Prognostic Value of Lymphovascular Invasion in Patients with Stage III Colorectal Cancer: A Retrospective Study

Combination of DNA ploidy, stroma, and nucleotyping predicting prognosis and tailoring adjuvant chemotherapy duration in stage III colon cancer

Introduction

DNA ploidy (P), stroma fraction (S), and nucleotyping (N) collectively known as PSN, have proven prognostic accuracy in stage II colorectal cancer (CRC). However, few studies have reported on the prognostic value of the PSN panel in stage III colon cancer patients receiving capecitabine and oxaliplatin adjuvant chemotherapy.

Objectives

This study aimed to validate PSN's prognostic impact on stage III colon cancer, identifying candidates for optimized adjuvant chemotherapy duration.

Design

A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of stage III colon cancer patients from April 2008 to June 2020.

Methods

Postoperative pathological samples from stage III colon cancer patients who underwent radical surgery and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were retrospectively collected. Automated digital imaging assessed PSN, categorizing risk groups. Kaplan-Meier, Cox regression, and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis compared model validity.

Results

Significant differences in 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were noted among PSN-based low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups (DFS: 92.10% versus 83.62% versus 79.80%, p = 0.029; OS: 96.69% versus 93.99% versus 90.12%, p = 0.016). PSN emerged as an independent prognostic factor for DFS [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.409, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.002-1.981, p = 0.049] and OS (HR = 1.720, 95% CI: 1.127-2.624, p = 0.012). The PSN model, incorporating perineural invasion and tumor location, displayed superior area under the curve for 5-year (0.692 versus 0.553, p = 0.020) and 10-year (0.694 versus 0.532, p = 0.006) DFS than TNM stage. In the PSN high-risk group, completing eight cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy significantly improved 5-year DFS and OS compared to four to seven cycles (DFS: 89.43% versus 71.52%, p = 0.026; OS: 96.77% versus 85.46%, p = 0.007).

Conclusion

The PSN panel effectively stratifies stage III colon cancer, aiding in optimized adjuvant chemotherapy duration determination.

Lymphovascular invasion in colorectal cancers: can we predict it preoperatively?

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate preoperative predictors of lymphovascular invasion (LVI), which is a poor prognostic factor usually detected postoperatively in patients with colorectal cancer.

METHODS

Results for all patients operated on for colorectal cancer between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2021, were retrospectively analyzed. Potential preoperative factors and postoperative pathology results were recorded. The patients were categorized as those with LVI and those without LVI. Potential factors that may be associated with LVI were compared between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

The study included 335 patients. The incidence of LVI was 3.11 times higher in patients with ascending colon tumors (odds ratio [OR], 3.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-7.23; P=0.008) and 4.28 times higher in those with metastatic tumors (OR, 4.28; 95% CI, 2.18-8.39; P<0.001). Diabetes mellitus was inversely related to LVI in colorectal cancer patients; specifically, LVI was 56% less common in colorectal cancer patients with diabetes mellitus, irrespective of its duration (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.25-0.76; P<0.001).

CONCOUSION

The presence of preoperative LVI in colorectal cancer patients is difficult to predict. In particular, the effect of the effect of factors such as chronic disease accompanied by microvascular pathologies on LVI is still unclear. Advances in the neoadjuvant treatment of colorectal cancer patients, who are becoming more widespread every day, will encourage the investigation of different methods of preoperatively predicting LVI as a poor prognostic factor in these patients.

Esophageal cancer patient survival: A retrospective study from a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan

Objective

To determine the pattern, tumor characteristics of esophageal cancer (EC) and survival of esophageal carcinoma patients presenting to upper GI Unit at Dr. Ruth K.M. Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of histologically confirmed EC patients from 2016 to 2021 at Upper GI Unit - Dr. Ruth K.M. Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi. Data were collected using a filled Proforma, medical records, pathology reports and surgical notes, and patients or their family members were contacted for informed consent. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA version 16.0. Time to event was measured from the date of diagnosis to the date of the last follow-up or recorded death. Descriptive statistics and survival analyses, including Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test, were employed. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to assess independent predictors of survival.

