Insights from managing clinical issues in distal pancreatectomy with en bloc coeliac axis resection: experiences from 626 patients.

BACKGROUND: Distal pancreatectomy with en bloc coeliac axis resection (DP-CAR) for pancreatic body cancer has been reported increasingly. However, its large-scale outcomes remain undocumented. This study aimed to evaluate DP-CAR volume and mortality, preoperative arterial embolization for ischaemic gastropathy, the oncological benefit for resectable tumours close to the bifurcation of the splenic artery and coeliac artery using propensity score matching, and prognostic factors in DP-CAR. METHODS: In a multi-institutional analysis, 626 DP-CARs were analysed retrospectively and compared with 1325 distal pancreatectomies undertaken in the same interval. RESULTS: Ninety-day mortality was observed in 7 of 21 high-volume centres (1 or more DP-CARs per year) and 1 of 41 low-volume centres (OR 20.00, 95 per cent c.i. 2.26 to 177.26). The incidence of ischaemic gastropathy was 19.2 per cent in the embolization group and 7.9 per cent in the no-embolization group (OR 2.77, 1.48 to 5.19). Propensity score matching analysis showed that median overall survival was 33.5 (95 per cent c.i. 27.4 to 42.0) months in the DP-CAR and 37.9 (32.8 to 53.3) months in the DP group. Multivariable analysis identified age at least 67 years (HR 1.40, 95 per cent c.i. 1.12 to 1.75), preoperative tumour size 30 mm or more (HR 1.42, 1.12 to 1.80), and preoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9 level over 37 units/ml (HR 1.43, 1.11 to 1.83) as adverse prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: DP-CAR can be performed safely in centres for general pancreatic surgery regardless of DP-CAR volume, and preoperative embolization may not be required. This procedure has no oncological advantage for resectable tumour close to the bifurcation of the splenic artery, and should be performed after appropriate patient selection.

Neoadjuvant S-1 With Concurrent Radiotherapy Followed by Surgery for Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer: A Phase II Open-label Multicenter Prospective Trial (JASPAC05).

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed whether neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with S-1 increases the R0 resection rate in BRPC. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Although a multidisciplinary approach that includes neoadjuvant treatment has been shown to be a better strategy for BRPC than upfront resection, a standard treatment for BRPC has not been established. METHODS: A multicenter, single-arm, phase II study was performed. Patients who fulfilled the criteria for BRPC received S-1 (40 mg/m 2 bid) and concurrent radiotherapy (50.4 Gy in 28 fractions) before surgery. The primary endpoint was the R0 resection rate. At least 40 patients were required, with a 1-sided α = 0.05 and ß = 0.05 and expected and threshold values for the primary endpoint of 30% and 10%, respectively. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients were eligible, and 41 were confirmed to have definitive BRPC by a central review. CRT was completed in 50 (96%) patients and was well tolerated. The rate of grade 3/4 toxicity with CRT was 43%. The R0 resection rate was 52% among the 52 eligible patients and 63% among the 41 patients who were centrally confirmed to have BRPC. Postoperative grade III/IV adverse events according to the Clavien-Dindo classification were observed in 7.5%. Among the 41 centrally confirmed BRPC patients, the 2-year overall survival rate and median overall survival duration were 58% and 30.8 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: S-1 and concurrent radiotherapy seem to be feasible and effective at increasing the R0 resection rate and improving survival in patients with BRPC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN000009172.

Concordance of human equilibrative nucleoside transporter-1 expressions between murine (10D7G2) and rabbit (SP120) antibodies and association with clinical outcomes of adjuvant chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer: A collaborative study from the JASPAC 01 trial.

