Risk Factors and Predictive Biomarkers for Anastomotic Leakage after Colorectal Cancer Surgery with the Double Stapling Technique.

Objectives: Anastomotic leakage (AL) is a serious complication associated with morbidity, mortality, and poor prognosis. This study aimed to identify the risk factors and predictive biomarkers for AL after colorectal surgery with double stapling technique (DST) anastomosis. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 331 patients who underwent elective colorectal cancer surgery with DST anastomosis between April 2012 and July 2021. Patient-, tumor-, and surgery-related variables were examined using univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the risk factors for AL. Postoperative inflammatory biomarkers were also analyzed to identify the predictive factors for AL. Results: AL occurred in 28 (8.5%) patients. In multivariate analysis, male sex, a history of diabetes mellitus and high ligation of inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) were significant risk factors for AL. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels on postoperative day (POD) 3 and 7 were significantly correlated with AL (OR; 95% CI, 1.134; 1.044-1.232, p = 0.003, and 1.154; 1.036-1.286, p = 0.009, respectively). The cut-off value of CRP on POD 3 was 10.91 mg/dL (sensitivity 0.714, specificity 0.835, positive predictive value [PPV] 0.290, and negative predictive value [NPV] 0.969). The cut-off value of CRP on POD 7 was 4.58 mg/dL (sensitivity 0.821, specificity 0.872, PPV 0.377, and NPV 0.981). Conclusions: Male sex, a history of diabetes mellitus and high ligation of IMA were risk factors for AL in colorectal cancer surgery with DST anastomosis. The predictive biomarkers for cases without AL were CRP levels on POD 3 and 7.

Short-term outcomes of patients undergoing endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal lesions.

Objectives: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of colorectal lesions was invented in Japan, but postoperative management including hospital stay has not been reconsidered due to the Japanese insurance system. To explore appropriate postoperative management after colorectal ESD, we reviewed short-term outcomes after ESD in non-selected consecutive patients. Methods: Patients who underwent colorectal ESD from April 2013 to September 2020 in one institution were reviewed. The primary outcome measure was the occurrence of adverse events stratified by the Clavien-Dindo classification with five grades. A logistic regression model with the Firth procedure was applied to investigate predictors of severe (grade III or greater) adverse events. Results: A total of 330 patients (female 40%, male 60%; median 72 years; IQR 65-80 years) with colorectal lesions (median 30 mm, IQR 23-40 mm; colon 77%, rectum 23%; serrated lesion 4%, adenoma 47%, mucosal cancer 30%, invasive cancer 18%) was evaluated. The en bloc resection rate was 97%. The median dissection time was 58 min (IQR: 38-86). Intraprocedural perforation occurred in 3%, all successfully treated by endoscopic clipping. No delayed perforations occurred. Postprocedural bleeding occurred in 3% on days 1-10 (median day 2); all were controlled endoscopically. Severe adverse events included only delayed bleeding. In analyzing severe adverse events in a multivariate logistic regression model with the Firth procedure, antithrombotic agent use (p = 0.016) and rectal lesions (p = 0.0010) were both significant predictors. Conclusions: No serious adverse events occurred in this series. Four days of hospitalization may be too long for the majority of patients after ESD.

Computer-aided diagnosis of serrated colorectal lesions using non-magnified white-light endoscopic images.

PURPOSE: Computer-aided diagnosis systems for polyp characterization are commercially available but cannot recognize subtypes of sessile lesions. This study aimed to develop a computer-aided diagnosis system to characterize polyps using non-magnified white-light endoscopic images. METHODS: A total of 2249 non-magnified white-light images from 1030 lesions including 534 tubular adenomas, 225 sessile serrated adenoma/polyps, and 271 hyperplastic polyps in the proximal colon were consecutively extracted from an image library and divided into training and testing datasets (4:1), based on the date of colonoscopy. Using ResNet-50 networks, we developed a classifier (1) to differentiate adenomas from serrated lesions, and another classifier (2) to differentiate sessile serrated adenoma/polyps from hyperplastic polyps. Diagnostic performance was assessed using the testing dataset. The computer-aided diagnosis system generated a probability score for each image, and a probability score for each lesion was calculated as the weighted mean with a log10-transformation. Two experts (E1, E2) read the identical testing dataset with a probability score. RESULTS: The area under the curve of classifier (1) for adenomas was equivalent to E1 and superior to E2 (classifier 86%, E1 86%, E2 69%; classifier vs. E2, p < 0.001). In contrast, the area under the curve of classifier (2) for sessile serrated adenoma/polyps was inferior to both experts (classifier 55%, E1 68%, E2 79%; classifier vs. E2, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The classifier (1) developed using white-light images alone compares favorably with experts in differentiating adenomas from serrated lesions. However, the classifier (2) to identify sessile serrated adenoma/polyps is inferior to experts.

