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An 83-year-old woman was referred for the surgical treatment of early gastric cancer. FDG-PET/CT showed multiple space-occupying lesions in the spleen with abnormal FDG accumulation. Robot-assisted distal gastrectomy(D1+), Billroth Ⅱ reconstruction, and robot-assisted splenectomy were simultaneously performed for the diagnosis of splenic tumors without any intraoperative complications. Histopathological examination revealed early gastric cancer[M, Less, por+sig>tub2, 27×15 mm, pT1a, N0, M0, pStage ⅠA], and based on the findings of non-caseating granulomas, the multiple splenic tumors were diagnosed as splenic sarcoidosis. Histopathological diagnosis is necessary for the definitive diagnosis of splenic tumors. Although laparoscopic splenectomies have become increasingly common, the safety of robot-assisted splenectomies remains controversial. In the present case, robot-assisted splenectomy was performed safely during the simultaneous resection of gastric cancer, and a histological diagnosis was possible. However, further evidence on the usefulness of robot-assisted splenectomy is required.

Background: The correlation between tumor location and lymphatic flow distribution in gastric cancer has been previously reported, and PTD (Proximal - Transitional - Distal) classification was proposed. Our group updated and developed the nPTD classification., Method: We retrospectively studied gastric cancer patients who underwent the dye method sentinel node biopsy from 1993 to 2020. The inclusion criteria were a single lesion type 0 cancer of ≤5 cm in the long axis, clinically node-negative, and invasion within the proper muscle layer pathologically. In this study, the distribution of dyed lymphatic flow was evaluated for each occupied area of the tumor., Results: We included 416 patients in this study. The tumors located in the watershed of the right and left gastroepiploic arteries near greater curvature had extensive lymphatic flow; therefore, a newly circular region with a diameter of 5 cm is set on the watershed of the greater curvature between P and T zone as the 'n' zone. In addition, for cancers located in the lesser P curvature, lymphatic flow to the greater curvature was not observed. Therefore, the P zone was divided into two: the lesser curvature side (PL) and the greater curvature side (PG)., Conclusions: The advantage of the nPTD classification is that it provides not only proper nodal dissection but also adequate function-preserving gastrectomy. If the tumor is localized within the PL, the proximal gastrectomy resection area can be further reduced. In contrast, for cancers located in the 'n' zone, near-total gastrectomy is required because of the extensive lymphatic flow., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Sentinel node (SN) navigation surgery is expected to realize organ- and function-preserving surgery with SN mapping, and has been applied in operations for breast cancer and melanoma. But there has been no definite evidence for the SN concept in gastric cancer. A prospective multicenter trial to confirm the SN concept for gastric cancer conducted by the Japan Society of Sentinel Node Navigation Surgery reported that the SN detection rate, sensitivity of positive SNs, and accuracy of nodal status are 97.5% (387/397), 93% (53/57), and 99% (383/387), respectively. A detailed analysis of the trial suggested that strictly the "lymphatic basin concept" rather than the "SN concept" was confirmed in early gastric cancer. The Japan Society of Sentinel Node Navigation Surgery started a new trial of function-preserving gastrectomy with lymphatic basin dissection (LBD) for early gastric cancer without metastasis in SNs on the basis of this promising outcome of the trial. It is supposed that LBD guarantees curability in SN navigation surgery for early gastric cancer. Full-thickness resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection in combination with laparoscopic LBD will soon be a new treatment option for early gastric cancer.

Residual mucosa in the gastric stump after pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) is considered a risk factor for the development of gastric stump carcinoma (GSC). Duodenogastric reflux (DGR) and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection are suspected to contribute to the development of GSC. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori in the residual stomach after PPG for gastric cancer and to assess factors associated with the presence of H. pylori. We investigated 72 patients who had undergone PPG at least 1 year prior to the study and were confirmed to be positive for H. pylori infection on presurgical endoscopic biopsy. The extent of DGR, the prevalence of H. pylori infection based on H. pylori stool antigen (HpSA) tests and the severity of gastritis were analyzed in these post-PPG patients. None of the patients had DGR, as shown by (99m)Tc-PMT. Of the 72 post-PPG patients, 33 (46%) were positive for HpSA. The prevalence of H. pylori infection was significantly lower after surgery than before surgery. The endoscopic severity of remnant gastritis, as well as histological inflammation and activity, were higher in H. pylori-positive patients than in H. pylori-negative patients. In conclusion, some patients who undergo PPG and are negative for DGR experience spontaneous clearance of H. pylori infection.

