Background Despite progress in surgical techniques and perioperative care, gastrectomy remains a procedure of significant morbidity. Several scoring systems and clinical measures have been adopted to predict postoperative complications in gastric cancer patients. The aim of this study was to investigate whether high serum levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the early postoperative period may be a prognostic factor of postoperative morbidity. Methods A group of 99 consecutive patients with resectable gastric cancer were enrolled. The mean age was 62.9 years and the male/female ratio was 72:27. Subtotal gastric resection was performed in 22 patients and total gastric resection in 77. The IL-6 serum level was measured on the 1st postoperative day (POD). Results Complications were recorded in 28 patients (28.3%). The observed case-fatality rate was 3.03%. An IL-6 serum level of >288.7 pg/ml on the 1st POD in univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models was an independent prognostic factor for overall complications and infective complications. Conclusion Our study showed an association between perioperative IL-6 serum levels and postoperative morbidity in gastric cancer patients. The IL-6 serum level on the 1st POD was shown to be an independent prognostic factor for both overall complications and infective complications.

To assess the absolute number of T-regulatory cells (Tregs; CD4+CD25+Foxp3+) in the peripheral blood of gastric and colorectal cancer patients. We enrolled 70 cancer patients (33 gastric cancer, 37 colorectal cancer) and 17 healthy volunteers. The CD3+CD4+ lymphocytes and CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs in the peripheral blood were analyzed with flow cytometry. The absolute numbers of Tregs were calculated based on the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells percentage of CD3+CD4+ cells and the absolute numbers of CD3+CD4+ cells per microliter. The mean number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells per microliter in colorectal cancer patients was 15.7 (SD: 21.8), for gastric cancer patients 12.2 (SD: 14.3), and for controls 17.5 (SD: 11.4). The absolute number of Tregs was significantly lower in gastric cancer patients than in controls (P = 0.026). There was no statistically significant difference for gastric vs colorectal cancer or colorectal cancer vs controls. The absolute number of Tregs was also significantly depressed in N+ vs N⁻ cancer patients [22.0 (27.7) vs 10.1 (9.0), P = 0.013], and in the subgroup of gastric cancer patients [30.3 (27.6) vs 9.6 (8.0), P = 0.003]. No statistical difference was observed in the proportion of Tregs in the CD4+ population between the groups. The absolute number of Tregs in peripheral blood of gastric cancer but not colorectal cancer patients was significantly decreased in comparison with that in healthy controls.

The TNM pN stage based on the number of metastatic lymph nodes is an independent prognostic factor in gastric cancer. Many studies have highlighted the phenomenon of stage migration and problems in comparing groups of patients with different numbers of total lymph nodes harvested within TNM...

Introduction: Manual and motor coordination skills are commonly believed to be necessary for the surgical profession. Aim of study: To assess motor coordination skills in medical students, surgical residents and attending surgeons. Material and Methods: The study group consisted of 17 surgeons and 44 medical students. All participants were tested with a number of tests for motor coordination. Statistical analysis with ANOVA/MANOVA methods, contrast analysis and post-hoc test as appropriate. Results: There were no gender related differences in coordination skills. The group of students had significantly lower results in comparison to surgeons. Statistical significance (p < 0.05) was observed in perception diversity test, and Perception-Diversity-Orientation Index. There was no statistically significant difference between residents and attending surgeons Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that coordination skills are not related to gender. They may serve as one of the selection criteria to surgical profession. The level of coordination skills is helpful in designing of individual training program.

(2011). Neither Shall you Desire your Neighbour’s Endoscopic Procedures. Acta Chirurgica Belgica: Vol. 111, No. 4, pp. 205-209.