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Body composition profiles influence the prognosis of several types of cancer; however, the role of body composition in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) after neoadjuvant treatment (NT) has not been well characterized.A total of 213 patients with LAGC who underwent gastrectomy after NT at a high-volume institution from southern China were comprehensively evaluated for primary analysis. Additionally, 170 and 77 patients from Western China and Italy, respectively, were reviewed for external validation. The skeletal muscle index (SMI), skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD), and the subcutaneous as well as the visceral adiposity index were assessed from clinically acquired CT scans at diagnosis and preoperatively.Overall, none of the body composition parameters significantly changed after NT. The pre-NT skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD) and change in SMI (ΔSMI) were both significantly lower in the patients with poor response (tumor regression50%; mean SMD: 43.5 vs 46.5, P = 0.003; mean ΔSMI: -1.0 vs 2.2, P 0.001), and the cutoff values were calculated according to the Youden index as 43.7 and 1.2, respectively. Based on these 2 parameters, a novel model, the Skeletal Muscle Score (SMS), was proposed to predict the pathological response (AUC = 0.764 alone and = 0.822 in combination with the radiological response). Moreover, patients with an SMI loss1.2 had a significantly prolonged drainage tube removal time (mean: 10.0 vs 8.2, P = 0.003) and postoperative hospital stay (mean: 11.1 vs 9.8, P = 0.048), as well as a significantly higher rate of postoperative complications (30.9% vs 16.7%, P = 0.015). In the multivariate analysis, SMI loss1.2 independently predicted poor overall survival (HR: 1.677, 95% CI 1.040-2.704, P = 0.034) and recurrence-free survival (HR: 1.924, 95% CI 1.165-3.175, P = 0.011). ΔSMI was also significantly associated with pathological response, surgical outcomes, and survival in the 2 external cohorts (P all 0.05).For LAGC, the pre-NT SMD and ΔSMI could accurately predict the pathological response after NT. An SMI loss1.2 is closely associated with poorer outcomes and may indicate the need more supportive treatment.

Objective To examine the association between lymph node status and recurrence patterns in completely resected gastric adenocarcinoma. Methods We retrospectively assessed 1,694 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy from January 2010 to August 2014. Patients stratified according to lymph node status and recurrence patterns among different subgroups were compared. Results Of all, 517 (30.5%) patients developed recurrent disease, and complete data of recurrence could be obtained in 493 (95.4%) patients. For pN0 patients, the patterns of recurrence were different according to pT stage: locoregional recurrence was most common in patients with pT1-2 disease (57.1%), distant recurrence was most common in patients with pT3 disease (57.1%), and peritoneal recurrence was most common in patients with pT4a disease (66.7%). For pN+ patients, distant metastasis was most common pattern irrespective of pT stage. The site-specific trend of recurrence showed that locoregional recurrence increased within 5 years in patients with pN0-2 disease but plateaued 3 years after surgery in patients with pN3 disease. Time to recurrence was significantly longer for the pN0 patients compared with the pN+ patients (median: 25 vs. 16 months, P=0.001). Moreover, post-recurrence survival was significantly better for the pN0 patients than for the pN+ patients (median: 12 vs. 6 months, P

Purpose D2 lymphadenectomy is considered a standard procedure for distal gastrectomy (DG). However, whether splenic hilar (No. 10) lymph node (LN) should be included in the extent of D2 lymphadenectomy for total gastrectomy (TG) is still controversial. Therefore, we assessed the survival benefit of laparoscopic No.10 LN dissection based on the comparison of long-term survival of patients undergoing laparoscopic TG (LTG) with laparoscopic No.10 LN dissection and laparoscopic DG (LDG). Methods The clinicopathological data of 2069 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical gastrectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The survival of the LDG group, the LTG with dissection of No. 10 LN (LTG+No. 10) group and the LTG without dissection of No. 10 LN (LTG-No. 10) group was compared. Results After adjusting for age, pT stage, pN stage and pTNM stage by 1:1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), there were 373 patients in each group. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival analysis showed that only in the pIIIA stage, the 5-year survival overall survival (OS) and cancer specific survival (CSS) of the LTG+No. 10 group was significantly better than that of the LTG-No. 10 group and comparable with that of the LDG group. Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that dissection of No. 10 LN was an independent favorable factor for OS and CSS in all patients and patients with pIIIA. Conclusion In patients with stage pIIIA, those undergoing LTG with No. 10 LN dissection could achieve a long-term outcome comparable to that of patients at the same pathological stage undergoing LDG.

