Experience of surgical treatment in a granular cell tumor in the qscending colon: a case report

We report a case about successful surgical treatment of a granular cell tumor in the ascending colon. A 36-year-old man underwent screening colonoscopy. An endoscopic examination revealed a 10-mm yellowish and hemispheric mass in the ascending colon, and lower endoscopic ultrasonography revealed a hypoechoic-to-isoechoic mass invaded the submucosal layer. The mass was suspected to be a colonic carcinoid tumor. Based on the preoperative evaluation, endoscopic complete resection was considered difficult. Therefore, the lesion was removed via laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. Histological examination revealed that the tumor consisted of nests of polygonal cells with abundant granular eosinophilic cytoplasm. Immunohistochemical staining revealed diffuse positivity for S100 and CD68. Therefore, the tumor was diagnosed as a granular cell tumor. We suggest that surgical resection should be considered if it is located in the thin-walled ascending colon prone to perforation, difficult to rule out malignant tumor due to submucosal invasion, or to remove endoscopically.

Ileocolonic intussusception caused by epithelioid leiomyosarcoma of the ileum: a report of case and review of the literature

Small intestinal malignant tumor accounts for about 3% of all malignant tumors in the gastrointestinal tract, among which 13% are leiomyosarcoma (LMS). In addition, epithelioid LMS is of very rare occurrence. As small intestinal malignant tumors are initially asymptomatic and nonspecific, diagnosis is often delayed, and this can lead to large tumor at the time of detection and lead to intussusception. We observed ileocolonic intussusception in an 80-year-old male patient who was admitted to the hospital with a complaint of abdominal pain and palpable mass on right lower quadrant. The laparoscopic ileocecectomy was performed by the emergency operation because of obstruction. The pathologic examination revealed that the epithelioid LMS developed in the terminal ileum was the leading point of intussusception. To the best of our knowledge, laparoscopic surgery for ileocolonic intussusception with epithelioid LMS has not yet been reported.

Laparoscopic Local Resection through Subserosal Dissection with Endoscopic Air-Insufflation for Submucosal Tumors Located Near the Esophagogastric Junction

Purpose@#A novel resection method, namely, laparoscopic local resection through subserosal dissection with endoscopic air-insuff lation (LRSDEA) was used for submucosal tumors located near the esophagogastric junction (SMT-EGJ) to avoid major gastric resection. @*Methods@#A total of 9 cases underwent LRSDEA. We sequentially performed: laparoscopic dissections around EGJ, subserosal dissections around SMTs using laparoscopic electrocautery and ultrasonic shears, and finally, enucleation of SMTs. During these procedures, intraoperative endoscopic tumor localization, as well as endoscopic air-insufflation allowed for safe resection. These procedures are shown in the supplementary video clip. The clinicopathological characteristics and surgical results were analyzed. @*Results@#All laparoscopic procedures were successfully performed without requiring a major gastrectomy.The mean operation time was 126.1 minutes, and estimated blood loss was 12.0 ml. There were no postoperative complications. Pathological diagnoses were 6 leiomyomas, 2 gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and 1 gastric duplication. @*Conclusion@#LRSDEA is an effective and safe treatment option for SMT-EGJ, as major resection of the stomach is avoided.

Laparoscopic Local Resection through Subserosal Dissection with Endoscopic Air-Insufflation for Submucosal Tumors Located Near the Esophagogastric Junction

Purpose@#A novel resection method, namely, laparoscopic local resection through subserosal dissection with endoscopic air-insuff lation (LRSDEA) was used for submucosal tumors located near the esophagogastric junction (SMT-EGJ) to avoid major gastric resection. @*Methods@#A total of 9 cases underwent LRSDEA. We sequentially performed: laparoscopic dissections around EGJ, subserosal dissections around SMTs using laparoscopic electrocautery and ultrasonic shears, and finally, enucleation of SMTs. During these procedures, intraoperative endoscopic tumor localization, as well as endoscopic air-insufflation allowed for safe resection. These procedures are shown in the supplementary video clip. The clinicopathological characteristics and surgical results were analyzed. @*Results@#All laparoscopic procedures were successfully performed without requiring a major gastrectomy.The mean operation time was 126.1 minutes, and estimated blood loss was 12.0 ml. There were no postoperative complications. Pathological diagnoses were 6 leiomyomas, 2 gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and 1 gastric duplication. @*Conclusion@#LRSDEA is an effective and safe treatment option for SMT-EGJ, as major resection of the stomach is avoided.

