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Objectives Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols have been questioned in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with/without hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for peritoneal malignancies. This survey was performed to study clinicians’ practice about ERAS in patients undergoing CRS-HIPEC. Methods An online survey, comprising 76 questions on elements of prehabilitation (n=11), preoperative (n=8), intraoperative (n=16) and postoperative (n=32) management, was conducted. The respondents included surgeons, anesthesiologists, and critical care specialists. Results The response rate was 66% (136/206 clinicians contacted). Ninety-one percent of respondents reported implementing ERAS practices. There was encouraging adherence to implement the prehabilitation (76–95%), preoperative (50–94%), and intraoperative (55–90%) ERAS practices. Mechanical bowel preparation was being used by 84.5%. Intra-abdominal drains usage was 94.7%, intercostal drains by 77.9% respondents. Nasogastric drainage was used by 84% of practitioners. The average hospital stay was 10 days as reported by 50% of respondents. A working protocol and ERAS checklist have been designed, based on the results of our study, following recent ERAS-CRS-HIPEC guidelines. This protocol will be prospectively validated. Conclusions Most respondents were implementing ERAS practices for patients undergoing CRS-HIPEC, though as an extrapolation of colorectal and gynecological guidelines. The adoption of postoperative practices was relatively low compared to other perioperative practices.

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of neoadjuvant treatment on nodal harvest after rectal cancer surgery and its impact on long-term oncological outcomes. A retrospective analysis of patients with rectal cancer who received curative intent treatment from 2002 to 2012 in our institution was performed. Data on various clinic-pathological and treatment details were recovered from the records. The number of nodes harvested after surgery was analyzed. The influence of number of nodes harvested on overall survival and disease free survival was analyzed. Among the 459 patients included in this study, 326 underwent surgery after neoadjuvant treatment (NAT). The mean number of nodes harvested was significantly lower in patients who received NAT compared with those who did not (8.9 ± 5.77 vs 14 ± 9.84, p

Background and Aims: Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) is an extensive procedure associated with significant morbidity, delay in return of gastrointestinal function and discharge from hospital. Our aim was to assess perioperative factors influencing enteral resumption (ER) and length of stay in the hospital (LOS) in CRS-HIPEC. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted in a major tertiary cancer centre. Sixty-five patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC between July 2014 and March 2019 were included in the study. The perioperative data were collected from patient records. The primary outcome measure was day of oral resumption of 500 ml of clear fluids and secondary outcome was the LOS. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was done for the various continuous and categorical perioperative variables for both ER and LOS to elicit the magnitude of risk for both outcomes. Results: Univariate logistic regression revealed that peritoneal carcinomatosis index score (PCI), duration of surgery, blood loss and postoperative ventilation influenced both ER and LOS. Serum albumin, plasma usage and total peritonectomy affected only the LOS but not ER. Multivariate analysis showed that duration of surgery (P = 0.006) and quantum of intravenous fluid infused (P = 0.043) were statistically associated with ER, while serum albumin level (P = 0.025) and postoperative ventilation (P = 0.045) were independently predictive of LOS. Conclusion: CRS-HIPEC is an extensive surgery and multiple factors are associated with ER; of these, duration of surgery and intraoperative fluid therapy are significant factors. Low serum albumin and prolonged postoperative ventilation are associated with increased LOS.

Background The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing in developing countries, yet limited research on the CRC- associated microbiota has been conducted in these areas, in part due to scarce resources, facilities, and the difficulty of fresh or frozen stool storage/transport. Here, we aimed (1) to establish a broad representation of diverse developing countries (Argentina, Chile, India, and Vietnam); (2) to validate a ‘resource-light’ sample-collection protocol translatable in these settings using guaiac faecal occult blood test (gFOBT) cards stored and, importantly, shipped internationally at room temperature; (3) to perform initial profiling of the collective CRC-associated microbiome of these developing countries; and (4) to compare this quantitatively with established CRC biomarkers from developed countries. Methods We assessed the effect of international storage and transport at room temperature by replicating gFOBT from five UK volunteers, storing two in the UK, and sending replicates to institutes in the four countries. Next, to determine the effect of prolonged UK storage, DNA extraction replicates for a subset of samples were performed up to 252 days apart. To profile the CRC-associated microbiome of developing countries, gFOBT were collected from 41 treatment-naïve CRC patients and 40 non-CRC controls from across the four institutes, and V4 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed. Finally, we constructed a random forest (RF) model that was trained and tested against existing datasets from developed countries. Results The microbiome was stably assayed when samples were stored/transported at room temperature and after prolonged UK storage. Large-scale microbiome structure was separated by country and continent, with a smaller effect from CRC. Importantly, the RF model performed similarly to models trained using external datasets and identified similar taxa of importance (Parvimonas, Peptostreptococcus, Fusobacterium, Alistipes, and Escherichia). Conclusions This study demonstrates that gFOBT, stored and transported at room temperature, represents a suitable method of faecal sample collection for amplicon-based microbiome biomarkers in developing countries and suggests a CRC-faecal microbiome association that is consistent between developed and developing countries.

