FUT2 and FUT3 genotype determines CA19-9 cut-off values for detection of cholangiocarcinoma in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis

Early-Stage Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis: Serum Biomarkers and the Potential for Aptamer-Based Biosensors

Pancreatic cancer has a high mortality rate, and both the incidence and mortality are continuing to increase in many countries globally. The poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer is in part due to the challenges in early diagnosis. Improving early-stage pancreatic cancer diagnosis would improve survival outcomes. Aptamer-based biosensors provide an alternative technological approach for the analysis of serum biomarkers with several potential advantages. This review summarizes the major pancreatic cancer serum biomarkers, as well as discusses recent progress in biomarker exploration and aptasensor development. Here, we review both established and novel serum biomarkers identified recently, emphasizing their potential for early-stage pancreatic cancer diagnosis. We also propose strategies for further expanding multiplex biomarker panels beyond the established CA19-9 biomarker to enhance diagnostic performance. We discuss technological advancements in aptamer-based sensors for pancreatic cancer-related biomarkers over the last decade. Optical and electrochemical sensors are highlighted as two primary modalities in aptasensor design, each offering unique advantages. Finally, we propose steps towards clinical application using aptamer-based sensors with multiplexed biomarker detection for improved pancreatic cancer diagnostics.

Current Approaches of Pancreatic Cancer Surveillance in High-Risk Individuals

Currently, those recommended to undergo pancreatic cancer (PC) surveillance include appropriately aged individuals at high risk of PC due to an identifiable genetic susceptibility or those without identifiable genetic susceptibility who nonetheless have a strong family history of PC. With increases in identification of individuals at high risk for PC and increased use of PC surveillance in clinical practice, there has been increasing debate about who should undergo surveillance as well as how surveillance should be performed including use of imaging and blood-based testing. Furthermore, there is increasing interest in the outcomes of PC surveillance in high-risk individuals with some studies demonstrating that surveillance leads to downstaging of PC and improvements in survival. In this review, we summarize the current state of PC surveillance in high-risk individuals, providing an overview of the risk factors associated with PC, selection of high-risk individuals for PC surveillance, and the current, but non-uniform, recommendations for performing PC surveillance. Additionally, we review approaches to apply various imaging and blood-based tests to surveillance and the outcomes of PC surveillance.

Tumor biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and targeted therapy

Tumor biomarkers, the substances which are produced by tumors or the body's responses to tumors during tumorigenesis and progression, have been demonstrated to possess critical and encouraging value in screening and early diagnosis, prognosis prediction, recurrence detection, and therapeutic efficacy monitoring of cancers. Over the past decades, continuous progress has been made in exploring and discovering novel, sensitive, specific, and accurate tumor biomarkers, which has significantly promoted personalized medicine and improved the outcomes of cancer patients, especially advances in molecular biology technologies developed for the detection of tumor biomarkers. Herein, we summarize the discovery and development of tumor biomarkers, including the history of tumor biomarkers, the conventional and innovative technologies used for biomarker discovery and detection, the classification of tumor biomarkers based on tissue origins, and the application of tumor biomarkers in clinical cancer management. In particular, we highlight the recent advancements in biomarker-based anticancer-targeted therapies which are emerging as breakthroughs and promising cancer therapeutic strategies. We also discuss limitations and challenges that need to be addressed and provide insights and perspectives to turn challenges into opportunities in this field. Collectively, the discovery and application of multiple tumor biomarkers emphasized in this review may provide guidance on improved precision medicine, broaden horizons in future research directions, and expedite the clinical classification of cancer patients according to their molecular biomarkers rather than organs of origin.

Using a CA19-9 Tumor Marker Gene Test to Assess Outcome After Pancreatic Cancer Surgery

BACKGROUND

Cancer antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) is widely used as a marker of pancreatic cancer tumor burden and response to therapy. Synthesis of CA19-9 and its circulating levels are determined by variants encoding the fucosyltransferases, FUT2 and FUT3. Individuals can be grouped into one of four functional FUT groups (FUT3-null, FUT-low, FUT-intermediate, FUT-high), each with its own CA19-9 reference range based on its predicted capacity to produce CA19-9. The authors hypothesized that a FUT variant-based CA19-9 tumor marker gene test could improve the prognostic performance of CA19-9.

METHODS

Preoperative and pre-treatment CA19-9 levels were measured, and FUT variants were determined in 449 patients who underwent surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) at Johns Hopkins Hospital between 2010 and 2020, including 270 patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy. Factors associated with recurrence-free and overall survival were determined in Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

Higher preoperative CA19-9 levels were associated with recurrence and mortality for patients in the higher-FUT groups (FUT-intermediate, FUT-high for mortality, with adjustment for other prognostic factors; hazard ratio [HR], 1.34 and 1.58, respectively; P < 0.001), but not for those in the lower-FUT groups (FUT3-null, FUT-low). As a tumor marker, CA19-9 levels of 100 U/ml or lower after neoadjuvant therapy and normalization of CA19-9 based on FUT group were more sensitive but less specific predictors of evidence for a major pathologic response to therapy (little/no residual tumor) and of early recurrence (within 6 months).

CONCLUSION

Among patients undergoing pancreatic cancer resection, a CA19-9 tumor marker gene test modestly improved the prognostic performance of CA19-9.

Cholangiocarcinoma Surveillance Recommendations in Patients with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a deadly complication observed in the setting of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). When symptoms develop and CCA is diagnosed, it is usually at an advanced stage. Median survival is less than 12 months. Early identification of CCA leads to improved outcomes. Although diagnostic tests have excellent specificity, they are plagued by low sensitivity. No surveillance strategies have been widely agreed upon, but most societies recommend measurement of serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and MRCP every 6 to 12 months in patients with PSC. Advances in understanding of the genetic factors that lead to CCA are awaited.

Diagnostic Performance of a Tumor Marker Gene Test to Personalize Serum CA19-9 Reference Ranges

PURPOSE

CA19-9 synthesis is influenced by common variants in the fucosyltransferase (FUT) enzymes FUT3 and FUT2. We developed a clinical test to detect FUT variants, and evaluated its diagnostic performance for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

A representative set of controls from the Cancer of the Pancreas Screening study was identified for each FUT functional group. Diagnostic sensitivity was determined first in a testing set of 234 PDAC cases, followed by a 134-case validation set, all of whom had undergone resection with curative intent without neoadjuvant therapy. Tumor marker gene testing was performed in the Johns Hopkins Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory. CA19-9 levels were measured in the Hopkins Clinical Chemistry lab. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the discriminative ability of CA19-9 alone versus with the gene test.

RESULTS

Applying the CA19-9 standard cutoff (<36 U/mL) to all 716 subjects yielded a 68.8% sensitivity in the test set of cases, 67.2% in the validation set, at 91.4% specificity. Applying 99th percentile cutoffs according to each individual's FUT group (3, 34.9, 41.8, and 89.2, for the FUT3-null, FUT-low, FUT-intermediate, and FUT-high groups, respectively) yielded a diagnostic sensitivity for CA19-9 in the first set of cases of 66.7%, 65.7% in the validation set, at 98.9% specificity. ROC analysis for CA19-9 alone yielded an AUC of 0.84; with the tumor marker gene test, AUC improved to 0.92 (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Using a tumor marker gene test to personalize an individual's CA19-9 reference range significantly improves diagnostic accuracy.

Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis-Associated Cholangiocarcinoma: From Pathogenesis to Diagnostic and Surveillance Strategies

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the most common malignancy in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), accounting for 2-8% of cases and being the leading cause of death in these patients. The majority of PSC-associated CCAs (PSC-CCA) develop within the first few years after PSC diagnosis. Older age and male sex, as well as concomitant inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or high-grade biliary stenosis, are some of the most relevant risk factors. A complex combination of molecular mechanisms involving inflammatory pathways, direct cytopathic damage, and epigenetic and genetic alterations are involved in cholangiocytes carcinogenesis. The insidious clinical presentation makes early detection difficult, and the integration of biochemical, radiological, and histological features does not always lead to a definitive diagnosis of PSC-CCA. Surveillance is mandatory, but current guideline strategies failed to improve early detection and consequently a higher patient survival rate. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), gene methylation, proteomic and metabolomic profile, and extracellular vesicle components are some of the novel biomarkers recently applied in PSC-CCA detection with promising results. The integration of these new molecular approaches in PSC diagnosis and monitoring could contribute to new diagnostic and surveillance strategies.

EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines on sclerosing cholangitis

Management of primary or secondary sclerosing cholangitis is challenging. These Clinical Practice Guidelines have been developed to provide practical guidance on debated topics including diagnostic methods, prognostic assessment, early detection of complications, optimal care pathways and therapeutic (pharmacological, endoscopic or surgical) options both in adults and children.

Gene Set Enrichment Analysis Detected Immune Cell-Related Pathways Associated with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Aim

To explore various immune cell-related causal pathways for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

Methods

Immune cell-related pathway association study was conducted via integrative analysis of PSC GWAS summary and five immune cell-related eQTL datasets. The GWAS summary data of PSC was driven from 4,796 PSC cases and 19,955 healthy controls. The eQTL datasets of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, B cells, natural killer cells (NK), monocytes, and peripheral blood cells (PB) were collected from recently eQTL study. The PSC GWAS summary dataset was first aligned with eQTL datasets of six blood cells to obtain the GWAS summary data at overlapped eQTL loci, separately. For each type of cell, the obtained PSC GWAS summary dataset of eQTLs was subjected to pathway enrichment analysis. 853 biological pathways from Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, BioCarta, and Reactome pathway databases were analyzed.

Results

We identified 36 pathways for B cells, 33 pathways for CD4+ T cells, 28 pathways for CD8+ T cells, 33 pathways for monocytes (MN), 35 pathways for NK cells, and 33 for PB cells (all empirical P values <5.0 × 10-5). Comparing the pathway analysis results detected 25 pathways shared by five immune cells, such as KEGG_CELL_ADHESION_MOLECULES_CAMS (P value <5.0 × 10-5) and REACTOME_MHC_CLASS_II_ANTIGEN_ PRESENTATION (P value <5.0 × 10-5). Several cell-specific pathways were also identified, including BIOCARTA_INFLAM_PATHWAY (P value <5 × 10-5) for B cell.

Conclusion

Our study holds potential to identify novel candidate causal pathways and provides clues for revealing the complex genetic mechanism of PSC.

Optimal Lung Cancer Screening Criteria Among Persons Living With HIV

BACKGROUND

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) 2021 updated recommendations on lung cancer screening with chest computed tomography to apply to individuals 50-80 years of age (previously 55-80 years), with a ≥20 pack-year history (previously ≥30), whether currently smoking or quit ≤15 years ago. Despite being at higher risk for lung cancer, persons with HIV (PWH) were not well-represented in the National Lung Screening Trial, which informed the USPSTF 2013 recommendations. It is unknown or unclear how PWH are affected by the 2021 recommendations.

SETTING

This study was a retrospective analysis of PWH with and without lung cancer in the Women's Interagency HIV Study and the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study.

METHODS

We identified PWH, ages 40-80 years, who currently or previously smoked, with (cases) and without lung cancer (noncases). The sensitivity and specificity of the old, new, and alternative screening criteria were evaluated in each cohort.

RESULTS

We identified 52 women and 19 men with lung cancer and 1950 women and 1599 men without lung cancer. Only 11 women (22%) and 6 men (32%) with lung cancer met 2013 screening criteria; however, more women (22; 44%) and men (12; 63%) met 2021 criteria. Decreased age and tobacco exposure thresholds in women further increased sensitivity of the 2021 criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

The 2021 USPSTF lung cancer screening recommendations would have resulted in more PWH with lung cancer being eligible for screening at the time of their diagnosis. Further investigation is needed to determine optimal screening criteria for PWH, particularly in women.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis-associated cholangiocarcinoma: special considerations and best practices

Introduction: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare, heterogenous, chronic cholestatic liver disease that causes fibro-inflammatory destruction of the intra- and/or extrahepatic bile ducts. The disease course may be variable, though in many cases it ultimately leads to biliary cirrhosis and its associated complications. PSC is also associated with malignancies, in particular cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a dreaded neoplasm of the biliary tract with a poor prognosis. Risk stratification and surveillance for this malignancy are important components of the care of patients with PSC.Areas covered: In this review, we discuss important considerations in the clinical epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and surveillance of PSC-associated CCA.Expert opinion: Despite growing awareness of PSC, high-quality evidence regarding the management of PSC and its associated risk of CCA remains limited. Early diagnosis of PSC-associated CCA remains difficult, and treatment options are limited, especially when diagnosed at later stages. The recent introduction of recommendations for CCA surveillance will likely improve outcomes, though an optimal surveillance approach has yet to be validated prospectively. Further research is needed in the development of high-accuracy (and noninvasive) surveillance and diagnostic tools that may facilitate earlier diagnosis of CCA and potential disease cure.

Prediction of early recurrence of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma after resection

BACKGROUND

Even after curative resection, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients suffer a high rate of recurrence. There is an unmet need to predict which patients will experience early recurrence after resection in order to adjust treatment strategies.

METHODS

Data of patients with resectable PDAC undergoing surgical resection between January 2005 and September 2018 were reviewed to stratify for early recurrence defined as occurring within 6 months of resection. Preoperative data including demographics, tumor markers, blood immune-inflammatory factors and clinicopathological data were examined. We employed Elastic Net, a sparse modeling method, to construct models predicting early recurrence using these multiple preoperative factors. As a result, seven preoperative factors were selected: age, duke pancreatic monoclonal antigen type 2 value, neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio, systemic immune-inflammation index, tumor size, lymph node metastasis and is peripancreatic invasion. Repeated 10-fold cross-validations were performed, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and decision curve analysis were used to evaluate the usefulness of the models.

