Adverse effects of early-life stress:focus on the rodent neuroendocrine system

Early-life stress is associated with a high prevalence of mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorders,attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,schizophrenia,and anxiety or depressive behavior,which constitute major public health problems.In the early stages of brain development after birth,events such as synaptogenesis,neuron maturation,and glial differentiation occur in a highly orchestrated manner,and external stress can cause adverse long-term effects throughout life.Our body utilizes multifaceted mechanisms,including neuroendocrine and neurotransmitter signaling pathways,to appropriately process external stress.Newborn individuals first exposed to early-life stress deploy neurogenesis as a stress-defense mechanism;however,in adulthood,early-life stress induces apoptosis of mature neurons,activation of immune responses,and reduction of neurotrophic factors,leading to anxiety,depression,and cognitive and memory dysfunction.This process involves the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and neurotransmitters secreted by the central nervous system,including norepinephrine,dopamine,and serotonin.The rodent early-life stress model is generally used to experimentally assess the effects of stress during neurodevelopment.This paper reviews the use of the early-life stress model and stress response mechanisms of the body and discusses the experimental results regarding how early-life stress mediates stress-related pathways at a high vulnerability of psychiatric disorder in adulthood.

Dysfunction of neuroendocrine system in sepsis and implication of hormone therapy

Sepsis and related syndromes are the major cause of multiple organ failure and death in patients with critical illnesses. Neuroendocrine dysfunction has long been thought to be an important event in sepsis. In clinic, optimal management of the hormones could alleviate severe complications in sepsis. In this article, we review the dysfunction ofneuroendocrine system as well as autonomic nervous system in sepsis, and summarize the respective therapy strategies.

Metformin and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Most patients with advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors(pNETs)die due to tumor progression.Therefore,identifying new therapies with low toxicity and good tolerability to use concomitantly with the established pNET treatment is relevant.In this perspective,metformin is emerging as a molecule of interest.Retrospective studies have described metformin,a widely used agent for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM),to be effective in modulating different tumor-related events,including cancer incidence,recurrence and survival by inhibiting mTOR phosphorylation.This systematic review evaluates the role of T2DM and metformin in the insurgence and post-treatment outcomes in patients with pNET.AIM To systematically analyze and summarize evidence related to the diagnostic and prognostic value of T2DM and metformin for predicting the insurgence and posttreatment outcomes of pNET.METHODS A systematic review of the published literature was undertaken,focusing on the role of T2DM and metformin in insurgence and prognosis of pNET,measured through outcomes of tumor-free survival(TFS),overall survival and progression free survival.RESULTS A total of 13 studies(5674 patients)were included in this review.Analysis of 809 pNET cases from five retrospective studies(low study heterogeneity with I^(2)=0%)confirms the correlation between T2DM and insurgence of pNET(OR=2.13,95%CI=1.56-4.55;P<0.001).The pooled data from 1174 pNET patients showed the correlation between T2DM and post-treatment TFS in pNET patients(hazard ratio=1.84,95%CI=0.78-2.90;P<0.001).The study heterogeneity was intermediate,with I^(2)=51%.A few studies limited the possibility of performing pooled analysis in the setting of metformin;therefore,results were heterogeneous,with no statistical relevance to the use of this drug in the diagnosis and prognosis of pNET.CONCLUSION T2DM represents a risk factor for the insurgence of pNET and is a significant predictor of poor post-treatment TFS of pNET patients.Unfortunately,a few studies with heterogeneous results limited the possibility of exploring the effect of metformin in the diagnosis and prognosis of pNET.

