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Abstract Background Colorectal cancer is the third most common tumour entity in the world and up to 50% of the patients develop liver metastases (CRLM) within five years. To improve and personalize therapeutic strategies, new diagnostic tools are urgently needed. For instance, biomechanical tumour properties measured by magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) could be implemented as such a diagnostic tool. We postulate that ex vivo MRE combined with histological and radiological evaluation of CRLM could provide biomechanics-based diagnostic markers for cell viability in tumours. Methods 34 CRLM specimens from patients who had undergone hepatic resection were studied using ex vivo MRE in a frequency range from 500 Hz to 5300 Hz with increments of 400 Hz. Single frequency evaluation of shear wave speed and wave penetration rate as proxies for stiffness and viscosity was performed, along with rheological model fitting based on the spring-pot model and powerlaw exponent α, ranging between 0 (complete solid behaviour) and 1 (complete fluid behaviour). For histological analysis, samples were stained with H&E and categorized according to the degree of regression. Quantitative histologic analysis was performed to analyse nucleus size, aspect ratio, and density. Radiological response was assessed according to RECIST-criteria. Results Five samples showed major response to chemotherapy, six samples partial response and 23 samples no response. For higher frequencies (> 2100 Hz), shear wave speed correlated significantly with the degree of regression (p ≤ 0.05) indicating stiffer properties with less viable tumour cells. Correspondingly, rheological analysis of α revealed more elastic-solid tissue properties at low cell viability and major response (α = 0.43 IQR 0.36, 0.47) than at higher cell viability and no response (α = 0.51 IQR 0.48, 0.55; p = 0.03). Quantitative histological analysis showed a decreased nuclear area and density as well as a higher nuclear aspect ratio in patients with major response to treatment compared to patients with no response (all p

Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most common tumour entity in the world and up to 50% of the patients develop liver metastases (CRLM) within five years. To improve and personalize therapeutic strategies, new diagnostic tools are urgently needed. For instance, biomechanical tumour properties measured by magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) could be implemented as such a diagnostic tool. We postulate that ex vivo MRE combined with histological and radiological evaluation of CRLM could provide biomechanics-based diagnostic markers for cell viability in tumours. Methods: 34 CRLM specimens from patients who had undergone hepatic resection were studied using ex vivo MRE in a frequency range from 500 Hz to 5300 Hz with increments of 400 Hz. Single frequency evaluation of shear wave speed and wave penetration rate as proxies for stiffness and viscosity was performed, along with rheological model fitting based on the spring-pot model and powerlaw exponent α, ranging between 0 (complete solid behaviour) and 1 (complete fluid behaviour). For histological analysis, samples were stained with H&E and categorized according to the degree of regression. Quantitative histologic analysis was performed to analyse nucleus size, aspect ratio, and density. Radiological response was assessed according to RECIST-criteria. Results: Five samples showed major response to chemotherapy, six samples partial response and 23 samples no response. For higher frequencies (> 2100 Hz), shear wave speed correlated significantly with the degree of regression (p ≤ 0.05) indicating stiffer properties with less viable tumour cells. Correspondingly, rheological analysis of α revealed more elastic-solid tissue properties at low cell viability and major response (α = 0.43 IQR 0.36, 0.47) than at higher cell viability and no response (α = 0.51 IQR 0.48, 0.55; p = 0.03). Quantitative histological analysis showed a decreased nuclear area and density as well as a higher nuclear aspect ratio in patients with major response to treatment compared to patients with no response (all p < 0.05). Discussion: Our results suggest that MRE could be useful in the characterization of biomechanical property changes associated with cell viability in CRLM. In the future, MRE could be applied in clinical diagnosis to support individually tailored therapy plans for patients with CRLM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the influence of preoperative antituberculosis chemotherapy duration on perioperative epididymectomy complications in patients with epididymal tuberculosis (ETB). Methods: This retrospective study examined patients with ETB between January 1, 2013, and March 31, 2023, who underwent unilateral epididymectomy at our hospital. We selected preoperative antituberculosis chemotherapy duration of 2, 4, and 8 weeks as the cutoffs for this study, to explore whether there are differences in the incidence of intraoperative and 30‐day postoperative complications among the patients with different preoperative antituberculosis chemotherapy durations. Intraoperative complications were graded according to the Satava classification, and 30‐day postoperative complications were defined according to the Clavien–Dindo classification. The study groups were compared using the unpaired t‐test, Wilcoxon rank‐sum test, Pearson's chi‐square test, or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. Results: Overall, 155 patients were included. Statistical analysis revealed that there were no significant differences in the incidence of intraoperative and 30‐day postoperative complications between patients with shorter preoperative antituberculosis chemotherapy duration and those with longer preoperative antituberculosis chemotherapy duration. Conclusions: In patients with ETB, preoperative antituberculosis chemotherapy duration did not significantly affect the incidence of perioperative complications after epididymectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chemotherapy consisting of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel is the standard perioperative treatment for resectable esophageal adenocarcinoma and esophagogastric junctional adenocarcinoma (EGJ-AC) in Western countries. Meanwhile, preoperative chemotherapy consisting of docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) has been developed for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Japan. However, there are few reports on the safety and efficacy of preoperative DCF for resectable EGJ-AC in the Japanese population. Methods: Patients with histologically confirmed resectable EGJ-AC who received preoperative DCF (docetaxel 70 mg/m2 and cisplatin 70 mg/m2 on day 1 and continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil 750 mg/m2/day on days 1–5 every 3 weeks with a maximum of three cycles) between January 2015 and April 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. We assessed the rates of completion of ≥ 2 courses of DCF and R0 resection, histopathological response, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events. Results: Thirty-two patients were included. Median follow-up was 28.7 (range, 5.2–70.8) months and median age was 63 (range, 42–80) years. Twenty-one patients (66%) had a performance status of 0. The proportions of clinical stage IIA/IIB/III/IVA/IVB disease were 3%/0%/44%/44%/9%, respectively. The treatment completion rate was 84%. A histopathological response of grade 1a/1b/2/3 was obtained in 58%/26%/13%/3% of cases. Median PFS was 40.7 months (95% confidence interval 11.8-NA). Median OS was not reached (80.8% at 3 years). Grade ≥ 3 adverse events were observed in 63% of cases (neutropenia, 44%; febrile neutropenia, 13%). No treatment-related deaths occurred. Conclusions: Preoperative DCF for resectable EGJ-AC was well tolerated and has promising efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We investigated the prognostic role of preoperative chemotherapy in patients who underwent hepatectomy for liver-limited metastasis (LLM) from gastric cancer (GC). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted for 52 consecutive patients who underwent macroscopically complete (R0 or R1) resection for synchronous or metachronous LLM from GC. Results: Of the 52 patients, 18 (35%) received preoperative chemotherapy (PC group), while 34 (65%) underwent upfront surgery (US group). The PC group had a significantly longer overall survival than the US group (cumulative 5-year OS rate: 47.6% vs. 24.8%, p = 0.041). Multivariate analysis of OS revealed that preoperative chemotherapy was an independent favorable prognostic factor (hazard ratio: 0.445, p = 0.036). Patients showing a partial response to preoperative chemotherapy on RECIST had an improved OS compared with those exhibiting stable or progressive disease after preoperative chemotherapy and with US (p = 0.025), even among those with solitary LLM (p = 0.062) and multiple LLM (p = 0.026). At recurrence after hepatectomy for LLM, the PC group had a significantly higher incidence of solitary tumors than the US group (p = 0.043) and had a higher chance to undergo surgical resection for recurrent sites (p = 0.006). Conclusions: Preoperative chemotherapy can be recommended for patients with LLM from GC. The evaluation of the efficacy of preoperative chemotherapy offers additional information to determine the surgical indication for LLM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Herein, we report a case of gastric antrum cancer with multiple invasions to other organs that was completely cured with laparoscopic distal gastrectomy after preoperative chemotherapy in a patient with poor general condition. Case presentation: An 80-year-old male patient was diagnosed with anemia during follow-up for cerebral lacunar infarction at another hospital. He was diagnosed with advanced-stage gastric antrum cancer and was referred to our hospital. On esophagogastroduodenoscopy, type 2 advanced-stage gastric cancer was detected at the greater curvature of the antrum, and the biopsy results revealed tubular adenocarcinoma. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan revealed multiple invasions to other organs, thick gastric wall with contrast effect, and superior mesenteric vein tumor thrombus. However, there was no evidence of distant metastasis on positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan. The clinical diagnosis was stage IVA gastric cancer. Pancreatoduodenectomy with portal vein resection could be important at this point. However, preoperative chemotherapy with S-1 and oxaliplatin was administered instead of performing extended surgery because the patient had poor general condition (performance status score of 3). The patient received three cycles of preoperative chemotherapy at the hospital along with rehabilitation and nutritional management with oral nutritional supplements. After treatment, the performance status score of the patient improved from 3 to 1. Furthermore, in terms of clinical therapeutic effect, the patient achieved partial response. Hence, laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection and partial transverse colectomy was performed. After surgery, the patient was admitted for oral intake on postoperative day 6 and was discharged on postoperative day 21. Based on the histopathological examination, gastric cancer had disappeared, and there were no evident malignant findings. Therefore, gastric cancer was classified as grade 3 according to the histological treatment efficacy criteria. The patient did not present with recurrence at 2 years after surgery. Conclusions: By actively administering preoperative chemotherapy, minimally invasive radical surgery with maximum preservation of the surrounding organs can be performed for locally far advanced-stage gastric cancer in older patients with poor general condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Population-based studies have shown that 25–30 % of patients with colorectal cancer have synchronous liver metastases at the time of diagnosis. despite modern advances in oncology and surgery, only 25 % of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) are suitable for liver resection, which is the only curative treatment option for these patients. In recent years, the indications for curative treatment of mCRC have expanded. due to the introduction of new targeted drugs into clinical practice, the tumor response rate to preoperative therapy has increased, thus increasing surgical resection rate. Some patients experience a complete clinical response, which is defined as the complete disappearance of liver metastases. However, 30–70 % of patients develop recurrent metastases in the liver within the first year of follow-up, and currently, even in the presence of complete regression of metastases, it is recommended to perform resection of the initially affected hepatic segments. Case presentation. We describe a case of complete clinical and radiological response of liver metastases after chemotherapy in a patient with sigmoid colon cancer. Molecular genetic analysis revealed the wild type of the Kras, Nras and Braf genes. The patient received 3 courses of preoperative chemotherapy according to the FOLFOxIRI + Cetuximab regimen. Laparoscopic sigmoid colon resection with d3 lymph node dissection was followed by adjuvant chemotherapy with oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil (12 cycles). After 16 months of follow-up, no evidence of colon cancer recurrence and liver metastasis was found. Conclusion. Current targeted therapy has demonstrated efficacy in treating mCRC with synchronous liver metastases and makes it possible, in selected cases, to avoid the liver resection provided that a complete clinical and radiological response of the metastases is achieved.