RESULTS

A total of 136 patients was included in the final analysis, of which 35 (34%) experienced early recurrence. Using Elastic Net, we found that 7 of 14 preoperative factors were useful for the predictive model. The mean AUC of all models constructed in the repeated validation was superior to the standard marker CA 19-9 (0.718 vs 0.657), whereas the AUC of the model constructed from the entire patient cohort was 0.767. Decision curve analysis showed that the models had a higher mean net benefit across the majority of the range of reasonable threshold probabilities.

CONCLUSION

A model using multiple preoperative factors can improve prediction of early resectable PDAC recurrence.

Roles of CA19-9 in pancreatic cancer: Biomarker, predictor and promoter

Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) is the best validated biomarker and an indicator of aberrant glycosylation in pancreatic cancer. CA19-9 functions as a biomarker, predictor, and promoter in pancreatic cancer. As a biomarker, the sensitivity is approximately 80%, and the major challenges involve false positives in conditions of inflammation and nonpancreatic cancers and false negatives in Lewis-negative Individuals. Lewis antigen status should be determined when using CA19-9 as a biomarker. CA19-9 has screening potential when combined with symptoms and/or risk factors. As a predictor, CA19-9 could be used to assess stage, prognosis, resectability, recurrence, and therapeutic efficacy. Normal baseline levels of CA19-9 are associated with long-term survival. As a promoter, CA19-9 could be used to evaluate the biology of pancreatic cancer. CA19-9 can accelerate pancreatic cancer progression by glycosylating proteins, binding to E-selectin, strengthening angiogenesis, and mediating the immunological response. CA19-9 is an attractive therapeutic target for cancer, and strategies include therapeutic antibodies and vaccines, CA19-9-guided nanoparticles, and inhibition of CA19-9 biosynthesis.

Development and Validation of a Nomogram for Predicting Survival in Gallbladder Cancer Patients With Recurrence After Surgery

BACKGROUND

The management of gallbladder cancer (GBC) patients with recurrence who need additional therapy or intensive follow-up remains controversial. Therefore, we aim to develop a nomogram to predict survival in GBC patients with recurrence after surgery.

METHODS

A total of 313 GBC patients with recurrence from our center was identified as a primary cohort, which were randomly divided into a training cohort (N = 209) and an internal validation cohort (N = 104). In addition, 105 patients from other centers were selected as an external validation cohort. Independent prognostic factors, identified by univariate and multivariable analysis, were used to construct a nomogram. The performance of this nomogram was measured using Harrell's concordance index (C-index) and calibration curves.

RESULTS

Our nomogram was established by four factors, including time-to-recurrence, site of recurrence, CA19-9 at recurrence, and treatment of recurrence. The C-index of this nomogram in the training, internal and external validation cohort was 0.871, 0.812, and 0.754, respectively. The calibration curves showed an optimal agreement between nomogram prediction and actual observation. Notably, this nomogram could accurately stratify patients into different risk subgroups, which allowed more significant distinction of Kaplan-Meier curves than that of using T category. The 3-year post-recurrence survival (PRS) rates in the low-, medium-, and high-risk subgroups from the external validation cohort were 53.3, 26.2, and 4.1%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This nomogram provides a tool to predict 1- and 3-year PRS rates in GBC patients with recurrence after surgery.

Cholangiocarcinoma in Patients with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC): a Comprehensive Review

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the most common malignancy in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and carries a high rate of mortality. Although the pathogenesis of CCA in PSC is largely unknown, inflammation-driven carcinogenesis concomitant with various genetic and epigenetic abnormalities are underlying factors. The majority of CCA cases develop from a dominant stricture (DS), which is defined as a stricture with a diameter < 1.5 mm in the common bile duct or < 1.0 mm in the hepatic duct. In PSC patients presenting with an abrupt aggravation of jaundice, pain, fatigue, pruritus, weight loss, or worsening liver biochemistries, CCA should be suspected and evaluated utilizing a variety of diagnostic modalities. However, early recognition of CCA in PSC remains a major challenge. Importantly, 30-50% of CCA in PSC patients are observed within the first year following the diagnosis of PSC followed by an annual incidence ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 per 100 persons, which is nearly 10 to 1000 times higher than that in the general population. Cumulative 5-year, 10-year, and lifetime incidences are 7%, 8-11%, and 9-20%, respectively. When PSC-associated CCA is diagnosed, most tumors are unresectable, and no effective medications are available. Given the poor therapeutic outcome, the surveillance and management of PSC patients who are at an increased risk of developing CCA are of importance. Such patients include older males with large-duct PSC and possibly concurrent ulcerative colitis. Thus, more attention should be paid to patients with these clinical features, in particular within the first year after PSC diagnosis. In contrast, CCA is less frequently observed in pediatric or female PSC patients or in those with small-duct PSC or concurrent Crohn's disease. Recently, new biomarkers such as antibodies to glycoprotein 2 have been found to be associated with an increased risk of developing CCA in PSC. Herein, we review the literature on the pathogenesis, incidence, clinical features, and risk factors, with a focus on various diagnostic modalities of PSC-associated CCA.

Detecting cholangiocarcinoma in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis - The promise of DNA methylation and molecular biomarkers

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly fatal malignancy of the bile ducts that arises in up to 20% of patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Current detection methods for CCA display suboptimal sensitivity and/or specificity, and there is no evidence-based screening strategy for CCA in patients with PSC. Consequently, CCA is often detected too late for surgical resection, contributing to the high mortality associated with this malignancy. Recently, biomarkers have emerged with potential to complement current detection methods, and/or be used for cancer surveillance in high-risk patient groups, including patients with PSC. Aberrant DNA methylation patterns represent promising biomarkers with great potential for CCA detection. Such aberrations are frequent in CCA, often occur early, and can be detected in liquid biopsies, including blood, bile and urine. This review summarises and highlights the most promising DNA methylation biomarkers identified for CCA detection so far, focusing on patients with PSC. Other promising molecular biomarkers for detection of PSC-associated CCA in liquid biopsies will also be briefly covered.

Advances in the discovery of novel biomarkers for cancer: spotlight on protein N-glycosylation

Progress on glycosylation and tumor markers has not been extensively reported. Glycosylation plays an important part in post-translational modification. Previous research on glycosylation-modified biomarkers has lagged behind due to insufficient understanding of glycosylation-related regulations. However, some new methods and ideas illustrated in recent research may provide new inspirations in the field. This article aims to review current advances in revealing relationship between tumors and abnormal N-glycosylation and discuss leading-edge applications of N-glycosylation in developing novel tumor biomarkers.

Gene Variants That Affect Levels of Circulating Tumor Markers Increase Identification of Patients With Pancreatic Cancer

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) in blood are used as markers to determine the response of patients with cancer to therapy, but are not used to identify patients with pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

We obtained blood samples from 504 patients undergoing pancreatic surveillance from 2002 through 2018 who did not develop pancreatic cancer and measured levels of the tumor markers CA19-9, CEA, CA-125, and thrombospondin-2. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in FUT3, FUT2, ABO, and GAL3ST2 that have been associated with levels of tumor markers were used to establish SNP-defined ranges for each tumor marker. We also tested the association between additional SNPs (in FUT6, MUC16, B3GNT3, FAM3B, and THBS2) with levels of tumor markers. To calculate the diagnostic specificity of each SNP-defined range, we assigned the patients under surveillance into training and validation sets. After determining the SNP-defined ranges, we determined the sensitivity of SNP-adjusted tests for the tumor markers, measuring levels in blood samples from 245 patients who underwent resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) from 2010 through 2017.