Results

Total 152 patients with a median age of 45 (range 80-15) years were enrolled in this study. Clinical stages-III, IV-A and IV-B were identified in 35.5% (n = 54), 23.7% (n = 36) and 34.2% (n = 52), respectively. Total of 62% (n=94) had died at median follow up of 9.56 months and three years overall survival rate was 10.0%. Univariate survival analysis revealed that patients with clinical stage-II (p-value 0.002) and patients treated with combined surgery plus chemo-radiotherapy (p-value 0.040) was significantly associated with lower risk of mortality among other stages and treatment modality groups. Conversely, patients having metastasis (p value <0.001) and those with vascular involvement >90 degrees (p value <0.001) showed worse survival outcomes.

Conclusion

Our study reveals a three years survival rate of 10.0%, emphasizing the formidable challenge of advanced-stage malignancies. Clinical stage, vascular involvement, and metastasis emerged as significant predictors of mortality. Moreover, integrating surgery with chemo-radiotherapy significantly improved three years survival (36.8% vs. 14.2%). Despite single-center limitations, our findings provide crucial regional insights into esophageal carcinoma outcomes.

Exploring Potential Epigenetic Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer Metastasis

Metastatic progression is a complex, multistep process and the leading cause of cancer mortality. There is growing evidence that emphasises the significance of epigenetic modification, specifically DNA methylation and histone modifications, in influencing colorectal (CRC) metastasis. Epigenetic modifications influence the expression of genes involved in various cellular processes, including the pathways associated with metastasis. These modifications could contribute to metastatic progression by enhancing oncogenes and silencing tumour suppressor genes. Moreover, specific epigenetic alterations enable cancer cells to acquire invasive and metastatic characteristics by altering cell adhesion, migration, and invasion-related pathways. Exploring the involvement of DNA methylation and histone modification is crucial for identifying biomarkers that impact cancer prediction for metastasis in CRC. This review provides a summary of the potential epigenetic biomarkers associated with metastasis in CRC, particularly DNA methylation and histone modifications, and examines the pathways associated with these biomarkers.

ABO and Rhesus blood group markers as predictors in colorectal cancer: A prospective observational study

Numerous research studies have investigated the relationship between ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood groups and the risk of various cancers, yielding diverse findings. While these blood groups have been established as prognostic factors in some cancers, their relevance to colorectal cancer (CRC) remains uncertain. This research aims to determine the link between CRC and the ABO and Rh blood groups and explore any potential implications for disease survival. A hospital-based prospective observational study was conducted from March 2019 to March 2022 at the Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar, India. A total of 246 patients with confirmed colorectal cancer were enrolled in the study. Our study observed that blood type B (33.74%) and Rh-positive (91.87%) blood types were the most prevalent, surpassing other blood groups. No statistically significant associations were identified between the blood groups and the studied xenobiotic-metabolizing enzyme gene variants. The study observed a heightened risk of CRC in patients with advanced cancer stages and lymphovascular invasion (P-value < .05). On follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences in 3-year survival rates observed between ABO and Rh blood groups. This study's findings suggest that ABO and Rh blood groups are not associated with the risk of CRC or overall survival among CRC patients. Further clinical studies are needed to establish the precise relationship between blood groups and CRC risks, as well as their implications for the prognosis of CRC patients.

Prognostic value of lymphovascular and perineural invasion in colorectal cancer

Background/Aim: Lymphovascular and perineural invasion (LVI and PNI, respectively) are associated with poor prognosis in various cancers. We sought to identify clinical variables associated with LVI and PNI in colorectal cancer (CRC) and their effects on survival. Methods: Our study design is consistent with a retrospective cohort study. Data from 237 patients with documented LVI or PNI who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer between 2017 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic characteristics, surgery and pathology reports, disease-free and overall survival (DFS and OS, respectively) of the patients were examined. Results: When the DFS duration of the patients were evaluated, The mean DFS of the LVI-negative group was 27.4 (15.09) months, and the mean of the LVI-positive patients was 20.45 (13) months. DFS was longer in the LVI-negative group (P<0.001). DFS was 52.26 (1.89) months in PNI-negative patients and 34.29 (2.71) months in PNI-positive patients. DFS expectation of PNI-positive patients was approximately 18 months less than that of negative patients (P<0.001). When the patients were evaluated in terms of OS duration, no significant difference was observed in LVI-negative and -positive patient groups, while the estimated OS duration was 52.29 (1.84) months in PNI-negative patients, and 40.10 (2.49) months in PNI-positive patients. OS was 12 months shorter in PNI-negative patients (P<0.001). Conclusion: The use of PNI and LVI together was found to have a significant impact on the survival rates of patients with colorectal cancer. Documenting LVI and PNI status in biopsy specimens can aid in the management, prognosis, and decision-making for treating colorectal tumors.

