A carcinoma of the reconstructed gastric tube after a radical esophageal cancer operation

Reported are five patients who developed a carcinoma of the reconstructed gastric tube. In 3 of the 5 patients, the esophageal cancer was preceded by a gastric cancer, and the intervals before the gastric cancer was detected were 34, 24, and 60 months. The gastric tube the had been reconstructed by the retrosternal rout was resected with a median sternotomy in cases 1 and 2. In case 3, since a liver and lung metastasis had been detected by routine examination, surgery was not performed. Cases 4 and 5 had an esophageal cancer associated with a simultaneous early gastric cancer located in the lesser curvature of the upper body. Thus, a esophagectomy and a partial gastrectomy were performed. Twenty-eight and 21 months later, respectively, an early gastric cancer was found at the stump of the gastric tube that had been reconstructed by the retrosternal route. Endoscopic laser therapy was subsequently employed for both patients. Because of these findings, the author have concluded that postoperative serial examination of the gastric tube are very important, since cases of a gastric tube cancer are increasing.     

Five cases of early gastric cancer in the reconstructed gastric tube after radical resection for esophageal cancer

We report seven early gastric cancers in five patients, which arose in the reconstructed gastric tube after radical resection for esophageal cancer. Four of them occurred in the middle gastric tube and three in the distal gastric tube. Three of 5 cases were reconstructed via the retromediastinal route and two via the presternal route. They all were diagnosed by follow-up endoscopy from 8 months to 5 years after esophagectomy. All of them were treated surgically with partial resection of the gastric tube because they were suspected to have invaded the submucosal layer or large enough to be treated with endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). Histologically, six of seven were diagnosed as well differentiated adenocarcinoma and one as signet ring cell carcinoma. Although one of them died for reasons other than cancer itself, the others are alive and well without any recurrence. Recently, gastric tube cancer after esophagectomy has been increasingly reported to be accompanied with prolongation of survival of esophageal cancer patients. Total or partial gastrectomy is proposed for surgical treatment of gastric tube cancer, but the operating procedure is complicated and invasive, especially in the case of gastric tube reconstructed via the retromediastinal route. Total gastrectomy is much more invasive because it needs re-reconstruction with other organs. Therefore, it is important to detect the lesion in early stages so as to treat it with minimally invasive surgery such as EMR or partial resection. Hence intensive follow up with endoscopy is necessary after resection of esophageal cancer.     

Clinicopathologic study of esophageal cancer associated with simultaneous metastatic lesions in the stomach

Between 1965 and 1985, 89 Japanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma underwent esophagectomy. In five of them (5.6%), a simultaneous metastatic lesion from the esophageal cancer was detected within the stomach in the resected specimens. Preoperative diagnosis of the gastric lesions had been made in none of the five patients because of an obstruction that was due to esophageal cancer. All gastric lesions were located at the gastric cardia, close to the esophagocardial junction, with a mean distance of 6.9 +/- 2.0 cm from the primary esophageal lesions. Provision of a gastric tube that contains metastatic lesions, for reconstruction of a new alimentary tract after esophagectomy, must be avoided. In cases of inadequate preoperative gastric examination, gastric lesions should be searched for intraoperatively, not only by serosal inspection and palpation, but also by mucosal inspection and palpation after partial proximal gastrectomy.     

Cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin C, and concurrent radiation therapy with and without esophogectomy for esophageal carcinoma

Twenty-nine patients with carcinoma of the esophagus were treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (1000 mg/m2/d as a continuous intravenous [IV]infusion on days 1 through 4), cisplatin (100 mg/m2 IV on day 1), mitomycin C (10 mg/m2 IV on day 1), and concurrent radiation therapy (4500 cGy/4.5 wk). If no disease progression was observed, operable patients underwent surgery 4 to 6 weeks after completion of radiation therapy. A thoracotomy with a gastric pull-through operation was performed in the first six patients. Subsequently, a transhiatal ("blunt") esophagectomy was used. Twenty-five patients had squamous cell histology and four had adenocarcinoma. Of 25 patients with squamous cell carcinoma, 13 underwent esophagectomy. The clinical complete response rate was 61% (eight of 13 patients), with a pathologic complete remission documented in five of 13 patients (38%). The overall local tumor sterilization rate was 53% (seven of 13 patients). In the 12 patients who did not undergo surgery after chemoradiotherapy, four had a complete clinical response (33%) and five had a partial response (41%). Symptoms or signs of local disease recurrence or stricture were noticed in ten of 12 patients who did not undergo surgery (83%), compared with 28% of patients who underwent surgery. The median survival time of the group receiving surgery was 10 months, compared with 5 months for those who did not undergo operation (P = 0.027). Patients undergoing transhiatal esophagectomy had shorter postoperative hospital stays and fewer serious complications, compared with patients undergoing transthoracic esophagectomy. The use of chemoradiotherapy and transhiatal esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma should be evaluated using alternative sequences of treatment (e.g., postoperative therapy) to reduce toxicity while maintaining local control of disease.     

