Prognostic Value of Preoperative Serum Levels of CEA and CA19-9 in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

PURPOSE: The significance of serum levels of CEA and CA19-9 in forming a prognosis for colorectal cancer patients remains as subject for debating. The aim of this study is to assess their correlations with tumor pathology and their prognostic values. METHODS: We analysed the data on 274 patients with colorectal cancer who had been treated by resection from Jan. 1997 to Aug. 2005. Correlation of the preoperative serum values of CEA and CA19-9 with clinocopathologic features, including prognosis, of the patients was investigated. RESULTS: The positivity rates of the two tumor markes were significantly correlated with tumor size, differentiation, TNM staging, venous invasion, and neural invasion. In addition, the positivity rate of CEA was related to lymphatic invasion and that of CA19-9 to gender. In the univariate analysis, CEA (P<0.001), CA19-9 (P<0.001), tumor size (P=0.011), TNM staging (P<0.001), lymphatic invasion (P=0.003), venous invasion (P<0.001), neural invasion (P<0.001), and differentiation (P=0.023) correlated with survival of the patients. In the stepwise multivariate analysis, an advanced TNM stage (P<0.001), positive venous invasion (P=0.011), and positive neural invasion (P=0.013) were independent prognostic factors for poor survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that high serum levels of tumor markers were associated with more aggressive cancers, but in the multivariate analysis, CEA and CA19-9 were found not to be independent prognostic factors.

Recurrence Pattern after Laparoscopic Resection for Colorectal Cancer: Analysis according to Timing of Recurrence and Location of Primary Tumor

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the recurrence pattern after a curative laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer according to timing of recurrence and the location of the primary tumor. METHODS: Between July 1999 and December 2003, we included 318 patients who underwent a laparoscopic resection for stage I-III colorectal cancer and in whom recurrence had been detected within two postoperative years and who had been followed up for more than two years. The mean age was 57 (23~88) years. The median follow-up time was 36 (7~71) months. RESULTS: The number of rectal cancer patients was 214, and that of colon cancer patients was 104. The total recurrence rate was 15.4%, 7.7% among colon cancer patients and 19.2% among rectal cancer patients. Recurrence according to stage was as follows: stage I: 1.6%, stage II: 5.4%, stage III: 32.5%. Of the total recurrence, 79.6% occurred within two postoperative years. In patients with rectal cancer, local recurrence was more common than in patients with colon cancer. Other types of recurrence were not influenced by the location of the primary tumor. According to timing of recurrence, metastasis to distant lymph nodes developed proportionally after two postoperative years. CONSLUSIONS: Most of the recurrencs developed within two years after a laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer. The recurrence pattern varied with the location of primary tumor and the timing of recurrence. The recurrence pattern after a laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer was similar to that after open surgery for colorectal cancer.

Laparoscopic Resection of Rectal Cancer: Oncologic Results of 110 Patients with Minimum 2-year Follow-up after a Curative Resection

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the oncologic outcomes after a laparoscopic resection in rectal cancer patients with minimum 2-year follow-up. METHODS: Among the 312 patients undergoing a laparoscopic rectal cancer resection between Jan. 2000 and Dec. 2004 at Hansol Hospital, 110 patients who had been followed-up for longer than 24 months (mean 33, range 24~56) after the curative resection were included in this study. Two patients (1.8%) received preoperative chemoradiation. Five patients (4.5%) received radiotherapy postoperatively. RESULTS: TNM stage was 0 in 5 patients, I in 25 (22.7%), II in 35 (31.8%), and III in 45 (40.9%). The T stage was as follows; Tis:T1:T2:T3:T4=4.5%:3.6%:25.5%:40.9%:25.5%. A protective ileostomy was performed in nine patients. The mean operative time was 208 minutes, and the mean blood loss was 179 ml. The mean number of removed lymph nodes was 18, and the mean distal margin was 3.0 cm. The radial margin was positive in one case. Conversion was required in three cases (2.7%). The overall morbidity rate was 17.2%. Anastomotic leak age occurred in five patients (5.5%). There was no operative mortality. During 33 months of mean follow-up, distant metastases and local recurrence were seen in 17 (15.5%) and 5 patients (4.5%), respectively. None had port-site recurrence. For the 94 patients with rectal cancer within 12 cm from the anal verge, the rate of local recurrence was 5.3%. The overall survival rate was 88.9% at 3 years (stage 0, I: 100.0%, stage II: 100.0%, stage III: 72.6%). The disease free survival rate was 78.8% at 3 years (stage 0, I: 100.0%, stage II: 88.6%, stage III: 56.9%). CONCLUSIONS: A laparoscopic resection of rectal cancer provides an acceptable safety profile. If the highly selective indications for radiotherapy (6.3%) and the rather high volume of advanced cancers (stage III 40.9%, T3/4 66.4%) of this study are considered, a 4.5% local recurrence rate is promising. Optimal surgery for rectal cancer by using a laparoscopic technique may reduce the need for radiotherapy.

