Computational model based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) skin scanning to identify and quantify acute radiation dermatitis (ARD): a prospective diagnostic study.

BACKGROUND: acute radiation dermatitis (ARD) is the most widely reported radiotherapy-induced adverse event. Currently, there is no objective or reliable method to measure ARD. OBJECTIVE: our main objective was to identify and quantify the effects of radiotherapy with a computational model using optical coherence tomography (OCT) skin scanning. Secondary objectives included determining the ARD impact of different radiotherapeutic schemes and adjuvant topical therapies. METHODS: we conducted a prospective, single-center case series study in a tertiary referral center of patients with breast cancer who were eligible for whole breast radiotherapy (WBRT). RESULTS: a total of 39 women were included and distributed according to the radiotherapeutic schemes (15, 20, and 25 fractions). A computational model was designed to quantitatively analyze OCT findings. After radiotherapy, OCT scanning was more sensitive revealing vascularization changes in 84.6% of the patients (vs 69.2% of the patients with ARD by clinical examination). OCT quantified an increased vascularization at the end of WBRT (P < .05) and a decrease after 3 months (P = .032). Erythematous skin changes by OCT were more pronounced in the 25-fraction regime. CONCLUSION: an OCT computational model allowed for the identification and quantification of vascularization changes on irradiated skin, even in the absence of clinical ARD. This may allow the design of standardized protocols for ARD beyond the skin color of the patients involved.

Imaging leachate runoff from a landfill using magnetotellurics: The Garraf karst case.

Electrical and active source electromagnetic geophysical methods have been traditionally employed to approach and tackle environmental problems, such as those caused by landfills. However, since these problems are more consequential and cover broader areas, it is necessary to use deeper penetration methods, such as magnetotellurics. In the Garraf Massif (Catalan Coastal Ranges, NE Spain), an urban waste disposal landfill had been in operation from 1974 to 2006, during which >26 million metric tons of garbage had been deposited. This landfill overlies karstic terrain, thus principally impacting groundwater circulation. Previous electrical resistivity tomography profiles had partially imaged the infill but were not able to penetrate below the base of the original landfill. During 2019 and 2020 we performed a magnetotelluric study over the landfill and its surrounding with the goals of characterizing the electrical resistivity of the infill and below it. The 2D and 3D resistivity models confirmed the highly conductive nature of the leachate and allowed us to identify its presence below the landfill base, which we quantified with maximum thicknesses of 90 m. This proved that landfill leachate had filtered through the original impermeable layer, enhanced by the karstic drainage structure.

[Importance of choline during pregnancy and lactation: A systematic review]. / Importancia de la colina durante el embarazo y lactancia. Una revisión sistemática.

Pregnancy is one of the most important and difficult moments that a woman goes through throughout her life. It is a period of great need for macro and micronutrients to meet the demands of the developing fetus and avoid deficiencies, in order to obtain the best possible result. Nowadays, most women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant know the importance of getting the required amount of certain types of nutrients (proteins, fats, folate, etc.), as well as avoiding certain compounds (alcohol, tobacco, drugs, etc.) to avoid possible complications during pregnancy. In recent years, with the greatest scientific evidence available, it has been shown how some of these nutrients could have a more relevant role than previously believed in the optimal outcome of pregnancy. One of these nutrients being choline. Choline supplementation during pregnancy has been shown to be a non-pharmacological treatment capable of improving both physical (growth) and mental (memory) qualities of the new individual. Choline has been known as an essential nutrient since 1998 and several studies have shown its effectiveness in rodent models. The existence of recent publications that deal with its application in humans makes it necessary to carry out a systematic review. In this systematic review of the scientific evidence available from 2012 to the present that deals with the application of a higher intake of choline through supplementation as a treatment to improve pregnancy outcomes, its main objetive is to determine the effects that a nutritional intervention through choline supplementation in pregnant mothers can have on children's cognition. For this, 9studies have been analyzed where the treatment given to pregnant women is revealed, this being choline supplementation in different modalities (choline chloride, choline bitartrate, and phosphatidylcholine) and the different effects produced in the children of these mothers who have resulted from these treatment modalities. We conclude by stating that choline supplementation during pregnancy appears to be effective in improving or increasing cognition in children.

The impact of frailty on intra-hospital survival in older patients with COVID-19 infection: the importance of early identification. SEMI-COVID National Registry.

