Two Cases of Robot-Assisted Totally Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy with Colon Interposition for Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer: Surgical Considerations.

This case report presents 2 patients with gastroesophageal junction cancer who both underwent totally minimally invasive esophagectomy with colon interposition. Patients 1 and 2, who were 43-year-old and 78-year-old men, respectively, had distinct clinical presentations and medical histories. Patient 1 underwent minimally invasive robotic esophagectomy with a laparoscopic total gastrectomy, colonic conduit preparation, and intrathoracic esophago-colono-jejunostomy. Patient 2 underwent completely robotic total gastrectomy, colon conduit preparation, and intrathoracic esophago-colono-jejunostomy. The primary challenge in colon interposition is assessing colon vascularity and ensuring an adequate conduit length, which is critical for successful anastomosis. In both cases, we used indocyanine green fluorescence angiography to evaluate vascularity. Determining the appropriate conduit is challenging; therefore, it is crucial to ensure a slightly longer conduit during reconstruction. Because totally minimally invasive colon interposition can reduce postoperative pain and enhance recovery, this surgical technique is feasible and beneficial.

Survey of Information Acquisition and Satisfaction after Bariatric Surgery at a Tertiary Hospital in Korea.

Background: To determine how patients who underwent bariatric surgery at a tertiary hospital in Korea first considered and then decided to get the surgery and identify information gaps among patients and healthcare professionals. Methods: This study included 21 patients who underwent bariatric surgery to treat morbid obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥35 or ≥30 kg/m2 together with obesity-related comorbidities) between August 2020 and February 2022. A telephone interview was conducted with the patients after at least 6 months had elapsed since the surgery. We asked how the patients decided to undergo bariatric surgery. We also inquired about their satisfaction with and concerns about the surgery. Results: Seventy-one percent of the patients were introduced to bariatric surgery following a recommendation from healthcare professionals, acquaintances, or social media. Most of the patients (52%) decided to undergo bariatric surgery based on recommendations from healthcare professionals in non-surgical departments. Satisfaction with the information provided differed among the patients. Post-surgical concerns were related to postoperative symptoms, weight regain, and psychological illness. Conclusion: Efforts are needed to raise awareness about bariatric surgery among healthcare professionals and the public. Tailored pre- and postoperative consultation may improve quality of life after bariatric surgery.

Surgical outcomes of 500 robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomies for esophageal carcinoma.

Background: In 2003, robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) was first reported to overcome the technical limitations of minimally invasive esophagectomy. RAMIE requires repeated modifications to set up the robotic system, and sufficient experience is required to gain technical proficiency. This study aimed to identify the learning periods and the outcomes of RAMIE for esophageal carcinoma. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 500 consecutive RAMIE cases for esophageal cancer from December 2008 to February 2021. The learning curve for RAMIE was identified using cumulative sum analysis. Results: In a total of 500 RAMIE patients, the Ivor Lewis and McKeown operation were performed in 267 patients (53.4%) and 192 patients (38.4%), respectively. We classified learning periods into the learning phase (first 50 cases), the developing phase (51-150 case), and the stable phase (151-500 case). The rates of vocal cord palsy (42.0% vs. 28.4%) and anastomotic leakage (10.0% vs. 6.4%) were reduced after the learning phase. The mean total operative time (420 vs. 373 min), the mean length of stay (21.6 vs. 16.7 days), and the rate of anastomotic stricture (27.0% vs. 12.4%) were significantly reduced after reaching stable phase. In the stable phase, the proportion of the Ivor Lewis operation (26.0% vs. 67.1%), neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (14.0% vs. 25.7%), and bilateral cervical node dissection cases (12.0% vs. 22.0%) were significantly increased. Conclusions: Fifty procedures might be needed to achieve early proficiency, and extensive experience of more than 150 procedures is needed for quality stabilization.

