Adjuvant gemcitabine after resection of pancreatic cancer without significant difference in overall survival: a retrospective cohort study.

International guidelines recommend adjuvant chemotherapy after resection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The administration of gemcitabine has become part of the interdisciplinary treatment concept. The authors aim to prove whether the benefit in overall survival (OS) reported in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) could be reached also for patients treated in their department. Materials and methods: The authors retrospectively analyzed the OS of all patients who underwent pancreatic resection at their clinic because of ductal adenocarcinoma between January 2013 and December 2020 in dependence on adjuvant treatment with gemcitabine. Results: Overall 133 pancreatic resections were performed between 2013 and 2020 due to malignant pancreatic pathology. Seventy-four patients had ductal adenocarcinoma. Forty patients received adjuvant gemcitabine chemotherapy postoperatively, 18 patients underwent only surgical resection, and 16 patients received other chemotherapy regimens. The authors compared the group receiving adjuvant gemcitabine (n=40) with the group undergoing surgery alone (n=18). The median age was 74 years (range: 45-85), and the median OS was 16.5 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 13-27]. Follow-up time was at least 23 months (range 23-99). No statistically significant difference in median OS was observed in the group who received adjuvant chemotherapy compared to the operation-only group [17.5 months (range: 5-99, 95% CI 14-27) versus 12.5 months (range: 1-94, 95% CI 5-66), P=0.75]. Conclusion: OS with and without adjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine was comparable to the results of those RCTs which serve as the basis of guideline recommendations. However, the analyzed patient cohort did not profit significantly from the adjuvant treatment.

Establishment of minimally invasive ventral hernia repair with extraperitoneal mesh placement in a primary care hospital using the robotic platform.

Background: The progressive availability of robotic surgical systems opens new perspectives in abdominal wall surgery due to excellent visibility and dexterity of instruments. While complex hernias until today were treated primarily through an open access, we evaluated if this promising technology is suitable for treating the entire spectrum of a hernia center, including complex hernias. Material/methods: In 2017, minimally invasive hernia surgery with extraperitoneal mesh placement was started in Kempten hospital. Since 2019, a Da Vinci X system has been available for this purpose. In order to observe the process of transition we retrospectively analyzed all patients who underwent ventral hernia repair in the department of general and visceral surgery at our hospital between January 2016 and December 2020 and were indicated for mesh implantation. Results: In 2016, the percentage of minimally invasive procedures was 37.3%. In all of these cases an intraperitoneal mesh was implanted into the abdominal cavity. Open surgery was performed in 62.7%, of which an a retromuscular mesh was implanted in 75.7%, an intraperitoneal mesh in 21.6%, and an onlay mesh in 2.7%. In 2020, minimally invasive surgery accounted for 87.5%, of which 85.7% were performed robotically and 14.3 laparoscopically. In 94.3% of these minimally invasively treated patients the mesh was implanted in extraperitoneal position (75.8% in retromuscular and 24.2% in preperitoneal position). The percentage of complex hernias increased from 20.3% to 35.0% during the same period. Conclusion: The majority of ventral hernia procedures can be performed safely using the robot in a minimally invasive technique with extraperitoneal mesh placement without leading to an increase in complications. Robotically-assisted hernia repair is a promising new technique that is also practical for complex hernias.

[Ventral Hernia Repair in Endoscopically Total Extrapertoneal Technique (eTEP) - Evaluation of Postoperative Outcome and One Year Follow-up]. / Ventralhernienversorgung in endoskopischer total extraperitonealer Technik (eTEP) ­ Evaluation der postoperativen Ergebnisse und des 1-Jahres-Follow-ups.

