Laparoscopic versus open gastrectomy for adenocarcinoma: a prospective comparative analysis

AIM

Laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) is still not a widely accepted option for the treatment of invasive gastric cancer. This study was conducted to evaluate the results of LG for gastric adenocarcinoma in two French surgical departments.

METHODS

Between 2001 and 2007, 51 patients underwent LG for gastric cancer. The results were compared to those of 79 patients who had open gastrectomy (OG) during the same study period.

RESULTS

Mean age was 61 years (31-81) and 66 years (27-88) in the LG group and in the OG group, respectively. The sex ratio was 21 women to 30 men and 25 women for 54 men in the LG group and the OG group, respectively. The mean operative duration was 260 minutes (90-420) and 200 (120-360) the LG group and the OG group, respectively (P=0.11). Estimated operative blood loss was 150 ml (50-870) and 240 (120-955) in the LG group and the OG group, respectively (P=0.07). The mean number of harvested lymph nodes was 19 (8-51) in the LG group and 22 (3-101) in the OG group, respectively (P=0.76). The overall mortality rate was 0% and 2.5% in the LG group and the OG group, respectively (P=0.49). The overall abdominal morbidity rate was 12% and 16.4% in the LG group and the OG group, respectively (P=0.42). The mean duration of hospital stay was 8.0 days (5-23) and 11.5 days (5-31) in the LG group and the OG group, respectively (P=0.023). Survival analysis at 1, 2, and 3 years showed no significant difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

LG for cancer is feasible and safe in patients with invasive gastric cancer. However, randomized controlled trials are necessary to accurately define the role of laparoscopy in the treatment of gastric cancer.

Toward a new paradigm of care: a surgical leaders' Delphi consensus on the organizational factors of the new pancreas units (E-AHPBA PUECOF study)

Pancreas units represent new organizational models of care that are now at the center of the European debate. The PUECOF study, endorsed by the European-African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (E-AHPBA), aims to reach an expert consensus by enquiring surgical leaders about the Pancreas Units' most relevant organizational factors, with 30 surgical leaders from 14 countries participating in the Delphi survey. Results underline that surgeons believe in the need to organize multidisciplinary meetings, nurture team leadership, and create metrics. Clinical professionals and patients are considered the most relevant stakeholders, while the debate is open when considering different subjects like industry leaders and patient associations. Non-technical skills such as ethics, teamwork, professionalism, and leadership are highly considered, with mentoring, clinical cases, and training as the most appreciated facilitating factors. Surgeons show trust in functional leaders, key performance indicators, and the facilitating role played by nurse navigators and case managers. Pancreas units have a high potential to improve patients' outcomes. While the pancreas unit model of care will not change the technical content of pancreatic surgery, it may bring surgeons several benefits, including more cases, professional development, easier coordination, less stress, and opportunities to create fruitful connections with research institutions and industry leaders.

Expression of AP-2 transcription factors in human breast cancer correlates with the regulation of multiple growth factor signalling pathways

The AP-2 transcription factors are required for normal growth and morphogenesis during mammalian development. Previous in vitro studies have also indicated that the AP-2 family of proteins may be involved in the etiology of human breast cancer. The AP-2 genes are expressed in many human breast cancer cell lines, and critical AP-2-binding sites are present in both the ERBB-2 (HER2/neu) and estrogen receptor promoters. We have now characterized immunological reagents that enable specific AP-2 family members, including AP-2alpha and AP-2gamma, to be detected in human breast cancer epithelium. Data obtained with these reagents demonstrate that whereas AP-2alpha and AP-2gamma are both present in benign breast epithelia, there is a significant up-regulation of AP-2gamma expression in breast cancer specimens (P = 0.01). There was also a significant correlation between the presence of the AP-2alpha protein and estrogen receptor expression (P = 0.018) and between specimens containing both AP-2alpha/AP-2gamma proteins and ERBB-2 expression (P = 0.003). Furthermore, we detected an association (P = 0.04) between the expression of AP-2gamma and the presence of an additional signal transduction molecule implicated in breast cancer, the insulin-like growth factor I receptor. Analysis of the proximal promoter of the insulin-like growth factor I receptor revealed a novel AP-2-binding site. Thus, AP-2 proteins may directly regulate the transcription of this growth factor receptor. Taken together, these data strongly support a role for the AP-2 gene family in the control of cell growth and differentiation in breast cancer.

Liver resection for cystic lesions: a 15-year experience

AIM

The aim pf this paper was to review the management strategies in patients who had hepatic resection for cystic lesions. If symptomatic, a simple liver cyst (SC) is best treated by unroofing. A hydatid cyst (HC) is treated by simple cystectomy or pericystectomy. Many procedures have been described for the management of complex non-HCS including aspiration, sclerosing therapy, drainage, unroofing, and resection.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients who had liver resection for cystic lesions between January 1, 1992, and December 31, 2006. The study was carried out at a University Hospital and a General Community Hospital affiliated with a University program. Management strategies were detailed, including clinical, biological, and imaging features. Operative morbidity and mortality as well as long-term outcome were also assessed. A comparison between preoperative and postoperative diagnoses was performed.

