Enhanced Recovery after Surgery for Gastric Cancer Patients Improves Clinical Outcomes at a US Cancer Center

D2 Lymphadenectomy for Gastric Cancer: Advancements and Technical Considerations

Lymphadenectomy (LND) is a crucial component of the curative surgical treatment of gastric cancer (GC). The LND serves to both accurately stage the disease and offer therapeutic benefits. At the time of "curative-intent" gastrectomy, D2 LND is the optimal treatment for patients with locally advanced GC due to its survival benefits and acceptable morbidity. Mastery of the technical aspects of LND, especially D2, requires significant training, adequate case volume, and expertise. This review discusses key aspects of D2 LND, including its status as the standard treatment for locally advanced GC, definition and anatomic borders, technical details, and controversial topics such as splenic hilar dissection and omentectomy. The application of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging to elucidate the drainage patterns of GC and to facilitate lymph node (LN) identification is briefly reviewed. Finally, GC standardization and centralization, including surgical treatment, are discussed.

Lessons learned from 150 total gastrectomies for prevention of cancer

BACKGROUND

Prophylactic total gastrectomy (PTG) is performed in carriers of CDH1 pathogenic and likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants and is becoming more frequent with broader use of germline genetic testing. There is an unmet need to standardize care and enhance outcomes among patients undergoing surgery for the prevention of gastric cancer.

METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of 150 individuals with germline CDH1 P/LP variants who underwent PTG as part of a prospective natural history study from October 2017 to May 2023. All individuals received multidisciplinary, protocolized care before and after total gastrectomy.

RESULTS

A total of 150 asymptomatic patients with germline CDH1 P/LP variants underwent PTG with the aid of a multidisciplinary enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway. This study demonstrated that acute major morbidity (Clavien-Dindo grade of ≥3) was low (17/150 [11.3%]) and that the most common complication was anastomotic leak (11/150 [7.3%]) in the setting of a comprehensive preoperative and postoperative care pathway. Nearly all gastrectomy specimens (132/150 [88.0%]) harbored occult signet ring cell lesions on final pathology. There were no gastric cancer recurrences or gastric cancer-related deaths during the study period, with a median overall follow-up of 36 months (IQR, 24-48) from gastrectomy.

CONCLUSION

PTG can be performed with low surgical morbidity in a high-volume center. The delivery of patient-centered care by a multidisciplinary team and the application of an ERAS pathway may improve short-term outcomes. However, interventions that can reduce chronic morbidity associated with total gastrectomy warrant further study.

Clinical predictors of postoperative complications in the context of enhanced recovery (ERAS) in patients with esophageal and gastric cancer

The overall frequency of postoperative complications in patients with esophageal and gastric cancer diverges between studies. We evaluated the frequency and assessed the relationship between complications and demographic and clinical features. For this observational study, data were extracted from the ERAS Registry managed by the University of Verona, Italy. Patients were evaluated and compared for postoperative complications according to the consensus-based classification and the Clavien-Dindo scale. The study population was 877 patients: 346 (39.5%) with esophageal and 531 (60.5%) with gastric cancer; 492 (56.2%) reported one or more postoperative complications, 213 (61.6%) of those with esophageal and 279 (52.5%) of those with gastric cancer. When stratified by consensus-based classification, patients with esophageal cancer reported general postoperative complications more frequently (p < 0.001) than those with gastric cancer, but there was no difference in postoperative surgical complications between the two groups. Multiple logistic regression models revealed an association between postoperative complications and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.36), operation time (adjusted OR, 1.08; 95% CI 1.00-1.15), and days to solid diet intake (adjusted OR, 1.39; 95% CI 1.20-1.59). Complications in patients with esophageal and gastric cancer are frequent, even in those treated according to ERAS principles, and are often associated with comorbidities, longer operative time, and longer time to solid diet intake.

