Risk factors for lymph node metastasis in superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

In this editorial,we comment on the article by Wang et al published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology in 2023.We focused on identifying risk factors for lymph node metastasis(LNM)in superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(SESCC)patients and how to construct a simple and reliable clinical prediction model to assess the risk of LNM in SESCC patients,thereby helping to guide the selection of an appropriate treatment plan.The current standard treatment for SESCC is radical esophagectomy with lymph node dissection.However,esophagectomy is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality.Endoscopic resection(ER)offers a safer and less invasive alternative to surgical resection and can enable the patient's quality of life to be maintained while providing a satisfactory outcome.However,since ER is a localized treatment that does not allow for lymph node dissection,the risk of LNM in SESCC limits the effectiveness of ER.Understanding LNM status can aid in determining whether patients with SESCC can be cured by ER without the need for additional esophagectomy.Previous studies have shown that tumor size,macroscopic type of tumor,degree of differentiation,depth of tumor invasion,and lymphovascular invasion are factors associated with LNM in patients with SESCC.In addition,tumor budding is commonly associated with LNM,recurrence,and distant metastasis,but this topic has been less covered in previous studies.By comprehensively evaluating the above risk factors for LNM,useful evidence can be obtained for doctors to select appropriate treatments for SESCC patients.

Prediction of lymph node metastasis in early gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma:A real-world retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND Signet-ring cell carcinoma(SRCC)was previously thought to have a worse prognosis than other differentiated gastric cancer(GC),however,recent studies have shown that the prognosis of SRCC is related to pathological type.We hypothesize that patients with SRCC and with different SRCC pathological components have different probability of lymph node metastasis(LNM).AIM To establish models to predict LNM in early GC(EGC),including early gastric SRCC.METHODS Clinical data from EGC patients who had undergone gastrectomy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2012 to March 2022 were reviewed.The patients were divided into three groups based on type:Pure SRCC,mixed SRCC,and non-signet ring cell carcinoma(NSRC).The risk factors were identified through statistical tests using SPSS 23.0,R,and EmpowerStats software.RESULTS A total of 1922 subjects with EGC were enrolled in this study,and included 249 SRCC patients and 1673 NSRC patients,while 278 of the patients(14.46%)presented with LNM.Multivariable analysis showed that gender,tumor size,depth of invasion,lymphovascular invasion,ulceration,and histological subtype were independent risk factors for LNM in EGC.Establishment and analysis using prediction models of EGC showed that the artificial neural network model was better than the logistic regression model in terms of sensitivity and accuracy(98.0%vs 58.1%,P=0.034;88.4%vs 86.8%,P<0.001,respectively).Among the 249 SRCC patients,LNM was more common in mixed(35.06%)rather than in pure SRCC(8.42%,P<0.001).The area under the ROC curve of the logistic regression model for LNM in SRCC was 0.760(95%CI:0.682-0.843),while the area under the operating characteristic curve of the internal validation set was 0.734(95%CI:0.643-0.826).The subgroups analysis of pure types showed that LNM was more common in patients with a tumor size>2 cm(OR=5.422,P=0.038).CONCLUSION A validated prediction model was developed to recognize the risk of LNM in EGC and early gastric SRCC,which can aid in pre-surgical decision making of the best method of treatment for patients.

