Trasplante hepático por metástasis hepáticas irresecables de cáncer colorrectal: revisión de la literatura

In Chile, colorectal cancer ranks third in incidence and fifth in mortality. Half of these patients have liver metastases at the diagnosis, and only 30% of them are resectable. Despite the development of many complex hepatobiliary procedures to achieve the total resection of metastases, the long-term survival with these techniques is not good. Liver transplantation is an alternative to treat unresectable liver metastasis from colorectal cancer with a good outcome. Several prognostic scores allow the selection of patients with good tumor biology. These patients have better overall and disease-free survival after liver transplantation. The use of immunosuppressive treatment doesn't increase recurrence, and even the pattern of tumor growth is slower in liver transplant recipients. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current evidence in this topic and to highlight the need for a formal protocol for liver transplantation for unresectable colorectal liver metastases, using living donors or marginal grafts to avoid competition with the rest of the national waiting list.

Tumores Neuroendocrinos: un desafío transversal / Update on neuroendocrine tumors

Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs) encompass a wide variety of tumors arising from neuroendocrine cells, which produce bioactive substances. The incidence of NETs increased significantly lately, becoming one of the most common tumors of the digestive tract. Their clinical presentation is as diverse as their capacity for hormone production. Carcinoid syndrome is the most common hormonal syndrome produced by NETs and is characterized by diarrhea, flushing and cardiac valvular lesions. New research brought multiple changes in the classification of these neoplasms and a new understanding about their diagnosis and treatment, promoting a multidisciplinary approach. Somatostatin analogues, radiation, biological, and cytotoxic drugs have improved the prognosis of these patients, which entails a great challenge for healthcare providers.

Beneficio de la quimioterapia adyuvante en pacientes con cáncer de colon: cohorte retrospectiva de un hospital clínico universitario / Benefit of adjuvant 5-fluorouracil based chemotherapy for colon cancer: a retrospective cohort study

Background: Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated the benefits of adjuvant 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for patients with resectable colon cancer (CC), especially in stage III. Aim: To describe the clinical characteristics of a cohort of CC patients treated at a single university hospital in Chile since 2002, and to investigate if chemotherapy had an effect on survival rates. Material and Methods: Review of a tumor registry of the hospital. Medical records of patients with CC treated between 2002 and 2012 were reviewed. Death certificates from the National Identification Service were used to determine mortality. Overall survival was described using the Kaplan-Meier method. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model was also used. Results: A total of 370 patients were treated during the study period (202 in stage II and 168 in stage III). Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 22 and 70% of patients in stage II and III respectively. The median follow-up period was 4.6 years. The 5-year survival rate for stage II patients was 79% and there was no benefit observed with adjuvant chemotherapy. For stage III patients, the 5-year survival rate was 81% for patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy, compared to 56% for those who did not receive chemotherapy (hazard ratio (HR): 0.29; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.15-0.56). The benefit of chemotherapy was found to persist after adjustment for other prognostic variables (HR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.23-0.94).Conclusions: Patients with colon cancer in stage III who received adjuvant chemotherapy had a better overall survival.

A snapshot of cancer in Chile: analytical frameworks for developing a cancer policy

INTRODUCTION: The South American country Chile now boasts a life expectancy of over 80 years. As a consequence, Chile now faces the increasing social and economic burden of cancer and must implement political policy to deliver equitable cancer care. Hindering the development of a national cancer policy is the lack of comprehensive analysis of cancer infrastructure and economic impact. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate existing cancer policy, the extent of national investigation and the socio-economic impact of cancer to deliver guidelines for the framing of an equitable national cancer policy. METHODS: Burden, research and care-policy systems were assessed by triangulating objective system metrics -epidemiological, economic, etc. - with political and policy analysis. Analysis of the literature and governmental databases was performed. The oncology community was interviewed and surveyed. RESULTS: Chile utilizes 1% of its gross domestic product on cancer care and treatment. We estimate that the economic impact as measured in Disability Adjusted Life Years to be US$ 3.5 billion. Persistent inequalities still occur in cancer distribution and treatment. A high quality cancer research community is expanding, however, insufficient funding is directed towards disproportionally prevalent stomach, lung and gallbladder cancers. CONCLUSIONS: Chile has a rapidly ageing population wherein 40% smoke, 67% are overweight and 18% abuse alcohol, and thus the corresponding burden of cancer will have a negative impact on an affordable health care system. We conclude that the Chilean government must develop a national cancer strategy, which the authors outline herein and believe is essential to permit equitable cancer care for the country.

Profilaxis de citomegalovirus en niños y adultos sometidos a trasplante de órganos sólidos y de precursores hematopoyéticos / Prophylaxis against cytomegalovirus infection in pediatric and adult patients undergoing solid organ and hematopoietic stem cells transplantation

CMV is one of the main infectious problems for SOT and HSCT. The severity of the complications are mainly associated with the type of transplant and immune status against the virus of the transplant donor and the transplant recipient. It is important to prevent exposure, using safe blood transfusion CMV seronegative donors (B1) and/or use of blood leucocytes-depleted by filtration (Al). In addition to preventing exposure, there are two widely used prevention strategies: universal prophylaxis with antiviral therapy or "pre-emptive" strategy based on the use of antivirals only to the early detection of CMV replication in blood. The first option is most used in the SOT management, especially for those identified as the high risk group of CMV disease: R (+), with D (+) or D (-) (Al), where the recommended drug is ganciclovir or valganciclovir . The second approach is preferable for HSCT, which recommends weekly monitoring for CMV viral load from day 10 to 100 post transplant (A3). This strategy requires having a viral laboratory support (A2). The selected antiviral in the case of pre emptive therapy is intravenous ganciclovir (A1).

