Clinical Experience of Small-cell Carcinomas of the Stomach

To clarify the clinicopathologic features of small-cell carcinomas (SCC) of the stomach, we reviewed three cases of surgically treated SCC. The first case was a pure SCC, with severe pancreatic invasion and peritoneal seeding. A gastro-jejunostomy was performed. Postoperative chemotherapy was performed with CDDP and VP-16 (8 cycles), but showed disease progression (PD); a consecutive chemotherapy with CDDP and irinotencan (2 cycles) also showed PD. A third line with CDDP, VP16, ifosfamide, and mesna was followed by a 4th line (CDDP and Taxol). The male patient died with liver metastasis and peritoneal seeding 14 months after the operation. The second case was a SCC mixed with a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Profound lymphadenopathy and liver metastasis were found. Two cycles of preoperative chemotherapy with TS-1 and CDDP were performed, which showed nearly complete remission for lymphadenopathy and partial response for the primary tumor site and liver metastatic lesion. A total gastrectomy and extended lymphadenectomy was performed. There were no viable cancer cells in 35 retrieved lymph nodes. Postoperative chemotherapy using the same regimen was performed for 4 cycles. Enlarged liver metastasis was found at the follow-up CT scan, so a posterior segmentectomy of liver was performed. After liver surgery, the chemotherapy regimen was changed to irinotecan and cisplatin. This male patient has been in good health for the 14 months since gastric surgery. The third case was a pure SCC, and a subtotal gastrectomy was performed curatively. That male patient received 5 cycles of TS-1 and is still in good health 14 months after operation.

Can 3-year Disease-free Survival be Substituted for 5-year Overall Survival in Curatively Resected Gastric Cancer?

PURPOSE: The 5-year survival rate is the most useful parameter for evaluating the effect of management on most malignant tumors. Recurrence after a curative resection for gastric cancer occurs mostly within 3 years of the operation, which caused us to evaluate whether a 3-year disease-free survival (3DFS) can be substituted for a 5-year overall survival (5OS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 656 consecutive patients who had undergone a curative resection for gastric cancer. To assess whether 3DFS represents 5OS, we used a simple linear regression with survival probability calculated by using the survival function. RESULTS: Recurrence was found in 175 cases during the follow-up periods. The accumulative frequencies of recurrence at postoperative 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years were 46% (81 cases), 89% (156 cases), and 97% (170 cases), respectively. The correlation coefficient (r) and the coefficient of determination (r2) between 3DFS and 5OS were 0.87 and 0.76, respectively, and the regression equation was 5OS=0.18+(0.80 x 3DFS). The r and R2 according to the type of recurrence were 0.89 and 0.80 in peritoneal seeding, 0.88 and 0.78 in hematogeneous metastasis, and 0.86 and 0.73 in local recurrence, respectively. The r (0.77) and r2 (0.60) were relatively lower in low stages (stage I and II) compared to r (0.88) and r2 (0.77) in high stages (stage III and IV). CONCLUSION: The 3DFS is an excellent predictor of 5OS. Therefore, if we use the former as the treatment evaluating method, 2-year time reduction in assessing and reporting treatment results is expected.

Prognostic Values of Preoperative Hematologic Parameters in Gastric Cancer

PURPOSE: To determine the prognostic values of the hematologic parameters checked preoperatively in gastric cancer patients, we evaluated and compared the relationship between hematologic parameters and clinicopathologic factors of gastric cancer patient. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of 357 consecutive patients who had undergone surgery for gastric cancer at the Department of Surgery, Hanyang University Hospital, between Dec. 2,000 and Dec. 2003 were reviewed. To exclude any adverse effect of invasive procedures to hematologic parameters, the samples taken immediately at outpatient department was used. The normal range of serum albumin was defined above 3.5 g/dl, serum hemoglobin above 12 g/dl, and serum platelet count under 400x10(3)/microliter. Patients were defined as group 1 when any of these parameters was abnormal, and defined as group 2 when all parameters were normal. The relationships between hematologic parameters and survival rate were investigated. RESULTS: The mean values of platelet count increased, but level of serum albumin and serum hemoglobin decreased significantly according to the advancement of the disease stage (P=0.000). The differences of depth of tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis between the group 1 and the group2 was statistically significant (P=0.001). Three-year survival difference between group 1 and group 2 was significant (P=0.037). CONCLUSION: The hematologic parameters checked preoperatively in patients of gastric cancer are simple and cheap, meanwhile reflect the general condition of the patients. Any presence of anemia, hypoalbuminemia, or thrombocytosis can predict the progression of the disease and poor survival rates.

