Blood perfusion assessment by near-infrared fluorescence angiography of epiploic appendages in prevention of anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic intersphincteric resection for ultra-low rectal cancer: a case-matched study.

BACKGROUND: The role of intraoperative near-infrared fluorescence angiography with indocyanine green in reducing anastomotic leakage (AL) has been demonstrated in colorectal surgery, however, its perfusion assessment mode, and efficacy in reducing anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic intersphincteric resection (LsISR) need to be further elucidated. AIM: Aim was to study near-infrared fluorescent angiography to help identify bowel ischemia to reduce AL after LsISR. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective case-matched study was conducted in one referral center. A total of 556 consecutive patients with ultra-low rectal cancer including 140 patients with fluorescence angiography of epiploic appendages (FAEA)were enrolled. Perfusion assessment by FAEA in the monochrome fluorescence mode. Patients were divided into two groups based on perfusion assessment by FAEA. The primary endpoint was the AL rate within 6 months, and the secondary endpoint was the structural sequelae of anastomotic leakage (SSAL). RESULTS: After matching, the study group (n = 109) and control group (n = 190) were well-balanced. The AL rate in the FAEA group was lower before (3.6% vs. 10.1%, P = 0.026) and after matching (3.7% vs. 10.5%, P = 0.036). Propensity scores matching analysis (OR 0.275, 95% CI 0.035-0.937, P 0.039), inverse probability of treatment weighting (OR 0.814, 95% CI 0.765-0.921, P 0.002), and regression analysis (OR 0.298, 95% CI 0.112-0.790, P = 0.015), showed that FAEA was an independent protector factor for AL. This technique can significantly shorten postoperative hospital stay [9 (6-13) vs. 10 (8-13), P = 0.024] and reduce the risk of SSAL (1.4% vs. 6.0%, P = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: Perfusion assessment by FAEA can achieve better visualization in LsISR and reduce the incidence of AL, subsequently avoiding SSAL after LsISR.

Nomogram for predicting the probability of rectal anastomotic re-leakage after stoma closure: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we aimed to identify the risk factors in patients with rectal anastomotic re-leakage and develop a prediction model to predict the probability of rectal anastomotic re-leakage after stoma closure. METHODS: This study was a single-center retrospective analysis of patients with rectal cancer who underwent surgery between January 2010 and December 2020. Among 3225 patients who underwent Total or Partial Mesorectal Excision (TME/PME) surgery for rectal cancer, 129 who experienced anastomotic leakage following stoma closure were enrolled. Risk factors for rectal anastomotic re-leakage were analyzed, and a prediction model was established for rectal anastomotic re-leakage. RESULTS: Anastomotic re-leakage after stoma closure developed in 13.2% (17/129) of patients. Multivariable analysis revealed that neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (odds ratio, 4.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-14.21; p = 0.03), blood loss > 50 ml (odds ratio, 4.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.31-15.63; p = 0.02), and intersphincteric resection (intersphincteric resection vs. low anterior resection: odds ratio, 6.85; 95% confidence interval, 2.01-23.36; p = 0.002) were independent risk factors for anastomotic re-leakage. A nomogram was constructed to predict the probability of anastomotic re-leakage, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.828 in the cohort. Predictive results correlated with the actual results according to the calibration curve. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, blood loss > 50 ml, and intersphincteric resection are independent risk factors for anastomotic re-leakage following stoma closure. The nomogram can help surgeons identify patients at a higher risk of rectal anastomotic re-leakage.

