Environmental risk factors for gallbladder cancer: field-wide systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cholelithiasis is the most well-recognized risk factor for gallbladder cancer (GBC), the predominant biliary-tract malignancy; however, credibility on other modifiable exposures remains uncertain. We performed a field-wide systematic review and meta-analysis on environmental factors associated with GBC. METHODS: We systematically searched Medline/PubMed and Embase up to May 8, 2023, to identify randomized and non-randomized studies examining environmental factors for GBC. We conducted random-effects meta-analyses focusing on longitudinal studies. Evidence from case-control studies was considered complementary. Evidence credibility was graded by prespecified criteria including the random-effects estimate, 95% confidence interval, P-value, statistical heterogeneity, small-study effects, and robustness to unmeasured confounding. RESULTS: We identified 215 eligible primary studies and performed 350 meta-analyses across seven domains: lifestyle; reproductive; metabolic; dietary; infections; interventions; contaminants, and occupational exposures. Based on longitudinal evidence, body-mass index (RR per 5-unit increase 1.27; 95% CI, 1.21‒1.33), hip circumference (RR per 5-cm increase 1.16; 1.11‒1.22), infection of bile ducts (RR 31.7; 24.8-40.6), high parity (RR 1.48, 1.30‒1.68), obesity (RR 1.70; 1.44‒2.01), overweight (RR 1.28; 1.14‒1.43), waist circumference (RR per 5-cm increase 1.14; 1.10‒1.18), and waist-to-height ratio (RR per 0.1 increase 1.49; 1.36‒1.64) were robustly associated with increased GBC risk, while high education (RR 0.63; 0.49‒0.82) was associated with reduced risk (moderate-to-high credibility). Another 39 significant associations showed lower credibility, including different exposure scenarios of tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and insufficient physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: This study offers a detailed appraisal and mapping of the evidence on modifiable factors for GBC. Further high-quality prospective studies are essential to validate emerging associations and inform preventive strategies in high-incidence areas.

International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus consensus on management of the failed fundoplication.

Fundoplication is a durable, effective, and well-accepted treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease. Nonetheless, troublesome postoperative symptoms do occasionally occur with management varying widely among centers. In an attempt to standardize definition and management of postfundoplication symptoms, a panel of international experts convened by the Guidelines Committee of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus devised a list of 33 statements across 5 domains through a Delphi approach, with at least 80% agreement to establish consensus. Eight statements were endorsed for the domain of Definitions, four for the domain of Investigations, nine for Dysphagia, nine for Heartburn, and four for Revisional surgery. This consensus defined as the treatment goal of fundoplication the resolution of symptoms rather than normalization of physiology or anatomy. Required investigations of all symptomatic postfundoplication patients were outlined. Further management was standardized by patients' symptomatology. The appropriateness of revisional fundoplication and the techniques thereof were described and the role of revisional surgery for therapies other than fundoplication were assessed. Fundoplication remains a frequently-performed operation, and this is the first international consensus on the management of various postfundoplication problems.

Endoscopic Ultrasound and Gastric Sub-Epithelial Lesions: Ultrasonographic Features, Tissue Acquisition Strategies, and Therapeutic Management.

Background and objectives: Subepithelial lesions (SELs) of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract present a diagnostic challenge due to their heterogeneous nature and varied clinical manifestations. Usually, SELs are small and asymptomatic; generally discovered during routine endoscopy or radiological examinations. Currently, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is the best tool to characterize gastric SELs. Materials and methods: For this review, the research and the study selection were conducted using the PubMed database. Articles in English language were reviewed from August 2019 to July 2024. Results: This review aims to summarize the international literature to examine and illustrate the progress in the last five years of endosonographic diagnostics and treatment of gastric SELs. Conclusions: Endoscopic ultrasound is the preferred option for the diagnosis of sub-epithelial lesions. In most of the cases, EUS-guided tissue sampling is mandatory; however, ancillary techniques (elastography, CEH-EUS, AI) may help in both diagnosis and prognostic assessment.

QUAIDE - Quality assessment of AI preclinical studies in diagnostic endoscopy.

