Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy is as safe and feasible as open procedure:A meta-analysis

AIM:To evaluate the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy(LDP) compared with open distal pancreatectomy(ODP).METHODS:Meta-analysis was performed using the databases,including PubMed,the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials,Web of Science and BIOSIS Previews.Articles should contain quantitative data of the comparison of LDP and ODP.Each article was reviewed by two authors.Indices of operative time,spleen-preserving rate,time to fluid intake,ratio of malignant tumors,postoperative hospital stay,incidence rate of pancreatic fistula and overall morbidity rate were analyzed.RESULTS:Nine articles with 1341 patients who underwent pancreatectomy met the inclusion criteria.LDP was performed in 501(37.4%) patients,while ODP was performed in 840(62.6%) patients.There were significant differences in the operative time,time to fluid intake,postoperative hospital stay and spleen-preserving rate between LDP and ODP.There was no difference between the two groups in pancreatic fistula rate [random effects model,risk ratio(RR) 0.996(0.663,1.494),P = 0.983,I2 = 28.4%] and overall morbidity rate [random effects model,RR 0.81(0.596,1.101),P = 0.178,I2 = 55.6%].CONCLUSION:LDP has the advantages of shorter hospital stay and operative time,more rapid recovery and higher spleen-preserving rate as compared with ODP.

Resection of a cholangiocarcinoma via laparoscopic hepatopancreato- duodenectomy:A case report

Some laterally advanced cholangiocarcinomas behave as ductal spread or local invasion, and hepatopancreatoduodenectomy (HPD) may be performed for R0 resection. To date, there have been no reports of laparoscopic HPD (LHPD) in the English literature. We report the first case of LHPD for the resection of a Bismuth IIIa cholangiocarcinoma invading the duodenum. The patient underwent laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy and right hemihepatectomy. Child’s approach was used for the reconstruction. The patient recovered well with bile leakage from the 2nd postoperative day and was discharged on the 16th postoperative day with a drainage tube in place which was removed 2 wk after discharge. Postoperative pathology revealed a well-differentiated cholangiocarcinoma and the margin of liver parenchyma, pancreas and stomach was negative for metastases. The results suggest that LHPD is a feasible and safe procedure when performed in highly specialized centers and in suitable patients with cholangiocarcinoma.

Prostate-specific antigen half-life： a new predictor of progression- free survival and overall survival in Chinese prostate cancer patients

We investigated the potential value of prostate-specific antigen half-life （PSAHL） and decreasing velocity （PSAVd） to predict progression-free survival （PFS） and overall survival （OS） in Chinese patients with prostate cancer. A total of 153 patients treated with hormonal therapy were included in the study. Of these, 78 patients progressed to hormone- refractory prostate cancer （HRPC） and 24 patients died by the end of follow-up. PSAHL was defined as the time during which prostate-specific antigen （PSA） concentration became half of the initial value during the first hormonal therapy. PSAVd reflected the decreasing velocity of PSA during the first hormonal therapy. PFS was defined as the interval from the beginning of hormonal therapy to HRPC. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to evaluate whether PSAHL and PSAVd were significantly associated with PFS and OS. The median PSAHL and PSAVd were 0.50 months and 33.8 ng mL^-1 per month. The median PFS and OS were 22.7 months （95% confidence interval [CI], 22.0-29.6 months） and 43.5 months （95% CI, 37.9-48.4 months）, respectively. On univariate and multivariate analysis, long PSAHL （〉 0.5 months）, metastatic disease, high biopsy Gleason scores （〉 8） and high nadir PSA （〉 0.4 ng mL^-1） were all found to be significantly associated with short PFS. Long PSAHL, high nadir PSA and short PSA doubling time （PSADT 〈 2.0 months） were significantly associated with short OS. There were no significant relationships between PSAVd and either PFS or OS. Thus, PSAHL is a promising new independent predictor of survival. Patients with long PSAHL were identified as those at high risk for a relatively short PFS and OS.

Successful interventional radiological management of postoperative complications of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy

During the past decade,laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy(LDP)has gained increasing acceptance in the surgical community as a viable treatment option for distal pancreatic lesions.However,the possible complication of post-LDP pancreatic leakage remains a challenge,because it may lead to a series of events resulting in intraperitoneal abscess formation,sepsis,pseudoaneurysm formation,and occasional fatal hemorrhage.Dealing with these complications is extremely difficult and not much experience has been reported to date.We report a case involving the aforementioned post-LDP complications successfully managed by interventional radiological techniques while avoiding reoperation.We conclude that these management options are attractive,safe and minimally invasive alternatives to standard protocols.