BACKGROUND: Expression of human equilibrative nucleoside transporter-1 (hENT1) is reported to predict survival of gemcitabine (GEM)-treated patients. However, predictive values of immunohistochemical hENT1 expression may differ according to the antibodies, 10D7G2 and SP120. AIM: We aimed to investigate the concordance of immunohistochemical hENT1 expression between the two antibodies and prognosis. METHODS: The subjects of this study were totally 332 whose formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens and/or unstained sections were obtained. The individual H-scores and four classifications according to the staining intensity were applied for the evaluation of hENT1 expression by 10D7G2 and SP120, respectively. RESULTS: The highest concordance rate (79.8%) was obtained when the cut-off between high and low hENT1 expression using SP120 was set between moderate and strong. There were no correlations of hENT1 mRNA level with H-score (p = .258). Although the hENT1 mRNA level was significantly different among four classifications using SP120 (p = .011), there was no linear relationship among them. Multivariate analyses showed that adjuvant GEM was a significant predictor of the patients with low hENT1 expression using either 10D7G2 (Hazard ratio [HR] 2.39, p = .001) or SP120 (HR 1.84, p < .001). In contrast, agent for adjuvant chemotherapy was not significant predictor for the patients with high hENT1 expression regardless of the kind of antibody. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that the two antibodies for evaluating hENT1 expression are equivalent depending on the cut-off point and suggests that S-1 is the first choice of adjuvant chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer with low hENT1 expression, whereas either S-1 or GEM can be introduced for the pancreatic cancer with high hENT1 expression, no matter which antibody is used.

Epidermoid cyst within an intrapancreatic accessory spleen exhibiting abrupt changes in serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 level: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Epidermoid cyst within an intrapancreatic accessory spleen (ECIAS) is a rare disease. While the detection of solid components relevant to an accessory spleen is a key diagnostic finding, the differential diagnosis between ECIAS and malignant tumors is difficult without resection in patients with no other findings of an accessory spleen. CASE PRESENTATION: A 73-year-old male was found to have an elevated carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 level (95 U/mL) at an annual checkup, and a cystic lesion in the pancreatic tail was located by abdominal ultrasound. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a multicystic mass, 24 mm in diameter, which exhibited varying intensities on T2-weighted images. There were no findings suggesting solid components on contrast-enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Re-evaluation of serum CA 19-9 level revealed a rapid increase to 901 U/mL, which declined to 213 U/mL 3 weeks later. Ruling out the lesion's malignant potential was difficult, and the patient underwent distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy. Histological findings revealed an ECIAS including multiple cysts, with the mucinous component of each cyst exhibiting different stages of biological reaction; one ruptured cyst exhibited inflammatory changes. CONCLUSIONS: Careful observation for changes in serum CA 19-9 level and MRI findings might facilitate the diagnosis of ECIAS without a solid component by imaging studies.

Validation and clinical usefulness of pre- and postoperative systemic inflammatory parameters as prognostic markers in patients with potentially resectable pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Several preoperative systemic inflammatory parameters, such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and Glasgow prognostic score, have been reported to be associated with the prognosis of solid tumors. In this study, we compared pre- and postoperative hematological inflammatory parameters and validated their prognostic significance in pancreatic cancer patients who underwent surgical resection. METHODS: Clinical records from 211 consecutive pancreatic cancer patients who underwent surgical resection at our institution were retrospectively analyzed. The optimal cutoff values of hematological inflammatory parameters, including lymphocyte count, NLR, PLR, LMR, and PNI, were determined by time-dependent receiver-operating characteristic analysis. RESULTS: The postoperative neutrophil count and serum albumin level were significantly decreased in patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy (PD group) and in those who underwent distal pancreatectomy (DP group) compared to the levels at baseline. The postoperative lymphocyte count, monocyte count, and platelet count were significantly increased in the DP group compared to those at baseline. As a result, the postoperative NLR and PNI significantly decreased in both groups. The multivariate analysis identified intraoperative peritoneal washing cytology, administration of adjuvant therapy, tumor size, extrapancreatic nerve plexus invasion, and preoperative PLR as independent prognostic factors for overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic inflammatory responses were altered after pancreatic resection in pancreatic cancer patients. Preoperative PLR may be a useful prognostic marker in pancreatic cancer patients undergoing surgical resection.

Outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer as a secondary malignancy: a retrospective single-institution study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological features and oncological outcomes of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients with prior malignancies (2nd primary PC) compared with those of patients without any prior malignancies in their history (1st primary PC). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data from 185 PC patients undergoing surgical resection. Patients were divided into the 1st and 2nd primary PC groups. RESULTS: Forty-three patients (23.2%) had a history of prior malignancy. The 2nd primary PC group was significantly older than the 1st primary PC group (mean, 72.1 vs. 65.9 years, respectively, P < 0.001) and was more frequently asymptomatic compared to the 1st primary PC group (67.4 vs. 31.0%, respectively, P < 0.001). The tumor size was larger, and extrapancreatic nerve plexus invasion, venous invasion, and lymph node metastasis were more frequently observed in the 1st primary PC group. The rate of adjuvant therapy administration was lower in 2nd primary PC patients (72.5 vs. 51.2%, P = 0.009). In the survival analysis, no significant difference in overall or disease-free survival was found between the two groups (16.8 vs. 16.4 months, P = 0.725, and 8.7 vs. 9.3 months, P = 0.284, respectively). CONCLUSION: Despite significant surveillance bias, such as earlier detection in 2nd primary PC, the outcomes of patients with 2nd primary PC were comparable to those of patients with 1st primary PC. Further investigation with a larger sample size and matching for patient age and tumor stage in both groups is needed to elucidate the biological features of 2nd primary PC.

Predictive Factors for Elevated Postoperative Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 Levels in Patients With Resected Pancreatic Cancer.

AIM: In this study, we investigated the clinical significance of postoperative serum carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 in patients with pancreatic ductal carcinoma (PDAC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A series of 116 patients with macroscopically curative PDAC resection was retrospectively evaluated. The cut-off level for elevated postoperative CA 19-9 was 37 U/ml. RESULTS: Patients with high postoperative CA19-9 levels had a significantly poorer prognosis than patients with normal postoperative CA19-9 levels, as revealed by the log-rank test. Multivariate analysis identified R1 resection and preoperative serum CA19-9 level ≥400 U/ml independently predicted elevated postoperative CA 19-9 levels. R1 resection and preoperative serum CA19-9 ≥400 U/ml were significantly associated with the recurrence of peritoneal dissemination and hepatic metastasis, respectively, within one year of operation. CONCLUSION: Elevated postoperative serum CA 19-9 level was associated with a poor prognosis and reflected positive resection margins and high preoperative CA 19-9 levels, which indicated presence of occult distant metastasis in patients with PDAC.

Association of Preoperative Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio with Poor Outcome in Patients with Distal Cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Several preoperative systemic inflammatory parameters, such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and Glasgow Prognostic Score, have been reported to be associated with the prognosis of solid tumors. However, there are conflicting survival data regarding these parameters in cholangiocarcinoma. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we performed a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC) who underwent surgical resection to evaluate the prognostic value of a cluster of preoperative hematological inflammatory parameters for survival. METHOD: Fifty-three patients with DCC who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with curative intent were enrolled. The optimal cutoff values of hematological inflammatory parameters, including the absolute lym-phocyte count, NLR, PLR, and LMR, were determined by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis. -Results: The univariate analysis for overall survival (OS) of conventional factors and hematological inflammatory parameters identified that portal vein invasion and PLR had p values of ≤0.1. The univariate analysis for disease-free survival (DFS) identified that lymph node metastasis, PLR, lymphocyte count, and number of positive lymph nodes (≥3) had p values of ≤0.1. These factors were incorporated into the full model and variables were selected using the backward stepwise method. The multivariate analysis identified portal vein invasion and high PLR as independent prognostic factors for OS (p = 0.033 and 0.039, respectively) and high PLR and number of positive lymph nodes (≥3) as independent prognostic factors for DFS (p = 0.016 and 0.004, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative PLR assessment may be useful for detecting high-risk DCC patients undergoing surgical resection for aggressive adjuvant therapy.

Rapid progression of a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-producing liver tumor metastasized from esophagogastric junction cancer: A case report and literature review.

