Current Status of Endoscopic Biliary Drainage in Patients with Distal Malignant Biliary Obstruction

Preoperative prognostic stratification and prediction of long-term outcomes after pancreatoduodenectomy for distal cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC) frequently receive adjuvant chemotherapy in preoperative and postoperative settings, but prediction of prognostic risk at the time of treatment selection remains challenging.

METHODS

This single-center retrospective study enrolled DCC patients who underwent initial pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) between 2009 and 2022. Preoperative clinical parameters were collected, and Cox regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Among 170 patients examined, the median tumor depth was 10 mm, and 37 % of the patients were diagnosed with pT3. Overall, 46 % of patients had lymph node metastasis. The median and 5-year OS was 58.2 months and 50 %, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed tumor size on computed tomography (CT) ≥15 mm and main pancreatic duct (MPD) dilatation (≥3 mm) as independent risk factors for OS among various preoperative parameters; the prognosis was stratified based on these two parameters. Patients with one risk factor had similar outcomes (5-year OS: 39 %) to pStage IIB DCC (pT2N1 or pT3), while those with two risk factors had a prognosis akin to pStage IIIA (pN2), with a high early recurrence rate of 64 % (5-year OS: 8 %). Among non-risk group patients with low carbohydrate antigen (CA)19-9 levels (<37 U/mL), the prognosis was comparable (5-year OS: 72 %) to those with pStage I DCC.

CONCLUSION

A simple stratification approach was developed to predict long-term postoperative outcomes. To improve poor prognosis, intensive therapy, including neoadjuvant chemotherapy, should be considered for patients with two risk factors.

EUS-Guided Choledochoduodenostomy after Failed Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Distal Malignant Biliary Obstruction

Introduction

Malignant biliary obstruction drainage is essential, since jaundice is associated with morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the recommended procedure for biliary drainage, with percutaneous biliary drainage being the classic alternative in cases of unsuccessful ERCP. Recently, endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage has been emerged as a new option, with EUS-guided choledochoduodenostomy (EUS-CDS) being considered an effective and safe method in the drainage of distal obstructions of the common bile duct.

Aim

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of EUS-CDS performed in patients with distal malignant biliary obstructions, after failed ERCP.

Methods

Single-center retrospective cohort study between July 2017 and June 2022 including all consecutive patients submitted to EUS-CDS in our center. The primary outcomes were "technical success" and "clinical success," defined as "resolution of jaundice or improvement in total serum bilirubin level above 50% at 7th day and above 75% at 30th day after the procedure." Secondary outcomes were procedure-related adverse events, endoscopic reintervention, and survival time.

Results

EUS-CDS was performed in 20 patients (65.0% male; median age 76 years). The most frequent etiology for the biliary obstruction was pancreatic adenocarcinoma (n = 17; 85.0%), and most patients presented at advanced stages of cancer (12/60% in stages III or IV). ERCP failure was mainly due to the presence of obstruction in the duodenal lumen (n = 11; 55.0%). Fully covered metallic stents were used in all patients, mostly HotAxiosTM (n = 15; 75.0%). The technical success rate was 100%, and the clinical success rate was 89.5% (n = 17/19) at 7th day and 93.3% (n = 14/15) at 30th day. Four patients (20.0%) developed cholangitis within the first 30 days after the procedure; there were no late complications, and no patient died as a complication of the procedure. In 2 patients (10.0%), endoscopic reintervention was necessary due to stent migration, incidentally detected. Median survival was 93 days (minimum 5-maximum 751).

Conclusion

EUS-CDS was effective in biliary decompression of malignant obstructions of the common bile duct, with high clinical success and a favorable safety profile.

Efficacy and complications of inoperable malignant distal biliary obstruction treatment by metallic stents: fully covered or uncovered?

Obstructive jaundice caused by malignant distal biliary obstruction is a common clinical symptom in patients with inoperable biliary-pancreatic cancer. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-guided stent implantation is an effective treatment for obstructive jaundice. Internal stent drainage is more physiologic and associated with a better quality of life than external stent drainage methods such as percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage. Self-expanding metallic stents, which may be covered and uncovered, are commonly used. However, some uncertainties remain regarding the selection of metallic stents, including drainage patency time, clinical effect, stent migration, and post-operative complications such as pancreatitis, bleeding, and cholecystitis. This review aims to summarize the current progress and controversies surrounding the use of covered or uncovered metallic stents in inoperable common biliary obstruction via ERCP.

Distant organ metastasis patterns in lung cancer patients with pancreatic metastasis - a cluster analysis

INTRODUCTION

Pancreatic metastasis of lung cancer is rare, but the narrowing or obstruction of the biliary tract from pancreatic metastases limits the choice of antitumour agents. Lung cancer patients with pancreatic metastasis often have metastasis of other organs. For these patients, however, no studies have been conducted to evaluate distant metastasis sites as metastasis patterns. This study aims to assess whether these patients have specific metastasis patterns at the time of diagnosis of lung cancer.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data were collected from consecutive lung cancer patients with pancreatic metastasis between April 2012 and March 2022. Metastatic patterns were analysed using cluster analysis in patients with lung cancer.

RESULTS

During the study period, 33 (2.0%) of 1659 patients were diagnosed as having pancreatic metastasis. Of the 33 patients, 28 (84.8%) were male. Eighteen, 14, and one patient had small cell lung cancer (SCLC), lung adenocarcinoma, and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, respectively. They were divided into 3 groups by cluster analysis. A statistically significant difference in metastasis frequency was confirmed among these 3 groups (χ² test, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In lung cancer patients with pancreatic metastasis, knowledge of the metastatic patterns might be useful for clinical practice in the foreseeable future because it enables more efficient detection of metastatic disease through imaging, and more effective treatment at predicted metastatic sites.