Multicentre observational study of quality of life after surgical palliation of malignant gastric outlet obstruction for gastric cancer

Unveiling hidden outcomes in malignant gastric outlet obstruction research - insights from a "Pancreas 2000" review

Malignant gastric outlet obstruction (mGOO) is a major condition affecting patients with periampullary tumors, including pancreatic cancer. The current treatment options include surgical gastroenterostomy, endoscopic stenting and more recently EUS-guided gastroenterostomy. Most studies comparing the outcomes of the three procedures focus on technical success, clinical success and safety. Several "occult" outcomes relevant to the patient's viewpoints and perspective may ultimately impact on cancer-related and overall survival, such as body mass composition, nutritional biomarkers, chemotherapy tolerance and patient-reported quality of life. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of potential key outcomes that should be explored in future comparative research around mGOO treatment options.

Palliative Surgery for Patients with Gastroesophageal Junction or Gastric Cancer: A Report on Clinical Observational Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Few studies have focused on palliative surgery in patients with advanced gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) or gastric cancer. We sought to evaluate clinical observational outcomes following palliative surgery in this population.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with GEJ or gastric cancer who underwent palliative surgery (1/2010-11/2022) were identified. The primary outcomes were symptom improvement, ability to tolerate an oral diet, discharge to home, 30 "good days" without hospitalization, and receipt of systemic treatment. Postoperative outcomes and survival were secondarily evaluated.

RESULTS

Among 93 patients, the median age was 59 (IQR 47-68) years, and the median Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG-PS) was 1 (range 0-3). The most frequent indication for palliative surgery was primary tumor obstruction [75 (81%) patients]. The most common procedures were feeding tube placement in 60 (65%) and intestinal bypass in 15 (16%) patients. A total of 75 (81%) patients experienced symptom improvement. Of these, 19 (25%) developed recurrent and 49 (65%) developed new symptoms. ECOG-PS was significantly associated with symptom-free time. Among those who underwent a bypass, resection, or ostomy creation for malignant obstruction, 16 (80%) tolerated an oral diet. Postoperatively, 87 (94%) were discharged home, 72 (77%) had 30 good days, and 64 (69%) received systemic treatment. Postoperative complications occurred in 35 (38%) patients, and 7 (8%) died within 30 days. The median survival time was 7.7 (95% CI 6.4-10.40) months.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with incurable GEJ or gastric cancer can benefit from palliative surgery. Prognosis and performance status should inform goals-of-care discussions and patient selection for surgical palliation.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastrojejunostomy for benign gastric outlet obstruction (GOO): a retrospective analysis of patients and outcomes

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastrojejunostomy (EUS-GJ) has been well utilized in treating malignant gastric outlet obstructions (GOO) given its efficacy and lower risk profile compared to surgery. However, its efficacy and potential for use in patients with benign GOO who are poor surgical candidates is not well documented. The aim of this study was to examine the role of EUS-GJ in treatment of benign GOO in select patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a single-center, open-label, retrospective descriptive study that included all consecutive patients undergoing EUS-GJ to treat benign causes of GOO. Direct antegrade and direct retrograde methods were utilized.

RESULTS

A total of 18 patients were included, 38.9% female with an average age of 63.3 years. Extrinsic GOO was present in (10 of 18) 55.5% of patients and intrinsic etiology was present in (8 of 18) 45.5% of patients. Technical success was achieved in 100% (18 of 18) patients and clinical success was achieved in 94% (17 of 18) patients. In total, 13 patients had follow-up endoscopy, 2 patients were treated relatively recently in time, 1 patient was lost to follow-up, and 2 patients died of other chronic illnesses. Stents remained in place for a median of 286 days (range 88-1444 days). In patients whose stents were removed, 75% (3 of 4) had extrinsic etiologies of GOO.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reports a favorable long-term patency with excellent technical and clinical success of EUS-GJ in patients with benign GOO. Despite the limitations of sample size and retrospective nature, it adds to the extremely limited literature of EUS-GJ in management of patients with benign GOO.

