Asymptomatic low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Low-grade appendiceal neoplasms (LAMN) are characterized by low incidence and atypical clinical presentations, often leading to misdiagnosis as acute or chronic appendicitis before surgery. The primary diagnostic tool for LAMN is abdominal computed tomography (CT) imaging. Surgical resection remains the cornerstone of LAMN management, necessitating en bloc tumor excision to minimize the risk of iatrogenic rupture. Laparoscopy, known for its minimal invasiveness, reduced postoperative discomfort, and expedited recovery, is a safe and reliable approach for LAMN treatment. Despite the possibility of pseudomyxoma peritonei development, appendectomy and partial appendectomy generally result in negative tumor margins and favorable outcomes, which can be attributed to the disease's slow growth and lower malignancy. CASE SUMMARY: A 71-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital with a pelvic space-occupying lesion detected 1 mo prior. Physical examination showed a soft abdomen without tenderness or rebound and no palpable masses. No shifting dullness was noted, and digital rectal examination revealed no palpable mass. Enteroscopy revealed a raised, smooth-surfaced mass measuring 3.0 cm in the cecum. Abdominal contrast-enhanced CT showed a markedly thickened and dilated appendix with visible cystic shadows. Laparoscopic surgery was performed and revealed a significantly dilated appendix, leading to laparoscopic resection of the appendix and part of the cecum. Post-surgical pathologic analysis confirmed LAMN. The patient received symptomatic and supportive post-operative care and was discharged on postoperative day 4 without complications such as abdominal bleeding, intestinal obstruction, or incision infection. No tumor recurrence was observed during a 7-mo follow-up period. CONCLUSION: LAMN is a rare disease that lacks specific clinical manifestations. Abdominal CT plays a crucial role in diagnosing LAMN, and laparoscopic surgery is a safe and effective diagnostic and therapeutic approach.

Reoperation for heterochronic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas after bile duct neoplasm resection: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas have similar pathological manifestations. However, they often develop separately and it is rare for both to occur together. Patients presenting with heterochronic IPMN after IPNB are prone to be misdiagnosed with tumor recurrence. CASE SUMMARY: A 67-year-old male patient was admitted 8.5 years after IPNB carcinoma and 4 years after the discovery of a pancreatic tumor. A left hepatic bile duct tumor with distal bile duct dilatation was found 8.5 years ago by the computed tomography; therefore, a left hepatectomy was performed. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was malignant IPNB with negative cutting edge and pathological stage T1N0M0. Magnetic resonance imaging 4 years ago showed cystic lesions in the pancreatic head with pancreatic duct dilatation, and carcinoembryonic antigen continued to increase. Positron emission tomography showed a maximum standard uptake value of 11.8 in the soft tissue mass in the pancreatic head, and a malignant tumor was considered. Radical pancreatoduodenectomy was performed. Postoperative pathological diagnosis was pancreatic head IPMN with negative cutting edge, pancreaticobiliary type, stage T3N0M0. He was discharged 15 d after the operation. Follow-up for 6 mo showed no tumor recurrence, and quality of life was good. CONCLUSION: IPNB and IPMN are precancerous lesions with similar pathological characteristics and require active surgery and long-term follow-up.

Roles of lncRNAs in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Diagnosis, treatment, and the development of drug resistance.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancers, primarily due to its late diagnosis, high propensity to metastasis, and the development of resistance to chemo-/radiotherapy. Accumulating evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are intimately involved in the treatment resistance of pancreatic cancer cells via interacting with critical signaling pathways and may serve as potential diagnostic/prognostic markers or therapeutic targets in PDAC. DATA SOURCES: We carried out a systematic review on lncRNAs-based research in the context of pancreatic cancer and presented an overview of the updated information regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying lncRNAs-modulated pancreatic cancer progression and drug resistance, together with their potential value in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of PDAC. Literature mining was performed in PubMed with the following keywords: long non-coding RNA, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer up to January 2022. Publications relevant to the roles of lncRNAs in diagnosis, prognosis, drug resistance, and therapy of PDAC were collected and systematically reviewed. RESULTS: LncRNAs, such as HOTAIR, HOTTIP, and PVT1, play essential roles in regulating pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and drug resistance, thus may serve as potential diagnostic/prognostic markers or therapeutic targets in PDAC. They participate in tumorigenesis mainly by targeting miRNAs, interacting with signaling molecules, and involving in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process. CONCLUSIONS: The functional lncRNAs play essential roles in pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and drug resistance and have potential values in diagnosis, prognostic prediction, and treatment of PDAC.

