Correction: Flammang et al. Tumor-Suppressive miR-192-5p Has Prognostic Value in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. 2020, , 1693.

In the original publication [...

Long-Term Quality of Life after COVID-19 Infection: Cross-Sectional Study of Health Care Workers.

(1) Background: Post-COVID syndrome is defined as symptoms that occur simultaneously with or after a COVID-19 infection, last for 12 weeks, and are not due to another diagnosis. Limited data are available on people's long-term quality of life following a COVID-19 infection. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the long-term quality of life after COVID-19 among employees of a hospital in Germany and to identify risk factors.

Small extracellular vesicle non-coding RNAs in pancreatic cancer: molecular mechanisms and clinical implications.

Pancreatic cancer has the worst prognosis among common tumors which is attributed to its aggressive phenotype, diagnosis at advanced, inoperable stages, and resistance to systemic therapy. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) such as microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs have been established as important regulators of gene expression and their deregulation has been implicated in multiple diseases and foremost cancer. In the tumor microenvironment, non-coding RNAs can be distributed among cancer cells, stromal cells, and immune cells via small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), thereby facilitating intercellular communication and influencing major cancer hallmarks such as angiogenesis, evasion of the immune system, and metastatic dissemination.

Postoperative pancreatic fistula affects recurrence-free survival of pancreatic cancer patients.

Purpose: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) with reported incidence rates up to 45% contributes substantially to overall morbidity. In this study, we conducted a retrospective evaluation of POPF along with its potential perioperative clinical risk factors and its effect on tumor recurrence.

Methods: Clinical data on patients who had received pancreatoduodenectomy (PD), distal pancreatectomy (DP), or duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPHR) were prospectively collected between 2007 and 2016.

Tumor-Suppressive miR-192-5p Has Prognostic Value in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by fast tumor progression and diagnosis at advanced, inoperable stages. Previous studies could demonstrate an involvement of miR-192-5p in epigenetic regulation of visceral carcinomas. Due to contradictory results, however, the clinical utility of miR-192-5p in PDAC has yet to be determined.

Impact of circulating tumor DNA in hepatocellular and pancreatic carcinomas.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pancreatic cancer (PC) belong to the most lethal malignancies worldwide. Despite advances in surgical techniques and perioperative multidisciplinary management, the prognosis of both carcinoma entities remains poor mainly because of rapid tumor progression and early dissemination with diagnosis in advanced tumor stages with poor sensitivity to current therapy regimens. Both highly heterogeneous visceral carcinomas exhibit unique somatic alterations, but share common driver genes and mutations as well.

Potential of Exosomal microRNA-200b as Liquid Biopsy Marker in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly malignant tumor entity, characterized by rapid disease progression, early metastatic dissemination, and late diagnosis at advanced tumor stages. Recently, we explored the clinical impact of several microRNAs (miR) associated with proliferation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and chemoresistance in tissue and blood serum specimens of PDAC patients. Here, we evaluated the potential of these miRs as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in PDAC in serum exosomes and their respective EpCAM-positive (epithelial cell adhesion molecule) subset.

Clinical impact of circulating LAPTM4B-35 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: LAPTM4B is upregulated in a wide range of cancers associated with poor prognosis. However, the clinical impact of LAPTM4B as diagnostic and prognostic marker in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains unknown. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of LAPTM4B as circulating marker in PDAC.

The Interaction between Laminin-332 and α3β1 Integrin Determines Differentiation and Maintenance of CAFs, and Supports Invasion of Pancreatic Duct Adenocarcinoma Cells.

Ranking among the most lethal tumour entities, pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma cells invade neighbouring tissue resulting in high incidence of metastasis. They are supported by tumour stroma fibroblasts which have undergone differentiation into cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Stiffness of cell substratum, cytokines, such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and stromal matrix proteins, such as laminin-332, are factors which promote CAF differentiation.

Long-Term Quality of Life Assessment After Successful Endoscopic Vacuum Therapy of Defects in the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Quality of Life After EVT.

Background: Accumulating evidence indicates that anastomotic leakages and perforations of the upper gastrointestinal tract (uGIT) can be treated successfully with endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT). So far, no data is available regarding the long-term quality of life (QoL) after successful EVT of defects in the uGIT.

Methods: We present a prospective survey on long-term Qol of 52 patients treated by EVT for defects of the uGIT.

Circulating microRNA-99 family as liquid biopsy marker in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: Recently, we identified the microRNA-99 family as unfavorable prognostic factor in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The aim of this study is to evaluate its value as circulating biomarker for PDAC.

Methods: Tissue and corresponding preoperative blood samples of 181 patients with PDAC UICC Stages I-IV (n = 90), intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN, n = 11), chronic pancreatitis (n = 40), pancreatic cystadenoma (n = 20), and age-matched healthy blood serum controls (n = 20) were collected between 2014 and 2017 prospectively.

