Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) implementation in cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic IntraPEritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC): Insights from Italian peritoneal surface malignancies expert centers.

BACKGROUND: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) combined with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a complex procedure that involves extensive peritoneal and visceral resections followed by intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program aims to achieve faster recovery by maintaining pre-operative organ function and reducing the stress response following surgery. A recent publication introduced dedicated ERAS guidelines for CRS and HIPEC with the aim of extending the benefits to patients with peritoneal surface malignancies. METHODS: A survey was conducted among 21 Italian centers specializing in peritoneal surface malignancies (PSM) treatment to assess adherence to ERAS guidelines. The survey covered pre/intraoperative and postoperative ERAS items and explored attitudes towards ERAS implementation. RESULTS: All centers completed the survey, demonstrating expertise in PSM treatment. However, less than 30 % of centers adopted ERAS protocols despite being aware of dedicated guidelines. Preoperative optimization was common, with variations in bowel preparation methods and fasting periods. Intraoperative normothermia control was consistent, but fluid management practices varied. Postoperative practices, including routine abdominal drain placement and NGT management, varied greatly among centers. The majority of respondents expressed an intention to implement ERAS, citing concerns about feasibility and organizational challenges. CONCLUSIONS: The study concludes that Italian centers specialized in PSM treatment have limited adoption of ERAS protocols for CRS ± HIPEC, despite being aware of guidelines. The variability in practice highlights the need for standardized approaches and further evaluation of ERAS applicability in this complex surgical setting to optimize patient care.

Fluorescence-guided laparoscopic lymph node biopsy for lymphoma: the FLABILY study.

To date, no reports have indicated laparoscopic lymph node biopsies using Indocyanine green (ICG) in cases of lymphoproliferative disease. Preliminary data of patients undergoing fluorescence-guided laparoscopic lymph node biopsy (FGLLB) using ICG was retrospectively analysed from the multicentre registry FLABILY study. Between June 2022 and February 2024, 50 patients underwent FGLLB. The surgical biopsy aimed to re-stage lymphoproliferative disease for 25 patients and to establish a diagnosis in 25 patients. The median duration of the procedure was 65 ± 26.5 min. All the procedures were performed laparoscopically. One surgical conversion occurred due to bleeding. Median length of hospitalization was 1 ± 1.7 days. Two unrelated complications occurred in the immediate postoperative course. ICG was administrated preoperatively by means of an inguinal, perilesional, or intravenous injection according to the anatomical sites of the biopsy. Fluorescence was obtained in 43/50 (86%) of patients. A significant difference was highlighted in the appearance of fluorescence in sub-mesocolic lymph nodes compared to supra-mesocolic and mesenteric lymph nodes (41/49 (83.6%) vs. 13/22 (59%), p = 0,012). In 98% of cases, FGLLB provided the information necessary for the correct diagnosis. Fluorescence with ICG offers a simple and safe method for detecting pathological lymph nodes. FGLLB in suspected intra-abdominal lymphoma can largely benefit from this new opportunity which, to date, has not yet been tested. Further studies with a larger case series are needed to confirm its efficacy.

Multidisciplinary and Tailored Treatment of Locally Advanced Breast Cancer in Progression during Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Case Report.

Locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) is a complex disease that requires a multidisciplinary approach. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is usually performed in order to achieve loco-regional radical resection; although its importance in the multidisciplinary approach to LABC is well recognized, a small number of patients show Progressive Disease (PD). No standard salvage treatment (ST) has been defined and different strategies can be adopted, such as second-line systemic therapies, radiation therapy, and surgery. Herein, a case of LABC in PD during NAC is reported with a literature review, with the aim of highlighting the importance of a tailored multidisciplinary treatment for each patient.

Technical considerations for isolated limb perfusion: A consensus paper.

