Diagnostic performance of linked color imaging for gastric cancer by Helicobacter pylori infection status: A subanalysis of the large-scale, multicenter randomized controlled trial LCI-FIND.

BACKGROUND: Linked color imaging (LCI) is a new image enhancement technology that facilitates the recognition of subtle differences in mucosal color. In the large-scale, multicenter randomized controlled trial LCI-FIND, LCI demonstrated good diagnostic performance for the detection of tumor lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the present study was to exploratively evaluate the diagnostic performance of LCI according to H. pylori infection status as a subanalysis of LCI-FIND trial. METHODS: The patients were randomly allocated to receive white light imaging (WLI) first, followed by LCI (WLI group), or vice versa (LCI group), and the two groups were compared for the detection of tumors. Data from this trial were analyzed by the presence/absence of H. pylori infection and further analyzed by successful or unsuccessful eradication in the H. pylori infection group. RESULTS: The 752 patients in the WLI group and 750 patients in the LCI group who had participated in the LCI-FIND trial were included. In the successful eradication group, more gastric lesions were detected by primary mode in the LCI group than in the WLI group, indicating that more lesions were missed by WLI. Fisher's exact probability test for the comparison of the WLI and LCI groups yielded a p-value of 0.0068, with missed gastric lesions being detected 0.136 times (95% confidence interval: 0.020-0.923), significantly less with LCI than with WLI. CONCLUSION: The current study suggests that LCI should be used for gastric cancer screening, particularly in patients with successful H. pylori eradication.

Analysis of the characteristics of coexisting lesions in colorectal cancer patients in an international study: A subgroup analysis of the ATLAS trial.

INTRODUCTION: We investigated coexisting lesion types in patients with invasive colorectal cancer (CRC) in a multinational study for comprehending the adenoma-carcinoma and serrated pathway about the development of CRC. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 3050 patients enrolled in the international randomized controlled trial (ATLAS study) to evaluate the colorectal polyp detection performance of image-enhanced endoscopy in 11 institutions in four Asian countries/regions. In the current study, as a subgroup analysis of the ATLAS study, 92 CRC patients were extracted and compared to 2958 patients without CRC to examine the effects of age, sex, and coexisting lesion types (high-grade adenoma [HGA], low-grade adenoma with villous component [LGAV], 10 adenomas, adenoma ≥10 mm, sessile serrated lesions [SSL], and SSL with dysplasia [SSLD]). Additional analyses of coexisting lesion types were performed according to sex and location of CRC (right- or left-sided). RESULTS: A multivariate analysis showed that HGA (odds ratio [95%confidence interval] 4.29 [2.16-8.18]; p<0.01), LGAV (3.02 [1.16-7.83], p=0.02) and age (1.04 [1.01-1.06], p=0.01) were independently associated with CRC. According to sex, the coexisting lesion types significantly associated with CRC were LGAV (5.58 [1.94-16.0], p<0.01) and HGA (4.46 [1.95-10.20], p<0.01) in males and HGA (4.82 [1.47-15.80], p<0.01) in females. Regarding the location of CRC, SSLD (21.9 [1.31-365.0], p=0.03) was significant for right-sided CRC, and HGA (5.22 [2.39-11.4], p<0.01) and LGAV (3.46 [1.13-10.6], p=0.02) were significant for left-sided CRC. CONCLUSIONS: The significant coexisting lesions in CRC differed according to sex and location. These findings may contribute to comprehending the pathogenesis of CRC.

