Long-term survival after gastrectomy and metastasectomy for gastric cancer with synchronous bone metastasis

A pragmatic approach improves the clinical management of stage IV gastric cancer: Comparison between the Meta-Gastro results and the GIRCG's retrospective series

INTRODUCTION

The Italian Research Group for Gastric Cancer developed a prospective database about stage IV gastric cancer, to evaluate how a pragmatic attitude impacts the management of these patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We prospectively collected data about metastatic gastric cancer patients thanks to cooperation between radiologists, oncologists and surgeons and we analyzed survival and prognostic factors, comparing the results to those obtained in our retrospective study.

RESULTS

Three-hundred and eighty-three patients were enrolled from 2018 to September 2022. We observed a higher percentage of laparoscopic exploration with peritoneal lavage in the prospective cohort. In the registry only 3.6 % of patients was submitted to surgery without associated chemotherapy, while in the retrospective population 44.3 % of patients were operated on without any chemotherapy. At univariate and multivariate analyses, the different metastatic sites did not show any survival differences among each other (OS 20.0 vs 16.10 vs 16.7 months for lymphnodal, peritoneal and hepatic metastases, respectively), while the number of metastatic sites and the type of treatment showed a statistical significance (OS 16,7 vs 13,0 vs 4,5 months for 1, 2 and 3 different metastatic sites respectively, p < 0.001; 24,2 vs 12,0 vs 2,5 months for surgery with/without chemotherapy, chemotherapy alone and best supportive treatment respectively, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data highlight that the different metastatic sites did not show different survivals, but survival is worse in case of multiple localization. In patients where a curative resection can be achieved, acceptable survival rates are possible. A better diagnostic workup and a more accurate staging impact favorably upon survival.

Bone Metastasis From Gastric Adenocarcinoma-What Are the Risk Factors and Associated Survival? A Large Comprehensive Population-Based Cohort Study

Background

While bone metastasis is not common in gastric adenocarcinoma (GaC), it can have important impacts on prognosis. This large cohort study aimed at exploring factors associated with bone metastasis in GaC and investigating the time-dependent cumulative mortalities and prognostic factors in GaC patients with bone metastasis at the population level.

Methods

Data on patients with GaC diagnosed in 2010–2016 were retrieved from a large population-based database. We explored factors associated with bone metastasis using the multivariable-adjusted logistic model. We then calculated the time-dependent cancer-specific mortalities in GaC patients with bone metastasis using the cumulative incidence function and compared mortalities across subgroups using Gray’s test. We further assessed factors associated with mortality using the multivariable-adjusted Fine–Gray subdistribution hazard model.

Results

Together 11,072 eligible patients with metastatic GaC were enrolled, which comprised 1,511 (14%) people with bone metastasis and 9,561 (86%) with other metastasis, encompassing 6,999 person-years of follow-up. Bone metastasis was more frequently detected in 2014 or later, in younger patients, in patients with gastric cardia cancers, in people with signet-ring cell carcinoma, and in those with poorly differentiated/undifferentiated cancers; it was less commonly observed in black patients. Bone metastasis was associated with more frequent brain and lung metastases. The median survival of patients with bone metastasis was 4 months; the 6-month and 3-year cancer-specific cumulative mortalities were 56% and 85%, respectively. In patients receiving chemotherapy, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, patients with gastric antrum/pylorus cancers, and those with positive lymph nodes had higher mortality risks, while those undergoing resection had lower mortality hazards.

Conclusion

In GaC patients, bone metastasis was associated with various clinicopathologic factors including age, ethnicity, tumor location, histology, differentiation, and metastasis to other sites. Patients with bone metastasis had poor prognosis which was associated with ethnicity, tumor location, lymph node involvement, and treatment. Our findings provide important hints for tailed patient management and for further mechanistic investigations.

Prognostic Value of the Site of Distant Metastasis and Surgical Interventions in Metastatic Gastric Cancer: A Population-Based Study

BACKGROUND

Studies on the prognostic significance of site-specific distant metastasis, multiple-site metastases, and the impact of surgery of the primary tumor and metastatic lesion on survival outcomes of patients with metastatic gastric cancer (GC) remain elusive. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of the site of distant metastasis among patients with metastatic GC. Furthermore, the effect of surgery of the primary tumor and metastatic lesion on the prognosis of metastatic GC was also analyzed.

