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Background/aims: Helicobacter pylori eradication can reduce the incidence of metachronous gastric neoplasm (MGN) after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC). This study evaluated the risk of developing MGN after ESD for EGC based on age at H. pylori eradication., Methods: Data of patients who underwent curative ESD for EGC with H. pylori infection between 2005 and 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were allocated to four groups according to age at H. pylori eradication: group 1 (<50 years), group 2 (50-59 years), group 3 (60-69 years), and group 4 (≥70 years)., Results: All patients were followed up for at least 5 years after ESD. The 5-year cumulative incidence of MGN was 2.1%, 7.0%, 8.7%, and 16.7% in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively (p<0.001), and groups 3 and 4 showed a significant increase in the risk of MGN (hazard ratio [HR], 4.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09 to 19.92 and HR, 10.75; 95% CI, 2.45 to 47.12). After adjustments for moderate to severe intestinal metaplasia based on the updated Sydney system, groups 3 and 4 remained significantly associated with MGN (HR, 4.40; 95% CI, 1.03 to 18.84 and HR, 10.14; 95% CI, 2.31 to 44.57)., Conclusions: The incidence of MGN after ESD for EGC increased with age at H. pylori eradication. Age at H. pylori eradication ≥60 years was an independent risk factor for MGN, even after adjusting for the presence of advanced intestinal metaplasia.

Background: The number of older patients with cancer is increasing with the progression of aging societies. In the current study, we sought to clarify the prognostic values of the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) as a nutritional index and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as an inflammatory index in older patients with gastric cancer., Methods: Between January 2007 and December 2016, a total of 197 consecutive gastric cancer patients aged ≥ 75 years who underwent radical gastrectomy were enrolled in this study. The prognostic values of preoperative GNRI and NLR were assessed using time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, log-rank tests, and Cox regression analysis., Results: The areas under the curve (AUCs) predicting 5-year overall survival (OS) were 0.668 for GNRI and 0.637 for NLR. The 5-year OS rates in the groups with low GNRI and NLR were 40.1% and 74.1% (p < 0.001), and those with high GNRI and NLR were 70.7% and 41.5% (p < 0.001), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that GNRI (hazard ratio (HR): 0.584; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.356-0.960; p = 0.034) and NLR (HR: 2.470; 95% CI: 1.503-4.059; p < 0.001) were independent predictors for OS. The GNRI-NLR score constructed with GNRI and NLR had a higher AUC (0.698) than those of GNRI or NLR alone and was an independent prognostic factor (HR, 0.486; 95% CI: 0.363-0.651; p < 0.001)., Conclusions: GNRI and NLR are useful prognostic biomarkers in older patients with gastric cancer aged ≥ 75 years. The GNRI-NLR score could contribute to a more personalized and holistic approach to cancer treatment in this patient population., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate This retrospective study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine (approval no. 2023-013) and conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Due to the retrospective nature of the study, we used the opt-out approach to disclose the study information instead of written informed consent. We obtained an &quot; informed consent waiver&quot; from the Ethical Committee of Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Glomus tumors (GTs) are mesenchymal neoplasms that are typically benign. Gastric GTs are uncommon and occur mainly in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Malignant gastric GTs are extremely rare, constituting less than 1% of gastric tumors. Because their features are similar to those of other tumors found in the same gastrointestinal region, such as stromal tumors, leiomyomas, lymphomas, and lipomas, the diagnosis is challenging., Case Presentation: A 52-year-old male patient presented with fatigue and melena. The initial endoscopic examination did not locate any source of bleeding. Six months later, pan-gastroscopy, performed due to progressive microcytic anemia, revealed a 40 × 30 mm polypoid lesion with deep ulcerations; histopathological analysis confirmed that it was a gastric GT with expression of alpha-actin and cadherin 17 and a Ki-67 index of 20%. The patient delayed surgical therapy until his symptoms worsened. Laparoscopic sleeve resection revealed a 65 × 45 × 25 mm tumor, and secondary immunohistochemical analysis revealed extensive spread into the mucosa and subserosa. Focally, the tumor bulged into some large veins. Genetic examination with RNA isolation further supported the histopathological diagnosis of gastric GT with uncertain malignant potential., Conclusions: This case underscores the diagnostic challenges posed by gastric GTs because they are rare and their clinical features are similar to those of other gastric tumors. Thorough histopathological and molecular analysis is essential for an accurate diagnosis. Surgical intervention remains the primary therapeutic approach. This case also emphasizes the need for long-term follow-up due to the potential for recurrence and malignancy., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent for publication The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Hódmezővásárhely-Makó Healthcare Center. Written informed consent was obtained from the participants for publication of the details of their medical case and any accompanying images. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Research indicates that prehabilitation is effective in optimizing physical status before surgery, although this method may be considered "aggressive" for frail elderly patients. This study aimed to evaluate whether multimodal prehabilitation decreases postoperative complications and improves functional recovery in frail elderly patients undergoing gastric cancer surgery, in comparison to usual clinical care., Methods: This study was a single-center, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Patients over 65 years old with a Fried Frailty Index of 2 or higher, scheduled for gastric cancer surgery, were considered for inclusion. Eligible participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group underwent a 3-week multimodal prehabilitation program prior to surgery, in addition to perioperative care guided by ERAS protocols. The control group received only the latter. The primary outcome was the comprehensive complications index (CCI) measured at 30 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes included 30-day overall complications, functional walking capacity as assessed by 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) at 4 weeks postoperatively, and 3-month postoperative quality of life. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (No. NCT06510088)., Results: Among the 112 eligible patients, the median age was 74 years, with 58 (52.7%) being female. No between-group difference was found in the primary outcome measure, 30-day CCI. The Median (Q1-Q3) CCI for the intervention and control groups was 0 (0-12.2) and 0 (0-22.6) (P = 0.082), while the mean (SD) CCI was 6.1 (15.8) and 9.8 (12.7), respectively (P = 0.291). Notably, the incidence of severe complications (CCI > 20) was significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group (11.1% vs. 25.9%, P = 0.046), particularly in terms of medical complications (12.3% vs. 29.3%, P = 0.025). Preoperatively, 27 patients (47.4%) in the intervention group exhibited an increase in the 6MWD of at least 20 m, compared to 16 patients (27.6%) in the control group (P = 0.028). At 4 weeks postoperatively, more patients in the intervention group returned to their baseline 6MWD levels (63.2% vs. 43.1%, P = 0.031). Secondary parameters of functional capacity in the postoperative period generally favored the multimodal prehabilitation approach., Conclusions: In frail elderly patients undergoing elective gastric cancer surgery, a prehabilitation program did not affect the 30-day postoperative complication rate or CCI but reduced severe complications and improved perioperative functional capacity., Trial Registration: [ClinicalTrials.gov], [NCT06510088], [07/15/2024], [Retrospectively registered]., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University. Informed consent was obtained from each participant before enrollment in the study. Consent for publication This is not applicable for this study. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The authors have identified an error in Table 5 concerning the dissection speed. It is currently listed as follows: S-O group 14.5±9.5 and Control group 25.1±18.9. However, this is incorrect. The correct values should be reversed: S-O group 25.1±18.9 and Control group 14.5±9.5.References:Yoichi Nakatsu, Makoto Furihata, Anna Fujiyama, Arisa Yuzawa, Mako Ushio, Shintaro Yano, Hiroki Okawa, Kumiko Noda, Shinjiro Nishi, Shingo Ogiwara, Tsuneo Kitamura, Naoto Sakamoto, Taro Osada: A Retrospective Study of 290 Patients with Resectable Benign and Malignant Gastric Neoplasms to Compare Postoperative Outcomes of Endoscopic Resection with and without the Internal Traction Method Using a Spring-and-Loop with Clip (S-O Clip). Med Sci Monit, 2024; 30: e945341. DOI: 10.12659/MSM.945341.

