Neoadjuvant Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A National Cancer Database Analysis.

There is controversy regarding the role of neoadjuvant adjuvant chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer (PAC). Neoadjuvant therapy has been touted as a method to improve survival in PAC patients. This study's objective is to investigate predictors and potential benefits of neoadjuvant therapy in resectable PAC patients.

Learning preferences of surgery residents: a multi-institutional study.

Background: The VARK model categorizes learners by preferences for 4 modalities: visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic. Previous single-institution studies found that VARK preferences are associated with academic performance. This multi-institutional study was conducted to test the hypothesis that the VARK learning preferences of residents differ from the general population and that they are associated with performance on the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE).

Outcomes of complicated appendicitis: Is conservative management as smooth as it seems?

Background: This study characterized the failure rate of non-operative management (NOM) for complicated appendicitis (CA; perforation, abscess, phlegmon), and compared outcomes among patients undergoing acute appendectomy (AA), elective interval appendectomy (EIA), and unplanned appendectomy after failing to improve with NOM.

Methods: Adults treated at one facility between 2007 and 2014 were retrospectively studied.

Results: Ninety-five patients presented with CA.

Characterizing the Relationship Between Surgical Resident and Faculty Perceptions of Autonomy in the Operating Room.

Objective: Characterize the concordance among faculty and resident perceptions of surgical case complexity, resident technical performance, and autonomy in a diverse sample of general surgery procedures using case-specific evaluations.

Design: A prospective study was conducted in which a faculty surgeon and surgical resident independently completed a postoperative assessment examining case complexity, resident operative performance (Milestone assessment) and autonomy (Zwisch model). Pearson correlation coefficients (r) reaching statistical significance (p < 0.

External Validation of a Survival Nomogram for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Using the National Cancer Database.

Purpose: Survival nomograms offer individualized predictions using a more diverse set of factors than traditional staging measures, including the American Joint Committee on Cancer Tumor Node Metastasis (AJCC TNM) Staging System. A nomogram predicting overall survival (OS) for resected, non-metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been previously derived from Asian patients. The present study aims to determine the nomogram's predictive capability in the US using the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Maximizing Weight Loss After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass May Decrease Risk of Incident Organ Cancer.

Background: Recent studies have suggested that metabolic surgery reduces cancer risk. This study aims to determine if incident cancer is associated with the extent of weight loss after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).

Methods: Patients at a large tertiary bariatric surgery center were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients with no history of cancer at the time of RYGB.

Novel method of stump closure for distal pancreatectomy with a 75% reduction in pancreatic fistula rate.

Background: Pancreatic fistula is a significant problem for patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy with fistula rates up to 61%. Fistulas lead to substantial morbidity. The study objective was to compare radiofrequency dissector closure with traditional stump closure for distal pancreatectomy.