Search

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EBUS-FNA) is emerging as a critical technology in the evaluation of mediastinal lesions and is increasingly regarded as complementary to endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in this arena. This complementary role may extend into the abdomen in cases where esophageal strictures prevent the passage of the echoendoscope. The objective of the study was to characterize the uses of EBUS-FNA in the evaluation of gastrointestinal lesions in patients with esophageal narrowing. The study design was a single-center case series. The setting was in a tertiary referral center. Four patients underwent EBUS-FNA to evaluate gastrointestinal lesions; esophageal strictures prevented EUS passage in three, the fourth patient did not tolerate transbronchial EBUS but had abdominal lesions within reach of the EBUS scope. EBUS was used to evaluate the liver, adrenal gland, a retroperitoneal mass, and a celiac axis lymph node. EBUS-FNA has greater potential to evaluate abdominal lesions than has been previously recognized. The EBUS scope represents a safe and readily available technology to evaluate patients with esophageal strictures. Interventional endoscopists should be exposed to this modality.

Self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) have been mostly reserved for palliation of dysphagia because of advanced esophageal cancer. Fully covered SEMS (FCSEMS) (ALIMAXX-E, Alveolus Inc, Charlotte, NC, USA) offer the choice of removability if complications occur or maximum therapeutic benefit is achieved. To our knowledge, their use has not been studied in patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy. The objectives of this study were the following: (i) to evaluate whether FCSEMS are useful in patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy; and (ii) to assess ease of removability and tissue reaction to FCSEMS. FCSEMS (ALIMAXX-E, Alveolus Inc) were deployed in consecutive patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer over a period of 14 months. All patients were referred for neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy after stenting. Dysphagia scores were assessed at 0 month, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. Barium swallow and endoscopy were performed for new symptoms and follow-up. Eleven patients were treated with FCSEMS prior to neoadjuvant therapy (mean age 60.5 years, 55% white, 91% male). All but one stent were successfully placed. Strictures were located in the upper esophagus (n= 1), middle esophagus (n= 4), lower esophagus (n= 2), and gastroesophageal junction (n= 4). Dysphagia was significantly improved at 1 month (mean difference 3.12; 2.53-3.79 95% confidence interval [CI]), 3 months (mean difference 2.86, 2.19-3.53 95% CI), and 6 months (mean difference 2.56, 1.79-3.34 95% CI) compared with baseline. Three patients (27%) experienced chest pain or heartburn immediately following deployment. Only two patients ultimately underwent surgical resection. The others were diagnosed with metastatic disease prior to surgery, had disease progression in spite of neoadjuvant treatment, or died with the stent in place. Three patients developed delayed complications: recurrent dysphagia (n= 2) and tracheal-esophageal fistula (n= 1). Eight (73%) stents were subsequently removed, one because of complication (tracheal-esophageal fistula), one because of migration (recurrent dysphagia), one was incorrectly deployed, and five were felt to have satisfied their purpose. Stents remained in place for a mean duration of 100.36 days (range 0-105, median 84). Removal was characterized as very easy in all cases. Upon removal, ulcerations at the proximal or distal edge of stents were noted in six patients (75%), polyps in four (50%), and granulation in six (75%). One stent (13%) became embedded but was easily lifted from tissue. There were no perforations. Neoadjuvant treatment may have contributed to improvement in dysphagia scores. FCSEMS can be used to re-establish esophageal luminal patency in patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer, resulting in significant improvement in dysphagia over baseline. Tissue reaction to stents occurs but does not appear to impair removability.

This study was undertaken to determine whether recently identified proteins could be translated to clinical practice as markers to distinguish pancreatic adenocarcinoma from chronic pancreatitis on fine-needle aspirate (FNA) samples. Resected pancreatic tissue sections (n = 40) and FNA samples (n = 65) were stained for clusterin-beta, MUC4, survivin, and mesothelin. For each biomarker, the staining patterns in adenocarcinoma and in reactive ductal epithelium were evaluated and compared. Clusterin-beta stained reactive ductal epithelium significantly more frequently than pancreatic adenocarcinoma (P < .001). In comparison, MUC4 and mesothelin were expressed more frequently in pancreatic adenocarcinoma on tissue sections. Positive staining for MUC4 (91% vs 0%; P < .001) and mesothelin (62% vs 0%; P = .01) and absence of staining for clusterin-beta (90% vs 7%; P < .001) were noted significantly more frequently in adenocarcinoma cells than in reactive cells in FNA samples. Clusterin-beta and MUC4 can help distinguish reactive ductal epithelial cells from the cells of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in FNA samples.

We retrospectively studied the use of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNAB) as a tool for the diagnosis of deep-seated lymphoma. An on-site assessment at the time of EUS-FNAB was performed by a cytopathologist using Diff-Quik (American Scientific Products, McGraw Park, IL) stain. In addition, Papanicolaou stains were performed on EUS-FNAB smears, immunohistochemical stains were performed on cell blocks, and additional samples were sent for flow cytometric analysis. Final cytologic diagnosis was correlated with surgical pathology and/or clinical follow-up. We evaluated EUS-FNAB specimens of deep-seated lymph nodes, spleen, stomach, and pancreas, and 1 EUS-guided needle core biopsy specimen of a lymph node. Thirteen cases of deep-seated lymphoma were diagnosed, including non-Hodgkin lymphomas and Hodgkin lymphoma. One case of hairy cell leukemia was diagnosed. EUS-FNAB is a minimally invasive, cost-effective, and useful tool for the primary diagnosis or staging of deep-seated lymphomas.

Objective: Esophageal endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a critical staging tool for patients with esophageal cancer. Previous reports suggest that it is frequently incorrect when it predicts a patient to be N0. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of EUS-FNA in patients clinically staged N0. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of patients who had a computed tomography scan, EUS-FNA and a positron emission tomography scan prior to undergoing Ivor Lewis esophagogastrectomy with abdominal and thoracic lymphadenectomy. Results: From January 2002 to June 2009, 207 patients underwent Ivor Lewis esophagogastrectomy by one general thoracic surgeon. Ninety-five patients did not undergo neo-adjuvant therapy. Eighty nine of these patients had an EUS-FNA preoperatively and 82 were staged as N0. Seventy-seven (94%) were confirmed as N0 on final pathology (sensitivity 94%, accuracy 95%). Their overall 3-year Kaplan—Meier survival was 68%. Neo-adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy was given to the remaining 112 patients and 107 had a restaging EUS-FNA. Ninety of these patients were staged by EUS as N0. Seventy patients (78%) were N0 on final pathology (sensitivity 82%, accuracy 68%). There was no EUS-FNArelatedproceduralmorbidityormortalityexceptforsorethroatandnausea.Conclusion:EUS-FNAisveryaccurateandsensitivewhenit clinically stages patients with esophageal cancer as N0. In addition, it is even accurate and sensitive when restaging patients as N0 after neo-adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy. These results, which differ from previous reports, are critical for guiding treatment decisions. # 2011 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.