Clinical predictors of postoperative complications in the context of enhanced recovery (ERAS) in patients with esophageal and gastric cancer.

The overall frequency of postoperative complications in patients with esophageal and gastric cancer diverges between studies. We evaluated the frequency and assessed the relationship between complications and demographic and clinical features. For this observational study, data were extracted from the ERAS Registry managed by the University of Verona, Italy. Patients were evaluated and compared for postoperative complications according to the consensus-based classification and the Clavien-Dindo scale. The study population was 877 patients: 346 (39.5%) with esophageal and 531 (60.5%) with gastric cancer; 492 (56.2%) reported one or more postoperative complications, 213 (61.6%) of those with esophageal and 279 (52.5%) of those with gastric cancer. When stratified by consensus-based classification, patients with esophageal cancer reported general postoperative complications more frequently (p < 0.001) than those with gastric cancer, but there was no difference in postoperative surgical complications between the two groups. Multiple logistic regression models revealed an association between postoperative complications and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.36), operation time (adjusted OR, 1.08; 95% CI 1.00-1.15), and days to solid diet intake (adjusted OR, 1.39; 95% CI 1.20-1.59). Complications in patients with esophageal and gastric cancer are frequent, even in those treated according to ERAS principles, and are often associated with comorbidities, longer operative time, and longer time to solid diet intake.

Clinical Features of Gastric Signet Ring Cell Cancer: Results from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Conflicting results about the prognostic relevance of signet ring cell histology in gastric cancer have been reported. We aimed to perform a meta-analysis focusing on the clinicopathological features and prognosis of this subgroup of cancer compared with other histologies. METHODS: A systematic literature search in the PubMed database was conducted, including all publications up to 1 October 2021. A meta-analysis comparing the results of the studies was performed. RESULTS: A total of 2062 studies referring to gastric cancer with signet ring cell histology were identified, of which 262 studies reported on its relationship with clinical information. Of these, 74 were suitable to be included in the meta-analysis. A slightly lower risk of developing nodal metastases in signet ring cell tumours compared to other histotypes was found (especially to undifferentiated/poorly differentiated/mucinous and mixed histotypes); the lower risk was more evident in early and slightly increased in advanced gastric cancer. Survival tended to be better in early stage signet ring cell cancer compared to other histotypes; no differences were shown in advanced stages, and survival was poorer in metastatic patients. In the subgroup analysis, survival in signet ring cell cancer was slightly worse compared to non-signet ring cell cancer and differentiated/well-to-moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the conflicting results in signet ring cell gastric cancer literature could be derived from the lack of standardisation in their classification and the comparison with the different subtypes of gastric cancer. There is a critical need to strive for a standardised classification system for gastric cancer, fostering clarity and coherence in the forthcoming research and clinical applications.

Robotic versus open Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy: A more accurate lymph node dissection without burdening the leak rate.

BACKGROUND: Robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) combines the beneficial effects of minimally invasive surgery on postoperative complications, especially on pulmonary ones, with the safety of the anastomosis performed in open surgery. Moreover, RAMIE could allow a more accurate lymphadenectomy. METHODS: We reviewed our database to identify all patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus treated by Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy in the period January 2014 to June 2022. Patients were divided according to the thoracic approach into RAMIE and open esophagectomy (OE) groups. We compared the groups for early surgical outcomes, 90-day mortality as well as R0 rate, and the number of lymph nodes harvested. RESULTS: We identified 47 patients in RAMIE and 159 patients in the OE group. Baseline characteristics were comparable. Operative time was significantly longer for RAMIE procedures (p < 0.01); however, we did not observe the difference in overall (RAMIE 55.5% vs. OE 61%, p = 0.76) and severe complications rate (RAMIE 17% vs. OE 22.6%, p = 0.4). The anastomotic leak rate was 2.1% after RAMIE and 6.9% after OE (p = 0.56). We did not report the difference in 90-day mortality (RAMIE 2.1% vs. OE 1.9%, p = 0.65). In the RAMIE group, we observed a significantly higher number of thoracic lymph nodes harvested, with a median of 10 lymph nodes in the RAMIE group versus 8 in the OE group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, RAMIE has morbimortality rates comparable to OE. Moreover, it allows a more accurate thoracic lymphadenectomy which results in a higher thoracic lymph nodes retrieval rate.

