Clinical efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radical surgery for elderly patients with locally advanced gastric cancer / 中华普通外科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the safety and feasibility of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) combined with radical surgery for elderly patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC).Methods:One hundred and fourty eight patients with LAGC after NACT and gastrectomy between 2012 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. They were divided into two groups: (1) <65 years old (111 cases) and (2) ≥65 years old (37 cases) and their clinicopathological and prognostic data were compared.Results:There was no significant difference between the two groups in the incidence of hematological complications such as anemia ( χ2=0.235, P=0.628), leukopenia ( χ2=0.613, P=0.434), neutropenia ( χ2=0.011, P=0.918) and thrombocytopenia ( χ2=0.253, P=0.615) and non-hematological complications such as nausea ( χ2=0.092, P=0.762), vomiting ( χ2=0.166, P=0.683), diarrhea ( χ2=0.015, P=0.902) and mucositis ( χ2=0.199, P=0.766) due to NACT. There were no statistical differences between the older patients and the younger in operation duration ( t=0.270, P=0.604), intraoperative bleeding ( t=1.140, P=0.250) and R 0 resection rate ( χ2=0.105, P=0.750). The incidence of postoperative complications was 25.2% and 37.8% in the younger patients and the olders ( χ2=2.172, P=0.141). Pleural effusion ( χ2=7.007, P=0.008) and pulmonary infection ( χ2=10.204, P=0.001) was significantly higher in the older patients than in the youngers. The 3-year progression-free survival rate ( t=0.494, P=0.482) and 3-year overall survival rate ( t=0.013, P=0.908) were comparable between the two groups. Conclusions:NACT combined with radical surgery is safe and effective in elderly patients with LAGC, except for higher perioperative pulmonary-related complications.

Analysis of therapeutic strategy after non-curative endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To evaluate the clinical outcomes of additional surgery after non-curative endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer.Methods:Sixty-nine patients with early gastric cancer who underwent ESD and were diagnosed as having non-curative resection by postoperative pathology at Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January 2014 to December 2020 were included in the retrospective observation. Patients were divided into the additional surgery group ( n=12) and the follow-up group ( n=57). The differences in clinical and pathological data of the two groups, the surgical outcomes of the additional surgery group, three-year recurrence-free survival and tumor-specific survival of the two groups, and the independent risk factors affecting three-year recurrence-free survival in the follow-up group were analyzed. Results:Compared with the follow-up group, the rates of submucosal infiltration [66.7% (8/12) VS 21.1% (12/57), χ 2=7.927, P=0.005], vascular invasion [33.3% (4/12) VS 1.8% (1/57), P=0.003] and nerve invasion [16.7% (2/12) VS 0.0% (0/57), P=0.028] in the additional surgery group were significantly higher. In the additional surgery group, the interval between the additional surgery and ESD was 18.5 d (7-55 d), the surgical time was 286.4±85.9 min, and the number of dissected lymph nodes was 25.6±7.4. Four patients (33.3%) had residual tumor. Postoperative complications occurred in 4 patients (33.3%) (all were discharged after conservative treatment), and there was no perioperative death. One patient developed liver metastases 17 months after the surgery, and died 22 months after surgery due to liver metastases. One patient died 22 months after surgery due to non-tumor causes. The three-year recurrence-free survival and three-year tumor-specific survival in additional surgery group were 91.7% (11/12) and 91.7% (11/12), respectively, and those in the follow-up group were 87.7% (50/57) and 100.0% (57/57), respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that tumor size ≥2 cm was an independent risk factor for three-year recurrence-free survival in the follow-up group ( P=0.037, HR=15.595, 95% CI: 1.181-205.952). Conclusion:Additional surgery and close follow-up are safe and feasible therapeutic strategies for early gastric cancer patients who underwent non-curative ESD. Clinicians should make reasonable choice based on the pathological results, patients' physical condition and surgery intention. But for patients with primary tumor size ≥2 cm, additional surgery is recommended.

