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There is growing evidence to support a role of the gut microbiome in the development of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease (IAD). We used total colectomy (TC) for ulcerative colitis (UC) as a model for a significant disruption in gut microbiome to explore an association with subsequent risk of IAD. We identified all patients with UC and no diagnosis of IAD prior to their UC diagnosis in Denmark from 1988 to 2015. Patients were followed from the date of UC to a diagnosis of IAD, death or end of follow-up, whichever occurred first. We used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of IAD associated with TC, adjusting for age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and calendar year of UC diagnosis. 30,507 patients with UC (3,155 with TC and 27,352 without) were identified from the Danish National Patient Registry. During 43,266 person-years of follow-up, 2733 patients were diagnosed with an IAD. The risk of any IAD was higher for patients with TC compared to patients without (adjusted HR [aHR] 1.39 (95% CI: 1.24–1.57)). When the analyses were adjusted for exposure to antibiotics, immunomodulatory medicine and biologics (covering 2005–2018), the risk of IAD was still higher for patients with total colectomy (aHR = 1.41 (95% CI: 1.09;1.83)). Disease-specific analyses were weakened by a low number of outcomes. The risk of IAD was higher for patients who underwent TC for UC compared to patients who did not. What is already known? o The gut microbiome plays an important role in host immune homeostasis, and changes in gut bacterial diversity and composition may change the individual's risk of inflammatory and autoimmune disease (IAD). What is new here? o Patients with ulcerative colitis who undergo total colectomy have a higher risk of being diagnosed with IAD, compared to patients with ulcerative colitis who do not undergo total colectomy. How can this study help patient care? o Future research can help uncover the mechanisms responsible for the higher risk of certain IADs after total colectomy. If the microbiome plays a role, modifying the gut microbiome could prove a viable therapeutic strategy to reduce the risk of developing IADs. In this nationwide Danish cohort study of all Danish UC patients diagnosed in the period from 1988 to 2015, the risk of being diagnosed with inflammatory and autoimmune disease is higher for patients who underwent total colectomy compared to UC patients without total colectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With a growing population of cancer survivors in Denmark, the evaluation of health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) has become increasingly important. We describe variations in HRQoL between educational groups in a national population of cancer survivors. Methods: We conducted a cross‐sectional questionnaire study among breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancer survivors diagnosed in 2010–2019 in Denmark. We used the EORTC QLQ‐C30 to assess HRQoL including physical, role, emotional, cognitive, social functioning, and symptoms (fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, dyspnea, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation, diarrhea, and financial difficulties). Information on educational level and clinical data were extracted from national registers and clinical databases. Levels of impaired functioning and severe symptoms were identified using newly established thresholds for clinical importance. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine associations between education and HRQoL. All statistical tests were 2‐sided. Results: In total, 27,857 (42%) participated in the study. Up to 72% and 75% of cancer survivors with short education (≤9 years) reported impaired functioning and severe symptoms, respectively. Cancer survivors with short compared to long education (>12 years) were more likely to report impaired functioning and severe symptoms, with for example significantly higher odds ratios (ORs) for impaired physical function (breast OR = 2.41, 99% CI = 2.01–2.89; prostate OR = 1.81, 99% CI = 1.48–2.21; lung OR = 2.97, 99% CI = 1.95–4.57; and colon cancer OR = 1.69, 99% CI = 1.28–2.24). Conclusions: Cancer survivors with short education are at greater risk of impaired HRQoL than survivors with long education 2–12 years after diagnosis. This underscores the need for systematic screening and symptom management in cancer aftercare, in order to reach all cancer survivors, also cancer survivors with short education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: A laparoscopic approach to total colectomy (TC) for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is being increasingly used, but data on its comparative benefits over open TC are conflicting. The aim of this study was to examine 90‐day outcomes following laparoscopic and open TC for IBD in a nationwide cohort after the introduction of laparoscopy. Method: IBD patients undergoing TC in Denmark from 2005 to 2017 were identified from the Danish National Patient Registry. We used Kaplan–Meier methodology to estimate mortality and Cox regression analysis to estimate adjusted mortality rate ratios (aMRRs) and adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of reoperation, readmission and intensive care unit (ICU) transfer, comparing patients undergoing laparoscopic versus open TC. Results: We identified 1095 patients undergoing laparoscopic TC and 1523 patients undergoing open TC. Following emergency TC, 90‐day mortality was 2.8% (1.6%–4.9%) after laparoscopic TC and 9.1% (7.0%–11.8%) after open TC. Ninety‐day mortality was 0.9% (0.3%–2.5%) after laparoscopic TC and 2.6% (1.5%–4.3%) after open elective TC. The aMRRs associated with laparoscopic TC were 0.45 (95% CI 0.25–0.80) in emergency cases and 0.29 (95% CI 0.10–0.86) in elective cases. Risks of readmission were comparable following laparoscopic versus open TC, both in emergency [aHR = 0.93 (95% CI 0.76–1.15)] and elective [aHR = 0.83 (95% CI 0.68–1.02)] cases, while risks of ICU transfer and reoperation were lower following laparoscopic TC, both in emergency cases [aHR = 0.53 (95% CI 0.35–0.82) and aHR = 0.26 (95% CI 0.15–0.47)] and elective [aHR = 0.58 (95% CI 0.35–0.95) and aHR = 0.37 (95% CI 0.21–0.66)] cases. Conclusion: The introduction of laparoscopic TC for IBD in Denmark was not associated with increased mortality or morbidity. In fact, laparoscopic TC for IBD may be associated with lower short‐term mortality and morbidity compared with open TC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survival from colon cancer (CC) has improved considerably over the last decades, yet many survivors suffer from late sequelae from treatment. Typical symptoms of bowel dysfunction after treatment of CC are diarrhea, urge for defecation, fecal incontinence, bloating and constipation. Most CC survivors make dietary changes to alleviate bowel symptoms. We aimed to describe the self-perceived effects of diet on bowel function among CC survivors and the level of dietary information given. In this cross-sectional study, CC patients from four surgical departments in Denmark completed surveys regarding the effects of diet on their bowel function and whether they had previously received dietary advice. Data concerning sociodemographic characteristics and the surgical procedure (right-sided or left-sided hemicolectomy) were collected from the Danish Colorectal Cancer Group database. Forty-four healthcare professionals specialized in CC completed a questionnaire on how they advise CC. Descriptive statistics were applied. Among 1544 patients invited, 1239 (80.4%) responded, and 844 met the inclusion criteria (53% males, median age 72.6 years, median time since surgery 742 days). Among these, 267 (32%) reported that food affected bowel function. Fat was perceived to have a negative effect in 193 (25%), spices in 149 (19%), sweets in 101 (13%) and meat in 99 (13%). There was no association between tumor site and food categories affecting bowel function (p = 0.078). Most healthcare professionals (93%) stated that their unit gave advice about diet, but only 24% of patients remembered such information. One-third of CC survivors perceive that food items, especially fat and spices have a negative impact on their bowel function. We found a major discrepancy between healthcare professionals reporting that they provide advice and the proportion of patients remembering this. There is an unmet need for further recognition of the role of diet in CC rehabilitation and for intervention studies of treatment principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FURCA (Follow-Up after Rectal Cancer) is a multi-centre randomised trial comparing patient-led follow-up with standard outpatient follow-up. This paper reports one-year follow-up data from the FURCA trial on selected secondary outcomes including type and number of contacts, patient-reported involvement and satisfaction with health care services during follow-up. Patients with rectal cancer (stage < IV) from four Danish surgical centres were randomised (1:1) into intervention (education and self-referral to project nurse) or standard follow-up (routine clinical doctor visits). The present analysis involved data on hospital contacts during the first year after surgery, patient involvement and satisfaction measured at one year, and baseline patient-reported and clinical variables. Of 512 eligible patients, 168 were allocated to patient-led follow-up (intervention) and 168 to standard follow-up (control). The total number of hospital contacts in the intervention arm did not differ significantly from the number of contacts in the control arm (p = 0.44). More patients had ≥15 contacts in the intervention arm than in the control arm (p = 0.004). The total number of outpatient doctor visits was significantly lower in the intervention arm (p < 0.001). Patients in both arms rated involvement and satisfaction high; yet patients in the intervention arm scored significantly higher on two of six items regarding involvement and all five items regarding satisfaction. Of the 168 patients in the intervention arm, 43% made direct contact (self-referral) to the project nurse, and 14 of these patients (8%) had ≥4 contacts. The primary reason for self-referral was bowel dysfunction. The findings indicate the value of a patient-led follow-up program in terms of direct access and more individually tailored intervention based on patients' needs, with most tasks being managed by nurses. Patient-led follow-up came with improved patient-perceived involvement and satisfaction; thus, it was both acceptable and favourable for the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study highlighting long-term bowel dysfunction after right-sided hemicolectomy for cancer. Topics discussed include functional outcome following treatment for colorectal cancer, bowel dysfunction that is very common after rectal resection, and ways in which inflammatory bowel disease and polyposis, colon resections may be associated with a wide range of bowel problems.