Feasibility of endoscopic treatment and predictors of lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been routinely performed in applicable early gastric cancer (EGC) patients as an alternative to conventional surgical operations that involve lymph node dissection. The indications for ESD have been recently expanded to include larger, ulcerated, and undifferentiated mucosal lesions, and differentiated lesions with slight submucosal invasion. The risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) is the most important consideration when deciding on a treatment strategy for EGC. Despite the advantages over surgical procedures, lymph nodes cannot be removed by ESD. In addition, whether patients who meet the expanded indications for ESD can be managed safely remains controversial. AIM To determine whether the ESD indications are applicable to Chinese patients and to investigate the predictors of LNM in EGC. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 12552 patients who underwent surgery for gastric cancer between June 2007 and December 2018 at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. A total of 1262 (10.1%) EGC patients were eligible for inclusion in this study. Data on the patients’ clinical, endoscopic, and histopathological characteristics were collected. The absolute and expanded indications for ESD were validated by regrouping the enrolled patients and determining the positive LNM results in each subgroup. Predictors of LNM in patients were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS LNM was observed in 182 (14.4%) patients. No LNM was detected in the patients who met the absolute indications (0/90). LNM occurred in 4/311 (1.3%) patients who met the expanded indications. According to univariate analysis, LNM was significantly associated with positive tumor marker status, medium (20-30 mm) and large (>30 mm) lesion sizes, excavated macroscopic-type tumors, ulcer presence, submucosal invasion (SM1 and SM2), poor differentiation, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), perineural invasion, and diffuse and mixed Lauren’s types. Multivariate analysis demonstrated SM1 invasion (odds ration [OR]= 2.285, P = 0.03), SM2 invasion (OR = 3.230, P < 0.001), LVI (OR = 15.702, P < 0.001), mucinous adenocarcinoma (OR = 2.823, P = 0.015), and large lesion size (OR = 1.900, P = 0.006) to be independent risk factors. CONCLUSION The absolute indications for ESD are reasonable, and the feasibility of expanding the indications for ESD requires further investigation. The predictors of LNM include invasion depth, LVI, mucinous adenocarcinoma, and lesion size.

Differential analysis of lymph node metastasis in histological mixed-type early gastric carcinoma in the mucosa and submucosa

AIM To investigate the relationship between histological mixed-type of early gastric cancer(EGC) in the mucosa and submucosa and lymph node metastasis(LNM).METHODS This study included 298 patients who underwent gastrectomy for EGC between 2005 and 2012. Enrolled lesions were divided into groups of pure differentiated(pure D), pure undifferentiated(pure U), and mixed-type according to the proportion of the differentiated and undifferentiated components observed under a microscope. We reviewed the clinicopathological features, including age, sex, location, size, gross type, lymphovascular invasion, ulceration, and LNM, among the three groups. furthermore, we evaluated the predictors of LNM in the mucosa-confined EGC.RESULTS Of the 298 patients, 165(55.4%) had mucosa-confined EGC and 133(44.6%) had submucosa-invasive EGC. Only 13(7.9%) cases of mucosa-confined EGC and 30(22.6%) cases of submucosa-invasive EGC were observed to have LNM. The submucosal invasion(OR = 4.58, 95%CI: 1.23-16.97, P = 0.023), pure U type(OR = 4.97, 95%CI: 1.21-20.39, P = 0.026), and mixedtype(OR = 5.84, 95%CI: 1.05-32.61, P = 0.044) were independent risk factors for LNM in EGC. The rate of LNM in mucosa-confined EGC was higher in the mixedtype group(P = 0.012) and pure U group(P = 0.010) than in the pure D group, but no significant difference was found between the mixed-type group and pure U group(P = 0.739). Similarly, the rate of LNM in the submucosa-invasive EGC was higher in the mixedtype(P = 0.012) and pure U group(P = 0.009) than in the pure D group but was not significantly different between the mixed-type and pure U group(P = 0.375). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that only female sex(OR = 5.83, 95%CI: 1.64-20.70, P = 0.028) and presence of lymphovascular invasion(OR = 13.18, 95%CI: 1.39-125.30, P = 0.020) were independent risk factors for LNM in mucosa-confined EGC, while histological type was not an independent risk factor for LNM in mucosa-confined EGC(P = 0.106).CONCLUSION for mucosal EGC, histological mixed-type is not an independent risk factor for LNM and could be managed in the same way as the undifferentiated type.

