Surgical Margin Length Research Articles

Impact of positive surgical margin length and Gleason grade at the margin on oncologic outcomes in patients with nonorgan-confined prostate cancer.

Positive surgical margins (PSM) represent a poor prognostic factor at radical prostatectomy (RP). To investigate the impact of PSM, its length, the focality and the Gleason grade at the PSM, on the oncologic outcomes in nonorgan-confined RP patients. Within a high-volume center database, we identified patients who harbored non-organ-confined (pT3) prostate cancer (PCa) at RP between 2010 and 2016. Only patients without lymph node invasion were included. Kaplan-Meier analyses and multivariable Cox regression models were used to test the effect of PSM on biochemical recurrence (BCR), metastasis, and cancer-specific death after RP in patients without adjuvant radiotherapy. Overall, 3705 patients were identified. Of those, 27.2% (n = 1007) harbored PSM. At 96 months after RP, BCR-free, metastasis-free and cancer-specific survival was 41.6 versus 57.5%, 82.7 versus 88.6%, and 94.7 versus 98.5% for patients with versus without PSM (all p < 0.001). BCR-free, metastasis-free and cancer-specific survival rates at 96 months were 56.7 versus 26.5% (p < 0.001), 94.4 versus 67.4% (p < 0.001), and 100.0 versus 87.1% (p < 0.01) for Gleason pattern 3 versus ≥ 4 at the margin and 45.0 versus 27.8% (p < 0.01), 83.3 versus 82.3% (p = 0.2), and 95.2 versus 92.7% (p = 0.3) for <4 mm versus ≥4 mm length of margin. In multivariable Cox models PSM was an independent predictor for BCR (hazard ratio [HR]:1.53, p < 0.001) and cancer-specific death (HR:2.75, p = 0.02). In subgroups of patients with PSM only, Gleason ≥ 4 at the margin (HR:1.60, p < 0.01) and length of PSM (HR:1.02, p < 0.05) was an independent predictor of BCR. PSM represents an independent predictor for worse oncologic outcome in nonorgan-confined PCa at RP. Gleason ≥ 4 at the margin was associated with the development of BCR, metastasis, and with cancer-specific death after RP. Next to margin status, Gleason at the margin and its length carry important information that should be reported for the specimen.

Intraoperative computed tomography of a resected lung inflated with air to verify safety surgical margin.

During sublobar resection for small, indistinct lung cancer, surgeons may be uncertain as to whether or not the target lesion has been resected and the surgical margin is sufficient. We herein report our procedure for confirming the success of sublobar resection without incising the resected specimen. We reviewed our initial experience of 12 patients with intrapulmonary lesions (consolidation diameter ≤1 cm) who underwent thoracoscopic pulmonary wedge resection using autostapler. Six patients had primary adenocarcinoma showing part solid lesion, and remaining six patients had metastatic carcinoma showing purely solid lesion. Intraoperatively, the resected specimen was inflated with air and subjected to computed tomography (CT). The maximum tumor diameter and surgical margin length were measured intraoperatively on CT and postoperatively on formalin-fixed specimen. Surgical stump cytology was also done to verify surgical margin. According to the intraoperative CT, complete resection was confirmed in all patients. The intraoperative CT-based maximum tumor diameter closely correlated with the macroscopically measured one (r=0.971, P<0.0001). However, the tumor shrunk after formalin-fixation by 16.0% in patients with primary lung cancer (P<0.01), but not in patients with metastatic lung cancer. The intraoperative CT-based margin length closely correlated with the macroscopically measured one (r=0.984, P<0.0001). However, the margin shrunk after formalin-fixation in both patients with primary lung cancer and metastatic lung cancer, by 15.1% and 15.7%, respectively. Stump cytology was negative in all patients. Consequently, no recurrence was found during postoperative follow-up of 23 months (range, 14-31 months). Intraoperative CT is reliable for diagnosing the presence of a target lesion within the resected specimen as well as for estimating the surgical margin length in patients undergoing sublobar resection for intrapulmonary indistinct lesions.

What are the independent prognostic factors in patients undergoing esophagectomy for esophageal cancer?

