Emotional distress : a neglected topic among surgically treated oesophageal cancer patients

Swedish research council, Swedish cancer society, Stockholm cancer societyPublishe

Education level influences long-term survival after esophageal cancer surgery in a nationwide Swedish cohort study

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether a higher education level is associated with an improved long-term survival after oesophagectomy for cancer. Design: A prospective, population-based cohort study. Setting: Sweden—nationwide. Participants: 90% of all patients with oesophageal and cardia cancer who underwent a resection in Sweden in 2001–2005 were enrolled in this study (N=600; 80.3% male) and followed up until death or the end of the study period (2012). The study exposure was level of education, defined as compulsory (≤9 years), moderate (10–12 years) or high (≥13 years). Outcome measures: The main outcome measure was overall 5-year survival after oesophagectomy. Cox regression was used to estimate the associations between education level and mortality, expressed as HRs with 95% CIs, with adjustment for sex, age, tumour stage, histological type, complications, comorbidities and annual surgeon volume. The patient group with highest education was used as the reference category. Results: Among the 600 included patients, 281 (46.8%) had compulsory education, 238 (39.7%) had moderate education and 81 (13.5%) had high education. The overall 5-year survival rate was 23.1%, 24.4% and 32.1% among patients with compulsory, moderate and high education, respectively. After adjustment for confounders, a slightly higher, yet not statistically significantly increased point HR was found among the compulsory educated patients (HR 1.08, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.47). In patients with tumour stage IV, increased adjusted HRs were found for compulsory (HR 2.88, 95% CI 1.07 to 7.73) and moderately (HR 2.83, 95% CI 1.15 to 6.95) educated patients. No statistically significant associations were found for the other tumour stages. Conclusions: This study provides limited evidence of an association between lower education and worse longterm survival after oesophagectomy for cancer.Swedish Research Council (SIMSAM)Swedish Cancer SocietyPublishe

Weight loss and reduction in gastroesophageal reflux : a prospective population-based cohort study : the HUNT study

OBJECTIVES: High body mass index (BMI) is an established risk factor of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms (GERS). The aim of this study was to clarify if weight loss reduces GERS. METHODS: The study was part of the Nord-Trondelag health study (the HUNT study), a prospective population-based cohort study conducted in Nord-Trondelag County, Norway. All residents of the county from 20 years of age were invited. In 1995-1997 (HUNT 2) and 2006-2009 (HUNT 3), 58,869 and 44,997 individuals, respectively, responded to a questionnaire on heartburn and acid regurgitation. Among these, 29,610 individuals (61% response rate) participated at both times and were included in the present study. The association between weight loss and reduction of GERS was calculated using logistic regression. The analyses were stratified by antireflux medication and the results adjusted for sex, age, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, education, and physical exercise. RESULTS: Weight loss was dose-dependently associated with a reduction of GERS and an increased treatment success with antireflux medication. Among individuals with >3.5 units decrease in BMI, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of loss of any (minor or severe) GERS was 1.98 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.45-2.72) when using no or less than weekly antireflux medication, and 3.95 (95% CI 2.03-7.65) when using at least weekly antireflux medication. The corresponding ORs of loss of severe GERS was 0.90 (95% CI 0.32-2.55) and 3.11 (95% CI 1.13-8.58). CONCLUSIONS: Weight loss was dose-dependently associated with both a reduction of GERS and an increased treatment success with antireflux medication in the general population.Swedish Research CouncilLiaison Committee between the Central Norway Regional Health Authority and the Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyAccepte

Tobacco smoking cessation and improved gastroesophageal reflux : a prospective population-based cohort study : the HUNT study

