Compared with the extracorporeal anastomosis technique, intracorporeal ileocolic anastomosis produces comparable short- and long-term outcomes in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for colon cancer.

Cytogenetic and molecular studies were performed on two dmin-bearing acute myelogenous leukemia (FAB-M2) samples. Both cases were characterized by complex karyotypes containing interstitial deletions of the long arm of chromosome 8 altering band 8q24.1, aberrations affecting the short arm of chromosome 17, and multiple double minute chromosomes (dmin). Using a 1.4 kb cDNA probe coding for the third exon of the MYC oncogene, DNA slot blots indicated MYC gene sequences were amplified in both samples. Fluorescence in situ hybridization using a 9.0 kb genomic probe for MYC was performed in one case and localized the amplified MYC gene sequences to the dmin. Neither patient achieved a complete remission using traditional induction chemotherapy. The complex karyology with amplification of MYC gene sequences appears to represent a poor prognostic subgroup of acute myelogenous leukemia.

Background Toxicity from neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (NT) increases morbidity and limits therapeutic efficacy in patients with rectal cancer. Our objective was to determine whether specific polymorphisms in genes associated with rectal cancer response to NT correlate with NT-related toxicity. Methods One hundred thirty-two patients with locally advanced rectal cancer were treated with NT followed by surgery. All patients received 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and radiation (RT), and 80 patients also received modified FOLFOX-6 (mFOLFOX-6) chemotherapy. Grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) that occurred during 5-FU/RT and 5-FU/RT+mFOLFOX-6 were recorded. Pretreatment biopsies and normal rectal tissue were collected from all patients. DNA was extracted and screened for 22 polymorphisms in 17 genes associated with response to NT. Polymorphisms were correlated with treatment-related Grade ≥3 AEs. Results Overall 27 of 132 (20%) patients had Grade ≥3 AEs; 24 of 132 (18%) patients had Grade ≥3 AEs during 5-FU/RT, 9 of 80 (11%) patients had Grade ≥3 AEs during mFOLFOX-6, and 6 (5%) patients had Grade ≥3 AEs during both 5-FU/RT and mFOLFOX-6. Polymorphisms in XRCC1, XPD, and TP53 were associated with Grade ≥3 AEs during NT (p<0.05). Specifically, the XRCC1 Q399R and XPD K751Q polymorphisms were associated with increased toxicity to 5-FU/RT (p<0.05), and the TP53 R72P polymorphism was associated with increased toxicity to mFOLFOX-6 (p=0.008). Conclusion Specific polymorphisms in XRCC1, XPD, and TP53 are associated with increased toxicity to NT in rectal cancer. Polymorphism screening may help tailor treatment for patients by selecting therapies with the lowest risk of toxicity thus increasing patient compliance.

Three-dimensional imaging is a useful tool to evaluate liver structure and surrounding vessels for preoperative planning. In this study, we compared two methods of visualizing vascular maps on computed tomography including maximum intensity projection (MIP) and 3D volume rendered (VR) imaging. We compiled important imaging components of pre-surgical planning, and developed criteria for comparison. The imaging techniques were compared based on colorization, volume quantification, rotation, vessel delineation, small vessel clarity, and segmental liver isolation. MIP had more overall limitations due to reduced differentiation of superimposed structures, motion artifact, and interference from calcifications. We determined that because 3D quantitative volume rendered imaging can provide more detail and perspective than MIP imaging, it may be more useful in preoperative planning for patients with liver malignancy. Advanced 3D imaging is a useful tool that can have profound clinical implications on cancer detection and surgical planning.