Olivier Turrini

Objective: To evaluate whether side-to-side gastrojejunostomy (SSGJ) reduces delayed gastric emptying (DGE) compared with end-to-side gastrojejunostomy (ESGJ) after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). Summary Background Data: DGE is one of the most frequent complications after PD, leading to prolonged recovery and increased morbidity. Retrospective studies have suggested that the configuration of the gastrojejunostomy may influence DGE, but no randomized trial has confirmed this. Methods: The IPAD study was a prospective, randomized, open-label trial conducted at 2 high-volume pancreatic centers in France. Adult patients undergoing PD for benign or malignant disease were randomized intraoperatively (1:1) to SSGJ or ESGJ and followed for 90 days. The primary endpoint was the incidence of DGE. Secondary endpoints included postoperative complications, nutritional outcomes, and quality of life (QoL) assessed at 90 days using the GastroIntestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI). Results: From May 1, 2021 to July 1, 2023, among 171 screened patients, 158 were randomized (79 per group). Baseline characteristics were comparable except for sex distribution and rates of hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. DGE occurred in 38.0% of patients after SSGJ and 30.4% after ESGJ (risk ratio 1.25; 95% CI: 0.81–1.94; P =0.314). Rates of pancreatic fistula, biliary fistula, reintervention, and mortality were similar. At 90 days, nutritional parameters and GIQLI scores (87.9 vs. 86.6; P =0.68) did not differ between groups. Conclusions: The present RCT found no significant difference in the rate of DGE between SSGJ and ESGJ. Postoperative outcomes, nutritional status, and quality of life were comparable, indicating that both techniques yielded comparable outcomes.

La technique d'une DPC pour adénocarcinome a évolué ces dernières années tant au niveau sécurité qu'au niveau carcinologique mais cela n'a pas suffit à faire progresser la survie. On peut se demander si la modification de la technique chirurgicale pourrait avoir un impact significatif sur la survie.A) Nous avons recherché, sur 23 pièces de DPC encrées, la présence de la mutation K-ras au niveau de la marge veineuse affirmée R0 en analyse histologique : 13 spécimens (groupe kras+) exprimaient une mutation K-ras au sein de la marge veineuse versus 10 spécimens (groupe kras-) ne l'exprimant pas. Les tumeurs des 2 groupes étaient comparables (taille, envahissement ganglionnaire, engainement périnerveux…). La survie globale à 1 an et 3 ans des groupes kras- versus kras+ étaient de 80% versus 84,6% et 16,7% versus 0% (p=0,03), respectivement. Les médianes de survie des groupes kras- versus kras+ étaient de 24 mois versus 16 mois (p=0,04), respectivement.B) Nous avons comparé, après appariement, 19 patients ayant eu une DPC avec résection « par excès » de la veine porte (groupe VP) avec 19 patients ayant eu une DPC sans résection de la veine porte (groupe contrôle). Les survies médianes et à 3 ans du groupe VP versus groupe contrôle étaient 42 mois versus 22 mois (p=0,04) et 60% versus 31% (p=0,03), respectivement.En conclusion, notre travail a montré qu'au-delà de la marge déterminée par le chirurgien pendant la chirurgie, de celle de l'anatomopathologiste déterminée par l'analyse microscopique, il existait une marge génique. La résection systématique de la veine porte semblait bénéfique car elle permettait sans doute de passer au-delà de cette marge génique.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) frequently occurs following major liver resection, adversely affecting both short- and long-term outcomes. This study aimed to determine the incidence of AKI post-hepatectomy and identify relevant pre- and intraoperative risk factors. Our secondary objectives were to develop a predictive score for postoperative AKI and assess the associations between AKI, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and 1-year mortality. Methods: This was a retrospective study in a cancer referral center in Marseille, France, from 2018 to 2022. Results: Among 169 patients, 55 (32.5%) experienced AKI. Multivariate analysis revealed several independent risk factors for postoperative AKI, including age, body mass index, the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, time to liver resection, intraoperative shock, and bile duct reconstruction. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was protective. The AKIMEBO score was developed, with a threshold of ≥15.6, demonstrating a sensitivity of 89.5%, specificity of 76.4%, positive predictive value of 61.8%, and negative predictive value of 94.4%. AKI was associated with increased postoperative morbidity and one-year mortality following major hepatectomy. Conclusion: AKI is a common complication post-hepatectomy. Factors such as time to liver resection and intraoperative shock management present potential clinical intervention points. The AKIMEBO score can provide a valuable tool for postoperative risk stratification.

