Is there a role for staging laparoscopy in patients with locally advanced,unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma?

The study objective was to determine the incidence of laparoscopically detected metastasis in patients with radiographically staged locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer are considered candidates for novel treatment protocols. Stratification of patients into locally advanced disease versus metastatic disease is imperative to accurately evaluate treatment outcome. Between 1994 and 2000, 100 consecutive patients undergoing staging laparoscopy with radiologic evidence of unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer were identified from a prospective database. All patients had preoperative contrast-enhanced, thin-cut computed tomography scanning or magnetic resonance imaging and had no evidence of detectable metastatic disease. There were 53 men and 47 women, with a median age of 64 years. The disease site was the pancreatic head in 69 cases and the body or tail in 31. Radiographic assessment of nonresectability was due to encasement of the celiac or hepatic artery in 37 patients, of the portal vein and superior mesenteric vessels in 56, and extrapancreatic extension in 7. Laparoscopy identified metastatic disease in 37% of patients, not seen on preoperative imaging. Peritoneal disease was noted in 12 cases and liver metastasis in 18 cases, and 7 patients had both. Neither the primary tumor size nor location influenced the incidence of metastatic disease. Standard imaging modalities failed to detect metastatic disease in 37% of patients who were considered to have locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Patients considered for treatment protocols for locally unresectable pancreatic cancer should be staged laparoscopically before initiation of therapy. Presented at the Forty-Third Annual Meeting of The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, San Francisco, California, May 19–22, 2002.     

腹腔镜在胰腺肿瘤诊断和分期中的价值

目的:总结胰腺肿瘤剖腹手术前先行腹腔镜探查的价值。方法:对12例经B超和CT诊断或怀疑为胰腺肿瘤的病人,在剖腹手术前先行腹腔镜探查,其中2例联合使用腹腔镜超声检查(LUS)。结果:1例CT诊断疑为胰头肿瘤伴少量腹水者,腹腔镜明确为原发性腹膜炎,作冲洗引流而愈。2例影像学检查见胰体尾增厚,怀疑胰腺肿瘤者,腹腔镜检查未见明显异常,再作LUS检查,1例为胰腺囊肿,另1例未见异常。9例腹腔镜检查确诊为胰腺恶性肿瘤病人中,3例明确已有远处转移,从而避免了开腹;另6例腹腔镜探查提示可以切除,结果其中1例由于肠系膜血管被肿瘤包绕而无法切除,余5例(5/9=55.6%)进行了根治性切除。腹腔镜探查在评估胰腺癌不可切除性的敏感性为75%,特异性为100%,阳性预测值为100%,阴性预测值为83.3%。结论:腹腔镜探查可发现影像学检查不能发现的腹膜转移,结合腹腔镜超声检查可提高胰腺肿瘤诊断、分期的准确性,使部分病人避免了不必要的剖腹手术。     

Utility of staging laparoscopy in subsets of biliary cancers

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of staging laparoscopy in patients with biliary cancers in the era of modern diagnostic imaging. Methods From September 2002 through August 2004, 39 consecutive patients with potentially resectable cholangiocarcinoma underwent preoperative staging laparoscopy before laparotomy. Preoperative imaging included ultrasonography and triphasic computed tomography for all patients and magnetic resonance cholangiography in 35 patients (90%). Final pathological diagnosis included 20 hilar cholangiocarcinomas (HC), 11 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (IHC), and eight gallbladder carcinomas (GBC). Results During laparoscopy, unresectable disease was found in 14/39 patients (36%). The main causes of unresectability were peritoneal carcinomatosis (11/14) and liver metastases (5/14). At laparotomy, nine patients (37%) were found to have advanced disease precluding resection. Vascular invasion and nodal metastases were the main causes of unresectability during laparotomy (eight out of nine). In detecting peritoneal metastases and liver metastases, laparoscopy had an accuracy of 92 and 71%, respectively. All patients with vascular or nodal involvement were missed by laparoscopy. For prediction of unresectability disease, the yield and accuracy of laparoscopy were highest for GBC (62% yield and 83% accuracy), followed by IHC (36% yield and 67% accuracy) and HC (25% yield and 45% accuracy) Conclusion Staging laparoscopy ensured that unnecessary laparotomy was not performed in 36% of patients with potentially resectable biliary carcinoma after extensive preoperative imaging. In patients with biliary carcinoma that appears resectable, staging laparoscopy allows detection of peritoneal and liver metastasis in one third of patients. Both vascular and lymph nodes invasions were not diagonsed by this procedure. Due to these limitations, laparoscopy is more useful in ruling out dissemination in GBC and IHC than in HC.     