Background This study aims to investigate the prognostic factors affecting survival in patients undergoing surgical treatment for esophageal cancer. Methods A total of 50 patients (33 males, 17 females; mean age: 57.8±11.8 years; range, 28 to 80 years) who underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer in our clinic between January 2008 and March 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Prognostic factors affecting survival were investigated. Data including age, sex, tumor size, histological and macroscopic type, tumor stage, T and N categories, the total number of resected lymph nodes and metastatic lymph node ratio, differentiation degree, vascular and perineural invasion, proximal surgical margin distance, adjuvant therapy, and the presence of postoperative complications were recorded. Results The patients after radical surgery with a tumor size of <3 cm, macroscopic type non-ulcerative-infiltrative squamous cell carcinoma pathology, Stage 1 disease, pT1-2, pN0, well-differentiated groups, no perineural invasion, a metastatic lymph node ratio of <0.2, proximal surgery margin length of 5 to 10 cm, and no postoperative complications had higher five-year survival rates. However, when the effects of these factors on overall survival were examined independently, none of them had a statistically significant effect (p>0.05). The main factors affecting the prognosis were Stage ≥2 disease, postoperative complications, and proximal surgical margin less than 5 cm. Conclusion Our study results suggest that Stage 1 disease, a proximal surgical margin length of more than 5 cm, and the absence of complications are associated with longer survival times and these patients are greatly benefited from surgical treatment.

Intraoperative assessment and reporting of radical prostatectomy specimens to guide nerve-sparing surgery in prostate cancer patients (NeuroSAFE).

AimsRadical prostatectomy for prostate cancer is frequently complicated by urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Nerve‐sparing surgery reduces the risk of postoperative complications and can be optimised by the use of intraoperative frozen sections of the adjacent neurovascular structure (NeuroSAFE). The aims of this study were to evaluate the pathological outcomes of the NeuroSAFE technique and to develop a comprehensive algorithm for intraoperative clinical decision‐making.Methods and resultsBetween September 2018 and May 2019, 491 NeuroSAFE procedures were performed in 258 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy; 74 of 491 (15.1%) NeuroSAFE specimens had positive surgical margins. As compared with the corresponding paraffin sections, NeuroSAFE had a positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 85.1% and 95.4%, respectively. In 72.2% of secondary neurovascular bundle resections prompted by a NeuroSAFE positive surgical margin, no tumour was present. These cases more often had a positive surgical margin of ≤1 mm (48.7% versus 20.0%; P = 0.001) and only one positive slide (69.2% versus 33.3%; P = 0.008). None of the nine patients with Gleason pattern 3 at the surgical margin, a positive surgical margin length of ≤1 mm and one positive slide had tumour in the secondary resection.ConclusionsThis study provides a systematic reporting template for pathological intraoperative NeuroSAFE evaluation, supporting intraoperative clinical decision‐making and comparison between prostate cancer operation centres.

909 - Impact of positive surgical margin length and Gleason grade at the margin on oncologic outcomes in patients with non-organ-confined prostate cancer

909 - Impact of positive surgical margin length and Gleason grade at the margin on oncologic outcomes in patients with non-organ-confined prostate cancer

Impact of positive surgical margin length and Gleason grade at the margin on biochemical recurrence in patients with organ-confined prostate cancer.

Positive surgical margins (PSMs) represent a poor prognostic factor at radical prostatectomy (RP). To investigate the impact of PSM, its length, the focality, and the PSM Gleason, on biochemical recurrence (BCR) in organ-confined RP patients. Within a high-volume center database, we identified patients who harbored organ-confined (pathologic stage T2 disease) prostate cancer (PCa) at RP (2010-2016). Kaplan-Meier analyses and multivariable Cox regression models were used to test the effect of the PSM on the BCR risk. Overall, 8770 patients were identified. Of those, 6.6% (n = 579) harbored PSM. BCR-free survival at 72 months after RP was 77.7% vs 89.0% for patients with vs without PSM (P < .001). BCR-free survival rates at 72 months were 77.4% vs 73.6% (P = .1) for unifocal vs multifocal PSM, 77.2% vs 71.8% (P = .03) for Gleason pattern 3 vs ≥4 at the margin and 88.4% vs 66.3% (P < .001) for <3 vs ≥3 mm length of margin. In multivariable Cox models PSM was an independent predictor for BCR (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.40, P < .001). However, in subgroups with PSM, only ≥3 mm PSM represented an independent predictor (HR = 1.93, P = .04), while focality and Gleason at the margin were no significant predictors. PSM represents an independent predictor for BCR in organ-confined PCa at RP. Moreover, Gleason ≥4 at the margin and ≥3 mm PSM length were associated with worse BCR-free survival. Closer surveillance of patients with organ-confined PCa at RP and PSM can help to identify those who qualify for early salvage radiotherapy.

