Optimizing surgical strategies for retroperitoneal liposarcoma: a comprehensive evaluation of standardized aggressive surgical policies.

BACKGROUND: Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) constitutes the majority of retroperitoneal sarcomas. While surgical resection remains the sole curative approach, determining the optimal surgical strategy for RLPS remains elusive. This study addresses the ongoing debate surrounding the optimal surgical strategy for RLPS. METHODS: We recruited 77 patients with RLPS who underwent aggressive surgical policies. Patients were categorized into three surgical subtypes: suprapancreatic RLPS, pancreatic RLPS, and subpancreatic RLPS. Our standardized surgical strategy involved resecting macroscopically uninvolved adjacent organs according to surgical subtypes. We collected clinical, pathological and prognostic data for analyses. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 45.5 months. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were significantly correlated with multifocal RLPS, pathological subtype, recurrent RLPS and histological grade (P for OS = 0.011, 0.004, 0.010, and < 0.001, P for RFS = 0.004, 0.001, < 0.001, and < 0.001, respectively). The 5-Year Estimate OS of well-differentiated liposarcoma (WDLPS), G1 RLPS, de novo RLPS and unifocal RLPS were 100%, 89.4%, 75.3% and 69.1%, respectively. The distant metastasis rate was 1.4%. The morbidity rates (≥ grade III) for suprapancreatic, pancreatic, and subpancreatic RLPS were 26.7%, 15.6%, and 13.3%, respectively. The perioperative mortality rate is 2.6%. CONCLUSIONS: Standardized aggressive surgical policies demonstrated prognostic benefits for RLPS, particularly for G1 RLPS, WDLPS, unifocal RLPS, and de novo RLPS. This approach effectively balanced considerations of adequate exposure, surgical safety, and thorough removal of all fat tissue. G1 RLPS, WDLPS, unifocal RLPS, and de novo RLPS could be potential indications for aggressive surgical policies.

Short- and long-term surgical outcomes of pancreatic resection for retroperitoneal sarcoma: A long-term single-center experience of 90 cases.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Resection of retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) en bloc with pancreas is challenging and controversial. This single-center retrospective study aimed to analyze the impact of pancreatic resection (PR) and its different types on short- and long-term outcomes in patients with RPS. METHODS: Data from 242 consecutive patients with RPS who underwent surgical treatment at the Peking University Cancer Hospital Sarcoma Center between January 2010 and February 2021 were analyzed. Out of these, 90 patients underwent PR, including pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) in 31 and distal pancreatectomy (DP) in 59. RESULTS: Patients in the PR group had a higher major morbidity (37.8% vs. 14.5%) and mortality (8.9% vs. 1.3%) than those in the non-PR group, with a similar 5-year overall survival (OS) rate (46.9% vs. 53.6%). Patients in the PD and DP groups had a slight difference in major morbidity (48.4% vs. 32.2%), mortality (6.4% vs. 10.2%), and 5-year OS rates (43.3% vs. 49.3%). The PR type was not an independent risk factor for major morbidity or OS. CONCLUSIONS: PR in RPS resection was associated with increased morbidity and mortality with minimal influence on survival. Patients with RPS undergoing PD and DP showed slight differences in terms of safety and OS.

Preoperative assessment of retroperitoneal Liposarcoma using volume-based 18F-FDG PET/CT: implications for surgical strategy and prognosis.

PURPOSE: Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) poses a challenging scenario for surgeons due to its unpredictable biological behavior. Surgery remains the primary curative option for RLPS; however, the need for additional information to guide surgical strategies persists. Volume-based 18F-FDG PET/CT may solve this issue. METHODS: We analyzed data from 89 RLPS patients, measuring metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and explored their associations with clinical, prognostic, and pathological factors. RESULTS: MTV, TLG of multifocal and recurrent RLPS were significantly higher than unifocal and primary ones (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.003 and P = 0.002, respectively). SUVmax correlated with FNCLCC histological grade, mitotic count and Ki-67 index (P for G1/G2 = 0.005, P for G2/G3 = 0.017, and P for G1/G3 = 0.001, P < 0.001 and P = 0.024, respectively). MTG, TLG and SUVmax of WDLPS were significantly lower than DDLPS and PLPS (P for MTV were 0.009 and 0.022, P for TLG were 0.028 and 0.048, and P for SUVmax were 0.027 and < 0.001, respectively). Multivariable Cox analysis showed that MTV > 457.65 (P = 0.025), pathological subtype (P = 0.049) and FNCLCC histological grade (P = 0.033) were related to overall survival (OS). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that MTV is an independent prognostic factor for RLPS, while MTV, TLG, and SUVmax can preoperatively predict multifocal lesions, histological grade, and pathological subtype. Volume-based 18F-FDG PET/CT offers valuable information to aid in the decision-making process for RLPS surgical strategies.

