Thymosin α1 combined with XELOX improves immune function and reduces serum tumor markers in colorectal cancer patients after radical surgery

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of thymosin α1 combined with XELOX in improving immune function and reducing serum tumor markers in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) after radical surgery. A total of 180 patients who underwent radical surgery for CRC were divided into two groups: an observation group (n = 94) receiving thymosin α1 in combination with XELOX and a control group (n = 86) receiving XELOX alone. Immune function, inflammatory factor levels, serum tumor markers, and quality of life were assessed before and after treatment. Adverse reactions and recurrence rates were compared between the two groups in 1 and 3 years. Following therapy, there was a notable increase in the levels of CD3+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ in all cohorts, particularly in the observation cohort, when compared to pre-therapy levels. Conversely, CD8+ levels decreased across all cohorts, especially in the observation cohort. Additionally, there was an increase in the levels of IL-2 and IFN-γ in the observation cohort, compared to both pre-therapy and control cohort levels, while IL-6 levels decreased. The presence of CEA, CA242, and CA724 reduced significantly across all cohorts following post-therapy, particularly in the observation cohort. Post-therapy, there was a significant increase in the scoring for role, cognitive, social, emotional, and somatic functions in all cohorts, with the most significant improvement observed in the observation cohort. There were no significant differences in the incidence of side effects across cohorts, while neutropenia events were significantly lower in the observation cohort (32.98%) compared to the control cohort (48.84%). The 12-month recurrence rate showed no statistical significance across cohorts, while the observation cohort had a significantly lower three-year recurrence rate (24.47%) compared to the control cohort (59.30%). Thymosin α1 combined with XELOX is effective in improving immune function, reducing serum tumor markers, and minimizing recurrence in CRC patients after radical surgery. This combination therapy may be a promising new direction for the treatment of CRC.

A Case of Gallbladder Cancer with Trousseau Syndrome Successfully Treated Using Radical Resection

Trousseau syndrome is characterized by cancer-associated systemic thrombosis. We describe the first case of a successfully treated gallbladder adenocarcinoma accompanied by Trousseau syndrome. A 66-year-old woman presented with right hemiplegia. Magnetic resonance imaging identified multiple cerebral infarctions. Her serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and D-dimer levels were markedly elevated, and a gallbladder tumor was detected via abdominal computed tomography. Venous ultrasonography of the lower limbs revealed a deep venous thrombus in the right peroneal vein. These findings suggested that the brain infarctions were likely caused by Trousseau syndrome associated with her gallbladder cancer. Radical resection of the gallbladder tumor was performed. The resected gallbladder was filled with mucus and was pathologically diagnosed as an adenocarcinoma. Her postoperative course was uneventful, and she received a one-year course of adjuvant therapy with oral S-1. No cancer recurrence or thrombosis was noted 26 months postoperatively. Despite concurrent Trousseau syndrome, a radical cure of the primary tumor and thrombosis could be achieved with the appropriate treatment.

Treatment strategy and post-treatment management of colorectal neuroendocrine tumor

Following the increase in colorectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), there is a consequent increase in the importance of their appropriate treatment and post-treatment management. It is widely accepted that colorectal NETs sized ≥20 mm and those with muscularis propria invasion are indicated for radical surgery, and those sized <10 mm without the invasion are indicated for local resection. No consensus has been reached regarding the treatment strategy for those sized 10-19 mm without the invasion. Endoscopic resection has become a primary option for the local resection of colorectal NETs. For rectal NETs sized <10 mm, modified endoscopic mucosal resection, such as endoscopic submucosal resection with ligation device and endoscopic mucosal resection with a cap-fitted panendoscope, seems favorable because of its ability to achieve a high R0 resection rate, safety, and convenience. Endoscopic submucosal dissection can also be helpful for these lesions; however, this procedure may be more effective for large lesions or those in the colon. Management following local resection of colorectal NETs is based on the pathological evaluation of factors associated with metastasis, including tumor size, invasion depth, tumor cell proliferative activity (NET grading), presence of lymphovascular invasion, and resection margins. There remain unclear issues in managing cases with NET grading ≥2, positive lymphovascular invasion, and positive resection margins following local resection. In particular, there is confusion regarding managing positive lymphovascular invasion because positivity has become remarkably high with the increased use of the immunohistochemical/special staining. Further evidence based on long-term clinical outcomes is required to address these issues.

A new membrane anatomy-oriented classification of radical surgery for rectal cancer

For patients with different clinical stages of rectal cancer, tailored surgery is urgently needed. Over the past 10 years, our team has conducted numerous anatomical studies and proposed the "four fasciae and three spaces" theory to guide rectal cancer surgery. Enlightened by the anatomical basis of the radical hysterectomy classification system of Querleu and Morrow, we proposed a new classification system of radical surgery for rectal cancer based on membrane anatomy. This system categorizes the surgery into four types (A-D) and incorporates corresponding subtypes based on the preservation of the autonomic nerve. Our surgical classification unifies the pelvic membrane anatomical terminology, validates the feasibility of classifying rectal cancer surgery using the theory of "four fasciae and three spaces," and lays the theoretical groundwork for the future development of unified and standardized classification of radical pelvic tumor surgery.

Urinary, Gastrointestinal, and Sexual Dysfunctions after Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy, Radical Surgery or Multimodal Treatment in Women with Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND

Different strategies have been proposed for the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC), with different impacts on patient's quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to analyze urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunctions in a series of LACC patients who underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, radical surgery, or a combination of these treatments.

METHODS

Patients with LACC who underwent neoadjuvant radio-chemotherapy (NART/CT; n = 35), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT; n = 17), exclusive radio-chemotherapy (ERT/CT; n = 28), or upfront surgery (UPS; n = 10) from November 2010 to September 2019 were identified from five oncological referral centers. A customized questionnaire was used for the valuation of urinary, gastrointestinal, and sexual dysfunctions.

RESULTS

A total of 90 patients were included. Increased urinary frequency (>8 times/day) was higher in ERT/CT compared with NACT/RT (57.1% vs. 28.6%; p = 0.02) and NACT (57.1% vs. 17.6%; p = 0.01). The use of sanitary pads for urinary leakage was higher in ERT/CT compared with NACT/RT (42.9% vs. 14.3%; p = 0.01) and NACT (42.9% vs. 11.8%; p = 0.03). The rate of reduced evacuations (<3 times a week) was less in UPS compared with NACT/RT (50% vs. 97.1%; p < 0.01), NACT (50% vs. 88.2, p < 0.01), and ERT/CT (50% vs. 96.4%; p < 0.01). A total of 52 women were not sexually active after therapy, and pain was the principal reason for the avoidance of sexual activity.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate and severity of urinary, gastrointestinal, and sexual dysfunction were similar in the four groups of treatment. Nevertheless, ERT/CT was associated with worse sexual and urinary outcomes.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy plus Radical Surgery in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: Retrospective Single-Center Study

BACKGROUND

Several pretreatment variables have been found to correlate with the clinical outcome of patients treated with NACT plus radical hysterectomy, such as FIGO stage, tumor size, and lymph node status.

METHODS

A single-center retrospective observational study to evaluate the use of NACT in LACC, particularly in the lymph-node-positive subpopulation. The study, conducted at the Maternal and Child Department of "Cannizzaro Hospital" in Catania, included patients treated between 2009 and 2019. Multivariate analysis was performed to analyze responses to NACT according to clinicopathologic parameters. Kaplan-Meyer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) curves were generated according to different lymph node status subgroups.

RESULTS

A total of 151 consecutive patients were enrolled in the study. Significant independent risk factors for response to NACT were preoperative tumor diameter, parametrium involvement, and lymphoma vascular space invasion (LVSI). T initial diameter at NMR was found to be the independent prognostic predictor for general (p = 0.024) and lymph node (LND) response (p = 0.028). Tumors between 2 and 6 cm have a better response to NACT than tumors > 6 cm, and LVSI absence was an independent prognostic factor for LND response to NACT. Survival DFS and OS curves were significant for positive vs. negative pathologic LND.

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery cannot be considered a standard of care in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer, particularly in the subgroup with pre-NACT imaging suspected for LND metastases.

A Para-Scrotal Pleomorphic Liposarcoma Mimicking As Another Scrotum (Pseudo-Scrotum): A Case Report

Liposarcomas are a subtype of soft tissue sarcomas arising from lipoblasts, a mesenchymal cell lineage that commonly arises from deep tissues of the body. Though these are the most common subtypes, their early diagnosis still remains a challenge due to their varied presentation as a soft benign appearing growth. The pleomorphic variant has complex management due to its high recurrence rate and resistance to chemoradiation. Scrotal liposarcomas have been reported. But in the present case, a 69-year-old male who presented with a pedunculated swelling in the left groin mimicking a left hemi-scrotal swelling. It was a left para-scrotal pleomorphic liposarcoma which was totally extra-scrotal, and not related to the spermatic cord or testes. So, this is a rare case with a review of the literature presented here.