Short-term efficacy of laparoscopic surgery after short-course radiotherapy followed by sequential chemotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer: a prospective study / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the short-term efficacy of laparoscopic surgery after short-course radiotherapy followed by sequential chemotherapy combined with anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer.Methods:The prospective study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 30 locally advanced rectal cancer patients who were admitted to the Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology from November 2019 to September 2020 were selected. Patients underwent laparos-copic surgery after short-course radiotherapy followed by sequential chemotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy. Observation indicators: (1) situations of the enrolled patients; (2) situations of short-course radiotherapy followed by sequential chemotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy and adverse events; (3) preoperative evaluation and surgical situations; (4) postoperative situations and pathological examinations; (5) postoperative adjuvant chemo-therapy and follow-up. Follow-up was conducted using outpatient examination and telephone interview up to March 2022. Patients were followed up once every 3 weeks during the period of short-course radiotherapy followed by sequential chemotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy to detect the adverse events and patients were followed up once every 3 months during the first postoperative 2 years and once every 6 months thereafter to detect tumor recurrence and survival of patients. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range). Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rates and draw survival curves. Results:(1) Situations of the enrolled patients. A total of 30 patients were selected for eligibility. There were 17 males and 13 females, aged (57±16)years. Cases with preoperative primary tumor in stage cT3 and cT4 were 22 and 8, respectively. Cases with preoperative clinical lymph node metastasis in stage cN0, cN1, cN2 were 4, 16, 10, respectively. Cases in preoperative clinical stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ were 4 and 26, respectively. Of the 30 patients, there were 21 cases with positive circumferential margin and 12 cases with vascular invasion in extramural of rectum in the preoperative imaging evaluation. Distance from the distal margin of tumor to anal margin and tumor diameter of the 30 patients were 4.7(range, 1.9?9.0)cm and 5.4(range, 2.1?10.0)cm, respectively. There were 28 cases with mismatch repair proficient and 1 case with mismatch repair deficiency in tumor tissues. There was 1 case missing the data of mismatch repair in tumor tissues as failed in biopsy of pathological examination before the treatment. (2) Situations of short-course radiotherapy followed by sequential chemotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy and adverse events. All the 30 patients completed preoperative short-course radiotherapy successfully. Of the 30 patients, there were 3 cases not undergoing the sequential chemotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy and there were 24 cases undergoing 2 courses of the sequential chemotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy and 3 cases undergoing 1 course of the sequential chemotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy. The time interval between ending of radiotherapy and starting of chemotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy of the 27 patients was 12(range, 4?18) days. Cases with leukopenia, cases with endothelial hyperplasia of skin capillaries, cases with radiation proctitis, cases with anemia, cases with peripheral neurotoxicity, cases with neutropenia, cases with thrombocytopenia, cases with fatigue, cases with anorexia, cases with abnormal liver function, cases with hypothyroidism were 24, 22, 21,20, 18, 16, 16, 13, 10, 9, 2 in the 30 patients during the preoperative short-course radiotherapy followed by sequential chemotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy. Cases with the above adverse events were improved after symptomatic treatment. (3) Preoperative evaluation and surgical situations. Seven of the 30 patients were in clinical complete remission after preoperative multidisciplinary evaluation and the other 23 patients were not in clinical complete remission. Twenty-seven of the 30 patients underwent laparoscopic radical resection of rectal cancer and 3 patients not undergoing the sequential chemotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy did not undergo surgery. The time interval between ending of chemotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy and the surgery of the 27 patients were 14(range, 5?141)days. Of the 27 cases, there were 13 cases and 14 cases with 0 and 1 of the preoperative Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score, respectively, and there were 24 cases undergoing low anterior proctectomy and 3 cases undergoing abdominoperineal excision. The operation time and volume of intra-operative blood loss of the 27 cases were (182±36)minutes and 30(range, 10?150)mL, respectively. Of the 27 cases, there were 16 cases with protective ileostomy and 24 cases with anal preservation. (4) Postoperative situations and pathological examinations. The time to postoperative first flatus, time to postoperative initial liquid food intake and duration of postoperative hospital stay of the 27 patients undergoing surgery were 2(range, 1?4)days, 3(range, 2?5)days and 8(range, 7?16)days, respectively. Five of the 27 patients had postoperative grade Ⅰ?Ⅱ complications, including 2 cases with incision infection, 1 case with abdominal infection, 1 case with incision hemorrhage and 1 case with venous thrombosis in left lower limb intermuscular. Cases with postoperative complica-tions were improved after symptomatic treatment. Results of postoperative pathological examina-tion showed that the rate of pathologic complete response in 27 patients was 48.1%(13/27). Of the 27 cases, cases in grade 0, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3 of the tumor regression grading were 13, 5, 7, 2, respectively, cases in stage T0, stage Tis, stage T2, stage T3 of the tumor T staging were 13, 1, 5, 8, respectively, cases in stage N0, stage N1, stage N2 of the tumor N staging were 19, 6, 2, respectively, cases in stage 0, stage Ⅰ, stage Ⅱ, stage Ⅲ of the tumor TNM staging were 14, 0, 5, 8, respectively. The number of lymph node dissected of the 27 patients was 15(range, 3?29). Of the 27 patients, there was 1 case with positive circumferential margin and 26 cases achieving R 0 resection. None of the 27 patients underwent secondary operation or perioperative death. (5) Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and follow-up. Of the 27 patients undergoing surgery, 21 cases underwent post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy, with the cycles of 4(range, 1?6). All the 27 patients were followed up for 20(range, 20?29)months. During the follow-up, 3 cases not achieving pathological complete response had tumor recurrence and no patient died. The disease free survival rate of the 27 patients was 88.9%. Conclusion:Laparoscopic surgery after short-course radiotherapy followed by sequential chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer is safe and feasible, with satisfied short-term efficacy.

