Critical appraisal of gastric conduit ischaemic conditioning (GIC) prior to oesophagectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Anastomotic leaks remain a major complication following oesophagectomy, accounting for high morbidity and mortality. Recently, gastric ischaemic conditioning (GIC) has been proposed to improve anastomotic integrity through neovascularisation of the gastric conduit. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to determine the impact of GIC on postoperative outcomes following oesophagectomy.

Impact of regular enteral feeding jejunostomy during neo-adjuvant chemotherapy on body composition in patients with oesophageal cancer.

Background: Malnourishment and sarcopenia are well documented phenomena in oesophageal cancer. Patients undergoing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy prior to oesophagectomy have complex nutritional needs.

Aim: To examine the effect of regular nutritional support feeding jejunostomy on overall body composition in patients undergoing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy prior to oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer.

New genetic signatures associated with cancer cachexia as defined by low skeletal muscle index and weight loss.

Background: Cachexia affects the majority with advanced cancer. Based on current demographic and clinical factors, it is not possible to predict who will develop cachexia or not. Such variation may, in part, be due to genotype.

Absence of correlation between serum CRP levels and mitochondrial D-loop DNA mutations in gastro-oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

Introduction: Both inflammation and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutation are thought to play a role in the many human cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between inflammation and accumulation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in the D-loop region in carcinogenesis of gastro-oesophageal adenocarcinomas.

Materials And Methods: Blood samples of 20 patients with gastro-oesophageal adenocarcinoma were taken for measurement of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration.

Pre-operative serum albumin and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio are associated with prolonged hospital stay following colorectal cancer surgery.

Aims: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in European populations. It has been shown previously that neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), pre-operative albumin, and haemoglobin are useful prognostic indicators. The aim of this study was to assess how these factors influence the length of postoperative stay (LOS) following colorectal cancer surgery.

Rupture of the profunda femoris artery in a patient with alcoholic liver disease: a case report.

Introduction: Profunda femoris artery aneurysms are rare and often present with rupture. However, to the best of our knowledge, rupture of a non-aneurismal profunda femoris artery has never been reported before.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 31-year-old Caucasian man with alcoholic liver disease who presented with rupture of the profunda femoris artery following blunt trauma which was treated by endovascular embolization.

P-selectin genotype is associated with the development of cancer cachexia.

The variable predisposition to cachexia may, in part, be due to the interaction of host genotype. We analyzed 129 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 80 genes for association with cachexia based on degree of weight loss (>5, >10, >15%) as well as weight loss in the presence of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein, > 10 mg/l). 775 cancer patients were studied with a validation association study performed on an independently recruited cohort (n = 101) of cancer patients.

Sexual dimorphism modulates the impact of cancer cachexia on lower limb muscle mass and function.

Background & Aims: There is a sparsity of data on the impact of cachexia on human muscle function. This study examined the relationship between cachexia, quality of life and the mass/function/mechanical quality of lower limb skeletal muscle in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

Methods: Quadriceps strength and lower limb power were measured in 54 patients with gastrointestinal cancer (n = 24 ≥ 10% weight-loss) and 18 healthy controls.

Marked changes in body composition following neoadjuvant chemotherapy for oesophagogastric cancer.

Background & Aims: Patients with sarcopenia [reduced fat free mass (FFM)] have a higher incidence of chemotherapy-related toxicity and decreased survival. As there are no such data in patients with oesophagogastric cancer (OGC), this study investigated changes in body composition in OGC patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

Methods: OGC patients who had CT scans before and after NAC were studied.

Identification of possible genetic polymorphisms involved in cancer cachexia: a systematic review.

Cancer cachexia is a polygenic and complex syndrome. Genetic variations in regulation of the inflammatory response, muscle and fat metabolic pathways, and pathways in appetite regulation are likely to contribute to the susceptibility or resistance to developing cancer cachexia. A systematic search of Medline and EmBase databases, covering 1986-2008 was performed for potential candidate genes/genetic polymorphisms relating to cancer cachexia.

Cancer cachexia: a systematic literature review of items and domains associated with involuntary weight loss in cancer.