Prognostic stratification of patients with pT4bN0M0 colorectal cancer following multivisceral resection: a multi-institutional case series analysis.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with stage pT4b are a complex group as they show differences in tumor-infiltrated organs. Patients with the same stage often exhibit differences in prognosis after multivisceral resection (MVR). Thus far, some important prognostic factors have not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we identified the prognostic factors influencing CRC patients at the pT4bN0M0 stage to stratify the prognostic differences among patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients diagnosed with locally advanced CRC and who underwent MVR at three medical institutions from January 2010 to December 2021. The prognostic factors affecting the survival of CRC patients at pT4bN0M0 stage were identified by multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. We then classified the prognosis into different grades on the basis of these independent prognostic factors. RESULTS: We enrolled 690 patients with locally advanced CRC who underwent MVR; of these, 172 patients with pT4bN0M0 were finally included. Patients with digestive system [overall survival (OS): hazard ratio (HR)=0.441; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.217-0.900; P =0.024; disease-free survival (DFS): HR=0.416; 95% CI=0.218-0.796; P =0.008) or genitourinary system invasion (OS: HR=0.405; 95% CI=0.193-0.851; P =0.017; DFS: HR=0.505; 95% CI=0.267-0.954; P =0.035) exhibited significantly better OS and DFS as compared to those with gynecological system invasion, while the OS and DFS were similar between the digestive system and genitourinary system invasion groups (OS: HR=0.941; 95% CI=0.434-2.042; P =0.878; DFS: HR=1.211; 95% CI=0.611-2.403; P =0.583). Multivariate analysis showed that age (OS: HR=2.121; 95% CI=1.157-3.886; P =0.015; DFS: HR=1.869; 95% CI=1.116-3.131; P =0.017) and type of organs invaded by CRC (OS: HR=3.107; 95% CI=1.121-8.609; P =0.029; DFS: HR=2.827; 95% CI=1.142-6.997; P =0.025) were the independent prognostic factors that influenced the OS and DFS of CRC patients with pT4bN0M0 disease. The OS and DFS of patients showing invasion of the gynecological system group were significantly worse ( P =0.004 and P =0.003, respectively) than those of patients with invasion of the nongynecological system group. On the basis of the above-mentioned two independent prognostic factors, patients were assigned to high-risk, medium-risk, and low-risk groups. Subgroup analysis showed that the OS and DFS of the medium-risk and high-risk groups were significantly worse ( P =0.001 and P =0.001, respectively) than those of the low-risk group. CONCLUSION: Patients with pT4bN0M0 CRC show significant differences in their prognosis. The type of organs invaded by CRC is a valuable indicator for prognostic stratification of CRC patients with pT4bN0M0.

A novel classification of posterior pelvic exenteration to assess prognosis in female patients with locally advanced primary rectal cancer: a retrospective cohort study from China PelvEx collaborative.

PURPOSE: Surgical techniques and the prognosis of posterior pelvic exenteration for locally advanced primary rectal cancer in female patients pose challenges that need to be addressed. Therefore, we investigated the short-term and survival outcomes of posterior pelvic exenteration in female patients using a novel Peking classification. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed a prospective database from China PelvEx Collaborative across three tertiary referral centres. A total of 172 patients who underwent combined resection for locally advanced primary rectal cancer were classified based on four subtypes (PPE-I [64/172], PPE-II [68/172], PPE-III [21/172], and PPE-IV [19/172]) according to the Peking classification; perioperative characteristics and short-term and oncological outcomes were analysed. RESULTS: Differences were significant among the four groups regarding colorectal reconstruction (p < 0.001), perineal reconstruction (p < 0.001), in-hospital complications (p < 0.05), and urinary retention (p < 0.05). The R0 resection rates for PPE-I, PPE-II, PPE-III, and PPE-IV were 90.6%, 89.7%, 90.5%, and 89.5%, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rates of the PPE-I, PPE-II, PPE-III, and PPE-IV groups were 73.4%, 68.8%, 54.7%, and 37.3%, respectively. Correspondingly, their 5-year disease-free survival rates were 76.0%, 62.5%, 57.7%, and 43.1%, respectively. Notably, the PPE-IV group demonstrated the lowest 5-year overall survival rate (p < 0.001) and 5-year disease-free survival rate (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The Peking classification can aid in determining suitable surgical techniques and conducting prognostic assessments in female patients with locally advanced primary rectal cancer.

