Integrative multiomics enhancer activity profiling identifies therapeutic vulnerabilities in cholangiocarcinoma of different etiologies

OBJECTIVES

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a heterogeneous malignancy with high mortality and dismal prognosis, and an urgent clinical need for new therapies. Knowledge of the CCA epigenome is largely limited to aberrant DNA methylation. Dysregulation of enhancer activities has been identified to affect carcinogenesis and leveraged for new therapies but is uninvestigated in CCA. Our aim is to identify potential therapeutic targets in different subtypes of CCA through enhancer profiling.

DESIGN

Integrative multiomics enhancer activity profiling of diverse CCA was performed. A panel of diverse CCA cell lines, patient-derived and cell line-derived xenografts were used to study identified enriched pathways and vulnerabilities. NanoString, multiplex immunohistochemistry staining and single-cell spatial transcriptomics were used to explore the immunogenicity of diverse CCA.

RESULTS

We identified three distinct groups, associated with different etiologies and unique pathways. Drug inhibitors of identified pathways reduced tumour growth in in vitro and in vivo models. The first group (ESTRO), with mostly fluke-positive CCAs, displayed activation in estrogen signalling and were sensitive to MTOR inhibitors. Another group (OXPHO), with mostly BAP1 and IDH-mutant CCAs, displayed activated oxidative phosphorylation pathways, and were sensitive to oxidative phosphorylation inhibitors. Immune-related pathways were activated in the final group (IMMUN), made up of an immunogenic CCA subtype and CCA with aristolochic acid (AA) mutational signatures. Intratumour differences in AA mutation load were correlated to intratumour variation of different immune cell populations.

CONCLUSION

Our study elucidates the mechanisms underlying enhancer dysregulation and deepens understanding of different tumourigenesis processes in distinct CCA subtypes, with potential significant therapeutics and clinical benefits.

Altered microbiome of serum exosomes in patients with acute and chronic cholecystitis

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the differences in the microbiota composition of serum exosomes from patients with acute and chronic cholecystitis.

METHOD

Exosomes were isolated from the serum of cholecystitis patients through centrifugation and identified and characterized using transmission electron microscopy and nano-flow cytometry. Microbiota analysis was performed using 16S rRNA sequencing.

RESULTS

Compared to patients with chronic cholecystitis, those with acute cholecystitis exhibited lower richness and diversity. Beta diversity analysis revealed significant differences in the microbiota composition between patients with acute and chronic cholecystitis. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria was significantly higher in exosomes from patients with acute cholecystitis, whereas Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were significantly more abundant in exosomes from patients with chronic cholecystitis. Furthermore, functional predictions of microbial communities using Tax4Fun analysis revealed significant differences in metabolic pathways such as amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and membrane transport between the two patient groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirmed the differences in the microbiota composition within serum exosomes of patients with acute and chronic cholecystitis. Serum exosomes could serve as diagnostic indicators for distinguishing acute and chronic cholecystitis.

Pancreatic surgery outcomes: multicentre prospective snapshot study in 67 countries

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic surgery remains associated with high morbidity rates. Although postoperative mortality appears to have improved with specialization, the outcomes reported in the literature reflect the activity of highly specialized centres. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes following pancreatic surgery worldwide.

METHODS

This was an international, prospective, multicentre, cross-sectional snapshot study of consecutive patients undergoing pancreatic operations worldwide in a 3-month interval in 2021. The primary outcome was postoperative mortality within 90 days of surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore relationships with Human Development Index (HDI) and other parameters.

RESULTS

A total of 4223 patients from 67 countries were analysed. A complication of any severity was detected in 68.7 per cent of patients (2901 of 4223). Major complication rates (Clavien-Dindo grade at least IIIa) were 24, 18, and 27 per cent, and mortality rates were 10, 5, and 5 per cent in low-to-middle-, high-, and very high-HDI countries respectively. The 90-day postoperative mortality rate was 5.4 per cent (229 of 4223) overall, but was significantly higher in the low-to-middle-HDI group (adjusted OR 2.88, 95 per cent c.i. 1.80 to 4.48). The overall failure-to-rescue rate was 21 per cent; however, it was 41 per cent in low-to-middle- compared with 19 per cent in very high-HDI countries.

CONCLUSION

Excess mortality in low-to-middle-HDI countries could be attributable to failure to rescue of patients from severe complications. The authors call for a collaborative response from international and regional associations of pancreatic surgeons to address management related to death from postoperative complications to tackle the global disparities in the outcomes of pancreatic surgery (NCT04652271; ISRCTN95140761).

The Extended Surgical Concepts for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Era of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Surgical resection remains one of the most effective curative therapies for HCC. However, the majority of patients have advanced unresectable diseases upon presentation. It is of paramount importance to raise the resectability of patients with HCC. The remarkable objective response rate reported by Phase III IMbrave150 trial has led to the concept of "Atezo/Bev followed by curative conversion (ABC conversion)" for initially unresectable HCC. With this revolutionary treatment strategy, the concept of surgical resection for HCC should be amended. The current opinion illustrated three extended surgical concepts, which could be integrated into clinical practice in the era of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI).

Daily Aspirin Reduced the Incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Overall Mortality in Patients with Cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

Cirrhosis is the primary risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and gastrointestinal bleeding (GI). We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of daily aspirin on HCC occurrence, overall survival, and GI bleeding in cirrhotic patients.

METHODS

A total of 35,898 eligible cases were enrolled for analyses from an initial 40,603 cirrhotic patients without tumor history. Patients continuously treated with aspirin for at least 84 days were in the therapy group, whereas those without treatment were controls. A 1:2 propensity score matching by age, sex, comorbidities, drugs, and significant clinical laboratory tests with covariate assessment was used.

RESULTS

Multivariable regression analyses revealed that daily aspirin use was independently associated with a reduced risk of HCC (three-year HR 0.57; 95% CI 0.37-0.87; p = 0.0091; five-year HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.45-0.88; p = 0.0072) inversely correlated with the treatment duration [3-12 months: HR 0.88 (95% CI 0.58-1.34); 12-36 months: HR 0.56 (0.31-0.99); and ≥ 36 months: HR 0.37 (0.18-0.76)]. Overall mortality rates were significantly lower among aspirin users compared with untreated controls [three-year HR 0.43 (0.33-0.57); five-year HR 0.51 (0.42-0.63)]. Consistent results were obtained when the laboratory data were included in the propensity score for matching.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term aspirin use significantly reduced the incidence of HCC and overall mortality without increasing gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhotic patients.

A novel technique of sutureless omentopexy during dual-incision laparoscopic peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion to prevent catheter dysfunction due to omental wrapping

BACKGROUND

Omental wrapping (OW) is the leading cause of obstruction of the peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter, which interferes with dialysis treatment. Routinely or selectively performing omentopexy during laparoscopic PD catheter placement has been suggested to prevent OW. However, most of the published techniques for performing this adjunctive procedure require additional incisions and suturing. Herein, we aimed to report our experience in performing omentopexy with a sutureless technique during dual-incision PD catheter insertion. We also performed a comparative analysis to assess the benefit/risk profile of routine omentopexy in these patients.

METHODS

This retrospective study enrolled 469 patients who underwent laparoscopic PD catheter insertion. Their demographic characteristics and operative details were collected from the database of our institution. Omentopexy was performed by fixing the inferior edge of the omentum to the round ligament of the liver using titanium clips. For analysis, the patients were divided into the omentopexy group and the non-omentopexy group. We also reviewed the salvage management and outcomes of patients who experienced OW.

RESULTS

The patients were categorized into the omentopexy (n = 81) and non-omentopexy (n = 388) groups. The patients in the non-omentopexy group had a higher incidence of OW, whereas no patient in the omentopexy group experienced this complication (5.2% vs. 0.0%, p = 0.033). The median operative time was 27 min longer in patients who underwent omentopexy than in those who did not [100 (82-118) min vs. 73 (63-84) min, p < 0.001]. One patient had an intra-abdominal hematoma after omentopexy and required salvage surgery to restore catheter function. The complication rate of omentopexy was 1.2% (1/81).

CONCLUSION

Sutureless omentopexy during laparoscopic PD catheter insertion is a safe and reliable technique that does not require additional incisions and suturing. Routinely performing omentopexy provides clinical benefits by reducing the risk of catheter dysfunction due to OW.

Laparoscopic liver resection is associated with less significant muscle loss than the conventional open approach

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic liver resections (LLR) have been shown a treatment approach comparable to open liver resections (OLR) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the influence of procedural type on body composition has not been investigated. The aim of the current study was to compare the degree of skeletal muscle loss between LLR and OLR for HCC.

METHODS

By using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis, 64 pairs of patients were enrolled. The change of psoas muscle index (PMI) after the operation was compared between the matched patients in the LLR and OLR. Risk factors for significant muscle loss (defined as change in PMI > mean change minus one standard deviation) were further investigated by multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Among patients enrolled, there was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The PMI was significantly decreased in the OLR group (P = 0.003). There were also more patients in the OLR group who developed significant muscle loss after the operations (P = 0.008). Multivariate analysis revealed OLR (P = 0.023), type 2 diabetes mellitus, indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min (ICG-15) > 10%, and cancer stage ≧ 3 were independent risk factors for significant muscle loss. In addition, significant muscle loss was associated with early HCC recurrence (P = 0.006). Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that the urea cycle may be decreased in patients with significant muscle loss.

