Fabio Carboni

Fixed Dose-Rate Gemcitabine Infusion as First-Line Treatment for Advanced-Stage Carcinoma of the Pancreas and Biliary Tree

Gemcitabine infusion at the fixed dose rate of 10 mg/m2 per minute (FDR‐gemcitabine) has pharmacokinetic advantages and may result in improved therapeutic efficacy.

Laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer: preliminary experience

BackgroundLaparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer (GC) was introduced in the past decade because it was considered less invasive than open surgery, resulting in less postoperative pain, faster recovery, and improved quality of life. Several studies have demonstrated the safety and feasibility of this procedure. We analyzed our preliminary experience with this procedure.MethodsFrom November 2003 to December 2004, 20 patients affected by gastric adenocarcinoma were operated on with a totally laparoscopic or laparoscopic-assisted approach. This series included 10 women and 10 men, aged from 34 to 75 years. Procedures consisted of eight total gastrectomies, three subtotal Billroth I and seven Billroth II gastrectomies, one proximal gastrectomy, and one wedge resection. According to the TNM classification, we observed five patients at stage Ia, four at stage Ib, three at stage II, one at stage IIIa, two at stage IIIb, and five at stage IV.ResultsIn all patients the procedures were completed without any conversion. Operative time ranged from 150 to 300 min. The number of dissected lymph nodes ranged from 23 to 47. No mortality was observed. Overall morbidity rate was 10% (two cases), with one enteric fistula and one esophagojejunal anastomotic leakage associated with pancreatitis. Excluding these two patients, postoperative stay was between 12 and 20 days.ConclusionsEven though accompanied by a difficult learning curve, safety and feasibility are widely demonstrated, but a skilled and experienced surgeon is required. Accurate selection of patients is mandatory and curative resection is achievable in cases where GC is not advanced.

Retrograde jejunogastric intussusception : is endoscopic or surgical management more appropriate?

Jejunogastric intussusception (JGI) is a rare complication which can develop after partial gastrectomy, gastroenteroanastomosis or enteroanastomosis. Although its management is usually surgical, an endoscopic reduction can alternatively be attempted. We present herein a case of acute JGI in which failure of endoscopic reduction required surgical resection and reconstruction. This is followed by a discussion based on the current available literature.

Results of a pancreatectomy with a limited venous resection for pancreatic cancer

PurposeThe indications for a pancreatectomy with a partial resection of the portal or superior mesenteric vein for pancreatic cancer, when the vein is involved by the tumor, remain controversial. It can be assumed that when such involvement is not extensive, resection of the tumor and the involved venous segment, followed by venous reconstruction will extend the potential benefits of this resection to a larger number of patients. The further hypothesis of this study is that whenever involvement of the vein by the tumor does not exceed 2 cm in length, this involvement is more likely due to the location of the tumor being close to the vein rather than because of its aggressive biological behavior. Consequently, in these instances a pancreatectomy with a resection of the involved segment of portal or superior mesenteric vein for pancreatic cancer is indicated, as it will yield results that are superposable to those of a pancreatectomy for cancer without vascular involvement.MethodsTwenty-nine patients with carcinoma of the pancreas involving the portal or superior mesenteric vein over a length of 2 cm or less underwent a macroscopically curative resection of the pancreas en bloc with the involved segment of the vein. The venous reconstruction procedures included a tangential resection/lateral suture in 15 cases, a resection/end-to-end anastomosis in 11, and a resection/patch closure in 3.ResultsPostoperative mortality was 3.4%; morbidity was 21%. Local recurrence was 14%. Cumulative (standard error) survival rate was 17% (9%) at 3 years.ConclusionA pancreatectomy combined with a resection of the portal or superior mesenteric vein for cancer with venous involvement not exceeding 2 cm is indicated in order to extend the potential benefits of a curative resection.

Laparoscopic resection of sporadic synchronous gastric and jejunal gastrointestinal stromal tumors: report of a case.

Multicentricity of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) has been described only in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) or within the small intestine, and different pathogenetic mechanisms are involved. We report a case of synchronous sporadic gastric and jejunal GISTs, which were resected laparoscopically in a 67-year-old man. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that both lesions were KIT (CD117)-positive, but that the gastric lesion was CD34-positive, whereas the jejunal one was Vimentin-, S-100-, and SMA-positive. Molecular analysis of mutations in KIT exons 9, 11, 13, and 17, and in PDGFRA exons 12 and 18 revealed the presence of a gastric sporadic GIST with a KIT mutation of the exon 11 and a jejunal sporadic GIST without KIT or PDGFRA mutations. To our knowledge, this is the first report of laparoscopically resected synchronous sporadic gastric and jejunal GISTs.

