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Background: A significant proportion of patients with rectal cancer will present with synchronous metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Overall survival (OS) for these patients are highly variable and previous attempts to build predictive models often have low predictive power, with concordance indexes (c-index) less than 0.70., Methods: Using the National Cancer Database (2010-2014), we identified patients with synchronous metastatic rectal cancer. The data was split into a training dataset (diagnosis years 2010-2012), which was used to build the machine learning model, and a testing dataset (diagnosis years 2013-2014), which was used to externally validate the model. A nomogram predicting 3-year OS was created using Cox proportional hazard regression with lasso penalization. Predictors were selected based on clinical significance and availability in NCDB. Performance of the machine learning model was assessed by c-index., Results: A total of 4098 and 3107 patients were used to construct and validate the nomogram, respectively. Internally validated c-indexes at 1, 2, and 3 years were 0.816 (95% CI 0.813-0.818), 0.789 (95% CI 0.786-0.790), and 0.778 (95% CI 0.775-0.780), respectively. External validated c-indexes at 1, 2, and 3 years were 0.811, 0.779, and 0.778, respectively., Conclusions: There is wide variability in the OS for patients with metastatic rectal cancer, making accurate predictions difficult. However, using machine learning techniques, more accurate models can be built. This will aid patients and clinicians in setting expectations and making clinical decisions in this group of challenging patients.

Background: At a recently concluded Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Annual Meeting, a Clinical Practice Guidelines Conference Series was convened with the topic focusing on Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Prophylaxis in Liver Surgery. The symposium brought together hepatobiliary surgeons from three continents as well as medical experts in hematology and coagulation., Methods: The content of the discussion included literature reviews, evaluation of multi-institutional VTE outcome data, and examination of practice patterns at multiple high-volume centers., Results: Literature review demonstrated that, within gastrointestinal surgery, liver resection patients are at particularly high-risk for VTE. Recent evidence clearly indicates a direct relationship between the magnitude of hepatectomy and postoperative VTE rates, however, the PT/INR does not accurately reflect the coagulation status of the post-hepatectomy patient. Evaluation of available data and practice patterns regarding the utilization and timing of anticoagulant VTE prophylaxis led to recommendations regarding preoperative and postoperative thromboprophylaxis for liver surgery patients., Conclusions: This conference was effective in consolidating our knowledge of coagulation abnormalities after liver resection. Based on the expert review of the available data and practice patterns, a number of recommendations were developed.

Background: Concomitant placement of feeding jejunostomy tubes (FJT) during pancreaticoduodenectomy is common, yet there are limited data regarding catheter-specific morbidity and associated outcomes. This information is crucial to appropriately select patients for feeding tube placement and to optimize perioperative nutrition strategies., Methods: A review of all patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy with FJT placement was completed. Patients were grouped by the occurrence of FJT-related morbidity. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of FJT morbidity; these complications were then further defined. Finally, associated postoperative outcomes were compared between groups., Results: In total, 126 patients were included, of which 18 (14 %) had complications directly related to their FJT, including pericatheter infection (n = 6), pneumatosis intestinalis (n = 4), severe tube feed intolerance (n = 3), and primary catheter malfunction (n = 7). Following adjustment with logistic regression, preoperative hypoalbuminemia was identified as the only independent predictor of FJT complications (OR 2.23, p = 0.035). Patients with FJT complications were more likely to be initiated on total parenteral nutrition (TPN; 55.6 vs. 7.4 %, p -0.035) and to require TPN at discharge (16.7 vs. 0%, p = 0.003). Correspondingly, these patients resumed an oral diet later (14 vs. 8 days, p = 0.06). Both reoperation (50.0 vs. 6.5%, p < 0.001) and readmission (50.0 vs. 22.4%, p = 0.041) rates were higher among patients with FJT complications., Conclusions: FJT-related morbidity is common among patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy and is associated with inferior outcomes and other performance metrics. Preoperative malnutrition appears to predict FJT complications, creating an ongoing dilemma regarding FJT placement. In the future, it will be important to better define criteria for FJT placement during pancreaticoduodenectomy.

The association between tumor size and survival in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) undergoing surgical resection is controversial. We sought to define the incidence of major and microscopic vascular invasion relative to ICC tumor size, and identify predictors of microscopic vascular invasion in patients with ICC ≥5 cm. A total of 443 patients undergoing surgical resection for ICC between 1973 and 2011 at one of 11 participating institutions were identified. Clinical and pathologic data were evaluated using uni- and multivariate analyses. As tumor sized increased, the incidence of microscopic vascular invasion increased: <3 cm, 3.6 %; 3-5 cm, 24.7 %; 5-7 cm, 38.3 %; 7-15 cm, 32.9 %, ≥15 cm, 55.6 %; (p < 0.001). Increasing tumor size was also found to be associated with worsening tumor grade. The incidence of poorly differentiated tumors increased with increasing ICC tumor size: <3 cm, 9.7 %; 3-5 cm, 19.8 %; 5-7 cm, 24.2 %; 7-15 cm, 21.1 %; >15 cm, 31.6 % (p = 0.04). The presence of perineural invasion (odds ratio [OR] = 2.98) and regional lymph node metastasis (OR = 4.43) were independently associated with an increased risk of microscopic vascular invasion in tumors ≥5 cm (both p < 0.05). Risk of microscopic vascular invasion and worse tumor grade increased with tumor size. Large tumors likely harbor worse pathologic features; this information should be considered when determining therapy and prognosis of patients with large ICC.

