Causality between insulin use and malignant tumors of the digestive system: a two-sample mendelian randomized study.

Background: Existing cohort studies show no association between insulin use and cancers of the digestive system, while numerous meta-analyses suggest that insulin use increases the risk of digestive system tumours. This study uses two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to further investigate the causal relationship between the two.

Methods: We selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) strongly associated with insulin use as instrumental variables and used aggregated statistics on digestive system neoplasms as the outcome event.

Single-cell and spatial transcriptome analysis reveals the cellular heterogeneity of liver metastatic colorectal cancer.

In this study, we comprehensively charted the cellular landscape of colorectal cancer (CRC) and well-matched liver metastatic CRC using single-cell and spatial transcriptome RNA sequencing. We generated 41,892 CD45 nonimmune cells and 196,473 CD45 immune cells from 27 samples of six CRC patients, and found that CD8_CXCL13 and CD4_CXCL13 subsets increased significantly in liver metastatic samples that exhibited high proliferation ability and tumor-activating characterization, contributing to better prognosis of patients. Distinct fibroblast profiles were observed in primary and liver metastatic tumors.

Precision medicine-guided co-delivery of ASPN siRNA and oxaliplatin by nanoparticles to overcome chemoresistance of colorectal cancer.

The development of chemoresistance is a major hurdle for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), which contributes remarkably to the poor clinical prognosis. Nanodrug delivery systems show great potential in overcoming chemoresistance, but limited by the lack of identification of chemoresistance targets from cancer patients. In the present study, we enrolled chemotherapy-resistant or sensitive CRC patients and used the next-generation RNA sequencing to reveal that Asporin (ASPN) is highly expressed in tumor tissues from oxaliplatin (OXA)-resistant patients and closely correlated with a poor prognosis of CRC.

Notch signaling mutations increase intra-tumor chemokine expression and predict response to immunotherapy in colorectal cancer.

Background: The Notch signaling mutation is associated with enhanced anti-tumor immune response in colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we aim to investigate the underlying mechanism and the predictive potential of Notch signaling mutation for responding to immunotherapy in CRC.

Methods: We analyzed the immune response associated genes in CRC with Notch signaling mutation concomitant with or without microsatellite instability (MSI) using TCGA dataset and investigated the mutation profiles of the Notch signaling pathway using cBioPortal.

Single-cell transcriptomics reveal in mature B cell as a dynamic network biomarker before lymph node metastasis in CRC.

Increasing evidence indicates that mature B cells in the adjacent tumor tissue, both as an intermediate state, are vital in advanced colorectal cancer (CRC), which is associated with a low survival rate. Developing predictive biomarkers that detect the tipping point of mature B cells before lymph node metastasis in CRC is critical to prevent irreversible deterioration. We analyzed B cells in the adjacent tissues of CRC samples from different stages using the dynamic network biomarker (DNB) method.

Overexpression of Ubiquitin-Specific Protease15 (USP15) Promotes Tumor Growth and Inhibits Apoptosis and Correlated With Poor Disease-Free Survival in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

USP15 is a member of ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs, the largest subfamily of deubiquitinases) and functions as a stabilize factor of target proteins in reversible ubiquitiantion progression. Dysregulated expression of USP15 has been observed in various cancers. However the expression profile and regulatory mechanism of USP15 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains largely elusive.

BARX2 expression is downregulated by CpG island hypermethylation and is associated with suppressed cell proliferation and invasion of gastric cancer cells.

BarH‑like homeobox 2 (BARX2), a homeobox gene, is associated with several types of cancers. The present study aimed to determine whether DNA methylation downregulates BARX2 expression and whether BARX2 is associated with suppression of gastric carcinogenesis. BARX2 protein expression in normal and cancerous gastric tissues and various gastric cancer (GC) cell lines was detected using immunohistochemical and western blot assays.

Is Preoperative Fibrinogen Associated with the Survival Prognosis of Gastric Cancer Patients? A Multi-centered, Propensity Score-Matched Retrospective Study.

Background: The prognostic significance of preoperative plasma fibrinogen in patients with operable gastric cancer remains under debate. This study aimed to elucidate the prognostic value of fibrinogen in gastric cancer patients underwent gastrectomy.

Methods: A total of 4351 patients with gastric cancer collected from three comprehensive medical centers were retrospectively evaluated.

Long non-coding RNA PVT1 as a novel potential biomarker for predicting the prognosis of colorectal cancer.

Background: Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plays a very important role in the occurrence and development of various tumors, and is a potential biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the expression of lncRNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) and the prognostic significance in patients with colorectal cancer.

Methods: The expression of PVT1 was measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in cancerous and adjacent tissues of 210 colorectal cancer patients.

Gastric Cancer Screening by Combined Determination of Serum Antibody and Pepsinogen Concentrations: ABC Method for Gastric Cancer Screening.

Objective: Gastroscopy combined with gastric mucosa biopsies is currently regarded as a gold standard for diagnosis of gastric cancer. However, its application is restricted in clinical practice due to its invasive property. A new noninvasive population screening process combining the assay of anti-Helicobacter pylori antibody and serum pepsinogen (PG) (ABC method) is adopted to recognize the high-risk patients for further endoscopy examination, avoiding the unnecessary gastroscopy for most population and saving the cost consumption for mass screening annually.