Spontaneous healing after conservative treatment of isolated grade IV pancreatic duct disruption caused by trauma: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Trauma is a common cause of pancreatic duct disruption. Surgical treatment is recommended in current clinical guidelines for adult pancreatic injury because non-surgical treatments have higher risks of serious complications or even death compared with surgical treatment. CASE SUMMARY: A 22-year-old woman was admitted to Tiantai People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province after 1-h duration of abdominal pain and distension following trauma. The diagnosis was "traumatic pancreatic rupture". The patient's symptoms were not severe, her vital signs were stable, and signs of peritonitis were not obvious. Therefore, conservative treatment could be considered, with the possibility of emergency surgery if necessary. After 2 mo of conservative treatment with duct drainage, the pancreatic duct healed spontaneously with no significant complications. CONCLUSION: We report a case of pancreatic duct disruption in the head and neck caused by trauma that was treated conservatively and healed spontaneously, providing a new choice for clinical practice. For isolated pancreatic injury with rupture of the pancreatic duct in the head and neck, conservative treatment under close observation is feasible.

Cardia function-preserving surgery and anti-reflux anastomotic method after proximal gastrectomy for gastric cancer: Current status and future perspectives.

The incidence and mortality of gastric cancer ranked 5th and 3rd worldwide, respectively, in 2018, and the incidence of gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma increased over the past 40 years. Radical resection and lymph node dissection is the preferred treatment for gastric cancer. Proximal gastrectomy or total gastrectomy is usually performed for gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma and upper gastric cancer. Owing to the resection of the cardia structures, the incidence of reflux esophagitis increases significantly after proximal gastrectomy and total gastrectomy, resulting in poor postoperative quality of life. To reduce the incidence of reflux esophagitis and improve patients' postoperative quality of life, various methods to preserve the function of the cardia or to perform anti-reflux reconstruction have emerged. In this manuscript, we systematically introduced the advantages and problems of various anti-reflux anastomotic method after proximal gastrectomy, and cardia-preserving gastrectomy including endoscopic resection (ER), local gastrectomy by gastroscopy combined with laparoscopy, segmental gastrectomy, subtotal gastrectomy, and cardia-preserving radical gastrectomy. Cardia-preserving radical gastrectomy has the advantage of more thorough lymph node dissection and wider indications than those for subtotal gastrectomy. However, the clinical efficacy of cardia-preserving radical gastrectomy requires verification in prospective and controlled clinical trials. Cardia-preserving radical gastrectomy is a promising approach as one of the more reasonable anti-reflux surgeries.