Linked color imaging improves colorectal lesion detection especially for low performance endoscopists: An international trial in Asia.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Linked color imaging (LCI) is an image-enhanced endoscopy technique that accentuates the color difference between red and white, potentially improving the adenoma detection rate (ADR). However, it remains unclear whether LCI performance in detecting colorectal lesions differs based on endoscopists' experience levels. We aimed to evaluate the differences in LCI efficacy based on the experience levels of endoscopists by conducting an exploratory analysis. METHODS: In this post hoc analysis of an international randomized controlled trial comparing the detection of adenoma and other lesions using colonoscopy with LCI and high-definition white light imaging (WLI), we included patients from 11 institutions across four countries/regions: Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, and Singapore. We retrospectively reviewed differences in the lesion detection of LCI according to endoscopists' colonoscopy history or ADR. RESULTS: We included 1692 and 1138 patients who underwent colonoscopies performed by 54 experts (experience of ≥ 5000 colonoscopies) and by 43 non-experts (experience of < 5000 colonoscopies), respectively. Both expert and non-expert groups showed a significant improvement in ADR with LCI compared to WLI (expert, 61.7% vs 46.4%; P < 0.001; non-expert, 56.6% vs 46.4%; P < 0.001). LCI had no effect on sessile serrated lesion detection rate in non-experts (3.1% vs 2.5%; P = 0.518). LCI significantly improved detection rates in endoscopists with relatively low detection performance, defined as an ADR < 50%. CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study analyzed data from a previous trial and revealed that LCI is useful for both experts and non-experts and is even more beneficial for endoscopists with relatively low detection performance using WLI.

Prevalence of colonoscopy in Japan using a large-scale health claims data compared to esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

OBJECTIVE: Prevalence of colonoscopy (CS) is an important countermeasure against colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we used large-scale data for a comparison of CS with esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in Japan. METHODS: This was a retrospective descriptive study. Commercially anonymized patient data were collected from various health insurance societies (JMDC, Inc. Tokyo, Japan) generated from the insurance registry, receipts (inpatient, outpatient, and prescription), and health checkup data. The data also included healthy subjects who had never been examined in a hospital. The data of 2,760,048 persons who were 50-75 years old during January 2012-December 2019 were extracted from the original data source. The annual rate, the prevalence rate (frequency of those undergoing at least one endoscopy during the period), and the percentage of repeaters (undergoing endoscopy at least twice during the period) of CS were calculated and compared to those of EGD. RESULTS: The annual rates in 2012/2015/2019 were 3.4%/4.5%/5.3% for CS, respectively, and increased gradually from 2012 to 2019. Those rates were 7.0%/7.9%/7.4% for EGD, respectively, and did not increase. The prevalence rates of CS and EGD were 25.3% and 36.2%, respectively, among the 137,246 participants over 8 years. The prevalence rates of individuals in their 50 s/60 s/70 s were 23.0%/25.9%/31.4% for CS and 33.0%/37.6%/40.7% for EGD, respectively. The proportions of males/females were 27.9%/20.7% for CS, and 36.4%/35.8% for EGD, respectively. The repeat rates of CS and EGD were 40.3% and 44.8%, respectively, over 8 years. CONCLUSIONS: Using large-scale data, we determined the status of CS and EGD in Japan.

Nationwide epidemiological survey of polyarteritis nodosa in Japan in 2020.

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a systemic necrotizing vasculitis that predominantly affects medium-sized arteries. With advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis and classification of vasculitis, PAN and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), a disease of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV), were separated from the group of diseases previously diagnosed as periarteritis nodosa (PN) at the Chapel Hill Consensus Conference (CHCC) in 1994 (1).

Multiple duodenal epithelial tumors in a patient with polymerase proofreading-associated polyposis in POLE variant.

Polymerase proofreading-associated polyposis (PPAP) is a rare disease with autosomal-dominant inheritance caused by germline variants in the POLE and POLD1 genes. PPAP has been reported to increase the risk of multiple cancers, including colon, duodenal, and endometrial cancers. Herein, we report a case in which multiple duodenal tumors led to the detection of a POLE mutation. A 43-year-old woman underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Multiple duodenal tumors were detected, and all lesions were treated endoscopically. The patient had a history of multiple colorectal cancers and endometrial cancer along with a family history of cancer; hence, genetic testing was performed, and POLE variant, c.1270C > G (p.Leu424Val) was detected. Hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes should be considered in patients with colorectal cancer who have multiple cancers or a family history of cancer, and multigene panel sequencing is useful in confirming the diagnosis. In addition, duodenal tumors frequently coexist in patients with PPAP-carrying POLE variants, while the endoscopic treatment for duodenal tumors becomes safe and useful with several new approaches. Therefore, surveillance EGD is necessary in such patients for the early detection and treatment of duodenal tumors.

