Efficacy of laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with double-tract reconstruction versus laparoscopic total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction for early upper gastric cancer / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective: To compare clinical efficacy between laparoscopic radical proximal gastrectomy with double-tract reconstruction (LPG-DTR) and laparoscopic radical total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction (LTG-RY) in patients with early upper gastric cancer, and to provide a reference for the selection of surgical methods in early upper gastric cancer. Methods: A retrospective cohort study method was carried out. Clinical data of 80 patients with early upper gastric cancer who underwent LPG-DTR or LTG-RY by the same surgical team at the Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2018 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into the DTR group (32 cases) and R-Y group (48 cases) according to surgical procedures and digestive tract reconstruction methods. Surgical and pathological characteristics, postoperative complications (short-term complications within 30 days after surgery and long-term complications after postoperative 30 days), survival time and nutritinal status were compared between the two groups. For nutritional status, reduction rate was used to represent the changes in total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, body mass, hemoglobin and vitamin B12 levels at postoperative 1-year and 2-year. Non-normally distributed continuous data were presented as median (interquartile range), and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison between groups. The χ(2) test or Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of data between groups. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the ranked data between groups. The survival rate was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method categorical, and compared by using the log-rank test. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in baseline data betweeen the two groups, except that patients in the R-Y group were oldere and had larger tumor. Patients of both groups successfully completed the operation without conversion to laparotomy, combined organ resection, or perioperative death. There were no significant differences in the distance from proximal resection margin to superior margin of tumor, postoperative hospital stay, time to flatus and food-taking, hospitalization cost, short- and long-term complications between the two groups (all P>0.05). Compared with the R-Y group, the DTR group had shorter distal margins [(3.2±0.5) cm vs. (11.7±2.0) cm, t=-23.033, P<0.001], longer surgery time [232.5 (63.7) minutes vs. 185.0 (63.0) minutes, Z=-3.238, P=0.001], longer anastomosis time [62.5 (17.5) minutes vs. 40.0 (10.0) minutes, Z=-6.321, P<0.001], less intraoperative blood loss [(138.1±51.6) ml vs. (184.3±62.1) ml, t=-3.477, P=0.001], with significant differences (all P<0.05). The median follow-up of the whole group was 18 months, and the 2-year cancer-specific survival rate was 97.5%, with 100% in the DTR group and 95.8% in the R-Y group (P=0.373). Compared with R-Y group at postoperative 1 year, the reduction rate of weight, hemoglobin and vitamin B12 were lower in DTR group with significant differences (all P<0.05); at postoperative 2-year, the reduction rate of vitamin B12 was still lower with significant differences (P<0.001), but the reduction rates of total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, body weight and hemoglobin were similar between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: LPG-DTR is safe and feasible in the treatment of early upper gastric cancer. The short-term postoperative nutritional status and long-term vitamin B12 levels of patients undergoing LPG-DTR are superior to those undergoing LTG-RY.

A nomogram for predicting lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective: To explore the independent risk factors of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in early gastric cancer, and to use nomogram to construct a prediction model for above LNM. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Inclusion criteria: (1) primary early gastric cancer as stage pT1 confirmed by postoperative pathology; (2) complete clinicopathological data. Exclusion criteria: (1) patients with advanced gastric cancer, stump gastric cancer or history of gastrectomy; (2) early gastric cancer patients confirmed by pathology after neoadjuvant chemotherapy; (3) other types of gastric tumors, such as lymphoma, neuroendocrine tumor, stromal tumor, etc.; (4) primary tumors of other organs with gastric metastasis. According to the above criteria, 1633 patients with early gastric cancer who underwent radical gastrectomy at the Department of General Surgery of the Chinese PLA General Hospital First Medical Center from December 2005 to December 2020 were enrolled as training set, meanwhile 239 patients with early gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy at the Department of General Surgery of the Chinese PLA General Hospital Fourth Medical Center from December 2015 to December 2020 were enrolled as external validation set. Risk factors of LNM in early gastric cancer were identified by using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. A nomogram prediction model was established with significant factors screened by multivariate analysis. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used for assessing the predictive value of the model. Calibration curve was drawn for external validation. Results: Among 1633 patients in training set, the mean number of retrieved lymph nodes was 20 (13-28), and 209 patients (12.8%) had lymph node metastasis. Univariate analysis showed that gender, resection range, tumor location, tumor morphology, lymph node clearance, vascular invasion, lymphatic cancer thrombus, tumor length, tumor differentiation, microscopic presence of signet ring cells and depth of tumor invasion were associated with LNM (all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that females, tumor morphology as ulcer type, vascular invasion, lymphatic cancer thrombus, tumor length≥3 cm, deeper invasion of mucosa, and poor differentiation were independent risk factors for LNM in early gastric cancers (all P<0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve indicated that AUC of training set was 0.818 (95%CI: 0.790-0.847) and AUC of external validation set was 0.765 (95%CI: 0.688-0.843). The calibration curve showed that the LNM probability predicted by nomogram was consistent with the actual situation (C-index: 0.818 in training set and 0.765 in external validation set). Conclusions: Females, tumor morphology as ulcer type, vascular invasion, lymphatic cancer thrombus, tumor length≥3 cm, deeper invasion of mucosa and poor differentiation are independent risk factors for LNM of early gastric cancer. The establishment of a nomogram prediction model for LNM in early gastric cancer has great diagnostic value and can provide reference for treatment selection.