Palliative surgery: state of the science and future directions

Palliative surgical procedures are operations that aim to alleviate symptoms in a patient with serious, life-limiting illness. They are common, particularly within the field of surgical oncology. However, few high-quality studies have attempted to measure the durability of improvements in symptoms and quality of life after palliative surgery. Furthermore, many of the studies that do exist are outdated and employ highly inconsistent definitions of palliative surgery. Consequently, the paucity of robust and reliable evidence on the benefits, risks, and trade-offs of palliative surgery hampers clinical decision-making for patients and their surgeons. The evidence for palliative surgery suggests that, with effective communication about goals of care and careful patient selection, palliative surgery can provide symptomatic relief and reduce healthcare burdens for certain seriously ill patients.

Prospective multicenter assessment of the impact of EUS-guided gastroenterostomy on patient quality of life in unresectable malignant gastric outlet obstruction

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

EUS-guided gastroenterostomy (EUS-GE) is increasingly used for malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) in inoperable patients. However, the impact of EUS-GE on patient quality of life (QoL) has not been evaluated prospectively.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with unresectable malignant GOO who underwent EUS-GE between August 2019 and May 2021 at 4 Spanish centers were prospectively assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Questionnaire Core 30 at baseline and 1 month after the procedure. Centralized follow-up by telephone calls was undertaken. The Gastric Outlet Obstruction Scoring System (GOOSS) was used to assess oral intake, defining clinical success as a GOOSS ≥2. Differences between baseline and 30-day QoL scores were assessed using a linear mixed model.

RESULTS

Sixty-four patients were enrolled, 33 (51.6%) men, with a median age of 77.3 years (interquartile range, 65.5-86.5). The most common diagnoses were pancreatic (35.9%) and gastric (31.3%) adenocarcinoma. Thirty-seven patients (57.9%) presented a 2/3 baseline Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score. Oral intake was restarted within 48 hours in 61 patients (95.3%), and the median postprocedure hospital stay was 3.5 days (interquartile range, 2-5). The 30-day clinical success rate was 83.3%. A clinically significant increase of 21.6 points (95% confidence interval, 11.5-31.7) in the global health status scale was documented, with significant improvements in nausea and vomiting, pain, constipation, and appetite loss.

CONCLUSIONS

EUS-GE relieves GOO symptoms in patients with unresectable malignancy, allowing rapid oral intake and hospital discharge. It also provides a clinically relevant increase in QoL scores at 30 days from baseline. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT04660695.).

Japanese Gastric Cancer Treatment Guidelines 2021 (6th edition)

The sixth edition of the Japanese Gastric Cancer Treatment Guidelines was completed in July 2021, incorporating new evidence that emerged after publication of the previous edition. It consists of a text-based "Treatments" part and a "Clinical Questions" part including recommendations and explanations for clinical questions. The treatments parts include a comprehensive description regarding surgery, endoscopic resection and chemotherapy for gastric cancer. The clinical question part is based on the literature search and evaluation by an independent systematic review team. Consequently, not only evidence for each therapeutic recommendation was clearly shown, but it also identified the research fields that require further evaluation to provide appropriate recommendations.

Correlation of Helicobacter pylori infection with Her-2, CyclinD1 and miR-223 in gastric cancer tissues: Effect on tumor aggressiveness

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is one of the risk factors for gastric carcinogenesis, but its exact carcinogenic mechanism is not clear. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her-2), cell cycle protein D1 (CyclinD1), and microRNA-223 (miR-223) also have important roles in gastric carcinogenesis and cancer progression. We hypothesized that H. pylori infection may affect Her-2, CyclinD1, and miR-223 expression and thus influence the progression of the disease.

AIM

To investigate the correlation between H. pylori infection and Her-2, CyclinD1, and miR-223 expression in gastric cancer tissues and their effects on tumor aggressiveness.

METHODS

Fifty-four patients with gastric cancer treated at our hospital from June 2018 to June 2020 were selected as the study subjects. Tumor tissues and paraneoplastic tissues more than 5 cm away from the tumor were collected from the patients. The expression of Her-2, CyclinD1, and miR-223 was detected and compared between gastric cancer tissues and paraneoplastic tissues. Clinical data and the expression of Her-2, CyclinD1, and miR-223 were compared between H. pylori infected and uninfected patients. The relationship of Her-2, CyclinD1, and miR-223 expression in gastric cancer tissues with H. pylori infection and the clinical characteristics of patients with H. pylori infection were analyzed.