Daily Diet and Nutrition Risk Factors for Gastric Cancer Incidence in a Japanese Population.

Background/Aims: : Nutritional factors associated with gastric cancer (GC) are not completely understood. We aimed to determine the effect of nutrient intake on the incidence of GC. Methods: : This was a post hoc analysis of a prospective trial that evaluated modalities for GC screening in participants aged 30 to 74 years living in high-risk areas for GC in Japan between June 2011 and March 2013. The patients were followed up for GC incidence for 6 years. All participants completed a self-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) upon enrollment before GC screening. Daily nutrient intake was calculated from the FFQ and dichotomized at each cutoff value using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Risk factors associated with GC incidence were investigated in terms of nutrient intake and participant characteristics using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Results: : Overall, 1,147 participants were included in this analysis. The median age was 62 years, and 50.7% of the participants were men. The median follow-up period was 2,184 days. GC was detected in 25 participants during the follow-up. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that the intake of sodium (adjusted hazards ratio [aHR], 3.905; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.520 to 10.035; p=0.005) and vitamin D (aHR, 2.747; 95% CI, 1.111 to 6.788, p=0.029) were positively associated with GC incidence, whereas the intake of soluble dietary fiber (aHR, 0.104; 95% CI, 0.012 to 0.905; p=0.040) was inversely associated with GC incidence. Conclusions: : Daily high intake of sodium and vitamin D and low soluble dietary fiber intake are associated with GC incidence.

Gastric Cancer Detection Rates using Gastrointestinal Endoscopy with Serological Risk Stratification: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Efforts have been made to develop an endoscopic screening system incorporating serological gastric cancer (GC) risk stratification (ABC classification) alongside annual population-based GC screening using barium. We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to compare GC detection rates between the Ba-Endo group, which underwent annual barium tests for primary screening followed by detailed endoscopic examinations, and the ABC-Endo group, where endoscopy intervals were determined based on individual gastric cancer risk in the ABC classification. METHODS: In total, 1,206 individuals from Yurihonjo and Nikaho city, Akita Prefecture, were randomized through the minimization method using sex and age as allocation factors. The intervention study was conducted for both groups over 5 years. The Ba-Endo group received annual barium tests, the ABC-Endo group underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) at different intervals: group A (EGD only at entry), B (EGD once every 3 years), C (EGD once every 2 years), and D (EGD every year) respectively. RESULTS: There were 24 detected GC lesions, with a GC detection rate of 1.9%. GC detection rates in the Ba-Endo and ABC-Endo groups were 2.0% and 1.8%, respectively, with no significant differences between groups (P=1.0). However, the rate of GC cured by endoscopic resection alone was 41.6% in the Ba-Endo group and significantly higher at 90.9% in the ABC-Endo group (P=0.02). CONCLUSION: There were no differences between Ba-Endo and ABC-Endo groups in GC detection rates. However, the rate of detected GCs that could be cured by endoscopic resection alone was significantly higher in the ABC-Endo group.

Association between continuous cessation or reduction of drinking alcohol and improvement of multiple dysplastic lesions in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after endoscopic resection.