Red cell distribution width-a potential prognostic indicator for colorectal cancer patients after radical resection in China

Background

Red cell distribution width (RDW) can signal poor prognosis in inflammatory medical conditions. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between preoperative RDW and colorectal cancer (CRC) in a large cohort of patients.

Methods

A total of 6,224 CRC patients who underwent radical resection at the Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center were evaluated retrospectively. The prognostic significance of RDW for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier method. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used based on survival confounding factors.

Results

The mean age of the study participants was 59.5±12.0 years and the study cohort was 44% female. The overall median and mean RDW values were 13.3% and 14.0%, respectively. Patients were stratified into three groups based on their RDW value (≤13.3%, 13.4-14.0%, and >14.0%). OS and DFS were shown to significantly deteriorate with increasing RDW category. In the PSM population, OS and DFS were significantly lower in the high RDW group compared with matched controls. However, the differences vanished in the comparisons between the middle RDW group and the control group.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that preoperative RDW may represent a simple and powerful prognostic factor for CRC patients after radical resection. Integrating RDW into clinical practice may better inform the prognosis and optimize therapeutic approaches for patients with CRC.

Urological Complications in Radical Surgery for Cervical Cancer: A Comparative Meta-Analysis before and after LACC Trial

BACKGROUND

After the LACC trial publication in 2018, the minimally invasive approach (MIS) has severely decreased in favor of open surgery: MIS radical hysterectomy was associated with worse oncological outcomes than open surgery, but urological complications were never extensively explored in pre- versus post-LACC eras, even if they had a great impact on post-operative QoL. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to compare functional and organic urological complication rates before and after LACC trial.

METHODS

An independent search of the literature was conducted 4 years before and after the LACC trial and 50 studies were included.

RESULTS

The overall rate of urologic complications was higher in pre-LACC studies while no differences were found for organic urological complications. Conversely, the overall risk of dysfunctional urological complications showed a higher rate in the pre-LACC era. This is probably related to a sudden shift to open surgery, with potential lower thermal damage to the urinary tract autonomic nervous fibers.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis showed that the incidence of urological complications in radical cervical cancer surgery was higher before the LACC trial, potentially due to the shift to open surgery. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to shed light on the connection between minimally invasive surgery and urological damage.

Oncological and surgical outcomes of radical surgery in elderly colorectal cancer patients with intestinal obstruction

Background

The treatment strategy for elderly colorectal cancer patients with intestinal obstruction remains controversial. The choice of reasonable treatment and surgical method directly affects perioperative safety and prognosis. This study investigated the safety and long-term efficacy of radical surgery in elderly colorectal cancer patients over 80 years old with intestinal obstruction.

Methods

The clinicopathological data of elderly patients over 80 years old with intestinal obstruction who underwent colorectal cancer surgery from January 2012 to December 2021 were retrospectively collected and analysed. Patients were assigned to a radical group and a palliative group according to the surgical method. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to match patients in the radical group 1:1 with those in the palliative group. The perioperative-related indexes and prognosis were compared between the two groups.

Results

A total of 187 patients were enrolled in this study. After PSM, 58 matched pairs were selected, and the radical and palliative groups were well balanced in terms of the clinical and surgical characteristics (P > 0.05). The proportion of patients transferred to the ICU after surgery in the radical group was significantly higher than that in the palliative group (17.2% vs. 5.2%, P = 0.039). In terms of postoperative complications, the incidence of grade 1-5 complications in the radical group was significantly higher than that in the palliative group (37.9% vs. 15.5%, P = 0.006); however, there was no significant difference in the incidence of grade 3-5 complications between the two groups (6.9% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.364). In addition, the complications were subclassified, and it was found that the incidence of gastrointestinal disorders (20.7% vs. 6.9%, P = 0.031) after surgery was significantly higher in the radical group. The 3-year OS rates were 55.2% and 22.6% in the radical and palliative groups, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that radical surgery was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR: 4.32; 95% CI, 1.93-12.45; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Although elderly colorectal cancer patients over 80 years of age with intestinal obstruction are more likely to be admitted to the ICU and develop more postoperative complications after radical surgery, long-term survival benefits can be achieved.

Delayed chylopericardium after radical surgery for esophageal cancer: a case report

Background

Postoperative chylpericardium is a rare clinical disease that often manifests as chest tightness, shortness of breathdyspnea, and other symptoms of pericardial tamponade. The etiological spectrum of chylopericardium is complex, but the disease is mainly idiopathic. Chylopericardium caused by thoracic surgery is rarely reported, both at home and abroad.

Case summary

We report a case of a 65-year-old male patient who developed chylopericardium after thoracoabdominal combined incision and partial esophagogastric anastomosis plus lymph node dissection for 1 month. After pericardiocentesis and drainage, low-fat enteral nutrition, and parenteral nutrition, the patient was cured. Based on this case, this article reviews the literature on the diagnosis and treatment of chylopericardium after thoracic surgery.

Conclusion

In conclusion, thoracic surgery (excluding cardiac surgery) can cause delayed chylopericardium. This condition is rarely reported in China, and only a few cases have been reported abroad. Thus, the diagnosis is likely to be missed or misdiagnosed. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to reduce patient discomfort as much as possible.

Analysis of the effectiveness of the application of pelvic floor rehabilitation exercise and the factors influencing its self-efficacy in postoperative patients with cervical cancer

Objective

To analyze the application effect of pelvic floor rehabilitation exercise in postoperative patients with cervical cancer and the factors influencing their self-efficacy.

Methods

120 postoperative patients with cervical cancer from January 2019 to January 2022 from the Department of Rehabilitation, Aeronautical Industry Flying Hospital, Bayi Orthopaedic Hospital and Southwest Medical University Affiliated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chengdu Seventh People's Hospital, and the Department of Oncology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital were selected for the study. They were divided into routine group (n=44, applied routine care) and exercise group (n=76, applied routine care + pelvic floor rehabilitation exercise) according to the different perioperative care programs. The perioperative indicators, bladder function recovery rate and urinary retention incidence, urodynamic indicators, and pelvic floor distress inventory-short form 20 (PFDI-20) scores were compared between the 2 groups. The general data, PFDI-20 scores and broome pelvic muscle self-efficacy scale (BPMSES) scores of patients in the exercise group were investigated and analyzed individually to investigate the factors influencing the self-efficacy of patients with pelvic floor rehabilitation exercise after cervical cancer surgery.

Results

The time of first anal exhaust, urine tube retention and hospitalization after surgery were shorter in the exercise group than in the routine group (P<0.05). The bladder function grade I rate after surgery was more in the exercise group than in the routine group, and the urinary retention incidence was lower than that in the routine group (P<0.05). At 2 weeks after exercise, bladder compliance and bladder detrusor systolic pressure were higher in both groups than before exercise, and they were higher in the exercise group than in the routine group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in urethral closure pressure within and between the two groups (P>0.05). At 3 months after surgery, the PFDI-20 scores were higher in both groups than before surgery, and the exercise group was lower than the routine group (P<0.05).The BPMSES score for the exercise group was (103.33 ± 9.16). Marital status, residence and PFDI-20 scores were influential factors in the self-efficacy level of patients undergoing pelvic floor rehabilitation exercise after cervical cancer surgery (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Implementing pelvic floor rehabilitation exercise for postoperative patients with cervical cancer can speed up the recovery of pelvic organ function and reduce the occurrence of postoperative urinary retention. Marital status, residence and PFDI-20 scores were influential factors in the self-efficacy level of patients undergoing pelvic floor rehabilitation exercise after cervical cancer surger, medical staff need to incorporate these clinical features to provide targeted nursing interventions to enhance patient compliance with training and improve postoperative survival quality.

Primary Treatment for Clinically Early Cervical Cancer with Lymph Node Metastasis: Radical Surgery or Radiation?

OBJECTIVE

To compare survival outcomes between primary radical surgery and primary radiation in early cervical cancer.

METHODS

Patient information was extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Results database. Patients diagnosed with early cervical cancer of stage T1a, T1b, and T2a (American Joint Committee on Cancer, 7th edition) from 1998 to 2015 were included in this study after propensity score matching. Overall survival (OS) was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

Among the 4964 patients included in the study, 1080 patients were identified as having positive lymph nodes (N1), and 3884 patients were identified as having negative lymph nodes (N0). Patients with primary surgery had significantly longer 5-year OS than those with primary radiotherapy in both the N1 group (P<0.001) and N0 group (P<0.001). In the subgroup analysis, similar results were found in patients with positive lymph nodes of stage T1a (100.0% vs. 61.1%), T1b (84.1% vs. 64.3%), and T2a (74.4% vs. 63.8%). In patients with T1b1 and T2a1, primary surgery resulted in longer OS than primary radiation, but not in patients with T1b2 and T2a2. In multivariate analysis, the primary treatment was identified as an independent prognostic factor in both N1 and N0 patients (HR_N1=2.522, 95% CI=1.919-3.054, P_N1<0.001; HR_N0=1.895, 95% CI=1.689-2.126, P_N0<0.001).

