Is the circumferential resection margin a predictor of local recurrence after preoperative radiotherapy and optimal surgery for rectal carcinoma?

OBJECTIVE: Circumferential resection margin (CRM) involvement has been correlated with a high risk of developing local recurrence. The aim of this study was to examine the prognostic significance of the CRM involvement after curative resection of rectal cancer in patients treated with preoperative radiotherapy and postoperative chemotherapy where indicated. METHOD: All patients with rectal cancer treated in a regional central unit from 1996 to 2004 were identified. A surgical resection was performed on 257 patients, and in 229 of these this was assessed as potentially curative. The CRM was examined in all patients. A CRM of < or = 1 mm was considered positive. RESULTS: A positive margin was seen in 19 (8%) patients. At a median follow up of 40 months, only four (1.7%) patients had developed local recurrence, one of whom had a positive CRM. In the four patients the tumour was 5 cm or less from the anal verge. There were no significant differences regarding local recurrence and survival between CRM positive and negative tumours. CONCLUSION: Rectal cancer managed by combined radiochemotherapy and surgery resulted in a low positive CRM rate and a low local recurrence rate. An involved CRM was not a predictor of local recurrence.     

大肠癌肝转移射频消融后局部复发影响因素的分析

目的 探讨射频消融（radiofrequency ablation,RFA）治疗大肠癌肝转移后局部肿瘤复发的风险因素。方法 回顾性研究213例347个肿瘤实施RFA治疗后局部复发的临床资料,对可能影响RFA局部治疗效果的临床因素进行统计学处理。结果 175例（82.2%）298个肿瘤（85.9%）得到CT或MRI随访资料。大肠癌肝转移灶RFA后肿瘤局部复发率为36.9%（110/298）,局部复发的平均时间为16.4月（2～57个月）。单因素分析显示肝脏转移灶的部位、大小和射频针类型与肿瘤射频后的局部复发相关（P值分别为P=0.000,P=0.021和P=0.026）,但Cox多因素分析则显示只有瘤大小和转移灶部位是大肠癌肝转移射频消融后局部复发的独立预后因素（χ^2=8.522,P=0.000;χ^2=1.321,P=0.022）。结论 肝脏肿瘤的大小和部位是RFA治疗效果的独立影响因素,正确的电极选择和布针是获得肿瘤完全坏死的关键。     

“Suture hernia”: identification of a new type of hernia presenting as a recurrence after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair

After laparoscopic repair of ventral or incisional hernias, the recurrence rates reported are around 4%. Different mechanisms for the recurrences have been identified. We report two cases in which the patients were operated on laparoscopically for recurrence after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair. In both cases, the site of the recurrent hernia was situated at the transfascial fixation sutures. Patients were treated by laparoscopy with a larger intraperitoneal mesh covering the new hernia and the old mesh.     

早期胃癌术后复发的临床分析

目的分析早期胃癌术后复发情况，为制定防治策略提供依据。方法收集解放军总医院1983-2005年间发现的早期胃癌308例，其中245例术后进行了随访，对可能影响早期胃癌术后复发的临床病理特征进行单因素及多因素分析。结果30例出现胃癌复发（中位时间28个月），1、3、5、7、10、15年复发率分别为5．49％、8．44％、11．27％、14．83％、16．39％、37．79％。黏膜内癌复发13例（中位时间24个月），1、3、5、7、10、15年复发率分别为4．23％、6．68％、7．75％、9．34％、9．34％、28．24％。黏膜下癌复发17例（中位时间31个月），1、3、5、7、10、15年复发率分别为7．39％、11．14％、16．54％、24．49％、29．69％、64．85％。Cox回归分析提示浸润黏膜下层（P-O．044，OR-2．172）增加术后肿瘤复发危险，癌周黏膜明显肠化（p-0．047，0R-0．460）者术后肿瘤复发较少。30例复发者中23例（76．7％）无根治手术指征，未再次手术治疗；7例（23．3％）有再次根治手术指征，其中4例再次手术治疗，术后病理提示3例为残胃早期胃癌，无淋巴结转移，1例为残胃进展期胃癌，伴区域淋巴结转移（已无瘤存活28个月），另3例因身体原因未再手术治疗。Logistic回归分析提示癌周黏膜明显肠化（P-0．016，OR=17．000）为有再次根治手术指征的独立影响因子。86．7％（26／30）的复发患者至少每1～2年进行一次包括胃镜检查方式在内的复查。结论早期胃癌累及黏膜下层者术后更易出现复发；癌周明显肠化者术后复发较少，即使出现复发，也有再次进行根治手术的可能；每1～2年进行一次复查有助于早期发现残胃再发癌，但对提高复发转移者再次根治手术机会帮助不大。     