Objective: To investigate the risk of incisional hernia repair (IHR) and paracolostomy hernia repair (PHR) following open and laparoscopic rectal cancer resection with curative intent.Background: Laparoscopic rectal cancer resection has been implemented to varying degrees around the world. IHR and PHR following open and laparoscopic rectal cancer resection have only been sparingly evaluated.Methods: Patients who underwent rectal cancer resection were identified in the Danish Colorectal Cancer Group's database. To identify IHR and PHR following rectal cancer resection, we linked data to the Danish Ventral Hernia Database. The absolute risk of IHR and PHR was estimated as cumulative incidence proportions, treating death as competing risk. We used Cox proportional hazard regression analysis with multivariable adjustment to compute hazard ratios (HRs) comparing open and laparoscopic approach.Results: The 5-year risk of IHR was 4.1% among patients undergoing open resection (n = 3090) and 3.2% among those undergoing laparoscopic resection (n = 3099), corresponding to a risk difference of 0.9% (95% CI 0.0-2.0, P = 0.057). Laparoscopic rectal resection was not associated with lower risk of IHR (adjusted HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.67-1.31, P = 0.709). A total of 2577 patients had a colostomy at rectal cancer resection and the 5-year risk of PHR was 2.1% after open surgery compared with 6.7% after laparoscopic surgery, corresponding to a risk difference of -4.6% (95% CI -6.4 to -2.7, P < 0.001). Laparoscopic surgery was associated with increased risk of PHR (adjusted HR 2.56, 95% CI 1.53-4.29, P < 0.001).Conclusion: We observed no association between surgical approach of rectal cancer resection and subsequent IHR. Laparoscopic surgery was associated with increased risk of PHR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:The main treatment for non-metastatic rectal cancer (RC) is surgical resection. Late adverse effects that are highly prevalent and negatively impact patients’ symptom burden and quality of life are: bowel-, urological and sexual dysfunctions; psychological distress; fear of recurrence. Patients and clinicians have requested a more patient-centred follow-up, balancing the focus on detection of recurrence, and physiological and psychological late adverse effects. The current follow-up program primarily focuses on detection of recurrence, with less attention on late adverse effects. As a consequence, the randomized controlled trial Follow-up after Rectal Cancer (FURCA) has been launched, testing the effect of a new patient-led, follow-up program. The aim of this paper is to describe the methodology used in the FURCA study and to report results from the development of the patient-led, follow-up program. Adult patients, treated with curative intent for primary adenocarcinoma in the rectum are included from four Danish centers. Material and methods:Patients are randomized into an intervention group, receiving standardized education and access to self-referral to an assigned project nurse, or a control group following the current follow-up program with routine medicals. The primary outcomes are symptom burden and quality of life, measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Colorectal (FACT-C) questionnaire. Other outcome and demographic data are collected as patient-reported measures and register-based data. Results from developing the intervention:The education program is based on data from two focus group interviews and the feedback from experts. An algorithm is developed in order to qualify the research nurses’ responses to patients’ self-referral. Discussion and perspectives:The results of the FURCA study will strengthen the evidence base for RC follow-up, and qualify the ongoing transformation in cancer follow-up programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer is a common malignancy and a leading cause of cancer-related death. Half of patients with colorectal cancer initially present with non-specific or vague symptoms. In the need for a safe low-cost test, the immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT) may be part of the evaluation of such patients in primary care. Currently, Danish general practitioners have limited access to this test. The aim of this article is to describe a study that will assess the uptake and clinical use of iFOBT in general practice. Furthermore, it will investigate the diagnostic value and the clinical implications of using iFOBT in general practice on patients presenting with non-alarm symptoms of colorectal cancer.Methods/design: The study uses a cluster-randomised stepped-wedge design and is conducted in the Central Denmark Region among 836 GPs in 381 general practices. The municipalities of the Region and their appertaining general practitioners will be included sequentially in the study during the first 7 months of the 1-year study period. The following intervention has been developed for the study: a mandatory intervention providing all general practitioners with a starting package of 10 iFOBTs, a clinical instruction on iFOBT use in general practice and online information material from the date of inclusion, and an optional intervention consisting of a continuous medical education on colorectal cancer diagnostics and use of iFOBT.Discussion: This study is among the first and largest trials to investigate the diagnostic use and the clinical value of iFOBT on patients presenting with non-alarm symptoms of colorectal cancer. The findings will be of national and international importance for the future planning of colorectal cancer diagnostics, particularly for 'low-risk-but-not-no-risk' patients with non-alarm symptoms of colorectal cancer.Trial Registration: A Trial of the Implementation of iFOBT in General Practice NCT02308384 . Date of registration: 26 November 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: General population reference data are useful in the interpretation of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) results, but for the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), such data have been published for only seven countries. In 1992, Danish general population data were collected from women only for EORTC QLQ-C30 version 1. Since no Danish reference data exists for men and women for the QLQ-C30 version 3.0, the aims of this study were to generate such data and to investigate the associations between EORTC QLQ-C30 outcomes and age, gender and morbidity, as well as trends over time. Methods: An age- and gender-stratified random sample of 3,080 Danes was drawn from the Danish Civil Registration System. The EORTC QLQ-C30 was administered electronically and by mail along with a short questionnaire concerning socio-demographics/morbidity. Results: Responses were obtained from 1,832 individuals (60.1 % of 3,009 eligible individuals). Response rates varied across age groups, ranging from 41.9 % (20-29 years) to 76.1 % (70-79 years). The majority of subscales were strongly associated with age and morbidity. Between genders only small, but clinically meaningful and statistically significant differences were found in five out of fifteen scales. When comparing Danish women 20 years ago and today, a tendency toward slightly improved function/reduced symptoms was observed, but the differences were small and statistically significant in only three subscales. Conclusion: This study is the first to present Danish general population reference values for the EORTC QLQ-C30 version 3.0. Age and morbidity are important potential confounders that must be taken into account in HRQoL studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is an established treatment for fecal incontinence (FI). A recent study from our group found that the relationship between patient satisfaction and clinical outcome is complex and does not match the traditional used success criteria. Therefore, the ability to predict patient satisfaction must be given priority. The aim of the present study is to identify baseline factors predictive of patient satisfaction, with SNM, for idiopathic FI. Methods: We analyzed data from patients treated with SNM for idiopathic FI in Aarhus, Denmark, and Maastricht, The Netherlands. A questionnaire considering self-reported satisfaction was mailed to these patients and compared to baseline characteristics. Logistic regression was used to determine the predictive value of baseline demographic and diagnostic variables. Results: In total, 131 patients were included in the analysis. Patient satisfaction with the current treatment result was reported in 75 patients. Fifty-six patients were dissatisfied with SNM treatment, after median 46 months (range 11-122) with permanent implantation. Pudendal nerve terminal motor latency (PNTML) was the solely identified predictor for long-term patient satisfaction. A subgroup univariate-logistic regression analysis showed that PNTML ≤2.3 ms at the side of lead implantation was a statistically significant predictor for patient satisfaction (odds ratio (OR) 2.3, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.01-5.24, p = 0.048). Conclusion: Baseline PNTML measurement may be predictive of long-term satisfaction with SNM therapy for idiopathic FI. Further studies are needed to confirm this result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents protocol outlines on colorectal cancer detection approved by the National Ethics Committee of Denmark and the Danish Protection Agency. It offers an overview of colorectal cancer (CRC), a major public health problem affecting more than 1 million people worldwide. It also discusses the previous results of studies which suggested that tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) protein plasma may be a useful biomarker in the detection of CRC.

