Comparison of Effective Imaging Modalities for Detecting Gastric Neoplasms: A Randomized 3-Arm Phase II Trial.

INTRODUCTION: The early detection of gastric neoplasms (GNs) leads to favorable treatment outcomes. The latest endoscopic system, EVIS X1, includes third-generation narrow-band imaging (3G-NBI), texture and color enhancement imaging (TXI), and high-definition white-light imaging (WLI). Therefore, this randomized phase II trial aimed to identify the most promising imaging modality for GN detection using 3G-NBI and TXI. METHODS: Patients with scheduled surveillance endoscopy after a history of esophageal cancer or GN or preoperative endoscopy for known esophageal cancer or GN were randomly assigned to the 3G-NBI, TXI, or WLI groups. Endoscopic observations were performed to detect new GN lesions, and all suspected lesions were biopsied. The primary endpoint was the GN detection rate during primary observation. Secondary endpoints were the rate of missed GNs, early gastric cancer detection rate, and positive predictive value for a GN diagnosis. The decision rule had a higher GN detection rate between 3G-NBI and TXI, outperforming WLI by >1.0%. RESULTS: Finally, 901 patients were enrolled and assigned to the 3G-NBI, TXI, and WLI groups (300, 300, and 301 patients, respectively). GN detection rates in the 3G-NBI, TXI, and WLI groups were 7.3, 5.0, and 5.6%, respectively. The rates of missed GNs were 1.0, 0.7, and 1.0%, the detection rates of early gastric cancer were 5.7, 4.0, and 5.6%, and the positive predictive values for the diagnosis of GN were 36.5, 21.3, and 36.8% in the 3G-NBI, TXI, and WLI groups, respectively. DISCUSSION: Compared with TXI and WLI, 3G-NBI is a more promising modality for GN detection.

Efficacy of endoscopic submucosal resection with a ligation device for small rectal neuroendocrine tumor: study protocol of a multicenter open-label randomized control trial (BANDIT trial).

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic resection is widely accepted as a local treatment for rectal neuroendocrine tumors sized ≤ 10 mm. However, there is no consensus on the best method for the endoscopic resection of rectal neuroendocrine tumors. As a simplified endoscopic procedure, endoscopic submucosal resection with a ligation device (ESMR-L) indicates a histologically complete resection rate comparable to that of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). We hypothesized that ESMR-L than ESD would be preferred for rectal neuroendocrine tumors. Hence, this trial aimed to verify whether ESMR-L is non-inferior to ESD in terms of histologically complete resection rate. METHODS: This is a prospective, open-label, multicenter, non-inferiority, randomized controlled trial of two parallel groups, conducted at the Shizuoka Cancer Center and 31 other institutions in Japan. Patients with a lesion endoscopically diagnosed as a rectal neuroendocrine tumor ≤ 10 mm are eligible for inclusion. A total of 266 patients will be recruited and randomized to undergo either ESD or ESMR-L. The primary endpoint is the rate of en bloc resection with histologically tumor-free margins (R0 resection). Secondary endpoints include en bloc resection rate, procedure time, adverse events, hospitalization days, total devices and agents cost, adverse event rate between groups with and without resection site closure, outcomes between expert and non-expert endoscopists, and factors associated with R0 resection failure. The sample size is determined based on the assumption that the R0 resection rate will be 95.2% in the ESD group and 95.3% in the ESMR-L group, with a non-inferiority margin of 8%. With a one-sided significance level of 0.05 and a power of 80%, 226 participants are required. Assuming a dropout rate of 15%, 266 patients will be included in this study. DISCUSSION: This is the first multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing ESD and ESMR-L for the R0 resection of rectal neuroendocrine tumors ≤ 10 mm. This will provide valuable information for standardizing endoscopic resection methods for rectal neuroendocrine tumors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Japan Registry of Clinical Trials, jRCTs042210124. Registered on Jan 6, 2022.

Results of the interim analysis of a prospective, multicenter, observational study of small subepithelial lesions in the stomach.

