Background/Aim: The C-reactive protein (CRP) to albumin ratio (CAR) is associated with outcomes in patients with sepsis. We aimed to evaluate the significance of preoperative CAR in therapeutic outcomes after gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) resection. Patients and Methods: Fifty-three patients who underwent surgical resection for GBC between January 2008 and September 2019 were enrolled. We retrospectively investigated the relation between preoperative CAR and overall and disease-free survival. Results: The optimal cutoff CAR was 0.07. Multivariate analysis showed that i) R1 or R2 resection (p=0.033), ii) advanced tumor stage (p=0.047), iii) CAR≥0.07 (p=0.011), and iv) postoperative complications (p=0.028) were significant independent predictors of overall survival; moreover, higher carbohydrate antigen levels (p=0.036) and R1 or R2 resection (p<0.001) were significant independent predictors of disease-free survival. Conclusion: Preoperative CAR may be a significant independent predictor of long-term outcomes after GBC resection.

Backgound: This study aimed to determine the usefulness of the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) scorescore for predicting postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF). Patients and Methods: Data from 108 consecutive pancreaticoduodenectomy cases performed at the Surgery Department of Iwakuni Clinical Center, from April 2008 to May 2018, were included. Preoperative patient data and postoperative complication data were collected. Results: Of the 108 patients (male=65; female=43; mean age=70 years), 41 (37.9%) had indication for pancreaticoduodenectomy due to pancreatic carcinoma. Grade B or higher POPF was diagnosed in 32 patients (29.6%). In the multivariate analysis, body mass index ≥22 kg/m 2 [odds ratio (OR)=5.24; p=0.005], CONUT score ≥4 (OR=3.28; p=0.042), nonpancreatic carcinoma (OR=47.17; p=0.001), and a low computed tomographic contrast attenuation value (late/early ratio) (OR=4.39; p=0.029) were independent risk factors for POPF. Conclusion: Patients with high CONUT score are at high risk for POPF. Preoperative nutritional intervention such as immunonutrition might help reduce the POPF risk in these patients.

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Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is the most important factor affecting morbidity and mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Patients with a high controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score, which is used to assess nutritional status, are expected to have high morbidity rates. This study aimed to determine the usefulness of the CONUT score. Methods: Data from 97 consecutive cases of PD performed in the Department of Surgery of Iwakuni Clinical Center, from April 2008 to May 2018, were included. Preoperative patient data, including sex, age, and hypertension, and postoperative complication data were collected to analyze pancreatic fistula occurrence. Results: Of the 97 patients, 2 9 patients (29.8%) were diagnosed with POPF ≥ B, with 26 cases (26.8%) classified as grade B and 3 (3.1%) as grade C. The mortality rate was 2.1% (2 of 97). In the univariate analysis, a significant association was observed between POPF and the following factors: body mass index (BMI) ≥ 22 kg/m 2 , high CONUT score, nonpancreatic carcinoma, and CT attenuation values. In multivariate analysis, BMI ≥ 22 kg/m 2 (odds ratio [OR], 6.16; P < 0.001), high CONUT score (OR, 3.77; P = 0.009), nonpancreatic carcinoma (OR, 5.72; P = 0.009), and CT attenuation values (late/early ratio) in the pancreas (OR, 9.07; P = 0.006) were independent risk factors for POPF. Conclusion: Patients with a high CONUT score are at high risk of POPF. Further study correlating preoperative nutritional intervention with risk of POPF is necessary.

Report of a rare case of synchronic common bile duct tumors, adenocarcinoma and large cell neuroendocrine tumor in a 51 year old man, with classical findings of distal bile duct malignancy which after a apparently successful radical surgery had a very complicated follow up with early aggressive metastatic disease recurrence. Conclusion: Even with the increasing number of bile duct adenocarcinoma diagnosis, it is still a rare cause of digestive tract malignancy. The concomitance of adenocarcinoma with NET in the extrahepatic bile duct makes this case unique.

