Multimodal treatment combining neoadjuvant therapy,laparoscopic subtotal distal pancreatectomy and adjuvant therapy for pancreatic neck-body cancer:Case series

BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer involving the pancreas neck and body often invades the retroperitoneal vessels,making its radical resection challenging.Multimodal treatment strategies,including neoadjuvant therapy,surgery,and postoperative adjuvant therapy,are contributing to a paradigm shift in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.This strategy is also promising in the treatment of pancreatic neckbody cancer.AIM To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a multimodal strategy for the treatment of borderline/locally advanced pancreatic neck-body cancer.METHODS From January 2019 to December 2021,we reviewed the demographic characteristics,neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment data,intraoperative and postoperative variables,and follow-up outcomes of patients who underwent multimodal treatment for pancreatic neck-body cancer in a prospectively collected database of our hospital.This investigation was reported in line with the Preferred Reporting of Case Series in Surgery criteria.RESULTS A total of 11 patients with pancreatic neck-body cancer were included in this study,of whom 6 patients were borderline resectable and 5 were locally advanced.Through multidisciplinary team discussion,all patients received neoadjuvant therapy,of whom 8(73%)patients achieved a partial response and 3 patients maintained stable disease.After multidisciplinary team reassessment,all patients underwent laparoscopic subtotal distal pancreatectomy and portal vein reconstruction and achieved R0 resection.Postoperatively,two patients(18%)developed ascites,and two patients(18%)developed pancreatic fistulae.The median length of stay of the patients was 11 days(range:10-15 days).All patients received postoperative adjuvant therapy.During the follow-up,three patients experienced tumor recurrence,with a median disease-free survival time of 13.3 months and a median overall survival time of 20.5 months.CONCLUSION A multimodal treatment strategy combining neoadjuvant therapy,laparoscopic subtotal distal pancreatectomy,and adjuvant therapy is safe and feasible in patients with pancreatic neck-body cancer.

Immunotherapy for esophageal cancer:Where are we now and where can we go

Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy has dramatically improved patient prognosis,and thereby transformed the treatment in various cancer types including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)in the past decade.Monoclonal antibodies that selectively inhibit programmed cell death-1(PD-1)activity has now become standard of care in the treatment of ESCC in metastatic settings,and has a high expectation to provide clinical benefit during perioperative period.Further,anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated protein 4(CTLA-4)monoclonal antibody has also been approved in the treatment of recurrent/metastatic ESCC in combination with anti-PD-1 antibody.Well understanding of the existing evidence of immune-based treatments for ESCC,as well as recent clinical trials on various combinations with chemotherapy for different clinical settings including neoadjuvant,adjuvant,and metastatic diseases,may provide future prospects of ESCC treatment for better patient outcomes.

Sequential neoadjuvant chemotherapy using pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by taxanes with complete trastuzumab and pertuzumab treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer: A phase Ⅱ single-arm study

Objective: Despite cardiotoxicity overlap, the trastuzumab/pertuzumab and anthracycline combination remains crucial due to significant benefits. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin(PLD), a less cardiotoxic anthracycline, was evaluated for efficacy and cardiac safety when combined with cyclophosphamide and followed by taxanes with trastuzumab/pertuzumab in human epidermal growth factor receptor-2(HER2)-positive early breast cancer(BC).Methods: In this multicenter, phase II study, patients with confirmed HER2-positive early BC received four cycles of PLD(30-35 mg/m^(2)) and cyclophosphamide(600 mg/m^(2)), followed by four cycles of taxanes(docetaxel,90-100 mg/m^(2) or nab-paclitaxel, 260 mg/m^(2)), concomitant with eight cycles of trastuzumab(8 mg/kg loading dose,then 6 mg/kg) and pertuzumab(840 mg loading dose, then 420 mg) every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was total pathological complete response(tp CR, yp T0/is yp N0). Secondary endpoints included breast p CR(bp CR),objective response rate(ORR), disease control rate, rate of breast-conserving surgery(BCS), and safety(with a focus on cardiotoxicity).Results: Between May 27, 2020 and May 11, 2022, 78 patients were treated with surgery, 42(53.8%) of whom had BCS. After neoadjuvant therapy, 47 [60.3%, 95% confidence interval(95% CI), 48.5%-71.2%] patients achieved tp CR, and 49(62.8%) achieved bp CR. ORRs were 76.9%(95% CI, 66.0%-85.7%) and 93.6%(95% CI,85.7%-97.9%) after 4-cycle and 8-cycle neoadjuvant therapy, respectively. Nine(11.5%) patients experienced asymptomatic left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) reductions of ≥10% from baseline, all with a minimum value of >55%. No treatment-related abnormal cardiac function changes were observed in mean N-terminal pro-BNP(NT-pro BNP), troponin I, or high-sensitivity troponin.Conclusions: This dual HER2-blockade with sequential polychemotherapy showed promising activity with rapid tumor regression in HER2-positive BC. Importantly, this regimen showed an acceptable safety profile,especially a low risk of cardiac events, suggesting it as an attractive treatment approach with a favorable risk-benefit balance.

