The prognostic impact of the extent of ulceration in patients with clinical stage I-II melanoma: a multicentre study of the Italian Melanoma Intergroup (IMI).

BACKGROUND: The presence of ulceration has been recognized as an adverse prognostic factor in primary cutaneous melanoma (PCM). OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the extent of ulceration (EoU) predicts relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in PCM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrieved data for 477 patients with ulcerated PCM from databases of the Italian Melanoma Intergroup. Univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the independent prognostic impact of EoU. RESULTS: A significant interaction emerged between Breslow thickness (BT) and EoU, considering both RFS (P < 0·0001) and OS (P = 0·0006). At multivariable analysis, a significant negative impact of EoU on RFS [hazard ratio (HR) (1-mm increase) 1·26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·08-1·48, P = 0·0047] and OS [HR (1-mm increase) 1·25, 95% CI 1·05-1·48, P = 0·0120] was found in patients with BT ≤ 2 mm, after adjusting for BT, age, tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes, sentinel lymph node status and mitotic rate. No impact of EoU was found in patients with 2·01-4 mm and > 4 mm BT. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that EoU has an independent prognostic impact in PCM and should be recorded as a required element in pathology reports.

The number of excised lymph nodes is associated with survival of melanoma patients with lymph node metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Although the number of excised LNs has been associated with patient prognosis in many solid tumors, this association has not been widely investigated in cutaneous melanoma. This study aims to evaluate the association between the number of excised regional lymph nodes (LNs) and melanoma-specific survival. PATIENT AND METHODS: Clinico-pathological data from 2507 patients with LN metastasis treated at nine Italian centers were retrospectively collected. RESULTS: The number of excised LNs correlated with younger age (P < 0.001), male sex (P < 0.001), neck LN field (P < 0.001), LN micrometastasis (P < 0.001) and number of positive LNs (P < 0.001). The number of excised LNs was an independent prognostic factor (HR = 0.85; P = 0.002) after adjustment for other staging features. Upon subgroup analysis, the number of excised LNs had a significant prognostic value in patients bearing 1.01-2.00 mm (HR = 0.79; P = 0.032) and 2.01-4.00 mm (HR = 0.71; P < 0.001) thick melanomas, primary tumors showing ulceration (HR = 0.86; P = 0.033) and Clark level V of invasion (HR = 0.86; P = 0.010), LN micrometastasis (HR = 0.83; P = 0.014) and two to three positive LNs (HR = 0.71; P = 0.001). Finally, this study investigated the influence of the number of excised LNs on patient staging: only when ≥11 nodes were excised the AJCC N stage could stratify prognosis (P < 0.001). Considering the number of excised LNs for each lymphatic field, at least 14, 11, 10 and 12 LNs were needed to stage patients according to the AJCC N stage after a lymphadenectomy of the neck, axilla, inguinal and ilioinguinal LN fields, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The number of excised LNs can be considered for risk stratification of patients with regional LN metastasis from cutaneous melanoma. We demonstrated that a minimum number of LNs is required for the correct staging of patients. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the minimum number of LNs to be dissected.

2016 WSES guidelines on acute calculous cholecystitis.

Acute calculus cholecystitis is a very common disease with several area of uncertainty. The World Society of Emergency Surgery developed extensive guidelines in order to cover grey areas. The diagnostic criteria, the antimicrobial therapy, the evaluation of associated common bile duct stones, the identification of "high risk" patients, the surgical timing, the type of surgery, and the alternatives to surgery are discussed. Moreover the algorithm is proposed: as soon as diagnosis is made and after the evaluation of choledocholitiasis risk, laparoscopic cholecystectomy should be offered to all patients exception of those with high risk of morbidity or mortality. These Guidelines must be considered as an adjunctive tool for decision but they are not substitute of the clinical judgement for the individual patient.

Erratum to: 2016 WSES guidelines on acute calculous cholecystitis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13017-016-0082-5.].

