CA125 Kinetics as a Potential Biomarker for Peritoneal Metastasis Progression following Taxane-Plus-Ramucirumab Administration in Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer

Currently, no established marker exists for predicting peritoneal metastasis progression during chemotherapy, although they are major interruptive factors in sequential chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). This multicenter retrospective study was conducted from June 2015 to July 2019, analyzing 73 patients with AGC who underwent taxane-plus-ramucirumab (TAX/RAM) therapy and had their serum carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) concentrations measured. Of 31 patients with elevated CA125 levels above a cutoff of 35 U/mL, 25 (80.6%) had peritoneal metastasis. The CA125 concentrations before TAX/RAM treatment were associated with ascites burden. The overall survival was significantly shorter in the CA125-elevated group. CA125 kinetics, measured at a median of 28 days after chemotherapy, were associated with the ascites response (complete or partial response: -1.86%/day; stable disease: 0.28%/day; progressive disease: 2.33%/day). Progression-free survival in the CA125-increased group, defined by an increase of 0.0067%/day using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, was significantly poorer among patients with peritoneal metastases. In conclusion, this study highlights that CA125 kinetics can serve as an early predictor for the progression of peritoneal metastasis during TAX/RAM treatment.

The Efficacy and Safety of Nivolumab Plus mFOLFOX6 in Gastric Cancer with Severe Peritoneal Metastasis

(1) Background: Nivolumab plus chemotherapy is established as a first-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer (AGC). While mFOLFOX6 is commonly used for AGC with severe peritoneal metastasis, the efficacy of nivolumab combined with it remains uncertain. We evaluated the outcomes of nivolumab plus mFOLFOX6 for AGC with severe peritoneal metastasis in clinical practice. (2) Methods: This multicenter retrospective study was conducted between December 2021 and June 2023. We investigated AGC patients with massive ascites or inadequate oral intake due to severe peritoneal metastasis and who received nivolumab plus mFOLFOX6. (3) Results: Among 106 patients treated with nivolumab plus chemotherapy, 21 (19.8%) had severe peritoneal metastasis, with 14 receiving nivolumab plus mFOLFOX6. The median progression-free survival was 7.4 months (95%CI 1.9-10.1), and the median overall survival was 10.7 months (95%CI 5.3-NA), with four patients (28.5%) surviving more than 12 months. Improved ascites and oral intake were observed in 6/14 patients (42.8%) and 10/11 patients (90.9%), respectively. The major grade 3 or more adverse events included leukopenia (28.5%) and neutropenia (21.4%), with no severe immune-related adverse events reported. (4) Conclusions: The safety and moderate efficacy of nivolumab plus mFOLFOX6 were suggested even in AGC patients with severe peritoneal metastasis.

Liver metastasis affects progression pattern during immune checkpoint inhibitors monotherapy in gastric cancer

Introduction

The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is heterogeneous at each metastatic site, and tumor progression pattern is associated with survival; however, it remains unclear in gastric cancer (GC). Therefore, we aimed to clarify the progression pattern in response to ICIs in patients with GC, and we analyzed its mechanism focusing on the intratumoral immune cells.

Methods

Patients who received ICIs were retrospectively classified into non-systemic and systemic progression groups based on their radiological assessments. Moreover, the best percentage change in target lesions from each organ was compared.

Results

Among 148 patients, the non-systemic progression group showed a significant improvement in overall survival (OS) compared with the systemic progression group (median, 5.6 months vs. 3.3 months; HR, 0.53; 95%CI, 0.32-0.89; p = 0.012). Poor performance status (HR, 1.73, 95%CI, 1.00-2.87) and systemic progression (HR, 3.09, 95%CI, 1.95-4.82) were associated with OS. Of all metastatic sites, the liver showed the poorest percentage change, and liver metastasis (OR, 2.99, 95%CI, 1.04-8.58) was associated with systemic progression. Hence, intratumoral CD8+ T-cell density was lower in patients with liver metastasis than in those without liver metastasis after ICIs, although the density of CD4+ T-cells (Th1, Th17, and Treg) and CD163+ cells (TAM) were not significantly different.

Conclusion

The new progression pattern was associated with OS in GC. Liver metastasis may be a predictive factor of systemic progression during ICIs by regulating intratumoral CD8+ T-cells.