Cytoreductive surgery offers prognostic benefits in metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors with generalized progression following imatinib therapy: a single institute retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Distant metastasis has been detected in approximately 50% of GIST patients at the first diagnosis. The surgical strategy for metastatic GIST with generalized progression (GP) after imatinib therapy remains unclear. METHODS: We recruited 15 patients with imatinib-resistant metastatic GIST. They received cytoreductive surgery (CRS) for tumor rupture, intestinal obstruction and gastrointestinal bleeding. We collected clinical, pathological and prognostic data for analyses. RESULTS: OS and PFS after R0/1 CRS were 56.88 ± 3.47 and 26.7 ± 4.12 months, respectively, when compared with 26 ± 5.35 and 5 ± 2.78 months after R2 CRS (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001, respectively). The OS of patients from the initiation of imatinib in the R0/1 group was 133.90 ± 15.40 months when compared with 59.80 ± 10.98 months in the R2 CRS group. There were two significant grade III complications after 15 operations (13.3%). No patient underwent reoperation. In addition, no perioperative death occurred. CONCLUSIONS: R0/1 CRS is highly probable to provide prognostic benefits for patients with metastatic GIST who experience GP following imatinib treatment. An aggressive surgical strategy for achieving R0/1 CRS can be deemed safe. If applicable, R0/1 CRS should be carefully considered in imatinib-treated patients with GP metastatic GIST.

Treatment algorithm and surgical outcome for primary and recurrent retroperitoneal sarcomas: A long-term single-center experience of 242 cases.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPSs) are difficult to manage, rare malignant tumors. This single-center, retrospective study aimed to analyze the treatment algorithm and outcomes of aggressive surgical treatment in patients with primary and recurrent RPS. METHODS: Data of 242 consecutive patients with RPS who underwent surgical treatment at the Peking University Cancer Hospital Sarcoma Center between January 2010 and February 2021 were collected and analyzed. Indications for surgery were based on the treatment algorithm. RESULTS: A total of 145 patients with primary RPS and 97 with recurrent RPS were included. The recurrent cohort comprised more patients with multifocal tumors than the primary cohort (64.9% vs. 15.2%). R0/R1 resection was achieved in 94.5% and 81.4% of the primary and recurrent RPS cases, respectively. Major complication rates in the primary and recurrent cohorts were 17.9% and 30.9%, respectively. During a median follow-up of 51 months, the estimated 5-year overall survival, local recurrence, and distant metastasis rates for patients with primary and recurrent RPS were 61.0% versus 37.1%, 47.4% versus 71.3%, and 18.4% versus 17.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Aggressive surgical treatment achieved good local control and long-term survival in patients with primary RPS, whereas the prognosis in patients with recurrence were significantly worse.

Dexamethasone inhibits pancreatic tumor growth in preclinical models: Involvement of activating glucocorticoid receptor.

Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) modulates extensive biological and pathological processes including tumor progression through diverse mechanisms. The regulatory effects of dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid, as well as its interaction with GR have been recognized beyond hematologic cancers. In the present study, we investigated the anti-cancer efficacy of DEX and the correlation with GR in pancreatic cancer, a most aggressive malignancy threatening human health. The differential levels of GR expression were examined in two human pancreatic cancer cell lines, PANC-1 and SW1990, as well as in xenografts and patient tumor tissues. DEX significantly inhibited colony formation, migration, and tumor growth of PANC-1 cells expressing abundant GR. The underlying mechanisms involved suppression of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) phosphorylation and down-regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The anti-cancer effects of DEX were partially reversed by GR silencing or combinational administration of GR antagonist, RU486. The dose-dependent efficacy of DEX in tumor growth inhibition was also demonstrated in a GR-positive patient-derived xenograft model along with safety in mice. DEX was less potent, however, in SW1990 cells with poor GR expression. Our findings suggest that DEX effectively inhibits pancreatic tumor growth partially through GR activation. The potential correlation between GR expression and anti-cancer efficacy of DEX may have some clinical implications.

