Prevalence, patterns, risk factors and outcomes of peritoneal metastases after laparoscopic hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma: a multicenter study from China.

Background: We aim to investigate the prevalence, patterns, risk factors, and outcomes of peritoneal metastases (PM) after curative laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A multicenter cohort of 2,138 HCC patients who underwent curative LH from August 2010 to December 2016 from seven hospitals in China was retrospectively analyzed. The incidence of PM following LH was evaluated and compared with that in open hepatectomy (OH) after 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM). Results: PM prevalence was 5.1% (15/295) in the early period [2010-2013], 2.6% (47/1,843) in the later period [2014-2016], and 2.9% (62/2,138) in all LH patients, which was similar to 4.0% (59/1,490) in the OH patients. The recurrence patterns, timing, and treatment did not significantly vary between the LH and OH patients (P>0.05). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that tumor diameter >5 cm, non-anatomical resection, presence of microvascular invasion, and lesions <2 cm from major blood vessels were independent risk factors of PM after LH. Of the 62 cases with PM, 26 (41.9%) had PM only, 34 (54.9%) had intrahepatic recurrence (IHR) and PM, and 2 (3.2%) had synchronous extraperitoneal metastases (EPM). Patients with resectable PM had a 5-year overall survival (OS) of 65.0% compared to 9.0% for unresectable PM (P=0.001). Conclusions: The prevalence, patterns and independent risk factors of PM were identified for HCC patients after LH. LH was not associated with increased incidence of PM in HCC patients for experienced surgeons. Surgical re-excision of PM was associated with prolonged survival.

Short-term and long-term outcomes after robotic versus open hepatectomy in patients with large hepatocellular carcinoma: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Robotic hepatectomy (RH) is currently widely accepted and it is associated with some benefits when compared to open hepatectomy (OH). However, whether such benefits can still be achieved for patients with large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the short-term and long-term outcomes of patients undergoing RH or OH. METHODS: Perioperative and survival data from patients with large HCC who underwent RH or OH between January 2010 and December 2020 were collected from eight centres. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to minimise potential biases. RESULTS: Using predefined inclusion criteria, 797 patients who underwent OH and 309 patients who underwent RH were enroled in this study. After PSM, 280 patients in the robotic group had shorter operative time (median 181 vs. 201 min, P <0.001), lower estimated blood loss (median 200 vs. 400 ml, P <0.001), and shorter postoperative length of stay (median 6 vs. 9 days, P <0.001) than 465 patients in the open group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in overall survival and recurrence-free survival. Cox analysis showed AFP greater than 400 ng/ml, tumour size greater than 10 cm, and microvascular invasion were independent risk factors for overall survival and recurrence-free survival. After PSM, subgroup analysis showed that patients with a huge HCC (diameter >10 cm) who underwent RH had significantly lower estimated blood loss (median 200.0 vs. 500.0 min, P <0.001), and shorter length of stay (median 7 vs. 10 days, P <0.001) than those who underwent OH. CONCLUSION: Safety and feasibility of RH and OH for patients with large HCC were comparable. RH resulted in similar long-term survival outcomes as OH.

International experts consensus guidelines on robotic liver resection in 2023.

The robotic liver resection (RLR) has been increasingly applied in recent years and its benefits shown in some aspects owing to the technical advancement of robotic surgical system, however, controversies still exist. Based on the foundation of the previous consensus statement, this new consensus document aimed to update clinical recommendations and provide guidance to improve the outcomes of RLR clinical practice. The guideline steering group and guideline expert group were formed by 29 international experts of liver surgery and evidence-based medicine (EBM). Relevant literature was reviewed and analyzed by the evidence evaluation group. According to the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development, the Guidance Principles of Development and Amendment of the Guidelines for Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment in China 2022, a total of 14 recommendations were generated. Among them were 8 recommendations formulated by the GRADE method, and the remaining 6 recommendations were formulated based on literature review and experts' opinion due to insufficient EBM results. This international experts consensus guideline offered guidance for the safe and effective clinical practice and the research direction of RLR in future.