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds significant potential for enhancing quality of gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, but the adoption of AI in clinical practice is hampered by the lack of rigorous standardisation and development methodology ensuring generalisability. The aim of the Quality Assessment of pre-clinical AI studies in Diagnostic Endoscopy (QUAIDE) Explanation and Checklist was to develop recommendations for standardised design and reporting of preclinical AI studies in GI endoscopy.The recommendations were developed based on a formal consensus approach with an international multidisciplinary panel of 32 experts among endoscopists and computer scientists. The Delphi methodology was employed to achieve consensus on statements, with a predetermined threshold of 80% agreement. A maximum three rounds of voting were permitted.Consensus was reached on 18 key recommendations, covering 6 key domains: data acquisition and annotation (6 statements), outcome reporting (3 statements), experimental setup and algorithm architecture (4 statements) and result presentation and interpretation (5 statements). QUAIDE provides recommendations on how to properly design (1. Methods, statements 1-14), present results (2. Results, statements 15-16) and integrate and interpret the obtained results (3. Discussion, statements 17-18).The QUAIDE framework offers practical guidance for authors, readers, editors and reviewers involved in AI preclinical studies in GI endoscopy, aiming at improving design and reporting, thereby promoting research standardisation and accelerating the translation of AI innovations into clinical practice.

Palliation of Gastric Outlet Obstruction in Case of Biliary Obstruction-A Retrospective, Multicenter Study: The B-GOOD Study.

BACKGROUND: EUS-guided gastroenterostomy (EUS-GE) is a novel and effective procedure for the management of malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) with more durable results when compared to enteral stenting (ES). However, data comparing EUS-GE to ES in patients already treated with EUS-guided choledocoduodenostomy (EUS-CDS) for distal malignant biliary obstruction (DMBO) are lacking. We aimed to compare outcomes of EUS-GE and ES for the palliation of GOO in this specific population of patients. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective analysis of patients with DMBO treated by EUS-CDS and subsequent GOO treated by EUS-GE or ES from 2016 to 2021 was conducted. Primary outcomes were overall AEs rate and dysfunction of the EUS-CDS after GOO treatment. Secondary outcomes included clinical success, technical success, procedure duration, length of hospital stay and relapse of GOO symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 77 consecutive patients were included in the study: 25 patients underwent EUS-GE and 52 underwent ES. AEs rate and patency outcomes of the EUS-CDS after GOO treatment were comparable between the two groups (12.5% vs. 17.3%; p = 0.74). No recurrence of GOO symptoms was registered in the EUS-GE group while 11.5% of ES patients had symptoms recurrence, even if not statistically significant (p = 0.16), after a mean follow-up period of 63.5 days. CONCLUSION: EUS-GE and ES are both effective and safe for the palliation of GOO in patients already treated by EUS-CDS for DMBO with no difference in the biliary stent dysfunction rate and overall AEs. EUS-GE is associated with less recurrence of GOO symptoms.

Primary drainage of distal malignant biliary obstruction: A comparative network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of various primary upfront drainage techniques for distal malignant biliary obstructions (dMBO) is not well-established. OBJECTIVE: To compare the technical and clinical success rates and adverse event (AE) rates of various primary drainage techniques. METHODS: We systematically reviewed RCTs comparing the technical and clinical success and AE rates of EUS-choledochoduodenostomy (CDS) with lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS), EUS-CDS with self-expandable metal stents (SEMS), EUS-hepaticogastrostomy (HGS), ERCP, and PTBD performed upfront. RESULTS: Six RCTs involving 583 patients were analyzed. EUS-CDS with LAMS showed significantly higher technical success compared to EUS-CDS with SEMS (RR 1.21, 95 % CI 1.07-1.37) and ERCP (RR 1.17, 95 % CI 1.07-1.28). EUS-CDS with LAMS had the highest rank in technical success (SUCRA = 0.86). The clinical success rate was also higher with EUS-CDS with LAMS than with ERCP (RR 1.12, 1.01-1.25). PTBD was the worst ranked procedure for safety (SUCRA score = 0.18), while EUS-CDS with LAMS was the top procedure for procedural time (SUCRA score = 0.83). CONCLUSION: EUS-CDS with LAMS has the highest technical and clinical success rates and is significantly superior to ERCP as the upfront technique for dMBO treatment. PTBD should be abandoned as first-line treatment due to the poor safety profile.

Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Syndromes and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Risk Management and Surveillance Strategies.

Background and aims: Hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes (HCCS), including familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and Lynch syndrome (LS), are the two most important high-risk conditions for colorectal cancer (CRC). Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increases the risk by two to six times compared with that in the general population. The intersection of these two conditions has rarely been documented in literature. We aimed to summarize the prevalence, pathogenesis, and current evidence-based management of IBD and HCCS and the underlying molecular mechanisms of accelerated carcinogenesis due to combined inflammation and genetic predisposition. Methods: PubMed and Scopus were searched until June 2024 to identify relevant studies investigating the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and management of IBD and coexisting hereditary CRC syndromes. Results: Co-occurrence of IBD and hereditary CRC syndromes is exceptionally uncommon. Individuals with LS and IBD tend to develop CRC at a younger age than those without IBD, with patients with ulcerative colitis facing particularly elevated risks. The interaction between mismatch deficiency and chronic inflammation requires further investigation.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and risk of gastrointestinal cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are commonly used for glucose lowering and weight-loss. However, their association with gastrointestinal cancer remains uncertain. This meta-analysis assesses the risk of gastrointestinal cancer in patients treated with GLP-1 RAs. METHODS: We searched Medline/PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases from inception to November 15, 2023, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with at least 24 weeks of safety follow-up. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) were calculated using fixed- and random-effect models. Risk of bias was assessed using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, and certainty of evidence was determined using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework. RESULTS: We included 90 RCTs with 124,791 participants, with an average follow-up of 3.1 years per participant. No significant association was found between GLP-1 RAs and the risk of any gastrointestinal cancer (RRrandom=0.99, 95 % CI: 0.86-1.13), or site-specific gastrointestinal cancers including biliary tract (RR=0.98, 0.54-1.78), colorectal (RR=1.13, 0.92-1.39), gallbladder (RR=1.32, 0.43-4.00), gastric (RR=0.88, 0.58-1.33), hepatic (RR=0.79, 0.51-1.21), oesophageal (RR=0.70, 0.38-1.28), pancreatic (RR=1.05, 0.77-1.43), and small intestine cancer (RR=0.78, 0.20-3.04). The corresponding absolute risk differences excluded important impacts on risk. Additional analyses, limited to placebo-controlled trials, high-dose studies, or those with a follow-up duration of ≥5 years, confirmed these findings. Risk of bias was generally low and the certainty of evidence was high for all outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis found no significant impact of GLP-1 RAs on gastrointestinal cancer risk. Long-term safety monitoring of these agents remains important. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: CRD42023476762.

