Background The objectives of this study are to identify causes of high-output stoma (HOS) and outlet obstruction (OO), which are major complications of diverting ileostomy. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed in 103 patients who underwent colorectal surgery and diverting ileostomy between December 2015 and November 2018. Results HOS was found in 32 patients (31.1%) and OO in 19 (18.4%). Organ/space surgical site infection (SSI), anastomotic leakage and OO were significant HOS-related factors in univariate analysis, and OO (odds ratio [OR] 3.39, p = 0.034) was a independent HOS-related factor in multivariate analysis. Organ/space SSI and male were significant OO-related factors in univariate analysis, and organ/space SSI (OR 3.77, p = 0.018) was a independent OO-related factor in multivariate analysis. The white blood cell (WBC) count on postoperative day (POD) 3 was significantly higher in the HOS group compared to the non-HOS group (9765 vs. 8130 /mL, p < 0.05), and the WBC count (9400 vs. 7475 /mL, p < 0.05) and C-reactive protein level (6.01 vs. 2.92 mg/L, p < 0.05) on POD 6 were significantly higher in the OO group compared to the non-OO group. Conclusion Organ/space infection is involved in the common pathology of HOS and OO. Decreased intestinal absorption due to intestinal edema caused by organ/space SSI and relative stenosis at the abdominal wall-penetrating site are major causes of HOS and OO.

No abstract

Background Therapeutic strategies to suppress local recurrence, including lateral lymph node metastasis, are important to improve the curability of rectal cancer. The aim of the present study was to clarify the advantages of robotic-assisted laparoscopic lateral lymph node dissection (RALLD), comparing its short-term outcomes with those of laparoscopic lateral lymph node dissection (LLLD). There are some retrospective reports comparing RALLD or LLLD and open lateral lymph node dissection (OLLD), but few reports comparing RALLD and LLND to each other. Methods From November 2014 to August 2020, we compared the short-term outcomes in 40 patients who underwent RALLD and 55 patients who underwent LLLD. Results The total operative time was significantly longer in the RALLD group than in the LLLD group (p < 0.001). However, lateral dissection time was not significantly different between the groups (p = 0.661). The postoperative hospital time was shorter in the RALLD group than in the LLLD group (p < 0.048). No significant differences were identified in the rates of postoperative bleeding, incisional surgical site infection (SSI), organ/space SSI, urinary disfunction, urinary infection, or small bowel obstruction between the groups. However, anastomotic leakage was significantly lower in the RALLD group than in the LLLD group (p = 0.031). Conclusions The short-term outcomes of RALLD indicate it is feasible, and RALLD may be a useful modality for lower rectal cancer.

Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) mainly consist of cancer-associating fibroblasts in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is implicated in the pathophysiology of diabetic complications. Here, we studied the implication of RAGE in PSC activation in PDAC. The activation of cultured mouse PSCs was evaluated by qPCR. The induction of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in PDAC cell lines was assessed under stimulation with culture supernatant from activated PSCs. A total of 155 surgically resected PDAC subjects (83 nondiabetic, 18 with ≦3-years and 54 with >3-years history of diabetes) were clinicopathologically evaluated. A high-fat diet increased the expression of activated markers in cultured PSCs, which was abrogated by RAGE deletion. Culture supernatant from activated PSCs facilitated EMT of PDAC cells with elevation of TGF−β and IL−6, but not from RAGE−deleted PSCs. Diabetic subjects complicated with metabolic syndrome, divided by cluster analysis, showed higher PSC activation and RAGE expression. In such groups, PDAC cells exhibited an EMT nature. The complication of metabolic syndrome with diabetes significantly worsened disease−free survival of PDAC subjects. Thus, RAGE in PSCs can be viewed as a new promoter and a future therapeutic target of PDAC in diabetic subjects with metabolic syndrome.

