Impact of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy on the local recurrence and distant metastasis pattern of locally advanced rectal cancer: a propensity score-matched analysis / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Previous studies have demonstrated different predominant sites of distant metastasis between patients with and without neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT). This study aimed to explore whether NCRT could influence the metastasis pattern of rectal cancer through a propensity score-matched analysis.@*METHODS@#In total, 1296 patients with NCRT or post-operative chemoradiotherapy (PCRT) were enrolled in this study between January 2008 and December 2015. Propensity score matching was used to correct for differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. After propensity score matching, the metastasis pattern, including metastasis sites and timing, was compared and analyzed.@*RESULTS@#After propensity score matching, there were 408 patients in the PCRT group and 245 patients in the NCRT group. NCRT significantly reduced local recurrence (4.1% vs. 10.3%, P = 0.004), but not distant metastases (28.2% vs. 27.9%, P = 0.924) compared with PCRT. In both the NCRT and PCRT groups, the most common metastasis site was the lung, followed by the liver. The NCRT group developed local recurrence and distant metastases later than the PCRT group (median time: 29.2 [18.8, 52.0] months vs. 18.7 [13.3, 30.0] months, Z = -2.342, P = 0.019; and 21.2 [12.2, 33.8] vs. 16.4 [9.3, 27.9] months, Z = -1.765, P = 0.035, respectively). The distant metastases occurred mainly in the 2nd year after surgery in both the PCRT group (39/114, 34.2%) and NCRT group (21/69, 30.4%). However, 20.3% (14/69) of the distant metastases appeared in the 3rd year in the NCRT group, while this number was only 13.2% (15/114) in the PCRT group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The predominant site of distant metastases was the lung, followed by the liver, for both the NCRT group and PCRT group. NCRT did not influence the predominant site of distant metastases, but the NCRT group developed local recurrence and distant metastases later than the PCRT group. The follow-up strategy for patients with NCRT should be adjusted and a longer intensive follow-up is needed.

Clinicopathological and prognostic features of hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach (HAS) is a rare type of gastric carcinoma, which has its unique clinicopathological features and poorer prognosis than that of the ordinary gastric adenocarcinoma. At present, there is still a lack of understanding about this disease. The current study aimed to summarize and discuss the clinical, pathological, immunohistochemical, and prognostic features of this disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 20 patients of HAS were retrospectively studied. All the patients were treated in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between March 1998 and October 2009. Statistical analysis, including the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test and Cox model, were performed by the SPSS 15.0 software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seventeen patients (85%) had at least 1 lymph node metastases; 17 patients (85%) received postoperative immunohistochemical examinations, with an alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) positive rate of 94.1% (16/17); 14 patients had distant metastases (including 12 liver metastases, 1 lung metastasis, and 1 celiac widespread metastases), and one simultaneously had anastomotic recurrence and liver metastases. The overall survival time was 2 - 99 months (median: 12.0 months). The 3-year survival rate of the 20 patients was 17.2%. The 3-year survival rate of patients with complete hepatocyte-like regions and those with both hepatocellular carcinoma and adenocarcinoma regions was 20.0% and 17.5%, respectively (P = 0.361). The survival difference among the radical surgery group, palliative surgery group and no surgery group was statistically significant (P = 0.022). The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test showed that surgery, pTNM stages, and adjuvant chemotherapy were associated with prognosis (P < 0.05). The Cox model only confirmed that the pTNM stages and adjuvant chemotherapy had statistical significance for the prognosis of HAS (P < 0.05) due to the limited cases.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>HAS is a special type of gastric carcinoma and has a poor prognosis. The pTNM stage is an independent risk factor for HAS. Multidisciplinary therapy, including surgery and chemotherapy, may improve the prognosis of HAS.</p>

Wide local excision could be considered as the initial treatment of primary anorectal malignant melanoma / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Anorectal malignant melanoma was a rare disease with extremely poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to explore the clinical characteristic, diagnosis and treatment strategies of anorectal malignant melanoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The data of 57 patients with anorectal malignant melanoma was collected and retrospectively analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Rectal bleeding and anal mass were found to be common symptoms of anorectal malignant melanoma. The preoperative diagnosis rate of anorectal malignant melanoma was 48.6%. The overall 3-year and 5-year survival rate was 38.0% and 21.3% respectively. The 3-year survival rates of stage I and II patients were 63.0% and 16.7% respectively (P = 0.000), and the 5-year survival rates were 33.3% and 11.1% (P = 0.001), which both had significant statistic differences. The 3-year survival rate of patients undergone abdmoninoperineal resection and patients undergone wide local excision were 36.7% and 53.0% respectively (P = 0.280), while the 5-year survival rate were 24.1% and 23.1% (P = 0.642), which both had no significant statistic differences.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>This study identified no survival advantage to abdominoperineal resection in treatment of anorectal malignant melanoma, and we propose that wide local excision could be considered as the initial treatment of choice.</p>

Clinical results and prognostic analysis of local excision in lower rectal cancer / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the results and the prognosis of local excision of lower rectal cancer, and investigate the proper indication of local excision for cure purpose.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinicopathological data of 76 patients with lower rectal cancer treated from February 1985 to October 2007 were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Sixty-nine patients received transanal excision, 6 cases received trans-sacral excision and 1 case received trans-vaginal excision. Among the cases, 48 cases were ranged as T1 phase, 25 cases as T2, 3 cases as T3. The operation complication rate was 7.9%, and the 30-day mortality rate post operation was 0. The local recurrence rate was 22.4% and the overall 5 year survival rate was 84.5%. The local recurrence was significantly related with T stage and resection margin status. The survival was significantly related with mucinous adenocarcinoma, resection margin status and lymphovascular invasion; and the resection margin and lymphovascular invasion was the independent factors affecting survival.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Local excision was safe in early stage lower rectal cancer. Careful patient selection is the key of the operation. The proper indication of local excision is T1-2 without high risk factors (high histopathological grade, presence of lymphatic or vascular invasion, mucinous adenocarcinoma); and the cases with T2 phase tumor should undergo chemoradiotherapy after local excision.</p>

Simultaneous liver and colorectal resection for synchronous colorectal liver metastasis / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the safety and long term outcome of simultaneous liver and colorectal resection for synchronous colorectal liver metastasis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-three synchronous colorectal liver metastasis patients who received simultaneous colectomy and hepatectomy between May 1981 and November 2005 were analyzed retrospectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The group included 21 male patients and 22 female patients, with the median age of 52 years. The overall median operative time was 180 minutes, 30 cases received blood transfusion, and the median volume was 800 ml. The median hospital stay was 15 days. The morbidity and mortality was 18.6% and 2.3%, respectively. The overall median survival time was 25 months, 5-year survival rate was 19.1%. The survival of patients underwent R0 resection were substantially better (median survival time 48 months, 5-year survival rate 33.8%) than that of the patients who did not undergo R0 resection (20 months, 7.6%) (P = 0.002).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Simultaneous liver and colorectal resection is safe and effective for synchronous colorectal liver metastasis. Furthermore, simultaneous R0 resection should be the optimal surgery for the resectable cases.</p>