Transsacral Approach to Resect a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor in the Rectum: Report of Two Cases

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) rarely arise in the rectum. Whereas a local resection with negative margins is generally considered adequate for resectable GISTs, a wide resection is usually indicated for rectal lesions because of the technical impossibility of local resection. We report the cases of two patients who underwent resection of a rectal GIST using a transsacral approach. Both patients had an uneventful postoperative course, and no evidence of recurrence has been identified. The transsacral approach appears to be less invasive and should be considered as the treatment of choice for a rectal GIST.     

Laparoscopic resection of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Background Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are neoplasms with low malignant potential. They occur most commonly in the stomach, where they are amenable to laparoscopic resection. Methods A case note review of all patients undergoing laparoscopic resection of a presumed gastric GIST at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, United Kingdom, was conducted. Results Since September 1995, 30 patients have undergone this procedure. The patients had a mean age of 64.2 years (range, 31–87 years) and a mean weight of 74.1 kg (range, 44–104 kg). A presumptive diagnosis of GIST was made in all the cases based on the endoscopic and radiologic appearance of the lesion. Laparoscopic resection was completed successfully in 23 patients with a mean operating time of 73.8 min (range, 26–160 min). Seven procedures were converted to open surgery: three because the tumor was deemed too large for laparoscopic resection, two because the tumor could not be identified, one because of dense peritoneal adhesions, and one because of bleeding. The mean estimated blood loss was 196 ml (range, 0–1,000 ml), and the mean hospital stay was 5 days (ranges, 1–11 days). Pathologic analysis of the resected specimens showed 22 GISTs, 3 inflammatory fibroids, 2 submucosal lipomas, 1 submucosal varix, and 1 nest of heterotopic pancreatic tissue. During a median follow-up period of 18 months (range, 2–101 months) there have been two cases of recurrence. In both cases, the tumor was catagorized as high risk for aggressive behavior after primary resection. Conclusion Stapled laparoscopic resection is a safe and effective treatment option for nonmetastatic primary gastric GIST.     

Neoadjuvant imatinib in a gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the rectum: Report of a case

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, and of these, GISTs involving the rectum are uncommon. This report describes a case of effective neoadjuvant therapy for a rectal GIST expressing the c-kit gene, where a laparoscopic ultralow anterior resection was successfully performed, thus preserving the anus. A 57-year-old woman visited our hospital due to constipation and was found by a digital examination to have a soft mass on the right wall of the rectum. Computed tomography revealed an 8.0 × 5.0-cm mass with an unclear margin adjacent to the rectum. A biopsy specimen was positive for CD34 and the c-kit gene product, but it was not positive for smooth muscle actin or S-100 protein, and thus the tumor was diagnosed as GIST. An abdominoperineal resection is generally essential for large rectal GISTs; however, she refused this operation. Neoadjuvant treatment with Imatinib decreased the tumor size (4.0 × 3.5 cm) and the anus was preserved by a laparoscopic ultralow anterior resection with direct coloanal anastomosis. She had no evidence of disease for 24 months postoperatively. To preserve the anus, a rectal GIST expressing the c-kit gene is best treated with Imatinib as neoadjuvant therapy.     

Laparoscopic Treatment of Gastric <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">Gist</Emphasis>: Report of 21 Cases and Literature’s Review

