International Journal of Colorectal Disease最新文献

Purpose: This study aimed to explore a combined transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and radiomics model for predicting tumor regression grade (TRG) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

Methods: Among 190 patients with LARC, 53 belonged to GRG and 137 to PRG. Eight TRUS parameters were identified as statistically significant (P < 0.05) for distinguishing between the groups, including PSV_pre, LD_post, TD_post, CEUS-IG_post, LD change rate, TD change rate, RI change rate, and CEUS-IG downgrade. The accuracies of these individual parameters in predicting TRG were 0.42, 0.62, 0.56, 0.68, 0.67, 0.70, 0.63, and 0.71, respectively. The AUC values were 0.596, 0.597, 0.630, 0.752, 0.686, 0.660, 0.650, and 0.666, respectively. The multi-parameter ultrasonic logistic regression (MPU-LR) model achieved an accuracy of 0.816 and an AUC of 0.851 (95% CI: [0.792-0.909]). The optimal pre- and post-treatment radiomics models were RF (Mean-PCA-RFE-6) and AE (Zscore-PCA-RFE-12), with accuracies of 0.563 and 0.596 and AUCs of 0.601 (95% CI: [0.561-0.641]) and 0.662 (95% CI: [0.630-0.694]), respectively. The combined model (US-RAD_pre-RAD_post) showed the highest predictive power with accuracy and AUC of 0.863 and 0.913.

Conclusions: The combined model based on TRUS and radiomics demonstrated remarkable predictive capability for TRG after NCRT. It serves as a precision tool for assessing NCRT response in patients with LARC, impacting treatment strategies.

Introduction: Accurate identification of patients with pathologic complete response (pCR) following neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy (RCT) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is essential. 18-FDG PET/MRI provides metabolic information that complements the morphological assessment of standard MRI, potentially enhancing the differentiation between fibrotic and tumorous tissues post-treatment. This study aims to evaluate the performance of 18-FDG PET/MRI in assessing treatment response compared to standard MRI.

Materials and methods: A prospective study was conducted at HM Sanchinarro University Hospital, Madrid, from 2018 to 2021. Patients with LARC undergoing RCT were included and staged at diagnosis and restaged 8-12 weeks post-neoadjuvant treatment using 18-FDG PET/MRI. The primary outcome was to compare the performance of PET/MRI and standard MRI in detecting pCR and tumor regression grade (TRG) confirmed via histopathological examination. Quantitative analysis assessed the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and standardized uptake value (SUV). A secondary outcome included survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis for radiological and pathological prognostic markers.

Results: Among 33 patients, pCR was observed in 45% (14/33). PET/MRI demonstrated sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values of 0.88, 0.80, and 0.84, respectively, for detecting pCR, compared to 0.82, 0.50, and 0.67 for standard MRI (p < 0.001). PET/MRI accurately identified TRG stages in 72% of cases, compared to 50% for standard MRI. Post-SUV, post-ADC, and delta-ADC were the most precise PET/MRI predictors for pCR, with AUC values of 0.81, 0.75, and 0.55, respectively. Patients with mrEMVI and mrTRG showed worse disease-free survival (DFS).

Conclusion: 18-FDG PET/MRI emerges as a promising imaging tool for predicting response to neoadjuvant treatment in rectal cancer, with superior diagnostic accuracy compared to standard MRI. Radiological findings, such as EMVI, can identify high-risk patients, offering valuable prognostic insights.

Purpose: Given the evolving literature regarding the optimal surgical approach to mitigate post-operative recurrence of Crohn's disease (CD), this survey study aimed to elucidate the practices and preferences of colorectal surgeons in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) in their surgical management of CD.

Methods: Colorectal surgical consultants and fellows (n = 337) registered with the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSSANZ) were invited by email in April 2022 to participate in a cross-sectional survey consisting of basic demographics and 12 questions relating to their usual surgical practice and preferred operative strategy.

