Evaluating prognostic significance of preoperative C-reactive protein to albumin ratio in older patients with pathological stage II/III colorectal cancer.

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the prognostic value of preoperative C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) in older patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) undergoing curative resection. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 244 older patients (aged 75 years or higher) with pathological stage II/III CRC who underwent curative surgery between 2008 and 2016. The optimal value of CAR was calculated and its correlation with the clinicopathological factors and prognosis was examined. Results: The optimal cutoff value of the CAR was 0.085. High preoperative CAR was significantly associated with high carcinoembryonic antigen levels (P=0.001), larger tumor size (P<0.001), and T pathological (pT) factor (P=0.001). On multivariate analysis, high CAR was independent prognostic factor for relapse-free survival (P=0.042) and overall survival (P=0.001). Conclusion: Preoperative elevated CAR could be considered as an adverse predictor of both relapse-free survival and overall survival in older patients with CRC undergoing curative surgery.

Solitary Cardiac Metastasis from Colorectal Cancer: A Case Report.

A 73-year-old woman with silent cardiac metastasis underwent high anterior resection for rectal cancer 3 years ago. Follow-up computed tomography showed a tumor in the right atrium. Partial vascular resection of the superior vena cava and right atrium was performed. Early postoperative recurrence occurred, and chemotherapy was unsuccessful. The patient died 7 months after surgery.

Short-Term Outcomes from a Randomized Screening Phase II Non-inferiority Trial Comparing Omentectomy and Omentum Preservation for Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer: the TOP-G Trial.

BACKGROUND: Omentectomy is considered an essential part of curative gastrectomy for locally advanced gastric cancer (GC), albeit without solid evidence. We conducted a randomized phase II trial (the TOP-G trial) comparing omentectomy and omentum preservation for gastric cancer. This report describes the short-term findings regarding the trial's secondary endpoints. METHODS: The trial protocol was submitted to the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry ( http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/ : UMIN000005421). The key eligibility criteria were histologically confirmed cT2-4a and N0-2 gastric adenocarcinoma. Short-term surgical outcomes, including morbidity and mortality, were compared between the omentectomy group (group A, control arm) and the omentum-preserving surgery group (group B, test arm). All procedures were performed via an open approach. Based on a non-inferiority margin of 7%, statistical power of 0.7, and type I error of 0.2, the sample size was set to 250 patients. RESULTS: A total of 251 patients were eligible and randomized (group A: 125 patients, group B: 126 patients) between April 2011 and October 2018. After excluding patients who had peritoneal metastasis or laparotomy history, safety outcomes were analyzed for 247 patients. Group A had a significantly longer median operation time (225 min vs. 204 min, p = 0.022) and tended to have greater median blood loss (260 mL vs. 210 mL p = 0.073). The incidences of morbidity were similar and < 10% in both groups (8% vs. 9%, p = 1.000). There was no mortality in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Operative risk was generally similar between omentectomy and omentum-preserving surgery for locally advanced gastric cancer.

[The Efficacy of D3 Lymph Node Dissection in Elderly Patients with Colorectal Cancer].

The effectiveness of lymph node dissection tends to be reduced clinically in elderly patients with colorectal cancer because of physical limitations, such as comorbidities and organ dysfunction. We investigated the influence of the level of lymph node dissection on the prognosis of elderly patients with colorectal cancer. A total of 137 patients with pT2 or more-advanced tumors or lymph node metastasis were retrospectively studied. The 5-year overall survival(OS)andrelapse free survival(RFS) rates were 74.1% and 63.9%, respectively. Lymph node dissection was an independent prognostic factor in the examination of prognostic factors of OS. In the propensity-matchedcohort, the 5-year OS rates were 87.2% and5 8.2%(p=0.02), and the 5-year RFS rates were 77.8% and4 6.4%(p=0.03)in the D3 andred ucedgroups, respectively. The D3 group hada significantly better prognosis than the reduced group. D3 lymph node dissection might contribute to the improvement of prognosis in elderly people with colorectal cancer.

[Resected Metachronous Pancreatic Metastasis from Rectal Cancer-A Case Report].

A 68-year-old woman had undergone laparoscopic high anterior resection for rectal cancer. Two years postoperatively, metachronal pulmonary metastases and cerebellar metastasis were surgically resected. Three and a half years after the primary surgery, computed tomography(CT)demonstrated a nodule at the pancreatic tail. Under suspected primary pancreatic cancer or metastasis from rectal cancer, we performed distal pancreatectomy. Histological examination of the pancreatic tumor suggested a metastasis from the rectal cancer since tumor cells were negative for CK7 and positive for CK20 and CDX2 immunohistochemically. Three months after the pancreatic resection, CT demonstrated hepatic and cerebellar metastases. After subsequent chemotherapy, liver metastasis disappeared. The cerebellar metastasis shrank with radiotherapy.

[Case of Spindle Cell Carcinoma of the Breast Resistant Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy].