Lymphovascular invasion represents a superior prognostic and predictive pathological factor of the duration of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and perineural invasion (PNI) can indicate poor survival outcomes in colorectal cancer, but few studies have focused on stage III colon cancer. The current study aimed to confirm the prognostic value of LVI and PNI and identify patients who could benefit from a complete duration of adjuvant chemotherapy based on the two pathological factors.

METHODS

We enrolled 402 consecutive patients with stage III colon cancer who received colon tumor resection from November 2007 to June 2016 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. Survival analyses were performed by using Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank tests. Risk factors related to disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were identified through Cox proportional hazards analysis.

RESULTS

141 (35.1%) patients presented with LVI, and 108 (26.9%) patients with PNI. The LVI-positive group was associated with poorer 3-year DFS (86.5% vs. 76.3%, P = 0.001) and OS (96.0% vs. 89.1%, P = 0.003) rates compared with the LVI-negative group. The PNI-positive group showed a worse outcome compared with the PNI-negative group in 3-year DFS rate (72.5% vs. 86.7%, P < 0.001). Moreover, LVI-positive group present better 3-year DFS and OS rate in patients completing 6-8 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy than those less than 6 cycles (3-year DFS: 80.0% vs. 64.9%, P = 0.019; 3-year OS: 93.2% vs. 76.3%, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

LVI is a superior prognostic factor to PNI in stage III colon cancer patients undergoing curative treatment. PNI status can noly predict the 3-year DFS wihout affecting the 3-year OS. Furthermore, LVI also represents an effective indicator for adjuvant chemotherapy duration.

CT-based radiomics nomogram for the pre-operative prediction of lymphovascular invasion in colorectal cancer: a multicenter study

OBJECTIVE

To develop and externally validate a CT-based radiomics nomogram for the pre-operative prediction of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODS

357 patients derived from 2 centers with pathologically confirmed CRC were included in this retrospective study. Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) radiomics features were extracted from portal venous phase CT images. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm and logistic regression were used for constructing 2D and 3D radiomics models. The radiomics nomogram was developed by integrating the radiomics score (rad-score) and the clinical risk factor.

RESULTS

The rad-score was significantly higher in the LVI+ group than in the LVI- group (p < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the 3D radiomics model were higher than those of the 2D radiomics model. The AUCs of 3D and 2D radiomics models in the training set were 0.82 (95% CI: 0.75-0.89) and 0.74 (95% CI: 0.66-0.82); in the internal validation set were 0.75 (95% CI: 0.65-0.85) and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.56-0.78); in the external validation set were 0.75 (95% CI: 0.64-0.86) and 0.57 (95% CI: 0.45-0.69); respectively. The AUCs of the nomogram integrating the optimal 3D rad-score and clinical risk factors (CT-reported T stage, CT-reported lymph node status) in the internal set and external validation set were 0.82 (95% CI: 0.73-0.91) and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.68-0.91), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Both 2D and 3D radiomics models can predict LVI status of CRC. The nomogram combining the optimal 3D rad-score and clinical risk factors further improved predictive performance.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

This is the first study to compare the difference in performance of CT-based 2D and 3D radiomics models for the pre-operative prediction of LVI in CRC. The prediction of the nomogram could be improved by combining the 3D radiomics model with the imaging model, suggesting its potential for clinical application.

Do We Underestimate Colorectal Cancer Patients Under 50?

&lt;b&gt; Introduction:&lt;/b&gt; Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) accounts for approximately 10% of all colorectal cancers (CRCs). EOCRC has a certain hereditary predisposition and distinct clinicopathological and molecular features compared to the traditional average-onset of colorectal cancer (AOCRC). As previous publications have shown, EOCRC has a more advanced TNM stage and a more aggressive tumor histopathology. &lt;/br&gt;&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt; Aim:&lt;/b&gt; In this study, we aimed to evaluate the differences and similarities of EOCRC compared to AOCRC based on clinicopathological characteristics. &lt;/br&gt;&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;Material and methods:&lt;/b&gt; Between January 2010 and December 2020, 394 patients with inclusion criteria who were operated on at the 3rd level health center for colorectal cancer were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups as EOCRC (50 years and under) and AOCRC. Pearson&apos;s chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables in independent groups. In addition, logistic regression analysis was performed using the Backward method with the variables whose relationship with the age group was evaluated, with P &lt; 0.100. &lt;/br&gt;&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; Our final analysis included 80 EOCRC cases and 314 controls. When the EOCRC group was compared with the AOCRC group, there was no statistically significant difference between gender, tumor location, T stage of the tumor, and survival (P = 0.190, P = 0.924, P = 0.165, P = 0.574). However, a statistically significant difference in the N stage, degree of differentiation, lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and perineural invasion (PNI) status, and P-values were: P = 0.006, P = 0.029, P = 0.019, and P = 0.003, respectively. &lt;/br&gt;&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; EOCRC has more aggressive tumor biology than AOCRC. Our study shows that more advanced N stage, poor differentiation, tumor deposits, LVI, and PNI are seen more frequently in EOCRC.