Introduction: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is often considered a contraindication to hepatectomy despite a lack of data to support this practice. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of CAD on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing hepatectomy., Material and Methods: A total of 1,206 consecutive patients undergoing hepatectomy from August 1995 to June 2009 were included. Propensity matching was performed to identify differences in morbidity and mortality between patients with and without CAD. Subgroup analyses were performed to stratify patients based on the severity of CAD and the interval between coronary intervention and hepatectomy., Results: Of all patients, 138 (11.4%) had a diagnosis of CAD and were more likely to have a malignant diagnosis and other comorbid conditions including renal insufficiency, COPD, and diabetes. Matched patients with CAD had no significant differences in complication rates, with 2.2 and 5.8% of CAD patients experiencing a postoperative myocardial infarction or arrhythmia, respectively. Propensity matching failed to identify differences in mortality or morbidity. Subgroup analysis revealed similar rates of mortality and complications regardless of the severity of CAD or the time interval between coronary intervention and hepatectomy., Conclusion: Despite the increased prevalence of major medical comorbidities, selected patients with CAD can safely undergo hepatectomy with acceptable rates of postoperative morbidity and mortality.

Objectives: We tested three hypotheses: (1) blacks with pancreatic cancer are recommended surgical resection less often than whites; (2) when recommended surgical resection, blacks refuse surgery more often than whites; and lastly, (3) racial differences in refusal of surgical resection have decreased over time., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with potentially resectable, nonmetastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry from 1988 to 2009. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess whether differences in the proportion of whites versus blacks refusing surgery among patients recommended for resection changed over time., Results: A total of 35,944 patients were included; most were white (87.6 %). After adjusting for covariates including tumor stage, pancreatic cancer resection was less often recommended to and performed in blacks compared with whites (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.88, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.82-0.95; aOR 0.83, 95 % CI 0.76-0.91, respectively). Blacks also underwent surgical resection less often when surgery was recommended (aOR 0.73, 95 % CI 0.64-0.85). Racial disparities in surgery recommendation and its performance did not decrease from 1988 to 2009. In multivariable adjusted analyses, blacks refused surgery more often when it was recommended (aOR in 1988 4.75, 95 % CI 2.51-9.01); this disparity decreased over time (aOR 0.93 per year, 95 % CI 0.89-0.97)., Conclusions: Although racial disparities in pancreatic cancer surgery refusal have diminished over the past two decades, significant disparities in the recommendation and performance of surgery persist. It is likely that both provider- and patient-level factors have a substantial impact on surgery recommendation and its acceptance. The identification of such factors is critical to design a framework for eliminating disparities in cancer-directed surgery for pancreatic cancer.

Introduction: The optimal timing of primary and metastatic tumor management in patients with synchronous hepatic colorectal metastases remains controversial. We aimed to compare perioperative outcomes of simultaneous colorectal/liver resection (SCLR) with isolated resections utilizing a national clinical database., Methods: NSQIP data from 2005 to 2009 were examined to construct risk-adjusted generalized linear models and to calculate group-specific predicted estimates. These were used to compare 30-day perioperative outcomes among patients undergoing SCLR with colorectal (CR) and liver resections (LR) only in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer., Results: A total of 3,983 patients were identified, who underwent SCLR (192), LR (1,857), or CR (1,934). Rectal resection was performed in 45 (23.4 %) SCLR patients and 269 (13.9 %) CR patients (p < 0.001). Major hepatectomy was performed in 69 (35.9 %) SCLR patients and 774 (41.7 %) LR patients (p = 0.12). Median adjusted operation time (SCLR: 273 min, 95 % CI: 253-295; CR: 172, CI: 168-177; LR: 222, CI: 217-228; p < 0.001) and median adjusted length of hospital stay (SCLR: 9.5 days, CI: 8.8-10.4; CR: 8.1, CI: 7.9-8.3; LR: 6.4, CI: 6.3-6.6; p < 0.001) were longer for SCLR compared to CR and LR. Adjusted predicted risks for at least one postoperative complication were higher in SCLR (36.3 %) than in CR (26.6 %) and LR (19.8 %) (p < 0.003), mostly due to infectious/cardiopulmonary issues., Discussion: In SCLR patients, the risk of 30-day adverse outcomes is higher, and median operation time as well as length of hospital stay is longer compared to CR and LR patients. However, the expected combined morbidities of staged procedures though likely favor SCLR in carefully selected patients undergoing even complex hepatic and colorectal resections and should be considered.

