Publications (63) View all
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Article: Do patient- and tumor-related factors predict the peritoneal spread of pancreatic adenocarcinoma?
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ABSTRACT: PURPOSE: In pancreatic cancer, the presence of peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) precludes the possibility of a surgical cure, irrespective of the resectability of the primary tumor. However, peritoneal spread cannot be reliably detected radiographically during preoperative tumor staging. METHODS: The pancreatic adenocarcinoma database of the Tübingen Comprehensive Cancer Center included 29 patients in whom PC was incidentally detected during the surgery. These patients were retrospectively compared for patient- and tumor-related factors with 29 randomly selected patients without PC who underwent curative resection. RESULTS: Clinical jaundice and diarrhea were more frequently present in patients without PC. The CA 19-9 levels were significantly higher in patients with PC compared to those in patients without PC. No other differences were observed in the patient- or tumor-related factors between the two groups. CONCLUSION: In pancreatic cancer patients, markedly elevated CA 19-9 levels may serve as surrogate marker for peritoneal dissemination, irrespective of the local resectability of the tumor. In such patients, laparoscopy should be considered as an additional staging tool to rule out peritoneal carcinomatosis.Surgery Today 03/2013; · 1.22 Impact Factor -
Article: Risk factors for recurrence following complete cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC in colorectal cancer-derived peritoneal surface malignancies.
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ABSTRACT: PURPOSE: Recurrent disease following complete cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a relevant clinical scenario. We aimed to determine risk factors for recurrence. METHODS: Prospectively collected data of patients enrolled in the Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Program at the University of Tübingen between 2005 and 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were treated by standardized CRS and HIPEC. Recurrence was defined either radiographically by CT, PET-CT scan, or reoperation. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients received complete CRS (CC-0/CC-1) and HIPEC. Median time to recurrence was 229 days (103-1,028). Overall recurrence rate within follow-up was 48 %. Of patients with recurrent disease, 44 % experienced extraperitoneal systemic tumor spread. In multivariate analysis, grading of ≥3 was shown as an independent risk factor for recurrent disease, while a trend was observed for maximal tumor load in the upper abdominal region. Clinical parameters did not show an impact on recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Primary tumor grading seems to be an independent risk factor for recurrence following complete CRS and HIPEC in colorectal cancer-derived peritoneal surface malignancies.Langenbeck s Archives of Surgery 03/2013; · 1.81 Impact Factor -
Article: Superficial Wound Swabbing: A novel method of sampling and processing wound fluid for subsequent immunoassay analysis in diabetic foot ulcerations.
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ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE In diabetic foot ulcers, wound fluid inflammatory mediators have previously been proposed as surrogate markers for nonhealing. However, currently available wound fluid sampling techniques are not suitable for clinical practice due to low levels of exudate and a high logistical effort. The aim of this investigation was to assess 1) the technique of superficial wound swabbing for harvesting wound fluid; and 2) the quality of the collected fluid for immunoassay analysis of inflammatory mediators. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Both nylon-flocked swabs and film dressings were used to collect wound fluid from foot ulcers of diabetic patients. In randomly selected patients, levels of wound fluid inflammatory mediators and matrix metalloproteases were determined using multiplexed bead-based sandwich immunoassays with respect to both sampling methods. Wound fluid spike-in experiments were performed to evaluate the impact of different sample processing protocols on subsequent immunoassay analysis. RESULTS Using the swabbing technique, a median amount of 40 µL (2-120 µL) wound exudate was collected, which allowed the measurement of several multiplex panels. Comparing both sampling methods, a similar qualitative protein recovery was observed with a trend to analyte enrichment by swabbing. Sample processing using swabs did not affect analyte recovery, with the exception of interleukin (IL)-8, thymus and activation-regulated chemokine, IL-17A, interferon-γ-induced protein 10, and IL-4. CONCLUSIONS The quality of wound fluid collected by superficial swabbing is not inferior to the current standard technique. Combined with subsequent bead-based sandwich immunoassay analysis, this new method offers a noninvasive technique, suitable for daily clinical routines, for assessment of inflammatory activity in diabetic foot ulcers.Diabetes Care 11/2012; 35(11):2113-20. · 8.09 Impact Factor -
Article: Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy: Where are we?
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ABSTRACT: Peritoneal surface malignancies are generally associated with poor prognosis. In daily clinical routine, systemic chemotherapy is still considered the only reasonable therapy despite of encouraging results of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) along with intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy (HIPEC). The Achilles heel of CRS and HIPEC is appropriate patient selection and precise surgical technique preventing patients from excessive morbidity and mortality. Given these findings, new concepts of second look surgery for high risk patients allow detection of peritoneal spread ahead of clinical symptoms or presence of peritoneal masses reducing perioperative morbidity. In addition, personalized intraperitoneal chemotherapy might further improve outcome by appreciating individual tumor biology. These days, every physician should be aware of CRS and HIPEC for treatment of peritoneal surface malignancies. Since there is now sufficient data for the superiority of CRS and HIPEC to systemic chemotherapy in selected patients, our next goal should be providing this strategy with minimal morbidity and mortality even in the presence of higher tumor load.World Journal of Gastroenterology 10/2012; 18(38):5317-20. · 2.47 Impact Factor -
Article: Experience after 100 patients treated with cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.
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ABSTRACT: To investigate perioperative patient morbidity/mortality and outcome after cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). Of 150 patients 100 were treated with cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC and retrospectively analyzed. Clinical and postoperative follow-up data were evaluated. Body mass index (BMI), age and peritoneal carcinomatosis index (PCI) were chosen as selection criteria with regard to tumor-free survival and perioperative morbidity for this multimodal therapy. CRS with HIPEC was successfully performed in 100 out of 150 patients. Fifty patients were excluded because of intraoperative contraindication. Median PCI was 17 (1-39). In 89% a radical resection (CC0/CC1) was achieved. One patient died postoperatively due to multiorgan failure. Neither PCI, age nor BMI was a risk factor for postoperative complications/outcome according to the DINDO classification. In 9% Re-CRS with HIPEC was performed during the follow-up period. Patient selection remains the most important issue. Neither PCI, age nor BMI alone should be an exclusion criterion for this multimodal therapy.World Journal of Gastroenterology 05/2012; 18(17):2061-6. · 2.47 Impact Factor
