Clinical Significance of a Pylorus-preserving Gastrectomy for Early Gastric Cancer

PURPOSE: The five-year survival rate is over 95% for radically resected early gastric cancer. The development of diagnostic techniques enables early detection of gastric cancer, so the life expectancy of patients with early gastric cancer is prolonged. Therefore, a limited number of surgeries are performed these days for the purpose of increasing the quality of life. The purpose of this study is to assess the postoperative quality of life after a pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) compared with that after a subtotal gastrectomy with gastroduodenal anastomosis (B-I). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred seven (107) patients who underwent gastric surgery for early gastric cancer from January 1999 to December 2003 at the Department of Surgery of Chonnam National University Hospital were selected. We compared patients who underwent a PPG with those who underwent a B-I. The clinical results were compared by using the chi-square test and the Student's T-test. The data were considered to be significant when the P value was less than 0.05. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients (29) underwent a PPG, and the other seventy-eight (78) patients underwent a B-I. There was no significant difference between the two groups on sex, age, and postoperative abdominal symptoms. The patients who underwent a PPG showed shorter operation times and less reflux gastritis and esophagitis on endoscopic evaluation than the patients who underwent a B-I. CONCLUSION: The pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) is a more physiologic operation than the subtotal gastrectomy with gastroduodenal anastomosis (B-I) and improves the postoperative quality of life.

Clinicopathologic Characteristics of and Surgical Strategy for Patients with Submucosal Gastric Carcinomas

PURPOSE: Early gastric cancer (EGC) has an excellent prognosis compared to advanced gastric cancer. The 5-year survival rate for EGC now exceeds 90%, and EGC is recognized as a curable malignancy. The important prognostic factor in EGC is the status of lymph-node metastasis. Despite conserving surgery being suggested for EGC at present, it is of vital importance to select a surgical method appropriate to each individual case. This retrospective study was undertaken to clarify clinicopathologic features and factors related to lymph-node metastasis in submucosal gastric cancer in order to determine an appropriate therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study analyzed the clinicopathologic features for 279 patients with a submucosal gastric carcinoma (Group I) and compared with those of patients with mucosal (Group II) or muscularis proprial gastric carcinoma (Group III). All patients were operated on from 1981 to 1999 at Chonnam University Hospital. There were no statistically significant differences among the groups with respect to age, gender, tumor location, hepatic metastasis, or peritoneal dissemination. RESULTS: Positive lymph node metastasis was found in 47 (16.8%) of the 279 patients with a submucosal gastric carcinoma. The incidence of lymph-node metastasis was significantly higher in patients with a submucosal gastric carcinoma than in patients with a mucosal gastric carcinoma (16.8% vs. 3.9%; P<0.01). Therefore, depth of invasion was a significant factor affecting in lymph-node metastasis. The 5-year survival rates were 88.6% for patients in Group I, 95.2% for patients in Group II, and 72.7% for patients in Group III (P<0.01 for Group I vs. Group II; Group I vs. Group III). In patients with a submucosal gastric carcinoma, the survival rate with positive lymph nodes was significantly poorer than that of patients without lymph-node metastasis (87.3% vs. 94.2%; P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection is an appropriate operative procedure for patients with a submucosal gastric carcinoma.

Clinicopathologic Characteristics of and Surgical Strategy for Patients with Submucosal Gastric Carcinomas