BACKGROUND: Isolated limb perfusion (ILP) is a well-established surgical procedure for the administration of high dose chemotherapy to a limb for the treatment of advanced extremity malignancy. Although the technique of ILP was first described over 60 years ago, ILP is utilised in relatively few specialist centres, co-located with tertiary or quaternary cancer centres. The combination of high dose cytotoxic chemotherapy and the cytokine tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), mandates leakage monitoring to prevent potentially serious systemic toxicity. Since the procedure is performed at relatively few specialist centres, an ILP working group was formed with the aim of producing technical consensus guidelines for the procedure to streamline practice and to provide guidance for new centres commencing the technique. METHODS: Between October 2021 and October 2023 a series of face to face online and hybrid meetings were held in which a modified Delphi process was used to develop a unified consensus document. After each meeting the document was modified and recirculated and then rediscussed at subsequent meeting until a greater than 90% consensus was achieved in all recommendations. RESULTS: The completed consensus document comprised 23 topics in which greater than 90% consensus was achieved, with 83% of recommendations having 100% consensus across all members of the working group. The consensus recommendations covered all areas of the surgical procedure including pre-operative assessment, drug dosing and administration, perfusion parameters, hyperthermia, leakage monitoring and theatre logistics, practical surgical strategies and also post-operative care, response evaluation and staff training. CONCLUSION: We present the first joint expert-based consensus statement with respect to the technical aspects of ILP that can serve as a reference point for both existing and new centres in providing ILP.

New clinical application of indocyanine green in fluorescence-guided laparoscopic lymph-node biopsy in case of lymphoma. Preliminary results on a case series.

BACKGROUND: Indocyanine Green (ICG) fluorescence-guided surgery is widely used for intraoperative visualization of lymphatic structures. To date, there are no reports indicating this dye being used in lymph node biopsies for suspected or relapsed lymphoma. METHODS: Between October 2021 and June 2022, 12 patients underwent a fluorescence-guided laparoscopic lymph node biopsy (FGLLB) using ICG. The following was retrospectively evaluated: the dosage of ICG, the injection site, the number of patients where fluorescence was obtained after ICG administration, and additionally, the parameters indicating the outcome of the surgical procedure. RESULTS: The median duration of the surgery was 90 min. A laparotomy conversion was required in one case due to bleeding. Fluorescence was obtained in 10/12 (83.3%) patients by means of subcutaneous/perilesional injection in six of the patients, and intravenously in the other four. Hospitalization had a mean duration of three days. There were no major postoperative complications. FGLLB was used in seven patients to follow lymphoproliferative disease progression, and in five patients to establish a diagnosis. In all cases, FGLLB provided the information necessary for the correct diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Fluorescence with ICG offers a simple and safe method for detecting pathological lymph nodes. FGLLB in suspected intra-abdominal lymphoma can largely benefit from this new opportunity which has not yet been tested to date. Further studies with large case series are needed to confirm its efficacy.

Multi-visceral resection for left-sided pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a multicenter retrospective analysis from European countries.

BACKGROUND: Due to delayed diagnosis and a lower surgical indication rate, left-sided pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is often associated with a poor prognosis in comparison to pancreatic head tumors. Multi-visceral resections (MVR) associated with distal pancreatectomy could be proposed for patients presenting with locally infiltrating disease. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a multi-centric cohort of left-sided PDAC patients operated on from 2009 to 2020. Thirteen European high-volume HPB centers participated in this study. We analyzed patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy (DP) associated with MVR and compared them to standard DP patients. RESULTS: Among 258 patients treated curatively for PDAC of the body and tail, 28 patients successfully underwent MVR. A longer operative time was observed in the MVR group (295 min +/- 74 vs. 250 min +/- 96, p= 0.248). The post-operative complication rate was comparable between the two groups (46.4% in the MVR group vs. 62.2% in the control group, p= 0.108). The incidence of positive margin (R1) was similar between the two groups (28.6% vs. 26.6%; p=0.827). After a median follow-up of 25 (9-111) months, overall survival was comparable between the two groups (p= 0.519). CONCLUSIONS: Multi-visceral resection in left-sided pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is safe and feasible and should be considered in selected cases as it seems to provide acceptable surgical and oncological outcomes.

Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Prognostic Factors in High-Grade Non-Endometrioid Carcinomas of the Endometrium (HG-NECs): Is It Possible to Identify Subgroups at Increased Risk?