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and HIPEC results in a median disease-free survival (DFS) of 12–15 months, overall survival (OS) of 23–63 months, and cure in around 15% of patients with colorectal peritoneal metastases (CPM). The wide variation in OS may largely be attributed to different criteria for patient selection employed by different investigators. To evaluate outcomes of CRS and HIPEC for CPM in patients enrolled in the Indian HIPEC registry. A retrospective analysis of patients enrolled in the registry since its inception in March 2016 was performed. The impact of various prognostic factors on DFS and OS was evaluated. From Jan 2013 to Dec 2017, 68 patients underwent CRS with HIPEC at six Indian centers. The median PCI was nine [range 3–35]. Twenty-two (32.3%) had mucinous tumors. A CC-0 resection was performed in 53 (77.9%) and CC-1 in 14 (20.5%). The median DFS was 12 months [95% CI 11.037–12.963 months] and the median OS 25 months [95% CI 18.718–31.282]. The DFS was inferior in patients with right upper quadrant involvement (p = 0.02) and 90-day major morbidity (p = 0.002) and OS inferior in those with 90-day major morbidity (p 20. The DFS compares well with results obtained by pioneering teams but we have no “cured” patients. Better patient selection and utilization of systemic therapies could in the future improve the OS. There is a compelling need to identify subgroups of CPM that benefit from the addition of HIPEC to CRS.

Extralevator abdominoperineal excision (ELAPE) results in a large perineal defect which needs reconstruction by a flap or biological mesh. The incidence of perineal wound complications is thought to be higher following an ELAPE compared to conventional abdominoperineal excision (APE). WE aimed to analyze the perineal wound complications following ELAPE in our institution. This was a retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients who underwent an APE (conventional and ELAPE) procedure in our institution between 2012 and 2015. We retrieved the demographic data, treatment data, and pathological data from the case records. Reconstruction of the perineal defect after a prone perineal dissection was performed using a local muscle flap. The incidence of perinealwound complications, hospital stay, and time to initiate adjuvant chemotherapy was compared between the two groups. A total of 71 patients underwent APE over a period of 41 months of which 21 patients underwent ELAPE. The perineal dissection during ELAPE was done in the prone position in 18 patients and in the supine position in 3 patients. Perineal wound complications were seen in 9 patients (42%) who underwent ELAPE compared to 17 patients (34%) who underwent conventional APE (p = 0.52). The mean duration of hospital stay was significantly longer in patients who underwent ELAPE when compared to those who underwent conventional APE (22.9 ± 3.6 days vs 14.6 ± 1.0 days, p = 0.03). The median interval between ELAPE and initiation of adjuvant chemo was 54 days (range 32–120 days) compared to 50 days (range 30–100 days) in patients undergoing conventional APE. A delay in initiating adjuvant chemotherapy of more than 12 weeks was seen in 4 patients (19%) following ELAPE. The incidence of perineal wound complications following ELAPE in this study was comparable to that reported in literature. Although the hospital stay following ELAPE was significantly longer than that following conventional APE in our institution, it did not unduly prolong initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy. Improving the perineal reconstruction techniques and selecting patients who will benefit from ELAPE may help to reduce the wound complications.

Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) for primary peritoneal malignancies or peritoneal spread of malignant neoplasm is being done at many centres worldwide. Perioperative management is challenging with varied haemodynamic and temperature instabilities, and the literature is scarce in many aspects of its perioperative management. There is a need to have coalition of the existing evidence and experts' consensus opinion for better perioperative management. The purpose of this consensus practice guideline is to provide consensus for best practice pattern based on the best available evidence by the expert committee of the Society of Onco-Anaesthesia and Perioperative Care comprising perioperative physicians for better perioperative management of patients of CRS-HIPEC.

GISTs are rare tumours of the GI tract arising from the intestinal cells of Cajal. Though various risk stratification systems have been proposed, none has been universally accepted. We audited the survival and recurrence patterns in our patients and evaluated clinicopathological features to identify prognostic factors affecting survival. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients treated at our hospital from 1999 to 2012. Patient variables, clinicopathological factors and treatment variables were collected. Sixty-three patients were evaluated and treated at our institute of which 38 were non-metastatic. The most common site of origin was the stomach. On univariate analysis, presence of metastasis, male gender, high mitotic rate, non-gastric primary and epithelioid histology were significantly associated with poor overall survival. Tumour size > 10 cm, mitotic rate > 10/50 hpf and presence of necrosis significantly affected disease-free survival for non-metastatic patients. Multivariate analysis showed higher mitotic rate and non-gastric primary to correlate with worse outcome. In our experience, a high mitotic rate and non-gastric primary independently predicted a poor prognosis in GIST.

