Evaluation of ventral branches of segment VI portal vein relative to the right hepatic vein in laparoscopic right anterior sectionectomy.

INTRODUCTION: The right intersectional plane and the right hepatic hilum were noted too often exhibit anatomical variations, making difficult the laparoscopic right anterior sectionectomy (LRAS). METHODS: We analyzed the anatomical features employing 3D-CT images of 55 patients, and evaluated these features according to the course of ventral branches of segment VI of the portal vein (PV, P6a) relative to the right hepatic vein (RHV). RESULTS: P6a run on the dorsal side of RHV in 32 patients (58%, Dorsal-P6a) and the ventral side of RHV in 23 (42%, Ventral-P6a). Ventral-P6a had more patients with S6 partially drained by middle hepatic vein (MHV, 39% vs. 0%, P < 0001), the narrower angle between the anterior and posterior branches of PV (73.1° vs. 93.8°, P = 0.006), the wider angle between the RHV and inferior vena cava  (54.3° vs. 44.3°, P < 0.001), and more steeply pitched angle between S6 and S7 along the RHV (140.6° vs. 162.0°, P < 0.001) compared to Dorsal-P6a. CONCLUSION: In LRAS for Dorsal-P6a patients, the transection surface was relatively flat. In LRAS for Ventral-P6a patients, the narrow space between anterior and posterior glissons makes difficult the glissonean approach. The transection plane was steeply pitched, and RHV was partially exposed. S6 was often partially drained to MHV in 39% of the Ventral-P6a patients, which triggers congestion during liver transection of a right intersectional plane after first splitting the confluence of this branch.

Laparoscopic and open minor liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma with clinically significant portal hypertension: a multicenter study using inverse probability weighting approach.

BACKGROUND: Liver resection offers substantial advantages over open liver resection (OLR) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in terms of reduced intraoperative blood loss and morbidity. However, there is limited evidence comparing the indications and perioperative outcomes with the open versus laparoscopic approach for resection. This study aimed to compare postoperative outcomes between patients undergoing laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) and OLR for HCC with clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH). METHODS: A total of 316 HCC patients with CSPH (the presence of gastroesophageal varices or platelet count < 100,000/ml and spleen diameter > 12 cm) undergoing minor liver resection at eight centers were included in this study. To adjust for confounding factors between the LLR and OLR groups, an inverse probability weighting method analysis was performed. RESULTS: Overall, 193 patients underwent LLR and 123 underwent OLR. After weighting, LLR was associated with a lower volume of intraoperative blood loss and the incidence of postoperative complications (including pulmonary complications, incisional surgical site infection, and paralytic ileus) compared to the OLR group. The 3-, 5-, and 7-year postoperative recurrence-free survival rates were 39%, 26%, and 22% in the LLR group and 49%, 18%, and 18% in the OLR group, respectively (p = 0.18). And, the 3-, 5-, and 7-year postoperative overall survival rates were 71%, 56%, and 44% in the LLR group and 76%, 51%, 44% in the OLR group, respectively (p = 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: LLR for HCC patients with CSPH is clinically advantageous by lowering the volume of intraoperative blood loss and incidence of postoperative complications, thereby offering feasible long-term survival.

Lymphovascular invasion is associated with poor long-term outcomes in patients with pT1N0-3 or pT2-3N0 remnant gastric cancer: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is a poor prognostic factor in various malignancies. However, its prognostic effect in remnant gastric cancer (RGC) remains unclear. We examined the correlation between LVI and disease prognosis in patients with T1N0-3 or T2-3N0 RGC in whom adjuvant chemotherapy was not indicated and a treatment strategy was not established. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients with T1N0-3 and T2-3N0 RGC who underwent curative surgery at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine between 1997 and 2019 and at the Kyoto Chubu Medical Center between 2009 and 2019. RESULTS: Fifteen of 38 patients (39.5%) with RGC were positive for LVI. Patients with LVI had a significantly poorer prognosis for both overall survival ([OS]: P = 0.006) and recurrence-free survival ([RFS]: P = 0.001) than those without LVI. Multivariate analyses using the Cox proportional hazards model revealed LVI as an independent prognostic factor affecting OS (P = 0.024; hazard ratio 8.27, 95% confidence interval:1.285-161.6) and RFS (P = 0.013; hazard ratio 8.98, 95% confidence interval:1.513-171.2). CONCLUSIONS: LVI is a prognostic factor for patients with T1N0-3 or T2-3N0 RGC. Evaluating LVI may be useful for determining treatment strategies for RGC.