The current study presents the case of a 72-year-old woman with a rapidly enlarged liver metastasis from esophagogastric junction (EGJ) cancer, accompanied by progressive leukocytosis (47,680/µl) and elevated serum granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; 779 pg/ml). The patient underwent right hemihepatectomy 26 months after a total gastrectomy. On the seventh post-operative day the patient's leukocyte count and serum G-CSF level decreased to 4,280/µl and ≤19.5 pg/ml, respectively. Histologically, the lesion was a well to moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma similar to the primary lesion. Therefore, this tumor was clinically diagnosed as a G-CSF-producing liver metastasis from EGJ cancer, although immunohistochemical staining for G-CSF was negative. A right pulmonary nodule detected simultaneously with the hepatic mass was resected four months following the hepatectomy and was diagnosed as a pulmonary metastasis. The patient's leukocyte count was normal at the time of her initial surgery for EGJ cancer, and her clinical course varied for different metastatic sites. The liver metastasis was accompanied by progressive leukocytosis and elevated serum G-CSF and demonstrated rapid tumor growth during a six-month period, whereas the non-G-CSF-producing pulmonary metastasis grew slowly during the same period. In addition 21 reported cases of G-CSF-producing upper gastrointestinal tract cancer were reviewed to elucidate the clinicopathological features of this disease.

Clinical implications of the proliferative ability of the squamous component regarding tumor progression of adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas: A preliminary report.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to examine the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas (ASCP) and assess whether the proliferative ability of the squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) component contributes to either its proportion within the tumor or tumor progression. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 12 patients with resected ASCP and compared their clinicopathological characteristics with those of 161 patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (ACP). The Ki-67 indexes of the separate ASCP components were assessed. RESULTS: All the clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes were similar between the ASCP patients and ACP patients. Among the 12 ASCP cases, nine exhibited higher Ki-67 levels in the SCC component than in the corresponding adenocarcinoma (AC) component at primary sites (P = 0.022). The component with a higher Ki-67 level coincided with the predominant component at the primary site in nine of 11 patients. In all 10 patients who presented lymph node metastasis, the metastases almost entirely consisted of either the SCC or AC component. The SCC component was absent from metastatic lymph nodes in five of 10 patients even though the Ki-67 levels at the primary site in four of these patients were higher in the SCC component than in the AC component. CONCLUSIONS: The enhanced proliferative ability of the SCC component of ASCP is reflected by its proportion within the tumor. However, other biological factors might contribute to metastasis in ASCP.

Adenosquamous carcinoma in the biliary tract: association of the proliferative ability of the squamous component with its proportion and tumor progression.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of the proliferative ability of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) component with its proportion and tumor progression in adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) in the biliary tract. METHODS: Nine patients with ASC in the biliary tract (four each in the gallbladder and the extrahepatic bile duct and one in the ampulla of Vater) who underwent surgical resection were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The proportion of the SCC component in the primary sites ranged from 30% to 95%. The Ki-67 index of the SCC component was higher than that of the adenocarcinoma component in all cases, regardless of the component ratio in the patients' primary lesions. Predominance of the SCC component in the advancing region of the tumor, in angiolymphatic invasion and in perineural invasion was observed in most of the cases. The component ratio in metastatic lymph nodes differed from that in the corresponding primary lesions in all six cases with lymph node metastasis. Among these cases, the proportion of the SCC component was increased in the metastatic lymph nodes compared with that in the corresponding primary lesion in two cases, whereas the proportion was decreased in four cases. CONCLUSIONS: The SCC component of ASC in the biliary tract displayed a relatively higher proliferative ability, which might be associated with local invasiveness. However, not only the high proliferative ability of the SCC component but also other biological factors might contribute to tumor progression and metastasis in ASC of the biliary tract.