Safety of EEA staplers for anastomosis between upper esophagus and the gastric tube

The EEA stapling devices used for intrathoracic anastomosis between the upper esophagus and the gastric tube in patients with carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus were evaluated, and the results were compared with those of an antesternally reconstructed esophagus. These approaches were both used by the same surgical team. An intrathoracic anastomosis using the EEA stapler was made in 53 patients with carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus. Minor anastomotic leakage occurred in five patients (9.4%). Good results were obtained with total parenteral nutrition for 2 weeks. Intrathoracic anastomotic complications were never fatal. Among another 106 patients with antesternally reconstructed esophagus, with the EEA stapler there were 28 patients with anastomotic leakage (26.4%) and two operative mortalities (1.9%). Intrathoracic anastomosis with the EEA stapler is recommended because it is secure and the operative procedure is simple and time-saving. For successful use of the instrument, proper technical procedures must be followed.     

Two-stage operation for poor-risk patients with carcinoma of the esophagus

We have devised a two-stage operation for poor-risk patients with carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus. The first-stage operation consists of a right thoracotomy, subtotal esophagectomy, and lymph node dissection. Two to three weeks later, the second-stage operation of esophageal reconstruction with gastric tube is performed under laparotomy. During this 3-week period of no esophagus, the nutritional status can be adequately maintained by intravenous hyperalimentation. We describe herein the technique, postoperative complications, and mortality of our two-stage operation as compared with events during an ordinary one-stage operation for carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus.     

A case of recurrent esophageal cancer treated by local injection of OK-432 for 8 months and the patient survived for 2 years and 3 months

It is sometimes difficult to decide a treatment strategy for postoperative recurrence of esophageal cancer. Such recurrent esophageal cancer cases often present with extremely poor prognosis. We report a case of an 85-year-old man with a massive recurrent tumor of mediastinum 3 years after esophagectomy for squamous cell carcinoma (T3N2M0, Stage III) of the intrathoracic esophagus. The operative procedures were transhiatal esophagectomy and gastric reconstruction via posterior mediastinal route. Endoscopic local injection of OK-432 and balloon dilation was given to this patient after mediastinal recurrence. This patient lived for two years and three months after recurrence without severe side effects. Local injection of OK-432 is effective as a palliative therapy for recurrent case.     

Pedunculated gastric tube interposition in an esophageal cancer patient with prepyloric adenocarcinoma

Gastric carcinoma is one of the malignancies that are most frequently associated with esophageal carcinoma.We describe herein our device for advanced esophageal cancer associated with early gastric cancer in the antrum.A 57-year-old man presenting with dysphagia and upper abdominal pain was admitted to our hospital.Preoperative examinations revealed locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the middle thoracic esophagus (T3N0M0 Stage ⅡA) and mucosal signetring cell carcinoma of the gastric antrum (T1N0M0 Stage ⅠA).Although the gastric tumor appeared to be an intramucosal carcinoma,its margin was obscure,so endoscopic en-bloc resection was considered inadequate.We chose surgical resection of the gastric tumor as well as the esophageal SCC after neoadjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin for advanced esophageal cancer.Following transthoracic esophagectomy with three-field lymph node dissection,the gastric carcinoma was removed by gastric antrectomy,which preserved the right gastroepiploic vessels,and a pedunculated short gastric tube was used as the esophageal substitute.Twenty-eight months after the surgery,the patient is well with no evidence of cancer recurrence.Because it minimizes surgical stress and organ sacrifice,gastric tube interposition is a potentially useful technique for esophageal cancer associated with localized early gastric cancer.     