KCNQ1 and lymphovascular invasion are key features in a prognostic classifier for stage II and III colon cancer

Background

The risk of recurrence after resection of a stage II or III colon cancer, and therefore qualification for adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT), is traditionally based on clinicopathological parameters. However, the parameters used in clinical practice are not able to accurately identify all patients with or without minimal residual disease. Some patients considered ‘low-risk’ do develop recurrence (undertreatment), whilst other patients receiving ACT might not have developed recurrence at all (overtreatment). We previously analysed tumour tissue expression of 28 protein biomarkers that might improve identification of patients at risk of recurrence. In the present study we aimed to build a prognostic classifier based on these 28 biomarkers and clinicopathological parameters.

Methods

Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to build a prognostic classifier based on a well described cohort of 386 patients with stage II and III colon cancer. Separate classifiers were built for patients who were or were not treated with ACT. Routine clinicopathological parameters and tumour tissue immunohistochemistry data were included, available for 28 proteins previously published. Classification trees were pruned until lowest misclassification error was obtained. Survival of the identified subgroups was analysed, and robustness of the selected CART variables was assessed by random forest analysis (1000 trees).

Results

In patients not treated with ACT, prognosis was estimated best based on expression of KCNQ1. Poor disease-free survival (DFS) was observed in those with loss of expression of KCNQ1 (HR = 3.38 (95% CI 2.12 – 5.40); p < 0.001). In patients treated with ACT, key prognostic factors were lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and expression of KCNQ1. Patients with LVI showed poorest DFS, whilst patients without LVI and high expression of KCNQ1 showed most favourable survival (HR = 7.50 (95% CI 3.57—15.74); p < 0.001). Patients without LVI and loss of expression of KCNQ1 had intermediate survival (HR = 3.91 (95% CI 1.76 – 8.72); p = 0.001).

Conclusion

KCNQ1 and LVI were identified as key features in prognostic classifiers for disease-free survival in stage II and III colon cancer patients.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09473-9.

Current Perspectives on the Importance of Pathological Features in Prognostication and Guidance of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Colon Cancer

There is not a clear consensus on which pathological features and biomarkers are important in guiding prognosis and adjuvant therapy in colon cancer. The Pathology in Colon Cancer, Prognosis and Uptake of Adjuvant Therapy (PiCC UP) Australia and New Zealand questionnaire was distributed to colorectal surgeons, medical oncologists and pathologists after institutional board approval. The aim of this study was to understand current specialist attitudes towards pathological features in the prognostication of colon cancer and adjuvant therapy in stage II disease. A 5-scale Likert score was used to assess attitudes towards 23 pathological features for prognosis and 18 features for adjuvant therapy. Data were analysed using a rating scale and graded response model in item response theory (IRT) on STATA (Stata MP, version 15; StataCorp LP). One hundred and sixty-four specialists (45 oncologists, 86 surgeons and 33 pathologists) participated. Based on IRT modelling, the most important pathological features for prognosis in colon cancer were distant metastases, lymph node metastases and liver metastases. Other features seen as important were tumour rupture, involved margin, radial margin, CRM, lymphovascular invasion and grade of differentiation. Size of tumour, location, lymph node ratio and EGFR status were considered less important. The most important features in decision making for adjuvant therapy in stage II colon cancer were tumour rupture, lymphovascular invasion and microsatellite instability. BRAF status, size of tumour, location, tumour budding and tumour infiltrating lymphocytes were factored as lesser importance. Biomarkers such as CDX2, EGFR, KRAS and BRAF status present areas for further research to improve precision oncology. This study provides the most current status on the importance of pathological features in prognostication and recommendations for adjuvant therapy in Australia and New Zealand. Results of this nationwide study may be useful to help in guiding prognosis and adjuvant treatment in colon cancer.

