Beneficial impact of a clinical care pathway in patients with testicular cancer undergoing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection

PURPOSE: Since 1997, we have used a clinical collaborative care pathway for patients undergoing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. We examined its impact on perioperative care and outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined the records of all patients with germ cell carcinoma who underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection from July 1990 to July 2001. Variables examined included clinical/pathological stage, hospital stay, postoperative care and the complication rate. RESULTS: A total of 118 patients underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for germ cell carcinoma during this period, including 46 (39%) before pathway implementation in 1997 and 72 patients (61%) after pathway implementation. Of the 118 patients 40 (34%) underwent the procedure after chemotherapy. This rate remained fairly constant in the period before and after pathway initiation (31% and 36%, respectively). After pathway implementation fewer patients received a nasogastric tube (94% versus 5%, p <0.001) and had complications (26% versus 16%, p = 0.036). Mean hospital stay decreased after pathway implementation in all primary and post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection cases (4.2 versus 6.4 days, p <0.005). Although patients who underwent the procedure after chemotherapy were more likely to have complications than those who underwent a primary procedure, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: Our collaborative clinical care pathway safely and efficiently outlines routine postoperative care and significantly decreased hospital stay.     

Repeat retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for metastatic testis cancer

PURPOSE: We report pathological results, perioperative complications and patient outcome in 21 men after repeat retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for metastatic testis cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed an institutional tumor registry at our cancer center and identified 417 patients who underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for testis cancer during a 21-year period. Of these 417 patients 21 underwent repeat retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. We reviewed preoperative patient characteristics, operative data and pathological findings from repeat lymphadenectomy, and determined patient disease status, morbidity and mortality after surgery. RESULTS: We identified viable germ cell tumor in 5 patients (24%), teratoma in 14 (67%) and fibrosis or necrosis only in 5 (24%). Intraoperatively subadventitial dissection of the aorta occurred in 2 cases, which was severe enough in 1 to require an aortic graft. The most common postoperative complications were prolonged ileus or partial bowel obstruction and chylous ascites in 6 and 3 patients, respectively. Six patients died, including 5 of disease progression and 1 of postoperative pulmonary embolus. At a mean followup of 4.7 years (range 0.1 to 14) 15 patients (71%) were alive and 14 (67%) were disease-free. CONCLUSIONS: Repeat retroperitoneal lymph node dissection is safe and effective in the majority of patients with recurrent or residual retroperitoneal masses after initial multimodality treatments for metastatic testis cancer. Overall perioperative morbidity and mortality are low and yet the potential for significant vascular complications warrants careful preoperative planning and intraoperative judgment.     

腹膜后淋巴结清扫在睾丸癌治疗中的应用

腹膜后淋巴结清扫术(RPLND)对分期和治疗睾丸的非精原细胞瘤(NSGCT)有重要作用。RPLND可治愈大多数低负荷转移瘤患者,并最大程度地减少对化疗的需求。开放RPLND手术解剖范围广,术后很大一部分患者出现逆行射精从而导致不育,而且并发症发生率较高。而不断发展的改良RPLND模板有助于降低逆行射精风险,但可能漏掉3%～23%的病灶。而对于化疗后复发的患者,经过严格筛选,在有经验的中心实施化疗后RPLND(PC-RPLND),仍然还能获得较好的肿瘤控制效果。双侧RPLND有利于控制肿瘤,如果行保留神经手术也可以保留顺行射精,而改良的RPLND模板在保留顺行射精的同时也取得了较好的肿瘤控制效果。随着腹腔镜技术的逐步成熟,腹腔镜RPLND也达到了与开放手术相似的手术效果,且并发症发生率更低,术后恢复更快。本文对RPLND在睾丸癌中的适应证、手术方式及手术范围等方面展开探讨。     

Complications of post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for testis cancer

PURPOSE: Post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC RPLND) is a tool in the management of testis cancer. Our impression has been that the short-term morbidity of standard PC RPLND has diminished with time. Therefore, we attempted to verify this hypothesis by evaluating the morbidity of the procedure in 2 comparable groups of patients from 2 different periods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared 150 patients who underwent post-chemotherapy RPLND between July 2000 and July 2002 to 79 patients who underwent the same procedure between 1990 to 1992. All patients had clinical stage II-III testis cancer and had received 3 to 4 courses of standard platinum based chemotherapy before surgery. We compared surgical morbidity and postoperative complications in both groups. We also assessed a number of factors (patient characteristics, mass size, pathological features and surgical aspects) that could impact the rate of complications. RESULTS: The 2 groups were comparable regarding preoperative clinical stage, patient characteristics and postoperative pathological findings. PC RPLND procedures were performed using the same technique. Compared to patients in the 1990 to 1992 group, the patients from the 2000 to 2002 group had fewer intraoperative complications and additional procedures (44 [29.3%] of 150 versus 41 [51.9%] of 79, p = 0.0008), a trend toward a lower postoperative complication rate (10 [6.7%] compared to 11 [13.9%], p = 0.07) and shorter hospital stay (average 5.6 versus 8.4 days [p <0.0001]). CONCLUSIONS: With time morbidity and hospital stay after standard PC RPLND have decreased. This finding probably reflects differences in patterns of care rather than changes in surgical technique. Therefore, comparing newer surgical techniques to historical controls is inappropriate since differences may not actually represent the technical advances of the newer procedure.     

