Cáncer de vesícula biliar ¿la contaminación por bilis afecta el pronóstico? / Gallbladder Cancer: does bile contamination affect the prognosis?

Resumen Introducción: En algunas áreas el cáncer de la vesícula biliar se detecta en hasta el 3,5% de los pacientes intervenidos por colelitiasis. Con el objetivo de evaluar el rol de la ruptura de la vesícula y la consiguiente contaminación por bilis, se evaluó una serie de pacientes portadores de cáncer de vesícula diagnosticado posterior a la colecistectomía. Materiales y Método: El estudio se efectuó en 109 pacientes en quienes se diagnosticó un cáncer de vesícula posterior a la colecistectomía. El grupo a estudiar se dividió de acuerdo a la ocurrencia o no de contaminación por bilis al momento de la colecistectomía, como también de acuerdo a la magnitud de ésta. Resultados: De los pacientes estudiados, en 32 se documentó la ocurrencia de contaminación por bilis al momento de la colecistectomía. De estos, en 13 la contaminación fue considerada mayor. El tiempo promedio de seguimiento fue de 33 meses, 35 pacientes (32,1%) fallecieron durante el seguimiento. La sobrevida media de la totalidad de la serie que tuvo contaminación por bilis no se diferenció de los pacientes sin contaminación. Sin embargo, el grupo que tuvo una contaminación catalogada como mayor, presentó una sobrevida estadísticamente inferior al resto de los pacientes. Finalmente, se realizó un análisis mediante el modelo de regresión de COX que incluyó edad, género, nivel de invasión y tipo de contaminación, resultando la existencia de contaminación mayor por bilis un factor independientemente asociado al pronóstico. Conclusión: La presencia de ruptura vesicular y contaminación mayor por bilis debiera considerarse un factor pronóstico.

Background: Incidental gallbladder cancer is observed in up to 3.5% of patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. To study the role of wall perforation on the prognosis, we evaluated a series of patients in whom perforation occurred during the cholecystectomy. Materials and Method: 109 patients who underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy in whom final diagnosis was gallbladder cancer were the focus of the study. We divided the patients according the occurrence of spillage. Furthermore, patients with spillage were divided into two categories according the spillage magnitude. Results: Of the patients, spillage was documented in 32 (29.3%). In 13 patients spillage was considered major. The median follow-up of patients was 36 months, while 35 (32.1%) patients died during the follow-up. Five-year survival of all patients with spillage was not statistically different from the group without spillage. However, the group with major spillage had a statistically worse survival than the rest. A Cox regression analysis including age, gender, level of invasion and spillage category showed that major spillage was independently associated with a worse prognosis.

Técnica de linfadenectomía y resección del lecho vesicular laparoscópica por cáncer vesícula biliar incidental / Lymphadenectomy technique and laparoscopic vesicular bed resection for incidental gallbladder cancer

Resumen El cáncer de vesícula es infrecuente a nivel mundial, a diferencia de su alta incidencia en Chile. Su pronóstico es malo en general, y dependerá de su forma de presentación, siendo mejor en los casos diagnosticados después de una colecistectomía laparoscópica por patología benigna. La reintervención, que incluye la resección hepática y linfadenectomía, es el pilar de la terapia curativa en esta neoplasia. Presentamos la descripción de la técnica quirúrgica realizada en los pacientes con cáncer de vesícula de diagnóstico incidental, en el Servicio de Cirugía de Clínica Alemana de Santiago y en el Hospital de la Fuerza Aérea de Chile. El abordaje laparoscópico representa una alternativa quirúrgica válida en el tratamiento de pacientes con cáncer de vesícula biliar diagnosticados después de la colecistectomía. La estandarización de la técnica debiera contribuir a su mayor empleo y a la obtención de buenos resultados desde un punto de vista oncológico.

Gallbladder cancer is considered an infrequent disease but in Chile has a higher incidence. Prognostic is considered dismal except in those patients in whom the diagnosis is performed after the cholecystectomy specimen study. Reoperation with gallbladder bed resection and lymphadenectomy is considered the treatment in patients with incidental cases. We show the way this operation is performed in Clinica Alemana of Santiago and in the Air Force Hospital. The laparoscopic approach is an alternative to those patients in whom the diagnosis was done after the cholecystectomy. Laparoscopy allows to accomplish same objectives and to obtain identical results that the open approach. The technical standardization should contribute to spread its employment and to improve the results.

Evacuación aeromédica de pacientes COVID-19. Reporte de casos / Case reports: Aeromedical evacuation of patients COVID-19

BACKGROUND: The aeromedical evacuation in the Chilean Air Force has had an important development in the last 15 years. The coronavirus disease declared as a global pandemic by the WHO has generated the challenge of transferring highly infectious patients to centers of greater complexity. The objective of this article is to report our experience in the transfer of COVID ­ 19 patients in constant attention and medical monitoring. CLINICAL CASE REPORTS: The aeromedical evacuation of 2 COVID-19 patients was performed from the Hanga Roa Hospital, Rapa Nui, to the National Thorax Institute, Metropolitan Region, in a Lockheed Hercules C-130, which corresponds to a pressurized fixed-wing airplane. The transfer was carried out with the corresponding personal protection elements and in individual isolation capsules with advanced negative pressure life support (ISO ­ POD), in order to reduce the level of contagion to the aero sanitary crew and minimize the impact on the flight material used. DISCUSSION: The transfer was carried out achieving all the objectives set out under a strict security protocol and the two COVID-19 patients were transferred successfully. The negative pressure isolation capsule system was safe and reliable, since no crew member presented symptoms or was infected by COVID -19, and also allowed the transfer of highly contagious patients during an 8-hour flight operation.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La evacuación aeromédica en la Fuerza Aérea de Chile ha tenido un importante desarrollo en los últimos 15 años. La enfermedad por coronavirus declarada como pandemia mundial por la OMS ha generado el desafío de trasladar pacientes altamente infecciosos a centros de mayor complejidad. El objetivo de este artículo es reportar nuestra experiencia en el traslado de pacientes COVID ­ 19 en constante atención y monitorización médica. REPORTE DE CASOS CLÍNICOS: Se realizó la evacuación aeromédica de 2 pacientes COVID ­ 19 desde el Hospital de Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, hacía el Instituto Nacional del Tórax, Región Metropolitana, en un Lockheed Hércules C-130, que corresponde a un avión de ala fija presurizado. El traslado se realizó con los elementos de protección personal correspondientes y en capsulas de aislamiento individual con soporte vital avanzado a presión negativa (ISO ­ POD), con la finalidad de reducir el nivel de contagio a la tripulación aero sanitaria y minimizar el impacto en el material de vuelo utilizado. DISCUSIÓN: El traslado se desarrolló logrando todos los objetivos planteados bajo un estricto protocolo de seguridad y los dos enfermos COVID-19 fueron trasladados de manera exitosa. El sistema de cápsulas de aislamiento a presión negativa fue seguro y confiable, ya que ningún miembro de la tripulación presento sintomatología o resultó contagiado por COVID -19, y además permitió trasladar pacientes altamente contagiosos durante una operación de vuelo de 8 horas.

Resección hepática extendida con vena cava inferior por colangiocarcinoma intrahepático: presentación de 2 casos / Extended hepatic resection with inferior cava vein for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: presentation of two cases

Resumen Introducción: El colangiocarcinoma intrahepático (CIH) corresponde al segundo tumor hepático primario y la resección quirúrgica es la única alternativa válida para el tratamiento curativo de esta enfermedad. Reporte de casos: Describimos 2 paciente portadores de CIH con compromiso de vena cava inferior (VCI) que fueron sometidos a resección en Clínica Alemana de Santiago (CAS). Ambas pacientes son de género femenino de 39 y 47 años de edad. Ambas fueron sometidas a resección mayor hepática izquierda, asociada a resección del segmento I y extendida a VCI. La reconstrucción de la VCI fue realizada con parche pericárdico bovino y cierre primario respectivamente. El período desde el posoperatorio hasta el alta, fue de 13 y 23 días respectivamente. Discusión: Aunque la reseccion quirúrgica es la única vía para la curación en el CIH, el compromiso de estructuras vasculares hacen que esto no sea posible. El manejo multidisciplinario asociado a una técnica meticulosa realizada por un equipo quirúrgico experimentado, hacen posible lograr buenos resultados.

