Phase II study of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced gastric cancer.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves survival of locally advanced gastric cancer patients. However, benefit is limited and the best regimen remains controversial.

Objectives: Our primary objective of this prospective, multicenter phase 2 study was to evaluate the pathological complete response rate (PCR) with 2 cycles of docetaxel and capecitabine.

Role of staging laparoscopy in gastric malignancies - our institutional experience.

Aim: To investigate the value of staging laparoscopy with laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS) and peritoneal lavage cytology in patients with newly-diagnosed gastric tumours in our department.

Methods: Retrospective review of prospectively-collected data was conducted in all patients with newly-diagnosed gastric tumours on oesophagogastroduodenoscopy between December 2003 and July 2008. All the patients had a pre-treatment histological diagnosis and were discussed at the hospital multidisciplinary tumour board meeting for their definitive management.

Early outcome following emergency gastrectomy.

Introduction: Emergency gastrectomy has been shown to be associated with poor morbidity and mortality rates. The aims of this study were to review the outcomes of emergency gastrectomy in our institution and to determine any factors that were associated with worse perioperative outcomes.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent emergency gastrectomy for various indications from October 2003 to April 2009 was performed.

Emergency surgery for perforated gastric malignancy: An institution's experience and review of the literature.

Objectives: The aim was to evaluate the outcome of patients who underwent surgery for perforated gastric malignancies.

Methods: A review of all patients who underwent surgery for perforated gastric malignancy was performed.

Results: Twelve patients (nine gastric adenocarcinoma and three B-cell lymphoma) formed the study group.

Upregulation of plasma C9 protein in gastric cancer patients.

Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Current biomarkers used in the clinic do not have sufficient sensitivity for gastric cancer detection. To discover new and better biomarkers, protein profiling on plasma samples from 25 normal, 15 early-stage and 21 late-stage cancer was performed using an iTRAQ-LC-MS/MS approach.

ITIH3 is a potential biomarker for early detection of gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer has one of the highest morbidities and mortalities worldwide. Early detection is key measure to improve the outcome of gastric cancer patients. In our efforts to identify potential markers for gastric cancer detection, we coupled xenotransplantation mouse model with a plasma proteomic approach.

Reduced plasma APOA1 level is associated with gastric tumor growth in MKN45 mouse xenograft model.

There is no suitable diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for gastric cancer. The biggest hurdles in biomarker discovery are (i) the low abundance of cancer cell-specific proteins that limits their detection and (ii) complex inter-patient variations that complicate the discovery process. To circumvent these issues, we conducted proteomics on the plasma of gastric cancer mouse xenograft and attempted to identify proteins released by cancer cells.

Novel approach to laparoscopic resection of tumours of the distal pancreas.

Background: Laparoscopic resection for small lesions of the pancreas has recently gained popularity. We report our initial experience with a new approach to laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy so that the maximum amount of normal pancreas can be preserved while ensuring adequate resection margins and preservation of the spleen and splenic vessels.

Methods: Three patients underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with spleen and splenic vessel preservation over a 2-month period.

Lap-band causing left gastric artery erosion presenting with torrential hemorrhage.

A 61-year-old lady presented 2 years after lap-band surgery with hemetemesis. She was stable on admission and band erosion was diagnosed on gastroscopy. Laparotomy was performed to remove the lap band.