RESULTS

The expression of Her-2, CyclinD1, and miR-223 in gastric cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in normal tissues adjacent to the cancer (P < 0.05). Tumor infiltration depth and lymph node metastasis differed significantly between H. pylori infected and uninfected gastric cancer patients (P < 0.05). The differences in the expression of Her-2, CyclinD1, and miR-223 in gastric cancer tissues were also statistically significant between H. pylori-infected and uninfected patients (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the expression of Her-2, CyclinD1, and miR-223, tumor infiltration depth, and lymph node metastasis were associated with H. pylori infection in gastric cancer (P < 0.05). The expression of Her-2, CyclinD1, and miR-223 in gastric cancer patients with H. pylori infection was associated with the degree of differentiation, depth of infiltration, TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

H. pylori infection is associated with the expression of Her-2, CyclinD1 and miR-223 in gastric cancer tissues, which may be jointly involved in the infiltration and metastasis of gastric cancer.

Development and verification of a nomogram for predicting the prognosis of resectable gastric cancer with outlet obstruction

Background

The prognosis of patients with gastric cancer (GC) with gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) after gastrectomy is highly variable. In this study, we aimed to develop a nomogram to predict the prognosis of these patients.

Patients and Methods

Data from 218 GC patients with GOO who underwent gastrectomy at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were retrospectively collected as a training cohort. The data of 59 patients with the same diagnosis who underwent gastrectomy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were collected as an external verification cohort. A nomogram for the overall survival (OS) was developed using the Cox regression model in the training cohort, which was validated in a verification cohort.

Results

Multivariate analysis showed that the surgical procedure (P < 0.001), period of chemotherapy (P < 0.001), T stage (P = 0.006), N stage (P = 0.040), systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) (P < 0.001), and fibrinogen level (P = 0.026) were independent factors affecting OS. The nomogram constructed on the aforementioned factors for predicting the 1- and 3-year OS achieved a Harrell’s concordance index (C-index) of 0.756 and 0.763 for the training and verification cohorts, respectively. Compared with the 8th American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Tumour-Node-Metastasis (TNM) staging system, the nomogram had higher C-index values and areas under the curve (AUCs) and slightly higher net clinical benefit.

Conclusion

Compared to the 8th AJCC staging system, the newly developed nomogram showed superior performance in predicting the survival of GC patients with GOO after gastrectomy.

Survival analysis of a prospective multicenter observational study on surgical palliation among patients with malignant bowel obstruction caused by peritoneal dissemination of gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Our previous report showed that surgical palliation maintained quality of life (QOL), improved solid food intake, and had an acceptable surgical safety among patients with malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) caused by advanced gastric cancer. This study performed a survival analysis stratified by the patients' QOL to elucidate its impact on survival.

METHODS

Patients who underwent resection or bypass of the small intestine/colon or ileostomy/colostomy for bowel obstruction caused by peritoneal dissemination of gastric cancer were included. Validated instruments (EuroQoL-5 Dimensions) were used to assess QOL at baseline and 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months following surgical palliation. Postoperative improvement in oral intake was also evaluated using the Gastric Outlet Obstruction Scoring System (GOOSS). Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed using baseline characteristics and changes in QOL and GOOSS scores 2 weeks after surgery to determine prognostic factors.

RESULTS

We enrolled 60 patients with a median survival time of 6.64 (95% CI 4.76-10.28) months. Patients who received postoperative chemotherapy and had lower baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, higher baseline albumin levels, better baseline EuroQoL-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) scores, and improved oral intake after palliative surgery exhibited significantly better survival. Multivariate analysis identified postoperative chemotherapy, lower baseline CRP levels, and improved oral intake as independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study revealed that baseline QOL and postoperative QOL changes did not affect survival. Moreover, improved oral intake, lower baseline CRP levels, and postoperative chemotherapy were significant prognostic factors in patients who underwent palliative surgery for advanced gastric cancer with MBO.

Distal Gastrectomy for Symptomatic Stage IV Gastric Cancer Contributes to Prognosis with Acceptable Safety Compared to Gastrojejunostomy

Simple Summary

For symptomatic stage IV gastric cancer involving major symptoms such as bleeding or obstruction, palliative surgery may be considered an option to relieve symptoms. Palliative gastrectomy or gastrojejunostomy is selected depending on the resectability of the primary tumor and/or surgical risk. However, treatment policies differ depending on the institution as to whether gastrectomy or gastrojejunostomy should be performed for symptomatic stage IV gastric cancer. We considered that gastrectomy might contribute more to prognosis than gastrojejunostomy for gastric cancer located in the middle or lower-third region where total gastrectomy can be avoided. Here, we compare the prognosis of gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy for symptomatic stage IV gastric cancer. We demonstrate that distal gastrectomy for symptomatic stage IV gastric cancer located in the middle or lower-third regions contributes to prognosis with acceptable safety when compared to gastrojejunostomy.

