Paolo Sammartino

Cytoreductive surgery (peritonectomy procedures) combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in the treatment of diffuse peritoneal carcinomatosis from ovarian cancer

Because of scarce data from larger series and nonhomogeneous selection criteria, further information is needed on peritonectomy with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in managing patients with ovarian peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Prevention of Peritoneal Metastases from Colon Cancer in High-Risk Patients: Preliminary Results of Surgery plus Prophylactic HIPEC

The study compared the outcome in patients with advanced colonic cancer at high risk of peritoneal metastases (mucinous or signet-ring cell) without peritoneal or systemic spread, treated with standard colectomy or a more aggressive combined surgical approach. The study included patients with colonic cancer with clinical T3/T4, any N, M0, and mucinous or signet ring cell histology. The 25 patients in the experimental group underwent hemicolectomy, omentectomy, bilateral adnexectomy, hepatic round ligament resection, and appendectomy, followed by HIPEC. The control group comprised 50 patients treated with standard surgical resection during the same period in the same hospital by different surgical teams. Outcome data, morbidity, peritoneal recurrence rate, and overall, and disease-free survival, were compared. Peritoneal recurrence developed in 4% of patients in the experimental group and 22% of controls without increasing morbidity (P < 0.05). Actuarial overall survival curves disclosed no significant differences, whereas actuarial disease-free survival curves showed a significant difference between groups (36.8 versus 21.9 months, P < 0.01). A more aggressive preventive surgical approach combined with HIPEC reduces the incidence of peritoneal recurrence in patients with advanced mucinous colonic cancer and also significantly increases disease-free survival compared with a homogeneous control group treated with a standard surgical approach without increasing morbidity.

Surveillance of colorectal cancer

PURPOSE: The authors evaluate the effectiveness of routine colonoscopy and marker evaluation in diagnosis of intraluminal recurrent cancer. METHODS: Chart review was conducted on 481 patients who underwent curative resection for colorectal cancer between 1980 and 1990. Clinical visits were scheduled and carcinoembryonic antigen evaluation was performed every three months, and colonoscopy was performed preoperatively, 12 to 15 months after surgical treatment, and then with intervals of 12 to 24 months or when symptoms appeared. RESULTS: About 10 percent of patients developed intraluminal recurrences. More than one-half of metachronous lesions arose within the first 24 months, and median time to diagnosis was 25 months. Patients with left-sited tumors in the advanced stage had a higher risk of developing recurrent intraluminal disease. Twenty-nine patients underwent a second surgical operation, of which 17 cases were radical. In this group, the five-year survival was 70.6 percent, although no nonradically treated or nonresected patients survived longer than 31 months. Twenty-two patients were asymptomatic at time of diagnosis of recurrence, and of these, 12 patients underwent radical operation; on the other hand, of the 24 symptomatic patients, only 5 were treated radically. Carcinoembryonic antigen was the first sign of recurrence in eight cases. Colonoscopy must be performed within the first 12 to 15 months after operation, whereas an interval of 24 months between examinations seems sufficient to guarantee early detection of metachronous lesions. CONCLUSION: Serial tumor marker evaluation is of help in earlier diagnosis of local recurrences. Asymptomatic patients more frequently undergo another operation for cure and thus have a better survival rate.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis: imaging with 64-MDCT and 3T MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging

Peritoneal carcinomatosis is usually associated with a poor overall survival rate. Recently, introduction of more aggressive surgical treatment and intraperitoneal chemotherapy appears to significantly increase the overall survival rate for these patients. A detailed preoperative assessment of peritoneal carcinomatosis could be very challenging in the field of imaging, but a new aggressive surgical approach requires an accurate preoperative assessment of the disease. Cross-sectional imaging using CT and MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences is important for appropriate management of patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis. Appreciation of the spectrum of diagnostic patterns and pitfalls as well as different sites of involvement of peritoneal carcinomatosis using CT and DWI is crucial for appropriate surgical treatment.

Role of CEA, TPA, and Ca 19-9 in the early detection of localized and diffuse recurrent rectal cancer

Sixty-six consecutive patients who underwent curative resection for rectal cancer were studied prospectively to evaluate the roles of sequential carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), and carcinomatous antigen 19-9 (Ca 19-9) determinations in the early diagnosis of resectable recurrences. Thirty-three recurrences were detected between 6 and 42 months. CEA, TPA, and Ca 19-9 showed a sensitivity of 72.7 percent, 78.8 percent, and 60.1 percent, respectively, and a specificity of 60.6 percent, 60.6 percent, and 87.9 percent, respectively. In 23 cases the rise in the value of CEA and/or TPA and/or Ca 19-9 was the first sign of recurrences, and the diagnosis was established later by clinical methods. In this group, the lead time was two months for liver metastases and four months for disseminated metastases. As far as the relationship between localization of recurrence and marker level increase is concerned, of 16 hepatic metastases CEA, TPA, and Ca 19-9 showed a sensitivity of 94 percent (P<0.05), 69 percent, and 62 percent, respectively. Of six patients with local recurrences, CEA, TPA, and Ca 19-9 showed a sensitivity of 50 percent, 100 percent (P<0.05), and 83.3 percent, respectively. Of three patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, CEA, TPA (P<0.05), and Ca 19-9 showed a sensitivity of 0 percent, 100 percent, and 0 percent, respectively. No significant differences were reported among the three markers according to multiple metastases and metachronous polyps. Fourteen patients (42.4 percent) underwent surgical treatment for recurrent disease, and eight of them (57 percent) showed a resectable disease, for a total resectability rate of 24.2 percent. The findings of our study indicate that a followup program based on CEA, TPA, and Ca 19-9 assays is related to an early diagnosis and a good resectability rate for both local and metastatic recurrences from rectal cancer.