Clinical significance of CA125 in unresectable pancreatic cancer treated with first-line chemotherapy

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Background: Serum CA125 is a potential biomarker for diagnosis of peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer. However, its significance of pancreatic cancer (PC) has not been investigated. Therefore, we aimed to clarify association between serum CA125 and ascites burden, and its kinetics during first-line chemotherapy for PC. Methods: This multicenter retrospective study comprised PC patients who received FOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel in first-line setting between Jan 2014 and Dec 2021. Patient background and treatment outcome was assessed in CA125 elevated and non-elevated group before chemotherapy. The CA125 kinetics after chemotherapy was calculated based on baseline and first measure of CA125. Further, the association between early CA125 change and clinical response during chemotherapy were evaluated based on optimal cut off value calculated receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: A total 109 patients from 3 hospitals were assessable. The overall survival (OS) was significantly shorter in elevated group than that in non-elevated group (median, 10.7 vs. 21.3 months, p = 0.0002). The median value of CA125 before chemotherapy was elevated according to ascites burden (Non, 36U/ml; mild, 173U/ml; moderate/severe, 575U/ml; p < 0.0001). CA125 elevation, CA19-9 elevation, poor performance status and poor glasgow prognostic score were independent prognostic factors in multivariate analysis. After chemotherapy, the median first-time measure of CA125 was performed in day 41. Among patients with peritoneal dissemination, the median change of CA125 was correlated with clinical response (CR/PR, -0.55%/day; SD, -0.24%/day; PD, 3.35%/day, p = 0.004). After chemotherapy, first-time measure of CA125 was performed in a median of day 41. According to the ROC curve analysis, the optimal cut-off value of increase in CA125 for progressive disease was 1.56 %/day (specificity 94.1%, sensitivity 80%). The median PFS and OS were 1.4 and 6.6 months in increased group and 3.3 months and 14.0 months in non-increased group, respectively (p = 0.016 and p = 0.028). Conclusions: CA125 is considered a clinically useful marker in unresectable PC treated with first-line chemotherapy because CA125 above the ULN is a poor prognostic factor for OS and an increased CA125 can be an early predictor of progression in patients with peritoneal dissemination.

CA125 kinetics as a potential biomarker of prognosis in nivolumab monotherapy for patients with advanced gastric cancer and peritoneal metastasis

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Background: The ascites develop in large proportion of patients during salvage-line chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Serum CA125 is reported to be potential biomarker in peritoneal metastasis and associate with prognosis in first-line treatment for AGC. Therefore we aimed to clarify the association between serum CA125 and therapeutic efficacy for AGC treated with third of later-line nivolumab monotherapy (Nivo). Methods: This multicenter retrospective study comprised AGC patients who received Nivo in third line or later setting between Jun. 2015 to May 2019. Patient background and treatment outcome was assessed in CA125 elevated and non-elevated group before Nivo (cut-off, 37 U/ml). The CA125 kinetics after chemotherapy was calculated based on baseline and first measure of CA125. Further, the association between CA125 kinetics and ascites burden during chemotherapy were evaluated based on optimal cut off value calculated receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: A total 50 patients from 5 hospitals were assessable. The proportion of poor PS, moderate/severe peritoneal effusion, low albumin was significantly larger in CA125 elevated group (n=29) than those in non-elevated group. The median value of CA125 before Nivo was elevated according to ascites burden (none, 31.0 U/ml; mild, 49.4 U/ml; moderate/severe, 187.0 U/ml; p<0.001). The overall survival was significantly shorter in elevated group than that in non-elevated group (median, 3.2 vs. 9.4 months, p=0.035). After Nivo, first-time measure of CA125 was performed in a median of day 27. The median change of CA125 was correlated with ascites response (CR/PR, 0.04%/day; SD, 2.06%/day; PD, 4.17 %/day, p=0.013). ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cut-off value of CA125 kinetics for ascites progression was 2.4%/day (specificity 75%, sensitivity 70%). The progression free survival in increased group was significantly shorter than that of non-increased group in patients with peritoneal dissemination (median, 1.4 vs 3.3 months, p=0.016). Conclusions: The serum CA125 before Nivo was associated with ascites burden. Further, CA125 kinetics after Nivo was associated with prognosis in AGC patients with peritoneal dissemination.

