Melanoma Deaths by Thickness: Most Melanoma Deaths Are Not Attributable to Thin Melanomas.

INTRODUCTION: Previous population-based studies have reported that the majority of melanoma mortality is related to patients with thin (≤1 mm Breslow thickness) melanomas. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relative proportion of melanoma-specific deaths across all stages of melanoma at diagnosis over the past 20 y in the United States. METHODS: A review of all cutaneous melanoma cases in the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry from 2004 to 2020 was performed. Breslow thickness was categorized as thin (≤1.0 mm), intermediate (>1-4 mm), or thick (>4 mm). All-cause deaths and melanoma-specific deaths were compared across tumor thickness and stage groups at diagnosis. Survival analysis was performed with nonmelanoma deaths considered as a competing risk to estimate the cumulative incidence of melanoma-specific death. RESULTS: Most melanoma deaths occurred in patients who initially presented with local disease (53%) compared to regional (36%) or distant (11%) disease (P < 0.001). However, most (66%) of the melanoma-specific deaths in patients who presented with localized disease were in those with intermediate or thick (i.e., Breslow thickness >1.0 mm) primary tumors compared to those with thin melanomas (34%). The cumulative incidence of melanoma-specific death at 10 y in patients with localized thin melanomas at the time of diagnosis was 2.6% (95% confidence intervals 2.5%-2.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The public health burden in terms of melanoma-specific mortality is related to patients with tumors >1 mm Breslow thickness, many of whom have regional and distant metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis, not patients with thin melanomas.

Interval Sentinel Lymph Nodes With the Use of Routine Lymphoscintigraphy in Extremity Melanoma.

INTRODUCTION: Lymphoscintigraphy (LS) helps identify drainage to interval (epitrochlear or popliteal) lymph node basins for extremity melanomas. This study evaluated how often routine LS evaluation identified an interval sentinel lymph node (SLN) and how often that node was found to have metastasis. METHODS: A single institution, retrospective study identified patients with an extremity melanoma who underwent routine LS and SLN biopsy over a 25-y period. Comparisons of factors associated with the identification of interval node drainage and tumor status were made. RESULTS: In 634 patients reviewed, 5.7% of patients drained to an interval SLN. Of those biopsied, 29.2% were positive for micrometastases. Among patients with biopsies of both the traditional and interval nodal basins, nearly 20% had positive interval nodes with negative SLNs in the traditional basin. Sex, age, thickness, ulceration, and the presence of mitotic figures were not predictive of identifying an interval node on LS, nor for having disease in an interval node. Anatomic location of the primary melanoma was the only identifiable risk factor, as no interval nodes were identified in melanomas of the thigh or upper arm (P ≤ 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Distal extremity melanomas have a moderate risk of mapping to an interval SLN. Routine LS should be considered in these patients, especially as these may be the only tumor-positive nodes. However, primary extremity melanomas proximal to the epitrochlear or popliteal nodal basins do not map to interval nodes, and improved savings and workflow could be realized by selectively omitting routine LS in such patients.

Barriers to resection following neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma: A national and local perspective.

BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) use for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has increased, but some patients never get resection following NAC. METHODS: Data from January 2012 to December 2019 for all clinically resectable patients across two health networks were utilized, as well as data from the ACS NCDB registry. Univariate testing, multivariable logistic regression, and survival analyses were employed to evaluate failure to resection after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: Of the 10 007 registry patients eligible for resection, the resected group was younger (64.6 vs. 69.5 years; p < 0.001) and had a slightly lower mean comorbidity index (0.41 vs. 0.45; p < 0.001) than the nonsurgical group. The nonsurgical group was composed of a higher percentage of Black and Hispanic patients (17.5 vs. 13.1%; p < 0.001). After adjusting for age and comorbidities, the factors associated with decreased probability of resection after NAC were evaluation at a community hospital (OR 2.4), Black or Hispanic race (OR 1.6), areas of increased high school drop-out rates (OR 1.4), and lack of private health insurance (OR 1.3). The median overall survival for nonsurgery was markedly worse than the surgical cohort (10.6 vs. 26.6 months; p < 0.001). The most frequent reasons for a lack of definitive resection were operative upstaging to unresectable (39.6%), patient preference (14.5%), progression on NAC (13.2%), deconditioning or comorbidity severity (12.5%), and nonreferral to a surgeon (8.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Racial, economic, and educational disparities have a considerable influence on the successful completion of a neoadjuvant approach for resectable PDAC. A comprehensive closed or highly collaborative/communicative multidisciplinary neoadjuvant program is optimal for treatment success and completion.