Robotic versus laparoscopic surgery for sporadic benign insulinoma: Short- and long-term outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive surgery is the optimal treatment for insulinoma. The present study aimed to compare short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic and robotic surgery for sporadic benign insulinoma. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic surgery for insulinoma at our center between September 2007 and December 2019 was conducted. The demographic, perioperative and postoperative follow-up results were compared between the laparoscopic and robotic groups. RESULTS: A total of 85 patients were enrolled, including 36 with laparoscopic approach and 49 with robotic approach. Enucleation was the preferred surgical procedure. Fifty-nine patients (69.4%) underwent enucleation; among them, 26 and 33 patients underwent laparoscopic and robotic surgery, respectively. Robotic enucleation had a lower conversion rate to laparotomy (0 vs. 19.2%, P = 0.013), shorter operative time (102.0 vs. 145.5 min, P = 0.008) and shorter postoperative hospital stay (6.0 vs. 8.5 d, P = 0.002) than laparoscopic enucleation. There were no differences between the groups in terms of intraoperative blood loss, the rates of postoperative pancreatic fistula and complications. After a median follow-up of 65 months, two patients in the laparoscopic group developed a functional recurrence and none of the patients in the robotic group had a recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic enucleation can reduce the conversion rate to laparotomy and shorten operative time, which might lead to a reduction in postoperative hospital stay.

Short-term outcomes of robotic versus open hepatectomy among overweight patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity score-matched study.

BACKGROUND: Robotic hepatectomy (RH) has gradually been accepted as it has overcome some of the limitations of open hepatectomy (OH). This study was to compare short-term outcomes in RH and OH for overweight (preoperative body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m²) patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Perioperative and postoperative data from these patients who underwent RH or OH between January 2010 and December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to determine the impact of RH versus OH on the prognosis of overweight HCC patients. RESULTS: All 304 overweight HCC patients were included, 172 who were underwent RH, and 132 who were underwent OH. After the 1:1 PSM, there were 104 patients in both RH and OH groups. After PSM, the RH group of patients had a shorter operative time, less estimated blood loss (EBL), a longer total clamping time, a shorter postoperative length of stay (LOS), less chance of surgical site infection and less rates of blood transfusion (all P < 0.05) compared to the OH patients. The differences between operative time, EBL and LOS were more significant in obese patients. RH was found to be an independent protective factor of EBL ≥ 400ml relative to OH in overweight patients for the first time. CONCLUSIONS: RH was safe and feasible in overweight HCC patients. Compared with OH, RH has advantages in terms of operative time, EBL, postoperative LOS, and surgical site infection. Carefully selected overweight patients should be considered for RH.

Early and late recurrence patterns of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma after pancreaticoduodenectomy: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains poor because of high incidences of recurrence. The risk factors, patterns, and long-term prognosis in patients with early recurrence and late recurrence (ER and LR) for PDAC after PD were studied. METHODS: Data from patients who underwent PD for PDAC were analyzed. Recurrence was divided into ER (ER ≤1 years) and LR (LR >1 years) using the time to recurrence after surgery. Characteristics and patterns of initial recurrence, and postrecurrence survival (PRS) were compared between patients with ER and LR. RESULTS: Among the 634 patients, 281 (44.3%) and 249 (39.3%) patients developed ER and LR, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, preoperative CA19-9 levels, resection margin status, and tumor differentiation were significantly associated with both ER and LR, while lymph node metastasis and perineal invasion were associated with LR. Patients with ER, when compared with patients with LR, showed a significantly higher proportion of liver-only recurrence ( P <0.05), and worse median PRS (5.2 vs. 9.3 months, P <0.001). Lung-only recurrence had a significantly longer PRS when compared with liver-only recurrence ( P <0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that ER and irregular postoperative recurrence surveillance were independently associated with a worse prognosis ( P <0.001). CONCLUSION: The risk factors for ER and LR after PD are different for PDAC patients. Patients who developed ER had worse PRS than those who developed LR. Patients with lung-only recurrence had a significantly better prognosis than those with other recurrent sites.

Significance of anatomical resection and resection margin status in patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma and microvascular invasion: a multicenter propensity score-matched study.

