The Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation on Inflammatory Factors in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Until now, no study evaluated the impact of optimum intake of omega-3 fatty acids on inflammatory factors. We aimed to investigate the dose-dependent effects of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation on inflammatory factors in cancer patients. PubMed, Scopus and ISI Web of Science were searched until July 2022 to find randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for examining the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids on inflammatory factors. Our primary outcomes were interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP), and albumin. The results of 33 trials (2068 participants) revealed that each 1 g/day omega-3 fatty acids (oral/enteral) significantly reduced IL-6 (SMD: -1.17 pg/ml; 95% CI: -1.78, -0.55; p < 0.001; GRADE = moderate), and TNF-α (SMD: -2.15 pg/ml; 95% CI: -3.14, -1.16; p < 0.001; GRADE = very low). Moreover, each 0.5 g/kg/day omega-3 fatty acids (parenteral) significantly reduced TNF-α (SMD: -1.11 pg/ml; 95% CI: -2.02, -0.19; p = 0.017; GRADE = low). With moderate and very low evidence certainty, each 1 g/day of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation (oral/enteral) has a beneficial effect on IL-6 and TNF-α. Each 0.5 g/kg/day omega-3 fatty acids (parenteral) could also exert a favorable impact on TNF-α, but the certainty of the evidence was low.

Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts and T Cells: From Mechanisms to Outcomes.

Over the past decade, T cell immunotherapy has changed the face of cancer treatment, providing robust treatment options for several previously intractable cancers. Unfortunately, many epithelial tumors with high mortality rates respond poorly to immunotherapy, and an understanding of the key impediments is urgently required. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) comprise the most frequent nonneoplastic cellular component in most solid tumors. Far from an inert scaffold, CAFs significantly influence tumor neogenesis, persistence, and metastasis and are emerging as a key player in immunotherapy resistance. In this review, we discuss the physical and chemical barriers that CAFs place between effector T cells and their tumor cell targets, and the therapies poised to target them.

Factors affecting the post-operative outcomes in patients aged over 80 following colorectal cancer surgery.

PURPOSE: In 2019, in Australia, there were 500,000 people aged 85 and over. Traditionally, clinicians have adopted the view that surgery is not desirable in this cohort due to increasing perioperative risk, perceived minimal clinical benefit, and shortened life expectancy. This cohort study is aimed at investigating postoperative outcomes from elective and non-elective colorectal cancer surgery in patients aged 80 and over. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients from 2010 to 2020 on a prospectively maintained colorectal database. Patients aged over 80 who underwent surgical resection for colorectal cancer were reviewed. Oncological characteristics, short-term outcomes, overall survival, and relapse-free survival rates were analysed. RESULTS: A total of 832 patients were identified from the database. Females comprised 55% of patients aged 80 and above. The median age was 84 for octogenarians and 92 for nonagenarians. Most patients were ASA 2 (212) or ASA 3 (501). ASA 3 and 4 and stage III pathology were associated with higher postoperative complications. Fifty percent of over 80 s and 37% of over 90 s were surgically discharged to their own home. Overall survival at 30, 180, and 360 days and 5 years was 98.1%, 93.1%, 87.2%, and 57.2% for the over 80 s and 98.1%, 88.9%, 74.9%, and 24.4% for the over 90 s. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that surgical treatment of older patients is safe with acceptable short-, medium-, and long-term survival. Nonetheless, efforts are needed to reduce the rates of complications in older patients, including utilisation of multi-disciplinary teams to assess the optimal treatment strategy and postoperative care.

Clostridioides difficile infection damages colonic stem cells via TcdB, impairing epithelial repair and recovery from disease.

