Association between primary tumor characteristics and histopathological growth pattern of liver metastases in colorectal cancer.

Introduction: The microarchitecture of liver metastases (LMs), or histopathological growth pattern (HGP), has been demonstrated to be a significant prognostic factor in patients undergoing resection of colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs). Currently, however, HGP can be only determined on the operative specimen. Therefore, the development of new tools to predict the HGP of CRLMs before surgery and to understand the mechanisms that drive these patterns is important for improving individualization of therapeutic management.

Esophageal cancer: Outcome and potential benefit of esophagectomy in elderly patients.

Background: This analysis evaluated the morbimortality and the potential benefit of esophagectomy for cancer in elderly patients.

Methods: Patients who underwent esophagectomy for EC were divided into elderly (≥70 years) and nonelderly (<70 years) groups. The groups were compared regarding patient and tumor characteristics, postoperative morbimortality, and disease-free, overall and cancer-specific survival.

Systemic Sentinel Lymph Node Detection Using Fluorescence Imaging After Indocyanine Green Intravenous Injection in Colorectal Cancer: Protocol for a Feasibility Study.

Background: Nodal staging is a major concern in colorectal cancer as it is an important prognostic factor. Several techniques that could potentially improve patient treatment and prognosis have been developed to increase the accuracy of nodal staging. Sentinel lymph node detection has been shown to accurately reflect nodal status in various tumors and has become the standard procedure in nodal staging of breast cancer and melanoma.

The lack of selection criteria for surgery in patients with non-colorectal non-neuroendocrine liver metastases.

Background: The benefit of surgery in patients with non-colorectal non-neuroendocrine liver metastases (NCRNNELM) remains controversial. At the population level, several statistical prognostic factors and scores have been proposed but inconsistently verified. At the patient level, no selection criteria have been demonstrated to guide individual therapeutic decision making.

Retrospective analysis of the immunogenic effects of intra-arterial locoregional therapies in hepatocellular carcinoma: a rationale for combining selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) and immunotherapy.

Background: Immunotherapy represents a promising option for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhotic patients but its efficacy is currently inconsistent and unpredictable. Locoregional therapies inducing immunogenic cell death, such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT), have the potential to act synergistically with immunotherapy. For the development of new approaches combining locoregional treatments with immunotherapy, a better understanding of the respective effects of TACE and SIRT on recruitment and activation of immune cells in HCC is needed.

The metabolic clinical risk score as a new prognostic model for surgical decision-making in patients with colorectal liver metastases.

Background And Objectives: Selection for surgery in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) remains inaccurate. We evaluated if CRLM baseline metabolic characteristics, assessed by [18]F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography ( FDG-PET/CT), could predict postoperative outcomes.

Methods: In a retrospective series of patients undergoing surgery for CRLM, we defined two groups: the long-term survival (LTS) and early relapse (ER) groups, where the postoperative recurrence-free survivals were ≥5 years or <1 year, respectively.

Extended time interval between diagnosis and surgery does not improve the outcome in patients operated for resection or ablation of breast cancer liver metastases.

Background: Breast cancer liver metastases (BCLM) is considered a systemic disease with poorly defined selection criteria for surgery and little evidence for the appropriate timing of surgery.

Methods: Postoperative outcomes of patients operated for BCLM were retrospectively reviewed and compared based on the timing of surgery, with the early surgery (ES) group treated ≤12 months after BCLM diagnosis, and late surgery (LS) group operated >12 months after diagnosis.

Results: Seventy-two patients with BCLM underwent liver surgery, including 37 and 35 in the ES and LS groups, respectively.

The burden of low anterior resection syndrome on quality of life in patients with mid or low rectal cancer.

Background: Low anterior resection (LAR) with total mesorectal excision (TME) for mid and low rectal cancer is standard of care, reducing local recurrence and enhancing long-term survival. However, this surgery is associated with a constellation of major defecatory problems that are collectively referred to as low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). The aims of this study were to evaluate the frequency of LARS in patients who have undergone LAR and to assess the impact of LARS on long-term quality of life (QoL).

Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging for sentinel lymph node detection in colorectal cancer: A systematic review.

Indocyanine green fluorescence-imaging (ICG-FI) has emerged as a potential tool for increasing the accuracy of staging of patients with primary colorectal cancer (CRC) through the detection of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). Here, we report the results of a systematic review of the available literature in the clinical setting of ex vivo and in vivo ICG-FI for the detection of SLNs in primary colorectal cancer. PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane literature databases were searched for original articles on the use of ICG in the setting of clinical studies of CRC.