The role of laparoscopy in preoperative staging of esophageal cancer

Background: Diagnostic laparoscopy has been used to determine resectability and to prevent unnecessary laparotomy in patients with advanced esophageal cancer. The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate the role of laparoscopy in conjunction with computed tomography (CT) scan in staging patients with esophageal cancer. Methods: From March 1995 to October 1998, 59 patients with biopsy-proven esophageal cancer underwent diagnostic laparoscopy with concurrent vascular access device and feeding jejunostomy tube placement. Results: Laparoscopy changed the treatment plan in 10 of 59 patients (17%). Of the patients with normal-appearing regional or celiac nodes, 78% were confirmed by biopsy to be tumor free, whereas 76% of patients with abnormal-appearing nodes were confirmed by biopsy to have node-positive disease. Conclusions: Diagnostic laparoscopy is useful for detecting and confirming nodal involvement and distant metastatic disease that potentially would alter treatment and prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer. Received: 16 May 1999/Accepted: 10 November 1999/Online publication: 24 March 2000     

The effects of staging laparoscopy on trocar site and peritoneal recurrence of pancreatic cancer

Background: Staging laparoscopy (SL) has been used to assess resectability of patients with pancreatic cancer. It has lead to increased resectability rates and decreased morbidity. However, experimental data suggests that laparoscopy and peritoneal insufflation can promote tumor growth and potential recurrence. Few clinical data exist to allow assessment of whether these theoretical concerns translate into clinical problems. The purpose of this study was to determine if SL increases the incidence of trocar-site and peritoneal recurrence of pancreatic cancer. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients evaluated for pancreatic cancer from 1996 to 2001, inclusive, was included in this study. Patients were divided into five groups: nonoperative management (NM), SL followed by resection (SL-R), SL without resection (SL-NR), exploratory laparotomy with resection (EL-R), and exploratory laparotomy without resection (EL-NR). Patient records were assessed for postoperative occurrence of carcinomatosis and/or malignant ascites, trocar- or incisional-site recurrence, use of postoperative chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and survival. Results: A total of 235 patients were included. Peritoneal progression of disease: NM 15.9%, SL 24.2%, EL 31.6% (p = 0.03). Trocar/incisional recurrence: SL 3.0%, EL 3.9% (p = NS). Use of chemotherapy/radiotherapy: NM 29.4%, SL-R 76.5%, SL-NR 62.5%, EL-R 69.6%, EL-NR 41.5%. Median survival (months): NM 3; SL-R 15, EL-R 10 (p = NS); SL-NR 6, EL-NR 5 (p = NS). Conclusion: SL does not increase the occurrence of trocar-site disease or peritoneal disease progression of pancreatic cancer. Patients who are found not to be resectable by SL are more likely to receive postoperative treatment. However, this does not appear to affect survival greatly. Nevertheless, avoidance of nontherapeutic laparotomy is worthwhile in these patients. Presented at the annual meeting of the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), Los Angeles, CA, USA, 12–15 March 2003     

The role of staging laparoscopy for multimodal therapy of gastrointestinal cancer

Background: This prospective study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy and the therapeutic relevance of staging laparoscopy. Methods: Between June 1993 and February 1997 staging laparoscopy was performed in 389 patients with various neoplasms. Additionally, 144 selected patients of this group were examined with laparoscopic ultrasound using a semiflexible ultrasound probe (7.5 MHz). Results: Compared to conventional imaging methods, laparoscopy and laparoscopic ultrasound improved the accuracy of staging in 158 of 389 patients (41%). Statistical subgroup analysis of 131 patients with gastric cancer showed that the accuracy of staging laparoscopy in the detection of distant metastases (68%) was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than that of ultrasound (63%) or computed tomography (58%). In the whole group, laparoscopy alone disclosed intraabdominal tumor dissemination or nonresectable disease in 111 patients. Laparoscopic ultrasound displayed additional metastases—i.e., liver metastases (n = 9), M1 lymph nodes (n = 15), or nonresectable tumors (n = 6) in 30 patients. Although metastastic disease was suggested by preoperative imaging, benign lesions were found in five patients with laparoscopy and in a further 12 patients with ultrasonography. The findings of staging laparoscopy changed the treatment strategy in 45% of the patients. Conversion to open surgery was necessary in 5% of the cases, and complications related to laparoscopy occured in 4% of the patients. Conclusions: Laparoscopy with laparoscopic ultrasound improves the staging of gastrointestinal tumors and has a significant impact on a stage-adapted surgical therapy. Received: 3 April 1997/Accepted: 26 September 1997     

