Thoraco-abdominal approach to large retroperitoneal tumours

Modified simultaneous integrated boost radiotherapy for large retroperitoneal malignant tumor: A case report

The current study reports the case of a large retroperitoneal tumor treated with modified simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) radiotherapy. A 45-year-old female presented to the emergency department complaining of left abdominal pain and fever. A computed tomography scan detected a retroperitoneal tumor of 12×16×16 cm, and a biopsy revealed a poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma. The patient was diagnosed with a large adenocarcinoma originating from the left ureter, with no distant metastasis. Due to the patient's poor physical condition, surgery was not recommended, and the patient was referred to the Department of Radiation Oncology (Yamagata University Hospital, Yamagata, Japan). Modified SIB radiotherapy was administered following the acquisition of written consent from the patient. The total irradiation dose to the center of the tumor and to the surrounding healthy tissue was ∼96 Gy/33 fractions and <60 Gy/33 fractions, respectively. At the end of the radiotherapeutic course, the tumor volume was reduced by ≥80%, and the residual tumor was surgically resected. As a result of the resection, a complete pathological response was confirmed; the patient has been recurrence-free for >3 years with no complications. Modified SIB radiotherapy may be safely administered, with favorable outcomes. Complete recovery can be achieved with this technique, even in a patient with a large radioresistant tumor.

Role of surgery in the treatment of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma who have a poor response to induction chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

In instances of high-risk neuroblastoma that do not show a clinical response to induction therapy, whether it is worth performing surgical resection or not and whether gross total resection (GTR) is more important than subtotal resection (STR) remain controversial.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with stage 4 neuroblastoma aged 18 months or older at diagnosis. Primary tumor volumes were measured both at diagnosis and at the first tumor response evaluation (after 6 cycles of induction chemotherapy). If the tumor volume at the first response evaluation was > 50% of the initial tumor volume, the patient was categorized as a poor responder. Otherwise, the patient was categorized as a good responder. Only poor responders were included. Patients were evaluated for event-free survival (EFS), overall survival (OS), and complications of surgery based on extent of surgical intervention.

RESULTS

Sixty-five patients were included in this study. The 41 patients who underwent surgical intervention had a higher 3-year OS than the 24 patients who had a biopsy only (55.4% ± 8.1% vs. 31.3% ± 10.2%, P=0.02). However, there was limited improvement in 3-year EFS following surgical intervention. Three-year EFS rates of BX group (biopsy only) and OP group (surgical resection) were 24.2% ± 9.3% and 37.7% ± 7.9%, respectively (P=0.063). The extent of resection had no impact on 3-year OS (P=0.631) and 3-year EFS (P=0.796). Patients in the GTR group trended to have more severe surgical complications than patients in the STR group (P=0.105).

CONCLUSIONS

For high-risk neuroblastomas that do not show a clinical response to induction therapy, surgical resection is important in predicting outcome, but the extent of resection is not.

Manual repositioning of intra-atrial kidney cancer tumor thrombus: a technique reducing the need for cardiopulmonary bypass

OBJECTIVE

To describe a feasible surgical technique for patients with renal cell carcinoma associated with a supradiaphragmatic tumor thrombus that avoids cardiopulmonary bypass procedure.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From 2004 to 2009, 4 patients with a right kidney tumor and tumor thrombus above the diaphragm (pT3c) underwent manual repositioning of the tumor thrombus out of the right atrium into the inferior vena cava on the beating heart. These patients were aged 65.8 years and had a body mass index of 25.5 kg/m(2). Median tumor size was 10.8 cm, and 3 patients had synchronous metastasis.

RESULTS

Manual repositioning of the tumor thrombus was safe and feasible in all patients. Mean operating time was 561 minutes (range, 302-613 minutes), and no perioperative death occurred. Auxiliary cardiopulmonary bypass procedure was applied in 1 patient to remove a preoperatively diagnosed pulmonary embolus. Three patients subsequently underwent systemic therapy for metastatic disease. Median survival was 16 months (range, 1.7-26 months).

CONCLUSION

Manual repositioning of a vena cava tumor thrombus without cardiopulmonary bypass is a safe and feasible approach. The risk of tumor thrombembolization seems to be low, and cardiopulmonary bypass can be avoided or at least reduced to a minimum time of intervention.