Background: Oral contrast-enhanced ultrasound (OCEUS) is widely used in the noninvasive diagnosis and screening of gastric cancer (GC) in China., Aim: To investigate the clinical application of OCEUS in evaluating the preoperative T staging of gastric cancer., Methods: OCEUS was performed before the operation, and standard ultrasound images were retained. The depth of infiltration of GC (T-stage) was evaluated according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8 th edition of the tumor-node-metastasis staging criteria. Finally, with postoperative pathological staging as the gold standard reference, the sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and diagnostic value of OCEUS T staging were evaluated., Results: OCEUS achieved diagnostic accuracy rates of 76.6% (T1a), 69.6% (T1b), 62.7% (T2), 60.8% (T3), 88.0% (T4a), and 88.7% (T4b), with an average of 75.5%. Ultrasonic T staging sensitivity exceeded 62%, aside from T1b at 40.3%, while specificity was over 91%, except for T3 with 83.5%. The Youden index was above 60%, with T1b and T2 being exceptions. OCEUS T staging corresponded closely with pathology in T4b (kappa > 0.75) and moderately in T1a, T1b, T2, T3, and T4a (kappa 0.40-0.75), registering a concordance rate exceeding 84%., Conclusion: OCEUS was effective, reliable, and accurate in diagnosing the preoperative T staging of GC. As a noninvasive diagnostic technique, OCEUS merits clinical popularization., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The initiation time and formula for supplemental parenteral nutrition after surgery require optimization, especially in older patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery. This study aimed to assess the effect of early supplementation with a branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-enriched formula (BAF) on short-term postoperative outcomes in older patients undergoing gastric surgery., Methods: This single-center, prospective, double-blinded, randomized clinical trial was conducted from March 10, 2020, to September 15, 2022. Patients aged 65-80 years with gastric cancer scheduled for curative resection were assessed for eligibility and randomly allocated to a high-proportion BCAA (HBCAA) (early supplementation with the BAF) or control (routine nutrition) group. The primary outcome was the standardized length of hospital stay (LOS)., Results: A total of 150 patients were randomized. Thirteen patients were excluded due to the resection of other organs, presence of metastasis, or withdrawal of consent. Finally, we included 70 and 67 patients in the HBCAA and control groups, respectively (mean age: 70.5 ± 4.2 years; 96 men [70.1%]). The standardized LOS was significantly shorter in the treatment group than in the control group (median [interquartile range]: 8.0 [7.8, 8.0] vs. 8.5 [8.0, 9.0] days; mean difference, 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.02-0.74 days; P < .001). Patients in the HBCAA group showed better gastrointestinal function with faster defecation (4.0 [3.6, 5.0] vs. 5.0 [4.0, 5.5] days; mean difference, 0.6 days; 95% CI, 0.26-0.94 days; P < .001) and semi-liquid diet initiation (8.0 [7.5, 8.0] vs. 8.0 [8.0, 8.8] days; mean difference, 0.36 days; 95% CI, 0.03-0.7 days; P < .001) and had lesser weight loss at postoperative day 5 than those in the control group did (3.5 [2.7, 6.5] vs. 4.9 [3.3, 7.6]%; mean difference, 1.23%; 95% CI, 0.27-2.19%; P = .011)., Conclusions: In this randomized clinical trial, compared with routine nutrition, early supplementation with a BAF was associated with a shorter standardized LOS in older patients undergoing gastric surgery, suggesting that it may be a favorable strategy for patients with a poor tolerance to external nutrition who are undergoing major surgery., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov; Identifier: ChiCTR2000029635., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: To determine the clinical efficacy and safety of modified double-channel anastomosis for digestive tract reconstruction in proximal gastrectomy for early gastric cancer (EGC)., Study Design: Case series. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Heji Hospital, Changzhi Medical College, Shanxi, China, from January to November 2022., Methodology: Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, this study included a total of 21 patients with oesophagogastric junction cancer or proximal gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with modified double-channel anastomosis. After resection of the proximal stomach, the remaining stomach was shaped into a tube. The distal end of the oesophagus was anastomosed to the jejunum. The jejunum was anastomosed 10-15 cm from the oesophagojejunostomy site laterally to the anterior wall of the stomach 3 cm from the gastric remnant. General data including operative time, anastomosis time, intraoperative blood loss, time to oral intake, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications were evaluated. Postoperative gastroscopy and gastrointestinal imaging were performed to assess the residual stomach motility and anti-reflux effect., Results: All twenty-one patients underwent modified double-channel anastomosis. The mean operation time was 254 (211 - 297) minutes. Mean reconstruction time was 65 (60 - 70) minutes. A mean of 19 (15 - 29) lymph nodes were cleared. Mean intraoperative blood loss was 86 (78.5-105ml). Mean time to oral intake was 6 (5 - 6.5) days. Postoperatively, there were two cases of pulmonary infection. There was no occurrence of anastomotic stenosis, anastomotic bleeding, or leakage. Gastrointestinal contrast study at 6 months postoperatively revealed reduced gastrointestinal motility in three cases and good residual gastric motility observed in the remaining patients. Gastroscopic examination at 6 months postoperatively revealed only one case of reflux oesophagitis., Conclusion: Modified double-channel anastomosis for proximal gastrectomy is safe and feasible. It provides a good anti-reflux effect and gastric emptying function without increasing the risk of postoperative complications., Key Words: Adenocarcinoma of the oesophagogastric junction, Upper gastric carcinoma, Proximal gastrectomy, Double-tract reconstruction.