RESULTS

Thirty-three patients (24 women and 9 men) underwent 39 liver resections, including 14 left lateral resections, 12 right hemi-hepatectomies, 7 left hemi-hepatectomies and 6 segmentectomies or wedge resections. The final diagnosis included hydatid cyst in 10 patients (30%), cystadenoma in 6 (18%), simple cysts in 6 (18%), Caroli's disease in 4 (12%), cystadenocarcinoma in 3 (9%) and miscellaneous in the 4 remaining (12%). There was no mortality and the postoperative morbidity rate was 15%. Long-term follow-up revealed that, besides patients with malignancies whose outcome was dismal, overall prognosis was positive with efficacious symptom control. CONCLUSION; Accurate preoperative diagnosis of liver cystic lesions may be difficult. However, liver resection for such lesions is a safe procedure that provides long-term symptomatic control in benign disease and may be curative in cases of underlying malignancy. Even if nearly 50% of liver cystic lesions treated by resection were either symptomatic SC or HC, we recommend en-bloc liver resection for all liver cystic lesions that are not clearly parasitic or simple cysts.

Study International Multicentric Pancreatic Left Resections (SIMPLR): Does Surgical Approach Matter?

BACKGROUND

Minimally invasive surgery is increasingly preferred for left-sided pancreatic resections. The SIMPLR study aims to compare open, laparoscopic, and robotic approaches using propensity score matching analysis.

METHODS

This study included 258 patients with tumors of the left side of the pancreas who underwent surgery between 2016 and 2020 at three high-volume centers. The patients were divided into three groups based on their surgical approach and matched in a 1:1 ratio.

RESULTS

The open group had significantly higher estimated blood loss (620 mL vs. 320 mL, p < 0.001), longer operative time (273 vs. 216 min, p = 0.003), and longer hospital stays (16.9 vs. 6.81 days, p < 0.001) compared to the laparoscopic group. There was no difference in lymph node yield or resection status. When comparing open and robotic groups, the robotic procedures yielded a higher number of lymph nodes (24.9 vs. 15.2, p = 0.011) without being significantly longer. The laparoscopic group had a shorter operative time (210 vs. 340 min, p < 0.001), shorter ICU stays (0.63 vs. 1.64 days, p < 0.001), and shorter hospital stays (6.61 vs. 11.8 days, p < 0.001) when compared to the robotic group. There was no difference in morbidity or mortality between the three techniques.

CONCLUSION

The laparoscopic approach exhibits short-term benefits. The three techniques are equivalent in terms of oncological safety, morbidity, and mortality.

Optimizing adjuvant treatment strategies for non-pancreatic periampullary cancers

Non-pancreatic periampullary tumors have long been neglected, leading to blurred adjuvant treatment strategies. Recent research, like the ISGACA group's study, is uncovering nuances in chemotherapy efficacy for these diverse cancers. Tailored approaches show promise, with artificial intelligence (AI) aiding in personalized treatment plans.

Autoimmune pancreatitis presenting as simultaneous masses in the pancreatic head and gallbladder

CONTEXT

Autoimmune pancreatitis is a rare variant of chronic pancreatitis characterized by pancreatic ductal narrowing and pancreatic parenchymal edema on computed tomography and rarely with intermittent attacks of abdominal pain. Recently, it has been found to be a systemic disease with lymphoplasmacytic infiltration that has been associated with several autoimmune diseases and described in multiple organs including the extrahepatic bile duct, liver and gallbladder.

CASE REPORT

We describe the clinical, radiographic and histopathologic aspects of a patient who presented with synchronous masses in the pancreatic head and gallbladder. Postoperatively, the patient's jaundice subsided and IgG4 levels, which were drawn one week postoperatively, were all within normal limits. Nonetheless, immunohistochemical staining for IgG4 was positive.

CONCLUSION

Autoimmune pancreatitis is the most common benign entity identified in patients that underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for presumed pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Our patient with autoimmune pancreatitis presented with simultaneous inflammatory masses in the gallbladder and pancreatic head, an association not previously reported. Preoperative evaluation of IgG4 or autoantibody levels may have obviated the need for an operation. Therefore, we have begun screening for elevated serum IgG4 concentrations to identify patients with possible autoimmune pancreatitis who present without definitive pathological or radiographic evidence for malignancy. If pre-operative diagnosis is not made, immunohistochemical staining of pathology specimens can confirm the diagnosis.

Minimally invasive pancreatic surgery of the entire gland: initial experience

Many pancreatic cancer surgeons have been slow to adopt minimally invasive pancreatic surgery (MIPS) due a lack of formalized minimally invasive training and the perceived difficulty in dissecting pancreatic tumors and tissue away from the superior mesenteric vessels and consequent concerns for adequacy of oncologic margins and lymph node retrieval. A review of the first 29 MIPS procedures for malignant and premalignant tumors of the pancreas with the aid of a sterilizeable robotically-controlled camera holder was undertaken. As opposed to other robots currently available, this device allows for hand-assistance by the operating surgeon. Fourteen minimally invasive distal pancreatectomies (MIDP) (10 laparoscopic, 3 hand-assisted, 1 converted to open), 13 MIPDs (6 laparoscopic, 5 hand-assisted, 2 converted to open), and 2 laparoscopic central pancreatectomies have been performed. Seventeen (59%) of these patients were treated for cancer. Of these, 11 underwent a MIPD and 6 a MIDP. There were postoperative complications in seven patients (24%) at 30 days. Thirty and 90 day mortality was 3%. A sterilizeable robotically-controlled laparoscope holder that enables the operating surgeon to remain in contact with the patient and have the option of a hand-assisted approach may be particularly helpful for minimally invasive approaches to malignant and premalignant pancreatic tumors.