Lymphoepithelioma-like gastric carcinoma: A case report and review of the literature

Lymphoepithelioma-like gastric carcinoma is a rare type of gastric cancer characterized by a carcinoma with intense stromal lymphocytic infiltration. Although lymphocytic infiltration is closely associated with EpsteinBarr virus(EBV) infection, concomitant occurrence with differentiated adenocarcinoma is relatively rare. The clinical manifestations of lymphoepithelioma-like gastric carcinoma(including EBV-positive and-negative forms) are similar to those of gastric cancer, and the diagnosis is based on pathologic, histologic, and immunohistochemical findings. This report describes the case of a 55-year-old female patient who presented with a 10-year history of recurrent and worsening abdominal pain and melena that had been occurring for 2 mo. An ulcerative lesion was detected in the stomach by endoscopic examination, which raised suspicion of early gastric cancer. A subsequent preoperative endoscopic biopsy showed adenocarcinoma, but the postoperative pathologic, histologic, and immunohistochemical analyses of the resected specimen revealed a final diagnosis of lymphoepithelioma-like gastric carcinoma.

Metastatic stomach lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy:A case report

BACKGROUND Pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma(PLELC)is a rare type of nonsmall-cell lung cancer.Stomach lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma(LELC)metastasis secondary to PLELC has not been reported recently.CASE SUMMARY A 64-year-old female was admitted to our hospital for a regular gastroscopy examination with a 6-year history of surgical resection for left PLELC.Positron emission tomography/computed tomography suggested high accumulation of 18F-fludeoxyglucose in the gastric cardia region.Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy confirmed a large mass at the stomach fundus.Immunohistochemistry(IHC)of the biopsy suggested metastatic stomach LELC.Proximal gastrectomy showed that this 6.5 cm×5.0 cm mass was located in the stomach fundus near the cardia.Histopathological examination showed a poorly differentiated carcinoma with prominent lymphoplasmacytic infiltration.IHC demonstrated that the tumor was positive for CK(AE1/AE3),p63,p40,p53,Ki-67(70%),and EGFR(3+)and negative for CK7,CK20,Her2,and CD10.In situ hybridization analysis showed positive staining Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA.Tumor programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1)expression score was 98%,and the combined positive score was 100,with no evidence of microsatellite instability.Thus,the patient was unequivocally diagnosed with metastatic stomach LELC secondary to pulmonary LELC.After discharge,this patient underwent PD-1 inhibitor treatment(toripalimab,240 mg)every 3 wk for ten cycles,and she has had no tumor recurrence.CONCLUSION For gastric LELC metastasis,PD-1 inhibitor therapy could become a new therapeutic approach,though there is still no evidence from large data sets to support this.

Impact of Alcian blue and periodic acid Schiff expression on the prognosis of gastric signet ring cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND The Alcian blue(AB)and periodic acid Schiff(PAS)stains are representative mucus markers in gastric signet ring cell carcinoma(SRCC).They are low-cost special staining methods used to detect acidic mucus and neutral mucus,respectively.However,the clinical importance of the special combined AB and PAS stain is unclear.AIM To investigate AB expression,PAS expression and the AB-to-PAS(A/P)ratio in gastric SRCC patients and to assess patient prognosis.METHODS Paraffin-embedded sections from 83 patients with gastric SRCC were stained with AB and PAS,and signet ring cell positivity was assessed quantitatively.Immuno-histochemical staining for Ki67,protein 53(P53)and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)was performed simultaneously.The cancer-specific survival(CSS)rate was estimated via Kaplan-Meier analysis.Cox proportional hazards models were used for univariate and multivariate survival analyses.RESULTS Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the 3-year CSS rate was significantly greater in the high-PAS-expression subgroup than in the low-PAS-expression subgroup(P<0.001).The 3-year CSS rate in the A/P≤0.5 group was significantly greater than that in the A/P>0.5 group(P=0.042).Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the factors affecting prognosis included tumor diameter,lymph node metastasis,vessel carcinoma embolus,tumor stage,the A/P ratio and the expression of Ki67,P53 and the PAS.Cox multivariate regression analysis confirmed that low PAS expression[hazard ratio(HR)=3.809,95%confidence interval(CI):1.563-9.283,P=0.003]and large tumor diameter(HR=2.761,95%CI:1.086-7.020,P=0.033)were independent risk factors for poor prognosis.CONCLUSION A/P>0.5 is potentially a risk factor for prognosis,and low PAS expression is an independent risk factor in the prognosis of gastric SRCC.PAS expression and the A/P ratio could help in predicting the clinical prognosis of patients with SRCC.

