Evaluation of National Surgical Practice for Lateral Lymph Nodes in Rectal Cancer in an Untrained Setting.

BACKGROUND: Involved lateral lymph nodes (LLNs) have been associated with increased local recurrence (LR) and ipsi-lateral LR (LLR) rates. However, consensus regarding the indication and type of surgical treatment for suspicious LLNs is lacking. This study evaluated the surgical treatment of LLNs in an untrained setting at a national level. METHODS: Patients who underwent additional LLN surgery were selected from a national cross-sectional cohort study regarding patients undergoing rectal cancer surgery in 69 Dutch hospitals in 2016. LLN surgery consisted of either 'node-picking' (the removal of an individual LLN) or 'partial regional node dissection' (PRND; an incomplete resection of the LLN area). For all patients with primarily enlarged (≥7 mm) LLNs, those undergoing rectal surgery with an additional LLN procedure were compared to those  undergoing only rectal resection. RESULTS: Out of 3057 patients, 64 underwent additional LLN surgery, with 4-year LR and LLR rates of 26% and 15%, respectively. Forty-eight patients (75%) had enlarged LLNs, with corresponding recurrence rates of 26% and 19%, respectively. Node-picking (n = 40) resulted in a 20% 4-year LLR, and a 14% LLR after PRND (n = 8; p = 0.677). Multivariable analysis of 158 patients with enlarged LLNs undergoing additional LLN surgery (n = 48) or rectal resection alone (n = 110) showed no significant association of LLN surgery with 4-year LR or LLR, but suggested higher recurrence risks after LLN surgery (LR: hazard ratio [HR] 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.7-3.2, p = 0.264; LLR: HR 1.9, 95% CI 0.2-2.5, p = 0.874). CONCLUSION: Evaluation of Dutch practice in 2016 revealed that approximately one-third of patients with primarily enlarged LLNs underwent surgical treatment, mostly consisting of node-picking. Recurrence rates were not significantly affected by LLN surgery, but did suggest worse outcomes. Outcomes of LLN surgery after adequate training requires further research.

Humongous Seminal Vesicles on 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT: A Rare Presentation of a Neuroendocrine Tumor.

A 24-year-old man presented with decreased appetite, fatigue, abdominal pain, and acute renal insufficiency. Ultrasound showed bilateral hydronephrosis. CT of the abdomen revealed enlarged seminal vesicles causing bilateral hydronephrosis, mesenteric and peritoneal metastases, liver lesions, and enlarged lymph nodes in the retroperitoneum. A biopsy from a peritoneal lesion demonstrated metastasis of a neuroendocrine tumor grade 2. A Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT scan was performed, which showed enhanced uptake in all lesions including the enlarged seminal vesicles. This case illustrates the very rare presentation of involved seminal vesicles in neuroendocrine tumors.

Three-Tesla magnetic resonance-guided prostate biopsy in men with increased prostate-specific antigen and repeated, negative, random, systematic, transrectal ultrasound biopsies: detection of clinically significant prostate cancers.

BACKGROUND: Patients with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and one or more previous negative transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) biopsy sessions are subject to diagnostic uncertainty due to TRUS-biopsy undersampling. Magnetic resonance (MR)-guided biopsy (MRGB) has shown high prostate cancer (PCa)-detection rates in studies with limited patient numbers. OBJECTIVE: Determine the detection rate of (clinically significant) PCa for MRGB of cancer-suspicious regions (CSRs) on 3-T multiparametric MR imaging (MP-MRI) in patients with elevated PSA and one or more negative TRUS-biopsy sessions. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Of 844 patients who underwent 3-T MP-MRI in our referral centre between March 2008 and February 2011, 438 consecutive patients with a PSA >4.0 ng/ml and one negative TRUS-biopsy session or more were included. MRGB was performed in 265 patients. Exclusion criteria were existent PCa, endorectal coil use, and MP-MRI for indications other than cancer detection. INTERVENTION: Patients underwent MRGB of MP-MRI CSRs. MEASUREMENTS: (Clinically significant) MRGB cancer-detection rates were determined. Clinically significant cancer was defined by accepted (i.a. Epstein and d'Amico) criteria based on PSA, Gleason score, stage, and tumour volume. Follow-up PSA and histopathology were collected. Sensitivity analysis was performed for patients with MP-MRI CSRs without MRGB. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: In a total of 117 patients, cancer was detected with MRGB (n=108) or after negative MRGB (n=9). PCa was detected in 108 of 438 patients (25%) and in 41% (108 of 265) of MRGB patients. The majority of detected cancers (87%) were clinically significant. Clinically significant cancers were detected in seven of nine (78%) negative MRGB patients in whom PCa was detected during follow-up. Sensitivity analysis resulted in increased cancer detection (47-56%). Complications occurred in 0.2% of patients (5 of 265). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with elevated PSA and one or more negative TRUS-biopsy sessions, MRGB of MP-MRI CSRs had a PCa-detection rate of 41%. The majority of detected cancers were clinically significant (87%).