Gastrointestinal infections often induce epithelial damage that must be repaired for optimal gut function. While intestinal stem cells are critical for this regeneration process [R. C. van der Wath, B. S. Gardiner, A. W. Burgess, D. W. Smith, PLoS One 8, e73204 (2013); S. Kozar et al., Cell Stem Cell 13, 626-633 (2013)], how they are impacted by enteric infections remains poorly defined. Here, we investigate infection-mediated damage to the colonic stem cell compartment and how this affects epithelial repair and recovery from infection. Using the pathogen Clostridioides difficile, we show that infection disrupts murine intestinal cellular organization and integrity deep into the epithelium, to expose the otherwise protected stem cell compartment, in a TcdB-mediated process. Exposure and susceptibility of colonic stem cells to intoxication compromises their function during infection, which diminishes their ability to repair the injured epithelium, shown by altered stem cell signaling and a reduction in the growth of colonic organoids from stem cells isolated from infected mice. We also show, using both mouse and human colonic organoids, that TcdB from epidemic ribotype 027 strains does not require Frizzled 1/2/7 binding to elicit this dysfunctional stem cell state. This stem cell dysfunction induces a significant delay in recovery and repair of the intestinal epithelium of up to 2 wk post the infection peak. Our results uncover a mechanism by which an enteric pathogen subverts repair processes by targeting stem cells during infection and preventing epithelial regeneration, which prolongs epithelial barrier impairment and creates an environment in which disease recurrence is likely.

Modeling colorectal cancer: A bio-resource of 50 patient-derived organoid lines.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. To improve outcomes for these patients, we need to develop new treatment strategies. Personalized cancer medicine, where patients are treated based on the characteristics of their own tumor, has gained significant interest for its promise to improve outcomes and reduce unnecessary side effects. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential utility of patient-derived colorectal cancer organoids (PDCOs) in a personalized cancer medicine setting. METHODS: Patient-derived colorectal cancer organoids were derived from tissue obtained from treatment-naïve patients undergoing surgical resection for the treatment of CRC. We examined the recapitulation of key histopathological, molecular, and phenotypic characteristics of the primary tumor. RESULTS: We created a bio-resource of PDCOs from primary and metastatic CRCs. Key histopathological features were retained in PDCOs when compared with the primary tumor. Additionally, a cohort of 12 PDCOs, and their corresponding primary tumors and normal sample, were characterized through whole exome sequencing and somatic variant calling. These PDCOs exhibited a high level of concordance in key driver mutations when compared with the primary tumor. CONCLUSIONS: Patient-derived colorectal cancer organoids recapitulate characteristics of the tissue from which they are derived and are a powerful tool for cancer research. Further research will determine their utility for predicting patient outcomes in a personalized cancer medicine setting.

Log odds of positive lymph nodes is prognostically equivalent to lymph node ratio in non-metastatic colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third and second leading cancer in men and women respectively with 600,000 deaths per year. Traditionally, clinicians have relied solely on nodal disease involvement, and measurements such as lymph node ratio (LNR; the ratio of metastatic/positive lymph nodes to total number of lymph nodes examined), when determining patient prognosis in CRC. The log odds of positive lymph nodes (LODDS) is a logistic transformation formula that uses pathologic lymph node data to stratify survival differences among patients within a single stage of disease. This formula allows clinicians to identify whether patients with clinically aggressive tumours fall into higher-risk groups regardless of nodal positivity and can potentially guide adjuvant treatment modalities. The aim of this study was to investigate whether LODDS in colon cancer provides better prognostication compared to LNR. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients on the prospectively maintained Cabrini Monash University Department of Surgery colorectal neoplasia database, incorporating data from hospitals in Melbourne Australia, identified patients entered between January 2010 and March 2016. Association of LODDS and LNR with clinical variables were analysed. Disease-free (DFS) and overall (OS) survival were investigated with Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. RESULTS: There were 862 treatment episodes identified in the database (402 male, 47%). The median patient age was 73 (range 22-100 years). There were 799 colonic cancers and 63 rectosigmoid cancers. The lymph node yield (LNY) was suboptimal (< 12) in 168 patients (19.5%) (p = 0.05). The 5-year OS for the different LNR groups were 86, 91 and 61% (p < 0.001) for LNR0 (655 episodes), LNR1 (128 episodes) and LNR2 (78 episodes), respectively. For LODDS, they were 85, 91 and 61% (p < 0.001) in LODDS0 (569 episodes), LODDS1 (217 episodes) and LODDS2 (75 episodes) groups (p < 0.001). Overall survival rates were comparable between the LNR and LODDS group and for LNY < 12 and stage III patients when each were sub-grouped by LODDS and LNR. CONCLUSION: This study has shown for that the prognostic impact of LODDS is comparable to LNR for colon cancer patients. Accordingly, LNR is recommended for prognostication given its ease of calculation.

