Differences in prognosis of Siewert II and III oesophagogastric junction cancers are determined by the baseline tumour staging but not its anatomical location. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2016;42:1215-1221. [PMID: 27241921 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2016.04.061]

Contemporary outcomes for resected type 1-3 gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: a single-center experience

BACKGROUND

Surgical resection remains the mainstay of treatment for tumors of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ). However, contemporary analyses of the Western experience for GEJ adenocarcinoma are sparsely reported.

METHODS

Patients with GEJ adenocarcinoma undergoing resection between 2012 and 2022 at a single institution were grouped based on Siewert subtype and analyzed. Pathologic and treatment related variables were assessed with relation to outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 302 patients underwent resection: 161 (53.3%) with type I, 116 (38.4%) with type II, and 25 (8.3%) with type III tumors. Most patients received neoadjuvant therapy (86.4%); 86% of cases were performed in a minimally invasive fashion. Anastomotic leak occurred in 6.0% and 30-day mortality in only 0.7%. The rate of grade 3+ morbidity was lower for the last 5 years of the study than for the first 5 years (27.5% vs 49.3%, P < .001), as was median length of stay (7 vs 8 days, P < .001). There was a significantly greater number of signet ring type tumors among type III tumors (44.0%) than type I/II tumors (11.2/12.9%, P < .001). Otherwise, there was no difference in the distribution of pathologic features among Siewert subtypes. Notably, there was a significant difference in 3-year overall survival based on Siewert classification: type I 60.0%, type II 77.2%, and type III 86.3% (P = .011). Siewert type I remained independently associated with worse survival on multivariable analysis (hazard ratio, 4.5; P = .023).

CONCLUSIONS

In this large, single-institutional series, operative outcomes for patients with resected GEJ adenocarcinoma improved over time. On multivariable analysis, type I tumors were an independent predictor of poor survival.

Conventional regression analysis and machine learning in prediction of anastomotic leakage and pulmonary complications after esophagogastric cancer surgery

Background and Objectives

With the current advanced data‐driven approach to health care, machine learning is gaining more interest. The current study investigates the added value of machine learning to linear regression in predicting anastomotic leakage and pulmonary complications after upper gastrointestinal cancer surgery.

Methods

All patients in the Dutch Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Audit undergoing curatively intended esophageal or gastric cancer surgeries from 2011 to 2017 were included. Anastomotic leakage was defined as any clinically or radiologically proven anastomotic leakage. Pulmonary complications entailed: pneumonia, pleural effusion, respiratory failure, pneumothorax, and/or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Different machine learning models were tested. Nomograms were constructed using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator.

Results

Between 2011 and 2017, 4228 patients underwent surgical resection for esophageal cancer, of which 18% developed anastomotic leakage and 30% a pulmonary complication. Of the 2199 patients with surgical resection for gastric cancer, 7% developed anastomotic leakage and 15% a pulmonary complication. In all cases, linear regression had the highest predictive value with the area under the curves varying between 61.9 and 68.0, but the difference with machine learning models did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusion

Machine learning models can predict postoperative complications in upper gastrointestinal cancer surgery, but they do not outperform the current gold standard, linear regression

Preoperative risk factors for major postoperative complications after complex gastrointestinal cancer surgery: A systematic review

Patients undergoing complex gastrointestinal surgery are at high risk of major postoperative complications (e.g., anastomotic leakage, sepsis), classified as Clavien-Dindo (CD) ≥ IIIa. Identification of preoperative risk factors can lead to the identification of high-risk patients. These risk factors can also be used to design personalized perioperative care. This systematic review focuses on the identification of these factors. The Medline and Embase databases were searched for prospective, retrospective cohort studies and randomized controlled trials investigating the effect of risk factors on the occurrence of major postoperative complications and/or mortality after complex gastrointestinal cancer surgery. Risk of bias was assessed using the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool. The level of evidence was graded based on the number of studies reporting a significant association between risk factors and major complications. A total of 207 eligible studies were retrieved, identifying 33 risk factors for major postoperative complications and 13 preoperative laboratory results associated with postoperative complications. The present systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of preoperative risk factors associated with major postoperative complications. A wide range of risk factors are amenable to actions in perioperative care and prehabilitation programs, which may lead to improved outcomes for high-risk patients. Additionally, the knowledge of this study is important for benchmarking surgical outcomes.

Survival nomogram for patients with metastatic siewert type II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to construct a nomogram to predict the survival of patients with metastatic Siewert Type II adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction (AEG).

METHODS

Patients were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the prognostic factors. A nomogram comprising independent prognostic factors was established and evaluated using C-indexes, calibration curves, and decision curve analyses.

RESULTS

In total 1616 eligible patients were enrolled. Race, age, bone metastasis, liver metastasis, lung metastasis, other metastasis sites, and distant lymph nodes metastasis were independent prognostic factors and were integrated to construct the nomogram. The nomogram had a C-index of 0.590 (95% CI: 0.569-0.611) in the training cohort and 0.569 (95% CI: 0.532-0.606) in the validation cohort. The calibration plots for the probabilities of 6-month and 1-year overall survival demonstrated there was an optimum between nomogram prediction and actual observation.

