Recurrence and Survival After Minimally Invasive and Open Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer: A Post Hoc Analysis of the Ensure Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of operative approach [open (OE), hybrid minimally invasive (HMIE), and total minimally invasive (TMIE) esophagectomy] on operative and oncologic outcomes for patients treated with curative intent for esophageal and junctional cancer. BACKGROUND: The optimum oncologic surgical approach to esophageal and junctional cancer is unclear. METHODS: This secondary analysis of the European multicenter ENSURE study includes patients undergoing curative-intent esophagectomy for cancer between 2009 and 2015 across 20 high-volume centers. Primary endpoints were disease-free survival (DFS) and the incidence and location of disease recurrence. Secondary endpoints included among others R0 resection rate, lymph node yield, and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: In total, 3199 patients were included. Of these, 55% underwent OE, 17% HMIE, and 29% TMIE. DFS was independently increased post-TMIE [hazard ratio (HR): 0.86 (95% CI: 0.76-0.98), P = 0.022] compared with OE. Multivariable regression demonstrated no difference in absolute locoregional recurrence risk according to the operative approach [HMIE vs OE, odds ratio (OR): 0.79, P = 0.257; TMIE vs OE, OR: 0.84, P = 0.243]. The probability of systemic recurrence was independently increased post-HMIE (OR: 2.07, P = 0.031), but not TMIE (OR: 0.86, P = 0.508). R0 resection rates ( P = 0.005) and nodal yield ( P < 0.001) were independently increased after TMIE, but not HMIE ( P = 0.424; P = 0.512) compared with OE. OS was independently improved following both HMIE (HR: 0.79, P = 0.009) and TMIE (HR: 0.82, P = 0.003) as compared with OE. CONCLUSION: In this European multicenter study, TMIE was associated with improved surgical quality and DFS, whereas both TMIE and HMIE were associated with improved OS as compared with OE for esophageal cancer.

Impact of Preoperative Time Intervals for Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy on Short-term Postoperative Outcomes of Esophageal Cancer Surgery: A Population-based Study Using the Dutch Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Audit (DUCA) Data.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the impact of the preoperative time intervals on short-term postoperative and pathologic outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) followed by esophagectomy. BACKGROUND: The impact of preoperative intervals on patients with esophageal cancer who received multimodality treatment remains unknown. METHODS: Patients (cT1-4aN0-3M0) treated with nCRT plus esophagectomy were included using the Dutch national DUCA database. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the effect of different time intervals upon short-term postoperative and pathologic outcomes: diagnosis-to-nCRT intervals (≤5, 5-8, and 8-12 weeks), nCRT-to-surgery intervals (5-11, 11-17, and >17 weeks) and total preoperative intervals (≤16, 16-25, and >25 weeks). RESULTS: Between 2010 and 2021, a total of 5052 patients were included. Compared with diagnosis-to-nCRT interval ≤5 weeks, the interval of 8 to 12 weeks was associated with a higher risk of overall complications ( P =0.049). Compared with nCRT-to-surgery interval of 5 to 11 weeks, the longer intervals (11-17 and >17 weeks) were associated with a higher risk of overall complications ( P =0.016; P <0.001) and anastomotic leakage ( P =0.004; P =0.030), but the interval >17 weeks was associated with lower risk of ypN+ ( P =0.021). The longer total preoperative intervals were not associated with the risk of 30-day mortality and complications compared with the interval ≤16 weeks, but the longer total preoperative interval (>25 weeks) was associated with higher ypT stage ( P =0.010) and lower pathologic complete response rate ( P =0.013). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with esophageal cancer undergoing nCRT and esophagectomy, prolonged preoperative time intervals may lead to higher morbidity and disease progression, and the causal relationship requires further confirmation.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Malignant Nodal Involvement in Early esophago-gastric Adenocarcinoma: Results from the Multicenter Retrospective Congress Study (endosCopic resectiON, esophaGectomy or Gastrectomy For Early Esophagogastric Cancers).