Combined pre-operative risk score predicts pancreatic leak after pancreatic resection.

BACKGROUND: Post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is a major complication following pancreatectomy and is currently difficult to predict pre-operatively. This study aims to validate pre-operative risk factors and develop a novel combined score for the prediction of POPF in the pre-operative setting. METHODS: Data were collected from 2016 to 2021 for radiologic main pancreatic duct diameter (MPD), body mass index (BMI), physical status classified by American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), polypharmacy, mean platelet ratio (MPR), comorbidity-polypharmacy score (CPS), and a novel Combined Pancreatic Leak Prediction Score (CPLPS) (derived from MPD diameter, BMI, and CPS) were obtained from pre-operative data and analyzed for their independent association with POPF occurrence. RESULTS: In total, 166 patients who underwent pancreatectomy with pancreatic leak (Grade A, B, and C) occurring in 51(30.7%) of patients. Pre-operative radiologic MPD diameter < 4 mm (p < 0.001), < 5 mm (p < 0.001), < 6 mm (p = 0.001), BMI ≥ 25 (p = 0.009), and ≥ 30 (p = 0.017) were independently associated with the occurrence of pancreatic leak. CPLPS was also predictive of pancreatic leak following pancreatectomy on univariate (p = 0.005) and multivariate analysis (p = 0.036). CONCLUSION: MPD and BMI were independent risk factors predictive for the development of pancreatic leak. CPLPS, was an independent predictor of pancreatic leak following pancreatectomy and could be used to help guide surgical decision making and patient counseling.

Preventing Futile Liver Resection: A Risk-Based Approach to Surgical Selection in Major Hepatectomy for Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Early recurrence following liver resection for metastatic colorectal cancer generally portends poor survival. We sought to identify factors associated with early disease recurrence after major hepatectomy for metastatic colorectal cancer in order to improve patient selection and prevent futile hepatectomy. METHODS: Sequential major (four or more segments) liver resections performed for metastatic colorectal cancer between 1995 and 2019 were selected from our prospectively maintained database. Univariate analyses, multivariable regression modelling, and survival analyses were used to identify predictors of futile resection (recurrence within 6 months of hepatectomy). RESULTS: Of 259 patients included, the median age was 61.3 years (interquartile range [IQR] 15.3) and the median number of liver tumors was 3.0 (IQR 2.0); 78.0% of patients received prehepatectomy chemotherapy. Surgeries were right (56.4%), left (19.3%), and extended hepatectomy (24.3%). Futile resection occurred in 26 (12.6%) patients. Margin positivity was similar in the futile resection group compared with the non-futile resection group (11.5% vs. 11.4%). Extrahepatic disease that disappeared with chemotherapy was present in 23.1% of patients with a futile resection and 7.2% of those without (p = 0.019). After multivariable regression, the factors predictive of futile resection were extrahepatic disease (odds ratio [OR] 5.6; p = 0.004), more than three liver lesions (OR 4.9; p = 0.001), and extended hepatectomy (OR 2.6; p = 0.038). Notably, 70.8% of futile recurrences occurred within the liver remnant and 20.8% were pulmonary metastases. Overall survival was 11.7 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.1-16.2) for the futile resection cohort versus 45.6 (95% CI 39.1-52.1) for non-futile hepatectomies (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Futile hepatic resection can be predicted based on preoperative factors and carries a poor prognosis. Improved risk stratification for futility will aid in patient selection and treatment discussions.

Drug-Eluting Bead, Irinotecan Therapy of Unresectable Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma (DELTIC) with Concomitant Systemic Gemcitabine and Cisplatin.

