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Purpose The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life (QOL) questionnaires (QLQ-C30, QLQ-OG25, and QLQ-STO22) are widely used for the assessment of gastric cancer patients. This study aimed to use these questionnaires to evaluate QOL in postgastrectomy patients. Methods We prospectively evaluated 106 patients with distal gastrectomy (DG), 57 with pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG), and 117 with total gastrectomy (TG). Body weight and QOL questionnaires were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively (at 3 weeks, and 3, 6, and 12 months). Results TG patients had significantly more weight loss than DG/PPG patients. Compared with DG, patients after PPG had less dyspnea (P = 0.008) and trouble with coughing (P = 0.049), but more severe symptoms of insomnia (P = 0.037) and reflux (P = 0.030) at postoperative 12 months. Compared with DG/PPG, TG was associated with worse body image, dysphagia, eating, and taste in both OG25 and STO22. Moreover, OG25 revealed worse QOL in the TG group with respect to odynophagia, eating with others, choked when swallowing, trouble talking, and weight loss. The QOL of patients who received chemotherapy was worse than those in the chemo-free group in both physical functioning and symptoms such as nausea/vomiting, appetite loss, and trouble with taste; however, these side effects would soon disappear after finishing chemotherapy. Conclusion PPG was similar to DG in terms of postoperative QOL and maintaining body weight, while TG was always inferior to both DG and PPG. Adjuvant chemotherapy can affect both body weight and QOL despite being reversible.

Purpose This study aimed to compare the surgical and oncological outcomes between totally laparoscopic pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (TLPPG) with intracorporeal anastomosis and laparoscopy-assisted pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (LAPPG) with extracorporeal anastomosis. Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis was performed in 258 patients with cT1N0 gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic pylorus-preserving gastrectomy using two different anastomosis methods: TLPPG with intracorporeal anastomosis (n=88) and LAPPG with extracorporeal anastomosis (n=170). The following variables were compared between the two groups to assess the postoperative surgical and oncological outcomes: proximal and distal margins, number of resected lymph nodes (LNs) in total and in LN station 6, operation time, postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative morbidity including delayed gastric emptying (DGE). Results The average length of the proximal margin was similar between the TLPPG and LAPPG groups (2.35 vs. 2.73 cm, P=0.070). Although the distal margin was significantly shorter in the TLPPG group than in the LAPPG group (3.15 vs. 4.08 cm, P=0.001), no proximal or distal resection margin-positive cases were reported in either group. The average number of resected LN was similar in both groups (36.0 vs. 33.98, P=0.229; LN station 6, 5.72 vs. 5.33, P=0.399). The operation time was shorter in the TLPPG group than in the LAPPG (200.17 vs. 220.80 minutes, P=0.001). No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of postoperative hospital stay (9.38 vs. 10.10 days, P=0.426) and surgical complication rate (19.3% vs. 22.9%), including DGE (8.0% vs. 11.8%, P=0.343). Conclusions The oncological safety and postoperative complications of TLPPG with intracorporeal anastomosis are similar to those of LAPPG with extracorporeal anastomosis.

Background We aimed to determine the molecular and immune microenvironment characteristics of HER2‐positive gastric cancer (GC) related to the patient's response to first‐line trastuzumab‐based treatment. Methods Eighty‐three cases of HER2‐positive advanced gastric adenocarcinoma patients treated with trastuzumab were enrolled. Targeted deep sequencing and transcriptome analysis were performed on selected 21 cases (exploration cohort) along with two post‐treatment samples. The results were compared between patients progressed before 6 months (Group 2) and others (Group 1), and were validated by FISH and immunohistochemistry in total cohort. Tumor‐infiltrating immune cells were evaluated using RNA sequencing data and multiplex immunohistochemistry. Progression‐free survival (PFS) analysis was performed. Results Group 1 showed frequent amplification of G1/S cell cycle checkpoint‐related genes and upregulated KEGG pathways related to cell proliferation. In contrast, Group 2 had more frequent EGFR, HER3, and MET amplification and higher RNA expression in immune‐related KEGG pathways than Group 1. In total cohort, significant predictors of better PFS were cell cycle‐related including CCNE1 amplification, Cyclin A and PLK1 overexpression, and decreased Cyclin D3 and HER3 expression (p < 0.05), or immune‐related including high density of CD3−CD57+ NK cells and PD‐L1 combined positive score ≥5 (p < 0.05). The best prognostic predictors were a combination of Cyclin A, Cyclin E, p21, and HER3 (p < 0.001). Conclusion HER2‐positive GC with favorable response to trastuzumab were characterized by cell cycle‐related gene alterations and increased CD3−CD57+ NK cell infiltration. These findings would be helpful to the fine modulation of therapeutic strategies for patients with HER2‐positive GC.

Lewy pathology of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract has potential as a biomarker for the diagnosis of synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep disorder (iRBD). However, low sensitivity limits its use in clinical practice. 1 In a previous autopsy study, evaluation of multiple sections increased the positivity rate, 2 and earlier in vivo studies reported high sensitivity using a method called 'whole-mount staining. ' [3][4][5] Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether evaluation of a larger tissue volume increases the sensitivity of detecting alpha-synuclein (AS) pathology in the GI tract in patients with synucleinopathy. MATERIALS & METHODS Participants and specimen selectionPatients in this study were selected from those who partici-

Background The benefit of regular follow-up after curative resection for gastric cancer is controversial as there is no evidence that it will improve survival. This study assessed whether regular follow-up leads to improved survival in patients after surgery for gastric cancer. Methods A secondary analysis was undertaken of patients who participated in an RCT of laparoscopic versus open distal gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer between November 2011 and April 2015. Depending on whether patients were compliant with the initial trial follow-up protocol or not, they were analysed as having had either regular or irregular follow-up. Clinicopathological characteristics, recurrence patterns, detection, treatments, and survival were compared between the groups. Results The regular and irregular follow-up groups comprised 712 and 263 patients respectively. Disease recurrence within 36 months was more common in the regular group than in the irregular group (17.0 versus 11.4 per cent; P = 0.041). Recurrence patterns did not differ between the groups. The 3-year recurrence-free survival rate was worse in the regular than in the irregular group (81.2 versus 86.5 per cent; P = 0.031). However, the 5-year overall survival rate was comparable (84.5 versus 87.5 per cent respectively; P = 0.160). Multivariable analysis revealed that type of follow-up was not an independent factor affecting 5-year overall survival. Conclusion Regular follow-up after radical gastrectomy was not associated with improved overall survival.

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Purpose: The present study was performed to investigate the effects of local complications (LC) on long-term survival and cancer recurrence in patients undergoing curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer.Methods: We analyzed 2,627 patients after curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer between January 2001 and December 2006. Patients were classified into groups no complications (NC), LC, or systemic complications (SC).Results: Among the 2,627 patients, 475 patients developed complications (LC group [n=374, 14.2%] and SC group [n=101, 3.9%]). The 5-year cancer-specific survival rate was significantly poorer in the LC group compared to the NC and SC groups (LC, 78.0%; NC, 85.4%; SC, 80.2%; P=0.007). The occurrence of LC was identified as a significant independent prognostic factor for overall and cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio [HR], 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.46–2.97; P=0.001 and HR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.12–2.81; P=0.015). The tumor recurrence rates were higher in the LC group than the in other two groups (LC, 23.5%; NC, 15.4%; SC, 15.8%; P<0.001). The occurrence of LC was an independent predictor of tumor recurrence in patients undergoing curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.11–2.17; P=0.011).Conclusion: LC are associated with adverse long-term outcomes in patients after curative gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer.