Dynamic monitoring revealed a slightly prolonged waiting time for total gastrectomy during the COVID-19 pandemic without increasing the short-term complications.

We aimed to determine the pattern of delay and its effect on the short-term outcomes of total gastrectomy before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Overlaid line graphs were used to visualize the dynamic changes in the severity of the pandemic, number of gastric cancer patients, and waiting time for a total gastrectomy. We observed a slightly longer waiting time during the pandemic (median: 28.00 days, interquartile range: 22.00-34.75) than before the pandemic (median: 25.00 days, interquartile range: 18.00-34.00; p = 0.0071). Moreover, we study the effect of delayed surgery (waiting time > 30 days) on short-term outcomes using postoperative complications, extreme value of laboratory results, and postoperative stay. In patients who had longer waiting times, we did not observe worse short-term complication rates (grade II-IV: 15% vs. 19%, p = 0.27; grade III-IV: 7.3% vs. 9.2%, p = 0.51, the short waiting group vs. the prolonged waiting group) or a higher risk of a longer POD (univariable: OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.80-1.49, p = 0.59; multivariable: OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.78-1.55, p = 0.59). Patients in the short waiting group, rather than in the delayed surgery group, had an increased risk of bleeding in analyses of laboratory results (plasma prothrombin activity, hemoglobin, and hematocrit). A slightly prolonged preoperative waiting time during COVID-19 pandemic might not influence the short-term outcomes of patients who underwent total gastrectomy.

Dynamic monitoring revealed a slightly prolonged waiting time for total gastrectomy during the COVID-19 pandemic without increasing the short-term complications

We aimed to determine the pattern of delay and its effect on the short-term outcomes of total gastrectomy before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Overlaid line graphs were used to visualize the dynamic changes in the severity of the pandemic, number of gastric cancer patients, and waiting time for a total gastrectomy. We observed a slightly longer waiting time during the pandemic (median: 28.00 days, interquartile range: 22.00–34.75) than before the pandemic (median: 25.00 days, interquartile range: 18.00–34.00;p = 0.0071). Moreover, we study the effect of delayed surgery (waiting time > 30 days) on short-term outcomes using postoperative complications, extreme value of laboratory results, and postoperative stay. In patients who had longer waiting times, we did not observe worse short-term complication rates (grade II–IV: 15% vs. 19%, p = 0.27;grade III–IV: 7.3% vs. 9.2%, p = 0.51, the short waiting group vs. the prolonged waiting group) or a higher risk of a longer POD (univariable: OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.80–1.49, p = 0.59;multivariable: OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.78–1.55, p = 0.59). Patients in the short waiting group, rather than in the delayed surgery group, had an increased risk of bleeding in analyses of laboratory results (plasma prothrombin activity, hemoglobin, and hematocrit). A slightly prolonged preoperative waiting time during COVID-19 pandemic might not influence the short-term outcomes of patients who underwent total gastrectomy.

Encouraging Pathological Complete Response Rate from Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy with Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel Plus Cisplatin and Capecitabine for Locally Advanced Esophageal Squamous Carcinoma: Preliminary Outcome of a Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with albumin-bound paclitaxel plus cisplatin and capecitabine for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: The data of thirty-one patients with locally advanced ESCC (cT1-2N+M0, cT3-4aNanyM0) received preoperative chemotherapy with albumin-bound paclitaxel plus cisplatin and capecitabine (referred as APCC regimen) were retrospectively analysed. The primary endpoint was pathological complete response (pCR) rate. RESULTS: The median number of chemotherapy cycles with APCC regimen every 3 weeks were 4 (range: 1-6), which was completed by 23 patients. The clinical efficacy of 30 patients was evaluated and all showed reduction of tumours in varying degrees. Five patients received radiotherapy following chemotherapy. Four patients could not receive surgery due to COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 24 patients who underwent surgery, 3 received radiotherapy following chemotherapy, the resection rate of R0 was 95.8%, 9 cases (37.5%) showed pCR and 16 cases (66.7%) showed major pathological response (MPR). Postoperative pathology of 15 cases (62.5%) were stage I (ypT0-2N0M0). Of the 21 patients who underwent surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone, 8 (38.1%) had pCR and 15 (71.4%) had MPR. The most common grade 3/4 adverse events of chemotherapy included neutropenia (35.5%) and leukopenia (9.7%). Grade 2 postoperative complications occurred in 3 (12.5%) patients. CONCLUSION: The preliminary results of this study suggest that preoperative chemotherapy with the triplet regimen of albumin-bound paclitaxel, cisplatin and capecitabine for patients with locally advanced ESCC revealed significant tumour downstage and encouraging pCR rate, with well-tolerable toxicities. The role of this regimen warrants further investigation.