Comprehensive comparison of patient-derived xenograft models in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and metastatic Liver Cancer.

Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models are effective preclinical cancer models that reproduce the tumor microenvironment of the human body. The methods have been widely used for drug screening, biomarker development, co-clinical trials, and personalized medicine. However, the low success rate and the long tumorigenesis period have largely limited their usage. In the present studies, we compared the PDX establishment between hepatocellular cancer (HCC) and metastatic liver cancer (MLC), and identified the key factors affecting the transplantation rate of PDXs. Surgically resected tumor specimens obtained from patients were subcutaneously inoculated into immunodeficient mice to construct PDX models. The overall transplantation rate was 38.5% (20/52), with the HCC group (28.1%, 9/32) being lower than MLC group (56.2%, 9/16). In addition, HCC group took significantly longer latency period than MLC group to construct PDX models. Hematoxylin and eosin staining results showed that the histopathology of all generations in PDX models was similar to the original tumor in all three types of cancer. The transplantation rate of PDX models in HCC patients was significantly associated with blood type (P=0.001), TNM stage (P=0.023), lymph node metastasis (P=0.042) and peripheral blood CA19-9 level (P=0.049), while the transplantation rate of PDX models in MLC patients was significantly associated with tumor size (P=0.034). This study demonstrates that PDX models can effectively reproduce the histological patterns of human tumors. The transplantation rate depends on the type of original tumor. Furthermore, it shows that the invasiveness of the original liver cancer affects the possibility of its growth in immunodeficient mice.

Clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of solid pseudopapillary neoplasms of pancreas.

.To explore the clinicopathological features of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of pancreas and to analyze the related factors of SPNs with aggressive behavior. Clinical data of SPN patients admitted in the Single Center of Peking University Cancer Hospital from January 2007 to September 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The correlations of clinicopathological features with aggressive SPNs and distant metastasis after curative resection were analyzed using univariate analysis. Twelve of the total 54 SPN patients were diagnosed as aggressive SPNs. Univariate analysis suggested clinical features had no correlations with aggressive SPNs. Patients were followed up for an average of 5.0 years, four of them developed distant metastases. Univariate analysis indicated that distant metastasis of SPNs was correlated with the aggressive behaviors (P=0.031). Moreover, vessels invasion (VI) and Ki-67>4% (P=0.012) were the independent risk factors of distant metastasis of SPNs. The aggressive SPNs, especially VI and Ki-67>4% are the independent factors correlated with distant metastases after SPNs surgery.

Time-dependent pharmacokinetics of dexamethasone and its efficacy in human breast cancer xenograft mice: a semi-mechanism-based pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model.

Dexamethasone (DEX) is the substrate of CYP3A. However, the activity of CYP3A could be induced by DEX when DEX was persistently administered, resulting in auto-induction and time-dependent pharmacokinetics (pharmacokinetics with time-dependent clearance) of DEX. In this study we investigated the pharmacokinetic profiles of DEX after single or multiple doses in human breast cancer xenograft nude mice and established a semi-mechanism-based pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model for characterizing the time-dependent PK of DEX as well as its anti-cancer effect. The mice were orally given a single or multiple doses (8 mg/kg) of DEX, and the plasma concentrations of DEX were assessed using LC-MS/MS. Tumor volumes were recorded daily. Based on the experimental data, a two-compartment model with first order absorption and time-dependent clearance was established, and the time-dependence of clearance was modeled by a sigmoid Emax equation. Moreover, a semi-mechanism-based PK/PD model was developed, in which the auto-induction effect of DEX on its metabolizing enzyme CYP3A was integrated and drug potency was described using an Emax equation. The PK/PD model was further used to predict the drug efficacy when the auto-induction effect was or was not considered, which further revealed the necessity of adding the auto-induction effect into the final PK/PD model. This study established a semi-mechanism-based PK/PD model for characterizing the time-dependent pharmacokinetics of DEX and its anti-cancer effect in breast cancer xenograft mice. The model may serve as a reference for DEX dose adjustments or optimization in future preclinical or clinical studies.