Knockdown of long non‑coding RNA PVT1 reverses multidrug resistance in colorectal cancer cells.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is one of the primary causes of chemotherapy failure in colorectal cancer (CRC), and extensive biological studies into MDR are required. The non‑coding RNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) has been demonstrated to be associated with low survival rates in patients with CRC. However, whether PVT1 serves a critical function in the MDR of CRC remains to be determined.

Prognostic significance of B7-H3 expression in patients with colorectal cancer: A meta-analysis.

Objective: The co-stimulatory molecule B7-H3 plays an important role in prognosis of several malignancies. However, its prognostic value in clinic in patient with colorectal cancer (CRC) is still controversial. This meta-analysis evaluated the relationship between B7-H3 expression and the outcomes of CRC patients.

Diagnosis and Treatment of 26 Cases of Abdominal Cocoon.

Background And Aims: Abdominal cocoon (AC) is a rare abdominal disease with nonspecific clinical features, and it is difficult to be diagnosed before operation and hard to be treated in clinical practice. The aim of this study is to investigate the diagnosis and treatment of AC.

Methods: The clinical manifestations, findings during surgery, treatments, and follow-up results of 26 cases of AC were retrospectively studied from January 2001 to January 2015.

[Mechanism of colon cancer cell apoptosis induced by telocinobufagin: role of oxidative stress and apoptosis pathway].

Objective: To investigate the effects of telocinobufagin on viability and apoptosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and explore the mechanism of telocinobufagin-induced apoptosis.

Methods: MTT assay was performed to detect the viability of CRC cells exposed to telocinobufagin. Nuclear staining with Hoechst 33342 and flow cytometry were used to analyze the cell death of CRC cells.

Comparative proteomics analysis of colorectal cancer.

Background And Objective: Protein expression in colon and rectal cancer (CRC) and paired normal tissues was examined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) to identify differentially expressed proteins.

Materials And Methods: Five fresh colorectal cancer and paired adjacent normal tissues were obtained and differentially expressed protein spots were determined using PDQuest software, with identification on the basis of MALDI- TOF mass spectra.

Results: Compared with normal colorectal mucosa, protein abnormal expression of 65 spots varying more than 1.

Screening peptides binding specifically to colorectal cancer cells from a phage random peptide library.

The aim of this study was to screen for polypeptides binding specifically to LoVo human colorectal cancer cells using a phage-displayed peptide library as a targeting vector for colorectal cancer therapy. Human normal colorectal mucous epithelial cells were applied as absorber cells for subtraction biopanning with a c7c phage display peptide library. Positive phage clones were identified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunofluorescence detection; amino acid sequences were deduced by DNA sequencing.

Apigenin suppresses the growth of colorectal cancer xenografts via phosphorylation and up-regulated FADD expression.

Apigenin is a flavonoid belonging to the flavone structural class. It has been implicated as a chemopreventive agent against prostate and breast cancers. However, to the best of our knowledge, no published data are available regarding apigenin in colorectal cancer (CRC).

[Preoperative evaluation of the 64-slice spiral CT three dimensional angiography for vascular invasion in gastric cancer].

Objective: To evaluate the preoperative diagnosis value of 64-slice spiral CT three dimensional angiography (3D CTA) for the vascular invasion in gastric cancer.

Methods: CT images of 40 patients diagnosed as gastric cancer by endoscope,who proceeded to surgical exploration from August 2006 to December 2007,were collected. These images were rebuilt by 3D CTA to judge vascular invasion by gastric cancer in comparison with the surgical finding as standard reference.

[Screening peptides binding specifically to large intestinal cancer LoVo cells from phage random peptide library].

Objective: To screen the polypeptides specifically binding to human large intestinal cancer LoVo cells from a phage-displayed peptide library for potential use as targeting vectors for large intestinal cancer therapy.

Methods: With the LoVo cells as the target cells and human normal large intestinal mucosal epithelial cells as the absorber cells for subtraction biopanning from a c7c phage-display peptide library, the positive phage clones were identified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence detection. The amino acid sequences of the identified peptides were deduced by DNA sequencing.

[Changes in nutritional status and immune function in patients with colorectal cancer after operation].

Objective: To evaluate the changes in the nutritional status and immune function in patients with colorectal cancer after operation.

Methods: The indexes of the nutritional status and immune function were measured in 40 patients with colorectal cancer before and after operation and compared with the control group.

Results: The levels of IgM, IgG, prealbumin and transferrin were lowered after operation in these colorectal cancer patients (P<0.

[Surgical approach for carcinoma in the gastric cardia].

Objective: To explore the optimal surgical approach for carcinoma in the gastric cardia.

Methods: A total of 157 patients with carcinoma in the gastric cardia were assigned into 2 groups according to the surgical approaches adopted, namely transabdominal (57 patients) and transthoracic approaches (100 patients), and the therapeutic effects of the two approaches were compared.

Results: In the transabdominal group, the average volume of intraoperative blood transfusion was 164.

[Prognosis of rectal cancer in relation to the selection of the surgical approaches].

Objective: To investigate the prognostic significance of surgical approach selection in patients with rectal cancer.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of the relation of surgical approach selection to the prognosis was conducted in 112 cases of rectal cancer between July 2000 to June 2002.

Results: In this group of cases, local resection of the tumor was performed in 10 cases, Dixon operation in 75 cases and Miles operation in 27 cases.