Laparoscopic versus open pancreatic resection for ductal adenocarcinoma: separate propensity score matching analyses of distal pancreatectomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a leading causes of cancer mortality worldwide. Currently, laparoscopic pancreatic resection (LPR) is extensively applied to treat benign and low-grade diseases related to the pancreas. The viability and safety of LPR for PDAC needs to be understood better. Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) and pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) are the two main surgical approaches for PDAC. We performed separate propensity score matching (PSM) analyses to assess the surgical and oncological outcomes of LPR for PDAC by comparing LDP with open distal pancreatectomy (ODP) as well as LPD with open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD). METHODS: We assessed the data of patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy (DP) and pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for PDAC between January 2004 and February 2020 at our hospital. A one-to-one PSM was applied to prevent selection bias by accounting for factors such as age, sex, body mass index, and tumour size. The DP group included 86 LDP patients and 86 ODP patients, whereas the PD group included 101 LPD patients and 101 OPD patients. Baseline characteristics, intraoperative effects, postoperative recovery, and survival outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Compared to ODP, LDP was associated with shorter operative time, lesser blood loss, and similar overall morbidity. Of the 101 patients who underwent LPD, 10 patients (9.9%) required conversion to laparotomy. The short-term surgical advantage of LPD is not as apparent as that of LDP due to conversions. Compared with OPD, LPD was associated with longer operative time, lesser blood loss, and similar overall morbidity. For oncological and survival outcomes, there were no significant differences in tumour size, R0 resection rate, and tumour stage in both the DP and PD subgroups. However, laparoscopic procedures appear to have an advantage over open surgery in terms of retrieved lymph nodes (DP subgroup: 14.4 ± 5.2 vs. 11.7 ± 5.1, p = 0.03; PD subgroup 21.9 ± 6.6 vs. 18.9 ± 5.4, p = 0.07). These two groups did not show a significant difference in the pattern of recurrence and overall survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic DP and PD are feasible and oncologically safe procedures for PDAC, with similar postoperative outcomes and long-term survival among patients who underwent open surgery.

Laparoscopic radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy: preliminary experience with 10 cases.

BACKGROUND: The radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) which is a reasonable surgical approach for left-sided pancreatic cancer is emphasis on the complete resection of regional lymph nodes and tumor-free margin resection. Laparoscopic radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (LRAMPS) has been rarely performed, with only 49 cases indexed on PubMed. In this study, we present our experience of LRAMPS. METHODS: From December 2018 to February 2020, 10 patients underwent LRAMPS for pancreatic cancer at our department. The data of the patient demographics, intraoperative variables, postoperative hospital stay, morbidity, mortality, pathologic findings and follow-up were collected. RESULTS: LRAMPS was performed successfully in all the patients. The median operative time was 235 min (range 212-270 min), with an EBL of 120 ml (range 100-200 ml). Postoperative complications occurred in 5 (50.0%) patients. Three patients developed a grade B pancreatic fistula. There was no postoperative 30-day mortality and reoperation. The median postoperative hospital stay was 14 days (range 9-24 days).The median count of retrieved lymph nodes was 15 (range 13-21), and four patients (40%) had malignant-positive lymph nodes. All cases achieved a negative tangential margin and R0 resection. Median follow-up time was 11 months (range 3-14 m). Two patients developed disease recurrence (pancreatic bed recurrence and liver metastasis) 9 months, 10 months after surgery, respectively. Others survived without tumor recurrence or metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: LRAMPS is technically safe and feasible procedure in well-selected patients with pancreatic cancer in the distal pancreas. The oncologically outcomes need to be further validated based on additional large-volume studies.

Comparison of clinical outcomes and quality of life between laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with or without spleen preservation.

BACKGROUND: The studies comparing laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (LSPDP) and laparoscopic distal pancreatosplenectomy (LDPS) are limited. This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes and quality of life of patients undergoing LSPDP and LDPS. METHODS: Between March 2004 and December 2014, patients who underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy were reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups as LSPDP and LDPS. Data considered for comparison analysis were patient demographics, intraoperative variables, morbidity, postoperative hospital stay, mortality, pathologic findings, and quality of life (SF-36 questionnaire). RESULTS: A total of 110 patients (50 LSPDP and 60 LDPS) were included in the final analysis. Baseline characteristics were similar in the 2 groups. The LSPDP group had a significantly shorter operative time(153.3 ± 46.2 vs. 179.9 ± 54.1 min, p = 0.015) than the LDPS group. Also in analysis of propensity-matched population(LSPDP:LDPS = 35:35, 1:1 matching), LSPDP group still had a significantly shorter operative time (159.3 ± 36.2 vs. 172.9 ± 44.1 min, p = 0.045) than the LDPS group.There were no significant differences with respect to estimated blood loss, first flatus time, diet start time, and postoperative hospital stay. Postoperative outcomes, including morbidity, pancreatic fistula rates, and mortality, were similar in the LSPDP and LDPS group. On the follow-up survey, the total quality of life score (635.8 ± 50.7 vs. 596.1 ± 92.1)was higher in the LSPDP group compared with the LDPS group. However, the differences were not statistically significant(p > 0.05). The score in vitality (82.5 ± 14.4 vs. 68.9 ± 11.4, p = 0.046) was significantly higher in LSPDP group and not statistically significant in other areas (p > 0.05).Similar results of quality of life assessment were found in analysis of propensity-matched population. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to LDPS, LSPDP had shorter operating time and better quality of life with similar morbidity and recovery period.