Introduction: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary liver tumor and surgical resection the only valid curative treatment. Case reports: We describe two patients harboring an intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with cava vein involvement who underwent resection at Clinica Alemana of Santiago. Both patients were females with ages of 39 and 47 years old. Both patients underwent left liver resection, associated to resection of segment I and of a portion of cava vein. Reconstruction of resected portion of the cava vein was performed by using a pericardium bovine patch and primary closure respectively. Postoperative period was uneventfully being discharged at 13 and 23 days respectively. Discussion: Although surgical resection is the only way to get curativeness, frequent involvement of large vascular structures make treatment unfeasible. A multidisciplinary approach associated with a meticulous technique performed by an experienced surgical team make possible to accomplish the above objective.

Complicaciones de la pancreatoduodenectomía, diagnóstico y manejo / Diagnosis and management of pancreatoduodenectomy complications

Pancreatoduodenectomy continues to have a high rate of complications. The most common and severe complications are intra or postoperative bleeding, pancreatic fistulae and derangements of gastric emptying. Each of these requires a great deal of clinical suspicion and an multidisciplinary management. This is a review of these complications, their clinical manifestations and their management.

A pesar de la disminución observada en las cifras de mortalidad de la pancreatoduodenectomía, continúa siendo una intervención asociada a una alta tasa de complicaciones. Las más comunes y asociadas a una mayor morbimortalidad son: el sangrado intra y post operatorio, la fístula pancreática y trastornos asociados al vaciamiento gástrico. Cada una de los eventos anteriores, requiere de un alto grado de sospecha clínica y de un manejo de tipo multidisciplinario. En este reporte se analizan las complicaciones anteriormente descritas, sus manifestaciones clínicas y los principios de su manejo.

Gastrectomía vertical posterior a retiro de banda gástrica / Sleeve gastrectomy performed simultaneously to extraction of a gastric band: experience in 10 patients

Background: Sleeve gastrectomy is replacing gastric banding in the management of morbid obesity. Aim: To report the results of sleeve gastrectomy performed simultaneously with the extraction of a gastric band. Material and Methods: We report ten patients aged 34 to 53 years (nine women) operated between 2008 and 2009. Results: The main indication for sleeve gastrectomy was the failure of the gastric band. No complications were recorded and patients were discharged 72 hours after the procedure. Conclusions: Sleeve gastrectomy can be carried out simultaneously with the extraction of a gastric band, without increasing operative complications.

Introducción: La Gastrectomía Vertical ha reemplazado a la banda gástrica en el manejo de un importante número de pacientes portadores de obesidad. El objetivo de este trabajo es mostrar los resultados de una serie de pacientes, en los que se realizó una Gastrectomía Vertical posterior a la extracción de una banda gástrica en un mismo tiempo operatorio. Método: La serie incluye a 10 pacientes operados entre Mayo de 2008 y Noviembre de 2009. La principal indicación de la Gastrectomía Vertical fue el fracaso de la banda como tratamiento de la obesidad. Resultados: En los 10 pacientes estudiados, la gastrectomía se pudo efectuar sin mayores dificultades ni diferencias con respecto al procedimiento habitual. No existieron complicaciones post operatorias, siendo la totalidad de los pacientes dados de alta dentro de las 72 horas. Conclusión: La Gastrectomía Vertical representa una alternativa de manejo en pacientes portadores de una banda gástrica con indicación de extracción de esta, ya sea por fracaso o por síntomas asociados a su presencia. El procedimiento puede efectuarse de manera segura en el mismo acto operatorio y sus resultados son comparables a los observados cuando la técnica se efectúa en pacientes que no han sido intervenidos previamente.