Anterior Approach to En Bloc Resection in Left-Sided Retroperitoneal Sarcoma with Adjacent Organ Involvement: A Study of 25 Patients in a Single Center.

BACKGROUND There is no standard surgical approach for the management of retroperitoneal sarcoma. The aim of this clinical study was to describe the experience of an anterior approach to en bloc resection in left-sided retroperitoneal sarcoma with adjacent organ involvement. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective clinical study included 25 patients who were diagnosed with left-sided retroperitoneal sarcoma and underwent tumor resection at a single center between May 2012 and July 2017. All patients had tumors that were adjacent to the left colon, pancreas, left kidney, left adrenal gland, and psoas major; some of the tumors were adjacent to the diaphragm, stomach, and small intestine. An anterior approach was used to remove the left-sided retroperitoneal tumor with the adhesive organs en bloc, an approach that is described in detail. The value of this surgical approach was evaluated based on the histopathological findings, postoperative complications, and patient follow-up. RESULTS The median number of resected organs, in addition to the retroperitoneal tumor, was 8 (range, 6-10). Complete macroscopic tumor resection was achieved in 23 cases (92%). Twenty-four patients (96%) had tumor infiltration of at least one organ or the surrounding fat. Three patients (12%) experienced Grade III and IV postoperative morbidities. The one-year disease-free survival rate was 91.3% among patients with macroscopically complete resections. The one-year overall survival rate was 83.2%. CONCLUSIONS In selected patients, left-sided retroperitoneal sarcoma associated with local organ involvement can be surgically managed using an anterior approach with en bloc resection of adjacent organs.

Is Central Pancreatectomy Truly Recommendable? A 9-Year Single-Center Experience.

AIMS: To compare the short- and long-term outcomes in patients with pancreatic benign or borderline neoplasm who underwent central pancreatectomy (CP) and distal pancreatectomy (DP). METHODS: The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) single benign or low-grade malignant tumor; (2) tumor confined to the pancreatic neck or proximal body; and (3) tumor amenable to either CP or DP. Short and long-term outcomes, including complications, pancreatic exocrine and endocrine function, and quality of life (QoL) were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Sixteen patients who underwent CP and 26 patients who underwent DP were included. The median follow-up period was 53 months (range 21-117 months). Patients undergoing CP were significantly more likely to experience complications (68.7 vs. 23%, p = 0.003) especially grade B/C postoperative pancreatic fistula (62.5 vs. 23%, p = 0.011) than those undergoing DP. During the long-term follow-up, 2 patients in the DP group developed new-onset diabetes mellitus, but no patient in CP group developed this condition (8 vs. 0%, p = 0.382). Evidence of exocrine insufficiency, including severe diarrhea or steatorrhea, was not observed in either group. Both groups were equally satisfied with the overall health status and overall QoL. CONCLUSION: CP is associated with excellent pancreatic function but a significantly increased postoperative morbidity and risk compared to DP. Therefore, the indication of CP should be chosen strictly.

Hepatitis B virus infection is an independent factor influencing the occurrence of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer: a retrospective analysis of 1413 cases.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The relationships between Hepatitis B virus infection, cirrhosis and colorectal cancer liver metastasis have not been investigated simultaneously and it remained unclear that whether the immune changes caused by Hepatitis B virus infection or the structural changes caused by cirrhosis conduce to the lower incidence of liver metastasis. METHODOLOGY: Data of 1413 colorectal cancer patients were reviewed to investigate the impacts of Hepatitis B virus infection and cirrhosis on the occurrence and prognosis of liver metastasis. RESULTS: The incidence of liver metastasis in the Hepatitis B virus infection group or in the cirrhotic group was lower than the control groups (9.4% vs 23.9%, P<0.001; 6.3% vs 22.9%, P=0.03, respectively). However, a multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only Hepatitis B virus, the T and N classifications were independent factors for the occurrence of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer. There was no statistically significant difference in 5-years survival rates between hepatitis B virus infection group and the non-infection group, nor between cirrhotic group and non-cirrhosis group (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Hepatitis B virus infection was one of the independent factors for the occurrence of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer but not for the survival.

