Robotic Laparoscopy and Endoscopy Cooperative Surgery for Primary Appendiceal Mucinous Carcinoma Masquerading as Bladder Cancer: A Case Report.

Bladder invasion by appendiceal cancer resulting in a vesico-appendiceal fistula is an uncommon occurrence. Both radical tumor removal and functional preservation of the bladder are desirable in the surgical treatment of this disease, and there are few reports on detailed surgical methods. Here, we describe a case of primary appendiceal mucinous carcinoma with bladder invasion treated with robotic laparoscopy and endoscopy cooperative surgery (RECS).

Targeting Asparagine Metabolism in Solid Tumors.

Reprogramming of energy metabolism to support cellular growth is a "hallmark" of cancer, allowing cancer cells to balance the catabolic demands with the anabolic needs of producing the nucleotides, amino acids, and lipids necessary for tumor growth. Metabolic alterations, or "addiction", are promising therapeutic targets and the focus of many drug discovery programs. Asparagine metabolism has gained much attention in recent years as a novel target for cancer therapy.

Neutrophil and Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is often associated with metastasis and recurrence and is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. In the progression of CRC, recent studies have highlighted the critical role of neutrophils, particularly tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs). TANs have both tumor-promoting and tumor-suppressing activities, contributing to metastasis, immunosuppression, angiogenesis, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

Analysis of Inertial Measurement Unit Data for an AI-Based Physical Function Assessment System Using In-Clinic-like Movements.

Assessing objective physical function in patients with cancer is crucial for evaluating their ability to tolerate invasive treatments. Current assessment methods, such as the timed up and go (TUG) test and the short physical performance battery, tend to require additional resources and time, limiting their practicality in routine clinical practice. To address these challenges, we developed a system to assess physical function based on movements observed during clinical consultations and aimed to explore relevant features from inertial measurement unit data collected during those movements.

Short-term outcomes of robot-assisted versus conventional minimally invasive esophagectomy: A propensity score-matched study via a nationwide database.

Background: The advantages of robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RA-MIE) over conventional minimally invasive esophagectomy (C-MIE) are unknown. This nationwide large-scale study aimed to compare surgical outcomes between RA-MIE and C-MIE using rigorous propensity score methods, including detailed covariates and relevant outcomes.

Methods: This Japanese nationwide retrospective cohort study included RA-MIE or C-MIE for esophageal malignant tumors performed between October 2018 and December 2019 and registered in the Japanese National Clinical Database.

Cervical-First Approach in Thoracoscopic Esophagectomy With Intraoperative Nerve Monitoring for an Esophageal Cancer Patient With Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery.

An aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) is a rare vascular anomaly accompanied by nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve (NRILN). Here, we described the cervical-first approach in thoracoscopic esophagectomy for an esophageal cancer patient with ARSA using the intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) system. First, a left cervical procedure proceeded to expose the left vagus nerve to attach the APS electrode of the IONM system, and the left cervical paraesophageal lymph nodes was dissected separately.

Sciatic Nerve Preservation in Robot-Assisted Surgery for Initially Unresectable Primary Rectal Cancer: A Case Report.

Radical surgery for rectal cancer with bulky lateral pelvic lymph node (LPLN) metastasis involving the sciatic nerve presents both technical and oncological challenges. Preoperative multidisciplinary treatments have recently been anticipated to control the disease as well as to preserve organ function. A 51-year-old man, presenting with right buttock pain and impairment of walking, was diagnosed with sciatic nerve impairment due to right LPLN metastasis from rectal cancer.

Longitudinal phosphoproteomics reveals the PI3K-PAK1 axis as a potential target for recurrent colorectal liver metastases.

The resistance of colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLMs) to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy remains a significant global health challenge. We investigated the phosphoproteomic dynamics of serial tissue sections obtained from initial metastases and recurrent tumors collected from 24 patients to address this unmet need for innovative therapeutic strategies for patients with CRLM with a poor prognosis. Our analysis revealed the activation of PAK kinase in patients with CRLM with a poor prognosis.

Dual inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis exerts a synergistic antitumor effect on colorectal and gastric cancer by creating energy depletion and preventing metabolic switch.

Pyruvate is situated at the intersection of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolysis, which are the primary energy-producing pathways in cells. Cancer therapies targeting these pathways have been previously documented, indicating that inhibiting one pathway may lead to functional compensation by the other, resulting in an insufficient antitumor effect. Thus, effective cancer treatment necessitates concurrent and comprehensive suppression of both.

