Assessing the effects of different types of environmental supervision policies on green economy efficiency of China.

Well-designed environmental regulatory tools are essential for environmental, economic, and social sustainability. This paper explores the effects of different types of environmental supervision policies on green economic efficiency in China from 2003 to 2021. In the first stage, the environmental supervision policies are divided into four types based on the governmental behavioral patterns and the composite index of environmental supervision policies is constructed based on multiple criteria, and the super-efficiency DEA-SBM model is used to measure green economic efficiency. In the second stage, the Tobit model is used to explore the effects of four different types of environmental supervision policies on green economic efficiency. The results show that: (1) Command policies inhibit green economic efficiency in the short term, while the long-term effect increases green economic efficiency. (2) Collaboration policies increase green economy efficiency from the second to the fifth year of implementation, but the subsequent long-term effects show a dampening effect. (3) Planning policies inhibit green economy efficiency in the short term, while they increase green economy efficiency after two years of implementation. (4) Guidance policies inhibit green economic efficiency in the short term but can enhance green economic efficiency after three years of implementation. The result provides theoretical guidance for the rational formulation and implementation of environmental supervision policies by environmental administrations in the future.

MicroRNA-26b suppresses the metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer by targeting MIEN1 via NF-κB/MMP-9/VEGF pathways.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in tumor initiation and progression. MiR-26b was reported to be significantly downregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the underlying mechanisms of miR-26b involvement in the development and progression of NSCLC remains poorly understood. In the present study, we report that miR-26b suppresses cell metastasis in NSCLC through targeting migration and invasion enhancer 1 (MIEN1). We found that miR-26b was significantly downregulated and MIEN1 was significantly upregulated in both NSCLC tissues and cells lines. The expression levels of miR-26b were negatively related to those of MIEN1 mRNA in clinical NSCLC tissues. Furthermore, MIEN1 was confirmed to be a direct target of miR-26b by dual-luciferase reporter assay and MIEN1 expression was downregulated by miR-26b in NSCLC cells. In terms of function, transwell and wound healing assays demonstrated that the miR-26b remarkably inhibited invasion and migration of NSCLC cells, which was simulated by siRNA knockdown of MIEN1 and reversed by pcDNA/MIEN1 overexpression of MIEN1. Finally, we found that miR-26b could regulate NF-κB/MMP-9/VEGF pathway in NSCLC cells. In conclusion, this study revealed that miR-26b suppresses NSCLC metastasis by targeting MIEN1 via NF-κB/MMP-9/VEGF pathways, implicating a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for NSCLC treatment.

Abnormal performance of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM): a case misdiagnosed as achalasia of cardia.

BACKGROUND: Pseudoachalasia is a rare disease that behaves similarly to achalasia (AC), making it sometimes difficult to differentiate. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of 49-year-old male with adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction misdiagnosed as achalasia. No obvious abnormalities were found in his initial examinations including upper digestive endoscopy, upper gastrointestinal imaging and chest computed tomography (CT). During the subsequent introduced-peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), it was found that the mucosal layer and the muscular layer had severe adhesion, which did not receive much attention, delayed the clear diagnosis and effect treatment, and ultimately led to a poor prognosis for the patient. CONCLUSIONS: This case suggests that when patients with AC found mucosal and muscular adhesions during POEM surgery, the possibility should be considered that the lesion may be caused by a malignant lesion.

A clinical nomogram for predicting occult lymph node metastasis in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer ≤2 cm.

OBJECTIVES: Sublobar resection has been shown to be feasible for non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC) <2 cm in size based on several prospective studies. However, the prognosis of clinical N0 patients who experience an N-stage upgrade after surgery [known as occult lymph node metastasis (OLM)] may be worse. The ability of predict OLM in patients eligible for sublobar resection remains a controversial issue. METHODS: Patients with NSCLC ≤2 cm in diameter and containing a solid component who underwent surgical treatment at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University were retrospectively enrolled, and 1:1 case matching was performed. The risk factors were identified through logistic regression analyses and theoretical criteria, followed by the development of a nomogram that was evaluated using 200 iterations of 10-fold cross-validation. RESULTS: After case matching, 130 pairs of patients were selected for modelling. According to the multivariable logistic regression analysis, the carcinoembryonic antigen level, consolidation tumour ratio, mean computed tomography number and tumour margin were included in the nomogram. The cross-validated average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was found to be 0.86. Furthermore, calibration curve and decision curve analyses demonstrated the excellent predictive accuracy and clinical utility of the nomogram respectively. CONCLUSIONS: By utilizing accessible characteristics, we developed a nomogram that predicts the probability of OLM in patients with NSCLC ≤2 cm with a solid component. Risk stratification with this nomogram could aid in surgical method decision-making. CLINICAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Not applicable.