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests that frailty may be a significant predictor of poor outcomes in older individuals hospitalized due to COVID-19. This study aims to determine the prognostic value of frailty on intrahospital patient survival. METHODS: This observational, multicenter, nationwide study included patients aged 70 years and older who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Spain between March 1 and December 31, 2020. Patient data were obtained from the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine. Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale. The primary outcome was hospital survival. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess predictors of survival. RESULTS: A total of 1,878 participants (52% men and 48% women) were included, with 1,351 (71.9%) survivors and 527 (28.1%) non-survivors. The non-survivor group had higher mean age (83.5 vs. 81 years), comorbidities (6.3 vs. 5.3 points on the Charlson index), degree of dependency (26.8% vs. 12.4% severely dependent patients), and frailty (34.5% vs. 14.7% severely frail patients) compared to survivors. However, there were no differences in terms of sex. Our results demonstrate that a moderate-severe degree of frailty is the primary factor independently associated with shorter survival [HR 2.344 (1.437-3.823; p<0.001) for CFS 5-6 and 3.694 (2.155-6.330; p<0.001) for CFS 7-9]. CONCLUSION: Frailty is the main predictor of adverse outcomes in older patients with COVID-19. The utilization of tools such as the Clinical Frailty Scale is crucial for early detection in this population.

Three-dimensional imaging through patterned type-1 microscopy.

We report a scanning non-confocal fluorescence microscopy scheme that provides images with optical sectioning and with a lateral resolution that surpasses by a factor of two the diffraction resolution limit. This technique is based on the type-1 microscopy concept combined with patterned illumination. The method does not require the application of phase-shifting or post-processing algorithms and provides artifact-free superresolved 3D images. We have validated the theory by means of experimental data.

Pathogenic potential of the surviving Salmonella Enteritidis on strawberries after disinfection treatments based on ultraviolet-C light and peracetic acid.

Fresh fruits, especially strawberries, are usually consumed raw without any step to ensure their food safety. Salmonella enterica is one of the most important etiologic agents for foodborne diseases throughout the world and its ability to respond to some stress responses makes it even more dangerous. In the present investigation, we study the survival of S. Enteritidis (CECT-4300) on strawberries after 2-min of various disinfection steps (NaClO (200 ppm), peracetic acid (PAA; 40 ppm), water-assisted UV-C (WUV-C), and the combination WUV-C and 40 ppm of PAA (WUV-C + PAA)) and after 5 days of cold storage (4 °C). Moreover, the pathogenic potential of the surviving bacteria, such as the ability to survive throughout the gastrointestinal tract (GI) and subsequently the capability to adhere to and invade Caco-2 cells, was tested at each sampling point. After 2-min of washing procedures, reductions of S. Enteritidis on strawberries were ≥1.2 log, with no significant differences among treatments. However, the use of WUV-C + PAA treatment achieved the highest reductions in washing water, in which S. Enteritidis was not detected (

Indoor PM2.5 removal efficiency of two different non-thermal plasma systems.

The use of non-thermal plasma (NTP) generators in air processing systems and their duct networks to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) has grown considerably in recent years. This paper reviews the advantages and disadvantages of NTP generators for IAQ improvement in biological, chemical and particulate pollutant terms. Also, it assesses and compares the ability of a multipin corona discharge (MPCD) and a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) generator to reduce the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in recycled, unfiltered air in a refrigeration chamber. The MPCD generator was found to have a higher PM2.5 removal efficiency; also, it was faster in removing pollutants, used less energy, and produced much less ozone. The fact that the MPCD generator performed better was seemingly the result of its increased ion production mainly. NTP generators, however, cannot match air filtration media purifiers in this respect as the latter are much more effective in removing particles. Besides, NTP-based air purifying technology continues to be subject to a major drawback, namely: the formation of ozone as a by-product. In any case, the ozone generation was uncorrelated to ion emission when using different technologies.

Are cuffless devices challenged enough? Design of a validation protocol for ambulatory blood pressure monitors at the wrist: the case of the Aktiia Bracelet.