No codified/systematic surveillance program exists for borderline/locally advanced pancreatic ductal carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX and a secondary resection. This study aimed to determine the trend of recurrence in patients who were managed using such a treatment strategy. From 2010, 101 patients received FOLFIRINOX and underwent a pancreatectomy, in a minimum follow-up of 5 years. Seventy-one patients (70%, R group) were diagnosed with recurrence after a median follow-up of 11 months postsurgery. In the multivariable analysis, patients in the R-group had a higher rate of weight loss (p = 0.018), higher carbohydrate antigen (CA 19-9) serum levels at diagnosis (p = 0.012), T3/T4 stage (p = 0.017), and positive lymph nodes (p < 0.01) compared to patients who did not experience recurrence. The risk of recurrence in patients with T1/T2 N0 R0 was the lowest (19%), and all recurrences occurred during the first two postoperative years. The peak risk of recurrence for the entire population was observed during the first two postoperative years. The probability of survival decreased until the second year and rebounded to 100% permanently, after the ninth postoperative year. Close monitoring is needed at reduced intervals during the first 2 years following a pancreatectomy and should be extended to later than 5 years for those with unfavorable pathological results.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of resections for liver metastases (LMs) originating from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and esophagus/gastric cancers (EGCs), which we label as major killers (MKs; overall survival (OS) under 10%). We hypothesized that LM resection must provide the patient with almost a year of OS postoperatively that is considered beneficial. Methods: From January 2005 to December 2020, 23 patients underwent resection for isolated LM from MKs. These patients underwent surgery after a multidisciplinary discussion about their performance status, disease evolution during prolonged medical treatment, and the existence or absence of extrahepatic metastases. Results: LM originated from an PDAC, EGC, or NSCLC in 10 patients (43%), nine patients (39%), and four patients (18%), respectively. The median delay between primary cancer and LM diagnoses was 12 months, and the median delay between LM diagnosis and liver resection was 10 months. Most patients, who had objectively responded to medical treatment (57%), had a solitary (61%) and unilobar (70%) LM. Severe morbidity and 90-day mortality rates were 13% and 4.3%, respectively. Margin-free resection was achieved in 16 patients (70%). After liver resection, the median OS was 24 months without a statistical difference when considering the primary tumor site; 1, 3-, and 5-year OS were 70%, 23%, and 23%, respectively. Conclusion: Selection based on criteria such as good clinical condition, response to treatment, and long observation period helped identify patients with LM of MKs who seemed to benefit from resection. World J Oncol. 2022;13(6):359-364 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/wjon1516

