Report of two cases of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of duodenal ampulla with contrasting outcomes following pancreaticoduodenectomy according to the use of adjuvant chemotherapy

IntroductionLarge-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) in the duodenal ampulla of Vater is a rare malignant tumor, with frequent postoperative recurrence and poor prognosis even following complete resection. Effective adjuvant chemotherapy is expected to offer longer survival.Presentation of caseWe present two patients with LCNEC accompanied by components of tubular adenocarcinoma/adenoma in the duodenal ampulla of Vater who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), resulting in longer survival of 1 patient. The first patient was an 81-year-old man in whom a 14-mm protruding solid tumor of the ampulla was observed. Pylorus-preserving PD (PPPD) was performed for the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the ampulla, and the final histological diagnosis of the resected specimen was LCNEC with an adenoma component. The patient showed a liver metastasis 4 months after surgery and died of carcinoma after 11 months. The second patient was a 72-year-old man with a 24-mm ulcerative solid tumor of the ampulla. PPPD was also performed in this patient, and the final histological diagnosis was LCNEC with mixed adenocarcinoma component (21%). Adjuvant chemotherapy of cisplatin and etoposide was administered, and the patient survived without tumor relapse for 24 months after surgery.ConclusionIn the surgical treatment of LCNEC of the ampulla showing malignant behaviour, an accurate preoperative diagnosis and effective adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection are necessary for longer survival.     

Two case of bilateral approach in laparoscopic pancreas-sparing distal duodenectomy for duodenal neoplasms arising from the distal duodenum

IntroductionLaparoscopic pancreas-sparing distal duodenectomy is a less invasive surgical therapy; however, the anatomical complexity of the duodenum increases the difficulty of laparoscopic procedures. We introduce our technique for laparoscopic pancreas-sparing distal duodenectomy for distal duodenal tumors.Presentation of casesA first patient was 47-year-old woman who had 30 mm of duodenal tumor which located in third portion of duodenum. A second patient was 66-year-old man who had 35 mm of submucosal tumor which located in the third portion of duodenum. Laparoscopic pancreas-sparing duodenectomy was performed using bilateral approach for both cases. We began by dissecting an avascular area on the right side of the transverse mesocolon to mobilize the second and third portions of the duodenum with the uncinate process of the pancreas. Next, from the left side, the jejunum and the fourth portion of the duodenum were fully mobilized orally from the surrounding tissue, connecting the dissection plane with the right-side area. The jejunum and duodenum were cut with a linear stapler. Intracorporeal reconstruction was performed in an overlapped manner. We performed this procedure in two patients. Operative time was 326 and 370 min, respectively. Patients were discharged on postoperative days 9–12 without postoperative complications.DiscussionDuodenal tumors are found increasingly often because of developments in endoscopic technology and techniques; therefore, establishing safe surgical procedures for duodenal tumor excision is imperative. Our surgical approach was simple and safe procedure.ConclusionLaparoscopic pancreas-sparing distal duodenectomy with a bilateral approach is a useful approach without wide mobilization of duodenum.     

Adenocarcinoma of the duodenum: factors influencing long-term survival

This single-institution retrospective analysis reviews the management and outcome of patients with surgically treated adenocarcinoma of the duodenum. Between February 1984 and August 1996, fifty-five patients with adenocarcinoma of the duodenum underwent surgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Univariate analysis was performed to identify possible prognostic indicators. Curative resection was performed in 48 patients (87%): 35 of these patients (73%) underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), whereas 27% (n = 13) underwent a pancreas-sparing duodenectomy (PSD). Patients undergoing PD were comparable to those undergoing PSD with respect to demographic factors, presenting symptoms, and tumor pathology. The remaining 13% of patients (n = 7) were deemed unresectable at the time of surgery and underwent biopsy and/or palliative bypass. PD was associated with an increase in postoperative complications when compared to PSD (57% vs. 30%), but this difference was not statistically significant. One perioperative death occurred following PD (mortality 2.9%), The overall 5-year survival rate for the 48 patients undergoing potentially curative resection was 53 %. Negative resection margins (P <0.001), PD (P <0.005), and tumors in the first and second portions of the duodenum (P <0.05) were favorable predictors of long-term survival by univariate analysis. Nodal status, tumor diameter, degree of differentiation, and the use of adjuvant chemoradiation therapy did not influence survival. These data support an aggressive role for resection in patients with adenocarcinoma of the duodenum Presented at the Thirty-Eighth Annual Meeting of The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Washington, D.C., May 11–14, 1997.     

