Analysis of anti-tumor effect and mechanism of GLS1 inhibitor CB-839 in colorectal cancer using a stroma-abundant tumor model.

Background: Glutaminase 1 (GLS1), a key enzyme in glutamine metabolism in cancer cells, acts as a tumor promoter and could be a potential therapeutic target. CB-839, a GLS1-specific inhibitor, was developed recently. Herein, we aimed to elucidate the anti-tumor effects and mechanism of action of CB-839 in colorectal cancer (CRC).

Clinicopathological and genomic features of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinomas in nondrinker, nonsmoker females.

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is sometimes detected in non-drinker and non-smoker females who are considered to have very low risk of ESCC development in daily practice. This study examined the clinicopathological and genomic characteristics of ESCCs in females with no history of drinking and smoking.

Methods: The sample comprised 118 ESCC lesions occurring in 95 female patients who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection at our department between January 2008 and December 2019.

Clinical factors associated with stable treatment of chronic constipation in Japanese patients.

Background/aims: Chronic constipation (CC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders in the general population. Although there are many treatment options, achieving a stable treatment for CC remains one of the challenges in clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical factors associated with stable treatment for CC in Japanese patients.

Predictive factors for esophageal stenosis in patients receiving prophylactic steroid therapy after endoscopic submucosal dissection for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Methods to prevent esophageal stenosis (ES) after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) have received increasing attention. Although steroid administration is a prophylactic treatment, the risk factors for ES during prophylactic steroid therapy remain unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the risk factors for refractory ES in patients administered prophylactic steroids after ESD for ESCC.

Investigating the Role of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes as Predictors of Lymph Node Metastasis in Deep Submucosal Invasive Colorectal Cancer: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

The role of tumor-infiltrating T cells (TILs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) and their significance in early-stage CRC remain unknown. We investigated the role of TILs in early-stage CRC, particularly in deep submucosal invasive (T1b) CRC. Sixty patients with CRC (20 each with intramucosal [IM group], submucosal invasive [SM group], and advanced cancer [AD group]) were randomly selected.

Indications for Dental Floss Clip Traction During Gastric Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection by Less-Experienced Endoscopists.

Purpose: Dental floss clip (DFC) traction-assisted endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is widely performed owing to its simplicity. This study aimed to clarify the appropriate indications for the DFC traction method in early gastric cancer when ESD is performed by less-experienced endoscopists.

Methods And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1,014 consecutive patients who had undergone gastric ESD performed by less-experienced endoscopists between January 2015 and December 2020.

Can underwater endoscopic mucosal resection be an alternative to conventional endoscopic mucosal resection for superficial non-ampullary duodenal epithelial tumors?

Objectives: Underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) is a simpler procedure for superficial non-ampullary duodenal epithelial tumors (SNADET) than conventional endoscopic mucosal resection (cEMR). This study aimed to evaluate whether cEMR can be substituted by UEMR for SNADET in terms of effectiveness, safety, and learning curve.

Methods: A total of 157 consecutive patients with 203 SNADETs ≤20 mm in diameter, including 107 lesions resected by cEMR and 96 lesions resected by UEMR, between January 2019 and May 2023, were retrospectively recruited.

Long-term outcomes of patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding after negative capsule endoscopy.

Background And Aim: Although small-bowel capsule endoscopy (CE) is widely used for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB), long-term outcomes for OGIB patients after negative CE remain unclear. Herein, we defined negative CE as P0 (no bleeding potential) or P1 (less likely to bleed), based on the P classification using CE. We aimed to clarify long-term outcomes of patients with OGIB after negative CE.

Usefulness and Educational Benefit of a Virtual Scale Endoscope in Measuring Colorectal Polyp Size.

Introduction: The virtual scale endoscope (VSE) is a newly introduced endoscope that helps endoscopists in measuring colorectal polyp size (CPS) during colonoscopy by displaying a virtual scale. This study aimed to determine the usefulness of the VSE for CPS measurement and the educational benefit of using VSE images to improve CPS estimation accuracy.