Role of staging laparoscopy in gastric malignancies - our institutional experience

AIM: To investigate the value of staging laparoscopy with laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS) and peritoneal lavage cytology in patients with newly-diagnosed gastric tumours in our department.METHODS: Retrospective review of prospectively-collected data was conducted in all patients with newly-diagnosed gastric tumours on oesophagogastroduode-noscopy between December 2003 and July 2008. All the patients had a pretreatment histological diagnosis and were discussed at the hospital multidisciplinary tumour board meeting for their definitive management. Computed tomography scan was performed in all patients as a part of standard preoperative staging work up. Staging laparoscopy was subsequently performed in selected patients and staging by both modalities was compared.RESULTS: Twenty seven patients were included. Majority of patients had cardio-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Thirteen patients (48%) were up-staged following staging laparoscopy and one patient was downstaged (3.7%). None of the patients had procedure-related complications. None of the patients with metastasis detected at laparoscopy underwent laparotomy. Gastrectomy after staging laparoscopy was performed in 13 patients (9R0 resections, 3 R1 resections and 1 R2 resection). Only one patient did not have gastrectomy at laparotomy because of extensive local invasion. Three patients were subjected to neoadjuvant therapy following laparoscopy but only one patient subsequently underwent gastrectomy. CONCLUSION: In this small series reflecting our institutional experience, staging laparoscopy appears to be safe and more accurate in detecting peritoneal and omental metastases as compared to conventional imaging. Peritoneal cytology provided additional prognostic information although there appeared to be a high false negative rate.     

The use of diagnostic laparoscopy supported by laparoscopic ultrasonography in the assessment of pancreatic cancer

Background: Pancreatic resection with curative intent is possible in a select minority of patients with carcinomas of the pancreatic head. Diagnostic laparoscopy supported by laparoscopic ultrasonography combines the proven benefits of staging laparoscopy with high-resolution intraoperative ultrasound, thus allowing the surgeon to perform a detailed assessment of the pancreatic cancer. Methods: In a prospective study of 26 patients with obstructive jaundice from a carcinoma of the head of the pancreas, the curative resectability of tumors was assessed by ultrasound (26 cases), computerized tomography (26 cases), endoscopic ultrasound (16 cases), and a combination of diagnostic laparoscopy and laparoscopic ultrasound (26 cases). Results: The findings of ultrasound and computerized tomography were comparable: 50% of patients were excluded from curative resection. Endoscopic ultrasound provided precise information on the primary tumors. The accuracy of the combined diagnostic laparoscopy and laparoscopic ultrasound, when compared with ultrasound, computerized tomography, and endoscopic ultrasound, was better with respect to minute peritoneal or hepatic metastasis: 80.7% (or a further 30.7%) of patients did not qualify for curative resection. Conclusions: Diagnostic laparoscopy supported by laparoscopic ultrasonography enables detection of previously unsuspected metastases; thus, needless laparotomy can be avoided. It should therefore be considered the first step in any potentially curative surgical procedure. Received: 12 April 1997/Accepted 30 April 1998     

Prospective Analysis of Accuracy of Positron Emission Tomography,Computed Tomography,and Endoscopic Ultrasonography in Staging of Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagus and the Esophagogastric Junction

