Advancing treatment for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: role of hepatopancreaticoduodenectomy in small-volume centers.

Hepatopancreaticoduodenectomy (HPD) is a controversial surgical technique for the treatment of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. This study aimed to clarify the mortality, morbidity, and survival outcomes in patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma who underwent HPD at a small-volume hepatobiliary-pancreatic center. This retrospective study included 78 patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma who underwent HPD (n = 18) or major liver resection with bile duct resection (n = 60) at our center between October 2013 and December 2022. The primary endpoints were the in-hospital morbidity and 90-day mortality rates. The secondary endpoints included the recurrence-free and overall survival rates in both groups. Major complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥3) were more common in the HPD group (Group 1, 61.1%) than in the major liver resection group (Group 2; 23.3%, p = 0.03). The 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival rates for Groups 1 and 2 were 66.7%, 41.7%, and 27.8% and 79.9%, 44.5%, and 22.7%, respectively (p = 0.89). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence-free survival rates for Groups 1 and 2 were 64.2%, 53.5%, and 35.6% and 85.3%, 46.8%, and 25.0%, respectively (p = 0.41). Although morbidity and mortality after HPD are higher than those after other surgeries, our findings suggest that HPD is a feasible treatment option for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, even in small-volume centers. However, meticulous pre- and perioperative evaluation of the patient's overall health status, quality of life, and prospective advantages are required.

Risk for metabolic syndrome in the population with visceral fat area measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate whether visceral fat area (VFA) measured by bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) was associated with metabolic syndrome in subjects with and without obesity. METHODS: A total 23,202 participants who underwent medical check-ups were assessed. Participants were stratified by body mass index (BMI) and VFA. We evaluated six different groups for metabolic syndrome: Group 1 (normal weight and low VFA), Group 2 (normal weight and high VFA), Group 3 (overweight and low VFA), Group 4 (overweight and high VFA), Group 5 (obesity and low VFA), and Group 6 (obesity and high VFA). RESULTS: Metabolic syndrome traits and metabolic syndrome were significantly more prevalent in the high-VFA (≥ 100 cm2 ) subgroup in each BMI group. Adjusted logistic regression analyses revealed that the odds ratio for metabolic syndrome compared with Group 1 was the highest in Group 6 (24.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 21.77 to 27.64). Notably, the odds ratio of Group 2 was higher than that of Group 3 (2.92; 95% CI, 2.30 to 3.69 vs. 2.57; 95% CI, 2.23 to 2.97). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that the combination of BMI assessment and VFA determination by BIA may be a useful method for predicting the risk of metabolic syndrome. The VFA by BIA may be a useful target for interventions to improve metabolic syndrome.

Entecavir to Telbivudine Switch Therapy in Entecavir-Treated Patients with Undetectable Hepatitis B Viral DNA.

PURPOSE: This study examined 2-year outcome of consecutive therapy using entecavir (ETV) followed by telbivudine (LdT) in subjects with undetectable hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level and normal alanine aminotransferase level after the initial 6 months of ETV treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty subjects were randomized to continue with ETV or switch to LdT. Significant difference in baseline characteristics was not found between the two groups. Persistent HBV DNA level of 20-60 IU/mL in three consecutive samples collected three months apart or singly measured HBV DNA level of >60 IU/mL was defined as virological rebound. RESULTS: During 96 weeks of follow-up, all subjects of the ETV-only group (n=30) resulted in undetectable HBV DNA level. On the other hand, 83.3% (n=25) of the LdT-switched group showed treatment success. Virological rebound time varied from week 24 to 84 after switching to LdT. HBV DNA level was 180 to 2940 IU/mL at rebound time. All subjects with virological rebound (n=5) showed drug-resistant mutation: three had mutation rtM204I, and two had mutation rtM204V. Consecutive treatment using ETV followed by LdT showed virological rebound in 16.7% of subjects during 96 weeks of follow-up. HBV DNA negativity during initial ETV therapy could not be achieved in patients who switched to LdT. CONCLUSION: Consecutive treatment using ETV followed by lamivudine was ineffective for treating chronic hepatitis B. LdT was found as a more potent antiviral agent than lamivudine. However, this conclusion requires larger-scale, long-term prospective reviews of the treatment effects of ETV-LdT switch therapy.

Effect of Ulcerative Colitis on Incidence of Colorectal Cancer: Results from the Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study (2003-2013).

PURPOSE: The colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of death in Korea. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is regarded as a risk factor of CRC. The aim of study is to confirm the incidence of CRC among subjects with and without a diagnosis of UC based on a sample of the Korean population. This study identified the effect of UC on incidence of CRC in Korea. METHOD: The data were from the population-based cohort containing National Health Insurance (NHI) claims from 2002 to 2013. We washed out first year (2002) for newly detected cases. Subjects who were under 20 years of age, diagnosed UC and CRC in 2002 development of CRC before diagnosis of UC since 2003, were excluded from analyses. Among 745,641 subjects during 11 years of follow-up (2003-2013), 7,448 patients with CRC were newly detected. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of UC for CRC incidence. Confounding variables including gender, baseline age, type of social security, income level, residence, Charlson Comorbidity Index, hypertension and diabetes mellitus were incorporated into the model. RESULTS: Overall annual incidence of UC and CRC were 6.7 and 95.4 per 100,000 during 11 years (2003~2013), respectively. Among 522 of newly detected UC cases, CRC incident cases were 12 cases during 11 years. The effects were stronger for male. Advancing age and Charlson Comorbidity Index, hypertension and diabetes mellitus increased the risk of CRC. This study showed that the adjusted hazard ratio of UC in incidence of CRC is 1.92 (95% confidence interval: 1.09-3.38). Also, male patients with UC have more HR than female patients with UC. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that patients with UC are the high risk group in incidence of CRC. Furthermore, the effects of UC in male patients are higher than those in female. The future study is needed to identify the effect of UC on mortality of CRC.

Longlasting remission of primary hepatic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma achieved by radiotherapy alone.

Primary hepatic lymphoma is a rare disorder representing less than 1% of all extranodal lymphomas. Histological examination of a primary hepatic lymphoma usually reveals a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; there have been few reports of primary hepatic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas. A 67-year-old man was being treated for a duodenal ulcer; while receiving therapy for the ulcer, a liver mass was incidentally found on abdominal ultrasonography. The pathologic diagnosis of the hepatic mass was an extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of MALT. The patient underwent radiotherapy with a total of 4,140 cGy delivered. The patient achieved complete remission and has been followed for 6 years with no recurrence of the disease. This report reviews the case of a primary hepatic extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of MALT successfully treated by radiotherapy alone.