Value of Caprini risk assessment scale and serum D-dimer in early prediction of postoperative deep vein thrombosis of lower extremities in patients with gastrointestinal malignant tumors / 中华普通外科杂志

Objective:To explore the value of Caprini risk assessment scale and serum D-dimer in early prediction of postoperative lower extremities deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with gastrointestinal malignant tumor.Methods:A total of 240 patients with gastrointestinal malignant tumors treated in Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology from Jan to Oct 2020 were analyzed retrospectively.Results:Caprini score was 4 in 8 cases, 5-7 in 217 cases, and 8 in 15 cases. Sixty-seven patients developed lower extremity DVT after operation. No patients with Caprini score of 4 had DVT, 57 cases (26.3%) with a score of 5-7 had DVT; 10 cases whose score were ≥8 points (66.7%) developed DVT. There was a higher incidence of lower extremity DVT in patients ≥8 points than those of 5-7 points after surgery ( P<0.01). The postoperative Caprini score of the DVT group was higher than that of the non-DVT group (6.37±1.01 vs. 5.80±0.94, t=4.108, P<0.001). D-dimer on the first day after operation in DVT group (4.08±2.27 vs. 2.01±1.04, t=7.715, P<0.001) and the level of serum D-dimer (2.93±1.81 vs. 2.30±1.21, t=2.631, P<0.001) on day 3 was higher than that in the non-DVT group. According to the ROC curve, the best cut-off value for serum D-dimer to predict lower extremity DVT on the first postoperative day was 2.84 mg/L, the sensitivity was 70.1%, the specificity was 87.3%, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.815. The best cut-off value of D-dimer for predicting lower limb DVT on day 3 after surgery was 1.67 mg/L, sensitivity was 85.1%, specificity was 34.7%, and AUC was 0.611. Conclusions:Patients with gastrointestinal malignant tumors have a high incidence of postoperative lower extremity DVT. When the serum D-dimer exceeds 2.84 mg/L on the first postoperative day, the likelihood of postoperative lower extremity DVT is higher.

Risk factors of postoperative pathological upgrading in gastric high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia / 国际外科学杂志

Objective To analyze the consistency of gastroscopic biopsy in the diagnosis of high grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN) and postoperative pathological diagnosis,and explore the risk factors associated with missed diagnosis of HGIN.Methods From January 2012 to December 2018,the clinical data of 63 patients who were diagnosed with HGIN by gastroscopic biopsy prior to operation and underwent complete resection in the Union Hospital,Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology were retrospectively analyzed.There were 55 males and 8 females,with a median age of 60 (35 to 76) years old.The gender,age,endoscopic lesion shape,longest diameter,CT image and inflammatory markers were analyzed,to investigate the correlation between them and pathological upgrading after operation.Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to analyze the cut off value of measurement data,and the comparison of count data was performed by chisquare test or Fisher exact probability method.Univariate analysis was used to screen potential risk factors,and multivariate logistic regression analysis was futher utilized to analyze the independent risk factors of postoperative pathological upgrading.Results A total of 63 patients were enrolled,including 47 cases underwent surgical resection and 16 cases underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD).Among them,19 patients(30.2％) were pathologically diagnosed with HGIN,while 44 patients(69.8％) were pathologically diagnosed with invasive cancer after resection.Preoperative contrast-enhanced CT showed that 11 patients (17.5％) with perigastric fat spiculation around the lesion,all of which were confirmed as invasive carcinoma after operation.Univariate analysis showed that the longest diameter of the lesion ≥2 cm (P =0.002),ulcer lesions under gastroscopy (P =0.013),platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) ≥ 103 (P =0.030),lymph node enlargement (P =0.046) and spiculation of the perigastric fat (P =0.025) were significant differences between the groups.Logistic regression analysis showed that the longest diameter of the lesion ≥2 cm (P =0.033) and ulcer lesions under gastroscopy (P =0.007) were independent risk factors for predicting postoperative pathological upgrading.Conclusions Gastroscopy biopsy in the diagnosis of high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia of the stomach has poor consistency with pathological diagnosis after operation.Clinicians should take active surgical intervention,especially for cases with the longest diameter of the lesions ≥2 cm,ulcer or perigastric fat spiculation on CT.

