Bulky Node Metastasis Research Articles

Safety and feasibility of minimally invasive gastrectomy following preoperative chemotherapy for highly advanced gastric cancer

BackgroundThis study aimed to determine the safety and feasibility of minimally invasive gastrectomy in patients who underwent preoperative chemotherapy for highly advanced gastric cancer.MethodsPreoperative chemotherapy was indicated for patients with advanced large tumors (≥ cT3 and ≥ 5 cm) and/or bulky node metastasis (≥ 3 cm × 1 or ≥ 1.5 cm × 2). Between January 2009 and March 2022, 150 patients underwent preoperative chemotherapy followed by gastrectomy with R0 resection, including conversion surgery (robotic, 62; laparoscopic, 88). The outcomes of these patients were retrospectively examined.ResultsAmong them, 41 and 47 patients had stage IV disease and underwent splenectomy, respectively. Regarding operative outcomes, operative time was 475 min, blood loss was 72 g, morbidity (grade ≥ 3a) rate was 12%, local complication rate was 10.7%, and postoperative hospital stay was 14 days (Interquartile range: 11–18 days). Fifty patients (33.3%) achieved grade ≥ 2 histological responses. Regarding resection types, total/proximal gastrectomy plus splenectomy (29.8%) was associated with significantly higher morbidity than other types (distal gastrectomy, 3.2%; total/proximal gastrectomy, 4.9%; P < 0.001). Specifically, among splenectomy cases, the rate of postoperative complications associated with the laparoscopic approach was significantly higher than that associated with the robotic approach (40.0% vs. 0%, P = 0.009). In the multivariate analysis, splenectomy was an independent risk factor for postoperative complications [odds ratio, 8.574; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.584–28.443; P < 0.001].ConclusionsMinimally invasive gastrectomy following preoperative chemotherapy was feasible and safe for patients with highly advanced gastric cancer. Robotic gastrectomy may improve surgical safety, particularly in the case of total/proximal gastrectomy combined with splenectomy.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus surgery for high-risk advanced gastric cancer: Long-term results of KDOG1001 trial.

4521 Background: In the phase 2, open-label, KDOG1001 (UMIN000003642) study, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with docetaxel, cisplatin, and S-1 (DCS), followed by gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection for high-risk advanced gastric cancer showed feasibility of DCS therapy with an enough R0 resection rate of 90%. Here we present long-term results after a minimum follow-up of 3 years. Methods: Patients with bulky node metastasis (bulky N), linitis plastica (type 4), or large ulcero-invasive-type tumors (type 3) received up to four 28-day cycles of DCS neoadjuvant chemotherapy (docetaxel at 40 mg/m2, cisplatin at 60 mg/m2 on day 1, and S-1 at 40 mg/m2 twice daily for 2 weeks) followed by gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy. This analysis presents the final preplanned assessment of outcomes after 3 years. Primary endpoint was R0 resection rate. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), completion rate of the protocol treatment, and pathological response rate (pRR) of DCS NAC. Results: Of 40 patients enrolled from May 2010 through January 2017, 7 (17.5%) had bulky N, 18 (45.0%) had type 4, and 16 (40%) had large type 3 with 1 (2.5%) having both large type 3 and bulky N2. All included patients underwent preoperative DCS chemotherapy followed by surgery with D2 lymphadenectomy with 32 (80%) completed postoperative S-1 therapy for 1 year. After a median follow-up for surviving patients of 67 mo (range, 36 mo to 110 mo) at the last follow-up in January 2020, 3-year OS was 78% [95% confidence interval (CI) 62–88%], while 3-year PFS was 63% (95% CI 47–76%). Completion rate of the protocol treatment was 62.5% (25/40) with pRR of 57.5% (23/40). In bulky N2, 3-y OS was 86% and 3-y PFS was 71% with pRR of 100%. In type 4, 3-y OS was 67% and 3-y PFS was 50% with pRR of 44%. In large type 3, 3-y OS was 88% and 3-y PFS was 75% with pRR of 56%. Patients with type 4 had significantly worse OS and PFS than those with the other types [HR 7.20 (95% CI 2.23–32.21) and HR 3.00 (95% CI 1.21–8.19)]. Conclusions: Preoperative chemotherapy with up to four cycles of DCS followed by gastrectomy plus adjuvant S-1 therapy is a promising treatment strategy for patients with bulky node metastasis, type 4 and large type 3 gastric cancers. For type 4 cancer, further improvement of treatment strategy is needed. Clinical trial information: 000003642 .