Innovative journal offers readers a convenient path to quality CPD

As I write this first Editorial address, the largest show of its kind, the 2011 Consumer Electronic Show (CES), is taking place in Las Vegas. If you quickly scan the headlines, you will notice the major themes of this year’s event are Computer Tablets and Smartphone Devices. In fact, this trend has been developing for a while, and came to a culmination when Apple released its iPad in April of 2010. At that time I recall that many were skeptical about how widely adopted this new category device would become, and I even remember Saturday Night Live’s skit making fun of the iPad name that resembles a widely used female hygiene products.

However, iPad quickly became a phenomenon, and in fact it turned out to be the fastest growing electronic device as a category surpassing the growth of DVD players. Time magazine declared it the invention of 2010. Books and Magazines naturally became one of the most widely consumed media on the iPad. The healthcare sector became the third most frequent adoptor, trailing only the financial and technology industries. Before the device was even released, Epocrates published survey results showing that 25% of physicians would buy the device when it became available and 60% indicated that they were intrigued by the device.

At HealthPlexus.net, we aim to be leaders in electronic CME/CPD activities. Our vision is to provide physicians and allied healthcare professionals with access to credible, timely, and multi-disciplinary continuing medical education from anywhere and on any media consumption device.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the first issue, and I welcome your feedback.

D'Arcy Little

Diagnosis and Management Approaches to Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

John D. Markman, M.D., Director, Translational Pain Research, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.
Maria E. Frazer, B.S., Health Project Coordinator, Translational Pain Research, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.
Pierre S. Girgis, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.
Kevin R. McCormick, M.D., Ph.D, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is the leading cause of spinal surgery among older Americans, yet more than one-third do not gain significant relief from surgical treatment. The distinct pattern of lower back and leg pain induced by standing and walking associated with LSS is known as neurogenic intermittent claudication (NIC). Various treatment options for NIC include surgical interventions as well as pharmacological, biomechanical and conservative therapy (i.e., physical therapy). No specific treatment is associated with guaranteed outcome, which underscores the need to further evaluate the diagnosis and symptoms associated with LSS.
Key words: lumbar spinal stenosis, neuropathic pain, treatment, treadmill testing, epidural steroid injection.

Selecting Initial Antihypertensive Therapy for Older Adults

Norm Campbell, MD, FRCPC, Departments of Medicine, Community Health Sciences, and Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Calgary, Calgary; Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Calgary, AB.
Sailesh Mohan, MD, MPH, Departments of Medicine, Community Health Sciences, and Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Calgary, Calgary; Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Calgary, AB.

As over 9 in 10 older adults will develop hypertension, it is important for clinicians to routinely assess blood pressure. It is as important to treat hypertension in older adults as it is in younger people. In general, select a low-dose diuretic. Beta-blockers are not as effective at preventing stroke as other major antihypertensive drug classes. Specific indications for drug classes are provided. Target the blood pressure levels to <140/90 mmHg in general, <130/80 mmHg in people with diabetes or chronic kidney disease, and focus on systolic blood pressure control. If blood pressure control is not achieved using a moderate dose of your initial selection, add a second antihypertensive drug.
Key words: hypertension, antihypertensive drugs, pharmacotherapy, cardiovascular disease, stroke.

Management of Primary Colon Cancer in Older Adults

Robin McLeod, MD, Division of General Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto; Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto; Zane Cohen Digestive Diseases Clinical Research Centre; Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON.
Selina Schmocker, Zane Cohen Digestive Diseases Clinical Research Centre; Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON.
Erin Kennedy, MD, PhD, Division of General Surgery, University Health Network, University of Toronto; Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto; Zane Cohen Digestive Diseases Clinical Research Centre; Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, and more than half of those newly diagnosed with colon cancer are over the age of 70 years. Despite the large proportion of patients over the age of 70 diagnosed with colon cancer annually, this age group is significantly underrepresented in clinical trials and, therefore, there is little high-quality evidence on which to base treatment decisions or treatment guidelines. This article reviews the management of primary colon cancer in older adults, including screening, presentation and diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up in this population.
Key words: colon cancer, colorectal cancer, screening, tumour, older adults.