Adjunctive nephrectomy at post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for nonseminomatous germ cell testicular cancer

PURPOSE: Patients with metastatic testicular cancer with residual masses encasing the renal hilum or kidney after platin based chemotherapy may require adjunctive nephrectomy to achieve complete resection at post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. We reviewed our experience with adjunctive nephrectomy to assess the impact on cancer control and renal function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 647 post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection procedures performed at our institution since 1989 adjunctive nephrectomy has been performed in 32 patients (5%). Patient information was obtained from a prospective database. Median followup was 31 months. RESULTS: Of the adjunctive nephrectomy procedures 17 (53%) were performed in high risk settings such as post-salvage chemotherapy, desperation retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, late relapse and reoperative retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Disease was present in the adjunctive nephrectomy specimen in 21 patients (66%). Following post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection 7 patients had disease relapse and 5-year disease-free survival was 66%. No case of relapse required substitution for cisplatin due to compromised renal function. Progression to chronic renal insufficiency occurred in 3 patients, 1 of whom required hemodialysis. The calculated creatinine clearance after adjunctive nephrectomy was more than 30% below the age specific norm in 14 patients (50%) and median patient age was 40 years. CONCLUSIONS: Adjunctive nephrectomy at post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection is most frequently performed in patients with high risk features to ensure the completeness of resection. When indicated, adjunctive nephrectomy should be performed because residual cancer is frequently present and long-term cancer control can be achieved in 66% of patients. Although adjunctive nephrectomy did not interfere with subsequent chemotherapy, the renal reserve in these patients was substantially reduced in 50%, emphasizing the importance of preventative measures to preserve long-term renal function.     

Nerve-sparing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for advanced testicular cancer after chemotherapy

BACKGROUND: Nerve-sparing techniques are commonly used in retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) in patients with early stage testicular germ cell tumors to preserve postoperative ejaculation. The indications for nerve-sparing procedures have been extended to patients who have residual retroperitoneal tumor postchemotherapy with an increase in the incidence of local recurrence. Here, we report on 26 Japanese men with advanced testicular cancer who underwent nerve-sparing RPLND after partially successful chemotherapy. METHODS: Between January 1995 and December 2000, 26 patients with metastatic or recurrent testicular cancer underwent nerve-sparing RPLND after chemotherapy. Eight patients had seminoma and 18 had non-seminoma. Three patients received high-dose chemotherapy with carboplatin (250 mg/m2 per day x 5 days), etoposide (300 mg/m2 per day x 5 days) and ifosfamide (1.5 g/m2 per day x 5 days) in combination with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. RESULTS: In all cases, lumbar splanchnic nerves were preserved macroscopically during the operation, at least unilaterally. Twenty-two patients (84.6%) achieved antegrade ejaculation during a mean follow-up at 3.9 months (range: 1-7 months). Three patients have fathered children. Only one patient suffered a retroperitoneal recurrence during a median follow-up at 25.8 months (range: 6-76 months). CONCLUSION: Nerve-sparing procedures for RPLND are appropriate for patients with metastatic testicular cancer, even after chemotherapy. The procedure preserves ejaculatory function in the majority of the patients without increasing the risk of local recurrence. Nerve-sparing RPLND improves the quality of life in patients who require postchemotherapy RPLND to treat residual tumor.     

Morbidity of open retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for testicular cancer: contemporary perioperative data

Study Type – Therapy (prospective cohort)
Level of Evidence 2b

OBJECTIVE

To review differences between primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (P‐RPLND) and RPLND after chemotherapy (PC‐RPLND) in a contemporary series of patients with testicular cancer, to validate the proposed low morbidity.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients who had undergone RPLND at our institution in 2001–2008 were identified and their clinical charts reviewed; in all, 190 were identified and perioperative data obtained.