Connective tissue growth factor expression hints at aggressive nature of colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a mediator of transforming growth factor-beta signaling and plays a key role in connective tissue remodeling, inflammatory processes and fibrosis in various illnesses including cancer.

AIM

To investigate the role of CTGF in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and to compare the CTGF expression with different clinicopathological parameters.

METHODS

Real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry and Western blotting was performed to evaluate the CTGF expression and the results were statistically analyzed against the clinicopathological variables of patient data using STATA software version 16.

RESULTS

CTGF expression levels in tumor specimens were significantly higher than their paired normal specimens. The higher protein expression levels showed a significant association with smoking, staging, tumor grade, invasion depth, necrosis of tumor tissue, and both lymphovascular and perineural invasion. As per the cox regression model and classification tree analysis, tumor-node-metastasis stage and perineural invasion were important predictors for CTGF expression and prognosis of CRC patients. Survival analysis indicated that CTGF overexpression was associated with poorer overall and disease-free survival.

CONCLUSION

Expression of CTGF was increased in CRC and was linked with poor overall and disease-free survival of CRC patients. These findings support prior observations and thus CTGF may be a possible prognostic marker in CRC.

Development and Internal Validation of a Nomogram-Based Model to Predict Three-Year and Five-Year Overall Survival in Patients with Stage II/III Colon Cancer

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to develop a nomogram-based model to predict the three-year and five-year overall survival (OS) of patients with stage II/III colon cancer following radical resection.

METHODS

A total of 1156 patients with stage II/III colon cancer who underwent radical resection at the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University between December 2012 and December 2018 were enrolled. Lasso regression was used to screen out 12 variables: age, prealbumin, albumin, degree of differentiation, total tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, T stage, N stage, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), platelet/lymphocyte count, carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The data set was then randomly split into a modeling set and a validation set, and the bootstrap method was used to verify the internal validity of the final model. A nomogram was then used to present the model, and the risk groups were categorized according to the total score in the nomogram.

RESULTS

This study established and developed a simple, easy-to-use predictive model that included age, degree of differentiation, N stage, CA19-9, PNI, and postoperative chemotherapy as variables. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, only postoperative chemotherapy was identified as an independent risk factor for death in patients with colon cancer. The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the model demonstrated good resolution, with an area under the curve of 0.803. Decision curve analysis indicated that the model had a good positive net gain, and the bootstrap method was used to verify its stability. In the OS rate, the C-index was 0.78. According to the total score of the nomogram, the risk group was layered by drawing the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) curve. In the three-year OS K-M curve, the survival rates of the low-risk group, the medium-risk group, and the high-risk group were 96%, 93%, and 82%, respectively. In the five-year OS K-M curve, the survival rates of the low-risk group, the medium-risk group, and the high-risk group were 94%, 90%, and 73%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The nomogram-based prediction model developed in this study is stable and has good resolution, reliability, and net gain. It will therefore be useful for clinicians performing risk stratification and postoperative monitoring and in the development of personalized treatment options for patients with stage II/III colon cancer.

The role of vascular invasion and lymphatic invasion in predicting recurrent thoracic oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Numerous studies have addressed lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in patients with thoracic oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC); however, little is known about the individual roles of lymphatic invasion (LI) and vascular invasion (VI). We aimed to analyse the prognostic significance of LI and VI in patients with thoracic ESCC from a single centre.

Methods

This retrospective study included 396 patients with thoracic ESCC who underwent oesophagectomy and lymphadenectomy in our hospital. The relationship between LI, VI and the other clinical features was analysed, and disease-free survival (DFS) was calculated. Survival analysis was performed by univariate and multivariate statistics.

Results

Briefly, VI and LI were present in 25.8% (102 of 396) and 23.7% (94 of 396) of ESCC patients, respectively, with 9.15% patients presenting both LI and VI; the remaining patients did not present LI or VI. We found that LI was significantly associated with pN stage (P<0.001) and pTNM stage (P<0.001), and similar results were found in VI. Moreover, survival analysis showed that pT stage (P<0.001), pN stage (P=0.001), pTNM stage (p<0.001), VI (P=0.001) and LI (P<0.001) were associated with DFS in ESCC. Furthermore, multivariate analysis suggested that pT stage (RR=1.4, P =0.032), pN stage (RR=1.9, P<0.001) and LI (RR=1.5, P=0.008) were independent predictive factors for DFS. Finally, relapse was observed in 110 patients (lymph node metastasis, 78 and distant, 32) and 147 patients with cancer-related deaths. Subanalysis showed that LI-positive patients had higher lymph node metastasis, although there was no significant difference (32.1% vs. 15.6%, P=0.100).

