The COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented pressure on healthcare services. Deprioritisation of nonemergency clinical services and growing concerns of adverse outcomes of COVID-19 in cancer patients is having a deleterious impact across oncologic practice. We report cancer surgery outcomes taking into account the acuity of the COVID-19 situation. A prospectively maintained database of the Department of Surgical Oncology was analysed from 1st May to 30th June, 2020, to evaluate the perioperative outcomes, morbidity and mortality following major surgical procedures. A total of 359, preoperatively, tested negative for COVID-19 underwent surgery. Median age was 52 years with 26.7% (n = 96) above the age of 60 years. Sixty-one percent (n = 219) patients were American Society of Anaesthesiology grades II–III. As per surgical complexity grading, 36.8% (n = 132) cases were lower grades (I–III) and 63.2% (n = 227) were complex surgeries (IV–VI). 5.3% (n = 19) had ≥ grade III Clavien-Dindo complication, and the postoperative mortality rate was 0.27% (n = 1). Major complication rates in patients > 60 years were 9.3% in comparison to 4.1% in < 60 years (p = 0·63). The median hospital stay was 1–10 days across subspecialties. Postoperatively, repeat COVID 19 testing in 2 suspected patients were negative. Our study showed that after screening, triaging and prioritisation, asymptomatic cases may undergo cancer surgeries without increased morbidity during COVID-19 pandemic.

Background Minimally invasive colorectal surgery has demonstrated to have the same oncological results as open surgery, with better clinical outcomes. Robotic assistance is an evolution of minimally invasive technique. Purpose The study aims to present technical details and short-term oncological outcomes of robotic-assisted complete mesocolic excision (CME) with central vascular ligation (CVL) for right colon cancer. Methodology Fifty-two consecutive patients affected by right colon cancer were operated between May 2016 and February 2020 with da Vinci Xi platform. Data regarding surgical and short-term oncological outcomes were systematically collected in a colorectal specific database for statistical analysis. Results Thirty-seven (71.15%) and 15 (28.85%) patients underwent right and extended right hemicoletomy with an extracorporeal anastomosis. Median age was 55 years. Mean operative time was 182 ± 36 min. Mean blood loss was 110 ± 90 ml. Conversion rate was 3.84% (two cases). 78.84% (41 cases) were pT3 and mean number of harvested lymph nodes was 28 ± 4. 1/52 (1.92%) had a documented anastomotic leak requiring exploratory laparotomy and diversion proximal ileostomy. Surgery-related grade IIIa–IIIb Calvien Dindo morbidity were noted in 9.61% and 1.92%, respectively. Conclusion Robotic assistance allows performance of oncological adequate dissection of the right colon with radical lymphadenectomy as in open surgery, confirming the safety and oncological adequacy of this technique, with acceptable results and short-term outcomes.

New features on the journal's website Optimized content for mobile and hand-held devices HTML pages have been optimized for mobile and other hand-held devices (such as iPad, Kindle, iPod) for faster browsing speed. Click on Mobile Full text from Table of Contents page. This is simple HTML version for faster download on mobiles (if viewed on desktop, it will be automatically redirected to full HTML version) E-Pub for hand-held devices EPUB is an open e-book standard recommended by The International Digital Publishing Forum which is designed for reflowable content i.e. the text display can be optimized for a particular display device. Click on Epub from Table of Contents page. There are various e-Pub readers such as for Windows: Digital Editions, OS X: Calibre/Bookworm, iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad: Stanza, and Linux: Calibre/ Bookworm. E-Book for desktop One can also see the entire issue as printed here in a 'flip book' version on desktops. Links are available from Current Issue as well as Archives pages. Click on View as eBook

Cancer is responsible for approximately 13% of all causes of death worldwide, and 20% of cancer patients die because of malnutrition and its complications. Malnutrition is common in cancer of stomach and esophagus. Although it is widely accepted that malnutrition adversely affects the postoperative outcome of patients, there is little evidence that perioperative nutrition support can reduce surgical risk in malnourished cancer patients. This prospective study was carried out from December 2016 to July 2017 at the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru. After stratified for age, sex, and tumor localization, patients were selected non-randomly and assigned to study (n = 30, 14 women, 16 men) and control group (n = 30, 14 women, 16 men) as alternate patients. Within 48 h of admission, patients underwent nutritional assessment by the subjective global assessment. Perioperative nutrition was administered in the study group by enteral route only. Patients had a functioning gastrointestinal tract, and they received enteral nutrition (EN). Target intake of non-protein (25 kcal/kg per day) and protein (0.25 g nitrogen/kg per day) was provided using available enteral formulas. This was supplementary to standard hospital diet. Nutritional reassessment after 15 days of intervention showed significant change in nutritional status, which was measured as gain in weight for each patient. There were significant differences in the mortality and complications between the two groups. The total length of hospitalization and postoperative stay of the control patients were significantly longer than those of the study patients. In conclusion, perioperative nutrition support can decrease the incidence of postoperative complications in moderately and severely malnourished gastric and esophageal cancer patients. In addition, it is effective in reducing mortality. Enteral nutrition support alone can be used in the management of malnourished patients undergoing gastric and esophageal surgery.

A 45-year-old female patient presented to Department of Surgical Oncology with chief complaints of pain abdomen and loss of appetite for last six months which was relieved on oral analgesics. There is no relevant past or family history. Clinically per abdomen and pelvic examination was normal. During general examination we found 2x2 cm mobile, hard lymph node in right axilla and the ipsilateral breast showed 8x6cm mobile lump in upper outer quadrant. Contra lateral breast and axilla were normal. Considering this as a carcinoma right breast stage III A, further routine and metastatic workup in the form of ultrasound abdomen and pelvis, X-ray of chest and bone scan as per our institute protocol was done.Mammogram showed nodular, irregular, homogenous density with tail like extension of size 2.9 cm x 2.8 cm, with a satellite lesion in the right axillary tail of size 1.6 cm x 1.3 cm, highly suggestive of malignancy, (BIRADS V category; [Table/ Fig-1a&b]). Multiple axillary nodes were present with largest size of 1.2 cm x 0.8 cm. FNAC from breast mass was suggestive of ductal carcinoma. FNAC of axilla is not required and indicated only if no lump is palpable clinically to rule out metastasis. Preoperative staging of axilla was clinical. Ultrasound abdomen showed a mass in upper pole of the right kidney. Other metastatic work up in the form of X-ray chest, bone scan and routine haematological tests were within normal limit. In order to evaluate the renal mass contrast enhanced computed tomography scan of abdomen was done, which showed heterogeneously enhancing mass lesion in upper and mid pole of the right kidney abutting the liver and ascending colon with focal loss of fat planes, renal vein and IVC was normal Mammogram showing nodular irregular homogenous density present in upper outer quadrant of right breast (BIRADS V -highly suggestive of malignancy).