BACKGROUND: Several recent meta-analyses have identified the retromuscular plane as the preferred mesh position in ventral hernia repair. Open surgery used to be the standard technique for these procedures. However, new minimally invasive techniques with totally extraperitoneal access and mesh positioning in the retromuscular plane have evolved. METHODS: Between September 2018 and March 2019, 18 consecutive patients with ventral hernia were treated endoscopically in the totally extraperitoneal technique. Depending on the localisation and size of the hernia, the appropriate access was chosen and an uncoated mesh was placed in the retromuscular space in all patients. Data of patients' characteristics as well as peri- and postoperative parameters were collected. One year after surgery, patients were asked about recurrence, pain and complications, using the questionnaire of the herniamed data base. RESULTS: No intraoperative complications were noted. Postoperatively, there was one retromuscular seroma that did not need treatment, one temporary paralysis of the radial nerve and one pulmonary embolism. None of these complications led to persistent problems. 17 of 18 patients were available for follow-up. One year follow-up showed no hernia recurrence. One patient had pain at rest requiring treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Totally extraperitoneal endoscopic hernia surgery is a safe and promising new technique that is also feasible in complex hernias and with satisfactory 1 year results. This technique can combine the advantages of minimally invasive surgery with those of extraperitoneal mesh placement.

Robotically assisted enhanced-view totally extraperitoneal repair (eTEP) of a recurrent umbilical hernia in a patient with peritoneal dialysis.

Background: Abdominal wall hernias are frequent in patients with peritoneal dialysis. Guidelines recommend an open hernia repair with extraperitoneal mesh placement to avoid access to the abdominal cavity. Method: We performed a lateral docking robotically assisted enhanced-view totally extraperitoneal repair (eTEP) of a recurrent umbilical hernia with diastasis recti in a patient with peritoneal dialysis due to polycystic kidney disease. After suturing of the midline a 20 x 28 cm mesh was placed in the retrorectus space, covering the whole area of preparation while also overlapping all trocar sites. A drainage was left in the retrorectus space until the first session of PD did not sample any form of leakage. Result: Robotically assisted totally extraperitoneal hernia repair was feasible. The patient was able to continue peritoneal dialysis without intermittent hemodialysis. There was no leakage of the dialysate to the retrorectus space. Postoperative recovery was uneventful. 6 months after surgery the patient was free from pain and showed no signs of recurrence. Conclusion: Robotically assisted totally extraperitoneal hernia repair in patients with umbilical hernia and peritoneal dialysis could be a promising surgical technique to combine the advantages of minimally-invasive surgery with totally extraperitoneal mesh placement without access to the abdominal cavity.

When You Operate on Friends and Relatives: Results of a Survey among Surgeons.

OBJECTIVE: We designed a questionnaire to collect data on surgeons' views and experiences of operating on friends or relatives. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A link to a 38-item online survey was sent to all 16,849 members of the Professional Board of German Surgeons (Bund Deutscher Chirurgen, BDC) several times. Standard interview software was used. The questionnaire collected a wide variety of information concerning how surgeons have experienced, think about, and deal with the situation when they operate on friends or relatives. RESULTS: Of the 16,849 BDC members notified of the survey, 1,643 completed the questionnaires (9.8%). Of these, 1,275 (77.6%) had previously performed surgery on friends or relatives. Overall, the surgeons willingly accepted doing so without experiencing any difficulties. However, the surgeons frequently used different techniques when operating on friends and relatives (123 [10%] when self-assessed compared to 527 [35%] when observed by others). Out of the whole sample, 506 (30.8%) would appreciate having a guideline or ethical code and 370 (41.2%) of those who have not yet operated on friends and relatives would like to have such an ethical code. CONCLUSION: Most of the surgeons who responded accepted the task of operating on friends or relatives. Performing surgery on friends or relatives was a complex matter because objectivity was not guaranteed. Negative implications on personal relationships were rare. We recommend that this matter should be well considered and discussed with the patient and an ethical guideline or code should be created.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT II) in liver transplant recipients: a retrospective multivariate analysis of prognostic factors.