[Choledocholithotomy and papillosphincterotomy in surgery of the bile ducts]. / Coledocolitotomia e papillosfinterotomia nella chirurgia delle vie biliari.

The Authors argue about the different surgical choices feasible in case of CBD stones. They consider a case-record of 74 patients that underwent, from January 1988 to June 1990, choledocholithotomy or transduodenal sphincterotomy for non-neoplastic pathology of the CBD in the I Divisione di Chirurgia Generale OO.RR. Bergamo. Analysis of the data shows a significant pre-operative alteration of the gamma-GT plasmatic levels. That represent a risk-index useful to suspect a silent CBD lithiasis. The good results attained with the choledocholithotomy and with the transduodenal sphincterotomy show the efficacy of both methods, that keep up different indications. The Authors point out the efficacy of the antibiotic prophylaxis in the prevention of the operative infections.

[Digestive hemorrhage secondary to fistula between hepatic artery and jejunal stump following duodenocephalopancreasectomy. A clinical case]. / Emorragia digestiva secondaria a fistola tra arteria epatica e moncone digiunale in esiti di duodenocefalopancreasectomia. Caso clinico.

The authors describe a case of one patient who underwent duodenocephalopancreasectomy for CBD cancer 6 years ago and developed gastrointestinal bleeding caused by a fistula between the hepatic artery and the jejunal stump. They discuss the differential diagnosis problem in the gastrointestinal bleeding syndrome caused by this rare pathology.

[Acute diverticulitis of the right colon. Report of 3 cases]. / La diverticolite acuta del colon destro. Descrizione di tre casi.

Three cases of acute diverticulitis of the right colon are described and a review of the international literature about this rare disease is made. Diverticulitis of the ascending colon is an uncommon disease which mimics appendicitis or perforated neoplasm. The correct diagnosis is rarely made, but can be suggested by signs and symptoms and confirmed by the barium enema. It should be treated conservatively, like left-colon diverticulitis. Isolated diverticula can be managed by simple excision and primary closure. Local resection may be necessary if the involved area is too large. Right hemicolectomy is performed when carcinoma is strongly suspected.

[Epidemiological behavior of perforated peptic ulcer before and after the introduction of the antisecretory drug therapy. Our experience]. / Il comportamento epidemiologico dell'ulcera peptica perforata prima e dopo l'introduzione della terapia medica antisecretiva.

The diagnostic iter and treatment of peptic ulcer have evolved considerably over the past 20 years. The capillary spread of endoscopy has permitted secure and precise diagnoses to be made, in terms of both the site and size of the anatomic lesion, on the one hand, and on the other, the introduction of antisecretory drugs has led to the resolution of the majority of ulcers, so much so that the ulcer is no longer managed using strictly surgical methods but is now treated medically and only emergency cases, such as perforations, undergo surgery. Complications, such as digestive hemorrhage, penetration and stenosis, may lead to the need for surgery. In particular, perforation seems to be the only complication which has not been significantly influenced by the introduction of antisecretory therapy, the point that its status as a "complication" has been questioned leading to the suspicion of its nosological autonomy. The authors review the series of ulcer patients admitted to hospital during the period 1968 to 1991, paying special attention to the correlation with the use of antisecretory drugs which were introduced during the period 1978-1981, the trend of ulcer complications over the entire period, the duration of symptoms and the epidemiology of peptic and perforated ulcers.

[Tuberculous peritonitis: extra-community immigrants at risk?]. / La peritonite tubercolare: immigrato extra-comunitario a rischio?

Two cases of tuberculosis peritonitis are here reported. Two young black males, who had recently immigrated from Senegal to Italy, were admitted to the Hospital because of aspecific, acute abdominal pain and underwent exploratory laparotomy. In both cases a flare-up of quiescent, post-primary chronic intestinal tuberculous infection was found at surgery. Extra-European immigrants often live in poor hygienic conditions in our country and are exposed to infectious ailments, which are unusual for the Italian population. In the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain in African immigrants, tuberculosis peritonitis should be always considered.