Analysis of risk factors affecting long-term survival in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Factors predicting postoperative complications after gastrectomy for elderly patients with gastric cancer have been analyzed in several previous studies. However, there is limited research available on risk factors related to long-term survival. AIMS: This study aimed to analyze factors affecting long-term survival after curative gastrectomy in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: This study included patients aged > 75 years with histologically confirmed advanced gastric cancer stage II or greater. Before analysis, risk factors were categorized into four groups: baseline characteristics, underlying diseases, surgical and pathologic factors, and nutritional factors. RESULTS: The mean follow-up duration was 71.0 months. The 5-year overall survival and disease-specific survival rates were 51.5% and 58.3%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that patients who were female and overweight had significantly longer survival rates than those who were male and underweight. Elderly patients who underwent a total gastrectomy had poorer survival rates than those who underwent a distal gastrectomy. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that tumor stage, extent of gastrectomy, overweight status and overall complication were independent risk factors for overall survival. DISCUSSION: Our study show that the overweight patients, the extent of gastrectomy, tumor stage and overall complications are significant risk factors affecting long-term survival. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, surgeons may be cautious in performing total gastrectomy in elderly gastric cancer patients. Additionally, it is important to focus on improving nutritional status and mitigating overall complications.

Outcomes of Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer in Patients Aged >80 Years: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis.

This meta-analysis examined the surgical management of older patients (>80 years) with gastric cancer, who were often excluded from randomized controlled trials. We analyzed 23 retrospective cohort studies involving 18,372 patients and found that older patients had a higher in-hospital mortality rate (relative risk [RR], 3.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.46-7.17; P<0.01) and more post-operative complications (RR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.19-1.56; P<0.01) than did younger patients. However, the surgical complications were similar between the two groups. Older patients were more likely to undergo less extensive lymph node dissection and longer hospital stays. Although older patients had statistically significant post-operative medical complications, they were not deprived of surgery for gastric cancer. The comorbidities and potential risks of post-operative complications should be carefully evaluated in older patients, highlighting the importance of careful patient selection. Overall, this meta-analysis provides recommendations for the surgical management of older patients with gastric cancer. Careful patient selection and evaluation of comorbidities should be performed to minimize the risk of post-operative complications in older patients, while recognizing that they should not be deprived of surgery for gastric cancer.

Comparison of Laparoscopic and Open Gastrectomy for Patients With Gastric Cancer Treated With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: A Multicenter Retrospective Study Based on the Korean Gastric Cancer Association Nationwide Survey.

PURPOSE: Despite scientific evidence regarding laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) for advanced gastric cancer treatment, its application in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy remains uncertain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the 2019 Korean Gastric Cancer Association nationwide survey database to extract data from 489 patients with primary gastric cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After propensity score matching analysis, we compared the surgical outcomes of 97 patients who underwent LG and 97 patients who underwent open gastrectomy (OG). We investigated the risk factors for postoperative complications using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The operative time was significantly shorter in the OG group. Patients in the LG group had significantly less blood loss than those in the OG group. Hospital stay and overall postoperative complications were similar between the two groups. The incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade ≥3 complications in the LG group was comparable with that in the OG group (1.03% vs. 4.12%, P=0.215). No statistically significant difference was observed in the number of harvested lymph nodes between the two groups (38.60 vs. 35.79, P=0.182). Multivariate analysis identified body mass index (odds ratio [OR], 1.824; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.029-3.234; P=0.040) and extent of resection (OR, 3.154; 95% CI, 1.084-9.174; P=0.035) as independent risk factors for overall postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Using a large nationwide multicenter survey database, we demonstrated that LG and OG had comparable short-term outcomes in patients with gastric cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Factors Associated With Loss to Follow-up After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Purpose: After bariatric surgery, postoperative follow-up is important for evaluating long-term outcomes, such as successful weight loss and improvement of metabolic parameters. However, many patients are lost to follow-up within 1 year. This study aimed to identify the follow-up rate of bariatric surgery and predictive factors of loss to follow-up (LTF). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 61 patients receiving bariatric surgery for obesity (laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy; LSG group) and 872 for early gastric cancer (EGC group) from November 2018 to July 2020 in a single center. After 1:1 matching, we compared the LTF rate. In the LSG group, we analyzed the factors associated with LTF. Additionally, we collected weight data in the LTF group by a telephone survey. Results: By 1:1 matching, 47 patients for each group were identified. The LTF rates of the LSG and EGC groups were 34.0% (16 patients) and 2.1% (one patient), respectively (P=0.0003). In the LSG group, the LTF rate increased over the postoperative month. Of the patients, 29.5% who missed a scheduled appointment within one year comprised the LTF group. In the analysis, no significant factors associated with LTF were identified. The only factor with borderline significance was dyslipidemia with medication (P=0.094). Conclusion: The LSG group demonstrated a high LTF rate, although adherence to follow-up was closely related to postoperative outcomes. Therefore, educating patients on the significance of follow-up is important. Particularly, continuous efforts to identify the associated factors and develop a multidisciplinary management protocol after bariatric surgery are necessary.