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of the use of a reinforced stapler (RS) during distal pancreatectomy (DP) on postoperative outcomes. Background: DP remains associated with significant postoperative morbidity owing to pancreatic fistula (PF). To date, there is no consensus on the management of the pancreatic stump. The use of an RS potentially represents a simple way to decrease the rate of PF. Methods: The REPLAY study (NCT03030170) is a prospective, multicenter, randomized study. Patients who underwent DP were randomized (1:1 ratio) in 2 groups for the use of a standard stapler (SS) or an RS to close remnant pancreatic parenchyma. The primary endpoint was the rate of overall PF. Secondary endpoints included severity of PF, length of hospital stay, overall morbidity, and rate of readmission for a PF within 90 days. Participants were blinded to the procedure actually carried out. Results: A total of 199 were analyzed (SS, n=99; RS, n=100). One patient who did not undergo surgery was excluded. Baseline characteristics were comparable in both groups. The rate of overall PF was higher in RS group (SS: 67.7%, RS: 83%, P=0.0121), but the rate of clinically relevant PF was similar (SS: 11.1%, RS: 14%, P=0.5387). Mean length of total hospital stay, readmission for PF, postoperative morbidity, and mortality at 90 days were similar. Conclusion: The results of this randomized clinical trial did not favor the use of RS during DP to reduce the rate of PF.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a major killer and is a challenging clinical research issue with abysmal survival due to unsatisfactory therapeutic efficacy. Two major issues thwart the treatment of locally advanced nonresectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC): high micrometastasis rate and surgical inaccessibility. Local ablative therapies induce a systemic antitumor response (i.e., abscopal effect) in addition to local effects. Thus, the incorporation of additional therapies could be key to improving immunotherapy’s clinical efficacy. In this systematic review, we explore recent applications of local ablative therapies combined with immunotherapy to overcome immune resistance in PDAC and discuss future perspectives and challenges. Particularly, we describe four chemoradiation studies and nine reports on irreversible electroporation (IRE). Clinically, IRE is the ablative therapy of choice, utilized in all but two clinical trials, and may create a favorable microenvironment for immunotherapy. Various immunotherapies have been used in combination with IRE, such as NK cell- or γδ T cell-based therapy, as well as immune checkpoint inhibitors. The results of the clinical trials presented in this review and the advancement potential of these therapies to phase II/III trials remain unknown. A multiple treatment approach involving chemotherapy, local ablation, and immunotherapy holds promise in overcoming the double trouble of LAPC.

Purpose This study proposes and details a simple and inexpensive protective technique of wrapping the hepatic and gastroduodenal artery stumps with a peritoneal patch during pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) in order to decrease post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage (PPH). Methods Among the 85 patients who underwent PD between July 2020 and March 2021, 16 patients with high-risk pancreatic anastomosis received a peritoneal patch. The Updated Alternative Fistula Risk Score (ua-FRS) was calculated. Post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF) and PPH were diagnosed and graded according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery. The mortality rate was calculated up to 90 days after PD. Results The mean ua-FRS of the 16 patients was 43% (range: 21–63%). Among them, 6 (38%) experienced clinically relevant-POPF, and a PPH was observed in two patients (13%). In these two patients who required re-intervention, the peritoneal patch was remarkably intact, and neither the gastroduodenal stump nor hepatic artery was involved. None of the patients experienced 90-day mortality. Conclusion Although the outcomes are encouraging, the evaluation of a larger series to assess the effectiveness of the peritoneal protective patch for arteries in a high-risk pancreatic anastomosis is ongoing.

Purpose: Using a standardized specimen protocol analysis, this study aimed to evaluate the resection margin status of patients who underwent resection for either distal cholangiocarcinoma (DC) or pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This allowed a precise millimetric analysis of each inked margin. Methods: From 2010 to 2018, 355 consecutively inked specimens from patients with PDAC (n = 288) or DC (n = 67) were prospectively assessed. We assessed relationships between the tumor and the following margins: transection of the pancreatic neck, bile duct, posterior surface, margin toward superior mesenteric artery, and the surface of superior mesenteric vein/portal vein groove. Resection margins were evaluated using a predefined cut-off value of 1 mm; however, clearances of 0 and 1.5 mm were also evaluated. Results: Patients with DC were mostly men (64% vs. 49%, p = 0.028), of older age (68 yo vs. 65, p = 0.033), required biliary stenting more frequently (93% vs. 77%, p < 0.01), and received less neoadjuvant treatment (p < 0.001) than patients with PDAC. The venous resection rate was higher among patients with PDAC (p = 0.028). Postoperative and 90-day mortality rates were comparable. Patients with PDAC had greater tumor size (28.6 vs. 24 mm, p = 0.01) than those with DC. The R1 resection rate was comparable between the two groups, regardless of the clearance margin. Among the three types of resection margins, a venous groove was the most frequent in both entities. In multivariate analysis, the R1 resection margin did not influence patient survival in either PDAC or DC. Conclusion: Our standardized specimen protocol analysis showed that the R1 resection rate was comparable in PDAC and DC.