Peptide Fractions Extracted from the Hemolymph of Inhibit Growth and Motility and Enhance the Effects of Traditional Chemotherapeutics in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and multiple mutations. Chemotherapy is often associated with harmful side effects, and cancer cells may become resistant through various mechanisms. New approaches, which are able to address both the toxicity and resistance issues of chemotherapy, are of primary importance in cancer research.

Biological Activity of Peptide Fraction Derived from L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) Larvae Haemolymph on Gastric Cancer Cells.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, characterised by poor prognosis and limited responsiveness to chemotherapy. There is a need for new and more effective anticancer agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a promising class of biomolecules for this purpose.

MYC ecDNA promotes intratumour heterogeneity and plasticity in PDAC.

Intratumour heterogeneity and phenotypic plasticity drive tumour progression and therapy resistance. Oncogene dosage variation contributes to cell-state transitions and phenotypic heterogeneity, thereby providing a substrate for somatic evolution. Nonetheless, the genetic mechanisms underlying phenotypic heterogeneity are still poorly understood.

Inter-rater variability for the American Society of Anesthesiologists classification in patients undergoing hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery (MILESTONE-2): international survey among surgeons and anaesthesiologists.

Background: Patients undergoing hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery are typically preoperatively assessed using the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, which is also used for case-mix adjustment when comparing centre outcomes. Studies determining the inter-rater variability of the ASA classification within hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery are currently lacking.

Methods: An international survey was collected and a case-vignette study was performed (November 2022-April 2023) regarding the ASA classification in patients undergoing hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery among anaesthesiologists and surgeons from (inter)national societies.

Hermetia illucens-derived chitosan as a promising sustainable biomaterial for wound healing applications: development of sponge-like scaffolds.

Chitosan (CS), a biopolymer known for its wound-healing properties, has garnered significant interest in biomedical research. This study explores the potential of two Hermetia illucens-derived CS types-unbleached CS and bleached CS-as novel biomaterials for wound-healing applications, in comparison with commercial CS derived from the shells of Pandalus borealis (cold-water shrimp). CS was extracted from pupal exuviae, a byproduct of insect farming, which supports a circular economy by converting waste into valuable molecules for biomedical applications.

Validation of the PANAMA-Score for Survival and Benefit of Adjuvant Therapy in Patients with Resected Pancreatic Cancer After Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX.

Aim: To validate the prognostic value of the PAncreatic NeoAdjuvant MAssachusetts (PANAMA)-score and to determine its predictive ability for survival benefit derived from adjuvant treatment in patients after resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) following neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX.

Background: The PANAMA-score was developed to guide prognostication in patients after neoadjuvant therapy and resection for PDAC. As this score focuses on the risk for residual disease after resection, it might also be able to select patients who benefit from adjuvant after neoadjuvant therapy.

Expert Judgment Supporting a Bayesian Network to Model the Survival of Pancreatic Cancer Patients.

: Pancreatic cancer is known for its poor prognosis. The most effective treatment combines surgery with peri-operative chemotherapy. Current prognostic tools are designed to predict patient outcomes and inform treatment decisions based on collected data.

Adjuvant Chemotherapy After Resection of Localized Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Following Preoperative FOLFIRINOX.

Importance: The effect of adjuvant chemotherapy following resection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma after preoperative (m)FOLFIRINOX (combination leucovorin calcium [folinic acid], fluorouracil, irinotecan hydrochloride, and oxaliplatin in full or modified dosing) chemotherapy on overall survival (OS) is unclear because current studies do not account for the number of cycles of preoperative chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy regimen.

Objective: To investigate the association of adjuvant chemotherapy following resection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma after preoperative (m)FOLFIRINOX with OS, taking into account the number of cycles of preoperative chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy regimen.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective cohort study included patients with localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma treated with 2 to 11 cycles of preoperative (m)FOLFIRINOX followed by resection across 48 centers in 20 countries from 2010 to 2018.

Oncological resection and perioperative outcomes of robotic, laparoscopic and open pancreatoduodenectomy for ampullary adenocarcinoma: a propensity score matched international multicenter cohort study.

