Additive endoscopic resection may be sufficient for patients with a positive lateral margin after endoscopic resection of early gastric cancer

Korean Practice Guidelines for Gastric Cancer 2024: An Evidence-based, Multidisciplinary Approach (Update of 2022 Guideline)

Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers in both Korea and worldwide. Since 2004, the Korean Practice Guidelines for Gastric Cancer have been regularly updated, with the 4th edition published in 2022. The 4th edition was the result of a collaborative work by an interdisciplinary team, including experts in gastric surgery, gastroenterology, endoscopy, medical oncology, abdominal radiology, pathology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, and guideline development methodology. The current guideline is the 5th version, an updated version of the 4th edition. In this guideline, 6 key questions (KQs) were updated or proposed after a collaborative review by the working group, and 7 statements were developed, or revised, or discussed based on a systematic review using the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and KoreaMed database. Over the past 2 years, there have been significant changes in systemic treatment, leading to major updates and revisions focused on this area. Additionally, minor modifications have been made in other sections, incorporating recent research findings. The level of evidence and grading of recommendations were categorized according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation system. Key factors for recommendation included the level of evidence, benefit, harm, and clinical applicability. The working group reviewed and discussed the recommendations to reach a consensus. The structure of this guideline remains similar to the 2022 version. Earlier sections cover general considerations, such as screening, diagnosis, and staging of endoscopy, pathology, radiology, and nuclear medicine. In the latter sections, statements are provided for each KQ based on clinical evidence, with flowcharts supporting these statements through meta-analysis and references. This multidisciplinary, evidence-based gastric cancer guideline aims to support clinicians in providing optimal care for gastric cancer patients.

Management Strategy of Non-curative ESD in Gastric Cancer: Curative Criteria, and the Critical Building Block for Determining Beyond It

Endoscopic submucosal dissection is performed in cases of early gastric cancer, where the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) is expected to be negligible, and 12%-21% of these patients are deemed to have undergone non-curative resections based on pathological criteria. In such cases, decisions regarding additional treatments must be made to maximize curability, depending on the anticipated LNM risk. Well-established risk factors for LNM include lymphatic invasion, vascular invasion, deep submucosal invasion, positive vertical margins, and larger tumor size. When pathological factors associated with a clear LNM risk, such as lymphatic or deep submucosal invasion, are present, additional gastrectomy with lymph node dissection should be considered. Conversely, in cases involving only a positive horizontal margin, additional endoscopic treatment may be an effective therapeutic option as opposed to gastrectomy because of the negligible risk of LNM despite the potential risk of residual tumors. Endoscopic resection is particularly advantageous for determining complete resection. In addition to pathological curability, patient-specific factors, such as age and comorbidities, must be considered. Several retrospective cohort studies have shown that the cause of mortality among patients placed only on observation without additional treatment after non-curative resection is generally related to underlying conditions irrelevant to gastric cancer. Thus, it is crucial to assess both GC-specific mortality and all-cause mortality to finalize treatment decisions that help minimize such mortality. Therefore, new treatment algorithms that integrate pathological curability with patient-specific factors must be developed.

Challenges and advancing strategies of endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer: The puzzle of eCura C1

In this editorial, we explore the challenges of managing noncurative resections in early gastric cancer after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), starting from the consideration recently made by Zhu et al. Specifically, we evaluate the management of eCura C1 lesions, where decisions regarding further interventions are pivotal yet contentious. Collaboration among endoscopists, surgeons, and pathologists is underscored to refine risk assessment and personalize therapeutic management. Recent advancements in ESD techniques and interdisciplinary collaboration offer opportunities for outcome optimization in managing eCura C1 lesions. Moreover, despite needing further clinical validation, molecular biomarkers have emerged as promising tools for enhancing prognostication. This manuscript highlights the ongoing research attempts to define treatment paradigms effectively and evaluates the potential of emerging options, ultimately aiming to improve patient care and outcomes in this complex clinical scenario.

Decision to perform additional surgery after non-curative endoscopic submucosal dissection for gastric cancer based on the risk of lymph node metastasis: a long-term follow-up study

BACKGROUND

Radical surgery after non-curative endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC) may be excessive, since only 5-10% of patients have lymph node metastasis (LNM). This study investigated the suitability of the eCura system for determining the need for radical surgery after non-curative ESD.