Impact of hypoglycemia after gastrectomy on Global Leader Initiative on Malnutrition-defined malnutrition: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: The Global Leader Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria were developed in 2018 as a global indicator of malnutrition, and the term 'malnutrition-sarcopenia syndrome' was established. Recently, it has been reported that fluctuations in blood glucose are related to sarcopenia. In this study, we investigated the effects of glucose fluctuations on malnutrition after gastrectomy using a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device. METHODS: We analyzed the data of 69 patients with gastric cancer (GC) who underwent curative gastrectomy between November 2017 and December 2020. CGM was performed over a 2-week period at 1 month and 1 year after surgery. The GLIM criteria included weight loss, the body mass index (BMI), and the psoas muscle mass index (PMI). RESULTS: One year after surgery, 25 and 35 patients had severe and moderate malnutrition, respectively. The time below range (TBR) (percent of time the glucose concentration was < 70 mg/dL) and nocturnal (00:00-06:00) TBR were significantly higher in the severe malnutrition group than in the other groups (TBR: normal/moderate 17.9% vs. severe 21.6%, P = 0.039, nocturnal TBR; normal/moderate 30.6% vs. severe 41.1%, P = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Post-gastrectomy hypoglycemia, including long nocturnal hypoglycemia, was higher in severely malnourished patients than in other patients even 1 year after surgery. Prevention of nocturnal hypoglycemia may be the key to improving malnutrition following gastrectomy.

Postoperative liver dysfunction is associated with poor long-term outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative hepatobiliary enzyme abnormalities often present as postoperative liver dysfunction in patients with colorectal cancer. This study aimed to clarify the risk factors of postoperative liver dysfunction and its prognostic impact following colorectal cancer surgery. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 360 consecutive patients who underwent radical resection for Stage I-IV colorectal cancer between 2015 and 2019. A subset of 249 patients with Stage III colorectal cancer were examined to assess the prognostic impact of liver dysfunction. RESULTS: Forty-eight (13.3%) colorectal cancer patients (Stages I-IV) developed postoperative liver dysfunction (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0 CTCAE v5.0 ≥ Grade 2). Univariate and multivariate analyses identified the liver-to-spleen ratio on preoperative plain computed tomography (L/S ratio; P = 0.002, Odds ratio 2.66) as an independent risk factor for liver dysfunction. Patients with postoperative liver dysfunction showed significantly poorer disease-free survival than patients without liver dysfunction (P < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses using Cox's proportional hazards model revealed that postoperative liver dysfunction independently was a poor prognostic factor (P = 0.001, Hazard ratio 2.75, 95% CI: 1.54-4.73). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative liver dysfunction was associated with poor long-term outcomes in patients with Stage III colorectal cancer. A low liver-to-spleen ratio on preoperative plain computed tomography images was an independent risk factor of postoperative liver dysfunction.

Impact of the preoperative clinical N stage on the prognosis of patients with colon cancer.