Different lymph node staging systems for predicting the prognosis of colorectal neuroendocrine neoplasms

BACKGROUND Colorectal neuroendocrine neoplasms(NENs)are a rare malignancy that primarily arises from the diffuse distribution of neuroendocrine cells in the colon and rectum.Previous studies have pointed out that the status of lymph node may be used to predict the prognosis.AIM To investigate the predictive values of lymph node ratio(LNR),positive lymph node(PLN),and log odds of PLNs(LODDS)staging systems on the prognosis of colorectal NENs treated surgically,and compare their predictive values.METHODS This cohort study included 895 patients with colorectal NENs treated surgically from the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results database.The endpoint was mortality of patients with colorectal NENs treated surgically.X-tile software was utilized to identify most suitable thresholds for categorizing the LNR,PLN,and LODDS.Participants were selected in a random manner to form training and testing sets.The prognosis of surgically treating colorectal NENs was examined using multivariate cox analysis to assess the associations of LNR,PLN,and LODDS with the prognosis of colorectal NENs.C-index was used for assessing the predictive effectiveness.We conducted a subgroup analysis to explore the different lymph node staging systems’predictive values.RESULTS After adjusting all confounding factors,PLN,LNR and LODDS staging systems were linked with mortality in patients with colorectal NENs treated surgically(P<0.05).We found that LODDS staging had a higher prognostic value for patients with colorectal NENs treated surgically than PLN and LNR staging systems.Similar results were obtained in the different G staging subgroup analyses.Furthermore,the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values for LODDS staging system remained consistently higher than those of PLN or LNR,even at the 1-,2-,3-,4-,5-and 6-year follow-up periods.CONCLUSION LNR,PLN,and LODDS were found to significantly predict the prognosis of patients with colorectal NENs treated surgically.

Neuroendocrine tumors of the gastro-entero-pancreatic system

Gastro-entero-pancreatic (GEP) neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare neoplasms, although their prevalence has increased substantially over the past three decades. Moreover, there has been an increased clinical recognition and characterization of these neoplasms. They show extremely variable biological behavior and clinical course. Most NETs have endocrine function and secrete peptides and neuroamines that cause distinct clinical syndromes, including carcinoid syndrome; however, many are clinically silent until late presentation with mass effects. Investigation and management should be individualized for each patient, taking into account the likely natural history of the tumor and general health of the patient. Management strategies include surgery for cure or palliation, and a variety of other cytoreductive techniques, and medical treatment including chemotherapy, and biotherapy to control symptoms due to hormone release and tumor growth, with somatostatin analogues (SSAs) and alphainterferon. New biological agents and somatostatintagged radionuclides are under investigation. Advances in the therapy and development of centers of excellence which coordinate multicenter studies, are needed to improve diagnosis, treatment and therefore survival of patients with GEP NETs.

Diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: A systematic review and meta analysis

AIM: To detect pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) has been varied. This study is undertaken to evaluate the accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in detecting PNETs.METHODS: Only EUS studies confirmed by surgery or appropriate follow-up were selected. Articles were searched in Medline, Ovid journals, Medline nonindexed citations, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Database of Systematic Reviews. Pooling was conducted by both fixed and random effects model). RESULTS: Initial search identified 2610 reference articles, of these 140 relevant articles were selected and reviewed. Data was extracted from 13 studies (n = 456) which met the inclusion criteria. Pooled sensitivity of EUS in detecting a PNETs was 87.2% (95%CI: 82.2-91.2). EUS had a pooled specificity of 98.0% (95%CI: 94.3-99.6). The positive likelihood ratio of EUS was 11.1 (95%CI: 5.34-22.8) and negative likelihood ratio was 0.17 (95%CI: 0.13-0.24). The diagnostic odds ratio, the odds of having anatomic PNETs in positive as compared to negative EUS studies was 94.7 (95%CI: 37.9-236.1). Begg-Mazumdar bias indicator for publication bias gave a Kendall's tau value of 0.31 (P = 0.16), indication no publication bias. The P for χ2 heterogeneity for all the pooled accuracy estimates was > 0.10. CONCLUSION: EUS has excellent sensitivity and specificity to detect PNETs. EUS should be strongly considered for evaluation of PNETs.

Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors treated with high dose octreotide-LAR:A systematic literature review

AIM:To review literature on efficacy and safety of octreotide-long-acting repeatable(LAR)used at doses higher than the Food and Drug Administration(FDA)-approved 30 mg/mo for treatment of neuroendocrine tumors(NETs).METHODS:We searched Pub Med and Cochrane Library from 1998-2012,5 conferences(American Society of Clinical Oncology,Endocrine Society,European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society,European Society for Medical Oncology,North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society)from 2000-2013 using Me SH and keyterms including neuroendocrine tumors,carcinoid tumor,carcinoma,neuroendocrine,and octreotide.Bibliographies of accepted articles were also searched.Two reviewers reviewed titles,abstracts,and full-length articles.Studies that reported data on efficacy and safety of≥30 mg/mo octreotide-LAR for NETs in human subjects,published in any language were included in the review.RESULTS:The search identified 1086 publications,of which 238 underwent full-text review(20 were translated into English);17 were included in the review.Studies varied in designs,subjects,octreotide-LAR regimens,and definition of outcomes.Eleven studies reported use of higher doses to control symptoms and tumor progression,although symptom severity and formal quality-of-life analysis were not quantitatively measured.Ten studies reported efficacy,describing 260 subjects with doses ranging from 40 mg/mo or 30 mg/3 wk up to 120 mg/mo.Eight studies reported expert clinical opinion that supported dose escalation of octreotide-LAR up to 60 mg/mo for symptom control and suggested increased doses may be effective at preventing tumor progression.Eight studies reported safety;there was no evidence of increased toxicity associated with doses of octreotide-LAR>30 mg/mo.CONCLUSION:As reported in this review,octreotide-LAR at doses>30 mg/mo is being prescribed for symptom and tumor control in NET patients.Furthermore,expert clinical opinion provided support for escalation of somatostatin analogs for refractory hormonal symptoms.

Mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasms of the digestive system:A mini-review

Mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasms(MiNENs)are rare mixed tumors containing both neuroendocrine(NE)and non-NE components.Each component must occupy at least 30%of the tumor volume by definition.Recent molecular evidence suggests MiNENs are clonal neoplasms and potentially harbor targetable mutations similar to conventional carcinomas.There have been multiple changes in the nomenclature and classification of MiNENs which has created some confusion among pathologists on how to integrate the contributions of each component in a MiNEN,an issue which in turn has resulted in confusion in communication with front-line treating oncologists.This mini review summarizes our current understanding of MiNENs and outline diagnosis,prognosis,and management of these neoplasms.The authors emphasize the importance of treating the most aggressive component of the tumor regardless of its percentage volume.

Gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms type 1: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND To date, the histopathological parameters predicting the risk of lymph node (LN) metastases and local recurrence, associated mortality and appropriateness of endoscopic or surgical resection in patients with gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms type 1 (GNENs1) have not been fully elucidated. AIM To determine the rate of LN metastases and its impact in survival in patients with GNEN1 in relation to certain clinico-pathological parameters. METHODS The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Scopus databases were searched through January 2019. The quality of the included studies and risk of bias were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) in accordance with the Cochrane guidelines. A random effects model and pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95%CI were applied for the quantitative meta-analysis. RESULTS We screened 2933 articles. Thirteen studies with 769 unique patients with GNEN1 were included. Overall, the rate of metastasis to locoregional LNs was 3.3%(25/769). The rate of LN metastases with a cut-off size of 10 mm was 15.3% for lesions > 10 mm (vs 0.8% for lesions < 10 mm) with a random-effects OR of 10.5 (95%CI: 1.4 -80.8;heterogeneity: P = 0.126;I2 = 47.5%). Invasion of the muscularis propria was identified as a predictor for LN metastases (OR: 17.2;95%CI: 1.8-161.1;heterogeneity: P = 0.165;I2 = 44.5%), whereas grade was not clearly associated with LN metastases (OR: 2;95%CI: 0.3-11.6;heterogeneity: P = 0.304;I2 = 17.4%). With regard to GNEN1 local recurrence, scarce data were available. The 5-year disease-specific survival for patients with and without LN metastases was 100% in most available studies irrespective of the type of intervention. Surgical resection was linked to a lower risk of recurrence (OR: 0.3;95%CI: 0.1-1.1;heterogeneity: P = 0.173;I2 = 31.9%). The reported complication rates of endoscopic and surgical intervention were 0.6 and 3.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis confirms that tumor size ≥ 10 mm and invasion of the muscularis propria are linked to a higher risk of LN metastases in patients with GNEN1. Overall, the metastatic propensity of GNEN1 is low with favorable 5- year disease-specific survival rates reported;hence, no clear evidence of the prognostic value of LN positivity is available. Additionally, there is a lack of evidence supporting the prediction of local recurrence in GNEN1, even if surgery was more often a definitive treatment.

