Prognostic value of peritoneal lavage cytology and chemotherapy during surgery for advanced gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic value of intra-operative peritoneal lavage cytology and chemotherapy was evaluated retrospectively. METHOD: Lavage cytology was performed in 257 patients. Prognosis was investigated in 85 of pT3 and pT4 patients with radical gastrectomy. Intra-operative chemotherapy was selected according to the cytology and exploration of the peritoneal cavity. For patients forecasted to have peritoneal recurrence, intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin was performed. RESULTS: No free cancer cells (cy(-)) were found in pTis, pT1 and pT2. In pT3 and pT4, cy(-) were 82.8% of the cases without macroscopic metastasis (P(-)), and the presence of free cancer cells (cy(+)) were 89.3% of the cases with macroscopic metastasis (P(+)). Intraperitoneal injection was performed in about 60% of P(-)/cy(+) and P(+) cases. Five-year survival rate of P(-)/cy(-) was 41.7% and that of P(-)/cy(+) was 33.3%. All of P(+) died within 3 years. CONCLUSION: Patients of P(-)/cy(+) probably had microscopic residual disease and might benefit from intraperitoneal chemotherapy.     

Importance of positive peritoneal lavage cytology findings in the stage grouping of gastric cancer

(Received for publication on Oct. 29, 1997; accepted on July 7, 1998)     

Prognostic significance of intraperitoneal free cancer cells obtained by laparoscopic peritoneal lavage in patients with gastric cancer

Laparoscopy is a safe and useful method for examining the local extent and regional spread of disease in patients with gastric cancer. Peritoneal dissemination remains a frequent type of recurrence after surgical treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of intraperitoneal free cancer cells (IFCCs) detected by laparoscopic peritoneal lavage. Forty-nine patients with advanced gastric cancer underwent laparoscopy with cytologic examination for staging. Peritoneal lavage was performed when ascites was not present. Aspirated fluid from the peritoneal cavity was centrifuged and subjected to cytologic examination using Giemsa and Papanicolaou staining methods. Patients were surgically treated and followed for a minimum of 5 years. IFCCs were detected in 41% of the patients. In eight cases (16.3 %) laparoscopy revealed carcinomatosis and/or multiple liver metastases, so laparotomy was not performed. Patterns of recurrence after curative resection included the following: peritoneal (n = 3), local (n = 4), liver (n = 1), and other (n = 1). All patients who tested positive for IFCCs had peritoneal recurrence. The absence of IFCCs was associated with improved overall survival (2 1 months for a 95% confidence interval of 7.4 to 34.6 vs 4 months for a 95% confidence interval of 2.4 to 5.6). Overall survival adjusted for type of resection also demonstrated a favorable outcome for patients who were negative for IFCCs. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) laparoscopic peritoneal lavage cytology may be useful in identifying patients at high risk for peritoneal relapses and may alter treatment, and (2) IFCCs provide additional prognostic information in patients with gastric cancer. Presented at the Thirty-Eighth Annual Meeting of The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Washington, D.C., May 11–14, 1997.     

腹腔冲洗细胞学检查对胃癌预后的临床评估及意义

目的 评估腹腔冲洗细胞学检查(PLC)对胃癌预后判断的价值.方法 收集胃癌及对照组患者的腹腔冲洗液标本,采用不同方法检测其中的游离癌细胞,并评价其与临床病理参数的关系.结果 PLC检测阳性率为31.8%,经相关分析,胃癌患者PLC阳性率与下列4种参数均成正相关:肿瘤分化程度(P＜0.05),浸润深度(P＜0.01),淋巴结转移(P＜0.01),TNM分期(P＜0.05).而与肿瘤的大小无关;肿瘤大小分组间差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).检测阳性组与阴性组术后1年复发率和生存率比较,差异均有统计学意义.结论 PLC检测可作为判断胃癌侵袭转移、术后复发情况及患者预后的参考指标之一.     

