Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B10 prevents esophageal squamous cell carcinoma from reactive carbonyl species-induced cell death and promotes its progression.

Introduction: Chronic alcohol consumption and tobacco usage are major risk factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Excessive tobacco and alcohol consumption lead to oxidative stress and the generation of reactive carbonyl species (RCS) which induce DNA damage and cell apoptosis. This phenomenon contributes to cell damage and carcinogenesis in various organs including ESCC.

Hypoalbuminemia is Associated with Higher 90-Day Mortality and Poor Prognosis in Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Liver Cirrhosis Receiving Radiotherapy-Based Therapy.

Background: Liver cirrhosis (LC) is common among patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) due to shared etiologic factor, alcohol. For non-metastatic ESCC (nmESCC) patients with cirrhosis, surgery is often contraindicated or associated with high morbidity, therefore radiotherapy-based therapy was commonly applied. This study aims to investigate prognosticators for overall survival (OS) in nmESCC and cirrhotic patients receiving radiotherapy-based therapy.

Number of Retrieved Lymph Nodes during Esophagectomy Affects the Outcome of Stage III Esophageal Cancer in Patients Having Had Pre-Operative Chemo-Radiation Therapy.

Lymphadenectomy plays a crucial role in the surgical management of early- stage esophageal cancer. However, few studies have examined lymphadenectomy outcomes in advanced stages, particularly in patients who initially underwent concurrent chemoradiation therapy. This retrospective study investigates the effect of lymphadenectomy in patients diagnosed with AJCC 8th-edition clinical stage III esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who received concurrent preoperative chemoradiation.

Maximum standardised uptake value of positron emission tomography as a predictor of oesophageal cancer outcomes.

Objectives: This study aimed to analyse the value of pre-operative F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography that can predict tumour pathological complete response, tumour histology grade, overall survival, and recurrence-free survival in patients with locally advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) followed by surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the cases of patients with locally advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma undergoing NCRT followed by surgery. Patients who did not undergo PET within 3 months of surgery were excluded.

Double lung transplantation is better than single lung transplantation for end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a meta-analysis.

Background: Lung transplantation is one of the most common treatment options for patients with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, the choice between single and double lung transplantation for these patients remains a matter of debate. Therefore, we performed a systematic search of medical databases for studies on single lung transplantation, double lung transplantation, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

A case report of drug interaction between co-packaged nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and tacrolimus causing hyponatremia in a lung transplant recipient.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in lung transplant recipients can be lethal owing to the use of immunosuppressants. Antiviral agents may be administered to these patients. Co-packaged nirmatrelvir-ritonavir is a new agent currently being used in combination.

Similar survival after endoscopic submucosal dissection and esophagectomy in early esophageal cancer and synchronous or metachronous head and neck cancer.

Background: Early-stage esophageal cancer is treated using endoscopic submucosal dissection and esophagectomy. Field cancerization in patients with early-stage esophageal cancer affects treatment outcomes and causes synchronous or metachronous head and neck cancers. We hypothesized that esophagectomy could provide better overall and relapse-free survivals in patients with esophageal cancer and synchronous or metachronous head and neck cancer.

CT characteristics and clinical implications of acute type A aortic intramural hematoma.

Objectives: Computed tomography (CT) has been increasingly used in the diagnosis of acute aortic syndrome, and a number of high-risk CT imaging features have been reported. We aimed to identify CT imaging findings suggesting high-risk for acute aortic syndrome by examining clinical outcomes of patients with acute type A aortic intramural hematoma (TAIMH).

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the relationship of clinical patient characteristics and imaging features with mortality and aortic events in 63 patients receiving initial medical treatment for TAIMH.

Long-term survival after pulmonary metastasectomy in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with lung metastasis.

Objectives: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with pulmonary metastasis has a poor prognosis, and the only treatment modality is systemic therapy such as chemotherapy. Previous studies showed that pulmonary metastasectomy may provide benefits and has been suggested in selected patients with colorectal cancer, renal cancer, and sarcoma. However, there were few literatures evaluating the impact and treatment outcome of pulmonary metastasectomy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients with isolated lung metastases.

The Impact of Weight Loss during Chemoradiotherapy for Unresectable Esophageal Cancer: Real-World Results.

Weight loss is a common phenomenon presented in unresectable esophageal cancer (EC) patients during their definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) treatment course. This study explored the prognostic value of weight changes during dCRT in unresectable EC patients. From 2009 to 2017, 69 cT4b thoracic EC patients undergoing complete curative dCRT without baseline malnutrition were included.

The Radiation Dose to the Left Supraclavicular Fossa is Critical for Anastomotic Leak Following Esophagectomy - A Dosimetric Outcome Analysis.

