Are Borrmann's Types of Advanced Gastric Cancer Distinct Clinicopathological and Molecular Entities? A Western Study

Nomogram based on dual-energy CT-derived extracellular volume fraction for the prediction of microsatellite instability status in gastric cancer

Purpose

To develop and validate a nomogram based on extracellular volume (ECV) fraction derived from dual-energy CT (DECT) for preoperatively predicting microsatellite instability (MSI) status in gastric cancer (GC).

Materials and methods

A total of 123 patients with GCs who underwent contrast-enhanced abdominal DECT scans were retrospectively enrolled. Patients were divided into MSI (n=41) and microsatellite stability (MSS, n=82) groups according to postoperative immunohistochemistry staining, then randomly assigned to the training (n=86) and validation cohorts (n=37). We extracted clinicopathological characteristics, CT imaging features, iodine concentrations (ICs), and normalized IC values against the aorta (nICs) in three enhanced phases. The ECV fraction derived from the iodine density map at the equilibrium phase was calculated. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk predictors for MSI status. Then, a nomogram was established, and its performance was evaluated by ROC analysis and Delong test. Its calibration performance and clinical utility were assessed by calibration curve and decision curve analysis, respectively.

Results

The ECV fraction, tumor location, and Borrmann type were independent predictors of MSI status (all P < 0.05) and were used to establish the nomogram. The nomogram yielded higher AUCs of 0.826 (0.729-0.899) and 0.833 (0.675-0.935) in training and validation cohorts than single variables (P<0.05), with good calibration and clinical utility.

Conclusions

The nomogram based on DECT-derived ECV fraction has the potential as a noninvasive biomarker to predict MSI status in GC patients.

Dual-energy CT quantitative parameters to evaluate occult peritoneal metastasis in advanced gastric cancer preoperatively

PURPOSE

To explore whether dual-energy CT (DECT) quantitative parameters could provide analytic value for the diagnosis of patients with occult peritoneal metastasis (OPM) in advanced gastric cancer preoperatively.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study included 219 patients with advanced gastric cancer and DECT scans. The patient's clinical data and DECT related iodine concentration (IC) parameters and effective atomic number (Zeff) were collated and analyzed among noun-peritoneal metastasis (NPM), OPM and radiologically peritoneal metastasis (RPM) groups. The predictive performance of the DECT parameters was compared with that of the conventional CT features and clinical characteristics through evaluating area under curve of the precision-recall (AUC-PR), F1 score, balanced accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV).

RESULTS

Borrmann IV type diagnosed on CT and serum tumor indicator CA125 index were statistically different between the NPM and OPM groups. DECT parameters included IC, normalized IC (NIC), and Zeff of PM group were lower than the NPM group. The DECT predictive nomogram combined three independent DECT parameters produced a better diagnostic performance than the conventional CT feature Borrmann IV type and serum CA125 index in AUC-PR with 0.884 vs 0.368 vs 0.189, but similar to the combined indicator which was based on the DECT parameters, the conventional CT feature, and serum CA125 index in AUC-PR with 0.884 vs 0.918.

CONCLUSION

The lower quantitative NIC, IC ratio, and Zeff on DECT was associated with peritoneal metastasis in advanced gastric cancer and was promising to identify patients with OPM noninvasively.

Clinical study of the posterior gastric artery and the lymph nodes around it in patients with gastric cancer

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to gather and analyze the anatomical characteristics of the posterior gastric artery (PGA), investigate the presence and metastasis of lymph nodes around the PGA in patients with gastric cancer. Additionally, the study aims to analyze the relationship between the PGA and its surrounding lymph nodes and the clinicopathological features of patients with gastric cancer.

METHODS

This study consisted of a cross-sectional analysis of data from 52 patients with gastric cancer who underwent total or proximal gastrectomy at the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, between January 2020 and November 2022. Intraoperative exploration was performed to determine the presence of the PGA, and patients with the PGA were assessed for relevant anatomical characteristics, including the length of the PGA and the distance from the root of the PGA to the celiac trunk. Dissection of lymph nodes around the PGA was also performed. Statistical methods were employed to describe and analyze the data regarding the presence of the PGA, as well as the presence and metastasis of the lymph nodes around the PGA. Additionally, the study identified clinicopathological factors associated with these conditions.