Ano-cutaneous flap repair for complex and recurrent supra-sphincteric anal fistula.

BACKGROUND: Suprasphincteric fistulae remain the most difficult to cure. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the healing rate of suprasphincteric anal fistula treated by ano-cutaneous advancement flap repair, and the impact of this procedure on continence and quality of life. METHOD: Sixteen patients with complex, recurrent or chronic suprasphincteric fistulae associated with significant tissue damage (necrotizing fasciitis, keyhole deformity and anal stenosis) or who had failed previous surgical procedures were treated by ano-cutaneous flap closure. They were assessed pre and postoperatively by the treating surgeon for wound healing and fistula recurrence and later followed up by phone interview using the St Mark's Hospital incontinence score and the Perianal Disease Activity Index (PDAI) as indicators of treatment outcome. RESULTS: Fifteen patients had successful healing of their fistula with the cutaneous flap, with recurrence in only one. The most common short-term complications were minor graft site wound separation, which healed in all cases without intervention, and wound pain, which settled over time and was not associated with recurrence. Continence improved for almost 70% of the patients, with a significant reduction in St Mark's incontinence scores (t = 2.62, 15 d.f., P = 0.02). PDAI also decreased significantly (t = 7.55, 15 d.f., P < 0.001), demonstrating improvement in quality of life for most patients. CONCLUSION: Ano-cutaneous flap can achieve healing of complex and recurrent suprasphincteric anal fistula in patients who had previously failed at other forms of treatment thus improving their quality of life and continence.     

Outcomes of laparoscopic incisional hernia repair: A prospective evaluation

Objective: Although laparoscopic incisional hernioplasty has been gaining in popularity, the best approach for the repair of incisional hernia remains controversial. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the medium‐term outcomes of laparoscopic incisional hernioplasties utilizing onlay GORE‐TEX DualMesh (GORE‐TEX DualMesh Biomaterial; W.L. Gore and Associates, Flagstaff, Arizona, TX, USA). Methodology: Between June 2000 and July 2004, 42 patients underwent laparoscopic incisional hernioplasties at our institution. Perioperative data and postoperative outcomes were collected prospectively and analyzed. Results: Laparoscopic incisional hernioplasty was successfully performed on 39 (93%) patients. Conversion to open repair was required in three patients. The overall mean operative time was 108 min. Sixteen patients (37%) were found to have more than one hernial defect after reduction of the hernial contents. Postoperative morbidity included seroma (n = 8), urinary retention (n = 3), ileus (n = 1), pneumonia (n = 1), fever (n = 1), wound infection (n = 1), and prolonged suture site pain (n = 1) in 13 patients. All these morbidities resolved spontaneously without intervention. Two‐thirds of the patients were discharged within 2 days after surgery. With a median follow up of 2 years, two clinical recurrences (4.8%) were detected. Conclusion: Laparoscopic approach was a safe and efficacious technique for the repair of incisional hernia. Medium‐term outcomes were promising with low postoperative morbidity and recurrence rates. This technique allows clear identification of multiple hernial defects and confers the advantages of minimal access surgery.     