Background: The prognosis of gastric cancer with para-aortic lymph node (PAN) metastasis is poor. We applied triple combination chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and S-1 (DCS therapy) as pre-operative chemotherapy and investigated the outcome of the combination of this therapy and gastrectomy with para-aortic lymph node dissection (PAND)., Methods: We retrospectively identified 44 patients with pathologically positive PAN who underwent curative surgery at Kanazawa University Hospital between 1990 and 2008. Among the 44 patients, 16 received pre-operative DCS therapy and subsequent surgical resection after two courses of the therapy., Results: Pre-operative DCS therapy showed high clinical response ratio (68.8%) and disease control ratio (100%). The pathological response ratio of resected specimen was 87.5%. At 2 years after surgery, the overall survival ratio was 93.8% and relapse-free survival was 75.0%. Pre-operative DCS therapy was only independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis. Grade 3/4 toxicity was observed only in 25.0% of patients who underwent DCS therapy. Surgical complication was observed in 31.3% of patients, and this ratio was equal to that of patients who did not receive DCS therapy., Conclusion: Multimodal therapy comprising combined pre-operative DCS therapy and gastrectomy with PAND was extremely effective and feasible for advanced gastric cancer with PAN metastasis., (Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI), an ischemic bowel disease without a disruption of the mesenteric blood flow or strangulation of the mesentery or intestine, may cause a lethal clinical course. We report a very rare case of jejunal necrosis caused by NOMI in the pedicled mesentery of the reconstructed jejunum after remnant gastric tube resection for heterochronous gastric tube cancer after esophagectomy. Case presentation: An 80-year-old man visited our department with chief complaints of fever and appetite loss after 4 months from gastric tube resection and digestive reconstruction with pedicled jejunum. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed impaired blood flow without torsion of the mesentery, severe wall thickness, and micro-penetration in the reconstructed jejunum and combined pyothorax in the right thoracic cavity. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy demonstrated extensive mucosal necrosis confined to the jejunum, which was elevated in the thoracic cavity. The jejunal necrosis due to NOMI occurring in the reconstructed jejunum was suspected, and lifesaving small bowel resection with right thoracotomy was considered necessary. However, radical operation with right thoracotomy was considered to be excessively invasive and not valid due to the patient's poor physical status, advanced age, and presence of left adrenal metastasis from the remnant gastric cancer. Therefore, we selected the conservative treatment with fasting, transnasal drainage, and administration of antibiotics due to the patient's intention. CT-guided right thoracic drainage for the intrathoracic abscess was needed 10 days after starting treatment and the inflammatory response rapidly improved. Follow-up CT and esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed the improvement in the ischemic changes in jejunal mucosa without perforation. Intake was initiated at 20 days after symptom onset, and the patient was discharged at 40 hospital days without any complications and sequelae. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of NOMI occurring in the reconstructed jejunum after remnant gastric tube resection that was successfully treated with a conservative treatment. For NOMI, it is important to make appropriate diagnosis based on imaging findings and perform proper assessment of the patient's condition. Conservative treatments may be also useful depending on the patient's condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Conversion surgery (CS) following a response to chemotherapy occasionally leads to prolonged survival in patients with stage IV gastric cancer (GC). This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) for the success of CS in patients with stage IV GC.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of 50 patients with stage IV GC who received systemic chemotherapy between January 2009 and December 2017 at the Kanazawa Medical University Hospital. The successful CS group included the patients who underwent R0 or R1 resection with CS, and the failed CS group included the patients who did not undergo CS after chemotherapy or those who, despite undergoing CS, had to additionally undergo R2 resection. Clinicopathological characteristics were examined in both groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify pretherapeutic parameters that were independently associated with the achievement of successful CS.Results: The number of patients in the successful and failed CS groups were 12 and 38, respectively. On univariate analysis, gender (P = 0.01), NLR (P = 0.003), albumin levels (P = 0.004), and absence of peritoneal metastasis (P = 0.004) were found to be significantly correlated with a successful CS. On multivariate analysis, NLR < 4 and absence of peritoneal metastasis were independently correlated with a successful CS (P = 0.02 and P = 0.002, respectively). In patients without peritoneal metastasis, successful CS rates in patients with NLR < 4 were significantly higher than those in patients with NLR ≥ 4 (61.1% vs. 10.0%, P = 0.005).Conclusions: The NLR was a significant independent predictor of the achievement of successful CS in stage IV GC patients, especially among the patients without peritoneal metastasis. Patients with a low NLR could have higher possibility of achieving successful CS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Segmental gastrectomy, mini-distal gastrectomy and local resection of the stomach are function-preserving curative gastrectomies (FPGs), which are used to treat gastric cancer in specialized centers. These surgical options are less invasive and can alleviate postgastrectomy symptoms more than standard gastrectomy; however, their association with prognosis remains to be fully elucidated. The present study aimed to compare the survival prognosis of patients diagnosed as node-negative by sentinel node biopsy (SNB) treated via FPG with reduced lymph node dissection with that of patients who underwent guideline gastrectomy (GL). This retrospective study was conducted between April 1999 and March 2016. The inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of gastric cancer type 0, of ≤5 cm, located in L or M areas, and pT1N0. Patients who underwent distal gastrectomy and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy were included as controls in the GL group. Among the 146 and 300 patients in the FPG and GL groups, respectively, only 1 patient in the GL group experienced recurrence. The overall survival (OS) of the FPG group was 96.6% at 5 years and 92.5% at 10 years, which was significantly higher than that of the GL group (P<0.05). In addition, the cumulative incidence of non-cancer-related deaths, especially pulmonary diseases, was lower in the FPG group than that in the GL group (P<0.05). Notably, the OS and non-cancer death rate in the FPG group remained significantly better after propensity score-matching analysis. In conclusion, for early gastric cancer located in M or L areas, patients treated via FPG guided by SNB have a better prognosis and fewer deaths caused by respiratory disease than those treated via GL. The present clinical trial was registered under the following trial registration numbers: UMIN000010154 (2013/3/4), UMIN000023828 (2016/8/29), jRCTs041180006 (2018/10/9). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]