Aim In advanced gastric cancer, chemotherapy, given either perioperatively or as an adjuvant treatment, has been shown to improve survival when compared to surgery alone. However, no trial has compared these two approaches head-to-head. Hence, we aimed to compare the short- and long-term outcomes of patients with gastric cancer who received either perioperative chemotherapy or adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods Retrospective analysis of patients with gastric cancers treated from 2010 to 2016. Using propensity score matching, resected patients who received perioperative chemotherapy were matched for histology, nodal dissection, and extent of surgery with another cohort of patients who received only adjuvant chemotherapy to create two matched groups of 101 patients each-group A (perioperative) and group B (adjuvant)-and the outcomes were compared between them. Results The patient demographics were evenly distributed in the two groups. There was no difference in the median number of chemotherapy cycles delivered (6 vs 6, P = .8) or the grade 3-4 toxicity (17.2% vs 12.1%, P = .26) in group A and group B, respectively. We could not demonstrate a significant difference in the postoperative mortality (2.6% vs 0%) or overall postoperative complications (23% vs 19%) between groups A and B. The overall recurrence rate (37% vs 42%), 3-year disease-free survival rate (51% vs 48%), and 3-year overall survival rate (53% vs 55%) were not significantly different in group A and group B, respectively. Conclusions We were unable to detect a significant difference in the short-term or long-term outcomes of patients with gastric cancer undergoing either perioperative or adjuvant chemotherapy.

The aim of the study was to analyze the various prognostic factors that influence survival and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing liver resection for huge hepatocellular carcinomas. The records of patients who underwent curative surgery between 1991 and 2011 for huge hepatocellular carcinoma were analyzed. Various prognostic factors that influenced the survival were studied. The patients were followed up till November 2016. The number of patients who underwent liver resection with huge hepatocellular carcinoma during the study period was 17; this included 14 males and 3 females. The median age of the study population was 52 years. The median serum AFP in the study population was 132.3 ng/ml (range 2 to 187,000 ng/ml). 41.2% of the patients were hepatitis B positive. The overall morbidity was 6%. The mortality rate was nil. The mean size of the resected specimen was 13.9 cm ± 3.6 cm. The overall recurrence rate was 76.5%. The local recurrence rate was 29.4%. The median time to recurrence was 8 months. The 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival of the study group were 26% and 32%, respectively. The factors that predicted an adverse survival outcome after the log-rank test for univariate analysis using life-table method were presence of lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.047), age ≤ 55 years (p = 0.021), and raised serum AFP (p = 0.041). The factors that predict an adverse outcome after surgery in patients with huge hepatocellular carcinomas were the presence of lymphovascular invasion, raised serum AFP, and age ≤ 55 years.

Mucormycosis is an opportunistic fungal infection usually seen in immunocompromised patients. We report a case of gastric mucormycosis in an immune-competent lady that mimicked a gastric malignancy, presenting a diagnostic challenge. A high index of suspicion is required for the diagnosis and successful treatment of this potentially life-threatening condition.

The aim of the study was to analyze the long-term survival and the various prognostic factors that influence overall survival in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) with non-pancreatic periampullary carcinomas. A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients diagnosed with non-pancreatic periampullary carcinomas who underwent PD at a tertiary cancer center was performed. Univariate analysis of various prognostic factors influencing the disease-free survival (DFS) was performed using log-rank test. Factors identified to be significant in univariate analysis were included in the multivariate analysis, which was performed using the Cox proportional hazard model. The survival estimates were calculated by life-table method. Statistical significance was considered when p value was

Background: The current treatment of choice for peritoneal carcinomatosis from gastric cancer is systemic chemotherapy. Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a new aggressive form of loco-regional treatment that is currently being used in pseudomyxoma peritoneii, peritoneal mesothelioma and peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer. It is still under investigation for its use in gastric cancer.Methods: The literature between 1970 and 2016 was surveyed systematically through a review of published studies on the treatment outcomes of CRS and HIPEC for peritoneal carcinomatosis from gastric cancer.Results: Seventeen studies were included in this review. The median survival for all patients ranged from 6.6 to 15.8 months. The 5-years overall survival ranged from 6 to 31%. For patients with complete cytoreduction, the median survival was 11.2 to 43.4 months and the 5-years overall survival was 13 % to 23%. Important prognostic factors were found to be a low peritoneal carcarcinomatosis index (PCI) score and the completeness of cytoreduction.Conclusion: The current evidence suggests that CRS and HIPEC has a role to play in the treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis from gastric cancer. Long term survival has been shown for a select group of patients. However, further studies are needed to validate these results.

Peritoneal metastasis, either synchronous or metachronous, is commonly seen in gastric cancer. It is associated with a poor prognosis, with a median survival of less than one year. The outcomes are not significantly improved by the use of systemic chemotherapy. We review the relevant literature on the role of HIPEC in gastric cancer. Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been used in three situations in gastric cancer. Besides its role as a definitive treatment in patients with established peritoneal metastasis (PM), it has been used as a prophylaxis against peritoneal recurrence after curative surgery and also as a palliative treatment in advanced peritoneal metastasis with intractable ascites. While prophylactic HIPEC has been shown to reduce peritoneal recurrence and improve survival in many randomised trials, palliative HIPEC can reduce the need for frequent paracentesis. Although CRS with HIPEC has shown promise in increasing the survival of selected patients with established PM from gastric cancer, larger studies are needed before this can be accepted as a standard of care.