Background Although the feasibility of laparoscopic resection of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) has been established, various aspects are debated. This paper describes the problems of minimally invasive resection of gastric GISTs and compares this experience with an extensive literature review. Study Design Between August 2001 and December 2006, 21 consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic resection of gastric GISTs were enrolled in a prospective study. A literature review of laparoscopic treatment was performed on Pubmed using keywords GIST and surgery. A comparison with authors’ experience with open wedge-segmental resection of GISTs (25 cases from November 1995 to December 2000) was also carried out. Statistical analysis was based on chi-squared test and t Student evaluation. Results Twenty-one patients, mean age 50.1 years (range, 34–68 years), were submitted to laparoscopic wedge- segmental gastric resections. Mean tumor size was 4.5 cm (range, 2.0–8.5 cm). Mean operative time was 151 min (range, 52–310 min), the mean blood loss was 101 mL (range, 10–250 mL), and the mean hospital stay was 4.8 days (range 3–7 days). There were no major operative complications or mortalities. All lesions had negative resection margins. At a mean follow-up of 35 months, all patients were disease-free. Morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and oncologic outcomes were comparable to the open surgery retrospective evaluation (p = not significant). Conclusions As found also in the literature review, the laparoscopic resection is safe and effective in treating gastric GISTs. Given these findings as well as the advantages afforded by laparoscopic surgery, a minimally invasive approach should be the preferred surgical treatment in patients with small- and medium-sized gastric GISTs.     

A Single-Institution Experience with Eight CD117-Positive Primary Extragastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: Critical Appraisal and a Comparison with Their Gastrointestinal Counterparts

Introduction  Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) arising from outside the gut wall also termed extragastrointestinal stromal tumors (EGISTs) are reported to be rare. Presently, their pathogenesis remains controversial, and recently, it has been proposed that EGISTs may be the result of extensive extramural growth of GISTs which lose contact with the gut wall. This study presents a single-institution experience with eight EGISTs and compares their clinicopathological features with mural GISTs in order to determine further insight to their possible origin. Methods  Between 1997 and 2008, 156 patients with pathologically proven CD117-positive primary GISTs were retrospectively reviewed. Eight tumors were identified as EGISTs, 104 were gastric GISTs, and 44 were small-bowel GISTs. Mural GISTs were classified as extramural or intra/transmural according to their gross pattern of growth. Results  There were five male and three female patients with a median age of 58 years (range, 42–81 years). All patients were symptomatic, and the tumors were located in the greater omentum (n = 2), lesser sac (n = 2), lesser omentum, retroperitoneum, small-bowel mesentery, and pancreas. The median tumor size was 140 mm (range, 55 to 220 mm). Seven of eight EGISTs were found to be in close association to the adjacent gut wall. Pathological examination demonstrated that two tumors demonstrated focal involvement of the muscularis propria of the adjacent gut wall. Four tumors demonstrated tumor abutting or adherent to the serosa but no muscle involvement and one tumor was separated from the serosa. Comparison between the clinicopathological features of EGISTs with extramural GISTs and intra/transmural GISTs demonstrated that EGISTs were significantly larger [140 range (55–220) mm vs 80 (5–260) mm vs 50 (15–190) mm, P = 0.049, P < 0.001 respectively]. Conclusion  The occurrence of true EGISTs is rare. Most cases demonstrate some form of communication or contact with the gut wall, and EGISTs are significantly larger than extramural or intra/transmural GIST. These observations suggest that most, if not all, cases of EGISTs are likely to represent mural GISTs with extensive extramural growth with eventual loss of contact with the muscle layer of the gut.     

Surgery for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors of the Stomach

Background  Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the main mesenchymal neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract. Tumor size, mitotic rate, and location correlate with potential malignancy and recurrence rate. Results of surgical treatment of gastric GIST are analyzed with emphasis on recurrence of disease after intermediate follow-up. Methods  From 1998 to 2006, a total of 63 patients (median age 62.1 ± 14.1) underwent gastric resection for GIST. Fifty-five patients (93.6%) returned for follow-up investigations, which included computed tomography in 45, gastroscopy in 32, and endosonography in 29. Positron emission tomography was done in five patients. Results  Mean tumor size was 5.3 ± 3.8 cm. Open atypical gastric resection was done in 32, distal gastric resection in five, and remnant gastrectomy in four patients. Laparoscopic gastric resection was initiated in 22 patients; the conversion rate was four of 22 (18.2%). Overall, R0 resection was reached in 61/63 patients (96.8%). According to the Fletcher criteria, 33 tumors (52.4%) were classified as intermediate or high risk GIST. Six patients (9.5%) died of unrelated causes before follow-up. After a median follow-up of 2.5 years, overall recurrence rate was 7.0% after R0 resection. Conclusion  Histologically proven complete resection is an effective treatment for gastric GIST. Laparoscopic procedures were carried out successfully in selected patients. Preliminary data were presented at the annual meeting of the European Association of Endoscopic Surgeons, Berlin 2006. No research grants funded this study.     