CA125 kinetics as a potential biomarker for ascites progression during taxane plus ramucirumab therapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer

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Background: Ascites and peritoneal metastases are major interruptive factors in sequential chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer (AGC), although there are no established markers that predict ascites burden during treatment. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the association between serum CA125 and therapeutic efficacy for AGC treated with taxane plus ramucirumab (TAX/RAM). Methods: This multicenter retrospective study comprised AGC patients who received TAX/RAM in second or third line setting between Jun. 2015 to May 2019. Patient background and treatment outcome was assessed in CA125 elevated and non-elevated group before TAX/RAM (cut-off, 37 U/ml). The CA125 kinetics after chemotherapy was calculated based on baseline and first measure of CA125. Further, the association between early CA125 change and ascites burden during chemotherapy were evaluated based on optimal cut off value calculated receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: A total 73 patients from 5 hospitals were assessable. The proportion of poor PS, moderate/severe peritoneal effusion, low albumin was significantly larger in CA125 elevated group (n=31) than those in non-elevated group. The median value of CA125 before TAX/RAM was elevated according to ascites burden (none, 37.5 U/ml; mild, 57.9 U/ml; moderate/severe, 134.8 U/ml; p<0.001). The overall survival was significantly shorter in elevated group than that in non-elevated group (median, 8.2 vs. 14.6 months, p=0.0004). Baseline CA125 elevation and peritoneal metastasis were independent prognostic factors in multivariate analysis. After TAX/RAM, first-time measure of CA125 was performed in a median of day 28. The median change of CA125 was correlated with ascites response (CR/PR, -1.86%/day; SD, 0.28%/day; PD, 2.33 %/day, p<0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cut-off value of CA125 kinetics for ascites progression was 0.0067%/day (specificity 74%, sensitivity 100%). The progression free survival in increased group was significantly shorter than that of non-increased group in patients with peritoneal dissemination (median, 2.5 vs 6.1 months, p=0.0008). Conclusions: The serum CA125 before TAX/RAM was associated with ascites burden. Further, early change of CA125 after TAX/RAM was associated with prognosis in AGC patients with peritoneal dissemination. CA125 monitoring may be biomarker in determining timing of treatment change.

A multicenter retrospective cohort study evaluating the clinical significance of CA125 in later line of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

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Background: The peritoneal dissemination is one of the metastatic forms of gastrointestinal cancer and has a poor prognosis. It has been reported that the presence of CA125 in mesothelial cells lining the peritoneum is involved in the elevation of CA125 due to peritoneal dissemination and inflammation of cancerous ascites, and CA125 may be a useful predictor of peritoneal dissemination in gastrointestinal cancer. It has also been reported that CA125 correlates with ascites volume and prognosis. However, there are no reports evaluating the clinical significance of CA125 in the later line of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Therefore, we conducted a multicenter retrospective study. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 121 patients who received trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) or Regorafenib from January 2012 to May 2018 in 10 centers and had the result of serum CA125 just before the treatment. Patients who had received either FTD/TPI or Regorafenib were excluded. In this study, the levels of ascites were classified as follows: "none" as undetectable by computed tomography scanning, "mild" as confined to the pelvic cavity or upper abdomen, "severe" as continuous from the pelvic cavity to the upper abdomen, and "moderate" as between "mild" and "severe". RECIST ver.1.1 was used for analysis of tumor response. Survival analyses were performed with Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model. Results: There were 75 patients in the baseline CA125 normal group (group N) and 46 patients in the high group (group H). ECOG PS tended to be worse in group H than in group N (ECOG PS (0/1/2) 26/43/6 and 9/28/9 in N and H groups, p=0.076). There were significantly more patients with ascites in group H than in group N (Yes/No 7/68 and 26/20 in N and H groups, p<0.001). Furthermore, ALP, CRP, CA19-9 and NLR were significantly higher, and Alb was significantly lower in group H than in group N. Baseline CA125 correlated with baseline ascites volume (p<0.001). PFS and OS were significantly shorter in group H compared to group N (PFS; 1.9 vs. 3.0 months; HR 1.576 [95%CI 1.081-2.299]; p=0.016, OS; 4.1 vs. 11.0 months; HR 2.418 [95%CI 1.634-3.576]; p<0.001). The rate of change for CA125 was significantly higher in patients with progressive disease on first evaluation CT compared to patients with disease control (p=0.002), and PFS and OS were significantly shorter in the increased CA125 group measured first after treatment than in the non-increased CA125 group (PFS; 1.9 vs. 4.6 months; HR 3.104 [95%CI, 2.004-4.809]; p<0.001, OS; 5.9 vs. 13.0 months; HR 2.199 [95%CI, 1.474-3.282]; p<0.001). Conclusions: In this retrospective analysis, baseline CA125 correlated with ascites volume in later line treatment of patients with mCRC, suggesting that increased CA125 may be a predictive and prognostic factor. Clinical trial information: UMIN000040059 .