PURPOSE: Early gastric cancer (EGC) has an excellent prognosis compared to advanced gastric cancer. The 5-year survival rate for EGC now exceeds 90%, and EGC is recognized as a curable malignancy. The important prognostic factor in EGC is the status of lymph-node metastasis. Despite conserving surgery being suggested for EGC at present, it is of vital importance to select a surgical method appropriate to each individual case. This retrospective study was undertaken to clarify clinicopathologic features and factors related to lymph-node metastasis in submucosal gastric cancer in order to determine an appropriate therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study analyzed the clinicopathologic features for 279 patients with a submucosal gastric carcinoma (Group I) and compared with those of patients with mucosal (Group II) or muscularis proprial gastric carcinoma (Group III). All patients were operated on from 1981 to 1999 at Chonnam University Hospital. There were no statistically significant differences among the groups with respect to age, gender, tumor location, hepatic metastasis, or peritoneal dissemination. RESULTS: Positive lymph node metastasis was found in 47 (16.8%) of the 279 patients with a submucosal gastric carcinoma. The incidence of lymph-node metastasis was significantly higher in patients with a submucosal gastric carcinoma than in patients with a mucosal gastric carcinoma (16.8% vs. 3.9%; P<0.01). Therefore, depth of invasion was a significant factor affecting in lymph-node metastasis. The 5-year survival rates were 88.6% for patients in Group I, 95.2% for patients in Group II, and 72.7% for patients in Group III (P<0.01 for Group I vs. Group II; Group I vs. Group III). In patients with a submucosal gastric carcinoma, the survival rate with positive lymph nodes was significantly poorer than that of patients without lymph-node metastasis (87.3% vs. 94.2%; P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection is an appropriate operative procedure for patients with a submucosal gastric carcinoma.

Detection of Micrometastasis in Draining Vein before & after Manipulation and Peritoneal Cavity in Colorectal Cancer by Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reactions for Cytokeratin 20 and Carcinoembryonic Antigen

PURPOSE: Micrometastasis is known as a significant predictor of prognosis in colorectal cancer patients. Recently, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been applied to detecting micrometastasis. The drainage vein and peritoneum were examined and the micrometastases assessed in a series of colorectal cancer patients. METHODS: 22 patients, who were histologically diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and 8 patients of serosal and peritoneal brushing, were examined using RT-PCR to amplify the mRNAs for two epithelial markers, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin 20 (CK-20). RESULTS: Among the 22 colorectal cancer patients, the positive rates of CK-20 and CEA mRNAs in the drainage vein were 10 (45%) and 7 (32%), and those of the serosal and peritoneal brushing were 6 (75%) and 5 (63%), respectively. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the "no touch isolation technique" might be useful for operations in advanced colorectal cancer patients, and the brushing of the serosal or Douglas pouch can represent the micrometastasis status.

Use of RT-PCR for CK20 and CEA mRNA to Detect of Micrometastasis in the Draining Venous Blood and the Peritoneum in Gastric Cancer Patients

PURPOSE: The benefits of the "no-touch" isolation technique that is usually performed to prevent the circulation of tumor cells are not evident. The aim of this study was to determine whether the no-touch isolation technique for treating gastrointestinal cancers could prevent the circulation of tumor cells detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Matrials and Methods: By using RT-PCR to amplify mRNAs for two specific epithelial markers, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin 20 (CK-20), we examined 34 gastric cancer patients who had been histologically diagnosed and 22 patients had undergone serosal and peritoneal brushing. RESULTS: In 10 (29.4%) of the 34 gastric cancer patients, we detected CK20 mRNA before manipulation, and in 17 (51.5%) of those patients, after we detected it. The density of the CK20 mRNA band was increased in 11 cases (33.3%) and the density was decreased in 2 cases (6.1%). In 16 (48.5%) of the 34 gastric cancer patients, we detected CEA mRNA before manipulation, and in 17 (51.5%) patients after we detected it. The density of the CEA mRNA band was increased in 8 cases (24.2%) and decreased in 3 cases (9.1%). CONCLUSION: These result suggest that the "no-touch isolation technique" might be useful when operating on advanced gastric cancer patients and that serosal or Douglas pouch brushing can be used to determine the status of micrometastasis.