BACKGROUND: Unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) carries a poor prognosis, and currently there are moderately established chemotherapeutic [gemcitabine/cisplatin (Gem/Cis)] treatments to prolong survival. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of irinotecan drug-eluting beads (DEBIRI) therapy by transarterial infusion in combination with systemic therapy in unresectable ICC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized phase II study (Clin Trials: NCT01648023-DELTIC trial) of patients with ICC randomly assigned to Gem/Cis with DEBIRI or Gem/Cis alone. The primary endpoint was response rate. RESULTS: The intention-to-treat population comprised 48 patients: 24 treated with Gem/Cis and DEBIRI and 22 with Gem/Cis alone (2 screen failures). The two groups were similar with respect to the extent of liver involvement (35% versus 38%) and presence of extrahepatic disease (29% versus 14%, p = 0.12). Median numbers of chemotherapy cycles were similar (6 versus 6), as were rates of grade 3/4 adverse events (34% for the Gem/Cis-DEBIRI group versus 36% for the Gem/Cis group). The overall response rate was significantly greater in the Gem/Cis-DEBIRI arm versus the Gem/Cis arm at 2 (p < 0.04), 4 (p < 0.03), and 6 months (p < 0.05). There was significantly more downsizing to resection/ablation in the Gem/Cis-DEBIRI arm versus the Gem/Cis arm (25% versus 8%, p < 005), and there was improved median progression-free survival [31.9 (95% CI 8.5-75.3) months versus 10.1 (95% CI 5.3-13.5) months, p = 0.028] and improved overall survival [33.7 (95% CI 13.5-54.5) months versus 12.6 (95% CI 8.7-33.4) months, p = 0.048]. CONCLUSION: Combination Gem/Cis with DEBIRI is safe, and leads to significant improvement in downsizing to resection, improved progression-free survival, and overall survival.

Locally advanced pancreatic cancer: a reliable contraindication to resection in the modern era?

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to present radiologically designated LAPC found to be resectable upon surgical exploration and evaluate the outcomes of such resections. METHODS: Sequential LAPC patients between 2013 and 2019 were staged and underwent resection were included in the analysis of both perioperative and long-term outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients with radiologically-designated LAPC underwent surgical resection after chemotherapy with a median follow-up of 31.7 m,75% underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. The margin positivity and local recurrence rates were 21.4% and 35.7%, respectively. When compared to the 30 BRPC controls, the LAPC group had a higher rates of an arterial resection (11vs.1; p = 0.002), but the groups were similar with regard to all other preoperative and intraoperative variables (p < 0.05). Perioperative morbidity rates were similar (25.9%vs21.4%; p = 0.53). The LAPC and BRPC groups were also equivalent with respect to median recurrence-free survival (9.0mo; 95%CI 6.3, 11.7vs.8.3mo; 95%CI 5.4, 11.2) and median overall survival (19.9mo; 95%CI 17.0, 22.7 vs. 19.9mo; 95%CI 14.8, 25.1), respectively. CONCLUSION: Despite a radiologic designation of locally advanced pancreatic cancer, certain subtypes of LAPC warrant surgical exploration provided the operative surgeon is prepared for major arterial and/or venous resection. Pancreatectomy in these patients has acceptable morbidity and oncologic outcomes, similar to patients who are radiologically borderline resectable.

Outcomes of Esophageal Stent Therapy for the Management of Anastomotic Leaks.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to present the optimal patient selection for esophageal stenting after esophageal resection to investigate possible factors leading to treatment success or treatment failure in these patients. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study of patients from January 2005 to May 2019 with an esophageal anastomotic leak that were treated with a self-expandable stent (SES). RESULTS: A total of 34 patients were treated. All achieved technical success (100%); 33 (97%) achieved clinical success. No patient had to have reoperative surgery based on their leak management. The stenting in-hospital mortality was 0% with 1 patient (2%) with a 90-day mortality from possible leak-related death. Patients had their stents removed with a median of 106 days. CONCLUSIONS: Stenting for an anastomotic leak after resection offers a safe and effective method of treatment and is successful in the majority of cases. Critical to success is optimal patient selection, adequate leak drainage, and optimal stent selection and placement.

An Improved Staging System for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: A Critical Need in the Multidisciplinary Era.

