Poor prognostic role of the pretreatment platelet counts in colorectal cancer: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recently, a wide variety of studies have suggested that elevated platelet counts are associated with survival in patients with colorectal cancer. On one hand several studies suggest a negative connection in colorectal cancer patients with pre-operative thrombocytosis, on the other hand other studies contradicts this. However, it remains unknown whether elevated platelet counts are associated with survival in colorectal cancer patients. We therefore conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic role of platelet counts in colorectal cancer. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched from their inception to October 15, 2016 to identify relevant studies that have explored the prognostic role of platelet counts in colorectal cancer. Studies that examined the association between platelet counts and prognoses in colorectal cancer and that provided a hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for overall survival (OS) and/or disease-free survival (DFS) were included. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 9 retrospective cohort studies involving 3413 patients with colorectal cancer. OS was shorter in patients with elevated platelet counts than in patients with normal counts (HR 2.11, 95% CI: 1.68-2.65). For DFS, an elevated platelet count was also a poor predictor (HR 2.51, 95% CI: 1.84-3.43). CONCLUSION: In this meta-analysis, we suggest that an elevated platelet count is a negative predictor of survival in both primary colorectal cancer and resectable colorectal liver metastases.

Prognostic role of the pre-treatment platelet-lymphocyte ratio in pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Recently, the pre-treatment platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), which is based on blood parameters, was accepted as a prognostic factor for patients with various cancers. Numerous studies have investigated the prognostic role of the PLR in pancreatic cancer; however, it remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship between the pre-treatment PLR and overall survival (OS) in pancreatic cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a systematic literature search of the PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases for relevant studies that explored the prognostic role of the pre-treatment PLR in pancreatic cancer. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) related to OS were pooled using a random effects model. RESULTS: Fourteen retrospective cohort studies involving 2,260 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with low PLR, high PLR was a predictor of shorter OS (HR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.10-1.39, I2 = 74%). CONCLUSIONS: In this meta-analysis, high pre-treatment PLR was a bio-predictor of short OS in patients with pancreatic cancer, suggesting that PLR could be used to predict prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer before treatment. However, additional well-designed and large-scale studies are necessary.

Mechanical intestinal obstruction secondary to appendiceal mucinous cystadenoma: A case report and brief review.

BACKGROUND: Appendiceal mucinous cystadenoma can present in various ways, and it is most commonly encountered incidentally during appendectomy, but mechanical intestinal obstruction secondary to an appendiceal mucocele has been rarely reported. METHODS: We report a case of mechanical intestinal obstruction secondary to appendiceal mucinous cystadenoma. After nasogastric decompression and initial aggressive intravenous fluid resuscitation, an emergency operation was performed under the diagnosis of acute mechanical intestinal obstruction. RESULTS: We performed an appendectomy and intraoperative enteral decompression without anastomoses. The pathologic examination (PE) revealed appendiceal mucinous cystadenoma. After the operation, the patient's recovery went smoothly, and the patient was discharged on the fifth postoperative day. No tumor recurrence was recorded over an 8 month follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Early operative intervention should be recommended to the patient with acute mechanical complete intestinal obstruction, especially the patient who had no previous abdominal surgery. And it is vital to discriminate benign and malignantappendiceal mucocel in determining the extent of surgery.

Comparison of transanal endoscopic microsurgery with or without neoadjuvant therapy and standard total mesorectal excision in the treatment of clinical T2 low rectal cancer: a meta-analysis.

Some clinical trials demonstrated local resection for clinical T1 rectal cancer was safe and effective. But for clinical T2 rectal cancer, the results were controversial. Neoadjuvant therapy (NT) is proven to reduce the opportunity of advanced rectal cancer recurrence in various researches. The objective of this Meta-Analysis was to evaluate the oncological outcomes of transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) with or without NT comparing with conventional total mesorectal excision (TME) for the treatment of clinical T2 rectal cancer.To search for the relevant studies, an electronic search was done from the databases of Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library in this meta-analysis. We compared the effectiveness of transanal endoscopic microsurgery with or without NT and standard total mesorectal excision in the treatment of T2 Rectal Cancer. 1RCT and 3nRCTs including 121 TEM patients (TEM + NT: 59, TEM: 62) and 174 TME patients with T2 rectal cancer were retrieved. Compared with TME, there were no significant differences in the outcomes of local recurrence, overall recurrence, overall survival between TEM + NT group. However in compassion with TME, TEM without NT was associated with an increased local recurrence, overall recurrence, and a shorter overall survival, with individual ORs being 3.04 (95% Cl: 1.17-7.90; I2 = 0%), 5.67 (95% Cl: 1.58-20.38; I2 = 0%) and 0.12 (95% Cl: 0.02-0.65; I2 = 0%), respectively. Compared with TME, TEM after NT may be a feasible and safe organ preservative approach for patients with clinical T2 low rectal cancer. But for those without NT, TEM always seem be associated with worse oncological outcomes.