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OBJECTIVES: It has been suggested that laparoscopic Ivor Lewis (IL) oesophagectomy reduces postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. However, data related to the long-term outcomes of this hybrid minimally invasive procedure are scarce. METHODS: All of the patients who had an IL oesophagectomy for cancer were extracted from a prospective database. Patients were matched one to one according to the surgical approach (laparoscopy versus laparotomy) and on the basis of a propensity score including eight variables: age, gender, American Society of Anaesthesiologists score, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, surgery (first-line treatment, after neoadjuvant treatment and salvage surgery), histology, location and pathological stage. The first end point was the assessment of the 5-year survival and disease-free survival rates. The secondary end points were R0 resection rate, number of resected lymph nodes (LNs) and patterns of recurrence. RESULTS: Over a 12-year period, 272 IL oesophagectomies were performed. A total of 140 patients were matched in two homogeneous groups: laparotomy (n = 70) and laparoscopy (n = 70). The 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were 65% and 48% in laparotomy group and 73% and 51% in the laparoscopy group (P = 0.891; P = 0.912). R0 resection rates were, respectively, 93% vs 97% (P = 0.441). The number and distribution of resected LNs were similar between the groups except at the level of the celiac axis (P < 0.001). Depending on the surgical approach, the patterns of recurrence were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic IL oesophagectomy does not compromise the long-term oncological outcome compared to open IL oesophagectomy. The quality of the operations is similar for both techniques except for the number of resected LNs at the level of the celiac trunk. Further randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES The 7th edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system of oesophageal cancer and gastro-oesophageal junction has re-staged positive nodes into N1–3 according to the number of invaded lymph nodes (LNs). However, this new classification does not consider the potential negative impact of the extracapsular breakthrough on survival. This study aims at assessing prognosis according to whether LN involvement is intracapsular (ICLNI) or extracapsular (ECLNI) on disease-free survival (DFS) among the three sub-groups of LN-positive patients. METHODS Four hundred and sixteen consecutive R0 patients who underwent transthoracic oesophagectomy for cancer between 1996 and 2011 were retrospectively re-classified using the latest AJCC TNM classification. Among them, 230 (55%) patients have received a neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Prognostic impact of ICLNI and ECLNI on DFS was assessed according to their new LN status. Multivariate analysis was drawn to determine factors affecting DFS. RESULTS Among the 416 patients, there were 138 (33%) patients with positive LN: 79 (57%) with ICLNI and 59 (43%) with ECLNI. The proportion of ECLNI was 21 of 73 (28%), 21 of 41 (51%) and 17 of 24 (70%) in N1, N2 and N3 patients, respectively. In N1 patients, median DFS was 48 months in ICLNI and 13 months in ECLNI (P = 0.068). In N2 patients, median DFS was 19 months in ICLNI and 9 months in ECLNI (P = 0.07). In N3 patients, median DFS was not reached in ICLNI and was 6 months in ECLNI (P = 0.002). On multivariate analysis, the ECLNI (P < 0.001, hazard ratio, HR: 2.51) and the post-T stage (P = 0.03, HR: 1.62) were the two independent factors affecting DFS. CONCLUSIONS Based on our limited study population, the existence of an ECLNI seems to have an additive negative impact on DFS, regardless of the pN stage. This suggests that extracapsular breakthrough status should be added to the new TNM staging system. This information has to be validated by further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES Recent studies have suggested that postoperative complications could have a potential negative effect on long-term outcome after oesophagectomy for cancer. Because respiratory failures represent the most frequent postoperative complication, we have investigated the prognostic impact of these complications on disease-free survival (DFS). METHODS From a prospective single-institution database of 405 consecutive patients who underwent transthoracic oesophagectomy for cancer, we retrospectively analysed medical charts of all patients with microscopically complete resection (R0, n = 384 patients). Complications were graded according to the modified Clavien classification. Respiratory complications were defined as atelectasis, pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome in the absence of early surgical complications. Patients with grade 5 (postoperative mortality, n = 43, 11%) were excluded from the analysis. The remaining 341 patients were analysed for estimation of DFS according to the Kaplan–Meier method. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to discriminate predictive factors affecting DFS. RESULTS According to the modified Clavien classification, postoperative complications rates were grade 0: 147 (44%), grade 1: 7 (2%), grade 2: 56 (16%), grade 3: 69 (20%) and grade 4: 62 (18%). Five-year DFS rates were not significantly different between grade 0 (no complication, 38%, n = 147) and other grades (grade 1, 2, 3 and 4 (64, 45, 56 and 48%, respectively)). Respiratory complications occurred in 107 patients (31%) and the 5-year DFS in this subgroup was 47% compared with 38% observed in grade 0 patients (P = 0.75). Clavien classification and respiratory complications did not come out in the univariate analysis of factors affecting DFS. On logistic regression, only two variables affected DFS: c-N stage and extracapular lymph node involvement. CONCLUSIONS When postoperative mortality is excluded, postoperative complications do not affect DFS in patients with complete resection. This deserves substantial information regarding the prognosis of subgroup of patients in critical situations where incrementing intensive care is debated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE Malnutrition is common after oesophageal cancer surgery. This study aims to investigate body mass index (BMI) kinetics and the risk factors of malnutrition among 1-year disease-free survivors after radical transthoracic oesophagectomy for cancer. METHODS From a prospective single-institution database, 118 1-year disease-free survivors having undergone a R0 transthoracic oesophagectomy with gastric tubulization between 2000 and 2008 were identified retrospectively. BMI values were collected at the onset of the disease (pre-treatment BMI), at the time of surgery (preoperative BMI), at postoperative 6 months and 1 year after oesophagectomy (1-year BMI). Logistic regression was performed with adjustment for confounders to estimate odds ratios of the factors associated with a 1-year weight loss (WL) of at least 15% of the pre-treatment body weight (BW). RESULTS At the onset of the disease, 5 patients (4%) were underweighted (BMI < 8.5 kg/m²), 65 (55%) were normal (BMI = 18.5–24.9 kg/m²), 36 (31%) were overweighted (BMI > 25 kg/m²) and 12 (10%) were obese (BMI > 30 kg/m²). Mean pre-treatment, preoperative, postoperative 6-month and 1-year BMI values were 24.64 ± 4 kg/m², 23.55 ± 3.8 kg/m², 21.7 ± 3 kg/m² and 21.97 ± 4 kg/m², respectively. One-year WL ≥ 15% of the pre-treatment BW was present in 29 patients (25%): 18 among the 48 patients (37%) with a pre-treatment BMI ≥ 25 and 11 among the 70 patients (15%) with pre-treatment BMI < 25 (P = 0.006). On logistic regression, initial overweighting was the sole independent prognosticator of 1-year postoperative WL of at least 15% of the pre-treatment BW (P = 0.039; OR: 2.96, [1.06–8.32]). CONCLUSIONS Postoperative malnutrition remains a severe problem after oesophageal cancer resection, even in long-term disease-free survivors. Overweight and obese patients are the segment population most exposed to this postoperative malnutrition, suggesting that such surgery could have substantial bariatric effect. A special vigilance programme on the nutritional status of this sub-group of patients should be the rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]