A preoperative risk score based on early recurrence for estimating outcomes after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma in the non-cirrhotic liver.

BACKGROUND: Liver resection is the mainstay treatment option for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in the non-cirrhotic liver (NCL-HCC), but almost half of these patients will experience a recurrence within five years of surgery. Therefore, we aimed to develop a rationale-based risk evaluation tool to assist surgeons in recurrence-related treatment planning for NCL-HCC. METHODS: We analyzed single-center data from 263 patients who underwent liver resection for NCL-HCC. Using machine learning modeling, we first determined an optimal cut-off point to discriminate early versus late relapses based on time to recurrence. We then constructed a risk score based on preoperative variables to forecast outcomes according to recurrence-free survival. RESULTS: We computed an optimal cut-off point for early recurrence at 12 months post-surgery. We identified macroscopic vascular invasion, multifocal tumor, and spontaneous tumor rupture as predictor variables of outcomes associated with early recurrence and integrated them into a scoring system. We thus stratified, with high concordance, three groups of patients on a graduated scale of recurrence-related survival. CONCLUSION: We constructed a preoperative risk score to estimate outcomes after liver resection in NCL-HCC patients. Hence, this score makes it possible to rationally stratify patients based on recurrence risk assessment for better treatment planning.

[Gastric cancer in octogenarians. Is a curative surgery viable?] / C áncer g ástrico en octogenarios ¿Es viable una cirugía con intención curativa?

The objective was to evaluate the association between octogenarian age and the rate of postoperative morbidity and mortality and 5-year survival in older adults at the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases (INEN) during the period 2000-2013. We developed an observational, retrospective, analytical, paired cohort study. It includes patients with gastric adenocarcinoma as diagnosis, treated by R0 D2 gastrectomy at INEN during the period 2000 to 2013. One group included all octogenarian patients who met the inclusion criteria (92) and the other group made up of non-octogenarian patients, aged between 50 to 70 years because it is the age peak for this pathology (276). In a 1:3 ratio, paired according to sex, tumor stage, and type of gastrectomy, which are the main factors that could influence survival in this population. Octogenarians had lower albumin level (p < 0.002), lower preoperative hemoglobin (p<0.001) and higher ASA classification (p<0.001). 30 days mortality rate was higher in octogenarians but not statistically significant (4.1% vs 1.4%; p=0.099). The 5-year cumulative survival probability was 56% for octogenarians and 58% for non- octogenarians (p=0.763). Clinical stage >= III and postoperative complication grade >= 3 by Clavien Dindo scale were predictors of survival. In conclusion, octogenarians have a higher rate of postoperative morbidity, mainly for respiratory causes. Postoperative mortality and overall survival rates do not differ between octogenarians and non-octogenarians with stomach cancer treated by R0 D2 gastrectomy.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided celiac plexus neurolysis in pancreatic cancer-associated pain: different technical approaches in three challenging cases.

Abdominal pain is severe in the vast majority of patients with pancreatic cancer. In some cases, chronic use of analgesics markedly reduces quality of life due to side effects. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided celiac plexus neurolysis is a procedure that controls cancer-associated pain in this population and consists of injecting a neurolytic agent around or within the celiac plexus. In this report, we present three cases with different technical approaches for celiac plexus neurolysis.

A preoperative nomogram for predicting long-term survival after resection of large hepatocellular carcinoma (>10 cm).

BACKGROUND: It has previously been demonstrated that a fraction of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) > 10 cm can benefit from liver resection. However, there is still a lack of effective decision-making tools to inform intervention in these patients. METHODS: We analysed a comprehensive set of clinical data from 234 patients who underwent liver resection for HCC >10 cm at the National Cancer Institute of Peru between 1990 and 2015, monitored their survival, and constructed a nomogram to predict the surgical outcome based on preoperative variables. RESULTS: We identified cirrhosis, multifocality, macroscopic vascular invasion, and spontaneous tumour rupture as independent predictors of survival and integrated them into a nomogram model. The nomogram's ability to forecast survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was subsequently confirmed with high concordance using an internal validation. Through applying this nomogram, we stratified three groups of patients with different survival probabilities. CONCLUSION: We constructed a preoperative nomogram to predict long-term survival in patients with HCC >10 cm. This nomogram is useful in determining whether a patient with large HCC might truly benefit from liver resection, which is paramount in low- and middle-income countries where HCC is often diagnosed at advanced stages.