Background Con icting data on the safety of pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for elderly patients exist. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate and compare the nutritional factors and clinical outcomes of PD between elderly and non-elderly patients. Methods A retrospective study of 122 consecutive patients who underwent PD from April 2008 to April 2020 was conducted. Preoperative and postoperative nutritional factors (prognostic nutritional index [PNI]), complication rates, and survival rates were compared between the elderly (age ≥80 years) and non-elderly (age <80 years) patient groups. Furthermore, changes in nutrition markers were evaluated before surgery to 1 year after surgery. Data were analyzed using unpaired Student's t-test, chi-squared test with Fisher's exact test, and log-rank test. Results A total of 20 elderly patients (16.4%) and 102 non-elderly patients (83.6%) underwent PD. With respect to preoperative factors, elderly patients had a signi cantly lower PNI than non-elderly patients. The duration of operation, amount of blood loss, postoperative complication rate, and incidence rate of pancreatic stula were similar between the two groups. At 3 months postoperatively, elderly patients had a lower albumin level and PNI than non-elderly patients. The median length of hospital stay was signi cantly longer in the elderly group than in the non-elderly group (39.9 vs. 27 days, P=0.004). The rate of death due to other diseases was relatively higher in the elderly group than in the non-elderly group. Elderly patients had a signi cantly lower overall survival rate than non-elderly patients (1-/3-/5-year overall survival rates: 78.1%/26.7%/13.3% vs. 87.1%/54.4%/46.7%; log-rank test, P=0.008). Conclusions Elderly patients had a lower nutritional status and lower survival rate than non-elderly patients. Careful patient selection and optimal perioperative care are necessary to determine whether PD is indicated for elderly patients.

We report a case of a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in the remnant pancreas of a 78-yearold man after pancreaticoduodenectomy for acinar cell carcinoma, a relatively rare pancreatic neoplasm. After diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma, subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. The pathological diagnosis was acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas (disease stage IA, pT1, pN0, M0), without regional lymph node invasion. Cancer antigen 19-9 levels gradually increased during the 22 months after surgery, and computed tomography showed two solid tumors, 1.1 and 2.1 cm in diameter, at the site of the remnant pancreas. Endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle aspiration revealed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The tumor cells were not immunoreactive for trypsin. Both tumors were diagnosed as PDAC of the remnant pancreas. The patient declined curative resection, and chemoradiotherapy was started as alternative treatment. The patient died 28 months after surgery. Because this is an extremely rare case, additional cases and studies are needed in order to clarify its pathogenesis.

Background Regular endoscopic surveillance for Lynch syndrome is reported to reduce colorectal cancer (CRC)-related mortality. However, the appropriate surveillance intervals are still unclear. We evaluated the adequacy of annual colonoscopy and investigated the differences in tumor occurrence rates between individual patients. Methods In total, 25 patients with Lynch syndrome who underwent colonoscopic surveillance between 2007 and 2016 at the Iwakuni Clinical Center were included. We retrospectively investigated the surveillance frequency and the clinical features associated with tumor development. Results Colonoscopic surveillance was performed every 397 days on average. A total of 101 tumors, including 8 intramucosal carcinomas and 15 carcinomas, were observed within the study period. Annual colonoscopy detected six malignancies, including a carcinoma requiring surgery. Tumor incidence was associated with tumor existence in the initial colonoscopies (P = 0.018). Patients with a tumor occurrence rate of 0.4 tumors per year during our observation period were significantly more likely to have malignancies detected during regular surveillance than patients who had a lower occurrence rate (P &lt; 0.001). Malignancy occurrence rate was strongly associated with tumor occurrence rate (P &lt; 0.001, R2 = 0.44). Conclusions Annual colonoscopic surveillance for Lynch syndrome patients was effective in reducing the risk of CRC progression, but was insufficient to completely avoid surgery. Because the tumor occurrence rate differed substantially between individuals, more intensive surveillance was required for high-risk patients.