Effects of cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic perfusion chemotherapy on prognosis of patients with advanced gallbladder cancer

BACKGROUND Gallbladder cancer(GC)is a common malignant tumor and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide.It is typically highly invasive,difficult to detect in the early stages,and has poor treatment outcomes,resulting in high mortality rates.The available treatment options for GC are relatively limited.One emerging treatment modality is hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy(HIPEC).HIPEC involves delivering heated chemotherapy directly into the abdominal cavity.It combines the strategies of surgical tumor resection and localized chemotherapy administration under hyperthermic conditions,aiming to enhance the concentration and effectiveness of drugs within the local tumor site while minimizing systemic toxicity.AIM To determine the effects of cytoreductive surgery(CRS)combined with HIPEC on the short-term prognosis of patients with advanced GC.METHODS Data from 80 patients treated at the Punan Branch of Renji Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine between January 2018 and January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.The control group comprised 44 patients treated with CRS,and the research group comprised 36 patients treated with CRS combined RESULTS The baseline data of the research and control groups were similar(P>0.05).Six days after surgery,the alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,total bilirubin,and direct bilirubin levels significantly decreased compared to the preoperative levels in both groups(P<0.05).However,the values did not differ between the two groups six days postoperatively(P>0.05).Similarly,the postoperative creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels were significantly lower than the preoperative levels in both groups(P<0.05),but they did not differ between the groups six days postoperatively(P>0.05).Furthermore,the research group had fewer postoperative adverse reactions than the control group(P=0.027).Finally,a multivariate Cox analysis identified the tumor stage,distant metastasis,and the treatment plan as independent factors affecting prognosis(P<0.05).The three-year survival rate in the study group was higher than that in the control group(P=0.002).CONCLUSION CRS combined with HIPEC lowers the incidence of adverse reactions and improves survival in patients with advanced GC.

Recent evidence for subcutaneous drains to prevent surgical site infections after abdominal surgery:A systematic review and metaanalysis

BACKGROUND Surgical site infections(SSIs)increase mortality,hospital stays,additional medical treatment,and medical costs.Subcutaneous drains prevent SSIs in gynecological and breast surgeries;however,their clinical impact in abdominal surgery remains unclear.AIM To investigate whether subcutaneous drains were beneficial in abdominal surgery using a systematic review and meta-analysis.METHODS The database search used PubMed,MEDLINE,and the Cochrane Library.The following inclusion criteria were set for the systematic review:(1)Randomized controlled trial studies comparing SSIs after abdominal surgery with or without subcutaneous drains;and(2)Studies that described clinical outcomes,such as SSIs,seroma formation,the length of hospital stays,and mortality.RESULTS Eight studies were included in this meta-analysis.The rate of total SSIs was significantly lower in the drained group(54/771,7.0%)than in the control group(89/759,11.7%),particularly in gastrointestinal surgery.Furthermore,the rate of superficial SSIs was slightly lower in the drained group(31/517,6.0%)than in the control group(49/521,9.4%).No significant differences were observed in seroma formation between the groups.Hospital stays were shorter in the drained group than in the control group.CONCLUSION Subcutaneous drains after abdominal surgery prevented SSIs and reduced hospital stays but did not significantly affect seroma formation.The timing of drain removal needs to be reconsidered in future studies.

Mechanisms of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury and protective effects of nitric oxide

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury(IRI) is a patho-physiological event post liver surgery or transplantation and significantly influences the prognosis of liver func-tion. The mechanisms of IRI remain unclear, and effec-tive methods are lacking for the prevention and therapy of IRI. Several factors/pathways have been implicated in the hepatic IRI process, including anaerobic metabo-lism, mitochondria, oxidative stress, intracellular cal-cium overload, liver Kupffer cells and neutrophils, and cytokines and chemokines. The role of nitric oxide(NO)in protecting against liver IRI has recently been report-ed. NO has been found to attenuate liver IRI through various mechanisms including reducing hepatocellular apoptosis, decreasing oxidative stress and leukocyte adhesion, increasing microcirculatory flow, and enhanc-ing mitochondrial function. The purpose of this review is to provide insights into the mechanisms of liver IRI, indicating the potential protective factors/pathways that may help to improve therapeutic regimens for control-ling hepatic IRI during liver surgery, and the potential therapeutic role of NO in liver IRI.

