Prevention and Management of Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Palsy in Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy: Current Status and Future Perspectives.

Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy remains a significant complication following minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Despite advancements in surgical techniques and lymphadenectomy precision, the incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy has not been improved. Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy predominantly affects the left side and may lead to unilateral or bilateral vocal cord paralysis, resulting in hoarseness, dysphagia, and an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia.

Histopathological study of the localization/distribution of Fusobacterium nucleatum in esophageal cancer.

Fusobacterium nucleatum is implicated in esophageal cancer; however, its distribution in esophageal cancer tissues remains unknown. This study aimed to clarify the presence and distribution of F. nucleatum in esophageal cancer tissues using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Anticancer Effect of C19-Position Substituted Geldanamycin Derivatives Targeting NRF2-NQO1-activated Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

In esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, genetic activation of NRF2 increases resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which results in a significantly worse prognosis for patients. Therefore NRF2-activated cancers create an urgent clinical need to identify new therapeutic options. In this context, we previously identified the geldanamycin family of HSP90 inhibitors, which includes 17DMAG, to be synthetic lethal with NRF2 activity.

Risk Factors and Treatment of Chylothorax After Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer.

Background Postoperative chylothorax is a rare but life-threatening complication of esophagectomy. However, due to its rarity, researching the risk factors and selecting appropriate treatment options has been limited. Methods This study included 727 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy at our hospital.

Prognostic Impact of Serum SCC Antigen in the 566 Upfront Surgery Group of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Multi-Institutional Study of the Japan Esophageal Society.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the clinicopathologic and prognostic significance of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) in patients with esophageal SCC who underwent radical surgery without neoadjuvant therapy.

Methods: This study included 566 patients with primary esophageal SCC who underwent radical resection without neoadjuvant therapy at 15 Japanese hospitals between 2008 and 2016. The cutoff value of SCC-Ag was 1.

Preservation of remnant esophagus during total pharyngolaryngectomy in a patient with previous subtotal esophagectomy: a case report.

Background: With the improved survival rate of patients with esophageal cancer, secondary cancers, including pharyngolaryngeal cancer, have become a problem. Phanryngolaryngeal cancer surgery often requires esophagogastric anastomosis resection in patients with a previous history of subtotal esophagectomy. Owing to adhesions, especially surrounding the esophagogastric anastomosis, caused by the initial surgery, the second surgery might cause postoperative complications.

Esophageal Intramural Pseudodiverticulosis Diagnosed by Combining Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, Esophagography, and High-resolution Manometry.

Esophageal intramural pseudodiverticulosis (EIPD) is a rare disease. A 78-year-old man with dysphagia presented to our hospital. The presence of diffuse esophageal spasm was suspected by his primary-care doctor.

A diagnostic pitfall; Small cell carcinoma-like features in basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

Esophageal basaloid squamous cell carcinoma may resemble small cell carcinoma biopsy specimens and cause difficulties in pathology diagnosis. We aimed to clarify the clinicopathological significance of small cell carcinoma-like morphologies in basaloid squamous cell carcinoma. Thirty biopsy specimens of esophageal basaloid squamous cell carcinoma were reviewed and compared with 13 matched surgical specimens.

Perioperative Administration of Cystine and Theanine Suppresses Inflammation and Facilitates Early Rehabilitation and Recovery after Esophagectomy: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Clinical Trial.

Oral administration of cystine and theanine (CT) increases glutathione levels to modulate the inflammatory response, which has yet to be sufficiently explored for patients' recovery and early rehabilitation. We planned a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine whether perioperative oral administration of CT promotes recovery after esophagectomy. Patients were randomized into either CT or placebo groups, who received preoperative and postoperative treatments for 4 and 13 days, respectively.

Prognostic impact of carcinoembryonic antigen in 1822 surgically treated esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: multi-institutional study of the Japan Esophageal Society.

Background: Previous studies have evaluated the clinicopathological significance of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) of esophageal cancer in relatively small numbers of patients. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the prognostic significance of CEA in 1822 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Methods: Based on the Japanese Esophageal Society nationwide multi-institutional retrospective study, a total of 1,748 surgically treated ESCC from 15 hospitals were enrolled to evaluate prognostic impact of preoperative CEA values.

Murine Double Minute 2 Antagonist Nutlin-3 Enhanced Chemosensitivity in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background/aim: Murine double minute 2 (MDM2) is well known to inhibit p53 function and its over-expression is associated with poor prognosis in several human malignancies. Nutlin-3, a small-molecule inhibitor of MDM2, exerts antitumor effects on various solid tumors harboring wild-type p53. We aimed to clarify its effects on esophageal cancer.

Tumor Microenvironment in Mixed Neuroendocrine Non-Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: Interaction between Tumors and Immune Cells, and Potential Effects of Neuroendocrine Differentiation on the Tumor Microenvironment.

The tumor microenvironment is considered to play a pivotal role in various human malignancies. Neuroendocrine and non-neuroendocrine neoplasms are considered to have different tumor microenvironments. However, owing to differences in the systemic and/or local immune statuses, tumor microenvironments in different patients may be difficult to compare.

Rapidly growing carcinosarcoma of the esophagus following definitive chemoradiotherapy: A case report and the literature review.

Introduction: Esophageal carcinosarcoma is a rare malignancy composed of both carcinoma and sarcoma-like spindle cells. This tumor is usually diagnosed before treatment due to its unique macroscopic appearance but accurate diagnose is difficult even via biopsy if the sarcomatous component is small. Herein, we report a rare case of esophageal carcinosarcoma showing rapid growth after definitive chemoradiotherapy.

A Case of Esophageal Cancer Treated by Thoracoscopic Esophagectomy after Bilateral Cadaveric Lung Transplantation.

Purpose: With de novo cancer, esophagectomy after lung transplantation (LTx) can be challenging because of intrathoracic adhesions, delayed wound healing, and postoperative pulmonary complications, which might be lethal.

Case Presentation: A 52-year-old woman with esophageal cancer had undergone bilateral LTx for end-stage diffuse panbronchiolitis at 50 years of age. Thoracoscopic esophagectomy was performed.

Correlation between TXNRD1/HO-1 expression and response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Thioredoxin reductase 1 (TXNRD1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) are both involved in the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway and play key roles in antioxidant responses. In patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the correlation between the expression of these two proteins and the therapeutic response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (NACRT), as well as the difference in their expression after chemoradiotherapy, remains unknown.

Methods: Proteins involved in the Nrf2 pathway were immunolocalized in carcinoma cells in ESCC patients on NACRT with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin, followed by esophagectomy.

Maximum standardized uptake value change rate before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy can predict early recurrence in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer: a multi-institutional cohort study of 220 patients in Japan.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by esophagectomy can improve the prognosis of locally advanced esophageal cancer (LAEC). However, LAEC reportedly recurred in 17-21% of patients within 6 months post surgery. Thus, current treatment strategies may be inadequate for LAECs with poor prognosis.