Colonic TRPV4 overexpression is related to constipation severity

BACKGROUND

Chronic constipation is prevalent and involves both colon sensitivity and various changes in intestinal bacteria, particularly mucosa-associated microflora. Here we examined regulatory mechanisms of TRPV4 expression by co-culturing colon epithelial cell lines with intestinal bacteria and their derivatives. We also investigated TRPV4 expression in colon epithelium from patients with constipation.

METHODS

Colon epithelial cell lines were co-cultured with various enterobacteria (bacterial components and supernatant), folate, LPS, or short chain fatty acids. TRPV4 expression levels and promoter DNA methylation were assessed using pyrosequencing, and microarray network analysis. For human samples, correlation coefficients were calculated and multiple regression analyses were used to examine the association between clinical background, rectal TRPV4 expression level and mucosa-associated microbiota.

RESULTS

Co-culture of CCD841 cells with P. acnes, C. perfringens, or S. aureus transiently decreased TRPV4 expression but did not induce methylation. Co-culture with clinical isolates and standard strains of K. oxytoca, E. faecalis, or E. coli increased TRPV4 expression in CCD841 cells, and TRPV4 and TNF-alpha expression were increased by E. coli culture supernatants but not bacterial components. Although folate, LPS, IL-6, TNF-alpha, or SCFAs alone did not alter TRPV4 expression, TRPV4 expression following exposure to E. coli culture supernatants was inhibited by butyrate or TNF-alphaR1 inhibitor and increased by p38 inhibitor. Microarray network analysis showed activation of TNF-alpha, cytokines, and NOD signaling. TRPV4 expression was higher in constipated patients from the terminal ileum to the colorectum, and multiple regression analyses showed that low stool frequency, frequency of defecation aids, and duration were associated with TRPV4 expression. Meanwhile, incomplete defecation, time required to defecate, and number of defecation failures per 24 h were associated with increased E. faecalis frequency.

CONCLUSIONS

Colon epithelium cells had increased TRPV4 expression upon co-culture with K. oxytoca, E. faecalis, or E. coli supernatants, as well as TNFα-stimulated TNFαR1 expression via a pathway other than p38. Butyrate treatment suppressed this increase. Epithelial TRPV4 expression was increased in constipated patients, suggesting that TRPV4 together with increased frequency of E. faecalis may be involved in the pathogenesis of various constipation symptoms.

Factors, Including Clinical Trial Eligibility, Associated with Induction of Third-Line Treatment for Advanced Gastric Cancer

INTRODUCTION

Third-line chemotherapy has been suggested to improve survival in patients with gastric cancer. This study aimed to identify factors associated with the induction of third-line chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer, focusing on patient eligibility for clinical trial.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 335 patients treated for unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer between April 2009 and May 2020. The patients were grouped into those that met the key eligibility criteria for clinical trial (136 patients, 40.6%) and those that did not (199 patients, 59.4%) before receiving first-line chemotherapy.

RESULTS

The overall survival (OS) was 16.8 months (95% CI: 14.0-19.6) and 9.3 months (95% CI: 7.8-11.0) in the eligible and ineligible group, respectively. Multivariate analyses to identify the risk factors associated with the induction of third-line chemotherapy revealed ineligibility of clinical trial (OR 1.95; 95% CI: 1.15-3.31), number of metastatic sites (OR 1.99; 95% CI: 1.23-3.22), low albumin concentration (OR 2.24; 95% CI: 1.14-4.38), and a lack of complete or partial response to first-line treatment (OR 1.85; 95% CI: 1.05-3.26). Indeed, in responders to first-line treatment for ineligible patients, the median OS was 17.7 months (95% CI: 10.6-27.9), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment outcomes were different for those eligible for clinical trials and those who were not. However, this study suggested that patients who responded to first-line treatment have more favorable prognosis when treated with salvage chemotherapy, even if they were deemed ineligible for clinical trials.

Bilateral Serous Retinal Detachment Associated with a Mitogen-activated Protein KinaseKinase Inhibitor in a Patient with BRAF-mutant Colorectal Cancer

We herein report a 73-year-old woman with BRAF V600E-mutated colon cancer treated with encorafenib plus cetuximab with binimetinib as standard salvage therapy for patients with advanced colorectal cancer. She developed bilateral serous retinal detachment the next day, and the regimen was discontinued, resulting in complete resolution by the third day. Doublet therapy without binimetinib was initiated along with a weekly ophthalmologic examination for 10 weeks without recurrence of retinal detachment. Thus, binimetinib was presumed to have been the cause of the retinal detachment. This clinical course suggests the need for close monitoring of patients for vision impairment and close collaboration with ophthalmologists.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy for the diagnosis of gastric linitis plastica

We report two cases of patients with gastric linitis plastica (GLP), in which the histopathological diagnosis was made by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) using a Franseen-tip needle. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy findings showed mucosal swelling and poor distensibility of the gastric antrum. Abdominal computed tomography findings showed significant thickening of the gastric wall at the antrum. Conventional endoscopic and bite-on-bite biopsy were attempted but resulted in failure to diagnose the lesions. We performed EUS-FNB to obtain histopathological samples from a deeper site, which confirmed the diagnosis. We considered this method safe and effective for the diagnosis of GLP.

