[Watch and Wait for Rectal Cancer].

About one third of all colorectal carcinomas (CRC) are localised in the rectum. As part of a multimodal therapy concept, neoadjuvant therapy achieves downstaging of the tumour in 50-60% of cases and a so-called complete clinical response (cCR), defined as clinically (and radiologically) undetectable residual tumour after completion of neoadjuvant therapy, in 10-30% of cases.In view of the perioperative morbidity and mortality associated with radical rectal resection, including the occurrence of a symptom complex known as low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) and the need for deviation, at least temporarily, the question of the risk-benefit balance of organ resection in the presence of cCR has been raised.

PAF1c links S-phase progression to immune evasion and MYC function in pancreatic carcinoma.

In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), endogenous MYC is required for S-phase progression and escape from immune surveillance. Here we show that MYC in PDAC cells is needed for the recruitment of the PAF1c transcription elongation complex to RNA polymerase and that depletion of CTR9, a PAF1c subunit, enables long-term survival of PDAC-bearing mice. PAF1c is largely dispensable for normal proliferation and regulation of MYC target genes.

Low-grade mucinous neoplasms (LAMN) of the appendix in Germany between 2011 and 2018: a nationwide analysis based on data provided by the German Center for Cancer Registry Data (ZfKD) at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).

Introduction: Low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (LAMN) are semi-malignant tumors of the appendix which are incidentally found in up to 1% of appendectomy specimen. To this day, no valid descriptive analysis on LAMN is available for the German population.

Methods: Data of LAMN (ICD-10: D37.

Surgical Site Infection Following Single-Port Appendectomy: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are one of the most common postoperative complications after appendectomy leading to recurrent surgery, prolonged hospital stay, and the use of antibiotics. Numerous studies and meta-analyses have been published on the effect of open versus conventional laparoscopic appendectomy (CLA) reporting faster postoperative recovery and less postoperative pain for CLA. A development from CLA has been the single-port appendectomy (SPA), associated with a better cosmesis but seemingly having a higher risk of wound infections.

[Complete response after neoadjuvant therapy of rectal cancer: implications for surgery].

For (locally advanced) rectal cancer, a multimodal therapy concept comprising neoadjuvant radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy, radical surgical resection with partial/complete mesorectal excision and subsequent adjuvant chemotherapy represents the current international standard of care. Further developments in neoadjuvant therapy concepts, such as the principle of total neoadjuvant therapy, lead to an increasing number of patients who show a complete clinical response in restaging after neoadjuvant therapy without clinically detectable residual tumor. In view of the risk associated with radical surgical resection in terms of perioperative morbidity and a potentially non-continence-preserving procedure, the question of the oncological justifiability of an organ-preserving procedure in the case of a complete clinical response under neoadjuvant therapy is increasingly being raised.

Changes in appendicitis treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic - A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 a decrease of emergency consultations and modification in treatment of numerous medical conditions were observed. Aim of this paper was to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on incidence, treatment strategies, severity, length of hospital stay and time of presentation in adults and children with acute appendicitis.

Methods: A systematic literature search of Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane databases was performed, and eligible studies used to perform a meta-analysis.

Organoid Models for Cancer Research-From Bed to Bench Side and Back.

Organoids are a new 3D ex vivo culture system that have been applied in various fields of biomedical research. First isolated from the murine small intestine, they have since been established from a wide range of organs and tissues, both in healthy and diseased states. Organoids genetically, functionally and phenotypically retain the characteristics of their tissue of origin even after multiple passages, making them a valuable tool in studying various physiologic and pathophysiologic processes.

Laparoscopic appendectomy versus antibiotic treatment for acute appendicitis-a systematic review.

Background: Over the last years, laparoscopic appendectomy has progressively replaced open appendectomy and become the current gold standard treatment for suspected, uncomplicated appendicitis. At the same time, though, it is an ongoing discussion that antibiotic therapy can be an equivalent treatment for patients with uncomplicated appendicitis. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the safety and efficacy of antibiotic therapy and compare it to the laparoscopic appendectomy for acute, uncomplicated appendicitis.

Brain Metastases from Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Meta-Analysis to Establish a Guideline for Daily Treatment.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignancy worldwide. Most patients with metastatic CRC develop liver or lung metastases, while a minority suffer from brain metastases. There is little information available regarding the presentation, treatment, and overall survival of brain metastases (BM) from CRC.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on appendicitis treatment in Germany-a population-based analysis.

Purpose: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common reasons for emergency medical consultation. While simple appendicitis can be treated with antibiotics or surgery, complex appendicitis including gangrene, abscess, and perforation requires appendectomy. During the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, an overall drop in emergency room consultations was observed.

[Evidence in minimally invasive oncological surgery of the colon and rectum].

An essential component of the treatment of colorectal cancer is a resection of the tumor-bearing segment of the bowels. After the development of minimally invasive procedures the feasibility and safety in oncological, colorectal surgery was questioned. The broad study situation for colon cancer over the last years showed predominantly consistent benefits during the perioperative phase and non-inferiority concerning long-term oncological outcomes.

Mortality and Complications Following Visceral Surgery: A Nationwide Analysis Based on the Diagnostic Categories Used in German Hospital Invoicing Data.

Background: The in-hospital mortality after visceral surgery in Germany is unknown.

Methods: In this retrospective, descriptive analysis, nationwide hospital billing data based on diagnosis-related groups (DRG) over the period 2009-2015 were studied to determine the in-hospital mortality, complications and their management, and deaths after documented severe complications (failure to rescue, FTR) after visceral surgery in Germany. Organ-system subgroups were defined and subdivided into frequent operations (inguinal hernia repair, appendectomy, thyroid operations, cholecystec- tomy), colorectal operations, and complex operations (surgery of the esophagus, pancreas, liver, and stomach).

Perioperative management of anticoagulant therapy.

About 10% of patients taking a chronic, oral anticoagulant therapy require an invasive procedure that can be associated with an increased risk for peri-interventional or perioperative bleeding. Depending on the risk for thromboembolism and the risk for bleeding, the physician has to decide whether the anticoagulant therapy should be interrupted or continued. Patient characteristics such as age, renal function and drug interactions must be considered.

LASP1 is a novel BCR-ABL substrate and a phosphorylation-dependent binding partner of CRKL in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is characterized by a genomic translocation generating a permanently active BCR-ABL oncogene with a complex pattern of atypically tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins that drive the malignant phenotype of CML. Recently, the LIM and SH3 domain protein 1 (LASP1) was identified as a component of a six gene signature that is strongly predictive for disease progression and relapse in CML patients. However, the underlying mechanisms why LASP1 expression correlates with dismal outcome remained unresolved.