Host Index and Gallbladder Cancer: An Emerging Prognostic Biomarker.

Background And Objectives: There is emerging evidence that host related variables predict outcomes in various cancers. The Host index (H-index) incorporates various host-related, blood-derived biomarkers (immunological and nutritional parameters) as a single mathematical formula. The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes using the H-index as a prognostic marker in gallbladder cancer (GBC) patients undergoing curative resection.

Primary Liver Rhabdomyosarcoma with Burnt-out Paravertebral Disease.

Less than 20 cases of primary hepatic rhabdomyosarcoma have been reported in literature. The authors present this occurrence in a neonate with paravertebral and peritoneal disease. Histopathology was the solution to authors' diagnostic dilemma.

Predicting the tumor microenvironment composition and immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung cancer from digital histopathology images.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have become integral to treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, reliable biomarkers predictive of immunotherapy efficacy are limited. Here, we introduce HistoTME, a novel weakly supervised deep learning approach to infer the tumor microenvironment (TME) composition directly from histopathology images of NSCLC patients.

Masked Image Modeling Meets Self-Distillation: A Transformer-Based Prostate Gland Segmentation Framework for Pathology Slides.

Detailed evaluation of prostate cancer glands is an essential yet labor-intensive step in grading prostate cancer. Gland segmentation can serve as a valuable preliminary step for machine-learning-based downstream tasks, such as Gleason grading, patient classification, cancer biomarker building, and survival analysis. Despite its importance, there is currently a lack of a reliable gland segmentation model for prostate cancer.

Role of preoperative transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (Hong Kong liver cancer stage IIB).

Introduction: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has an established role in advanced HCC. The present study evaluates the role of TACE as a neoadjuvant modality in the management of intermediate HCC [Hong Kong Liver Cancer (HKLC) stage IIB].

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis of HCC patients treated between January 2010 and August 2022 was performed.

Optimal treatment strategies for borderline resectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer.

Background: Traditionally, colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs) are divided into "initially resectable" and "initially unresectable." The terminology "borderline resectable" continues to be elusive without any common consensus or definition. This narrative review aims to decode the conundrum of "borderline resectable CRLM (BR-CRLM)" and to discuss optimal treatment strategies.

A machine learning model reveals expansive downregulation of ligand-receptor interactions that enhance lymphocyte infiltration in melanoma with developed resistance to immune checkpoint blockade.

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) is a promising cancer therapy; however, resistance frequently develops. To explore ICB resistance mechanisms, we develop Immunotherapy Resistance cell-cell Interaction Scanner (IRIS), a machine learning model aimed at identifying cell-type-specific tumor microenvironment ligand-receptor interactions relevant to ICB resistance. Applying IRIS to deconvolved transcriptomics data of the five largest melanoma ICB cohorts, we identify specific downregulated interactions, termed resistance downregulated interactions (RDI), as tumors develop resistance.

Liver Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Recent Advances.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a significant global health burden. Surgery remains a cornerstone in the curative treatment of HCC, and recent years have witnessed notable advancements aimed at refining surgical techniques and improving patient outcomes. This review presents a detailed examination of the recent innovations in HCC surgery, highlighting key developments in both surgical approaches and adjunctive therapies.

Patterns and Predictors of Recurrence After Curative Resection of Colorectal Liver Metastasis (CRLM).

Background: Our study aims to determine the predictors and patterns of relapses after curative colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) resection.

Methods: A single-centre, retrospective study of CRLM patients operated between 2010 and 2022 was performed. The site of first recurrence was either hepatic (marginal (≤ 1 cm) or extramarginal), extrahepatic, or both.

Robotic Radical Cholecystectomy: Demonstrating Technical Equivalence to Open Surgery in Gallbladder Cancer.

Background: Open radical cholecystectomy is the current "gold standard" for the management of gallbladder cancer. In well-selected patients, robotic radical cholecystectomy (RRC) can be a suitable alternative offering immediate postoperative benefits, such as less blood loss, shorter hospital stay, and fewer complications, while being oncologically equivalent. However, it requires a longer learning curve.

