To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 8-ring assisted traction in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), a total of 13 patients with 15 gastric lesions who underwent 8-ring traction-assisted ESD in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from July 2021 to January 2022 were included in the retrospective cohort study. All patients successfully completed the operation. The median procedure time was 56 min, and the dissected area per unit time was 0.20±0.02 cm 2/min. The en bloc resection rate, the complete resection rate and the curative resection rate were 93.3% (14/15), 80.0% (12/15) and 80.0% (12/15), respectively. There were no ESD-related complications, such as delayed bleeding or intraperative and postoperative perforation. No deaths occurred. As a novel internal traction technology, 8-ring traction method is simple to operate, providing a good field of vision during ESD to improve the dissection efficiency and reduce complications, which is worthy of further clinical research and promotion.

Liver metastases (LMs) are common in lung cancer. Despite substantial advances in diagnosis and treatment, the survival rate of patients with LM remains low as the immune-suppressive microenvironment of the liver allows tumor cells to evade the immune system. The impact of LMs on the outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with solid tumors has been the main focus of recent translational and clinical research. Growing evidence indicates that the hepatic microenvironment delivers paracrine and autocrine signals from non-parenchymal and parenchymal cells. Overall, these microenvironments create pre- and post-metastatic conditions for the progression of LMs. Herein, we reviewed the epidemiology, physiology, pathology and immunology, of LMs associated with non-small cell lung cancer and the role and potential targets of the liver microenvironment in LM in each phase of metastasis. Additionally, we reviewed the current treatment strategies and challenges that should be overcome in preclinical and clinical investigations. These approaches target liver elements as the basis for future clinical trials, including combinatorial interventions reported to resolve hepatic immune suppression, such as immunotherapy plus chemotherapy, immunotherapy plus radiotherapy, immunotherapy plus anti-angiogenesis therapy, and surgical resection.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and outcomes of early removal of lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) in the treatment of pancreatic wall-off necrosis (WON).Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 51 patients with WON who underwent endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided transluminal drainage (ETD) and direct endoscopic necrosectomy (DEN) using LAMS at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022. Patients were divided into the early removal group (within two weeks, n=24) and the traditional removal group (after two weeks, n=27) based on the timing of LAMS removal. The short-term effects, safety and long-term outcomes of WON were compared between the two groups. Results:The technical success rate of LAMS placement in 51 patients reached 100%, and all patients underwent ETD and DEN. The median number of necrosectomy sessions in the early removal group was significantly lower than in the traditional removal group, 2.0 sessions vs 3.0 sessions and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Postoperatively, 15.7% of patients required percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) and 5.9% required surgery, with no significant difference between the two groups. The clinical success rate and mortality rate in the early removal group were 79.2% and 8.3%, respectively, compared to 81.5% and 3.7% in the traditional removal group, with no statistically significant difference. In terms of safety, the early removal group exhibited a significantly lower rate of adverse events during stent retention with statistically significant difference (12.5% vs 37.0%, P<0.05) compared to the traditional removal group. A total of 46 patients were followed up for six months. In the early removal group, the rates of disease recurrence, need for endoscopic reintervention and occurrence of long-term complications were 20.0%, 10.0% and 20.0%, respectively. These rates did not show a significant increase compared to the traditional removal group, which were 7.7%, 3.8% and 38.5%, respectively, without significant differences between the groups. Conclusions:In the treatment of WON, early removal of LAMS is safe and effective to a certain extent. In comparison to the traditional practice of removing LAMS after two weeks, early removal does not reduce clinical success rates, nor does it increase the rates of disease-related mortality, recurrence, or long-term complications. On the contrary, it may reduce the occurrence of adverse events during stent retention and decrease the number of necrosectomy procedures subsequently.