Open versus minimally invasive sphincter-sparing surgery for rectal cancer: a single-center retrospective cohort study in Peru.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to describe and compare minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and open surgery for rectal cancer in Peru. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective single-center analysis was performed for all patients who underwent sphinctersparing surgery for non-metastatic rectal cancer at Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas in Peru between January 2016 and December 2020. Clinical, perioperative, pathological, and survival outcomes were compared between both groups. A propensity score matching method was used to minimize bias. RESULTS: 162 patients were included in the final analysis. 124 had open surgery and 38 had MIS. Patients, clinical tumour, pathological characteristics, and perioperative were similar between groups after matching. Similar circumferential resection margin (CRM) with optimal quality of the mesorectum (p=1.000) but higher number of lymph nodes resected in open surgery group (p=0.741) was described. The leakage rate was slightly higher in the MIS group (p=0.358) with 10.5%, while the postoperative hospital stay was longer in the open surgery group after matching (p=0.001; OR 95% 5.2 CI: 1.8-15.6). The estimated recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) at 3 years in open surgery and MIS was 71.8% (95% CI; 0.58-0.89) and 70% (95% CI; 0.56-0.88) (p=0.431) and 77.7% (95% CI; 0.64-0.94) and 88.9% (95% CI; 0.79-0.99) (p=0.5), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Shorter postoperative hospital stay in the minimally invasive surgery group was reported. RFS, OS, and recurrence rates were similar between both groups. This approach is for non-metastatic rectal cancer in referral centers in Peru.

Surgery of pancreas tumors in pediatric and adolescent patients: a single institution experience in South America.

PURPOSE: Pancreas tumors are extremely rare in pediatric and adolescent patients. Surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment; however, the data are limited with respect to morbidity and mortality. We aimed to evaluate short- and long-term outcomes of pediatric and adolescent patients who underwent surgical resection of pancreatic tumors. METHODS: Patients [Formula: see text] 18-year-olds who underwent resection of pancreas tumor at the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases INEN during 2000-2020 were included. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients were diagnosed; 28 patients were female and 6 were male. The median age was 13.4-years-old. Histological diagnosis was solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) (n = 29, 85.3%), pancreatoblastoma (n = 3), neuroendocrine carcinoma (n = 1), and insulinoma (n = 1). No patient experienced postoperative mortality and 15 (44.1%) patients developed postoperative complications including pancreatic fistula as the most frequent. Under a median follow-up period of 33.8 (0.5-138) months, four (11.8%) patients died. Of the 29 patients with SPN, the 3- and-5-year OS rates were 100% and 83.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: SPN was the most frequent cause of surgical treatment for pediatric and adolescent patients in the high-volume cancer center in Peru and was associated with favorable survival. Pancreaticoduodenectomy was safely performed in this patient group with acceptable morbidity and zero mortality.