Endometrial cancer is an emerging disease with an increase in prevalence of aggressive histotypes in recent years. BACKGROUND: In the present study, potential histopathological and immunohistochemical prognostic markers were investigated. Consecutive cases of high-grade non-endometrioid carcinoma (HG-NEC) of the endometrium were considered. METHODS: Each surgical specimen was routinely processed; the most significant block was selected for immunohistochemistry and tested for ER, PR, ki67, p53, E-cadherin, ß-catenin, Bcl-2 and cyclin D1. For each immunomarker, the percentage of positive tumor cells was evaluated (%) and dichotomized as low and high according to the distribution in the study population. Follow-up was collected for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Thirty-three cases were eligible: 19 resulted in FIGO I-II; 14 resulted in FIGO III-IV. Twelve patients suffered a recurrent disease (mean follow-up 24.6 months); 8 patients died of the disease (mean follow-up 26.6 months). RESULTS: Women with recurrent disease demonstrated a significantly higher Bcl2% (35.84 ± 30.96% vs. 8.09 ± 11.56%; p = 0.0032) while DOD patients had higher ki67% (75 ± 13.09% vs. 58.6 ± 19.97%; p = 0.033) and Bcl2% of border significance (34.37 ± 34.99% vs. 13 ± 17.97%; p = 0.078). As expected, FIGO III-IV had a worse DFS (HR = 3.34; 95% CI: 1.1-10.99; p = 0.034) and OS (HR = 5.19; 95% CI: 1.27-21.14; p = 0.0217). Bcl-2-high patients (Bcl2 > 10%) demonstrated a significantly worse DFS (HR = 9.11; 95% CI: 2.6-32.4; p = 0.0006) and OS (HR = 7.63; 95% CI: 1.7-34; p = 0.0084); moreover, PR low patients (PR ≤ 10%) had significantly worse DFS (HR = 3.74; 95% CI: 1.2-11.9; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: HG-NEC represents a heterogeneous group of endometrial aggressive neoplasms with a worrisome prognosis, often at an advanced stage at presentation. Bcl-2 and PR may represent promising markers to identify a subgroup of patients having an even worse prognosis requiring a careful and close follow-up.

Repeated Cytoreduction Combined with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) in Selected Patients Affected by Peritoneal Metastases: Italian PSM Oncoteam Evidence.

The reiteration of surgical cytoreduction (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in patients affected by recurrent peritoneal metastases is still questioned regarding safety and effectiveness. This study evaluates the safety, efficacy, and associated factors of iterative CRS combined with HIPEC. This multicentric retrospective study collected data from four surgical oncology centers, on iterative HIPEC. We gathered data on patient and cancer characteristics, the peritoneal cancer index (PCI), completeness of cytoreduction (CC), postoperative complications, and overall survival (OS). In the study period, 141 CRS-plus-HIPECs were performed on 65 patients. Nine patients underwent three iterative procedures, and one underwent five. No increased incidence of complications after the second or third procedure was observed. Furthermore, operative time and hospitalization stay were significantly shorter after the second than after the first procedure (p < 0.05). Optimal cytoreduction was achieved in more than 90% of cases in each procedure, whether first, second, or third. A five-year (5 y) OS represented 100% of the cases of diffuse malignant-peritoneal-mesotheliomas, 81.39% of pseudomyxoma peritonei, 34.67% of colorectal cancer (CRC), and 52.50% of ovarian cancer. During the second CRS combined with HIPEC, we observed a lower rate of complete cytoreduction and a non-significantly better survival in cases with complete cytoreduction (5 y-OS CC-0 56.51% vs. 37.82%, p = 0.061). Concomitant hepatic-CRC-metastasis did not compromise the CRS-plus-HIPEC safety and efficacy. This multicentric experience encourages repeated CRS-plus-HIPEC, showing promising results.

