Bilateral Thoracic Cytoreductive Surgery for Pseudomyxoma Peritonei of Appendiceal Origin.

Pleural spread occurs in pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) in less than 10% of the patients and is treated by thoracic cytoreductive surgery with or without hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy (HITOC). It is performed both for symptom palliation and disease control and includes pleurectomy and decortication and wedge and segmental lung resections. So far, only unilateral spread treated with a thoracic cytoreductive surgery (CRS) has been reported in literature. We report a patient with bilateral thoracic PMP following a complete abdominal CRS and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) who was treated with bilateral staged thoracic CRS and subsequently had a 4th CRS for abdominal disease. The staged procedure was performed as she was symptomatic due to the thoracic disease and there was disease on all pleural surfaces. HITOC was not performed. Both procedures were uneventful with no major morbidity. The patient is currently disease free nearly 84 months after the first abdominal CRS and 60 months after the second thoracic CRS. Thus, an aggressive CRS in the thorax in patients with PMP can result in a prolongation of survival while preserving the quality of life if the abdominal disease is controlled. A thorough understanding of the disease biology and surgical expertise are both essential for selecting the right patients for these complex procedures and achieving good short- and long-term outcomes.

Factors predicting successful resolution and long-term outcomes of benign anastomotic strictures following rectal cancer surgery.

AIM: Although advances in treatment have improved sphincter-preservation rates in rectal cancer, the incidence of benign anastomotic strictures has also increased. This retrospective single-institution study sought to determine the incidence of benign anastomotic strictures and the factors associated with their successful resolution following treatment. METHODOLOGY: From January 2010 to December 2019, consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic dilatation and/or surgery for benign anastomotic strictures developing after radical sphincter-sparing resections for rectal cancer were evaluated. To model the relationship between outcomes and potential independent variables, sequential univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 2069 rectal cancer patients undergoing sphincter-preserving surgery, benign anastomotic strictures were identified in 110 (5.3%). Mean age was 48.2 ± 13.98 years; 73.6% were male. Distal tumor-extent was within 6 cm of the anal verge in 60%; 80.9% patients received neoadjuvant radiotherapy. Surgical approach in 71.8% was open, 74.5% being anterior or low anterior resections and 70.9% of anastomoses stapled. Covering stoma was performed in 91.8%. On follow-up, strictures of median length 4 cm were identified at median 3 cm from the anal verge. Endoscopic dilatation was offered in 89.1%, whereas 9.1% required redo-surgery. Overall, 49.1% experienced sustained stricture-resolution with dilatation and 45.4% required re-intervention. At last follow-up, 72.7% were stoma-free. On multivariate analysis, good performance status, absence of anastomotic leak, and short-segment strictures predicted successful stricture-resolution. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic dilatation is an effective first-line therapy, with redo anastomosis used to salvage those failing conservative measures. Adverse performance status, anastomotic leak and greater stricture length may predict detrimental outcomes in terms of stricture resolution.

Functional Results After Nerve-Sparing, Sphincter Preserving Rectal Cancer Surgery: Patient-Reported Outcomes of Sexual and Urinary Dysfunction.

There is an ongoing unmet need of early identification and discussion regarding the sexual and urinary dysfunction in the peri-operative period to improve the quality of life (QoL), particularly in young rectal cancer survivors. Retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained database was done. Male patients less than 60 years who underwent nerve preserving, sphincter sparing rectal cancer surgery between January 2013 and December 2019, were screened. International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire was given to assess erectile dysfunction (ED). Patients were asked questions regarding their sexual and urinary function from the EORTC-QL CRC 38 questionnaire, and responses were recorded. Patients were also asked to report any retrograde ejaculation in post-operative period. Sixty-two patients were included in the study. Fifty-four patients (87.1%) received a diversion stoma. Sixteen patients (29.6%) felt stoma was interfering with their sexual function. Six patients (9.7%) reported retrograde ejaculation. Only 5 patients (8.06%) had moderate to severe ED, and the rest had none to mild ED. On univariate and multivariate analysis, only age predicted the development of clinically significant ED. Ten patients (16.1%) had significantly reduced sexual urges, and 23 patients (37.1%) had significant decrease in sexual satisfaction after surgery. Five patients (8.06%) reported having minor urinary complaints. No patient reported having major complaint pertaining to urinary health. While long-term urinary complaints are infrequent, almost half the patient suffered from erectile dysfunction in some form. There is a weak but significant association of age and ED. Follow-up clinic visits provide an ideal opportunity to counsel patients and provide any medical intervention, when necessary.

Feasibility and Safety of Taxane-PIPAC in Patients with Peritoneal Malignancies-a Retrospective Bi-institutional Study.