Background: Exact preoperative staging of esophageal cancer is essential for accurate prognosis and selection of appropriate treatment modalities.Methods: Forty-two patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or the esophagogastric junction suitable for radical esophageal resection were staged with positron emission tomography (PET), spiral computed tomography (CT), and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS).Results: Diagnostic sensitivity for the primary tumor was 83% for PET and 67% for CT; for local peritumoral lymph node metastasis, it was 37% for PET and 89% for EUS; and for distant metastasis, it was 47% for PET and 33% for CT. Diagnostic specificity for local lymph node metastasis was 100% with PET and 54% with EUS, and for distant metastasis, it was 89% for PET and 96% for CT. Accuracy for locoregional lymph node metastasis was 63% for PET, 66% for CT, and 75% for EUS, and for distant metastasis, it was 74% with PET and 74% with CT. Of the 10 patients who were considered inoperable during surgery, PET identified 7 and CT 4. The false-negative diagnoses of stage IV disease in PET were peritoneal carcinomatosis in two patients, abdominal para-aortic cancer growth in one, metastatic lymph nodes by the celiac artery in four, and metastases in the pancreas in one. PET showed false-positive lymph nodes at the jugulum in three patients.Conclusions: The diagnostic value of PET in the staging of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and the esophagogastric junction is limited because of low accuracy in staging of paratumoral and distant lymph nodes. PET does, however, seem to detect organ metastases better than CT.     

Diagnostic laparoscopy and laparoscopic ultrasonography optimize the staging and resectability of intraabdominal neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Despite technical improvements, preoperative imaging studies often fail to predict intraoperative findings. We investigated the potential use of diagnostic laparoscopy (DL) and laparoscopic ultrasonography (LUS) for the assessment of disease in patients with abdominal neoplasms. METHODS: Fifty consecutive patients with abdominal neoplasms underwent spiral computed tomography with oral and intravenous contrast using 5-mm contiguous sections. In addition, eight patients underwent ultrasonography, six underwent magnetic resonance imaging, and eight underwent positron emission tomography. All patients then underwent DL and LUS using a 7.5-MHz ultrasound probe. RESULTS: There were 29 men and 21 women with a mean age of 63 years (range, 35-84). Most had a diagnosis of colorectal cancer (19 cases), melanoma (12 cases), or hepatoma (five cases). In nine cases (18%), DL revealed peritoneal metastatic implants not shown on preoperative images. In 18 cases (36%), LUS was more accurate than preoperative imaging. Combined DL and LUS findings radically changed the operative management in 16 patients (32%). CONCLUSION: As compared with preoperative imaging, the combination of DL and LUS provides more accurate information regarding staging and resectability. Moreover, it helps to determine the extent of operation and reduces the number of unnecessary laparotomies. DL and LUS should be used as an adjunct to preoperative imaging studies in patients with primary or metastatic intraabdominal neoplasms.     

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.     

胰岛素瘤腹腔镜外科治疗体会

目的 评估腹腔镜胰岛素瘤切除术的可行性和安全性。方法 2002年6月至2004年6月25例胰岛素瘤患者,分别行腹腔镜胰岛素瘤切除术（腹腔镜组,10例）和开腹胰岛素瘤切除术（开腹手术组,15例）,比较2组手术时间、术中出血量、术后住院天数和并发症发生率差异是否有统计学意义。结果 肿瘤发生部位、大小差异无统计学意义,手术时间、术中出血量和术后平均住院天数等差异均无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。并发症发生率方面,腹腔镜手术组仅1例并发胰瘘,开腹手术组3例并发胰瘘、2例并发腹腔感染、5例并发胸腔积液,开腹手术组并发症发生率显著高于腹腔镜手术组（P〈0．01）。结论 位于胰体或尾部的胰岛素瘤行腹腔镜下胰岛素瘤切除术是安全可行的,并且并发症发生率低于经典的开腹手术。     

TNM staging and assessment of resectability of pancreatic cancer by laparoscopic ultrasonography

Background: Laparoscopic ultrasonography (LUS) is an imaging modality that combines laparoscopy and ultrasonography. The purpose of this prospective blinded study was to evaluate the TNM stage and assessment of resectability by LUS in patients with pancreatic cancer. Methods: Of the 71 consecutive patients admitted to our department, 36 were excluded from the study, mainly due to evident signs of metastatic disease or another condition that would preclude surgery. Thus, a total of 35 patients were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent abdominal CT scan, ultrasonography, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), diagnostic laparoscopy, and LUS. Histopathologic examination was considered to be the final evaluation for LUS in all but three patients, where EUS was used as the reference. Results: The accuracy of LUS in T staging was 29/33 (80%); in N staging it was 22/34 (76%); in M staging, it was 23/34 (68%); and in overall TNM staging, it was 23/34 (68%). In assessment of nonresectability, distant metastases, and lymph node metastases, the sensitivity was 0.86, 0.43 and 0.67, respectively, for LUS alone. Combining the information gleaned from laparoscopy and LUS, the accuracy in finding nonresectable tumors was 89%. Conclusions: Diagnostic laparoscopy with LUS is highly accurate in TNM staging and assessment of resectability of pancreatic cancer and should be considered an important modality in the assessment algorithm. Received: 6 July 1998/Accepted: 13 October 1998     