Applications of Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging and Angiography of Inferior Vesical Artery in Laparoscopic Lateral Lymph Node Dissection: A Prospective Nonrandomized Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: Near-infrared imaging with indocyanine green has been used to guide lateral lymph node dissection, yet its efficacy and benefits need further investigation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and feasibility of near-infrared fluorescence imaging and angiography of the inferior vesical artery in laparoscopic lateral lymph node dissection. DESIGN: A prospective nonrandomized controlled study. SETTINGS: Single-center study. PATIENTS: Patients with lower rectal cancer who underwent total mesorectal excision plus lateral lymph node dissection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A cohort of 108 patients was enrolled. After propensity score matching, 29 patients in the near-infrared group and 50 patients in the non-near-infrared group were matched. The total number of harvested lateral lymph nodes, positive lateral lymph nodes, inferior vesical artery preservation, and postoperative urinary function were compared. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, both groups had similar baseline characteristics. The total number of harvested lateral lymph nodes in the near-infrared group was significantly higher (12 vs 9, p = 0.013), but positive lateral lymph nodes were similar between the 2 groups (1 vs 1, p = 0.439). The inferior vesical artery preservation ratio was significantly increased with the aid of indocyanine green angiography (93.1% vs 56.0%, p < 0.001). The non-near-infrared group required more days for urinary catheter removal than the near-infrared group (5 vs 4, p = 0.046). Urinary recatheterization tended to occur more frequently in the non-near-infrared group, with a marginally significant trend (16% vs 0%, p = 0.059). The non-near-infrared group tended to have more cases with residual urine volume ≥50 mL than the near-infrared group (20.0% vs 3.4%, p = 0.087), especially in the bilateral dissection subgroup (41.2% vs 0%, p = 0.041). LIMITATIONS: Small sample size. CONCLUSIONS: Near-infrared imaging increased the number of harvested lateral lymph nodes, whereas real-time indocyanine green fluorescence angiography ensured the preservation of the inferior vesical artery and tended to improve postoperative urinary function.

Investigation of anti-diabetic effect of a novel coenzyme Q10 derivative.

Introduction: The rising incidence of type 2 diabetes has seriously affected international public health. The search for more drugs that can effectively treat diabetes has become a cutting-edge trend in research. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has attracted much attention in the last decade due to its wide range of biological activities. Many researchers have explored the clinical effects of CoQ10 in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, CoQ10 has low bio-availability due to its high lipophilicity. Therefore, we have structurally optimized CoQ10 in an attempt to exploit the potential of its pharmacological activity. Methods: A novel coenzyme Q10 derivative (L-50) was designed and synthesized by introducing a group containing bromine atom and hydroxyl at the terminal of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and the antidiabetic effect of L-50 was investigated by cellular assays and animal experiments. Results: Cytotoxicity results showed that L-50 was comparatively low toxicity to HepG2 cells. Hypoglycemic assays indicated that L-50 could increase glucose uptake in IR-HepG2 cells, with significantly enhanced hypoglycemic capacity compared to the CoQ10. In addition, L-50 improved cellular utilization of glucose through reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells (IR-HepG2) and regulation of JNK/AKT/GSK3ß signaling pathway, resulting in hypoglycemic effects. Furthermore, the animal experiments demonstrated that L-50 could restore the body weight of HFD/STZ mice. Notably, the findings suggested that L-50 could improve glycemic and lipid metabolism in HFD/STZ mice. Moreover, L-50 could increase fasting insulin levels (FINS) in HFD/STZ mice, leading to a decrease in fasting blood glucose (FBG) and hepatic glycogen. Furthermore, L-50 could recover triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (T-CHO), lipoprotein (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) levels in HFD/STZ mice. Discussion: The addition of a bromine atom and a hydroxyl group to CoQ10 could enhance its anti-diabetic activity. It is anticipated that L-50 could be a promising new agent for T2DM.

Short- and long-term results of open vs laparoscopic multisegmental resection and anastomosis for synchronous colorectal cancer located in separate segments.

