Efficacy and Safety of FOLFIRINOX in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer. A Single Center Experience.

The management of locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) is a major challenge. Although new drugs are available for the treatment of metastatic disease, the optimal treatment of non-metastatic cases remains controversial. The role of neoadjuvant therapy is still a question of debate in this setting. The aim of the study was to prospectively collect and analyse data on efficacy and safety of a modified FOLFIRINOX regimen in LAPC patients treated in a single institution. Another major objective was to assess the capability of FOLFIRINOX to render primary non-resectable cancer to resectable. No bolus fluorouracil was given and a 20% dose reduction of oxaliplatin and irinotecan was applied. Primary G-CSF prophylaxis was applied to prevent febrile neutropenia. Thirty-two patients (mean age 60.2 years, range: 40-77 years) have been enrolled into the study. All patients had ECOG performance status of 0 or 1. Best response to therapy was stable disease (SD) or partial regression (PR) in 18 (56.2%) and 6 (18.8%) cases. Two patients (6.3%) underwent surgical resection (100% R0). The most frequent grade 3/4 adverse events were nausea (18.8%), fatigue (12.5%) and diarrhea (12.5%). The incidence of severe neutropenia was 28.1%, with only one documented case of febrile neutropenia. The probability of disease progression was 25% and 50% after 75 and 160 days with 88.4% of possibility of disease progression after 500 days. OS probability was 92.1, 71.5% and 49.5% at 180-, 365 and 540 days. Our data does not support the capability of FOLFIRINOX to render primary non-resectable cancer to resectable. However, due to the high disease control rate observed, FOLFRINOX might be recommended as first line option for the palliative treatment of LAPC. Despite reduced chemotherapy doses significant toxicity has been seen.

The laparoscopic treatment of non-parasitic liver cysts. Five years experience.

The incidence of cystic liver lesions seems to be more frequent as previously suggested. The treatment of symptomatic non-parasitic cysts is controversial. Ultrasonography (US) or computer tomography (CT) guided drainage and/or sclerotization versus surgical fenestration or partial resection, even liver resection has been advocated. Recently with the development of laparoscopic surgery this minimal invasive approach was also applied in the surgical treatment of single or multiple cystic lesions. Between 1994 and April 1999 21 patients with non-parasitic cysts were treated by laparoscopic fenestration or partial resection at the 1st Department of Surgery, Semmelweis University of Medicine. In 13 cases the symptomatic cyst presented the indication for surgery, while in the others cholelithiasis and GERD was the primary cause of intervention in 7 and 1 patient respectively. There were 16 woman and 5 men with a mean age of 42.3 years (17-78). The cyst was solitary in 17 cases and multiple 3-6-number in four patients. The size varied between 1.5-25 cm (average 7.2 cm). Patients were selected for the laparoscopic approach according to the US and/or CT appearance and superficial localization of the cyst. Wide unroofing or partial resection of the cyst wall till the margin of normal liver tissue was performed in all cases. The cystic cavity was drained. All operations were completed laparoscopically. Intraoperative complication did not occur. Bleeding from the resected margin could be well controlled by electrocautery or clipping. Patients left the ward after the drains were removed on postoperative day 2-4 depending upon the amount of serious discharge. No complication was observed postoperatively. During the average of 12.5 months (1 to 54 months) follow-up of 19 patients no recurrence was observed. Two patients required reoperation. In one 17 year old male patient cystadenocarcinoma was verified by histology, upon reoperation the lesion was found unresectable. In another case left hemi-hepatectomy was performed because of cyst recurrence caused by cholangiocell adenoma. In selected cases of superficially located symptomatic, non-parasitic cysts the laparoscopic fenestration might be the first choice of treatment. The method is safe and effective in the hands of surgeons experienced in both laparoscopic and liver surgery. Careful exploration of the cystic cavity and histological examination of the resected cyst wall is mandatory to avoid diagnostic mishaps.

Multimodality treatment of pancreatic pseudoaneurisms.

Vascular lesions of pancreatitis manifest in the form of haemorrhage into the pseudocyst (PC), the development of pseudoaneurisms (PA) or splenic lesions. Between 1987 and 1996 31 patients were found to develop vascular lesions either in the form of haemorrhage into a PC (12) or PA (19). Diagnosis of pancreatic PA was established preoperatively in 8 cases only. Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding manifested in 12 patients, but only in 6 of them was the pancreatic origin of the bleeding considered. All patients were operated. For the management of the lesions resection of the pancreas (11 cases) or ligation of the bleeding vessel with external or internal drainage of the PC was performed (12 cases). Simple external drainage of a haemorrhaged PC in 3, and cystoduodenostomy or cystogastrostomy was performed in 5 cases respectively. Intraoperatively moderate bleeding gave some concern (7 cases), while post operatively pancreatic fistula developed in 9 patients drained externally. All stopped spontaneously. In two cases severe GI bleeding occurred post operatively. In both cases embolization of the bleeding vessels was performed successfully. No operative mortality occurred. The mean follow-up time was 40.6 months (5-106). Five patients died of unrelated causes, 3 patients underwent subsequent pancreatic operation, and 74.2% of the patients are doing well. Development of pancreatic PA was associated with a longer observation or conservative treatment period. Angiography should be considered whenever severe upper GI bleeding occurs in patients with known pancreatic disease and the source of bleeding is obscure. In selected cases selective embolization of the bleeding site may provide definitive treatment.

Laparoscopic distal resection of the pancreas with the preservation of the spleen.

UNLABELLED: Management of the pancreatic diseases is still a challenge to the laparoscopic technique. Some experience has been gained in the laparoscopic exploration of the pancreas and staging in cancer. Anatomically the accessibility of the distal pancreas provides the laparoscopic approach technically feasible. PATIENT AND METHOD: A case of insuloma in the tail of the pancreas is presented, where distal pancreatic resection was performed laparoscopically with the preservation of the spleen. In a 55 years old female patient with typical clinical symptoms of hyperinsulinism CT identified a 3 cm large solid tumor in the tail of the pancreas. Complete mobilization of the distal pancreas was enhanced by the use of an ultrasonic dissector (UltraCision). The pancreas is detached from the splenic hilum after dividing the spleen vessels. The pancreas is transected proximally by laparoscopic linear stapler. Preservation of the short gastric vessels provides the necessary blood supply of the spleen following division of the splenic artery and vein. Thus removal of the spleen is not a necessary step in this procedure. The operation was carried out within 4.5 hours. Postoperative course was uneventful, the patient left the hospital on the 5th postoperative day. Advantages of the procedure were the earlier mobilization and shorter recovery time, less postoperative pain. The procedure can be safely performed with a good experience in both pancreatic and laparoscopic surgery.