Computer-aided diagnosis for the resect-and-discard strategy for colorectal polyps: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The resect-and-discard strategy allows endoscopists to replace post-polypectomy pathology with real-time prediction of polyp histology during colonoscopy (optical diagnosis). We aimed to investigate the benefits and harms of implementing computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) for polyp pathology into the resect-and-discard strategy. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus from database inception to June 5, 2024, without language restrictions, for diagnostic accuracy studies that assessed the performance of real-time CADx systems, compared with histology, for the optical diagnosis of diminutive polyps (≤5 mm) in the entire colon. We synthesised data for three strategies: CADx-alone, CADx-unassisted, and CADx-assisted; when the endoscopist was involved in the optical diagnosis, we synthesised data exclusively from diagnoses for which confidence in the prediction was reported as high. The primary outcomes were the proportion of polyps that would have avoided pathological assessment (ie, the proportion optically diagnosed with high confidence; main benefit) and the proportion of polyps incorrectly predicted due to false positives and false negatives (main harm), directly compared between CADx-assisted and CADx-unassisted strategies. We used DerSimonian and Laird's random-effects model to calculate all outcomes. We used Higgins I2 to assess heterogeneity, the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach to rate certainty, and funnel plots and Egger's test to examine publication bias. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42024508440. FINDINGS: We found 1019 studies, of which 11 (7400 diminutive polyps, 3769 patients, and 185 endoscopists) were included in the final meta-analysis. Three studies (1817 patients and 4086 polyps [2148 neoplastic and 1938 non-neoplastic]) provided data to directly compare the primary outcome measures between the CADx-unassisted and CADx-assisted strategies. We found no significant difference between the CADx-assisted and CADx-unassisted strategies for the proportion of polyps that would have avoided pathological assessment (90% [88-93], 3653 [89·4%] of 4086 polyps diagnosed with high confidence vs 90% [95% CI 85-94], 3588 [87·8%] of 4086 polyps diagnosed with high confidence; risk ratio 1·01 [95% CI 0·99-1·04; I2=53·49%; low-certainty evidence; Egger's test p=0·18). The proportion of incorrectly predicted polyps was lower with the CADx-assisted strategy than with the CADx-unassisted strategy (12% [95% CI 7-17], 523 [14·3%] of 3653 polyps incorrectly predicted with a CADx-assisted strategy vs 13% [6-20], 582 [16·2%] of 3588 polyps incorrectly diagnosed with a CADx-unassisted strategy; risk ratio 0·88 [95% CI 0·79-0·98]; I2=0·00%; low-certainty evidence; Egger's test p=0·18). INTERPRETATION: CADx did not produce benefit nor harm for the resect-and-discard strategy, questioning its value in clinical practice. Improving the accuracy and explainability of CADx is desired. FUNDING: European Commission (Horizon Europe), the Japan Society of Promotion of Science, and Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Rendezvous Technique Versus Precut Sphincterotomy as Salvage Technique in Patients With Benign Biliary Disease and Difficult Biliary Cannulation : A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The standard salvage technique used for difficult bile duct cannulation is precut sphincterotomy, whereas endoscopic ultrasound-guided rendezvous technique (EUS-RV) is a relatively newer method. Prospective comparative data between these 2 techniques as salvage for biliary access in patients with benign biliary disease and difficult bile duct cannulation is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To compare EUS-RV and precut sphincterotomy as salvage technique for difficult bile duct cannulation in benign biliary obstruction. DESIGN: Participant-masked, parallel-group, superiority, randomized controlled trial. (Clinical Trials Registry of India: CTRI/2020/07/026613). SETTING: Tertiary care academic institute from July 2020 to May 2021. PARTICIPANTS: All patients with benign biliary disease and difficult bile duct cannulation requiring salvage strategy. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly assigned by computer-generated randomized blocks sequence in 1:1 fashion to either EUS-RV or precut sphincterotomy. Patients with failure in EUS-RV were crossed over to precut sphincterotomy and vice versa. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome measure was technical success. The other outcome measures included procedure time, radiation dose, and adverse events. RESULTS: In total, 100 patients were randomly assigned to EUS-RV (n = 50) and precut sphincterotomy (n = 50). The technical success rate (92% vs. 90%; P = 1.00; relative risk, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.90 to 1.16]), median procedure time (10.1 vs. 9.75 minutes), and overall complication rate (12% vs. 10%; relative risk, 1.20 [CI, 0.39 to 3.68]) were similar between the 2 groups. Five patients (10%) in the EUS-RV group and 5 patients (10%) in the precut sphincterotomy group had developed post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis. All failed cases in either salvage group could be successfully cannulated when crossed over to the other group. LIMITATION: Single center study done by experts. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided rendezvous technique and precut sphincterotomy have similar success rates as salvage techniques in the technically challenging cohort of difficult bile duct cannulation for benign biliary disease, with acceptable complications rates. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: None.