Worldwide, cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been used for nearly 3 decades to treat peritoneal metastases (PM), improve quality of life, and prolong survival substantially in selected patients. In India, the use of the combined modality of treatment dates back a decade with majority of the efforts taking place within the last 5 years. The first PSOGI workshop (India) held in April 2015, at Bangalore, India offered an opportunity for Indian surgeons performing CRS and HIPEC to share their experience. To study the methodologies of CRS and HIPEC (hospital set up, equipment, training and surgical background) as well as the outcomes in terms of perioperative morbidity and mortality and short and long term survival of patients treated in India, Indian surgeons who had treated at least 10 patients with this combined modality were invited to present their experience. Data collection was retrospective. Analysis of the pooled data was carried out. Eight surgeons treated 384 patients with CRS and HIPEC over a period of 10 years. The commonest primary sites were ovary (as first line therapy n = 124), followed by appendix, including pseudomyxoma peritonei (n = 99), colorectum (n = 77), recurrent ovary (as second line therapy, n = 33), stomach (n = 15), primary peritoneal cancer (n = 10), peritoneal mesothelioma (n = 9) and rare tumors in 17 patients. The weighted mean PCI for all 384 patients was 18.25. 349/384 patients (90.88 %) had a complete cytoreduction (completeness of cytoreduction score of CC-0/1). Grade 3-5 complications developed in 108 patients (27.34 %) and 30 day mortality occurred in 28 (7.29 %) patients. This study showed that CRS and HIPEC can be performed with an acceptable morbidity and mortality in Indian patients. Most of the surgeons are on the learning curve and further improvement in these outcomes is expected over a period of time. Pooling of data related to both common and rare peritoneal cancers would be useful in knowing the disease behavior, response to treatment and outcomes in Indian patients. The 2015 PSOGI meeting provided a unique platform for data presentation with feedback from international experts in the field of peritoneal surface oncology. Future meetings are planned to expand the evaluation of Indian data and progress.

91 Background: Total neoadjuvant treatment is a promising option in rectal cancer. We aim to compare neoadjuvant versus interval chemotherapy in high risk rectal cancer to identify the optimal sequencing of treatment. Methods: Using a Simon two-stage design, newly diagnosed MRI defined high risk rectal cancer patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive three 21 day cycles of chemotherapy with Capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 and Oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 either before (Arm A-neoadjuvant) or after (Arm B-interval) chemoradiation followed by surgery. Primary end point was the pathological complete response (pCR) following surgery. A heirarchial model was used to assess the primary and secondary end points (toxicity and compliance) and compare the two regimens. (Clinical Trial Registry of India No. CTRI/2015/01/005385). Results: In this single centre study conducted between November 2015 and February 2020, 42 patients were randomised in the first stage. A pCR was seen in 4 patients in Arm A and 6 in Arm B. Hence another 52 patients were randomised in the second stage of which an additional 3 and 2 patients had a pCR leading to an overall pCR of 7 and 8 patients (15.5% vs 17% and 18.4% vs 19.5% in the intent-to-treat and per-protocol populations in Arm A and B respectively. This exceeded the minimum predetermined number of 5 pCR needed to qualify for further evaluation for each arm. Grade ≥3 toxicity was observed in 2.2% of 132 cycles and 4.6% of 129 cycles of chemotherapy delivered in 45 and 43 patients in Arm A and B respectively while 11/43 (25.5%) and 10/47 (21.2%) patients experienced grade ≥3 toxicity during chemoradiation. Treatment break of > 7 days was seen in 23.2% and 29.7% of patients in Arm A and B respectively while 93.3% in Arm A and 100% of patients in Arm B completed all 3 planned cycles of pre-operative chemotherapy. A non-significant trend towards greater pathological downstaging was seen in Arm B than in Arm A (ypT1-2 39% vs 26.3%; p = 0.1 and ypN0 68.3% vs 57.9%; p = 0.5 respectively). Conclusions: In this phase two study, both neoadjuvant and interval chemotherapy emerged eligible for further evaluation against the standard of care in a future phase III study. Although we could not pick one winner based on pCR, toxicity or compliance, the greater downstaging observed with interval chemotherapy suggests it could play a greater role in an organ preservation approach. Clinical trial information:CTRI/2015/01/005385, UTN no: U111111650578.

D2 gastrectomy is routinely performed in Japanese centres for carcinoma stomach with low morbidity and mortality. There were concerns in Western centres with regard to D2 gastrectomy in view of high morbidity and mortality rates. This study was aimed to study the postoperative morbidity and mortality following D2 gastrectomy for carcinoma stomach in a high volume centre in India.It was a retrospective analysis of all the patients who underwent D2 gastrectomy from 1991 to 2010.D2 gastrectomy was performed in 456 patients during this period. Respiratory events were the most common cause of morbidity in the study group (2.4 %). Male gender (p = 0.007), presence of gastric outlet obstruction (p = 0.01) and pathological T4 (p = 0.05) independently predicted increased post operative morbidity in multivariate analysis. The morbidity and mortality rates declined with increase in hospital volume and experience of the surgeon.D2 gastrectomy for carcinoma stomach can be performed safely in specialized centres with low morbidity and mortality rates.

