A study reveals that minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) and robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) significantly reduce postoperative pain and pulmonary infections compared to traditional surgery. Both techniques, requiring specialized training, demonstrate improved short-term outcomes and comparable oncological results to open esophagectomy. The robotic-assisted approach offers potential additional benefits pending further randomized controlled trials, suggesting a […]
Category: Upper Gastrointestinal Tract
Oligometastatic disease may benefit from aggressive multimodal therapy.
Oligometastatic patients with esophageal, gastro-esophageal junction, and gastric cancers experience improved outcomes with aggressive multimodal therapies. Research indicates that combining systemic therapy with surgical resection of primary tumors and metastases enhances prognosis. Notably, patients with oligometastatic cancer at the esophago-gastric junction showed potential for curative treatment. These findings suggest that current treatment paradigms should be […]
Immunotherapy expands treatment options for esophageal cancer.
Recent advancements in immunotherapy provide new treatment avenues for advanced esophageal cancer, particularly for squamous cell carcinoma and esophagogastric adenocarcinoma. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, are now approved in various treatment settings, including adjuvant therapy for patients post-surgery and first-line treatments combined with chemotherapy. These developments improve accessibility to effective therapies, regardless […]
Spray coagulation mode enhances endoscopic dissection success
A multicenter trial revealed that spray coagulation mode endoscopic submucosal dissection (scm-esd) significantly improved completion rates for treating early gastric neoplasms without the use of hemostatic forceps, achieving 83.1% versus 13.8% for conventional forced coagulation mode (fcm-esd). Procedure time and adverse event rates were comparable between the two techniques. These findings suggest that scm-esd can […]
Immunotherapy shows promise in treating gastric adenocarcinoma
Recent findings reveal that immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) significantly improve treatment outcomes for advanced gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC), especially in patients with specific molecular subtypes such as MSI-H and HER2-positive. Combining ICIs with chemotherapy or targeted therapies enhances efficacy, despite the risk of immune-related adverse events (IRAEs). The study emphasizes the need for effective management strategies […]
Higher OLGA and OLGIM stages increase gastric cancer risk.
Higher stages of the OLGA and OLGIM staging systems significantly correlate with an elevated risk of developing high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and gastric cancer (GC). A systematic review and meta-analysis of eight prospective cohort studies found that moving from OLGA/OLGIM categories 0-II to III-IV notably increases the likelihood of these outcomes. This validates the use of […]
Nomogram effectively predicts intra-abdominal infection risk post-gastrectomy
A nutrition-based nomogram has been developed to predict the risk of intra-abdominal infection (IAI) after D2 radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer. An analysis of 404 patients identified key indicators, including the NRS2002 score, fasting blood glucose, and multi-visceral resection, associating them with IAI risk. The nomogram demonstrated good predictive capacity (AUROC 0.744) and excellent calibration, […]
Amino acid profiles may predict postoperative recovery in gastric cancer patients.
Significant preoperative amino acid elevations were found in gastric cancer patients. Post-surgery, many amino acids decreased but were partially restored with nutritional intervention, with some levels surpassing preoperative values. However, methionine and glutamine remained lower than in healthy individuals. Correlations were identified between specific amino acid changes and faster gastrointestinal recovery as well as reduced […]
Robotic technique improves safety in gastric conduit reconstruction
A novel robotic approach for the retrosternal route in gastric conduit reconstruction has demonstrated safety and efficiency. In a study involving 43 esophageal cancer patients, the median time for creating this route was just nine minutes, with no incidences of pleural injury or postoperative hemorrhage reported. Additionally, there was no significant variation in creation time […]
Navigation system improves robotic gastrectomy outcomes for novices
A vascular navigation system significantly enhances robotic distal gastrectomy for novice surgeons, according to a study involving 49 patients. The navigation group showed reduced dissection times (179.85 vs. 204.87 minutes) and increased lymph node retrieval (41.81 vs. 30.96). Additionally, the system contributed to lower C-reactive protein levels, indicating reduced surgical trauma (8.27 vs. 11.68 mg/dl). […]