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to quantify LNM risk and outcomes following treatment of early esophago-gastric (EG) adenocarcinoma. BACKGROUND: The standard of care for early T1N0 EG cancer is endoscopic resection (ER). Radical surgical resection is recommended for patients perceived to be at risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM). Current models to select organ-preserving vs. surgical treatment are inconsistent. METHODS: CONGRESS is a UK-based multicentre retrospective cohort study. Patients diagnosed with clinical or pathological T1N0 EG adenocarcinoma from 2015-2022 were included. Outcomes and rates of LNM were assessed. Cox regression was performed to assess the impact of prognostic and treatment factors on overall survival. RESULTS: 1,601 patients from 26 centres were included, with median follow-up 32 months(IQR 14-53). 1285/1612(80.3%) underwent ER, 497/1601(31.0%) underwent surgery. Overall rate of LNM was 13.5%. On ER staging, tumour depth (T1bsm2-3 17.6% vs. T1a 7.1%), lymphovascular invasion (17.2% vs. 12.6%), or signet cells (28.6% vs. 13.0%) were associated with LNM. In multivariable regression analysis, these were not significantly associated with LNM rates or survival. Adjusting for demographic and tumour variables, surgery after ER was associated with significant survival benefit, HR 0.33(0.15-0.77),P=0.010. CONCLUSION: This large multicentre dataset suggests that early EG adenocarcinoma is associated with significant risk of LNM. This data is representative of current real clinical practice with ER-based staging, and suggests previously held beliefs regarding reliability of predictive factors for LNM may need to be reconsidered. Further research to identify patients who may benefit from organ-preserving vs. surgical treatment is urgently required.

Evolution in Laparoscopic Gastrectomy From a Randomized Controlled Trial Through National Clinical Practice.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the influence of the LOGICA RCT (randomized controlled trial) upon the practice and outcomes of laparoscopic gastrectomy within the Netherlands. BACKGROUND: Following RCTs the dissemination of complex interventions has been poorly studied. The LOGICA RCT included 10 Dutch centers and compared laparoscopic to open gastrectomy. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Dutch Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Audit (DUCA) on all gastrectomies performed in the Netherlands (2012-2021), and the LOGICA RCT from 2015 to 2018. Multilevel multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the effect of laparoscopic versus open gastrectomy upon clinical outcomes before, during, and after the LOGICA RCT. RESULTS: Two hundred eleven patients from the LOGICA RCT (105 open vs 106 laparoscopic) and 4131 patients from the DUCA data set (1884 open vs 2247 laparoscopic) were included. In 2012, laparoscopic gastrectomy was performed in 6% of patients, increasing to 82% in 2021. No significant effect of laparoscopic gastrectomy on postoperative clinical outcomes was observed within the LOGICA RCT. Nationally within DUCA, a shift toward a beneficial effect of laparoscopic gastrectomy upon complications was observed, reaching a significant reduction in overall [adjusted odds ratio (aOR):0.62; 95% CI: 0.46-0.82], severe (aOR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.46-0.90) and cardiac complications (aOR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.30-0.89) after the LOGICA trial. CONCLUSIONS: The wider benefits of the LOGICA trial included the safe dissemination of laparoscopic gastrectomy across the Netherlands. The robust surgical quality assurance program in the design of the LOGICA RCT was crucial to facilitate the national dissemination of the technique following the trial and reducing potential patient harm during surgeons learning curve.

The Prognostic Impact of Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy on Survival After Esophagectomy Following a Delayed Interval After Chemoradiotherapy: A Secondary Analysis of the DICE Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate prognostic differences between minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) and open esophagectomy (OE) in patients with surgery after a prolonged interval (>12 wk) following chemoradiotherapy (CRT). BACKGROUND: Previously, we established that a prolonged interval after CRT before esophagectomy was associated with poorer long-term survival. METHODS: This was an international multicenter cohort study involving 17 tertiary centers, including patients who received CRT followed by surgery between 2010 and 2020. Patients undergoing MIE were defined as thoracoscopic and laparoscopic approaches. RESULTS: A total of 428 patients (145 MIE and 283 OE) had surgery between 12 weeks and 2 years after CRT. Significant differences were observed in American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, radiation dose, clinical T stage, and histologic subtype. There were no significant differences between the groups in age, sex, body mass index, pathologic T or N stage, resection margin status, tumor location, surgical technique, or 90-day mortality. Survival analysis showed MIE was associated with improved survival in univariate ( P =0.014), multivariate analysis after adjustment for smoking, T and N stage, and histology (HR=1.69; 95% CI: 1.14-2.5) and propensity-matched analysis ( P =0.02). Further subgroup analyses by radiation dose and interval after CRT showed survival advantage for MIE in 40 to 50 Gy dose groups (HR=1.9; 95% CI: 1.2-3.0) and in patients having surgery within 6 months of CRT (HR=1.6; 95% CI: 1.1-2.2). CONCLUSIONS: MIE was associated with improved overall survival compared with OE in patients with a prolonged interval from CRT to surgery. The mechanism for this observed improvement in survival remains unknown, with potential hypotheses including a reduction in complications and improved functional recovery after MIE.

