Efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization with drug-eluting beads combined with systemic chemotherapy and targeted therapy in colorectal cancer liver metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Systemic therapy is the standard treatment for unresectable colorectal cancer with liver metastasis (CRCLM). Transarterial chemoembolization with drug-eluting beads (DEB-TACE) is considered an effective treatment option for CRCLM. Few studies have investigated the combination of DEB-TACE, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy for CRCLM. In the present study, we evaluated the disease control rate (DCR), adverse events, and survival among patients with CRCLM who underwent the combination of DEB-TACE and chemotherapy/targeted therapy. MATERIALS: We retrospectively reviewed 35 patients with CRCLM who were treated between January 2015 and January 2021. Standard systemic chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and 66 DEB-TACE procedures were administered. Data were collected on each DEB-TACE procedure, including chemotherapy agents, tumor burden of liver metastasis, number of DEB-TACE courses, and adverse events. Patients who received DEB-TACE after failure of first-line systemic therapy were categorized into the first-line failure group. Patients who received DEB-TACE after the failure of second-line, third-line, or fourth-line therapy were categorized into the other group. Subgroup analysis was performed to compare overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between the two groups. RESULTS: In total, 35 patients with CRCLM (34 patients with adenocarcinoma and 1 patient with neuroendocrine carcinoma) were enrolled. In total, 13 patients (37.1%) had extrahepatic metastases at initial diagnosis. In this study, 66 DEB-TACE procedures were performed. The DCR was 54.3%. The median OS period was 47.4 months, and the estimated 3-year OS rate was 59.5%. The median PFS period was 6.3 months, and the estimated 1-year PFS rate was 20.6%. The PFS period was longer in the first-line failure group than in the other group (7.2 vs. 6.3 months). No significant difference was observed in OS between the two groups. Four episodes (6.1%) of grade 3 intra-abdominal infection were observed. CONCLUSION: The combination of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and DEB-TACE can lead to a favorable DCR and survival outcomes in patients with CRCLM. Early intervention with DEB-TACE (i.e., after the failure of first-line therapy) has the potential to extend the PFS period in patients with CRCLM. Severe adverse events were rare and manageable. Further prospective, randomized controlled studies are warranted to obtain more conclusive findings.

The Impact of Transpancreatic Precut Sphincterotomy on the Quality of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in a Low-Volume Setting.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although quality improvement is crucial for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a low practice volume can pose challenges to achieving high-quality bile duct cannulation. Transpancreatic precut sphincterotomy (TPS) has been proven effective for advanced cannulation. However, existing data mainly come from skilled endoscopists in large medical centers. The impact of TPS on ERCP quality in a lower-volume setting deserves investigation. METHODS: Our hospital performs approximately 200 ERCPs annually, with one expert performing approximately half of them and three nonexpert endoscopists sharing the remaining cases. TPS was started and became our predominant advanced cannulation technique in April 2016. We retrospectively reviewed ERCP cases three years before and after the introduction of TPS. The primary endpoints of the study were the differences in two ERCP quality indicators, the bile duct cannulation rate and the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP). RESULTS: A total of 701 ERCP cases with naïve papilla were analyzed, with 350 patients treated before the introduction of TPS and 351 patients treated afterward. The successful cannulation rate was significantly improved (before: 87.4%, after: 92.3%, P=0.032), while the incidence of PEP decreased, but not significantly (before: 4.0%, after: 2.8%, P=0.402). All endoscopists benefited from utilizing TPS, with nonexperts demonstrating a significantly higher improvement in the cannulation rate (before: 85.5%, after: 93.1%, P=0.019). CONCLUSIONS: TPS can effectively enhance the quality of ERCP irrespective of practice volume.

Real-World Outcomes of First-Line FOLFIRI Plus Bevacizumab with Irinotecan Dose Escalation versus FOLFOXIRI Plus Bevacizumab in BRAFV600E-Mutant Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: The Preliminary Data from a Single-Center Observational Study.