Conclusions

LI and VI were common in ESCC; they were all survival predictors for patients with ESCC, and LI was independent. Patients with positive LI were more likely to suffer lymph node metastasis.

Pathological Features and Prognostication in Colorectal Cancer

The prognostication of colorectal cancer (CRC) has traditionally relied on staging as defined by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging classifications. However, clinically, there appears to be differences in survival patterns independent of stage, suggesting a complex interaction of stage, pathological features, and biomarkers playing a role in guiding prognosis, risk stratification, and guiding neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies. Histological features such as tumour budding, perineural invasion, apical lymph node involvement, lymph node yield, lymph node ratio, and molecular features such as MSI, KRAS, BRAF, and CDX2 may assist in prognostication and optimising adjuvant treatment. This study provides a comprehensive review of the pathological features and biomarkers that are important in the prognostication and treatment of CRC. We review the importance of pathological features and biomarkers that may be important in colorectal cancer based on the current evidence in the literature.

Computed tomography-based radiomics for predicting lymphovascular invasion in rectal cancer

PURPOSE

To develop and externally validate a computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics model for predicting lymphovascular invasion (LVI) before treatment in patients with rectal cancer (RC).

METHOD

This retrospective study enrolled 351 patients with RC from three hospitals between March 2018 and March 2021. These patients were assigned to one of the following three groups: training set (n = 239, from hospital 1), internal validation set (n = 60, from hospital 1), and external validation set (n = 52, from hospitals 2 and 3). Large amounts of radiomics features were extracted from the intratumoral and peritumoral regions in the portal venous phase contrast-enhanced CT images. The score of radiomics features (Rad-score) was calculated by performing logistic regression analysis following the L1-based method. A combined model (Rad-score + clinical factors) was developed in the training cohort and validated internally and externally. The models were compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

RESULTS

Of the 351 patients, 106 (30.2%) had an LVI + tumor. Rad-score (comprised of 22 features) was significantly higher in the LVI + group than in the LVI- group (0.60 ± 0.17 vs. 0.42 ± 0.19, P = 0.001). The combined model obtained good predictive performance in the training cohort (AUC = 0.813 [95% CI: 0.758-0.861]), with robust results in internal and external validations (AUC = 0.843 [95% CI: 0.726-0.924] and 0.807 [95% CI: 0.674-0.903]).

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed combined model demonstrated the potential to predict LVI preoperatively in patients with RC.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Its Acute Exacerbation before Colon Adenocarcinoma Treatment Are Associated with Higher Mortality: A Propensity Score-Matched, Nationwide, Population-Based Cohort Study

Simple Summary

This is the first study to reveal that hospitalization frequency for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) before colon adenocarcinoma treatment is a severity-dependent and independent prognostic factor for overall survival in patients with stage I–III colon cancer receiving surgical resection and standard treatments. In patients with colon adenocarcinoma undergoing curative resection, those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) had poorer survival outcomes than had those without COPD. Hospitalization for AECOPD at least once within 1 year before colon adenocarcinoma diagnosis is an independent risk factor for poor overall survival in these patients, and a higher number of hospitalizations for AECOPD within 1 year before diagnosis was associated with poorer survival. Our study may be applied to accentuate the importance of COPD management, particularly the identification of frequent exacerbators and the prevention of AECOPD, before standard colon adenocarcinoma treatments are initiated.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate whether chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and COPD severity (acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD)) affect the survival outcomes of patients with colon adenocarcinoma receiving standard treatments. Methods: From the Taiwan Cancer Registry Database, we recruited patients with clinical stage I–III colon adenocarcinoma who had received surgery. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze all-cause mortality. We categorized the patients into COPD and non-COPD (Group 1 and 2) groups through propensity score matching. Results: In total, 1512 patients were eligible for further comparative analysis between non-COPD (1008 patients) and COPD (504 patients) cohorts. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR; 95% confidence interval (CI)) for all-cause mortality for Group 1 compared with Group 2 was 1.17 (1.03, 1.29). In patients with colon adenocarcinoma undergoing curative resection, the aHRs (95% CIs) for all-cause mortality in patients with hospitalization frequencies of ≥1 and ≥2 times for AECOPD within 1 year before adenocarcinoma diagnosis were 1.08 (1.03, 1.51) and 1.55 (1.15, 2.09), respectively, compared with those without AECOPD. Conclusion: In patients with colon adenocarcinoma undergoing curative resection, COPD was associated with worse survival outcomes. Being hospitalized at least once for AECOPD within 1 year before colon adenocarcinoma diagnosis was an independent risk factor for poor overall survival in these patients, and a higher number of hospitalizations for AECOPD within 1 year before diagnosis was associated with poorer survival. Our study highlights the importance of COPD management, particularly the identification of frequent exacerbators and the prevention of AECOPD before standard colon adenocarcinoma treatments are applied.

Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Caused Upshifting in Colorectal Cancer Stage?

Purpose

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected many parts of daily life and healthcare, including cancer screening and diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was an upshift in the colorectal cancer stage at diagnosis due to delays related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Methods

From January to June of each year from 2017 to 2020, a total of 3,229 patients who were first diagnosed with colorectal cancer were retrospectively reviewed. Those enrolled from 2017 to 2019 were classified as the ‘pre-COVID’ group, and those enrolled in 2020 were classified as the ‘COVID’ group. The primary outcome was the rate of stage IV disease at the time of diagnosis.

Results

There was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of stage IV patients between the pre-COVID and COVID groups (P=0.19). The median preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen level in the COVID group was higher than in the pre-COVID group in all stages (all P<0.05). In stage I, II patients who underwent radical surgery, the lymphatic invasion was more presented in COVID patients (P=0.009).

Conclusion

We did not find significant stage upshifting in colorectal cancer during the COVID-19 outbreak. However, there were more initially unresectable stage IV colorectal cancer patients with a low conversion rate to resectable status, and more patients had factors related to poor prognosis. These results may become more apparent over time, so it is vital not to neglect cancer screening to not delay the diagnosis during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Current Study of RhoA and Associated Signaling Pathways in Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth-most common cancer in the world, with an estimated 1.034 million new cases in 2015, and the third-highest cause of cancer deaths, estimated at 785,558, in 2014. Early diagnosis and treatment greatly affect the survival rate in patients with GC: the 5-year survival rate of early GC reaches 90%-95%, while the mortality rate significantly increases if GC develops to the late stage. Recently, studies for the role of RhoA in the diseases have become a hot topic, especially in the development of tumors. A study found that RhoA can regulate actin polymerization, cell adhesion, motor-myosin, cell transformation, and the ability to participate in the activities of cell movement, proliferation, migration, which are closely related to the invasion and metastasis of tumor cells. However, the specific role of RhoA in tumor cells remains to be studied. Therefore, our current study aimed to briefly review the role of RhoA in GC, especially for its associated signaling pathways involved in the GC progression.

Impact of Lymphovascular Invasion in Patients With Stage II Colorectal Cancer: A Propensity Score-matched Study

BACKGROUND/AIM

Whether lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is a high-degree risk factor in stage II colorectal cancer has not been fully clarified, as different results have been reported in the literature. If LVI is a risk factor, postoperative chemotherapy may be recommended. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of lymphovascular invasion on disease recurrence and patient prognosis in conjunction with stage II colorectal cancer (CRC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 636 patients with stage II CRC, each undergoing radical resection between April 2007 and December 2015, were selected for the study. Subjects with or without venous or lymphatic invasion were assigned to positive and negative groups, respectively. We then compared overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) using propensity score matching.

RESULTS

After matching (n=226, each group), OS and DFS were found to be significantly lower (OS: p=0.047; DFS: p=0.004) in patients positive (vs. negative) for venous invasion. However, the same was not true of lymphatic invasion. After matching, positive and negative groups (n=92, each) did not significantly differ in terms of OS (p=0.951) or DFS (p=0.258).

CONCLUSION

In patients with stage II CRC, venous invasion proved to be a significant high-degree risk factor that may warrant adjuvant chemotherapy.

Prognostic value of lymphovascular invasion in stage II colorectal cancer patients with an inadequate examination of lymph nodes

BACKGROUND

Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is defined as the presence of cancer cells in lymphatics or blood vessels. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of LVI in stage II colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with inadequate examination of lymph nodes (ELNs) and further combined LVI with the TNM staging system to determine the predictive efficacy for CRC prognosis. Adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) was then evaluated for stage II CRC patients with LVI positivity (LVI+).