Distal margin distance in radical resection of locally advanced rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy

Colorectal cancer has a high incidence and mortality rate in China, with the majority of cases being middle and low rectal cancer. Surgical intervention is currently the main treatment modality for locally advanced rectal cancer, with the common goal of improving oncological outcomes while preserving function. The controversy regarding the circumferential resection margin distance in rectal cancer surgery has been resolved. With the promotion of neoadjuvant therapy concepts and advancements in technology, treatment strategies have become more diverse.Following tumor downstaging, there is an increasing trend towards extending the safe distance of distal rectal margin. This provides more opportunities for patients with low rectal cancer to preserve their anal function.However, there is currently no consensus on the specific distance of distal resection margin.

Surgical resection and neoadjuvant therapy in patients with gastric cancer and ovarian metastasis: A real-world study

BACKGROUND Regarding when to treat gastric cancer and ovarian metastasis(GCOM)and whether to have metastatic resection surgery,there is presently debate on a global scale.The purpose of this research is to examine,in real-world patients with GCOM,the survival rates and efficacy of metastatic vs non-metastasized resection.AIM To investigate the survival time and efficacy of metastatic surgery and neoadjuvant therapy in patients with GCOM.METHODS This study retrospectively analyzed the data of 41 GCOM patients admitted to Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital from June 2009 to July 2023.The diagnosis of all patients was confirmed by pathology.The primary study endpoints included overall survival(OS),ovarian survival,OS after surgery(OSAS),disease-free survival(DFS),differences in efficacy.RESULTS This study had 41 patients in total.The surgical group(n=27)exhibited significantly longer median OS(mOS)and median overall months(mOM)compared to the nonoperative group(n=14)(mOS:23.0 vs 6.9 months,P=0.015;mOM:18.3 vs 3.8 months,P=0.001).However,there were no significant differences observed in mOS,mOM,median OSAS(mOSAS),and median DFS(mDFS)between patients in the surgical resection plus neoadjuvant therapy group(n=11)and those who surgical resection without neoadjuvant therapy group(n=16)(mOS:26.1 months vs 21.8 months,P=0.189;mOM:19.8 vs 15.2 months,P=0.424;mOSAS:13.9 vs 8.7 months,P=0.661,mDFS:5.1 vs 8.2 months,P=0.589).CONCLUSION Compared to the non-surgical group,the surgical group’s survival duration and efficacy are noticeably longer.The efficacy and survival time of the direct surgery group and the neoadjuvant therapy group did not differ significantly.

Management of distal cholangiocarcinoma with arterial involvement: Systematic review and case series on the role of neoadjuvant therapy

