Clinical Features in Patients With Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer: An Evaluation of Data From the StuDoQ Database.

Background: The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients who are less than 50 years old (early-onset colorectal cancer, EO-CRC) has risen markedly around the world in recent decades. Because of a lack of early detection programs for young patients, EO-CRC is often not detected until it has reached an advanced stage. In this study, we compared surgical patients with EO-CRC to those with so-called average-onset CRC (> 50 years; AO-CRC) using data from a large patient collective.

Excellent efficacy and beneficial safety during observational 5-year follow-up of rapid steroid withdrawal after renal transplantation (Harmony FU study).

Background: We previously reported excellent efficacy and improved safety aspects of rapid steroid withdrawal (RSWD) in the randomized controlled 1-year "Harmony" trial with 587 predominantly deceased-donor kidney transplant recipients randomized either to basiliximab or rabbit antithymocyte globulin induction therapy and compared with standard immunosuppressive therapy consisting of basiliximab, low tacrolimus once daily, mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids.

Methods: The 5-year post-trial follow-up (FU) data were obtained in an observational manner at a 3- and a 5-year visit only for those Harmony patients who consented to participate and covered clinical events that occurred from the second year onwards.

Results: Biopsy-proven acute rejection and death-censored graft loss rates remained low and independent of RSWD.

Prevalence of Temporomandibular Disorders Based on a Shortened Symptom Questionnaire of the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders and Its Screening Reliability for Children and Adolescents Aged 7-14 Years.

The prevalence and adequacy of diagnostic approaches for temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in children and adolescents are still matters of debate. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of TMD and oral habits in children and adolescents aged 7-14 years and evaluate the consistency between self-reported TMD symptoms and clinical findings using a shortened Axis I of Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD). Children (aged 7-10) and adolescents (aged 11-14) of both sexes were invited to participate in this study ( = 1468).

Regional hyperthermia with cisplatin added to gemcitabine versus gemcitabine in patients with resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: The HEAT randomised clinical trial.

Background: Regional hyperthermia (RHT) with cisplatin added to gemcitabine showed efficacy in gemcitabine-pre-treated patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. We conducted a randomised clinical trial to investigate RHT with cisplatin added to gemcitabine (GPH) compared with gemcitabine (G) in the adjuvant setting of resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Methods: This randomised, multicentre, open-label trial randomly assigned patients to either GPH (gemcitabine 1000 mg/m on day 1, 15 and cisplatin 25 mg/m with RHT on day 2, 3 and 15,16) or to G (gemcitabine 1000 mg/m on day 1,8,15), four-weekly over six cycles.

Investigations on the Characterization of Various Adhesive Joints by Means of Nanoindentation and Computer Tomography.

The mechanical properties of cured wood adhesive films were tested in a dry state by means of nanoindentation. These studies have found that the application of adhesives have an effect on the accuracy of the hardness and elastic modulus determination. The highest values of hardness among the tested adhesives at 20 °C have condensation resins: MF (0.

Somatic copy number alteration and fragmentation analysis in circulating tumor DNA for cancer screening and treatment monitoring in colorectal cancer patients.

Background: Analysis of circulating free DNA (cfDNA) is a promising tool for personalized management of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Untargeted cfDNA analysis using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) does not need a priori knowledge of the patient´s mutation profile.

Methods: Here we established LIquid biopsy Fragmentation, Epigenetic signature and Copy Number Alteration analysis (LIFE-CNA) using WGS with ~ 6× coverage for detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in CRC patients as a marker for CRC detection and monitoring.

Blockage of CX3CL1 Attenuates Platelet and Leukocyte Recruitment in Murine Hepatic I/R.

Introduction: The chemokine fractalkine (CX3CL1) is critically involved in the pathophysiology of different inflammatory diseases and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). This study aimed to analyze the role of CX3CL1 in the activation of platelets and leukocytes during hepatic I/R.

Methods: Under inhalation anesthesia, C57BL6 mice were subjected to warm hepatic I/R (90 min/240 min).

Clinical Validity of Circulating Tumor DNA as Prognostic and Predictive Marker for Personalized Colorectal Cancer Patient Management.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a promising liquid biopsy (LB) marker to support clinical decisions in precision medicine. For implementation into routine clinical practice, clinicians need precise ctDNA level cutoffs for reporting residual disease and monitoring tumor burden changes during therapy. We clinically validated the limit of blank (LOB) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of assays for the clinically most relevant somatic variants p.

Measuring HCC Tumor Size in MRI-The Sequence Matters!

Background: The aim of this paper was to assess and compare the accuracy of common magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pulse sequences in measuring the lesion sizes of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) with respect to the Milan criteria and histopathology as a standard of reference.

Methods: We included 45 patients with known HCC who underwent contrast-enhanced MRI of the liver prior to liver transplantation or tumor resection. Tumor size was assessed pathologically for all patients.

Liquid Biopsy Hotspot Variant Assays: Analytical Validation for Application in Residual Disease Detection and Treatment Monitoring.

Background: Analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in plasma is a powerful approach to guide decisions in personalized cancer treatment. Given the low concentration of ctDNA in plasma, highly sensitive methods are required to reliably identify clinically relevant variants.

Methods: We evaluated the suitability of 5 droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assays targeting KRAS, BRAF, and EGFR variants for ctDNA analysis in clinical use.

Prognostic Impact of Pedicle Clamping during Liver Resection for Colorectal Metastases.