Optimal Treatment Strategies for cT2 Staged Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagus and the Gastroesophageal Junction: A Multinational, High-volume Center Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate outcomes after primary surgery (PS) or neoadjuvant treatment followed by surgery (NAT/S) in cT2 staged adenocarcinomas of the esophagus (EAC) and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), a multinational high-volume center study was undertaken. BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment approach with either NAT/S or PS for clinically staged cT2cN any or cT2N0 EAC and GEJ remains unknown due to the lack of randomized controlled trials. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained databases from 10 centers was performed. Between January 2012 and August 2023, 645 patients who fulfilled inclusion criteria of GEJ Siewert type I, II, or EAC with cT2 status at diagnosis underwent PS or NAT/S with curative intent. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). RESULTS: In the cT2cN any cohort, 192 patients (29.8%) underwent PS and 453 (70.2%) underwent NAT/S. In all cT2cN0 patients (n = 333), NAT/s remained the more frequent treatment (56.2%). Patients undergoing PS were in both cT2 cohorts older ( P < 0.001) and had a higher American Society of Anesthesiologists classification ( P < 0.05). R0 resection showed no differences between NAT/S and PS in both cT2 cohorts ( P > 0.4).Median OS was 51.0 months in the PS group (95% CI: 31.6-70.4) versus 114.0 months (95% CI: 53.9-174.1) in the NAT/S group ( P = 0.003) of cT2cN any patients. For cT2cN0 patients, NAT/S was associated with longer OS ( P = 0.002) and disease-free survival ( P = 0.001). After propensity score matching of the cT2N0 patients, survival benefit for NAT/S remained ( P = 0.004). Histopathology showed that 38.1% of cT2cN any and 34.2% of cT2cN0 patients were understaged. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the unreliable identification of cT2N0 disease, all patients should be offered a multimodal therapeutic approach.

Impact of Thoracic Duct Resection on Long-Term Survival After Esophagectomy: Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Radical esophagectomy, including thoracic duct resection (TDR), has been proposed to improve regional lymphadenectomy and possibly reduce the risk of locoregional recurrence. However, because of its impact on immunoregulation, some authors have expressed concerns about its possible detrimental effect on long-term survival. The purpose of this review was to assess the influence of TDR on long-term survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched through 15 March 2024. Overall survival (OS), cancer specific survival (CSS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were primary outcomes. Restricted mean survival time difference (RMSTD), risk ratio (RR), standardized mean difference (SMD), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used as pooled effect size measures. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) methodology was employed to evaluate the certainty of evidence. RESULTS: The analysis included six studies with 5756 patients undergoing transthoracic esophagectomy. TDR was reported in 49.1%. Patients' ages ranged from 27 to 79 years and 86% were males. At 4-year follow-up, the multivariate meta-analysis showed similar results for the comparison noTDR versus TDR in term of OS [- 0.8 months, 95% confidence interval (CI) - 3.1, 1.3], CSS (0.1 months, 95% CI - 0.9, 1.2), and DFS (1.5 months, 95% CI - 2.6, 5.5). TDR was associated with a significantly higher number of harvested mediastinal lymph nodes (SMD 0.57, 95% CI 0.01-1.13) and higher risk of postoperative chylothorax (RR = 1.32; 95% CI 1.04-2.23). Anastomotic leak and pulmonary complications were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: TDR seems not to improve long-term OS, CSS, and DFS regardless of tumor stage. Routine TDR should not be routinely recommended during esophagectomy.

Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency after non-pancreatic upper gastrointestinal surgery: meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Untreated pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) results in substantial patient harm. Upper gastrointestinal surgery (bariatric metabolic surgery and oesophagogastric resection) affects the delicate physiology of pancreatic exocrine function and may result in PEI. The aim of this study was to assimilate the literature on incidence, diagnosis, and management of PEI after bariatric metabolic surgery and oesophagogastric resection. METHODS: A systematic review of PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase databases identified studies investigating PEI after non-pancreatic upper gastrointestinal surgery. Meta-analyses were undertaken for incidence of PEI and benefit of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy. RESULTS: Among 1620 patients from 24 studies included in quantitative synthesis, 36.0% developed PEI. The incidence of PEI was 23.0 and 50.4% after bariatric metabolic surgery and oesophagogastric resection respectively. Notably, the incidence of PEI was 44% after biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch and 66.2% after total gastrectomy. The most common diagnostic test used was faecal elastase 1 (15 of 31 studies), with less than 200 µg/g being diagnostic of PEI. A total of 11 studies considered the management of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, with 78.6% of patients responding positively to pancreatic enzyme replacement when it was prescribed. CONCLUSION: PEI is common after non-pancreatic upper gastrointestinal surgery and patients may benefit from enzyme replacement therapy.

Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency occurs when enzymes from the pancreas are unable to help digest food. Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency is known to cause disruptive symptoms after gastrointestinal surgery. Although such symptoms are well known after pancreatic surgery, after other gastrointestinal operations, including bariatric metabolic surgery and oesophagogastric cancer resection, pancreatic exocrine insufficiency is often overlooked as a cause of both symptoms and poor nutrition. This study looked at, and combined, all the current evidence on the rate of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency after these operations, the way it is diagnosed, and how it is treated. Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency may be more common than previously thought after bariatric metabolic surgery or oesophagogastric surgery, and clinicians working with these patients should have a low threshold for starting treatment.

International consensus on the management of metastatic gastric cancer: step by step in the foggy landscape : Bertinoro Workshop, November 2022.

BACKGROUND: Many gastric cancer patients in Western countries are diagnosed as metastatic with a median overall survival of less than twelve months using standard chemotherapy. Innovative treatments, like targeted therapy or immunotherapy, have recently proved to ameliorate prognosis, but a general agreement on managing oligometastatic disease has yet to be achieved. An international multi-disciplinary workshop was held in Bertinoro, Italy, in November 2022 to verify whether achieving a consensus on at least some topics was possible. METHODS: A two-round Delphi process was carried out, where participants were asked to answer 32 multiple-choice questions about CT, laparoscopic staging and biomarkers, systemic treatment for different localization, role and indication of palliative care. Consensus was established with at least a 67% agreement. RESULTS: The assembly agreed to define oligometastases as a "dynamic" disease which either regresses or remains stable in response to systemic treatment. In addition, the definition of oligometastases was restricted to the following sites: para-aortic nodal stations, liver, lung, and peritoneum, excluding bones. In detail, the following conditions should be considered as oligometastases: involvement of para-aortic stations, in particular 16a2 or 16b1; up to three technically resectable liver metastases; three unilateral or two bilateral lung metastases; peritoneal carcinomatosis with PCI ≤ 6. No consensus was achieved on how to classify positive cytology, which was considered as oligometastatic by 55% of participants only if converted to negative after chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: As assessed at the time of diagnosis, surgical treatment of oligometastases should aim at R0 curativity on the entire disease volume, including both the primary tumor and its metastases. Conversion surgery was defined as surgery on the residual volume of disease, which was initially not resectable for technical and/or oncological reasons but nevertheless responded to first-line treatment.

An international Delphi consensus for surgical quality assessment of lymphadenectomy and anastomosis in minimally invasive total gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive total gastrectomy (MITG) is a mainstay for curative treatment of patients with gastric cancer. To define and standardize optimal surgical techniques and further improve clinical outcomes through the enhanced MITG surgical quality, there must be consensus on the key technical steps of lymphadenectomy and anastomosis creation, which is currently lacking. This study aimed to determine an expert consensus from an international panel regarding the technical aspects of the performance of MITG for oncological indications using the Delphi method. METHODS: A 100-point scoping survey was created based on the deconstruction of MITG into its key technical steps through local and international expert opinion and literature evidence. An international expert panel comprising upper gastrointestinal and general surgeons participated in multiple rounds of a Delphi consensus. The panelists voted on the issues concerning importance, difficulty, or agreement using an online questionnaire. A priori consensus standard was set at > 80% for agreement to a statement. Internal consistency and reliability were evaluated using Cronbach's α. RESULTS: Thirty expert upper gastrointestinal and general surgeons participated in three online Delphi rounds, generating a final consensus of 41 statements regarding MITG for gastric cancer. The consensus was gained from 22, 12, and 7 questions from Delphi rounds 1, 2, and 3, which were rephrased into the 41 statetments respectively. For lymphadenectomy and aspects of anastomosis creation, Cronbach's α for round 1 was 0.896 and 0.886, and for round 2 was 0.848 and 0.779, regarding difficulty or importance. CONCLUSIONS: The Delphi consensus defined 41 steps as crucial for performing a high-quality MITG for oncological indications based on the standards of an international panel. The results of this consensus provide a platform for creating and validating surgical quality assessment tools designed to improve clinical outcomes and standardize surgical quality in MITG.