Rectal cancer eradication by proton beam therapy complicated by radiation proctitis: a case report.

A 74-year-old woman presented to her local physician with hematochezia. Colonoscopy showed a locally advanced 30 mm cancer adjacent to the anus. She refused abdominoperineal resection because of the necessity for a permanent stoma and decided to receive proton beam therapy (70.4 Gy equivalent) as an alternative treatment in another hospital. After proton beam therapy, the rectal cancer was eradicated at colonoscopy, and she was referred for surveillance. One year later, she developed frequent hematochezia. Colonoscopy revealed dilated vessels with oozing hemorrhage in the tumor scar. This was diagnosed as hemorrhagic radiation proctitis induced by proton beam therapy. Over 8 months, endoscopic hemostatic therapy was performed five times using argon plasma coagulation for refractory hemorrhagic disease. The patient's hemoglobin level dropped to as low as 4.5 g/dl requiring blood transfusion. Thereafter, the radiation proctitis gradually improved and there is no evidence of recurrent tumor for over 10 years. To the best of our knowledge, there are no previous reports of proton beam therapy eradication of locally advanced rectal cancer. Clinicians should be aware that radiation-induced proctitis with refractory hemorrhage could develop.

Diagnostic accuracy of ultra-low-dose CT colonography for the detection of colorectal polyps: a feasibility study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this feasibility study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultra-low-dose CT colonography using iterative reconstruction algorithms with reference to standard colonoscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prior to this study, a phantom study was performed to investigate the optimal protocol for ultra-low-dose CT colonography. A total of 206 patients with average/high risk of colorectal cancer were recruited. After undergoing full bowel preparation, the patients were scanned in the prone and supine positions with the CT conditions set to 120 kV, standard deviation 45 to 50, and an adaptive iterative reconstruction algorithm applied. Two expert readers read the images independently. The main outcome measures were the per-patient and per-polyp accuracies for the detection of polyps ≥ 10 mm, with colonoscopy results as the reference standard. RESULTS: Two hundred patients (102 females, mean age 67.5 years) underwent both ultra-low-dose CT colonography and colonoscopy on the same day. The mean radiation exposure dose was 0.64 ± 0.34 mSv. On colonoscopy, 39 patients had 45 polyps ≥ 10 mm (non-polypoid morphology 7), including 4 cancers. Per-patient sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CT colonography for polyps ≥ 10 mm were 0.74, 0.96, and 0.92 for reader one, and 0.74, 0.99, and 0.94 for reader two, respectively. Per-polyp sensitivities for polyps ≥ 10 mm were 0.73 for reader one and 0.71 for reader two. On subgroup analysis by morphology, non-polypoid polyps ≥ 10 mm were not detected by both readers. CONCLUSION: Extreme ultra-low-dose CT colonography had an insufficient diagnostic performance for the detection of polyps ≥ 10 mm, because it was unable to detect non-polypoid polyps. This study showed that the problem with ultra-low-dose CT colonography was the lack of detectability of small-size polyps, especially non-polypoid polyps. To use ultra-low-dose CT colonography clinically, it is necessary to resolve the problems identified by this study.

Bowel habits and gender correlate with colon length measured by CT colonography.

