Significance of functional hepatic resection rate calculated using 3D CT/^(99m)Tc-galactosyl human serum albumin singlephoton emission computed tomography fusion imaging

AIM: To evaluate the usefulness of the functional hepatic resection rate (FHRR) calculated using 3D computed tomography (CT)/99mTc-galactosyl-human serum albumin (GSA) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) fusion imaging for surgical decision making.METHODS: We enrolled 57 patients who underwent bi- or trisectionectomy at our institution between October 2013 and March 2015. Of these, 26 patients presented with hepatocellular carcinoma, 12 with hilar cholangiocarcinoma, six with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, four with liver metastasis, and nine with other diseases. All patients preoperatively underwent three-phase dynamic multidetector CT and 99mTc-GSA scintigraphy. We compared the parenchymal hepatic resection rate (PHRR) with the FHRR, which was defined as the resection volume counts per total liver volume counts on 3D CT/99mTc-GSA SPECT fusion images.RESULTS: In total, 50 patients underwent bisectionectomy and seven underwent trisectionectomy. Biliary reconstruction was performed in 15 patients, including hepatopancreatoduodenectomy in two. FHRR and PHRR were 38.6 ± 19.9 and 44.5 ± 16.0, respectively; FHRR was strongly correlated with PHRR. The regression coefficient for FHRR on PHRR was 1.16 (P < 0.0001). The ratio of FHRR to PHRR for patients with preoperative therapies (transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, radiation, radiofrequency ablation, etc.), large tumors with a volume of > 1000 mL, and/or macroscopic vascular invasion was significantly smaller than that for patients without these factors (0.73 ± 0.19 vs 0.82 ± 0.18, P < 0.05). Postoperative hyperbilirubinemia was observed in six patients. Major morbidities (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ 3) occurred in 17 patients (29.8%). There was no case of surgery-related death.CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that FHRR is an important deciding factor for major hepatectomy, because FHRR and PHRR may be discrepant owing to insufficient hepatic inflow and congestion in patients with preoperative therapies, macroscopic vascular invasion, and/or a tumor volume of > 1000 mL.

Survival trends of patients with non-metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma in the US and European countries:the impact of decreasing resection rates

Background:We previously observed decreasing resection rates of nonmetastatic gastric adenocarcinoma(GaC)in the US and some European countries.If and to what extent these trends affect the trends in overall survival(OS)of patients with non-metastatic GaC at the population level remain unclear.This large international population-based cohort study aimed to assess the impact of the previously observed decreasing resection rates on multivariable-adjusted trends in the long-term OS of patients with non-metastatic GaC.Methods:Individual-level data of patients with non-metastatic GaC were obtained from the national cancer registries of the Netherlands,Belgium,Sweden,Norway,and Slovenia,and the US Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results database.We analyzed data for each country separately.Associations between year of diagnosis and OS were assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression model with adjustment for multiple prognostic variables,with and without including resection and chemotherapy as potential explanatory variables.Results:A total of 66,398 non-metastatic GaC patients diagnosed in 2003-2016 were analyzed,with an accumulated follow-up of 172,357 person-years.Without adjustment for resection,OS was improved only slightly in the US[hazard ratio(HR)_(per year)=0.99;HR_(≥vs.<2010)=0.96],and no improvement was observed in the investigated European countries,with OS even worsening in Sweden(HR_(per year)=1.03;HR_(≥vs.<2010)=1.17).After adjusting for resection,the increasing OS trend became stronger in the US(HR_(per year)=0.98;HR_(≥vs.<2010)=0.88),and the temporal trend became insignificant in Sweden.In Slovenia(HR_(per year)=0.99;HR_(≥vs.<2010)=0.92)and Norway(HR_(per year)=0.97;HR_(≥vs.<2010)=0.86),improved OS over time emerged after resection adjustment.Improved OS in patients undergoing resection was observed in the US,the Netherlands,and Norway.Adjustment for chemotherapy did not alter the observed associations.Stratified analyses by tumor location showedmostly similar resultswith the findings in all patients with non-metastatic GaCs regarding the associations between year of diagnosis and survival.Conclusions:OS of patients with non-metastatic GaC mostly did not improve in selected European countries and was even worsened in Sweden,while it was slightly increased in the US in the early 21st century.Progress in OS of patients with non-metastatic GaC seems to have been impeded to a large extent by decreasing rates of resection.