CONCLUSION

LLR for HCC was associated with less significant muscle loss than OLR. Since significant muscle loss was a predictive factor for early tumor recurrence and associated with impaired liver metabolism, LLR may subsequently result in a more favorable outcome.

Evaluation of recurrence risk in patients with papillary thyroid cancer through tumor-node-metastasis staging: A single-center observational study in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

Many patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) demonstrate satisfactory outcomes. However, 8%-28% of patients with PTC show tumor recurrence, which may affect prognosis. Therefore, identifying factors associated with tumor recurrence in patients with PTC may be helpful to refine therapeutic strategies.

METHODS

To identify factors associated with PTC recurrence, we retrospectively reviewed demographic features (sex and age), operation method, image character, serum thyroglobulin (Tg), accumulated radioactive iodine (I-131) therapeutic dose, I-131 uptake, and metastases at diagnosis in 829 patients with PTC. Patients were grouped into early (stage I and II; n = 698) and advanced (stage III and IV; n = 131) tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stages. Recurrence rate, mortality rate, risk factors of recurrence, recurrent free survival and overall survival curve were compared between two groups.

RESULTS

Patients in the early stage demonstrated a lower recurrence rate (7.2%) than did those in the advanced stage (28.2%, p < 0.05). The mortality rate of patients with recurrence in the advanced stage was higher than that of those in the early stage (51.4% vs. 12.0%). The major impact factors on tumor recurrence in early TNM stage were distant metastasis and lymph node metastasis, while in advanced TNM stage were distant metastasis, male gender, total thyroidectomy with limited lymph node dissection, and a high serum Tg level.

CONCLUSIONS

Strategies to monitor tumor recurrence might be refined according to the TNM stages of PTC patients.

The Vessels That Encapsulate Tumor Clusters (VETC) Pattern Is a Poor Prognosis Factor in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Analysis of Microvessel Density

The outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are unsatisfactory because of its high recurrence rate. The Vessels that encapsulate tumor clusters (VETC) pattern is a unique vascular structure. In this study, we investigated the clinical−pathological features of HCC patients with the VETC pattern. We retrospectively reviewed patients with HCC who underwent curative hepatectomy at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between 2007 and 2013. The form of the VETC pattern was established using an anti-CD31 stain. The results were classified into positive (VETC+) and negative (VETC−) patterns. We investigated and compared demographic data between these two groups. Overall, 174 patients were classified into either the VETC+ or VETC− groups. The median followed-up period was 80.5 months. There were significant differences in the number of hepatitis B carriers, the occurrence of vascular invasion, tumor size, TNM staging, microvessel density, and recurrence (all p < 0.05). Regarding the prediction of disease-free survival, after COX regression multivariate analysis, VETC+ remained independently associated with recurrent episodes (p = 0.003). The intra-tumoral microvessel density, demonstrated by CD-31, was the only clinical−pathological feature independently associated with VETC+. Our study demonstrated that the VETC pattern is an independent factor of poor prognosis for DFS. Higher intra-tumoral microvessel density was significantly associated with the VETC pattern. Further studies are needed to validate our findings.

The combination of sarcopenia and biochemical factors can predict the survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients receiving transarterial chemoembolization

Background

Transarterial chemoembolization(TACE) is the suggested treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) not amenable to curative treatments. We investigated the role of sarcopenia on overall survival in HCC patients receiving TACE and proposed a new prognostic scoring system incorporating sarcopenia.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively analyzed 260 HCC patients who received TACE between 2010 and 2015. Total psoas muscle was measured on a cross-sectional CT image before the first TACE session. Sarcopenia was defined by the pre-determined sex-specific cutoff value. We assessed the impact of sarcopenia and other biochemical factors on the overall survival and compared the new scoring system with other prognostic scoring systems.

Results

One hundred and thirty patients (50%) were classified as sarcopenia before the first TACE. They were older with a higher male tendency and a significantly lower body mass index (BMI). Cox regression multivariate analysis demonstrated that sarcopenia, multiple tumors, maximal tumor diameter≥ 5cm, major venous thrombosis, sarcopenia, AFP ≥ 200 ng/ml, and albumin<3.5mg/dL were independent poor prognostic factors for overall survival in HCC patients receiving TACE. Our scoring system comprising these factors outperformed other major scoring systems in terms of predicting survival after TACE.

Conclusion

The current study demonstrated that sarcopenia was an independent prognostic factor for HCC undergoing TACE therapy. Our newly developed scoring system could effectively predict patient survival after TACE. Physicians could, based on the current score model, carefully select candidate patients for TACE treatment in order to optimize their survival. Further studies are warranted to validate our findings.

A proposal for T1 subclassification in hepatocellular carcinoma: reappraisal of the AJCC 8th edition

BACKGROUND

In the 8th edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), tumor size is not considered in T1 stage. The present study aimed to find out the optimal cutoff for tumor size to further stratify patients with T1 HCC.

METHODS

Operated HCC patients were identified from the Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD), and the patients with T1bN0M0 tumors were further divided into two groups based on the tumor size. The resulting subgroups were denoted as T1b (≤ cutoff) and T1c (> cutoff). The survivals were compared between T1a/b and T1c as well as T1c and T2.

RESULTS

From 2002 to 2018, a total of 2893 patients who underwent surgery for T1N0M0 HCC were identified from the CGRD. After excluding cases who died within 30 days of surgery, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis discovered that T1 tumors > 65 mm (T1c) had survivals similar to those of T2N0M0 tumors. Cox regression multivariate analysis further demonstrated that tumor size > 6.5 cm was an independent poor prognostic indicator for T1 HCC. Sensitivity tests also confirmed that tumors lager than 6.5 cm were significantly more likely to develop both tumor recurrence and liver-specific death after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that tumor size would significantly impact the survival outcome of T1 HCC after surgery. Due to significantly worse survival, we proposed a subclassification within T1 HCC, T1c: solitary tumor > 6.5 cm without vascular invasion, to further stratify those patients at risk. Further studies are mandatory to validate our findings.

Reappraisal of the Role of Alkaline Phosphatase in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a marker of liver function and is associated with biliary tract disease. It was reported as a prognostic factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The genetic expression in tumor-tissue microarrays and the perioperative serologic changes in ALP have never been studied for their correlation with HCC prognosis. Methods: The genetic expression of ALP isoforms (placental (ALPP), intestinal (ALPI) and bone/kidney/liver (ALPL)) was analyzed in tumor and non-cancerous areas in 38 patients with HCC after partial hepatectomy. The perioperative change in ALP was further analyzed in a cohort containing 525 patients with HCC to correlate it with oncologic outcomes. A total of 43 HCC patients were enrolled for a volumetry study after major and minor hepatectomy. Results: The genetic expression of the bone/kidney/liver isoform was specifically and significantly higher in non-cancerous areas than in tumors. Patients with HCC with a higher ALP (>81 U/dL) had significantly more major hepatectomies, vascular invasion, and recurrence. Cox regression analysis showed that gender, major hepatectomies, the presence of satellite lesions, higher grades (III or IV) and perioperative changes in liver function tests were independent prognostic factors for recurrence-free survival, and a postoperative increase in the ALP ratio at postoperative day (POD) 7 vs. POD 0 > 1.46 should be emphasized. A liver regeneration rate more than 1.8 and correlation analysis revealed that the ALP level at POD 7 and 30 was significantly higher and correlated with remnant liver growth. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the perioperative ALP change was an independent prognostic factor for HCC after partial hepatectomies, and the elevation of ALP represented a functional biomarker for the liver but not an HCC biomarker. The higher regeneration capacity was possibly associated with the elevation of ALP after operation.

Quercetin exerts anti-inflammatory effects via inhibiting tumor necrosis factor-α-induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in normal human gastric epithelial cells

BACKGROUND

Gastric injury is the most common digestive system disease worldwide and involves inflammation, which can lead to gastric ulcer or gastric cancer (GC). Matrix metallopeptidase-9 [MMP-9 (gelatinase-B)] plays an important role in inflammation and GC progression. Quercetin and quercetin-rich diets represent potential food supplements and a source of medications for treating gastric injury given their anti-inflammatory activities. However, the effects and mechanisms of action of quercetin on human chronic gastritis and whether quercetin can relieve symptoms remain unclear.

AIM

To assess whether tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced MMP-9 expression mediates the anti-inflammatory effects of quercetin in normal human gastric mucosal epithelial cells.

METHODS

The normal human gastric mucosa epithelial cell line GES-1 was used to establish a normal human gastric epithelial cell model of TNF-α-induced MMP-9 protein overexpression to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of quercetin. The cell counting Kit-8 assay was used to evaluate the effects of varying quercetin doses on cell viability in the normal GES-1 cell line. Cell migration was measured using Transwell assay. The expression of proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src (c-Src), phospho (p)-c-Src, extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2), p-ERK1/2, c-Fos, p-c-Fos, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB/p65), and p-p65 and the effects of their inhibitors were examined using Western blot analysis and measurement of luciferase activity. p65 expression was detected by immunofluorescence. MMP-9 mRNA and protein levels were measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT–PCR) and gelatin zymography, respectively.

