Robotic, self-propelled, self-steerable, and disposable colonoscopes: Reality or pipe dream? A state of the art review

Robotic colonoscopes could potentially provide a comfortable, less painful andsafer alternative to standard colonoscopy. Recent exciting developments in thisfield are pushing the boundaries to what is possible in the future. This articleprovides a comprehensive review of the current work in robotic colonoscopesincluding self-propelled, steerable and disposable endoscopes that could bealternatives to standard colonoscopy. We discuss the advantages and disadvantagesof these systems currently in development and highlight the technicalreadiness of each system to help the reader understand where and when suchsystems may be available for routine clinical use and get an idea of where and inwhich situation they can best be deployed.

Predicting systemic spread in early colorectal cancer: Can we do better?

Through the implementation of national bowel cancer screening programmes we have seen a three-fold increase in early pT1 colorectal cancers, but how these lesions should be managed is currently unclear. Local excision can be an attractive option, especially for fragile patients with multiple comorbidities, but it is only safe from an oncological point of view in the absence of lymph node metastasis. Patient risk stratification through careful analysis of histopathological features in local excision or polypectomy specimens should be performed according to national guidelines to avoid under-or over-treatment. Currently national guidelines vary in their recommendations as to which factors should be routinely reported and there is no established multivariate risk stratification model to determine which patients should be offered major resectional surgery.Conventional histopathological parameters such as tumour grading or lymphovascular invasion have been shown to be predictive of lymph node metastasis in a number of studies but the inter-and intra-observer variation in reporting is high. Newer parameters including tumour budding and poorly differentiated clusters have been shown to have great potential, but again some improvement in the inter-observer variation is required. With the implementation of digital pathology into clinical practice, quantitative parameters like depth/area of submucosal invasion and proportion of stroma can be routinely assessed. In this review we present the various histopathological risk factors for predicting systemic spread in pT1 colorectal cancer and introduce potential novel quantitative variables and multivariable risk models that could be used to better define the optimal treatment of this increasingly common disease.

Functional gastrointestinal disorders in inflammatory bowel disease: Time for a paradigm shift?

Recent advances in biological therapies have revolutionalised and redefined treatment targets in inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).There is now a stronger emphasis on achieving the more stringent therapeutic goals of mucosal and histological healing,rather than clinical remission alone.Consequently,the treatment of refractory“functional”gastrointestinal symptoms,often attributed as the aftermath of previous inflammation,has recently become more prominent in quiescent disease.With further expected advances in anti-inflammatory treatments on the horizon,the burden of such symptoms in quiescent disease,which have been relatively neglected,is set to become an even bigger problem.In this article,we highlight the current state of research and understanding in this field,including recent developments and clinical practice guidelines on the diagnosis and management of functional gastrointestinal symptoms,such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional anorectal and pelvic floor disorders,in patients with quiescent IBD.These disorders are not only highly prevalent in these patients,they are often misdiagnosed,and are difficult to treat,with very few evidence-based therapies.Moreover,they are associated with substantial impairment in quality-of-life,considerable morbidity,and psychological distress.There is therefore an urgent need for a change in emphasis towards earlier recognition,positive diagnosis,and targeted treatment for patients with ongoing functional gastrointestinal symptoms in the absence of active IBD.This article also highlights the need for further research to develop much needed evidence-based therapies.

Trends in treatment and overall survival among patients with proximal esophageal cancer

BACKGROUND The management of proximal esophageal cancer differs from that of tumors located in the mid and lower part of the esophagus due to the close vicinity of vital structures.Non-surgical treatment options like radiotherapy and definitive chemoradiation(CRT)have been implemented.The trends in(non-)surgical treatment and its impact on overall survival(OS)in patients with proximal esophageal cancer are unclear,related to its rare disease status.To optimize treatment strategies and counseling of patients with proximal esophageal cancer,it is therefore essential to gain more insight through real-life studies.AIM To establish trends in treatment and OS in patients with proximal esophageal cancer.METHODS In this population-based study,patients with proximal esophageal cancer diagnosed between 1989 and 2014 were identified in the Netherlands Cancer Registry.The proximal esophagus consists of the cervical esophagus and the upper thoracic section,extending to 24 cm from the incisors.Trends in radiotherapy,chemotherapy,and surgery,and OS were assessed.Analyses were stratified by presence of distant metastasis.Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses was performed to assess the effect of period of diagnosis on OS,adjusted for patient,tumor,and treatment characteristics.RESULTS In total,2783 patients were included.Over the study period,the use of radiotherapy,resection,and CRT in non-metastatic disease changed from 53%,23%,and 1%in 1989-1994 to 21%,9%,and 49%in 2010-2014,respectively.In metastatic disease,the use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy increased over time.Median OS of the total population increased from 7.3 mo[95%confidence interval(CI):6.4-8.1]in 1989-1994 to 9.5 mo(95%CI:8.1-10.8)in 2010-2014(logrank P<0.001).In non-metastatic disease,5-year OS rates improved from 5%(95%CI:3%-7%)in 1989-1994 to 13%(95%CI:9%-17%)in 2010-2014(logrank P<0.001).Multivariable regression analysis demonstrated a significant treatment effect over time on survival.In metastatic disease,median OS was 3.8 mo(95%CI:2.5-5.1)in 1989-1994,and 5.1 mo(95%CI:4.3-5.9)in 2010-2014(logrank P=0.26).CONCLUSION OS significantly improved in non-metastatic proximal esophageal cancer,likely to be associated with an increased use of CRT.Patterns in metastatic disease did not change significantly over time.

STARD1:a new rising StAR in cholesterol-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis

Having cholesterol in our body is essential for living healthy,but too much can lead to serious health problems,including-but not limited to-heart attacks and strokes(1).Indeed,accumulating evidence points to cholesterol as a cancer risk factor especially in colon,rectal,prostatic and testicular cancer(2).Cholesterol is the most abundant sterol in animal tissues with many important functions that spans from simply maintaining cell membrane physical properties to the production of bile acids and biosynthesis of steroid hormones.For the most part,cholesterol is synthetised de novo in the liver,but some is obtained from dietary intake.The synthesis of cholesterol takes place in the cytoplasm and the endoplasmic reticulum(ER)of hepatocytes(the major liver cell types)and starts with one molecule of acetyl-CoA.