ABSTRACT
Radical resection remains as the key treatment to improve the prognosis of pancreatic cancer, and arterial invasion hinders radical resection for locally advanced lesions. More accurate assessment of resectability and selection of appropriate surgical techniques depend on better understanding of the anatomy, histology, and tumor biology of pancreatic cancer invasion to the artery. Traditional radiology assessment for artery involvement, based on the circumference of involved arteries, is not equivalent to pathological artery invasion. The depth of arterial invasion is more important than the circumference in evaluating resectability. Results of morphological observa-tion on arterial structure shows that both the feasibility of sub-adventitial divestment technique (SDT) and the necessity of arterial resection depend on whether the external elastic lamina of artery is invaded. The SDT can provide an opportunity for radical resection for pancreatic cancer with arterial invasion, while avoiding the high mortality and incidence of complications caused by arterial resection. A more precise assessment of tumor invasion depth and biological behavior will provide a more reliable basis for surgical decision for the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer with arterial invasion.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the surgical management of huge pelvic tumor.Methods The clinical data of 56 patients with huge pelvic tumor who were admitted to the Cancer Hospital of Henan Province from February 2005 to January 2012 were retrospectively analyzed.Tumor resectability was assessed via enhanced computed tomography or three-dimensional reconstruction,and the tumors were freed and resected by combination of muliiple surgical approaches.All the patients were followed up via telephone or re-examination at the out-patient department to learn the recurrence and metastasis of tumor.The survival rate was calculated using the life table.Results Fifty patients received preoperative computed tomography examination,and the imaging data of 6 patients were three-dimensionally reconstructed.Preoperative evaluation showed that 49 patients needed combined multivisceral resection,5 needed tumor resection,and the tumors of 2 patients were unresectable.Fourteen patients were diagnosed preoperatively,and 8 patients were diagnosed by intraoperative rapid frozen section examination,and the rest 34 patients were diagnosed by postoperative pathological examination.The surgical approaches including anterior median sacral approach combined with transperineal coccyx anterior approach (21 patients),anterior median sacral approach (11 patients),obturator approach (8 patients),retropubic approach (8 patients) and obturator approach combined with transperineal approach of coccyx (8 patients).Tumor and rectum resection was carried out on 18 patients,tumor and partial bladder resection on 12 patients,tumor,uterus and ovariectomization on 12 patients,tumor,part of the small intestine and colorectal resection on 10 patients,tumor and total pelvic exenteration on 4 patients.In all the 56 patients,53 achieved R0 resection,2 cases reached naked eye clean,1 case had residual tumor.The mean operation time was 100 minutes.Fifty patients recovered uneventfully.Six patients had postoperative complications,including 3 patients with intestinal obstruction (2 patients were cured by conservative treatment,and 1 patient was cured by surgery),2 patients with pelvic infection and 1 patient with colostomy hernia,and they were cured by drainage and nutritional support.One patient died of postoperative myocardial infarction.The results of postoperative pathologic study showed that 25 patients were with adenocarcinoma,16 with sarcoma and 15 with gastrointestinal stromal tumor.Forty-seven patients were followup to December 2012,and the 5-year survival rate was 26.7％ for patients with adenocarcinoma,18.9％ for patients with sarcoma,and 52.6％ for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor.Conclusion Preoperative assessment of resectability of huge pelvic tumor can reduce unnecessary laparotomy and improve the safety of operation.