Peri-operative SARS-CoV-2 infection increases postoperative mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal duration of planned delay before surgery in patients who have had SARS-CoV-2 infection. This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study included patients undergoing elective or emergency surgery during October 2020. Surgical patients with pre-operative SARS-CoV-2 infection were compared with those without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality. Logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted 30-day mortality rates stratified by time from diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection to surgery. Among 140,231 patients (116 countries), 3127 patients (2.2%) had a pre-operative SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. Adjusted 30-day mortality in patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection was 1.5% (95%CI 1.4-1.5). In patients with a pre-operative SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, mortality was increased in patients having surgery within 0-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks and 5-6 weeks of the diagnosis (odds ratio (95%CI) 4.1 (3.3-4.8), 3.9 (2.6-5.1) and 3.6 (2.0-5.2), respectively). Surgery performed ≥ 7 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis was associated with a similar mortality risk to baseline (odds ratio (95%CI) 1.5 (0.9-2.1)). After a ≥ 7 week delay in undertaking surgery following SARS-CoV-2 infection, patients with ongoing symptoms had a higher mortality than patients whose symptoms had resolved or who had been asymptomatic (6.0% (95%CI 3.2-8.7) vs. 2.4% (95%CI 1.4-3.4) vs. 1.3% (95%CI 0.6-2.0), respectively). Where possible, surgery should be delayed for at least 7 weeks following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients with ongoing symptoms ≥ 7 weeks from diagnosis may benefit from further delay.

Table. Pathological Features and Molecular Profile of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer Pathological features Molecular profile Poor differentiation Microsatellite stability Mucinous tumors More likely to exhibit LINE-1 hypomethylation and TP53 sequence variations Signet-ring morphology Less frequently harbor KRAS, BRAF V600E, and APC sequence variations Perineural/venous invasion Promoter methylation of CpG islands Abbreviations: APC, adenomatous polyposis coli; BRAF, B-Raf; KRAS, K-Ras; LINE-1, long interspersed nuclear elements; TP53, tumor protein 53.

SARS-CoV-2 has been associated with an increased rate of venous thromboembolism in critically ill patients. Since surgical patients are already at higher risk of venous thromboembolism than general populations, this study aimed to determine if patients with peri-operative or prior SARS-CoV-2 were at further increased risk of venous thromboembolism. We conducted a planned sub-study and analysis from an international, multicentre, prospective cohort study of elective and emergency patients undergoing surgery during October 2020. Patients from all surgical specialties were included. The primary outcome measure was venous thromboembolism (pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis) within 30 days of surgery. SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis was defined as peri-operative (7 days before to 30 days after surgery); recent (1-6 weeks before surgery); previous (≥7 weeks before surgery); or none. Information on prophylaxis regimens or pre-operative anti-coagulation for baseline comorbidities was not available. Postoperative venous thromboembolism rate was 0.5% (666/123,591) in patients without SARS-CoV-2; 2.2% (50/2317) in patients with peri-operative SARS-CoV-2; 1.6% (15/953) in patients with recent SARS-CoV-2; and 1.0% (11/1148) in patients with previous SARS-CoV-2. After adjustment for confounding factors, patients with peri-operative (adjusted odds ratio 1.5 (95%CI 1.1-2.0)) and recent SARS-CoV-2 (1.9 (95%CI 1.2-3.3)) remained at higher risk of venous thromboembolism, with a borderline finding in previous SARS-CoV-2 (1.7 (95%CI 0.9-3.0)). Overall, venous thromboembolism was independently associated with 30-day mortality ). In patients with SARS-CoV-2, mortality without venous thromboembolism was 7.4% (319/4342) and with venous thromboembolism was 40.8% (31/76). Patients undergoing surgery with peri-operative or recent SARS-CoV-2 appear to be at increased risk of postoperative venous thromboembolism compared with patients with no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Optimal venous thromboembolism prophylaxis and treatment are unknown in this cohort of patients, and these data should be interpreted accordingly.

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Background The molecular profile of early-onset colonic cancer is undefined. This study evaluated clinicopathological features and oncological outcomes of young patients with colonic cancer according to microsatellite status. Methods Anonymized data from an international collaboration were analysed. Criteria for inclusion were patients younger than 50 years diagnosed with stage I–III colonic cancer that was surgically resected. Clinicopathological features, microsatellite status, and disease-specific outcomes were evaluated. Results A total of 650 patients fulfilled the criteria for inclusion. Microsatellite instability (MSI) was identified in 170 (26.2 per cent), whereas 480 had microsatellite-stable (MSS) tumours (relative risk of MSI 2.5 compared with older patients). MSI was associated with a family history of colorectal cancer and lesions in the proximal colon. The proportions with pathological node-positive disease (45.9 versus 45.6 per cent; P = 1.000) and tumour budding (20.3 versus 20.5 per cent; P = 1.000) were similar in the two groups. Patients with MSI tumours were more likely to have BRAF (22.5 versus 6.9 per cent; P < 0.001) and KRAS (40.0 versus 24.2 per cent; P = 0.006) mutations, and a hereditary cancer syndrome (30.0 versus 5.0 per cent; P < 0.001; relative risk 6). Five-year disease-free survival rates in the MSI group were 95.0, 92.0, and 80.0 per cent for patients with stage I, II, and III tumours, compared with 88.0, 88.0, and 65.0 per cent in the MSS group (P = 0.753, P = 0.487, and P = 0.105 respectively). Conclusion Patients with early-onset colonic cancer have a high risk of MSI and defined genetic conditions. Those with MSI tumours have more adverse pathology (budding, KRAS/BRAF mutations, and nodal metastases) than older patients with MSI cancers.