BACKGROUND: Locally-advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) is traditionally considered stage III unresectable disease. Advances in induction systemic therapy regimens, surgical technique, and perioperative care have led to successful resection of an increasing number of these tumors with reasonable perioperative outcomes and disease-free intervals. Certain anatomic characteristics that meet criteria for locally-advanced disease, however, are more likely to result in a successful surgical outcome. METHODS: A practical and consistent system is needed to communicate such nuance between surgical and nonsurgical oncologists for optimal treatment planning and to improve recording for cancer registries and research studies. RESULTS: The present study proposes a novel subclassification system for stage III pancreatic cancers based on their pattern of vascular involvement and examines the current evidence for resection in each scenario. Introducing needed detail into the current catch-all stage III categorization will help to direct patient referrals and increase the body of knowledge about the variable presentations of this complex malignancy. CONCLUSION: This proposed staging revision for LAPC is designed to convey more actionable tumor descriptions for treating oncologists, clinical trial eligibility, and surgical patient selection in the era of effective induction systemic therapy.

A literature-based treatment algorithm for low-grade neuroendocrine liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: The optimal timing of treatment of liver metastases from low-grade neuroendocrine tumors (LG-NELM) varies significantly due to numerous treatment modalities and the literature supporting various treatment(s). This study sought to create and validate a literature-based treatment algorithm for LG-NELM. METHODS: A treatment algorithm to maximize overall survival (OS) was designed using peer-reviewed articles evaluating treatment of LG-NELM. This algorithm was retrospectively applied to patients treated for LG-NELM at our institution. Deviation was determined based on whether or not a patient received treatment consistent with that recommended by the algorithm. Patients who did and did not deviate from the algorithm were compared with respect to OS and number of treatments. RESULTS: Applying our algorithm to a 149-patient cohort, 57 (38%) deviated from recommended treatment. Deviation occurred in the form of alternative (28, 49%) versus additional procedures (29, 51%). Algorithm deviators underwent significantly more procedures than non-deviators (median 1 vs. 2, p < 0.001). Cox model indicated no difference in OS associated with algorithm deviation (HR 1.19, p = 0.58) when controlling for age and tumor characteristics. CONCLUSION: This literature-based algorithm helps standardize treatment protocols in patients with LG-NELM and can reduce cost and risk by minimizing unnecessary procedures. Prospective implementation and validation is required.

Management of early hepatocellular carcinoma: results of the Delphi consensus process of the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.

BACKGROUND: There are many potential treatment options for patients with early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and practice patterns vary widely. This project aimed to use a Delphi conference to generate consensus regarding the management of small resectable HCC. METHODS: A base case was established with review by members of AHPBA Research Committee. The Delphi panel of experts reviewed the literature and scored clinical case statements to identify areas of agreement and disagreement. Following initial scoring, discussion was undertaken, questions were amended, and scoring was repeated. This cycle was repeated until no further likelihood of reaching consensus existed. RESULTS: The panel achieved agreement or disagreement consensus regarding 27 statements. The overarching themes included that resection, ablation, transplantation, or any locoregional therapy as a bridge to transplant were all appropriate modalities for early or recurrent HCC. For larger lesions, consensus was reached that radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation were not appropriate treatments. CONCLUSION: Using a validated system for identifying consensus, an expert panel agreed that multiple treatment modalities are appropriate for early stage HCC. These consensus guidelines are intended to help guide physicians through treatment modalities for early HCC; however, clinical decisions should continue to be made on a patient-specific basis.

Impact of Perfusate Glucose Concentration on Perioperative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) is a common treatment for peritoneal surface malignancies but no standard carrier solution currently exists for the procedure. This study compared a standard low-dextrose perfusate to a higher-dextrose dialysate that has previously shown favorable impact on perioperative patient outcomes in trauma settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single-center retrospective study identified patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC from 2008 to 2019 with recorded dextrose concentration of administered perfusate. An institutional shift to a higher-dextrose solution was made in late 2015. Comparisons of preoperative factors, intraoperative and postoperative glucose levels, and postoperative outcomes were made using the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, or repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: There were 97 patients in the study, 73 (75%) in the low-dextrose group and 24 (25%) in the high-dextrose group. There was no significant difference in peak intraoperative blood glucose levels between the 1.5% (mean 230 mg/dL) and the 2.5% group (mean 199 mg/dL, P = 0.15). Daily postoperative glucose values were also not statistically different (repeated measures analysis of variance, P = 0.18). Median length of stay was slightly lower for the high-dextrose group (10 d, interquartile range 8-15) than that for the low-dextrose group (12 d, interquartile range 9-17), but was not statistically significant (P = 0.29). Return of bowel function and resumption of diet were similar between the groups. The high-dextrose group had a lower rate of overall complications (20.8%) than the low-dextrose group (49.3%, P = 0.0143). Ninety-day mortality was equivalent between the two groups (2.7% low-dextrose, 4.2% high-dextrose, P = 1.0). CONCLUSIONS: Use of 2.5% dextrose-containing perfusate appears safe for CRS/HIPEC operations, does not negatively impact intraoperative or postoperative glucose levels, and may be associated with a decreased risk of complications.

