Publications by authors named "Soonawalla Zahir"

Background: Ampullary adenocarcinoma (AAC) typically presents at an early stage due to biliary obstruction and therefore might be specifically suitable for minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy (MIPD). However, studies assessing MIPD specifically for AAC, including the robotic and laparoscopic approach, are limited. The aim of this study is to compare short- and long-term oncological resection and perioperative outcomes of robotic (RPD), laparoscopic (LPD) and open pancreatoduodenectomy (OPD) performed specifically for AAC.

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Objective: To compare minimally invasive and open pancreatoduodenectomy in different subtypes of ampullary adenocarcinoma.

Summary Background Data: Ampullary adenocarcinoma (AAC) is widely seen as the best indication for minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy (MIPD) due to the lack of vascular involvement and dilated bile and pancreatic duct. However, it is unknown whether outcomes of MIPD for AAC differ between the pancreatobiliary (AAC-PB) and intestinal (AAC-IT) subtypes as large studies are lacking.

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Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common form of pancreatic cancer, a disease with dismal overall survival. Advances in treatment are hindered by a lack of preclinical models. Here, we show how a personalized organotypic "avatar" created from resected tissue allows spatial and temporal reporting on a complete in situ tumor microenvironment and mirrors clinical responses.

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Aims: To evaluate the safety profile of robotic cholecystectomy performed within the United Kingdom (UK) Robotic Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) training programme.

Methods: A retrospective evaluation of prospectively collected data from eleven centres participating in the UK Robotic HPB training programme was conducted. All adult patients undergoing robotic cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallstone disease or gallbladder polyp were considered.

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Background: Cancer arising in the periampullary region can be anatomically classified in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), distal cholangiocarcinoma (dCCA), duodenal adenocarcinoma (DAC), and ampullary carcinoma. Based on histopathology, ampullary carcinoma is currently subdivided in intestinal (AmpIT), pancreatobiliary (AmpPB), and mixed subtypes. Despite close anatomical resemblance, it is unclear how ampullary subtypes relate to the remaining periampullary cancers in tumor characteristics and behavior.

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Background: Despite differences in tumour behaviour and characteristics between duodenal adenocarcinoma (DAC), the intestinal (AmpIT) and pancreatobiliary (AmpPB) subtype of ampullary adenocarcinoma and distal cholangiocarcinoma (dCCA), the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) on these cancers, as well as the optimal ACT regimen, has not been comprehensively assessed. This study aims to assess the influence of tailored ACT on DAC, dCCA, AmpIT, and AmpPB.

Patients And Methods: Patients after pancreatoduodenectomy for non-pancreatic periampullary adenocarcinoma were identified and collected from 36 tertiary centres between 2010 - 2021.

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The lethality, chemoresistance and metastatic characteristics of cancers are associated with phenotypically plastic cancer stem cells (CSCs). How the non-cell autonomous signalling pathways and cell-autonomous transcriptional machinery orchestrate the stem cell-like characteristics of CSCs is still poorly understood. Here we use a quantitative proteomic approach for identifying secreted proteins of CSCs in pancreatic cancer.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to compare the outcomes of laparoscopic and open major liver resection (hemihepatectomy) primarily for cancer patients, focusing on functional recovery time and other health-related factors.
  • In a multicenter trial, 332 patients underwent surgery, with laparoscopic surgeries resulting in faster functional recovery (4 days vs. 5 days) and higher quality of life scores compared to open surgeries.
  • The laparoscopic approach also led to a shorter time to start adjuvant systemic therapy for cancer patients, without negatively affecting resection margin status or overall cancer outcomes.
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Background: Standard lymphadenectomy for pancreatoduodenectomy is defined for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and adopted for patients with non-pancreatic periampullary cancer (NPPC), ampullary adenocarcinoma (AAC), distal cholangiocarcinoma (dCCA), or duodenal adenocarcinoma (DAC). This study aimed to compare the patterns of lymph node metastases among the different NPPCs in a large series and in a systematic review to guide the discussion on surgical lymphadenectomy and pathology assessment.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients after pancreatoduodenectomy for NPPC with at least one lymph node metastasis (2010-2021) from 24 centers in nine countries.

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This international multicenter cohort study included 30 centers. Patients with duodenal adenocarcinoma (DAC), intestinal-type (AmpIT) and pancreatobiliary-type (AmpPB) ampullary adenocarcinoma, distal cholangiocarcinoma (dCCA), and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) were included. The primary outcome was 30-day or in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes were major morbidity (Clavien-Dindo 3b≥), clinically relevant post-operative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF), and length of hospital stay (LOS).

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Pancreatic cancer (PC), one of the most aggressive and life-threatening human malignancies, is known for its resistance to cytotoxic therapies. This is increasingly ascribed to the subpopulation of undifferentiated cells, known as pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs), which display greater evolutionary fitness than other tumor cells to evade the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. PCSCs are crucial for tumor relapse as they possess 'stem cell-like' features that are characterized by self-renewal and differentiation.