RESULTS

A level of CA19-9 that identified patients with PDAC with 99% specificity had 52.7% sensitivity. When we set the cut-off levels of CA19-9 based on each SNP, the test for CA19-9 identified patients with PDAC with 60.8% sensitivity and 98.8% specificity. Among patients with FUT3 alleles that encode a functional protein, levels of CA19-9 greater than the SNP-determined cut-off values identified 66.4% of patients with PDAC, with 99.3% specificity. In the validation set, levels of CEA varied among patients with vs without SNP in FUT2, by blood group, and among smokers vs nonsmokers; levels of CA-125 varied among patients with vs without the SNP in GAL3ST2. The use of the SNPs to define the ranges of CEA and CA-125 did not significantly increase the diagnostic accuracy of the assays for these proteins. Combining data on levels of CA19-9 and CEA, CA19-9 and CA-125, or CA19-9 and thrombospondin-2 increased the sensitivity of detection of PDAC, but slightly reduced specificity.

CONCLUSIONS

Including information on SNPs associated with levels of CA19-9, CEA, and CA-125 can improve the diagnostic accuracy of assays for these tumor markers in the identification of patients with PDAC. Clinicaltrials.gov no: NCT02000089.

Cholangiocarcinoma in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare cholestatic liver disease characterized by progressive fibroinflammatory destruction of the intrahepatic and/or extrahepatic bile ducts. It is associated with a significantly increased risk of malignancy, particularly cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). In this review, we discuss what is currently known about the epidemiology of and risk factors for CCA in PSC as well as recent advances in its prevention, diagnosis, and surveillance.

RECENT FINDINGS

An area of major focus has been finding novel biomarkers (in serum, bile, and urine) for CCA. With the advancement of computing power, metabolomic and proteomic approaches, among other methods, may provide enhanced capability for differentiating between benign and malignant bile duct disease. Another area of focus has been the approach to CCA surveillance in PSC; a recent study has found that CCA surveillance in patients with PSC is associated with improved outcomes, including increased survival, thus advocating for its importance.

SUMMARY

Despite ongoing advancements in the study of PSC-associated CCA, early diagnosis of CCA remains difficult, treatment options are limited, and prognosis is often consequently poor. Continued research in the development of high-accuracy diagnostic tools, novel biomarkers, and surveillance techniques may help to increase the likelihood of diagnosing CCA at earlier stages, when therapeutic options have the highest likelihood of resulting in cure.

Clinicopathological characteristics of gastric cancer with carbohydrate antigen 19-9 expression occurring in elderly individuals: An autopsy study

The clinicopathological significance of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) in gastric cancer (GC) remains obscure. Therefore, the current study aimed to clarify the clinicopathological value of CA19-9 in GC utilizing autopsy cases. We examined the expression of CA19-9 and mucin core proteins in GC immunohistochemically, and analyzed serum CA19-9 levels and clinicopathological variables or complications. We also investigated whether fucosyltransferases 2 and 3 (FUT2/3) allelic variants influence CA19-9 expression in GC. Compared to GC cases with negative CA19-9 expression (tCA19-9-N), those with positive CA19-9 expression (tCA19-9-P) demonstrated significant differences in characteristic features such as lymph node and distant organ metastases, lymphatic and venous permeation, and higher Tumor, Node, Metastasis (TNM) stages. Moreover, compared to GC cases with low serum CA19-9 levels (sCA19-9-L), those with high serum CA19-9 levels (sCA19-9-H) were related to venous permeation, higher proportion of lymph node and distant organ metastases, and higher TNM stages. Both tCA19-9-P GC and sCA19-9-H GC cases were significantly associated with coagulation abnormalities. sCA19-9-H GC cases correlated significantly with MUC1 and MUC5AC expression. FUT2/3 genotypes were not associated with CA19-9 expression in GC. These results suggest that CA19-9 can predict the risk of lymph node and distant metastases as well as of coagulation abnormalities.

AGA Clinical Practice Update on Surveillance for Hepatobiliary Cancers in Patients With Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis: Expert Review

DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this clinical practice update is to define key principles in the surveillance of hepatobiliary cancers including cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder adenocarcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

METHODS

The recommendations outlined in this expert review are based on available published evidence including observational studies and systematic reviews, and incorporates expert opinion where applicable. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 1: Surveillance for cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer should be considered in all adult patients with PSC regardless of disease stage, especially in the first year after diagnosis and in patients with ulcerative colitis and those diagnosed at an older age. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 2: Surveillance for cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer should include imaging by ultrasound, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging, with or without serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9, every 6 to 12 months BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 3: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with brush cytology should not be used routinely for surveillance of cholangiocarcinomas in PSC. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 4: Cholangiocarcinomas should be investigated by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with brush cytology with or without fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis and/or cholangioscopy in PSC patients with worsening clinical symptoms, worsening cholestasis, or a dominant stricture. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 5: Fine-needle aspiration of perihilar biliary strictures should be used with caution in PSC patients considered to be liver transplant candidates because of concerns for tumor seeding if the lesion is a cholangiocarcinoma. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 6: Surveillance for cholangiocarcinoma should not be performed in PSC patients with small-duct PSCs or those younger than age 20. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 7: The decision to perform a cholecystectomy in PSC patients with a gallbladder polyp should be based on the size and growth of the polyp, as well as the clinical status of the patient, with the knowledge of the increased risk of gallbladder cancer in polyps greater than 8 mm. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 8: Surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma in PSC patients with cirrhosis should include ultrasound, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging, with or without α-fetoprotein every 6 months.

Cancer risk, screening and surveillance in primary sclerosing cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare chronic inflammatory condition mainly of the large bile ducts, affecting predominantly young men, and is associated with the presence of inflammatory bowel disease. There is no known cure for PSC, which progresses to cirrhosis or death over 10-20 years. Hepatobiliary malignancy, especially cholangiocarcinoma, is a feared complication associated with poor overall survival. Screening and surveillance appear to improve overall outcomes. To capture as many relevant studies, broad search criteria were employed within the PubMed database. Given the high prevalence of IBD and its own associations with the development of malignancy two separate search strategies were employed. Results were filtered by English language. The first search identified the risks, epidemiological factors and surveillance strategies for patients with PSC at risk for developing malignancy. MeSH terms included: cholangitis, sclerosing, digestive system neoplasms, liver neoplasms, biliary tract neoplasms, cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder neoplasms, colonic neoplasms, rectal neoplasms, or pancreatic neoplasms, risk factors, risk, surveillance, epidemiology and screen. The second included inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn's, or colitis, and assessed for additional malignancies such as lymphoma and skin neoplasms. A total of 288 results returned with 21 duplicates; 267 remaining abstracts were assessed for relevance for inclusion by the authors. Patients with PSC show significantly higher than average risk for the development of hepatobiliary and colonic malignancies including cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder carcinoma and colorectal carcinoma. Yearly ultrasound surveillance followed with more definitive cross-sectional imaging is prudent to arrive in a timely diagnosis of carcinoma, reducing morbidity and mortality.