Background: The Indian HIPEC registry is a self-funded registry instituted by a group of Indian surgeons for patients with peritoneal metastases (PM) undergoing surgical treatment. This work was performed to • Evaluate outcomes of cytoreductive surgery ± HIPEC in patients enrolled in the registry. • Identify operational problems. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients enrolled in the registry from March 2016 to September 2017 was performed. An online survey was performed to study the surgeons’ attitudes and existing practices pertaining to the registry and identify operational problems. Results: During the study period, 332 patients were enrolled in 8 participating centres. The common indication was ovarian cancer for three centres and pseudomyxoma peritonei for three others. The median PCI ranged from 3 to 23. A CC-0/1 resection was obtained in 94.7%. There was no significant difference in the morbidity (p = .25) and mortality (p = .19) rates between different centres. There was a high rate of failure-to-rescue (19.3%) patients with complications and the survival in patients with colorectal PM was inferior. A lack of dedicated personnel for data collection and entry was the main reason for only 10/43 surgeons contributing data. The other problem was the lack of complete electronic medical record systems at all centres. Conclusions: These results validate existing practices and identify country-specific problems that need to be addressed. Despite operational problems, the registry is an invaluable tool for audit and research. It shows the feasibility of fruitful collaboration between surgeons in the absence of any regulatory body or funding for the project.

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) have offered new hope for patients with peritoneal metastasis from colorectal and gastric cancers. However, this treatment can be offered only to a small, select group of patients, and even in this select group, only a small proportion can be cured. Hence, prevention of peritoneal metastasis assumes importance. Currently, three approaches are being evaluated to prevent colorectal peritoneal metastasis using HIPEC: a proactive approach, in patients considered to be at high risk of microscopic peritoneal dissemination; an adjuvant approach, in the immediate or delayed postoperative period after primary resection; and a second-look approach, during a systematic second-look operation approximately 1 year after primary resection. The effectiveness of HIPEC in preventing gastric peritoneal metastasis has already been shown in a number of randomised studies from Asia and is also currently being evaluated in Western patients. The results of ongoing trials could well be a game changer in the prevention of colorectal and gastric cancer-associated peritoneal metastasis. Unlike colorectal and gastric cancer, mucinous appendiceal neoplasms, which are the commonest cause of pseudomyxoma peritonei, pursue a more indolent course, and even patients with extensive disease are amenable to curative resection. However, early diagnosis can lead to a prolongation in survival, and strategies to prevent peritoneal dissemination are recommended during surgery for mucinous appendiceal neoplasms.

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) are an effective therapeutic modality for treating selected patients with peritoneal metastases (PM). There are uncommon situations in which primary peritoneal tumors which are rare give rise to PM or when PM are secondary to rare tumors or when isolated PM arise from common primary intra-abdominal and extra-abdominal tumors. CRS and HIPEC has the potential to provide therapeutic benefit to these patients that are conventionally treated with systemic chemotherapy, essentially a palliative approach. The natural history of many of these diseases is not known, and the evidence favoring the use of such procedures is limited. The collaborative efforts of surgeons treating peritoneal surface malignancies in pooling data and analyzing outcomes have generated some evidence to guide treatment decisions. In some situations like patients with mucinous tumors, intra-abdominal primary sites with limited peritoneal cancer spread, in patients who are in good general health, have tumors responsive to systemic therapy and the risk of morbidity is low, CRS and HIPEC can be used in the absence of level I/II evidence based on retrospective data and the recommendation of experts in the field. Such treatment should be offered in specialized centers and decisions taken in multidisciplinary meetings. It is ideal to enroll such patients in clinical trial or follow an institutional protocol or refer such patients to a specialized center. The respective roles of CRS and HIPEC should be considered separately for each tumor site and histology; where the benefit of intraperitoneal chemotherapy is less clear, the morbidity versus benefit should be considered. There is rapid progress in systemic therapies as well, with new and more effective therapies available, which should be used where indicated. New therapeutic modalities like pressurized intraperitoneal chemotherapy (PIPAC) can be used as a palliative option in combination with systemic chemotherapy where the therapeutic benefit of CRS and HIPEC is uncertain and the risk of morbidity is high.

Dear Editor: A number of recent epidemiologic studies have highlighted an increase in the occurrence of young-onset rectal cancer, especially in Asian countries [1]. There is no consensus in the published literature on the cutoff age for defining patients with young rectal cancer, which varies from 35 to 50 years in various studies. There are conflicting reports on the survival of young-onset rectal cancer patients in Western countries, with some reports suggesting a poorer outcome for younger patients, while others indicate no difference in the stagespecific oncologic outcomes between the young and older cohorts [2, 3]. In this study, we tried to analyze the relative distribution and the clinicopathological profile of rectal cancer across various age groups, compare the outcomes of treatments between the younger and older patients, and identify a cutoff age for young-onset rectal cancer that may predict a difference in survival.