Surgical Resection of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors After Treatment with Imatinib

Background Surgical resection of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) has been the most effective therapy for these rare tumors. Imatinib has been introduced as systemic therapy for locally advanced and metastatic GIST. In this study, the surgical resection rates and long-term outcomes of patients treated with preoperative imatinib for locally advanced primary, recurrent, or metastatic GISTs were evaluated. Methods Patients were retrospectively assessed for completeness of surgical resection and for disease-free and overall survival after resection. Results Forty-six patients underwent surgery after treatment with imatinib. Eleven were treated for locally advanced primary GISTs for a median of 11.9 months, followed by complete surgical resection. All eleven were alive at a median of 19.5 months, and ten were free of disease. Thirty-five patients were treated for recurrent or metastatic GIST. Of these, eleven underwent complete resection. Six of the eleven patients had recurrent disease at a median of 15.1 months. All eleven patients were alive at a median of 30.7 months. Patients with a partial radiographic tumor response to imatinib had significantly higher complete resection rates than patients with progressive disease (91% vs. 4%; P < .001). Of the 24 patients with incomplete resection, 18 initially responded to imatinib but were unable to undergo complete resection after they progressed before surgery. Conclusions Preoperative imatinib can decrease tumor volume and is associated with complete surgical resection in locally advanced primary GISTs. Early surgical intervention should be considered for imatinib-responsive recurrent or metastatic GIST, since complete resection is rarely achieved once tumor progression occurs. Presented in part at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Surgical Oncology, Atlanta, GA, March 2005.     

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery for carcinoma of the rectum

Background The authors present their experience with rectal cancers managed by transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM). Methods This prospective study investigated patients undergoing primary TEM excision for definitive treatment of rectal cancer between January 1996 and December 2003 by a single surgeon in a tertiary referral colorectal surgical unit. Results For this study, 52 patients (30 men and 22 women) underwent TEM excision of a rectal cancer. Their mean age was 74.3 years (range, 48–93 years). The median diameter of the lesions was 3.44 cm (range, 1.6–8.5 cm). The median distance of the lesions from the anal verge was 8.8 cm (range, 3–15 cm), with the tumor more than 10 cm from the anal verge in 36 patients. The median operating time was 90 min (range, 20–150 min), and the median postoperative stay was 2 days. All patients underwent full-thickness excisions. There were 11 minor complications, 2 major complications, and no deaths. The mean follow-up period was 40 months (range, 22–82 months). None of the pT1 rectal cancers received adjuvant therapy. Eight patients with pT2 rectal cancer and two patients with pT3 rectal cancer received postoperative adjuvant therapy. The overall local rate of recurrence was 14%, and involved cases of T2 and T3 lesions, with no recurrence after excision of T1 cancers. Three patients died during the follow-up period, but no cancer-specific deaths occurred. Conclusions The findings warrant the conclusion that TEM is a safe, effective treatment for selected cases of rectal cancer, with low morbidity and no mortality. The TEM procedure broadens the range of lesions suitable for local resection to include early cancers (pTis and pT1) and more advanced cancers only in frail people.     