Methylation silencing of ULK2 via epithelial-mesenchymal transition causes transformation to poorly differentiated gastric cancers

BACKGROUND

Diffuse-type gastric cancers (DGC) typically have a poor prognosis related to their invasion and metastasis, in which the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the initiation step. ULK2 plays a role in the autophagy initiation, which might provide a survival advantage in cancer cells. Although knock-down of ULK2 reportedly induces autophagy and EMT in a lung cancer cell line, the mechanism of EMT via the down-regulation of ULK2, as well as its clinical significance, remains yet unclear. The present study, therefore, aims at clarifying this mechanism and its clinical significance in gastric cancers.

METHODS

We examined ULK2 mRNA expression in gastric cancer tissues and normal gastric tissues of healthy people. The effects of knock-downed ULK2 were examined in two gastric cancer cells, which were investigated in terms of their gene expression changes by the mRNA microarray.

RESULTS

ULK2 was strongly expressed in intestinal-type cancers but was scarcely expressed in DGC by immunohistochemical staining. Furthermore, we found that ULK2 was methylated in DGC and was unmethylated in corresponding adjacent normal tissues. Then, we validated whether knock-down of ULK2 could induce autophagy, cell migration, and EMT in NUGC3 and MKN45 cells. Using mRNA microarray analysis, we confirmed that knock-down of ULK2 changed expressions of oncogenic genes associated with cell migration and EMT. Autophagy inhibitor suppressed cell migration and EMT induced by knock-down of ULK2 in NUGC3 and MKN45.

CONCLUSION

Methylation silencing of ULK2 could induce cell migration and EMT by means of autophagy induction, causing transformation to poorly differentiated cancers.

Lesion-level response to immune checkpoint inhibitor in patients with advanced gastric cancer

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Background: The efficacy of anti-PD-1 monotherapy has been reported to be heterogeneous in each metastatic location in non-small cell lung cancer. Therefore, we analyzed the response of target lesions in each organ and the association between pattern of progression and survival in patients with gastric cancer (GC). Methods: We performed retrospective analysis, which include 148 patients with GC who received nivolumab or pembrolizumab treatment between 2017 and 2021 at eight institutions in Japan. Response rate (RR), progression free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated in total patients. The percent change of target lesions of each organs was measured by CT using RECIST, and their best percent changes were compared. In the GC patients with best response of progression disease (PD), the association between pattern of progression and survival was analyzed. Systemic progression was defined as PD in two or more lesions including target or non-target lesions, and non-systemic progression was defined as PD in only one lesion. Results: Among 148 patients, the RR, median PFS, and median OS were 11.6%, 1.6 months (95%CI, 1.4-1.9), and 4.4 months (95%CI, 3.6-6.6), respectively. A total of 293 lesions from 112 patients with target lesions were examined. The median best percent change of lymph node (n = 76), liver (n = 62), peritoneum (n = 19) and lung (n = 8) was +2.3%, +27%, +12%, +8.5%, respectively. Liver had significantly the lowest responses compared with lymph node and peritoneum (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.016). The median OS in non-systemic and systemic progression group was 5.6 months (95%CI, 3.6-8.8) and 3.3 months (95%CI, 1.9-3.6) and survival of patients with non-systemic progression showed significantly longer than that of systemic progression (p = 0.012). According to univariate and multivariate analysis, poor performance status (PS) (HR 1.73, 95%CI, 1.00-2.87) and systemic progression (HR 3.09, 95%CI, 1.95-4.82) were associated with OS in total patients. Additionally, liver metastasis (OR 2.99, 95%CI, 1.04-8.58) was identified as a baseline factor associated with systemic progression in the univariate and multivariate analysis. Conclusions: The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) is dependent on the metastatic location. Moreover, pattern of progression has been associated with overall survival. Liver metastasis might be a predictive factor of systemic progression in ICI treatment for GC.