AIM: Although preoperative clinical staging (cStage) is performed for most cancer patients, limited information is currently available on the relationship with postoperative prognosis. We herein investigated the relationship between cStage and prognosis of colon cancer (CC) patients, particularly focusing on the presence or absence of clinical lymph node (LN) metastasis. METHOD: This was a retrospective study on 840 consecutive patients with colon adenocarcinoma who underwent radical resection at our institution between January 2007 and December 2018. A Kaplan-Meier curve was used to analyse the prognosis of two groups: cN(+)pN(-); a group preoperatively diagnosed with clinical LN metastasis positive, but with no pathological LN metastasis postoperatively, and cN(-)pN(-); a group without clinical and pathological LN metastasis. We also investigated whether a clinical diagnosis is a more accurate prognostic factor than other clinical factors. RESULTS: Among pN(-) cases, the 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was significantly lower in preoperatively diagnosed cN(+) cases than in cN(-) cases (79.4% vs. 95.6%, 3.04 years vs. 3.85 years, p < 0.01). In a multivariate analysis of various preoperative clinical factors in pStage II cases, including high risk factors for pStage II CC, cN(+) was identified as an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.02-4.27, p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Preoperatively over-staged cN cases had a poorer prognosis than cases without over-staging, indicating its potential as a prognostic factor. In addition to already known high risk factors in pStage II cases, the preoperative cStage may be an indication for adjuvant chemotherapy.

Preoperative oral antibiotic administration in patients undergoing curative resection with stoma creation for colorectal cancer: effectiveness in preventing surgical site infection and the possibility of peristomal candidiasis induced by enterobacterial alteration.

AIM: There are many reports that preoperative oral antibiotics (OAs) are effective in preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) in colorectal surgery. However, there is no consensus on the optimal dose of OAs. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of OAs in preventing SSIs and the possibility that OAs induce enterobacterial alteration in the intestinal tract. METHOD: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 389 patients who underwent R0 resection and stoma creation for colorectal cancer in our department between 2009 and 2020. We focused on the incidence of peristomal candidiasis (PSC) as an indicator of enterobacterial alteration and used kanamycin (KM) and metronidazole (MNZ) as the OAs. A low-dose group received 1000 mg/day of both KM and MNZ, and a high-dose group received 2000 mg/day of both KM and MNZ. RESULTS: SSI occurred in 60 of the 389 cases (15.4%). Regardless of stoma type, SSI was significantly more common in the non-OA group, while PSC was significantly less common. When examined by OA dose, the incidence of SSI was not significantly different between the low-dose and high-dose groups. However, PSC was significantly more common in the high-dose group than in the non-OA and low-dose groups. Analysis of bacterial and fungal levels in stool samples showed that bacterial levels after OAs were significantly lower than before OAs, while fungal levels increased. CONCLUSION: OAs significantly reduce SSI in colorectal cancer surgery. However, excess OAs were significantly associated with the occurrence of PSC without contributing to further reduction in SSI.

Predictors of the difficulty of transcervical subcarinal lymph node dissection for esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Transmediastinal radical esophagectomy (TME) is a new minimally invasive approach without thoracotomy. However, the transcervical dissection of subcarinal lymph nodes (SCLN) is challenging. The shape or narrowness of the mediastinal space, particularly around the aortic arch to the tracheal bifurcation, may increase the difficulty of this procedure. The present study aimed to clarify predictors of the difficulty of transcervical SCLN dissection. METHODS: Patients who underwent TME between 2016 and 2019 were included (n = 126). Four indicators, the cervical angle, carina distance, aorta distance, and sternum distance, were defined as indicators of mediastinal narrowness by 3D-CT. The relationships between the difficulty of transcervical SCLN dissection and clinicopathological features, including the above indicators, were investigated. RESULTS: In a univariate analysis, the cervical angle (p = 0.023), aorta distance (p = 0.002), and middle thoracic tumor (p = 0.040) correlated with difficulty. The median cervical angle and aorta distance were 15° and 33 mm in difficult cases and 19° and 43 mm in easy cases, respectively. In a multivariate analysis, the short aorta distance (odds ratio: 7.96, p = 0.002) and middle thoracic tumor (odds ratio: 3.35, p = 0.042) were independent predictive factors. CONCLUSIONS: The cervical angle, aorta distance, and middle thoracic tumor may predict the difficulty of transcervical SCLN dissection. In difficult cases, a transhiatal approach should be combined for complete SCLN dissection.

