Two-photon excitation fuorescence lifetime imaging microscopy:A promising diagnostic tool for digestive tract tumors

Digestive tract tumors acount for 15%and 19.3%of the cancer incidence and deaths,respec-tively.Early detection of digestive tract tumors is crucial to the reduction of global cancer burden.Two-photon excitation fuorescence lifetime imaging microscopy(TP-FLIM)allows non-invasive,label free,three-dimensional,high-resolution imaging of living tisues with not only histological but also biochemical characterization ability in both qualitative and quantitative way.Benefiting from these advantages,this technology is protmising for clinical diagnosis of digestive tract tumors.In recent years,many efforts have'been made in this field and some remarkable progress has been achieved.In this paper,we overview the recent progress of TP-FLIM-based researches on digestive tract tumor detection.Among them,our latest results on the gastric cancer and esophageal cancer are elaborately depicted.Finally,we outlook and discuss the potential advantages and challenges of TP-FLIM in future clinical applications.

Associations between the Serum Zinc Levels and Digestive Tract Tumors:A Meta-Analysis

Background The incidence and mortality rates of digestive tract tumors are among the top ten worldwide.Notably,studies have shown that zinc may be significantly related to digestive tract tumors.This meta analysis was conducted to explore whether the serum zinc level of patients is associated with gastrointestinal cancer.Methods We systematically searched PUBMED,the Cochrane Library,the Web of Science and EMBASE from their start dates up to October 2022 for studies on the association between the serum zinc concentration and digestive tract tumors.The I^(2)statistic was used to assess the heterogeneity.A sensitivity analysis,subgroup analysis and meta-regression analysis were also used to analyze heterogeneity.Moreover,Begg’s and Egger’s tests were adopted to assess potential publication bias.Results In total,we identified 24 eligible studies with 1,499 total participants with digestive tract tumors and 6,039 participants without tumors.The average serum zinc concentration in patients with digestive tract tumors was lower than that in the control group(SMD=-0.98,95%CI:-1.29~-0.66,I^(2):94.1%,P<0.001).Specifically,the serum zinc concentration of patients with esophageal cancer(SMD=-2.08,95%CI:-2.89~-1.26,I^(2):92.9%,P<0.001),gastric cancer(SMD=-0.74,95%CI:-1.16~-0.33,I^(2):92.1%,P<0.001),and colorectal cancer(SMD=-0.85,95%CI:-1.51~-0.19,I^(2):95.9%P<0.05)were significantly different from the controls.Conclusion Our review showed that the serum zinc concentration in patients with digestive tract tumors was lower than that in patients without tumors,and further studies are needed to explore how zinc affects the occurrence and development of digestive tract tumors.

New insights into digestive tract tumors

Digestive tract tumors,ranging from esophageal to colorectal cancers(CRCs),pose a substantial challenge in oncology because of their high global incidence and mortality.1,2 The heterogeneity of these malignancies underscores the complexity of their etiology,which is influenced by a combination of genetic,epigenetic,and environmental factors.3 Unraveling the molecular complexities and clinical implications of these tumors is of growing importance,as they provide insights that can inform the development of more effective diagnostic,therapeutic,and preventative approaches.The Special Issue,titled“Basic research and clinical practice on gastrointestinal cancer”,aims to highlight the recent advances in molecular mechanisms and clinical research in the field of digestive tract oncology.We hope that by presenting these findings we can foster collaboration and dialog among experts in the field,ultimately leading to innovative perspectives on the diagnosis and treatment of these cancers.