Abstract

Background: The prognostic prolongation effect of reduction surgery for asymptomatic stage IV gastric cancer (GC) is unfavorable; however, its prognostic effect for symptomatic stage IV GC remains unclear. We aimed to compare the prognosis of gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy for symptomatic stage IV GC. Methods: This multicenter retrospective study analyzed record-based data of patients undergoing palliative surgery for symptomatic stage IV GC in the middle or lower-third regions between January 2015 and December 2019. Patients were divided into distal gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy groups. We compared clinicopathological features and outcomes after propensity score matching (PSM). Results: Among the 126 patients studied, 46 and 80 underwent distal gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy, respectively. There was no difference in postoperative complications between the groups. Regarding prognostic factors, surgical procedures and postoperative chemotherapy were significantly different in multivariate analysis. Each group was further subdivided into groups with and without postoperative chemotherapy. After PSM, the data of 21 well-matched patients with postoperative chemotherapy and 8 without postoperative chemotherapy were evaluated. Overall survival was significantly longer in the distal gastrectomy group (p = 0.007 [group with postoperative chemotherapy], p = 0.02 [group without postoperative chemotherapy]). Conclusions: Distal gastrectomy for symptomatic stage IV GC contributes to prognosis with acceptable safety compared to gastrojejunostomy.

AGA Clinical Practice Update on the Optimal Management of the Malignant Alimentary Tract Obstruction: Expert Review

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The purpose of this expert review is to describe the current methodologies available to manage malignant alimentary tract obstructions as well the evidence behind the various methods (including their efficacy and safety), indications, and appropriate timing of interventions.

METHODS

This is not a formal systematic review but is based on a review of the literature to provide best practice advice statements. No formal rating of the quality of evidence or strength of recommendation is carried out. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 1: For all patients with alimentary tract obstruction, the decision about specific interventions should be made in a multidisciplinary setting including oncologists, surgeons, and endoscopists and take into account the characteristics of the obstruction, patient's expectations, prognosis, expected subsequent therapies, and functional status. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 2: For patients who present with esophageal obstruction from esophageal cancer and who are potential candidates for resection or chemoradiation, clinicians should not routinely insert a self-expanding metal stent (SEMS) without multidisciplinary review because of high rates of stent migration, higher morbidity and mortality, and potentially lower R0 (microscopically negative margins) resection rates. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 3: For patients who present with esophageal obstruction from esophageal cancer who are potential candidates for resection and who have concerns of malnutrition, clinicians may consider the use of enteral feeding tubes (via nasogastric or percutaneous route). Clinicians should be aware of the potential risk of abdominal wall tumor seeding as well as making subsequent gastric conduit formation difficult with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 4: For patients who present with esophageal obstruction from esophageal cancer who are not candidates for resection, clinicians should consider either SEMS insertion or brachytherapy as sole therapy or in combination. Clinicians should not consider the use of laser therapy or photodynamic therapy because of the lack of evidence of better outcomes and superior alternatives. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 5: For patients with malignant esophageal obstruction who are undergoing SEMS placement, clinicians should use a fully covered or partially covered SEMS and not an uncovered SEMS, with consideration of a stent-anchoring/fixation method. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 6: For patients with gastric outlet obstruction who have a life expectancy greater than 2 months, have good functional status, and who are surgically fit, surgical gastrojejunostomy should be considered. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 7: For patients with gastric outlet obstruction who are undergoing surgical gastrojejunostomy, a laparoscopic approach is favored over an open approach because of lower blood loss and shorter hospital stay. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 8: For patients with gastric outlet obstruction who are not candidates for gastrojejunostomy (surgical or endoscopic ultrasound-guided), clinicians should consider the insertion of an enteral stent. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 9: Enteral stents should not be used in patients with multiple luminal obstructions or severely impaired gastric motility because of the limited benefit in these scenarios. Clinicians can consider placement of a venting gastrostomy in these patients. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 10: Depending on the experience of the endoscopist, endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastrojejunostomy is an acceptable alternative to surgical gastrojejunostomy and enteral stent placement. Clinicians should be aware that there are currently no dedicated Food and Drug Administration-approved devices for endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastrojejunostomy. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 11: For patients with malignant colonic obstruction who are candidates for resection, insertion of SEMS is a reasonable choice as a "bridge to surgery" to allow for one-stage, elective resection. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 12: For patients with malignant colonic obstruction who are not candidates for resection, either SEMS placement or a diverting colostomy are reasonable choices depending on the patient's goals and functional status. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 13: SEMS is a reasonable option for patients with proximal (or right-sided) malignant obstructions, both as a "bridge to surgery" and in the palliative setting. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 14: SEMS placement is a reasonable alternative for patients with extracolonic malignancy who are not candidates for surgery, although their placement is more technically challenging, clinical success rates are more variable, and complications (including stent migration) are more frequent.