The survival after recurrence of colorectal cancer: a retrospective study focused on time to recurrence after curative resection.

PURPOSE: The significance of the duration of the recurrence-free survival after curative resection for colorectal cancer remains unclear. The purpose was to reveal the association between time to recurrence after surgery and the survival after recurrence. METHODS: Patients with stage II and III colorectal cancer who underwent curative resection between 2007 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed (n = 645). Patients with recurrence after surgery (n = 133) were divided into 2 groups: early recurrence (within 13 months after surgery, n = 63) and late recurrence (more than 13 months after surgery, n = 70). The overall survival after recurrence and clinicopathological features were compared between early recurrence, late recurrence, and without recurrence groups. RESULTS: The overall survival after recurrence was significantly shorter in patients with early recurrence occurring at less than 13 months (hazard ratio: 1.70, p = 0.03). A high preoperative CA19-9 level (odds ratio [OR]: 2.38, p = 0.03), venous invasion (OR: 2.26, p = 0.03), and the absence of adjuvant chemotherapy (OR: 2.08, p = 0.04) were independently correlated with early recurrence. CONCLUSION: Early recurrence was associated with a poor prognosis after recurrence. Venous invasion correlated with early recurrence. Adjuvant chemotherapy may reduce the risk of early recurrence. These results indicate the importance of prudent surveillance and the aggressive application of adjuvant chemotherapy.

[Reasonable Surgery for Sigmoid Colon Cancer with Asymptomatic Celiac Artery Stenosis and Superior Mesenteric Artery Stenosis-A Case Report].

A 79-year-old woman was diagnosed with cT2N0M0, cStage Ⅰ sigmoid colon cancer. Preoperative staging computed tomography(CT)incidentally revealed severe stenosis of the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries. A collateral blood channel communicating between the inferior mesenteric artery and the celiac artery region was well developed. Therefore, a sigmoidectomy with D1 lymph node dissection was performed to preserve this collateral blood channel as a surgery for sigmoid colon cancer. There are few reports on surgical procedures for patients with simultaneous stenosis of multiple major abdominal arteries. In addition, there are no consensus about the optimal surgical procedure and extent of lymph node dissection for colorectal cancer with well-developed collateral vessels that should be preserved. Preoperative three-dimensional CT angiography(3D-CTA)and intraoperative blood-flow assessment using Indocyanine Green help risk management of multi- organ ischemia due to misidentification and injury of collateral arteries. It is important to keep oncological validity as well as risk management. We report a case of sigmoid colon cancer with asymptomatic stenosis of the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries.

Oligometastasis scoring system for predicting survival of patients with colorectal liver metastasis after hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND: Oligometastasis, the presence of a small number of resectable metastatic tumors, usually has favorable outcomes. Here we examined whether the novel oligometastatic score (OLGS), which divides the number of colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs) by the time from colorectal resection to liver recurrence, better predicts CRLM patient survival than the commonly used clinical risk score. METHODS: A total of 143 patients who underwent curative hepatectomy for CRLMs between 2007 and 2018 were analyzed. We investigated their clinical characteristics and outcomes using OLGS. RESULTS: Of the 143 CRLM patients, 70 had synchronous CRLMs and 73 had metachronous CRLMs. Patients with metachronous CRLMs were divided into OLGS-low (n = 59) and OLGS-high (n = 14) subgroups. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates after hepatectomy differed significantly between the subgroups (p < .001). In the multivariate Cox model, a high OLGS was an independent predictor of 5-year OS (p < .001), and the hazard ratio (HR) of the OLGS-high group (HR = 7.171) was higher than that of the high clinical risk score group (HR = 4.337). CONCLUSION: The OLGS, a simple and handy scoring system, better predicts the 5-year OS of patients with CRLMs after hepatectomy and warrants prospective validation.

Staging Paradox and Discrepancy in Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with T4N0, T1-2N1, and T3N1 Colon Cancer.

