Search

Background/aim: The Inflammatory Burden Index (IBI) has been reported as a novel prognostic indicator in several cancers and diseases. However, research on the IBI in patients with gastric cancer (GC) after gastrectomy is insufficient. This study investigated the utility of the preoperative IBI as a prognostic indicator in patients with GC., Patients and Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 459 patients undergoing gastrectomy for GC between 2013 and 2017 at the Kanagawa Cancer Center, Kanagawa, Japan. The IBI was calculated from preoperative blood test data. We evaluated the relationship between the preoperative IBI and clinicopathologic factors, overall survival (OS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) after gastrectomy for GC, using propensity score matched analysis., Results: Regarding the association between IBI and clinicopathologic features, the high-IBI group was significantly older and had more lymphatic invasion and more progressive pT status than the low-IBI group before propensity score-matched analysis. OS and RFS after curative surgery were significantly lower in patients with a high IBI than in those with a low IBI (77.5% vs. 86.1%; p=0.02 and 74.3% vs. 85.1%; p=0.03, respectively). Multivariate analysis identified high IBI as an independent predictor of both OS and RFS., Conclusion: Preoperative IBI may serve as a valuable prognostic indicator for patients undergoing curative gastrectomy for GC., (Copyright © 2024 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: The sex-specific effect of the visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio (VSR) before gastrectomy on postoperative survival in patients with gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. This study measured the preoperative VSR in patients with GC and analyzed its relationship with 5-year overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) by sex., Patients and Methods: This prospective study included 540 patients with GC undergoing gastrectomy. Preoperative visceral and subcutaneous fat volumes were measured using computed tomography, and the VSR was calculated. A cutoff value for the VSR was established using 5-year survival data, and its association with survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank tests, and multivariate regression analysis., Results: Among the 459 patients analyzed (300 males and 159 females), OS and RFS were significantly lower in the low-VSR group than in the high-VSR group in males (OS: 76.2% vs. 88.1%, p=0.01; RFS: 74.6% vs. 86.0%, p=0.02). In females, no difference in OS was observed between the groups, whereas the high-VSR group had significantly lower RFS than that of the low-VSR group (RFS: 74.7% vs. 88.9%, p=0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that a low VSR was an independent poor predictor of OS in males and a high VSR was an independent poor predictor of RFS in females., Conclusion: In patients with GC, the sex-dependent preoperative VSR was a potentially useful predictor of postoperative survival., (Copyright © 2024 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: In East Asia, the standard treatment for resectable advanced gastric cancer involves gastrectomy and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy; nevertheless, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is also expected to improve survival rates. However, it remains unclear whether the same criteria can be used to select adjuvant chemotherapy for patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, or how survival varies between post-chemotherapy pathological Stage (ypStage) and pathological Stage without chemotherapy (pStage). This study evaluated the long-term outcomes of ypStage and pStage in gastric cancers and investigated the optimal intensity of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients who have received preoperative chemotherapy., Patients and Methods: From January 2007 to November 2019, 1,585 patients underwent radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer at the Kanagawa Cancer Center. The patient background was adjusted by propensity score matching, and recurrence-free survival was compared between the two groups. In addition, a prognostic factor analysis was conducted for each yp/pStage., Results: The 5-year recurrence-free survival rates for yp/pStage I were 77.1% and 90.9%, respectively, with no significant difference (p=0.342). The 5-year recurrence-free survival rates for yp/pStage II were 50.4% and 69.1%, respectively, with no significant difference (p=0.062). The 5-year recurrence-free survival rates for yp/pStage III were 42.9% and 68.7%, respectively, with a significant difference observed (p=0.016). In the prognostic factor analysis for each stage, the presence or absence of preoperative chemotherapy was selected as an independent prognostic factor for yp/pStage I [hazard ratio (HR)=17.72; p=0.001] and yp/pStage II (HR=2.655, p=0.003)., Conclusion: ypStage tends to have a worse prognosis than pStage, and further development of multidisciplinary treatment is necessary., (Copyright © 2024 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical impact of the pretreatment lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) on both short- and long-term oncological outcomes in patients with resectable gastric cancer (GC)., Patients and Methods: The patients were chosen based on our medical records from consecutive cases of curative resection for GC performed at Yokohama City University from 2005 to 2020. The LMR was calculated as the lymphocyte count divided by the monocyte count measured before surgery., Results: The three- and five-year overall survival (OS) rates were 63.1% and 57.4%, respectively, in the low-LMR subgroup and 86.4% and 77.5%, respectively, in the high-LMR subgroup. According to multivariate analysis, the LMR was an independent prognostic factor for OS [hazard ratio (HR)=1.926, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.143-3.245, p=0.014]. In addition, the three- and five-year RFS rates were 54.4% and 50.7%, respectively, in the low-LMR subgroup and 84.0% and 76.0% in the high-LMR subgroup. According to multivariate analysis, the LMR was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR=2.031, 95%CI=1.266-3.258, p=0.003). When comparing the sites of recurrence between the low-LMR and high-LMR groups, there were significant differences in hematologic recurrence, lymph node recurrence, and peritoneal recurrence., Conclusion: Preoperative LMR might be a promising tool for the treatment and management of GC., (Copyright © 2024 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: The CRP-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) index is a promising biomarker. We clarified the clinical impact of the CALLY index in gastric cancer patients who received curative treatment., Patients and Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent curative resection for gastric cancer at Yokohama City University from 2005 to 2020 were selected based on medical records. The CALYY index was calculated as follows: serum ALB level (g/dl) × lymphocyte count (cells/μl)/C-reactive protein (mg/dl) ×10 4 Results: Two hundred fifty-nine patients were included in the present study. The three- and five-year overall survival (OS) rates were 64.8% and 57.0%, respectively, in the CALLY index-low group, and 86.2% and 78.2%, respectively, in the CALLY index-high group. There were significant differences between the two groups. A multivariate analysis demonstrated that the CALLY index was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (hazard ratio=1.791; 95% confidence interval=1.067-3.009; p=0.028). When comparing the perioperative clinical course between the CALLY index-low and CALLY index-high groups, there were significant differences in postoperative surgical complications and adjuvant chemotherapy., Conclusion: The CALLY score was an independent prognostic factor for patients with gastric cancer. Our results suggest that the CALLY index is a promising tool for assessing inflammation and nutritional status in patients undergoing gastric cancer treatment and management., (Copyright © 2024 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

A 66-year-old male came to our hospital because of occult blood in stool and anemia. The patient was diagnosed as unresectable advanced gastric cancer,( ML/Less, type 2, tub2, cT4b[liver], cN+, cM0, cStage Ⅳ, HER2 negative). He was given oxaliplatin plus S-1 therapy. In the 3rd course of chemotherapy, he had severe anemia, and active bleeding from the tumor. To control the bleeding he underwent distal gastrectomy, lateral segmentectomy of the liver, and S4 partial hepatectomy. The patient underwent adjuvant chemotherapy with docetaxel plus S-1. Three months after surgery, lymph nodes recurrence was observed. He underwent second-line therapy with paclitaxel and ramucirumab. Seven months after surgery, lymph nodes recurrence was increased. He was switched to third-line therapy with nivolumab. He is currently arrive 12 months after surgery.