Minor class splicing shapes the zebrafish transcriptome during development.

Minor class or U12-type splicing is a highly conserved process required to remove a minute fraction of introns from human pre-mRNAs. Defects in this splicing pathway have recently been linked to human disease, including a severe developmental disorder encompassing brain and skeletal abnormalities known as Taybi-Linder syndrome or microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism 1, and a hereditary intestinal polyposis condition, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. Although a key mechanism for regulating gene expression, the impact of impaired U12-type splicing on the transcriptome is unknown. Here, we describe a unique zebrafish mutant, caliban (clbn), with arrested development of the digestive organs caused by an ethylnitrosourea-induced recessive lethal point mutation in the rnpc3 [RNA-binding region (RNP1, RRM) containing 3] gene. rnpc3 encodes the zebrafish ortholog of human RNPC3, also known as the U11/U12 di-snRNP 65-kDa protein, a unique component of the U12-type spliceosome. The biochemical impact of the mutation in clbn is the formation of aberrant U11- and U12-containing small nuclear ribonucleoproteins that impair the efficiency of U12-type splicing. Using RNA sequencing and microarrays, we show that multiple genes involved in various steps of mRNA processing, including transcription, splicing, and nuclear export are disrupted in clbn, either through intron retention or differential gene expression. Thus, clbn provides a useful and specific model of aberrant U12-type splicing in vivo. Analysis of its transcriptome reveals efficient mRNA processing as a critical process for the growth and proliferation of cells during vertebrate development.

Colorectal Cancer Surgery in the Very Elderly: Nonagenarians.

BACKGROUND: Surgery in the very elderly is a topic that has not been well studied, despite the steady rise in this population. With the rise in this population, there is now discussion on the safety of surgery in this cohort for colorectal cancer. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate elective and nonelective colorectal cancer surgery outcomes in patients aged ≥90 years at both private and public hospitals in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. DESIGN: This was a retrospective analysis of patients aged ≥90 years who were included in the prospectively maintained Cabrini Monash University Department of Surgery colorectal neoplasia database for patients entered between January 2010 and February 2015. Comorbidity, ASA score, acuity of surgery, treatment, mortality, morbidity, and survival were analyzed. SETTINGS: This study was conducted in a tertiary referral hospital. PATIENTS: A total of 48 patients were identified from the database. The majority of these patients were women (58.0%), ASA score III to IV (91.7%), and treated in an elective setting (79.2%). The median age was 91.8 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We measured 30-day mortality, 180-day mortality, and perioperative morbidity. RESULTS: Thirty-day mortality rate was 2.1%. The 180-day mortality rate was 10.4%. A total of 29.2% of patients had a perioperative complication. Median follow-up was 21 months (range, 13-54 months). In 180-day mortality, minimally invasive surgery was associated with a lower mortality rate vs open surgery (p = 0.043). Perioperative complications were associated with nonelective surgery (p = 0.045), open surgery procedures (p = 0.014), and higher stages of disease (p = 0.014). A total of 81.3% of patients were able to return home after surgery. LIMITATIONS: This was a retrospective study with the usual limitations; however, these have been minimized with the use of a high-quality, prospective data collection database. The median follow-up was 21 months. CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal surgery was generally safe for nonagenarians in this study. This study demonstrates that excellent outcomes can be achieved in a selected group. Additional prospective studies with larger numbers and 5-year follow-up are recommended.