Subtotal gastrectomy for gastric tube cancer after esophagectomy: a safe procedure preserving the proximal part of gastric tube based on intraoperative ICG blood flow evaluation

Recent improvements in the survival of patients after esophagectomy have led to an increase in the occurrence of gastric tube cancer (GTC). Total resection of the gastric tube with lymphadenectomy is a standard and reliable treatment for GTC, but problems may arise during or after surgery, such as laryngeal nerve injury, reduced selection of organs for reconstruction, and impaired swallowing function. We recently performed a less invasive procedure, subtotal gastrectomy with preservation of the upper region of the gastric tube, in two patients. In these patients, blood supply to the gastric tube was evaluated by indocyanine green fluorescence imaging. Blood flow was confirmed as passing from the remnant esophagus to the upper region of the gastric tube through the esophago-gastric anastomotic site by indocyanine green fluorescence imaging. Therefore, we resected the gastric tube while preserving the upper region of the gastric tube. There was no necrosis of the remnant gastric tube or anastomotic leakage postoperatively, and postoperative swallowing and eating functions were quite good in both patients. In summary, subtotal gastrectomy as a treatment for GTC is potentially safe, curative, and beneficial for the patient's quality of life.     

重建贲门、胃底预防食管癌术后反流性食管炎的临床价值分析

目的 通过在管胃的基础上重建贲门(人工贲门)、胃底(人工胃底)探讨手术方式对预防食管癌术后胃食管反流的临床效果.方法 将73例食管癌患者按手术方式不同分成单纯管胃组(37例)和管胃+抗反流组(36例),分别在术后的1、6、12个月对患者术后的反流症状、上消化道造影、24 h pH值监测及胃镜结果 进行比较.结果 全组无手术死亡患者.术后反流症状、上消化道造影、胃镜等结果 提示管胃+抗反流组与管胃组组间比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05).两组患者在24 h pH值测定术后1个月、6个月的总反流数,术后1个月、6个月的反流>5 min数,术后6个月、1年的pH值<4时间比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),提示管胃+抗反流组抗反流效果总体优于单纯管胃组.其中管胃+抗反流组无吻合口瘘出现,但吻合口狭窄发生率要高于管胃组(19.4%vs 10.8%).结论 管胃+重建贲门、胃底术式较单纯管胃术式能更好地控制食管癌术后胃食管反流,且降低了术后出现吻合口瘘的风险.     

Screening for cancer, 1995: An update

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of a neo-adjuvantcombined chemo-radiotherapy in patients with localized squamouscell carcinoma of the esophagus. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-two patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus,stages II and HI (or stage I if considered to be poor candidatesfor immediate curative surgery), age less than 70 years andWHO performance status 0 to 2, were enrolled in a study of radiotherapycombined with chemotherapy, consisting of 2 (operated patients)or 3 (non-operated patients) courses of cisplatin, vindesine,mitomy-cin-C or cisplatin, vinblastine. Surgery was routinelyproposed to patients. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients (88%) received full pre-operative therapy.Of 30 patients responding to this pre-operative therapy, 12had a third cycle of treatment and 15 had esophagectomy. Threeof the operated patients had no pathological evidence of residualtumour. Median survival of all 42 patients is 11 months andthe 2-year survival rate is 29%. There is no difference in survivalamong responding operated or non-operated patients. Our grouprepresents 95% of all eligible cases of squamous cell carcinomaof the esophagus occurring in Geneva during the study period. CONCLUSION: Our series gives a realistic view of the median survival ofa population of patients eligible for neo-adjuvant therapy ofesophageal cancer, and suggests that secondary surgery mightnot improve the patient survival. Furthermore, non-selectedpatients are at high risk for therapy-related death. chemotherapy, esophagus, radiotherapy, squamous cell carcinoma, surgery     

原发性小细胞食管癌外科治疗预后分析

目的:探讨原发性小细胞食管癌外科治疗的预后。方法:回顾性分析2000年1 月到2009年12月河南省肿瘤医院胸外科接受手术治疗的所有食管癌5 062 例患者的临床资料。重点对其中确诊为原发性小细胞食管癌的患者的临床资料及随访结果进行分析,采用Kaplan-Meier 法进行生存分析。结果:共57例患者确诊为原发性小细胞食管癌,占所有接受食管切除手术食管癌患者总数的1.1% 。对病变位于胸中下段食管癌患者,绝大多数采用经左胸入路手术,对于病变位于胸上段者,采用经右胸入路,所有患者均接受食管胃颈部吻合。联合化疗最常用的化疗方案为EP方案。57例原发性小细胞食管癌患者,总体5 年生存率12.5% ,中位生存时间45个月,其中Ⅰ期分别为25% 、50个月,Ⅱ期5.9% 、43个月,Ⅲ期4.3% ,43个月;单纯手术组中位生存时间明显低于手术联合化疗组（23.2 个月vs . 60.7 个月,P<0.01）。 即使对于Ⅰ期患者,手术联合化疗组患者中位生存时间也明显长于单独手术组（81.9 个月vs . 22.3 个月,P<0.01）。结论:原发性小细胞食管癌单纯手术治疗效果不佳,手术联合化疗可明显提高疗效。      

Combined radiotherapy for inoperable esophageal cancer

Among 112 patients with inoperable esophageal cancer treated with high-dose intraluminal brachytherapy and distant irradiation, objective response was in 84.8%. Predominantly local complications were reported in 78.6%. Recurrences were detected in 63.5% during follow-up, with mean relapse-free period being 107 days. Mean survival time was 15.3 months (1-, 2- and 3-year survival--58.8; 22.3 and 12.9%, respectively) which was comparable to similar results of palliative esophagectomy for gastric cancer.     