Background/aim: The albumin-globulin ratio (AGR) is a useful biomarker for predicting postoperative complications and a poor prognosis in patients with various types of cancer and can be evaluated without invasive testing or surgery. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the usefulness of the AGR in predicting the short- and long-term prognoses of patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical resection at our institution., Patients and Methods: This study is a retrospective cohort analysis in which eligible patients were selected from the medical records of patients who underwent radical resection for gastric cancer at Yokohama City University from 2000 to 2020 and their medical records were reviewed. A total of 240 patients with gastric cancer were classified into high-AGR (>1.57) and low-AGR (≤1.57) groups and their overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and postoperative complication rates were compared., Results: Of the total 240 patients, 87 were classified into the high AGR group and 153 were classified into the low AGR group; the incidence of postoperative complications in the two groups did not differ to a statistically significant extent (34.4% vs. 39.2%, p=0.491). The long-term findings showed that the 5-year OS and RFS rates were significantly better in the high AGR group [84.0% vs. 64.8% (p=0.005), 80.0% vs. 61.9% (p=0.015), respectively]., Conclusion: Preoperative low AGR is a risk factor for OS and DFS in patients with gastric cancer who undergo surgery. The AGR may be a useful biomarker that can be applied as a prognostic indicator for patients with gastric cancer., (Copyright © 2024, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Aim: Recently, change in the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (cNLR) has been shown to be a promising prognostic inflammation marker in some malignancies. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical impact of the cNLR in gastric cancer patients who received curative gastrectomy., Patients and Methods: The present study included 450 patients who underwent curative treatment for gastric cancer between 2013 and 2017 at Kanagawa Cancer Center. The cNLR was defined as follows: cNLR = NLR at 1 month after surgery-NLR at 1 week before surgery. The prognosis and clinicopathological parameters of the increased cNLR and decreased cNLR groups were analyzed., Results: The OS stratified by each clinical factor was compared using the log-rank test, and a significant difference was observed using a cutoff value of cNLR at 0.762. When comparing the patient background factors between the increased cNLR (≥ 0.762) and decreased cNLR (< 0.762) groups, there were no significant differences in age, sex, T status, or N status. In the increased cNLR group, the OS rates at 3 and 5 years after surgery were 87.5% and 77.3%, respectively, while those in the decreased cNLR group were 92.8% and 87.3%, which amounted to a statistically significant difference (p = 0.041). The univariate and multivariate analyses of factors associated with OS showed that cNLR was a significant prognostic factor. When the postoperative course was compared between the two groups, the incidence rates of postoperative surgical complications and other-cause death were significantly higher in the increased cNLR group (p = 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively)., Conclusion: The cNLR is one of the significant risk factors in gastric cancer patients. Our results suggested that the changes of inflammation status during perioperative periods might be a promising prognostic factor for gastrointestinal cancer patients., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background/aim: Recently, preoperative inflammatory, immune, and nutritional statuses have attracted attention as prognostic factors in post-curative gastrectomy patients with gastric cancer (GC). The usefulness of the C-reactive protein-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) index as a prognostic factor in patients with various cancers, has been reported. However, reports on the clinical significance of the CALLY index in patients with GC after gastrectomy remain inadequate. In this prospective study, we focused on the preoperative CALLY index and investigated its usefulness as a prognostic factor in patients with GC., Patients and Methods: This study included 459 patients who underwent gastrectomy for GC between December 2013 and November 2017 at Kanagawa Cancer Center, Kanagawa, Japan. The preoperative CALLY index was calculated based on the preoperative blood test data. Patients were divided into high- and low-CALLY groups. The associations of the preoperative CALLY scores with clinicopathological factors, overall survival (OS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) after gastrectomy for GC were evaluated., Results: The low-CALLY group was significantly older, had higher venous invasion, and a more progressive pStage than did the high-CALLY group. OS and RFS after gastrectomy in the low-CALLY group were significantly worse than those in the high-CALLY group (77.9% vs. 88.9%; p<0.001 and 73.8% vs. 87.1%; p<0.001, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, a low CALLY score was an independent prognostic factor of worse OS and RFS., Conclusion: Preoperative CALLY levels may be a useful prognostic predictor in patients with GC after curative gastrectomy., (Copyright © 2024, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of the Naples Prognostic Score (NPS) in patients with gastric cancer and to clarify the potential of the NPS as a nutritional and inflammation evaluation system., Patients and Methods: This study included 158 patients who underwent curative treatment for gastric cancer between 2005 and 2020. The prognosis and clinical pathological parameters of the high-NPS (NPS >2) and low-NPS (NPS=0, 1) groups were analyzed., Results: The overall survival (OS) rates at 3 and 5 years were 86.7% and 77.7%, respectively, in the low-NPS group and 55.4% and 47.4%, respectively, in the high-NPS group. There were significant differences in OS between the two groups. Uni- and multivariate analyses demonstrated that the NPS was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR=2.495, 95%CI=1.240-5.451). In addition, the 3- and 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were 82.1% and 76.0%, respectively, in the NPS-low group, and 43.8% and 36.6% in the NPS-high group. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that the NPS was an independent prognostic factor for RFS (HR=2.739, 95%CI=1.509-4.972). When the first site of recurrence was compared between the low-NPS group and high-NPS group, there were significant differences in peritoneal recurrence (8.7% vs. 34.3%, p=0.001) and hematologic recurrence (5.6% vs. 21.9%, p=0.004)., Conclusion: The NPS was a significant prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer who received curative treatment. The NPS may be a promising biomarker for the treatment and management of gastric cancer., (Copyright © 2024, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Gastric cancer is a common cause of cancer death worldwide, especially in East Asia. This study evaluated the impact of preoperative modified Neutrophil-Platelet Score (mNPS) on the survival and recurrence of patients with resectable gastric cancer., Patients and Methods: The study analyzed 168 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy and subsequently received adjuvant treatment for gastric cancer between 2015 and 2021. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS)., Results: Patients were divided into two groups: 76 patients with an mNPS of 0 were classified into the low-mNPS group, whereas 92 patients with an mNPS of ≥1 were classified into the high-mNPS group. The 3- and 5-year OS rates in the low-mNPS group were 65.6% and 56.2%, respectively, and those in the high-mNPS group were 45.3% and 36.9%, respectively. The difference in OS between the two groups was statistically significant (p=0.007). The 3- and 5-year RFS rates in the low-mNPS group were 45.6% and 38.7%, respectively, whereas those in the high-mNPS group were 33.4% and 28.1%, respectively. The difference in RFS between the two groups was statistically significant (p=0.043). A multivariate analysis showed that the mNPS was a significant independent prognostic factor for OS and RFS., Conclusion: mNPS is a potential prognostic marker for patients with gastric cancer who underwent curative gastrectomy. Higher mNPS values were associated with lower 3- and 5-year OS and RFS rates, indicating a potential correlation between elevated mNPS and worse outcomes., (Copyright © 2024, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background: Recently, change in the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) has become a promising prognostic marker in some malignancies. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical impact of change in the CAR in gastric cancer patients who received curative resection., Method: The present study included 458 patients who underwent curative treatment for gastric cancer between 2013 and 2017. The prognosis and clinicopathological parameters were compared between patients who showed a high-change in CAR and those who showed a low-change in CAR., Results: The OS stratified by each clinical factor was compared using a log-rank test, and a significant difference was observed using a 0.05 change in CAR. When the patient background factors were compared between the high-change (change in CAR ≥ 0.05) and low-change (change in CAR < 0.05) groups, the median age, sex ratio, T factor, and N factor were similar. In the low-change group, the OS rates at 3 and 5 years after surgery were 94.1% and 87.6%, respectively, which amounted to a significant difference from the low-change group, with rates of 83.6 and 77.5% in the high-change group. In the low-change group, the RFS rates at 3 and 5 years after surgery were 90.1% and 85.1%, respectively, while those in the high-change group 77.6 and 75.2%. The univariate and multivariate analyses of factors associated with OS and RFS showed that the change in CAR was a significant prognostic factor., Conclusions: The change in CAR is a significant risk factor and promising prognostic factor for gastric cancer patients., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background/aim: The tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase 1 gene (WARS1), encodes a tryptophan-tRNA synthetase involved in the amino acidification of tryptophan-tRNA and has been reported to be involved in cancer cell growth, metastasis promotion, and drug resistance in a variety of cancers. This study investigated the clinical significance of WARS1 expression as a biomarker in gastric cancer tissues obtained from patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (GC) who underwent radical resection., Patients and Methods: WARS1 expression in GC tissues and adjacent normal gastric mucosa of 253 patients with pStage II/III GC who underwent curative resection was determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Association of WARS1 expression levels, categorized into high and low expression based on the median expression levels, with clinicopathological factors and overall survival (OS) of these patients was assessed., Results: The low-WARS1 expression group had significantly higher serosal invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, and pathological stage than did the high-WARS1 expression group. OS was significantly worse in the low- than in the high-WARS1 expression group (5-year survival 52.2% vs. 75.9%; p=0.0001). Furthermore, in multivariate analysis, low WARS1 expression was an independent predictor for poor OS (hazard ratio=2.101; 95% confidence interval=1.328-3.322; p=0.002)., Conclusion: In patients with locally advanced GC, after curative resection, WARS1 expression in GC tissue may be a useful prognostic marker., (Copyright © 2024 