Gastric peritoneal carcinomatosis-a retrospective review

AIM To characterize patients with gastric peritoneal carcinomatosis(PC) and their typical clinical and treatment course with palliative systemic chemotherapy as the current standard of care.METHODS We performed a retrospective electronic chart review of all patients with gastric adenocarcinoma with PC diagnosed at initial metastatic presentation between January 2010 and December 2014 in a single tertiary referral centre.RESULTS We studied a total of 271 patients with a median age of 63.8 years and median follow-up duration of 5.1 mo. The majority(n = 217, 80.1%) had the peritoneum as the only site of metastasis at initial presentation. Palliative systemic chemotherapy was eventually planned for 175(64.6%) of our patients at initial presentation, of which 171 were initiated on it. Choice of first-line regime was in accordance with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines for Gastric Cancer Treatment. Thesepatients underwent a median of one line of chemotherapy, completing a median of six cycles in total. Chemotherapy disruption due to unplanned hospitalizations occurred in 114(66.7%), while cessation of chemotherapy occurred in 157(91.8%), with 42 cessations primarily attributable to PC-related complications. Patients who had initiation of systemic chemotherapy had a significantly better median overall survival than those who did not(10.9 mo vs 1.6 mo, P < 0.001). Of patients who had initiation of systemic chemotherapy, those who experienced any disruptions to chemotherapy due to unplanned hospitalizations had a significantly worse median overall survival compared to those who did not(8.7 mo vs 14.6 mo, P < 0.001).CONCLUSION Gastric PC carries a grim prognosis with a clinical course fraught with disease-related complications which may attenuate any survival benefit which palliative systemic chemotherapy may have to offer. As such, investigational use of regional therapies is warranted and required validation in patients with isolated PC to maximize their survival outcomes in the long run.

Palliative surgery for Krukenberg tumors—12-year experience and review of the literature

AIM To determine the clinical characteristics of patients undergoing palliative surgery for Krukenberg tumors,including disease presentation,outcomes,and prognostic factors.METHODS This was a retrospective clinical study of all patients who underwent palliative surgery for Krukenberg tumors between January 2004 and December 2015.Patient information was obtained from inpatient and outpatient case notes as well as the hospital electronic records.Patients who underwent potential y curative resection,and patients with Krukenberg tumors who did not undergo surgery were also excluded from the study.Palliative surgery was defined as those performed for either alleviation of symptoms or for asymptomatic patients for whom surgical removal of the tumors were deemed necessary following a multidisciplinary consensus.Tumors were diagnosed pre-operatively by computed tomography scans and all had histologic confirmation of the surgical specimens.RESULTS Over the study duration,38 female patients underwent palliative surgery for Krukenberg tumors at our institution.Mean age was 54.2±11.7 years.The colon was the most frequent primary source of metastases(n=21)followed by the stomach(n=4).Prophylactic palliative surgery was performed for eight(21.1%)asymptomatic patients.Median post-operative length of stay was 8 d(IQR 6-12 d).Five patients(13.2%)experienced postoperative complications,although high grade morbidity was only seen in one patient(2.6%).Median overall survival from surgery was 17 mo(95%CI:12.1-21.9)at a median follow-up duration of 12 mo(IQR 8-17mo).The median survival was shorter for patients who underwent emergency surgery,younger patients,those with a colorectal primary,larger tumors,or synchronous peritoneal or hepatic metastases.CONCLUSION Pal iative surgery for Krukenberg tumors can be performed safely with acceptable complication rates.Bilateral oophorectomy should be performed to prevent the risk of symptomatic contralateral tumors.

