Oxaliplatin and molecular-targeted drug therapies improved the overall survival in colorectal cancer patients with synchronous peritoneal carcinomatosis undergoing incomplete cytoreductive surgery.

PURPOSE: To estimate the feasibility and limitations of incomplete cytoreductive surgery and modern systemic chemotherapy in patients with synchronous peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer and to identify risk factors for death and factors associated with the patient prognosis. METHODS: Sixty-five consecutive patients underwent surgery for synchronous peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer at Hiroshima University, Japan between 1992 and 2012. The clinical, histological, and survival data were analyzed for independent risk factors and prognostic factors. The patients were retrospectively stratified into two groups according to the extent of surgery: complete cytoreductive surgery or incomplete cytoreductive surgery. RESULTS: The median survival times in the complete and incomplete cytoreductive surgery groups were 29.8 and 10.0 months, respectively. Receiving systemic chemotherapy alone was an independent risk factor for death in the incomplete cytoreductive surgery group (P < 0.001). Oxaliplatin and molecular-targeted drug (cetuximab or bevacizumab) therapies were also independent prognostic factors (P < 0.001), whereas irinotecan therapy was not a prognostic factor (P = 0.494). CONCLUSION: Oxaliplatin and molecular-targeted drug therapies improved the overall survival in patients undergoing incomplete cytoreductive surgery. Future trials for patients with synchronous peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer should be undertaken, with patients stratified according to treatment with complete cytoreductive surgery or incomplete cytoreductive surgery with modern chemotherapy.

Face, content and concurrent validity of the Mimic® dV-Trainer for robot-assisted endoscopic surgery: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether any correlation exists between the performance of the Mimic® dV-Trainer (Mimic Technologies, Seattle, Wash., USA) and the da Vinci Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, Calif., USA). METHODS: Twelve participants were recruited, ranging from residents to consultants. We used four training tasks, consisting of 'Pick and Place', 'Peg Board', 'Thread the Rings' and 'Suture Sponge', from the software program of the Mimic dV-Trainer. The performance of the participants was recorded and measured. Additionally, we prepared the same tasks for the da Vinci Surgical System. All participants completed the tasks using the da Vinci Surgical System and were assessed according to time, the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill checklist and the global rating score for endoscopic suturing assessed by two independent blinded observers. After performing these tasks, the participants completed a questionnaire that evaluated the Mimic dV-Trainer's face and content validity. The final results for each participant for the Mimic dV-Trainer and the da Vinci Surgical System were compared. RESULTS: All participants ranked the Mimic dV-Trainer as a realistic training platform that is useful for residency training. There was a significant relationship between the Mimic dV-Trainer and the da Vinci Surgical System in all four tasks. We verified the reliability of the assessment of the checklist and the global rating scores for endoscopic suturing assessed by the two blinded observers using Cronbach's alpha test (r = 0.803, 0.891). CONCLUSIONS: We evaluated the concurrent validity of the Mimic dV-Trainer and the da Vinci Surgical System. Our results suggest the possibility that training using the Mimic dV-Trainer may therefore be able to improve the operator's performance during live robot-assisted surgery.

Single-incision laparoscopic colectomy using the Gelport system for early colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic surgery has spread quickly during the past twenty years, and has become one of the important treatments in the field of colorectal surgery. Recently, natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) has been studied as the next generation of minimally-invasive surgery, but the feasibility and safety of the NOTES method have not been evaluated. In such a situation, single-incision laparoscopic surgery has attracted interest from surgeons worldwide. However, single-incision laparoscopic colorectal surgery has not yet been standardized. METHODS: From February 2010, single-incision laparoscopic colectomy was performed for 7 patients presenting with early colon cancer. All procedures were performed by two experts with the License of Endoscopic Surgical Skill Qualification System (ESSQS) of Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery (JSES) in the field of colorectal Surgery. RESULTS: We used the Gelport system (Applied Medical, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, USA) as the access port and 3 trocars of different sizes (Ethicon, Inc., Cincinnati, OH, USA). Using this technique, we did not experience any difficulties or use any articulated instruments. All of the present 7 patients underwent the single-incision laparoscopic colectomy successfully and had no complications. CONCLUSION: Single-incision laparoscopic surgery using the Gelport was performed safely in the present cases. The use of the Gelport as an access port can address the technical difficulty associated with this new technique.