Recent developments in the research on biomarkers of cholangiocarcinoma in primary sclerosing cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is characterized by a chronic inflammatory process of the bile ducts of unclear aetiology. It is often complicated by cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) with a dismal prognosis. Early detection of CCA is important because treatment options for advanced disease are limited. Besides the established markers, like CA19-9, recent developments have been made using latest technologies. This review summarizes the recent advances and remaining limitations of biomarkers of CCA in PSC.

Molecular perturbations in cholangiocarcinoma: Is it time for precision medicine?

The complexity of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) cellularity and the molecular perturbation mechanisms that underlie the diversity of growth patterns of this malignancy remain a clinical concern. Tumours of the biliary system display significant intrinsic chemoresistance, caused by significant stromal involvement and genome-wide tumour heterogeneity, hampering disease remission and palliation as well as promoting the metastatic behaviour. It is crucial to advance our present understanding of the risk and molecular pathogenesis of CCA. This will facilitate the delineation of patient subsets based on molecular perturbations and adjust for precision therapies.

Aberrant glycosylation and cancer biomarker discovery: a promising and thorny journey

Glycosylation is among the most important post-translational modifications for proteins and is of intrinsic complex character compared with DNAs and naked proteins. Indeed, over 50%-70% of proteins in circulation are glycosylated, and the "sweet attachments" have versatile structural and functional implications. Both the configuration and composition of the attached glycans affect the biological activities of consensus proteins significantly. Glycosylation is generated by complex biosynthetic pathways comprising hundreds of glycosyltransferases, glycosidases, transcriptional factors, transporters and the protein backbone. In addition, lack of direct genetic templates and glyco-specific antibodies such as those commonly used in DNA amplification and protein capture makes research on glycans and glycoproteins even more difficult, thus resulting in sparse knowledge on the pathophysiological implications of glycosylation. Fortunately, cutting-edge technologies have afforded new opportunities and approaches for investigating cancer-related glycosylation. Thus, glycans as well as aberrantly glycosylated protein-based cancer biomarkers have been increasingly recognized. This mini-review highlights the most recent developments in glyco-biomarker studies in an effort to discover clinically relevant cancer biomarkers using advanced analytical methodologies such as mass spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatographic/ultra-performance liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, and lectin-based technologies. Recent clinical-centered glycobiological studies focused on determining the regulatory mechanisms and the relation with diagnostics, prognostics and even therapeutics are also summarized. These studies indicate that glycomics is a treasure waiting to be mined where the growth of cancer-related glycomics and glycoproteomics is the next great challenge after genomics and proteomics.

Longitudinal analysis of CA19-9 reveals individualised normal range and early changes before development of biliary tract cancer in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis

BACKGROUND

Primary sclerosing cholangitis is associated with an increased risk of biliary tract cancer. Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) can be used to screen for these malignancies.

AIM

To perform a longitudinal analysis of CA19-9 in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of CA19-9 values in patients who had primary sclerosing cholangitis, with and without biliary malignancy. We calculated the index of individuality and reference change value in patients who were cancer-free. Long-term analysis of CA19-9 in cancer-free patients was performed and we assessed the change of CA19-9 prior to diagnosis of cancer.

RESULTS

We obtained 1818 CA19-9 values from 247 patients, including 32 with malignancy. Median CA19-9 in cancer-free individuals was 15.6 U/mL. The index of individuality was 0.37 and the reference change value was 46.23%. In cancer-free patients, no significant change in CA19-9 was observed at 1, 2, 5, 7, 10, 15, and 20 years after initial diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis. In patients with biliary tract cancer, CA19-9 was higher at 3 months prior to diagnosis (P < 0.05) than at 6 months before diagnosis and was also higher than at 3 months prior to last follow-up in cancer-free patients (P < 0.05). In 92.9% of patients with biliary cancer, we found an increase in CA19-9 of >46.23% in the year prior to cancer diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

CA19-9 in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis is highly individual, and the reference change value should be preferred to reference intervals. In this study, CA19-9 remained stable in patients who were cancer-free but increased early in those who developed biliary tract cancer. Regular CA19-9 measurement might improve early detection of these malignancies.

The role of magnetic resonance imaging and endoscopic retrograde cholangiography in the evaluation of disease activity and severity in primary sclerosing cholangitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERCP) has been considered the gold standard for the diagnosis and follow-up of primary sclerosing cholangitis, but it has been replaced by less invasive magnetic resonance imaging and cholangiopancreatography (MRI-MRCP). However, the role of these two techniques in the evaluation of disease activity and severity needs to be elucidated.

METHODS

Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (n: 48, male 31, median age: 35.7; 28.0-44.2) who underwent ERCP and MRI-MRCP within ±3 months for diagnosis or follow-up, were reviewed. ERCP and MRI-MRCP images were scored using the modified Amsterdam score. Serum and biliary cytology markers of disease activity and severity were related to the imaging findings. Agreement on the assessment of the ERCP/MRCP score was calculated by kappa-statistics. Spearman's ρ was calculated when appropriate.

RESULTS

The agreement between ERCP and MRCP in scoring bile duct changes for disease severity was only moderate (weighted kappa: 0.437; 95% CI: 0.211-0.644 for intra- and 0.512; 95% CI: 0.303-0.720 for extra-hepatic bile ducts). ERCP and MRCP intra-hepatic scores were associated to the surrogate marker alkaline phosphatase (P = .02 for both). A weak correlation between MRCP score for extra-hepatic bile ducts and liver transplantation/death was found (Spearman's ρ = .362, 95% CI: 0.080-0.590, P = .022). A weak correlation between intra- (Spearman's ρ = .322, 95% CI: 0.048-0.551, P = .022) and extra-hepatic (Spearman`s ρ = .319, 95% CI: 0.045-0.549, P = .025) peribiliary enhancement on contrast-enhanced MRI and severity of biliary cytologic classification was found.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall agreement between ERCP and MRI-MRCP in assessing disease severity was moderate for intra- and extra-hepatic bile ducts. MRI-MRCP seems to have a minor role as surrogate marker of disease activity and progression in PSC.

New observations on the utility of CA19-9 as a biomarker in Lewis negative patients with pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) is the best-validated biomarker for pancreatic cancer. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline asserts that "CA19-9 will be undetectable in Lewis antigen-negative individuals". However, reports of CA19-9 secretion and its significance in Lewis (-) patients with pancreatic cancer have been inconsistent. This study was to examine serum CA19-9 levels in patients with pancreatic cancer according to Lewis status.