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: This study aimed to compare dietary intake (DI) after gastrectomy for gastric cancer between patients with (C group) and without (NC group) postoperative surgical complications., Patients and Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer. DI was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire with 82 food items (FFQW82) during nutritional counseling before surgery and at one and three months after surgery., Results: A total of 225 patients participated in this study. Of the 225 patients, 193 had no postoperative complications, and 32 had postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥2). The median DI at 1 month postoperatively was 1508 kcal/day in the NC group and 1,470.5 kcal/day in the C group (p=0.175). The median DI at 3 months postoperatively was 1,623 kcal/day in the NC group and 1575 kcal/day in the C group (p=0.473). There was a significant difference between the NC and C groups in the rate of decrease in DI at one month (median: -8.44% vs. -15.37%, p=0.032) and at three months postoperatively (median: -3.58% vs. -6.12%, p=0.038)., Conclusion: There was a statistically significant difference in the rate of decrease in DI after gastrectomy between the C and NC groups at 1 and 3 months postoperatively. Our results suggest that patients with postoperative surgical complications require additional nutritional treatment for decreased DI., (Copyright © 2024 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Based on gastric shape, patients with gastric cancer can be divided into storage (hook-shaped and ptotic stomach) and reverse outflow (steer-horn and cascade stomach) groups. In patients with gastric cancer, postoperative loss of lean body mass (LBM) is associated with a poor prognosis. This study investigated the influence of preoperative gastric shape on LBM loss 1 month after curative distal gastrectomy., Patients and Methods: Between May 2011 and May 2019, we enrolled 487 patients with pathological stage IA/IB/IIA gastric cancer who underwent curative distal gastrectomy and did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients were divided into storage (n=370) and outflow (n=117) groups according to whether barium was stored in the stomach during the preoperative fluoroscopic examination. Clinicopathological features, LBM 1 month after gastrectomy, and predictors of postoperative LBM loss were compared between the groups using multivariable logistic regression., Results: The incidence of >5% LBM loss and >7.5% body weight loss 1 month postoperatively were significantly higher in the storage group than in the outflow group (p=0.003 and p=0.009, respectively). Multivariable analysis revealed that gastric shape [odds ratio (OR)=3.30, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.95-5.59, p<0.001], male sex (OR=3.20, 95% CI=2.07-4.96, p<0.001), and Roux-en-Y reconstruction (OR=1.69, 95% CI=1.08-2.64, p=0.02) were independent predictors of LBM loss. Postoperative dietary problems, especially dumping syndrome, diarrhea, and reflux were more common in the storage group (p<0.001)., Conclusion: Gastric shape may be a useful independent predictor of postoperative LBM loss in patients with gastric cancer undergoing distal gastrectomy., (Copyright © 2024, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Pregnancy zone protein (PZP), encoded by PZP, belongs to the α-2-macroglobulin superfamily, and plays an important role in inflammatory responses and immune cell activation in cancer. However, the relationship between gastric cancer (GC) and PZP is poorly studied. This study investigated the clinical significance of PZP expression in GC tissues of patients with locally advanced GC after curative resection., Patients and Methods: Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we measured PZP expression in GC tissues and adjacent normal gastric mucosa of 253 patients with pStage II/III GC who underwent curative resection. We compared the expression levels of PZP in GC tissues and adjacent normal gastric mucosa and examined the relationship of PZP expression in GC tissues with clinicopathological factors and overall survival (OS)., Results: PZP expression was significantly associated with histology, venous invasion, and pathological stage. The high PZP expression group had significantly worse OS than did the low expression group (5-year survival 48.6% vs. 68.5%, p=0.0003). Furthermore, in multivariate analysis, high PZP expression was an independent factor for poor OS (hazard ratio=1.984, 95% confidence interval=1.307-3.012, p=0.0013)., Conclusion: In post-curative resection patients with locally advanced GC, PZP expression in GC tissue may be a useful prognostic marker., (Copyright © 2024 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: A new modified nutritional risk index (mNRI), calculated using serum albumin (g/l)+body mass index (BMI) [weight (kg&#95;/height 2 (m 2 )], is a good predictor of postoperative complications and cancer survival. However, no study has used this index in patients with gastric cancer (GC). Therefore, we aimed to investigate the clinical significance of the preoperative mNRI values in patients with GC who underwent curative resection., Patients and Methods: We examined 449 patients who underwent curative resection for GC at Kanagawa Cancer Center between 2013 and 2017. The mNRI cutoff value obtained using a receiver operating characteristic analysis was 23.31. Patients were divided into high and low mNRI groups according to the cutoff value, and the clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes were compared between the two groups., Results: In terms of clinicopathological characteristics, the high mNRI group had a higher proportion of men, higher BMI, and a higher proportion of patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status class 2/3 compared with the low mNRI group; the low mNRI group had significantly worse 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) than the high mNRI group (OS, p=0.005) (OS, p=0.006; RFS, p=0.018) did. In the multivariate analysis, a low mNRI was an independent predictor of OS (p=0.006) and RFS (p=0.013)., Conclusion: Preoperative mNRI may be a useful recurrence and prognostic biomarker in patients with GC who have undergone curative resection., (Copyright © 2024, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Dietary intake (DI) loss after gastrectomy is a serious problem for patients with gastric cancer. This study compared the dietary intake after surgery in patients with early gastric cancer who received laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) versus those who underwent conventional open distal gastrectomy (ODG)., Patients and Methods: This was a prospective, observational study enrolling patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Dietary intake was assessed using the food frequency questionnaire with eighty-two food items (FFQW82) at nutritional counseling before surgery and one and three months after surgery., Results: A total of 118 patients were included. Among them, 69 (58.5%) were male, and 49 (41.5%) were female. Seventy-five (63.6%) received LDG, and 43 (36.4%) received ODG. At 1 month postoperatively, the median DI in the LDG group was 1,540 (1,014-2,195) kcal/day, whereas that in the ODG group was 1547 (986-2,143) kcal/day (p=0.891). At 3 months postoperatively, the median DI in the LDG group was 1,624 (1,050-2,443) kcal/day, and that in the ODG group was 1,652 (917-2,144) kcal/day (p=0.749). There was no significant difference in the DI loss rate at 1 month (median: -8.2% vs. -9.3%, p=0.398) and 3 months (median: -3.2% vs. -3.7%, p=0.635) between the LDG and ODG groups., Conclusion: Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery may not prevent postoperative DI loss after distal gastrectomy. Therefore, methods other than laparoscopic surgery are needed to prevent post-gastrectomy DI loss., (Copyright © 2024 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1), encoded by CHI3L1, is thought to be involved in growth, invasion, migration, and resistance to chemotherapy in cancer. This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of CHI3L1 expression as a biomarker in gastric cancer (GC) tissues of patients with locally advanced GC after curative resection., Patients and Methods: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determined CHI3L1 expression in GC tissues and adjacent normal gastric mucosa of 253 patients with pStage II/III GC who underwent curative resection. We compared the expression levels in GC tissues and adjacent normal gastric mucosa, and examined the relationship between expression in GC tissues and clinicopathological factors and overall survival (OS) in these patients., Results: CHI3L1 expression was significantly associated with lymph-node metastasis and venous invasion. OS rate was significantly lower in the high- than in the low-CHI3L1 expression group (5-year survival 55.5% vs. 72.6%; p=0.009). Furthermore, in multivariate analysis, high CHI3L1 gene expression was an independent factor for poor OS (hazard ratio=2.030; 95% confidence interval=1.318-3.127; p=0.001)., Conclusion: In patients with locally advanced GC after curative resection, expression of the CHI3L1 in GC tissue may be a useful prognostic marker., (Copyright © 2024 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: The asialoglycoprotein receptor 2 gene (ASGR2) encodes a subunit of the asialoglycoprotein receptor, a transmembrane protein, which has recently been reported to be involved in gastric cancer (GC) progression. This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of ASGR2 expression in GC tissues of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) after curative resection., Patients and Methods: ASGR2 expression was measured in GC tissues and adjacent normal gastric mucosa in 253 patients with pStage II/III GC who underwent curative resection, by using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We compared the expression levels in GC tissues and adjacent normal stomach mucosa, and evaluated the relationship of its expression in GC tissues with clinicopathological factors and overall survival (OS)., Results: ASGR2 expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and venous invasion. The high ASGR2-expression group demonstrated significantly lower survival than the low expression group (5-year survival 55.5% vs. 72.6%; p=0.009). Furthermore, in multivariate analysis, high ASGR2 expression was an independent factor for poor OS (hazard ratio=2.030; 95% confidence interval=1.318-3.127; p=0.001)., Conclusion: ASGR2 expression in GC tissues may be a useful prognostic marker in patients with LAGC after curative resection., (Copyright © 2024 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery(LECS)for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST)has become a popular surgery with both curability and functional preservation. In this study, we examined the outcomes of 14 patients who underwent classical LECS or CLEAN-NET in our hospital. Until March 2022, classical LECS was performed in patients with intraluminal growth tumors or tumors close to the gastroesophageal junction. After April 2022, classical LECS was performed in patients with intraluminal growth tumors without ulceration, and CLEAN-NET was performed in patients with ulceration or intramural growth tumors. There were 10 males and 4 females with a median age of 80.5 years. Intraluminal growth tumor were 8 patients, close to the gastroesophageal junction tumor were 3, and intramural growth tumor were 4, respectively. Five of these patients had tumors with ulceration. Classical LECS was performed in 10 patients and CLEAN-NET in 4 patients, and the median operative time was 165.5 minutes. All patients underwent R0 resection, and no postoperative complications or recurrences were observed. LECS was performed safely, and it is important to select the surgical procedure according to the tumor site and growth type.