Management for patients with advanced T4 epidermoid carcinoma of the esophagus

Available data concerning the treatment of patients with advanced T4 esophageal carcinoma are limited. A consecutive series of 42 patients with advanced T4M0 epidermoid carcinoma of the esophagus were studied from June 1987 to July 1992. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of various therapeutic modalities, and further evaluate the therapeutic options. The various therapeutic modalities included the following: Group I, feeding jejunostomy or endoesophageal intubation, 6 patients; Group II, palliative subtotal esophagectomy only, 8 patients; Group III, bypass procedures without tumor resection, 9 patients; Group IV, nutritional support and then treatment with irradiation (n = 8) or concurrent radio-chemotherapy (n = 4), 12 patients; Group V, subtotal esophagectomy, followed by aggressive concurrent radiochemotherapy, 7 patients. The total prescribed irradiation dose was 60 Gy (10 Gy/5 fractions/week). A combination regimen of chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin (PFL regimen). For the patients undergoing esophagectomy or bypass procedures (n = 24), the rates of operative complication and mortality were 45.8% and 25%, respectively. Side effects of adjuvant therapy (n = 24) consisted of main airway irritation (100%), mucositis or gastrointestinal symptoms (83.3%), hematologic toxicity (79.2%), esophagitis or gastric ulcer (62.5%), alopecia (37.5%), and pneumonia (20.8%). The mortality due to toxicity of adjuvant therapy was 21.1% (4/19 patients). The mean survival times for each of the different groups was 1.9 ± 0.5 months for Group I, 4.8 ± 1.6 months for Group II, 5.2 ± 1.2 months for Group III, 7.3 ± 2.0 months for Group IV, and 20.3 ± 2.5 months for Group V, respectively. Compared with patients of Groups I–IV, the Group V patients had a significantly superior one-year survival rate (P < 0.01). Our results demonstrated that esophagectomy followed by concurrent irradiation and PFL combination chemotherapy may provide a significant improvement in the quality of life and survival for appropriate patients with advanced T4M0 epidermoid carcinoma of the esophagus. Furthermore, more than one cycle of PFL regimen chemotherapy may result in a better prognosis. During the performance of such an aggressive treatment, the utmost care must be taken with the patient's nutrition and to prevent pulmonary complications. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Surgical management of carcinoma of the cervical esophagus

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to clarify the clinicopathological characteristics, reconstruction methods after resection, and prognosis of cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: Seventy-four with squamous cell carcinomas of the cervical esophagus not previously treated who underwent cervical esophagectomy or total esophagectomy with or without laryngectomy were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The operative morbidity and in-hospital mortality rates were 34% (25 patients) and 4% (3 patients), respectively. Alimentary continuity was achieved with free jejunal transfer (50 patients), gastric pull-up (19 patients), and other procedures (5 patients). The frequencies of postoperative complications and death did not differ between free jejunal transfer and gastric pull-up. The overall 3- and 5-year survival rates were 42% and 33%, respectively. The significant clinicopathological factors affecting survival were patient gender, high T factor, lymph node involvement, palpable cervical lymph nodes, vocal cord paralysis, lymphatic invasion, and extracapsular invasion. The pattern of first failure was most often locoregional (82%, 36 patients). CONCLUSION: The choice of free jejunal transfer or gastric pull-up for reconstruction after surgical resection of cervical esophageal carcinoma depends on the degree of tumor extension. Adverse factors affecting survival should be considered when candidates for the surgery are selected.     