Complete Pathological Response After Neoadjuvant Long-Course Chemoradiotherapy for Rectal Cancer and Its Relationship to the Degree of T3 Mesorectal Invasion.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown significantly improved outcomes (reduced local recurrence and improved overall survival) for patients achieving a complete pathological response from neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to document the complete pathological response rate and outcomes in patients receiving preoperative long-course chemoradiotherapy stratified for the extent of T3 mesorectal invasion measured on preoperative imaging. DESIGN: This is a retrospective study of prospectively collected data, of patients with rectal cancer in the Cabrini Monash University Department of Surgery colorectal neoplasia database, incorporating data from Cabrini Hospital and The Alfred Hospital, identifying patients entered between January 2010 and June 2014. PATIENTS AND SETTINGS: One hundred eighteen patients with T3 rectal cancer met the selection criteria for the study; 26 achieved complete pathological response (22%). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcomes in terms of complete pathological response and oncological outcomes such as disease-free and overall survival were analyzed. RESULTS: Patients with complete pathological response had significantly less preoperative invasion than those with no complete pathological response (p < 0.001). Depth of invasion was the only variable associated with complete pathological response (p < 0.002), and the likelihood of complete pathological response decreased by 35% for every millimeter of invasion. Complete pathological response was associated with increased disease-free survival (p = 0.018) and a lower risk of cancer progression (p = 0.046). Depth of invasion was associated with an increased risk of death after surgery; HR increased by 1.07 (95% CI, 1.00-1.15) for each 1-mm increase in invasion. LIMITATIONS: This was a retrospective study with the usual limitations, although these were minimized through the use of a clinician-driven prospective database. CONCLUSIONS: The smaller the degree of T3 invasion, the higher the chance of achieving complete pathological response (up to 35%), which is associated with improved disease-free and overall survival. A higher complete pathological response rate is observed in early T3 disease in comparison with more extensive T3 invasion.

Insertion/deletion polymorphisms in the ΔNp63 promoter are a risk factor for bladder exstrophy epispadias complex.

Bladder exstrophy epispadias complex (BEEC) is a severe congenital anomaly; however, the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of BEEC remain unclear. TP63, a member of TP53 tumor suppressor gene family, is expressed in bladder urothelium and skin over the external genitalia during mammalian development. It plays a role in bladder development. We have previously shown that p63(-/-) mouse embryos developed a bladder exstrophy phenotype identical to human BEEC. We hypothesised that TP63 is involved in human BEEC pathogenesis. RNA was extracted from BEEC foreskin specimens and, as in mice, ΔNp63 was the predominant p63 isoform. ΔNp63 expression in the foreskin and bladder epithelium of BEEC patients was reduced. DNA was sequenced from 163 BEEC patients and 285 ethnicity-matched controls. No exon mutations were detected. Sequencing of the ΔNp63 promoter showed 7 single nucleotide polymorphisms and 4 insertion/deletion (indel) polymorphisms. Indel polymorphisms were associated with an increased risk of BEEC. Significantly the sites of indel polymorphisms differed between Caucasian and non-Caucasian populations. A 12-base-pair deletion was associated with an increased risk with only Caucasian patients (p = 0.0052 Odds Ratio (OR) = 18.33), whereas a 4-base-pair insertion was only associated with non-Caucasian patients (p = 0.0259 OR = 4.583). We found a consistent and statistically significant reduction in transcriptional efficiencies of the promoter sequences containing indel polymorphisms in luciferase assays. These findings suggest that indel polymorphisms of the ΔNp63 promoter lead to a reduction in p63 expression, which could lead to BEEC.

Prognostic factors and survival disparities in right-sided versus left-sided colon cancer.

Right-sided colon cancer (RCC) and left-sided colon cancer (LCC) differ in features and outcomes because of variations in embryology, epidemiology, pathology, and prognosis. This study sought to identify significant factors impacting patient survival through Bayesian modelling. Data was retrospectively analysed from a colorectal neoplasia database. Data on demographics, perioperative risks, treatment, mortality, and survival was analysed from patients who underwent colon cancer surgery from January 2010 to December 2021. This study involved 2475 patients, with 58.7% having RCC and 41.3% having LCC. RCC patients had a notably higher mortality rate, and their overall survival (OS) rates were slightly lower than those with LCC (P < 0.05). RCC stages I-IV consistently exhibited worse OS and relapse-free survival (RFS) than LCC (P < 0.05). Factors like age, BMI, ASA score, cancer stage, and comorbidities had significant associations with OS and RFS. Poor and moderate differentiation, lower lymph node yield, and organ resection were linked to lower survival while receiving chemotherapy; higher BMI levels and elective surgery were associated with better survival (all P < 0.05). Our study reveals key differences between RCC and LCC, emphasising the impact of age, BMI, ASA score, cancer stage, and comorbidities on patient survival. These findings could inform personalised treatment strategies for colon cancer patients.

