Pretreatment bioelectrical impedance analysis predicts chemotherapy efficacy and toxicity in metastatic colorectal cancer patients.

Background: The prognostic significance of body composition in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients receiving systemic chemotherapy is increasingly recognized. This study aimed to explore the relationship between various body composition metrics measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and patient outcomes in patients with mCRC.

Methods: In a retrospective cohort of 164 mCRC patients, body composition was assessed using BIA before first-line chemotherapy.

Radiomics-based Machine Learning Approach to Predict Chemotherapy Responses in Colorectal Liver Metastases.

Objectives: This study explored the clinical utility of CT radiomics-driven machine learning as a predictive marker for chemotherapy response in colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) patients.

Methods: We included 150 CRLM patients who underwent first-line doublet chemotherapy, dividing them into a training cohort (n=112) and a test cohort (n=38). We manually delineated three-dimensional tumor volumes, selecting the largest liver metastasis for measurement, using pretreatment portal-phase CT images and extracted 107 radiomics features.

YAP acts as an independent prognostic marker and regulates growth and metastasis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors via FBXW7-YAP pathway.

Background: Although imatinib (IM) and subsequent tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) significantly improve the prognosis of GIST patients by delaying metastasis and recurrence, most patients experience limited efficacy due to toxicity and secondary resistance. We evaluated Yes-associated protein (YAP), a coactivator of the Hippo pathway accounting for IM resistance and aggressive GIST phenotypes, in GISTs. The degradation of YAP is mediated by FBXW7, and FBXW7 predicts recurrence and IM efficacy for GIST patients.

Intracranial Subdural Empyema During Long-term Chemotherapy for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Case Report.

Background/aim: Although chemotherapy for colorectal cancer has advanced remarkably, long-term chemotherapy can lead to a variety of infections. However, if chemotherapy must be discontinued to control infection, there is a risk of progression of colorectal cancer. Intracranial subdural empyema is a life-threatening intracranial infection.

Poorly differentiated mucinous carcinoma of the ascending colon complicated by bilateral ovarian mature cystic teratomas in a 17-year-old female patient: a case report.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and screening colonoscopy has led to a decreasing incidence rate. However, the incidence of CRC is increasing among young people, especially adolescents and young adults (AYAs) who are not routinely screened. Although CRC is the fourth most common cancer among AYAs, it is extremely rare.

Equal short-term outcomes of intracorporeal mechanical gastrogastrostomy in laparoscopic pylorus-preserving gastrectomy for cT1N0 gastric cancer in the middle stomach compared with the extracorporeal hand-sewing method.

Background: Intracorporeal mechanical gastrogastrostomy (IMG) techniques have recently been developed and their short-term safety was presented in their initial evaluation. However, whether they are comparable to extracorporeal hand-sewing gastrogastrostomy (EHG) remains unclear. The aim of the study is to establish the safety of IMG in totally laparoscopic pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (TLPPG) compared to EHG in laparoscopy-assisted pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (LAPPG).

Conversion surgery for stage IV gastric cancer with multiple liver metastases with a complete pathological response to S-1 plus oxaliplatin therapy.

Although patients with stage IV gastric cancer who respond well to systemic chemotherapy can be treated with gastrectomy, the prognosis of patients with multiple liver metastases is poor. We herein describe a patient with stage IV gastric cancer with multiple liver metastases who underwent conversion surgery after systemic treatment with S-1 plus oxaliplatin. The patient was a 62-year-old man.

Clinical impact of very early recurrence after conversion surgery for stage IV gastric cancer.

Background: The development and improved response to chemotherapy has resulted in a survival benefit of conversion surgery (CS) for advanced gastric cancer (GC). However, this benefit is limited in some cases, such as in those with very early recurrence (VER). This study investigated the relationship between outcome and clinicopathological characteristics after CS for stage IV GC, and the risk factors for VER after CS.

Body Composition and Clinical Outcomes in Esophageal Cancer Patients Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Background: Obesity is associated with increased mortality in various cancers, but the relationship between obesity and clinical outcomes in unresectable or recurrent esophageal cancer who receive immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) remains unknown. This study investigated the association between body composition and clinical outcomes in patients with unresectable or recurrent esophageal cancer who received ICIs.

Methods: Utilizing an unbiased database of 111 unresectable or recurrent esophageal cancers, we evaluated the relationships between body composition (body mass index, waist circumference, psoas major muscle volume, and subcutaneous and visceral fat areas) at the initiation of ICI treatment and clinical outcomes including the disease control rate and progression-free survival (PFS).

Mesothelial cells with mesenchymal features enhance peritoneal dissemination by forming a protumorigenic microenvironment.

Malignant ascites accompanied by peritoneal dissemination contain various factors and cell populations as well as cancer cells; however, how the tumor microenvironment is shaped in ascites remains unclear. Single-cell proteomic profiling and a comprehensive proteomic analysis are conducted to comprehensively characterize malignant ascites. Here, we find defects in immune effectors along with immunosuppressive cell accumulation in ascites of patients with gastric cancer (GC) and identify five distinct subpopulations of CD45(-)/EpCAM(-) cells.

Relationship between the severity of emphysematous change in the lung and morbidity after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer: A retrospective study on a novel strategy for risk prediction.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) prevalence increases post-esophagectomy morbidity. However, the association between COPD severity and post-esophagectomy morbidity remains unclear because of the lack of an objective method to classify COPD severity. Low attenuation volume ratio (LAVR) estimated using Ziostation2 may reflect the extent of emphysematous changes in the lungs and COPD severity, thereby predicting post-esophagectomy morbidity.