OBJECTIVES: Long-term outcomes of gastric subepithelial lesions have not been elucidated. To reveal the natural history, we initiated a prospective, 10-year follow-up of patients with small (≤20 mm) gastric subepithelial lesions in September 2014. Here, we report the results of an interim analysis of a prospective observational study. METHODS: In total, 567 patients with 610 lesions were prospectively registered between September 2014 and August 2016. The location, size, morphology, and number of subepithelial lesions were recorded on a web-based case report form. This study has been conducted as an Academic Committee Working Group of the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society. RESULTS: The endoscopic follow-up period was 4.60 ± 1.73 years (mean ± standard deviation), and survival data were investigated for 5.28 ± 1.68 years. This interim analysis revealed that the estimated cumulative incidence of a size increase ≥5 mm, after accounting for patients' death and resection of the tumor as competing risk events, was 4.5% at 5 years. In addition, the estimated cumulative incidence of lesion size increase ≥5 mm or resection of lesions was 7.9% at 5 years, and that of size increase ≥10 mm or resection of lesions was 4.5% at 5 years. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that approximately one in 13 patients with small (≤20 mm) gastric subepithelial lesions may require resection or further investigation for increased tumor size (≥5 mm) within 5 years.

Outcomes of noncurative endoscopic submucosal dissection for T1 colorectal cancer: Prospective, multicenter, cohort study in Japan.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the incidence of lymph node metastasis and long-term outcomes in patients with T1 colorectal cancer where endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) resulted in noncurative treatment. It is focused on those with deep submucosal invasion, a factor considered a weak predictor of lymph node metastasis in the absence of other risk factors. METHODS: This nationwide, multicenter, prospective study conducted a post-hoc analysis of 141 patients with T1 colorectal cancer ≥20 mm where ESD of the lesion resulted in noncurative outcomes, characterized by poor differentiation, deep submucosal invasion (≥1000 µm), lymphovascular invasion, high-grade tumor budding, or positive vertical margins. Clinicopathologic features and patient prognoses focusing on lesion sites and additional surgery requirements were evaluated. Lymph node metastasis incidence in the low-risk T1 group, identified by deep submucosal invasion as the sole high-risk histological feature, was assessed. RESULTS: Lymph node metastasis occurred in 14% of patients undergoing additional surgery post-noncurative endoscopic submucosal dissection for T1 colorectal cancer. In the low-risk T1 group, in the absence of other risk factors, the frequency was 9.7%. The lymph node metastasis rates in patients with T1 colon and rectal cancers did not differ significantly (14% vs. 16%). Distant recurrence was observed in one patient (2.3%) in the ESD only group and in one (1.0%) in the additional surgery group, both of whom had had rectal cancer removed. CONCLUSION: The risk of lymph node metastasis or distant occurrence was not negligible, even in the low-risk T1 group. The findings suggest the need for considering additional surgery, particularly for rectal lesions (Clinical Trial Registration: UMIN000010136).

Intensive endoscopic resection for downstaging of polyp burden in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (J-FAPP Study III): a multicenter prospective interventional study.

BACKGROUND: Total colectomy is the standard treatment for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Recently, an increasing number of young patients with FAP have requested the postponement of surgery or have refused to undergo surgery. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of intensive endoscopic removal for downstaging of polyp burden (IDP) in FAP. METHOD: A single-arm intervention study was conducted at 22 facilities. Participants were patients with FAP, aged ≥ 16 years, who had not undergone colectomy or who had undergone colectomy but had ≥ 10 cm of large intestine remaining. For IDP, colorectal polyps of ≥ 10 mm were removed, followed by polyps of ≥ 5 mm. The primary end point was the presence/absence of colectomy during a 5-year intervention period. RESULTS: 222 patients were eligible, of whom 166 had not undergone colectomy, 46 had undergone subtotal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis, and 10 had undergone partial resection of the large intestine. During the intervention period, five patients (2.3 %, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.74 %-5.18 %) underwent colectomy, and three patients died. Completion of the 5-year intervention period without colectomy was confirmed in 150 /166 patients who had not undergone colectomy (90.4 %, 95 %CI 84.8 %-94.4 %) and in 47 /56 patients who had previously undergone colectomy (83.9 %, 95 %CI 71.7 %-92.4 %). CONCLUSION: IDP in patients with mild-to-moderate FAP could have the potential to be a useful means of preventing colorectal cancer without implementing colectomy. However, if the IDP protocol was proposed during a much longer term, it may not preclude the possibility that a large proportion of colectomies may still need to be performed.