Prostate cancer mortality rates in Peru and its geographical regions.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the mortality rates for prostate cancer according to geographical areas in Peru between 2005 and 2014. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Information was extracted from the Deceased Registry of the Peruvian Ministry of Health. We analysed age-standardised mortality rates (world population) per 100 000 men. Spatial autocorrelation was determined according to the Moran Index. In addition, we used Cluster Map to explore relations between regions. RESULTS: Mortality rates increased from 20.9 (2005-2009) to 24.1 (2010-2014) per 100 000 men, an increase of 15.2%. According to regions, during the period 2010-2014, the coast had the highest mortality rate (28.9 per 100 000), whilst the rainforest had the lowest (7.43 per 100 000). In addition, there was an increase in mortality in the coast and a decline in the rainforest over the period 2005-2014. The provinces with the highest mortality were Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Callao, Lima, Ica, and Arequipa. Moreover, these provinces (except Arequipa) showed increasing trends during the years under study. The provinces with the lowest observed prostate cancer mortality rates were Loreto, Ucayali, and Madre de Dios. This study showed positive spatial autocorrelation (Moran's I: 0.30, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Mortality rates from prostate cancer in Peru continue to increase. These rates are higher in the coastal region compared to those in the highlands or rainforest.

A 13-Year Retrospective Study on Primary Liver Cancer in Cambodia: A Strikingly High Hepatitis C Occurrence among Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cases.

OBJECTIVES: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main type of primary liver cancer (PLC) worldwide, but cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) may be predominant in some specific regions of Southeast Asia. The aim of the present study was to delineate a pattern of Cambodian PLC patients attending the Calmette Hospital in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 553 medical charts diagnosing PLCs from January 2003 to May 2015 were obtained from both the Oncology and Hepato-Gastroenterology Departments of the Calmette Hospital. RESULTS: HCC was the predominant type of PLC recorded, with 511 cases (92.4%), whereas CCA represented merely 7.6% (42 cases) of the overall series. Hepatitis B virus (HBV; 44.3%) and hepatitis C virus (HCV; 43%) infection rates were similar among the HCC patients, while small subsets of CCA patients were infected with HBV (15.4%) or HCV (11.5%). Most HCC (84%) and CCA (73.8%) patients received palliative treatment only. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that HCC is the main form of primary hepatic neoplasm among PLC patients attending a hospital in Cambodia. HBV and HCV infections represented equivalent burdens and major contributing factors to HCC. Therefore, the implementation of prevention programs for these infectious agents should become a priority for health policy makers in the country.

[Undifferentiated (embryonal) liver sarcoma: reviaew of 6 cases in National Cancer Institute, Lima, Peru. Review of the literature]. / Sarcoma indiferenciado (embrionario) hepático: revisión de seis casos presentados en el Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas. Revisión de la literatura.

Undifferentiated (embryonal) liver sarcoma is a rare tumor about 2% of all malignant liver tumors with a poor prognosis and usually occurs in children, this review aims to assess cases of primary embryonal sarcoma of the liver presented at our institution the past 8 years and improve recognition of its variants and evaluate immunohistochemical characteristics that help differentiated it from other tumors. Six cases of undifferentiated liver sarcoma were histologically evaluated and investigated by immunohistochemistry with a panel of antibodies using the equipment â€Å“Autostainer Link 48”. Usually masses were on average more than 20 cm, with solid, cystic, mucinous areas. The microscopic features include cells of spindle cell appearance, oval, starry, epithelioid and multinucleated cells densely arranged in a myxoid matrix. Trapped bile ducts and hepatic cords often present in the periphery of tumors. Intracellular and extracellular PAS positive hyaline globules. Immunohistochemistry showed very divergent differentiation.

Cáncer colorrectal en los jóvenes: factores pronósticos y características clínico patológicas en un instituto del cáncer de Perú.