Taxanes have a favorable pharmacokinetic profile for intraperitoneal application. We report our initial experience with taxane-PIPAC (pressurized intraperitoneal chemotherapy) for unresectable peritoneal metastases from different primary sites in terms of safety, feasibility, response rate, and conversion to resectability. In this retrospective study, PIPAC was performed alone or in combination with systemic chemotherapy. Paclitaxel was used as a single agent, whereas docetaxel was used in combination with cisplatin-adriamycin or oxaliplatin-adriamycin. From December 2019 to December 2021, 47 patients underwent 82 PIPAC procedures (1 PIPAC in 55.3%, 2 in 29.7%, 3 in 14.8%). The most common primary sites were ovarian cancer (31.9%), gastric cancer (23.4%), and colorectal cancer (21.2%). Docetaxel-cisplatin-adriamycin was used in 33 (70.2%) patients, docetaxel-oxaliplatin-adriamycin in 12 (25.5%), and paclitaxel alone in 2 (4.2%) patients. Grade 1-2 complications were observed in 24 (51%) and grade 3-4 complications in 6 (12.7%) patients (8.5% of 82 PIPACs). 16/47 (34.0%) patients had a clinical response to PIPAC. The mean PCI was 25.9 ± 9.2 for the first PIPACs and 22.4 ± 9 for the subsequent PIPACs with an average reduction of 3.6 points [change in PCI ranged from - 14 to + 8]. The PRGS was 1/2 in 4/47 (8.5%) patients (19.0% patients with > 1 PIPAC). A reduction in ascites was observed in 35.4% presenting with ascites. Nine (19.1%) patients had conversion to operability leading to a subsequent cytoreductive surgery in 8 (17%) patients. PIPAC with docetaxel is feasible and safe. The role of PIPAC with both docetaxel and paclitaxel either alone or in combination with other drugs should be investigated in prospective studies.

Learning curves for minimally invasive total mesorectal excision beyond the competency phase - a risk-adjusted cumulative sum analysis of 1000 rectal resections.

AIM: The learning curve of total mesorectal excision (TME) by minimally invasive surgery (MIS) beyond the competency phase has not been adequately reported with large numbers or using a statistical control limit. The aim of this work was to study the learning curve of MIS TME in the proficiency phase. METHOD: Risk-adjusted (RA) cumulative sum (CUSUM) and RA Bernoulli CUSUM charts were plotted for sequential MIS TME performed by a surgical team over 1000 cases. Surgical failure, a composite endpoint of conversions, complications of grade IIIA or above, R1 resections and inadequate nodal yield were used to monitor the performance. RESULTS: The RA CUSUM detected an inflection point around the 600th operation. Two peaks were identified that could be traced back to probable causes of surgical failure. Similar inflection points were detected at the 450th case for laparoscopic TME and the 367th case for sphincter preservation. No single definite threshold point was noticed for robotic or abdominoperineal operations. At no point did the curves cross the safety threshold. The probability of surgical failure reduced with increasing experience in the multivariate regression (OR 0.899, p = 0.000). This association persisted irrespective of the surgical approach (laparoscopic versus robotic) or the type of operation (sphincter preservation versus abdominoperineal resection). CONCLUSION: The learning curves for MIS TME did not cross the safety threshold beyond the competency phase. However, a 10% reduction of relative risk in surgical failure was observed for every 100 cases operated on.

Outcomes of rectal cancer patients with a positive pathological circumferential resection margin.

PURPOSE: Evidence-based management of positive pathological circumferential resection margin (pCRM) following preoperative radiation and an adequate rectal resection for rectal cancers is lacking. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained single-centre institutional database was done to study the patterns of failure and management strategies after a rectal cancer surgery with a positive pCRM. RESULTS: A total of 86 patients with rectal adenocarcinoma with a positive pCRM were identified over 8 years (2011-2018). Majority had low-lying rectal cancers (90.7%) and were operated after preoperative radiotherapy (95.3%). Operative procedures included abdomino-perineal resections, inter-sphincteric resections, low anterior resections and pelvic exenteration in 61 (70.9%), 9 (10.5%), 11(12.8%) and 5 (5.8%) patients respectively. A total of 83 (96.5%) received chemotherapy as the sole adjuvant treatment modality while 2 patients (2.3%) were given post-operative radiotherapy and 1 patient underwent revision surgery. A total of 53 patients (61.6%) had recurrence, with 16 (18.6%), 20 (23.2%), 8(9.3%) and 9 (10.5%) patients having locoregional, systemic, peritoneal and simultaneous local-systemic relapse. Systemic recurrences were more often detected either by surveillance in an asymptomatic patient (20.1%) while local (13.1%) and peritoneal (13.2%) recurrences were more often symptomatic (p = 0.000). The 2-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of the cohort was 82.4% and 74.0%. Median local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) was 10.3 months. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a positive pCRM have high local and distal relapse rates. Systemic relapses are more often asymptomatic as compared to peritoneal or locoregional relapse and detected on follow-up surveillance. Hence, identification of such recurrences while still salvageable via an intensive surveillance protocol is desirable.

Incidence and Treatment Outcomes of Rectovaginal Fistula After Rectal Cancer Resection.

