Background: Virtual interviews are still recommended for fellowship applications, 3 years after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Improving equity by reducing the cost for the applicants has been the most important reason for continuing virtual interviews. However, some argue that important information may be missed in a virtual setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBreast cancer can infrequently metastasize to the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract but the exact incidence is not well established-there is considerable variation between incidence reported from clinical studies and incidence noted in autopsy series. Clinical presentation can be very non-specific and often mimics primary gastrointestinal conditions. Endoscopy alone may not be sufficient to make a diagnosis and misdiagnosis is also common.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Gastroenterol
January 2024
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increases the risk of dysplasia and colorectal cancer (CRC). Moreover, colitis-associated CRC is responsible for a disproportionate number of CRC-related mortality. For this reason, societies recommend screening and surveillance colonoscopy as the standard of care for patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's colitis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) suppress the function of immune checkpoints, which are involved in downregulating immune responses. These lead to an increased activation of the function of T cells, increased release of cytokines, and decreased activity of regulatory T cells. This allows for a more significant and less regulated immune response and subsequent enhanced cytotoxic activity against cancer cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Transl Hepatol
June 2022
Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a disease affecting around 0.006-0.016% of the population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are a rare type of tumor with a high risk of malignant transformation. The majority of GISTs are asymptomatic. Surgical resection remains the mainstay of treatment given that GIST is resistant to traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin J Gastroenterol
August 2022
Granulomas consist of focal collections of immune cells that forms as a result of chronic inflammation. They can be formed in different organs and are considered the hallmark for several inflammatory and infectious diseases. The presence of granulomas in the mucosal biopsies of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of immunocompetent patients, along with histological features of chronicity, confirms the diagnosis of Crohn's disease (CD) in the majority of cases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInfection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is common and associated with a high seroprevalence. It is often asymptomatic, but infectious mononucleosis (IM) is the clinical hallmark of this disease especially among teens. Hepatic involvement during primary EBV infection often results in mild self-resolving elevation of liver enzymes, typically in association with IM.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntestinal obstruction at the level of the colon is rarely caused by a gallstone. Colonic gallstone is more frequently observed in elderly patients and is associated with high mortality due to treatment challenges. Management with less invasive approaches, including mechanical lithotripsy and endoscopy has been evolving.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHuman infection by Non--Helicobacter is rare and most commonly transmitted through direct contact with animals. The clinical presentation in most cases is chronic epigastric abdominal pain and it usually leads to chronic gastritis. We present an uncommon case of a patient with acute onset abdominal pain secondary to acute peptic ulcer disease caused by who underwent successful treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Transl Hepatol
February 2021
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is common and affects between 40-100% of the worldwide population. However, the majority of cases are asymptomatic and when severe disease occurs, it is usually restricted to immunocompromised patients. Liver involvement by HCMV differs significantly, accordingly to the immune status of the host.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeptic ulceration with fistula formation into the inferior vena cava is rare, difficult to diagnose, and associated with high mortality. The nonspecific signs and symptoms make diagnosis challenging, delaying optimal treatment. Although there have been reports on duodeno-caval fistulas, gastric communication with the inferior vena cava is very rare.
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