Short-Term Efficacy of Laparoscopic Treatment for Colorectal Cancer in Patients with Schistosomiasis Japonica

Schistosoma japonicum Associated Colorectal Cancer and Its Management

BACKGROUND

An association between Schistosoma japonicum and colorectal cancer in humans has been known since a long time; however, this association remains understudied and lacks comprehensive experimentation support.

OBJECTIVE

Various epidemiological and pathological studies have established the role of chronic inflammation as a major factor behind the induction of colorectal cancer. The aim of this review is to present the current knowledge on the association of Schistosoma japonicum with colorectal cancer.

RESULT

Mechanisms which lead to induction and progression of colorectal cancer are highlighted along with diagnosis and treatment for the same. Further, various methodologies, including mass drug administration, use of new drugs and vaccines, role of apoptosis, and histone-modifying enzymes, have been described which can either prevent the schistosomal infection itself or can check it from reaching an advanced stage.

CONCLUSIONS

Epidemiological, clinical, pathological and surgical studies suggest that Schistosoma japonicum is responsible for induction of colorectal cancer. However, thorough clinical studies are required to support and globally accept this notion. Further, methodologies highlighted in this work can be employed in order to take care of schistosomal infection or address the cancer induction and progression.

Hsa_circ_0040809 and hsa_circ_0000467 promote colorectal cancer cells progression and construction of a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network

Objective: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been demonstrated to be closely involved in colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis and metastasis. More potential biomarkers are needed to be searched for colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis and treatment. The objective of this study is to seek differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs), test their roles in CRC and construct a potential competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network.

Methods: CircRNA microarrays were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus, and differential expression was analyzed by R software. The relative expressions of DEcircRNAs were confirmed in CRC tissues and cell lines by qRT-PCR. MTs and Transwell experiments were performed for detecting the roles of circRNAs on CRC cell proliferation and migration, respectively. Targeted miRNAs of circRNAs and targeted mRNAs of miRNAs were predicted and screened by bioinformatics methods. A ceRNA network of DEcircRNAs was constructed by Cytoscape. To further verify the potential ceRNA network, the expressions of miRNAs and mRNAs in knockdown of DEcircRNAs CRC cells were detected by qRT-PCR.

Results: Two DEcircRNAs (hsa_circ_0040809 and hsa_circ_0000467) were identified and validated in CRC tissues and cell lines. The results of MTs and Transwell experiments showed that hsa_circ_0040809 and hsa_circ_0000467 promoted CRC proliferation and migration. Bioinformatics analysis screened 3 miRNAs (miR-326, miR-330-5p, and miR-330-3p) and 2 mRNAs (FADS1 and RUNX1), and a ceRNA network was constructed. In knockdown of hsa_circ_0040809 HCT-116 cells, the expression of miR-330-3p was significantly upregulated, while RUNX1 was significantly downregulated. In knockdown of hsa_circ_0000467 HCT-116 cells, the expressions of miR-326 and miR-330-3p were upregulated, while FADS1was downregulated.

Conclusion: We found that hsa_circ_0040809 and hsa_circ_0000467 were upregulated in CRC tissues and cell lines, and promoted CRC cell progression. A circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network based on hsa_circ_0040809 and hsa_circ_0000467 was constructed.

Efficacy of Yiqi Jianpi anti-cancer prescription combined with chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer after operation

BACKGROUND

At present, colorectal cancer is routinely treated with adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy postoperatively. The adverse effects (AEs) of chemotherapy usually interrupt the treatment of chemotherapy. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has demonstrated great potential in improving patients' clinical symptoms, regulating the immune function, improving the life quality, and reducing the AEs of chemotherapy.

AIM

To observe the clinical efficacy of Yiqi Jianpi anti-cancer prescription combined with chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer after operation.

METHODS

Data from patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between January 2019 and February 2021 were collected from Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Patients receiving the chemotherapy regimen of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CAPOX) after radical resection of colorectal cancer were prospectively collected and randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group was given Yiqi Jianpi anti-cancer prescription combined with the CAPOX regimen, while the control group was given the CAPOX regimen alone. After six cycles of chemotherapy, the scores of TCM symptoms, Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) score, levels of T-cell subsets, and AEs after chemotherapy of the two groups were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 70 patients were randomly divided into either an experimental group (n = 35, no dropout) or a control group (n = 33, with 2 dropouts). Compared with the control group, the experimental group improved significantly (P < 0.05) in scores of TCM symptoms, KPS score, levels of T-cell subsets, and AEs of chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Yiqi Jianpi anti-cancer prescription can effectively improve spleen deficiency, regulate the immune function, and alleviate the AEs of chemotherapy, so as to improve the life quality of patients with good therapeutic effects and application prospect in clinical practice.

Abdominal surgery in patients with essential thrombocythemia: A case report and systematic review of literature

INTRODUCTION

Essential thrombocythemia/thrombocytosis (ET) is characterized by increased bleeding and thrombosis risk during the perioperative period. We report the case of a woman with ET and sigmoid colon cancer, in whom the postoperative course was complicated by anastomotic bleeding. A systematic review was conducted to seek guidance for the management of such patient in the perioperative period.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was conducted using EMBASE, Medline, and PubMed databases to detect relevant English language articles. Published studies with full-text articles were included. Two authors independently searched and extracted the data. Any differences were resolved by consensus. Studies on abdominal surgery were manually retrieved.

RESULTS

Four case reports (including our case report) that described abdominal surgery in patients with ET were included. All patients were females, with a mean age of 47 years. Laparoscopic surgery was performed in 2 patients, and open surgery was performed in the other 2 patients. Two patients had postoperative bleeding that occurred on the first postoperative day. There was one case of pseudohyperkalemia after surgery and one case of Budd-Chiari syndrome caused by hepatic vein thrombosis. No guidelines for patients with ET undergoing abdominal surgery were found.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, there are currently no definitive guidelines for the perioperative management of patients with ET. Furthermore, there are few reports of ET in patients with malignancy undergoing surgery. Further studies in this unique group of patients are required.