OBJECTIVE: To determine clinicopathological features and prognostic factors among young colorectal cancer (CRC) patients in a Peruvian Cancer Institute. METHODS: Data of patients 40 years or younger, admitted between January 2005 and December 2010, were analyzed. RESULTS: During the study period, 196 young patients with CRC were admitted. The tumor was located in the rectum, left colon and right colon in 45.9%, 28.6% and 25.5% of cases. Family history of CRC was found in 13.2% and an autosomal pattern of inheritance, in 8.6% of the cases. The most common symptoms were pain (67.9%) and bleeding (67.3%). The majority (63.1%) of colon cancer cases and more than a third (34.4%) of rectal cancer cases were diagnosed in stage III or IV. The histologic type was tubular, mucinous and signet ring cell adenocarcinoma in 73.5%, 14.8% and 8.6%, respectively. The depth of invasion was T3 in 21.4% and T4 in 53%. Nodal involvement was detected in 44.5%. Five-year overall survival (OS) was 44.3%. In the multivariate analysis, only the stage resulted an independent prognostic factor for survival. CONCLUSIONS: CRC in Peruvian young patients is mostly sporadic. It presents more often in the distal colon or rectum and at advanced stages of the disease. Mucinous and signet ring cell carcinoma were requent histological types. Five-year OS stage by stage is similar to that reported in the literature for older patients. Stage was the only independent prognostic factor for survival.

Fibrolamellar Carcinoma: A Rare Liver Neoplasm.

Fibrolamellar carcinoma is a rare liver tumor, with most cases arising in people younger than 40 years of age. We present a case series of five patients with histological confirmation of fibrolamellar carcinoma who had liver resection as the primary treatment. The median age of diagnosis was 24 years with nonspecific clinical manifestations in otherwise healthy patients. Alpha-fetoprotein levels were widely variable. Patients had classical imaging, macroscopic, and microscopic findings. Most of our patients underwent a hemihepatectomy and 60% recurred after the first year.

[Adjuvant chemo radiotherapy after gastrectomy and D2 lymphadenectomy in patients with gastric cancer in the National Institute of Cancer, Lima, Peru]. / Tratamiento adyuvante con quimioterapia y radioterapia luego de gastrectomía y disección ganglionar D2 en pacientes con cáncer gástrico en el Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, Lima, Perú

INTRODUCTION: Adjuvant chemo radiotherapy is the standard treatment in Western countries in gastric cancer patients submitted to curative resection. INT0116 pivotal trial established adjuvant chemo radiation as the standard care for resected high risk adenocarcinoma of the stomach in US however was hampered by suboptimal surgery. There is controversial data about efficacy of this adjuvant therapy in patients who have undergone D2 lymphadenectomy predominantly. In our hospital D2 lymphadenectomy is standard surgery for gastric cancer. OBJECTIVE: To prove that chemo and radio therapy post gastrectomy and D2 linphadenectomy in patients' with gastric cancer is effective. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study with gastric adenocarcinoma patients stage II to IV M0 who underwent curative resection at INEN (Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas) Lima-Peru between 2001 and 2006. Standard treatment at institution is D2 lymphadenectomy. Chemo radiotherapy according to INT0116 was given like adjuvant therapy. Survivalcurves were calculated according to Kaplan-Meier method and compared with log-rank test. RESULTS: 84 patients were included 60.7% male and 39.3% female. Mean age was 49.5 years old. The pathologic stages were T1-T2 (15.5%), T3- T4 (84.5%), N0-N1 (10.7%), N2-N3 (89.3%). D2 lymphadenectomy was performed in all patients. The 3-year DFS was 17% and 3-year overall survival was 23.9%. However when we analyzed by subgroups the overall survival, was in group N1 (66.7%) and in group N2 (58.9%) and N3 (18.3%) and 3 years DFS by subgroups were N1 (100%), N2 (51.9%) and N3 (16.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant chemo radiotherapy decreased risk of death and relapse to three years mainly in patients with node positive N1-N2, who underwent curative resection with D2 lymphadenectomy, but recurrence was most frequent in N3 node positive, maybe is necessary improve the chemotherapy in this group of patients for decrease the rate of relapse.

Such a fun-guy! Is this Candida or Histoplasma?

Histoplasmosis is a neglected mycosis with high mortality in immunocompromised individuals. The diagnosis can be delayed due to nonspecific clinical manifestations and similar morphology with other organisms. A high index of suspicion is required.