Background and Objectives: Approximately 5-10% of all patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) harbor a BRAFV600E mutation. These patients exhibit distinct metastatic patterns, poor prognosis, and heterogenous survival outcomes. The findings from the TRIBE study indicated that the administration of FOLFOXIRI plus bevacizumab as first-line treatment extended the median duration of overall survival (OS). In this study, we explored the effects of UGT1A1 polymorphism on the outcomes of irinotecan dose escalation versus FOLFOXIRI plus bevacizumab in patients with BRAFV600E-mutant mCRC. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 25 patients who had received a diagnosis of BRAFV600E-mutant mCRC between October 2015 and August 2022. All patients underwent UGT1A1 genotyping before receiving bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS), and secondary endpoints were OS and adverse events (AEs). The two treatment arms were compared in terms of 6-month PFS and 12-month OS. Results: Over a median follow-up duration of 15.0 (interquartile range, 10.0-30.5) months, no significant differences were noted between the treatment arms in severe AEs (SAEs), 6-month PFS, or 12-month OS (all p < 0.05). Regarding AEs, the FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab regimen was associated with a lower incidence of anorexia than was the FOLFOXIRI plus bevacizumab regimen (p = 0.042). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab with irinotecan dose escalation is an effective first-line treatment regimen for patients with BRAFV600E-mutant mCRC. This regimen leads to acceptable clinical outcomes with manageable AEs. However, the effects on survival and safety outcomes could only be speculated, and further studies are needed because of the sample size, the follow-up for the OS evaluation, and the non-uniformity in all the variables considered in the two groups.

Clinical and cost-effectiveness analysis of mFOLOFX6 with or without a targeted drug among patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: inverse probability of treatment weighting.

This study investigated the cost-effectiveness and quality of life (QoL) within 1 year of receiving mFOLOFX6 with or without a targeted drug (bevacizumab or ramucirumab) as second-line treatment among patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) following the failure of FOLFIRI + bevacizumab as first-line treatment. This prospective cohort study included patients who received a diagnosis of mCRC between March 2015 and May 2020. QoL was evaluated before treatment and at 6 months and 1 year posttreatment. All related variables were controlled using the inverse probability of treatment weighting method. Generalized estimating equations with the difference-in-difference method was used to explore changes in QoL. The incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR) of the two groups was simulated using the annual-cycle Markov decision tree model. Finally, 39 and 76 patients were included in the targeted and nontargeted agent groups, respectively. At 6 months after treatment, QoL of the two groups improved significantly, but the targeted agent group had significantly better QoL than did the nontargeted agent group at 1 year posttreatment (P < 0.05). When the time frame was set to 20 years, the ICUR of the targeted agent group compared with the nontargeted agent group was US$32,052 per quality-adjusted life years. Addition of a targeted drug to the second-line mFOLOFX6 regimen not only improved the patients' QoL but was also more cost effective when the willingness-to-pay threshold was set at US$33,004 (the per capita gross domestic product of Taiwan). These patients should be reimbursed for these targeted agents by the National Health Insurance scheme in Taiwan.

The Auxiliary Effects of Low-Molecular-Weight Fucoidan in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Before Surgery: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study.

Patients with cancer use low-molecular-weight fucoidan (LMF) as a supplement to therapy. However, most studies of LMF are in vitro or conducted using animals. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the gold standard for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). This study investigated the quality of life (QoL) and clinical outcomes of patients with LARC taking LMF as a supplement to neoadjuvant CCRT. This was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. The sample comprised 87 patients, of whom 44 were included in a fucoidan group and 43 were included in a placebo group. We compared their QoL scores and clinical outcomes before treatment, and at 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months posttreatment. Pretreatment and posttreatment gut microbiota differences were also compared. Although enhanced physical well-being (PWB) at 2 months and 3 months posttreatment in the fucoidan group were observed (both P < .0125), the improvements of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for Patients with Colorectal Cancer (FACT-C) were nonsignificant (all P > .0125). Skin rash and itching and fatigue were less common in the fucoidan group (both P < .05). Posttreatment, the genus Parabacteroides was significantly more common in the gut microbiota of the fucoidan group. LMF administration improved the QoL, skin rash and itching, fatigue, and gut microbiota composition of the patients with LARC receiving CCRT.Clinical Trial Registration: NCT04342949.