To evaluate the effects of three nutritional scoring systems: Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT), and Naples Prognostic Score (NPS) on the short- or long-term prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) patients who underwent radical gastrectomy. The clinicopathological data of 2182 patients who underwent radical gastrectomy at the Fujian Medical University Union Hospital (FMUUH) from 2009 to 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The effects of the PNI, CONUT, and NPS on the short- or long-term prognosis of GC patients were analyzed. Overall, 359 (16.5%) patients had postoperative complications. There was no significant association between the PNI, CONUT, and NPS and postoperative complications (P > 0.05); however, high CONUT and NPS were significantly associated with severe postoperative complications (P

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is a standard treatment option for locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC); however, the indications for adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) in patients with LAGC who received NAC remain controversial.To compare survival rates between patients with LAGC who received AC and those who did not after NAC followed by surgery.This multicenter, international cohort study included 353 patients with LAGC undergoing curative-intent gastrectomy after NAC at 2 tertiary referral teaching hospitals in China between June 1, 2008, and December 31, 2017. To externally validate the findings in the Chinese patients, 109 patients from the US and Italy between June 1, 2006, and June 30, 2013, were reviewed. The follow-up period of the Chinese patients was completed in December 2020, and the follow-up period of the Western patients was completed between February and July 2017. Data analysis was performed from December 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021.Patients who received AC and those who did not were propensity score matched to evaluate the association of AC with survival.Overall survival (OS), disease-free survival, and disease-specific survival.Of 353 patients from China (275 [78.1%] male; mean [SD] age, 58.0 [10.7] years), 262 (74.1%) received AC and 91 (25.9%) did not. After propensity score matching, the 3-year OS was significantly higher in patients who received AC (60.1%; 95% CI, 53.1%-68.1%) than in those who did not (49.3%; 95% CI, 39.8%-61.0%) (P = .02). Lymph node ratio (LNR) was significantly associated with AC benefit (P .001 for interaction), and a plot of the interaction between LNR and AC demonstrated that AC was associated with improved OS in patients with higher (≥9%) LNRs (3-year OS: 46.6% vs 21.7%; P .001), but not in patients with LNRs less than 9% (3-year OS: 73.9% vs 71.3%; P = .30). When stratified by AC cycles, only those patients who completed at least 4 AC cycles exhibited a significant survival benefit in the 6-month (hazard ratio, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.33-0.96; P = .03) and 9-month landmark analysis (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.27-0.94; P = .03). In the external cohort, improved OS with AC administration was also found in patients with LNRs of 9% or greater (3-year OS: 53.0% vs 26.3%; P = .04).In this cohort study, the administration of AC after NAC and resection of LAGC was associated with improved prognosis in patients with LNRs of 9% or greater. These findings suggest that LNR might be valuable in AC selection in future decision-making processes.

Background: Apatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), is a novel treatment option for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) refractory to two or more lines of prior chemotherapy but has not yet been evaluated in patients with locally AGC. This trial investigated the efficacy and safety of apatinib combined with S-1 plus oxaliplatin (SOX) as a neoadjuvant treatment for locally AGC. Methods: Patients with M0 and either T2-T4 or N+ disease received apatinib (500 mg orally once daily on days 1-21 and discontinued in the last cycle) plus SOX (S-1, 40-60 mg orally twice daily on days 1-14; oxaliplatin, 130 mg/m2 intravenously on day 1) given every 3 weeks for 2-5 cycles. D2 gastrectomy was performed 2-4 weeks after the last cycle. To further compare the efficacy and safety between apatinib plus SOX (ASOX group) and SOX alone (SOX group), we reviewed historical control patients receiving SOX as neoadjuvant chemotherapy at the central center. The primary end point was the R0 resection rate. Findings: Between July 2017 and June 2019, 48 and 58 patients were enrolled in the ASOX and SOX groups, respectively. Forty patients in the ASOX group (83.3%) and 47 patients in the SOX group (81.0%) underwent surgery, with R0 resection rates of 75.0% and 67.2%, respectively (P=0.382). For patients proceeding surgery, the R0 resection rates were 90.0% (36/40) and 82.3% (39/47), respectively (P = 0.534). The proportion of patients with T downstaging in the ASOX group was significantly higher than that in the SOX group (36.4% vs 18.5%, P=0.036). For patients with target lesions, the radiological response rate was significantly higher in the ASOX group (75.0% vs 38.5%, P=0.015). Moreover, the ASOX group was associated with significantly higher proportions of patients achieving major pathological response (25.0% vs 10.3%, P=0.046). Grade 3 toxicities occurred in 33.3% of the ASOX patients, and no grade 4 toxicities or drug-related deaths were observed. Interpretation: Apatinib combined with SOX showed promising efficacy with an acceptable safety profile as the first-line neoadjuvant treatment for locally AGC. Trial Registration: The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT03192735. Funding Statement: This study was supported by Scientific and technological innovation joint capital projects of Fujian Province, China (No.2017Y9011, No.2017Y9004). Minimally invasive medical center of Fujian Province (No. [2017]171). National natural science foundation of China (No.81871899). The second batch of special support funds for Fujian Province innovation and entrepreneurship talents (No.2016B013). Declaration of Interests: There are no conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclose from any authors. Ethics Approval Statement: The informed consent form and study protocol were approved by the Institutional Review Boards of each participating institution. The study was conducted in accordance with the International Conference on Harmonization Good Clinical Practice guidelines, the Declaration of Helsinki, and Chinese law. All patients provided written informed consent before enrollment.