Development and Validation of a CT-Radiomics Nomogram for the Diagnosis of Small Prevascular Mediastinal Nodules: Reducing Nontherapeutic Surgeries.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The preoperative diagnosis of small prevascular mediastinal nodules (SPMNs) presents a challenge, often leading to unnecessary surgical interventions. Our objective was to develop a nomogram based on preoperative CT-radiomics features, serving as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for SPMNs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with surgically resected SPMNs from two medical centers between January 2018 and December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Radiomics features were extracted and screened from preoperative CT images. Logistic regression was employed to establish clinical, radiomics, and hybrid models for differentiating thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) from cysts. The performance of these models was validated in both internal and external test sets by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), while also comparing their diagnostic capability with human experts. RESULTS: The study enrolled a total of 363 patients (median age, 53 years [IQR:45-59 years]; 175 [48.2%] males) for model development and validation, including 136 TETs and 227 cysts. Lesions' enhancement status, shape, calcification, and rad-score were identified as independent factors for distinction. The hybrid model demonstrated superior diagnostic performance compared to other models and human experts, with an AUC of 0.95 (95% CI:0.92-0.98), 0.94 (95% CI:0.89-0.99), and 0.93 (95% CI:0.83-1.00) in the training set, internal test set, and external test set respectively. The calibration curve of the model demonstrated excellent fit, while decision curve analysis underscored its clinical value. CONCLUSION: The radiomics-based nomogram effectively discriminates between the most prevalent types of SPMNs, namely TETs and cysts, thus presenting a promising tool for treatment guidance.

Development a m6A regulators characterized by the immune cell infiltration in stomach adenocarcinoma for predicting the prognosis and immunotherapy response.

N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) has attracted growing interest among scholars as an important regulator of mRNA expression. Although the significant role of m6A in multiple biological processes (like proliferation and growth of cancers) has been comprehensively described, an analysis of its possible role in stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) remains lacking. The data for RNA expression, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and copy number variation (CNV) were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Subsequently, 23 m6A regulators were curated, with patients being clustered into three m6A subtypes and m6A-related gene subtypes. Furthermore, they were compared based on overall survival (OS). This study also evaluates the association between m6A regulators and immune as well as response to the treatment. According to the TCGA-STAD cohort, three m6A clusters conformed to three phenotypes, immune-inflamed, immune-dessert, and immune-excluded, respectively. Patients who displayed lower m6A scores presented better overall survival outcomes. The GEO cohort demonstrated that those with a low m6A score had obvious general survival benefits and clinical advantages. Low m6A scores can carry the enhanced neoantigen loads, triggering an immune response. Meanwhile, three anti-PD-1 cohorts have confirmed the value of predicting survival outcomes. The results of this study indicate that m6A regulators are associated with TIME, and the m6A score is an efficient prognostic biomarker and predictive indicator for immunotherapy and chemotherapeutics. Moreover, comprehensive evaluations of m6A regulators in tumors will broaden our comprehension of TIME, efficiently guiding enhancing explorations on immunotherapy and chemotherapy strategies for STAD.

Association of survival with adjuvant radiotherapy for pN0 esophageal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to elucidate the link between adjuvant radiotherapy and survival in pathologic node-negative (pN0) esophageal cancer patients with upfront esophagectomy. METHODS: From 2000 to 2016, patients with pN0 esophageal cancer who underwent upfront esophagectomy were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The association of high-risk covariates with survival after adjuvant radiotherapy was evaluated using propensity score matching and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: We identified 3197 patients, 321 (10.0%) underwent postoperative radiotherapy and 2876 (90.0%) underwent esophagectomy alone. In the unmatched cohort, postoperative radiotherapy was associated with a statistically significant but modest absolute decrease in survival outcomes (P < 0.001). In the matched cohort, the survival differences disappeared. Additionally, adjuvant radiotherapy was linked to a 5-year overall survival (OS) benefit for patients with the pT3-4N0 disease (34.8% vs. 27.7%; P = 0.008). Adjuvant radiotherapy for pT3-4N0 disease with tumor length ≥3 cm, adenocarcinoma, and evaluated lymph node count <12 was shown to independently function as a risk factor for improved OS, as per a multivariate analysis (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This population-based trial showed that high-risk patients with pT3-4N0 esophageal cancer had better OS following upfront esophagectomy followed by radiotherapy therapy. This discovery may have major significance in the use of adjuvant radiotherapy following upfront esophagectomy in patients with pN0 esophageal cancer.