Colesterolosis y cáncer de la vesícula biliar / Association between cholesterolosis and gallbladder cancer

Background: Cholesterolosis is frequently observed in cholecystectomies performed for lithiasis or chronic cholecystitis. Aim: To determine the degree of association between cholesterolosis and gallbladder cancer. Material and Methods: In a prospective study of gallbladder cancer, all gallbladders obtained during cholecystectomies were processed for pathological study, following a special protocol. As part of this study, 23304 surgical samples obtained between 1993 and 2002 were studied, looking for a relationship between cholesterolosis and chronic cholecystitis, adenomas, dysplasia and gallbladder cancer. Results: Seventy nine percent of patients were women. Cholesterolosis was observed in 3,123 cases (13.4 percent). Cholesterolosis was more common in women (14.2 percent) than in men (10.2 percent) (p < 0.001). In the same period, 29 patients were diagnosed with adenomas (0.12 percent), 179 cases with dysplasia not associated with gallbladder cancer (0.8 percent) and 739 gallbladder cancer (3.2 percent). The frequency of cholesterolosis was 13.8 percent in chronic cholecystitis, 13.7 percent in adenomas, 12.1 percent in dysplasias and 1.35 percent in patients with gallbladder cancer (p < 0.01). Of the thirteen cases with gallbladder cancer and cholesterolosis, 10 were early gallbladder carcinomas. Patients with cholesterolosis were 9.2 times less likely to have cancer than those who did not have cholesterolosis. Conclusions: Cholesterolosis has a strong negative association with gallbladder cancer.

Carcinoma subseroso de la vesícula biliar (pT2): valor pronóstico de la expresión de los genes supresores de tumores p53 y p27 en matrices de tejidos / p53 and p27 gene expression in subserosal gallbladder carcinoma

Background: Subserosal carcinoma is the stage that presents the greatest difficulty in the diagnosis therapeutic handling and prognosis evaluation. Aim To study the expression of p53 and p27 genes in subserosal gallbladder cancer. Material and methods: One hundred twenty seven tissue samples of subserosal gallbladder cancer (coming from 112 females aged 62 ± 13years and 15 men aged 67 ± 17years) and 50 control samples were selected to construct tissue arrays. p53 andp27genes were determined by immunohistochemistry. Results: Thirty eight percent of tumors were not detected at the macroscopic examination, 52 percent and 17 percent had lymph node and blood vessel involvement, respectively. Fifty six and 46 percent were positive for p53 and p27, respectively. No association between the expression of both genes and gender, degree of differentiation, lymph node or blood vessel involvement, was observed. Overall five years actuarial survival was 32 percent. Patients with positive or negative p53 expression had a 22 percent and 53 percent survival, respectively (p =0.05). No association between survival and p27 expression was observed. Conclusions: p53 gene expression is a prognostic factor for subserosal gallbladder cancer.

Desde la displasia hasta el cáncer de la vesícula biliar / Natural history of gallbladder cancer Analysis of biopsy specimens

Background: There is scarcity of knowledge about the development of gallbladder cancer. Aim: To study the features of development and progression of gallbladder cancer. Material and methods: Review of histopathological studies of gallbladder obtained in 25,971 cholecytectomies performed in patients aged 45± 16 years, 79 percent females, between 1993 and 2004. Among these, 210 had a dysplasia not associated to cancer and 1,039 had a gallbladder cancer Clinical and morphological parameters of preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions were analyzed. Ninety five percent of patients were followed. Results: All cases of dysplasia were incidental findings. Metaplasia, dysplasia and carcinoma in situ were present in the adjacent mucosa in 66 percent, 81 percent y 69 percent of gallbladder carcinomas, respectively. Twenty five percent of gallbladders studied were carcinomas (mucous carcinoma in 18 percent and muscular carcinoma in 7 percent). Ninety two percent of cases had chronic inflammation in the gallbladder wall. Seventy two percent of mucous carcinomas were not detected macroscopically Five years survival of mucous carcinoma was 92 percent. There was an association between the intensity of the lesion and the age of the patients. The age difference between chronic cholecystitis and gallbladder cancer was 11 years for women and nine for men. Conclusions: From a morphological standpoint, the period in which a dysplasia becomes a carcinoma is approximately 10 years.