We investigated the prevalence of HIT II in liver transplant recipients and analysed associated factors. In recipients with clinically suspected HIT II in the 4Ts pretest clinical scoring system HIPA-assay was performed. Next, 37 clinical variables were analysed retrospectively for their association with HIT II. Factors significantly correlated to our findings in univariate analysis were included in a multivariate model and binary logistic regression analysis. Among 46 recipients 21 patients were suspicious in the 4Ts pretest and 14 of them (30.4%) were diagnosed HIT-antibody positive. Patient's age (P = 0.001), postoperative dialysis (P = 0.028), and postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.035) were significantly associated with development of HIT-antibodies in univariate analysis. Postoperative dialysis and postoperative hospital stay turned out as epiphenomena of patient's age, the only independent predictor (P = 0.021). Using multiple χ(2) -testing, a cut-off could be calculated, assigning patients younger than 59 years to a low risk group and patients of 59 years and older to a high risk group. High incidence of peri-operative HIT II seroconversion in liver transplant recipients is not associated with factors known to induce thrombocyte activation, like blood products or cell-saver. Only patients' age was identified as independent predictor.

Prolyl hydroxylase-2 (PHD2) exerts tumor-suppressive activity in pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is 1 of the most common and poorly treated tumors. In search of new therapeutic approaches, the oxygen sensors prolyl hydroxylases (PHD) are potential targets. PHD2 is considered the key oxygen sensor-regulating hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). Currently, there is conflicting evidence regarding the exact role of PHD2 in tumorigenesis. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of PHD2 in pancreatic cancer growth and progression. METHODS: PHD2 expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis and immunohistochemistry in human tissue specimens and cell lines. Knockdown of PHD2 was done by using short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) specific against PHD2, and PHD2 overexpression was achieved by stable combinational DNA transfection. In vivo, an orthotopic murine model was used. Angiogenic cytokines were assessed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and invasion was studied with Matrigel assays. RESULTS: PHD2 expression was not altered substantially in cancer tissues and their metastases. Lymph node-negative tissues had higher levels of PHD2 than lymph node-positive tissues. PHD2 was hypoxia-inducible in pancreatic cancer cell lines and regulated cell growth through cyclin D1 down-regulation samples with PHD2 suppression and through p21 up-regulation in samples with of PHD2 overexpression. In vivo, PHD2 caused tumor growth retardation and reduced tumor invasion by inhibiting angiogenesis. This observation was caused by the suppression of angiogenic cytokines and tumor invasion. CONCLUSIONS: The current results indicated that PHD2 plays an important role in pancreatic tumorigenesis. In summary, the authors concluded that PHD2 may function as a tumor suppressor gene in pancreatic cancer and, thus, may define a potential target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Patients with non-[18 F]fludeoxyglucose-avid advanced hepatocellular carcinoma on clinical staging may achieve long-term recurrence-free survival after liver transplantation.

There is increasing evidence that a relevant number of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exceeding the Milan criteria may benefit from liver transplantation (LT). We retrospectively analyzed the prognostic significance of [(18) F]fludeoxyglucose ([(18) F]FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) for identifying appropriate LT candidates with advanced HCC on clinical staging. Between 1995 and 2008, 111 patients with HCC were listed for LT. All underwent a pretransplant PET evaluation. LT was performed for 91 of these patients. The tumor recurrence rate after LT was 3.6% for patients with non-[(18) F]FDG-avid (PET(-) ) tumors, but it was 54.3% for patients with [(18) F]FDG-avid (PET(+) ) tumors (P < 0.001). The 5-year recurrence-free survival rates were comparable for patients with tumors meeting the Milan criteria (86.2%) and patients with PET(-) HCC exceeding the Milan criteria (81%) at LT, but these rates were significantly higher than the rate for liver recipients with [(18) F]FDG-avid advanced HCC (21%, P = 0.002). In a multivariate analysis, negative PET findings (odds ratio = 21.6, P < 0.001), an alpha-fetoprotein level <400 IU/mL (odds ratio = 3.3, P = 0.013), and a total tumor diameter <10 cm (odds ratio = 3.0, P = 0.022) were identified as pretransplant prognostic variables for recurrence-free survival. A PET(+) status was assessed as the only independent clinical predictor of tumor-related patient dropout from the waiting list (hazard ratio = 5.7, P = 0.01). Patients with non-[(18) F]FDG-avid HCC beyond the Milan criteria according to clinical staging may achieve excellent long-term recurrence-free survival after LT.

