Low-Dose Radiation Yields Lower Rates of Pathologic Response in Esophageal Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Although neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT) followed by surgery is standard treatment for locally advanced esophageal or gastroesophageal junction (E/GEJ) cancer, the optimal radiation dose is still under debate. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of different preoperative radiation doses (41.4 Gy, 45 Gy or 50.4 Gy) on pathologic response and survival in E/GEJ cancer patients. METHODS: All consecutive patients with E/GEJ tumors, treated with curative intent between January 2009 and December 2016 in two referral centers were divided into three groups (41.4 Gy, 45 Gy and 50.4 Gy) according to the dose of preoperative radiotherapy. Pathologic complete response (pCR) rates, postoperative morbidity, overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared among the three groups, with separate analyses for adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). RESULTS: From the 326 patients analyzed, 48 were included in the 41.4 Gy group (14.7%), 171 in the 45 Gy group (52.5%) and 107 in the 50.4 Gy group (32.8%). Postoperative complication rates were comparable (p = 0.399). A pCR was observed in 15%, 30%, and 34% of patients in the 41.4 Gy, 45 Gy and 50.4 Gy groups, respectively (p = 0.047). A 50.4 Gy dose was independently associated with pCR (odds ratio 2.78, 95% confidence interval 1.10-7.99) in multivariate analysis. Within AC patients, pCR was observed in 6.2% of patients in the 41.4 Gy group, 29.2% of patients in the 45 Gy group, and 22.7% of patients in the 50.4 Gy group (p = 0.035). No OS or DFS differences were observed. CONCLUSIONS: A pCR was less common after a preoperative radiation dose of 41.4 Gy in AC patients. Radiation dose had no impact on postoperative morbidity, long-term survival, and recurrence.

[Update in surgical oncology]. / Chirurgie viscérale.

The main novelties in 2019 are about colorectal surgery and oncologic surgery. Acute diverticulitis and mechanical bowel obstruction are frequently diagnosed in primary care medicine. In 2019, EAES (European Association for Endoscopic Surgery) and SAGES (Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons) published their recommendations for the management of diverticulitis. Recent data, along with our current practice favor ambulatory treatment without antibiotics for mild diverticulitis. For mechanical bowel obstruction, multicentric studies have demonstrated the increasing role of imaging in predicting the need for surgery and reducing operative delays. The role of minimally invasive techniques in this clinical condition is also emphasized. In addition, the latest published results about neoadjuvant treatment of colon and rectal cancer are reviewed.

Les principales nouveautés 2019 concernent la chirurgie colorectale en général et la chirurgie oncologique. La diverticulite aiguë et l'iléus mécanique sont fréquemment rencontrés en médecine de premier recours. En 2019, les sociétés EAES (European Association for Endoscopic Surgery) et SAGES (Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons) ont édité leurs recommandations pour la prise en charge de la diverticulite. Au CHUV, un algorithme pour la prise en charge de la diverticulite simple est établi en partenariat avec le service des urgences, mettant l'accent sur les traitements ambulatoires et sans antibiotiques pour la plupart des cas. Des études multicentriques ont également permis de démontrer le rôle croissant de l'imagerie dans la prise en charge de l'iléus mécanique, du timing opératoire et des approches mini-invasives. Nous reviendrons aussi sur les principaux résultats publiés en 2019 concernant le traitement néo-adjuvant du cancer colique et rectal.