RESULTS

qRT-PCR and gelatin zymography showed that TNF-α induced MMP-9 mRNA and protein expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. These effects were reduced by the pretreatment of GES-1 cells with quercetin or a TNF-α antagonist (TNFR inhibitor) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Quercetin and TNF-α antagonists decreased the TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of c-Src, ERK1/2, c-Fos, and p65 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Quercetin, TNF-α antagonist, PP1, U0126, and tanshinone IIA (TSIIA) reduced TNF-α-induced c-Fos phosphorylation and AP-1–Luciferase (Luc) activity in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Pretreatment with quercetin, TNF-α antagonist, PP1, U0126, or Bay 11-7082 reduced TNF-α-induced p65 phosphorylation and translocation and p65–Luc activity in a dose- and time-dependent manner. TNF-α significantly increased GES-1 cell migration, and these results were reduced by pretreatment with quercetin or a TNF-α antagonist.

CONCLUSION

Quercetin significantly downregulates TNF-α-induced MMP-9 expression in GES-1 cells via the TNFR-c-Src–ERK1/2 and c-Fos or NF-κB pathways.

Molecular mechanism of therapeutic approaches for human gastric cancer stem cells

Gastric cancer (GC) is a primary cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and even after therapeutic gastrectomy, survival rates remain poor. The presence of gastric cancer stem cells (GCSCs) is thought to be the major reason for resistance to anticancer treatment (chemotherapy or radiotherapy), and for the development of tumor recurrence, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and metastases. Additionally, GCSCs have the capacity for self-renewal, differentiation, and tumor initiation. They also synthesize antiapoptotic factors, demonstrate higher performance of drug efflux pumps, and display cell plasticity abilities. Moreover, the tumor microenvironment (TME; tumor niche) that surrounds GCSCs contains secreted growth factors and supports angiogenesis and is thus responsible for the maintenance of the growing tumor. However, the genesis of GCSCs is unclear and exploration of the source of GCSCs is essential. In this review, we provide up-to-date information about GCSC-surface/intracellular markers and GCSC-mediated pathways and their role in tumor development. This information will support improved diagnosis, novel therapeutic approaches, and better prognosis using GCSC-targeting agents as a potentially effective treatment choice following surgical resection or in combination with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. To date, most anti-GCSC blockers when used alone have been reported as unsatisfactory anticancer agents. However, when used in combination with adjuvant therapy, treatment can improve. By providing insights into the molecular mechanisms of GCSCs associated with tumors in GC, the aim is to optimize anti-GCSCs molecular approaches for GC therapy in combination with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or other adjuvant treatment.

Rare Occurrence of Aristolochic Acid Mutational Signatures in Oro-Gastrointestinal Tract Cancers

BACKGROUND

Aristolochic acids (AAs) are potent mutagens commonly found in herbal plant-based remedies widely used throughout Asian countries.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

To understand whether AA is involved in the tumorigenesis of the oro-gastrointestinal tract, we used whole-exome sequencing to profile 54 cases of four distinct types of oro-gastrointestinal tract cancer (OGITC) from Taiwan.

RESULTS

A diverse landscape of mutational signatures including those from DNA mismatch repair and reactive oxygen species was observed. APOBEC mutational signatures were observed in 60% of oral squamous cell carcinomas. Only one sample harbored AA mutational signatures, contradictory to prior reports of cancers from Taiwan. The metabolism of AA in the liver and urinary tract, transient exposure time, and high cell turnover rates at OGITC sites may explain our findings.

CONCLUSION

AA signatures in OGITCs are rare and unlikely to be a major contributing factor in oro-gastrointestinal tract tumorigenesis.

The Impact of Multidisciplinary Team Approach on Cytoreductive Surgery with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Peritoneal Carcinomatosis

BACKGROUND

Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) is a therapeutic approach used to achieve curative treatment in intra-abdominal malignancy with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). However, it is a complicated procedure with high post-operative complication rates. Thus, we analyzed our preliminary data to establish whether multidisciplinary teamwork (MDT) implementation is beneficial for CRS-HIPEC outcomes.

METHOD

A series of 132 consecutive patients with synchronous or recurrent PC secondary to gastrointestinal or gynecologic cancer who received CRS-HIPEC operation between May 2015 and September 2017 were included. Ninety-nine patients were categorized into the MDT group, with the 33 other patients into the non-MDT group.

RESULTS

The mean PCI score was 16.3 ± 8.8. Patients in the MDT group more often presented a higher PCI score (p value = 0.038). Regarding CRS completeness (CCR 0-1), it was distributed 81.8% and 57.6% in the MDT and the non-MDT group, respectively (p value = 0.005). Although post-operative complications were common (n = 62, 47.0%), post-operative complication rates did not differ between the two groups. The cumulative OS survival rate at the first year was 75.5%. Older age (p = 0.030, HR = 4.58, 95% CI = 1.16-18.10), ECOG 2 (p = 0.030, HR = 6.41, 95% CI = 1.20-34.14), and incomplete cytoreduction (p = 0.048, HR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.04-8.27) were independent prognostic factors for survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Our experience suggests that the CRS-HIPEC performed under MDT cooperation may result in higher complete cytoreduction rates without increasing post-operative complications and hospital mortalities.

Anticancer Effects of Helminthostachys zeylanica Ethyl acetate Extracts on Human Gastric Cancer Cells through Downregulation of the TNF-α-activated COX-2-cPLA2-PGE2 Pathway

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is the second most prevalent cancer worldwide and the eighth most common cause of tumor-related death in Taiwan. Helminthostachys zeylanica, a flavonoid compound, has anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anticancer effects. We examined whether an extract of H. zeylanica (E1 and E2) has potential as a treatment for GC. Methods: We investigated the effects (pro-apoptosis, pro-autophagy, and antiproliferation ability) of H. zeylanica-E2 on cell viability in healthy gastric epithelial (GES-1) and GC cells (AGS and BGC823). H. zeylanica-E2 was toxic to GC cells but had little or no toxicity to normal cells. Results: In this study, H. zeylanica-E2 induced apoptosis through caspase 3/7, Bcl-2, Bax, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase pathways in GC cells. In addition, it increased autophagy by stimulating autophagy-related protein (ATG)5, ATG7, LC3-I/LC3-II, and inhibiting COX-2 activity in GC cells. We also found that H. zeylanica-E2 exhibited antiproliferation ability through cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 and G2/M and suppressed the migration of GC cells. The anticancer effects of H. zeylanica-E2 in GC cells might be mediated partly through inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-activated proinflammatory cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2)-COX-2-prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) pathway. Conclusions: Our results suggest that H. zeylanica-E2 has potential as a novel adjunctive agent for the treatment of GC.

[Progress of researches on serine protease inhibitors for zoonotic cestode family Taeniidae]

Serine protease inhibitor, a protein superfamily that inhibits the serine protease activity, protects hosts from parasitic infections. This review describes the spatial structure and classification of serine protease inhibitor, mechanisms underlying the interplay between serine protease inhibitor and host immune responses and current advances in serine protease inhibitor of zoonotic cestode family Taeniidae, so as to provide insights into the diagnosis of zoonotic tapeworm infections, discovery of therapeutic targets and screening of vaccine candidates.

Liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma larger than 10 cm: A multi-institution long-term observational study

BACKGROUND

The treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ≥ 10 cm remains a challenge.

AIM

To consolidate the role of surgical resection for HCC larger than 10 cm.

METHODS

Eligible HCC patients were identified from the Chang Gung Research Database, the largest multi-institution database, which collected medical records of all patients from Chang Gung Memorial Foundation. The surgical outcome of HCC ≥ 10 cm (L-HCC) was compared to that of HCC < 10 cm (S-HCC) (model 1). The survival of L-HCC after either liver resection or transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) was also analyzed (model 2). The long-term risks of all-cause mortality and recurrence were assessed to consolidate the role of surgery for L-HCC.

RESULTS

From January 2004 to July 2015, a total of 32403 HCC patients were identified from the Chang Gung Research Database. Among 3985 patients who received liver resection, 3559 (89.3%) had S-HCC, and 426 had L-HCC. The L-HCC patients had a worse disease-free survival (0.27 for L-HCC vs 0.40 for S-HCC) and overall survival (0.18 for L-HCC vs 0.45 for S-HCC) than the S-HCC after liver resection (both P < 0.001). However, the surgical and long-term outcome of resected L-HCC had improved dramatically in the recent decades. After adjusting for covariates, surgery could provide a better outcome for L-HCC than TACE (adjusted hazard ratio of all-cause mortality: 0.46, 95% confidence interval: 0.38-0.56 for surgery). Subgroup analysis stratified by different stages showed similar trend of survival benefit among L-HCC patients receiving surgery.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated an improving surgical outcome for HCC larger than 10 cm. Under selected conditions, surgery is better than TACE in terms of disease control and survival and should be performed. Due to inferior survival, a subclassification within T1 stage should be considered. Future studies are mandatory to confirm our findings.

Tomatidine ameliorates obesity-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice

Tomatidine is isolated from the leaves and green fruits of some plants in the Solanaceae family, and has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects. Previous studies have found that tomatidine decreases hepatic lipid accumulation via regulation of vitamin D receptor and activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation. However, whether tomatidine reduces weight gain and improves nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains unclear. In this study, we investigated how tomatidine ameliorates NAFLD in obese mice and evaluated the regulatory mechanism of lipogenesis in hepatocytes. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity and NAFLD, and treated with tomatidine via intraperitoneal injection. In vitro, FL83B hepatocytes were incubated with oleic acid and treated with tomatidine to evaluate lipid metabolism. Our results demonstrate that tomatidine significantly decreases body weight and fat weight compared to HFD-fed mice. In addition, tomatidine decreased hepatic lipid accumulation and improved hepatocyte steatosis in HFD-induced obese mice. We also found that tomatidine significantly regulated serum total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride levels, but the serum high-density lipoprotein and adiponectin concentrations were higher than in the HFD-fed obese mice. In vivo and in vitro, tomatidine significantly suppressed the expression of fatty acid synthase and transcription factors involved in lipogenesis, and increased the expression of adipose triglyceride lipase. Tomatidine promoted the sirtuin 1 (sirt1)/AMPK signaling pathway to increase lipolysis and β-oxidation in fatty liver cells. These findings suggest that tomatidine potentially ameliorates obesity and acts against hepatic steatosis by regulating lipogenesis and the sirt1/AMPK pathway.