Human hepatocytes: isolation, culture, and quality procedures.

The use of isolated human liver cells in research and development has gained increasing interest during the past years. The possible application may vary between elucidation of new biochemical pathways in liver diseases, drug development, safety issues, and new therapeutic strategies up to direct clinical translation for liver support. However, the isolation of human liver cells requires a well-developed logistic network among surgeons, biologists, and technicians to obtain a high quality of cells. Our laboratories have been involved in various applications of human liver cells and we have long-lasting experiences in human liver cell isolation and their application in R&D. We here summarize the present protocol of our laboratories for cell isolation from normal resected liver tissue, the most common tissue available. In addition, we discuss the necessary network in the clinic and quality controls to maintain human liver cells in culture and the effect of 3D extracellular matrix in cultured cells which results in preservation of hepatocyte epithelial polarity in the form of bile canaliculi and repression of epithelial to mesenchymal transitions occurring in 2D cultures.

Autoimmune pancreatitis complicated by carcinoma of the pancreatobiliary system: a case report and review of the literature.

We present the case of a 67-year-old woman who developed a metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreatobiliary system shortly after the histologically confirmed diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP). This case highlights the need for increased alertness not only in differentiating AIP from pancreatic cancer at the time of diagnosis, but also to exclude concomitant malignancies of the pancreatobiliary system in the management of histologically confirmed AIP.

Transcriptional regulation of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor by hypoxia-inducible factor 1 is crucial for invasion of pancreatic and liver cancer.

Angioinvasion is critical for metastasis with urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) and tumor hypoxia-activated hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) as key players. Transcriptional control of uPAR expression by HIF has never been reported. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to test whether tumor hypoxia-induced HIF expression may be linked to transcriptional activation of uPAR and dependent angioinvasion. We used human pancreatic cancer cells and a model of parental and derived HIF-1beta-deficient mouse liver cancer cell lines and performed Northern blot analysis, nuclear runoff assays, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, polymerase chain reaction-generated deletion mutants, luciferase assays, Matrigel invasion assays, and in vivo angioinvasion assays in the chorioallantoic membrane of fertilized chicken eggs. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor promoter analysis resulted in four putative HIF binding sites. Hypoxia strongly induced de novo transcription of uPAR mRNA. With sequential deletion mutants of the uPAR promoter, it was possible to identify one HIF binding site causing a nearly 200-fold increase in luciferase activity. Hypoxia enhanced the number of invading tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, HIF-1beta-deficient cells failed to upregulate uPAR expression, to activate luciferase activity, and to invade on hypoxia. Taken together, we show for the first time that uPAR is under transcriptional control of HIF and that this is important for hypoxia-induced metastasis.

A prospective, non-randomized phase II trial of Trastuzumab and Capecitabine in patients with HER2 expressing metastasized pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer related death in Western countries. Advantages in surgical techniques, radiation and chemotherapy had almost no impact on the long term survival of affected patients. Therefore, the need for better treatment strategies is urgent. HER2, a receptor tyrosine kinase of the EGFR family, involved in signal transduction pathways leading to cell growth and differentiation is overexpressed in a number of cancers, including breast and pancreatic cancer. While in breast cancer HER2 has already been successfully used as a treatment target, there are only limited data evaluating the effects of inhibiting HER2 tyrosine kinases in patients with pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Here we report the design of a prospective, non-randomized multi-centered Phase II clinical study evaluating the effects of the Fluoropyrimidine-carbamate Capecitabine (Xeloda) and the monoclonal anti-HER2 antibody Trastuzumab (Herceptin) in patients with non-resectable, HER2 overexpressing pancreatic cancer. Patients eligible for the study will receive Trastuzumab infusions on day 1, 8 and 15 concomitant to the oral intake of Capecitabine from day 1 to day 14 of each three week cycle. Cycles will be repeated until tumor progression. A total of 37 patients will be enrolled with an interim analysis after 23 patients. DISCUSSION: Primary end point of the study is to determine the progression free survival after 12 weeks of bimodal treatment with the chemotherapeutic agent Capecitabine and the anti-HER2 antibody Trastuzumab. Secondary end points include patient's survival, toxicity analysis, quality of life, the correlation of HER2 overexpression and clinical response to Trastuzumab treatment and, finally, the correlation of CA19-9 plasma levels and progression free intervals.