Accuracy of Computer-aided Diagnosis in Colonoscopy Varies According to Polyp Location: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) assists endoscopists in differentiating between neoplastic and non-neoplastic polyps during colonoscopy. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of polyp location (proximal vs. distal colon) on the diagnostic performance of CADx for ≤5 mm polyps. METHODS: We searched for studies evaluating the performance of real-time CADx alone (ie, independently of endoscopist judgement) for predicting the histology of colorectal polyps ≤5 mm. The primary endpoints were CADx sensitivity and specificity in the proximal and distal colon. Secondary outcomes were the negative predictive value (NPV), positive predictive value (PPV), and the accuracy of the CADx alone. Distal colon was limited to the rectum and sigmoid. RESULTS: We included 11 studies for analysis with a total of 7782 polyps ≤5 mm. CADx specificity was significantly lower in the proximal colon compared with the distal colon (62% vs 85%; risk ratio (RR), 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72-0.84). Conversely, sensitivity was similar (89% vs 87%); RR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.97-1.03). The NPV (64% vs 93%; RR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.64-0.79) and accuracy (81% vs 86%; RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99) were significantly lower in the proximal than distal colon, whereas PPV was higher in the proximal colon (87% vs 76%; RR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.06-1.17). CONCLUSION: The diagnostic performance of CADx for polyps in the proximal colon is inadequate, exhibiting significantly lower specificity compared with its performance for distal polyps. Although current CADx systems are suitable for use in the distal colon, they should not be employed for proximal polyps until more performant systems are developed specifically for these lesions.

The role of generative language systems in increasing patient awareness of colon cancer screening.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer) in answering patients' questions about colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, with the ultimate goal of enhancing patients' awareness and adherence to national screening programs. METHODS: 15 questions on CRC screening were posed to ChatGPT4. The answers were rated by 20 gastroenterology experts and 20 nonexperts in three domains (accuracy, completeness, and comprehensibility), and by 100 patients in three dichotomic domains (completeness, comprehensibility, and trustability). RESULTS: According to expert rating, the mean (SD) accuracy score was 4.8 (1.1), on a scale ranging from 1 to 6. The mean (SD) scores for completeness and comprehensibility were 2.1 (0.7) and 2.8 (0.4), respectively, on scales ranging from 1 to 3. Overall, the mean (SD) accuracy (4.8 [1.1] vs. 5.6 [0.7]; P < 0.001) and completeness scores (2.1 [0.7] vs. 2.7 [0.4]; P < 0.001) were significantly lower for the experts than for the nonexperts, while comprehensibility was comparable among the two groups (2.8 [0.4] vs. 2.8 [0.3]; P = 0.55). Patients rated all questions as complete, comprehensible, and trustable in between 97 % and 100 % of cases. CONCLUSIONS: ChatGPT shows good performance, with the potential to enhance awareness about CRC and improve screening outcomes. Generative language systems may be further improved after proper training in accordance with scientific evidence and current guidelines.

Per oral endoscopic myotomy for achalasia.

Achalasia, characterized by impaired lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxation and failed peristalsis, stands out as the most widely recognized primary esophageal motility disorder. It manifests with dysphagia to solid and liquid foods, chest pain, regurgitation, and weight loss, leading to significant morbidity and healthcare burden. Traditionally, surgical Heller myotomy and pneumatic dilation were the primary therapeutic approaches for achalasia. However, in 2009, Inoue and colleagues introduced a groundbreaking endoscopic technique called peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), revolutionizing the management of this condition. This review aims to comprehensively examine the recent advancements in the POEM technique for patients diagnosed with achalasia, delving into critical aspects, such as the tailoring of the myotomy, the prevention of intraprocedural adverse events (AEs), the evaluation of long-term outcomes, and the feasibility of retreatment in cases of therapeutic failure.

The i-EUS consensus on the management of pancreatic fluid collections - Part 1.

Pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs), including pancreatic pseudocysts (PPs) and walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WON), are common complications of pancreatitis and pancreatic surgery. Historically, the treatment of these conditions has relied on surgical and radiological approaches; however, it has later shifted toward an endoscopy-based approach. With the development of dedicated lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS), interventional Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS)-guided procedures have become the standard approach for PFC drainage. However, there is still limited consensus on several aspects of the multidisciplinary management of PFCs. The interventional endoscopy and ultrasound (i-EUS) group is an Italian network of clinicians and scientists with special interest in biliopancreatic interventional endoscopy, especially interventional EUS. This manuscript describes the first part of the results of a consensus conference organized by i-EUS with the aim of providing evidence-based guidance on aspects such as indications for treating PFCs, the timing of intervention, and different technical strategies for managing patients with PFCs.