Use of RT-PCR for CK20 and CEA mRNA to Detect of Micrometastasis in the Draining Venous Blood and the Peritoneum in Gastric Cancer Patients

PURPOSE: The benefits of the "no-touch" isolation technique that is usually performed to prevent the circulation of tumor cells are not evident. The aim of this study was to determine whether the no-touch isolation technique for treating gastrointestinal cancers could prevent the circulation of tumor cells detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Matrials and Methods: By using RT-PCR to amplify mRNAs for two specific epithelial markers, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin 20 (CK-20), we examined 34 gastric cancer patients who had been histologically diagnosed and 22 patients had undergone serosal and peritoneal brushing. RESULTS: In 10 (29.4%) of the 34 gastric cancer patients, we detected CK20 mRNA before manipulation, and in 17 (51.5%) of those patients, after we detected it. The density of the CK20 mRNA band was increased in 11 cases (33.3%) and the density was decreased in 2 cases (6.1%). In 16 (48.5%) of the 34 gastric cancer patients, we detected CEA mRNA before manipulation, and in 17 (51.5%) patients after we detected it. The density of the CEA mRNA band was increased in 8 cases (24.2%) and decreased in 3 cases (9.1%). CONCLUSION: These result suggest that the "no-touch isolation technique" might be useful when operating on advanced gastric cancer patients and that serosal or Douglas pouch brushing can be used to determine the status of micrometastasis.

Comparative Study of p53 Mutation and Oncoprotein Expression in Gastric Adenocarcinoma

PURPOSE: The p53 tumor suppressor gene is believed to play a pivotal role in preventing the uncontrolled cellular growth characteristic of cancer. Mutation of the p53 gene represent one of the most common genetic alterations in human cancers, and the acquisition of such defects is strongly associated with tumor progression and metastasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between p53 immunoreactivity and the mutation of p53 gene in gastric adenocarcinoma obtained by laser capture microscope. MATENRIALS AND METHODS: Formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue specimens were obtained from 20 patients who underwent surgery for gastric cancer. According to UICC TNM system, 3 of the cases were Ia, 2 cases II, 4 cases IIIa, 5 cases IIIb, and 6 cases IV. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining revealed eight cases as negative (less than 10%), twelve cases as postive (more than 10%). The locations of mutations were as follows; 7 cases had point mutation at exon 4, and 3 cases point mutation at exon 8. There was no mutation at exon 5, 6, 7 and 9. The mutation was observed in 1 case out of 8 p53 oncoprotein negative cases, and 7 cases out of 12 p53 positive cases. The mutation was more common in p53 positive cases (P<0.05), However, there was no significant correlation between p53 mutation observed by DNA sequencing after laser capture microdissection and expression of p53 oncoprotein. CONCLUSION: These result suggest that he expression of p53 oncoprotein not to be related to the mutation of p53 gene at exons 4 through 9 in gastric cancer.

Comparative Study of p53 Mutation and Oncoprotein Expression in Gastric Adenocarcinoma

PURPOSE: The p53 tumor suppressor gene is believed to play a pivotal role in preventing the uncontrolled cellular growth characteristic of cancer. Mutation of the p53 gene represent one of the most common genetic alterations in human cancers, and the acquisition of such defects is strongly associated with tumor progression and metastasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between p53 immunoreactivity and the mutation of p53 gene in gastric adenocarcinoma obtained by laser capture microscope. MATENRIALS AND METHODS: Formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue specimens were obtained from 20 patients who underwent surgery for gastric cancer. According to UICC TNM system, 3 of the cases were Ia, 2 cases II, 4 cases IIIa, 5 cases IIIb, and 6 cases IV. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining revealed eight cases as negative (less than 10%), twelve cases as postive (more than 10%). The locations of mutations were as follows; 7 cases had point mutation at exon 4, and 3 cases point mutation at exon 8. There was no mutation at exon 5, 6, 7 and 9. The mutation was observed in 1 case out of 8 p53 oncoprotein negative cases, and 7 cases out of 12 p53 positive cases. The mutation was more common in p53 positive cases (P<0.05), However, there was no significant correlation between p53 mutation observed by DNA sequencing after laser capture microdissection and expression of p53 oncoprotein. CONCLUSION: These result suggest that he expression of p53 oncoprotein not to be related to the mutation of p53 gene at exons 4 through 9 in gastric cancer.