Objective. A diagnostic strategy implemented in Denmark in 2002 recommends selective use of colonoscopy in outpatients without known colorectal cancer (CRC) risk factors who are referred with symptoms consistent with possible CRC. Selection of patients for colonoscopy was based on the presenting symptom(s) and findings at the initial examination (flexible sigmoidoscopy/faecal occult blood test). The aim of this study was to evaluate the strategy by assessing the prevalence of patients with diagnosed CRC, the frequency of patients with missed CRC, the adherence to the strategy and the number of examinations performed. Material and methods. We prospectively studied patients aged 40 years and older without known risk factors for CRC, referred to two surgical outpatient clinics during a period of 15–16 months. Examinations, findings at the examinations, the final diagnoses and date of discharge were recorded. Missed CRCs were identified by follow-up in hospital discharge registries. Results. CRC was diagnosed in 126 (5.3%; 95% CI: 4.5–6.3%) of the 2361 patients included during the diagnostic work-up. Two additional cancers identified at follow-up were both missed during colonoscopy (1.5%; 95% CI: 0.2–5.4%). The adherence to the strategy was 75.7%, and 125 of the 126 patients with a CRC were examined in conformity with the recommended strategy. Almost 60% of the patients underwent colonoscopy and almost 50% underwent both flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. Conclusions. The diagnostic strategy is an acceptable alternative to initial colonoscopy, with a low probability of missing a CRC; however, a considerable proportion of the patients undergo colonoscopy and multiple examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: Elderly patients with colorectal cancer undergo surgery with curative intent less frequently than younger patients, and survival declines with increasing age. We compared relative survival of colorectal cancer among patients older than 75 years with that of younger patients in Denmark during the period 1977 to 1999. We also examined trends in choice of initial treatment. METHODS: From the files of the nationwide population-based Danish Cancer Registry, we identified all cases of colorectal cancer diagnosed between 1977 and 1999. We then linked this data to information on survival obtained from the Danish Register of Causes of Death and from the Central Population Register. RESULTS: During the entire study period, short-term and long-term relative survival improved for patients of all ages, but the improvement was more pronounced among elderly patients (>75 years). Radical resection was increasingly chosen as the initial treatment for elderly patients; during the 1995 to 1999 period it was performed on approximately 50 percent of such patients, almost as frequently as among younger patients. CONCLUSIONS: Relative survival of elderly colorectal cancer patients (>75 years) improved in Denmark between 1977 and 1999. In the most recent period studied, 1995 to 1997, only minor differences in five-year relative survival were observed among younger, middle-aged, and elderly patients. A simultaneous increase in the rate of radical resection among elderly patients, reflecting more effective treatment, may underlie this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Recently, the authors have shown a doubled risk of having an advanced rectal cancer (RC) (Dukes’ stage C or D) at the time of treatment, if the interval between onset of symptoms and start of treatment (treatment delay) was >60 days [Korsgaard M, Pedersen L, Sorensen HT, Laurberg S. Treatment delay is associated with advanced stage of rectal cancer but not of colon cancer. Cancer Detect Prev 2006;30(4):341–6]. The authors examined the treatment delay for colorectal cancer (CRC), as influenced by the patients, the general practitioners (G.P.), and the hospitals. Method: Population-based prospective observational study based on 743 Danish CRC-patients. Treatment delay was determined through questionnaire interviews. We examined the patient delay, the G.P. delay, and the hospital delay, and thereby the frequency of patients for whom the Danish fast-track recommendations of a maximum of 14 days to diagnose CRC, and 14 days from the diagnosis to start the of treatment, were met. Colon cancer (CC) and RC-patients were analyzed separately. Results: Patient delay, in particular, was long, and longest for RC-patients (median 44 days vs.18 days). Median G.P. delay was short, but 25% of the CC-patients had a G.P. delay of 59 days or more, and 25% of the RC-patients had a G.P. delay of 53 days or more. The fast-track recommendations were poorly met; 53% of the CC-patients and 39% of the RC-patients waited >14 days after referral for the diagnosis. 29% of the CC-patients, and 53% of the RC-patients waited >14 days before the start of treatment. Conclusion: The total delay was too long, and can be shortened by optimizing all delay intervals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Dukes’ stage is the most important predictor of prognosis of colorectal cancer, but the association between delay of treatment (DT) and Dukes’ stage is still controversial. Methods: From 1 January 2001 to 31 July 2002, we conducted a population-based prospective observational study based on 733 Danish colorectal cancer patients. DT was determined through questionnaire-interviews, and Dukes’ stage was obtained from medical records and pathological forms. DT was classified into three groups: short (0–60 days), intermediate (61–150 days) and long (>150 days) DT. Dukes’ stage was classified into two groups: non-advanced (Dukes’ stage A or B) and advanced (Dukes’ stage C or D) cancer. Using relative risk (RR) the association between DT and stage was estimated, with short delay as the reference group. Results: The RR of advanced cancer was 1.0 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.8–1.3) for colon cancer patients with an intermediate DT, and 1.1 (95% CI: 0.9–1.4) for patients with a long DT. For rectal cancer patients the RR of advanced cancer was 1.9 (95% CI: 1.1–3.1) for patients with an intermediate DT and 2.1 (95% CI: 1.3–3.4) for patients with a long DT. Conclusion: DT was strongly associated with advanced stage of rectal cancer, but not of colon cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Appendectomy may affect the clinical course of Crohn's disease (CD), but rigorous evidence is sparse and contradicting. The aim of this study was to examine the association between appendectomy and the clinical course of CD., Methods: All patients diagnosed with CD in Denmark in the period from 1977 to 2017 were identified from the Danish National Patient Registry. Patients with appendectomy were matched with up to 10 comparators with CD and no appendectomy; and rates of CD-related hospital admissions were compared between CD patients with and without appendectomy using incidence rate ratios (IRRs). We used stratified Cox regression analysis to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of initiating treatment with biologics or undergoing intestinal resections., Results: In all, 21 189 CD patients (1936 with appendectomy and 19 253 without) were identified and followed for a median of 13.6 years. Crohn's disease patients who had undergone appendectomy experienced a lower rate of CD-related hospital admissions (appendectomy before CD: IRR = 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81-0.85; appendectomy after CD: IRR = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.81-0.88) compared with CD patients without appendectomy. For patients with appendectomy before CD diagnosis, the rate of initiating biologics was lower compared with CD patients with no appendectomy (aHR1-<5 years = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.46-0.81; aHR5-<10 years 0.47; 95% CI, 0.33-0.66; aHR10-20 years = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47-0.79), as was the risk of undergoing colorectal resections (aHR1-<5 years = 0.94; 95% CI, 0.77-1.15; aHR5-<10 years 0.63; 95% CI, 0.47-0.85; aHR10-20 years = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.54-1.04). Rates of small bowel resections were comparable for CD patients with or without appendectomy prior to CD. Appendectomy performed after CD did not influence the rate of initiating treatment with biologics or undergoing intestinal resections., Conclusion: The clinical course of CD is milder for those who have previously undergone appendectomy., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Purpose: After curatively intended rectal cancer (RC) surgery, new follow-up strategies are warranted, seeking more individualised care and targeting health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and functional outcomes. The FURCA trial aimed to investigate the effect of patient-led follow-up on HRQoL and symptom burden 3 years after surgery., Methods: RC patients from four Danish centres were randomised 1:1 to intervention (patient-led follow-up with patient education and self-referral to a specialist nurse) or control (standard follow-up with five routine doctor visits). Patients in both groups had a computed tomography (CT) at 1 and 3 years. The primary outcome (HRQoL) was assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - colorectal (FACT-C) score (Ward et al. in Qual Life Res. 8(3):181-95, 18). Secondary outcomes were functional measures, patient involvement and satisfaction and cancer recurrence at 3 years., Results: From Feb 2016 to Aug 2018, 336 patients were included of whom 248 completed 3 years of follow-up. Between-group differences were found neither for the primary endpoint, nor for functional outcomes. The recurrence rate did not differ between the groups. Patient involvement and satisfaction were higher in the intervention group with statistical significance in almost half of the items., Conclusions: We found no effect on HRQoL and symptom burden from patient-led follow-up, although it may improve patient-perceived involvement and satisfaction., Implications for Cancer Survivors: The findings in this study suggest that patient-led follow-up is a more tailored approach to meet cancer survivors' needs and might improve their ability to cope with survivorship., Gov Identifier: R97-A6511-14-S23., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the association between appendectomy and advanced colorectal neoplasia (aCRN) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)., Methods: Inflammatory bowel disease patients diagnosed in Denmark in the period 1977 to 2017 were identified from the Danish National Patient Registry. Inflammatory bowel disease patients who underwent appendectomy were matched with up to 10 IBD patients without appendectomy and followed until aCRN, death, or emigration. Absolute risks of aCRN were calculated, treating death and bowel resections as competing risks. Stratified Cox regression was used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of aCRN, comparing IBD patients with appendectomy to IBD patients without appendectomy., Results: We identified 3789 IBD patients with appendectomy and 37 676 IBD patients without appendectomy. A total of 573 patients (1.4%) developed aCRN, with an absolute risk of aCRN at 20 years of 4.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.9%-7.7%) for ulcerative colitis (UC) patients with appendectomy after UC diagnosis compared with 2.8% (95% CI, 2.3%-3.3%) for UC patients without appendectomy. Appendectomy after UC was associated with an increased rate of aCRN 5 to 10 years (aHR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.1-5.5) and 10 to 20 years after appendectomy (aHR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.0-5.5). Appendectomy prior to UC diagnosis was not associated with an increased rate of aCRN, and Crohn's disease was not associated with the rate of aCRN, regardless of timing or histological diagnosis of the appendix specimen., Conclusions: Although appendectomy may have a positive effect on the clinical course of UC, our study suggests that this may come at the expense of a higher risk of aCRN., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Patients undergoing total colectomy for IBD may develop cancer in the rectal remnant, but the association is poorly understood., Objectives: This study aimed to examine the risk and prognosis of rectal cancer after total colectomy for IBD., Design: This is a nationwide population-based study., Setting: Treatment of the patients took place in Denmark from 1977 to 2013., Patients: Patients with IBD undergoing total colectomy were included., Main Outcome Measures: We examined the incidence of rectal cancer among patients with IBD and total colectomy and compared cancer stage to that of other patients with rectal cancer in Denmark. We used Kaplan-Meier methodology to estimate survival and Cox regression to estimate adjusted mortality rate ratios following a rectal cancer diagnosis, comparing patients with and without IBD and a rectal remnant., Results: We identified 4703 patients with IBD (1026 Crohn's disease; 3677 ulcerative colitis) who underwent total colectomy with a rectal remnant. During 29,725 years of follow-up, 30 rectal cancers were observed, compared with 8 rectal cancers expected (standardized incidence ratio = 3.6 (95% CI, 2.4-5.1)). Cancer stage distributions were similar. Risk of rectal cancer 35 years after total colectomy was 1.9% (95% CI, 1.1%-2.9%). Five years after rectal cancer diagnosis, survival was 28% (95% CI, 12%-47%) and 38% (95% CI, 37%-38%) for patients with and without IBD and a rectal remnant. The adjusted mortality rate ratio 1 to 5 years after a rectal cancer diagnosis was 2.5 (95% CI, 1.6-3.9). Median time from last recorded nondiagnostic proctoscopy to rectal cancer diagnosis for patients with IBD and total colectomy was 1.1 years., Limitations: This study was limited by the few outcomes and the use of administrative and not clinical data., Conclusion: Long-term risk of rectal cancer following total colectomy for IBD was low. Survival following a diagnosis of rectal cancer was poorer for patients with IBD and total colectomy than for patients who had rectal cancer without IBD and total colectomy. Endoscopic surveillance, as it appeared to be practiced in this cohort, may be inadequate. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B497. RIESGO DE CÁNCER DE RECTO Y SUPERVIVENCIA DESPUÉS DE UNA COLECTOMÍA TOTAL POR ENFERMEDAD INFLAMATORIA INTESTINAL: UN ESTUDIO POBLACIONAL: Los pacientes sometidos a colectomía total por enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal (EII) pueden desarrollar cáncer en el remanente rectal, pero la asociación es poco conocida.Examinar el riesgo y el pronóstico del cáncer de recto después de una colectomía total para la EII.Estudio poblacional a nivel nacional.Dinamarca 1977-2013.Pacientes con EII sometidos a colectomía total.Examinamos la incidencia de cáncer de recto entre pacientes con EII y colectomía total y comparamos el estadio del cáncer con el de otros pacientes con cáncer de recto en Dinamarca. Utilizamos la metodología de Kaplan-Meier para estimar la supervivencia y la regresión de Cox para estimar las tasas de mortalidad ajustadas (aMRR) después de un diagnóstico de cáncer de recto, comparando pacientes con y sin EII y un remanente rectal.Identificamos 4.703 pacientes con EII (1.026 enfermedad de Crohn; 3.677 colitis ulcerosa) que se sometieron a colectomía total con remanente rectal. Durante 29,725 años de seguimiento, se observaron 30 cánceres de recto, en comparación con los 8 esperados [razón de incidencia estandarizada (SIR) = 3.6, (intervalo de confianza (IC) del 95%: 2.4-5.1)]. Las distribuciones de las etapas del cáncer fueron similares. El riesgo de cáncer de recto 35 años después de la colectomía total fue del 1,9% (IC del 95%: 1,1% -2,9%). Cinco años después del diagnóstico de cáncer de recto, la supervivencia fue del 28% (IC del 95%: 12% -47%) y del 38% (IC del 95%: 37% -38%) para los pacientes con y sin EII y un remanente rectal, respectivamente. La aMRR 1-5 años después de un diagnóstico de cáncer de recto fue de 2,5 (IC del 95%: 1,6-3,9). La mediana de tiempo desde la última proctoscopia no diagnóstica registrada hasta el diagnóstico de cáncer de recto en pacientes con EII y colectomía total fue de 1,1 años.Pocos resultados, uso de datos administrativos y no clínicos.El riesgo a largo plazo de cáncer de recto después de una colectomía total para la EII fue bajo. La supervivencia después de un diagnóstico de cáncer de recto fue más pobre para los pacientes con EII y colectomía total que para los pacientes con cáncer de recto sin EII y colectomía total. La vigilancia endoscópica, como parecía practicarse en esta cohorte, puede ser inadecuada. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B497. (Traducción-Dr. Adrian Ortega).