BACKGROUND: A survival paradox between T4N0 (stage IIB/C) and T3N1 (stage IIIB) colon cancer has been rarely reported. The indication and regimen of adjuvant chemotherapy are separately described in the guidelines. This study aimed to elucidate the prognostic factors and investigate proper adjuvant treatment in colon cancer patients at these stages. METHODS: Patients who underwent R0 resection for pathological T4N0 (n = 49), T1-2N1 (n = 31), or T3N1 (n = 82) colon cancer between 2008 and 2016 at a single institute were retrospectively reviewed. The clinicopathological characteristics, status of adjuvant chemotherapy, and oncologic outcomes of patients with T4N0 tumors were compared with those of patients with T1-2N1 and T3N1 tumors. RESULTS: The biological characteristics of T4N0 tumors were more aggressive compared with the characteristics of T1-2N1 tumors and were similar to those of T3N1 tumors. The usage rate of oxaliplatin as an adjuvant chemotherapy was significantly lower in T4N0 patients than in T1-2N1 and T3N1 patients. The rate of local recurrence was the highest in patients with T4N0 tumors, and the survival outcomes for patients with T4N0 tumors were significantly worse compared with those of T1-2N1 patients and were similar to those of T3N1 patients. A multivariate analysis revealed that lack of adequate use of oxaliplatin for adjuvant chemotherapy was the only prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS: T4N0 colon cancer had similar oncological characteristics and survival outcomes to T3N1 colon cancer. Systematic adjuvant chemotherapy, including oxaliplatin, should be incorporated into the therapy for T4N0 patients as well as T3N1 patients.

Prognostic impact of the preoperative hemoglobin A1c levels in patients with gastric cancer surgery depends on postoperative complications.

PURPOSE: The long-term prognostic impact of the hemoglobin A1c levels has not yet been evaluated in patients with gastric cancer. The present study investigated the clinical significance of the hemoglobin A1c levels in patients with gastric cancer. METHODS: We enrolled 294 patients with stage II, III, or IV gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy. The patients were divided into high preoperative hemoglobin A1c (> 6.0%) and low preoperative hemoglobin A1c (≤ 6.0%) groups. RESULTS: In patients with stage III gastric cancer with severe postoperative complications, the high preoperative hemoglobin A1c group had a significantly worse prognosis than the low preoperative hemoglobin A1c group (p = 0.0409). In patients without severe postoperative complications, the high preoperative hemoglobin A1c group had a significantly favorable prognosis compared with the low preoperative hemoglobin A1c group (p = 0.0348). CONCLUSION: The prognosis of patients with stage III gastric cancer having high preoperative hemoglobin A1c levels greatly depended on the presence or absence of postoperative complications. To avoid postoperative complications, optimal perioperative management and personalized treatments are critical, particularly for these patients.

[Mediastinoscope-Assisted Transhiatal Esophagectomy for Esophageal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor(GIST)-A Case Report].

A 71-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of an esophageal submucosal tumor. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a submucosal tumor of 40×25 mm with ulceration in the lower thoracic esophagus and endoscopic ultrasonographic fine needle aspiration histology showed KIT(+), CD34(+), DOG-1(+), desmin(-), S-100 protein(-). We diagnosed esophageal GIST and performed mediastinoscope-assisted transhiatal esophagectomy with gastric tube reconstruction. Histopathological findings showed c-kit(+), Ki-67 index of 8%, and middle-risk GIST by the modified- Fletcher classification. Mediastinoscope-assisted transhiatal esophagectomy is useful in terms of shortening total operative time and preventing respiratory complications because it does not require thoracic operation, one-lung ventilation, or repositioning. Subtotal esophagectomy under a mediastinal approach could secure a margin for resection, which may reduce the risk of recurrence, and could be one of the surgical procedures for esophageal GIST.

[A Case of Laparoscopic Resection for Rectal Cancer with Persistent Descending Mesocolon].

