Pancreatic cancer, one of the diseases of the elderly, has dismal prognosis, demanding major surgery with high risk and life quality problems, especially in the elderly. Therefore, treatment selection, whether or not to undergo surgery, preoperative risk assessment, and perioperative management of the elderly are becoming critical issues. Although the elderly are expected to have higher morbidity and mortality and lower long-term survival outcomes, surgery is becoming safer over time. Appropriate surgical indication selection, patient-centered decision-making, adequate prehabilitation and postoperative geriatric care are expected to improve surgical outcomes in the elderly. Surgeons must have the concept of geriatric care, and efforts based on institutional systems and academic societies are required. If well selected and prepared, the same surgical principle as non-elderly patients can be applied to elderly patients. In this paper, the surgical treatment of elderly patients with pancreatic cancer is reviewed.

BACKGROUND: Although all guidelines suggest that T2 gallbladder (GB) cancer should be treated by extended cholecystectomy (ECx), high-level scientific evidence is lacking because there has been no randomized controlled trial on GB cancer. METHODS: A nationwide multicenter study between 2000 and 2009 from 14 university hospitals enrolled a total of 410 patients with T2 GB cancer. The clinicopathologic findings and long-term follow-up results were analyzed after consensus meeting of Korean Pancreas Surgery Club. RESULTS: The 5-year cumulative survival rate (5YSR) for the patients who underwent curative resection was 61.2%. ECx group showed significantly better 5YSR than simple cholecystectomy (SCx) group (65.4% vs. 54.0%, P = 0.016). For N0 patients, there was no significant difference in 5YSR between SCx and ECx groups (68.7% vs. 73.6%, P = 0.173). Systemic recurrence was more common than locoregional recurrence (78.5% vs. 21.5%). Elevation of cancer antigen 19-9 level preoperatively and lymph node (LN) metastasis were significantly poor prognostic factors in a multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: ECx including wedge resection of GB bed should be recommended for T2 GB cancer. Because systemic recurrence was more common and recurrence occurred more frequently in patients with LN metastasis, postoperative adjuvant therapy should be considered especially for the patients with LN metastasis.
Cholecystectomy ; Consensus ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gallbladder Neoplasms* ; Gallbladder* ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Korea* ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreas ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate

Patient expectations for specialized medical care have spawned fellowship programs that require additional subspecialty training after residency training completion. The present study assessed the curricula and training environment adequacy of fellowship programs as perceived by current trainees and identified improvement areas for South Korea's overall fellowship program. A questionnaire was distributed to 1,764 fellows training at 6 university hospitals in Seoul, Korea during October 2014. From a return rate of 33.1%, 26.2% (403 responses) of all questionnaires distributed were compete enough to include in the analysis. Fellows participating in the survey were enrolled in fellowship programs with occupational aspirations of professorship and academic aspirations of subspecialty exploration. Nevertheless, more than half of the participating fellows did not have a clear understanding of their program's objectives. Many hoped for reduced clinical hours, increased research time allowance, and higher pay compared to current training environment and salary. The fellows' satisfaction with their program's curriculum and training environment was above 3 points on a Likert scale of 1 to 5. Receiving a training objective and financial support for academic activities by the training institution were factors influencing fellows' satisfaction level regarding both the curriculum and training environment. Clearly defined program objectives, a specialized curriculum for fellows, improved working conditions, and reflection on medical workforce policies are imperative for the advancement of Korean fellowship programs.
Aspirations (Psychology) ; Curriculum ; Fellowships and Scholarships* ; Financial Support ; Hope ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Internship and Residency ; Korea ; Personal Satisfaction ; Salaries and Fringe Benefits ; Seoul