保留胰腺的十二指肠切除术治疗十二指肠肿瘤4例报告

目的介绍保留胰腺的十二指肠切除术。方法对2例恶性肿瘤，2例良性肿瘤，行保留胰腺的十二指肠全切除术3例，乳头以下的十二指肠切除术1例。结果无手术死亡，1例出现胸腔积液，1例出现吻合口梗阻，无其他严重并发症，均痊愈出院。结论对十二指肠良性疾病或低度恶性肿瘤，保留胰腺的十二指肠切除术是适宜的选择。     

Successful resection,using pancreas-sparing duodenectomy,of extrahepatically growing hepatocellular carcinoma associated with direct duodenal invasion

A 50-year-old man with extrahepatically growing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with direct duodenal invasion underwent a right posterior segmentectomy associated with pancreas-sparing duodenectomy. Neither periduodenal lymph-node metastasis nor pancreatic invasion was detected, thus we separated the supra-ampullary duodenum from the pancreatic head and performed pancreas-sparing supra-ampullary duodenectomy. The resected specimen was observed to be a centrally necrotic tumor that had infiltrated the duodenal wall, resulting in exposure of the lumen. Pathology examination revealed that the tumor consisted of poorly differentiated HCC, which had extensively infiltrated the mucosa of the duodenum. Gastrointestinal tract involvement in patients with HCC is rare, and pancreas-sparing duodenectomy is a safe and effective treatment for patients with HCC associated with direct duodenal invasion. Received: December 31, 2001 / Accepted: April 14, 2002     

Pancreas-Sparing Total Duodenectomy for Ampullary Duodenal Neoplasms

Background

Ampullary and extensive periampullary lesions can be difficult to treat and often require pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for complete removal, even if benign. However, PD may be overtreatment for noninvasive lesions, and pancreas-sparing total duodenectomy (PSTD) is an emerging valid surgical option for selected cases.

Methods

We reviewed patients undergoing PSTD at our institution over 16?months and a comparison group who had undergone PD for benign duodenal disease over the past 15?years. We also reviewed cases in the English-language literature and performed a meta-analysis of those patients who had undergone PSTD.

Results

PSTD had been performed in four patients, who had an average hospital length of stay (LOS) of 13?days; two of them experienced complications. None required conversion to PD, experienced a postoperative fistula or endocrine or exocrine insufficiency, or required intensive care. Two of the PSTDs were performed laparoscopically. Open PD for benign duodenal disease was performed in 22 patients, with overall morbidity and pancreas fistula rates of 82 and 27?%, respectively. The meta-analysis found 128 unique cases of PSTD with morbidity and mortality rates of 46.4 and 2.3?%, respectively. Pancreaticobiliary leak was seen in 20?%, with an average LOS of 17?days.

Conclusions

Although PSTD can be used to avoid PD and can be performed laparoscopically, it is technically challenging and still associated with morbidity.     

Pancreas-sparing duodenectomy is effective management for familial adenomatous polyposis

