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Carcinoma of the gallbladder is the most frequent biliary tract lesion but the 5-year survival is less than 5%. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of several clinico-pathological variables on survival in a series of 226 carcinomas of the gallbladder.The results were retrospectively analyzed and prognostic factors were identified by univariate statistical analysis and Cox regression model. All patients underwent surgery and in 67 of these (29.6%), surgery was potentially curative. In 63 patients (27.9%) diagnosis was made when the resected gallbladder was studied for benign disease. Tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage was 0 in 7 patients (3.1%), stage I in 19 patients (8.4%), stage II in 21 patients (9.3%), stage III in 61 patients (27%) and stage IV in 118 patients (52%).Overall 5-year survival was 17.3%. In the univariate analysis, significant variables were the presence of jaundice, weight loss, palpation of abdominal tumors at diagnosis, surgical technique, TNM stage and the three variables of this system (T: size, N: adenopathies; M: distant metastasis). In the multivariate analysis, the three variables of the TNM system and surgical technique were significantly associated with survival.The most important prognostic factor was TNM stage. Currently, radical cholecystectomy in stages II and III has become another important prognostic factor.

We analyzed the influence of packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions on the prognosis of 163 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma undergoing subtotal gastrectomy with a curative intention. Over a period of 15 years, our department admitted 505 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, with curative subtotal gastrectomy being performed in 167 cases. Mean age was 62.2 years (range: 30-87); there was a predominance of males (104 cases; 63.8%). Excluding the four patients who died in the immediate postoperative period (first 30 days), the remaining 163 were reviewed twice yearly in our department until either they died or the study ended. Follow-up averaged 49.5 months, with a median of 36 months. Sixty-nine (42.3%) of the 163 patients received transfusions of PRBC. On correlating the variables with the transfusion, we found a statistical significance only between the rate of transfusion and patient age over 63 years (P0.01), with an evolution time of less than three months (P0.05) and in tumors of4 cm (P0.05). The five-year survival rate of the nontransfusion patients was 56.9% and of the transfusion patients 40%, with statistically significant differences (P = 0.0132). On studying patients according to tumor stage, we found that blood transfusion had a statistically significant influence on prognosis only in patients with tumor stage III (P = 0.0051). In the univariate analysis of the remaining variables collected, the existence of abdominal tumor (P = 0.0307), tumor size (P = 0.00001), degree of involvement of the gastric wall (P = 0.00001), lymph node involvement (P = 0.00001) and tumor stage (P = 0.00001) revealed a statistically significant influence on prognosis. If we apply Cox's regression model to the variables that in the univariate analysis had a statistically significant influence on prognosis, we found that only tumor size and stage were independent predictors of survival. In our experience, PRBC transfusion does not influence the long-term survival of patients with resected gastric adenocarcinoma.

We reviewed 50 patients with benign tumors of small intestine treated over a period of 15 years. Mean age was 58 years, and 54% of the patients were female. The most frequent location of the tumors was the jejunum (54%). The commonest histological variety was leiomyoma (56%), followed by fibroma (14%). Average size of tumor was 4.8 cm. With regard to clinical data, 20% of the patients were asymptomatic; in the remaining 80% of the patients, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal hemorrhage and abdominal distension were the most frequent symptoms. The mean symptom-diagnosis interval was 2 months. Barium studies, duodenal endoscopy and selective angiography were the most useful diagnostic tools. However, only in 30% of cases the correct diagnosis was reached preoperatively. All patients underwent surgical treatment. The more frequent surgical technique was segmental resection of small bowel (84%). Operative mortality was 4% and morbidity was 10%. Actuarial 5-year survival for all patients was 96%.

We present a series of 209 patients with cancer of the esophagus over a 13-year period. Average age was 61.99 years and 87.56% of the patients were male. As for histological type, 59.8% of cases were epidermoid carcinomas and the remaining adenocarcinomas. In 76.55% of cases tumor stage was III or IV. Operability rate was 81.8% and resectability 57.89%. The most frequent resective procedure was oesophagogastrectomy through a right thoracotomy and laparotomy. Reconstruction of digestive continuity was achieved in 86.77% with the stomach; 53.72 of resections were judged to be "radical". Overall postoperative morbidity was 45.61%. Respiratory failure and anastomotic leakage accounted for most of morbidity. Anastomotic leakage was more frequent in patients undergoing bypass, with cervical anastomosis, and when the reconstruction was performed with the colon. Mortality rate was 14.04%, but fell to 7.69% in patients undergoing "radical" resection. Overall 5-year survival was 7.83% and 11.81% in patients undergoing resection. The more relevant prognostic factor was tumour stage; 5-years survival of patients with tumor stage I-II was 27.53%, and 0% for patients with tumour stage II or IV.

An evaluation was made of 34 patients having Barrett's oesophagus. Medical therapy consisted of antacids, H2 blockers, orthopramides, and postural measures (20 cases, mean follow-up 2.9 years). A Nissen fundoplication was done in 14 cases (mean follow-up 2.5 years). Clinical, endoscopic and histologic evaluation was done in all patients and pH measurements also done in all operated cases. Clinical results have been excellent in 70% of medically treated patients and in 100% of surgically treated ones, pH measurements were between normal limits in all operated patients. However, recovery of the normal epithelium did not occur in any case, except for some partial improvement in one patient treated surgically.

The diagnosis of Mallory-Weiss syndrome was made in 142 patients with upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage by early endoscopy. These patients represent 5.16% of all patients with haemorrhage treated in our unit over a period of ten years. Emergency surgery was needed in 13 due to persistent haemorrhage. In the remaining 129, conservative management sufficed to stop the bleeding. All patients receiving medical therapy survived while one of the surgically treated patients died of pulmonary thromboembolism in the early postoperative period.

The results of 313 gastric adenocarcinomas, treated by the same surgical team during 10 years have been evaluated retrospectively. The pathological characteristics, operability (88.8%) and resectability (69.8%) rates, surgical technique and morbility and mortality rates are analyzed. The causes of late mortality, total five-year survival, depending on the stage of the tumors, and survival in relation to treatment are reported.

A series of 29 patients with early gastric cancer operated on in our department over a period of 10 years is presented; this figure represents 9.10% of total number of gastric cancers. The most common symptom was epigastric pain, present in 51.72% of cases. Diagnosis was established by endoscopy and biopsy in 96.5% patients. Treatment was subtotal gastrectomy in 28 cases; most lesions (24) were located in the distal third of the stomach. Lesion was intramucosal in 44.8% of cases; in 55.17% there was infiltration of the submucosal layer and only 13.8% of tumors presented lymph node metastases. Macroscopically the most common pattern of the lesions was the ulcerated type. All patients have been followed up at least 4 years; of them died: one of carcinoma of the bladder and three of chronic respiratory failure. There were no recurrences of the gastric lesion and the 5 years actuarial survival was 84.32%.