Background: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at increased risk of extracolonic cancers. Little is known regarding this risk following total colectomy [TC]., Methods: Patients who underwent TC for inflammatory bowel disease in Denmark during 1977-2013 were identified from the Danish National Patient Registry. Incidence rates of extracolonic cancers were determined through record linkage to the Danish Cancer Registry and compared with expected incidence rates in the general population. Standardized incidence ratios [SIRs] were calculated as the observed vs expected cancer incidence., Results: In total, 4430 patients (3441 with ulcerative colitis [UC]; 989 with Crohn's disease [CD]) were followed for 54,183 person-years after TC. Following their surgery, 372 patients were diagnosed with extracolonic cancer compared to 331 expected [SIR = 1.1 (95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.0-1.2)]. The risk of extracolonic cancer overall was increased among patients with CD and TC (SIR = 1.5 [95% CI: 1.2-1.8]), but not among patients with UC and TC (SIR = 1.0 [95% CI: 0.9-1.2]). Patients with UC and TC had a higher risk of intestinal extracolonic cancer (SIR = 2.0 [95% CI: 1.4-2.7]). Patients with CD and TC had a higher risk of smoking-related cancers (SIR = 1.9 [95% CI: 1.2-2.9]), intestinal extracolonic cancer (SIR = 3.1 [95% CI: 1.6-5.5]) and immune-mediated cancers (SIR = 1.5 [95% CI: 1.0-2.1])., Conclusion: Patients with CD and TC had a higher risk of extracolonic cancer overall compared to the general population, while patients with UC and TC did not. Site-specific cancer risk varied according to inflammatory bowel disease type., (Copyright © 2019 European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Impact of restorative proctocolectomy failure on fertility has not been studied and is greatly relevant., Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of restorative proctocolectomy failure on birth rate in women and men, along with in vitro fertilization incidence and success., Design: This was a retrospective registry-based cohort study over 17 years., Settings: Records for parenting a child were cross-linked with patient records. In women, in vitro fertilization records were cross-linked. All data were prospectively registered., Patients: Patients of fertile age with ulcerative colitis between 1994 and 2010 were identified in Danish national databases. Patients with restorative proctocolectomy and restorative proctocolectomy failure were identified as subgroups., Main Outcome Measures: Birth rate ratios and in vitro fertilization incidence and success were measured., Results: We included 11,939 women and 13,569 men with ulcerative colitis. A total of 711 women and 730 men had restorative proctocolectomy; 114 women and 90 men had failure. Birth rate in women with failure was significantly reduced compared with women without (birth rate ratio = 0.50 (95% CI, 0.29-0.82)). In men with failure, birth rate tended to be lower compared with men without (birth rate ratio = 0.74 (95% CI, 0.51-1.05)). In vitro fertilization incidence was similar with and without failure (HRs adjusted for age at start of follow-up = 0.98 (95% CI, 0.58-1.67]). In vitro fertilization success was significantly lower with failure compared with ulcerative colitis (OR adjusted for age at start of follow-up = 0.36 (95% CI, 0.4-0.92))., Limitations: Information on patients leading up to restorative proctocolectomy failure is lacking. Failure patients may have had children during a period with pouch function. Therefore, the impact of failure may be underestimated., Conclusions: Restorative proctocolectomy failure impairs birth rate, primarily in women. Although in vitro fertilization incidence is similar in women with and without failure, the likelihood of giving birth after in vitro fertilization is reduced. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B202. IMPACTO SOBRE LA FERTILIDAD DESPUéS DEL FRACASO DE LA PROCTOCOLECTOMíA RESTAURADORA EN HOMBRES Y MUJERES CON COLITIS ULCEROSA: UN ESTUDIO DE COHORTE DE 17 AñOS: No se ha estudiado el impacto de la falla de la proctocolectomía restauradora en la fertilidad y es muy relevante.Evaluar el impacto del fracaso de la proctocolectomía restauradora en la tasa de natalidad en mujeres y hombres, junto con la incidencia y el éxito de la fertilización in vitro.Estudio de cohorte retrospectivo basado en el registro de más de 17 años.Los registros de crianza de un niño se cruzaron con los registros de pacientes. En las mujeres, los registros de fertilización in vitro se cruzarón. Todos los datos se regitraron de forma prospectiva.Los pacientes de edad fértil con colitis ulcerosa entre 1994-2010 fueron identificados en las bases de datos nacionales danesas. Los pacientes con proctocolectomía restauradora y fracaso de la proctocolectomía restauradora se identificaron como subgrupos.Tasas de natalidad e incidencia y éxito de la fertilización in vitro.Se incluyeron 11939 mujeres y 13569 hombres con colitis ulcerosa. 711 mujeres y 730 hombres tuvieron proctocolectomía restauradora; 114 mujeres y 90 hombres tuvieron fracaso. La tasa de natalidad en las mujeres con fracaso se redujo significativamente en comparación con las mujeres sin fracaso (tasa de natalidad: 0,50; IC del 95% [0,29; 0,82]). En los hombres con fracaso, la tasa de natalidad tendió a ser más baja en comparación con los hombres sin fracaso (tasa de natalidad: 0,74; IC del 95% [0,51; 1,05]). La incidencia de fertilización in vitro fue similar con y sin falla (aHR: 0.98, IC 95% [0.58; 1.67]). El éxito de la fertilización in vitro fue significativamente menor con el fracaso en comparación con la colitis ulcerosa (aOR: 0.36 IC 95% [0.4; 0.92]).Falta información sobre los pacientes que conducen al fracaso de la proctocolectomía restauradora. Los pacientes con fracaso pueden haber tenido hijos durante un período con función de bolsa. Por lo tanto, el impacto del fracaso puede ser subestimado.El fracaso de la proctocolectomía restauradora afecta la tasa de natalidad, principalmente en mujeres. Aunque la incidencia de la fertilización in vitro es similar en las mujeres con y sin fracaso, la probabilidad de dar a luz después de la fertilización in vitro se reduce. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B202. (Traducción-Dr Gonzalo Hagerman).