Pedicle clamping (PC) during liver resection for colorectal metastases (CRLM) is used to reduce blood loss and allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT). The effect on long-term oncologic outcomes is still under debate. A retrospective analysis of the impact of PC on ABT-demand regarding overall (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in 336 patients undergoing curative resection for CRLM was carried out.

Ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry for antidoping analyses: Assessment of the inter-laboratory reproducibility with urine samples.

The aim of this study was to assess the interlaboratory reproducibility of ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry method for routine antidoping analyses. To do so, a set of 21 doping agents, spiked in urine and analyzed after dilute and shoot treatment, was used to assess the variability of their retention times between four different laboratories, all equipped with the same chromatographic system and with the same ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography stationary phase chemistry. The average relative standard deviations (RSD%) demonstrated a good reproducibility of the retention times for 19 out of 21 analytes, with RSD% values below 3.

mTOR Inhibition Is Most Beneficial After Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients With Active Tumors.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival benefit of sirolimus in patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (exploratory analysis of the SiLVER-trial).

Summary And Background Data: Patients receiving LT) for HCC are at a high risk for tumor recurrence. Calcineurin inhibitors have shown evidence to promote cancer growth, whereas mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors like sirolimus have anticancer effects.

Endoscopic vacuum therapy for treatment of rectal stump leakage.

Background: Symptomatic rectal stump leakage (RSL) is a serious complication after discontinuity resection and requires immediate surgical, interventional, or endoscopic therapy. Re-operations are associated with high morbidity and mortality in these mostly very ill patients. Endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) has been established for management of anastomotic leakage; however, its effectiveness for RSL treatment has not been analyzed in detail yet.

Complex microsurgical perineal reconstruction after resection of a giant verrucous carcinoma associated with anal fistulas in Crohn's disease-a unique case report.

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder which leads to anorectal fistulas. In rare cases, patients develop anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) within these lesions. There is limited literature regarding ASCC in patients with CD.

Factors That Influence Conversion to Resectability and Survival After Resection of Metastases in RAS WT Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC): Analysis of FIRE-3- AIOKRK0306.

Background: Tumor assessments after first-line therapy of RAS wild-type mCRC with cetuximab (cet) versus bevacizumab (bev) in combination with FOLFIRI were evaluated for factors influencing resectability, conversion to resectability, and survival after best response.

Methods: Conversion to resectability was defined as conversion of initially unresectable to resectable disease at best response as determined by retrospective assessment. Univariate and multivariate logistic models were fitted with resectability at best response as response variable.

CT Fluoroscopy-Guided Drain Placement to Treat Infected Gastric Leakage after Sleeve Gastrectomy: Technical and Clinical Outcome of 31 Procedures.

Purpose:  To observe the technical and clinical outcome as well as safety of CT fluoroscopy-guided drain placement in the multimodal clinical complication management of superinfected gastric leakage after sleeve gastrectomy.

Materials And Methods:  All consecutive patients who underwent CT fluoroscopy-guided drain placement to treat superinfected postoperative leakage after sleeve gastrectomy in our department between 2007 and 2014 were included in this retrospective study. All interventions were performed on a 16- or 128-row CT scanner under intermittent CT fluoroscopy guidance (15-25 mAs, 120 kV).

Monocytic HLA-DR Expression for Prediction of Anastomotic Leak after Colorectal Surgery.

Background: Earlier detection of anastomotic leakage (AL) after colorectal procedures could minimize the detrimental clinical impact of AL and thereby reduce morbidity and mortality.

Study Design: We conducted a prospective study with assessment of the diagnostic accuracy of monocytic HLA-DR (mHLA-DR) expression compared with WBCs, C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT) in predicting AL in patients undergoing elective colorectal operation with anastomosis.

Results: Comparison of the blood marker values on postoperative day (POD) 4 revealed significant differences for all markers, but the difference for mHLA-DR was highly significant (15% expression of monocytes in AL patients vs 34% in patients without AL; p = 0.

The Water-Holding Procedure for Ensuring Postoperative Continence Prior Restoring Intestinal Continuity.

Background: A defunctioning stoma can become necessary in a relevant number of patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. As a matter of course, patients seek an early closure of the stoma. However, preoperative management of these patients varies and the prediction of continence after stoma removal can become challenging.

Development of novel biological resection criteria for safe and oncologically satisfying resection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: To develop criteria for safe and oncologically satisfying liver resection in case of early hepatocellular carcinoma with a 5-year overall survival (OS) similar to liver transplantation.

Summary Background Data: Liver resection (LR) and liver transplantation (LT) are potentially curative treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma. Generally, LT achieves better OS.

Intraarterial indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence augmentation by marking embryonal resection areas in colorectal surgery: a feasibility study in a porcine model.

In this pilot animal study we examined whether it is possible to visualize the embryonal resection layers by using intraarterial indocyanine green (ICG) staining when performing total mesorectal excision (TME) for carcinoma of the rectum. e injected ICG into the inferior mesenteric artery (AMI) of four swines to see whether the watershed area of the arterial supply zone can be sufficiently visualized by fluorescence imaging in order to mark the right dissection area along the fascia parietalis before and during resection. We observed a fluorescence signal in all the supplied areas of AMI but not in other parts of the abdominal cavity or other organs.

Neuroendocrine tumors of the small intestine causing a desmoplastic reaction of the mesentery are a more aggressive cohort.

Background: Desmoplastic reaction of the mesentery is commonly seen in patients with neuroendocrine tumors of the small intestine. However, it is not clear whether desmoplastic reaction is associated with tumor-specific characteristics and diminished prognosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the presence of a desmoplastic reaction correlates with prognostic and molecular markers of neuroendocrine tumors of the small intestine.