CONCLUSION

In early cervical cancer stage T1a, T1b1, and T2a1, primary surgery may result in longer OS than primary radiation for patients with and without lymph node metastasis.

Positive p16 Immunostaining Is an Independent Prognostic Variable for Disease-free Survival and Overall Survival in Patients With Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Vulva Treated With Radical Surgery and Inguinofemoral Lymphadenectomy: An Italian Single Center Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND/AIM

The expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p16 correlates with the presence of human papillomavirus. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the prognostic relevance of p16 expression in patients with vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC) treated with radical surgery followed by adjuvant (chemo) radiation in selected cases.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Seventy-eight patients were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

Positive p16 immunostaining was detected in 19 (24.4%) patients. Five-year disease-free survival (DFS) and 5-year overall survival (OS) were better in p16-positive compared to p16-negative patients (83.9% versus 37.3% p=0.002 and 91.7% versus 57.6%, p=0.003, respectively). p16 expression retained prognostic relevance at multivariate analysis for both DFS and OS.

CONCLUSION

p16 expression was detected in 24.4% of patients with VSCC and was found to be an independent prognostic variable for both DFS and OS.

Renal cell carcinoma with intracardiac tumor thrombus extension: Radical surgery yields 2 years of postoperative survival in a single-center study over a period of 30 years

Background

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with tumor thrombus extension into the right atrium (level IV) is a rare life-threatening clinical condition that can only be managed by means of a combined urological and cardiac surgical approach. The early and late outcomes of this radical treatment were analyzed in a large single-institution series over a period of 30 years.

Methods

In 37 patients with RCC and intracardiac tumor thrombus extension, nephrectomy was performed followed by the extraction of the intracaval and intracardiac tumor thrombus under direct visual control during deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA). Recently, in 13 patients, selective aortic arch perfusion (SAAP) was instituted during DHCA.

Results

In all patients, precise removal of the tumor thrombus was accomplished in a bloodless field. The mean duration of isolated DHCA was 15 ± 6 min, and 31.5 ± 10.2 min in the case of DHCA + SAAP, at a mean hypothermia of 22.7 ± 4°C. In-hospital mortality was 7.9% (3 patients). In Kaplan-Meier analysis, the estimated median survival was 26.4 months whereas the 5-year cancer-related survival rate was 51%.

Conclusions

Despite its complexity, this extensive procedure can be performed safely with a generally uneventful postoperative course. The use of cardiopulmonary bypass with DHCA, with the advantage of SAAP, allows for a safe, precise, and complete extirpation of intracaval and intracardiac tumor mass. Late outcomes after radical surgical treatment in patients with RCC and tumor thrombus reaching up in the right atrium in our series justify this extensive procedure.

Renal primitive neuroectodermal tumor: A rare case with a good prognosis

Background

Renal primitive neuroectodermal tumor (rPNET) has the characteristics of a difficult preoperative diagnosis, a high degree of malignancy, easy early metastasis or postoperative recurrence, a poor prognosis, and so on. However, rPNET that has no metastasis before surgery can have a good survival prognosis only after radical surgical resection.

Methods

We report the case of a 14-year-old male patient with a renal tumor who underwent open radical left nephrectomy without radiotherapy or chemotherapy before or after surgery, as confirmed by postoperative pathological results. The prognosis was followed up by a regular review of the chest and whole abdomen on CT, hematuria analysis, renal function, and electrolytes according to the guidelines for renal cancer.

Results

Postoperative pathological results confirmed rPNET; no adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy were performed after surgery; no tumor recurrence or metastasis were observed during the follow-up of nearly 5 years.

Conclusions

Despite the high degree of rPNET malignancy, patients without metastases before surgery can still obtain a good survival prognosis through timely radical surgery.

Prognostic value of KRAS subtype in patients with PDAC undergoing radical resection

Objective

To explore the frequency distribution of KRAS mutant subtypes in patients with resectable PDAC in China and then evaluate the prognostic value of different KRAS subtypes in patients with PDAC undergoing radical resection.

Methods

The clinicopathological data and gene test reports of 227 patients undergoing PDAC radical surgery at Hunan Provincial People's Hospital from 1 January 2016 to 1 January 1 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. There were 118 men (52%) and 109 women (48%). The mean age was 58.8 ± 10.3 years. After univariate analysis of the clinicopathological factors (sex, age, presence or absence of underlying disease, location of the primary tumour, tumour TNM stage, T stage, N stage, presence or absence of vascular invasion, presence or absence of nerve invasion, surgical margin, KRAS mutation subtype), variables with P < 0.1 were included in the multivariate Cox regression model analysis, and the log-rank sum test and Kaplan-Meier curves were used to assess the correlation of the KRAS mutation subtype with the overall survival time.

Results

KRAS mutations were detected in 184 of 227 patients (81.1%) (G12D: 66; G12V: 65; G12R: 27; Q61:26) and were not detected in 43 patients (18.9%). KRAS mutations were associated with tumour differentiation (P = 0.001), TNM stage (P = 0.013), and T stage (P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression model analysis showed that N stage, surgical margin, tumour differentiation, and KRAS-G12D mutation were independent prognostic factors for DFS and OS. Patients with the KRAS-G12D subtype had shorter OS with a median OS of 12 months (HR: 0.55, CI: 0.39-0.77, P < 0.001), and patients with KRAS wild-type had longer OS with a median OS of 19 months (HR: 0.57, CI: 0.42-0.76, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

KRAS wild-type individuals are more prevalent in the Chinese population than in European or American populations. Patients undergoing surgery had a reduced percentage of tumors with KRAS-G12D. When determining the prognosis of individuals with radically resected PDAC, reference markers for KRAS mutation subtypes can be employed.

Understanding the Philosophy, Anatomy, and Surgery of the Extra-TME Plane of Locally Advanced and Locally Recurrent Rectal Cancer; Single Institution Experience with International Benchmarking

Simple Summary

Worldwide there is still unwarranted variation in peri-operative management and subsequently oncological outcome following pelvic exenteration for locally advanced and recurrent rectal cancer. The major contributing factor seems to be a difference in treatment strategy with many centres aiming for more neoadjuvant treatment and less radical surgery. However, a radical resection with clear operative margins remains the single most important prognostic factor for survival and therefore an aggressive, radical approach is justified for an optimal oncological outcome and remains the gold standard of care.

Abstract

Pelvic exenteration surgery has become a widely accepted procedure for treatment of locally advanced (LARC) and locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC). However, there is still unwarranted variation in peri-operative management and subsequently oncological outcome after this procedure. In this article we will elaborate on the various reasons for the observed differences based on benchmarking results of our own data to the data from the PelvEx collaborative as well as findings from 2 other benchmarking studies. Our main observation was a significant difference in extent of resection between exenteration units, with our unit performing more complete soft tissue exenterations, sacrectomies and extended lateral compartment resections than most other units, resulting in a higher R0 rate and longer overall survival. Secondly, current literature shows there is a tendency to use more neoadjuvant treatment such as re-irradiation and total neoadjuvant treatment and perform less radical surgery. However, peri-operative chemotherapy or radiotherapy should not be a substitute for adequate radical surgery and an R0 resection remains the gold standard. Finally, we describe our experiences with standardizing our surgical approaches to the various compartments and the achieved oncological and functional outcomes.

High rate of Ki-67 increase in entero-pancreatic NET relapses after surgery with curative intent

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) present with advanced disease at diagnosis in up to 28% of cases, precluding the possibility of curative-intent surgery. Histopathological heterogeneity of this disease can be observed inter-individually as well as intra-individually during disease course. The present study aimed to assess the frequency of Ki-67 change after radical surgery, in a series of patients with radically resected entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (EP-NETs). We present the analysis of a multicenter, retrospective, series of EP-NETs G1-G2 recurring after radical resection and with histological re-evaluation at disease recurrence (DR). The primary endpoint was the description of Ki-67 change at DR compared to time of surgery. The secondary endpoint was assessment of recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates. In total, 47 patients had a second histological evaluation and could be included in the present study. Median Ki-67 at surgery was 3% (range 1-15%) but, at DR, a significant increase in the value was observed (7%, range 1-30%; p < .01) and involved 66.0% of cases, with a corresponding increase in tumor grading in 34.0% (p = .05). Median RFS of the overall population was 40 months, and was worse when Ki-67 increased at DR vs. stable Ki-67 value (36 vs. 61 months, respectively; p = .02). In conclusion, in more than half of the cases with relapse after radical surgery, a higher proliferative index with a potentially more aggressive potential was observed. Therefore, histological reassessment should be considered on DR because tailored therapeutic strategies may be required for these patients.

Risk factors for recurrence of abdominal aggressive fibromatosis after radical surgery: An 8-year observational study from a chinese high-volume sarcoma center

BACKGROUND

There are lacking standard treatment guidelines for aggressive fibromatosis (AF) because of its rarity.

AIM

This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for recurrence and survival of abdominal AF after radical surgical resection.