Background and Aims: Fertility decreases in women following restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis. The use and success of in vitro fertilisation [IVF] after restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis is not systematically studied. We aimed to estimate the use and success of in vitro fertilisation treatment in female ulcerative colitis patients, with and without restorative proctocolectomy., Methods: Women of fertile age [15-49 years] with restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis were compared with females with ulcerative colitis without restorative proctocolectomy. Data from the IVF registry from 1994-2010 were cross-linked with data from the National Danish Patient Registry and the Medical Birth Registry., Results: In vitro fertilisation is significantly more frequent in females with restorative proctocolectomy compared with females without restorative proctocolectomy, adjusted hazard ratio 3.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] [2.5;4.0]. The odds for having a live birth after in vitro fertilisation are no different in females with restorative proctocolectomy compared with females without restorative proctocolectomy, adjusted odds ratio 0.8, 95% CI [0.6;1.1]. The percentage of children born as a result of in vitro fertilisation is significantly higher in females with restorative proctocolectomy compared with females without restorative proctocolectomy (31.0%, 95% CI [24.1; 37.7] vs 5.0%, 95% CI [4.4; 5.6])., Conclusions: Females with restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis have increased incidence of in vitro fertilisation by more than a factor three, the odds that a treatment results in a live birth are similar and six times more children are born as a result of in vitro fertilisation compared with females without restorative proctocolectomy., (Copyright © 2019 European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: Cecal intubation rate (CIR) is known to be inversely associated with interval colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. Cecal intubation may be achieved by the use of force and sedation jeopardizing patient safety. The Performance Indicator of Colonic Intubation (PICI) is defined as the proportion of colonoscopies achieving cecal intubation with use of ≤2 mg midazolam and no-mild patient-experienced discomfort. We aimed (i) to measure the variation of PICI between colonoscopists and colonoscopy units; (ii) to assess the correlation between the individual components of PICI; and (iii) to evaluate the association between PICI and commonly used performance indicators. Materials and methods: For the period 1 July 2015 through 30 June 2017 of the prevalent round of the Danish FIT-based CRC screening program, we included colonoscopies performed at four units in the Central Denmark Region within 60 days after a positive FIT-test. The PICI variation was evaluated using rates and ranges. Correlations between individual PICI components were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients. Polyp detection rate (PDR), Adenoma detection rate (ADR), Polyp retrieval rate (PRR) and Withdrawal time (WT) were assessed within PICI quartiles. Results: The overall PICI was 78.7% with substantial variation between colonoscopists (40.0-91.9%) and units (72.6-82.0%). CIR was significantly correlated with patient-experienced comfort ( r  = 0.49, n  = 73, p < . 0001) and we observed that colonoscopists with a PICI between 79.9% and 84.3%) had the highest ADR. Conclusion: We found a substantial variation in PICI between colonoscopists and between colonoscopy units, which may reflect potential for quality improvements.

Background: The risk of pelvic sepsis following IPAA for ulcerative colitis may have changed with changes in medical and surgical treatment, but data are scarce., Objectives: This study aims to examine temporal changes in the risk of pelvic sepsis following IPAA for ulcerative colitis and to ascertain risk factors associated with pelvic sepsis., Design: This is a nationwide cohort study., Setting: This study was conducted in Denmark from 1996 to 2013., Patients: Patients were operated on with an IPAA for ulcerative colitis., Main Outcome Measures: Pelvic sepsis was defined and validated as the occurrence of anastomotic leakage, pelvic abscesses or fistulas, or an operation for these conditions, recorded in a nationwide registry. Cumulative risks were calculated by using death as a competing risk. Multivariate Cox regression was used to examine the effects of calendar periods (1996-1999, 2000-2004, 2005-2009, and 2010-2013) on hazards ratios for pelvic sepsis, adjusting for age, sex, comorbidity, annual hospital volume, pelvic sepsis in the 12 months preceding surgery, operative stage (1-, 2-, modified 2-, or 3-stage), laparoscopy, and preoperative treatment with biological medicine within 12 weeks before surgery., Results: Of 1456 patients, 244 (16.8%) experienced pelvic sepsis. The 1-year risk increased by calendar period (1996-1999: 2.5%, 2000-2004: 4.5%, 2005-2009: 7.4%, and 2010-2013: 9.6%). The adjusted hazard ratio for pelvic sepsis increased by an average 4.4% (95% CI, 1.3-7.6) per year in the study period. In general, patients were older and had more comorbidities at IPAA in recent years than in earlier years, and more had experienced pelvic sepsis in the 12 months preceding the operation., Limitations: This study was register based. There were no data on important clinical variables to determine the causes of an increased risk over calendar periods., Conclusion: In this nationwide cohort study, the 1-year risk of pelvic sepsis following primary IPAA for ulcerative colitis increased 4-fold from 1996 to 2013. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A956.

Objective: To provide normative data for the Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS) score., Background: The LARS score is a validated and frequently used tool measuring bowel dysfunction after sphincter sparing surgery for rectal cancer. The interpretation of LARS score results has previously been limited by the lack of normative data., Methods: An age and sex-stratified random sample of 3440 citizens from the general population was drawn from the Danish civil registration system (age range 20-89 years, 50% females). A brief questionnaire including the LARS score and health-related items were distributed electronically or by post., Results: A total of 1875 (54.5%) responded, 54.0% were females. In the age group 50 to 79 years, relevant for most rectal cancer studies, the response rate was 70.5% (n = 807). In this specific age group, 18.8% of the females and 9.6% of the males had a LARS score ≥30, corresponding to the LARS score category "major LARS" (P = 0.001), and the median (interquartile range) LARS score was 16 (7-26) and 11 (4-22), respectively (P < 0.001). Responders with physical disease had a statistically significant higher risk of a LARS score ≥30, compared with responders without any physical disease (odds ratio 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.6-2.9, P < 0.001)., Conclusions: A LARS score ≥30 (major LARS) is common in the general population, especially in the age group 50 to 79 years. Normative data for the LARS score are now available and can be taken into account when interpreting LARS score results in scientific studies of bowel function after rectal cancer treatment.