METHODS

We retrospectively investigated 343 patients who underwent non-curative ESD for EGC from 2006 to 2021 at a tertiary hospital in Korea. These patients were divided into surgery (n = 191) and observation (n = 152) groups based on whether they underwent additional surgery post-ESD. Each group was further classified into low-risk (eCura score 0-1), intermediate-risk (eCura score 2-4) and high-risk (eCura score 5-7). All patients were regularly followed-up at least annually after the initial treatment. The cumulative overall and recurrence-free survival rates were calculated for each category and compared between the surgery and observation groups.

RESULTS

No significant differences in overall survival were found between the surgery and observation groups in low-risk (p = 0.168) and intermediate-risk patients (p = 0.306); however, high-risk patients had better 5-year overall survival rate in the surgery group than in the follow-up group (95.2% vs. 71.4%, p < 0.001). The 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was higher in the surgery group than in the observation group for low-risk (100% vs. 84.3%; p = 0.034), intermediate-risk (96.1% vs. 88.4%; p = 0.081) and high-risk patients (100% vs. 83.3%; p = 0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

Follow-up without additional surgery after non-curative ESD can be a reasonable option for low-risk and even intermediate-risk patients according to the eCura system. However, surgery is warranted for eCura high-risk patients.

Comparison of endoscopic submucosal dissection outcomes between early gastric cardiac and non-cardiac cancers: a retrospective single-center study

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to compare the efficacy of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) between early gastric cardiac cancer (EGCC) and early gastric non-cardiac cancer (EGNCC), and investigate associated risk factors for non-curative resection.

METHODS

Early gastric cancer (EGC) patients who underwent ESD from January 2015 to September 2020 in Beijing Friendship Hospital were consecutively enrolled. The clinical, histopathological and endoscopic data were retrospectively analyzed. The study was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1800017117).

RESULTS

Among 500 patients with 534 EGC lesions, 117 patients with 118 lesions were allocated to the EGCC group, and 383 patients with 416 lesions to the EGNCC group. The rates of en bloc resection, complete resection and curative resection in the EGCC group were 97.5%, 78.8% and 71.2%, respectively, significantly lower than those in the EGNCC group (99.8%, 94.5% and 90.4%, p = .010, <.001 and <.001). Among non-curative resected lesions, EGCC had more cases in both endoscopic curability (eCura) C-1 and C-2 groups than EGNCC (10.2% and 18.6% vs. 2.4% and 7.2%, p < .001). Multivariate analysis showed that tumor size (OR 2.393, 95% CI 1.388-4.126) and submucosal invasion (OR 11.498, 95% CI 3.759-35.175) were risk factors for non-curative resection in the EGCC group. For EGCC larger than 3 cm, none achieved curative resection, 86.7% were classified as eCura C-2 and 46.7% exhibited deep submucosal infiltration.

CONCLUSIONS

The curative resection rate of ESD for EGCC was lower than that for EGNCC. ESD for EGCC larger than 3 cm should be cautiously considered.

CCL19/CCR7 drives regulatory T cell migration and indicates poor prognosis in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in the world. Blocking programmed cell death protein 1 pathway have been approved for the treatment of a variety of tumors and have achieved remarkable clinical therapeutic effects. However, immune checkpoint inhibitors failed to achieve satisfactory results in gastric cancer. There is a need to identify novel immunotherapy targets in gastric cancer.

METHODS

We analysed the correlation between Treg cells and CD8 + T cells in gastric cancer samples. We studied the relationship between chemokines and Treg cells or CD8 + T cells in gastric cancer. We compared CCL19/CCR7 expression in gastric cancer patients in TCGA database. We performed transwell experiments to determine the influence of CCL19 on Treg cells and CD8 + T cells migratory capacity. We conducted survival analysis of CCL19 and CCR7 in gastric cancer database.

RESULTS

Treg cells show positive correlation with CD8 + T cells in gastric cancer. Treg cell expression was significantly upregulated in tumor tissues. Patients with high FOXP3 expression had worse overall survival than those with low FOXP3 expression. CCL19 had strong correlation with FOXP3 and weak correlation with CD8A. CCL19 had strong impact on the migratory capacity of Treg cells but weak impact on the migratory capacity of CD8 + T cells. Both CCL19 and CCR7 expression were significantly upregulated in gastric cancer tissues. Survival analysis demonstrated that both CCL19 and CCR7 indicate poor prognosis in gastric cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

CCL19/CCR7 may be a potential novel therapeutic target in gastric cancer.