Surgery for low rectal cancer often involves a permanent stoma. Intersphincteric resection (ISR) with colo-anal anastomosis is a valuable sphincter sparing surgical procedure that avoids the need for permanent stoma in patients with low rectal cancer. The aim of this study was to analyze the long-term functional and oncological outcomes following ISR. This was a retrospective analysis of patients with low rectal cancer who underwent ISR with colo-anal anastomosis in our institution between 2007 and 2015. All patients had a diversion stoma. Bowel function outcomes were assessed prospectively using Wexner incontinence score, low anterior resection syndrome score (LARS), and the Cancer Institute Quality of Life (QoL) questionnaire. The histological reports were reviewed to assess the oncological adequacy of the surgery. Patterns of recurrence and survival were analyzed in this group of patients. Thirty-three patients who underwent an ISR were eligible for this study. Laparoscopic resection was performed in five patients. All the patients received neoadjuvant chemoradiation except the two who received short course radiation and one who did not receive any neoadjuvant treatment. The median distance from the anal verge to the distal edge of the tumor was 3 cm (range 1.5–5 cm). Distal resection margins and circumferential resection margins were negative in all the patients. The 30-day post-operative mortality rate was 3.03%. In 20 patients with a median follow-up of 48 months, the 3-year overall survival was 95%. One patient had recurrence in the para-aortic nodes. No patient had a local recurrence. Bowel function was assessed in 18 patients who had a minimum stoma free period of 1 year. After a median of 43 months following stoma closure, the median Wexner score was 3.56 (range 0–19), median LARS score was 4.78 (range 0–33), and the mean Cancer Institute QoL score was 151.56 ± 15.741. The QoL was average to very high with an overall acceptable quality of life. In this study, ISR was associated with acceptable long-term functional and oncological outcomes. It can be considered as a safe alternative to a permanent stoma in selected patients with low rectal cancer.

Placement of a purse-string suture during a stapled esophagojejunostomy following total gastrectomy is a technically demanding and time consuming procedure. Improper placement of the purse-string suture can lead to anastamotic breakdown with its associated complications. We describe a technique of stapled esophagojejunostomy without using a purse-string suture. We used this technique in 35 patients including 4 patients who underwent an extended total gastrectomy. We encountered a difficulty only in one patient due to malfunction of the stapler. None of the patients had an anastamotic leak. The modified technique of stapled esophagojejunostomy without a purse-string suture makes the procedure more easy, safe and simple.

Aim : This study was designed to retrospectively review our experience with the multimodality management of hepatoblastomas (HB). Materials and Methods: Thirteen patients were treated for HB between 2000 and 2007. The clinical presentations, chemotherapy tolerance and response, surgical procedure undertaken, and complications were analysed. Results: Median age of the population was 12 months (3-60 months), with a male-to-female ratio of 3.3:1. Nine patients were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy incorporating cisplatin and adriamycin. Primary surgery was done in four patients. Extent of hepatic resection in the operated patients varied. Mixed type was the predominant histopathological diagnosis. Adjuvant chemotherapy was well tolerated with no morbidity or mortality. Five-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) of all the 13 patients is 76.9%. All the nine patients who could complete multimodality treatment are alive with no evidence of disease or complications with median follow-up of 63 months (46-122 months). Conclusions: Treatment of HB with multidisciplinary approach was well tolerated. OS and EFS of patients were comparable with published studies.

We report two cases of malignant melanoma metastasizing to the ileum and jejunum in a 48-year-old female and 62-year-old male, respectively. The female patient was a known case of vaginal melanoma who on follow-up developed pain abdomen 4 years after excision of the primary, whereas the male patient who was initially referred as pleomorphic spindle cell sarcoma of the groin presented with complaints of bleeding per rectum and melena 6 years later. After preliminary investigations both underwent laparotomy and resection of segments of ileum and jejunum with tumor. Histopathological examination with immunohistochemistry showed features suggestive of metastatic malignant melanoma. Metastasis should be suspected in patients with malignant melanoma who develop gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, anemia, melena, fatigue, constipation, small bowel obstruction, or perforation. This helps in avoiding a delay in the diagnosis and complications that arise due to metastatic disease. Our first patient with primary vaginal melanoma died of multiple metastases 11 months following surgery for the ileal metastasis while the second patient with jejunal metastasis developed recurrent disease in the small bowel and iliac lymph nodes 10 months after surgery. However, in a patient with isolated gastrointestinal metastasis, diagnosed early, with good general condition surgical management should be encouraged when a complete resection of the disease is feasible as no other treatment option is as good for relief of symptoms and prolongation of life.

TPS879 Background: Patients with rectal cancers treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy are not exposed to systemic doses of chemotherapy until very late in the treatment schedule. Preoperative chemotherapy, either in the neoadjuvant or interval setting can lead to early treatment of micrometastasis, improve the tumor response and possibly the overall survival. Phase II studies of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in rectal cancer have shown good response to chemotherapy with no tumor progression and good compliance. A phase II study evaluating the effect of giving chemotherapy in the interval waiting period between chemoradiation and surgery has shown acceptable toxicity and high pathological complete response rates. Methods: This single centre, randomized, open label, phase II trial compares the safety and efficacy of two pre-operative regimens in locally advanced MRI defined high-risk rectal cancers. Based on the Simon optimal two-stage design, 94 patients will be randomised to either Arm A [3 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (capecitabine and oxaliplatin) followed by chemoradiation (50.4 Gy with capecitabine) and then surgery] or Arm B [neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by 3 cycles of interval chemotherapy and then surgery]. Patients in both arms receive 3 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. The primary end-point is the pathological complete response rate. Secondary end-points include frequency and severity of adverse events, RO resection rates, tumor regression grading and compliance to treatment. The inclusion criteria: age 18 to 70 years; ECOG performance status 0-2; non-metastatic, locally advanced rectal cancer with any one of the following features on high-resolution thin slice MRI: any T3/T4 tumor in the lower rectum, T3c/T3d/T4 tumor in the mid rectum, N2 disease, threatened mesorectal fascia, or extramural vascular invasion. Patients are randomly assigned to one of the two intervention arms in a 1:1 ratio. Prespecified activity goal for the first stage of accrual was met; second stage accrual began in July 2017. Clinical trial information: CTRI/2015/01/005385.