Wilms' tumor (WT) is the most common paediatric renal tumor and is one of the most treatment-responsive solid tumours. Survival from Wilms tumour (WT) in sub-Saharan Africa remains dismal as a result of late presentation, treatment abandonment and infrastructure deficit. The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical outcome of children with Wilms tumour managed in a Nigerian referral centre over a 15-year period. This is a retrospective study of children with WT (nephroblastoma) who were treated at our institution between January 2006 and December 2020. Clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes were analyzed. Thirty-five patients were identified. The median age at diagnosis was 36 months including 22 (62.9 %) females. Twenty-six (74.3 %) had advanced (stage III & IV) disease. Confirmatory histology was available for 16 patients ((45.7 %) among which 10 (62.5 %) were mixed type. The right kidney was affected in 18 patients (51.4 %), left in 15 (42.9 %) and 2 were not documented. Preoperative chemotherapy was given in 22 (62.9 %) patients and 13 (37.1) patients had primary nephrectomy. Eight (22.9 %) patients died during treatment (from disease or treatment related causes), and one abandoned treatment. A total of 26 patients completed treatment. Out of these, 8 (30.8 %) were lost to follow up, four patients died and 14 (53.8 %) patients survived at a median follow-up period of 18 months. The survival decreased with advancing stages of the disease, p = 0.002. Majority of children with Wilms tumour in our practice presented with advanced disease. Death during treatment, treatment abandonment and lost to follow up were common. Level II. Retrospective Study. • What is currently known about this topic? Survival of Wilms tumor after diagnosis and treatment is excellent in most high-income countries, approaching 90 %. • What new information is contained in this article? Our data show that 25.7 % patients did not complete treatment, 22.9 % patients died during treatment and 30.8 % were lost to follow up. Overall survival was 53.8 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy may not improve the prognosis of patients with hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach (HAS), a rare pathological type of gastric cancer. Thus, the study aimed at the genomic and transcriptomic impacts of preoperative chemotherapy on HAS. Methods: Patients with HAS who underwent surgical resection at Peking University Cancer Hospital were retrospectively included in this study. Whole exome sequencing and transcriptome sequencing were performed on pre-chemotherapy, non-chemotherapy and post-chemotherapy samples. We then compared the alterations in molecular markers between the post-chemotherapy and non-chemotherapy groups, and between the chemotherapy-effective and chemotherapy-ineffective groups, respectively. Results: A total of 79 tumor samples from 72 patients were collected. Compared to the non-chemotherapy group, the mutation frequencies of several genes were changed after chemotherapy, including TP53. In addition, there was a significant increase in the frequency of frameshift mutations and cytosine transversion to adenine (C > A), appearance of COSMIC signature 6 and 14, and a reduced gene copy number amplification. Interestingly, the same phenomenon was observed in chemotherapy-ineffective patients. In addition, many HAS patients had ERBB2, FGFR2, MET and HGF gene amplification. Moreover, the expression of immune-related genes, especially those related to lymphocyte activation, was down-regulated after chemotherapy. Conclusion: Chemotherapy is closely associated with changes in the molecular characteristics of HAS. After chemotherapy, at genomic and transcriptome level, many features were altered. These changes may be molecular markers of poor chemotherapeutic efficacy and play an important role in chemoresistance in HAS. In addition, ERBB2, FGFR2, MET and HGF gene amplification may be potential therapeutic targets for HAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 76-year-old man underwent distal pancreatectomy with celiac axis resection (DP-CAR) after preoperative chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer with celiac artery invasion. Although postoperative pancreatic leakage and ischemia-induced bile fistula developed, the patient's condition remained stable with good drainage. On postoperative Day 47, a pseudoaneurysm developed at the junction of the gastroduodenal artery and proper hepatic artery. However, cannulation of the guidewire was difficult, and relaparotomy pseudoaneurysm repair was performed. On postoperative Day 56, a pseudoaneurysm reappeared at the same site, and relaparotomy was performed again. On postoperative Day 61, CT confirmed the disappearance of the pseudoaneurysm and preservation of the right and left hepatic arteries. The patient was discharged 107 days postoperatively. Interventional radiology (IVR) remains the best technique to achieve hemostasis for pseudoaneurysms. However, this case demonstrates that even when hemostasis by IVR is difficult, relaparotomy pseudoaneurysm repair after DP-CAR may be useful after some postoperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Targeted axillary dissection (TAD) for the axillary staging of clinically node-positive (cN +) breast cancer patients converting to clinically node negative post neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), has gained popularity due to its minimal false negative rate and low arm morbidity. The aim of this study is to shed more light on the variation in the clinical practice globally in terms of indications and perceived limitations of TAD. Methods: A panel of expert breast surgeons constructed a structured questionnaire comprising of 18 questions and asked surgeons worldwide for their opinions and routine practice on TAD. The questionnaire was electronically distributed and answers were collected between May 1st and August 1st 2022. Results: Responses included 137 entries from 36 countries. Of them, 73.7% consider TAD for cN + patients planned to receive NAC. Among them, the greatest number of respondents (45%) perform the procedure for tumours up to T3, whereas 27% regardless of T-stage. The majority (42%) perform TAD on patients with 1–3 positive nodes and only 30% consider TAD when matted nodes are present. HER2 positive and Triple Negative subtypes are more likely to undergo TAD than Luminal A and B (86%, 79.1%, 39.5%, and 62.8%, respectively). Maximum acceptable lymph node burden is median 3 nodes for any subtype with a tendency to accept more positive nodes for Triple Negative. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the differences in current practice regarding TAD as well as the fact that the biology of the tumour heavily affects the method of axillary staging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are observed in cancer‐invasive sites of various organs, and show evidence of tumor‐specific B and/or T cells, suggesting an active humoral antitumor response. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between TLSs and prognosis in patients with tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) after preoperative S‐1 chemotherapy. Methods: Among 196 TSCC cases, 111 patients who received preoperative S‐1 chemotherapy were compared to 85 patients who did not receive chemotherapy. We investigated the incidence of TLSs in both preoperative biopsy and resected specimens. Results: TLSs were present in 24 (12%) biopsy specimens and 31 (16%) resected specimens. TLSs were associated with clinicopathologically advanced cases and positivity for lymphatic invasion. None of the cases with pStage 0 (i.e., noninvasive cancer) showed TLSs. In preoperative S‐1 chemotherapy cases, TLSs were significantly more common in those treated with S‐1 for more than 21 days and in those with treatment effects 0, Ia, and Ib. TLSs may not be a favorable prognostic factor by themselves but maybe a prognostic factor when combined with preoperative S‐1 treatment. Conclusion: The presence of TLSs was suggested to be a factor indicating a favorable prognosis when considering the indication for preoperative S‐1 chemotherapy. The synergistic effect of S‐1 by activating antitumor immunity may be associated with a better prognosis in TSCC patients with TLSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aims to assess and compare the extent to which preoperative chemotherapy prior to CRS improves survival in patients diagnosed with CRCPM. Methods: We included 251 patients from 2012 to 2019 in our center. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis was used to minimize the selection bias. Survival analysis was performed to compare the survival outcomes. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was conducted to identify prognostic factors. Result: The baseline characteristics were well balanced using IPTW (standardized mean difference < 0.1). Preoperative chemotherapy cannot significantly improve overall survival (HR, 1.03; 95% CI 0.71–1.49; P = 0.88). In subgroup analysis, we found that intestinal obstruction after preoperative chemotherapy significantly reduced survival (HR, 2.25; 95% CI 1.01–5.03; P = 0.048), while in the upfront surgery group, intestinal obstruction had no impact on prognosis. Conclusion: For CRCPM patients treated with CRS, preoperative chemotherapy does not seem to prolong overall survival. Furthermore, the emergence of intestinal obstruction after chemotherapy may compromise the effectiveness of treatment, resulting in a worse prognosis. This finding has important clinical implications for treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The patient was a 59-year-old woman. She was pointed out to have an intravesical mass at the X-7 year check-up, and was consulted us. Cystoscopy revealed a submucosal mass at the dome of bladder, and MRI revealed a mass at the dome of bladder. She was presented to the Cancer Board with an extravesical mass also considered, but the policy was to follow up the patient as a low malignant lesion. In the X-1 year, he visited previous hospital with cystitis, and CT showed an enlarged mass at the dome of bladder. Because of suspicion of urachal carcinoma, the mass was resected transurethraally and pathological diagnosis was small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of uroepithelial or urachal origin. According to the treatment strategy for small cell carcinoma of the bladder, the patient was treated with a combination of carboplatin and etoposide as preoperative chemotherapy, followed by total cystectomy and lymph node dissection. The pathological diagnosis of small cell carcinoma of urachal origin was made. Eight months after surgery, local recurrence was observed and combination therapy with cisplatin and etoposide was initiated. The recurrent lesion has partial response and treatment is ongoing. Urachal carcinoma is a disease with poor prognosis because of no established effective regimen. We report here a case of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of urachal origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) patients with positive peritoneal cytology (CY1) without other distant metastasis is poor, and there are no standard treatment strategies. Our study aimed to compare the survival outcomes of CY1 GC patients receiving chemotherapy or surgery as initial treatment. Methods From February 2017 to January 2020, clinical and pathological data of patients diagnosed with CY1 GC without other distant metastasis in the Peking University Cancer Hospital was reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: chemotherapy-initial group and surgery-initial group. In chemotherapy-initial group, patients received preoperative chemotherapy initially. According to the treatment response, the patients were divided into three subgroups: conversion gastrectomy group, palliative gastrectomy group, and further systematic chemotherapy group. In surgery-initial group, patients underwent gastrectomy followed by postoperative chemotherapy. Results A total of 96 CY1 GC patients were included with 48 patients in each group. In chemotherapy-initial group, preoperative chemotherapy yielded an objective response rate of 20.8% and disease control rate of 87.5%. Conversion to CY0 after preoperative chemotherapy was obtained in 24 (50%) patients. The median overall survival was 36.1 months in chemotherapy-initial group and 29.7 months in surgery-initial group (p = 0.367). The median progression-free survival was 18.1 months in chemotherapy-initial group and 16.1 months in surgery-initial group (p = 0.861). The 3-year overall survival rates were 50.0% and 47.9%, respectively. In chemotherapy-initial group, twenty-four patients who converted to CY0 by preoperative chemotherapy and received surgery obtained a significantly better prognosis. The median overall survival was still not reached in these patients. Conclusion There was no significant difference in survival outcomes between chemotherapy-initial group and surgery-initial group. CY1 GC patients who converted to CY0 by preoperative chemotherapy and received radical surgery could obtain a favorable long-term prognosis. Further investigation should focus on preoperative chemotherapy to eliminate peritoneal cancer cell. Trial registration This study is retrospectively registered.

Simple Summary: In gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma cases, a prognosis based on ypTNM staging could be affected by preoperative therapy. In this study, we investigated 11,340 patients with GEJ adenocarcinoma who received preoperative therapy followed by curative-intent surgery and examined the clinicopathologic factors associated with overall survival (OS). We found that median OS durations in patients with GEJ adenocarcinoma, when sorted by stage, were substantially different from those of patients with adenocarcinoma of the upper or middle esophagus or of the non-cardia stomach. Additionally, preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CXRT) was associated with lower OS rates than chemotherapy after adjustment for the ypT and ypN categories. These results indicate that we should develop an independent GEJ staging system, rather than separating GEJ cancers into either esophageal or gastric cancers and using those staging systems, for better OS prediction. The OS prediction nomogram developed in this study, which included a preoperative therapy regimen, provided reasonable OS prediction. In gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma cases, a prognosis based on ypTNM staging could be affected by preoperative therapy. Patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma and gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent preoperative therapy followed by surgical resection from 2006 through 2017 were identified in the National Cancer Database. To enable stage-by-stage OS comparisons, tumors were classified into four gross ypTNM groups: ypT1/2, N-negative; ypT1/2, N-positive; ypT3/4, N-negative; and ypT3/4, N-positive. Prognostic factors were examined, and an OS prediction nomogram was developed for patients with abdominal/lower esophageal and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma, representing GEJ cancers. We examined 25,463 patient records. When compared by gross ypTNM group, the abdominal/lower esophageal and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma groups had similar OS rates, differing from those of other esophageal or gastric cancers. Cox regression analysis of patients with GEJ cancers showed that preoperative chemoradiotherapy was associated with shorter OS than preoperative chemotherapy after adjustment for the ypTNM group (hazard ratio 1.31, 95% CI 1.24–1.39, p < 0.001), likely owing to downstaging effects. The nomogram had a concordance index of 0.833 and a time-dependent area under the curve of 0.669. OS prediction in GEJ adenocarcinoma cases should include preoperative therapy regimens. Our OS prediction nomogram provided reasonable OS prediction for patients with GEJ adenocarcinoma, and future validation is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prognosis of locally advanced colon cancer (LACC) with surgical resection followed only by adjuvant chemotherapy is poor. Preoperative chemotherapy for LACC patients with risk factors such as cT4bN+ or cT3-4aN2-3 has attracted attention. Here, the authors describe the rationale and design of JCOG2006, a randomized phase II study comparing preoperative chemotherapy with mFOLFOX6 versus FOLFOXIRI for LACC. Their efficacy and safety are evaluated and a determination of which is the more promising treatment will be conducted in a subsequent phase III trial. A total of 86 patients will be accrued from 44 institutions over 2 years. The primary end point is the proportion of patients with a Tumor Regression Score of 0–2, and secondary end points include overall survival, response rate and adverse events. Clinical Trial Registration: jRCTs031210365 (https://jrct.niph.go.jp/) A randomized phase II selection design trial for resectable locally advanced colon cancer to determine whether mFOLFOX6 or FOLFOXIRI is more promising for a subsequent phase III trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The indications of preoperative chemotherapy, for initially resectable synchronous colorectal liver metastases, remain controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of preoperative chemotherapy in such patients. Methods: Six retrospective studies were included in the meta-analysis with 1036 patients. Some 554 patients were allocated to the preoperative group, and 482 others were allocated to the surgery group. Results: Major hepatectomy was more common in the preoperative group than in the surgery group (43.1% vs. 28.8%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the percentage of patients with more than three liver metastases was higher in the preoperative group compared to the surgery group (12.6% vs. 5.4%, p < 0.002). Preoperative chemotherapy showed no statistically significant impact on overall survival. Combined disease free/relapse survival analysis of patients with high disease burden (liver metastases > 3, maximum diameter > 5 cm, clinical risk score ≥ 3) demonstrated that there is a 12% lower risk of recurrence in favor of preoperative chemotherapy. Combined analysis showed a statistically significant (77% higher probability) of postoperative morbidity in patients who received preoperative chemotherapy (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Preoperative chemotherapy should be suggested in patients with high disease burden. The number of cycles of preoperative chemotherapy should be low (3–4) to avoid increased postoperative morbidity. However more prospective studies are needed to clarify the exact role of preoperative chemotherapy in patients with synchronous resectable colorectal liver metastases.