Objective:To assess the safety and efficacy of single metal clip traction-assisted endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for the treatment of duodenal lesions.Methods:Data of 45 patients with duodenal lesions who underwent ESD in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School between April 2021 and October 2022 were retrospectively recruited. Among them, 19 patients received single metal clip traction- assisted ESD while 26 patients received traditional ESD. The incidence of complications, dissection speed, en bloc resection rate and R0 resection rate of the two groups were mainly observed. Secondary observation indexes included specimen longer diameter, shorter diameter and area.Results:All 45 procedures were successfully completed, with the procedure time of 44.0 (27.0, 67.0) min for the single metal clip traction- assisted ESD group and 34.0 (24.0, 43.5) min for the traditional ESD group ( Z=-1.678, P=0.093). In the single metal clip traction-assisted ESD group, 2 cases (10.5%) had complications, including 1 intraoperative perforation and 1 postoperative bleeding (approximately 20 mL). There were three cases (11.5%) of complications in the traditional ESD group, including 1 case of postoperative bleeding (approximately 50 mL) and 2 cases of postoperative perforation, with no significant intergroup variation ( P=1.000). The dissection speed of the single metal clip traction-assisted ESD group was 16.0 (11.0, 25.8) mm 2/min, significantly larger than that of the traditional ESD group [5.3 (2.2, 21.1) mm 2/min, Z=-2.287, P=0.022]. The en block resection rate and R0 resection rate of the single metal clip traction-assisted ESD group were both 100.0% (19/19). Additionally, the specimen longer diameter, shorter diameter and area of the single metal clip traction-assisted ESD group were 34.0 (22.0, 45.0) mm, 25.0 (20.0, 34.0) mm, and 745.8 (380.0, 1 342.4) mm 2, respectively, significantly larger than those of the traditional ESD group of 20.0 (12.8, 30.3) mm ( Z=-3.119, P=0.002), 14.0 (8.8, 21.3) mm ( Z=-3.417, P=0.001), 190.4 (84.0, 498.7) mm 2 ( Z=-3.275, P=0.001). Conclusion:Single metal clip traction is safe and effective for duodenal ESD, demonstrating a notable improvement in the dissection speed, especially suitable for large duodenal lesions.

Objective:To investigate the correlation of antinuclear antibody (ANA) with clinical response to infliximab (IFX) in patients with Crohn′s disease (CD) .Methods:Patients who were diagnosed as CD and treated with IFX in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2018 to September 2021 were retrospectively studied. The correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between ANA and clinical response. These patients were divided into two groups according to the ANA titer after 25 weeks of IFX treatment. The differences in clinical data between the two groups were assessed by univariate analysis. The variables with P<0.15 in univariate analysis and having clinical significance were further analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression to determine the independent risk factors of the induction of ANA. Results:A total of 82 patients with CD were included. Forty-one (50.0%) patients were set as positive group, and 41 (50.0%) patients were set as negative group. In terms of clinical response, the clinical response rates of two groups were 68.3% and 41.5%, and the difference was significant (χ 2 = 5.959, P = 0.015) . Positive group was divided into 1∶100 subgroup ( n = 17) , 1∶320 subgroup ( n = 11) and ≥1∶1000 subgroup ( n = 13) . The clinical response rates of three groups were 41.2%, 45.5% and 7.7% respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (χ 2 = 5.334, P = 0.084) . The incidences of adverse events in the two groups were 17.1% and 7.3%, and the difference was not significant (χ 2 = 1.822, P = 0.177) . Univariate analysis showed that the difference of total protein (TP) before IFX treatment between the positive group and negative group was statistically significant ( P<0.05) . Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age ( OR = 1.060, 95% CI: 1.015 ~ 1.107, P = 0.008) and the baseline TP ( OR = 1.110, 95% CI: 1.023 ~ 1.205, P = 0.012) were the independent risk factors for the induction of ANA. Conclusions:The formation of ANA may affect the clinical response of IFX, so the ANA titer should be monitored regularly during the IFX therapy. In addition, age and baseline TP are related to the formation of ANA.

