Indications of pro-inflammatory cytokines in laparoscopic and open liver resection for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma

Background:Our clinical practice of laparoscopic liver resection(LLR)had achieved better short-term and long-term benefits for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)over open liver resection(OLR),but the underlying mechanisms are not clear.This study was to find out whether systemic inflammation plays an important role.Methods:A total of 103 patients with early-stage HCC under liver resection were enrolled(LLR group,n=53;OLR group,n=50).The expression of 9 inflammatory cytokines in patients at preoperation,postoperative day 1(POD1)and POD7 was quantified by Luminex Multiplex assay.The relationships of the cytokines and the postoperative outcomes were compared between LLR and OLR.Results:Seven of the circulating cytokines were found to be significantly upregulated on POD1 after LLR or OLR compared to their preoperative levels.Compared to OLR,the POD1 levels of granulocytemacrophage colony-stimulating factor(GM-CSF),interleukin-6(IL-6),IL-8,and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1)in the LLR group were significantly lower.Higher POD1 levels of these cytokines were significantly correlated with longer operative time and higher volume of blood loss during operation.The levels of these cytokines were positively associated with postoperative liver injury,and the length of hospital stay.Importantly,a high level of IL-6 at POD1 was a risk factor for HCC recurrence and poor disease-free survival after liver resection.Conclusions:Significantly lower level of GM-CSF,IL-6,IL-8,and MCP-1 after liver resection represented a milder systemic inflammation which might be an important mechanism to offer better short-term and long-term outcomes in LLR over OLR.

Meta-analysis of laparoscopic vs open liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM:To conduct a meta-analysis to determine the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic liver resection(LLR) and open liver resection(OLR) for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS:PubMed(Medline),EMBASE and Science Citation Index Expanded and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in the Cochrane Library were searched systematically to identify relevant comparative studies reporting outcomes for both LLR and OLR for HCC between January 1992 and February 2012.Two authors independently assessed the trials for inclusion and extracted the data.Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager Version 5.0 software(The Cochrane Collaboration,Oxford,United Kingdom).Pooled odds ratios(OR) or weighted mean differences(WMD) with 95%CI were calculated using either fixed effects(Mantel-Haenszel method) or random effects models(DerSimonian and Laird method).Evaluated endpoints were operative outcomes(operation time,intraoperative blood loss,blood transfusion requirement),postoperative outcomes(liver failure,cirrhotic decompensation/ascites,bile leakage,postoperative bleeding,pulmonary complications,intraabdominal abscess,mortality,hospital stay and oncologic outcomes(positive resection margins and tumor recurrence).RESULTS:Fifteen eligible non-randomized studies were identified,out of which,9 high-quality studies involving 550 patients were included,with 234 patients in the LLR group and 316 patients in the OLR group.LLR was associated with significantly lower intraoperative blood loss,based on six studies with 333 patients [WMD:-129.48 mL;95%CI:-224.76-(-34.21) mL;P = 0.008].Seven studies involving 416 patients were included to assess blood transfusion requirement between the two groups.The LLR group had lower blood transfusion requirement(OR:0.49;95%CI:0.26-0.91;P = 0.02).While analyzing hospital stay,six studies with 333 patients were included.Patients in the LLR group were found to have shorter hospital stay [WMD:-3.19 d;95%CI:-4.09-(-2.28) d;P < 0.00001] than their OLR counterpart.Seven studies including 416 patients were pooled together to estimate the odds of developing postoperative ascites in the patient groups.The LLR group appeared to have a lower incidence of postoperative ascites(OR:0.32;95%CI:0.16-0.61;P = 0.0006) as compared with OLR patients.Similarly,fewer patients had liver failure in the LLR group than in the OLR group(OR:0.15;95%CI:0.02-0.95;P =0.04).However,no significant differences were found between the two approaches with regards to operation time [WMD:4.69 min;95%CI:-22.62-32 min;P = 0.74],bile leakage(OR:0.55;95%CI:0.10-3.12;P = 0.50),postoperative bleeding(OR:0.54;95%CI:0.20-1.45;P = 0.22),pulmonary complications(OR:0.43;95%CI:0.18-1.04;P = 0.06),intra-abdominal abscesses(OR:0.21;95%CI:0.01-4.53;P = 0.32),mortality(OR:0.46;95%CI:0.14-1.51;P = 0.20),presence of positive resection margins(OR:0.59;95%CI:0.21-1.62;P = 0.31) and tumor recurrence(OR:0.95;95%CI:0.62-1.46;P = 0.81).CONCLUSION:LLR appears to be a safe and feasible option for resection of HCC in selected patients based on current evidence.However,further appropriately designed randomized controlled trials should be undertaken to ascertain these findings.