Background Resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (R-PDAC) often recurs early after radical resection, which is associated with poor prognosis. Predicting early recurrence preoperatively is useful for determining the optimal treatment. Patients and methods One hundred and seventy-eight patients diagnosed with R-PDAC on computed tomography (CT) imaging and undergoing radical resection at Hirosaki University Hospital from 2005 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with recurrence within 6 months after resection formed the early recurrence (ER) group, while other patients constituted the non-early recurrence (non-ER) group. Early recurrence prediction score (ERP score) was developed using preoperative parameters. Results ER was observed in 45 patients (25.3%). The ER group had significantly higher preoperative CA19-9 (p = 0.03), serum SPan-1 (p = 0.006), and CT tumor diameter (p = 0.01) compared with the non-ER group. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis identified cutoff values for CA19-9 (133 U/mL), SPan-1 (78.2 U/mL), and preoperative tumor diameter (23 mm). When the parameter exceeded the cutoff level, 1 point was given, and the total score of the three factors was defined as the ERP score. The group with an ERP score of 3 had postoperative recurrence-free survival (RFS) of 5.5 months (95% CI 3.02–7.98). Multivariate analysis for ER-related perioperative and surgical factors identified ERP score of 3 [odds ratio (OR) 4.63 (95% CI 1.82–11.78), p = 0.0013] and R1 resection [OR 3.20 (95% CI 1.01–10.17), p = 0.049] as independent predictors of ER. Conclusions For R-PDAC, ER could be predicted by the scoring system using preoperative serum CA19-9 and SPan-1 levels and CT tumor diameter, which may have great significance in identifying patients with poor prognoses and avoiding unnecessary surgery.

Aim: The objectives of this study are to identify causes of high-output stoma (HOS) and outlet obstruction (OO), which are major complications of diverting ileostomy. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed in 103 patients who underwent colorectal surgery and diverting ileostomy between December 2015 and November 2018. Results: HOS was found in 32 patients (31.1%) and OO in 19 (18.4%). Organ/space surgical site infection (SSI), anastomotic leakage and OO were significant HOS-related factors in univariate analysis, and OO (odds ratio OR 3.39, p=0.034) was a independent HOS-related factor in multivariate analysis. Organ/space SSI and male were significant OO-related factors in univariate analysis, and organ/space SSI (OR 3.77, p=0.018) was a independent OO-related factor in multivariate analysis. The white blood cell (WBC) count on postoperative day (POD) 3 was

No abstract

Aims/Introduction The mismatch repair (MMR) protein recognizes DNA replication errors and plays an important role in tumorigenesis, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Although PMS2, a MMR protein, is degraded under oxidative stress, the effects of diabetes are still unclear. Herein, we focused on whether diabetes affected MMR protein expression in PDAC. Materials and Methods Tissues from 61 surgically resected PDAC subjects were clinicopathologically analyzed. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed for MMR protein expression, oxidative stress, and immune cell infiltration. The change of MMR protein expression was assessed in PDAC cell lines under stimulation with 25 mM glucose and 500 μM palmitic acid. Survival curves were analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier method with the log‐rank test. Results Diabetes complicated with dyslipidemia significantly decreased the expression of PMS2 in PDAC tissues with an inverse correlation with the degree of oxidative stress. Palmitic acid combined with high glucose induced degradation of PMS2 protein, enhancing oxidative stress in vitro . CD8 + T‐cell infiltration was associated with a short duration of type 2 diabetes (≤4 years) and a low expression of PMS2 in PDAC tissues, while CD163 + tumor‐associated macrophage infiltration was increased with a long duration of diabetes (>4 years). A short duration of diabetes exhibited a better prognosis than nondiabetic subjects with PDAC ( P < 0.05), while a long duration of diabetes had a worse prognosis ( P < 0.05). Conclusions The different phases of diabetes have a major impact on PDAC by altering PMS2 expression and the tumor immune microenvironment, which can be targeted by an immune checkpoint inhibitor.