Granular cell tumor of the pancreas:A case report and review of literature

Granular cell tumors,also called Abrikossof's tumors,were originally described by Abrikossof A in 1926.The f irst case of a pancreatic granular cell tumor was described in 1975 and only 6 cases have been reported.We describe a case of granular cell tumor in the pancreas showing pancreatic duct obstruction.Because imaging studies showed f indings compatible with those of pancreatic carcinoma,the patient underwent distal pancreatectomy.Histological examination showed that the tumor consisted of a nested growth of large tumor cells with ample granular cytoplasm and small round nuclei.The tumor cells expressed S-100 protein and were stained with neuron-specific enolase and periodic acid-Schiff,but were negative for desmin,vimentin,and cytokeratin.The resected tumor was diagnosed as a granular cell tumor.To our knowledge,this is the seventh case of Granular cell tumor of the pancreas to be reported.

Giant simple hepatic cyst with multiple elevated serum tumormarkers: A case report

BACKGROUND Simple hepatic cysts are relatively common in adults, and mostly appear asasymptomatic incidental radiologic findings. Occasionally, a large cyst will causesymptoms. Elevations in the serum biomarkers protein induced by vitamin Kabsence (PIVKA)-II, cancer antigen (CA) 12-5, and CA19-9 are often associatedwith malignant tumors in the liver or bile ducts. This is the first report to describea case of hepatic cyst with elevated levels of PIVKA-II and CA12-5.CASE SUMMARY An 84-year-old Chinese woman was admitted with gradual abdominal distension.Her symptoms started 1 year ago, and she had poor appetite and a weight loss of5 kg within the past 2 wk. She denied any symptoms associated with abdominalpain, fever and chills, nausea and vomiting, etc. The abdomen was enlarged, morein the right upper quadrant, without tenderness. Laboratory examination showedsignificantly increased serum levels of PIVKA-II, CA12-5, and CA19-9. Acomputed tomography scan revealed multiple round cysts in the liver with clearboundaries. The largest cyst was 20.1 cm × 12.2 cm × 19.6 cm in size, located in theright lobe of the liver with mild dilatation of the intrahepatic bile duct, but therewas no contrast enhancement. Percutaneous drainage on the largest hepatic cystand polycinnamol sclerosing agent injection into the cyst cavity were performed.After treatment, the patient’s symptoms relieved and the elevated serum tumormakers reduced to the normal levels dramatically.CONCLUSION The present report identifies an unusual case of a giant hepatic cyst with markedelevation of serum tumor marker levels of PIVKA-II, CA12-5, and CA19-9. Aftertreatment, these three serum markers dramatically decreased to normal levels.The mechanisms for the elevation of these tumor markers may be as follows: (1) Agiant hepatic cyst compresses the liver, causing injury to the hepatocytes, whichmay lead to secretion of a large amount of PIVKA-II;and (2) Some tumorassociatedantigens, such as carcinoembryonic antigen, CA19-9, CA12-5, andCA15-3, are expressed on inflammatory cells.

Rare case of a solitary huge hepatic cystic lymphangioma

A hepatic lymphangioma is a rare benign neoplasm and is usually associated with lymphangiomas of other viscera.A hepatic lymphangioma can be solitary,cystic or associated with multiple liver lesions and is characterized by cystic dilatation of lymphatic vessels in the hepatic parenchyma.A solitary lymphangioma is unusual.Here we report a rare case of a solitary huge primary hepatic cystic lymphangioma in a 42-yearold woman.It was discovered on routine physical examination and the patient had no obvious symptoms.Ultrasonography and computed tomography(CT) showed a giant "hepatic neoplasm" that occupied the right liver lobe.The lesion was approximately 20.0 cm × 15.0 cm × 10.0 cm in size and contained cystic and solid components.There were multiple septa inside the tumor,with some calcifications in the septa.Surgical resection was performed.Histological examination revealed multiple cystic structures lined with epithelial cells on the inner walls,accompanied by interstitial swelling and necrosis.The patient has now been followed up for nearly two years after surgery,with no recurrence to date.

