Current Approaches for the Curative-Intent Surgical Treatment of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Radical resection is the only curative treatment for pancreatic cancer. However, only up to 20% of patients are considered eligible for surgical resection at the time of diagnosis. Although upfront surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy has become the gold standard of treatment for resectable pancreatic cancer there are numerous ongoing trials aiming to compare the clinical outcomes of various surgical strategies (e.g., upfront surgery or neoadjuvant treatment with subsequent resection). Neoadjuvant treatment followed by surgery is considered the best approach in borderline resectable pancreatic tumors. Individuals with locally advanced disease are now candidates for palliative chemo- or chemoradiotherapy; however, some patients may become eligible for resection during the course of such treatment. When metastases are found, the cancer is qualified as unresectable. It is possible to perform radical pancreatic resection with metastasectomy in selected cases of oligometastatic disease. The role of multi-visceral resection, which involves reconstruction of major mesenteric veins, is well known. Nonetheless, there are some controversies in terms of arterial resection and reconstruction. Researchers are also trying to introduce personalized treatments. The careful, preliminary selection of patients eligible for surgery and other therapies should be based on tumor biology, among other factors. Such selection may play a key role in improving survival rates in patients with pancreatic cancer.

The Relationship between Nutritional Status and Body Composition with Clinical Parameters, Tumor Stage, CA19-9, CEA Levels in Patients with Pancreatic and Periampullary Tumors.

Recent studies have obtained inadequate data on the association between nutritional status, body composition, clinical parameters and tumor stage in patients withpancreatic and periampullary tumors. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between nutritional status (NS), body composition (BC) and selected clinical parameters in patients with pancreatic and periampullary cancer, as well as describe the differences between resection and non-resection groups. This is a prospective study of 76 patients with pancreatic and periampullary tumors. We evaluated NS, BMI, body mass loss (BML) and albumin, total protein, CRP, CEA, CA19-9, lipase, amylase, tumor stage, and BC using bioelectrical impedance (BIA). All subjects were divided into resection (n = 59) and non-resection (n = 17) groups. The non-resection group had a worse NS, as well as increased amylase and WBC, compared to the resection. The selected parameters of BC corresponded to BML albumin, TP, NS, age, BMI, Karnofsky, RBC, HCT and HGB. No associations were found between BC with tumor size, CRP, CA19-9, and CEA. We recorded the relationship between metastasis and NRS, as well as tumor size with SGA. The percentage of BML was positively correlated with age and CRP but negatively correlated with RBC, HGB, HCT and anthropometric measurements. We found many statistical correlations with NS and selected parameters, as well as differences between the resection and non-resection group. The detection of early prognostic factors of nutritional impairments would improve the quality of life and reduce the rate of postoperative complications.

The importance of proper use of oral nutritional supplements in oncological patients undergoing surgery.

<b>Introduction:</b> There are many natural approaches that may improve the nutritional status in malnourished patients. Increased consumption of natural food is a more physiological, attractive, and available form of nutritional therapy of patients than medical nutrition. However, in specific clinical situations, oral nutritional supplements (ONS) may constitute a good support of nutritional management in malnourished cancer patients. Selecting proper ONS and their appropriate use may reduce the risk and progression of malnutrition and significantly affect oncological patient's treatment as well as decrease the rate of postoperative complications. Oral nutritional supplements should be the first nutritional choice to prevent and correct nutritional disorders in oncological surgery patients, especially during the pandemic, with the connected inability to visit patients. Despite this, many specialists recommend improperly adjusted preparations, and they do not consider all ailments and diseases of the patient. If ONS are overused or used inappropriately, they can cause many clinical disorders. </br></br> <b>Aim:</b> This paper aimed to help explain and understand the general recommendations on the proper administration of ONS, their benefits, and difficulties connected with their use in clinical practice.

Gastrojejunostomy inserted through PEG (PEG-J) in prevention of aspiration pneumonia. Clinical nutrition complication in dysphagic patients.

UNLABELLED: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is the most commonly used method of access to the gastrointestinal tract in long­term home enteral nutrition (HEN) in patients with neurogenic deglutition and stenosis of the upper gastrointestinal tract caused by tumour. One of the most common complications of HEN is pneumonia resulting from aspiration of saliva or food. The risk of aspiration and the potential consequent sudden death is further increased by concomitant delayed gastric emptying and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of changing percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy to a gastrojejunostomy inserted through the PEG (PEG-J) in the prevention of aspiration pneumonia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 158 patients receiving HEN by percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG), aged 19 to 90 years. Indications for enteral nutrition in the study subjects included: neurogenic dysphagia--95 patients (60%), and obstruction of the upper gastrointestinal tract due to cancer--63 patients (40%). RESULTS: The pulmonary and gastrointestinal complications were observed in 28 patients receiving gastric nutrition through PEG within one to nine months following the start of the feeding. In 20 patients, because of the symptoms of aspiration pneumonia with accompanying gastroesophageal reflux and delayed gastric emptying, PEG was changed to PEG-J as an alternative. There were no reports on food reflux and aspiration pneumonia in patients whose PEG has been replaced by PEG-J. CONCLUSIONS: The use of PEG-J appears to prevent the occurrence of aspiration pneumonia in patients receiving home enteral nutrition in the long-term.

Cholelithiasis in home parenteral nutrition (Hpn) patients--complications of the clinical nutrition: diagnosis, treatment, prevention.

UNLABELLED: Long-term home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is an important factor for cholelithiasis. An individualized nutrition program, trophic enteral nutrition and ultrasound bile ducts monitoring is a necessity in those patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of prophylactic cholecystectomy in patients with asymptomatic cholelithiasis requiring HPN. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 292 chronic HPN patients were analyzed in the period from 2005 to 2012. Patients were divided into four groups: A - without cholelithiasis, B - with asymptomatic cholelithiasis, C - urgent cholecystectomy because of cholecystisis caused by gallstones, D - cholecystectomy in patients without cholelithiasis performed during an operation to restore the continuity of the digestive tract. The patients were additionally divided depending on the extent of resection of the small intestine and colon. RESULTS: 36.9% of chronic HPN patients had cholelithiasis confirmed using ultrasonographic examination. Cholecystectomy due to acute cholecystitis symptoms was performed in 14.4% of the patients. The remaining 22.6% patients had asymptomatic cholelithiasis. Prophylactic cholecystectomy was performed in 5.5% patients with no signs of cholelcystisis during the planned operation to restore the continuity of the digestive tract. CONCLUSIONS: Cholelithiasis in chronic HPN patients is a frequent phenomenon. It seems useful to perform prophylactic cholecystectomy during primary subtotal resection of the small intestine, because the risk of cholelithiasis in this group of patients is very high.