Background Due to its rarity and high heterogeneity, neither established guidelines nor prospective data are currently available for using chemotherapy in the treatment of appendiceal cancer. This study was to determine the use of chemotherapy and its potential associations with survival in patients with different histological types of the cancer. Methods Patients with histologically different appendiceal cancers diagnosed during 1998–2016 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The role and effect of chemotherapy were examined in the treatment of the disease. The Kaplan-Meier method was applied to construct survival curves and significance was examined by Log-rank test. Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze the impact of chemotherapy and other variables on survival in these patients. Results A total of 8733 appendiceal cancer patients were identified from the database. Chemotherapy was administrated at highly variable rates in different histological types of appendiceal cancer. As high as 64.0% signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC), 46.4% of mucinous adenocarcinomas (MAC), 40.6% of non-mucinous adenocarcinoma (NMAC) and 43.9% of mixed neuroendocrine non-neuroendocrine neoplasms (MiNENs) were treated with chemotherapy, whereas only 14.7% of goblet cell carcinoma (GCC), 5% neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and 1.6% carcinomas (NEC) received chemotherapy. In all patients combined, chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival during the entire study period and cancer-specific survival was improved during in cases from 2012–2016. Further multivariate analysis showed that both cancer-specific and overall survival was significantly improved with chemotherapy  in patients with MAC, NMAC and SRCC, but not for patients with GCC, MiNENs, NETs and NECs. Number (> 12) of lymph node sampled was associated with survival of patients with most histological types of cancer under study. Other prognostic factors related to individual histological types were identified. Conclusions Chemotherapy is administrated at highly variable rates in different histological types of appendiceal cancer. Efficacy of chemotherapy in the treatment of these cancers has been improved in recent years and is significantly associated with better survival for patients with NMAC, MAC, and SRCC. Adequate lymph node sampling may result in a survival benefit for most of these patients.

BackgroundLaparoscopic sphincter-preserving low anterior resection for rectal cancer is a surgery demanding great skill. Immense efforts have been devoted to identifying factors that can predict operative difficulty, but the results are inconsistent.ObjectiveOur study was conducted to screen patients’ factors to build models for predicting the operative difficulty using well controlled data.MethodWe retrospectively reviewed records of 199 consecutive patients who had rectal cancers 5–8 cm from the anal verge. All underwent laparoscopic sphincter-preserving low anterior resections with total mesorectal excision (TME) and double stapling technique (DST). Data of 155 patients from one surgeon were utilized to build models to predict standardized endpoints (operative time, blood loss) and postoperative morbidity. Data of 44 patients from other surgeons were used to test the predictability of the built models.ResultsOur results showed prior abdominal surgery, preoperative chemoradiotherapy, tumor distance to anal verge, interspinous distance, and BMI were predictors for the standardized operative times. Gender and tumor maximum diameter were related to the standardized blood loss. Temporary diversion and tumor diameter were predictors for postoperative morbidity. The model constructed for the operative time demonstrated excellent predictability for patients from different surgeons.ConclusionsWith a well-controlled patient population, we have built a predictable model to estimate operative difficulty. The standardized operative time will make it possible to significantly increase sample size and build more reliable models to predict operative difficulty for clinical use.

Purpose:Our current study was conducted to identify patients’ anatomic, pathologic, and clinical factors to predict difficulty of performing laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection for ultra-low rectal cancer.Materials and Methods:Records of 117 consecutive patients with rectal cancer 2 to 5 cm from the anal verge were retrospectively reviewed. Using univariate and multivariate linear or logistic regression models, standardized operative time and blood loss, as well as postoperative morbidity were utilized as endpoints to screen patients’ multiple variables to predict operative difficulty.Results:Multivariate linear regression analysis showed body mass index (BMI) (estimate=0.07, P=0.0056), interspinous distance (estimate=−0.02, P=0.0011), tumor distance from anal verge (estimate=−0.17, P=0.0355), prior abdominal surgery (estimate=0.51, P=0.0180), preoperative chemoradiotherapy (estimate=0.67, P=0.0146), and concurrent diseases (hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus) (estimate=0.49, P=0.0122) are predictors for standardized operative time. Age (estimate=0.02, P=0.0208) and concurrent diseases (estimate=0.43, P=0.0476) were factors related to standardized blood loss. BMI (estimate=0.15, P=0.0472) was the only predictor for postoperative morbidity based on logistic regression analysis.Conclusions:Age, BMI, interspinous distance, tumor distance from anal verge, prior abdominal surgery, preoperative chemoradiotherapy, and concurrent diseases influence the difficulty of performing laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection for ultra-low rectal cancer. Standardized operative time allows researchers to amass samples by pooling data from all published studies, thus building reliable models to predict operative difficulty for clinical use.