Unknown­primary neuroendocrine neoplasms diagnosed by short­acting somatostatin test: Case series in one institution.

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are a rare heterogeneous group of neoplasms that arise from neuroendocrine cells. Unknown-primary NENs (UP-NENs) are particularly challenging to diagnose and treat. Techniques such as immunohistochemical stains, functional imaging studies, and molecular cancer classifier assays may help clinicians identify the origin of a tumor. However, numerous medical facilities lack the necessary medical equipment, such as functional imaging scanning, to provide patients with a complete primary tumor survey. Even these tests are not enough to determine the original tumor in some cases. The present case series described the diagnosis and treatment outcomes of patients with UP-NEN in a single institution. The medical records of four patients treated between November 2012 and January 2022 were retrospectively reviewed and clinical symptoms, diagnostic methods, image findings and treatment modalities were considered. All patients were diagnosed having functional UP-NENs by using a short-acting somatostatin test. These patients were treated with long-acting release somatostatin analogs along with a positive result. Short-acting somatostatin is an alternatively simple method to determine if a patient has UP-NENs that are functional or expresses somatostatin receptors in the absence of imaging scanning.

Efficacy of concurrent radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer and synchronous metastasis receiving systemic therapy.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision is the standard treatment for patients with nonmetastatic locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). However, for patients with LARC and synchronous metastasis, the optimal treatment strategy and sequence remain inconclusive. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of concurrent radiotherapy in patients with de novo metastatic rectal cancer who received chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 63 patients with LARC and synchronous metastasis who received intensive therapy at the study hospital between April 2015 and November 2018. The included patients were divided into two groups: RT-CT, those who received systemic chemotherapy with targeted therapy and concurrent radiotherapy (for primary rectal cancer), and CT, those who received only systemic chemotherapy with targeted therapy. Results: Treatment response was better in the RT-CT group than in the CT group. The rate of primary tumor resection (PTR) was higher in the RT-CT group than in the CT group (71.4% and 42.9%, respectively; P = .0286). The RT-CT group exhibited considerably longer local recurrence-free survival (P = .0453) and progression-free survival (PFS; from 13.3 to 22.5 months) than did the CT group (P = .0091); however, the groups did not differ in terms of overall survival (OS; P = .49). Adverse events were almost similar between the groups, except frequent diarrhea, the prevalence of which was higher in the RT-CT group than in the CT group (59.5% and 23.8%, respectively; P = .0075). Conclusions: In the era of biologics, radiotherapy may increase the resectability of primary rectal tumors, reducing the risk of locoregional failure and prolonging PFS. Concurrent pelvic radiotherapy may not substantially improve OS, which is indicated by metastasis. Hence, the resection of the distant metastases may be essential for improving long-term OS. To further determine the efficacy of concurrent radiotherapy, additional prospective, randomized studies must combine preoperative pelvic radiotherapy with PTR and metastectomy to treat patients with stage IV LARC.

Identifying and clinically validating biomarkers for immunotherapy in colorectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of death. For three decades, chemotherapy with or without targeted therapy (provided before or after tumor resection surgery) has been the standard treatment for patients with CRC. Biomarkers are key tools for performing early detection, prognostication, and survival and treatment response predictions. Notably, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed prognoses for solid tumors (including CRC). AREA COVERED: Although immunotherapy has developed considerably, it is only effective for a small number of microsatellite instability-high (MSIH) cancer cases; such cases represent only 5% of metastatic CRC (mCRC) cases, which are characterized by an immune-inflamed microenvironment that can be rewired against cancer cells through ICI administration. Immunotherapy research is gradually uncovering the mechanism underlying immune resistance in patients with CRC and discovering new biomarkers. For example, studies have clinically validated the associations of deficient mismatch repair system/microsatellite instability, tumor mutation burden, programmed death ligand 1 expression, and polymerase epsilon with CRC in patients undergoing immunotherapy. EXPERT OPINIONS: Clinical trials documenting the effect of immune checkpoints were performed to produce long-lasting effects for patients with mCRC. Consequently, therapeutic decision-making models are further refined by the inclusion of powerful molecular biomarkers in patients with CRC.