QOL assessment after palliative surgery for malignant bowel obstruction caused by peritoneal dissemination of gastric cancer: a prospective multicenter observational study

BACKGROUND

Patients with peritoneal dissemination of gastric cancer have poor oral intake caused by malignant bowel obstruction (MBO). Palliative surgery has often been undertaken to improve quality of life (QOL), but few prospective studies on palliative surgery in this patient population have been published.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We prospectively investigated the significance of palliative surgery using patient-reported QOL measures. Patients underwent palliative surgery by small intestine/colon resection or small intestine/colon bypass or ileostomy/colostomy for MBO. The primary endpoint was change in QOL assessed at baseline, 14 days, 1 month, and 3 months following palliative surgery using the Euro QoL Five Dimensions (EQ-5D™) questionnaire and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire gastric cancer module (QLQ-STO22). Secondary endpoints were postoperative improvement in oral intake and surgical complications.

RESULTS

Between April 2013 and March 2018, 63 patients were enrolled from 14 institutions. The mean EQ-5D™ utility index baseline score of 0.6 remained consistent. Gastric-specific symptoms mostly showed statistically significant improvement from baseline. Forty-two patients (67%) were able to eat solid food 2 weeks after palliative surgery and 36 patients (57%) tolerated it for 3 months. The rate of overall morbidity of ≥ grade III according to the Clavien-Dindo classification was 16% (10 patients) and the 30-day postoperative mortality rate was 3.2% (2 patients).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with MBO caused by peritoneal dissemination of gastric cancer, palliative surgery did not improve QOL while improving solid food intake, with an acceptable postoperative morbidity and mortality rate.

Perioperative chemotherapy versus adjuvant chemotherapy strategies in resectable gastric and gastroesophageal cancer: A Markov decision analysis

BACKGROUND

Perioperative chemotherapy has been shown to improve overall survival (OS) for operable gastric and gastroesophageal cancer. However, optimal sequence of surgery and chemotherapy has not been clearly identified. Markov models are useful for analyzing the outcomes of different treatment strategies in the absence of adequately powered randomized clinical trials. In this study, we use Markov decision analysis models to compare median OS (mOS), quality-adjusted mOS, life expectancy (LE), and quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) of perioperative chemotherapy with adjuvant chemotherapy strategies in resectable gastric and gastroesophageal cancer patients.

METHODS

Markov models are constructed to compare two strategies: adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery and preoperative chemotherapy followed by cancer resection and postoperative chemotherapy. LE and QALE are calculated analytically, and mOS are obtained by simulation. Parameters used in the models are computed from prospective clinical trial data published in PUBMED from January 2000 to July 2020.

RESULTS

Total of 8088 patients from 25 prospective studies were included in this analysis. Regardless of R0 resection ratio, the analyses of the models show a higher mOS for patients in the perioperative therapy arm compared to adjuvant chemotherapy. For R0 resected patients, the perioperative therapy arm provided an additional 11.0 mOS months (61.3 months vs. 50.3 months). For R1 resected patients, the perioperative therapy arm had mOS of 17.0 months vs. 10.7 months in adjuvant therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The Markov models indicate that perioperative chemotherapy improves mOS, quality-adjusted mOS, LE, and QALE for resectable gastric and gastroesophageal cancer patients compared to adjuvant chemotherapy strategies.