Objective: The routine use of venous thromboembolism (VTE) chemoprophylaxis after hepatic surgery remains controversial due to the relatively low incidence of this complication and the significant risk of perioperative bleeding. The objective of our analysis was to identify perioperative predictors of postoperative VTE in patients undergoing resection., Methods: All patients from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Participant User File from 2005 to 2009 who underwent hepatic resection were included for analysis. Forward stepwise multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine perioperative variables that are significantly associated with VTE after hepatic surgery., Results: The overall incidence of VTE after hepatic resection was 2.9 %. Significant predictors of VTE after hepatic resection included preoperative mechanical ventilation, male gender, operative time > 3 h, age ≥ 70 years, intraoperative transfusion, and extended hepatectomy. Several non-VTE postoperative complications were also associated with subsequent VTE, including prolonged mechanical ventilation, need for early reoperation, and postoperative bleeding., Conclusions: Many perioperative factors, including extended hepatectomy as well as several postoperative non-VTE complications, are associated with an increased risk of VTE after hepatic resection. Knowledge of these factors may assist surgeons in deciding which patients merit more aggressive prophylaxis against this complication.

Introduction: For colorectal cancer patients with liver metastases involving the hepatic dome or invading the diaphragm, a concomitant diaphragm resection is often required to achieve negative surgical margins. The purpose of this study is to determine whether diaphragm resection during partial hepatectomy for metastatic colorectal cancer influences short-term perioperative outcomes and overall survival., Methods: Demographics, treatments, and outcomes of 442 patients who underwent hepatic resection for metastatic colorectal cancer from 1996 to 2010 at a high-volume center were reviewed. Recurrence and survival were measured from the date of metastectomy. Actuarial curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using log-ranks testing. Multivariate predictors of worse survival were compared using a Cox-proportional hazards model., Results: A total of 442 patients underwent hepatectomy for metastatic colorectal cancer. Of these, 34 required simultaneous diaphragm resection (DR) and 408 did not (LR). No significant differences existed in patient demographics or comorbidities. The DR group had longer median operative times (336 vs. 267 min, p = 0.0008) but had comparable rates of perioperative morbidity and mortality. Median overall survival was shorter in the DR group compared to the LR group (18.8 vs. 36 months, p = 0.0017). When controlling for potential cofounders, liver metastases size > 5 cm (HR 1.45 95 % CI (1.08-1.99), p = 0.015) and diaphragm resection (HR = 1.72 95 % CI (1.03-2.86), p = 0.038) predicted worse survival., Conclusions: Simultaneous diaphragm resection during partial hepatectomy does not significantly influence perioperative morbidity or mortality despite longer operative times. However, patients who require diaphragm resection have less favorable survival rates as compared to those who do not.

Background: Although standard of care after most abdominal surgeries, post-operative pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis after major hepatectomy is commonly withheld due to bleeding risks. The objective of this retrospective study is to evaluate the benefits and risks of post-operative pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis after major hepatectomy at two high volume academic centers., Methods: Demographics, clinicopathologic data, treatments, and post-operative outcomes from patients who underwent major hepatectomy were reviewed., Results: From 2005 to 2010, 419 patients underwent major hepatectomy; 275 (65.6%) were treated with pharmacologicthromboprophylaxis beginning a median of 1 day after resection. Post-operative symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) occurred in 15 (3.6%) patients. Patients treated with pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis had lower rates of symptomatic VTE (2.2% vs. 6.3%, p = 0.03) and post-operative red blood cell (RBC) transfusion (16.7% vs. 26.4%, p = 0.02) with similar rates of overall RBC transfusion (35.0% vs. 30.6%, p = 0.36) compared to untreated patients. Specifically, isolated deep venous thrombosis (0% vs. 2.1%, p = 0.04) and pulmonary embolism (2.2% vs. 4.2%, p = 0.35) occurred less often in treated patients. Analysis of demographics, clinicopathologic data, and treatment factors revealed that pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis was the only variable associated with post-operative VTE., Conclusions: Post-operative pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis lowers the incidence of symptomatic VTE after major hepatectomy without increasing the rate of RBC transfusion.