Short- and Long-Term Outcomes of Laparoscopic Organ-Sparing Resection for Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs) are rare neoplasms associated with a long life expectancy after resection. In this setting, patients may benefit from laparoscopic organ-sparing resection. Studies of laparoscopic organ-sparing resection for PNENs are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic organ-sparing resection for PNENs. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed for patients with PNENs who underwent laparoscopic organ-sparing pancreatectomy between March 2005 and May 2018. The patients' demographic data, operative results, pathological reports, hospital courses and morbidity, mortality, and follow-up data (until August 2018) were analysed. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients were included in the final analysis. There were 9 male and 26 female patients, with a median age of 46 years (range 25-75 years). The mean BMI was 24.6 ± 3.3 kg/m2. Nine patients received laparoscopic enucleation (LE), 20 received laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (LSPDP), and 6 received laparoscopic central pancreatectomy. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, transfusion rate, and postoperative hospital stay were 186.4 ± 60.2 min, 165 ± 73.0 ml, 0 days, and 9 days (range 5-23 days), respectively. The morbidity rate, grade ≥ III complication rate, and grade ≥ B pancreatic fistula rate were 34.2%, 11.4%, and 8.7%, respectively, with no mortality. The rate of follow-up was 94.3%, and the median follow-up time was 55 months (range 3-158 months). One patient developed recurrence 36 months after LE and was managed with surgical resection. The other patients survived without metastases or recurrence during the follow-up. One patient had diabetes after LSPDP, and no patients had symptoms of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. Nineteen patients who underwent LSPDP (16 with the Kimura technique and 3 with the Warshaw technique) were followed. Normal patency of the splenic artery and vein was observed in 14 and 14 patients within 1 month of surgery and in 15 and 14 patients 6 months or more after the operation, respectively. Partial splenic infarction was observed in 3 patients within 1 month of surgery and in no patients 6 months or more after the operation. Three patients eventually developed collateral venous vessels around the gastric fundus and reserved spleen, with one case of variceal bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic organ-sparing resection for selected cases of PNENs is safe and feasible and has favourable short- and long-term outcomes.

Role of Treg/Th17 Imbalance, Microbiota and miRNAs in Pancreatic Cancer: Therapeutic Options.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal kinds of cancer; numerous patients die from it every year all over the word. Fewer than 5% of people with pancreatic cancer survive death and recover. Recent evidence suggests that inflammation parameters, such as Th17 cells and Tregs, affect the progression and even the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer. In the inflammation process, T lymphocytes play an essential role in inflammation intensity, and related cytokines modulate immune responses in the tumor microenvironment. Their function is to establish a balance between destructive inflammation and defense against tumor cells via immune system, and Treg/Th17 imbalance is a common problem in this cancer. The role of microbiota in the development of some cancers is clear; microbiota may also be involved in the pancreatic cancer development. All risk factors for pancreatic cancer, such as chronic pancreatitis-related to microbiota, influence the acute or chronic immune response. Some evidence has been presented regarding the role of the immune response in carcinogenesis. In addition, miRNAs are very important in suppressing and stimulating the growth of cancer cells, and a variety of them have been identified. Some miRNAs are abnormally expressed in many cancers and have main roles as post-transcriptional regulators. They show oncogenic or tumor-suppressive functions by binding to marked mRNAs. In this review, we highlight recent findings regarding the role of Treg/Th17 imbalance, microbiota functions, and miRNAs performance in pancreatic cancer. We also present the evidence regarding therapeutic options.