The US and European guidelines for the diagnosis and management of hypertension recommend the introduction of systematic home and night Blood Pressure (BP) monitoring. Fully-automated wearable devices can address the needs of patients and clinicians by improving comfort while achieving measurement accuracy. Often located at the wrist and based on indirect BP measurements, these devices must address the challenges of ambulatory scenarios. New validation strategies are needed, but little guidance has been published so far.In this work, we propose an experimental protocol for the validation of cuffless wrist BP monitors that addresses ambulatory environment challenges in a controlled experimental setting. The protocol assesses the robustness of the measurement for different body postures, the ability of the device to track BP changes, and its ability to deal with hydrostatic pressure changes induced by different arm heights.Performance testing using Aktiia Bracelet is provided as an illustration. The results of this pilot study indicate that the Aktiia Bracelet can generate accurate BP estimates for sitting and lying positions and is not affected by hydrostatic pressure perturbations.Clinical Relevance- Automated cuffless BP monitoring is opening a new chapter in the way patients are being diagnosed and managed. This paper provides a guidance on how to assess the clinical utility of such devices when used in different body positions.

Evaluation of a sanitizing washing step with different chemical disinfectants for the strawberry processing industry.

Strawberries are often consumed fresh or only receive minimal processing, inducing a significant health risk to the consumer if contamination occurs anywhere from farm to fork. Outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with strawberries often involve a broad range of microbiological agents, from viruses (human norovirus) to bacteria (Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes). The addition of sanitizers to water washes is one of the most commonly studied strategies to remove or inactivate pathogens on berries as well as avoid cross contamination due to reuse of process wash water. The risk posed with the safety issues of by-products from chlorine disinfection in the fruit industry has led to a search for alternative sanitizers. We evaluated the applicability of different chemical sanitizers (peracetic acid (PA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), citric acid (CA), lactic acid (LA) and acetic acid (AA)) for the inactivation of S. enterica, L. monocytogenes and murine norovirus (MNV-1) on strawberries. A control treatment with chlorine (NaClO) (100 ppm) was included. For each sanitizer, different doses (40, 80 and 120 ppm for PA and 1, 2.5 and 5% for H2O2, LA, AA and CA) and time (2 and 5 min) were studied in order to optimize the decontamination washing step. The best concentrations were 80 ppm for PA, 5% for H2O2 and 2.5% for organic acids (LA, AA and CA) after 2 min treatment. Results indicate that the sanitizers selected may be a feasible alternative to chlorine (100 ppm) for removing selected pathogenic microorganisms (P > 0.05), with reductions about ≥2 log for bacterial strains and ≥ 1.7 log for MNV-1. As the washing water may also increase the microbial counts by cross-contamination, we observed that no pathogenic bacteria were found in wash water after 5% H2O2 and 80 ppm PA after 2 min treatment. On the other hand, we also reported reductions about total aerobic mesophyll (TAM) (0.0-1.4 log CFU/g) and molds and yeasts (M&Y) (0.3-1.8 log CFU/g) with all alternative sanitizers tested. Strawberries treated did not shown significant differences about physio-chemical parameters compared to the untreated samples (initial). For this study, the optimal sanitizer selected was PA, due to the low concentration and cost needed and its microbiocidal effect in wash water and fruit. Notwithstanding the results obtained, the effect of PA in combination with other non-thermal technologies such as water-assisted ultraviolet (UV-C) light should be studied in future research to improve the disinfection of strawberries.

A population perspective on the use of external beam radiotherapy in Catalonia, Spain.

PURPOSE: To assess the use of external beam radiotherapy in Catalonia (Spain), overall and by health management area. METHODS: We assessed radiotherapy treatments in a cohort of patients diagnosed with cancer from 2009 to 2011, using the population-based cancer registries in Girona and Tarragona. Participants had to have a minimum follow-up of 5 years from the time the cancer registry database was linked to the catalan health service database for financing radiation oncology. Outcomes included the proportion of patients receiving radiotherapy within 1 and 5 years of diagnosis. A log-binomial model was used to assess age-related trends in the use of radiotherapy by tumour site. Finally, we calculated the standardized utilization rate and 95% confidence intervals by health management area covered by the radiation oncology services, using indirect methods. RESULTS: At 1 and 5 years from diagnosis, 21.4 and 24.4% of patients, respectively, had received external beam radiotherapy. Patients aged 40-64 years had the most indications for the treatment, and there was a negative correlation between the patients' age and the use of radiotherapy for most tumour sites (exceptions were cervical, thyroid, and uterine cancers). There were no statistically significant differences in the use of radiotherapy according to th health management area. CONCLUSIONS: Population-based data show that external beam radiotherapy is underutilized in Catalonia. This situation requires a careful analysis to understand the causes, as well as an improvement of the available resources, oriented toward achieving realistic targets for the optimal use of external beam radiotherapy in our country.

