Successful resection of metachronous para-aortic, Virchow lymph node and liver metastatic recurrence of rectal cancer

A 66-year-old female presented with the main complaint of defecation trouble and abdominal distention. With diagnosis of rectal cancer, c SS, c N0, c H0, c P0, c M0 c Stage Ⅱ, Hartmann's operation with D3 lymph node dissection was performed and a para-aortic lymph node and a disseminated node near the primary tumor were resected. Histological examination showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, p SS, p N3, p H0, p P1, p M1(para-aortic lymph node, dissemination) f Stage Ⅳ. After the operation, the patient received chemotherapy with FOLFIRI regimen. After 12 cycles of FOLFIRI regimen, computed tomography(CT) detected an 11 mm of liver metastasis in the posteroinferior segment of right hepatic lobe. With diagnosis of liver metastatic recurrence, we performed partial hepatectomy. Histological examination revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma as a metastatic rectal cancer with cut end microscopically positive. After the second operation, the patient received chemotherapy with TS1 alone for 2 years. Ten months after the break, CT detected a 20 mm of paraaortic lymph node metastasis and a 10 mm of lymph node metastasis at the hepato-duodenal ligament. With diagnosis of lymph node metastatic recurrences, we performed lymph node dissection. Histological examination revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma as metastatic rectal cancer in paraaortic and hepato-duodenal ligament areas. After the third operation, we started chemotherapy with modified FOLFOX6 regimen. After 2 cycles of modified FOLFOX6 regimen, due to the onset of neutropenia and liver dysfunction, we switched to capecitabine aloneand continued it for 6 mo and then stopped. Eleven months after the break, CT detected two swelling 12 mm of lymph nodes at the left supraclavicular region. With diagnosis of Virchow lymph node metastatic recurrence, we started chemotherapy with capecitabine plus bevacizumab regimen. Due to the onset of neutropenia and hand foot syndrome(Grade 3), we managed to continue capecitabine administration with extension of interval period and dose reduction. After 2 years and 2 mo from starting capecitabine plus bevacizumab regimen, Virchow lymph nodes had slowly grown up to 17 mm. Because no recurrence had been detected besides Virchow lymph nodes for this follow up period, considering the side effects and quality of life, surgical resection was selected. We performed left supraclavicular lymph node dissection. Histological examination revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma as a metastatic rectal cancer. After the fourth operation, the patient selected follow up without chemotherapy. Now we follow up her without recurrence and keep her quality of life high.

Esophageal intramural pseudodiverticulosis of the residual esophagus after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer

A 91-year-old man was referred to our hospital with intermittent dysphagia. He had undergone esophagectomy for esophageal cancer(T3N2M0 Stage Ⅲ) 11 years earlier. Endoscopic examination revealed an anastomotic stricture; signs of inflammation,including redness,erosion,edema,bleeding,friability,and exudate with white plaques; and multiple depressions in the residual esophagus. Radiographical examination revealed numerous fine,gastrografinfilled projections and an anastomotic stricture. Biopsy specimens from the area of the anastomotic stricture revealed inflammatory changes without signs of malignancy. Candida glabrata was detected with a culture test of the biopsy specimens. The stricture was diagnosed as a benign stricture that was caused by esophageal intramural pseudodiverticulosis. Accordingly,endoscopic balloon dilatation was performed and antifungal therapy was started in the hospital. Seven weeks later,endoscopic examination revealed improvement in the mucosal inflammation; only the pseudodiverticulosis remained. Consequently,the patient was discharged. At the latest follow-up,the patient was symptomfree and the pseudodiverticulosis remained in the residual esophagus without any signs of stricture or inflammation.

Endoscopic occlusion with silicone spigots for the closure of refractory esophago-bronchiole fistula after esophagectomy

A 65-year-old man with c T1 b N0M0 stage Ⅰ middle thoracic esophageal cancer underwent subtotal esophagectomy and gastric tube reconstruction through the posterior mediastinal route after preoperative carbon-ion radiotherapy and chemotherapy in a clinical trial. Anastomotic leakage occurred,but it spontaneously improved. At six months after the operation,he was rehospitalized with a cough and dysphagia. An esophago-bronchiole fistula and stenosis of the gastric tube were observed. He first underwent stent placement in the gastric tube. Two weeks later,the syringeal epithelium was burned by argon plasma coagulation after stent removal. Endoscopic occlusion was then performed for the fistula with two guidewire-assisted silicone spigots. Two weeks later,he was discharged on an oral diet,and he has not developed recurrence of the fistula or cancer for three years. This is the first report of endoscopic occlusion with a guidewire-assisted silicone spigot through the esophagus.

Why is endosonography insufficient for residual diagnosis after neoadjuvant therapy for esophageal cancer?Solutions using muscle layer evaluation

BACKGROUND The diagnosis of residual tumors using endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)after neoadjuvant therapy for esophageal cancer is considered challenging.However,the reasons for this difficulty are not well understood.AIM To investigate the ultrasound imaging features of residual tumors and identify the limitations and potential of EUS.METHODS This exploratory prospective observational study enrolled 23 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving esophagectomy after neoadjuvant therapy[15 patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)and 8 patients after chemoradiotherapy(CRT)]at the Department of Surgery,Chiba University Hospital,between May 2020 and October 2021.We diagnosed the T stage for specimens using ultrasound just after surgery and compared ultrasound images with the cut surface of the fixed specimens of the same level of residual tumor.The ratio of esophageal muscle layer defect measured by ultrasound was compared with clinicopathological factors.Furthermore,the rate of reduction for the muscle layer defect was evaluated using EUS images obtained before and after neoadjuvant therapy.RESULTS The accuracy of T stage rate was 61%(n=14/23),which worsened after CRT(38%,n=3/8)than after NAC(73%,n=11/15)because of overstaging.Moreover,pT0 could not be diagnosed in all cases.The detection rate of residual tumor for specimens using ultrasound retrospectively was 75%(n=15/20).There was no correlation between after-NAC(79%,n=11/14)and after-CRT(67%,n=4/6)detection rate.The detection of superficial and submucosal types was poor.The pathologic tumor size and pathological response were correlated.Tumor borders were irregular and echogenicity was mixed type after CRT.There was a correlation between the pT stage(pT0/1 vs pT2/3)and the length of muscle layer circumference(P=0.025),the length of muscle layer defect(P<0.001),and the ratio of muscle layer defect(P<0.001).There was also a correlation between the pT stage and the rate of muscle layer defect reduction measured by EUS(P=0.001).CONCLUSION Compared to pathological images,some tumors are undetectable by ultrasound.Focusing on the esophageal muscle layer might help diagnose the depth of the residual tumor.