BACKGROUND: It remains unclear whether laparoscopic multisegmental resection and anastomosis (LMRA) is safe and advantageous over traditional open multisegmental resection and anastomosis (OMRA) for treating synchronous colorectal cancer (SCRC) located in separate segments. AIM: To compare the short-term efficacy and long-term prognosis of OMRA as well as LMRA for SCRC located in separate segments. METHODS: Patients with SCRC who underwent surgery between January 2010 and December 2021 at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the Peking University First Hospital were retrospectively recruited. In accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 109 patients who received right hemicolectomy together with anterior resection of the rectum or right hemicolectomy and sigmoid colectomy were finally included in the study. Patients were divided into the LMRA and OMRA groups (n = 68 and 41, respectively) according to the surgical method used. The groups were compared regarding the surgical procedure's short-term efficacy and its effect on long-term patient survival. RESULTS: LMRA patients showed markedly less intraoperative blood loss than OMRA patients (100 vs 200 mL, P = 0.006). Compared to OMRA patients, LMRA patients exhibited markedly shorter postoperative first exhaust time (2 vs 3 d, P = 0.001), postoperative first fluid intake time (3 vs 4 d, P = 0.012), and postoperative hospital stay (9 vs 12 d, P = 0.002). The incidence of total postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade: ≥ II) was 2.9% and 17.1% (P = 0.025) in the LMRA and OMRA groups, respectively, while the incidence of anastomotic leakage was 2.9% and 7.3% (P = 0.558) in the LMRA and OMRA groups, respectively. Furthermore, the LMRA group had a higher mean number of lymph nodes dissected than the OMRA group (45.2 vs 37.3, P = 0.020). The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates in OMRA patients were 82.9% and 78.3%, respectively, while these rates in LMRA patients were 78.2% and 72.8%, respectively. Multivariate prognostic analysis revealed that N stage [OS: HR hazard ratio (HR) = 10.161, P = 0.026; DFS: HR = 13.017, P = 0.013], but not the surgical method (LMRA/OMRA) (OS: HR = 0.834, P = 0.749; DFS: HR = 0.812, P = 0.712), was the independent influencing factor in the OS and DFS of patients with SCRC. CONCLUSION: LMRA is safe and feasible for patients with SCRC located in separate segments. Compared to OMRA, the LMRA approach has more advantages related to short-term efficacy.

Laparoscopic resection of schwannoma in the lateral pelvic space based on the fascia plane: how we do it (with video).

BACKGROUND: Research on laparoscopic schwannoma resection (LSR) in the lateral pelvic space (LPS) remains limited. This study aimed to compare the short-term and oncological outcomes of LSR and conventional open schwannoma resection (OSR). METHODS: Clinical data of 38 patients with lateral pelvic schwannomas were retrospectively collected. LSR in the LPS was based on fascial-oriented techniques. Operation-related results, neurological function, and oncological outcomes were compared. RESULTS: A total of 38 patients were enrolled, including 18 and 20 patients who underwent LSR and OSR, respectively. The baseline characteristics showed no significant differences between the groups. The median blood loss and incision length in the LSR group were significantly lower (40.0 vs. 300 mL, 4.5 vs. 15 cm, P < 0.001). The LSR group showed less time to the first flatus (2.0 vs. 3.0 days, P = 0.029), time to pull drainage (5.0 vs. 6.0 days, P = 0.042), time to pull catheter (3.0 vs. 4.0 days, P = 0.027), and postoperative hospital stay (6.0 vs. 8.0 days, P = 0.048). The LSR group also showed fewer postoperative complications than the OSR group, although the difference was not significant (40.0% vs. 16.7%, P = 0.113). At a median follow-up of 36 months, no local recurrence was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Fascial-oriented laparoscopic resection of schwannomas in the LPS is feasible without compromising oncological safety. LSR shows clear advantages, most notably small incisions, less blood loss, and quick recovery, as well as potential benefits of neurological function.

MRI-based Radiomics Model for Preoperative Prediction of Lateral Pelvic Lymph Node Metastasis in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To develop a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomics model for preoperative prediction of lateral pelvic lymph node (LPLN) metastasis (LPLNM) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 263 patients with rectal cancer who underwent total mesorectal excision and LPLN dissection. Radiomics features from the primary lesion and LPLNs on baseline MRI images were utilized to construct a radiomics model, and their radiomics scores were combined to develop a radiomics scoring system. A clinical prediction model was developed using logistic regression. A hybrid predicting model was created through multivariable logistic regression analysis, integrating the radiomics score with significant clinical risk factors (baseline Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA), clinical circumferential resection margin status, and the short axis diameter of LPLN). This hybrid model was presented with a hybrid clinical-radiomics nomogram, and its calibration, discrimination, and clinical usefulness were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 148 patients were included in the analysis and randomly divided into a training cohort (n = 104) and an independent internal testing cohort (n = 44). The hybrid clinical-radiomics model exhibited the highest discrimination, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) of 0.843 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.706-0.968] in the testing cohort compared to the clinical model [AUC (95% CI) = 0.772 (0.589-0.856)] and radiomics model [AUC (95% CI) = 0.731 (0.613-0.849)]. The hybrid prediction model also demonstrated good calibration, and decision curve analysis confirmed its clinical usefulness. CONCLUSION: This study developed a hybrid MRI-based radiomics model that incorporates a combination of radiomics score and significant clinical risk factors. The proposed model holds promise for individualized preoperative prediction of LPLNM in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT: The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

Long-term outcomes and failure patterns after laparoscopic intersphincteric resection in ultralow rectal cancers.

BACKGROUND: Intersphincteric resection (ISR), the ultimate anus-preserving technique for ultralow rectal cancers, is an alternative to abdominoperineal resection (APR). The failure patterns and risk factors for local recurrence and distant metastasis remain controversial and require further investigation. AIM: To investigate the long-term outcomes and failure patterns after laparoscopic ISR in ultralow rectal cancers. METHODS: Patients who underwent laparoscopic ISR (LsISR) at Peking University First Hospital between January 2012 and December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Correlation analysis was performed using the Chi-square or Pearson's correlation test. Prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were analyzed using Cox regression. RESULTS: We enrolled 368 patients with a median follow-up of 42 mo. Local recurrence and distant metastasis occurred in 13 (3.5%) and 42 (11.4%) cases, respectively. The 3-year OS, LRFS, and DMFS rates were 91.3%, 97.1%, and 90.1%, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that LRFS was associated with positive lymph node status [hazard ratio (HR) = 5.411, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.413-20.722, P = 0.014] and poor differentiation (HR = 3.739, 95%CI: 1.171-11.937, P = 0.026), whereas the independent prognostic factors for DMFS were positive lymph node status (HR = 2.445, 95%CI: 1.272-4.698, P = 0.007) and (y)pT3 stage (HR = 2.741, 95%CI: 1.225-6.137, P = 0.014). CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the oncological safety of LsISR for ultralow rectal cancer. Poor differentiation, (y)pT3 stage, and lymph node metastasis are independent risk factors for treatment failure after LsISR, and thus patients with these factors should be carefully managed with optimal neoadjuvant therapy, and for patients with a high risk of local recurrence (N + or poor differentiation), extended radical resection (such as APR instead of ISR) may be more effective.

Persistent descending mesocolon as a vital risk factor for anastomotic failure and prolonged operative time for sigmoid colon and rectal cancers.

BACKGROUND: The diagnostic criteria and effect of persistent descending mesocolon (PDM) on sigmoid and rectal cancers (SRCs) remain controversial. This study aims to clarify PDM patients' radiological features and short-term surgical results. METHOD: From January 2020 to December 2021, radiological imaging data from 845 consecutive patients were retrospectively analyzed using multiplanar reconstruction (MRP) and maximum intensity projection (MIP). PDM is defined as the condition wherein the right margin of the descending colon is located medially to the left renal hilum. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to minimize database bias. The anatomical features and surgical results of PDM patients were compared with those of non-PDM patients. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients with PDM and 813 patients with non-PDM were enrolled into the study who underwent laparoscopic resection. After 1:4 matching, patients were stratified into PDM (n = 27) and non-PDM (n = 105) groups. The lengths from the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) to the inferior mesenteric vein (1.6 cm vs. 2.5 cm, p = 0.001), IMA to marginal artery arch (2.7 cm vs. 8.4 cm, p = 0.001), and IMA to the colon (3.3 cm vs. 10.2 cm, p = 0.001) were significantly shorter in the PDM group than those in the non-PDM group. The conversion to open surgery (11.1% vs. 0.9%, p = 0.008), operative time (210 min vs. 163 min, p = 0.001), intraoperative blood loss (50 ml vs. 30 ml, p = 0.002), marginal arch injury (14.8% vs. 0.9%, p = 0.006), splenic flexure free (22.2% vs. 3.8%, p = 0.005), Hartmann procedure (18.5% vs. 0.0%, p < 0.001) and anastomosis failure (18.5% vs. 0.9%, p = 0.001) were significantly higher in the PDM group. Moreover, PDM was an independent risk factor for prolonged operative time (OR = 3.205, p = 0.004) and anastomotic failure (OR = 7.601, p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: PDM was an independent risk factor for prolonged operative time and anastomotic failure in SRCs surgery. Preoperative radiological evaluation using MRP and MIP can help surgeons better handle this rare congenital variant.