Pylorus-preserving gastrectomy and segmental gastrectomy: discrimination of concepts and surgical procedures / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Both pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) and segmental gastrectomy (SG) achieve the preservation of gastric cardia and pylorus through the circumferential resection of stomach, while concepts and surgical procedures of these two operations are obviously different. In this sense, transectional gastrectomy includes both PPG and SG. PPG is one of the standard surgical procedure for early gastric cancer (EGC). The extent of lymph node dissection (No.1, 3, 4sb, 4d, 6, 7, 8a, 9) and the retention of infrapyloric vessels, hepatic and pyloric branch of vagal nerve has formed a consensus. Meanwhile, SG is regarded as an investigational treatment according to the Japanese gastric cancer treatment guidelines. It is still controversial and may generate an ethical risk in the clinical practice. This article distinguishes the difference in the concepts and surgical procedures between PPG and SG, assisting a comprehensive evaluation in further research.

Comparison of long-term outcomes between endoscopic submucosal dissection and surgical resection for early gastric cancer with undifferentiated histology / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of undifferentiated early gastric cancer (UD-EGC) remains controversial due to high positive rate of horizontal and vertical resection margins and the risk of lymph node metastasis. The purpose of this study was to compare long-term outcomes of patients with UD-EGC undergoing ESD versus surgery. Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study. Inclusion criteria: (1) patients with early gastric cancer undergoing ESD or surgical resection; (2) histological types included poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, poorly differentiated adenocarcima with signet ring cell carcinoma, and signet ring cell carcinoma; (3) no lymph node metastasis or distant metastasis was confirmed by preoperative CT and endoscopic ultrasonography. Exclusion criteria: (1) previous surgical treatment for gastric cancer; (2) synchronous tumors; (3) death with unknown cause; (4) additional surgical treatment was performed within 1 month after ESD. According to the above criteria, clinical data of patients with UD-EGC who received ESD or surgery treatment in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 2009 to December 2016 were collected. After further comparing the clinical outcomes between the two groups by 1:1 propensity score matching, 61 patients in the ESD group and 61 patients in the surgery group were finally included in this study. The disease-free and overall survivals were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. Results: All patients in the two groups completed operations successfully. In the ESD group, the median operation time was 46.3 (26.5, 102.3) minutes, 61 cases (100%) were en-bloc resection, and 57 cases (93.4%) were complete resection. Positive margin was found in 4 (6.6%) patients, of whom 2 were positive in horizontal margin and 2 were positive both in horizontal and vertical margins. In the surgery group, only 1 case had positive horizontal margin and no positive vertical margin was observed. There was no significant difference in the positive rate of margin between the two groups (P>0.05). Median follow-up time was 59.8 (3.0, 131.5) months. The follow-up rate of ESD group and surgery group was 82.0% (50/61) and 95.1% (58/61), respectively. The 5-year disease-free survival rate in ESD group and surgery group was 98.2% and 96.7%, respectively (P=0.641), and the 5-year overall survival rate was 98.2% and 96.6%, respectively (P=0.680). In the ESD group, 1 patient (1.6%) had lymph node recurrence, without local recurrence or distant metastasis. In the surgery group, 1 case (1.6%) had anastomotic recurrence and 1 (1.6%) had distant metastasis. Conclusion: ESD has a sinilar long-term efficacy to surgery in the treatment of UD-EGC.