Viability of Endoscopic and Excisional Treatment of Early Rectal Carcinoids

With the advent of endoscopy, the incidence of rectal carcinoid tumors has not only risen, but the majority are localized at presentation. This has led to excisional and/or ablative therapy in lieu of radical resections. A single institute’s experience with rectal carcinoids was reviewed to determine the impact this approach has had on outcomes, and evaluate any selection criteria for optimizing patient survival. A single institute’s tumor registry was retrospectively queried, identifying 14 patients with rectal carcinoid tumors over a 28-year period. The mean age at diagnosis was 52.1 ± 14.4 years. Six of the 14 patients were female. Presenting symptoms included a change in bowel habits in six (38%), rectal bleeding in six (38%), and abdominal pain or distention in five (31%) patients. No patient had symptoms consistent with carcinoid syndrome. The rectal carcinoids were a mean 9.2 ± 3.4 cm from the anal verge and a mean 9 ± 6 mm in size. Endoscopic and/or transanal excision/fulguration techniques treated 11 (79%) patients, whereas two (14%) patients underwent a low anterior resection (LAR). Surveillance entailed periodic endoscopy for a median 65 months (range 8–281). No patient developed recurrent carcinoid disease for a 20-year overall survival of 70%. Poster Presentation (103184). Digestive Disease Week, May 20, 2002, San Francisco, CA.     

A Prospective, Multi-Institutional Study of Adjuvant Radiotherapy After Resection of Malignant Phyllodes Tumors

Background  Malignant phyllodes tumors of the breast are unusual neoplasms, with an incidence of approximately 500 cases annually in the United States. Published local recurrence rates after margin-negative breast-conserving resections of borderline malignant and malignant phyllodes tumors are unacceptably high, at 24 and 20%, respectively. It is uncertain whether radiotherapy after resection of phyllodes tumors is beneficial. Methods  We prospectively enrolled patients who were treated with a margin-negative breast-conserving resection of borderline malignant or malignant phyllodes tumors to adjuvant radiotherapy. The primary endpoint was local recurrence. Results  Forty-six women were treated at 30 different institutions. The mean patient age was 49 years (range, 18–76 years). Thirty patients (65%) had malignant phyllodes tumors; the rest were borderline malignant. The mean tumor diameter was 3.7 cm (range, .8–11 cm). Eighteen patients had a negative margin on the first excision. The median size of the negative margin was .35 cm (range, <.1–2 cm). Twenty-eight patients underwent a re-excision because of positive margins in the initial resection. Two patients died of metastatic phyllodes tumor. During a median follow-up of 56 months (range, 12–129 months), none of the 46 patients developed a local recurrence (local recurrence rate, 0%; 95% confidence interval, 0–8). Conclusions  Margin-negative resection combined with adjuvant radiotherapy is very effective therapy for local control of borderline and malignant phyllodes tumors. The local recurrence rate with adjuvant radiotherapy was significantly less than that observed in reported patients treated with margin-negative resection alone.     

Surgical Outcomes of Patients with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors in the Era of Targeted Drug Therapy

Background  The discovery of the c-KIT mutation and the advent of targeted drug therapy with imatinib mesylate have revolutionized the management of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). The outcome of patients with surgically treated GISTs treated in the era of targeted drug therapy was assessed and factors associated with adverse outcomes determined. Materials and Methods  Patients with GISTs requiring surgery at a tertiary care center from 2002 to 2007 were reviewed and prognostic factors determined. Results  Forty patients were surgically treated for GISTs. The median age at presentation was 59 years. The stomach (55%) was the main site of primary disease. The median tumor size was 7 cm. Eleven (28%) patients had metastatic disease at presentation. Surgery was undertaken in all patients with curative intent. Multi-organ resection was required in 10 (25%) patients. Imatinib mesylate was administered postoperatively in 68% of cases. Median follow-up was 24 months. There was a 40% recurrence rate with 63% undergoing repeat surgical resection. The peritoneum and liver were the main sites of recurrent disease. The 5-year disease-specific survival and disease-free survival (DFS) were 65% and 35%, respectively. High mitotic rate (P = 0.017) and tumor size greater than 10 cm (P = 0.009) were the only prognostically significant adverse factors of DFS on multivariate analysis, independent of imatinib mesylate treatment. Conclusion  Aggressive surgical treatment and follow-up of GISTs, combined with targeted drug therapy, leads to long-term DFS survival. Tumor recurrence is independently associated with a high tumor mitotic rate and size greater than 10 cm, despite the use of adjuvant targeted drug therapy.     