Evaluation of Treatment Strategies and Survival of Patients with cT4bM0 Esophageal Cancer: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: The optimal therapeutic strategy for patients with cT4bM0 esophageal cancer is controversial and varies internationally. This study aimed to describe treatment and survival of patients with cT4bM0 esophageal cancer in the Netherlands. METHODS: Patients staged with cT4bM0 esophageal cancer who were registered in the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR) were included. All patients were categorized by the treatment modality received. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the overall survival of them. RESULTS: Between 2015 and 2020, 286 patients with cT4bM0 esophageal cancer were included. Treatment consisted of preoperative chemoradiotherapy/chemotherapy followed by surgery (8%), chemoradiotherapy alone (35%), chemotherapy alone (6%), radiotherapy alone (19%), and best supportive care (32%). The median follow-up was 28.1 months. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of each group were 82%, 58%, 49% for preoperative therapy plus surgery; 53%, 27%, 16% for chemoradiotherapy only; 13%, 0%, 0% for chemotherapy only; 13%, 0%, 0% for radiotherapy only; and 5%, 0%, 0% for best supportive care. CONCLUSION: In a selected group of patients, preoperative therapy followed by esophagectomy may lead to improved survival, which is comparable to patients with <cT4bM0 tumors. Therefore, reevaluation following chemo(radio)therapy is recommended in these patients to evaluate the possibility of additional surgical resection.

Western European Variation in the Organization of Esophageal Cancer Surgical Care.

Reasons for structural and outcome differences in esophageal cancer surgery in Western Europe remain unclear. This questionnaire study aimed to identify differences in the organization of esophageal cancer surgical care in Western Europe. A cross-sectional international questionnaire study was conducted among upper gastrointestinal (GI) surgeons from Western Europe. One surgeon per country was selected based on scientific output and active membership in the European Society for Diseases of the Esophagus or (inter)national upper GI committee. The questionnaire consisted of 51 structured questions on the structural organization of esophageal cancer surgery, surgical training, and clinical audit processes. Between October 2021 and October 2022, 16 surgeons from 16 European countries participated in this study. In 5 countries (31%), a volume threshold was present ranging from 10 to 26 annual esophagectomies, in 7 (44%) care was centralized in designated centers, and in 4 (25%) no centralizing regulations were present. The number of centers performing esophageal cancer surgery per country differed from 4 to 400, representing 0.5-4.9 centers per million inhabitants. In 4 countries (25%), esophageal cancer surgery was part of general surgical training and 8 (50%) reported the availability of upper GI surgery fellowships. A national audit for upper GI surgery was present in 8 (50%) countries. If available, all countries use the audit to monitor the quality of care. Substantial differences exist in the organization and centralization of esophageal cancer surgical care in Western Europe. The exchange of experience in the organizational aspects of care could further improve the results of esophageal cancer surgical care in Europe.

Multicenter, Prospective Cohort Study of Oesophageal Injuries and Related Clinical Outcomes (MUSOIC study).

OBJECTIVE: To identify prognostic factors associated with 90-day mortality in patients with oesophageal perforation (OP), and characterize the specific timeline from presentation to intervention, and its relation to mortality. BACKGROUND: OP is a rare gastro-intestinal surgical emergency with a high mortality rate. However, there is no updated evidence on its outcomes in the context of centralized esophago-gastric services; updated consensus guidelines; and novel non-surgical treatment strategies. METHODS: A multi-center, prospective cohort study involving eight high-volume esophago-gastric centers (January 2016 to December 2020) was undertaken. The primary outcome measure was 90-day mortality. Secondary measures included length of hospital and ICU stay, and complications requiring re-intervention or re-admission. Mortality model training was performed using random forest, support-vector machines, and logistic regression with and without elastic net regularisation. Chronological analysis was performed by examining each patient's journey timepoint with reference to symptom onset. RESULTS: The mortality rate for 369 patients included was 18.9%. Patients treated conservatively, endoscopically, surgically, or combined approaches had mortality rates of 24.1%, 23.7%, 8.7%, and 18.2%, respectively. The predictive variables for mortality were Charlson comorbidity index, haemoglobin count, leucocyte count, creatinine levels, cause of perforation, presence of cancer, hospital transfer, CT findings, whether a contrast swallow was performed, and intervention type. Stepwise interval model showed that time to diagnosis was the most significant contributor to mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Non-surgical strategies have better outcomes and may be preferred in selected cohorts to manage perforations. Outcomes can be significantly improved through better risk-stratification based on afore-mentioned modifiable risk factors.

