[Early oesophageal cancer: epidemiology diagnosis and management]. / Cancers superficiels de l'oesophage: épidémiologie, diagnostic et traitement.

In Europe, oesophageal cancers are diagnosed at an early stage in less than 10% of the cases. They are superficial tumours whose invasion is limited to the mucosae and the submucosa. Synchronous node invasion is the most important prognosis factor. Oesophagectomy is the benchmark treatment. Nowadays, endoscopic resection is a validated curative therapeutic alternative. Accurate endoscopic evaluation using chemical or virtual colouring as well as an echoendoscopy, followed by an expert pathological review, must be conducted beforehand. It can be realised for good prognosis tumours after evaluation of the synchronous node invasion or its risk. After completion, regular endoscopic follow-ups are compulsory to detect local relapse.

[Early gastric cancer: epidemiology, diagnostic and management]. / Cancers superficiels de l'estomac: épidémiologie, diagnostic et prise en charge.

Stomach cancers are diagnosed at an early stage in less than 10% of cases in Europe. They are superficial tumours, involving the mucosa and the submucosa only. Node involvement is the most important prognostic factor for these tumours. To determine the optimal therapeutic strategy, it is necessary to carry out a precise work-up involving an endoscopy, with chemical or virtual colorations and an echo-endoscopy. Gastric surgery is the reference treatment. Nowadays, endoscopic tumour resection is a validated curative alternative. High quality medical expertise is needed for those tumours with a good prognosis, after evaluating risk for node involvement, and should be followed by Helicobacter pylori eradication and regular endoscopic surveillance.

New strategy in hepatic metastatic colorectal cancer: tomotherapy and capecitabine followed by hepatic surgical resection.

The majority of patients who develop liver metastases in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has often unresectable disease. Several new methods of nonsurgical ablation have been tested with variable success. Helical tomotherapy (HT), such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or stereotactic body radiotherapy therapy, is a recent radiation therapy technique which can provide simultaneous and precise targeting of multiple lesions, while sparing normal tissues. We retrospectively assess the feasibility and the tolerance of IMRT with capecitabine followed by hepatic surgery in mCRC patients. This original observation suggests that HT could be safely integrated in the multidisciplinary management of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer as an alternative to surgery or other local ablation therapies.

Three different KRAS statuses in three synchronous colorectal cancers.

Treatments with monoclonal antibodies targeting the epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) have improved the prognosis of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). Mutated KRAS status is predictive of resistance to anti-EGFR agents and allows the selection of KRAS wild-type patients who may benefit from these targeted therapies. We report an original case of metastatic CRC including three synchronous primary tumors with three different KRAS statuses. We discuss the possible therapeutic impact of this clinical case and the role of multiple samplings for KRAS status determination.

Targeted biotherapy in metastatic colorectal carcinoma: Current practice.

Targeted therapy has become an indispensable tool in the management of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The combination of monoclonal antibodies with conventional polychemotherapy has proven its efficacy as the median overall survival now exceeds 24 months: these novel molecules act by targeting circulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the receptor of epidermal growth factor (EGFR). At the present time, no factor has been identified to predict the efficacy of bevacizumab, an inhibitor of circulating VEGF. On the other hand, mutation of the KRAS oncogen has been proven to be a factor of non-response, or even of deleterious response to the use of EGFR, therefore limiting its use to patients whose tumors bear the wild type KRAS oncogen. Treatment toxicity for these molecules is moderate, specific, and is not cumulative with chemotherapy-related toxicity. On the other hand, combined targeted therapy (association of several targeted therapy drugs) has not been shown to be of any benefit. Other biotherapies continue to be developed, but there is not yet a consensus of how to best target the tumor nor which anti-tumoral molecules to use in the treatment of mCRC.

Thirteen-month registration of patients with gastroenteropancreatic endocrine tumours in France.

The prevalence, clinical profiles and management of gastroenteropancreatic endocrine tumours (GEP) in France are not known. From August 1, 2001 to September 1, 2002, standardized records on patients with GEP were prospectively completed in 87 participating centres. The total group amounted to 668 patients (median age: 56 years, range: 12-89). WHO performance status was 0/1 for 80.2% of patients. The primary sites were the small bowel and colon (288), pancreas (211), unknown (77), stomach (33), non-digestive primary sites (24), appendix (20), rectum-anus (12), and oesophagus or cardia (3). GEP were functional in 260 patients (39%). Most pancreatic tumours were non-functional (72%). Metastatic disease was observed in 73.4% of cases. Most tumours (85.8%) were well or moderately differentiated. Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy was performed in only 55% of patients. The following treatment modalities were employed: resection of primary tumour: 66%; systemic chemotherapy: 41%; somatostatin analogues: 44 and 26% for GEP of small intestine and pancreas, respectively; interferon: 12%, and intra-arterial hepatic (chemo)embolization in 23 and 15% of GEP arising from the midgut and pancreas, respectively. Despite their low prevalence, well-differentiated GEP represent a significant and heterogeneous clinical group, which warrants improved medical education, referral to expert centres at an early stage, and the design of prospective therapeutic trials.

HHV-6-related acute liver failure in two immunocompetent adults: favourable outcome after liver transplantation and/or ganciclovir therapy.

Fulminant hepatitis of unknown origin remain a significant cause of mortality, for which liver transplantation is often considered as the only therapeutic option. In retrospective studies, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infections have been associated with such diseases, but the diagnosis of HHV-6 infection of the liver is rarely established during the acute phase of liver failure. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we diagnosed two cases of severe acute liver failure (ALF) related to HHV-6 occurring in immunocompetent young adults. Both cases had a favourable outcome, one after valganciclovir therapy, one after liver transplantation associated with ganciclovir. Viral origin was evidenced in each case by the detection of high amounts of HHV-6 DNA in liver tissue by the PCR assay. The decrease of intrahepatic viral load after therapeutic intervention was also monitored by quantitative PCR and paralleled in the two cases the clinical improvement. Diagnosis of HHV-6 infection must be systematically evoked in case of unexplained ALF, since it might lead to specific therapeutic interventions, in addition of liver transplantation.