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Background/Aim: The systemic inflammation score (SIS) is a promising tool for the evaluation of prognosis. The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of the preoperative SIS status in gastric cancer (GC) patients who underwent curative resection. Patients and Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 258 patients with primary gastric cancer who received curative treatment at Yokohama City University. The SIS was evaluated before surgery as determined by the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (cut-off value=4.44) and serum albumin level (cut-off value=4.0 g/dl). Results: A high SIS was identified as an independent predictor of overall survival [hazard ratio (HR)=1.784, p

The present study evaluated the clinical impact of other metachronous or synchronous primary cancer (OPC) in patients who received curative treatment for esophageal cancer.The present study included 168 patients who underwent curative treatment for esophageal cancer between 2005 and 2018. Prognosis and differences between the OPC status (metachronous/synchronous) and clinic pathological parameters was analyzed.A total of 168 patients were included in this study. Forty patients were diagnosed with metachronous/synchronous OPC. When comparing the clinicopathological factors between the patients with and without OPC, the patients' background and postoperative clinical courses were very similar between the two groups. The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates in patients with esophageal cancer with OPC were 66.0% and 54.5%, respectively, while those in patients without OPC were 50.1% and 41.4%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in these rates (p=0.156). The OPC status was not included in the final multivariate analysis model.The OPC status was not found to be a prognostic factor for patients who received curative treatment for esophageal cancer. Therefore, it is not necessary to avoid performing curative treatment for esophageal cancer because of a patient's OPC status.

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.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.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.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.

Perioperative systemic inflammation affects the long-term oncological outcomes in cases of malignancies. We evaluated the clinical impact of the preoperative systemic inflammation score (SIS) in resectable esophageal cancer patients who received curative treatment.This study included 168 patients who underwent curative surgery followed by perioperative adjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer between 2005 and 2018. The risk factors for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were identified.Based on the 3- and 5-year OS rate, we set the cut-off value for SIS at 2 in the preset study. Among the 168 total patients, 119 were categorized as the Low-SIS group, and 49 were categorized as the High-SIS group. The respective 3- and 5-year OS rates were 61.9% and 52.4% in the Low-SIS group and 33.3% and 26.6% in the High-SIS group. There were significant differences in OS (p0.001). The SIS was therefore selected for the final multivariate analysis model (hazard ratio=2.094, 95% confidence interval=1.355-3.234, p0.001). On comparing the perioperative clinical course between the High- and Low-SIS groups, there were significant differences in the rate of postoperative anastomosis leakage of grade ≥2 between the groups (61.5% in the High-SIS group vs. 30.3% in the Low-SIS group; p=0.021).The systemic inflammation score had a clinical effect on the long-term oncological outcomes in esophageal cancer patients, suggesting that it might be a promising prognostic factor for esophageal cancer patients.

Postoperative complications are associated with increased recurrence in colorectal cancer (CRC). We investigated the impact of infectious complications on the recurrence of CRC and overall survival after curative surgery in a single study group.In total, 1,668 patients who underwent radical resection for CRC in Yokohama City University, Yokohama Minami Kyosai Hospital, and Kanagawa Cancer Center between 2011 and 2019 were reviewed. Patients were classified into those with infectious complications (IC group) and those without infectious complications (Non-IC group). The risk factors for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed.Postoperative complications were found in 560 of the 1,668 patients (33.5%), and IC, which occurred in 312 patients (18.7%), included pneumonia, anastomotic leakage, and intraperitoneal abscess. The 5-year OS rates in the Non-IC and IC groups were 95.5% and 90.4%, respectively, while the 5-year RFS rates were 74.4% and 68.1%, respectively. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that postoperative IC were significant independent risk factors for OS and RFS.The presence of postoperative IC after CRC resection is associated with decreased long-term survival. The surgical procedure, surgical strategy, and perioperative care should be carefully planned in order to avoid causing IC.

Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is one of the major critical complications after pancreatic resection. Recently, postoperative acute pancreatitis (POAP), a new concept for a pancreatic-specific complication following pancreatic resection, has been advocated, and its association with POPF has been reported. The present study examined the clinical features of POAP and identified the associations of POAP with POPF and other postoperative morbidities in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients undergoing pancreatic resection.A total of 312 consecutive patients who underwent pancreatic resection for PDAC at our institution from 2013 to 2019 were enrolled in this study. POAP was defined as an elevated serum amylase level above the upper limit normal on postoperative day (POD) 0 or 1, based on Connor's definition. The severity of POPF was assessed by the International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery definition.A total of 184 patients (58.9%) had POAP. POAP occurred in 58.5% of subtotal stomach-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy patients and 60% of distal pancreatectomy combined with splenectomy patients. The presence of POAP was significantly associated with the development of clinically relevant POPF, higher rates of severe morbidity, and a prolonged hospital stay after pancreatic resection. A multivariate analysis showed that the presence of POAP and elevated C-reactive protein levels on POD 3 were independent predictors of clinically relevant POPF after subtotal stomach-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy.POAP is associated with the development of POPF, higher rates of severe morbidity, and a prolonged hospital stay after pancreatic resection and is an independent risk factor for clinically relevant POPF after pancreatoduodenectomy. POAP represents an important indicator for planning treatment strategies to prevent serious complications, including POPF.

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 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.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.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.

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 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.

Purpose The efficacy of fluorouracil + oxaliplatin + irinotecan with bevacizumab (FOLFOXIRI + BV) has been verified for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). In clinical practice, the original (O-FOLFOXIRI + BV) and modified dose settings (M-FOLFOXIRI + BV) are adopted for Asian patients. We aimed to compare the real-world efficacy and safety of these two regimens. Methods This retrospective cohort study reviewed clinical data of all consecutive mCRC patients treated with FOLFOXIRI + BV at a cancer centre in Japan. One hundred patients were divided into two groups: one that received O-FOLFOXIRI + BV (group O, n = 30) and another that received M-FOLFOXIRI + BV (group M, n = 70). Progression-free survival (PFS) was set as the primary endpoint, with overall survival (OS), overall response rate (ORR), and safety as secondary endpoints. Results PFS was superior in group M (median PFS; 8.7 vs. 11.5 months, P = 0.098). The use of O-FOLFOXIRI + BV emerged as an independent risk factor of poor PFS (hazard ratio = 2.155, P = 0.012). Both ORR (43.3 vs. 65.7%, P = 0.047) and OS (median OS; 17.9 vs. 27.0 months, P = 0.127) were more favourable in group M. Grade ≥ 3 adverse events were more frequently observed in group O (90 vs. 74.3%, P = 0.108), whereas dose intensity was higher in group M because a shorter duration was required for cytotoxic drug administration (2.9 vs. 2.6 weeks/course, P = 0.051) in the induction term. Conclusion We found that M-FOLFOXIRI + BV had more favourable efficacy and safety than O-FOLFOXIRI + BV, which may be a better fit for Asian patients and can be potentially used as an alternative for upfront chemotherapy for mCRC.

A 74-year-old man presented with a metastatic brain tumor in the right parietal lobe observed through an MRI scan. Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed that the tumor was located in the rectum. He was diagnosed with Stage Ⅳb rectal cancer(cT4aN1bM1b[BRA, SKN]). After prior stereotactic radiotherapy for brain metastases, the patient underwent rectal amputation and D3 dissection as management for the primary tumor. His postoperative course was uneventful, and he was discharged from the hospital 33 days postoperatively. He displayed partial response with capecitabine plus L-OHP therapy, and chemotherapy was terminated due to the development of renal dysfunction. On follow-up, elevated tumor markers, enlarged left mediastinal lymph nodes, and FDG accumulation on PET-CT were observed. Despite initiating UFT/UZEL therapy, the patient was judged to have progressive disease. The patient was then administered 5-FU plus l-LV plus CPT-11. However, this was later discontinued due to the development of hyperammonemia. The patient was placed on follow-up observation due to the decrease in his tumor markers and the disappearance of his enlarged lymph nodes. He is still alive seven years after his initial diagnosis. We report a case of a patient with rectal cancer that metastasized to the brain and the skin. He was successfully managed with multidisciplinary therapy. A relevant literature discussion is also included.

According to the risk classification of recurrence, the standard treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST)is complete surgical resection and postoperative adjuvant therapy with imatinib; however, the usefulness of neoadjuvant therapy is unclear. We report a case of giant GIST in the pelvis suspectedly having bladder infiltration that was radically resected and underwent preoperative imatinib therapy. A 52-year-old man visited a clinic because of abdominal pain, fever, and frequent urination. An abdominal mass was determined, and the patient was referred to our hospital for detailed examination and treatment. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed a 17 cm diameter irregular mass from the lower navel to the pelvis, and the bladder boundary was partially unclear. Transrectal biopsy was performed using endoscopic ultrasonography, and according to the Fletcher classification, a high-risk GIST was diagnosed. After preoperative imatinib therapy of 400 mg/day was administered for 3 months, surgery was performed. The tumor was strongly adhered to the bladder, but no invasion was observed, and partial small intestine resection was performed. The surgical margin was negative without capsule damage. On day 34 postoperatively, imatinib therapy was resumed, and as of 1 year postoperatively, the course is well without recurrence.

