Long term oncological outcome of laparoscopic techniques in pancreatic cancer

The laparoscopic technique in distal pancreatic resection(LDP) has been widely accepted, and outcome data support the hypothesis that survival is improved,partly due to improved postoperative safety and recovery, thus optimizing treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy. But laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy(LPD or Whipple-procedures) has spread more slowly, due to the complexity of the procedure. Surgical safety has been a problem in hospitals with low patient volume, resulting in raised postoperative mortality, requiring careful monitoring of outcome during the surgical learning curve. Robotic assistance is expected to improve surgical safety, but data on long term oncological outcome of laparoscopic Whipple procedures with or without robotic assistance is scarce. Future research should still focus surgical safety, but most importantly long term outcome, recorded as recurrence at maximal follow up or-at best-overall long term survival(OS). Available data show median survival above 2.5 years, five year OS more than 30% after LDP even in series with suboptimal adjuvant chemotherapy. Also after LPD, long term survival is reported equal to or longer than open resection. However, surgical safety during the learning curve of LPD is a problem, which hopefully can be facilitated by robotic assistance. Patient reported outcome should also be an endpoint in future trials, including patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the rectum: An update and implications for treatment

AIM: To provide an update on the aetiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, staging and management of rectal squamous cell carcinoma(SCC).METHODS: A systematic review was conducted according to the preferred reporting items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A comprehensive search of Ovid MEDLINE was performed with the reference list of selected articles reviewed to ensure all relevant publications were captured. The search strategy was limited to the English language, spanning from 1946 to 2015. A qualitative analysis was undertaken examining patient demographics, clinical presentation, diagnosis, staging, treatment and outcome. The quantitaive analysis was limited to data extracted on treatment and outcomes including radiological, clinical and pathological complete response where available. The narrative and quantitative review were synthesised in concert.RESULTS: The search identified 487 articles in total with 79 included in the qualitative review. The quantitative analysis involved 63 articles, consisting of 43 case reports and 20 case series with a total of 142 individual cases. The underlying pathogenesis of rectal SCC while unclear, continues to be defined, with increasing evidence of a metaplasia-dysplasia-carcinoma sequence and a possible role for human papilloma virus in this progression. The presentation is similar to rectal adenocarcinoma, with a diagnosis confirmed by endoscopic biopsy. Many presumed rectal SCC's are in fact an extension of an anal SCC, and cytokeratin markers are a useful adjunct in this distinction. Staging is most accurately reflected by the tumour-nodemetastasis classification for rectal adenocarcinoma. It involves examining locoregional disease by way of magnetic resonance imaging and/or endorectal ultrasound, with systemic spread excluded by way of computed tomography. Positron emission tomography is integral in the workup to exclude an external siteof primary SCC with metastasis to the rectum. While the optimal treatment remains as yet undefined, recent studies have demonstrated a global shift away from surgery towards definitive chemoradiotherapy as primary treatment. Pooled overall survival was calculated to be 86% in patients managed with chemoradiation compared with 48% for those treated traditionally with surgery. Furthermore, local recurrence and metastatic rates were 25% vs 10% and 30% vs 13% for the chemoradiation vs conventional treatment cohorts.CONCLUSION: The changing paradigm in the treatment of rectal SCC holds great promise for improved outcomes in this rare disease.

Pancreatic cancer-improved care achievable

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is one of the most aggressive cancers,and the decline in mortality observed in most other cancer diseases,has so far not taken place in pancreatic cancer.Complete tumor resection is a requirement for potential cure,and the reorganization of care in the direction of high patient-volume centers,offering multimodal treatment,has improved survival and Quality of Life.Also the rates and severity grade of complications are improving in high-volume pancreatic centers.One of the major problems worldwide is underutilization of surgery in resectable pancreatic cancer.Suboptimal investigation,follow up and oncological treatment outside specialized centers are additional key problems.New chemotherapeutic regimens like FOLFIRINOX have improved survival in patients with metastatic disease,and different adjuvant treatment options result in well documented survival benefit.Neoadjuvant treatment is highly relevant,but needs further evaluation.Also adjuvant immunotherapy,in the form of vaccination with synthetic K-Ras-peptides,has been shown to produce long term immunological memory in cytotoxic T-cells in long term survivors.Improvement in clinical outcome is already achievable and further progress is expected in the near future for patients treated with curative as well as palliative intention.

HLA variants related to primary sclerosing cholangitis influence rejection after liver transplantation

AIM: To investigate influence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and killer immunoglobuline-like receptor (KIR) genotypes on risks of acute rejection (AR) after liver transplantation (LTX).