PURPOSE: Due to adverse events, dose reduction or withdrawal of adjuvant chemotherapy is required for some patients. To identify the predictive factors for tolerability to postoperative adjuvant S-1 monotherapy in gastric cancer (GC) patients, we evaluated the predictive values of blood indicators. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 98 patients with pStage II/III GC who underwent postoperative adjuvant S-1 monotherapy. We retrospectively analyzed correlations between 14 parameters obtained from perioperative routine blood tests to assess their influence on the withdrawal of postoperative adjuvant S-1 monotherapy, within 6 months after discontinuation. RESULTS: Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was discontinued in 21 patients (21.4%) within 6 months. Univariable analysis revealed that high preoperative albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) scores had the highest odds ratio (OR) for predicting the failure of adjuvant S-1 chemotherapy (OR, 6.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.08–20.1; cutoff value, –2.696). The high ALBI group had a significantly shorter time to failure of postoperative adjuvant S-1monotherapy (hazard ratio, 3.48; 95% CI, 1.69–7.25; P=0.001). Multivariable analysis identified high preoperative ALBI score as an independent prognostic factor for tolerability (OR, 10.3; 95% CI, 2.33–45.8; P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative ALBI shows promise as an indicator associated with the tolerability of adjuvant S-1 monotherapy in patients with pStage II/III GC.
Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Drug Therapy ; Gastrectomy ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Odds Ratio ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of 4 main types of gastrectomy for proximal gastric cancer on postoperative symptoms, living status, and quality of life (QOL) using the Postgastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale-45 (PGSAS-45). Materials and Methods: We surveyed 1,685 patients with upper one-third gastric cancer who underwent total gastrectomy (TG; n=1,020), proximal gastrectomy (PG; n=518), TG with jejunal pouch reconstruction (TGJP; n=93), or small remnant distal gastrectomy (SRDG; n=54). The 19 main outcome measures (MOMs) of the PGSAS-45 were compared using the analysis of means (ANOM), and the general QOL score was calculated for each gastrectomy type. Results: Patients who underwent TG experienced the lowest postoperative QOL. ANOM showed that 10 MOMs were worse in patients with TG. Four MOMs improved in patients with PG, while 1 worsened. One MOM was improved in patients with TGJP versus 8 MOMs in patients with SRDG. The general QOL scores were as follows: SRDG (+39 points), TGJP (+6 points), PG (+3 points), and TG (−1 point). Conclusions The TG group experienced the greatest decline in postoperative QOL. SRDG and PG, which preserve part of the stomach without compromising curability, and TGJP, which is used when TG is required, enhance the postoperative QOL of patients with proximal gastric cancer. When selecting the optimal gastrectomy method, it is essential to understand the characteristics of each and actively incorporate guidance to improve postoperative QOL.

PURPOSE: Patients with pathological stage T1N+ or T2–3N0 gastric cancer may experience disease recurrence following curative gastrectomy. However, the current Japanese Gastric Cancer Treatment Guidelines do not recommend postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for such patients. This study aimed to identify the prognostic factors for patients with pT1N+ or pT2–3N0 gastric cancer using a multi-institutional dataset. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data obtained from 401 patients with pT1N+ or pT2–3N0 gastric cancer who underwent curative gastrectomy at 9 institutions between 2010 and 2014. RESULTS: Of the 401 patients assessed, 24 (6.0%) experienced postoperative disease recurrence. Multivariate analysis revealed that age ≥70 years (hazard ratio [HR], 2.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09–7.23; P=0.030) and lymphatic and/or venous invasion (lymphovascular invasion (LVI): HR, 7.88; 95% CI, 1.66–140.9; P=0.005) were independent prognostic factors for poor recurrence-free survival. There was no significant association between LVI and the site of initial recurrence. CONCLUSIONS LVI is an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with pT1N+ or pT2–3N0 gastric cancer.

Background/Aims: Since the usefulness of neoadjuvant chemo(radiation) therapy (NAT) for pancreatic cancer has been demonstrated, recurrent biliary obstruction (RBO) in patients with pancreatic cancer with a fully covered self-expandable metal stent (FCSEMS) during NAT is expected to increase. This study investigated the impact of sarcopenia on RBO in this setting. Methods: Patients were divided into normal and low skeletal muscle index (SMI) groups and retrospectively analyzed. Patient characteristics, overall survival, time to RBO (TRBO), stent-related adverse events, and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify the risk factors for short TRBO. Results: A few significant differences were observed in patient characteristics, overall survival, stent-related adverse events, and postoperative complications between 38 patients in the normal SMI group and 17 in the low SMI group. The median TRBO was not reached in the normal SMI group and was 112 days in the low SMI group (p=0.004). In multivariate analysis, low SMI was the only risk factor for short TRBO, with a hazard ratio of 5.707 (95% confidence interval, 1.148–28.381; p=0.033). Conclusions Sarcopenia was identified as an independent risk factor for RBO in patients with pancreatic cancer with FCSEMS during NAT.