OBJECTIVES: Rectovaginal fistulas (RVFs) are an uncommon and disturbing complication with limited success in treatment. This study was aimed at determining the incidence of RVFs after rectal resections in the era of neoadjuvant radiation therapy and the outcomes of their treatment. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of female patients who underwent sphincter-preserving total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer and developed RVF. RESULTS: Four hundred eighty-eight patients underwent rectal resections between January 2013 and December 2019, and 9 developed RVF (1.8%). Average time to presentation was 280 days (range, 6-540 days). The median time to onset for those presenting prior to stoma reversal was 90 days, whereas the duration between stoma reversal and RVF detection in those presenting after stoma closures was 115 days. Success rates of fecal diversion and local procedures for treatment of RVF were 20% (2/10 procedures) and 40% (2/5 procedures), respectively. Redo coloanal anastomosis was performed for 2 patients with successful outcome. An average of 2.1 procedures were performed per patient (19/9) with a per-procedure success rate of 31.6% (6/19 procedures) and a per-patient success rate of 66.7% (6/9). At median follow-up of 64 months, 50% (3/6) of patients with a healed fistula were free of stoma, and all of them were continent. Four patients were sexually active. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of RVF after rectal resection is low, but treatment outcomes are disappointing. Diversions and local repairs had high failure rates in our patients where the majority received preoperative radiation therapy. After successful healing, sexual function and continence are acceptable.

Bladder preserving robotic pelvic exenteration for locally advanced rectal cancer-technique and short-term outcomes.

AIM: In selected patients with advanced rectal cancers involving the prostate or seminal vesicles, the bladder can be preserved to avoid the complications associated with an ileal conduit. The study was aimed at reviewing the technique and short-term outcomes of patients that underwent bladder sparing robotic pelvic exenteration with suprapubic cystostomy (SPC). METHODS: Case series of bladder preserving exenteration from a single tertiary care center. Technique for en-bloc prostatectomy with abdominoperineal resection is described. RESULTS: Five patients underwent bladder sparing robotic pelvic exenteration with SPC, all had R0 resections. Four patients had prostatic invasion and one patient had prostatic adenocarcinoma. Postoperative complications were seen in three patients of which two were re-explored. At a median follow-up of 10 months, two patients developed systemic relapses. There were no local recurrences. CONCLUSION: Robotic bladder sparing exenteration is technically feasible, provides acceptable short-term outcomes, and avoids complications of ileal conduit.

Learning curve analysis for lateral pelvic lymph node dissection in rectal cancers - Outcomes improve with experience.

INTRODUCTION: Lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPLND) is a technically challenging procedure and its learning curve has not been analysed against an oncologically relevant outcome. The purpose of the study was to determine the learning curve for LPLND in rectal cancers using nodal retrieval as performance measure. METHODS: Consecutive LPLND for rectal adenocarcinomas from a single institution were retrospectively analysed. Cumulative sum (CUSUM) control charts were used to detect difference in performance with respect to lymph node yield. Negative binomial regression was used to determine factors influencing nodal harvest using Incidence Risk Ratios (IRR). Separate CUSUM curves were generated for open and minimally invasive surgeries (MIS). RESULTS: One-hundred and twenty patients were included and all received preoperative radiation. MIS was used in 53.3%. Median lymph node yield was 6 with 20% nodal positivity. Increasing experience (IRR - 1.196) and MIS (IRR - 1.586) were the only factors that influenced nodal harvest. CUSUM charts revealed that learning curve was achieved after the 83rd case overall and after the 19 operations in MIS. There was a 20% increase in nodal yield after every 30 MIS LPLND performed. CONCLUSIONS: Learning curve for LPLND is relatively long and only increasing experience and minimally invasive operations increased nodal yield.

Optimal neoadjuvant strategy for signet ring cell carcinoma of the rectum-Is TNT the solution?

INTRODUCTION: The results of total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) for locally advanced rectal cancers (LARC) cannot be extrapolated to signet-ring cell cancers (SRCC) that have an extremely aggressive biology. METHODS: A retrospective study comparing long course chemoradiation (CTRT) against short course radiation (SCRT) and 12 weeks of chemotherapy for high-risk LARC. Primary endpoints were treatment failure and disease-free survival (DFS) RESULTS: CTRT was given to 74 (59.7%) and SCRT/Chemotherapy to 50 patients (40.3%). Additional chemotherapy was required in 54.1% and 28%, respectively. Except for nodal staging, no other MRI parameter down-staged. Treatment failures were seen in 33.9% and 25.8% had progression. The peritoneum was the commonest site of progression (59.4%). Of the patients that were surgically explored, 63.7% had R0 resections and pathological complete response was seen in 9.7%. At a median follow-up of 35 months, 56.5% had DFS events with a 3-year DFS of 39.5%. Recurrences were noted in 45.1% after curative resections and the 3-year OS/DFS of these patients were 67.2%/56.4%. On multivariate regression, the type of preoperative therapy did not influence treatment failures or DFS. CONCLUSIONS: SRCC is a very aggressive disease and none of the treatment strategies could show superiority over the other with very high peritoneal progression rates and relapses.