a missed diagnosis of Crohn's disease, or possibly a novel third form of inflammatory bowel disease. Some patients with symptoms of pouchitis will not have inflammation of the pouch, but rather, irritable pouch syndrome. Thus, endoscopic investigation with biopsy is important for declaring whether a patient has pouchitis. Indeed, the more commonly used scores, such as the pouch disease activity index, incorporate both endoscopic and histologic criteria. Not surprisingly, treatment options for patients with pouchitis resemble that of regular inflammatory bowel disease, although there have only been a few controlled trials. Antibiotics are the mainstay of therapy, with metronidazole and ciprofloxacin demonstrating benefit in controlled trials. Probiotics are effective for maintaining remission of pouchitis. Mesalamine, corticosteroids, and immunomodulators have been used with some success. Occasionally, patients with well-documented ulcerative colitis as the indication for IPAA will develop what appears to be Crohn's disease of the pouch, on the basis of granulomatous inflammation, pre-pouch ileitis, or fistulae. The treatment is similar to Crohn's disease, including the use of infliximab. Dysplasia within the pouch mucosa itself is quite rare. Reports of dysplasia occurring in patients with IPAA are usually due to neoplastic change within the residual cuff of rectal or transition zone mucosa just below the pouch, rather than in the ileal mucosa of the pouch. With further elucidation of the genetic basis for inflammatory bowel disease, we should be able to more accurately classify patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease genotypically. Hopefully, this will also bring more clarity to the heterogeneous population of patients with pouchitis and allow for more focused therapeutic strategies.
Anti-Infective Agents↗