A prospective study on the role of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy on surgical outcome in resectable oesophageal carcinoma

Background: Initial results of the chemo-radiotherapy for oesophageal cancer followed by surgery study (CROSS) comparing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) plus surgery versus surgery alone in patients with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus or oesophagogastric junction showed a significant increase in 5-year overall survival in favour of the NACRT plus surgery group after a median of 45 months' follow-up. In this study we will interpret the short-term results of NACRT on resectable, locally advanced oesophageal carcinoma.Methods: Patients with clinically resectable, locally advanced cancer of the oesophagus or oesophagogastric junction (clinical stage T1N1M0 or T2-3N0-1M0, according to the AJCC, 8th edition) were assigned to receive weekly administration of four cycles of NACRT (intravenous carboplatin [AUC 2 mg/mL per min] and intravenous paclitaxel [50 mg/m 2 of body-surface area] for 23 days) with concurrent radiotherapy (41·4 Gy, given in 23 fractions of 1·8 Gy on 5 days per week) followed by McKeown’s oesophagectomy from 01 January, 2020 to 31 May, 2021.Results: It was observed in our study that 38.46% patients had achieved a CPR after the administration of NACRT as per the CROSS-trial protocol which is comparable to PCR achieved in CROSS trial (29%). All the patients underwent an R0 resection during surgery (100%) which is comparable to CROSS trial (92%).12Conclusions: In our study which had collected data over a period of 17 months we learnt that the administration of NACRT in locally advanced oesophageal cancer was effective in reducing the tumor burden and achieving a satisfactory CPR of 38.46%.

Resection of oesophageal and oesophagogastric junction cancer liver metastases — a summary of current evidence

Purpose Metastatic oesophageal cancer is commonly considered as a palliative situation with a poor prognosis. However, there is increasing evidence that well-selected patients with a limited number of liver metastases (ECLM) may benefit from a multimodal approach including surgery. Methods A systematic review of the current literature for randomized trials, retrospective studies, and case series with patients undergoing hepatectomies for oesophageal and oesophagogastric junction cancer liver metastases was conducted up to the 31st of August 2021 using the MEDLINE (PubMed) and Cochrane Library databases. Results A total of 661 articles were identified. After removal of duplicates, 483 articles were screened, of which 11 met the inclusion criteria. The available literature suggests that ECLM resection in patients with liver oligometastatic disease may lead to improved survival and even long-term survival in some cases. The response to concomitant chemotherapy and liver resection seems to be of significance. Furthermore, a long disease-free interval in metachronous disease, low number of liver metastases, young age, and good overall performance status have been described as potential predictive markers of outcome for the resection of liver metastases. Conclusion Surgery may be offered to carefully selected patients to potentially improve survival rates compared to palliative treatment approaches. Studies with standardized patient selection criteria and treatment protocols are required to further define the role for surgery in ECLM. In this context, particular consideration should be given to neoadjuvant treatment concepts including immunotherapies in stage IVB oesophageal and oesophagogastric junction cancer.

P-OGC80 The effect of COVID -19 on new diagnosis oesophagogastric cancer patients in the UK: A single-centre experience

Background Covid-19 has had a devastating global impact and resulted in over 4.4 million directly attributed deaths. The UK entered lockdown in March 2020, redistributing its medical workforce and resources. Early estimations suggested at least 4700 extra cancer deaths at 5 years if there was a 3-month delay to surgery. Delays to diagnosis and treatment for osophagogastric (OG) cancers can be particularly detrimental to survival. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of Covid-19 on new cancer referrals to a centralised UK OG cancer centre, including presentation, decision making and treatment. Methods Patients with OG cancer referred to a tertiary, high-volume centre between March 2019 and March 2021 were reviewed. Patients were stratified into Pre-covid (March 2019-March 2020) and Covid (March 2020-2021) cohorts. Number of new referrals, clinical stage, treatment decision, and time to treatment were compared for gastric adenocarcinoma (GA), oesophagogastric-junction adenocarcinoma (OGJA), oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OA) and oesophageal SCC (OSCC). Results There was an 11% reduction in new cancer referrals (485 vs 431). GA, OGJA and OA did not have significant change in treatment intent, although there was a significant increase in the decision for definitive non-surgical treatment of OA (P = 0.046). GA and OA patients had a small, but significant increase in mean clinical stage at presentation (P < 0.05). There was no increase in time to treatment for GA, OGJA and OA. A significantly higher proportion of OSCC patients were given curative intent treatment in the Covid-19 cohort (P = 0.0006) however, this was accompanied with an increased time to treatment commencement (35.8 days vs 27.9 days P = 0.0198). Conclusions This high-volume centre has seen a reduction in new cancer referrals since the first UK lockdown. This was associated with a small, but significant, increase in clinical stage of GA and OA at presentation. This may represent an early indication of excess oesophagogastric cancer deaths due to the impact of Covid-19. This data also confirms initial results showing that oncological decisions were not compromised, although Covid-19 remains a dynamic challenge.

