Ulcerative colitis six years after colon cancer: only a coincidence?

Minas Sakellakis,1 Thomas Makatsoris,1 Maria Gkermpesi,2 Stavros Peroukidis,1 Haralabos Kalofonos11Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, 2Department of Pathology, University, Hospital of Patras, Patras, GreeceAbstract: The association between inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer is well known. Ulcerative colitis is a risk factor for the development of colorectal cancer, and this risk increases with the activity and duration of bowel inflammation. Here we describe the case of a 52-year-old man who developed ulcerative colitis 6 years after the diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer. Although this could be a coincidence, there could be additional possibilities, like pre-existence of quiescent colitis, late effect of therapy, or maybe the existence of common pathogenetic factors contributing to the development of ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer.Keywords: ulcerative, colitis, colorectal, cancer, inflammatio

Statins and risk of breast cancer recurrence

Minas Sakellakis,1 Karolina Akinosoglou,1 Anastasia Kostaki,2 Despina Spyropoulou,1 Angelos Koutras,1 1Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology, University Hospital, Patras Medical School, Patras, 2Department of Statistics, Athens University of Economics and Business, Athens, Greece Background: The primary end point of our study was to test whether the concurrent use of a statin is related to a lower risk of recurrence and increased relapse-free survival in patients with early breast cancer. Materials and methods: We reviewed 610 female patients with stage I, II, or III breast cancer who had been surgically treated and who had subsequently received at least adjuvant chemotherapy in order to prevent recurrence. Results: Among the 610 patients with breast cancer, 83 (13.6%) were receiving a statin on a chronic basis for other medical purposes. Overall, statin users displayed longer mean relapse-free survival (16.6 vs 10.2 years, P=0.028). After data had been adjusted for patient and disease characteristics, statin users maintained a lower risk of recurrence. This favorable outcome in statin users was particularly evident when we included only younger patients in the analysis (20 vs 10 years, P=0.006). Conclusion: Statins may be linked to a favorable outcome in early breast cancer patients, especially in younger age-groups. Keywords: statins, breast, cancer, adjuvant, recurrenc