Intensive surveillance endoscopy for multiple gastrointestinal tumors in a patient with constitutional mismatch repair deficiency: case report

BACKGROUND

Constitutional mismatch repair deficiency (CMMRD) is an extremely rare autosomal recessive hereditary disease characterized by the absence of mismatch repair gene activity from birth, which results in brain tumors, colonic polyposis, gastrointestinal cancers, and lymphomas later in life. An aggressive approach, including colectomy or proctocolectomy, is recommended for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Additionally, partial colectomy with subsequent endoscopic surveillance may be an alternative strategy due to poor patient's condition, although there is no evidence of surveillance endoscopy after partial colectomy for CMMRD.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 13-year-old male patient with a history of T-lymphoblastic lymphoma underwent total gastrointestinal endoscopy, which revealed rectal cancer, colorectal polyposis, and duodenal adenoma. Differential diagnosis included constitutional mismatch repair deficiency according to its scoring system and microsatellite instability, and subsequent germline mutation testing for mismatch repair genes confirmed the diagnosis of constitutional mismatch repair deficiency based on a homozygous mutation in mutS homolog 6 (MSH6). The patient and his family refused colectomy due to the high risk of malignancies other than colorectal cancer, which could require radical surgery. Therefore, the patient underwent low anterior resection of the rectosigmoid colon for rectal cancer and intensive surveillance endoscopy for the remaining colon polyposis. During the 3-year period after initial surgery, 130 polyps were removed and the number of polyps gradually decreased during 6-months interval surveillance endoscopies, although only one polyp was diagnosed as invasive adenocarcinoma (pT1).

CONCLUSIONS

Our experience of short surveillance endoscopy illustrates that this strategy might be one of options according to patient's condition.

Comparison of Histological Sample Volumes among Various Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy Needles

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) enables easy and accurate pathological assessment. Here, we compared and assessed the area of samples on glass slides for three needle types: a 19-gauge Franseen needle (Acquire, Boston Scientific, Natick, MA, USA), a 22-gauge Franseen needle, and a 19-gauge fine-needle aspiration (FNA) needle (EZ Shot 3 Plus; Olympus, Tokyo, Japan). Among patients with suspected pancreatic cancer, with a ≥20 mm tumor located in the pancreatic body and tail, and who underwent EUS-FNA or FNB between June 2018 and March 2020, 10 were randomly selected to test each needle. The areas of histological tissue and blood clot samples were measured using the BZ-X800 imaging software (Keyence Corporation, Osaka, Japan). Baseline patient characteristics and pathological sample data showed no significant differences among the needles. The 19-gauge Franseen needle obtained significantly more histological tissue samples than the 19-gauge conventional needle (p = 0.010) and 22-gauge Franseen needle (p = 0.008). Conversely, there was no significant difference between the 19-gauge conventional needle and 22-gauge Franseen needle (p = 0.838) in this regard. The 19-gauge Franseen needle could collect more samples than the other needles, contributing to giving a more precise pathological diagnosis and more information, including genomic profiling.

Prognosis of Immune-related Adverse Events in Patients With Advanced Gastric Cancer Treated With Nivolumab or Pembrolizumab: A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis

BACKGROUND

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), including nivolumab and pembrolizumab, are among the standard treatments for previously treated advanced gastric cancer (AGC). This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and the correlation between irAEs and their efficacy in AGC cases.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients were divided into two groups according to irAE occurrence. The frequency of irAEs and the treatment outcome (response rate [RR], progression-free survival [PFS], and overall survival [OS]) were evaluated. The survival rates were evaluated by landmark analysis considering lead-time bias.

RESULTS

Among 108 patients who received nivolumab or pembrolizumab, 17 (15.7%) had irAEs. In a 4-week landmark analysis, the RR, median PFS, and median OS were 28.5%, 3.9 months (95% CI=2.8-9.3), and 12.2 months (95% CI=3.8-NA) in patients with irAEs, while 3.0% (2/65), 1.8 months (95% CI=1.4-2.1), and 3.5 months (95% CI, 2.9-5.1) in patients without irAEs, respectively. In multivariate analysis, irAEs were associated with better PFS (HR=2.08, 95% CI=1.34-3.21).

