Oncological outcomes after major vascular resections for primary retroperitoneal liposarcoma

BackgroundThe surgical management of retroperitoneal sarcomas frequently involves complex multivisceral resections, however retroperitoneal liposarcoma (LPS) rarely invade major abdominal vessels. The aim of the study was to assess association of major vascular resections with outcome of primary LPS.MethodsAll consecutive patients who underwent resection at our institutions for primary LPS between 2002 and 2019 were included. A propensity matched analysis was performed, adjusting the groups for the variables of Sarculator, to assess the effect of vascular resection on oncological outcomes.ResultsOverall 425 patients were identified. Twenty-four (5%) patients had vascular resection. At final pathology 18 patients had vascular infiltration, 2 vascular encasement and 4 involvement without infiltration. Vascular resection was associated with longer operative time (480′ vs. 330’; p < 0.001) and greater need for transfusions (4 vs. 0 units; p < 0.001), and was burdened by a higher rate of major complications (54% vs. 25%; p = 0.002). After propensity matched analysis, patients undergoing vascular resection had a lower 5-year OS (60% vs. 81%; p = 0.05), and a higher incidence of local and distant recurrence at 5 years (local: 45% vs. 24%, p = 0.05; distant: 20% vs. 0%, p = 0.04).ConclusionsVascular resection is feasible and safe even in the context of multivisceral resection for primary retroperitoneal liposarcomas, although associated to a higher complication rate. However, the independent association between vascular involvement and a higher risk of local recurrence, distant metastases and death may imply a more aggressive biology, which should be factored in the initial management of this complex disease.     

Clinicopathological characteristics and experience in the treatment of giant retroperitoneal liposarcoma: A case report and review of the literature

Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RPLS) is a rare tumor, especailly those over 20 kg that are called “giant liposarcoma," whose characteristics and treatments remain relatively unknown. Herein, we report a giant RPLS measuring 65 × 45 × 30 cm in diameter and 31 kg in weight, which we successfully performed complete excision through interdisciplinary cooperation. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged without complications. Afterwards he underwent radiotherapy and had no evidence of tumor recurrence or symptoms of metastasis at 3-month CT scan and 8-month follow-up. We also first review the 13 cases reported in literature published in PubMed regarding giant RPLS. Giant RPLS commonly occurs in adults aged 40–60 y and presents atypical clinical manifestations. CT scan is the most useful examination and preoperative biopsy is controversial. Complete surgical resection still remains the principal treatment. Giant RPLS can also be removed, even reach to R0 excision, by a multidisciplinary team in a specialized center after meticulous planning even though its gigantic tumor size. Local radiotherapy following surgery may improve the rate of recurrence. Besides, closely follow-up and routine examinations are required.     

Long-term standard sentinel node biopsy after neoadjuvant treatment in breast cancer: a single institution ten-year follow-up

IntroductionIn patients with positive lymph nodes (cN+) prior to neoadjuvant treatment (NAT), which convert to a clinically negative axilla (cN0) after treatment, the use of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) is still debatable, since the false-negative rate (FNR) is significantly high (12.6–14.2%). The objective of this retrospective mono-institutional study, with a long follow-up, aimed to evaluate the outcome in patients undergoing NAT who remained or converted to cN0 and received SNB independent of target axillary dissection (TAD) or the removal of at least 3 sentinel nodes (SNs).MethodsThis study analyzed 688 consecutive cT1-3, cN0/1/2 patients, operated at the European Institute of Oncology, Milan, from 2000 to 2015 who became or remained cN0 after NAT and underwent SNB with a least one SN found. Axillary dissection (AD) was not performed if the SN was negative. Nodal radiotherapy (RT) was not mandatory.ResultsAxillary failure occurred in 1.8% of the initially cN1/2 patients and in 1.5% of the initially cN0 patients. After a median follow-up of 9.2 years (IQR 5.3–12.3), the 5- and 10-year overall survival (OS) were 91.3% (95% CI, 88.8–93.2) and 81.0% (95% CI, 77.2–84.2) in the whole cohort, 92.0% (95% CI, 89.0–94.2) and 81.5% (95% CI, 76.9–85.2) in those initially cN0, 89.8% (95% CI, 85.0–93.2) and 80.1% (95% CI, 72.8–85.7) in those initially cN1/2.ConclusionThe 10-year follow-up confirmed our preliminary data that the use of standard SNB is acceptable in cN1/2 patients who become cN0 after NAT and will not translate into a worse outcome.     

