The effects of metabolism on the immune microenvironment in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignancy that is widely prevalent worldwide. Due to its unsatisfactory treatment outcome and extremely poor prognosis, many studies on the molecular mechanisms and pathological mechanisms of CRC have been published in recent years. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is an extremely important feature of tumorigenesis and one of the hallmarks of tumor development. Metabolic reprogramming is currently a hot topic in tumor research, and studies on this topic have provided important insights into CRC development. In particular, metabolic reprogramming in cancer causes changes in the composition of energy and nutrients in the TME. Furthermore, it can alter the complex crosstalk between immune cells and associated immune factors, such as associated macrophages and T cells, which play important immune roles in the TME, in turn affecting the immune escape of tumors by altering immune surveillance. In this review, we summarize several metabolism-related processes affecting the immune microenvironment of CRC tumors. Our results showed that the immune microenvironment is regulated by metabolic reprogramming and influences the development of CRC.

Effect of metabolic reprogramming on the immune microenvironment in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal tract with a high mortality rate worldwide, a low early detection rate and a poor prognosis. The rise of metabolomics has facilitated the early detection and treatment of GC. Metabolism in the GC tumor microenvironment (TME) mainly includes glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism, which provide energy and nutrients for GC cell proliferation and migration. Abnormal tumor metabolism can influence tumor progression by regulating the functions of immune cells and immune molecules in the TME, thereby contributing to tumor immune escape. Thus, in this review, we summarize the impact of metabolism on the TME during GC progression. We also propose novel strategies to modulate antitumor immune responses by targeting metabolism.

Misdiagnosis of scrotal and retroperitoneal lymphangioma in children.

BACKGROUND: Scrotal and retroperitoneal lymphangioma (SRL) in children is relatively rare and its clinical symptoms are usually difficult to distinguish from other conditions such as hydrocele and incarcerated inguinal oblique hernia. This study aimed to explore the clinical diagnosis and treatment of abdominal scrotal lymphangioma in children, and thus, to increase our understandings of this disease in clinical practice. METHOD: This study enrolled nine boys, aged 1-10, who were admitted to Shanghai Children's Hospital from January 2019 to December 2020 and who were finally confirmed with lymphangioma in the inguinal area. The clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of these children were analyzed retrospectively. The length of diagnostic process ranged from 3 weeks to 20 months. We also reviewed other cases of initially misdiagnosed cases of SRL in English publications from 2000 to 2022. RESULTS: The nine cases were misdiagnosed as hydrocele, hematoma, or inguinal hernia. Three patients received intracystic injection of bleomycin, three underwent laparoscopic mass resection, and three underwent resection of the inguinal lymphangioma under direct vision. Postoperative pathological analysis of the surgical specimens confirmed the diagnosis of benign cystic lesions and lymphangioma. Meanwhile, among the 14 cases of SRL in literature review, eight were misdiagnosed. Six were initially diagnosed as hydrocele, one as inguinal oblique hernia, and one as testicular tumor, all of which underwent ultrasonography scans. All cases were confirmed as lymphangioma after pathological examination. CONCLUSION: The non-specific clinical manifestations may contribute to the misdiagnosis of scrotal masses in children. A detailed and accurate medical history, careful physical examination, and imaging findings are important factors contributing to the preoperative differential diagnosis of scrotal lumps in children, but the final diagnosis is based on pathological examination.

The relationship between contralateral patent processus vaginalis and metachronous contralateral inguinal hernia in children with unilateral inguinal hernia: a prospective observational study.

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic contralateral patent processus vaginalis (CPPV) repair in children is debatable due to the high CPPV rate, but low metachronous contralateral inguinal hernia (MCIH) rate. We conducted this study to find risk factors for MCIH. METHOD: We conducted a prospective, observational trial with patients recruited from Shanghai Children's Hospital. Eligible participants were patients under 16 years old with unilateral inguinal hernia whose parents did not opt for simultaneous CPPV repair. The subjects were followed for 24 to 34.1 months. Patients who developed MCIH were analyzed to identify the relationship between CPPV and MCIH. RESULTS: Between October 17, 2018, and July 31, 2019, we included 184 patients and 182 completed follow-up. MCIH occurred in ten patients, of which 7 (7.53%) had CPPV and three (3.37%) had no CPPV. Univariate analysis showed that age (p = 0.025, OR = 0.938) and CPPV diameter (p = 0.003, OR = 1.783) were related to the development of MCIH. In multivariate analysis, only diameter of CPPV (p = 0.008, OR = 1.411) was associated with MCIH. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to test, and it was found that when the diameter of CPPV was greater than 4 mm, the Youden index was the highest, with a specificity of 62.8% and a sensitivity of 100%. CONCLUSION: The incidence of MCIH was not statistically higher in patients with CPPV compared with those without CPPV, so there is no indication for routine CPPV repair. The risk of MCIH development increases with CPPV diameter. 4 mm is the optimal cutoff point. Large CPPVs (> 4 mm) could be treated to prevent future hernias. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( www.chictr.org.cn ), number ChiCTR2000041307.

Intracranial Pressure during External Ventricular Drainage Weaning Is an Outcome Predictor of Traumatic Brain Injury.

External ventricular drainage (EVD) is widely used in patients with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the EVD weaning trial protocol varies and insufficient studies focus on the intracranial pressure (ICP) during the weaning trial. We aimed to establish the relationship between ICP during an EVD weaning trial and the outcomes of TBI. We enrolled 37 patients with a TBI with an EVD from July 2018 to September 2019. Among them, 26 were allocated to the favorable outcome group and 11 to the unfavorable outcome group (death, post-traumatic hydrocephalus, persistent vegetative state, and severe disability). Groups were well matched for sex, pupil reactivity, admission Glasgow Coma Scale score, Marshall computed tomography score, modified Fisher score, intraventricular hemorrhage, EVD days, cerebrospinal fluid output before the weaning trial, and the complications. Before and during the weaning trial, we recorded the ICP at 1-hour intervals to calculate the mean ICP, delta ICP, and ICP burden, which was defined as the area under the ICP curve. There were significant between-group differences in the age, surgery types, and intensive care unit days (p = 0.045, p = 0.028, and p = 0.004, respectively). During the weaning trial, 28 (75.7%) patients had an increased ICP. Although there was no significant difference in the mean ICP before and during the weaning trial, the delta ICP was higher in the unfavorable outcome group (p = 0.001). Moreover, patients who experienced death and hydrocephalus had a higher ICP burden, which was above 20 mmHg (p = 0.016). Receiver operating characteristic analyses demonstrated the predictive ability of these variables (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.818 [p = 0.002] for delta ICP and AUC = 0.758 [p = 0.038] for ICP burden > 20 mmHg). ICP elevation is common during EVD weaning trials in patients with TBI. ICP-related parameters, including delta ICP and ICP burden, are significant outcome predictors. There is a need for larger prospective studies to further explore the relationship between ICP during EVD weaning trials and TBI outcomes.