Pelvic Recurrence After Curative Resection for Rectal Adenocarcinoma: Impact of Surgery on Survival.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Rectal cancer (RC) represents 30% of colon cancers. Despite the progress achieved in integrated chemoradiotherapy and surgical multidisciplinary treatments, the rate of local recurrence (LR) is 3.7-13%. Multivisceral resections allow many patients with pelvic recurrence to be treated in a curative manner. The purpose of this work is to assess the impact of surgery for rectal cancer patients with pelvic recurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a retrospective study from 2013 to 2018, data was collected from patients who had undergone rectal resection for adenocarcinoma. We compared perioperative data, postoperative outcomes, oncological results, and survival rates. RESULTS: 106 rectal cancer patients (40-87 years old) requiring surgery were included. The local recurrence rate was 15% (15 patients). LR patients requiring intervention were nine (56%) who underwent sphincter sparing surgeries, and 6 (44%) who underwent surgeries with sphincter resection. There was no statistically significant difference (p=0.416) in the 5-year overall survival rate of patients without recurrence compared to those with pelvic recurrence. CONCLUSION: Curative surgery for local recurrence from rectal cancer is safe and feasible and should be considered in selected cases as it seems to provide acceptable surgical and oncological outcomes.

Single-Port Cholecystectomy for Cholecystitis Versus Non-Cholecystitis.

Background and Objectives: To assess the safety and efficacy of single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SPLC) for the treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis in different gallbladder pathologic conditions. Methods: All patients who underwent SPLC in our department between October 1, 2017 and March 31, 2020 were registered consecutively in a prospective database. Patients' charts were retrospectively divided according to histological diagnosis: normal gallbladder (NG) (n = 13), chronic cholecystitis (CC) (n =47), and acute cholecystitis (AC) (n = 10). The parameters for assessing the procedure outcome included operative time, blood loss, use of additional trocars, conversion to laparotomy, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and length of hospital stay. Patient groups were statistically compared. Results: Seventy patients underwent SPLC. Duration of surgery increased from NG (55 ± 22.7 min) to CC (70 ± 33.5 min), and to AC patients (110.5 ± 50.5 min), which is statistically significant (P = .001). Postoperative complication rates were 7.6% in NG patients, 17% in CC, and 30% in AC (P = .442). Length of hospitalization was shorter for NG patients (1.0 ± 0.6 days) versus CC (2.0 ± 1.1 days) and AC patients (2.0 ± 4.7 days), with statistical significance (P = .020). Multivariate analysis found that pathology type and the occurrence of postoperative complications were independent predictors for prolonged operative times and prolonged hospital stay, respectively. Conclusion: SPLC is feasible for acute and chronic cholecystitis with good procedural outcomes. Since SPLC technique itself can be sometimes challenging with the existing technology, its application, especially in cases of acute cholecystitis, should be done with caution. Only prospective randomized studies on this approach for acute and chronic gallbladder diseases will assess the complete reliability of this technique.

Outstanding Response in a Patient With ROS1-Rearranged Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of Soft Tissues Treated With Crizotinib: Case Report.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a very rare subtype of sarcoma, which frequently harbor chromosomal rearrangements, including anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements (almost 50% of the IMTs) and other kinase fusions such as ROS1. ROS1 fusions are present in about 10% of IMT, almost half of the ALK-negative IMT patients. Apart from radical surgery for resectable tumors, there is no standard-of-care therapy for advanced IMTs. Nonetheless, the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors has shown promising efficacy in IMT patients with targetable genomic alterations. We report the case of a 24-year-old patient with chemotherapy-refractory metastatic IMT harboring ROS1 kinase fusion, who experienced a significant clinical and pathological response to crizotinib. This clinical case highlights the need to assess all patients with unresectable IMTs for chromosomal abnormalities and gene mutations and address them to targeted agents as well as clinical trials.