Long-term outcomes of additional surgery versus non-gastrectomy treatment for early gastric cancer after non-curative endoscopic submucosal dissection: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic resection is increasingly used in the treatment for early gastric cancer (EGC); however, about 15% of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) cases report non-curative resection. The efficacy of different remedial interventions after non-curative ESD for EGC remains controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of additional surgery and non-gastrectomy treatment for EGC patients who underwent non-curative ESD.

METHODS

All relevant studies published up to October 2021 were systematically searched in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases. The medical subject headings terms "early gastric cancer," "gastrectomy," "endoscopic submucosal dissection," and their related free keywords were used to search relevant articles without restrictions on regions, publication types, or languages. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free survival (DFS) and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs of OS were calculated using a random- or fixed-effects model.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis included 17 retrospective cohort studies with 5880 patients, of whom 3167 underwent additional surgery and 2713 underwent non-gastrectomy. We found that patients receiving additional gastrectomy had better 5-year OS (OR = 3.63, 95% CI = 3.05-4.31), DSS (OR = 3.22, 95% CI = 2.22-4.66), and DFS (OR = 4.39, 95% CI = 1.78-10.82) outcomes than those receiving non-gastrectomy treatments. The pooled HR also showed that gastrectomy following non-curative ESD significantly improved OS (HR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.33-0.48). In addition, elderly patients benefited from additional surgery in consideration of the 5-year OS (HR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.41-0.72).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with non-gastrectomy treatments, additional surgery offered better long-term survival outcomes for patients with EGC who underwent non-curative ESD.

Korean Practice Guidelines for Gastric Cancer 2022: An Evidence-based, Multidisciplinary Approach

Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers in Korea and the world. Since 2004, this is the 4th gastric cancer guideline published in Korea which is the revised version of previous evidence-based approach in 2018. Current guideline is a collaborative work of the interdisciplinary working group including experts in the field of gastric surgery, gastroenterology, endoscopy, medical oncology, abdominal radiology, pathology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology and guideline development methodology. Total of 33 key questions were updated or proposed after a collaborative review by the working group and 40 statements were developed according to the systematic review using the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library and KoreaMed database. The level of evidence and the grading of recommendations were categorized according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation proposition. Evidence level, benefit, harm, and clinical applicability was considered as the significant factors for recommendation. The working group reviewed recommendations and discussed for consensus. In the earlier part, general consideration discusses screening, diagnosis and staging of endoscopy, pathology, radiology, and nuclear medicine. Flowchart is depicted with statements which is supported by meta-analysis and references. Since clinical trial and systematic review was not suitable for postoperative oncologic and nutritional follow-up, working group agreed to conduct a nationwide survey investigating the clinical practice of all tertiary or general hospitals in Korea. The purpose of this survey was to provide baseline information on follow up. Herein we present a multidisciplinary-evidence based gastric cancer guideline.

Machine Learning Improves the Prediction Rate of Non-Curative Resection of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection in Patients with Early Gastric Cancer

Non-curative resection (NCR) of early gastric cancer (EGC) after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) can increase the burden of additional treatment and medical expenses. We aimed to develop a machine-learning (ML)-based NCR prediction model for EGC prior to ESD. We obtained data from 4927 patients with EGC who underwent ESD between January 2006 and February 2020. Ten clinicopathological characteristics were selected using extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and were used to develop a ML-based model. Dataset was divided into the training and internal validation sets and verified using an external validation set. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) were evaluated. The performance of each model was compared by using the Delong test. A total of 1100 (22.1%) patients were identified as being treated non-curatively with ESD. Seven ML-based NCR prediction models were developed. The performance of NCR prediction was highest in the XGBoost model (AUROC, 0.851; 95% confidence interval, 0.837-0.864). When we compared the prediction performance by the Delong test, XGBoost (p = 0.02) and support vector machine (p = 0.02) models showed a significantly higher performance among the NCR prediction models. We developed an ML model capable of accurately predicting the NCR of EGC before ESD. This ML model can provide useful information for decision-making regarding the appropriate treatment of EGC before ESD.