Purpose: For locally advanced esophageal cancer, definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with a radiation dose of 50-50.4 Gy/25-28 Fx is prescribed, followed by adjuvant esophagectomy for better local control or salvage treatment if locoregional recurrence occurs. However, radiation injury before surgery may delay wound healing.

Efficacy and Safety of Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in the Treatment of High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objectives: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly used to treat high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE). However, its efficacy and safety remain uncertain. This retrospective cohort study aimed to determine whether ECMO could improve the clinical outcomes of patients with high-risk PE.

CD73 Promotes Tumor Progression in Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Cluster of differentiation (CD)-73 plays pivotal roles in the regulation of immune reactions via the production of extracellular adenosine, and the overexpression of CD73 is associated with worse outcomes in several types of cancers. Here, we identified 167 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients who underwent esophagectomy, including 64 and 103 patients with high and low expression levels of CD73, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed high expression of CD73 was an independent prognostic factor for worse disease-free survival and overall survival.

Galectin-1 Expression Is Associated with the Response and Survival Following Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

The galectin-1 has been found to be involved in poor outcomes after treatment of a variety of cancers. To the best of our knowledge, however, the significance of galectin-1 expression in the sensitivity to chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) of patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. Expression levels of galectin-1 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and correlated with the treatment outcome in 93 patients with locally advanced ESCC who received preoperative CCRT between 1999 and 2012.

SDF-1α predicts poor prognosis in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Background: Stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) is a chemokine associated with tumor progression in various types of cancers. The current study aimed to evaluate whether pre-treatment or kinetics of SDF-1α can predict the prognosis in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) receiving definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).

Methods: A total of 97 patients with ESCC were identified at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between January 2010 and December 2015.

Improvement of surgical complications using single-lumen endotracheal tube intubation and artificial carbon dioxide pneumothorax in esophagectomy: a meta-analysis.

Background: Esophageal cancer has a poor prognosis. Surgery is the main treatment but involves a high risk of complications. Some surgical strategies have tried to eliminate complications.

The Impact of Radiotherapy Dose in Patients with Locally Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Receiving Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy.

Objective: For patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, preoperative chemoradiotherapy followed by planned esophagectomy is used as a curative treatment modality. However, the impact of radiotherapy dose remains undefined.

Method: A total of 141 patients with stage III esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC; as defined by the 7th American Joint Committee on Cancer), receiving preoperative chemoradiotherapy followed by esophagectomy between 2000 and 2015 at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, were retrospectively reviewed.

Definitive chemoradiotherapy for clinical T4b esophageal cancer - Treatment outcomes, failure patterns, and prognostic factors.

Purpose: The management of cT4b thoracic esophageal cancer (EC) is challenging. The optimal treatment remains unclear, and prospective or large-scale retrospective reports on treatment outcomes are lacking. The present study was conducted to investigate the treatment outcomes, failure patterns, treatment responses, and prognostic factors focusing on cT4b thoracic EC treated by definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (dCRT).

Benefits of Multiple-Intervention Pulmonary Rehabilitation to Older Adults with High-Risk Multimorbidity after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Objective: Multimorbidity in elderly patients increases complications and retards the recovery of pulmonary function after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. We aimed to evaluate the impact of multiple-intervention pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on respiratory muscle strength and dyspnea scores after CABG in adult patients aged ≥65 years who had multimorbidity.

Methods: A cohort study was retrospectively conducted with 95 adults aged ≥65 years who underwent CABG surgery and completed a multiple-intervention PR program.

Prognostic Value of SDF-1α Expression in Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Receiving Esophagectomy.

Stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) is a chemokine that has been reported to be involved in tumor progression in several malignancies. This study aimed to evaluate the crucial role of SDF-1α in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who underwent esophagectomy. A total of 169 patients with ESCC were identified, including overexpression of SDF-1α in 60 patients and low expression of SDF-1α in 109 patients by immunohistochemical analysis.

The Confidence Database.

Understanding how people rate their confidence is critical for the characterization of a wide range of perceptual, memory, motor and cognitive processes. To enable the continued exploration of these processes, we created a large database of confidence studies spanning a broad set of paradigms, participant populations and fields of study. The data from each study are structured in a common, easy-to-use format that can be easily imported and analysed using multiple software packages.

Efficacy of Different Chemotherapy Regimens in Patients with Locally Advanced Synchronous Esophageal and Head/Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Receiving Curative Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and head/neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are very common cancers worldwide, and there is higher incidence of synchronous ESCC/NSCC in Taiwan. The aim of the current study was to investigate the efficacy of different chemotherapy regimens in patients with locally advanced synchronous ESCC/HNSCC who received curative concurrent chemoradiotheapy (CCRT). A total of 75 patients were identified and assigned to one of two groups: 45 patients receiving cisplatin/5-fluorouracil (5-FU) regime in one group and 30 patients receiving a weekly cisplatin regime in the other.