Profile of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma mutations in Brazilian patients.

Esophageal cancer is an aggressive tumor that has a high rate of incidence and mortality worldwide. It is the 10th most frequent type in Brazil, being squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) the predominant subtype. There is currently an incessant search to identify the frequently altered genes associated with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma biology that could be druggable.

BRAZILIAN GASTRIC CANCER ASSOCIATION GUIDELINES (PART 2): UPDATE ON TREATMENT.

Background: : The II Brazilian Consensus on Gastric Cancer of the Brazilian Gastric Cancer Association BGCA (Part 1) was recently published. On this occasion, countless specialists working in the treatment of this disease expressed their opinion in the face of the statements presented.

Aim: : To present the BGCA Guidelines (Part 2) regarding indications for surgical treatment, operative techniques, extension of resection and multimodal treatment.

BRAZILIAN GASTRIC CANCER ASSOCIATION GUIDELINES (PART 1): AN UPDATE ON DIAGNOSIS, STAGING, ENDOSCOPIC TREATMENT AND FOLLOW-UP.

Background: The II Brazilian Consensus on Gastric Cancer by the Brazilian Gastric Cancer Association (ABCG) was recently published. On this occasion, several experts in gastric cancer expressed their opinion before the statements presented.

Aim: To present the ABCG Guidelines (part 1) regarding the diagnosis, staging, endoscopic treatment and follow-up of gastric cancer patients.

Caution is needed in interpreting the results of comparative studies regarding oncological operations by minimally invasive versus laparotomic access.

We aim to alert the difference between groups while comparing studies of abdominal oncological operations performed either by minimally invasive or laparotomic approaches and potential conflicts of interest in presenting or interpreting the results. Considering the large volume of scientific articles that are published, there is a need to consider the quality of the scientific production that leads to clinical decision making. In this regards, it is important to take into account the choice of the surgical access route.

Positive node-ratio in curative-intent treatment for gastric cancer is a strong independent prognostic factor for 5-year overall survival.

Introduction: This study addressed whether the positive node-ratio (N-ratio) for patients who underwent curative-intent treatment was an independent prognostic factor of overall survival (OS) for gastric adenocarcinoma (GA).

Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent gastrectomy for GA with at least 15 harvested nodes were evaluated for 5-year OS. The best threshold was determined using the area under an receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

D2 lymphadenectomy for gastric cancer as an independent prognostic factor of 10-year overall survival.

Background: The extension of lymphadenectomy for GA remains on debate even after Eastern and Western clinical trials. The main concern is if morbidity of extended lymphadenectomy could be justified based on benefits in oncologic outcomes. This study addressed the extension of lymphadenectomy as a prognostic factor of overall survival (OS) for gastric adenocarcinoma (GA).

Robotic left lateral sectionectomy as stepwise approach for cirrhotic liver.

Laparoscopy is considered the gold standard approach to perform left lateral sectionectomy (LLS). Furthermore, laparoscopy for cirrhotic patients can reduce intraoperative bleeding and postoperative morbidity when compared to open surgery. Although robotic surgery is feasible for both minor and major liver resections, it remains a work in progress and only few series reported this approach for cirrhotic patients.

HER2 in gastric cancer: comparative analysis of three different antibodies using whole-tissue sections and tissue microarrays.

Aim: To compare the performance of three commercially available anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) antibodies in whole-tissue sections and tissue microarrays (TMAs) of a series of gastric tumors.

Methods: We present a comparative analysis of three anti-HER2 antibodies (HercepTest, 4B5 and SP3) using TMA and whole-tissue sections prepared from the same paraffin blocks of 199 gastric adenocarcinomas operated upon between January 2004 and December 2008 at a Brazilian cancer hospital. The data on the patients' age, sex, the anatomical location of the tumor and the Lauren's histological classification were collected from clinical and pathological records.

Prognostic value of epidermal growth factor receptors in gastric cancer: a survival analysis by Weibull model incorporating long-term survivors.

Background: There is no consensus about the prognostic role of HER2 expression and that of other members of the EGFR family in gastric cancer patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of the EGFR family in gastric cancer.

Methods: This retrospective study included 201 patients with gastric and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma stages 0-IV (AJCC 6th edition) who underwent primary tumor resection.

Effect of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy on overall survival of gastric cancer patients submitted to D2 lymphadenectomy.

Background: Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the standard treatment in Western countries for gastric cancer patients submitted to curative resection. However, the role of adjuvant CRT in gastric cancer treated with D2 lymphadenectomy has not been well defined.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in patients with stage II to IV gastric adenocarcinoma with no distant metastases, who underwent curative resection with D2 lymphadenectomy between January 2002 and December 2007.