Direct Cytotoxic and Indirect, Immune-Mediated Effects of Local Anesthetics Against Cancer

Local anesthetics are frequently employed during surgery in order to control peri- and postoperative pain. Retrospective studies have revealed an unexpected correlation between increased long-term survival and the use of local anesthetics during oncological surgery. This effect of local anesthetics might rely on direct cytotoxic effects on malignant cells or on indirect, immune-mediated effects. It is tempting to speculate, yet needs to be formally proven, that the combination of local anesthetics with oncological surgery and conventional anticancer therapy would offer an opportunity to control residual cancer cells. This review summarizes findings from fundamental research together with clinical data on the use of local anesthetics as anticancer standalone drugs or their combination with conventional treatments. We suggest that a better comprehension of the anticancer effects of local anesthetics at the preclinical and clinical levels may broadly improve the surgical treatment of cancer.

Surgical Management of Locally Advanced Breast Cancer: Recommendations of the Brazilian Society of Surgical Oncology

The Brazilian Society of Oncological Surgery organized a group of oncological surgeons to discuss surgical aspects associated with locally advanced breast carcinoma. This article reviews the indications, the different surgeries (especially those associated with thoracoabdominal or myocutaneous flaps), and associated complications. It discusses special conditions such as invasion of the chest wall and interscapular thoracic disarticulation. It makes recommendations based on the literature regarding clinical findings, tumor conditions, response to neoadjuvant therapy, choice of flaps in surgery, and tumor biology.

Probiotics Evaluation in Oncological Surgery: A Systematic Review of 36 Randomized Controlled Trials Assessing 21 Diverse Formulations

Background: Objectives were to evaluate probiotics safety and efficacy in oncological surgery. Methods: Systematic review methodology guided by Cochrane, PRISMA, SWiM, and CIOMS. Protocol registered on PROSPERO (CRD42018086168). Results: 36 RCTs (on 3305 participants) and 6 nonrandomized/observational studies were included, mainly on digestive system cancers. There was evidence of a beneficial effect on preventing infections, with 70% of RCTs’ (21/30) direction of effect favoring probiotics. However, five RCTs (17%) favored controls for infections, including one trial with RR 1.57 (95% CI: 0.79, 3.12). One RCT that changed (balanced) its antibiotics protocol after enrolling some participants had mortality risk RR 3.55 (95% CI: 0.77, 16.47; 7/64 vs. 2/65 deaths). The RCT identified with the most promising results overall administered an oral formulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 + Lactobacillus plantarum + Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 + Saccharomyces boulardii. Methodological quality appraisals revealed an overall substantial risk-of-bias, with only five RCTs judged as low risk-of-bias. Conclusions: This large evidence synthesis found encouraging results from most formulations, though this was contrasted by potential harms from a few others, thus validating the literature that “probiotics” are not homogeneous microorganisms. Given microbiome developments and infections morbidity, further high-quality research is warranted using those promising probiotics identified herein.

Assessing the hospital volume-outcome relationship in surgery: a scoping review

Introduction Many recent studies have investigated the hospital volume-outcome relationship in surgery. In some cases, the results have prompted the centralization of surgical activity. However, the methodologies and interpretations differ markedly from one study to another. The objective of the present scoping review was to describe the various features used to assess the volume-outcome relationship: the analyzed datasets, study population, outcome, covariates, confounders, volume modalities, and statistical methods. Methods and analysis The review was conducted according to a study protocol published in BMJ Open in 2020. Two authors (both of whom had helped to design the study protocol) screened publications independently according to the title, the abstract and then the full text. To ensure exhaustivity, all the papers included by each reviewer went through to the next step. Interpretation The 403 included studies covered 90 types of surgery, 61 types of outcome, and 72 covariates or potential confounders. 191 (47.5%) studies focussed on oncological surgery and 37.8% focussed visceral or digestive tract surgery. Overall, 86.6% of the studies found a statistically significant volume-outcome relationship, although the findings differed from one type of surgery to another. Furthermore, the types of outcome and the covariates were highly diverse. The majority of studies were performed in Western countries, and oncological and visceral surgical procedures were over-represented; this might limit the generalizability and comparability of the studies’ results.

Ep.Th.654Home Based Pre-Rehabilitation in Hepatic & Pancreatic Oncological Surgery- A Way Forward for Improved Patient Outcome

Aims To ascertain the impact of ‘’Cost effective home-based pre-rehabilitation’’ on post-operative outcomes in patients undergoing major hepatic and pancreatic oncological surgery. Methods In this non-randomized comparative study (2019-2021), we included 36 patients having pancreatic or hepatic malignancy. In group I, patients were signed up for home-based pre-rehabilitation program and dietary modification. Group II; included patients who did not have rehabilitation. The two groups were compared for post-operative outcomes (post-operative complications, length of ITU and hospital stay) Results Mean age was 69.05±9.68 years in group I and 67.50±8.75 years in group II (p-value 0.61). Open approach was used in 02 (11.0%) patients in group I and in 09 (50%) patients in group II (p-value 0.01). More patients in group II needed admission in intensive care unit (ICU); 18 (100%) versus 11 (61.1%) in group II (p-value 0.0003). The group I had shorter length of hospital stay as compared to Group II (p-value 0.0001). There was no significant difference in post-operative complications between the groups. Conclusion Home based pre-rehabilitation, has shown beneficial outcomes in terms of less requirement for ITU admission post operatively, shorter length of hospital stay and cost effective method of pre rehabilitation.