Accuracy of endorectal ultrasonography in staging locally advanced rectal cancer after preoperative chemoradiation

Aim  The aim of our study was to determine the accuracy of endorectal ultrasonography (ERUS) in staging locally advanced rectal cancer after preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiation and to point out the most common reasons for false interpretation. Methods  Forty-four patients with locally advanced rectal cancer received neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by radical surgery. Restaging was done 1–2 weeks before surgery and the results of ERUS staging were compared with histopathology findings of the resected specimen. Results  The accuracy of ERUS for T stage after chemoradiation was 75% (33/44). Overstaging occurred in 18% (8/44) of patients, and 7% (3/44) were understaged. The majority of overstaging occurred in patients with ERUS T3 tumors, eventually found to have pathological pT0–pT2 staging. Five patients (11.4%) had complete histology regression and only one of these patients was staged correctly while others were overstaged. In the detection of perirectal lymph node metastases, ERUS was accurate in 68% of patients (30/44). Twenty percent (9/44) of patients were overstaged and 11% were (5/44) understaged. Conclusions  ERUS provides a good accuracy rate for staging rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiation. However, it is insuficient in detection of complete pathological response.     

老年患者腹腔镜子宫内膜癌分期手术的临床分析

目的：探讨为老年子宫内膜癌患者行腹腔镜分期手术的安全性与可行性。方法：回顾分析2006年6月至2012年6月为64例患者行腹腔镜子宫内膜癌分期手术的临床资料,将其分为两组,大于或等于65岁的患者纳入研究组（n=32）,小于65岁的患者纳入对照组（n=32）。对比分析两组患者手术时间、术中出血量、术中清扫淋巴结数量、术后排气时间、术后住院时间。结果：研究组患者年龄明显大于对照组（P〈0.05）,研究组合并糖尿病及高血压患者多于对照组（P〈0.05）,两组术中出血量、手术时间、术中清扫淋巴结数量、术后排气时间及住院时间差异均无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。结论：老年子宫内膜癌患者行腹腔镜子宫内膜癌分期手术安全、可行,值得临床推广应用。     

Pretreatment surgical lymph node staging predicts results of trimodality therapy in esophageal cancer

Objective: Prediction of responders to induction therapy in esophageal cancer (EC) patients is important. In this study, we evaluated the role of thoracoscopic/laparoscopic (Ts/Ls) staging in prediction of treatment response and survival in EC patients with trimodality treatment. Methods: Retrospective study of EC patients who had undergone Ts/Ls staging and received trimodality treatment at the University of Maryland Medical Center and the Baltimore Veterans Administration Hospitals from July, 1991 to December, 1999. Preoperative therapy consisted of concurrent chemotherapy (5-FU+cisplatinum) and radiotherapy. Results: Forty-four EC patients who underwent pretreatment Ts/Ls staging during the study period were able to complete concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by surgical resection. There were 36 men and 8 women aged 40 to 77 (median age 62). Twenty-seven (61.4%) patients were found to have lymph node metastasis by surgical staging. Fourteen patients (31.8%) had a pathologic complete response. Patients with positive lymph nodes had a lower response rate than those with negative lymph nodes (14.8% vs. 58.8%, P=0.006). Other clinicopathologic features including gender, weight loss, clinical TNM stage, surgical T stage, and histology did not correlate with treatment response. Univariate analysis showed that weight loss and treatment response were important prognostic factors for disease-free survival (P=0.01 and P=0.02, respectively). Histology, surgical N stage and surgical TNM stage appeared to be associated with prognosis (P=0.067–0.097). Multivariate analysis revealed that only surgical N status and weight loss were significant prognostic factors (P=0.05, and P=0.006, respectively). Conclusions: Surgical Ts/Ls staging provides accurate evaluation of tumor spread in EC patients. Pretreatment N status was the single most important predictor of response to induction treatment as well as a reliable prognosticator of survival.     