CXCR4/SDF-1 axis is involved in lymph node metastasis of gastric carcinoma

AIM:To investigate the role of CXC chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4) and stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) in lymph node metastasis of gastric carcinoma.METHODS:In 40 cases of gastric cancer,expression of CXCR4 mRNA in cancer and normal mucous membrane and SDF-1 mRNA in lymph nodes around the stomach was detected using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (TaqMan) and immunohistochemistric assay.SGC-7901 and MGC80-3 cancer cells were used to investigate the effect of SDF-1 on cell proliferation and migration.RESULTS:Quantitative reverse transcription PCR and immunohistochemistry revealed that the expression level of CXCR4 in gastric cancer was significantly higher than that in normal mucous membrane (1.6244 ± 1.3801 vs 1.0715 ± 0.5243,P < 0.05).The expression level of CXCR4 mRNA in gastric cancer with lymph node metastasis was also significantly higher than that without lymph node metastasis (0.823 ± 0.551 vs 0.392 ± 0.338,P < 0.05).CXCR4 expression was significantly related to poorly differentiated,high tumor stage and lymph node metastasis.Significant differences in the expression level of SDF-1 mRNA were found between lymph nodes in metastatic gastric cancer and normal nodes (0.5432 ± 0.4907 vs 0.2640 ± 0.2601,P < 0.05).The positive expression of SDF-1 mRNA in lymph nodes of metastatic gastric cancer was consistent with the positive expression of CXCR4 mRNA in gastric cancer (r=0.776,P < 0.01).Additionally,human gastric cancer cell lines expressed CXCR4 and showed vigorous proliferation and migratory responses to SDF-1.AMD3100 (a specific CXCR4 antagonist) was also found to effectively reduce the migration of gastric cancer cells.CONCLUSION:The CXCR4/SDF-1 axis is involved in the lymph node metastasis of gastric cancer.CXCR4 is considered as a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of gastric cancer.

Predictive factors for lymph node metastasis and defining a subgroup treatable for laparoscopic lymph node dissection after endoscopic submucosal dissection in poorly differentiated early gastric cancer

AIM To investigate the predictive factors of lymph node metastasis(LNM)in poorly differentiated early gastric cancer(EGC);to guide the individual application of a combination of endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)and laparoscopic lymph node dissection(LLND)in a suitable subgroup of patients with poorly differentiated EGC.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 138 patients with poorly differentiated EGC who underwent gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy between January 1990 and December 2015.The association between the clinicopathological factors and the presence of LNM was retrospectively analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.Odds ratios(OR)with 95%confidence interval(95%CI)were calculated.We further examined the relationship between the positive number of the significant predictive factors and the LNM rate.RESULTS The tumor diameter(OR=13.438,95%CI:1.773-25.673,P=0.029),lymphatic vessel involvement(LVI)(OR=38.521,95%CI:1.975-68.212,P=0.015)and depth of invasion(OR=14.981,95%CI:1.617-52.844,P=0.024)were found to be independent risk factors for LNM by multivariate analysis.For the 138 patients diagnosed with poorly differentiated EGC,21(15.2%)had LNM.For patients with one,two and three of the risk factors,the LNM rates were 7.7%,47.6%and 64.3%,respectively.LNM was not found in 77 patients that did not have one or more of the three risk factors.CONCLUSION ESD might be sufficient treatment for intramucosal poorly differentiated EGC if the tumor is less than or equal to2 cm in size and when LVI is absent upon postoperative histological examination.ESD with LLND may lead to the elimination of unnecessary gastrectomy in poorly differentiated EGC.

Contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography for assessment of lymph node metastases in pancreatobiliary carcinoma

AIM: To assess the usefulness of contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography(CH-EUS) for lymph node metastasis in pancreatobiliary carcinoma.METHODS: All patients suspected of pancreatobiliary carcinoma with visible lymph nodes after standard EUS between June, 2009 and January, 2012 were enrolled.In the primary analysis, patients with successful EUSfine needle aspiration(FNA) were included. The lymph nodes were assessed by several standard EUS variables(short and long axis lengths, shape, edge characteristic and echogenicity), color Doppler EUS variable [central intranodal blood vessel(CIV) presence] and CH-EUS variable(heterogeneous/homogeneous enhancement patterns). The diagnostic accuracy relative to EUSFNA was calculated. In the second analysis, N-stage diagnostic accuracy of CH-EUS was compared with EUS-FNA in patients who underwent surgical resection.RESULTS: One hundred and nine patients(143 lymph nodes) fulfilled the criteria. The short axis cutoff ≥ 13 mm predicted malignancy with a sensitivity and specificity of 72% and 85%, respectively. These values were 72% and 63% for the long axis cut-off ≥ 20 mm, 62% and 75% for the round shape variable, 81% and 30% for the sharp edge variable, 66% and 61% for the hypoechogenicity variable, 70% and 72% for the CIV-absent variable, and 83% and 91% for the heterogeneous CH-EUS-enhancement variable, respectively. CH-EUS was more accurate than standard and color Doppler EUS, except the short axis cut-off. Notably, three patients excluded because of EUS-FNA failure were correctly N-staged by CH-EUS.CONCLUSION: CH-EUS complements standard and color Doppler EUS and EUS-FNA for assessment of lymph node metastases.

