Chao-Yu Liu

Single-Incision Thoracoscopic Lobectomy and Segmentectomy With Radical Lymph Node Dissection

BACKGROUND Reports of single-incision thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy are rare. In this article, we present our experience with single-incision thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy and radical mediastinal lymph node dissection. METHODS Nineteen patients with early-stage malignancy or benign lung disease were treated with single-incision thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy at our institution between November 2010 and May 2012. The surgical approach began with a single incision at the fifth or sixth intercostal space at the anterior axillary line. A 10-mm video camera and working instruments were used at the same time in this incision site throughout the surgery. The perioperative variables and outcomes were collected and analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS For the 19 patients included in the final analysis, 14 lobectomies and 5 segmentectomies were performed successfully without need for conversion. Among the 19 patients who underwent single-port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), 15 cases of cancer and 4 cases of benign pulmonary disease were noted. The mean operative time was 156±46 minutes, and the median number of lymph nodes retrieved was 22.9±9.8. Average blood loss was 38.4±25.9 mL. There were no deaths 30 days after surgery, and 2 cases of atelectasis were observed. CONCLUSIONS Single-port VATS lobectomy and segmentectomy is safe and feasible for selected patients.

Single-incision versus multiple-incision thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy: a propensity-matched analysis.

OBJECTIVE To compare the perioperative outcomes of single-incision and multiple-incision thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy. BACKGROUND Reports of single-incision thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy for lung cancer are limited, and a comparison between single-incision and multiple-incision thoracoscopic lobectomy or segmentectomy for lung cancer has not been previously reported. METHODS From January 2005 to June 2013, a total of 233 patients with lung cancer underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy or segmentectomy via a single-incision or multiple-incision technique. A propensity-matched analysis, incorporating preoperative variables, was used to compare the short-term outcomes between single-incision and multiple-incision thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy. RESULTS Overall, 50 patients underwent single-incision thoracoscopic pulmonary resections, including 35 lobectomies and 15 segmentectomies, and 183 patients underwent multiple-incision thoracoscopic lobectomy or segmentectomy between January 2005 and December 2011. Propensity matching produced 46 patients in each group. The length of hospital stay and the complication rate were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Single-incision thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy were associated with shorter operative time (P = 0.029), more numbers of lymph nodes (P = 0.032), and less intraoperative blood loss (P = 0.017) than with the multiple-incision approach. No in-hospital mortality occurred in either group. CONCLUSIONS Single-incision thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy are feasible, and perioperative outcomes are comparable with those of the multiple-incision approach.

Multiinstitutional Analysis of Single-Port Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Anatomical Resection for Primary Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND Multiinstitutional analysis of single-port video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for anatomic pulmonary resection is rare. This study aimed to address the technical feasibility and applicability of single-port video-assisted anatomical resection for primary lung cancer. METHODS A total of 121 patients with primary lung cancer undergoing single-port video-assisted anatomical resection between 2011 and 2014 in 4 hospitals were included. The clinicopathologic variables and perioperative outcomes were collected and analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS Single-port VATS segmentectomies and lobectomies were performed in 24 (19.8%) and 97 (80.2%) patients, respectively. One hundred seven of 121 (88.4%) patients had adenocarcinoma and 93 of 121 (76.9%) had pathologic stage I lung cancer. The average operative time and estimated blood loss was 198.8 ± 65.4 minutes and 99.1 ± 147.6 mL, respectively. The conversion and complication rates were 2.5% (3 of 121 cases) and 14.0% (17 of 121 cases), respectively. There was no surgical mortality, and the average length of hospital stay was 6.6 ± 2.6 days. The mean resected lymph node was 22.6 ± 12.0. We also identified patient age of 60 years or more, male sex, and tumor size greater than 3 cm as unfavorable perioperative outcome predictors after single-port video-assisted anatomical pulmonary resection. CONCLUSIONS This first multiinstitutional single-port VATS study demonstrated that anatomical resection for primary lung cancer can be safely and effectively completed through a single-port VATS approach in hospitals experienced in VATS techniques.

Radical Lymph Node Dissection in Primary Esophagectomy for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND Subtotal esophagectomy with radical lymph node dissection (RLND) remains an effective therapeutic strategy for localized esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, controversy exists regarding the extent to which RLND should be performed. We reappraised the prognostic impact and accurate nodal staging of RLND in ESCC. METHODS The data from 101 ESCC patients (mean age, 57.5 years; 93 men) who underwent primary subtotal esophagectomy were retrospectively collected. Candidate variables, including the number of total dissected lymph nodes (TDLN [subgrouped into TDLN less than 13, TDLN 13 to 40, and TDLN more than 40]), were evaluated to determine their prognostic impacts and hazard ratio (HR). RESULTS Fewer TDLN (p < 0.001; HR 9.011, 2.449, and 1.000 for TDLN less than 13, TDLN 13 to 40, and TDLN more than 40, respectively), tumor length exceeding 3.5 cm (p < 0.001; HR 3.321), resection margin invasion (p < 0.001; HR 14.493), and positive nodal status (p = 0.002; HR 2.730) were independent predictors of a poor prognosis. Considering the 54 node-negative patients, more TDLN correlated with improved survival (p = 0.001). Risk analysis demonstrated that one fewer TDLN could contribute to an increased HR of 1.047 (p = 0.014). However, RLND involving more TDLN appeared to lose the prognostic impact for the 47 node-positive patients (p = 0.072). Furthermore, the number of positive dissected lymph nodes remained at approximately 4 if the number of TDLN exceeded 20. CONCLUSIONS For N-negative or N-positive ESCC patients undergoing primary surgical resection, the number of TDLN influenced their prognosis or nodal staging accuracy, respectively. At least 20 TDLN were necessary for N-positive patients.