Diagnosis and treatment of primary and recurrent retroperitoneal liposarcoma

We retrospectively reviewed 16 patients in whom primary retroperitoneal liposarcoma was diagnosed and treated. These patients were classified according to the first definitive surgical procedure employed: complete excision with or without radiotherapy; partial excision followed by radiotherapy; only biopsy of tumor followed by radiotherapy. Distribution of tumors according to histologic type was: well differentiated myxoid type, 10; poorly differentiated myxoid type, 4; and mixed type, 2. The main factor in determining resectability was extent and fixation of tumor to vital structures. Recurrent retroperitoneal disease developed in four patients all of whom underwent secondary intervention. We concluded from our experience that complete surgical excision is the most effective primary therapeutic approach for patients with primary and recurrent retroperitoneal liposarcoma.     

Sentinel lymph node biopsy is feasible for breast cancer patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing use of both sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with operable breast cancer, information on the feasibility and accuracy of sentinel node biopsy following neoadjuvant chemotherapy is still quite limited. Therefore, we investigated the feasibility and accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer patients after NAC. METHODS: A total of 104 patients with Stage II and III breast cancers, previously treated by NAC, were enrolled in the study. All patients were clinically node-negative after NAC. The patients underwent SLN biopsy, which involved a combination of an intradermal injection of radiocolloid and a subareolar injection of blue dye over the tumor. This was followed by completion axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). RESULTS: SLN could be identified in 97 of 104 patients (identification rate, 93.3%). In 93 of the 97 patients (95.9%), the SLN accurately predicted the axillary status. Four patients' SLN biopsies were false negative, resulting in a false-negative rate of 10.0%. The SLN identification rate tended to be lower among patients with T4 primary tumors prior to NAC (62.5%). CONCLUSION: The SLN identification and false-negative rates were similar to rates in non-neoadjuvant studies. The SLN accurately predicted metastatic disease in the axilla of patients with tumor response following NAC.     

Pre-operative diagnostic biopsy and surgery in paediatric liver tumours—the Amsterdam experience

AIM: To report 24 years of pre-treatment biopsy and surgical experience in primary liver tumours in children. METHODS: Between 1979 and 2003, 53 children presented with a primary liver tumour of whom 48 who underwent surgical resection were evaluated (two died, two were unresectable, and one was transplanted). Biopsy data, per- and post-operative complications, mortality, and survival were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Benign tumours were diagnosed in eight patients. Surgical resection for a malignant tumour was performed in 40 patients (26 hepatoblastomas (HB), eight hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) (four had fibrolamellar HCC), three rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS), one neuroblastoma, one non-hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and one teratoma). Primary resection was performed in one HB, and four HCCs. The cumulative survival without evidence of disease was 73% for HB (median 7 years) and 88% for HCC (median 3.5 years). CONCLUSION: The treatment results are comparable with those of larger international series except for HCC. The existing diagnostic pitfalls in differentiating between the various liver malignancies justify the use of a diagnostic biopsy.     

Diagnostic accuracy of large-core needle biopsy for nonpalpable breast disease: a meta-analysis

For the evaluation of non-palpable lesions of the breast, image-guided large-core needle biopsies are increasingly replacing needle-localized open breast biopsies. In this study, the diagnostic accuracy of this minimally invasive technique was evaluated by reviewing the available literature. Five cohort studies were included in a meta-analysis. Sensitivity rate, histological agreement between needle biopsy and subsequent surgery or long-term mammographic follow-up and clinical consequences for different disease prevalences were assessed. The sensitivity rate of large-core needle biopsy for the diagnosis of breast cancer was high (97%). The reclassified agreement rate between core biopsy and subsequent surgical biopsy or long-term mammographic follow-up was also high (94%). In case of 20% breast cancer prevalence among women referred after screening (as in the US), the risk of breast cancer despite benign large-core needle biopsy result is less than 1%. In European countries, however, prevalence of breast cancer among referred women is 60-70%. This would result in a risk of breast cancer despite benign large-core needle biopsy result of 4-6%. The results of this meta-analysis indicate that the image guided large-core needle biopsy is a promising alternative for the needle localized breast biopsy. However, additional research is needed to explore the limiting factors of the technique. Without such detailed knowledge, a benign histological diagnosis on large-core needle biopsy in countries with high prevalence of malignancy among referred women should be interpreted with caution.     

Computed tomography scan‐driven selection of treatment for retroperitoneal liposarcoma histologic subtypes

BACKGROUND:

Well differentiated (WD) and dedifferentiated (DD) retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RPLS) have distinct biologic behaviors. Consequently, the therapeutic approaches for these tumors differ and mandate an accurate preoperative diagnosis. The authors of this report evaluated whether computed tomography (CT) can be used to differentiate between WD and DD RPLS.