Epidemiology and prognostic nomogram for locally advanced gastric signet ring cell carcinoma:A population-based study

BACKGROUND Gastric signet ring cell carcinoma(GSRC)represents a specific subtype of gastric cancer renowned for its contentious epidemiological features,treatment principles,and prognostic factors.AIM To investigate the epidemiology of GSRC and establish an improved model for predicting the prognosis of patients with locally advanced GSRC(LAGSRC)after surgery.METHODS The annual rates of GSRC incidence and mortality,covering the years 1975 to 2019,were extracted from the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results(SEER)database to explore the temporal trends in both disease incidence and mortality rates using Joinpoint software.The clinical data of 3793 postoperative LAGSRC patients were collected from the SEER database for the analysis of survival rates.The Cox regression model was used to explore the independent prognostic factors for overall survival(OS).The risk factors extracted were used to establish a prognostic nomogram.RESULTS The overall incidence of GSRC increased dramatically between 1975 and 1998,followed by a significant downward trend in incidence after 1998.In recent years,there has been a similarly optimistic trend in GSRC mortality rates.The trend in GSRC showed discrepancies based on age and sex.Receiver operating characteristic curves,calibration curves,and decision curve analysis for 1-year,3-year,and 5-year OS demonstrated the high discriminative ability and clinical utility of this nomogram.The area under the curve indicated that the performance of the new model outperformed that of the pathological staging system.CONCLUSION The model we established can aid clinicians in the early prognostication of LAGSRC patients,resulting in improved clinical outcomes by modifying management strategies and patient health care.

Effect of cetuximab plus FOLFOX4 regimen on clinical outcomes in advanced gastric carcinoma patients receiving evidence-based care

BACKGROUND Although chemotherapy is effective for treating advanced gastric carcinoma(aGC),it may lead to an adverse prognosis.Establishing a highly effective and low-toxicity chemotherapy regimen is necessary for improving efficacy and outcomes in aGC patients.AIM To determine the efficacy and safety of cetuximab(CET)combined with the FOLFOX4 regimen(infusional fluorouracil,folinic acid,and oxaliplatin)as firstline therapy for patients with aGC,who received evidence-based care(EBC).METHODS A total of 117 aGC patients who received EBC from March 2019 to March 2022 were enrolled.Of these,60 in the research group(RG)received CET+FOLFOX4 as first-line therapy,whereas 57 in the control group(CG)received FOLFOX4.The efficacy[clinical response rate(RR)and disease control rate(DCR)],safety(liver and kidney dysfunction,leukopenia,thrombocytopenia,rash,and diarrhea),serum tumor marker expression[STMs;carbohydrate antigen(CA)19-9,CA72-4,and carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)],inflammatory indicators[interleukin(IL)-2 and IL-10],and quality of life(QOL)of the two groups were compared.RESULTS A markedly higher RR and DCR were observed in the RG compared with the CG,with an equivalent safety profile between the two groups.RG exhibited notably reduced CA19-9,CA72-4,CEA,and IL-2 levels following treatment,which were lower than the pre-treatment levels and those in the CG.Post-treatment IL-10 was statistically increased in RG,higher than the pre-treatment level and the CG.Moreover,a significantly improved QOL was evident in the RG.CONCLUSION The CET+FOLFOX4 regimen is highly effective as first-line treatment for aGC patients receiving EBC.It facilitates the suppression of STMs,ameliorates the serum inflammatory microenvironment,and enhances QOL,without increased adverse drug effects.

CK5/6-positive,P63-positive lymphoepithelioma-like hepatocellular carcinoma:A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma(LELC),a rare and unique variant of liver cancer,can be divided into lymphoepithelioma-like hepatocellular carcinoma and lymphoepithelioma-like intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.Dense lymphocytic infiltration is its characteristic pathological feature.In recent years,the number of reported cases of this type has increased each year.Studies have shown that lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma occurs more frequently in Asian women;LELC is associated with Epstein–Barr virus infection of liver cells of epithelial origin.Existing research shows that the prognosis of this tumour is good.CASE SUMMARY A 38-year-old female patient was hospitalized after 3 mo of abdominal pain and nausea.She had been infected with hepatitis B virus more than 10 years prior.The patient was hospitalized on January 21,2022.Magnetic resonance imaging showed a 36 mm×28 mm mass under the envelope of the left inner lobe of the liver.No metastasis of lymph nodes or other organs was observed.After left hemihepatectomy,biopsy and immunohistochemistry yielded a final diagnosis of lymphoepithelial hepatocellular carcinoma.After 12 mo of outpatient follow-up and chemotherapy,no tumour metastases were found on the latest computed tomography examination.CONCLUSION Herein,the patient was treated surgically and then followed up as an outpatient for 12 mo.This case will further expand our overall knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of this rare tumor.

Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma misdiagnosed as lung squamous cell carcinoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma(PPLELC)is an uncommon subtype of squamous cell carcinoma(SCC)of the lung,closely associated with Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)infection.The pathological features of PPLELC closely resemble those of SCC,which makes it prone to misdiagnosis.Surgical intervention constitutes the primary treatment approach for PPLELC.CASE SUMMARY This report describes a 44-year-old woman who was hospitalized for 1 mo due to left chest pain.Computed tomography revealed a mass shadow in the anterior basal segment of the left lower lobe,and a subsequent needle biopsy suggested SCC.The patient underwent radical tumor resection in the lower left lobe of the lung,and postoperative pathological examination indicated lymphoepithelial carcinoma,and the test for EBV encoded small RNA was positive.Following surgery,the patient was scheduled to receive four cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy,using the paclitaxel+carboplatin regimen,but the patient refused further treatment.CONCLUSION PPLELC is an exceptionally rare subtype of lung SCC and is prone to misdiagnosis.

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.

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.

MiR-204-3p overexpression inhibits gastric carcinoma cell proliferation by inhibiting the MAPK pathway and RIP1/MLK1 necroptosis pathway to promote apoptosis

BACKGROUND Gastric carcinoma(GC)is the third most frequent cause of cancer-related death,highlighting the pressing need for novel clinical treatment options.In this regard,microRNAs(miRNAs)have emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy.Studies have shown that miRNAs can regulate related signaling pathways,acting as tumor suppressors or tumor promoters.AIM To explore the effect of miR-204-3p on GC cells.METHODS We measured the expression levels of miR-204-3p in GC cells using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction,followed by the delivery of miR-204-3p overexpression and miR-204-3p knockdown vectors into GC cells.CCK-8 was used to detect the effect of miR-204-3p on the proliferation of GC cells,and the colony formation ability of GC cells was detected by the clonal formation assay.The effects of miR-204-3p on GC cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry.The BABL/c nude mouse subcutaneous tumor model using MKN-45 cells was constructed to verify the effect of miR-204-3p on the tumorigenicity of GC cells.Furthermore,the study investigated the effects of miR-204-3p on various proteins related to the MAPK signaling pathway,necroptosis signaling pathway and apoptosis signaling pathway on GC cells using Western blot techniques.RESULTS Firstly,we found that the expression of miR-204-3p in GC was low.When treated with the lentivirus overexpression vector,miR-204-3p expression significantly increased,but the lentivirus knockout vector had no significant effect on miR-204-3p.In vitro experiments confirmed that miR-204-3p overexpression inhibited GC cell viability,promoted cell apoptosis,blocked the cell cycle,and inhibited colony formation ability.In vivo animal experiments confirmed that miR-204-3p overexpression inhibited subcutaneous tumorigenesis ability in BABL/c nude mice.Simultaneously,our results verified that miR-204-3p overexpression can inhibit GC cell proliferation by inhibiting protein expression levels of KRAS and p-ERK1/2 in the MAPK pathway,as well as inhibiting protein expression levels of p-RIP1 and p-MLK1 in the necroptosis pathway to promote the BCL-2/BAX/Caspase-3 apoptosis pathway.CONCLUSION MiR-204-3p overexpression inhibited GC cell proliferation by inhibiting the MAPK pathway and necroptosis pathway to promote apoptosis of GC cells.Thus,miR-204-3p may represent a new potential therapeutic target for GC.