Predictive factors of lymphatic metastasis and evaluation of the Japanese treatment guidelines for endoscopic resection of early gastric cancer in a high-volume center in Perú.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the predictive factors of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) and to evaluate the applicability of the Japanese treatment guidelines for endoscopic resection in the western population. Methods: Five hundred-one patients with pathological diagnoses of EGC were included. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify the predictive factors of LNM. EGC patients were distributed according to the indications for endoscopic resection of the Eastern guidelines. The incidence of LNM was evaluated in each group. Results: From 501 patients with EGC, 96 (19.2%) presented LNM. In 279 patients with tumors with submucosal infiltration (T1b), 83 (30%) patients had LNM. Among 219 patients who presented tumors > 3 cm, 63 (29%) patients had LNM. Thirty-one percent of patients with ulcerated tumors presented LMN (33 out of 105). In 76 patients and 24 patients with lymphovascular and perineural invasion, the percentage of LMN was 84% and 87%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, a tumor diameter >3 cm, submucosal invasion, lymphovascular, and perineural invasion were independent predictors of LMN in EGC. No patient with differentiated, non-ulcerated mucosal tumors presented LNM regardless of tumor size. Three of 17 patients (18%) with differentiated, ulcerated mucosal tumors and ≤ 3 cm presented LNM. No LNM was evidenced in patients with undifferentiated mucosal tumors and ≤ 2 cm. Conclusions: The presence of LNM in Western EGC patients was independently related to larger tumors (>3 cm), submucosal invasion, lymphovascular and perineural invasion. The Japanese absolute indications for EMR are safe in the Western population. Likewise, Western patients with differentiated, non-ulcerated mucosal tumors, and larger than 2 cm are susceptible to endoscopic resection. Patients with undifferentiated mucosal tumors smaller than 2 cm presented encouraging results and ESD could be recommended only for selected cases.

[Impact of splenectomy and/or distal pancreatectomy in the prognosis of the proximal gastric cancer]. / Impacto de la esplenectomia y/o pancreatectomia distal en el pronostico del cancer gastrico proximal.

OBJECTIVES: Identify prognostic factors associated to total or proximal gastrectomy with or without splenectomy and / or distal pancreatectomy in patient with proximal gastric cancer. Evaluate the frequency of lymph node metastasis to the hilum and splenic artery, postoperative morbidity and mortality and the impact of lymphadenectomy of group 10 and 11 on long term survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed an observational, descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective study analyzing patients with diagnostic of proximal third gastric adenocarcinoma subjected to total or proximal gastrectomy with or without splenectomy or distal pancreatectomy in the service of Abdomen of the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas between 1990 and 2005. Overall survival for each of the groups was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, prognostic factors were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: We studied 219 patients with proximal third gastric adenocarcinoma (cardias and bottom), of wich, according to inclusion criteria, only qualify 129 (N=129): 22 (17.1%) were treated by gastrectomy alone, 79 (61.2%) gastrectomy associated witch splenectomy and 28 (21.7%) gastrectomy with distal pancreatosplenectomy, constituting three treatment groups. We compared the survival of each group and each factor analyzed, determining the following prognostic factors: lymph node metastasis (N2-N3), degree of differentiation, undifferentiated tumors and Borrmann III and IV tumors. Neither splenectomy or distal pancreatectosplenectomy improved survival compared to the gastrectomy alone. The morbidity and mortality was higher in patients with more aggressive but more aggressive surgery without significant value. CONCLUSIONS: The number of nodes removed in patients who had pancreatosplenectomy and /or splenectomy was higher, however, had no impact on survival at 5 years.

Is air an issue? A severe case of subcutaneous emphysema in an immunocompromised patient.

Abdominal crepitus and air in the subcutaneous tissue should be recognized early, as the most common etiologies for subcutaneous emphysema are fatal if not treated acutely. We present the case of a patient who developed subcutaneous emphysema as a consequence of the dehiscence of a previously closed gastrocutaneous fistula.

The hardest pill to swallow: A freak of nature.

Not required.