We report a rare case of spindle cell carcinoma of the breast which grew rapidly during neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A 72- year-old female was presenting with chief complaint of a mass in the right breast; a tumor about 20 mm in size. Core needle biopsy of tumor revealed invasive ductal carcinoma and fine needle aspiration cytology of axillary lymph node was Class Ⅴ. So she was diagnosis breast cancer as cT2N1M0, cStage ⅡB. The tumor subtype was triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). She received the neoadjuvant chemotherapy by FEC100. After FEC 4 courses, we detected a huge and rapid growing breast mass of 40 mm by CT. She was administered received mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection after 4 months from initial contact. Pathological finding was spindle cell carcinoma of the breast. Postoperatively, she was treated with weekly PTX for a total of 12 courses and radiation therapy for a right chest wall and supraclavicular fossa. Although the tumor was resistant for neoadjuvant chemotherapy, she is alive and well without metastasis for more than 3 years.

[A Case of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Transdiaphragmatic Radiofrequency Ablation under Thoracotomy].

The patient was a 73-year-old man. A liver tumor was found in the posterior segment(S6)during the follow-up period post the interferon treatment for hepatitis C in September 1999. An S6 sub-segmentectomy was performed. The tumor was diagnosed as a moderately differentiated carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)with pT2N0M0, pStage Ⅱ(UICC TNM 7th edition). The tumor recurred twice post-surgery. The recurrent tumors were treated with local therapies such as transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE), percutaneous ethanol injection(PEI)and radiofrequency ablation(RFA). The third recurrence was found in the posterior segment(S7)in April 2009. RFA was unsuccessful because an appropriate puncture route could not be found. Then, a transdiaphragmatic RFA under thoracotomy was performed as an alternative treatment, which led to an optimal outcome. We report a case of HCC that could not be treated with percutaneous RFA but with a transdiaphragmatic RFA under thoracotomy.

[Evaluation of Complications after Gastrectomy with Clavien-Dindo Classification in Patients Aged Over 85 Years].

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate complications of gastrectomy for gastric cancer in patients aged over 85 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirteen patients received curative gastrectomy between April 2007 and March 2008. The surgical complications were evaluated using the Clavien-Dindo classification. RESULTS: There were 11 patients aged 85-89 years and 2 who were over 90 years old. The median body mass index was 18. Nine patients underwent distal gastrectomy and 4 underwent total gastrectomy. The median operation time was 142 minutes and the median blood loss was 148 mL. Complications greater than Grade 2 were observed in 5 patients(38.5%). All complications were Grade 2. No surgical mortality was observed. DISCUSSION: The morbidity rate in elderly patients over 85 years of age may be higher than in patients aged 75 and lower. Our results suggest that gastrectomy for patients aged over 85 years is acceptable.

[A Case of Solitary Adrenal Metastasis from Rectal Cancer Treated by Adrenalectomy after Preoperative Chemotherapy].

Adrenal metastasis from colorectal cancer occurs in the presence of multiple synchronous metastases at other sites. We report a case of heterochronous solitary adrenal metastasis from rectal cancer. A 55-year-old man underwent anterior resection with D3 lymph node dissection for rectal cancer. The pathological stage of the tumor was III b, and adjuvant chemotherapy with mFOLFOX6 was administered for 6 months. Eighteen months after surgery, abdominal computed tomography(CT) revealed right solitary adrenal metastasis. His tumor marker levels were considerably elevated; therefore, he received preoperative chemotherapy with FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab(BV). After preoperative chemotherapy, his tumor marker levels decreased, and CT and FDG-PET/CT did not uncover any other metastatic lesions. The patient was diagnosed with solitary adrenal metastasis, and right adrenalectomy was performed. Histological examination confirmed the tumor to be adrenal metastasis from rectal cancer, and the histopathological Grade was 2. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy with mFOLFOX6, and he is alive 7 months after adrenalectomy without evidence of recurrence. Adrenalectomy is recommended for solitary adrenal metastasis from colorectal cancer. Additionally, adrenalectomy after preoperative chemotherapy is an effective strategy for patients with solitary adrenal metastasis and high tumor marker levels.

[Multiple hepatic metastases and ovarian metastases of colon cancer responding to combined therapy with S-1 and CPT-11--a case report].

We report a patient with multiple hepatic metastases and ovarian metastases of transverse colon cancer treated by combination of S-1 and CPT-11. The patient was a 51-year-old woman with cancer of the transverse colon and multiple hepatic metastases. She had undergone surgery. Resection of the transverse colon and left ovary was performed because left ovarian metastases were found during the operation. After the operation, the patient was given chemotherapy with S-1 (120 mg/body on days 1-14) and CPT-11 (150 mg/body on day 1). After completion of 11 courses of chemotherapy, abdominal CT scans revealed that the LDAs of the liver had disappeared, so the patient was judged to have achieved CR. No adverse event was observed. This case suggests that the combination of S-1 and CPT-11 may be an effective regimen for advanced colon cancer with multiple hepatic metastases.