The effect of anti-spasmodic administration on the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging staging of rectal cancer.

BACKGROUNDS: Magnetic resonance imaging is the primary method for local staging in rectal cancer patients. Administration of intravenous (IV) hyoscine butylbromide is thought to improve accuracy, but there are contraindications and potential adverse effects. The aim was to assess the efficacy of IV hyoscine butylbromide on the accuracy of MRI rectal cancer staging of T2 and T3 rectal cancers. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was carried out on patients prospectively recorded on the Cabrini Monash colorectal neoplasia database. A total of 74 patients (53 males, 21 females) MRI pelvis and rectums with antispasmodics were performed at multiple centres in the pre-operative setting between 2010 and 2016. Each patient underwent total mesorectal excision of rectal cancer. The excision specimens were assessed and given a pathological TNM stage, which was considered the reference standard. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant impact on the overall accuracy of MRI rectal cancer staging between patient groups who received IV hyoscine butylbromide and groups who did not receive IV hyoscine butylbromide. The accuracy of T2 and T3 staged rectal cancers was more likely to be correct (compared with T1 cancers) with the administration of IV hyoscine butylbromide. Still, there was no improvement in the accuracy of N-staging. CONCLUSION: Given the potential side effects and adverse outcomes of IV anti-spasmodic agents, department protocols may need to be re-assessed regarding the prescription of these medications for MRI rectal cancer staging.

Comparison of quality of life, symptom and functional outcomes following surgical treatment for colorectal neoplasia.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal surgical procedures can have a significant impact on quality-of-life (QoL), functional and symptom outcomes. This retrospective study conducted in a tertiary care center evaluated the influence of four colorectal surgical procedures on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). METHODS: 512 patients undergoing colorectal neoplasia surgery between June 2015 and December 2017 were identified via the Cabrini Monash Colorectal Neoplasia database. Primary outcomes measured were the mean changes in PROMs following surgery utilizing the International Consortium of Health Outcome Measures colorectal cancer (CRC) PROMs. RESULTS: 242 patients from 483 eligible patients responded (50% participation rate). Responders and non-responders were comparable in median age (72 vs. 70 years), gender (48% vs. 52% male), time from surgery (<1 and >1 year), overall stage at diagnosis and type of surgery. Respondents underwent either a right hemicolectomy, ultra-low anterior resection, abdominoperineal resection or a transanal endoscopic microsurgery/transanal minimally invasive surgery. Right hemicolectomy patients reported the best post-operative function and reduced symptoms, significantly better (P < 0.01) than ultra-low anterior resection patients who reported the worst outcomes in multiple areas (body image, embarrassment, flatulence, diarrhoea, stool frequency). Furthermore, patients undergoing an abdominoperineal resection reported the worst scores for body image, urinary frequency, urinary incontinence, buttock pain, faecal incontinence and male impotence. CONCLUSIONS: The differences in PROMs in CRC surgical procedures is demonstrable. The worst post-operative functional and symptom scores were reported after either an ultra-low anterior resection or an abdominoperineal resection. Implementation of PROMs will identify and aid early patient referral to allied health and support services.

Comparison of three malnutrition screening tools prior to allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation.

Background: Previous studies have shown that malnutrition before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is associated with poor patient prognoses. There is inconsistency among studies on which nutritional status screening tool is appropriate for malnutrition diagnosis before allo-HSCT. The present study aimed to compare nutritional screening tools in patients with leukemia before allo-HSCT. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional, and single-center study was conducted in Tehran, Iran. One hundred four adults allo-HSCT candidates aged 18-55 years with leukemia were selected sequentially. Malnutrition assessment was done using three tools, the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM), nutritional risk screening 2002 (NRS-2002) and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) criteria. The agreement between malnutrition assessment tools was evaluated with Cohen's kappa. Results: The agreement between GLIM and NRS-2002 was perfect (κ = 0.817, p < 0.001), while the agreement between GLIM and ESPEN was fair (κ = 0.362, p < 0.001). The agreement between NRS-2002 and ESPEN was fair (κ = 0.262, p < 0.001). We also found a moderate agreement for all tools (κ = 0.489, p < 0.001). Conclusion: NRS-2002 is an accepted tool for screening malnutrition in hospitalized patients. In the current study, the GLIM criterion perfectly agreed with the NRS-2002. Further studies in the HSCT setting are needed to introduce a valid tool.

