Background:there are few studies in the literature comparing laparoscopic versus open Gastrectomy, predominantly for advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Most of the available studies and meta-analysis compare both approaches in the early gastric cancer. The meta-analysis, here presented, compares the clinical outcomes between these two procedures for AGC.Objectives: to evaluate the current status of both partial and total laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG), with regard to its short and long-term outcomes by comparing it to conventional open gastrectomy (OG) for AGC.Data sources and review methods: original articles published in English language from January 1991 to October 2009 were searched in the Medline, Embase, Current Contents, Science Citation Index databases and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. All articles comparing LG and OG for AGC were included, and those comparing outcomes only for early gastric cancer (EGC) were excluded. Clinical appraisal and data extraction were conducted independently by 3 reviewers. Statistical analysis was carried out following the DerSimonian-Laird random effects model.Results: out of 2,344 studies, 7 studies were selected. One prospective randomized controlled trial, one comparative prospective study and five comparative retrospective studies were analyzed. These studies include a total of 452 patients with gastric cancer, 174 patients in the LG and 278 in the OG. The analyzed result variables were operative time, operative blood loss, hospital postoperative stay, number of dissected lymph nodes and cancerrelated mortality risk. Compared to OG, LG was a longer procedure: weighted mean difference (WMD) 44 minutes; 95% confidence interval (CI) 20 to 69; I-squared = 91.6%, but was associated with a lower blood loss (WMD -122 cc; 95% CI -208 to -37; I-squared = 90.8%); this was more significant for hospital operative stay (WMD -6.2 days; 95% CI -9.4 to -2.8; I-squared = 67.8%). Moreover there were no significant differences between the two groups concerning the number of dissected lymph nodes (WMD -1.57; 95% CI -3.41 to 0.26; I-squared = 8.3) and no significant differences for cancer-related mortality risk (adjusted for 60 months of follow-up) although there was a tendency toward a protective effect for LG (Odds Ratio 0.53; 95% CI 0.23 to 1.22; Isquared 41%).Conclusion: laparoscopic total and partial gastrectomy for AGC is associated with a longer operative time but lower blood loss and shorter postoperative hospital stay. Moreover there were similar outcomes between both approaches in terms of number of dissected lymph nodes and long-term follow-up (survival).Key words: Advanced gastric cancer surgery. Laparoscopic gastrectomy. Open gastrectomy. Meta-analysis. INTRODUCTIONLaparoscopic surgery has been shown to provide important advantages on the short term when compared to open surgery for the treatment of several malignant diseases with at least the same long term survival (1-6).However, while laparoscopic surgery has been accepted worldwide for selected GIST tumors, early gastric c...

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Primary colorectal lymphoma is an infrequent disease of unknown origin and with a growing incidence. Differentiation between primary lymphoma and secondary colorectal involvement is of great therapeutic and prognostic importance. The diagnosis must always be based on histological findings. Different forms of presentation have been described, though all are nonspecific. While full agreement on the best management approach for colorectal lymphoma is lacking, surgical resection is usually the treatment of choice. The role of chemotherapy has not been defined. This study reports on a case of primary lymphoma in the cecum, with clinical manifestations in the form of meteorism and early satiety. The diagnosis was established by colonoscopy and biopsy. The absence of lymph-node involvement, tumor size, existing cardiopulmonary risk factors, and the fact that a full resection of the malignancy proved possible, with tumor-free resection margins, led us to exclude adjuvant chemotherapy. After one year of follow-up the patient remains disease-free.