Lessons from rare tumors: Hepatic lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas

In this review we focus on lymphoepitheliomalike hepatocellular carcinomas(LEL-HCC) and lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinomas(LEL-ICC). Despite their rarity, these tumors are of general interest because of their epidemiological and clinical features, and because they represent a distinct model of interaction between the immune systemand neoplastic cells. Approximately half of LELHCC arise in the context of chronic hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection and have been described both in Eastern and Western patients. By contrast, LEL-ICC is associated in almost all cases with Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) infection and exhibits the same epidemiological features of EBV related malignancies. Compared with classical hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma of corresponding stage, both LEL-HCC and LEL-ICC are characterized by lower rates of recurrence after surgery and better overall survival. How this behavior is related to distinct genetic alterations and tumor microenvironment is unclear. The pathophysiological mechanisms of lymphoid infiltrations seem to be different among the two groups of tumors. In fact, LEL-HCC frequently arises in the context of inflammatory changes driven by HCV infection, and has been recognized as a variant of classical hepatocellular carcinoma. At variance, lymphocyte recruitment of LEL-ICC is similar to that described in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and gastric LEL, and possibly depends on the expression pattern of latent EBV infection.

Non-Epstein-Barr virus associated lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the inferior common bile duct

A carcinoma displaying undifferentiated features with dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration is defined as a lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma(LEC),and some of LEC is associated with Epstein-Barr virus(EBV).All of the 13 previously reported cases of LEC of the biliary system were intrahepatic in location.Herein,we describe the first case of LEC of the inferior common bile duct.A 68-year-old Japanese man,who had been previously treated for hepatocellular carcinoma using microwave coagulation therapy,was found to have tumors of the common bile duct and pancreas head.Histopathological study of the resected tumor showed solid or cohesive nests of large undifferentiated cells with irregular large vesicular nuclei and nucleoli.Around the tumor cell nests,dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration was observed.Focal glandular differentiation(approximately 5%) was also present.These histopathological features corresponded morphologically to LEC.Immunohistochemically,the tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin(CK) 7,CK 19 and CA19-9,but negative for CK 20 and Hep Par 1.In situ hybridization for Epstein Barr virus early small RNAs disclosed no nuclear signal in tumor cells.Therefore,a diagnosis of non-EBV-associated LEC of the inferior common bile duct was made.Although the prognosis of the biliary LEC is thought to be better than that of conventional cholangiocarcinoma,the differences in prognosis between EBV-positive and-negative cases have not yet been established.Therefore,additional case studies will be needed to clarify the clinicopathological features of LEC of the biliary tract.

Lymphoepithelioma-like esophageal carcinoma with macroscopic reduction

Esophageal lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma(LELC) is extremely rare. We report the first case of esopha-geal LELC showing macroscopic reduction. A 67-year-old male presented with dysphagia and, by endoscopic examination, was found to have a significantly raised tumor of 10 mm in diameter in the thoracic esophagus. The biopsied material showed esophageal cancer. We performed endoscopic submucosal dissection. However, the tumor became flattened, similar to a scar, in only 2 mo. Histologically, the carcinoma cells had infiltrated the submucosal layer. Prominent infiltration of T lymphoid cells that stained positive for CD8 was observed aroundthe carcinoma cells. Therefore, this lesion was consid-ered to be an LELC with poorly differentiated squamous cells. Because the margin was positive, an esophagec-tomy was performed. Carcinoma cells were detected in the neck in one lymph node. The staging was T1N0M1 b. However, the patient has been well, without adjuvant therapy or recurrence, for more than 5 years.

Rare primary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the renal pelvis

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma(LELC)is a rare,malignant epithelial tumour which can arise within the upper urinary tract.This letter adds to a previous systematic review and cumulative analysis of 28 published upper urinary tract-LELC cases which provided insight into this disease;however,the current evidence does not provide clinicians with clear guidelines due to its rarity.Therefore,the aim was to report a new case of renal pelvis LELC presented in our hospital.In this instance,we were able to report treatment experience and longterm follow-up results.This patient presented with hypertension and haemturia which initiated further investigation.While ultrasound identified an hypechoic mass,no malignant cells were detected using cytological testing.Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging identified a slightly enhanced mass in the left renal pelvis with no evidence of lymph node metastasis.Ureteroscopic tumor biopsy suggested the existence of urothelial carcinoma,hence,laparoscopic radical left nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff excision was performed.Through patientpractitioner consultations,we decided to adopt a"watch and wait"approach after radical nephroureterectomy rather than administering chemotherapy.Although,we would encourage clinicians to record and publish cases to garner insight into this type of malignant disease.

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the breast presenting as breast abscess

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma(LELC) is a rare type of neoplasm in which only twenty cases have been reported in the breast. This type of tumor can be difficult to distinguish from other breast tumors particularly medullary carcinoma and lymphoma in the breast. We present a case of LELC of the breast presenting as an abscess along with a review of the literature. This is the 21 st reported case of LELC of the breast and the first case to present as an abscess. Her clinical picture could have been mistaken for other infectious or inflammatory diseases. Given the potential for favorable outcome, early detection and general knowledge of this neoplasm are essential to expedite treatment for this rare tumor type.

