Lymph Node Metastasis for pN+ Superficial Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze lymph node metastasis (LNM) distribution in superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and its impact factors on survival.

Methods: We reviewed 241 pT1N+ ESCC cases between February 2012 and April 2022 from 10 Chinese hospitals with a high volume of esophageal cancer (EC). We analyzed clinicopathological data to identify overall survival (OS) risk factors and LNM distribution in relation to tumor invasion depth.

Safety and efficacy of thrombolytic therapy in the treatment of early pulmonary embolism after thoracic surgery.

Background: The incidence and mortality rates of early pulmonary embolism (PE) after thoracic surgery are high. Thrombolytic therapy is the basic treatment of PE. The aim of this study is to explore the safety and efficacy of thrombolytic therapy for patients with early postoperative PE.

Clinical outcomes of conversion surgery after induction immunochemotherapy for borderline resectable T4 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: The current treatment strategies for borderline resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma remain controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of programmed cell death 1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy, followed by conversion surgery, for borderline resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods: Patients with borderline resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated with induction immunochemotherapy from January 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 at our hospital were retrospectively analyzed.

Preoperative identification of small metastatic lymph nodes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma using CT radiomics of lymph nodes.

Purpose: To propose and validate a CT radiomics model utilizing radiomic features from lymph nodes (LNs) with maximum short axis diameter (MSAD) < 1 cm for predicting small metastatic LN (sMLN) in patients with resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods: A total of 196 resectable patients with ESCC undergoing surgery were retrospectively enrolled, among whom 25% had sMLN. 146 out of 196 patients (from hospital 1) were randomly divided into the training (n = 116) and testing cohorts (n = 30) at an 8:2 ratio, while the remaining 50 patients from hospital 2 constituted the external validation cohort.

Clinical efficacy of different therapeutic strategies in patients with spontaneous rupture of the esophagus: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Background: The therapeutic strategy for patients with spontaneous rupture of the esophagus includes surgical repair, endoscopic therapy, supportive care, and others. However, no evidence exists to direct clinical decision-making regarding the choice of operative and nonoperative management. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical efficacy of different therapeutic strategies in both general and stratified patients.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without camrelizumab in resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: the randomized phase 3 ESCORT-NEO/NCCES01 trial.

Recent single-arm studies involving neoadjuvant camrelizumab, a PD-1 inhibitor, plus chemotherapy for resectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (LA-ESCC) have shown promising results. This multicenter, randomized, open-label phase 3 trial aimed to further assess the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant camrelizumab plus chemotherapy followed by adjuvant camrelizumab, compared to neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone. A total of 391 patients with resectable thoracic LA-ESCC (T1b-3N1-3M0 or T3N0M0) were stratified by clinical stage (I/II, III or IVA) and randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to undergo two cycles of neoadjuvant therapy.

Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals the Role of Changes in Platelet Activation Pathways in the Survival Outcome of Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Objective: The objective of this study was to integrate metabolomics and transcriptomics data to identify key diagnostic and prognostic markers for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Plasma samples were collected from 85 ESCC patients at different stages and 50 healthy volunteers for non-targeted metabolomic analysis.

Methods: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was employed for non-targeted metabolomic analysis.

Preoperative CT radiomics of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and lymph node to predict nodal disease with a high diagnostic capability.

Purpose: To develop CT radiomics models of resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and lymph node (LN) to preoperatively identify LN+.

Materials And Methods: 299 consecutive patients with ESCC were enrolled in the study, 140 of whom were LN+ and 159 were LN-. Of the 299 patients, 249 (from the same hospital) were randomly divided into a training cohort (n = 174) and a test cohort (n = 75).

A CT-based novel model to predict pathological complete response of locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade in combination with chemotherapy.

Purpose: To develop a novel CT-based model to predict pathological complete response (pCR) of locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) to neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade in combination with chemotherapy.

Methods: 117 consecutive patients with locally advanced ESCC were stratified into training cohort (n = 82) and validation cohort (n = 35). All patients underwent non-contrast and contrast-enhanced thoracic and upper abdominal CT before neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade in combination with chemotherapy (CT), and after two cycles of the therapy before esophagectomy (CT), respectively.

Surgical Treatment for Persistent Cervical Anastomotic Fistulas With Sinus Formation.

A refractory cervical anastomotic fistula with sinus formation will seriously impede a patient's return to normal life. It is necessary to find ways to shorten the recovery time for such patients. We used a multilayered, pursestring inverted suture-embedding method for 7 patients, 6 of whom recovered; 1 patient with severe anastomotic stricture and failed.

Modified layered hand-sewn cervical end-to-side anastomosis for minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy.

Background: Minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy (MIE McKeown) with cervical anastomosis is a widely used approach for the treatment of esophageal cancer (EC). Anastomotic leak is one of the most serious complications following esophagectomy. This study aimed to summarize the anastomosis procedure and assess the clinical outcomes of our modified layered hand-sewn cervical end-to-side anastomosis for cervical anastomosis during MIE McKeown.

Author Correction: Investigation of Dietary Factors and Esophageal Cancer Knowledge: Comparison of Rural Residents in High- and Low-incidence Areas.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.

Investigation of Dietary Factors and Esophageal Cancer Knowledge: Comparison of Rural Residents in High- and Low-incidence Areas.

To compare the differences in dietary status and knowledge of esophageal cancer (EC) between residents of high- and low-incidence areas. We investigated dietary conditions and EC knowledge among residents in high- and low-EC incidence areas (Yanting and Qingzhen counties). Residents in Yanting consumed more pickled vegetables, salted meat and barbecued food (P < 0.