Prognostic significance of intraoperative peritoneal washing cytology for patients with potentially resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic significance of intraoperative peritoneal washing cytology (IPWC) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains controversial, and the treatment strategy for PDAC patients with positive cytology has not been established. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of IPWC in PDAC patients. METHODS: This study included a retrospective cohort of 166 patients with curatively resected PDAC who underwent IPWC. RESULTS: Overall, 17 patients (10%) had positive cytology (CY+), and 149 (90%) patients were negative (CY-). Tumor location in the pancreatic body and/or tail and pancreatic anterior capsular invasion were independent predictors of a CY+ status (P = 0.012 and 0.041, respectively). The initial recurrence occurred at the peritoneum with a significantly higher frequency in CY+ patients (50%) than in CY- patients (12%) (P = 0.003). The median overall survival (OS) for CY+ patients was 12 months. The OS rates at 1 and 3 years were significantly higher for CY- patients (75.1% and 35.3%, respectively) versus CY+ patients (47.1% and 17.6%, respectively; P = 0.012). However, one CY+ patient survived for 66 months, and another two CY+ patients have survived for more than three years after surgery without evidence of peritoneal recurrence. In the multivariate analysis, the independent predictors of OS were a CY+ status, lymph node metastasis, and adjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that positive IPWC predicts early peritoneal recurrence and a poor prognosis for PDAC patients. However, a small but not insignificant subset of CY+ patients with PDAC may avoid peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Collision tumors of hepatocellular carcinoma and malignant peritoneal mesothelioma.

We report a case of synchronous hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MM-per). A 56-year-old man with no past history of asbestos exposure, chronic viral hepatitis, or alcoholic liver injury was admitted to our hospital with left flank pain and abdominal tumor. Partial hepatectomy, splenectomy, partial diaphragm resection, and partial gastrectomy were performed. The tumor in the lateral segment of the liver was gray to white, massive in appearance, and contained focal bile-producing nodules and extensive fibrous firm lesion. It had directly invaded the spleen and diaphragm. Liver cirrhosis was not found. The peritoneum contained multiple small nodules especially around the diaphragm, which mimicked carcinoma dissemination. After histological examination, the liver tumor was diagnosed as HCC. It had trabecular and scirrhous patterns and positive immunoreactivities for Hep-Par-1 and α-fetoprotein. The peritoneal nodules were diagnosed as MM-per, epithelioid type, with positive immunoreactivities for calretinin and cytokeratin 5/6. The two tumors collided around the diaphragm. Cases of MM synchronous with other primary malignant tumors have been reported, but most had a history of asbestos exposure unlike the present case. The carcinogenic background was unclear for two tumors in this case. This is an extremely rare and valuable case.

Stomach-preserving distal pancreatectomy with combined resection of the celiac artery: radical procedure for locally advanced cancer of the pancreatic body.

To enhance the resectability of cancer of the pancreatic body, a new surgical technique should be developed. Of 25 patients with cancer of the pancreatic body who underwent distal pancreatectomy with curative intent, seven with cancer invasion around the celiac artery underwent stomach-preserving distal pancreatectomy with combined resection of the celiac artery. This procedure secured arterial blood supply to the whole stomach and liver via the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery without arterial reconstruction. There was no postoperative mortality. One patient developed transient passage disturbance in the duodenum. Another one developed a minor pancreatic fistula. No patients had serious complications related to ischemia of the stomach or liver. The quality of life of the patients after surgery was well maintained, and planned adjuvant therapy was accomplished. Local recurrence was evident in only two patients. The median survival time of patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy with (n = 7) or without (n = 18) resection of the celiac artery was 19 and 25 months, respectively. The overall survival rate was not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.5300). The present study suggests that this surgical procedure is a rational approach to locally advanced pancreatic body cancer invading around the celiac artery. In view of the feasibility of this procedure, it can also be adopted for less advanced cancer of the pancreatic body to enhance local control and survival.

Patterns of recurrence after curative resection of pancreatic cancer, based on autopsy findings.