The impact of urological resection and reconstruction on patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC)

Objective:Cytoreductive surgery(CRS)and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy(HIPEC)are increasingly being used to treat peritoneal malignancies.Urological resections and reconstruction(URR)are occasionally performed during the surgery.We aim to evaluate the impact of these procedures on peri-operative outcomes of CRS and HIPEC patients.Methods:A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of all patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC from April 2001 to February 2016 was performed.Outcomes between patients who had surgery involving,and not involving URR were compared.Primary outcomes were the rate of major complications and the duration of stay in the intensive care unit(ICU)and hospital.Secondary outcomes were that of overall survival(OS)and prognostic factors that would indicate a need for URR.Results:A total of 214 CRS-HIPEC were performed,21 of which involved a URR.Baseline clinical characteristics did not vary between the groups(URR vs.No URR).Urological resections comprised of 52%bladder resections,24%ureteric resections,and 24%involving both bladder and ureteric resections.All bladder defects were closed primarily while ureteric reconstructions consisted of two end-to-end anastomoses,one ureto-uretostomy,five direct implantations into the bladder and three boari flaps.URR were more frequently required in patients with colorectal peritoneal disease(p Z 0.029),but was not associated with previous pelvic surgery(76%vs.54%,p Z 0.065).Patients with URR did not suffer more serious complications(14%vs.24%,p Z 0.42).ICU(2.2 days vs.1.4 days,p Z 0.51)and hospital stays(18 days vs.25 days,p Z 0.094)were not significantly affected.Undergoing a URR did not affect OS(p Z 0.99),but was associated with increased operation time(570 min vs.490 min,p Z 0.046).Conclusion:While concomitant URR were associated with an increase in operation time,there were no significant differences in postoperative complications or OS.Patients with colorectal peritoneal metastases are more likely to require a URR compared to other primary tumours,and needs to be considered during pre-operative planning.

Management of synchronous lateral pelvic nodal metastasis in rectal cancer in the era of neoadjuvant chemoradiation: A systemic review

BACKGROUND Lateral pelvic lymph node(LLN)metastasis(LLNM)occur in up to 28%of patients with low rectal tumours.While prophylactic lateral pelvic lymph node dissection(LLND)has been abandoned by most western institutions in the era of neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy(CRT),the role of selective LLND in patients with enlarged LLN on pre-CRT imaging remains unclear.Some studies have shown improved survival and recurrence outcomes when LLNs show"response"to CRT.However,no management algorithm exists to differentiate treatment for"responders"vs"non-responders".AIM To determine if selective LLND in patients with enlarged LLNs results in improved survival and recurrence outcomes.METHODS A systemic search of Pub Med and Embase databases for studies reporting on patients with synchronous radiologically suspicious LLNM(s-LLNM)in rectal cancer receiving preoperative-CRT was performed.RESULTS Fifteen retrospective,single-centre studies were included.793 patients with sLLNM were evaluated:456 underwent TME while 337 underwent TME with7,LLND post-CRT.In the TME group,local recurrence(LR)rates range from 12.5%to 36%.Five-year disease free survival(DFS)was 42%to 75%.In the TME with LLND group,LR rates were 0%to 6%.Five years DFS was 41.2%to 100%.Radiological response was seen in 58%.Pathologically positive LLN was found in up to 94%of non-responders vs 0%to 20%in responders.Young age,low tumour location and radiological non-response were associated with final positive LLNM and lowered DFS.CONCLUSION LLND is associated with local control in patients with s-LLNM.It can be performed in radiological non-responders given a large majority represent true LLNM.Its role in radiological responders should be considered in selected high risk patients.

Two Cancers Arising from Different Mesenchymal Origins: An Unexpected Connection over Time and Space

Sarcomas are rare tumours, accounting for 1% of all malignancies. They are histologically diverse, presenting with more than 50 different subtypes. Sarcoma can be broadly divided into two categories—soft tissue sarcoma and bone sarcoma. Extraskeletal osteosarcoma is a unique subtype which is histologically similar to bone osteosarcoma but resides within soft tissue and has no attachments to bone. We present a rare case of a patient who initially presented with an extraskeletal osteosarcoma that was complicated by a chronic chest wall sinus and lymphedema of the left arm. He later developed enlarging left chest wall nodules at the same region that were proven to be dedifferentiated liposarcoma on biopsy 20 years later. We examine the occurrence of both extremely rare diseases of differing pathologies over the same site but separated by an extraordinarily long interval, and possible new associations to account for this phenomenon.