Prognostic Value of Sterilized Lymph Nodes After Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy for Patients with ypN0 Rectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Patients with ypN0 rectal cancer who have received preoperative chemoradiotherapy can be divided into those who initially were node negative and those whose positive nodes have been sterilized by preoperative therapy. The long-term prognosis for ypN0 patients with sterilized lymph nodes (LNS) is unknown. This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of LNS after preoperative chemoradiotherapy for patients with ypN0 rectal cancer. METHODS: From January 2007 to March 2014, 206 patients with ypN0 tumors of the mid or lower rectum treated by chemoradiotherapy and radical surgery were enrolled in the study. Of these 206 patients, 49 had ypN0 tumors with LNS (LNS+ group), and 157 had ypN0 tumors without LNS (LNS- group). The patients in both groups were comparable in terms of tumor characteristics, type of chemoradiotherapy, type of surgery, R0 resection rate, and postoperative complication rate. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 40.5 ± 27 months. The 1- and 3-year OS rates in the LNS+ group were respectively 100 and 95.5% versus 99.4 and 91.6% in the LNS- group (P = 0.549). The 1- and 3-year DFS rates in the LNS+ group were respectively 100 and 94.2% versus 94.7 and 87.1% in the LNS- group (P = 0.117). The multivariate analysis showed that the presence of LNS did not affect OS (P = 0.918) or DFS (P = 0.209). CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis is excellent for patients with ypN0 rectal cancer who have LNS after preoperative chemoradiotherapy. The presence of LNS in ypN0 rectal cancer patients after chemoradiotherapy should not be considered a factor for a poor prognosis.

Combined stoma reversal and liver resection: a matched case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Stoma reversal can be performed during liver resection (LR) in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRCLM) whose primary colorectal tumor has been previously resected with a diverting loop ileostomy. This combined procedure is reputed to be associated with an increased morbidity. This study investigates the impact of simultaneous loop ileostomy closure (LIC) on the postoperative outcome of LR for CRCLM. METHODS: From November 1996 to April 2012, 408 patients who underwent LR for CRCLM were retrospectively studied from a prospective database. Patients who underwent simultaneous LR and LIC were matched for the type of the main liver procedure, the use of preoperative chemotherapy and the need for greater than or equal to 6 cycles of preoperative chemotherapy with LR only patients. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded and compared. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients (6%) with simultaneous LR and LIC were matched with 72 patients with LR only. Both groups were comparable for patients' demographics and intraoperative findings. Liver related (P = .957) and overall postoperative morbidity (P = .643) rates did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: The combined procedure appeared to be safe when strict surgical technique is used.

Management of Acute Appendicitis in Ambulatory Surgery: Is It Possible? How to Select Patients?

OBJECTIVE: Establish a protocol of management of acute appendicitis (AA) in ambulatory surgery (AmbSurg) on the basis of preoperative criteria. BACKGROUND: Ambulatory laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) for AA has not been yet reported. METHODS: All patients who underwent LA between 2010 and 2012 were reviewed. A multivariate analysis was performed to create a predictive score of discharge within the first 24 hours. The score was prospectively used on every AA from January 1, 2013, to December 15, 2013. All patients with 5 or 4 points were proposed for AmbSurg. RESULTS: A total of 468 patients were included retrospectively, 181(38.7%) were discharged within the first 24 hours. In multivariate analysis, predictive factors of early discharge were body mass index less than 28 kg/m, white cell count less than 15,000/mL, C-reactive protein less than 30 mg/L, no radiological signs of perforation, and appendix diameter of 10 mm or smaller. Rate of discharge at day 1 was 72%, 45%, 39%, 21%, 0%, and 0% according to the score 5 to 0 (P < 0.0001). Prospectively, 184 patients had AA and 103 (56%) had a score of 4 or 5. Thirty-eight underwent ambulatory LA [16 (42%) patients were postponed to the next day and went back home]. All patients were directly discharged from recovery room, except 1 (2.6%) patient, after a mean hospital stay of 8.4 hours ± 6.9 hours. A total of 146 patients underwent LA in conventional surgery and 58% were discharged at day 1. Rate of early discharge was significantly associated with the score ranging from 0% to 92% for a score 0 or 5, validating prospectively the score (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: We establish a simple validated predictive score of early discharge. When applied to AmbSurg, it allowed us to select patients eligible with a success rate of 97%.

Does anastomotic leakage impair functional results and quality of life after laparoscopic sphincter-saving total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer? A case-matched study.