Objectives: To analyze the effects of pathological T stage, grade, extent of surgery for primary tumor, and age group on the risk of developing lymph node metastasis in clinically node-negative penile cancer patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 200 clinically node-negative penile cancer patients who were kept under surveillance, after treatment of the primary tumor in our institution. The primary outcome parameter was cytologically or histologically proven lymph node metastasis. Logistic regression analysis was used to compute odds ratios in univariate and multivariate settings. Results: Lymph node metastasis occurred in 31 patients at a median time of three months. Histological grade 3 and grade 2 tumors had a statistically significant increased odds ratio for lymph node metastasis, (7.1[P

Invasive fungal infections constitute a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children undergoing therapy for hematological malignancies. We report a 1-year-old boy who was receiving chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. His clinical course was complicated by a clinical syndrome consistent with neutropenic enterocolitis to which he succumbed. Histopathology of the surgically resected bowel revealed evidence of mucormycosis. Gastrointestinal mucormycosis is an unusual presentation which requires high degree of clinical suspicion and aggressive management.

Synchronous gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and primary epithelial cancers of the gastrointestinal tract is an uncommon occurrence. We report a case of jejunal GIST which was detected incidentally in a patient during surgery for carcinoma of the sigmoid colon. The uncommon association of such synchronous tumors prompts a search for a common molecular pathway for carcinogenesis in gastrointestinal epithelial and stromal tumors.

Resection of liver metastasis has led to improved survival in selected patients with colorectal cancer. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in this setting has many advantages. Positron emission tomography scan (PET) is useful in monitoring the response of the liver metastases to chemotherapy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy can cause a complete response of the liver metastasis in some patients. We report a complete radiological and metabolic response of a liver metastasis following neoadjuvant chemotherapy and discuss the therapeutic implications and options in such a situation.

Intussusception in adults is a rare entity and accounts for 1 % of small intestinal obstruction and up to 5 % of all cases of intussusception [1]. A definitive organic lesion is found in 90 % of adult intussusception. Postoperative intussusception is a distinct entity which may be idiopathic or associated with mucosal, intramural or extrinsic lead points. These include polyps, lipoma, carcinoids, meckels’ diverticulum, melanoma metastasis, lymphoma, suture lines, adhesions, submucosal bowel edema, intestinal dysmotility, long intestinal feeding tubes and chronic dilatation of bowel [2, 3]. We present an unusual cause of intussusception after gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Neoadjuvant chemoradiation for rectal cancers may result in complete clinical response (cCR) in some patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the long-term outcomes of such patients in a tertiary cancer center.Patients with rectal cancer who had a cCR to neoadjuvant chemoradiation were divided into two groups: Group A (n=23) did not undergo surgery, and Group B (n=10) underwent elective surgery. The recurrence patterns and survival outcomes were compared between the two groups.After a median follow-up of 72 months (range 12-180), seven patients (30%) in Group A developed an isolated local recurrence. In Group B, after a median follow-up of 37 months (range 12-180) there were no local recurrences. The median disease-free and overall survival was 36 months (range 6-168) and 66 months (range 12-180) in Group A and 36 months (range 12-180) and 37 months (range 18-180) in Group B respectively.Our results suggest that surgery could be avoided in selected patients with rectal cancer who have a cCR to neoadjuvant chemoradiation. However, until the safety of a non-surgical approach is proven in a prospective randomized trial, it cannot be recommended outside a clinical protocol study.

Background The status of the regional nodes is the most important prognostic factor in gastric cancer. There are subgroups of patients with different prognosis even in node-negative patients of gastric cancer. The aim of this study is to analyze the factors influencing the prognosis in Indian patients with node-negative gastric cancer. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent radical gastrectomy in a tertiary cancer centre in India between1991 and 2007. The study group included only patients with histologically node-negative disease. Various clinical, pathological and treatment related factors in this group of patients were analyzed to determine their prognostic ability by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results Among the 417 patients who underwent gastrectomy during this period, 122 patients had node-negative disease. A major proportion of the patients had advanced gastric cancer. The 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival in all node-negative gastric cancer patients was 68.2% and 67.5% respectively. The overall recurrence rate in this group was 27.3%. On univariate analysis, the factors found to significantly influence the disease-free survival were the size, location and presence or absence of serosal invasion of the primary tumor. However, on multivariate analysis, only tumor size more than 3 cm and serosal invasion were found to be independently associated with an inferior survival. Conclusion Serosal invasion and primary tumor size more than 3 cm independently predict a poor outcome in patients with node-negative gastric cancer.

Neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by surgery is now the standard of care for patients with locally advanced rectal cancers. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of pathological complete response (pCR) following neoadjuvant treatment in patients with rectal cancers and identify the factors predicting the same.We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with rectal cancers treated with neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery at our institution from 1993 to 2008. Patients who achieved pCR were identified. Various patient, tumor, and treatment-related factors were studied for their influence on pCR by univariate and multivariate analyses. The influence of pCR on survival was also studied but was restricted to patients with a minimum follow-up of 5 years.Between 1993 and 2008, 248 patients with rectal cancers received neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery. Two hundred and twenty-seven patients received chemoradiation and 21 patients received only radiation. Pathological complete response was seen in 32 patients (12.9%). On multivariate analysis, the factors found to be independently predictive of pathological response were circumferential extent of the primary tumor (p = 0.016) and signet ring cell histology (p = 0.001). Among 116 patients with a minimum follow-up of 5 years, there was a trend towards increased overall survival (75% versus 54%) and reduced local recurrence (6.2% versus 12.3%) in the 16 patients who achieved a pCR compared to those who did not, even though the difference was not statistically significant.The factors that predict a pCR after neoadjuvant treatment for rectal cancers are absence of circumferential involvement and signet ring cell histology. Pathological complete response may confer an insignificant survival advantage.

Lymphangitis carcinomatosa describes a condition of diffuse infiltration of the lymphatics of both the lungs by malignant cells. It may be the only manifestation of an occult malignancy and should be included in the differential diagnosis of dyspnoea, especially in young patients in whom this diagnosis is usually not suspected. The diagnosis rests on a high index of suspicion in the setting of progressive respiratory failure. In this article we review the clinical presentation and the diagnostic methods. We also review the relevant literature pertaining to this rare entity.

Aim : To study the role of neoadjuvant imatinib mesylate in downsizing tumors in patients with locally advanced nonmetastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), thus improving the possibility of complete resection. Materials and Methods : We used neoadjuvant imatinib in six patients with locally advanced GISTs, at a dose of 400 mg daily, given orally in all patients for a median period of 3.5 months (range 1-20 months). All patients had a computerized tomography scan (CT scan) once before starting the treatment and a repeat CT scan 1 month after starting imatinib. Some patients had another CT scan done at 3 months. The tumor volume was calculated using the formula V=4/3 πr 3 . Results : Following imatinib therapy, the median reduction in the tumor volume was 40% (range 20-50%). Four of the six patients underwent successful complete resection of the tumor following neoadjuvant imatinib for a median period of 2 months, and are disease free after a median follow-up of 10.5 months (range 3-20 months). Two patients in whom the tumors were deemed to be operable after downsizing refused surgery and are continuing imatinib. Imatinib did not produce serious toxicity in any patient. Conclusion : Neoadjuvant imatinib can be used successfully in patients with locally advanced nonmetastatic GISTs to improve the rates of complete resection and reduce the chance of tumor spill. The optimal duration of neoadjuvant treatment needs to be tailored based on response assessment at frequent intervals to identify the ideal window period for surgery.

The purpose of this study is to report an unusual case of liver metastasis from carcinoma rectum, which mimicked an intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) radiologically and pathologically, and to review the relevant literature. A 64-year-old gentleman was treated for carcinoma rectum in our institution with neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by low anterior resection and adjuvant chemotherapy. Two years later, he was found to have a nodule in the left hepatic duct on imaging. He underwent left hepatectomy. The specimen revealed a tumor in the left hepatic duct, microscopically resembling an ICC. However, immunohistochemistry (IHC) showed the tumor cells to stain positively for cytokeratin 20, but not for cytokeratin 7, thus confirming the metastatic nature of the lesion. Endobiliary metastasis from colorectal cancer can mimic ICC, and IHC studies may be needed to differentiate the two. Identifying endobiliary metastasis can have therapeutic and prognostic implications.

To analyze the effects of pathological T stage, grade, extent of surgery for primary tumor, and age group on the risk of developing lymph node metastasis in clinically node-negative penile cancer patients.We performed a retrospective analysis of 200 clinically node-negative penile cancer patients who were kept under surveillance, after treatment of the primary tumor in our institution. The primary outcome parameter was cytologically or histologically proven lymph node metastasis. Logistic regression analysis was used to compute odds ratios in univariate and multivariate settings.Lymph node metastasis occurred in 31 patients at a median time of three months. Histological grade 3 and grade 2 tumors had a statistically significant increased odds ratio for lymph node metastasis, (7.1[P0.001] and 2.7 [P = 0.04], respectively), compared with grade 1 tumors. Although increasing pT stage was associated with increasing odds ratios, the differences were not statistically significant. Nor did the extent of surgery of the primary tumor or the age group significantly influence the risk of developing lymph node metastasis.Histological grade is the most significant parameter influencing the risk of lymph node metastasis in clinically node-negative penile cancer patients on surveillance. Patients with grade 3 and grade 2 tumors may benefit from elective inguinal lymphadenectomy.

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the rectum is uncommon. We report our experience of a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the rectum treated in our institution. Although primary chemoradiation produces a complete response in many patients, there is no consensus on a non-surgical management in these patients. Such an approach requires a strict surveillance schedule since recurrence is not uncommon. The prognosis of this tumour remains less favorable than its adenocarcinoma counterpart.