BACKGROUND The use of neoadjuvant therapy(NAT)in distal cholangiocarcinoma(dCCA)with regional arterial or extensive venous involvement,is not widely accepted and evidence is sparse.AIM To synthesise evidence on NAT for dCCA and present the experience of a highvolume tertiary-centre managing dCCA with arterial involvement.METHODS A systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidance to identify all studies reporting outcomes of patients with dCCA who received NAT.All patients from 2017 to 2022 who were referred for NAT for dCCA at our centre were retrospectively collected from a prospectively maintained database.Baseline characteristics,NAT type,progression to surgery and oncological outcomes were collected.RESULTS Twelve studies were included.The definition of“unresectable”locally advanced dCCA was heterogenous.Four studies reported outcomes for 9 patients who received NAT for dCCA with extensive vascular involvement.R0 resection rate ranged between 0 and 100%but without survival benefit in most cases.Remaining studies considered either NAT in resectable dCCA or inclusive with extrahepatic CCA.The presented case series includes 9 patients(median age 67,IQR 56-74 years,male:female 5:4)referred for NAT for borderline resectable or locally advanced disease.Three patients progressed to surgery and 2 were resected.One patient died at 14 months with evidence of recurrence at 6 months and the other died at 51 months following recurrence 6 months postoperatively.CONCLUSION Evidence for benefit of NAT is limited.Consensus on criteria for uniform definition of resectability for dCCA is required.We propose using the established National-Comprehensive-Cancer-Network®criteria for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Compare clinical efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant therapy and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer: Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND To compare the efficacy and safety of total neoadjuvant therapy(TNT)and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(nCRT)in the treatment of middle and low locally advanced rectal cancer.Our study will systematically collect and integrate studies to evaluate the ability of these two treatments to improve tumor shrinkage rates,surgical resection rates,tumor-free survival,and severe adverse events.AIM To provide clinicians and patients with more reliable treatment options to optimize treatment outcomes and quality of life for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer by comparing the advantages and disadvantages of the two treatment options.METHODS A full search of all clinical studies on the effectiveness and safety of TNT and nCRT for treating locally advanced rectal cancer identified in Chinese(CNKI,Wanfang,China Biomedical Literature Database)and English(PubMed,Embase)databases was performed.Two system assessors independently screened the studies according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.Quality evaluation and RESULTS Finally,14 studies were included,six of which were randomized controlled studies.A total of 3797 patients were included,including 1865 in the TNT group and 1932 in the nCRT group.The two sets of baseline data were comparable.The results of the meta-analysis showed that the pCR rate[odds ratio(OR)=1.57,95%confidence interval(CI):1.30-1.90,P<0.00001],T stage degradation rate(OR=2.16,95%CI:1.63-2.57,P<0.00001),and R0 resection rate(OR=1.42,95%CI:1.09-1.85,P=0.009)were significantly greater in the nCRT group than in the nCRT group.There was no significant difference in the incidence of grade 3/4 acute toxicity or perioperative complications between the two groups.The 5-year OS[hazard ratio(HR)=0.84,95%CI:0.69-1.02,P=0.08]and DFS(HR=0.94,95%CI:0.03-1.39,P=0.74)of the TNT group were similar to those of the nCRT group.CONCLUSION TNT has greater clinical efficacy and safety than nCRT in the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer.

Predictive value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes for neoadjuvant therapy response in triple-negative breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND The association between tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte(TIL)levels and the res-ponse to neoadjuvant therapy(NAT)in patients with triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)remains unclear.AIM To investigate the predictive potential of TIL levels for the response to NAT in TNBC patients.METHODS A systematic search of the National Center for Biotechnology Information PubMed database was performed to collect relevant published literature prior to August 31,2023.The correlation between TIL levels and the NAT pathologic com-plete response(pCR)in TNBC patients was assessed using a systematic review and meta-analysis.Subgroup analysis,sensitivity analysis,and publication bias analysis were also conducted.RESULTS A total of 32 studies were included in this meta-analysis.The overall meta-ana-lysis results indicated that the pCR rate after NAT treatment in TNBC patients in the high TIL subgroup was significantly greater than that in patients in the low TIL subgroup(48.0%vs 27.7%)(risk ratio 2.01;95%confidence interval 1.77-2.29;P<0.001,I2=56%).Subgroup analysis revealed that the between-study hetero-geneity originated from differences in study design,TIL level cutoffs,and study populations.Publication bias could have existed in the included studies.The meta-analysis based on different NAT protocols revealed that all TNBC patients with high levels of TILs had a greater rate of pCR after NAT treatment in all protocols(all P≤0.01),and there was no significant between-protocol difference in the statistics among the different NAT protocols(P=0.29).Additionally,sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the overall results of the meta-analysis remained consistent when the included studies were individually excluded.CONCLUSION TILs can serve as a predictor of the response to NAT treatment in TNBC patients.TNBC patients with high levels of TILs exhibit a greater NAT pCR rate than those with low levels of TILs,and this predictive capability is con-sistent across different NAT regimens.