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.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.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%; p0.005). 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).SEC11A expression in cancer tissue may be a useful prognostic marker in patients with LAGC after curative resection.

Background/aim Population aging results in increasing numbers of elderly persons undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer. We sought to identify objective preoperative indicators of outcomes, with a view toward development of safe, effective treatments for such patients. Patients and methods The study included 99 patients aged 80 years or more, who were treated surgically for stage I- III colorectal cancer. Preoperative nutritional status was compared retrospectively between those who suffered postoperative complications (n=40) and those who did not (n=59). Results Univariate analysis revealed low prealbumin (PreAlb) concentration (p=0.032) and low platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (p=0.116) as risk factors for postoperative complications. Multivariate analysis showed preoperative PreAlb concentration to be an independent risk factor (OR=0.884; 95% confidence interval=0.791-0.989; p=0.024) associated with postoperative length of hospital stay (coef.=-0.336, p=0.002). Conclusion PreAlb, a rapid turnover protein, shows promise as a simple predictor of postoperative complications in elderly patients treated for colorectal surgery.

Background/aim The chemokine receptors C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) and C-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7) play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of cancer. This study investigated the relationship between relative expression of CXCR4 and CCR7 mRNA, clinicopathological factors, and outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients and methods We studied 202 patients who underwent surgery for CRC. The expression levels of CXCR4 and CCR7 mRNA in cancerous tissue were measured using quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results High CCR7 mRNA expression levels in CRC tissues were positively associated with tumour size and were more frequently associated with cancer of the rectum than of the colon. Moreover, outcomes were significantly poorer in patients with high CCR7 mRNA expression than in those with low expression. On multivariate Cox regression analysis, a higher CCR7 mRNA expression level was a significant independent predictor of poorer overall survival in patients with CRC. Conclusion Overexpression of CCR7 mRNA may be a useful independent prognostic factor in patients with CRC.

Background/aim This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of PLA2G2A expression in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (GC). Patients and methods PLA2G2A expression levels in cancerous tissue specimens and adjacent normal mucosa obtained from 134 patients with stage II/III GC who received adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 after curative resection were measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Subsequently, the associations of PLA2G2A expression with clinicopathological features and survival were evaluated. Results No association was observed between clinicopathological features and PLA2G2A expression levels. Overall survival was significantly longer in patients with high PLA2G2A expression levels (p=0.022). Multivariate analysis revealed that PLA2G2A expression was a significant, independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio=0.136; 95% confidence interval=0.0185-0.992; p=0.049). Conclusion PLA2G2A mRNA expression may serve as a useful prognostic marker in patients with locally advanced GC who receive curative surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1.

Previous randomized controlled trials demonstrated similar oncological outcomes between laparoscopic-assisted (LA) and open (OP) colectomy; however, patients with transverse colon cancer were not analyzed. The aim of this study was to confirm the oncological safety and the advantages of the short- and long-term results of LA surgery for transverse colon cancer in comparison to OP surgery.The study data were retrospectively collected from the databases of four hospitals. Patients with transverse colon cancer who underwent LA or OP R0 or R1 resection were registered.Among the 204 patients, 149 underwent OP colectomy and 55 underwent LA colectomy. The median follow-up period was 43 months. The rate of conversion to OP resection was 7.3%. The 5-year overall survival rate of the LA group was higher than that of the OP surgery group for all-stage patients (97.5% vs. 91.1%, P = 0.108), and it was similar in Stage II and Stage III patients (94.1% vs. 94.2%, P = 0.510). The LA group had significantly lower blood loss and a significantly longer operative time in comparison to the OP surgery group. Furthermore, the postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter (9 vs. 13 days, P = 0.001) and the incidence of Grade ≥III complications was lower in the LA group (3.7% vs. 14.8%, P = 0.031).We concluded that LA surgery for transverse colon cancer is oncologically safe and yields better short-term results in comparison to OP surgery.