The prognostic value of circumferential resection margin in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after concurrent chemoradiation therapy and surgery

Background: Despite the significant advances in surgical techniques and multimodality treatments for esophageal cancer, the overall survival remains unsatisfactory. During the past years, efforts were made to determine the prognostic factors that would help in identifying patients suitable for surgery or guiding adjuvant therapy. Positive circumferential resection margins (CRMs) in esophageal cancer have been previously linked with poor prognosis, but their impact on survival remains controversial in patients treated by a multimodality protocol. The aim of our study was to examine the significance of tumor involvement of CRM in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after concurrent chemoradiation therapy followed by esophagectomy. Methods: Between 2000 and 2010, 94 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients who received preoperative concurrent chemoradiation therapy followed by surgery were enrolled in our study. We focused on the CRM, which was defined microscopically as clear (negative) or involved (positive). Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed with overall survival as the endpoint. Results: Our cohort was predominantly male (94.7%) with a median age of 57 years. All of them received concurrent chemoradiation therapy followed by esophagectomy. Overall, 17 patients (18.1%) had positive CRM. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis demonstrated that the 5‐year overall survival of patients with clear and involved CRM is 60.1% and 11.8%, respectively (log rank p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazard model demonstrated that CRM involvement is a significant prognostic factor for overall survival (p < 0.001). Conclusion: In patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent trimodality treatment, CRM involvement is a significant risk factor predicting survival. Additional effort is required to achieve a clear CRM in esophageal cancer treatment.

Impact of hospital volume on long-term survival after resection for oesophageal cancer: a population-based study in Taiwan

OBJECTIVES Previous studies have shown that patients who undergo oesophageal cancer surgery in high-volume hospitals have lower postoperative mortality rates. However, the impact of hospital volume on long-term survival is controversial. METHODS We identified 2151 patients who were diagnosed with oesophageal cancer between 2008 and 2011 from a national population-based cancer registry in Taiwan. High-volume hospitals were defined as those performing more than 86 oesophagectomies during that period (22 cases/year). Patients were stratified by whether they received preoperative chemoradiation. Cox regression analyses were used to determine the survival impact of hospital volume. RESULTS The 3-year overall survival rates after oesophagectomies were 44.9% in high-volume hospitals, compared with 40.2% in low-volume hospitals (P = 0.002). For patients who received preoperative chemoradiation (n = 850), the 1- and 3-year overall survival rates were 74.7 and 36.8%, respectively, in high-volume hospitals, compared with 73.5 and 42.6%, respectively, in low-volume hospitals (P = 0.333). For patients who did not receive preoperative chemoradiation (n = 1301), the 1- and 3-year overall survival rates were 78.1 and 50.0%, respectively, in high-volume hospitals, compared with 67.9 and 38.8%, respectively, in low-volume hospitals (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that hospital volume, resection margin, cT, pT and pN stages are significant independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS Overall survival rate of patients who undergo oesophagectomies without preoperative chemoradiation at high-volume hospitals is significantly higher than at low-volume hospitals. However, there was no significant correlation between hospital volume and long-term outcome in patients who received preoperative chemoradiation.

Prognostic factors in resected pathological N1-stage II nonsmall cell lung cancer

Stage II nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been redefined in the seventh edition of tumour, node, metastasis (TNM) classification for lung cancer. Stages IIa and IIb both contain node-negative (N0) and node-positive (N1) subgroups. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic factors for overall survival in patients with resected N1-stage II NSCLC. Between January 1992 and December 2010, we retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathological characteristics of 163 N1-stage II (T1a-T2bN1M0) NSCLC in patients undergoing curative resection as primary treatment. Median follow-up time was 37.2 months. The 1-, 3- and 5-yr overall survival rates were 85.3%, 62.1% and 43.5%, respectively. Tumour involvement of the hilar/interlobar nodal zone and poorly differentiated histological grade were significant predictors for worse overall survival using multivariate analysis (p = 0.001 and p = 0.015, respectively). There were trends toward worse overall survival in older patients and those with larger tumour size (p = 0.063 and p = 0.075, respectively). In resected N1-stage II NSCLC, hilar/interlobar nodal involvement and poorly differentiated histological grade were significant predictors of worse overall survival. The differences in survival between these subgroups of patients may lead to the use of different adjuvant therapies or post-surgical follow-up strategies.