Background/aim: We evaluated the clinical impact of the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) in patients who received curative treatment and perioperative adjuvant treatment. We also investigated the association between the GNRI and the clinicopathological features of patients with GC., Patients and Methods: This study included 280 patients who underwent curative treatment for GC between 2005 and 2020. The prognosis and clinicopathological parameters of the high-GNRI and low-GNRI groups were compared., Results: In the GNRI-high group, the overall survival (OS) rates at 3 and 5 years after surgery were significantly lower (82.7% and 77.9%, respectively) than those in the GNRI-low group (56.4% and 40.8%). The GNRI was selected for the final multivariate analysis model for OS. The GNRI was also a significant prognostic factor for recurrence-free survival (RFS). The RFS rates at 3 and 5 years after surgery were 79.1% and 74.8%, respectively, in the GNRI-high group, and 48.0% and 38.6% in the GNRI-low group. The GNRI was selected for the final multivariate analysis model for RFS. The GNRI was also found to affect the postoperative clinical course, including postoperative surgical complications and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy., Conclusion: The GNRI may be a promising prognostic and predictive factor for gastric cancer. In the future, the GNRI may be used to select optimal treatment strategies., (Copyright © 2023 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

A 77-year-old man presented to our hospital with diarrhea and weight loss. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed advanced Type 3 gastric cancer measuring 40 mm in the lower greater curvature of the stomach. Biopsy from a gastric tumor revealed moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma overexpressing HER2. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT)showed multiple liver metastases in S3 and S5. We diagnosed HER2-positive gastric cancer with liver metastasis. Systemic chemotherapy was administrated, with a total of 13 courses of combination therapy with S-1, oxaliplatin and trastuzumab. After chemotherapy, the primary tumor was significantly reduced and liver metastases were almost undetectable. Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy and partial hepatectomy were performed as conversion surgery. The patient was discharged on the 9th day without any postoperative complications. Postoperative pathological findings showed no residual tumor in either gastric and hepatic specimens, and the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy was diagnosed as pathological complete response. We report a case of HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer with multiple liver metastases that achieved a pathologically complete response to chemotherapy followed by conversion surgery. Laparoscopic surgery would be one of an effective option for conversion surgery.

Background/aim: The C-reactive protein to prealbumin ratio (CPAR) has been proposed and introduced in gastrointestinal cancer management. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of the CPAR in patients with gastric cancer (GC) who received curative treatment., Patients and Methods: This study included 447 patients who underwent curative treatment for GC between 2013 and 2017. The prognosis and clinicopathological parameters were compared between patients with high and low CPARs., Results: Overall survival (OS) stratified by each clinical factor was compared using the log-rank test, and a significant difference was observed using a pretreatment CPAR of 5.0. Significant differences were observed in the 3- and 5-year OS rates of the CPAR-low (CPAR <5.0) and CPAR-high (CPAR ≥5.0) groups. The 3- and 5-year OS rates were 92.6% and 87.8%, respectively, in the CPAR-low group and 88.0% and 75.4% in the CPAR-high group. The CPAR was determined to be a significant prognostic factor for OS in a multivariate analysis (p=0.032). Similar results were observed for recurrence-free survival., Conclusion: The CAPR is a prognostic factor for GC patients. Therefore, the CAPR may be a promising nutritional biomarker of inflammation that can be applied in the management of GC patients., (Copyright © 2023 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is a promising prognostic marker in some malignancies. The present study evaluated the clinical impact of the PLR in patients with gastric cancer who underwent curative resection., Patients and Methods: This study included 258 patients who underwent curative treatment for gastric cancer between 2005 and 2020. The prognosis and clinicopathological parameters between the high- and low-PLR statuses were analyzed., Results: The overall survival (OS) stratified by each clinical factor was compared using the log-rank test, and a significant difference was observed using a pretreatment PLR of 150. When comparing the patient backgrounds between the high-PLR (PLR≥150) and low-PLR (PLR<150) groups, there were no significant differences between the two groups. The OS rates at 3 and 5 years after surgery were significantly higher at 70.8% and 60.4%, respectively, for the high-PLR group than at 83.6% and 79.7%, respectively, for the low-PLR group. Univariate and multivariate analyses of the OS showed that the PLR was a significant prognostic factor. In addition, when comparing the first recurrence sites, there were significant differences in peritoneal recurrence., Conclusion: The PLR is a significant risk factor for gastric cancer, making it a promising prognostic factor for patients with gastric cancer., (Copyright © 2023, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Clinical staging in the eighth edition of the Union for International Cancer Control TNM classification (TNM8) is reported to predict the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. However, there have been no reports on using the TNM8 for prognostic stratification of patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG). This study aimed to investigate whether it was possible to stratify the prognosis of patients who underwent curative surgery for Siewert type II/III AEG according to the TNM8 clinical stage (cStage)., Patients and Methods: This study included patients with Siewert type II/III AEG who underwent curative surgery between 2000 and 2019 at Kanagawa Cancer Center. Those who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were excluded. We investigated the survival of patients with AEG of each TNM8 cStage., Results: This study included 138 patients, among whom 102 (74%) had Siewert type II and 36 (26%) had Siewert type III AEG. A total of 50, 38, 43, and seven patients were classified with cStage I, II, III, and IV, respectively. The median duration of follow-up of the survivors was 54.7 months. The 5-year overall survival rate of the entire cohort was 65.8%, whereas for patients with cStage I, II, III and IV was 81.6%, 69.0%, 54.3% and 14.3%, respectively. The hazard ratio with reference to cStage I was 1.83, 3.07, and 8.13 for cStage I, III, and IV, respectively, increasing in a stepwise manner., Conclusion: TNM8 Clinical staging is able to stratify the prognosis of patients with Siewert type II/III AEG., (Copyright © 2023, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy is a standard treatment for gastric cancer. Anastomotic leakage remains a potentially fatal complication of gastrectomy. Forceful stapler extraction may cause anastomotic complications. We focused on the duodenal peristalsis, as we hypothesized that it might cause forceful stapler extraction. We then retrospectively investigated duodenal peristalsis and reviewed videos of Da Vinci system cases to clarify the relationship between peristalsis and anastomotic complications., Patients and Methods: Forty-nine cases with stored videos of laparoscopic surgery using the Da Vinci system from 2015 to March 2021 were included. Peristalsis was defined by repeated contraction and expansion that was clearly visible three or more times in a row. The duodenum was investigated because it is frequently observed during gastrectomy. Suture failure was evaluated in cases with and without peristalsis., Results: The study population included 49 patients [male, n=32; female, n=17; median age, 71 (42-82) years]. Duodenal