Metachronous primary gastric cancer after endoscopic resection in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for developing metachronous primary Gastric Cancer (GC) after Endoscopic Resection (ER) for esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC). METHODS: We studied 283 patients with esophageal SCC who underwent ER. The study outcomes were as follows: (1) incidence of metachronous primary GC after ER; and (2) predictors for the development of metachronous primary GC after ER by the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 43.1 months (1.81-79.1), and the 3-year cumulative incidence of metachronous primary GC was 6.5% (95%CI: 4.1-10.4). The incidence of metachronous primary GC during the follow-up period was 2.31 per 100 person-years. The frequencies of severe gastric atrophy and macrocytosis at the timing of ER were significantly higher in patients with than without metachronous primary GC (91.7% vs. 73.2%, p = 0.0422, 20.8% vs. 5.2%, p = 0.0046, respectively). Severe gastric atrophy was associated with the development of metachronous primary GC (sex-and-age adjusted hazard ratio (HR) [95%CI] = 4.12 [0.95-27.78], p = 0.0093). Macrocytosis was associated with the development of metachronous primary GC (sex-and-age adjusted HR = 4.76 [1.75-13.0], p = 0.0012) and found to be an independent predictor for metachronous primary GC by multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis (HR [95%CI] = 4.35 [1.60-11.84], p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Severe gastric atrophy and macrocytosis should be noted in the development of metachronous primary GC after ER for esophageal SCC. In particular, macrocytosis at the timing of ER was considered an important predictor. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRY NUMBER: UMIN000001676.

Risk factors for the development of second primary esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma after endoscopic resection for esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma according to genetic polymorphisms related to alcohol and nicotine metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Multiple development of esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma is explained by field cancerization and is associated with alcohol consumption and smoking. We investigated the association between the development of second primary esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma after endoscopic resection for esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma and genetic polymorphisms related to alcohol and nicotine metabolism. METHODS: The study group comprised 56 patients with esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma after endoscopic resection. The main variables were the following: (i) cumulative incidence and total number of second primary esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma according to genetic polymorphisms in alcohol dehydrogenase 1B, aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 and cytochrome P450 2A6; and (ii) risk factors of second primary esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma identified using a multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model. The frequencies of alcohol dehydrogenase 1B, aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 and cytochrome P450 2A6 genetic polymorphisms in the buccal mucosa were analyzed. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 92.8 months (range: 2.7-134.2). Slow-metabolizing alcohol dehydrogenase 1B was associated with a higher 7-year cumulative incidence of second primary esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (fast-metabolizing alcohol dehydrogenase 1B vs slow-metabolizing alcohol dehydrogenase 1B: 20.5% vs 71.4%, P = 0.006). Slow-metabolizing alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (relative risk [95% confidence interval]: 3.17 [1.49-6.73]), inactive aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (2.17 [1.01-4.63]) and poorly-metabolizing cytochrome P450 2A6 (4.63 [1.74-12.33]) had a significantly higher total number of second primary esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma per 100 person-years. In the multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model, slow-metabolizing alcohol dehydrogenase 1B was a significant risk factor of the development of second primary esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (hazard ratio 9.92, 95% confidence interval: 2.35-41.98, P = 0.0018). CONCLUSIONS: Slow-metabolizing alcohol dehydrogenase 1B may be a significant risk factor for the development of second primary esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma. In addition, inactive aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 and poorly-metabolizing cytochrome P450 2A6 may be important factors.

Outcomes of endoscopic resection for superficial duodenal tumors: 10 years' experience in 18 Japanese high volume centers.