Pursuit of an optimal surgical margin in pulmonary metastasectomy

Pulmonary metastasectomy is an accepted treatment modality for stage IV disease in various primary carcinomas and sarcomas. In addition to tumor removal, its objectives are preservation of normal lung parenchyma and maintaining optimal length of surgical margins. We analyzed the impact of risk factors and local recurrence on disease course, effect of surgical techniques and devices on local recurrence, relationship between molecular constellations and microscopic tumor spread in lung with local recurrence, and the role played by the type of resection and lymphadenectomy. Local recurrence at resection margin and in lymph nodes is attributable to resection site inadequacy and the extent of lymphadenectomy respectively, with lower incidence when surgical margins are wider and metastases are smaller. The incidence of local recurrence is comparable between minor and major resections, moreover when employing different resection techniques. Laser resection (Nd:YAG) has lower recurrence by causing alveolar coagulation and occlusion as well as leading to coagulation and necrosis of parenchyma, capillaries and lymphatics in the resection margin. The evaporation and coagulation zones on both sides of the resection line can be added to the pathologic measurement in order to calculate the size of the resection margin. Spread through air spaces (STAS), lymphatic microvessel density (LMVD), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), tumor type and metastasis growth patterns, driver mutations are all major factors impacting locoregional recurrence. Safe resection margin during metastasectomy prevents local recurrence and wider resection margins are required when aggressive patterns of local spread are present. A safe resection margin should be at least either half the diameter of the metastasis. Microscopic tumor dissemination can only be identified postoperatively. Studies are required to additionally describe the radiomorphology and microscopic growth patterns of metastases, to facilitate surgeons to plan better and adequate resection margins.

Reductions in margin length after excision of grade II mast cell tumors and grade I and II soft tissue sarcomas in dogs.

Quantify changes in the circumferential lengths of surgical margins of resected canine mast cell tumors (MCT) and soft tissue sarcomas (STS) between the time of collection and histopathology. Prospective, hypothesis-driven, clinical study. Two hundred and thirty-seven margins from 69 excised tumors (50 MCT and 19 STS) in 51 client-owned dogs. The lengths of surgical margins were recorded (eg, cranial, caudal, dorsal, and ventral) for each tumor at 5 time points: intraoperatively (in vivo), immediately after excision (ex vivo), after formalin fixation (postfixation), once mounted on glass slides (subgross), and as histologically tumor-free margins (HTFMs). Compared to in vivo dimensions, the length of surgical margins at each processing step (ie, ex vivo, postfixation, subgross, and HTFM) was reduced by a median of 3.0, 5.0, 6.0, and 8.8 mm for MCT; 2.5, 2.0, 5.0, and 5.0 mm for STS. All processing steps resulted in significant reductions among MCT samples (P < .0001), except between postfixation vs subgross, and for STS samples (P < .0001), except between ex vivo vs postfixation and subgross vs HTFM. The maximum reduction in the total length of margins (from in vivo to HTFM) was 29.6 and 24.2 mm for MCT and STS, respectively. Surgical margin length reductions occur due to a combination of physical factors (eg, tissue elasticity, myofibril contraction, and histologic processing) and biological factors (eg, microscopic tumor infiltration into the grossly normal surgical margin). These data provide information relevant to evidence-based surgical planning and may influence patient morbidity in the most commonly encountered cutaneous malignancies of dogs.

Quantification of surgical margin length changes after excision of feline injection site sarcomas-A pilot study.

To evaluate degree length change of lateral surgical margins at various stages of processing for histological examination and quantify the length change between grossly normal surgical margins (GNSM) and pathologist-reported histologic tumor-free margin (HTFM) in widely resected feline injection site sarcoma (FISS) specimens. Prospective clinical study. Five client-owned cats with injection site sarcomas. All cats underwent wide surgical excision (35-55 mm gross lateral margins, 2 fascial planes deep). Gross normal lateral margin measurements from tumor edge were recorded in 4 directions (cranial, caudal, dorsal, ventral) at 5 time points: intra-op (in vivo GNSM); immediately following excision (ex vivo GNSM); following formalin fixation (post-fixation GNSM); after trimming and mounting on glass slides (on-slide GNSM); and HTFM at the narrowest point from the HTFM from the same slides used for on-slide GNSM. Percent change in lateral margin length from in vivo measurements was quantified at each time point and compared using 1-way repeated measures ANOVA. The largest mean decrease in percent GNSM length occurred immediately after excision (in vivo to ex vivo GNSM = 29%; P = .016). Formalin fixation, trimming, and mounting on slides did not result in additional significant changes in length. Mean HTFM length was significantly decreased compared to both in vivo GNSM (33%; P = .014) and on-slide GNSM (7%; P = .024). Significant decreases in surgical margin length in FISS specimens occur immediately following excision (prior to formalin fixation). Subgross evaluation of tumor-free margins from on-slide GNSM to HTFM overestimates the actual (histologic) tumor-free margins.