Background: Gastric cancer is the third most common malignant tumor with the second highest mortality rate in the world, and radical gastrectomy is the main treatment method, but the operation needs a long period of time to carry out and has strong surgical trauma stimulation, which is likely to cause sympathetic nerve excitement and stress reaction in the body. Therefore, the selection of appropriate anesthetic medication regimen and anesthesia method has an important impact on the intraoperative management and postoperative recovery of patients. This study aims to compare the clinical effects of dexmedetomidine alone in combination with propofol, etomidate and propofol-etomidate mixture in the treatment of radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer., Methods: A total of 90 patients undergoing elective radical gastrectomy were randomly divided into the propofol group (group P), the etomidate group (group E), and the etomidate-propofol mixture group (group PE). Anesthesia induction was performed under the monitoring of bispectral index anesthesia depth. The same pumping drugs were used in 3 groups: 0.1 to 0.3 μg/kg·min remifentanil, 0.5 μg/kg·h dexmedetomidine, and 5 to 10 μg/kg·min rocuronium. The primary outcome indicator was the hemodynamic conditions. The secondary outcome indicators included awakening time and time to accurately answer questions after operation, the prevalence of postoperative respiratory depression and adverse events, the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and preoperative and postoperative Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Mini-Mental State Examination scores., Results: Among the 3 groups of patients, the use rate of vasoactive drugs in group P was higher (P < .05); the systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate of group P at T1 to T4 were significantly lower than those of groups E and PE (P < .05); the systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate of group E in T2, T4, and T6 were significantly higher than those of groups P and PE (P < .05). The wake-up time after operation and the time to accurately answer the questions were longer in group E than in groups P and PE (P < .05). The incidence of postoperative respiratory depression in group P was higher than that in groups E and PE (P < .05). The Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of group P was lower than that of groups E and PE 7 days after operation (P < .05)., Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine combined with propofol-etomidate mixture is a better anesthesia drug combination., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background/aim: Post-gastrectomy lean body mass (LBM) decrease has a significant negative impact on postoperative survival in patients with cancer. This study investigated the effect of intake of at least one-third of the daily protein requirement at breakfast on the maintenance of LBM in patients during the first month post-gastrectomy., Patients and Methods: Among patients with gastric cancer who underwent curative distal gastrectomy between April 2011 and December 2018, without adjuvant chemotherapy, we evaluated 401 patients who had consumed more than the daily protein requirement in the first month postoperatively, using the FFQW82 nutrition intake questionnaire. Patients were divided into those who consumed more (≥1/3 intake group, n=160) and those who consumed less than one-third of the daily protein requirement at breakfast (<1/3 intake group, n=241). We compared the LBM reduction rate at one month postoperatively between groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine clinicopathological factors predicting LBM reduction at one month postoperatively., Results: The LBM reduction rate at one month post-curative distal gastrectomy was significantly higher in the <1/3 intake group than in the ≥1.3 intake group (p=0.01) at breakfast. Multivariate analysis showed that morning protein intake below one-third of the daily requirement independently predicted LBM reduction (odds ratio=1.75, 95% confidence interval=1.14-2.68, p<0.01)., Conclusion: Consuming at least one-third of the daily protein requirement at breakfast may be effective in maintaining LBM in patients undergoing curative distal gastrectomy. These results may be very important for prognosis, since maintaining LBM influences the continuation of adjuvant chemotherapy and thus survival after curative resection in patients with gastric cancer., (Copyright © 2024, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) effectively treats selected early gastric cancers (EGCs). However, the association of microsatellite instability (MSI), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), p53, and β-catenin status with clinicopathologic parameters in EGCs treated with ESD have not been well studied., Patients and Methods: We retrospectively collected 312 consecutive EGC cases treated with ESD from January 2021 to December 2023 at Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital. MSI polymerase chain reaction, EBV encoded RNA in situ hybridization, and p53 and β-catenin immunostaining were performed for all cases., Results: Among 312 EGC cases, there were 42 MSI-High (MSI-H) cases (13.5%), 13 EBV-associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC) cases (4.2%), 249 intestinal type cases (79.8%), and eight poorly cohesive carcinoma cases (2.6%). MSI-H was significantly associated with lymphovascular invasion (p=0.02), local recurrence (p=0.03), and synchronous tumors (p<0.001). More than half of EBVaGC cases showed submucosal invasion (61.5%, 8/13) (p=0.016). Consequently, non-curative ESD was more frequently found in EBVaGC than in other subtypes (p<0.001). Mutant p53 patterns and nuclear translocation of β-catenin were almost exclusively found in the intestinal type (p<0.001), without association with clinicopathologic parameters. Margin involvement was frequent in poorly cohesive carcinoma (p=0.003)., Conclusion: We demonstrated that MSI-H and EBVaGC are strongly associated with clinicopathologic parameters and risk factors in EGCs treated with ESD. Molecular testing of gastric cancers should be considered before ESD for better patient management., (Copyright © 2024, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background: HER2(+) gastric cancer (GC) can benefit from trastuzumab. However, the impact of additional trastuzumab in preoperative treatment on immune cells remains largely unknown., Methods: In cohort I, immune cells were detected by immunohistochemistry in 1321 patients. Then 88 HER2(+) patients received preoperative therapy were collected as cohort II. Immune cell profiles and changes were analyzed in paired pre- and post-operative specimens using multiple immunohistochemistry staining., Results: In the treatment-naive GC patients (n = 1002), CD3+ and CD8+ T cell infiltration was significantly lower in the HER2(+) GC patients together with higher FoxP3+ T cells compared with HER2(-). However, FoxP3+ T and CD20+ B cell infiltration was significantly higher in HER2(+) GC after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (n = 319). The trastuzumab-exposed group had higher CD8+ T and lower FoxP3+ T cell infiltration and CD8+ T cell was even more significant in responders. Additionally, tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) density increased in invasion margin of residual tumors. Patients with lower TLS in the tumor core or lower FoxP3+ T cells had better overall survival in the trastuzumab-exposed group., Conclusion: Addition of trastuzumab modulates the immune microenvironment, suggesting the potential mechanism of the favorable outcome of anti-HER2 therapy and providing a theoretical rationale for the combinational immunotherapy in resectable HER2(+) GC patients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: It is unknown if gastric adenocarcinoma survivors have longer, shorter, or similar survival compared to the background population. This knowledge could contribute to evidence-based monitoring strategies, healthcare recommendations, and information for patients and families., Methods: This population-based cohort study included all patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma between 2006-2015 in Sweden and survived ≥ 5 years after surgery. They were followed up until death, postoperative year 10, or end of study period (31 December, 2020). Division of the observed by the expected survival yielded relative survival rates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using the life table method. The expected survival was derived from the entire Swedish population of the corresponding age, sex, and calendar year. Data came from medical records and nationwide registers., Results: The survival among all 767 gastric adenocarcinoma survivors was shorter than the expected. The reduction in relative survival increased for each follow-up year, from 97.3% (95% CI 95.4-99.1%) year 6 to 86.6% (95% CI 82.3-90.9%) year 10. The decline in relative survival was more pronounced among patients who had gastrectomy in earlier calendar years (82.9% [95% CI 77.4-88.4%] year 10 for years 2011-2015), shorter education (85.2% [95% CI 77.4-93.0%] year 10 for education ≤ 9 years), more comorbidities (78.0% [95% CI 63.9-92.0%] year 10 for Charlson comorbidity score ≥ 2), and no neoadjuvant therapy (83.2% [95% CI 77.4-89.0%] year 10)., Conclusion: Gastric adenocarcinoma survivors seem to have poorer survival than the corresponding background population, particularly in certain subgroups., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The purpose of the study was to conduct a comprehensive genomic characterization of gene alterations, microsatellite instability (MSI), and tumor mutational burden (TMB) in submucosal-penetrating (Pen) early gastric cancers (EGCs) with varying prognoses., Methods: Samples from EGC patients undergoing surgery and with 10-year follow-up data available were collected. Tissue genomic alterations were characterized using Trusight Oncology panel (TSO500). Pathway instability (PI) scores for a selection of 218 GC-related pathways were calculated both for the present case series and EGCs from the TCGA cohort., Results: Higher age and tumor location in the upper-middle tract are significantly associated with an increased hazard of relapse or death from any cause (p = 0.006 and p = 0.032). Even if not reaching a statistical significance, Pen A tumors more frequently present higher TMB values, higher frequency of MSI-subtypes and an overall increase in PI scores, along with an enrichment in immune pathways. ARID1A gene was observed to be significantly more frequently mutated in Pen A tumors (p = 0.006), as well as in patients with high TMB (p = 0.027). Tumors harboring LRP1B alterations seem to have a higher hazard of relapse or death from any cause (p = 0.089), being mutated mainly in relapsed patients (p = 0.093)., Conclusions: We found that the most aggressive subtype Pen A is characterized by a higher frequency of ARID1A mutations and a higher genetic instability, while LRP1B alterations seem to be related to a lower disease-free survival. Further investigations are needed to provide a rationale for the use of these markers to stratify prognosis in EGC patients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Large type 3 (diameter ≥ 8 cm) and type 4 gastric cancers have been arbitrarily combined in Japan as a single entity. However, whether these two types are oncologically similar remain unclear. This study aimed to clarify this issue., Methods: In this retrospective study, we analyzed a database of 3,575 patients from nine institutions who underwent gastrectomy between 2010 and 2014. Using propensity scores to balance significant variables, we compared prognoses and tumor recurrences., Results: Of patients with clinical T3/T4 who underwent R0 resection, 75 and 73 had large type 3 and 4 tumors, respectively. Patients with type 4 tumors had significantly lower overall survival rates than those of patients with large type 3 tumors (hazard ratio [HR] 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-2.74). However, among the large type 3 tumors, a remarkable difference in prognosis was observed between the differentiated and undifferentiated histological types. A comparison was made between large type 3 with undifferentiated phenotype and type 4, each with 39 patients after propensity score matching. Outcomes in both groups were similar in terms of overall survival (HR 1.28; 95% CI 0.73-2.25) and relapse-free survival (HR 1.34; 95% CI 0.80-2.27). No statistically significant differences were observed in the incidence of peritoneal recurrence (35.9% vs. 46.1%, P = 0.36) and lymph node recurrence (25.6% vs. 12.8%, P = 0.15)., Conclusions: Large type 3 tumors with undifferentiated phenotype and type 4 tumors were oncologically similar. This subgroup could be considered as a new entity for future clinical trials., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The significance of reinforcement of the duodenal stump with seromuscular sutures and the effectiveness of reinforced staplers in preventing duodenal stump leakage remain unclear. We aimed to explore the importance of duodenal stump reinforcement and determine the optimal reinforcement method for preventing duodenal stump leakage., Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2021, with data analyzed between December 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023. This multicenter study across 57 institutes in Japan included 16,475 patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical gastrectomies. Elective open or minimally invasive (laparoscopic or robotic) gastrectomy was performed in patients with gastric cancer., Results: Duodenal stump leakage occurred in 153 (0.93%) of 16,475 patients. The proportions of males, patients aged ≥ 75 years, and ≥ pN1 were higher in patients with duodenal stump leakage than in those without duodenal stump leakage. The incidence of duodenal stump leakage was significantly lower in the group treated with reinforcement by seromuscular sutures or using reinforced stapler than in the group without reinforcement (0.72% vs. 1.19%, p = 0.002). Duodenal stump leakage incidence was also significantly lower in high-volume institutions than in low-volume institutions (0.70% vs. 1.65%, p = 0.047). The rate of duodenal stump leakage-related mortality was 7.8% (12/153). In the multivariate analysis, preoperative asthma and duodenal invasion were identified as independent preoperative risk factors for duodenal stump leakage-related mortality., Conclusions: The duodenal stump should be reinforced to prevent duodenal stump leakage after radical gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The International Gastric Cancer Association and The Japanese Gastric Cancer Association.)

A 65-year-old woman was diagnosed with an exogenous submucosal tumor located in the fornix of the stomach, on the basis of the endoscopic ultrasound and enhanced CT findings. She refused surgery and referred for EFTR. It is difficult to perform EFTR at the gastric fornix and suture the large surgical defect. Therefore, we created technique of triangular pulley traction combined with pre-closure.