BACKGROUND: Microvascular invasion (MVI) is a risk factor for postoperative survival outcomes for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatectomy. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of anatomical resection (AR) versus nonanatomical resection (NAR) combined with resection margin (RM) (narrow RM <1 cm vs. wide RM ≥1 cm) on long-term prognosis in hepatitis B virus-related HCC patients with MVI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from multicenters on HCC patients with MVI who underwent hepatectomy was analyzed retrospectively. Propensity score matching analysis was performed in these patients. RESULTS: The 1965 enrolled patients were divided into four groups: AR with wide RM ( n =715), AR with narrow RM ( n =387), NAR with wide RM ( n =568), and NAR with narrow RM ( n =295). Narrow RM ( P <0.001) and NAR ( P <0.001) were independent risk factors for both overall survival and recurrence-free survival in these patients based on multivariate analyses. For patients in both the AR and NAR groups, wide RM resulted in significantly lower operative margin recurrence rates than those patients in the narrow RM groups after propensity score matching ( P =0.002 and 0.001). Patients in the AR with wide RM group had significantly the best median overall survival (78.9 vs. 51.5 vs. 48.0 vs. 36.7 months, P <0.001) and recurrence-free survival (23.6 vs. 14.8 vs. 17.8 vs. 9.0 months, P <0.001) than those in the AR with narrow RM, NAR with wide RM or with narrow RM groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: If technically feasible and safe, AR combined with wide RM should be the recommended therapeutic strategy for HCC patients who are estimated preoperatively with a high risk of MVI.

Derivation and validation of a preoperative prognostic model for resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains poor even after radical pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). The study aimed to develop and validate a novel preoperative prognostic model to accurately predict the long-term survival of patients with PDAC. METHODS: Patients with PDAC of pancreatic head from Chinese PLA General Hospital were included. The preoperative PDAC model with contour plots was developed using a non-linear model in the training cohort and then tested in the validation cohort. RESULTS: Of 421 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 280 were in the training cohort and 141 in the validation cohort. Contour plots for preoperative PDAC model were established to visually predict the survival probabilities of these patients, based on preoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9, preoperative fibrinogen to albumin ratio and pain symptoms. This model stratified patients into low- and high-risk groups with distinctly different long-term survival in the training cohort [median overall survival (OS) 32.1 vs. 17.5 months; median recurrence-free survival (RFS) 19.3 vs. 10.0 months, both P < 0.001] and the validation cohort (median OS 28.3 vs. 19.0 months; median RFS 17.5 vs. 11.2 months, both P < 0.001). Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic and decision curve analyses revealed that the model provided higher diagnostic accuracy and superior net benefit compared to other staging systems. CONCLUSIONS: This study constructed and validated a novel preoperative prognostic model that can accurately and conveniently predict the long-term survival of patients with resectable PDAC of pancreatic head. Besides, the model can screen high-risk patients with poor prognosis, which may provide references for personal treatment strategies in the future.

Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Analysis of surgical outcomes and long-term prognosis in a high-volume center.

BACKGROUND: Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD) has been reported to be safe and feasible for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) of the pancreatic head. This study aimed to analyze the surgical outcomes and risk factors for poor long-term prognosis of these patients. METHODS: Data from patients who underwent RPD for PDAC of pancreatic head were retrospectively analyzed. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to seek the independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), and an online nomogram calculator was developed based on the independent prognostic factors. RESULTS: Of the 273 patients who met the inclusion criteria, the median operative time was 280.0 minutes, the estimated blood loss was 100.0 mL, the median OS was 23.6 months, and the median recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 14.4 months. Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.607, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.560-4.354, P < 0.001], lymph node metastasis (HR = 1.429, 95% CI: 1.005-2.034, P = 0.047), tumor moderately (HR = 3.190, 95% CI: 1.813-5.614, P < 0.001) or poorly differentiated (HR = 5.114, 95% CI: 2.839-9.212, P < 0.001), and Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ III (HR = 1.657, 95% CI: 1.079-2.546, P = 0.021) were independent prognostic factors for OS. The concordance index (C-index) of the nomogram constructed based on the above four independent prognostic factors was 0.685 (95% CI: 0.640-0.729), which was significantly higher than that of the AJCC staging (8th edition): 0.541 (95% CI: 0.493-0.589) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This large-scale study indicated that RPD was feasible for PDAC of pancreatic head. Preoperative CA19-9, lymph node metastasis, tumor poorly differentiated, and Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ III were independent prognostic factors for OS. The online nomogram calculator could predict the OS of these patients in a simple and convenient manner.