The characteristics of pancreatic neck cancer.

337 Background: Pancreatic neck cancer occurs in the small region surrounded by the common hepatic artery (CHA), gastroduodenal artery (GDA), and portal vein (PV). The specific clinicopathological characteristics of pancreatic neck cancer remain unclear. This study aimed to identify specific biological behaviors of pancreatic neck cancer for the improvement of treatment outcomes. Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study and comparative outcomes design. In 63 (19.4%) of 325 consecutive pancreatic cancer patients who underwent surgery, the tumor was located in the pancreatic neck. Clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors specific to pancreatic neck cancer were analyzed by comparison to those of pancreatic head or body/tail cancers. Results: The rates of radiographic and pathological PV and/or superior mesenteric vein (PV/SMV) invasion were higher in patients with pancreatic neck cancer (radiographic: 84.1%, pathological: 36.5%) than those with pancreatic head and body/tail cancers (radiographic, head: 67.3%, body/tail: 25.0%, pathological, head: 26.0%, body/tail: 6.3%). The most frequent lymph node metastasis was found in the region along the CHA in pancreatic neck cancer, and the spots most likely to show a positive surgical margin were the dissected surface of the PV and the root of the GDA and/or CHA. For pancreatic neck cancer patients, five independent poor prognostic factors were found: pathological PV/SMV invasion (P= 0.005), moderately or poorly differentiation (P= 0.001), positive lymph node ratio ≥ 0.1 (P&lt; 0.001), surgical margin length ≤ 1 mm (P= 0.018), and no completion of planned postoperative adjuvant therapy (P&lt; 0.001). Conclusions: Pancreatic neck cancer showed specific clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors after resection. Patients with these risk factors might need multimodality treatment strategies, including neoadjuvant therapy, in order to prolong the survival, although further studies will be necessary to confirm our findings.

Anatomical Resection But Not Surgical Margin Width Influence Survival Following Resection for HCC, A Propensity Score Analysis.

The effects of the surgical resection margin on the clinical outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases remain controversial. The objective of this study was to further examine this issue. The details of all HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy between December 1999 and December 2009 at the Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, Asan Medical Center were analyzed retrospectively. We divided 1022 HCC patients into two groups according to the most significant surgical margin length. To overcome any bias due to differences in the distribution of covariates between the two groups, the patients were in a matched 1:1 ratio by propensity score analysis. A surgical margin ≤1mm was identified as the most significant surgical margin in both disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) (p=0.008 and p=0.026, respectively). However, many clinicopathological factors were different between the resection margin ≤1mm and >1mm groups. To reduce these different clinicopathological factors, propensity score matching was performed using 21 selected factors. After matching, no significant difference was found in DFS and OS between the two groups (p=0.688, p=0.398). In addition, there was no significant difference in the intrahepatic recurrence rate and pattern between the resection margin groups. Except for the preoperative patient's status and tumor stage, significant risk factors in OS were anatomical resection and postoperative morbidity (p=0.002, p=0.001). We identified that the widths of the resection margin in resectable hepatocellular carcinoma did not influence the postoperative recurrence rates, overall survival, and recurrence pattern in multivariable analysis as well as propensity score match analysis.

Importance of Reporting the Gleason Score at the Positive Surgical Margin Site: Analysis of 4,082 Consecutive Radical Prostatectomy Cases

