Diagnostic value of CA19.9, circulating tumour DNA and circulating tumour cells in patients with solid pancreatic tumours.

BACKGROUND: The direct comparison of CA19.9, circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has never been performed for the diagnosis of solid pancreatic tumours (SPTs). METHODS: We included 68 patients with a SPT referred for EUS-FNA. CTCs were analysed using size-based platform and ctDNA using digital PCR. The sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values were evaluated for each marker and their combination. RESULTS: SPTs corresponded to 58 malignant tumours (52 pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) and 6 others) and 10 benign lesions. The sensitivity and specificity for PA diagnosis were 73% and 88% for EUS-FNA, 67% and 80% for CTC, 65% and 75% for ctDNA and 79% and 93% for CA19.9, respectively. The positivity of at least 2 markers was associated with a sensitivity and specificity of 78% and 91%, respectively. CtDNA was the only marker associated with overall survival (median 5.2 months for ctDNA+ vs 11.0 months for ctDNA-, P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: CA19.9 alone and in combination with ctDNA and/or CTC analysis may represent an efficient method for diagnosing PA in patients with SPTs. Further studies including a larger cohort of patients with both malignant and benign lesions will be necessary to confirm these promising results.

Impact of nutritional parameter variations during definitive chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced oesophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Undernutrition is frequently observed in patients with a locally advanced oesophageal carcinoma. However, variations of nutritional parameters during chemoradiotherapy have not been thoroughly investigated. AIM: To evaluate the characteristics and the impact of nutritional variations during treatment. METHODS: Weight loss, body mass index (BMI), serum albumin level and daily food intake at baseline and during treatment (T1=week 1; T2=week 5 or 8; T3=week 11) were retrospectively analyzed in 101 patients with oesophageal carcinoma. RESULTS: Significant variations occurred during chemoradiotherapy with a decrease in serum albumin level (p<0.001), body mass index (p<0.001) and weight (p<0.001). Response rate to treatment was significantly lower in patients with undernutrition at T1 (p=0.05), from T1 to T2 (p=0.01) and from T1 to T3 (p=0.04). Median overall survival was 25 months in patients with persistent undernutrition from T1 to T2 vs 42 months in wellnourished patients from T1 to T2 and those malnourished only at T1 or T2 (p=0.05). In responders, patients presenting with a lower weight or a lower food intake from T1 to T3 had worse survival (33 vs 59 months, p<0.001 and 29 vs 61 months, p=0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Significant variations of nutritional parameters occurred during chemoradiotherapy with a worse impact on response and survival.

Acute renal artery occlusion following infliximab infusion.

We report the case of a 44-year-old male patient who presented with acute renal artery occlusion, 3 d after first injection of infliximab for steroid refractory attack of ulcerative colitis. Extensive work-up provided no evidence of predisposing factors for arterial thrombosis. Infliximab was thus suspected in the genesis of thrombosis, based on both intrinsic and extrinsic criteria. At month 3 after thrombosis with ongoing anticoagulation, angio-tomodensitometry showed complete revascularization of the left renal artery with renal atrophy. Renal function remained normal and the patient was still in steroid free remission on mercaptopurin monotherapy at maximal follow-up. Few thromboembolic events have been described with anti- tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents, but it is the first case reported of renal artery thrombosis after infliximab infusion. In addition, we review thrombosis associated with anti-TNF agents.

Lack of correlation between morbid obesity and severe gastroesophageal reflux disease in candidates for bariatric surgery: results of a large prospective study.

The relationship between obesity and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a subject of debate. In this large series of 250 morbidly obese patients, all candidates for bariatric surgery, we have shown the very low prevalence of severe GERD and neither Barrett's esophagus nor esophageal adenocarcinoma was detected. Moreover, no relationship was found between GERD and not only BMI but also abdominal diameter.

Factors associated with diagnosis of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding by video capsule enteroscopy.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Capsule enteroscopy (CE) is the best noninvasive tool to explore the entire small bowel of patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB); it has a diagnostic yield of 40%-80%. However, little is known about the factors associated with a diagnosis of OGIB by CE. METHODS: We analyzed data from 911 consecutive patients who underwent CE for OGIB from January 2004 to January 2010. Results from upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy examinations were negative in all patients. CE findings were recorded. Features of patients that were associated with diagnosis of OGIB by CE were identified by using logistic regression. RESULTS: Based on CE, 509 patients (56%) had a confirmed lesion responsible for the OGIB: 203 had disease of the small bowel (22%), 88 had ulcerations (10%), 70 had tumors (8%), 24 had varices (2%), 6 had diverticula (0.5%), and 118 had what appeared to be bleeding lesions of the esophagus or stomach (10.6%) or colon (2%). Factors independently associated with a diagnosis of OGIB by CE were age >60 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.2), male sex, history of overt bleeding (OR, 3.8), and current hospitalization (OR, 1.4). Women were less likely to be diagnosed with OGIB by CE (OR, 0.7). CONCLUSIONS: A history of overt bleeding is the factor most strongly associated with a diagnosis of OGIB by CE. Male sex, age >60 years, and inpatient status were also independent predictors of positive diagnosis by CE.

Usefulness of the serum carcinoembryonic antigen kinetic for chemotherapy monitoring in patients with unresectable metastasis of colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) kinetic and response to chemotherapy in patients with unresectable metastasis of colorectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The kinetic was calculated using the slope of an exponential-regressive curve connecting the semi-logarithmic values of CEA. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to select the CEA slope thresholds to define patients with progressive or responsive disease with the highest sensitivity, specificity, and diagnosis accuracy odds ratio (DOR). The correlation between the CEA slopes and progression-free survival (PFS) was evaluated by the Cox model and Kaplan-Meier methods. RESULTS: A total of 122 patients were included. Progression defined by CEA slope greater than +0.05 resulted in sensitivity of 85.7%, specificity of 85.1%, and DOR of 34. The area under the ROC (AUROC) curve was 0.885 (95% CI, 0.815 to 0.936; P = .0001). Response defined by CEA slope less than -0.2 resulted in sensitivity of 74.7%, specificity of 82.5%, and DOR of 16. The AUROC curve was 0.847 (95% CI, 0.770 to 0.906; P = .0001). The difference between AUROC curves calculated with six or four CEA values was not significant. PFS was correlated with CEA slopes (hazard ratio, 4.6; 95% CI, 2.48 to 8.57). The median PFS was 10 months for patients with CEA slope values less than -0.2 months versus 6 months for patients with CEA slope values greater than -0.2 (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the CEA kinetic is an accurate, simple, and noninvasive method to identify the disease progression in patients with unresectable metastasis of colorectal cancer.