Impact of laparoscopic surgery on short‐term and long‐term outcomes in elderly obese patients with colon cancer

[Background] Laparoscopic surgery is reported to be useful in obese or elderly patients with colon cancer, who are at increased risk of postoperative complications because of comorbidities and physical decline. However, its usefulness is less clear in patients who are both elderly and obese and may be at high risk of complications. [Methods] Data for obese patients (body mass index ≥25) who underwent laparoscopic or open surgery for stage II or III colon cancer between January 2009 and December 2013 were collected by the Japan Society of Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery. Surgical outcomes, postoperative complications, and relapse-free survival (RFS) were compared between patients who underwent open surgery and those who underwent laparoscopic surgery according to whether they were elderly (≥70 y) or nonelderly (<70 y). [Results] Data of 1549 patients (elderly, n = 598; nonelderly, n = 951) satisfied the selection criteria for analysis. Length of stay was shorter and surgical wound infection was less common in elderly obese patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery than in those underwent open surgery. There were no significant between-group differences in overall complications, anastomotic leakage, ileus/small bowel obstruction, or RFS. There were also no significant differences in RFS after laparoscopic surgery according to patient age. [Conclusion] Laparoscopic surgery is safe in elderly obese patients with colon cancer and does not worsen their prognosis. There was no significant difference in the effectiveness of laparoscopic surgery between obese patients who were elderly and those who were nonelderly

Oncologic outcomes after resection of para-aortic lymph node metastasis in left-sided colon and rectal cancer.

AimThe optimal surgical management strategy for para-aortic lymph node (PALN) metastasis has not attracted as much attention as surgery for liver or lung metastasis. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the oncologic outcomes after synchronous resection of PALN metastasis in left-sided colon and rectal cancer.MethodsBetween January 1986 and August 2016, 29 patients with pathologically positive PALN metastases who underwent curative resection at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. We examined clinicopathological characteristics, long-term oncologic outcomes, and factors related to favorable prognosis in these patients.ResultsThe 3-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were 50.5% and 17.2%, respectively. In total, 6 (20.7%) patients experienced no recurrence in the 3 years after surgery, while postoperative complications were seen in 9 (31.0%) patients. The 3-year RFS rate was significantly better in the pM1a group than in the pM1b/pM1c group (26.3% and 0.0%, respectively, p = 0.032).ConclusionPALN dissection for patients without other organ metastases in left-sided colon or rectal cancer is a good indication as it is for liver and lung metastasis

Hydrophilic Titania Thin Films from a Molecular Precursor Film Formed via Electrospray Deposition on a Quartz Glass Substrate Precoated with Carbon Nanotubes

Titania precursor films were electrosprayed on a quartz glass substrate, which was pre-modified with an ultra-thin film obtained by spin-coating a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) dispersed solution. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the thin films obtained by heat-treating the precursor films at 500 &deg;C in air for 1 h indicated that the formed crystals were anatase. A new route to fabricate transparent thin films on the insulating substrate via electrospray deposition (ESD) was thus attained. The photoluminescence spectrum of the thin film showed a peak at 2.23 eV, assignable to the self-trapped exciton of anatase. The Raman spectrum of the thin film demonstrated that heat treatment is useful for removing SWCNTs. The thin film showed a water contact angle of 14 &plusmn; 2&deg; even after being kept under dark conditions for 1 h, indicating a high level of hydrophilicity. Additionally, the thin film had a super-hydrophilic surface with a water contact angle of 1 &plusmn; 1&deg; after ultraviolet light irradiation with an intensity of 4.5 mW cm&minus;2 at 365 nm for 1 h. The importance of Ti3+ ions in the co-present amorphous phase, which was dominantly formed via the ESD process, for hydrophilicity was also clarified by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Impact of laparoscopic surgery on short‐term and long‐term outcomes in elderly obese patients with colon cancer

[Background] Laparoscopic surgery is reported to be useful in obese or elderly patients with colon cancer, who are at increased risk of postoperative complications because of comorbidities and physical decline. However, its usefulness is less clear in patients who are both elderly and obese and may be at high risk of complications. [Methods] Data for obese patients (body mass index ≥25) who underwent laparoscopic or open surgery for stage II or III colon cancer between January 2009 and December 2013 were collected by the Japan Society of Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery. Surgical outcomes, postoperative complications, and relapse-free survival (RFS) were compared between patients who underwent open surgery and those who underwent laparoscopic surgery according to whether they were elderly (≥70 y) or nonelderly (<70 y). [Results] Data of 1549 patients (elderly, n = 598; nonelderly, n = 951) satisfied the selection criteria for analysis. Length of stay was shorter and surgical wound infection was less common in elderly obese patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery than in those underwent open surgery. There were no significant between-group differences in overall complications, anastomotic leakage, ileus/small bowel obstruction, or RFS. There were also no significant differences in RFS after laparoscopic surgery according to patient age. [Conclusion] Laparoscopic surgery is safe in elderly obese patients with colon cancer and does not worsen their prognosis. There was no significant difference in the effectiveness of laparoscopic surgery between obese patients who were elderly and those who were nonelderly