Risk of lymph node metastasis in mixed-type early gastric cancer determined by the extent of the poorly differentiated component

AIM: To predict the rate of lymph node(LN) metastasis in diffuse- and mixed-type early gastric cancers(EGC) for guidelines of the treatment.METHODS: We reviewed 550 cases of EGC withdiffuse- and mixed-type histology. We investigated the clinicopathological factors and histopathological components that influence the probability of LN metastasis, including sex, age, site, gross type, presence of ulceration, tumour size, depth of invasion, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, and LN metastasis status. We reviewed all slides and estimated the proportions of each tumour component; pure diffuse type, mixed-predominantly diffuse type(diffuse > intestinal type), mixed-predominantly intestinal type(intestinal > diffuse type), and mixed diffuse = intestinal type. We calculated the extents of the respective components.RESULTS: LN metastasis was observed in 12.9%(71/550) of early gastric cancers cases [15/288 mucosal EGCs(5.2%) and 56/262 submucosal EGCs(21.4%)]. Of 550 cases, 302 were diffuse-type and 248 were mixed-type EGCs. Of 248 mixed-type EGCs, 163 were mixed-predominantly diffuse type, 82 were mixed-predominantly intestinal type, and 3 were mixed diffuse = intestinal type. Mixed-type cases with predominantly diffuse type histology showed a higher frequency of LN metastasis(20.2%) than cases of pure diffuse type(9.3%) and predominantly intestinal type(12.2%) histology. We measured the dimensions of each component(intestinal and diffuse type) to determine the association of the extent of each component with LN metastasis in mixed-type gastric carcinoma. The total tumour size and the extent of poorly differentiated components was associated with LN metastasis, while that of signet ring cell components was not.CONCLUSION: We recommend careful identification and quantitative evaluation of mixed-type early gastric cancer components after endoscopic resection to determine the intensity of the treatment.

Unveiling lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer

With respect to gastric cancer treatment,improvements in endoscopic techniques and novel therapeutic modalities[such as endoscopic mucosal resection(EMR)and endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)]have been developed.Currently,EMR/ESD procedures are widely accepted treatment modalities for early gastric cancer(EGC).These procedures are most widely accepted in Asia,including in Korea and Japan.In the present era of endoscopic resection,accurate prediction of lymph node(LN)metastasis is a critical component of selecting suitable patients for EMR/ESD.Generally,indications for EMR/ESD are based on large Japanese datasets,which indicate that there is almost no risk of LN metastasis in the subgroup of EGC cases.However,there is some controversy among investigators regarding the validity of these criteria.Further,there are currently no accurate methods to predict LN metastasis in gastric cancer(for example,radiologic methods or methods based on molecular biomarkers).We recommend the use of a 2-step method for the management of early gastric cancer using endoscopic resection.The first step is the selection of suitable patients for endoscopic resection,based on endoscopic and histopathologic findings.After endoscopic resection,additional surgical intervention could be determined on the basis of a comprehensive review of the endoscopic mucosal resection/endoscopic submucosal dissection specimen,including lymphovascular tumor emboli,tumor size,histologic type,and depth of invasion.However,evaluation of clinical application data is essential for validating this recommendation.Moreover,gastroenterologists,surgeons,and pathologists should closely collaborate and communicate during these decisionmaking processes.