Background: Ampullary adenocarcinoma (AAC) typically presents at an early stage due to biliary obstruction and therefore might be specifically suitable for minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy (MIPD). However, studies assessing MIPD specifically for AAC, including the robotic and laparoscopic approach, are limited. The aim of this study is to compare short- and long-term oncological resection and perioperative outcomes of robotic (RPD), laparoscopic (LPD) and open pancreatoduodenectomy (OPD) performed specifically for AAC.

External Validation of the ISGPS Complexity Grading System for Minimally Invasive Pancreatoduodenectomy: Insights from the IGOMIPS registry.

Objective: To validate the ISGPS complexity grading system for minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD).

Background: Although concerns about patient safety persist, MIPD is gaining popularity. The ISGPS recently introduced a difficulty grading system to improve patient selection by aligning procedural complexity with surgeon and center expertise.

Endoscopic papillectomy versus surgical ampullectomy for adenomas and early cancers of the papilla: a retrospective Pancreas2000/European Pancreatic Club analysis.

Objective: Ampullary neoplastic lesions can be resected by endoscopic papillectomy (EP) or transduodenal surgical ampullectomy (TSA) while pancreaticoduodenectomy is reserved for more advanced lesions. We present the largest retrospective comparative study analysing EP and TSA.

Design: Of all patients in the database, lesions with prior interventions, benign histology advanced malignancy (T2 and more), patients with hereditary syndromes and those undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy were excluded.

European guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency: UEG, EPC, EDS, ESPEN, ESPGHAN, ESDO, and ESPCG evidence-based recommendations.

Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) is defined as a reduction in pancreatic exocrine secretion below the level that allows the normal digestion of nutrients. Pancreatic disease and surgery are the main causes of PEI. However, other conditions and upper gastrointestinal surgery can also affect the digestive function of the pancreas.

Prognostic Significance of PD-L1 Expression on Circulating Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in NSCLC Patients Treated with Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Even though anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have improved survival, a high percentage of patients still do not respond to ICIs. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are circulating cells that express PD-L1 and can infiltrate and proliferate in the tumor microenvironment, inducing immunosuppression. By evaluating changes in PD-L1 expression of live peripheral blood MDSCs, we are able to define a new PD-L1 index, useful in predicting ICI escape in NSCLC patients before initiating anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy.

Local ablation disrupts immune evasion in pancreatic cancer.

Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is characterised by late diagnosis, tumour heterogeneity, and a peculiar immunosuppressive microenvironment, leading to poor clinical outcomes. Local ablative techniques have been proposed to treat unresectable PC patients, although their impact on activating the host immune system and overcoming resistance to immunotherapy remains elusive.

Methods: We dissected the immune-modulatory abilities triggered by local ablation in mouse and human PC models and human specimens, integrating phenotypic and molecular technologies with functional assays.

Identification of Multifunctional Putative Bioactive Peptides in the Insect Model Red Palm Weevil ().

Innate immunity, the body's initial defense against bacteria, fungi, and viruses, heavily depends on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are small molecules produced by all living organisms. Insects, with their vast biodiversity, are one of the most abundant and innovative sources of AMPs. In this study, AMPs from the red palm weevil (RPW) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a known invasive pest of palm species, were examined.

Clinical and Financial Validation of the International Study Group for Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) Definition of Post-Pancreatectomy Acute Pancreatitis (PPAP): International Multicenter Prospective Study.

Objective: To validate the ISGPS definition and grading system of PPAP after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD).

Summary Background Data: In 2022, the International Study Group for Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) defined post-pancreatectomy acute pancreatitis (PPAP) and recommended a prospective validation of its diagnostic criteria and grading system.

Methods: This was a prospective, international, multicenter study including patients undergoing PD at 17 referral pancreatic centers across Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the United States.

Morphologic Characterization of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma following Post-neoadjuvant Pancreatectomy and Clinical value of Intratumor Heterogeneity.

Objective: To evaluate the morphologic landscape of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), intratumor spatial heterogeneity, and the resulting clinical impact following post-neoadjuvant pancreatectomy.

Summary Background Data: The clinical value of PDAC morphologic subtypes and intratumor spatial heterogeneity post-treatment remains an open issue.

Materials And Methods: The study cohort included patients who underwent post-neoadjuvant pancreatectomy for PDAC at the University of Verona Hospital Trust between 2013 and 2019.