METHODS

From August 2012 to December 2020, a retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 69 AF in Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center Affiliated to Fudan University, with the tumor locating either in the abdominal wall or in the abdominal cavity. The main observation end point was progression-free survival time (PFS) and overall survival time (OS).

RESULTS

All 69 patients achieved microscopic R0 resection, 10 (14.5%) had local recurrence, and 3 (4.3%) died. The PFS rate after 1, 3, 5, and 10 years was 96.8%, 87.7%, 78.8%, and 78.8%, respectively. The OS rate after 1, 3, 5, and 10 years was 100%, 100%, 92.9%, and 81.3%, respectively. In 10 patients with recurrence, the median recurrence time was 17.6 months. Concomitant familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and history of previous recurrence were independent risk factors of post-operative recurrence.

CONCLUSION

After radical surgery of abdominal AF, the local recurrence rate was 15%. Concomitant FAP and a previous history of recurrence were independent risk factors of post-operative recurrence. R0 and a combined organ resection should be performed especially in FAP patients to minimize the recurrence and improve the prognosis.

RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS

The present study identifies the risk factors of recurrence in AF and suggests R0 resection especially in concomitant FAP patients. A wait-and-see strategy should not be generally implemented and radical surgery will bring clinical benefits to patients with such kind of rare disease.

Prognostic impact of preoperative Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index in oral squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the prognostic impact of preoperative Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) values in older adults undergoing radical surgery for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

This retrospective study included 61 patients ≥ 65 years old with OSCC (43 men, 18 women; age: 72.1±5.4 years) who underwent radical surgery between 2013 and 2020. Factors influencing overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were examined.

RESULTS

Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that the optimal GNRI value for classifying patients into low-GNRI (<93.7; OS: n=19 [31.1%], DFS: n=42 [68.9%]) and high-GNRI groups (≥93.7; OS, n=19 [31.1%]; DFS, n=42 [68.9%]) was 93.7. OS and DFS rates were significantly lower in the low-GNRI group than in the high-GNRI group. Univariate analysis indicated that alcohol use, preoperative serum C-reactive protein level, lymphatic invasion, postoperative treatment, and GNRI were significantly correlated with OS, while lymphatic invasion, postoperative treatment, and GNRI were significantly correlated with DFS. In multivariate analysis, only GNRI was significantly correlated with OS. DFS and postoperative treatment were independent predictors of DFS.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative GNRI may be a significant prognostic factor in older adults with OSCC. GNRI assessment and nutritional intervention may improve prognosis in patients at high nutritional risk.

The prognostic value of the number of positive lymph nodes and the lymph node ratio in early-stage cervical cancer

INTRODUCTION

To establish the impact of the number of lymph node metastases (nLNM) and the lymph node ratio (LNR) on survival in patients with early-stage cervical cancer after surgery.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In this nationwide historical cohort study, all women diagnosed between 1995 and 2020 with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2009 stage IA2-IIA1 cervical cancer and nodal metastases after radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy from the Netherlands Cancer Registry were selected. Optimal cut-offs for prognostic stratification by nLNM and LNR were calculated to categorize patients into low-risk or high-risk groups. Kaplan-Meier overall survival analysis and flexible parametric relative survival analysis were used to determine the impact of nLNM and LNR on survival. Missing data were imputed.

RESULTS

The optimal cut-off point was ≥4 for nLNM and ≥0.177 for LNR. Of the 593 women included, 500 and 501 (both 84%) were categorized into the low-risk and 93 and 92 (both 16%) into the high-risk groups for nLNM and LNR, respectively. Both high-risk groups had a worse 5-year overall survival (p < 0.001) compared with the low-risk groups. Being classified into the high-risk groups is an independent risk factor for relative survival, with excess hazard ratios of 2.4 (95% confidence interval 1.6-3.5) for nLNM and 2.5 (95% confidence interval 1.7-3.8) for LNR.

CONCLUSIONS

Presenting a patient's nodal status postoperatively by the number of positive nodes, or by the nodal ratio, can support further risk stratification regarding survival in the case of node-positive early-stage cervical cancer.

Management of Early-Stage Cervical Cancer: A Literature Review

Simple Summary

Despite being a preventable disease, cervical cancer still causes morbidity and deaths worldwide. In the early stages (FIGO IA1 with lymph-vascular space invasion-IIA1), the disease is highly curable. The primary treatment for early-stage cervical cancer is radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy. This surgical treatment has changed during the past decades, and we aimed to review and discuss the advances in the literature. We performed a literature review through PubMed focusing on English articles about the topic of surgical management of early-stage cervical cancer. The emergent topics considered here are the FIGO 2018 staging system update, conservative management for selected patients, sentinel lymph node mapping, fertility preservation, surgical approach, and management of tumors up to 2 cm. These topics show an evolvement to a more tailored treatment to prevent morbidity and assure oncologic safety.

Abstract

Cervical cancer (CC) remains a public health issue worldwide despite preventive measures. Surgical treatment in the early-stage CC has evolved during the last decades. Our aim was to review the advances in the literature and summarize the ongoing studies on this topic. To this end, we conducted a literature review through PubMed focusing on English-language articles on the surgical management of early-stage CC. The emergent topics considered here are the FIGO 2018 staging system update, conservative management with less radical procedures for selected patients, lymph node staging, fertility preservation, preferred surgical approach, management of tumors up to 2 cm, and prognosis. In terms of updating FIGO, we highlight the inclusion of lymph node status on staging and the possibility of imaging. Regarding the preferred surgical approach, we emphasize the LACC trial impact worldwide in favor of open surgery; however, we discuss the controversial application of this for tumors < 2 cm. In summary, all topics show a tendency to provide patients with tailored treatment that avoids morbidity while maintaining oncologic safety, which is already possible in high-income countries. We believe that efforts should focus on making this a reality for low-income countries as well.

Gastric adenocarcinoma with germ cell tumor components: a rare case report

Germ cell tumors (GCTs) often occur in male testes and female ovaries. Extragonadal GCTs account for approximately 2% to 5% of all GCTs and mainly occur in the mediastinum, retroperitoneum, and pineal gland. In this study, we reported a rare case of gastric adenocarcinoma with GCT components. The patient’s serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) level was higher than normal. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed a 10-cm × 10-cm tumor between the spleen and the bottom of the stomach. Gastric endoscopy indicated an ulcerative lesion extending from the bottom of the stomach to the antrum. Tissue biopsy identified the tumor as an adenocarcinoma. The patient underwent abdominal tumor resection, subtotal gastrectomy, D2 lymphadenectomy, and splenectomy. Postoperative histopathology showed that the tumor was a moderately to poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed positive staining for AFP, glypican-3, and placental alkaline phosphatase. Gastric adenocarcinoma with GCT components is particularly uncommon and rarely reported. Elevated serum AFP and/or β-human chorionic gonadotropin levels, abdominal CT, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry may help diagnose GCTs. Radical surgery resection is the primary treatment method for GCTs. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy are effective for advanced GCTs.

A New Way Out of the Predicament of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma From Existing Data Analysis

BACKGROUND

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is an endocrine tumor with a low incidence but a very poor prognosis. The vast majority of patients have a survival time of only three to six months, but a few survive for two years or more. In recent years, there have been major breakthroughs in targeted and immunotherapy in the field of oncology therapy. Although the preliminary study for ATC showed a promising prospect, more clinical trials are needed. It is the best approach to explore the measures that can improve survival time of ATC from the available clinical data, especially those with long survival.

METHODS

We report on an 82-year-old ATC patient who survived for 3 years and systematically review the clinical characteristics of 45 ATC patients with complete data from the two largest centers in northwest China. In particular, factors related to long-term survival were analyzed and summarized.

RESULTS

Three years prior, an 82-year-old woman was diagnosed with ATC by core needle biopsy following a physical examination. The thyroid tumor was resected within one month, and then the patient was treated with radiotherapy. The patient was still healthy after three years of follow-up. Analysis of prognostic factors for the 45 reviewed patients showed that those undergoing radical surgery (median overall survival (OS) = 472 days, p = 0.0261) and radiotherapy (median OS = 220 days, p = 0.0136) had better outcomes. In addition, patients younger than 65 years (median OS = 164.5 days, p = 0.0176) and with a lower tumor stage (IV A, median OS = 633.5 days, p = 0.0191) also had a better outcome.

CONCLUSION

ATC is a highly malignant tumor, but timely early diagnosis and standardized treatment with radical surgery and radiotherapy as the core can achieve good results. Some patients can achieve long-term survival.

Radical treatment of Sister Mary-Joseph nodule: case report and literature review

Sister Mary-Joseph nodule (NSMJ) is a cutaneous metastasis of the umbilicus, rare and accounts for 2-3% of the patients with advanced stages of colorectal adenocarcinoma. Here we report the observation of a 48-year-old Moroccan man, referred to our hospital to manage a painful ulcero-budding nodule of the umbilicus; computed tomography revealed that the processes infiltrated the urachus and the bladder. Laboratory parameters were normal and radical surgery was performed to remove the tumor and embryological remnant of the umbilicus. The histological assessment confirmed the sigmoidal origin of the umbilical nodule. This kind of disease always poses a problem of treatment. It was considered for a long time as an outdated stage of tumor disease that deserves just palliative treatment. Several cases published in the international literature with radical treatment had good survival and evolution, which gives hope to patients with this disease.