Realizing Textbook Outcomes Following Liver Resection for Hepatic Neoplasms with Development and Validation of a Predictive Nomogram.

Background: 'Textbook Outcome' (TO) represents an effort to define a standardized, composite quality benchmark based on intraoperative and postoperative endpoints. This study aimed to assess the applicability of TO as an outcome measure following liver resection for hepatic neoplasms from a low- to middle-income economy and determine its impact on long-term survival. Based on identified perioperative predictors, we developed and validated a nomogram-based scoring and risk stratification system.

Evolution and improved outcomes in the era of multimodality treatment for extended pancreatectomy.

Background: The evolution and outcomes of extended pancreatectomies at a single institute over 15 years are presented in this study.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of the institutional database was performed from 2015 to 2022 (period B). Patients undergoing extended pancreatic resections, as defined by the International Study Group for Pancreatic Surgery, were included.

Prognostic Impact of Para-Aortic Lymph Node Metastasis in Resected Non-Pancreatic Periampullary Cancers.

Background: Surgery remains debatable in para-aortic lymph node (PALN, station 16b1) metastasis in non-pancreatic periampullary cancer (NPPAC). This study examined the impact of PALN metastasis on outcomes following pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) in NPPAC.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with NPPAC who were explored for PD with PALN dissection was performed.

Impact of post-hepatectomy biliary leaks on long-term survival in different liver tumors: A single institute experience.

Backgrounds/aims: A postoperative biliary leak is one of the most morbid complications occurring after a liver resection, the long-term impact of which remains unknown.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of consecutive liver resections performed from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2021. Primary endpoint of disease-free survival (DFS) was compared between patients with and without a bile leak, stratifying for tumor type.

Preventing futile surgery in Intrahepatic and Perihilar cholangiocarcinomas: Can we identify preoperative factors to improve patient selection and optimize outcomes?

Background: Intraoperative unresectability, postoperative deaths and early recurrences remain devastating futile events in the surgical management of Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (iCCA) and Perihilar cholangiocarcinomas (pCCA). The present study aims to determine the preoperative predictors of futile surgery in cholangiocarcinomas.

Methods: Consecutive hepatectomies for iCCA and pCCA, between September 2010 and June 2022 were included.

Adjuvant Gemcitabine Plus Cisplatin and Chemoradiation in Patients With Gallbladder Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: There is limited evidence with regard to the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy chemoradiotherapy in resected gallbladder cancers (GBCs).

Objective: To establish a baseline survival rate for operated GBCs in patients receiving either gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GC) or capecitabine and capecitabine concurrent with chemoradiation (CCRT).

Design, Setting, And Participants: The GECCOR-GB study was a multicenter, open-label, randomized phase 2 noncomparator "pick the winner" design trial of adjuvant GC and CCRT in patients with resected histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma or adenosquamous carcinoma of the gallbladder, (stage II/III) with no local residual tumor (R0) or microscopic residual tumor (R1).

A selective CutMix approach improves generalizability of deep learning-based grading and risk assessment of prostate cancer.

The Gleason score is an important predictor of prognosis in prostate cancer. However, its subjective nature can result in over- or under-grading. Our objective was to train an artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithm to grade prostate cancer in specimens from patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) and to assess the correlation of AI-estimated proportions of different Gleason patterns with biochemical recurrence-free survival (RFS), metastasis-free survival (MFS), and overall survival (OS).

Comparative responses to demethylating therapy in animal models of osteosarcoma.

Background: The demethylating agent decitabine (DAC) effectively inhibits tumor growth and metastasis by targeting ESR1 methylation to restore estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) signaling and promoting cellular differentiation in models of human osteosarcoma (OSA). Whether this pathway can be targeted in canine OSA patients is unknown.

Methods: Canine OSA tumor samples were tested for ERα expression and ESR1 promoter methylation.