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor of the Rectum Resected by Laparoscopic Surgery: Report of a Case

A 53-year-old man visited our hospital with the chief complaint of pain on urination. On digital rectal examination, a rigid immobile tumor mass with a smooth surface was palpated on the anterior wall on the right side of the rectum near the anal canal. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pelvis revealed a heterogeneous tumor mass measuring 6.5 cm in diameter, which occupied the cavity of the lesser pelvis. This rectal tumor was diagnosed to be a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) based on the results of a transrectal needle biopsy. A laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection of the rectum was performed to remove the mass. The intraoperative findings showed an ambiguous boundary between the tumor and the rectum but clear boundaries between the tumor and the peripheral organs, and the use of a laparoscope allowed for a good separation by providing a good visual field. The bleeding volume was approximately 80 ml and the operative time was 320 min. The macroscopic findings of excised specimens of the mass showed the tumor, measuring 6.5 × 5.5 × 5.0 cm, to be growing extrinsically from the anterior wall on the right side of the rectum. A histological examination of the excised specimens revealed at most 5 mitoses per 50 high-power fields (×400). The tumor mass was diagnosed to be a GIST of low-grade malignancy based on these findings. The postoperative course was favorable, and there were no postoperative complications. The patient was discharged on the 8th hospital day. Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical procedure for rectal GIST, which is excellent in terms of esthetics. Laparoscopic surgery is therefore considered to be useful for a resection of the rectum, because the magnifying effect allows surgical maneuvers with a favorable visual field within the pelvis.     

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors: analysis of clinical and pathologic factors

Gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors have been classified as benign (leiomyoma) or malignant (leiomyosarcomas). More recently, these tumors have been termed gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). GISTs have a highly variable clinical course. This review analyzes the clinical presentation, pathologic examination, and long-term follow-up of patients with GIST. A retrospective analysis of the clinical course of patients with GIST at a single institution from 1986 to 1998 was performed. Nineteen patients with GIST (12 gastric, two duodenal, three jejunal, and two rectal) were treated. The most common clinical presentation was gastrointestinal bleed. CT scans, contrast studies, and endoscopy were used to identify a tumor mass. Diagnosis of GIST was made in only two patients preoperatively. Tumor size ranged from 0.8 to 23 cm. Histology of the tumors was variable. All patients underwent surgical resection with curative intent. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 55 months. There were two perioperative deaths. Local recurrence occurred in one patient. GISTs are uncommon. Preoperative diagnosis can be difficult, and often the diagnosis is made at the time of surgery. With complete resection of the tumor the clinical course is favorable with very few local recurrences. Therefore complete resection of the tumor is recommended.     

Transanal Local Excision for Preoperative Concurrent Chemoradiation Therapy for Distal Rectal Cancer in Selected Patients

Purpose To evaluate the clinical course and outcomes of patients with T2 or T3 rectal cancer treated by transanal local excision after preoperative chemoradiation therapy (CRT). Methods Between June 2000 and August 2004, seven patients underwent local excision of T2 or T3 rectal cancer after preoperative CRT. Preoperative clinical staging was on the basis of the findings of endorectal ultrasound. Computed tomography (CT) and digital rectal examination consisted of radiation therapy with 4 500 cGy/25 fractions, given over 5 weeks with 5-FU-based chemosensitization. Local excision was performed 4–7 weeks later. Results The mean age of the patients was 54.9 (35–70) years and the median follow-up period was 23 (5–57) months. The lesions were located 2–6 cm above the anal verge (median 3.0 cm). Pretreatment T staging was estimated as T3 in one patient, and T2 in six patients. Post-treatment T staging was estimated as complete remission (CR) in two patients, T1 in three patients, and T2 in two patients. Pathologic evaluation revealed tumor downstaging in six patients, including three (42.9%) with CR. No tumor cells were seen in the resection margin and there was no sign of recurrence in any of the patients. Conclusion These findings support local excision after preoperative CRT as an effective alternative to radical resection in carefully selected patients with T2 and T3 distal rectal cancer. Chimin Park and Wooyong Lee have contributed equally to this article.     