Risk factors, quality of life, and oncological effects of refractory anastomotic leakage for laparoscopic intersphincteric resection.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Refractory anastomotic leakage (RAL) after intersphincteric resection (ISR) usually leads to failure of protective stoma reversal in ultralow rectal cancers. The aim of this study is to assess the risk factors and oncological outcomes of both anastomotic leakage (AL) and RAL, and quality of life (QoL) of RAL after laparoscopic ISR (LsISR). METHODS: A total of 371 ultralow rectal cancer patients with LsISR were enrolled from a tertiary colorectal surgery referral center. Risk factors for AL and RAL were identified by logistic regression. Three-year disease-free survival (DFS) of AL and RAL was analyzed by the Cox regression. QoL of RAL group (compared with non-RAL group) was assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR29 questionnaires. RESULTS: The rates of AL and RAL after LsISR accounted for 8.4% (31/371) and 4.6% (17/371) in this cohort, respectively. Non-left colic artery preservation (odds ratio [OR] = 3.491, P = 0.009), neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) (OR = 6.038, P < 0.001), and lower anastomosis height (OR = 5.271, P = 0.010) were independent risk factors for AL, while nCRT (OR = 11.602, P < 0.001) was the only independent risk factor for RAL. Male (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.989, P = 0.014), age > 60 years (HR = 1.877, P = 0.018), and lymph node metastasis (HR = 2.125, P = 0.005) were independent risk factors of poor 3-year DFS, but not RAL (P = 0.646). RAL patients have significantly worse global health status, worse emotional and social function scores at the late postoperative stage, and worse urinary and sexual function at the early postoperative stage (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy was an independent risk factor for RAL after LsISR. RAL shows similar oncological outcomes, but with poor QoL.

Surgical outcomes of left hemicolon sparing resection versus extensive resection in treating synchronous colorectal cancer involving the right-sided colon and sigmoid colon or rectum.

BACKGROUND: There are different surgical strategies that can treat synchronous colorectal cancer (SCRC) involving separate segments, namely extensive resection (EXT) and left hemicolon-sparing resection (LHS). We aim to comparatively analyze short-term surgical results, bowel function, and long-term oncological outcomes between SCRC patients treated with the two different surgical strategies. METHODS: One hundred thirty-eight patients with SCRC lesions located in the right hemicolon and rectum or sigmoid colon were collected at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Peking University First Hospital from January 2010 to August 2021 and divided into EXT group (n = 35) and LHS group (n = 103), depending on their surgical strategies. These two groups of patients were compared for postoperative complications, bowel function, the incidence of metachronous cancers, and prognosis. RESULTS: The operative time for the LHS group was markedly shorter compared with the EXT group (268.6 vs. 316.9 min, P = 0.015). The post-surgery incidences of total Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ II complications and anastomotic leakage (AL) were 8.7 vs. 11.4% (P = 0.892) and 4.9 vs. 5.7% (P = 1.000) for the LHS and EXT groups, respectively. The mean number of daily bowel movements was significantly lower for the LHS group than for the EXT group (1.3 vs. 3.8, P < 0.001). The proportions of no low anterior resection syndrome (LARS), minor LARS, and major LARS for the LHS and EXT groups were 86.5 vs. 80.0%, 9.6 vs. 0%, and 3.8 vs. 20.0%, respectively (P = 0.037). No metachronous cancer was found in the residual left colon during the 51-month (median duration) follow-up period. The overall and disease-free survival rates at 5 years were 78.8% and 77.5% for the LHS group and 81.7% and 78.6% for the EXT group (P = 0.565, P = 0.712), respectively. Multivariate analysis further confirmed N stage, but not surgical strategy, as the risk factor that independently affected the patients' survival. CONCLUSIONS: LHS appears to be a more appropriate surgical strategy for SCRC involving separate segments because it exhibited shorter operative time, no increase in the risk of AL and metachronous cancer, and no adverse long-term survival outcomes. More importantly, it could better retain bowel function and tended to reduce the severity of LARS and therefore improve the post-surgery life quality of SCRC patients.

In Silico Studies of the Impact of Rotational Errors on Translation Shifts and Dose Distribution in Image-Guided Radiotherapy.

