The evaluation of surgical treatment for gastric cancer patients with noncurative resection

Peri-operative Outcomes and Survival Following Palliative Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Many patients with gastric cancer present with late stage disease. Palliative gastrectomy remains a contentious intervention aiming to debulk tumour and prevent or treat complications such as gastric outlet obstruction, perforation and bleeding.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review of the literature for all papers describing palliative resections for gastric cancer and reporting peri-operative or survival outcomes. Data from peri-operative and survival outcomes were meta-analysed using random effects modelling. Survival data from patients undergoing palliative resections, non-resective surgery and palliative chemotherapy were also combined. This study was registered with the PROSPERO database (CRD42019159136).

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty-eight papers which included 58,675 patients contributed data. At 1 year, there was a significantly improved survival in patients who underwent palliative gastrectomy when compared to non-resectional surgery and no treatment. At 2 years following treatment, palliative gastrectomy was associated with significantly improved survival compared to chemotherapy only; however, there was no significant improvement in survival compared to patients who underwent non-resectional surgery after 1 year. Palliative resections were associated with higher rates of overall complications versus non-resectional surgery (OR 2.14; 95% CI, 1.34, 3.46; p < 0.001). However, palliative resections were associated with similar peri-operative mortality rates to non-resectional surgery.

CONCLUSION

Palliative gastrectomy is associated with a small improvement in survival at 1 year when compared to non-resectional surgery and chemotherapy. However, at 2 and 3 years following treatment, survival benefits are less clear. Any survival benefits come at the expense of increased major and overall complications.

The Benefits of Resection for Gastric Carcinoma Patients with Non-curative Factors

The benefits of resection for gastric carcinoma patients with non-curative factors remain controversial. Thus, we evaluated the survival benefits of resection in these gastric carcinoma patients. We reviewed the hospital records of 467 gastric carcinoma patients with non-curative factors who had resection (n=305) and compared their clinicopathological findings with individuals (n=162) who underwent bypass or exploration from 1996 to 2010. The 3-year survival rate of patients who had resection was higher than was that of patients who did not (13.2 vs. 7.2%, respectively p<0.001). Cox's proportional hazard regression analysis revealed that only one factor was an independent, statistically significant prognostic parameter: the presence of peritoneal dissemination (risk ratio, 1.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.79; p<0.05). The 3-year survival rate of patients with peritoneal dissemination was higher in individuals who underwent resection compared with those who did not (9.5 vs. 4.7%, respectively; p<0.001). The current results highlight the improved survival rates of gastric carcinoma patients with non-curative factors who underwent surgery compared with those who did not. Although resection is not curative in this group of patients, we still recommend performing the procedure.

Influence of duodenogastric reflux in the gastric mucosa histological changes of rats infected with Helicobacter pylori

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the influence of Duodenal reflux in histological changes of the gastric mucosa of rats infected with Helicobacter pylori submitted to pyloroplasty. Methods: after two weeks of acclimation, we infected 30 male Wistar rats with Helicobacter pylori. We randomly divided them into three groups: one submitted to pyloroplasty, another to partial gastrectomy and the third, only infected, was not operated. After six months of surgery, euthanasia was carried out. Gastric fragments were studied by light microscopy to count the number of H. pylori, and to observe the histological changes (gastritis, metaplasia, dysplasia and neoplasia). We confirmed these changes by immunohistochemistry using the molecular markers PCNA and TGF-beta. Results: the animals submitted to pyloroplasty had higher percentage of colonization by H. pylori (median=58.5; gastrectomy=16.5; control=14.5). There was a positive correlation between the amount of H. pylori and the occurrence of chronic gastritis present in the antral fragments. Neoplasia occurred in 40% of rats from the group submitted to pyloroplasty. The staining with PCNA and TGF-ß confirmed the histopathological changes visualized by optical microscopy. Conclusions: the antral region was the one with the highest concentration of H. pylori, regardless of the group. There was a positive correlation between the appearance of benign disorders (chronic gastritis, metaplasia, dysplasia) and cancer in mice infected with H. pylori submitted to pyloroplasty.