Radical radiotherapy without surgical tumor resection for rectal cancer

In this editorial,I would like to comment on the article,recently published in the World Journal of Clinical Oncology.The article focuses on non-surgical treatments for locally recurrent rectal cancer,including the watch-and-wait(WW)strategy after total neoadjuvant therapy(TNT)and particle beam therapy.As treatment options for rectal cancer continue to evolve,the high complete response rate achieved with TNT has led to the development of a new non-surgical approach:WW.Chemoradiotherapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy,in particular,has a low rate of tumor growth and is a treatment aimed at achieving a cure without surgery.However,the risk of recurrence within two years is significant,necessitating careful follow-up.Establishing standardized follow-up methods that can be implemented by many physicians is essential.Carbon ion radiotherapy has demonstrated high local control with a low incidence of severe late toxicities,even after previous pelvic radiotherapy.While these new non-surgical curative treatments for rectal cancer require further investigation,future advancements in this field are anticipated.

Current and future perspectives in the management and treatment of colorectal cancer

In this editorial,we reviewed the article by Fadlallah et al that was recently published in the World Journal of Clinical Oncology.The article provided a comprehensive and in-depth view of the management and treatment of colorectal cancer(CRC),one of the leading causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide.The article analyzed the therapeutic modalities and their sequencing,focusing on total neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer.It highlighted the role of immunotherapy in tumors with high microsatellite instability or deficient mismatch repair,addressing recent advances that have improved prognosis and therapeutic response in localized and metastatic CRC.Innovations in surgical techniques,advanced radiotherapy,and systemic agents targeting specific mutational profiles are also discussed,reflecting on how they revolutionized clinical management.Circulating tumor DNA has emerged as a promising tool for detecting minimal residual disease,prognosis,and therapeutic monitoring,solidifying its role in precision oncology.This review emphasized the importance of technological and therapeutic advancements in improving clinical outcomes and personalizing CRC treatment.

Benefit of neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced perihilar cholangiocarcinoma

To clarify the role of neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (NACCRT) followed by surgical resection for localized or locally advanced perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (CCA).METHODSWe retrospectively reviewed 57 patients who underwent surgical resection with or without NACCRT for perihilar CCA; 12 patients received NACCRT and 45 patients did not received NACCRT. Patients with locally advanced perihilar CCA requiring NACCRT were defined as follows: (1) a mass involving unilateral branches of the portal vein or hepatic artery with insufficient volume of the anticipated remnant lobe; or (2) an infiltrating mass in the main portal vein that was too long for reconstruction, identified at preoperative staging.RESULTSThe median disease-free survival (DFS) durations of the neoadjuvant and non-neoadjuvant CCRT groups were 26.0 and 15.1 mo, respectively (P = 0.91). The median overall survival (OS) durations of the neoadjuvant and non-neoadjuvant CCRT groups were 32.9 and 27.1 mo, respectively (P = 0.26). The NACCRT group showed a downstaging tendency compared to the non-NACCRT group as compared with the tumor stage confirmed by histological examination after surgery and the tumor stage confirmed by imaging test at the time of diagnosis (P = 0.01).CONCLUSIONNACCRT does not prolong DFS and OS in localized or locally advanced perihilar CCA. However, NACCRT may allow tumor downstaging and improve tumor resectability.

The current role of neoadjuvant/adjuvant/chemoprevention therapy in partial hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma:a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Following curative treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 50%-90% of postoperative death is due to recurrent disease. Intra-hepatic recurrence is frequently the only site of recurrence. Thus, any neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy, which can decrease or delay the incidence of intra-hepatic recurrence, or any cancer chemoprevention which can prevent a new HCC from developing in the liver remnant, will improve the results of liver resection. This article systematically reviewed the current evidence of neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and chemoprevention in partial hepatectomy of HCC. DATA SOURCES: Studies were identified by searching MEDLINE and PubMed databases for articles from January 1990 to November 2008 using the keywords 'hepatocellular carcinoma', 'hepatectomy', 'adjuvant therapy', 'neoadjuvant therapy', and 'regional therapy'. Additional papers and book chapters were identified by a manual search of the references from the key articles. RESULTS: Neoadjuvant transarterial chemoembolization or adjuvant regional transarterial chemotherapy embolization+systemic chemotherapy did not add benefit. Both adjuvant transarterial radioembolization with (131)I-lipiodol and adjuvant systemic interferon showed promising results. However, there were only a limited number of such studies. CONCLUSIONS: Further randomized controlled studies need to be carried out. Currently, there is no consensus on a standard neoadjuvant/adjuvant/chemoprevention therapy in partial hepatectomy for HCC.