[Surgical treatment of major obesity by biliopancreatic bypass: our experience]. / La thérapie chirurgicale de la grande obésité par by-pass biblio-pancréatique: notre expérience.

The Authors report their experience in the surgical management of morbid obesity. The efficacy of the bilio-pancreatic by-pass, method created by Nicola Scopinaro in the 1976, is underlined. From November 1988, 41 patients affected by morbid obesity were treated with this method. Results obtained are comparable to those reported in literature, with important weight loss and decrease of the cardiovascular risk-factors.

[Diagnostic findings and the surgical treatment of liver metastases: our experience]. / Orientamenti diagnostici e trattamento chirurgico delle metastasi epatiche: nostra esperienza.

The authors report their 10 year experience of 32 consecutive hepatic resections for metastases. All patients were preoperatively evaluated with US and CT, however, in 9 cases the diagnosis was obtained at laparotomy. In the first years there were no codified criteria for indications to surgery, while recently these were restricted, because of more favourable prognostic evaluations, to the metastases from colorectal carcinoma, endocrine or carcinoid tumours, digestive system neoplasms invading adjacent liver (in this case usually with palliative goal). The low mortality and morbidity registered explain the safety and efficacy of this procedure, also taking into account the fact that currently surgery is the only effective procedure with curative purpose. Criteria for patients selection, particularly in case of colorectal cancer, are referred and discussed and consequently prognostic factors are proposed: hepatic involvement extent, stage of primary tumour, absence of extrahepatic metastases, disease free interval between resection of primary tumour and hepatic resection for metachronous metastases.

[The diagnostic and therapeutic problems of endocrine tumors of the digestive system: our experience]. / Problematiche di diagnosi e terapia dei tumori endocrini dell'apparato digerente: la nostra esperienza.

The authors experience in the surgical treatment of endocrine tumours of the digestive tract is reported. Particularly, they emphasize that in spite of the several syndromes associated with these neoplasms, diagnostic and therapeutic concepts herein analyzed are similar.

Clinical and histopathological risk factors to predict sentinel lymph node positivity, disease-free and overall survival in clinical stages I-II AJCC skin melanoma: outcome analysis from a single-institution prospectively collected database.

BACKGROUND: To investigate if the tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are able to predict the sentinel lymph node (SLN) positivity, the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in clinical stages I-II AJCC primary cutaneous melanoma (PCM). METHODS: The study included consecutive patients with PCM, all diagnosed, treated and followed up prospectively. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between DFS, OS, SLN positivity and Breslow thickness, Clark level, TIL, ulceration, lesion site, gender, regression and age. RESULTS: From November 1998 to October 2008, 1251 consecutive patients with PCM were evaluated. Median age was 51 (range 15-96) with 32.2% (N=393) of them older than 60; 44.8% of them were males. Of the whole series, a total of 404 patients with primary vertical growth phase (VGP) melanoma and no clinical evidence of metastatic disease underwent SLN biopsy. Of these, 74 (18.8%) had a positive SLN. In a multivariate analysis, primary melanoma on the extremities versus that on the axial locations (truncal and head/neck) (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.25-0.98, p 0.04) and TILs (TILs versus no TILs) (OR 0.47, 95%CI 0.25-0.90, p 0.02) were predictive for lower probability of SLN involvement, while thickness (>4mm versus 0-1mm) (OR 24, 19, 95% CI 4.91-119.13, p<.001) was predictive for higher risk of SLN positivity. A multivariate stepwise analysis confirmed these results. The histological status of the SLN was the most significant predictor of DFS and OS. Patients with a negative SLN had a 5-year DFS of 75.9%, compared with 35.2% in patients with a positive SLN (p<.0001) and a 5-year OS of 88.7% versus 42.9%, respectively (p<.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that the absence of TILs predicts SLN metastasis, in multivariate analysis the SLN positivity predicts DFS and OS.