Esophagojejunal anastomosis leakage after total gastrectomy for esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma: options of treatment

BACKGROUND Esophagojejunal anastomosis leakage after total gastrectomy (TG) for esophagogastric junction (EGJ) adenocarcinoma (ADC) constitutes one of the most serious and sometimes life-threatening complications. Management remains controversial and still challenging. METHODS A total of 198 patients operated for type I and II EGJ ADC were reviewed. Diagnosis of leakage was based on a combination of clinical and radiological findings. It was classified including objective endoscopic and clinical parameters requiring different type of treatment. RESULTS Anastomotic leakage was diagnosed in 14 patients (7%). Two cases recovered with conservative therapy. Six cases underwent endoscopy with clips placement in 2 and partially covered self-expandable metal stent placement in 4. Other two cases underwent reoperation with reconstruction of anastomosis and primary repair respectively. In the last four cases emergency surgery with total esophagectomy and diversion was required. Mortality occurred only in 3 of these patients and overall treatment was successful in 11 patients (78.5%). CONCLUSIONS No consensus has been reached on the best method of esophagojejunal anastomosis leakage management and the rate of failure remains significant. Different options of treatment are available but early detection and multidisciplinary approaches are the keys to obtain successful results irrespective of the employed strategy.

Mixed adenoneuroendocrine gastric carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature.

We present a rare case of a gastric mixed adenoneuroendocrine tumor and review the related English literature. A 77-year-old Caucasian woman was admitted to our department with nausea, anorexia, weight loss, and anemia. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a large (>7 cm) ulcerative mass in the greater curvature of the stomach. Biopsy showed the presence of an adenocarcinoma with moderate differentiation. The patient underwent D2 subtotal gastrectomy. Histopathological analysis revealed a diagnosis of mixed gastric adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma. The post-operative course was uneventful, and at the 6-month follow-up, the patient was alive without evidence of recurrence. Our review of the English literature suggested that such cases are most often reported from eastern countries. Multimodal treatment should be the aim for these patients because of the neuroendocrine component of the tumor.

Gastric sarcomatoid carcinoma.

Sarcomatoid carcinoma is an uncommon biphasic malignant tumor of the stomach. The histogenesis remains unknown, and a definitive diagnosis is obtained with immunohistochemical staining. Since prognosis is poor after surgery, more effective diagnostic tools are needed in order to select the optimal therapeutic approach. We report the case of an old female patient presenting with an endophytic tumor in the gastric fundus who underwent partial resection of the stomach. Histology revealed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma component mixed with sarcomatoid component. Immunohistochemically, the carcinoma components exhibited a positive reaction to pan-cytokeratin, whereas fusiform cells showed positive reactions to vimentin.

Mesothelial cyst of the round ligament of the liver

A 34-year-old man was admitted in our department with a 3 months history of epigastric pain, abdominal distension and tenderness. Helical computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging showed a 10 cm low-density fluid-filled polilobate cystic lesion with internal septations and calcifications located between the left lobe of the liver, shorter gastric curvature, pancreas and mesocolon. Laparoscopic exploration was performed. Macroscopically the lesion was a unilocular serous cyst with a thick fibrous wall. Histopathology revealed a thin fibrous wall with a single layer of flattened to cuboidal mesothelial cell lining lacking any cellular atypia. The patient is currently alive without evidence of recurrence at 6 months. Cysts of mesothelial origin are rare lesions seen more frequently in young and middle-aged women, mostly benign and located in the mesenteries or omentum. Diagnosis is usually based on clinical examination and radiographic imaging. Immunohistochemistry is used to differentiate histologic type, with simple mesothelial cysts being positive for cytokeratins and calretinin and negative for CD31. The laparoscopic approach appears safe, feasible and less-invasive without compromising surgical principles and today should be considered the gold standard in most cases.

Hemangiopericytoma of the spleen

INTRODUCTION Hemangiopericytoma of the spleen is a very rare tumor, with 14 isolated reports. It was our aim to review our experience and compare it with all the reported cases in an attempt to standardize surgical treatment, adjuvant treatment and follow-up protocol of this infrequent condition. METHODS A consecutive case series study, with a mean follow-up of 44 months. Five patients (mean age, 49 years) underwent simple splenectomy for hemangiopericytoma limited to the spleen followed by adriamycin-based chemotherapy in one patient. RESULTS All the patients are alive and free from disease. CONCLUSIONS For tumors confined to the spleen, simple splenectomy can be considered curative, without any need for further adjuvant treatment. On review of the medical literature, cure can still be achieved with complete resection of recurrences, when feasible, with adjuvant chemotherapy being also indicated. The slow-growing pattern of the tumor suggests a 10-year follow-up.