METHODS:

Imaging studies (CT, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography‐CT) from 78 patients with RPLS who underwent surgery at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (UTMDACC) between 2001 and 2007 were reviewed by a senior bone and soft tissue sarcoma radiologist who was blinded to the final histopathologic diagnosis. A focal nodular/water density area within an RPLS was interpreted as a marker suggestive of DD. Correlations between imaging diagnosis, histology, and clinical outcome were analyzed.

RESULTS:

The study radiologist identified 60 RPLS as DD and 17 RPLS as WD. A radiologic diagnosis of a WD was correlated with preoperative biopsy and postoperative histology in all patients (100%). Focal nodular/water density was a very sensitive marker of DD (97.8%); however, it had relatively low specificity (51.5%). Sixteen WD RPLS (48.5%) contained focal nodular/water density areas, leading to their misdiagnosis as DD; half of those tumors had hypercellular WD. Of 78 preoperative biopsies, 22 (28.2%) were performed at UTMDACC under CT guidance. Preoperative histologic diagnoses obtained from 12 biopsies derived from focal nodular/water density areas were confirmed as unchanged on final pathology; whereas, in 50% of biopsies that were not taken from a suspicious area, DD histology was misdiagnosed as WD.

CONCLUSIONS:

When CT features are suggestive of WD, no further diagnostic tests are needed for tumor characterization. Moreover, CT can accurately identify most DD, thereby rendering their under‐treatment unlikely; however, a CT‐guided biopsy is needed to differentiate between DD and WD RPLS that contain focal nodular/water density areas, thereby avoiding their over treatment. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.     

乳腺癌新辅助化疗后腋窝及内乳前哨淋巴结活检研究

背景与目的：临床新辅助化疗(neoadjuvant chemotherapy,NAC)后腋窝淋巴结(axillary lymph node,ALN)转阴的患者腋窝前哨淋巴结活检(axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy, ASLNB)能否替代腋窝淋巴结清扫(axillary lymph node dissection,ALND)尚存在争议,且此前研究只评估ALN病理状况而未评估内乳淋巴结(internal mammary lymph node,IMLN)状况。本研究旨在评估NAC后乳腺癌患者接受ASLNB和内乳前哨淋巴结活检(internal mammary sentinel lymph node biopsy,IM-SLNB)的临床意义。方法：回顾性分析2012年1月—2014年12月山东省肿瘤医院乳腺病中心原发性乳腺癌(cT_1-4N_0-3M₀)60例患者的临床资料,将患者分为3组：A组初始cN₀且NAC后为ycN₀,B组初始cN+且NAC后为ycN₀,C组NAC后为ycN₊。术前接受核素注射。术中A组和B组联合亚甲蓝行ASLNB。A组仅对腋窝前哨淋巴结(axillary sentinel lymph node,ASLN)阳性者行ALND;B组行ASLNB后转行ALND;C组直接行ALND。术前淋巴显像和(或)γ探测仪发现内乳前哨淋巴结(internal mammary sentinel lymph node,IM-SLN)的患者行IM-SLNB。结果：A组、B组和C组分别收集6例、45例和9例。A组ASLNB成功率为100%(6/6),仅1例ASLN阳性转行ALND。B组ASLNB成功率为100%(45/45),假阴性率为17.9%(5/28)。其中检出1枚、2枚和＞2枚ASLN的假阴性率分别为27.3%(3/11)、20.0%(2/10)和0%(0/7)。C组所有患者ALN均有转移。IM-SLN总体显像率为63.3%(38/60)。IM-SLNB的总体成功率为97.4%(37/38),转移率为8.1%(3/37),并发症发生率为5.3%(2/38)。结论：对初始cN₀且NAC后为ycN₀者ASLN阴性时ASLNB可替代ALND;对初始cN₊且NAC后为ycN₀者,联合双示踪剂且检出＞2枚ASLN可满足临床可接受的假阴性率(<10%);对NAC后仍为ycN₊者应行ALND。NAC后IM-SLN显像者应行IM-SLNB,以获得完整分期、评估预后并指导术后放疗,有望完善病理完全缓解(pathological complete response,pCR)定义。     

