Clinical features and risk factors of gastric cancer detected by esophagogastroduodenoscopy in esophageal cancer patients

Occult collision tumor of the gastroesophageal junction comprising adenocarcinomas with distinct molecular profiles

Collision tumors, characterized by the coexistence of two unique neoplasms in close approximation, are rare and pose diagnostic challenges. This is particularly true when the unique neoplasms are of the same histologic type. Here we report such a case where comprehensive tumor profiling by next generation sequencing (NGS) as well as immunohistochemistry revealed two independent adenocarcinomas comprising what was initially diagnosed as a single adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal (GEJ) junction. Biopsy of the esophageal portion of the GEJ mass showed a mismatch repair deficient tumor with loss of immunoreactivity for MLH1 and PMS2, while the biopsy taken from the gastric portion of the mass revealed a separate tumor with a discordant, non-overlapping, set of molecular alterations, including an EML4::ALK fusion, as well as intact MMR. This case illustrates one way in which NGS can reveal diagnoses such as collision tumor that are wholly unexpected based on clinical and histological grounds. Such diagnoses can have important implications for patient care, particularly in cases where there is discordance for targetable molecular alterations.

Metachronous primary gastric cancer after endoscopic resection in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for developing metachronous primary Gastric Cancer (GC) after Endoscopic Resection (ER) for esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC).

METHODS

We studied 283 patients with esophageal SCC who underwent ER. The study outcomes were as follows: (1) incidence of metachronous primary GC after ER; and (2) predictors for the development of metachronous primary GC after ER by the Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 43.1 months (1.81-79.1), and the 3-year cumulative incidence of metachronous primary GC was 6.5% (95%CI: 4.1-10.4). The incidence of metachronous primary GC during the follow-up period was 2.31 per 100 person-years. The frequencies of severe gastric atrophy and macrocytosis at the timing of ER were significantly higher in patients with than without metachronous primary GC (91.7% vs. 73.2%, p = 0.0422, 20.8% vs. 5.2%, p = 0.0046, respectively). Severe gastric atrophy was associated with the development of metachronous primary GC (sex-and-age adjusted hazard ratio (HR) [95%CI] = 4.12 [0.95-27.78], p = 0.0093). Macrocytosis was associated with the development of metachronous primary GC (sex-and-age adjusted HR = 4.76 [1.75-13.0], p = 0.0012) and found to be an independent predictor for metachronous primary GC by multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis (HR [95%CI] = 4.35 [1.60-11.84], p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Severe gastric atrophy and macrocytosis should be noted in the development of metachronous primary GC after ER for esophageal SCC. In particular, macrocytosis at the timing of ER was considered an important predictor.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRY NUMBER

UMIN000001676.

Reconstruction using the colon or jejunum in patients with synchronous advanced esophageal and gastric cancers: a retrospective study from a single institutional database

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of simultaneous resection of synchronous advanced esophageal and gastric cancers.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 16 patients who underwent resection of synchronous advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and gastric adenocarcinoma from January 2009 to Dec 2021. Subtotal esophagectomy and total gastrectomy were performed using the Ivor-Lewis or McKeown approach. Reconstruction was performed using a pedicled jejunal graft or colon interposition. Perioperative and postoperative data of all patients were analyzed.

RESULTS

There were no in-hospital mortalities following surgery, but 9 patients (56.3%) suffered major perioperative complications. Comparison of the groups that received reconstruction using the jejunum and the colon indicated similar incidences of perioperative complications, overall survival, and disease-free survival. Cox regression analysis indicated that lymph node metastasis of both cancers was independent risk factor for overall survival.

CONCLUSION

The existence of synchronous tumors of the esophagus and stomach is not unusual, the radical surgical treatment could be carried out whenever possible.

Ulcer Scarring in the Gastric Conduit Is a Risk Factor for Anastomotic Leakage After Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Anastomotic leakage (AL) is a serious complication after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors for AL.

METHODS

Patients with esophageal cancer who underwent curative esophagectomy and cervical esophagogastric anastomosis between 2009 and 2019 (N = 346) and those between 2020 and 2022 (N = 17) were enrolled in the study to identify the risk factors for AL and the study to assess the association between the risk factors and blood flow in the gastric conduit evaluated by indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging, respectively.