Safety of subtotal or total colectomy with primary anastomosis compared to Hartmann procedure for left-sided colon cancer obstruction or perforation

PURPOSE: Whether subtotal or total colectomy with primary anastomosis (PA) is safer than Hartmann procedure (HP) for left-sided colon cancer obstruction or perforation remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to compare postoperative morbidity, mortality, and defecation frequency between PA and HP for left-sided colon cancer obstruction or perforation.METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 54 patients from January 2014 to February 2018 who underwent emergency surgery due to left-sided colon cancer obstruction or perforation.RESULTS: PA was carried out in 20 patients while HP was performed for 34 patients. Thirty-day mortality did not show significant difference between the two groups (15.0% vs. 14.7%, P=1.000). No anastomotic leakage occurred in PA group while three (8.8%) cases of stump leakage occurred in HP group. Stoma repair was performed for 13 cases (44.8%) and stoma reformation was performed for one case in HP group (7.7%). Stoma related complications occurred in five cases (17.24%). For patients after stoma repair, defecation frequency at 3 months after operation was 2.91±2.88 times per day in PA group and 2.86±2.63 times per day in HP group. At 1 year after operation, defecation frequency was changed to 1.40±1.12 times per day in PA group and 1.17±0.39 times per day in HP group.CONCLUSION: Primary ileosigmoid or ileorectal anastomosis for left-sided colon cancer obstruction or perforation is safe, and shows similar outcome of defecation frequency compared to HP.

Laparoscopic Repair of Diastasis Recti: A Case Report and Literature Review

Diastasis recti is a state with separated aponeurosis between two recti caused by weakening of the intercrossing fibers in the linea alba and it causes abdominal protrusion. Common causes comprised of increased intraabdominal pressure, or congenital weakening of myoaponeurotic layer. We describe a patient who underwent laparoscopic repair of diastasis recti. A 30-year-old woman was referred to our outpatient department for an abdominal mass that had appeared 1 year earlier. Physical examination revealed an abdominal wall defect along the midline and computed tomography showed thinning and stretching of the linea alba. The patient underwent laparoscopic repair for diastasis recti. The stretched linea alba was approximated using interrupted sutures from the epigastrium to the suprapubic area. A dual mesh was applied below the peritoneum to prevent recurrence. The patient was discharged without complications, and was followed up for 1 year without recurrence. Laparoscopic repair could be a considerable is a treatment modality for diastasis recti.

The Use of CD44 Variant 9 and Ki-67 Combination Can Predicts Prognosis Better Than Their Single Use in Early Gastric Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: We previously demonstrated that CD44v9 and Ki-67 played an important role in predicting poor prognosis of early gastric cancer (EGC). However, little is known about combined use of both biomarkers as prognostic biomarker. The present study was performed to investigate the significance of CD44v9 and Ki-67 expression as a combination biomarker for EGC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: With tissue microarray for 158 EGC tissues, we performed immunohistochemical staining for CD44v9 and Ki-67. The whole patients were divided into three groups (group A, CD44v9-negative/Ki-67–low; group B, neither group A or C; and group C, CD44v9-positive/Ki-67–high). Its clinical significance was re-analyzed with adjustment via propensity score matching (PSM). For validation, we performed bootstrap resampling. RESULTS: The median follow-up duration was 90.4 months (range, 3.7 to 120.4 months). In the comparison according to CD44v9/Ki-67 expression, the combined use of the two biomarker clearly separated the three groups by 5-year survival rates (5-YSR, 96.3%, 89.8%, and 76.8% in group A, B, and C, respectively; p=0.009). After PSM, 5-YSR were 97.7% and 76.8% in group A+B and group C, respectively (p=0.002). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that group C had independently poor prognosis (hazard ratio, 9.137; 95% confidence interval, 1.187 to 70.366; p=0.034) compared with group A. Bootstrap resampling internally validated this result (p=0.016). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that both positive CD44v9 and high Ki-67 expression are associated with poor prognosis in EGC, and the combined use of these markers provides better prognostic stratification than the single use of them.