Nomogram for predicting lymph node metastasis rate of submucosal gastric cancer by analyzing clinicopathological characteristics associated with lymph node metastasis

Background： To combine dinicopathological characteristics associated with lymph node metastasis for submucosal gastric cancer into a nomogram. Methods： We retrospectively analyzed 262 patients with submucosal gastric cancer who underwent D2 gastrectomy between 1996 and 2012. The relationship between lymph node metastasis and clinicopathological features was statistically analyzed. With multivariate logistic regression analysis, we made a nomogram to predict the possibility of lymph node metastasis. Receiver operating characteristic （ROC） analysis was also performed to assess the predictive value of the model. Discrimination and calibration were performed using internal validation. Results： A total number of 48 （18.3%） patients with submucosal gastric cancer have pathologically lymph node metastasis. For submucosal gastric carcinoma, lymph node metastasis was associated with age, tumor location, macroscopic type, size, differentiation, histology, the existence of ulcer and lymphovascular invasion in univariate analysis （all P〈0.05）. The multivariate logistic old, macroscopic type III or mixed, undifferentiated type, regression analysis identified that age _〈50 years and presence of lymphovascular invasion were independent risk factors of lymph node metastasis in submucosal gastric cancer （all P〈0.05）. We constructed a predicting nomogram with all these factors for lymph node metastasis in submucosal gastric cancer with good discrimination [area under the curve （AUC） =0.844]. Internal validation demonstrated a good discrimination power that the actual probability corresponds closely with the predicted probability. Conclusions： We developed a nomogram to predict the rate of lymph node metastasis for submucosal gastric cancer. With good discrimination and internal validation, the nomogram improved individualized predictions for assisting clinicians to make appropriated treatment decision for submucosal gastric cancer patients.

Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoepithelioma-like early gastric carcinomas and endoscopic submucosal dissection: Case series

Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)-associated lymphoepitheliomalike gastric carcinoma(LELC) is characterized by a lower lymph node(LN) metastasis rate and a higher survival rate than other forms of gastric cancer. Although current prognosis for LELC is favorable, the most common approach is radical gastrectomy involving an extensive D2 lymph node dissection. Here, we report four cases of EBV-associated early LELC that were treated by an alternative approach, endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD). The long-term outcome of this procedure is discussed. All patients were treated by ESD en bloc, and all ESD specimens showed tumor-free lateral resection margins. None of the lesions showed lymphovascular invasion. A pathological examination of ESD specimens revealed submucosal invasion of more than 500 μm in all four cases. One patient underwent additional radical surgery post-ESD; no residual tumor or LN metastasis was noted in the surgical specimen. The other three patients did not undergo additional surgery, either because of severe comorbidity or their refusal to undergo operation, but were subjected to medical follow-up. None of the ESD-treated patients reported local recurrence or distant metastases during the 27-32 mo of follow-up after ESD.

Small undifferentiated intramucosal gastric cancer with lymph-node metastasis:Case report

It has been reported recently that small undifferentiated intramucosal early gastric cancer(EGC) < 20 mm in size without any lymphovascular involvement or ulcerative findings had virtually no risk of lymph-node(LN) metastasis.Consequently,the indications for endoscopic resection were expanded to include such undifferentiated EGC lesions.We describe herein a case of a small undifferentiated intramucosal EGC < 20 mm in size without lymphovascular involvement or ulcerative findings that involved lymph-node metastasis.A 57-year-old female underwent pylorus preserving gastrectomy as standard treatment for an undifferentiated EGC 15 mm in size without any ulcerative finding.The surgical specimen revealed a signet-ring cell carcinoma with a moderately to poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma limited to the mucosa that was 15 mm in size with no lymphovascular involvement or ulcerative findings.This case involved LN metastasis,however,and the lesion was diagnosed as pathological stage ⅡA(T1N2M0) according to the Japanese Classification of Gastric Carcinoma.

Clinicopathological Characteristics as Predictive Factrs for Lymph Node Metastasis in Submucosal Gastric Cancer

OBJECTIVE To identify clinicopathological characteristics as predictive factors for lymph node metastasis in submucosal gastric cancer, and in addi- tion to establish objective criteria as indications for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). METHODS Data from 130 patients with submucosal gastric cancer were collected, and the relationship between their clinicopathological characteris- tics and the presence of lymph node metastasis was retrospectively analyzed by multivariate analysis. RESULTS In the multivariate logistic regression model, a tumor size of 2 cm or more and an undifferentiated histologic type were found to be inde- pendent risk clinicopathological characteristics for lymph node metastasis. Among 130 patients with submucosal carcinoma, no lymph node metastases were observed in 17 patients who showed neither of the two risk clinicopath- ological characteristics. Lymph node metastasis occurred in 61.1% (22/36) of the patients who had both risk clinicopathological characteristics. CONCLUSION A tumor size of 2 cm or more and an undifferentiated histologic type were significantly and independently related to lymph node metastasis in submucosal gastric cancer. It is rational for the paitients with neither of these two independent risk clinicopathological characteristics to undergo an ESD.