Radical Surgery After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Neuroendocrine Cancer of the Cervix

BACKGROUND/AIM

Although still controversial, the current treatment for locally advanced neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix (NECC) relies on chemoradiation (CRT). The aim of this study is to evaluate the alternative role of combined chemotherapy and surgery in treating NECC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective series of patients undergoing radical surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for locally advanced NECC (stages IIB-IVA). Histological examination and immunohistochemistry were performed on surgical specimens to confirm diagnosis. Systematic literature search was conducted to identify other cases treated with chemotherapy and surgery.

RESULTS

Seven patients with a mean age of 49 years were identified. The mean greatest diameter at diagnosis was 59.3±24.7 mm. FIGO stage was IIB in 14.3% of patients, IIIB in 28.6%, IIIC in 42.9%, and IVA in 14.3%. The response to NACT was partial, ranging from 50% to 80%. Neuroendocrine markers were expressed in all cases. The mean progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 15.0±30.6 months and 26.3±36.4 months, respectively. Eleven studies encompassing a total of 27 patients met eligibility criteria for the systematic review.

CONCLUSION

Surgery after NACT for locally advanced NECC may yield similar outcomes compared to CRT. The benefit of performing surgery as a primary approach could lie in the possibility of reserving CRT for recurrences. Since randomized clinical trials are difficult to be designed, an expert consensus is required to address the non-inferiority of radical surgery over CRT.

Clinicopathological Features of Stage I-III Colorectal Cancer Recurrence Over 5 Years After Radical Surgery Without Receiving Neoadjuvant Therapy: Evidence From a Large Sample Study

Late recurrence (5 or more years) after radical resection of colorectal cancer (CRC) is rare. This study aims to investigate the features of late recurrence in stage I–III CRC. A total of 9,754 stage I–III patients with CRC who underwent radical surgery without receiving neoadjuvant therapy, at the Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC), were enrolled in this study. These patients were divided into three groups: early recurrence (3 months−2 years), intermediate recurrence (2–5 years), and late recurrence (over 5 years). The median duration of follow-up was 53.5 ± 30.1 months. A total of 2,341 (24.0%) patients developed recurrence. The late recurrence rate was 11.7%. Patients with a higher risk of late recurrence were more likely to be older, to be at the T4 stage, to have a higher degree of colon cancer, to have a lower frequency of signet ring cell carcinoma, to have fewer poorly differentiated tumors, to be at the early stage of CRC, along with less perineural and vascular invasions. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified age, differentiation, T stage, N stage, perineural, and vascular invasions as independent factors for late recurrence. Late recurrent CRC has some distinctive characteristics. Although recurrence over 5 years after surgery is infrequent, an enhanced follow-up is still needed for the selected patients after 5 years.

Short- and Long-Term Outcomes of Robotic Surgery for Rectal Neuroendocrine Tumor

Background. The optimal radical surgical approach for rectal neuroendocrine tumor (NET) is unknown. Methods. This study evaluated the short- and long-term outcomes of 27 patients who underwent robotic radical surgery for rectal NET between 2011 and 2019. Results. The median distance from the lower border of the tumor to the anal verge was 5.0 cm. The median tumor size was 9.5 mm. Six patients (22%) had lymph node metastasis. The incidences of postoperative complications of grade II and grade III or more according to the Clavien-Dindo classification were 11% and 0%, respectively. All patients underwent sphincter-preserving surgery, and no patients required conversion to open surgery. The median follow-up time was 48.9 months, and both the 3-year overall survival and relapse-free survival rates were 100%. Conclusions. Short- and long-term outcomes of robotic surgery for rectal NET tumor were favorable. Robotic surgery may be a useful surgical approach for rectal NET.

Factors Affecting the Choice of Treatment in Hepatic Hydatid Cyst Surgery

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to determine the effective factors in the selection of treatment methods for patients with hepatic hydatid cyst undergoing surgery and the variables effective when performing postoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In addition, we aimed to reveal the factors affecting the recurrence, postoperative complications, and length of stay of these patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 107 patients diagnosed with hepatic hydatid cysts were treated surgically. Data were obtained from the records of these patients. Chi-square test was used for the analysis. The variables that were found to be significant in the chi-square analysis were included in the logistic regression (Backward: LR) analysis.

RESULTS

Of all patients, 6.5% underwent the puncture, aspiration, injection, and reaspiration (PAIR) technique, 67.3% underwent conservative surgery, and 26.2% underwent radical surgical treatment. In paired comparisons, a significant difference was found among the ultrasonographic size of the cyst (p = 0.033), the radiological classification of the cyst (0.006), and history of previous surgery and treatment methods for the cyst. The risk of performing ERCP was 25.710 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.721-284.013] folds higher for cysts located in the left lobe, whereas it was 19.992 (95% CI: 2.004-199.488) folds higher for cysts located in both right and left lobes. When the radical surgical treatment method was taken as a reference, the status of ERCP implementation was 29.785 (95% CI: 1.844-480.996) folds higher for PAIR and 3.628 (95% CI: 0.355-37.103) folds higher for conservative surgery.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, radical surgery is a significant treatment for hepatic hydatid cyst as its ultrasonographic cyst size increases with time. The location and treatment method of the cyst increases the complication of biliary fistula and requires ERCP.

Site-specific differences in survival among upper and lower tract urothelial carcinoma patients treated with radical surgery

BACKGROUND

It currently remains unclear whether the location of primary tumours affects the clinical outcomes of patients with locally advanced urothelial carcinoma in the urinary tract. The aim of the present study was to compare prognostic differences between bladder urothelial carcinoma and upper tract urothelial carcinoma, particularly pT3 or higher tumours.

METHODS

In total, 307 patients with pT3 or higher urothelial carcinoma without distant metastasis who underwent radical cystectomy for bladder urothelial carcinoma (N = 127, 41.4%) or radical nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (N = 180, 58.6%) at Keio University Hospital and three affiliated hospitals between 1994 and 2017 were enrolled. Oncological outcomes were compared between bladder urothelial carcinoma and upper tract urothelial carcinoma using Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

Significantly higher rates of male patients, smokers, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, lymph node involvement and lymphovascular invasion were observed in the bladder urothelial carcinoma group. The incidence of regional lymph node or local recurrence was higher in patients with bladder urothelial carcinoma than in those with upper tract urothelial carcinoma, while that of lung metastasis was lower. In all patients, bladder urothelial carcinoma was independently associated with disease recurrence (hazard ratio (HR) 1.504, P = 0.035) in addition to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and lymphovascular invasion. Bladder urothelial carcinoma was also independently associated with cancer death (HR = 1.998, P = 0.002) as well as lymphovascular invasion. Following the exclusion of patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, bladder urothelial carcinoma remained an independent risk factor for disease recurrence and cancer death (HR = 1.702, P = 0.010 and HR = 1.888, P = 0.013, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Bladder urothelial carcinoma may follow worse prognosis compared to upper tract urothelial carcinoma, particularly that with a high pathological stage.

The effect and prognosis of combinative implantation by autologous-fat granule and prosthesis for breast reconstruction after radical mastectomy

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we analyzed the effect and prognosis of combinative implantation of autologous-fat granule and prosthesis for breast reconstruction after radical mastectomy.

METHODS

73 cases of breast cancer patients hospitalized from March 2015 to March 2017 were chosen and separated into observation group (n=41) and control group (n=32) on the basis of the surgical methods. Both the two groups underwent modified radical mastectomy. In addition, the control group received prosthesis implantation for breast reconstruction, and the observation group was implanted with combination of prosthesis and autologous-fat granule transplantation. Thereafter, the surgical indexes, postoperative complications, aesthetic effects of breast reconstruction and prognosis of the two groups of patients were evaluated.

RESULTS

The surgical duration of the observation group was obviously longer than that of the control group (P<0.05), while the two groups had insignificant difference in postoperative drainage duration and postoperative hospital stay (P>0.05). FACT-B score of both groups of patients one year after surgery was dramatically higher than that before surgery (P<0.05), and patients in observation group had remarkably higher scores than those in control group (P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications in observation group was substantially lower than that in control group (P<0.05). In addition, the aesthetic evaluation of the observation-group patients postoperatively was notably higher than that in control group (P<0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in progression-free survival between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

The combinative implantation of both prosthesis and autologous-fat granule for breast reconstruction after radical mastectomy is simple in operation procedure, and has better aesthetic outcome and safety. It satisfies the aesthetic demand of patients while having lesions resection, and does not affect the surgical effect of modified radical mastectomy, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Guideline adherence for radical cystectomy significantly affects survival outcomes in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients

BACKGROUND

The relationship between guideline adherence for radical cystectomy of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer and patient prognoses currently remains unclear. We investigated whether guideline adherence at the time of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer affects the oncological outcomes of bladder cancer patients who underwent radical cystectomy.