Optimal perfusion chemotherapy: A prospective comparison of mitomycin C and oxaliplatin for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in metastatic colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal carcinomatosis of colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC) origin is common and is the second-most frequent cause of death in colorectal cancer. There is survival benefit to surgical resection plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for patients with metastatic CRC. However, there remains controversy between oxaliplatin (Oxali) and mitomycin C (MMC), as the agent of choice. METHODS: A review of our 285 patients prospective HIPEC database from July 2007 to May 2018 identified 48 patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery plus HIPEC with MMC or Oxali. Patients were stratified based on preoperative and postoperative peritoneal cancer indices (PCI). The primary outcomes of survival and progression-free survival were compared. RESULTS: Type of HIPEC chemotherapy was not found to be predictive of overall survival. Preoperative PCI (P = .04), preoperative response to chemotherapy (P = .0001), and postoperative PCI (P = .05) were predictive for overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: MMC or Oxali based HIPEC chemotherapy are both safe and effective for the management of peritoneal only metastatic CRC. Both perfusion therapies should be considered with all patients receiving modern induction chemotherapy.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor incidence, treatment patterns, and outcome: An analysis of the National Cancer Database.

BACKGROUND: Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) comprise less than 1% of all sarcomas. The rarity of this disease has resulted in a paucity of information about disease process and management. This study sought to evaluate the incidence, treatment patterns, and outcomes among patients with PNET. METHODS: The National Cancer Database was queried for diagnoses of PNET between 2004 and 2014. Patients were dichotomized based on tumor type (central [cPNET] vs peripheral [pPNET]). Demographic, tumor, treatment, and outcome variables were analyzed for the entire patient cohort and by type of PNET. RESULTS: White (86.4%) males (56.6%) represented the majority of patients. The incidence of PNET remained stable over the study period (r2 = 0.0821). A total of 70.7% underwent surgical resection of the primary site, 50.3% received radiation, and 74.7% received systemic chemotherapy. Compared to those with pPNET, patients with cPNET more often received radiation treatment (P < .001), primary tumor resection (P < .001), and experienced increased 90-day mortality (P < .014). CONCLUSION: cPNET and pPNET are rare and aggressive malignancies that tend to arise in White males. Multimodal treatment including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation is conventional. Patients with cPNET more often receive radiation and primary tumor resection with increased 90-day mortality.

Age and Lymphovascular Invasion Accurately Predict Sentinel Lymph Node Metastasis in T2 Melanoma Patients.

BACKGROUND: The risk of sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis in melanoma is related directly to tumor thickness and inversely to age. The authors hypothesized that for T2 (thickness 1.1-2.0 mm) melanoma, age, and other factors may be able to identify a cohort of patients with a low risk of SLN metastases. METHODS: The authors developed logistic regression models to predict positive SLNs in patients undergoing SLN biopsy for T2 melanoma using the National Cancer Database. Classification and regression-tree analysis were used to identify groups of patients with high and low risk for SLN metastases. The prediction model then was applied to a separate data set from a multicenter randomized clinical trial. RESULTS: The study identified 12,918 patients with T2 melanoma undergoing SLN biopsy with clinically node-negative melanoma. In the multivariable analysis, increasing thickness, younger age, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), mitotic rate of 1/mm2 or more, axial location, and Clark level of 4 or 5 were independent risk factors for SLN metastases. A cohort based on age (> 56 years) and no LVI was identified with a relatively low risk (7.8%; 95% confidence interval 7.2-8.4%) of SLN metastases. The independent data set of 1531 patients with T2 melanoma confirmed these findings. Among elderly patients (age > 75 years) with melanoma 1.2 mm or smaller and no LVI, the risk of a positive SLN was 4.9% (95% confidence interval 3.3-7.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Younger age and LVI are powerful predictors of SLN metastases for patients with T2 melanoma. This prediction model can inform shared decision-making regarding whether to perform SLN biopsy for older patients with otherwise low-risk T2 melanoma.