Isolated splenic metastases from gastric carcinoma:A case report and literature review

Isolated metastases to the spleen from gastric carcinoma is very rare.Only a few cases have been reported in the literature.We herein present a case of isolated splenic metastases in a 62-year-old man,occurring 12 mo after total gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma.The patient underwent a laparoscopic exploration,during which two lesions were found at the upper pole of the spleen,without involvement of other organs.A laparoscopic splenectomy was performed.Histological examination confirmed that the splenic tumor was a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma similar to the primary gastric lesion.The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient has been well for 9 mo,with no tumor recurrence.The clinical data of 18 cases of isolated splenic metastases from gastric carcinoma treated by splenectomy were summarized after a literature review.To our knowledge,this is the first reported case of isolated splenic metastases undergoing laparoscopic splenectomy.

Small cell lung cancer with panhypopituitarism due to ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone syndrome: A case report

BACKGROUND Small cell lung cancer(SCLC)accounts for 15%of lung cancers,and it commonly expresses peptide and protein factors that are active as hormones.These secreting factors manifest as paraneoplastic disorders,such as ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH)syndrome(EAS).The clinical features are abnormalities in carbohydrate metabolism,hypokalemia,peripheral edema,proximal myopathy,hypertension,hyperpigmentation,and severe systemic infection.However,it is uncommon that EAS has an influence on hypothalamus-pituitary function.CASE SUMMARY A 62-year-old man presented with complaints of haemoptysis,polyuria,polydipsia,increased appetite,weight loss,and pigmentation.Following a series of laboratory and imaging examinations,he was diagnosed with SCLC,EAS,hypogonadism,hypothyroidism,and central diabetes insipidus.After three rounds of chemotherapy,levels of ACTH,cortisol,thyroid hormone,gonadal hormone,and urine volume had returned to normal levels.In addition,the pulmonary tumor was reduced in size.CONCLUSION We report a rare case of SCLC complicated with panhypopituitarism due to EAS.We hypothesize that EAS induced high levels of serum glucocorticoid and negative feedback for the synthesis and secretion of antidiuretic hormone from the paraventricular nucleus,and trophic hormones from the anterior pituitary.Therefore,patients who present with symptoms of hypopituitarism,or even panhypopituitarism,with SCLC should be evaluated for EAS.

Correlation between ultrasound Tei index and cardiac injury in cancer patients after thoracic radiotherapy

Objective: To study the correlation between ultrasound Tei index and cardiac injury in cancer patients after thoracic radiotherapy. Methods: The 78 patients with malignant tumor who received thoracic radiotherapy in Mianyang Central Hospital, Sichuan, China between February 2015 and March 2018 were selected as observation group, and 60 healthy volunteers who underwent physical examination during the same period were selected as control group. The observation group underwent cardiac ultrasonography before and after radiotherapy to calculate Tei indexes and serum was collected to determine cardiac injury markers, inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress mediators, while the control group underwent cardiac ultrasonography during the physical examination to calculate Tei indexes and serum was collected to determine cardiac injury markers, inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress mediators.Results: Left cardiac Tei index, right cardiac Tei index as well as serum creatine phosphokinase, creatine phosphokinase isoenzyme, troponin I, interferon-induced protein-10, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, transforming growth factor-β1 and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine contents of the observation group after radiotherapy were significantly higher than those before radiotherapy and those of the control group (P<0.05), while serum total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase contents were significantly lower than those before radiotherapy and those of the control group (P<0.05);Tei indexes were positively correlated with serum creatine phosphokinase, creatine phosphokinase isoenzyme, troponin I, interferon-induced protein-10, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, transforming growth factor-β1 and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine contents, and negatively correlated with serum total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase contents. Conclusions:Ultrasound Tei index is valuable in evaluating the cardiac injury in cancer patients after thoracic radiotherapy.