RESULTS

The PGA was identified in 39 (75.0%) out of 52 patients with gastric cancer, exhibiting a mean PGA length of 3.5 ± 0.8 cm and a mean distance from the root of the PGA to the celiac trunk of 6.7 ± 1.7 cm. Among the 39 patients who underwent dissection of lymph nodes around the PGA, 36 lymph nodes around the PGA were detected in 20 patients. Analysis of factors associated with the presence of lymph nodes around the PGA revealed a significant correlation with the macroscopic type of the tumor and the total number of dissected lymph nodes (P = 0.007 and P = 0.022, respectively), with a larger number of total dissected lymph nodes being an independent factor (OR = 1.105, 95%CI: 1.019-1.199, P = 0.016). Furthermore, analysis of risk factors for metastasis of the lymph nodes around the PGA demonstrated that the total number of metastatic lymph nodes, No.3 lymph node metastasis, and No.11 lymph node metastasis were associated with metastasis of the lymph nodes around the PGA (P = 0.043, P = 0.028, and P = 0.020, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The PGA exhibits a high incidence. It is essential to carefully identify the PGA during procedures involving the PGA and consider appropriate preservation or disconnection of this vessel. The presence of lymph nodes around the PGA is not an isolated occurrence. Gastric cancer can result in metastasis of the lymph nodes around the PGA. Although the overall risk of metastasis of the lymph nodes around the PGA is low in patients with gastric cancer, it increases in the presence of conditions such as No.3 lymph node metastasis, No.11 lymph node metastasis, advanced tumor stage, and extensive metastases in other regional lymph nodes.

Predicting pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced gastric cancer: The establishment of a spectral CT-based nomogram from prospective datasets

BACKGROUND

To establish a spectral CT-based nomogram for predicting early neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) response for locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC).

METHODS

This study prospectively recruited 222 cases (177 male and 45 female patients, 9.59 ± 9.54 years) receiving NAC and radical gastrectomy. Triple enhanced spectral CT scans were performed before NAC initiation. According to post-operative tumor regression grade (TRG), patients were classified into responders (TRG = 0 + 1) or non-responders (TRG = 2 + 3), and split into a primary (156) and validation (66) dataset at 7:3 ratio chronologically. We compared clinicopathological data, follow-up information, iodine concentration (IC), normalized ICs (nICs) in arterial/venous/delayed phases (AP/VP/DP) between responders and non-responders. Independent risk factors of response were screened by multivariable logistic regression and adopted for model construction. Model was visualized by nomograms and its capability was determined through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Log-rank survival analysis was conducted to explore associations between TRG, nomogram and patients' survival.

RESULTS

This work identified Borrmann classification, ICDP, and nICDP were independent risk factors of response outcomes. A spectral CT-based nomogram was built accordingly and achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.797 (0.692-0.879) and 0.741(0.661-0.811) for the primary and validation dataset, respectively, higher than AUC of individual parameters alone. The nomogram was related to disease-free survival in the validation dataset (Hazard ratio (HR): 5.19 [1.18-12.93], P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

The spectral CT-based nomogram provides an efficient tool for predicting the pathologic response outcomes of GC after NAC and disease-free survival risk stratification.

Development and validation of a preoperative CT-based risk scoring system for predicting recurrence-free survival in patients undergoing curative surgery for gastric cancer

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to establish and validate a preoperative risk scoring system that incorporated both clinical and computed tomography(CT) variables to predict recurrence-free survival (RFS) in gastric cancer(GC) patients who underwent curative resection.

METHOD

We retrospectively included consecutive patients with surgically confirmed GC who underwent preoperative CT scans between October 2017 and January 2022. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was employed in the derivation set to identify clinical and CT variables associated with RFS and to construct a risk score. This risk score was subsequently validated in an independent test set.