Since 2010 pathologists at our institution have routinely been documenting the Gleason score at the margin and length of the positive surgical margin after prostatectomy. In this study we evaluate how the Gleason score and positive surgical margin length correlate with the grade and adverse pathological characteristics of the final specimen, and whether the positive surgical margin Gleason score affects the risk of early biochemical recurrence. A total of 4,082 consecutive patients undergoing radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection between 2010 and 2014 for localized prostate cancer were included in the study, of whom 405 had a Gleason score of 7 or greater of the primary nodule and a positive surgical margin with the length and Gleason score recorded at the margin. Concordance rates between the Gleason score at the margin and the final pathological specimen were compared. Logistic regression models were used to predict the risk of unfavorable pathology. Cox proportional hazards models controlling for Gleason score, preoperative prostate specific antigen, pathological stage and adjuvant radiation were used to predict biochemical recurrence, and Kaplan-Meier estimates of recurrence-free survival were calculated by Gleason score. Among patients with positive margins biochemical recurrence was identified in 22% (vs 5.6% without positive margins), metastases in 3% (vs 0.5%) and adjuvant radiation in 30% (vs 4.1%). Mean followup was 22 months (range 12 to 48). The Gleason score at the positive surgical margin was the same as the final pathology specimen in 44% of patients, and a lower Gleason score in 56% of patients. A shorter positive surgical margin was independently associated with a lower Gleason score at the margin (p=0.02). Kaplan-Meier estimates demonstrated improved freedom from biochemical recurrence among patients with a lower Gleason score at the margin. In multivariate Cox models having a lower grade margin was associated with a decreased risk of biochemical recurrence (HR 0.50, OR 0.25-0.97). A lower Gleason score at the positive surgical margin is independently associated with a shorter margin length and a decreased risk of early biochemical recurrence. Thus, the Gleason score at the margin should be documented.

The effectiveness of simultaneous oncoplastic breast surgery in patients with locally advanced breast cancer.

Oncological outcomes of the oncoplastic breast surgery in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) are not well defined. This study examined the effects of oncoplastic techniques for LABC in terms of localized control and survival. We also evaluated the esthetic results of patients who had undergone oncoplastic breast conservation surgery (OBCS) and their satisfaction with the outcome. The files and Medula (Probel Co.) database records of the patients were studied retrospectively. The esthetic evaluation was conducted by a panel. A validated satisfaction study was also performed. In total, 42 LABC cases (median age 48 years; range 33-69 years) were included. The median observation period was 61 months (range 26-151 months). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) was administered in 32 (76%) cases, and a pathologic complete response was observed in 7 (16.7%) cases. The median T size during the post-NACT pathological study was 27 mm (range 0-44 mm). Oncoplastic reduction surgery was performed in 13 cases, a glandular flap in 7, Grisotti flap in 5, and latissimus dorsi flap in 3 cases. The median specimen weight was 198 g (range 103-812 g), and the mean surgical margin length was 8.7 mm (range 5-17 mm). The margin was positive in 7.1% of cases, and the local repetition rate was 14.6%. The total survival rate was 86.6%, and disease-free survival was 59.6%. The rate of excellent and good ratings by the esthetic assessment panel was 79.4%. The satisfaction rate was 88.2%. The early and delayed complication rate was 16.7%. Oncoplastic techniques are suitable and safe for patients undergoing OBCS. These techniques do not pose a risk to oncological local control. No survival or follow-up problems were detected during the 5-year follow-up period, the esthetic results were acceptable, and the satisfaction rate was high.

Surgical margin length and location affect recurrence rates after robotic prostatectomy

BackgroundRobotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is a current standard treatment for localized prostate cancer, with treatment failure defined by biochemical recurrence (BCR). Open radical prostatectomy series have identified the presence of a positive surgical margin (PSM) as a predictor of long-term recurrence, a measure that is affected by the surgeon׳s skill. We evaluate the effect of PSM parameters on BCR rates from robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, across 3 high-volume institutions. MethodsDe-identifiable clinicopathological and histopathological data were prospectively collected for 4,001 patients with at least 3 years of follow-up. Kaplan-Meier plots and 3 statistical models were used to evaluate the effect of margin parameters on BCR, via crude rates, traditional multivariable Cox regression, and a propensity-adjusted Cox regression model. ResultsOverall, 37% of men with a PSM developed BCR compared with 10% of men with negative margins (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.47–2.22). Length ≥3mm or a multifocal positive margin was associated with a higher risk of BCR compared with negative margin cases. On multivariable Cox regression analysis of the positive margin cohort, only apical margins significantly predicted BCR relative to basal margins (HR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.01–4.09), whereas there was no significant difference in BCR rates for posterolateral margins relative to basal margins (HR = 1.62, 95% CI: 0.84–3.11). Propensity-adjusted modeling confirmed a greater effect of apical compared with posterolateral PSM. ConclusionsA PSM length ≥3mm is predictive of BCR, as is to a lesser extent multiple positive margins. In contrast to open prostatectomy series, posterolateral margins carry a smaller risk of BCR compared with apical margins.