Surgical Strategy for T2 Gallbladder Cancer: Nationwide Multicenter Survey in Korea

BACKGROUND: Although all guidelines suggest that T2 gallbladder (GB) cancer should be treated by extended cholecystectomy (ECx), high-level scientific evidence is lacking because there has been no randomized controlled trial on GB cancer. METHODS: A nationwide multicenter study between 2000 and 2009 from 14 university hospitals enrolled a total of 410 patients with T2 GB cancer. The clinicopathologic findings and long-term follow-up results were analyzed after consensus meeting of Korean Pancreas Surgery Club. RESULTS: The 5-year cumulative survival rate (5YSR) for the patients who underwent curative resection was 61.2%. ECx group showed significantly better 5YSR than simple cholecystectomy (SCx) group (65.4% vs. 54.0%, P = 0.016). For N0 patients, there was no significant difference in 5YSR between SCx and ECx groups (68.7% vs. 73.6%, P = 0.173). Systemic recurrence was more common than locoregional recurrence (78.5% vs. 21.5%). Elevation of cancer antigen 19-9 level preoperatively and lymph node (LN) metastasis were significantly poor prognostic factors in a multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: ECx including wedge resection of GB bed should be recommended for T2 GB cancer. Because systemic recurrence was more common and recurrence occurred more frequently in patients with LN metastasis, postoperative adjuvant therapy should be considered especially for the patients with LN metastasis.

Toxocara canis Mimicking a Metastatic Omental Mass from Sigmoid Colon Cancer: A Case Report

Toxocara canis is an important roundworm of canids and a fearsome animal parasite of humans. Human infections can lead to syndromes called visceral larva migrans (VLM), ocular larva migrans, neurotoxocariasis, and covert toxocariasis. VLM is most commonly diagnosed in children younger than 8 years of age, but adult cases are relatively frequent among those infected by ingesting the raw tissue of paratenic hosts in East Asia. This research reports the case of a 59-year-old man with sigmoid colon cancer, who visited our institution for surgery. An intraperitoneal mass was found on preoperative computed tomography, and it was thought to be a metastatic mass from sigmoid colon cancer. A postoperative histologic examination and serum test showed eosinophilic granuloma due to toxocariasis. Diagnosis of VLM is often difficult and highly suspicious in adults. Researchers suggest, although rarely, that VLM be included in the differential diagnosis as a cause of intraperitoneal tumors.

Comparison of long-term oncologic outcomes of laparoscopic gastrectomy and open gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer: A retrospective cohort study

PURPOSE: We investigated the long-term oncologic outcomes of laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) and open gastrectomy (OG) for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) with a 5-year follow-up period.METHODS: Clinical data of 180 patients (109 LG and 71 OG) who underwent radical D2 gastrectomy for AGC at Gyeongsang National University Hospital between 2007 and 2009 were included. Survivals and predictors of these outcomes were analyzed.RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 54.3 months. Recurrence was observed in 68 patients (37.8%). The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 52.2% for all patients, 39.4% in the OG group, and 60.6% in the LG group. The 5-year DFS rates for OG and LG with respect to pathological stage were stage I, 87.5% and 84.2%, respectively (P=0.684); stage II, 55.0% and 77.3%, respectively (P=0.032); and stage III, 23.3% and 34.8%, respectively (P=0.265). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 52.8% for all patients, 40.8% in the OG group, and 60.6% in the LG group. The 5-year OS rates for OG and LG with respect to pathological stage were stage I, 87.5% and 84.2%, respectively (P=0.753); stage II, 55.0% and 77.3%, respectively (P=0.034); and stage III, 25.6% and 34.8%, respectively (P=0.302). For survival, TMN cancer stage was statistically independent prognostic factors.CONCLUSION: Our analysis revealed that LG for AGC had acceptable long-term oncologic outcomes comparable to the outcomes of conventional OG. Cancer stage was independent risk factors associated with survival.