[Corrigendum] Long non­coding RNA LINC00238 suppresses the malignant phenotype of liver cancer by sponging miR­522.

Subsequently to the publication of the above article, an interested reader drew to the authors' attention that two pairs of data panels featured in Figs. 2E and 6D, portraying the results from cell invasion and migration assay experiments, appeared to contain overlapping sections, such that data which were intended to show the results from differently performed experiments had apparently been derived from a smaller number of original sources. The authors were able to re­examine their original data (which was also presented to the Editorial Office), and realized that errors has been made in the compilation of Fig. 2. The proposed revised version of Fig. 2, now showing the results from the 'field 1' view of the data, is shown on the next page. Note that these errors did not significantly affect either the results or the conclusions reported in this paper,.All the authors agree to the publication of this Corrigendum, and are grateful to the Editor of Molecular Medicine Reports for allowing them the opportunity to correct this error; furthermore, they apologize to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [Molecular Medicine Reports 25: 71, 2022; DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2022.12587].

Volume-based 18F-FDG PET/CT predicts prognosis and outcome of active surveillance for intra-abdominal desmoid tumor.

PURPOSE: Desmoid tumor (DT) is a rare monoclonal, fibroblastic proliferation characterized by a variable and often unpredictable clinical course. Initial active surveillance is recommended by current guideline, and surgery is one of the main therapies for DT. Predicting the prognosis and outcome of active surveillance for intra-abdominal DT is pressing issue. METHODS: The study included eighteen patients with intra-abdominal DT. Metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) were measured. We analyzed their relationship with the outcome of active surveillance, as well as clinical, prognostic, and pathological data. RESULTS: The MTV and TLG of recurrent DT were significantly higher than those of non-recurrent DT (P < 0.001 and P = 0.00, respectively). The ROC curve suggested that the appropriate cutoff values for distinguishing recurrent DT from non-recurrent DT were 760.8 for MTV (sensitivity = 1, specificity = 0.857 and AUC = 0.929), and 1318.4 for TLG (sensitivity = 1, specificity = 0.786, and AUC = 0.911). The cutoff values of MTV and TLG significantly correlated with PFS using the Kaplan-Meier method (P = 0.002 and P = 0.007, respectively). MTV and TLG could distinguish DTs with subsequent progression from stable ones (P = 0.004 and P = 0.004, respectively). The ROC curve suggested that the appropriate cutoff values for distinguishing DTs with subsequent progression from stable ones were 197.1 for MTV (sensitivity = 0.9, specificity = 1, and AUC = 0.900), and 445.45 for TLG (sensitivity = 0.9, specificity = 1, and AUC = 0.900). CONCLUSION: Volume-based 18F-FDG-PET can predict prognosis of intra-abdominal DT. MTV and TLG can predict the outcome of active surveillance for intra-abdominal DT. MTV and TLG can potentially be predictors of surgical risk and difficulty.

