Oncologic impact of colonic stents for obstructive left-sided colon cancer

Colonic stenting has had a significant positive impact on the management of obstructive left-sided colon cancer(OLCC) in terms of both palliative treatment and bridge-to-surgery(BTS). Notably, many studies have convincingly demonstrated the effectiveness of stenting as a BTS, resulting in improvements in shortterm outcomes and quality of life, safety, and efficacy in subsequent curative surgery, and increased cost-effectiveness, whereas the safety of chemotherapy after stenting and the long-term outcomes of stenting as a BTS are controversial. Several studies have suggested an increased risk of perforation in patients receiving bevacizumab chemotherapy after colonic stenting. In addition, several pathological analyses have suggested a negative oncological impact of colonic stenting. In contrast, many recent studies have demonstrated that colonic stenting for OLCC does not negatively impact the safety of chemotherapy or long-term oncological outcomes. The updated version of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy guidelines released in 2020 included colonic stenting as a BTS for OLCC as a recommended treatment. It should be noted that the experience of endoscopists is involved in determining technical and clinical success rates and possibly oncological outcomes. This review discusses the positive and negative impacts of colonic stenting on OLCC treatment, particularly in terms of oncology.

Specific endoscopic features of ulcerative colitis complicated by cytomegalovirus infection

AIM:To identify specific colonoscopic findings in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) complicated by cyto-megalovirus (CMV) infection.METHODS: Among UC patients who were hospitalized due to exacerbation of symptoms, colonoscopic findings were compared between 15 CMV-positive patients and 58 CMV-negative patients. CMV infection was determined by blood test for CMV antigenemia. Five aspects of mucosal changes were analyzed (loss of vascular pattern, erythema, mucosal edema, easy bleeding, and mucinous exudates) as well as five aspects of ulcerative change (wide mucosal defect, punched-out ulceration, longitudinal ulceration, irregular ulceration, and cobble-stone-like appearance). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of each finding for CMV positivity were determined.RESULTS: The sensitivity of irregular ulceration for positive CMV was 100%. The specificity of wide mucosal defect was 95%. Punched-out ulceration and lon-gitudinal ulceration exhibited relatively high sensitivity and specificity (more than 70% for each).CONCLUSION:Specific colonoscopic findings in patients with UC complicated by CMV infection were identified. These findings may facilitate the early diagnosis of CMV infection in UC patients.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in extremely elderly patients:An analysis of clinical characteristics,prognosis and patient survival

AIM： To identify the clinical and prognostic features of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） aged 80 years or more. METHODS： A total of 1310 patients with HCC were included in this study. Ninety-one patients aged 80 years or more at the time of diagnosis of HCC were defined as the extremely elderly group. Two hundred and thirty-four patients aged 〉/ 50 years but less than 60 years were regarded as the non-elderly group. RESULTS： The sex ratio （male to female） was significantly lower in the extremely elderly group （0.90：1） than in the non-elderly group （3.9：1, P〈 0.001）. The positive rate for HBsAg was significantly lower in the extremely elderly group and the proportion of patients negative for HBsAg and HCVAb obviously increased in the extremely elderly group （P〈 0.001）. There were no significant differences in the following parameters： diameter and number of tumors, Child-Pugh grading, tumor staging, presence of portal thrombosis or ascites, and positive rate for HCVAb. Extremely elderly patients did not often receive surgical treatment （P 〈 0.001） and they were more likely to receive conservative treatment （P〈 0.01）. There were no significant differences in survival curves based on the Kaplan-Meier methods in comparison with the overall patients between the two groups. However, the survival curves were significantly worse in the extremely elderly patients with stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ, stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ and Child-Pugh grade A cirrhosis in comparison with the non-elderly group. The causes of death did not differ among the patients, and most cases died of liverrelated diseases even in the extremely elderly patients. CONCLUSION： In the patients with good liver functions and good performance status, aggressive treatment for HCC might improve the survival rate, even in extremely elderly patients.

Long-term follow-up of ulcerative colitis patients treated on the basis of their cytomegalovirus antigen status

AIM:To clarify the impact of cytomegalovirus(CMV)activation and antiviral therapy based on CMV antigen status on the long-term clinical course of ulcerative colitis(UC)patients.METHODS:UC patients with flare-up were divided into CMV-positive and-negative groups according to the CMV antigenemia assay.The main treatment strategy provided for the patients in the CMV-positive group comprised a dose reduction of corticosteroids and administration of ganciclovir.RESULTS:The median number of days to initial remission was significantly greater for the patients in the CMV-positive group(21 d vs 16 d,P=0.009).However,the relapse rate after remission and colectomy rate during more than 30 mo of observation did not differ between the two groups.Multivariate analysis revealed that administration of ganciclovir was the only independent factor for avoiding colectomy in patients of the CMV-positive group.CONCLUSION:CMV antigen status did not significantly affect the long-term prognosis in UC patients under treatment with appropriate antiviral therapy.