Objective Tobacco smoking increases the risk of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms (GERS), but whether tobacco smoking cessation improves GERS is unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify if tobacco smoking cessation improves GERS. Design The study was based on the Nord-Trøndelag health study (the HUNT study), a prospective population-based cohort study conducted from 1995-1997 to 2006-2009 in Nord-Trøndelag County, Norway. All residents of the county from 20 years of age were invited. The study included 29,610 individuals (61% response rate) who reported whether they had heartburn or acid regurgitation. The association between tobacco smoking cessation and improvement in GERS was assessed by logistic regression, providing odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The analyses were stratified by antireflux medication, and the results were adjusted for sex, age, body mass index (BMI), alcohol consumption, education, and physical exercise. Subgroup analyses were also stratified by BMI. Results Among individuals using antireflux medication at least weekly, cessation of daily tobacco smoking was associated with improvement in GERS from severe to no or minor complaints (adjusted OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.97), compared with persistent daily smoking. This association was present among individuals within the normal range of BMI (OR 5.67, 95% CI 1.36 to 23.64), but not among overweight individuals. There was no association between tobacco smoking cessation and GERS status among individuals with minor GERS or individuals using antireflux medication less than weekly. Conclusion Tobacco smoking cessation was associated with improvement in severe GERS only in individuals of normal BMI using antireflux medication at least weekly, but not in other individual with GERS.Swedish Research CouncilLiaison Committee between the Central Norway Regional Health Authority and the Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyAccepte

Changes in prevalence, incidence and spontaneous loss of gastro-oesophagealreflux symptoms : a prospective population-based cohort study, the HUNT study

OBJECTIVE: Changes in the occurrence of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms (GORS) in the population remain uncertain. This study aimed to determine the prevalence changes, the incidence and the spontaneous loss of GORS. DESIGN: This population-based cohort study was conducted within the Nord-Trondelag Health Study (the HUNT study), a longitudinal series of population-based health surveys in Nord-Trondelag County, Norway. The study base encompassed all adult residents in the county, and the participants reported the degree of GORS during the previous 12 months. The number of participants included were 58,869 (64% response rate) in 1995-7 and 44,997 (49%) in 2006-9. Of these, 29,610 persons (61%) were prospectively followed up for an average of 11 years. RESULTS: Between 1995-7 and 2006-9, the prevalence of any, severe and at least weekly GORS increased by 30% (from 31.4% to 40.9%), 24% (from 5.4% to 6.7%) and 47% (from 11.6% to 17.1%), respectively. The average annual incidence of any and severe GORS was 3.07% and 0.23%, respectively. In women, but not men, the incidence of GORS increased with increasing age. The average annual spontaneous loss (not due to antireflux medication) of any and severe GORS was 2.32% and 1.22%, respectively. The spontaneous loss of GORS decreased with increasing age. CONCLUSION: Between 1995-7 and 2006-9 the prevalence of GORS increased substantially. At least weekly GORS increased by 47%. The average annual incidence of severe GORS was 0.23%, and the corresponding spontaneous loss was 1.22%. The incidence and spontaneous loss of GORS were influenced by sex and age.Swedish Research CouncilLiaison Committee between the Central Norway Regional Health Authority and the Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyAccepte

Modelling managed forest ecosystems in Sweden : Poster presentation:

In this work, the forestry-enabled dynamic vegetation model LPJ-GUESS was used to simulate forest standing volume for the three main regions of Sweden. At the regional scale, the model results were evaluated against observational data from the Swedish National Forest Inventory. Carbon fluxes of net ecosystem exchange (NEE), gross primary productivity (GPP), and ecosystem respiration (Reco) were simulated at the local scale on a daily time step for two sites in Sweden and results were evaluated against data from the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS). The model produced adequate results of standing volume in monocultures of Norway spruce and Scots pine for southern and central Sweden, after an updated parameterization of the species. Stand-scale simulations of carbon fluxes produced mixed results after an evaluation against EC data from ICOS

Polymorphisms in Genes of Relevance for Oestrogen and Oxytocin Pathways and Risk of Barrett's Oesophagus and Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma: A Pooled Analysis from the BEACON Consortium.