Proliferación celular en la mucosa de la vesícula biliar no tumoral en colecistitis crónicas litiásicas. Expresión de Ki-67 en matrices de tejidos / Immunohistochemical expression of Ki-67 as a marker of proliferation in gallbladder mucosa samples with or without cancer

Background: There is paucity of knowledge on the proliferative features of normal or chronically inflamed gallbladder and the mechanisms of development of gallbladder cancer. Aim: To study the proliferation features of non tumoral gallbladder mucosa through the expression of Ki-67 antigen in tissue micro array analysis. Material and methods: The immunohystochemical expression of Ki-67 in tissue micro array was studied in 96 samples of non tumoral gallbladder mucosa (coming from 74 females aged 45±16 years and 22 males aged 53±16 years) and 102 samples of gallbladder cancer (coming from 84 females aged 62± 14 years and 18 males aged 70± 13 years). Results: The staining index of Ki-67 expression was 19±25 percent (range 096-8996) in samples of non tumoral mucosa and 46±29 percent (range 396-9896) in gallbladder cancer (p <0.01). Ki-67 was expressed in less than 10 percent of epithelial cells in 55 percent of non tumoral mucosa samples and 6 percent of gallbladder cancer samples. Seventy five percent of gallbladder cancer samples had a staining index of more than 20 percent. An expression of Ki-67 over 20 percent or 50 percent was observed in 25 percent and 15 percent of non tumoral mucosa samples, respectively Conclusions: Non tumoral gallbladder mucosa samples have a high proliferation index, measured using Ki-67 immunohystochemical expression. There is a group of samples with cellular hyper-proliferation that maybe related to the pathogenesis of gallbladder cancer.

Fenestración laparoscópica de quistes hepáticos sintomáticos: reporte de tres casos / Laparoscopic fenestration of symptomatic cysts of the liver: report of three cases

Los quistes hepáticos son una entidad frecuente y, en general, no dan manifestaciones clínicas. Sin embargo, algunos pacientes desarrollan síntomas derivados de la compresión de estructuras vecinas, distensión hepática o complicación de los quistes. Este grupo de enfermos requerirá tratamiento. Existen diversas opciones terapéuticas, siendo la alternativa quirúrgica la que presenta mejores resultados. Con el avance de las técnicas de cirugía mínimamente invasiva, la vía laparoscópica es de elección. Presentamos tres casos clínicos, el primero de un quiste hepático simple y los dos siguientes de enfermedad poliquística hepática, todos sintomáticos, en que la técnica de fenestración por vía laparoscópica se llevó a cabo con éxito.

Hepatic cysts are common and generally asymptomatic. However, some patients become highly symptomatic because of hepatomegaly, compression or a complicated presentation. There are several treatment options for this group of patients, but surgery has the highest long-term outcomes. With the increased utilization of minimal-access surgery, laparoscopy is the technique of choice. The aim of this study is to report three clinical cases, one of a simple hepatic cyst, and two of adult polycystic liver disease, al I of them treated successfully by laparoscopic fenestration.

Mutación del gen K-ras en tumores pancreático-biliares / Frequency of K-ras mutation in biliary and pancreatic tumors

Background: The ras gene family (H-ras, N-ras and K-ras) are oncogenes that mutate frequently in human cancer, specially in tumors of the biliary tract and pancreas. Aim: To determine the frequency of K-ras gene codon 12 mutation in pancreatic and biliary tumors. Material and Methods: Samples of 35 gallbladder, 15 ampulla of Vater, 10 biliary tract and 9 pancreatic tumors, were analyzed. The tumor tissue was microdissected from paraffin embedded biopsies. The mutation was detected by a combination of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Results: Overall, 46% of samples had K-ras gene mutations. Mutation frequency was 80, 56, 50 and 29% for ampulla of Vater, pancreatic, biliary tract and gallbladder tumors, respectively. When compared with the rest, gallbladder tumors had a significantly lower frequency of the mutation. Median survival for biliary tract tumors was 6 months, compared with 65 months for gallbladder tumors (p <0.05). Conclusions: Gallbladder carcinoma had the lower frequency of K-ras mutation, when compared with pancreatic, biliary tract and ampulla of Vater tumors.