The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical significance of nodal micrometastasis detected by immunohistochemistry in patients that had undergone curative surgery for pancreatic cancer. Between 2005 and 2006, a total of 208 lymph nodes from 48 consecutive patients with pancreatic cancer that had undergone curative resection were immunostained with monoclonal antibody against pan-ck and CK-19. Micrometastasis was defined as metastasis missed by a routine H&E examination but detected during an immunohistochemical evaluation. Relations between immunohistochemical results and clinical and pathologic features and patient survival were examined. Nodal micrometastases were detected in 5 (29.4%) patients of 17 pN0 patients. Nodal micrometastasis was found to be related to tumor relapse (P = 0.043). Twelve patients without overt nodal metastasis and micrometastasis had better prognosis than 5 patients with only nodal micrometastasis (median survival; 35.9 vs 8.6 months, P < 0.001). The Cox proportional hazard model identified nodal micrometastasis as significant prognostic factors. Although the number of patients with micrometastasis was so small and further study would be needed, our study suggests that the lymph node micrometastasis could be the predictor of worse survival and might indicate aggressive tumor biology among patients undergoing curative resection for pancreas cancer.
Aged ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratin-19/immunology/metabolism ; Lymph Nodes/pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/mortality/*pathology/surgery ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: Hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) surgeons often must make decisions regarding hepatic artery (HA) resection while performing major HPB surgery. The purpose of this report was to review and summarize HA resection experience with a focus on vascular preservation during major HPB surgery and to develop a useful algorithm in dealing with these needs. METHODS: We reviewed 1,324 cases that had available computed tomographic and angiographic findings and summarized the problematic HA variations encountered in major HPB surgery. In reviewing our series and previous studies, we have created a set of guidelines that enables a pragmatic approach to the unique variations in HA and the risks of cancer invasion. RESULTS: Challenging HA variations during major HPB surgery were found in 25.7% of the cases and included variations of common HA from superior mesenteric artery (SMA), gastroduodenal artery (GDA), aorta, celiaco-mesenteric (CM) trunk or left gastric artery (LGA) (3.70%), the variations of the right HA from SMA, GDA, aorta, celiac axis (CA) including CM trunk or LGA (12.76%), the variations of the left HA from LGA, CA or GDA (4.46%), and the mixed types of the aberrant left medial HA and/or left lateral HA and/or right anterior HA and/or right posterior HA (2.11%). CONCLUSION: Surgeons should have knowledge of the anatomically variable vasculature of the HA when planning for major HPB surgery. Preoperative imaging studies can aid and should be performed in anticipation of potential HA variations during major HPB surgery.
Aorta ; Arteries ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Hepatic Artery ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study are to examine the cytogenetic alterations of pancreatic cancer, by using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), to determine thier correlation with the clinico-pathologic prognostic factors and to identify the cytogenetic factors that can predict the prognosis of pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Fresh frozen tissues of pancreatic cancer and normal pancreas that were obtained via pancreatic resection from 20 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocacinoma were analyzed by performing FISH with using locus-specific c-myc, p16, p53 probes and chromosome 18q, 20q probes. We cpmpared the FISH results with the clinico-pathologic prognostic factors. We also examined 16 paraffin-embedded tissues of pancreatic cancer by performing immunohistochemical staining (IHC) with monoclonal antibody to c-myc, p16, p53 and DPC. We then evaluated the correlation between the results of FISH and the results of IHC. RESULTS: At least one alteration of genes or chromosomes was detected in 18 (90.0%) of the 20 pancreatic cancer tissues by FISH, as compared with no alternation in the normal pancreatic tissues: these alteration were an increased copy number of c-myc (66.7%), a decreased copy number of p16 (70.6%), deletion of p53 (100%), loss of chromosome 18q (56.3%) and gain of chromosome 20q (45.0%). IHC demonstrated overexpression of c-myc and p53 in 31.3% and 50.0% of the pancreatic cancer specimens, respectively, and the loss of expressions of p16 and DPC in 25.0% and 93.3% of the pancreatic cancer specimens, respectively. The concordance rate of IHC with FISH was 33.3% to 61.5%. Analysis of the correlation between the cytogenetic changes identified by FISH or IHC and the pathologic prognostic factors showed that only chromosome 20q gain was significantly correlated with the histologic grade (p=0.098) and lymphovascular invasion (p=0.092). However there was no clinical correlation of the cytogenetic changes with respect to recurrence after operation. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that most pancreatic cancers have cytogenetic alternations, as can be determined by FISH. Especially, the correlation between chromosome 20q gain and the prognostic pathologic factors offers the possibility of a new prognostic biologic marker located in chromosome 20q. However, further studies with more cases are needed to clarify the clinical significance of cytogenetic alternations in pancreatic cancer.
Biomarkers ; Coat Protein Complex I ; Cytogenetics ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Prognosis ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: We wanted to evaluate the feasibility of using the suction pancreatic duct stent, which was designed to aspirate pancreatic fluid more actively around the pancreaticojejnostomy site during performance of pancreaticoduodenectomy for preventing pancreatic fistula. METHODS: In 7 consecutive pancreaticoduodenectomy patients, we inserted a PVC tube into the remnant pancreatic duct across the duct-to-mucosa type pancreaticojejunostomy at a 2 cm depth as a totally external pancreatic stent. This stent was connected with the aspiration bag of a Jackson- Pratt drain for generating negative pressure. We inserted another Jackson-Pratt drain beneath the pancreaticojejunosomy site and checked the amylase level in the body fluid and the serum at the postoperative 1st and 5th days for evaluating pancreatic leakage. We also checked the daily amount of pancreatic fluid obtained through the suction stent. Pancreatic fistula was defined as an amylase level in the body fluid >10,000 U/L on postoperative 1 day or an amylase level in the body fluid >3 times the serum amylase level on the postoperative 5th day. RESULTS: On postoperative day 1, the mean level of intraabdominal fluid amylase was 1,404 U/L (355~3,850 U/L). On the postoperative 5th day, the mean level of amylase in the body fluid was 40.3 U/L (12~144 U/L) and the mean level of serum amylase was 38.3 U/L (19~71 U/L). Even on the postoperative 1st day, we could collect a considerable amount of pancreatic fluid (mean: 55.6 ml (range: 9~169 ml)). There was no complication associated with pancreatic leakage. CONCLUSION: The suction pancreatic stent can be a feasible method to prevent pancreatic leakage. Additional randomized studies to compare the conventional pancreatic duct stent with the suction pancreatic duct stent are mandatory.
Amylases ; Body Fluids ; Humans ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatic Fistula ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Pancreaticojejunostomy* ; Stents* ; Suction*