Role of radiation therapy in gastric adenocarcinoma

Outcomes in patients with gastric cancer in the United States remain disappointing, with a five-year overall survival rate of approximately 23%. Given high rates of local-regional control following surgery, a strong rationale exists for the use of adjuvant radiation therapy. Randomized trials have shown superior local control with adjuvant radiotherapy and improved overall survival with adjuvant chemoradiation. The benefit of adjuvant chemoradiation in patients who have undergone D2 lymph node dissection by an experienced surgeon is not known, and the benefit of adjuvant radiation therapy in addition to adjuvant chemotherapy continues to be defined. In unresectable disease, chemoradiation allows long-term survival in a small number of patients and provides effective palliation. Most trials show a benefit to combined modality therapy compared to chemotherapy or radiation therapy alone. The use of pre-operative, intra-operative, 3D conformal, and intensity modulated radiation therapy in gastric cancer is promising but requires further study. The current article reviews the role of radiation therapy in the treatment of resectable and unresectable gastric carcinoma, focusing on current recommendations in the United States.

Prediction of pathological nodal stage of locally advanced rectal cancer by collective features of multiple lymph nodes in magnetic resonance images before and after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy

Objective:To predict pathological nodal stage of locally advanced rectal cancer by a radiomic method that uses collective features of multiple lymph nodes(LNs)in magnetic resonance images before and after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(NCRT).Methods:A total of 215 patients were included in this study and chronologically divided into the discovery cohort(n=143)and validation cohort(n=72).In total,2,931 pre-NCRT LNs and 1,520 post-NCRT LNs were delineated from all visible rectal LNs in magnetic resonance images.Geometric,first-order and texture features were extracted from each LN before and after NCRT.Collective features are defined as the maximum,minimum,mean,median value and standard deviation of each feature from all delineated LNs of each participant.LN-model is constructed from collective LN features by logistic regression model with L1 regularization to predict pathological nodal stage(ypN0 or ypN+).Tumor-model is constructed from tumor features for comparison by using DeLong test.Results:The LN-model selects 7 features from 412 LN features,and the tumor-model selects 7 features from 82 tumor features.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)of LN-model in the discovery cohort is 0.818[95%confidence interval(95%CI):0.745-0.878],significantly(Z=2.09,P=0.037)larger than 0.685(95%CI:0.602-0.760)of the tumor-model.The AUC of LN-model in validation cohort is 0.812(95%CI:0.703-0.895),significantly(Z=3.106,P=0.002)larger than 0.517(95%CI:0.396-0.636)of the tumor-model.Conclusions:The usage of collective features from all visible rectal LNs performs better than the usage of tumor features for the prediction of pathological nodal stage of locally advanced rectal cancer.

Early prediction of pathological outcomes to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients using automated breast ultrasound

Objective： Early assessment of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy （NAC） for breast cancer allows therapy to be individualized. The optimal assessment method has not been established. We investigated the accuracy of automated breast ultrasound （ABUS） to predict pathological outcomes after NAC. Methods： A total of 290 breast cancer patients were eligible for this study. Tumor response after 2 cycles of chemotherapy was assessed using the product change of two largest perpendicular diameters （PC） or the longest diameter change （LDC）. PC and LDC were analyzed on the axial and the coronal planes respectively. Receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curves were used to evaluate overall performance of the prediction methods. Youden＇s indexes were calculated to select the optimal cut-off value for each method. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values （PPV and NPV） and the area under the ROC curve （AUC） were calculated accordingly.Results： ypT0/is was achieved in 42 patients （14.5%） while ypT0 was achieved in 30 patients （10.3%） after NAC. All four prediction methods （PC on axial planes, LDC on axial planes, PC on coronal planes and LDC on coronal planes） displayed high AUCs （all〉0.82）, with the highest of 0.89 [95% confidence interval （95% CI）, 0.83-0.95] when mid-treatment ＆BUS was used to predict final pathological complete remission （pCR）. High sensitivities （85.7%-88.1%） were observed across all four prediction methods while high specificities （81.5%-85.1%） were observed in two methods used PC. The optimal cut-off values defined by our data replicate the WHO and the RECIST criteria. Lower AUCs were observed when mid-treatment ABUS was used to predict poor pathological outcomes. Conclusions：ABUS is a useful tool in early evaluation of pCR after NAC while less reliable when predicting poor pathological outcomes.