Predictors of morbidity and mortality in patients submitted to cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for ovarian carcinomatosis: a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this retrospective study is to assess the incidence of morbidity and mortality related to cytoreductive surgery (CRS) plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) and to evaluate their predictors, in patients with peritoneal metastasis of ovarian origin. METHODS: A retrospective multicenter study was carried out investigating results from eight Italian institutions. A total of 276 patients met inclusion criteria. Predictors of morbidity and mortality were evaluated with univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Overall morbidity was 71.4%, and severe complications occurred in 23.9% of the sample; 60-day mortality was 4.3%. According to univariate logistic regression models, grade 3-4 morbidity was related to Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) (OR 1.06; 95% CI 1.02-1.09; p<0.001), number of intraoperative blood transfusions (OR 1.21; 95% CI 1.10-1.34; p<0.001), Completeness of Cytoreduction (CC) score (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.16-2.44; p=0.006) and number of anastomoses (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.00-1.73; p=0.046). However, at the multivariate logistic regression analysis, only the number of intraoperative blood transfusions (OR 1.17; 95% CI 1.5-1.30; p=0.004) and PCI (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01-1.08; p=0.010) resulted as key predictors of severe morbidity. Furthermore, using multivariate logistic regression model, ECOG score (OR 2.45; 95% CI 1.21-4.93; p=0.012) and the number of severe complications (OR 2.16; 95% CI 1.03-4.52; p=0.042) were recorded as predictors of exitus within 60 days. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of CRS and HIPEC for treating peritoneal metastasis of ovarian origin has acceptable morbidity and mortality and, therefore, it can be considered as an option in selected patients.

Feasibility of Single-Port Laparoscopic Lymph Node Biopsy for Intra-Abdominal Lymphoma: A Case Series.

Background: Laparoscopic lymph node biopsy through a multi-port access (MPLB) is a well-established technique for intra-abdominal lymphoma diagnosis. The aim of the current study is to assess the feasibility and the diagnostic accuracy of the single-port laparoscopic lymph node biopsy (SPLB) in intra-abdominal lymphoma. Materials and Methods: Between October 2016 and February 2019, 15 patients underwent SPLB to rule out or to follow the progression of a lymphoma. The clinical outcome and the pathology reports were analyzed retrospectively. Results: SPLB was completed laparoscopically in all cases. The total number of biopsies performed for each procedure was sometimes multiple (median: 2; range: 1-3). Duration of surgery was 85 ± 32 minutes (range: 75-105 minutes). Length of hospitalization was 1.8 ± 0.7 days (range: 1-3 days). No major postoperative complications occurred. A cutaneous infection managed conservatively was observed in a patient. In 10 patients, SPLB was used to establish a diagnosis whereas in 5 patients it was performed to follow a progression of a lymphoproliferative disease. In 93.3% of the cases, SPLB achieved the correct diagnosis and subsequent therapeutic decisions. Conclusion: SPLB has shown good procedure and postoperative outcomes as well as a high diagnostic yield, comparable to literature data on traditional MPLB. Therefore, our results show that this approach is safe and effective and can be an equally valid option to MPLB to obtain a diagnosis or to follow the progression of a lymphoproliferative disease. Further studies are necessary to support these results before its widespread adoption.

Single-Port vs. Conventional Multi-Port Laparoscopic Lymph Node Biopsy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the investigation was to compare clinical results and diagnostic accuracy for conventional multiport laparoscopic lymph node biopsy (MPLB) and single-port laparoscopic lymph node biopsy (SPLB) operations at a single institution. METHODS: A set of 20 SPLB patients operated on from October 2016 to May 2019 were compared to an historical series of 35 MPLB patients. Primary endpoints were the time of surgery, estimated blood loss, surgical conversion, length of stay and morbidity. The secondary endpoint was the diagnostic accuracy of the technique. RESULTS: SPLB was completed laparoscopically in all cases. Two MPLB patients (5.7%) experienced a surgical conversion due to intraoperative difficulties. Duration of surgery was similar in SPLB and MPLB groups respectively (84 ± 31.7 min vs. 81.1 ± 22.2; P = .455). A shorter duration of hospital stay was shown for patients operated on by SPLB compared to the MPLB group (1.7 ± 0.9 days vs. 2.1 ± 1.2 days; P = .133). The postoperative course was uneventful in both groups. In 95% of the SPLB and 97.1% of the MPLB cases respectively, LLB achieved the necessary information for the diagnosis. CONCLUSION: SPLB has shown good procedural and postoperative outcomes as well as a high diagnostic yield, comparable to traditional MPLB. Therefore, our results show that this approach is safe and effective and can be an equally valid option to MPLB to obtain a diagnosis or to follow the progression of a lymphoproliferative disease. Further studies are necessary to support these results before its widespread adoption.