Results: A total of 135 responses were received (39.9%). Regarding anastomotic configuration, 47% (n = 68) preferred the side-to-side anastomosis (STSA), 19% (n = 28) the end-to-end anastomosis (ETEA), and 15% (n = 21) the Kono S anastomosis. Most respondents preferred to resect at the proximal junction of the abnormal mesentery (75%, n = 97), while radical resection of the mesentery was preferred in 10% (n = 13) and close intestinal resection through abnormal mesentery in 15% (n = 20). The preferred surgical approach was by far laparoscopic (93%, n = 125) with extraction from the midline peri-umbilical port (80%, n = 108).

Conclusion: Amongst participating colorectal surgeons, there was a clear consensus on the approach, where the dominant practice was laparoscopy with a midline peri-umbilical extraction. Similarly, most respondents preferred some degree of mesenteric resection. However, anastomotic configuration and technique were domains of resection in CD lacking unanimity despite clear guidelines, highlighting an area requiring further attention.

Purpose: The role of adjuvant chemotherapy in rectal cancer patients downstaged to ypT0-2 N0 after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT), and surgery is still debated. This study investigates the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy on survival outcomes in this patient population.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed hospital records of rectal cancer cases from Shefa Al Orman Cancer Hospital between January 2016 and December 2020, focusing on patients downstaged to ypT0-2 N0 after neoadjuvant CRT and surgery. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they received adjuvant chemotherapy. Baseline characteristics, DFS, and OS were compared, and survival factors were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression.

Results: Eighty-five patients met the inclusion criteria; 55 received adjuvant chemotherapy, and 30 did not. The median age was 52, but those receiving adjuvant therapy were younger (47 vs. 60 years, P = 0.006). No significant differences were observed in sex, tumor location, or pathology between groups. Although adjuvant chemotherapy showed a trend toward better 3-year DFS (89.5% vs. 81.9%, P = 0.153) and OS (88.1% vs. 84.6%, P = 0.654), these differences were not statistically significant. Univariate and multivariate analyses confirmed no significant effect of adjuvant chemotherapy on DFS or OS, nor were any other variables significantly associated with survival.

Conclusion: Adjuvant chemotherapy did not significantly improve DFS or OS in rectal cancer patients downstaged to ypT0-2 N0 following neoadjuvant CRT and surgery. Further studies are needed to define the role of adjuvant therapy in this group.

Background: This study aims to evaluate the postoperative safety, long-term survival, and postoperative peritoneal metastases (PPM) rate associated with laparoscopic surgery (LS) for T4 colon cancer.

Materials and methods: After propensity score matching, there were 68 patients in each of the LS and Open surgery groups. The primary outcomes were the 3-year OS, DFS, and PPM rates.

Results: After matching, 68 patients in each of the groups. The LS group had a higher cumulative 3-year peritoneal metastasis rate (19.8% vs. 6.7%, P = .036), while the 3-year OS (82.3% vs. 83.8%, P = .750) and 2-year DFS (69.0% vs. 75.7%, P = .310) showed no significant difference, compared to the open surgery group. The LS group had a significantly longer operation time (201 ± 85.7 min vs. 164 ± 65.9 min, P = .008) but less postoperative complications (P = .036). Additionally, patients in the LS group removed gastric tube more quickly (1.91 ± 1.18 days vs. 2.69 ± 2.41 days, P = .048). The multivariate analysis revealed that LS (HR = 3.496, 95% CI = 1.108-11.030, P = .033), underweight (HR = 11.650, 95% CI = 2.155-62.990, P = .004), and lymphovascular invasion (HR = 3.123, 95% CI = 1.010-9.664, P = .048) were all predictive factors of PPM. For the pN + subgroup, the 3-year cumulative PPM rate was 29.6% in the LS group, significantly higher than 15.3% in the open group (P = .029), but there was no significant difference after PSM (P = .100).