peristalsis was observed in 14 (28.6%) cases. Three patients experienced complications. A comparative study of cases with and without complications showed significant peristalsis in cases with complications (p=0.0198)., Conclusion: A new definition to evaluate duodenal peristalsis was established. Anastomotic complications were significantly more frequent in cases with peristalsis (p=0.0198). Our results suggest the utility of manual over-sewing or the use of reinforcement material., (Copyright © 2023, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Mucinous gastric carcinoma (MGC) has a poor prognosis. Due to the differences in clinicopathology factors between MGC and non-MGC (NMGC), it is difficult to compare them. In this study, we compared the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of MGC and NMGC patients., Patients and Methods: For gastric carcinoma (GC), 3,042 gastrectomy patients were included in the study and divided into the MGC (n=86) and NMGC (n=2,956) groups. The characteristics and prognoses of patients in both groups were compared before and after (both groups, n=86) propensity score matching., Results: Significant differences were observed in the tumor location (upper) (MGC group: 28.0% vs. NMGC group: 24.7%, p=0.003), tumor diameter (median) [65 mm (8-200 mm) vs. 40 mm (2-75 mm), p<0.001], lymph node metastasis (70.9% vs. 37.3%, p<0.001), venous invasion (57.0% vs. 40.4%, p<0.001), and lymphatic invasion (62.8% vs. 34.9%, p<0.001) before propensity score matching. The 5-year overall survival (OS) (70.9% vs. 76.2%, p=0.006) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (75.5% vs. 82.4%, p=0.014) rates were significantly lower in the MGC group. After propensity score matching, there were no significant differences in either the 5-year OS (70.9% vs. 73.7%, p=0.230) or CSS (75.5% vs. 75.7%, p=0.587) rates. In addition, no substantial difference was observed in either of the recurrence forms., Conclusion: MGC is rare and usually diagnosed at a more advanced stage. However, MGC and NMGC have similar prognoses., (Copyright © 2023 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background: Peritoneal lavage cytology positivity (CY1) has been identified as a prognostic factor for distant metastases that is equivalent to peritoneal dissemination in Japan. Peritoneal lavage cytology is usually diagnosed by microscopic findings; a diagnostic procedure using a liquid biopsy (LB) technique has not yet been established., Patients and Methods: We evaluated the feasibility of a LB approach using peritoneal lavage samples from 15 patients with gastric cancer. Samples were collected from both the Douglas pouch and the left subdiaphragmatic area, and cell-free DNA was extracted for analysis of TP53 mutations using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction., Results: All 10 patients with CY1 had positive cytology for the left subdiaphragmatic specimen. However, only six out of the 10 patients had positive cytology for their Douglas pouch specimens, and these six patients had peritoneal tumor DNA (ptDNA) in these specimens. In all five patients with CY0, ptDNA was not detected. The overall survival was significantly shorter in the ptDNA-positive group than in the ptDNA-negative group. The survival of the group with a high amount of DNA from free intraperitoneal cells (ficDNA) was significantly worse than that of those with a low amount. In contrast, the group with a high amount of DNA from peritoneal cell-free DNA (pcfDNA) had significantly better survival than the group with a low amount., Conclusion: LB cytology showed equivalent utility to that of conventional microscopic examinations regarding its diagnostic ability. Therefore ptDNA, pcfDNA and ifcDNA are expected to be useful as prognostic factors., (Copyright © 2023 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) has been reported as an immunonutritional index that can easily evaluate nutritional status and immunocompetence from blood tests. The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of PNI as a prognostic factor in postoperative gastric cancer patients., Patients and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we evaluated 258 patients with pStage I-III gastric cancer who underwent radical resection at Yokohama City University Hospital, from 2015 to 2021. To examine the association with prognosis, we analyzed clinicopathological factors including PNI (<47/≥47), age (<75/≥75), sex (male/female), depth (pT1/≥pT2), lymph node metastasis (pN+/pN-), lymphatic invasion (ly+/ly-), vascular invasion (v+/v-), histological type (enteric/spread) and postoperative complications., Results: In univariate analysis, PNI (p<0.001), depth of tumor invasion (p<0.001), lymph node involvement (p<0.001), age (p=0.002), lymphatic invasion (p<0.001), vascular invasion (p<0.001), and postoperative complications (p=0.003) were associated with overall survival. In multivariate analysis, PNI (HR=2.100, 95% confidence interval 1.225-3.601, p=0.007), tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, and postoperative complications were shown as poor prognostic factors for overall survival., Conclusion: PNI is an independent prognostic factor for overall and recurrence-free survival in postoperative gastric cancer patients. PNI could be implemented in clinical practice to identify patients at higher risk for poor outcomes., (Copyright © 2023, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) is an anticancer-agent that is administered as third-line or later chemotherapy for metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancer (mGC/GEJC). Although inflammatory and nutritional statuses have attracted attention as prognostic factors for patients with mGC/GEJC in this therapy, their usefulness has not been fully clarified. Thus, this study investigated the clinical significance of prognostic nutritional index (PNI), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and NLR/serum albumin (Alb) ratio in patients administered FTD/TPI., Patients and Methods: This retrospective study included 64 patients who underwent FTD/TPI treatment for mGC/GEJC at Kanagawa Cancer Center, Kanagawa, Japan, between October 2019 and June 2022. Patients were divided into high and low PNI, NLR, and NLR/Alb groups according to their pretreatment blood data. This study evaluated the associations between the inflammatory and nutritional indexes and survivals., Results: Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with low PNI were significantly poorer than those with high PNI. However, low PNI was not an independent prognostic factor for OS and PFS. There was no significant association between NLR and OS or PFS. In contrast, the OS of patients with high NLR/Alb was significantly poorer than those with high PNI and low NLR/Alb. Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed that high NLR/Alb was an independent prognostic factor for OS., Conclusion: The NLR/Alb may be a useful prognostic factor in patients with mGC/GEJC being administered FTD/TPI as third-line or later chemotherapy., (Copyright © 2023 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Gastric cancer is among the most common malignancies worldwide, characterized by geographical, epidemiological and histological heterogeneity. Here, we report an extensive, multiancestral landscape of driver events in gastric cancer, involving 1,335 cases. Seventy-seven significantly mutated genes (SMGs) were identified, including ARHGAP5 and TRIM49C. We also identified subtype-specific drivers, including PIGR and SOX9, which were enriched in the diffuse subtype of the disease. SMGs also varied according to Epstein-Barr virus infection status and ancestry. Non-protein-truncating CDH1 mutations, which are characterized by in-frame splicing alterations, targeted localized extracellular domains and uniquely occurred in sporadic diffuse-type cases. In patients with gastric cancer with East Asian ancestry, our data suggested a link between alcohol consumption or metabolism and the development of RHOA mutations. Moreover, mutations with potential roles in immune evasion were identified. Overall, these data provide comprehensive insights into the molecular landscape of gastric cancer across various subtypes and ancestries., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.)