Surgical Treatment of Port-Site Metastases After Laparoscopic Radical Resection of Gastrointestinal Tumors.

Aim: This study was performed to investigate the feasibility of surgical treatment of port-site metastasis after laparoscopic radical resection of gastrointestinal tumors. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and follow-up data of 8 patients with port-site metastases after gastrointestinal cancer resection in our hospital from January 2014 to January 2018. Results: Six of port-site metastases occurred within 6 months after gastrointestinal tumor resection, one of port-site metastases occurred in 10 months after the operation, and one of port-site metastases occurred in 30 months after the operation. Any metastasis to the abdominal cavity or distant metastasis was ruled out before the surgical treatment of the port-site metastases, and all patients recovered well after the extended operation. No incisional infection or incisional hernia occurred. By December 2019, 4 patients had died (they had survived for 12, 13, 18, and 24 months, respectively) and 5 patients had survived. The follow-up duration ranged from 19 to 28 months. Conclusions: Surgical resection of port-site metastases is not difficult because of their superficial location. Surgical treatment can improve the prognosis of patients without abdominal metastasis or distant metastasis/recurrence.

Recent advances in targeting cancer stem cells using oncolytic viruses.

Oncolytic virotherapy is a promising antitumor strategy which utilizes the lytic nature of viral replication to kill cancer cells. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) can induce cancer cell death and trigger immune responses to metastatic cancer in vivo. Reverse genetic systems have aided the insertion of anticancer genes into various OVs to augment their oncolytic capacity. Furthermore, OVs target and destroy the population of tumor-initiating cancer stem cells. These cancer stem cells are associated with metastasis and development of resistance to conventional anticancer approaches. Targeting cancer stem cells is essential since killing only differentiated tumor cells may lead to enrichment of cancer stem cells and thus indicate a poor prognosis. In this review, we summarize the oncolytic activity of various classes of OVs towards different types of cancer stem cells and also discuss the synergistic activity achieved by the combination of OVs with traditional therapies on chemo- and radiotherapy-resistant cancer stem cells.

The Miami International Evidence-based Guidelines on Minimally Invasive Pancreas Resection.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to develop and externally validate the first evidence-based guidelines on minimally invasive pancreas resection (MIPR) before and during the International Evidence-based Guidelines on Minimally Invasive Pancreas Resection (IG-MIPR) meeting in Miami (March 2019). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: MIPR has seen rapid development in the past decade. Promising outcomes have been reported by early adopters from high-volume centers. Subsequently, multicenter series as well as randomized controlled trials were reported; however, guidelines for clinical practice were lacking. METHODS: The Scottisch Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) methodology was used, incorporating these 4 items: systematic reviews using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases to answer clinical questions, whenever possible in PICO style, the GRADE approach for assessment of the quality of evidence, the Delphi method for establishing consensus on the developed recommendations, and the AGREE-II instrument for the assessment of guideline quality and external validation. The current guidelines are cosponsored by the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, the Asian-Pacific Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, the European-African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery, Pancreas Club, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgery, the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, and the Society of Surgical Oncology. RESULTS: After screening 16,069 titles, 694 studies were reviewed, and 291 were included. The final 28 recommendations covered 6 topics; laparoscopic and robotic distal pancreatectomy, central pancreatectomy, pancreatoduodenectomy, as well as patient selection, training, learning curve, and minimal annual center volume required to obtain optimal outcomes and patient safety. CONCLUSION: The IG-MIPR using SIGN methodology give guidance to surgeons, hospital administrators, patients, and medical societies on the use and outcome of MIPR as well as the approach to be taken regarding this challenging type of surgery.

Evolution of Laparoscopic Pancreatic Resections for Pancreatic and Periampullary Diseases: Perioperative Outcomes of 605 Patients at a High-Volume Center.