Obstructive and secretory complications of diverting ileostomy

This review aimed to highlight the etiology,diagnosis,treatment,and prevention of obstructive and secretory complications associated with diverting ileostomy(DI).Obstructive complications at the stoma site are termed stoma outlet obstruction(SOO)or stoma-related obstruction(SRO).The incidence of SOO/SRO is 5.4%-27.3%,and the risk factors are multifactorial;however,the configuration of the stoma limb and the thickness of the rectus abdominis muscle(RAM)may be of particular concern.Trans-stomal tube decompression is initially attempted with a success rate of 33%-86%.A thick RAM may carry the risk of recurrence.Surgical refinement,including a wider incision of the anterior sheath and adequate stoma limb length,avoids tension and immobility and may decrease SOO/SRO.Secretory complications of DI are termed high output stoma(HOS).Persistent HOS lead to water and sodium depletion,and secondary hyperaldosteronism,resulting in electrolyte imbalances,such as hypomagnesemia.The incidence of HOS is 14%-24%,with an output of 1000-2000 mL/d lasting up to three days.Treatment of HOS is commenced after excluding postoperative complications or enteritis and includes fluid intake restriction,antimotility and antisecretory drug therapies,and magnesium supplementation.Intensive monitoring and surveillance programs have been successful in decreasing readmissions for dehydration.

Clinical characteristics of null responders to Peg-IFNα2b/ ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C

AIM: To predict which chronic hepatitis C patients are likely to be late-responders, we herein investigated the clinical characteristics of null-responders at 36 wk with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype Ib and a high viral load during the course of pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN)/ ribavirin ther apy. METHODS: One hundred forty-two patients with genotype Ib HCV and a high viral load were included in this study. Peg-IFNα2b (1.5 μg/kg once a week) and ribavirin (600-1000 mg per day according to body weight) were administered for 48 wk. We def ined nullresponders as the cases that never cleared serum HCV RNA as determined using RT-PCR until 36 wk. Other patients were def ined as responders. We compared the clinical characteristics (age, gender, body mass index, previous treatment) and HCV RNA titer during the therapy between null-responders and responders.RESULTS: The HCV RNA clearance rate was 17.9% (24/134), 46.3% (62/134), 60.6% (86/142), 86.6% (123/142), and 88.0% (125/142) at 4, 8, 12, 24, and 36 wk, respectively. There were 17 patients (12.0%) who were still null-responders at 36 wk. There were no differences in the clinical characteristics between the responders and null-responders except for the titer and decline rates of HCV RNA at 1 wk and 4 wk. The HCV RNA titers at 1 wk and after 4 wk of treatment were significantly higher in the null-responders in comp arison to the responders (P <0.01). The serum HCV RNA titers of the responders decreased by 1.3 log after 1 wk of treatment, and 1.6 log after 4 wk of treatm ent, respectively. On the other hand, the titers of the null responders decreased by only 0.5 log after 1 wk, and 0.7 log after 4 wk of treatment, respectively. The decrease rates of HCV RNA after 1 and 4 wk of treatm ent were signif icantly worse for null responders than for the responders (P <0.01). CONCLUSION: The HCV RNA titer at 1 wk and 4 wk after initiating treatment may be useful for predicting null-responders to Peg-IFNα2b/ribavirin therapy. However, further investigation is needed to determine the optimal time at which the decision to discontinue the Peg-IFNα2b/ribavirin therapy for null-responders can be made.

Protein-losing enteropathy caused by a jejunal ulcer after an internal hernia in Petersen's space: A case report

BACKGROUND The incidence of internal hernias has recently increased in concordance with the popularization of laparoscopic surgery.Of particular concern are internal hernias occurring in Petersen's space,a space that is surgically created after treatment for gastric cancer and obesity.These hernias cause devastating sequelae,such as massive intestinal necrosis,fatal Roux limb necrosis,and superior mesenteric vein thrombus.In addition,protein-losing enteropathy(PLE)is a rare syndrome involving gastrointestinal protein loss,although its relationship with internal Petersen’s hernias remains unknown.CASE SUMMARY A 75-year-old man with a history of laparotomy for early gastric cancer developed Petersen's hernia 1 year and 5 mo after surgery.He was successfully treated by reducing the incarcerated small intestine and closure of Petersen’s defect without resection of the small intestine.Approximately 3 mo after his surgery for Petersen’s hernia,he developed bilateral leg edema and hypoalbuminemia.He was diagnosed with PLE with an alpha-1 antitrypsin clearance of 733 mL/24 h.Double-balloon enteroscopy revealed extensive jejunal ulceration as the etiology,and it facilitated minimum bowel resection.Pathological analysis showed extensive jejunal ulceration and collagen hyperplasia with nonspecific inflammation of all layers without lymphangiectasia,lymphoma,or vascular abnormalities.His postoperative course was unremarkable,and his bilateral leg edema and hypoalbuminemia improved after 1 mo.There was no relapse over the 5-year follow-up period.CONCLUSION PLE and extensive jejunal ulceration may occur after Petersen's hernia.Doubleballoon enteroscopy helps identify and resect these lesions.