METHODS

Patients with pancreatic cancer (1482 cases) were retrieved from a prospectively maintained database. Patients with benign pancreatic disease (210 cases) and normal subjects (315 cases) were used as controls. Lewis genotypes were examined by fucosyltransferase 3 (FUT3) sequencing.

RESULTS

In patients with pancreatic cancer, 8.4% of subjects were Lewis (-), but only 41.9% of Lewis (-) subjects had CA19-9 values ≤ 2 U/mL. CA19-9 was even elevated (>37 U/mL) in 27.4% of Lewis (-) patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for CA19-9 as a diagnostic biomarker was 0.842 in Lewis (-) patients with pancreatic cancer, which is closing to that of CA19-9 applied in all of patients with pancreatic cancer (0.898). Lewis (-) status was an independent prognostic factor for shorter survival in a multivariable analysis (hazard ratio (HR), 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-1.64; P = 0.028).

CONCLUSIONS

Not all Lewis (-) patients with pancreatic cancer are non-secretors of CA19-9. Contrary to general understanding, CA19-9 can retain its utility as a biomarker in these patients in spite of Lewis (-) genotype.

Surveillance for hepatobiliary cancers in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a risk factor for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and gallbladder carcinoma (GBCa). Surveillance for GBCa is recommended, but the clinical utility of surveillance for other hepatobiliary cancers (HBCa) in PSC, namely CCA and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), remains unclear. We aimed to determine whether surveillance is associated with better survival after diagnosis of HBCa in patients with PSC. Medical records of PSC patients seen at the Mayo Clinic Rochester from 1995 to 2015 were reviewed. Patients were included if they had ≥1 year of follow-up and developed HBCa. Patients were categorized according to their surveillance status (abdominal imaging, carbohydrate antigen 19-9, and alpha-fetoprotein). The primary endpoints were HBCa recurrence, HBCa-related death, and all-cause mortality. Overall survival was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier survival method; HBCa-related survival was assessed using competing risk regression. Tests of significance were two-tailed, and a P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. From 1995 to 2015, a total of 79 of 830 PSC patients were diagnosed with HBCa. Cumulative follow-up was 712 and 283 person-years pre- and post-HBCa diagnosis, respectively. Seventy-eight percent of patients (54/79) developed CCA, 21% (17/79) HCC, 6% (5/79) GBCa, 3% (2/79) both CCA and HCC, and 1% (1/79) both HCC and GBCa. Fifty-one percent (40/79) were under HBCa surveillance, and 49% (39/79) were not. Patients in the surveillance group had significantly higher 5-year overall survival (68% versus 20%, respectively; P < 0.001) and significantly lower 5-year probability of experiencing an HBCa-related adverse event (32% versus 75%, respectively; P < 0.001) compared with the no-surveillance group.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that HBCa surveillance significantly improves outcomes, including survival, in patients with PSC. (Hepatology 2018;67:2338-2351).

Diagnosis and Management of Intrahepatic and Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinomas (CC) are rare tumors which usually present late and are often difficult to diagnose and treat. CCs are categorized as intrahepatic, hilar, or extrahepatic. Epidemiologic studies suggest that the incidence of intrahepatic CCs may be increasing worldwide. In this chapter, we review the risk factors, clinical presentation, and management of cholangiocarcinoma.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis - a comprehensive review

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare disorder characterised by multi-focal bile duct strictures and progressive liver disease. Inflammatory bowel disease is usually present and there is a high risk of cholangiocarcinoma and colorectal cancer. Most patients ultimately require liver transplantation, after which disease recurrence may occur. With limited therapeutic options and a lack of proven surveillance strategies, patients currently have significant unmet needs. In the present seminar, we provide a comprehensive review of the status of the field. We emphasise developments related to patient stratification and disease behaviour, and provide an overview of management options from a practical, patient-centered perspective. We survey advances made in the understanding of PSC pathogenesis and summarise the ongoing efforts to develop an effective therapy based on these insights.

Distribution of Lewis and Secretor polymorphisms and corresponding CA19-9 antigen expression in a Chinese population

The Lewis (FUT3) and Secretor (FUT2) genes, corresponding to secretion of Lewis ABO (H) histo‐blood group antigen CA19‐9, are highly polymorphic with differences between populations. In this study, the FUT3 and FUT2 genes in 316 Chinese participants were sequenced to detect polymorphisms, and the associated CA19‐9 antigen secretion was also measured. In total, 14 genotypes of FUT3 and 10 genotypes of FUT2 were verified. Le/Le, Le/le^59,508 and Le/le⁵⁹ were the main genotypes of FUT3 with frequencies of 53.2%, 10.7% and 3.5%, respectively. Se/Se, Se/se³⁸⁵ and se³⁸⁵/se³⁸⁵ were the main genotypes of FUT2, with frequencies of 21.4%, 18.6% and 16.2%, respectively. The alleles le¹⁰⁶⁷ and le⁵⁰⁸ were found extensively in the Chinese population, and the frequency of allele se³⁸⁵ was shown to be higher than previously reported. Phenotype analysis revealed that 9.8% of individuals were the Lewis‐negative type and 22.5% were the secretor‐negative type. Combined phenotypes showed that 3.2% of participants were of ‘double‐negative’ phenotype (le, se) and 19.3% were of single dominant non‐secretor phenotype (Le, se). Serum Lewis antigen CA19‐9 levels were significantly different between subgroups and consistent with the defined phenotype. Our study revealed the unique distribution of Lewis and Secretor polymorphisms in a large Chinese population, and decoded the combined genotypes of the two CA19‐9‐related genes.

An update on cancer risk and surveillance in primary sclerosing cholangitis

Malignancy represents substantial morbidity and mortality in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). This subset of patients has been proven to be at increased risk for developing cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder carcinoma and colorectal cancer in those with overlapping inflammatory bowel disease. Herein, we review the prevalence of these malignancies and recommend screening tools and current knowledge to reduce the disease burden in this population. Cholangiocarcinoma is the most dominant malignancy affecting PSC patients, with a lifetime risk ranging from 5% to 20%. We advocate for serial US or MRI/MRCP and CA 19-9 to screen for cholangiocarcinoma. Gallbladder cancer has a lifetime risk around 2% in this population and we agree with annual imaging for lesions as recommended by national guidelines. Patients with PSC and concomitant IBD are at increased risk of colorectal carcinoma from time of diagnosis and therefore should likely undergo annual surveillance. The low rates of hepatocellular cancer and pancreatic cancer indicate surveillance for these malignancies is less advantageous.

Role of endoscopy in primary sclerosing cholangitis: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Clinical Guideline

This guideline is an official statement of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) on the role of endoscopy in primary sclerosing cholangitis. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was adopted to define the strength of recommendations and the quality of evidence. Main recommendations.