A novel online calculator to predict early recurrence and long-term survival of patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma after pancreaticoduodenectomy: A multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is prone to relapse even after radical pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) (including robotic, laparoscopic and open approach). This study aimed to develop an online nomogram calculator to predict early recurrence (ER) (within one year after surgery) and long-term survival in patients with PDAC. METHODS: Patients with PDAC after radical PD were included. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors. An online nomogram calculator was developed based on independent risk factors in the training cohort and then tested in the internal and external validation cohorts. RESULTS: Of the 569 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 310, 155, and 104 patients were in the training, internal and external validation cohorts, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that preoperative carbohydrate antigen19-9 (CA19-9) [Odds Ratio (OR) 1.002; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.001-1.003; P = 0.001], fibrinogen/albumin (FAR) (OR 1.132; 95% CI 1.012-1.266; P = 0.029), N stage (OR 2.291; 95% CI 1.283-4.092; P = 0.005), and tumor differentiation (OR 3.321; 95% CI 1.278-8.631; P = 0.014) were independent risk factors for ER. Nomogram based on the above four factors achieved good C-statistics of 0.772, 0.767 and 0.765 in predicting ER in the training, internal and external validation cohorts, respectively. Time-dependent ROC analysis (timeROC) and decision curve analysis (DCA) revealed that the nomogram provided superior diagnostic capacity and net benefit compared with other staging systems. CONCLUSION: This multi-center study developed and validated an online nomogram calculator that can predict ER and long-term survival in patients with PDAC with high degrees of stability and accuracy.

Short- and long-term outcomes after robotic and open liver resection for elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity score-matched study.

BACKGROUND: Robotic liver resection (RLR) has increasingly been accepted as it has overcome some of the limitations of open liver resection (OLR), while the outcomes following RLR in elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the short and long-term outcomes of RLR vs. OLR in elderly HCC patients. METHODS: Perioperative data of elderly patients (≥ 65 years) with HCC who underwent RLR or OLR between January 2010 and December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. A 1:2 propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis was performed to minimize the differences between RLR and OLR groups. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to identify independent prognosis factors for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) of these patients. RESULTS: Of the 427 elderly HCC patients included in this study, 113 underwent RLR and 314 underwent OLR. After the 1:2 PSM, there were 100 and 178 patients in the RLR and the OLR groups, respectively. The RLR group had a less estimated blood loss (EBL), a shorter postoperative length of stay (LOS), and a lower complications rate (all P < 0.05), compared with the OLR group before and after PSM. Univariable and multivariable analyses showed that advanced age and surgical approaches were not independent risk factors for long-term prognosis. The two groups of elderly patients who were performed RLR or OLR had similar OS (median OS 52.8 vs. 57.6 months) and RFS (median RFS 20.4 vs. 24.6 months) rates after PSM. CONCLUSIONS: RLR was comparable to OLR in feasibility and safety. For elderly patients with HCC, RLR resulted in similar oncologic and survival outcomes as OLR.

Robotic versus open pancreaticoduodenectomy for distal cholangiocarcinoma: a multicenter propensity score-matched study.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatoduodenectomy is the only potentially curative treatment for distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC). In this study, we sought to compare the perioperative and oncological outcomes of robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD) and open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD) based on a multicenter propensity score-matched study. METHODS: Consecutive patients with DCC who underwent RPD or OPD from five centers in China between January 2014 and June 2019 were included. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was performed. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to identify independent prognosis factors for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) of these patients. RESULTS: A total of 217 patients and 228 patients underwent RPD and OPD, respectively. After PSM, 180 patients in each group were enrolled. There were no significant differences in operative time, lymph node harvest, intraoperative transfusion, vascular resection, R0 resection, postoperative major morbidity, reoperation, 90-day mortality, and long-term survival between the two groups before and after PSM. Whereas, compared with the OPD group, the RPD group had significantly lower estimated blood loss (150.0 ml vs. 250.0 ml; P < 0.001), and a shorter postoperative length of stay (LOS) (12.0 days vs. 15.0 days; P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), R0 resection, N stage, perineural invasion, and tumor differentiation significantly associated with OS and RFS of these patients. CONCLUSIONS: RPD was comparable to OPD in feasibility and safety. For patients with DCC, RPD resulted in similar oncologic and survival outcomes as OPD.