Relationship between circumcision and human papillomavirus infection： a systematic review and meta-analysis

Male circumcision （MC） is reported to reduce human papillomavirus （HPV） prevalence in men. However, the efficacy remains imprecise. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the relationship between MC and genital HPV infection and genital warts. PUBMED, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched from inception to March 22, 2015. We identified 30 papers, including a total of 12149 circumcised and 12252 uncircumcised men who were evaluated for the association of circumcision with genital HPV or genital warts. Compared with men who were not circumcised, circumcised men may have had significantly reduced odds of genital HPV prevalence （odds ratio [OR]： 0.68; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]： 0.56-0.82）. There was no significant association between MC and genital HPV acquisition of new infections （OR： 0.99; 95% CI： 0.62-1.60）, genital HPV clearance （OR： 1.38; 95% Ch 0.96-1.97）, and prevalence of genital warts （OR： 1.17; 95% CI： 0.63-2.17）. This meta-analysis suggests that circumcision reduces the prevalence of genital HPV infections. However, no clear evidence was found that circumcision was associated with decreased HPV acquisition, increased HPV clearance, or decreased the prevalence of genital warts. More studies are required to evaluate adequately the effect of MC on the acquisition and clearance of HPV infections and prevalence of genital warts.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for children with β-thalassemia major: multicenter experience in China

Backgroundβ-Thalassemia major (β-TM) has become a public health problem in China's Mainland. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has remained the only cure forβ-TM in China's Mainland since 1998. Methods This multicenter retrospective study provides a comprehensive review of the outcomes of 50 pediatric patients withβ-TM who received HSCT between 1998 and 2009 at five centers in China's Mainland. Both related (n = 35) and unrelated donors (n = 15) with complete human leukocyte antigen matches were included. The stem cell sources included bone mar-row (BM), peripheral blood stem cells, umbilical cord blood (UCB) and a combination of BM and UCB or a combination of BM and peripheral blood stem cells from a single sibling donor. Results The probabilities of 5-year overall survival (OS) and thalassemia-free survival (TFS) after the first HSCT were 83.1 and 67.3%, respectively. Graft failure (GF) occurred in 17 patients. Univariate analyses showed that umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) was one of the potential risk factors for decreased OS (P = 0.051), and that UCBT (P = 0.002) was potentially related to TFS. GF incidence was distinct between the UCBT and non-UCBT groups (P = 0.004). Four cases of UCB-BM combined transplantation led to decreased risks of mortality and recurrence. In the UCBT group, related donor transplantation produced more favorable results than unrelated donor transplantation in OS (P = 0.009) but not in TFS (P = 0.217). Conclusions GF was the primary cause of UCBT failure. Though UCBT from related donors was not favorable, the combined transplantation of UCB and BM could improve the prognosis of UCBT.

Factors influencing biochemical recurrence in patients who have received salvage radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy： a systematic review and meta-analysis

Several studies have evaluated the risk factors influencing biochemical recurrence （BCR） of prostate cancer in patients receiving salvage radiotherapy （SRT） for BCR after radical prostatectomy （RP）, but the results remain conflicting. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis to resolve this conflict. We searched the following databases： PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science using the following terms in ＂All fields＂： ＂salvage radiation therapy,＂ ＂salvage IMRT, S-IMRT, salvage radiotherapy, SRT, radical prostatectomy,＂ ＂RP, biochemical recurrence,＂ ＂BCR,＂ ＂biochemical relapse.＂ Eleven studies, with a total of 1383 patients, were included in our meta-analysis. Of all the variables, only Gleason score （GS） 〉7 （odds ratio [OR]： 3.82; 95% confidence interval [CI]： 2.60-5.64） and pathological tumor （pT） stage 〉3a （OR： 1.82; 95% Ch 1.36-2.42） were positively correlated with BCR. However, SRT combined with androgen deprivation therapy （ADT） （OR： 0.63; 95% CI： 0.44-0.90） and radiation therapy （RT） dose 〉64 Gy （OR： 0.35; 95% CI： 0.19-0.64） were negatively correlated with BCR. Perineural invasion （OR： 2.64; 95% CI： 1.11-6.26）, preoperative prostate-specific antigen （PSA） 〉10 ng m1-1 （OR： 1.36; 95% CI： 0.94-1.96）, positive surgical margin （OR： 0.92; 95% Ch 0.7-1.19）, and seminal vesicle involvement （SVI） （OR： 1.09; 95% Ch. 0.83-1.43） had no effect on BCR. Our meta-analysis indicated that pT stage, GS, RT dose, and SRT combined with ADT may influence BCR, while preoperative PSA, surgical margin, perineural invasion, and SVI have only a weak effect on BCR.