Genetics of primary sclerosing cholangitis and pathophysiological implications

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic disease leading to fibrotic scarring of the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts, causing considerable morbidity and mortality via the development of cholestatic liver cirrhosis, concurrent IBD and a high risk of bile duct cancer. Expectations have been high that genetic studies would determine key factors in PSC pathogenesis to support the development of effective medical therapies. Through the application of genome-wide association studies, a large number of disease susceptibility genes have been identified. The overall genetic architecture of PSC shares features with both autoimmune diseases and IBD. Strong human leukocyte antigen gene associations, along with several susceptibility genes that are critically involved in T-cell function, support the involvement of adaptive immune responses in disease pathogenesis, and position PSC as an autoimmune disease. In this Review, we survey the developments that have led to these gene discoveries. We also elaborate relevant interpretations of individual gene findings in the context of established disease models in PSC, and propose relevant translational research efforts to pursue novel insights.

Pathogenesis and clinical spectrum of primary sclerosing cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a disease of the biliary tract, which has been documented in the literature since 1867. This disease has a strong predilection for affecting men and can be seen in individuals as young as 2 years of age. PSC has a strong associated with inflammatory bowel disease, more commonly with ulcerative colitis, and is also part of the clinical spectrum of IgG4-related diseases. Small-duct PSC, a variant of PSC, also has an association with inflammatory bowel disease. The exact pathogenesis of PSC is not well understood at present, however, is likely a combination of a genetic predisposition with alteration of the molecular structure of the gut. Abnormal serum liver chemistry and presence of certain autoimmune markers are usually the first indicators leading to a diagnosis of PCS, however, these may often be normal in early stages of this disease. The diagnosis is made by cholangiography, which is now considered the gold standard. PSC is a known pre-malignant condition. Such patients have an increased risk of developing cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder neoplasia, and colon cancer. Many new treatment modalities have emerged in the recent past, including anti-tumor necrosis factor- α and anti-integrins; however, liver transplantation is the only known cure for PSC. Despite past and present research, PSC remains an enigmatic biliary disease with few viable treatment options.

Risk of cholangiocarcinoma in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis: diagnosis and surveillance

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is associated with an increased risk of hepatobiliary and extrahepatic malignancy. Particularly the risk of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is greatly increased. To provide potentially curative treatments for affected patients an early diagnosis of CCA is crucial. We here review the current advances with respect to CCA diagnosis and surveillance and discuss a rational approach on how to perform surveillance of CCA in PSC patients.

RECENT FINDINGS

Given the shortcomings of the current modalities for the surveillance and diagnosis of CCA in PSC, recent studies have focused on novel biomarkers for CCA. These include serum biomarkers (e.g., circulating angiopoeitin-2, cytokeratin-19 fragments, and antiglycoprotein 2 IgA autoantibodies, microRNA) as well as proteomics obtained from urine and/or bile. Novel approaches that may enhance the diagnostic value of brush cytology in future include the optimization of fluorescence in situ hybridization probes and the assessment of genetic aberrations. In addition, studies on advanced techniques (e.g., single-operator cholangioscopy and probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy) have shown promising results with respect to CCA detection.

SUMMARY

Despite recent advances in the diagnosis of CCA in PSC, the detection of early-stage CCA remains difficult. A better understanding of CCA pathogenesis and large prospective studies on novel biomarkers and techniques are required to timely diagnose CCA in the future.

Carcinoembryonic Antigen Level in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Is Not Influenced by Dominant Strictures or Bacterial Cholangitis

BACKGROUND

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) can be used to screen for biliary tract cancer in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

AIM

To study the influence of benign dominant strictures (DS), superimposed bacterial cholangitis (SBC), smoking status, and inflammatory bowel disease on CEA serum levels.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of CEA values in cancer-free PSC patients was performed. We included the maximal CEA value obtained during follow-up and information on the presence of DS and SBC at that time, and we analyzed the CEA values in the presence and absence of DS and SBC. Results are reported as medians with the interquartile range (IQR).

RESULTS

The median maximal CEA level, which was 1.8 ng/mL (IQR 1.2-2.9) in the final 270 PSC patients included in the study, was not influenced by the presence of either DS or SBC (P = 0.320). Moreover, in 49 patients, the first CEA value available at the time of DS (1.5 ng/mL; IQR 1.2-2.1) and that at a time without DS (1.6 ng/mL; IQR 1.1-2.3) did not differ significantly (P = 0.397). Lastly, in 24 patients, the median CEA values at a time without SBC (1.8 ng/mL; IQR 1.2-2.5) and at the time of SBC (1.8 ng/mL; IQR 1.0-3.0) were comparable (P = 0.305). Smoking did not influence CEA-based cancer screening.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum CEA level is not influenced by the presence of DS or SBC and might therefore serve as a favorable parameter for improving cancer screening in PSC patients.

Optimize CA19-9 in detecting pancreatic cancer by Lewis and Secretor genotyping

BACKGROUND

Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) is currently the most widely used biomarker for pancreatic cancer. It is well-known that Lewis and Secretor status can affect CA19-9 biosynthesis. This study was performed to optimize CA19-9 in detecting pancreatic cancer using Lewis and Secretor dependent cut-off values.

METHODS

Lewis and Secretor genotypes were determined by Sanger sequencing in a large cohort of subjects (578 cases with pancreatic cancer, 210 cases with benign pancreatic disease, 315 normal subjects). The effectiveness of CA19-9 for detecting pancreatic cancer using Lewis and Secretor group dependent cut-off values was evaluated.

RESULTS

The Lewis (-), Mixed, and Secretor (-) groups had low, medium, and high CA19-9 biosynthesis, respectively. In Lewis (-) pancreatic cancer (all stages), CA19-9 had a sensitivity of 48.6% and a specificity of 95.9% when 1.8 U/mL was used as the cut-off value. The sensitivity of CA19-9 in detecting all stages of pancreatic cancer improved from 80.1% to 88.0% and the negative predictive value increased from 81.2% to 87.1% without compromising other values when using group dependent cut-off values. The sensitivity of CA19-9 for the detection of stage I, II pancreatic cancer increased from 76.1% to 87.2%.

CONCLUSIONS

The value of CA19-9 in detecting pancreatic cancer was optimized by using group dependent cut-off values based on Lewis and Secretor genotypes. CA19-9 can be applied as an early detector of pancreatic cancer using group dependent cut-off values.

Expert consensus document: Cholangiocarcinoma: current knowledge and future perspectives consensus statement from the European Network for the Study of Cholangiocarcinoma (ENS-CCA)

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a heterogeneous group of malignancies with features of biliary tract differentiation. CCA is the second most common primary liver tumour and the incidence is increasing worldwide. CCA has high mortality owing to its aggressiveness, late diagnosis and refractory nature. In May 2015, the "European Network for the Study of Cholangiocarcinoma" (ENS-CCA: www.enscca.org or www.cholangiocarcinoma.eu) was created to promote and boost international research collaboration on the study of CCA at basic, translational and clinical level. In this Consensus Statement, we aim to provide valuable information on classifications, pathological features, risk factors, cells of origin, genetic and epigenetic modifications and current therapies available for this cancer. Moreover, future directions on basic and clinical investigations and plans for the ENS-CCA are highlighted.