The Prognosis of Anal Cancer According to the Modality of Therapy

PURPOSE: Anal cancer is a relatively uncommon malignancy, representig only 1.8 to 3.4% of all colorectal cancers. In the past, an abdominoperineal resection (APR) was the treatment of choice for an anal cancer. Since the introduction of chemoradiation (radiation combined with 5-Fu and mitomycin) therapy which proved to enhance the responsiveness of the lesion, the limited resection with preservation of anal sphincter function became the gold standard treatment of the anal lesion. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of each modality due to the rarity of this disease. We compared the results of treatment in two groups, one treated with APR and the other with chemoradiation, and evaluated the prognosis of the anal cancer and the advantages and disadvantages of each method. METHODS: This study was performed from January 1992 to December 2001 in the Department of Surgery, Chonnam University Hospital. It considered many factors, including sex, age, chief complaint, location of the lesion, size of the lesion, histopathologic pattern, method of treatment, and metastasis, based on a retrospective review of clinical files and biopsy results. RESULTS: For the patients, the male to female ratio was 1.8:1.0; the mean age was 64.6 (47~90); the chief complaint was anal mass; with symptoms of anal bleeding and pain; and the mean prevalence rate of disease was 8.5 months. According to the staging, 4 patients were T1 (14%), 19 (67.8%) were T2 and 4 (14.3%) were T3. By histologic biopsy, there were 23 squamous cell and 5 cloacogenic carcinoma. Four patients were initially treated by an APR at a local clinic, while 22 underwent combined chemoradiation therapy. Of the four patients who underwent a chemoradiation after an APR, two died as a result of liver and bone metastasis. According to the TNM classification, the 5-year survival rates were 75, 67, 60, 83, and 55% for T1, T2, T3, M0, M1, respectively; the 5-year survival was 71% the for combined chemotherapy and radiation and 53% for the APR. CONCLUSIONS: In the anal cancer treatment, remission occured in over 50% of patients treated with combined chemoradiation therapy. Also, when the surgery had added, the prognosis was not worse than primary choice of APR. Therefore, combined chemoradiation therapy should be considered the treatment of choice, reducing the amount of resection and conserving the sphincter function.

Clinical Analysis of T4 Colorectal Cancer with Adhesion to Adjacent Organs

PURPOSE: A colorectal cancer (CRC) is defined as T4 when the tumor directly invades other organs or structures and/or perforates the visceral peritoneum. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of a surgical approach and to determine the significant prognostic factors for tumor resectability and survival in patients with advanced T4 CRC. METHODS: A total of 61 patients with T4 CRC with adjacent organ adhesion, who received multivisceral resections at Chonnam University Hospital, Korea, between Jan. 1990 and Dec. 2001, were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Cancer invasion to contiguous organs was present in 51 (83.6%) of the 61 patients who received a multivisceral resection and was absent in 10 (16.4%). Postoperative rates of complications and death were 22.9% and 4.9%, respectively, in the 61 patients. Lymph-node (LN) metastases were presented in 25 patients (41.0%). The 5-year survival rate (5 YSR) was 22.2% in patients with LN metastases, but was significantly higher (66.7%) in patients without LN metastases. The 5 YSRs for the 61 patients according to the AJCC cancer stage (TNM classification) were as follows: stage II (66.7%), stage III (46.4%), and stage IV (0%). CONCLUSIONS: T4 CRC without distant metastases requires multivisceral en-bloc resection of any organ or structure to which the primary tumor is adhered. The presence of LN metastases at the time of surgery is one of the significant factors with a poor prognosis in T4 CRC.

