Sentinel node biopsy during thoracolaparoscopic esophagectomy for advanced esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Omitting extensive lymph node dissection could reduce esophagectomy morbidity in patients without lymph node metastases. Sentinel node biopsy may identify abdominal or thoracic lymph node metastases, thereby differentiating treatment. Feasibility of this approach was investigated in Western European esophageal cancer patients with advanced disease, without lymph node metastases at diagnostic work-up. METHODS: The sentinel node biopsy was performed in eight esophageal cancer patients with cT1-3N0 disease. One day pre-operatively, Tc-99m-labeled nanocolloid was endoscopically injected around the tumor. Lymphoscintigraphy was performed 1 and 3 h after injection. All patients underwent robotic thoracolaparoscopic esophagectomy with two-field lymph node dissection. Intraoperatively, sentinel nodes were detected by gamma probe. The resection specimen was analyzed for remaining activity by scintigraphy and gamma probe. RESULTS: Visualization rates of lymphoscintigraphy 1 and 3 h after tracer injection were 88 and 100%, respectively. Intraoperative identification rate was 38%. Postoperative identification was possible in all patients using the gamma probe to analyze the resection specimen. In 5/8 patients, lymph node metastases were found at histopathology, none of which was detected by the sentinel node biopsy. No adverse events related to the sentinel node biopsy were observed. CONCLUSIONS: In our advanced esophageal cancer patients who underwent thoracolaparoscopic esophagectomy, the sentinel node biopsy did not predict lymph node status. Probably the real sentinel node could not be identified due to localization adjacent to the primary tumor or bypassing due to metastatic tumor involvement. Therefore, we consider the sentinel node biopsy not feasible in advanced esophageal cancer.

International survey on esophageal cancer: part I surgical techniques.

In patients with esophageal cancer, radical surgical resection of the esophagus and surrounding lymph nodes is the only curative treatment option. Nevertheless, no standard surgical procedure exists. The aims of the present study were to gain insight into the frequencies of the various surgical techniques in esophageal cancer surgery as applied by surgeons throughout the world and to identify intercontinental differences regarding surgical techniques. Surgeons with particular interest in esophageal surgery, including members of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus, the European Society of Esophagology Group d'Etude Européen des Maladies de l'Oesophage and the OESO, were invited to participate in an online questionnaire. Questions were asked regarding approach to esophagectomy, extent of lymphadenectomy (LND), type of reconstruction, and anastomotic techniques. Subanalyses were performed for the surgeons' case volume per year, years of experience in esophageal cancer surgery, and continent. Of 567 invited surgeons, 269 participated, resulting in an overall response rate of 47%. The responders currently performing esophagectomies (n= 250; 44%), represented 41 countries across the six continents. Fifty-two percent of responders favor open transthoracic esophagectomy (TTE) over transhiatal esophagectomy (THE) or minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE). THE is preferred by 26%, whereas MIE is favored by 14%. Eight percent have no preference for one approach to esophagectomy over the other. The extent of LND is most frequently the 2-field, routinely performed by 73% of surgeons. The continuity of the digestive tract is most frequently restored with a gastric conduit (85%). In open TTE, the anastomosis is routinely created in the neck by 56% of responders and in the chest by 40%. Cervical anastomoses are routinely fashioned by means of a handsewn technique by 65% of responders, while 35% favor the stapled technique. The cervical incision is predominantly performed vertically on the left side of the neck (routinely by 66%). A horizontal neck incision is routinely carried out by 19% of responders and a vertical right-sided incision by 11%. Significant differences in surgical techniques could be detected between low- and high-volume surgeons, between surgeons with or=21 years of experience, and between surgeons from different continents. In conclusion, currently the most commonly applied surgical procedure is the open right-sided transthoracic approach with a two-field lymphadenectomy, using a gastric tube anastomosed at the left side of the neck by means of a handsewn, end-to-side technique. The results of this survey provide baseline data for future research and for the development of international guidelines.

