Serosa-penetration in human T4aN0M0 gastric carcinoma correlates with worse prognosis after D2 gastrectomy / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>In both the seventh edition of the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) staging system for gastric cancer and the 14th edition of the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association (JGCA) system, T(4a) is defined as "Tumor perforates serosa (visceral peritoneum) without invasion of adjacent structures." The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in prognosis between patients with serosa-penetrating and serosa-invading T(4a)N(0)M(0) gastric carcinomas.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Data were collected from 221 patients with T(4a)N(0)M(0) gastric carcinoma who underwent D2 resection at our cancer center between January 1990 and December 2008. The cohort included 42 patients with serosa-penetrating tumors and 179 patients with serosa-invading tumors. The average follow-up time was 85.5 months. Spearman's rank correlation, Kaplan-Meier plots, and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to analyze the data.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 5-year survival rate of patients with serosa-penetrating and serosa-invading gastric cancers were 31% and 62% respectively (P < 0.05). The relapse rates after D2 radical surgery were 16.2% in patients with serosa-invading gastric cancer versus 59.5% in those with serosa-penetrating tumors (P < 0.05). Peritoneal dissemination and distant organ/lymph node metastatic rates were 76.0% and 24.0% respectively in patients with penetrating tumors, versus 44.8% and 55.2% respectively in patients with invading tumors (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that penetration of the serosa was an independent prognostic indicator of overall survival.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Our findings provide a basis for the concept that serosa-penetrating T(4a)N(0)M(0) gastric carcinoma represents a more aggressive cancer than serosa-invading T(4a)N(0)M(0) gastric carcinoma. Serosa penetration is an independent factor for poor prognosis of patients with gastric carcinoma.</p>

Comparison of two types of digestive tract reconstruction after total gastrectomy in patients with gastric carcinoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the influence of two different types of digestive tract reconstruction on the life quality, nutritional status and tolerance to adjuvant chemotherapy after total gastrectomy in patients with gastric carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of a total of 107 patients treated in our department from January 2005 to december 2008 were analyzed retrospectively. Among them, 49 patients underwent digestive tract reconstruction with functional jejunal interposition (FJI group) and 58 patients underwent Roux en-Y jejunal P-type anastomosis (PR group) after total gastrectomy. 79 of 107 (73.8%) patients received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with XELOX regimen. The digestive complications and tolerance to chemotherapy were assessed respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Neither severe complications nor surgery-related or chemotherapy-related death were observed among the 107 patients. There were statistical differences in the incidence rate of emaciation, dumping syndrome and retention syndrome between the FJI and PR groups (P < 0.05), but no significant statistical difference in incidence rate of reflux esophagitis (P > 0.05). 28 of 40 (70.0%) patients in the FJI group completed all six cycles of chemotherapy, while 12 (30.0%) patients interrupted the treatment due to chemotherapy-related toxicity. 39 patients in the PR group received chemotherapy, 19 (48.7%) of them completed 6 cycles of chemotherapy but 20 (51.3%) patients interrupted. There was a significant difference in the incidence rate of grade III/IV chemotherapeutic toxicity and completion rate of chemotherapy (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Both functional jejunal interposition and Roux-Y operation are reasonable and safe procedures of digestive tract reconstruction. The incidence rates of emaciation, dumping syndrome and retention syndrome are lower in the patients with FJI, showing a better tolerance to adjuvant chemotherapy than Roux en-Y jejunal p type anastomosis.</p>

Prognosis of 980 patients with gastric cancer after surgical resection / 癌症

<p><b>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE</b>Although surgery is the only possible means to cure gastric cancer, the prognosis is often discrepant. The American Joint Committee on Cancer / International Union against Cancer (AJCC/UICC) published the TNM classification of Malignant Tumors (seventh edition) for gastric cancer recently. This study aimed to use this new edition staging system to investigate the prognostic factors for gastric cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinicopathologic data of 980 patients with gastric cancer treated by surgical resection in our hospital between January 2000 and December 2006 were analyzed retrospectively. The overall survival rate was determined by using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test was used to determine significance. The prognosis was analyzed using univariate analysis and multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazards model. The 6th and 7th edition AJCC/UICC TNM staging systems were used to compare the survival outcomes for the cohort of patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rates for the whole group were 82.5%, 58.7%, and 52.6%. The 5-year survival rates for patients with pTNM stage I, II, III, and IV disease classified by the 7th edition staging system were 93.2%, 72.4%, 39.1%, and 5.2%, respectively. In both univariate analysis and Cox multivariate analysis, age, tumor site, tumor size, histological type, resection type, radical resection, lymphatic/venous invasion, depth of invasion, nodal status, metastasis, retrieved lymph nodes, metastatic lymph node ratio, and adjuvant chemotherapy were prognostic factors with these patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compared with the 6th edition system, the new edition of TNM staging system for gastric cancer can accurately predict the survival after operation.</p>