Mixed neuroendocrine–nonneuroendocrine neoplasms of the gastrointestinal system:An update

Mixed neuroendocrine-nonneuroendocrine neoplasms(Mi NENs)of the digestive tract are a rare heterogeneous group of tumors that present many challenges in terms of diagnosis and treatment.Over the years,the diagnostic criteria,classification,and clinical behavior of these tumors have been the subjects of ongoing debate,and the various changes in their nomenclature have strengthened the challenges associated with Mi NENs.This review is performed to provide an understanding of the key factors involved in the evolution of the designation of these tumors as Mi NEN,highlight the current diagnostic criteria,summarize the latest data on pathogenesis and provide information on available treatments.Moreover,this work seeks to increase the awareness about these rare neoplasms by presenting the clinicopathological features and prognostic factors that play important roles in their behavior and discussing their different regions of origin in the gastrointestinal system(GIS).Currently,the Mi NEN category also includes tumors in the GIS with a nonneuroendocrine component and epithelial tumors other than adenocarcinoma,depending on the organ of origin.Diagnosis is based on the presence of both morphological components in more than 30%of the tumor.However,this value needs to be reconfirmed with further studies and may be a limiting factor in the diagnosis of Mi NEN by biopsy.Furthermore,available clinicopathological data suggest that the inclusion of amphicrine tumors in the definition of Mi NEN is not supportive and warrants further investigation.The diagnosis of these tumors is not solely based on immunohistochemical findings.They are not hybrid tumors and both components can act independently;thus,careful grading of each component separately is required.In addition to parameters such as the metastatic state of the tumor at the time of diagnosis and the feasibility of surgical resection,the aggressive potential of both components has paramount importance in the choice of treatment.Regardless of the organ of origin within the GIS,almost Mi NENs are tumors with poor prognosis and are frequently encountered in the elderly and men.They are most frequently reported in the colorectum,where data from molecular studies indicate a monoclonal origin;however,further studies are required to provide additional support for this origin.

Appropriateness of systemic treatments in unresectable metastatic well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