Peritoneal lavage cytology in gastric cancer: An independent predictor of outcome

Background: The prevalence and significance of free cancer cells in the peritoneal cavity of clinically M0 gastric cancer patients is unknown. We reviewed our results with peritoneal washings to determine (1) the prevalence of positive cytology in M0 and M1 disease and (2) the influence of positive cytology on the pattern of failure and survival. Methods: Laparoscopic washings were obtained from 127 patients with gastric cancer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from December 1, 1990 to August 1, 1996. Cytology was performed by the Papanicolau technique. Results: The prevalence of positive cytology was as follows: 0% (0/45) in T1/T2 M0 disease; 10% (3/31) in T3/T4 M0 disease; and 59% in M1 disease. The three M0 patients with positive cytology recurred intra-abdominally (median follow up of 8.5 months). Survival was significantly less compared with stage-matched controls with negative cytology resected for cure (P<.03), and the same as those patients with stage IV disease. Conclusion: Patients with positive lavage cytology are stage IV, even in the absence of macroscopic peritoneal disease. Laparoscopic lavage cytology is a rapid technique for identifying the subset of M0 patients who are unlikely to benefit from resection alone. Such patients require additional treatment strategies to improve survival.     

Prognostic value of hypocholesterolemia in patients with gastric cancer

BackgroundAccording to previous studies, low serum total cholesterol (TC) is associated with higher cancer incidence and mortality. However, the prognostic implications of preoperative TC in patients with gastric cancer (GC) remain to be determined.MethodsA total of 1251 patients with GC, who underwent radical gastrectomy between 2005 and 2008, were recruited. Propensity score weighting (PSW) based on a generalized boosted method (GBM) was used to control for selection bias.ResultsAfter balancing the preoperative and operative covariates, low TC was associated with high incidence of complications (severe complication rate: 15.2% (Low TC) vs. 4.7% (Normal TC) vs 5.5% (High TC); p = 0.004). In multivariable analysis, lowering TC was associated with poor OS and RFS in weighted population. [OS: hazard ratio (HR) = 0.92; 95% CI = 0.867–0.980; P = 0.009 and RFS: HR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.873–0.988; P = 0.02].ConclusionsPreoperative TC is a useful predictor of postoperative survival and postoperative complications in patients with stage I–III GC and may help to identify high-risk patients for rational therapy, including nutritional support, and timely follow-up.     

Prognostic value of cytologic examination of peritoneal washings in pancreatic cancer

HYPOTHESIS: Findings from cytologic examination of peritoneal washings affect the staging, prognosis, and management of pancreatic cancer. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS: A total of 151 patients with invasive ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and without distant metastases or ascites, as determined by preoperative radiologic examinations, underwent peritoneal washings. Based on intraoperative findings, patients were subdivided into 3 groups according to the extent of cancer spread: 65 were assigned to a resectable group, 53 to a locally advanced group, and 33 to a visible metastases group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival and peritoneal metastases-free survival. RESULTS: The incidence of positive cytologic findings was 23.8% (36/151). Positive rates increased significantly with disease progression (P<.001). In the resectable group, survival and peritoneal metastases-free survival were significantly shorter for patients with positive vs negative cytologic findings. In the remaining 2 groups, no differences were observed between patients with positive vs negative cytologic findings in survival or peritoneal metastases-free survival. In patients with positive cytologic findings without visible metastases, survival and peritoneal metastases-free survival were significantly better in the locally advanced group undergoing chemoradiotherapy than in the resectable group. CONCLUSIONS: Positive peritoneal cytologic findings are not independent factors that determine survival and peritoneal metastases-free survival; rather, they are associated with advanced disease. In patients with visible metastases, cytologic factors are not correlated with survival or peritoneal recurrence. In patients without visible metastases, chemoradiotherapy may be beneficial for those with positive cytologic findings.     

Positive peritoneal lavage cytology is a predictor of worse survival in locally advanced pancreatic cancer

Background

Peritoneal lavage cytology in the staging of pancreatic cancer is not widely used given improvements in computed tomography (CT). The aim of this study was to determine the utility of peritoneal lavage cytology in predicting survival in locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

Methods

Between 2000 and 2008, 202 patients with biopsy-proven pancreatic cancer who were determined by pancreas protocol CT to be locally advanced and not currently resectable underwent diagnostic laparoscopy and peritoneal lavage for cytology (DL-PLC).