Clinicopathological Features and Oncological Outcomes of Early and Late Recurrence in Stage III Colorectal Cancer Patients after Adjuvant Oxaliplatin-Based Therapy.

Aims: An adjuvant oxaliplatin-based regimen is the standard of care for patients with stage III colorectal cancer (CRC). Few reports have compared the clinicopathological features and oncological outcomes of such treatment between patients with early (≤1 year) and late recurrence (>1 year). Methods: Between January 2012 and December 2019, CRC recurred in 128 (24.1%) of 531 patients with consecutive stage III CRC after they received curative resection and an adjuvant oxaliplatin-based regimen. The clinicopathological features and oncological outcomes of the 128 patients were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The median follow-up period after the first chemotherapy cycle was 35.0 months (range, 7-100.9), and the median recurrence time was 16.1 months. Forty-seven patients (36.7%) had an early recurrence and eighty-one patients (63.3%) had a late recurrence. Compared with patients with late recurrence, those with early recurrence were mostly younger (median: 58 vs. 64 years, p=0.009), had less oxaliplatin-based therapy cycles (median: 8 vs. 12 cycles, p < 0.001), and had a shorter overall survival time (median: 23.3 vs. 39.7 months, p < 0.001). The area under the curve of patient age and chemotherapy cycles for predicting early recurrence was 0.629 and 0.705 (p=0.015 and p < 0.001), respectively. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that the cutoff level for patient age was 57 years and the number of chemotherapy cycles was 8. A multivariate analysis revealed that patient age ≤57 years and oxaliplatin-based therapy ≤8 cycles were independent risk factors for early recurrence (odds ratio (OR) = 3.049, p=0.022; OR = 4.995, p=0.002). These factors were associated with an approximately 77.8% risk of recurrence within 1 year, compared with the 21.5% risk associated with patient age >57 years and oxaliplatin-based therapy >8 cycles (p = 0.003). Conclusion: Patients with early recurrence had poorer survival than those with late recurrence. If >8 cycles of oxaliplatin-based therapy can be administered without disease progression, then patients with stage III CRC would have a lower risk of early recurrence.

Comprehensive Review of Biomarkers for the Treatment of Locally Advanced Colon Cancer.

Despite the implementation of global screening programs, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. More than 10% of patients with colon cancer are diagnosed as having locally advanced disease with a relatively poor five-year survival rate. Locally advanced colon cancer (LACC) presents surgical challenges to R0 resection. The advantages and disadvantages of preoperative radiotherapy for LACC remain undetermined. Although several reliable novel biomarkers have been proposed for the prediction and prognosis of CRC, few studies have focused solely on the treatment of LACC. This comprehensive review highlights the role of predictive biomarkers for treatment and postoperative oncological outcomes for patients with LACC. Moreover, this review discusses emerging needs and approaches for the discovery of biomarkers that can facilitate the development of new therapeutic targets and surveillance of patients with LACC.

Factors Associated with the Patient/Client Use of Report Cards, Physician Rating Websites, Social Media, and Google for Hospital and Physician Selection: A Nationwide Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the factors associated with the different uses of report cards, physician rating websites, social media, and Google, including awareness, physician finding, and decision-making based on reviews from the patient/client perspective. METHODS: We used computer-assisted telephone interviews to conduct a nationwide representative survey in Taiwan. RESULTS: The urbanization level of the area, income, and long-term health conditions were not associated with the three kinds of usage of the websites studied. Seeking health information was an important factor in the three kinds of website use. The employment industry was associated with awareness, and education level was associated with physician seeking and actions based on reviews. CONCLUSIONS: Different factors influenced the three kinds of usage: awareness, actual use (i.e., finding an appropriate physician), and decision-making based on reviews. Seeking health information is of primary importance regardless of how the websites are used. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Policy-makers should focus on educating individuals working outside the health care sector to increase awareness of these websites and to assist individuals with low levels of education in increasing their use of these websites.

The effect of a pay-for-performance program on health-related quality of life for patients with hepatitis in Taiwan.

