Annals of surgical oncology
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The failure to translate cancer knowledge into action contributes to regional, national, and international health inequities. Disparities in cancer care are the most severe in low-resource settings, where delivery obstacles are compounded by health infrastructure deficits and inadequate basic services. Global cancer consortiums (GCCs) have developed to strengthen cancer care expertise, advance knowledge on best practices, and bridge the cancer gap worldwide. Within the complex matrix of public health priorities, consensus is emerging on cost-effective cancer care interventions in low- and medium-resource countries, which include the critical role of surgical services. Distinct from traditional health partnerships that collaborate to provide care at the local level, GCCs collaborate more broadly to establish consensus on best practice models for service delivery. To realize the benefit of programmatic interventions and achieve tangible improvements in patient outcomes, GCCs must construct and share evidence-based implementation strategies to be tested in real world settings. ⋯ Implementation research should inform consensus formation, program delivery, and outcome monitoring to achieve the goals articulated by GCCs. Fundamental steps to successful implementation are: (1) to adopt an integrated, multisectoral plan with local involvement; (2) to define shared implementation priorities by establishing care pathways that avoid prescriptive but suboptimal health care delivery; (3) to build capacity through education, technology transfer, and surveillance of outcomes; and (4) to promote equity and balanced collaboration. GCCs can bridge the gap between what is known and what is done, translating normative sharing of clinical expertise into tangible improvements in patient care.
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Comparative Study
Laparoscopic transabdominal approach partial intersphincteric resection for low rectal cancer: surgical feasibility and intermediate-term outcome.
Traditionally, conventional intersphincteric resection requires a combined abdominal and perineal approach and a handsewn coloanal anastomosis procedure, which is difficult to accomplish via the perineal approach. A completely abdominal approach partial intersphincteric resection (APISR) with laparoscopy can simplify the anastomosis procedure. This study evaluated the intermediate-term oncological and functional results of laparoscopic versus open APISR for low rectal cancer. ⋯ Laparoscopic APISR can be performed safely and offers similar intermediate-term oncological and functional outcome compared with the open procedure. The oncological adequacy requires long-term follow-up data.
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Comparative Study
The impact of open versus laparoscopic resection for colon cancer on C-reactive protein concentrations as a predictor of postoperative infective complications.
There is increasing evidence that C-reactive protein is a useful negative predictor of infective complications and anastomotic leak following surgery for colorectal cancer. In particular, C-reactive protein concentrations on postoperative days 3 and 4 have been proposed to be of clinical utility since they aid safe and early discharge of selected patients following colorectal surgery. However, it is not clear whether such thresholds are also applicable in laparoscopic surgery. The aim of the present study was to compare the value of daily C-reactive protein concentrations in the prediction of postoperative infective complications in patients undergoing open versus laparoscopic resection for colon cancer. ⋯ The results of the present study show that although the magnitude of the systemic inflammatory response, as evidenced by C-reactive protein, following surgery was greater in open compared with laparoscopic resection, the threshold concentrations of C-reactive protein for the development of postoperative infective complications were remarkably similar on days 3 and 4.
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Clinical Trial
Pre-operative assessment of muscle mass to predict surgical complications and prognosis in patients with endometrial cancer.
Sarcopenia or loss of skeletal muscle mass is an objective measure of frailty associated with functional impairment and disability. This study aimed to examine the impact of sarcopenia on surgical complications and survival outcomes in patients with endometrial cancer. ⋯ Sarcopenia has an impact on recurrence-free survival, but does not appear to have a negative impact on surgical outcomes or overall survival among endometrial cancer patients who undergo preoperative CT scan.
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A positive cytology of peritoneal lavage fluid (CY1) is a poor prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer (GC). We have recently reported that CY1 often changes to negative (CY0) following combination chemotherapy including intraperitoneal (IP) paclitaxel (PTX), which results in marked prolongation of survival in GC patients with peritoneal dissemination (P1). ⋯ Periodic cytological examination of peritoneal lavage fluid is clinically useful to evaluate the efficacy of treatment as well as to predict the outcome of patients with P1 GC.