Purely laparoscopic feeding jejunostomy: a procedure which deserves more attention

Background

Laparoscopic procedure has inherent merits of smaller incisions, better cosmesis, less postoperative pain, and earlier recovery. In the current study, we presented our method of purely laparoscopic feeding jejunostomy and compared its results with that of conventional open approach.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed our patients from 2012 to 2019 who had received either laparoscopic jejunostomy (LJ, n = 29) or open ones (OJ, n = 94) in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou. Peri-operative data and postoperative outcomes were analyzed.

Results

In the current study, we employed 3-0 Vicryl, instead of V-loc barbed sutures, for laparoscopic jejunostomy. The mean operative duration of LJ group was about 30 min longer than the OJ group (159 ± 57.2 mins vs 128 ± 34.6 mins; P = 0.001). There were no intraoperative complications reported in both groups. The patients in the LJ group suffered significantly less postoperative pain than in the OJ group (mean NRS 2.03 ± 0.9 vs. 2.79 ± 1.2; P = 0.002). The majority of patients in both groups received early enteral nutrition (< 48 h) after the operation (86.2% vs. 74.5%; P = 0.143).

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that purely laparoscopic feeding jejunostomy is a safe and feasible procedure with less postoperative pain and excellent postoperative outcome. It also provides surgeons opportunities to enhance intracorporeal suture techniques.

CLIC1 recruits PIP5K1A/C to induce cell-matrix adhesions for tumor metastasis

Membrane protrusion and adhesion to the extracellular matrix, which involves the extension of actin filaments and formation of adhesion complexes, are the fundamental processes for cell migration, tumor invasion, and metastasis. How cancer cells efficiently coordinate these processes remains unclear. Here, we showed that membrane-targeted chloride intracellular channel 1 (CLIC1) spatiotemporally regulates the formation of cell-matrix adhesions and membrane protrusions through the recruitment of PIP5Ks to the plasma membrane. Comparative proteomics identified CLIC1 upregulated in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and associated with tumor invasiveness, metastasis, and poor prognosis. In response to migration-related stimuli, CLIC1 recruited PIP5K1A and PIP5K1C from the cytoplasm to the leading edge of the plasma membrane, where PIP5Ks generate a phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate-rich (PIP2-rich) microdomain to induce the formation of integrin-mediated cell-matrix adhesions and the signaling for cytoskeleon extension. CLIC1 silencing inhibited the attachment of tumor cells to culture plates and the adherence and extravasation in the lung alveoli, resulting in suppressed lung metastasis in mice. This study reveals what we believe is an unrecognized mechanism that spatiotemporally coordinates the formation of both lamellipodium/invadopodia and nascent cell-matrix adhesions for directional migration and tumor invasion/metastasis. The unique traits of upregulation and membrane targeting of CLIC1 in cancer cells make it an excellent therapeutic target for tumor metastasis.

Percentage genome change and chromosome 7q amplification predict sorafenib response in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may arise from genomic instability and has dismal outcome. Sorafenib is the first-line treatment for advanced stage HCC, but its therapeutic efficacy is less than 50%. Biomarkers for predicting the therapeutic efficacy of sorafenib administration to patients with advanced HCC are required. Here, we evaluated the role of chromosomal copy number aberrations (CNAs) in patients with advanced HCC who were treated with sorafenib along with their drug response.

Methods

The response to sorafenib treatment of twenty-three HCC patients who developed advanced recurrence after partial hepatectomy was analyzed using the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST). Formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens obtained after tumor resection were analyzed using the Affymetrix OncoScan® FFPE assay.

Results

From the 23 patients analyzed in this study, 7 (30.4%) had complete/partial response to sorafenib (CR/PR), 7 (30.4%) had stable disease (SD), and 9 (39.1%) had progressive disease (PD). The mean genome-wide percentage of genome change acquisition via the OncoScan platform was 19.8% for patients with CR/PR/SD and 50.02% in the PD group (p = 0.055). Percentage of genome change above 33% was associated with adverse outcomes for sorafenib treatment in the time-to-progression analysis (p = 0.007) and overall survival (p = 0.096). Among these CNAs, amplification of chromosome 7q, containing the multidrug resistance gene ATP Binding Cassette Subfamily B Member 1 (ACBC1), significantly associated with poor overall survival (p = 0.004) and time-to-progression (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Higher percentage genome change and amplification of chromosome 7q in advanced HCC is associated with sorafenib resistance.

Serum metabolites may be useful markers to assess vascular invasion and identify normal alpha-fetoprotein in hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing liver resection: a pilot study

Purpose

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignancy of the liver with a dismal prognosis. Vascular invasion, among others, is the most robust indicator of postoperative recurrence and overall survival after liver resection for HCC. Few studies to date have attempted to search for effective markers to predict vascular invasion before the operation. The current study would examine the plasma metabolic profiling via ¹H-NMR of HCC patients undergoing liver resection and aim to search for potential biomarkers in the early detection of HCC with normal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and the diagnosis of vascular invasion preoperatively.

Materials and methods

HCC patients scheduled to receive liver resections for their HCC were recruited and divided into two separate groups, investigation cohort and validation cohort. Their preoperative blood samples were collected and subjected to a comprehensive metabolomic profiling using ¹H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR).

Results

There were 35 HCC patients in the investigation group and 22 patients in the validation group. Chronic hepatitis B remained the most common etiology of HCC, followed by chronic HCV infection. The two study cohorts were essentially comparable in terms of major clinicopathological variables. After ¹H-nuclear NMR analysis, we found in the investigation cohort that HCC with normal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP < 15 ng/mL) had significantly higher serum level of O-acetylcarnitine than those with higher AFP (AFP ≥ 15 ng/mL, P = 0.025). In addition, HCC with microscopic vascular invasion (VI) had significantly higher preoperative serum level of formate than HCC without microscopic VI (P = 0.023). These findings were similar in the validation cohort.

Conclusion

A comprehensive metabolomic profiling of HCC demonstrated that serum metabolites may be utilized to assist the early diagnosis of AFP-negative HCC patients and recognition of microvascular invasion in order to facilitate preoperative surgical planning and postoperative follow-up. Further, larger scale prospective studies are warranted to consolidate our findings.

Hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in the octogenarian: is it justified?

Liver resection is a standard treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and long-term outcomes of octogenarians with HCC treated with liver resection. Records of patients who underwent liver resection for HCC were reviewed, and patients older and younger than 80 years were compared. There were 77 patients 80 years of age or older and 3,309 younger than 80 years. Hepatitis C virus infection was the most common etiology among the octogenarians (43.1%), followed by non-viral causes (37.5%). The older group had more co-morbidity but less hepatitis B virus infection and cirrhosis. More than 70% of the non-viral older group had diabetes mellitus, as compared to only 21.6% in the viral older group. The older group had rates of perioperative morbidity, mortality, disease-free survival, and overall survival comparable to the younger group (all p>0.1). Multivariate analysis revealed that α-fetoprotein ≥400 ng/mL, tumor size ≥10 cm, and vascular invasion were independent prognostic factors for overall survival in the older patients. These findings demonstrate that liver resection is a justified treatment for HCC in octogenarians, and it can achieve surgical outcomes comparable to those in younger populations.

Prognostic study for isolated local recurrence operated with salvage excision in hormone-receptor-positive patients with invasive breast cancer after primary breast surgery

Background

This study aimed to identify the factors that predict distant recurrence and survival outcome after patients with primary positive hormone receptor-positive (HR+) invasive breast cancer undergo complete excision for isolated local recurrence (ILR).

Methods

From January 2000 to December 2009, we performed a retrospective review of our database and identified 51 patients with HR + invasive breast cancer who underwent complete excision for ILR as a component of salvage therapy. The distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and overall survival (OS) from the time of ILR were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and a Cox regression model was used for multivariate analysis.

Results

Of the 51 cases of ILR, 28 were of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence and 23 were of chest wall recurrence. By receiver operating characteristic curve analyses, the cut-off time point for time to ILR was determined to be 29 months. According to time to ILR (≤29 vs. >29 months) and primary tumor size (≤2 vs. >2 cm), patients were divided into four risk groups as variables for analysis. On multivariate analysis, two independent prognostic factors for DMFS and OS after ILR were identified: risk groups (ILR≤29 months with primary tumor size >2 cm vs. ILR>29 months with primary tumor size ≤ 2 cm, HR = 8.53 for DMFS and HR = 11.18 for OS) and primary tumor grade (2/3 vs. 1, HR = 6.10 for DMFS and 4.27 for OS).

Conclusion

We demonstrated that poor DMFS and OS are associated with high risk group defined as short time to ILR (≤29 months) with primary tumor size (>2 cm) and higher primary tumor grade (2/3) among patients with HR + invasive breast cancer treated with complete excision for ILR. Therapeutic strategies for ILR based on hormone therapy with new agents should be explored in future prospective studies, especially for patients with poor outcome.

