[A Case of Breast Cancer That Developed Pulmonary Tumor Thrombotic Microangiopathy during Adjuvant Chemotherapy].

A 68-year-old woman underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy for left breast cancer(triple negative type), cT2N3cM0, cStage ⅢC, and Bt+Ax(Ⅲ). The pathological diagnosis was ypT1aN2aM0, ypStage ⅢA, ER-, PgR-, HER2 score 1+, Ki- 67 25%. Adjuvant radiotherapy(50 Gy/25 Fr)was then administered, followed by capecitabine as adjuvant chemotherapy. Dyspnea occurred during administration of capecitabine, and computed tomography(CT)and blood test results suggested drug-induced interstitial pneumonia and disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIC). The patient was admitted, and steroid pulse therapy, anticoagulant therapy, and antibiotics were administered; however, the treatment was ineffective, and she died 3 days after admission. An autopsy provided a final diagnosis of pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy(PTTM). There is no established treatment for PTTM, and the prognosis is poor even with anticoagulant therapy and chemotherapy. The definitive diagnosis of PTTM is based on pathological findings; however, during respiratory failure, invasive tests such as lung biopsy are not recommended. Therefore, if a significantly worsening respiratory disorder develops, as in this case, chemotherapy should be considered for suspected PTTM.

[A Case of Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery for Stenotic Sigmoid Colon Cancer with Simultaneous Lateral Lymph Node Metastasis].

The patient is a 63-year-old man. He visited his previous physician for abdominal pain. After close examinations, he was diagnosed with stenotic sigmoid colon cancer with left lateral lymph node metastasis. On the same day, colonic stenting was performed to relieve the symptoms of stenosis. After 1 month of stenting, a robot-assisted laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy and left lateral lymph node dissection were performed. Postoperative pathological examination revealed regional lymph node metastasis and left lateral lymph node metastasis(#283); the patient was diagnosed with pT4aN1bM1a(LYM), fStage Ⅳa. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 10, and is stable 5 months after surgery without recurrence. This case suggests that robot-assisted laparoscopic lateral lymph node dissection can be effective even in atypical cases of sigmoid colon cancer with lateral lymph node metastasis.

Robotic surgery contributes to the preservation of bowel and urinary function after total mesorectal excision: comparisons with transanal and conventional laparoscopic surgery.

BACKGROUND: Determine whether robotic surgery is more effective than transanal and conventional laparoscopic surgery in preserving bowel and urinary function after total mesorectal excision (TME). METHODS: Of 79 lower rectal cancer patients who underwent function-preserving TME between 2016 and 2020, 64 patients consented to a prospective questionnaire-based functional observation study (52 responded). At 6 months post-resection or ileostomy closure, Wexner, low anterior resection syndrome (LARS), modified fecal incontinence quality of life, and international prostate symptom scores were used to evaluate bowel and urinary function, comparing robotic surgery (RTME) with transanal (taTME) or conventional laparoscopic surgery (LTME). RESULTS: RTME was performed in 35 patients (54.7%), taTME in 15 (23.4%), and LTME in 14 (21.9%). While preoperative bowel/urinary functions were similar in all three procedures, and the distance from the anal verge to tumor was almost the same, more hand-sewn anastomoses were performed and the anastomotic height from the anal verge was shorter in taTME than RTME. At 2 years post-resection, 8 patients (12.5%) had a permanent stoma; RTME showed a significantly lower rate of permanent stoma than taTME (2.9% vs. 40%, p < 0.01). Despite no significant difference, all bowel function assessments were better in RTME than in taTME or LTME. Major LARS was observed in all taTME and LTME cases, but only 78.8% of RTME. No clear difference arose between RTME and taTME in urinary function; urinary dysfunction was more severe in LTME than RTME (36.4% vs. 6.1%, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In function-preserving TME for lower rectal cancer, robotic surgery was suggested to be more effective than transanal and conventional laparoscopic surgery in terms of bowel and urinary functions.