OBJECTIVEThis review discusses the current status and progress in studies on gastric cancer with liver metastasis (GCLM), involving the routes, subtypes, and prognosis of GCLM; the genes and molecules associated with metastasis; the feasibility and value of each imaging modality; and current treatment options.

DATA SOURCESThe data used in this review were mainly from Medline and PubMed published in English from 2005 to August 2010. The search terms were "gastric cancer" and "liver metastasis".

STUDY SELECTIONArticles regarding the characteristics, diagnostic modalities, and various therapeutic options of GCLM were selected.

RESULTSThe prognosis of GCLM is influenced by the clinicopathological characteristics of primary tumors, as well as the presence of liver metastases. Improved understanding of related genes and molecules will lead to the development of methods of early detection and targeted therapies. For the diagnosis of GCLM, each imaging modality has its relative benefits. There remains no consensus regarding therapeutic options.

CONCLUSIONSEarly detection and characterization of liver metastases is crucial for the prognosis of gastric cancer patients. Multidisciplinary team discussions are required to design optimal treatment strategies, which should be based on the clinicopathological characteristics of each patient.

Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; secondary ; surgery ; Stomach Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; surgery

BACKGROUNDMany studies have reported the benefit of hepatic resection for solitary and metachronous metastases from gastric cancer. However, indications and surgical results for synchronous hepatic metastases from gastric carcinoma have not been clearly defined. This study was performed to assess the benefits and limits of simultaneous combined resection of both primary gastric cancer and synchronous hepatic metastases, as well as to identify prognostic factors affecting the survival.

METHODSBetween January 2005 and June 2008, 13 patients with synchronous hepatic metastases underwent simultaneous combined resection. The clinicopathologic features and the surgical results of the 13 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Patient, tumor (primary and metastatic carcinoma), and operative parameters were analyzed for their influence on survival.

RESULTSNo patient died and two patients (15.4%) developed complications during peri-operative course. The actuarial 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year survival rates after hepatic resection were 76.9%, 38.5%, and 30.8%, respectively, and two patients survived for more than 2 years after surgery without any signs of recurrences until latest follow-up. In univariate analysis, hepatic tumor distribution (P=0.01) and number of hepatic metastases (P=0.003) were significant prognostic factors that influenced survival. Factors associated with the primary lesion were not significant prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONSSatisfactory survival may be achieved by simultaneous combined resection of both primary gastric cancer and synchronous hepatic metastases in strictly selected patients. The number of hepatic metastases and hepatic tumor distribution are significant prognostic determinants of survival.

Aged ; Female ; Hepatectomy ; mortality ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; secondary ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stomach Neoplasms ; complications

Herein is presented a case of aplastic anemia associated with adenocarcinoma of the stomach which seem- ed to be coincidental. A 52 year-old man was admitted with a 3 year history of dyspnea. Three years previously, he was diagnosed as bone marrow hypoplasia and had been treated with oxymetholone for 1 year. After confirmation of aplastic anemia during the first admission, he was followed up with fluoxymesterone and steriods. One year later, he was readmitted with melena. Fibergastroscopy and an UGl study revealed a fungating mass on the antrum suggestive of stomach cancer. Following perioperative platelet transfusions and intensive supportive care, a subtotal gastrectomy was performed and there were no postoperative complications. Pathologic examinations disclosed a moderately well differentiated adenocarcinoma. This is the first report in Korea of adenocarcinoma of the stomach occurring in a patient with aplastic anemia. He survived 17.5 months after the surgery and 5.4 years after the onset of aplastic anemia. Gastrointestinal bleeding in aplastic anemia may be incorrectly ascribed to steriod use and overlooked, thus the need to fully investigate gastric pathology by endoscopy as well as radiology is streesed. In a patient with pancytopenia, the major surgical procedures are frequently evaded by both surgeons and internists due to the possibility of morbidity from bleeding and infection. In this case, intensive perioperative supportive care and surgery were combined to prolong the patient's survival time.
Adenocarcinoma/*complications/secondary/surgery ; Anemia, Aplastic/*complications/drug therapy ; Case Report ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Oxymetholone/therapeutic use ; Stomach Neoplasms/*complications/surgery

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical value of radical resection of gastric carcinoma with pancreas and spleen preservation (PSP) and functional cleaning of lymph nodes (LNs) of the spleen hillus and along the splenic artery.

METHODSPancreas and spleen involvement was retrospectively reviewed among 439 cases of resectable carcinoma of the gastric cardia, gastric corpus and total stomach. During gastric surgery, 2 ml of methylene blue was injected into the subserosal space of the gastric cardia or corpus to observe the spread of lymphatic flow in 54 cases of gastric carcinoma. The metastatic rate of LNs in splenic hillus and along the trunk of the splenic artery (No10, No11), postoperative complications and survival rates were investigated in 63 gastric carcinoma patients that had received gastrectomy with pancreas and spleen preservation (PSP). These were compared with the pancreas preservation (PP) group and pancreas and spleen combined resection (PSR) group.

RESULTSAmong these 439 cases, only 25 cases were observed with direct invasion to the pancreas (5.7%), and 10 cases with direct invasion to the spleen (2.3%). After pathological examination of the pancreatic body and tail, we found 22 cases with pancreas and spleen combined resection, 4 cases (18.2%, 4/22) with direct invasion of the capsule and 2 with invasion to the superficial parenchyma (9.1%, 2/22), without metastasis to the lymph nodes within the pancreas and spleen. The metastatic rate of No10, No11 lymph nodes were 17.5% (11/63) and 19.1% (12/63) in the PSP group, 20.8% (45/216) and 25% (54/216) in the PP group, and 20% (6/30) and 23.3% (7/30) in the PSR group. There were no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05). Injection of methylene blue into the subserosal space of the stomach did not diffuse into the spleen or pancreatic parenchyma. Postoperative complications, diabetes and mortality in PSP (0%, 0%, 0%) were lower than in PP (4.2%, 0.9%, 0.9%) or PSR (40%, 10%, 3.3%). The 5-year survival rate (5-YSR) and 10-YSR in PSP (57.5%, 52.0%) were higher than in PSR (37.5%, 30.0%). Those patients with stage II and III(a) treated by PSP, improved markedly.