Single center consecutive series cohort study of partial stomach-partitioning gastrojejunostomy for gastric outlet obstruction

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

Gastric outlet obstruction can have a large impact on quality of life for patients with upper gastrointestinal cancer or benign obstruction. Partial stomach-partitioning gastrojejunostomy has previously shown promising outcomes compared to conventional gastrojejunostomy in terms of reduced delayed gastric emptying. The objective of the current study was to present outcomes of partial stomach-partitioning gastrojejunostomy in a single high-volume center for upper gastrointestinal cancer.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study including all consecutive patients who underwent partial stomach-partitioning gastrojejunostomy from 2013 to 2020. The primary outcome was oral intake tolerance. A subgroup analysis was performed in all patients with manifest gastric outlet obstruction comparing partial stomach-partitioning gastrojejunostomy to conventional gastrojejunostomy.

RESULTS

Partial stomach-partitioning gastrojejunostomy was performed in 32 patients and laparoscopic technique was used in 19 patients (59%). The procedure improved oral intake tolerance defined by gastric outlet obstruction scoring system by 0.63 points on average (P = 0.041). No postoperative complications related to the procedure were observed. Recurrence of gastric outlet obstruction developed in six patients (19%), four patients (13%) required endoscopic reintervention but no patient required surgical reintervention. A comparison between partial stomach-partitioning gastrojejunostomy and conventional gastrojejunostomy showed no statistically significant differences regarding postoperative nutritional status, length of hospital stay, recurrence or reintervention.

CONCLUSION

The results of the study show that partial stomach-partitioning gastrojejunostomy can be an effective surgical treatment for patients suffering from gastric outlet obstruction and that the procedure can be safely performed with laparoscopic technique.

Clinical significance of changes of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of gastric cancer patients with Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND

The correlation between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and gastric cancer has been widely recognized in the world. The abnormal expression of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway related factors is obvious in gastric cancer patients, suggesting that this pathway is closely related to the occurrence and development of gastric cancer. However, there is also a correlation between the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway and H. pylori infection in gastric cancer patients.

AIM

To investigate the clinical significance of changes of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with gastric cancer infected by H. pylori.

METHODS

Eighty gastric cancer patients treated at Huzhou Third People's Hospital from October 2017 to October 2020 were selected as a study group, and 50 healthy ts volunteers were selected as a control group. The expression levels of TLR-4, NF-κB, and myeloid differentiation factor (MyD88) in PBMCs of gastric cancer patients with different pathological characteristics and H. pylori infection status were compared between the two groups, and the correlation between TLR-4, NF-κB, and MyD88 protein levels and H. pylori infection was analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, the expression levels of TLR-4, NF-κB, and MyD88 in the study group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). The expression of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway related molecules differed significantly in gastric cancer patients with different clinical stages, lymph node metastasis status, and depth of invasion (P < 0.05), and TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB expression differed significantly in different gender and age groups (P < 0.05). The expression of TLR-4, NF-κB, and MyD88 in the H. pylori positive group was significantly higher than that of the H. pylori negative group (P < 0.05). Pearson analysis showed that H. pylori infection was positively correlated with the expression of TLR-4, NF-κB, and MyD88 (r = 0.726, 0.684, and 0.631, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The expression levels of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway related molecules in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with gastric cancer increase significantly, and are significantly different among groups with different pathological characteristics and parameters. It is speculated that H. pylori infection may participate in the occurrence and development of gastric cancer by inducing the abnormal expression of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Survival analysis of a prospective multicenter observational study on surgical palliation among patients receiving treatment for malignant gastric outlet obstruction caused by incurable advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

We had previously reported that surgical palliation could maintain quality of life (QOL) while improving solid food intake among patients with malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) caused by advanced gastric cancer. The present study aimed to perform a survival analysis according to the patients' QOL to elucidate its impact on survival.

METHODS

Patients with GOO who underwent either palliative gastrectomy or gastrojejunostomy were included in this study. A validated QOL instrument (EQ-5D) was used to assess QOL at baseline and 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months following surgical palliation. Postoperative improvement in oral intake was also evaluated using the GOO scoring system (GOOSS). Thereafter, univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed to determine independent prognostic factors.