BACKGROUND: Multiple development of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the upper aerodigestive tract has been explained by the 'field cancerization phenomenon' associated with alcohol drinking. Squamous dysplastic lesion is clinically visualised as a Lugol-voiding lesion (LVL) by chromoendoscopy. Whether cessation or reduction of alcohol drinking improves multiple LVL and reduces the risk of field cancerization has not been elucidated. METHODS: We analysed 330 patients with newly diagnosed superficial esophageal SCC (ESCC) enrolled in the cohort study. The grade of LVL was assessed in all patients every 6 months. We instructed the patients to stop smoking and drinking and recorded their drinking and smoking status every 6 months. RESULTS: Among 330 patients, we excluded 98 with no LVL or no drinking habit. Of the remaining 232 patients, 158 continuously ceased or reduced their drinking habit. Patients who ceased or reduced their drinking habit significantly showed improvement in the grade of LVL. Multivariate analysis showed that continuous cessation or reduction of drinking habit improved the grade of LVL (hazard ratio [HR] = 8.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7-153.8, p = 0.0053). Higher grade of LVL carried a high risk of multiple ESCC and head and neck SCC (HNSCC) (HR = 3.7, 95% CI 2.2-6.4, p < 0.0001). Improvement in LVL significantly decreased the risk of multiple ESCC and HNSCC (HR = 0.2, 95% CI 0.04-0.7, p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report indicating that field cancerization was reversible and cessation or reduction of drinking alcohol could prevent multiple squamous dysplastic lesion and multiple ESCC and HNSCC development. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRY NUMBER: UMIN000001676.

An Estimation Formula for Resonance Frequency Using Sex and Height for Healthy Individuals and Patients with Incurable Cancers.

Resonance frequency breathing is a technique that involves breathing that maximizes heart rate variability. It is specific to individuals and is determined through a procedure taking approximately 30 min, using a procedure that is often best carried out at specialized medical institutions. This is a physical and time-consuming burden because of hospital visits and measurements, particularly for patients with cancer. Therefore it would be beneficial if a procedure can be found to determine resonance frequency from the patient's physical characteristics, without the need for special assessment procedures. This exploratory cross-sectional study examined the correlation between individual characteristics and resonance frequency in healthy volunteers. Multiple regression analysis was performed with the measured resonance frequency as the target variable and individual characteristic parameters as explanatory variables. The study aims to build an estimation formula for resonance frequency with some of these parameters and assess its validity. In addition, the validity of the formula's applicability to patients with incurable cancers is assessed. A total of 122 healthy volunteers and 32 patients with incurable cancers were recruited as participants. The median resonance frequency of 154 participants was six breaths per min. Sex and height were selected as explanatory variables associated with the measured resonance frequency in the volunteers. The estimation formula for resonance frequency using individual characteristics was 17.90-0.07 × height for men and 15.88-0.06 × height for women. Adjusted R-squared values were 0.55 for men and 0.47 for women. When the measured resonance frequency in patients with incurable cancers was six breaths per minute or less, the resonance frequency estimated by this formula was slightly larger than the measured ones. Information on individual characteristics, such as sex and height, which can be easily obtained, was useful to construct an estimation formula for resonance frequency.

Endoscopic Removal of Premalignant Lesions Reduces Long-Term Colorectal Cancer Risk: Results From the Japan Polyp Study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: To date, no regional evidence of long-term colorectal cancer (CRC) risk reduction after endoscopic premalignant lesion removal has been established. We aimed to analyze this over a long-term follow-up evaluation. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of participants from the Japan Polyp Study conducted at 11 Japanese institutions. Participants underwent scheduled follow-up colonoscopies after a 2-round baseline colonoscopy process. The primary outcome was CRC incidence after randomization. The observed/expected ratio of CRC was calculated using data from the population-based Osaka Cancer Registry. Secondary outcomes were the incidence and characteristics of advanced neoplasia (AN). RESULTS: A total of 1895 participants were analyzed. The mean number of follow-up colonoscopies and the median follow-up period were 2.8 years (range, 1-15 y) and 6.1 years (range, 0.8-11.9 y; 11,559.5 person-years), respectively. Overall, 4 patients (all males) developed CRCs during the study period. The observed/expected ratios for CRC in all participants, males, and females, were as follows: 0.14 (86% reduction), 0.18, and 0, respectively, and 77 ANs were detected in 71 patients (6.1 per 1000 person-years). Of the 77 ANs detected, 31 lesions (40.3%) were laterally spreading tumors, nongranular type. Nonpolypoid colorectal neoplasms (NP-CRNs), including flat (<10 mm), depressed, and laterally spreading, accounted for 59.7% of all detected ANs. Furthermore, 2 of the 4 CRCs corresponded to T1 NP-CRNs. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic removal of premalignant lesions, including NP-CRNs, effectively reduced CRC risk. More than half of metachronous ANs removed by surveillance colonoscopy were NP-CRNs. The Japan Polyp Study: University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry: University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry, C000000058; cohort study: UMIN000040731.