Recurrent Leiomyosarcoma of the Small Bowel: A Case Series.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Leiomyosarcoma is an extremely rare, small bowel neoplasm (2% of all gastrointestinal tumours). Early diagnosis is challenging due to the slow growth of the cancer. The biological behaviour of this group of tumours is aggressive, and the first-line treatment is surgical resection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a report of 4 cases of small bowel leiomyosarcoma that were treated in the last ten years at Hospital San Martino: one involving the jejunum and three involving the ileum (age range=69-86 years). Three patients underwent surgical resection and one was treated with chemotherapy. RESULTS: All patients who were eligible for surgery underwent radical resection with R0 margins. Mean overall survival was 33 months (range=8-84 months). CONCLUSION: Specific guidelines for small bowel leiomyosarcoma do not currently exist and these rare cases should be discussed in a multidisciplinary context. The first treatment approach is surgery, and in some cases, multivisceral resection may be needed to obtain free margins, even in recurrent cases.

Short-term outcome of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy used as treatment of colo-rectal carcinomatosis: a multicentric study.

The aim of this study is to assess the morbidity and mortality related to cytoreductive surgery (CRS) plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in patients with colo-rectal carcinomatosis. A retrospective multi-institutional study from seven Italian Centers was performed. One hundred and seventy-two patients, submitted to cytoreductive surgery (CRS) plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) to treat carcinomatosis of colorectal origin, were recorded. Postoperative morbidity was evaluated in accordance with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.03. Post-operative mortality was evaluated as patients' death within 60 days from surgical procedures. Predictors of morbidity were evaluated with univariate and multivariate analyses. Post-operative morbidity occurred in 83 patients (48.3%): grades 1-2 in 29 cases (16.9%), and grades 3-4 in 54 (31.4%). Mortality occurred in four cases (2.3%). Number of anastomoses (OR 1.45; 95% CI 1.05-2.00; p = 0.024), number of blood transfusions (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.11-1.54; p = 0.001) and chemotherapy regimen [Oxaliplatin (OX): OR 2.87; 95% CI 1.22-6.75; p = 0.015] remained, in multivariate analysis, in a statistically significant correlation with overall morbidity. The only variable that was proven to have statistically significant correlation with 3-4 morbidity was the number of blood transfusions (OR 1.25; 95% CI 1.07-1.46; p = 0.005). Morbidity and mortality do not preclude the use of CRS plus HIPEC in the treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis of colorectal origin.

Inferior vena cava resection without reconstruction for retroperitoneal malignancies.

Inferior vena cava (IVC) involvement in retroperitoneal malignancies is a rare occurrence and radical surgery with major vascular resection represents the only potential curative treatment. IVC replacement after resection is still controversial and only small series and few prospective data are available. We report a series of three patients affected by retroperitoneal masses involving IVC treated with vena cava resection without replacement. All patients were treated by a radical R0 surgical procedure associated with infrarenal IVC resection and no reconstruction. Based on preoperative radiologic imaging and intraoperative findings, one patient also underwent right nephrectomy, while another patient underwent left renal vein ligation without nephrectomy. Neither early nor late severe post-operative complications related to the absence of IVC outflow were observed. Resection without replacement of the infrarenal IVC results in acceptable morbidity, thus specific risks related to the use of prosthetic grafts can be avoided.