Opposing Immune-Metabolic Signature in Visceral Versus Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue in Patients with Adenocarcinoma of the Oesophagus and the Oesophagogastric Junction

Oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) is an exemplar model of obesity-associated cancer. Previous work in our group has demonstrated that overweight/obese OAC patients have better responses to neoadjuvant therapy, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Unravelling the immune–metabolic signatures of adipose tissue may provide insight for this observation. We hypothesised that different metabolic pathways predominate in visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and inflammatory secretions will differ between the fat depots. Real-time ex vivo metabolic profiles of VAT and SAT from 12 OAC patients were analysed. These samples were screened for the secretion of 54 inflammatory mediators, and data were correlated with patient body composition. Oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) was significantly higher in VAT when compared to SAT. OXPHOS was significantly higher in the SAT of patients receiving neoadjuvant treatment. VEGF-A, VEGF-C, P1GF, Flt-1, bFGF, IL-15, IL-16, IL-17A, CRP, SAA, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, IL-2, IL-13, IFN-γ, and MIP-1β secretions were significantly higher from VAT than SAT. Higher levels of bFGF, Eotaxin-3, and TNF-α were secreted from the VAT of obese patients, while higher levels of IL-23 and TARC were secreted from the SAT of obese patients. The angiogenic factors, bFGF and VEGF-C, correlated with visceral fat area. Levels of OXPHOS are higher in VAT than SAT. Angiogenic, vascular injury and inflammatory cytokines are elevated in VAT versus SAT, indicating that VAT may promote inflammation, linked to regulating treatment response.

Rare Metastasis of Gastric Cancer to the Thyroid Gland: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Background: It is common for patients with gastric cancer to develop distant metastases in the liver, lung, bone, and brain. Although the thyroid also has an abundant blood supply, gastric cancer metastasis to the thyroid is uncommon. Due to the rarity of such metastasis, its clinical features are not well understood. Here, we present the case of a patient with gastric cancer metastasis to the thyroid treated at our hospital.Case Summary: We report the case of a 63-year-old female with a mass in the anterior neck and mild hoarseness for 6 months. The patient underwent proximal subtotal gastrectomy for Siewert III oesophagogastric junction cancer 6 years ago. Subsequently, she received 8 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. Her condition was stable until mild hoarseness developed for no apparent reason 6 months prior to presenting at our clinic. Both ultrasonography and computed tomography confirmed a heterogeneous mass in the right lobe of the thyroid gland. Blood thyroid function tests and tumor marker expression levels were normal. Thyroid malignancy was suspected, and the patient underwent a right thyroidectomy. During the surgery, a tumor was found that had invaded the right recurrent laryngeal nerve and trachea. H&E staining and immunohistochemistry results suggested that the cancer cells originated from gastric cancer. The patient was diagnosed with thyroid metastasis of gastric cancer. She refused further treatment and died within 6 months.Conclusion: Metastasis of gastric cancer to the thyroid is rare and is associated with a poor prognosis. Immunohistochemical diagnosis is essential for a conclusive diagnosis. For patients with a history of malignant tumors, the possibility of metastatic thyroid nodules should be ruled out when diagnosing thyroid nodules.

A case report: cardiac dysphagia — a ghost of the past?