METHODS

The data of 4,221 eligible patients, who were diagnosed with metastatic GC between 2010 and 2015, were identified from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between potential prognostic factors, including the site of metastasis and surgery, and survival of patients with metastatic GC. Overall survival (OS) and cause-specific survival (CSS) were determined using the Kaplan-Meier survival curves and differences were assessed using the Log-rank test.

RESULTS

Out of the total 4,221 GC patients with definite organ metastases, 3312 patients had single-site metastasis while 909 patients had multiple-site metastases. GC patients with single-site metastasis of liver or lung exhibited better CSS and OS compared to those with bone metastasis. Furthermore, GC patients with liver metastasis benefited from surgery of both the primary and metastatic lesions, while those with lung metastasis benefited from surgery of metastasis resection only. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that GC patients with single-site metastasis, well-differentiated tumors, GC patients who underwent surgery of the primary tumor and those who received chemotherapy exhibited favorable prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The site of metastasis was an independent prognostic factor for metastatic GC. Surgery had survival benefits in certain cases of metastatic GC; however, further studies are warranted to clarify these benefits in carefully selected patients.

Surgical management of oligometastatic disease in gastric cancer

A distinctive subset of metastatic gastric cancer (MGC) is oligometastatic disease (OMD), which is characterized by metastatic lesions limited in number and location. Although growing evidence mainly based on retrospective analysis or single center case series has shown favorable prognosis in the management of OMD in gastric cancer with aggressive local treatment, no existing guidelines explicitely address the definition of OMD and there are still controversial opinions on how to proceed in a new era with more effective systemic therapy selection. In this review, we present the current advances and evidence as well as controversial on the management of OMD in MGC, including the definition, diagnosis, local aggressive treatments especially surgery, prognostic factors, current ongoing randomized clinical studied as well as challenges facing the field.

Small early gastric cancer with synchronous bone metastasis: A case report

Bone metastasis during the early stages of gastric cancer is rare, and synchronous bone metastasis is even less common. The present report outlines a case of a small early gastric cancer, which was detected due to bone metastasis. A 63-year-old man was referred to Fukuyama Medical Center with back pain and anorexia of 2 weeks' evolution. MRI revealed multiple metastatic lesions in the thoracic and spinal bone. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography revealed focal uptake in the lesser curvature of the stomach and in the spinal bone, pelvic and thigh bone, but uptake was not detected in the stomach. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a 10 mm slightly elevated lesion with a central depression in the middle-third of the stomach. Endoscopic ultrasonography confirmed that the tumor was confined to the mucosa. A biopsy specimen acquired from the gastric lesion indicated signet-ring cell carcinoma, and the specimen acquired from the lumbar spine revealed cell aggregation such as that found in signet-ring cell carcinoma. The patient received first-line chemotherapy with S-1 and cisplatin, and second-line chemotherapy with nab-paclitaxel. However, the patient died 120 days after consultation at Fukuyama Medical Center.

Stage IV Gastric Cancer: The Surgical Perspective of the Italian Research Group on Gastric Cancer

Background/Aim: This work explored the prognostic role of curative versus non-curative surgery, the prognostic value of the various localizations of metastatic disease, and the possibility of identifying patients to be submitted to aggressive therapies. Patients and Methods: Retrospective chart review of stage IV patients operated on in our institutions. Results: Two hundred and eighty-two patients were considered; 73.4% had a single metastatic presentation. In 117 cases, a curative (R0) resection of primary and metastases was possible; 75 received a R1 resection and 90 a palliative R2 gastrectomy. Surgery was integrated with chemotherapy in multiple forms: conversion therapy, HIPEC, neo-adjuvant and adjuvant treatment. Median overall survival (OS) of the entire cohort was 10.9 months, with 14 months for the R0 subgroup. There was no correlation between metastasis site and survival. At multivariate analysis, several variables associated with the lymphatic sphere showed prognostic value, as well as tumor histology and the curativity of the surgical procedure, with a worse prognosis associated with a low number of resected nodes, D1 lymphectomy, pN3, non-intestinal histology, and R+ surgery. Considering the subgroup of R0 patients, the variables pT, pN and D displayed an independent prognostic role with a cumulative effect, showing that patients with no more than 1 risk factor can reach a median survival of 33 months. Conclusions: Our data show that the possibility of effective care also exists for Western patients with stage IV gastric cancer.