BACKGROUND: Data on endoscopic resection (ER) for superficial duodenal epithelial tumors (SDETs) are insufficient owing to their rarity. There are two main ER techniques for SDETs: endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). In addition, modified EMR techniques, such as underwater EMR (UEMR) and cold polypectomy, are becoming popular. We conducted a large-scale retrospective multicenter study to clarify the detailed outcomes of duodenal ER. METHODS: Patients with SDETs who underwent ER at 18 institutions from January 2008 to December 2018 were included. The rates of en bloc resection and delayed adverse events (AEs; defined as delayed bleeding or perforation) were analyzed. Local recurrence was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: In total, 3107 patients (including 1017 undergoing ESD) were included. En bloc resection rates were 79.1 %, 78.6 %, 86.8 %, and 94.8 %, and delayed AE rates were 0.5 %, 2.2 %, 2.8 %, and 6.8 % for cold polypectomy, UEMR, EMR and ESD, respectively. The delayed AE rate was significantly higher in the ESD group than in non-ESD groups for lesions < 19 mm (7.4 % vs. 1.9 %; P < 0.001), but not for lesions > 20 mm (6.1 % vs. 7.1 %; P = 0.64). The local recurrence rate was significantly lower in the ESD group than in the non-ESD groups (P < 0.001). Furthermore, for lesions > 30 mm, the cumulative local recurrence rate at 2 years was 22.6 % in the non-ESD groups compared with only 1.6 % in the ESD group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: ER outcomes for SDETs were generally acceptable. ESD by highly experienced endoscopists might be an option for very large SDETs.

Influence of hospital volume on bleeding after endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer in Japan: a multicenter propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Information on whether there is a relationship between hospital volume and bleeding after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC) is limited. This study aimed to compare the bleeding rates after ESD for EGC according to the hospital volume. METHODS: Patients who underwent ESD for EGC at 33 institutions in Japan between November 2013 and October 2016 were included in this multicenter retrospective study. Hospital volume was categorized into three groups, based on the average annual number of ESD procedures: low- and medium-volume group (LMVG), high-volume group (HVG), and very high-volume group (VHVG). The bleeding rate after ESD for EGC was compared between the three hospital volume groups after propensity score matching. RESULTS: A total of 10,320 patients, including 2797 patients in the LMVG, 4646 patients in the HVG, and 2877 patients in the VHVG, were identified. Propensity score matching yielded 2002 patients in each hospital volume group, with an improved balance of confounding variables between the three groups. The bleeding rates in the LMVG, HVG, and VHVG were 4.3%, 3.7%, and 4.9%, respectively, and no significant difference was noted between the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: The bleeding rate after ESD for EGC did not differ between hospitals in Japan. The finding indicated that ESD for EGC is equally feasible across Japanese hospitals of different volumes regarding bleeding after ESD.

Outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal neoplasms: Prospective, multicenter, cohort trial.

OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is the gold standard for the treatment of noninvasive large colorectal lesions, despite challenges associated with nonlifting lesions and a high rate of local recurrence. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) offers the possibility of overcoming these EMR limitations. However, a higher risk of complications and longer procedure time prevented its dissemination. As ESD now provides more stable results because of standardized techniques compared with those used earlier, this study aimed to quantify the rates of en bloc and curative resections, as well as ESD complications, in the present situation. METHODS: A multicenter, large-scale, prospective cohort trial of ESD was conducted at 20 institutions in Japan. Consecutive patients scheduled for ESD were enrolled from February 2013 to January 2015. RESULTS: ESD was performed for 1883 patients (1965 lesions). The mean procedure time was 80.6 min; en bloc and curative resections were achieved in 1759 (97.0%) and 1640 (90.4%) lesions, respectively, in epithelial lesions ≥20 mm. Intra- and postprocedural perforations occurred in 51 (2.6%) and 12 (0.6%) lesions, respectively, and emergency surgery for adverse events was performed in nine patients (0.5%). CONCLUSIONS: This trial conducted after the standardization of the ESD technique throughout Japan revealed a higher curability, shorter procedure time, and lower risk of complications than those reported previously. Considering that the target lesions of ESD are more advanced than those of EMR, ESD can be a first-line treatment for large colorectal lesions with acceptable risk and procedure time. (Clinical Trial Registration: UMIN000010136).