The prognosis factors among breast cancer patients with extensive axillary lymph node metastasis

PURPOSE: This study was designed to retrospectively identify prognostic factors of survival among breast cancer patients with 10 or more metastatic lymph nodes (LNs).METHODS: The study included 58 patients with 10 or more metastatic LNs who received standard treatment from January 2005 to December 2015. To identify the prognostic factors, we analyzed the difference of disease-free survival (DFS) according to clinicopathologic factors.RESULTS: The 5-year DFS and overall survival rates in all patients were 55% and 69%, respectively. Tumor size, number of metastatic LNs and ratio of metastatic to total LNs were associated with poorer prognosis. DFS was significantly poorer in patients with >15 than ≤15 metastatic LNs (hazard ratio [HR], 4.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38–15.32) and with LN ratio >0.64 than ≤0.64 (HR, 26.13; 95% CI, 3.16–215.80) A scoring system based on these factors was significantly prognostic of survival outcomes.CONCLUSION: This study identified factors of survival in breast cancer patients with extensive LN metastasis. Patients with unfavorable factors may require modified management to improve their clinical outcomes.

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Two Patients with Situs Inversus Totalis: A Case Report

Situs inversus totalis (SIT) is a rare condition in which the viscera are transposed in a mirror image reversal. We report two cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) performed for SIT patients. A 63-year old male patient with SIT was diagnosed with symptomatic gallstones. We performed LC by 3-port method. The patient was discharged uneventfully on postoperative day 2. A 57-year old female patient with SIT underwent LC for acute cholecystitis. Due to severe inflammation an assistant was needed. The patient was discharged uneventfully on postoperative day 3. Over 80 cases of LCs in SIT patients have been reported so far and LC has become the standard treatment. The current report confirms the safety of laparoscopy in such cases. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be performed safely in SIT patients if care is taken. Surgeons need to be careful of reversed anatomy and unaccustomed working hand.

High rates of complications in advanced stage gastric cancer after laparoscopic gastrectomy

PURPOSE: The inclusion criteria for laparoscopic gastrectomy have recently been expanded, and this has led to an increase in the number of publications describing the laparoscopic treatment of advanced gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate morbidity in advanced stage gastric cancer (ASGC; tumor, node, metastasis [TNM] stage II–III) compared with that in early stage gastric cancer (ESGC; TNM stage I) in patients undergoing laparoscopic assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG).METHODS: The clinical data of 448 consecutive patients who underwent LADG with R0 resection for gastric cancer at the Gyeongsang National University Hospital were retrospectively analyzed.RESULTS: The morbidity and mortality rates for radical distal gastrectomy were 20.3% (91/448) and 0.2% (1/448), respectively. Wound problems were the most common complication (4.7%, n=21), followed by leakage (4.5%, n=20), and postoperative bleeding (3.8%, n=17). We found ASGC had higher frequencies of postoperative ileus (0.8% vs. 5.4%), wound problems (3.1% vs. 10.9%), and pulmonary complications (4% vs. 7%) than ESGC in the LADG (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: Among patients who underwent LADG, ASGC patients had higher rates of postoperative ileus and wound and pulmonary complications than ESGC patients. ASGC patients should be closely monitored for these complications after LADG.