Ivor-Lewis食管癌切除术中闭合式空肠营养管置入临床经验

  目的  食管癌患者术后营养支持至关重要, 目前肠内营养在食管癌术后应用广泛, 经鼻-空肠营养管是主要的肠内营养途径, 具有无创、简便、安全、易行的特点。但目前为止, 国内外鲜见报道上腹-右胸食管癌切除术中闭合式空肠营养管安置的文献。本研究中通过改进手术操作, 探索Ivor-Lewis术中闭合式安置空肠营养管的方法。  方法  2010年1月至2013年12月四川大学华西医院共连续实施85例Ivor-Lewis食管癌/贲门癌切除术患者, 其中男72例, 女13例, 平均年龄59.7±7.5岁。每例患者均尝试闭合式安置空肠营养管。主要手术步骤包括:1)经腹游离胃, 食管裂孔的扩大和幽门括约肌捏断术; 2)经胸管胃制作, 食管肿瘤切除和胃食管胸内吻合; 3)在巡回护士协助下, 术者进行空肠营养管的闭合式安置。  结果  全组病例无术后死亡或营养管相关不良事件发生。营养管安置成功52例, 总体安置成功率为61.2%(52/85), 其中40例安置成功并成功实施术后全肠内营养支持; 12例安置成功, 但因其它原因无法实施肠内营养; 安置失败(33例)的患者均进行肠外营养支持。肠内营养组与肠外营养组在术后住院时间、术后并发症方面差异无统计学意义(P>0.05), 肠内营养组在营养制剂费用、营养制剂费用占总住院费用比例两项指标上显著低于肠外营养组(1 469±741元vs. 3 223±917元, P < 0.001;3.4% vs. 7.2%, P < 0.001)。  结论  Ivor-Lewis食管癌切除术中闭合式空肠营养管安置, 是一种无创、安全、简单可行的手术操作方式, 可以为患者提供有效、经济的肠内营养支持方案。外科医生通过练习完全可以熟练实施Ivor-Lewis术中营养管闭合式安置。      

食管癌和贲门癌术后经胃镜置入十二指肠营养管的体会

目的　为探讨食管癌和贲门癌术后发生吻合口瘘、胃排空障碍限制经口进食时,肠内营养支持的有效途径。方法　回顾分析我院28例食管癌贲门癌术后病人经胃镜置入鼻-十二指肠营养管的资料。结果　本组胃镜置入营养管成功率964%(27/28),平均置管操作时间21分,无各种并发症发生。结论　食管癌和贲门癌术后经胃镜置入鼻-十二指肠营养管简便、安全、成功率高、并发症低,是肠内营养支持的良好途径。可在床旁进行,特别适合于危重病人。     

S-1 chemotherapy for cancer of the gastric tube used for esophageal reconstruction following surgery for esophageal cancer

We used S-1 chemotherapy to treat 5 patients with cancer of the gastric tube used for esophageal reconstruction through the posterior mediastinal route following surgery for esophageal cancer. The response rate was 40%, the median survival 15 months, and 3 patients still survive. In those 3 patients, the gastric tube cancer was at a resectable stage, but the patients elected to have chemotherapy instead. One patient has survived 21 months after responding completely to 2 cycles of combined chemotherapy with S-1 and cisplatin. Another has survived 15 months after partially respondingto S-1 chemotherapy. And the third has survived 46 months after endoscopic treatment, radiation therapy and S-1 chemotherapy. S-1 chemotherapy thus appears to be an effective treatment for cancer of the gastric tube after surgery for esophageal cancer.     

十二指肠营养管在食管贲门癌术后的应用

目的探讨食管和贲门癌手术后肠道内外营养方法疗效有无差别。方法 221例食管癌贲门癌患者手术后随机分成两组,肠内营养组（EN组）与肠外营养组（PN组）,EN组术中放置十二指肠营养管,术后尽早即予以肠内营养。PN组术后予以周围静脉营养支持。监测两组患者其术后肠道功能恢复时间,出现瘘管并发症,平均住院天数及住院所需费用。结果两组间在术后肠功能恢复时间、住院天数及所需费用方面EN组明显优于PN组（P〈0.01）,术后瘘管并发症方面差异无显著性（P〉0.05）。结论食管癌贲门癌术中放置十二指肠营养管予以肠内营养,可明显改善患者术后营养,减少并发症且费用低廉。     

Hepatic and splenic arterial infusion chemotherapy after transcatheter peripancreatic arterial embolization for patients with inoperable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas]

Thirty-one patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma and liver metastases were treated by hepatic and splenic arterial infusion chemotherapy after transcatheter peripancreatic arterial embolization. The response rate for these 31 patients was 61.3%, with a mean survival period of 17.8 +/- 3.2 months and a 50% survival period of 12 months. By site of the primary tumor, the response rate for pancreatic head and body carcinoma was 81%, with a mean survival period of 21.6 +/- 4.0 months and a 50% survival period of 17 months, whereas the response rate for pancreatic caudal carcinoma was 20%, with a mean survival period of 6.1 +/- 0.5 months and a 50% survival period of 6 months. We believe that the current chemotherapy is an effective treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer with liver metastases.