Il linfonodo sentinella nei tumori del colon

Introduzione. I tumori maligni possono dare metastasi seguendo il sistema linfatico in modo sequenziale. In ogni catena linfatica al primo linfonodo che drena la regione dove si è sviluppato il tumore viene dato il nome di “linfonodo sentinella’’ (LS). Obiettivo dello studio. L’obiettivo principale del presente studio è la determinazione del valore predittivo della metodica del linfonodo sentinella nella stadiazione del cancro colico non metastatico. Pazienti e metodi. Abbiamo effettuato uno studio prospettico arruolando pazienti con adenocarcinoma del colon che soddisfacessero i seguenti criteri: - età minima di 18 anni; - stadiazione con colonoscopia, Rx torace, ecografia o TC addome completo per selezionare pazienti con adenocarcinoma del colon T2-T3 senza metastasi linfonodali ed epatiche; - rischio anestesiologico ASA 1-3; - consenso informato. A seguito della resezione colica con linfadenectomia è stata eseguita un’iniezione sottomucosa di colorante vitale (patent blue) che ha permesso di identificare il linfonodo sentinella. I linfonodi sono stati sottoposti ad esame istologico con ematossilina-eosina e successivamente con tecnica immunoistochimica. Risultati. Dal gennaio a dicembre 2008, 26 pazienti sono stati arruolati in questo studio prospettico. Di questi sono stati considerati elegibili per il nostro studio solamente 14 pazienti. L’esame con ematossilina - eosina dei linfonodi ha evidenziato: a) in 4 casi su 14 (28,57%) erano presenti metastasi sui linfonodi contenuti nel mesocolon, b) in 10 casi su 14 (71,42%) erano assenti metastasi sui linfonodi contenuti nel mesocolon. Nei casi in cui non erano presenti metastasi, all’esame con ematossilina-eosina, nei linfonodi del mesocolon è stato eseguito l’esame istologico dei linfonodi sentinella con tecnica immunoistochimica; in 2 casi è stata evidenziata la presenza di micrometastasi. In un caso sono state identificate linee aberranti di drenaggio mesenterico (skip metastasis); il linfonodo sentinella (negativo all’esame con ematossilina eosina) è stato studiato con tecnica immunoistochimica che non ha evidenziato la presenza di micrometastasi. Conclusioni. È possibile affermare che l’esame del linfonodo sentinella è fattibile con la metodica ex vivo. Nel 20% dei casi da noi studiati a livello dei LS sono presenti micrometastasi non evidenziate al classico esame con ematossilina-eosina. Lo studio dei linfonodi sentinella con sezioni multiseriate e tecniche immunoistochimiche consente un miglioramento della stadiazione patologica

META-ANALYSIS OF FIBRIN GLUE VERSUS SURGERY TREATMENT OF FISTULA-IN-ANO

To evaluate the convenience in terms of recurrence and fecal incontinence rates of fibrin glue versus surgical treatment in the management of fistula-in-ano. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies (CCTs) comparing conventional surgical treatment versus fibrin glue treatment in patients with perianal fistulae were identified using a predefined search strategy. The post treatment anal incontinence rate and the fistula recurrence rates between the two operations were compared by using the methods provided by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The lack of homogeneity of results between the different studies did not allow to analyze other secondary outcomes. Patients with cryptoglandular and Crohn's anal fistula were enrolled in the analysis. The employed fibrin glue came from commercial kits: Beriplast (Aventis Behring, Sussex, United Kingdom) and Tisseal or Tissucol (Baxter, Inc, Mississauga, Ontario). Surgical conventional treatment consisted of fistulotomy, placement of a cutting or loose latex seton and advancement mucosal flap closure. All patients were followed up at 6 and 12 weeks, the longest follow up was 6 months. Two RCTs (106 patients) and 1 non randomized studies (232 patients) were identified. The recurrence rate is higher, although still not statistically significant, in those patients who underwent fibrin glue injection (44/81) versus conventional surgical treatment (108/230), (OR: 0.44; 95 %CI: 0.12-1.68; P = 0.23). Furthermore in the analysis of the subgroup of RCTs alone there were not significant differences with the previous results of RCTs with CCT analysis (OR: 0.33; 95 %CI: 0.03-3.66; P = 0.37). In the same way the analysis of the subgroup of RCTs with complex anal fistulae were not statistically significant and similar to the previous results regarding all type of fistulas (OR: 0.86; 95 %CI: 0.01-72.36; P = 0.95). The analysis of post-operative anal incontinence showed no difference between the group who underwent fibrin glue injection (9/230) and the conventional surgical treatment group (10/81), (OR: 1.00; 95 %CI: 0.43-2.34; P = 1.00). A very low heterogeneity in the analysis was detected (Chi-square = 0.04 - P = 0%). Our statistical analysis does not show any significant statistical difference between fibrin glue treatment versus conventional surgical treatment for all perianal fistulae in terms of recurrence (P = 0.23) and anal incontinence (P = 1.00)

The sentinel lymph node mapping in colon cancer.

Malignant tumors of the colon can metastases along the lymphatic system in a sequential way, which means that there will be a first node to be involved and then from this disease will pass to another node and so gradually. The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node or group of nodes reached by metastasizing cancer cells from a tumor. The present work aims to determine the predictive value of the sentinel lymph node procedure in the staging of non-metastatic colon cancer. In this prospective study joined up only 26 patients with adenocarcinoma of the colon T2-T3, without systemic metastases, and with these criteria for inclusion: a) minimum age: 18 years old; b) staging by total colonoscopy, chest X-ray and CT scan; c) patients classified as ASA 1-3; d) informed consent. Within 20 minutes from the colic resection, the bowel was cut completely along the antimesenteric margin and is performed submucosal injection of vital dye within 5 mm from the lesion at the level of the four cardinal points; then the lymph nodes are placed in formalin and sent to the pathologist. The lymph nodes were subjected to histological examination with haematoxylin-eosin and with the immunohistochemistry technique. From January to December 2008 only 26 patients joined up in this prospective study. From the study were excluded the 4 patients with T4 and M1 tumour. Also 7 patients with stenotic lesions were excluded. Patients considered eligible for our study were only 14. The histopathological examination of haematoxylin-eosin revealed: a) in 4 cases were detected mesocolic lymph node metastases; b) in 10 cases were not detected mesocolic lymph node metastases. In cases there were no metastases, the mesocolic sentinel lymph nodes lymph nodes were examined with immunohistochemical technique; in 2 cases were revealed the presence of micrometastases. In one case was identified aberrant lymphatic drainage patterns (skip metastasis); the sentinel lymph node (negative examination wit eaematoxylin-eosin) was studied with immunohistochemical technique that has not revealed the presence of micrometastases. Examination of the sentinel node is feasible with the ex vivo method. Using the immunohistochemical technique we detect micrometastasis in 20% of the cases, not revealed with the classical haematoxylin-eosin examination. The study of sentinel lymph node with multilevel microsections and immunohistochemical techniques allow a better histopathological staging