Functional Genomics Identifies Hepatitis-Induced STAT3-TYRO3-STAT3 Signaling as a Potential Therapeutic Target of Hepatoma

PURPOSE

Hepatitis promotes the development and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) play critical roles in the development of many cancers. We explored the potential roles of RTKs in hepatitis-related liver cancers.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

We conducted loss-of-function screening to elucidate the roles of RTKs in the development of HCC in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

Many RTKs were coexpressed in HCC and were involved in tumor development and growth. Of these, TYRO3 promoted tumor growth and was clinically associated with hepatitis activity and poor prognosis. In mice, chemical-induced hepatitis transcriptionally activated Tyro3 expression via IL-6/IL6R-STAT3 signaling. Moreover, hepatitis-associated apoptotic cells facilitated the presentation of GAS6, a TYRO3 ligand, to further activate TYRO3-mediated signaling. Furthermore, TYRO3 activation elicited intracellular SRC- and STAT3 signaling. In mice, hepatitis and Tyro3 synergistically promoted HCC development. Silencing TYRO3 expression or inhibiting its kinase activity suppressed xenograft HCC growth in nude mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Many RTKs are simultaneously involved in HCC development. Hepatitis exerts dual effects on the activation of TYRO3-mediated signaling in HCC cells, which further elicits the "TYRO3-STAT3-TYRO3" signaling loop to facilitate tumor growth. Our findings unveil a previously unrecognized link between RTKs and hepatitis-associated HCC and suggest TYRO3 as a marker and therapeutic target for the HCCs with higher hepatitis activity.

Incorporation of biochemical factors for survival analysis of transarterial chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: A retrospective cohort study

Introduction

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common gastrointestinal cancer that occurs worldwide, and conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) is one of the first treatment choices for advanced HCC. However, biochemical factors and comorbidity have seldom been reported in the long-term outcomes.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included 444 HCC patients who underwent cTACE-based therapy in 2010 to 2012. Survival outcomes were analyzed using a Kaplan–Meier curve and Cox regression analysis.

Results

The mean age was 62.1 ± 12.5 years, and 74.3% were men. Analysis of the mean biochemical values indicated that the presence of portal vein thrombosis, α-fetoprotein (AFP) >200 ng/mL, AJCC 7th stage III, diabetes, albumin <3 g/dL, and hemoglobin were significantly and independently associated with poorer long-term outcomes.

Discussion

The presence of venous thrombus and elevation of AFP levels are the most important factors in cTACE treatment. The host factors, including metabolic status and liver damage, should be evaluated in these patients.

Sarcopenia is an effective predictor of difficult-to-wean and mortality among critically ill surgical patients

BACKGROUND

Critically-ill surgical patients are at higher risk for sarcopenia, which is associated with worse survival. Sarcopenia may impair the respiratory musculature, which can subsequently influence the outcome of ventilator weaning. Although there are a variety of weaning parameters predictive of weaning outcomes, none have tried to incorporate "muscle strength" or "sarcopenia". The aim of the current study was to explore the association between sarcopenia and difficult-to-wean (DtW) in critically-ill surgical patients. The influence of sarcopenia on ICU mortality was also analyzed.

METHODS

Ninety-six patients undergoing mechanical ventilation in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) were enrolled. Demographic data and weaning parameters were recorded from the prospectively collected database, and the total psoas muscle area (TPA) was determined at the level of the 3rd lumbar vertebra by computed tomography. Sarcopenia was defined by previously established cut-off points and its influence on clinical outcomes was examined. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to investigate the predictive capability of TPA and weaning parameters for predicting weaning outcomes.

RESULTS

The median age of the studied patients was 73 years. Thirty patients (31.3%) were sarcopenic and 30 (31.3%) were defined as DtW. Eighteen patients (18.8%) had ICU mortality. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that sarcopenia was an independent risk factor for DtW and ICU mortality. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of TPA for predicting successful weaning was 0.727 and 0.720 in female and male patients, respectively. After combining TPA and conventional weaning parameters, the AUC for DtW increased from 0.836 to 0.911 and from 0.835 to 0.922 in female and male patients, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenia is an independent risk factor for DtW and ICU mortality. TPA has predictive value when assessing weaning outcomes and can be used as an effective adjunct predictor along with conventional weaning parameters.

Impact of age on pathological complete response and locoregional recurrence in locally advanced breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Background

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is the standard approach for downstaging of locally advanced breast cancer and can improve breast conservation rates. A pathological complete response (pCR) after NAC associated with favorable long-term outcomes has been described. There is still a high locoregional recurrence (LRR) rate after NAC and the influence of age on LRR after NAC is unclear. This study analyzed the relationship between age and LRR after NAC.

Methods

Two hundred and sixty-three patients with invasive breast cancer who received NAC followed by mastectomy or breast conserving surgery (BCS) were enrolled. Concurrent weekly epirubicin and docetaxel was the NAC regimen.

Results

Twenty-nine patients (11%) achieved a pCR after NAC. In univariate analysis, age <50 years, luminal B (HER2 positive) subtype, HER2 overexpression subtype, and triple-negative subtype were factors to predict a pCR. In multivariate analysis, age <50 years, luminal B (HER2 positive) type, HER2 overexpression, and triple-negative subtype were the independent factors to predict a pCR. No patients in the pCR group developed LRR compared with 31 patients in the non-pCR group. Eleven patients (6.9%) in the younger group (age <50 years) developed LRR compared with 20 patients (19.4%) in the older group (age ≥50 years). In multivariate analysis, younger age (<50 years) was the only independent prognostic factor for a LRR-free survival.

Conclusion

Younger age can predict a pCR and is an independent prognostic factor for LRR in locally advanced breast cancer patients after NAC as concurrent epirubicin and docetaxel.

Stapleless laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma: reappraisal of the Louisville statement by a young liver surgeon

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic liver resection has been regarded as the standard treatment for liver tumors located at the left lateral liver sector. However, few studies have reported the results of laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy (LLS) for HCC, not to mention the feasibility of this emerging technique for the less experienced liver surgeons. The current study would reappraise the Louisville statement by examining the outcome of LLS performed by a young liver surgeon.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed two separate groups of patients who underwent open or laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomies at Chung Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou. All laparoscopic hepatectomies were performed by the index young surgeon following a stepwise stapleless LLS. The surgical results and oncological outcomes of laparoscopic vs. open hepatectomies (LH and OH, respectively) with the surgical indication of HCC at left lateral liver sector were further compared and analyzed.

RESULTS

18 of 29 patients in the laparoscopic group and 75 patients in the conventional open group had primary HCC. The demographic data was essentially the same for the two groups. Statistical analysis revealed that the LH group had smaller tumor size, higher blood transfusion requirement, longer duration of inflow control and parenchymal transection, and longer operation time. However, no significant difference was observed in terms of complication rate, mortality rate, and hospital stay between the two groups. After adjusting for tumor size, LH and OH showed no statistical difference in the amount of blood transfusion, operation time and patient survival.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that stapleless LLS is a safe and feasible procedure for less experienced liver surgeons to resect HCC located at the left lateral liver sector. This stepwise stapleless LSS can not only achieve surgical results comparable to OH but also can provide a platform for liver surgeons to apply laparoscopic technique before conducting more complicated liver resections.

A combination of SOFA score and biomarkers gives a better prediction of septic AKI and in-hospital mortality in critically ill surgical patients: a pilot study

Background

Sepsis is a syndrome characterized by a constellation of clinical manifestations and a significantly high mortality rate in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU). It is frequently complicated by acute kidney injury (AKI), which, in turn, increases the risk of mortality. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to identify those septic patients at risk for the development of AKI and mortality. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate several different biomarkers, including NGAL, calprotectin, KIM-1, cystatin C, and GDF-15, along with SOFA scores, in predicting the development of septic AKI and associated in-hospital mortality in critically ill surgical patients.

Methods

Patients admitted to the surgical ICU were prospectively enrolled, having given signed informed consent. Their blood and urine samples were obtained and subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine the levels of various novel biomarkers. The clinical data and survival outcome were recorded and analyzed.

Results

A total of 33 patients were enrolled in the study. Most patients received surgery prior to ICU admission, with abdominal surgery being the most common type of procedure (27 patients (81.8%)). In the study, 22 patients had a diagnosis of sepsis with varying degrees of AKI, while the remaining 11 were free of sepsis. Statistical analysis demonstrated that in patients with septic AKI versus those without, the following were significantly higher: serum NGAL (447.5 ± 35.7 ng/mL vs. 256.5 ± 31.8 ng/mL, P value 0.001), calprotectin (1030.3 ± 298.6 pg/mL vs. 248.1 ± 210.7 pg/mL, P value 0.049), urinary NGAL (434.2 ± 31.5 ng/mL vs. 208.3 ± 39.5 ng/mL, P value < 0.001), and SOFA score (11.5 ± 1.2 vs. 4.4 ± 0.5, P value < 0.001). On the other hand, serum NGAL (428.2 ± 32.3 ng/mL vs. 300.4 ± 44.3 ng/mL, P value 0.029) and urinary NGAL (422.3 ± 33.7 ng/mL vs. 230.8 ± 42.2 ng/mL, P value 0.001), together with SOFA scores (10.6 ± 1.4 vs. 5.6 ± 0.8, P value 0.003), were statistically higher in cases of in-hospital mortality. A combination of serum NGAL, urinary NGAL, and SOFA scores could predict in-hospital mortality with an AUROC of 0.911.