Rationale and Objectives: To evaluate the performance of dual-energy CT (DECT)-based radiomics models for identifying high-risk histopathologic phenotypes-serosal invasion (pT4a), lymph node metastasis (LNM), lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and perineural invasion (PNI) in gastric cancer., Material and Methods: This prospective bi-center study recruited histologically confirmed gastric adenocarcinoma patients who underwent triple-phase enhanced DECT before gastrectomy between January 2021 and July 2023. Radiomics features were extracted from polychromatic/monochromatic (40 keV, 100 keV)/iodine images at arterial/venous/delay phase, respectively. Predictive features were selected in the training dataset using logistic regression classifier, and trained models were applied to the external validation dataset. Performances of clinical models, conventional contrast enhanced CT (CECT) models and DECT models were evaluated using areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs)., Results: In total, 503 patients were recruited: 396 at training dataset (60.1 ± 10.8 years, 110 females, 286 males) and 107 at validation dataset (61.4 ± 9.5 years, 29 females, 78 males). DECT models dichotomizing pT4a, LNM, LVI, and PNI achieved AUCs of 0.891, 0.817, 0.834, and 0.889, respectively, in the validation dataset, similar with the CECT models. In the training dataset, compared to the CECT model, the DECT model provided increased performance for identifying pT4a, LNM, LVI (all P＜0.05), and similar performance for stratifying PNI (P = 0.104). The DECT models was associated with patient disease-free survival (all P＜0.05)., Conclusion: DECT radiomics can stratify patients preoperatively according to high-risk histopathologic phenotypes for gastric cancer and are associated with patient disease-free survival in the training dataset., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Clinical findings and postoperative follow-up data on remnant gastric cancer (RGC) are limited due to its rarity. Additionally, the preoperative staging, radical surgery, and managing recurrence in RGC present significant clinical challenges., Methods: We analyzed the clinicopathological findings, adjuvant chemotherapy, and patterns of postoperative recurrence of 313 consecutive patients who underwent curative surgery for RGC at 17 Japanese institutions. This study investigated the optimal management of RGC and the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) on recurrence-free survival (RFS)., Results: Pathological stages I, II, and III were observed in 55.9% (N = 175), 24.9% (N = 78), and 19.2% (N = 60) of the patients, respectively. The overall concordance rate between clinical and pathological T staging was 58.3%, with a clinical T4 sensitivity of 41.4% for diagnosing pathological T4. During the median follow-up period of 4.6 years, disease recurrence occurred in 24.3% of patients. Most recurrences (over 80%) occurred within 2.5 years, and 96.1% within 5 years after RGC surgery. Peritoneal recurrence was the most common in patients with advanced RGC, accounting for 14.1% in stage II and 28.3% in stage III. Multivariable regression analysis showed that AC was significantly associated with a longer RFS, with a hazard ratio of 0.45 (95% confidence interval: 0.26-0.76)., Conclusions: Our study underscores the importance of early detection, accurate preoperative staging, and postoperative surveillance in managing advanced RGC cases. Despite some limitations, our findings indicate that AC may provide survival benefits comparable to those seen in primary gastric cancer., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The International Gastric Cancer Association and The Japanese Gastric Cancer Association.)

Aims: Nivolumab is approved as adjuvant treatment in subjects with resected oesophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer (EC/GEJC) based on results from the pivotal CheckMate 577 trial. We present a model-based clinical pharmacology profiling and benefit-risk assessment of nivolumab as adjuvant treatment in subjects with resected EC/GEJC supporting a less frequent dosing regimen., Methods: Population pharmacokinetic (popPK) analysis was conducted to characterize nivolumab pharmacokinetics (PK) using clinical data from 1493 subjects from seven monotherapy clinical studies across multiple solid tumours. The exposure-response (E-R) analyses included data from 756 patients from CheckMate 577. E-R relationships for efficacy and safety were characterized by evaluating the relationship between nivolumab exposure and disease-free survival (DFS) for efficacy; and time to first occurrence of Grade ≥2 immune-mediated adverse events (Gr2 + IMAEs) for safety., Results: Nivolumab exposure was found to be associated with both DFS and risk of Gr2 + IMAEs. However, the hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence interval [CI]) at the 5th and 95th percentiles of nivolumab exposure were similar for DFS and Gr2 + IMAEs, indicating flat E-R relationships within the exposure range produced by the studied regimen. Model-predicted probability of DFS and Gr2 + IMAEs were similar between the two regimens of 240 mg every 2 weeks or 480 mg every 4 weeks for 16 weeks followed by 480 mg Q4W up to 1 year., Conclusions: The analyses demonstrated a flat E-R relationship over the range of exposures produced by the studied regimen and supported the approval of an alternative dosing regimen with less frequent dosing in patients with adjuvant EC/GEJC., (© 2024 British Pharmacological Society.)

Background: The impact of economic engagement on the health of cancer survivors is notable. Our study aims to explore the association between early loss of economic activity (EA) and the risk of all-cause mortality among gastric cancer survivors., Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized data from Korea's National Health Insurance Service, focusing on 30-59-year-old gastric cancer patients who received either surgery or endoscopic procedures from January 2009 to December 2013. The primary outcome measure was all-cause mortality. Early loss of EA was identified when a patient's insurance status shifted to dependent within one year following treatment. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for all-cause mortality were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, conducting separate analyses for surgical and endoscopic groups., Results: Among 24,159 patients (median follow-up, 9.9 years), 2976 (12.3%) experienced all-cause mortality. Specifically, 2835 of these deaths occurred in patients who underwent surgery, while 141 were in the endoscopic procedure group. Early loss of EA was recorded in 14.4% of the surgery group and 7.7% of the endoscopic procedure group. Adjusted HRs (95% CI) for all-cause mortality associated with early loss of EA were 1.39 (1.27-1.54) for the surgery group and 2.27 (1.46-3.52) for the endoscopic procedure group., Conclusions: This study highlights a significant association between the early loss of EA and an increased risk of all-cause mortality in those who have undergone curative treatments for gastric cancer. It underscores the crucial role of sustaining EA in enhancing the health outcomes of these survivors., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The International Gastric Cancer Association and The Japanese Gastric Cancer Association.)

Background: The study aimed to assess postoperative complication rates of different oesophagojejunostomy (EJ) techniques used in laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric cancer., Methods: A total of 1155 patients who underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy were retrospectively selected from the data obtained from the Korean Nationwide Survey for gastric cancer in 2019. Morbidity rate was compared between patients who received intracorporeal or extracorporeal EJ using linear or circular staplers during laparoscopic total gastrectomy. The variables of the groups were balanced using the inverse probability of treatment weighting., Results: Seven hundred and seventy-three patients received intracorporeal EJ using a linear stapler (IL), 137 received intracorporeal EJ using a circular stapler (IC), 134 received extracorporeal EJ using a linear stapler (EL) and 111 received extracorporeal EJ using a circular stapler (EC). The overall complication rates were lower in the extracorporeal group (EL: 13.4% versus EC: 12.6%) compared to the intracorporeal group (IL: 22.6% versus IC: 17.5%) (P = 0.006). Fewer major complications were observed in the extracorporeal group (EL: 1.4% versus EC: 1.8%) compared to the intracorporeal group (IL: 9.4% versus IC: 7.3%) (P = 0.004). There was no significant difference in EJ-related complications between the groups (P = 0.418 in EJ leakage and P = 0.474 in EJ stricture). Multivariable analysis showed that the IL method correlated with more overall and major complications than the extracorporeal method., Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that despite its widespread use, the IL method is a challenging procedure with higher complication rates than the extracorporeal method. Further high-quality studies are required to confirm the results., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of BJS Foundation Ltd.)

Background: There is no optimal reconstruction technique after proximal gastrectomy. The esophagogastrostomy (EG) is a rather simple procedure technically, but the incidences of reflux esophagitis and anastomotic stricture are higher. While the double-tract reconstruction (DTR) can lessen postoperative reflux esophagitis, it is technically complex with a long operation time. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) and short-term outcomes of the two reconstruction techniques., Methods: We retrospectively collected consecutive patients with upper-third gastric adenocarcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) at our center between 2019 June and 2023 May. Patients who underwent laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy (LPG) with EG or DTR were included in this study. A comparison was made between the clinical and pathological characteristics of patients and their surgical parameters, postoperative complications, and its 1-year QoL in two groups. The QoL of the two groups was assessed by Visick grading, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-STO22 scales at 1 year after operation. The nutritional status of the two groups was evaluated by BMI, hemoglobin and serum albumin., Results: AII the qualified patients were divided EG group (n = 63) and DTR group (n = 93). Compared to the DTR group, the blood loss volume of EG group was more (p = 0.001). There were no significant differences in operation duration, number of lymph nodes dissected, and postoperative length of stay between the two groups(p > 0.05). No statistical differences were observed in terms of the incidence of early complications and Clavien-Dindo classification as well(p > 0.05). After one year, the Visick grade of the DTR group was better than EG group (p = 0.040). The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed the only independent risk factor for reflux esophagitis was the reconstruction method. According to the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire, patients in the DTR group had a better global health status(p = 0.001) and complained less about nausea and vomiting(p = 0.033), and appetite loss (p = 0.022). Patients in the DTR group complained less about reflux (p = 0.030) based on the EORTC QLQ-STO22 questionnaire. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the reconstruction method, reflux esophagitis and age had a linear relationship with the global health status score. Regarding nutritional status, BMI of the two groups both decreased 1 year after operation, and BMI decline value of the DTR group was lower than EG group (p = 0.001). There is no statistically significant difference between the two groups as for postoperative change in hemoglobin and serum albumin., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that it is possible for skilled surgeons to achieve minimal blood loss volume without significantly increasing operation duration when performing DRT, which does not raise risk. In terms of anti-reflux, postoperative QoL and BMI maintenance, 1-year postoperative follow-up outcomes reveal the DTR is superior to EG, which deserve further research and promotion., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Retraction of the hepatic left lateral segment (HLLS) is a crucial maneuver for surgical field exposure during laparoscopic gastrectomy with systematic lymphadenectomy. Though various methods of retraction are available, there is no perfect solution. Here, we report the results of our initial 42 cases with HLLS inversion method and discuss the feasibility, safety, effectiveness and technical aspects of this method., Methods: The intraoperative and postoperative short-term outcomes of 42 patients who underwent HLLS inversion during laparoscopic total gastrectomy and proximal gastrectomy in our department September, 2023 to January, 2024 were reviewed. HLLS inversion was performed by mobilizing the HLLS and inverting it to the right supra-hepatic space through an incision at the falciform ligament., Results: 42 patients underwent HLLS inversion successfully with an average time of 13.9 min. 7 patients needed re-inversion due to slipping back of the HLLS during operation. Optimal exposure of the surgical field was achieved in all patients. No intra-operative complications occurred, except for 1 patient presented with mild intraoperative hepatic hemorrhage requiring electrocoagulation for hemostasis. Alanine aminotransferase and glutamine aminotransferase elevated in some patients on postoperative day 1(POD1), but declined to preoperative levels on the 7th postoperative day. There were no Clavien-Dindo II grade or higher digestive complications after surgery. In 5 patients with preservation the hepatic branch of the vagus nerve, the contractile function of the gall bladder was intact or slightly impaired 2 weeks after operation., Conclusion: For laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy (LPG) and laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG), HLLS inversion is a feasible method for optimizing visualization of the surgical field with preservation of the function of the hepatic branch of the vagus nerve. It is safe and acceptable as to the manipulation time. Re-inversion is easy and effective even in case of failure of inversion. HLLS inversion seems to be a promising technique for retraction of the liver during laparoscopic gastrectomy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: •Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are rare mesenchymal tumors that most commonly occur in the stomach, small intestine and colon., Background: •Surgical R0 resection is the primary approach for localized GIST, but tumors larger than 10 cm are usually treated by open surgery., Background: •This case demonstrates the safety and feasibility of robotic resection of a giant gastric GIST., Background: •The use of the robotic platform resulted in minimal blood loss and favorable postoperative outcomes with maximum organ preservation.