Early gastric cancer detection in high-risk patients: a multicentre randomised controlled trial on the effect of second-generation narrow band imaging.

OBJECTIVE: Early detection of gastric cancer has been the topic of major efforts in high prevalence areas. Whether advanced imaging methods, such as second-generation narrow band imaging (2G-NBI) can improve early detection, is unknown. DESIGN: This open-label, randomised, controlled tandem trial was conducted in 13 hospitals. Patients at increased risk for gastric cancer were randomly assigned to primary white light imaging (WLI) followed by secondary 2G-NBI (WLI group: n=2258) and primary 2G-NBI followed by secondary WLI (2G-NBI group: n=2265) performed by the same examiner. Suspected early gastric cancer (EGC) lesions in both groups were biopsied. Primary endpoint was the rate of EGC patients in the primary examination. The main secondary endpoint was the positive predictive value (PPV) for EGC in suspicious lesions detected (primary examination). RESULTS: EGCs were found in 44 (1.9%) and 53 (2.3%; p=0.412) patients in the WLI and 2G-NBI groups, respectively, during primary EGD. In a post hoc analysis, the overall rate of lesions detected at the second examination was 25% (n=36/145), with no significant differences between groups. PPV for EGC in suspicious lesions was 13.5% and 20.9% in the WLI (50/371 target lesions) and 2G-NBI groups (59/282 target lesions), respectively (p=0.015). CONCLUSION: The overall sensitivity of primary endoscopy for the detection of EGC in high-risk patients was only 75% and should be improved. 2G-NBI did not increase EGC detection rate over conventional WLI. The impact of a slightly better PPV of 2G-NBI has to be evaluated further. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: UMIN000014503.

Prediction model of bleeding after endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer: BEST-J score.

OBJECTIVE: Bleeding after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC) is a frequent adverse event after ESD. We aimed to develop and externally validate a clinically useful prediction model (BEST-J score: Bleeding after ESD Trend from Japan) for bleeding after ESD for EGC. DESIGN: This retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent ESD for EGC. Patients in the derivation cohort (n=8291) were recruited from 25 institutions, and patients in the external validation cohort (n=2029) were recruited from eight institutions in other areas. In the derivation cohort, weighted points were assigned to predictors of bleeding determined in the multivariate logistic regression analysis and a prediction model was established. External validation of the model was conducted to analyse discrimination and calibration. RESULTS: A prediction model comprised 10 variables (warfarin, direct oral anticoagulant, chronic kidney disease with haemodialysis, P2Y12 receptor antagonist, aspirin, cilostazol, tumour size >30 mm, lower-third in tumour location, presence of multiple tumours and interruption of each kind of antithrombotic agents). The rates of bleeding after ESD at low-risk (0 to 1 points), intermediate-risk (2 points), high-risk (3 to 4 points) and very high-risk (≥5 points) were 2.8%, 6.1%, 11.4% and 29.7%, respectively. In the external validation cohort, the model showed moderately good discrimination, with a c-statistic of 0.70 (95% CI, 0.64 to 0.76), and good calibration (calibration-in-the-large, 0.05; calibration slope, 1.01). CONCLUSIONS: In this nationwide multicentre study, we derived and externally validated a prediction model for bleeding after ESD. This model may be a good clinical decision-making support tool for ESD in patients with EGC.

