Robotic gastrectomy is more beneficial for advanced than early-stage gastric cancer: a comparison with laparoscopic gastrectomy using propensity score matching.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is the fifth most prevalent malignancy globally and the fourth major contributor to cancer-related mortality. The comparative effectiveness of robotic gastrectomy (RG) versus laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) at different stages of gastric cancer is unclear regarding surgical and survival outcomes. We compared surgical and survival outcomes between RG and LG in early-stage (cStage I) and advanced (cStage II/III) gastric cancers to elucidate the difference in the efficacy of RG across various stages of gastric cancer. METHODS: We identified 299 patients (LG, 170; RG, 129) with cStage II/III disease and 569 (LG, 455; RG, 114) with cStage I disease who underwent either LG or RG. Following propensity score matching for RG and LG, 118 pairs were selected for cStage II/II and 113 pairs for cStage I. Surgical and survival outcomes of LG and RG were separately compared for cStage II/III and cStage I. RESULTS: In cStage II/III, RG showed significantly fewer intra-abdominal complications of Clavien-Dindo (C.D.) Grade ≥ III in the RG group than in the LG group (LG = 8.5 vs. RG = 1.7%, P = 0.033). Multivariate analysis identified LG as an independent risk factor for intra-abdominal complications of C.D. Grade ≥ III (OR 5.69, 95% CI 1.17-27.70, P = 0.031). However, in cStage I, no difference in surgical outcomes between LG and RG was observed. No differences were observed in survival outcomes between LG and RG in both cStage I or cStage II/III. CONCLUSIONS: The real benefit of RG was demonstrated in surgical outcomes, especially for advanced-stage gastric cancer.

Comparison of Surgical and Oncological Outcomes of Laparoscopic and Open Gastrectomy for Pathologically Serosa-Invasive (pT4a) Advanced Gastric Cancer-Retrospective Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

Background: We aimed to clarify the operative feasibility and oncological efficacy of a laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) for pT4a gastric cancer through comparison with open gastrectomy (OG). Materials and Methods: We compared surgical and oncological outcomes in 178 patients with pT4a gastric cancer who underwent LG or OG between 2002 and 2016; the background was adjusted using propensity score matching. Results: After score matching, 45 patients were included in each group. The LG group had a significantly longer operation time (277 minutes versus 175 minutes, P < .001) and lower estimated blood loss (50 mL versus 280 mL, P < .001). The total number of dissected lymph nodes did not differ between groups (46 versus 38, P = .119); however, the number of dissected suprapancreatic lymph nodes was significantly higher in the LG group (11 versus 7.5, P = .011). Postoperative morbidity rates did not differ between groups. Postoperative hospitalization was significantly shorter in the LG group (7 days versus 13 days, P < .01), whereas overall survival, disease-free survival, and cancer recurrence rates and patterns were similar between groups. Conclusions: LG for pT4a gastric cancer has feasible and acceptable outcomes compared with OG.

Outcomes of elderly patients following thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.

PURPOSE: Thoracoscopic esophagectomy (TE) is widely used for esophageal cancer treatment. However, the short- and long-term outcomes of TE in older patients remain unknown. Thus, we investigated those outcomes as well as the effectivity of TE in this patient cohort. METHODS: A total of 228 consecutive patients who underwent TE for esophageal cancer from 2002 to 2015 were included in the study and categorized into the elderly (≥ 75 years) and non-elderly (< 75 years) groups. The background was adjusted by propensity score matching. The short- and long-term outcomes were then compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There was no difference in the short-term outcomes between the two groups. The elderly group had significantly lower overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) than the non-elderly group. When pulmonary complications occurred, the OS and RFS were significantly decreased in the elderly group but not in the non-elderly group. Without pulmonary complications, the OS and RFS in the elderly group did not differ from those in the non-elderly group. The multivariate analysis showed that pulmonary complications were independent poor prognostic factors for OS and RFS in the elderly group but not in the non-elderly group. CONCLUSION: TE is safe and feasible for older patients. However, the OS and RFS of the elderly group were significantly worse than those of the non-elderly group, especially when pulmonary complications occurred. Therefore, perioperative management to prevent pulmonary complications is essential to improve the long-term outcomes of older patients receiving TE.

Laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal hernioplasty for bilateral obturator hernias and left inguinal hernia with emaciation caused by anorexia nervosa: A case report.

A 55-year-old woman receiving treatment for anorexia nervosa presented with abdominal pain and right thigh pain. Her body mass index was 12.9 kg/m2 . Computed tomography showed fluid storage in the distal side of the right obturator foramen and revealed a dilated small bowel without a starting point of obstruction. We diagnosed a naturally reduced incarcerated right obturator hernia and performed elective surgery with a laparoscopic approach for hernia repair the next day. Intraperitoneal observation revealed bilateral obturator hernias and a left direct-type inguinal hernia. Transabdominal preperitoneal hernioplasty was performed using two self-gripping polyester meshes for bilateral obturator hernia repair and a lightweight 3D-shaped mesh for left inguinal hernia repair. Women with emaciation caused by anorexia nervosa may be more likely to have complex hernias, including obturator hernia, and laparoscopic approaches may be useful for preoperatively diagnosed nonstrangulated obturator hernias.

[A Case of Suspected Lynch Syndrome Due to Radical Resection for Descending Colon Cancer and Renal Pelvic Cancer].