METHODS

Among 267 cTa-4N0-2M0 bladder cancer patients, 70 who underwent radical cystectomy under the non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer or muscle-invasive bladder cancer status that progressed from non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer were identified. Patients who followed the guidelines from initial transurethral resection of bladder tumors to radical cystectomy were defined as the guideline adherent group (n = 52), while those who did not were the guideline non-adherent group (n = 18).

RESULTS

In the guideline non-adherent group, 8 (44.4%) out of 18 were diagnosed with highest risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer for Bacillus Calmette Guérin-naïve patients and 7 (38.9%) had a Bacillus Calmette Guérin unresponsive tumor status. Five-year recurrence-free survival and cancer-specific survival rates for the guideline non-adherent group vs guideline adherent group were 38.9% vs 69.8% (P = 0.018) and 52.7% vs 80.1% (P = 0.006), respectively. A multivariate analysis identified guideline non-adherence as one of independent indicators for disease recurrence (hazard ratio = 2.81, P = 0.008) and cancer-specific death (hazard ratio = 4.04, P = 0.003). In a subgroup analysis of 49 patients with cT1 or less non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer at the time of radical cystectomy, guideline non-adherence remained an independent prognostic factor for cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio = 3.46, P = 0.027).

CONCLUSIONS

Guideline adherence during the time course of the non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer stage may result in a favorable prognosis of patients who receive radical cystectomy. Even under non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer status, radical cystectomy needs to be performed with adequate timing under guideline recommendations.

Mucosal Invasion, but Not Incomplete Excision, Has Negative Impact on Long-Term Survival in Patients With Extramammary Paget's Disease

Background

Extramammary Paget’s disease (EMPD) sometimes spreads from the skin to mucosal areas, and curative surgical excision of these areas is challenging. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of mucosal involvement and surgical treatment on the survival of patients with EMPD.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of 217 patients with EMPD. We also assessed the associations between tumor involvement in boundary areas (anal canal, external urethral meatus, vaginal introitus), prognostic factors, and survival in 198 patients treated with curative surgery.

Results

Of 217 patients, 75 (34.6%) had mucosal boundary area involvement. Lesions in these areas were associated with frequent lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.042), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.0002), incomplete excision (p < 0.0001), and locoregional recurrence (p < 0.0001). Boundary area involvement was an independent prognostic factor associated with disease-specific survival, per multivariate analysis (HR: 11.87, p = 0.027). Incomplete excision was not significantly correlated with disease-specific survival (HR: 1.05, p = 0.96).

Conclusion

Boundary area tumor involvement was a major risk factor for incomplete excision, local recurrence, and poor survival outcomes. However, incomplete removal of primary tumors was not significantly associated with poor prognosis. A less invasive surgical approach for preserving anogenital and urinary functions may be acceptable as the first-line treatment for resectable EMPD.

Is salvage radiotherapy optimal to patients with occult cervical cancer undergoing inadvertent simple hysterectomy? A propensity score-matched analysis of a nationwide clinical oncology database

OBJECTIVE

We used National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Result database to assess the role of salvage radiotherapy for women with unanticipated cervical cancer after simple hysterectomy.

METHODS

Patients with non-metastatic cervical cancer and meeting inclusion criteria were divided into three groups based on treatment strategy: simple hysterectomy, salvage radiotherapy after hysterectomy and radical surgery. Parallel propensity score-matched datasets were established for salvage radiotherapy group vs. simple hysterectomy group (matching ratio 1: 1), and salvage radiotherapy group vs. radical surgery group (matching ratio 1:2). The primary endpoint was the overall survival advantage of salvage radiotherapy over simple hysterectomy or radical surgery within the propensity score-matched datasets.

RESULTS

In total, 2682 patients were recruited: 647 in the simple hysterectomy group, 564 in the salvage radiotherapy group and 1471 in the radical surgery group. Age, race, histology, grade, FIGO stage, insured and marital status and chemotherapy were comprised in propensity score-matched. Matching resulted in two comparison groups with neglectable differences in most variables, except for black race, FIGO stage III and chemotherapy in first matching. In the matched analysis for salvage radiotherapy vs. simple hysterectomy, the median follow-up time was 39 versus 32 months. In the matched analysis for salvage radiotherapy vs. radical surgery, the median follow-up time was 39 and 41 months, respectively. Salvage radiotherapy (HR 0.53, P = 0.046) significantly improved overall survival compared with simple hysterectomy, while salvage radiotherapy cannot achieve similar overall survival to radical surgery (HR 1.317, P = 0.045).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the largest study of the effect of salvage radiotherapy on overall survival in patients with unanticipated cervical cancer. Salvage radiotherapy can improve overall survival compared with hysterectomy alone, while cannot achieve comparable survival to radical surgery.

Epidemiology, incidence, and survival of synovial sarcoma subtypes: SEER database analysis

BACKGROUND

Synovial sarcoma (SyS) is a rare malignancy that is typically located on the limbs and occurs predominantly in adolescents. A study in a large population for SyS comparing subtypes has not yet been reported.

METHODS

National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was queried for patients diagnosed with SyS between January 1975 and December 2016. Patients were classified demographically according to gender, age, race/ethnicity, and marital status, and they were also classified by tumors, subtypes, localization, grade, year of diagnosis, laterality, type of treatment, and follow-up results.

RESULTS

A total of 3228 patients were included, with a mean age of 39.3 ± 18.8 (range: 1-94), of which 1521 (47.1%) were females and 1707 (52.9%) were males. According to its subtypes, 47.2% were SyS not otherwise specified, 32.3% were spindle cell, 19.9% were biphasic, and 0.6% were epithelioid type. The overall survival period is 138.0 (95% confidence interval: 113.2-162.8) months. Survival duration was found to be significantly different between groups according to gender (log-rank test; p < 0.001), age groups (log-rank test; p < 0.001), race (log-rank test; p = 0.001), marital status (log-rank test; p < 0.001), tumor subtypes (log-rank test; p < 0.001), tumor location (log-rank test; p < 0.001), tumor laterality (log-rank test; p < 0.001), date of diagnosis (log-rank test; p = 0.025), tumor grade (log-rank test; p < 0.001), historic stage (log-rank test; p < 0.001), state of chemotherapy (log-rank test; p < 0.001), state of radiotherapy (log-rank test; p < 0.001), presence of metastasis (log-rank test; p < 0.001), and total number of malignant tumors (log-rank test; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Male gender, being colored individual, being over 35 years at the time of diagnosis, epithelioid type, non-head and neck region localization is associated with poor prognosis. While radiotherapy improves survival, benefit of chemotherapy is unclear.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III retrospective analysis.

Surgical treatment of giant mediastinal tumors

Background

This study aims to evaluate the surgical treatment outcomes of giant mediastinal tumors.

Methods

Between July 2013 and July 2018, medical data of a total of 31 patients (26 males, 5 females; mean age 27.7±8.2 years; range, 18 to 56 years) who underwent radical surgery for a giant mediastinal tumor in our center and 47 cases (26 males, 21 females; mean age 45.4±16.7 years; range, 19 to 62 years) of giant mediastinal tumors retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information database were retrospectively reviewed. Two-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates of the patients were evaluated.

Results

All patients underwent radical surgery (R0 resection). Symptoms caused by giant mediastinal tumors were relieved after radical surgery during follow-up. The two-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were 100% and 86.7%, respectively, indicating a good prognosis. The surgical procedures for malignancies were more difficult than those for benign pathologies.

Conclusion

Radical surgery is the mainstay for treatment of giant mediastinal tumors to relieve symptoms in a short period of time and to achieve a good prognosis for up to two years, regardless of adjuvant therapy. The surgical route should be cautiously planned before radical surgery to reduce complications.

Long-Term Outcomes of Radical Surgery for Transverse Colon Cancer Staged from I to IIIC

Background

No study has reported the risk factors associated with the prognosis of patients with transverse colon cancer. Therefore, we aimed to demonstrate the long-term outcomes of transverse colon cancer patients undergoing radical surgery and explore the prognostic factors.

Materials and Methods

The clinical data of a total of 366 patients with transverse colon cancer staged from I to IIIC undergoing radical surgery from February 1992 to May 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinicopathological features were recorded, and univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between the factors and overall survival (OS) as well as disease-free survival (DFS). Kaplan–Meier curves were generated to assess the association between TNM stage and OS and DFS, respectively.

Results

The median follow-up time was 62 months, and the 5-year OS and DFS rates were 87.5% and 86.5%, respectively. In addition, a significant difference was also found in the OS and DFS curves according to TNM stage. The N classification, vascular invasion, differentiation, preoperative CA199, preoperative CA125 and preoperative AFP were significantly associated with OS according to univariate analysis, while N classification and differentiation were independent prognostic factors for OS according to multivariate analysis (both P < 0.05). Similarly, N classification, vascular invasion, differentiation, preoperative CA199, preoperative CA125, and preoperative AFP were statistically correlated with DFS according to univariate analysis, while N classification and preoperative CA199 were independent prognostic factors for DFS according to multivariate analysis (both P < 0.05).

