Yoon Ju Jung

Safety of intracorporeal circular stapling esophagojejunostomy using trans-orally inserted anvil (OrVil™) following laparoscopic total or proximal gastrectomy - comparison with extracorporeal anastomosis

BackgroundThere have been several attempts to develop a unique and easier way to perform esophagojejunostomy during laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy or laparoscopy-assisted proximal gastrectomy. The OrVil™ system (Covidien, Mansfield, MA, USA) is one of those methods, but its technical and oncologic feasibility have not been proven and need to be observed.MethodsAmong 87 patients who underwent laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG; 79 cases) and laparoscopy-assisted proximal gastrectomy with double tract anastomosis (LAPG_DT; 8 cases) from April 2004, 47 patients underwent the conventional extracorporeal method (Group I; 2004–2008) were compared with 40 patients treated with the intracorporeal OrVil™ system (Group II; 2009–2012).ResultsThere was no significant difference in clinicopathologic characteristics between the two groups except tumor location; more cardia lesions were involved in group II (p = 0.012). The mean time for esophagojejunostomy (E-J), defined as the time from anvil insertion to closure of the jejunal entry site has no significant difference (Group I vs II: 22.2 ± 3.2 min vs 18.6 ± 3.5 min, p = 0.623). In terms of anastomotic complication, there was no significant difference in E-J leakage and stricture. E-J leakage occurred in 2 out of 47 (4.3%) cases in group I and 2 out of 40 (5%) in group II (p = 0.628); half of them were treated conservatively in each group and the others underwent reoperation. E-J stricture occurred in 2 (4.3%) cases in group I and 1 (2.5%) in group II (p = 0.561), which required postoperative gastrofiberscopic balloon dilatation.ConclusionsEsophagojejunostomy using the OrVil™ system was a feasible and safe technique compared with the conventional extracorporeal method through mini-laparotomy in terms of anastomotic complications. Moreover, it can help to reduce surgeon’s stress regarding esophagojejunostomy because it needs no purse-string procedure and serves a secure operation view laparoscopically.

Venous Thromboembolism Incidence and Prophylaxis Use After Gastrectomy Among Korean Patients With Gastric Adenocarcinoma: The PROTECTOR Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance The guidelines by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the American Society for Clinical Oncology recommend the routine use of thromboprophylaxis for patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. However, many physicians in Asian countries use venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis much less often because of the perceived lower VTE incidence in this population. Objectives To evaluate the incidence of postgastrectomy VTE in Korean patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, and to identify the complications and evaluate the efficacy and safety of VTE prevention methods. Design, Setting, and Participants The Optimal Prophylactic Method for Venous Thromboembolism After Gastrectomy in Korean Patients (PROTECTOR) randomized clinical trial was conducted between August 1, 2011, and March 31, 2015. Patients with histologically confirmed gastric adenocarcinoma presenting to a single center (Seoul St Mary’s Hospital in Seoul, South Korea) were enrolled. Patients were randomized to either an intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC)–only group or an IPC+low-molecular-weight (LMW) heparin sodium group. The data were analyzed on intention-to-treat and per protocol bases. Data analysis was performed from April 1, 2016, to October 30, 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures Venous thromboembolism incidence was the primary outcome. Postoperative complications, particularly those associated with VTE prophylaxis methods, were the secondary end point. Results Of the 682 patients enrolled and randomized, 447 (65.5%) were male and 245 (34.5%) were female, with a mean (SD) age of 57.67 (12.94) years. Among the 666 patients included in the analysis, the overall incidence of VTE was 2.1%. The incidence of VTE was statistically significantly higher in the IPC-only group compared with the IPC+LMW heparin group (3.6%; 95% CI, 2.05%-6.14% vs 0.6%; 95% CI, 0.17%-2.18%; P = .008). Among the 14 patients (2.1%) with VTE, 13 were asymptomatic and received a deep vein thrombosis diagnosis, whereas 1 patient received a symptomatic pulmonary thromboembolism diagnosis. The overall incidence of bleeding complications was 5.1%. The incidence of bleeding complications was significantly higher in the IPC+LMW heparin group compared with the IPC-only group (9.1% vs 1.2%; P < .001). No cases of VTE–associated mortality were noted. Conclusions and Relevance Use of IPC alone is inferior to the use of IPC+LMW heparin in preventing postoperative VTE. Because LMW heparin is associated with a high bleeding risk, further study is needed to stratify the patients at high risk for perioperative development of VTE. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01448746

Radical Gastrectomy After Chemotherapy May Prolong Survival in Stage IV Gastric Cancer: A Korean Multi-institutional Analysis

AbastractBackground Despite the development of newer treatments, the prognosis for patients with stage IV gastric cancer remains grave. This study evaluated the efficacy of gastrectomy following response to chemotherapy in patients with stage IV gastric cancer.MethodsA total of 419 patients who were diagnosed with stage IV gastric cancer were identified from the multi-institutional Catholic Gastric Cancer Study Group database. The patients were divided into four groups: 212 were in the chemotherapy only (CTx) group, 124 were in the chemotherapy after palliative gastrectomy (G-CTx) group, 23 were in the radical gastrectomy after chemotherapy (CTx-G) group, and 60 were in the best supportive care group. To compensate for the effects of chemotherapy, cases of chemotherapy responsive were analyzed separately. To identify factors affecting survival rates, cure rates for surgery in the surgery group were analyzed.ResultsThe 3-year survival rate of the CTx-G group was significantly higher than that of the CTx group (42.8 vs. 12.0%, p = 0.001). Moreover, the CTx-G group’s 3-year survival rate was greater than that of the G-CTx group (42.8 vs. 37.1%, p = 0.207). Chemotherapy-responsive patients in the CTx-G group had a better 3-year survival rate than those in the G-CTx group (46.1 vs. 18.4%, respectively, p = 0.011). In the surgery group, R0 resection led to a significantly better 3-year survival rate than palliative gastrectomy (61.1 vs. 16.2%, p = 0.003).ConclusionsAdjuvant surgery might improve the survival rate of patients with stage IV gastric cancer, particularly in R0 resection cases.