Application of the quality of recovery-40 questionnaire to evaluate the effectiveness of enhanced recovery after surgery protocols in gastric cancer

Patient reported outcomes is currently considered to be an important supplement to evaluate the effectiveness of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) clinical practice. The Quality of Recovery-40 Questionnaire (QoR-40) is one of the most frequently used and validation tool to assess the subjective feelings of quality of life after surgery. The present study aimed to use the QoR-40 to evaluate the effectiveness of ERAS protocols in gastric cancer from the perspective of patient-reported quality of recovery. The study was designed as a prospective, non-randomized clinical trial, conducted in a single center. Patients in our hospital who were scheduled to undergo radical surgery for gastric cancer were divided into ERAS group and control group (Contr group). The QoR-40 were administered one day before surgery (Baseline) and on postoperative day 1, 3, 6, and 30. The difference in QoR-40 scores between the ERAS and Contr groups was compared by repeated-measures ANOVA. A total of 200 patients completed the study, including 100 patients in the ERAS group and 100 patients in the Contr group. The Baseline time point QoR-40 scores of the ERAS and Contr groups were 179.68 ± 14.46 and 180.12 ± 17.12, respectively, and no significant difference was noted between the two groups (p = 0.845). The postoperative QoR-40 score of the ERAS group was significantly higher than that of the Contr group, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.006). This study demonstrated that, in terms of patient-reported quality of recovery, the postoperative recovery effect of ERAS protocols in gastric cancer is significantly better than that of the traditional treatment model.

A clinical study on gastric cancer patients administered EN and PN versus PN alone in enhanced recovery after surgery

Background and objectives

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) recommends avoiding enteral nutrition (EN) due to undesirable sequelae such as pulmonary aspiration and infections. Not using of EN in nongastric resections under ERAS pathways is often successful. However, parenteral nutrition (PN) alone followed by early postoperative oral feeding in gastric cancer patients, recommended by the ERAS guidelines, has unclear benefit and is only adopted after gastric resection. This study aimed to compute the postoperative outcomes of EN and PN compared to those of the ERAS-recommended nutritional pathway. Our secondary objective was to compare postoperative complications between the two groups.

Materials and methods

Of 173 gastrectomy patients, 116 patients were in the combined group (EN and PN), whereas 57 patients were in the PN alone group. Statistical analysis was performed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0.0 software. The data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, the independent sample t-test, or, in the case of several independent samples, by the Kruskal-Wallis test. Categorical data were analyzed by Pearson's χ2 test or Fisher's exact test.

Results

The observed indices included C-reactive protein (CRP), platelet (PLT), white blood cells (WBC), hemoglobin (Hb), albumin, and PRE-albumin. The secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay (LOS), cost, incidence of pulmonary infection, and total incidence of infection.

Conclusion

The combined mode of nutrition is feasible and is not associated with postoperative complications in gastric cancer patients under ERAS.

Evaluation of enhanced recovery after surgery for gastric cancer patients undergoing gastrectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

For complicated surgical patients, enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) decreases stress and hospital stays. It accelerates recovery and lowers readmissions, morbidity, and death. ERAS's effectiveness in stomach cancer laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) or robotic gastrectomy is still debated.

Aim

This study assesses the efficacy and safety of the ERAS program for patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Material and methods

PRISMA-compliant searches were performed in Medline, Embase, PubMed, the Web of Sciences, and the Cochrane Library databases until March 2023. The search included articles that compared ERAS protocol results for gastric cancer surgery patients to conventional care. RevMan performed meta-analysis, and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool assessed study quality.

Results

This meta-analysis contained 11 carefully chosen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 1790 people. The ERAS group had 902 participants, while the traditional care group had 888. The ERAS group had a shorter post-operative hospital stay, with a weighted mean difference (WMD) of -1.12 days (95% CI: -1.89 to -0.35, p = 0.00001), I2 = 89%, and a lower number of patients with post-operative problems, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.73 (95% CI: 0.55 to 0.97; p = 0.03), I2 = 60%.

Conclusions

The ERAS procedure has been shown to be effective as well as beneficial for patients undergoing either laparoscopic-assisted or robotic gastrectomy for gastric cancer, since it lowers post-operative complications and accelerates recovery with improved results.

Association between use of enhanced recovery after surgery protocols and postoperative complications after gastric surgery for cancer (POWER 4): a nationwide, prospective multicentre study

INTRODUCTION

The effectiveness of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols in gastric cancer surgery remains controversial.

METHODS

Multicentre prospective cohort study of adult patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer. Adherence with 22 individual components of ERAS pathways were assessed in all patients, regardless of whether they were treated in a self-designed ERAS centre. Each centre had a three-month recruitment period between October 2019 and September 2020. The primary outcome was moderate-to-severe postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes were overall postoperative complications, adherence to the ERAS pathway, 30 day-mortality and hospital length of stay (LOS).