Assessing relative cost of complications following orthotopic liver transplant.

INTRODUCTION: Perioperative complications impose both a clinical and financial burden on patients and the healthcare system. This study sought to identify the frequency and economic impact of complications following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). METHODS: The Premier Perspective® Hospital Database was queried for patients undergoing OLT between 2008 and 2015. Complications were identified by ICD-9 code and grouped by complication type. Complication frequency as well as impact on clinical and economic outcomes was calculated. Complication frequency and effect on cost were combined to determine the annual impact of each complication type on perioperative OLT cost. RESULTS: Among 2747 OLT patients, the most common groups of complications following OLT were pulmonary, bleeding, and infectious. The complications with the greatest average effect on treatment-related costs were infectious, neurologic, deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolus, and hepatic arterial thrombosis. Infectious, pulmonary, and bleeding complications had the greatest annual effect on perioperative OLT cost. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts focused on preventing coagulopathic bleeding, improving post-operative pulmonary toilet, and minimizing sources of infection can help improve the cost-effectiveness of OLT. Additionally, the combination of these cost data and systematized protocols can help insurers construct bundled payments for OLT that more accurately reflect the cost of perioperative transplant care.

A model for predicting low probability of nonsentinel lymph node positivity in melanoma patients with a single positive sentinel lymph node.

BACKGROUND: Identifying factors associated with nonsentinel lymph node (NSN) metastases in melanoma patients with a single positive sentinel lymph node (SLN) could aid decision making regarding adjuvant therapy. We describe a model for identifying patients with a single positive SLN at low risk for NSN metastasis. METHODS: Factors associated with NSN metastasis in patients with a primary cutaneous melanoma and a single positive SLN who underwent completion lymph node dissection (CLND) were identified. These factors were used to construct a model for predicting the NSN status. The model was validated using a separate data set from another tertiary referral cancer center. RESULTS: In the training data set, 111 patients had a single positive SLN. Of these, 27 had positive NSN. SLN tumor deposit diameter ≥0.75 mm (OR, 3.43; P = 0.047), age ≥40 (OR, 12.14; P = 0.024), and multifocal SLN tumor deposit location (OR, 4.16; P = 0.0096) were independently associated with NSN positivity. Patients with 0 to 1 of these risk factors had a low risk of NSN metastasis in both the training (7.5%) and validation (4.6%) data sets. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of patient and SLN tumor burden characteristics can help to identify patients with a single positive SLN who are at a low risk of NSN metastasis.

Safety and efficacy of irreversible electroporation in the treatment of obstructive jaundice in advanced hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) has successfully been used for palliation of pancreatic and liver cancers due to its ability to ablate tumors without destroying nearby vital structures. To date, it has not been evaluated in patients with advanced hilar cholangiocarcinoma (AHC). This study presents a single-institution experience with IRE for management of obstructive jaundice in AHC. METHODS: A single-institution database was queried for patients undergoing IRE for AHC after PTBD placement for relief of obstructive jaundice from 2010 to 2017 and compared to a control group treated with standard of care only (No IRE). RESULTS: Twenty-six patients underwent IRE for AHC after PTBD replacement. Three patients experienced complications, with two experiencing severe (≥ grade 3) complications. After IRE, median time to PTBD removal was 122 days (range 0-305 days) and median catheter-free time before requiring PTBD replacement was 305 days (range 92-458 days). In comparison, the 137 control patients had an admission rate of 59% (N = 80 patients) for PTBD infection, occlusion, or catheter related problem. CONCLUSION: IRE safely achieves biliary decompression via tumor electroporation and allows PTBD removal for an extended period of time. In appropriately selected patients with obstructive jaundice in the setting of AHC, IRE can be used to increase catheter-free days and optimize overall quality of life.