Lung cancer and skeletal muscle metastases

Skeletal muscle metastases from lung cancer are rare, and the optimal treatment strategy is unknown. Three cases of skeletal muscle metastases from lung cancer are described. In 2 patients surgical biopsy of muscle swelling disclosed the presence of the lung tumor; the first patient underwent lung resection to remove the primary lesion, the second was not operable because of the metastatic extension of the disease. In the third patient muscle metastasis was observed and excised after lung resection. Adenocarcinoma, squamous cell, and small cell carcinoma were the histologic types diagnosed. Various regimens of radiotherapy and chemotherapy were adopted. Survival times were 3, 6, and 30 months.

Gastrointestinal Emergencies in Patients with Acute Intestinal Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Acute intestinal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) develops in about 30-50% of allogeneic bone-marrow transplant recipients: 10-20% have gastrointestinal emergencies (hemorrhage or perforation). Mortality reaches 30-60% in patients with acute, grade 2-4 GVHD. We studied 36 bone marrow recipients in whom acute intestinal GVHD developed. Seven had gastrointestinal emergencies: 4 severe gastrointestinal bleeding and 3 acute peritonitis. Three patients with gastrointestinal bleeding and one patient with peritonitis responded to medical therapy. Three needed surgery: one with bleeding and two with peritonitis, while 1 patient had embolization. Of the 7, two patients died, one after embolization and one after surgery. Two of the three surgically-treated cases are still alive several years after operation. From this experience we feel that surgery for gastrointestinal bleeding in acute GVHD is indicated only when medical treatment fails. Severe neutropenia, thrombocytopenia (<10.000 x mm3) and blood cultures positive for CMV have an unfavorable prognostic value.

Host defense and survival in patients with lung carcinoma

Numerous studies have investigated locoregional immune responses and long term survival in patients with various types of cancer; few have focused on patients with lung carcinoma. The current study was designed to assess the prognostic value of immunomorphologic changes in locoregional lymph nodes and lymphocytic infiltration of primary tumor (LI) in patients who undergo resection for bronchogenic carcinoma.

Breast cancer during pregnancy: a retrospective study on obstetrical problems and survival.

OBJECTIVES Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers occurring in pregnancy. Data on survival of these patients and their obstetrical complications are still limited. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a case-control, retrospective study to evaluate the overall survival (OS) of 22 patients with breast cancer in pregnancy (BCP) and 45 non-pregnant women with breast cancer (BC) matched for age, stage and hormonal status. RESULTS Survival of BCP and BC patients using Kaplan-Meier analysis was similar (86.4% in cases and 80% in controls p=0.392) and BCP patients had survival consistent with the stage of the disease, providing that the treatment had been in agreement with the recommended protocols. The overall incidence of premature delivery was 54.6% and complications were observed in three newborns out of 23 (13%). CONCLUSIONS Preterm labor induction without any obstetrical indication following womans request to continue chemotherapy outside pregnancy can be reduced by explaining the risks of early delivery and the lack of effects of many chemotherapeutic regimens on the fetus.

Prevention of peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer: a critical issue.

To the Editor: I n the article by Elias et al,1 the authors update the results of their study previously published in the same journal in March 2008 investigating the impact of systematic second-look surgery in patients operated on for colorectal cancer, who despite being asymptomatic and having no signs of recurrence on imaging studies, according to disease staging at the primary intervention, are at risk for the development of peritoneal carcinomatosis.2 The investigators propose second-look surgery about 1 year after the primary intervention and a course of chemotherapy after 6 months. Compared with their previous study, Elias et al have partially altered their study design and now propose second-look surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for all patients no matter whether second-look surgery disclosed carcinomatosis. The rationale underlying Elias et al’s proposal is reasonable, given the scarcity of symptoms and inadequate current diagnostic procedures. The results of treating peritoneal carcinomatosis of colorectal origin, as Elias et al3 themselves documented in a French multicenter study, correlate directly with the extent of peritoneal spread; the earlier the patient is treated, the better is prognosis. These advantages notwithstanding, Elias et al’s study gives rise to concern and poses inescapable questions. The first concern is the inclusion criteria and patient categories selected for study. For example, the study groups seem poorly homogeneous, especially between patients treated for perforated colorectal malignancies and the other 2 groups comprising patients who already had minimal peritoneal carcinomatosis or ovarian metastases (albeit completely resected)