RESULTS

A total of 743 patients in 72 Spanish hospitals were included, 211 of them (28.4 %) from self-declared ERAS centres. A total of 245 patients (33 %) experienced postoperative complications, graded as moderate-to-severe complications in 172 patients (23.1 %). There were no differences in the incidence of moderate-to-severe complications (22.3% vs. 23.5%; OR, 0.92 (95% CI, 0.59 to 1.41); P = 0.068), or overall postoperative complications between the self-declared ERAS and non-ERAS groups (33.6% vs. 32.7%; OR, 1.05 (95 % CI, 0.70 to 1.56); P = 0.825). The overall rate of adherence to the ERAS pathway was 52% [IQR 45 to 60]. There were no differences in postoperative outcomes between higher (Q1, > 60 %) and lower (Q4, ≤ 45 %) ERAS adherence quartiles.

CONCLUSIONS

Neither the partial application of perioperative ERAS measures nor treatment in self-designated ERAS centres improved postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing gastric surgery for cancer.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03865810.

Application effect of gastrointestinal bundle nursing on the protection of gastrointestinal function in patients with gastric cancer

Evidence-based nursing practice was used to formulate the enhanced recovery surgery bundle nursing strategy and apply it to patients with gastric cancer, to explore its safety, effectiveness and feasibility in perioperative gastrointestinal function protection in patients with gastric cancer. Selected the clinical medical records of 100 gastric cancer patients treated in our hospital from June 2019 to June 2021 as the research objects, and divided them into the control group and the observation group with 50 cases in each group according to the random number table. Among them, the control group was given routine nursing measures for nursing intervention, and the observation group was given gastrointestinal enhanced recovery surgery cluster nursing on the basis of the control group. The differences in stress response, gastrointestinal function protection, negative emotions and pain scores of gastric cancer patients before and after nursing were compared between the 2 groups. The postoperative bowel sounds recovery time, first anal exhaust, and first defecation time in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < .05). Before nursing, there was no significant difference in the scores of stress response changes between the 2 groups (P > .05). After nursing, heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), norepinephrine (NE), and epinephrine (E2) in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < .05). The pain scores of the 2 groups were significantly improved at different time points, and the observation group was significantly less than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < .05). Gastrointestinal enhanced recovery surgery bundle nursing can effectively improve the gastrointestinal function of patients with gastric cancer, improve the emotional response and stress response of patients, and has certain reference value for the nursing of patients with gastric cancer.

Application of enhanced recovery after surgery in perioperative patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

To analyze the effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in perioperative patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer (GC).

METHODS

We searched the literature databases of PubMed (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) and Web of Science (https://www.webofscience.com/) for studies related to ERAS and laparoscopic surgery for GC from their inception till October 2022, and the retrieved articles were further screened for analysis. The literature quality was evaluated based on the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The endpoints included the first postoperative exhaust time, first postoperative bowel movement, length of stay, complications and hospitalization expenses. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software.

RESULTS

11 studies were included, involving 2039 patients. Meta-analysis showed that the first postoperative exhaust and bowel movement were earlier and the length of stay was shorter in the experimental group (e.g.,) than in the control group (CG) (P < .05). Moreover, a lower incidence of complications and markedly reduced hospitalization expenses were determined in for example (P < .05). Due to the heterogeneity in the comparison of indicators such as the first postoperative exhaust and bowel movement across articles, a funnel plot was drawn for observations. The plot was found to be basically symmetrical, indicating small results bias and reliable reference significance of our findings.

CONCLUSION

ERAS for perioperative patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for GC can effectively shorten the postoperative rehabilitation cycle of patients, improve surgical safety and reduce treatment costs.