A 66-year-old man presenting with melena was diagnosed with rectosigmoid cancer and underwent laparoscopic high anterior resection. Intraoperative findings showed that the descending colon did not adhere to the retroperitoneum and was largely displaced inward, and the descending and sigmoid colon extensively and strongly adhered to the small intestinal mesentery, as predicted prior to surgery. The patient was diagnosed with persistent descending mesocolon(PDM). The first sigmoid artery diverged from the left colonic artery; however, ligation of supplying arteries under laparoscopy was perceived as a risk for marginal artery injury due to the shortening of the mesentery by PDM. Therefore, the sigmoid artery and inferior mesenteric vein were ligated directly from the umbilical wound. No postoperative complications were observed, and the patient was discharged 9 days after the surgery. Although PDM has not been defined, it has been reported that preoperative prediction is possible depending on the positional relationship between the descending colon and the left kidney. In this case, we performed the surgery after taking into consideration the anatomical features assessed preoperatively, leading to a safe operation.

Evaluation of subcarinal lymph node dissection and metastasis in transmediastinal radical esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate subcarinal lymph node dissection in transmediastinal radical esophagectomy and subcarinal lymph node metastasis in patients with esophageal cancer. METHODS: Three hundred and twenty-three patients with primary esophageal cancer who underwent transmediastinal or transthoracic esophagectomy with radical two- or three-field lymph node dissection were retrospectively investigated. The clinicopathological characteristics of patients with subcarinal lymph node metastasis were analyzed in detail. RESULTS: The median of dissected subcarinal lymph nodes in transmediastinal and transthoracic esophagectomy groups was 6 and 7, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.12). Of all patients, 26 (8.0%) were pathologically diagnosed as positive for subcarinal lymph node metastasis, whereas only 7 (26.9%) of those with metastasis were preoperatively diagnosed as positive. In addition, all patients with subcarinal lymph node metastasis had other non-subcarinal lymph node metastasis. By univariate analysis, subcarinal lymph node metastasis was found in larger (≥ 30 mm) and deeper (T3/T4a) primary lesions (p = 0.02 and 0.02, respectively), but it was not found in 49 patients with the primary lesion located in the upper thoracic esophagus. CONCLUSIONS: Subcarinal lymph nodes can be dissected in transmediastinal esophagectomy, almost equivalent to transthoracic esophagectomy. The tumor size, depth, and location may be predictive factors for subcarinal lymph node metastasis.

Utility of continuous glucose monitoring following gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Glucose fluctuation after gastrectomy represented by dumping syndrome is a well-known post-gastrectomy syndrome that negatively impacts patient quality of life. However, the current methods of post-gastrectomy glucose monitoring do not comprehensively capture the postoperative blood glucose fluctuations that characterize this. METHODS: We used a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system to document the glycemic profiles of patients undergoing gastrectomy and compared these between patients undergoing distal gastrectomy (DG) and total gastrectomy (TG). To evaluate post-gastrectomy syndromes, including dumping syndrome, we used the Post-gastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale 37-item questionnaire. The glycemic profiles were also compared using this tool. RESULTS: We studied 57 patients who had undergone DG and 13 who had undergone TG between September 2017 and September 2019. Our results revealed larger diurnal glycemic variability and longer periods of nocturnal hypoglycemia after gastrectomy. The dumping score was worse in the TG than in the DG group (TG 2.4 ± 1.4 vs. DG 1.3 ± 1.2, P = 0.0061). Importantly, 30 of 57 DG patients (52.6%) and 5 of 13 TG patients (38.5%) experienced postprandial hypoglycemia following hyperglycemia without hypoglycemic symptoms. There was no correlation between the dumping symptom score and glycemic variability (ρ = 0.0545, P = 0.6662). CONCLUSIONS: CGM demonstrated diurnal glycemic variability and nocturnal hypoglycemia in patients undergoing gastrectomy. Because some hypoglycemic patients did not develop symptoms and glycemic variability was not necessarily associated with dumping symptom, dumping syndrome must only partially explain the postoperative glucose fluctuations.

Laparoscopic versus open liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in elderly patients: a multi-centre propensity score-based analysis.

