Oral Microbiome Signatures as Potential Biomarkers for Gastric Cancer Risk Assessment.

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The oral microbiota was investigated for distinguishable characteristics between GC, premalignant gastric conditions (Pre-GC), and control participants.

Methods: Mouthwash samples from GC, Pre-GC, and control participants at a tertiary care center were prospectively collected.

Racial/ethnic differences in risk factors for non-cardia gastric cancer: an analysis of the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC) Study.

Purpose: Gastric cancer (GC) incidence rates show notable differences by racial/ethnic groups in the US. We sought to determine whether stratification by race/ethnicity would reveal unique risk factors for development of non-cardia gastric cancer (NCGC) for US population.

Methods: Analysis included 1,112 incident cases of NCGC and 190,883 controls from the Multiethnic Cohort Study, a prospective US cohort study that recruited individuals living in Hawaii and California, aged 45-75 years from 5 races/ethnicities.

Low neighborhood socioeconomic status is associated with poor outcomes in young adults with colorectal cancer.

Background: The incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer has increased markedly over the past decade. Although established for older adults, there are limited data on socioeconomic and racial disparities in screening, treatment, and outcomes in this distinct group.

Methods: Adults with primary colorectal cancer diagnosed at age <50 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database.

Extent of Resection and Long-Term Outcomes for Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma: a SEER Database Analysis of Mucinous and non-Mucinous Histologies.

Background: Mucinous appendiceal adenocarcinomas (MAA) and non-mucinous appendiceal adenocarcinomas (NMAA) demonstrate differences in rates and patterns of recurrence, which may inform the appropriate extent of surgical resection (i.e., appendectomy versus colectomy).

Operative trends for pancreatic and hepatic malignancies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routine health care, including many elective and non-cancer operations in the United States. Most hepato-pancreato-biliary malignancy patients require outpatient imaging, tissue sampling, and staging, and many undergo neoadjuvant therapy before operative intervention. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on hepato-pancreato-biliary oncologic operations and to determine whether trends in neoadjuvant therapy were altered by the pandemic.

Racial disparities in rates of invasiveness of resected intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms in the United States.

Background: Racial and ethnic disparities have been observed in the multidisciplinary management of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm is the most common identifiable precursor to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, where early surgical intervention before the development of an invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm improves survival. The association of race/ethnicity with the risk of identifying invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms during resection has not been previously defined.

Recurrence-free survival dynamics following adjuvant chemotherapy for resected colorectal cancer: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Several cytotoxic chemotherapies have demonstrated efficacy in improving recurrence-free survival (RFS) following resection of Stage II-IV colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the temporal dynamics of response to such adjuvant therapy have not been systematically quantified.

Methods: The Cochrane Central Register of Trials, Medline (PubMed) and Web of Science were queried from database inception to February 23, 2023 for Phase III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) where there was a significant difference in RFS between adjuvant chemotherapy and surgery only arms.

Respondent Driven Sampling Method of Recruitment for a Case Control Study of Gastric Cancer Risk.

Objective: Gastric cancer (GC) disproportionately affects ethnic minorities in the US including Asians and Pacific Islanders. Research with minority groups who are at high risk are needed to provide more effective treatment. Successful recruitment of minorities to research must overcome obstacles of language, access, fear and mistrust.

COVID-19 Effect on Surgery for Gastrointestinal Malignancies: Have Operative Volumes Recovered?

Background: COVID-19 disrupted elective operations, cancer screening, and routine medical care while simultaneously overwhelming hospital staff and supplies. Operations for gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies rely on endoscopic screening, staging, and neoadjuvant therapy (NAT), each of which was disrupted by the pandemic. The aim was to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the US national rates of gastrointestinal oncologic operations.

Interpretation of Tumor Response Grade following Preoperative Therapy for Gastric Cancer: An Overview.

Gastric cancer is among the top five causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Preoperative chemotherapy has been established as an option in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. However, chemotherapy yields variable results, owing to the cellular and molecular heterogeneity of this disease.

Combination of Immunotherapy and Radiation Therapy in Gastrointestinal Cancers: An Appraisal of the Current Literature and Ongoing Research.

Oncological outcomes are improving in gastrointestinal cancer with advancements in systemic therapies, and there is notable potential in combining immunotherapy and radiation therapy (RT) to allow for further improvements. Various preclinical and early phase II studies have shown promising synergy with immunotherapy and RT in gastrointestinal cancer. A few recent phase III studies have shown improved survival with the addition of immunotherapy to standard treatment for gastrointestinal cancer.

Potentially Avoidable Admissions and Prolonged Hospitalization in Patients with Suspected Colon Cancer.

Background: Suspicion of cancer in the Emergency Department (ED) may lead to potentially avoidable and prolonged admissions. We aimed to examine the reasons for potentially avoidable and prolonged hospitalizations after admissions from the ED for new colon cancer diagnoses (ED-dx).

Methods: A retrospective, single-institution analysis was conducted of patients with ED-dx between 2017 and 2018.

Controlling Gastric Cancer in a World of Heterogeneous Risk.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a leading cause of global mortality but also a cancer whose footprint is highly unequal. This review aims to define global disease epidemiology, critically appraise strategies of prevention and disease attenuation, and assess how these strategies could be applied to improve outcomes from GC in a world of variable risk and disease burden. Strategies of primary prevention focus on improving the detection and eradication of the main environmental risk factor, Helicobacter pylori.

The order of surgery and chemotherapy matters: Multimodality therapy and stage-specific differences in survival in gastric cancer.

Background And Objectives: Multimodality treatment improves survival for gastric cancer (GC). However, the effect of treatment sequence by stage remains unclear. We aim to compare outcomes between patients receiving neoadjuvant(neoadj) and adjuvant chemotherapy (adj).

Association Between Socioeconomic and Insurance Status and Delayed Diagnosis of Gastrointestinal Cancers.

Introduction: Association between socioeconomic status (SES) and stage at diagnosis in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers is poorly described. Relationship between low SES and stage at diagnosis as well as the mediating role of insurance status (IS) was examined.

Methods: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was queried for esophageal, gastric, liver, biliary, pancreatic, colon, and rectal cancers diagnosed in 2012-2016.

Serum Pepsinogen as a Biomarker for Gastric Cancer in the United States: A Nested Case-Control Study Using the PLCO Cancer Screening Trial Data.

Background: Gastric cancer lacks specific symptoms, resulting in diagnosis at later stages and high mortality. Serum pepsinogen is a biomarker for atrophic gastritis, a gastric cancer precursor, and may be useful to detect persons at increased risk of gastric cancer.

Methods: The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial was conducted in the United States between 1993 and 2001.

Evaluation of Survival and Postoperative Radiation Among Patients with Advanced Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: An Analysis of the National Cancer Database.

Background: This study compared survival between patients who had medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) treated with surgery alone and patients who underwent surgery and radiation (SRT).

Methods: Patients from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) with a diagnosis of stage 3 or 4 MTC, lymph node disease, and no distant metastases between 2008 and 2016 were studied. Kaplan-Meier analyses and log-rank statistics were used to estimate and compare overall survival between patients treated with surgery alone and those treated with SRT.