The gentamicin-collagen implant and the risk of distant metastases of rectal cancer following short-course radiotherapy and curative resection: the long-term outcomes of a randomized study.

Purpose: A previous randomized study conducted by our group showed that application of gentamicin-collagen implant (GCI) into the pelvic cavity after total mesorectal excision (TME) reduced the incidence of distant metastases. Therefore, we decided to conduct a confirmatory study.

Methods: Patients with rectal cancer were included in the study if they met the following criteria: adenocarcinoma of the rectum, preoperative short-term radiotherapy (5 × 5 Gy), and WHO performance score 0-1.

Conventional cytology vs. immunocytochemistry of intraoperative peritoneal washes in gastric cancer patients subjected to gastrectomy: clinical correlates and association with overall survival.

Background: The aim of this study was to verify if positive results yielded with conventional cytology and immunocytochemical analysis of peritoneal washes correlate with established prognostic factors and overall survival (OS) in gastric cancer patients.

Methods: The study included the data of 271 gastrectomized patients. Peritoneal washes of 131 (48.

Preservation of duodenal passage as a determinant of short- and long-term quality of life in gastric cancer patients after total gastrectomy.

Background: The aim of this prospective study was to compare subjective and objective quality of life (QoL) of gastric cancer patients after total gastrectomy with and without preservation of the duodenal passage during short- and long-term follow-up.

Methods: The study included 68 patients, among them 37 (54%) persons subjected to total gastrectomy with Roux-Y reconstruction (R-Y group) and 31 (46%) individuals in whom gastrectomy was followed by formation of Henley-Longmire loop (H-L group). Subjective and objective QoL was determined 1 and 10 years postsurgery.

Phase I/II Study of Refametinib (BAY 86-9766) in Combination with Gemcitabine in Advanced Pancreatic cancer.

Background: Activating KRAS mutations are reported in up to 90% of pancreatic cancers. Refametinib potently inhibits MEK1/2, part of the MAPK signaling pathway. This phase I/II study evaluated the safety and efficacy of refametinib plus gemcitabine in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Aortoesophageal fistula--rare complication after esophagogastrectomy, due to cancer.

The paper contains a description of the case--63 year old patient with surgery due locally advanced cancer of the gastric cardia. In 28 postoperative day symptoms of GI bleeding occurred. Despite the endoscopic attempts undertaken to stop bleeding, the patient died in the course of hemorrhagic shock.