Purpose of the study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of preoperative chemotherapy in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC).Patients and methods. A total of 171 liver resections for IHCC were performed between 2007 and 2021, of which 24 were preceded by preoperative therapy (14.0 %). Systemic therapy was conducted in 11 patients (45.8 %). Regional chemotherapy was provided to 13 patients (54.2 %). In two cases, regional chemotherapy was supplemented with systemic therapy.Results. A significant increase in the proportion of patients with clinical stage IIIb and higher was observed in the group of patients who had received preoperative therapy (83.3 % vs. 35.4 %, p < 0.0001). Complications of preoperative therapy occurred in 45.8 % of patients, with grade three and above complications identified in three patients (12.5 %). The incidence of postoperative complications (37.5 % vs. 42.9 %, p = 0.79), post‑resection liver failure (8.3 % vs. 13.6 %, p = 0.7) and postoperative mortality (4.2 % vs. 3.4 %, p = 0.68) in the preoperative therapy group were similar to those in the control group. The rate of radical resections was also identical, 83 % in both groups (p = 0.8). The relapses rates within the first six months after the surgery were similar: 25 % of patients in both groups (p = 0.62). The median OS reached 36 months in the main group and 32 months in the control one (p = 0.81).Conclusion. Since the main group predominantly included patients with more advanced stages of the disease and yet the treatment resulted in comparable immediate and long‑term outcomes, it can be concluded that preoperative therapy can be justified in patients with IHCC who have factors predisposing to poor prognosis. Randomized trials are necessary to determine the rationality, as well as the type and regimen of preoperative therapy to be used in patients with IHCC.

Up to one quarter of the patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) develop peritoneal carcinomatosis (PM). The aims of this retrospective study were to characterize the histological response of the PM of CRC to preoperative chemotherapy and evaluate the potential prognostic value, in terms of survival.

Abstract Background Cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is common during preoperative chemotherapy for esophageal cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between AKI after preoperative chemotherapy and postoperative complications in patients with esophageal cancer. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we included patients who had received preoperative chemotherapy with cisplatin and underwent surgical resection for esophageal cancer under general anesthesia from January 2017 to February 2022 at an education hospital. A predictor was stage 2 or higher cisplatin-induced AKI (c-AKI) defined by the KDIGO criteria within 10 days after chemotherapy. Outcomes were postoperative complications and length of hospital stays. Associations between c-AKI and outcomes including postoperative complications and length of hospital stays were examined with logistic regression models. Results Among 101 subjects, 22 developed c-AKI with full recovery of the estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) before surgery. Demographics were not significantly different between patients with and without c-AKI. Patients with c-AKI had significantly longer hospital stays than those without c-AKI [mean (95% confidence interval (95%CI)) 27.6 days (23.3–31.9) and 43.8 days (26.5–61.2), respectively, mean difference (95%CI) 16.2 days (4.4–28.1)]. Those with c-AKI had higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and prolonged weight gain after surgery and before the events of interest despite having comparable eGFR trajectories after surgery. c-AKI was significantly associated with anastomotic leakage and postoperative pneumonia [odds ratios (95%CI) 4.14 (1.30–13.18) and 3.87 (1.35–11.0), respectively]. Propensity score adjustment and inverse probability weighing yielded similar results. Mediation analysis showed that a higher incidence of anastomotic leakage in patients with c-AKI was primarily mediated by CRP levels (mediation percentage 48%). Conclusion c-AKI after preoperative chemotherapy in esophageal cancer patients was significantly associated with the development of postoperative complications and led to a resultant longer hospital stay. Increased vascular permeability and tissue edema due to prolonged inflammation might explain the mechanisms for the higher incidence of postoperative complications.

Abstract Background Although perioperative treatment has been the standard of care for resectable gastric cancer in the West, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is still the standard in Japan. We conducted the first phase 2 trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant docetaxel, oxaliplatin, and S‐1 (DOS) chemotherapy for cStage III gastric or esophagogastric junction (EGJ) adenocarcinoma in Japan. Methods Eligibility criteria included cStage III adenocarcinoma of the stomach or EGJ. Patients received docetaxel (40 mg/m2, day 1), oxaliplatin (100 mg/m2, day 1), or S‐1 (80 mg/m2, days 1–14) during a 3‐week cycle. After two or three cycles of DOS, patients underwent surgical resection. The primary endpoint was progression‐free survival (PFS). Results Between June 2015 and March 2019, 50 patients were enrolled from four institutions. Of 48 eligible patients (37 gastric and 11 EGJ adenocarcinoma), 42 (88%) completed two or three DOS cycles. Grade 3–4 neutropenia and diarrhea occurred in 69% and 19% of patients, respectively, but there were no treatment‐related deaths. R0 resection was achieved in 44 (92%) patients, and the pathological response rate (≥ grade 1b) was 63% (30/48). The 3‐year PFS, overall survival, and disease‐specific survival rates were 54.2%, 68.7%, and 75.8%, respectively. Conclusion Neoadjuvant DOS chemotherapy had a sufficient antitumor effect and tolerable safety profile in patients with gastric or EGJ adenocarcinoma. The survival benefit of a neoadjuvant strategy using our DOS regimen should be validated in phase 3 trials.

Simple Summary: Our research sought to elucidate the predictive capacity of Nematode Nose (N-NOSE) screening vis à vis the clinical implications of preoperative chemotherapy for patients suffering from esophageal cancer. This study focused on changes in the chemotaxis index of Caenorhabditis elegans before and after preoperative chemotherapy. When the target of the treatment effect was complete response only, the prediction accuracies calculated by area under the curve was 0.85 (95% Confidence interval: 0.62–1), and the sensitivity and specificity were 1 and 0.63, respectively. The results indicate that N-NOSE can accurately determine the response of the therapeutic effect of preoperative chemotherapy. Background: The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) possesses a sophisticated sense of smell and is used for a novel cancer screening test that utilizes the chemotaxis index. We designed a single-institution, prospective study to confirm the ability of Nematode Nose (N-NOSE) to determine preoperative chemotherapy's efficacy for esophageal cancer patients. Patients and Methods: We investigated the predictability of N-NOSE screening for the clinical effects of preoperative chemotherapy for esophageal cancer patients receiving radical surgery. The index reduction score (IRS) was calculated via the chemotaxis of C. elegans at three points: before treatment, before surgery, and after surgery, and its clinical relevance was examined. Result: Thirty-nine patients with esophageal cancer were enrolled from August 2020 to December 2021, and 30 patients receiving radical surgery were examined. Complete response or partial response was achieved in 23 cases (76.7%). When the target of the treatment effect was complete response only, the prediction accuracies of the IRS calculated by area under the curve was 0.85 (95% Confidence interval: 0.62–1) in clinically achieving complete response group, and the sensitivity and specificity were 1 and 0.63, respectively. Conclusion: Index reduction score using N-NOSE screening may reflect the efficacy of chemotherapy for esophageal cancer patients. A large-scale prospective study at multiple centers is desired in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Preoperative S-1 chemotherapy is administered to prevent tumor proliferation before surgery in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the histological therapeutic effect and prognosis in patients with OSCC after pre-operative S-1 chemotherapy. Materials and methods: Among 461 OSCC cases, 281 patients who received preoperative S-1 chemotherapy were compared with 180 patients that did not receive chemotherapy to determine the histological therapeutic effect in the resected specimens and the differences in relapse-free survival. Results: The histological chemotherapeutic effect was well correlated with the subsequent prognosis. In an examination of the combined effect of treatment and ypStage, the groups with good S-1 treatment effects had extremely good prognoses, even if the postoperative resection specimens were within the same ypStage. In a stratified search of patients who received S-1 for more than 7 days and who had a significantly better prognosis than those who did not receive S-1, it was found that the prognosis was significantly better for patients with tongue cancer according to site; furthermore, tongue cancer, age under 70 years of age, male sex, and clinical stage I were factors associated with a significantly better prognosis. Conclusions: Even if the postoperative resection specimens were within the same ypStage, the groups that responded to S-1 treatment were considered to have extremely good prognoses. Clinical relevance: A good adaptation for S-1 was tongue cancer, and especially tongue cancer with cStage I, male sex, and age less than 70 years old. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) patients with positive peritoneal cytology (CY1) without other distant metastasis is poor, and there are no standard treatment strategies. Our study aimed to compare the survival outcomes of CY1 GC patients receiving chemotherapy or surgery as initial treatment. Methods: From February 2017 to January 2020, clinical and pathological data of patients diagnosed with CY1 GC without other distant metastasis in the Peking University Cancer Hospital was reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: chemotherapy-initial group and surgery-initial group. In chemotherapy-initial group, patients received preoperative chemotherapy initially. According to the treatment response, the patients were divided into three subgroups: conversion gastrectomy group, palliative gastrectomy group, and further systematic chemotherapy group. In surgery-initial group, patients underwent gastrectomy followed by postoperative chemotherapy. Results: A total of 96 CY1 GC patients were included with 48 patients in each group. In chemotherapy-initial group, preoperative chemotherapy yielded an objective response rate of 20.8% and disease control rate of 87.5%. Conversion to CY0 after preoperative chemotherapy was obtained in 24 (50%) patients. The median overall survival was 36.1 months in chemotherapy-initial group and 29.7 months in surgery-initial group (p = 0.367). The median progression-free survival was 18.1 months in chemotherapy-initial group and 16.1 months in surgery-initial group (p = 0.861). The 3-year overall survival rates were 50.0% and 47.9%, respectively. In chemotherapy-initial group, twenty-four patients who converted to CY0 by preoperative chemotherapy and received surgery obtained a significantly better prognosis. The median overall survival was still not reached in these patients. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in survival outcomes between chemotherapy-initial group and surgery-initial group. CY1 GC patients who converted to CY0 by preoperative chemotherapy and received radical surgery could obtain a favorable long-term prognosis. Further investigation should focus on preoperative chemotherapy to eliminate peritoneal cancer cell. Trial registration: This study is retrospectively registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to compare current treatment response rates with personalized Total Neoadjuvant Therapy (pTNT), against extended chemotherapy in the 'wait period' (xCRT) and standard chemoradiotherapy (sCRT) with adjuvant chemotherapy for rectal cancer. Methods: This was a multicentre retrospective cohort analysis. Consecutive patients with rectal cancer treated with pTNT over a 3.9‐year period were compared to a historical cohort of patients treated with xCRT or sCRT as part of the published WAIT Trial. pTNT patients received 8 cycles mFOLFOX6 or 6 cycles CAPOX in the neoadjuvant setting (no adjuvant treatment). Patients in the WAIT Trial received either 3 cycles 5‐FU/LV during the 10‐week wait period after chemoradiotherapy or standard chemoradiotherapy, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was overall complete response (oCR) rate defined as the proportion of patients who achieved either complete clinical response (cCR) or pathological complete response (pCR). Results: Of 284 patients diagnosed with rectal cancer during the 3.9‐year period, 107 received pTNT. Forty of these were matched with 49 patients from the WAIT Trial (25 received xCRT and 24 received sCRT). There was a significant difference in oCR between the groups (pTNT n = 21, xCRT n = 6, sCRT n = 7, P = 0.043). Of the patients that underwent surgery, pCR occurred in 13 patients with no significant difference between groups (P = 0.415). There were no significant differences in 2‐year disease‐free survival or overall survival. Conclusion: Compared with sCRT and xCRT, pTNT results in a significantly higher complete response rate which may facilitate organ preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The indications of preoperative chemotherapy, for initially resectable synchronous colorectal liver metastases, remain controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of preoperative chemotherapy in such patients. Methods: Six retrospective studies were included in the meta-analysis with 1036 patients. Some 554 patients were allocated to the preoperative group, and 482 others were allocated to the surgery group. Results: Major hepatectomy was more common in the preoperative group than in the surgery group (43.1% vs. 28.8%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the percentage of patients with more than three liver metastases was higher in the preoperative group compared to the surgery group (12.6% vs. 5.4%, p < 0.002). Preoperative chemotherapy showed no statistically significant impact on overall survival. Combined disease free/relapse survival analysis of patients with high disease burden (liver metastases > 3, maximum diameter > 5 cm, clinical risk score ≥ 3) demonstrated that there is a 12% lower risk of recurrence in favor of preoperative chemotherapy. Combined analysis showed a statistically significant (77% higher probability) of postoperative morbidity in patients who received preoperative chemotherapy (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Preoperative chemotherapy should be suggested in patients with high disease burden. The number of cycles of preoperative chemotherapy should be low (3–4) to avoid increased postoperative morbidity. However more prospective studies are needed to clarify the exact role of preoperative chemotherapy in patients with synchronous resectable colorectal liver metastases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is common during preoperative chemotherapy for esophageal cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between AKI after preoperative chemotherapy and postoperative complications in patients with esophageal cancer. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we included patients who had received preoperative chemotherapy with cisplatin and underwent surgical resection for esophageal cancer under general anesthesia from January 2017 to February 2022 at an education hospital. A predictor was stage 2 or higher cisplatin-induced AKI (c-AKI) defined by the KDIGO criteria within 10 days after chemotherapy. Outcomes were postoperative complications and length of hospital stays. Associations between c-AKI and outcomes including postoperative complications and length of hospital stays were examined with logistic regression models. Results: Among 101 subjects, 22 developed c-AKI with full recovery of the estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) before surgery. Demographics were not significantly different between patients with and without c-AKI. Patients with c-AKI had significantly longer hospital stays than those without c-AKI [mean (95% confidence interval (95%CI)) 27.6 days (23.3–31.9) and 43.8 days (26.5–61.2), respectively, mean difference (95%CI) 16.2 days (4.4–28.1)]. Those with c-AKI had higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and prolonged weight gain after surgery and before the events of interest despite having comparable eGFR trajectories after surgery. c-AKI was significantly associated with anastomotic leakage and postoperative pneumonia [odds ratios (95%CI) 4.14 (1.30–13.18) and 3.87 (1.35–11.0), respectively]. Propensity score adjustment and inverse probability weighing yielded similar results. Mediation analysis showed that a higher incidence of anastomotic leakage in patients with c-AKI was primarily mediated by CRP levels (mediation percentage 48%). Conclusion: c-AKI after preoperative chemotherapy in esophageal cancer patients was significantly associated with the development of postoperative complications and led to a resultant longer hospital stay. Increased vascular permeability and tissue edema due to prolonged inflammation might explain the mechanisms for the higher incidence of postoperative complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Limited efforts have been made to evaluate the effect of multimodal chemotherapy on the survival of gastric cancer patients with liver metastases (LMGC). This study aimed to identify prognostic factors in LMGC patients and the superiority of multimodal chemotherapy with respect to overall survival (OS) in these patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1298 patients with M1 stage disease between January 2012 and December 2020. The effects of clinicopathological variables and preoperative chemotherapy (PECT), postoperative chemotherapy (POCT), and palliative chemotherapy on survival in patients with liver metastases (LM group) and non-liver metastases (non-LM group) were compared. Results: Of the 1298 patients analysed, 546 (42.06%) were in the LM group and 752 (57.94%) were in the non-LM group. The median (interquartile range) age was 60 (51-66) years. The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates in the LM group were 29.3%, 13.9%, and 9.2%, respectively, and those in the non-LM group were. 38.2%, 17.4%, and 10.0%, respectively (P < 0.05, > 0.05, and > 0.05, respectively.) The Cox proportional hazards model revealed that palliative chemotherapy was a significant independent prognostic factor in both the LM and non-LM groups. Age =55 years, N stage, and Lauren classification were also independent predictors of OS in the LM group (P < 0.05). Palliative chemotherapy and POCT were associated with improved OS compared with PECT in the LM group (26.3% vs. 36.4% vs. 25.0%, P < 0.001). Conclusion: LMGC patients had a worse prognosis than non-LMGC. Number of metastatic sites more than 1, liver and other metastatic sites, no CT treatment and HER2-negative had a poor prognosis. LMGC patient may benefit more from palliative chemotherapy and POCT than from PECT. Further well-designed, prospective studies are needed to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In SIOP, trials and studies for Wilms tumor (WT) start with chemotherapy before the surgical removal of the tumor. The aim of this study is to find out whether the time between the start of preoperative chemotherapy and surgery has an influence on the outcome of WT patients. Therefore, we analyzed a completely German, Austrian, and Swiss cohort of 2561 unilateral WT patients pretreated between 1989 and 