Aspectos quirúrgicos del cáncer de vesícula biliar / Strategies for the surgical treatment of gallbladder cancer

There is controversy in some aspects of the surgical treatment of non-mucosal gallbladder carcinoma. An accurate staging based on T (wall) involvement is crucial, otherwise understanding may yield falsely pessimistic results. The decision about the type of resection to be performed should be based on patient status (age, performance, comorbidities, etc) and tumor characteristics (histological type, vascular, neural or lymphatic spread, cell differentiation, tumor involvement of surgical margins in cystic duct, etc). For muscular (T1b) involvement, there is a great controversy about performing a simple cholecystectomy or en-block radical resection. For T2 there is consensus that an en-block radical surgery including liver resection (IVb - V) and lymphonodal clearance should be performed, since this approach has a great impact in survival. The role of surgical excision for tumors with serosal or liver involvement is controversial, due to the poor survival of these patients. However we have observed a 13% actuarial survival at 5 years, in this subset of patients.

Detección de micrometástasis en médula ósea de pacientes con cáncer de vesícula biliar / Detection of bone marrow micrometastases in patients with gallbladder cancer

Background: There is a very strong documented correlation between the appearance of cancer cells in blood and occurrence of metastasis in gastrointestinal cancer. Aim: To determine MUC1, CK19, CK20 and CEA mRNA expression in bone marrow of patients with gallbladder cancer and evaluate its clinical significance. Material and methods: Sixty eight samples were analyzed, 38 bone marrow samples of gallbladder cancer patients, 20 healthy donors, and 10 frozen samples of gallbladder cancer. Nested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (nested RT-PCR) was used to analyze mRNA expression. Results: All frozen tumors were positive for CEA, CK19, and MUC1 mRNA and 70 percent were positive for CK20. Seventeen of 20 donor samples were positive for MUC1 and only one sample from donors was positive for both CK20 and CK19 mRNA. Among the 38 blood and bone marrow samples of gallbladder cancer patients, the expression of MUC1, CK19, CK20, and CEA, mRNA was 60.5 percent (23/38), 31.6 percent (12/38), 7.9 percent (3/38), and 7.9 percent (3/38), respectively. Disregarding the MUC1 results. 37 percent (14/38), 13 percent (5/38) and 5 percent (2/38) were positive for one, two and three markers respectively. Not significant differences were found in survival with a follow up to 12 months. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the molecular detection of tumor cells in bone marrow in patients with gallbladder carcinoma is technically possible, being CEA, CK19 and CK20 gene expression the best markers. The MUC1 gene expression marker was highly unspecific and it should not been considered. The detection of bone marrow micrometastasis might be helpful in prognosis and the selection of clinical treatment but a larger series with a longer follow-up should be studied.

Inactivación del gen CDKN2A (p16) en cáncer de la vesícula biliar / Inactivation of CDKN2A gene (p16) in gallbladder carcinoma

Background: The CDKN2A gene encodes a cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor, p16, which promotes cell cycle arrest. Methylation of the promoter region trans-criptionally inactivates the gene. Aim: To study the relationship between methylation status of the prometer region of p16 gene, the immunohistochemical expression of p16 and clinical and morphological features of gallbladder carcinoma. Material and methods: We analyzed the methylation status of the promoter region of the CDKN2A gene in gallbladder adenocarcinomas using methylation specific PCR (MSP). We also used microsatellite markers near the CDKN2A gene to detect allelic imbalance (AI) and examined the tumors by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for p16 expression. Results: Of 38 gallbladder adenocarcinomas analyzed by IHC, 11 cases (29%) were negative for p16 protein. Nine (24%) had methylation of the promoter region of the CDKN2A gene. Twenty nine cases were negative for methylation, but four (14%) of these 29 exhibited AI at one or more of the microsatellite markers. CDKN2A promoter methylation was not associated with microsatellite instability (MSI-H). Conclusions: The inactivation of CDKN2A by methylation and/or deletion might play an important role in gallbladder carcinogenesis.