En bloc pancreaticoduodenectomy and right colectomy in the treatment of locally advanced colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: Carcinoma of the right colon invading the pancreas or duodenum is rare. Evidence of the indication, operative morbidity, and survival of en bloc pancreaticoduodenectomy and right colectomy for right colon cancer invading adjacent organs is limited. OBJECTIVE: : The goal of this study was to investigate the feasibility, safety, indication, and long-term results of en bloc pancreaticoduodenectomy and right colectomy in the treatment of locally advanced right-sided colon cancer. DESIGN: : This was a retrospective analysis of all inpatients undergoing en bloc pancreaticoduodenectomy and right colectomy. Detailed data of these patients were assessed by a thorough review of medical charts. SETTINGS: The study was conducted using a hospital database. PATIENTS: Fourteen patients who underwent en bloc pancreaticoduodenectomy and right colectomy from January 1989 through December 2011 were included in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: In-hospital complications, mortality, and survival were the primary outcomes measured. RESULTS: Major postoperative complications included delayed gastric empting (n = 7), class B pancreatic fistula (n = 3), and bile leakage (n = 1). Postoperative death occurred in 2 patients. The median hospital stay was 22.5 days (range, 17.0-57.0 days). Inflammatory adhesion was confirmed by pathologic examination in only 1 patient. Eight patients (57%) did not have lymph node metastasis. The median follow-up time was 21 months (range, 4-276 months). Ten patients were alive at the time of their last scheduled follow-up. The overall survival rates were 72% at 1 year and 60% at 2 years. No patient was lost to follow-up. Three patients developed tumor recurrence. The outcomes are no worse than those of the stage-matched patients without adjacent organ involvement and are much better than those of the stage-matched patients who underwent bypass surgery and chemotherapy. LIMITATIONS: The number of patients in current studies is limited. CONCLUSIONS: En bloc pancreaticoduodenectomy and right colectomy can be performed safely with an acceptable morbidity and mortality rate in selected patients with locally advanced right-side colon cancer. The long-term results are promising.

Neoadjuvant therapy for sarcomatoid carcinoma of the pancreas: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the pancreas (SCP) is a rare type of malignant pancreatic neoplasm, and its prognosis is even worse than that of conventional pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Currently, there is no standard regimen for treating SCP, and the impact of systemic therapy on the survival of patients with SCP has not been well defined. CASE PRESENTATION: Herein, we report a 38-year-old Asian man diagnosed of local unresectable SCP with supraclavicular lymph node metastasis, radical excision after camrelizumab and anlotinib therapy, which resulted in a remarkable reduction in the size of primary tumor and complete remission of the metastatic lymph node. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of the use of immunotherapy and anti-angiogenesis therapy in a patient with SCP, which provides optimistic data to support the synergistic effect.

Contralateral internal iliac artery transposition for retroperitoneal sarcoma involving common iliac artery.

Complete resection for retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) involving major vessels frequently requires vascular resection and reconstruction. The use of artificial grafts often leads to postoperative vascular graft infection (VGI), which usually requires reoperation and sometimes leads to death. In the present study, the data of RPS patients who underwent contralateral iliac artery (IIA) transposition for reconstruction of the common iliac artery (CIA) after RPS resection from 2015-2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical, intraoperative, and postoperative outcomes were described. Contralateral IIA transposition was performed to reconstruct the CIA after segmental resection in three patients. All patients underwent concomitant organ resection. Colon resection was performed for all patients, nephrectomy was performed for two patients, and segmental resection of the left ureter with transurethral ureterostomy was performed for one patient. Complete resection was achieved in all patients, and microscopic tumor infiltration to the CIA was observed in all patients (tunica adventitia: 2, tunica media: 1). No major complications occurred during the hospital stay. During the follow-up period (6.0-29.1 months), one patient died from tumor recurrence, and the other two patients did not have any evidence of recurrence or metastatic disease at the latest follow-up. The level of lower limb function was favorable (MSTS93 scores: 28-30). The pelvic organ functions, including bowel, bladder, and sexual functions, were not impaired in any of the patients. This novel technique in which contralateral IIA transposition is performed to reconstruct the CIA after RPS resection is simple and reliable and may be a good alternative to artificial grafts.

Abdominoinguinal approach in en bloc resection of retroperitoneal sarcoma involving iliac vessels with graft interposition.