Duodenal adenocarcinoma remains the leading cause of cancer death in familial adenomatous polyposis patients following colectomy. Stratification based on Spigelman’s criteria provides a means for determining therapy. Spigelman stage IV patients have been selected for pancreas-sparing duodenectomy. Twentyone patients underwent resection between 1992 and 2004, with a mean age of 58 ±11 years. The mean time from colectomy to duodenectomy was 27 ±13 years. Invasive cancer was found in the distal duodenum in one patient. Operative time averaged 327 ±61 minutes with a mean blood loss of 503 ± 266 ml. There was no mortality, and eight patients (38%) had 14 complications: six (29%) with delayed gastric emptying, four (19%) with biliary/pancreatic anastomotic leak, one with pancreatitis, and one with wound infection. There were two reoperations: one for delayed gastric emptying and one for an early biliary leak. Mean length of stay was 15 ±10 days. Two late complications occurred: a stomal ulcer and an intestinal obstruction at 48 and 24 months, respectively. Mean follow-up was 79 months (range, 3–152 months). Two patients developed polyps in the advanced jejunal limb and were endoscopically treated. Pancreassparing duodenectomy represents a definitive treatment for advanced duodenal polyposis and can obviate the need for pancreaticoduodenectomy. Presented at the Forty-Sixth Annual Meeting of The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Chicago, Illinois, May 14–18, 2005 (oral presentation).     

Breast cancer in women aging 35 years old and younger: The Egyptian National Cancer Institute (NCI) experience

ObjectiveThe aim is to identify the epidemiological and clinicopathological features associated with young breast cancer (BC) patients and to discuss factors affecting tumor recurrence and DFS.Patients & methodsA retrospective analysis was conducted based on medical records from young females patients aged ≤35 years with pathologically confirmed primary breast cancer treated during 2008–2010 at NCI. Cases with non invasive cancer and non carcinoma histology are excluded.ResultsOf the 5408 cases diagnosed with breast cancer, 554 were young. Four hundred & fifty eight patients representing 9.2% were within our inclusion criteria. Almost half of the patients (45.9%) presented with stage III. Axillary nodes involvement was in 63.9%, 83.3% were grade 2. More than one quarter of tumors was hormone receptors negative (28.8%) & Her2 was over-expressed in 30%. Mastectomy was offered in 72% while conservative breast surgery in 26%, 69.2% received chemotherapy either adjuvant, neoadjuvant or both, 82.5% received adjuvant radiotherapy, 68.6% received hormonal therapy. Metastatic disease developed in 51.3%, with 31% having more than one site of metastases. After a median follow up period of 66 months, the median DFS of patients was 60 months. The median DFS was significantly shorter among patients with positive lymph nodes (P < 0.0001), ER negative disease (P = 0.045) and stage III disease (P < 0.0001).ConclusionBreast cancer in young women is aggressive from the time of diagnosis. Our results provide baseline data of young BC in the Middle East & North Africa region; thus, contributing to future epidemiological and hospital-based researches.     

The importance of multimodal therapy in the management of nonmetastatic adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas: Analysis of treatment sequence and strategy

BackgroundAdenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas has historically poor survival. We analyzed survival outcomes stratified by treatment regimen and sequence using an administrative dataset.MethodsAdult patients with nonmetastatic adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas were identified using the National Cancer Database (2010?2016). Multivariable analyses were used to determine factors associated with receipt of neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy. Overall survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and a multivariable Cox model was used to evaluate factors associated with survival.ResultsA total of 838 patients with adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas were included in the analysis. The median age was 69 years and 64.7% of patients underwent pancreatectomy. Among patients who underwent pancreatectomy, 60.5% received adjuvant chemotherapy, 14.8% received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and 24.7% underwent surgery alone. Older age and increasing comorbidity index were associated with a reduced likelihood of receiving neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy. Median survival of patients who received chemotherapy alone was similar compared with patients who underwent pancreatectomy alone (9.2 vs 7.2 months, P = .504). Survival was improved if patients received both chemotherapy and pancreatectomy (neoadjuvant = 19.6 months, hazard ratio = 0.58; adjuvant = 19.4 months, hazard ratio = 0.64) compared with pancreatectomy alone.ConclusionPatients with adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas who do not receive multimodal therapy have poor survival. The sequence of chemotherapy and pancreatectomy is not associated with survival, but 25% of patients who undergo surgery do not receive chemotherapy. Given that there is no difference in median survival between patients who undergo pancreatectomy alone or receive chemotherapy alone, our data question whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy should be considered in patients with potentially resectable adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas.     