Conclusions

This pilot study demonstrated a promising panel that allows an early diagnosis, high sensitivity, and specificity and a prognostic value for septic AKI and in-hospital mortality in surgical ICU. Further study is warranted to validate our findings.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13017-018-0202-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Aristolochic acids and their derivatives are widely implicated in liver cancers in Taiwan and throughout Asia

Many traditional pharmacopeias include Aristolochia and related plants, which contain nephrotoxins and mutagens in the form of aristolochic acids and similar compounds (collectively, AA). AA is implicated in multiple cancer types, sometimes with very high mutational burdens, especially in upper tract urothelial cancers (UTUCs). AA-associated kidney failure and UTUCs are prevalent in Taiwan, but AA's role in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) there remains unexplored. Therefore, we sequenced the whole exomes of 98 HCCs from two hospitals in Taiwan and found that 78% showed the distinctive mutational signature of AA exposure, accounting for most of the nonsilent mutations in known cancer driver genes. We then searched for the AA signature in 1400 HCCs from diverse geographic regions. Consistent with exposure through known herbal medicines, 47% of Chinese HCCs showed the signature, albeit with lower mutation loads than in Taiwan. In addition, 29% of HCCs from Southeast Asia showed the signature. The AA signature was also detected in 13 and 2.7% of HCCs from Korea and Japan as well as in 4.8 and 1.7% of HCCs from North America and Europe, respectively, excluding one U.S. hospital where 22% of 87 "Asian" HCCs had the signature. Thus, AA exposure is geographically widespread. Asia, especially Taiwan, appears to be much more extensively affected, which is consistent with other evidence of patterns of AA exposure. We propose that additional measures aimed at primary prevention through avoidance of AA exposure and investigation of possible approaches to secondary prevention are warranted.

Outcomes and prognostic factors in thyroid cancer patients with cranial metastases: A retrospective cohort study of 4,683 patients

BACKGROUND

Cranial metastasis of thyroid cancer is rare. The aim of this study was to analyse the clinical characteristics, treatments and outcomes of thyroid cancer patients with cranial metastasis and to identify the associated prognostic factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between January 1977 and August 2017, a total of 4683 patients were histologically confirmed to have thyroid cancer. Among them, 25 patients (0.53%) were identified as having cranial metastases, and their medical records were reviewed. The Kaplan-Meier method with a log-rank test was performed with cancer-specific survival as the main outcome. Cox regression analysis was used to examine the potential prognostic factors influencing patient survival.

RESULTS

Of the 25 patients, 21 were female, and 4 were male. The median age at the time of diagnosis of cranial metastasis was 63 years. Sixteen patients had metastases to the brain, and nine patients had metastases involving the skull only. Papillary carcinoma and follicular carcinoma accounted for 84.0% of cases. Twenty-four cases (96.0%) had extracranial metastases at the time of diagnosis of cranial metastases. Twenty patients received surgery, and 4 patients received palliative radiotherapy. One patient received supportive care only. The median cancer-specific survival after the diagnosis of cranial metastases was 27 months. According to the Kaplan-Meier test, 3 factors had a significant impact on survival, the metastatic site, histological types and surgical resection. According to the Cox regression analysis, skull metastases (HR: 0.274, 95% CI: 0.083-0.904, p = 0.033) and surgical resection (HR: 0.134, 95% CI: 0.019-0.929, p = 0.042) were identified as independent prognostic factors for a better outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical resection is the mainstay therapy for thyroid cancer patients with cranial metastasis. Cranial metastases involving the skull only are associated with a better outcome.

Actin cytoskeleton remodeling drives epithelial-mesenchymal transition for hepatoma invasion and metastasis in mice

High invasiveness is a hallmark of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Large tumors predict invasion and metastasis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is crucial for cancer invasion and metastasis. However, the mechanisms whereby large tumors tend to undergo EMT remain unclear. We conducted a subgenome-wide screen and identified KLHL23 as an HCC invasion suppressor by inhibiting EMT. KLHL23 binds to actin and suppresses actin polymerization. KLHL23 silencing induced filopodium and lamellipodium formation. Moreover, EMT was suppressed by KLHL23 through its action on actin dynamics. Traditionally, actin cytoskeleton remodeling is downstream of EMT reprogramming. It is therefore intriguing to ask why and how KLHL23 inversely regulates EMT. Activation of actin cytoskeleton remodeling by either KLHL23 silencing or treatment with actin cytoskeleton modulators augmented cellular hypoxic responses in a cell-density-dependent manner, resulting in hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) and Notch signals and subsequent EMT. Environmental hypoxia did not induce EMT unless actin cytoskeleton remodeling was simultaneously activated and only when cells were at high density. The resulting EMT was reversed by either adenosine 5'-triphosphate supplementation or actin polymerization inhibitors. Down-regulation of KLHL23 was associated with invasion, metastasis, and poor prognosis of HCC and pancreatic cancer. Correlations of tumor size with EMT and inverse association of expression of KLHL23 with HIF/Notch signals were further validated in patient-derived xenograft HCCs in mice.

CONCLUSION

Simultaneously activation of actin cytoskeleton remodeling by intrinsic (such as KLHL23 down-regulation) or microenvironment cues is crucial for cell-density-dependent and hypoxia-mediated EMT, providing a mechanistic link between large tumor size and invasion/metastasis. Our findings provide a means of developing the prevention and treatment strategies for tumor invasion and metastasis. (Hepatology 2018;67:2226-2243).

Preoperative radiologic patent blue localization for intracorporeal laparoscopic resection of a terminal ileal submucosal lipoma: A case report

•

Small submucosal ileal lesion is difficulty to localize when laparoscopic surgery.

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Localization by radiologic intervention is effective and harmless.

•

laparoscopic submucosal lipoma resection could be performed intracorporeally.

Background

Ileal submucosal lipomas are rare cases and surgical intervention was necessary in case of abdominal pain and intussusception. Laparoscopic resection may be difficult for the intraluminal submucosal lesion. Herein, we report a case of terminal ileal submucosal lipoma resected by radiologic-assisted laparoscopic surgery.

Case presentation

The 31-year-old female was admitted for intermittent abdominal pain. The colonoscopy showed a 1.5 cm diameter subepithelial lesion in terminal ileum and computed tomography showed a hypodense lesion in distal ileum. The diagnosis of terminal ileal submucosal lipoma without obstruction was impressed and surgical strategy of minimal invasive surgery was taken. Preoperative CT-guided patent blue dye injection near the terminal ileal submucosal lipoma for localization was performed by Radiologist. Then laparoscopic resection with intracorporeal suture was done smoothly without complications. The pathology proved lipoma and she had good recovery within one week.

Conclusions

There are many kinds of intervention methods to treat the small bowel lipoma. Our experience supports that laparoscopic surgery with radiologic localization assistance is feasible for terminal ileal nonintussusceptive submucosal lipoma resection.

Establishment of two basal-like breast cancer cell lines with extremely low tumorigenicity from Taiwanese premenopausal women

The research of carcinogenetic mechanisms of breast cancer in different ethnic backgrounds is an interesting field, as clinical features of breast cancers vary among races. High premenopausal incidence is distinctive in East-Asian breast cancer. However, human cell lines derived from Asian primary breast tumor are rare. To provide alternative cell line models with a relevant genetic background, we aimed to establish breast cancer cell lines from Taiwanese patients of Han-Chinese ethnicity. Fresh tissue from mammary tumors were digested into organoids, plated and grown in basal serum-free medium of human mammary epithelial cells (HuMEC) with supplements. Cells were further enriched by positive selection with CD326 (epithelial cell adhesion molecule; EpCAM)-coated micro-magnetic beads. Two breast cancer cell lines derived from premenopausal women were successfully established by this method, and named Chang-Gung Breast Cancer 01 (CGBC 01) and 02 (CGBC 02). These two cell lines had a similar phenotype with weak expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and without amplification of receptor tyrosine protein kinase erbB-2 (HER2/neu). Genome-wide Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) array showed multiple copy number alterations in both cell lines. Based on gene expression profiles, CGBC 01 and 02 were clustered into basal-like subtype with reference to the breast cancer cell line gene expression database. The tumorigenicity of both cell lines was extremely low in both anchorage-independence assay and transplantation into the mammary fat pads of nude mice. CGBC 01 and CGBC 02 are low tumorigenic breast cancer cell lines, established from Han-Chinese premenopausal breast cancer patients, which serve as in vitro models in studying the biological features of Asian breast cancer.

Serial evaluation of the SOFA score is reliable for predicting mortality in acute severe pancreatitis

Acute severe pancreatitis caused high mortality, and several scoring systems for predicting mortality are available. We evaluated the effectiveness of serial measurement of several scoring systems in patients with acute severe pancreatitis.We retrospectively obtained serial measurements of Ranson, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Assessment (APACHE) II, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores of 159 patients with acute severe pancreatitis.The overall mortality rate was 20%, and early mortality (in the first 2 weeks) occurred in 10 (7.4%) patients, while late mortality occurred in 17 (12.6%).All scoring systems were reliable for predicting overall and intensive care unit mortality, while the SOFA score on day 7 presented the largest area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve (0.858, SE 0.055). Changes in scores over time were evaluated for predicting the progression of organ failure, and the change in SOFA score on hospital day 7 or no interval change in SOFA score was associated with higher mortality rates.APACHE II and SOFA scores are both sensitive for predicting mortality in acute pancreatitis. The serial SOFA scores showed reliable for predicting mortality. Hospital day 7 is a reasonable time for SOFA score reassessment to predict late mortality in acute severe pancreatitis.

