Early Gastric Cancer: Update on Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a relevant public health issue as its incidence and mortality rates are growing worldwide. There are recognized carcinogen agents, such as obesity, tobacco, meat, alcohol consumption and some dietary protective factors. Strategies of early diagnosis through population-based surveillance programs have been demonstrated to be effective in lowering the morbidity and mortality related to GC in some countries.

Do Preoperative Transfusions Impact Prognosis in Moderate to Severe Anaemic Surgical Patients with Colon Cancer?

(1) Background: Anaemia is a common finding in patients with colon cancer and is commonly corrected by blood transfusion prior to surgery. However, the prognostic role of perioperative transfusions is still debated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of preoperative anaemia and preoperative blood transfusion in influencing the prognosis in colon cancer.

MRI-Pathology Agreement in Rectal Cancer: Real-World Data from a Prospective Rectal Cancer Registry.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is routinely used in preoperative rectal cancer staging. The concordance of MRI staging with final pathologic exam, albeit improved, has not yet reached perfection. The aim of this study is to analyze the agreement between MRI and pathologic exam in patients operated on for mid-low rectal cancer.

Does preoperative stent positioning in obstructive left sided colon cancer increase the risk of perineural invasion?

Colonic stenting as a bridge to surgery has been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for left-sided malignant colonic obstruction depending on local expertise. However, concerns still exist regarding its oncological safety. In particular, several reports showed an increased prevalence of perineural tumor invasion following stent placement.

Intensified Histopathological Work-Up after Pancreatic Head Resection Reveals Relevant Prognostic Markers.

Introduction: Local recurrence remains a major problem after pancreatic head resection. Intensified histopathological work-up of surgical specimens after pancreatic head resection has revealed an increased number of incomplete resections (R1) depending on tumor infiltration front at the resection margins (RMs). It remains unclear to which extent the increased R1 resection rate has a clinical relevance for the patients' prognosis.

Computed tomography in suspected anastomotic leakage after colorectal surgery: evaluating mortality rates after false-negative imaging.

Purposes: We sought to investigate the accuracy of abdominal CT scanning for anastomotic leakage and the effect of false-negative scans on the delay in therapeutic intervention and clinical outcome.

Method: Data from a prospectively bi-institutionally maintained database of all patients who underwent elective colorectal surgery with primary anastomosis for malignant or benign disease between 2010 and 2017 were reviewed. Patients with confirmed anastomotic dehiscence at reintervention who underwent a postoperative CT scan for suspected leakage were identified and radiological reports were retrieved.

Timing of percutaneous cholecystostomy tube removal: systematic review.

Introduction: Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) is an effective procedure to treat moderate or severe acute cholecystitis (AC) in high-risk patients. The ideal timing of the drainage removal is argued. The aim of this study is to analyze our experience and perform a systematic review about the ideal timing of a percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) tube removal.

Glutamine Supplementation in Intensive Care Patients: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

The role of glutamine (GLN) supplementation in critically ill patients is controversial. Our aim was to analyze its potential effect in patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU).We performed a systematic literature review through Medline, Embase, Pubmed, Scopus, Ovid, ISI Web of Science, and the Cochrane-Controlled Trials Register searching for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published from 1983 to 2014 and comparing GLN supplementation to no supplementation in patients admitted to ICU.

Effect of glutamine dipeptide supplementation on primary outcomes for elective major surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis.

To evaluate if glutamine (GLN) supplementation may affect primary outcomes in patients undergoing major elective abdominal operations, we performed a systematic literature review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published from 1983 to 2013 and comparing intravenous glutamine dipeptide supplementation to no supplementation in elective surgical abdominal procedures. A meta-analysis for each outcome (overall and infectious morbidity and length of stay) of interest was carried out. The effect size was estimated by the risk ratio (RR) or by the weighted mean difference (WMD).