CONCLUSIONSThe surgical procedure of pancreas and spleen preservation for gastric cancer is a safe and organ function protected method. Postoperative complications were lower and survival rates were higher, the radicality was not reduced. These results indicate that PSP is preferred in patients with gastric carcinoma of stage II or III(a).

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Lymphatic System ; physiopathology ; Male ; Methylene Blue ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; secondary ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; Splenic Neoplasms ; secondary ; surgery ; Stomach Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDThe prognosis for patients with gastric cancer and synchronous liver metastases is very poor. However, a standard therapeutic strategy has not been well established. The clinical benefit and prognostic factors after hepatic surgical treatment for liver metastases from gastric cancer remain controversial.

METHODSRecords of 105 patients who underwent gastrectomy regardless of hepatic surgical treatment for gastric cancer with synchronous liver-only metastases in our center between 1995 and 2010 were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTSThe overall survival rate for the 105 patients was 42.1%, 17.2%, and 10.6% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively, with a median survival time of 11 months. Multivariate survival analysis revealed that the extent of lymphadenectomy (D) (P < 0.001), lymph node metastases (P < 0.001), extent of liver metastases (H) (P = 0.008), and lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.002) were significant independent prognostic factors for survival. Among patients who underwent D2 lymphadenectomy, those who underwent hepatic surgical treatment had a significantly improved survival compared with those who underwent gastrectomy alone (median survival, 24 vs. 12 months; P < 0.001). However, hepatic surgical treatment was not a prognostic factor for patients who underwent D1 lymphadenectomy (median survival, 8 vs. 8 months; P = 0.495). For the 35 patients who underwent gastrectomy plus hepatic surgical treatment, D2 lymphadenectomy (P < 0.001), lymph node metastases (P = 0.015), and extent of liver metastases (H1 vs. H2 and H3) (P = 0.017) were independent significant prognostic factors for survival.

CONCLUSIONSD2 lymphadenectomy plus hepatic surgical treatment may provide hope for long-term survival of judiciously selected patients with hepatic metastases from gastric cancer. Patients with a low degree of lymph node metastases and H1 liver metastases would make the most appropriate candidates. However, if D2 dissection cannot be achieved, hepatic surgical treatment is not recommended.

Aged ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; secondary ; surgery ; Lymph Node Excision ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; complications ; mortality ; surgery ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous placements of a biliary stent for obstructive jaundice secondary to metastatic gastric cancer after gastrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients (mean age, 62.4 years; range, 27-86 years) who underwent percutaneous placements of a biliary stent for obstructive jaundice secondary to metastatic gastric cancer after gastrectomy were included. The technical success rate, clinical success rate, complication rate, stent patency, patient survival and factors associated with stent patency were being evaluated. RESULTS: The median interval between the gastrectomy and stent placement was 23.1 months (range, 3.9-94.6 months). The 50 patients received a total of 65 stents without any major procedure-related complications. Technical success was achieved in all patients. The mean total serum bilirubin level, which had been 7.19 mg/dL +/- 6.8 before stent insertion, decreased to 4.58 mg/dL +/- 5.4 during the first week of follow-up (p < 0.001). Clinical success was achieved in 42 patients (84%). Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage catheters were removed from 45 patients (90%). Infectious complications were noted in two patients (4%), and stent malfunction occurred in seven patients (14%). The median stent patency was 233 +/- 99 days, and the median patient survival was 179 +/- 83 days. Total serum bilirubin level after stenting was an independent factor for stent patency (p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: Percutaneous transhepatic placement of a biliary stent for obstructive jaundice secondary to metastatic gastric cancer after gastrectomy is a technically feasible and clinically effective palliative procedure.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bile Duct Neoplasms/complications/secondary/*surgery ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic/*surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive/diagnosis/etiology/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prosthesis Design ; Retrospective Studies ; *Stents ; Stomach Neoplasms/*complications/secondary/surgery ; Treatment Outcome

Gastric cancer patients with severe liver dysfunction secondary to hepatic metastases have limited treatment options. Most cytotoxic drugs have a narrow therapeutic index. Although both capecitabine and oxaliplatin have been well tolerated as single agents for patients with severe hepatic dysfunction, the combination of these drugs has not been investigated. We report here on a case of successful treatment of a patient suffering with severe liver dysfunction and metastatic gastric cancer; the patient was treated with a combination of capecitabine and oxaliplatin (XELOX). The initial bilirubin level of the patient was 10.9 mg/dL. After two cycles of treatment, his bilirubin level decreased to 2.1 mg/dL. He has experienced an excellent radiological response and he has received six cycles of XELOX chemotherapy. XELOX chemotherapy is feasible and it can be associated with positive outcomes for the patients suffering with metastatic gastric cancer and severe liver dysfunction.
Stomach Neoplasms/complications/*pathology/surgery ; Prodrugs ; Organoplatinum Compounds/*therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Liver Neoplasms/complications/*drug therapy/secondary ; Liver Function Tests ; Liver Failure/diagnosis/drug therapy/*etiology ; Humans ; Gastrectomy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fluorouracil/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Deoxycytidine/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents/*therapeutic use ; Adenocarcinoma/complications/secondary/*therapy