From damage control surgery to complex abdominal wall reconstruction It is possible even in the elderly in a Spoke Center?

AIM: To describe our Spoke Center experience in Damage Control Surgery (DCS) in a non traumatic patient and the possibility of delayed abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR). Material of Study The case of a 73 years old Caucasian male treated with DCS for a septic shock due to a duodenal perforation and his clinical course till the abdominal wall reconstruction. RESULTS: We made DCS with abbreviated laparotomy, suture of the ulcer and duodenostomy with a foley placed in right hypochondrium. Patiens was discharged with a low-flow fistula and with TPN. After 18 months we made an open cholecystectomy and a complete abdominal wall reconstruction with Fasciotens Hernia System® adding a biological mesh. DISCUSSION AND COMMENTS: Periodic training in emergency settings and in complex abdominal wall procedures is the right way to manage critic clinical case. Like Niebuhr's abbreviated laparotomy experience also in our case this procedure allows primary closure of complex hernias and is potentially less prone to complications than component separation methods. Unlike Fung's experience we didn' t use negative pressure wound therapy system (NPWT) equally achieving good results. CONCLUSIONS: Elective repair of abdominal wall disaster is possible even in elderly patients who have been treated by abbreviated laparotomy and DCS surgery. In order to obtain good results is fundamental to have a trained staff. KEY WORDS: Damage Control Surgery (DCS), Giant incisional Hernia, Abdominal Wall Repair.

Consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer in referral centers in Italy.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus pandemic had a major impact in Italy. The Italian health system's re-organization to face the emergency may have led to significant consequences especially in the diagnosis and treatment of malignancies. This study aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic in the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer in nine Gruppo Italiano RIcerca Cancro Gastrico (GIRCG) centers. METHODS: All patients assessed for gastric adenocarcinoma at nine GIRCG centers between January 2019 and November 2020 were included. Patients were grouped according to the date of "patient 1's" diagnosis in Italy: preCOVID versus COVID. Clinico-pathological and outcome differences between the two groups were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 632 patients were included in the analysis (205 in the COVID group). The cT4 weighted ratios were higher in 2020 from April to September, with the greatest differences in May, August and September. The cM+ weighted ratio was significantly higher in July 2020. The mean number of gastrectomies had the greatest reduction in March and May 2020 compared with 2019. The median times from diagnosis to chemotherapy, to complete diagnostic work-up or to operation were longer in 2019. The median time from the end of chemotherapy to surgery was 17 days longer in the preCOVID group. CONCLUSIONS: A greater number of advanced or metastatic cases were diagnosed after the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially after the "full lockdown" periods. During the pandemic, once gastric cancer patients were referred to one of the centers, a shorter time to complete the diagnostic work-up or to address them to the best treatment option was required.

Poorly Cohesive Gastric Cancers Showing the Transcriptomic Hallmarks of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Behave Aggressively.

HYPOTHESIS: Poorly cohesive (PC) gastric cancer (GC) exhibits variable clinical behavior, being extremely aggressive in most cases but more indolent at times. We hypothesized that the integrative genomic and gene expression characterization of a PC GC series could help identifying molecular subtypes with potential clinical implications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 64 PC GCs were assessed for alterations in 409 genes and 30 cases were subjected to transcriptomic profiling of 20,815 genes. RESULTS: A median of 8.2 mutations per Mb (interquartile range 6.9-10.4) was found and a tumor mutational load >10 muts/Mb was significantly associated with patients' worse survival ( P =0.0024). The most frequent mutated genes were CDH1 and TP53 (each 32.8%) followed by PIK3CA (10.9%). In 15 samples (23.4%), at least 1 chromatin remodeling gene was mutated: KMT2D (5 cases); ARID1A and BAP1 (4 cases each); EZH2 , KMT2A , PBRM1 (1 case each). Eight samples (12.5%) had fusion genes involving CLDN18 gene. Gene expression profiling identified 4 different clusters: cluster A associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) signature; cluster B associated to proliferative signature and EMT; cluster C correlated to hedgehog signaling; cluster D showing no enrichment for any of the previous signatures. Notably, cluster A and B showed a worse prognosis compared with clusters C and D ( P =0.0095). CONCLUSION: integrated genomic and transcriptomic analysis suggest the existence of 4 molecular subtypes of PC GC with prognostic significance where EMT features are associated with a worse outcome.