Short-term outcome of totally minimally invasive versus hybrid minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy.

OBJECTIVES: For resectable esophageal cancer, the choice of total minimally invasive esophagectomy (TMIE) or hybrid minimally invasive esophagectomy (HMIE) remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term clinical outcomes of TMIE and HMIE under the Ivor-Lewis procedure. METHODS: The data of 145 patients diagnosed with middle or lower esophageal cancer who underwent radical Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University between January 2018 and December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The short-term outcomes such as complications during surgery or within 30 days after surgery and postoperative pain were analyzed. RESULTS: All patients were divided into TMIE group (75 patients) and HMIE group (70 patients). No significant difference was observed in the baseline characteristics of the two groups. TMIE was associated with less blood loss than the HMIE group (p < 0.05). A total of 54 (37.2%) patients had postoperative complications. Although the two groups were statistically similar in the incidence of major complications, patients in the HMIE group were more likely to have pneumonia compared with those in the TMIE group. The numeric rating scale for pain was significantly higher in the HMIE group (p = 0.002) and more patients required an additional opioid analgesia after esophagectomy (p = 0.282). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, according to perioperative outcomes, TMIE can benefit patients better than HMIE.

A Recurrence Predictive Model for Node-negative Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma After Upfront Esophagectomy.

The prognosis for pathologically node-negative (pN0) esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with surgery alone remains poor. We aimed to develop a model for a more precise prediction of recurrence, which will allow personalized management for pN0 ESCC after upfront complete resection. Clinical and pathological records of patients with completely resected pT1-3N0M0 ESCC were retrospectively analyzed between January 2014 and December 2019. A nomogram for the prediction of recurrence was established based on the Cox regression analysis and evaluated by C-index, AUC, and calibration curves. The model was further validated using bootstrap resampling and k-fold cross-validation and compared with the 8th edition of the AJCC TNM staging system using Td-ROC, NRI, IDI, and DCA. Two-hundred-and seventy cases were included in this study. The median follow-up was 45 months. Distant and/or loco-regional recurrences were noted in 89 (33.0%) patients. The predictive model revealed pT-category, differentiation, perineural invasion, examined lymph nodes (ELN), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) as independent risk factors for recurrence, with a c-index of 0.725 in the bootstrapping cohort. Td-ROC, NRI, and IDI showed a better predictive ability than the AJCC 8th TNM staging system. Based on this model, patients in the low-risk group had a significantly lower recurrence incidence than those in the high-risk group (p < .001). The predictive model developed in this study may facilitate the precise prediction of recurrences for pN0 ESCC after upfront surgery. Stratifying management of those patients might bring significantly better survival benefits.

Autogenous pericardial angioplasty for thymic malignancies: a narrative review.

Locally advanced thymic tumor usually invades adjacent great vessels, while the optimal treatment strategy for vessels resection and prosthetic replacement is still in controversial. We hereby present our series of patients undergoing autologous pericardial angioplasty for thymic malignancies. For invasive thymic tumors involving the superior vena cava (SVC), the replacement vessel was prepared by autologous pericardium and placed between the right atrium and distal left innominate vein stump to establish a SVC bypass. Then, the distal right innominate vein and proximal SVC were blocked, and the thymic tumor and involved vessel were completely resected, followed by SVC reconstruction using pericardium. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes of six related patients with autologous pericardial angioplasty. Due to the homologous advantages of autologous pericardial transplantation, those patients didn't need to receive anticoagulant therapy during the perioperative period, so as to avoid the occurrence of hemorrhage, embolism and other graft-related complications. There were no postoperative long-term thoracic drainage (>7 days), anastomotic bleeding, reconstructed vascular stenosis, embolism or even secondary thoracotomy and other related complications occurred in this case series. The application of autologous pericardium for the replacement of mediastinal great vessels in the surgery of locally advanced thymoma is a safe and effective technique. Compared with former artificial materials, such as polytetrafluoroethylene synthetic prosthesis, autologous pericardial transplantation avoids the occurrence of high risk graft-related complications such as postoperative hemorrhage and vascular stenosis, and its clinical application prospect is worth expecting.

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify variables associated with anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy and established a tool for anastomotic leakage prediction. METHODS: Twenty-six preoperative and postoperative variables were retrospectively collected from esophageal cancer patients who were treated with radical esophagectomy from January 2018 to June 2020 in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. SPSS Version 23.0 and Empower Stats software were used for establishing a nomogram after screening relevant variables by univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses. The established nomogram was identified by depicting the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curve, which was verified by 1,000 bootstrap resamples method. RESULTS: A total of 604 eligible esophageal cancer patients were included, of which 51 (8.4%) patients had anastomotic leakage. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that smoking, anastomotic location, anastomotic technique, prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and ASA score were independent risks of anastomotic leakage. The area under curve (AUC) of ROC in the established nomogram was 0.764 (95% CI, 0.69-0.83). The internal validation confirmed that the nomogram had a great discrimination ability (AUC =0.766). Depicted calibration curve demonstrated a well-fitted prediction and observation probability. In addition, the decision curve analysis concluded that the newly established nomogram is significant for clinical decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: This nomogram provided the individual prediction of anastomotic leakage for esophageal cancer patients after surgery, which might benefit treatment results for patients and clinicians, as well as pre-and postoperative intervention strategy-making.

Identification and Validation of SNP-Containing Genes With Prognostic Value in Gastric Cancer via Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Although the diagnosis and treatment of this disease have substantially improved in recent years, the five-year survival rate of gastric cancer is still low due to local recurrence and distant metastasis. An in-depth study of the molecular pathogenesis of gastric cancer and related prognostic markers will help improve the quality of life and prognosis of patients with this disease. The purpose of this study was to identify and verify key SNPs in genes with prognostic value for gastric cancer. METHODS: SNP-related data from gastric cancer patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and the functions and pathways of the mutated genes were analyzed using DAVID software. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING database and visualized by Cytoscape software, and molecular complex detection (MCODE) was used to screen the PPI network to extract important mutated genes. Ten hub genes were identified using cytoHubba, and the expression levels and the prognostic value of the central genes were determined by UALCAN and Kaplan-Meier Plotter. Finally, quantitative PCR and Western blotting were used to verify the expression of the hub genes in gastric cancer cells. RESULTS: From the database, 945 genes with mutations in more than 25 samples were identified. The PPI network had 360 nodes and 1616 edges. Finally, cytoHubba identified six key genes (TP53, HRAS, BRCA1, PIK3CA, AKT1, and SMARCA4), and their expression levels were closely related to the survival rate of gastric cancer patients. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that TP53, HRAS, BRCA1, PIK3CA, AKT1, and SMARCA4 may be key genes for the development and prognosis of gastric cancer. Our research provides an important bioinformatics foundation and related theoretical foundation for further exploring the molecular pathogenesis of gastric cancer and evaluating the prognosis of patients.

Gefitinib Versus Vinorelbine Plus Cisplatin as Adjuvant Treatment for Stage II-IIIA (N1-N2) EGFR-Mutant NSCLC: Final Overall Survival Analysis of CTONG1104 Phase III Trial.

PURPOSE: ADJUVANT-CTONG1104 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01405079), a randomized phase III trial, showed that adjuvant gefitinib treatment significantly improved disease-free survival (DFS) versus vinorelbine plus cisplatin (VP) in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive resected stage II-IIIA (N1-N2) non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we report the final overall survival (OS) results. METHODS: From September 2011 to April 2014, 222 patients from 27 sites were randomly assigned 1:1 to adjuvant gefitinib (n = 111) or VP (n = 111). Patients with resected stage II-IIIA (N1-N2) NSCLC and EGFR-activating mutation were enrolled, receiving gefitinib for 24 months or VP every 3 weeks for four cycles. The primary end point was DFS (intention-to-treat [ITT] population). Secondary end points included OS, 3-, 5-year (y) DFS rates, and 5-year OS rate. Post hoc analysis was conducted for subsequent therapy data. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 80.0 months. Median OS (ITT) was 75.5 and 62.8 months with gefitinib and VP, respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 0.92; 95% CI, 0.62 to 1.36; P = .674); respective 5-year OS rates were 53.2% and 51.2% (P = .784). Subsequent therapy was administered upon progression in 68.4% and 73.6% of patients receiving gefitinib and VP, respectively. Subsequent targeted therapy contributed most to OS (HR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.38) compared with no subsequent therapy. Updated 3y DFS rates were 39.6% and 32. 5% with gefitinib and VP (P = .316) and 5y DFS rates were 22. 6% and 23.2% (P = .928), respectively. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant therapy with gefitinib in patients with early-stage NSCLC and EGFR mutation demonstrated improved DFS over standard of care chemotherapy. Although this DFS advantage did not translate to a significant OS difference, OS with adjuvant gefitinib was one of the longest observed in this patient group compared with historic data.