Objective: From the prevalent round of the Danish FIT-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening program, we aimed (i) to evaluate the quality of recorded data and (ii) to characterize the colonoscopies by measuring variation in performance indicators between colonoscopists and assessing the ratio between adenoma detection rate (ADR) and polyp detection rate (PDR). Materials and methods: This study included screening colonoscopies performed in Central Denmark Region within 60 days of a positive FIT-result from 1 July 2015 through 30 June 2017. The participants were the colonoscopists, performing these procedures. The quality indicators cecal intubation rate (CIR), PDR, polyp retrieval rate (PRR), ADR and withdrawal time (WT) were evaluated. ADR/PDR ratios were calculated. Results: The concordance between the recorded data and the colonoscopy reports showed Kappa values in the range of 0.47-0.97. The overall CIR was 90.6% (range 73.7%-100%), PDR: 51.9% (range 18.4%-70.2%), PRR: 94.6% (range 69.6%-100%), ADR (conventional adenomas): 50.6% (range 18.4%-70.2%), ADRx (conventional adenomas, traditional serrated adenomas and sessile serrated lesions with dysplasia): 50.9% (range 18.4%-70.2%) and the mean WT was 11.3 min (range 4.5-24.9 min). The ADR/PDR ratio was 92.8% (95% CI: 92.0%-93.6%) and the ADRx/PDR ratio was 93.2% (95% CI: 92.4%-93.9%). Conclusion: Data quality was generally high. We found considerable variation in performance indicators between colonoscopists reflecting the potential for improvement. Further, our findings revealed that the PDR might be a good proxy for ADR in the context of the prevalent round of FIT-based CRC screening programs.

Purpose: The Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory (FCRI) is a multidimensional measure for fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the translated Danish version of the FCRI in a population of colorectal cancer patients., Methods: The English version of the FCRI was forward-backward translated into Danish and pilot tested in a gynaecological cancer population. The psychometric properties of the FCRI were assessed in terms of responsiveness, test-retest reliability and discriminative and convergent validity in a population of colorectal cancer patients by asking them to complete questionnaires at three time points during follow-up. Clinical FCR was defined as ≥ 16 at the FCRI short form., Results: The participation rate was 57%. A low association was found between higher scores on the FCRI and younger age (r = - 0.29, p = 0.02). A moderate correlation was found between the FCRI score and a measure for worry traits (r = 0.49, p < 0.001). Mean difference in total FCRI score was statistically significant between 'pre-scan' and 'postscan' (p < 0.001), thus indicating that the FCRI was responsive to change. The FCRI score showed good test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation = 0.84)., Conclusion: The Danish version of the FCRI is a reliable and responsive measure for FCR in colorectal cancer patients and shows acceptable discriminative and convergent validity., Implications for Cancer Survivors: A valid measure for FCR is crucial in order to identify patients with a need for special attention or interventions for high levels of FCR and to improve future research into FCR among cancer survivors.

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic activity in general practice and the cumulative incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in individuals invited to the Danish national screening programme for CRC., Design: A historical population-based cohort study., Setting: The Danish CRC screening programme and general practice., Subjects: The 376,198 individuals invited to the Danish CRC screening programme from 1 March to 31 December 2014., Main Outcome Measures: The diagnostic activity (consultations and haemoglobin measures) in general practice in the year preceding the screening invitation and the cumulated incidence of CRC in the year following the screening invitation., Results: Screening participants had significantly higher diagnostic activity than non-participants. Individuals with a positive faecal immunochemical test (FIT) had higher diagnostic activity compared to individuals with a negative FIT, and a small increase in the months leading up to the invitation. Individuals with a screen-detected CRC had lower diagnostic activity than individuals with no CRC. In total, 308 (25.3%) of CRCs diagnosed in the invited population were diagnosed outside the screening programme. Non-participants with CRC more often had low socio-economic status, high comorbidity and stage IV CRC than participants with CRC., Conclusions: There was a tendency that participants and those with a positive FIT had a higher diagnostic activity the year before the screening. This was not seen for those with CRC detected through screening. CRC must still be diagnosed in general practice in the invited population and non-participants are of special interest as they have higher risk of late stage CRC. Key Points Current awareness:Individuals with colorectal cancer (CRC) in screening may be symptomatic and CRC may still occur outside screening in the invited population. Most important points:The majority of individuals with CRC in screening cannot be expected to be diagnosed on symptomatic presentation in general practice GPs have to be aware that CRC still occurs outside screening in the invited population Non-participants with CRC are often deprived and have late stage CRC.

Background: Sexual dysfunction and impaired quality of life is a potential side effect to rectal cancer treatment., Objective: The objective of this study was to develop and validate a simple scoring system intended to evaluate sexual function in women treated for rectal cancer., Design: This is a population-based cross-sectional study., Settings: Female patients diagnosed with rectal cancer between 2001 and 2014 were identified by using the Danish Colorectal Cancer Group's database. Participants filled in the validated Sexual Function Vaginal Changes questionnaire. Women declared to be sexually active at follow-up were randomly assigned to 2 groups: one for development and one for validation. Logistic regression analyses identified items for the score, and multivariate analysis established a weighted-score value allocated to each item, adding up to the total score. The validity of the score was tested in the validation group., Patients: Female patients with rectal cancer above the age of 18 who underwent abdominoperineal resection, Hartmann procedure, or total/partial mesorectal excision were selected., Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measured was the quality of life that was negatively affected because of sexual problems., Results: A total of 466 sexually active women responded. The score includes 7 items with a range of 0 to 29 points. Score ≥9 indicates sexual dysfunction. The score has a sensitivity/specificity of 76%/75% detecting patients bothered by sexual dysfunction with a negative impact on quality of life., Limitations: This study was limited by the large amount of nonresponders., Conclusions: Living up to our demands for a short and easy-to-use validated tool, we have developed the Rectal Cancer Female Sexuality score. It captures, with high sensitivity, the essential problems of female sexuality seen from the perspective of a surviving rectal cancer patient. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A576.

Objective: Bowel dysfunction is common following a restorative rectal cancer resection, but symptom severity and the degree of quality of life impairment is highly variable. An internationally validated patient-reported outcome measure, Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS) score, now enables these symptoms to be measured. The study purpose was: (1) to develop a model that predicts postoperative bowel function; (2) externally validate the model and (3) incorporate these findings into a nomogram and online tool in order to individualise patient counselling and aid preoperative consent., Design: Patients more than 1 year after curative restorative anterior resection (UK, median 54 months; Denmark (DK), 56 months since surgery) were invited to complete The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire - Core 30 version3 (EORTC QLQ-C30 v3), LARS and Wexner incontinence scores. Demographics, tumour characteristics, preoperative/postoperative treatment and surgical procedures were recorded. Using transparent reporting of a multivariable prediction model for individual prognosis or diagnosis (TRIPOD) guidelines, risk factors for bowel dysfunction were independently assessed by advanced linear regression shrinkage techniques for each dataset (UK:DK)., Results: Patients in the development (UK, n=463) and validation (DK, n=938) datasets reported mean (SD) LARS scores of 26 (11) and 24 (11), respectively. Key predictive factors for LARS were: age (at surgery); tumour height, total versus partial mesorectal excision, stoma and preoperative radiotherapy, with satisfactory model calibration and a Mallow's Cp of 7.5 and 5.5, respectively., Conclusions: The Pre-Operative LARS score (POLARS) is the first nomogram and online tool to predict bowel dysfunction severity prior to anterior resection. Colorectal surgeons, gastroenterologist and nurse specialists may use POLARS to help patients understand their risk of bowel dysfunction and to preoperatively highlight patients who may require additional postoperative support., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.)

Background: After the introduction of complete mesocolic excision, a new pathological evaluation of the resected colon cancer specimen was introduced. This concept has quickly gained acceptance and is often used to compare surgical quality. The grading of colon cancer specimens is likely to depend on both surgical quality and the training of the pathologist., Objective: The purpose of this study was to validate the principles of the pathological evaluation of colon cancer specimens., Design: This was an exploratory study., Settings: The study was conducted in Aarhus, Denmark, and Leeds, United Kingdom., Patients: Colon cancers specimens were used., Main Outcome Measures: The agreement of gradings between participants was of interest. Four specialist GI pathologists and 2 abdominal surgeons evaluated 2 rounds of colon cancer specimens, each at 2 separate time points. Each round contained 50 specimens. After the first round, a protocol of detailed principles for the grading procedure was agreed on. Results from an experienced pathologist were considered as the reference results., Results: In the first round, the distribution of gradings between participants showed substantial variation. In the second round, the variation was reduced. Intraobserver agreement was mostly fair to good, whereas interobserver agreement was frequently poor. This did not significantly change from round 1 to round 2., Limitations: The small sample size of 100 specimens provided a very small number of specimens resected in the muscularis propria plane, which renders the evaluation of this group potentially unreliable. The evaluations were made on photos and not on fresh specimens., Conclusions: This study demonstrates significant variation in the pathological evaluation of colon cancer specimens. It demonstrates that it cannot be used in clinical studies, and care should be taken when comparing results between different hospitals.