Adjuvant treatment for triple negative breast cancer with residual tumor after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. A single institutional retrospective analysis

PurposeIncomplete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients is correlated to high risk of relapse. This study aimed to evaluate the role of adjuvant chemotherapy in TNBC with residual tumor after NACT.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the outcome of patients with TNBC with residual tumor at surgery after a neoadjuvant treatment, followed by either adjuvant chemotherapy or observation. Primary endpoints were Disease Free Survival (DFS) and Overall Survival (OS).ResultsBetween January 2000 and December 2016, 223 patients with early TNBC operated at the European Institute of Oncology were eligible. A total of 83.4 % of patients received adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery. 90 patients received standard dose infusional regimens, while 96 patients (51.6 %) received oral metronomic chemotherapy. Adjusting the analysis by surgical stage and Ki67 value there was a benefit for DFS and OS in favor of the group that received postoperative chemotherapy (DFS-HR 0.58 p = 0.04; OS-HR 0.54, p = 0.02). At a subgroup analysis according to the different adjuvant treatments received, a benefit for metronomic chemotherapy versus no chemotherapy both for DFS (HR 0.46, p = 0.008) and OS (HR 0.45, p = 0.009) was reported.ConclusionOur retrospective analysis in a large cohort of TNBC patients with residual disease after NACT confirms the benefit of adding a postoperative treatment to reduce risk of relapse and death. Based on these results, we suggest that the adjuvant therapy based on metronomic cyclophosphamide and methotrexate deserves further investigation in this patients population.     

Adjuvant concurrent chemoradiation for node-positive adenocarcinoma of the duodenum

HYPOTHESIS: Adjuvant chemoradiation improves local control and survival in patients with node-positive duodenal adenocarcinoma treated with pancreaticoduodenectomy. DESIGN: A retrospective review of outcomes, with a planned comparison with historical controls. SETTING: A single, high-volume academic referral center. PATIENTS: All patients with periampullary carcinoma treated with pancreaticoduodenectomy and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy at The Johns Hopkins Hospital between 1994 and 2003. Fourteen cases of node-positive duodenal adenocarcinoma were identified. Median radiation dose was 5000 cGy (range, 4000-5760 cGy). Concurrent fluorouracil-based chemotherapy was given with radiation therapy, followed by maintenance chemotherapy. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 12 months for patients who died and 42 months for those who lived. Death occurred in 7 of 14 patients (50%) during the follow-up period. Median survival for all patients was 41 months, and the 5-year survival rate was 44%. Of the 7 patients who experienced disease recurrence, 6 experienced distant metastasis as first recurrence. One of these 7 patients experienced both local recurrence and distant metastasis. Local control for all patients in the study was 93%, which compares favorably with local control reported in a series of patients treated with surgery alone (67%). Compared with historical controls treated with surgery alone, patients who received adjuvant chemoradiation therapy had an improved median survival (21 months vs 41 months, respectively). Overall 5-year survival, however, was not improved (44% vs 43%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Adjuvant chemoradiation therapy after pancreaticoduodenectomy for node-positive duodenal adenocarcinoma may improve local control and median survival but does not impact 5-year overall survival.     

Adjuvant chemotherapy in lymph node positive bladder cancer

ObjectivesLymph node-positive bladder cancer is a systemic disease in the majority of patients. Adjuvant chemotherapy given shortly after surgery, when tumor burden is low, seems reasonable, yet there is no proof that it improves survival. In this retrospective study, we compare the outcomes of patients with microscopic lymph node positive bladder cancer (pN1 or pN2) treated with radical cystectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and those who declined chemotherapy.MethodsSixty-seven patients with lymph node positive bladder cancer (26 pN1 and 41 pN2) who underwent radical cystectomy between April 1995 and April 2005 were reviewed. Combined adjuvant chemotherapy (gemcitabine and cisplatin in most patients) was given to 35 patients (52%), but declined by 32 (48%). The two groups were similar in performance status, postoperative complication rate, and N stage but deferring patients were on average 5 years older and had a more advanced T stage. Study primary endpoint was overall survival (OS).ResultsAdjuvant chemotherapy was well tolerated and 28/35 patients (80%) completed all 4 cycles. Median OS of patients given adjuvant chemotherapy was 48 months compared with 8 months for declining patients (hazard ratio 0.13, 95% CI 0.04–0.4, P < 0.0001). Multivariate age adjusted analysis showed that adjuvant chemotherapy was an independent factor affecting OS (hazard ratio 0.2, P < 0.0001).ConclusionThis study supports the use of adjuvant chemotherapy after radical cystectomy in patients with node positive bladder cancer. Study design and patient imbalances make it impossible to draw definitive conclusions.     