RESULTS

A total of 346 patients were included in the study, with 213 in the derivation set and 133 in the test set. Five variables, namely ctEMVI, ctBorrmann, visceral obesity, sarcopenia, and NLR, were independently associated with RFS. In the test set, the preoperative risk score exhibited a c-index of 0.741, which outperformed the predictive accuracy of pathological tumor staging (c-index of 0.673, p = 0.021) at various time points. The preoperative risk score effectively stratified patients into low and high-risk groups.

CONCLUSION

The developed preoperative risk scoring system demonstrated the ability to predict RFS following curative resection in GC patients.

Borrmann Type Predicts Response to Preoperative Therapy in Advanced Gastric Cancer

PURPOSE

The Borrmann classification system is widely used to classify advanced gastric cancer (GC). No studies have focused on the relationship between Borrmann type and response to preoperative therapy.

METHODS

Patients with advanced GC who received preoperative therapy followed by curative-intent gastrectomy from September 2016 through September 2021 were identified. Clinicopathologic characteristics were compared by Borrmann type. Logistic regression models were fit to analyze the relationship between Borrmann type and pCR rate.

RESULTS

Of the 227 patients who underwent gastrectomy during the period studied, 73 had pretreatment endoscopic images available for analysis. We classified the tumors as follows: Borrmann type 1, 4 (6%); type 2, 17 (23%); type 3, 33 (45%); and type 4, 19 (26%). Nine patients (12%) achieved pCR; 6 of these (67%) had type 1/2 GC and 3 (33%) had type 3. Multivariable logistic regression showed that Borrmann type 3/4 was the only independent factor associated with pCR (odds ratio 0.12; p = 0.023), but 2-year overall survival rates did not differ by Borrmann type (p = 0.216).

CONCLUSION

Patients with Borrmann type 3/4 advanced GC have a lower likelihood of achieving pCR after preoperative therapy than those with type 1/2 GC. Determining the Borrmann type preoperatively can guide treatment decision-making.

Multiparametric MRI-based radiomics nomogram for early prediction of pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced gastric cancer

OBJECTIVES

To build and validate a multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI)-based radiomics nomogram for early prediction of treatment response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in locally advanced gastric cancer.

METHODS

Baseline MRI were retrospectively enrolled from 141 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma who received NAC followed by radical gastrectomy. According to pathologic response of tumor regression grading (TRG), patients were labeled as responders (TRG = 0 + 1) and non-responders (TRG = 2 + 3) and further divided into a training (n = 85) and validation dataset (n = 56). Radiomics score (Radscore) were built from T2WI, ADC, and venous phase of dynamic-contrasted-enhanced MR imaging. Clinical information, laboratory indicators, MRI parameters, and follow-up data were also recorded. According to multivariable regression analysis, an mpMRI radiomics nomogram was built and its predictive ability was evaluated by ROC analysis. Decision curve analysis was applied to evaluate the clinical usefulness. Kaplan-Meier survival curves based on the nomogram were used to estimate the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in the validation dataset.

RESULTS

Both single sequence-based Radscores and mpMRI radiomics nomogram were associated with pathologic response (p < 0.001). The nomogram achieved the highest diagnostic ability with area under ROC curve of 0.844 (95% CI, 0.749-0.914) and 0.820 (95% CI, 0.695-0.910) in the training and validation datasets. The hazard ratio of the nomogram for PFS and OS prediction was 2.597 (95% CI: 1.046-6.451, log-rank p = 0.023) and 2.570 (95% CI: 1.166-5.666, log-rank p = 0.011).

CONCLUSIONS

The mpMRI-based radiomics nomogram showed preferable performance in predicting pathologic response to NAC in LAGC.

KEY POINTS

• This study investigated the value of multi-parametric MRI-based radiomics in predicting pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced gastric cancer. • The nomogram incorporating T2WI Radscore, ADC Radscore, and DCE Radscore as well as Borrmann classification outperformed the single sequence-based Radscore. • The nomogram also exhibited a promising prognostic ability for patient survival and enriched radiomics studies in gastric cancer.

Spectral CT-based nomogram for preoperative prediction of perineural invasion in locally advanced gastric cancer: a prospective study

OBJECTIVES

This work focused on developing and validating the spectral CT-based nomogram to preoperatively predict perineural invasion (PNI) for locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC).

