Arianna Barbetta

Esophageal liposarcoma: Well-differentiated rhabdomyomatous type.

Rhabdomyomatous well-differentiated esophageal liposarcomas are extremely rare. As of August 2016, only one other such case has been reported in the English-language medical literature. Liposarcomas in general are one of the most common soft tissue neoplasms in adults, but the incidence of primary esophageal liposarcomas is exceptionally low. There have been only 42 reported cases of primary liposarcoma of the esophagus worldwide thus far. These malignancies are harbored within giant fibrovascular polyps, which slowly grow within the esophageal lumen causing obstructing symptoms. We hereby present the case of a 68-year-old male patient who came in with a 2-mo history of worsening intermittent dysphagia, persistent cough, and postprandial retrosternal pain. After an esophagogastroduodenoscopy, a computed tomographic scan, and a diagnostic endoscopy, complete endoscopic resection was performed of the 13 cm × 6 cm × 2.6 cm fibrovascular polyp. A literature review was done and results are presented herein.

Definitive chemoradiotherapy versus neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery for stage II to III esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective: Definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) remains the most commonly used treatment for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), because of perceptions that esophagectomy offers an unclear survival advantage. We compare recurrence, overall survival (OS), and disease‐free survival (DFS) in patients treated with definitive CRT or neoadjuvant CRT followed by surgery (trimodality). Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with stage II and III SCC of the middle and distal esophagus in patients who completed CRT. Treatment groups were matched (1:1) on covariates using a propensity score‐matching approach. The effect of trimodality treatment, compared with definitive CRT, on OS, DFS, and site‐specific recurrence was evaluated as a time‐dependent variable and analyzed using Cox regression with a gamma frailty term for matched units. Results: We included 232 patients treated between 2000 and 2016: 124 (53%) with definitive CRT and 108 (47%) with trimodality. Trimodality was used less frequently over time (61% before 2009 and 29% after 2009; P < .0001). After matching, each group contained 56 patients. Median OS and DFS were 3.1 and 1.8 years for trimodality versus 2.3 and 1.0 years for CRT. Surgery was independently associated with improved OS (hazard ratio, 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.34–0.97; P = .039) and DFS (hazard ratio, 0.51; 95% confidence interval, 0.32–0.83; P = .007). Conclusions: CRT followed by surgery might decrease local recurrence and increase DFS and OS in patients with esophageal SCC. Until better tools to select patients with pathological complete response are available, surgery should remain an integral component of the treatment of locally advanced esophageal SCC.

Esophagectomy for benign disease

Esophagectomy for benign disease is uncommonly used but it is an important option to consider in those patients who have lost function of this organ. Esophageal resection is, in fact considered as a last resort for benign disease, after multiple failed conservative treatments, when the primary disease is not amenable to other treatments and the esophagus has become non-functional leading to very poor quality of life. The indications for esophagectomy for benign diseases can be divided into three major categories: obstruction, perforation and dysmotility. The process leading to organ failure and the need for resection for each specific disease will be discussed in an attempt to provide guidance as to when an esophagectomy is appropriate.

Surgical Approaches to Remove the Esophagus: Minimally Invasive

Abstract Even if technically demanding and requiring a significant learning curve, the feasibility and safety of minimally invasive esophagectomy have been proven. Moreover, several benefits have been reported with minimally invasive surgery over the open approach, such as postoperative pain reduction, faster recovery, and decrease of cardiopulmonary complications, blood loss, and length of stay. The short and long-term oncologic outcomes after minimally invasive esophagectomy are similar to those observed with open approaches. Minimally invasive esophagectomy is a valid alternative approach to open esophagectomy for both esophageal benign disease and cancer.

Quality of Endoscopy Reports for Esophageal Cancer Patients: Where Do We Stand?

Backgrounds and AimsAs treatment for esophageal cancer often involves a multidisciplinary approach, the initial endoscopic report is essential for communication between providers. Several guidelines have been established to standardize endoscopic reporting. This study evaluates the compliance of esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) reporting with the current national guidelines.MethodsCombining the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and Society of Thoracic Surgeons guidelines, 11 quality indicators (QIs) for EGD and 8 for EUS were identified. We evaluated initial EGD and EUS reports from our institution (Memorial Sloan Kettering [MSK]) and outside hospitals (OSHs) and calculated individual and overall quality measure scores. Scores between locations were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and McNemar’s test for paired data.ResultsIn total, 115 initial EGD reports and 105 EUS reports were reviewed for patients who underwent surgery for esophageal cancer between 2014 and 2016. The median number of QIs reported for the initial EGD was 4 (IQR, 3–6)—only 34% of reports qualified as “good quality” (those with ≥ 6 QIs). None of the reports included all QIs. For patients who underwent EGD at both MSK and an OSH, 32% of reports from OSHs were good quality, compared with 68% from MSK (p < 0.001). Compliance with QIs was better for EUS reports: 71% of OSH reports and 72% of MSK reports were good quality.ConclusionsDetailed information on the initial endoscopic assessment is essential in today’s age of multidisciplinary care. Identification and adoption of QIs for endoscopic reporting is warranted to ensure the provision of appropriate treatment.

Laparoscopic retrosternal gastric pull-up for fistulized mediastinal mass

We describe the case of a patient successfully reconstructed with laparoscopic retrosternal gastric pull-up after esophagectomy for unresectable posterior mediastinal inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, eroding into the esophagus and compressing the airways. A partial esophagectomy with esophagostomy was performed for treatment of esophageal pleural fistula and empyema, while the airways were managed with the placement of an endobronchial stent. Gastrointestinal reconstruction was performed using a laparoscopic approach to create a retrosternal tunnel for gastric conduit pull-up and cervical anastomosis. The patient was discharged uneventfully after 6 d, and has done very well at home with normal diet.