The lymph node (LN) ratio (LNR) has been proposed as a sensitive prognosticator in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), especially when the number of LNs harvested is insufficient. We investigated the association between the LNR and survival in patients with locally advanced ESCC who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and explored whether the LNR is a prognosticator in these patients when stratified by their response to NAC. We retrospectively reviewed 199 locally advanced ESCC patients who received curative resection after NAC between January 2011 and December 2019. The predictive accuracy of the adjusted X-tile cut-off values for LNR of 0 and 0.13 was compared with that in the Union for International Cancer Control pathological N (UICC pN) categories. The association between survival rate and clinicopathological features was examined. Multivariate analysis identified that the LNR was an independent risk factor for recurrence-free survival [RFS; hazard ratio (HR) 6.917, p

Background/aim Stanniocalcin2 (STC2) is associated with proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in various cancers. We examined the clinical significance of STC2 mRNA expression in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients and methods Relative expression levels of STC2 mRNA in CRC tissues and corresponding normal mucosa obtained from 202 patients were measured using quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Results Expression of STC2 mRNA was higher in the cancer tissue than in the adjacent normal mucosa. STC2 mRNA expression in cancer tissues was associated with tumour size, liver metastasis, venous invasion, and lymph node metastasis. High expression of STC2 mRNA was significantly associated with poorer postoperative survival (p=0.0003). Multivariate analysis showed that high expression of STC2 mRNA was an independent predictor of postoperative survival. Conclusion High expression of STC2 mRNA in CRC tissue may be a useful prognostic marker in patients with CRC.

We investigated the impact of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio on esophageal cancer survival and recurrence after curative treatment. This study included 120 patients who underwent curative surgery followed by adjuvant treatment for esophageal cancer between 2008 and 2018. The risk factors for overall survival and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were identified. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio of 2.38 was regarded to be the optimal critical point of classification considering the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rate. The overall survival rates at 3 and 5 years after surgery were 70.5% and 63.0% in the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio low group, respectively, and 41.0% and 29.7% in neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio high group, which amounted to a statistically significant difference (p=0.001). The recurrence-free survival rates at 3 and 5 years after surgery were 48.6% and 40.7% in the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio low group, respectively, and 33.6% and 26.9% in neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio high group, which amounted to a statistically significant difference (p=0.046). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio was a significant independent risk factor for both the overall survival and recurrence-free survival. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio was a risk factor for survival in patients who underwent curative treatment for esophageal cancer. It is necessary to develop the effective plan of the perioperative care and the surgical strategy according to the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio.

Naples prognostic score (NPS) is a scoring system based on albumin, cholesterol concentration, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio reflecting host systemic inflammation, malnutrition, and survival for several malignancies. This study was designed to assess the prognostic significance of NPS in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and to compare its prognostic accuracy with that of other systemic inflammatory and nutritional index. We retrospectively examined 165 patients with locally advanced ESCC who underwent neoadjuvant therapy followed by curative resection between January 2011 and September 2019. Patients were divided into three groups based on their NPS before neoadjuvant therapy (Group 0: NPS = 0; Group 1: NPS = 1–2; Group 2: NPS = 3–4). We compared the clinicopathological characteristics and survival rates among the groups. The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were significantly different between the groups (P

The lymph node (LN) ratio (LNR) and the log odds of positive LNs (LODDS) have been proposed as sensitive prognosticators in patients with primary gastric cancer, especially in patients with an insufficient number of harvested LNs. We investigated the association of LNR and LODDS with survival in patients with remnant gastric cancer (RGC) and explored whether these staging methods are prognostic factors in patients with an insufficient number of harvested LNs.The present study retrospectively examined 95 patients with RGC who received gastrectomy between January 2000 and December 2018. The patients were classified according to the adjusted X-tile cutoff for LNR and LODDS. The association between survival rates and clinicopathological features was investigated. The predictive accuracy of the LNR and LODDS was compared with that of the Union for International Cancer Control pathological N factor.Multivariate analysis revealed that the LNR and LODDS were independent risk factors for recurrence-free survival (RFS) [hazard ratio (HR) 2.623, p = 0.020; HR 3.404, p = 0.004, respectively] and overall survival (OS) (HR 3.694, p = 0.003; HR 2.895, p = 0.022, respectively) in patients with RGC. Moreover, even in patients with 15 or fewer harvested LNs, only the LNR was a significant independent risk factor for RFS (HR 21.890, p 0.001) and OS (HR 6.597, p = 0.002). The receiver operating characteristic curves revealed that the prognostic accuracy of the three methods was comparable (p 0.05).LNR has significant prognostic value for patients with RGC, including those with an insufficient number of harvested LNs.