Microbial interaction between Salmonella enterica and main postharvest fungal pathogens on strawberry fruit.

The microbial interaction between Salmonella enterica and the main postharvest fungal pathogens of strawberries was evaluated. Inoculation of fungal suspension was done 2 (D2) and 1 (D1) day(s) before and at the same time (D0) as S. enterica. Fruits were stored at 20 °C and 4 °C. At both temperatures, Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer caused a decrease in S. enterica population. Treatments where the mould was inoculated (D2, D1 and D0) achieved a significant logarithmic reduction (P < 0.05) of S. enterica populations after 48 h (20 °C) and 14 days (4 °C) compared to fungal-uninoculated fruits (CK). Regarding temperature, average reductions were significantly higher at 4 °C (3.38 log10 CFU/wound) than at 20 °C (1.16 log10 CFU/wound) (P < 0.05). Average reductions comprising all treatments were 1.91 and 0.41 log10 CFU/wound for B. cinerea and R. stolonifer at 20 °C, and 3.39 and 3.37 log10 CFU/wound for B. cinerea and R. stolonifer at 4 °C. A linear log10 model was fitted in order to predict the inactivation rate (kmax, log10 CFU/h) of S. enterica. Inactivation rates were higher at 20 °C for D2 treatments than at 4 °C throughout the running time. The main inactivation rate was obtained for B. cinerea at 20 °C (0.160 ±â€¯0.027/h), which was found to have stronger inhibitory activity against S. enterica than R. stolonifer. Univariate analysis ANOVA was carried out to evaluate the effect of different external variables on the inhibition of S. enterica. Results found that single effects were significant (P < 0.05) except for the pH. The inhibitory effect caused by the action of moulds in conjunction with some environmental factors could indicate the potential interactions between strawberry fungal pathogens and S. enterica.

Occurrence of selected viral and bacterial pathogens and microbiological quality of fresh and frozen strawberries sold in Spain.

Strawberry production and exports have been increasing in Spain in recent decades. However, little information is available about their microbiological quality. Due to the growing concern about the microbial safety of these fruits, the objective of this investigation was to study the microbiological quality and the prevalence of the main foodborne pathogens on strawberries sold in Spain. Fresh (n = 152) and frozen (n = 31) samples were obtained from marketplaces and fields in 2017 and 2018. The samples were assayed for total aerobic mesophilic microorganisms (TAM), moulds and yeasts (M&Y), total coliforms (TC), Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes as well as Norovirus (NoV) GI and GII. The microbiological counts ranged from <1.70 (detection limit, dl) - 5.89 log10 CFU/g (mean 3.78 log10 CFU/g) for TAM; 2.10-5.86 log10 CFU/g (mean 3.80 log10 CFU/g) for M&Y; and <0.70 (dl) - 4.91 log10 CFU/g (mean 2.15 log10 CFU/g) for TC in fresh strawberries. In frozen strawberries, the counts were <1.70 (dl) - 3.66 log10 CFU/g (mean 2.30 log10 CFU/g) for TAM; <1.70 (dl) - 2.76 log10 CFU/g (mean 1.82 log10 CFU/g) for M&Y; and <0.70(dl) - 1.74 log10 CFU/g (mean 0.77 log10 CFU/g) for TC. All the samples in this study tested negative for Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes. E. coli and NoV GI and GII genome. A global overview of all the data was executed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and the results showed that the scores and loadings according to principal components 1 (PC1) and 2 (PC2) accounted for 75.9% of the total variance, allowing a distinction between fresh and frozen samples. The presence of moulds was significantly higher in the supermarket samples whereas the presence of total coliforms was significantly higher in the field samples (p < 0.05). Although pathogenic microorganisms were not found, preventative measures and prerequisites in the strawberry production chain must be considered in order to avoid possible foodborne diseases related to the microbiological quality of the fruit.