Efficacy and Safety of Early vs Elective Colonoscopy for Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: We performed a large, multicenter, randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy and safety of early colonoscopy on outcomes of patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (ALGIB). METHODS: We performed an open-label study at 15 hospitals in Japan of 170 patients with ALGIB randomly assigned (1:1) to groups that underwent early colonoscopy (within 24 hours of initial visit to the hospital) or elective colonoscopy (24-96 hours after hospital admission). The primary outcome was identification of stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH). Secondary outcomes were rebleeding within 30 days, endoscopic treatment success, need for transfusion, length of stay, thrombotic events within 30 days, death within 30 days, and adverse events. RESULTS: SRH were identified in 17 of 79 patients (21.5%) in the early colonoscopy group vs 17 of 80 patients (21.3%) in the elective colonoscopy group (difference, 0.3; 95% confidence interval, -12.5 to 13.0; P = .967). Rebleeding within 30 days of hospital admission occurred in 15.3% of patients in the early colonoscopy group and 6.7% of patients in the elective colonoscopy group (difference, 8.6; 95% confidence interval, -1.4 to 18.7); there were no significant differences between groups in successful endoscopic treatment rate, transfusion rate, length of stay, thrombotic events, or death within 30 days. The adverse event of hemorrhagic shock occurred during bowel preparation in no patient in the early group vs 2 patients (2.5%) in the elective colonoscopy group. CONCLUSIONS: In a randomized controlled study, we found that colonoscopy within 24 hours after hospital admission did not increase SRH or reduce rebleeding compared with colonoscopy at 24-96 hours in patients with ALGIB. ClinicalTrials.gov, Numbers: UMIN000021129 and NCT03098173.

A nonrandomized, single-arm confirmatory trial of expanded endoscopic submucosal dissection indication for undifferentiated early gastric cancer: Japan Clinical Oncology Group study (JCOG1009/1010).

BACKGROUND: While endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is recognized as a minimally invasive standard treatment for differentiated early gastric cancers (EGCs), it has not been indicated for undifferentiated EGC (UD-EGC) because of a relatively high risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM). However, patients with surgically resected mucosal (cT1a) UD-EGC ≤ 2 cm in size with no lymphovascular invasion or ulceration are reported to be at a very low risk of LNM. This multicenter, single-arm, confirmatory trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ESD for UD-EGC. METHODS: The key eligibility criteria were endoscopically diagnosed cT1a/N0/M0, single primary lesion, size ≤ 2 cm, no ulceration and histologically proven components of undifferentiated adenocarcinoma on biopsy. Based on the histological findings after ESD, additional gastrectomy was indicated if the criteria for curative resection were not satisfied. The subjects of the primary analysis were patients with UD-EGC as the dominant component. The primary endpoint was 5-year overall survival (OS) of patients with UD-EGC. RESULTS: Three hundred 46 patients were enrolled from 49 institutions. The proportion of en bloc resection was 99%. No ESD-related Grade 4 adverse events were noted. Delayed bleeding and intraoperative and delayed perforation occurred in 25 (7.3%), 13 (3.8%), and 6 (1.7%) patients, respectively. Among the 275 patients who were the subjects of the primary analysis, curative resection was achieved in 195 patients (71%), and 5-year OS was 99.3% (95% CI: 97.1-99.8). CONCLUSIONS: ESD can be a curative and less invasive treatment for UD-EGC for patients meeting the eligibility criteria of this study.

Influence of anticoagulants on the risk of delayed bleeding after gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection: a multicenter retrospective study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Delayed bleeding after gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in patients receiving anticoagulants remains an unpreventable adverse event. Although direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have superior efficacy in preventing thromboembolism, their effects on the occurrence of delayed bleeding remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical effect of DOACs on delayed bleeding after gastric ESD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively examined 728 patients who received anticoagulants and were treated for gastric neoplasms with ESD in 25 institutions across Japan. Overall, 261 patients received DOACs, including dabigatran (92), rivaroxaban (103), apixaban (45) and edoxaban (21), whereas 467 patients were treated with warfarin. RESULTS: Delayed bleeding occurred in 14% of patients taking DOACs, which was not considerably different in patients receiving warfarin (18%). Delayed bleeding rate was significantly lower in patients receiving dabigatran than in those receiving warfarin and lower than that observed for other DOACs. Multivariate analysis showed that age ≥ 65, receiving multiple antithrombotic agents, resection of multiple lesions and lesion size ≥ 30 mm were independent risk factors, and that discontinuation of anticoagulants was associated with a decreased risk of bleeding. In multivariate analysis among patients taking DOACs, dabigatran therapy was associated with a significantly lower risk of delayed bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of DOACs on delayed bleeding varied between agents, but dabigatran therapy was associated with the lowest risk of delayed bleeding. Switching oral anticoagulants to dabigatran during the perioperative period could be a reasonable option to reduce the risk of delayed bleeding after gastric ESD.