A 60-year-old woman was admitted on account of presenting with bloody stools. She had a history of endometrial cancer surgery. Family history revealed 3 colorectal cancer cases among the first or second relatives. Colonoscopy and contrast- enhanced computed tomography revealed descending colon cancer and left renal pelvic cancer. We performed partial resection of the descending/transverse colon with D3 lymph node dissection and total resection of the left kidney and ureter with curative intent. Postoperative pathological diagnosis revealed descending colon cancer(pT4bN0M1c, pStage Ⅳc)and left renal pelvic cancer (T1N0M0, Stage Ⅰ). In this case, Lynch syndrome was suspected based on the family history and medical history. The clinical findings were consistent with Amsterdam Criteria Ⅱ. The microsatellite instability(MSI)test result was MSI-H and the BRAF genetic test result showed a wild type. Immunohistochemical staining of descending colon cancer tissue showed loss of expression of MSH2 and MSH6 proteins. Genetic counseling was provided because Lynch syndrome was strongly suspected. Capecitabine plus oxaliplatin therapy was performed for 6 months for descending colon cancer. Nine months postoperatively, the patient remained recurrence-free for both colon cancer and renal pelvic cancer. We report a case of suspected Lynch syndrome triggered by double cancer of the descending colon and renal pelvis.

Clinical Utility of ypTNM Stage Grouping in the 8th Edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM Staging System for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging system provided a specific 'ypTNM' stage grouping for patients with esophageal cancer. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of the AJCC 8th edition ypTNM stage grouping for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: We enrolled 152 patients with ESCC who underwent surgery after neoadjuvant cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil (CF) therapy between June 2005 and December 2011. ypStage was evaluated according to the AJCC 7th and 8th editions. Predictive performance for disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) was compared between both editions. The prognostic significance of ypTNM stage grouping was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Revision of the AJCC 7th edition to the 8th edition was associated with a change in ypStage in 96 patients (63.2%). The AJCC 8th edition revealed a better predictive performance than the 7th edition in terms of DSS (Akaike's information criterion [AIC] 499 vs. 513; Bayesian information criterion [BIC] 505 versus 519; concordance index [C-index] 0.725 versus 0.679) and OS (AIC 662 vs. 674; BIC 669 vs. 681; C-index 0.662 vs. 0.622). On univariate and multivariate analyses, ypStage in the 8th edition was an independent prognostic factor for both DSS and OS. CONCLUSIONS: ypTNM stage grouping in the AJCC 8th edition provided a better predictive performance for DSS and OS than that in the 7th edition. ypStage in the 8th edition was the most reliable prognostic factor for ESCC patients who underwent surgery after neoadjuvant CF therapy.

[A Case of Umbilical Metastasis from Pancreatic Cancer after Surgery].

The patient was a 63-year-old woman with diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Abdominal CT showed pancreatic head tumor and paraaortic lymph node metastasis. We performed chemotherapy with nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine. After 5 courses of chemotherapy, the tumor reduced in size. Pancreaticoduodenectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 was performed. Fourteen months after surgery, umbilical metastasis(Sister Mary Joseph's nodule: SMJN)was found in the umbilicus near the abdominal incisional hernia. There was no evidence of metastasis except in the umbilicus, we performed the umbilical tumor resection and abdominal incisional hernia repair. Pathological diagnosis was pancreatic cancer metastasis. Although following chemotherapy, multiple skin metastases was found in the lower abdomen 3 months after umbilical resection. We performed skin metastases resection to relieve pain and symptoms of bleeding. But she died 29 months after the initial therapy(7 months after umbilical resection).

[Staged Laparoscopy-Assisted Surgery Including Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery for Rectal Cancer with Synchronous Liver Metastases-A Case Report].

Here, we reported a case of a 39-year-old woman having rectal cancer with multiple liver metastases who underwent staged laparoscopic resection. She was diagnosed with low rectal cancer and multiple liver metastases; thus, she underwent low anterior resection and diverting colostomy. Following the neoadjuvant chemotherapy, she underwent colostomy closure and subsequent hand-assisted laparoscopic partial hepatectomy using the operative site during the colostomy closure. The postoperative course was uneventful, and adjuvant chemotherapy with CapeOX was performed 3 weeks post-surgery. Minimally invasive surgery was performed using hand-assisted laparoscopy.

[Chemoresistance in Microsatellite Instability-High Gastric Cancer-A Case Report].

A 74-year-old woman with cT4aN2M0, cStage ⅢB gastric cancer underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy comprising 2 courses of S-1 plus cisplatin, and the clinical response was determined as non-CR/non-PD according to RECIST ver 1.1. Although distal gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy was planned, the tumor was considered as unresectable with peritoneal metastases during laparotomy. After the subsequent chemotherapy with 1 course of capecitabine plus cisplatin, tumor bleeding, and obstruction due to rapid tumor progression occurred. We performed palliative distal gastrectomy; however, the patient died 17 days after gastrectomy. A comprehensive genomic analysis using cancer-gene panel identified the tumor as a microsatellite instability-high(MSI-H). Recently post hoc analysis of the large-scale clinical trials showed no clinical benefit of perioperative chemotherapy in MSI-H gastric cancer. MSI status has a potential to optimize the perioperative treatment strategy in gastric cancer.