Conclusion: LS offers faster postoperative recovery and comparable long-term survival outcomes. Therefore, it should remain a viable option for locally advanced T4 colon cancer. However, it is crucial to fully recognize the potential risk of increased PPM associated with LS, especially in patients with preoperative suspicion of positive lymph nodes. Further multicenter prospective studies are necessary to validate the potential risks of LS and gain insight into treatment efficacy in different patient populations. In addition, future studies should assess prognosis based on the grade and extent of peritoneal dissemination to provide a more nuanced understanding.

Purpose: The presence of chaperones during intimate physical examinations is a matter of ongoing debate. While most guidelines recommend the use of chaperones in all cases, there are no clinical trials specifically investigating intimate exams performed on women by male physicians. We aimed to evaluate female patients' perceptions regarding the presence or absence of chaperones during proctological examinations conducted by male physicians.

Methods: In this randomised clinical trial, patients were assigned, unaware that they were participating in a study, to either Group 1 (without a chaperone during their proctological exam) or Group 2 (with a chaperone). After the appointment, they completed a questionnaire regarding the examination they had just undergone. The study was conducted at two hospitals in Southern Brazil.

Results: Ninety-five patients were included in each group. The mean (SD) comfort score was 8.3 (2.9) with a chaperone and 8.8 (2.5) without a chaperone (P = 0.25). When asked if they would want the exam performed the same way in the future, 72.6% in Group 1 answered 'yes', compared to 58.9% in Group 2 (P = 0.046). In Group 2, 48.4% of patients did not feel more protected by the chaperone, while none of the patients in Group 1 felt less protected without one.

Conclusions: Forgoing chaperones during proctological examinations of women, when the physician is male, is well accepted by most patients. Preferences regarding chaperones are complex, demanding a selective approach. The use of chaperones should remain a recommendation, not a requirement, to accommodate individual needs while maintaining the doctor-patient relationship.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03615586.

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) continues to present significant challenges, particularly in patients with proficient mismatch repair/microsatellite stable (pMMR/MSS) tumors. This narrative review aims to provide recent developments in immunotherapy for CRC treatment, focusing on its efficacy and challenges.

Methods: This review discussed the various immunotherapeutic strategies for CRC treatment, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting PD-1 and PD-L1, combination therapies involving ICIs with other modalities, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) cell therapy, and cancer vaccines. The role of the tumor microenvironment and immune evasion mechanisms was also explored to understand their impact on the effectiveness of these therapies.

Results: This review provides a comprehensive update of recent advancements in immunotherapy for CRC, highlighting the potential of various immunotherapeutic approaches, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, combination therapies, CAR-T therapy, and vaccination strategies. The results of checkpoint inhibitors, particularly in patients with MSI-H/dMMR tumors, which have significant improvements in survival rates have been observed. Furthermore, this review also addresses the challenges faced in treating pMMR/MSS CRC, which remains resistant to immunotherapy.

Conclusion: Immunotherapy plays a significant role in the treatment of CRC, particularly in patients with MSI-H/dMMR tumors. However, many challenges remain, especially in treating pMMR/MSS CRC. This review discussed the need for further research into combination therapies, biomarker development, CAR-T cell therapy, and a deeper understanding of immune evasion mechanisms for CRC treatment.

Introduction: Rectal cancer is a prevalent disease that requires multidisciplinary management. Results of treatment of patients suffering from this malignancy in Latin America have been scarcely reported before.

Methods: A retrospective, multicenter study was conducted to report preoperative and operative characteristics of patients intervened for rectal cancer in centers from Latin America during 2015-2022, and the short-term results of treatment were analyzed. The study was open to any center receiving rectal cancer patients, irrespective of volume. The main study outcome was 30-day postoperative complications including any deviation from the normal postoperative course (Clavien Dindo I to V).