La infección y enfermedad por CMV son problemas comunes en pacientes con TOS y TPH. La gravedad de las complicaciones asociadas a este virus dependen fundamentalmente del tipo de trasplante y de la experiencia inmunológica previa contra el virus del donante y el receptor. Es importante prevenir la exposición, utilizando transfusiones de sangre segura para CMV con donantes seronegativos (B1) y/o uso de sangre leuco-depletada por iltración (A1). Además de prevenir la exposición, existen dos estrategias de prevención ampliamente utilizadas: La proilaxis universal con antivirales y la terapia adelantada o estrategia "pre-emptive" basada en el uso de antivirales sólo ante la detección precoz de replicación del CMV en sangre. La primera opción es de mayor uso en TOS, especialmente para aquellos binomios identficados como de mayor riesgo de enfermedad por CMV: R (+), con D (+) o D (-) (A1), siendo el medicamento recomendado ganciclovir o valganciclovir. La segunda opción es de elección en TPH, en cuyo caso se recomienda monitoreo semanal con carga viral para CMV desde el día 10 al 100 post trasplante (A3), lo que implica contar con un laboratorio de apoyo en diagnóstico virológico (A2). El antiviral de elección en este caso es ganciclovir iv (A1).

Tratamiento y prevención de la mucositis oral asociada al tratamiento del cáncer / Treatment and prevention of cáncer treatment related oral mucositis

One ofthe most common and troublesome complications ofmodern intensive anticancer treatments is oral mucositis. The purpose ofthis review is to summarize current evidente and clinical guidelines regarding its prevention and therapy. The use of keratinocyte growth factor-1, supplementary glutamine and other recently developed treatment modalities are discussed. The injury ofthe oral mucosa caused by antineoplastic agents promotes the local expression of múltiple pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic molecules and eventually leads to the development of ulcers. Such lesions predispose patients to several infectious and nutritional complications. Also, they lead to modification of treatment schedules, potentially affecting overall prognosis. Local cryotherapy with ice chips and phototherapy with low energy láser may be useful as preventive measures. Mouthwashes with allopurinol and phototherapy with low energy láser can be used as treatment. In radiotherapy, special radiation administration techniques should be used to minimize mucosal injury. Pain control should always be optimized, with the use ofpatient controlled analgesia and topical use of morphine. Supplemental glutamine should not be used outside of research protocols. Lastly, thorough attention should bepaid to general care and hygiene measures.

Búsqueda de mutaciones en el gen UL 97 asociadas a resistencia a ganciclovir en citomegalovirus obtenidos desde muestras biológicas de pacientes chilenos / Presence of mutations associated with ganciclovir resistance in cytomegalovirus UL 97 gene

Background: Long term use of ganciclovir (GCV) is associated with acquired resistance to it. Ninety percent of the responsible mutations occur in cytomegalovirus (CMV) UL 97 gene. Aim: To search for these mutations, comparing nucleotide sequences of CMV-positive samples from post transplant and immunocompromised patients receiving GCV, with sequences of CMV isolates obtained from subjects not exposed to the drug. Patients and Methods: Codons 440 to 465 of gene UL 97, in-cluding the most common mutations causing resistance to GCV, were amplifed in 33 plasma samples from patients exposed to GCV and in 15 urine samples of newborns. Both populations and their nucleotide sequences were compared with the prototype strain CMV AD169. Results: Samples of exposed patients had multiple mutations but only one had a mutation associated with clinical resistance (M460I). Eight subjects had the D605E mutation, whose role in resistance is controversial. The remaining 150 mutations were silent mutations. Conclusions: A low frequency of mutations associated with CMV resistance to GCV was found in these exposed and unexposed samples. These mutations may refect coexistence of multiple genetic variants of CMV. The absence of clinical expression of resistance, even with these mutations, can be explained by the use of GCV for a shorter lapse than that associated with the appearance of resistance.

Nuevas alternativas en el tratamiento del cancer gástrico avanzado / Treatment of advanced gastric cancer with oxaliplatin plus 5-fluorouracil/ leucovorin (FOLFOX-4 chemotherapy)

Background: Chemotherapy improves survival in advanced gastric cancer. However the most active combinations have a high level of toxicity that limits their use. Aim: To assess the response, toxicity and survival of patients with advanced gastric cancer, treated with oxaliplatin plus 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (FOLFOX-4 chemotherapy). Material and methods: Patients with stage IVgastric cancer, according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer or with relapsed disease and functional capacity 0-2 of the South West Oncology Group, were included. FOLFOX-4 chemotherapy was used as first or second line treatment. The response to treatment and survival were assessed. Results: Between 2003 and 2006, 29 patients (median age 52.5 years, 69 percent males) were treated. FOLFOX-4 was given as first line treatment in 65 percent patients and as second line in 35 percent. There was a complete response in 4.6 percent, partial response in 68 percent, stable disease in 20.6 percent and progression in 6.8 percent. Toxicity was observed in 51 percent of patients, that was hematological and non hematological grade 3/4 in 14 percent. Median survival was 12.5 months. Conclusions: FOLFOX-4 chemotherapy was active in advanced gastric cancer and had a low level of toxicity.