Therapeutic approach to non-curative resection after endoscopic treatment in early gastric cancer

Background: Endoscopic resection is indicated for early or superficial gastrointestinal neoplasms with a negligible risk of lymph node metastasis. This procedure could preserve the organ while allowing en bloc resection of tumors, irrespective of the size and location of the lesion. Histological evaluation of the resected specimen determines whether curative resection, which implies a favorable long-term outcome, was achieved. If the resected specimen reveals non-curative, additional treatment is necessary as it is strongly associated with recurrence.Current Concepts: Surgical resection is recommended after non-curative resection of gastrointestinal neoplasms. However, rather than surgical resection, additional endoscopic treatment can be recommended if non-curative resection is solely because of the positive involvement at the horizontal resection margin without any other findings compatible with the non-curative resection criteria.Discussion and Conclusion: Adopting precise indications of endoscopic resection is important to reduce the risk of non-curative resection. If curative resection is not achieved after endoscopic resection, additional treatment should be considered to prevent local recurrence as well as lymph node metastasis.

Diffuse-type Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer is the most prevalent malignant tumor in Korea. Histologically, it is often classified into intestinal-type and diffuse-type. Intestinal-type gastric cancer is known to occur mainly from chronic gastritis caused by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) through atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia, a precancerous change of the mucosa, whereas diffuse-type gastric cancer is caused by H. pylori infection, wherein active inflammation of the gastric mucosa occurs without precancerous changes in the mucosa. Compared with intestinal-type gastric cancer, it occurs at a young age, there is no difference in male to female ratio, or tends to occur more in women, and is more aggressive than intestinal-type gastric cancer. Intestinal-type gastric cancer is predominant in East Asian populations such as Koreans and Japanese, whereas diffuse-type gastric cancer has more uniform geographic distribution. In the present manuscript, I have reviewed diffuse-type gastric cancer, distinct from intestinal-type gastric cancer.

Long-term Outcomes of Additional Endoscopic Treatments for Patients with Positive Lateral Margins after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Gastric Cancer

Background/Aims

It is uncertain whether additional endoscopic treatment may be chosen over surgery in patients with positive lateral margins (pLMs) as the only non-curative factor after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC). We aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of additional endoscopic treatments in such patients with those of surgery and elucidate the clinicopathological factors that could influence the treatment selection.

Methods

A total of 99 patients with 101 EGC lesions undergoing additional treatment after non-curative ESD with pLMs as the only non-curative factor were analyzed. Among them, 25 (27 lesions) underwent ESD, 29 (29 lesions) underwent argon plasma coagulation (APC), and 45 (45 lesions) underwent surgery. Clinicopathological characteristics and long-term outcomes were compared.

Results

Residual tumor was found in 73.6% of cases. The presence of multiple pLMs was associated with higher risk of residual tumor (p=0.046). During a median follow-up of 58.9 months, recurrent or residual lesions after additional ESD and APC were found in 4% (1/25) and 6.8% (2/29) of patients, respectively. However, all were completely cured with surgery or repeated ESD. There were no extragastric recurrences after additional endoscopic treatment. Lymph node metastasis was identified after additional surgery in one (2.2%) patient with an EGC showing histological heterogeneity.

Conclusions

Given the favorable long-term outcomes, additional ESD or APC may be an acceptable choice for patients with pLMs as the only non-curative factor after ESD for EGC. However, clincopathological characteristics such as multiple pLMs and histological heterogeneity should be considered in the treatment selection.

Long-term outcomes of endoscopic resection followed by additional surgery after non-curative resection in undifferentiated-type early gastric cancer: a nationwide multi-center study

BACKGROUND

Undifferentiated-type early gastric cancer (UD EGC) shows lower curative resection rates after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Additional surgery is recommended after non-curative resection. We evaluated the long-term outcomes of ESD followed by additional surgery after non-curative resection in UD EGC compared to those for surgery as initial treatment.

METHODS

We reviewed 1139 UD EGC patients who underwent ESD at 18 hospitals and 1956 patients who underwent surgery at two hospitals between February 2005 and May 2015. We enrolled 636 patients with non-curative ESD and 1429 surgery subjects beyond the curative ESD criteria. Among them, 133 patients with additional surgery after ESD (ESD + OP group) and 252 patients without additional surgery (ESD-only group) were matched 1:1 using propensity scores to patients with surgery as initial treatment (surgery group). Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared.

