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Ambulatory placement of gastrostomy tubes is viable and safe in head and neck cancer patients in good clinical condition. The early complication rates are similar to those described for hospitalized patients. Unnecessary admissions are avoided and costs of hospitalization are reduced.

-Context -Gastric cancer is the second most common cause of cancer related death worldwide. Although Helicobacter pylori has been classified as a class I carcinogen, the presence of infection is not a factor that alone is able to lead to gastric cancer, and one of the possible explanations for this is the existence of different strains of H. pylori with different degrees of virulence.Objectives -To investigate the association between cagA-positive H. pylori and gastric cancer, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of this bacterial strain. Methods -Twenty-nine patients with gastric cancer were matched by sex and age (± 5 years) with 58 patients without gastric cancer, submitted to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. All patients were evaluated for the status of infection by H. pylori (through urease test, histological analysis and PCR for the genes ureA and 16SrRNA) and by cagA-positive strain (through PCR for cagA gene).

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Background: Buried bumper syndrome (BBS) is a major complication of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) in which the internal bumper migrates from the gastric lumen into the gastrostomy tract. The aim of the present study was to describe the frequency and characteristics of BBS in cancer patients. Methods: Retrospective chart review of cancer patients submitted to PEG placement. Results: Thirteen cases of BBS were diagnosed among 213 PEG procedures, with an incidence of 6.1%. The interval between PEG and BBS varied from 7 to 630 days (mean 217.5 days). All patients were treated on an outpatient basis. There were six partial, four subtotal and three total BBS. Three partial and four subtotal BBS were treated by external traction and replacement with a balloon-tipped tube. In three cases of partial BBS the PEG tube was not removed, just repositioned. In three cases of total BBS it was necessary to redo the PEG procedure. Conclusion: BBS is an uncommon and usually late complication of PEG. Most of our cases were detected early, due to instructions provided to patients and caregivers and regular follow up. Early diagnosis permits simple treatment consisting of replacement of the original PEG tube by a balloon-tube or repositioning the original system.