Decreased Risk of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma After Gastric Bypass Surgery in a Cohort Study From 3 Nordic Countries.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that bariatric surgery decreases the risk of esophageal and cardia adenocarcinoma. BACKGROUND: Obesity is strongly associated with esophageal adenocarcinoma and moderately with cardia adenocarcinoma, but whether weight loss prevents these tumors is unknown. METHODS: This population-based cohort study included patients with an obesity diagnosis in Sweden, Finland, or Denmark. Participants were divided into a bariatric surgery group and a nonoperated group. The incidence of esophageal and cardia adenocarcinoma (ECA) was first compared with the corresponding background population by calculating standardized incidence ratios (SIR) with 95% CIs. Second, the bariatric surgery group and the nonoperated group were compared using multivariable Cox regression, providing hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CI, adjusted for sex, age, comorbidity, calendar year, and country. RESULTS: Among 748,932 participants with an obesity diagnosis, 91,731 underwent bariatric surgery, predominantly gastric bypass (n=70,176; 76.5%). The SIRs of ECA decreased over time after gastric bypass, from SIR=2.2 (95% CI, 0.9-4.3) after 2 to 5 years to SIR=0.6 (95% CI, <0.1-3.6) after 10 to 40 years. Gastric bypass patients were also at a decreased risk of ECA compared with nonoperated patients with obesity [adjusted HR=0.6, 95% CI, 0.4-1.0 (0.98)], with decreasing point estimates over time. Gastric bypass was followed by a strongly decreased adjusted risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (HR=0.3, 95% CI, 0.1-0.8) but not of cardia adenocarcinoma (HR=0.9, 95% CI, 0.5-1.6), when analyzed separately. There were no consistent associations between other bariatric procedures (mainly gastroplasty, gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy, and biliopancreatic diversion) and ECA. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric bypass surgery may counteract the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma in morbidly obese individuals.

An International Multicenter Study Exploring Whether Surveillance After Esophageal Cancer Surgery Impacts Oncological and Quality of Life Outcomes (ENSURE).

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of surveillance on recurrence pattern, treatment, survival and health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) following curative-intent resection for esophageal cancer. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Although therapies for recurrent esophageal cancer may impact survival and HRQL, surveillance protocols after primary curative treatment are varied and inconsistent, reflecting a lack of evidence. METHODS: European iNvestigation of SUrveillance after Resection for Esophageal cancer was an international multicenter study of consecutive patients undergoing surgery for esophageal and esophagogastric junction cancers (2009-2015) across 20 centers (NCT03461341). Intensive surveillance (IS) was defined as annual computed tomography for 3 years postoperatively. The primary outcome measure was overall survival (OS), secondary outcomes included treatment, disease-specific survival, recurrence pattern, and HRQL. Multivariable linear, logistic, and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: Four thousand six hundred eighty-two patients were studied (72.6% adenocarcinoma, 69.1% neoadjuvant therapy, 45.5% IS). At median followup 60 months, 47.5% developed recurrence, oligometastatic in 39%. IS was associated with reduced symptomatic recurrence (OR 0.17 [0.12-0.25]) and increased tumor-directed therapy (OR 2.09 [1.58-2.77]). After adjusting for confounders, no OS benefit was observed among all patients (HR 1.01 [0.89-1.13]), but OS was improved following IS for those who underwent surgery alone (HR 0.60 [0.47-0.78]) and those with lower pathological (y)pT stages (Tis-2, HR 0.72 [0.58-0.89]). IS was associated with greater anxiety ( P =0.016), but similar overall HRQL. CONCLUSIONS: IS was associated with improved oncologic outcome in select cohorts, specifically patients with early-stage disease at presentation or favorable pathological stage post neoadjuvant therapy. This may inform guideline development, and enhance shared decision-making, at a time when therapeutic options for recurrence are expanding.

Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Versus Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Locally Advanced Esophageal Adenocarcinoma in the European Multicenter ENSURE Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare clinicopathologic, oncologic, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) outcomes following neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT) and chemotherapy (nCT) in the ENSURE international multicenter study. BACKGROUND: nCT and nCRT are the standards of care for locally advanced esophageal cancer (LAEC) treated with curative intent. However, no published randomized controlled trial to date has demonstrated the superiority of either approach. METHODS: ENSURE is an international multicenter study of consecutive patients undergoing surgery for LAEC (2009-2015) across 20 high-volume centers (NCT03461341). The primary outcome measure was overall survival (OS), secondary outcomes included histopathologic response, recurrence pattern, oncologic outcome, and HRQL in survivorship. RESULTS: A total of 2211 patients were studied (48% nCT, 52% nCRT). pCR was observed in 4.9% and 14.7% ( P <0.001), with R0 in 78.2% and 94.2% ( P <0.001) post nCT and nCRT, respectively. Postoperative morbidity was equivalent, but in-hospital mortality was independently increased [hazard ratio (HR)=2.73, 95% CI: 1.43-5.21, P= 0.002] following nCRT versus nCT. Probability of local recurrence was reduced (odds ratio=0.71, 95% CI: 0.54-0.93, P =0.012), and distant recurrence-free survival time reduced (HR=1.18, 95% CI: 1.02-1.37, P =0.023) after nCRT versus nCT, with no difference in OS among all patients (HR=1.10, 95% CI: 0.98-1.25, P =0.113). On subgroup analysis, patients who underwent R0 resection following nCT as compared with nCRT had improved OS (median: 60.7 months, 95% CI: 49.5-71.8 vs 40.8 months, 95% CI: 42.8-53.4, P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this European multicenter study, nCRT compared with nCT was associated with reduced probability of local recurrence but reduced distant recurrence-free survival for patients with LAEC, without differences in OS. These data support tailored patient-specific decision-making in the overall approach to achieving optimum outcomes in LAEC.

Delayed Surgical Intervention After Chemoradiotherapy in Esophageal Cancer: (DICE) Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of delayed surgical intervention following chemoradiotherapy (CRT) on survival from esophageal cancer. BACKGROUND: CRT is a core component of multimodality treatment for locally advanced esophageal cancer. The timing of surgery following CRT may influence the probability of performing an oncological resection and the associated operative morbidity. METHODS: This was an international, multicenter, cohort study, including patients from 17 centers who received CRT followed by surgery between 2010 and 2020. In the main analysis, patients were divided into 4 groups based upon the interval between CRT and surgery (0-50, 51-100, 101-200, and >200 days) to assess the impact upon 90-day mortality and 5-year overall survival. Multivariable logistic and Cox regression provided hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs adjusted for relevant patient, oncological, and pathologic confounding factors. RESULTS: A total of 2867 patients who underwent esophagectomy after CRT were included. After adjustment for relevant confounders, prolonged interval following CRT was associated with an increased 90-day mortality compared with 0 to 50 days (reference): 51 to 100 days (HR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.04-2.29), 101 to 200 days (HR=2.14, 95% CI: 1.37-3.35), and >200 days (HR=3.06, 95% CI: 1.64-5.69). Similarly, a poorer 5-year overall survival was also observed with prolonged interval following CRT compared with 0 to 50 days (reference): 101 to 200 days (HR=1.41, 95% CI: 1.17-1.70), and >200 days (HR=1.64, 95% CI: 1.24-2.17). CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged interval following CRT before esophagectomy is associated with increased 90-day mortality and poorer long-term survival. Further investigation is needed to understand the mechanism that underpins these adverse outcomes observed with a prolonged interval to surgery.

A Complete Pipeline for Untargeted Urinary Volatolomic Profiling with Sorptive Extraction and Dual Polar and Nonpolar Column Methodologies Coupled with Gas Chromatography Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.