Objective:To investigate the correlation of antinuclear antibody (ANA) with clinical response to infliximab (IFX) in patients with Crohn′s disease (CD) .Methods:Patients who were diagnosed as CD and treated with IFX in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2018 to September 2021 were retrospectively studied. The correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between ANA and clinical response. These patients were divided into two groups according to the ANA titer after 25 weeks of IFX treatment. The differences in clinical data between the two groups were assessed by univariate analysis. The variables with P<0.15 in univariate analysis and having clinical significance were further analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression to determine the independent risk factors of the induction of ANA. Results:A total of 82 patients with CD were included. Forty-one (50.0%) patients were set as positive group, and 41 (50.0%) patients were set as negative group. In terms of clinical response, the clinical response rates of two groups were 68.3% and 41.5%, and the difference was significant (χ 2 = 5.959, P = 0.015) . Positive group was divided into 1∶100 subgroup ( n = 17) , 1∶320 subgroup ( n = 11) and ≥1∶1000 subgroup ( n = 13) . The clinical response rates of three groups were 41.2%, 45.5% and 7.7% respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (χ 2 = 5.334, P = 0.084) . The incidences of adverse events in the two groups were 17.1% and 7.3%, and the difference was not significant (χ 2 = 1.822, P = 0.177) . Univariate analysis showed that the difference of total protein (TP) before IFX treatment between the positive group and negative group was statistically significant ( P<0.05) . Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age ( OR = 1.060, 95% CI: 1.015 ~ 1.107, P = 0.008) and the baseline TP ( OR = 1.110, 95% CI: 1.023 ~ 1.205, P = 0.012) were the independent risk factors for the induction of ANA. Conclusions:The formation of ANA may affect the clinical response of IFX, so the ANA titer should be monitored regularly during the IFX therapy. In addition, age and baseline TP are related to the formation of ANA.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic non-specific intestinal inflammatory diseases mediated by multiple factors such as immune disorders, mainly including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn′s disease (CD) . Malignant tumors are the second leading cause of death in IBD patients, including intestinal tumors and extraintestinal tumors. At present, the risk and related mechanism of extraintestinal tumors in IBD patients are still unknown. The study has found that the difference in the risk of extraintestinal tumors between UC and CD is also statistically significant. This article will outline the overall risk of extraintestinal tumors in IBD, and describe the risk, pathogenesis, and monitoring program of multi-system extraintestinal solid tumors in IBD, UC and CD, providing a theoretical basis for the prevention, surveillance and early diagnosis of extraintestinal tumors in IBD patients.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic non-specific intestinal inflammatory diseases mediated by multiple factors such as immune disorders, mainly including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn′s disease (CD) . Malignant tumors are the second leading cause of death in IBD patients, including intestinal tumors and extraintestinal tumors. At present, the risk and related mechanism of extraintestinal tumors in IBD patients are still unknown. The study has found that the difference in the risk of extraintestinal tumors between UC and CD is also statistically significant. This article will outline the overall risk of extraintestinal tumors in IBD, and describe the risk, pathogenesis, and monitoring program of multi-system extraintestinal solid tumors in IBD, UC and CD, providing a theoretical basis for the prevention, surveillance and early diagnosis of extraintestinal tumors in IBD patients.

To review the clinical data of 13 patients with benign stenosis in deep small intestine treated by balloon-assisted enteroscopy from September 2017 to December 2019, and to evaluate the stenosis characteristics, endoscopic treatment effects and its safety in different lesions. The results showed that there were 6 cases of Crohn disease (CD), 4 cases of cryptogenic multifocal ulcerative stenosing enteritis (CMUSE) and 3 cases of small bowel stenosis with unknown etiology. A total of 38 stenoses were found after 17 enteroscopic treatments, including 35 web-like stenoses and 3 columnar stenoses. Thirteen stenoses were found in 6 patients with CD, including 4 single stenosis, 1 case of 3 stenoses and 1 case of 6 stenoses. Twenty-one stenoses were found in 4 patients with CMUSE and they were all web-like stenosis. A total of 18 times of balloon dilatation and 10 times of IT knife incision were performed. The technical success rate was 88.2% (15/17), and the clinical effective rate was 76.9% (10/13). The follow-up time was 3-28 months, and one patient underwent surgical treatment. There was 1 case of delayed hemorrhage and 3 cases of delayed perforation after operation. They were all improved by medical treatment. These results indicated that treatment of benign stenosis in deep small intestine by enteroscopy is technically feasible and can improve the symptoms of patients in a short time.