State of the art of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols in esophagogastric cancer surgery: the Western experience

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs provide a framework to standardize care processes and improve outcomes. The results of this multimodal and multidisciplinary approach based on actions focused on reducing physiological surgical stress in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods are beneficial in reducing morbidity and hospital stay, without increasing readmissions across different surgical settings. The implementation of ERAS in resection procedures of esophageal and gastric cancer has been challenging due to the complexity of these surgical techniques and the high risk of complications. Despite the limited evidence of ERAS in esophagectomy operations, systematic reviews and meta-analysis have confirmed a reduction of pulmonary complications and hospital stay without increasing readmissions. In gastrectomy operations, the implementation of ERAS reduces the use of nasogastric tubes and intraabdominal drains, facilitates early diet, and reduces the length of hospital stay, without increasing complications. There is, however, wide heterogeneity and absence of standardization in the number and definition of the ERAS components. The development of ERAS consensus guidelines including procedure-specific components may reduce this variability. Regardless growing evidence of the effectiveness of ERAS, the adherence rate is still low. The commitment of the multidisciplinary team and leadership is critical in the application and refinement of ERAS protocols in parallel with periodic audits. Pre- and post-habilitation methods are emerging concepts to be incorporated in ERAS protocols.

Implementation of the ERAS program in gastric surgery: a nationwide survey in Italy

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs have been developed by combining several evidence-based techniques for perioperative care, with the intention of reducing the stress response and organ dysfunction, thus allowing improved clinical results. ERAS programs have been widely adopted for colorectal surgery; however, their adoption for upper gastrointestinal surgery has been challenging even though good results have been reported in the literature. Our intent was to investigate the adoption of ERAS programs for resective gastric surgery in Italy. A survey was conducted among 20 departments of surgery belonging to the Italian Group for Research on Gastric Cancer (GC). Analysis of our survey showed that several evidence-based practices and many items of the ERAS guidelines for gastric surgery are not implemented in real practice in Italian centers dedicated to GC. This situation may be related to the hesitation of surgeons to introduce radical changes to the traditional postoperative management after gastrectomy. A multidisciplinary approach to the perioperative care of these patients is not routinely applied in many Italian centers. A strict collaboration of all clinicians involved in the perioperative care of patients undergoing gastrectomy for GC is key for the future implementation of ERAS in gastric surgery in our departments.

Effect of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery with Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Postoperative Stress Response of Patients with Gastrointestinal Tumors

Objective. To investigate the effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine on postoperative stress response of patients suffering from gastrointestinal tumors. Methods. A total of 74 patients with gastrointestinal tumors who underwent surgical treatment in our hospital from April 2019 to March 2021 were recruited and randomized into the control group and the observation group (1 : 1). The control group received routine treatment and care, while the observation group received ERAS plus integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine. Clinical observation was performed regarding changes in preoperative mood and postoperative pain level in each group. Changes in expression levels of plasma cortisol, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-β (TNF-β) before and after surgery were detected in each group. Time of patients’ first fart and defecation and complications after surgery in each group were recorded. Results. The visual analogue scale (VAS) of patients in the observation group after 12 and 24 h of surgery was significantly lower than that in the control group (12 h: observation group 2.0 (1.00, 3.00) vs. control group 4.00 (3.00, 5.00), $p=0.001$ ; 24 h: observation group 2.00 (1.00, 3.00) vs. control group 3.00 (2.00, 5.00), $p=0.005$ ). The preoperative anxiety degree of patients in the two groups was not statistically significant ( $p=0.489$ ). The plasma cortisol level of patients in the observation group after 24 and 48 h of surgery was significantly lower than that in the control group (24 h: observation group $426.54\pm 52.15$  nmol/L vs. control group $508.32\pm 41.08$  nmol/L, $p=0.001$ ; 48 h: observation group $287.19\pm 44.24$  nmol/L vs. control group $362.57\pm 43.46$  nmol/L, $p=0.001$ ). Patients’ postoperative CRP, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-β expression levels in the observation group were remarkably lower than those in the control group at all time points. The first postoperative defecation came earlier in the observation group than that in the control group (observation group 76.00 h (64.50, 87.50) vs. control group 89.00 h (73.50, 116.00), $p=0.007$ ). There was 1 postoperative urinary tract infection in the observation group and 1 postoperative intestinal obstruction and 1 incisional wound infection in the control group. Conclusion. ERAS with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine could effectively reduce the postoperative stress response and inflammatory reaction in patients with gastrointestinal tumors, contributing to the safe and quick recovery of gastrointestinal functions of patients.