A low Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) value, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and perineural invasion (PeNI) have been identified as indicators of poor prognosis for many malignancies. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between PNI and LVI/PeNI, their prognostic significance, and their effect on overall survival in gastric cancer patients who underwent curative gastrectomy. A cutoff value of 39.8 was taken for the PNI, and PNI < 39.8 was defined as moderate to severe malnutrition. Patients were grouped as PNI-low (PNI < 39.8) and PNI-high (PNI ≥ 39.8). Paraffin-embedded tissue sections of surgical specimens were used to evaluate PeNI as defined by previously reported criteria. The study included 270 patients with ages ranging from 23 to 90 years. The mean PNI was calculated as 39.8 ± 6.35. PeNI was detected in 232 patients (85.93%), and LVI was identified in 248 patients (91.85%). It was observed that the PNI value of patients with an expired status in the PNI < 39.8 group was lower compared to those who survived, and in patients with PNI > 39.8, those without PeNI had better survival. The presence of PeNI in patients with PNI > 39.8 increased the mortality risk by 2.088 units, while in patients with PNI > 39.8, it was found that those without LVI had better survival, and the presence of LVI increased the mortality risk by 3.171 units. Mortality developed in 166 patients (61.48%) during the five-year follow-up period. The five-year overall survival was found to be 31.02 ± 21.73 months. In patients with gastric cancer, the PNI, LVI, and PeNI are independent prognostic factors for overall survival in postoperative patients. A low PNI score is an inherently poor prognostic factor. In patients with a high PNI score, the presence of positive LVI and PeNI negatively impacts survival. We found that in patients with a low PNI, the rates of PeNI and LVI are higher compared to those with a high PNI, and this significantly affects mortality., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Purpose: Proximal gastrectomy (PG) offers advantages over total gastrectomy (TG) in enhancing the postoperative nutritional status of patients with proximal gastric cancer (PGC), yet its effect on long-term quality of life is still debated. This study aims to thoroughly compare postoperative health condition outcomes between PG and TG., Methods: We conducted a systematic search of English-language articles from the PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases, covering studies published up to February 2023. Key evaluation endpoints included surgical outcomes and postoperative health condition, assessed using the Post-Gastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale-45 (PGSAS-45)., Results: Six retrospective cohort studies were included in the analysis. The PG group demonstrated no significant negative impact on surgical outcomes compared to the TG group. Notably, patients who underwent PG experienced a superior postoperative health condition, characterized by fewer gastroesophageal reflux symptoms (WMD = -0.106, 95% CI -0.183 to -0.029, P < 0.01), less weight loss (WMD = 4.440, 95% CI 3.900 to 4.979, P < 0.01), and reduced dietary dissatisfaction (WMD = -0.205, 95% CI -0.385 to -0.025, P = 0.03)., Conclusion: This study provides compelling evidence that PG is superior to TG in enhancing postoperative health condition for patients with proximal gastric cancer, without compromising surgical outcomes. However, further rigorous randomized controlled trials are necessary to inform surgical decision-making more effectively., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Although surgery remains the primary treatment for gastric cancer (GC), the identification of effective alternative treatments for individuals for whom surgery is unsuitable holds significance. HER2 overexpression occurs in approximately 15%-20% of advanced GC cases, directly affecting treatment-related decisions. Spectral-computed tomography (sCT) enables the quantification of material compositions, and sCT iodine concentration parameters have been demonstrated to be useful for the diagnosis of GC and prediction of its invasion depth, angiogenesis, and response to systemic chemotherapy. No existing report describes the prediction of GC HER2 status through histogram analysis based on sCT iodine maps (IMs)., Aim: To investigate whether whole-volume histogram analysis of sCT IMs enables the prediction of the GC HER2 status., Methods: This study was performed with data from 101 patients with pathologically confirmed GC who underwent preoperative sCT examinations. Nineteen parameters were extracted via sCT IM histogram analysis: The minimum, maximum, mean, standard deviation, variance, coefficient of variation, skewness, kurtosis, entropy, percentiles (1 st , 5 th , 10 th , 25 th , 50 th , 75 th , 90 th , 95 th , and 99 th ), and lesion volume. Spearman correlations of the parameters with the HER2 status and clinicopathological parameters were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the parameters' diagnostic performance., Results: Values for the histogram parameters of the maximum, mean, standard deviation, variance, entropy, and percentiles were significantly lower in the HER2+ group than in the HER2- group (all P < 0.05). The GC differentiation and Lauren classification correlated significantly with the HER2 status of tumor tissue ( P = 0.001 and 0.023, respectively). The 99 th percentile had the largest area under the curve for GC HER2 status identification (0.740), with 76.2%, sensitivity, 65.0% specificity, and 67.3% accuracy. All sCT IM histogram parameters correlated positively with the GC HER2 status ( r = 0.237-0.337, P = 0.001-0.017)., Conclusion: Whole-lesion histogram parameters derived from sCT IM analysis, and especially the 99 th percentile, can serve as imaging biomarkers of HER2 overexpression in GC., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Composite tumors are neoplasms comprising two distinct, yet intermingling, cell populations. This paper reports a rare phenomenon where early gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma coexist within the same lesion., Case Summary: A 40-year-old woman presented to the West China Hospital for examination, which revealed a whitish, shallow, and uneven mucosal lesion in the stomach. The lesion was diagnosed as a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, including SRCC with atypical lymphoid hyperplasia associated with Helicobacter pylori infection, based on histopathological examination of the biopsy specimen. The lesion was excised using segmental gastrectomy. However, histological examination of the surgical specimen confirmed that it was a poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma with features of SRCC and MALT lymphoma. These two entities were stage I and coexisted in the same lesion., Conclusion: It is uncommon for gastric SRCC and MALT lymphoma to coexist without distinct borders. Surgical resection is effective for these lesions., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to analyze the complications and long-term survival outcomes in patients who underwent radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer, as well as to identify the risk factors associated with postoperative complications. After conducting a comprehensive search within the medical records system, a total of 2508 patients who underwent radical gastrectomy and met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Of the 2508 patients, 301 were diagnosed with postoperative complications. The pathological data, postoperative recovery, and survival outcome were compared between complication and control group. Subsequently, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identified the risk factors. According to the Clavien-Dindo grading criteria for postoperative complications, the proportions of grade I, II, III, IV, and V complications following radical gastrectomy were observed to be 28.2%, 42.9%, 19.6%, 8.0%, and 1.3%, respectively. The presence of postoperative complications significantly prolonged the duration of gastrointestinal decompression (P < 0.001), catheter retention (P < 0.001), fasting (P < 0.001), and hospitalization (P < 0.001). Additionally, it had a detrimental impact on survival outcomes. Age > 65years [odds ratio (OR) = 1.378, P = 0.020], presence of diabetes (OR = 2.042, P < 0.001), operative duration > 215 min (OR = 1.450, P = 0.006), intraoperative blood loss > 275 ml (OR = 1.474, P = 0.004), and Roux-en-Y anastomosis for both whole stomach (OR = 1.567, P = 0.021) and distal gastric cancer (OR = 2.083, P = 0.003) were identified as independent risk factors for postoperative complications. This study analyzed the complications and survival outcomes following radical gastrectomy, and investigated the predictors for postoperative complications, thereby providing valuable guidance on the prevention and management of surgical complications in gastric cancer., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) plays a pivotal role in treating early gastric cancer (EGC). Some patients require additional gastrectomy because of non-curative ESD. This study aimed to analyze the clinical factors associated with non-curative ESD and to re-evaluate the role of ESD according to its indication criteria. Altogether, 134 patients who had undergone additional gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy for non-curative ESD based on the pathological results of ESD specimens were included. Their data including pre-ESD diagnosis, reasons for requesting additional gastrectomy, and surgical outcomes were analyzed retrospectively. Of the 134 patients with EGC in the final pathology of ESD specimens, 56 underwent staging ESD for a diagnostic approach, of whom 28 were diagnosed with atypical glands and 28 with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) prior to ESD. The remaining 78 patients of the 134 were identified to have EGC and received ESD for therapy. Based on the pathological results of ESD specimens, additional gastrectomy was commissioned with non-curative ESD because of one or more causes such as deep submucosal invasion, lymphatic invasion, positive vertical margin, undifferentiated histology, positive lateral margin, and venous invasion. Regarding surgical specimens, 13 patients had lymph node metastasis (LNM) and 9 had local residual tumor; one of them had both LNM and a local residual tumor. In patients with atypical glands, 4 had LNM and 3 had a local residual tumor; one of them had both LNM and a local residual tumor, and then died of multiple organ metastasis. In patients with HGD, 4 had LNM and 1 had a local residual tumor. Additionally, 4 patients who were absolutely indicated for ESD had LNM, of whom 2 had atypical glands, and the other 2 had HGD. Similarly, in 6 patients with a local residual tumor absolutely indicated for ESD, 2 had atypical glands and 1 had HGD. Positive vertical margin, lymphatic invasion, and deep submucosal invasion were identified as independent risk factors for LNM. ESD may play diagnostic and therapeutic roles in determining the optimal treatment of EGC when the diagnosis is equivocal or insufficient in endoscopic assessments for gastric cancer screening., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: The value of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in gastrectomy remains controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the predictive value of PNI in patients undergoing gastrectomy for malignancy., Methods: We retrieved studies from medical literature databases to analyze the endpoints of overall survival, cancer-specific survival, recurrence-free survival, and clinicopathologic features. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to access the survival prognostic value of PNI in patients after gastrectomy. Odds ratio and mean difference were used to evaluate the relationship between the low PNI and clinicopathologic features., Results: In total, we included 38 articles (39 trial comparisons) which contained 23,756 gastrectomy patients. The results showed that low PNI was associated with shorter overall survival (HR: 1.82, 95% CI 1.62-2.03), shorter cancer-specific survival (HR: 1.44, 95% CI 1.24-1.67), and shorter recurrence-free survival (HR: 2.52, 95% CI 1.41-4.47). Besides, patients with low PNI had a higher risk of postoperative complications compared with high PNI (HR: 1.65, 95% CI 1.30-2.09). And low PNI group was found to be related to older, lower BMI, larger tumor size, deeper tumor invasion, poorer differentiation, more advanced tumor stage, total gastrectomy, and the presence of lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion, and vessel invasion., Conclusion: PNI was significantly associated with survival and postoperative complications of gastric cancer patients undergoing gastrectomy. Therefore PNI has the potential to be a prognostic predictor for gastrectomy., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic subserosal dissection for patients with submucosal tumors in the upper gastrointestinal tract., Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 16 patients who underwent ESSD. All patients were enrolled from July 2018 to Dec 2021. Parameters such as demographics, size, resection margin, complications, pathological features, procedure time and follow-up were investigated and analyzed., Results: Our study achieved 100% en bloc resection and 100% R0 resection. The most common location was the corpus with a mean tumor size of 2.78 ± 1.56 cm. The mean age, procedure time, were 53.4 ± 10.3 years, 85.31 ± 46.64 min respectively. Acocording to National Institutes of Health classification, 7 (13, 53.85%), 5 (13, 38.46%) ,and 1 (13, 7.69%) objects belonged to the very low, low, and intermediate classification, respectively. Immunohistochemistry results showed a 100% positive rate of CD34, DOG-1, CD117, and Ki67. A mean follow-up of 9.3 ± 2.5 months showed no recurrence or metastasis., Conclusions: ESSD is effective and safe surgical procedure for curative removal of gastrointestinal submucosal tumors in the upper gastrointestinal tract, and it can be preferred for patients with no metastasis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: With the improvement of anastomotic techniques and the iteration of anastomotic instruments, robotic intracorporeal suturing has become increasingly proficient. The era of fully intracorporeal anastomosis in robotic gastric cancer resection is emerging. This study aims to explore the impact of totally robotic distal gastrectomy (TRDG) and robotic-assisted distal gastrectomy (RADG) on patients' quality of life., Patients and Methods: This study is a comparative retrospective study of propensity score matching. This study included 306 patients who underwent robotic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer between June 2016 and December 2023 at our center. Covariates used in the propensity score included sex, age, BMI, ASA score, maximum tumour diameter, degree of histological differentiation, Pathological TNM stage, Pathological T stage, Pathological N stage, and Lauren classification. Outcome measures included operative time, intraoperative bleeding, time to first venting, time to first fluid intake, postoperative hospital stay, total hospitalization cost, total length of abdominal incision, postoperative complications, inflammatory response, body image, and quality of life., Results: According to the results of the study, compared with the RADG group, the TRDG group had a faster recovery time for gastrointestinal function (P = 0.025), shorter length of abdominal incision (P < 0.001), fewer days in the hospital (P = 0.006) less pain (P < 0.001), less need for additional analgesia (P = 0.013), and a postoperative white blood cell count (P < 0.001) and C-reactive protein content indexes were lower (P<0.001). In addition, the TRDG group had significantly better body imagery and cosmetic scores (P = 0.015), physical function (P = 0.039), role function (P = 0.046), and global function (P = 0.021) than the RARS group. Meanwhile, the TRDG group had milder symptoms of fatigue (P = 0.037) and pain (P < 0.001). The PASQ Total Subscale Score (P < 0.001) and Global Subscale Score (P < 0.001) were significantly lower in the TRDG group than in the RADG group at postoperative 3 months., Conclusion: Totally robotic distal gastrectomy has a smaller incision, faster gastrointestinal recovery time, fewer days of postoperative hospitalization, and lower inflammatory markers than robotic-assisted distal gastrectomy. At the same time, postoperative cosmetic and quality of life outcomes were satisfactory. Clinically, these benefits translate to enhanced patient recovery, reduced surgical trauma, and better postoperative outcomes. These findings could guide surgeons in selecting more effective surgical approaches for patients undergoing gastrectomy, leading to better overall patient satisfaction and outcomes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Despite recent reports, the effectiveness of postoperative oral nutritional supplementation (ONS) on body weight loss and malnutrition after gastrectomy remains controversial. We aimed to elucidate the effectiveness of ONS especially in octogenarian patients undergoing oncological gastrectomy., Methods: A total of 286 consecutive patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer were eligible. Postoperative body weight loss, malnutrition, and sarcopenia were compared between patients with and without postoperative ONS among octogenarian patients aged ≥ 80 years and non-octogenarian patients aged < 80 years., Results: In this study, 36 (62.1%) octogenarian and 121 (53.1%) non-octogenarian patients continued postoperative ONS for three months. The clinicopathologic characteristics were not different between the ONS (-) and ONS (+) groups among the octogenarian and non-octogenarian patients. The changes in body weight and serum albumin levels at postoperative 1 year were different between the ONS (-) and ONS (+) groups (P = 0.03 and P = 0.04, respectively) among the octogenarian patients, but not between the two groups among the non-octogenarian patients (P = 0.99 and P = 0.29, respectively). Also, the decline in psoas muscle mass index at postoperative 6 months and 1 year was significantly lower in the ONS (+) group than in the ONS (-) group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01, respectively). In addition, similar results were found in octogenarian patients who underwent distal gastrectomy., Conclusions: Postoperative ONS could prevent body weight loss, malnutrition, and sarcopenia especially in octogenarian patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Gastric Cancer (GC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide. Early stages of GC began being detected, giving rise to a new concern, Quality of Life. This study aimed to systematically assess the effects of different GC reconstruction techniques on postoperative type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension (HBP), and body mass index (BMI) reduction rate and to provide an overview of recent research on oncometabolic surgery (OS). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis by searching three databases according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We performed a meta-analysis of risk ratios and mean differences to estimate the impact of duodenal bypass, Roux-en-Y reconstruction, and residual stomach on T2DM, HBP, and BMI reduction rate. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 statistics. At the end of the follow-up, the duodenal bypass group compared to Billroth I had a significantly higher postoperative remission of T2DM and HBP, with a relative risk (RR) of 1.43 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) [1.27; 1.62]) and 1.3 (95% CI [1.00; 1.69]), respectively. Compared with the Billroth II group, Roux-en-Y reconstruction had significantly greater T2DM remission after gastrectomy (RR = 1.19; 95% CI [1.08; 1.31]), while HBP showed no significant differences. Regarding the improvement of HBP, total gastrectomy was significantly superior to subtotal gastrectomy (95% CI [1.01; 2.64]). A trend towards Roux-en-Y Esophagojejunostomy as the best option for T2DM remission was observed (95% CI [0.98; 2.77]; p = 0.06). Gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction appears to be the most effective treatment for T2DM remission. Further research is needed to assess the impact of OS on metabolic diseases., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study aimed to assess the impact of surgeons' annual volume and insulin-like growth factor-like family member 2 (IGFL2) expression on gastric cancer prognosis. Clinicopathological data from 475 patients who underwent D2 lymph node dissection were analyzed. IGFL2 expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Patients were divided into training (70%) and validation (30%) groups. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression identified risk factors for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), leading to a clinical prediction model. Model performance was evaluated using C-index. High IGFL2 expression and low surgical volume independently predicted poorer OS and DFS (hazard ratio = 2.13, 2.17, all P < .01). Surgeons performing >26 cases annually had higher OS and DFS (hazard ratio = 1.65, 1.58, all P < .01). Nomograms integrating surgical volume, IGFL2 expression, grade, TNM staging, and carcinoembryonic antigen showed superior predictive accuracy for OS and DFS compared to TNM alone, with robust C-indices and area under the curve values. Surgeons' annual volume and IGFL2 expression independently predict gastric cancer prognosis, emphasizing the need for specialized training and further research on IGFL2's molecular mechanisms to enhance patient outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics including tumor stroma ratio (TSR), tumor budding (TB), and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were examined in resected gastric cancer. These TME features have been shown to indicate metastatic potential in colon cancer, and intestinal-type gastric cancer (IGC) has pathological similarities with that malignancy., Methods: TSR, TB, and TILs were quantified in routine histological sections from 493 patients with IGC who underwent radical resection at 2 university hospitals in China from 2010 to 2016. TME variables were dichotomized as follows: TSR (50%), TILs (median), TB per international guidelines (4 buds/0.785mm2), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) per survival ROC. Association of TME features with patient clinicopathological characteristics, time-to-recurrence (TTR), and cancer-specific-survival (CSS) were examined using univariate and multivariate analysis, including a relative contribution analysis by Cox regression., Results: Patients whose tumors showed high TSR or high TB or low TILs were each significantly associated with increased T and N stage, higher histological grade, and poorer TTR and CSS at 5 years. Only TSR and N stage were independently associated with TTR and CSS after adjustment for covariates. PLR was only independently associated with TTR after adjustment for covariates. Among the variables examined, only TSR was significantly associated with both TTR (HR 1.72, 95% CI, 1.14-2.60, P = .01) and CSS (HR 1.62, 95% CI, 1.05-2.51, P = .03) multivariately. Relative contribution to TTR revealed that the top 3 contributors were N stage (45.1%), TSR (22.5%), and PLR (12.9%), while the top 3 contributors to CSS were N stage (59.9%), TSR (14.7%), and PLR (10.9%)., Conclusions: Among the examined TME features, TSR was the most robust for prognostication and was significantly associated with both TTR and CSS. Furthermore, the relative contribution of TSR to patient TTR and CSS was second only to nodal status., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Objective: We aimed to investigate the relationship between the visceral to subcutaneous fat area ratio (V/S ratio) and incidence of early postoperative small bowel obstruction (EPSBO) following total gastrectomy for cardia cancer., Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis among patients with cardia cancer who underwent elective total gastrectomy with esophagojejunostomy Roux-en-Y anastomosis at Nanjing Yimin Hospital between November 2019 and April 2024. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors were meticulously monitored. The V/S ratio was calculated using computed tomography scans at the umbilical level with Slice-O-Matic software (Tomovision, Montreal, Canada). Statistical analyses included logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis., Results: Among 175 patients, 27 (15.4%) developed EPSBO. The V/S ratio was significantly higher in the EPSBO group (1.76 ± 1.05 vs. 1.01 ± 0.54). Logistic regression identified the V/S ratio as a significant predictor of EPSBO (odds ratio [OR] = 1.612, 95% [CI]: 1.102-1.605). ROC curve analysis demonstrated high sensitivity (92%) and specificity (100%) for the V/S ratio in predicting EPSBO, with a 0.83 AUC., Conclusions: Our findings indicated a higher V/S ratio was a significant predictor of EPSBO following total gastrectomy for cardia cancer. Preoperative assessment of the V/S ratio can inform risk stratification and guide targeted interventions to improve postoperative outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestThe authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Purpose: Although laparoscopic distal gastrectomy has rapidly replaced open distal gastrectomy, laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) is less frequently performed owing to technical difficulties. Robotic surgery could be an appropriate minimally invasive alternative to LTG because it alleviates the technical challenges posed by laparoscopic procedures. However, few studies have compared the oncological safety of robotic total gastrectomy (RTG) with that of LTG, especially for advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Herein, we aimed to assess the oncological outcomes of RTG for AGC and compare them with those of LTG., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 147 and 204 patients who underwent RTG and LTG for AGC, respectively, between 2007 and 2020. Long-term outcomes were compared using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)., Results: After IPTW, the 2 groups exhibited similar clinicopathological features. The 5-year overall survival was comparable between the 2 groups (88.5% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 79.4%-93.7%] after RTG and 87.3% [95% CI, 80.1%-92.0%]) after LTG; log-rank P=0.544). The hazard ratio (HR) for death after RTG compared with that after LTG was 0.73 (95% CI, 0.40-1.33; P=0.304). The 5-year relapse-free survival was also similar between the 2 groups (75.7% [95% CI, 65.2%-83.4%] after RTG and 76.4% [95% CI, 67.9%-83.0%] after LTG; log-rank P=0.850). The HR for recurrence after RTG compared with that after LTG was 0.93 (95% CI, 0.60-1.46; P=0.753)., Conclusions: Our findings revealed that RTG and LTG for AGC had similar long-term outcomes. RTG is an oncologically safe alternative to LTG and has technical advantages., Competing Interests: H.W.J. reports receiving research grants from Medtronic and GC Pharma and is a stockholder and chief executive officer of Hutom. He provided consultancy services to Ethicon and SK Hynix (Wuxi) outside of the submitted work. The other authors have no disclosures to report., (Copyright © 2024. Korean Gastric Cancer Association.)