It is rare and understudied for patients with stage T1 colorectal cancer to have synchronous distant metastasis. This study was to determine the clinicopathological factors associated with distant metastasis and prognosis. T1 colorectal cancer patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 were obtained from the SEER database. Logistic regression was applied to determine risk factors related to distant metastasis. Cox-proportional hazard models were used to identify the prognostic factors for patients with distant metastasis. Among 21,321 patients identified, 359 (1.8%) had synchronous distant metastasis and 1807 (8.5%) had lymph node metastasis. Multivariate analysis revealed that younger age, positive serum CEA, larger tumor size, positive tumor deposit, perineural invasion, lymph node metastasis, histology of non-adenocarcinoma and poorer differentiation were significantly associated with the increased risk of synchronous distant metastasis. Older age, female, Black, positive CEA, positive lymph node metastasis, positive tumor deposit, larger tumor size, no chemotherapy, inadequate lymph node harvesting and no metastasectomy were correlated with worse survival in these patients with synchronous distant metastasis. Patients with metastasis to the liver displayed the highest rate of positive CEA. We conclude that T1 colorectal cancer patients with multiple risk factors need thorough examinations to exclude synchronous distant metastasis. Chemotherapy, adequate lymph node cleaning and metastasectomy are associated with improved survival for those patients with distant metastases. Positive serum CEA may be useful in predicting distant metastases in patients at stage T1.

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We concluded that laparoscopic TME following nCRT is feasible and safe for patients with mid-low rectal cancer. Furthermore, tumor distance to anal verge and age are two important determinants of both operative times and postoperative morbidity, regardless of surgical option.

Modern tissue fusion devices used in hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS), a method of combining endoscopic surgery with tactile sensation, can minimize surgical trauma and hospitalization times beyond both conventional laparoscopy and open surgery. The outcomes of HALS using tissue fusion devices and conventional open surgery for curative resection of rectosigmoid carcinoma were compared. A total of 78 (45 males, 33 females; mean age, 57.2±11.7 y) rectosigmoid carcinoma patients underwent HALS surgery (HALS group) and 78 age-matched, sex-matched, and tumor status-matched rectosigmoid carcinoma patients (control group) underwent open resection between June 2008 and June 2010. In the HALS and control groups, abdominal incision length, intraoperative blood loss, procedure time, postoperative abdominal drainage, time to first flatus (bowel function return), length of hospital stay, morbidity, mortality, and pathology were assessed. Procedure times were similar in both groups (142.37±42.09 vs. 137.56±36.24 min). However, length of abdominal incision (5.14±0.47 vs. 13.17±2.41 cm), intraoperative blood loss (125.96±75.58 vs. 142.56±65.37 mL), need for postoperative analgesia, bowel function return (68.01±22.64 vs. 79.77±19.94 h), and postoperative hospital stay (6.47±1.73 vs. 7.73±1.71 d) were all significantly improved in the HALS group. At a median follow-up of 26 months, no significant differences in anastomotic recurrence were observed between groups (1 case/each group). Thus, the HALS approach for curative resection of rectosigmoid carcinoma was found to be similarly safe and effective compared with open resection. Furthermore, HALS may improve postoperative recovery and reduce hospitalization times.

It is rare and understudied for patients with stage T1 colorectal cancer to have synchronous distant metastasis. This study was to determine the clinicopathological factors associated with distant metastasis and prognosis. T1 colorectal cancer patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 were obtained from the SEER database. Logistic regression was applied to determine risk factors related to distant metastasis. Cox-proportional hazard models were used to identify the prognostic factors for patients with distant metastasis. Among 21,321 patients identified, 359 (1.8%) had synchronous distant metastasis and 1807 (8.5%) had lymph node metastasis. Multivariate analysis revealed that younger age, positive serum CEA, larger tumor size, positive tumor deposit, perineural invasion, lymph node metastasis, histology of non-adenocarcinoma and poorer differentiation were significantly associated with the increased risk of synchronous distant metastasis. Older age, female, African American, positive CEA, positive lymph node metastasis, positive tumor deposit, larger tumor size, no chemotherapy, inadequate lymph node harvesting and no metastasectomy were correlated with worse survival in these patients with synchronous distant metastasis. Patients with metastasis to the liver displayed the highest rate of positive CEA. We conclude that T1 colorectal cancer patients with multiple risk factors need thorough examinations to exclude synchronous distant metastasis. Chemotherapy, adequate lymph node cleaning and metastasectomy are associated with improved survival for those patients with distant metastases. Positive serum CEA may be useful in predicting distant metastases in patients at stage T1.