Genomic signatures define three subtypes of EGFR-mutant stage II-III non-small-cell lung cancer with distinct adjuvant therapy outcomes.

The ADJUVANT study reported the comparative superiority of adjuvant gefitinib over chemotherapy in disease-free survival of resected EGFR-mutant stage II-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, not all patients experienced favorable clinical outcomes with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), raising the necessity for further biomarker assessment. In this work, by comprehensive genomic profiling of 171 tumor tissues from the ADJUVANT trial, five predictive biomarkers are identified (TP53 exon4/5 mutations, RB1 alterations, and copy number gains of NKX2-1, CDK4, and MYC). Then we integrate them into the Multiple-gene INdex to Evaluate the Relative benefit of Various Adjuvant therapies (MINERVA) score, which categorizes patients into three subgroups with relative disease-free survival and overall survival benefits from either adjuvant gefitinib or chemotherapy (Highly TKI-Preferable, TKI-Preferable, and Chemotherapy-Preferable groups). This study demonstrates that predictive genomic signatures could potentially stratify resected EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients and provide precise guidance towards future personalized adjuvant therapy.

[Pneumonectomy for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Predictors of Operative Mortality and Survival].

Surgery is the most effective way to cure non-small cell lung cancer currently. Although sleeve lobectomy, with less reduction of respiratory function and a lower mortality rate, would not compromise oncological results in well-selected patients with central lung cancer, pneumonectomy is still necessary when complete resection could not be achieved by other surgical procedures. Cardiopulmonary complications are the most common complication after pneumonectomy. Fully understanding the related complications after pneumonectomy can help surgeons make a diagnosis timely, and further take relevant measures to reduce the adverse effects of postoperative complications on patients. What's more, in order to avoid postoperative complications and improve the prognosis of patients as much as possible, it is necessary to fully understand the risk factors to minimize the risk and to make the patients benefit from pneumonectomy as much as possible.

Development and validation of a nomogram prognostic model for patients with neuroendocrine tumors of the thymus.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics and prognostic survival of patients with neuroendocrine tumors of the thymus (NETTs), and to develop and validate a nomogram model for predicting the prognosis of patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with neuroendocrine tumors of the thymus in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database in the United States between 1988 and 2016. Cox scale risk regression analysis, the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to carry out the significance test to determine the independent prognostic factors, from which a nomogram for NETTs was established. C-index and calibration curve were used to evaluate the prediction accuracy of the model. External validation of the nomogram was performed using data from our center. RESULTS: A total of 254 patients with NETTs were collected in the SEER database. In the multivariable analysis, T stage, tumor grade, surgery, and chemotherapy were found to be independent factors affecting the prognosis of patients (all P < 0.05). A nomogram model was constructed based on these variables, and its c-index was 0.707 (0.661-0.752). The c-index results showed that the nomogram model had better authentication capability than the eighth edition of the tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) staging system and Masaoka-Koga (MK) staging system. The calibration curve showed that the model could accurately predict patient prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: The study established a nomogram model that predicted the overall survival rate of one-, three- and five-years, and used the survival prediction model to optimize individualized therapy and prognostic follow-up through risk stratification.

Role of radiation therapy in node-negative esophageal cancer: A propensity-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the prognostic impact of (neo-)adjuvant radiation therapies in early stage esophageal cancer. METHODS: A retrospective analysis using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was conducted from 2004 to 2016. Patients with pathologically staged T1-4N0M0 esophageal cancer were divided into two treatment groups: (i) neoadjuvant radiotherapy followed by surgery; and (ii) upfront esophagectomy followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. Propensity scored match and Cox proportional hazards model were used to identify covariates associated with overall survival and cancer-specific survival. RESULTS: There were 821 patients selected, of whom 588 (71.6%) received neoadjuvant radiotherapy and 233 (28.4%) received adjuvant radiotherapy. For the entire cohort, neoadjuvant radiotherapy was associated with a significantly benefit in five-year survival outcomes compared with adjuvant radiotherapy (P < 0.01). After matching, the survival outcomes were still better for neoadjuvant radiotherapy than that of adjuvant treatment. Stratifying based on pathologic tumor status, neoadjuvant radiation was associated with improved CSS (five-year survival 73.7% vs. 42.1%; P = 0.014) for localized (pT3-4N0) disease. The Cox multivariate regression analysis revealed that the addition of neoadjuvant radiation for pT3-4N0 diseases with tumor length ≥ 5 cm and squamous cell carcinoma, was a powerful prognostic factor for improved cancer-specific survival (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with adjuvant radiotherapy, the addition of neoadjuvant radiation for pT3-4N0 diseases has been associated with improved cancer-specific survival in high-risk patients. Studies on preoperative neoadjuvant therapies would be plausible in high-risk esophageal cancer patients.

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy plus surgery versus surgery alone for clinical node-negative esophageal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The impact of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) on early stage esophageal cancer is unknown. Here, we compared the outcomes after esophagectomy alone or nCRT plus surgery for clinically staged node-negative esophageal cancer. METHODS: We searched the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database for patients with clinically node-negative (cN0) esophageal cancer from 2004 to 2016 who underwent surgery alone or nCRT plus surgery. Propensity score matching and Cox regression analysis were used to identify covariates associated with overall survival and cancer-specific survival. RESULTS: A total of 1587 patients were retrospectively identified, of whom 49.8% (n = 791) received nCRT and 80.2% (n = 1273) were truly node-negative diseases. For the entire cohort, surgery alone was associated with a statistically significant but modest absolute increase in survival outcomes (P < 0.01). After matching, nCRT was associated with improved five-year overall survival for pT3-4N0 (localized) disease (59.6% vs. 37.7%; P < 0.001) and pathological node-positive disease (60.5% vs. 40.7%; P = 0.002). Cox multivariate regression analysis revealed that the addition of nCRT for truly node-negative patients with tumor length ≥ 3 cm, pT1-2N0 (early-staged) and localized disease were independent risk factors for survival than surgery alone (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with surgery alone, patients with cN0 esophageal cancer with pathological node-positive or localized true node-negative disease gain a significant survival benefit from nCRT. However, nCRT plus surgery was associated with decreased survival for early-staged true node-negative patients. This finding may have significant implications on the use of neoadjuvant chemoradiation in patients with cN0 disease.

Adjuvant radiotherapy for patients with pathologic node-negative esophageal carcinoma: A population based propensity matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: The impact of adjuvant treatment for esophageal carcinoma with tumor-negative lymph nodes after upfront radical esophagectomy is still uncertain. This study investigated the effects of postoperative radiotherapy in pT1-3N0 esophageal carcinoma after radical resection. METHOD: We retrospectively identified pT1-3N0M0 esophageal carcinoma patients between 2000 and 2016 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Patients with upfront esophagectomy were categorized as having received surgery alone (SA) and surgical resection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy (SA + RT). Propensity score matching, univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to compare overall survival (OS) and cause-specific survival (CSS). RESULTS: A total of 2862 patients were identified, of whom 274 received SA + RT and 2588 received SA. The median follow-up was 60.4 months (95%CI, 58.7-62.1 months). The five-year OS and CSS were better for SA group compared with SA + RT group (P < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, after matching, the OS and CSS were still significantly better for SA patients. For T subgroup analysis, postoperative radiotherapy was an independent prognostic factor only for pT1 patients with worse OS, without survival differences for pT2 and pT3 patients. However, after multivariate cox analysis, postoperative radiotherapy can provide significantly better OS for pT3 patients with tumor length ≥5 cm (P = 0.03; 95%CI, 0.29-0.94). CONCLUSIONS: Among pT1-3N0M0 esophageal carcinoma patients, postoperative radiotherapy can provide significantly better OS for pT3 patients with tumor length ≥5 cm. However, there are no survival benefits for pT1-2 patients after SA + RT procedure. This finding may have significant implications on the use of adjuvant radiation in patients with pN0 disease.

A tension tracheal diverticulum: recurrence after interventional sclerotherapy followed by transcervical resection.

Tracheal diverticulum is a rarely congenital or acquired tracheal benign entity, characterized by round or spherical out-pouching of the tracheal wall. Most of the tracheal diverticula are asymptomatic disease, and therefore surgical treatment has not been widely reported. Symptomatic diverticula can accept conservative treatment such as anti-inflammatory, postural drainage, etc. Transcervical resection or endoscopic laser surgery or electrosurgery should be considered for patients with severe symptoms or combined with repeated tracheobronchial inflammation. However, there is still insufficient evidence to recommend the optimal therapeutic schedule at present. We describe a special tension tracheal diverticulum with rare symptoms of dysphagia and dizziness for the first time which has a recurrence after interventional sclerotherapy followed by transcervical resection.