Integrated genetic and epigenetic analysis of cancer-related genes in non-ampullary duodenal adenomas and intramucosal adenocarcinomas.

The molecular and clinical characteristics of non-ampullary duodenal adenomas and intramucosal adenocarcinomas are not fully understood because they are rare. To clarify these characteristics, we performed genetic and epigenetic analysis of cancer-related genes in these lesions. One hundred and seven non-ampullary duodenal adenomas and intramucosal adenocarcinomas, including 100 small intestinal-type tumors (90 adenomas and 10 intramucosal adenocarcinomas) and 7 gastric-type tumors (2 pyloric gland adenomas and 5 intramucosal adenocarcinomas), were investigated. Using bisulfite pyrosequencing, we assessed the methylation status of CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) markers and MLH1. Then using next-generation sequencing, we performed targeted exome sequence analysis within 75 cancer-related genes in 102 lesions. There were significant differences in the clinicopathological and molecular variables between small intestinal- and gastric-type tumors, which suggests the presence of at least two separate carcinogenic pathways in non-ampullary duodenal adenocarcinomas. The prevalence of CIMP-positive lesions was higher in intramucosal adenocarcinomas than in adenomas. Thus, concurrent hypermethylation of multiple CpG islands is likely associated with development of non-ampullary duodenal intramucosal adenocarcinomas. Mutation analysis showed that APC was the most frequently mutated gene in these lesions (56/102; 55%), followed by KRAS (13/102; 13%), LRP1B (10/102; 10%), GNAS (8/102; 8%), ERBB3 (7/102; 7%), and RNF43 (6/102; 6%). Additionally, the high prevalence of diffuse or focal nuclear ß-catenin accumulation (87/102; 85%) as well as mutations of WNT pathway components (60/102; 59%) indicates the importance of WNT signaling to the initiation of duodenal adenomas. The higher than previously reported frequency of APC gene mutations in small bowel adenocarcinomas as well as the difference in the APC mutation distributions between small intestinal-type adenomas and intramucosal adenocarcinomas may indicate that the adenoma-carcinoma sequence has only limited involvement in duodenal carcinogenesis. © 2020 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Rebleeding in patients with delayed bleeding after endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Delayed bleeding is a major adverse event in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC). Some patients may experience rebleeding after successful hemostasis for delayed bleeding, yet the details of rebleeding remain unclear. We aimed to clarify the frequency and risk factors of rebleeding. METHODS: Among 11,452 patients who underwent ESD for EGC at 33 institutions in Japan between 2013 and 2016, we analyzed 489 patients showing delayed bleeding. The rate of rebleeding was investigated. Subsequently, 15 candidate variables were evaluated for their influence on the risk of rebleeding via logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Rebleeding occurred in 11.2% (55/489) of the enrolled patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that warfarin [odds ratio (OR), 2.71; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.26-5.84] and a resection size >40 mm (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.08-3.67) were independent risk factors for rebleeding. In the analysis of the management of warfarin after index bleeding, only warfarin discontinuation (OR, 3.66; 95% CI, 1.37-9.78) was significantly associated with rebleeding in comparison with no use of warfarin. However, many rebleeding events (75.0%) occurred following the resumption of warfarin. The rebleeding rate during discontinuation status and that in taking warfarin (continuation or resumption) were 6.1% and 20.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Rebleeding was not a rare event in patients experiencing delayed bleeding after ESD for EGC. In addition to having a resection size >40 mm, warfarin usage placed patients at high risk for rebleeding, especially at the timing of its resumption following discontinuation as well as its continuation.

