A new aggressive xenograft model of human colon cancer using cancer-associated fibroblasts.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death. Almost half of the patients present recurrence within 5 years after the treatment of the primary tumor, the majority, with metastasis. On the other hand, in the search for new animal models that simulate metastatic cancer, it has been suggested that fibroblasts immersed in the peritumoral stroma (cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs)), play a relevant role in the development of cancer. The objective of this study was to identify an adequate animal model to study metastatic colon cancer and the application of new treatments. METHODS: Human CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NF) for transplant and culture were obtained from surgical fresh samples of patients with adenocarcinoma of sigmoid colon. Stromal cell purity was evaluated by morphology and immunostaining with vimentin (VIM) as a fibroblast marker and anti-proColXIα1 as a specific human CAF marker. Phenotypic characterization of cultured stromal cells was performed by co-staining with mesenchymal and epithelial cell markers. For identification in mice, human CAFs were labeled with the PKH26 red fluorescence dye. Cell line HT-29 was used as tumor cells. Transplant in the head of the pancreas of 34 SCID mice was performed in four different groups, as follows: I. 150,000 CAFS (n = 12), IIa. 1.5 million HT29 cells (n = 7), IIb. 150,000 NF+1.5 million HT29 cells (n = 5), III. 150,000 CAFS+1.5 million HT29 cells (n = 10). After euthanasia performed one month later, histological analysis was made using hematoxylin-eosin and anti-proColXIα1. A histopathological score system based on three features (tumor volume, desmoplasia and number of metastasized organs) was established to compare the tumor severity. RESULTS: The CAFs and NF cultured were proColXIα1+/VIM+, proColXIα1/alphaSMA+ and proColXIα1+/CK19+ in different proportions without differences among them, but the CAFs growth curve was significantly larger than that of the NF (p < 0.05). No tumor developed in those animals that only received CAFs. When comparing group II (a + b) vs. group III, both groups showed 100% hepatic metastases. Median hepatic nodules, tumor burden, lung metastases and severity score were bigger in group III vs group II (a + b), although without being significant, except in the case of the median tumor volume, that was significantly higher in group III (154.8 (76.9-563.2) mm3) vs group II (46.7 (3.7-239.6) mm3), p = 0.04. A correlation was observed between the size of the tumor developed in the pancreas and the metastatic tumor burden in the liver and with the severity score. CONCLUSION: Our experiments demonstrate that cultured CAFs have a higher growth than NF and that when human CAFs are associated to human tumor cells, larger tumors with liver and lung metastases are generated than if only colon cancer cells with/without NF are transplanted. This emphasizes the importance of the tumor stroma, and especially the CAFs, in the development of cancer.

Prospective Analysis Regarding Health-Related Quality of Life (HR-QOL) between Morbid Obese Patients Following Bariatric Surgery Versus on a Waiting List.

BACKGROUND: Major impairment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is one of the main reasons why obese patients request surgical treatment. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively analyze the impact of HRQoL between obese patients who underwent surgery and those who were wait-listed. METHODS: Between April 2017 and March 2018, 70 surgical and 69 wait-listed patients were interviewed twice, at baseline and at the 12-month follow-up. Quality of life was measured by the SF-12v2 and the Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite (IWQoL-Lite) questionnaires. Sociodemographic-, clinical-, and surgical-related variables were collected. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-nine patients were analyzed, showing similar baseline characteristics but differences in HRQoL. Performing more qualified work improved scores on some aspects of the SF-12 survey. In contrast, women scored worse on the self-esteem domain, and men scored worse on the mental health domain. By group, at the 12-month follow-up, statistically significant differences were found among all aspects of the questionnaires between both groups (P < 0.001) and between baseline and postoperative 12-month follow-up in the surgical group (P < 0.001). Furthermore, scores were lower in all domains in the evolution of wait-listed patients, with statistically significant differences among the Bodily Pain, Emotional Role, Mental Health, and Mental Component Summary Domains (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: HRQoL is a multimodal concept that allows the identification of factors impacting obese patients' quality of life. It promotes the benefit of surgery against waiting list delays, which can take up to 4 years in our hospital. Therefore, HRQoL is an important pillar to justify more resources for reducing unacceptable surgical delays.

Ventral Portal Vein Over Gallbladder and Pancreas---An Exceptional Anatomical Variation Found in a Liver Transplant Patient: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Anatomic variations are well known in the liver hilum. A rare precholecystic, preduodenal, prepancreatic portal vein is described as found in a liver transplant candidate. Precholecystic location of portal vein is an exceptional finding and does not seem to have been previously described. It is associated with a preduodenal portal vein. Its position is challenging, as its surface can be mistaken with the gallbladder wall. We present the case of a patient candidate to liver transplantation. In the preoperative studies, a portal thrombosis was suspected, with recanalization by collaterals, but also a malformation was suggested. The patient had a primary biliary cirrhosis. Other findings included agenesis of inferior vena cava on the right side. During operation, the portal vein was found over the gallbladder and fixed to it, making it at first difficult to distinguish one from the other. CONCLUSIONS: A precholecystic portal vein is a rare finding that poses a challenge for the surgeon. It must be ruled out in the preoperative workout.

Evidencia en seguimiento y pronóstico del cáncer de unión esofagogástrica / Evidence in follow-up and prognosis of esophagogastric junction cancer

La supervivencia a cinco años de los tumores de la unión esofagogástrica está en el 50% en los estadios más favorables y con los tratamientos coadyuvantes más eficaces. Más del 40% de los pacientes sufrirá recurrencias en un periodo breve, habitualmente en el primer año tras una cirugía potencialmente curativa y la supervivencia tras esa recurrencia suele ser menor de 6 meses, pues el tratamiento es poco eficaz, sea quimioterapia paliativa, radioterapia o exéresis quirúrgica de las recidivas únicas. El tipo y frecuencia del seguimiento realizado influye en la supervivencia porque la detección de recurrencias asintomáticas permite realizar tratamientos más precoces y efectivos

Five-year survival of tumors of the esophagogastric junction is 50%, in the most favourable stages and with the most effective adjuvant treatments. More than 40% of patients will have recurrences within a short period, usually the first year after potentially curative surgery. Survival after this recurrence is usually less than 6 months because treatment is not very effective, be it palliative chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgical excision of single recurrences. As the detection of asymptomatic recurrences allows for earlier and more effective treatments to be used, the type and frequency of follow-up has an influence on survival

Evidence in follow-up and prognosis of esophagogastric junction cancer. / Evidencia en seguimiento y pronóstico del cáncer de unión esofagogástrica.

Five-year survival of tumors of the esophagogastric junction is 50%, in the most favourable stages and with the most effective adjuvant treatments. More than 40% of patients will have recurrences within a short period, usually the first year after potentially curative surgery. Survival after this recurrence is usually less than 6 months because treatment is not very effective, be it palliative chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgical excision of single recurrences. As the detection of asymptomatic recurrences allows for earlier and more effective treatments to be used, the type and frequency of follow-up has an influence on survival.