Aggressive surgery for liver metastases from gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Background/Purpose. The utility of hepatectomy for patients with metastatic liver tumors from gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) was evaluated in the present study. Methods. Between 1989 and 2001, ten patients with liver metastases from GIST (four men and six women; age, 34–77 years) underwent hepatectomy at our hospital. All patients underwent complete resection of the primary tumor and hepatectomy with or without microwave coagulation therapy (MCT) for all detectable hepatic tumors. Results. The median survival time after hepatectomy was 39 months (range, 1 to 96 months). There was one postoperative death. One patient is still alive with relapse of hepatic tumors, and the remaining eight patients died of disease (liver in six, peritoneum in one, and bone in one). Relapse of hepatic tumors occurred in seven patients. The disease-free rate after hepatectomy was 22% at 2 years and 11% at 5 years. The survival times of the four patients who received hepatic arterial chemoembolization for recurrent hepatic metastases were 7 months (still alive), 17, 23, and 28 months (average, 19 months). Conclusions. Our data suggest that aggressive surgery (hepatectomy and MCT) for all detectable hepatic tumors and hepatic arterial chemoembolization for recurrent hepatic metastases improve survival. Received: March 31, 2002 / Accepted: September 24, 2002 RID="*" ID="*" Offprint requests to: Y. Shima     

Management and Outcome of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors of the Duodenum

Background

Duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are uncommon and relatively small subset of GISTs whose optimal surgical procedure has not been well defined. We conducted this study to present the surgical experience in our institution and to analyze the postoperative outcome of duodenal GISTs.

Methods

A retrospective clinicopathologic analysis was performed for nine duodenal GIST patients who underwent surgery from May 2001 to April 2009. The median follow-up period was 22 months (range: 13–61 months).

Results

A total of nine patients (six males/three females) with a median age of 52 years (range: 45-73 years) were treated. The most common presentation was abdominal pain (45%), and the second portion of duodenum (45%) was most common dominant site. All of the patients underwent limited resection: there were seven wedge resections with primary closures (five open/two laparoscopic) and two segmental resections with end-to-end duodenojejunostomies. The median tumor size was 3.5 cm (range: 1.9-5.5 cm), and the mitotic count was less than fivemitoses/50 high power fields (HPF) in all cases. None patients had neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy. All of the patients were alive and disease-free.

Conclusion

We obtained excellent disease-free survival following limited resection with clear margins. Limited resection should be considered a treatment option for duodenal GIST.     

Surgical management of gastrointestinal stromal tumors of the stomach

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare tumors of the GI tract with varying degree of dignity and prognosis. Intramural or extragastral growth of gastric GISTs is associated with diagnostic difficulties and uncertainty about the type and extent of surgical therapy. Based on our experience, we tried to formulate management guidelines for gastric GISTs. Methods: Five patients with gastric GIST (36–85 years old) underwent subserosal excision with subsequent B-II resection (1×), full-thickness partial gastric resection (2×), gastrotomy with submucosal excision (1×), or gastrectomy for carcinoma with an incidental finding of a leiomyoma (1×). Results: Tumor size ranged from 2×2×1 cm to 9×6×4 cm. These tumors were classified as epithelioid leiomyosarcoma (1×), GIST (3×), or leiomyoma (1×). The prognosis of risk ranged from no risk (leiomyoma) to low-malignancy (leiomyosarcoma) depending on tumor size and mitotic index. No recurrent disease has been noted so far during follow-up ranging from 3 months to 6 years. Conclusions: Staging of gastric disease should include the probability of gastric GIST. Surgical resection is the therapy of choice for potential malignant GISTs to ensure a local radical removal. Metachronic metastases should be resected if possible. Depending on tumor stage and prognostic parameters, an individual follow-up with endoscopic and radiologic examinations is recommended. Further studies should be undertaken to elaborate prognostic determinants and stage-adapted treatment. Received: 25 August 1999 In revised form: 4 January 2000 Accepted: 15 January 2000     