Results

DL-PLC upstaged 58 of 202 patients (29%) to stage IV, who had a significantly worse median survival of 11 months versus 16 months (P = .03). Positive cytology was an independent predictor of worse survival (P = .02).

Discussion

Positive peritoneal cytology (stage IV disease) in locally advanced pancreatic cancer is common and predicts worse survival. This survival difference suggests that peritoneal cytology status might be useful in deciding treatment regimens in patients with locally advanced disease based on CT.     

Prognostic significance of pleural lavage cytology after resection for non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: In the staging of lung cancer, pleural effusion that is malignant on cytologic examination is regarded as T4 disease, and curative resection cannot be performed. We conducted this study to determine whether cancer cells can be present in the pleural cavity with no pleural effusion, to investigate the factors contributing to that occurrence, and to evaluate its prognostic significance. METHODS: Eighty-five patients (77 males, eight females) with a median age 60.1-+/--7.9 years (31--74 years) underwent a major lung resection, due to lung cancer in our department. From January 1998 to December 1999, 30 pneumonectomies, seven bilobectomies, 46 lobectomies and two wedge-resections were performed. Chest wall resection was performed in four patients. After performing a posterolateral thoracotomy and lung resection with extended mediastinal lymph node dissection, the pleural cavity was filled with 1 l physiologic saline solution (PSS) and the fluid was shaken. The lavage fluid was suctioned off (S1). Immediately after the lavage, the pleural cavity was refilled with 3 l PSS. The surgeon washed out the pleural cavity by hand for 1 min and the fluid was suctioned off. Finally, the pleural cavity was refilled with 1 l PSS and a new lavage fluid was suctioned off (S2). A cytologic examination was carried out for each sample. RESULTS: The pathology report showed 39 adenocarcinomas, 33 squamous-cell, two adenosquamous, four large-cell, two neuroendocrine and five undifferentiated carcinomas. S1 was positive in eight patients (9.4%), while S2 was positive in four patients (4.7%). The correlation of positive pleural lavage and infiltrated lymph nodes demonstrated a statistically significant relation between presence of N2 disease and positive S2 sample (P = 0.049). No significant correlation existed between positive lavage sample (S1 or S2) and TNM stage, level of T, extent of tumor invasion, kind of operation, histological type or differentiation of the cancer (Chi square test). The mean follow-up is 11.3 +/- 6.2 months (4--22 months). There are 78 patients alive. A significance difference in survival was identified in-patients with positive S1 (P = 0.0081), and positive S2 (P = 0.0251) (Kaplan--Meier). CONCLUSION: The cytologic results of lavage were positive for malignant cells in eight of 85 patients (9.4%). The existence of cancer cells in the pleural cavity can be the result of their exfoliation or surgical manipulations. The mechanical irrigation subdivides the percentage of positive samples. Our study supports that the positive findings on pleural lavage cytology is an essential prognostic factor.     

Does the intraoperative peritoneal lavage cytology add prognostic information in patients with potentially curative gastric resection?

Peritoneal recurrence is the foremost pattern of failure after potentially curative resection for gastric cancer. Our aim was to evaluate the prognostic value of intraperitoneal free cancer cells (IFCCs) in peritoneal lavage of patients who underwent potentially curative resection for gastric carcinoma. Two hundred twenty patients with gastric cancer stage I, II, or III were prospectively evaluated with peritoneal lavage and cytologic examination. Aspirated fluid from the abdominal cavity was centrifuged and subjected to Papanicolaou staining. The mean age was 60.9 years (range, 21–89 years), and 63.6% were men. IFCCs were detected in 6.8% of the patients; suspicious in 2.7%, and negative in 84.5%. No judgment could be given in 5.9% of the cases. Invasion of the gastric serosa (pT3) was observed in all positive cytology patients. Patients with IFCCs had a mean survival time of 10.5 months, while those with negative IFCC had a mean survival time of 61 months (P = 0.00001). There was no correlation between the presence of IFCCs and tumor size, histology, pN, or tumor site. Our conclusions are that (1) positive cytology indicates a poor prognosis in patients who underwent potentially curative gastric resection and (2) peritoneal lavage cytology improves staging in assessing these patients and may alter their therapeutic approach.     