The prognostic value of metastatic lymph node number and ratio in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients with or without neoadjuvant chemoradiation

OBJECTIVES We aim to evaluate the prognostic value of metastatic lymph node number (MLN) and ratio (MLR) in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients with or without neoadjuvant chemoradiation. METHODS Two thousand one hundred and fifty-one OSCC patients receiving oesophagectomy with (n = 850) or without (n = 1301) neoadjuvant chemoradiation were included. The MLN was categorized into 0 (N0), 1-2 (N1), 3-6 (N2) and more than 7 (N3); the MLR was categorized into 0, 0-0.2 and >0.2. The prognostic value was evaluated with survival analysis using the Cox proportional hazards regression model and the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS In patients without neoadjuvant chemoradiation, the 3-year overall survival rates were 54.8, 34.4, 21.8 and 6.5% with MLN = 0, 1-2, 3-6 and more than 7, respectively (P < 0.001). The 3-year overall survival rates were 54.7, 31.2 and 14.2% with MLR = 0, 0-0.2 and more than 0.2, respectively (P < 0.001). In patients with neoadjuvant chemoradiation, the 3-year overall survival rates were 49.0, 28.4, 12.5 and 0.0% with MLN = 0, 1-2, 3-6 and more than 7, respectively (P < 0.001). However, the survival curves of MLN = 3-6 and MLN ≥7 overlapped on the Kaplan-Meier plots. In contrast, MLR demonstrated good ability to show the survival differences on the Kaplan-Meier plots. The 3-year overall survival rates were 48.9, 27.3 and 0.0% with MLR = 0, 0-0.2 and more than 0.2, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Both MLN and MLR were significant prognostic factors in OSCC patients regardless of neoadjuvant chemoradiation. But in patients with neoadjuvant chemoradiation, the survival rates were similar between ypN2 and ypN3 patients, suggesting that there was no necessity of separating patients into ypN2 and ypN3 stages.

Prognostic role of initial pan-endoscopic tumor length at diagnosis in operable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma undergoing esophagectomy with or without neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy

Background The objective of this study was to appraise the prognostic role of initial pan-endoscopic tumor length at diagnosis within or between operable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) undergoing upfront esophagectomy or neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (nCCRT) followed by esophagectomy. Methods Between Jan 2001 and Dec 2013 in Koo-Foundation Sun Yat-sen Cancer Center in Taiwan, 101 ESCC patients who underwent upfront esophagectomy (surgery group) and 128 nCCRT followed by esophagectomy (nCCRT-surgery group) were retrospectively collected. Prognostic variables, including initial pan-endoscopic tumor length at diagnosis (sub-grouped ≤3, 3-5 and >5 cm), status of circumferential resection margin (CRM), and pathological T/N/M-status and cancer stage, were appraised within or between surgery and nCCRT-surgery groups. Results Within surgery group, longer initial pan-endoscopic tumor length at diagnosis (≤3, 3-5 and >5 cm; HR =1.000, 1.688 and 4.165; P=0.007) was an independent prognostic factor that correlated with advanced T/N/M-status, late cancer stage, and CRM invasion (alls P<0.001). Based on the initial pan-endoscopic tumor length at diagnosis ≤3, 3-5 and >5 cm, nCCRT-surgery group had a poorer (P=0.039), similar (P=0.447) and better (P<0.001) survivals than did surgery group, respectively. For those with initial pan-endoscopic tumor length at diagnosis >5 cm, nCCRT-surgery group had more percentage of T0/N0-status and stage 0 (alls P<0.05), and fewer rate of CRM invasion (P=0.036) than did surgery group. Conclusions Initial pan-endoscopic tumor length at diagnosis could be a criterion to select proper ESCC cases for nCCRT followed by esophagectomy to improve survival and reduce CRM invasion.

Cost-Effectiveness of Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

IntroductionThe cost-effectiveness of minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) versus open esophagectomy (OE) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been established. Recent cost studies have shown that MIE is associated with a higher surgical expense, which is not consistently offset by savings through expedited post-operative recovery, therefore suggesting a questionable benefit of MIE over OE from an economic point of view. In the current study, we compared the cost-effectiveness of MIE versus OE for ESCC.Materials and methodsBetween April 2000 and December 2013, a total of 251 consecutive patients undergoing MIE or OE for ESCC were enrolled. After propensity score (PS)-matching the MIE group with the OE group for clinical characteristics, 95 patients from each group were enrolled to compare the peri-operative outcomes, long-term survival, and cost.ResultsAfter PS-matching, the baseline characteristics were not significantly different between groups. Perioperative outcomes were similar in both groups. MIE was superior to OE with respect to a shorter intensive care unit (ICU) stay, while the complication rate (except for hoarseness) and survival were similar. Post-operative cost was significantly less in the MIE group due to a shorter ICU stay; however, reduced post-operative cost failed to offset the higher surgical expense of MIE.ConclusionsMIE for ESCC failed to show cost-effectiveness regarding overall expense in our study, but costs less in the postoperative care, especially for ICU care. More cost studies on MIE in other health care systems are warranted to verify the cost-effectiveness of MIE.