Impact of Fusobacterium nucleatum in the treatment of cancer, including radiotherapy and its future potential in esophageal cancer.

Despite advances in multimodality therapy, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and chemoradiation, the fatality rate for esophageal cancer remains high. Specifically, Fusobacterium nucleatum, due to its aggregation capacity, has shown a tendency to form biofilms. The biofilm-forming capabilities of microbial communities are of utmost importance in the context of cancer treatment, as they have been shown to drive significant losses in the efficaciousness of various cancer treatments.

Relationship of Immune-Related Adverse Events with Tumor Response and Prognosis in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Following Nivolumab Monotherapy.

Background: Patients across various cancers who develop immune-related adverse events (irAEs) post-immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment tend to experience better tumor response and survival than those who do not. However, studies regarding this association in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are limited.

Methods: We assessed the relationship of irAEs with tumor response and survival in 82 consecutive patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent ESCC treated with second- or later-line nivolumab, an anti-PD-1 antibody, monotherapy.

Prediction of Pathologic Complete Response in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using Preoperative Serum Small Ribonucleic Acid Obtained After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy.

Background: The authors hypothesized that small ribonucleic acid (sRNA) obtained from blood samples after neoadjuvant therapy from patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (NACRT) could serve as a novel biomarker for predicting pathologic complete response (pCR).

Methods: This study included 99 patients treated with esophagectomy after NACRT between March 2010 and October 2021 whose blood samples were collected between the end of NACRT and surgery. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to analyze sRNAs from the blood samples.

Recurrence and prognostic predictors in pathologic T1N0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated with surgery alone.

Background: Patients diagnosed with pathologic T1N0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and treated with surgery alone have a good prognosis and are generally followed up without adjuvant therapy. However, recurrence has been observed in this patient group. Therefore, this study aimed to identify recurrence and prognostic factors in patients with pathologic T1N0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who were treated with surgery alone.

Risk factors for recurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after pathological complete response to neoadjuvant therapy followed by esophagectomy.

Background: Prognosis of patients who achieve pathological complete response (pCR) with neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) is better than that of non-pCR patients. Currently, there is no indication for adjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy after achieving pCR. However, recurrence risk after pCR is reportedly 10%-20% with a poor prognosis.

Postoperative Lymph Node Recurrence in Esophageal Cancer After Surgery and Prognosis of Chemoradiotherapy.

Background/aim: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term prognosis of definitive chemoradiotherapy and clinical features of postoperative lymph node (LN) recurrence after curative resection of thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC).

Patients And Methods: A total of 586 patients who underwent radical resection of ESCC at the Hiroshima University Hospital from January 2000 to December 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. This study analyzed the clinical characteristics of 54 patients who developed recurrence in a solitary LN by comparing them to 182 patients who experienced total recurrence.

Prognostic factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma without pathological lymph node metastasis after neoadjuvant therapy and surgery.

Background: Pathological lymph node metastasis (LNM) following multimodal therapy is an important indicator of poor prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer. However, a significant number of patients without LNM are still at high risk for recurrence.

Methods: We assessed prognostic factors in 143 patients without pathological LNM who were diagnosed with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) or chemoradiotherapy (NACRT), followed by surgery.

Risk factors for aortoesophageal fistula in cT4b esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after definitive radiation therapy.

Background: Esophageal fistula (EF) is a serious complication in patients with cT4b esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with adjacent organ involvement. Among EFs, aortoesophageal fistula (AEF), forming a fistula with the aorta, could be fatal. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for AEF in patients with cT4b ESCC with obvious or suspected aortic invasion who underwent definitive radiotherapy (DRT).

Esophageal Neuroendocrine Carcinoma With Pathological Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Robot-assisted Surgery: A Case Report.

Background/aim: Malignant esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma (ENEC) is rare, and its prognosis is poor. Therefore, a standard strategy for treating ENEC remains controversial, and few reports have described a pathological complete response of ENEC to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by surgery.

Case Report: A 74-year-old woman presented with an esophageal tumor, discovered as a result of dysphagia, that was clinically diagnosed as ENEC (small-cell type).

The treatment efficacy and prognosis of each treatment in early postoperative recurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Various treatments are used for early postoperative recurrence of esophageal cancer, which has a poor prognosis. We evaluated the differences in outcomes and prognoses of each treatment modality between patients with early and late recurrence.

Methods: Early and late recurrence were defined as recurrence within and after six postoperative months, respectively.