PURPOSE: CT colonography enables three-dimensional measurement of colon length. However, previous studies using CT colonography have not examined the association with gender, age, physique, a history of laparotomy and bowel habits, all possible contributory factors to colon length. The aim of this study is to investigate factors associated with colon length. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a post hoc analysis based on data obtained from a previous multi-center trial including 321 patients with positive fecal immunochemical tests who underwent CT colonography. Colon length was measured using a computer-generated center line and was divided at the iliac crest level into the distal and proximal colons. Bowel habits were classified into three groups: A-daily; B-once every 2 or 3 days; and C-less than once in 3 days. Statistical comparison was made using one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni's correction. RESULTS: A total of 295 patients were analyzed. The entire colon length (cm, mean ± standard deviation) of individual patients was 150.3 ± 18.5 cm and ranged from 109.7 to 195.9 cm. The female colon was significantly longer than the male colon (154.3 ± 18.1 cm vs. 147.1 ± 18.3 cm; p = 0.022). Colon length showed trends associated with age (p = 0.18) and a history of laparotomy (p = 0.14). According to bowel habits, the entire colon measured 147.4 ± 17.9 in group A, 154.7 ± 18.5 in group B and 158.6 ± 18.3 in group C, and significant differences were observed for "A vs. C" (p = 0.002) and "A vs. B" (p = 0.014). In subgroup analysis by colon segment, the proximal colon trended similarly to the entire colon while there were no trends for the distal colon. CONCLUSIONS: This study has clearly demonstrated that bowel habits and gender both correlate with the length of the entire colon measured by CT colonography, and in particular, the proximal colon. Using CT colonography, we measured the colon length in 295 patients. The entire colon length was 150.3 ± 18.5 cm on average. Females and constipated (less frequent defecation) patients have a significantly longer colon, and in particular, the proximal colon. Colon length showed trends associated with age and a history of laparotomy.

Risk of Delayed Bleeding after Cold Snare Polypectomy in Patients with Antithrombotic Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Cold snare polypectomy is being increasingly adopted; however, there are few reports of cold snare polypectomy regarding antithrombotic therapy. AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the real-world safety of cold snare polypectomy during antithrombotic therapy. METHODS: We collected data from consecutive patients undergoing cold snare polypectomy in a single hospital between 2013 and 2017. Indications for cold snare polypectomy were any ≤ 10 mm polyp. The primary outcome was delayed bleeding. We compared rates of delayed bleeding between patients with and without antithrombotic therapy and analyzed risk factors for delayed bleeding using binary logistic regression model with firth procedure. RESULTS: In 2152 patients (mean age 67.6 years; male 1411), 4433 colorectal polyps (mean diameter 5.0 mm) underwent cold snare polypectomy. Clipping during the procedure was performed for 5.8%. Delayed bleeding occurred in 0.51% (11/2152) of patients and 0.25% (11/4433) of polyps, but no major delayed bleeding occurred. A total of 244 (11%) patients received antithrombotic therapy. Patients on antithrombotic therapy were older (p < 0.001), more likely male (p < 0.001) and had cold snare polypectomy in the proximal colon (p = 0.011). The rate of delayed bleeding was higher in patients on antithrombotic therapy (1.64% vs. non-antithrombotic therapy 0.37%, p = 0.009). Larger polyp size (> 5 mm), use of clips, and antithrombotic therapy were significant risk factors for delayed bleeding. There was no clear association between specific antithrombotic agents and delayed bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed bleeding after cold snare polypectomy was rare even in patients with antithrombotic therapy, and no major delayed bleeding occurred.

[The Evaluation of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer].

We evaluated the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)for 38 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). We administered mFOLFOX6 in 15, FOLFIRI in 3, CAPOX in 10, IRIS in 1 and FOLFOXIRI in 9 patients. We also used bevacizumab in 31 and panitumumab in 7 patients. There were 27 male and 11 female patients, with a median age of 64 years, and location was RS 2, Ra 9, Rb 21, and P 6. Synchronous distant metastasis was recognized in 13 patients. Nine patients had suffered adverse event of Grade 3, however all patients could complete NAC. Clinical response was CR 3, PR 31, SD 4, response rate was 91.9%, and reduction rate was 43.3(range 18.8-100)%. Clinical response of distant metastasis was CR 3, PR 9 and SD 1. Laparoscopic surgery was performed in 29 patients. Postoperative complications of Grade 2 of Clavien- Dindo classification were recognized in 14 and Grade 3 in 4 patients. Three- and five-year overall survival rate of 25 patients without distant metastasis were 79.6% and 74.9%, respectively; and 13 with distant metastasis were 61.6% and 52.6%, respectively. The efficacy, safety and postoperative outcomes of NAC for LARC are favorable, and we think that NAC will be one of the treatments for LARC.