Conclusion

N classification was an independent factor for both OS and DFS, while differentiation and CA199 were independent prognostic factors only for OS and DFS, respectively.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Radical Surgery versus Concurrent Chemo-Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to evaluate oncological outcomes in women affected by locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy before radical surgery (NACT + RS) or concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (CCRT).

METHODS

This was a multicenter retrospective analysis of data related to women with LACC (FIGO stage IB2-IVA), who were treated by NACT + RS or CCRT between November 2006 and January 2018. The first endpoints were the evaluation of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS); univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for identifying the prognostic factors independently associated with these oncological outcomes.

RESULTS

Overall, 106 women were included in the analysis; 55 of them (51.9%) underwent NACT + RS and 51 (48.1%) CCRT, respectively. Patients in the NACT + RS group had a significant better five-year DFS and five-year OS than those in the CCRT group (77.4% vs. 33.4%, p < .001 and 93.8% vs. 56.5%, p = .003). In the multivariate analyses, treatment choice (NACT + RS or CCRT) was the only independent prognostic factor for predicting both DFS (HR = 3.954; 95 CI = 1.898-8.236; p < 0.001) and OS (HR = 5.330; 95 CI = 1.563-18.178; p = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

This retrospective study demonstrated an improved survival outcome for patients undergoing NACT + RS compared with those undergoing CCRT. Our findings seem to support the use of NACT before RS as an effective alternative option to CCRT standard therapy.

Long-Term Results of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Combined with Anti-EGFR Monoclonal Antibody Prior to Surgery in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Single-Institute Prospective Study

Purpose

We aimed to evaluate the long-term survival outcomes of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) combined with nimotuzumab followed by surgery in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC).

Patients and Methods

Patients received whole pelvic intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and concomitantly with weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m²) or nedaplatin (30 mg/m²) and weekly nimotuzumab (200 mg). After assessment of the treatment response, patients then underwent radical surgery.

Results

Between June 2013 and July 2016, 33 patients with FIGO IB2–IIIB cervical cancer were recruited. Clinical complete response and partial response were observed in 8 (24.3%) and 23 patients (69.7%), respectively. Twenty-seven patients (81.8%) were successfully treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy: 9 (33.3%) showed pathological complete response; 10 (37.1%) showed partial response and 8 (29.6%) presented with persistent macroscopic/microscopic residual carcinoma. For the intention-to-treat population, the median follow-up time was 53.7 months. Locoregional recurrence and distant metastases were observed in three and seven patients, respectively. The 5-year overall survival, progression-free survival, locoregional recurrence-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival were 81.5%, 72.7%, 90.9%, and 78.3%, respectively. Both acute and late toxicities were manageable and mainly limited to grade 1 or 2.

Conclusion

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy combined with nimotuzumab followed by surgery for patients with LACC is safe and results in excellent long-term treatment outcomes. Further randomized controlled studies are warranted to confirm the findings.

Changes in the levels of T lymphocytes and inflammatory factors in the peripheral blood of breast cancer patients during postoperative chemotherapy

Background

As one of the main malignant tumors affecting women, the incidence of breast cancer increases year by year. This study aims to analyze the risk factors of infection in breast cancer patients during postoperative chemotherapy by measuring the changes in the levels of T lymphocytes and inflammatory factors in peripheral blood.

Methods

The clinical data of 156 patients who underwent radical mastectomy and postoperative chemotherapy [docetaxel, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide (TEC)] in our hospital from May 2014 to April 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the presence or absence of infection after chemotherapy, patients were divided into the infection group and the normal group. The risk factors of infection during chemotherapy were analyzed by univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses. Serum before surgery, and before and after chemotherapy, was collected to detect the levels of T lymphocytes and inflammatory factors.

Results

A total of 36 patients developed an infection during chemotherapy, with an infection rate of 23.08%. The main infection site was the respiratory tract. The main pathogens detected were Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria. The results of univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in age, diabetes mellitus, clinical TNM staging, white blood cell count (WBC), T lymphocyte subsets CD4⁺/CD8⁺, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels between the 2 groups (P<0.05). Results of logistic regression analysis showed that age ≥60 years old, diabetes mellitus, clinical TNM staging ≥ stage III, WBC <3.5×10⁹/L, CD4⁺/CD8⁺ <1.33, TNF-α ≥70 ng/L and CRP ≥60 mg/L were all independent risk factors of postoperative infection (P<0.05). Both before and after chemotherapy, levels of CD3⁺, CD3⁺CD4⁺ and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ cells in the infection group were significantly lower than those in the normal group, while levels of CRP, TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly higher than those in the normal group (P<0.05).

Conclusions

Dynamic monitoring of changes in the levels of T lymphocytes and inflammatory factors during chemotherapy may be of clinical value for predicting the risk of infection. Implementing targeted intervention measures for these risk factors may therefore be beneficial for controlling infection.

Is Radical Surgery Alone Enough in T1-3N1a Colon Cancer?

Background: Low lymphatic tumor burden is associated with a better prognosis. However, it is uncertain whether those patients diagnosed as cN0 found to be pN+ could be a favorable subgroup in stage III disease. Radical surgery alone might avoid overtreatment in those patients.

Methods: Eligible patients diagnosed with colon cancer without metastasis were recruited from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2004 to 2016 using SEER^*Stat 8.3.5 software (Surveillance Research Program, National Cancer Institute) and divided into two groups: surgery group (n = 3,081) and surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy group (n = 4,591). Overall survival (OS) and cause-specific survival (CSS) differences were assessed by Kaplan–Meier analysis, and survival differences were estimated with log-rank tests. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regressions were used to assess hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for colon cancer patients.

Results: A total of 7,672 pT1-3N1a colon cancer patients were recruited from 208,751 colon cancer patients. The 5-year CSS rates of patients without and with adjuvant chemotherapy were 80.0 and 90.7%, respectively. The receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy after the radical resection of the primary tumor was independently associated with 57.3% decreased risk of colon cancer-specific mortality compared with surgery alone (HR = 0.427, 95% CI = 0.370–0.492, P < 0.001, using surgery alone as the reference).

Conclusions: Adjuvant chemotherapy was significantly associated with improved prognosis and radical surgery alone did not provide enough treatment for colon cancer with very low lymphatic tumor burden.

Comparison of T2N0M0 and T3aN0M0 in Predicting the Prognosis of Patients With Renal Cell Carcinoma

Background: To investigate the prognostic role of tumor size in patients with pathological T2N0M0 and T3aN0M0 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated by radical surgery. Methods: A total of 3,662 cases were retrospectively analyzed from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) from 2010 to 2012. Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) data were obtained. The log-rank test was used to compare survival distributions and Cox proportional hazards model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses, respectively. Results: In the low-risk T3aN0M0 (perinephric fatty infiltration or sinus fatty infiltration only) group, patients with tumor size ≤ 7 cm were associated with a better OS (P = 0.009) and CSS (P < 0.001) than those with tumor size >7 cm. However, there was no difference in OS (P = 0.129) and CSS (P = 0.539) between T2bN0M0 patients and low-risk T3aN0M0 patients with tumor size ≤ 7 cm. A new T classification grouping patients with both T2bN0M0 and T3aN0M0 with tumor diameter ≤ 7 cm into the same staging category (pT2aN0M0, pT2bN0M0+low-risk pT3aN0M0 [tumor diameter ≤ 7cm], low-risk pT3aN0M0 [tumor diameter >7 cm], high-risk pT3aN0M0) was proposed and it was found as an independent predictive variable for OS and CSS. Conclusions: Findings from the present study suggest that the reclassification of pT2N0M0 and pT3aN0M0 RCC can lead to better prediction of OS and CSS.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: Review of the Literature and Perspectives of Clinical Research

Concurrent cisplatin-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy (CCRT) plus brachytherapy is standard treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer. Platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by radical hysterectomy has been proposed as an alternative approach, especially for patients with stage Ib2-IIb disease. This review analyzes the most commonly used combination regimens in this clinical setting and the randomized trials comparing chemo-surgery versus definitive radiotherapy or CCRT. The combination of paclitaxel plus ifosfamide plus cisplatin (TIP regimen) obtained the highest rates of optimal pathological response, associated with elevated hematological toxicity. In a recent phase II study, a dose-dense regimen consisting of weekly paclitaxel plus carboplatin for 9 cycles has achieved optimal pathological response rates similar to those of TIP with better toxicity profile. Further studies are strongly warranted to better define the optimal regimen for the patients selected to receive NACT followed by radical surgery.

How far should we go in optimal cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer?

