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

PURPOSE: The presence of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer and its treatment might aggravate patient nutritional status. Malnutrition is one of the major factors affecting the postoperative course. We evaluated changes in perioperative nutritional status and risk factors of postoperative severe malnutrition in the GI cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nutritional status was prospectively evaluated using patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) perioperatively between May and September 2011. RESULTS: A total of 435 patients were enrolled. Among them, 279 patients had been diagnosed with gastric cancer and 156 with colorectal cancer. Minimal invasive surgery was performed in 225 patients. PG-SGA score increased from 4.5 preoperatively to 10.6 postoperatively (p<0.001). Ten patients (2.3%) were severely malnourished preoperatively, increasing to 115 patients (26.3%) postoperatively. In gastric cancer patients, postoperative severe malnourishment increased significantly (p<0.006). In univariate analysis, old age (>60, p<0.001), male sex (p=0.020), preoperative weight loss (p=0.008), gastric cancer (p<0.001), and open surgery (p<0.001) were indicated as risk factors of postoperative severe malnutrition. In multivariate analysis, old age, preoperative weight loss, gastric cancer, and open surgery remained significant as risk factors of severe malnutrition. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of severe malnutrition among GI cancer patients in this study increased from 2.3% preoperatively to 26.3% after an operation. Old age, preoperative weight loss, gastric cancer, and open surgery were shown to be risk factors of postoperative severe malnutrition. In patients at high risk of postoperative severe malnutrition, adequate nutritional support should be considered.
Colorectal Neoplasms/surgery ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/*surgery ; Humans ; Malnutrition/diagnosis ; *Nutritional Status ; Postoperative Complications ; Risk Factors ; Stomach Neoplasms/surgery

Gastritis cystica profunda (GCP) is an uncommon hyperplastic benign lesion, and histologically characterized by hyperplasia and cystic dilatation of the gastric glands extending into the submucosal layer. GCP usually occurs at a gastroenterostomy site, although it can occasionally be found in an unoperated stomach. GCP is thought to be a possible precancerous lesion, since a few early gastric cancers associated with it were reported. Herein, we report a case of gastric adenoma associated with GCP in an unoperated patient. The sizes of both the GCP and adenoma overlying it have increased during a 10 year follow-up period. Adenoma on the latest biopsy showed low grade dysplasia, and it was successfully treated by endoscopic submucosal dissection.
Adenoma/complications/*diagnosis/surgery ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastritis/complications/*diagnosis/ultrasonography ; Gastroenterostomy ; Humans ; Precancerous Conditions ; Stomach Neoplasms/complications/*diagnosis/surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The incidence of gastric cancer in the elderly is increasing because of increased life expectancy and improved medical care. Gastric cancer in the elderly is characterized by specific clinicopathological features, including a male-predominance gender tendency, more comorbid diseases, more advanced clinical stage, distinct histopathological findings, absence of family history, etc. The incidence of surgery-related post-operative complication shows no significant difference between elderly and non-elderly patients. However, the incidence of non-surgery-related complications is relatively higher in elderly patients. Although the overall survival rate of elderly patients is lower, the disease-specific survival rate of elderly patients is comparable with non-elderly patients. Therefore, surgery is still an effective way to improve the prognosis of elderly gastric cancer patients, and care should be taken while dealing with the comorbid diseases in elderly gastric cancer patients to improve the survival.
Aged ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Survival Rate

Gastric lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma is a rare carcinoma among gastric malignant tumor but has a good prognosis. The carcinoma has histologic feature characterized by small nest of cancer cells mixed with lymphoid stroma. We report a case with lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of stomach initially presenting as panperitonitis because of spontaneous tumor perforation. A 56-year-old man visited our emergency room because of epigastric pain. A preoperative abdominal CT scan showed a massive pneumoperitoneum in the upper abdomen, and the presence of gastric cancer in the lesser curvature of the stomach. An emergent laparotomy was performed followed by radical subtotal gastrectomy. Pathologic examination revealed that the tumor was a lymphoepithelioma-like gastric carcinoma.
Carcinoma/*diagnosis/pathology/therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Lymphoma/radiography/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoperitoneum/etiology/radiography/surgery ; Rupture, Spontaneous ; Stomach Neoplasms/*complications/*diagnosis/pathology/therapy ; Stomach Rupture/*complications/radiography/surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been successfully performed in thrombocytopenic conditions such as in patients with liver cirrhosis but successful ESD for early gastric cancer (EGC) in hematologic diseases has rarely been reported. A 52-year-old male patient, who had previously been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome 2 years ago, was admitted to our hospital for ESD of EGC. ESD was performed successfully in this patient after platelet concentrates transfusion on the day of ESD. ESD might be an option for the treatment of EGC in thrombocytopenia due to hematologic diseases when optimal supportive managements are applied.
Early Detection of Cancer ; Endosonography ; Gastric Mucosa/*surgery ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Stomach Neoplasms/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is widely accepted as a standard treatment for early gastric cancer or gastric adenoma. However, EMR inevitably results in the formation of large iatrogenic ulcer at the resected area. Although the characteristics of EMR-induced ulceration are not fully understood, this type of ulcer is thought to heal faster and to recur less often than non-iatrogenic gastric ulcer. Current available evidences have suggested that EMR-induced ulcers heal within 2-3 months. Herein, we report two cases of non-healing persistent gastric ulcers after EMR. One is a case of gastric carcinoma which developed at the same site of previous EMR site for the low grade dysplasia. The other is a case in which persistent EMR-induced ulcer was healed in the long run after Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy.
Aged ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Gastric Mucosa/pathology/*surgery ; Helicobacter Infections/complications/drug therapy ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stomach Neoplasms/complications/diagnosis/*surgery ; Stomach Ulcer/diagnosis/*etiology/pathology