Background: Retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPSs) located in the lower abdominal quadrants involving iliac vessels are difficult to manage. This study introduced a 5-step method for en bloc resection with graft interposition using the abdominoinguinal approach and evaluated its efficacy and safety. Methods: Data of 24 consecutive patients who met the inclusion criteria from 272 patients with RPS who underwent surgical treatment between April 2015 and April 2022 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Results: The patients underwent left- or right-sided abdominoinguinal incision. In all patients, the abdominoinguinal approach provided good exposure, and complete resection was achieved. Iliac artery+vein, vein, and artery resection and replacement by graft were performed in 70.8%, 25.0%, and 4.2% of patients, respectively. Additional resected organs mainly included the colon, ureter, bladder, kidney, and abdominal wall. The median number of organs resected was 5. In 37.5% of patients, reconstruction of the lower abdominal wall and inguinal ligament was performed using a mesh. Venous graft thrombosis occurred in 21.7% of patients, while no patient had pulmonary embolism or arterial occlusion. Major complications occurred in 20.8% of patients, and no 30-day mortality was observed. The estimated 5-year local recurrence and distant metastasis rates were 54.4% and 22.1%, respectively, with a median recurrence-free survival of 27 months. Conclusions: En bloc resection of RPS involving iliac vessels with graft interposition using the abdominoinguinal approach is feasible and advantageous. Good complete resection rate and safety can be achieved. The long-term survival benefit of this surgical approach should be verified by further large-scale prospective controlled studies.

Long non­coding RNA LINC00238 suppresses the malignant phenotype of liver cancer by sponging miR­522.

Long non­coding RNAs can regulate the malignant tumor phenotype either as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. The present study investigated the underlying mechanism of LINC00238 in liver cancer. LINC00238 was identified as a downregulated molecule in The Cancer Genome Atlas liver hepatocellular carcinoma dataset through Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis software. Through gain­ and loss­of­function experiments, LINC00238 was confirmed as a tumor suppressor that could not only decrease cell viability, migration and invasion in vitro, but also tumorigenesis and tumor metastasis in vivo. By cytoplasmic and nuclear RNA isolation, LINC00238 was confirmed to be predominantly cytoplasmic. Mechanistically, RNA pull­down assays showed that LINC00238 sponged microRNA (miR)­522 and then reversed the inhibitory effects on two downstream targets, secreted frizzled related protein 2 and dickkopf1. Collectively, LINC00238 was identified as a tumor suppressor that acts via sponging miR­522 followed by silencing of downstream targets, suggesting that LINC00238 may have a key role in suppressing the malignant phenotype of liver cancer cells.

Multidimensional characteristics, prognostic role, and preoperative prediction of peritoneal sarcomatosis in retroperitoneal sarcoma.

Background: Peritoneal sarcomatosis (PS) could occur in patients with retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPS). This study aimed to expand the understanding of PS on its characteristics and prognostic role, and develop a nomogram to predict its occurrence preoperatively. Methods: Data of 211 consecutive patients with RPS who underwent surgical treatment between 2011 and 2019 was retrospectively reviewed. First, the clinicopathological characteristics of PS were summarized and analyzed. Second, the disease-specific survival (DSS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) of patients were analyzed to evaluate the prognostic role of PS. Third, preoperative imaging, nearly the only way to detect PS preoperatively, was combined with other screened risk factors to develop a nomogram. The performance of the nomogram was assessed. Results: Among the 211 patients, 49 (23.2%) patients had PS with an incidence of 13.0% in the primary patients and 35.4% in the recurrent patients. The highest incidence of PS occurred in dedifferentiated liposarcoma (25.3%) and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (25.0%). The diagnostic sensitivity of the preoperative imaging was 71.4% and its specificity was 92.6%. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was elevated in patients with PS (P<0.001). IHC staining for liposarcoma revealed that the expression of VEGFR-2 was significantly higher in the PS group than that in the non-PS group (P = 0.008). Survival analysis (n =196) showed significantly worse DSS in the PS group than in non-PS group (median: 16.0 months vs. not reached, P < 0.001). In addition, PS was proven as one of the most significant prognostic predictors of both DSS and RFS by random survival forest algorithm. A nomogram to predict PS status was developed based on preoperative imaging combined with four risk factors including the presentation status (primary vs. recurrent), ascites, SUVmax, and tumor size. The nomogram significantly improved the diagnostic sensitivity compared to preoperative imaging alone (44/49, 89.8% vs. 35/49, 71.4%). The C-statistics of the nomogram was 0.932, and similar C-statistics (0.886) was achieved at internal cross-validation. Conclusion: PS is a significant prognostic indicator for RPS, and it occurs more often in recurrent RPS and in RPS with higher malignant tendency. The proposed nomogram is effective to predict PS preoperatively.