Emergency Surgery in a "No-Covid-19 Spoke Center" during the pandemic. One year of experience and a new organizational model.

AIM: We analysed our one-year surgical activity in a spoke 'COVID-19 free' centre during the pandemic in South Italy. MATERIAL OF STUDY: From Feb 2020 to Feb 2021 we performed 800 operations (40% in emergency and 60% of major surgery). We applied restrictive measures for the access of patients in our department from 15/2/2020 after several cases of unclear fever. Visitors were not allowed to stay in the ward. RESULTS: In the first period of lockdown, from March to June 2020, in our Region, biomolecular test was indicated only for symptomatic people. We organized the hospitalization with a sealed compartment system (that we defined "boing system") in which the patient stationed in an 'isolation room' for at least 48 hours upon the entry. From July 2020 molecular test were made to all patients before hospitalization. The boing system remains for emergency recovery. DISCUSSION: In the first phase of pandemia we chose to subject patients to serological examination based on the IgM assay to consider them negative. We organized the hospitalization with a sealed compartment system (that we defined "boing system") CONCLUSION: In the first phase of the pandemic the serological examination has shown high specificity in identifying positive patients for COVID 19. In that period we supposed that patients with negative serology could be considered non-contagious Neither patients or staff has been resulted positive to SarS CoV2 test. KEY WORDS: Covid 19, Emercency Surgery, Spoke Center, Pandemia, Serological Tests.

Which gastric cancer patients could benefit from staging laparoscopy? A GIRCG multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate which gastric cancer patients could benefit the most from staging laparoscopy. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was carried out, including 316 (216 cM- and 100 cM+) gastric cancer patients who had undergone staging laparoscopy between 2010 and 2020 in seven GIRCG centers. A model including easily-accessible clinical, biochemical and pathological markers was constructed to predict the risk of carcinomatosis. ROC curve and decision curve analyses were used to verify its accuracy and net benefit. RESULTS: In the cM-population staging laparoscopy could detect 67 cases who had peritoneal carcinomatosis or positive cytology, for a yield of 30.5%. In cM-patients, intestinal type tumors (0.25, 0.12-0.51; p = 0.002), cT4 tumors (2.18, 1.11-4.28; p = 0.023) and cancers of the lower third (0.31, 0.14-0.70; p = 0.004) were associated with the presence of peritoneal carcinomatosis and/or positive cytology. The ROC curve analysis of the model including the three variables showed an AUC of 0.75 (0.68-0.81, p < 0.001). The decision curve analyses showed that the model had a higher net benefit than the treating all strategy between threshold probabilities of 15 and 50%. CONCLUSIONS: Staging laparoscopy is a useful tool to address the patient with gastric cancer to the most adequate treatment. In cM-patients the assessment of the location of the tumor, the Lauren's histotype and the cT status may help in providing additional elements in indicating or not the use of staging laparoscopy.

Looking for a strategy in treating peritoneal gastric cancer carcinomatosis: an Italian multicenter Gastric Cancer Research group's analysis.