The aim of this investigation was to examine the prevalence of and factors associated with chronic pain in the pelvic area or lower extremities after rectal cancer treatment and its impact on quality of life (QoL). This is a population-based cross-sectional study of chronic pain and QoL in patients treated for rectal cancer from 2001 to 2007. A modified version of the Brief Descriptive Danish Pain Questionnaire and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 questionnaire were mailed to 1713 Danish patients. Informative answers were obtained from 1369 patients (80%). A total of 426 patients (31%) reported chronic pain in the pelvic area or lower extremities, 173 (41%) of whom had daily pain. Pain in other parts of the body was associated with the presence of pain in the pelvic region (odds ratio [OR] 4.81 [3.63-6.38], P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed an association with chronic pain in female patients (OR 1.91 [1.51-2.43], P < 0.001) and in those who received radio(chemo)therapy (OR 1.31 [1.01-1.7], P = 0.041) or underwent abdominoperineal excision (OR 1.71 [1.19-2.44], P = 0.003), total mesorectal excision (OR 1.39 [1.01-1.90], P = 0.041), and Hartmann procedure (OR 1.72 [1.04-2.84], P = 0.33) compared with partial mesorectal excision. Ordinal regression analysis showed a strong association between all QoL subgroups and pelvic pain. Chronic pain in the pelvic region or lower extremities after rectal cancer treatment is a common but largely neglected problem that is associated with female gender, type of surgery, radio(chemo)therapy, and young age, all of which impact the patient's QoL.

Background: For years, the outcome of colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery has been inferior in Denmark compared to its neighbouring countries. Several strategies have been initiated in Denmark to improve CRC prognosis. We studied whether there has been any effect on postoperative mortality based on the information from a national database., Methods: Patients who underwent elective major surgery for CRC in the period 2001-2011 were identified in the national Danish Colorectal Cancer Group database. Thirty-day mortality rates were calculated and factors with impact on mortality were identified using logistic regression analysis., Results: In total, 27,563 patients underwent elective major surgery and their 30-day mortality rate decreased significantly from 7.3 % in 2001-2002 to 2.8 % in 2011 (P < 0.001). Aside from the year of surgery, independent risk factors of mortality were male gender, age ≥ 61 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≥ II, tumor located in the colon, palliative intent, outcome of surgery "not cured," and open surgical approach. Additionally, 3-month mortality of all 37,022 CRC patients, irrespective of surgical treatment, decreased significantly from 15.8 to 11.3 % during the study period., Conclusion: The 30-day mortality rate after elective major surgery for CRC has decreased significantly in Denmark in the past decade. Laparoscopic surgical approach was associated with a reduction in mortality in colon cancer.

Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate the convergent and discriminative validity and reliability of the low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score in an international setting., Background: The LARS score is a simple self-administered questionnaire measuring bowel dysfunction after rectal cancer surgery. The score is intended to be commonly used in international research and clinical practice in the future. Therefore, a thorough validation in an international setting is of utmost importance., Methods: The LARS score was translated using methods in keeping with current international recommendations. A total of 801 patients operated for rectal cancer in Sweden, Spain, Germany, and Denmark completed the LARS score questionnaire, including an anchor question assessing the impact of bowel function on quality of life. A subgroup of 218 patients completed the LARS score twice. Data were analyzed per country., Results: The LARS score has demonstrated a high convergent validity in terms of a high correlation between LARS score and quality of life (P < 0.001). Sensitivity ranged from 67.7% to 88.3% and specificity from 58.1% to 86.3%. The LARS score was able to discriminate between groups of patients differing with regard to radiotherapy, surgery, and age (P < 0.05). The score also demonstrated high reliability at test-retest with narrow limits of agreement and no statistically significant difference between scores at the first and second test., Conclusions: The Swedish, Spanish, German, and Danish versions of the LARS score have proven to be valid and reliable tools for measuring LARS in European rectal cancer patients.

Objectives: Colorectal cancers (CRCs) diagnosed relatively soon after a colonoscopy are referred to as interval CRCs. It is not clear whether interval CRCs arise from prevalent lesions missed at colonoscopy or represent specific aggressive biology leading to poor survival., Methods: Using Danish population-based medical registries (2000-2009), we investigated patients with "interval" CRC diagnosed within 1-5 years of a colonoscopy, and compared them with cases with colonoscopy ≥10 years before diagnosis and to "sporadic" CRCs with no colonoscopy before diagnosis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the association between clinical, demographic, and comorbidity characteristics and interval CRC. We assessed survival using Kaplan-Meier methods and mortality rate ratios (MRRs) using Cox regression, adjusting for covariates including the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI 0, 1-2, 3+)., Results: The comparison of the 982 interval CRCs to the 358 patients with CRC ≥10 years after colonoscopy revealed nearly similar characteristics and mortality. In the comparison with the 35,704 sporadic CRCs, interval cases were slightly older (74 vs. 71 years), more likely to be female (54 vs. 48%), have comorbidities (CCI3+: 28 vs. 15%), have proximal tumors (38 vs. 22%), and tumors with mucinous histology (9.1 vs. 7.0%), but stage was similar (metastatic 23 vs. 24%). In logistic regression analysis, female sex, localized stage at diagnosis, proximal tumor location, and high comorbidity burden were factors independently associated with interval CRC. The 1-year survival was 68% (95% confidence interval (CI): 65%, 71%) in interval and 71% (95% CI: 70%, 71%) in sporadic cases, with an adjusted MRR of 0.92 (95% CI 0.82, 1.0). After 5 years, survival was 41% (95% CI: 37%, 44%) in interval and 43% (95% CI: 42%, 43%) in sporadic cases, and the adjusted 2-5 year MRR was 1.0 (95% CI 0.88, 1.2)., Conclusions: Clinical characteristics and survival among interval CRCs did not suggest aggressive biology, but rather that the majority represented missed lesions.

Unlabelled: Acute appendicitis is the most common abdominal surgical emergency, but population-based data on the risk of complications after laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) and open appendectomy (OA) are scarce., The Aim of the Study: To describe the risk of complications and mortality after appendectomy for acute appendicitis during a 10-year period, and to compare outcomes after LA and OA., Material and Methods: Using population-based registry data, we conducted a historical cohort study in a Danish region (population 2,000,000) including all patients who underwent appendectomy for acute appendicitis during the period of 1998-2007. We used logistic regression to compare the risk of complications and 30-day mortality between LA and OA, adjusting for gender, age, severity of appendicitis, time of surgery, and calendar year. Analyses were stratified for severity of appendicitis and time period., Results: We included 18,426 patients. From 1998 to 2007 the use of LA rose from 12% to 61%, while the risk of surgically-treated complications fell from 5.7% to 3.2%, the risk of intra-abdominal infections fell from 2.4% to 1.1% and 30-day mortality fell from 0.30% to 0.23%. LA was associated with a lower risk of surgically-treated complications (adjusted odds ratio for LA vs. OA=0.70 (95% CI, 0.57-0.85), intraabdominal infections (OR=0.74 [95% CI, 0.55-0.99]) and mortality (OR=0.48 [95% CI, 0.18-1.30]). LA was safer than OA for simple and complicated appendicitis throughout the study period., Conclusions: Risk of complications and 30-day mortality decreased in Denmark between 1998 and 2007 concurrently with implementation of LA. The risk of complications was lower after LA than after OA.

Background: The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) quality of life colorectal questionnaire module (QLQ-CR38) was developed in 1999, and an update, the QLQ CR29 was published recently. To date the Danish version of the questionnaire has not been validated. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Danish version of EORTC QLQ-CR38., Methods: EORTC QLQ-CR38 was administered to 190 patients with colorectal cancer in two Danish hospitals, one month after their operation. A psychometric evaluation of the questionnaire's structure, reliability, convergent, divergent and known-groups validity was performed., Results: Data from 164 (86.3%) patients were available for analysis. The Danish version of EORTC QLQ-CR38 showed satisfactory psychometric properties for the scales: body image, sexual functioning, male sexual problems and defecations problems. Suboptimal psychometric performances were found for the scales: micturition problems, symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract and weight loss. Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the scale chemotherapy side effects was limited by the low number of patients receiving chemotherapy. It was not possible to assess the psychometric properties of the scale female sexual problems and the single item sexual enjoyment due to a high number of missing values. The homogeneity of the study population made the evaluation of known-group validity difficult., Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the validity of the Danish version of EORTC QLQ-CR38 is acceptable. Furthermore, the results support the appropriateness of the updated version, the EORTC QLQ-CR29.

