PURPOSE: Total thyroidectomy can be recommended for patients with bilateral thyroid cancer. Sometimes, it is difficult to preoperatively detect multicentric foci in the contralateral lobe. The aim of this retrospective study is to determine the incidence of multicentricity in the contralateral lobe of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and to evaluate the diagnostic value of preoperative ultrasonography for multicentricity. METHODS: From January 1997 to December 2001, 93 patients with PTC underwent ultrasonography before total thyroidectomy. Ultrasonographic findings of multicentric foci in contralateral lobes were compared with histopathologic examination. RESULTS: Forty-four (47.3%) of the 93 patients were presumed bilateral PTC ultrasonographically, but 24 (25.8%) were confirmed histopathologically to have multicentricity in the contralateral lobes. Sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography were 79.2% and 63.8%, respectively. False positive was 26.9%, consisting of 11 patients with benign diseases, 10 with normal glands, and 4 with intrathyroidal extension of PTC. False negative was 5.4%, which were all microcarcinoma with mean size of 0.3 cm. Ultrasonographic accuracy was 72.0%, but this was decreased to 35.3% in the cases of PTC combined with benign diseases. Clinical factors, except extrathyroidal invasion of PTC, were not related to multicentricity. CONCLUSION: Preoperative ultrasonography in PTC patients has a limited diagnostic value for multicentric foci within contralateral lobes, due to the technical variation of ultrasonography, combined benign diseases and diagnostic inaccuracy for micronodules.
Humans ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyroidectomy ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) are the most frequently used tumor markers in the clinical setting of colorectal cancer (CRC). This study was designed to investigate the correlation between preoperative serum levels of CA 19-9 (pre-CA 19-9) and the clinicopathologic factors of patients with CRC. METHODS: A study was performed on 333 patients with histologically diagnosed colorectal adenocarcinoma between December 2008 and November 2011, based on prospective collected data. The clinical data such as age, sex, location of tumor, size of tumor, differentiation, depth of tumor (T), lymph node metastasis (N), distant metastasis (M), lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, perineural invasion, stage, and preoperative serum levels of CEA (pre-CEA) and pre-CA 19-9 were obtained. These patients were classified into two groups according to pre-CA 19-9 (CA 19-9 high: >39 U/mL, n = 61 [18.3%]; CA 19-9 normal: <39 U/mL, n = 272 [81.7%]). RESULTS: Sixty-one patients among 333 patients (18.3%) with CRC showed a high pre-CA 19-9. The elevation of pre-CA 19-9 was significantly associated with size of tumor (4.8 +/- 0.1 cm vs. 6.1 +/- 0.3 cm, P < 0.001), right colon cancer (P < 0.001), depth of tumor (P < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001), distant metastasis (P < 0.001), perineural invasion (P = 0.008), peritoneal seeding (P < 0.001), and stage (P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, high pre-CA 19-9 was shown to be independently associated with high pre-CEA, lymph node metastasis, right colon cancer, large tumor size, and peritoneal seeding. There were twelve patients confirmed for peritoneal seeding among 333 patients (3.6%). CONCLUSION: High pre-CA 19-9 in advanced colorectal cancer might provide important information to predict the possibility of peritoneal seeding.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prospective Studies ; Seeds

Vascular invasion is an unfavorable prognostic factor for the recurrence and systemic metastasis of colon cancer. An interesting study in this issue evaluate the difference in the oncological impact of vascular invasion according to tumor side in colon cancer. The authors suggest that the oncological impact of vascular invasion could be worse in nonmetastatic right colon cancer than in nonmetastatic left colon cancer. Herein, hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to detect vascular invasion. In a recent study, elastin staining could detect more venous invasion. It is expected that the molecular pathologic characteristics of colon cancer can be identified precisely and the oncological outcomes of colon cancer can be improved in the future.

Indocyanine green (ICG) could be applied for multiple functions such as fluorescent tumor localization, fluorescence lymph node mapping (FLNM), and intraoperative angiography in colorectal cancer surgery. With the near-infrared (NIR) systems, colonoscopic ICG tattooing can be used to define the early colorectal cancer that cannot be easily distinguished through the serosal surface. The lymphatic pathways can be visualized under the NIR system when ICG is injected through the submucosal or subserosal layer around the tumor. Intraoperative ICG angiography can be applied to find a favorable perfusion segment before the colon transection. Although all fluorescence functions are considered essential steps in image-guided surgery, it is difficult to perform multifunctional ICG applications in a single surgical procedure at once because complex protocols could interfere with each other. Therefore, we review the multifunctional ICG applications for fluorescent tumor localization, FLNM, and ICG angiography. We also discuss the optimal protocol for fluorescence-guided colorectal surgery.

Indocyanine green (ICG) could be applied for multiple functions such as fluorescent tumor localization, fluorescence lymph node mapping (FLNM), and intraoperative angiography in colorectal cancer surgery. With the near-infrared (NIR) systems, colonoscopic ICG tattooing can be used to define the early colorectal cancer that cannot be easily distinguished through the serosal surface. The lymphatic pathways can be visualized under the NIR system when ICG is injected through the submucosal or subserosal layer around the tumor. Intraoperative ICG angiography can be applied to find a favorable perfusion segment before the colon transection. Although all fluorescence functions are considered essential steps in image-guided surgery, it is difficult to perform multifunctional ICG applications in a single surgical procedure at once because complex protocols could interfere with each other. Therefore, we review the multifunctional ICG applications for fluorescent tumor localization, FLNM, and ICG angiography. We also discuss the optimal protocol for fluorescence-guided colorectal surgery.

Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) is a condition of anorectal dysfunction that occurs frequently following anal sphincter-preserving surgery for rectal cancer and can reduce the quality of life. In this review, we summarize the main symptoms and pathophysiology of this syndrome and discuss the treatment approaches. Early evaluation and initiation of appropriate treatment postoperatively are crucial. The most frequently used tool to evaluate the severity of LARS is the LARS score, and an anorectal manometer is used for objective evaluation. LARS is believed to be caused by multiple factors, and some of its causes include direct structural damage to the anal sphincter, damage to the innervation, loss of rectoanal inhibitory reflex, and decreased rectal volume and compliance. Diet modifications, medications, pelvic floor muscle training and biofeedback are the primary treatments, and rectal irrigation can be added as a secondary treatment. If LARS symptoms persist even after 1 to 2 years and significantly reduce the quality of life, antegrade irrigation, sacral nerve stimulation or definitive stoma may be considered. High-quality evidence-based studies on LARS treatment are lacking, and randomized controlled trials aimed at developing severity-based treatment algorithms are needed.