Modified laparoscopic transthoracic hepatectomy for upper liver segments: Technique, indications, and early outcomes.

Transthoracic access emerges as an innovative approach to reach lesions in the upper hepatic segments, especially in patients with prior surgeries. This study evaluates transthoracic access for these resections through a retrospective single-center analysis of demographic data, surgical techniques, and postoperative outcomes of 353 liver surgeries, revealing promising results with minimal complications. Transthoracic access and pneumoperitoneum establishment via the transthoracic route, combined with intercostal trocar insertion, offer a viable alternative for minimally invasive liver surgeries.

Surgery or active surveillance for pNETs < 2 cm: Preliminary results from a single center Brazilian cohort.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Incidence of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETS) seems to be rising over the years, with many cases incidentally diagnosed. Surgery and active surveillance are current treatment modalities for small pNETS. We review our institutional series and compare outcomes for small asymptomatic and nonfunctioning tumors. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included patients with 2 cm or less and well differentiated pNETS at a single Brazilian Cancer Center. From 2002 to 2020, patients received active surveillance or surgery as a treatment strategy. Short and long-term results were compared. RESULTS: Sixty-four patients were included, 41 in surgical strategy and 23 in the active surveillance approach. Baseline group characteristics were comparable. More patients on active surveillance underwent abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and had tumors located in the pancreatic head (41% vs. 17%, p = 0.038). Minimally invasive procedure was chosen in 80.1% of the surgical patients. No patient died after surgery. Median follow-up period was 38.6 and 46.4 months for active surveillance and surgery cohorts, respectively. No difference in disease progression rate was observed. CONCLUSION: Both approaches seem to be safe for small pNETs. Long-term outcome and quality of life should be considered when discussing such options with patients.

Predictors of long-term survival in patients with hepatic resection of colorectal metastases: Analysis of a Brazilian Cancer Center Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic metastases are a major cause of death in patients with colorectal cancer. A comprehensive assessment of the prognostic factors associated with long-term survival could improve patient selection for surgical approaches and decrease morbidity and futile locoregional treatments. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases at a single center from 2000 to 2012. RESULTS: To identify factors associated with 5- and 10-year overall (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), we analyzed 280 patients and 150 patients in the 5- and 10-year cohorts, respectively. Only seven relapses occurred after 5 years of follow-up, and no relapses occurred after 10 years. Multivariable analysis indicated that bilobar disease and extra-hepatic disease before hepatectomy were independent 5- and 10-year predictors of OS, and major postoperative complications predicted OS in the 5-year survival cohort only. Our analysis indicated that prognostic factors associated with DFS included some confounders and was therefore inconclusive. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results suggest that the predictors of 5- and 10-year OS rates of colorectal cancer patients with hepatic metastases are similar, differing only by postoperative complications that influenced exclusively 5-year survival. Since no relapse occurred 10 years after hepatic resection, oncological remission is likely.

Is primary sidedness a prognostic factor in patients with resected colon cancer liver metastases (CLM)?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have suggested that sidedness of origin from colorectal adenocarcinomas is a predictor of survival, however the impact of this factor in patients with resected colon cancer liver metastases (CLM) is not clear. So, in this study, we compared clinic and pathologic characteristics and long-term survival of patients with resected CLM according to the primary tumor location. METHODS: This is a retrospective analyzes of a prospective database. Patients with resected CLM from 1998 to 2012 were included. Right colon included tumors from cecum to middle transverse colon, and left colon included tumors from splenic flexure to sigmoid. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-one patients were included, 27 right colon and 124 left colon. In the latter group, there were more patients with synchronous disease (67.7 × 6.2%, P = 0.026) and a higher CEA (22.0 × 11.7 ng/mL, P = 0.001). However, K-Ras mutation was more frequent in right sided tumors (75.0 × 24.1%, P = 0.001). There was no difference in long term survival in both groups in this series even when adjusted for the confounding variables. CONCLUSION: Sidedness do not seem to be a predictor of long term survival in patients with resected colon cancer liver metastases.

Neoadjuvant intraperitoneal chemotherapy followed by radical surgery and HIPEC in patients with very advanced gastric cancer and peritoneal metastases: report of an initial experience in a western single center.

BACKGROUND: The association of preoperative systemic and intraperitoneal chemotherapy has been described in Eastern patients with very good outcomes in treatment responders. The aim of this paper is to describe the initial results of this multidisciplinary regimen in gastric cancer patients with very advanced peritoneal metastases. CASE PRESENTATION: We present here the first four cases who received the treatment protocol. They had a baseline PCI between 19 and 33. Two patients had received systemic chemotherapy prior to this regimen. Three of them had significant response and were taken to cytoreductive surgery, while one patient who had 12 cycles of chemotherapy previously showed signs of disease progression and subsequently died. There was no significant postoperative morbidity, and three patients remain alive, two of them with no signs of recurrence. CONCLUSION: Systemic and intraperitoneal chemotherapy led to a marked response in peritoneal disease extent in our initial experience and allowed three of four patients with very advanced disease to be treated with cytoreductive surgery.