Summary Background 80% of individuals with cancer will require a surgical procedure, yet little comparative data exist on early outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared postoperative outcomes in breast, colorectal, and gastric cancer surgery in hospitals worldwide, focusing on the effect of disease stage and complications on postoperative mortality. Methods This was a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients undergoing surgery for primary breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer requiring a skin incision done under general or neuraxial anaesthesia. The primary outcome was death or major complication within 30 days of surgery. Multilevel logistic regression determined relationships within three-level nested models of patients within hospitals and countries. Hospital-level infrastructure effects were explored with three-way mediation analyses. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03471494 . Findings Between April 1, 2018, and Jan 31, 2019, we enrolled 15 958 patients from 428 hospitals in 82 countries (high income 9106 patients, 31 countries; upper-middle income 2721 patients, 23 countries; or lower-middle income 4131 patients, 28 countries). Patients in LMICs presented with more advanced disease compared with patients in high-income countries. 30-day mortality was higher for gastric cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (adjusted odds ratio 3·72, 95% CI 1·70–8·16) and for colorectal cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (4·59, 2·39–8·80) and upper-middle-income countries (2·06, 1·11–3·83). No difference in 30-day mortality was seen in breast cancer. The proportion of patients who died after a major complication was greatest in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (6·15, 3·26–11·59) and upper-middle-income countries (3·89, 2·08–7·29). Postoperative death after complications was partly explained by patient factors (60%) and partly by hospital or country (40%). The absence of consistently available postoperative care facilities was associated with seven to 10 more deaths per 100 major complications in LMICs. Cancer stage alone explained little of the early variation in mortality or postoperative complications. Interpretation Higher levels of mortality after cancer surgery in LMICs was not fully explained by later presentation of disease. The capacity to rescue patients from surgical complications is a tangible opportunity for meaningful intervention. Early death after cancer surgery might be reduced by policies focusing on strengthening perioperative care systems to detect and intervene in common complications. Funding National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Unit.

HighlightsHeterotopic ossification (HO) is related with the abnormal bone formation in tissues that normally do not ossify.Heterotopic mesenteric ossification is a rare form of HO, characterized by the formation of an ossificant pseudotumor in the mesenteric base.Pathophysiology of HO has been postulated to be due to osteoblastic metaplasia of multipotent mesenchymal cells in response to stimulus.Prognosis of HO is generally good, so treatment should be conservative, avoiding surgery to prevent further ossification.

HighlightsFifty percent of patients with pancreatic cancer present with metastatic disease.Metastasis to the colon is a very rare entity.Only 5 cases are reported in English literature.The patient presented to the surgical consult with a diagnosis of sigmoid cancer.The pathological analysis revealed an adenocarcinoma with pancreatic origin.

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Abdominal wall hernia is a common and usually straightforward pathology presenting in surgery clinics. On occasion, the surgeon is faced with unexpected findings requiring difficult intraoperative decision. We present a case of pseudomyxoma peritonei incidentally found during surgery for epigastric hernia. The patient complained of a long lasting epigastric hernia with recent onset pain and growth. Surgery was limited to laparoscopic incisional biopsy of mucinous peritoneal deposit, confirming the diagnosis and suggesting an appendiceal origin. The patient was subsequently referred to a specialized peritoneal cancer unit for definitive treatment which consisted of cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, which can be compromised by previous organ resection. This case highlights the importance of maintaining a high level of suspicion before unusual clinical courses of common pathology.