[Number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding as a predictive factor for readmission:an exploratory study].

Colonic diverticular bleeding often recurs and requires hospital readmission. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the rate of readmission and the number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding. We retrospectively studied 98 patients first admitted between January 2008 and July 2017 for the treatment of colonic diverticular bleeding. We investigated the subsequent number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding and classified the patients into 3 groups:those admitted for the first time (first group), those admitted for the second time (second group), and those admitted for the third time or later (third group). Generally, the readmission rate increased as the number of hospitalizations increased (P<0.01). The 1-year readmission rates were 11.6%, 23.2%, and 34.2% in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. The 2-year readmission rates were 15.1%, 50.1%, and 62.4% in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. The 3-year readmission rates were 21.7%, 50.1%, and 74.9% in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. Thus, the number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding could be a predictive factor for readmission. We also classified the patients into 2 additional groups:those who had been readmitted (readmission group) and those who had not (no readmission group). Furthermore, we examined background and therapeutic factors, and found hypovolemic shock on admission to be an independent risk factor (odds ratio 14.1). Preventive treatments for such high-risk patients should be considered.

Efficacy of Endoscopic Resection and Selective Chemoradiotherapy for Stage I Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Esophagectomy is the standard treatment for stage I esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We conducted a single-arm prospective study to confirm the efficacy and safety of selective chemoradiotherapy (CRT) based on findings from endoscopic resection (ER). METHODS: We performed a prospective study of patients with T1b (SM1-2) N0M0 thoracic ESCC from December 2006 through July 2012; 176 patients underwent ER. Based on the findings from ER, patients received the following: no additional treatment for patients with pT1a tumors with a negative resection margin and no lymphovascular invasion (group A); prophylactic CRT with 41.4 Gy delivered to locoregional lymph nodes for patients with pT1b tumors with a negative resection margin or pT1a tumors with lymphovascular invasion (group B); or definitive CRT (50.4 Gy) with a 9-Gy boost to the primary site for patients with a positive vertical resection margin (group C). Chemotherapy comprised 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin. The primary end point was 3-year overall survival in group B, and the key secondary end point was 3-year overall survival for all patients. If lower limits of 90% confidence intervals for the primary and key secondary end points exceeded the 80% threshold, the efficacy of combined ER and selective CRT was confirmed. RESULTS: Based on the results from pathology analysis, 74, 87, and 15 patients were categorized into groups A, B, and C, respectively. The 3-year overall survival rates were 90.7% for group B (90% confidence interval, 84.0%-94.7%) and 92.6% in all patients (90% confidence interval, 88.5%-95.2%). CONCLUSIONS: In a prospective study of patients with T1b (SM1-2) N0M0 thoracic ESCC, we confirmed the efficacy of the combination of ER and selective CRT. Efficacy is comparable to that of surgery, and the combination of ER and selective CRT should be considered as a minimally invasive treatment option. UMIN-Clinical Trials Registry no.: UMIN000000553.

Automatic detection of different types of small-bowel lesions on capsule endoscopy images using a newly developed deep convolutional neural network.

BACKGROUND : Previous computer-aided detection systems for diagnosing lesions in images from wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) have been limited to a single type of small-bowel lesion. We developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) system able to diagnose multiple types of lesions, including erosions and ulcers, vascular lesions, and tumors. METHODS : We trained the deep neural network system RetinaNet on a data set of 167 patients, which consisted of images of 398 erosions and ulcers, 538 vascular lesions, 4590 tumors, and 34 437 normal tissues. We calculated the mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for each lesion type using five-fold stratified cross-validation. RESULTS : The mean age of the patients was 63.6 years; 92 were men. The mean AUCs of the AI system were 0.996 (95 %CI 0.992 - 0.999) for erosions and ulcers, 0.950 (95 %CI 0.923 - 0.978) for vascular lesions, and 0.950 (95 %CI 0.913 - 0.988) for tumors. CONCLUSION : We developed and validated a new computer-aided diagnosis system for multiclass diagnosis of small-bowel lesions in WCE images.