Endoscopic mucosal resection with double band ligation versus endoscopic submucosal dissection for small rectal neuroendocrine tumors

BACKGROUND Endoscopic resection remains an effective method for the treatment of small rectal neuroendocrine tumors(NETs)(≤10 mm).Moreover,endoscopic mucosal resection(EMR)with double band ligation(EMR-dB),a simplified modification of EMR with band ligation,is an alternative strategy to remove small rectal NETs.AIM To evaluate the feasibility and safety of EMR-dB for the treatment of small rectal NETs(≤10 mm).METHODS A total of 50 patients with small rectal NETs,without regional lymph node enlargement or distant metastasis confirmed by endoscopic ultrasound,computerized tomography scan,or magnetic resonance imaging,were enrolled in the study from March 2021 to June 2022.These patients were randomly assigned into the EMR-dB(n=25)group or endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)group(n=25).The characteristics of the patients and tumors,procedure time,devices cost,complete resection rate,complications,and recurrence outcomes were analyzed.RESULTS There were 25 patients(13 males,12 females;age range 28-68 years old)in the EMR-dB group,and the ESD group contained 25 patients(15 males,10 females;age range 25-70 years old).Both groups had similar lesion sizes(EMR-dB 4.53±1.02 mm,ESD 5.140±1.74 mm;P=0.141)and resected lesion sizes(1.32±0.52 cm vs 1.58±0.84 cm;P=0.269).Furthermore,the histological complete resection and en bloc resection rates were achieved in all patients(100%for each).In addition,there was no significant difference in the complication rate between the two groups.However,the procedure time was significantly shorter and the devices cost was significantly lower in the EMRdB group.Besides,there was no recurrence in both groups during the follow-up period.CONCLUSION The procedure time of EMR-dB was shorter compared with ESD,and both approaches showed a similar curative effect.Taken together,EMR-dB was a feasible and safe option for the treatment of small rectal NETs.

Evaluation of oxaliplatin and tigio combination therapy in locally advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Locally advanced gastric cancer(LAGC)is a common malignant tumor.In recent years,neoadjuvant chemotherapy has gradually become popular for the treatment of LAGC.AIM To investigate the efficacy of oxaliplatin combined with a tigio neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen vs a conventional chemotherapy regimen for LAGC.METHODS Ninety patients with LAGC were selected and randomly divided into control and study groups with 45 patients in each group,according to the numerical table method.The control group was treated with conventional chemotherapy,and the study group was treated with oxaliplatin combined with tigio-neoadjuvant che-motherapy.The primary outcome measures were the clinical objective response rate(ORR)and surgical resection rate(SRR),whereas the secondary outcome measures were safety and Karnofsky Performance Status score.RESULTS The ORR in the study group was 80.00%,which was significantly higher than that of the control group(57.78%).In the study group,SRR was 75.56%,which was significantly higher than that of the control group(57.78%).There were 15.56%adverse reactions in the study group and 35.56%in the control group.These differences were statistically significant between the two groups.CONCLUSION The combination of oxaliplatin and tigio before surgery as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with LAGC can effectively improve the ORR and SRR and is safe.

Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy versus sequential transarterial chemoembolization and portal vein embolization in staged hepatectomy for HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma:a randomized comparative study

Background:Both portal vein embolization(PVE)and associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy(ALPPS)have merits and demerits when used in patients with unresectable liver cancers due to insufficient volumes in future liver remnant(FLR).Methods:This study was a single-center,prospective randomized comparative study.Patients with the diagnosis of hepatitis B related hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the 2 groups.The primary endpoints were tumor resection and three-year overall survival(OS)rates.Results:Between November 2014 to June 2016,76 patients with unresectable HBV-related HCC due to inadequate volume of FLR were randomly assigned to ALPPS groups(n=38)and TACE+PVE groups(n=38).Thirty-seven patients(97.4%)in the ALPPS group compared with 25 patients(65.8%)in the TACE+PVE group were able to undergo staged hepatectomy(risk ratio 1.48,95%CI:1.17-1.87,P<0.001).The three-year OS rate of the ALPPS group(65.8%)(95%CI:50.7-80.9)was significantly better than the TACE+PVE group(42.1%)(95%CI:26.4-57.8)(HR 0.50,95%CI:0.26-0.98,two-sided P=0.036).However,no significant difference in the OS rates between patients who underwent tumor resection in the 2 groups of patients was found(HR 0.80,95%CI:0.35-1.83,two-sided P=0.595).Major postoperative complications rates after the stage-2 hepatectomy were 54.1%in the ALPPS group and 20.0%in the TACE+PVE group(risk ratio 2.70,95%CI:1.17-6.25,P=0.007).Conclusions:ALPPS resulted in significantly better intermediate-term OS outcomes,at the expenses of a significantly higher perioperative morbidity rate compared with TACE+PVE in patients who had initially unresectable HBV-related HCC.