Postoperative complications after gastric cancer surgery has their own specificity and complexity, and the strategies for prevention and treatment should be of equal emphasis on both theory and technology. Based on the knowledge and familiarity with different postoperative complications, to efficiently prevent them, it is not only necessary to strengthen the training of acknowledged operative strategy, smooth and precise surgical techniques, but also to address the importance of overall preoperative assessment for patients, to treat the basic diseases, and to improve and correct their general conditions. Combining with the concept and basic protocol of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS), it is preferred to work out an individualized perioperative preventing strategy for patients who have high risk factors of specific postoperative complications. After the operation, to guarantee intensive and individual managements for patients, to catch early abnormal signs, then to make early and precise diagnosis, and to do timely response and accurate treatments, including timely and proper re-operations, can improve the efficacy of complications and promote the recovery of patients as soon as possible.
Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; rehabilitation ; Humans ; Patient Care Planning ; standards ; Perioperative Care ; methods ; standards ; Postoperative Complications ; diagnosis ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Reoperation ; standards ; Stomach Neoplasms ; surgery

Intrahepatic abscess is an unusual complication of peptic ulcer disease. We present a case of gastric cancer in which the ulcer penetrated into the left lobe of liver with subsequent abscess and fistula formation. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy confirmed ulcers and a fistula opening in the antrum. Abdominal computed tomogram showed a subcapsular liver abscess adjacent to the gastric antrum. Subtotal gastrectomy with curettage of the fistulous tract was performed. The final diagnosis was the signet ring cell gastric carcinoma complicating subcapsular liver abscess. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case in Korea.
Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Female ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae/isolation & purification ; Liver Abscess/diagnosis/*etiology/microbiology ; Middle Aged ; Peptic Ulcer Perforation/*complications/diagnosis ; Stomach Neoplasms/complications/*diagnosis/surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Radical surgery of gastric cancer (D2 lymph node dissection) as the standard operation is widely used in clinical practice and satisfactory prognosis can be obtained in patients who receive radical gastrectomy. But surgical invasion can cause high morbidity of complications and mortality. The data of large-scale evidence-based medical clinical trials and large databases in Japan and Korea showed that anastomotic leakage, pancreatic leakage and abdominal abscess were the most common complications after gastrectomy, and the morbidity of complication was about 20% and mortality was about 1%. The risk factors such as elderly, obesity, and comorbidities may increase the morbidity of complications and mortality, and these factors were regarded as poor predictors after operation. Postoperative complications criteria of gastric cancer surgery is mainly used with Clavien-Dindo classification of surgical complications as international standard, and this criteria is also used in Korea. The postoperative complications are evaluated with the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE v4.0) and Japanese Clinical Oncology Group(JCOG) postoperative complications criteria for grading definitions of postoperative complications after gastric surgery in Japan. These classifications of postoperative complications criteria were adopted widely in Japan with large-scale evidence-based medical clinical trials of gastric cancer. PS, ASA, POSSUM, E-PASS, APACHE-II(, Charison weighted index of comorbidities (WIC), Frailty Score was used in predicting postoperative mortality and morbidity in gastric cancer patients. These risk factors were assigned points in scoring systems to objectively evaluate risk of surgery, and surgical operation method was one of the risk factors on the basis of these scoring systems. We can use these scoring systems for choosing reasonable surgical methods and proper perioperative management.
APACHE ; Gastrectomy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Health Status Indicators ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Lymph Node Excision ; adverse effects ; Patient Care Planning ; standards ; Perioperative Care ; methods ; Postoperative Complications ; classification ; diagnosis ; mortality ; prevention & control ; Prognosis ; Risk Assessment ; methods ; Risk Factors ; Stomach Neoplasms ; complications ; surgery