Recent update on comprehensive therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world.The treatment methods for HCC are diverse,mainly including surgical resection,ablation,and liver transplantation.The curative effect can be achieved only for early stage HCC,and it is easy to recur and metastasize after surgery,with a 5-year recurrence rate as high as 70%.Most patients with HCC are in the middle and advanced stage at the time of diagnosis and lose the chance of surgical resection.In recent years,with the in-depth study of the pathogenesis of HCC and the progress of medical science and technology,the systemic treatment of advanced HCC has made a breakthrough.At present,multidisciplinary comprehensive treatment including targeted therapy and immunotherapy has become an effective strategy and inevitable trend for the treatment of advanced HCC.Combined therapy has greatly improved the prognosis of HCC patients and opened up a new milestone in the treatment of this malignancy.In this article,we focus on the treatment progress of advanced HCC to further guide clinical practice.

Acute iatrogenic Budd-Chiari syndrome following hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis:A report of two cases

Budd-Chiari syndrome(BCS)is defined as hepatic venous outflow obstruction at any level from the small hepatic veins to the junction of the inferior vena cava(IVC)and the right atrium,regardless of the cause of obstruction.We present two cases of acute iatrogenic BCS and our clinical management of these cases.The first case was a 43-year-old woman who developed acute BCS following the implantation of an IVC stent for the correction of stenosis in the IVC after hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis.The second case was a61-year-old woman with complete obstruction of the outflow of hepatic veins during bilateral hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis.Acute iatrogenic BCS should be con-sidered a rare complication following hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis.Awareness of potential hepatic outflow obstructions and timely management are critical to avoid poor outcomes when performing hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis.

Comparison of clinicopathological characteristics between resected ampullary carcinoma and carcinoma of the second portion of the duodenum

BACKGROUND Few studies compared the oncological and biological characteristics between ampullary carcinoma(AC) and cancer of the second portion of the duodenum(DC-Ⅱ), although both tumors arise from anatomically close locations.AIM To elucidate differences in clinicopathological characteristics, especially the patterns of lymph node metastasis(LNM), between AC and DC-Ⅱ.METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of 80 patients with AC and 27 patients with DC-Ⅱ who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy between January 1998 and December 2018 in two institutions. Clinicopathological factors, LNM patterns, and prognosis were compared between the two groups.RESULTS The patients with AC and DC-Ⅱ did not exhibit significant differences in 5-year overall survival(66.0% and 67.1%, respectively) and 5-year relapse-free survival(63.5% and 62.2%, respectively). Compared to the patients with DC-Ⅱ, the rate of preoperative biliary drainage was higher(P = 0.042) and the rates of digestive symptoms(P = 0.0158), ulcerative-type cancer(P < 0.0001), large tumor diameter(P < 0.0001), and advanced tumor stage(P = 0.0019) were lower in the patients with AC. The LNM rates were 27.5% and 40.7% in patients with AC and DC-Ⅱ,respectively, without significant difference(P = 0.23). The rates of LNM to hepatic nodes(N-He)and pyloric nodes(N-Py) were significantly higher in patients with DC-Ⅱ than in those with AC(metastasis to N-HE: 18.5% and 5% in patients with DC-Ⅱ and AC, respectively;P = 0.0432;metastasis to N-Py: 11.1% and 0% in patients with DC-Ⅱ and AC, respectively;P = 0.0186)CONCLUSION Although there were no significant differences in the prognosis and recurrence rates between the two groups, metastases to N-He and N-Py were more frequent in patients with DC-Ⅱ than in those with AC.

Recent advances in cancer-associated fibroblast:Biomarkers,signaling pathways,and therapeutic opportunities

Anti-cancer therapies usually focus on tumor cells,but non-tumor stromal components in the tumor microenvironment also play vital roles in tumor initiation and progression,which may be the prognostic factors and potential therapeutic targets.Cancer-associated fibroblasts(CAFs)are the essential component in the tumor environment,exhibiting high heterogeneity in their cell origin and phenotype with diverse functions that influence tumor angiogenesis,immune systems,and metabolism.Single-cell RNA sequencing and genetically engineered mouse models have increased our understanding of CAF diversity,and many subtypes have been defined.However,the precise functions of these subtypes need to be studied and validated.Studies of signaling pathways and epigenetic changes in CAFs facilitate understanding of the phenotypes of CAFs and the crosstalk between tumor cells and CAFs to provide potential therapeutic targets.Some clinical trials,including phase III trials targeting CAFs,have been performed recently.However,few of these trials have generated promising results,which indicates that the complexity of CAFs in the tumor microenvironment remains largely unknown,and in-depth investigations of CAFs should be performed.This review summarizes the research on CAFs,focusing on the heterogeneity of their phenotypes and functions,specific signaling pathways,and the therapeutic strategies involving CAFs.Additionally,we briefly discuss the current technologies commonly used in CAF studies and describe the challenges and future perspectives of CAF research.