Quality of life during neoadjuvant treatment and after surgery for resectable esophageal carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Because of the trade-off between the potentially negative quality-of-life (QoL) effects and uncertain favorable survival effect of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with resectable esophageal cancer, we assessed heath-related QoL (HRQoL) for up to 1 year postoperatively in these patients treated with preoperative CRT with a non-platinum-based outpatient regimen followed by esophagectomy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients undergoing neoadjuvant paclitaxel and carboplatin therapy concurrent with radiotherapy followed by surgery completed standardized HRQoL questionnaires before and after CRT and at regular times up to 1 year postoperatively. We analyzed differences in generic Qol core questionnaire [QLQ-C30] and condition-specific (esophageal site-specific [OES-18]) HRQoL scores over time by using a linear mixed-effects model. RESULTS: Mean scores of most HRQoL scales deteriorated significantly during neoadjuvant CRT. The largest deterioration was observed for physical and role-functioning scales. All except two symptom scores worsened significantly. Postoperatively, most mean HRQoL scores improved until recovery to baseline level. Speed of improvement varied. Average taste score returned to baseline 3 months postoperatively, whereas it took 1 year for the average role-functioning score to restore. The emotional-functioning score showed a different pattern; it was worst at baseline and increased over time during CRT and postoperatively. Dysphagia and pain scores worsened considerably during CRT, restored to baseline 3 months postoperatively, and were even significantly better 1 year postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative CRT with paclitaxel and carboplatin for patients with resectable esophageal cancer had a considerable temporary negative effect on most aspects of HRQoL. Nonetheless, all HRQoL scores were restored or even improved 1 year postoperatively.     

Population based study on sentinel node biopsy before or after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in clinically node negative breast cancer patients: Identification rate and influence on axillary treatment

The timing of the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB) is controversial in clinically node negative patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). We studied variation in the timing of axillary staging in breast cancer patients who received NAC and the subsequent axillary treatment in The Netherlands.Patients diagnosed with clinically node negative primary breast cancer between 1st January 2010 and 30th June 2013 who received NAC and SNB were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Data on patient and tumour characteristics, axillary staging and treatment were analysed. Two groups were defined: (1) patients with SNB before NAC (N = 980) and (2) patients with SNB after NAC (N = 203).Eighty-three percent of patients underwent SNB before NAC, with large regional variation (35–99%). The SN identification rate differed for SNBs conducted before and after NAC (98% versus 95%; p = 0.032). A lower proportion of patients had a negative SNB when assessed before NAC compared to after (54% versus 67%; p = 0.001). The proportion of patients receiving any axillary treatment was higher for those with SNB before NAC than after (45% versus 33%; p = 0.006).In conclusion, variation exists in the timing of SNB in clinical practice in The Netherlands for clinically node negative breast cancer patients receiving NAC. The post-NAC SN procedure is, despite some lower SN identification rate, associated with a significantly less frequent axillary treatment and thus with less expected morbidity. The effect on recurrence rate is not yet clear. Patients in this registry will be followed prospectively for long-term outcome.     

The safety and efficacy of trabectedin for the treatment of liposarcoma or leiomyosarcoma

The improvement of molecular knowledge has highlighted the prognostic and predictive significance of histological subtypes in soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Here we focus on trabectedin, a drug characterized by a unique action combining cytotoxic and target effects. We retraced its main steps of development and peculiarities regarding mechanism of action, efficacy and safety especially towards liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma and we compared it against the leading therapeutic alternatives with the aim to answer some practical questions such as: who and when to treat with trabectedin? For how long? What is the safety profile? When should trabectedin be preferred to other treatment options? Finally, we provided our viewpoint on how the scenario might evolve in the coming years particularly about the ‘place’ of trabectedin in the therapeutic algorithm and its future possible use in combination with other agents in order to achieve even more satisfactory results in STS management.     

The feasibility and accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy in clinically node-negative patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer--a systematic review and meta-analysis

The sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is now an accepted alternative to the axillary lymph node dissection for pathologic evaluation of the axilla in patients with early breast cancer. The use of SLNB after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is controversial. This meta-analysis aims to determine the feasibility and the accuracy of SLNB in the population of patients who are clinically node-negative after NAC for breast cancer.     