METHODS

In order to avoid the effects of different ACT regimens, among 409 stage II patients, we chose 121 patients who received FOLFOX regimen and the 144 patients who did not receive ACT as the object of study. LVI was examined by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Kaplan-Meier analysis followed by a log-rank test was used to analyze survival rates. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using a Cox proportional hazards model. Harrell's concordance index (C-index) was used to evaluate the accuracy of different systems in predicting prognosis.

RESULTS

The LVI+ status was significantly associated with pT stage, degree of differentiation, tumor stage, serum CEA and CA19-9 levels, perineural invasion (PNI), tumor budding (TB), and KRAS status. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of stage II patients with < 12 ELNs and LVI+ was less than stage IIIA. Multivariate analyses showed that LVI, pT-stage, serum CEA and CA19-9 levels, PNI, TB, and KRAS status were significant prognostic factors for stage II patients with < 12 ELNs. The 8th TNM staging system combined with LVI showed a higher C-index than the 8th TNM staging system alone (C-index, 0.895 vs. 0.833). Among patients with LVI+, the ACT group had a significantly higher 5-year OS and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) than the surgery alone (SA) group (5-year OS, 66.7% vs. 40.9%, P = 0.004; 5-year DFS, 64.1% vs. 36.3%, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

LVI is an independent prognostic risk factor for stage II CRC patients. Combining LVI with the 8th TNM staging system improved the predictive accuracy for CRC prognosis. ACT in stage II CRC patients with LVI+ is beneficial for survival.

Perineural invasion as a prognostic factor in patients with stage I-III rectal cancer – 5-year follow up

BACKGROUND

Rectal cancer (RC) is one of the most common diagnosed cancers, and one of the major causes of cancer-related death nowadays. Majority of the current guidelines rely on TNM classification regarding therapy regiments, however recent studies suggest that additional histopathological findings could affect the disease course.

AIM

To determine whether perineural invasion alone or in combination with lymphovascular invasion have an effect on 5-years overall survival (OS) of RC patients.

METHODS

A prospective study included newly diagnosed stage I-III RC patients treated and followed at the Digestive Surgery Clinic, Clinical Center of Serbia, between the years of 2014–2016. All patients had their diagnosis histologically confirmed in accordance with both TMN and Dukes classification. In addition, the patient’s demographics, surgical details, postoperative pathological details, differentiation degree and their correlation with OS was investigated.

RESULTS

Of 245 included patients with stage I-III RC, lymphovascular invasion (LVI) was identified in 92 patients (38%), whereas perineural invasion (PNI) was present in 46 patients (19%). Using Kaplan-Meier analysis for overall survival rate, we have found that both LVI and PNI were associated with lower survival rates (P < 0.01). Moreover when Cox multiple regression model was used, LVI, PNI, older age, male gender were predictors of poor prognosis (HR = 5.49; 95%CI: 2.889-10.429; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

LVI and PNI were significant factors predicting worse prognosis in early and intermediate RC patients, hence more aggressive therapy should be reserved for these patients after curative resection.

Role of Genetic Ancestry in 1,002 Brazilian Colorectal Cancer Patients From Barretos Cancer Hospital

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most frequent and the second deadliest cancer worldwide. The ethnic structure of the population has been gaining prominence as a cancer player. The purpose of this study was to determine the genetic ancestry of Brazilian CRC patients. Moreover, we intended to interrogate its impact on patients' clinicopathological features.

Methods: Retrospective observational cohort study with 1,002 patients with CRC admitted from 2000 to 2014 at Barretos Cancer Hospital. Following tumor DNA isolation, genetic ancestry was assessed using a specific panel of 46 ancestry informative markers. Survival rates were obtained by the Kaplan–Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to compare the survival curves. Multivariable Cox proportional regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs).

Results: We observed considerable admixture in the genetic composition, with the following average proportions: European 74.2%, African 12.7%, Asian 6.5%, and Amerindian 6.6%. The multivariate analysis for cancer-specific survival showed that clinical stage, lymphovascular invasion, and the presence of recurrence were associated with an increased relative risk of death from cancer (p < 0.05). High African proportion was associated with younger age at diagnosis, while high Amerindian proportion was associated with the mucinous histological subtype.

Conclusions: This represents the larger assessment of genetic ancestry in a population of Brazilian patients with CRC. Brazilian CRC patients exhibited similar clinicopathological features as described in Western countries.

Impact: Genetic ancestry components corroborated the significant admixture, and importantly, patients with high African proportion develop cancer at a younger age.