Recent trends in the prevalence and distribution of colonic diverticula in Japan evaluated using computed tomography colonography.

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography colonography (CTC) may be superior to colonoscopy and barium enema for detecting diverticula. However, few studies have used CTC to diagnose diverticula. AIM: To evaluate the current prevalence and distribution of colonic diverticula in Japan using CTC. METHODS: This study was conducted as part of the Japanese National Computed Tomographic Colonography Trial, which included 1181 participants from 14 hospitals in Japan. We analyzed the prevalence and distribution of colonic diverticula and their relationships with age and sex. The relationship between the diverticula and the length of the large intestine was also analyzed. RESULTS: Diverticulosis was present in 48.1% of the participants. The prevalence of diverticulosis was higher in the older participants (P < 0.001 for trend). The diverticula seen in younger participants were predominantly located in the right-sided colon. Older participants had a higher frequency of bilateral type (located in the right- and left-sided colon) diverticulosis (P < 0.001 for trend). The length of the large intestine with multiple diverticula in the sigmoid colon was significantly shorter in those without diverticula (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of colonic diverticulosis in Japan is higher than that previously reported. The prevalence was higher, and the distribution tended to be bilateral in older participants.

Change in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio during chemotherapy may predict prognosis in patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer.

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been reported to be an independent prognostic factor of unresectable advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer (uCRC). However, few studies have documented changes in NLR during chemotherapy. The current study analyzed whether a change in NLR during chemotherapy in patients with uCRC could be used as a prognostic biomarker. The present retrospective study enrolled 71 patients who received first-line chemotherapy for uCRC between April 2012 and April 2019. The exclusion criteria were as follows: Acute infection or systemic inflammatory disease, duration of first-line chemotherapy <3 months, curative resection after chemotherapy and treatment with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor within 1 month. NLR, Lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels were calculated before chemotherapy and at 3 months after chemotherapy. Among these laboratory data, NLR, PLR, ALP, CEA and CA19-9 levels were significantly decreased during chemotherapy. For Cox univariate analyses, these five data makers were divided into two groups: Decreased and increased (comparing before and at 3 months after chemotherapy). Only the change in NLR was significantly associated with overall survival (P=0.0002). Furthermore, the overall survival (P<0.0001) and progression-free survival (P=0.0041) of patients with decreased NLR was increased compared with patients with increased NLR. The change in NLR from pre-chemotherapy to 3 months following chemotherapy was determined to be a predictor of prognosis in patients with uCRC. The ability to predict prognosis at an early phase of chemotherapy may provide useful information for the selection of subsequent treatment and may improve the quality of patient life.

Femoral marrow MRI is a non-invasive, non-irradiated and useful tool for detecting bone marrow involvement in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Femoral marrow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive, non-irradiated and useful modality for evaluating bone marrow (BM) conditions. Human adult femoral BM is almost uniformly fatty marrow and has the largest volume of a single bone. MRI has an extremely high resolution for fat and water, which allows high-contrast imaging of cellular infiltration into fat tissue. In hematological diseases, femoral BM MRI can clearly detect cell infiltration, which is symmetrically imaged from the proximal to the distal direction of abnormal signal areas. Thus, we investigated the significance of femoral MRI for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). We analyzed the data of 69 NHL patients who received femoral MRI at diagnosis in this single-center retrospective cohort study. The median patient age was 73 years. MRI patterns were mainly classified as uniform patterns or nonuniform patterns. We also classified the range of cellular marrow as high-grade or low-grade based on whether it had spread to over half of the femur. Both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were significantly influenced by abnormal femoral marrow MRI. In particular, the patients with cellular femoral marrow lesions had a worse OS and PFS based on log-rank tests. Multivariable analyses with the Cox proportional hazards model revealed that OS and PFS were significantly influenced by cellular marrow diagnosed by femoral MRI. We concluded that femoral marrow MRI is a useful tool for detecting BM involvement and an independent prognostic factor in NHL patients.