Analysis of Predictive Factors for Lymph Node Metastasis in Submucosal Invasive Colorectal Carcinoma

Purpose: Submucosal invasive colorectal carcinoma (SICC) exhibits lymph node metastasis in about 10% of patients. Therefore, endoscopic resection is insufficient for cases of SICC at risk of lymph node metastasis, and surgical resection accompanied with lymph node dissection is necessary. However, because additional intestinal resection is unnecessary for cases without lymph node metastasis, more rigid criteria are required in order to decrease the incidence of unnecessary further intestinal resection. We retrospectively identified predictive factors for lymph node metastasis in submucosal invasive colorectal carcinoma. Methods: One hundred and two patients who underwent intestinal resection as the first treatment or additional intestinal resection after endoscopic resection at our department between 1999 and 2012 were enrolled in the present study. Clinicopathological factors were analyzed to determine predictive factors related to lymph node metastasis. Results: The multivariate analysis revealing only depth of submucosal invasion (≤2700 μm) was found to be a significant, independent predictive factor of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.04, Odds ratio: 4.18, 95% CI: 1.06 - 16.40). Conclusion: It is considered that the refinement of the criteria in the present study will be very useful, especially in the patients for whom careful judgment is required when considering additional intestinal resection.

Positive impact of adding No.14v lymph node to D2 dissection on survival for distal gastric cancer patients after surgery with curative intent

Background： D2 lymphadenectomy has been increasingly regarded as standard surgical procedure for advanced gastric cancer （GC）, while the necessity of No.14v lymph node （14v） dissection for distal GC is still controversial. Methods： A total of 920 distal GC patients receiving at least a D2 lymph node dissection in Department of Gastric Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital were enrolled in this study, of whom, 243 patients also had the 14v dissected. Other 677 patients without 14v dissection were used for comparison. Results： Forty-five （18.5%） patients had 14v metastasis. There was no significant difference in 3-year overall survival （OS） rate between patients with and without 14v dissection. Following stratified analysis, in TNM stages I, II, IIIa and IV, 14v dissection did not affect 3-year OS; in contrast, patients with 14v dissection had a significant higher 3-year OS than those without in TNM stages IIIb and IIIc. In multivariate analysis, 14v dissection was found to be an independent prognostic factor for GC patients with TNM stage IIIb/IIIc disease [hazard ratio （HR）, 1.568; 95% confidence interval （CI）： 1.186-2.072; P=0.002]. GC patients with 14v dissection had a significant lower locoregional, especially lymph node, recurrence rate than those without 14v dissection （11.7 % vs. 21.1%, P=0.035）. Conclusions： Adding 14v to D2 lymphadenectomy may be associated with improved 3-year OS for distal GC staged TNM IIIb/IIIc.

Nomograms and prognosis for superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

In recent years,endoscopic resection,particularly endoscopic submucosal dis-section,has become increasingly popular in treating non-metastatic superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).In this evolving paradigm,it is crucial to identify factors that predict higher rates of lymphatic invasion and poorer outcomes.Larger tumor size,deeper invasion,poorer differentiation,more infiltrative growth patterns(INF-c),higher-grade tumor budding,positive lymphovascular invasion,and certain biomarkers have been associated with lymph node metastasis and increased morbidity through retrospective reviews,leading to the construction of comprehensive nomograms for outcome prediction.If validated by future prospective studies,these nomograms would prove highly applicable in guiding the selection of treatment for superficial ESCC.