Methods: This study included 42 colorectal polyps in 26 patients treated at Hiroshima University Hospital.

Clinical outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection for large pedunculated colorectal carcinoma: A retrospective multicenter study.

Objectives: Complete en-bloc resection of pedunculated colorectal carcinoma is necessary for a proper pathological diagnosis. However, due to poor visibility, large pedunculated colorectal carcinomas are difficult to snare and resect en-bloc using endoscopic resection or polypectomy. Additionally, the bleeding risk of large pedunculated colorectal carcinomas is relatively high.

Disease surveillance evaluation of primary small-bowel follicular lymphoma using capsule endoscopy images based on a deep convolutional neural network (with video).

Background And Aims: Capsule endoscopy (CE) is useful in evaluating disease surveillance for primary small-bowel follicular lymphoma (FL), but some cases are difficult to evaluate objectively. This study evaluated the usefulness of a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) system using CE images for disease surveillance of primary small-bowel FL.

Methods: We enrolled 26 consecutive patients with primary small-bowel FL diagnosed between January 2011 and January 2021 who underwent CE before and after a watch-and-wait strategy or chemotherapy.

Diagnostic performance of the normal range of gastrin calculated using strict criteria based on a combination of serum markers and pathological evaluation for detecting gastritis: a retrospective study.

Background: The ABC method, which combines the pepsinogen method and anti-Helicobacter pylori antibody titers, has been used for risk screening for gastric cancer in Japan. However, it has been reported that there are cases of gastritis and carcinogenesis risk even in group A, which is considered to be a low-risk group based on the ABC method. Currently, in group A, endoscopic examination is needed to strictly discriminate "patients without gastritis" (defined as true A patients) from those "with gastritis.

A case of ischemic stroke associated with protein-losing gastroenteropathy and protein S deficiency.

Protein-losing gastroenteropathies are characterized by an excessive loss of serum proteins into the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in hypoalbuminemia. Some rare cases are complicated with ischemic stroke. We report a 24-year-old woman who developed acute dysarthria and right hemiplegia 4 months after delivering her first baby by cesarean section.

Synchronous gastric MALT lymphoma and gastric adenocarcinoma of fundic gland type arising from a hamartomatous inverted polyp in a Helicobacter pylori naive patient.

We present a rare case that showed the coexistence of gastric cancer and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma in Helicobacter pylori-naive stomach. A 72-year-old man was followed up after surgery for epithelial carcinoma of the glottis at the Department of Otolaryngology. He underwent an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for an abnormal PET-CT accumulation, which revealed gastric adenocarcinoma of fundic gland type in the gastric fundus and MALT lymphoma in the upper gastric body.

Endoscopic findings suggestive of a high risk of non-radical cure after definitive chemoradiotherapy for cT1bN0M0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Definitive chemoradiotherapy (DCRT) is a curative treatment option for cT1bN0M0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC); however, local residual disease and recurrence after complete remission may occur. We aimed to identify endoscopic findings associated with the risk of non-radical cure (local remnant or recurrence) after DCRT for cT1bN0M0 ESCC.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 40 consecutive patients with cT1bN0M0 ESCC who had undergone DCRT between January 2007 and December 2017.

Efficacy of the specialized scissor-type knife for gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection: a propensity score matched retrospective study.

Prevention of bleeding and perforation during gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is important. Scissor-type knives can accurately grasp and incise the targeted tissue using electrosurgical currents, thereby eliminating unexpected incisions. The SB Knife GX, a scissor-type knife specialized for gastric ESD, was released in June 2016 in Japan.

Anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha monoclonal antibody suppresses colorectal cancer growth in an orthotopic transplant mouse model.

The risk of malignant tumor progression has been a concern associated with the use of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha monoclonal antibody (anti-TNFα mAb). On the contrary, recent observational studies have reported negatively on this risk and instead suggested that anti-TNFα mAb acts as a tumor suppressor in inflammatory carcinogenesis models and subcutaneous transplant models of colorectal cancer. However, no consensus has been established regarding the actual effects of anti-TNFα mAb on malignant tumors.