BACKGROUND: The frequency of liver resection in elderly patients has been increasing. However, data are limited regarding the safety of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) compared with that of open liver resection (OLR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in elderly patients. The present study aimed to compare short-term outcomes between LLR and OLR in elderly patients with HCC using propensity score matching. METHODS: The study included 630 patients (age, ≥ 75 years) who underwent liver resection for HCC at nine liver centres between April 2010 and December 2017. Patients were divided into LLR and OLR groups, and perioperative outcomes were compared between the groups. In addition, subgroup analysis was performed according to age (75-79 and ≥ 80 years). RESULTS: Of the 630 patients, 221 and 409 were included in the LLR and OLR groups, respectively. After propensity score matching, 155 patients were included in each group. Intraoperative blood loss and the transfusion, post-operative overall complication and major complication rates were lower in the matched LLR than the matched OLR group (P < 0.001, P = 0.004, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, post-operative pulmonary and cardiovascular complications were less frequent in the matched LLR group (P = 0.008 and P = 0.014, respectively). In subgroup analysis, among octogenarians, the post-operative major complication rate was lower and hospital stay was shorter in the matched LLR than the matched OLR group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: LLR for HCC is associated with good short-term outcomes in patients aged ≥ 75 years compared with OLR. LLR is safe and feasible in selected octogenarians with HCC.

Clinical significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Precise staging is indispensable to select the appropriate treatment strategy for gastric cancer (GC); however, the diagnostic accuracy of conventional modalities needs to be improved. This study investigated the clinical significance of the preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) for the prediction of pathological lymph node metastasis (pN+) in GC. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 429 patients with GC who underwent curative gastrectomy. The predictive ability of NLR for pN+ was examined in comparison with that of computed tomography. RESULTS: The preoperative NLR ranged from 0.6 to 10.8 (median, 2.0), and the optimal cut-off value for predicting pN+ was 1.6 according to the receiver operating characteristic curve with the maximal Youden index. Multivariate analysis identified a NLR ≥ 1.6 (odds ratio (OR) 3.171; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.448-7.235, p = 0.004) and cN+ (OR 2.426; 95% CI 1.221-4.958, p = 0.011) to be independent factors associated with pN+ in advanced GC (cT2-T4). On the other hand, a NLR ≥ 1.6 was not useful for predicting pN+ in early GC (cT1). In advanced GC, a NLR ≥ 1.6 detected pN+ with a higher sensitivity (84.9%) and negative predictive value (NPV) (63.9%) than conventional modalities (50.0 and 51.7%, respectively). When the subjects were limited to those with advanced GC with cN0, the sensitivity and NPV of a NLR ≥ 1.6 for pN+ increased further (90.7 and 81.0%, respectively). CONCLUSION: The preoperative NLR may be a useful complementary diagnostic tool for predicting pN+ in advanced GC because of its higher sensitivity and NPV than conventional modalities.

Preoperative total cholesterol-lymphocyte score as a novel immunonutritional predictor of survival in gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: Immunonutritional status is a known prognostic correlate in the context of gastric cancer (GC). In the present study, we investigated the prognostic relevance of a lipid profile-based immunonutritional score in patients with GC. METHODS: Data pertaining to 224 patients with stage II and III GC who underwent curative gastrectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The total cholesterol-lymphocyte score (TL score) was defined as follows: patients with both low total cholesterol (TC) and total lymphocyte count were allocated a score of 2; patients with only one or none of these biochemical abnormalities were allocated a score of 1 or 0, respectively. RESULTS: Among the serum lipid indices, low TC was the strongest predictor of cancer-specific survival (CSS; p = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, both low prognostic nutritional index (PNI) (p < 0.001) and high TL score (p = 0.003) were independent prognostic factors. PNI was significantly associated with peritoneal recurrence (p = 0.047), while TL score was significantly associated with locoregional and distant metastasis (p = 0.004 and p = 0.003, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: TL score may facilitate risk stratification of patients based on CSS. TL score plus PNI may help predict the recurrence pattern in patients with stage II and III GC.