Purpose: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is the standard treatment for early gastric cancer (EGC) with a low risk of lymph node metastasis. In Korea, ESD was included in the National Health Insurance (NHI) coverage in 2011, which was expanded in 2018. In the present study, we investigated the status and trends of ESD for EGC over the past decade since its incorporation into the NHI system., Materials and Methods: We analyzed the data from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database from 2011 to 2021, focusing on patient characteristics, number of ESD procedures, in-hospital length of stay (LOS), and total medical cost (TMC) per admission. In addition, we conducted an interrupted time series analysis to assess the impact of changes in insurance coverage on these variables., Results: Overall, 95,348 cases of ESD for EGC were identified. A consistent annual increase in ESD procedures was observed, particularly in tertiary care hospitals and among patients aged >60 years. The overall median LOS and TMC were 4 days and 2,123,000 KRW, respectively. The 2018 insurance coverage expansion did not significantly affect the number of ESD procedures or LOS; however, the TMC increased significantly., Conclusions: Our study illustrates decade-long trends in the ESD for EGC in Korea. The policy needs to be revised continuously to optimize ESD use and improve resource allocation within healthcare systems., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (Copyright © 2024. Korean Gastric Cancer Association.)

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and assess the feasibility and effectiveness of digital therapeutics for supportive care after gastrectomy., Materials and Method: The study included 39 patients with gastric cancer who underwent minimally invasive gastrectomy and were able to use a mobile application (app) on their smartphones. The developed research app automatically calculates and provides daily targets for calorie and protein intake based on the patient's body mass index (BMI). Patients recorded their daily diets, weights, and symptoms in the app and completed special questionnaires to assess the feasibility of the app in real-world clinical practice., Results: At the 10-week follow-up, the mean questionnaire scores for ease of learning, usability, and effectiveness of the app (primary endpoint) were 2.32±0.41, 2.35±0.43, and 2.4±0.39 (range: 0-3), respectively. Patients were classified as underweight (<18.5, n=4), normal (18.5-24.9, n=24), or overweight (≥25.0, n=11) according to predischarge BMI. Underweight patients showed higher compliance with app usage and a higher rate of achieving the target calorie and protein intake than normal weight and overweight patients (98% vs. 77% vs. 81%, p=0.0313; 102% vs. 75% vs. 61%, P=0.0111; 106% vs. 79% vs. 64%, P=0.0429). Two patients transitioned from underweight to normal weight (50.0%), one patient (4.3%) transitioned from normal weight to underweight, and two patients (22.2%) transitioned from overweight to normal weight., Conclusions: The mobile app is feasible and useful for postoperative supportive care in terms of ease of learning, usability, and effectiveness. Digital therapeutics may be an effective way to provide supportive care for postgastrectomy patients, particularly in terms of nutrition., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04800991., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (Copyright © 2024. Korean Gastric Cancer Association.)