Clinical Impact of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Regulating MicroRNAs in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive carcinoma entities worldwide with early and rapid dissemination. Recently, we discussed the role of microRNAs as epigenetic regulators of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in PDAC. In this study, we investigated their value as diagnostic and prognostic markers in tissue and blood samples of 185 patients including PDAC, non-malignant pancreatic disorders, and age-matched healthy controls.

Challenges in pancreatic adenocarcinoma surgery - National survey and current practice guidelines.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most deadly cancers in Europe and the USA. There is consensus that radical tumor surgery is the only viable option for any long-term survival in patients with PDAC. So far, limited data are available regarding the routine surgical management of patients with advanced PDAC in the light of surgical guidelines.

Epigenetics of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic carcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal malignant diseases with late diagnosis, rapid progression, high invasiveness, and early metastasis. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial step in metastasis that enables polarized immotile epithelial cells to gain fibroblast-like mesenchymal abilities such as enhanced motility. The dynamic process of EMT in PDAC with its powerful influence on disease progression and especially metastasis is of vigorous interest in biomedical research to elucidate its signaling pathways and regulation mechanisms.

Successful closure of defects in the upper gastrointestinal tract by endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT): a prospective cohort study.

Background: Perforations and anastomotic leakages of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract cause a high morbidity and mortality rate. Only limited data exist for endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) in the upper GI tract.

Methods: Fifty-two patients (37 men and 15 women, ages 41-94 years) were treated (12/2011-12/2015) with EVT for anastomotic insufficiency secondary to esophagectomy or gastrectomy (n = 39), iatrogenic esophageal perforation (n = 9) and Boerhaave syndrome (n = 4).

MicroRNA-100 and microRNA-21 as markers of survival and chemotherapy response in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma UICC stage II.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a highly chemoresistant tumor entity for which no reliable molecular targets exist to predict or influence the success of chemotherapy. Recently, we identified a panel of microRNAs associated with induced gemcitabine chemoresistance in human PDAC cell lines. This clinical study evaluates these microRNAs and associated molecular markers as prognostic markers of outcome in 98 PDAC patients Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (UICC) stage II undergoing curative surgery with adjuvant gemcitabine chemotherapy.

SERPINB5 Promoter Hypomethylation Differentiates Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma From Pancreatitis.

Objectives: The diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is challenging in the setting of pancreatitis. We investigated SERPINB5 for its impact on PDAC tumor biology and its use as a diagnostic marker for PDAC in the setting of pancreatitis.

Methods: Patient samples from PDAC primary tumors, PDAC lymph node metastases, and pancreatitis were investigated for SERPINB5 promoter methylation by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

MicroRNA Profiling Implies New Markers of Gemcitabine Chemoresistance in Mutant p53 Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Background: No reliable predictors of susceptibility to gemcitabine chemotherapy exist in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). MicroRNAs (miR) are epigenetic gene regulators with tumorsuppressive or oncogenic roles in various carcinomas. This study assesses chemoresistant PDAC for its specific miR expression pattern.

Circulating microRNA-200 Family as Diagnostic Marker in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Goals: In this clinical study, we aimed to evaluate the role of circulating microRNA-200 family as a non-invasive tool to identify patients with cirrhosis-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Background: Prognosis of HCC remains poor with increasing incidence worldwide, mainly related to liver cirrhosis. So far, no reliable molecular targets exist for early detection of HCC at surgically manageable stages.

The microRNA-200 family--a potential diagnostic marker in hepatocellular carcinoma?

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the main cause of death among patients with cirrhotic liver disease, but little is known about mechanisms of cirrhosis associated carcinogenesis. We investigated the diagnostic impact of microRNA-200 (miR-200) family members as important epigenetic regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to differentiate between patients with HCC and liver cirrhosis.

Methods: Expression of the miR-200 family was investigated by qRT-PCR in specimens of HCC patients with and without cirrhosis.

Pancreatoduodenectomy--current status of surgical and perioperative techniques in Germany.

Background: Pancreatoduodenectomy in Germany is performed by a broad range of hospitals. A diversity of operative techniques is employed as no guidelines exist for intra- and perioperative management. We carried out a national survey to determine the de facto German standards for pancreatoduodenectomy, assess quality assurance measures, and identify relevant issues for further investigation.

Prognostic significance of EpCAM-positive disseminated tumor cells in rectal cancer patients with stage I disease.

Here we evaluated the prevalence and prognostic impact of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)-positive disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in stage I rectal cancer. Further we tested the association of these single tumor cells or small tumor cell groups with the extent of peritumoral lymphangiogenesis. A total of 845 regional lymph nodes (LN) of 44 patients classified as negative on conventional histopathology were retrospectively reanalyzed with immunohistochemistry (IHC) using the monoclonal antibody Ber-Ep4 directed against EpCAM for the detection of DTCs.