2022. This retrospective analysis shows no such influence on the occurrence of relapses and survival in unilateral WTs. However, in bilateral tumors with prolonged pretreatment, to achieve as many nephron-sparing surgeries as possible, preoperative treatment should not exceed 120 days due to an increased risk of relapses. (1) Background: Wilms tumor (WT) treated preoperatively is cured in over 90% of cases. However, how long preoperative chemotherapy can be given is unknown. (2) Methods: 2561/3030 patients with WT (age < 18 years) treated between 1989 and 2022 according to SIOP-9/GPOH, SIOP-93-01/GPOH, and SIOP-2001/GPOH are retrospectively analyzed to assess the risk of time to surgery (TTS) for relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). (3) Results: TTS was calculated for all surgeries, with the mean being 39 days (38.5 ± 12.5) for unilateral tumors (UWT) and 70 days (69.9 ± 32.7) for bilateral disease (BWT). Relapse occurred in 347 patients, of which 63 (2.5%) were local, 199 (7.8%) were metastatic, and 85 (3.3%) were combined. Moreover, 184 patients (7.2%) died, 152 (5.9%) due to tumor progression. In UWT, recurrences and mortality are independent of TTS. For BWT without metastases at diagnosis, the incidence of recurrence is less than 18% up to 120 days and increases to 29% after 120 days, and to 60% after 150 days. The risk of relapse (Hazard Ratio) adjusted for age, local stage, and histological risk group increases to 2.87 after 120 days (CI 1.19–7.95, p = 0.022) and to 4.62 after 150 days (CI 1.17–18.26, p = 0.029). In metastatic BWT, no influence of TTS is detected. (4) Conclusions: The length of preoperative chemotherapy has no negative impact on RFS or OS in UWT. In BWT without metastatic disease, surgery should be performed before day 120, as the risk of recurrence increases significantly thereafter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study addressed whether preoperative chemotherapy (PECT) plus surgery prolongs overall survival (OS) compared with surgery plus postoperative chemotherapy (POCT) among gastric cancer (GC) patients in Northwest China. Materials and Methods: The authors included 157 GC patients confirmed histologically or by gastroscopic pathological examination treated at the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University of China between 2012 and 2018. All patients were followed up by telephone in January 2019 within a 2-week period. The endpoint was death due to GC or its complications. Results: Thirty-eight patients received PECT, 41 patients received POCT, 40 patients received surgery alone, and 38 patients received chemotherapy alone. Surgery was performed with R0 resection and subsequent extended lymph node dissection. Chemotherapy was performed with the S-1, oxaliplatin capecitabine regimen. Patients who received PECT had longer OS than those with POCT treatment (hazard ratio = 2.409, p = 0.037). The 5-year OS rate was 32.7% higher in the PECT group than in the POCT group. Conclusions: PECT was associated with better OS in GC patients and should be considered by clinicians in GC treatment, although prospective studies are needed for confirmation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although perioperative treatment has been the standard of care for resectable gastric cancer in the West, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is still the standard in Japan. We conducted the first phase 2 trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant docetaxel, oxaliplatin, and S‐1 (DOS) chemotherapy for cStage III gastric or esophagogastric junction (EGJ) adenocarcinoma in Japan. Methods: Eligibility criteria included cStage III adenocarcinoma of the stomach or EGJ. Patients received docetaxel (40 mg/m2, day 1), oxaliplatin (100 mg/m2, day 1), or S‐1 (80 mg/m2, days 1–14) during a 3‐week cycle. After two or three cycles of DOS, patients underwent surgical resection. The primary endpoint was progression‐free survival (PFS). Results: Between June 2015 and March 2019, 50 patients were enrolled from four institutions. Of 48 eligible patients (37 gastric and 11 EGJ adenocarcinoma), 42 (88%) completed two or three DOS cycles. Grade 3–4 neutropenia and diarrhea occurred in 69% and 19% of patients, respectively, but there were no treatment‐related deaths. R0 resection was achieved in 44 (92%) patients, and the pathological response rate (≥ grade 1b) was 63% (30/48). The 3‐year PFS, overall survival, and disease‐specific survival rates were 54.2%, 68.7%, and 75.8%, respectively. Conclusion: Neoadjuvant DOS chemotherapy had a sufficient antitumor effect and tolerable safety profile in patients with gastric or EGJ adenocarcinoma. The survival benefit of a neoadjuvant strategy using our DOS regimen should be validated in phase 3 trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background According to previous reports, in patients with preoperative coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, mortality is increased if they undergo surgery within 6 weeks of diagnosis. However, the optimal timing and preoperative examination for gastrectomy with a previous COVID-19 infection are still controversial. We experienced three cases in which patients successfully underwent open radical gastrectomy following preoperative chemotherapy even though they developed COVID-19 infection during the chemotherapy. Case presentation Case 1: A 58-year-old man with locally advanced gastric cancer caught COVID-19 during preoperative chemotherapy comprising 5-fluorouracil, calcium folate, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel. Although the patient had specific lung shadows indicating COVID-19 infection and deep venous thrombosis in the lower extremities, he underwent distal gastrectomy 10 weeks after the COVID-19 diagnosis. He had a good postoperative course. Case 2: A 56-year-old man with gastric cancer and lymph node and peritoneal metastasis caught COVID-19 during palliative chemotherapy comprising S-1, oxaliplatin, and trastuzumab. He underwent total gastrectomy as conversion surgery 8 weeks after COVID-19 infection. His postoperative course was uneventful. Case 3: A 55-year-old man with gastric cancer and paraaortic lymph node and liver metastases caught COVID-19 during S-1 and oxaliplatin treatment as neoadjuvant chemotherapy. He underwent distal gastrectomy, paraaortic lymph node sampling, and partial hepatectomy 8 weeks after COVID-19 infection although he had residual lung shadows and deep venous thrombosis in the lower extremities. He had an uneventful postoperative course. Conclusions Computed tomography for preoperative evaluation was performed for all three patients and revealed that lung shadows remained post-COVID-19 infection. Despite this finding, the patients had good operative courses and were discharged as planned. Surgery after 7 weeks from the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection can be performed safely even when patients are post-chemotherapy and have residual lung findings and deep venous thrombosis. This report may contribute to the development of a consensus on performing safe gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer in patients previously infected with COVID-19.

Abstract Background To compare the prognosis of first-line systemic chemotherapy of AS (Albumin-bound paclitaxel and S-1) versus SOX (S-1 and oxaliplatin) regimen in Chinese gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis. Methods This was a real-world study of gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis who have been treated with AS or SOX regimen as first-line chemotherapy. Patients were matched by the method of propensity score matching (PSM). The primary and secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progress-free survival (PFS). Results A total of 108 gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis were enrolled after PSM analysis. There was no significant difference between AS and SOX regimen based on gender, age, ascites, treatment cycles, gastric cancer resection, received checkpoint inhibitors, and HER-2 expression after PSM analysis. The median OS (14.13 vs. 11.17 months, p = 0.0356) and median PFS (10.30 vs. 6.70 months, p = 0.0003) of patients who received AS regimen were longer than those treated by SOX regimen as first-line systemic chemotherapy. In sub-group analysis, the median OS and median PFS were longer for patients in AS regimen than SOX regimen in Lauren diffuse type. The occurrence of toxicity between the two groups was shown no significant difference. Conclusions The results verified that AS regimen was more effective than SOX chemotherapy in gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis, especially in Lauren diffuse type.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to assess the impact of preoperative chemotherapy on long-term survival (≥1 month) in patients with thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) and conditions suitable for chemotherapy using data from surveillance, epidemiology, and end-result databases.MethodsThis retrospective study controlled for confounding factors by propensity score matching (PSM), analyzed overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) by Kaplan-Meier methods, and analyzed factors affecting the prognosis of patients undergoing surgery for thymic epithelial tumors by univariate and multifactorial Cox regression.ResultsA total of 2,451 patients who underwent surgery for TETs were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Preoperative chemotherapy significantly improved OS and CSS in patients with stage III/IV TETs compared to patients without preoperative chemotherapy. Subgroup analysis showed that patients younger than 60 years of age with TETs, patients with thymic carcinoma, and patients with TETs with multiple cancers were more likely to benefit from preoperative chemotherapy.ConclusionThis study found that preoperative chemotherapy is a viable option for advanced thymoma with favorable overall and cancer-specific survival rates, but patient history and physical condition should be fully considered in conjunction with diagnostic imaging findings to assess patient tolerance to chemotherapy.

