Intensified neoadjuvant multimodal approach in synchronous liver metastases from gastric cancer: a single institutional experience.

BACKGROUND: Synchronous liver metastases (LM) from gastric (GC) or esophagogastric junction (EGJ) adenocarcinoma are a rare events. Several trials have evaluated the role of liver surgery in this setting, but the impact of preoperative therapy remains undetermined. METHODS: Patients with synchronous LM from GC/EGJ adenocarcinoma who achieved disease control after induction chemotherapy (ICT) and were subsequently scheduled to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) to the primary tumor and surgery assessment were retrospectively analyzed. Pathological response, patterns of relapse, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were calculated. From July 2002 to September 2012, 16 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were identified. RESULTS: Primary tumor site was GC (nine patients) or EGJ (seven patients). LM were considered technically unresectable in nine patients. Radiological response to the whole neoadjuvant program was achieved in 13 patients. Eight patients underwent surgical resection of the primary tumor; in five of these LM were resected. A complete pathological response in the primary or in the LM was found in four and three patients, respectively. The most frequent site of relapse/progression was systemic (eight patients). Local and liver-only relapses were observed in two patients each. After a median follow-up of 91 months, the median OS and PFS were 23.0 (95% CI 13.2-32.8) and 17.0 months (95% CI 11.7-22.3). 5-year actuarial PFS is 17.6%. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that an intensified approach using ICT followed by CRT in synchronous LM from GC/EGJ adenocarcinoma is feasible and may translate into prolonged survival times in selected patients.

Mid-term oncologic outcome of a novel approach for locally advanced colon cancer with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery.

PURPOSE: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is being actively tested as an emerging alternative for the treatment of locally advanced colon cancer (LACC) patients, resembling its use in other gastrointestinal tumors. This study assesses the mid-term oncologic outcome of LACC patients treated with oxaliplatin and fluoropyrimidines-based preoperative chemotherapy followed by surgery. METHODS AND PATIENTS: Patients with radiologically resectable LACC treated with neoadjuvant therapy between 2009 and 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Radiological, metabolic, and pathological tumor response was assessed. Both postoperative complications, relapse-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS) were studied. RESULTS: Sixty-five LACC patients who received treatment were included. Planned treatment was completed by 93.8 % of patients. All patients underwent surgery without delay. The median time between the start of chemotherapy and surgery was 71 days (65-82). No progressive disease was observed during preoperative treatment. A statistically significant tumor volume reduction of 62.5 % was achieved by CT scan (39.8-79.8) (p < 0.001). It was also observed a median reduction of 40.5 % (24.2-63.7 %) (p < 0.005) of SUVmax (Standard Uptake Value) by PET-CT scan. Complete pathologic response was achieved in 4.6 % of patients. Postoperative complications were observed in 15.4 % of patients, with no cases of mortality. After a median follow-up of 40.1 months, (p 25-p 75: 27.3-57.8) 3-5 year actuarial RFS was 88.9-85.6 %, respectively. Five-year actuarial OS was 95.3 %. CONCLUSION: Preoperative chemotherapy in LACC patients is safe and able to induce major tumor regression. Survival times are encouraging, and further research seems warranted.

Development of the National Kidney Transplantation Program in Uruguay.

The first kidney transplantation (KT) in Uruguay was performed in 1969. We report the rates of KT and survival of patients and grafts up to December 2014. The country has a surface of 176,215 km(2) and a population of 3,286,314 inhabitants (18.6 inhabitants per km(2)). Till December 31, 2014, 1,940 KT have been performed in Uruguay (41.8 pmp that year); 90.4% of them were from cadaveric donors (CD). Median age of recipients (R) was 44 ± 14 years; R older than 55 years increased from 0 to 27% during the period. Our pre-emptive KT program started in 2007. Optimal donors (D) decreased from 65.2% to 35.5%, and D older than 45 years old increased from 9% to 37%. Trauma as cause of death decreased from 49% to 32% and stroke as cause of death increased from 25% to 39%. Patient survival rates at 1, 5, and 8 years were 93%, 87%, and 78%, respectively for KT performed between 1980 and 1989; they were 98%, 93%, and 89%, respectively, for KT performed between 1990 and1999; they were 97%, 91%, and 90%, respectively, for KT performed between 2000 and 2010. In December 2013, there were 1098 patients pmp in renal replacement therapy, 758 pmp in dialysis, and 340 pmp (30.9%) with a functioning graft. Our national KT program is mainly based (90.6%) on cadaveric donation. Epidemiological changes in the characteristics of R and D followed the changes in aging that occurred in the general population and the dialysis population. The survival rates from patients and kidneys are similar to those reported by the European and the American registries.

Ileal carcinoid tumor with liver metastases and cardiac involvement treated with intraarterial liposomal doxorubicin and valve replacement.

Unless carcinoid are in general slow-growing tumors, some cases could be frankly malignant. The commonest cause of death in patients suffering a carcinoid tumor is liver failure due to tumor progression. When tumors have a fast evolution a multidisciplinary approach must be perform. This case report is an example of this specific situation.