Objective: To compare the 6-dimensional errors of different immobilization devices and body regions based on 3-dimensional cone beam computed tomography for image-guided radiotherapy and to further quantitatively evaluate the impact of rotational corrections on translational shifts and dose distribution based on anthropomorphic phantoms. Materials and Methods: Two hundred ninety patients with cone beam computed tomographies from 3835 fractions were retrospectively analyzed for brain, head & neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and breast cases. A phantom experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of rotational errors on translational shifts using cone beam computed tomography and the registration system. For the dosimetry study, pitch rotations were simulated by adjusting the breast bracket by ±2.5°. Roll and yaw rotations were simulated by rotating the gantry and couch in the planning system by ±3.0°, respectively. The original plan for the breast region was designed in the computed tomography image space without rotation. With the same planning parameters, the original plan was transplanted into the image space with different rotations for dose recalculation. The effect of these errors on the breast target and organs at risk was assessed by dose-volume histograms. Results: Most of the mean rotational errors in the breast region were >1°. A single uncorrected yaw of 3° caused a change of 2.9 mm in longitudinal translation. A phantom study for the breast region demonstrated that when the pitch rotations were -2.5° and 2.5° and roll and yaw were both 3°, the reductions in the planning target volumes-V50 Gy were 20.07% and 29.58% of the original values, respectively. When the pitch rotation was +2.5°, the left lung V5 Gy and heart Dmean were 7.49% and 165.76 Gy larger, respectively, than the original values. Conclusions: Uncorrected rotations may cause changes in the values and directions of translational shifts. Rotational corrections may improve the patient setup and dose distribution accuracy.

Auto-segmentation of important centers of growth in the pediatric skeleton to consider during radiation therapy based on deep learning.

BACKGROUND: Routinely delineating of important skeletal growth centers is imperative to mitigate radiation-induced growth abnormalities for pediatric cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. However, it is hindered by several practical problems, including difficult identification, time consumption, and inter-practitioner variability. PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to construct and evaluate a novel Triplet-Attention U-Net (TAU-Net)-based auto-segmentation model for important skeletal growth centers in childhood cancer radiotherapy, concentrating on the accuracy and time efficiency. METHODS: A total of 107 childhood cancer patients fulfilled the eligibility criteria were enrolled in the training cohort (N = 80) and test cohort (N = 27). The craniofacial growth plates, shoulder growth centers, and pelvic ossification centers, with a total of 19 structures in the three groups, were manually delineated by two experienced radiation oncologists on axial, coronal, and sagittal computed tomography images. Modified from U-Net, the proposed TAU-Net has one main branch and two bypass branches, receiving semantic information of three adjacent slices to predict the target structure. With supervised deep learning, the skeletal growth centers contouring of each group was generated by three different auto-segmentation models: U-Net, V-Net, and the proposed TAU-Net. Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and Hausdorff distance 95% (HD95) were used to evaluate the accuracy of three auto-segmentation models. The time spent on performing manual tasks and manually correcting auto-contouring generated by TAU-Net was recorded. The paired t-test was used to compare the statistical differences in delineation quality and time efficiency. RESULTS: Among the three groups, including craniofacial growth plates, shoulder growth centers, and pelvic ossification centers groups, TAU-Net had demonstrated highly acceptable performance (the average DSC = 0.77, 0.87, and 0.83 for each group; the average HD95 = 2.28, 2.07, and 2.86 mm for each group). In the overall evaluation of 19 regions of interest (ROIs) in the test cohort, TAU-Net had an overwhelming advantage over U-Net (63.2% ROIs in DSC and 31.6% ROIs in HD95, p = 0.001-0.042) and V-Net (94.7% ROIs in DSC and 36.8% ROIs in HD95, p = 0.001-0.040). With an average time of 52.2 min for manual delineation, the average time saved to adjust TAU-Net-generated contours was 37.6 min (p < 0.001), a 72% reduction. CONCLUSIONS: Deep learning-based models have presented enormous potential for the auto-segmentation of important growth centers in pediatric skeleton, where the proposed TAU-Net outperformed the U-Net and V-Net in geometrical precision for the majority status.