Validation of tissue microarray technology in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

Tissue microarray (TMA) technology has been developed to facilitate high-throughput immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization analysis of tissues by inserting small tissue biopsy cores into a single paraffin block. Several studies have revealed novel prognostic biomarkers in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) by means of TMA technology, although this technique has not yet been validated for these tumors. Because representativeness of the donor tissue cores may be a disadvantage compared to full sections, the aim of this study was to assess if TMA technology provides representative immunohistochemical results in ESCC. A TMA was constructed containing triplicate cores of 108 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded squamous cell carcinomas of the esophagus. The agreement in the differentiation grade and immunohistochemical staining scores of CK5/6, CK14, E-cadherin, Ki-67, and p53 between TMA cores and a subset of 64 randomly selected donor paraffin blocks was determined using kappa statistics. The concurrence between TMA cores and donor blocks was moderate for Ki-67 (kappa = 0.42) and E-cadherin (kappa = 0.47), substantial for differentiation grade (kappa = 0.65) and CK14 (kappa = 0.71), and almost perfect for p53 (kappa = 0.86) and CK5/6 (kappa = 0.93). TMA technology appears to be a valid method for immunohistochemical analysis of molecular markers in ESCC provided that the staining pattern in the tumor is homogeneous.

Living with muscular dystrophy: health related quality of life consequences for children and adults.

BACKGROUND: Muscular dystrophies are chronic diseases manifesting with progressive muscle weakness leading to decreasing activities and participation. To understand the impact on daily life, it is important to determine patients' quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To investigate Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of children and adults with muscular dystrophy (MD), and to study the influence of type and severity of MD on HRQoL in adult patients. METHODS: Age-related HRQoL questionnaires were administered to 40 children (8-17 years), and 67 adult patients with muscular dystrophies. RESULTS: Significant differences in HRQoL were found in children and adults with MD compared to healthy controls. Patients with Becker muscular dystrophy reported a better HRQoL on the several scales compared to patients with other MDs. Severity was associated with worse fine motor functioning and social functioning in adult patients. CONCLUSION: This is one of the first studies describing HRQoL of patients with MD using validated instruments in different age groups. The results indicate that having MD negatively influences the HRQoL on several domains.

Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of a small renal mass complicated by appendiceal perforation.

Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has gained wide acceptance as nephron-sparing therapy for small renal masses in select patients. Generally, it is a safe procedure with minor morbidity and acceptable short-term oncologic outcome. However, as a result of the close proximity of vital structures, such as the bowel, ureter, and large vessels, to the ablative field, complications regarding these structures may occur. This is the first article describing appendiceal perforation as a complication of computed tomography-guided RFA despite hydrodissection. When performing this innovative and promising procedure one should be aware of the possibility of particular minor and even major complications.

Diagnostic value of routine aqueous contrast swallow examination after oesophagectomy for detecting leakage of the cervical oesophagogastric anastomosis.

BACKGROUND: Water-soluble contrast swallow examination is routinely carried out after oesophagectomy to detect leakage of the cervical oesophagogastric anastomosis. This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy and clinical value. METHODS: Patients with oesophageal carcinoma who underwent oesophagectomy with gastric conduit formation and a hand-sewn cervical anastomosis between 1989 and 2003 were reviewed on outcome of routine aqueous contrast swallow examination (RACSE) and appearance of clinical anastomotic leakage. RESULTS: An RACSE was carried out in 207 (82%) of 252 patients on postoperative day 8 (range 3-15). In 45 patients, no RACSE was executed, mainly because of a prolonged stay in intensive care unit. In 18 (9%) of 207 cases, the RACSE could not be interpreted by the radiologist. In 19 (53%) of 36 patients who developed a clinical leakage, the leak had already manifested clinically before the routine contrast examination was planned. Taken together, the false-positive rate was 8%, the false-negative rate 48%, sensitivity 52%, specificity 92%, positive predictive value 46% and negative predictive value 93%. No significant differences were found between the accuracy of RACSE in end-to-end or end-to-side cervical anastomoses. CONCLUSION: Given the very low sensitivity and low positive predictive value and given the fact that in 53% of patients with a clinical leak, the leakage had appeared clinically before the contrast swallow examination was routinely planned, we propose to abandon the routine contrast swallow examination after oesophagectomy to detect cervical anastomotic leakage. Alternatively, anastomotic integrity can be tested by drinking small amounts of water with simultaneous observation of the cervical wound.