Results: A total of 2044 patients from 49 centers in 12 Latin American countries were included, with a mean age of 63 years. Twenty-five percent of patients were operated in low-volume centers. Twenty-nine percent of patients had a tumor located in the low rectum, and only 53% of patients had preoperative MRI for local staging. A total of 1052 patients (52%) received neoadjuvant therapy before surgery. Eighty-six percent of patients were operated by a specialized colorectal surgeon, and 31% of patients were intervened using a conventional approach. A total of 29.9% of patients presented a postoperative complication. The anastomotic leak rate was 8.9%. Fifty-eight percent of pathology reports had less than 12 lymph nodes harvested, and 22.9% of reports did not include mesorectal quality. In the multivariate analysis, neoadjuvant therapy (OR: 1.44, p-value: 0.023), urgent procedures (OR: 3.73, p-value: 0.049), intraoperative complications (OR: 2.21, p-value: 0.046), advanced tumors (OR: 1.39, p-value: 0.036), and prolonged surgery (OR: 1.74, p-value: 0.004) were found to be independently related to suffering postoperative complications.

Conclusions: This study includes information about the approach and results of rectal cancer management in Latin America at a large scale. In the future, this information can be used as a bridge to identify areas of improvement among rectal cancer patients' treatment in the region.

Purpose: Endoscopic resection is appropriate for selected colorectal polyp cancers, but significant variation exists in treatment. This study aims to investigate variation in management of screen-detected polyp cancers (T1), factors predicting primary endoscopic polypectomy and threshold for subsequent surgical resection.

Method: Patients with polyp cancers (T1) diagnosed by the bowel cancer screening programme (BCSP) were investigated at two screening centres (5 individual sites and 4 MDTs, 2012-2022). Patient demographics, pathological characteristics, management and outcomes were recorded. Variation in management was compared between sites. Risk factors for primary endoscopic polypectomy and the need for subsequent surgical resection were analysed using multivariable binary logistic regression models.

Results: Of 220 polyp cancers, 178 (81%) underwent primary endoscopic resection. Secondary surgical excision was required in 54 (30%). Study sites were not significantly different in their primary management for colonic or rectal polyps. Only the size of colonic polyps was associated with primary surgery rather than endoscopic polypectomy (OR 1.05 (95% CI 1.00-1.11); p = 0.038). There was a difference between study sites in the odds ratio for secondary surgery after primary polypectomy for colonic polyps (OR 3.97 (95% CI 1.20-16.0); p = 0.033) but not rectal. Other factors associated with the requirement for secondary surgery were as follows: sessile morphology for colonic polyps (OR 2.92 (95% CI 1.25-6.97); p = 0.013) and en-bloc resection for rectal polyps (OR 0.14 (0.02-0.85); p = 0.043).

Conclusion: There was significant variation in the assessment and treatment of colonic polyp cancers. Standardising pathology reporting and treatment algorithms may lead to better consistency of care and a reduction in secondary surgery.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) represents a significant postoperative complication in colorectal cancer (CRC). Identifying associated factors is therefore critical. We evaluated the predictive value of clinicopathological features and inflammation-based prognostic scores (IBPSs) for SSI occurrence in CRC patients.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 1445 CRC patients who underwent resection surgery at Wuhan Union Hospital between January 2015 and December 2018. We applied two algorithms, least absolute shrinkage and selector operation (LASSO) and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE), to identify key predictors. Participants were randomly divided into training (n = 1043) and validation (n = 402) cohorts. A nomogram was constructed to estimate SSI risk, and its performance was assessed by calibration, discrimination, and clinical utility.

Results: Combining the 30 clinicopathological features identified by LASSO and SVM-RFE, we pinpointed seven variables as optimal predictors for a pathology-based nomogram: obstruction, dNLR, ALB, HGB, ALT, CA199, and CA125. The model demonstrated strong calibration and discrimination, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.838 (95% CI 0.799-0.876) in the training cohort and 0.793 (95% CI 0.732-0.865) in the validation cohort. Decision curve analysis (DCA) showed that our models provided greater predictive benefit than individual clinical markers.

Conclusion: The model based on simplified clinicopathological features in combination with IBPSs is useful in predicting SSI for CRC patients.