The autopsy findings of patients who died of recurrence after curative resection of pancreatic cancer may afford a reliable guide to increase long-term survival after surgery. Recurrence patterns were analyzed for 27 autopsied patients who had undergone potentially curative resection of pancreatic cancer. The pattern of recurrence was classified as follows: (1) local recurrence, (2) hepatic metastasis, (3) peritoneal dissemination, (4) para-aortic lymph node metastasis, and (5) distant metastasis not including hepatic metastasis, peritoneal dissemination, and para-aortic lymph node metastasis. Of the 27 autopsied patients, recurrence was confirmed for 22 of 24 patients, except for three who died of early postoperative complications. Eighteen (75%) of the 24 patients had local recurrence, 12 (50%) had hepatic metastasis, and 11 (46%) had both. For four patients, local recurrence confirmed by autopsy was undetectable by computed tomography, because the recurrent lesions had infiltrated without forming a tumor mass. Peritoneal dissemination, para-aortic lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis were found for eight (33%), five (21%), and 18 (75%) of the cases, respectively. Twenty patients died of cancer, but local recurrence was judged to be the direct cause of death of only four. Local recurrence frequently occurs, but is rarely a direct cause of death, and most patients died of metastatic disease. Therefore, treatment that focuses on local control cannot improve the survival of patients with resectable pancreatic cancer, and thus, treatment regimens that are effective against systemic metastasis are needed.

Prophylactic hepatic irradiation following curative resection of pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: It is unlikely that adjuvant chemoradiotherapy applied to the pancreatic bed alone significantly improves the survival of patients with resectable pancreatic cancer. The aim of the present study was to determine whether prophylactic hepatic irradiation (PHI) improved patient outcome after the curative resection of pancreatic cancer. METHODS: The study population was comprised of 34 patients (PHI group) who were administered PHI after curative resection of pancreatic cancer between September 1994 and December 2003. The whole liver was irradiated with a total dose of 19.8-22.0 Gy under continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil. The cumulative rate of liver metastasis and the survival outcomes of the PHI group were compared with those of 31 patients without PHI (non-PHI group) who underwent curative resection of pancreatic cancer. RESULTS: The planned PHI was completed for 32 of the 34 patients. Two patients developed complications that might have been PHI-related. One developed liver abscesses which were successfully managed by percutaneous drainage. The other died of liver failure without recurrence 11 months after the operation. The cumulative incidence of liver metastasis was significantly lower for the PHI group than the non-PHI group (P=0.0455). Patients in the PHI group also survived significantly longer compared to those in the non-PHI group (P=0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that PHI is well tolerated and is a potentially effective treatment strategy after curative resection of pancreatic cancer, thereby providing the basis for a randomized controlled trial.

D2-lymphadenectomy improves the survival of patients with peritoneal cytology-positive gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: According to the current Japanese Classification of Gastric Cancer, patients with peritoneal cytology-positive (CY1) gastric cancer are classified as stage IV and the curative potential of resection for these patients is regarded as non-curative. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the clinical outcome of CY1 patients (n=55) with those of patients with other non-curative factors (n=87), to clarify the optimal surgical strategy for CY1 patients. RESULTS: The 5-year survival rate of CY1 patients was 10.8%, which was significantly better than that observed in the patients with the other non-curative factors. Among CY1 cases, survival outcome of the patients with lymph node metastasis limited to within group 2 was significantly better than the patients with group 3 lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that gastrectomy combined with extended lymphadenectomy should be recommended for patients with gastric cancer who have positive peritoneal cytology as the only non-curative factor.

Long-term postoperative survival of a gastric cancer patient with numerous para-aortic lymph node metastases.

A56-year-old man with advanced gastric cancer was referred to our hospital. Preoperative abdominal computed tomography revealed numerous enlarged lymph nodes, including the lymph nodes of the paraaortic region. The patient underwent total gastralectomy, splenectomy, left-adrenalectomy and resection of the body and tail of the pancreas by Appleby's method, along with paraaortic lymph node dissection. Microscopic examination revealed that the tumor was a solid type, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, which displayed invasion of the serosal surface. There were apparently many lymph node metastases. We identified 31 cancer-positive paraaortic nodes, while the total number of lymph node metastases was 81. It was not possible to administer sufficient postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, as the patient experienced postoperative complications, including pancreatic fistula and watery diarrhea. Despite the lack of sufficient chemotherapy, the patient has subsequently remained disease-free for 9 years and 3 months, and continues to visit our hospital as an outpatient. In conclusion, we wish to emphasize the need for a critical application of paraaortic lymph node dissection as one modality of multidisciplinary treatment in patients with advanced gastric cancer in whom paraaortic lymph node metastasis is strongly suspected preoperatively.