Wilms' tumor, the most prevalent renal tumor in children, is known for its aggressive prognosis and recurrence. Treatment of Wilms' tumor is multimodal, including surgery, chemotherapy, and occasionally, radiation therapy. Preoperative chemotherapy is used routinely in European studies and in select indications in North American trials. The objective of this study was to build a novel computer-aided prediction system for preoperative chemotherapy response in Wilms' tumors. A total of 63 patients (age range: 6 months–14 years) were included in this study, after receiving their guardians' informed consent. We incorporated contrast-enhanced computed tomography imaging to extract the texture, shape, and functionality-based features from Wilms' tumors before chemotherapy. The proposed system consists of six steps: (i) delineate the tumors' images across the three contrast phases; (ii) characterize the texture of the tumors using first- and second-order textural features; (iii) extract the shape features by applying a parametric spherical harmonics model, sphericity, and elongation; (iv) capture the intensity changes across the contrast phases to describe the tumors' functionality; (v) apply features fusion based on the extracted features; and (vi) determine the final prediction as responsive or non-responsive via a tuned support vector machine classifier. The system achieved an overall accuracy of 95.24%, with 95.65% sensitivity and 94.12% specificity. Using the support vector machine along with the integrated features led to superior results compared with other classification models. This study integrates novel imaging markers with a machine learning classification model to make early predictions about how a Wilms' tumor will respond to preoperative chemotherapy. This can lead to personalized management plans for Wilms' tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although the usefulness of the ypStage in neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer (GC) has been reported, whether or not the ypStage is applicable to all GC patients who receive preoperative chemotherapy, including conversion surgery cases, is unclear. Therefore, this retrospective study evaluated the value of the ypTNM staging system in all advanced GC patients who received chemotherapy prior to gastrectomy. Methods: A total of 66 patients who underwent chemotherapy prior to gastrectomy for advanced GC at Chiba University Hospital from January 2008 to December 2020 were enrolled in the current study. The prognostic impact of the ypStage on the overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) were examined via univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: The 5-year OS rates for ypStage I, II, III, and IV were 87.5%, 64.7%, 52.9%, and 28.6%, respectively, while the 5-year RFS rates were 81.3%, 57.4%, 44.4%, and 28.6%, respectively. The univariate analysis revealed that the ypStage was significantly correlated with the OS (p = 0.037) and the ypT status and ypStage showed a significant correlation with the RFS (p = 0.043 and p = 0.021, respectively). The multivariate analysis demonstrated that only the ypStage was an independent prognostic factor for the OS and RFS (p = 0.024 and p = 0.018, respectively). Conclusion: The ypTNM stage may be a useful tool for the risk stratification of all advanced GC patients treated with chemotherapy followed by gastrectomy, including not only neoadjuvant but also conversion surgery cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To conduct a systematic review to analyse the performance of the sentinel lymph-node biopsy (SLNB) in women with node-positive breast cancer at diagnosis and node-negative tumour after neoadjuvant therapy, compared to axillary lymph-node dissection. Methods: The more relevant databases were searched. Main outcomes were false-negative rate (FNR), sentinel lymph-node identification rate (SLNIR), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy. We conducted meta-analyses when appropriate. Results: Twenty studies were included. The pooled FNR was 0.14 (95% CI 0.11–0.17), the pooled SLNIR was 0.89 (95% CI 0.86–0.92), NPV was 0.83 (95% CI 0.79–0.87), and summary accuracy was 0.92 (95% CI 0.90–0.94). SLNB performed better when more than one node was removed and double mapping was used. Conclusions: SLNB can be performed in women with a node-negative tumour after neoadjuvant therapy. It has a better performance when used with previous marking of the affected node and with double tracer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The role of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in early breast cancer treated with preoperative systemic therapy (PST) is not yet established in clinical practice. PET parameters have aroused great interest in the recent years, as non-invasive dynamic biological markers for predicting response to PST. Methods: In this retrospective study, we included 141 patients with stage II-III breast cancer who underwent surgery after PST. Using ROC analysis, we set optimal cutoff of FDG-PET/CT parameters predictive for pathological complete response (pCR). We investigated the correlation between FDGPET/CT parameters and pCR, median disease-free survival (DFS), and median overall survival (mOS). Results: At multivariable analysis, baseline SUVmax (high vs low: OR 9.00, CI 1.85 - 61.9, p=0.012) and Delta SUVmax (high vs low: OR 9.64, CI 1.84, 69.2, p=0.012) were significantly associated with pCR rates. Interestingly, we found that a combined analysis of the metabolic parameter Delta SUVmax with the volume-based parameter Delta MTV, may help to identify patients with pCR, especially in the subgroup of hormone receptor positive breast cancer. Delta SUVmax was also an independent predictive marker for both mDFS (high vs low: HR 0.17, 95%CI 0.05-0.58, p=0.004) and mOS (high vs. low: HR 0.19, 95% CI 0.04-0.95, p=0.029). Discussion: Our results suggest that Delta SUVmax may predict survival of early BC patients treated with PST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) with clinical suspicion of locally advanced growth or pelvic lymphogenic spread has a high risk of progression and death. Patients and methods: Bladder cancer patients with locally advanced (cT3/4) tumor growth or suspected pelvic lymphogenic spread (cN+) were treated with preoperative cisplatin-containing chemotherapy and consolidative cystectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy. We aimed to identify prognostic factors and describe the patients' oncological outcome. Results: A complete dataset including follow-up data was available for 96 patients. In a univariate analysis, we identified cN stage (cN+ vs cN-, HR 2.7, 95% CI 1.3–6.0), response to chemotherapy (HR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1–0.5), ypT stage (ypT0/is/1 vs ypT2-4, HR 3.1, 95% CI 1.4–6.8), ypN stage (ypN + vs ypN-, HR 7.9, 95% CI 3.7–17.0), resection status (HR 4.4, 95% CI HR 1.5–13.0) as significantly associated with cancer-specific survival. In a multivariate regression analysis, both cN and ypN statuses were validated as independent prognostic factors for cancer-specific survival (cN: HR 2.6, 95% CI 1.1–6.1; ypN: HR 5.5, 95% CI 2.0–15.1). Discussion: Lymph node status was identified as a prognostic marker in a high-risk cohort of UBC patients treated with inductive chemotherapy and cystectomy. Establishing cN status as a prognosticator underlines the necessity to aggressively treat these patients despite reported impreciseness of imaging procedures in UCB. Patients with histologically positive lymph nodes following preoperative chemotherapy have a very poor prognosis, and thus, the need for adjuvant systemic treatment is emphasized. Conclusion: Both clinically and pathologically affected lymph nodes convey a poor prognosis in bladder cancer and necessitate aggressive treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The pathological response to preoperative chemotherapy of colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs) is predictive of long-term prognosis after liver resection. Accurate preoperative assessment of chemotherapy response could enable treatment optimization. Purpose: To investigate whether changes in lesion-apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measured with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to assess pathological treatment response in patients with CRLMs undergoing preoperative chemotherapy. Material and Methods: Patients who underwent liver resection for CRLMs after preoperative chemotherapy between January 2011 and December 2019 were retrospectively included if they had undergone MRI before and after preoperative chemotherapy on the same 1.5-T MRI scanner with diffusion-weighted imaging with b -values 50, 400, and 800 s/mm2. The pathological chemotherapy response was assessed using the tumor regression grade (TRG) by AJCC/CAP. Lesions were divided into two groups: pathological responding (TRG 0–2) and non-responding (TRG 3). The change in lesion ADC after preoperative chemotherapy was compared between responding and non-responding lesions. Results: A total of 27 patients with 49 CRLMs were included, and 24/49 lesions showed a pathological chemotherapy response. After chemotherapy, ADC increased in both pathological responding (pretreatment ADC: 1.26 [95% confidence interval (CI)=1.06–1.37] vs. post-treatment ADC: 1.33 [95% CI=1.13–1.56] × 10−3 mm2/s; P = 0.026) and non-responding lesions (1.12 [95% CI=0.980–1.21] vs. 1.20 [95% CI=1.09–1.43] × 10−3 mm2/s; P = 0.018). There was no difference in median relative difference in ADC after chemotherapy between pathological responding and non-responding lesions (15.8 [95% CI=1.42–26.3] vs. 7.17 [95% CI=−4.31 to 31.2]%; P = 0.795). Conclusion: Changes in CRLM ADCs did not differ between pathological responding and non-responding lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To develop a predictive model of oncologic outcomes for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) undergoing resection after neoadjuvant or induction chemotherapy use. Background: Early recurrence following surgical resection for PDAC is common. The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to resection may increase the likelihood of long-term systemic disease control. Accurately characterizing an individual's likely oncologic outcome in the