Therapeutic strategies and prognostic challenges in linitis plastica

Gastric cancer ranks fifth as the most common cancer and third as the leading cause of death worldwide.Risk factors include advancing age,low-fiber diets,high salt intake and Helicobacter pylori infection.Diagnosis relies on histological examination following endoscopic biopsy with staging accomplished through various imaging modalities.Early gastric cancer is primarily managed via endoscopic resection,while non-early operable cases typically undergo surgery.Advanced cases are addressed through sequential chemotherapy lines,with initial treatment usually comprising a platinum and fluoropyrimidine combination.Linitis plastica(LP)is a rare,aggressive form of gastric cancer characterized by diffuse infiltration of the gastric wall,resulting in poor outcomes even after curative resection.The absence of a standardized definition contributes to uncertainty regarding the precise incidence of these tumors.LP is often diagnosed at advanced stages,with a reported median survival rate of approximately 4%-29%,despite“curative resection”.Its distinctive biological behavior includes perineural invasion,nodal metastasis,and peritoneal dissemination.The bleak prognosis for LP patients partly stems from delayed diagnosis and its aggressive biological nature,posing significant challenges for clinical management.Currently,no specialized treatment strategy exists for LP,and clinical approaches typically align with those used for general gastric cancer treatment.Surgical resection is the primary treatment,but the optimal surgical approach remains contentious.Recent studies have investigated the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy in improving survival outcomes for LP patients.However,controversies persist regarding the role of adjuvant chemotherapy and postoperative radiotherapy.LP requires a multidisciplinary approach and personalized treatment strategies tailored to each patient’s condition.Further research is needed to elucidate optimal therapeutic interventions and improve outcomes for LP patients.

Secondary rectal linitis plastica caused by prostatic adenocarcinoma-magnetic resonance imaging findings and dissemination pathways:A case report

BACKGROUND Secondary rectal linitis plastica(RLP)from prostatic adenocarcinoma is a rare and poorly understood form of metastatic spread,characterized by a desmoplastic response and concentric rectal wall infiltration with mucosal preservation.This complicates endoscopic diagnosis and can mimic gastrointestinal malignancies.This case series underscores the critical role of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)in identifying the distinct imaging features of RLP and highlights the importance of considering this condition in the differential diagnosis of patients with a history of prostate cancer.CASE SUMMARY Three patients with secondary RLP due to prostatic adenocarcinoma presented with varied clinical features.The first patient,a 76-year-old man with advanced prostate cancer,had rectal pain and incontinence.MRI showed diffuse prostatic invasion and significant rectal wall thickening with a characteristic"target sign"pattern.The second,a 57-year-old asymptomatic man with elevated prostatespecific antigen levels and a history of prostate cancer exhibited rectoprostatic angle involvement and rectal wall thickening on MRI,with positron emission tomography/computed tomography PSMA confirming the prostatic origin of the metastatic spread.The third patient,an 80-year-old post-radical prostatectomy,presented with refractory constipation.MRI revealed a neoplastic mass infiltrating the rectal wall.In all cases,MRI consistently showed stratified thickening,concentric signal changes,restricted diffusion,and contrast enhancement,which were essential for diagnosing secondary RLP.Biopsies confirmed the prostatic origin of the neoplastic involvement in the rectum.CONCLUSION Recognizing MRI findings of secondary RLP is essential for accurate diagnosis and management in prostate cancer patients.

Gastric linitis plastica with autoimmune pancreatitis diagnosed by an endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine-needle biopsy: A case report

BACKGROUND Gastric linitis plastica(GLP)is a subset of gastric cancer with a poor prognosis.It is difficult to obtain a definitive diagnosis by endoscopic mucosal biopsies,and the usefulness of an endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine-needle biopsy(EUSFNB)for GLP has been recently reported.Meanwhile,autoimmune diseases are occasionally known to coexist with malignant tumors as paraneoplastic syndrome.We herein report the usefulness of an EUS-FNB for detecting GLP and the possibility of paraneoplastic syndrome coexisting with GLP.CASE SUMMARY An 81-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for a 1-mo history of epigastric pain that increased after eating.His laboratory data revealed high levels of serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and immunoglobulin-G4.Endoscopic examinations showed giant gastric folds and reddish mucosa;however,no epithelial changes were observed.The gastric lumen was not distensible by air inflation,suggesting GLP.Computed tomography showed the thickened gastric wall,the diffuse enlargement of the pancreas,and the peripancreatic rim,which suggested autoimmune pancreatitis(AIP)coexisting with GLP.Because the pathological findings of the endoscopic biopsy showed no malignancy,he underwent an EUSFNB and was diagnosed with GLP.He received chemotherapy for unresectable gastric cancer due to peritoneal metastasis,after which both the gastric wall thickening and diffuse enlargement of the pancreas were improved.CONCLUSION An EUS-FNB for GLP with a negative endoscopic biopsy is useful,and AIP may develop as a paraneoplastic syndrome.

Endoscopic ultrasonographic features of gastric linitis plastica in fifty-five Chinese patients

The objective of this study was to investigate the endosonographic appearance of gastric linitis plastica(GLP) and to study the usefulness of endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS) for the T and N staging of GLP.EUS examinations of 55 patients with histologically proven GLP were retrospectively studied.In all patients,EUS showed that lesions involved at least one-third of the circumference of the stomach.Based on the findings of the EUS,the 55 patients were divided into two groups.There were 32(58.2%) patients in the first group.EUS of this group showed that the five sonographic layers had disappeared and had been replaced by a hypoechogenic thickening of the gastric wall.There were 23(41.8%) patients in the second group.EUS of this group showed that the first three sonographic layers were blurred and thickened,and the fourth layer was significantly thickened.The full thickness of the gastric wall was significantly thicker in first than in the second group of patients(P<0.01).The incidence of perigastric lesions was significantly higher in the first than in the second group of patients(P<0.01).Results for the 15 patients following preoperative EUS were compared postoperatively with histopathologic findings for T and N staging.The overall diagnostic accuracy of the T stage was 73.3% and of the N stage was 60.0%.In eight patients,we used EUS to assess a therapeutic response.No response was observed in five patients and a partial response in three.EUS images of GLP are characteristic.EUS is helpful in diagnosing GLP and for assessing the T and N stages.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided cutting of holes and deep biopsy for diagnosis of gastric infiltrative tumors and gastrointestinal submucosal tumors using a novel vertical diathermic loop

AIM To report on a more accurate diagnostic possibility offered by endoscopic ultrasound-guided cutting of holes and deep biopsy (EUS-CHDB) for pathologic diagnosis of gastric infiltrative tumors and gastrointestinal submucosal tumors. METHODS Ten consecutive patients who were suspected of having gastric invasive tumors or gastrointestinal submucosal tumors underwent EUS-CHDB with a novel vertical diathermic loop. We reviewed their medical data and analysed the effectiveness and safety of this new method. The final diagnosis was based on the surgical pathology or clinical/imaging follow-up. RESULTS EUS-CHDB was performed successfully in all the ten patients. Neither severe haemorrhage nor perforation occurred in any patient. Among the ten patients, there were three cases of gastric linitis plastica, one case of gastric lymphoma, five cases of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), and only one case of chronic non-atrophic gastritis. That is, nine (90%) of the cases CONCLUSION EUS-CHDB may be a technically feasible and safe option for patients with gastric infiltrative tumors or gastrointestinal submucosal tumors. EUS-CHDB may be used as a remedial or even preferred biopsy method for submucosal lesions.