Surgical Techniques for Abdominoperineal Resection for Rectal Cancer: One Size Does Not Fit All.

Abdominoperineal resection (APR) of rectal cancer is associated with poorer oncological outcomes than anterior resection. This may be due to higher rates of intra-operative perforation (IOP) and circumferential resection margin (CRM) involvement causing higher recurrence rates and surgical complications. To address these concerns, several centers advocated a change in technique from a standard APR to a more radical extra-levator abdominoperineal excision (ELAPE). Initial reports showed that ELAPE reduced IOP rates and CRM involvement but increased wound complications and longer surgical duration. However, many of these studies had unacceptable rates of IOP and CRM before retraining in ELAPE. This may indicate that it was a sub-optimal surgical technique, which improved upon training, that had influenced the high CRM and IOP rates rather than the technique itself. Subsequent studies demonstrated that the CRM involvement rate for ELAPE was not always lower than for standard APR and, in some cases, significantly higher. The morbidity of ELAPE can be high, with studies reporting higher adverse events than APR, especially in terms of wound complications from the larger perineal incision required in ELAPE. Whether ELAPE improves short- or long-term oncological outcomes for patients has not been clearly demonstrated. The authors propose that all centers performing rectal cancer surgery audit surgical outcomes of patients undergoing APR or ELAPE and examine CRM involvement, IOP rates, and local recurrence rates, preferably through a national body. If rates of adverse technical or oncological outcomes exceed acceptable levels, then retraining in the appropriate surgical techniques may be indicated.

A comparison of extracorporeal side to side or end to side anastomosis following a laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate whether an extracorporeal side-to-side (SS) or end-to-side (ES) stapled anastomosis impacts short-term and long-term outcomes after an oncological laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data from two Victorian tertiary referral hospitals was performed. Patients who underwent oncological resection for colorectal cancer between February 2010 and September 2020 were selected from the colorectal neoplasia database. Patients were divided into two groups depending on the type of stapled anastomosis: Group 1 (functional end-to-end/side-to-side (SS)); and Group 2 (end-to-side (ES)). Primary outcomes were anastomotic leak, postoperative ileus, mortality and morbidity, length of stay post-surgery, readmission to hospital, and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: This large case series of 1040 patients (SS = 625, ES = 415) demonstrated that the type of stapling technique impacted operative duration and postoperative ileus rates. Patients in the SS group had a faster operation of 108 min rather than 130 min in the ES group (p < 0.001). The SS group were more likely to experience a post-operative ileus (p < 0.001) with no impact on length of stay (SS, 7 days versus ES, 7 days; p = 0.14). There were no differences between the two groups with respect to lymph node yield, lymph node ratio, anastomotic leaks, return to theatre, 30-day mortality and 5-year overall survival. DISCUSSION: The type of extracorporeal stapled anastomosis following an oncological laparoscopic right hemicolectomy has minimal impact on morbidity and survival outcomes; however, a side-to-side stapled anastomosis is more likely to be a faster operation with a higher postoperative ileus rate.

Preferential Antibody and Drug Conjugate Targeting of the ADAM10 Metalloprotease in Tumours.

ADAM10 is a transmembrane metalloprotease that sheds a variety of cell surface proteins, including receptors and ligands that regulate a range of developmental processes which re-emerge during tumour development. While ADAM10 is ubiquitously expressed, its activity is normally tightly regulated, but becomes deregulated in tumours. We previously reported the generation of a monoclonal antibody, 8C7, which preferentially recognises an active form of ADAM10 in human and mouse tumours. We now report our investigation of the mechanism of this specificity, and the preferential targeting of 8C7 to human tumour cell xenografts in mice. We also report the development of novel 8C7 antibody-drug conjugates that preferentially kill cells displaying the 8C7 epitope, and that can inhibit tumour growth in mice. This study provides the first demonstration that antibody-drug conjugates targeting an active conformer of ADAM10, a widely expressed transmembrane metalloprotease, enable tumour-selective targeting and inhibition.