Thresholds for optimal fluid administration and weight gain after laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

Background: Perioperative fluid overload is an important modifiable risk factor for adverse outcomes after colorectal surgery. This study aimed to define critical thresholds for perioperative fluid management and postoperative weight gain for patients undergoing elective laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Methods: This was an analysis of consecutive elective laparoscopic colorectal resections at Lausanne University Hospital from May 2011 to May 2017. Main outcomes were overall, major (Clavien-Dindo grade IIIb or above) and respiratory complications, and postoperative ileus. Thresholds regarding perioperative fluid management and postoperative weight gain were identified through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and clinical judgement. Independent risk factors for all four outcomes were assessed by multinominal logistic regression. Results: Overall and major complications occurred in 210 (36·2 per cent) and 46 (7·9 per cent) of 580 patients respectively. Twenty-three patients (4·0 per cent) had respiratory complications and 98 (16·9 per cent) had postoperative ileus. Median length of hospital stay was 5 (i.q.r. 3-9) days. Based on respiratory complications, thresholds for perioperative intravenous fluid administration (postoperative day (POD) 0) were set pragmatically at 3000 ml for colonic (calculated threshold 3120 ml (area under ROC curve (AUROC) 0·63)) and 4000 ml for rectal (AUROC 0·79) procedures. Postoperative weight gain of 2·5 kg at POD 2 was predictive of respiratory complications. Multivariable analysis retained perioperative intravenous fluid administration over the above thresholds as an independent risk factor for overall (odds ratio (OR) 2·25, 95 per cent c.i. 1·23 to 4·11), major (OR 2·49, 1·17 to 5·31) and respiratory (OR 4·71, 1·42 to 15·58) complications. Weight gain above 2·5 kg at POD 2 was identified as a risk factor for respiratory complications (OR 3·58, 1·10 to 11·70) and ileus (OR 1·82, 1·02 to 3·52). Conclusion: Perioperative intravenous fluid and weight thresholds were associated with postoperative adverse outcomes. These thresholds need independent validation.

Receiver operating characteristic analysis to determine optimal fluid management during open colorectal surgery.

AIM: The present study aimed to analyse fluid management and to define optimal fluid-related thresholds for elective open colorectal surgery. METHOD: A retrospective analysis was made of all consecutive elective open colorectal resections performed in our tertiary centre between May 2011 and May 2017. The main outcomes were postoperative complications [overall (I-V) and severe (IIIB-V) according to the Clavien classification], respiratory complications and postoperative ileus (POI). Critical thresholds regarding perioperative fluid management and postoperative weight gain were identified by using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis. Independent risk factors for overall complications were identified by multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of 121 patients who had open operations, 84 (69%) had some complication and 26 (21%) had severe complications. Respiratory complications and POI occurred in 15 (12%) and 46 patients (38%), respectively. The thresholds for intravenous fluids were 3.5 l at postoperative day (POD) 0 [area under ROC curve (AUROC) 0.7 for any 0.69 for respiratory complications] and 3.5 kg weight gain at POD 2 (AUROC 0.82 for respiratory complications). Multivariable analysis revealed weight gain of > 3.5 kg at POD 2 (OR 5.9; 95% CI 1.3-16.6) as a significant risk factor for overall complications. Acute kidney injury was observed in five patients (4%), three (5%) in the group with > 3.5 l at POD 0 and two (3%) in the group with < 3.5 l at POD 0 (P = 0.64). Creatinine increase was transitory and all patients regained baseline levels before discharge. CONCLUSION: A weight gain of > 3.5 kg at POD 2 has been identified as the critical threshold for overall and respiratory complications and prolonged length of stay after open elective colorectal surgery.

[Renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid and rhabdoid features: a clinico-pathological series of 74 cases]. / Carcinomas renales con rasgos sarcomatoides y rabdoides: estudio clínico-patológico de 74 casos.