No abstract available.
Tooth*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To reduce the rate of recurrence and to prevent postoperative liver failure, it is necessary to determine the extent of hepatic resection preoperatively in primary liver cancer patients. The aim of this study was to examine the clinical significance and correlation among several preoperative liver function tests. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients who underwent hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma from November 1994 to March 1995 at the Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital were analyzed. Fifteen patients had gross cirrhosis. Major resections were performed in two patients, segmentectomy in 6 patients, subsegmentectomy and limited resection in 21 patients. Maximal removal rate of indocyanine green (ICG Rmax), ICG retention rate at 15 min(ICG R15), oral glucose tolerance test(oral GTT), arterial ketone body ratio(AKBR) and computed tomographic volumetry, as well as conventional liver function test and prothrombin time were done preoperatively. RESULTS: There were significant correlations among Child's class, prothrombin time and ICG R15. AKBR, oral GTT, ICG Rmax, liver volume had no correlations with any other tests. Liver failure occurred in 2 patients(6.9%). No tests, except ICG R15, could predict the patients with liver failure. ICG R15 value of these two patients were 27% and 29%, respectively while those of the remaining 27 patients ranged from 1 to 22% (mean 11.9%). CONCLUSION: Neither standard liver function tests nor hepatic function studies such as AKBR, oral GTT, CT volumetry were useful as preoperative prognostic indicators in hepatic resection. ICG R15 test is a simple test and good predictor of liver failure after hepatic resection.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Fibrosis ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Indocyanine Green ; Liver ; Liver Failure ; Liver Function Tests ; Liver Neoplasms ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Prothrombin Time ; Recurrence ; Seoul

Brunner's gland hamartomas are rare duodenal tumors with characteristic pathologic featmes. The usual clinical presentation is nonspecific symptoms, obstructive symptoms, or intestinal bleeding. The majority of these tumors are less than 3 cm in diameter. In cases of larger size, the manifestations are usually intestinal obstruction or intestinal bleeding. The cases with massive gastrointestinal bleeding and severe anemia, requiring transfusion are rare. The diagnosis is made by radiologic studies and gastroduodenoscopy. The treatment of Brunner's gland hamartomas should be conservative, since they are not premalignant, However, the lesions originate in the submucosa, so the confimative diagnosis usually cannot be made by endoscopie biopey. For definitive diagnosis and relief of symptoms, the lesions must be removed surgically or endoscopically. Endoscopic excision is indicated if the tumar is pedunculated. We recently experienced a case of Brunner's gland hamartoma of about 5.5 cm in diameter with intestinal bleeding, requiring transfusion and intussusception. Preoperative diagnosis was submucosal tumor, such as lymphoma, with duodeno-duodenal intussusception. After surgical removal, the resected specimen showed the histologic features of Bruaner's gland hamartoma.
Anemia* ; Diagnosis ; Duodenum ; Hamartoma* ; Hemorrhage ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Intussusception* ; Lymphoma