Trend analysis for clinical characteristics and prognosis of adenocarcinoma of cardia / 癌症

<p><b>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE</b>The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the cardia has recently increased. This study compared the clinicopathology and prognosis of patients with gastric cardia adenocarcinoma in different periods between 1984 and 2003.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 589 patients with pathologically confirmed gastric cardia adenocarcinoma hospitalized in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between 1984 and 2003 were divided into 5-year groups. Retrospective analysis of clinical and prognostic characteristics between the different 5-year groups was conducted.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The number of hospitalized patients increased by 134.5%, with an annual increase of 4.6%. Median age was 60 years, with an increase of 5 years. Patients aged between 55 years and 64 years decreased, while patients aged > or = 65 years increased. The male-to-female ratio was 2.88:1, with no significant change. The rates of patients with the stage-I and -II disease changed insignificantly, while patients with stage-III disease increased, and patients with stage-I disease decreased. The 5-year survival rate of all the patients was 28.5%, which increased from 20.9% between 1984 and 1993 to 35.5% between 1994 to 2003.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>During the past 20 years, associated with the upward-trending incidence of gastric cardia adenocarcinoma, the admission rate at our hospital of patients with the tumor increased. The median age of the patients also increased. The ratio of men to women had no significant change. The proportion of patients with late-stage disease decreased and prognosis has improved.</p>

Relationship between the number of lymph node detection and prognosis in stage II gastric cancer after D(2) dissection / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the relationship between the lymph node count and prognosis in stage II gastric cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Retrospective analysis was performed for the 268 cases with gastric cancer who underwent parallel D(2) dissection between January 1990 and December 2006 in the Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center. The Japanese Gastric Cancer Association(JGCA) 13th edition of pathological staging system was used to define stage II gastric cancer. Patients were followed up until December 2008. The Kaplan-Meier method and chi-square test were used for data analysis. All the data were analyzed using SPSS16.0 for Windows.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The average number of detected lymph nodes was 17.3+/-1.2. There were 109 patients with detected lymph node <15. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 92.7%, 67.8%, and 50.9%, respectively. The number of detected lymph node was > or =15 in 159 cases, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 96.9 %, 81.0%, and 66.4%, respectively. The difference between two groups was statistically significant (P=0.003). Further analysis of the 199 cases with no lymph node metastasis (pN(0) group) showed that there were 95 cases with lymph nodes <15, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 92.6%, 70.4%, and 55.9%, respectively. There were 104 patients with > or =15 lymph nodes, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 97.1%, 84.4%, and 66.8%, respectively. The difference was also statistically significant (P=0.049). There were 69 cases with lymph node metastasis (PN(1) group), and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of 14 patients with lymph nodes <15 were 92.9%,57.1%, and 34.3%, respectively. Comparing two groups, the survival rate was significantly different (P=0.034). There were 55 patients with > or =15 lymph nodes, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 96.4%, 73.4%, and 63.8%. The difference was statistically significant (P=0.036).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In patients with stage II gastric cancer as defined by the JGCA 13th edition, the survival rate is better in patients with more than 15 detected lymph nodes as compared to those with less than 15.</p>

Comparison of transthoracic and transabdominal surgical approaches for the treatment of adenocarcinoma of the cardia / 癌症

<p><b>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE</b>Transthoracic and transabdominal approaches are commonly used for the surgical treatment of adenocarcinoma of the cardia. Which approach is better has been controversial for quite a long time. Our study aimed to compare the surgical trauma, range of lymph node dissection, and the prognosis of the transthoracic and transabdominal approaches for the treatment of adenocarcinoma of the cardia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The medical records of 331 patients with adenocarcinoma of the cardia treated in our hospital between 1994 and 2003 were analyzed. Of the 331 patients, 284 underwent operation via transthoracic approach and 47 via transabdominal approach. Surgery-related status, postoperative complications, range of removed lymph nodes and prognosis of the two groups were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was no significant difference in surgery-related status and postoperative complications between the two groups (P >0.05). The mean number of removed lymph nodes from the thoracic cavity was much higher in transthoracic group than in transabdominal group (P < 0.001), while that from the abdominal cavity was similar in both groups (P = 0.404). The thoracic lymph node metastasis rate was 18.8% in transthoracic group and 13.3% in transabdominal group. The median survival time was 29 months in transthoracic group and 28 months in transabdominal group, and the 5-year survival rates were 34.9% and 40.1% (P= 0.599).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>For the surgical treatment of adenocarcinoma of the cardia, the surgical trauma of the transthoracic approach is similar with that of transabdominal approach. The transthoracic approach has the advantage in thoracic lymph node dissection. The two approaches have no obvious effect on the prognosis.</p>