Background: We investigated the impact of the pre-surgical C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) on survival and recurrence after curative treatment for gastric cancer. Patients and Methods: This study included 481 patients who underwent curative treatment for gastric cancer between 2013 and 2017. The risk factors for overall (OS) and recurrence-free (RFS) survival were identified. Results: A CAR of 0.05 was regarded as the optimal critical point of classification considering the 3- and 5-year survival rates and patients were divided according to their CAR. The OS rates at 3 and 5 years after surgery were significantly higher at 92.5% and 87.9%, respectively, in the low-CAR group compared with 84.9% and 71.9%, respectively, in the high-CAR group. The corresponding RFS rates were 89.1% and 85.5%, and 81.0% and 72.2%, respectively, also a significant difference. A multivariate analysis demonstrated that the CAR was a significant independent risk factor for the OS and marginally significant independent risk factor for the RFS. In addition, the incidences of pancreatic fistula and abdominal abscess were significantly higher and the rate of introduction of adjuvant chemotherapy significantly lower in the high-CAR group. Conclusion: The CAR was a risk factor influencing survival in patients who underwent curative treatment for gastric cancer. An effective perioperative care plan and surgical strategy need to be developed according to the CAR.

Aim: Recent studies have reported that the albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) may be a useful inflammatory-nutritional biomarker to predict postoperative complications and poor prognosis in various types of patients with cancer. However, its prognostic value in patients with esophageal cancer is still unclear. We aimed to examine the utility of the AGR for predicting the short- and long-term outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer who underwent curative resection. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort analysis reviewing the medical records of consecutive patients who underwent esophagectomy for clinical stage I to III esophageal cancer at Yokohama City University. A total of 105 patients were identified between 2005 and 2018. The overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and postoperative complication rates were compared between patients with high AGR (>1.48) and those with low AGR (≤1.48) group. Results: A total of 57 and 48 patients were classified into the high and low AGR groups, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the rate of overall postoperative complications of more than Clavien-Dindo grade 3 (50.9% vs. 54.2%, p=0.85). The long-term findings showed that 5-year OS and RFS rates were significantly better for the group with a high AGR (67.2% vs. 33.8%, p

Background/Aim: We hypothesised that the prognostic nutrition index (PNI) is useful for evaluating host immunity and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. We investigated the effect of PNI on nivolumab monotherapy efficacy in advanced or recurrent gastric cancer (GC) or gastro-oesophageal junction cancer (GOC) patients. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively examined 110 patients, divided them into a high-PNI group and a low-PNI group, and compared treatment efficacy, adverse events (AEs), and survival between the groups. Results: Median overall survival (OS) was significantly longer in the high-PNI group than in the low-PNI group (205 vs. 109 days; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that low PNI was an independent risk factor for OS (hazard ratio=2.398; 95% confidence interval=1.384-4.154; p=0.002). The overall response rate and frequency of AEs were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion: PNI could be a useful prognostic factor in GC or GOC patients undergoing nivolumab monotherapy.

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 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.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 level200 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.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.

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.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.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 (p0.001). 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.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.

Background/Aim: Perioperative nutrition and inflammation affect the oncological outcomes of various malignancies. We evaluated the clinical impact of the preoperative platelet-to-albumin ratio (PAR) in resectable esophageal cancer patients who received curative treatment. Patients and Methods: This study included 168 patients who underwent curative surgery followed by perioperative adjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer 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 PAR at 80×10(3) in the present study. Among 168 patients, 134 (79.8%) were defined as the PAR-low and 34 (20.2%) as the PAR-high group. The 3- and 5-year OS rates were 60.2% and 51.7% in the PAR-low group and 30.2% and 18.9% in the PAR-high group, respectively. There were significant differences in OS (p=0.005). The PAR was therefore selected for the final multivariate analysis model [hazard ratio=1.997, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.230-3.241, p=0.037]. On comparing the perioperative clinical course between the PAR-high and PAR-low groups, there were marginally significant differences in the postoperative surgical complications and intraoperative blood loss between the groups. Conclusion: The PAR had clinical influence on the long-term oncological outcomes of esophageal cancer patients and might thus be a promising prognostic factor for esophageal cancer patients.