BRCA genes as candidates for colorectal cancer genetic testing panel: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA) mutation carriers are at an increased risk for breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancers. However, the role of BRCA is unclear in colorectal cancer; the results regarding the association between BRCA gene mutations and colorectal cancer risk are inconsistent and even controversial. This study aimed to investigate whether BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations are associated with colorectal cancer risk. METHODS: In this systematic review, we searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Library databases, adhering to PRISMA guidelines. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) were used to estimate the probability of Breast Cancer Type 1 Susceptibility gene (BRCA1) and Breast Cancer Type 2 Susceptibility gene (BRCA2) mutations in colorectal cancer patients. The associations were evaluated using fixed effect models. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were included in the systematic review. Twelve studies, including seven case-control and five cohort studies, were included in the meta-analysis. A significant increase in the frequency of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations was observed in patients with colorectal cancer [OR = 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02-1.76, P = 0.04]. In subgroup analysis, colorectal cancer patients had an increased odds of BRCA1 (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.10-2.01, P = 0.01) and BRCA2 (OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.06-2.30, P = 0.02) mutations. CONCLUSIONS: BRCA genes are one of the genes that may increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer. Thus, BRCA genes could be potential candidates that may be included in the colorectal cancer genetic testing panel.

Diagnostic Value of Inflammation-Related Indicators in Distinguishing Early Colon Cancer and Adenomatous Polyps.

BACKGROUND: There are few clinical symptoms in early colorectal cancer, so it is necessary to find a simple and economical tumor detection index for auxiliary diagnosis. This study aims to explore the diagnostic value of preoperative inflammation-related indicators, such as neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet count, platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLA), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), for early colorectal cancer, and determine whether inflammation-related indicators can provide more accurate diagnostic judgment for patients. METHODS: This study was a retrospective study. Patients who were first diagnosed with colorectal cancer or colorectal adenomatous polyp at Beijing Friendship Hospital from October 2016 to October 2017 were retrospectively collected. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 342 patients were included, including 216 patients with colorectal cancer and 126 patients with colorectal adenomatous polyp. Fasting venous blood and other clinical features were collected to compare the differences between colorectal cancer and colorectal adenoma. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in age, carcinoembryonic antigen, albumin, hemoglobin, mean platelet volume, lymphocyte, monocyte, NLR, PLA, SII, and mean platelet volume to platelet count ratio between colorectal cancer group and colorectal adenoma group (P < .05), and a Nomogram model was established. Using inflammatory markers to differentiate colorectal and colorectal polyps produced greater AUC than using tumor markers alone (.846 vs .695). CONCLUSION: Inflammation-related indicators, such as lymphocyte, monocyte, and mean platelet volume, may serve as potential indicators to assist in the diagnosis of early colorectal cancer.

Sarcobesity, but not visceral fat, is an independent risk factor for complications after radical resection of colorectal cancer.

Background: The influence of body composition on the outcome of colorectal cancer surgery is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of visceral obesity and sarcobesity on the incidence of total and surgical complications after radical resection of colorectal cancer. Methods: We collected a total of 426 patients who underwent elective radical resection of colorectal cancer at Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2017 to May 2018. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 387 patients were finally included. A CT scan at the level of the L3-L4 intervertebral disk was selected to measure the values of visceral fat area and skeletal muscle area. Multivariate analysis was used to explore the independent risk/protective factors affecting postoperative complications. Results: 128 (33.1%) patients developed complications, and 44 (11.4%) patients developed major complications. Among them, 111 patients developed surgical complications and 21 developed medical complications. Visceral fat area (Z = -3.271, p = 0.001), total fat area (Z = -2.613, p = 0.009), visceral fat area to subcutaneous fat area ratio (V/S, Z = -2.633, p = 0.008), and sarcobesity index (Z = -2.282, p = 0.023) were significantly associated with total complications. Visceral fat area (Z = -2.119, p = 0.034) and V/S (Z = -2.010, p = 0.044) were significantly associated with total surgical complications. Sarcobesity index, smoking, stoma, blood loss, surgery time, and American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score were selected as risk factors for total postoperative complications according to LASSO regression. Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that sarcobesity index was an independent risk factor for postoperative total complications and surgical complications. Subgroup analysis suggested that albumin level was an independent protective factor for postoperative total complications in male patients. Smoking, operative time, and sarcobesity index were independent risk factors, and cholesterol was an independent protective factor for total postoperative complications in female patients. Conclusion: Increased sarcobesity index is an independent risk factor for postoperative complications in patients with colorectal cancer, while visceral fat area is not. For female patients, smoking, operation time, and obesity index are independent risk factors for postoperative complications, while cholesterol is an independent protective factor. For male patients, serum albumin is an independent protective factor for postoperative complications.

Impact of preoperative biliary drainage on postoperative complications and prognosis after pancreaticoduodenectomy: A single-center retrospective cohort study.

Background and objectives: Obstructive jaundice is common in patients with pancreaticobiliary malignancies. Preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) can alleviate cholestasis; however, no consensus has been reached on the impact of PBD on the incidence of surgery-related complications and patient survival. This study aimed to evaluate the effect among patients treated with PBD. Methods: This retrospective study examined the clinical and follow-up prognostic data of 160 patients with pancreaticobiliary malignancies who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) at Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, from January 2016 to July 2020. Outcomes were compared between patients who underwent PBD (PBD group) and those who did not (control group). Changes in biochemical indicators were evaluated before and after drainage in the PBD group. Between-group differences in inflammatory indicators after PD were assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Postoperative complications were classified according to the Clavien-Dindo classification system. The effects of PBD and biliary drainage efficiency on postoperative complications were evaluated using the chi-square test and binary logistics regression. The Kaplan-Meier analysis was used for between-group comparison of survival analysis. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors of survival. Results: Total 160 patients were enrolled,the mean age of the study sample was 62.75 ± 6.75 years. The distribution of pancreaticobiliary malignancies was as follows: 34 cases of pancreatic head cancer, 61 cases of distal bile duct cancer, 20 cases of duodenal papilla cancer, 39 cases of duodenal ampullary cancer, and 6 cases of malignant intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN). PBD was performed in 90 of the 160 patients, with PBD performed using an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) approach in 55 patients and with percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC) used in the remaining 35 cases. The mean duration of drainage in the PBD group was 12.8 ± 8.8 days. The overall rate of complications was 48.05% (37/77) in the control group and 65.55% (59/90) in the PBD group with non-significant difference (χ2 = 3.527, p=0.473). In logsitics regression analysis, PBD was also not a risk factor for postoperative complications OR=1.77, p=0.709). The overall rate of postoperative complications was significantly higher among patients who underwent PBD for >2 weeks (χ2 = 6.102, p=0.013), with the rate of severe complications also being higher for this subgroup of PBD patients (χ2 = 4.673, p=0.03). The overall survival time was 47.9 ± 2.45 months, with survival being slightly lower in the PBD group (43.61 ± 3.26 months) than in the control group (52.24 ± 3.54 months), although this difference was not significant (hazard ratio (HR)=0.65, p=0.104). Conclusion: In patients with malignant biliary obstruction, PBD does not affect the incidence of postoperative complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy nor does it affect patient survival. Prolonged biliary drainage (>2 weeks) may increase the incidence of overall postoperative complications and severe complications.