Diverticular hemorrhage of terminal ileum successfully treated by ultra-selective transcatheter arterial embolization using triaxial system: a case report.

Small intestinal hemorrhage due to diverticulum is a relatively rare condition among gastrointestinal hemorrhages. We report a case of diverticular hemorrhage of the terminal ileum that was successfully treated by ultra-selective transcatheter arterial embolization using a triaxial system. A 25-year-old man was referred to our hospital due to melena. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography demonstrated marked extravasation of contrast medium in a diverticulum of the terminal ileum. We immediately attempted transcatheter arterial embolization after onset of hemorrhagic hypovolemic shock. Angiogram of the superior mesenteric artery revealed apparent hemorrhage at the end of the ileocolic artery. We performed embolization with 2 platinum coils using a triaxial system via the vasa recta of the terminal ileum. This procedure stopped extravasation of contrast medium. Postoperative course was uneventful, and he was discharged four days postoperatively. The triaxial system may facilitate high diagnostic ability to accurately identify target arteries of the ileal diverticular hemorrhage.

Polyp detection algorithm can detect small polyps: Ex vivo reading test compared with endoscopists.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Small polyps are occasionally missed during colonoscopy. This study was conducted to validate the diagnostic performance of a polyp-detection algorithm to alert endoscopists to unrecognized lesions. METHODS: A computer-aided detection (CADe) algorithm was developed based on convolutional neural networks using training data from 1991 still colonoscopy images from 283 subjects with adenomatous polyps. The CADe algorithm was evaluated on a validation dataset including 50 short videos with 1-2 polyps (3.5 ± 1.5 mm, range 2-8 mm) and 50 videos without polyps. Two expert colonoscopists and two physicians in training separately read the same videos, blinded to the presence of polyps. The CADe algorithm was also evaluated using eight full videos with polyps and seven full videos without a polyp. RESULTS: The per-video sensitivity of CADe for polyp detection was 88% and the per-frame false-positive rate was 2.8%, with a confidence level of ≥30%. The per-video sensitivity of both experts was 88%, and the sensitivities of the two physicians in training were 84% and 76%. For each reader, the frames with missed polyps appearing on short videos were significantly less than the frames with detected polyps, but no trends were observed regarding polyp size, morphology or color. For full video readings, per-polyp sensitivity was 100% with a per-frame false-positive rate of 1.7%, and per-frame specificity of 98.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity of CADe to detect small polyps was almost equivalent to experts and superior to physicians in training. A clinical trial using CADe is warranted.

Diagnostic performance of artificial intelligence to identify deeply invasive colorectal cancer on non-magnified plain endoscopic images.

Background and study aims Colorectal cancers (CRC) with deep submucosal invasion (T1b) could be metastatic lesions. However, endoscopic images of T1b CRC resemble those of mucosal CRCs (Tis) or with superficial invasion (T1a). The aim of this study was to develop an automatic computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system to identify T1b CRC based on plain endoscopic images. Patients and methods In two hospitals, 1839 non-magnified plain endoscopic images from 313 CRCs (Tis 134, T1a 46, T1b 56, beyond T1b 37) with sessile morphology were extracted for training. A CAD system was trained with the data augmented by rotation, saturation, resizing and exposure adjustment. Diagnostic performance was assessed using another dataset including 44 CRCs (Tis 23, T1b 21) from a third hospital. CAD generated a probability level for T1b diagnosis for each image, and > 95 % of probability level was defined as T1b. Lesions with at least one image with a probability level > 0.95 were regarded as T1b. Primary outcome is specificity. Six physicians separately read the same testing dataset. Results Specificity was 87 % (95 % confidence interval: 66-97) for CAD, 100 % (85-100) for Expert 1, 96 % (78-100) for Expert 2, 61 % (39-80) for both gastroenterology trainees, 48 % (27-69) for Novice 1 and 22 % (7-44) for Novice 2. Significant differences were observed between CAD and both novices ( P  = 0.013, P  = 0.0003). Other diagnostic values of CAD were slightly lower than of the two experts. Conclusions Specificity of CAD was superior to novices and possibly to gastroenterology trainees but slightly inferior to experts.

