Synchronous Gastrointestinal Tumor and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm or Dissection Treated with Endovascular Aneurysm Repair Followed by Tumor Resection

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair in Patients with Concomitant Cancer: A Literature Review

OBJECTIVES

Abdominal aortic aneurysmal (AAA) repair in patients with concomitant cancer is controversial due to increased comorbidity and reduced life expectancy in this specific patient group. This literature review aims to investigate the evidence supporting one treatment modality over another (endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) or open repair (OR)), as well as treatment strategy (staged AAA-, cancer first or simultaneous procedures) in patients with AAA and concomitant cancer.

METHODS

Literature review, including studies published from 2000 to 2021 on surgical treatment in patients with AAA and concomitant cancer and related outcomes (30-day morbidity/complications as well as 30-day and 3-year mortality).

RESULTS

24 studies comprising 560 patients undergoing surgical treatment of AAA and concomitant cancer were included. Of these, 220 cases were treated with EVAR and 340 with OR. Simultaneous procedures were performed in 190 cases, 370 received staged procedures. The 30-day mortality for EVAR versus OR was 1% and 8%, corresponding to a relative risk (RR) of 0.11 (95% CI: 0.03-0.46, p = 0.002). No difference in mortality was observed between staged versus simultaneous procedure nor between AAA-first versus cancer-first strategy, RR 0.59 (95% CI: 0.29-1.1, p = 0.13) and 0.88 (95% CI 0.34-2.31, p = 0.80), respectively. Overall, 3-year mortality was 21% for EVAR and 39% for OR from 2000-2021, while the mortality up to 3 years after EVAR within recent years (2015-2021) was 16%.

CONCLUSION

This review supports EVAR treatment as first choice if suitable. No consensus was established on treating either the aneurysm or the cancer first or simultaneously. Long-term mortality after EVAR was comparable to non-cancer patients within recent years.

Stage II Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma after Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: A Case Report and Literature Review

BACKGROUNDS

Concomitant abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and gastrointestinal malignancies are uncommon. Endovascular repair (EVAR) is widely used to treat AAA. However, no consensus exists on the optimal strategy for treating AAA when associated with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. In addition, only few reports of pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) after EVAR exist.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A pancreatic tumor was detected during follow-up after EVAR for AAA in an 83-year-old female patient. The diagnosis was high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. Modified pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was safely performed. The patient recovered moderately and was discharged two weeks after surgery. The pathological diagnosis was middle-grade pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The patient survived for 24 months with no recurrence or cardiovascular complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Conducting periodic follow-ups after AAA surgery is helpful for the early discovery of gastrointestinal tumors. EVAR surgery is safe and feasible and thus recommended for AAA patients with pancreatic cancer, although it may increase the risk of cancer. The stage of malignancy and post-EVAR medical history can be valuable in evaluating the benefits of pancreatic surgery for such cases.

Synchronous sigmoid cancer and abdominal aortic aneurysm treated by laparoscopic colectomy followed by endovascular aneurysm repair

INTRODUCTION

The occurrence of synchronous abdominal aorta aneurysms and colorectal cancer represents a real management challenge. Up till now, there is no evidence-based consensus recommendation in the surgical management of such patients. Herein we reported the clinical management challenge of synchronous abdominal aorta aneurysms (AAA) and colorectal cancer (CRC).

PRESENTATION OF CASE

78-year-old man was admitted in our structure for acute abdominal pain, vomiting and constipation. His past medical history included type 2 diabetes, arterial hypertension and a stable infra-renal aortic aneurysm documented 2 years ago. Physical examination found a stable patient with blood pressure and heart rate within normal range, pulsatile mass along with abdominal distension with vital signs within normal limits. Abdominal CT scan and subsequent CT angiogram confirmed an 88 × 75 mm infra-renal aortic aneurysm concomitant with considerable lumen reduction due to asymmetric wall thickening of the sigmoid. Colonoscopy combined with biopsy examination confirmed structuring irregular sigmoid adenocarcinoma Therefore we report a case of a large AAA and concomitant sigmoid adenocarcinoma tumor causing stricture.

DISCUSSION

In such situation, the main controversy is the necessity of treating the diseases simultaneouslor in two stages favoring the AAA management first. To our best knowledge, we report the first case published in literature in which the patient was treated for colorectal cancer first by laparoscopic surgery followed by AAA management with EVAR.

CONCLUSION

In this case report, we highlight some tricks required in performing laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy for patient with large AAA to prevent per-operative pitfalls. Evidence-based consensus is required to determine the optimal surgical treatment.