CONCLUSION

We developed and validated a nomogram to predict individual prognosis for patients with metastatic Siewert Type II AEG, and the risk stratification system based on the nomogram could effectively stratify the patients into two risk subgroups, which can help clinicians accurately predict mortality risk and recommend personalized treatment modalities.

Mediastinal Nodal Involvement After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation for Siewert II/III Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction (AEG) poses a management challenge, as preoperative prediction of occult mediastinal nodal metastasis is difficult. We sought to identify factors predictive of mediastinal involvement among patients undergoing trimodality therapy.

METHODS

Patients undergoing trimodality therapy for Siewert II and III AEG at a single institution between 2000 and 2015 were identified. Mediastinal involvement was defined as pathologic nodal involvement after neoadjuvant chemoradiation (ypN+) in mediastinal stations or mediastinal recurrence 2 years or less after resection. Maximal χ² analysis and Youden's J index were used to identify the pretreatment proximal tumor extent that best discriminated mediastinal involvement.

RESULTS

In all, 204 patients (151 [74%] AEG II, 53 [26%] AEG III) were included, of whom 47 (23%) had clinical evidence of thoracic nodal disease. Thirty-one of the 204 patients (15%) met criteria for mediastinal involvement (24 of 31 ypN+, 10 of 31 mediastinal recurrence). Patients with mediastinal involvement had greater proximal tumor extent (median 2 cm [interquartile range, 1.0 to 3.0 cm] vs 1.4 cm [interquartile range, 0.7 to 3.0 cm], P = .030), were more frequently Siewert II lesions (27 of 31 [87.1%] vs 124 of 173 [71.7%], P = .071), and were more often observed to have clinical thoracic nodal metastasis (cN) evidence (13 of 31 [42%] vs 34 of 173 [20%], P = .007) than patients who did not. On multivariable analysis of patients with intrathoracic cN0, esophageal extent of 1.5 cm or greater was independently predictive of mediastinal involvement (odds ratio 5.46, P = .011), whereas Siewert classification was not (Siewert II odds ratio 3.48, P = .116).

CONCLUSIONS

Pretreatment proximal tumor extent, rather than Siewert classification, is an independent predictor of mediastinal involvement among AEG II/III patients without clinical evidence of mediastinal metastasis and should be considered during treatment planning.

Optimal Extent of Transhiatal Gastrectomy and Lymphadenectomy for the Stomach-Predominant Adenocarcinoma of Esophagogastric Junction: Retrospective Single-Institution Study in China

Background: The optimal extent of gastrectomy and lymphadenectomy for esophagogastric junction (EGJ) cancer is controversial. Our study aimed to compare the long-term survival of transhiatal proximal gastrectomy with extended periproximal lymphadenectomy (THPG with EPL) and transhiatal total gastrectomy with complete perigastric lymphadenectomy (THTG with CPL) for patients with the stomach-predominant EGJ cancer.

Methods: Between January 2004, and August 2015, 306 patients with Siewert II tumors were divided into the THTG group (n = 148) and the THPG group (n = 158). Their long-term survival was compared according to Nishi's classification. The Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazards models were used for survival analysis.

Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups in the distribution of age, gender, tumor size or Nishi's type (P > 0.05). However, a significant difference was observed in terms of pathological tumor stage (P < 0.05). The 5-year overall survival rates were 62.0% in the THPG group and 59.5% in the THTG group. The hazard ratio for death was 0.455 (95% CI, 0.337 to 0.613; log-rank P < 0.001). Type GE/E = G showed a worse prognosis compared with Type G (P < 0.05). Subgroup analysis stratified by Nishi's classification, Stage IA-IIB and IIIA, and tumor size ≤ 30 mm indicated significant survival advantages for the THPG group (P < 0.05). However, this analysis failed to show a survival benefit in Stage IIIB (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: Nishi's classification is an effective method to clarify the subdivision of Siewert II tumors with a diameter ≤ 40 mm above or below the EGJ. THPG with EPL is an optimal procedure for the patients with the stomach-predominant EGJ tumors ≤30 mm in diameter and in Stage IA-IIIA. For more advanced and larger EGJ tumors, further studies are required to confirm the necessity of THTG with CPL.

Simultaneous resection of an adenocarcinoma of the cardia and a synchronous adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid: Report of a case

INTRODUCTION

Adenocarcinoma of the cardia synchronous with other intraabdominal neoplasms is very rare. We report the case of a Siewert type II adenocarcinoma of the cardia synchronous with an adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid both treated simultaneously by transjatal oesophago-gastrectomy and anterior resection of the sigmoid.

CASE REPORT

A 62 year-old male was admitted for a progressing dysphagia and weight loss. Oesophago-gastric fibroscopy detected an adenocarcinoma of the cardia extending to the distal 2 cm of the esophagus (Siewert typeII). A CT-scan of the chest and abdomen confirmed the cancer of the cardia and also decealed a synchronous tumor of the sigmoid. Both neoplasms were resected through a xipho-pubic laparotomy, with an ileostomy completing the procedure. Postoperative course was uneventful and ileostomy was closed four weeks later. The patient was subsequently addressed to oncological for adjuvant treatment.