Outcome of Endoscopic Resection of Rectal Neuroendocrine Tumors ≤ 10 mm.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Guidelines suggest endoscopic resection for rectal neuroendocrine tumors (rNETs) < 10 mm, but the most appropriate resection technique is unclear. In real-life clinical practice, the endoscopic removal of unrecognized rNETs can take place with "simple" techniques and without preliminary staging. The aim of the current study is to report our own experience at a referral center for both neuroendocrine neoplasms and endoscopy. METHODS: Retrospective analyses of polypectomies were performed at the Humanitas Research Hospital for rNETs (already diagnosed or previously unrecognized). RESULTS: A total of 19 patients were included, with a median lesion size of 5 mm (range 3-10 mm). Only five lesions were suspected as NETs before removal and underwent endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) before resection, being removed with advanced endoscopic techniques. Unsuspected rNETs were removed by cold polypectomy in eleven cases, EMR in two, and biopsy forceps in one. When described, the margins were negative in four cases, positive in four (R1), and indeterminate in one. The median follow-up was 40 months. A 10 mm polypoid lesion removed with cold snare polypectomy (G2 R1) needed subsequent surgery. Eighteen patients underwent EUS after a median time of 6.5 months from resection. The EUS identified local recurrence after 14 months in a 7 mm polypoid lesion removed with cold snare polypectomy (G1 R1); the lesion was treated with cap-assisted EMR. For all the other lesions, the follow-up was negative. CONCLUSIONS: When rNETs are improperly removed without prior staging, caution must be exercised. The data from our cohort suggest that even if inappropriate resection had happened, patients may be safely managed with early EUS evaluation.

Artificial Intelligence to Predict the Risk of Lymph Node Metastasis in T2 Colorectal Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and externally validate an updated artificial intelligence (AI) prediction system for stratifying the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in T2 colorectal cancer (CRC). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Recent technical advances allow complete local excision of T2 CRC, traditionally treated with surgical resection. Yet, the widespread adoption of this approach is hampered by the inability to stratify the risk of LNM. METHODS: Data from pT2 CRC patients undergoing surgical resection between April 2000 and May 2022 at one Japanese and one Italian center were analyzed. Primary goal was AI system development for accurate LNM prediction. Predictors encompassed seven variables: age, sex, tumor size and location, lympho-vascular invasion, histological differentiation, and carcinoembryonic antigen level. The tool's discriminating power was assessed via Area Under the Curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity. RESULTS: Out of 735 initial patients, 692 were eligible. Training and validation cohorts comprised of 492 and 200 patients, respectively. The AI model displayed an AUC of 0.75 in the combined validation dataset. Sensitivity for LNM prediction was 97.8% and specificity was 15.6%. The Positive and the Negative Predictive Value were 25.7% and 96% respectively. The False Negative (FN) rate was 2.2%, the False Positive was 84.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Our AI model, based on easily accessible clinical and pathological variables, moderately predicts LNM in T2 CRC. However, the risk of FN needs to be considered. The training of the model including more patients across Western and Eastern centers -differentiating between colon and rectal cancers- may improve its performance and accuracy.

The 1st i-EUS consensus on the management of pancreatic fluid collections - Part 2.

Pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs), including pancreatic pseudocysts (PPs) and walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WON), are common complications of pancreatitis and pancreatic surgery. Historically, the treatment of these conditions has relied on surgical and radiological approaches. The treatment of patients with PFCs has already focused toward an endoscopy-based approach, and with the development of dedicated lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS), it has almost totally shifted towards interventional Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS)-guided procedures. However, there is still limited consensus on several aspects of PFCs treatment within the multidisciplinary management. The interventional endoscopy and ultrasound (i-EUS) group is an Italian network of clinicians and scientists with special interest in biliopancreatic interventional endoscopy, especially interventional EUS. This manuscript focuses on the second part of the results of a consensus conference organized by i-EUS, with the aim of providing evidence-based guidance on several intra- and post-procedural aspects of PFCs drainage, such as clinical management and follow-up.