Selective lateral lymph node dissection after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer

BACKGROUND Lateral lymph node metastasis is one of the leading causes of local recurrence in patients with advanced mid or low rectal cancer.Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(NCRT)can effectively reduce the postoperative recurrence rate;thus,NCRT with total mesorectal excision(TME)is the most widely accepted standard of care for rectal cancer.The addition of lateral lymph node dissection(LLND)after NCRT remains a controversial topic.AIM To investigate the surgical outcomes of TME plus LLND,and the possible risk factors for lateral lymph node metastasis after NCRT.METHODS This retrospective study reviewed 89 consecutive patients with clinical stage II-III mid or low rectal cancer who underwent TME and LLND from June 2016 to October 2018.In the NCRT group,TME plus LLND was performed in patients with short axis(SA)of the lateral lymph node greater than 5 mm.In the non-NCRT group,TME plus LLND was performed in patients with SA of the lateral lymph node greater than 10 mm.Data regarding patient demographics,clinical workup,surgical procedure,complications,and outcomes were collected.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the possible risk factors for lateral lymph node metastasis in NCRT patients.RESULTS LLN metastasis was pathologically confirmed in 35 patients(39.3%):26(41.3%)in the NCRT group and 9(34.6%)in the non-NCRT group.The most common site of metastasis was around the obturator nerve(21/35)followed by the internal iliac artery region(12/35).In the NCRT patients,46%of patients with SA of LLN greater than 7 mm were positive.The postoperative 30-d mortality rate was 0%.Two(2.2%)patients suffered from lateral local recurrence in the 2-year follow up.Multivariate analysis showed that cT4 stage(odds ratio[OR]=5.124,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.419-18.508;P=0.013),poor differentiation type(OR=4.014,95%CI:1.038-15.520;P=0.044),and SA≥7 mm(OR=7.539,95%CI:1.487-38.214;P=0.015)were statistically significant risk factors associated with LLN metastasis.CONCLUSION NCRT is not sufficient as a stand-alone therapy to eradicate LLN metastasis in lower rectal cancer patients and surgeons should consider performing selective LLND in patients with greater LLN SA diameter,poorer histological differentiation,or advanced T stage.Selective LLND for NCRT patients can have a favorable oncological outcome.

Role of imaging in predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in gastric cancer

With the proven overall benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer,there has come a need to discriminate responders from non-responders.In this article,the current role of anatomical and molecular imaging in the prediction of response to neoadjuvant therapy in gastric cancer is outlined and future prospects are discussed.

Impact of interval between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery in rectal cancer patients

BACKGROUND Epidemiologically,in China,locally advanced rectal cancer is a more common form of rectal cancer.Preoperative neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy can effectively reduce the size of locally invasive tumors and improve disease-free survival(DFS)and pathologic response after surgery.At present,this modality has become the standard protocol for the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer in many centers,but the optimal time for surgery after neoadjuvant therapy is still controversial.AIM To investigate the impact of time interval between neoadjuvant therapy and surgery on DFS and pathologic response in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.METHODS A total of 231 patients who were classified as having clinical stage II or III advanced rectal cancer and underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by surgery at the National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College from November 2014 to August 2017 were involved in this retrospective cohort study.The patients were divided into two groups based on the different time intervals between neoadjuvant therapy and surgery:139(60.2%)patients were in group A(≤9 wk),and 92(39.2%)patients were in group B(>9 wk).DFS and pathologic response were analyzed as the primary endpoints.The secondary endpoints were postoperative complications and sphincter preservation.RESULTS For the 231 patients included,surgery was performed at≤9 wk in 139(60.2%)patients and at>9 wk in 92(39.8%).The patients’clinical characteristics,surgical results,and tumor outcomes were analyzed through univariate analysis combined with multivariate regression analysis.The overall pathologic complete response(pCR)rate was 27.2%(n=25)in the longer time interval group(>9 wk)and 10.8%(n=15)in the shorter time interval group(≤9 wk,P=0.001).The postoperative complications did not differ between the groups(group A,5%vs group B,5.4%;P=0.894).Surgical procedures for sphincter preservation were performed in 113(48.9%)patients,which were not significantly different between the groups(group A,52.5%vs group B,43.5%;P=0.179).The pCR rate was an independent factor affected by time interval(P=0.009;odds ratio[OR]=2.668;95%CI:1.276-5.578).Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis showed that the longer time interval(>9 wk)was a significant independent prognostic factor for DFS(P=0.032;OR=2.295;95%CI:1.074-4.905),but the time interval was not an independent prognostic factor for overall survival(P>0.05).CONCLUSION A longer time interval to surgery after neoadjuvant therapy may improve the pCR rate and DFS but has little impact on postoperative complications and sphincter preservation.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy vs upfront surgery for gastric signet ring cell carcinoma:A retrospective,propensity score-matched study