Background: We investigated the clinical influence of the prealbumin level on the gastric cancer survival and recurrence after curative treatment., Methods: This study included 447 patients who underwent curative treatment for gastric cancer between 2013 and 2017. The risk factors for the overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were identified., Results: A prealbumin level of 20 mg/dl was regarded as the optimal point of classification, considering the 3- and 5-year survival rates. The OS rates at 3 and 5 years after surgery were 80.7% and 65.0% in the low-prealbumin group, respectively, and 93.1% and 87.9% in the high-prealbumin group, respectively, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). The RFS rates at 3 and 5 years after surgery were 71.7% and 68.0% in the low-prealbumin group, respectively, and 90.1% and 84.7% in the high-prealbumin group, respectively, a statistically significant difference (p = 0.031). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that the prealbumin level was a significant independent risk factor for the OS and RFS. In addition, the rate of introduction of adjuvant chemotherapy was significantly lower and the frequency of peritoneal recurrence and lymph node recurrence significantly higher in the low-prealbumin group than in the high-prealbumin group., Conclusion: Prealbumin is a risk factor for the survival in patients who undergo curative treatment for gastric cancer. It is necessary to develop an effective plan of perioperative care and surgical strategy according to the prealbumin level., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background/aim: The present study quantified the changes in the dietary and nutritional intake after gastrectomy between elderly and non-elderly patients., Patients and Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer., Results: Twenty-three patients ≥ 75 years old were classified into the elderly group, and 127 patients < 75 years old were classified into the non-elderly group. The respective median % dietary intake losses at 1 and 3 months postoperatively were -12.4% and -5.3% in the elderly group and -8.3% and -2.8% in the non-elderly group (p = 0.075 and 0.080). On comparing the intake loss of three major nutrients, the respective median % lipid intake losses at 1 and 3 months postoperatively were -13.5% and -5.8% in the elderly group and -7.3% and 0% in the non-elderly group (p = 0.029 and 0.045)., Conclusion: Our results suggested that elderly patients experienced more serious lipid intake loss after gastrectomy than non-elderly patients., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: No studies have reported the effect of solitary living on adjuvant chemotherapy continuation in patients with gastric cancer. This study aimed to investigate the influence of solitary living on the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy after curative gastrectomy., Methods: We enrolled 155 patients with pathological stage II/III gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy between January 2013 and March 2020. The patients were divided into two groups according to their living conditions, the solitary group (n = 34) versus the non-solitary group (n = 121). Clinicopathological features, predictive factors for the continuation of adjuvant chemotherapy, and long-term survival were compared between the two groups., Results: The median body weight loss (BWL) at one month after surgery (8.9% vs. 7.0%, p = 0.01), and the rates of failure to continue six courses of chemotherapy were higher in the solitary group (41.2% vs. 14.9%, p = 0.002) than in the non-solitary group. Multivariate analysis revealed that solitary living was an independent predictive factor for discontinuing adjuvant chemotherapy (odds ratio 3.36, 95% confidence interval [CI; 1.32-8.58], p = 0.01) as well as 10% BWL at one month after surgery (odds ratio 3.99, 95% CI [1.57-10.2], p = 0.004). The relapse-free survival was significantly worse in the solitary group (p = 0.03)., Conclusions: Solitary living may be an independent risk factor for discontinuation of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer. It is necessary to examine whether social and medical support organized by medical institutes and the government improves the continuation of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients living alone., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Patients are at-risk for vitamin B12 deficiency after total gastrectomy due to a lack of intrinsic factors. The aim of the study was to clarify the clinical course and risk factors for vitamin B12 deficiency after total gastrectomy for gastric cancer patients., Patients and Methods: Patients who underwent curative resection for gastric cancer were selected from the medical records of the Yokohama City University from 2000 to 2020. A logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for vitamin B12 deficiency., Results: We evaluated 47 patients. The median serum vitamin B12 levels before surgery were 359 pg/ml, while those at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after surgery these were 255 pg/ml, 197.5 pg/ml, 195 pg/ml, and 206 pg/ml, respectively. Univariate analyses to identify factors associated with vitamin B12 deficiency at 6 months after surgery showed that the occurrence of postoperative complications was a significant risk factor (OR=6.347, 95%CI=1.607-25.774, p=0.009), while adjuvant chemotherapy was a marginally significantly risk factor (OR=3.562, 95%CI=0.877-14.477, p=0.076)., Conclusion: Almost half of the patients were diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency at 6 months after total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. In addition, the occurrence of postoperative complications and adjuvant chemotherapy were risk factors for vitamin B12 deficiency at 6 months after surgery., (Copyright © 2023 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background: Splenic hilar lymphadenectomy is not recommended for advanced proximal gastric cancer that does not invade the greater curvature according to the results of the previous studies. The efficacy of splenic hilar lymphadenectomy for type II and type III adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction and easy spread to the greater curvature of the stomach remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of splenic hilar lymphadenectomy and identify the risk factors for metastasis to splenic hilar nodes., Methods: We examined patients who underwent R0/1 gastrectomy for Siewert types II and III at a single high-volume center in Japan. We analyzed the metastatic incidence, therapeutic value index, and risk factors for splenic hilar lymph node metastasis., Results: We examined 126 patients (74, type II; 52, type III). Splenectomy was performed in 76 patients. Metastatic incidence and the therapeutic value index of splenic hilar lymph nodes in patients with type II and type III tumors were 4.5% and 0, and 21.9% and 9.4, respectively. In the patients who underwent splenectomy, we identified Siewert type III tumors (odds ratio: 6.93, 95% confidence interval: 1.24-38.8, p = 0.027) and tumor location other than the lesser curvature (odds ratio: 7.36, 95% confidence interval: 1.32-41.1, p = 0.023) to be independent risk factors. The metastatic incidence (46.2%) and therapeutic value index (15.4) were high in patients with both risk factors., Conclusions: Splenic hilar lymphadenectomy may contribute to the survival of patients with Siewert type III tumors, especially when the predominant location is not the lesser curvature., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Yasushi Rino has received speaker honorariums and research grants from Daiichi Sankyo, Johnson & Johnson, Otsuka, Lilly, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Ono Pharmaceutical, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Abbott Nutrition, Asahi Kasei, Tsumura & Co., Covidien, Zeria Pharmaceutical and EA Pharma. The other authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: SEC11A gene encodes the SPC18 protein, which has been implicated in tumour progression by inducing the secretion of various growth factors. We investigated the clinical significance of SEC11A expression in gastric cancer (GC) tissues in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) after curative resection., Patients and Methods: We estimated SEC11A expression in cancer tissues from 253 pStage II/III GC patients who underwent curative resection using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and investigated the relationship of SEC11A expression with clinicopathological factors and survival., Results: SEC11A expression was significantly related to serosal invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion, and pathological stage. The high-SEC11A expression group had a significantly lower survival rate than the low group (5-year survival 52.3% vs. 75.9%; p<0.005). Furthermore, in multivariate analysis, high-SEC11A expression was an independent factor of poor survival (hazard ratio, 2.010; 95% confidence interval=1.303-3.100; p=0.002)., Conclusion: SEC11A expression in cancer tissue may be a useful prognostic marker in patients with LAGC after curative resection., (Copyright © 2022 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: The present study evaluated the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of gastric cancer (GC) patients with synchronous and metachronous other primary cancer who received curative treatment for GC., Patients and Methods: The study included 244 patients who underwent curative treatment for GC between 2005 and 2018. The risk factors for the overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were identified., Results: A total of 244 patients were included in this study. Among them, 58 patients were diagnosed with synchronous and metachronous other primary cancer. When comparing the patient background characteristics and clinical course between GC patients without and with synchronous and metachronous other primary