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis with Atypical Clinical Morphology and Genetic Variants.

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is caused by pathogenic variants of the APC gene on the long arm of chromosome 5. An analysis showed an association between germline APC gene variants and clinical signs of FAP; however, attenuated FAP has also been reported in cases with pathogenic variants. In contrast, a phenotype of FAP with no APC germline pathogenic variant and with few signs has been reported. We herein report a 16-year-old girl in whom the presence of multiple large bowel cancers from a young age and several small bowel cancers reflected a carcinogenic tendency higher than that typical for FAP.

Randomized controlled trial comparing the costs of gastric cancer screening systems between serological risk-based upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and the existing barium photofluorography: gastric cancer screening labeled by serum examination in place of aged gastric cancer organized screening systems (GALAPAGOS study).

BACKGROUND: Although the risk of gastric cancer can be stratified according to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) IgG antibody titer and pepsinogen levels (ABC classification), a population-based gastric cancer screening system combining serological tests and endoscopy has not been introduced. This study aimed to compare the total testing cost per participant between the ABC classification method and the existing protocol. METHODS: Using the minimization method with sex and age as allocation factors, 1206 participants were randomly assigned to the following two methods for a 5-year intervention: barium photofluorography as primary examination followed by detailed examination with upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (Ba-Endo) and risk-based upper gastrointestinal endoscopy by ABC classification (ABC-Endo). The primary endpoint was the total testing cost per participant over a 5-year period. The secondary endpoint was the expense required to detect one gastric cancer. RESULTS: The total testing cost per participant was 39,711 yen in Ba-Endo (604 participants) and 45,227 yen in ABC-Endo (602 participants), with the latter being significantly higher (p < 0.001). During the intervention period, gastric cancer was found in 11 and eight participants in Ba-Endo and ABC-Endo, respectively. The expenses required to detect one gastric cancer were 2,240,931 yen in Ba-Endo and 3,486,662 yen in ABC-Endo. CONCLUSIONS: The testing cost per participant turned out to be higher in the ABC-Endo group than in the Ba-Endo group. This superiority trial, based on the hypothesis that the cost of testing is lower for ABC-Endo than for Ba-Endo, was rejected.

Clinical features and distribution of the APC variant in duodenal and ampullary polyps in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis: a multicenter retrospective cohort study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Management of duodenal or ampullary adenomas in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a major challenge for clinicians. Insufficient data are available to evaluate the clinical manifestations and distribution of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) variants in these patients. METHODS: We enrolled 451 patients with data regarding duodenal or ampullary polyps from 632 patients with FAP retrospectively registered in a nationwide Japanese multicenter study. Clinicopathological features and distribution of APC variants were compared between patients with and without duodenal or ampullary polyps. RESULTS: Duodenal and ampullary polyps were found in 59% and 18% of patients with FAP, respectively. The incidence of duodenal cancer was 4.7% in patients with duodenal polyps, and that of ampullary cancer was 18% in patients with ampullary polyps. Duodenal polyps were significantly associated with the presence of ampullary polyps and jejunal/ileal polyps. Duodenal polyps progressed in 35% of patients with a median follow-up of 776 days, mostly in those with early Spigelman stage lesions. Ampullary polyps progressed in 50% of patients with a follow-up of 1484 days. However, only one patient developed a malignancy. The proportion of patients with duodenal polyps was significantly higher among those with intermediate- or profuse-type APC variants than attenuated-type APC variants. The presence of duodenal polyps was significantly associated with ampullary and jejunal/ileal polyps in patients with intermediate- or profuse-type APC variants. CONCLUSIONS: Periodic endoscopic surveillance of the papilla of Vater and small intestine should be planned for patients with FAP with duodenal polyps.