RESULTS

Signet ring cell carcinoma and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (PDA) were observed in 939 and 1126 cases, respectively. OS was significantly longer in the surgery group than in the ESD + OP group, especially for PDA. However, RFS was shorter in the ESD-only group than those in the ESD + OP and surgery groups. RFS did not differ significantly between the ESD + OP and surgery groups. Compared to the surgery group, the ESD-only and ESD + OP groups had an overall hazard ratio for RFS of 3.58 (95% confidence interval 1.44-8.88) and 0.46 (0.10-2.20), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

ESD followed by additional surgery after non-curative resection showed comparable cancer-specific outcomes to initial surgery in UD EGC.

Long-term Outcomes of Undifferentiated-Type Early Gastric Cancer with Positive Horizontal Margins after Endoscopic Resection

Background/Aims

This study examined the long-term outcomes of undifferentiated-type early gastric cancer (UD EGC) with positive horizontal margins (HMs) after endoscopic resection (ER) and compared them between additional surgery and nonsurgical management.

Methods

From 2005 to 2015, a total of 1,124 patients with UD EGC underwent ER at 18 tertiary hospitals in Korea. Of them, 92 patients with positive HMs as the only noncurative factor (n=25) or with both positive HMs and tumor size >2 cm (n=67) were included. These patients underwent additional surgery (n=40), underwent additional endoscopic treatment (n=6), or were followed up without further treatment (n=46).

Results

No lymph node (LN) metastasis was found in patients who underwent additional surgery. During a median follow-up of 57.7 months (interquartile range, 27.6 to 68.8 months), no LN or distant metastases or gastric cancer-related deaths occurred in the overall cohort. At baseline, the residual cancer rate was 57.8% (26/45) after additional surgery or ER. The 5-year local recurrence rate was 33.6% among patients who were followed up without additional treatment. The 5-year overall survival rates were 95.0% and 87.8% after additional surgery and nonsurgical management (endoscopic treatment or close follow-up), respectively (log-rank p=0.224). In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, nonsurgical management was not associated with an increased risk of mortality.

Conclusions

UD EGC with positive HMs after ER may have favorable long-term outcomes and a very low risk of LN metastasis. Nonsurgical management may be suggested as an alternative, particularly for patients with old age or chronic illness. (Gut Liver 2021;15-731)

Factors associated with overall survival in early gastric cancer patients who underwent additional surgery after endoscopic submucosal dissection

BACKGROUND

Controversy exists about the benefit of additional surgery after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC).

AIM

To examine risk factors for overall survival (OS) after additional surgery in patients with EGC who initially underwent ESD.

METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of patients with EGC who underwent additional surgery after ESD at the Beijing Friendship Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University between August 2012 and August 2019. OS was the primary outcome. Lymph node metastasis and residual tumor were secondary outcomes. Logistic regression models and Kaplan-Meier curves were used for further analysis.

RESULTS

Forty-two patients were evaluated, including 35 (83.3%) males and 7(16.7%) females. The mean age was 62 (range, 32-82) years. Male sex [hazard ratio (HR) = 21.906, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.762-229.250; P = 0.039), T1b invasion (HR = 3.965, 95%CI: 1.109-17.432; P = 0.047), undifferentiated tumor (HR = 9.455, 95%CI: 0.946-29.482; P = 0.049), lymph node metastasis (HR = 2.126, 95%CI: 0.002-13.266; P = 0.031), and residual tumor (HR = 4.275, 95%CI: 1.049-27.420; P = 0.043) were independently associated with OS. The follow-up duration was 4-81 mo (median: 50.7 mo). OS was 77.0 ± 12.1 mo (95%CI: 53.3-100.7 mo). The 3-year and 5-year OS rates were 94.1% and 85%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Male sex, T1b invasion, undifferentiated tumor, lymph node metastasis, and residual tumor are independently associated with OS in patients with EGC who underwent additional surgery after ESD.

Risk-Scoring System for Prediction of Non-Curative Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Requiring Additional Gastrectomy in Patients with Early Gastric Cancer

Purpose

When patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) undergo non-curative endoscopic submucosal dissection requiring gastrectomy (NC-ESD-RG), additional medical resources and expenses are required for surgery. To reduce this burden, predictive model for NC-ESD-RG is required.