perioperative setting remains challenging. Methods: Data from patients with PDAC who received chemotherapy prior to pancreatectomy at a single high-volume institution between 2007 and 2018 were captured in a prospectively collected database. Core clinicopathologic data were reviewed for accuracy and survival data were abstracted from the electronic medical record and national databases. Cox-proportional regressions were used to model outcomes and develop an interactive prognostic tool for clinical decision-making. Results: A total of 581 patients were included with a median overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) of 29.5 (26.5–32.5) and 16.6 (15.8–17.5) months, respectively. Multivariable analysis demonstrates OS and RFS were associated with type of chemotherapeutic used and the number of chemotherapy cycles received preoperatively. Additional factors contributing to survival models included: tumor grade, histopathologic response to therapy, nodal status, and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy. The models were validated using an iterative bootstrap method and with randomized cohort splitting. The models were well calibrated with concordance indices of 0.68 and 0.65 for the final OS and RFS models, respectively. Conclusion: We developed an intuitive and dynamic decision-making tool that can be useful in estimating OS, RFS, and location-specific disease recurrence rates. This prognostic tool may add value to patient care in discussing the benefits associated with surgical resection for PDAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polychemotherapy combined with trastuzumab (T) or trastuzumab with pertuzumab (TP) is a standard preoperative systemic treatment in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. In Poland T is reimbursed according to the Drug Prescription Program of Ministry of Health (MoH) for patients with primary breast tumors bigger than 1cm independently from nodal status, whereas TP is reimbursed for patients with tumors bigger than 2 cm with positive lymph node(s) or lack of hormonal receptors expression. The Drug Prescription Program does not indicate which polychemotherapy should be combined with anti-HER2 therapy. Therefore, one can choose between classical sequential treatment based on anthracycline and taxane combined with T or dual HER2 blockade (usually 4 × AC - 12 × paclitaxel/4 × docetaxel + T/TP), or docetaxel with carboplatin combined with trastuzumab (TCH) or with dual HER2 blockade (TCHP). According to the present guidelines of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), polychemotherapy without anthracycline is preferred, which is justified because of its lower toxicity, especially cardiotoxicity. Currently, a pathologically confirmed complete response (pCR) is usually the primary objective in clinical trials dedicated to preoperative systemic treatment in breast cancer. pCR became a surrogate of treatment effectiveness. That is why oncologists eagerly use polychemotherapy combined with dual HER2 blockade as preoperative treatment to increase the patient's chance to achieve pCR, sometimes even when the patient's risk of relapse is relatively small. The goal of this article is to review current evidence-based knowledge about the effectiveness and toxicity of polychemotherapy with or without anthracycline combined with trastuzumab or dual HER2 blockade used as preoperative treatment in HER2-positive breast cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a highly malignant neoplasm. DNA-damaging drugs, such as cisplatin (CDDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), are most frequently used in preoperative chemotherapy for ESCC. However, the response to preoperative chemotherapy varies among patients. p53, encoded by TP53, participates in apoptotic pathways following chemotherapy with DNA-damaging drugs, and mutation of TP53 contributes to chemoresistance. Organic cation transporter 1 (OCT1) participates in the uptake of CDDP, and its reduced expression is associated with CDDP resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive impact of the expression status of p53 and OCT1 in response to preoperative chemotherapy in ESCC. Methods We retrospectively assessed 66 ESCC patients who received preoperative chemotherapy with CDDP/5-FU (CF) or docetaxel/CDDP/5-FU (DCF). p53 and OCT1 expression in pretreatment biopsy specimens was immunohistochemically determined and correlated with histological response to preoperative chemotherapy. Results p53 with wild-type (p53WT-ex) and mutant-type (p53MT-ex) expression patterns was identified in 40.9% and 59.1% of patients, respectively. High expression of OCT1 (OCT1High) was detected in 45.5%, and the remaining 54.5% showed low expression (OCT1Low). In a univariate analysis of the entire cohort, p53MT-ex was significantly correlated with poor response (P = 0.026), whereas OCT1Low showed marginal significance (P = 0.091). In a combined analysis, tumors with either p53MT-ex or OCT1Low showed a significant correlation with poor response compared with tumors with both p53WT-ex and OCT1High (P < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of combined p53/OCT1 were 93.9%, 47.1%, and 81.8%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified p53 (P = 0.017), OCT1 (P = 0.032), and combined p53/OCT1 (P < 0.001) as independent predictors of histological response. When samples were stratified according to chemotherapy regimen in the univariate analysis, combined p53/OCT1 was the only significant factor for poor response in the CF (P = 0.011) and DCF (P = 0.021) groups, whereas p53 showed no statistical significance. Conclusions Our results suggest that either p53MT-ex or OCT1Low expression in pretreatment biopsy specimens may be a potential predictor of poor response to preoperative chemotherapy with the CF-based regimens in ESCC, although the specificity needs to be improved.

Introduction Prostate leiomyosarcoma is a rare, aggressive neoplasm. Case Presentation A 52‐year‐old man presented with worsening frequent micturition and painful urination. Rectal examination revealed a significantly enlarged prostate. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a large prostate tumor with urinary bladder and bilateral seminal vesicle invasion. A prostate biopsy revealed diffuse proliferation of pleomorphic atypical cells. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of prostrate leiomyosarcoma. The patient received three cycles of the mesna, doxorubicin, ifosfamide, and dacarbazine regime (mesna 6000 mg/m2, doxorubicin 60 mg/m2, ifosfamide 7500 mg/m2, and dacarbazine 900 mg/m2) at 4‐week intervals. The tumor shrank by 28% and exhibited necrotic changes. He underwent total pelvic exenteration with en bloc resection of the prostate, bladder, rectum, and anus. Pathological surgical margin was negative. The patient is alive with no disease at 5 years postoperatively. Conclusion Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgical resection are essential to achieve a long‐term survival of patients with localized prostate leiomyosarcoma.

Abstract Background Lymphocytes that surround cancer participate in tumor-related immune responses and are called tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Several recent reports suggest TILs index the tumor microenvironment and predict the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy. However, only few studies have studied the relationship between age and TILs. Aging reduces host immunity, and we predict that it may also affect TILs. Thus, we hypothesized that older breast cancer (BC) patients may have low TIL density than younger BC patients. Here, we retrospectively analyzed the differences in TILs by age and the therapeutic effects of preoperative chemotherapy (POC) in BC patients who were aged either less than 45 years or more than 60 years. Methods We retrospectively examined the data of 356 breast cancer patients who underwent POC, including 75 patients aged ≤ 45 years and 116 patients aged > 60 years. Using pre-treatment needle biopsy specimens, TIL density was compared for each age group by Student’s t-test. After analyzing different factors that affect TIL density, prognostic factors were also examined. Results Older patients with triple-negative BC had significantly lower TIL density than younger patients, while in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-enriched BC, TIL density was significantly higher in the younger age group than that in the older age group. In addition, younger patients with HER2-rich breast cancer showed significantly higher complete pathological response rates than older patients with HER2-rich BC. In addition, significant differences in overall survival were observed among these patients with triple-negative BC. Conclusions Our study suggests that younger BC patients possess significantly higher TIL density than older patients. These differences may influence the therapeutic efficacy in highly immunogenic subtypes.

The purpose of the study: to analyze short-term efficacy and tolerability of preoperative chemotherapy in patients with upper ampullary rectal carcinoma. Material and methods. A prospective study conducted at the cancer research institute (tomsk, russia) between 2018 and 2020 included 47 patients with operable cancer of the upper ampullary part of the rectum with mrt3n0m0 (mesorectal fascia involvement (crm+) or low-grade cancer), mrt4аn0m0 and mrt3–4аn1m0. All patients were divided into two groups. Group i comprised 22 patients, who received 3 cycles of chemotherapy with folfox-4 followed by surgery. Group ii consisted of 25 patients, who underwent surgery alone. All patients underwent arterior resection of the rectum. Results. Group i patients completed all three cycles of preoperative chemotherapy. Downstaging after chemotherapy was observed in 16 (72.7 %) patients. No severe side effects of chemotherapy were found. The frequency of radical surgeries (r0) was 100 %. No significant differences in the rate of postoperative complications between the treatment groups were observed (18.2 % and 16 %, respectively, p>0.05). There were no cases of postoperative mortality. Conclusion. Compared with surgery alone, preoperative chemotherapy followed by surgery demonstrates a high short-term efficacy, does not adversely affect the course of the perioperative period.