RESULTS

Of the 190 patients who had RPLND, 98 (52%) and 92 (48%) had P‐ and PC‐RPLND, respectively. Histology of the orchidectomy specimen consisted of embryonal carcinoma in 146 (76%) patients, also including lymphovascular invasion in 83 (44%). The mean (range) operative duration was 206 (110–475) min and the mean blood loss was 294 (50–7000) mL. The median hospital stay was 4 days. Mean blood loss, operative duration and hospital stay were significantly less for the P‐RPLND than for PC‐RPLND groups (P < 0.05). There were 18 (9%) perioperative complications in all. There were no deaths in either group.

CONCLUSIONS

The short‐term morbidity of open RPLND is acceptable, and open RPLND is safe and effective at select tertiary centres. When compared with historical data, the present contemporary series shows that the operative duration, blood loss and hospital stay have improved, with few complications. These contemporary data should be considered when comparing laparoscopic with open RPLND.     

睾丸癌腹膜后淋巴结清扫的现状及展望(附光盘)

随着临床分期的不断细化以及多学科诊疗的不断进展,睾丸肿瘤的治愈率可以超过95%。腹膜后淋巴结清扫术(RPLND)是睾丸非精元细胞瘤多模式治疗重要的一部分,对总体治愈率做出了重要贡献。双侧保留神经的RPLND对于肿瘤学控制及功能恢复是适当的选择,腹腔镜和机器人辅助的RPLND都是安全有效的选择。     

Incidence of disease outside modified retroperitoneal lymph node dissection templates in clinical stage I or IIA nonseminomatous germ cell testicular cancer

PURPOSE: We evaluated the incidence, sites and histology of disease outside 5 modified retroperitoneal lymph node dissection templates for patients with low stage nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our cohort consisted of 500 consecutive patients with clinical stage I to IIA nonseminomatous germ cell tumors who underwent primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection from 1989 to 2004. We analyzed 191 patients with pathological stage II disease and defined the incidence of disease outside 5 modified retroperitoneal lymph node dissection templates, 3 described for open surgery (Testicular Tumor Study Group, Indiana University and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center) and 2 for laparoscopic surgery (University of Innsbruck and The Johns Hopkins University). RESULTS: Of 191 patients with pathological stage II disease, 111 (58%) had clinical stage I disease and 80 (42%) had clinical stage IIA disease. Depending on the template applied, extra-template disease ranged from 3% to 23% of all patients and was 1% to 11% of patients with pN1 disease. Regardless of template, histological distribution of extra-template disease was not significantly different from in-template disease with approximately 90% viable germ cell tumor, 10% teratoma only and 20% with any teratoma. For right side templates inclusion of para-aortic, preaortic and right common iliac regions decreased the incidence of extra-template disease to 2%. For left side templates inclusion of interaortocaval, precaval, paracaval and left common iliac regions decreased the incidence of extra-template disease to 3%. CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of men with clinical stage I to IIA nonseminomatous germ cell tumors and retroperitoneal metastases have disease present outside the limits of modified templates, including 20% to 30% with chemoresistant teratomatous elements. The data suggest that more extensive nerve sparing templates optimize oncological efficacy and ejaculation preservation, and minimize overall treatment morbidity.     

Outcomes and expanding indications for robotic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for testicular cancer

Treatment of testicular cancer has made significant progress in the past decades in terms of reduction of treatment-associated morbidity and preventing over-treatment. At the forefront of this progression is utilization of the da Vinci robot to perform retroperitoneal lymph node dissections (RPLNDs) via a minimally invasive approach. The robot offers multiple potential advantages such as smaller incisions, improved 3D visualization, more precise dissection, and faster convalescence, leading to its increased usage the past several years. In this chapter, we summarize the recent progress made in robotic surgery for testicular cancer and its potential in the future. Promising preliminary data has also renewed interest in defining the role of primary RPLND in patients with seminoma, potentially sparing patients of the harmful long-term radiation and cisplatin-based chemotherapy. SEMS and PRIMETEST trials are ongoing trials that will provide significant insight into this area and potentially expand the role of robotic RPLND.     

Intermediate-term oncological efficacy of laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for non-seminomatous germ cell testicular cancer

Study Type – Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4 What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add? Other have reported that laparoscopic RPLND is feasible and safe when performed by skilled laparoscopic surgeons. We show that patients undergoing laparoscopic RPLND do not recur at the site of the lymph node dissection, even when chemotherapy is not given for nodal disease. This shows that laparoscopic RPLND is therapeutically effective in removing tumors that may have spread from the testicle to the retroperitoneum.