Background: Laparoscopic pancreatectomy (LP) is increasingly performed with several institutional series and comparative studies reported. We have applied LP to a variety of pancreatic resections since 2004. This article is to report results of 15-year practice of 605 LPs for pancreatic and periampullary diseases. Methods: Patients with benign or malignant diseases in the pancreas and periampullary region, who underwent LP from June 2004 to June 2018, were retrospectively reviewed. The demographics and indications, and intraoperative and perioperative outcomes were evaluated. Results: A total of 605 consecutive LPs were analyzed, including 237 (39.2%) distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy (DPS), 116 (19.2%) spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (SPDP), 30 (5.0%) enucleation (EN), 30 (5.0%) central pancreatectomy (CP), 186 (30.7%) pancreatoduodenectomy (PD), and 6 (1.0%) pancreatoduodenectomy with total pancreatectomy (PDTP). The most common pathologic finding was pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (146, 24.1%). Conversion to open procedure was required in 22 patients (3.6%) (12 with PD, 8 with DPS, 1 with CP, and 1 with PDTP). The mean operative time was 241.5 ± 105.5 minutes (range 50-550 minutes) for the entire population and 367.1 ± 61.8 minutes (range 230-550 minutes) for PD. Clinically significant pancreatic fistula (ISGPF grade B and C) rate was 12.4% for the entire cohort and 16.1% for PD. Rate of Clavien-Dindo III-V complications was 17.4% for the entire cohort and 23.7% for PD. Ninety-day mortality was observed only in the cohort of patients undergoing PD (n = 4). Conclusions: The LP procedure appears to be technically safe and feasible, with an acceptable rate of morbidity when performed at our experienced, high-volume center. However, PD has less favorable outcomes and needs further evaluation.

miR-199a-3p targets ETNK1 to promote invasion and migration in gastric cancer cells and is associated with poor prognosis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the prognostic significance of miR-199a-3p and its role in invasion and metastasis in gastric cancer. METHODS: miR-199a-3p expression in 436 formalin-fixed and 39 frozen gastric cancer tissues was investigated by in situ hybridization and RT-PCR, respectively. The role of miR-199a-3p in the migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells was determined in overexpression and inhibitor studies using transwell assays and the SGC-7901, BGC-823 and MGC-803 gastric cancer cells lines. The effect of miR-199a-3p expression on ethanolamine kinase 1 (ETNK1) levels was determined by western botting. RESULTS: miR-199a-3p was significantly up-regulated in AGS, SGC-7901, BGC-823 and MGC-803 gastric cancer cells, when compared with GES-1 non-malignant gastric epithelial cells. In situ hybridization studies revealed that human non-tumor gastric mucosa samples were negative for miR-199a-3p expression, while 162 of 436 (37.16%) cases of gastric cancer demonstrated positive expression. miR-199a-3p overexpression was associated with tumor size, Lauren classification, depth of invasion, lymph node and distant metastasis, TNM stage and prognosis. In patients with I, II and III stage tumors, high miR-199a-3p expression was associated with a significantly lower 5-year survival rate. miR-199a-3p overexpression was associated with increased cell migration and invasion. ETNK1 expression was inhibited following miR-199a-3p overexpression in BGC-823 and SGC-7901 cells, and elevated following miR-199a-3p suppression in MGC-803 cells. CONCLUSION: miR-199a-3p is highly expressed in gastric cancer, and correlates with invasion, metastasis and prognosis. miR-199a-3p regulates the invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells by targeting ETNK1. Consequently, miR-199a-3p may serve as a prognostic indicator in gastric cancer.

Acute pancreatitis with abdominal bloating and distension, normal lipase and amylase: A case report.