Appraisal of gastric stump carcinoma and current state of affairs

Gastric stump carcinoma,also known as remnant gastric carcinoma,is a malignancy arising in the remnant stomach following gastrectomy for a benign or malignant condition.Enterogastric reflux and preexisting risk factors in a patient with gastric cancer are the major contributors to the development of gastric stump carcinoma.The occurrence of gastric stump carcinoma is time-dependent and seen earlier in patients operated on for malignant rather than benign diseases.The tumor location is predominantly at the anastomotic site towards the stomach.However,it can occur anywhere in the remnant stomach.The pattern of lymph node involvement and the type of surgery required is distinctly different compared to primary gastric cancer.Gastric stump carcinoma is traditionally considered a malignancy with a dismal outcome.However,recent advances in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies have improved outcomes.Recent advances in molecular profiling of gastric stump carcinoma have identified distinct molecular subtypes,thereby providing novel therapeutic targets.Also,reports of gastric stump carcinoma following pancreatoduodenectomy and bariatric surgery highlight the need for more research to standardize the diagnosis,staging,and treatment of these tumors.The present review aims to provide an overview of gastric stump carcinoma highlighting the differences in clinicopathological profile and management compared to primary gastric carcinoma.

Deltonin enhances gastric carcinoma cell apoptosis and chemosensitivity to cisplatin via inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK signaling

BACKGROUND As an active ingredient derived from Dioscorea zingiberensis C.H.Wright,deltonin has been reported to show anti-cancer effects in a variety of malignancies.AIM To investigate the role and mechanism of action of deltonin in promoting gastric carcinoma(GC)cell apoptosis and chemosensitivity to cisplatin.METHODS The GC cell lines AGS,HGC-27,and MKN-45 were treated with deltonin and then subjected to flow cytometry and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-3,5-diphenyltet-razolium bromide assays for cell apoptosis and viability determination.Western blot analysis was conducted to examine alterations in the expression of apoptosis-related proteins(Bax,Bid,Bad,and Fas),DNA repair-associated proteins(Rad51 and MDM2),and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of the rapamycin(PI3K/AKT/mTOR)and p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)axis proteins.Additionally,the influence of deltonin on GC cell chemosensitivity to cisplatin was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo.RESULTS Deltonin treatment weakened viability,enhanced apoptosis,and dampened DNA repair in GC cell lines in a dose-dependent pattern.Furthermore,deltonin mitigated PI3K,AKT,mTOR,and p38-MAPK phosphorylation.HS-173,an inhibitor of PI3K,attenuated GC cell viability and abolished deltonin inhibition of GC cell viability and PI3K/AKT/mTOR and p38-MAPK pathway activation.Deltonin also promoted the chemosensitivity of GC cells to cisplatin via repressing GC cell proliferation and growth and accelerating apoptosis.CONCLUSION Deltonin can boost the chemosensitivity of GC cells to cisplatin via inactivating p38-MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling.

Gastric adenosquamous carcinoma with an elevated serum level of alpha-fetoprotein:A case report

BACKGROUND Gastric adenosquamous carcinoma(ASC)is rare and characterized by coexisting of adenocarcinoma andsquamous carcinoma within the same tumor.We present a female patient with gastric ASC who had an elevated serum level of alpha-fetopro-tein(AFP),which decreased to normal levels after a laparoscopic distant radical gastrectomy in a short period.The clinicopathological features in AFP-producing gastric cancer(GC)are discussed,as well as potentially available prognostic predi-ctors.CASE SUMMARY A 50-year-old woman presented to our department with a chief complain of a 6-mo history of bloating.She had no basic diseases including heart diseases and respiratory diseases,and she also denied any prior history of dysphagia,hematemesis,melena,rectal bleeding,hematochezia,or unintentional weight loss.Based on her symptoms,an esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed,showing an annular cavity lesion 3 cm from the pylorus with a diameter of 6 cm.A biopsy of the lesion showed gastric ASC,whereas the pylorus biopsy showed normal mucosa.The patient further received an enhanced computed tomography scan which demonstrated an invasive lesion close to the pylorus with a still clear margin of the tumor to peripheral organs such as the pancreas and liver.Scattered lymph nodes were visible around,whereas no sign of liver metastasis was discovered.Serum tumor markers including carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),cancer antigen 199(CA199),CA724,CA125,and CA242 were all normal,while the level of serum AFP increased to 172 ng/mL.A laparoscopic distant radical gastrectomy was performed after exclusion of surgical contraindications.Postoperative pathology results showed that the tumor displayed an ulcerated ASC phenotype(90%of medium to highly-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma,10%of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma.Surprisingly,the serum level of AFP decreased to normal level on post operation day 5.The tumor cells were positive for CK5/6,p63,and CEA,and negative for AFP and Epstein-Barr encoding region.CONCLUSION We presented a rare case of gastric ASC with elevated serum AFP level,which may be new subtype of AFP-producing GC.Follow-up detection of serum AFP might be a useful tool to predict patient prognosis.