Dr. Anne Horgan and Dr. Shabbir Alibhai share their views on the current status of research in Colorectal Cancer

The incidence of colorectal cancer increases with age, with approximately 60% of patients in the US (and similar numbers in Canada) older than 65 years at diagnosis and 40% over the age of 75. As highlighted by McLeod et al in this issue, the management of older patients with colorectal cancer is challenging. The prevailing difficulty is the lack of randomized trial data to support and guide treatment decisions. Pivotal trials establishing the standard of care for this disease have tended to enroll younger patients. For example, the median age of patients enrolled in phase III studies of systemic chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer is commonly 60-64 years,^1,2 with fewer than 20% of patients being 70 years and older. In the large colorectal screening studies, older patients are again under-represented, with only 15-17% of randomized patients being 70 years or older.^{3, 4} Similarly, elderly patients are less likely to be enrolled in surgical trials than younger patients.⁵

With this absence of prospective data, evidence regarding safety and efficacy of interventions in older patients with colorectal cancer has come mainly from subgroup analyses or meta-analyses of large randomized clinical trials, both in the adjuvant and metastatic disease settings. These analyses suggest that older patients gain similar benefit from chemotherapy as do younger patients, with little difference in the rates of severe toxicity.⁶ This should be reassuring to clinicians.  The relation between age and outcomes from colorectal cancer surgery is more complex, however. Poorer outcomes in terms of postoperative morbidity and mortality are reported with increasing age, but these are confounded by presentation with more advanced disease stage, a greater frequency of emergency surgery and fewer curative surgeries compared to younger patients.⁷ All of these analyses suffer from selection bias with patients in these studies generally being fit and of good performance status.

Data from randomized studies will ultimately help optimize management of older patients with colorectal cancer. However, careful consideration should be given to the design of these studies.  A growing appreciation of the heterogeneity of this patient population has led to a better understanding and use of geriatric specific assessments. These assessments which evaluate functional status, comorbid medical conditions, cognitive function, psychological state, and social supports may have value in predicting postoperative complications following surgery and may help better predict tolerance to systemic therapies. Incorporation of these assessments into both the clinical trial setting and daily clinical practice is encouraged but challenging due to time constraints in busy practices. Identifying elder-specific clinical predictors of tolerability to various interventions will ultimately lead to a more tailored approach for these patients.

The essential principles of managing colon cancer in the elderly are the same as in younger patients, however, as the authors state, an individualized approach is necessary. Frameworks for determining a patient’s remaining life-expectancy, risks of toxicities and operative complications, and quality of life issues must be developed and should ultimately underlie these individualized decisions.

No competing financial interests declared.

References:
1.    Goldberg RM, Sargent DJ, Morton RF et al. A randomized controlled trial of fluorouracil plus leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin combinations in patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer. J Clin Oncol 2004; 22: 23-30.
2.    Seymour MT, Maughan TS, Ledermann JA et al. Different strategies of sequential and combination chemotherapy for patients with poor prognosis advanced colorectal cancer (MRC FOCUS): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2007; 370: 143-152.
3.    Hardcastle JD, Chamberlain JO, Robinson MH et al. Randomised controlled trial of faecal-occult-blood screening for colorectal cancer. Lancet 1996; 348: 1472-1477.
4.    Mandel JS, Bond JH, Church TR et al. Reducing mortality from colorectal cancer by screening for fecal occult blood. Minnesota Colon Cancer Control Study. N Engl J Med 1993; 328: 1365-1371.
5.    Stewart JH, Bertoni AG, Staten JL et al. Participation in surgical oncology clinical trials: gender-, race/ethnicity-, and age-based disparities. Ann Surg Oncol 2007; 14: 3328-3334.
6.    Kumar A, Soares HP, Balducci L, Djulbegovic B. Treatment tolerance and efficacy in geriatric oncology: a systematic review of phase III randomized trials conducted by five National Cancer Institute-sponsored cooperative groups. J Clin Oncol 2007; 25: 1272-1276.
7.    Surgery for colorectal cancer in elderly patients: a systematic review. Colorectal Cancer Collaborative Group. Lancet 2000; 356: 968-974.