Trends in the Treatment of Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Background

Multiple prospective, randomized trials have demonstrated that the addition of adjuvant therapy after surgical resection of pancreatic cancer improves survival compared to surgery alone. However, the optimal type of adjuvant therapy, chemotherapy alone, or chemotherapy combined with chemoradiation therapy remains controversial. Our aim was to examine the treatment trends for surgically resectable (stages I and II) pancreatic cancer in the USA using the National Cancer Database.

Methods

The National Cancer Database (NCDB) is a national oncology outcomes database for over 1,500 Commission on Cancer accredited cancer programs. Patients diagnosed with stage I–II pancreatic adenocarcinoma between 2003 and 2010 were selected from the NCDB Hospital Comparison Benchmark Reports. Attention was paid to the initial treatment regimen, such as surgery alone, surgery plus chemotherapy, or surgery plus chemoradiation. In addition, data on hospital setting (teaching hospitals vs. community hospitals) were collected and analyzed. The Cochran–Armitage test for trend was used to assess changes in treatment over time.

Results

Fifty-nine thousand ninety-four patients with stage I–II pancreatic adenocarcinoma were included in the analysis. Between 2003 and 2010, the use of surgery alone as first course treatment of stage II disease decreased significantly at both teaching hospitals and community hospitals among patients who underwent surgery (P?<?0.0001 for both cases). In the same period, the use of chemotherapy in addition to surgery as treatment of stage I and II disease increased at least twofold at both hospital settings (P?<?0.0001 for all cases). Treatment with surgery plus chemoradiation decreased significantly for both stages in both hospital settings (P?<?0.0001 for all cases). Nonsurgical treatment for stage II disease was surprisingly high and significantly increased over time (P?<?0.001 for both hospital types), ranging from approximately 30–37 % at teaching hospitals and 39–47 % at community hospitals.

Conclusion

Data from the NCDB from 2003 to 2010 illustrate changes in the adjuvant treatment of pancreatic cancer. The use of chemotherapy alone as adjuvant therapy increased whereas the use of multimodality therapy decreased. In addition, there remains an alarmingly high rate of nonsurgical therapy for stage I and II disease.     

男性乳腺癌临床特征及诊治：附35例报告

背景与目的 男性乳腺癌是一种非常罕见的疾病，一般确诊时分期较晚，预后差。目前其治疗上多参照女性乳腺癌。笔者通过对男性乳腺癌的病例的回顾分析，探讨该病临床特点及诊治。方法 回顾分析大连医科大学附属第二医院于2003年3月—2019年6月收治的35例男性乳腺癌患者的临床特点、病理特征、治疗及随访情况。结果 全组患者就诊时均无远处转移，中位年龄65岁，主要临床表现为无痛性乳房肿块，所有患者均接受了手术治疗，仅2例（5.7%）患者接受了部分乳腺切除术，其余均接受全乳房切除术或更大范围的手术。18例（51.4%）接受了辅助化疗，4例（11.4%）接受了辅助放疗，17例（48.6%）接受了辅助内分泌治疗。30例（85.7%）术后病理诊断为浸润性导管癌。全组均获得随访，5年总生存率83.4%。结论 加强对男性乳腺癌的认识，做到早期诊断，并进行以手术为主的综合治疗非常重要。男性乳腺癌的诊治仍有待进一步研究和规范。     

Duodenal graft complications requiring duodenectomy after pancreas and pancreas–kidney transplantation