RATIONALE: Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disorder of the pancreas, and its correct diagnosis is an area of interest for clinicians. In accordance with the revised Atlanta classification, acute pancreatitis can be diagnosed if at least 2 of the following 3 criteria are fulfilled: abdominal pain; serum lipase (or amylase) activity at least 3 times the upper limit of normal; or characteristic findings of acute pancreatitis on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) or, less often, magnetic resonance imaging or transabdominal ultrasonography. Diagnostic imaging is essential in patients with no or slight enzyme elevation. If enzymes are normal in cases with abdominal distension, there is clinical doubt about the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, so an early CT scan should be obtained and other life-threatening disorders excluded. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 50-year-old male presented with a 1-day history of abdominal bloating and distension. On physical examination, abdominal bulging and mild epigastric tenderness were detected. Laboratory evaluation showed normal amylase and lipase. There was no abnormality on abdominal ultrasound or CT of the abdomen and pelvis. On the fourth day of admission, CT of the abdomen and pelvis showed a hypodense lesion in the pancreas surrounded by a moderate amount of peripancreatic fluid. DIAGNOSES: In accordance with the revised Atlanta classification, acute pancreatitis was diagnosed, based on the presence of abdominal pain, and the results of the CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was treated with fasting, gastrointestinal decompression bowel rest, intravenous rehydration, and somatostatin. OUTCOMES: After 2 days of treatment, his abdominal distension was significantly relieved, and the patient was discharged on the seventh day of admission. At the 3-month follow-up, the patient had no recurrence of pancreatitis. LESSONS: This case of abdominal distension could not be explained by common causes, such as ascites, bowel edema, hematoma, bowel distension, or ileus, which led us to suspect pancreatitis.

Do patients benefit more from robot assisted approach than conventional laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy? A meta-analysis of perioperative and economic outcomes.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Robotic approach has improved the ergonomics of conventional laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP), but whether patients benefit more from robot assisted distal pancreatectomy (RADP) is still controversial. This meta-analysis aims to compare the perioperative and economic outcomes of RADP with LDP. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was carried out on PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library between January 1990 and March 2017. All eligible studies comparing RADP versus LDP were included. Perioperative and economic outcomes constituted the end points. RESULTS: 13 English studies with 1396 patients were included. Regarding to intraoperative outcomes, RADP was associated with a significant decrease in conversion rate (OR = 0.52; 95%CI: 0.34, 0.78; P = 0.002). Although the spleen-preserving rates were comparable between RADP and LDP, a significant higher splenic vessels conservation rate was observed in the RADP group (OR = 4.71; 95%CI: 1.77, 12.56; P = 0.002). No statistically significant differences were found at operation time, estimated blood loss and blood transfusion rate. Concerning postoperative outcomes, pooled data indicated the overall morbidity, pancreatic fistula and the length of hospital stay did not differ significantly between the RADP and LDP groups. And concerning pathological outcomes, positive margin rate and the number of lymph nodules harvested were comparable between the two groups. The operative cost of RADP was almost double that of LDP (WMD = 2350.2 US dollars; 95%CI: 1165.62, 3534.78; P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: RADP showed a slight technical advantage. But whether this benefit is worth twofold cost should be considered by patient's individuation.

Surgical outcomes of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy in elderly and octogenarian patients: a single-center, comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Although recent reports have suggested the advantages of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP), the potential benefits of this approach in elderly patients remain unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify the value of LDP in the elderly, in whom co-morbid diseases were generally more common. METHODS: Seventy elderly patients (≥ 70 years) and 264 non-elderly patients (40-69 years) who underwent LDP, and 48 elderly patients (≥ 70 years) who underwent open distal pancreatectomy (ODP) between May 2005 and May 2018 were studied. Demographics, intraoperative, and postoperative outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Comorbidity was more common in elderly patients than in non-elderly patients who underwent LDP (57.1 vs. 38.3%, p < 0.01). The intraoperative factors, postoperative complication rate, and length of hospital stay were comparable in these two groups. Elderly patients who underwent LDP had a significantly shorter operative time (185.5 vs. 208.0 min, p = 0.02), less blood loss (191.0 vs. 291.8 mL, p < 0.01), and reduced length of postoperative hospital stay (11.4 vs. 15.1 days, p < 0.01) than elderly patients who had ODP. The overall complication rate tended to be lower in LDP group than that in ODP group (20.0 vs. 33.3%, p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: LDP performed on the elderly is safe and feasible, leading to short-term outcomes similar to those of non-elderly patients. LDP could be an alternative to ODP in elderly patients, providing a lower rate of morbidity and favorable postoperative recovery and outcomes.

Short and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric cancer: A single-center experience (retrospective cohort study).