The Gut-Liver Axis in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Dysregulation of the key genetic, immunologic, and microbiome compounds of the gut-liver axis is the basis for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). This creates opportunities to accelerate therapies that have been traditionally developed for IBD to be used in PSC to the benefit of both diseases. Shared genetic susceptibility loci has yielded important clues into the pathogenesis of PSC-IBD. Understanding of the critical links between PSC and IBD are essential in designing clinical care pathways for these complex patients.

Cancer Risk and Surveillance in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic, progressive disease characterized by inflammatory and fibrosing strictures of the biliary tree. PSC is associated with a high lifetime risk of hepatobiliary and colorectal cancers. The nature of the carcinogenic process in PSC is not well established. The lack of diagnostic methods for early detection and the limited therapeutic options for cholangiocarcinoma constitute a major challenge in the current handling of PSC patients. The article reviews the risk for cancer development in PSC and discusses surveillance strategies for PSC-associated cancers.

Evaluation of indeterminate biliary strictures

Biliary strictures frequently present a diagnostic challenge during pre-operative evaluation to determine their benign or malignant nature. A variety of benign conditions, such as primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis, frequently mimic malignancies. In addition, PSC and other chronic biliary diseases increase the risk of cholangiocarcinoma and so require ongoing vigilance. Although traditional methods of evaluation including imaging, detection of circulating tumour markers, and sampling by endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography have a high specificity, they suffer from low sensitivity. Currently, up to 20% of biliary strictures remain indeterminate after pre-operative evaluation and necessitate surgical intervention for a definitive diagnosis. The discovery of novel biomarkers, new imaging modalities and advanced endoscopic techniques suggests that a multimodality approach might lead to better diagnostic accuracy.

Inflammation But Not Biliary Obstruction Is Associated With Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 Levels in Patients With Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Assays that measure the serum level of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) are used to screen patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) for malignancies. However, in patients with PSC, cholestasis, and bacterial cholangitis, the CA19-9 level can be affected by variants in the fucosyltransferases 2 and 3 genes (FUT2 and FUT3), which regulate the production of CA19-9. We investigated how these genotypes affect cancer screening in these patients.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of data from 209 patients with PSC (19 patients with biliary malignancy, 23 patients with cholestasis and bacterial cholangitis) treated at the University Hospital Heidelberg from 1987 through 2014. We collected data on the maximum serum level of CA19-9; laboratory measures of cholestasis or inflammation; the presence of dominant stenosis, cholestasis, and bacterial cholangitis; and FUT2 and FUT3 genotypes. Patients were assigned to intermediate (n = 161) or high (n = 48) CA19-9 biosynthesis groups, based on FUT2 and FUT3 genotypes. Patients incapable of CA19-9 biosynthesis, based on genetic features, were excluded.

RESULTS

The median level of CA19-9 was 31.1 U/mL in cancer-free patients. The CA19-9 level correlated with the level of C-reactive protein (P < .001); high CA19-9 biosynthesis correlated with high leukocyte counts (P = .037), but not intermediate CA19-9 biosynthesis. There was no correlation between the level of CA19-9 and laboratory markers of cholestasis. The level of CA19-9 was the lowest in patients without biliary obstruction, cholestasis, or bacterial cholangitis (7.8 U/mL), followed by patients with only obstruction (28.0 U/mL), and then patients with cholestasis and bacterial cholangitis (77.0 U/mL and 205.4 U/mL in patients without or with concomitant obstruction, respectively). The greatest increase in CA19-9 as a result of cholestasis and bacterial cholangitis was observed in patients in the high CA19-9 biosynthesis group.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with PSC, cholestasis has little effect on the level of CA19-9, but cholestasis and bacterial cholangitis increase the level. Their effects on CA19-9 level depend on the FUT2 and FUT3 genotype. These findings support the analysis of FUT2 and FUT3 genotype during follow-up evaluation of patients with PSC.

Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis as a Premalignant Biliary Tract Disease: Surveillance and Management

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a premalignant biliary tract disease that confers a significant risk for the development of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). The chronic biliary tract inflammation of PSC promotes pro-oncogenic processes such as cellular proliferation, induction of DNA damage, alterations of the extracellular matrix, and cholestasis. The diagnosis of malignancy in PSC can be challenging because inflammation-related changes in PSC may produce dominant biliary tract strictures mimicking CCA. Biomarkers such as detection of methylated genes in biliary specimens represent noninvasive techniques that may discriminate malignant biliary ductal changes from PSC strictures. However, conventional cytology and advanced cytologic techniques such as fluorescence in situ hybridization for polysomy remain the practice standard for diagnosing CCA in PSC. Curative treatment options of malignancy arising in PSC are limited. For a subset of patients selected by using stringent criteria, liver transplantation after neoadjuvant chemoradiation is a potential curative therapy. However, most patients have advanced malignancy at the time of diagnosis. Advances directed at identifying high-risk patients, early cancer detection, and development of chemopreventive strategies will be essential to better manage the cancer risk in this premalignant disease. A better understanding of dysplasia definition and especially its natural history is also needed in this disease. Herein, we review recent developments in our understanding of the risk factors, pathogenic mechanisms of PSC associated with CCA, as well as advances in early detection and therapies.

Prognosis and Clinicopathologic Features of Patients With Advanced Stage Isocitrate Dehydrogenase (IDH) Mutant and IDH Wild-Type Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Conflicting data exist regarding the prognostic impact of the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), and limited data exist in patients with advanced-stage disease. Similarly, the clinical phenotype of patients with advanced IDH mutant (IDHm) ICC has not been characterized. In this study, we report the correlation of IDH mutation status with prognosis and clinicopathologic features in patients with advanced ICC.

METHODS

Patients with histologically confirmed advanced ICC who underwent tumor mutational profiling as a routine part of their care between 2009 and 2014 were evaluated. Clinical and pathological data were collected by retrospective chart review for patients with IDHm versus IDH wild-type (IDHwt) ICC. Pretreatment tumor volume was calculated on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.

RESULTS

Of the 104 patients with ICC who were evaluated, 30 (28.8%) had an IDH mutation (25.0% IDH1, 3.8% IDH2). The median overall survival did not differ significantly between IDHm and IDHwt patients (15.0 vs. 20.1 months, respectively; p = .17). The pretreatment serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) level in IDHm and IDHwt patients was 34.5 and 118.0 U/mL, respectively (p = .04). Age at diagnosis, sex, histologic grade, and pattern of metastasis did not differ significantly by IDH mutation status.

CONCLUSION

The IDH mutation was not associated with prognosis in patients with advanced ICC. The clinical phenotypes of advanced IDHm and IDHwt ICC were similar, but patients with IDHm ICC had a lower median serum CA19-9 level at presentation.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Previous studies assessing the prognostic impact of the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) gene mutation in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) mainly focused on patients with early-stage disease who have undergone resection. These studies offer conflicting results. The target population for clinical trials of IDH inhibitors is patients with unresectable or metastatic disease, and the current study is the first to focus on the prognosis and clinical phenotype of this population and reports on the largest cohort of patients with advanced IDH mutant ICC to date. The finding that the IDH mutation lacks prognostic significance in advanced ICC is preliminary and needs to be confirmed prospectively in a larger study.