METHODS

This work prospectively included 196 surgically resected LAGC patients (139 males, 57 females, 59.55 ± 11.97 years) undergoing triple enhanced spectral CT scans. Patients were labeled as perineural invasion (PNI) positive and negative according to pathologic reports, then further split into primary (n = 130) and validation cohort (n = 66). We extracted clinicopathological information, follow-up data, iodine concentration (IC), and normalized IC values against to aorta (nICs) at arterial/venous/delayed phases (AP/VP/DP). Clinicopathological features and IC values between PNI positive and negative groups were compared. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to screen independent risk factors of PNI. Then, a nomogram was established, and its capability was determined by ROC curves. Its clinical use was evaluated by decision curve analysis. The correlations of PNI and the nomogram with patients' survival were explored by log-rank survival analysis.

RESULTS

Borrmann classification, tumor thickness, and nICDP were independent predictors of PNI and used to build the nomogram. The nomogram yielded higher AUCs of 0.853 (0.744-0.928) and 0.782 (0.701-0.850) in primary and validation cohorts than any other parameters (p < 0.05). Both PNI and the nomogram were related to post-surgical treatment planning. Only PNI was associated with disease-free survival in the primary cohort (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This work prospectively established a spectral CT-based nomogram, which can effectively predict PNI preoperatively and potentially guide post-surgical treatment strategy in LAGC.

KEY POINTS

• The present prospective study established a spectral CT-based nomogram for preoperative prediction of perineural invasion in LAGC. • The proposed nomogram, including morphological features and the quantitative iodine concentration values from spectral CT, had the potential to predict PNI for LAGC before surgery, along with guide post-surgical treatment planning. • Normalized iodine concentration at the delayed phase was the most valuable quantitative parameter, suggesting the importance of delayed enhancement in gastric CT.

The caspase-8 and procaspase-3 expression in gastric cancer and non-cancer mucosa in relation to clinico-morphological factors and some apoptosis-associated proteins

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to assess the expression of caspase-8 and procaspase-3 proteins in gastric cancer (GC) cells and non-cancerous mucosa in relation to clinical and morphological characteristics of the tumor, postoperative survival as well as other apoptosis-related proteins.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included 91 ​GC patients. Expression of the proteins was assessed using immunohistochemical method.

RESULTS

Positive expression of procaspase-3 was found in all GC cells. A significant difference was found between high expression of this protein in cancer cells (70.3%) and non-cancerous mucosa (1.25%) (p ​≤ ​0.05). Caspase-8 expression was observed in 50.7% of GC cells and 46.7% of mucosa. Caspase-8 was more common in Lauren type II compared to Lauren type I cancer (p ​= ​0.009), while a statistically significant difference was reported between positive procaspase-3 expression and differentiation of GC (p ​= ​0.043) and Lauren's classification (p ​= ​0.028). We observed a significant positive correlation between the expression of caspase-8 and bcl-xl (p ​= ​0.030) as well as between the procaspase-3 and BID (p ​= ​0.026). Positive caspase-8 expression was associated with longer survival of GC patients (p ​≤ ​0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate the potential role of the analyzed proteins in GC pathogenesis. Positive expression of caspase-8 is associated with longer survival and better patient prognosis.

Spectral CT for preoperative prediction of lymphovascular invasion in resectable gastric cancer: With external prospective validation

Objectives

To develop and externally validate a spectral CT based nomogram for the preoperative prediction of LVI in patients with resectable GC.

Methods

The two centered study contained a retrospective primary dataset of 224 pathologically confirmed gastric adenocarcinomas (161 males, 63 females; mean age: 60.57 ± 10.81 years, range: 20-86 years) and an external prospective validation dataset from the second hospital (77 males and 35 females; mean age, 61.05 ± 10.51 years, range, 31 to 86 years). Triple-phase enhanced CT scans with gemstone spectral imaging mode were performed within one week before surgery. The clinicopathological characteristics were collected, the iodine concentration (IC) of the primary tumours at arterial phase (AP), venous phase (VP), and delayed phase (DP) were measured and then normalized to aorta (nICs). Univariable analysis was used to compare the differences of clinicopathological and IC values between LVI positive and negative groups. Independent predictors for LVI were screened by multivariable logistic regression analysis in primary dataset and used to develop a nomogram, and its performance was evaluated by using ROC analysis and tested in validation dataset. Its clinical use was evaluated by decision curve analysis (DCA).