Textbook outcome contributes to long-term prognosis in older adults with gastric cancer.

Purpose: Textbook outcome (TO) is a composite quality measurement of short-term outcomes for evaluating surgical procedures. We investigated whether TO can be used to predict outcomes after curative gastric cancer (GC) surgery in older adults.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 492 consecutive patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for GC from 2005 to 2017.

The 5-factor modified frailty index is a novel predictive marker of death from other diseases after curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Aim: The 5-factor modified frailty index (MFI-5) is a stratification tool to evaluate a patient's frailty. This study determined whether the MFI-5 is associated with short- and long-term outcomes after curative gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 447 consecutive patients who underwent curative gastrectomy, and evaluated their overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS) and cancer-specific survival.

Textbook outcome contributes to long-term prognosis in elderly colorectal cancer patients.

Purpose: Textbook outcome (TO) has been used to define achievement of multiple "ideal" or "optimal" surgical and postoperative quality measures from the patient's perspective. However, TO has not been reported for their impact on survival in elderly, including CRC surgery. This study determined whether TO is associated with long-term outcomes after curative colorectomy in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).

Prognostic value of F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the bone marrow on pretreatment positron emission tomography/computed tomography in patients with esophageal cancer who underwent esophagectomy.

Background: Increased F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the bone marrow (BM) on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) clinically reflects increased BM metabolism owing to systemic inflammation, bacterial infection, anemia, and cytokine-producing tumors. The association between FDG uptake in the BM and prognosis after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer has not been investigated.

Methods: This study included 651 patients who underwent PET/CT before any treatment and McKeown esophagectomy for esophageal cancer between June 2007 and August 2021.

Frailty Assessed by the Clinical Frailty Scale is Associated with Prognosis After Esophagectomy.

Background: The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) is a simple and validated tool for assessing frailty, and higher CFS scores are correlated with worse perioperative outcomes after cardiovascular surgery. However, the relationship between the CFS scores and postoperative outcomes after esophagectomy remain unclear.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 561 patients with esophageal cancer (EC) who underwent resection from August 2010 to August 2020.

Intratumour Fusobacterium nucleatum and immune response to oesophageal cancer.

Background: Experimental evidence suggests a role of intratumour Fusobacterium nucleatum in the aggressive behaviour of gastrointestinal cancer through downregulating anti-tumour immunity. We investigated the relationship between intratumour F. nucleatum and immune response to oesophageal cancer.

C-Reactive Protein Levels After Esophagectomy are Associated with Increased Surgical Complications and Poor Prognosis in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are reported to predict complications and survival after surgery in various cancers. However, the relationship between postoperative CRP levels and short- and long-term outcomes of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients after esophagectomy is unclear.

Method: We reviewed the records of 543 ESCC patients who underwent subtotal esophagectomy with gastric conduit reconstruction at Kumamoto University Hospital between August 2010 and July 2021.

Stromal Reprogramming through Dual PDGFRα/β Blockade Boosts the Efficacy of Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy in Fibrotic Tumors.

Unlabelled: Excess stroma and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) enhance cancer progression and facilitate immune evasion. Insights into the mechanisms by which the stroma manipulates the immune microenvironment could help improve cancer treatment. Here, we aimed to elucidate potential approaches for stromal reprogramming and improved cancer immunotherapy.

IL-1β derived from mixed-polarized macrophages activates fibroblasts and synergistically forms a cancer-promoting microenvironment.

Background: Remodeling the tumor microenvironment (TME) to benefit cancer cells is crucial for tumor progression. Although diffuse-type gastric cancer (DGC) preferentially interacts with the TME, the precise mechanism of the complicated network remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the mutual activation mechanism underlying DGC progression.

Postoperative respiratory morbidity can adversely affect prognosis in thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer: a retrospective study.

Background: Esophagectomy for esophageal cancer is associated with frequent respiratory morbidities, which may deteriorate postoperative survival outcomes. Thoracoscopic esophagectomy (TE) is less invasive and is associated with fewer respiratory morbidities than open esophagectomy. However, the relationship between post-TE respiratory morbidity and prognosis has not been well established.

Successful Management of Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma With Liver and Ovary Metastases: A Case Report.

Background/aim: Chemoradiation is the recommended initial treatment for locally advanced squamous anal cancer. However, there is still no consensus on the course of treatment for anal canal cancer with distant metastasis, and the significance of surgical resection of distant metastases is also unclear.

Case Report: A 48-year-old woman presented to the referral hospital complaining of prolonged bleeding for the past 6 months.

Omental Flap Wrapping Around the Esophagogastric Anastomosis and Association with Anastomotic Leak in Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer: A Propensity Score-Matching Analysis.

Background: Anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy remains frequent and can cause surgery-related mortality. Wrapping the esophageal conduit anastomosis with a greater omental flap is a proposed method to reduce leakage. However, the usefulness of omental wrapping (OW) has not been elucidated.

Surgical removal of giant pelvic liposarcoma after preoperative transcatheter arterial embolization.

Liposarcoma includes tumors with a wide range of malignancies, from mostly benign to malignant. We report a case of a 73 year-old man who was admitted for urination and defecation disorder. Contract computed tomography (CT) revealed a mass of approximately 21 cm occupying the pelvis, bladder, ureter, prostate, and rectum being compressed by the tumor.