Materials and Methods

Data from 2,997 patients undergoing ESD for 3,127 forceps biopsy-proven differentiated-type EGCs (2,345 and 782 in training and validation sets, respectively) were reviewed. Using the training set, the logistic stepwise regression analysis determined the independent predictors of NC-ESD-RG (NC-ESD other than cases with lateral resection margin involvement or piecemeal resection as the only non-curative factor). Using these predictors, a risk-scoring system for predicting NC-ESD-RG was developed. Performance of the predictive model was examined internally with the validation set.

Results

Rate of NC-ESD-RG was 17.3%. Independent pre-ESD predictors for NC-ESD-RG included moderately differentiated or papillary EGC, large tumor size, proximal tumor location, lesion at greater curvature, elevated or depressed morphology, and presence of ulcers. A risk-score was assigned to each predictor of NC-ESD-RG. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting NC-ESD-RG was 0.672 in both training and validation sets. A risk-score of 5 points was the optimal cut-off value for predicting NC-ESD-RG, and the overall accuracy was 72.7%. As the total risk score increased, the predicted risk for NC-ESD-RG increased from 3.8% to 72.6%.

Conclusions

We developed and validated a risk-scoring system for predicting NC-ESD-RG based on pre-ESD variables. Our risk-scoring system can facilitate informed consent and decision-making for preoperative treatment selection between ESD and surgery in patients with EGC.

Protocol for expanded indications of endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer in China: a multicenter, ambispective, observational, open-cohort study

BACKGROUND

The main treatment methods for early gastric cancer (EGC) include endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and radical gastrectomy. However, appropriate treatment for patients who exceed the absolute indications for ESD remains unestablished. In China, evidence-based medicine for the expanding indications of ESD and accurate diagnostic staging for EGC patients are lacking. Thus, clinical studies involving Chinese patients with EGC are necessary to select appropriate treatment options and promote China's expanded indications for ESD and diagnostic staging scheme.

METHODS

This is a multicenter, ambispective, observational, open-cohort study that is expected to enroll 554 patients with EGC. The study was launched in May 2018 and is scheduled to end in March 2022. All enrolled patients should meet the inclusion criteria. Case report forms and electronic data capture systems are used to obtain clinical data, which includes demographic information, results of perioperative blood- and auxiliary examinations, surgical information, results of postoperative pathology, and the outcomes of postoperative recovery and follow-up. Patients are followed up every 6 months after surgery for a minimum of 5 years. The primary endpoint is the rate of lymph node metastasis (LNM), whereas the secondary endpoints include the following: consistency, sensitivity, and specificity of the results of preoperative examinations and postoperative pathology; cut-off values for LNM; logistic regression model of expanded indications for ESD; and incidence of postoperative complications within the 30-day and 5-year relapse-free survival rates.

DISCUSSION

This study will explore and evaluate expanded indications for ESD that match the characteristics of the Chinese population in patients with EGC and will introduce a related staging procedure and examination scheme that is appropriate for China. Ethical approval was obtained from all participating centers. The findings are expected to be disseminated through publications or presentations and will facilitate clinical decision-making in EGC.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The name of the registry is ChiCTR. It was registered on May 9, 2018, with the registration number ( ChiCTR1800016084 ). The clinical trial was launched in May 2018 and will end in March 2022, with enrollment to be completed by December 2021. Trial status: Ongoing.

Guidelines for endoscopic diagnosis of early gastric cancer

The Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society developed the Guideline for Endoscopic Diagnosis of Early Gastric Cancer based on scientific methods. Endoscopy for the diagnosis of early gastric cancer has been acknowledged as a useful and highly precise examination, and its use has become increasingly more common in recent years. However, the level of evidence in this field is low, and it is often necessary to determine recommendations based on expert consensus only. This clinical practice guideline consists of the following sections to provide the current guideline: [I] Risk stratification of gastric cancer before endoscopic examination, [II] Detection of early gastric cancer, [III] Qualitative diagnosis of early gastric cancer, [IV] Diagnosis to choose the therapeutic strategy for gastric cancer, [V] Risk stratification after endoscopic examination, and [VI] Surveillance of early gastric cancer.