A novel classification and strategy choice of digestive tract reconstruction procedures after function-preserving gastrectomy for early gastric caner / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Function-preserving gastrectomy (FPG) can be regarded as a concrete embodiment of precise treatment for early gastric cancer. Digestive tract reconstruction plays an important role in FPG. The aims of reconstruction mainly include the preservation of normal digestive tract and digestive function, the reconstruction of pivotal anatomical structure, and the consequent improvement of postoperative quality of life. We establish a new classification of digestive tract reconstruction based on the different role of digestive tract reconstructions in FPG for early gastric cancer, meanwhile we briefly summarize current progress and elucidate surgical indications. We hope that it can provide theoretical reference for surgeons to choose the appropriate procedure of digestive tract reconstruction after FPG.

Choice of function-preserving gastrectomy / 中华胃肠外科杂志

As the diagnosis rate of early gastric cancer is increasing annually, the current hot spot in the treatment of early gastric cancer is how to better preserve the anatomical structure and physiological function of the stomach and improve the quality of life of patients after surgery under the premise of tumor eradication. Therefore, function-preserving gastrectomy has been the trend of surgical treatment for early gastric cancer. It is not just a modified gastrectomy, but a better combination of improved surgical techniques and the concept of function-preserving treatment, rather than being limited to traditional surgical treatments. Currently, the routine function-preserving gastrectomy mainly includes pylorus-preserving gastrectomy, proximal gastrectomy and partial gastrectomy combined with endoscopy. In addition, with the deeper understanding of metastasis pattern of gastric cancer and the development and popularization of minimally invasive techniques, laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery is gradually gaining attention. The application of laparoscopic and endoscopic hybrid surgery combined with sentinel lymph node navigation is anticipated in the treatment of early gastric cancer.

Interpretation of key points of Chinese expert consensus on function-preserving gastrectomy for gastric cancer (2021) / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in China, and with the popularity of gastroscopy in recent years, the proportion of early gastric cancer is increasing gradually. Through standardized endoscopic and/or surgical treatment, patients with early gastric cancer usually have a favorable prognosis, which will inevitably lead to higher demands for postoperative quality of life. Based on this situation, function-preserving gastrectomy (FPG) has become a focus in the treatment of early gastric cancer for the purpose of improving the quality of life. The "Chinese expert consensus on function-preserving gastrectomy for early gastric cancer (2021)" will guide surgeons to perform standardized FPG, and ensure the maximum quality of life for the patients.

Characteristics of lymph node metastasis and evaluating the efficacy of endoscopic submucosal dissection in early gastric cancer / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the correlation between clinicopathological features and lymph node metastasis, and to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in early gastric cancer (EGC) by comparing with surgery treatment.@*METHODS@#The clinicopathological data of 320 patients with EGC who were treated in Peking University First Hospital between January 2010 and December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed, in which there were 198 cases of surgical procedure and 122 cases of ESD. Characteristics of lymph node metastasis in EGC were analyzed, and lymph node metastasis of EGC with ESD absolute and expanded indications were summarized. The long-term efficacy of ESD and surgical treatment of EGC were compared to evaluate the rationality of absolute and expanded indications of ESD.@*RESULTS@#Lymph node metastasis was detected in 22 (11.1%) of 198 patients. Univariate analysis showed a positive relationship between tumor size (χ2=5.525, P=0.019), depth of invasion(χ2=8.235, P=0.004), histological type (χ2=6.323, P=0.012), lymphovascular invasion (χ2=12.273, P < 0.001) and lymph node metastasis in EGC. Multivariate analysis revealed that depth of invasion(Wald=7.575, P=0.006) and histological type (Wald=6.317, P=0.012) were independent relative factors of lymph node metastasis in EGC. The lymph node metastasis rates of the patients with absolute and expanded ESD indications were both 0%. The 5-year survival rates of the patients who met ESD absolute indication receiving surgery treatment and ESD were 97.6% and 97.9% respectively, and the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant(χ2=0.014, P=0.907).The 5-year survival rates of the patients who met ESD expanded indication receiving surgery treatment and ESD were 96.5% and 91.7% respectively, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant(χ2=1.061, P=0.303).@*CONCLUSION@#Lymph node metastasis in EGC is mainly correlated with depth of invasion and histological type. Our data indicate that ESD procedure for EGC is comparable to surgery in terms of long-term efficacy in both absolute and expanded indications. However, some studies of a large sample size are still needed for more confirmation.