Duodenal graft complications are poorly reported complications of pancreas transplantation that can result in graft loss. Excluding patients with early graft failure, after a median follow‐up period of 126 months (range 23‐198) duodenectomy was required in 14 of 312 pancreas transplants (4.5%). All patients were insulin‐independent at the time of diagnosis. Reasons for duodenectomy included delayed duodenal graft perforation (n = 10, 71.5%) and refractory duodenal graft bleeding (n = 4, 28.5%). In patients with duodenal graft bleeding, a total duodenectomy was performed. In patients with duodenal graft perforation, preservation of a duodenal segment was possible in five patients but completion duodenectomy was necessary in one patient. After total duodenectomy, immediate enteric duct drainage was feasible in seven patients. In two patients, a pancreaticocutaneous fistula was created that was subsequently converted to enteric drainage in one patient. In the other patient, enteric fistulization occurred as a consequence of silent pressure perforation of the draining catheter on the ascending colon. After a mean follow‐up period of 52 months (21‐125), all patients were alive, well, and insulin‐independent. An aggressive and timely surgical approach may permit graft rescue in patients with severe duodenal graft complications occurring after pancreas transplantation. Generalization of these results remains to be established.     

Pancreas-sparing duodenectomy for a huge leiomyosarcoma in the third portion of the duodenum

A duodenal leiomyosarcoma which was resected by pancreas-sparing duodenectomy is reported. The tumor arose in the third portion of the duodenum and grew in an extraluminal direction. The tumor was huge (13 cm × 9 cm × 8 cm) but did not involve the pancreas, and there were no findings of periduodenal lymph node metastases. Because the possibility of metastasis to the lymph nodes around the root of the superior mesenteric artery (which are removed only in a pancreatoduodenectomy) was judged to be low, pancreas-sparing duodenectomy was performed, with dissection of the pancreaticoduodenal lymph nodes. The proximal duodenum was transected between the second and third portions of the duodenum, and the distal end was cut in the jejunum at the portion of the first jejunal artery. Reconstruction was performed by end-to-side anastomosis between the duodenum and jejunum, using an end-to-end anastomosis instrument. Since the incidence of lymph node metastasis of leiomyosarcoma is low, resection of the head of the pancreas for extensive lymph node dissection does not always seem necessary. Pancreas-sparing duodenectomy can be a good option for a leiomyosarcoma in the third and fourth portions of the duodenum which does not invade the pancreas and is not accompanied by any apparent periduodenal lymph node metastases. Received for publication on May 1, 1997; accepted on April 21, 1999     

Worldwide survey among polyposis registries of surgical management of severe duodenal adenomatosis in familial adenomatous polyposis

BACKGROUND: The lifetime risk of developing duodenal cancer in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is about 5 per cent. When and to what extent surgical intervention should be undertaken to prevent death from invasive carcinoma is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of various surgical treatments for cancer and severe duodenal adenomatosis. METHODS: A questionnaire was mailed to the members of the Leeds Castle Polyposis Group to obtain data on patients with FAP, treated for duodenal cancer or severe duodenal adenomatosis after 1990. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients were included. The indication for surgery was invasive cancer in 13 patients, of whom six died from metastatic disease. Fifty-six patients were initially treated for severe duodenal adenomatosis, five (9 per cent) of whom died from metastatic disease (P = 0.002). In surviving patients, adenomas recurred after ampullectomy (six of eight, at mean follow-up of 11 months), after duodenotomy with polypectomy (17 of 21, at mean 29 months) and after pancreatoduodenectomy (six of 25, at mean 47 months). None of six patients who underwent a pancreas-sparing duodenectomy had recurrence of adenoma (mean follow-up 11 months). CONCLUSION: Surgery for duodenal adenomatosis should take place before endoscopic biopsy reveals invasive cancer. Even after extensive surgical procedures, small bowel adenomas may occur, emphasizing the need for chemoprevention.     