The treatment of ovarian cancer should be appropriate, since clinical and surgical decisions may affect the prognosis; the surgery must be performed by an expert oncological surgeon or gynecological oncologist, it's fundamental roles are cancer staging and cytoreduction. The concept of staging surgery in early stages has its justification in the fact that up to 11% of "early ovarian cancers" will have metastasis in different sites of the peritoneal cavity at the time of diagnosis. In advanced stages of epithelial ovarian cancer, the goal is the complete cytoreduction of all visible macroscopic disease, since this variable is the most strongly associated with increased overall survival and disease-free period. The ideal time for cytoreductive surgery in relation to chemotherapy (before or after) is still under debate. In 2010 a randomized trial (EORTC) was published, comparing 310 patients initially operated (followed by adjuvant chemotherapy) versus 322 patients initially treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (followed by cytoreductive surgery); no significant differences in overall survival between groups were found. Another important factor playing a role in survival and in the probability of surgical cytoreductive success is tumor biology; there has been described a clear difference between serous and mucinous tumors, but some groups advocate that maximal surgical effort in mucinous tumors may compensate morbidity with an increase in survival. The extension of resection in cytoreduction is still controversial; some authors have confirmed that the most important factor is the residual disease and that radical surgery is superior to non-radical surgery in terms of overall survival. The need and extent of lymphadenectomy in advanced cancer will be treated in another chapter of this issue. Undoubtedly, an important factor is to perform procedures in specialized centers.

Changes of Intestinal Microbiota in Ovarian Cancer Patients Treated with Surgery and Chemotherapy

Purpose

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death in gynecologic malignancies. Growing evidences demonstrate that a complicated relationship exists between the gut microbiota and cancer treatment. However, there are few studies explored the alterations of gut microbiota in ovarian cancer patients following anti-cancer treatments. Therefore, we aim to analyze the changes of the gut microbiota in ovarian cancer patients treated with radical surgery and chemotherapy.

Patients and Methods

The microbial genes were examined from a total of 75 fecal samples from 18 ovarian cancer patients, including 10 preoperative fecal samples (Group B), 4 postoperative fecal samples (Group M0), as well as 61 fecal samples after first to fifth cycles of chemotherapy, using 16S rRNA sequencing.

Results

Our results showed that fecal samples collected in postoperative (Group M0) exhibited significant decreases in abundance of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, while a significant increase in abundance of Proteobacteria compared with preoperative (Group B) fecal samples. LEfSe analysis identified that Bilophila and Faecalibacterium are the key genera in Group B, while Klebsiella and Enterococcus are the key genus in Group M0. Compared with before chemotherapy, the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes increased, and the abundance of Proteobacteria decreased after chemotherapy. In addition, anaerobic bacteria, such as Bacteroides, Collinsella and Blautia, exhibited significant increases after chemotherapy. Moreover, we observed that certain bacterial genera were significantly correlated with clinicopathological characteristics of ovarian cancer patients.

Conclusion

Our study suggested that radical surgery and chemotherapy altered the composition of gut microbiota in ovarian cancer patients. Therapeutic strategies targeting the gut microbiota may be beneficial for the clinical treatment of ovarian cancer.

SOX2 is a promising predictor of relapse and death in advanced stage high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients with residual disease after debulking surgery

The transcription factor SOX2 is a well-established and important stem cell marker. Its role in cancer biology remains unclear, but it has been proposed to also be a marker of cancer stem cells. We investigated the role of SOX2 protein expression in women with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) to determine its potential prognostic and treatment predictive value. We constructed a tissue microarray of 130 advanced stage HGSOC tumors with an average of 6 cores each, stained for SOX2 protein expression and evaluated survival outcomes. We also treated two HGSOC cell lines with carboplatin and paclitaxel and measured SOX2 expression by RT-PCR and immunoblotting at different doses and time-points. Among patients with non-radical debulking surgery overall and progression-free survival were shorter for patients with SOX2 positive tumors (mean 26 vs. 39 months, log-rank test: p = .0076, and mean 14 vs. 19 months, p = .055, respectively). Knockdown of SOX2 in cell lines did not affect growth inhibition following chemotherapy treatment. Our results show that SOX2 has a strong prognostic potential among HGSOC patients with residual tumor tissue after debulking surgery and suggest that SOX2 expressing cells remaining after non-radical debulking surgery may constitute a subpopulation of cancer stem cells with greater tumor-initiating potential.

Is standard radical surgery necessary for elderly patients with early-stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma? ~Propensity score matched analysis~

OBJECTIVE

The impact of 'standard full-staged radical surgery (SRS)' on overall survival (OS) in elderly patients with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains unclear. In the current study, we investigated the impact of SRS on OS in elderly patients with early-stage EOC in a multicentric analysis using a propensity score (PS)-matching technique.

METHODS

Between 1986 and 2017, 3227 patients with EOC were registered and accumulated by the Tokai Ovarian Tumor Study Group, consisting of 14 collaborating institutions, after a central pathological review. Among them, 204 elderly patients aged older than or equal to 65 years who had a stage I EOC were analyzed, including 72 patients who had received SRS (Group I) and 132 who had undergone non-SRS limited surgery (Group II). Oncologic outcomes were compared between the two groups using a PS-matching technique to adjust for various clinicopathologic risk factors.

RESULTS

The median follow-up duration of all surviving patients was 55.9 months. Consequently, 54 patients (26.5%) developed recurrence. In addition, 33 patients (16.2%) died of the disease. In the original cohort, the 5-year OS rates of Groups I and II were 95.8 and 82.3%, respectively. We identified a marginally significant difference between the two groups (Log-rank: P = 0.086). In the PS-matched cohort after adjustment for multiple clinicopathologic factors, there was no significant difference in OS between the two groups [OS (Group I vs. II), HR: 0.766 (95% CI: 0.271-2.165), P = 0.615].

CONCLUSIONS

After adjustment for clinicopathologic factors, non-SRS limited surgery may not worsen the oncologic outcome in elderly women with early-stage EOC. A large-scale clinical study is necessary to validate the findings.

[Long-term results of surgical treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the long-term outcomes of surgical treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma depending tumor dimensions, vascular invasion, lymph node metastases, cellular differentiation and quality of resection.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

There were 46 patients with intrahepatic cholangiocellular cancer. Extended hemihepatectomy was made in 14 patients (30.4%), resection of two and three liver segments - in 17 cases (36.9%), standard hemihepatectomy - in 15 patients (32.6%). Liver resection was combined with extrahepatic bile duct resection in 5 (10.9%) patients. Liver resection was followed by biopsy of specimens. Dimension and number of tumors, differentiation grade, resection margin, liver capsule invasion, vascular invasion and regional lymph node metastases were analyzed. Forty-four (95.6%) patients were followed-up in long-term postoperative period. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica 13.2 (Dell Inc., USA) and IBM SPSS Statistics v.25 (IBM Corp., USA) software package. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Overall 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates with two-sided 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using IBM SPSS Statistics v.25 software.

RESULTS

Median survival was 37 months, 1-year - 75.9% (60.9-90.9%), 3-year - 57.6% (35.5-79.6%), 5-year - 36% (8.2-63.7%). Median survival after R1 resection was 37 months, R2 resection - 12 months. Median survival was not achieved in R0 group. We found significant differences in overall survival depending on quality of resection. Tumor dimension over 5 cm, low-grade adenocarcinoma, microvascular invasion and lymph node metastases were associated with impaired postoperative survival. However, differences were not significant.

CONCLUSION

The main surgical strategy in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma should be ensuring microscopically negative resection margin.

Patterns of recurrence after curative D2 resection for gastric cancer: Implications for postoperative radiotherapy

BACKGROUND

High-quality randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the benefit of radiotherapy (RT) in patients with radical resected gastric cancer (GC), however, utilization rates of postoperative RT remain remarkably low. Patterns, incidences, and time of recurrence provide biological bases for clinical monitoring of GC patients and guiding potential complementary therapies. Thus, the aim of this study is to understand the location of locoregional recurrence which may allow individualized RT strategies and minimize radiation-related toxic effects.

METHODS

A relatively large sample of GC patients in a single institution who had undergone curative D2 resection was retrospectively reviewed and the relevant recurrence patterns were illustrated. Independent recurrence-related risk factors were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. New logistic regression models were further developed to predict the probability of recurrence.

RESULTS

Overall, among 776 GC patients who had continuous and complete follow-up data, 300 cases relapsed after curative resection. Lymphovascular invasion, lymph node metastases, and tumor stage were indicators for early recurrence. Peritoneal, regional, local, and distant recurrence initially occurred in 51 (6.6%), 151 (19.4%), 56 (7.2%), and 164 (21.1%) patients, respectively. Among patients with regional recurrence, the most common sites were lymph node stations 16a2, 8, 12, 16b1, and 9. Remnant stomach recurrence was not so prominent that it seemed reasonable to be excluded from an irradiation field for patients with negative surgical/pathologic margins.

CONCLUSIONS

For GC patients who underwent radical D2 resection, distant and regional recurrences were still common. Besides, optimizing regional control of lymph nodes outside the D2 dissected area was crucial for rational design of the RT field. Furthermore, the new logistic regression models might act as useful tools to evaluate recurrence risk and determine which patients should receive postoperative chemoradiotherapy.