Stage at diagnosis of colorectal cancer through diagnostic route:Who should be screened?

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer(CRC)is a global health concern,with advanced-stage diagnoses contributing to poor prognoses.The efficacy of CRC screening has been well-established;nevertheless,a significant proportion of patients remain unscreened,with>70%of cases diagnosed outside screening.Although identifying specific subgroups for whom CRC screening should be particularly recommended is crucial owing to limited resources,the association between the diagnostic routes and identification of these subgroups has been less appreciated.In the Japanese cancer registry,the diagnostic routes for groups discovered outside of screening are primarily categorized into those with comorbidities found during hospital visits and those with CRC-related symptoms.AIM To clarify the stage at CRC diagnosis based on diagnostic routes.METHODS We conducted a retrospective observational study using a cancer registry of patients with CRC between January 2016 and December 2019 at two hospitals.The diagnostic routes were primarily classified into three groups:Cancer screening,follow-up,and symptomatic.The early-stage was defined as Stages 0 or I.Multivariate and univariate logistic regressions were exploited to determine the odds of early-stage diagnosis in the symptomatic and cancer screening groups,referencing the follow-up group.The adjusted covariates were age,sex,and tumor location.RESULTS Of the 2083 patients,715(34.4%),1064(51.1%),and 304(14.6%)belonged to the follow-up,symptomatic,and cancer screening groups,respectively.Among the 2083 patients,CRCs diagnosed at an early stage were 57.3%(410 of 715),23.9%(254 of 1064),and 59.5%(181 of 304)in the follow-up,symptomatic,and cancer screening groups,respectively.The symptomatic group exhibited a lower likelihood of early-stage diagnosis than the follow-up group[P<0.001,adjusted odds ratio(aOR),0.23;95%confidence interval(95%CI):0.19-0.29].The likelihood of diagnosis at an early stage was similar between the follow-up and cancer screening groups(P=0.493,aOR for early-stage diagnosis in the cancer screening group vs follow-up group=1.11;95%CI=0.82-1.49).CONCLUSION CRCs detected during hospital visits for comorbidities were diagnosed earlier,similar to cancer screening.CRC screening should be recommended,particularly for patients without periodical hospital visits for comorbidities.

Non-participation of asymptomatic candidates in screening protocols reduces early diagnosis and worsens prognosis of colorectal cancer

The Agatsuma et al’s study shows that despite the evidence of the benefits of an early colorectal cancer(CRC)diagnosis,through screening in asymptomatic subjects,up to 50%of candidates reject this option and many of those affected are diagnosed later,in advanced stages.The efficacy of screening programs has been well-established for several years,which reduces the risk of CRC morbidity and mortality,without taking into account the test used for screening,or other tools.Nevertheless,a significant proportion of patients remain unscreened,so understanding the factors involved,as well as the barriers of the population to adherence is the first step to possibly modify the participation rate.These barriers could include a full range of social and political aspects,especially the type of financial provision of each health service.In Japan,health services are universal,and this advantageous situation makes it easier for citizens to access to these services,contributing to the detection of various diseases,including CRC.Interestingly,the symptomatic CRC group had a lower early-stage diagnosis rate than the patients detected during follow-up for other comorbidities,and symptomatic and cancer screening groups showed similar early-stage diagnosis.

Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cancer cachexia

Cachexia is a common complication with an incidence rate of 50%–80% in cancer patients. It is also responsible for 20% of mortality among these patients. Cachexia can significantly reduce the efficacy of antitumor therapies and increase treatment-related toxicity and adverse effects in cancer patients. This increases the symptom burden in patients, affects their quality of life, and ultimately shortens their survival time. The mechanism underlying the development of cachexia is complex and diverse and involves various factors and pathways, each playing an important role. Treatment approaches for cachexia are multimodal, including nutrition support therapy, appetite stimulants, and therapeutic drugs that specifically target the mechanism behind the disease. In recent years, we have gradually gained a better understanding of cachexia, and significant progress has been made in delineating molecular mechanisms, staging and diagnosis, and therapeutic drug treatment of cancer cachexia. This article reviews the research progress of cancer cachexia based on these contexts.

Disparities in stage at diagnosis for liver cancer in China

Background:The stage at diagnosis is a major factor in making treatment strategies and cancer control policies.However,the stage distribution for liver cancer in China was not well studied.In this multi-center hospital-based study,we aimed to identify the distribution and factors associated with stage at diagnosis for liver cancer in China.Methods:We included patients diagnosed with primary liver cancer in 13 hospitals of 10 provinces covering various geographic and socioeconomic populations during 2016-2017 in China.The stage distribution overall,and by sex and age at diagnosis were analyzed.We used logistic regression to identify the factors associated with stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ disease.We further compared these estimates with data from the USA.Results:We included 2,991 patients with known stage at diagnosis in China.The proportion of patients diagnosed with stageⅠ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,and Ⅳ was 17.5%,25.6%,29.3%,and 27.6%,respectively.The proportion of stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ cases was higher in women[65.1%vs 54.9%,adjusted odds ratio(OR)=1.5,95%CI:1.2,1.8]and those≥60 years(61.6%vs 52.8%,OR=1.4,95%CI:1.2,1.6).We found an increased risk of stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ among drinkers and those without a family history of cancer.Compared to the USA,our study population had a substantially higher proportion of stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ cases(56.9%vs 45.6%).Conclusion:The disparities in liver cancer stage at diagnosis among different populations within China,and between China and the USA,imply the necessity for improving cancer awareness and early detection for liver cancer in China.

Diagnosis and one stage surgical treatment of lower thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum combined with lumbar spinal stenosis

Objective To study the diagnosis and treatment of lower thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum(OLF) combined with lumbar spinal stenosis.Methods Retrospective analysis was carried out on 11 cases of lower thoracic OLF combined with

Early colorectal cancer screening–no time to lose

In this editorial,we comment on the article entitled“Stage at diagnosis of colorectal cancer through diagnostic route:Who should be screened?”by Agatsuma et al.Colorectal cancer(CRC)is emerging as an important health issue as its incidence continues to rise globally,adversely affecting the quality of life.Although the public has become more aware of CRC prevention,most patients lack screening awareness.Some poor lifestyle practices can lead to CRC and symptoms can appear in the early stages of CRC.However,due to the lack of awareness of the disease,most of the CRC patients are diagnosed already at an advanced stage and have a poor prognosis.

Utility of ^(18)F-FDG PET/CT for the diagnosis and staging of gallbladder carcinoma

Objective To investigate the vaue of18F-FDG PET/CT combined with clinical data in the diagnosis of gallbladder carcinoma and to assess the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in tumor staging.Methods18F-FDG PET/CT and clinical data of 54 patients（28 males,26 females,age range 18-82 years）with suspected gallbladder carci-