Pancreatic cystic neoplasms:a review of preoperative diagnosis and management

Pancreatic cystic neoplasms(PCNs) are a diverse group of neoplasms in the pancreas,and are more increasingly encountered with widespread abdominal screening and improved imaging techniques.The most common types of PCNs are serous cystic neoplasms(SCNs),mucinous cystic neoplasms(MCNs),and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms(IPMNs).Clinicians frequently feel bewildered in the differential diagnosis and subsequent management among the various types of lesions in the pancreas,which may lead to overtreatment or delayed treatment.The current review provides recent developments in the understanding of the three most common types of PCNs,the latest modalities used in preoperative diagnosis and differential diagnosis,as well as the most up to date management.Suggestions for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of SCNs,MCNs,and IPMNs are also provided for young surgeons.Better understanding of these neoplasms is essential for clinicians to make accurate diagnosis and to provide the best management for patients.

A simple and efficient method of DNA extraction from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues for screening EGFR gene mutation by gene sequencing

Epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR） is frequently overexpressed in non-small-cell lung cancer （NSCLC） and plays a key role in tumorigenesis.1 Small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors （TKIs）,such as gefitinib,erlotinib,and icotinib,which can inhibit receptor tyrosine kinase activity of EGFR become clinically available for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer （NSCLC）.2 NSCLC patients with EGFR mutation have experienced a marked response to EGFR-TKIs therapy.3 Detection of mutations of the EGFR gene is critical for predicting the response to therapy with TKIs.4

Semiconducting polymer dots with photosensitizer loading and peptide modification for enhanced cell penetration and photodynamic effect

This letter describes semiconducting polymer dots （Pdots） doped with a photosensitizer and modified with a cell penetrating peptide for photodynamic therapy （PDT）. The resulting Pdots exhibited efficient singlet oxygen （^1O2） generation mediated by intraparticle energy transfer. Experimental results indicated that the peptide-coated Pdots could promote the cellular uptake and increase the penetration efficiency in vitro, and effectively suppressed tumor growth and enhanced the photodynamic effect in vivo. Our results demonstrate that Pdots with photosensitizer loading and peptide modification hold great promise for cancer therapy.

Biliary ascariasis: particular cause of biliary tract infection

A 57-year-old previously healthy woman manifested a 6-day history of severe epigastric pain along with nausea and vomiting. There was tenderness in the epigastrium, without rebound pain or guarding. Laboratory examinations, including white blood cell count, neutrophilic granulocyte percentage, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, were rise.

Surgical resection for pulmonary recurrence of esophageal cancer after curative esophagectomy

Aim:To clarify the significance of surgical resection for pulmonary recurrence after curative esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.Methods:Clinical details,such as the recurrence site,timing,and contents of therapies for recurrence,and the prognosis,were examined in 14 patients who underwent surgical resection for pulmonary recurrence that developed after curative esophagectomy.Results:The median disease-free interval after esophagectomy was 17.2 months.Two patients underwent pulmonary resection two times,and in one patient,three times.All pulmonary resections were performed when other extra-pulmonary recurrences had been controlled,and R0 resection was achieved.Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy were additionally performed for pulmonary metastasis in 13 patients.The median survival time after initial pulmonary resection was 45.5 months,and the 1-,3-,and 5-year overall survival rates were 93%,68%,and 43%,respectively.The 5-year overall survival rate after initial pulmonary resection was 13%in patients with Stage III or IV esophageal cancer and 100%in those with Stage I or II disease(P=0.010).The rate was 56%in patients with tumors<20 mm in size,while all 5 patients with lesions≥20 mm in size died within 3 years(P=0.005).Conclusion:Surgical resection along with systemic therapy is a promising treatment strategy for pulmonary recurrence after curative esophagectomy when it is solitary and localized.Clinical factors,such as the esophageal cancer stage and the size of the pulmonary metastasis,are useful for deciding on the surgical indication.