Prediction of early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma using OncoScan chromosomal copy number aberration data

AIM

To identify chromosomal copy number aberrations (CNAs) in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and analyze whether they are correlated with patient prognosis.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty patients with early-stage HCC were enrolled in our study, with the collection of formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens and clinicopathological data. Tumor areas were marked by certified pathologists on a hematoxylin and eosin-stained slide, and cancer and adjacent non-cancerous tissues underwent extraction of DNA, which was analyzed with the Affymetrix OncoScan platform to assess CNAs and loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Ten individuals with nonmalignant disease were used as the control group. Another cohort consisting of 40 patients with stage I/II HCC were enrolled to analyze gene expression and to correlate findings with the OncoScan data.

RESULTS

Copy number amplifications occurred at chromosomes 1q21.1-q44 and 8q12.3-24.3 and deletions were found at 4q13.1-q35.2, 8p 23.2-21.1, 16q23.3-24.3, and 17p13.3-12, while LOH commonly occurred at 1p32.3, 3p21.31, 8p23.2-21.1, 16q22.1-24.3, and 17p 13.3-11 in early-stage HCC. Using Cox regression analysis, we also found that a higher percentage of genome change (≥ 60%) was an independent factor for worse prognosis in early-stage HCC (P = 0.031). Among the 875 genes in the OncoScan GeneChip, six were independent predictors of worse disease-free survival, of which three were amplified (MYC, ELAC2, and SYK) and three were deleted (GAK, MECOM, and WRN). Further, patients with HCC who exhibited ≥ 3 CNAs involving these six genes have worse outcomes compared to those who had < 3 CNAs (P < 0.001). Similarly, Asian patients with stage I HCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas harboring CNAs with these genes were also predicted to have poorer outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Patients with early-stage HCC and increased genome change or CNAs involving MYC, ELAC2, SYK, GAK, MECOM, or WRN are at risk for poorer outcome after resection.

RAM score is an effective predictor for early mortality and recurrence after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Liver resection had been regarded as a standard treatment for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, early mortality and recurrence after surgery were still of major concern. RAM (Risk Assessment for early Mortality) scoring system is a newly developed tool for assessing early mortality after hepatectomy for HCC. In this study, we compared RAM scoring system with ALBI and MELD scores for their capability of predicting short-term outcome.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who were treated with hepatectomy at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between 1986 and 2015. Their clinical characteristics and perioperative variables were collected. We applied RAM, albumin-bilirubin (ALBI), and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scoring systems to predict early mortality and early recurrence in HCC patients after surgery. We investigated the discriminative power of each scoring system by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the ROC curve (AUC).

Results

A total of 1935 patients (78% male) who underwent liver resection for HCC were included in this study. The median follow-up period was 41.9 months. One hundred and forty-nine patients (7.7%) died within 6 months after hepatectomy (early mortality). All the three scoring systems were effective predictor for early mortality, with higher score indicating higher risk of early mortality (AUC of RAM = 0.723, p < 0.001; AUC of ALBI = 0.682, p < 0.001; AUC of MELD = 0.590, p = 0.002). Cox regression multivariate analysis demonstrated that the RAM class was the most significant independent predictor of early mortality after surgery, while MELD grade failed to discriminatively predict early mortality. In addition to early mortality, the RAM score was also predictive of early recurrence in HCC after surgery.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that RAM score is an effective and user-friendly bedside scoring system to predict early mortality and early recurrence after hepatectomy for HCC. In addition, the predictive capability of RAM score is superior to ALBI and MELD scores. Further study is warranted to validate our findings.

Cadherin 17 is related to recurrence and poor prognosis of cytokeratin 19-positive hepatocellular carcinoma

A previous study demonstrated that cytokeratin 19 (CK19) expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an indicator of HCC invasiveness, including lymph node metastasis (LNM), tumor infiltration/non-encapsulation and poor prognosis. The exact mechanism by which CK19 expression results in poor prognosis remains unclear. Through the use of an Affymetrix U133A oligonucleotide microarray [20 patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-HCC], it was demonstrated that cadherin 17 (CDH17) significantly correlated with CK19 expression (R², 0.867; P<0.001) in HBV-HCC. Immunohistochemical analysis (114 patients with HBV-HCC) also demonstrated a significant correlation between CK19 and CDH17 expressions in primary tumor tissue (R², 0.414; P<0.001). In addition, CK19 and CDH17 expressions levels revealed a significant association with LNM (P<0.001). Cox regression multivariate analysis demonstrated that indocyanine green retention at 15 min >10% and CDH17 expression were independent prognostic factors for disease free survival (P=0.010 and 0.002, respectively). In vitro studies showed that epidermal growth factor can induce the expression of both CK19 and CDH17, and CDH17 in turn can enhance the expression of CK19 in HCC. In summary, this study demonstrated that the early recurrence and poor prognosis of CK19(+) HCC may be due to the expression of CDH17, a gene known to be associated with vascular invasion, tumor metastasis, and advanced tumor stage of HCC. Thus, novel therapeutics by targeting CDH17 may be beneficial for CK19(+) HCC.

The long-term outcomes of thyroid function after subtotal thyroidectomy for Graves' hyperthyroidism

BACKGROUND

Surgical management of Graves' disease (GD) is changing from subtotal to total thyroidectomy because the latter eliminates the risk of recurrence. However, to preserve thyroid function in a euthyroid state, subtotal thyroidectomy is still performed for GD in non-Western countries. Therefore, we designed a study to investigate the long-term outcomes in GD patients after subtotal thyroidectomy and the correlation between remnant weight and postoperative thyroid function.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort observation study. Between January 2005 and December 2011, 415 consecutive GD patients treated by subtotal thyroidectomy were enrolled. All data were collected from 385 patients who underwent bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy and 57 patients who underwent the Hartley-Dunhill operation. The median postoperative follow-up time was 72 months (range 12-144 months).

RESULTS

The mean weight of the preserved thyroid remnant was 5.1 g. Persistent or recurrent hyperthyroidism was observed in 119 (28.7%) patients. The median time of recurrence was 36 months (range 12-120 months). Hypothyroidism developed in over 50% of patients. A euthyroid state was achieved in only 19.3% of patients, and the rate did not increase significantly as remnant weight increased. Based on a Cox regression analysis, the remnant weight is an independent risk factor for persistent or recurrent hyperthyroidism (hazard ratio: 1.323, 95% confidence interval: 1.198-1.461, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Subtotal thyroidectomy with the intent to maintain a euthyroid state is not an optimal surgical strategy for the definitive treatment of GD because the persistence or recurrence rate is high and the euthyroid rate is lower than expected.

Whole-Genome and Epigenomic Landscapes of Etiologically Distinct Subtypes of Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a hepatobiliary malignancy exhibiting high incidence in countries with endemic liver-fluke infection. We analyzed 489 CCAs from 10 countries, combining whole-genome (71 cases), targeted/exome, copy-number, gene expression, and DNA methylation information. Integrative clustering defined 4 CCA clusters-fluke-positive CCAs (clusters 1/2) are enriched in ERBB2 amplifications and TP53 mutations; conversely, fluke-negative CCAs (clusters 3/4) exhibit high copy-number alterations and PD-1/PD-L2 expression, or epigenetic mutations (IDH1/2, BAP1) and FGFR/PRKA-related gene rearrangements. Whole-genome analysis highlighted FGFR2 3' untranslated region deletion as a mechanism of FGFR2 upregulation. Integration of noncoding promoter mutations with protein-DNA binding profiles demonstrates pervasive modulation of H3K27me3-associated sites in CCA. Clusters 1 and 4 exhibit distinct DNA hypermethylation patterns targeting either CpG islands or shores-mutation signature and subclonality analysis suggests that these reflect different mutational pathways. Our results exemplify how genetics, epigenetics, and environmental carcinogens can interplay across different geographies to generate distinct molecular subtypes of cancer.Significance: Integrated whole-genome and epigenomic analysis of CCA on an international scale identifies new CCA driver genes, noncoding promoter mutations, and structural variants. CCA molecular landscapes differ radically by etiology, underscoring how distinct cancer subtypes in the same organ may arise through different extrinsic and intrinsic carcinogenic processes. Cancer Discov; 7(10); 1116-35. ©2017 AACR.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1047.