Real-world clinical outcomes of nivolumab and taxane as a second- or later-line therapy for recurrent or unresectable advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Nivolumab is approved in Japan as a second-line treatment for patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) resistant to fluoropyrimidine and platinum-based drugs. It is also used in adjuvant and primary postoperative therapies. This study aimed to report real-world data on nivolumab use for esophageal cancer treatment.

Ability of Blood Cell Parameters to Predict Clinical Outcomes of Nivolumab Monotherapy in Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose: Various blood cell parameters have been identified as predictive markers of tumor responses and the survival of patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The purpose of this study is to assess the ability of various blood cell parameters to predict therapeutic effects and survival in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated with nivolumab monotherapy.

Patients And Methods: We evaluated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte (LMR) ratios as predictive markers of patients' survival and effects of nivolumab monotherapy after one or more prior chemotherapies for unresectable advanced or recurrent ESCC.

Leukocyte Telomeric G-Tail Length Shortening Is Associated with Esophageal Cancer Recurrence.

Despite significant advances in therapeutics for esophageal cancer (ESC) in the past decade, it remains the sixth most fatal malignancy, with a poor 5-year survival rate (approximately 10%). There is an urgent need to improve the timely diagnosis to aid the prediction of the therapeutic response and prognosis of patients with ESC. The telomeric G-tail plays an important role in the chromosome protection.

Correlation Between Tumor Uptake on FDG-PET and Malignant Features in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Surgery.

Background/aim: To identify the correlations between the F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography (PET) images and the pathological features and recurrence among patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who were administered neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by surgery.

Patients And Methods: We assessed the correlations between the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of primary tumors as reflected on preoperative FDG-PET images, the pathological features, and cancer recurrence in 124 patients with locally advanced ESCC, who were treated with NAC and esophagectomy.

Results: The pre-NAC SUVmax significantly differed for the ypT status and venous invasion (VI).

Improved Sendai viral system for reprogramming to naive pluripotency.

Naive human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be generated by reprogramming somatic cells with Sendai virus (SeV) vectors. However, only dermal fibroblasts have been successfully reprogrammed this way, and the process requires culture on feeder cells. Moreover, SeV vectors are highly persistent and inhibit subsequent differentiation of iPSCs.

Prognostic Factors for Patients With Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Surgery.

Background/aim: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by surgery is a standard treatment for patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. This study aimed to identify patients who might be eligible for postoperative adjuvant therapy.

Patients And Methods: We reviewed the surgical outcomes of 84 patients who received NAC followed by esophagectomy to treat esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and revealed prognostic factors associated with locally advanced ESCC.

Blood biomarkers as predictors of pathological lymph node metastasis in clinical stage T1N0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Accurate preoperative evaluation of lymph node (LN) metastasis is important for determining the treatment strategy for superficial esophageal cancer. Blood biomarkers, such as the neutrophil-lymphocyte, platelet-lymphocyte, and lymphocyte-monocyte ratios (NLR, PLR, and LMR, respectively), have clinical applications as predictors of LN metastasis for different cancers. Here, we investigated the use of these ratios as predictors of pathological LN metastasis and prognosis in patients with clinical stage T1N0M0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Evaluation of Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Followed by Surgery for Borderline Resectable Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: It is occasionally difficult to diagnose cT3 or cT4b using imaging examinations for esophageal cancer. The optimal treatment strategy for borderline resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (BR-ESCC) is unclear.

Methods: We included 131 patients with cT3 ESCC who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) followed by surgery.

Clinical Outcomes of Esophagectomy and Chemoradiotherapy After Endoscopic Resection for Superficial Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background/aim: Surgical resection and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) can be performed as additional treatments for superficial esophageal cancer after endoscopic resection, but the selection criteria vary depending on the institution. We retrospectively evaluated the outcomes of patients with endoscopically resected superficial esophageal cancer treated with surgical resection and CRT at our institution.

Patients And Methods: The outcomes of 67 cases of additional treatment after endoscopic resection of superficial esophageal cancer, excluding adenocarcinoma, performed at our hospital from January 2000 to June 2017 were compared (30 cases in the surgery group and 37 cases in the CRT group).

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Predictor of Postoperative Recurrence and Prognosis in Oesophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Trimodal therapy is frequently used for patients with locally advanced, resectable oesophageal cancer. However, it does not provide a satisfactory prognosis. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an important indicator of patients' inflammatory and immune statuses.

Recurrent esophageal adenocarcinoma derived from ectopic gastric mucosa: A case report.

Most primary esophageal adenocarcinomas arise from the Barrett epithelium of the distal esophagus. Thus, cancer developing from the ectopic gastric mucosa (EGM) of the proximal esophagus is extremely rare. Furthermore, recurrent adenocarcinoma at the EGM has not been reported.