RESULTS

AL occurred in 17 out of 346 patients (4.9%). Peptic or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) ulcer scars were independently associated with AL (OR 6.872, 95% CI 2.112-22.365) in addition to diabetes mellitus. The ulcer scars in the anterior/posterior gastric wall were more frequently observed in patients with AL than in those without AL (75.0% vs. 17.4%, P = 0.042). The median flow velocity of ICG fluorescence in the gastric conduits with the scars was significantly lower than in those without the scars (1.17 cm/s vs. 2.23 cm/s, P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Peptic or ESD ulcer scarring is a risk factor for AL after esophagectomy in addition to diabetes mellitus. The scars in the anterior/posterior gastric wall are significantly associated with AL, impairing blood flow of the gastric conduit. Preventive interventions and careful postoperative management should be provided to minimize the risk and severity of AL in patients with these risk factors.

Clinical characteristics and prognostic nomogram analysis of patients with dual primary cancers with first gastric cancer: a retrospective study in China

Background

With the improvement in diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer (GC), the survival time of patients has been gradually prolonged. However, these survivors are at increased risk for other diseases, including second primary cancers (SPCs). Currently, there remain few central studies concerning double primary cancers with first gastric cancer (DPCFGC). Thus, this study aimed to investigate these patients' clinical characteristics and perform prognostic nomogram analysis.

Methods

The clinical data of 78 DPCFGC patients were retrospectively collected and analyzed through the hospital electronic medical record system. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to screen independent risk factors, based on which the prognostic nomogram was further constructed and validated using the R software package. Finally, Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted to explore the association of overall survival (OS) with prognostic factors and the model.

Results

The prevalence of DPCFGC was 0.86%, of which the proportions of synchronous and metachronous patients were 47.44% and 52.56% , respectively; 65.38% (51/78) and 34.62% (27/78) of patients were male and female, respectively. The median age at GC and SPC diagnosis was 63 and 65 years, respectively, and 52.57% of GC patients developed SPCs within 1 year. The top three SPCs were in the esophagus (19.24%), colon (16.67%), and rectum (15.39%). The most common features of GC and SPCs were adenocarcinoma, poorly and moderately differentiated histology, and pathological stages I and II. The radical resection rate of GC was significantly lower in synchronous patients than in metachronous patients (45.94% vs. 100.00%, P < 0.001), but no significant difference was noted in the radical resection rate of SPCs (35.13% vs. 46.34%, P = 0.315). The OS of DPCFGC patients was 31.03 ±  4.14 months. The pathological stage of GC and SPCs, whether to operate for GC, and diagnostic interval were independent risk factors. The predictive efficacy of the prognostic nomogram for 1-, 2- and 3-year OS in DPCFGC patients was 0.922, 0.935 and 0.796 , respectively, with good consistency and clinical applicability. The OS was significantly lower in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group.

Conclusions

During follow-up, clinicians should attach great importance to the screening of GC survivors, especially at early stage in older men within 1 year after diagnosis, and be alert to the possibility of occurrent digestive system malignancies. The nomogram constructed in this study can provide a theoretical basis for the early clinical development of individualized treatment plans.

Clinical Value on Combined Detection of Serum CA724, DKK1, and TK1 in Diagnosis of Gastric Cancer

Objective

To explore the clinical value on combined detection of serum carbohydrate antigen 724 (CA724), secreted protein dickkopf-1 (DKK1), and thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) in the diagnosis of gastric cancer (GC).

Methods

The clinical data of 63 GC patients (GC group) and 54 patients with benign gastric lesions (control group) admitted to Zhu Xianyi Memorial Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from June 2020 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The levels of serum CA724, DKK1, and TK1 in the two groups were detected by electrochemiluminescence instrument, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and enhanced chemiluminescence. The diagnostic efficacy of single detection and combined detection was analyzed by drawing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

Compared with the control group, the serological indexes of patients in GC group were markedly higher (P < 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that the areas under the curve of serum CA724, DKK1, TK1, and combined detection in the diagnosis of GC were 0.849, 0.754, 0.685, and 0.923, respectively; and the sensitivity and specificity of their combined detection were higher than those of separate detection.

Conclusion

The levels of serum CA724, DKK1, and TK1 were highly expressed in GC patients, with a higher diagnostic value for GC in their combined detection, which can effectively screen and assist the diagnosis of GC.