Retinoblastoma-binding Protein 9 Suppresses Intestinal Inflammation and Inflammation-induced Tumorigenesis in Mice.

Background & Aims: Retinoblastoma-binding protein 9 (RBBP9) was initially reported as cell cycle regulator via RB/E2F. Accumulating evidence has revealed the importance of RBBP9 in physiological and pathological states including inflammatory disease. However, the functional role of RBBP9 in ulcerative colitis (UC) and colitis-associated cancer (CAC) remains elusive.

Identifying central dimensions of quality of life including life-related values, preferences and functional health in older patients with cancer: a scoping review protocol.

Background: Older patients with cancer already represent the largest proportion of cancer survivors which will further increase in the upcoming years. However, older patients are highly underrepresented in clinical research, leading to a detrimental knowledge gap. Research on important aspects of quality of life (QoL) and associated factors for older patients with cancer is insufficient to date.

Prostaglandin E-EP2/EP4 signaling induces immunosuppression in human cancer by impairing bioenergetics and ribosome biogenesis in immune cells.

While prostaglandin E (PGE) is produced in human tumor microenvironment (TME), its role therein remains poorly understood. Here, we examine this issue by comparative single-cell RNA sequencing of immune cells infiltrating human cancers and syngeneic tumors in female mice. PGE receptors EP4 and EP2 are expressed in lymphocytes and myeloid cells, and their expression is associated with the downregulation of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and MYC targets, glycolysis and ribosomal proteins (RPs).

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is associated with prolonged relapse free survival in patient with MRI-detected extramural vascular invasion (mrEMVI) positive rectal cancer: A multicenter retrospective cohort study in Japan.

Purpose: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) is employed for the local control of locally advanced rectal cancer; however, its prognostic impact is limited and often impairs pelvic organ function. Therefore, careful patient selection is essential. This study aimed to investigate the impact of nCRT on relapse-free survival (RFS) by stratifying patients according to MRI detected circumferential resection margin (mrCRM) or extramural vascular invasion (mrEMVI), as the ability of MRI findings to identify patients who will have beneficial outcomes from nCRT is uncertain.

Relationship between hospital surgical volume and the perioperative esophagectomy costs for esophageal cancer: a nationwide administrative claims database study.

Background: Numerous studies have described positive relationships between hospital volume (HV) and clinical outcomes in highly complex procedures, including esophagectomies. Although the centralization of surgery has been considered a possible solution for improving clinical outcomes, the HV impact on perioperative healthcare costs is unknown. This study aimed to determine the relationship between HV and perioperative healthcare costs for patients undergoing esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.

Growth pattern of de novo small clusters of colorectal cancer is regulated by Notch signaling at detachment.

Cancer cell clusters have a higher capacity for metastasis than single cells, suggesting cancer cell clusters have biological properties different from those of single cells. The nature of de novo cancer cell clusters that are newly formed from tumor masses is largely unknown. Herein, we generated small cell clusters from colorectal cancer organoids and tracked the growth patterns of the clusters up to four cells.

Identification of lateral pelvic nodes without metastasis in patients with rectal cancer treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy based on magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Intensive localized therapy is promising for the treatment of rectal cancer. In Japan, chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) are used as preoperative treatments for this disease. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to diagnose lateral pelvic node (LPN) metastases, but the changes in LPN findings on MRI following preoperative treatment are unclear.

Sequential treatment with valemetostat and conventional anti-cancer drugs for refractory aggressive adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma: A case report.

A 79-year-old man presented with respiratory distress associated with a mediastinal mass and pleural effusion, and was diagnosed as having adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. The patient was highly refractory to anticancer drugs and radiotherapy from the time of onset and had progressive respiratory deterioration. However, his condition became stable with the administration of valemetostat for 11 days, and subsequent low-dose-anticancer agents led to a rapid improvement accompanied by high fever and a surge in C-reactive protein.

Laparoscopic vs. open surgery for rectal cancer in patients with obesity: short-term outcomes and relapse-free survival across age groups.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer in obese and older patients, who are often characterized by a higher prevalence of comorbidities and physical decline.

Methods: This large-scale multicenter retrospective cohort study included 524 patients with a body mass index of 25 or higher who underwent either open or laparoscopic surgery for stage II or III rectal cancer between 2009 and 2013. We assessed the short-term outcomes and relapse-free survival by comparing these surgical modalities.