OBJECTIVE

? To assess the therapeutic efficacy of laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (L‐RPLND) for testicular cancer in patients with nodal disease managed without adjuvant chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

? Consecutive patients undergoing RPLND were treated laparoscopically. ? Medical records for 15 patients with pathological stage I and II were reviewed. ? A modified template dissection was performed laparoscopically. When metastatic disease was noted on intraoperative frozen section, a bilateral template dissection was performed.

RESULTS

? All patients had predominantly embryonal carcinoma and/or lymphovascular invasion in their orchidectomy specimen. All patients had normal tumour markers after orchidectomy. ? Laparoscopic RPLND was performed without intraoperative complications. The mean operative time was 299 min and mean length of hospital stay was 1.5 days. ? After L‐RPLND, two patients were pN1 and five patients were pN2. ? Of the patients with nodal disease, five (two pN1 and three pN2) were followed without chemotherapy for a mean of 30 months with no evidence of recurrence. Isolated pulmonary recurrence occurred in two patients with pathologic stage I disease, and another stage I patient had recurrence in the lung and retroperitoneum outside the dissection template.

CONCLUSIONS

? Laparoscopic RPLND appears to be safe while providing the benefits of minimally invasive surgery. ? Although the therapeutic benefit of L‐RPLND needs to be confirmed in additional patients and with longer follow‐up, our results suggest that L‐RPLND provides both diagnostic and therapeutic benefits.     

Evaluation of regional lymph node dissection in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial cancer

OBJECTIVE: The role of the lymph node dissection (LND) in conjunction with nephroureterectomy (NU) in upper tract urothelial cell carcinoma (UT-UCC) remains undefined. We evaluated the manner in which the LND was applied at NU, the patterns of lymph node (LN) involvement and the preoperative variables that could identify patients at high risk for lymph node metastasis (LNM). METHODS: We examined clinical, radiological and pathological records of patients who underwent NU for UT-UCC between 1985 and 2004. The central pathology laboratory reviewed all specimens and graded tumors using the 2002 World Health Organization/International Society of Urologic Pathologists grading system. RESULTS: Of the NU performed in 252 patients for UT-UCC, 105 (42%) were N0, 28 (11%) N+ and 119 (47%) Nx. Some form of LN resection was performed with NU in 53% of patients, with a median of four LN sampled (interquartile range, 2-10). After adjustment for tumor and patient characteristics, surgeon remained a significant predictor of LN resection (P < 0.0005). Of the evaluated variables, suspicious LN on preoperative computed tomography, present in 60% of N+ patients, was the only preoperative variable associated with the pathological finding of LNM (P < 0.0005). CONCLUSIONS: LND in patients with UT-UCC is surgeon-dependent. Given the prognostic importance of LN status and the limited accuracy of preoperative staging of the regional LN, surgeons should perform a regional LND at the time of NU.     

Ipsilateral seminal emission generated by electrostimulation of the lumbar sympathetic nerve during nerve sparing laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for testicular cancer

PURPOSE: To confirm nerve preservation during laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection we perform electrostimulation of the lumbar sympathetic nerves relevant to ejaculation. In recent cases we monitored seminal emission using endoscopy of the posterior urethra to observe the response to stimulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six patients with testicular tumors underwent intraoperative stimulation of the lumbar sympathetic nerves during laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection with a unilateral modified template. A long handled pair of bipolar electrodes was inserted through a laparoscopic port, and ipsilateral and contralateral lumbar sympathetic nerves were individually electrostimulated. Ipsilateral stimulation was performed at the preserved lumbar splanchnic nerves and contralateral stimulation was performed at the union of nerve fibers derived from the lumbar splanchnic nerve just above the superior hypogastric plexus. The side of generated seminal emission was monitored simultaneously by endoscopy of the posterior urethra. RESULTS: In all patients each electrostimulation generated unilateral seminal emission. Each stimulation of a lumbar splanchnic nerve, whether ipsilateral or contralateral, caused seminal emission only from the ejaculatory orifice of the stimulated side. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative electrostimulation of the lumbar sympathetic nerves generated only ipsilateral seminal emission. This suggests that some efferent sympathetic signals for emission might run ipsilaterally in humans.     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检