Prognostic Factors and Adjuvant Chemoradiation Therapy After Pancreaticoduodenectomy for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Background  The aim of this study was to determine prognostic factors for survival after resection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PC) and to compare outcomes after surgery alone versus surgery plus adjuvant therapy. Methods  We performed a retrospective review of 219 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for PC with curative intent between 1995 and 2007. Data were collected prospectively. Postoperative adjuvant chemoradiation therapy (CRT) consisted of fluorouracil or gemcitabine-based chemotherapy; the median radiation dose was 45 Gy. Results  The 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 24.3% and 14.2%, respectively. Median OS was 14.0 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 12–16 months]. Patients with metastatic lymph nodes experienced improved median survival (16 vs 10 months; P < 0.001) and 3-year OS (3-year OS 28% vs 8%) after adjuvant CRT compared with those who had no CRT. Patients who underwent non-curative resection had the same effect (median OS, 13 vs 8 months; P = 0.037). Lymph node metastasis and non-curative resection showed no significance on multivariate analysis. Poor differentiation [risk ratio (RR) = 2.10; P < 0.001] and tumor size >3 cm (RR = 1.57; P = 0.018) were found to be adverse prognostic factors; adjuvant CRT had borderline significance (RR = 0.70; P = 0.087). Conclusions  Adjuvant CRT benefited a subset of patients with resected PC, particularly those with lymph node metastasis and those undergoing non-curative resection. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that patients with tumors larger than 3 cm and poor differentiation had poor prognosis.     

Usefulness of transanal endoscopic surgery for carcinoid tumor in the upper and middle rectum

Background This study evaluated the indications and outcome for transanal endoscopic surgery (TES) used to manage rectal carcinoid tumor as compared with those of conventional transanal local resection (TAR). Methods The retrospective study subjects were 28 patients with rectal carcinoid tumor treated by TES (n = 17) or TAR (n = 11) between January 1995 and December 2001. Patient and tumor characteristics, operative results, and postoperative outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results The distance from the anal verge to the distal tumor margin in the TES group (range, 4–12 cm; median, 6.8 cm) was significantly greater than in the TAR group (range, 3–6 cm; median, 4.5 cm) (p = 0.001). The median tumor diameter was 5.5 mm (range, 3–11 mm) in the TES group and 5.0 mm (range, 3–8 mm) in the TAR group, showing no statistical difference. Microscopically, resected specimens in both groups were typical carcinoid tumors restricted to the submucosal layer. No recurrence was noted in either group. Conclusion Whereas TES is useful for patients with small rectal carcinoid tumor of typical histology within the submucosal layer in the upper and middle rectum, TAR is effective for accessing the lower rectum.     

胃肠道间质瘤的CT表现与病理分级的相关性研究

目的对不同分级胃肠道间质瘤（GIST）的计算机断层扫描（CT）征象进行对比分析,评价CT表现对GIST病理分级的作用。方法收集有完整CT及病理组织学资料的原发性GIST共58例,其中恶性41例,良性和交界性者17例,对照病理组织学与病理分级,分析其CT征象对GIST分级的作用。结果发生于小肠、直肠的GIST比来源于胃和食道的恶性可能性更大。50例GIST表现为向腔外及壁间生长,其中38例为恶性;肿瘤平均最大径为7.5 cm,最大径≥7.5 cm者共26例,其中恶性23例;呈分叶状生长的GIST 35例,其中恶性30例。所有良性或交界性的GIST边界清晰,19例恶性GIST边界不清或部分不清。所有的恶性GIST均呈不均匀强化,均见坏死,10例良性或交界性者不均匀强化,亦可见坏死。15例恶性GIST出现周围侵犯。5例肝转移,1例腹膜种植转移。肿瘤明显强化、肿瘤表面血管、瘤内粗大血管、肿瘤腔侧面黏膜强化环及肿瘤腔侧面出现溃疡这几个因素在两组之间差异均无统计学意义。结论 CT检查对GIST的术前诊断和病理分级的评估有重要的意义。