Pathological N3 Stage (pN3/ypN3) Gastric Cancer: Outcomes, Prognostic Factors and Pattern of Recurrences After Curative Treatment.

BACKGROUND: pN3 or ypN3 stage gastric cancers (GCs) are known to have aggressive clinical behaviour. This study aimed to investigate factors affecting survival and pattern of recurrences of N3 stage GCs, treated with curative intent. METHODS: A total of 196 GC patients, operated on at the Tata Memorial Centre from 2003 to 2017 and reported as pN3 or ypN3 status on histopathology after D2 gastrectomy were included in this retrospective analysis. RESULTS: On multivariate analysis, use of NACT (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) and LN ratio (≤ 0.5/> 0.5) emerged as significant predictors for long-term survival. Patients who received NACT but were still harbouring N3 nodes (ypN3; n = 102) had a worse prognosis than those operated on upfront (pN3; n = 94), with a median survival of 19 months versus 24 months respectively (p = 0.003). The 5-year overall survival of the entire cohort was 16.3% (95% CI 12.8-19.8%), while 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 14.6% (95% CI 12.6-20%). Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, though offered in a small number of patients (n = 38) resulted in improvement in DFS. Median DFS of adjuvant CT versus adjuvant CRT was 13 months versus 23 months (p = 0.020). The commonest site of relapse was the peritoneum (49.18%) and incidence of isolated loco-regional failure was 10.7%. CONCLUSION: In GCs with N3 stage determined after radical D2 gastrectomy, LN ratio of > 0.5 and ypN3 status are predictors of poor prognosis. Considering the high incidence of peritoneal and loco-regional relapse in these patients, the role of more radical surgery, adjuvant chemoradiotherapy after upfront resection and intraperitoneal chemotherapy should be evaluated in prospective randomized clinical trials.

Evolution of Robotic Surgery in a Colorectal Cancer Unit in India.

Only a handful of institutions in the country have an established robotic surgery program. Evolution of robotic surgery in the colorectal division, from inception to recent times, is presented here. All the patients undergoing robotic colorectal surgery from the inception of the program (September 2014) to August 2019 were identified. The patient and treatment details and short-term outcomes were collected retrospectively from the prospectively maintained database. The cohort was divided into four chronological groups (group 1 being the oldest) to assess the surgical trends. There were 202 patients. Seventy-one percent were male. Mean BMI was 23.25. Low rectal tumours were most common (47%). A total of 74.3% patients received neo-adjuvant treatment. Multivisceral resection was done in 22 patients, including 4 synchronous liver resections. Average operating time for standard rectal surgery was 280 min with average blood loss of 235 ml. The mean nodal yield was 14. Circumferential resection margin positivity was 6.4%. The mean hospital stay for pelvic exenteration was significantly higher than the rest of the surgeries (except for posterior exenteration and total proctocolectomy) (p = 0.00). Clavin-Dindo grade 3 and 4 complications were seen in 10% patients. As the experience of the team increased, more complex cases were performed. Blood loss, margin positivity, nodal yield, leak rates and complications were evaluated group wise (excluding those with additional procedures) to assess the impact of experience. We did not find any significant change in the parameters studied. With increasing experience, the complexity of surgical procedures performed on da Vinci Xi platform can be increased in a systematic manner. Our short-term outcomes, i.e. nodes harvested, margin positivity, hospital stay and morbidity, are on par with world standards. However, we did not find any significant improvement in these parameters with increasing experience.

A Comparative Study Between Longitudinal Pancreacticojejunostomy v/s Lateral Pancreaticogastrostomy as a Drainage Procedure for Pain Relief in Chronic Pancreatitis Done in a Tertiary Referral Centre of Eastern India.

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a chronic inflammation of pancreas that leads to progressive fibrosis of pancreatic parenchyma. Commonest indication of surgery in chronic pancreatitis is intractable pain. Choice of procedure depends upon the main pancreatic duct (MPD) morphology. Decompression is useful in dilated and obstructed ducts. Traditional form of decompression is construction of a pancreatico-jejunal anastomosis (LPJ). Another method to achieve ductal decompression is by a pancreaticogastrostomy (LPG) and this study will try to evaluate its effectiveness against pancreaticojejunostomy. To compare the effectiveness of LPG and LPJ in relieving intractable abdominal pain in patients with CP and their respective post-operative complications. This prospective study was done over a period of 4 years from Jan 2007 to Dec 2010 at IPGME & R (SSKM), a tertiary hospital of eastern India. Patients with diagnosis of CP with or without duct calculi and MPD diameter ≥7 mm with intractable pain were included. 70 patients were randomly allocated for LPJ and LPG operation by lottery method. Study tools were questionnaires, blood and radiological investigations and standard instruments for open surgery. The patients were prospectively analyzed for duration of surgery and hospital stay, operative/postoperative complications and assessment of postoperative pain relief. Pain relief was assessed as complete (no analgesic requirement), satisfactory (tolerable pain with normal daily activities) and unsatisfactory (hospitalization, narcotics or hampered daily activities). 1. Operative time was shorter in LPG than LPJ (Median 85 vs. 110 min). 2. Incidence of ileus was lesser in LPG group (p = .054). Other complications were comparable in both groups. 3. LPG was associated with shorter duration of hospital stay (Mean 6 vs. 8 days). 4. Pain relief was comparable in LPG and LPJ. LPG is a good alternative to LPJ for CP.