Safety evaluation of curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer patients who underwent liver transplantation: a comparative study with conventional gastrectomy for gastric cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to examine the technical and oncological safety of curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer patients who underwent liver transplantation. METHODS: In this study, we compared the surgical and oncological outcomes of two groups. The first group consisted of 32 consecutive patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer after liver transplantation (LT), while the other group consisted of 127 patients who underwent conventional gastrectomy (CG). In addition, a subgroup analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of the background differences and the surgical outcomes on the involvement of a specialized liver transplant surgery team. RESULTS: The mean operative time was significantly longer in the LT group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there were more frequent cases of postoperative transfusion in the LT group compared to the CG group (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the overall complications between the groups (25.00 vs 23.62%, p = 0.874). The 5-year overall survival rates of the LT and CG groups were 76.7% and 90.1%, respectively (p < 0.05). The results of the subgroup analysis demonstrated no statistically significant difference in various early surgical outcomes, such as time to transfusion during surgery, first flatus, time to first soft diet, postoperative complications, hospital stay after surgery, and the number of harvested lymph nodes except for operation time. CONCLUSIONS: Despite one's medical history of undergoing LT, our study demonstrated that curative gastrectomy could be a surgically safe treatment for gastric cancer. However, further study should be conducted to identify the reason gastric cancer patients who underwent liver transplant surgery have lower overall survival rate.

Erratum: Korean Practice Guidelines for Gastric Cancer 2022: An Evidence-based, Multidisciplinary Approach.

This corrects the article on p. 3 in vol. 23, PMID: 36750993.

Korean Practice Guidelines for Gastric Cancer 2022: An Evidence-based, Multidisciplinary Approach.

Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers in Korea and the world. Since 2004, this is the 4th gastric cancer guideline published in Korea which is the revised version of previous evidence-based approach in 2018. Current guideline is a collaborative work of the interdisciplinary working group including experts in the field of gastric surgery, gastroenterology, endoscopy, medical oncology, abdominal radiology, pathology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology and guideline development methodology. Total of 33 key questions were updated or proposed after a collaborative review by the working group and 40 statements were developed according to the systematic review using the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library and KoreaMed database. The level of evidence and the grading of recommendations were categorized according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation proposition. Evidence level, benefit, harm, and clinical applicability was considered as the significant factors for recommendation. The working group reviewed recommendations and discussed for consensus. In the earlier part, general consideration discusses screening, diagnosis and staging of endoscopy, pathology, radiology, and nuclear medicine. Flowchart is depicted with statements which is supported by meta-analysis and references. Since clinical trial and systematic review was not suitable for postoperative oncologic and nutritional follow-up, working group agreed to conduct a nationwide survey investigating the clinical practice of all tertiary or general hospitals in Korea. The purpose of this survey was to provide baseline information on follow up. Herein we present a multidisciplinary-evidence based gastric cancer guideline.

Korean practice guidelines for gastric cancer 2022: an evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach

Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers in Korea and the world. Since 2004, this is the 4th gastric cancer guideline published in Korea which is the revised version of previous evidence-based approach in 2018. Current guideline is a collaborative work of the interdisciplinary working group including experts in the field of gastric surgery, gastroenterology, endoscopy, medical oncology, abdominal radiology, pathology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology and guideline development methodology. Total of 33 key questions were updated or proposed after a collaborative review by the working group and 40 statements were developed according to the systematic review using the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library and KoreaMed database. The level of evidence and the grading of recommendations were categorized according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation proposition. Evidence level, benefit, harm, and clinical applicability was considered as the significant factors for recommendation. The working group reviewed recommendations and discussed for consensus. In the earlier part, general consideration discusses screening, diagnosis and staging of endoscopy, pathology, radiology, and nuclear medicine. Flowchart is depicted with statements which is supported by meta-analysis and references. Since clinical trial and systematic review was not suitable for postoperative oncologic and nutritional follow-up, working group agreed to conduct a nationwide survey investigating the clinical practice of all tertiary or general hospitals in Korea. The purpose of this survey was to provide baseline information on follow up. Herein we present a multidisciplinary-evidence based gastric cancer guideline.