AIM:To evaluate systemic treatment choices in unresectable metastatic well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors(PNETs)and provide consensus treatment recommendations.METHODS:Systemic treatment options for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors have expanded in recent years to include somatostatin analogs,angiogenesis inhibitors,inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycinand cytotoxic agents.At this time,there is little data to guide treatment selection and sequence.We therefore assembled a panel of expert physicians to evaluate systemic treatment choices and provide consensus treatment recommendations.Treatment appropriateness ratings were collected using the RAND/UCLA modified Delphi process.After studying the literature,a multidisciplinary panel of 10 physicians assessed the appropriateness of various medical treatment scenarios on a 1-9 scale.Ratings were done both before and after an extended discussion of the evidence.Quantitative measurements of agreement were made and consensus statements developed from the second round ratings.RESULTS:Specialties represented were medical and surgical oncology,interventional radiology,and gastroenterology.Panelists had practiced for a mean of15.5 years(range:6-33).Among 202 rated scenarios,disagreement decreased from 13.2%(26 scenarios)before the face-to-face discussion of evidence to 1%(2)after.In the final ratings,46.5%(94 scenarios)were rated inappropriate,21.8%(44)were uncertain,and30.7%(62)were appropriate.Consensus statements from the scenarios included:(1)it is appropriate to use somatostatin analogs as first line therapy in patients with hormonally functional tumors and may be appropriate in patients who are asymptomatic;(2)it is appropriate to use everolimus,sunitinib,or cytotoxic chemotherapy therapy as first line therapy in patients with symptomatic or progressive tumors;and(3)beyond first line,these same agents can be used.In patients with uncontrolled secretory symptoms,octreotide LAR doses can be titrated up to 60 mg every4 wk or up to 40 mg every 3 or 4 wk.CONCLUSION:Using the Delphi process allowed physician experts to systematically obtain a consensus on the appropriateness of a variety of medical therapies in patients with PNETs.

Progress in immunotherapy for neuroendocrine neoplasm of the digestive system

Neuroendocrine neoplasms(NENs)are rare heterogeneous tumors that can develop in almost any organ,with the digestive organs,including the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas being the most commonly affected sites.Despite the fact that advances in initial therapies have progressed,there is presently no recognized effective treatment for advanced NEN.Immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)have shown superior efficacy in treating several types of solid tumors.Despite their successful role in the treatment of partial NENs,such as small cell lung cancer,and Merkel cell carcinoma,the role of ICIs in most of the NENs remains limited.Nevertheless,due to their specific anti-tumor mechanisms and acceptable safety profile,ICIs are a promising avenue for further study in NENs therapy.Recent clinical trials have illustrated that combination therapy with ICI is more efficient than monotherapy,and multiple clinical trials are constantly ongoing to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these combination therapies.Therefore,the purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of the clinical progress of immunotherapy in NENs affecting the digestive system,with a specific emphasis on the application of programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death receptor ligand 1 inhibitor.Furthermore,this review has an exploration of the potential beneficiary population and the inherent value of utilizing immunotherapy in the management of NENs.

Prognostic factors and survival after surgical resection of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor with validation of established and modified staging systems

Background: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors(PNETs) display wide heterogeneity with highly variable prognosis. This study aimed to identify variables related to survival after surgical resection of PNET.Methods: A total of 143 patients were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Patient characteristics were analyzed and prognostic factors for overall survival and progression-free survival were evaluated. The WHO, ENETS and AJCC scoring systems were applied to the cohort, and their ability to predict patient outcomes were compared.Results: Multivariate analysis found that female gender, lymph node metastases and increasing WHO2010 grade to be independently associated with reduced overall survival(P < 0.05). Patients requiring multi-visceral resection or debulking surgery found to be associated with shortest survival. ROC analysis found the ENETS and AJCC scoring systems to be similarly predictive of 5-year overall survival. Modified Ki67 significantly improved its accuracy in predicting 5-year overall survival(AUROC: 0.699 vs 0.605;P < 0.01).Conclusions: Multi-visceral or debulking surgery is associated with poor outcomes. There seems to be no significant difference between enucleation and anatomical segmental resection. Available scoring systems have reasonable accuracy in stratifying disease severity, with no system identified as being superior.Prognostic stratification with modified grading systems needs further validation before applied in clinical practice.