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Background: The telemedicine clinic for follow up after minor surgical procedures in general surgery is now ubiquitously considered a standard of care. However, this method of consultation is not the mainstay for preoperative assessment and counselling of patients for common surgical procedures such as laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of assessing and counselling patients in the telemedicine clinic without a physical encounter for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

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Introduction: Major hepatopancreatobiliary surgery is associated with a risk of major blood loss. The authors aimed to assess whether autologous transfusion of blood salvaged intraoperatively reduces the requirement for postoperative allogenic transfusion in this patient cohort.

Materials And Methods: In this single centre study, information from a prospective database of 501 patients undergoing major hepatopancreatobiliary resection (2015-2022) was analysed.

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Importance: Understanding the learning curve of a new complex surgical technique helps to reduce potential patient harm. Current series on the learning curve of minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy (MIDP) are mostly small, single-center series, thus providing limited data.

Objective: To evaluate the length of pooled learning curves of MIDP in experienced centers.

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Background: Robot-assisted distal pancreatectomy (RDP) is increasingly used as an alternative to laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer but comparative multicenter studies confirming the safety and efficacy of RDP are lacking.

Methods: An international, multicenter, retrospective, cohort study, including consecutive patients undergoing RDP and LDP for resectable pancreatic cancer in 33 experienced centers from 11 countries (2010-2019). The primary outcome was R0-resection.

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Background: Patients with borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma have relatively low resection rates and poor survival despite the use of adjuvant chemotherapy. The aim of our study was to establish the feasibility and efficacy of three different types of short-course neoadjuvant therapy compared with immediate surgery.

Methods: ESPAC5 (formerly known as ESPAC-5f) was a multicentre, open label, randomised controlled trial done in 16 pancreatic centres in two countries (UK and Germany).

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Article Synopsis
  • This study aims to establish benchmark values for minimally invasive spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (both laparoscopic and robotic) due to a lack of previous data for quality comparison.
  • Researchers analyzed data from a multicenter database spanning 2006-2019, evaluating 951 laparoscopic and 279 robotic surgeries, and calculated benchmarks for 10 outcomes using two methods: Achievable Benchmark of Care (ABC) and best-patient-in-best-centre.
  • Results showed significant differences in benchmarks for both methods, with ABC indicating lower operation times, blood loss, and complication rates compared to the milder cut-offs presented by the best-patient-in-best-centre methodology.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study focused on evaluating the best achievable outcomes in minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy (MIDPS) using the Achievable Benchmark of Care (ABC™) method.
  • A retrospective analysis was conducted involving 1,595 patients across 31 European centers from 2003 to 2019, assessing key clinical outcomes such as conversion rates and morbidity.
  • Key findings revealed low benchmarks for conversion (2.5%) and severe morbidity (8.4%), with risk factors identified for both severe complications and conversion during surgery, suggesting these benchmarks can guide future improvements in patient care standards.
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Background: The optimal surgical management of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 is controversial. This study sought to compare clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1-associated and sporadic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors from a large multi-national database.

Methods: A multi-institutional, international database of patients with surgically resected pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors was analyzed.

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Article Synopsis
  • Surgical resection is currently the only curative option for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC), but some patients experience early recurrence even after chemotherapy, highlighting the need for better risk assessment at diagnosis.
  • Research utilizing the Cancer Genome Atlas has shown a distinct link between early recurrence and specific immune signaling pathway downregulation, with NUDT15 identified as a key biomarker for predicting which patients are at higher risk.
  • NUDT15 was validated in a separate patient group, showing significant expression differences between those with and without early recurrence, suggesting it could aid in modifying treatment strategies for patients with PDAC.
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Background: A shift towards parenchymal-sparing liver resections in open and laparoscopic surgery emerged in the last few years. Laparoscopic liver resection is technically feasible and safe, and consensus guidelines acknowledge the laparoscopic approach in the posterosuperior segments. Lesions situated in these segments are considered the most challenging for the laparoscopic approach.

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Multimodal, genome-wide characterization of epigenetic and genetic information in circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) could enable more sensitive early cancer detection, but it is technologically challenging. Recently, we developed TET-assisted pyridine borane sequencing (TAPS), which is a mild, bisulfite-free method for base-resolution direct DNA methylation sequencing. Here, we optimized TAPS for cfDNA (cfTAPS) to provide high-quality and high-depth whole-genome cell-free methylomes.

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Background: Recently, the first randomized trials comparing minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy (MIDP) with open distal pancreatectomy (ODP) for non-malignant and malignant disease showed a 2-day reduction in time to functional recovery after MIDP. However, for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), concerns have been raised regarding the oncologic safety (i.e.

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Background: Gram-negative bloodstream infection (GNBSI) is a threat to public health in terms of mortality and antibiotic resistance. The hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) cohort accounts for 15%-20% of GNBSI, yet few strategies have been explored to reduce HPB GNBSI.

Aim: To identify clinical factors contributing to HPB GNBSI and strategies for its prevention.

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Conventional static culture fails to replicate the physiological conditions that exist in vivo. Recent advances in biomedical engineering have resulted in the creation of novel dynamic culturing systems that permit the recapitulation of normal physiological processes ex vivo. Whilst the physiological benefit for its use in the culture of two-dimensional cellular monolayer has been validated, its role in the context of primary human tissue culture has yet to be determined.

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