Complex architecture and regulated expression of the Sox2ot locus during vertebrate development.

The Sox2 gene is a key regulator of pluripotency embedded within an intron of a long noncoding RNA (ncRNA), termed Sox2 overlapping transcript (Sox2ot), which is transcribed in the same orientation. However, this ncRNA remains uncharacterized. Here we show that Sox2ot has multiple transcription start sites associated with genomic features that indicate regulated expression, including highly conserved elements (HCEs) and chromatin marks characteristic of gene promoters. To identify biological processes in which Sox2ot may be involved, we analyzed its expression in several developmental systems, compared to expression of Sox2. We show that Sox2ot is a stable transcript expressed in mouse embryonic stem cells, which, like Sox2, is down-regulated upon induction of embryoid body (EB) differentiation. However, in contrast to Sox2, Sox2ot is up-regulated during EB mesoderm-lineage differentiation. In adult mouse, Sox2ot isoforms were detected in tissues where Sox2 is expressed, as well as in different tissues, supporting independent regulation of expression of the ncRNA. Sox2dot, an isoform of Sox2ot transcribed from a distal HCE located >500 kb upstream of Sox2, was detected exclusively in the mouse brain, with enrichment in regions of adult neurogenesis. In addition, Sox2ot isoforms are transcribed from HCEs upstream of Sox2 in other vertebrates, including in several regions of the human brain. We also show that Sox2ot is dynamically regulated during chicken and zebrafish embryogenesis, consistently associated with central nervous system structures. These observations provide insight into the structure and regulation of the Sox2ot gene, and suggest conserved roles for Sox2ot orthologs during vertebrate development.

Rectum versus colon: should malignant polyps be treated differently?

BACKGROUND: The management of malignant colorectal polyps removed at endoscopy remains controversial with patients either undergoing surgical resection or regular endoscopic surveillance. Lymph node (LN) metastases occur in 6-16% of patients with malignant polyps. This study assessed the rate of LN metastases in patients undergoing surgical resection for malignant polyps removed endoscopically to determine if there is a difference in the rate of LN metastases between colonic and rectal polyps. METHODS: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was performed from 2010 to 2018. All patients who underwent surgical resection following endoscopic removal of a malignant colorectal polyp were reviewed. Clinical data including patient demographics and tumour characteristics were examined. RESULTS: A total of 177 patients underwent surgical resection in the study period. The median age at diagnosis was 65 years (range 22-88 years) with females comprising 52% of the patient cohort (n = 92/177). Polyps were located in the colon in 60.5% of cases with the remainder located in the rectum. The median number of LN harvested was 14 (range 0-44) with malignant LN (including a mesenteric tumour deposit) identified in 8.5% of resection specimens (n = 15/177). Malignant LNs were retrieved in 5.5% of right-sided tumours, 5.6% of left-sided tumours and 12.9% of rectal tumours (P = 0.090). CONCLUSION: A small proportion of patients with malignant polyps removed endoscopically will have LN metastases. The results of this study suggest that the tumour location might be a useful predictive marker; however, a further study with increased patient numbers is required to properly establish this finding.

Personalized Medicine-Current and Emerging Predictive and Prognostic Biomarkers in Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer diagnosed worldwide and is heterogeneous both morphologically and molecularly. In an era of personalized medicine, the greatest challenge is to predict individual response to therapy and distinguish patients likely to be cured with surgical resection of tumors and systemic therapy from those resistant or non-responsive to treatment. Patients would avoid futile treatments, including clinical trial regimes and ultimately this would prevent under- and over-treatment and reduce unnecessary adverse side effects. In this review, the potential of specific biomarkers will be explored to address two key questions-1) Can the prognosis of patients that will fare well or poorly be determined beyond currently recognized prognostic indicators? and 2) Can an individual patient's response to therapy be predicted and those who will most likely benefit from treatment/s be identified? Identifying and validating key prognostic and predictive biomarkers and an understanding of the underlying mechanisms of drug resistance and toxicity in CRC are important steps in order to personalize treatment. This review addresses recent data on biological prognostic and predictive biomarkers in CRC. In addition, patient cohorts most likely to benefit from currently available systemic treatments and/or targeted therapies are discussed in this review.