The relationship between Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA), Warburg-subtype and survival: results from a large prospective series of colorectal cancer patients.

Background: Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) is a recently identified haematoxylin & eosin (H&E)based histopathologic biomarker in gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC), defined as direct contact between tumour cells and adipocytes at the tumour invasion front. The current study aimed at validating the prognostic relevance of SARIFA in a large population-based CRC series as well as at investigating the relationship between SARIFA-status and previously established Warburg-subtypes, both surrogates of the metabolic state of the tumour cells.

Methods: SARIFA-status (positive versus negative) was determined on H&E slides of 1,727 CRC specimens.

Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) improves prognostic risk stratification of perioperative chemotherapy treated oesophagogastric cancer patients from the MAGIC and the ST03 trial.

Background: Tumour-associated fat cells without desmoplastic stroma reaction at the invasion front (Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA)) is a prognostic biomarker in gastric and colon cancer. The clinical utility of the SARIFA status in oesophagogastric cancer patients treated with perioperative chemotherapy is currently unknown.

Methods: The SARIFA status was determined in tissue sections from patients recruited into the MAGIC (n = 292) or ST03 (n = 693) trials treated with surgery alone (S, MAGIC) or perioperative chemotherapy (MAGIC, ST03).

The clinical importance of the host anti-tumour reaction patterns in regional tumour draining lymph nodes in patients with locally advanced resectable gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The status of regional tumour draining lymph nodes (LN) is crucial for prognostic evaluation in gastric cancer (GaC) patients. Changes in lymph node microarchitecture, such as follicular hyperplasia (FH), sinus histiocytosis (SH), or paracortical hyperplasia (PH), may be triggered by the anti-tumour immune response. However, the prognostic value of these changes in GaC patients is unclear.

Tumour infiltrating lymphocytes and survival after adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer: post-hoc analysis of the CLASSIC trial.

Background: Only a subset of gastric cancer (GC) patients with stage II-III benefits from chemotherapy after surgery. Tumour infiltrating lymphocytes per area (TIL density) has been suggested as a potential predictive biomarker of chemotherapy benefit.

Methods: We quantified TIL density in digital images of haematoxylin-eosin (HE) stained tissue using deep learning in 307 GC patients of the Yonsei Cancer Center (YCC) (193 surgery+adjuvant chemotherapy [S + C], 114 surgery alone [S]) and 629 CLASSIC trial GC patients (325 S + C and 304 S).

Pathological regression of primary tumour and metastatic lymph nodes following chemotherapy in resectable OG cancer: pooled analysis of two trials.

Background: No definitive largescale data exist evaluating the role of pathologically defined regression changes within the primary tumour and lymph nodes (LN) of resected oesophagogastric (OG) adenocarcinoma following neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the impact on survival.

Methods: Data and samples from two large prospective randomised trials (UK MRC OE05 and ST03) were pooled. Stained slides were available for central pathology review from 1619 patients.

Energy balance-related factors and risk of colorectal cancer based on KRAS, PIK3CA, and BRAF mutations and MMR status.

Introduction: KRAS mutations (KRAS), PIK3CA, BRAF, and mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) have been associated with the Warburg-effect. We previously observed differential associations between energy balance-related factors (BMI, clothing-size, physical activity) and colorectal cancer (CRC) subtypes based on the Warburg-effect. We now investigated whether associations between energy balance-related factors and risk of CRC differ between subgroups based on mutation and MMR status.

Validity and Reproducibility of Immunohistochemical Scoring by Trained Non-Pathologists on Tissue Microarrays.

Background: Scoring of immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining is often done by non-pathologists, especially in large-scale tissue microarray (TMA)-based studies. Studies on the validity and reproducibility of scoring results from non-pathologists are limited. Therefore, our main aim was to assess interobserver agreement between trained non-pathologists and an experienced histopathologist for three IHC markers with different subcellular localization (nucleus/membrane/cytoplasm).

Spatial profiling of gastric cancer patient-matched primary and locoregional metastases reveals principles of tumour dissemination.

Objective: Endoscopic mucosal biopsies of primary gastric cancers (GCs) are used to guide diagnosis, biomarker testing and treatment. Spatial intratumoural heterogeneity (ITH) may influence biopsy-derived information. We aimed to study ITH of primary GCs and matched lymph node metastasis (LN).

Lymph node response to chemoradiotherapy in oesophageal cancer patients: relationship with radiotherapy fields.

Background: The presence of lymph node metastasis (LNmets) is a poor prognostic factor in oesophageal cancer (OeC) patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) followed by surgery. Tumour regression grade (TRG) in LNmets has been suggested as a predictor for survival. The aim of this study was to investigate whether TRG in LNmets is related to their location within the radiotherapy (RT) field.

Mucin expression in gastric- and gastro-oesophageal signet-ring cell cancer: results from a comprehensive literature review and a large cohort study of Caucasian and Asian gastric cancer.

Background: The literature on the prognostic relevance of signet-ring cell (SRC) histology in gastric cancer (GC) is controversial which is most likely related to inconsistent SRC classification based on haematoxylin-eosin staining. We hypothesised that mucin stains can consistently identify SRC-GC and predict GC patient outcome.

Methods: We performed a comprehensive literature review on mucin stains in SRC-GC and characterised the mucin expression in 851 Caucasian GC and 410 Asian GC using Alcian Blue (AB)-Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS), MUC2 (intestinal-type mucin), and MUC5AC (gastric-type mucin).

Correction to: KRAS status is related to histological phenotype in gastric cancer: results from a large multicentre study.

In the original publication of this article, Fig. 2 was published incorrectly. The correct Fig.

KRAS status is related to histological phenotype in gastric cancer: results from a large multicentre study.

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is histologically a very heterogeneous disease, and the temporal development of different histological phenotypes remains unclear. Recent studies in lung and ovarian cancer suggest that KRAS activation (KRASact) can influence histological phenotype. KRASact likely results from KRAS mutation (KRASmut) or KRAS amplification (KRASamp).

The survival difference between gastric cancer patients from the UK and Japan remains after weighted propensity score analysis considering all background factors.

Background: Previous studies comparing survival between gastric cancer (GC) patients from the West and the East were based on the assumption that background factors and prognostic factors were identical. The aim of the current study was to compare the survival of GC patients from the UK and Japan using weighted propensity score analysis after identifying all different background factors.

Methods: Data from 464 patients from the Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, Leeds, UK (LTHT), and 465 patients from the Kanagawa Cancer Center Hospital, Yokohama, Japan (KCCH), who had surgery for GC were analyzed.