A Clinical Case Report of Hydatid Cyst of Liver / 한국간담췌외과학회지

Human hydatid cyst of the liver is rare in Korea, although it is the most frequent cause of liver cysts in the world. It is endemic in Greece, other parts of Eastern Europe, South America, Australia, and South Africa. Until now, a few cases have been reported in the Korean literature. But it is expected to confront this disease because of recent increase in traveling to the endemic area. With this trend, we experienced a case of hydatid cyst of the liver in a 66- year-old male patient who had been worked in the middle east for 4 years. In this clinical case report, we present all the patient course and treatment with brief review of previous literature.

Periampullary Duodenal Carcinoid Tumor with Complicated Pancreatic Pseudocyst / 한국간담췌외과학회지

Most patients with duodenal carcinoids are asymptomatic or suffer from nonspecific symptoms. But the tumors in the periampullary region may be associated with symptoms of obstruction related to the size of the lesion. Two serial internal dranage procedures (cystogastrostomy and cystojejunostomy) were performed in a 46-year-old man because of recurred pancreatic pseudocyst at an interval of five months. Eight months after the first operation, an abdominal CT showed a remained pancreatic pseudocyst. And duodenoscopic findings showed a luminally protrusing mass, with preserved mucosa at the second portion of duodenum. Local resection of the mass was perfomed. Grossly, the mass had a 2 cm-sized, well circumscribed yellowish appearance. Microscopic findings showed well-defined intramucosal mass having almost glandular and nest of tumor cells showing uniform round nuclei, glandular and basophilic cytoplasm. And the nonspecific neuroendocrine markers chromogranin and NSE are positive. We report a case of Periampullary duodenal carcinoid tumor with complicated pancreatic pseudocyst.

Dermoid Cyst in the Ischiorectal Space

Despite the relatively common incidence of sacrococcygeal dermoids, rectal or vaginal cysts are uncommon. We report a case of a dermoid cyst occurring in the ischiorectal space. A 42-years-old woman visited our hospital because of anal pain. Computed tomography showed a well-circumscribed cystic mass of about 9 9 8 cm along the ischiorectal space abutting the vagina and occupying almost the entire pelvic cavity. The resected tumor was a cyst entirely covered with a firm, fibrous, capsule, which was filled with an amorphous white creamy substance. The histological findings showed that the cyst consisted of a keratinizing stratified squamous epithelium with sebaceous glands, which was compatible with a benign cystic teratoma. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged from the hospital 5 days after the opreation.

Malignant Obstructive Jaundice Following Gastrectomy for Gastric Carcinoma

PURPOSE: Although obstructive jaundice is a rare presentation, it is an omnious prognostic sign in patients with gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma. The major cause of bile duct obstruction has been identified as lymphadenopathy in the hepatoduodenal ligament that has metastasized from predominantly advanced gastric carcinomas. METHODS: Extrahepatic biliary obstruction caused by metastatic gastric carcinoma was retrospectively studied in order to determine demographics, pathological characteristics, time interval from previous gastrectomy, site of recurrence, and the prognosis of the disease. RESULTS: In this study, 983 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma underwent gastrectomy, and obstructive jaundice was revealed in 22 patients (2.2%). The mean age of the patients was 56 years, and the male to female sex ratio was 1.7 : 1. Antrally located, poorly differentiated, and advanced stage (above III) gastric carcinoma were commonly associated with obstructive jaundice. The most common site of the obstruction was the porta hepatis (54%). A percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) procedure was accomplished in 19 patients and the jaundice was decreased, however the survival was not improved. The mean duration from jaundice to death was 2.8 months. CONCLUSION: These results show that the cause of bile duct obstruction in advanced gastric carcinoma was predominantly metastatic lymphadenopathy in the hepatoduodenal ligament. In order to improve the quality of life in obstructive jaundiced patients, further evaluation and continued follow-up and examination may be necessary.