Quantitative parameters in novel spectral computed tomography:Assessment of Ki-67 expression in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND The level of Ki-67 expression has served as a prognostic factor in gastric cancer.The quantitative parameters based on the novel dual-layer spectral detector computed tomography(DLSDCT)in discriminating the Ki-67 expression status are unclear.AIM To investigate the diagnostic ability of DLSDCT-derived parameters for Ki-67 expression status in gastric carcinoma(GC).METHODS Dual-phase enhanced abdominal DLSDCT was performed preoperatively in 108 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma.Primary tumor monoenergetic CT attenuation value at 40-100 kilo electron volt(kev),the slope of the spectral curve(λ_(HU)),iodine concentration(IC),normalized IC(nIC),effective atomic number(Z^(eff))and normalized Z^(eff)(nZ^(eff))in the arterial phase(AP)and venous phase(VP)were retrospectively compared between patients with low and high Ki-67 expression in gastric adenocarcinoma.Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used to analyze the association between the above parameters and Ki-67 expression status.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was performed to compare the diagnostic efficacy of the statistically significant parameters between two groups.RESULTS Thirty-seven and 71 patients were classified as having low and high Ki-67 expression,respectively.CT_(40 kev-VP),CT_(70 kev-VP),CT_(100 kev-VP),and Z^(eff)-related parameters were significantly higher,but IC-related parameters were lower in the group with low Ki-67 expression status than the group with high Ki-67 expression status,and other analyzed parameters showed no statistical difference between the two groups.Spearman’s correlation analysis showed that CT_(40 kev-VP),CT_(70 kev-VP),CT_(100 kev-VP),Z^(eff),and n Z^(eff) exhibited a negative correlation with Ki-67 status,whereas IC and nIC had positive correlation with Ki-67 status.The ROC analysis demonstrated that the multi-variable model of spectral parameters performed well in identifying the Ki-67 status[area under the curve(AUC)=0.967;sensitivity 95.77%;specificity 91.89%)].Nevertheless,the differentiating capabilities of singlevariable model were moderate(AUC value 0.630-0.835).In addition,the nZ_(VP)^(eff) and nIC_(VP)(AUC 0.835 and 0.805)showed better performance than CT_(40 kev-VP),CT_(70 kev-VP) and CT_(100 kev-VP)(AUC 0.630,0.631 and 0.662)in discriminating the Ki-67 status.CONCLUSION Quantitative spectral parameters are feasible to distinguish low and high Ki-67 expression in gastric adenocarcinoma.Z^(eff) and IC may be useful parameters for evaluating the Ki-67 expression.

Update on diagnosis and treatment of early signet-ring cell gastric carcinoma: A literature review

Gastric signet-ring cell gastric carcinoma(GSRC)is an unfavorable subtype of gastric cancer(GC)that presents with greater invasiveness and poorer prognosis in advanced stage than other types of GC.However,GSRC in early stage is often considered an indicator of less lymph node metastasis and more satisfying clinical outcome compared to poorly differentiated GC.Therefore,the detection and diagnosis of GSRC at early stage undoubtedly play a crucial role in the management of GSRC patients.In recent years,technological advancement in endoscopy including narrow-band imaging and magnifying endoscopy has significantly improved the accuracy and sensitivity of the diagnosis under endoscopy for GSRC patients.Researches have confirmed that early stage GSRC that meets the expanded criteria of endoscopic resection showed comparable outcomes to surgery after receiving endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD),indicating that ESD could be considered standard treatment for GSRC after thorough selection and evaluation.This article summarizes the current knowledge and updates pertaining to the endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of early stage signet-ring cell gastric carcinoma.