Analysis of sleep quality,disease uncertainty,and psychological tolerance in patients undergoing chemotherapy for digestive tract malignancies

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among digestive tract malignancies,following gastric cancer.Sleep is of great significance for maintaining human health.The incidence of sleep disorders in patients with cancer is approximately twice that observed in the general population.Lack of sleep can prolong hospital stays,increase the likelihood of infection,and increase mortality rates.Therefore,studying the factors related to sleep quality is significant for improving the quality of life of patients with malignant tumors of the digestive tract.AIM To investigate the relationships among sleep quality,disease uncertainty,and psychological resilience in patients undergoing chemotherapy for digestive tract malignancies.METHODS A total of 131 patients with malignant digestive tract tumors who were treated at Hefei BOE Hospital between April 2021 and September 2022 were selected as research participants.Based on their Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)scores,participants were divided into either the sleep disorder group(PSQI score>7)or the normal sleep group(PSQI score≤7).The clinical data—together with the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale for Adults(MUIS-A)and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale(CD-RISC)scores—were compared.RESULTS In this study,78(59.54%)patients with digestive tract malignancies developed sleep disorders after chemotherapy.Sleep disorder incidence was higher in patients with colorectal cancer than in those with gastric and esophageal cancers(P<0.05).The total MUIS-A score and those for each item in the sleep disorder group were higher than those in the normal sleep group.The total CD-RISC score and those for each item in the sleep disorder group were lower than those in the normal sleep group(P<0.05).The PSQI scores of patients with malignant digestive tract tumors were positively correlated with the scores for lack of disease information,disease uncertainty,and unpredictability in the MUIS-A and negatively correlated with the scores for tenacity,self-improvement,and optimism in the CD-RISC(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Patients undergoing chemotherapy for digestive tract malignancies are prone to sleep problems related to disease uncertainty and psychological resilience.Therefore,interventions can be implemented to improve their sleep quality.

Expression of hMSH2 gene and mutant p53 in sporadic digestive tract tumors

Objective To investigate the role of mutated mismatch repair gene hMSH2 and mutant p53 gene in the carcinogenesis and development of sporadic digestive tract tumors. Methods hMSH2 gene in normal and tumor tissue of 30 digestive tract tumor specimens was examined using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) silver staining. The PCR product with an abnormal strand was sequenced directly. Mutant p53 protein in the tumor tissue was analyzed immunohistochemically. Results Six patients were identified as having mutated strands, three on hMSH2 exon 1 and three on hMSH2 exon 5. DNA sequencing revealed that all 6 patients had mutated basic groups that led to decrease in function of the hMSH2 protein. Forty percent (12/30) of patients were p53 positive. The frequency of mutated hMSH2 in p53 positive patients (41.7%) was significantly higher than in p53 negative patients (5.6%, P<0.05). Conclusion The mutation of hMSH2 plays an important role in the carcinogenesis and development of digestive tract tumors through stimulating p53 mutation.

Research progress on drug delivery systems for curcumin in the treatment of gastrointestinal tumors

Curcumin is a natural compound with a diketone structure,which can control the growth,metastasis,recurrence,neovascularization,invasion,and drug resistance of gastrointestinal tumors by inhibiting nuclear factorκB,overexpression of tumor cells,vascular endothelial growth factor,etc.However,due to the low bioavailability of curcumin formulation,it did not fully exert its pharmacological effects,and its application and development in the treatment of various malignant tumors are still limited.This review summarizes the research on drug delivery systems of curcumin combating digestive tract tumors in order to further reduce the toxic side effects of curcumin-containing drugs and fully exert their pharmacological activities,and improve their bioavailability and clinical value.

Chinese expert consensus and practice guideline of totally implantable access port for digestive tract carcinomas

Totally implantable access port is a fully implantable drug delivery system that is implanted subcutaneously and can be retained for a long time.Advantages of ports include a simple nursing process,low risk of infection and embolism,and high patient comfort.In order to promote the standardized application of ports in the treatment of digestive tract tumors and reduce port-related complications,the Chinese Research Hospital Association Digestive Tumor Committee,the Chinese Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons,the Chinese Gastric Cancer Association,and the Gastrointestinal Surgical Group of Chinese Surgical Society Affiliated to Chinese Medical Association have organized multidisciplinary expert discussions at the General Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army and nationwide expert letter reviews and on-site seminars,and formulated an expert consensus of the operation guidelines.