Hepatectomy for recurrent colorectal liver metastases after radiofrequency ablation.

BACKGROUND: The results of surgery for recurrent colorectal liver metastases (CLM) after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) have not been evaluated. METHODS: From 1993 to 2009, data on patients who underwent resection or RFA for recurrent CLM were collected prospectively. Inclusion criteria for this study were RFA as initial treatment for CLM and resection of recurrent CLM after RFA. Postoperative results and oncological outcomes were analysed. RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients (median number of tumours 1 (1-3), median size 2·8 (2·0-4·0) cm) met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 22 had recurrence at the site of RFA only, two developed new lesions, whereas four had both recurrent and de novo metastases. At the time of resection, patients had a median of 1 (1-13) CLM with a median maximum tumour diameter of 5·0 (1·8-11·0) cm, significantly larger than at the time of RFA (P = 0·021). Ninety-day postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were 46 per cent (13 of 28) and 7 per cent (2 of 28) respectively. After a median follow-up of 35 (0-70) months, 3-year overall and disease-free survival rates calculated by Kaplan-Meier analysis were 60 and 29 per cent respectively. Plasma carcinoembryonic antigen level over 5 ng/ml at the time of resection and a rectal primary tumour were associated with worse survival (P = 0·041 and P = 0·021 respectively). CONCLUSION: Resection for recurrence after RFA is associated with significant morbidity and modest long-term benefit.

Management of bevacizumab-associated bowel perforation: a case series and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the various approaches to the management of perforation and the associated outcomes in patients with bevacizumab-associated bowel perforation at a tertiary cancer center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our institutional pharmacy database was searched to identify all patients who had received bevacizumab over a 2-year period (January 2004 to October 2006). Medical records of these patients were examined for reports of confirmed bowel perforation or fistula, associated clinicopathological factors, treatment, and outcomes. RESULTS: We identified 1442 patients who had been treated with bevacizumab over the study period with perforation occurring in 24 (1.7%). The breakdown of these 24 patients by disease site was as follows: ovarian (3 of 50, 6%), gastroesophageal (2 of 38, 5.3%), pancreatic (7 of 141, 5%), unknown primary (1 of 60, 1.7%), lung (1 of 67, 1.5%), colorectal (6 of 478, 1.3%), and renal cell (4 of 269, 1.5%). The majority of patients (n = 19, 79%) were initially managed nonoperatively. Only five (21%) patients ultimately underwent surgical exploration, with a subsequent anastomotic leak developing in one patient. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 12.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Bevacizumab-associated bowel perforation occurs in patients with various malignancies, with an incidence of 1.7%. Nonoperative treatment is a viable approach to management in selected patients.

Selective analysis of the sentinel node in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to determine the minimum number of sentinel nodes necessary to accurately stage patients with breast cancer. METHODS: Between August 1997 and February 2001, 509 consecutive patients were enrolled in a prospective sentinel node database. Nodes were characterized as either blue or hot (>2 times background), or both, and ranked based on the order harvested. Predictive value of the sentinel node based on these characteristics was evaluated to determine the minimum number necessary to stage the basin. RESULTS: In all, 990 sentinel nodes were harvested from 465 basins. Pathologic stage in 126 of 128 positive basins was predicted by the first or second node harvested. The remaining 2 patients were positive by immunohistochemistry only. The hottest node predicted the status in 114 of 128 basins. CONCLUSIONS: Although all nodes should be examined, these data suggest that limiting frozen section analysis to the first two sentinel nodes identified will not compromise the accuracy of staging and may provide a vehicle for resource savings.

Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography as an adjunct to carcinoembryonic antigen in the management of patients with presumed recurrent colorectal cancer and nondiagnostic radiologic workup.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the role of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) in localizing disease in patients with colorectal cancer with radiologically occult symptomatology or increases in carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level. METHODS: Two hundred seventy-seven patients with colorectal cancer underwent PET scanning between November 1998 and September 2000 prompted by (1) increasing CEA level and nondiagnostic imaging or (2) symptoms with normal CEA level and nondiagnostic imaging. PET results were correlated with operative findings/histology, clinical follow-up data, and CEA level to determine PET's accuracy in determining the source of symptoms or CEA. RESULTS: Fifteen patients had increasing CEA levels, and 14 had abnormal PET. Two of these 14 were denied exploration because PET suggested widely metastatic disease. Nine patients underwent exploration with curative intent. In 1 patient, recurrence was not pathologically confirmed (false-positive rate, 8%). Two had disease beyond that predicted by PET, and 6 underwent complete resection and normalized their CEA levels. Four symptomatic patients with normal CEA levels and negative x-rays had abnormal PET; at exploration, 3 had no evidence of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: PET imaging can often accurately localize the source of radiologically occult increases in CEA level and select that subset of patients eligible for therapeutic laparotomy. Symptomatic, PET-positive patients with normal CEA levels frequently undergo nontherapeutic laparotomy, and PET findings should be interpreted with caution in these patients.