CONCLUSION

The occurrence of irAEs was associated with a better clinical outcome of ICIs in patients with AGC.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Fine Needle Aspiration for the Diagnosis of Duodenal Stenosis Due to Urothelial Carcinoma

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) initially presents with hematuria and hydronephrosis. We report a case of UTUC presenting with initial findings of duodenal stenosis before the appearance of hydronephrosis. A 59-year-old man presented with upper abdominal symptoms on his initial visit. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed circumferential stenosis at the descending part of the duodenum. However, the underlying cause of duodenal stenosis was unknown as repeated histopathological examinations of endoscopic biopsy specimens showed no specific findings. We then performed endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) of the thickened duodenal wall, and successfully diagnosed duodenal metastasis of UTUC. EUS-FNA is an effective diagnostic method in cases in which the cause of duodenal stenosis is unknown.

Diagnostic Fine-Needle Biopsy of Small Solid Pancreatic Lesions Using a Franseen Needle during Endoscopic Ultrasound Examination

BACKGROUND AND AIM

During endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNB), Franseen needles can help collect sufficient tissue to permit histopathological assessment. However, its efficacy might be limited by the size of the targeted lesion. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of histopathological assessment of small solid pancreatic lesions using a 22-gauge Franseen needle during EUS-FNB.

METHODS

This retrospective study evaluated data from all patients who underwent EUS-FNB using a Franseen needle for solid pancreatic lesions at the University of Toyama Hospital between June 2018 and April 2020.

RESULTS

The study included 159 patients who had 152 malignant lesions and 7 benign lesions. The malignant lesions included pancreatic cancers (n = 134), neuroendocrine neoplasms (n = 15), metastatic tumors (n = 2), and a solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (n = 1). The diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNB (combining histology and cytology) was 98.7%. However, the histopathological diagnosis was only confirmed for 64.3% of small lesions (<10 mm), relative to 97.2% for larger lesions. Multivariate analysis also revealed that lesion size of <10 mm predicted a less accurate histopathological diagnosis (odds ratio: 6.97, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-47.67; p = 0.041). Further analyses revealed a failed histological diagnosis in 4 patients with lesions of <5 mm in size and accurate diagnoses in 9 out of 10 patients with lesions of 5-10 mm in size.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic accuracy for small lesions (<10 mm), especially for lesions of <5 mm, based on histological examination alone, was significantly lower than that for others (>10 mm). Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed that only lesion size was an independent predictor of histopathological diagnosis accuracy.

Prognostic impact of immune-related adverse events with nivolumab in patients with advanced gastric cancer: A multicenter retrospective analysis

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Background: Nivolumab was established as one of the standard treatments for previously treated advanced gastric cancer (AGC). The aim of this study is to evaluate the frequency of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) with Nivolumab and its impact on treatment efficacy in clinical practice. Methods: We performed multicenter retrospective analysis, which included 90 patients with advanced gastric cancer who received Nivolumab treatment between October 2017 and September 2019. The frequency of irAEs and its treatment outcome were evaluated, and survival was compared during Nivolumab treatment. Results: The characteristics of 90 patients in this analysis were as follows: median age (range), 68 (36-85); male/female, 56/34; ECOG PS 0-1/≥2, 62/28; number of metastatic sites 1/≥2, 36/56; treatment line 3/≥4, 63/27. Median treatment cycle of nivolumab treatment was 3 (range 1-26). The overall response in 68 patients with target lesions was 6.3% (4/68), and the median PFS and OS was 1.5 and 4.3 months, respectively. IrAEs were observed in 8 patients (8.8%), including grade 4 pneumonitis, grade 2 or 3 adrenal insufficiency, and grade 2 hypothyroidism, encephalitis, and immune thrombocytopenia. Median time to onset of irAEs was 1.3 (range 0.6-10.5) months. Six were treated with systemic corticosteroid therapy, and all irAEs were relieved. The median PFS and OS were 4.7 months (95%CI, 1.2-9.3) and 12.2 months (95% CI, 3.2-not reached) in patient with irAEs, and 1.4 months (95%CI, 1.1-1.9) and 4.1 months (95%CI, 2.6-6.6) in those without, respectively. There was significant difference in the PFS (p=0.005) and OS (p=0.03). Conclusions: Nivolumab was effective and well tolerated even in clinical practice. Development of irAEs may be associated with better outcome of Nivolumab in patients with AGC.