Implementation of a perioperative-enhanced recovery protocol in patients undergoing open gastrectomy for gastric cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to compare surgical outcomes before and after implementation of an enhanced recovery protocol (ERP) in gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

METHODS

We included patients who underwent open gastrectomy for gastric cancer before (January 2016 to September 2018) or after (October 2018 to September 2020) ERP implementation. The primary outcome was the postoperative length of stay (LOS). Secondary outcomes included 90-day readmission rates and Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ 3 complications.

RESULTS

One hundred patients underwent gastrectomy before (pre-ERP group) and 52 underwent gastrectomy after (ERP group) protocol implementation. Demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics were similar. The median (interquartile range) postoperative LOS was shorter in the ERP group (7.0 days [6.0-8.0] vs. 8.0 days [7.0-11.0]; p < 0.001). The ERP group had similar rates of readmission (33% vs. 24%; p = 0.34) and grade ≥ 3 complications (19% vs. 19%; p = 1.0) compared to the pre-ERP group, but experienced lower rates of surgical wound complications (0% vs. 19%; p < 0.001). Rates of other complications were similar.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of an ERP in patients undergoing open gastrectomy for gastric cancer is feasible and safe and has the potential to decrease postoperative LOS without increasing complication rates.

A U.S. survey of pre-operative carbohydrate-containing beverage use in colorectal enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs

BACKGROUND

Carbohydrate-containing drinks (CCD) are administered preoperatively in most enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs. It is not known which types of CCDs are used, e.g., simple vs. complex carbohydrate, and if the choice of drink differs in patients with diabetes.

METHODS

A national survey was performed to characterize the use of preoperative CCDs within the context of adult colorectal ERAS programs. The survey had questions regarding the use of preoperative CCDs, the types of beverages used, and the timing of beverage administration. The survey was administered electronically to members of the American Society for Enhanced Recovery (ASER) and manually to participants at the 2018 Perioperative Quality and Enhanced Recovery Conference in San Francisco, CA.

RESULTS

Responses were received from 78 unique hospitals with a colorectal ERAS program of which 68 (87.2%) reported administering a preoperative drink. Of these, 98.5%, 80.9%, and 60.3% of hospitals administered a beverage to patients without diabetes, patients with diabetes not taking insulin, and patients with diabetes taking insulin, respectively. Surprisingly, one third of programs that administered a beverage to patients with diabetes used a simple carbohydrate drink.

CONCLUSIONS

This survey finds a high use of CHO-containing beverages in colorectal ERAS programs. More than half of all programs administer a CHO-containing beverage to patients with diabetes, and surprisingly, there is significant use of simple carbohydrate beverages in patients with diabetes receiving insulin.

ERAS pathway for gastric cancer surgery: adherence, outcomes and prognostic factors for compliance in a Western centre

Adherence to an ERAS program guarantees an evidence-based approach for patient care, but the compliance to ERAS in patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer in Western countries has not been clearly investigated. Our Institution has implemented an ERAS pathway (EP) for gastric surgery, composed of 24 items, since December 2016. We retrospectively analyzed the data of all consecutive patients undergoing surgery with curative intent for gastric cancer between January 2017 and December 2019 at our Institution, and were eligible for our EP. The primary endpoint was patients' compliance to the EP. Secondary endpoints were patients' adherence to each ERAS item and detection of variables associated with compliance failure. Seventy-three patients were included. Among these, 75.3% completed the EP, with a median number of items accomplished per patient of 21. Items with critical adherence were restrictive intraoperative fluid infusion (37%), avoidance of abdominal drain (14%), first clear liquid intake (67%), first solid food intake (48%). At univariate analysis age > 75 years, ASA > 2 and total gastrectomy were associated with failure to complete the EP. At multivariate analysis, ASA Score > 2 was the only preoperative factor associated with EP failure. Application of an ERAS program for malignant gastric surgery seems to be feasible with an acceptable completion rate in a tertiary referral Western centre. Preoperative factors, such as old age, advanced stage at diagnosis and neoadjuvant chemotherapy should not be considered as exclusion criteria for ERAS.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery can Improve Patient Outcomes and Reduce Hospital Cost of Gastrectomy for Cancer in the West: A Propensity-Score-Based Analysis

Background

Data on ERAS for gastrectomy are scarce, and the majority of the studies come from Eastern countries. Patients in the West are older and suffer from more advanced tumors that impair their clinical condition and often require neoadjuvant treatment. This retrospective study assessed the feasibility and safety of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol for gastrectomy in a Western center.