纳米刀消融术治疗局部晚期不可切除胰腺癌安全性及疗效评价

目的:评估纳米刀消融术治疗局部晚期不可切除胰腺癌的临床价值。方法:对2015年9月—2016年3月18例局部晚期不可手术切除胰腺癌患者行纳米刀消融术治疗,比较分析患者治疗前后临床资料。结果:所有患者手术均顺利完成,术中各项生命体征平稳。患者术后第1天血清淀粉酶浓度明显升高(P0.05),随后逐渐降至正常水平;术后CA19-9水平呈逐渐降低趋势,且各时间点均低于术前水平(均P0.05);心肌酶指标手术前后无明显改变(均P0.05)。术后3个月内发生胰腺炎2例(11%)、低血糖、高血糖、胃排空障碍各1例(5%),对症治疗后均较快恢复,无胰瘘、出血、胆瘘等治疗相关并发症发生。患者术后生活质量评分及KPS评分均较治疗前明显改善(均P0.05)。按EORTC标准,术后完全代谢缓解2例(11%),部分代谢缓解10例(55%),代谢无变化3例(17%),代谢恶化3例(17%),客观有效率为67%,疾病控制率为83%。结论:纳米刀消融术治疗局部晚期不可切除胰腺癌安全性高,疗效显著,应用前景广泛。     

Video-laparoscopic staging of gastric cancer

Background: The high proportion of gastric carcinomas present in an unresectable stage, together with the emergence of multimodal treatments, increases the usefulness of objective staging methods that avoid unnecessary laparotomies. Methods: A prospective evaluation of the accuracy of laparoscopy in the staging of 71 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma is presented. Serosal infiltration, retroperitoneal fixation, metastasis to lymph nodes, peritoneal and liver metastasis, and ascites were determined in the staging workup. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated and compared with those obtained with ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT). Results: The diagnostic accuracy of laparoscopy in the determination of resectability was 98.6%. Consequently, over 40% of patients were spared unnecessary laparotomies. Laparoscopy yielded diagnostic indices superior to US and CT for all the tumoral attributes studied. Our technique permits accurate assessment and pathologic verification of liver and the peritoneal and retroperitoneal extent of tumor invasion in the majority of patients. Conclusions: Laparoscopy in gastric adenocarcinoma is a reliable technique that provides accurate assessment of resectability and stage, thus avoiding unnecessary laparotomies in patients in whom surgical palliation is not indicated. A stepwise diagnostic workup combining imaging and minimally invasive techniques is proposed. Received: 5 May 1996/Accepted: 10 March 1997     

The value of imaging techniques in the staging of pancreatic cancer

Background The aim of this study was to assess the clinical value of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in the staging of pancreatic carcinoma and to compare it to ultrasonography (US) and CT.Methods We evaluated 45 patients (21 women and 24 men with a mean age of 62.1 years) who had undergone surgical treatment for pancreatic cancer between 1994 and 2004. Out analysis focused on the overall accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of routine and Doppler US, CT, and EUS.Results Endoscopic ultrasound was the most accurate modality for local tumor staging (93.1%), vascular infiltration (90%), and lymph node assessment (87.5%). Routine US was the least accurate (82.5%, 67.5%, and 72.5%, respectively). The accuracy rates for CT and Doppler US were similar (88.1%, 82.5% and 80.0%, respectively).Conclusions Endoscopic ultrasound is the most accurate method available to stage pancreatic cancer in the preoperative period. However, the advantage of EUS over CT and US does not justify its routine use due to its high cost, low availability, and invasiveness.     

胃癌侵犯胰腺的诊断与治疗

目的：探讨胃癌侵犯胰腺的术前诊断方法及其手术治疗价值。方法：对420例胃癌患者术前行电子胃镜和（或）内镜超声检查、上腹部B超和（或）螺旋CT扫描,术前检测血清肿瘤相关抗原CEA、CA19－9、CEA72－4水平。所有病例均接受外科手术,术中及术后病理证实胃癌侵犯胰腺者共62例,其中行联合腺切除的胃癌根治术37例,非根治术25例。结果：内镜超声、CT扫描和B超检查对胃癌侵犯胰腺的术前诊断率分别为84．2％、57．1％和25．8％。联合胰切除的根治手术组与非根治手术组比较,两组的生存期差异有显著性意义（P＜0．05）。结论：内镜超声和CT扫描对胃癌侵犯胰腺的术前诊断有较大的帮助。联合胰腺切除的胃癌根治术可延长部分病例的生存期。