Endoscopy for the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding caused by malignancy.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding secondary to malignancy can be challenging. Endoscopy is the gold standard to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal bleeding but clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with malignancy-related bleeding are not well understood. This study aims to look at clinical characteristics, endoscopic findings, safety and clinical outcomes of endoscopic interventions for GI malignancy-related bleeding. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed outcomes of patients with confirmed GI malignancies who underwent endoscopy for GI bleeding at MD Anderson Cancer Center between 2010 and 2019. Cox hazard analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with survival. RESULTS: A total of 313 patients were included, with median age of 59 years; 74.8% were male. The stomach (30.0%) was the most common tumor location. Active bleeding was evident endoscopically in 47.3% of patients. Most patients (77.3%) did not receive endoscopic treatment. Of the patients who received endoscopic treatment, 57.7% had hemostasis. No endoscopy-related adverse events were recorded. Endoscopic treatment was associated with hemostasis (P < 0.001), but not decreased recurrent bleeding or mortality. Absence of active bleeding on endoscopy, stable hemodynamic status at presentation, lower cancer stage, and surgical intervention were associated with improved survival. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that endoscopy is a safe diagnostic tool in this patient population; while endoscopic treatments may help achieve hemostasis, it may not decrease the risk of recurrent bleeding or improve survival.

Dilemma of elevated CA 19-9 in biliary pathology.

Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) is a tumor marker which has been extensively evaluated and widely utilized primarily in diagnosing and prognosticating pancreaticobiliary malignancies. Levels may be significantly influenced and elevated in cases of benign biliary conditions however, especially in obstructive jaundice, thereby posing difficulty in distinguishing between benign and malignant cholestasis. A myriad of studies have focused on elucidating proper use and interpretation of CA 19-9 in pancreatic cancer as well as in the setting of cholestasis. These studies have demonstrated that many factors influence CA 19-9 values and various methods for interpreting CA 19-9 in obstructive jaundice have been proposed. With improvements in diagnostic imaging, advancements in endoscopic modalities, and likelihood that management will not change based on the results of the test, clinicians should be cautious when ordering CA 19-9 and consider the reasons for measuring the tumor marker.

Recurrent Mixed Cryoglobulinemia Despite Sustained Virologic Response to Treatment: A Case Report.

Cryoglobulinemia is a manifestation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Treatment of HCV is the mainstay of therapy for mixed cryoglobulinemia syndrome, and newer HCV therapies with direct-acting antiviral agents have achieved great success in treating HCV infection compared with pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin. Recurrence of mixed cryoglobulinemia syndrome following successful treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents is uncommon, and when it occurs, it is most often due to relapse of HCV viremia. We report a case of recurrent mixed cryoglobulinemia syndrome following HCV treatment with a new direct-acting antiviral agent (sofosbuvir) and ribavirin, in which HCV RNA was undetectable in serum, but detectable in the cryoprecipitate.

Autoimmune Pancreatitis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An Updated Review.

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) occurring in association with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is rather rare and carries a worse prognosis and greater disease severity compared with IBD alone. Although it is an infrequently documented association, progress over the last 20 years has led to better understanding of the association between AIP and IBD. IBD has a stronger association with type 2 than with type 1 AIP. Clinical and histologic features of AIP-IBD more often reveal features of type 2 AIP. Imaging is not helpful in facilitating the diagnosis of AIP and IBD. Similarly, attempts to identify a serological marker have not yielded better result. A proposed lymphocyte homing mechanism provides some insight into the mechanism of pathogenesis. This review represents an update of our current knowledge of the association between AIP and IBD.

The State of Mentorship and Pancreatic Research Among Trainees in Pancreatology: A Multinational Survey Study.

OBJECTIVES: The recent decrease seen in pancreatic research and young investigator involvement may reflect inadequate mentorship. This study aimed to describe the current state of mentorship in pancreatic research and evaluate how mentorship is associated with research productivity. METHODS: In this prospective study, a survey addressing mentorship and research was distributed to trainees worldwide. Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression was used to describe the association between mentorship and trainee research productivity. RESULTS: A total of 137 trainees from 16 countries participated. Although two-thirds of trainees expressed interest in pancreatic research and had identified a mentor in the field, only 34.8% had published a manuscript. Barriers to pancreatic research included lack of research opportunities (58.3%), limited mentorship (23.3%), and inadequate institutional support (15%). Although having a single mentor was not associated with research productivity (odds ratio, 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 0.74-2.76), having a local mentor was significantly associated with publishing (odds ratio, 4.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.95-10.74). CONCLUSIONS: Although many trainees interested in pancreatology have access to a mentor, barriers including lack of research opportunities, mentorship, and institutional support hinder trainee productivity. Opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, and networking are needed.

Talking Genes in Breast and Pancreatic Malignancies.

INTRODUCTION: Both breast and pancreatic cancers have high mortality rates. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in females, while pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth most common cause of cancer death. Almost 4-16 % of individuals with pancreatic cancer have a family history of the disease. Intra-ductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) are cystic lesions that received more attention lately due to their associations with PDAC and other solid organ tumors, such as breast cancer. AIM: The purpose of this article is to discuss the association of the familiar pancreatic cancer (FPC), sporadic pancreatic cancer, and IPMNs with the breast cancer. RESULTS: Mutations in BRCA2, BRCA1, p16 and PALB2 play a major role in the genetic etiologies of familial pancreatic cancer. In familial and sporadic pancreatic cancers, mutations in BRCA2 are associated with a high incidence of PDAC, while mutations in BRCA1have shown inconsistent results. Data is insufficient to prove an association between IPMNs and breast cancer. CONCLUSION: The familial clustering of PDAC is not well understood. Further studies are required for greater comprehension of the genetic basis of PDAC and the association between IPMNs and breast cancer.

Acute Pancreatitis in Chronic Dialysis Patients.

The annual incidence of acute pancreatitis (AP) ranges from 4.9 to 73.4 cases per 100,000 worldwide. Patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis have an increased risk for developing AP compared with patients without renal disease. In addition to the general population risk factors, there are factors related to renal insufficiency and dialysis process that might predispose to AP in this population. Clinical features and diagnosis are the same as those in patients without renal failure; however, amylase and lipase levels should be interpreted cautiously as they might be falsely elevated in renal failure. In this article, we will describe the risk factors that are exclusive to this population. In addition, we will also focus on the laboratory indices and clinical features that are unique to this population with patients with end-stage renal disease.

The Emerging Role of Endoscopists in Treating Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the eighth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide in men and ninth leading cause in women. Surgical resection offers the only chance of potential cure; however, only 9.4% of patients present at the localized, resectable stage, whereas the rest present at the locally advanced or metastatic, unresectable stages. Because of the guarded outcomes following systemic chemoradiation and the associated systemic toxicities, locoregional therapies have recently gained popularity. Various endoscopic techniques (endoscopic ultrasound [EUS]-guided ablative therapies, fine-needle instillation of antitumor agents, stereotactic body radiation therapy with EUS-guided fiducial marker placement, and EUS-guided brachytherapy) have been explored over the past several years. Endoscopic therapy plays a role in the treatment of unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Its minimal invasiveness and increased precision of delivering oncologic treatments under EUS guidance render it as a favorable option for patients who do not benefit from surgical resection. New endoscopic therapies are currently under investigation, and the emerging role of the endoscopist in the treatment of unresectable pancreatic cancer continues to grow.