Costs of laparoscopic and open liver and pancreatic resection:A systematic review

AIM: To study costs of laparoscopic and open liver and pancreatic resections, all the compiled data from available observational studies were systematically reviewed.

The differential benefit of laparoscopic over open minor liver resection for lesions situated in the anterolateral or posterosuperior segments

Background:It is well known that laparoscopic liver surgery can offer advantages over open liver surgery in selected patients.However,what type of procedures can benefit most from a laparoscopic approach has been investigated poorly thus far.The aim of this study is thus to define the extent of advantages of laparoscopic over open liver surgery for lesions in the anterolateral(AL)and posterosuperior(PS)segments.Methods:In this international multicentre retrospective cohort study,laparoscopic and open minor liver resections for lesions in the AL and PS segments were compared after propensity score matching.The differential benefit of laparoscopy over open liver surgery,calculated using bootstrap sampling,was compared between AL and PS resections and expressed as a Delta of the differences.Results:After matching,3,040 AL and 2,336 PS resections were compared,encompassing open and laparoscopic procedures in a 1:1 ratio.AL and PS laparoscopic liver resections were more advantageous in comparison to open in terms of blood loss,transfusion rate,complications,and length of stay.However,AL resections benefitted more from laparoscopy than PS in terms of overall and severe complications(D-difference were 4.8%,P=0.046 and 3%,P=0.046)and blood loss(D-difference was 195 mL,P<0.001).Similar results were observed in the subset for high-volume centres,while in recent years no significant differences were found in the differential benefit between AL and PS segments.Conclusions:The advantage of laparoscopic over open liver surgery is greater in the AL segments than in the PS segments.

Adjuvant camrelizumab plus apatinib in resected hepatocellular carcinoma with microvascular invasion:a multi-center real world study

Background:It is well known that laparoscopic liver surgery can offer advantages over open liver surgery in selected patients.However,what type of procedures can benefit most from a laparoscopic approach has been investigated poorly thus far.The aim of this study is thus to define the extent of advantages of laparoscopic over open liver surgery for lesions in the anterolateral(AL)and posterosuperior(PS)segments.Methods:In this international multicentre retrospective cohort study,laparoscopic and open minor liver resections for lesions in the AL and PS segments were compared after propensity score matching.The differential benefit of laparoscopy over open liver surgery,calculated using bootstrap sampling,was compared between AL and PS resections and expressed as a Delta of the differences.Results:After matching,3,040 AL and 2,336 PS resections were compared,encompassing open and laparoscopic procedures in a 1:1 ratio.AL and PS laparoscopic liver resections were more advantageous in comparison to open in terms of blood loss,transfusion rate,complications,and length of stay.However,AL resections benefitted more from laparoscopy than PS in terms of overall and severe complications(D-difference were 4.8%,P=0.046 and 3%,P=0.046)and blood loss(D-difference was 195 mL,P<0.001).Similar results were observed in the subset for high-volume centres,while in recent years no significant differences were found in the differential benefit between AL and PS segments.Conclusions:The advantage of laparoscopic over open liver surgery is greater in the AL segments than in the PS segments.