Overexpression of Neuron-Specific Enolase as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Gastric Cancer

PURPOSE: Enolase is a cytoplasmic enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of 2-phosphoglycerate to phosphoenolpyruvate in the glycolytic pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the overexpression of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) can serve as a prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer (GC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: To assess its prognostic value in GC, NSE expression was measured by immunohistochemistry in a clinically annotated tissue microarray comprising of 327 human GC specimens. Cytoplasmic NSE expression was scored from 0 to 4, reflecting the percentage of NSE-positive cells. RESULTS: In terms of histology as per the World Health Organization criteria (P=0.340), there were no differences between the NSE overexpression (NSE-OE) and NSE underexpression (NSE-UE) groups. The NSE-OE group showed a significantly lower rate of advanced GC (P<0.010), lymph node metastasis (P=0.010), advanced stage group (P<0.010), cancer-related death (P<0.010), and cancer recurrence (P<0.010). Additionally, a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the NSE-OE group had longer cumulative survival times than the NSE-UE group (log-rank test, P<0.010). However, there were no significant differences in the serum levels of NSE expression in patients with GC and healthy volunteers (P=0.280). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with NSE overexpressing GC tissues showed better prognostic results, implying that NSE could be a candidate biomarker of GC.

A Case of Advanced Gastric Cancer with Para-Aortic Lymph Node Metastasis from Co-Occurring Prostate Cancer

An 84-year-old man was diagnosed with two synchronous adenocarcinomas, a Borrmann type IV advanced gastric adenocarcinoma in his antrum and a well-differentiated Borrmann type I carcinoma on the anterior wall of the higher body of his stomach. Pre-operatively, computed tomography of the abdomen revealed the presence of advanced gastric cancer with peri-gastric and para-aortic lymph node (LN) metastasis. He planned for palliative total gastrectomy owing to the risk of obstruction by the antral lesion. We performed a frozen biopsy of a para-aortic LN during surgery and found that the origin of the para-aortic LN metastasis was from undiagnosed prostate cancer. Thus, we performed radical total gastrectomy and D2 LN dissection. Post-operatively, his total prostate-specific antigen levels were high (227 ng/mL) and he was discharged 8 days after surgery without any complications.

Ursodeoxycholic Acid Induces Death Receptor-mediated Apoptosis in Prostate Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND: Bile acids have anti-cancer properties in a certain types of cancers. We determined anticancer activity and its underlying molecular mechanism of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in human DU145 prostate cancer cells. METHODS: Cell viability was measured with an MTT assay. UDCA-induced apoptosis was determined with flow cytometric analysis. The expression levels of apoptosis-related signaling proteins were examined with Western blotting. RESULTS: UDCA treatment significantly inhibited cell growth of DU145 in a dose-dependent manner. It induced cellular shrinkage and cytoplasmic blebs and accumulated the cells with sub-G1 DNA contents. Moreover, UDCA activated caspase 8, suggesting that UDCA-induced apoptosis is associated with extrinsic pathway. Consistent to this finding, UDCA increased the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptor, death receptor 4 (DR4) and death receptor 5 (DR5), and TRAIL augmented the UDCA-induced cell death in DU145 cells. In addition, UDCA also increased the expressions of Bax and cytochrome c and decreased the expression of Bcl-xL in DU145 cells. This finding suggests that UDCA-induced apoptosis may be involved in intrinsic pathway. CONCLUSIONS: UDCA induces apoptosis via extrinsic pathway as well as intrinsic pathway in DU145 prostate cancer cells. UDCA may be a promising anti-cancer agent against prostate cancer.