Pathologic characteristics of residual carcinoma at incisal edge after gastrectomy for gastric cancer / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the reason, features and preventive measures of residual carcinoma at incisal edge after gastric cancer operation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical data of 108 cases with positive incisal margin(6.47%) from December 1964 to December 2004 in Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen were summarized and analyzed retrospectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Positive incisal margin patients accounted for 6.5%(108/1670) of total gastric carcinoma cases during above period. There were 62 men and 46 women with median age of 54 years(ranged from 23 to 82). The residual carcinoma rates of incisal edge were 3.6%(48/1333) in radical resection group and 17.8%(60/337) in palliative resection group respectively(P=0.000). Also, the residual carcinoma rates were 2.3%(3/129) in early group, 6.8(105/1541) in advanced group(P=0.046), 4.5%(37/815) in distal gastrectomy group and 8.0%(55/689) in proximal group respectively(P=0.000). Residual carcinomas were related with pTNM stage, Borrmann type, tumor size, differentiation and invasion depth(P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Superior gastric carcinoma, Borrmann III(, IIII( type advanced cancer, tumor diameter > or =5 cm, poor differentiation or undifferentiated type and serosa invaded easily result in residual carcinoma at incisal edge. The radical preventive measure is to ensure that incisal edge ought to exceed 5 cm apart from the tumor.</p>

Electroacupuncture alleviates complete Freund's adjuvant peripheral chronic inflammatory pain in mice / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To probe into the law of acupuncture analgesic effect and specificities of acupoint action.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Adult male Kunming mice were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a model plus electroacupuncture (EA) group and a model plus sham EA group. Chronic inflammatory pain model was prepared by injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into right posterior foot, and paw withdrawing latency (PWL) induced by radiation heat was used as pain threshold index, and changes of PWL in all the groups were investigated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After modeling, PWL significantly shortened on the inflammatory side (P < 0.05); EA at bilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Kunlun" (BL 60) could significantly reverse the shortened PWL (P < 0.05), and this effect was prolonged along with increase of EA times, but in the sham EA group PWL did not significantly change; EA at bilateral "Shousanli" (LI 10) and Neiguan" (PC 6) could not reverse the shortened PWL (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Analgesic effect of EA is strengthened along with increase of EA times and shows specificity of acupoints to a certain extent.</p>

Long-term results of surgical treatment of stomach cancer: clinical experience of forty years from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the approaches to improve therapeutic effect of stomach cancer by analysis of the long-term results of surgical treatment of this disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Prognostic factors of stomach cancer were analyzed by Cox multivariate regression model based on clinical data of 2561 stomach cancer cases who underwent surgical treatment from 1964 to 2004 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. Survival rates were calculated by life table method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Gastrectomy was performed for 1950 cases with resectability of 76.1%, among which there were 1192 cases of curative resection (46.5%) and 758 cases of non-curative resection (29.6%). The other 611 cases of palliative operation included bypass procedures and laparotomy. Operative mortality of all cases was 0.8% and morbidity was 5.1%. For all cases the 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rate was 52.4%, 38.6% and 35.5%, respectively. The stage-specific 5-year survival rate was 86.8% (Stage I), 58.7% (Stage II), 28.4% (Stage III) and 7.6% (Stage IV), respectively. The 5-year survival after curative resection in the period of 40 years was 45.5%, and increased to 52.7% in the last two decades and 61.8% in recent decade. Stage-specific case proportion during the earlier two decades was 1.4% (Stage I), 10.6% (Stage II), 23.1% (Stage III) and 64.9% (Stage IV), respectively, and that during the recent two decades was 9.3%, 18.5%, 35.3% and 36.8%, respectively. The 5-year survival rate of cases during the earlier two decades was 18.0% and increased to 37.5% during the recent two decades. Multivariate analysis indicated that main prognostic factors of stomach cancer included TNM staging, curative resection and multidisciplinary treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Early detection and curative resection were the most important measures to improve therapeutic effect of stomach cancer. A surgery-predominant multidisciplinary treatment individualizing biological characteristics of tumor, staging of disease and tumor site will contribute to improvement of therapeutic effect of stomach cancer.</p>