BACKGROUND: The present study provides a snapshot of Italian patients with peritoneal metastasis from gastric cancer treated by surgery in Italian centers belonging to the Italian Research Group on Gastric Cancer. Prognostic factors affecting survival in such cohort of patients were evaluated with the final aim to identify patients who may benefit from radical intent surgery. METHODS: It is a multicentric retrospective study based on a prospectively collected database including demographics, clinical, surgical, pathological, and follow-up data of patients with gastric cancer and synchronous macroscopic peritoneal metastases. Patients were surgically treated from January 2005 to January 2017. We focused on patients with macroscopic peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) treated with upfront surgery in order to provide homogeneous evidences. RESULTS: Our results show that patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis cannot be considered all lost. Strictly selected cases (R0/R1 and P1 patients) could benefit from an aggressive surgical approach performing an extended lymphadenectomy and HIPEC treatment. CONCLUSION: The main result of the study is that GC patients with limited peritoneal involvement can have a survival benefit from a surgery with "radical oncological intent", that means extended lymphadenectomy and R0 resection. The retrospective nature of this study is an important bias, and for this reason, we have started a prospective multicentric study including Italian stage IV patients that hopefully will give us more answers.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery can Improve Patient Outcomes and Reduce Hospital Cost of Gastrectomy for Cancer in the West: A Propensity-Score-Based Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Data on ERAS for gastrectomy are scarce, and the majority of the studies come from Eastern countries. Patients in the West are older and suffer from more advanced tumors that impair their clinical condition and often require neoadjuvant treatment. This retrospective study assessed the feasibility and safety of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol for gastrectomy in a Western center. METHODS: We conducted a single-center study of 351 patients operated for gastric cancer: 103, operated from January 2015 to December 2016, followed the standard pathway, while 248, operated from January 2017 to December 2019, followed the ERAS program. The primary outcomes considered were length of hospital stay (LOS) and direct costs. Secondary outcomes were 90-day morbidity and mortality, readmission rate, and compliance with ERAS items. A propensity score (PS) was built on confounding variables. RESULTS: Compliance with ERAS items after the program was ≥ 70%. Univariable analysis evidenced a 2-day median reduction in LOS and a median cost reduction of €826 per patient in the ERAS group. PS-based multivariable analysis confirmed a significant, 2-day decrease in median LOS and a €1097 saving after ERAS introduction. Ninety-day mortality decreased slightly in ERAS group, while complications and readmissions did not change significantly. When complications were included in the multivariable analysis, ERAS retained its significance, although the effects on LOS and cost were blunted to a median reduction of 1 day and €775, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: ERAS for gastrectomy improved patients' recovery and reduced hospital costs without changes in morbidity, mortality, or readmission.

Personalized therapeutic strategies in HER2-driven gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Trastuzumab is the only approved targeted therapy in patients with HER2-amplified metastatic gastric cancer (GC). Regrettably, in clinical practice, only a fraction of them achieves long-term benefit from trastuzumab-based upfront strategy. To advance precision oncology, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of different HER2-targeted strategies, in HER2 "hyper"-amplified (≥ 8 copies) tumors. METHODS: We undertook a prospective evaluation of HER2 targeting with monoclonal antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors and antibody-drug conjugates, in a selected subgroup of HER2 "hyper"-amplified gastric patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), through the design of ad hoc preclinical trials. RESULTS: Despite the high level of HER2 amplification, trastuzumab elicited a partial response only in 2 out of 8 PDX models. The dual-HER2 blockade with trastuzumab plus either pertuzumab or lapatinib led to complete and durable responses in 5 (62.5%) out of 8 models, including one tumor bearing a concomitant HER2 mutation. In a resistant PDX harboring KRAS amplification, the novel antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan (but not trastuzumab emtansine) overcame KRAS-mediated resistance. We also identified a HGF-mediated non-cell-autonomous mechanism of secondary resistance to anti-HER2 drugs, responsive to MET co-targeting. CONCLUSION: These preclinical randomized trials clearly indicate that in HER2-driven gastric tumors, a boosted HER2 therapeutic blockade is required for optimal efficacy, leading to complete and durable responses in most of the cases. Our results suggest that a selected subpopulation of HER2-"hyper"-amplified GC patients could strongly benefit from this strategy. Despite the negative results of clinical trials, the dual blockade should be reconsidered for patients with clearly HER2-addicted cancers.

Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and the serum prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease treated with biologic drugs.