Importance Apatinib is a novel treatment option for chemotherapy-refractory advanced gastric cancer (GC), but it has not been evaluated in patients with locally advanced GC. Objective To investigate the effectiveness and safety of apatinib combined with S-1 plus oxaliplatin (SOX) as a neoadjuvant treatment for locally advanced GC. Design, setting, and participants This multicenter, prospective, single-group, open-label, phase 2 nonrandomized controlled trial was conducted in 10 centers in southern China. Patients with M0 and either clinical T2 to T4 or N+ disease were enrolled between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2019. Statistical analysis was performed from December 1, 2019, to January 31, 2020. Interventions Eligible patients received apatinib (500 mg orally once daily on days 1 to 21 and discontinued in the last cycle) plus SOX (S-1: 40-60 mg orally twice daily on days 1 to 14; oxaliplatin: 130 mg/m2 intravenously on day 1) every 3 weeks for 2 to 5 cycles. A D2 gastrectomy was performed 2 to 4 weeks after the last cycle. Main outcomes and measures The primary end point was R0 resection rate. Secondary end points were the response rate, toxic effects, and surgical outcome. Results A total of 48 patients (mean [SD] age, 63.2 [8.2] years; 37 men [77.1%]) were enrolled in this study. Forty patients underwent surgery (38 had gastrectomy, and 2 had exploratory laparotomy), with an R0 resection rate of 75.0% (95% CI, 60.4%-86.4%). The radiologic response rate was 75.0%, and T downstaging was observed in 16 of 44 patients (36.4%). The pathological response rate was 54.2% (95% CI, 39.2%-68.6%); moreover, this rate was significantly higher in patients who achieved a radiologic response compared with those who did not (12 [80.0%] vs 1 [20.0%]; P = .03) and in those who had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status score of 0 (20 [76.9%] vs 10 [45.5%]; P = .03) or had tumors located in the upper one-third of the stomach (16 [61.5%] vs 7 [31.8%]; P = .04). Patients who achieved a pathological response (vs those who did not) had significantly less blood loss (median [range]: 60 [10-200] mL vs 80 [20-300] mL; P = .04) and significantly more lymph nodes harvested (median [range]: 40 [24-67] vs 32 [19-51]; P = .04) during surgery. Postoperative complications were observed in 7 of 38 patients (18.4%). Grade 3 toxic effects occurred in 16 of 48 patients (33.3%), and no grade 4 toxic effects or preoperative deaths were observed. Conclusions and relevance This nonrandomized controlled trial found that apatinib combined with SOX was effective and had an acceptable safety profile as a neoadjuvant treatment for locally advanced GC. A large-scale randomized clinical trial may be needed to confirm the findings. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03192735.

Background Increasing numbers of laboratory blood parameters (BPM) have been reported to greatly affect the long-term outcomes of gastric cancer (GC) patients. However, the existing prognostic models do not comprehensively analyze these predictors. Aim To construct a new prognostic tool, based on all the prognostic BPM, to achieve more accurate prognosis prediction for GC. Methods We retrospectively assessed 850 consecutive patients who underwent curative resection for stage II-III GC from January 2010 to April 2013. The patients were classified into developing (n = 567) and validation (n = 283) cohorts using computer-generated random numbers. A scoring system, namely BPM score, was then constructed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression model in the developing cohort, and validated in the validation cohort. A nomogram consisting of BPM score and tumor-lymph node-metastasis (TNM) stage was further created. The discrimination and calibration of the nomogram were evaluated via Harrell's C-statistic and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. Results Using the LASSO model, we established the BPM score based on five BPM: Albumin, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, carcinoembryonic antigen, and carbohydrate antigen 19-9. The BPM scores were divided into high- and low-BPM groups based on a cut-off value of -0.93. High-BPM patients were significantly older and had more advanced, larger tumors. In the developing cohort, significant differences were found in 5-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year disease-specific survival between the high-BPM and low-BPM patients. Similar results were found in the validation group. Multivariable analysis showed that the BPM score was an independent predictor of OS. High-BPM patients had a poorer 5-year OS for each subgroup. Furthermore, a nomogram that combined the BPM score and TNM stage had significantly better prognostic value compared with TNM stage alone. Conclusion The BPM score provides more accurate prognosis prediction in stage II-III GC patients and is an effective complement to the TNM staging system.