The relationship between naldemedine administration and the maximum dose of oral opioids

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Background: Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is the most common side effect of opioid therapy. Laxatives are usually used as a first-line treatment for OIC. Treatment options for OIC are switching to other opioids associated with less frequent OIC, such as Fentanyl. Naldemedine is an orally active peripherally acting µ-opioid receptor antagonists that was approved in Japan from 2017 for management of cancer-related OIC. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between Naldemedine administration and the maximum dose of oral Oxycodone which is the most frequently used oral opioids at our hospital. Methods: During June 2017 and December 2018, a total of 217 patients with cancer-related pain received Oxycodone at our institution. The first group of the patients concurrently received Naldemedine 0.2 mg daily (group A, n = 101), and the second group didn’t receive it (group B, n = 116) for cancer-related OIC reduction. We compared the maximum Oxycodone dose between two groups by medical record retrospectively. Results: The median age of group A was 69 y.o. (range 20-87 y.o.), and the median age of group B was 67 y.o. (range 27-88y.o.). There was no significant difference in common patient background between group A and B. The median dose of maximum Oxycodone dose of group A was 40 mg/day (range 10-480 mg/day), and that of group B was 20 mg/day (range 10-320 mg/day). There was a significant difference in the median dose of maximum Oxycodone between group A and B (Mann-Whitney U test, P < 0.0001). In Group A, the administration was started in 31 patient Naldemedine and Oxycodone at the same time. As for 70 remaining patients, the administration was started when they had constipation after oxycodone was administrated. In those patients, the median days was 19 days from the Oxycodone administration starting date to the Naldemedine administration starting date. Conclusions: Naldemedine administration in patients with cancer-related OIC may increase the maximum dose of oral Oxycodone.

A retrospective multicenter study evaluating the efficacy and safety of irinotecan in patients with advanced gastric cancer: Analysis of albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade

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Background: It is important to predict prognosis and risk of adverse events in patients with advanced gastric cancer receiving chemotherapy. Albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade is recently used as liver function assessment and prognosticator in hepatocellular carcinoma. Irinotecan is metabolized in the liver, so ALBI score may be useful for predicting irinotecan efficacy and safety. Methods: We conducted a retrospective multicenter study and investigated association between efficacy and ALBI grade in patients who received irinotecan monotherapy between January 2010 and December 2017. All patients had to receive fluoropyrimidine and platinum as prior therapy. The ALBI score is calculated by the equation: ALBI score = (log10 bilirubin [µmol/L] × 0.66) + (albumin [g/L] × −0.0852). As a result, ALBI grades 1, 2, and 3 were developed as follows: ALBI score ≤ −2.60 (ALBI grade 1), > −2.60 to ≤ −1.39 (ALBI grade 2), and > −1.39 (ALBI grade 3). Results: The number of patients with ALBI grade 1/2/3 is 100/68/5. In ALBI 1/2-3 patients, performance status 0/1/≥2 was 37/57/6 and 17/43/14, treatment line 2nd/3rd or later was 58/42 and 21/53, HER2 positive/negative 14/86 and 16/58, respectively. In ALBI 1/2-3 patients, median PFS was 3.3 and 2.3 months (HR = 0.684, P = 0.018) and median OS was 11.7 and 6.7 months (HR = 0.492, P < 0.001), respectively. In ALBI 1/2-3 patients, median treatment cycle which was 6 and 4 ( P = 0.09) and RDI were significantly different was, and RDI was 0.80 vs 0.70( P = 0.027), respectively.Hematological AEs were observed in 88% and 87% ( P = 1.000), severe hematological AEs (≥G3) were 41% and 58%( P = 0.040). Non-hematological AEs were 87% and 86%( P = 1.000), severe non-hematological AEs (≥G3) were 11% and 18% ( P = 0.257), respectively. Severe AEs in more than 5% patients were leukopenia (12% and 18%), neutropenia (23% and 28%), anemia (16% and 31%), and anorexia (2% and 10%).In multivariate analysis, ALBI grade was associated with shorter OS (ALBI 1 and 2-3: HR 1.773 95%C.I. 1.184-2.654, p = 0.005). Conclusions: ALBI grade might be both prognostic factor and risk factor in treatment with irinotecan monotherapy for patients with AGC.

Ectopic colonization of oral bacteria in the intestine drives TH1 cell induction and inflammation

Intestinal colonization by bacteria of oral origin has been correlated with several negative health outcomes, including inflammatory bowel disease. However, a causal role of oral bacteria ectopically colonizing the intestine remains unclear. Using gnotobiotic techniques, we show that strains of Klebsiella spp. isolated from the salivary microbiota are strong inducers of T helper 1 (T_H1) cells when they colonize in the gut. These Klebsiella strains are resistant to multiple antibiotics, tend to colonize when the intestinal microbiota is dysbiotic, and elicit a severe gut inflammation in the context of a genetically susceptible host. Our findings suggest that the oral cavity may serve as a reservoir for potential intestinal pathobionts that can exacerbate intestinal disease.