乳腺癌新辅助化疗后选择性避免乳房手术的研究进展

新辅助化疗（neoadjuvant chemotherapy,NAC）已广泛应用于乳腺癌的治疗,理想情况下可以实现病理完全缓解（pathological complete remission,pCR）。随着分子分型指导的NAC和靶向治疗疗效的不断改善,pCR率显著提高,尤以三阴性乳腺癌和人表皮生长因子受体2（human epidermal growth factor receptor 2,HER-2）阳性型乳腺癌为著,其pCR率可达60%。NAC显著促进了乳腺癌局部区域的降阶梯治疗,但NAC获得pCR患者均行乳房手术的必要性受到了质疑,尤其是在保乳手术患者接受辅助全乳放疗时。潜在避免乳房手术的主要障碍是常规及功能性的乳房成像技术不能准确预测残留病变,影像学方法引导的微创活检技术有望克服这一障碍。本文将就乳腺癌NAC后选择性避免乳房手术的研究进展进行综述。     

Pathological aspects of core needle biopsy for non-palpable breast lesions

Recently, the incidence of non-palpable or noninvasive breast cancer has increased. Consequently, criteria for choosing procedures to obtain pathological materials had changed. Fine needle aspiration biopsy cytology (FNA) and core needle biopsy (CNB) are both reliable procedures for detecting breast cancer. However, for non-palpable lesions, the diagnostic accuracy of CNB is higher. The main limits of FNA are the high rate of insufficient sampling and inability to determine invasiveness. CNB is an established alternative to surgical biopsy, and CNB can avoid excess surgical biopsies in a large number of patients. In addition to accurate histological diagnosis, there is interest in obtaining prognostic information from CNB, especially for patients being considered for preoperative (neoadjuvant) therapy. CNB provides useful information about histologic type and grade. However, an unavoidable problem of CNB is underestimation of invasion. On the other hand, there is good concordance in particular for estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) between CNB and surgical excision. Several aspects of CNB remains controversial, such as diagnosing papillary lesions by CNB, problems regarding tumor cell displacement after CNB, and management of lobular neoplasia (LN) on CNB.     

乳腺癌新辅助治疗二次活检诊断病理学应答研究进展及临床意义

随着乳腺癌新辅助治疗的发展,病理学完全缓解率明显提高。对于已经达到病理学完全缓解的患者,使用局域放疗替代手术治疗在理论上可行,因此术前准确判断病理学完全缓解至关重要。新辅助化疗后二次活检因其对病理学完全缓解预测准确率较高而被认为是有希望替代手术诊断病理学完全缓解的方法。最近发表的几项国外的前瞻性临床试验结果表明,新辅助化疗后二次活检具有相对较高的假阴性率,对新辅助化疗反应极好的患者豁免手术仍需要进一步研究。本文首先阐述二次活检的临床应用及其意义,并将国外已发表的临床研究分为小型可行性研究和大型前瞻性研究,对其主要结果及特点进行分析。     

Diagnostic accuracy of core biopsy in patients presenting with axillary lymphadenopathy and suspected non-breast malignancy

IntroductionExcision biopsy has been the investigation of choice for patients presenting with pathological axillary lymphadenopathy without a breast abnormality. Core biopsy of nodes can provide sufficient tissue for diagnosis and has advantages in terms of morbidity and speed of diagnosis. This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of core biopsy in patients presenting with axillary lymphadenopathy.MethodsBetween 2009 and 2019, 165 patients referred to the Edinburgh Breast Unit had a total of 179 axillary lymph node core biopsies.Results152 (92%) of the 165 initial core biopsies were deemed to contain adequate nodal tissue. Core biopsy correctly established malignancy in 75 of the 78 patients with haematological malignancy (96%) and in all 28 patients with metastatic carcinoma (100%) and correctly diagnosed benign changes in 49 of 57 (86%) patients with benign conditions. There were no false positives and no false negatives. In 67 (85.9%) of the 78 patients with haematological malignancy there was sufficient material in the first core biopsy to allow the pathologist to make an actionable diagnosis and not ask for more tissue sampling prior to treatment. There were no complications of core biopsy. On follow up, none of the patients with benign cores has been shown to have malignancy in the axilla and none with lymphoma had their initial disease incorrectly classified.ConclusionsThis study shows that core biopsy is now the investigation of choice for patients presenting with axillary lymphadenopathy even in those suspected as having lymphoma.     

HER-2阳性乳腺癌的新辅助治疗现状及展望

人表皮生长因子受体（HER-2）高表达被视为乳腺癌预后不良的重要预测因素,但随着抗HER 2治疗药物研发的进步、新辅助治疗理念的建立及临床经验的积累,其预后已得到改善。新辅助治疗是局部晚期乳腺癌的标准治疗,并被广泛用于可手术的早期患者,以提高保乳率。新辅助治疗与术后辅助治疗同样可以改善患者的无病生存期（DFS）和总生存期（OS）。近年来曲妥珠单抗等抗HER 2靶向药物及治疗方法发展迅速,新辅助治疗为药物的研究和开发提供很好的研究平台,HER-2阳性乳腺癌新辅助治疗相关问题已成为肿瘤学关注的热点问题,本文将对此作一简要综述。