CircXRN2 accelerates colorectal cancer progression through regulating miR-149-5p/MACC1 axis and EMT.

In China, there has been a persistent upward trend in the incidence and mortality rates of colorectal cancer (CRC), with CRC ranking second in incidence and fifth in mortality among all malignant tumors. Although circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been implicated in the progression of various cancers, their specific role in CRC progression remains largely unexplored. The objective of this study was to elucidate the role and underlying mechanisms of circXRN2 in CRC. Differential expression of circXRN2 was identified through whole transcriptome sequencing. The expression levels of circXRN2 and miR-149-5p were quantified in CRC tissues, corresponding adjacent normal tissues, and CRC cell lines using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The stability of circXRN2 was confirmed through RNase R and actinomycin D experiments. The binding interaction between circXRN2 and miR-149-5p was validated through RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, and dual-luciferase assays. The biological functions of circXRN2 were assessed through a battery of in vitro experiments, including the CCK-8 assay, EdU assay, scratch assay, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry assay. Additionally, in vivo experiments involving a tumor transplantation model and a liver-lung metastasis model were conducted. The influence of circXRN2 on the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes was determined via Western blotting analysis. In CRC tissues and cells, there was an upregulation in the expression levels of both circXRN2 and ENC1, while miR-149-5p exhibited a downregulation in its expression. The overexpression of circXRN2 was found to enhance tumor proliferation and metastasis, as evidenced by results from both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Functionally, circXRN2 exerted its antitumor effect by suppressing cell proliferation, migration, and invasion while also promoting apoptosis. Mechanistically, the dysregulated expression of circXRN2 had an impact on the expression of proteins within the EMT signaling pathway. Our results demonstrated that circXRN2 promoted the proliferation and metastasis of CRC cells through the miR-149-5p/ENC1/EMT axis, suggesting that circXRN2 might serve as a potential therapeutic target and novel biomarker in the progression of CRC.

Right hemicolectomy combined with duodenum-jejunum Roux-en-Y anastomosis for hepatic colon carcinoma invading the duodenum: A single-center case series.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic colon carcinoma invading the duodenum is not common in clinical practice. Surgical treatment of colonic hepatic cancer that invades the duodenum is difficult, and the surgical risk is high. AIM: To discuss the efficacy and safety of duodenum-jejunum Roux-en-Y anastomosis for the treatment of hepatic colon carcinoma invading the duodenum. METHODS: From 2016 to 2020, 11 patients from Panzhihua Central Hospital diagnosed with hepatic colon carcinoma were enrolled in this study. Clinical and therapeutic effects and prognostic indicators were retrospectively analyzed to determine the efficacy and safety of our surgical procedures. All patients underwent radical resection of right colon cancer combined with duodenum-jejunum Roux-en-Y anastomosis. RESULTS: The median tumor size was 65 mm (r50-90). Major complications (Clavien-DindoI-II) occurred in 3 patients (27.3%); the average length of hospital stay was 18.09 ± 4.21 d; and only 1 patient (9.1%) was readmitted during the 1st mo after the surgery. The 30-d mortality rate was 0%. After a median follow-up of 41 m (r7-58), the disease-free survival at 1, 2, and 3 years was 90.9%, 90.9% and 75.8%, respectively; the overall survival at 1, 2, and 3 years was 90.9%. CONCLUSION: In selected patients, radical resection of right colon cancer combined with duodenum-jejunum Roux-en-Y anastomosis is clinically effective, and the complications are manageable. The surgical procedure also has an acceptable morbidity rate and mid-term survival.

Rectal cancer combined with abdominal tuberculosis: A case report.

BACKGROUND: It is very rare to suffer from colorectal adenocarcinoma and abdominal tuberculosis simultaneously. Even in a country such as China, where tuberculosis is still endemic, its diagnosis and treatment are challenging. This article describes in detail a case of rectal cancer complicated by abdominal tuberculosis and its pathological features. CASE SUMMARY: We outline the case of a 71-year-old female who was admitted with intermittent blood in the stool over the past year. The patient was diagnosed with low rectal cancer and received neoadjuvant therapy. The patient then returned to the hospital for surgery, but diffusely distributed nodules were found during laparoscopic exploration. The diagnosis of rectal cancer with extensive metastasis was considered during the operation. There was no opportunity for radical surgery. Thus, nodules were taken for pathological examination, and the abdomen was closed. The histopathological diagnosis was tuberculous granuloma, and the patient was treated with standardized anti-tuberculosis drugs in a specialized hospital. Later, the patient again came to our hospital and underwent abdominoperineal resection. She was discharged 10 d after the operation in good clinical condition. CONCLUSION: We aim to emphasize the importance of preoperative and postoperative pathological examination in diagnosis and treatment.