Gastric metastasis presenting as submucosa tumors from renal cell carcinoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Gastric metastasis from renal cell carcinoma(RCC) is an extremely rare clinical entity.Due to an easily neglected RCC history,nonspecific symptoms and underrecognized endoscopic presentation may lead to a potential diagnostic pitfall in daily clinical practice.CASE SUMMARY We present a case of metastatic gastric tumors arising from RCC 5 years after radical nephrectomy.Simultaneous,multifocal metastases to the gallbladder,pancreas and soft tissue were observed.One year previously,a solitary submucosal discoid tumor with a central depression was detected in the gastric fundus in a 65-year-old man.Endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS) showed a 1.12 x 0.38 cm lesion originating from the deeper mucosal layers with partially discontinuous submucosa.One year later,the endoscopic findings of the lesion showed various changes.A large lesion of the protruding type(2.5 cm × 2 cm) was found in the fundus at the same location.EUS showed a heterogeneous mass that involved the mucosa and submucosal layer.In addition,two small similar submucosal lesions 0.4-0.6 cm in size were detected.These lesions had a central depression,surface mucosal congestion and thickened vessels.The two adjacent lesions in the fundus were resected by endoscopic submucosal dissection.Based on the postoperative pathological analysis,the patient was diagnosed with gastric metastasis from RCC.CONCLUSION Gastric metastasis from RCC should be considered in patients with a history of RCC irrespective of the time interval involved.

Transcriptomic analysis reveals the promotion of lymph node metastasis by Helicobacter pylori infection via upregulating chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 2 expression in gastric carcinoma

Gastric carcinoma (GC) progression is mainly caused by local aggression and lymph node metastasis. However, some patients with early T-stage disease have lymph node metastasis, whereas some patients with late T-stage disease do not have lymph node metastasis, which indicates that invasion and metastasis are not always sequential in some GC patients. In the present study, the data of 101 GC cases were acquired from TCGA and divided into T-late-N-negative and T-early-N-positive groups according to pathological stages. A total of 338 genes were identified as differential genes between the T-late-N-negative and T-early-N-positive groups. GSEA showed that epithelial cell signaling in the Helicobacter pylori (HP ) infection pathway was enriched in the T-early-N-positive group. MB staining indicated that the HP infection rate was 63% (39/62) in N-positive patients compared to 42% (16/38) in N-negative patients. To investigate the potential mechanism, we focused on the gene chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 2 (CXCR2), which was not only clustered in the gene set of epithelial cells signaling in the HP infection pathway but also significantly upregulated in T-early-N-positive GC by the analysis of the different genes based on the TCGA dataset. A meta-analysis showed that CXCR2 expression was positively correlated with N-stage but not with T-stage in GC. This study indicated that invasion and metastasis could be independent processes driven by different molecular mechanisms in some GC patients. HP infection was a potential factor that promoted lymph node metastasis by upregulating CXCR2 expression.

Additional laparoscopic gastrectomy after noncurative endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer: A single-center experience

BACKGROUND The necessity of additional gastrectomy for early gastric cancer (EGC) patients who do not meet curative criteria after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is controversial. AIM To examine the clinicopathologic characteristics of patients who underwent additional laparoscopic gastrectomy after ESD and to determine the appropriate strategy for treating those after noncurative ESD. METHODS We retrospectively studied 45 patients with EGC who underwent additional laparoscopic gastrectomy after noncurative ESD from January 2013 to January 2019 at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. We analyzed the patients’ clinicopathological data and identified the predictors of residual cancer (RC) and lymph node metastasis (LNM). RESULTS Surgical specimens showed RC in ten (22.2%) patients and LNM in five (11.1%).Multivariate analysis revealed that positive horizontal margin [odds ratio (OR)=13.393, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.435-125, P=0.023] and neural invasion (OR=14.714, 95%CI: 1.087-199, P=0.043) were independent risk factors for RC. Undifferentiated type was an independent risk factor for LNM (OR=12.000, 95%CI: 1.197-120, P=0.035). Tumors in all patients with LNM showed submucosal invasion more than 500 μm. Postoperative complications after additional laparoscopic gastrectomy occurred in five (11.1%) patients, and no deaths occurred among patients with complications. CONCLUSION Gastrectomy is necessary not only for patients who have a positive margin after ESD, but also for cases with neural invasion, undifferentiated type, and submucosal invasion more than 500 μm. Laparoscopic gastrectomy is a safe, minimally invasive, and feasible procedure for additional surgery after noncurative ESD. However, further studies are needed to apply these results to clinical practice.