Predictive factors for lymph node metastasis in patients with poorly differentiated early gastric cancer / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective@#This study aimed to identify clinicopathological factors predictive of lymph node metastasis in patients with the poorly differentiated early gastric cancer (EGC) to assess the feasibility of using endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD).@*Methods@#The records of patients with poorly differentiated early gastric cancer undergoing gastric radical resection between January 2012 and December 2016 were reviewed in Ruijin hospital. Those with distant metastasis, two or more malignant tumors, remnant gastric cancer, neo adjuvant therapy, previous history of gastric surgery or clear history of perigastric lymphadenectomy, and mixed tumors were excluded. Age, sex, presence of ulcerous lesion, tumor size, tumor location, depth of invasion, type of differentiation, lymphatic vessel invasion, vascular invasion, nerve invasion and HER2 expression were collected. Univariate and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analyses were used to identify the independent risk factors of perigastric lymph node metastasis.According to the Guidelines for the Treatment of Gastric Cancer (2018 edition) of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), the expanded indications of ESD for EGC are as follows: (1)no ulcerative lesions, the maximum diameter of lesions >2 cm of differentiated intramucosal cancer; (2)ulcerative lesions, the maximum diameter of lesions ≤3 cm of differentiated intramucosal cancer; (3)no ulcerative lesions, undifferentiated intramucosal carcinoma with diameter ≤2 cm. The relationship between clinicopathological factors and lymph node metastasis was analyzed.@*Results@#A total of 517 patients, aged 21-83 (57.1±11.7), including 307 males and 210 females, were enrolled in the study. Among them, 114 (22.0%) patients had lymph node metastasis. Univariate analysis showed that ulcerative lesion (P=0.042), tumor diameter (P=0.048), depth of invasion (P<0.001), location of tumors (P<0.001), lymphatic vessel invasion (P=0.009), vascular invasion (P<0.001) and nerve invasion (P=0.028) were related to lymph node metastasis after radical resection of poorly differentiated early adenocarcinoma. Age, sex, type of differentiation and HER2 expression were not significantly correlated to lymph node metastasis (P>0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that tumor size (OR=1.61, 95% CI: 1.03-2.52, P=0.037), depth of invasion (OR=2.77, 95% CI:1.66-4.63, P<0.001), lymphatic duct invasion (OR=14.74, 95% CI:1.58-137.36, P=0.018) were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in poorly differentiated EGC, and ulcerative lesion was not a risk factor for lymph node metastasis (OR=0.82, 95% CI:0.56-1.18,P=0.285). A total of 119 patients with poorly differentiated EGC fully complied with the relative indications of ESD recommended by the Japanese Statute and the criteria for radical resection after ESD. Among them, 14 (11.8%) still had perigastric lymph node metastasis, while the gender, tumor diameter, location, differentiation and HER2 expression were not associated with lymph node metastasis (P>0.05).@*Conclusion@#For patients with poorly differentiated EGC, the application of ESD should be carefully weighed with precise assessment of tumor diameter, depth of invasion, and lymphatic duct invasion.

Factors for the recurrence after endoscopic resection of early gastric cancer / 中华内科杂志

Objective To investigate the related factors of recurrence of early gastric cancer (EGC) after endoscopic resection. Methods Clinicopathologic data of 169 patients with EGC who underwent endoscopic resection and periodically followed up by the Chinese PLA General hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Results During a follow-up of 13-57 months (median time 24. 5 months), 12patients had gastric cancer again and the recurrence rate was 7. 1% (12/169). The recurrence time varied from 3 to 36 (28 ± 23)months and the median time was 18 months. The recurrence rates of 0.5 year, 1st year, 2nd year and 3rd year were 1.18% (2/169), 3.55% (6/169), 9.91% (11/111) and 12.24%(12/98), respectively. Eleven patients had gastric cancer again within 2 years after resection.Undifferentiated histology (including poorly differentiated carcinoma and signet ring cell carcinoma),submucosal infiltration and lymphovascular invasion of the primary lesion of EGC were related to thepostsurgical recurrence ( all P ＜ 0. 05). Conclusion Most recurrence of EGC occurred within 2 years afterendoscopic resecton and is related with undifferentiated histology, submucosal infiltration andlymphovascular invasion. It is important for these patients to receive endoscopy follow up.