PURPOSE: Chronic viral hepatitis is a major global public health problem. The guidelines suggest the long-term performance of regular ongoing liver examinations to monitor liver inflammation and screen for hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the effects of regular liver examinations on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) have not been adequately evaluated. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of regular ongoing examinations on the quality of life of patients with hepatitis. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October to December 2016 in four hospitals in northern Taiwan. A hepatitis pay-for-performance (P4P) program was launched in 2010 to ensure that hepatitis patients have regular ongoing liver examinations. The study group consisted of patients who joined and stayed in the program for more than one year. The study assessed HRQoL utilizing the five-level version of the EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D-5L) and the EuroQoL visual analog scale (EQ-VAS). The responses for the EQ-5D-5L in hepatitis patients were transformed into the EQ-5D index according to the Taiwanese population's value set. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were collected by questionnaire, and descriptive statistics were presented. A two-part model and generalized linear model with a Poisson distribution and a log link function, respectively, were used to examine the associations of the EQ-5D index and EQ-VAS score with participation in the hepatitis P4P program. We applied propensity score weighting with inverse probability weighting to control for selection bias. RESULTS: In all, 508 patients (aged 57.6 ± 11.6 years; 60.8% male) were enrolled in this study. The mean (standard deviation, SD) reported EQ-5D index and EQ-VAS scores were 0.93 (0.12) and 75.1 (13.8), and the median (interquartile range, IQR) values were 1 (0.108) and 80 (15), respectively. The study group had a moderately significantly higher EQ-VAS score (mean ratio = 1.029, P < 0.001). However, the differences in the EQ-5D index scores between the study and control groups were not significant. CONCLUSION: Patients with hepatitis partially benefited from receiving hepatitis P4P in Taiwan, which featured regular ongoing liver examinations, in that their EQ-VAS scores were enhanced but not their EQ-5D index scores.

MicroRNA-148a induces apoptosis and prevents angiogenesis with bevacizumab in colon cancer through direct inhibition of ROCK1/c-Met via HIF-1α under hypoxia.

Angiogenesis and antiapoptosis effects are the major factors influencing malignancy progression. Hypoxia induces multiple mechanisms involving microRNA (miRNA) activity. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is correlated with angiogenesis. An antiapoptotic factor, myeloid leukemia 1 (Mcl-1) is the main regulator of cell death. This study examined the role of miR-148a in inhibiting VEGF and Mcl-1 secretion by directly targeting ROCK1/c-Met by downregulating HIF-1α under hypoxia. The protein expression of ROCK1 or Met/HIF-1α/Mcl-1 in HCT116 and HT29 cells (all P < 0.05) was significantly reduced by miR-148a. The tube-formation assay revealed that miR-148a significantly suppressed angiogenesis and synergistically enhanced the effects of bevacizumab (both P < 0.05). The MTT assay revealed the inhibitory ability of miR-148a in HCT116 and HT29 cells (both P < 0.05). miR-148a and bevacizumab exerted synergistic antitumorigenic effects (P < 0.05) in an animal model. Serum miR-148a expression of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients with a partial response was higher than that of mCRC patients with disease progression (P = 0.026). This result revealed that miR-148a downregulated HIF-1α/VEGF and Mcl-1 by directly targeting ROCK1/c-Met to decrease angiogenesis and increase the apoptosis of colon cancer cells. Furthermore, serum miR-148a levels have prognostic/predictive value in patients with mCRC receiving bevacizumab.

Role of non-coding RNAs in radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer: A narrative review.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a global public health concern because of its high prevalence and mortality. Although radiotherapy is a key method for treating CRC, radioresistance is an obstacle to radiotherapy use. The molecular mechanisms underlying the radioresistance of CRC remain unclear. Increasing evidence has revealed the multiple regulatory functions of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in numerous malignancies, including CRC. Several ncRNAs have been reported to be involved in the determination of radiosensitivity of CRC cells, and some have excellent potential to be prognostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets in CRC treatment. The present review discusses the biological functions and underlying mechanisms of ncRNAs (primarily lncRNA, miRNA, and circRNA) in the regulation of the radiosensitivity of CRC. We also evaluate studies that examined ncRNAs as biomarkers of response to radiation and as therapeutic targets for enhancing radiosensitivity.

Irinotecan dose reduction in metastatic colorectal cancer patients with homozygous UGT1A1*28 polymorphism: a single-center case series.