Background Rheumatic heart disease has become rare in developed countries and physicians have grown unfamiliar with the disease and its clinical course. The mitral valve is most commonly affected leading to mitral regurgitation and/or stenosis. The chronic volume and/or pressure overload leads to atrial remodelling and enlargement, driving the development of atrial fibrillation and thromboembolic events. Case Summary A 87-year-old patient with a history of rheumatic mitral stenosis and mitral valve replacement was admitted to the neurology department for vertigo. A stroke was suspected and she underwent a transoesophageal echocardiogram which was complicated by dysphagia. Oesophageal manometry and CT revealed oesophagogastric junction outflow obstruction due to extrinsic compression by a giant left atrium. Discussion Dysphagia due to a giant left atrium is rare. Various diagnostic criteria exist and the prevalence thus depends on which criterium is used. It is mostly encountered in rheumatic mitral disease, although there are reports of non-rheumatic etiology. When the left atrium assumes giant proportions it can compress adjacent intrathoracic structures. Compression of the oesophagus can lead to dysphagia, as in our case. A transoesophageal echocardiogram in these cases is relatively contraindicated and should only be performed if there is considerable reason to believe that it may change patient management.

Utility of molecular analysis of peritoneal fluid in staging laparoscopy of advanced oesophagogastric junction and gastric cancer prior to neoadjuvant treatment

The significance of molecular analysis of peritoneal fluid in staging laparoscopy of oesophagogastric junction (EGJ) and gastric cancer is still controversial. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of prospective data collection of all patients diagnosed with locally advanced gastric neoplasia or Siewert II-III EGJ cancer from July 2009 to October 2019 who underwent staging peritoneal lavage prior to neoadjuvant treatment was performed. Cytology studies and molecular analysis of peritoneal lavage were performed by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT_PCR) of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin 20 (CK20) as tumor makers. RESULTS: 168 patients were operated. Citology and molecular analysis were performed in 138 patients. Macroscopic carcinomatosis (P+) was evidenced in 12.3% (17 patients). Of the remaining 87.7% (121 patients), 9.9% (12 patients) had positive cytology. In 21% (29 patients) disseminated macroscopic or microscopic disease (P + or Cyt+) was identified. 11.6% (16 patients) were P0Cyt- but RT-PCR+. Of these, 9 responded to chemotherapy before salvage surgery. The sensitivity of cytology and molecular analysis was 0.70 and 0.76, respectively (p = 0.67). The survival of Cyt-RT_PCR + vs. Cyt + RT_PCR + patients was similar (p = 0.1). However, there were no differences in the survival curves between Cyt-RT_PCR- patients vs Cyt-RT_PCR + patients who underwent salvage surgery (p = 0.69). CONCLUSION: Molecular analysis showed a sensitivity of 76%. In our study, the survival of P0 Cyt-RT_PCR + patients responding to chemotherapy and undergoing surgery was similar to that of P0 Cyt-RT_PCR- patients but less disease free survival.

A novel risk score system for prognostic evaluation in adenocarcinoma of the oesophagogastric junction: a large population study from the SEER database and our center

Background The incidence rate of adenocarcinoma of the oesophagogastric junction (AEG) has significantly increased over the past decades, with a steady increase in morbidity. The aim of this study was to explore a variety of clinical factors to judge the survival outcomes of AEG patients. Methods We first obtained the clinical data of AEG patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) database. Univariate and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression models were used to build a risk score system. Patient survival was analysed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. The specificity and sensitivity of the risk score were determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Finally, the internal validation set from the SEER database and external validation sets from our center were used to validate the prognostic power of this model. Results We identified a risk score system consisting of six clinical features that can be a good predictor of AEG patient survival. Patients with high risk scores had a significantly worse prognosis than those with low risk scores (log-rank test, P-value < 0.0001). Furthermore, the areas under ROC for 3-year and 5-year survival were 0.74 and 0.75, respectively. We also found that the benefits of chemotherapy and radiotherapy were limited to stage III/IV AEG patients in the high-risk group. Using the validation sets, our novel risk score system was proven to have strong prognostic value for AEG patients. Conclusions Our results may provide new insights into the prognostic evaluation of AEG.