Clinical analysis of multimodal treatment for localized synovial sarcoma: A multicenter retrospective study

IntroductionSeveral prognostic factors for survival in synovial sarcoma have been proposed, but the role of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy is a matter of debate. The study aim was to clarify the effect of high-dose ifosfamide-containing chemotherapy and adjuvant radiotherapy for patients with localized synovial sarcoma.Materials and methodsFive tertiary musculoskeletal oncology hospitals participated in this retrospective study. The records of the patient diagnosed with synovial sarcoma without metastasis at diagnosis from 1990 to 2011 have been collected and reviewed. Overall, distant failure-free, and local failure-free survivals were calculated, and prognostic factors for each survival were evaluated by performing univariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsA total of 162 patients were enrolled in this study with a median follow-up period of 67 months (range, 5–267 months) for all surviving patients. The 5-year overall, distant failure-free, and local failure-free survival rates were 79.7%, 66.3%, and 98.4%, respectively. Univariate analyses demonstrated that high-dose ifosfamide-containing chemotherapy was significantly associated with better overall (p = 0.014) and distant failure-free survival (p = 0.0043) than that of low-dose or no ifosfamide-containing chemotherapy if we analyzed only patients with tumors >5 cm in size. Addition of radiotherapy was not a significant prognostic factor for overall survival in the univariate and multivariate analyses, but it did improve the overall survival of the patients with R1 resection (p = 0.053).ConclusionPatients with localized synovial sarcoma >5 cm in size had better overall and distant failure-free survival after receiving adjuvant chemotherapy containing high-dose ifosfamide comparing to low-dose or no ifosfamide-containing chemotherapy. The addition of adjuvant radiotherapy was beneficial for the patients who received R1 resection. Alternatively, adjuvant radiotherapy could be avoided for patients who achieved an R0 margin.     

Two-Staged Surgery for Metastatic Liver Tumor in Morbidly Obese Individual-Left Hemihepatectomy Following Placement of Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band

A 47-year-oldmale with a body mass index (BMI) 37.12 kg/m² was diagnosed with an ill-demarcated tumor within IVB segment of left lobe of the liver. Sixteen months earlier, he underwent laparoscopic gastric banding for morbid obesity (BMI 51 kg/m²). One year after bariatric procedure, he was diagnosed with rectal adenocarcinoma. Following abdominoperineal resection of rectum with total mesorectal excision and 2 months course of adjuvant FOLFOX chemotherapy, he was scheduled for liver resection. Left hemihepatectomy was performed with no major complications; wound discharge was successfully treated in outpatient clinic. Twelve months following surgery, he remains disease free with no evidence of local recurrence, metachronic primary tumor, or distant metastases. This is first to our knowledge report providing data on the outcome of left hemihepatectomy performed in postbariatric patient. The role of bariatric surgery and utilization of the time necessary for neoadjuvant chemotherapy to reduce the excessive body mass and the degree of liver steatosis is discussed.     

Late effects of adjuvant chemotherapy adumbrate dormancy complexity in breast cancer

BackgroundDormant avascular micrometastases and single, or small groups of, non-proliferating cells are currently assumed to explain the multipeak dynamics of distant metastases (DM) following primary breast cancer surgical removal.MethodsThe hazard rate pattern for DM was analysed in 1518 premenopausal node-positive patients, enrolled in a series of randomized clinical trials on early breast cancer, which were carried out in Italy and Belgium. Patients underwent surgery alone (n = 397) or surgery plus adjuvant chemotherapy (n = 1121) and the minimal follow up was 15 years.ResultsThe DM hazard rate for patients undergoing surgery alone displayed two early sharp peaks at 9 and 33 months, a wide intermediate one spanning from about 50 to 90 months and a late peak at 115–120 months. Adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a prominent reduction of the two early peaks leaving a residual one at about 18 months and a reduction of the intermediate peak leaving two small peaks at about 50 and 80 months. The late peak remained unchanged.ConclusionsPresent results reveal the ability of adjuvant chemotherapy to reduce not only the rate of early relapses, but also the rate of intermediate relapses at about the sixth year of follow up. Adjuvant chemotherapy is not impacting on the development of metastases underlying the late peak detected at the tenth year. These findings suggest the existence of a previously unknown dormancy state that, at the primary tumour surgical removal, results in evolving chemo-sensitive metastatic processes, and, moreover, of a later chemo-refractory dormancy state.