DISCUSSION

This report supports the indication of aggressive, simultaneous treatment of an adenocarcinoma of the cardia associated with a synchronous abdominal neoplasm, provided that both are resectable through the same surgical access, as anticipated at a preoperative, through diagnostic work-up.

CONCLUSION

Simultaneous resection of synchronous adenocarcinoma of the cardia and the sigmoid is feasible and avoids possible progression of the untreated neoplasm during the interval between two separate resections, provided that a curative resection can be obtained for both diseases.

Impact of postoperative TNM stages after neoadjuvant therapy on prognosis of adenocarcinoma of the gastro-oesophageal junction tumours

AIM

To compare prognostic relevance of postoperative tumour/node/metastasis (TMN) stages between patients with and without neoadjuvant treatment.

METHODS

Data from patients with adenocarcinoma of the gastro-oesophageal junction (AEG) who had undergone surgical resection at a single German university centre were retrospectively analysed. Patients with or without neoadjuvant preoperative treatment were selected by exact matching based on preoperative staging. Standard assessment of preoperative (c)TNM stage was based on endoscopic ultrasound and computed tomography of the thorax and abdomen, according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer/Union for International Cancer Control classification system. Patients with cT1cN0cM0 and cT2cN0cM0 stages were excluded from the study, as these patients are generally not recommended for pretreatment. Long-term survival among the various postoperative TNM stages was compared between the groups of patients with or without neoadjuvant treatment. For statistical assessments, a P-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

The study included a total of 174 patients. The group of patients who had received preoperative neoadjuvant treatment included more cases of AEG (Siewert) type 1 carcinoma (P < 0.001), and consequently oesophagectomy was performed more frequently among these patients (P < 0.001). The two groups (with or without preoperative neoadjuvant treatment) had comparable preoperative T stages, but the group of patients with preoperative neoadjuvant treatment presented a higher rate of preoperative N-positive disease (P = 0.020). Overall long-term survival was not different between the two groups of patients according to tumours of different AEG classifications, receipt of oesophagectomy or gastrectomy, nor between patients with similar postoperative TNM stage, resection margin and grading. However, an improvement of long-term survival was found for patients with nodal down-staging after neoadjuvant therapy (P = 0.053).

CONCLUSION

The prognostic relevance of postoperative TNM stages is similar for AEG in patients with or without neoadjuvant preoperative treatment, but treatment-related nodal down-staging prognosticates longer-term survival.

Outcomes of the Surgical Treatment for Adenocarcinoma of the Cardia - Single Institution Experience

Background

Adenocarcinomas at the cardia are biologically aggressive tumors with poor long-term survival following curative resection. For resectable adenocarcinoma of the cardia, mostly esophagus extended total gastrectomy or esophagus extended proximal gastric resection is performed; however, the surgical approach, transhiatal or transthoracic, is still under discussion. Postoperative morbidity, mortality and long-term survival were analyzed to evaluate the potential differences in clinically relevant outcomes.

Patients and methods

Of altogether 844 gastrectomies performed between January 2000 and December 2016, 166 were done for the adenocarcinoma of the gastric cardia, which we analyzed with using the Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

136 were esophagus extended total gastrectomy and 125 esophagus extended proximal gastric resection. A D2 lymphadenectomy was performed in 88.2%, splenectomy in 47.2%, and multivisceral resections in 12.4% of patients. R0 resection rate was 95.7%. The mean proximal resection margin on the esophagus was 42.45 mm. It was less than 21 mm in 9 patients. Overall morbidity regarding Clavien-Dindo classification (> 1) was altogether 28.6%. 15.5% were noted as surgical and 21.1% as medical complications. The 30-day mortality was 2.2%. The 5-year survival for R0 resections was 33.4%. Multivisceral resection, depth of tumor infiltration, nodal stage, and curability of the resection were identified as independent prognostic factors.

Conclusions

Transhiatal approach for resection of adenocarcinoma of the cardia is a safe procedure for patients with Siewert II and III regarding the postoperative morbidity and mortality; moreover, long-term survival is comparable to transthoracic approach. The complications associated with thoracoabdominal approach can therefore be avoided with no impact on the rate of local recurrence.

Management of Gastroesophageal Junction Tumors

Gastroesophageal junction tumors have been increasing in incidence over time, with most tumors presenting at a locally advanced stage. The treatment plan depends on the stage at diagnosis. PET-CT and endoscopic ultrasound are used to determine clinical stage. Depending on the location of the tumor in the esophagus and stomach, treatment can include chemotherapy with or without radiation, followed by surgery if there is no disease progression. Prognosis is related to stage at diagnosis and response to preoperative treatment. Most surgery for gastroesophageal junction tumors can be performed minimally invasively, which helps decrease postoperative length of stay and morbidity from surgery.