Clinical Significance of Subdividing Gastric Cancer according to the Degree of Invasion of the Muscularis Propria

PURPOSE: Some gastric cancer patients in whom the cancer has infiltrated up to the muscularis propria (mp) have a good postoperative course similar to that of early gastric cancer (EGC) patients (this does not match the general classification of gastric cancer). Therefore, we performed a retrospective analysis of 125 patients with mp gastric cancer based on the degree of mp invasion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinicopathologic features of 125 cases of mp gastric cancer were subdivided according to depth of invasion, and were retrospectively reviewed and compared with the surgical features of 222 patients with gastric cancer invading the submucosa (sm). For each tumor, using the section that showed the greatest extent of invasion, we evaluated the degree of tumor invasion into the mp layer at a magnification of x100. The patients were classified into 2 groups: mp1, the tumor was limited to the first of the 3 mp layers, and mp2, the tumor had expanded beyond the first layer. RESULTS: Patients with mp1 (n=50) had a significantly lower incidence of lymph node metastasis, and a smaller tumor size than patients with mp2 (n=75)(P=0.01 and P=0.029, respectively). The 5-year survival rate of mp1 patients was significantly better than that of mp2 patients (95.3% vs. 77.6%, P=0.0282), but was similar to that (91.2%) of the 222 sm patients. The 5-year survival rate of mp patients without lymph node metastasis (n=55) was significantly better than that of those with lymph node metastasis (n=70)(93.3% vs. 78.2%, P=0.0192). Patients with mp1 had a significantly higher incidence of lymph node metastasis (42.5% vs 23%, P=0.006) than patients with sm. CONCLUSION: There were clear differences in clinical features between the mp1 and the mp2 patients. Subdivision of mp gastric cancer according to the depth of invasion may enable a more precise prognosis and a more pertinent treatment plan for mp patients. In particular, as the clinicopathological findings and surgical outcomes for mp1 patients were akin to those of the sm patients, mp1 patients may require treatment analogous to that administered to patients with sm gastric cancer.

Clinical Significance of Subdividing Gastric Cancer according to the Degree of Invasion of the Muscularis Propria

PURPOSE: Some gastric cancer patients in whom the cancer has infiltrated up to the muscularis propria (mp) have a good postoperative course similar to that of early gastric cancer (EGC) patients (this does not match the general classification of gastric cancer). Therefore, we performed a retrospective analysis of 125 patients with mp gastric cancer based on the degree of mp invasion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinicopathologic features of 125 cases of mp gastric cancer were subdivided according to depth of invasion, and were retrospectively reviewed and compared with the surgical features of 222 patients with gastric cancer invading the submucosa (sm). For each tumor, using the section that showed the greatest extent of invasion, we evaluated the degree of tumor invasion into the mp layer at a magnification of x100. The patients were classified into 2 groups: mp1, the tumor was limited to the first of the 3 mp layers, and mp2, the tumor had expanded beyond the first layer. RESULTS: Patients with mp1 (n=50) had a significantly lower incidence of lymph node metastasis, and a smaller tumor size than patients with mp2 (n=75)(P=0.01 and P=0.029, respectively). The 5-year survival rate of mp1 patients was significantly better than that of mp2 patients (95.3% vs. 77.6%, P=0.0282), but was similar to that (91.2%) of the 222 sm patients. The 5-year survival rate of mp patients without lymph node metastasis (n=55) was significantly better than that of those with lymph node metastasis (n=70)(93.3% vs. 78.2%, P=0.0192). Patients with mp1 had a significantly higher incidence of lymph node metastasis (42.5% vs 23%, P=0.006) than patients with sm. CONCLUSION: There were clear differences in clinical features between the mp1 and the mp2 patients. Subdivision of mp gastric cancer according to the depth of invasion may enable a more precise prognosis and a more pertinent treatment plan for mp patients. In particular, as the clinicopathological findings and surgical outcomes for mp1 patients were akin to those of the sm patients, mp1 patients may require treatment analogous to that administered to patients with sm gastric cancer.