A comparative study of laparoscopic near-total and total gastrectomy for patient nutritional status and quality of life using a propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies of LNTG had small sample sizes and short follow-up periods and did not evaluate quality of life after LNTG. We aimed to compare surgical, oncological, nutritional outcomes, and quality of life of patients after laparoscopic near-total and total gastrectomy (LNTG and LTG, respectively). METHODS: We retrospectively collected and analyzed data of 167 and 294 patients who underwent LNTG and LTG, respectively, for treatment of upper or middle third gastric cancer between January 2008 and December 2018. After propensity score matching, the surgical, oncological, and nutritional outcomes of 324 patients were analyzed. Moreover, we measured quality of life after surgery using a postgastrectomy syndrome scale. RESULTS: The operation time and the length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the LNTG group than in the LTG group. In addition, patients with anastomotic complications were fewer in the LNTG group. No significant difference was found in the 5-year overall survival rate between the two groups. However, patients in the LNTG group had a significantly smaller body weight loss after 3 months postoperatively. Furthermore, patients in the LNTG group had significantly healthier albumin and cholesterol than those in the LTG group. The mean scores on the postgastrectomy symptom scale at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively were higher in the LNTG group than in the LTG group. CONCLUSION: LNTG is a surgically safe and oncologically favorable method compared with LTG. Furthermore, patients who underwent LNTG had improved nutritional status and quality of life than those who underwent LTG.

Comparing surgical and oncologic outcomes between laparoscopic gastrectomy and open gastrectomy in advanced gastric cancer with serosal invasion: A retrospective study with propensity score matching.

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) has gradually increased for treating advanced gastric cancer (AGC). However, there is a lack of evidence on oncologic safety for AGC, especially with serosal invasion. This study evaluates the surgical and oncologic outcomes between laparoscopic and open gastrectomy (OG) for gastric cancer with serosal invasion. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 256 patients who underwent OG and 147 patients who underwent LG for gastric cancer with serosal invasion between August 2005 and December 2017. Finally, 124 patients in the LG group and 124 in the OG group were enrolled according to one-to-one propensity score matching (PSM) analysis. We evaluated surgical and oncological outcomes, including overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). RESULTS: There were no statistical differences in hospital stay and major complications between the two groups. The retrieved lymph nodes of the LG group were similar to those of OG (40 ± 16.23 vs. 38 ± 14.42, p = 0.306), and it showed a similar operation time compared with the other (164 ± 43.86 vs. 156 ± 37.66, p = 0.063). There was no statistical difference in OS (p = 0.761) and RFS (p = 0.121) for survival analysis between the two groups. CONCLUSION: LG for gastric cancer with serosal invasion is feasible and could be considered as a standard treatment.

Comparison of Standard D2 and Limited Lymph Node Dissection in Elderly Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge on the optimal extent of lymphadenectomy among elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer is limited. This study was designed to compare standard D2 and limited lymphadenectomy for evaluating the appropriate extent of lymphadenectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patient's data based on a prospectively collected gastric cancer registry. The inclusion criteria were age above 75 years and histologically confirmed stage II or more advanced gastric cancer. In this study, 103 patients who underwent limited lymph node dissection and 134 patients who underwent standard D2 lymph node dissection were included to evaluate surgical and oncological outcomes using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis. RESULTS: The mean age after PSM was approximately 78 years in both groups. The Charlson Comorbidity Index was 5.81 ± 0.87 and 5.75 ± 0.76, respectively, and 12.5% of the patients in both groups had American Society of Anesthesiologists scores of more than 3. The limited lymphadenectomy group showed a shorter operation time and fewer retrieved lymph. However, other surgical outcomes and pathological data were not significantly different between the groups. No postoperative mortality within 30 days was observed. There were no significant differences in overall complications between the groups. The 3-year overall survival rates of the limited and standard lymphadenectomy groups were 58.3% and 73.6%, respectively. The 3-year recurrence-free survival rate of the limited lymphadenectomy group was lower than that of the standard lymphadenectomy group; however, the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Standard D2 lymphadenectomy has better oncological outcomes in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer.