Introduction: The lack of accurate markers makes preoperative differentiation between pancreatic cancer and non-malignant head lesions clinically challenging. In this study, we investigated the incidence of benign disease in patients that underwent resection for presumed pancreatic cancer diagnosed by EUS and EUS-guided FNA., Methods: Medical records of consecutive patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy at Duke University were reviewed. Demographics, clinicopathologic characteristics, preoperative imaging, EUS, EUS-guided FNA, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed., Results: Seven percent of the total 494 patients studied were found to have benign disease on postoperative pathology. Fifty-nine percent of these patients with benign disease underwent preoperative EUS. EUS was positive for a head mass in 70%, demonstrated enlarged lymph nodes in 27%, and showed signs concerning for vascular invasion in 13%. FNA was suspicious or indeterminate for cancer in 63% of patients. Postoperative complications occurred in 47% and one patient died after surgery. The overall pancreatic leak rate was 15%., Conclusions: Even with aggressive use of preoperative evaluation, there is still a small subset of patients where malignancy cannot be excluded without pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Introduction: Proposed criteria for resection of pancreatic cystic lesions have included symptoms, size (>3 cm), and suspicious features by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). The objective of this study was to evaluate risk factors for malignancy in a large series of patients undergoing resection of suspected pancreatic cystic neoplasms., Methods: Medical records of patients selected for resection of pancreatic cystic lesions at Duke University Medical Center from 2000 to 2008 were reviewed. Lesions with solid components on cross-sectional imaging were excluded. Malignancy was defined as invasive or in situ carcinoma., Results: After review, 101 patients were confirmed to have undergone resection for suspected cystic neoplasms of the pancreas. Preoperative EUS was performed in 71 patients. Sixteen patients (16%) had malignant lesions (preoperative size 1.5-5.9 cm). There was no clear association between size and malignancy. Male gender, biliary ductal dilatation (BDD), pancreatic ductal dilatation (PDD), and suspicious cytology (but not age, symptoms, or size) were associated with increased risk of malignancy. When factors available for all patients were incorporated into a multivariate model, only BDD and PDD were independent risk factors for malignancy. Only one patient with malignancy had neither BDD nor PDD but did have solid components by EUS., Conclusions: In patients selected for resection, size was not an independent risk factor for malignancy. While size might be appropriate for stratification of asymptomatic patients with simple cysts, size should not be used as a selection criterion for patients who have cysts with solid components or with associated BDD or PDD.

Background: Few studies identifying variables associated with prognosis after resection of colorectal liver metastases (CLM) account for treatment with multiagent chemotherapy (fluoropyrmidines with irinotecan, oxaliplatin, bevacizumab, and/or cetuximab). The objective of this retrospective study was to determine the effect of multiagent chemotherapy on long-term survival after resection of CLM., Methods: Demographics, clinicopathologic tumor characteristics, treatments, and long-term outcomes were reviewed., Results: From 1996 to 2006, 230 patients underwent resection of CLM. Treatment strategies before and after resection included fluoropyrimidine monotherapy (n = 34 and n = 39), multiagent chemotherapy (n = 81 and n = 73), and observation (n = 115 and n = 118). Prehepatectomy treatment strategy was not associated with overall survival. Actuarial 4-year survival was 63%, 39%, and 40% for patients treated with multiagent chemotherapy, fluoropyrimidine monotherapy, and observation after hepatectomy, p = 0.06. Posthepatectomy multiagent chemotherapy (p = 0.04, HR 0.52 [0.27-1.03]), duration of posthepatectomy chemotherapy treatment of 2 months or longer (p = 0.05, HR 0.49 [0.25-0.99]), carcino-embryonic antigen level >10 ng/mL (p = 0.03, HR 2.09, 95% CI [1.32-3.32]), and node positive primary tumor (p = 0.002, HR 1.79 [1.06-3.02]) were associated with overall survival in multivariate analysis., Conclusions: The association of posthepatectomy multiagent chemotherapy with overall survival in this retrospective study indicates the need for prospective randomized trials comparing multiagent chemotherapy and fluoropyrimidine monotherapy for CLM.

Most patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) develop disease in the duodenum. The duodenal lesions mostly occur in the periampullary region, but some patients develop diffuse polyposis involving all parts of the duodenum. These neoplastic polyps have malignant potential, and thus warrant surveillance and timely intervention. We reviewed our experience with management of FAP over a 10-year period, focusing on patients who had diffuse polyposis of the duodenum and their subsequent management. Three patients with FAP had diffuse duodenal involvement, documented by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Neoplasia was confirmed by endoscopic biopsy, but no patients had histologic evidence of carcinoma. The patients underwent resection of the entire duodenum from the pylorus to the ligament of Treitz with preservation of the pancreas. Our surgical technique is described. One patient had a postoperative wound infection and one patient had a biliary leak that resolved with closed suction drainage for 5 days. Long-term follow-up in these patients revealed excellent functional status. One patient had polyp recurrence in the jejunum at 5-year follow-up, but no patients have developed adenocarcinoma. We conclude that patients with duodenal polyps associated with FAP may be safely and effectively treated by pancreas-preserving duodenectomy.