Laparoscopic Approach for Pancreatic Leiomyosarcoma with Metachronous Liver Metastasis

Although pancreatic leiomyosarcoma (PLM) is a rare malignant pancreatic cancer, it usually shows aggressive biological features such as invasion to an adjacent organ or distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Radical resection is the best treatment modality but effective chemotherapies have not been identified. A 58-year-old female was referred to us complaining of intermittent left upper quadrant abdominal discomfort. Imaging studies revealed a 10-cm mass in the pancreatic tail. The patient underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy, and the pathological findings were consistent with PLM. Imaging studies 14 months after surgery revealed multiple liver metastases. Because the patient was young with a sufficient remnant liver, we performed laparoscopic metastatectomy without any postoperative complications. Patients with PLM need frequent check-ups, even after curative resection. The role of laparoscopic resection should be confirmed in the future.

Unsuspected Duplicated Gallbladder in a Patient Presenting with Acute Cholecystitis

Duplicated gallbladder (GB) is a rare congenital disease. Surgical management of a duplicated GB needs special care because of concurrent bile duct anomalies and the risk of injuring adjacent arteries during surgery. An 80-year-old man visited an emergency room with right upper quadrant abdominal pain. Computed tomography (CT) revealed cholecystitis with a 2-bodied GB. Because of this unusual finding, magnetic resonance choledochopancreatography was performed to detect possible biliary anomalies. The 2 GB bodies were unified at the neck with a common cystic duct, a so-called V-shaped duplicated GB. The patient's right posterior hepatic duct joined the common bile duct (CBD) near the cystic duct. The patient underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy without adjacent organ injury, and was discharged uneventfully. Surgeons should carefully evaluate the patient preoperatively and select adequate surgical procedures in patients with suspected duplicated GB because of the risk of concurrent biliary anomalies.

Relationship between low body mass index and morbidity after gastrectomy for gastric cancer

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the association between low body mass index (BMI) and morbidity after gastric cancer surgery. METHODS: A total of 1,805 patients were included in the study. These subjects had undergone gastric cancer surgery at a single institution between January 1997 and December 2013. Clinicopathologic and morbidity data were analyzed by dividing the patients into 2 groups: underweight patients (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) and nonunderweight patients (BMI ≥ 18.5 kg/m2). RESULTS: The overall complication rate as determined by our study was 24.4%. Pulmonary complications occurred more frequently in the underweight group (UWG) than in the non-UWG (10.5% vs. 3.8%, respectively; P = 0.012). Multivariate analysis revealed two independent factors responsible for postoperative pulmonary complications—weight of the patients (UWG vs. non-UWG, 10.8% vs. 3.8%; P < 0.007) and stage of gastric cancer (early stage vs. advanced stage, 3.1% vs. 6.8%; P < 0.023). Multivariate analysis revealed that underweight (UWG vs. non-UWG, 10.8% vs. 3.8%, respectively, P < 0.007) and advanced cancer stage (early stage vs. advanced stage, 3.1% vs. 6.8%, respectively, P = 0.023) were significant risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications. CONCLUSION: We concluded that underweight patients had a higher pulmonary complication rate. Additionally, underweight and advanced cancer stage were determined to be independent risk factors for the development of postoperative pulmonary complications.

Population-Based Regional Cancer Incidence in Korea: Comparison between Urban and Rural Areas / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate differences in organ-specific cancer incidence according to the region and population size in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the data of the cancer registration program of Gyeongnam Regional Cancer Center between 2008 and 2011. Age-standardized rates of cancer incidence were analyzed according to population size of the region and administrative zone. RESULTS: Incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing rapidly in both urban and rural areas. However, the thyroid cancer incidence was much lower in rural areas than in urban areas and megalopolis such as Seoul. Gastric cancer was relatively more common in rural areas, in megalopolis near the sea (Ulsan, Busan, and Incheon), and other southern provinces (Chungcheongnam-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do). A detailed analysis in Gyeongsangnam-do revealed that rural areas have relatively low incidence of thyroid and colorectal cancer, and relatively high incidence of gastric and lung cancer compared to urban areas. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that there are some differences in cancer incidence by population size. Thyroid and colorectal cancer incidence was increasing, and gastric and lung cancer was slightly decreasing in urban areas, whereas gastric and lung cancer incidence still remains high in rural areas.