Methods

We conducted a single-center study of 351 patients operated for gastric cancer: 103, operated from January 2015 to December 2016, followed the standard pathway, while 248, operated from January 2017 to December 2019, followed the ERAS program. The primary outcomes considered were length of hospital stay (LOS) and direct costs. Secondary outcomes were 90-day morbidity and mortality, readmission rate, and compliance with ERAS items. A propensity score (PS) was built on confounding variables.

Results

Compliance with ERAS items after the program was ≥ 70%. Univariable analysis evidenced a 2-day median reduction in LOS and a median cost reduction of €826 per patient in the ERAS group. PS-based multivariable analysis confirmed a significant, 2-day decrease in median LOS and a €1097 saving after ERAS introduction. Ninety-day mortality decreased slightly in ERAS group, while complications and readmissions did not change significantly. When complications were included in the multivariable analysis, ERAS retained its significance, although the effects on LOS and cost were blunted to a median reduction of 1 day and €775, respectively.

Conclusions

ERAS for gastrectomy improved patients’ recovery and reduced hospital costs without changes in morbidity, mortality, or readmission.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1245/s10434-021-10079-x.

Types of surgical patients enrolled in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs in the USA

BACKGROUND

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programs have gained traction across US hospitals in the past two decades. Initially implemented for elective colorectal surgical procedures, ERAS has expanded to a variety of surgical service lines. There is little information regarding the extent to which various surgical service lines use ERAS.

METHODS

A survey was performed to describe the prevalence of ERAS programs across surgical service lines in the USA. The survey had questions regarding the number of ERAS programs, operating rooms (ORs) and presence of anesthesia and/or surgery residency program at an institution. The survey was administered electronically to members of the American Society for Enhanced Recovery (ASER) and manually to participants at the 2018 Perioperative Quality and Enhanced Recovery Conference in San Francisco, CA.

RESULTS

Responses were received from 88 unique institutions. The most commonly reported surgical service lines were colorectal (87%), gynecology (51%), orthopedic (49%), surgical oncology (39%), and urology (35%). A significant positive association was observed between the number of ORs and the number ERAS programs (Spearman's Rho 0.5, p<0.0001). Furthermore, institutions that reported an anesthesia and/or surgery residency program had more ERAS programs (mean 5.0 ± 3.2) compared to those that did not (mean 2.0 ± 2.0) (Wilcoxon rank sum p< 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

ERAS has expanded to a large extent outside of the colorectal surgery service line with increases notable in orthopedic surgery, obstetric/gynecology, surgical oncology, and urology procedures. Institutions with a higher number of ORs and the presence of an anesthesia and/or surgery residency program are associated with an increased number of ERAS programs.

Evaluation of Enhanced Recovery After Following a Surgical Protocol for Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Peritoneal Carcinomatosis

Introduction:

Cytoreductive surgery with or without hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS ± HIPEC) has positive effects on the survival of patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) due to intra-abdominal tumors. Currently, the available literature on the safety of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol for PC, which is associated with severe morbidity and mortality, is insufficient.

Aim:

This study aimed to present our results from treating patients using the ERAS protocol for PC that developed due to intra-abdominal tumors.

Material and Methods:

The data of 120 consecutive patients with PC due to different etiologies of abdominal origin and who underwent CRS ± HIPEC were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether the ERAS protocol was applied. Information on demographics, length of hospital stay, cost, morbidity, and mortality was statistically compared between groups.

Results:

A total of 102 patients were included in the study. The first 40 patients did not undergo the ERAS protocol, whereas 62 patients did undergo the protocol. The mean length of hospital stay was 10 days in the non-ERAS group and 7 days in the ERAS group. The ERAS group was observed to have earlier mobilization, earlier gas and stool release, lower oral intake, and fewer respiratory problems than the non-ERAS group.

Conclusion:

CRS ± HIPEC has a positive effect on survival. The simultaneous application of the ERAS protocol with the aforementioned procedure has positive effects on intestinal motility and postoperative outcomes. In addition, this protocol may reduce costs by shortening the length of hospital stay.