RESULTS

The median survival time of the 104 patients included herein was 11.30 months. Patients who received postoperative chemotherapy, PS 0/1, baseline EQ-5D ≥ 0.75, improved or stable EQ-5D, and improved oral intake expressed as GOOSS = 3 had significantly better survival. Multivariate analysis identified postoperative chemotherapy, a better baseline PS, a better baseline EQ5D, improved or stable EQ5D scores, and improved oral intake 3 months after surgical palliation as independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSION

Apart from preoperative PS and postoperative chemotherapy, the present study identified better baseline QOL, improvement in postoperative QOL, and improvement in oral intake as prognostic factors among patients who underwent palliative surgery for advanced gastric cancer with GOO.

Peri-operative Outcomes and Survival Following Palliative Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Many patients with gastric cancer present with late stage disease. Palliative gastrectomy remains a contentious intervention aiming to debulk tumour and prevent or treat complications such as gastric outlet obstruction, perforation and bleeding.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review of the literature for all papers describing palliative resections for gastric cancer and reporting peri-operative or survival outcomes. Data from peri-operative and survival outcomes were meta-analysed using random effects modelling. Survival data from patients undergoing palliative resections, non-resective surgery and palliative chemotherapy were also combined. This study was registered with the PROSPERO database (CRD42019159136).

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty-eight papers which included 58,675 patients contributed data. At 1 year, there was a significantly improved survival in patients who underwent palliative gastrectomy when compared to non-resectional surgery and no treatment. At 2 years following treatment, palliative gastrectomy was associated with significantly improved survival compared to chemotherapy only; however, there was no significant improvement in survival compared to patients who underwent non-resectional surgery after 1 year. Palliative resections were associated with higher rates of overall complications versus non-resectional surgery (OR 2.14; 95% CI, 1.34, 3.46; p < 0.001). However, palliative resections were associated with similar peri-operative mortality rates to non-resectional surgery.

CONCLUSION

Palliative gastrectomy is associated with a small improvement in survival at 1 year when compared to non-resectional surgery and chemotherapy. However, at 2 and 3 years following treatment, survival benefits are less clear. Any survival benefits come at the expense of increased major and overall complications.

Relationship between initial management strategy and survival in patients with gastric outlet obstruction due to gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

The optimal management of gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) due to gastric cancer (GC) is unclear. We examined the relationships between clinical and management variables and outcomes in patients with GC having GOO.

METHODS

The GOO management and clinical course were reviewed in patients with GC and GOO. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to identify variables predictive of overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

The study included 59 patients. Eleven had imaging evidence of metastasis and 35 had pathologically confirmed peritoneal disease. Initial management included resection in 23 patients, feeding jejunostomy ± decompressive gastrostomy (JT/GT) in 25, surgical gastrojejunostomy in five, and endoscopic intervention in six. Seven patients with initial JT/GT underwent resection after neoadjuvant therapy. Median OS (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 21.4 (0.0-45.1) months in the upfront resection group (median follow-up, 14.7 months) and not reached in those with initial JT/GT, neoadjuvant therapy, and later resection (median follow-up, 26.5 months) (P = .18). On multivariable analysis, clinically positive nodes (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.76; 95% CI, 1.17-12.12; P = .03), metastasis on CT (HR: 3.97; 95% CI: 1.53-10.26;P = .01), and resection (HR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.17-0.79;P = .01) independently predicted OS.

CONCLUSION

In GOO due to GC, OS is similar after treatment with upfront resection compared with JT/GT, neoadjuvant therapy, and later resection. Upfront JT/GT may allow patients to tolerate chemotherapy and improve selection for gastrectomy.

Clinical outcome of a highly flexible duodenal stent for gastric outlet obstruction: A multicenter prospective study

Background and Aim

Endoscopic duodenal stenting for patients with malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) has been widespread; however, clinical trials evaluating the structures of duodenal stents are lacking. Thus, we aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes of a highly flexible duodenal stent for GOO patients.

Methods

A prospective study of duodenal stenting for GOO patients from five hospitals between August 2017 and August 2018 was performed. WallFlex Duodenal Soft were used in all procedures. The primary endpoint was clinical success, defined as an improvement in the GOO scoring system.