Clinicopathological Characteristics of Superficially Spreading Early Gastric Cancer

PURPOSE: Superficially spreading (SS) early gastric cancer (EGC) is characterized by wide horizontal extension without deep vertical invasion. It is a relatively rare form of EGC, and it's clinicopathological (C-P) characteristics are not evident. This study aimed to clarify their C-P characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We defined SS EGC as invading less than the submucosal layer that measured more than 60 mm in diameter or wider than 5 x 5 cm (25 cm2) in width. The C-P characteristics and prognosis were compared between 69 patients with SS EGC and 319 patients with the common type EGC (EGC except SS type). RESULTS: For SS EGC, lymph node metastases, Lauren's diffuse type, lymphatic invasion were significantly higher than in common type EGC. In patients with SS EGC, all of the metastatic lymph nodes were anatomically distributed within the paragastric region, with fewer along the left gastric artery and common hepatic artery. In 6 cases of SS EGC with resection margins less than 10 mm, there was no death during the follow-up period (4 to 13 years after operation) if margins were not involved. Age (>58 yrs), tumor site (upper 1/3), lymph node metastasis, submucosal invasion were statistically significant poor prognostic factor in univariate survival analysis. In multivariate survival analysis, age and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors. However, tumor diameter or width was not a significant prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: Although SS EGC has histologically distinct properties, gastrectomy with free surgical margins and appropriate lymph node dissection (D1+beta) could be a suitable treatment.

Clinicopathological Characteristics of Superficially Spreading Early Gastric Cancer

PURPOSE: Superficially spreading (SS) early gastric cancer (EGC) is characterized by wide horizontal extension without deep vertical invasion. It is a relatively rare form of EGC, and it's clinicopathological (C-P) characteristics are not evident. This study aimed to clarify their C-P characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We defined SS EGC as invading less than the submucosal layer that measured more than 60 mm in diameter or wider than 5 x 5 cm (25 cm2) in width. The C-P characteristics and prognosis were compared between 69 patients with SS EGC and 319 patients with the common type EGC (EGC except SS type). RESULTS: For SS EGC, lymph node metastases, Lauren's diffuse type, lymphatic invasion were significantly higher than in common type EGC. In patients with SS EGC, all of the metastatic lymph nodes were anatomically distributed within the paragastric region, with fewer along the left gastric artery and common hepatic artery. In 6 cases of SS EGC with resection margins less than 10 mm, there was no death during the follow-up period (4 to 13 years after operation) if margins were not involved. Age (>58 yrs), tumor site (upper 1/3), lymph node metastasis, submucosal invasion were statistically significant poor prognostic factor in univariate survival analysis. In multivariate survival analysis, age and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors. However, tumor diameter or width was not a significant prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: Although SS EGC has histologically distinct properties, gastrectomy with free surgical margins and appropriate lymph node dissection (D1+beta) could be a suitable treatment.

Analysis of Clinocopathologic Difference between Type II and Type III Cancers in Siewert Classification for Adenocarcinomas of the Cardia

PURPOSE: To determine the clinical value of the Siewert classification for gastic-cancer patients in Korea, we evaluated and compared the clinicopathologic factors of type II and type III cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of 89 consecutive patients who had undergone surgery for an adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) at the Department of Surgery, Hanyang University Hospital, between Jun. 1992 and Dec. 2003 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: There were one patient with type I, 12 pateints with type II and 77 patients with type III. During the same period, 1,341 patients underwent surgery for a gastric carcinoma, so proportion of GEJ cancer being 6.6%. The median follow- up duration was 31 months (range: 2~135 months), and the follow-up rate was 100%. Between type II and type III cancers, there were no significant differences in the clinicopathologic variables including age, sex, gross appearance, histologic type, depth of invasion, and pathologic stage. The longest diameter of the tumor was larger in type III (6.1+/-2.1 cm) than in type II (3.9+/-1.1 cm)(P=0.001). A total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy was done most frequently, while jejunal interposition was done in 3 cases of type II and 2 cases of type III. More than a D2 lymphadenectomy was done all cases. The numbers of dissected lymph nodes and metastatic lymph nodes in type II were 43.8 and 5.8 respectively, while they were 49.8 and 8.1 in type III, but the difference between the two groups were not statistically significant. The mean length of the proximal resection margin was 15+/-5 mm in type II and 21+/-13 mm in type III, but this difference was not statistically significanct. The time to recurrence after operation was 19.3 months in type II and 16.9 months in type III. The five-year survival rates of type II and III were 68.8% and 52.7% respectively, but difference was not significant. CONCLUSION: There were no significant differences in the clinicopathologic variables, including survival rate, between type II and type III cancers in Korean patients. According to these findings, it appears to be reasonable to classify type III cancer as a cardia cancer in a broad sense.