A Case of Glomus Tumor Mimicking Neuroendocrine Tumor on 68 Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT.

68 Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT is a valuable tool for diagnosing neuroendocrine tumors (NET). Various tumors and normal human tissue express the somatostatin receptor (SSTR), warranting attention to positive findings on 68 Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT. However, overexpression of SSTR in glomus tumors has not yet been reported. Gastric glomus tumors show many similar features of NET and are often misdiagnosed. We present the case of a 61-year-old male with a glomus tumor who underwent distal gastrectomy under the pretense of an NET grade 1 because the nodule showed focal intense uptake on preoperative 68 Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT.

Early Clinical Outcomes of the Morbidly Obese Patients Who Underwent Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy by Gastric Cancer Surgeons: the Analysis of Fifty Consecutive Cases.

Purpose: The number of bariatric surgeries performed at our tertiary hospital has gradually increased since the national health insurance began to cover their expenses in January of 2019. This study examined the early surgical outcomes of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) performed by experienced gastric cancer surgeons. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed data from 50 patients who underwent LSG between November of 2018 and April of 2020 at the Asan Medical Center by 1 of 5 experienced surgeons each of whom performed approximately 100-300 cases of gastrectomy annually. The age, body mass index (BMI), weight, presence of comorbidities, operation time, hospital stay after surgery, postoperative complications, postoperative excess weight loss (EWL), and resolution of comorbidities were examined. Results: The mean age, BMI, and weight were 37.29±9.77 years, 37.12 kg/m2, and 102.00 kg, respectively. The mean operation time and postoperative length of hospital stay were 109.59±35.88 and 5.06±1.20 days, respectively. Two patients (4.00%) had early postoperative complications and postoperative leakage; bleeding and stenosis were not reported. The EWL after 1 and 6 months of operation was 26.55% and 60.34%, respectively. The resolution of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia after 6 months of operation was 88.89%, 54.54%, and 50.00%, respectively. Conclusion: LSG is safe and effective when performed by an experienced gastric cancer surgeon; however, a long-term follow-up of patients is required.

Overlap method versus functional method for esophagojejunal reconstruction using totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy (EJ) is a useful method in totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG) for treating upper-third gastric cancer. The two methods of laparoscopic intracorporeal EJ-functional and overlap-have not been compared side-by-side in terms of safety and feasibility. METHODS: Retrospective review and analysis of the data of 490 consecutive patients who underwent TLTG by either functional method (n = 365) or overlap (n = 125) method for upper- or middle-third gastric cancer was conducted between January, 2011 and May, 2018 at Asan Medical Center (Seoul, Korea). One-to-one propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to compare age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologist score, the presence of comorbidity, number of comorbidities, clinical T stage, clinical nodal stage, clinical TNM stage, history of previous abdominal surgery, and combined surgery. After PSM, 244 patients were divided into functional method group and overlap method group (n = 122, each). The surgical outcomes and EJ-related complications were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of early surgical outcomes such as operative time, time to first flatus, postoperative hospital stay, transfusion during surgery, transfusion after surgery, and administration of analgesics. However, the pain score was significantly lower in overlap method group (6.21 ± 1.83) than functional method group (6.97 ± 2.09, p < 0.05). The overlap method was also associated with significantly fewer late complications (3.28% vs. 12.30%; p < 0.05), lower Clavien-Dindo classification grade (p < 0.05), and fewer EJ-related complications (0.82% vs. 6.56%; p < 0.05), as compared with the functional method. CONCLUSION: The overlap method was safer and more feasible than the functional method for TLTG in gastric cancer patients, based on the finding of significantly lower incidence of EJ-related complications.