Preference and Experience of Colonic Examination for Participants Presenting to Hospitals with a Positive Fecal Immunochemical Test Result.

PURPOSE: Patients who test positive on the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for colorectal cancer (CRC) are referred for colonoscopy for further diagnostic evaluation. Colonoscopy is not a perfect method and may be a challenge for some FIT-positive patients. Computed tomographic colonography (CTC) is an alternative method that is less invasive and allows examination of the whole colon. The study objective was to evaluate the preference of FIT-positive patients for either colonoscopy or CTC for CRC examination. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Individuals older than 40 years with a positive FIT test at eight Japanese hospitals between December 2012 and July 2015 were invited to participate. Participants were given detailed information regarding colonoscopy and CTC before deciding on either examination. They completed questionnaires before the procedure regarding their preference and after the procedure regarding their experience. RESULTS: The pre- and post-questionnaires of 846 and 834 participants, respectively, were analyzed. Participants preferred colonoscopy over CTC (colonoscopy, 72%; CTC, 28%). The possibility of obtaining biopsy samples and removing colorectal polyps during the procedure was the main reason for colonoscopy selection. Patients selected CTC to reduce discomfort but reported that CTC bowel preparation was more burdensome than colonoscopy bowel preparation. The overall experience of the examination did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSION: Colonoscopy is the standard examination for FIT-positive patients. However, when given a choice, almost one-third of participants chose CTC because they thought it would be a more "comfortable" examination. Clinicians should therefore be aware of patients' potential preference for noninvasive colorectal examinations.

Colon Capsule Endoscopy versus CT Colonography in Patients with Large Non-Polypoid Tumours: A Multicentre Prospective Comparative Study (4CN Study).

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Non-polypoid colon lesions compared with polypoid lesions has a high malignant potential. The diagnostic performance of colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) and CT colonography (CTC) for large colorectal non-polypoid tumours, that is, laterally spreading tumours is still unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of CCE and CTC for the diagnosis of large non-polypoid tumours. METHODS: Thirty patients referred for endoscopic submucosal dissection of non-polypoid tumours measuring ≥20 mm were enrolled. Patients first underwent CCE, then colonoscopy (without resection) and CTC on the same day. An experienced gastroenterologist in a third hospital evaluated the CCE and recorded the location, size and morphology of all lesions detected, blinded to the colonoscopic findings. An experienced radiologist read the CTC under the same conditions. Colonoscopic findings were defined as the reference. RESULTS: A total of 30 lesions (T1 cancer: 3, Tis cancer: 7, adenoma: 14, sessile serrated adenoma/polyp: 6) in 27 patients were observed for evaluation. The capsule excretion rate within 8 h was 85% (23/27), and all capsules went beyond the target lesions. Non-polypoid tumours tend to be depicted as polypoid on CCE. Per patient sensitivities were 0.89 (24/27) by CCE and 0.70 (19/27) by CTC (p = 0.0253, McNemar), and per lesion sensitivities were 0.87 (26/30) and 0.67 (20/30) respectively (p = 0.0143). Most lesions missed by both modalities were located in the proximal colon. CONCLUSION: Eighty-seven per cent of non-polypoid tumours were detected by CCE, and the sensitivity using CCE was higher than that obtained using CTC (UMIN0000014772).

Delayed hemorrhage after cold and hot snare resection of colorectal polyps: a multicenter randomized trial (interim analysis).

