The use of an artificial intelligence algorithm for circulating tumor cell detection in patients with esophageal cancer.

Despite recent advances in multidisciplinary treatments of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), patients frequently suffer from distant metastasis after surgery. For numerous types of cancer, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are considered predictors of distant metastasis, therapeutic response and prognosis. However, as more markers of cytopathological heterogeneity are discovered, the overall detection process for the expression of these markers in CTCs becomes increasingly complex and time consuming. In the present study, the use of a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based artificial intelligence (AI) for CTC detection was assessed using KYSE ESCC cell lines and blood samples from patients with ESCC. The AI algorithm distinguished KYSE cells from peripheral blood-derived mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy volunteers, accompanied with epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and nuclear DAPI staining, with an accuracy of >99.8% when the AI was trained on the same KYSE cell line. In addition, AI trained on KYSE520 distinguished KYSE30 from PBMCs with an accuracy of 99.8%, despite the marked differences in EpCAM expression between the two KYSE cell lines. The average accuracy of distinguishing KYSE cells from PBMCs for the AI and four researchers was 100 and 91.8%, respectively (P=0.011). The average time to complete cell classification for 100 images by the AI and researchers was 0.74 and 630.4 sec, respectively (P=0.012). The average number of EpCAM-positive/DAPI-positive cells detected in blood samples by the AI was 44.5 over 10 patients with ESCC and 2.4 over 5 healthy volunteers (P=0.019). These results indicated that the CNN-based image processing algorithm for CTC detection provides a higher accuracy and shorter analysis time compared to humans, suggesting its applicability for clinical use in patients with ESCC. Moreover, the finding that AI accurately identified even EpCAM-negative KYSEs suggested that the AI algorithm may distinguish CTCs based on as yet unknown features, independent of known marker expression.

miR-877-3p as a Potential Tumour Suppressor of Oesophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIM: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are abnormally expressed and involved in the pathogenesis of various carcinomas. The present study aimed to identify novel miRNA genes associated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The miRNA profiling of 873 genes was performed using surgically resected oesophageal tissues from 35 patients with ESCC to identify candidate miRNAs. To examine the biological activities of candidate miRNAs, their proliferative, invasive, and migratory abilities were evaluated in ESCC cells subjected to miRNA mimic-mediated over-expression. The miRNA expression levels of the selected candidate miRNAs were analysed in the resected oesophageal tissues of 76 patients with ESCC from the two cohorts and correlated with the clinicopathological parameters. RESULTS: Among the four candidate miRNAs identified by miRNA profiling, miR-877-3p was selected for subsequent analyses. In vitro analyses showed that the over-expression of miR-877-3p significantly suppressed the proliferation, invasion, and migration of ESCC cell lines compared with those of control cells. In the analyses of clinical specimens, the expression of miR-877-3p was down-regulated in ESCC tissues compared with that in adjacent normal oesophageal tissues. The down-regulation of miR-877-3p expression in ESCC tissues was significantly associated with advanced local progression and lymphatic involvement. The miR-877-3p down-regulation was also significantly associated with poor disease-free and disease-specific survival. CONCLUSION: miR-877-3p acts as a tumour suppressor gene in ESCC cells, and its down-regulation in ESCC tissues is associated with a poor prognosis. Thus, miR-877-3p may serve as a novel prognostic marker and promising therapeutic target.

Paratracheal air cyst and bronchogenic cyst in patients with esophageal cancer who received thoracoscopic esophagectomy: A case series of three patients.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Mediastinal cystic lesions, such as paratracheal air cyst (PTAC) and bronchogenic cyst (BC), are rare anomaly usually found incidentally in thoracic imaging. Special attention is needed in the case of thoracic surgery. CASE PRESENTATION: All three patients were male, 71, 73, and 76 years old. Preoperative CT showed each had a lobular cystic lesion at the right posterolateral side of trachea in the thoracic outlet 11, 14, and 19 mm in size, respectively, with air density and tracheal communication, leading to a diagnosis of PTACs. An oval cystic lesion, 7 mm in size, was found in one patient at the right lateral side of the upper esophagus with low density and without tracheal communication, leading to a diagnosis of paraesophageal BC. Intraoperative findings of the three PTACs demonstrated a soft bulge from the membranous portion of trachea that was left intact. The BC had an oval elastic structure, mimicking a metastatic lymph node, and was removed with the mediastinal lymph nodes. Histological examination showed ciliated columnar epithelium, confirming a diagnosis of BC. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: PTACs are associated with increased intraluminal pressure due to chronic lung disease. BCs are congenital anomalies that originate from abnormal budding of the embryonic foregut. CONCLUSION: PTACs and BCs need to be considered in preoperative image diagnosis in patients with esophageal cancer. PTACs should be left intact to avoid tracheal injury, while removal of isolated BCs is recommended as a diagnostic and therapeutic measure.

[A Case of Double Lung and Gastric Cancer Involving Para-Aortic Lymph Node Metastasis with Difficult Preoperative Diagnosis].

A man in his 60s was admitted to our hospital with anemia. An endoscopic examination revealed advanced gastric cancer. CT revealed peri-gastric and para-aortic lymphadenopathy, and a nodular shadow(20mm)in the lower lobe of the right lung. PET-CT revealed abnormal uptake in the para-aortic lymph node and stomach wall and the nodular shadow in the right lung. A bronchoscopy revealed pulmonary adenocarcinoma. From the above, he was diagnosed with gastric cancer(cT4a, cN2, cM1, cStage IV )and lung cancer(cT2a, cN0, cM0, cStage I B). Because of gastric bleeding, we decided to operate on the gastric cancer before the lung cancer. First, total gastrectomy, splenectomy, and cholecystectomy were performed and then dissection of lymph node No. 16was performed. Histopathological examination indicated that lymph node No. 16was common to lung cancer, so the final diagnosis was gastric cancer(pT4a, pN0, cM0, fStage II A)and lung cancer(cT2a, cN0, pM1, fStage IV ). In this case, lymphadenectomy of No. 16in the first and pathological diagnosis during surgery could help us avoid splenectomy and cholecystectomy, and could reduce invasion.

[Fourteen Cases of Low-Grade Appendiceal Mucinous Neoplasm].

Low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm(LAMN)is a rare disease. In consideration of consistency with the 2010WHO Classification, LAMNwas classified in the Japanese Classification of Colorectal Carcinoma 8th edition. The present study involved 14 patients with LAMNover a 5-year period. The preoperative diagnosis was made as mucocele of the appendix in 9 cases. Operative interventions included ileocecal resection in 6 cases(laparoscopic; 3 cases)and appendectomy in 8 cases (laparoscopic; 6 cases). Histopathologically, there was no LNpositive case. While adjuvant therapies were not administered in all cases, all patients remain alive without recurrence. The treatment strategy for LAMNhas not been established. Therefore, an adequate surgical method with careful postoperative surveillance should be considered.

[A Case of Synchronous Multi-Centric Invasive Ductal Carcinomas of the Pancreas].

A 69-year-old man with left upper abdominal pain visited our hospital. Abdominal CT revealed a hypovascular mass(66× 57mm)in the pancreatic tail. MRI revealed hemorrhage and cysts in the caudal lesion of the tumor. The tumor involved the posterior wallof the stomach. Based on a diagnosis of pancreatic tailcancer with gastric posterior wallinvasion, distalpancreatectomy and partialgastrectomy were performed. Histopathologicalexamination indicated 2 adjacent tumors through a capsule in the pancreas tail. These tumors were diagnosed as synchronous invasive ductal carcinomas of the pancreas, which were anaplastic and papillary carcinomas. We report a rare case of synchronous multi-centric invasive ductalcarcinomas of the pancreas.

[A Case of Mixed Adenoneuroendocrine Carcinoma(MANEC)of the Duodenum].

A 79-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of a positive fecal occult blood test. Gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a tumor in the duodenal bulb. Histologically, biopsy specimens indicated adenocarcinoma. The patient underwent distal gastrectomy. Histopathological examination showed a neuroendocrine carcinoma with an adenocarcinoma. According to the 2010WHO Classification of Tumours of the Digestive System, this case was diagnosed as mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma(MANEC). There was no metastatic lesion in the resected lymph node. The patient has been followed up for 2 years without evidence of recurrence. We report a rare case of MANEC in the duodenum.

[A Case of Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Descending Colon with Extramural Progression].

A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a cough. Based on imaging studies, the patient was diagnosed with locally advanced descending colon cancer with extensive infiltration into peripheral organs by extramural progression. There was no distant metastasis. Therefore, he received left hemicolectomy with splenectomy, partial gastrectomy, and partial diaphragm resection. Histopathological examination showed a mucinous adenocarcinoma, pT4b, pN1, cM0, fStage III A. We report a rare case of extramural progression colon cancer with invasion of various organs and review 12 previous case reports.

[Transnasal and transanal tube decompression versus self-expanding metallic stent as a bridge to surgery for obstructive colorectal cancer].

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy between the use of transnasal and transanal tube decompression and self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) as a bridge to surgery for obstructive colorectal cancer. MATERIALS: Of a total of 42 patients with obstructive colorectal cancer, 29 were managed with transnasal or transanal tubes and 13 were managed by SEMS. RESULTS: The management duration to surgery in the stent group was longer than that in the tube group (18 vs 11 days; p<.05). More patients in the stent group could be discharged and take food or liquid normally. There was no difference in overall complications including anastomotic leakage, surgical side effects, or primary anastomosis. Perforation occurred in 2 patients in the tube group, while stent migration occurred in 1 patient in the stent group. There was no difference in complications between 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: SEMS as a bridge to surgery for obstructive colorectal cancer could improve patients' quality of life during the preoperative period. Evaluations of the complications during decompression are needed for both methods.

[Therapeutic strategy for perforated colorectal cancer].

A total of 37 patients were surgically treated for a colorectal perforation between May 2006 and December 2013. The patients were divided into 2 groups: those with perforation due to colorectal cancer(colorectal cancer group, n=12) and those with perforation due to benign colorectal disease(non-colorectal cancer group, n=25). We examined the influence that onset near the perforation had on colorectal cancer clinical outcome. There was no significant difference in patient backgrounds between the two groups. In the colorectal cancer group, curative resections were performed in eight of the cases (67%), while there were 7 cases (58%) of regional lymph node dissection and all patients received a stoma without bowel anastomosis. In the colorectal cancer group, 1 patient (8%) died of a pulmonary embolism after surgery, whereas 2 patients (8.3%) in the non-colorectal cancer group died of sepsis after surgery. Nine of those patients (75%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. Four patients survived without recurrence. Prompt judgment of the disease severity and selection of optical surgical procedures including tumor resection and regional lymph node dissection is important for colorectal cancer perforation, and an adjuvant setting for the purpose of the long-term survival is necessary.