Mutación del gen K-ras en el cáncer de la vesícula biliar / K-ras gene mutation in gallbladder carcinoma

Background: Different K-ras mutation frequencies in gallbladder cancer have been reported. Aim: To study the frequency of K-ras gene mutations in advanced gallbladder carcinoma not associated to anomalous junction of pancreatic-biliary duct (AJPBD). Material and methods: 33 formalin fixed paraffin embedded samples of gallbladder carcinoma (30 women, age range 32-86 years) were selected. Pancreatic cancer tissue with K-ras mutations was used as control. DNA was extracted from the histological section by mean of microdissection and K-ras mutations in codon 12 were detected by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), using previously reported technique. Results: Most cases were poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas. K-ras mutation was detected in 10 cases (30%) samples. No differences in K-ras mutation frequency between subserous and serous tumors were detected and no relation between histological features and the mutation was observed. Conclusions: K-ras mutation in codon 12 is present in 30% in our advanced gallbladder carcinomas. The study of K-ras mutation in preneoplastic lesions and early carcinomas will be important to determine the role of this gene in the gallbladder carcinogenesis in Chile (Rev Méd Chile 2004; 132: 955-60).

Contenido de ADN y sobrevida en el carcinoma subseroso de la vesícula biliar / DNA content and survival in subserous gallbladder carcinoma

Background: The clinical and morphological characterization of the subserous gallbladder carcinomas is controversial. Aim: To study the prognostic importance of DNA content of subserous gallbladder carcinoma. Material and methods: We studied 104 females aged 60±12 years old and 16 men aged 70±13 years old. In all of them diagnosis was established after mapping of cholecystectomy sample and had a complete clinical follow up. DNA content was measured by flow cytometry. Results: All tumors were adenocarcinoma, and only 16 percent were well differentiated. Aneuploidy was observed in 29 cases (26 perceeeent) with DNA index fluctuating between 1.1 and 1.8. Lymphatic vessel tumor involvement was present in 16 of 22 cases with aneuploidy and in 22 of 46 diploid tumors (p= 0.05). Eighty nine percent of aneuploid tumors were detected macroscopically and 11 percent were unapparent. Five years survival was non significantly better among patients with diploid tumors than in patients with aneuploid tumors (45 and 28 percent, respectively, p= 0.2). The histological differentiation was the only variable significantly associated with survival. Conclusions: Aneuploidy is present in 26 percent of subserous gallbladder carcinoma. It is not related with any of the morphological or clinical variables studied in this series of patients.

Pólipos y adenomas de la vesícula biliar: consideraciones clínico-patológicas / Clinicopathological features of gallbladder polyps and adenomas

Background: Chile has a high frequency of gallbladder cancer. Polyps are common lesions of gallbladder mucosa but there is little information about their morphological features. Aim: To report the clinical and pathological features of 219 gallbladder polyps. Material and methods: Cholecystectomies samples in which a polypoid lesion was diagnosed microscopically. In all cases, complete clinical information and digitalized images of the complete surgical specimens was reviewed. Results: In a period of 10 years, 21.412 gallbladders were processed. Among these, 884 carcinomas were diagnosed and in 219 cases (1 percent) a polyp was found. One hundred and eighty three patients were females (mean age 49.3 years) and 36 males (mean age 53.4 years). The preoperative diagnosis of gallbladder polyp was done only in 26 cases (12 percent). Eighty five percent of polyps were non-neoplastic (metaplastic in 32 percent, cholesterol in 29 percent, hyperplastic in 22 percent and inflammatory in 2 percent). The remaining 15 percent were adenomas. Seventy five percent of non-neoplastic polyps were located in the proximal half of the gallbladder and 88 percent of adenomas in the distal half. Ninety five percent of non-neoplastic polyps measured less than 10 mm. Among adenomas, 47 percent measured less than 5 mm and 28 percent more than 10 mm. Smaller polyps were of cholesterol and larger polyps were adenomas. Eight adenomas were associated with an adenocarcinoma, two had less than 5 mm lenght. Mean age of patients with adenomas associated to cancer was higher than patients with pure adenomas (64.6 and 44.3 years respectively, p >0.001). Conclusions: There are size and location differences between non neoplastic polyps and adenomas. Adenomas associated to cancer may measure less than 5 mm. Therefore the polyp size criteria to decide surgical behavior in symptomatic gallstone patients may be misleading (Rev Méd Chile 2004; 132: 673-9).