cancer, the background, postoperative surgical complications, and details of adjuvant treatment were similar between the two groups. The 3- and 5-year OS rates in GC patients with synchronous and metachronous other primary cancer were 69.7% and 48.0%, respectively, while those in patients without synchronous and metachronous other primary cancer were 80.6% and 74.3%, respectively, showing a statistically significant difference (p<0.001) The synchronous and metachronous other primary cancer status was included in the final multivariate analysis model (hazard ratio=2.201; 95% confidence interval=1.229-3.942; p=0.008)., Conclusion: Synchronous and metachronous other primary cancer status is a prognostic factor in GC patients. Therefore, synchronous and metachronous other primary cancer patients need both other primary cancer and GC follow-up to improve their survival., (Copyright © 2022, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Preoperative sarcopenia is associated with various cancers and affects the long-term prognosis of patients. After gastrectomy for gastric cancer, dynamic changes in body composition occur, and sarcopenia becomes more apparent after surgery than before surgery. However, the relationship between sarcopenia in the early postoperative period and long-term survival is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of surgical sarcopenia on long-term outcomes of patents with gastric cancer., Patients and Methods: We included 408 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy (distal or total gastrectomy) for gastric cancer at the Kanagawa Cancer Center from December 2013 to November 2017. Sarcopenia was defined using the skeletal muscle index (SMI), using computed tomography (CT) one month after gastrectomy. We compared the long-term outcomes between patients with and without sarcopenia., Results: The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 83.2% and 91.4% in the surgical and non-surgical sarcopenia groups, respectively. The hazard ratio (HR) of surgical sarcopenia for OS was 2.410 (95% confidence interval (CI)=1.321-4.396). In addition, surgical sarcopenia was associated with non-cancer-related deaths and deaths from other cancers., Conclusion: Patients with surgical sarcopenia after gastrectomy should be carefully monitored not only for gastric cancer recurrence but also for the occurrence of other diseases, including other cancers., (Copyright © 2022 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score is a promising tool for the evaluation of the perioperative hepatic function. The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of the preoperative ALBI status in patients with gastric cancer (GC) who received curative treatment., Patients and Methods: The present study included 244 patients who underwent curative treatment for GC between 2005 and 2018. The risk factors for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were identified., Results: Based on the 3- and 5-year OS rates, we set the cut-off value for the ALBI score at -2.7849. The 3- and 5-year OS rates were 87.3% and 80.9%, respectively, in the ALBI-low group, and 66.9% and 60.6% in the ALBI-high group; these differences were statistically significant (p<0.001). The ALBI score was included in the final multivariate analysis model [Hazard ratio (HR)=2.120, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.177-3.818, p=0.012]. Similar results were observed for RFS. In addition, the ALBI score correlated with the introduction of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy., Conclusion: The preoperative ALBI score correlated with both the OS and RFS of GC patients as well as the clinical course of adjuvant chemotherapy. Taken together, the ALBI score is a promising prognostic factor for GC., (Copyright © 2022 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Epiregulin (EREG) is a ligand of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and promotes tumour progression mainly by stimulating the EGF pathway. We investigated the clinical significance of EREG mRNA expression in cancer tissues from patients with gastric cancer (GC) in pathological (p) Stage II/III who have undergone curative surgery., Patients and Methods: Expression of EREG mRNA was measured in cancer tissues obtained from 253 patients with pStage II/III GC who underwent curative surgery. Patients were divided into groups based on high or low expression of EREG mRNA. We examined the relationship between EREG mRNA expression levels and clinicopathological features and survival., Results: Clinicopathological features did not vary between the high and low EREG mRNA expression groups. Overall survival was significantly lower in the high-expression group compared to that in the low-expression group (5-year survival probability: 55.0% vs. 73.0%; p=0.005). Multivariate analysis showed EREG mRNA expression to be an independent predictor of poor survival (hazard ratio=1.794; 95% confidence interval=1.186-2.712; p=0.006)., Conclusion: Expression of EREG mRNA in cancer tissue from patients with pStage II/III GC may be a useful prognostic marker after curative surgery., (Copyright © 2022 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: This prospective multi-central randomized phase II trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral Vitamin B12 500 μg/day replacement compared with oral Vitamin B12 1,500 μg/day in patients with Vitamin B12 deficiency after total gastrectomy for gastric cancer., Patients and Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to receive oral Vitamin B12 500 μg/day or Vitamin B12 1,500 μg/day in a 1:1 ratio with a minimization method. The primary endpoint was the incidence of a normal serum Vitamin B12 level at three months after treatment., Results: From January 2018 to December 2021, 3 institutions collaborated with the present study, and 74 patients were registered from these 3 institutions. The study was prematurely closed due to poor accrual after reaching almost 50% of its goal. Among the 74 recruited patients, 36 were allocated to the Vitamin B12 500 μg/day arm and 38 to Vitamin B12 1,500 μg/day arm. The incidences of patients with a normal Vitamin B12 level at 3 months (serum Vitamin B12 level >200 pg/ml) were 91.7% (33/36) in the Vitamin B12 500 μg/day arm and 100% (38/38) in the Vitamin B12 1,500 μg/day arm (p=0.3587). The types of clinical symptoms with Vitamin B12 deficiency that improved with Vitamin B12 treatment and the degree of improvement were also similar., Conclusion: Although the primary endpoint of the present study was not met, it was found that oral Vitamin B12 500 μg/day replacement is as effective and safe as oral Vitamin B12 1,500 μg/day replacement for Vitamin B12 deficiency., (Copyright © 2022 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Biomarkers for selecting gastric cancer (GC) patients likely to benefit from sequential paclitaxel treatment followed by fluorinated-pyrimidine-based adjuvant chemotherapy (sequential paclitaxel) were investigated using tissue samples of patients recruited into SAMIT, a phase III randomized controlled trial. Total RNA was extracted from 556 GC resection samples. The expression of 105 genes was quantified using real-time PCR. Genes predicting the benefit of sequential paclitaxel on overall survival, disease-free survival, and cumulative incidence of relapse were identified based on the ranking of p-values associated with the interaction between the biomarker and sequential paclitaxel or monotherapy groups. Low VSNL1 and CD44 expression predicted the benefit of sequential paclitaxel treatment for all three endpoints. Patients with combined low expression of both genes benefitted most from sequential paclitaxel therapy (hazard ratio = 0.48 [95% confidence interval, 0.30-0.78]; p < 0.01; interaction p-value < 0.01). This is the first study to identify VSNL1 and CD44 RNA expression levels as biomarkers for selecting GC patients that are likely to benefit from sequential paclitaxel treatment followed by fluorinated-pyrimidine-based adjuvant chemotherapy. Our findings may facilitate clinical trials on biomarker-oriented postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced GC., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The current expectancy of long-term survival of patients with pathological stage (pStage) III gastric cancer (GC) is not satisfactory. However, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is expected to improve survival rates in these patients. An appropriate pretherapeutic diagnostic strategy is necessary for selecting patients who are eligible for NAC. Surgical findings can often identify serosal invasion or metastatic lymphadenopathy, thereby facilitating the selection of candidates for NAC. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the accuracy and potential of surgical staging in improving the management and survival of patients with GC., Patients and Methods: We assessed the accuracy of surgical staging in comparison to preoperative staging using data from patients who underwent gastrectomy for GC. In addition, differences in survival after using the surgical staging criterion were assessed., Results: A total of 915 patients were evaluated in this study. The sensitivity of surgical staging in detecting pStage III in the surgical T4N0-3 plus surgical T3N1-3 group was satisfactory (79.3%). The proportion of patients with pStage I using the surgical staging criterion was 7.8%., Conclusion: Surgical staging using laparoscopy or laparotomy may assist in selecting candidates for enrollment in clinical trials for NAC., (Copyright © 2022 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes in obese patients with gastric cancer undergoing totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG) to clarify its feasibility in this population., Methods: We examined 136 consecutive patients who underwent TLTG for gastric cancer (GC) between 2013 and 2018. A total of 45 patients with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m 2 were defined as the obese group (obese and overweight patients by the WHO classification), and 91 patients with a BMI < 25 kg/m 2 were defined as the non-obese group. Short- and long-term outcomes were compared, and the correlation between obesity and postoperative complications was examined in patients who underwent TLTG., Results: Although the operation time (min) was significantly longer in the obese group than in the non-obese group (329 vs 307, p = 0.002), there were no significant differences in the total volume of blood loss (mL) (118 vs 60, p = 0.059) or the rate of conversion to laparotomy between the two groups (2 vs 2, p = 0.466). Moreover, there was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups (16% vs 19%, p = 0.653). In the multivariate analysis, obesity was not identified as a risk factor for postoperative complications among patients who underwent TLTG. The rate of overall survival was not significantly different between the groups (p = 0.512)., Conclusion: TLTG is feasible for obese Japanese patients with GC. To validate the results of the present study, it is necessary to conduct a prospective study of a large population of patients with GC., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To date, there are no predictive biomarkers to guide selection of patients with gastric cancer (GC) who benefit from paclitaxel. Stomach cancer Adjuvant Multi-Institutional group Trial (SAMIT) was a 2×2 factorial randomised phase III study in which patients with GC were randomised to Pac-S-1 (paclitaxel +S-1), Pac-UFT (paclitaxel +UFT), S-1 alone or UFT alone after curative surgery., Design: The primary objective of this study was to identify a gene signature that predicts survival benefit from paclitaxel chemotherapy in GC patients. SAMIT GC samples were profiled using a customised 476 gene NanoString panel. A random forest machine-learning model was applied on the NanoString profiles to develop a gene signature. An independent cohort of metastatic patients with GC treated with paclitaxel and ramucirumab (Pac-Ram) served as an external validation cohort., Results: From the SAMIT trial 499 samples were analysed in this study. From the Pac-S-1 training cohort, the random forest model generated a 19-gene signature assigning patients to two groups: Pac-Sensitive and Pac-Resistant. In the Pac-UFT validation cohort, Pac-Sensitive patients exhibited a significant improvement in disease free survival (DFS): 3-year DFS 66% vs 40% (HR 0.44, p=0.0029). There was no survival difference between Pac-Sensitive and Pac-Resistant in the UFT or S-1 alone arms, test of interaction p<0.001. In the external Pac-Ram validation cohort, the signature predicted benefit for Pac-Sensitive (median PFS 147 days vs 112 days, HR 0.48, p=0.022)., Conclusion: Using machine-learning techniques on one of the largest GC trials (SAMIT), we identify a gene signature representing the first predictive biomarker for paclitaxel benefit., Trial Registration Number: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry: C000000082 (SAMIT); ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, 02628951 (South Korean trial)., Competing Interests: Competing interests: RS: Advisory board: BMS, Merck, Eisai, Bayer, Taiho; honoraria for talks: MSD, Eli Lilly, BMS, Roche, Taiho; Travel funding: Roche, Astra Zeneca, Taiho, Eisai; Research funding: Paxman Coolers, MSD. These are outside the submitted work.TO: Research Funding: Taiho pharmaceutical, Chugai pharmaceutical, Ono pharmaceutical, Daiitisankyo pharmaceutical, Nippon Kayaku and Eli Lilly Japan K. K. Lecture fees: Nippon Kayaku, Ono pharmaceutical and Bristol-Myers Squibb K. K. Speaker Bureau: Taiho pharmaceutical, Chugai pharmaceutical, Ono pharmaceutical, Bristol-Myers Squibb K. K and Eli Lilly Japan K. K. These are outside the submitted work. TY: Lecture fees from: MSD, ONO, BMS, Taiho, Chugai, Daiichi-Sankyo, Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, Covidien and Olympus. Personal grant from Lilly. These are outside the submitted work. KY: Personal fees from Taiho Pharm and Bristol-Myers Squibb, during the conduct of the study; grants and personal fees from Asahi Kasei Pharma, Chugai Pharm., Covidien Japan, Daiichi Sankyo, Eisai, Eli Lilly Japan, Johnson & Johnson, MerkSerono, MSD, Nippon Kayaku, Novartis, Ono Pharm., Otsuka Pharm., Sanofi, Tsumura, Yakult Honsha, Takeda Pharm., grants from Abbott, Abbvie, Astellas, Biogen Japan, Celgene, GlaxoSmithKline, KCI, Kyowa Kirin, Meiji Seika Pharma, Toray Medical, Koninklijke Philips, personal fees from AstraZeneka, Denka, EA Pharma, Olympus, Pfizer, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, SBI Pharma, Teijin Phamra, TERUMO. These are outside the submitted work. YR: Speaker Bureau from; Daiichi-Sankyo, Johnson & Johnson, Otsuka, Lilly, Taiho pharmaceutical, Bristol-Myers Squibb. Research Funding: Taiho pharmaceutical, Abbott, Asahi Kasei, Daiichi-Sankyo, Tsumura & Co., Covidien, Zeria pharmaceutical, Otsuka, EA Pharma, Johnson & Johnson. These are outside the submitted work. YM: Lecture fees from AstraZeneca, Taiho, Chugai, and Daiichi-Sankyo. Consigned research fund from Toso company, Japan. These are outside the submitted work. MM: Research Funding from Chugai pharmaceutical, Teijin pharmaceutical, Daiitisankyo pharmaceutical, Takeda pharmaceutical, Terumo, Japan Lifelin, Senkod. These are outside the submitted work. ST: Lecture fee: Bayer Yakuhin, Amgen Astellas BioPharma K.K. Consultation fee: Boehringer Ingelheim. These are outside the submitted work. ADJ: honoraria from AstraZeneca, Janssen and MSD, travel funding from Perkin Elmer, and research funding from Janssen. These are outside the submitted work. HG: honoraria for participation in an expert meeting from MSD. These are outside the submitted work. AL-KT: Lecture fees Chugai Pharmaceutical. These are outside the submitted work. PT: Travel: Illumina, Research funding: Thermo Fisher, Kyowa Hakko Kirin. These are outside the submitted work., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: We investigated the influence of the preoperative Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score on survival and recurrence of gastric cancer in patients after curative treatment., Patients and Methods: This study included 331 patients who underwent curative surgery followed by adjuvant treatment for gastric cancer between 2013 and 2017. The risk factors for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were identified., Results: Based on the 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates, a CONUT score of 2 was regarded as the optimal cut-off value for classification. The 3- and 5-year OS rates were 93.6% and 88.6%, respectively in the low-CONUT group, and 82.7% and 73.6% in high-CONUT group (p=0.022). The 3- and 5-year RFS rates were 78.8% and 68.7%, respectively, in the low-CONUT group, and 89.3% and 86.6%, respectively, in the high-CONUT group (p=0.05). A multivariate analysis showed that the CONUT score was a significant independent predictive factor for OS and RFS., Conclusion: The CONUT score was a predictive factor for survival in patients who underwent curative treatment for gastric cancer. It is necessary to develop an effective plan for perioperative care and surgical strategy according to the CONUT score., (Copyright © 2022, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: To evaluate the impact of development of nivolumab monotherapy-induced immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and continuing nivolumab with irAEs on the survival of patients with gastric cancer (GC)., Patients and Methods: Patients with unresectable advanced GC and recurrence after curative resection who received nivolumab monotherapy were included in the study. Survival was compared between patients who did and did not develop irAEs, and between those who continued and discontinued treatment due to irAEs., Results: Of 110 GC patients, 22 developed irAEs. Grade ≥3 IrAEs included rash and diarrhoea associated with enteritis. Progression-free and overall survival (OS) were significantly better in patients with irAEs than in those without. The overall survival of patients who continued treatment despite irAEs was better than that of those who discontinued treatment., Conclusion: irAE development was associated with better survival in patients with GC who received nivolumab monotherapy. Continuing nivolumab with appropriate treatment in GC patients with irAEs may improve survival., (Copyright © 2022 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: The present study investigated the clinical impact of the lymph node ratio (LNR) on overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in cancer patients with lymph node metastasis who received curative treatment., Patients and Methods: Eighty-six patients who received curative surgery for gastric cancer between 2000 and 2015, and in whom lymph node metastasis was pathologically confirmed, were included in this study. The LNR was defined as the ratio of the number of metastatic lymph nodes to the total number of harvested lymph nodes., Results: A lymph node ratio of 0.23 was considered the optimal cutoff point for classification according to OS. Statistically significant differences were observed in the 3- and 5-year OS rates and 3- and 5-year RFS rates. The 3-year and 5-year OS rates in the LNR <0.23 group were 57.6% and 57.6%, respectively, whereas those in the LNR ≥0.23 group were 33.0% and 0% (p<0.001). The 3-year and 5-year RFS rates in the LNR <0.23 group were 45.9% and 43.6%, respectively, whereas those in the LNR >0.23 group were 25.2% and 0% (p=0.002). Regarding the site of first relapse, the incidence rates of peritoneal and lymph node metastasis in the LNR >0.23 group were significantly different in comparison to the LNR <0.23 group., Conclusion: A high LNR was associated with significantly worse OS and RFS in patients who received curative treatment for gastric cancer. The lymph node metastasis status should be utilized in the development of treatment strategies for gastric cancer., (Copyright © 2022, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)