BACKGROUND: Patients receiving biologic therapies are at risk for viral infections. This study investigated the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 infection and the serum prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treated with biologic drugs. METHODS: Information on demography, co-morbidities, clinical data regarding IBD, symptoms suggestive of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, close contacts with SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, hospitalization, and therapies administered for COVID-19 was collected for all patients who were being treated with biologic drugs. All patients underwent SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty-nine patients (27 children) with a mean age of 42.2 ±â€¯16.7 years (range 9 - 88) and a mean duration of disease of 13.4 ±â€¯10 years (range 0.2 - 49) were enrolled. One hundred four patients (40.2%) had ulcerative colitis, and 155 (59.8%) had Crohn's disease. About the therapy: 62 patients were receiving infliximab, 89 adalimumab, 20 golimumab, 57 vedolizumab, 27 ustekinumab, 1 thalidomide, and 3 an experimental compound. The mean Charlson Comorbidity Index was 2. Thirty-two patients (12.3%) reported respiratory symptoms, and 2 of them were hospitalized (0.77%). Two patients resulted positive for IgG against SARS-CoV-2 (0.77%). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with IBD, treatment with biologic drug does not represent a risk factor for the SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Pretreatment Primary Tumor Stage is a Risk Factor for Recurrence in Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Who Achieve Pathological Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Although pathological complete response (pCR) after multimodal treatment for esophageal cancer is associated to the best prognosis, recurrence may occur in 20-40% of cases. The present study investigated the recurrence pattern and predictive factors of recurrence after pCR in patients with esophageal cancer. METHODS: In this study, 427 patients received preoperative treatment for either esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or adenocarcinoma at Verona University Hospital between 2000 and 2018. Of these, 145 patients (34%) achieved a pCR. Long-term prognosis, recurrence pattern, and risk factors for relapse in pCR patients were analysed. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 52 months, 37 relapses (25.5%) occurred, mostly at distant level (n = 28). Nearly all locoregional relapses (8/9) were detected in SCC cases. The 5-year overall survival and cancer-related survival were 71.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 62.6-78.9%) and 77.5% (95% CI 68.5-84.2%) respectively. Male sex, higher body mass index, and cT4 were significant risk factors for recurrence at univariate analysis. The multivariate analysis confirmed the role of cT4 as predictor of recurrence only in SCCs. CONCLUSIONS: Esophageal cancer recurs in about one-fourth of pCR cases. A fair number of local recurrences occurs in SCCs, but the main problem is the systemic disease control. According to our analysis, SCCs patients with cT4 stage have an increased risk to recur, so they should be managed differently by a personalized approach in terms of adjuvant treatment and follow-up.

Effectiveness of endoscopic vacuum therapy as rescue treatment in refractory leaks after gastro-esophageal surgery.

The treatment of leak after esophageal and gastric surgery is a major challenge. Over the last few years, endoscopic vacuum therapy (E-VAC) has gained popularity in the management of this life-threatening complication. We reported our initial experience on E-VAC therapy as rescue treatment in refractory anastomotic leak and perforation after gastro-esophageal surgery. From September 2017 to December 2019, a total of 8 E-VAC therapies were placed as secondary treatment in 7 patients. Six for anastomotic leak (3 cervical, 1 thoracic, 2 abdominal) and 1 for perforation of the gastric conduit. In 6 cases, E-VAC was placed intracavitary; while in the remaining 2, the sponge was positioned intraluminal (one patient was treated with both approaches). A total of 60 sponges were used in the whole cohort. The median number of sponge insertions was 10 (range: 5-14) with a median treatment duration of 41 days (range: 19-49). A complete healing was achieved in 4 intracavitary (67%) and in 1 intraluminal (50%) E-VAC. We observed only one E-VAC-related complication: a bleeding successfully managed endoscopically. E-VAC therapy seems to be a safe and effective tool in the management of leaks and perforations after upper GI surgery, although with longer healing time when it is used as secondary treatment.

Serrated lesions of the colon and rectum: Emergent epidemiological data and molecular pathways.

In 2010, serrated polyps (SP) of the colon have been included in the WHO classification of digestive tumors. Since then a large corpus of evidence focusing on these lesions are available in the literature. This review aims to analyze the present data on the epidemiological and molecular aspects of SP. Hyperplastic polyps (HPs) are the most common subtype of SP (70-90%), with a minimal or null risk of malignant transformation, contrarily to sessile serrated lesions (SSLs) and traditional serrated adenomas (TSAs), which represent 10-20% and 1% of adenomas, respectively. The malignant transformation, when occurs, is supported by a specific genetic pathway, known as the serrated-neoplasia pathway. The time needed for malignant transformation is not known, but it may occur rapidly in some lesions. Current evidence suggests that a detection rate of SP ≥15% should be expected in a population undergoing screening colonoscopy. There are no differences between primary colonoscopies and those carried out after positive occult fecal blood tests, as this screening test fails to identify SP, which rarely bleed. Genetic similarities between SP and interval cancers suggest that these cancers could arise from missed SP. Hence, the detection rate of serrated-lesions should be evaluated as a quality indicator of colonoscopy. There is a lack of high-quality longitudinal studies analyzing the long-term risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC), as well as the cancer risk factors and molecular tissue biomarkers. Further studies are needed to define an evidence-based surveillance program after the removal of SP, which is currently suggested based on experts' opinions.