Acinar cell membrane disruption is an early event in experimental acute pancreatitis in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that disruption of acinar cell membranes is the earliest event that takes place after the onset of acute pancreatitis. METHODS: Cerulein and taurocholate pancreatitis were induced in rats. Furthermore, stimulation with different doses of bombesin, pilocarpine, and cerulein was performed. Five to 180 minutes after initiation of treatment, animals were killed. Disruption of cell membranes was detected by the penetration of the experimental animal's own albumin or immunoglobulin G (IgG) into acinar cells by immunocytological localization. Tissue was further analyzed by electron microscopy and electron microscopic immunostaining. RESULTS: Animals with pancreatitis displayed significantly greater antialbumin and anti-IgG immunostaining in the cytoplasm of acinar cells and in vacuoles in comparison with controls, confirming membrane disruption. This was not detectable after stimulation with bombesin, pilocarpine, and nonsupramaximal doses of cerulein. The first changes were seen after 5 minutes of induction of pancreatitis. Results were verified by electron microscopy and electron microscopic immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSIONS: The penetration of albumin and IgG into acinar cells indicates that wounding of their plasma membrane occurs at the onset of acute pancreatitis. Disruption of the membranes could be expected to allow the influx of calcium ions, causing massive intracellular alterations, and exit of molecules, such as enzymes from acinar cells.

PKC 412 small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor: single-compound therapy for pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: PKC412 is a kinase inhibitor that blocks protein kinase C (PKC), vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, platelet-derived growth factor receptor FLT3, and other class III receptor tyrosine kinases. The enthusiasm for this compound is based on its inhibitory effect even in the case of FLT3 mutations. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of FLT3 in pancreatic cancer and to study the biological activity of combined inhibition of neovascularization and mitogenesis in this disease. METHODS: FLT3 expression was analyzed in 18 pancreatic cancer specimens by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTQ-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. Sixteen pancreatic cancer cell lines were screened for ITD and D835 point mutations of the FLT3 gene. MTT assays and anchorage-independent growth assays were used to study cell growth. Flow cytometry was used for cell cycle analysis and apoptosis quantification. In vivo AsPC-1 and HPAF-II cells were used for orthotopic tumor modeling. Immunohistochemistry was used to quantify tumor angiogenesis. RESULTS: FLT3 expression is down-regulated in pancreatic cancer. Activating FLT3 mutations (ITD, D835) were not detectable in any of the pancreatic cancer cell lines. Cell growth was significantly inhibited as cell-cycle progression was reduced and programmed cell death increased. In vivo PKC412 therapy resulted in a significant inhibition of orthotopic tumor growth with abrogation of tumor angiogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: These data highlight that PKC412 may be a new compound in target therapy of inoperable pancreatic cancer patients and suggest a potential role for the combined use of broad spectrum kinase inhibitors in the management of these patients.

Association of axon guidance factor semaphorin 3A with poor outcome in pancreatic cancer.