Diagnostic Value of Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology in the Operative Management of Thyroid Nodules / 대한내분비외과학회지

PURPOSE: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNA) and Frozen section biopsy (FS) have been used to distinguish benign lesions from malignancies and for deciding the extent of operative procedures to be used in the management of thyroid nodules. We performed this study in order to determine the diagnostic value of FNA, the need for FS in intraoperative procedures, and their value in deciding the extent of surgery. METHODS: The medical records of 365 consecutive patients who had undergone surgery for thyroid nodules at the Department of Surgery, Hanyang University Hospital, between Jan. 1996 and Dec. 1998 were reviewed retrospectively. Both FNA and FS were performed on all patients who underwent thyroid surgery during this period. Among these, 35 patients who were diagnosed as insufficient for diagnosis by FNA were excluded. RESULTS: Definitive histopathological diagnosis revealed benign lesions in 232 patients and malignancies in 98. A borderline group consisted of patients whose specimens were interpreted as follicular neoplasms by FNA and FS. The overall results for FNA and FS were as follows: sensitivity, 98 versus 100; specificity 97 versus 99; and diagnostic accuracy, 97 versus 99%. Five patients who were diagnosed with benign lesions by FNA were rediagnosed by FS as having malignant lesions. The final diagnosis was papillary carcinoma. Of the 45 patients who were interpreted borderline by FNA, 7 patients had benign lesions and 38 were borderline by FS. Finally, 34 patients were diagnosed as having benign lesions and 11 as having malignancies. CONCLUSION: FNA has a high diagnostic accuracy for the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules. FS may be unnecessary for patients whose FNA results indicate malignancy, particularly in cases of papillary carcinoma, therefore the routine use of FS for patients who have been diagnosed as having a papillary carcinoma by FNA may be omitted. If FNA results are borderline, FS may be helpful in confirming a follicular neoplasm. If FNA indicates a benign status, FS seems to be necessary to decide the extent of surgery.

Diagnostic Value of Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology in the Operative Management of Thyroid Nodules

PURPOSE: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNA) and frozen section biopsy (FS) have been used for the purpose of distinguishing benign lesions from malignancies and for deciding the operative procedures to be used in the management of the thyroid nodules. We performed this study the diagnostic value of the FNA, the need for the FS in intraoperative procedures, and to determine their values in deciding the extent of surgery. METHODS: The medical records of 365 consecutive patients who had undergone surgery for thyroid nodules at the Department of Surgery, Hanyang University Hospital, between Jan. 1996 and Dec. 1998 were reviewed retrospectively. FNA and FS were performed on all patients who underwent thyroid surgery during this period. Among them, 35 patients who were diagnosed as insufficient for diagnosis by FNA were excluded. RESULTS: Definitive histopathological diagnosis revealed benign lesions in 232 patients and malignancies in 98. A borderline group consisted of patients whose specimen were interpreted as follicular neoplasms by FNA and FS. Overall results for FNA and FS were: sensitivity, 98 versus 100; specificity, 97 versus 99; diagnostic accuracy, 97 versus 99%. Five patients who were diagnosed with benign lesions by FNA were rediagnosed by FS as having malignant lesions. The tinal diagnosis was a papillary carcinoma. Of the 45 patients who were interpreted borderline by FNA, 7 patients had benign lesions, and 38 were borderline by FS. Finally, 34 patients were diagnosed as having benign lesions and 11 as having malignancies. CONCLUSION: FNA has a high diagnostic accuracy for differentiatve diagnosis in the thyroid nodules. FS may be unnecessary for patients whose FNA results indicate malignancy especially papillary carcinoma, so routine use of FS for patients who were diagnosed as having a papillary carcinoma by FNA may be omitted. If FNA results are borderline, FS may be helpful to confirm a follicular neoplasm. If FNA indicates benign, FS seems to be necessary to decide the extent of surgery.