PURPOSE: Anastomotic leakage (AL) after total mesorectal excision (TME) for rectal cancer is suspected to alter function. However, very few reports have been devoted to this problem. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of AL on function and quality of life (QoL) after laparoscopic TME for cancer. METHODS: A total of 170 patients who underwent laparoscopic TME and sphincter-saving surgery for mid and low rectal cancer were included (67 % after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy). Twenty-one patients with AL were assessed for function and QoL (Short Form 36 (SF-36), Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life (FIQL), CR-29, and Wexner's score) at the most recent follow-up. These patients were matched to 42 patients without AL according to sex, body mass index, ypTNM, radiotherapy, and type of anastomosis. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 30 months, AL significantly impaired physical activity (SF-36) (p = 0.004), self-respect (FIQL) (p = 0.029), wear pad's score (Wexner's score) (p = 0.043), and blood and mucus in stool score (CR-29) (p = 0.001). Overall Wexner's score did not show any significant difference in the two groups, 8.9 in AL patients vs. 11.6 in patients without AL (p = 0.1). CONCLUSION: AL significantly impairs both functional results and quality of life after laparoscopic sphincter-saving TME for rectal cancer. However, the observed difference was only limited, leading to similar outcomes on most of the tested scores. Patients with AL should be warned that if they initially experience severely impaired results, outcomes tend with time to become similar to those observed in noncomplicated patients.

High risk of biliary fistula after isolated segment VIII liver resection.

BACKGROUND: For tumors deeply located in segment VIII (S8), right hepatectomy (RH) often is thought to solve the issue of technical accessibility. Yet, the common existence of an associated underlying diseased liver raises the question of parenchymal-sparing resection. METHODS: From 2002 to 2011, 34 patients underwent isolated S8 resection, and their operative and postoperative characteristics were compared to 34 matched patients who underwent RH for lesions located in S8. RESULTS: Indications and preoperative characteristics were comparable between the two groups except for larger tumors in RH patients compared with S8 patients (48 vs. 40 mm; p = 0.001). Achieving S8 resection required significantly longer clamping time (45 vs. 37 min, p = 0.011), more additional biliostasis because of obvious biliary leak (65 vs. 18 %, p < 0.001), and subsequently increased application of sealant material (56 vs. 9 %, p < 0.001) compared with RH. The overall complication rate was similar between the two groups (59 vs. 62 %, p = 0.804), although a trend toward a higher rate of biliary fistula was observed in S8 patients (20 vs. 6 %, p = 0.07). Routine CT scan performed on postoperative day 7 found significantly more subphrenic collections in S8 patients compared with RH patients (53 vs. 9 %, p = 0.003). On pathological examination, surgical margin width was comparable between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical S8 resection remains a technically demanding procedure with an elevated risk of postoperative biliary fistula but allows achieving adequate carcinologic resection. Increasing consideration for parenchymal sparing resection should lead to favor this approach as a treatment of choice for small and medium-sized tumors located in this segment.

Identification of molecular pathways involved in oxaliplatin-associated sinusoidal dilatation.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) can result in vascular liver lesions such as sinusoidal dilatations. Physiopathology remains unclear and variability between patients suggests that there is individual susceptibility. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of oxaliplatin liver toxicity may allow the identification of biomarkers and adaptation of chemotherapy delivery. METHODS: Between 1998 and 2009, 83 non-tumor frozen liver samples were obtained from patients operated on for CRLM after an exclusive oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. Gene-expression profiles were first analyzed by microarray on a selected population of 19 patients: 9 patients with severe sinusoidal dilatation after a short period of chemotherapy and 10 patients without any sinusoidal dilatation after a long period of chemotherapy. These were compared with a control group of 5 patients without any chemotherapy and lesions. Twenty-two differentially-expressed (at least 1.5-fold difference in expression) genes were selected. These were validated using microfluidic quantitative RT-PCR in an independent set of 58 patients (28 with sinusoidal dilatation and 30 without sinusoidal dilatation). RESULTS: Among the 22 selected genes, 12 were validated as being up-regulated in samples from patients with sinusoidal dilatation compared to patients without sinusoidal dilatation. Genes involved in angiogenesis (VEGFD, THY-1, GPNMB) and cellular adhesion (VWF, CDH13, THBS2), and extracellular matrix components (COL1A1, COL4A1, SLCO1A2) were over-represented in patients with sinusoidal dilatation. CONCLUSIONS: This molecular signature confirms the involvement of angiogenesis and coagulation in sinusoidal injuries induced by oxaliplatin and reinforces a potential protective role of bevacizumab and aspirin, as suggested in retrospective clinical studies.