Laparoscopic Resection of Colon Cancer: Early Oncologic Outcomes

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the interim oncologic outcome following a laparoscopic resection of colon cancer. METHODS: Prospectively collected data was obtained on 119 patients (M:F=60:59, mean age=56 years) undergoing a laparoscopic colon-cancer resection between January 2001 and May 2004. Fifty-nine tumors were in the sigmoid, 17 in the right colon, 15 in the transverse colon, 12 in the hepatic flexure, 12 in the left colon, 10 in the cecum, and 4 in the splenic flexure. RESULTS: The operative procedures included 51 sigmoidectomies, 48 right colectomies, 15 left colectomies, 3 transverse colectomies, and 2 total abdominal colectomies. The mean operative time was 186 minutes. The mean blood loss was 91 ml. Conversion to an open procedure was not required. TNM stages were 0 in 11 patients, I in 19, II in 55, III in 30, and IV in 4. The portion of T3 plus T4 was 73%. The mean number of resected lymph nodes was 27. The mean proximal and distal margins were 14 cm and 12 cm. The overall morbidity rate was 26% (15 wound seromas/ abscesses, 5 chylous leaks, 3 perianastomotic inflammations, 2 ileus, 2 intraabdominal bleedings, 1 anastomotic leak, 1 anastomotic obstruction, 1 intractable hiccup, 1 fungal peritonitis). There were no operative mortalities. The mean hospital stay was 10 days. Ninety eight patients were followed-up longer than 6 months (median 19 months, range 6~0 months) after the curative resection. Distant metastases occurred in 3 stage-IIIB and 3 stage-IIIC patients (6%): liver (2), liver & peritoneum (1), lung (1), paraaortic and iliac lymph nodes (1), and peritoneum (1). The mean time to recurrence was 10.3 months after the operation There were no local or port-site recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, Laparoscopic resections of colon cancer provided an acceptable morbidity rate and satisfactory early oncologic outcomes. Long-term follow-up is mandatory and ongoing.

Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma / 한국간담췌외과학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 levels are elevated in several types of human cancer tissues. COX-2 is not constitutively expressed by most normal tissues, but it is rapidly induced by certain inflammatory cytokines, tumor promoters, growth factors and oncogenes. Inflammation is important risk factor for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the role of COX-2 in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma development. METHODS: 18 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients was conducted in this study. COX-2 expression was investigated by immunohistochemical staining in resected liver specimen that involved 47 hyperplasia, 30 low-grade dysplasia, 38 high- grade dysplasia and 18 cancer. The relationship of clinicopathological factor and COX-2 expression of cancer was evaluated. RESULTS: COX-2 expression was not observed in normal bile duct epithelium. COX-2 expression in high-gade dysplasia was higher than in low-grade dysplasia. COX-2 expression in cancer was higher than in hyperplasia, low-grade and high grade dysplasia. There was no significant correlation between clinicopathological factors and COX-2 expression in cancer. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that COX-2 may play a role in the early and late carcinogensis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.