Results

Tumor thickness, Borrmann classification, CT reported lymph node (LN) status and nICDP were independent predictors for LVI, and the nomogram based on these indicators was significantly associated with LVI (P<0.001). It yielded an AUC of 0.825 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.769-0.872) and 0.802 (95% CI, 0.716-0.871) in primary and validation datasets (all P<0.05), with promising clinical utility by DCA.

Conclusion

This study presented a dual energy CT quantification based nomogram, which enables preferable preoperative individualized prediction of LVI in patients with GC.

Development of web-based dynamic nomogram to predict survival in patients with gastric cancer: a population-based study

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most frequent malignancy worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-associated mortality. The study’s goal was to construct a predictive model and nomograms to predict the survival of GC patients. This historical cohort study assessed 733 patients who underwent treatments for GC. The univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazard (CPH) survival analyses were applied to identify the factors related to overall survival (OS). A dynamic nomogram was developed as a graphical representation of the CPH regression model. The internal validation of the nomogram was evaluated by Harrell’s concordance index (C-index) and time-dependent AUC. The results of the multivariable Cox model revealed that the age of patients, body mass index (BMI), grade of tumor, and depth of tumor elevate the mortality hazard of gastric cancer patients (P < 0.05). The built nomogram had a discriminatory performance, with a C-index of 0.64 (CI 0.61, 0.67). We constructed and validated an original predictive nomogram for OS in patients with GC. Furthermore, nomograms may help predict the individual risk of OS in patients treated for GC.

Naples Prognostic Score Predicts Tumor Regression Grade in Resectable Gastric Cancer Treated with Preoperative Chemotherapy

Simple Summary

Multimodal treatment of locally advanced gastric cancer is still debated today due to controversial results in different trials. Nevertheless, perioperative chemotherapy with radical surgery certainly shows a better long-term outcome than surgery alone, so much so it is the main multimodal treatment offered in Europe, at the present. Tumor regression grade is the objective response to preoperative chemotherapy and its extent, in terms of reduction of neoplastic cells in the resected specimen, is strongly affected by Lauren’s classification, TNM stage, and tumor grading. Therefore, since this information can be achieved only after surgical resection, the return of chemotherapy is quite unpredictable in advance and, in about half cases, it is definitely ineffective. Naples Prognostic Score, that mirrors the immune–nutritional conditions, tested on 59 consecutive advanced gastric cancer patients undergoing multimodal treatment, showed a strong power in predicting tumor regression grade and therefore is strictly correlated with long-term outcome and survival.

Abstract

Despite recent progresses, locally advanced gastric cancer remains a daunting challenge to embrace. Perioperative chemotherapy and D2-gastrectomy depict multimodal treatment of gastric cancer in Europe, shows better results than curative surgery alone in terms of downstaging, micrometastases elimination, and improved long-term survival. Unfortunately, preoperative chemotherapy is useless in about 50% of cases of non-responder patients, in which no effect is registered. Tumor regression grade (TRG) is directly related to chemotherapy effectiveness, but its understanding is achieved only after surgical operation; accordingly, preoperative chemotherapy is given indiscriminately. Conversely, Naples Prognostic Score (NPS), related to patient immune-nutritional status and easily obtained before taking any therapeutic decision, appeared an independent prognostic variable of TRG. NPS was calculated in 59 consecutive surgically treated gastric cancer patients after neoadjuvant FLOT4-based chemotherapy. 42.2% of positive responses were observed: all normal NPS and half mild/moderate NPS showed significant responses to chemotherapy with TRG 1–3; while only 20% of the worst NPS showed some related benefits. Evaluation of NPS in gastric cancer patients undergoing multimodal treatment may be useful both in selecting patients who will benefit from preoperative chemotherapy and for changing immune-nutritional conditions in order to improve patient’s reaction against the tumor.