Risk factors of postoperative pathological upgrading in gastric high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia / 国际外科学杂志

Objective@#To analyze the consistency of gastroscopic biopsy in the diagnosis of high grade intraepithelial neoplasia(HGIN) and postoperative pathological diagnosis, and explore the risk factors associated with missed diagnosis of HGIN.@*Methods@#From January 2012 to December 2018, the clinical data of 63 patients who were diagnosed with HGIN by gastroscopic biopsy prior to operation and underwent complete resection in the Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology were retrospectively analyzed. There were 55 males and 8 females, with a median age of 60 (35 to 76) years old. The gender, age, endoscopic lesion shape, longest diameter, CT image and inflammatory markers were analyzed, to investigate the correlation between them and pathological upgrading after operation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to analyze the cut off value of measurement data, and the comparison of count data was performed by chi-square test or Fisher exact probability method. Univariate analysis was used to screen potential risk factors, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was futher utilized to analyze the independent risk factors of postoperative pathological upgrading.@*Results@#A total of 63 patients were enrolled, including 47 cases underwent surgical resection and 16 cases underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD). Among them, 19 patients(30.2%) were pathologically diagnosed with HGIN, while 44 patients(69.8%) were pathologically diagnosed with invasive cancer after resection. Preoperative contrast-enhanced CT showed that 11 patients(17.5%) with perigastric fat spiculation around the lesion, all of which were confirmed as invasive carcinoma after operation. Univariate analysis showed that the longest diameter of the lesion ≥2 cm (P=0.002), ulcer lesions under gastroscopy (P=0.013), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) ≥103 (P=0.030), lymph node enlargement (P=0.046) and spiculation of the perigastric fat (P=0.025) were significant differences between the groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that the longest diameter of the lesion ≥2 cm (P=0.033) and ulcer lesions under gastroscopy (P=0.007) were independent risk factors for predicting postoperative pathological upgrading.@*Conclusions@#Gastroscopy biopsy in the diagnosis of high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia of the stomach has poor consistency with pathological diagnosis after operation. Clinicians should take active surgical intervention, especially for cases with the longest diameter of the lesions ≥2 cm, ulcer or perigastric fat spiculation on CT.

Number changes of circulating endothelial cells in neonatal hypoxemia and its clinical significance / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To explore changes in circulating endothelial cells(CECs)numbers in neonatal hypoxemia and its clinical significance.Methods Hladovec method was used to measure the quantity of CECs in 40 cases of neonatus with different degree of hypoxemia(hypoxemia group),and 20 matched healthy newborns were enrolled as control group.Results The numbers of CECs in hypoxemia group were much more than those in control group,and the difference was statistically significant.Meanwhile,there were significant differences in CECs numbers between moderate group and mild group(t =13.43,P <0.05),as well as moderate group and severe group(t=7.698,P <0.05).Conclusion The quantity of circulating ECEs in hypoxic neonatus is correlated with the hy-poxic severity,which may be used as early diagnostic indicator for hypoxemia,and could provide new scientific evidences for early diagnosis,illness judgment and curative effect evaluation.

Value of serum SDF-1a half-life in predicting postoperative recurrence and metastasis in patients of breast cancer / 中华普通外科杂志

Objective To investigate the plasma level of SDF-1a in patients with breast cancer after modified radical mastectomy and chemotherapy, and to evaluate the value of serum SDF-1a half-life for predicting breast cancer recurrence and metastasis. The correlation of SDF-1 a half-life and breast cancer recurrence and metastasis after treatment were retrospectively analyzed. Methods Serum chemokine SDF-1a of 112 cases of breast cancer were detected before and after modified radical surgery, and 1 day beforeeach chemotherapy session. SDF-1a levels and the dynamic changes in the process were observed and calculated. Results In 85 cases with no recurrence and metastasis the plasma level of SDF-1 a decreased rapidly to normal level ,while that in 27 cases with recurrence and metastasis was on high level with the halflife of SDF-1a being longer than that in no recurrence group(P ＜0. 01 ). Taking SDF-1a half-life ≥14 d as cut off point to predict breast cancer recurrence and metastasis after treatment, the sensitivity is 81.5%,specificity is 70. 6 %, and accuracy is 73.2%. Conclusions Serum SDF-1a half-life is a valuable marker in predicting postoperative breast cancer recurrence and metastasis.