The efficacy of clinical pathway in gastric cancer surgery

OBJECTIVES

Clinical pathways are useful tools for surgical quality improvement and better peri-operative clinical outcomes for patients undergoing major surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of clinical pathway on early postoperative outcomes for gastric cancer patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study was designed as a retrospective cohort observational study. Patients who had undergone curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer were evaluated by using the gastric cancer database, which was prospectively maintained. The patients were divided into two groups based on the date when the clinical pathway was first used: The control group (May 2015-May 2016) and the clinical pathway group (June 2016-December 2017). Early postoperative outcomes including the length of hospital stay, start of the day of diet, and 30-day complications including reoperation, and operative mortality were compared after propensity score matching.

RESULTS

A total of 101 patients were analyzed, and the data of 70 patients (35 patients in each group) were compared after matching. Clinical pathway group demonstrated shorter hospital stay, earlier nasogastric tube removal, and start of earlier liquid/soft diet. Overall complication rate was lower in the clinical pathway group, while there was no statistically significant difference in major complication rates. No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of reoperation and operative mortality.

CONCLUSION

Clinical pathway may shorten the postoperative length of hospital stay and reduce the overall complication rate without increasing major morbidity in patients undergoing elective gastric cancer surgery.

Enhanced recovery after surgery for gastric cancer (ERAS-GC): optimizing patient outcome

Significant advances were achieved, in last decades, in the management of surgical patients with gastric cancer. This has led to the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) with the objective of reducing the length of hospital stay, accelerating postoperative recovery and reducing the surgical stress. The ERAS protocols have many items, including the pre-operative patient education, early mobilization and feeding starting from the first postoperative day. This review aims to highlight possible advantages on postoperative functional recovery outcomes after gastrectomy in patients undergoing an ERAS program, current lack of evidences and future perspectives.

Postoperative Outcomes Within an Enhanced Recovery after surgery protocol in gastric surgery for cancer (POWER.4): Study protocol for a prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Enhanced recovery pathways or ERAS have been applied in gastric cancer surgery extrapolated from colorectal surgery. The objective of the study is to assess postoperative complications 30 days after gastric surgery for cancer, with any level of compliance with the ERAS protocol. The secondary objectives are to assess 30-day mortality, the relationship between adherence to the ERAS protocol and complications, the impact of each of the items of the protocol on postoperative complications and hospital stay, and to describe the impact of complications on length of hospital stay.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Multicenter, observational, prospective study including all consecutive patients undergoing scheduled gastric cancer surgery, over a period of 3 months, with a 30-day follow-up at participating centers, with any level of compliance with the protocol.

RESULTS

The approval of the Comité Autonómico de Ética de la Investigación de Aragón has been obtained (C.P. - C.I. PI19 / 106, 27 th March 2019). POWER.4 was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov on March 7, 2019 (NCT03865810).

CONCLUSIONS

The data as a whole will be published in peer-reviewed journals. The data will not be made public by identifying each participating center. It is expected that the results of this study will identify potential areas for improvement in which more targeted research is needed.

Biomarkers for Evaluating the Inflammation Status in Patients with Cancer

Inflammation can be a causative factor for carcinogenesis or can result from a consequence of cancer progression. Moreover, cancer therapeutic interventions can also induce an inflammatory response. Various inflammatory parameters are used to assess the inflammatory status during cancer treatment. It is important to select the most optimal biomarker among these parameters. Additionally, suitable biomarkers must be examined if there are no known parameters. We briefly reviewed the published literature for the use of inflammatory parameters in the treatment of patients with cancer. Most studies on inflammation evaluated the correlation between host characteristics, effect of interventions, and clinical outcomes. Additionally, the levels of C-reactive protein, albumin, lymphocytes, and platelets were the most commonly used laboratory parameters, either independently or in combination with other laboratory parameters and clinical characteristics. Furthermore, the immune parameters are classically examined using flow cytometry, immunohistochemical staining, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques. However, gene expression profiling can aid in assessing the overall peri-interventional immune status. The checklists of guidelines, such as STAndards for Reporting of Diagnostic accuracy and REporting recommendations for tumor MARKer prognostic studies should be considered when designing studies to investigate the inflammatory parameters. Finally, the data should be interpreted after adjusting for clinically important variables, such as age and cancer stage.