Objetives. Our aim is to analyze and compare the clinico-pathological features in renal cell carcinomas (RCC) with sarcomatoid and rhaboid phenotype. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed consecutive patients with nephrectomy RCC from January 1988 to January 2015. The subtyping of the RCC followed the recommendations of the College of American Pathologists. Cases with at least 1% of sarcomatoid and/or rhabdoid change were selected. They were classified as sarcomatoid or rhabdoid according with the predominant morphology, considering the global frecuency of both phenotypes as dedifferentiated component. The following variables were collected: sex, age, symptoms and existence of metastases at diagnosis, parameters listed in the protocol of renal carcinoma of the American College of Pathologists, pattern of tumor growth, perineural invasion, percentage of both tumor necrosis and characteristics of the inflammatory infiltrate. They were described by mean / median or percentage, and compared with Student-t / Mann-Whitney U or ? 2 / Fisher, depending on the sample characteristics. RESULTS: From 1,258 RCC, we identified 45 RCC with sarcomatoid predominance (3,6%) and twenty-nine with rhabdoid predominance (2,3%). RCC with sarcomatoid features showed a higher dedifferentiated component and perineural invasion (27.5 vs. 13.5%, p=0.003 and 28.9 vs. 3.4%, p=0.006, respectively) than RCC with rhabdoid features, while the former showed a higher proportion of neutrophilic inflammation (44.8 vs. 22.2%, p=0.04) and arose more frequently over high grade RCC (55.9 vs. 90.5%, p<0,001). CONCLUSIONS: There was overlapping of the clinico-pathological features of RCC with sarcomatoid and rhaboid phenotype, except for the dedifferentiated component, perineural invasion and neutrophilic inflammation. This close relationship could be explained by a common underlying mechanism, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, with a double morphological expression that, if confirmed, could lead to selecting patients that would benefit from follow-up or treatment depending on their molecular characteristics.

Statistical analysis of bank deposits dataset.

This article presents the statistical analysis of the deposit activities in each of the account types of a leading bank in Nigeria. The mean effect of these account types on the bank was determined using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Further test which include the Tukey's simultaneous test for differences of means was also conducted.

Development and characterization of an allergoid of cat dander for immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Allergy to cats is a frequent cause of sensitization to indoor allergens and currently there are few alternatives to specific immunotherapy with cat native extracts. The objective is to develop and characterize a new allergoid to increase the tools available for use in clinical practice. METHODS: The allergoid cat dander extract (ACD) was developed from a native cat dander extract (NCD) by modification with glutaraldehyde, and the optimal process control was determined by SDS-PAGE, DOT BLOT and determination of free amine groups. The ACD was characterized in protein profile by SDS-PAGE, size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and peptide footprint. The allergenic profile of ACD was determined by immunoblot, IgE CAP inhibition and IgG competition ELISA. The major allergen content in NCD was obtained by the ELISA sandwich protocol and was extrapolated to ACD. RESULTS: The control process determined the optimal development of the allergoid. The ACD obtained contains 182.28µg/mg of protein and 11.90µg/mg of Fel d 1. SDS-PAGE and SEC confirmed the presence of high molecular weight proteins in ACD, and the peptide footprint showed the presence of Fel d 1 and Fel d 7. The high degree of polymerization was evidenced with the determination of the reduction of lysine residues in the allergoid, resulting 91.96%. The ACD showed a significant loss of allergenicity respect to NCD, while the IgG-binding capacity was maintained. CONCLUSIONS: The ACD obtained presents a good safety profile, so would be a good alternative for treatment of cat allergy.

Intensified neoadjuvant multimodal approach in synchronous liver metastases from gastric cancer: a single institutional experience.

BACKGROUND: Synchronous liver metastases (LM) from gastric (GC) or esophagogastric junction (EGJ) adenocarcinoma are a rare events. Several trials have evaluated the role of liver surgery in this setting, but the impact of preoperative therapy remains undetermined. METHODS: Patients with synchronous LM from GC/EGJ adenocarcinoma who achieved disease control after induction chemotherapy (ICT) and were subsequently scheduled to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) to the primary tumor and surgery assessment were retrospectively analyzed. Pathological response, patterns of relapse, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were calculated. From July 2002 to September 2012, 16 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were identified. RESULTS: Primary tumor site was GC (nine patients) or EGJ (seven patients). LM were considered technically unresectable in nine patients. Radiological response to the whole neoadjuvant program was achieved in 13 patients. Eight patients underwent surgical resection of the primary tumor; in five of these LM were resected. A complete pathological response in the primary or in the LM was found in four and three patients, respectively. The most frequent site of relapse/progression was systemic (eight patients). Local and liver-only relapses were observed in two patients each. After a median follow-up of 91 months, the median OS and PFS were 23.0 (95% CI 13.2-32.8) and 17.0 months (95% CI 11.7-22.3). 5-year actuarial PFS is 17.6%. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that an intensified approach using ICT followed by CRT in synchronous LM from GC/EGJ adenocarcinoma is feasible and may translate into prolonged survival times in selected patients.