Background and study aims Delayed bleeding is believed to occur less frequently after cold snare polypectomy (CSP), but this has not been validated in clinical trials. This study aimed to compare rates of delayed bleeding after CSP and hot snare polypectomy (HSP). Patients and methods We conducted a multicenter, randomized controlled trial. Participants scheduled to undergo endoscopic resection of colorectal polyps ≤ 10 mm were enrolled and randomly assigned to CSP or HSP. Prophylactic clipping was performed at the endoscopists' discretion. The primary outcome was delayed bleeding rate. Secondary outcomes included immediate bleeding rate and clipping rate. Sample size calculation showed that 451 patients were required in each arm. Results At the end of the study period decided in advance, 308 participants were recruited and an interim analysis was performed. A total of 273 patients (mean age 62.2 ±â€Š8.8 years; 188 males) were analyzed, with 139 patients allocated to CSP and 134 to HSP. In total, 367 polyps were resected with CSP and 360 polyps with HSP. There were no significant differences in patient demographics or polyp characteristics. In per-patient-based analysis, delayed bleeding rates were 0.7 % after CSP and 0.7 % after HSP. Per-polyp analysis showed similar results (CSP: 0.3 % vs. HSP: 0.6 %). The immediate bleeding rate was significantly higher with CSP vs. HSP (54 % vs.14 %, P  < 0.0001), while clipping rates were 18 % and 19 %, respectively. Conclusion This interim analysis did not demonstrate that delayed bleeding after CSP is less frequent than after HSP. The delayed bleeding rate after HSP was lower than expected. Meeting presentations: Digestive Disease Week 2017.

A novel volume-reduced CT colonography regimen using hypertonic laxative (polyethylene glycol with ascorbic acid): randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of bowel preparation using a hypertonic laxative (polyethylene glycol with ascorbic acid, PEG + Asc) for CT colonography (CTC) and to examine the volume limit of laxative. METHODS: In one institution, patients who met the indications for CTC were enrolled and randomly assigned to CTC with regimen A (800 ml PEG + Asc), B (600 ml PEG + Asc), or C (400 ml PEG + Asc). Sodium diatrizoate was given orally for fecal tagging. On the previous day, patients ate low-residue meals and took the assigned lavage solution after dinner. A reader blinded to the preparation graded residual stool/fluid and fecal tagging quality in six segments of the colorectum. The primary outcome was a proportion of colon segments without stool. One hundred twenty segments in 20 patients with each regimen were needed to show a non-inferiority margin of 15%, assuming 85% of no stool. RESULTS: A total of 360 segments in 60 patients were analyzed. There were 83% of segments with no stool in regimen A, 89% in regimen B, and 88% in regimen C. Using the delta method, the 95% confidence interval of the risk difference (6.7%) between regimens A and B was - 2.2% to 15.6%, and the risk difference (5.0%) between regimens A and C was - 4.1% to 14%, both within the non-inferiority margin. Residual fluid and fecal tagging quality were also within the non-inferiority margin. No adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: A novel CTC regimen using hypertonic laxative demonstrated optimal colon cleansing effectiveness even with the lowest volume of laxative (UMIN000022851). KEY POINTS: • A novel CTC regimen using a hypertonic laxative is feasible. • The lowest volume of laxative provides excellent colon imaging. • However, the lowest volume of laxative did not improve patient acceptance.

[Curative Transanal Resection after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Lower Rectal Cancer-A Case Report].

A 53-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with melena. Examinations revealed advanced rectal cancer involving the anal canal with invasion of the left-sided levator ani muscle. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered to preserve anal function. A first course of capecitabine and oxaliplatin(CapeOX)plus bevacizumab was administered. CapeOX plus panitumumab was administered from the 2nd to the 8th courses after confirming the absence of RAS mutation. Endoscopy and computed tomography confirmed the disappearance of the tumor after completion of the chemotherapy. A biopsy of the scar tissue revealed no cancer cells. However, diffusion weighted-magnetic resonance imaging(MRI-DWI)revealed a suspected residual tumor. To determine the subsequent treatment, a transanal resection was performed. No carcinoma was identified in the specimen. Thus, additional surgical treatment and adjuvant chemotherapy were not administered. The patient was followed-up over 2.5 years post local resection and showed no recurrence.