Background: The concept of cancer-related anorexia/cachexia is evolving as its mechanisms are better understood. To support consensus processes towards an updated definition and classification system, we systematically reviewed the literature for items and domains associated with involuntary weight loss in cancer.

Methods: Two search strings (cachexia, cancer) explored five databases from 1976 to 2007.

Endoscopic mucosal resection of colorectal polyps in typical UK hospitals.

Aim: To evaluate the outcomes of endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for colorectal polyps, with particular regard to procedural complications and recurrence rate, in typical United Kingdom (UK) hospitals that perform an average of about 25 colonic EMRs per year.

Methods: A total of 239 colorectal polyps (≥ 10 mm) resected from 199 patients referred to Rochdale Infirmary, Salford Royal Hospital and Royal Oldham Hospital for EMR between January 2003 and January 2009 were studied.

Results: The mean size of polyps resected was 19.

Cytokine gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to cachexia.

Purpose Of Review: Cachexia is a progressive deterioration of body habitus associated with chronic diseases. The finding that only a proportion of patients with chronic disease develop cachexia has prompted studies looking for genetic polymorphisms that may underlie differential susceptibility. The aim of this review is to explore how inflammation and gene polymorphisms influence susceptibility to cachexia.

Sarcopenia in an overweight or obese patient is an adverse prognostic factor in pancreatic cancer.

Purpose: The average weight-losing pancreatic cancer patient undergoing palliative therapy is frequently overweight rather than underweight, and this can confound conventional measures used for risk stratification. The aim of this study was to evaluate if weight and body composition, specifically sarcopenia, assessed from diagnostic computed tomography (CT) scans, is of prognostic value in patients with pancreatic cancer. The nature and extent of tissue loss over subsequent months was also evaluated.

Cancer cachexia is associated with the IL10 -1082 gene promoter polymorphism in patients with gastroesophageal malignancy.

Background: The genetic predisposition of the host to local or systemic inflammation may contribute to the effect of cancer cachexia.

Objective: We investigated the relation between cytokine polymorphisms (IL1B -511, IL6 -174, IL10 -1082, TNFA -308, and LTA +252) and markers of nutritional status among patients with gastroesophageal cancer to determine whether any such association was reflected by cytokine concentrations in the tumor or plasma compartments.

Design: Patients (n = 203) with a diagnosis of gastroesophageal cancer underwent nutritional assessment (body mass index, anthropometric measures, dysphagia scoring, and estimation of dietary intake).

Frequency of the mitochondrial DNA 4977bp deletion in oesophageal mucosa during the progression of Barrett's oesophagus.

Purpose: The mechanisms of the progression of Barrett's oesophagus (BO) to oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OA) are poorly understood. The frequency of the 4977bp deletion in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was investigated in specimens ranging from normal oesophageal tissue to OA in order to investigate whether this deletion represents a useful biomarker of disease progression.

Methods: The presence of the 4977bp deletion was screened by PCR amplification from 70 specimens in total.

A review of mesothelioma information on the World Wide Web.

Introduction: The Internet is a widely used information resource for patients with mesothelioma. The goal of this study is to assess the content and quality of mesothelioma information presented on the internet using Google as a search engine, as well as to test the hypothesis that more popular sites (i.e.

Mesenteric ischaemic occurring in conjuction with acalculous cholecystitis: a case report.

Background: The incidence of mesenteric ischaemia is rising possibly due to increasing awareness and early diagnostic tools available. However it remains a challenging diagnosis especially in the elderly population.

Case Report: We report an unusual case of acute mesenteric ischaemia in an elderly lady occurring in conjunction with acalculous cholecystitis.

Cystic lymphangioma of the lesser sac presenting as acute appendicitis: A case report.

Intra-abdominal lymphangiomas usually present by 2 years of age and are uncommon in adults. Cystic lymphagiomas arising from the lesser sac are even more uncommon. We report an unusual case of a lesser sac cystic lymphangioma presenting as acute appendicitis.

Cachexia: prevalence and impact in medicine.

Purpose Of Review: Cachexia is a progressive deterioration of body habitus associated with certain chronic diseases (e.g., cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic heart failure, and chronic kidney disease).