Controversy exist regarding the potential benefit of the neoadjuvant approach to pancreatic cancer as limited retrospective data exists comparing pre- with post-operative chemoradiation. The optimal treatment approach remains unclear as we await prospective randomized clinical trials evaluating the hypothesized benefit of the neoadjuvant therapy for resectable pancreatic cancer and as there has...

BACKGROUND Neoadjuvant treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy is the preferred regimen for locally advanced rectal cancer, aiming to increase resectability and decrease local recurrence. AIM To evaluate the benefits of delayed surgery after neoadjuvant chemoradiation in advanced rectal cancer regarding aspects of tumor response, survival and its deleterious effects. METHODS Were treat...

PURPOSE In the current study we examined the ability of diffusion MRI (dMRI) to predict pathologic response in pancreatic cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiation. METHODS We performed a prospective pilot study of dMRI in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer. Patients underwent dMRI prior to neoadjuvant chemoradiation. Surgical specimens were graded according to the percent ...

BACKGROUND Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) patients have poorer survival and local control with mediastinal node (N2) tumor involvement at resection. Earlier assessment of nodal burden could inform clinical decision-making prior to surgery. This study evaluated the association between clinical outcomes and lymph node volume before and after neoadjuvant therapy. MATERIAL...

BACKGROUND Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy does not alter anal sphincter preservation or postoperative complications compared with short-course radiotherapy alone in patients with clinical stage T3 or T4 resectable rectal cancer. The aim of this study was to compare survival, local control and late toxicity in the two treatment groups. METHODS The study randomized 312 patients to receive either...

Neoadjuvant treatment in terms of preoperative radiotherapy reduces local recurrence in rectal cancer, but this improvement has little if any impact on overall survival. Currently performed optimal quality-controlled total mesorectal excision (TME) surgery for patients in the trial setting can be associated with very low local recurrence rates of less than 10% whether the patients receive radio...

BACKGROUND Preoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer result in changes to the vessels that are used to construct microsurgical anastomoses. The aim of the study was to investigate quantitative changes and HSP70 expression of irradiated neck recipient vessels and transplant vessels used for microsurgical anastomoses. METHODS Of 20 patients included in thi...

CONTEXT Various techniques for reconstruction after superior mesenteric-splenic-portal vein confluence resection during pancreaticoduodenectomy have been introduced. A certain kind of vascular grafting may be necessary especially when long segmental resection of superior mesenteric-splenic-portal vein confluence is required. CASE REPORT We herein report the cases of two patients who underwent...

Esophageal cancer (EC) is an aggressive malignancy with increasing incidence worldwide. Surgery is still the most effective treatment, however, both the high rate of local and distant recurrences and surgery-related complications led us to investigate new preoperative strategies. In this review, we discuss the role of neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced EC with a focus on preoperative chem...