In order to elaborate evidence-based, national Danish guidelines for the treatment of diverticular disease the literature was reviewed concerning the epidemiology, staging, diagnosis and treatment of diverticular disease in all its aspects. The presence of colonic diverticula, which is considered to be a mucosal herniation through the intestinal muscle wall, is inversely correlated to the intake of dietary fibre. Other factors in the genesis of diverticular disease may be physical inactivity, obesity, and use of NSAIDs or acetaminophen. Diverticulosis is most common in Western countries with a prevalence of 5% in the population aged 30-39 years and 60% in the part of the population > 80 years. The incidence of hospitalization for acute diverticulitis is 71/100,000 and the incidence of complicated diverticulitis is 3.5-4/100,000. Acute diverticulitis is conveniently divided into uncomplicated and complicated diverticulitis. Complicated diverticulitis is staged by the Hinchey classification 1-4 (1: mesocolic/pericolic abscess, 2: pelvic abscess, 3: purulent peritonitis, 4: faecal peritonitis). Diverticulitis is suspected in case of lower left quadrant abdominal pain and tenderness associated with fever and raised WBC and/or CRP; but the clinical diagnosis is not sufficiently precise. Abdominal CT confirms the diagnosis and enables the classification of the disease according to Hinchey. The distinction between Hinchey 3 and 4 is done by laparoscopy or, when not possible, by laparotomy. Uncomplicated diverticulitis is treated by conservative means. There is no evidence of any beneficial effect of antibiotics in uncomplicated diverticulitis, but antibiotics may be used in selected cases depending on the overall condition of the patients and the severity of the infection. Abscess formation is best treated by US- or CT-guided drainage in combination with antibiotics. When the abscess is < 3 cm in diameter, drainage may be unnecessary, and only antibiotics should be instituted. The surgical treatment of acute perforated diverticulitis has interchanged between resection and non-resection strategies: The three-stage procedure dominating in the beginning of the 20th century was later replaced by the Hartmann procedure or, alternatively, resection of the sigmoid with primary anastomosis. Lately a non-resection strategy consisting of laparoscopy with peritoneal lavage and drainage has been introduced in the treatment of Hinchey stage 3 disease. Evidence so far for the lavage regime is promising, comparing favourably with resection strategies, but lacking in solid proof by randomized, controlled investigations. In recent years, morbidity has declined in complicated diverticulitis due to improved diagnostics and new treatment modalities. Recurrent diverticulitis is relatively rare and furthermore often uncomplicated than previously assumed. Elective surgery in diverticular disease should probably be limited to symptomatic cases not amenable to conservative measures, since prophylactic resection of the sigmoid, evaluated from present evidence, confers unnecessary risks in terms of morbidity and mortality to the individual as well as unnecessary costs to society. Any recommendation for routine resection following multiple cases of diverticulitis should await results of randomized studies. Laparoscopic resection is preferred in case of need for elective surgery. When malignancy is ruled out preoperatively, a sigmoid resection with preservation of the inferior mesenteric artery, oral division of colon in soft compliant tissue and anastomosis to upper rectum is recommended. Fistulae to bladder or vagina, or stenosis of the colon may be dealt with according to symptoms and comorbidity. Resection of the diseased segment of colon is preferred when possible and safe; alternatively, a diverting stoma can be the best solution.

Compromised immune function may increase the risk of anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We examined the risk of anal SCC in patients with HIV infection and other chronic disorders associated with immunosuppression. A population-based cohort study was conducted using the Danish National Patient Registry and the Danish Cancer Registry (DCR). We identified all patients with a first-time hospital contact or procedure for HIV infection, solid organ transplantation or autoimmune disease or a first-time record of haematologic malignancy in the DCR, 1978-2005, and followed these for a subsequent anal SCC, starting follow-up 1 year after diagnosis of the index disease. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were computed as the ratio of observed to expected numbers of anal SCCs, based on national age-, sex- and period-specific rates. Among 4,488 patients with HIV, we observed 21 anal SCCs with 0.3 expected (SIR: 81.1 (95% confidence interval (CI): 51.6-121.9)). Risk of anal SCC was markedly increased among 5,113 solid organ recipients (SIR: 14.4 (CI: 7.0-26.4)) and 30,165 patients with haematologic malignancies (SIR: 2.3 (CI: 1.1-4.2)) but only moderately increased among 242,114 patients with autoimmune diseases (SIR: 1.3 (CI: 1.0-1.6)). SIRs varied according to type of autoimmune disease and were high in patients with Crohn's disease (SIR: 3.1 (CI: 1.2-6.4)), psoriasis (SIR: 3.1 (CI: 1.8-5.1)), polyarteritis nodosa (SIR: 8.8 (CI: 1.5-29.0)) and Wegener's granulomatosis (SIR: 12.4 (CI: 2.1-40.8)). In conclusion, we found HIV infection, solid organ transplantation, haematologic malignancies and a range of specific autoimmune diseases strongly associated with increased risk of anal SCC.

Purpose: The impact of comorbidity on the outcome of colorectal cancer is poorly understood. We examined the prevalence of comorbidity and its impact on survival among Danish colorectal cancer patients., Methods: The hospital discharge registries in northern Denmark were used to identify 13,190 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1995 and 2006, and to assess their comorbidity using the Charlson Comorbidity Index. We obtained product limit estimates of 1-year and 5-year crude survival based on three levels of comorbidity. To quantify the impact of comorbidity on mortality, we used Cox's proportional hazards regression analysis to compute the mortality rate ratio., Results: One-third of the patients had recorded comorbid conditions. Patients with moderate and severe comorbidity (Charlson scores 1-2 and score 3+) had considerably higher 1-year and 5-year mortality rates compared to patients without comorbidity. For colon cancer patients, 1-year estimates in 2004 to 2006 were mortality rate ratio1-2 = 1.2 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.0-1.5) and mortality rate ratio3+ = 1.8 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.4-2.3). For rectal cancer patients with severe comorbidity, the negative impact on survival increased over time., Conclusions: Comorbidity was a strong negative prognostic factor for survival among colorectal cancer patients.

Danish National Guidelines (DNG) for diagnostic strategy of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) symptoms are structured to ensure prompt and specific diagnostic testing, thus minimizing treatment delay. DNG state that the function of the general practitioner is to refer patients to a specialist as soon as the patient presents with CRC symptoms. Unfortunately, 60% of CRC patients experience a delay in referrals due to the fact that the guidelines are not followed as exemplified in our two cases.

Introduction: Restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) has become the operation of choice for patients with ulcerative colitis and familial polyposis. However, the procedure is complex with a long learning curve, and carries a risk of both early and late complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the early outcomes (within 30 days after surgery) and organisation of IPAA surgery in Denmark between January 2001 and December 2005., Materials and Methods: IPAA patients >18 years old were drawn from the Danish National Patient Registry from 2001 through 2005. Hospital stay and the primary operation were recorded as well as re-operations and readmissions within the first 30 postoperative days. Mortality was recorded from the National Civic Register., Results: 385 patients underwent IPAA surgery during the study period (77/year) in six centres. One centre performed 31% of the operations. The mean postoperative hospital stay (primary - and readmission within 30 days) was 13.5 days. 24% were readmitted within 30 days and 8% were re-operated. The mortality rate was 0.3%., Conclusion: Based upon the limited number of operations, the high risk of early readmissions and re-operations, the well-known steep learning curve and the potential improvement with the technically demanding laparoscopic technique, a reorganisation of the procedure to fewer centres is suggested.

Recent international data have documented improved postoperative outcome in relation to hospital and surgeon volume. Nation-wide Danish data have documented a high mortality and long hospital stay after abdominal cancer surgery, which is performed in a large number of departments. It is concluded that reorganisation with fewer surgical departments is required to improve outcome after major gastrointestinal surgery.

Spinal cord lesions affect colorectal motility, anorectal sensation and anal sphincter function. The aim of this study was to describe bowel habits in children with Myelomeningocele (MMC). Questionnaires describing age, gender, neurological deficit, bowel function and the Child Behaviour Checklist were send to all Danish children with MMC aged 2-18 years. Among 208 patients, 125 (60%; 63 girls) responded. Defecation was described as abnormal in 85 (68%). Digital stimulation or evacuation were used by 25 (20%), suppositories by 13 (10%) and enemas 35 by (28%). Time spent at each defecation was > 30 minutes in 29 (24%). Among children aged four years or more (n = 100), daily faecal incontinence was reported by 14 (14%) and weekly incontinence by another 14 (14%). Bowel dysfunction had some or major impact on social activities or quality of life in 48 (40%). Time spent on defecation increased and the impact on quality of life became more severe with advancing age. Information about bowel management had been given to 56% of parents and 9% of children. In conclusion colorectal problems are common in children with MMC and their impact of quality of life becomes more severe as the children grow older. There is an unfullfilled need for information about bowel management.