Endoscopic management of patients with early gastric cancer before and after endoscopic resection: A review

With the wide application of endoscopic resection for early gastric cancer (EGC) by not only Asian endoscopists but also those from Western countries, reviews on standardized treatment processes before and after endoscopic resection are nevertheless lacking. In this article we provide a narrative review of studies on the selection of appropriate EGC for endoscopic resection and the follow-up strategies for those with histologically confirmed EGC after endoscopic resection. EGC should be comprehensively assessed before endoscopic resection, including its exact margin, invasive depth and risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM). While the curative resection status of EGC may be evaluated after endoscopic resection based on the newly developed eCura system, although this needs to be further verified. Surveillance with endoscopy and computed tomography scan is necessary for patients with an EGC level A or B. An additional endoscopic resection is recommended for patients with a level-C1 EGC. For patients with a level-C2 EGC, close follow-up is suggested for low-risk tumors of level C2 and additional surgery for those at high risks. Further postoperative strategy is suggested based on comprehensive assessment of the risk of LNM, patient's quality of life and wishes.

Transmembrane protein GRINA modulates aerobic glycolysis and promotes tumor progression in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Recent observations indicate a decreased cancer risk in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is a severe neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cognitive decline. The 8q24 region has been shown to be involved in AD aetiology. We aimed to identify and explore the potential oncogenes or antioncogenes on chromosome 8q24.

METHODS

We compared expression of genes on Chromosome 8q24 in 32 pairs of samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. We conducted bioinformatics analysis of the commonly used gastric cancer databases and performed clinical verification of gastric cancer samples, combined with assessment of biological function both in vitro and in vivo to determine the relationship between upregulated expression of GRINA and gastric cancer progression. We also explored the molecular mechanism of GRINA upregulation and its function in gastric cancer development and progression.

RESULTS

The expression of GRINA in cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in normal tissues. GRINA indicated poor prognosis in gastric cancer. GRINA promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion capacity of gastric cancer cells. GRINA was transcriptionally mediated by c-Myc and promotes cell cycle transition. GRINA knockdown decreased PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling and glycolytic metabolism in gastric cancer cells. The apoptosis rate was significantly increased in gastric cancer cell lines after knockdown of GRINA. The expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax was significantly upregulated, whereas the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 was significantly downregulated in GRINA silenced cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Human gastric cancers have increased levels of GRINA, which promotes growth of gastric cancer and inhibits tumor cells apoptosis.

Long-term outcomes after noncurative endoscopic resection of early gastric cancer: the optimal time for additional endoscopic treatment

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

We aimed to evaluate long-term outcomes with noncurative endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC) and surveillance strategies such as the optimal time for additional endoscopic treatment in patients with noncurative ESD.

METHODS

Of 2527 patients who underwent gastric ESD for EGC, 512 (20.3%) patients with noncurative resection were reviewed. Noncurative resection is defined as positive resected margins on histology, lymphovascular infiltration, or beyond the expanded criteria for ESD.

RESULTS

The mean ± standard deviation follow-up duration was 79.0 ± 55.7 months. A total of 264 patients (51.6%) and 50 patients (9.8%) underwent surgery and endoscopic treatment after noncurative resection, respectively, whereas 198 patients (38.7%) were observed. Cancer-specific survival and disease-free survival rates were significantly different among the surgery, other endoscopic treatment, and observation groups (96.7%, 86.8%, and 86.2%, respectively; P =.030; and 92.5%, 73.6%, and 63.0%, respectively; P < .001). When patients who underwent surgery were excluded, the disease-free survival rate of recurrence was not significantly different between the endoscopic treatment and observation groups (73.6% vs 63.0%; P = .548). To exclude the potential for the presence of lymph node metastasis, we further analyzed disease-free survival of local recurrence by comparing the patients with only a positive lateral resection margin. The disease-free survival rate was higher in the endoscopic treatment group than in the observation group (89.2% vs 69.1%; P = .023). Moreover, additional endoscopic treatment within 3 months showed significant associations with lower risk of local recurrence on multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 0.017; 95% confidence interval, 0.002-0.260; P = .003).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with noncurative ESD, additional surgery showed a better long-term outcome; moreover, when a positive lateral resection margin was the only noncurative factor, additional endoscopic treatment within 3 months could be considered to improve disease-free survival.