Surgical management of metastatic gastric cancer: moving beyond the guidelines

Despite decreasing incidence, gastric cancer remains a major health problem worldwide and is associated with poor survival. The poor survival is mainly attributed to delayed presentation which may cause local or systemic metastases. The standard of care for patients with metastatic gastric cancer (MGC) is palliative chemotherapy with best supportive care. Although the survival has improved owing to advances in chemotherapeutic agents, it is still unsatisfactory, and some perspective changes are needed in the management of MGC to improve the outcomes. Therefore, various alternative treatment strategies for MGC have formed the most important research topics. Liver-directed treatment (LDT) options such as liver resection, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), microwave ablation (MWA), and hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) have been studied in the management of liver metastasis from gastric cancer (LMGC). Intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) in addition to cytoreductive surgery (CRS) aiming to remove all macroscopic tumor focus resulting from peritoneal dissemination is the treatment option for peritoneal metastasis, while para-aortic lymph node dissection is the treatment option for para-aortic lymph node metastasis which is considered to be M1 disease. Conversion surgery is a novel concept aiming at R0 resection for originally unresectable or marginally resectable tumors after a remarkably good response to the chemotherapy. Large amounts of data in the literature have demonstrated the benefits of individualized approaches such as the combination of systemic and local treatment options in selected patient groups. In this review, we aimed to explore the current and future treatment options by reviewing the literature on this controversial topic.

Surgical outcomes and prognostic factors for patients with gastric cancer spinal metastasis

Purpose

To investigate the outcome and prognostic factors of surgery in treating gastric cancer spinal metastasis (GCSM).

Patients and methods

A total of 17 patients with GCSM who have undertaken spinal surgeries have been identified. Kaplan–Meier method and univariate analysis are adopted to investigate the prognostic factors affecting overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

The median PFS and OS are 11.3 months (95% CI: 7.8–14.9 months) and 11.9 months (95% CI: 8.4–15.4 months), respectively. Postoperatively, all patients had substantial pain relief, with mean visual analog scale score descending from 6.6±1.6 to 3.4±1.2. Meanwhile, patients also showed improved neurological functions, with 8 of them having improvements of at least one level in Frankel classification. Univariate analysis presented that patients with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)<6 µg/L (p=0.020), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)<300 U/L (p=0.012), alkaline phosphatase (ALP)<200 U/L (p=0.007), and Tokuhashi score>6 (p=0.027) show longer OS. Moreover, application of bone cement, low level of ALP (<200 U/L), and LDH (<300 U/L) are associated with longer PFS (p<0.05).

Conclusions

Surgery is an efficient option in treating GCSM, due to its efficacy in pain alleviation, function restoration, and stability reconstruction. Low levels of CEA, LDH, ALP, and high Tokuhashi score (>6) are all favorable factors for better OS, whereas low levels of LDH, ALP, and application of bone cement are related with longer PFS.

Long-term Survival after Repeated Local Therapy and Salvage Chemotherapy for Recurrent Metastases from Gastric Cancer: a Case Report and Literature Review

We report a rare case of long-term survival in a patient who received local therapy and salvage chemotherapy for recurrent metastases, along with a literature review. A 65-year-old male patient underwent subtotal gastrectomy for advanced gastric adenocarcinoma. Six months after gastrectomy, 2 metastatic intra-abdominal lymph node enlargements were detected, which were treated with radiotherapy. At 55 months after gastrectomy, an abdominal wall mass was detected, which was treated by surgical resection. The patient received 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin/irinotecan chemotherapy for 27 months before and after radiotherapy and docetaxel chemotherapy for 6 months after surgical resection of the abdominal wall metastasis. At the last visit, 7.8 years since the initial resection of the primary gastric cancer and 6.2 years since detection of the first metastases, the patient was disease-free and required no further chemotherapy. This case suggests that repeated local therapy offers potential for long-term survival in a carefully selected subset of patients with recurrent metastases.