The potential benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is not predicted by tumor regression grade.

Introduction: Recommended treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) followed by surgery and total mesorectal excision (TME). The role of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) in this regimen is still debated. Assessment of Dworak's tumor regression grade (TRG) after NACRT could potentially select patients who might benefit from ACT.

Primary Hepatic Lymphoma Mimicking a Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Cirrhotic Patient: Case Report and Systematic Review of the Literature.

Introduction: Primary hepatic lymphomas (PHLs) are rare liver tumors, frequently misdiagnosed preoperatively. As these tumors could be successfully treated with chemotherapy, their early recognition is essential, potentially, to avoid useless surgery. We report on the case of a cirrhotic patient with hemochromatosis who presented a PHL, initially diagnosed as a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and we analyze recent data from the literature on this subject.

Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) before partial hepatectomy or radiofrequency destruction for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients: a feasibility and safety pilot study.

Background/purpose: Preoperative selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) may improve the results of partial hepatectomy (PH) or radiofrequency destruction (RF) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of this combined approach.

Methods: Patients with cirrhosis and HCC selected for PH or RF were prospectively included and systematically proposed for preoperative SIRT.

Sequential tumor-directed and lobar radioembolization before major hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Preoperative radioembolization may improve the resectability of liver tumor by inducing tumor shrinkage, atrophy of the embolized liver and compensatory hypertrophy of non-embolized liver. We describe the case of a cirrhotic Child-Pugh A patient with a segment IV hepatocellular carcinoma requiring a left hepatectomy. Preoperative angiography demonstrated 2 separated left hepatic arteries, for segment IV and segments II-III.

Accuracy of FDG-PET/CT in Colorectal Peritoneal Carcinomatosis: Potential Tool for Evaluation of Chemotherapeutic Response.

Background/aim: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be administered to patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) of colorectal cancer (CRC) origin. This study evaluated the performance of fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET)/computed tomography (CT) in detection of PC from CRC and correlated the most metabolically active quadrant with the most affected peritoneal area determined during surgery.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective study compared the performance of FDG-PET/CT for PC diagnosis in 26 patients with CRC with histopathologically-confirmed PC with a control group of 26 patients.

Salvage esophagectomy after failure of definitive radiochemotherapy for esophageal cancer.

Background: Definitive radiochemotherapy (dRCT) in locally advanced esophageal cancer is associated with a high rate of loco-regional recurrence. In this condition, salvage esophagectomy may be considered as a therapeutic option. The aim of this analysis is to evaluate the feasibility and the morbi-mortality of this strategy.

Evaluation of the perceptions and cosmetic satisfaction of breast cancer patients undergoing totally implantable vascular access device (TIVAD) placement.

Purpose: Totally implantable vascular access devices (TIVADs) are widely used to administer chemotherapy to cancer patients. While great progress has been made with respect to breast surgical reconstruction to take into account both aesthetics and patients' perceptions of body integrity, these aspects have not been considered with regard to the impact of TIVAD. In order to address this practice gap, we have adapted our TIVAD implantation technique to improve cosmetic results.

Sentinel Lymph Node Detection by Blue Dye Versus Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Imaging in Colon Cancer.

Background/aim: Nodal staging is used in colorectal cancer (CRC) to determine which patients should receive adjuvant chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging (ICG-FI) in sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection compared to the standard technique.

Materials And Methods: Twenty patients with CRC admitted for elective colectomy were included (NCT01995591).

Radioembolisation and portal vein embolization before resection of large hepatocellular carcinoma.

Resectability of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic liver disease is dramatically limited by the need to preserve sufficient remnant liver in order to avoid postoperative liver insufficiency. Preoperative treatments aimed at downsizing the tumor and promoting hypertrophy of the future remnant liver may improve resectability and reduce operative morbidity. Here we report the case of a patient with a large hepatocellular carcinoma arising from chronic liver disease.

Surgical strategy in abnormally increased Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in an asymptomatic lower esophageal submucosal tumor - Report of a case.

Introduction: Leiomyoma is the most common benign tumor of the esophagus (67-80%), it represents 0.4-1% of all esophageal tumors.

Presentation Of Case: An incidentally discovered gastro-esophageal submucosal tumor was found to have increased fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake on positron emission computed tomography (PET/CT).