GATIS score for predicting the prognosis of rectal neuroendocrine neoplasms:A Chinese multicenter study of 12-year experience

BACKGROUND There is currently a shortage of accurate,efficient,and precise predictive instruments for rectal neuroendocrine neoplasms(NENs).AIM To develop a predictive model for individuals with rectal NENs(R-NENs)using data from a large cohort.METHODS Data from patients with primary R-NENs were retrospectively collected from 17 large-scale referral medical centers in China.Random forest and Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify the risk factors for overall survival and progression-free survival,and two nomograms were constructed.RESULTS A total of 1408 patients with R-NENs were included.Tumor grade,T stage,tumor size,age,and a prognostic nutritional index were important risk factors for prognosis.The GATIS score was calculated based on these five indicators.For overall survival prediction,the respective C-indexes in the training set were 0.915(95%confidence interval:0.866-0.964)for overall survival prediction and 0.908(95%confidence interval:0.872-0.944)for progression-free survival prediction.According to decision curve analysis,net benefit of the GATIS score was higher than that of a single factor.The time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the predictive power of the GATIS score was higher than that of the TNM stage and pathological grade at all time periods.CONCLUSION The GATIS score had a good predictive effect on the prognosis of patients with R-NENs,with efficacy superior to that of the World Health Organization grade and TNM stage.

Mixed neuroendocrine non-neuroendocrine neoplasms in gastroenteropancreatic tract

Mixed neuroendocrine non-neuroendocrine neoplasms(MiNENs)are a hetero-geneous group of malignant neoplasms that can settle in the gastroenteropan-creatic tract.They are composed of a neuroendocrine(NE)and a non-NE compo-nent in at least 30%of each tumour.The non-NE component can include different histological combinations of glandular,squamous,mucinous and sarcomatoid phenotypes,and one or both of the components can be low-or high grade malignant.Recent changes in the nomenclature of these neoplasms might lead to great deal of confusion,and the lack of specific clinical trials is the main reason why their management is difficult.The review aims to clarify the definition of MiNEN and analyze available evidence about their diagnosis and treatment options according to their location and extension through careful analysis of the available data.It would be important to reach a general consensus on their diagnosis in order to construct a classification that remains stable over time and facilitates the design of clinical trials that,due to their low incidence,will require long recruitment periods.

Liver transplantation as an alternative for the treatment of neuroendocrine liver metastasis: Appraisal of the current evidence

Background:Liver transplantation(LT)for neuroendocrine liver metastases(NELM)is still in debate.Studies comparing LT with liver resection(LR)for NELM are scarce,as patient selection is heterogeneous and experience is limited.The goal of this review was to provide a critical analysis of the evidence on LT versus LR in the treatment of NELM.Data sources:A scoping literature search on LT and LR for NELM was performed with PubMed,including English articles up to March 2023.Results:International guidelines recommend LR for NELM in resectable,well-differentiated tumors in the absence of extrahepatic metastatic disease with superior results of LR compared to systemic or liver-directed therapies.Advanced liver surgery has extended resectability criteria whilst entailing increased perioperative risk and short disease-free survival.In highly selected patients(based on the Milan criteria)with unresectable NELM,oncologic results of LT are promising.Prognostic factors include tumor biology(G1/G2)and burden,waiting time for LT,patient age and extrahepatic spread.Based on low-level evi-dence,LT for low-grade NELM within the Milan criteria resulted in improved disease-free survival and overall survival compared to LR.The benefits of LT were lost in patients beyond the Milan NELM-criteria.Conclusions:With adherence to strict selection criteria especially tumor biology,LT for NELM is becoming a valuable option providing oncologic benefits compared to LR.Recent evidence suggests even stricter selection criteria with regard to tumor biology.

Advancements in medical treatment for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors:A beacon of hope

This editorial highlights the remarkable advancements in medical treatment strategies for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors(pan-NETs),emphasizing tailored approaches for specific subtypes.Cytoreductive surgery and somatostatin analogs(SSAs)play pivotal roles in managing tumors,while palliative options such as molecular targeted therapy,peptide receptor radionuclide therapy,and chemotherapy are reserved for SSA-refractory patients.Gastrinomas,insul-inomas,glucagonomas,carcinoid tumors and VIPomas necessitate distinct thera-peutic strategies.Understanding the genetic basis of pan-NETs and exploring immunotherapies could lead to promising avenues for future research.This review underscores the evolving landscape of pan-NET treatment,offering renewed hope and improved outcomes for patients facing this complex disease.