Long-Term Nutritional Outcomes of Near-Total Gastrectomy in Gastric Cancer Treatment: a Comparison with Total Gastrectomy Using Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Purpose This study sought to examine whether near total gastrectomy (nTG) confers a long-term nutritional benefit when compared with total gastrectomy (TG) for the treatment of gastric cancer. Materials and Methods Patients who underwent nTG or TG for gastric cancer were included (n=570). Using the 1:2 matched propensity score, 25 patients from the nTG group and 50 patients from the TG group were compared retrospectively for oncologic outcomes, including long-term survival and nutritional status. Results The length of the proximal resection margin, number of retrieved lymph nodes and tumor nodes, metastasis stage, short-term postoperative outcomes, and long-term survival were not significantly different between the groups. The body mass index values, and serum total protein and hemoglobin levels of the patients decreased significantly until postoperative 6 months, and then recovered slightly over time (P<0.05); however, there was no difference in the levels between the groups. The prognostic nutritional index values and serum albumin levels decreased significantly until postoperative 6 months and then recovered (P<0.05); the levels decreased more in the nTG group than in the TG group (P<0.05). The mean corpuscular volumes and serum transferrin levels increased significantly until postoperative 1 year and then recovered slightly over time (P<0.05); however, there was no difference between the groups. Serum vitamin B12, iron, and ferritin levels of the patients did not change significantly over time, and no difference existed between the groups. Conclusions A small remnant stomach after nTG conferred no significant nutritional benefits over TG.

IgG4-related Disease in the Stomach which Was Confused with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST): Two Case Reports and Review of the Literature

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is an immune-mediated fibro-inflammatory disorder characterized by specific pathological findings and elevated serum IgG4 level. IgG4-RD in the stomach is rare, and occasionally diagnosed as gastric subepithelial tumor (SET) by endoscopy or computed tomography scan. Two female patients in the age group of 40–50 years were diagnosed with 4 cm sized gastric SET. One underwent laparoscopic gastric wedge resection. Another one had a history of subtotal gastrectomy for early gastric cancer and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura with oral steroids administration. She underwent a completion total gastrectomy with splenectomy for the gastric SET and ITP. The pathology showed storiform fibrosis, and IgG4 was positive in immunohistochemistry (IHC) stain. IgG4-RD is known as a medical disease that could be treated with oral steroids. The difficulty in preoperative diagnosis of the disease occasionally causes unnecessary gastric resection. Thus, preoperative diagnostic methods for IgG4-RD such as deep biopsy with IHC stain or magnetic resonance imaging are needed.

Borrmann Type 1 Cancer is Associated with a High Recurrence Rate in Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes of Borrmann type 1 gastric cancer and evaluate its clinical significance in advanced gastric cancer compared with Borrmann types 2 and 3 cancer.MethodsBetween January 1989 and December 2013, 1949 patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent curative gastrectomy at our institution were enrolled in the study.ResultsOf the 1949 patients, 59 (3%) exhibited Borrmann type 1 cancer, characterized by a large size, rare serosal invasion, lower lymph node involvement, location in the upper third of the stomach, intestinal type, and differentiated histology. The recurrence rate was higher for Borrmann type 1 than for Borrmann types 2 and 3 cancer. In addition, more than half of the Borrmann type 1 recurrences showed a hematogenous pattern. However, overall survival did not differ significantly among the three cancer types. In the multivariate analysis, Borrmann type 1 cancer, with tumor depth, node metastasis, and vascular invasion, was an independent risk factor associated with recurrence. Particularly, Borrmann type 1 cancer showed a worse prognosis in both overall survival and recurrence-free survival than the other Borrmann types in the upper third of the stomach.ConclusionsBorrmann type 1 gastric cancer is associated with a higher recurrence rate than Borrmann types 2 and 3, but not with a difference in the overall survival rate.

Necessity of D2 lymph node dissection in older patients ≥ 80 years with gastric cancer

OBJECTIVES This study analyzed the effect of D2 lymph node (LN) dissection on complications and survival in older patients with gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 103 octogenarian patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer were divided into two groups (D2 and D1) according to the extent of LN dissection and analyzed retrospectively for complications and survival. RESULTS No differences were observed in short-term postoperative outcomes, including complication rates, between the two groups. In a survival analysis, D2 LN dissection did not improve overall survival (OS) in any patient, including advanced cases. A Cox regression analysis revealed that the independent risk factors for OS were history of coronary artery disease (hazard ratio [HR], 11.095), postoperative short-term complications (HR, 9.939), and TNM stage (HR, 6.299). The extent of LN dissection was not an independent risk factor for OS, and D2 or more LN dissection (odds ratio, 10.89) increased the risk independently. CONCLUSIONS D2 or more LN dissection did not improve survival, but rather increased the risk of complications. Thus, LN dissection should be performed sparingly in octogenarian patients with gastric cancer.