Purpose: Oxyntic gland neoplasm (OGN) is a rare condition that can be classified as oxyntic gland adenoma (OGA) or gastric adenocarcinoma of fundic-gland type (GA-FG). GA-FG primarily presents as early gastric cancer, with only a few reported cases of advanced gastric cancer (AGC). We aimed to investigate the clinicopathological features of OGN and describe an aggressive variant., Materials and Methods: We investigated a total of 29 cases, including a patient with double primary cases, diagnosed with OGN or differentiated-type adenocarcinoma with GA-FG morphology, between November 2016 and April 2022. We analyzed 54 pathological specimens and reviewed their clinicopathological, endoscopic, and histological features. The lesions were reclassified as OGA or GA-FG, and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for MUC-5AC and MUC-6 was performed on available resected GA-FG cases., Results: The median patient age was 65 years and males accounted for 58.6% of patients. Most cases occurred in the body horizontally (69.0%) and on the greater curvature side cross-sectionally (48.3%). Endoscopically, type 0-IIa (41.4%) and a subepithelial tumor-like appearance (24.1%) were the most common findings. Histologically, there were 8 cases of OGA (27.6%) and 21 cases of GA-FG (72.4%). In GA-FG, MUC-6 was positive in 13 cases (81.3%), whereas MUC-5AC was positive in 8 cases (50.0%). Three cases presented as AGCs., Conclusions: Although OGNs are generally considered low-grade, they can present as AGCs and may exhibit features of lymphovascular or perineural invasion. Recognizing the clinicopathological features and accurately diagnosing OGN are important for providing adequate treatment., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (Copyright © 2024. Korean Gastric Cancer Association.)

Purpose: Foveolar-type adenocarcinoma of the stomach is a rare variant of gastric cancer. The clinicopathological features and outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric foveolar-type adenocarcinoma remain unclear., Materials and Methods: This study included 1,161 patients who underwent ESD for single early gastric cancers (EGCs) (78 foveolar-type adenocarcinomas and 1,083 well-differentiated [WD] adenocarcinomas). The clinicopathological features and short- and long-term outcomes of ESD for gastric foveolar-type adenocarcinomas were reviewed and compared with those for WD EGCs., Results: Gastric foveolar-type adenocarcinomas were larger and more likely to exhibit an elevated macroscopic appearance than WD EGCs. Foveolar-type adenocarcinomas exhibited higher rates of lymphatic invasion, histological heterogeneity, and lateral margin involvement than WD EGCs. The en bloc R0 and curative resection rates of foveolar-type adenocarcinoma were 85.9% and 76.9%, respectively. Both foveolar-type adenocarcinoma rates were significantly lower than those of WD EGCs (95.8% and 91.3%, respectively). Lateral margin involvement accounted for 55.6% of the non-curative resection cases of foveolar-type adenocarcinoma. Among patients who underwent curative ESD for foveolar-type adenocarcinoma, no recurrence occurred during the median 62.3 months of follow-up. No lymph node metastases were detected in patients with foveolar-type adenocarcinoma who underwent additional surgery following ESD. The overall and disease-specific survival rates of patients with foveolar-type adenocarcinoma were comparable to those of patients with WD EGC., Conclusions: Gastric foveolar-type adenocarcinomas have distinct clinicopathological features among WD EGCs. Given favorable long-term outcomes after curative resection, ESD can be indicated for early gastric foveolar-type adenocarcinomas., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (Copyright © 2024. Korean Gastric Cancer Association.)

Purpose: The usability of a new surgical navigation system that provides patient-specific vascular information for robotic gastrectomy in gastric cancer remains unexplored for laparoscopic gastrectomy owing to differences in surgical environments. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability and safety of this navigation system in laparoscopic gastrectomy and to compare the post-operative outcomes between procedures with and without its use., Materials and Methods: Between June 2022 and July 2023, 38 patients across 2 institutions underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy using a navigation system (navigation group). The technical feasibility, safety, and accuracy of detecting variations in vascular anatomy were measured. The perioperative outcomes were compared with 114 patients who underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy without a navigation system (non-navigation group) using 1:3 propensity score matching during the same study period., Results: In all patients in the navigation group, no adverse events associated with the navigation system occurred during surgery in any patient in the navigation group. No accidental vessel injuries necessitate auxiliary procedures. All vessels encountered during the gastrectomy were successfully reconstructed and visualized. Patient demographics and operative data were comparable between the 2 groups. The navigation group exhibited a significantly lower overall complication rate (10.5%) than the non-navigation group (26.3%, P=0.043). Notably, pancreas-related complications were absent in the navigation group but occurred in eight cases in the non-navigation group (7.0%, P=0.093), although the difference was not statistically significant., Conclusions: The patient-specific surgical navigation system demonstrated clinical feasibility and safety for laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer, potentially reducing complication rates compared with laparoscopic gastrectomy without its use., Competing Interests: Dr. Han and Dr. Kwon had full access to all study data and ensured the integrity and accuracy of data analysis. The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Korean Gastric Cancer Association.)

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Peritoneal metastasis (PM) is a significant cause of death in patients with GC, and presents a major challenge in clinical diagnosis and treatment. Predicting the occurrence of PM in high-risk patients, and diagnosing and treating PM in advance to improve patient survival, remains an unsolved problem in clinical practice. Given the low positive rate of cytology and difficulty in diagnosing occult PM, new molecular markers and detection technologies for early diagnosis require urgent validation. The primary objective of this study is to observe and evaluate the predictive effect of intraoperative peritoneal lavage fluid (PLF) circulating tumour cells (CTC) and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) levels in patients with pT4NxM0/pT1-3N+M0 GC on metachronous PM after R0 resection., Methods and Analysis: This prospective single-centre clinical study is conducted at Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. In this study, 200 cases of patients with pT4NxM0/pT1-3N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma older than 18 years will be screened. Participants will undergo intraoperative PLF CTC and ctDNA testing and will be followed up for 2 years, with imaging assessments performed every 3-6 months until PM occurrs. The primary outcome is the incidence of PM 1 year after surgery, which will be estimated using Clopper-Pearson method, with 95% CIs calculated and compared between groups. Secondary outcome include the incidence of PM 2 years after surgery, overall survival and disease progression. Data will be analysed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test., Ethics and Communication: Informed consent has been obtained from all subjects. This protocol has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (LY2023-142-B). The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed manuscripts, reports and presentations., Trial Registration Number: ChiCTR2300074910., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Endoscopic resection (ER) of gastric submucosal tumors (G-SMTs) is challenging due to the difficulty of exposure. Traction-assisted ER has been shown to provide better outcomes than traditional endoscopic operation by exposing the dissection plane. In this study, we investigated the efficacy and safety of the snare traction-assisted method in ER of G-SMTs., Method: From May 2021 to March 2023, we used snare traction-assisted method to treat 24 patients with 24 G-SMTs in our department. Clinical characteristics and the outcomes of ER were recorded., Result: The mean tumor diameter was 1.8±0.9 cm. Six G-SMTs underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), and 18 underwent endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR). En bloc resection and R0 resection was achieved in all the 24 lesions. The average procedure time was 45.4 ± 23.4 minutes. The patients were discharged in 5.0 days after procedures, without delayed bleeding or other adverse events., Conclusion: Snare traction-assisted method provides an effective traction for endoscopic resection of G-SMTs even if the tumor is difficult to remove. While further studies comparing the snare traction-assisted method with the conventional procedure are necessary.

A previously healthy 39-year-old woman was hospitalized with upper abdominal pain for 1-month duration. A semipedunculated protrusion with smooth surface was found at the gastric angle measuring 2.0 × 2.5-cm by gastroscopy. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) showed a hypoechoic mass originated from the mucosal layer. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a circular pedunculated and slightly low-density mass with mild enhancement in the stomach cavity. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was performed. Postoperative histopathology examination revealed the tumor was composed of proliferated spindle cells with eosinophil infiltration which were around small blood vessels and mucosal glands arranged in an "onion-skin" appearance. Immunohistochemical analysis of the spindle cells showed CD34 was positive and CD117, S100, DOG-1, SMA, Desmin were negative. The patient was diagnosed as gastric inflammatory fibroid polyp (IFP) and no symptoms was observed in 12 months follow-up.

Background: The occurrence of complications following radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer significantly impacts patients' quality of life. Elderly patients are susceptible to postoperative complications. This study seeks to investigate the risk factors associated with Clavien-Dindo ≥IIgrade complications following radical gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer in elderly patients, develop a nomogram risk prediction model, and validate its accuracy., Methods: Retrospective collection of clinical and pathological data was conducted on 442 elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent radical gastrectomy at Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital from January 2015 to December 2020. They were randomly divided into a training set (n = 310) and a validation set (n = 132) in a 7:3 ratio. The severity of postoperative complications was graded using the Clavien-Dindo classification system, resulting in two complication groups: Clavien-Dindo