OBJECTIVE: The UGT1A1*28 polymorphism reduces UGT1A1 enzymatic activity, which may increase the risk of severe toxicity in patients who receive standard-dose irinotecan, such as severe neutropenia and diarrhea. This real-world study assessed the optimal irinotecan dose in terms of efficacy and toxicity in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients homozygous for the UGT1A1*28 polymorphism and receiving FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab or cetuximab as first-line therapy. METHODS: We analyzed toxicity and treatment outcomes in seven mCRC patients who were homozygous for UGT1A1*28 and received FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab or cetuximab, with an initial irinotecan dose of 120 mg/m2. RESULTS: Six of the seven patients tolerated 120 mg/m2 irinotecan without requiring dose reductions in subsequent cycles. The overall response and disease control rates were 43.0% (3/7) and 71.4% (5/7), respectively. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 11.0 and 33.0 months, respectively. Only one severe adverse event, grade III neutropenia (2.5%), was observed. CONCLUSIONS: mCRC patients homozygous for the UGT1A1*28 allele can tolerate irinotecan at an initial dose of 120 mg/m2 with favorable oncological outcomes and toxicity profiles. Further prospective studies are warranted to optimize irinotecan-based chemotherapy in these patients.

Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer: Where Are We at?

Locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) has a poor prognosis with surgical resection alone, and neoadjuvant treatment has been recommended to improve surgical and oncological outcomes. Although neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been established to be effective for LAGC, the role of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) remains under investigation. Clinical experience and research evidence on esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma (e.g., cardia gastric cancers) indicate that the likelihood of achieving sustainable local control is higher through NCRT than through resection alone. Furthermore, NCRT also has an acceptable treatment-related toxicity and adverse event profile. In particular, it increases the likelihood of achieving an R0 resection and a pathological complete response (pCR). Moreover, NCRT results in higher overall and recurrence-free survival rates than surgery alone; however, evidence on the survival benefits of NCRT versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) remains conflicting. For noncardia gastric cancer, the efficacy of NCRT has mostly been reported in retrospective studies, and several large clinical trials are ongoing. Consequently, NCRT might play a more essential role in unresectable LAGC, for which NCT alone may not be adequate to attain disease control. The continual improvements in systemic treatments, radiotherapy techniques, and emerging biomarkers can also lead to improved personalized therapy for NCRT. To elucidate the contributions of NCRT to gastric cancer treatment in the future, the efficacy, potential toxicity, predictive biomarkers, and clinical considerations for implementing NCRT in different types of LAGC were reviewed.

Comparison of Next-Generation Sequencing and Polymerase Chain Reaction for Personalized Treatment-Related Genomic Status in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

Personalized treatments based on the genetic profiles of tumors can simultaneously optimize efficacy and minimize toxicity, which is beneficial for improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to integrate gene alterations associated with predictive and prognostic outcomes in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in-house next-generation sequencing (NGS) to detect KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF mutations. In the present study, 41 patients with mCRC were assessed between August 2017 and June 2019 at a single institution. The overall concordance between NGS and PCR results for detecting KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF mutations was considerably high (87.8-92.7%), with only 15 discrepant results between PCR and NGS. Our companion diagnostic test analyzes KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF as a panel of CRC molecular targets; therefore, it has the advantages of requiring fewer specimens and being more time and cost efficient than conventional testing for separate analyses, allowing for the simultaneous analysis of multiple genes.

Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Peritoneal Metastasis-Only Colorectal Cancer Treated with First-Line Bevacizumab and FOLFIRI Through Irinotecan Dose Escalation According to UGT1A1 Polymorphism: Compared to Liver Metastasis-Only, and Lung Metastasis-Only.