Different Features of Tumor-Associated NK Cells in Patients With Low-Grade or High-Grade Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) is a rare disease defined as diffused implantation of neoplastic cells in the peritoneal cavity. This clinical picture occurs during the evolution of peritoneal tumors, and it is the main cause of morbidity and mortality of patients affected by these pathologies, though cytoreductive surgery with heated intra-peritoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) is yielding promising results. In the present study, we evaluated whether the tumor microenvironment of low-grade and high-grade PC could affect the phenotypic and functional features and thus the anti-tumor potential of NK cells. We show that while in the peritoneal fluid (PF) of low-grade PC most CD56dim NK cells show a relatively immature phenotype (NKG2A+KIR-CD57-CD16dim), in the PF of high-grade PC NK cells are, in large majority, mature (CD56dimKIR+CD57+CD16bright). Furthermore, in low-grade PC, PF-NK cells are characterized by a sharp down-regulation of some activating receptors, primarily NKp30 and DNAM-1, while, in high-grade PC, PF-NK cells display a higher expression of the PD-1 inhibitory checkpoint. The compromised phenotype observed in low-grade PC patients corresponds to a functional impairment. On the other hand, in the high-grade PC patients PF-NK cells show much more important defects that only partially reflect the compromised phenotype detected. These data suggest that the PC microenvironment may contribute to tumor escape from immune surveillance by inducing different NK cell impaired features leading to altered anti-tumor activity. Notably, after CRS/HIPEC treatment, the altered NK cell phenotype of a patient with a low-grade disease and favorable prognosis was reverted to a normal one. Our present data offer a clue for the development of new immunotherapeutic strategies capable of restoring the NK-mediated anti-tumor responses in association with the CRS/HIPEC treatment to increase the effectiveness of the current therapy.

Single-Port Versus Conventional Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: Better Cosmesis at the Price of an Increased Incisional Hernia Rate?

Background: The incidence of trocar site hernia (TSH) in single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SPC) is still a debated issue. Aim of this retrospective study was to compare the incidence of postoperative hernia and cosmetic results among patients undergoing SPC and multiport laparoscopic cholecystectomy (MPC) performed at a single institution. Methods: A series of 60 SPC and 60 MPC patients operated on between July 2016 and May 2018 were compared. Primary endpoint was to assess the incidence of TSH at long term. All the patients were admitted as outpatients for physical examination and scar measurement. Secondary endpoints were the cosmetic results assessed by a cosmesis score (CS) and the body image questionnaire (BIQ). Results: After a median 18-month follow-up (range: 6-29 months), a hernia in umbilical trocar site was detected in 4 (7.1%) SPC patients and 1 (2%) MPC patient, the difference not being statistically significant (P = .216). BIQ was almost equivalent in SPC and MPC groups (5.15 versus 5.27; P = .518), respectively. Statistically significant differences in favor of SPC were found in CS (22.3 versus 19.72; P = .001) and in total length of scars (1.2 cm versus 4 cm; P < .001). Conclusions: SPC technique has proved to be safe and effective in experienced hands. Superior cosmesis of SPC over MPC is confirmed, but close attention to fascial closure is a vital component of SPC, and surgeons performing single-site surgery need to be aware of this increased potential for hernia formation.

Current state of the art and emerging pharmacotherapy for uterine leiomyosarcomas.

INTRODUCTION: Uterine leiomyosarcomas (ULMS) account for 1% of all uterine malignancies and for 30% of all uterine sarcomas. The preoperative diagnosis of ULMS is challenging for the physicians, as the symptoms of these tumors are often vague and nonspecific. Moreover, as ULMS have an aggressive biologic behavior, affected women frequently have very poor prognosis. AREAS COVERED: The aim of this review is to describe the current pharmacotherapy for ULMS, including the ongoing clinical trials. EXPERT OPINION: Surgery is the standard treatment for patients with early-stage ULMS. In this setting, the role of adjuvant therapies is still unclear. In the case of advanced, persistent, or recurrent ULMS, chemotherapy is the standard care with the most frequently used drug being doxorubicin. As the outcomes for patients with the currently available conventional single or combined regimens are far from being satisfactory, new alternative and innovative medical compounds have or are being evaluated. Recently, pazopanib, and olaratumab, two innovative targeted drugs, have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating advanced soft-tissue sarcoma, including ULMS. However, further clinical investigations into new and innovation therapeutic options are warranted.