Correlation of intratumoral mast cell quantity with psychosocial distress in patients with pancreatic cancer: the PancStress study.

Mast cells are commonly found in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), yet their role in the disease remains uncertain. Although mast cells have been associated with depression in several diseases, their connection to PDAC in this context remains unclear. This study explored the correlation between mast cells and psychosocial stress in patients with PDAC.

The legacy of a surgeon - in memoriam Dr. İsmail Demir.

In this perspective article, we highlighted some special aspects of being a surgeon that are typically not taught in medical training. Departing from a real and personal story, the present manuscript is intended to communicate how surgery imbues us doctors with an unparalleled degree of satisfaction, gratification, meaning and fulfilment, like no other field of medicine.

Lymph node examination and survival in resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: retrospective study.

Background: The minimum number of examined lymph nodes (ELN) required for adequate staging and best prediction of survival has not been established in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of ELN on staging and survival in PDAC.

Methods: Patients undergoing partial or total pancreatectomy for PDAC at two European university hospitals between 2007 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed.

Continuous irrigation after pancreatectomy: a systematic review.

Purpose: Prevention and management of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after pancreatic resections is still an unresolved issue. Continuous irrigation of the peripancreatic area is frequently used to treat necrotizing pancreatitis, but its use after elective pancreatic surgery is not well-known. With this systematic review, we sought to evaluate the current knowledge and expertise regarding the use of continuous irrigation in the surgical area to prevent or treat POPF after elective pancreatic resections.

Bacterial content of the human pancreatic duct: An observational study.

Background: Pancreatic fistula/PF is a challenging surgical complication. We could recently show that intestinal bacteria such as colonize the PF fluid even after a "sterile" operation like distal pancreatectomy/DP. Therefore, we explored the bacterial flora of the human pancreatic duct in a patient collective undergoing pancreatic surgery.

Regulatory T Cells in Pancreatic Cancer: Of Mice and Men.

Regulatory T cells (Treg) are one of the major immunosuppressive cell subsets in the pancreatic tumor microenvironment. Tregs influence tumor growth by acting either directly on cancer cells or via the inhibition of effector immune cells. Treg cells mechanisms form a partially redundant network with other immunosuppressive cells such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) that confer robustness to tumor immunosuppression and resistance to immunotherapy.

The Effect of Celiac Neurolysis and Splanchnicectomy on Survival in Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Intractable pancreatic pain is one of the most common symptoms of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Celiac neurolysis (CN) and splanchnicectomy were already described as effective methods to manage abdominal pain in unresectable PDAC, but their impact on overall survival (OS) has not yet been established.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the impact of CN and splanchnicectomy on the survival of patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.

INR and not bilirubin levels predict postoperative morbidity in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice.

Background: There are no established predictors for deciding between upfront surgery and PBD in pancreatic head malignancy. Once PBD is present, the ideal drainage-time remains elusive. The aim was, to identify predictors in jaundiced patients and ideal PBD-duration.

Indirect cholinergic activation slows down pancreatic cancer growth and tumor-associated inflammation.

Background: Nerve-cancer interactions are increasingly recognized to be of paramount importance for the emergence and progression of pancreatic cancer (PCa). Here, we investigated the role of indirect cholinergic activation on PCa progression through inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) via clinically available AChE-inhibitors, i.e.

Do somatostatin-analogues have the same impact on postoperative morbidity and pancreatic fistula in patients after pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy? - A systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials.

Objective: Postoperative pancreatic fistula/POPF is the most feared complication in pancreatic surgery. Although several systematic reviews investigated the impact of somatostatin analogues on POPF, no stratification was performed regarding type of pancreatic resection (pancreaticoduodenectomy/PD; distal pancreatectomy/DP) and different somatostatin analogues.

Methods: This study was planed according to the Preferred-Reporting-Items-for-Systematic -Review-and-Meta-Analysis/PRISMA-guidelines.