Local excision following chemoradiotherapy in T2-T3 rectal cancer: current status and critical appraisal.

Local excision following chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer is an organ-preserving procedure which aims at reducing morbidity and functional disorders associated with total mesorectal excision (TME) in selected patients. Although TME after chemoradiotherapy remains the gold standard for locally advanced mid and low rectal cancer, in the last years multicenter research trials have offered encouraging oncologic results which have allowed to preserve the rectum in patients with a pathologic complete response after chemoradiotherapy. A review of the available literature on this topic was conducted to define the state of the art of this conservative approach and to focus on the most controversial aspects concerning local excision performed after chemoradiotherapy, in particular tumor scatter and lymph node status, completion and salvage surgery, morbidity and quality of life. The analysis of these topics should be considered, in trial setting or in current practice, for their clinical implications. Oncologic outcomes of recent trials are encouraging for part of the patients presenting T2 rectal cancer; however, TME still remains the standard treatment in clinical practice. In such cases, local excision should include a surgical safety margin of at least 1 cm from the resection margin to achieve a true negative margin from residual tumor cells. The selection of the patients should be carefully performed and their consensus extremely detailed because TME is necessary in about 30% of cases. Failing that, morbidity and quality of life are negatively affected. However, about half of these patients refuse radical surgery (45%), thus undergoing only palliative care.

Is There Any Role for Super-Extended Limphadenectomy in Advanced Gastric Cancer? Results of an Observational Study from a Western High Volume Center.

BACKGROUND: Although the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) 9501 trial did not find that prophylactic D3 lymphadenectomy led to any survival advantage over D2 lymphadenectomy, it did find that the prognosis of subserosal and N0 gastric cancer patients improved. The aim of this retrospective observational study was to compare survival after D2 or D3 lymphadenectomy in different patient subgroups. METHODS: The study considered all of the patients who underwent D2 or D3 lymphadenectomy at a high-volume center in Verona (Italy) between 1992 and 2011. After excluding patients with Bormann IV or neuroendocrine tumors, early gastric cancers, or non-curative resections, the analysis involved 301 R0 patients: 100 who underwent D2, and 201 who underwent D3 lymphadenectomy. Post-operative deaths and deaths due to recurrences were considered as terminal events in the survival analysis. RESULTS: The D2 patients were significantly older than the D3 patients at baseline (69.8 ± 2.3 vs. 62.2 ± 10.7 years). The median number of retrieved nodes was 29 (interquartile range: 24.5-39) after D2, and 43 (34-52) after D3. The five-year disease-related survival rate was similar after D2 (44%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 34-54%) and D3 (41%, 34-48%) (p = 0.766). A Cox model controlling for sex, age, tumor site, Laurén histology, and T and N stages showed that the risk of cancer-related death after D3 was similar to that recorded after D2 (hazard ratio 0.97, 95% CI 0.67-1.42). There was a significant interaction between the T status and the extension of the lymphadenectomy (p = 0.012), with the prognosis being better after D2 in T2 and T4b patients, and after D3 in T3 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that D3 lymphadenectomy is not routinely indicated for patients with advanced gastric cancer, although differences in survival after D3 across T tiers deserve further consideration.

Oncological Outcomes and Quality of Life After Rectal Cancer Surgery.

Surgery for rectal cancer has been completely revolutionized thanks to the adoption of new technologies and up-to-date surgical procedures that have been applied to the traditional milestone represented by Total Mesorectal Excision (TME). The multimodal and multidisciplinary approach, with new technologies increased the patients' life expectancies; nevertheless, they have placed the surgeon in front of newer issues, represented by both oncological outcomes and the patients' need of a less destructive surgery and improved quality of life. In this review we will go through laparoscopic, robotic and transanal TME surgery, to show how the correct choice of the most appropriate technique, together with a deep knowledge of oncological principles and pelvic anatomy, is crucial to pursue an optimal cancer treatment. Novel technologies might also help to decrease the patients' fear of surgery and address important issues such as cosmesis and improved preservation of postoperative functionality.