胃肠道肿瘤术后复发与肠粘连引起的肠梗阻临床分析

目的：探讨胃肠道肿瘤复发和粘连性肠梗阻的临床区别和治疗特点。方法：回顾性复习了经手术治疗的86例胃肠道肿瘤术后出现肠梗阻的临床资料，并分析其在临床上区别和治疗特点。结果：86例中粘连性肠梗阻39例，肿瘤复发47例，在复发组胃癌术后复发最为多见(P＜0．05)，原发性肿瘤分化差的其复发引起肠道梗阻明显高于分化好引起的粘连性肠梗阻(P＜0．01)。症状上肿瘤复发组出现的恶心、呕吐及肛门停止排便排气低于粘连性肠梗阻(P＜0．01)。肿瘤复发的肠梗阻表现为不全性梗阻，口服泛影葡胺治疗多能缓解，但大部分患者部分症状仍存在，粘连性肠梗阻多为完全性肠梗阻(P＜0．005)，多需要手术。结论：低分化原发肿瘤、不全性肠梗阻、低发生率的恶心和呕吐及肛门停止排便排气的肠梗阻，多提示为肿瘤的复发，泛影葡胺治疗后梗阻缓解但仍有症状存在应首先考虑是肿瘤复发。     

The significance of involvement of a free serosal surface for recurrence and survival following resection of clinicopathological stage B and C rectal cancer

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the presence of tumour at a free serosal surface was independently associated with pelvic recurrence or survival in patients who had a resection for clinicopathological stage B or stage C rectal cancer and who had not received adjuvant therapy. METHOD: Data were drawn from a comprehensive, prospective hospital registry of all resections for rectal cancer from January 1971 to December 1998 with follow up to December 2003. Statistical analysis employed the chi(2) test or Fisher's exact probability, Kaplan-Meier estimation and proportional hazards regression, with a significance level of < or =0.05 and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: In 665 patients with stages B or C tumour, 35 (5.3%; CI 3.7-7.2%) had tumour at a free serosal surface. These comprised 6/332 (1.8%; CI 0.8-3.7%) patients with stage B tumour and 29/333 (8.7%; CI 6.1-12.2%) with stage C tumour. After adjustment for other relevant variables, involvement of a free serosal surface was significantly associated with pelvic recurrence [hazard ratio (HR) 2.7; CI 1.3-5.5] and diminished survival (HR 1.6; CI 1.1-2.4) but not with systemic (only) recurrence. CONCLUSION: This study has confirmed that direct tumour spread to a free serosal surface independently predicts pelvic recurrence and diminished survival after resection of clinicopathological stage B and C rectal cancer. This feature should always be sought by the pathologist and reported when present, and noted by the surgeon and oncologist. Serosal involvement should be evaluated further for its utility in selecting patients for adjuvant therapy.     

Is pre‐operative radiotherapy necessary in T1‐T3 rectal cancer with TME?

OBJECTIVE: The indications for pre-operative radiotherapy in rectal cancer are still unclear with the exception of T4 tumours. The aim of this study was to assess local and overall recurrence in patients with T1-T3 rectal cancers undergoing total mesorectal excision (TME). METHODS: Prospective data was collected from 150 patients with rectal cancer treated in one surgical centre between July 1997 and July 2002. One hundred and twenty-nine primary resections were carried of which 102 were with curative intent. Seventy-nine patients with T1-T3 tumours were included in the analysis. Nine had local resections and 70 underwent TME; 19 of the 70 patients were node positive and 51 were node negative. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 37 months (range 19-79 months) there were 3 (4.3%) isolated local recurrences. One node positive patient developed isolated local recurrence compared with 2 node negative patients. The node positive patient died from a myocardial infarction while the two node negative patients died as a consequence of local recurrence. Three (4.3%) of 70 patients developed systemic relapse all of whom were node positive. The cancer specific mortality rate over the same follow-up period was 3/19 for node positive patients and 2/51 for node negative patients. Of 9 patients who had local resections, none developed local recurrence or systemic relapse. CONCLUSIONS: With TME the rate of local recurrence in T1-T3 tumours is low. Our results do not support the use of pre-operative radiotherapy for these patients.     

Breast cancer surveillance — a cost-effective strategy

Summary The effectiveness of a surveillance program for breast cancer recurrence in extending survival is predicated on two assumptions: 1) most recurrences are detected at an early stage at surveillance visits; and 2) the early treatment of recurrence offers a better chance of cure or longer survival. However, the data suggest that neither of these two assumptions is correct, and that postoperative follow-up of patients with breast cancer is expensive and does not significantly extend survival.This minisymposium was presented December 8, 1992, at the annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, and was sponsored by educational grants from Amgen and from Bristol-Myers Oncology Division.