Correlation between the neuroendocrine axis,microbial species,inflammatory response,and gastrointestinal symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome

BACKGROUND This study examines the complex relationships among the neuroendocrine axis,gut microbiome,inflammatory responses,and gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome(IBS).The findings provide new insights into the pathophysiology of IBS and suggest potential therapeutic targets for improving patient outcomes.AIM To investigate the interactions between the neuroendocrine axis,gut microbiome,inflammation,and gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with IBS.METHODS Patients diagnosed with IBS between January 2022 and January 2023 were selected for the study.Healthy individuals undergoing routine check-ups during the same period served as the control group.Data were collected on neuroendocrine hormone levels,gut microbiome profiles,inflammatory biomarkers,and gastrointestinal symptomatology to analyze their interrelations and their potential roles in IBS pathogenesis.RESULTS IBS patients exhibited significant dysregulation of the neuroendocrine axis,with altered levels of cortisol,serotonin,and neuropeptides compared to healthy controls.The gut microbiome of IBS patients showed reduced diversity and specific alterations in bacterial genera,including Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus,and Faecalibacterium,which were associated with neuroendocrine disturbances.Additionally,elevated levels of inflammatory markers,such as C-reactive protein,interleukin-6,and tumor necrosis factor-α,were observed and correlated with the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms like abdominal pain,bloating,and altered bowel habits.CONCLUSION The findings suggest that targeting the neuroendocrine axis,gut microbiome,and inflammatory pathways may offer novel therapeutic strategies to alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life in IBS patients.

Endoscopic ultrasonography-related diagnostic accuracy and clinical significance on small rectal neuroendocrine neoplasms

This research aimed to examine the diagnostic accuracy and clinical significance of endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS)in the context of small rectal neuroendocrine neoplasms(NENs).A total of 108 patients with rectal subepithelial lesions(SELs)with a diameter of<20 mm were included in the analysis.The diagnosis and depth assessment of EUS was compared to the histology findings.The prevalence of NENs in rectal SELs was 78.7%(85/108).The sensitivity of EUS in detecting rectal NENs was 98.9%(84/85),while the specificity was 52.2%(12/23).Overall,the diagnostic accuracy of EUS in identifying rectal NENs was 88.9%(96/108).The overall accuracy rate for EUS in assessing the depth of invasion in rectal NENs was 92.9%(78/84).Therefore,EUS demonstrates reasonable diagnostic accuracy in detecting small rectal NENs,with good sensitivity but inferior specificity.EUS may also assist physicians in assessing the depth of invasion in small rectal NENs before endoscopic excision.

Mixed neuroendocrine and adenocarcinoma of gastrointestinal tract:A complex diagnosis and therapeutic challenge

In this editorial we comment on the manuscript describing a case of adenocarcinoma mixed with a neuroendocrine carcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction.Mixed neuroendocrine and non-neuroendocrine neoplasms of the gastrointestinal system are rare heterogeneous group of tumors characterized by a high malignant potential,rapid growth,and poor prognosis.Due to the rarity of these cancers,the standard therapy is poorly defined.The diagnosis of these tumors is based on combination of morphological features,immunohistochemical and neuroendocrine and epithelial cell markers.Both endocrine and epithelial cell components can act independently of each other and thus,careful grading of each component separately is required.These cancers are aggressive in nature and the potential of each component has paramount importance in the choice of treatment and response.Regardless of the organ of origin,these tumors portend poor prognosis with increased proportion of neuroendocrine component.Multidisciplinary services and strategies are required for the management of these mixed malignancies to provide the best oncological outcomes.The etiopathogenesis of these mixed tumors remains obscure but poses interesting question.We briefly discuss a few salient points in this editorial.