Results

The study enrolled 31 patients (12 women, 19 men) with GOO, with a median age of 70 (range 52–90) years. Primary diseases were pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, biliary tract cancer, and others in 14, 10, 3, and 4 patients, respectively. The technical success rate was 97%, and the clinical success rate was 87%. Simultaneous biliary drainage was performed in 19% of patients. Adverse events occurred in three patients. Chemotherapy was given in 41% of clinically successful cases, and the median overall survival time after stent placement was 82 days (range, 30–341 days), and. Stent dysfunction occurred in 30% of clinically successful cases (stent ingrowth in seven and stent overgrowth in one patient). The median time to stent dysfunction was 157 days (range, 11–183 days). Six patients were treated with additional stent placement after dysfunction.

Conclusion

Placement of a highly flexible duodenal stent is an effective and safe treatment for patients with GOO (UMIN‐CTR 000028783).

EUS-guided gastroenteric anastomosis as a bridge to definitive treatment in benign gastric outlet obstruction

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Benign gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) has typically been managed surgically. However, many patients are poor operative candidates because of comorbidities. EUS-guided gastroenterostomy (EUS-GE) using lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMSs) has previously demonstrated efficacy as a definitive treatment for benign and malignant GOO; however, limited data exist on use as a bridge to resolution of the obstruction in an attempt to avoid or delay definitive surgery.

METHODS

A retrospective series of consecutive patients who underwent EUS-GE between January 2013 and July 2019 for benign GOO at a tertiary referral center were included in the study. The primary outcome was the rate of definitive surgery; secondary outcomes included technical success and rate of adverse events.

RESULTS

During the study period, 22 patients with benign GOO underwent EUS-GE (40% female; mean age, 54.2 years). The mean procedure time was 66 minutes, and technical success was achieved in 21. Five patients developed recurrent GOO while the LAMS was in place after a mean dwell time of 228 days; 1 patient was converted to surgical GE. LAMSs were removed electively in 18 patients after GOO resolution and a mean dwell time of 270 days; 1 patient developed a recurrent GOO after LAMS removal and was converted to surgical GE. The rate of recurrent GOO after LAMS removal was 5.6%. Three severe adverse events occurred in the cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

EUS-GE was able to prevent surgery for GOO in 83.3% of cases. LAMSs needed to stay in place for a mean of 8.5 months to allow resolution of GOO, and there was a low rate of recurrent GOO (5.6%) after LAMS removal. Prospective, randomized trials comparing surgical and endoscopic anastomoses are needed in patients with benign causes of GOO.

The Impact of the Disease Trend on the Macro and Micro-Nutrients Intake in Patients with Gastric Cancer

Background: Disease-related malnutrition, as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients, is very common in patients with gastric cancer (GC). Malnutrition in cancer patients was reported to have important adverse effects, including a decreased response and tolerance to treatment, a decrease of performance, shorter survival, and lower quality of life. The treatment approaches involving chemotherapy is known to develop various acute and chronic symptoms that restrict eating and, thereby, exert a profound impact on nutritional status.Method: In this study, 82 patients with GC with an average age of 48.33 ± 10.74 were enrolled. Patients were followed up for 6 months without any nutritional intervention and/or education. A 168 item semi-quantities food frequency questioner was completed by a trained nutritionist at the beginning of the study and six months after the start of chemotherapy.Results: Intake of vitamin A (T₀:585.52 ± 203.34 vs. T₆:529.48 ± 138.91, t = 2.96), Thiamin (T₀:2.09 ± 0.76 vs. T₆:1.80 ± 0.72, t = 2.81), vitamin B6 (T₀:2.03 ± 0.53 vs. T₆:2.29 ± 0.73, t = 2.56), and vitamin B12 (T₀:5.79 ± 3.96 vs. T₆:4.48 ± 2.20, t = 2.43) significantly decreased after 6 months of receiving chemotherapy. On the other intake of beef (T0:17.79 ± 25.48 vs. T6:12.58 ± 16.66, t = 2.06), low-fat milk (T0:52.57 ± 69.80 vs. T6:29.18 ± 45.89, t = 2.95), cream (T0:2.42 ± 4.16 vs. T6:1.06 ± 1.68, t = 2.88), and raw vegetable (T0:6.54 ± 9.55 vs. T6:3.85 ± 5.23, t = 2.54) significantly decreased.Conclusion: Nutritional deterioration is an important part of the pathogenesis of cancer and its treatment that can occur at any point in the timeline of cancer diagnosis, treatment or support. Therefore nutritional counseling and supportive services are needed for cancer patients, especially when their disease is diagnosed.