Short-term and long-term outcomes of submucosal dissection for residual or recurrent colorectal tumors after endoscopic resection: Analysis of a multicenter prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: We previously demonstrated that a favorable long-term prognosis indicated that endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) could be the standard treatment for large colorectal epithelial neoplasms, but the usefulness of ESD for local residual or recurrent tumors with submucosal fibrosis has not been fully demonstrated. The aim of the present study was to assess the usefulness of ESD for local residual or recurrent colorectal tumors. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide multicenter prospective study to evaluate the outcomes of ESD for colorectal tumors. In this post hoc analysis, a total of 54 local residual or recurrent colorectal tumors in 54 patients were included, and we analyzed the short-term and long-term outcomes of ESD for these lesions. RESULTS: The median size of the lesions was 16.0 (interquartile range [IQR] 11-25) mm. ESD was completed in 53 cases (98.1%) with a median procedure time of 65.0 min, but it was discontinued in one case because of submucosal cancer invasion. En bloc resection was achieved in 52 cases (96.3%), whereas R0 resection was achieved in 45 cases (83.3%). Intraoperative perforation was observed in four cases (7.4%) and delayed perforation in one (1.9%), but all cases could be managed conservatively. Delayed bleeding was not observed. There were no significant differences in short-term outcomes between the rectal and colonic lesions. There was no recurrence of the tumor during the median follow-up period of 60 (IQR 50-64) months. CONCLUSION: An analysis of our multicenter prospective study suggests that ESD is an effective salvage management for local residual or recurrent colorectal lesions.

Progression of duodenal neoplasia to advanced adenoma in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) have a lifetime risk of developing duodenal adenomas approaching 100%, and the relative risk for duodenal cancer compared with the general population is high. We conducted a retrospective study to investigate the progression of non-ampullary duodenal adenomas (NADAs) and risk factors for advanced lesions in patients with FAP. METHODS: Of 248 patients with 139 pedigrees at 2 institutes, we assessed 151 patients with 100 pedigrees with a pathogenic germline variant in the adenomatous polyposis coli gene, excluding mosaic variants. We evaluated the prevalence of NADAs in patients with FAP, the progression of these adenomas to advanced adenoma during the observation period, and the risk factors for the lifetime development of high-grade dysplasia (HGD), large (≥ 10 mm) duodenal adenomas, and Spiegelman stage IV. RESULTS: During the median observation period of 7 years, the incidences of patients with NADAs, with more than 20 polyps, with polyps ≥ 10 mm, with HGD, and with stage IV at the last esophagogastroduodenoscopy were increased 1.6-fold, 1.7-fold, 5-fold, 22-fold, and 9-fold, respectively. Intramucosal cancer occurred in three patients (2%), but no patients developed invasive cancer during the observation period because we performed endoscopic intervention for advanced adenomas. Stage progression was observed in 71% of 113 patients. Stage IV was more common in women, patients with a history of colectomy, and those with a 3' side mutation in their adenomatous polyposis coli gene. CONCLUSIONS: NADAs in patients with FAP frequently become exacerbated. Our findings suggest that patients with FAP who develop duodenal adenomas should be surveyed to prevent the development of duodenal cancer.

Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers Cause Changes in Prostate-specific Antigen Levels: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: We previously reported a decrease in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). However, no studies have reported the effect of ARBs on PSA variability in patients without a history of prostate cancer. Therefore, we conducted a population-based, retrospective study to determine whether ARBs have an inhibitory effect on elevated PSA levels in Japanese patients without a history of prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted using a large-scale Japanese claim database, including male patients aged ≥60 years who had two or more PSA measurements with an interval between measurements of 3 months to 2 years between April 2008 and June 2019. Patients who had been prescribed ARBs were grouped into the ARB group, and those who were prescribed antihypertensive drugs other than ARBs were grouped into the non-ARB group. We compared the proportions of patients with second PSA levels greater than the first. The numbers of eligible patients in the ARB and non-ARB groups were 777 and 527, respectively. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the proportion of patients with elevated PSA levels was significantly lower in the ARB group than in the non-ARB group (adjusted odds ratio=0.80, 95% confidence interval=0.64-0.99, p=0.047). CONCLUSION: ARBs may suppress elevated PSA levels in patients without a history of prostate cancer. This contributes to the prevention of prostate cancer.

Short-term outcomes of endoscopic resection for colorectal neuroendocrine tumors: Japanese multicenter prospective C-NET STUDY.

OBJECTIVES: The incidence of colorectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has increased with colorectal cancer screening programs and increased colonoscopies. The management of colorectal NETs has recently shifted from radical surgery to endoscopic resection. We aimed to evaluate the short-term outcomes of various methods of endoscopic resection for colorectal NETs. METHODS: Among those registered in the C-NET STUDY, patients with colorectal NETs who underwent endoscopic treatment as the initial therapy were included. Short-term outcomes, such as the en bloc resection rate and R0 resection (en bloc resection with tumor-free margin) rate, were analyzed based on treatment modalities. RESULTS: A total of 472 patients with 477 colorectal NETs received endoscopic treatment. Of these, 418 patients with 421 lesions who met the eligibility criteria were included in the analysis. The median age of the patients was 55 years, and 56.9% of them were men. The lower rectum was the most commonly affected site (88.6%), and lesions <10 mm accounted for 87% of the cases. Endoscopic submucosal resection with a ligation device (ESMR-L, 56.5%) was the most common method, followed by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD, 31.4%) and endoscopic mucosal resection using a cap (EMR-C, 8.5%). R0 resection rates <10 mm were 95.5%, 94.8%, and 94.3% for ESMR-L, ESD, and EMR-C, respectively. All 16 (3.8%) patients who developed treatment-related complications could be treated conservatively. Overall, 23 (5.5%) patients had incomplete resection without independent clinicopathological risk factors. CONCLUSION: ESMR-L, ESD, and EMR-C were equally effective and safe for colorectal NETs with a diameter <10 mm.

Association of PSA variability with prostate cancer development using large-scale medical information data: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men worldwide and the fourth most common cause of death. The number of prostate cancer cases and deaths is increasing every year because of population aging. This study aimed to clarify the risk of developing prostate cancer due to fluctuations in Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) levels in patients without a history of prostate cancer using large medical information data. RESULTS: This retrospective cohort included 1707 male patients aged 60 years or older who had a PSA level measurement date (2-PSA) within 3 months or more and 2 years from the first PSA level measurement date (1-PSA) in the database between 2008 and 2019. We subtracted 1-PSA from 2-PSA and designated patients with a higher 2-PSA than 1-PSA to the "up" group (n = 967) and patients with a lower 2-PSA than 1-PSA to the "down" group (n = 740). By using Cox proportional hazards model, a significant increase in prostate cancer risk was observed in the up group compared with the down group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.21-2.72; adjusted for patient background factors). Subgroup analysis showed that patients with PSA levels < 4 ng/mL had a significantly increased risk of developing prostate cancer if the next PSA level increases by approximately 20% (adjusted HR = 2.94, 95% CI = 1.14-7.58), and patients with PSA levels of 4 ng/mL or higher if the next PSA level is decreased by approximately 20% had a significantly reduced risk of developing prostate cancer (adjusted HR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.18-0.74), compared to that with no change. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to clarify the association between PSA variability and risk of developing prostate cancer in patients without a history of prostate cancer. These results suggest that the suppression of elevated PSA levels may lead to the prevention of prostate cancer and that it would be better to perform a biopsy because the risk of developing prostate cancer may increase in the future if the PSA value increases above a certain level.