Prognostic value of age and sex in early gastric cancer

BACKGROUND: The need for lymph node dissection in early gastric cancer (EGC) is controversial. The present study investigated the possibility of planning treatment for EGC according to age and sex rather than node status. METHODS: Overall survival rate and cause of death were analysed according to age (5-year increments) and sex in 4231 patients with EGC. Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were used to identify the most valuable predictor. RESULTS: In patients with EGC 5- and 10-year cancer-specific survival rates were 98.4 and 96.3 per cent respectively, whereas corresponding overall survival rates were 90.2 and 80.9 per cent. The critical age for determining prognosis was 70 years for men (chi2 = 131.34, P < 0.001) and 75 years for women (chi2 = 64.35, P < 0.001). For both sexes, the 10-year overall survival rate was less than 30 per cent in patients over 80 years old. Multivariate Cox stepwise regression analysis identified age as the most powerful prognostic indicator in EGC. The rate of death from causes unrelated to the tumour increased significantly with age, whereas that from recurrence was not affected by age. CONCLUSION: Age is a better prognostic indicator than node status in both men and women with EGC. Age and sex should be taken into account as well as conventional clinicopathological variables related to lymph node metastases when determining appropriate therapy for EGC.     

淋巴结转移率对胃癌患者预后的评估价值

目的 探讨淋巴结转移率（rN）对胃癌根治术患者预后的评估价值.方法 回顾性分析1980-2006年间中国医科大学附属第一医院肿瘤外科收治的接受根治性手术的710例胃癌患者的临床资料.按淋巴结捡取数目将710例患者分为少于15枚组（327例）和15枚以上（含15枚）组（383例）.按淋巴结转移率进行rN分期;按淋巴结转移数量进行pN分期.分别采用Logrank检验和Cox比例风险模型来进行单因素和多因素预后分析.结果 少于15枚组和15枚以上组胃癌患者中位生存时间分别为74个月（95％ CI：55.6～92.4个月）和96个月（95％ CI：77.8～119.2个月）,差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）.多因素预后分析显示,rN分期既是少于15枚组（P＜0.01,RR=1.225,95％ CI：1.102～1.362）,又是15枚以上组（P＜0.01,RR=1.421,95％ CI：1.269～1.592）胃癌患者的独立预后因素;而pN分期仅仅是少于15枚组胃癌患者的独立预后因素（P＜0.01,RR=1.475,95％ CI：1.168～1.863）.采用rN分期系统,相同分期的两组胃癌患者生存时间的差异均无统计学意义（P＞0.05）;而采用pN分期系统,在pN1期患者中少于15枚组患者生存时间明显短于15枚以上组（P＜0.01）.结论 淋巴结转移率是影响胃癌预后的独立因素.在判断胃癌预后中,按淋巴结转移率的rN分期不受检出淋巴结数目的限制,较pN分期系统更为可靠.     

Prognostic value of positive pleural lavage in patients with lung cancer resection.

BACKGROUND: Despite an early stage, lung cancer patients often have a poor survival, suggesting inaccurate staging. A pleural lavage demonstrating malignant cells at the time of operation may predict a poorer survival, particularly in patients with otherwise early disease. METHODS: Patients, with no preoperative evidence of pleural effusions and undergoing a surgical resection with curative intent, had a preresectional and postresectional lavage to be evaluated by cytology. RESULTS: Fourteen percent of patients with stage I disease had malignant cells in their preresectional lavage and had a significantly shorter survival than stage I patients with a negative lavage. Positivity of preresectional lavage was not correlated with nodal status, pleural or lymphatic involvement, or histologic findings. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative pleural lavage should become a standard technique intraoperatively to better characterize and stage patients undergoing lung cancer resections. Patients with malignant cells in their preoperative lavage should be upstaged.