Phase II Study of Irinotecan plus S-1 in Treatment of Advanced Gastric Cancer

Objective: The efficacy and safety of irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) plus oral fluoropyrimidine S-1 combination therapy in patients with previously untreated advanced gastric cancer was evaluated. Methods: The regimen comprised CPT-11 plus S-1: CPT-11, 60 mg/m2 (days 1, 15);S-1, 40 - 60 mg/body twice daily (days 1 - 21) followed by a 1-week rest, every 4 weeks. Primary endpoint was response rate. Secondary endpoints were tumor control rate, adverse events, relative dose intensity, and overall survival. Results: Twenty-five patients were enrolled;median age was 66 years. Response rate was 40% (95% confidence interval, 21.1% - 61.3%;complete response in 1;partial response in 9). Tumor control rate was 56.0%, median survival time was 436 days and relative dose intensities were 0.83 for CPT-11 and 0.85 for S-1. Incidence of grade 3 or greater neutropenia, anemia and diarrhea was 16%, 12%, and 12%, respectively.Conclusion: The present results indicate that CPT-11 plus S-1 offers lower treatment-related toxicity than regimens including cisplatin and is effective in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Estimation of Physiologic Ability and Surgical Stress Scoring System Appraises Laparoscopy-Assisted and Open Distal Gastrectomy in Treatment of Early Gastric Cancer

Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) has been widely used to treat early gastric cancer (EGC). The Estimation of Physiologic Ability and Surgical Stress (E-PASS) scoring system predicts the risk of fatal postoperative complications by quantifying the patient’s reserve and degree of surgical stress, but there have been a few reports of use of the E-PASS scoring system to assess the risk of mortality following special types of surgical procedures such as LADG. In this study we assessed the feasibility of LADG versus open distal gastrectomy (ODG) by the E-PASS scoring system. The subjects of this study consisted of 69 stage IA gastric cancer patients who underwent LADG (LADG group) and 69 stage IA gastric cancer patients who underwent ODG (ODG group). The mean age of the patients in the LADG group was 68.6 years, which was significantly higher than the mean age of 63.4 years in the ODG group. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in operation time or preoperative risk score, but there were statistically significant differences in blood loss, surgical stress score, comprehensive risk score, and duration of postoperative hospital stay. We conclude that using the E-PASS scoring system, LADG appreciates a more beneficial procedure for the treatment of EGC than ODG.

Triple therapy of interferon and ribavirin with zinc supplementation for patients with chronic hepatitis C:A randomized controlled clinical trial

AIM： To study the therapeutic effect of interferon （IFN） and ribavirin with zinc supplement on patients with chronic hepatitis C viral （HCV） infection. METHODS： A total of 102 patients confirmed histologically to have chronic HCV infection with genotype lb and more than 100 KIU/mL of HCV were randomly assigned to each arm of the study and each received 10 million units of pegylated interferon （IFN- alpha-2b） daily for 4 wk followed by the same dose every other day for 20 wk plus ribavirin （600 or 800 mg/d depending on body weight）, with or without polaprezinc （150 mg/d） orally for 24 wk. The primary endpoint was sustained virological response （SVR） defined as negative HCV-RNA in the serum 6 mo after treatment. RESULTS： There were no differences in the clinical background between the two groups except for more females in the dual therapy group than in the other group （P〈 0.05）. SVR was observed in 33.3% of the triple therapy group and 33.3% of the dual therapy group. The side effects were almost the same in both groups except for gastrointestinal symptoms, which were less in the triple therapy group （P= 0.019）. CONCLUSION： Considered together, triple therapy of zinc plus IFN and ribavirin for HCV infection patients with genotype lb and high viral load is not better than dual therapy except for lower incidence of gastrointestinal side effects.

Disparity in clinical care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease between specialists and non-specialists

Background: Although inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients have been increasing and new thera-peutic options for IBD have been developed, there are relatively few clinicians who specialize in IBD. Patients treated by a non-specialist of IBD may not receive appropriate treatment. This study aimed to compare disease and medication status between IBD patients treated by a specialist and those treated by a non-specialist. Methods: Medical charts of ambulating IBD patients in two hospitals were examined. All patients in one hospital were treated by one of the IBD specialists, while in the other hospital, patients were treated by one of the gastroenterologists who was a non-specialist of IBD. Results: The numbers of IBD patients were 255 (hospital with specialists) and 74 (hospital without specialists), respectively. Disease activity of the patients was not well-controlled in the hospital without specialists compared to in the hospi- tal with specialists (ulcerative colitis (UC): p = 0.0006 and Crohn’s disease: p = 0.012, respectively). The proportion of UC patients who received an insufficient dose of mesalazine (Pentasa < 3 g/day or Asacol < 3.6 g/day) was higher in the hospital without specialists (47% vs. 15%, p < 0.0001). In the hospital without specialists, more patients received long-term corticosteroids (UC: 23% vs. 5%, p < 0.0001), while fewer patients received immunomodulators (UC: 8% vs. 46%, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: IBD patients of the hospital without specialists were not well-controlled and were not prescribed appropriately with thera-peutic drugs. Fostering and placement of the specialist of IBD is an urgent problem.