Step-by-step and orderly lowering of the height of inferior vena cava tumor thrombus is the key to robot-assisted thrombectomy for Mayo III/IV tumor thrombus.

BACKGROUND: The surgical management of Mayo III/IV tumor thrombi is difficult and risky, and robotic surgery is even more difficult. The purpose of this study was to introduce the step-by-step and orderly lowering of the height of inferior vena cava tumor thrombus, which was the core technique of robot operation for Mayo III/IV tumor thrombus. METHOD: A total of 18 patients were included in this study. The average tumor thrombus height was 2.4 cm above the level of the second porta hepatis (SPH), and 9 patients were prepared for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) before surgery. During the operation, the height of the tumor thrombus was lowered orderly for 2-3 times, and the blood flow blocking method was changed sequentially. The CPB was required when tumor thrombus in the atrium; After the height of the thrombus was lowered to the atrium entrance, CPB was stopped and the blood flow was blocked in the upper- and retro-hepatic inferior vena cava (IVC); After the tumor thrombus continued to descend to the lower part of the SPH, liver blood flow could be restored, and then, the blood flow was simply blocked in the retro-hepatic IVC to complete the removal of the thrombus and the repair or resection of the IVC. Finally, the diseased kidney and renal vein were removed. RESULTS: All operations were successfully completed, and 2 cases were transferred to laparotomy. Seven cases received CPB, while the other 11 did not. 15 patients underwent two times of the lowering of the tumor thrombus, 2 patients underwent one time and 1 patient underwent three times. The mean liver/IVC dissociation and vascular suspension time was 22.0 min. All patients had less than Clavien-Dindo grade III complications, no serious complications occurred during operation, and no patient died within 90 days. CONCLUSIONS: The step-by-step and orderly decline of tumor thrombus height is the key to the success of robot Mayo III / IV tumor thrombus surgery. This method can shorten FPH and CPB time and improve the success rate of surgery.

Active targeted Janus nanoparticles enable anti-angiogenic drug combining chemotherapy agent to prevent postoperative hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence.

Surgery is one of the main effective strategies for the treatment of solid tumors, but high postoperative recurrence is also the main cause of death in current cancer therapy. The prevention of postoperative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence is a clinical problem that needs to be solved urgently. At present, there are still some problems to be solved, such as, how to achieve free drugs to target the site of surgical resection; develop a strategy for the simultaneous administration of multiple drugs to inhibit postoperative recurrence; and provide the appropriate animal model that mimics the process of postoperative HCC recurrence. In this study, we used a facile and reproducible method to successfully prepare amphiphilic Janus nanoparticles (JNPs). In order to improve targeting of the JNPs to residual HCC cells after surgery, we modified the side of gold nanorods (GNRs) with lactobionic acid (LA), thus creating LA-JNPs. This provided an active and targeted co-delivery system for hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs in separate rooms, thus avoiding mutual effects. Next, we established two models to simulate postoperative HCC recurrence: a subcutaneous postoperative recurrence model based on patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) tissues and a postoperative recurrence model of orthotopic HCC. By applying these models, the enhanced permeability and retention effect (EPR) based tumor targeting and LA based active targeting can jointly promote the enrichment and uptake of JNPs at tumor site. LA-JNPs represented an efficient targeting system for the co-delivery of Sorafenib/Doxorubicin with an optimized anti-recurrence effect and significantly improved the survival of mice during treatment for postoperative recurrence.