目的 评价前哨淋巴结活检预测腋窝淋巴结有无肿瘤转移的准确性及其临床意义。方法 用^99m锝－硫胶体作为示踪剂,用γ探测仪导向,对70例临床分期为T1－2N0M0的乳腺癌患者进行前哨淋巴结活检,所有的患者均同时行腋窝淋巴结清扫,HE染色阴性的前哨淋巴结再切片,用CK8、CK19、KP－1行免疫组织化学染色。结果 70例患者中成功发现前哨淋巴结的有67例,发现率为95.7%（67／70）。前哨淋巴结的数量为1－5枚,平均每例1.6枚。非前哨淋巴结5－20枚,平均例12.3枚。67例前哨淋巴结活检成功的患者中,29例患者（43.3%）有腋窝淋巴结转移,其中前哨淋巴结有转移者24例（35.8%）,前哨淋巴结未发现转移而非前哨淋巴结有转移者5例（7.5%）。7例患者（10.4%）只有有淋巴结为阳性淋巴结,前哨淋巴结活检的准确性为100％。43例患者的65枚HE染色阴性一的前哨淋巴结,CK8及CK19免疫组织化学染色均为阴性。结论 前哨淋巴结检能较准确地预测腋窝淋巴结转移情况,对原发灶为T1的乳腺癌,前哨淋巴结活检的准确性为100％。同一层面切片行免疫组织化学染色并不能提高淋巴结微转移癌的发现率。     

Retrospective review of the outcome of post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection in the management of metastatic testicular cancer: Local experience

Objective: Post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) for metastatic testicular cancer is an uncommon surgical procedure in Hong Kong. Therefore, in the present article, we review the perioperative and long-term morbidity, as well as the survival outcome for RPLND carried out in a urological centre. Method: This is a retrospective study of patients suffering from metastatic testicular cancer with post-chemotherapy residual mass subjected to RPLND between 1998 and 2008. Patient and tumour parameters including initial presentation, chemotherapy regimens received prior to RPLND, perioperative outcomes, pathology and long-term results were retrieved from hospital notes and reviewed. Results: Seven patients who underwent post-chemotherapy RPLND were included in the present review. The mean follow-up time was 63.7 months (range 6–136 months), and no recurrence or mortality was reported in this series. Early perioperative morbidity included pulmonary oedema (one), chylous ascites (one) and wound dehiscence (one). Other than ejaculatory dysfunction in all of the patients, there was no major-long term complication reported in our series. Conclusion: This local series confirmed the survival benefit and association of minimal long-term morbidity with post-chemotherapy RPLND.     

进展期胃癌第14v组淋巴结转移的危险因素分析

目的探讨影响进展期胃癌第14v组淋巴结转移的危险因素。方法回顾性分析2007年1月至2011年12月天津医科大学肿瘤医院收治的170例进展期胃癌患者的临床资料。所有患者行胃癌D2＋第14v组淋巴结清扫手术治疗,并经病理检查确诊为腺癌。记录患者的一般资料,收集手术切除标本详细记录各组淋巴结检出数目及阳性数目。影响第14v组淋巴结转移的临床病理因素的单因素分析及多因素分析采用二元Logistic回归模型,第14v组淋巴结转移与区域淋巴结转移相关性分析采用二元Logistic回归分析。结果170例患者共获取第14v组淋巴结459枚,平均每例患者2．7枚（1—17枚）;共检出阳性淋巴结55枚,平均每例患者1．7枚（1～3枚）。单因素分析结果显示：第14v组淋巴结转移与肿瘤根治程度、肿瘤直径、肿瘤淋巴结转移（N分期）、肿瘤远处转移（M分期）相关。进一步分析发现：肿瘤％切除、肿瘤直径≤4cm、NO期、M0期的进展期胃癌患者比较,肿瘤R,或R：切除、肿瘤直径〉4cm、N2期、N3期、M1期的患者更易发生第14v组淋巴结转移（OR=3．899,2．646,19．231,33．929,5．000,95％可信区间：1．111—13．677,1．075～6．516,2．333—158．548,4．310—267．112,1．617—15．464,P〈0．05）。多因素分析结果显示：N分期是影响进展期胃癌患者第14v组淋巴结转移的独立危险因素,与N0期患者比较,N2、N3期患者更容易发生第14v组淋巴结转移（OR=15．248,26．287,95％可信区间：1．811—128．386,3．244—213．034,P〈0．05）。区域淋巴结转移与第14v组淋巴结转移的相关分析结果表明：第4sb、4d、5、6、7、8a、9、11p、12a、16组淋巴结转移与第14v组淋巴结转移相关（OR=3．923,3．335,2．693,5．641,3．100,4．203,3．655,3．660,3．838,17．400,95％可信区间：1．264～12．177,1．425～7．807,I．149—6．312,2．126～14．965,1．311～7．330,1．735～10．185,1．395～9．582,1．331～10．666,1．086—13．571,2．707—111．837,P〈0．05）。结论N分期是第14v组淋巴结转移的独立危险因素,上游淋巴结中第6组淋巴结状态是预测第14v组淋巴结转移的最佳淋巴结指标。