Multiple intracranial metastases from postoperative giant sarcomatoid malignant pleural mesothelioma: A case report and literature review.

Sarcomatoid malignant pleural mesothelioma (SMPM) is a rare tumor with poor response to treatment and a dismal prognosis. Distant metastases are not uncommon and usually appear at the late stages of the disease. However, cerebral metastases have rarely been documented.

Associations between the expression of MTA1 and VEGF-C in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with lymph angiogenesis and lymph node metastasis.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between the expression levels of metastasis-related gene 1 (MTA1) and vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with lymph angiogenesis and lymph node metastasis. The paraffin-embedded tissue samples of 107 cases of ESCC and 56 cases of normal esophageal tissues were collected from the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Suining Central Hospital from March 2013 to January 2014. Immunohistochemical assays were performed to detect the expression levels of MTA1, VEGF-C and D2-40 in ESCC, and the micro-lymphatic vessel density (LVD) was evaluated.

Pulmonary chondroma: A clinicopathological study of 29 cases and a review of the literature.

The present retrospective study was designed to review the clinicopathological features and outcome of surgical treatment of pulmonary chondroma, and to accumulate data for the clinical diagnosis and therapy. The clinicopathological data from 29 patients, aged between 38- and 78-years-old, with pulmonary chondroma who underwent surgical operation between July 2003 and June 2015 were reviewed. Of these patients, 18 exhibited no clinical symptoms, 7 were characterized by coughing, hemoptysis, shortness of breath and other symptoms and only 3 patients exhibited chest pain as the predominant symptom.

Comparative study of self-expanding metal stent and intraluminal radioactive stent for inoperable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: We compared the effectiveness of self-expanding metal stent alone vs. radioactive stent embedded with 125I seeds implantation insertion in patients of inoperable esophageal squamous cell cancer combined with malignant esophageal stenosis.

Methods: We studied two groups of patients with stenosis attribute to inoperable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

A Novel Targeted Screening Tool for Hypogammaglobulinemia: Measurement of Serum Immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM, IgA) Levels from Dried Blood Spots (Ig-DBS Assay).

Purpose: To develop an assay to quantify serum immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM, IgA) levels using dried blood spots (DBS) obtained on collection cards to be used as a tool for targeted screening for hypogammaglobulinemia.

Methods: DBS samples, along with simultaneous serum samples, were collected from 107 healthy individuals (11 months to 57 years of age). After eluting proteins from DBS, IgG, IgM, and IgA were quantified by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Anatomic variation of the common palmar digital nerves and arteries.

Variations in the course and distribution of common palmar digital nerves and arteries are rare. A classic common palmar digital nerves and arteries are defined as concomitant. During routine dissection classes to undergraduate medical students we observed formation of each common palmar digital nerve divided into 2 or 3 branches and formed a ring enclosing the corresponding common palmar digital artery.

[Evaluation of the value of 7th editions of UICC-AJCC esophageal and gastric cancer TNM staging systems for prognostic prediction of adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (Siewert type II)].

Objective: To compare the value of applicability of the 7th edition of UICC-AJCC esophageal and gastric cancer TNM staging system in the prognostic prediction of adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (EGJ).

Methods: During June 1, 2007 through Dec. 31, 2010, a total of 199 patients with adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (Siewert type II) underwent R0-intent resection from June 1, 2007 to Dec 31, 2010 in our hospital.

Epithelial membrane protein-2 (EMP2) activates Src protein and is a novel therapeutic target for glioblastoma.

Despite recent advances in molecular classification, surgery, radiotherapy, and targeted therapies, the clinical outcome of patients with malignant brain tumors remains extremely poor. In this study, we have identified the tetraspan protein epithelial membrane protein-2 (EMP2) as a potential target for glioblastoma (GBM) killing. EMP2 had low or undetectable expression in normal brain but was highly expressed in GBM as 95% of patients showed some expression of the protein.

Rationale and preclinical efficacy of a novel anti-EMP2 antibody for the treatment of invasive breast cancer.

Despite significant advances in biology and medicine, the incidence and mortality due to breast cancer worldwide is still unacceptably high. Thus, there is an urgent need to discover new molecular targets. In this article, we show evidence for a novel target in human breast cancer, the tetraspan protein epithelial membrane protein-2 (EMP2).

Overexpression of ECRG4 enhances chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil in the human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cell line.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of esophageal cancer-related gene 4 (ECRG4) expression levels on chemotherapeutic sensitivity of gastric cancer cells. A SGC-7901 cell system with tetracycline-inducible ECRG4 expression (SGC-7901/ECRG4) was successfully established. ECRG4 mRNA and protein expression levels were detected using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively.

High COL4A3 expression correlates with poor prognosis after cisplatin plus gemcitabine chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

In this study, we investigated whether COL4A3 mRNA expression levels were associated with clinical outcomes after treatment with a combination of gemcitabine (Gem)/cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (CDDP) regimen for patients with advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Response and survival were correlated with the level of COL4A3 expression in 58 patients with advanced (stage IIIb or IV) NSCLC treated as part of a multicenter randomized trial with Gem 1,250 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8 plus CDDP 100 mg/m(2) on day 1 every 3 weeks. mRNA was isolated from paraffin-embedded pretreatment primary tumor specimens, and relative expression levels of COL4A3/β-actin were measured using a quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (Taqman) system.