Textbook outcome contributes to long-term prognosis in elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Textbook outcome (TO) is a composite quality measurement of outcomes for evaluating surgical procedures. We investigated whether TO can be used to predict outcomes after curative resection for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in elderly patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 105 patients who underwent curative esophagectomy for ESCC from 2005 to 2020. In accordance with previous reports, TO consisted of 10 parameters. The patients were divided into two groups: those who achieved TO (TO) and those who failed to achieve TO (non-TO). We evaluated the association between TO and long-term survival. Results: TO was achieved in 28 (26%) patients. The patients in the TO group were significantly older (p = 0.02). The parameter with the lowest achievement rate was "No hospital stay ≥21 days". The patients in non-TO group had significantly shorter overall survival than those in TO group (p = 0.03). Multivariable Cox regression analyses of overall survival revealed that lymph node metastasis (hazard ratio [HR], 3.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.73-6.78; p < 0.0002) and non-TO (HR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.05-5.65; p = 0.03) were significantly associated with poor overall survival. Conclusion: TO can be used to predict outcomes after curative esophagectomy in elderly patients with ESCC.

Textbook outcome contributes to long-term prognosis in older adults with gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: Textbook outcome (TO) is a composite quality measurement of short-term outcomes for evaluating surgical procedures. We investigated whether TO can be used to predict outcomes after curative gastric cancer (GC) surgery in older adults. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 492 consecutive patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for GC from 2005 to 2017. Among these, 141 advanced-age patients were eligible. The patients were divided into two groups: those who achieved TO (a-TO group) and those who failed to achieve TO (f-TO group). In accordance with previous reports, TO consisted of eight metrics. We evaluated the association between TO and long-term survival. RESULTS: TO was achieved 73 (52%) patients. The patients in the f-TO group had a significantly higher body mass index (P = 0.01), longer surgery time (P = 0.03), and more blood loss (P = 0.001). The metric with the lowest achievement rate was "no postoperative severe complication." The patients in the f-TO group had significantly shorter overall survival than those in the a-TO group (P = 0.03). Multivariable Cox regression analyses of overall survival revealed that an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification of 3 (hazard ratio [HR], 3.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.79-5.98; P < 0.0001) and f-TO (HR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.09-3.39; P = 0.02) were significantly associated with poor overall survival. CONCLUSION: TO can be used to predict outcomes after curative GC surgery in patients of advanced age.

Prognostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the bone marrow on pretreatment positron emission tomography/computed tomography in patients with esophageal cancer who underwent esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: Increased 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the bone marrow (BM) on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) clinically reflects increased BM metabolism owing to systemic inflammation, bacterial infection, anemia, and cytokine-producing tumors. The association between FDG uptake in the BM and prognosis after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer has not been investigated. METHODS: This study included 651 patients who underwent PET/CT before any treatment and McKeown esophagectomy for esophageal cancer between June 2007 and August 2021. The pretreatment degree of FDG uptake in the BM was evaluated using a visual assessment criterion. Patients were divided into low- and high-FDG uptake groups. We retrospectively investigated whether the degree of FDG uptake in the BM was associated with clinicopathological and surgical backgrounds, blood parameters, and prognosis. RESULTS: High FDG uptake in the BM was significantly associated with elevated white blood cell and neutrophil counts, increased C-reactive protein levels, decreased hemoglobin, serum albumin, and total cholesterol levels. High FDG uptake in the BM was an independent predictor of worse overall survival in clinical stages 0-II esophageal cancer (hazard ratio, 2.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.097-4.695; P = 0.027). Worse overall survival was also associated with advanced age, low American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, an advanced clinical stage, and high intraoperative blood loss. CONCLUSION: Increased FDG uptake in the BM on pretreatment PET/CT may be a surrogate indicator of various clinically disadvantageous backgrounds and may act as a predictor of poor prognosis after esophageal cancer surgery.

Frailty Assessed by the Clinical Frailty Scale is Associated with Prognosis After Esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) is a simple and validated tool for assessing frailty, and higher CFS scores are correlated with worse perioperative outcomes after cardiovascular surgery. However, the relationship between the CFS scores and postoperative outcomes after esophagectomy remain unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 561 patients with esophageal cancer (EC) who underwent resection from August 2010 to August 2020. We defined a CFS score of ≥4 as indicative of frailty; thus, patients were classified into frail patients (CFS scores of ≥4) and non-frail patients (CFS scores of ≤3). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to describe the overall survival (OS) distributions with the log-rank test. RESULTS: Of the 561 patients, 90 (16%) had frailty and 471 (84%) did not. Frail patients had a significantly older age, lower body mass index, higher American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, and greater cancer progression than non-frail patients. The 5-year survival rate was 68% in non-frail patients and 52% in frail patients. OS was significantly shorter in frail than non-frail patients (p = 0.017 by log-rank test). In particular, OS was significantly shorter in frail patients with clinical stage I-II EC (p = 0.0024 by log-rank test) but was not correlated with frailty in patients with clinical stage III-IV EC (p = 0.87 by log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative frailty was associated with shorter OS after resection of EC. The CFS score may be a prognostic biomarker for patients with EC, especially early-stage EC.

Successful Management of Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma With Liver and Ovary Metastases: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Chemoradiation is the recommended initial treatment for locally advanced squamous anal cancer. However, there is still no consensus on the course of treatment for anal canal cancer with distant metastasis, and the significance of surgical resection of distant metastases is also unclear. CASE REPORT: A 48-year-old woman presented to the referral hospital complaining of prolonged bleeding for the past 6 months. On examination, a mass was identified in the anal canal and the upper part of the rectum that was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. Liver, ovarian, and right internal iliac lymph node metastases were found on further examination, and the patient was referred to our department for treatment. Systemic chemotherapy was planned, and six courses of modified FOLFOX6 were administered. After chemotherapy, the liver and right internal iliac lymph node metastases tended to shrink, and no new lesions appeared. Therefore, a total posterior pelvic resection and a bilateral lymph node dissection were performed for the primary tumour and ovarian metastases, and a simultaneous laparoscopic right partial hepatectomy was undertaken for the liver metastases. R0 resection was achieved, and the final diagnosis was T3N3M1a(H) stage IV. The patient remains alive 2 years after the surgery without recurrence. CONCLUSION: We report a rare case of anal canal cancer with distant metastases who achieved R0 resection after modified FOLFOX6 chemotherapy.