BACKGROUND: The strong male predominance in oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) and Barrett's oesophagus (BO) continues to puzzle. Hormonal influence, e.g. oestrogen or oxytocin, might contribute. METHODS: This genetic-epidemiological study pooled 14 studies from three continents, Australia, Europe, and North America. Polymorphisms in 3 key genes coding for the oestrogen pathway (receptor alpha (ESR1), receptor beta (ESR2), and aromatase (CYP19A1)), and 3 key genes of the oxytocin pathway (the oxytocin receptor (OXTR), oxytocin protein (OXT), and cyclic ADP ribose hydrolase glycoprotein (CD38)), were analysed using a gene-based approach, versatile gene-based test association study (VEGAS). RESULTS: Among 1508 OAC patients, 2383 BO patients, and 2170 controls, genetic variants within ESR1 were associated with BO in males (p = 0.0058) and an increased risk of OAC and BO combined in males (p = 0.0023). Genetic variants within OXTR were associated with an increased risk of BO in both sexes combined (p = 0.0035) and in males (p = 0.0012). We followed up these suggestive findings in a further smaller data set, but found no replication. There were no significant associations between the other 4 genes studied and risk of OAC, BO, separately on in combination, in males and females combined or in males only. CONCLUSION: Genetic variants in the oestrogen receptor alpha and the oxytocin receptor may be associated with an increased risk of BO or OAC, but replication in other large samples are needed

Risk of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Decreases With Height, Based on Consortium Analysis and Confirmed by Mendelian Randomization

Background & Aims Risks for some cancers increase with height. We investigated the relationship between height and risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and its precursor, Barrett's esophagus (BE). Methods We analyzed epidemiologic and genome-wide genomic data from individuals of European ancestry in the Barrett's and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Consortium, from 999 cases of EAC, 2061 cases of BE, and 2168 population controls. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for associations between height and risks of EAC and BE. We performed a Mendelian randomization analysis to estimate an unconfounded effect of height on EAC and BE using a genetic risk score derived from 243 genetic variants associated with height as an instrumental variable. Results Height was associated inversely with EAC (per 10-cm increase in height: OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.62–0.79 for men and OR, 0.57; 95% CI 0.40–0.80 for women) and BE (per 10-cm increase in height: OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.62–0.77 for men and OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.48–0.77 for women). The risk estimates were consistent across strata of age, education level, smoking, gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, body mass index, and weight. Mendelian randomization analysis yielded results quantitatively similar to those from the conventional epidemiologic analysis. Conclusions Height is associated inversely with risks of EAC and BE. Results from the Mendelian randomization study showed that the inverse association observed did not result from confounding factors. Mechanistic studies of the effect of height on EAC and BE are warranted; height could have utility in clinical risk stratification

Hospital and outpatient clinic utilization among older people in the 3-5 years following the initiation of continuing care: a longitudinal cohort study

Background: Few studies have investigated the subsequent rate of hospital and outpatient clinic utilization in those who receive continuing care and have documented frequent usage over one year. Such knowledge may be helpful in identifying those who would benefit from preventive interventions. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the subsequent rate of hospital and outpatient clinic utilization among older people with 0, 1, 2, 3 or more hospital stays in the first year following the initiation of continuing care. A further aim was to compare these groups regarding demographic data, health complaints, functional and cognitive ability, informal care and mortality. Methods: A total of 1079 people, aged 65 years or older, who received a decision regarding the initiation of continuing care during the years 2001, 2002 or 2003 were investigated. Four groups were created based on whether they had 0, 1, 2 or >= 3 hospital stays in the first year following the initiation of continuing care and were investigated regarding the rate of hospital and outpatient clinic utilization in the subsequent 3-5 years. Results: Fifty seven percent of the sample had no hospital stay during the first year following the initiation of continuing care, 20% had 1 stay, 10% had 2 stays and 13% had three or more hospital stays (range: 3-13). Those with >= 3 hospital stays in the first year continued to have the significantly highest rate of hospital and outpatient care utilization in the subsequent years. This group accounted for 57% of hospital stays in the first year, 27% in the second year and 18% in the third year. In this group the risk of having >= 3 hospital stays in the second year was 27% and 12% in the third year. Conclusions: There is a clear need for interventions targeted on prevention of frequent hospital and outpatient clinic utilization among those who are high users of hospital care in the first year after the initiation of continuing care. Perhaps an increased availability of medically skilled staff in the day to day care of these people in the municipalities could prevent frequent hospital and outpatient clinic utilization, especially hospital readmissions