Neural alterations and aberrantly expressed nerve-specific factors promoting tumor progression are known to contribute to pancreatic cancer's extremely poor prognosis. Despite hints that axon guidance factor semaphorin 3A (SEMA3A) may function as a tumor inhibitor, its clinical importance and therapeutic potential have not yet been explored. The present study investigated the role of SEMA3A and its receptors-plexins A1-A4 (PLXNA1-A4) and neuropilin-1 (NRP1)-in pancreatic cancer. QRT-PCR and immunohistochemical analyses revealed overexpression of SEMA3A, NRP1 and PLXNA1 in metaplastic ducts, malignant cells and nerves of cancerous specimens, and showed that elevated levels of corresponding mRNA (6.8-fold, 2.0-fold and 1.5-fold, respectively) clearly correlated with negative clinicopathological manifestations such as shorter survival (SEMA3A and PLXNA1) and a lesser degree of tumor differentiation (NRP1) in Stages I-III patients. High SEMA3A expression in pancreata of Stage IV M1 patients and in peritoneal metastases, and consequent functional studies indicated that poor clinical outcome might be related to the ability of SEMA3A to promote dissemination and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells through activation of multiple pathways involving Rac1, GSK3b or p42/p44 MAPK, but not E- to N-cadherin switch, MMP-9 or VEGF induction. Thus, this study is the first to quantify expression of the SEMA3A system in human malignancy and to show that overexpression of SEMA3A by nerves and transformed cells leads to a SEMA3A-rich environment which may favor malignant activities of tumor cells. Furthermore, negative clinicopathological correlations suggest that SEMA3A might represent a novel intervention target but not a treatment option for pancreatic cancer patients.

Target therapy using a small molecule inhibitor against angiogenic receptors in pancreatic cancer.

PURPOSE: PD173074, a small molecule inhibitor of VEGF-RII and FGF-RI, targets neoangiogenesis and mitogenesis. This study aimed to analyze a single-compound-driven inhibition of FGF and VEGF receptors in pancreatic cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: RT-PCR and Western blots were performed to quantify protein expression and phosphorylation. Anchorage dependent and independent growth assays were used to study cell growth. With flow cytometry, cell cycle analysis and apoptosis were studied. In vivo HPAF-II and MIA PaCa-2 cells were xenografted. Animals were treated daily for 10 weeks. Immunohistochemistry was used to quantify microvessel density and apoptosis. RESULTS: Highest levels of FGF-RI were detectable in MIA PaCa-2 cells, lowest in HPAF-II cells. PD173074 inhibited cell growth most prominently in cells expressing high levels of FGF-RI. Cell cycle progression was inhibited by blocking transition in the G(0)/G(1) phase, and consequently, apoptosis was increased. In vivo significant inhibition of orthotopic tumor growth was achieved by a combination effect of inhibition of mitogenesis, induction of apoptosis, and reduction of angiogenesis in PD173074-treated animals. CONCLUSIONS: These data highlight VEGF-RII and FGF-RI as therapeutic targets and suggest a potential role for the combined use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the management of inoperable pancreatic cancer patients.

Clinical and mechanistic aspects of glucocorticoid-induced chemotherapy resistance in the majority of solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: Glucocorticoids have been used widely in conjunction with cancer therapy due to their ability to induce apoptosis in hematological cells and to prevent nausea and emesis. However, recent data including ours, suggest induction of therapy-resistance by glucocorticoids in solid tumors, although it is unclear whether this happens only in few carcinomas or is a more common cell type specific phenomenon. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed an overall statistical analysis of our new and recent data with 157 tumor probes evaluated in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. The effect of glucocorticoids on apoptosis, viability and cell cycle progression under diverse clinically important questions was examined. RESULTS: New in vivo results demonstrate glucocorticoid-induced chemotherapy resistance in xenografted prostate cancer. In an overall statistical analysis we found glucocorticoid-induced resistance in 89% of 157 analysed tumor samples. Resistance is common for several cytotoxic treatments and for several glucocorticoid-derivatives and due to an inhibition of apoptosis, promotion of viability and cell cycle progression. Resistance occurred at clinically achievable peak plasma levels of patients under anti-emetic glucocorticoid therapy and below, lasted for a long time, after one single dose, but was reversible upon removal of glucocorticoids. Two nonsteroidal alternative anti-emetic agents did not counteract anticancer treatment and may be sufficient to replace glucocorticoids in cotreatment of carcinoma patients. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate the need for prospective clinical studies as well as for detailed mechanistic studies of GC-induced cell-type specific pro- and anti-apoptotic signalling.