Early Surgical and Long-term Oncological Outcomes of Totally Laparoscopic Near-total Gastrectomy in >150 Cases.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the early surgical outcomes and long-term oncological safety of totally laparoscopic near-total gastrectomy for the treatment of upper-third early gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively collected and analyzed the data of 167 consecutive patients who underwent totally laparoscopic near-total gastrectomy for upper-third early gastric cancer between January 2008 and May 2018. Data on clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes, including operation time, length of postoperative hospital stay, pathologic findings, and postoperative complications, were obtained. We also analyzed recurrence-free and overall survival rates to evaluate the oncological outcomes. RESULTS: The mean operation time was 149.44±37.59 minutes; none of the patients required conversion to laparotomy during surgery. The average postoperative hospital stay was 7.57±5.69 days. On final pathologic analysis, the mean proximal resection margin was 1.97±1.68 cm. No patients had an involved proximal resection margin. Twenty-seven patients (16.17%) had postoperative complications; of them, 6 patients (3.59%) had Clavien-Dindo classification grade 3 or higher complications, all within 1 month. The median follow-up duration was 54.35 months. The 3- and 5-year recurrence-free survival rates were 98.3% and 97.1%, respectively. The overall survival rate was 97.1% at both 3 and 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that totally laparoscopic near-total gastrectomy is a safe and feasible procedure for treating the upper-third early gastric cancer. Further, in the current study, the procedure demonstrated a favorable oncological outcome for a relatively long follow-up period and large sample size.

Totally laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with double tract reconstruction: outcomes of 37 consecutive cases.

INTRODUCTION: Proximal gastrectomy is an alternative treatment modality for gastric cancer in the upper third of the stomach. Though several reconstruction methods have been introduced, there is no standardization. We investigated the outcomes of laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with double tract reconstruction (LPG-DTR). AIM: To investigate the outcomes of LPG-DTR. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated 37 patients who underwent curative LPG with DTR between December 2013 and December 2018. Less than half of the proximal stomach was laparoscopically resected. We performed LPG-DTR after resection. RESULTS: A total of 37 patients were included in this study, 25 (70%) of whom were male and 12 (30%) of whom were female. Overall, 31 (83.7%) patients were diagnosed with gastric cancer, 5 (13.5%) with gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and 1 (2.8%) with leiomyoma. There were 3 (9.6%) complications. However, there were no complications of grade 3 or above. We did not observe postoperative mortality or recurrence after surgery. All patients underwent postoperative endoscopic surveillance successfully. None of the patients had postoperative reflux esophagitis or stenosis. The body weight and hemoglobin levels of the patients were lowest 12 months after surgery and gradually increased thereafter. Similarly, their vitamin B12 levels were lowest 6 months after surgery. However, iron been increased after surgery until 24 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: LPG-DTR is a favorable treatment modality for gastric cancer in the upper third of the stomach.

Efficacy of Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Biopsy in Gastric Subepithelial Tumors Located in the Cardia.

BACKGROUND: In cases of subepithelial tumors (SETs) located in the cardiac area, a preoperative histologic diagnosis might be helpful in determining the requirement of surgery. AIM: To investigate the efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) in gastric SETs located in the cardia. METHODS: The data of 107 patients who underwent EUS-FNB, from 2012 to 2017, for tissue sampling of gastric SETs located in the cardia were collected. The clinicopathological data, EUS-related parameters, and surgical outcomes were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The EUS-FNB results were diagnostic in 86.9% (93/107) and nondiagnostic in 13.1% (14/107) of the patients. Immunostaining of the FNB specimens led to the diagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in 25 SETs (23.4%), leiomyoma in 62 SETs (57.9%), heterotopic pancreas in 3 SETs (2.8%), and schwannoma in 2 SETs (1.9%). In the multivariate analysis, patients with GISTs showed significantly more inhomogeneous echogenicity [odds ratio (OR), 8.867], more cystic foci (OR, 26.98), and older age (OR, 1.087). In 26 patients who underwent surgical resection, the agreement between EUS-FNB and surgical pathological findings was 100% with respect to the diagnosis of GISTs (n = 20) and leiomyoma (n = 7). Among these cases, the proportion of high-risk GISTs was 20.0% (4/20), and no leiomyosarcoma was detected. CONCLUSIONS: Although a majority of the subepithelial lesions in the cardia of the stomach are benign, 20% of the cases diagnosed with GIST have a high malignant potential. Preoperative EUS-FNB might be a useful tool for decision-making regarding the ultimate management and outcomes of these lesions.