Development and validation of an online calculator to predict early recurrence and long-term survival in patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC) is a malignancy associated with a short survival time. In this study, we aimed to create an online nomogram calculator to predict early recurrence and long-term survival in patients with DCC after pancreaticoduodenectomy. METHODS: A total of 486 patients with DCC were included. An online nomogram calculator was developed and validated in training, internal validation and external validation cohorts, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 486 patients who met the inclusion criteria, we allocated 240, 120, and 126 patients to the training, internal validation, and external validation cohorts, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that preoperative CA19-9, maximum tumor diameter, perineural invasion, and tumor differentiation were significant risk factors for early recurrence in patients with DCC. Incorporating these four factors, the nomogram achieved good AUC values of 0.788, 0.771, and 0.723 for predicting early recurrence in the training, internal validation, and external validation cohorts, respectively. Notably, this nomogram also had good power to predict overall survival. The discrimination ability of the nomogram was evaluated by dividing the predicted probabilities of early recurrence and survival into two risk groups in the training cohort (low risk ≤ 132; high risk > 132; P < .001). Time-dependent ROC and decision curve analysis further revealed that the nomogram provided higher diagnostic capacity and superior net benefit compared to other staging systems. CONCLUSION: This study developed and validated a web-based nomogram calculator that was capable of predicting early recurrence and long-term prognosis in patients with DCC after pancreaticoduodenectomy with high degrees of stability and accuracy.

A novel online calculator to predict recurrence risk in patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma after radical pancreaticoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC) are prone to relapse even after radical pancreaticoduodenectomy. In this study, we sought to create an online nomogram calculator to accurately predict the recurrence risk of DCC. METHODS: A total of 184 patients were included. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify independent prognosis factors for recurrence-free survival and overall survival. A nomogram was constructed according to the prognostic factors in the training cohort and then tested in the validation cohort. RESULTS: Multivariate Cox analysis showed preoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (p < 0.001), maximum tumor size (p = 0.076), perineural invasion (p = 0.044), and N stage (p = 0.076) were independent prognostic factors for DCC relapse. We then constructed a nomogram with these four factors. The consistency index (C-index) of the nomogram in the training and validation cohorts were 0.703 and 0.665, respectively. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic and decision curve analyses revealed that the nomogram provided higher diagnostic power and net benefit compared with other staging systems. CONCLUSION: In this study, we developed an online nomogram calculator that can accurately predict the recurrence risk of DCC and identify patients with a high risk of recurrence in a simple and convenient manner.

Identification of a CD4+ conventional T cells-related lncRNAs signature associated with hepatocellular carcinoma prognosis, therapy, and tumor microenvironment.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and CD4+ T lymphocytes can inhibit hepatocarcinogenesis and mediate tumor regression. However, few studies have focused on the prognostic power of CD4+ Tconv-related lncRNAs in HCC patients. Method: We obtained data from TCGA and GEO databases and identified CD4+Tconv-related lncRNAs in HCC. The risk score was constructed using lasso regression and the model was validated using two validation cohorts. The RS was also assessed in different clinical subgroups, and a nomogram was established to further predict the patients' outcomes. Furthermore, we estimated the immune cell infiltration and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) through TIMER databases and assessed the role of RS in immune checkpoint inhibitors response. Results: We constructed a CD4+ Tconv-related lncRNAs risk score, including six lncRNAs (AC012073.1, AL031985.3, LINC01060, MKLN1-AS, MSC-AS1, and TMCC1-AS1), and the RS had good predictive ability in validation cohorts and most clinical subgroups. The RS and the T stage were included in the nomogram with optimum prediction and the model had comparable OS prediction power compared to the AJCC. Patients in the high-risk group had a poor immune response phenotype, with high infiltrations of macrophages, CAFs, and low infiltrations of NK cells. Immunotherapy and chemotherapy response analysis indicated that low-risk group patients had good reactions to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Conclusion: We constructed and validated a novel CD4+ Tconv-related lncRNAs RS, with the potential predictive value of HCC patients' survival and immunotherapy response.

A predictive and prognostic model for hepatocellular carcinoma with microvascular invasion based TCGA database genomics.