BACKGROUND: Limited studies have been designed to evaluate the short and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG). The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and oncological outcomes of LTG. METHODS: A total of 290 consecutive patients underwent radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer in our institution between 2010 and 2016, from which 110 were performed laparoscopically and included in the study. Short and long-term outcomes of LTG, such as operative results, postoperative courses, morbidities, and mortality, were investigated and compared with those of laparoscopy distal gastrectomy (LDG) patients. RESULTS: From the total of 110 patients who underwent LTG, no one underwent conversion. The mean operation time was 267 ±â€¯88 min. The mean reconstruction time was 45.3 ±â€¯15 min, and the mean intraoperative blood loss was 75.4 ±â€¯20 ml. The time until the first flatus was 4 ±â€¯1.5 days. The time to start soft diet was 7 ±â€¯1.8 days. The length of postoperative hospital stay was 9 ±â€¯2 days. The mean number of retrieved lymph nodes was 34.7 ±â€¯9. Compared with the LDG group, the mean operation time, the mean reconstruction time, number of retrieved lymph nodes, and time of start soft diet were significantly longer in the LTG group (P＜0.05).The postoperative complication rates of the LTG group and LDG group were 10% and 8.3% (P＞0.05), respectively. The 3-year cumulative survival rates of the LTG group and LDG group were 53.8% and 56.6% (P = 0.21), respectively. CONCLUSION: LTG for gastric cancer is a safe, reliable and minimally invasive procedure with short and long-term outcomes similar to those of LDG.

Comparison of clinical outcomes and quality of life between laparoscopic and open central pancreatectomy with pancreaticojejunostomy.

BACKGROUND: The studies comparing laparoscopic and open central pancreatectomy with pancreaticojejunostomy are limited. This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes and quality of life of patients undergoing laparoscopic and open central pancreatectomy with pancreaticojejunostomy. METHODS: Between December 1997 and December 2015, patients who underwent central pancreatectomy with pancreaticojejunostomy were reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups as laparoscopic central pancreatectomy (LCP) and open central pancreatectomy (OCP). Data considered for comparison analysis were patient demographics, intraoperative variables, morbidity, postoperative hospital stay, mortality, pathologic findings, and quality of life (SF-36 questionnaire). RESULTS: Thirty-six patients (17 LCP and 19 OCP) were included in the final analysis. Baseline characteristics were similar in the 2 groups. The operating time (280.4 ± 33.6 vs. 290.5 ± 62.5 min, p = 0.455) were similar between two groups. LCP group showed significantly lower estimated blood loss (76.4 ± 70.3 vs. 390.3 ± 279.0 ml, p = 0.001), shorter first flatus time (2.4 ± 0.9 vs. 3.9 ± 1.3 days, p = 0.001), and shorter diet start time (4.1 ± 2.2 vs. 6.1 ± 2.4 days, p = 0.030). However, the postoperative hospital stay was not significantly different between two groups (15.6 ± 12.1 vs. 24.0 ± 27.5 days, p = 0.347). Postoperative outcomes, including morbidity (58.8 vs. 52.6%, p = 0.749), pancreatic fistula rates (≥grade B: 17.6 vs. 36.8%, p = 0.106), and mortality, were similar in the 2 groups. The median follow-up period was 45 months (range 4-216 months). No local recurrence or distant metastasis was detected in either group. On the follow-up survey, the total quality of life score (702.9 ± 47.9 vs. 671.8 ± 94.1), physical health score (353.9 ± 24.8 vs. 326.6 ± 67.6) and mental health score (349.0 ± 26.5 vs. 345.2 ± 34.6) were higher in the LCP group compared with the OCP group. However, these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The score in role physical (100 vs. 73.1 ± 4.8, p = 0.042) was significantly higher in LCP group, and not statistically significant in other areas (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: LCP with pancreaticojejunostomy is safe and feasible for benign or borderline malignant lesions in the pancreatic neck and proximal body. Compared to OCP, LCP is associated with lower estimated blood loss, faster recovery, and better quality of life.