Background: The prognosis of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) depends on the metastatic site and systemic therapy regimen. Peritoneal metastases are associated with a relatively unfavorable prognosis among patients with mCRC. In this article, we present the treatment outcomes of patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC)-only, liver metastasis (LiM)-only, and lung metastasis (LuM)-only CRC. Methods: Overall, 206 mCRC patients with single-site metastasis and who had received treatment from January 2014 to December 2018 were recruited. Among 206 patients with mCRC, 15 had PC-only mCRC, 145 had LiM-only mCRC, and 46 had LuM-only mCRC. They attended regular follow-ups until November 2020, and the median follow-up period was 24.7 months (5.1-41.3 months). Patients' characteristics, including clinical data, gene mutation profiles, and clinical outcomes, were evaluated. All patients with PC-only CRC were treated with first-line bevacizumab and FOLFIRI, and the irinotecan dose escalation depended on UGT1A1 polymorphism. Results: Of the 206 patients, no statistical difference was observed between the PC-only, LiM-only, and LuM-only groups in terms of age, primary tumor location, RAS mutation status, BRAF mutation status, and epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression (all P > 0.05). Patients with PC-only CRC had a median progression-free survival (mPFS) of 18.0 months and a median overall survival (mOS) of 24.6 months. Patients with LiM-only or LuM-only CRC had mPFS of 18.2 and 26.6 months and mOS of 25.0 and 44.5 months, respectively. No significant differences regarding PFS and OS (both P > 0.05) between the three groups of patients with mCRC were observed. Conclusion: Our study revealed that in patients with PC-only mCRC treatment of first-line bevacizumab and FOLFIRI through irinotecan dose escalation according to UGT1A1 polymorphism could confer such patients with comparable outcomes to that of patients with LiM-only and LuM-only mCRC.

Metformin Enhancement of Therapeutic Effects of 5-Fluorouracil and Oxaliplatin in Colon Cancer Cells and Nude Mice.

Studies have demonstrated that metformin has antitumor effects in addition to therapeutic effects on hyperglycemia; however, few studies have explored the effects of metformin in chemotherapy. Therefore, we hypothesized that the administration of metformin would enhance the therapeutic effects of 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin (FuOx) to inhibit the growth of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells in vitro and in vivo. The results of our in vitro experiments demonstrated that metformin significantly increased the effects of FuOx with respect to cell proliferation (p < 0.05), colony formation (p < 0.05), and migration (p < 0.01) and induced cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase in HT29 cells and the S phase in SW480 and SW620 cells (p < 0.05). Flow cytometry analysis revealed that metformin combined with FuOx induced late apoptosis (p < 0.05) by mediating mitochondria-related Mcl-1 and Bim protein expression. Furthermore, in vivo, metformin combined with FuOx more notably reduced tumor volume than FuOx or metformin alone did in BALB/c mice (p < 0.05). These findings demonstrate that metformin may act as an adjunctive agent to enhance the chemosensitivity of CRC cells to FuOx. However, further clinical trials are warranted to validate the clinical implications of the findings.

Effectiveness and Cost-Utility Analysis of Different Doses of Irinotecan Plus Bevacizumab in Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Long-Term and Prospective Cohort Study.

Objective: Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) had oncological benefits with irinotecan dose escalation of FOLFIRI regimen combined with bevacizumab according to UGT1A1 genotypes in our previous study. In the current study, we performed a quality of life (QOL) outcome evaluation and cost-utility analysis of different irinotecan dose regimens in patients with mCRC. Materials and Methods: With inverse probability-of-treatment weighting (IPTW) matching on all covariates, 75 patients with dose escalation of irinotecan (study group) and 121 patients with the recommended dose of irinotecan (control group) were recruited between October 2015 and December 2019. The QOL outcome measures were Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colorectal, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and SF-36; cost-utility outcome measures were medical direct costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-utility ratios (ICURs). Results: All mCRC patients exhibited a significant decrease in both emotional wellbeing and depression from pretherapeutic period to posttherapeutic 6th month (P < 0.05); however, from the posttherapeutic 1st year to the 2nd year, improvement in most QOL measures was significantly better in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Over a 2-year time period, the study group had higher total medical direct costs than the control group (US$ 54,742 ± 14,013 vs. US$ 54,608 ± 9,673) and higher average QALYs gained (1.88 vs. 1.65), with an ICUR of US$ 583 per QALY gained. Conclusion: For patients with mCRC, irinotecan dose escalation appeared cost-effective with considerable QOL improvements during the study period. Further randomized, multi-institutional controlled trials are warranted to corroborate these results.