BACKGROUND: Microvascular invasion (MVI) adversely affects postoperative long-term survival outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). There is no study addressing genetic changes in HCC patients with MVI. We first screened differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in patients with and without MVI based on TCGA data, established a prediction model and explored the prognostic value of DEGs for HCC patients with MVI. METHODS: In this paper, gene expression and clinical data of liver cancer patients were downloaded from the TCGA database. The DEG analysis was conducted using DESeq2. Using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, MVI-status-related genes were identified. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed using these genes. Finally, we validated two genes, HOXD9 and HOXD10, using two sets of HCC tissue microarrays from 260 patients. RESULTS: Twenty-three MVI-status-related key genes were identified. Based on the key genes, we built a classification model using random forest and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC), which reached 0.814. Then, we performed a survival analysis and found ten genes had a significant difference in survival time. Simultaneously, using two sets of 260 patients' HCC tissue microarrays, we validated two key genes, HOXD9 and HOXD10. Our study indicated that HOXD9 and HOXD10 were overexpressed in HCC patients with MVI compared with patients without MVI, and patients with MVI with HOXD9 and 10 overexpression had a poorer prognosis than patients with MVI with low expression of HOXD9 and 10. CONCLUSION: We established an accurate TCGA database-based genomics prediction model for preoperative MVI risk and studied the prognostic value of DEGs for HCC patients with MVI. These DEGs that are related to MVI warrant further study regarding the occurrence and development of MVI.

A comparative study of end-to-end pancreatic anastomosis versus pancreaticojejunostomy after robotic central pancreatectomy.

Robotic central pancreatectomy has been applied for 20 years with the advantage of minimally invasive surgery. The general pancreatic reconstruction approaches include pancreaticojejunostomy and pancreaticogastrostomy. Recently, our group reported a few preliminary cases of application of end-to-end pancreatic anastomosis in robotic central pancreatectomy. This novel approach has not been compared with the conventional approach on a large scale. The objective of this study is to compare end-to-end pancreatic anastomosis with pancreaticojejunostomy after robotic central pancreatectomy based on the perioperative and long-term outcomes. Clinical data consist of demographics, clinicopathologic characteristics, perioperative and long-term outcomes of patients who underwent robotic central pancreatectomy from March 2015 to December 2019 were collected and analyzed. Seventy-four patients received a robotic central pancreatectomy with either end-to-end pancreatic anastomosis (n = 52) or pancreaticojejunostomy (n = 22). End-to-end pancreatic anastomosis was associated with shorter operative time and reduced blood loss. Despite a higher incidence of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (69.2% vs. 36.4%, p = 0.009), the newer anastomotic technique was also associated with earlier removal of nasogastric tube and resumption of oral intake. Long-term results, in terms of either endocrine or exocrine function, were not affected by the anastomotic technique. We have shown the feasibility of robotic central pancreatectomy with end-to-end pancreatic anastomosis. Despite streamlined technique, the newer anastomosis appears to improve early post-operative results while preserving endocrine and exocrine functions in the long-term period. Evaluation of the true potential of robotic central pancreatectomy with end-to-end pancreatic anastomosis requires a prospective and randomized study enrolling a large number of patients.

First two-stage robotic ALPPS in HCC patients with hepatic vein invasion: a step-by-step procedure from a clinical case.

BACKGROUND: The associating liver partitioning and portal vein occlusion for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) procedure is gaining interest because it brings hope to patients who cannot undergo radical surgical resection due to insufficient remnant liver volume. However, the indications and technical aspects of this procedure are still under debate. This report demonstrates the technical aspects of the first two-stage robotic ALPPS for HCC. CASE PRESENTATION: A 55-year-old man with type II portal vein variation was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma. Preoperative 3D reconstruction of the liver based on CT showed a future liver remnant/standard liver volume (FLR/SLV) of 24.45%. The ALPPS procedure was performed using the da Vinci Si system. At the first stage of the operation, we removed the gallbladder and ligated the right anterior branch of the portal vein and the right posterior branch. Following blocking of the hepatic hilum, the liver parenchyma was removed 1 cm away from the right side of the falciform ligament in an incision manner from the top to the bottom and from shallow to deep. The second-stage operation was performed on the 12th postoperative day with a FLR/SLV of 45.13%. During this step, the right hemiliver plus left medial section was separated and removed. Postoperative pathology showed a negative margin. The operative times were 195 and 217 min, respectively. Estimated blood loss was 250 and 500 ml, respectively. There was no need for transfusion or hospitalization in intensive care. The patient was discharged on the 6th postoperative day. Recovery was uneventful after both stages, and the patient did not present any sign of liver failure. Elevation of liver enzymes was minimal. The patient had no evidence of the disease 14 months after the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: The two-stage robotic ALPPS procedure is a safe and feasible technique for select patients with HCC.