[Management of immunocompromised renal transplant patients infected with coronavirus disease 2019].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the treatment process of a renal transplant patient infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and discuss the management strategy for the immunocompromised hosts. METHODS: The diagnosis and treatment of a case of transplant patients with COVID-19 admitted to Horgos designated hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in October 2021 were reviewed. The medical history and laboratory and imaging examination treatment and outcome of this case were analyzed. RESULTS: The recipient was a middle-aged male with a time from renal transplantation of 3 years. The onset was moderate to low fever, accompanied by cough and fatigue. Chest CT showed multiple ground glass shadows under the pleura of both lungs, mainly in both lower lungs, gradually worsening until "white lung" appeared, with early renal and cardiac insufficiency. In the course of treatment, immunosuppressants were reduced and the dosage of glucocorticoid was increased. In the early stage, due to renal insufficiency and hyperkalemia, dialysis was conducted for 3 times. Oral abidol and Lianhua Qingwen capsule were given as antiviral and anti-infection treatment. Special immunoglobulin and convalescent plasma of COVID-19 were used to boost the immunity of patients. The patient was eventually clinically cured. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical manifestations and diagnosis of COVID-19 for the kidney transplantation recipient are not significantly different from other populations, but immunocompromised hosts are more likely to suffer from organ dysfunction. The adjustment of immunosuppressants and glucocorticoids, respiratory support, selection of antibiotics, organ protection, nutritional support and traditional Chinese medicine intervention in the treatment of renal transplant recipients with severe COVID-19 need further discussion.

Epileptic Seizure Detection Based on Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Unit Network.

Visual inspection of long-term electroencephalography (EEG) is a tedious task for physicians in neurology. Based on bidirectional gated recurrent unit (Bi-GRU) neural network, an automatic seizure detection method is proposed in this paper to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. Firstly, wavelet transforms are applied to EEG recordings for filtering pre-processing. Then the relative energies of signals in several particular frequency bands are calculated and inputted into Bi-GRU network. Afterwards, the outputs of Bi-GRU network are further processed by moving average filtering, threshold comparison and seizure merging to generate the discriminant results that the tested EEG belong to seizure or not. Evaluated on CHB-MIT scalp EEG database, the proposed seizure detection method obtained an average sensitivity of 93.89% and an average specificity of 98.49%. 124 out of 128 seizures were correctly detected and the achieved average false detection rate was 0.31 per hour on 867.14 h testing data. The results show the superiority of Bi-GRU network in seizure detection and the proposed detection method has a promising potential in the monitoring of long-term EEG.

OTUB1 Recruits Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes and Is a Prognostic Marker in Digestive Cancers.

BACKGROUND: The deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) OTUB1 can regulate the process of ubiquitination, but the influence of OTUB1 on immunity, apoptosis, autophagy, and the prognosis of digestive cancers requires further exploration. METHODS: OTUB1 expression was analyzed with the Oncomine and TIMER database. Kaplan-Meier plotter was used to calculate the association between OTUB1 and clinical prognosis. The regulation of OTUB1 on cancer immunocyte infiltration was determined by the TIMER database. The interaction between OTUB1 and immune genes, gene expression profiling (GEP), key genes of apoptosis and autophagy were analyzed via GEPIA. Protein-protein interaction (PPI), gene expression profiling (GEP), and functional pathway enrichment were also performed with the STRING and Pathway Common databases, respectively. RESULTS: High OTUB1 expression was found in CHOL, LIHC, READ, ESCA, and COAD, which was significantly associated with the poorer OS of LIHC (HR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.30-3.30, P = 0.002), with modifications by sex, stage, grade, and mutant burden. OTUB1 can promote the recruitment of B cells, CD8 + T cells, macrophages in ESCA, B cells, and neutrophils in LIHC. We determined a significant interaction between OTUB1 and USP8, RNF128, LRIG1, UBB, UBC, STAM2, RNF41, EGFR, RPS27A, and HGS by PPI. This functional pathway indicates the regulatory role of OTUB1on immune, apoptosis, and autophagy through its interaction with TP53 and ATG. CONCLUSIONS: OTUB1 performed as a molecular indicator of poor prognosis in digestive cancers, regulated the infiltration of tumor immunocytes, and exerted a significant influence on apoptosis and autophagy. OTUB1 is a potential antitumor target for digestive tumors.