GALNT14 genotype-guided, sorafenib in combination with transarterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma: An interim report of a prospective randomized controlled trial

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Background: Sorafenib is the only approved targeted agent for treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the mainstay of treatment for advanced HCC patients in Barcelona Clinical Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B. Previous randomized controlled trials did not show definite beneficial effect for TACE + sorafenib combination therapy in Asian HCC patients. Recently, an SNP marker on GALNT14gene, rs9679162, was found associated with therapeutic outcomes in HCC patients receiving chemotherapy or chemoembolization, wherein rs9679162-TT genotype was associated with a favorable therapeutic response. In this study, we examined whether this marker could be used as a guide for TACE + sorafenib therapy. Methods: From 2015-Aug, HCC patients in BCLC stage B were genotyped for GALNT14-rs9679162. Patients with genotype TT were treated with TACE alone. Patients with non-TT (CT or CC) were randomized 1:1 to receive TACE + sorafenib treatment or TACE treatment alone (NCT02504983). Results: Interim analysis was performed on 2017-Jan. Totally 40 patients were enrolled. Of them, 16 and 24 patients had GALNT14-TT and non-TT genotypes, respectively. Of the non-TT patients, 11 and 13 patients were randomized into TACE alone (TACEA) and TACE + sorafenib (TACE+S) group. TACEA patients had significant shorter time-to-tumor progression compared with TACE+S (P = 0.019) and GALNT14-TT patients (P < 0.001). No significant difference was found for time-to-therapeutic response (CR + PR) between the three groups. However, when evaluating the time-to-therapeutic response occurring > 3 m of the first TACE (excluding early response), it was found that TACEA patients had significant longer time-to-therapeutic response compared with TACE+S (P = 0.046) and GALNT14-TT patients (P = 0.034). Conclusions: The interim analysis confirmed that patients with GALNT14-TT genotype had a favorable TACE response compared with the non-TT genotype. In addition, in patients with non-TT genotype, TACE + sorafenib combination therapy had a significantly better therapeutic response compared with TACE alone. Clinical trial information: NCT02504983.

The miR-200b-ZEB1 circuit regulates diverse stemness of human hepatocellular carcinoma

Accumulating evidence suggests that human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be derived from cancer stem cells (CSCs), which contribute to tumor initiation, metastasis, chemoresistance, and recurrence. A great variety of HCC CSCs resulting in diverse clinical manifestations have been reported. However, how CSC diversity is regulated and generated remains unclear. Here we report that the miR-200b-ZEB1 circuit is closely involved with the induction and maintenance of a diverse group of CSCs. We found that miR-200b downregulation occurred in early HCC and associated with poor prognosis. The downregulation was attributable to genome deletion and promoter methylation of the miR-200a/b/429 gene. Ectopic expression of miR-200b or silencing of ZEB1 led to a decrease in CD13⁺ and CD24⁺ HCC CSCs and an increase in EpCAM⁺ HCC CSCs. Mechanistically, miR-200b directly suppressed BMI1 and ZEB1 expressions. ZEB1 recognized promoters of CD13, CD24, and EpCAM genes resulting in CD13 and CD24 upregulation and EpCAM downregulation. Neither miR-200b nor ZEB1 had obvious effects on CD133 or CD90 expression. Silencing CD13 or CD24 expression suppressed tumorigenicity of HCC cells. Ectopic expression of CD24 reversed the suppression of tumorigenicity by ectopic expression of miR-200b. Clinically, miR-200b downregulation was coupled with ZEB1 upregulation in approximately two-thirds of HCC patients. ZEB1 expression was positively correlated with CD13 and CD24 expressions in HCCs, while miR-200b expression was positively correlated with EpCAM. Our findings suggest that the miR-200b-ZEB1 circuit is a master regulator of diverse stemness of HCC, which differentiates HCCs into those containing CD13⁺ /CD24⁺ CSCs from those containing EpCAM⁺ CSCs.

Incidental parathyroidectomy during thyroidectomy increases the risk of postoperative hypocalcemia

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

The correlation between incidental parathyroidectomy (IP) during thyroidectomy and postoperative hypocalcemia remains controversial. Our aim was to investigate the incidence of IP, risk factors, and impact on patient outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

METHODS

This was a retrospective observational study including 3,186 consecutive patients who underwent thyroidectomy between January 2007 and December 2014. The patients were divided into two groups: the IP group and the non-IP. Numerous clinical parameters were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

The overall incidence of incidentally excised parathyroid glands during thyroidectomy was 6.4%. Patients with IP had significantly higher incidences of postoperative hypocalcemia and hypoparathyroidism than those without IP (P < 0.001). Intrathyroidal parathyroid glands presented only 2.2% of all removed parathyroid glands. Total thyroidectomy, central compartment lymph node dissection, and reoperation were independent risk factors for IP.

CONCLUSION

Incidental parathyroidectomy during thyroidectomy is associated with the increased likelihood of postoperative hypocalcemia. All independent risk factors examined in the study for IP are surgery-related. Surgeons should perform meticulous dissection with the intention of avoiding IP and resultant hypocalcemia.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4. Laryngoscope, 127:2194-2200, 2017.

A facile graphene oxide based sensor for electrochemical detection of prostate anti-cancer (anti-testosterone) drug flutamide in biological samples

An electrochemical sensor based on graphene oxide modified glassy carbon electrode for the determination of anti-cancer drug flutamide.

Risk factors for early mortality after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma

Despite advances in surgical technique and medical care, liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a high-risk major operation. The present study evaluated the risk factors for early mortality after hepatectomy.We retrospectively reviewed records of patients undergoing liver resection for HCC between 1983 and 2015. A point score (Risk Assessment for early Mortality (RAM) score) for hepatectomy was developed based on multivariate analyses.Three hundred eighty-three patients (11.3%) expired within 6 months after the operation. Logistic regression analyses identified that operative duration >270 minutes and blood loss >800 cc were significant predictors of major surgical complications (P = 0.013 and 0.002, respectively). On the other hand, diabetes mellitus, albumin ≤3.5 g/dL, α-fetoprotein (AFP) >200 ng/mL, major surgical procedure, blood loss >800 cc, and major surgical complications were independent risk factors for early mortality after hepatectomy (P = 0.019, <0.001, <0.001, 0.006, 0.018, and <0.001, respectively). Risk Assessment for early Mortality score (RAM score) identified 3 subgroups of patients with distinct 6-month mortality rate, with Class III (score 10) having highest risk of early mortality.Our study demonstrated that meticulous surgical techniques to minimize blood loss and avoid prolonged operative time may help decrease the occurrence of major surgical complications. In addition to major surgical complications, diabetes mellitus, hypoalbuminemia, high AFP, massive blood loss, and major surgical procedure are also associated with early mortality after liver resection. Further study is warranted to validate the utility of RAM score as a bedside scoring system to predict postoperative outcome.

Patient outcomes following surgical management of multinodular goiter: Does multinodularity increase the risk of thyroid malignancy?

BACKGROUND

the difference in the risk of thyroid malignancy for patients with multinodular goiter (MNG) and solitary nodular goiter (SNG) remains controversial. Although total thyroidectomy (TT) is the current preferred surgical option for MNG, permanent hypothyroidism in these patients may be a concern. Therefore, we discuss whether nontotal thyroidectomy is a reasonable alternative surgical option.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed for 1598 consecutive patients who underwent thyroid surgery for nodular goiter between January 2007 and December 2012. Numerous clinical parameters were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

We reviewed 795 patients with MNG and 803 patients with SNG. The prevalence of malignancy on final pathology was significantly higher in the patients with MNG than in the patients with SNG (15.6% vs 10.1%, P = 0.001). However, a multivariate analysis revealed that this difference was insignificant (P = 0.50). Papillary carcinoma was the predominant type in both groups, but papillary microcarcinoma was more frequently found (41.1%) in the patients with MNG. The only multifocal cancers were of the papillary carcinoma histologic type, and the incidence of multifocal papillary carcinoma was significantly higher in the patients with MNG (23.4% vs 7.4%, P = 0.005). Reoperation was not required for the patients who underwent TT for goiter recurrence or incidental carcinoma. The overall rate of recurrence following nontotal thyroidectomy was 12.2%. Among the patients who underwent reoperation for goiter recurrence, 2 (20.0%) were complicated with permanent hypoparathyroidism. Among the patients who underwent a nontotal bilateral thyroidectomy, an average of 56.5% had permanent hypothyroidism.

CONCLUSIONS

Multinodularity does not increase the risk of thyroid malignancy. However, patients with MNG who develop papillary carcinoma are at an increased risk of cancer multifocality. If a patient can tolerate lifelong thyroid hormone replacement, TT is the preferred surgical option because it helps avoid reoperation and the associated complications. Nontotal bilateral thyroidectomy does not ensure the preservation of thyroid hormone function.

Bioinformatics microarray analysis and identification of gene expression profiles associated with cirrhotic liver

Cirrhosis is the endpoint of liver fibrosis that is accompanied by limited regeneration capacity and complications and is the ultimate cause of death in many patients. Despite this, few studies have thoroughly looked at the gene expression profiles in the cirrhotic liver. Hence, this study aims to identify the genes that were differentially expressed in the cirrhotic liver and to explore the putative related signaling pathway and interaction networks. The gene expression profiles of cirrhotic livers and noncirrhotic livers were examined and compared using microarray gene analysis. Proteins encoded by the differentially expressed genes were analyzed for functional clustering and signaling pathway involvement using MetaCore bioinformatics analyses. The Gene Ontology analysis as well as the Kyoto encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis were also performed. A total of 213 significant genes were differentially expressed at more than a two-fold change in cirrhotic livers as compared to noncirrhotic livers. Of these, 105 upregulated genes and 63 downregulated genes were validated through MetaCore bioinformatics analyses. The signaling pathways and major functions of proteins encoded by these differentially expressed genes were further analyzed; results showed that the cirrhotic liver has a unique gene expression pattern related to inflammatory reaction, immune response, and cell growth, and is potentially cancer related. Our findings suggest that the microarray analysis may provide clues to the molecular mechanisms of liver cirrhosis for future experimental studies. However, further exploration of areas regarding therapeutic strategy might be possible to support metabolic activity, decrease inflammation, or enhance regeneration for liver cirrhosis.