BACKGROUND The benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with signet-ring cell carcinoma of the stomach is controversial.AIM To evaluate the perioperative and long-term outcomes of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma.METHODS This retrospective study identified patients with locally advanced signet-ring cell carcinomas of the stomach(cT3/4 and cN any)diagnosed from January 2012 to December 2017 by using the clinical Tumor-Node-Metastasis(cTNM)staging system.We performed 1:1 propensity score matching(PSM)to reduce bias in patient selection.The histologic and prognostic effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were assessed.The overall survival rates were used as the outcome measure to compare the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy vs surgery-first treatment in the selected patients.RESULTS Of the 144 patients eligible for this study,36 received neoadjuvant chemotherapy,and 108 received initial surgery after diagnosis.After adjustment by PSM,36 pairs of patients were generated,and baseline characteristics,including age,sex,American Society of Anesthesiologists score,tumor location,and cTNM stage,were similar between the two groups.The R0 resection rates were 88.9%and 86.1%in the surgery-first and neoadjuvant chemotherapy groups after PSM,respectively(P=1.000).The median follow-up period was 46.4 mo.The 5-year overall survival rates of the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group and surgery-first group were 50.0%and 65.0%(P=0.235),respectively,before PSM and 50%and 64.7%(P=0.192),respectively,after PSM.Multivariate analyses conducted before and after PSM showed that NAC was not a prognostic factor.CONCLUSION Neoadjuvant chemotherapy provides no survival benefit in patients with locally advanced gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma.For resectable gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma,upfront surgery should be the primary therapy.

Nomograms and risk score models for predicting survival in rectal cancer patients with neoadjuvant therapy

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer is a common digestive cancer worldwide.As a comprehensive treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer(LARC),neoadjuvant therapy(NT)has been increasingly used as the standard treatment for clinical stage II/III rectal cancer.However,few patients achieve a complete pathological response,and most patients require surgical resection and adjuvant therapy.Therefore,identifying risk factors and developing accurate models to predict the prognosis of LARC patients are of great clinical significance.AIM To establish effective prognostic nomograms and risk score prediction models to predict overall survival(OS)and disease-free survival(DFS)for LARC treated with NT.METHODS Nomograms and risk factor score prediction models were based on patients who received NT at the Cancer Hospital from 2015 to 2017.The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model were utilized to screen for prognostic risk factors,which were validated by the Cox regression method.Assessment of the performance of the two prediction models was conducted using receiver operating characteristic curves,and that of the two nomograms was conducted by calculating the concordance index(C-index)and calibration curves.The results were validated in a cohort of 65 patients from 2015 to 2017.RESULTS Seven features were significantly associated with OS and were included in the OS prediction nomogram and prediction model:Vascular_tumors_bolt,cancer nodules,yN,body mass index,matchmouth distance from the edge,nerve aggression and postoperative carcinoembryonic antigen.The nomogram showed good predictive value for OS,with a C-index of 0.91(95%CI:0.85,0.97)and good calibration.In the validation cohort,the C-index was 0.69(95%CI:0.53,0.84).The risk factor prediction model showed good predictive value.The areas under the curve for 3-and 5-year survival were 0.811 and 0.782.The nomogram for predicting DFS included ypTNM and nerve aggression and showed good calibration and a C-index of 0.77(95%CI:0.69,0.85).In the validation cohort,the C-index was 0.71(95%CI:0.61,0.81).The prediction model for DFS also had good predictive value,with an AUC for 3-year survival of 0.784 and an AUC for 5-year survival of 0.754.CONCLUSION We established accurate nomograms and prediction models for predicting OS and DFS in patients with LARC after undergoing NT.