Volatolomics offers an opportunity for noninvasive detection and monitoring of human disease. While gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) remains the technique of choice for analyzing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), barriers to wider adoption in clinical practice still exist, including: sample preparation and introduction techniques, VOC extraction, throughput, volatolome coverage, biological interpretation, and quality control (QC). Therefore, we developed a complete pipeline for untargeted urinary volatolomic profiling. We optimized a novel extraction technique using HiSorb sorptive extraction, which exhibited high analytical performance and throughput. We achieved a broader VOC coverage by using HiSorb coupled with a set of complementary chromatographic methods and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Furthermore, we developed a data preprocessing strategy by evaluating internal standard normalization, batch correction, and we adopted strict QC measures including removal of nonlinearly responding, irreproducible, or contaminated metabolic features, ensuring the acquisition of high-quality data. The applicability of this pipeline was evaluated in a clinical cohort consisting of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients (n = 28) and controls (n = 33), identifying four urinary candidate biomarkers (2-pentanone, hexanal, 3-hexanone, and p-cymene), which can successfully discriminate the cancer and noncancer subjects. This study presents an optimized, high-throughput, and quality-controlled pipeline for untargeted urinary volatolomic profiling. Use of the pipeline to discriminate PDAC from control subjects provides proof of principal of its clinical utility and potential for application in future biomarker discovery studies.

Quantifying the burden of survivorship associated with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms.

OBJECTIVES: Survivorship encompasses the physical, psychological, social, functional, and economic experience of a living with a chronic condition for both the patient and their caregiver. It is made up of nine distinct domains and remains understudied in nononcological pathologies, including infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysmal disease (AAA). This review aims to quantify the extent to which existing AAA literature addresses the burden of survivorship. METHODS: The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsychINFO databases were searched from 1989 through September 2022. Randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and case series were included. Eligible studies had to detail outcomes related to survivorship in patients with AAA. Owing to the heterogeneity between studies and outcomes, no meta-analysis was conducted. Study quality was assessed with specific risk of bias tools. RESULTS: A total of 158 studies were included. Of these, only five (treatment complications, physical functioning, comorbidities, caregivers, and mental health) of the nine domains of survivorship have been studied previously. The available evidence is of variable quality; most studies display a moderate to high risk of bias, are of an observational study design, are based within a limited number of countries, and consist of an insufficient follow-up period. The most frequent complication after EVAR was endoleak. EVAR is associated with poorer long-term outcomes compared with open surgical repair in most studies retrieved. EVAR showed better outcomes in regard to physical functioning in the short term, but this advantage was lost in the long term. The most common comorbidity studied was obesity. No significant differences were found between open surgical repair and EVAR in terms of impact on caregivers. Depression is associated with various comorbidities and increased the risk of a nonhospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: This review highlights the absence of robust evidence regarding survivorship in AAA. As a result, contemporary treatment guidelines rely on historic quality-of-life data that are narrow in scope and nonrepresentative of contemporary clinical practice. As such, there is an urgent need to reevaluate the aims and methodology associated with traditional quality-of-life research moving forward.

Bariatric surgery volume by hospital and long-term survival: population-based NordOSCo data.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether annual hospital volume of bariatric surgery influences the long-term survival of individuals who undergo surgery for severe obesity. The hypothesis that higher annual hospital volume of bariatric surgery is associated with better long-term survival was evaluated. METHODS: This retrospective population-based study included patients who underwent bariatric surgery in Sweden and Finland between 1989 and 2020. Annual hospital volume was analysed for risk of all-cause mortality. Multivariable Cox regression provided HRs with 95 per cent confidence intervals adjusted for age, sex, co-morbidity, country, and type of bariatric procedure. RESULTS: Weight loss surgery was performed in 77 870 patients with a 0.5 per cent risk of postoperative death (mortality rate (MR) per 100 000 people 592.7, 95 per cent c.i. 575.0 to 610.9). Higher annual hospital volume of bariatric surgery was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality. The adjusted HRs were slightly more reduced for each quartile of annual hospital volume compared with the lowest quartile (MR per 100 000 people for lowest quartile 815.1, 95 per cent c.i. 781.7 to 849.9; for quartile II: HR 0.88, 95 per cent c.i. 0.81 to 0.96 (MR per 100 000 people 545.0, 512.0 to 580.1); for quartile III: HR 0.87, 0.78 to 0.97 (MR per 100 000 people 428.8, 395.5 to 465.0); for quartile IV: HR 0.82, 0.73 to 0.93 (MR per 100 000 people 356.0, 324.1 to 391.1)). In analyses restricted to laparoscopic surgery, volume and mortality were related only in the crude model (HR 0.86, 0.75 to 0.98), but not in the multivariable model (HR 0.97, 0.84 to 1.13) that compared highest and lowest quartiles. CONCLUSION: If there was a survival benefit associated with hospital volume, it may have been due to a faster uptake of laparoscopic surgery in the busier hospitals.